[Sidenote: Jonah was a prophet of the gentiles.]
Hit bi-tydde su{m}-tyme i{n} þe termes of Iude,
Ionas ioyned watȝ þ{er}-i{n}ne ientyle p{ro}phete;
[Sidenote: God’s word came to him, saying, “Rise quickly, take
the way to Nineveh.]
Goddes glam to hy{m} glod, þat hy{m} vnglad made,
W{i}t{h} a roghlych rurd rowned i{n} his ere; 64
“Rys radly,” he says, “& rayke forth euen,
Nym þe way to nynyue, wyth-outen oþ{er} speche,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 84a.]]
& in þat cete my saȝes sogh{e} alle aboute,
[Sidenote: Say that which I shall put in thine heart.]
Þat, i{n} þat place at þe poy{n}t, I put i{n} þi hert; 68
For Iwysse hit arn so wykke þat i{n} þat won dowelleȝ,
[Sidenote: Wickedness dwells in that city.]
& her malys is so much I may not abide,
Bot venge me on her vilanye & venym bilyue;
[Sidenote: Go swiftly and carry my message.”]
Now sweȝe me þider swyftly & say me þis arende.” 72
When þat steuen watȝ stynt, þat stowned his my{n}de,
[Sidenote: Jonah is full of wrath.]
Al he wrathed i{n} his wyt & wyþ{er}ly he þoȝt,
If I bowe to his bode & bry{n}g he{m} þis tale,
[Sidenote: He is afraid that the shrews will put him in the
stocks, or put out his eyes.]
& I be Nu{m}men in Nuniue, my nyes begy{n}es; 76
He telles me þose trayto{ur}es arn typped schrewes,
I com wyth þose tyþy{n}ges, þay ta me bylyue,
Pyneȝ me i{n} a prysou{n}, put me i{n} stokkes,
Wryþe me i{n} a warlok, wrast out myn yȝen. 80
Þis is a m{er}uayl message a man for to preche,
Amonge enmyes so mony & mansed fendes;
[Sidenote: He thinks that God desires his death.]
Bot if my gaynlych god such gref to me wolde,
For[5] desert of su{m} sake þat I slayn were, 84
[Headnote: HE SAILS FOR TARSHISH.]
[Sidenote: He determines not to go near the city, but fly to
Tarshish.]
At alle peryles, q{uod} þe p{ro}phete, I aproche hit no nerre,
I wyl me su{m} oþ{er} waye, þat he ne wayte aft{er};
I schal tee i{n}-to tarce, & tary þere a whyle,
& lyȝtly, when I am lest, he letes me alone. 88
[Sidenote: Grumbling, he goes to port Joppa.]
Þe{n}ne he ryses radly, & raykes bilyue
Ionas toward port Iaph, ay Ianglande for tene,
Þat he nolde þole, for no-þy{n}g, non of þose pynes,
[Sidenote: He says that God will not be able to protect him.]
Þaȝ þe fader þat hy{m} formed were fale of his hele. 92
“Oure syre syttes,” he says, “on sege so hyȝe
I{n} his g[l]wande glorye, & glou{m}bes ful lyttel,
Þaȝ I be nu{m}men i{n} nuniue & naked dispoyled,
On rode rwly to-rent, w{i}t{h} rybaudes mony.” 96
[Sidenote: Jonah reaches the port, finds a ship ready to sail.]
Þ{us} he passes to þat port, his passage to seche,
Fyndes he a fayr schyp to þe fare redy;
Maches hy{m} w{i}t{h} þe maryneres, makes her paye,
For to towe hy{m} i{n}-to tarce, as tyd as þay myȝt. 100
[Sidenote: The seamen catch up the cross-sail, fasten the cables,
weigh their anchors, and spread sail.]
Then he tron on þo tres & þay her tra{m}me ruchen,
Cachen vp þe crossayl, cables þay fasten,
[Sidenote: [Fol. 84b.]]
Wiȝt at þe wyndlas weȝen her ankres,
Sprude spak to þe sprete þe spare bawe-lyne, 104
Gederen to þe gyde ropes, þe grete cloþ falles;
Þay layden i{n} on ladde-borde & þe lofe wy{n}nes.
[Sidenote: A gentle wind wafts the ship along.]
Þe blyþe breþe at her bak þe bosum he fyndes,
He swenges me þys swete schip swefte fro þe hauen. 108
[Sidenote: Was never a Jew so joyful as was Jonah then.]
