Sammlung altenglischer legenden, grösstentheils zum ersten male hrsg. von C. Horstmann.

Beilage zur Creatio mundi. þe lyff of Adam and Eue [So der Titel im Index. Abschrift dieser Version danke ich der Güte Furnivall's, nebst der Er|laubniss, dieselbe hier abzudrucken.]

aus Ms. Vernon fol. 393. Þis tretys is hou þe word was wrouȝt and Adam and Eue, & þe wo þat Adam & Eue in heore lyue hedden.

Alle þat bileeuen on Jhesu Crist, lusteneþ and ȝe mowen heere how muche is þe miht of vre heuene kyng! Furst he schop heuene, & siþen þe eorþe, to beren treo & gras. Þe eorþe was druyȝe & wiþouten moisture; þer nas no þing þat was quik, neiþer more ne lasse. | Þe holigost was euere, wiþouten bigin(n)ing, & schal be wiþouten endyng. | God as his wille was, behihte to make liht. And þo he made angelus, of a swiþe fair bleo. | Sachel was þe furste angel þat Crist made, and siþen he hihte Lucifer, þat þorw pruide was forloren. | God seih þat hit was good to alle goode werkes: wel fayre he departed þe derke from þe liht. | Liht he cleped þe day, & þe derknesse þe niht. Of euen & of morewen he made a day. & seþþen oþur þing, as I wol ȝow tellen. | On þe secunde day he schop þe firmament, þat is abouen vs — vr lord bring vs alle þider, ȝif hit beo his swete wille. Þe watres vndur heuene Crist made togeder weende, and alle heore stremes, in a luytel stounde, and sende hem forþ, for þat þe druye eorþe schulde bringe forþ fruit; and þo he cleped þis water gedering. Crist seih þat hit was good. Of euen & of morwen he made þe þridde day. | Þe feorþe day þe sonne and þe mone he sette in þe firmament, & sterres ful brihte; þe sonne he sette to þe day, þe mone to þe niȝte. | Þe fifþe day Crist comaundet fissches in water forto swymme, mony beestes & foules to be vnder þe firmament fliȝt. And þo he maked þe whal, most of alle fissches, and alle maner beestes he made þer-myde, & biddeþ hem þat heo schulden waxe & multiplye, & ȝaf hem his blessyng. | Þe sixte day wolde god enden his werkes: hors & reþeren he made, forte suffren wo, and alle maner beestes þat gon vppon fote.

And þo he made paradys, biȝonde þe mount of Asye, in pe Est-londe. Hit is wel euene & swiþe round abouten, wiþ a brennyng wal from heuene to þe grounde. | Þe murþe þat þer-inne is, non eorþlich may hit telle no seo. Þer-inne groweþ þe treo of lyf, þat stont þer wel faire—hose eteþ of þat fruit, schal he neuer dyȝen.

Þer-inne springeþ a welle, þat was mad wiþ godis hondes; foure stremes þer rennen out of in to diuerse londes: | Fyson hette þat on strem þat comeþ from þat welle; | anoþur hette Gyson, þat is of more prys: he passeþ bi anoþer coost swiþe ȝeorne wiþ-alle þat colde is inne Ifounden, and preciouse stones and ȝeem-stones þer ben swiþe noble forto staunche blood; | þe þridde hette Eufrates: þat watur is swiþe swift; | þe feorþe hette Tygre: þat is briht þorw charbuncle-stones þat liggen þer-inne.

ÞO after he made mon of erþe, in flesch and bon, in þe vale of Ebron. | God reste þe seuenþe day; noþing wolde he worche, for þulke day men schulde herien god of heuene. | Þer-aftur god bad foure angelus þat heo schulden seche þulke monnes nome þat he hedde Imaad. | Seint Mihel wente in to þe est: he seih þer a sterre þat was swiþe briht: Anatalim was þat sterre Ihote, wiþ þe furste lettre A; and soone he com aȝeyn. | Gabriel in to þe west-half wente: and he seiȝ in þe firma|ment a sterre þat hihte was Dysus; þe furste lettre D þer-of soone he brouȝte. | Raphael com to þe north: he say þer a sterre þat is Iclepet Arcis; anon he fleyh aȝein, wiþ þe furste lettre A þat he con wiþ him bringe. | Forþ him wente Vriel, riht in to þe souþ; Messembrion hihte þe sterre þat he sih þere; wiþ þe furste lettre M he wente swiþe aȝeyn & brouht hit tofore god wiþ þe oþur þreo. God took þeos foure lettres & bad Vriel rede; & he radde: Adam.

Crist maade Adam Ilyk to his owne ymage & bleuȝ on him þe spirit of lyf wiþ his swete mouþ, and seide: "Lo, Adam is on of vs, connynge boþe good and vuel. I wol þat ȝe honoure him". Seynt Mihel was þe furste þat dude him honour; and also þe oþur angelus aftur him. | Þo hit com to Sachel þat he schulde honoure him, so muche was his pryde þat he miȝt not lowen him, and seide: "I was er Adam". Þo seide Micael to him: "þou schalt honoure Adam; or god wole reyne wreche on þe". "Ȝe, ȝif he beo wroþ wiþ me, I wot where to abyden: I schal sette my seete in þe north-syde, and I wol be lyk þe hexte þat is abouen vs. Þerfore I nul not honoure Adam, for eiȝe ne for loue". And seide: "whuch of ȝow seih me be maad?", as þeih he seide: I was er eny of ȝou weore, I wol be euere to þe hexte. | And a vois seide abouen: "I was er þen þou". And þo þat ȝaf kepe to þat word, bilaften stille; and þe oþure fellen adoun þat cosented to Lucifer, for heo neoren not stable toforen. And þenne weore þei stabelichet in þat ilke while þat heo hedden þenne, boþe þe goode & vvuel, so þat heo ne mihte neuer out þer-of: and after þat while heo beon pynet, summe more & summe lasse; and also to þe oþer: in heuene is heore joye. And he and alle his feeren fullen out of heuene; heo fullen out as þikke as þe drift of þe snouh. | Summe astunte in þe eyr, and summe in þe eorþe. | Ȝif eny mon is elue Inome oþur elue Iblowe, he hit haþ of þe angelus þat fellen out of heuene.

ÞO paradis was Imaad, god nom Adam bi þe hond and brouht him þer|inne, and brouhte alle beestes and foules toforen him. And he ȝaf alle nome after heore kuynde. And he seih þat vchon hedde his make & he hedde non. God nolde not þat Adam schulde libbe þer alone: he caste sleep in him, and made Eue of his owne ribbe, for þat he scholde haue al his wille. And to him he ȝaf alle þing þat þo was o lyue, | þe fissches & þe foules he ȝaf to heore hondes, and alle manere of beestes, al but þe appel-tre þat he him forbade. | þo was Adam wel Inouh, & riht wys of witte.—Now is heere a skile whi to asken weore whi þat wymmen ben feirore þen men bi kuynde; herto wol I onswere: for wommon was maad in pa|radis of Adames ribbe, and mon was maad of eorþe & of foul fen; þerfore is wom|monnes

fel cleror þen monnes. | Al þe blisse of paradys was taken to Adam & to Eue, his make, but þe treo of wisdom þat was forboden hem bi þe heste of god.

