Cursor mundi (The cursur o the world). A Northumbrian poem of the XIVth century in four versions. Ed. by the Rev. Richard Morris ...

Page 8

PROLOGUE.

[Cotton Vesp. A iii., British Museum, leaf 2]

¹The Cursur o the world.¹ [[^1_1 in a later hand.]]

                      
                        Man yhernes rimes for to here,
                      
                        And romans red on maneres sere,
                      
                        Of Alisaundur þe conquerour;
                      
                        Of Iuly Cesar þe emparour;
                        Line 4 
                      
                        O grece and troy the strang strijf,
                      
                        þere many thosand lesis þer lijf;
                      
                        O brut þat bern bald of hand,
                      
                        þe first conquerour of Ingland;
                        Line 8 
                      
                        O kyng arthour þat was so rike,
                      
                        Quam non in hys tim was like,
                      
                        O ferlys þat hys knythes fell,
                      
                        þat aunters sere I here of tell,
                        Line 12 
                      
                        Als wawan, cai and oþer stabell,
                      
                        For to were þe ronde tabell;
                      
                        How charles kyng and rauland faght,
                      
                        Wit sarazins wald þai na saght;
                        Line 16 
                      
                        [Of] tristrem and hys leif ysote,
                      
                        How he for here be-com a sote,
                      
                        O Ioneck and of ysambrase,
                      
                        O ydoine and of amadase
                        Line 20 
                      
                        Storis als o ferekin thinges
                      
                        O princes, prelates and o kynges;

Page 10

                      
                        Sanges sere of selcuth rime,
                      
                        Inglis, frankys, and latine,
                        Line 24 
                      
                        to rede and here Ilkon is prest,
                      
                        þe thynges þat þam likes best.
                      
                        þe wisman wil o wisdom here,
                      
                        þe foul hym draghus to foly nere,
                        Line 28 
                      
                        þe wrang to here o right is lath,
                      
                        And pride wyt buxsumnes is wrath;
                      
                        O chastite has lichur leth
                      
                        On charite ai werrais wreth;
                        Line 32 
                      
                        Bot be the fruit may scilwis se,
                      
                        O quat vertu is ilka tre
                      
                        Of alkyn fruit þat man schal fynd
                      
                        He fettes fro þe rote his kynd.
                        Line 36 
                      
                        O gode pertre coms god peres,
                      
                        Wers tre, vers fruit it beres;
                      
                        þat I speke o þis ilke tre,
                      
                        Bytakens, man, both me and þe:
                        Line 40 
                      
                        þis fruit bitakens alle oure dedis,
                      
                        Both gode and ille qua rightly redis;
                      
                        Vr dedis fro vr hert tas rote,
                        Line 43 
                      
                        [Que]dur þai be worthi or bale or bote;
                      
                        For be þe thyng man drawes till [folio 2a:2] 
                      
                        Men schal him k[n]aw for god or ill.
                      
                        A saumpul her be þaem I say,
                      
                        þat rages in þare riot ay;
                        Line 48 
                      
                        In riot and in rigolage,
                      
                        Of all þere liif spend þai þe stage;
                      
                        For now is halden non in curs,
                      
                        Bot qua þat luue can paramurs;
                        Line 52 
                      
                        þat foly luue þat uanite,
                      
                        þam likes now nan oþer gle;
                      
                        Hit neys bot fantum for to say,
                      
                        To day it is, to moru away,
                        Line 56 
                      
                        Wyt chaunce of ded, or chaunce of hert,
                      
                        þat soft began has endyng smart;

Page 12

                      
                        For wen þow traistes[t] wenis at be,
                      
                        Fro hir schalt þou, or scho fro þe.
                        Line 60 
                      
                        He þat [s]titthest [Looks like ticchest at first sight.]  wenis at stand,
                      
                        Warre hym his fall is nexst his hand,
                      
                        Ar he sua brathly don be broght,
                      
                        Wydur to wende ne wat he noght;
                        Line 64 
                      
                        Bytuix and his luf haf hym ledd,
                      
                        To sli mede als he hym forwit [bedd;]
                      
                        For þan sal mede witouten mere,
                      
                        be mette for dede or bettur or were.
                        Line 68 
                      
                        For-þi blisce and þat paramour,
                      
                        Quen i haue nede me dos socure,
                      
                        þat saues me first in herth fra syn,
                      
                        And heuen blys me helps to wyn.
                        Line 72 
                      
                        For þof i quilum haf ben untrew,
                      
                        Hyr luue is ay ilik[e] new;
                      
                        Hir luue sco haldes lele ilike,
                      
                        þat suetter es þan hony o bike;
                        Line 76 
                      
                        Suilk in herth es fundun nan,
                      
                        For scho es modur and maidan;
                      
                        Moder and maiden neuer þe lesse,
                      
                        For-þi of hir tok crist his fiesse.
                        Line 80 
                      
                        Qua truly loues þis lemman,
                      
                        þis es þe loue bes neuer gan;
                      
                        For in þis loue scho failes neuer,
                      
                        And in þat toþer scho lastes ever.
                        Line 84 
                      
                        Off suilk an suld ȝe [mater] take,
                      
                        Crafty þat can rimes make;
                      
                        Of hir to mak bath rim and sang,
                      
                        And luue hir suette sun amang.
                        Line 88 
                      
                        Quat bote is to sette traueil
                      
                        On thyng þat may not auail,
                      
                        þat es bot fantum o þis warld, [folio 3a:1] 
                      
                        Als ȝe haue sene inogh and herd.
                        Line 92 
                      
                        Mater fynd ȝe large and brade?
                      
                        Þof rimes fele of hir be made,

Page 14

                      
                        Qua-sa will of hy[r] fa[y]rnes spell,
                      
                        Find he sal inogh to tell;
                        Line 96 
                      
                        Of hir godnes and hir treuthede,
                      
                        Men may fynd euermar to rede;
                      
                        O reut[h] o loue and charite,
                      
                        Was neuer hir mak, ne neuer sal be.

                      
                        Lauedi scho es o leuedis all,
                        Line 101 
                      
                        Mild and mek witouten gall,
                      
                        to nedi neghest on to call,
                      
                        And raises synful quen þai fall;
                        Line 104 
                      
                        Til all oure bale ai for to bete,
                      
                        Oure lauerd has made þat maiden suette;
                      
                        þar-bi man mai hir helping kenn,
                      
                        Scho prais ai for sinful menn;
                        Line 108 
                      
                        Qua menskes hir, þai may be bald,
                      
                        Scho sal þam ȝeld a hundreth fald.

                      
                        In hir wirschip wald i bigyn
                      
                        A lastand warc apon to myn,
                        Line 112 
                      
                        For to do man knaw hir kyn,
                      
                        þat hus scli wirschip cum to wyn:
                      
                        Sumkins iestes for to scaw,
                      
                        Þat done were in þe hald[e] law,
                        Line 116 
                      
                        Bituix þe ald law and þe new,
                      
                        How crist brith bigan to brew,
                      
                        I sal yow schew wit myn entent,
                      
                        Bre[fl]i of aiþere testament;
                        Line 120 
                      
                        Al þis werld, or þis bok blin,
                      
                        Wit cristes help I sal ouer-rin,
                      
                        And tell sum gestes principale;
                      
                        For all may na man haue in talle,
                        Line 124 
                      
                        Bot for-þi þat na werc may stand
                      
                        Wit-outen grundwall to be lastand,
                      
                        þar-for þis werc sal i fund
                      
                        Apon a selcuth stedfast grund,
                        Line 128 
                      
                        þat es, þe haly trinite,
                      
                        þat all has wroght wit his beute;

Page 16

                      
                        At him self first i sette mi merc,
                      
                        And sithen to tell his hand werc;
                        Line 132 
                      
                        O þe angels first þat fell,
                      
                        And siþen i will of adam tell,
                      
                        Of hys oxspring, and of noe,
                      
                        And sumquat of his sunns thre,
                        Line 136 
                      
                        Of abraham and of ysaac
                      
                        þat haly ware wit-outen make;
                      
                        Sythen sal i tell yow
                      
                        Of iacob and of esau,
                        Line 140 
                      
                        þar neist sal be sythen tald
                      
                        How þat ioseph was boght and sald;
                      
                        O þe Iuus and moyses
                      
                        þat goddis folk to lede him ches,
                        Line 144 
                      
                        how god bigan þe law hym gyfe
                      
                        þe quilk the Iuus in suld life;
                      
                        O saul þe kyng and o daui
                      
                        How þat he faght a-gain goli;
                        Line 148 
                      
                        Siþen o salamon þe wis
                      
                        How craftilik he did iustis;
                      
                        How crist com thoro propheci,
                      
                        How he com his folk to bij;
                        Line 152 
                      
                        And hit sal be reddynn þanne
                      
                        O Ioachim and of sant tanne;
                      
                        O mare als hir doghter mild,
                        Line 155 
                      
                        How sco was born and bare a child,
                      
                        How he was born and quen and ware,
                      
                        How sco him to þe temple bar;
                      
                        O þe kynges þat him soght
                      
                        þat thre presandes til him broght;
                        Line 160 
                      
                        How þat herode kyng wit wogh
                      
                        For crist sak þe childer slogh;
                      
                        How þe child to egypte fled
                      
                        And how þat he was theþen ledd;
                        Line 164 
                      
                        þar sal ȝe find sumkyn dedis
                      
                        þat iesus did in hys barn-hedis;

Page 18

                      
                        Sithen o þe baptist Iohan
                      
                        þat Iesu baptist in flum Iordan;
                        Line 168

                      
                        How iesus quen he lang had fast
                      
                        Was fondid wit þe wik gast;
                      
                        Siþen o Ions baptisyng
                      
                        And how him hefdid herod kyng;
                        Line 172

                      
                        How þat iesu crist him selue
                      
                        ches til him apostels tuelue,
                      
                        And openlik bigan to preche,
                      
                        And alle þat sek ware to leche
                        Line 176 
                      
                        And did þe meracles sua rijf
                      
                        þat þe Iuus him hild in strijf;
                      
                        Syþen how þat haly drightin
                      
                        Turned watur in to vyn;
                        Line 180 
                      
                        O fiue thossand men þat he
                      
                        Fedd wyt fiue laues and fisses thre;
                      
                        Of a man sal ȝe sithen find [folio 2b:1] 
                      
                        þat he gaue sight and born was blind;
                      
                        O spouse-brek womman
                        Line 185 
                      
                        þat þe Iuus dempt to stan;
                      
                        How he heled on al vnfere
                      
                        þat seke was thritte and aht yeir;
                        Line 188 
                      
                        How þe magdalen wit grete
                      
                        Com for to was our lorde fete;
                      
                        Of hir and martha þat was fus
                      
                        Abote the nedes of þare hus;
                        Line 192 
                      
                        O laȝar ded laid under lam
                      
                        How iesus raised his licam;
                      
                        How Iuus iesu oft vmsette
                      
                        And for his sermon thrali thrette,
                        Line 196 
                      
                        How þai sched his blisced blode
                      
                        And pined him opon þe rode;
                      
                        Wit crist will þan sal I telle
                      
                        How he siþen hared helle;
                        Line 200 
                      
                        How Iuus wit þer gret vnschill
                      
                        Wend his vprisyng to dill;

Page 20

                      
                        How he vprais, how he upstey,
                      
                        Many man on stad and sey;
                        Line 204 
                      
                        How he þat o myght es mast
                      
                        Send in till erth his haly gast;
                      
                        O tuelue apostlis sum-kyn gest
                      
                        Bot how þai endid at þe lest,
                        Line 208 
                      
                        How our leuedi endid and yald
                      
                        Hir sely saul hit sal be tald;
                      
                        O þe hali croice how it was kyd
                      
                        lang efterward þat it was hid;
                        Line 212 
                      
                        Of antecrist com þat sal be kene,
                      
                        And o þe dreri days fiueten
                      
                        þat sal cum for-wit domes day;
                      
                        Sythen of þe dome yow sal i say,
                        Line 216 
                      
                        þan of oure leuedi murnand mode.
                      
                        For hir sune scho sagh on rode;
                      
                        þe last resun of alle þis ron
                      
                        Sal be of hir concepcion.
                        Line 220 
                      
                        þis are the maters redde on raw
                      
                        þat i thynk in þis bok to draw,
                      
                        Schortly rimand on þe dede,
                      
                        For mani er þai her-of to spede.
                        Line 224 
                      
                        Notful me thinc it ware to man
                      
                        to knaw him self how he began,
                      
                        How [he] began in werld to brede
                      
                        How his oxspring began to sprede,
                        Line 228 
                      
                        Bath o þe first and o þe last.
                      
                        In quatking curs þis world es past.
                      
                        Efter haly kyrc state
                      
                        þis ilk bok is es translate
                        Line 232 
                      
                        In to Inglis tong to rede
                      
                        For the loue of Inglis lede,
                      
                        Inglis lede of Ingland,
                      
                        For the commun at understand.
                        Line 236 
                      
                        Frankis rimes here I redd,
                      
                        Comunlik in ilk[a] sted,

Page 22

                      
                        Mast es it wroght for frankis man:
                      
                        Quat is for him na frankis can?
                        Line 240 
                      
                        Of Ingland the nacion,
                      
                        Es Inglis man þar in commun;
                      
                        þe speche þat man wit mast may spede,
                      
                        Mast þar-wit to speke war nede;
                        Line 244 
                      
                        Selden was for ani chance
                      
                        Praised Inglis tong in france;
                      
                        Giue we ilkan þare langage,
                      
                        Me think we do þam non outrage.
                        Line 248 
                      
                        To laud and Inglis man i spell
                      
                        þat understandes þat i tell,
                      
                        And to þoo speke i alþer-mast
                      
                        þat won in vnuarc es to wast
                        Line 252 
                      
                        þair liif in trofel and truandis,
                      
                        To be ware wit þat self and wis,
                      
                        Sumquat vnto þat thing to tent,
                      
                        þat al þar mode might wit amend.
                        Line 256 
                      
                        Ful il ha[yl] þai þat spending spend
                      
                        þat findes na fro[te] þar-of at end.
                      
                        Sli word and werc sum we til heild
                      
                        Traistli armites [So in MS., but read acountes]  sal we yeild.
                        Line 260 
                      
                        þar-for do draw þam hider-ward,
                      
                        þat o þe pardon will ha part
                      
                        To here and hald sal ha pardon,
                      
                        O plight wit crist benisun.
                        Line 264 
                      
                        Now o þis proloug wil we b[lin],
                      
                        In crist nam our bok be-gin,
                      
                        Cursur o werld man aght it call,
                      
                        For almast it ouer-rennes all.
                        Line 268 
                      
                        Tak we our biginning þan
                      
                        Of him þat al þis werld bigan. [Luna Mars Mercurius Iouis Monenday Tisday Wednesday Thors|day uenus saturnus sol Friday setturday sounday] 

                        Line 270

Page 24

Incipit de trinitate & creacione mundi [folio 3b:1]

                      
                        Of all men agh þat drightin dride
                      
                        þat mirthes mettes man to mede
                      
                        þat euer was and ai sal be,
                        Line 273 
                      
                        wit-outen change in trinite,
                      
                        He þat louerd bath god and man
                      
                        Alkyn god of him be gan.
                        Line 276 
                      
                        þof he began al oþer thing
                      
                        Him self had neuer bigining;
                      
                        Of him com all, in him is all,
                      
                        He haldes up all fra don-fall;
                        Line 280 
                      
                        He haldes heuen and erth stedfast,
                      
                        Wit-outen him may nothing last.
                      
                        þis lauerd þat is so mikul o might
                      
                        He puruaid al in his for-sight,
                        Line 284 
                      
                        And þat he ordaind wit his witte
                      
                        He multiplis and gouerns itte,
                      
                        þerfor is he cald trinite
                      
                        For he es anfald godd in thre.
                        Line 288 
                      
                        And if þou wynus it mai not be
                      
                        Behald þe sune and þou mai se;
                      
                        In þe sune þat schines clere
                      
                        Es a thing a[nd] thre thinges sere;
                        Line 292 
                      
                        A bodi rond, and hete and light,
                      
                        þir thre we find al at a sight;
                      
                        þis thinges thre wit nankins art
                      
                        Mai man nan fra oþer part,
                        Line 296 
                      
                        For if þou ta þe light awai,
                      
                        þe erth it has na sun parfai;
                      
                        And if þe erth [[sic]]  awai be tan,
                      
                        sun for soth þen has þou nan.
                        Line 300 
                      
                        Bot ilk wisman it watte
                      
                        It es þe kind of þe sun be hatte;

Page 26

                      
                        þe sun bodi þat i neuen
                      
                        Be-takens þe fader self o heuen;
                        Line 304 
                      
                        And be þe light þat is lastand
                      
                        þe sune þou agh at understand;
                      
                        And be þe hette þou vnderta
                      
                        þe hali gost comms of hem tua.
                        Line 308 
                      
                        Fader is he cald for-þi
                      
                        þat he is welle þat neuer sal dri,
                      
                        Or for-þi þat he self wroght
                        Line 311 
                      
                        All thinges quen þai ware notght;
                      
                        His sun his wisdom es, þat wat
                      
                        All thinges þat haldes stat,
                      
                        And halds þam up fro misfare
                        Line 315 
                      
                        þat þai ne worth to noght als þai war ar;
                      
                        þe hali gast es tat goddhede [folio 3b:2] 
                      
                        þat giues lijf and mas an-hede.
                      
                        Minning es to fader cald,
                      
                        þe sune es vnderstanding tald,
                        Line 320 
                      
                        þe haligast es ai þat will,
                      
                        þat fader and sun will bath fulfill.
                      
                        þis drithin þat i forwit said
                      
                        First in his witte he all purueid
                        Line 324 
                      
                        His werc, als dos þe sotill wright,
                      
                        and sithen he reises it in sight;
                      
                        For-þi es godd, als sais scripture,
                      
                        Nan elder þan his creature,
                        Line 328 
                      
                        Elder o time ne es noght he,
                      
                        Bot elles wel mare in dignite.
                      
                        þis wright þat i spek of here,
                      
                        Fra al oþer, sundri and sere,
                        Line 332 
                      
                        For þai most oþer timber take,
                      
                        Bot he þis self can timber make;
                      
                        For of him self he toke his euen
                        Line 335 
                      
                        þat he of wroght bath erth and heuen.
                      
                        Bot þou sal noght þou vndirstand
                      
                        þat he wroght al his werc wit hand,

Page 28

                      
                        Bot said wit word, and als son
                      
                        All his comament was don,
                        Line 340 
                      
                        Suiftliker þen hee may wink,
                      
                        Or ani mans hert mai thynk.
                      
                        Als clerkes sais þat are wis
                        Line 343 
                      
                        He wroght noght first wit partis;
                      
                        Bot he þat mad al thing o noght
                      
                        to-geder he al þis werld wroght
                      
                        Seit for to be on lang and brad.
                      
                        þe mater first þer of he mad,
                        Line 348 
                      
                        þat es þe elementes to sai,
                      
                        þat first scapless al samen lay;
                      
                        He delt it sythen in sex dais
                      
                        In partis als þe scripture sais,
                        Line 352 
                      
                        þe elementz first in dais thrin;
                      
                        thre thinges þam es wit-jn;
                      
                        þis elementz þat al thinges bindes
                      
                        Four er þai, als clerkes findes.
                        Line 356 
                      
                        þe neþermast es watur and erth,
                      
                        þe thrid es air, and fir þe ferth.
                      
                        Or sai we þus þat he bigan
                      
                        Als austin sais, þe hali man,
                        Line 360 
                      
                        Als we in his bok writen find.
                      
                        First þan wroght he angel kind
                      
                        þe werld and time, þir things thre [folio 4a:1] 
                      
                        Byfor al oþer thyng wroght he;
                        Line 364 
                      
                        þe werld i call wit min entens
                      
                        þe mater of þe four elements,
                      
                        þat yeit was tan o forme mischapen,
                      
                        Quar of was serenes siþen scapen;
                      
                        Al scaples was it noght for-þi
                        Line 369 
                      
                        þat it o scap ne had parti,
                      
                        Bot þarfor scaples was it a [[? I]]  tru
                      
                        þat it had nan þan suilk als nu.
                        Line 372 
                      
                        He wroght a-pon þe to-þer day
                      
                        þe firmament, þat is to say,

Page 30

                      
                        þe light wit sterns, gret and smale,
                      
                        wit water sonded als cristale,
                        Line 376 
                      
                        þat es þar ouer fra þat þar vnder;
                      
                        In þ[e]se he sou[n]did al wit wonder.
                      
                        þe thrid day þat drightin did
                      
                        þe watters draw unto a stid,
                        Line 380 
                      
                        And bad a dri sted suld be;
                      
                        þe watters al he cald þe see,
                      
                        þe dri cald erth þat lauerd kyng,
                        Line 383 
                      
                        and bad it gress and frut forth bring,
                      
                        Alkin things grouand sere
                      
                        þat in þam self þaire seding bere.

                      
                        þe ferth he baad, and it was don,
                      
                        Bath ware made sun and mon,
                        Line 388 
                      
                        Aiþer wit þer ouen light
                      
                        For to tuin dai fra night,
                      
                        In takening o tides to stand,
                      
                        dais and yeirs bath duelland;
                        Line 392 
                      
                        And þe sterns, gret and smale,
                      
                        þat we may se wit-outen tale,
                      
                        In þe ouermast element of all;
                      
                        þer þe fir he has his stall.
                        Line 396 
                      
                        þe fifte dai þat failld noght
                      
                        On watur fuxol and fiss he wroght;
                      
                        þe fiss to watur, als we find,
                      
                        þe fuxol be-taght he to þe wynd;
                        Line 400

                      
                        Al gangand best þe sext day,
                      
                        And adam bath he wroght on clai,
                      
                        He was last wroght als lauerding,
                      
                        Vte-ouer al oþerkin thing.
                        Line 404 
                      
                        In a dale he wroght adam
                      
                        þat ebron hatte, in hebru nam;
                      
                        þe sex dais he wroght þat was his will,
                      
                        þe seuend o werk he hild him still.
                      
                        Hymself þan gaf us sample þare, [folio 4a:2] 
                      
                        þat we suld hald it euer mare.

                        Line 410

Page 32

                      
                        His first werc als yee herd me neuen,
                      
                        He wroght þe angels all of heuen,
                        Line 412 
                      
                        And sette þam in haly palais,
                      
                        þar neuer mai be of pride unpais;
                      
                        For to þis palais at was sua rike,
                      
                        Als mighti king in his kingrike,
                        Line 416 
                      
                        he fordestend tuin creature
                      
                        to serue him in þat hali ture,
                      
                        þat suld be of a numbre hale,
                      
                        and mani thusand haue in tale;
                        Line 420 
                      
                        þe quilk tale nangat suld be mare
                      
                        And nede be-houed it fulfild ware;
                      
                        þis numbre þat he ordend þan
                      
                        Suld be bath of angel and man,
                        Line 424 
                      
                        For mensked wit tuin maner o scaft,
                      
                        wald he be þat king o craft,
                      
                        þat es wit angel þat es gastli,
                        Line 427 
                      
                        And with man þat es bodili;
                      
                        Of angels wald he serued be
                      
                        þat suld of ordres haf thris thre;
                      
                        He ches til him, þat lauerd hend,
                      
                        þe men suld mak þe ordre tend. [[De casu luciferi in margin]] 
                        Line 432 
                      
                        Bot þe angel he wroght formast
                      
                        Of all he gaf an pouste mast;
                      
                        for þof þai all war fair and wis,
                        Line 435 
                      
                        And sum of less and sum mare pris,
                      
                        He gaf an mast of all sele
                      
                        If he cuth hafe born it wele,
                      
                        And sette him heist in his hall,
                        Line 439 
                      
                        Als prince and sire ouer oþer all;
                      
                        And for þat he was fair and bright
                      
                        lucifer to nam he hight.
                      
                        wen he parceued him he þis
                      
                        þat he was ouer all oþer in blis,

                        Line 444

Page 34

                      
                        Line 444 
                      
                        Allas! caitif he kneu him noght,
                      
                        þat hee drightin þat had him wroght;
                      
                        For ilhail sagh he þat tide
                      
                        Agains him he tok a pride;
                        Line 448 
                      
                        Hetlik he lette of ilk fere
                      
                        To godd self wald he be pere;
                      
                        Noght pere allan, bot mikul mare,
                      
                        For vndur him he wald all ware,
                        Line 452 
                      
                        And be him self þair comandur;
                      
                        Qua herd euer a warr auntur,
                      
                         [folio 4b:1] þat he þat noght hadd bot of him,
                      
                        A-gayn him suld becum sua grim?
                      
                        "sette," he said, "mi sete i sal
                        Line 457 
                      
                        Gain him þat heist es of all;
                      
                        In þe north side it sal be sette
                      
                        O me seruis sal he non gette;
                        Line 460 
                      
                        Qui suld I him seruis yeild?
                      
                        Al sal be at myn auen weild."
                      
                        Bot he was merred of hys mint,
                      
                        Fulson he fand vnstern[e] stint,
                        Line 464 
                      
                        ffor langer þan he thoght þis pride
                      
                        In heuen moght he na langer abide;
                      
                        For in þat curt, þat es sa clene,
                      
                        May na filth in dwell wituten wene.
                      
                        Sent micheal, for þare aller right,
                        Line 469 
                      
                        Rais a-gain him for to fight,
                      
                        Again him gaf a batell grim,
                      
                        Out of þat hei curt kest him;
                      
                        Lucifer first dune he broght,
                        Line 473 
                      
                        And sithen þat till him helded oght,
                      
                        And schurd þat curt o þam sa clene,
                      
                        þat sithen þar sted was neuer sene.
                      
                        þis is þe feind þat formast fell,
                        Line 477 
                      
                        thoru his ouergart [[MS ouengart]]  in to hell;
                      
                        Fra þan his nam changed was,
                      
                        For now es he cald sathanas;

                        Line 480

Page 36

                      
                        Line 480 
                      
                        Fra ful hei he fell fullaw
                      
                        þat of his lauerd wald stand nanaw,
                      
                        wit-outen couering of his care
                      
                        þar he ne has merci neuermare;
                        Line 484 
                      
                        For godd aght noght gif þam mercy
                      
                        þat þar efter wil not cri.
                      
                        and þus he leses his gret honur,
                      
                        þar he badd noght fullik an vre,
                        Line 488 
                      
                        For alsuiþe als he was made
                      
                        he fell, was þar na langer bade.
                      
                        þas oþer gastes þat fell him wiht
                      
                        þe quilk for-sok godds grith,
                        Line 492 
                      
                        Efter þe will þai till him bare
                      
                        þan fell þai depe, or lesse or mare;
                      
                        Sum in þe air, sum in the lift,
                      
                        þar þai drei ful hard[e] schrift;
                        Line 496 
                      
                        þar pin þai bere opon þam ai,
                      
                        and sua sal do to domes dai;
                      
                        Bot þai þat left witoten wite
                      
                        þai ware confermed þar als tite,
                        Line 500 
                      
                        þat þai mai neuermar held til il, [folio 4b:2] 
                      
                        Namar þan þe wick mai to god will.
                      
                        þe numbre þat out of heuen fell
                      
                        þo can na tung in erth [noght] tell;
                        Line 504 
                      
                        Ne fra þe trone quar he can sitte,
                      
                        How farr es in to hell pitte;
                      
                        Bot bede sais fra erth to heuen
                        Line 507 
                      
                        es seuen thusand yeir and hundret seuen,
                      
                        Bi iornes qua þat gang it may,
                      
                        Fourti mile on ilk [a] day.
                        Line 510

                      
                        ¶ Als i tald ar þat kyng of craft
                      
                        wald mensked be wyth tuinkyn scaft,
                      
                        Bath of aungel and of man.
                        Line 513 
                      
                        Adam þer-for was wroght þan

Page 38

                      
                        þe tent ordir for to fullfill,
                      
                        þat lucifer did for to spill.
                        Line 516 
                      
                        Of erth allan ne was he noght,
                      
                        Bot of four element[e]s worght;—
                      
                        O watur his blod, his fless o lair,
                      
                        His hete o fir, hijs and [[MS wynd, in a later hand.]]  of air;
                        Line 520 
                      
                        . . . . .
                      
                        . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] 
                      
                        His heued with in has eien tuin.
                      
                        þe lift has sōn and mon wit-in,
                        Line 524 
                      
                        þat als men sen er sett to sight,
                      
                        Sua serues sun and mon o light;
                      
                        Seuen maister sterns er sette in heuen,
                      
                        and mans hefd has thirls seuen,
                        Line 528 
                      
                        þe quilk if þow wil þe vm-think,
                      
                        þow may þam find with litul suink.
                      
                        þis aand þat men draus oft
                      
                        Betakens wynd þat blaws o loft,
                        Line 532 
                      
                        O quilk es thoner and leuening ledd,
                      
                        Als aand with host in brest is spred;
                      
                        In to þe see all watres sinkes
                      
                        And mans womb all licur drinkes;
                      
                        Hijs fete him bers up fra fall,
                        Line 537 
                      
                        Als þe erth vp haldes all;
                      
                        þe ouer fir gis man his sight,
                      
                        þat ouer air of hering might;
                        Line 540 
                      
                        þis vnder wynd him gis his aand,
                      
                        þe erth þe tast, to fele, and faand;
                      
                        þe hardnes þat men has in banes
                      
                        It cums him o þe kynd o stanes;
                        Line 544 
                      
                        Of þe erth it groues tres and gress,
                      
                        And neis [[read neil]] 
                      
                        wit bestes doumb man has his fele,
                      
                        O thyng man liks, il or welle.
                        Line 548 
                      
                        Of þir things i haf her said [folio 5a:1] 
                      
                        was adam cors to-gedir graid;

Page 40

                      
                        For þis resun þat ȝee haue hard,
                      
                        Man es clepid þe lesse werld.
                        Line 552

                      
                        Bot resun yett, al herd ȝee noght,
                      
                        Quare of mans saul was wroght;
                      
                        A gastli light man sais it es
                      
                        þat god has mad til his liknes,
                        Line 556 
                      
                        Als prient of seel in wax es thrist,
                      
                        þer in he has his licam fest;
                      
                        He has it wroght, als frend and fere,
                      
                        for-þi es nathing him sua dere;
                        Line 560 
                      
                        His goddhed es in trinite;
                      
                        An saul has propre thinges thre,
                      
                        Minning and þat o thinges thrin,
                      
                        þat es, þat was, þat sal be min;
                        Line 564 
                      
                        It has als vnderstand[ing] clene
                      
                        O thing it seis and of vnsene;
                      
                        It has als schilwisnes o will,
                      
                        þe god to tak and leue þe ill.
                        Line 568 
                      
                        Al þe mightes þat mai be
                      
                        Wons in þat hali trinite;
                      
                        Alle virtus has saul i-wis,
                      
                        þat vte o sin vnsaked is,
                        Line 572 
                      
                        And als godd þat es an and thre;
                      
                        Wit nankyn creature mai be
                      
                        vnderfanged ne ouertan,
                      
                        And he ouertakes þam ilkan;
                        Line 576 
                      
                        Al sua þe saul, wit-oten wene,
                      
                        Til alkin thing it es vnsene,
                      
                        þof it of all thinges has sight,
                      
                        to se þe saul haf ye na might.
                        Line 580 
                      
                        Now haf .i. sceud yow til hider,
                      
                        how tua thinges halds man to-gider,
                      
                        þe saul, o gastli thing to tell,
                      
                        If bodili, his fless and fell.

                        Line 584

Page 42

[Of the name Adam, and of Paradise.]

                      
                        Adam was mad o mans eild,
                      
                        Als he moght welle him self weild,
                      
                        Als austin sais, þat leis noght,
                      
                        And vtewit paradis [was] wroght.
                        Line 588 
                      
                        Here now þe resun of his nam,
                      
                        Qui þat he was cald adam.
                      
                        In þis nam er four letters laid,
                      
                        þat o þe four ȝates er said;
                        Line 592 
                      
                        Sua micul es adam for to muth,
                      
                        Als est, and west, and north, and south.
                      
                        And þow mai ask, wit-oten blam, [folio 5a:2] 
                      
                        qui god him gaue sua mikel a nam;
                      
                        Parfay þat [es] bot eth to rede,—
                      
                        It takens adam and his sede;
                      
                        Ouer al þe werld þan suld þai spred,
                      
                        And þerof bere þe lauerd-hede,
                        Line 600 
                      
                        Als oure lauerd has heuen in hand
                      
                        Sua suld man be lauerd of land.
                      
                        þer-for he gafe him to be-gin
                      
                        A luuesum land at lenger in,—
                        Line 604 
                      
                        A land o lijf, o beld, and blis,
                      
                        þe quilk man clepes paradis;
                      
                        In to þat land, wit-oten bade,
                        Line 607 
                      
                        Was adam broght quen he was made;
                      
                        He gaf it him, als in heritage,
                      
                        to yeild þerfor na mar knaulage,
                      
                        Bot for to hald it wel vnbroken
                        Line 611 
                      
                        þe forbot þat was be-tuix þam spoken;
                      
                        Bot for-þi þat he held it noght
                      
                        He did us all in bale be broght.
                      
                        In bale he broght vs, and in care,
                      
                        Sum i sal tell yow forþer mare.

                        Line 616

Page 44

                      
                        ¶ Wen Adam wroght was alson
                      
                        In paradis þen was he don;
                      
                        þe bestes all, bath sco and he,
                      
                        War broght forwit him to see;
                        Line 620 
                      
                        Fiss on sund, and fouxl on flight,
                      
                        Was broght all fort in his sight;
                      
                        All war broght to serue adam,
                      
                        And þat he suld gif ilkan nam.
                        Line 624 
                      
                        þan gaue þat kyng his craft to kepe,
                      
                        Sleli adam þen gart he slepe;
                      
                        Vte of his side, als sais þe boke,
                      
                        Wit-oten sare a rib he tok;
                        Line 628 
                      
                        And of þat rib he mad woman,
                      
                        Til adam þat was first his an;
                      
                        Quen sco was broght be-for adam,
                      
                        Virago gaf he hir to nam;
                        Line 632 
                      
                        þar for hight sco virago,
                      
                        ffor maked o þe man was sco;
                      
                        Bath war naked þar licam,
                        Line 635 
                      
                        Bot þar for thoght þam þen na scham.
                      
                        Drightin þam blessed, and bad þam brede,
                      
                        And multipli in þar sede;
                      
                        "Adam," he said, "how thinkt þe
                      
                        In þis stede es fair to be?
                        Line 640 
                      
                        þis es a sted welt ful wan, [folio 5b:1] 
                      
                        þar all godes wantes nan;
                      
                        Here lastes lijf wit-oten end,
                      
                        Her es nathing for to mend;
                        Line 644 
                      
                        Her es blis þat lastes ai,
                      
                        Neuer night, bot euer day;
                      
                        Es nan forsoth wit hert mai think,
                      
                        Ne writer nan mai write wit inc
                        Line 648 
                      
                        þe mikel ioy þat þam es lent,
                      
                        þat dos her will mi commandment.

Page 46

                      
                        O tres o fruttes es her god wan,
                      
                        All sal þai be þine bot an,
                        Line 652 
                      
                        O þam al þi will to do;
                      
                        Bot yhon tre cum þou nawight to,
                      
                        þat standes in midward paradis;
                      
                        For if þou do, þou es noght wis.
                        Line 656 
                      
                        þis tre haf i don in frith
                      
                        For i wil þat it haf mi grith;
                      
                        If ȝee it touche, i sal not lei,
                      
                        O duble ded þan sal ȝee dei;
                        Line 660 
                      
                        lok for-þi, þat ȝee tak tent
                      
                        þat ȝee ne brek mi commament."
                      
                        And herbi mai we all wele se
                      
                        How he þam gaf þer will alfre;
                        Line 664 
                      
                        þe gode to do, to leue þe ill,
                      
                        bath he sette in þare fre will;
                      
                        Witte and wisdam he þam gaue,
                      
                        Might and fairhed for to haue;
                        Line 668 
                      
                        Of all þis werld mad adam king,
                      
                        Euer to last wit-outen ending;
                      
                        Emang his mani serekyn sele,
                      
                        I sal tell sum-quat of his wele:
                        Line 672 
                      
                        Ar he Brak þat god him for-baad,
                      
                        In mikul blis þan was he staad,
                      
                        Of his wijf sa fair and fre,
                      
                        þat mikel mirth was on to se;
                        Line 676 
                      
                        þe bestes boud him all aboute,
                      
                        Als to þair lauerd vnderloute;
                      
                        Fouxl o flight, and fiss on sand,
                        Line 679 
                      
                        All fell him doun to fote and hand;
                      
                        At his will þai com and ȝode,
                      
                        Als he war fader o þair fode;
                      
                        þe bestes self war samer-tale,
                      
                        Wit-outen hurt þar herd ai hale;
                        Line 684 
                      
                        Be-tuix þe wolues lai þe schepe,
                      
                        Sauueli moght þai samen slepe;

Page 48

                      
                        þe hund ne harmed noght þe hare, [folio 5b:2] 
                      
                        ne nane soght on oþer sare;
                        Line 688 
                      
                        Bi þe dere þat now es wild,
                      
                        Als lambe him lai þe leon mild;
                      
                        þe gripe alsua bi side þe bere
                      
                        Nan best wald til oþer dere;
                        Line 692 
                      
                        þe scorpion for-bare is [s]tang
                      
                        Fra bestes þar he lai amang;
                      
                        Ilkin thing, on serekin wise,
                      
                        Ȝeld til adam þar seruise;
                        Line 696 
                      
                        Ne þe nedder was noght bittur
                      
                        þan, þowf he was euer wittur;
                      
                        For of alle als scheus þe bok
                      
                        Mast he cuth o crafte and crok.
                        Line 700 
                      
                        þe sun was þat time, þat i sai,
                      
                        Seuen sith brighter þen þe dai;
                      
                        þe mone was þat time als bright
                      
                        Als es þe dai þe sun o light;
                        Line 704 
                      
                        hald naman þis for foly
                      
                        þe prophet it said, ysai;
                      
                        Of all thinges þat we here se,
                      
                        On hei, on lau, on land, on see,
                        Line 708 
                      
                        War o gretter strengh and pith,
                      
                        Ar adam had fordon þe grith.

[Of Satan's scheme to tempt and ruin Adam.]

                      
                        ¶ Bot adam son was send a saand
                      
                        þat soght him with ful fell a faand;
                      
                        Quen sathan sagh þat he was chosin
                      
                        to win þe blis he had forlosin,
                        Line 714 
                      
                        Sorful bicom þat fals file
                      
                        And thoght how he moght man bi|will;
                      
                        vmthoght o þat thing to stint
                        Line 717 
                      
                        þat godd til ending god had mint;
                      
                        A-ganis godd wex he sa gril
                      
                        þat al his werk he wend to spil,

                        Line 720

Page 50

                      
                        Line 720 
                      
                        And wend wel with his gret enwie
                      
                        O god him self to win þe maistrie.
                      
                        Man es now sett bituix tua,
                      
                        On aiþer side he has his faa;
                        Line 724 
                      
                        Bi-tuix þe warlau and his wijf,
                      
                        Adam es stad in strang strijf;
                      
                        Bath þai werhaid on adam
                      
                        For to bring him in to blam;
                        Line 728 
                      
                        Bath ar now on a partie
                      
                        to confund man wit trecherie.
                      
                        þat wili warlau him heild on drei
                        Line 731 
                      
                        And ganid noght cum him to nei,
                      
                        Namli in his auen schap; [folio 6a:1] 
                      
                        To sped he hopd haue na hap
                      
                        For-þi a messager he send
                        Line 735 
                      
                        Wit quam best to spede he wend;
                      
                        To þis he ches a littel best
                      
                        þe quilk es noght vnwiliest,
                      
                        þe nedder þat es of a scaft,
                        Line 739 
                      
                        þat mast kan bath on crok and craft;
                      
                        Graitli taght he him þe gin,
                      
                        How he suld at þe wif be-gin,
                      
                        And thorw þe wijf to wyn þe man;
                      
                        þis nedder forth þat he ne blan
                        Line 744 
                      
                        Bot in hijs slught was self satan;
                      
                        Selcut was hit he þider wan
                      
                        Bot wit his suffrance he it lete,
                      
                        þat best wist how þe bale to bete;
                      
                        For-þi he mad þam þat þai moght
                        Line 749 
                      
                        Sin or leue, if þam god thoght,
                      
                        þat thoru skil on þar auen dede
                      
                        Suld be mettam al þair mede;
                        Line 752 
                      
                        To bu and liue wit-outen end,
                      
                        Or elles o ded in langur lend.

Page 52

Expulsio ade & transgressio euis

                      
                        Adam ȝode walkand in þat welth
                      
                        þat halden was in micul elth;
                        Line 756 
                      
                        Quen he was fra his wijf a tharu
                      
                        þe nedder nerhand hir gun draw,
                      
                        And said, "womman, tel me now qui
                      
                        þat ȝee ette noght al communli
                        Line 760 
                      
                        O paradis of ilk a tre?"
                      
                        "Certes," said sco, "sua do we
                      
                        Of al þe tres bot of an,
                      
                        þe midward tre is vs outtan,
                        Line 764 
                      
                        Our lauerd in forbot has it laid."
                      
                        "And wat þou quarfor?" "nai," sco said.
                      
                        Bot sco said, "if we com þer nei
                      
                        O ded forsoth þan suld we dei;
                        Line 768 
                      
                        þis tre suld him seluen haue,
                      
                        And we all othere [MS. looks like othmr, but the last letter is by no means clear.]  þen þat laue."
                      
                        "And wenis þou þat it be sua
                      
                        Sum he has said yow?" "certes, ya!"
                      
                        "Nai, goddot," said þat felun,
                        Line 773 
                      
                        "þar es vnder al sere resun;
                      
                        He dos it for he ne wald ȝee were
                      
                        Parigal til him ne pere;
                        Line 776 
                      
                        þe south fra ȝow wil I noght hide,
                      
                        He wat wel wat tim or tide
                      
                        þat ȝee hade eten o þis tre [folio 6a:2] 
                      
                        Als godds suld ȝee seluen be;
                        Line 780 
                      
                        O wityng bath god an[d] ill
                      
                        ȝee suld be lauerds at ȝour will;
                      
                        Of it ȝee ette, sua red i ȝow,
                      
                        ffor ȝee sal find it es ȝour prow."
                        Line 784 
                      
                        þis hight was þan sumdel mikel,
                      
                        þof it was ful fals and fikel.

Page 54

                      
                        Sone quen sco þis frutte biheild,
                      
                        Sco desirred it to haue in weild;
                        Line 788 
                      
                        left sco nogh[t] for drede of blam
                      
                        Bot tok and ette and raght adam.
                      
                        Quat bot es lang mi tale to draw,
                      
                        Quat sum first þar was gain saw,
                        Line 792 
                      
                        Al for noght þai ette it bath
                      
                        þat al þaier kin thoru fell in wayth;
                      
                        For of þat ilk appel bitt
                      
                        þair suns tethe ar eggeid yitt;
                        Line 796 
                      
                        And sal be ai to domes-dai,
                      
                        Her egain mai naman sai.
                      
                        Quen þai loked on þer licam
                      
                        Aieþer thoght of oþere scham;
                        Line 800 
                      
                        ffor quen þai sagh ham self al bare,
                      
                        þat welth and blis had cleþed ar,
                      
                        þai cled þam þan in þat mister
                      
                        Wit leues brad bath o figer.
                        Line 804

                      
                        ¶ Wen þe find þus had þam nomin
                      
                        Wel he wend ha god ouercommin;
                      
                        And said wit hin his sari thoght,
                        Line 807 
                      
                        "Ic haue him don to suinc for noght;
                      
                        His heuen he sal haue allan,
                      
                        O adam lott now getes he nan,
                      
                        To bring into þat heritage
                      
                        þat i haf tint wit min vttrage."
                        Line 812 
                      
                        He leied þat eber file for-qui
                      
                        þat yett of man had god merci,
                      
                        Adam ware tint godd wald it noght,
                      
                        For he wit vikced [[? wicked]]  red was soght;
                      
                        þe find was mare worthe to blam
                        Line 817 
                      
                        þat wit his suik bi-suak adam;
                      
                        god wist wel þe find him suak
                      
                        For-þi yett wald he wit him tak,
                        Line 820 
                      
                        Bot þof he siþen of him roght
                      
                        He wald it first ful dere war boght.

Page 56

[Of the state of the world after Adam's Sin.]

                      
                        Son quen þai had bath don þat sin
                      
                        Be-gan al baret to bigin;
                        Line 824 
                      
                        Alkin blis was þan bi-went, [folio 6b:1] 
                      
                        Fra þaim þat brak þis comament;
                      
                        Son bigan wenganz to kiþe,
                        Line 827 
                      
                        Alle blurded þat was for-wit bliþe;
                      
                        Al bigan to strut and strijf
                      
                        Agains adam and his wijf;
                      
                        Bituix þam tua to strut alsua,
                      
                        þe strang þe weker for to sla,
                        Line 832 
                      
                        Ilkan to mak of oþer prai,
                      
                        Als we mai see þam do to dai;
                      
                        Fra þeþen first com ded to man
                      
                        þat fra þat tide al wa bigan;
                        Line 836 
                      
                        þe wrangwis wit þar waful wrak
                      
                        þar þai biginning gan to tak,
                      
                        Sin and sak, and schame and strijf,
                      
                        þat now es oueral þe werld sa rijf;
                      
                        Merci, lauerd! strang wickedhed
                        Line 841 
                      
                        Broght adam to suilk a ded,
                      
                        þat had him tint and al hijs kin,
                      
                        Bot our lauerd had ranscond him,
                      
                        On suilk a wis, als he for-thoght,
                        Line 845 
                      
                        Bi-for ar he þis werld had wroght;
                      
                        Bot þat was noght al don for nede,
                      
                        Bot thoru his auen doghtyhede;
                        Line 848 
                      
                        þan if he wald he moght man
                      
                        Wel better mak þan he was þan;
                      
                        Wit fleys for-þi he com in place,
                        Line 851 
                      
                        And fild þis werld al wit his grace;
                      
                        his grace it was and nathing oþer
                      
                        þat he wald bicom our broþer;
                      
                        Wit þe find þer-for he faght,
                        Line 855 
                      
                        And wit hijs fader he mad ur saght.

Page 58

                      
                        Leue we now o suilkin spell
                      
                        Of our stori forth to tell.

                      
                        ¶ Wen Adam sagh he had misdon,
                      
                        He went to hide him al-son;
                        Line 860 
                      
                        He wend to hide him amang þa tres,
                      
                        Fra his sight þat al sees.
                      
                        Al for noght him hide adam,
                      
                        our lauerd cald him be his nam.
                        Line 864 
                      
                        "lauerd," he said, "quen i þe herd,
                      
                        For I sagh wel þat i misfard,
                      
                        I and mi wif, vs ȝode to hide,
                      
                        For vs thoght scam þe to bide,
                        Line 868 
                      
                        For our bodis ar now al bare."
                      
                        "Goddot, adam! þis said i are,
                      
                        þe wath i tald þe well forwit,
                      
                        wat it war to brek mi grith;
                        Line 872 
                      
                        Bot now it es þis appell etten,
                      
                        And sua mi forbot es for-geten,
                      
                        For-þi þat þou has don þe mis,
                      
                        þiself þou wite þi wa, i-wis."
                        Line 876 
                      
                        "lord," he said, "o þis gilt here,
                      
                        sco es to wite þat es mi fere,
                      
                        þat þou me gaf mi wijf to be;
                      
                        Ful thrali first sco bedde it me,
                        Line 880 
                      
                        For sco me bedd, wit-outen blin,
                      
                        Sco has me fild wit hir sin;
                      
                        Al þat i sai mai sco noght nite,
                      
                        For-þi agh sco to bere þe wite."
                        Line 884 
                      
                        God spak til hir, and said o-nan—
                      
                        "Qui did þou þus, þou fole womman?"
                      
                        "þe worm," sco said, "me draf þar till
                      
                        þat I haf wroght again þi will."
                        Line 888 
                      
                        Til þat worm þan drightin spak
                      
                        wordes bath o wrath and wrak:—
                      
                        "þou worm, þou sal be maledight,
                      
                        Mare þan ani oþere wight;

                        Line 892

Page 60

                      
                        Line 892 
                      
                        Mare þan ani oþer best,
                      
                        For þou sal slid apon þi brest;
                      
                        Fra þis dai fareden sal be,
                      
                        For-soth, bituix womman and þe,
                        Line 896 
                      
                        Bituix þine and womman sede,
                      
                        Mold sal be þi mete for nede;
                      
                        þou sal waite womman for to sting,
                      
                        And sco sal yiet þi hede thring;
                        Line 900 
                      
                        þof þou wald euer haue hat sted
                      
                        In cald sal euer be þi bedde.
                      
