As sterres in bevyn by n many and fele,
So xalthi seed enerese and growe;
Thou xalt ovyrcorne, in weithe and wele,
Alle thisomen reknyd be rowe.
As sond in the se doth ebbe and flowe,
Hath cheseys many unnumerabylle,
So xal thi sede, thou mayst me trowe,
... Encres and be evyr prophytabylle.
for to my speche thou dedyst obeye,
Thyn enmyes portes thou shalt possede ;
And alle men on erthe, as I the seye,
Theixal be blyssed in thisede.
Almyghty God thus the wylle mede,
for that good wylle that thou ast done,
Therfore thank God, in word and dede,
Bothe thou thiself, and Ysaac thisone.
Abraham. As my lord God to wurchep on kne now I falle!
I thank the, Lord, of thi mercy
Now, my swete childe, to God thou kalle,
And thank we that Lord now hertyly.
Isaac. With lowly hert to God I crye,
I am his servvant bothe day and nyght!
I thank the, Lord, in hevyn so hy;e,
With hert, with thought, with mayn, with myght!
Abraham. Gramercy, Lord, and kyng of grace
Gramercy, Lord over lordys alle !
Now my joye returnyth his trace,
I thank the, Lorde, in hevyn thin halle.
Isaac. Ovyr alle kynges crownyd kyng, I the kalle !
At thi byddyng to dye with knyff,
I was ful buxum evyn as thi thralle;—
Lord, now I thank the, thou grauntyst me lyff.
Abraham. Now we have wurchepyd oure blyssyd lorde, On grounde knelyng upon oure kne; Now lete us tweyn, sone, ben of on acorde, And goo walke hom into oure countré. Ysaac. ffadyr, as 3e wylle, so xal it be, I am redy with 30w to gon; I xal jow folwe with hert fulle fre; ... • Alle that 3e bydde me, sone xal be don.
Abraham. Now, God alle thyng of nowth that made, Evyr wurcheppyd he be on watyr and londe His gret honowre may nevyr more fade, In felde nor town, se nor on sonde As althyng, Lord, thou hast in honde, So save us alle, wher so we be, Whethyr we syttyn, walk, or stonde, ... Evyr on thin handwerke thou have pyté ! - Eaglicit.
WI. MOSES AND THE TWO TABLES.
He that made alle thynge of nought,
Hevyn and erthe, bothe sunne and mone,
Save alle that his hand hath wrought,
Allemyghty God in hevyn trone !
I am Moyses that make this bone,
I pray the, Lord God, with alle my mende,
To us inclyne thi mercy sone,
Thi gracyous lordcheplete us fynde.
The to plesyn in alle degré,
Gracyous God and Lord ovyr alle,
Thou graunte us grace, wher so we be,
And save us sownd fro synfulle falle.
Thy wylle to werke to us thi thralle,
Enforme and teche us all thi plesans,
In purenesse put us that nevyr not falle,
And grounde us in grace from alle grevauns.
Hic Moyses videns rubrum ardentem admirande dicit,
A mercy, God, what menyth 30n syte P
A grene busche as fyre doth flame,
And kepyth his colowre fayr and bryghte,
ffresche and grene withowtyn blame.
It fyguryth sumthynge of ryght gret fame,
Ikan not seyn what it may be,
I wylle go nere, in Goddys name,
And wysely loke this busche to se.
Deus. Moyses, how ! Moyses,
Herke to me anon this stounde.
Moyses. I am here, Lorde, withowtyn les,
3owre gracyous wylle to do I am bounde.
Deus. Thu take thi schon anon ful rownde
Of thi fete in hast, lete se,
ful holy is that place and grownde,
Ther thou dost stonde, I sey to the.
Moyses. Barfoot now I do me make,
And pulle of my schon fromy fete :
Now have I my schon of take,
What is 3our wylle, Lord? fayn wold I wete.
Deus. Com nere, Moyses, with me to mete,
These tabelleis I take the in thin honde,
With my frynger in hem is wrete
Alle my lawys, thou undyrstonde.
Loke that thou preche alle abowte,
Hoo so wylle have frenshipp of me,
To my lawys loke thei lowte,
That thei be kept in alle degré.
Go forthe and preche anon, let se,
Loke thou not ses nyght nor day.
Moyses. 30ur byddyng, Lord, alle wrought xal be,
3our wylle to werk I walk my way.
“Custodi precepta domini Dei tui.” Deutronomini vj.”
The comaundment of thi Lord God, man, loke thou kepe,
Where that thou walk, wake, or slepe,
Every man take good hede,
And to my techynge take good intent;
For God hath sent me now indede,
3ow for to enforme his comaundment;
3ow to teche God hath me sent,
His lawys of lyff that arn ful wyse;
Them to lern be dyligent,
3oure soulys may thei save at the last asyse.
The preceptes that taught xal be,
Be wretyn in these tablys tweyn :
In the fyrst ben wretyn thre,
That towche to God, this is serteyn.
In the secund tabyl be wretyn ful pleyn,
The tother vij. that towche mankende:
Herk now welle, man, what I xal seyn,
And prent thise lawys welle in thi mende.
Primum mandatum. “Non habebis Deos alienos.”
The fyrst comaundement of God, as I 3ow say,
Of the fyrst tabyl forsothe is this,
Thou xalt have, neythyr nyght nore day,
Noon other God but the kyng of blysse.
Undyrstonde wele what menyth this,
Every man in his degré,
And sett nevyr 3our hert amys,
Upon this werdlys vanyté.
for if thou sett thi love so sore
Upon ryches and werdly good,
Thi wurdly rycches thou takyst evermore
Evyn for thi God, as man ovyr wood;
Amend the, man, and chaunge thimood,
Lese not thi sowle for werdlys welthe,
Only hym love whiche bodyly food
Doth 3eve alle day, and gostly helthe.
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