and Abraham the
fire and the
sword.
And abraham ðe fier and ðe ſwerd bar;
ðo wurð ðe child witt_er_ and war 1308
ðat ðor ſal offrende ben don,
Oc ne wiſte he q_u_uat, ne q_u_or-on;
"Where," quoth
Isaac, "is the offering
that thou
wilt make?"
"fader," q_u_að he, "q_u_ar ſal ben taken
ðe offrende ðat ðu wilt maken?" 1312
Quoth Abraham,
"God will provide
the offering.
Q_u_at abraha_m_, "god ſal bi-ſen
Q_u_or-of ðe ofrende ſal ben;
In a wonderful
manner thou
camest into the
world, and so
shalt thou depart
hence.
Sellik ðu art on wer[l]de cumen,
Sellic ðu ſalt ben heðen numen; 1316
Wið-uten long ðhrowing and figt,
God wile ðe taken of werlde nigt,
God requires thee
as an offering."
And of ðe seluen holocaustu_m_ hauen,
ðanc it him ðat he it wulde crauen." 1320
Isaac was ready
to be sacrificed.
Yſaac waſ redi mildelike,
Quan ðat he it wiſte witt_er_like.
Oc abraham it wulde wel
q_u_at-ſo god bad, ðwerted he it neu_er_ a del; 1324
Isaac was placed
upon the altar.
Yſaac waſ leid ðat auter on,
So men ſulden holocauſt don;
Abraham drew
out his sword to
slay his son, but
an angel forbad
him to harm the
child.
And abraha_m_ ðat ſwerd ut-drog,
And waſ redi to ſlon hi_m_ nuge,[154] 1328
[Fol. 26b.]
Oc angel it him for-bed,
And barg ðe child fro ðe dead;
ðo wurð abraha_m_ frigti fagen,
for yſaac bi-leaf un-ſlagen; 1332
Bi-aften bak, aſ he nam kep,
A ram is offered
instead of Isaac.
faſte in ðornes he ſag a ſep,
ðat an angel ðor-inne dede;
It waſ brent on yſaac ſtede. 1336
Ere Abraham departed
God swore
to him that his
seed should inherit
the land.
And, or abraham ðeðen for,
God hi_m_ ðor bi hi_m_-ſeluen ſwor
ðat he ſal michil hiſ kinde maken,
And ðat lond he_m_ to honde taken; 1340
Good ſelðhe ſal him cumen on,
for he ðiſ dede wulde don.
[154] _read_ nog?