II.
HOU ÞE HOLY CROS WAS Y-FOUNDE. [Vernon MS. Bodleian Lib.] [The Title is taken from the Index.]
ÞE holy Rode, þe swete treo· riht is to hauen in muynde, [folio 28b:2]
Þat haþ from strong deþ i-brouht· to lyue al Monkuynde,
Þorwh a treo we weore for-lore· and furst i-brouht to grounde,
Þorwh a treo seþþe to liue i-brouȝt· I-heried beo þulke stounde!
Line 4
Al hit com of one More· þat vs to deþe brouȝte,
And þat vs· to lyue aȝein· þorwh Ihesus þat vs bouȝte;
Of þe treo· þat vre furste Fader· þe luþer Appel of nom·,
In þe Maner· þat ich ow telle wole· þe swete Rode com:
Line 8
¶ Þo Adam vre furste Fader· þe sunne hedde i-do
And i-driue out of Paradis·, and his wyf also,
After Milce wel ȝeorne he criede·, þeiȝ hit late were;
A bi-heste he hedde of vr lord·, þo me him drof out þere,
Line 12
Þat whon þe tyme weore folfuld· vr lord him wolde bi|þenche,
And mid Oyle of merci smere him· and his sunnes quenche:
Gret hope hedde Adam· to þis bi-heste euer-mo:
In þe valeye of Ebron· he liuede mid teone and wo:
Line 16
Twey soncs he hedde seþþe·, Caym· and Abel:
For Envye· þat on slouȝ þat oþur·, And þat ȝe witeþ wel:
