II.
ÞE HOLY RODE. [Ashm. MS. Bodleian Lib. 43. [Collated with Harl. MS. 2277 (imperfect). ] ]
ÞE holi rode þe swete tre [treo.] ; riȝt is to habbe in munde [folio 63b]
Þat haþ fram stronge deþ [deþe.] ibroȝt to lyue; al mankunde
Þoru [þurf.] a [þulke.] tre [treo.] we [þat we.] were uerst uorlore [furst ibouȝt.] ; and uerst ibroȝt to grounde
And þoru a tre seþþe to lyue [And siþþe þurf a treo to lyue.] ibroȝt· ihered be þulke stounde
Line 4
Al [h]it com of one more; þat ous to deþe broȝte [brouȝte.]
And þat ous broȝte [brouȝte.] to lyue aȝen [aȝe.] ; þoruȝ [þurf.] ihesus þat ous boȝte [bouȝte.]
Of þe appeltre [Of þe treo.] þat our uerste [omitted.] fader; þen [þe.] luþer appel nom
In þe manere þat ichulle [ich wole.] ȝou [ȝou nou.] telle; þe swete rode com
Line 8
Þo adam our [þe.] uerste fader [man.] ; þe sunne [sinne.] hadde ido
And idriue was out of parais; and eue is [his.] wif also
After milse ȝerne [ȝurne.] hi cride; þei it [þeȝ hit.] late were
Ane [MS. And, H. Ane.] bi-heste [he] hadde of our lord [louerd.] ; þo me him drof out þere
Line 12
Þat [omitted.] wen [whan.] þe tyme were uolueld [fulfuld.] ; our lord [louerd.] him wolde biþenche
And wiþ [mid.] oile of mylse smerie [smirie.] him; and his sunne [sinne.] quenche [aquenche.]
Gret hope hadde to þis biheste; adam euermo [folio 64]
In þe ualeie of ebron; he lyuede in tene and wo
Line 16
Twei sone he hadde seþþe; caym and abel
Þat on slouȝ þat oþer uor en-vie; as ȝe witeþ wel
