"If this child be
allowed to thrive,
he shall become
Egypt's bale."
"If ðiſ child," q_u_ad he, "mote ðen,
He ſal egyptes bale ben."
If ðor ne wore helpe twen lopen,
ðiſ child adde ðan ſone be dropen; 2648
ðe king wið-ſtod & an wiſ man,
He ſeide, "ðe child doð alſ he can;
We ſulen nu witen for it dede
ðiſ witterlike, or in child-hede;" 2652
[Fol. 52.]
The king offered
the child two
burning coals (to
eat), and he put
them in his
mouth, and burnt
the end of his
tongue therewith,
and spake
indistinctly.
He bad ðis child brennen to colen
And he toc is hu migt he it ðolen,
And in hiſe muth ſo depe he iſ dede
Hiſe tunges ende iſ brent ðor-mide; 2656
ðor-fore ſeide de[248] ebru witt_er_like,
ðat he ſpac ſiðen miſerlike;
So fair was he to
look upon, that
none might be
angry with him.
Oc ſo faiger he waſ on to ſen,
ðat migte no_n_ man modi ben. 2660
ðor q_u_iles he ſeweden him up-on,
Mani dede b[i]leph un-don
In ðat burg folc bi-twen,
So waſ hem lef on hi_m_ to ſen. 2664
By the time that
he became renowned
for
beauty and
strength, the
Ethiopians invaded
Egypt, and
burnt and slew
as far as the Red
Sea.
Bi dat[249] time ðat he was guð,
Wið faigered and ſtrengthe kuð,
folc ethiopienes on egipte cam,
And brende, & ſlug, & wreche nam, 2668
Al to memphin dat[250] riche cite,
And a-non to ðe reade ſe;
The Egyptians
ask counsel of
their gods, who
tell them that a
Hebrew shall deliver
them.
ðo was egipte folc in dred,
And aſkeden here godes red; 2672
And hem ſeiden wið anſweren,
ðat on ebru cude he_m_ wel weren;
Teremuth un-eðes migte timen
Moses is permitted
by Teremuth
ðat moyſes ſal wið hire forð-nimen, 2676
Or haue he hire pligt & ſworen,
ðat him ſal feið wurðful ben boren.
[Fol. 52b.]
Moyſes was lou_er_ed of ðat here,
ðor he wurð ðane egyptes were; 2680
[248] ðe?
[249] ðat?
[250] ðat?