                        And þou, womman, þat standes her,
                      
                        In soru þou sal þi berns ber;
                        Line 904 
                      
                        þou sal be slan wit duble dedd,
                      
                        Herd it es þe for to redd;
                      
                        þou sal be to man vnder-heild,
                      
                        To him þi buxumnes to yeild.
                        Line 908 
                      
                        To sceu þi scath be noght vnkid,
                      
                        þou sal haf euer þi heued hid;
                      
                        þat þou þo-queþe[r] has now mistan
                      
                        It sal be beit wit a womman;
                        Line 912 
                      
                        O man sinles þan mad i þe
                      
                        In womman sal mi wonning be;
                      
                        Bot þat bes noght kid so ȝaire
                      
                        For i most couer þis tinsel are.
                        Line 916

                      
                         [folio 7a:1] And þou, man, þat has vndertaken
                      
                        þi wijf red, and min for-saken,
                      
                        Ne sal þou nawight þar wit win,
                      
                        þe werld es werid wit þi sin;
                        Line 920 
                      
                        Of erth þou sal, wit suete and suinc,
                      
                        Win þat þou sal ete and drinc,
                      
                        Al þe dais on þin eild;
                        Line 923 
                      
                        Brembel and thorn it sal te yeil[d];
                      
                        þar of þou sal ete greses sere,
                      
                        And þou sal bij þi bred ful dere,
                      
                        Bituix and þou again be gan
                      
                        Vnto þat erth þou was of tan;

                        Line 928

Page 62

                      
                        Line 928 
                      
                        For þou nees bot a pudre plain,
                      
                        to puder sal þou worth [[originally torne]]  a gain."
                      
                        He turned þan his wijf nam,
                      
                        And eue fra þan hir cald adam;
                        Line 932 
                      
                        Eue sco hight eue fra þat dai,
                      
                        þat moder of mani es for to sai.
                      
                        God mad þam kyrtels þan of hide,
                      
                        And cled þar flexs wit for to hide.
                      
                        "loo," he said of adam, "hu
                        Line 937 
                      
                        lik es made tilwardus nu,
                      
                        Bath þe god and il knauand;
                      
                        Now for-þi ar he strek hand
                        Line 940 
                      
                        To þat tre þat lijf es in,
                      
                        And siþen he liue wit-outen blin."
                      
                        He put him oute wit-outen bade
                      
                        Vnto þe werld þar he was made.
                        Line 944 
                      
                        "Ful dere adam sal it be boght
                      
                        Ar it be bete þat þou has wroght.
                      
                        Take þi wif now in þi hand,
                        Line 947 
                      
                        For ȝee most leue þis lufsum land,
                      
                        Vnto þe wreched werld to gang,
                      
                        quare þou sal thinc þou liues to lang,
                      
                        Ful lang penance þar to drei,
                      
                        And siþen wit duble ded to dei;
                        Line 952 
                      
                        ȝee sal be flemed fra mi face,
                      
                        Bituix and i yow send mi grace,
                      
                        þe oile o merci most þou bide,
                      
                        I hight at send it sum tide."
                        Line 956 
                      
                        "Allas!" said adam, "wa es me!
                      
                        lauerd, þat i ne had troude þe,
                      
                        lauerd, þat euer i mad þe wrath,
                      
                        For-þi mi lijf es me to lath;
                        Line 960 
                      
                        I wat bot þe haf i na frend,
                      
                        Tell me ar i fra þe weind,
                      
                        Howgat and wit quatkinthing, [folio 7a:2] 
                      
                        I sal couer þi saghteling."

                        Line 964

Page 64

                      
                        Line 964 
                      
                        He said, "adam, now wel sais þou,
                      
                        I sal þe tell and herken now;
                      
                        O-mang þine oþer werkes hend
                      
                        O þi winning giue me þe tend;
                        Line 968 
                      
                        Of alkin fruit haf þou þe nine,
                      
                        For I wil þat þe tend be mine."
                      
                        "lauerd!" he said, "þou gafs al,
                      
                        Qui sal þi parte be sa smal?
                        Line 972 
                      
                        þe half parte gladli or þe thrid
                      
                        we wil þe giue, if þou it bid."
                      
                        "Adam, i wil haks na vtetrage,
                        Line 975 
                      
                        Bot þe teind part als in knaulage,
                      
                        For sum o þine ful mikel sal thinc
                      
                        To giue þe teind part þare suinc,
                      
                        ȝee sal do bren it on a stan."
                      
                        Adam went out ful will o wan.
                        Line 980 
                      
                        Had noght adam ben in þat blis
                      
                        Bot tides thre dwelland, i-wis,
                      
                        Quen he can brek þe comament,
                      
                        þat all his oxpring did be schent.
                        Line 984 
                      
                        For he was wroght at vndern tide,
                      
                        At middai eue draun of his side,
                      
                        þai brak þe forbot als sun
                      
                        þat þai war bath don out at none.
                        Line 988 
                      
                        Adam was out don nars [read nais]  and naked,
                      
                        In to þe land quar he was maked;
                      
                        þar he led a lang lijf,
                      
                        And gate his childer wit his wijf.
                        Line 992 
                      
                        Out es put sua wreched adam
                      
                        Of paradis, þat rich ham.
                      
                        A firir [read firin]  wall þar es a-bute,
                      
                        Mai nan win in þat es wit-oute;
                        Line 996 
                      
                        An angel has þe yatte to geite,
                      
                        Wit suerd in hand o mikel heite

Page 66

                      
                        "Tel me man yeit wit þi lare,
                      
                        Quat land es paradis, and ware?
                        Line 1000 
                      
                        Sin i sal here þe þer of spell."
                      
                        Blethli sire i sal þe tell.
                      
                        Paradis is a priue stedd,
                      
                        þar mani mirthes er e-medd,
                        Line 1004 
                      
                        þe leueleist of all landes;
                      
                        In erth toward þe est it standes,
                      
                        land o liue, o ro, and rest,
                      
                        Wit blis and beild broiden best,
                        Line 1008 
                      
                        þar neuer neghes nede ne night,
                      
                        Bot euer vmlaid wit lem and light.
                      
                        O selenes es it wel sene,
                      
                        þe gresse es euer ilik grene,
                        Line 1012 
                      
                        Wit alkin blis þat þar es elles;
                      
                        Flours þar es wit suete smelles;
                      
                        Treis o frut þan es þar sett
                      
                        þat serekin vertu has at ette,
                        Line 1016 
                      
                        þat if man ett in time of an,
                      
                        Hunger suld he neuer haf nan;
                      
                        And if he ett of anoþer tre,
                      
                        suld he neuer thresti be;
                        Line 1020 
                      
                        þe thrid, qua ete o þat þar es,
                      
                        He suld haf neuer werines.
                      
                        Of an qua siþen ete at þe last,
                      
                        he suld in eild be ai stedfast,
                        Line 1024 
                      
                        Sekenes suld he neuer drei,
                      
                        Ne neuer mare his bodi dei.
                      
                        It es a yard cald o delites
                      
                        Wit all maner o suet spices.
                        Line 1028 
                      
                        Qua lenges þar thar þam noght lang,
                      
                        þar sune es soft and suet sang,
                      
                        Sune of sautes þat þar singes.
                      
                        Midward þat land a wel springes,

                        Line 1032

Page 68

                      
                        Line 1032 
                      
                        þat rennes out wit four strandes,
                      
                        Flummes farand in fer landes;
                      
                        þis flummes four þat þar biginnes,
                      
                        thoru out all oþer contres rinnes,
                        Line 1036 
                      
                        þe first es tigre and siþen gyon, [The words "gyon," "eufrates and fison" are in a different hand and ink.] 
                      
                        siþen eufrates and fison, [The words "gyon," "eufrates and fison" are in a different hand and ink.] 
                      
                        þei bring o paradis þe stan,
                      
                        Sua preciose es fundun nan.
                        Line 1040 
                      
                        þis þaradis es sett sua hei,
                      
                        þat moght neuer flod ani þar nei,
                      
                        For-þi was it o noe flode
                      
                        Fre þat al þe warld ouer yodd.
                        Line 1044

                      
                        ¶ Now es adam in erth stad,
                      
                        Wit gress and leues his he clad,
                      
                        He suanc and suet and eue his wif,
                      
                        Of þe erth to win þar lijf,
                        Line 1048 
                      
                        Wit mikel suinc was þat þai wan,
                      
                        For þai war first þat sua bi-gan.
                      
                        þe formast barn þat sco him bare,
                      
                        Was caim þe curst, þat ful of care;
                      
                        þat neist was, a quile e-mel,
                        Line 1053 
                      
                        An hali child þat hight abell.
                      
                        þis abel was a blissed blod, [folio 7a:2] 
                      
                        Bot caim was þe findes fode;
                        Line 1056 
                      
                        Was neuer warre o moder born,
                      
                        For-þi was he wit his for-lorn.
                      
                        þis abel was a hird for fee,
                      
                        Selcuth hali man was he;
                        Line 1060 
                      
                        Rightwis he was, and godds freind,
                      
                        And leli gaf he him his tend;
                      
                        And for his offrand was Rightwys,
                      
                        Godd tok to quen [So in MS.]  his sacrifijs.

                        Line 1064

Page 70

                      
                        Line 1064 
                      
                        For caym gaf him wit iuel will,
                      
                        vr louerd loked noght þar-till
                      
                        þis caym, þat i of forwit melt,
                      
                        O þe tilth þat he wit delt.
                        Line 1068 
                      
                        Vntil his broþer nith he bare,
                      
                        Allas! þat bogh[t [The MS. has bogh, but r has been inserted later.] ] þe sacrilages sare.
                      
                        A-gain abel he raysed strijf,
                        Line 1071 
                      
                        Wit murth he did his broiþer o lijf;
                      
                        Wit þe chafte ban of a ded has
                      
                        Men sais þat þar wit slan he was;
                      
                        And quen he had his broiþer slan,
                      
                        Bi-gan to hid his cors o-nan.
                        Line 1076 
                      
                        Bot proued was son his sari pride,
                      
                        þe bodi moght he nan-gat hide,
                      
                        For vnder erth most it not rest,
                      
                        þe clai ai vp þat bodi kest.
                        Line 1080 
                      
                        His broiþer ded sua wend he dil,
                      
                        Bot he moght nourquar it hil,
                      
                        For-þi men sais þat to þis tide
                      
                        Is naman þat murth mai hide.
                        Line 1084

                      
                        Quen caym had don þat dreri dide,
                      
                        Til his fader hamward he ȝeide;
                      
                        Quen he eie a-pon him kest,
                      
                        A sighing of his hert brest,
                        Line 1088 
                      
                        For mistrauing þan had he son,
                      
                        þat he sum wikcudnes hade don;
                      
                        For be his chere he sagh him wrath,
                      
                        þat was won to be bitter braith.
                        Line 1092 
                      
                        "Sun," he said, "to me þou tell
                      
                        Quare has þou left þi broþer abell?"
                      
                        Wit word he answard, sun vn-mild:—
                      
                        "Quen was i keper of þi child?
                        Line 1096 
                      
                        Of him can i sai certain nan,
                      
                        Bot he to brin his tend bigan."
                      
                        A-pon þe feild his fader went
                      
                        And soght abel wit al his tent.

                        Line 1100

Page 72

                      
                        Line 1100 
                      
                        þe fader and þe moder bath [folio 8a:1] 
                      
                        to blam þe broiþer was þam laith
                        Line 1102 
                      
                        Bituixand þei þe southe had sene,
                      
                        O thing þai wist noght bot a wene;
                      
                        þai thoght þat kynd him mond for-bede
                      
                        To haf don suilk a nogli dede;
                      
                        þis ded had euer i-wis ben hidd,
                      
                        If god him-self ne had it kydd.
                        Line 1108 
                      
                        Bot sua to scap moght he noght
                      
                        Fra drightin þat all had wroght;
                      
                        He þat flemed first adam
                      
                        For an appul bit allan,
                        Line 1112 
                      
                        Ne hope i noght he wil him feign,
                      
                        þat he ne sal caim dede a-teign;
                      
                        And he will þat he bii þe vttrage,
                      
                        þat murþerhed sua is ane ymage.
                        Line 1116 
                      
                        He wend a scaped þar-wit-alle,
                      
                        þat nan him cuth ne clepe ne cale.

[God speaks to Cain, and curses him.]

                      
                        Bot þar-wit com our creature
                      
                        For to spek wit þat traiture.
                        Line 1120 
                      
                        O þat murth and þat treson,
                      
                        He did þat traittur to reson.

                      
                        "Caym ware es þi broiþer abell?"
                      
                        "I wat neuer," said he, þat fell,
                        Line 1124 
                      
                        "Ask his fader now ware he be,
                      
                        For he was not bi-taght to me."
                      
                        "Bot tell me suith, sir cayn,
                      
                        Wy has þou þi broiþer slain?
                        Line 1128 
                      
                        His blod on erth sced lijs,
                      
                        Efter wrak to me it crijs.
                      
                        It fines not at wrak to cri,
                      
                        For to sceu þe felunny.
                        Line 1132 
                      
                        Thoru þe wark sa ful a plight,
                      
                        erth þou sal be maledight

Page 74

                      
                        þat reseued þi broþer blode;
                      
                        Wit pine it sal þe ȝeild þi fode,
                        Line 1136 
                      
                        For þe mikel felunny;
                      
                        þi wete sal bi-com ȝiȝanny.
                      
                        In-sted o þi noþer sede,
                        Line 1139 
                      
                        Ne sal þe groue bot thorne and wede.
                      
                        For þi nedeles wickedhede,
                      
                        þou sal lede euer þi lijf in nede;
                      
                        þi derfli dede has liknes nan,
                      
                        Of all dedes it es vttan.
                        Line 1144 
                      
                        Openlik i tell þe here
                      
                        þou sal it bi ful selcuht dere.
                      
                        For þof i wald for-giue it þe, [folio 8a:2] 
                      
                        It es nogtht worþi for-giuen be.
                        Line 1148 
                      
                        To quat contre sum þat þou wend.
                      
                        Sal þou naman find to frend.
                      
                        Bituix quat lede sum þat þou lend,
                      
                        Euer sal þou and þine bi kend.
                        Line 1152 
                      
                        Wit all þou sal bi halden vile,
                      
                        Quar-sa þou wendes in exile.
                      
                        Mi handewark als egges me
                      
                        þat i sal tak wrak on þe.
                        Line 1156 
                      
                        For hou sal ani herthli flesche
                      
                        lende wit þe in sikernese,
                      
                        Quen felauscipe ne broiþerhede
                        Line 1159 
                      
                        Mought te drau fra felon dede?"

                      
                        ¶ Caym sagh his sin was knaud,
                      
                        And wist þat þe erth had scaud,
                        Line 1162 
                      
                        And sagh þat gainsau was þar nan,
                      
                        And answard til ouer lauerd on-nan.
                      
                        "Lauerd," he said, "now see i well
                      
                        Mi sin me has seit in vnsell.
                      
                        I am ouertan wit sli treson
                      
                        þat i agh not to haf pardon.
                        Line 1168 
                      
                        I sal be flemed for mi sin
                      
                        In vncuth land to won ai in.

Page 76

                      
                        In vncuth lede sal end mi wa,
                        Line 1171 
                      
                        Quen þai me fin þai wil me sla.
                      
                        Sua ferr i wat i sal be fled
                      
                        God gaue now þat i ware ded!"
                        Line 1174 
                      
                        "Nai," said our louerd, "it beis not sua,
                      
                        All þat þe sees sal þe not sla.
                      
                        Bot i sal seit on þi mi merk,
                        Line 1177 
                      
                        þat al sal see to red als clerk.
                      
                        Sal nan sa bald be þe to sla,
                      
                        Bot þi falshede to were þam fra.
                        Line 1180 
                      
                        In takinning als o þi penance
                      
                        þe sal be send a lang meschance."

                      
                        Quen adam abel bodi fand
                        Line 1183 
                      
                        For soru on fote moght he noght stand;
                      
                        To beriing þai his bodi bare
                      
                        Adam and eue wit-outen mare.
                        Line 1186 
                      
                        þis es þat man men sais was born
                      
                        Bath his fader and moder be-forn.
                      
                        He had his eldmoder maiden-hede,
                      
                        And at his erthing all lede.
                        Line 1190 
                      
                        A hundrith wintur of his liue
                      
                        Fra þan for-bar adam his viue.
                      
                        for soru of abel þat was slayn, [[MS. slaym]]  [folio 8b:1] 
                      
                        til comforth was him sent agayn,
                      
                        Wit bod-word, þat was broght fra heuen,
                      
                        Bad him thoru an angel steuen,
                        Line 1196 
                      
                        þat he suld wit his wijf yete mete,
                      
                        For ur lord had aghteld yete
                      
                        A child to rais of his oxspring,
                      
                        þat all suld oute o baret bring:
                        Line 1200 
                      
                        He þat suld sauue al folk of sin:
                      
                        Suld noght be born of kaym kin.
                      
                        ¶ Wit þis was born an hali child,
                      
                        Seth þat meke was and mild;
                        Line 1204 
                      
                        O quil man þat crist him cam
                      
                        Ful fer to tell fro first Adam.

Page 78

                      
                        þis child was godds priue frend,
                      
                        Lelli yald he him his teind;
                        Line 1208 
                      
                        He yald him al þat him be-houed;
                      
                        His breþer als him-self he loued.
                      
                        Eue for abel thoght ful fair
                        Line 1211 
                      
                        þat god had sent hir suilk an air
                      
                        For abel, þat sco wist wit wogh
                      
                        þat caym his aghen broþer slogh.

                      
                        ¶ Vs tells of adam his stori;
                      
                        O suns þat he had thirtti,
                        Line 1216 
                      
                        And he had doghtres als fel,
                      
                        Wit outen caym and abel.
                      
                        þe sister giuen was to þe broþer,
                        Line 1219 
                      
                        þe lagh moght certayn be non oþer;
                      
                        Sua wald drightin, and behoued nede
                      
                        To do þair kin al for to sprede.

                      
                        ¶ Vnseli caym þat ai was saked,
                        Line 1223 
                      
                        Wit god and man þan was he hatted,
                      
                        He als-sua wit his oxspring;
                      
                        þai luued our lauerd nan-kin thing,
                      
                        For þai him warryd wit wickud dedis.
                      
                        He þam for-soke in al þer nedis.
                        Line 1228 
                      
                        To wrik þare wik wil þai thoght,
                      
                        Agh of him na stod þam noght.
                      
                        þat boght þai siþen wijf and barn,
                      
                        wit water ware þai all for-farn,
                        Line 1232 
                      
                        Als ȝee sal here how hit bi-fell
                      
                        Quen i of noe flod sal tell;
                      
                        For all war ille and nan war gode,
                      
                        þei drunkend all in þe flode.
                        Line 1236

De fine Ade & oleo misericordie

[[heading of leaf 9]]

¶ Adam had pastd nine hundret yere,Nai selcut þof he wex vn-fere.

Page 80

                      
                        For-wroght wit his hak and spad [folio 8b:2] 
                      
                        Of him-self he wex al sad.
                        Line 1240 
                      
                        He lened him þan a-pon his hak,
                      
                        Wit seth his sun þus gat he spak:—
                      
                        "Sun," he said, "þou most now ga
                      
                        To paradis þat i com fra
                        Line 1244 
                      
                        Til cherubin þat [es] þe yateward."
                      
                        "Yai, sir, wist i wyderward
                      
                        þat tat vncuth contré ware,
                      
                        þou wat þat i was neuer þare."
                        Line 1248 
                      
                        þus he said, "i sal þe sai
                      
                        How-gate þou sal tak þe wai;
                      
                        Toward þe est end of þis dale
                      
                        Find a grene gate þou sale;
                        Line 1252 
                      
                        In þat way sal þou find forsoth
                      
                        þi moders and mine our bather slogh,
                      
                        Foluand thoru þat gresse gren,
                      
                        þat euer has siþen ben gren,
                        Line 1256 
                      
                        þat we com wendand als vn-wis
                      
                        Quen we war put o paradis
                      
                        vn-to þis wreched warld slade,
                      
                        þar i first me self was made;
                        Line 1260 
                      
                        Thoru þe gretnes of our sin
                      
                        Moght na gres groue siþen þar-in;
                      
                        þe falau slogh sal be þi gate
                      
                        O paradis right to þe yate."
                        Line 1264 
                      
                        "Fader," he said, "sai me þi will,
                      
                        Quat sal i sai þat angel till?"
                      
                        "þou sal him tell .I. am vnfere,
                      
                        For I haue liued so mani a yere,
                        Line 1268 
                      
                        Ai in strijf and soruuing stad,
                      
                        þat o mi lijf I am al sad;
                      
                        þou prai him þat he word me send
                      
                        Quen I sal o þis werld wend;
                        Line 1272 
                      
                        Anoþer erand sal þar be,
                      
                        þat he wald send me word wit þe,

Page 82

                      
                        Quedir þat I sal haue it in hij
                      
                        þe oile me was hight o merci,
                        Line 1276 
                      
                        þe tim þat i lest paradis;
                      
                        Well i knau now mi folijs,
                      
                        A-gain godds wil haue i wroght,
                      
                        And þat sum-del haue .I. now boght;
                      
                        Mi soru has ai siþen ben neu,
                        Line 1281 
                      
                        Nou war it time o me to reu."
                      
                        Seth went him forth wit-outen nai
                      
                        To paradis þat ilk way.
                        Line 1284 
                      
                         [folio 9a:1] þe slogth he fand þat him gan wiss
                      
                        tilward þe ȝate of paradis;
                      
                        Quen [he] þar-of son had a sight,
                      
                        Al was he gloppend for þat light;
                      
                        þe mikel light þat he sagh þar
                        Line 1289 
                      
                        A brennand fire he wend it ware.
                      
                        He seuid him, als his fader badd,
                      
                        And ȝode forth and was noght raadd.
                      
                        þis angel at þe ȝatte he fand
                        Line 1293 
                      
                        And asked him of his errand.
                      
                        Seth þen sette him spell o-nend
                      
                        And tald him warfor þat he was send,
                      
                        Tald him of his fader care,
                        Line 1297 
                      
                        Als he him taght sum yee herd are,
                      
                        to send him word wen he suld dei,
                      
                        to liue moght he na langar drei;
                        Line 1300 
                      
                        And wen þat drightim had him tight
                      
                        To send him þe oile þat he him hight.
                      
                        Quen cherubin þis errand herd
                      
                        Mikelik he him answard:
                        Line 1304 
                      
                        "Ga to þe ȝatte," he said, "and lote
                      
                        þi hed inwar, þi self wit-outte,
                      
                        And tent to thinges at þi might
                      
                        þat sal be sceud vn-to þi sight."
                        Line 1308 
                      
                        Quen seth a quil had loked in,
                      
                        He sagh sua mikel welth and win,

Page 84

                      
                        It es in erth na tung may tell,
                        Line 1311 
                      
                        þat flour, þat frutte, þat suette smell,
                      
                        O blis and ioy sua mani thing;
                      
                        In middes þe land he sagh a spring
                      
                        Of a well þat es vtenemes,
                        Line 1315 
                      
                        þat oute of ran four gret stremmes;
                      
                        Gyson, fison, tigre, eufrate,
                      
                        þis four mas al þis erth wate;
                      
                        Out-ouer þat well þan lokes he,
                      
                        And sagh þar stand a mikel tre,
                        Line 1320 
                      
                        Wit braunches fel, o bark al bare,
                      
                        Was þar na leue on, less na mare.
                      
                        Seth bigan to thinc for-qui
                      
                        þat þis tre bi-com sua dri;
                        Line 1324 
                      
                        O þe steppes vmthoght he þan
                      
                        þat [[MS. þeit]]  welud war for sin of man;
                      
                        þat ilk schil did him to min
                      
                        þis tre was dri for adam sin.
                        Line 1328 
                      
                        He com þan to þat angel scene,
                      
                        And sceud him al þat he had sene;
                      
                        Quen he his sight al had him tald, [folio 9a:2] 
                      
                        He badd him eft ga to be-hald.
                        Line 1332 
                      
                        He loked in eft and stod þer-oute,
                      
                        And sagh þe thing þat gart him doute;
                      
                        þis tre, þat i of for-wit said,
                      
                        A neddur hit hade al vmbilaid.
                        Line 1336 
                      
                        Cherubin, þat angel blyth,
                      
                        Bad him ga lok þe thrid syth;
                      
                        þis tre was of a mikel heght,
                        Line 1339 
                      
                        Him thoght þan, at þe thrid sight,
                      
                        þat to þe sky it raght þe toppe;
                      
                        A new born barn lay in þe croppe,
                      
                        Bondon wit a sueþelband,
                      
                        þar him thoght it lay suelland;
                        Line 1344 
                      
                        He was al ferd wen he þat sei
                      
                        And to þe rotte he kest his he,

Page 86

                      
                        Him thoght it raght fra erth til hell,
                      
                        Quare vnder he sagh his broþer abell;
                      
                        In his saul he sagh him þare
                        Line 1349 
                      
                        þat caim slogh for-wit ful o care.
                      
                        He went agayn þan for to scau
                      
                        To cherubin al þat he sau.
                        Line 1352 
                      
                        Cherubin wit chere sa milde
                      
                        Bigan to tel him o þat child.
                      
                        "þis barn," he said, "þat þou has sene,
                      
                        Is goddes sun wit-outen wene;
                        Line 1356 
                      
                        þi fader sin now wepes he
                      
                        þat he sal clens sum time sal be,
                      
                        Quen þe plenteȝ sal cum o time;
                      
                        þis is þe oile þat was hight him;
                        Line 1360 
                      
                        Til him and til his progeni,
                      
                        Wit pite sal [he] sceu his merci."
                      
