Men are sent to search the Land of Promise. Fro ðeðen[352] he ſente forð to ſen, Q_u_ilc ðo riche londes ben, 3700 ðat god hem ſulde bringen in; One is sent from each tribe. On man he ſente of ilc kin. xii. ſondere men ðor vte faren, ðiſ hoten lond ðurg-vt he charen, 3704 The spies having been away forty days, xl. daigeſ faren ben; Bi ðanne q_u_anne he wenten a-gen, In-to cades ðe folc was ſogt. ðeſ .xii. ðider hem hauen brogt 3708 return bringing with them of the plenty of the land. Of ðe plenteð ðe god ðor gaf, An win-grape on an cuuel-ſtaf, And tolden hem ðe lond iſ god, ful of erf and of netes brod; 3712 In Hebron they found walled cities, stalworth men, and giants. Oc burges ſtronge and folc v[n-]frigt, ſtalwurði to weren here rigt; [347] MS. wile he. [348] MS. haued. [349] ? sot. [350] At the bottom of the page is the catchword—"Moyſes bi-ſogte, &." [351] MS. dat. [352] MS. ðeden. THE REPORT OF THE SPIES. And geteniſſe men ben i_n_ ebron, Q_u_ilc men mai get wundren on. 3716 The Israelites murmur at the news. ðiſ folc ðo ſette up grot and gred, And ſeiden he folwen iuel red; [Fol. 72b.] "Betre iſ vs get we wenden agen And i_n_ egipte ðralles ben, 3720 ðan we wurðen her ſwerdeſ ſlagen, "A captain," said they, "we will make, and return into Egypt." And ure kin to ſorge dragen;[353] An loder-man we wilen us ſen, And wenden i_n_-to egipte agen; 3724 Joshua and Caleb endeavour to still them. Ðo quad Ioſue and calef, "Leateð ben ſwilc wurdes ref, And doð nogt god almigten wrong, Iſ milce iſ mikel, iſ ſtrenge iſ ſtrong." 3728 God threatens them. ðor ðrette god hem alle to ſlen, If moyſes ne wore ðor agen; For Moses' sake he spareth them.