Adam hedde þe north-syde & þe est of paradys, and Eue hedde to hire dele þe souþ & þe west. Heo hedden two angelus to kepen hem & to wissen hem, þat heo ne schulde haue no doute, for no maner drede. | Tiþinges coome anon to þe angelus þat kepten hem, þat heo schulden come anon to worschupe god almihti & him to honoure. Assoone as þe angelus weore went forþ, to seon heore creatour, þo was þe stude empti þer þei hedden Iben. | þe angelus of helle, þat weore maad wiþ Cristes hond, hedden gred envye of Adames joye & of his blisse. | Þe fend com as a neddre forte begylen Eue, and seide to hire: "What haþ god forboden ow?". And Eue tolde him a long tale, al what god hedde Iseid. And be hire tellyng þe schrewe fond wey of hire frelete. | "Ete nou", he seide, "of þis fruit, and þou schalt eeuene ben lyk Crist; boþe þou schalt cunne þe goode & þe vuel — bote þou ete þer-of now, I holde þe for wood". And Eue þorw þe fendes red eet of þis fruit, and Adam for hire loue & þat him rewed ful sore. | As soone as heo hedden þer-of eten, þei knewen wel þat heo weren naket — and þat hedde Sathanas maad þorw his tresun. | Wiþ leues of a fyger heo hudden heore bodies, & hedden muche schome; and þer-of hedde Sathanas muche gle and game. | What god spak to Adam, ȝe schul wite sone.

Oure lord seide to Adam: "Wher art þou nou? tel me, Adam, whi eet þou of [Ms. me me.] þe tre?" "þe wommon þat þou betoke me, lord, dude me ete þer-of". God seide þo to Adam: "For þou hast don bi Eues lore, þou schalt hit abugge afturward: þou schalt fare in to þesternesse, and from bodilich hele in to serwe & wo". | And þenne spak god to Eue: "Whi hast þou þus Iwrouht?" And heo onswerd and seide: "Lord, þe eddre haþ bitrayet me". Þo he spac to Eue & seide: "Wommon! for þou art vnwrast, in muchel trauayl þou schalt ben, & vnder monnes heste, children þou schalt bere wiþ muchel pyne & wo, & al þat of þe comeþ, & al þin ofspring". | And god asket þe eddre: whi he dude so. And he seide: "for I hedde to hem envye". And "Neddre, for þou bitrayedest mon wiþ nuy & wiþ oonde, þi breste schal ben þi feet, and eorþe þou schalt eten, and men schal wayte þe to sléé; vppe þi breste þou schalt slyden, feet ne tit þe neuer noone. And whon þou schalt don þi kuynde, þou schalt smiten þin hed in to þin makes mouþe, & heo schal byten hit of; wiþ þyne furste kundles [kundles = young, s. Bestiary V. 620.] þow schalt bersten on-þreo". | Þo seide (god) to Adam: "Go out of paradis! and ȝe [god fehlt im Ms.] schul come to þat stude þat ȝe schulle agrysen of". | Þo com þe angel Cherubim wiþ a swerd brennynge & drof hem out of paradys. | Þo was Adam & Eue brouȝt in to þat stude þer he was Imaad. God ȝaf hem curteles tweyne of beestes felles, þat heo hedden vppon, bitokened þat heo & heore ofspring schulde dye in eorþe. Þer heo lyueden heore lyf in þe wrecched weopes dale. | Ofte heo weoren a-cold and sore of-hungred; eddren mihte hem styngen, foules and beestes hem mihte to-tere; þe watur þat bifore hem bare, hem mihte adrenche.

Adam maad him an hous, forto wonen inne; swinke he moste & trauaylen, & Eue moste spynne. Þer heo woneden eiȝte dayes, in þulke wonynge, in serwe & in muche teone. þer-aftur he eode al one fourtene niht, bi water and bi londe, wiþou|ten eny lyflode. And þer he com to Eue aȝeyn & tolde hire þis tyþinge þat he ne mihte fynde but more & gras, & þat schulde þe beestes of þe lond ete, for god hit haþ ȝeuen to hem. | "Weilawey", quaþ Eue, "Ichaue Iwrouht ful euele, for Ich

haue Ibrouht þe in muchel serwe & care. | Adam, I bidde þe, quaþ Eue, þat þou be|nyme me my lyf, for Ichaue brouht þe in muchel serwe & wo". | "Beo stille", quaþ Adam, "hou miht I so do wiþ my flesch and wiþ my blode? Ac we schul do penaunce & bidde god of merci, ȝif we mihte eny þing amende". "Such penaunce" quaþ Eue, "wol I haue as I mihte studefastlyche and wel ouer-come". "We schul hope" quaþ Adam, "of forȝiuenesse. Stond þou in þis water of Tygre, vp to þi chinne þer-inne, XXX dayes; and alle þe while þou art þer-inne, spek þou no word: for vre lippes ben vnworþi to speken eny þing to god, for we eeten of þe fruit þat he us hedde for|boden. In þulke manere I wol soffre penaunce in þe flum Jordan fourti dayes". Eue stod in hire penaunce, til eihte dayes weoren ago: þo com þe fend in þe liknesse of an angel to hire. And Eue loked vppon him: & sore heo bigon to siken and [Ms. sþken.] wepte wel sore & hire hondes gan to wringen. And þe angel made muche mornynge, & seide þo to Eue: "Cum vp of þe water! for we angelus of heuene han preyed for þe: so þat Jhesu Crist haþ vnderfongen þi penaunce, for þou wold so bleþeliche dwelle þer-in so longe. I am set to bringe ȝow þer ȝe schul haue mete, such as ȝe weore wont to haue & eeten in paradys". | Þe corsud angel nom Eue vp bi þe hond & ladde hire to druye londe; as soone as Eue was comen vp of þe water, hire bodi was grene as eni gras. | Þe angel ladde Eue forþ, forte heo coomen to flum Jordan, þer heo seiȝen Adam stonde. Þo þat Adam sauh þe angel leden Eue, he criȝed to hire wiþ muche serwe & seide to hire: "Eue, Eue, wher is now þi þouȝt? al is for nouȝt þe penaunce þat þou hast Idon". | Anon heo wuste þo þat heo was bigiled. Heo þhouȝte þat hire herte wolde to-berste: so sore heo was agreued; adoun heo fel in a swoune, & bigon to tere hire her — þo was al hire serwe Idoublet, more þen hit was toforen. Adam cursed þe fend & seide to him: "Whi art þou vr aduersarie & vre foo? constou euer siggen þat we benomen þe eny joye oþer eny blisse, or þat we duden þe eny vnriht?" | Þo þe fend onswerde wiþ wel sori cheer: "Adam, al ich wite hit þe & Eue, þi fere, þe cumpaignye of angelus & heuene -blisse Ichaue for|loren. | Furst þo þou was Ischapet and Imaad mon, þo was I comaundet of god þat I schulde honoure þe; and I seide I nolde not honoure þe, for no þing; and þer|fore was god wroþ wiþ me: for þulke vnboxumnesse was I put out of my sege of heuene". | Þo spak Adam and seide: "What mihte we don þer-to? we ne knewe þe nouȝt".

ADam heold vp his honden to þe heuene & seide: "Haue merci of me, god omni|potent: in þi swete hondes I betake my soule, & do þis feondes from vs þat don vs al þis wo. | I beseche god almihti to ȝiue me þulke seete þat he haþ forloren". And þenne at þulke wordus þe fend wente away. And Adam stod stille & abod his pe|naunce. And þo he hedde don his penaunce, he com vp, & a þunder-blast com, and he and Eue, his wyf, wenten togedere: & þo was Caym biȝeten. | Þo seide Eue to Adam: "Ich mot fleo, for no lengur in þis sory lyf may I heer dwelle. | Bilef þou her, lord, al one, and ich wol weenden to þe worldes ende, in to þe west". | Eue þo went hire forþ, touward þe west-syde. And þer heo made hire a logge, forte wonen inne, for chele of snouȝ & of forst & for alle maner wikked wederes. Eue was wiþ childe er heo went from Adam. So twelue moneþ heo dwellet þere. And whon þe tyme was comen þat þe child schulde boren be, heo was so sore adred þer-of þat heo forlees nerhonde hire witte. Ofte heo bad merci to god abouen, ac heo nas noþing

herd of hire biddynge. Heo sent hire steuene & hire sonde bi þe heuene to Adam, hire lord, how heo was bistad. | And Adam was strongliche aferd and gretliche abascht, þo he herde hire, leste þe fend weore Icomen hire to bitrayen. | Þo þis tiþin|ges weore come to him þorw þe firmament, he wente to hire sone anon. Þo þat Eue him seih, for blisse heo gon to weopen, | and seide: "Lord, wel is me þat I þe seo on lyue! sone so I þe seȝe, I ne felede noþing of alle my pyne. | Nou bidde god þat he me wol vnbynde of my serwe—for noþing þat I bidde I may fynde no grace". | Þo bad Adam to god his help & his grace.

ÞEr coomen twelue angelus from heuene & nomen Eue and seiden heo weoren Icome forto helpen hire, for Adames loue; "hiȝe þe blyue, þat þi child weore boren! for þou schalt haue help of vs". Þat child was soone Iborn: Caym was þe childes nome. | Þo nom Adam Eue, his wif, and his child, & wenten aȝeynward to þe Est|lond. Þo god ȝaf Adam diuerse seedes, & tauȝte him to tilye & to sowe, so þat he mihte her-afturward boþe repe & gedere; and þat he schulde nym ȝeme to þe tilynge of þe eorþe, for hem and for heore ofspring þat aftur hem comen. And bad Adam to ȝeuen him þe tiþe dole þat coome of þe eorþe. And þen seide Adam: "Lord, nym þe haluendole!" "Nay", seide vr lord, "hit schal þe tyme come þat þe tiþe dole schal beo binomen me for fals couetyse of þe fendes lore". | Adam biȝat anoþer child: Abel was his name. Þeose two children wonede to gedere, & swonken for heore mete, þorwh þe teching of heore fader. | Eue seide to Adam: "Icham sore agast þat Caym wol sle Abel, his broþer: þerfore hit bihoueþ, ȝif we wol wel do, to parte hem a-twynne". | Þo was Caym maad tilyere, and Abel heerde of scheep and of oþur beestes. | Abel was tiþer good of alle þinges & þonked god swiþe wel; | and Caym tiþed falslich, and brak godes hestes, for he wiþheold alwey þe beste dole & ȝaf god of þe worste. | Crist vnderfong wel fayre þe tiþe of Abel: for þe smoke wente euene vpward, as hit brende; and þe smoke of Caym wente dounwart, for he tiþede falsliche. | Þis was þe lawe of þe olde testament forto brenne alle maner tiþe: for þat god schulde ben heried of þat smoke þat coome vpward þe heuene. Abel hedde of god loue and grace, and þerfore Caym was wroþ & bigon to teren his visage. | Þer-aftur god asket Caym whi he was so proud & so stout þat he totaar his visage, and seide; "Ȝif þou wel dost, þou schalt wel fynde; and ȝif þou eny þing vuel dost, þou schalt beo bounden wiþ sunne". | After þis seide Caym to Abel: "Go we now to þe feelde forto witen vr fader bestes!" | So heo wenten forþ I-feere. And þer Caym slouh Abel: wiþ þe cheke-bon of an asse he smot him on þe hed; and þer he bilafte ded in þe feld of Damasse. | God asket of Caym: "Wher is þi broþur?" And Caym onswerde and seide: "I nam not his kepere". | "What hastou Ido?" quaþ god to Caym, "& wher hastou ibeon? Þe vois of Abels blod crieþ to heuene to me". | God ȝaf Caym þer his curs for he hedde Iculd his broþer & sched his blod, and seide: "þe eorþe crieþ to me on þe for þe sunne þat þou hast don, and wol putte þe awey from his face, and alle þinges schul ben aȝeynes þe, beestes and foules schul sle þe". þen seide Caym: "Nou I wot þat mi sunne is so muche þat I may haue no forȝiuenesse. Nou, lord", seide Caym, "schal alle þing þat comeþ to me, sle me?" "Nay", seide vr lord, "I schal sette a token vp on þe, þat alle þat sle Caym, seuenfold schal his synne be more". | And þo sette Crist a marke vp on him: þat he waggede alwey forþ wiþ his heued. Þo tok Caym his wyf Calmana, þat was his suster, wiþ him, & al þat he hedde, and anon riht went him awey from þe face of god, in to þe lond of Edom, wiþ serwe & wiþ wo.