                        Quen seth had vnderstanden wele
                      
                        þat angel said him, ilk dele,
                        Line 1364 
                      
                        His leue wald tak at cherubin.
                      
                        Pepins þen he gaue him thrin,
                      
                        þe quilk a þe appel tre he nam
                      
                        þat his fader ete of, adam.
                        Line 1368 
                      
                        "þi fader," he said, "þan sal þou say
                      
                        þat he sal dei þe thrid day
                      
                        Efter þat þou be commun ham,
                      
                        And als he was turn in-to lam;
                        Line 1372 
                      
                        Bot þou sal tak þis pepins thre,
                      
                        þat .I. toke o þat appel tre,
                      
                        And do þam vnder his tong rote,
                      
                        þai sal til mani man be bote;
                        Line 1376 
                      
                         [folio 9b:1] þai sal be cedre, ciprese, and pine,
                      
                        O þam sal man haue medicen.
                      
                        þe fader in cedre þou sal take,
                      
                        A tre of heght, þat has na make;
                      
                        And cipres, be þe suete sauur,
                        Line 1381 
                      
                        Bitakens ur suete sauueur,

Page 88

                      
                        þe mikel suetnes þat es þe sun;
                      
                        þe pine to bere a frut es won;
                        Line 1384 
                      
                        Mani kirnels of a tre mast
                      
                        Gain gifes o þe holi gast.
                      
                        ¶ Seth was of his errand fain
                        Line 1387 
                      
                        And sune com til his fader again.
                      
                        "Sun," he said, "has þou sped oght
                      
                        Or has þou ani merci broght?"
                      
                        "Sir, cherubin þe hali angel
                      
                        þat es yateward, þe gretes wel,
                        Line 1392 
                      
                        Sais it sal negh þe warlds end,
                      
                        Ar þat oile þe may be send,
                      
                        Thoro birth of a blisful child
                        Line 1395 
                      
                        þat sal fra harm þe werld schild;
                      
                        O þi ded he bad me sai
                      
                        Sal be to dai þe thrid dai."
                      
                        Adam was for þis tiþand blith,
                      
                        Sua glad was he neuer his sith;
                        Line 1400 
                      
                        Quen he herd he suld liue namare,
                      
                        þan he logh, bot neuer are;
                      
                        And þus on godd be-gan to cri:—
                      
                        "Lauerd, inogh now liued haue .i.,
                      
                        þou tak mi saul out of þe flexs
                        Line 1405 
                      
                        And do it ware þi wils es."
                      
                        Quat of þis werld he was ful sad
                      
                        þare neuer a dai þar in was glad,
                        Line 1408 
                      
                        þat liued nine hundret yeir and mare,
                      
                        And al his liue in site and care;
                      
                        And leuer was siþen to lenger in hell
                      
                        þan langer in þis liue to duell.
                        Line 1412

                      
                        ¶ Adam, al[s] him was tald be-forn,
                      
                        Was ded apon þe thrid morn;
                      
                        Doluen he was thoru seth his sun
                      
                        In þe dale þat hat ebron;
                        Line 1416 
                      
                        þe pipins war don vnder his tung,
                      
                        þar ras o þam thre wandes yong;

Page 90

                      
                        Son of a nellen heght þai ware,
                        Line 1419 
                      
                        þai stod þan still and wex na mare;
                      
                        ful many yeir ilike grene,
                      
                        Halines was o þam sene.
                      
                        Stil ai stod, þai wandes thre [folio 9b:2] 
                      
                        Fra adam tim until noe;
                        Line 1424 
                      
                        Fra noe quen þe flod ras
                      
                        Til abraham þat haly was;
                      
                        Fra abraham ai stil stod þai
                      
                        Til moyses þat gaf þe lai;
                        Line 1428 
                      
                        Euer stod þai still in an,
                      
                        Wit-outen wax, wit-outen wain.
                      
                        Na mare o þe wandes now
                      
                        Bot stori sal i rede ȝow.
                        Line 1432

                      
                        ¶ Adam liued nine hundret yeir
                      
                        And þritté wynter þar-to seir;
                      
                        Quen he was ded ne dout he nan
                      
                        þat his saul ne was til hel gan,
                        Line 1436 
                      
                        And alle þat deid bi-tuix and þan
                      
                        þat iesus ras bath god and man,
                      
                        No moght þan help na hali-heid,
                      
                        þat ga til hel þam most ned;
                        Line 1440 
                      
                        He moght wel thinc his stund to strang
                      
                        þat in þat sted ware staid sa lang,
                      
                        þat lasted four thusand yeir in wa,
                      
                        Thre hundret and four yeir al sua;
                      
                        Sua lang fra Adam was emell
                        Line 1445 
                      
                        Til þat our lauerd harid hell;
                      
                        And þat was a ful gret penance,
                      
                        Don to man for litel chance.
                        Line 1448

Genelogia Ade & seth [folio 10a:1] Genelog[ia] caym [folio 10a:2]

¶ Seth spused his sister delbora, For drighten self had biden sua;

Page 92

                      
                        He had a son of hir, enos,
                      
                        A man þat was of mikel los,
                        Line 1452 
                      
                        For-qui, he was þe formast man
                      
                        þat cri on gods nam bi-gan.
                      
                        Nine hundret yeir and seuen a fiue,
                      
                        Sua lang it lasted seth liue;
                        Line 1456 
                      
                        Enos his son liued al biden
                      
                        Nine hundret yeir and fiue, i wene;
                      
                        Cainan his sun, als it es redde,
                        Line 1459 
                      
                        His lijf nine hundret yeir he ledd;
                      
                        Aght hundret yeir liued malaliel,
                      
                        And fiue and tuenti yer to to tell;
                      
                        Nine hundret yeir and sexti Iareth
                      
                        þat was þe fiuet kne fra seth;
                        Line 1464 
                      
                        Of Iareth eild þe yeir fourti-and
                      
                        Was passed o werld þe first thusand;
                      
                        Enoch his son wit-outen pere
                        Line 1467 
                      
                        Liued in þis werld thre hundret yeir,
                      
                        He was þe first þat letters fand [folio 10a:1] 
                      
                        And wrot sum bokes wit his hand.
                      
                        To paradis quik was he tan,
                        Line 1471 
                      
                        þar he yitte es in flesse and ban;
                      
                        He sal com forth for domesday
                      
                        to fight al for þe cristen lay;
                      
                        Wit antecrist þan sal he fight
                      
                        For to werye cristen right.
                        Line 1476 
                      
                        He and his felaw helia
                      
                        Antecrist sal þam baþe sla,
                      
                        Bot wit þair vpris fra ded to lijf,
                      
                        þan sal þai fel þat fals strijf.
                        Line 1480 
                      
                        Adam, als þe stori sais,
                      
                        Deid in þis enoch dais.
                      
                        Of enoch cōm matusale,
                        Line 1483 
                      
                        Liued neuer man sua lang has he,
                      
                        til þat nine hundret yeir war gan
                      
                        And seuenti, falid it bot an.

Page 94

                      
                        Lameth his sun his eild to neuen,
                      
                        Seuen hundret yeir seuenti and seuen.
                      
                        O lameth com his sun noe,
                        Line 1489 
                      
                        In quas time þe flod gan be.
                      
                        þe formast werld adam be-gan,
                      
                        þar-of lameth þe last man;
                        Line 1492 
                      
                        It lasted wel a thusand yeir
                      
                        Sex hundret tua and sexti sere.
                      
                        Bot a[r þe t]oþer werld be-gin
                      
                        Spek we sumquat of caym kyn.
                        Line 1496

                      
                        ¶ Quen caym had don þat plentful plight,
                      
                        Quarfor he was sua maledight,
                      
                        He fled away fra oþer men
                      
                        Vntil a sted þat hight eden.
                        Line 1500 
                      
                        Til him was spused calmana,
                      
                        Als giuen to seth was delbora;
                      
                        Son a sun wit hir gait he
                      
                        þat enos hight, and a cité
                        Line 1504 
                      
                        O þat ilk nam he mad;
                      
                        I find na term of his liuelaid,
                      
                        þar he wond ai wit his brode,
                      
                        þe first cite for-wit þe flode.
                        Line 1508 
                      
                        Of enos gaidat, of quam mamael,
                      
                        And of him com matussael;
                      
                        Lameth his sun has suns thrin,
                      
                        Iobal, cubal, cubaltim;
                        Line 1512 
                      
                        þis lameth was cald lameth þe blind,
                      
                        Caym he slogh wit chaunge, we find;
                      
                        In þe flod he was for-don. [folio 10a:2] 
                      
                        Iobal, þat was his eldist sun
                        Line 1516 
                      
                        Was first loger, and fee delt wit;
                      
                        Cubaltain þe formast smyth,
                      
                        Cubal þer broþer first vnderfang
                      
                        Musik, þat es þe sune o sang;
                        Line 1520 
                      
                        Organis harp and oþer gleu,
                      
                        He drou þan oute o musik neu.

Page 96

                      
                        A sister had þis breþer alsua
                      
                        And sco was heiten noema;
                        Line 1524 
                      
                        Scho was þe formest webster
                      
                        þat man findes o þat mister.
                      
                        þare fader was þe first o liue
                      
                        þat bigam [[So in MS.]]  was wit dubul vijfe.
                        Line 1528 
                      
                        þaa þat þa wonders werkes wroght
                      
                        It ran wel þat tym in thoght,
                      
                        þat þis werld suld cum til end,
                        Line 1531 
                      
                        Or drund wit watur, or wit fir brend;
                      
                        Tua pilers þai mad, o tile þe tan,
                      
                        þe toþer it was o merbul stan;
                      
                        þair craftes al þat þai moght min
                      
                        þai put þam in þeir pilers tuin;
                        Line 1536 
                      
                        þe stan, egain watur for to last,
                      
                        Again þe fire, þe tile, þat it ne brast;
                      
                        þai wist þat wa-sum efter com
                        Line 1539 
                      
                        Suld wissud be wit þaire wisdom.
                      
                        For-þi lete god þam lijf sua lang
                      
                        þat þai moght seke and vnderfang
                      
                        þe kynd o thinges þat þan were dern,
                      
                        Curs o sun, and mone, and stern,
                        Line 1544 
                      
                        þe quilk curs moght nan fulli lere
                      
                        þat moght noght liue an hundret yere.
                      
                        Quen sa fele yeier ar wroken oute
                      
                        þe mikel spere es rune aboute;
                        Line 1548 
                      
                        In sua lang time, es noght to lain,
                      
                        þe planetes all ar went again
                      
                        O þair first making in to þe state,
                      
                        Als wiss clerkes mani wate.
                        Line 1552

[folio 10b:1] De corrupcione terre per peccatum

¶ Quen Iareth, þat ȝe herd me neuen, had eild of hundret wynturs seuen,

Page 98

                      
                        Mikel malice was first in man
                        Line 1555 
                      
                        Bot neuer forwit sua mikel as þan;
                      
                        In adam time was wrang i-nogh,
                      
                        Bot þis tim wex wel mare wogh,
                      
                        Namlik amang kaym kyn
                        Line 1559 
                      
                        þat lited þam noght bot in sin.
                      
                         [folio 10b:1] Al thoght þam wel þat was þair wil,
                      
                        And þat was heldand al til il,
                        Line 1562 
                      
                        On al thinges was mare þair thoght,
                      
                        þan was on drightin þat al wroght;
                      
                        Sua blind þai war in þair insight,
                      
                        þat reckining cuth þai nan o right;
                      
                        Al þair luf þai gaue to lust,
                      
                        þai did þair sauls all to rust;
                        Line 1568 
                      
                        O sothfastnes, als sais te sau,
                      
                        þai left þe lede of þar lau,
                      
                        þat es o settnes and o kind,
                      
                        Wit-vtun mensk þai ar vn-mind;
                        Line 1572 
                      
                        Al wex wik, bath an and oþer,
                      
                        þe toþers wijf lai be þe broþer;
                      
                        þair cursnes was noght vnkid,
                      
                        þe lau o kind þai sua for-did.
                        Line 1576 
                      
                        Wimmen þai forced a-mang þaim,
                      
                        Was nan þam moght bring to reclaim;
                      
                        þe scham, þe sin þat þan was vte
                      
                        At tel war lang to sett aboute.
                        Line 1580 
                      
                        þe find wend witurli wit þis
                      
                        þat al man kind quitli war his;
                      
                        Of al and al for-soth he wend
                      
                        Man kind war til his wil be kend,
                      
                        Sua forþerli þat god ne might
                        Line 1585 
                      
                        Bring man in-to state o right,
                      
                        In-to þe stat þat he had tint;
                      
                        Bot god had oþer-gates mint.
                        Line 1588 
                      
                        Of his handwark al for to don,
                      
                        Wald he noght it war sua fordon,

Page 100

                      
                        For-þi in forme of iugement
                      
                        He thoght a neu wengaunce to sent,
                      
                        Hijs faas to bring al o lijf,
                        Line 1593 
                      
                        And waass þat wrang, þat was sa rijf,
                      
                        Wit his grace to giue [t]ham grith
                      
                        þat he suld restore man-kind with.
                      
                        Quen he beheld þat foly strang
                        Line 1597 
                      
                        Drightun þat biden had sa lang,
                      
                        þof he was wrath it was na wrang,
                      
                        þis word out of his hert sprang
                        Line 1600 
                      
                        And was þe word þat he said þan:—
                      
                        "Me reus þat euer made i man."
                      
                        Bot ilk man þat þis word heris,
                      
                        Wat noght al þat þar to feris;
                        Line 1604 
                      
                        þis word was als a propheci,
                      
                        þat for-said was bi his merci,
                      
                        Of þe reut he siþen kydd, [folio 10b:2] 
                      
                        Quen he to pin him-selfen did
                        Line 1608 
                      
                        For his choslinges on rod-tre;
                      
                        Quat was his reut þan all mai see
                      
                        Bi þis word þat þan was said;
                      
                        His merci had he ferr purweid
                        Line 1612 
                      
                        to þaim þat wat on his parti,
                      
                        for to bring þam mightili
                      
                        Als his auen kyngrik til,
                      
                        His wiþerwins al forto spil,
                        Line 1616 
                      
                        Ogains wam he was sa wrath;
                      
                        And be his right hand he suar his ath
                      
                        þat þai suld all thole schammes deid,
                      
                        At sauue þe gode to giue his red
                        Line 1620 
                      
                        þat all þe feluns war for-lorn,
                      
                        þe gode allan suld be for-born,
                      
                        Als it in noe flod be-fell,
                      
                        Quare of i sal yow siþen tell.
                        Line 1624 
                      
                        Bot first a tre, ar .i. bigin,
                      
                        I sal sette hire of adam kin.

Page 102

Adam Eua
Caym Calmana	Abel	Seth delbora
Enos		enos
Gaidat		caina
mamael		Malaliel
Mattussael		Iareth
Lameth		Enoch
Ada	sela		Matusale
Iobal	cubal. cubaltain noema		Lameth

[[From the Cotton MS.]]

[folio 10b:2] Hic incipit secunda etas seculi de diluuio & archa noe

                      
                        HEr bigins at noe þe lele
                      
                        þe toþer werld right for to del;
                      
                        fiue hundret yeir had þan noe
                      
                        Quen he had geten his suns thre;
                        Line 1628 
                      
                        þe first was sem, cham was the toþeir,
                      
                        And Iaphet hight þatyonges[t] broþer.
                      
                        Drightin of heuen spak til him þan,
                      
                        And þus his resun he began:—
                        Line 1632 
                      
                        "Noe," he said, "i tel to þe
                      
                        Al þis werld bi-taris me;
                      
                        þai haf left me and mi lau,
                      
                        O me standes þaim nan au;
                        Line 1636 
                      
                        Al his for-geten nou al þat franches
                      
                        þat i gaue man in paradis;
                      
                        þe erth wit sin and scham es schent
                      
                        Al rightwisnes awai es went;
                        Line 1640 
                      
                        Al lathsumnes o wikkudhede [folio 11a:1] 
                      
                        has filed þe werld on lenth and brede;
                      
                        O þair malice mai naman speke
                        Line 1643 
                      
                        Til heuen þer-of it rises þe smeke;
                      
                        Couetys, hordan, envie, and pride
                      
                        Has spred þis werld on lenth and wide;
                      
                        Al ar þai worth-þi for to wite,
                      
                        vnnes es ani funden quite;
                        Line 1648 
                      
                        Bot I sal do þam lij ful lau
                      
                        þat letes sua lightly on min au.
                      
                        Wrak to tak i am al boun
                      
                        I sal þam alle in watur droun,

                        Line 1652

Page 104

                      
                        Line 1652 
                      
                        Alle þaa bot þi wijf and þe,
                      
                        þi suns and þair wijfs thre;
                      
                        For þi leute ȝee sal be aght,
                      
                        Allan i haue graunted mi sagh[t]
                        Line 1656 
                      
                        Wit þine oxspring, for i haue mint
                      
                        Restore þe werld þat sal be tint;
                      
                        Fra þe mast dun to þe lest
                      
                        Sal neþer liue ne fouul ne best.
                        Line 1660 
                      
                        Bot ar i wil mi wengeaunce tak
                      
                        I wil þat þou a wessel mak."
                      
                        "Sir, tel me quar of þat it sal be."
                      
                        "It sal be wroght o suare tre,
                        Line 1664 
                      
                        A schippe be-houes þe to dight,
                      
                        þi self sal be þe maister wright;
                      
                        I sal þe tell hou lang, hou brade,
                      
                        O quat mesur it sal be made.
                        Line 1668 
                      
                        Quen þi timber es festend wele
                      
                        þou wind þe sides ilk dele;
                      
                        First bind it wele wit balk and band,
                      
                        And wind it siþen well wit wand;
                      
                        Wit pike þou lok it be noght thyn,
                      
                        Plaster it wit-oute and wit-In;
                        Line 1674 
                      
                        Seuen score ellen lang and ten,
                      
                        Thrys aght on wyde, on heght fiueten,
                      
                        Fiueten on heght, þat es þentent,
                        Line 1677 
                      
                        Fra grund vnto þe tabulment;
                      
                        It sal be made wit stages sere,
                      
                        Ilkon to serue o þair mistere;
                        Line 1680 
                      
                        þu sal bi-neþen on þe side
                      
                        Mak a dor wit mesur wide,
                      
                        A windou sperand wel on hei;
                      
                        þou lok þi werk be noght vnslei,
                        Line 1684 
                      
                        A hous als in to drink and ete
                      
                        And wardropp þat þou noght for-get.
                      
                        Of ilkin best þou sal tak tuin [folio 11a:2] 
                      
                        Makes wit þe to liue þar in;

                        Line 1688

Page 106

                      
                        Line 1688 
                      
                        Of ilk liuand best es wroght
                      
                        Fouxul ne worme forget þou noght;
                      
                        In þe ouermast stage þi self sal be,
                      
                        þe fouxules alþernest be þe;
                        Line 1692 
                      
                        Siþen efter alþernest hand
                      
                        þe meke beistes sal haue þair stand,
                      
                        þat es þai þat er tame and mild,
                      
                        And vnder þam sal stand þe wild;
                      
                        And þou sal alsua mak a boure
                        Line 1697 
                      
                        For to hald in þi wermestore;
                      
                        In þe boþem sal be na stall,
                      
                        For al þeir filth sal þedir fall.
                        Line 1700 
                      
                        It sal be mikel wit-outen pere,
                      
                        In making sexsith tuenti yere;
                      
                        Sua lang terme i haue hem lent,
                      
                        þat wil come til a-mendement,
                        Line 1704 
                      
                        And if þat ani wil tent to þe
                      
                        þat þai þar-in may saued be.
                      
                        Quen þou þi timber wel has laid
                      
                        And it be to þi will al graid,
                        Line 1708 
                      
                        þou and þi wijf sal first gang in,
                      
                        þi suns wit þair wijfes thrin;
                      
                        ȝee sal alsua tak ȝow with
                      
                        Beist and fouxul þat sal haue grith,
                      
                        þe meke be þam ai tua and tua,
                        Line 1713 
                      
                        þe wild do be þam-self al-sua;
                      
                        Of ilk kind tak tua with-in
                      
                        For to hald vp þeir auen kin;
                        Line 1716 
                      
                        Lok þou sua do for na suink
                      
                        þou haue defaut of mete and drink.
                      
                        Do nou wel, now leue i þe,
                      
                        Bot i sal eft cum þe to see;
                        Line 1720 
                      
                        If i see þat þou wirkes right,
                      
                        I sal þe hald þat i þe hight."

¶ Now wat sir noe quat wark to do, And hent timber þat fel þar-to; 1724

Page 108

                      
                        Line 1724 
                      
                        He gaf þe wrightes þar mesure
                      
                        And wroght he self in þat labore;
                      
                        þai wroght bath in wod and place,
                      
                        He self festnid bath band and lace.
                      
                        ai to-quils þat he sa wroght
                        Line 1729 
                      
                        þe folk to preche for-gate he noght,
                      
                        To warne þam of our lauerds wrake,
                      
                        And tald þam how þat he with him spake;
                      
                         [folio 11b:1] he tald resun til mani a man,
                      
                        Quar-for he suilk a scippe bigan;
                      
                        With hething all þai him answard
                      
                        And said, "qui es þis carl sua ferd?"
                      
                        Gret selcut, þai said, þam thoght
                        Line 1737 
                      
                        Qui he was so rad for noght,
                      
                        And said þat man war worth be scent
                      
                        þat tok til ald mans words tent.
                        Line 1740 
                      
                        Quen noe sagh his trauail tint,
                      
                        Of his precheing þan con he stint;
                      
                        for it es foli giue consail to
                      
                        þe folk þat wil but foli do;
                        Line 1744 
                      
                        For-þi he left þat cursed lede
                      
                        and went vnto his auen dede.
                      
                        Ne less ne mare mismeid him noght
                      
                        Bituixand he þat schippe had wroght,
                      
                        Til it was mad and in-with stadd
                        Line 1749 
                      
                        Al þat our lauerd him forwith badd.
                      
                        Quen he had don his commament
                      
                        He bade noght bot þe Iugement
                        Line 1752 
                      
                        þat drightin þan suld wirk his wil,
                      
                        Sum he hade forwith tald him til.
                      
                        þan come drightin quen he sagh tim
                      
                        Til noe for to spek with him;
                        Line 1756 
                      
                        Quen he his wil had with him spoken,
                      
                        He self þe dore þan has he stoken,
                      
                        þe windou was wit suilk a gin
                      
                        Men moght it open þat loked wit-in.

Page 110

                      
                        Quen al was tift was þar na bide,
                        Line 1761 
                      
                        þe stormes ras on ilka side;
                      
                        Sūn and mone þeir bemes hide,
                      
                        Merkind oueral þis werld wide;
                        Line 1764 
                      
                        þe rain it fell sua fers and fast,
                      
                        þe burnes ouer þe brink it brast,
                      
                        þe see to ris, þe erth to riue,
                        Line 1767 
                      
                        þe springes cum ouer-all utedriue;
                      
                        Fire slaght fell wit thoner and rain,
                      
                        þe erth quok and dind again;
                        Line 1770 
                      
                        Sūn and mone had tint þair light,
                      
                        þat al þis werld es turnd to night,
                      
                        þat sorou to see was ful gret au,
                        Line 1773 
                      
                        þir cites fell bath hei and lau;
                      
                        þe water wex oute ouer þe plains,
                      
                        þe bestes ran þan to monetains,
                        Line 1776 
                      
                        Men and wymmen als-sua þer-with,
                      
                        Well went þai to þar haue grith.
                      
                        Bot al for noght þai suanc a fote, [folio 11b:2] 
                      
                        Quen þai com þare was þam na bote;
                      
                        þe fouxuls floked þam on hei,
                        Line 1781 
                      
                        Fel don, moght þai na langer flei;
                      
                        For noght þai fled ne best ne ma[n],
                      
                        Al to late was [þat] þai bi gan.
                        Line 1784 
                      
                        Think naman selcuth þat þar suam,
                      
                        Side and side, wolf and ram,
                      
                        þe leon suam beside þe hert,
                      
                        Til oþer did na beist vn-quert;
                        Line 1788 
                      
                        þe sparhauk flough be þe sterling,
                      
                        þai tent til oþer nakins thing;
                      
                        þe leuedis listed noght o pride,
                      
                        þai suam bi þar suains side;
                        Line 1792 
                      
                        O lauerdschipp was þar na strijf,
                      
                        Was naman Ielus of his wijf;
                      
                        Was nan moght oþer ne help ne suike,
                      
                        All tok a right, bath pouer and Rike;

Page 112

                      
                        All hade a dom, bath riche and pour,
                      
                        Was nan fra ded þat moght him couer;
                      
                        For þar misdedes wepe þai þan,
                      
                        Alas! lait was þat þai began;
                        Line 1800 
                      
                        þai greued þan þaa caitiues badd,
                      
                        þat þan hadd ben wit noe stadd.

