II.

[Sidenote: Jonah was a prophet of the gentiles.] Hit bi-tydde su{m}-tyme i{n} þe termes of Iude, Ionas ioyned watȝ þ{er}-i{n}ne ientyle p{ro}phete; [Sidenote: God’s word came to him, saying, “Rise quickly, take the way to Nineveh.] Goddes glam to hy{m} glod, þat hy{m} vnglad made, W{i}t{h} a roghlych rurd rowned i{n} his ere; 64 “Rys radly,” he says, “& rayke forth euen, Nym þe way to nynyue, wyth-outen oþ{er} speche, [Sidenote: [Fol. 84a.]] & in þat cete my saȝes sogh{e} alle aboute, [Sidenote: Say that which I shall put in thine heart.] Þat, i{n} þat place at þe poy{n}t, I put i{n} þi hert; 68 For Iwysse hit arn so wykke þat i{n} þat won dowelleȝ, [Sidenote: Wickedness dwells in that city.] & her malys is so much I may not abide, Bot venge me on her vilanye & venym bilyue; [Sidenote: Go swiftly and carry my message.”] Now sweȝe me þider swyftly & say me þis arende.” 72 When þat steuen watȝ stynt, þat stowned his my{n}de, [Sidenote: Jonah is full of wrath.] Al he wrathed i{n} his wyt & wyþ{er}ly he þoȝt, If I bowe to his bode & bry{n}g he{m} þis tale, [Sidenote: He is afraid that the shrews will put him in the stocks, or put out his eyes.] & I be Nu{m}men in Nuniue, my nyes begy{n}es; 76 He telles me þose trayto{ur}es arn typped schrewes, I com wyth þose tyþy{n}ges, þay ta me bylyue, Pyneȝ me i{n} a prysou{n}, put me i{n} stokkes, Wryþe me i{n} a warlok, wrast out myn yȝen. 80 Þis is a m{er}uayl message a man for to preche, Amonge enmyes so mony & mansed fendes; [Sidenote: He thinks that God desires his death.] Bot if my gaynlych god such gref to me wolde, For[5] desert of su{m} sake þat I slayn were, 84

[Headnote: HE SAILS FOR TARSHISH.]

[Sidenote: He determines not to go near the city, but fly to Tarshish.] At alle peryles, q{uod} þe p{ro}phete, I aproche hit no nerre, I wyl me su{m} oþ{er} waye, þat he ne wayte aft{er}; I schal tee i{n}-to tarce, & tary þere a whyle, & lyȝtly, when I am lest, he letes me alone. 88 [Sidenote: Grumbling, he goes to port Joppa.] Þe{n}ne he ryses radly, & raykes bilyue Ionas toward port Iaph, ay Ianglande for tene, Þat he nolde þole, for no-þy{n}g, non of þose pynes, [Sidenote: He says that God will not be able to protect him.] Þaȝ þe fader þat hy{m} formed were fale of his hele. 92 “Oure syre syttes,” he says, “on sege so hyȝe I{n} his g[l]wande glorye, & glou{m}bes ful lyttel, Þaȝ I be nu{m}men i{n} nuniue & naked dispoyled, On rode rwly to-rent, w{i}t{h} rybaudes mony.” 96 [Sidenote: Jonah reaches the port, finds a ship ready to sail.] Þ{us} he passes to þat port, his passage to seche, Fyndes he a fayr schyp to þe fare redy; Maches hy{m} w{i}t{h} þe maryneres, makes her paye, For to towe hy{m} i{n}-to tarce, as tyd as þay myȝt. 100 [Sidenote: The seamen catch up the cross-sail, fasten the cables, weigh their anchors, and spread sail.] Then he tron on þo tres & þay her tra{m}me ruchen, Cachen vp þe crossayl, cables þay fasten, [Sidenote: [Fol. 84b.]] Wiȝt at þe wyndlas weȝen her ankres, Sprude spak to þe sprete þe spare bawe-lyne, 104 Gederen to þe gyde ropes, þe grete cloþ falles; Þay layden i{n} on ladde-borde & þe lofe wy{n}nes. [Sidenote: A gentle wind wafts the ship along.] Þe blyþe breþe at her bak þe bosum he fyndes, He swenges me þys swete schip swefte fro þe hauen. 108 [Sidenote: Was never a Jew so joyful as was Jonah then.] Watȝ neu{er} so Ioyful a Iue, as Ionas watȝ þe{n}ne, Þat þe daunger of dryȝtyn so derfly ascaped; He wende wel þat þat wyȝ þ{a}t al þe world planted, Hade no maȝt i{n} þat mere no man forto greue. 112 [Sidenote: He has, however, put himself in peril, in fleeing from God.] Lo! þe wytles wrechche, for he wolde noȝt suffer, Now hatȝ he put hy{m} i{n} plyt of p{er}il wel more; Hit watȝ a weny{n}g vn-war þat welt i{n} his mynde, Þaȝ he were soȝt fro samarye þat god seȝ no fyrre, 116 Ȝise he blusched ful brode, þat burde hy{m} by sure, [Sidenote: The words of David.] Þat ofte kyd hy{m} þe carpe þat ky{n}g sayde, Dy{n}gne dauid on des, þat demed þis speche, I{n} a psalme þat he set þe saut{er} w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne; 120 O Foleȝ i{n} folk feleȝ oþ{er} whyle, [Sidenote: Does He not hear, who made all ears?] & vnderstondes vmbe-stou{n}de, þaȝ he be stape fole, Hope ȝe þat he heres not þat eres alle made? [Sidenote: He is not blind that formed each eye.] Hit may not be þat he is blynde þ{a}t bigged vche yȝe. 124 [Sidenote: Jonah is now in no dread.] Bot he dredes no dynt þat dotes for elde, For he watȝ fer i{n} þe flod fou{n}dande to tarce; [Sidenote: He is, however, soon overtaken.] Bot, I trow, ful tyd, ou{er}-tan þat he were, So þat schomely to schort he schote of his ame. 128 [Sidenote: The wielder of all things has devices at will.] For þe welder of wyt, þat wot alle þy{n}ges, Þat ay wakes & waytes, at wylle hatȝ he slyȝtes; He calde on þat ilk crafte he carf w{i}t{h} his hondes, Þay wakened wel þe wroþeloker, for wroþely he cleped: 132

