And q_u_uo-ſo wile curſing maken,
Ille curſing ſal him taken;
and prophesies
their future happiness
and greatness.
Of ðe ſal riſen ſterre brigt,
And a wond ðe ſal ſmiten rigt 4040
Moab kinges, and under-don
Al ſedes-kin ðiſ werld up-on."
Such tidings
made Balak's
heart sore.
Manie tiding q_u_ad balaam ðor,
ðe made balakes herte ſor; 4044
Oc ðan balaam wente a-gen,
Balaam teaches
Balak how to
injure the Israelites,
Tagte he balaam q_u_at migte ben
ðiſ folc to dere, and gaf him red
ðat brogt iſr_ae_l iwel ſped. 4048
by sending out
young women
fair of face and
soft of speech,
"ðe ginge wi_m_men of ðin lond,
faiger on ſigte an[d] ſofte on hond,
And brigte on hewe, on ſpeche glad,
Wið ðgere[384] ſal ic ſondes ſad, 4052
ðe ðu ten vt gen ðiſ men,
who should
"brew heart-burning
and
love,"
ðe cunen[385] brewen herte-bren,
wið win, and wlite, & bodi, & dwale,
Luue[li]ke and wið ſpeche ſmale, 4056
[Fol. 79.]
and so turn the
people from God.
To wenden hem fro godes age
To ði londe godes and vre lage;
Bute-if ðu migt forðen ðiſ red,
And hem fro godes luue led, 4060
For war nor
weapon had no
power to harm
them.
And fonde to wenden ðuſ here ðhogt,
for wi ne wopen ne helpeð[386] nogt."
forð-nam balaam, ðat ille q_u_[e]ad
ðe gaf ðiſ read of ſoules dead. 4064
This counsel was
followed,
ðuſ it was don, and bi ðat ſel
and thus it fell
that Israel sinned
in Shittim,
In ſichin ſingede iſrael,
And for luue of ðiſ hore-plage
Manie for-leten godes lage, 4068
And wrogten ðor ſwilc ſoules for
and worshipped
Baal-peor.
ðat he ðor lutten belphegor.
Ðo ſeide god to moyſen,
"ðe me[i]ſtres of ðiſe hore-men, 4072
[384] gere?
[385] MS. cumen.
[386] MS. helped.