Watȝ neu{er} so Ioyful a Iue, as Ionas watȝ þe{n}ne,
Þat þe daunger of dryȝtyn so derfly ascaped;
He wende wel þat þat wyȝ þ{a}t al þe world planted,
Hade no maȝt i{n} þat mere no man forto greue. 112
[Sidenote: He has, however, put himself in peril, in fleeing
from God.]
Lo! þe wytles wrechche, for he wolde noȝt suffer,
Now hatȝ he put hy{m} i{n} plyt of p{er}il wel more;
Hit watȝ a weny{n}g vn-war þat welt i{n} his mynde,
Þaȝ he were soȝt fro samarye þat god seȝ no fyrre, 116
Ȝise he blusched ful brode, þat burde hy{m} by sure,
[Sidenote: The words of David.]
Þat ofte kyd hy{m} þe carpe þat ky{n}g sayde,
Dy{n}gne dauid on des, þat demed þis speche,
I{n} a psalme þat he set þe saut{er} w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne; 120
O Foleȝ i{n} folk feleȝ oþ{er} whyle,
[Sidenote: Does He not hear, who made all ears?]
& vnderstondes vmbe-stou{n}de, þaȝ he be stape fole,
Hope ȝe þat he heres not þat eres alle made?
[Sidenote: He is not blind that formed each eye.]
Hit may not be þat he is blynde þ{a}t bigged vche yȝe. 124
[Sidenote: Jonah is now in no dread.]
Bot he dredes no dynt þat dotes for elde,
For he watȝ fer i{n} þe flod fou{n}dande to tarce;
[Sidenote: He is, however, soon overtaken.]
Bot, I trow, ful tyd, ou{er}-tan þat he were,
So þat schomely to schort he schote of his ame. 128
[Sidenote: The wielder of all things has devices at will.]
For þe welder of wyt, þat wot alle þy{n}ges,
Þat ay wakes & waytes, at wylle hatȝ he slyȝtes;
He calde on þat ilk crafte he carf w{i}t{h} his hondes,
Þay wakened wel þe wroþeloker, for wroþely he cleped: 132
[Headnote: HE IS OVERTAKEN BY A TEMPEST.]
[Sidenote: He commands Eurus and Aquilo to blow.]
“Ewr{us} & aq{u}ilou{n}, þat on est sittes,
Blowes boþe at my bode vpon blo watt{er}es.”
[Sidenote: The winds blow obedient to His word.]
Þe{n}ne watȝ no tom þer bytwene his tale & her dede,
So bayn wer þay boþe two, his bone for to wyrk. 136
[Sidenote: Out of the north-east the noise begins.]
An-on out of þe norþ est þe noys bigynes,
When boþe breþes con blowe vpon blo watteres;
[Sidenote: [Fol. 85a.]]
Roȝ rakkes þer ros w{i}t{h} rudny{n}g an-vnder,
[Sidenote: Storms arose, winds wrestled together, the waves
rolled high, and never rested.]
Þe see souȝed ful sore, gret selly to here; 140
Þe wyndes on þe wo{n}ne wat{er} so wrastel to-geder,
Þat þe wawes ful wode walt{er}ed so hiȝe,
& efte busched to þe abyme þat breed fysches;
Durst nowhere for roȝ arest at þe bothem. 144
When þe breth & þe brok & þe bote metten,
[Sidenote: Then was Jonah joyless.]
Hit watȝ a ioyles gyn þat Ionas watȝ i{n}ne,
[Sidenote: The boat reeled around.]
For hit reled on rou{n}[d] vpon þe roȝe yþes.
[Sidenote: The gear became out of order.]
Þe bur ber to hit baft þat braste alle her gere, 148
Þen hurled on a hepe þe helme & þe sterne,
[Sidenote: Ropes and mast were broken.]
Furst to murte mony rop & þe mast aft{er}.
Þe sayl sweyed on þe see, þe{n}ne suppe bihoued
[Sidenote: A loud cry is raised, Many a lad labours to lighten
the ship.]
Þe coge of þe colde[6] wat{er}, & þe{n}ne þe cry ryses; 152
Ȝet coruen þay þe cordes & kest al þ{er}-oute.
Mony ladde þer forth-lep to laue & to kest,
Scopen out þe scaþel wat{er}, þat fayn scape wolde;
For be mo{n}nes lode[7] neu{er} so luþ{er}, þe lyf is ay swete. 156
[Sidenote: They throw overboard their bags and feather beds.]
