[fol. 13r]
ABRAHAM
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GOD
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ISAAC
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BOY 1
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BOY 2
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Abraham
God
Isaac
Boy 1
Boy 2
Angel
Sequitur Abraham. 1
Adonay, thou God veray,
Thou here us when we to thee call,
As thou art he that best may;
Thou art most socoure and help of all.
Mightfull lord, to thee I pray:
Let onys the oyle of mercy fall.
Shall I never abide that day?
Truly yit I hope I shall.
Mercy, lord omnipotent.
Long syn he this warld has wroght,
Wheder ar all oure elders went,
This musys mekill in my thoght. 2
From Adam unto Eve assent,
Ete of that appyll sparid he noght
For all the wisdom that he ment;
Full dere that bargan has he boght.
From Paradise thou bad hym gang;
He went mowrnyng with symple chere
And after liffyd he here full lang,
More then thre hundreth yere,
In sorow and in travell strang,
And every day he was in were.
His childre angred hym amang;
Caym slo Abell, was hym full dere.
Sithen Noe that was trew and good,
His wife and his chyldre thre,
Was saved when all was flood,
That was a wonder thyng to se.
And Loth fro Sodome when he yode
Thre cytees brent, yit eschapyd he.
Thus for thai menged my Lordys mode
He vengid syn thrugh his pausté. 3
When I thynk of oure elders all
And of the mervels that has been,
No gladnes in my hart may fall;
My comfort goys away full cleyn.
Lord, when shall dede make me his thrall?
An hundreth yeris, certys, have I seyn
Ma fa, sone I hope he shall,
For it were right hie tyme, I weyn.
Yit Adam is to hell gone,
And ther has ligen many a day,
And all oure elders everychon,
Thay ar gone the same way,
Unto God will here thare mone.
Now help, Lord Adonay,
For certys, I can no better wone
And ther is none that better may. 4
I will help Adam and his kynde,
Might I luf and lewté fynd,
Wold thay to me be trew and blyn
Of thare pride and of thare syn.
My servand I will found and frast,
Abraham, if he be trast;
On certan wise I will hym prove
If he to me be trew of louf.
Abraham, Abraham!
Who is that? War, let me se!
I herd oone neven my name.
It is I; take tent to me
That fourmed thi fader Adam
And everythyng in it degré.
To here thi will redy I am,
And to fulfill whatever it be.
Of mercy have I herd thi cry;
Thi devoute prayers have me bun
If thou me luf, look that thou hy
Unto the land of Visyon,
And the thryd day be ther, bid I,
And take with thee Isaac, thi son,
As a beest to sacryfy;
To slo hym look thou not shon,
And bren hym ther to thyn offerand.
A, lovyd be thou Lord in throne!
Hold over me, Lord, thy holy hand,
For certys thi bidyng shall be done.
Blissyd be that Lord in every land
Wold viset his servand thus so soyn.
Fayn wold I this thyng ordand,
For it profettys noght to hoyne. 5
This commaundement must I nedys fulfill
If that my hert wax hevy as leyde.
Shuld I offend my Lordys will?
Nay, yit were I leyffer my child were dede.
Whatso he biddys me, good or ill,
That shal be done in every steede;
Both wife and child if he bid spill,
I will not do agans his rede.
Wist Isaac, wherso he were,
He wold be abast now,
How that he is in dangere. 6
Isaac, son, wher art thou?
All redy, fader, lo me here.
Now was I commyng unto you.
I luf you mekill, fader dere.
And dos thou so, I wold wit how.
Lufys thou me, son, as thou has saide?
Yei, fader, with all myn hart,
More then all that ever was maide.
God hold me long youre life in quart.
Now who wold not be glad that had
A child so lufand as thou art?
Thi lufly chere makys my hert glad
And many a tyme so has it gart.
Go home, son; com sone agane
And tell thi moder I com ful fast.
Go now; God thee saif and sayne.
Hic transsiet Isaac a patre. 7
Now well is me that he is past;
Alone right here in this playn
Might I speke to myn hart brast.
I wold that all were well, ful fayn,
Bot it must nedys be done at last.
And it is good that I be war;
To be avised full good it were.
The land of Vision is ful far;
The thrid day end must I be there.
Myn ase shall with us, if it thar,
To bere oure harnes, les and more,
For my son may be slayn no nar.
