The Plagues of Frogs and Gnats

And aaron held up his hond,

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to ðe water and ðe more lond;
ðo cam ðor up ſwilc froſkes here
ðe dede al folc egipte dere;
Aaron held up his hand towards the water, and up came a host of frogs.

Summe woren wilde, and ſumme tame,

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And ðo hem deden ðe moſte ſame;
Some were wild and some tame.

In huſe, in drinc, in metes, in bed,
It cropen and maden hem for-dred;
Some crept into houses, drink, meat, and bed.

Summe ſtoruen and gouen ſtinc,

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And vn-hileden mete and drinc;
Some died and stank.

Polheuedes, and froſkes, & podes ſpile
Bond harde egipte folc in ſile.
ðiſ king bad moyſes and aaron,

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ðat he ſulden god bone don;
Tadpoles, frogs, and toads afflicted Egypt's folk.

And ſone ſo moyſes bad iſ bede,
ðiſ wirmes ſtoruen in ðe ſtede;
The frogs died,

And quane ðe king wurð war ðis dead,

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Anon ðis folc fore he for-bead.
Ðe ðridde wreche dede aaron
Bi-foren ðe king pharaon;
but the king forbad the departure of the Hebrews.

He ſmot wið ðat gerde on ðe lond,

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And gnattes hird ðor ðicke up-wond,
ſmale to ſen, and ſarp on bite,
In al egypte fleg ðiſ ſmite.
The third plague of gnats, small to look at, but sharp in biting.

And ðo dede men and herf wo,

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Anger and tene, ſorge and wo.
[Fol. 58b.]

Quoðen ðo wiches clerkes(.) "ðiſ
fortoken godeſ gaſtes is."
The sorcerers said, "This is token of God's ghost,"

Her hem wantede migt and ſped,

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to ſwilc ðing cuðen he non red;
ðiſ toknes dede aaron.
for they lacked might to do this.

God ſente ſiðen hem oðere on,
for euere eld ðiſ king on-on,

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And wernede ðiſ folc vt to gon.
Ðo ſeide god to moyſen,
"Go ðu gund pharaon agen;
Pharaoh remained obstinate,

MS. ðede.

MS. de.

? un-sile.