                      
                        Bot þof þat noe was in quert
                      
                        He was noght al at es in hert;
                        Line 1804 
                      
                        þe wind him ledd a-pon þe flodd,
                      
                        He wist noght wyder-ward he ȝodd;
                      
                        Heuen and erth he flet e-mel,
                      
                        Bot he ne wist ware his schipp suld due[l];
                      
                        þai þat ware þar, man and wijf,
                        Line 1809 
                      
                        þai war ful dredand for þar lijf,
                      
                        If he ne had þat es al o might
                      
                        To noe forwith þair liues hight.
                        Line 1812 
                      
                        Noe wist þan wit-vten wene
                      
                        þe folk was all fordon beden;
                      
                        With wipping sare on þaim he ment
                      
                        And turnd al to godd his tent;
                        Line 1816 
                      
                        He fined noþeir night ne day
                      
                        For þat caitiue folk to prai,
                      
                        For mans kind, sua sais þe bok,
                      
                        Bot durst he neuer wel vp-lok;
                        Line 1820 
                      
                        He praid to godd for þam alsua
                      
                        O þair saulus na vengeance ta;
                      
                        þof þan was tene in þat quile
                      
                        O þair licam þat was sa wile,
                        Line 1824 
                      
                        Sin þai ware ded sua reufulli, [folio 12a:1] 
                      
                        þe saulus he wald haf of merci;
                      
                        Sua he hafd, with-outen fail,
                      
                        If þai had troud noe consail,
                        Line 1828 
                      
                        Quen þai for-soke his sermoning
                      
                        And toke his word al til hething,
                      
                        Bot now þai find it in þair fare
                      
                        þai wald noght lere on noe lare;

                        Line 1832

Page 114

                      
                        Line 1832 
                      
                        For quils þat godd þam raght his grace,
                      
                        Littel roght þam of his manance.

                      
                        þis rain don fell þat it ne fane;
                      
                        Bituixand fourti dais war gan
                        Line 1836 
                      
                        þe heiest fell þat was our-quare
                      
                        þe flod ouer raght seuen eln and mare;
                      
                        þat was na creatur in liue
                        Line 1839 
                      
                        þat moght to grund or reche or riue,
                      
                        Bot it war fisse þat flett on sund;
                      
                        Was nankin best moght find þe grund.
                      
                        On þe streme þat arche can ride,
                      
                        þe wauus best on ilk side;
                        Line 1844 
                      
                        þe stormes starked wit þe wind,
                      
                        Wath vas bifor and sua bihind;
                      
                        Noe and his loked ai don
                        Line 1847 
                      
                        And weited ai quen þai suld drun;
                      
                        Bot be ȝee traist, wit-outen strijf,
                      
                        Inogh it lethed þam þar lijf.
                      
                        Til seuensith tuenti dais war gan
                      
                        þe streme it stud ai still in-an;
                        Line 1852 
                      
                        Abute fiue monetz was þat it stud,
                      
                        Wit-outen falling, þat fers fludd;
                      
                        Oft-sythes wend þai þair schipp suld riue
                      
                        With wau, or wind, or dint of knyue;
                      
                        Bot yeit es god al þar he was,
                        Line 1857 
                      
                        To help ai wen his wil es.
                      
                        Quen he his wengaunce þus had wroght,
                      
                        Our lauerd þan on noe thoght,
                        Line 1860 
                      
                        And bigan to haue pite
                      
                        O þe arche and him and his menge.
                      
                        þat mighti king, ful son and wiss,
                      
                        Did turn þair baret in-to blis;
                        Line 1864 
                      
                        Again he did þe waters ga
                      
                        til þair canels þat þai com fra;
                      
                        þe erth wex bare quen þai ne wend,
                      
                        þe schipp on land bigan to lend,

                        Line 1868

Page 116

                      
                        Line 1868 
                      
                        On armonie þar con it stand,
                      
                        A hei fell in þe hali land.
                      
                        þe sunn bigan þan sumquat kyth, [folio 12a:2] 
                      
                        Noe wex þan ful selcut blyth,
                        Line 1872 
                      
                        And said þan til his suns thre:—
                      
                        "Childer," he said, "quat rede ȝee,
                      
                        How sal we o þis waters weit
                      
                        Quedir þai be fulli fallen yeit?"
                        Line 1876 
                      
                        "Thoru a fouxul," þai said, "mai we
                      
                        Knaw if þe erth oght bared be,
                      
                        For if he find þe erth oght bare
                      
                        to þe arche wil he cum namare.
                        Line 1880 
                      
                        þan opend noe his wyndou,
                      
                        Lete vte a rauen, and forth he flou,
                      
                        Flou vp and don, soght here and tare
                      
                        A sted to sitte a-pon sunquare;
                        Line 1884 
                      
                        Apon þe watur welsun he fand
                      
                        A druned beist þar lai flettand,
                      
                        O þat flesse was he sa fain,
                      
                        To scipp com he neuer again;
                        Line 1888 
                      
                        For-þi men sais on messager
                      
                        þat lengs lang to bring answare,
                      
                        He mai be cald, with right resun,
                      
                        An of messagers corbun.
                        Line 1892 
                      
                        Quen noe sagh and was parseueid
                      
                        þat þis rauen had him deceueid,
                      
                        Lete vte a doue þat tok hir flight
                      
                        And fand na sted quare-on to light;
                      
                        Sco come a gain, wit-outen blin,
                        Line 1897 
                      
                        And noe ras and tok hur in;
                      
                        Siþen abade he seuen dais
                      
                        Efter þat, þe bibul sais,
                        Line 1900 
                      
                        þan he sent þe dofe eftsith;
                      
                        Sco went forth and com ful suith,
                      
                        Son sco com and duelld noght,
                        Line 1903 
                      
                        An oliue branche in moth sco broght.

Page 118

                      
                        þan was noe wel be-knauin
                      
                        þat þe flode it was wit-drauin,
                      
                        Bot yeit he baid seuen dais in rest,
                      
                        for doute if ani demmyng brest.
                        Line 1908 
                      
                        Siþen he did þam all oute driue,
                      
                        Beist and fuxul, and man and wiue;
                      
                        þe beist thoght selcut-li god
                        Line 1911 
                      
                        þat þai hade raght þair kindle fode.
                      
                        vr lauerd, i wat, þam did to spede
                      
                        Wit-in þeir auen kind to brede.
                      
                        þan baad our lauerd to sir noe
                        Line 1915 
                      
                        At leue þe schippe wit his meyne.
                      
                        A tuelfmoth was gan with þis [folio 13b:1] 
                      
                        For als þat ilk dai I. wijs
                      
                        tuelfmo[n]th þat he ȝod þar-in,
                      
                        He self it euermar to min,
                        Line 1920 
                      
                        Als peirs mayner, þe god clerk,
                      
                        telles of þis in sumkin werk.
                      
                        Til him þan spak þat lauerd hend,
                      
                        And said, "noe now, leue frend,
                        Line 1924 
                      
                        þou and þi suns wit þair wifis
                      
                        I haue yow sauued al your lifes;
                      
                        Yow aght for-born i haue allan
                      
                        O þis wengeance þat i haue tan;
                        Line 1928 
                      
                        Ti yow aght þat i lat liue
                      
                        Mi brad benison i giue;
                      
                        I wil þat on þin oxspring brede
                      
                        Alkin nacion and lede;
                        Line 1932 
                      
                        Alkin thinges on þair wise
                      
                        To þe i wil þai do seruise."
                      
                        Noe was o þis blissing blyth,
                      
                        Did to rais an auter suyth;
                        Line 1936 
                      
                        He ȝod to wirscippe godd als wis,
                      
                        And þar-on made his sacrifijs;
                      
                        Our lauerd drightin, þat al weldan[d],
                      
                        Him liked wel in his offrand,

                        Line 1940

Page 120

                      
                        Line 1940 
                      
                        And said, "noe for nakin schaunce
                      
                        Sal i ta suilk a noiþer wengance;
                      
                        Fra me dun-ward drogh man his thoght,
                      
                        Now ar þai dun allfulli broght;
                        Line 1944 
                      
                        Bot jf þou list to my lare
                      
                        I sal do þe ful wel to fare;
                      
                        To doghty thues lok þou þe gif,
                      
                        To lof leute quils þou mai lif;
                        Line 1948 
                      
                        O suilk als yee haf forwit saun,
                      
                        Ilkman bot o þair aun;
                      
                        If þou wil list oght to mi red,
                        Line 1951 
                      
                        þou fle reuelaic and therst ald ded.
                      
                        Qua-sum o fless wil grait þair fode,
                      
                        Lok þai cast a way þe blod,
                      
                        All þat will hald lely þair lede
                      
                        Blod at ete i þam for-bede;
                        Line 1956 
                      
                        O beist has clouen fote in tua
                      
                        An chewand cude, ȝee ete o þaa;
                      
                        I warn yow als-sua all be-deine
                      
                        Ete o na best o kind vn-clene,
                        Line 1960 
                      
                        O nakin worme þat es made,
                      
                        Na o fouxul þat refes his liuelade;
                      
                        Alsua ȝee ete o na fixs elles [folio 13b:1] 
                      
                        Bot þat in flok and herd duells;
                        Line 1964 
                      
                        Fixs and flesse, o bath i sai,
                      
                        Lok ai þe blod ȝee cast a wai.
                      
                        To þe and þine i bad al-sua
                      
                        Nain be sa bald þat oþer sla;
                        Line 1968 
                      
                        For qua þat slas or man or wijf,
                      
                        þar gas na ransun bot liue for lijf;
                      
                        I mad mann after myn aun ymage
                      
                        Ne wil i nan do him vtrage.
                        Line 1972 
                      
                        Ifel agh naman do til oþer
                      
                        For ilkan agh be oþier broiþer.
                      
                        A couenand neu ic hight to þe,
                      
                        þou sal fra now mi rainbow see,

                        Line 1976

Page 122

                      
                        Line 1976 
                      
                        Quils may se mi rainbou þar-oute,
                      
                        O suilk a flod haue man na doute.
                      
                        If man misdos on oþer wise
                      
                        O þam sal i ta my iustise,
                        Line 1980 
                      
                        Als sal be at þe dai of ire,
                      
                        Wen I sal com and deme wit fire.
                      
                        Wit lele werks lok ȝee dele,
                      
                        Als ȝee wil luue your aun hele,
                        Line 1984 
                      
                        And ȝeildes til your creatur
                      
                        þe tend part o your labour."

                      
                        Godmen i wil þat ȝee it see,
                      
                        þat bituix adam and noe
                        Line 1988 
                      
                        þe time was euer ilik grene,
                      
                        þat nankin rainbow was sene,
                      
                        And þof na rain on erth fell
                      
                        Plente on erth moght man tell;
                        Line 1992 
                      
                        Ne thurt naman ete flesse þat tid,
                      
                        þat [was] for don wit mans pride;
                      
                        Now es, for sin and pride o man,
                      
                        þe erth waiker þan it was þan,
                        Line 1996 
                      
                        Thoru þe watur þat it sua wex, [[wesse?]] 
                      
                        þer-for behoues now man ete flesse;
                      
                        And waiker now es mans state
                      
                        þan it was þan, wil ȝee it wate.
                        Line 2000

                      
                        Quen noe left þe schipp allan
                      
                        He had sex hundret yeir and an,
                      
                        þe elleuend winter was, witerli,
                      
                        þer after, als sais mecodi,
                        Line 2004 
                      
                        Quen þe werl[d] was gangand
                      
                        Of eild in-to þe thrid thusand.
                      
                        Noe þe lele, wit-outen plight,
                      
                        Bigan neu biginyng for to dight,
                        Line 2008 
                      
                        A neu liuelade cun þai bigin, [folio 13a:1] 
                      
                        He self with his suns thrin.
                      
                        O land he had ful grette plente,
                      
                        For him and for his suns thre;

                        Line 2012

Page 124

                      
                        Line 2012 
                      
                        Mast to tilth he gaue him þan.
                      
                        To flitt þe breres he began,
                      
                        Sua lang wit flitting he þam sloght,
                      
                        þat wine treis he þam wroght.
                        Line 2016 
                      
                        Bitid a day he was for suonken,
                      
                        And in vnwars o wyn was drunken;
                      
                        For þof he was þe first it wroght
                      
                        þe wyn þer-for ne spard him noght.
                      
                        Drunken on slepe lai bi him an,
                      
                        þar þe sun a-pon him schan;
                        Line 2022 
                      
                        Naked o þat lime lai he
                      
                        þat man think mast scham to see.
                      
                        His midelst þat hight cam,
                      
                        Bihild, and sagh his fader schame;
                      
                        He kidd he was vn-kind j-nogh,
                      
                        His fader he til hething logh;
                        Line 2028 
                      
                        Til his broiþer Iaphet yodd he
                      
                        And said, "cum, broiþer, here and se."
                      
                        "Quat es þat?" said Iaphet his broiþer.
                      
                        "þi fader slepand," said þat toiþer,
                      
                        "Liggus here-oute, com se þou sall,
                      
                        Nackend on his lims all."
                        Line 2034 
                      
                        "Broiþer," he said, "þou sais foli,
                      
                        And þat ic hope þou mon it by,
                      
                        If o þi fader þou haue despite,
                      
                        Of his blissing i claim þe quite."
                      
                        þis yongest broiþer was ful wa
                        Line 2039 
                      
                        O þe elder dede þat wroght sua;
                      
                        A mantil on his nec he tok
                      
                        And bakward yod, als sais þe bok,
                      
                        He and his elder broþer sem,
                      
                        Tua blessed o þat barn-tem,
                        Line 2044 
                      
                        Til þai com þer þeir fader lay
                      
                        And him þer wit þan hiled þai;
                      
                        Herbi mai men vnderstand
                        Line 2047 
                      
                        Was funden þan na breke in land.

Page 126

                      
                        Noe wit þat mantil woke,
                      
                        His sun hething he vnder-toke;
                      
                        His malison on þam he laid
                        Line 2051 
                      
                        And siþen efter-ward he said:—
                      
                        "Cham wit-outen dout
                      
                        Sal be his brothers vnderlote;
                      
                        vnderlote to þam and thral, [folio 13a:2] 
                      
                        Sal he be and his oxspring all."
                        Line 2056 
                      
                        þis oþer breiþer, for þair couering,
                      
                        Noe gaue his brad blissing;
                      
                        to sem and Iaphet þan said he:—
                      
                        "Now it sal al for-giuen be
                        Line 2060 
                      
                        Laith and wrath for ani plight,
                      
                        If ȝee gain me has don vnright;
                      
                        O yow sal yeit þat oxspring sprede
                      
                        þat sal ouer al ha lauerd hede;
                        Line 2064 
                      
                        Blissed bijs your tabernacle,
                      
                        Fild o mirth and o meracle;
                      
                        Drightin graunt þat it be sua,
                      
                        þat al þis werld be yurs tua."
                        Line 2068 
                      
                        ¶ To cham he said, "þou fole felun,
                      
                        þou has kind o þat nacion
                      
                        O caym, þe cursd, for-sok pardon,
                      
                        þat slogh his broiþer wit treson;
                        Line 2072 
                      
                        þou do þe suith out o my sight,
                      
                        þou es and sal be maledight;
                      
                        Bi me has þou noght to duell,
                      
                        þi wonning sted es made in hell;
                      
                        Fle me fra, þou wared thing,
                        Line 2077 
                      
                        We sal now tuin for þi hething."
                      
                        Awai he fled, þat he and his
                      
                        Was all our lauerd enemis.
                        Line 2080

De fine noe [folio 13a:2]

¶ Noe, þat gracius and god, Liued fourti ȝere after þe flod;

Page 128

                      
                        Nine hundreth ȝere and tensith fiue
                      
                        Was noe wen he lest his liue;
                        Line 2084 
                      
                        For he liued lely quils he moght,
                      
                        He sittes wit drightin hei o loft.
                      
                        His suns, þat [I] of forwit melt,
                      
                        Al þe werld bi-tuix þam delt;
                        Line 2088 
                      
                        Asie to sem, to cham affrik,
                      
                        To Iaphet europ, þat wil-ful wike.
                      
                        Al þer thre þai war ful rike,
                      
                        Bot sem part was noiþer like.
                        Line 2092 
                      
                        For þof þe werld es als we here
                      
                        Delt in thrin parteis sere,
                      
                        In thrin parteis principale,
                      
                        þe partes er noght perigale;
                        Line 2096 
                      
                        For asie es, wit-outen suike,
                      
                        Sua mikel als europ and affrike;
                      
                        Asie it es þe thrid in tale
                      
                        And es þe haluendel al hale.
                        Line 2100 
                      
                        It es þe best, for þar in es [folio 13b:1] 
                      
                        Bath haly land and hethyennes,
                      
                        Precius stans and spice of prise,
                      
                        For þar-in standes paradis;
                        Line 2104 
                      
                        Inde, and pers, and arabi,
                      
                        Babel, iudea, and suli
                      
                        And mani oþer vntelland contre,
                      
                        þar es in now babel mast cite.
                        Line 2108 
                      
                        Affrik þat es þe toþer parti
                      
                        þat andesith was cald libi;
                      
                        Mani contre þar-in es
                      
                        And dughti cites mare and lesse;
                      
                        þar-in es cartage cite strang
                        Line 2113 
                      
                        And oþer mani a-mang;
                      
                        þe mikel land of ethiopie,
                      
                        Ienil, mortaigene, and indie;
                        Line 2116 
                      
                        þis land lies mast vnto þe south
                      
                        þer þe blamen mast er cuth.

Page 130

                      
                        ¶ þe thrid part es noght þe lest,
                      
                        It lies mast vnto þe west,
                        Line 2120 
                      
                        Al on þis side þe greckes see;
                      
                        Was Iaphet giuen til his liuere.
                      
                        It hatt quar mast to day
                      
                        Regns o þe cristen lay;
                        Line 2124 
                      
                        þar-in es rome þe mast cite,
                      
                        þat now es ouer all cristianté,
                      
                        And mani riche kingdon
                      
                        þat i to tell haue her na tom;
                        Line 2128 
                      
                        O þis thre can þe folk to brede
                      
                        And fild þe werld o lenth and brede.
                      
                        O þaim it was sua mani men
                      
                        O sere kind, sexsith tene.
                        Line 2132 
                      
                        Knyth, and thrall, and freman,
                      
                        Oute of þer thre breþer bigan;
                      
                        O sem freman, o Iaphet knytht,
                      
                        thrall of cham þe maledight.
                        Line 2136 
                      
                        O þis thre com all, als þou sais,
                      
                        Has bene in werld and yeit beis;

de incepcione sem [folio 13b:2]

¶ Begine we now to tell at sem And siþen of his bern-tem.

                      
                        Sem was lel in godds lare,
                      
                        He liued seuen hundret ȝere and mare;
                      
                        þis ilk sem was cald sedech;
                        Line 2141 
                      
                        And he was cald melchisedech;
                      
                        Our lauedi mari, als we find,
                      
                        Com vte o þis sem strind.
                        Line 2144 
                      
                        He was king and prest o salem [folio 13b:2] 
                      
                        þat now men clepes ierusalem,
                      
                        þe first of all þat þan was born
                      
                        þat [wit] wine and wit bred of corn
                      
                        Made sacrifijs to drightin treu,
                        Line 2149 
                      
                        In takening o þe lagh-es neu.

Page 132

                      
                        þis sem liued I red of here
                      
                        til ysaac was o seuen ȝere.
                        Line 2152 
                      
                        Sem had fiue suns sere,
                      
                        Of an to spek es our mistere,
                      
                        þat es of him o quas sede
                      
                        Was he born þat beit our nede.
                        Line 2156 
                      
                        ¶ Arphaxat liued wit-outen were
                      
                        Threhundret aght and tuenti ȝere.
                      
                        Fourhundret yeir his sun cainan
                      
                        Aght and thritte fra he began.
                        Line 2160 
                      
                        Fourhundret yeir his sun sale,
                      
                        liued and thritte yeir and thre;
                      
                        Heber his sun fourhundret ȝere
                      
                        And four and fourti þat to sere;
                        Line 2164

                      
                        Phaleth his sun liued, witterli,
                      
                        Tua hundret anen and thritté;
                      
                        Ragan his sun þat was
                        Line 2167 
                      
                        Tuelue scor o yeires bot an lesse;
                      
                        Seruth his sun tua hundret ȝere
                      
                        And thritte was his liue he bere;
                      
                        O sua lang lijf was noght nachore,
                      
                        He liued aght yeir and four score;
                      
                        Thare his sun liued langar lijf
                        Line 2173 
                      
                        þat was tua hundret ȝere a fijf.
                      
                        þe toþer eild endis in thare,
                      
                        þe quilk began at lel noe;
                        Line 2176 
                      
                        þat time was þis werld sa yong,
                      
                        þat al men spak bot wit on tong,
                      
                        þat es hebru, al for to sai,
                      
                        þat Iuus haldes til to dai.
                        Line 2180

                      
                        ¶ Iapheth had suns seuen, [Hic incipit Iapheth] 
                      
                        Aparti puchersum to neuen:—
                      
                        Gomer, madan, iena, magog,
                      
                        Tubal, tiras, and, mosog.
                        Line 2184 
                      
                        þis gomer he had suns thre,
                      
                        Togorma, riphat, assene;

Page 134

                      
                        Four suns had gena:—antechim,
                      
                        Elisa, tharsis, and dotaym.
                        Line 2188 
                      
                        Til eillandes þir þam drou;
                      
                        O þat nacion sprang folk inou.

                      
                        Cham four suns had him:— [folio 14a:1] 
                      
                        Chus, phut, chanan, and mephaim;
                      
                        O chus com sala, and euila,
                        Line 2193 
                      
                        Sabata, regma, sagabata;
                      
                        O cus com nembrot al-sua,
                      
                        þat in his time wroght mikel waa,
                      
                        For he was fers, prud, and fell;
                        Line 2197 
                      
                        Of him sumthing her es to tell.

                      
                        þis nembrot wit his mikel pride
                      
                        Wend to wyrk wondres wide,
                        Line 2200 
                      
                        Ful far a-boute men bere his nam,
                      
                        Mikel he cuth o sin a scham;
                      
                        O babilon king stijf in stur
                      
                        And þer-wit was he gret werrur;
                        Line 2204 
                      
                        Reuer and man-queller gret
                      
                        Mikel he liued wit il biyett;
                      
                        þar was na folk he wond bi
                      
                        Moght þam were wit his maistri,
                        Line 2208 
                      
                        Oueral he raxhild him wit rage.
                      
                        þat tim it was bot a langage,
                      
                        Hebru þe first þat adam spak;
                      
                        Fra est he broght a felauscap
                        Line 2212 
                      
                        vnto þe feld of sennar;
                      
                        Sexti ouermen þai war
                      
                        Wit nembrot com þai for to duell,
                      
                        And tok a conseil þam emell;
                        Line 2216 
                      
                        A fole conseil tok þai and son
                      
                        To werrei on þe son and mone;
                      
                        A fole conseil þer-for said .i.,
                      
                        And al was ful of felunny,
                        Line 2220 
                      
                        O þeir grett pride cuth naman tell,
                      
                        In sennar þai toke to duell.

Page 136

                      
                        Nembrot þan said on þis wise:—
                      
                        "Me think, godmen, þai war vn-wise
                      
                        Our elders þat bifor vs were,
                        Line 2225 
                      
                        Quen þai cutd find on no manere
                      
                        How to wer þam fra þe flode,
                      
                        þat drunand al þe werld ouer-yode;
                      
                        I rede we bigin a laboure
                        Line 2229 
                      
                        And do we wel and make a toure,
                      
                        Wit suire and scantilon sa euen,
                      
                        þat may reche heghur þan heuen;
                      
                        Godd we sal conquer wit fight
                        Line 2233 
                      
                        Again vs sal he haue na might,
                      
                        Or at lest to hald him still
                      
                        And lette vs noght to do our will,
                      
                         [folio 14a:2] þat ai quen we se ani chesun,
                        Line 2237 
                      
                        Freli may climb vp and dun."

De construccione turris babilon[ie]

                      
                        ¶ þis folfolk þam sammen þan
                      
                        Brathli þai þis werk bigan;
                        Line 2240 
                      
                        Tua and sexti fathum brad,
                      
                        Was þe grundwall þat þai made;
                      
                        Quen þai at wil had festend grund,
                      
                        þe wark þai raised in a stund,
                        Line 2244 
                      
                        Wit tile and ter, wit-vten stan
                      
                        Oþer morter was þer nan;
                      
                        Wit cord and plum þai wroght sa hei,
                      
                        þe hette o þe sun moght þai noght drei,
                      
                        þar-for most þai þam hide
                        Line 2249 
                      
                        Bath wit hors and camel hide,
                      
                        And said, "quedur godd be wrath or blyth
                      
                        His esters sal we see ful suyth;
                        Line 2252 
                      
                        Now we haue vs sped sa ferr
                      
                        Vr wil may he noght vs merr."
                      