A swerd must with us yit therfore,
And I shall found to make me yare.
This nyght will I begyn my way,
Thof Isaac be never so fayre
And myn awn son, the soth to say;
And thof he be myn right haire
And all shuld weld after my day,
Godys bydyng shall I not spare
Shuld I that ganstand? Wé! Nay, ma fay.
Isaac.
Sir.
Luke thou be bowne,
For certan, son, thiself and I
We two must now weynd furth of towne
In far country to sacrifie.
For certan skyllys and encheson,
Take wod and fyere with thee in hy;
Bi hillys and dayllys both up and downe,
Son, thou shal ride and I will go bi.
Looke thou mys noght that thou shuld nede;
Do make thee redy, my darlyng.
I am redy to do this dede
And ever to fulfill youre bydyng.
My dere son, look thou have no drede;
We shal com home with grete lovyng.
Both to and fro I shal us lede;
Com now, son, in my blyssyng.
Ye two here with this asse abide,
For Isaac and I will to yond hill.
It is so hie, we may not ride;
Therfor ye two shal abide here still.
Sir, ye ow not to be denyed;
We ar redy youre bydyng to fulfill.
Whatsoever to us betide,
To do youre bidyng ay we will.
Godys blyssyng have ye both in fere;
I shall not tary long you fro.
Sir, we shal abide you here;
Oute of this stede shall we not go.
Childre, ye ar ay to me full dere;
I pray God kepe you ever fro wo.
We will do, syr, as ye us lere.
Isaac, now ar we bot we two.
We must go a full good paase,
For it is farther then I wend.
We shall make myrth and grete solace
Bi this thyng be broght to end.
Lo, my son, here is the place.
Wod and fyere ar in my hend.
Tell me now, if ye have space,
Where is the beest that shuld be brend?
Now, son, I may no longer layn,
Sich will is into myne hart went.
Thou was ever to me full bayn,
Ever to fulfill myn entent,
Bot certanly thou must be slayn,
And it may be as I have ment.
I am hevy and nothyng fayn
Thus hastely that shall be shent.
Isaac.
Sir.
Com heder, bid I.
Thou shal be dede whatsoever betide.
A, fader, mercy, mercy!
That I say may not be denyde.
Take thi dede therfor mekely.
A, good syr, abide!
Fader.
What, son?
To do youre will I am redy,
Wheresoever ye go or ride.
If I may oght overtake youre will,
Syn I have trespast I wold be bet.
Isaac.
What, syr?
Good son, be still.
Fader.
What, son?
Thynk on thi get.
What have I done?
Truly, none ill.
And shall be slayn?
So have I het.
Syr, what may help?
Certys, no skill.
I ask mercy.
That may not let.
When I am dede and closed in clay,
Who shall then be youre son?
A, lord, that I shuld abide this day.
Syr, who shall do that I was won?
Speke no sich wordys, son, I thee pray.
Shall ye me slo?
I trow I mon.
Lyg still; I smyte.
Syr, let me say —
Now, my dere child, thou may not shon.
The shynyng of youre bright blayde
It gars me quake for ferde to dee.
Therfor groflyngys thou shall be layde;
Then when I stryke thou shal not se.
What have I done, fader; what have I saide?
Truly, no kyns ill to me.
And thus gyltles shall be arayde.
Now, good son, let sich wordys be.
I luf you ay.
So do I thee.
Fader.
What, son?
Let now be seyn
For my moder luf. 8
Let be, let be.
It will not help that thou wold meyn.
Bot ly styll till I com to thee;
I mys a lytyll thyng, I weyn.
He spekys so rufully to me
That water shotys in both myn eeyn.
I were lever then all wardly wyn
That I had fon hym onys unkynde,
Bot no defawt I faund hym in.
I wold be dede for hym or pynde;
To slo hym thus I thynk grete syn.
So rufull wordys I with hym fynd
I am full wo that we shuld twyn,
For he will never oute of my mynd.
What shal I to his moder say?
For “where is he,” tyte will she spyr.
If I tell hir “ron away”
Hir answere bese belief “nay sir,”
And I am ferd hir for to flay.
I ne wote what I shal say till hir.
He lyys full still ther as he lay,
For to I com dar he not styr.