Þer watȝ busy ou{er}-borde bal{e} to kest
Her bagges, & her feþ{er} beddes, & her bryȝt wedes,
Her kysttes, & her coferes, her caraldes alle,
& al to lyȝten þat lome, ȝif leþe wolde schape; 160
[Sidenote: But still the wind rages, and the waves become wilder.]
Bot eu{er} watȝ ilyche loud þe lot of þe wy{n}des,
& eu{er} wroþ{er} þe wat{er}, & wodder þe stremes.
Þe{n} þo wery for-wroȝt wyst no bote,
[Sidenote: Each man calls upon his god.]
Bot vchon glewed on his god þat gayned hy{m} beste; 164
[Sidenote: Some called upon Vernagu, Diana, and Neptune, to the
sun and to the moon.]
Summe to vernagu þ{er} vouched a-vowes solemne,
Summe to diana deuout, & derf nepturne,
To mahou{n} & to mergot, þe mone & þe su{n}ne,
& vche lede as he loued & layde had his hert. 168
[Sidenote: Then said one of the sailors: “Some lawless wretch,
that has grieved his God, is in the ship.]
Þe{n}ne bispeke þe spakest dispayred wel nere:
I leue here be su{m} losynger, su{m} lawles wrech,
Þat hatȝ greued his god & gotȝ here amonge v{us};
Lo al synkes i{n} his sy{n}ne & for his sake marres! 172
[Sidenote: I advise that we lay lots upon each man.]
I lovne þat we lay lotes on ledes vchone,
& who-so ly{m}pes þe losse, lay hy{m} þ{er}-oute;
[Sidenote: [Fol. 85b.]]
[Sidenote: When the guilty is gone the tempest may cease.”]
& quen þe gulty is gon what may gome trawe,
Bot he þat rules þe rak may rwe on þose oþ{er}? 176
[Sidenote: This is agreed to.]
Þis watȝ sette i{n} asent, & sembled þay were,
[Sidenote: All are assembled, from all corners of the ship, save
Jonah the Jew, who had fled into the bottom of the boat.]
Herȝed out of vche hyrne to hent þat falles.
A lodes-mon lyȝtly lep vnder hachches,
For to layte mo ledes & hem to lote bry{n}g, 180
Bot hy{m} fayled no freke þat he fynde myȝt,
Saf Ionas þe Iwe þat Iowked i{n} derne.
He watȝ flowen for ferde of þe flode lotes
I{n}-to þe boþem of þe bot, & on a brede lyggede, 184
On helde by þe hurrok, for þe heuen wrache,
[Sidenote: There he falls asleep.]
Slypped vpon a slou{m}be, selepe, & sloberande he routes.
[Sidenote: Soon he is aroused, and brought on board.]
Þe freke hy{m} fru{n}t w{i}t{h} his fot & bede hy{m} ferk vp,
Þer ragnel i{n} his rakentes hy{m} rere of his dremes; 188
Bi þe haspede he hentes hy{m} þe{n}ne,
& broȝt hy{m} vp by þe brest & vpon borde sette,
[Sidenote: Full roughly is he questioned.]
Arayned hy{m} ful runyschly what raysou{n} he hade
I{n} such slaȝtes of sorȝe to slepe so faste; 192
Sone haf þay her sortes sette & serelych deled,
[Headnote: JONAH IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH, AND IS CAST OVERBOARD.]
[Sidenote: The lot falls upon Jonah.]
& ay þe[8] lote, vpon laste, lymped on Ionas.
[Sidenote: Then quickly they said: “What the devil hast thou
done, doted wretch?]
Þe{n}ne ascryed þay hy{m} sckete, & asked ful loude,
“What þe deuel hatȝ þ{o}u don, doted wrech? 196
[Sidenote: What seekest thou on the sea?]
What seches þ{o}u on see, sy{n}ful schrewe,
W{i}t{h} þy lastes so luþ{er} to lose v{us} vchone?
[Sidenote: Hast thou no God to call upon?]
Hatȝ þ{o}u, gome, no gou{er}no{ur} ne god on to calle,
Þat þ{o}u þ{us} slydes on slepe when þ{o}u slayn worþes? 200
[Sidenote: Of what land art thou?]
Of what londe art þ{o}u lent, what laytes þ{o}u here
Whyder i{n} worlde þat þ{o}u wylt, & what is þyn arnde?
[Sidenote: Thou art doomed for thy ill deeds.”]
Lo þy dom is þe dyȝt, for þy dedes ille!