                        Bot dryghtin dere þat ai es hend
                      
                        A curtais wrak on þam he send.

                        Line 2256

Page 138

                      
                        Line 2256 
                      
                        þai þat suilk vtrage on him soght
                      
                        For lim ne lijf he reft þam noght,
                      
                        Bot sua he mengud þam þair mode,
                      
                        þat naman oþer vndirstode
                        Line 2260 
                      
                        O his spece wat he wald sai,
                      
                        þar tunges ware delt fra þat dai;
                      
                        For scham ilkan þat werk þai left,
                      
                        Als þai had sare þar fra ben beft;
                      
                        For-þi þ[at] tour hatt babilone,
                        Line 2265 
                      
                        þat schending es wit-outen soyne;
                      
                        þar war al þe speces delt
                      
                        þat now ouer-alle þe werld er melt.
                      
                        þe first bot an was and nama,
                      
                        Now er þar speches sexti a tua.
                        Line 2270 
                      
                        ¶ þis tour was selli mad vpright,
                      
                        Fiue thusand steppes [it] had on hight,
                      
                        And aght scor als and fourti þar-to,
                      
                        Sua made þair maumet þam to do,
                      
                        Ten mile compas al aboute,
                      
                        Als stori sais wit-vten doute;
                        Line 2276 
                      
                        . . . . .
                      
                         [no gap in the Cotton and Laud MSS.] 
                      
                        And at þis werk was not sem,
                      
                        Na naman of his barn-tem.
                        Line 2280 
                      
                        Hebru þai spek, for-þi hald þai
                      
                        þat Iuus halds yeit to þis dai.

                      
                        þis nembrod was þe formast king
                      
                        þat in maument fand mistr[u]ing;
                      
                        Lang he rengud in þat land, [folio 14b:1] 
                      
                        In maumet first throut he fand,
                        Line 2286 
                      
                        þat þan bigan, þat lestes yeit;
                      
                        Sarzins wil it noght for-leit.
                      
                        Lik til his fader þat was ded
                      
                        A wygur was mad wit his red,
                        Line 2290 
                      
                        And command stithli til his men
                      
                        Als god þai suld it knau and ken;

Page 140

                      
                        Quat for luue and quat for doute
                      
                        All men[s]ked it his vnderloute;
                        Line 2294 
                      
                        þis for-bisening he hild þas oþer
                      
                        þat sum for fader, and sum for broþer,
                      
                        Fro freind ded þat þam was dere
                      
                        did make ymage o metal sere;
                        Line 2298 
                      
                        For fra þis lagh was þar bigunnen
                      
                        Son oueral þan was it runnen;
                      
                        For frendes did ouer al þe land.
                      
                        All suilk mistring þai fand.
                        Line 2302 
                      
                        þaa wigurs croup þe warlau in
                      
                        And leed þat suikful folk wit sin.

                      
                        ¶ Thre suns had thare, þat es abram
                      
                        Alsua nachor and aram;
                        Line 2306 
                      
                        Thre suns had nachor þe lele
                      
                        Hus, and bus, and batuele;
                      
                        Of hus com Iob, o bus balam,
                      
                        O batuel rebecca and laban;
                        Line 2310 
                      
                        Of aram a sun and doghturs tua,
                      
                        Melcha, loth, and dam sarra;
                      
                        O þis eild her es now ending
                      
                        And þe thrid tas biginning.
                        Line 2314

Noe
cham	Sem	Japhet
chus	Arphaxat	gomer
Nembrot	Caynan	Togorma
	Salera

[[From the Cotton MS.]]

Heber, phalet, ragan, seruth, nachor & thare de quo abram iam incipiens

[folio 14b:2] Incipit tercia etas seculi de Abraham filio thare.

                      
                        Of abraham now wil we drau,
                      
                        þat rote es of cristen lau;
                      
                        I sai for-þi he es þerote,
                      
                        for of his oxspring bred our boute,

Page 142

                      
                        þe bout þat broght us in-to mirth
                      
                        Thoru þat haly maiden birth;
                        Line 2320 
                      
                        Of him and his kin sal we rede
                      
                        þat wondirlik bigan to sprede.
                      
                        þat lauedi wex out of his sede
                        Line 2323 
                      
                        We prai hir for hir maiden-hede,
                      
                        þat we mai sua þis stori rede
                      
                        Hir to mensk and us to mede.
                      
                        þis abram þat ȝee her me neuen
                        Line 2327 
                      
                        Ful wel was luued wit god of heuen;
                      
                        Lel he was ai in his sede,
                      
                        Fild of trout and haly-hede;
                      
                        He and his wijf þat hight sare
                      
                        Al ful of charite þai warre.
                        Line 2332 
                      
                        Tua doghters had aram his broþer,
                      
                        He spused þat an, nachor þe toþer,
                      
                        For wit þe lau þat þai liued in
                        Line 2335 
                      
                        Men suld not spuse bot in þer kin;
                      
                        For he was theuful bath and hind,
                      
                        Vr lauerd him hild his priué freind;
                      
                        Ai luued he sothfastnes and right,
                      
                        For-þi to him our lauerd hight
                        Line 2340 
                      
                        A child suld brede of his oxspring,
                      
                        þat al of thraldom suld bring;
                      
                        And þat þar suld yeit of his sede
                      
                        Folk sua selcut mani brede,
                        Line 2344 
                      
                        þat naman suld cun sume ne neuen
                      
                        Na mare þen sterns of heuen,
                      
                        Namar þen grauel in þe see,
                      
                        Sua vntelland suld þai be;
                        Line 2348 
                      
                        Bot for þis hight moght be no fabul
                      
                        He troud wit stedfast throut and stabul,
                      
                        And als he troud alsua he fand,
                        Line 2351 
                      
                        Our lauerd him held for treu conuenand;
                      
                        Bot lang he led him with de lay
                      
                        To mare þe medes of his fai.

                        Line 2354

Page 144

                      
                        Line 2354 
                      
                        Sexti ȝer was abram and fiue
                        Line 2355 
                      
                        Quen þat his fader was farn o liue,
                      
                        For him he was mornand in thoght
                      
                        Ai til our lauerd him com-forth broght,
                      
                        And said til him wit su[ilka] sune
                      
                        "Abram l[oke] þou ma þ[e b]une;
                      
                        þou and tine aght wit þi menyeie [folio 15a:1] 
                      
                        vte of þis kyth and þis cuntré,
                        Line 2362 
                      
                        ȝee sal weind til a better land;
                      
                        Ta loth þi broþer sun in hand,
                      
                        To chanaan ȝee most now drau,
                      
                        Aland þe quilk i sal yow scau;
                        Line 2366 
                      
                        þou leue aram, þe land of ire,
                      
                        Of chanaan þou sal be sire;
                      
                        þider to weind be noght ferd,
                      
                        For þar sal be þi kiddli ertd;
                        Line 2370 
                      
                        al þe folk þar wonnus aboute
                      
                        to þe þai sal be vnderloute;
                      
                        þar sal þi nam ouerraised be
                      
                        And als of airs þat cums o þe;
                        Line 2374 
                      
                        I sal þam blis þat þe wil blisse
                      
                        Mi bliscing sal þas oþer misse."
                      
                        Abram went and wit him loth,
                      
                        His geing, his catel, ilk crot,
                        Line 2378 
                      
                        Com and lended, he and þai,
                      
                        Biside sichen in a valay;
                      
                        Bot þar-bi felun folk þai fand
                      
                        þat mikel wasted o þat land.
                        Line 2382 
                      
                        Als-suith als þai þar cam
                      
                        Drightin him sceud til abram
                      
                        And said, "abram þis es þi land
                      
                        þar þou and tine sal be weldand."
                      
                        Abram þat o trouth was tru
                        Line 2387 
                      
                        Bi betel lifted an auter neu;
                      
                        He blissed godd, þat king o blisse,
                      
                        And godd him blissed an all his.

                        Line 2390

Page 146

                      
                        Line 2390 
                      
                        Abram turned him to þe south,
                        Line 2391 
                      
                        To see þat land was him vn-cuth,
                      
                        Quit he wend haue it in wald
                      
                        Als þat our lauerd him forwit tald;
                      
                        Bot son quen he had seised þe land,
                      
                        þat in þan fel a hunger strang,
                        Line 2396 
                      
                        Thoru corn wanting or thoru were,
                      
                        I can not sai o queþer it were;
                      
                        Abram to sell moght find na sede
                      
                        Til egypte wend most he nede,
                        Line 2400 
                      
                        And sare his wijf wit him to lede,
                      
                        For þai ne wist quar-of þam fede.
                      
                        Als þai war wendand þider-ward
                      
                        He hir bisoght o sli forward:—
                        Line 2404 
                      
                        "Lemman," he said, "sare .i me dred;
                      
                        þar we weind to þis laules lede
                      
                        Quen þai þe see for þi fairhede, [folio 15b:2] 
                      
                        to reue me þe þan sal þai wede;
                        Line 2408 
                      
                        Sai þou for-þi til an and oþer,
                      
                        þou art my sister and i þi broþer,
                      
                        Elles þat folk quen þai see
                      
                        Sal þai me sla for luue o þe."
                        Line 2412 
                      
                        "Sir," sco said, "sua sal it be."
                      
                        Wit þis þai com in þat contre,
                      
                        Bot fra þaa prude folk had hir sen,
                      
                        All spak of hir, sco was sa scene;
                      
                        Sua þai rosed hir to þe king
                        Line 2417 
                      
                        þat he þam did befor him bring.
                      
                        Bot godd hir þat was hir wit
                      
                        And hild hir sua vntil hir grith,
                        Line 2420 
                      
                        þat moght naman o licherie
                      
                        Hir body neght wit wilanie;
                      
                        þe king was radd for godds gram
                      
                        And yald þe wijf to sire abram.
                        Line 2424 
                      
                        "Qui did þou vs þus in were,
                      
                        þat said þi wij þi sister were?

Page 148

                      
                        Tak her þi wijf and brokar wele,
                      
                        O þine wil i not haue a dele,
                        Line 2428 
                      
                        Bot leuer es me o myne þou haue."
                      
                        þe king him gold and siluer gaue,
                      
                        And commaunded thoru-out al his land
                      
                        Men suld him mensk and hald in hand,
                      
                        And if he wald þar namar leind,
                        Line 2433 
                      
                        þat he most hamward freli weind;
                      
                        And al þe god he wit him ledd
                      
                        to leitt ful strait-lic [he] for bedd.

                      
                        ¶ Abram went ham and his wijf sare,
                      
                        He luued hir wil mare þan are,
                        Line 2438 
                      
                        For wirscipp þat sco did him win,
                      
                        And sco vnsoght saccles o sin.
                      
                        In-to betel þai com o-nan,
                        Line 2441 
                      
                        þar he seit first his auter stan;
                      
                        Bituix him and his neueu loth,
                      
                        O fee þai had a selly flot;
                        Line 2444 
                      
                        To pastur commun þai laght þe land
                      
                        þe quilk þam neiest lay to hand;
                      
                        Bot fra þair store bigan to sprede
                      
                        þe pastur þam bigan to knede,
                        Line 2448 
                      
                        þar-for þair hirds strif and flit,
                      
                        þair fee nedings þai most flit
                      
                        Fra þat folk þai war a-mang
                        Line 2451 
                      
                        þat gretli hild þair store in thrang.
                      
                        þaa nabethens, þat laithli lede, [folio 15b:1] 
                      
                        Ful o wrang and wickedhede,
                        Line 2454 
                      
                        For þai wit þaim moght haf na rest,
                      
                        þai most þan scail and seke þair best.
                      
                        þan said abram, þat was na sot,
                        Line 2457 
                      
                        formast til his neueu loth:—
                      
                        "þe land his wide þat we ar in,
                      
                        Godd vs help it for to win;
                        Line 2460 
                      
                        O þis contre þat es sua wide
                      
                        þou ches to won on quilk side;

Page 150

                      
                        Queder þou ches, on right or left,
                      
                        I.sal ta me þat þou haues left."
                        Line 2464 
                      
                        Loth loked toward flum iordaine,
                      
                        A dale he ches þar be a plaine,
                      
                        A luuesum land, a leue contré,
                      
                        þe flum ran thoru ful fair to se;
                        Line 2468 
                      
                        þe land o gommor þar-bi lijs,
                      
                        þat was þan lik to paradis
                      
                        þe time ar it had don þe sake,
                        Line 2471 
                      
                        Quar-for þar-on godd tok his wrac.
                      
                        þat land to leind in loth thoght best,
                      
                        Abram chese him toward þe est.
                      
                        þe land of sodome had gret blame,
                      
                        For it was in an iuel fame;
                        Line 2476 
                      
                        þai war put in a fole plight
                      
                        þat god and man þam maledight.
                      
                        Abram lendid him o-nan
                      
                        Biside þe folk of chanaan,
                        Line 2480 
                      
                        vnder þe fote of mont mambre,
                      
                        þar he ches to seit his fee;
                      
                        þat ilk stede þat hight chebron,
                      
                        A wondur winsum sted at won;
                        Line 2484 
                      
                        An auter raised wit-outen bad,
                      
                        And sacrifijs þar-on he mad,
                      
                        þat drightin on him suld min
                        Line 2487 
                      
                        To-gedir him wi[r]scepp for to win;
                      
                        þar he seit his tabernacle
                      
                        þar god for him did sum meracle.
                      
                        þare had a were ben in þat land,
                      
                        þat had lasted sumdel lang;
                        Line 2492 
                      
                        Four kinges werraud a pon fiue,
                      
                        þe fiue again þe four to-striue.
                      
                        Bitid a stund þai samen smate
                      
                        In a dale biside a wate;
                        Line 2496 
                      
                        Sua lang þai heu on helme and sceild
                      
                        þe four on fiue þai wan þe feild;

Page 152

                      
                        þe fiue gaue bak to wine a-way [folio 15b:2] 
                      
                        And fell to in a pitt o clay;
                        Line 2500 
                      
                        þai fled and fell vntill a sogh,
                      
                        And þar þair faas þam foluand slogh;
                      
                        Siþen þai spred to prai þe land,
                      
                        Al þai tok þai forwit fand;
                        Line 2504 
                      
                        Loth þai laght and leed þaim wit,
                      
                        Was nan þai raght þai grantid grith,
                      
                        For þai lete þairs was þe land
                      
                        Fra þai had geten þe ouer-hand;
                        Line 2508 
                      
                        Herd held þai loth þat ilk day.
                      
                        A man vnnes wan a-way,
                      
                        þat com til abram for to tel
                      
                        O loth chaunce þat him bifel;
                        Line 2512 
                      
                        Abram was þen ful mislikand
                      
                        Quen he herd þan o þis tyþand;
                      
                        He did to-geder samen his men,
                        Line 2515 
                      
                        Thre hundret aght sariants and ten;
                      
                        And dernlik he did þam bide
                      
                        Til again a neuentide,
                      
                        And þan he broght þam til a pase
                      
                        þat men cald in þand temase,
                        Line 2520 
                      
                        And þar he delt his folk in tua
                      
                        þat þai suld noght scapp ham fra.
                      
                        þis kyngs had o na man doute,
                      
                        þair folk scaild ai-quare a-boute.
                        Line 2524 
                      
                        Abram þat was in trouth strang,
                      
                        þat haiþen lede he smat a-mang;
                      
                        Deliuerd prisuns all, and loth,
                      
                        Wit al þe catell, ilk crot.
                        Line 2528 
                      
                        Slayn war þe kinges þat ilk night,
                      
                        Thoru þe grace of godds might;
                      
                        þe folk o sodom war ful fayn
                        Line 2531 
                      
                        Quen abram was commun agayn;
                      
                        þai sagh þair frendes ale and sund,
                      
                        And wist þair fas war broght to grund.

Page 154

                      
                        Melchisedech, wit-outen baide,
                        Line 2535 
                      
                        Offrand o bred and wine þan made,
                      
                        O ierusalem and all þat land
                      
                        Was prist and king al weldand;
                      
                        Tru he was, and wise, and hind,
                      
                        O þair conquest he tok þe tend;
                        Line 2540 
                      
                        Abram his beneson gaue he
                      
                        And badd al til him tentand be;
                      
                        O prai wald abram nathing haue
                      
                        Bot ilk man he his auen gaue.
                        Line 2544 
                      
                        Mikel it was þat luffeword þan [folio 16a:1] 
                      
                        þat abram gat o mani man;
                      
                        And said it sceud was wit right
                        Line 2547 
                      
                        Vr lauerd in him suld fill his hight.

                      
                        ¶ Abram went hame and wit him ledd
                      
                        His folk; wen he was laid in bedd,
                      
                        Slepped and herd our lauerd steuen
                      
                        Sothli till him spak in sueuen,
                        Line 2552 
                      
                        And said, "abram, thar þe noght drede,
                      
                        I sal þe help in all þi nede
                      
                        O þat i haue þe hight to mede,
                        Line 2555 
                      
                        At wyn þou may be traist to spede."
                      
                        "Lauerd," he said, "hu may þis be,
                      
                        Quat es þi wil to giue to me?
                      
                        þou wat child haue i self nan,
                      
                        Bot mi seruand sun allan
                        Line 2560 
                      
                        þat serues me, eleazar;
                      
                        Min air þan wald i þat he war,
                      
                        Sin þou me gaue na noþer barn."
                      
                        "Nay," said vr lauerd, "i sal him warn
                      
                        þat he þi nere sal noght be,
                        Line 2565 
                      
                        Bot sal þe sede þat coms o þe."
                      
                        "Abram," said he, "cum now vte,
                      
                        Behald þou þe þi liue a-boute!
                        Line 2568 
                      
                        þe barns þat o þe sal bred
                      
                        Namar sal þou þam cun rede,

Page 156

                      
                        þan sterns on light and sand in see,
                      
                        þat it sal selcut be to see;
                        Line 2572 
                      
                        Bitraist þis thing þat i þe hight,
                      
                        þe to vndo sal haue na might."
                      
                        Abram hild þis word in thoght
                        Line 2575 
                      
                        Vr lauerd to serue for-gat he noght:
                      
                        þan mad abram [[MS. adam]]  his sacrifice,
                      
                        Godd him tald on on quatkin wise;
                      
                        Quen it was don als was poruaid,
                      
                        A uoice þan thoru a clod said,
                        Line 2580 
                      
                        "It be efter a wel lang quille,
                      
                        In egipte suld his sede exile
                      
                        In tharldon four hundret ȝere,
                      
                        Bot þai suld bij it siþen dere;
                        Line 2584 
                      
                        þai þat suld hald þam in þat thrang
                      
                        Wroken on þaim sal be þat wrang;
                      
                        þan suld þe oxspring of abram
                      
                        Vn-to þair land cum frelik ham
                        Line 2588 
                      
                        To bruke þair heritage in pais,
                      
                        Als it was hight be for þaa dais."

                      
                        Sar was barnles yit wit þis, [folio 16a:2] 
                      
                        þof sco gun ȝern þer-efter wiss;
                        Line 2592 
                      
                        Sco had hir wit a hand womman,
                      
                        þat agar hight, agapcian;
                      
                        Sco said til abram priueli,
                        Line 2595 
                      
                        "Nan barns ber, þou seis, mai .i.;
                      
                        And siþen i mai na barns ber
                      
                        I sal agar mi maiden ger
                      
                        Bi-side þe lij, if þou wil sua,
                      
                        For i am geld þat es me wa;
                        Line 2600 
                      
                        If ani barn of hir war þinc,
                      
                        I might hald it als for mine."
                      
                        Sare, als sco had for-wit said,
                      
                        Wit hir husband agar sco laid.
                        Line 2604 
                      
                        Agar was made wit child in hi
                      
                        And heythlik lete of hir lauedi;

Page 158

                      
                        Til abram þan dame sare said,
                      
                        "Yone lasce þat i biside þe laid,
                        Line 2608 
                      
                        For-þi þat sco has barn o þe,
                      
                        Als in despit sco haldes me."
                      
                        Abram said, "sco es in þi hand,
                      
                        þou chasti hir sco has þe wand."
                        Line 2612 
                      
                        Sua chastid sare hir fra þat dai
                      
                        þat sco was fain to fle a-wai,
                      
                        Bot in hir fleing þar sco yode,
                      
                        An angel hir befor stode,
                        Line 2616 
                      
                        In wildernes al bi a well;
                      
                        Wit hir sli spece gun he spell:—
                      
                        "Quen," he said, "agar coms þou,
                      
                        Or quider-ward wilt þou ga now?"
                      
                        "Fra mi lauedi," sco said, "i gan[g],
                      
                        For sco me halds fast in thrang."
                      
                        þe angel hir said, "do wend agayn,
                      
                        þou sal hir serue wit mode and mayn,
                      
                        þou wend agayn bou hir for-þi;
                        Line 2625 
                      
                        O þi sede sal yeit multipli
                      
                        Mikel folk, and i þe warn
                      
                        þou es wit child of a knaue barn;
                      
                        þou kal him ysmael, agar,
                        Line 2629 
                      
                        For godd will herken to þi car;
                      
                        He sal be cruell, fers, and wrath
                      
                        Agains alkin lede brath;
                        Line 2632 
                      
                        Egain [him] all, o-gain all he,
                      
                        A wight man þan sal he be."
                      
                        Again ham til hir lauedi went
                      
                        And serued hir wit god entent.
                        Line 2636 
                      
                        Son after þis, þat i herd tell, [folio 16b:1] 
                      
                        Was sco lixter of ysmael;
                      
                        Quen he was born abram had þan
                      
                        Sex and fourscor yeir ouergan,
                        Line 2640 
                      
                        And o þis child he wex sa blith
                      
                        Alls þof his fader war broght o liue.

Page 160

[folio 16b:1] de addiscione nominis abram

                      
                        Quen abram was fiuescor and nine
                      
                        til him þan spak our lauer drightin:—
                      
                        "Abram," he said, "for me þou ga
                      
                        I sal ga forwit þe al sua;
                        Line 2646 
                      
                        Multipli þi sede i sall."
                      
                        He luttand thanked him wit-all.
                        Line 2648 
                      
                        þan did our lauerd at ek his name,
                      
                        And said he suld hatte abraham;
                      
                        Abram forwit als he was calld
                      
                        þat nam suld he na langer hald.
                        Line 2652 
                      
                        þis nam sua mikel es to rede
                      
                        Als fader o mani serkyn lede.
                      
                        "And if þou halds mi techeyng;
                        Line 2655 
                      
                        O þe sal com bath prince and king
                      
                        þat sal þou weld and haue þis contre,
                      
                        Als i haue forwit hight to þe;
                      
                        þat þou has had in pelrimage
                      
                        þine sal it haue in heritage,
                        Line 2660 
                      
                        Al þe kyngrike o þis land
                      
                        At haue and hald to þam lastand.
                      
                        Bot now i wil a couenand new,
                      
                        O þe and þine be halden tru;
                        Line 2664 
                      
                        A theuful takynyng for to ken
                      
                        At tuin yow wit fra oþer men.
                      
                        Hald ȝee þe couenand o þis wi[s],
                      
                        Do your knauebarns to circumces
                      
                        þe aghtand dai þat þai are born,
                        Line 2669 
                      
                        þat is to sai þat þai be scorn
                      
                        O þat ilk lime for-with
                      
                        þat þai are kend fra wommen wit;
                      
                        Lok ȝee do þus, als i sai þe,
                        Line 2673 
                      
                        Als ȝee your sauls wil saued be;
                      
                        Qua es not sua þai mai be bald,
                      
                        þai sal not o mi folk be tald;

                        Line 2676

Page 162

                      
                        Line 2676 
                      
                        þou and þi childer it sal bigin
                      
                        And þat wons þi house wit in.
                      
                        Lok he fra þe be don a-wai
                        Line 2679 
                      
                        þe man þat wil noght hald þis lai;
                      
                        For-qui þe werk of circumcising
                      
                        Bers in it-self gret for-biseyng.
                      
                        Ne þi wijf, þat now hat sara, [folio 16b:2] 
                      
                        Sco sal fra now hat sua na mare,
                        Line 2684 
                      
                        Hir nam it sal be eked sua,
                      
                        þat sco fra now be cald sarra;
                      
                        Suilk a sun sal sco þe bere
                      
                        þat king scal brede and caiser;
                        Line 2688 
                      
                        He sal serue me al to queme,
                      
                        Ful wel þis lagh sal he yeme."
                      
                        þe couenand was wel fest wit þis
                        Line 2691 
                      
                        Our lauerd him went in-til his blis.
                      
                        ¶ Abram tok for[th] his men
                      
                        And did als drightin can him ken;
                      
                        Him self and ismael he scare,
                        Line 2695 
                      
                        And siþen all his þat car-men were.
                      