Angell, hy with all thi mayn.
To Abraham thou shall be sent.
Say Isaac shall not be slayn;
He shall lif and not be brent.
My bydyng standys he not agane;
Go put hym out of his intent.
Byd hym go home agane;
I know well how he ment.
Gladly, lord, I am redy.
Thi bidyng shall be magnyfyed;
I shall me spede ful hastely,
Thee to obeye at every tyde.
Thi will, thi name to glorifye
Over all this warld so wide,
And to thi servand now in hy,
Good, trew Abraham will I glyde.
Bot myght I yit of wepyng sese
Till I had done this sacrifice.
It must nedys be, withoutten lesse,
Thof all I carpe on this kyn wise,
The more my sorow it will incres.
When I look to hym I gryse;
I will ryn on a res,
And slo hym here right as he lyse.
Abraham, Abraham!
Who is ther now?
War, let thee go!
Stand up, now, stand!
Thi good will com I to alow;
Therfor I byd thee hold thi hand.
Say who bad so, any bot thou.
Yei, God, and sendys this beest to thyn offerand.
I speke with God latter, I trow, 9
And do as he me commaund.
He has persauyd thy mekenes
And thi good will also, iwis.
He will thou do thi son no distres,
For he has graunt to thee his blys.
Bot wote thou well that it is
As thou has sayd?
I say thee yis.
I thank thee, lord, well of goodnes,
That all thus has relest me this.
To speke with thee have I no space
With my dere son till I have spokyn.
My good son, thou shal have grace;
On thee now will I not be wrokyn.
Ryse up now, with thi frely face.
Sir, shall I lif?
Yei, this to tokyn.
Et osculatur eum. 10
Son, thou has skapid a full hard grace;
Thou shuld have beyn both brent and brokyn
Bot fader, shall I not be slayn?
No, certys, son.
Then am I glad.
Good syr, put up youre sword agayn.
Nay, hardely, son, be thou not adrad.
Is all forgeyn?
Yei, son, certan.
For ferd, syr, was I nerehand mad.
[…]
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(see note)
true; (see note)
hear
comfort
one day; (see note)
[see] that day arrive
since
When; agreed; (t-note)
refrained
go; (t-note)
mourning; sad countenance
lived
(see note); (t-note)
hard work
distress
continually
slew
Since
children; (t-note)
went; (see note); (t-note)
burned; escaped
goes; (t-note)
death; slave
(see note); (t-note)
By my faith
high; suppose
lain
every one; (t-note)
hear their lament
live
love; loyalty
cease
tempt and test
trustworthy
love
take heed
speak
pay attention
in its rank
prepared
hurry
(see note)
sacrifice
slay; shun
burn; offering
visit; soon
(t-note)
grows; lead
I would rather
Whatever
everywhere
kill
against his counsel
see; [fol. 14r]
love; much
in good health; (see note)
loving
done
come soon
mother
[may] God bless and protect you; (t-note)
(see note); (t-note)
until my heart breaks
careful
cautious
ass; if necessary
provisions
no nearer
strive; ready
Though
truly
rightful heir
possess
oppose; Never, by my faith
Look; ready
go forth
[make our] sacrifice
reasons and causes
wood; fire; haste
hills and dales
nothing
dread
praise
You two; remain; (see note)
the hill over there
ought
happens
together
stay away; from
[fol. 14v]
place
always
(t-note)
instruct
pace
thought
hands
a moment
burned
be silent; (t-note)
faithful
sorrowful; glad
destroyed
here
death; meekly
understand
trespassed; (t-note)
child
promised
(see note)
prevent [this]
enclosed in earth (buried)
accustomed to do; (t-note)
believe; must
strike
escape
[fol. 15r]
makes; fear to die
face downward
no kind of
guiltless; disposed with
always
seen
intend
suppose
sorrowfully
shoots
would rather; worldly profit
found; once
fault
tortured
slay
part
quickly will she ask
run
will be
afraid; frighten
know not
until
go; might
against
intention
[fol. 15v]
respected
at all times
haste
fly
cease
falsehood
talk in this way
tremble
go in haste
Beware; (see note)
restrain
offering; (see note)
(see note); (t-note)
perceived
certainly
avenged
noble
as a sign
escaped
(see note)
afraid
forgiven
nearly
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