Do gyf glory to þy godde, er þ{o}u glyde hens.” 204
[Sidenote: Jonah says: “I am a Hebrew, a worshipper of the
world’s Creator.]
“I am an Ebru,” q{uod} he, “of Israyl borne;
Þat wyȝe I worchyp, Iwysse, þat wroȝt alle þy{n}ges,
Alle þe worlde w{i}t{h} þe welkyn, þe wynde & þe sternes,
& alle þat woneȝ þer w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne, at a worde one. 208
[Sidenote: All this mischief is caused by me, therefore cast me
overboard.”]
Alle þis meschef for me is made at þys tyme,
For I haf greued my god & gulty am fou{n}den;
[Sidenote: [Fol. 86a.]]
For-þy bereȝ me to þe borde, & baþeþes[9] me þ{er}-oute,
Er gete ȝe no happe, I hope forsoþe.” 212
He ossed hy{m}[10] by vnny{n}ges þat þay vnder-nomen,
[Sidenote: He proves to them that he was guilty.]
Þat he watȝ flawen fro þe face of frelych dryȝtyn;
[Sidenote: The mariners are exceedingly frightened.]
Þe{n}ne such a ferde on hem fel & flayed he{m} w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne,
Þat þay ruyt hy{m} to rowwe & letten þe ry{n}k one. 216
[Sidenote: They try to make way with their oars, but their
endeavours are useless.]
Haþeles hyȝed i{n} haste w{i}t{h} ores ful longe,
Sy{n} her sayl watȝ hem aslypped on sydeȝ to rowe;
Hef & hale vpon hyȝt to helpen hym seluen,
Bot al watȝ nedles note, þat nolde not bityde: 220
In bluber of þe blo flod bursten her ores,
[Sidenote: Jonah must be doomed to death.]
Þe{n}ne hade þay noȝt i{n} her honde þat hem help myȝt;
Þe{n}ne nas no cou{m}fort to keu{er}, ne cou{n}sel non oþer,
Bot ionas i{n}-to his Iuis Iugge bylyue. 224
[Sidenote: They pray to God, that they may not shed innocent
blood.]
Fyrst þay prayen to þe prynce þ{a}t p{ro}phetes seruen,
Þat he gef hem þe g{ra}ce to greuen hy{m} neu{er},
Þat þay i{n} baleleȝ blod þer blenden her handeȝ,
Þaȝ þat haþel wer his, þ{a}t þay here quelled. 228
[Sidenote: Jonah is cast overboard.]
Tyd by top & bi to þay token hy{m} sy{n}ne,
I{n}-to þat lodlych loȝe þay luche hy{m} sone;
[Sidenote: The tempest ceases and the sea settles.]
He watȝ no tytter out-tulde[11] þat tempest ne sessed,
Þe se saȝtled þ{er}-w{i}t{h}, as sone as ho moȝt. 232
Þe{n}ne þaȝ her takel were torne, þ{a}t tot{er}ed on yþeȝ,
[Sidenote: The stiff streams drive the ship about.]
Styffe stremes & streȝt hem strayned a whyle,
Þat drof hem dryȝlych adou{n} þe depe to serue,[12]
[Sidenote: At last they reach a bank.]
Tyl a swetter ful swyþe he{m} sweȝed to bonk. 236
[Sidenote: The seamen thank God, and perform solemn vows.]
Þer watȝ louy{n}g on lofte, when þay þe londe wo{n}nen,
To oure mercyable god, on moyses wyse,
W{i}t{h} sacrafyse vp-set, & solempne vowes,
& grau{n}ted hy{m} vn-to be god & graythly non oþ{er}; 240
[Sidenote: Jonah is in great dread.]
Þaȝ þay be Iolef for Ioye, Ionas ȝet dredes,
Þaȝ he nolde suffer no sore, his seele is on ant{er};
For what-so worþed of þat wyȝe, fro he i{n} wat{er} dipped,
Hit were a wonder to wene, ȝif holy wryt nere. 244
[Sidenote 5: MS. _fof_.]
[Sidenote 6: MS. _clolde_.]
[Sidenote 7: _lote_ (?).]
[Sidenote 8: MS. _þe þe_.]
[Sidenote 9: _baþes_ (?).]
[Sidenote 10: _hem_ (?).]
[Sidenote 11: _out-tulte_ (?).]
[Sidenote 12: _sterue_ (?).]
[Headnote: A WILD WHALE SWALLOWS JONAH.]