                        O thritti yeir fra he was born
                      
                        Was ysmael wen he was schorn;
                      
                        His fader nineti and nine þat day
                      
                        þai vnder-fang þis neu lai,
                        Line 2700 
                      
                        Quarbi þai ar all kid and knaun,
                      
                        þe folk þat o þar kind er draun.

                      
                        Quen it was hate a-pon a tide
                      
                        Abram satt his hus be side,
                        Line 2704 
                      
                        Bi-side þe wale of mont mambre,
                      
                        Loked him far and nere; sagh he
                      
                        Toward him com childir thre,
                      
                        Liknes o god in trinité;
                        Line 2708 
                      
                        Bot an allan he honired o þaa,
                      
                        Als anfald godd and in na ma;
                      
                        þe trinité he sagh bi þat sight,
                        Line 2711 
                      
                        And gestend þam wit him þat night.

Page 164

                      
                        First he self þair fete wesse,
                      
                        And siþan þam fedd wit calf flesse,
                      
                        Buttur and brede þai ete alsua;
                      
                        þan asked þai quare was sarra.
                        Line 2716 
                      
                        Abraham said, "yonder wit-in."
                      
                        þa[n] said þat lauerd, "i wil yow min
                      
                        At mi gain-com, if i haue lijf,
                      
                        A sun sal haue sarra þi wijf."
                        Line 2720 
                      
                        Sarra þar-bin quare sco satt
                      
                        Herd þis word and logh þar-at,
                      
                        And said in hething, "quare we sal
                      
                        Cum again to childer tale!"
                        Line 2724 
                      
                        For eild sco wend to bere na barn.
                      
                        "And quat thing es," he said, "may warn
                      
                        þat godd ne may his will of do?
                      
                        Bi i eftsones cum yow to,
                        Line 2728 
                      
                        þou sal haue barn in litel quile, [folio 17a:1] 
                      
                        thar þe noght in hethyng smylle."
                      
                        Sco said, "for soth smild i noght,"
                      
                        And if sco did it hir for-thoght.
                        Line 2732 
                      
                        quen þai war rest wel vp-ras þai
                      
                        And abraham þam ledd þe wai.
                      
                        þe louerd loked tilward sodoman,
                      
                        And þus he said til abraham:—
                        Line 2736 
                      
                        "Abraham," he said, "fra þe
                      
                        Wil i noght helle mi priueté;
                      
                        þou and þine es me sua dere
                      
                        þat i will ȝee mi consail here;
                        Line 2740 
                      
                        O sodome haue i herd þe cri,
                      
                        þe smike it reches to þe scki;
                      
                        þe word es wers þan man mai neuen,
                      
                        þe reke es raght vn-to þe heuen;
                      
                        To see wil i me-self ga,
                        Line 2745 
                      
                        Als es þe cri, if it be sua
                      
                        þar-of sal i ta wengance strang,
                      
                        Ant þer-to sal it be noght lang."

                        Line 2748

Page 166

                      
                        Line 2748 
                      
                        "Lauerd," said abraham, "þi nare
                      
                        Sal þou þine auin sua-gat for-fare?
                      
                        It semes not to be þi will
                      
                        For þe wik þe dughti spill;
                        Line 2752 
                      
                        þi rightwisnes may not thole
                      
                        For þe wike þat þou þe dught cole."
                      
                        Our lauerd said til abraham:—
                        Line 2755 
                      
                        "Wenis þou i wil sua for-do man
                      
                        If þou þar findes fiue sith tene,
                      
                        Fifty or fourte o þi lele men,
                      
                        Tuenti mai fall, or tuis fiue,
                        Line 2759 
                      
                        Ne sal þai alle haue þar for liue?"
                      
                        þus said our lauerd; bot þar was nan
                      
                        Was funden lele, bot loth allan.
                        Line 2762 
                      
                        Our lauerd went forth, and abraham
                      
                        til his huse þan went him ham.
                      
                        ¶ At euentide, in to sodome,
                        Line 2765 
                      
                        To loth huse tua angels come;
                      
                        þai fand loth sitand be þe yate,
                      
                        Gayns þam ras fra þen he sate;
                        Line 2768 
                      
                        He praid þam in gods nam[e]
                      
                        þai wald to gestening com hame,
                      
                        Als for þat night, and þai said nai,
                      
                        Bot in the stret þar duell wald þai:
                      
                        And loth til his huse þam ledd,
                        Line 2773 
                      
                        Wit suilk als he hade þam feedd.
                      
                        Bot ar þai to þeir bedd ware boun [folio 17a:2] 
                      
                        þe folk þam gedir o þe tun,
                      
                        þaa foles feluns þat war fuus,
                        Line 2777 
                      
                        All vmlapped loth huse,
                      
                        yong and ald, bath barn and man,
                      
                        All thoght þam late þai þeder wan;
                      
                        On loth þai cried þaa huse a-boute,
                      
                        And bad þat he suld send þam oute
                      
                        þe gestes him com wit nighter tale,
                      
                        For soth, þai said, knau þam we sale.

Page 168

                      
                        þat soruful sin on þam þai thoght
                      
                        Wit þaim to haue don, if þat þai moght.
                      
                        Bot loth befor, ar þai war warr,
                      
                        Fast þe dors þan did he sparr;
                        Line 2788 
                      
                        ȝern on þaim he cried merci!
                      
                        þat þai suld lete þair fule foly.
                      
                        "I haue," he said, "doghtres tua,
                      
                        Tas and dos your will wit þaa;
                        Line 2792 
                      
                        Mi gestes late ȝee liue in pees,
                      
                        For scam ne dos þam na males.
                      
                        þe ȝerner þat loth þam be-soght,
                        Line 2795 
                      
                        þe mare on him with strenght þai soght;
                      
                        Bot al his praier had ben als noght
                      
                        If godd self his might had wroght,
                      
                        þat made þat sinful folk sa madd,
                      
                        þat þai ne wist war þai war stad;
                        Line 2800 
                      
                        Our lauerd might þam made sua blind
                      
                        þat dor on huse ne might þai find;
                      
                        þair aune wite þan wist þai noght,
                      
                        Quen þai come ne quar þai thoght.
                      
                        To loth it spak þis angels þan—
                        Line 2805 
                      
                        "Has þou her," þai said, "ani man,
                      
                        Sun or doghter, mik or mau,
                      
                        to þe langand, or hei or lau,
                      
                        þou lede þam suith out o þis tun,
                      
                        Are þat hit be sunken don."
                        Line 2810 
                      
                        Loth went and til his maues spak,
                      
                        þar vte þat suld his doghters take.
                      
                        "Rises vp," he said, "and fle ȝee sone,
                      
                        þis tone to day sal be for-done."
                        Line 2814 
                      
                        Bot al þat loth to þaim can sai
                      
                        þam thoght it was not bot in plai.
                      
                        Bot arli, ar men well moght see,
                      
                        þe angls badd loth do him flee.
                        Line 2818 
                      
                        "Vp loth," þai said, "and þi meyne,
                      
                        þat ȝee ne be tint wit þis cite."

Page 170

                      
                        Quen þai sagh loth be to litand, [folio 17b:1] 
                      
                        þai tok him-self be þe hand,
                      
                        Hijs wijf and his doghtres tua,
                        Line 2823 
                      
                        þat moght vp lok was þar na ma.
                      
                        Quen þai had led þam fra þe doute
                      
                        þat þai þe time war broght wit-oute,
                      
                        Bi þat began þe light o dai,
                        Line 2827 
                      
                        þai badd þam ai hald forth þar wai,
                      
                        Bot þai ne wild þam self for-fare,
                      
                        to loke bi hind þam neuer mare;
                      
                        "Ne mak ȝee in þe plain na duell,
                      
                        Till ȝee be comme in to þe fell;
                        Line 2832 
                      
                        O-manges þaim ar ȝee be tane
                      
                        And for þair felunne be slaine."
                      
                        "Lauerd," said loth, "wit þe leue o þe,
                      
                        In littel segor wald i be."
                        Line 2836 
                      
                        "Haste," he said, "þan þeder yaar,
                      
                        for i do noght til þou come þar."
                      
                        Bi þat þe sun risen was
                      
                        Strang cri in þaa tuns ras.
                        Line 2840 
                      
                        Our lauerd raind o þam o-nan,
                      
                        Dun o lift, fire and brinstan;
                      
                        Sodome and gomor wit al þe land
                      
                        þat our a-boute þam lai ner hand,
                      
                        Wit all þe woning þat þar was,
                        Line 2845 
                      
                        es noþer leued, ne tre, ne gress,
                      
                        Ne nathing of þat land vn-sonken,
                      
                        Suilk als þai brued now ha þai dronken.
                      
                        Sir loth wijf þis cri sco hard,
                        Line 2849 
                      
                        Hir langed to see how þai fard,
                      
                        For ferli sco was fus to find;
                      
                        Als sco loked hir be hind
                      
                        A stan sco standes be þat way,
                        Line 2853 
                      
                        And sua sal do to domes-day.
                      
                        In a salt stan men seis hir stand
                      
                        þat bestes likes o þat land,

                        Line 2856

Page 172

                      
                        Line 2856 
                      
                        þat anes o þe wok day,
                      
                        þan es sco liked al a-way,
                      
                        And þan þai find hir on þe morn,
                      
                        Hale als sco was ar be-forn.
                        Line 2860

                      
                        ¶ þar þaa fiue cites war won to be
                      
                        es noght now bot a stinkand see,
                      
                        þat semes als a lake of hell;
                        Line 2863 
                      
                        Na liuand thing mai þar-in duell,
                      
                        For if ani fische þar-in bigane,
                      
                        Wit leding o þe flum iordane,
                      
                        þe lijf it es for-don wit stink
                      
                        Fra it in to þat watur sink.
                        Line 2868 
                      
                        Men findes lumpes o þe sand, [folio 17b:2] 
                      
                        O þer nan finer in þat land,
                      
                        þat standes euer and iþenli
                      
                        A cloyd þar fra vp to þe sky;
                        Line 2872 
                      
                        If þou a brand þar-in wil cast,
                      
                        þe fire it haldes þar stedfast,
                      
                        thoru brennyng of þe brinstane,
                      
                        Quare-of þar es sa mikel wan.
                        Line 2876 
                      
                        þar-bi groues sum apell tre,
                      
                        Wit appuls selcut fair to se,
                      
                        Quen þai ar in hand, als a fise bal,
                      
                        To poudir wit a stink þai fal.
                        Line 2880 
                      
                        ¶ All cristen men, i rede yow take
                      
                        Ensaumple bi þis waful wrake,
                      
                        þat al for licheri was tan,
                      
                        Sua wile was neuer funden nan;
                        Line 2884 
                      
                        þat it was wil it was wel sene,
                      
                        Be þe wrak þat was sa kene.
                      
                        Hate and stikand es þe lake,
                        Line 2887 
                      
                        And fire and brinstan was þe wrak;
                      
                        Oute of kind þe sin was don,
                      
                        For-þi þair kind it was for-don;
                      
                        Fleis þat sin ouer all þis werld,
                      
                        þe wrak þat folus, als ȝee herd,

                        Line 2892

Page 174

                      
                        Line 2892 
                      
                        Godd wit schild ȝe do þat sin,
                      
                        þat ȝee in hell fire for-brin;
                      
                        And if ȝee sin algat sal do
                      
                        þe sin o kind ȝee hald yow to,
                        Line 2896 
                      
                        þe kindly sin and wit womman;
                      
                        Bot sibbe ne spused tak yee nan,
                      
                        Sua ferr your lust yee folu noght,
                      
                        þat yee for-gete him þat yow wroght.
                      
                        Mani man, for ouer-wele,
                        Line 2901 
                      
                        þam-self can noþer faand ne feil,
                      
                        Bituixand þai sink in þat wele
                      
                        þar neuer man sank þat was o sele;
                      
                        Sua did þe wreches o sodome.
                        Line 2905 
                      
                        For welth þai duted neuer þe dome,
                      
                        þair welth þam did of all and alle,
                      
                        Als dos man oft in filthes fal,
                        Line 2908 
                      
                        Bot þan com dome, witouten spare,
                      
                        To þaa þat lang was spared are;
                      
                        Sua tin þai þam wit-outen end
                        Line 2911 
                      
                        þat wil noght þam in time mend.
                      
                        Loth, ȝee herd me ar of tell,
                      
                        For dred he drou vnto a fell;
                      
                        In a caue he did him þare
                        Line 2915 
                      
                        Wit hijs doghteres and namare.

                      
                         [folio 18a:1] ¶ Abraham went him, on þe morn,
                      
                        To þat sted þar he be-forn
                      
                        Had fra our lauerd tane his leue,
                        Line 2919 
                      
                        And sagh þat can him sare greue.
                      
                        Tilward þaa cites loked he,
                      
                        þat sari sight was on to se;
                      
                        He sagh þat cuntre, al bidene,
                      
                        þat sua feir had forwit bene,
                        Line 2924 
                      
                        Wit sparcand reke and couerd abouen,
                      
                        Als it war a brinand ouen;
                      
                        For it was rightwis godds wreke
                      
                        þar again durst he not spek.

                        Line 2928

Page 176

2928

                      
                        ¶ Bot loth him held þat caue wit-in,
                      
                        He and his doghtres tuin;
                      
                        For þai nan bot þair fader sau
                        Line 2931 
                      
                        þai wend all men ware don o dau,
                      
                        Thoru þat ilk waful wrak.
                      
                        þe elder to þe yonger spak,
                      
                        "Sister, to þe in dern i sai,
                      
                        þou seis þe folk er all a-wai;
                        Line 2936 
                      
                        Bot loth our fader es carman nan,
                      
                        Bot we tua left es na womman;
                      
                        I think man-kind sal perist be,
                      
                        Bot it be stord wit me and þe,
                        Line 2940 
                      
                        þe werld es broght til end, me think;
                      
                        Giue we our fader inogh to drink,
                      
                        And, wen he es drunken witerly,
                      
                        We sal in bedd ga lig him bi,
                        Line 2944 
                      
                        For moght we any barn[e]s brede
                      
                        Me think þe werld þar-of had ned."
                      
                        Als sco for spak, right sua þai wroght,
                      
                        þe fader his auen dede wist noght;
                      
                        He fand noght wen he bi þam lai,
                      
                        Bot bath alson wit child were þai;
                      
                        Amon. and moab. wer geten sua,
                      
                        Tuix fader and doghters tua;
                        Line 2952 
                      
                        O þaim becom sua wiked lede,
                      
                        þat noþer drou to dughti-hede;
                      
                        Til a sted þat hight damas
                      
                        þiderward þair wonnyng was;
                        Line 2956 
                      
                        O mani man, þof þai war gode,
                      
                        þai reft þam aght and spilt þair blode.

                      
                        ¶ Abraham had his hert ful sare,
                      
                        Fra þeþen he tok talent to fare;
                        Line 2960 
                      
                        Til a contre cades he flitt,
                      
                        Abimalech was lauerd of hitt;
                      
                        His sister he cald sarra his wijf,
                        Line 2963 
                      
                        For þare for hir suld rise na strijf.

Page 178

                      
                        He dred þe folk was ful o pride, [folio 18a:2] 
                      
                        Quils he war lendand þam biside;
                      
                        Bot herd it es to kepe, iwise,
                        Line 2967 
                      
                        þe thing þat ilk man wald war his,
                      
                        And, namlik, i sai it o þat thing
                      
                        þat ȝernd es o gret laueding.
                      
                        Abimalech ne fined noght
                      
                        to þat sarra was to him broht.
                        Line 2972 
                      
                        Bot godd on night com to þe king,
                      
                        In slepe, and said him sli talking—
                      
                        "þou king," he said, "loses þi lijf,
                      
                        þou has anoþer man[ne]s wijf."
                        Line 2976 
                      
                        "Lauerd," he said, "wil þou me sla,
                      
                        I wist not for soth þat it was sua;
                      
                        þai tald bath here, til an and oþer,
                      
                        Sco was his sister and he hir broþer;
                      
                        And alsua, lauerd, wel þou wat
                        Line 2981 
                      
                        þat I. haf halden clene hir stat."
                      
                        "I wat," he said, "þat þou art clene,
                      
                        War it not sua if i ne had bene,
                        Line 2984 
                      
                        Fra toche of hir i saued þe,
                      
                        þat þou suld not sin in me;
                      
                        Yeild hir to hir husband schet,
                      
                        For hir husband es a prophet;
                        Line 2988 
                      
                        And if þou dos anoþer red
                      
                        þou and þine all sal be dede."
                      
                        ¶ Vp ras þe king, on nighter tale,
                      
                        And cald his men be for him hale;
                      
                        O þis warning he þam tald,
                        Line 2993 
                      
                        And þai þam dred both yong and ald.
                      
                        He did to cal habraham son,
                      
                        And said, "qui has þou þusgat don?
                      
                        Quat haue i don, or mi kingrike,
                        Line 2997 
                      
                        þat þou suld þus us be-suik?"
                      
                        "Parfai for i me vm-bithoght
                      
                        Yee war men þat godd duted noght;

Page 180

                      
                        Your harm sa wend i best to fle
                      
                        And said mi sister suld sco be."
                      
                        Til abraham þan gaue þe king,
                      
                        In wirscipp, mani riche thing,
                        Line 3004 
                      
                        And him he made þan his priue
                      
                        And taght to weld al þat contre.

[folio 18b:1] De ortu & int[er]p[re]tacione ysaac

                      
                        ¶ Bi þis come sarra to þe tide,
                      
                        O birth sco moght not ouerbide;
                        Line 3008 
                      
                        þan ysaac þair sun was born,
                      
                        þat lang was hight to þam biforn;
                      
                        Was circumcised þe aghtand dai,
                      
                        Als was þair heing in þair lay.
                        Line 3012 
                      
                        Isaac wel es for to sai [folio 18b:1] 
                      
                        A man þat takens ioy and plai.
                      
                        For, for þe birth of ysaac,
                      
                        Gret ioi can his frendes mak.
                        Line 3016 
                      
                        þat freli child, þat ful of hap,
                      
                        Quen he was spaned fra þe pap,
                      
                        His fader slou bath scepe and nete,
                      
                        And made a fest to frend[e]s gret[e];
                      
                        Mete and drinc he gaue þam all
                        Line 3021 
                      
                        þat wald cum al til his call.
                      
                        ¶ Ysaac was yonger þan ysmael.
                      
                        Bitide apon a dai it fell
                      
                        þat þir breþer þam plaijd samen,
                        Line 3025 
                      
                        Sarra beheled and thoght na gamen.
                      
                        Sco sceud abraham, "yon bastard
                      
                        Do him a-wai, þat he ne has partd
                      
                        Wit mi sun of our heritage,
                        Line 3029 
                      
                        For elles, me thinc, þou dos outrage.
                      
                        I wil, quat-sum man thinc or sai,
                      
                        His moder and he be don a-way."
                      
                        Abraham hit tok til hert,
                        Line 3033 
                      
                        And thoght þis wordes war to smert;

Page 182

                      
                        For his sun him ful heui thoght
                      
                        til þe angel had him word broght.
                      
                        "Abraham," he said, "giue þe not ill,
                      
                        þou most now do þi wijf[es] will
                        Line 3038 
                      
                        O þi maiden and o þi barn,
                      
                        Hir bidding do sal þou not warn;
                      
                        For ysaac sal bere þe nam
                      
                        O þi sede, sir abraham;
                        Line 3042 
                      
                        þof ysmael be noght o spus
                      
                        O him sal gret men cum and crus."
                      
                        Sun on þe morn, quen it was dai,
                      
                        Bath war þai don vnto þair wai;
                      
                        Oute of þe hus was pute agar,
                      
                        Hir sun a-pon hir bak sco bar;
                        Line 3048 
                      
                        Water and brede, wit outen mare,
                      
                        Sco trused hir wit, and weped ful sare.
                      
                        Now gas sco for þat wreche allan,
                      
                        Wandran[d] in wildernes hir an.
                        Line 3052 
                      
                        þam wanted brede, þeir water es gan,
                      
                        Hope o lijf ne had þai nan.
                      
                        Biside a wel, vnder a tre,
                      
                        þe barn sco laid, did hir to fle,
                        Line 3056 
                      
                        For soru þar-of moght sco not se,
                      
                        Bot waited quen it ded suld be;
                      
                        ¶ Quils sco hir mened of hir mode
                      
                        Comfort had sco son ful gode.
                        Line 3060 
                      
                        An angel com and said, "agar, [folio 18b:2] 
                      
                        Quat dos þou, wi mas þou sli car?
                      
                        Drightin has herd þi barn cri,
                      
                        Rise and tak it up for-þi;
                        Line 3064 
                      
                        þou lede him yonder er yon lind, [[originally blind]] 
                      
                        For þar a wele þan sal þou find;
                      
                        On þat tre hinges frut ful gode,
                      
                        For þe and þi child fode;
                        Line 3068 
                      
                        Her þan sal þou wit him won
                      
                        And foster her þou sal þi son."

Page 184

                      
                        þe barn sco dide drinc o þat wel,
                      
                        In þat wast þan can þai duell;
                        Line 3072 
                      
                        Togeder duell þai samen þar,
                      
                        Til ysmael was waxen mare;
                      
                        Ananli liuelade þar þai ledde,
                      
                        O wildernes þan war þai fedde;
                        Line 3076 
                      
                        For quen he throded was to yoman,
                      
                        He was archer wit best of an;
                      
                        Siþen quen he was of age and witte
                      
                        A wijf he spused of egipte,
                        Line 3080 
                      
                        And wond als a wildren man,
                      
                        In a desert þat hight faran.
                      
                        ¶ þis abraham o mikel bade
                      
                        Was, and of clene liuelade.
                        Line 3084 
                      
                        O lagh our lauerd him gaue þe lade,
                      
                        Of him his patriak he made,
                      
                        And said, "abraham, i sal þe giue
                      
                        þe lagh þat þou agh in to liue."
                        Line 3088 
                      
                        "Lauerd," he said, "mi self and mine,
                      
                        At þi wil lauerd all es þine,
                      
                        I and mi wijf ar al þin aun,
                      
                        And þar-of ar we wel a-knaun;
                        Line 3092 
                      
                        þi biding wil we do fulfayn,
                      
                        For we sal neuer do þer again,
                      
                        Quat sal i do, lauerd, þou me tell."
                      
                        "Bot þou sal wend vnto yon fell,
                      
                        þar sal þou find mi messager,
                        Line 3097 
                      
                        þou mak of erth þer an auter;
                      
                        Bath of þi corn and of þi fee
                      
                        þar sal þou offrand mak to mee."
                      
                        "Gladli, lauerd, als þou has said."
                      
                        Son was abraham puruaid;
                        Line 3102 
                      
                        O corn, o crop, aght an[d] catell,
                      
                        To godd his tend þar gafe he lele;
                      
                        It brend, þe reke raght vp euen,
                        Line 3105 
                      
                        þe smel was suette þat soght til heuen.

Page 186

                      
                        In þat siquar þat i of mene
                      
                        þe werd was gode, þe folk was clene.
                      
                         [folio 19a:1] Sua god ne bes it neuer i-wiss,
                        Line 3109 
                      
                        Sua mikel welth, sa mikel bliss;
                      
                        þof man moght neuer sa mikel weild
                      
                        Sua fast it draus to dun heild;
                        Line 3112 
                      
                        In wrechedom er now all went,
                      
                        To lare o godd gif þai na tent;
                      
                        þe barn bers now þe wil a-wai,
                      
                        To foli giues him man to dai.
                        Line 3116

De immolacione ysaac [folio 19a:1]

                      
                        ¶ Herkens o godd þat all weldand,
                      
                        How he wald faand his lel seruand.
                      
                        Wel luued abraham ysaac,
                      
                        His seli sun, wit-outen saac.
                        Line 3120 
                      
                        He lered him first drightin do dred,
                      
                        And siþen all gode theus o lede.
                      
                        He began to luf him sua
                        Line 3123 
                      
                        þat he moght na quil him for-ga.
                      
                        Als was his wil, our lauerd dright
                      
                        To faand abraham don he light,
                      
                        Til abraham þat lauerd spac.
                        Line 3127 
                      
                        "Quar es þi sun," he said, "ysaac?"
                      
                        "All at þi will, lauerd," said he,
                      
                        "I will þou offer him to me."
                        Line 3130 
                      
                        "Blythly, lauerd, þou me him gaue,
                      
                        Gode skill es þat þou him haue."
                      
                        ¶ Quat he was to his lauerd tru
                        Line 3133 
                      
                        þat moght na reunes do him reu,
                      
                        þat he ne wald leuer his child [[originally schild]]  cole
                      
                        þan of his lauerd wrath to thole,
                        Line 3136 
                      
                        þat child þat was sa mani yere,
                      
                        Ar it was send, soght wit praiyer;

Page 188

                      
                        "And now wend i wit-outen wene
                      
                        þat suld mine air ha bene."
                        Line 3140 
                      
                        Bot now es he asked, on þis wise,
                      
                        Til godd til make of sacrifise.
                      
