Rehersen, yiff ye lyste to here.
Line 2268
And Moyses, A-noon ryght than,
Thus to werkyn he be-gan: [[6 lines blank in MS. for an Illumination.]]
Ther handys fyrst, as ye shal lere, [prose cap xxiv]
Enoyntede, and closede hem yfere,
Line 2272
'And took to hem ful cler & bryht
A swerd, the wych, vn-to my syht,
Was thylkë same that Cherubyn
Whylom held at Thentryng In
Line 2276
At Paradys, who lyst to look;
And keyës ek to hem he took,
To kepe hem wel in ther entent.
And al thys whyle was ther present
Line 2280
Grace Dieu, I took good heede,
To helpyn hem the bet to spede.
Whom Moyses took hem also,
And sayde, (I took good hed ther-to,)
Line 2284
'Syrs,' quod he, 'most off vertu,
Seth her to-for yow, Grace Dieu
I gyve hyr yow for morë [[more St., mor C.]] grace, [folio 37a]
That she may, in euery place,
Line 2288
At allë tymës with yow be,
Yiff yt be-falle sothly that ye
Receyue hyre, as ye ouhtë do,
With Ioyë & glad herte also,
Line 2292
And kepe hyr with yow day be day,
That she neuere parte a-way.'
¶ And whan I herde al thys yfere,
I wex abaysshed in my chere;
Line 2296
Seyde vn-to my sylff ryht tho,
"Allas, now, what shal I do?
Grace Dieu, I ha lost al;
ffor I se how Thoffycyal
Line 2300
Hath yowen hyre fro me away
On thys syluë samë day,
Vn-to thys hornyd folk in sothe, [Cambr. and Fr. Prose reverse this: "thilke hornede hath given him to these newe officialles." p. 16.]