And whon Adam wuste þat Abel was slayn, his herte bigon to waxe cold—nas neuer mon for his child so wo. Adam seide: "þouȝ I þole wo hit is good riht; for þat I nolde not holde godes hestes, I haue forlore paradys, and nou for Abel my sone ne worþ I neuer bliþe". | Þer-aftur an hundred ȝeer Adam wiþ Eue engendrede no fruit, ac euere he was in serwe & in wepyng. | Þo þe hundred ȝeer weoren passet, him com aleggaunce of his wo: | Crist sent his angel, & brouhte tiþing þat heo schulden a-semble & engendre fruit. | Þo heo geeten a child: þat hihte Seth. | Adam hedde XXX sones & moni douȝtres, wiþouten Caym & Abel. Þe children of Adam multipliȝed swiþe. And Adam comaunded to Seth þat non of his kuynde schulde felauschupe wiþ Caymes kuynde ne wedde non wyues in Caymes kuynde—for þo þat coomen of Seþes kuynde ben cleped godes sones, and Caymes kuynde to(!) men sones. | And þenne at þe fiftene hondred winteres ende heo bigunnen to don heore lecherie priueliche, & afturward openliche. | And þo afturward heo weddeden þe to kuynde in to þat oþur, & geeten geauns. And þenne god tok wreche & adreynte al þe world, but eihte soules, at Noe flood—god was agreuet þer-of & seide þat him forþhouȝte þat he hedde Imaad mon; so he nom veniaunce of hem for heore foule synne.

Adam liuede heere in serwe & in wo nyn hundret ȝer and more. Whon hit comeþ to þe day þat he schulde dye, he let sende aftur alle his sones, and seide: "Ich wot wel: whon I am ded, to helle mot ich wende". And whon heo weoren alle Ico|men forto seon heore fader, heo askeden what him eiled. "Me is vuele", quaþ Adam, "for seknesse & for wo: I am biset wiþ vuel in herte & syde and in vche a lime, þat I may not longe liue. | For þo þat I trespaset & agult to god, VII and þritti vueles he dude in my bodi. I wrecche, what schal I do?" þo Eue him onswerde, wel sore wepynge: "Lord", heo seide, "do in me Adames wo, for hit is not for his gult, ac hit is for myn". | Adam bad Eue and Seth weenden to paradis anon, þe whiles he weore on lyue, "and bidde þe angel þat he sende me heleþe; for wel I wot: whon I am ded, to helle me tit to weende". | And þo Seth seide to his fader: "I not what I may do: for to paradys I con no way". | "Sone", seide Adam, "þat gras þe wol techen: for al þe wey as we out eode þe gras is þer vnlikelich, for ȝit in to þis day nolde hit not arysen for þe sinnen þat we duden in paradys. Go anon forþ, leue sone, & do as I þe teche". | Seth bad his fader his blessing, and went anon his wey. Wel sore wepyng heo eoden in to paradis, for þe wey was long and brod. Þer com þe fend as a neddre & stynged Seþ wel vuele. Eue weop sore & seide to þe cursede wiht: "Whi artou so hardi to fihte wiþ godes ymage?" | Seth acursed þe fend & wa|riede him. And heo eoden forþ on heore way, riht to þe ȝates of paradis. Ac in|nore heo ne miȝte winne. | Ac þere heo seȝen þe blisse of mony maner foules, & muche murþe, & joye inouh: and þat watur schon as brihte as þe sonne-beem, and þe blosmes weoren so fayre on vche maner treo þat vnneþe he miȝte hem biholde for heor fairnesse, þe stones on þe grounde weoren as brihte as hit weore brenninde laite; | he seiȝ þere angelus of wondurfol heuh—and al þulke blisse lees Adam þorw þe gilerie of þe feend! & þat we mowe sore rewe. | Þe oyle of merci he asked ful sore wepynge, as his fader him hedde Itauȝt. | And þo þe angel spac to Seþ and bad him weende aȝeyn, "and sei to Adam: whon þat V þousend ȝeer and an hundret beon Ipasset, þen wol godus sone come in to flum Jordan, forto beo baptised þer-inne, of water & of þe holy gost, for helþe of Adam and of al his osprunch; & er ne tit him none hele". | Þe angel tok an appel and ȝaf hit to Seth and bad him beren