[Headnote: HE IS OVERTAKEN BY A TEMPEST.]

[Sidenote: He commands Eurus and Aquilo to blow.] “Ewr{us} & aq{u}ilou{n}, þat on est sittes, Blowes boþe at my bode vpon blo watt{er}es.” [Sidenote: The winds blow obedient to His word.] Þe{n}ne watȝ no tom þer bytwene his tale & her dede, So bayn wer þay boþe two, his bone for to wyrk. 136 [Sidenote: Out of the north-east the noise begins.] An-on out of þe norþ est þe noys bigynes, When boþe breþes con blowe vpon blo watteres; [Sidenote: [Fol. 85a.]] Roȝ rakkes þer ros w{i}t{h} rudny{n}g an-vnder, [Sidenote: Storms arose, winds wrestled together, the waves rolled high, and never rested.] Þe see souȝed ful sore, gret selly to here; 140 Þe wyndes on þe wo{n}ne wat{er} so wrastel to-geder, Þat þe wawes ful wode walt{er}ed so hiȝe, & efte busched to þe abyme þat breed fysches; Durst nowhere for roȝ arest at þe bothem. 144 When þe breth & þe brok & þe bote metten, [Sidenote: Then was Jonah joyless.] Hit watȝ a ioyles gyn þat Ionas watȝ i{n}ne, [Sidenote: The boat reeled around.] For hit reled on rou{n}[d] vpon þe roȝe yþes. [Sidenote: The gear became out of order.] Þe bur ber to hit baft þat braste alle her gere, 148 Þen hurled on a hepe þe helme & þe sterne, [Sidenote: Ropes and mast were broken.] Furst to murte mony rop & þe mast aft{er}. Þe sayl sweyed on þe see, þe{n}ne suppe bihoued [Sidenote: A loud cry is raised, Many a lad labours to lighten the ship.] Þe coge of þe colde[6] wat{er}, & þe{n}ne þe cry ryses; 152 Ȝet coruen þay þe cordes & kest al þ{er}-oute. Mony ladde þer forth-lep to laue & to kest, Scopen out þe scaþel wat{er}, þat fayn scape wolde; For be mo{n}nes lode[7] neu{er} so luþ{er}, þe lyf is ay swete. 156 [Sidenote: They throw overboard their bags and feather beds.] Þer watȝ busy ou{er}-borde bal{e} to kest Her bagges, & her feþ{er} beddes, & her bryȝt wedes, Her kysttes, & her coferes, her caraldes alle, & al to lyȝten þat lome, ȝif leþe wolde schape; 160 [Sidenote: But still the wind rages, and the waves become wilder.] Bot eu{er} watȝ ilyche loud þe lot of þe wy{n}des, & eu{er} wroþ{er} þe wat{er}, & wodder þe stremes. Þe{n} þo wery for-wroȝt wyst no bote, [Sidenote: Each man calls upon his god.] Bot vchon glewed on his god þat gayned hy{m} beste; 164 [Sidenote: Some called upon Vernagu, Diana, and Neptune, to the sun and to the moon.] Summe to vernagu þ{er} vouched a-vowes solemne, Summe to diana deuout, & derf nepturne, To mahou{n} & to mergot, þe mone & þe su{n}ne, & vche lede as he loued & layde had his hert. 168 [Sidenote: Then said one of the sailors: “Some lawless wretch, that has grieved his God, is in the ship.] Þe{n}ne bispeke þe spakest dispayred wel nere: I leue here be su{m} losynger, su{m} lawles wrech, Þat hatȝ greued his god & gotȝ here amonge v{us}; Lo al synkes i{n} his sy{n}ne & for his sake marres! 172 [Sidenote: I advise that we lay lots upon each man.] I lovne þat we lay lotes on ledes vchone, & who-so ly{m}pes þe losse, lay hy{m} þ{er}-oute; [Sidenote: [Fol. 85b.]] [Sidenote: When the guilty is gone the tempest may cease.”] & quen þe gulty is gon what may gome trawe, Bot he þat rules þe rak may rwe on þose oþ{er}? 176 [Sidenote: This is agreed to.] Þis watȝ sette i{n} asent, & sembled þay were, [Sidenote: All are assembled, from all corners of the ship, save Jonah the Jew, who had fled into the bottom of the boat.] Herȝed out of vche hyrne to hent þat falles. A lodes-mon lyȝtly lep vnder hachches, For to layte mo ledes & hem to lote bry{n}g, 180 Bot hy{m} fayled no freke þat he fynde myȝt, Saf Ionas þe Iwe þat Iowked i{n} derne. He watȝ flowen for ferde of þe flode lotes I{n}-to þe boþem of þe bot, & on a brede lyggede, 184 On helde by þe hurrok, for þe heuen wrache, [Sidenote: There he falls asleep.] Slypped vpon a slou{m}be, selepe, & sloberande he routes. [Sidenote: Soon he is aroused, and brought on board.] Þe freke hy{m} fru{n}t w{i}t{h} his fot & bede hy{m} ferk vp, Þer ragnel i{n} his rakentes hy{m} rere of his dremes; 188 Bi þe haspede he hentes hy{m} þe{n}ne, & broȝt hy{m} vp by þe brest & vpon borde sette, [Sidenote: Full roughly is he questioned.] Arayned hy{m} ful runyschly what raysou{n} he hade I{n} such slaȝtes of sorȝe to slepe so faste; 192 Sone haf þay her sortes sette & serelych deled,

[Headnote: JONAH IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH, AND IS CAST OVERBOARD.]

[Sidenote: The lot falls upon Jonah.] & ay þe[8] lote, vpon laste, lymped on Ionas. [Sidenote: Then quickly they said: “What the devil hast thou done, doted wretch?] Þe{n}ne ascryed þay hy{m} sckete, & asked ful loude, “What þe deuel hatȝ þ{o}u don, doted wrech? 196 [Sidenote: What seekest thou on the sea?] What seches þ{o}u on see, sy{n}ful schrewe, W{i}t{h} þy lastes so luþ{er} to lose v{us} vchone? [Sidenote: Hast thou no God to call upon?] Hatȝ þ{o}u, gome, no gou{er}no{ur} ne god on to calle, Þat þ{o}u þ{us} slydes on slepe when þ{o}u slayn worþes? 200 [Sidenote: Of what land art thou?] Of what londe art þ{o}u lent, what laytes þ{o}u here Whyder i{n} worlde þat þ{o}u wylt, & what is þyn arnde? [Sidenote: Thou art doomed for thy ill deeds.”] Lo þy dom is þe dyȝt, for þy dedes ille! Do gyf glory to þy godde, er þ{o}u glyde hens.” 204 [Sidenote: Jonah says: “I am a Hebrew, a worshipper of the world’s Creator.] “I am an Ebru,” q{uod} he, “of Israyl borne; Þat wyȝe I worchyp, Iwysse, þat wroȝt alle þy{n}ges, Alle þe worlde w{i}t{h} þe welkyn, þe wynde & þe sternes, & alle þat woneȝ þer w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne, at a worde one. 208 [Sidenote: All this mischief is caused by me, therefore cast me overboard.”] Alle þis meschef for me is made at þys tyme, For I haf greued my god & gulty am fou{n}den; [Sidenote: [Fol. 86a.]] For-þy bereȝ me to þe borde, & baþeþes[9] me þ{er}-oute, Er gete ȝe no happe, I hope forsoþe.” 212 He ossed hy{m}[10] by vnny{n}ges þat þay vnder-nomen, [Sidenote: He proves to them that he was guilty.] Þat he watȝ flawen fro þe face of frelych dryȝtyn; [Sidenote: The mariners are exceedingly frightened.] Þe{n}ne such a ferde on hem fel & flayed he{m} w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne, Þat þay ruyt hy{m} to rowwe & letten þe ry{n}k one. 216 [Sidenote: They try to make way with their oars, but their endeavours are useless.] Haþeles hyȝed i{n} haste w{i}t{h} ores ful longe, Sy{n} her sayl watȝ hem aslypped on sydeȝ to rowe; Hef & hale vpon hyȝt to helpen hym seluen, Bot al watȝ nedles note, þat nolde not bityde: 220 In bluber of þe blo flod bursten her ores, [Sidenote: Jonah must be doomed to death.] Þe{n}ne hade þay noȝt i{n} her honde þat hem help myȝt; Þe{n}ne nas no cou{m}fort to keu{er}, ne cou{n}sel non oþer, Bot ionas i{n}-to his Iuis Iugge bylyue. 224 [Sidenote: They pray to God, that they may not shed innocent blood.] Fyrst þay prayen to þe prynce þ{a}t p{ro}phetes seruen, Þat he gef hem þe g{ra}ce to greuen hy{m} neu{er}, Þat þay i{n} baleleȝ blod þer blenden her handeȝ, Þaȝ þat haþel wer his, þ{a}t þay here quelled. 228 [Sidenote: Jonah is cast overboard.] Tyd by top & bi to þay token hy{m} sy{n}ne, I{n}-to þat lodlych loȝe þay luche hy{m} sone; [Sidenote: The tempest ceases and the sea settles.] He watȝ no tytter out-tulde[11] þat tempest ne sessed, Þe se saȝtled þ{er}-w{i}t{h}, as sone as ho moȝt. 232 Þe{n}ne þaȝ her takel were torne, þ{a}t tot{er}ed on yþeȝ, [Sidenote: The stiff streams drive the ship about.] Styffe stremes & streȝt hem strayned a whyle, Þat drof hem dryȝlych adou{n} þe depe to serue,[12] [Sidenote: At last they reach a bank.] Tyl a swetter ful swyþe he{m} sweȝed to bonk. 236 [Sidenote: The seamen thank God, and perform solemn vows.] Þer watȝ louy{n}g on lofte, when þay þe londe wo{n}nen, To oure mercyable god, on moyses wyse, W{i}t{h} sacrafyse vp-set, & solempne vowes, & grau{n}ted hy{m} vn-to be god & graythly non oþ{er}; 240 [Sidenote: Jonah is in great dread.] Þaȝ þay be Iolef for Ioye, Ionas ȝet dredes, Þaȝ he nolde suffer no sore, his seele is on ant{er}; For what-so worþed of þat wyȝe, fro he i{n} wat{er} dipped, Hit were a wonder to wene, ȝif holy wryt nere. 244

[Sidenote 5: MS. _fof_.] [Sidenote 6: MS. _clolde_.] [Sidenote 7: _lote_ (?).] [Sidenote 8: MS. _þe þe_.] [Sidenote 9: _baþes_ (?).] [Sidenote 10: _hem_ (?).] [Sidenote 11: _out-tulte_ (?).] [Sidenote 12: _sterue_ (?).]

[Headnote: A WILD WHALE SWALLOWS JONAH.]