If help had not run between
This child had then soon been killed.
2650-8 He said, "The child doth as he knows (_i. e._ acts according to the
extent of his knowledge); we shall now learn whether it did this wittingly,
or in childishness." He offered this child two burning coals, and he took
them; how was he able to bear it? and in his mouth so deep he placed them,
that his tongue's end is burnt therewith; therefore said the Hebrews truly
that he afterwards spake indistinctly. This legend is thus given in Lady
Eastlake's Life of Our Lord:—"Therefore when he (Moses) was three years of
age she (Thermutis) brought him to Pharaoh, who caressed him, and in sport,
put the crown on his head, when the child eagerly pulled it off, and dashed
it to the ground; for it is said that the crown was engraved within with
figures of idols, which Moses instinctively abominated.... Those around
Pharaoh looked upon it as a bad omen, and they counselled the king that he
should be slain; but another counsellor said that he should be pardoned,
because he was too young to know right from wrong; and a third counsellor
said, 'There is in this child something miraculous and uncommon. Cause,
therefore, a burning coal and a ruby ring to be set before him; and if he
take the ring it will show that he knows right from wrong, and then let him
be destroyed, lest he spoil the kingdom of Egypt. But if he take up the
burning coal, it will show that he is too young to know right from wrong,
and then let his life be spared.' Then the king said, 'Let the hot burning
coal and the king's signet ring (which was a large shining ruby) be placed
side by side, and we shall see what he will do.' And immediately the child
stretched out his hand to take the signet ring; but the angel Gabriel (who
instantly took the form of one of the attendants) turned his hand aside,
and the child Moses took up the burning coal, and put it to his mouth, and
his tongue was burnt therewith, so that he was unable afterwards to speak
distinctly, even to the end of his days." 2652 _childhede_; "ac zeþþe ich
com to elde of vol man, ich vorlet alle mine _childhedes_."—(Ayenbite, p.
208.) 2653 _brennen_ = _brennende_, burning; _to_ = _two_. 2654-5 _is_ =
them. 2658 _miserlike_ = S.Sax. _misliche_, variously, differently; and,
hence, thickly, indistinctly. The form _miser-like_ may be a corruption of
the A.Sax. _missen-lic_, dissimilar. _Misliche_ in Owl and Nightingale, l.
1771, signifies erroneously. 2662 _b[i]leph_ = _bi-lef_, remained.
2665-8
By that time that he was a youth (young man)
With (for) beauty and strength renowned,
The Ethiopian folk on Egypt came,
And burnt, and slew, and vengeance took.
2675-8
Teremuth scarcely might bring it about (prevail)
That Moses shall with them forth-go,
Ere she have her pledged and sworn,
That to him shall be borne (kept) honourable faith.
2676 _hire_, an error for _hem_, them. 2677 _he_ = _ghe_ = she. 2680 _were_
(a substantive from _weren_, to defend), a defender, protector. Cf. _dere_,
harm, from _deren_, to hurt.
P. 77. l. 2682 _vn-warnede_, unexpected. This enables us to correct the
reading _unwarde_ in l. 480. 2688 _ut-ðhurg_ = out-through, throughout. Cf.
O.E. _ut-with_, without, _in-with_, within, etc. 2696 Nevertheless that
sojourn was very distasteful to him. 2701 _meten_ is the p.p. of _mete_, to
measure. 2702 _This_ causes remembrance, _the other_ causes forgetfulness.
2703 _He fest is_ = he fixed them. 2704 Gave her the first _gem_; he was
kind to her. Two lines seem missing after this line. We might supply the
following:—
And quan awei nimen [faren] he wolde
Gaf hire ðe toðer, he was hire colde.
And when he would go away, he gave her the other gem, and was distasteful
to her. 2708 _e_ = he. 2712 _a modi stiward_, a moody (proud) steward. 2714
That seemed to Moses _a_ great shame.