hit to Adam, "and sei him þat he knoweþ hit wel: for heo weoren alle at his comaun|dement, til þat he agulte god". | Þreo curnels of an appel þe angel tok to Seth and bad him wite hem wel forte þat Adam weore ded, "and þenne do þat on in his mouþ, and þe oþure in his neose-þurles"! Swete spices he ȝaf him, and seide to him: "Weent hom aȝeyn anon: for Adam, þi fader, schal hastiliche dye". | Seth turnede aȝein, wel sore wepynge and wiþ mournynge chere, for þat he schulde departe from þat grete blisse. And whon he com to his fader, he fel vppon his knes & honoured him, and seide: "Leoue fader, hit ne helpeþ not to þe forte beseche after helþe, in to þat fiue þousend ȝeer & an hundret be gon: þenne wol godes sone ben baptiȝed in þe flum Jordan, for þe heleþe of þe & of alle þine: of alle maner vueles þou schalt haue boote". Of þat word was Adam fayn & swiþe glad, and ȝeorne criȝede merci to god of heuene, for he nedde neuere in al his lyue so muche joye as he hedde þo. And þo louh(!) Adam and neuer aryst.

Adam seide: "Lord, ȝif hit weore þi wille, hit weore tyme now þat myn olde bones mihte ligge stille: for seþþe I com from paradis, Ichaue liued heere in muchel care. And whon Ich am ded, I wot wel þat I schal weende to helle. | I ne recche", quaþ Adam, "þauh I beo pyned in alle skinnes wo, for Ich hope ȝit to come to þe blisse of paradis". | Adam eet þat appel þat Seþ hedde Ibrouht him, and of no maner euel þing he nedde no drede. And þeraftur sone dayes, as þe angel hedde told to Seþ, he wente to Adam & fond his limes colde. | Þenne seide Adam to his sones þat weoren þo abouten him: "I am IX C ȝer old and XXX^ti. As swiþe as Ich am ded, burie mi bodi in þe vale of Ebron |" þo Adam hedde so iseid, he lay stille & ȝaf vp þe gost. | In þe tyme þat he dyede, þe day turned in to derknesse, and neiþer sonne ne mone ne sterre ne ȝaf no liht. | Seþ bicluppet þe bodi of his fader in his armes & leide his hed wel feire in his barme; alle heo wepten & maden serwe, til þat þe angel of god come to hem & beed hem leuen & be stille, & seide to Seþ: | "Lo, what god wol do wiþ Adam, þi fader". þer comen þe angelus of heuene & herieden god wiþ swete song, for Adames soule, and amonges hem Seþ feled vre lordes hond ouer Adam þer he lay, and seide þo to seint Mihel: "I betake in to þin hond Adam & his osprunch, in serwe & in wo, forte þe day of grace come: | Þene I wol turne al his sorwe in to joye & blisse, and euermore schal laste, þulke selue joie þat Lucifer les þorw his pruide". | God comaundet tweyn angelus to bringe twey cloþes, of sendel and of bijs: þat on to do vppon Adam, and þat oþer to don vppon Abel, his sone. | Seint Mihel and seint Vriel, Eue & Seþ, buried Adam & Abel in þe eorþe þat heo comen of, in þe vale of Ebron. | Seint Mihel seide to Seth: "þus ȝe schul burie men whon þat heo ben dede". Þer was þe eorþe Ihalewed at þe burieng of Adam, of god and of his angelus. | Seth dude þe greynes of þe appel vnder Adams tonge & in þe neose-þurles. | Þo longe afturward sprong þreo ȝerdes of þis greynes, þat weoren holy & gode: on whuch Jhesus schedde his blod vppon for monnes sunne.

NOw I haue told þe lyf of Adam. Now herkeneþ of his soule whoder hit was lad! | In þe ouemaste prison of helle his soule was bounden, er þe bodi were cold, and þer-inne he was foure þousend ȝeer VI C and foure, —for þer nas neuere so holy mon þat he ne was brouht þider, til Jhesu Crist suffrede deþ vppon þe roode. | Þer|aftur eihte dayes þat Adam was ded, Eue feled hire deþ ful neih. Heo comaundet þat al hire children schulde beo brouȝt toforen hire: and tolde hem in what manere heo hedde agult god, and how þat god wolde take wreche of monkuynde wiþ watur & wiþ fuir for heore sunne: | "Þerfore makeþ tables of stones & of cley and writeþ

þer-inne þe lyf of oure fader and of oure moder & of oure breþeren, þat ȝe han of vs seȝen and herd, þat hit may beo founden aftur þat we ben dede. And ȝif þat fuir comeþ, þe tables of ston schul to-bersten for þe hete of þe fuir; and ȝif heo ben of clay, heo wolen laste longe".

ÞO Eue hedde þus Itold, heo heef vp hire honden and heried god almihti, and ȝeld vp þo þe gost. | Hire children wepten for hire al þat seuen-niht: þo com seint Mihel & brouht hem tiþing and beede hem sese of heore wepynge, and seide: "Nou is þe seuenþe day: resteþ, and singeth of þe heriinge of god! for þat bitokeneþ þe reste of þe world þat is comynge; god him seluen sesed of al his werkes on þe so|nenday". | Þo coome Seth & made tables of ston and of cley & wrot þe lyf of his fader and of his moder and of his moder and of his breþeren þer-vppon, and leyden hem in Adames oratorie: And þer beo weoren Ifounden aftur þe deluuie. | In þe tables weoren Iwriten al þe deedes of Adam & of oþere; ac nomon þat heom seiȝe, ne couþe rede hem. And aftur feole ȝeres com Salamon þe kyng þider forte seon þe tables, and bisouhte god almihti þat he moste wite what was þer-inne. And þenne com seint Mihel to Salamon and dude him to vndurstonden what was writen in þe tables, and seide: "Ich heold Seþes finger þe whiles hit weoren a writynge wiþouten iren or steel in þe harde ston, & so heo duden. Ȝit liggen þe tables in þat ilke stude in Adames oratorie þer he bad his beodes". | Þo þe kyng dude make a temple of gold & of preciouse stones: in al þe world was non such, for þe stones in þe wal schonen nih as briht as þe sonne-beem. And þat hous was clepet: þe Temple of Jerusalem. For Adames children, þo þe folk haden rif Adames pynen, but soone aftur heo hedden sone forȝeten hit, for muchel misdoyng of metes & drinkes & heor oþure flessches lustes: | And so heo weoren alle ablent: and þerfore god almihti adreynt al þe world; he dreynte al þat was quik abouen þe eorþe, but onliche eihte soules. Now Ichaue ȝow told al of þe furste world. And to þe world þat euer schal laste, god us þider bringe! [Eine 2. Prosaversion findet sich in der altenglischen Ucbertragung der Leg. Aur.: Ms. Egert. 876 fol. 321 (in der letzten Hälfte defect) und Ms. Harl. 4775 (vollständig), vgl. Progr. des Gymnasiams zu Sagan 1877: Barlaam & Josaphat, Einl. Dieselbe Version findet sich vcreinzelt in Ms. Bodl. 596. fol. I. mit einigen Abweichungen. Diese 2. Version schliesst sich an die Creatio Mundi des Ms. Trin. 57 an, mit der sie öfter fast wörtlich übereinstimmt.]