                        þat þof it grisli war, or gril,
                      
                        He left noght do his lauerd wil,
                        Line 3144 
                      
                        Bot asked him, wit-outen bade,
                      
                        How suld þe sacrifice be made.
                      
                        And he bigan him for to tell.
                        Line 3147 
                      
                        "Yonder vp," he said, "on yon fell
                      
                        Sal þou bren þi sun for me."
                      
                        "Gladli, mi lauerd, sua sal it be."
                      
                        Now sal i tell yow how it was.
                      
                        þe child he kest a-pon a nass,
                        Line 3152 
                      
                        He bad cum wit him knaues tua,
                      
                        Bot þai ne wist quider þai suld ga;
                      
                        He welk þat fell ner dais thre
                      
                        To sek þe sted quar he wald be.
                        Line 3156 
                      
                         [folio 19a:2] Quen he þe sted sagh þar he tight,
                      
                        þe child he dide o þe ass light,
                      
                        And tok him wit him and na mare;
                      
                        His men he bade ha bide him þare,
                      
                        His consail will he naman tell;
                        Line 3161 
                      
                        þe barn he broght a-pon þe fell,
                      
                        Suerd and fire forgat he noght,
                      
                        And yong ysaac þe elding broght.
                      
                        "Sir," he said, "quer sal we take
                      
                        þe beist of sacrifice to make, [hic immolatur] 
                      
                        Sin we wit hus now broght has nan."
                      
                        He said, "drightin sal send us an."
                      
                        Wit þis he stod þe child nerhand,
                      
                        And dernlik he drou þe brand
                        Line 3170 
                      
                        þat þe child was not parceueid
                      
                        Ar þe suerd him hade deceueid;
                      
                        He liftd his hand him to smyte,
                        Line 3173 
                      
                        Bot godds help him come fultite,

Page 190

                      
                        Ar þat he moght haue giuen þe dint;
                      
                        His suerd be-hind þe angel hint
                        Line 3176 
                      
                        And bade him þar biside him tak
                      
                        A scepe his sacrifice to mak:
                      
                        He loked bi him tuyx þe thorns,
                      
                        And sagh it hing þar wit þe horns;
                      
                        þis angel held ai still þe suerd
                        Line 3181 
                      
                        And spak of comforth suilk a word.
                      
                        "Abraham," he said, "hald still þin arm
                      
                        And to þi sun do þou no harm,
                      
                        Our lauerd forbedes þe to sla
                        Line 3185 
                      
                        þi dere sun þou loues sua;
                      
                        þou loues him mare, wit-outen wene,
                      
                        þan þi son þat es now sene;
                        Line 3188 
                      
                        Bath þou luues him well and dredes
                      
                        Ful wel he sal þe yeild þi medes,
                      
                        ȝee sal his blissing haue for-þi;
                      
                        Mikel he sal yow multipli.
                        Line 3192 
                      
                        For luue o þi freli fai
                      
                        Sal ilk lede com to þi lai;
                      
                        Godd has þe visited here to-dai,
                      
                        þi dede in minnyng sal last ai,
                        Line 3196 
                      
                        þi buxsumnes, als folk sal find,
                      
                        þat sal be bred out of þi kind."
                      
                        O þis letting was he ful glad
                      
                        And did als him þat angel badd.
                        Line 3200 
                      
                        þat scepe he slogh, and siþen it brent,
                      
                        And hamward on his wai went.
                      
                        þe fader can þen þe son for-bede
                      
                        Til animan at tell þis dede.
                        Line 3204 
                      
                         [folio 19b:1] "Fader," he said, "be þou ful bald,
                      
                        For me sal it neuer be tald."
                      
                        þai went again to bersabee
                      
                        þar þai had left þair meigne.

                        Line 3208

Page 192

De etate & fine Sarre vxoris abrahe [folio 19b:1]

                      
                        ¶ Sex scor and seuen yeir liued sarra
                      
                        And deid wit-outen childer ma,
                      
                        þan ysaac nanma sco bar,
                      
                        And abraham can for hir car;
                        Line 3212 
                      
                        In ebron groue hir abraham,
                      
                        þar formast was grauen adam.
                      
                        Abraham wald in his lijf
                      
                        þat ysaac had wedded a wijf,
                        Line 3216 
                      
                        And wald sco war if sua moght be
                      
                        Bath of his kind and his contre;
                      
                        Men suld her seke wit-in þat land
                      
                        þare his frendes were wonand.
                        Line 3220 
                      
                        A sargiant call þan comand he
                      
                        þat mast wist of his priuete,
                      
                        þat had ben als of his fostring,
                      
                        Ai siþen he was a barn ying;
                        Line 3224 
                      
                        Apon his kne he did him suere
                      
                        þat he suld be lel errand berer,
                      
                        And þat he suld giue hal entent
                      
                        For to ful-fil his comament.
                        Line 3228 
                      
                        "Frend," he said, "þou wend in hij
                      
                        vntil mesopotani,
                      
                        þar þou wat our frendes won,
                      
                        To seke a wijf to mi sun;
                        Line 3232 
                      
                        And if sco mai be funden þare
                      
                        þou bring hir ham wit mikel fare;
                      
                        Bot i wil þat þou bring him nan
                      
                        þat es kind of chanaan."
                        Line 3236 
                      
                        ¶ "Sir," said sargant, "quat sal i do,
                      
                        þe mai þat ȝee wald haue, if sco
                      
                        Wil not hider com wit me?"
                      
                        "O þi trout þan mak i þe fre,
                        Line 3240 
                      
                        For ysaac, wit na forward,
                      
                        Wil i þat weind þaderward."

Page 194

                      
                        "Blithli, sir, it sal be don."
                      
                        þe sargant made him bun fulsun,
                        Line 3244 
                      
                        Bun was he made til his buskyng,
                      
                        Wit tresur grette and riche ring,
                      
                        Suilk als maiden had of mister,
                      
                        Al þat ten camels moght ber,
                        Line 3248 
                      
                        Ring and broche, war selli prude,
                      
                        Bath gold and stan for maiden scrude,
                      
                        þat qua him sagh moght vnderstand
                      
                        He stird was of a riche land.
                        Line 3252 
                      
                        to mesopotany suith come he, [folio 19b:2] 
                      
                        And son he fand þe soght cite.
                      
                        Quen he him fra sagh nere þe tun
                      
                        Biside a well he lighted dun;
                        Line 3256 
                      
                        þar he made his oresun,
                      
                        And þus wit drightin can he run.
                      
                        ¶ "Lauerd," he said, "þat al wel mai
                      
                        þat now lauerd leues night and dai,
                      
                        for quas luue he wild not warn
                        Line 3261 
                      
                        To sacrifise his auen barn,
                      
                        At seke a wijf to wam i fare;
                      
                        Lauerd," he said, "send me squilk a fare,
                      
                        And sua mi seruis sitt at seme,
                      
                        þat to þi wirschippe mai be queme;
                      
                        And suilk a wijf til ysaac
                        Line 3267 
                      
                        þat mai be gainand him to take,
                      
                        Him to ioy and menske to þe;
                      
                        Lauerd þou grant þat it sua be,
                      
                        And do me be þis well here
                      
                        Traist to be o my praiyer;
                        Line 3272 
                      
                        For be þis well sal i habide
                      
                        Quat o mi nerrand mai be tide;
                      
                        Her sal i bide til þat i see
                      
                        þe maydens come fra yon cite,
                        Line 3276 
                      
                        þair watur at þis well to drau,
                      
                        þar sal i mi womman knau;

Page 196

                      
                        Sco þat sal bete me my thrist
                      
                        I sal hir hald als for þe best."
                        Line 3280 
                      
                        Had he noght rested bot a thrau,
                      
                        O maidens sagh he cum on raw;
                      
                        þe formast was vnlaghter milde,
                      
                        Hir semed na wight to be wilde,
                        Line 3284 
                      
                        Ne was sco not oletes light;
                      
                        Rebecca was þe nam sco hight,
                      
                        Hir fader was cald batuel.
                      
                        Hir semed all hir werkes wel,
                        Line 3288 
                      
                        Sittandlik hir watur toke.
                      
                        þe sargant yern can on hir loke,
                      
                        þat bath avisi was and wise,
                      
                        And said til hir o þiskin wise;—
                        Line 3292 
                      
                        "Maiden," said he, "þou giue me drinc,
                      
                        For i ha ben sumdel in suinc;
                      
                        I am a man farand þe way,
                      
                        Mi hernes dun heir did i lai,
                        Line 3296 
                      
                        O my passage was i in doute,
                      
                        For naman knau i here aboute;
                      
                        Me war lath if i might me were
                        Line 3299 
                      
                        þat men scath did me on my geyre."
                      
                         [folio 20a:1] "Leue freind," sco said, "þine asking
                      
                        Es noght bot a litell thing,
                      
                        þou sal it haue wit ful god will;
                        Line 3303 
                      
                        And þine camels sal drinc þair fill,
                      
                        For wantes vs here na uessell,
                      
                        Ne mele, ne bucket, ne funell."
                      
                        Sco drogh þam all inogh to drinc,
                      
                        Left sco nawight for na suinc;
                        Line 3308 
                      
                        Bot ai þe quils he ne fan
                      
                        To be-hald þat leue maidan,
                      
                        How all hir dedes can hir seme.
                      
                        þe sargant thoght it selli queme.
                        Line 3312 
                      
                        "Say me now," he said, "be þi hand,
                      
                        Has þou any fader liuand?"

Page 198

                      
                        "Sir, ya," sco said, "and moder wit al,
                      
                        Til hous gladly þai wil yow call;
                      
                        Fodder and hai þou sal find bun
                        Line 3317 
                      
                        Na roummer sted in al þe tun."

De nupcijs ysaac & rebecce [folio 20a:1]

                      
                        And he hir gaue a gift onan,
                      
                        A gold ring þat wit brightnes scain,
                      
                        Thancand god, til erth he fell.
                        Line 3321 
                      
                        þe may ran ham, tiþand to tell,
                      
                        Sco had a broþer þat hight laban,
                      
                        He ran oute son a-gains þe man;
                        Line 3324 
                      
                        Wit talking war þai sammen knaun,
                      
                        To riche gestning war þai draun;
                      
                        þan wist þai bi þis messagere
                      
                        Abraham was þam sib ful nere.
                        Line 3328 
                      
                        Ete ne drinc noþer he wald
                      
                        Til he þam had his errand tald,
                      
                        Til þat þe sikernes was tan.
                      
                        Licknes to corbin had he nan!
                        Line 3332 
                      
                        Sa welworth suilk a messager,
                      
                        To send a nerrand for to ber,
                      
                        þat reckes of him self als noght,
                        Line 3335 
                      
                        To do his lauerd nedes be wroght.
                      
                        þe mariage þen did he mak
                      
                        Bituix rebecca and ysaac;
                      
                        Ilkan gaue he giftes sere,
                      
                        Efter þat þai worthe were,
                        Line 3340 
                      
                        And cled þe may wit riche weede,
                      
                        Als þe lagh was o þat lede,
                      
                        Ilk man gaue he sumkin thing,
                      
                        And batuel made fair waiting.
                        Line 3344 
                      
                        On morn wit godds beniscon
                      
                        Was mai rebecca lede o ton;
                      
                        Hir foster moder wit hir sco ledd
                      
                        And rade til þai come ner þe stedd,

Page 200

                      
                        þar þe wonning was of abraham [folio 20a:2] ;
                      
                        And ysaac was not fra hame,
                        Line 3350 
                      
                        Ysaac him yode to rone,
                      
                        Thoght on thing he had to done;
                      
                        He yode þar walkand be þe strete
                      
                        And come agains þam to mete.
                        Line 3354 
                      
                        þan said rebecca, "quat man es he
                      
                        þat cumand tilward us i se?"
                      
                        He drogh hir ner and still spak,
                        Line 3357 
                      
                        "Yon es mi lauerd ysaac,
                      
                        Yon es þi keiser sal be þin,
                      
                        Of him now sal þou ha sesin;
                      
                        Til his behoue haue i þe soght,
                        Line 3361 
                      
                        In seli time, and wit me broght."
                      
                        þe sargant did hir dun to light;
                      
                        For to tak hir better dight,
                        Line 3364 
                      
                        Sco belted hir bettur on hir wede,
                      
                        Wit mantel clad o bouen o rede;
                      
                        And þof sco scamful was, i-wiss,
                      
                        Sco tint na contenance wit þis.
                        Line 3368 
                      
                        Rebecca and ysaac er samen
                      
                        Mette, wit mikel gle and gammen;
                      
                        Wit mikel mirth thar naman wene,
                      
                        Was broght til hus þat maiden schene;
                      
                        And þen þai made þe mariage
                        Line 3373 
                      
                        Als fel to riche heritage.
                      
                        þe mikel luue o rebecca
                      
                        þan feld þe soru o dame sarra;
                        Line 3376 
                      
                        Suilk er in þis liue ful thikc,
                      
                        Forgetes þe deid for þe quick;
                      
                        Bot þai it did for sum reson,
                        Line 3379 
                      
                        And thoru significacion. [Hic incipit ysmael]

                      
                        ¶ Ysmael had wijfs thrin
                      
                        þat kinges tuelue þar come of him,
                      
                        þai held, als men war mightiest,
                        Line 3383 
                      
                        þe landes þat war til-ward þe est,

Page 202

                      
                        Gret ferly was þe kin to tell
                      
                        Was multiplid of ysmael. [De secundis nupcijs abra ham cum cethura]

                      
                        ¶ Abraham, efter dame sarra,
                      
                        tok a wijf hight cethura;
                        Line 3388 
                      
                        Of hir he had a sun madan
                      
                        And a noiþer hight madian;
                      
                        Noght for na lust of licheri
                      
                        Bot þat his sede suld multipli,
                        Line 3392 
                      
                        Als godd him had lang be-for hight,
                      
                        Tok wijf for-þi þat sua was right.
                      
                        Bituix his childer he delt his aght,
                      
                        His land til ysaac he taght.
                        Line 3396 
                      
                        For he was born o mariage, [folio 20b:1] 
                      
                        Wit right he had his heritage.
                      
                        A hundreth yeir seuenti and fiue
                      
                        Quen abraham had left his liue;
                        Line 3400 
                      
                        He deid in trouth and halihede,
                      
                        His suns dughti ware o dede;
                      
                        þai wepe his ded and sua did ma,
                      
                        And laid him be his wijf sarra;
                        Line 3404 
                      
                        In drightin was his fayth ai fest.
                      
                        Our lauerd vs bring in til his rest;
                      
                        Suilk a rest in for to cum
                      
                        þat we mai wit him-self won.
                        Line 3408 
                      
                        . . . . .
                      
                        . . . . . [no gap in the MS.]

De ysaac filio abrahe [folio 20b:1]

Now es god at vnder tak þe store tell of ysaac:

                      
                        vr lauerd þat es o bunte bun
                      
                        Til him he gaue his benesun.
                        Line 3412 
                      
                        Wiss he was, drightin he drede,
                      
                        Gladli his biding he didd.
                      
                        Wit-outen child his wijf was lang,
                      
                        And þat thoght ysaac ful strang.

                        Line 3416

Page 204

                      
                        Line 3416 
                      
                        He praid til him þat al mai mend
                      
                        þat he wald him sun child send,
                      
                        For his wijf he dred ful sare
                      
                        Sco suld be geld for euer mare.
                        Line 3420 
                      
                        þe gode childer geten o grace
                      
                        Vnnethes cum þai forth in place,
                      
                        Bot quen þai forth cum, well es kend
                      
                        þat þai o godds grace er send.
                        Line 3424 
                      
                        Child vnnethes had dame sarra
                      
                        Rebecca / Rachel / And anna alsua,
                      
                        No yeit þe haly helizabeth,
                        Line 3427 
                      
                        To haf hir hirth come sco not eth,
                      
                        [ [[from Laud MS. 416] That was Iohn the baptyst
                      
                        That to men shewid Cryst]
                      
                        Alsua semis, qua right can deme,
                      
                        Bes o rebecca barn-teme.
                        Line 3432 
                      
                        Sco had þam noght, for-þi i sai,
                      
                        Ar þai war soght so mani dai,
                      
                        Godd hight þam childer no for-þi
                      
                        þat of his sede suld multipli.
                        Line 3436 
                      
                        And said, "ysaac, ai sal i be
                      
                        Als wit þi fader alsua wit þe."
                      
                        Ysaac gaue to godd his tent
                        Line 3439 
                      
                        And praid he suld him childer sent;
                      
                        Sua lang he praid þat his praiyer
                      
                        Wel was herd wit drightin dere.
                      
                        His wijf þat lang had child for-gane
                      
                        Now sco bredes tua for ane,
                        Line 3444 
                      
                        Tuinlinges þat hir thoght na gamen,
                      
                        þat in hir womb oft faght samen.
                      
                         [folio 20b:2] Sua herd wit-in hir wamb þai faght
                      
                        þat sco ne moght rest, dai ne naght;
                      
                        At pray to godd ai was sco prest
                        Line 3449 
                      
                        To rede hir quat þat hir was best,
                      
                        þat hir war best he wald hir rede;
                      
                        Hir lijf was lickest to be ded.

                        Line 3452

Page 206

                      
                        Line 3452 
                      
                        Strang weird was giuen to þam o were
                      
                        þat þai moght noght þair strif for-bere,
                      
                        Til þay had o þam seluen might
                      
                        To se quarfor þat þai suld fight.
                        Line 3456 
                      
                        Fra biginning o þe werld
                      
                        O suilk a wer was neuer herd,
                      
                        Ne suilk a strijf o childir tuin
                      
                        þat lai þer moder wamb wit-in;
                        Line 3460 
                      
                        þair strut it was vn-stern stith,
                      
                        Wit wrathli wrestes aiþer writh,
                      
                        Bituix vn-born a batel blind,
                      
                        Suilk an was ferli to find.
                        Line 3464 
                      
                        He þat on þe right side lai
                      
                        þe toþer him wraisted oft away;
                      
                        And he þat lay a-pon þe left
                      
                        þe toþer oft his sted him reft.
                        Line 3468 
                      
                        ¶ þe leuedi was ful ferli drad,
                      
                        Als womman þat ful hard was stad.
                      
                        Bot oure lauerd o suthfastnes
                      
                        Had don hir in to sikernes,
                        Line 3472 
                      
                        Thoru his werrai prophecie,
                      
                        Quat suld be þaa childer vie,
                      
                        O þair weird and o þair lijf,
                        Line 3475 
                      
                        And quat for besening bar þe strijf;
                      
                        For-þe buxsum baret sco bare,
                      
                        And kneu comforth suld com o care;
                      
                        Hir breding was ful selcut sare,
                        Line 3479 
                      
                        Bot hir chiltting was mikel mare.
                      
                        þan wex þe fight mare þan be-forn,
                      
                        Quilk o þir tua suld first be born;
                      
                        Strait es for to stere þe stat
                      
                        þar might o kind es funden mat.
                        Line 3484 
                      
                        O þir tua breþer, þat i mote,
                      
                        þe less þe mare laght be þe fote
                      
                        In trauelling and drogh a gain,
                      
                        Ful herd it was þair moder pain.

                        Line 3488

Page 208

                      
                        Line 3488 
                      
                        þe first was born was rogh as hare,
                      
                        þe toþer child was smeth and bare.
                      
                        He þat was rugh was rede wit-al,
                      
                        Esau þai did him call.
                        Line 3492 
                      
                        Iacob hight þe yonger broþer,
                      
                        His moder him luued mare þan þat toþer.
                      
                         [folio 21a:1] For-þi ne was he noþer quar sent
                      
                        Bot to þe huse ai tok he tent,
                      
                        þe hus to kepe and ma þe mett,
                        Line 3497 
                      
                        Mast to þat mister was he sett.
                      
                        þe fader luued esau for fode,
                      
                        For-qui þat he was archer gode,
                        Line 3500 
                      
                        And, quen he wald, ai was he bun
                      
                        To fete his fader venison,
                      
                        And he was als þe for-mast born.
                      
                        He delt als wit tilth o corn,
                        Line 3504 
                      
                        He cuth well als o waith sere,
                      
                        O best o wode, o foghul riuere;
                      
                        His fader þat old was and vnfere
                      
                        Oft he fed wit gode dinere.
                        Line 3508 
                      
                        God was þe werld in þat sesun
                      
                        And mikel it bar o benisun,
                      
                        On god men þat well held þe lai
                      
                        On childer þat he it wald on lai;
                        Line 3512 
                      
                        O blesing mai man bisin take
                      
                        Bi childer of þis ysaac,
                      
                        How yonger o þir tua
                      
                        þe blissing stal his broþer fra;
                        Line 3516 
                      
                        Bot first es gode þat it be tald
                      
                        How esau his forbirth sald.

                      
                        ¶ Esau went for till hunt,
                      
                        A day, sum he was oft wunt,
                        Line 3520 
                      
                        Bath on fer and ner he soght,
                      
                        Bot þat dai wayth þan gatt he noght,
                      
                        For haf man neuer sa gode graith
                      
                        It es noght ilk dai, dai o waith,

                        Line 3524

Page 210

                      
                        Line 3524 
                      
                        Bot riueli þat dai þat men failes
                      
                        Abute his waith most trauailles;
                      
                        Quen he al weri was for-gan
                      
                        Ham he tok his wai o-nan;
                        Line 3528 
                      
                        For hauk es eth, als i here say,
                      
                        To reclaym þat has tint his pray.
                      
                        His broþer he fand giueand his tent
                      
                        To grayth a riche pulment;
                        Line 3532 
                      
                        "O þis kin mete now, broþer," he said,
                      
                        "Giue me sum part þat þou has graythid,
                      
                        Mette and drinc þou has to will,
                      
                        Bot lang es siþen I ete my fill."
                        Line 3536 
                      
                        Iacob þan said, "godd wit it,
                      
                        To þe haf noght now graythid it;
                      
                        þe mete mi moder me bi-taght,
                      
                        For þou and i er selden saght,
                        Line 3540 
                      
                        Abute our forbirth er we wrath;
                      
                        Bot þou sal suere me a nath,
                      
                         [folio 21a:2] ¶ þat þou sal neuer forth fra to night
                      
                        In þi forbirth do claim na right."
                      
                        "For-birth," he said, "quat serues me?
                      
                        Broþer, atty will all sal be,
                        Line 3546 
                      
                        For hunger loo i dei right now."
                      
                        þan suer a nath him esau, [hic iurauit] 
                      
                        And for his fill o þat potage,
                        Line 3549 
                      
                        Als a wreche, has sald his heritage.
                      
                        He ete and dranc and went his wai
                      
                        And tint his blissing fra þat day;
                      
                        Na bote it was þof him for-thoght,
                      
                        Godd wild it ware his þat it boght.

                      
                        ¶ Sir ysaac þat dughti man,
                        Line 3555 
                      
                        Vnfere and eld a-pon him ran,
                      
                        O bodi failles him þe might,
                      
                        And of his eigen alsua þe sight;
                      
                        þe man þat sua wit eld es dight
                      
                        His dai es turned him to night,

                        Line 3560

Page 212

                      
                        Line 3560 
                      
                        And ha men neuer ben sa bald,
                      
                        Quen þat sua bicums ald,
                      
                        His blode þan wexus dri and cald,
                      
                        Til vnwelth windes al his wald;
                        Line 3564 
                      
                        þe heued biginnes for to scak,
                      
                        His hend vnquemli for to quak,
                      
                        It crepes crouland in his bak,
                      
                        And þe banes for to crak,
                        Line 3568 
                      
                        þe freli fax to fal of him,
                      
                        And þe sight to wax well dim;
                      
                        þe front it fronces þat was scene,
                      
                        þe nese it droppes ai bi-tuine,
                        Line 3572 
                      
                        þe teth to rote, þe aand at stinc,
                      
                        Allan to liue trauail him thinc;
                      
                        þan es eth þe fote to spurn,
                        Line 3575 
                      
                        Quen he falles wit his auen turn;
                      
                        He praises al thing þat es gon [[read gan]] 
                      
                        O present thing he praisses non; [[read nan]] 
                      
                        þan es eth to mak him wrath,
                      
                        To saxtend be es sumdel lath;
                        Line 3580 
                      
                        To wiss man wit his auen witt
                      
                        He haldes nan sa wise als it;
                      
                        Quen all wittes es him wan,
                        Line 3583 
                      
                        And will þat welthes mast of an,
                      
                        And na wil mai hald man in pai,
                      
                        Baldlik þat dar i sai,
                      
                        He þat in suilk stat es stad
                      
                        Es na gli mai mak him glad.
                        Line 3588 
                      
                        Eild es þou a selcut thing,
                      
                        þat al it gerns þat er ying;
                      
                         [folio 21b:1] Quen þai it haue þai are vnfayn,
                      
                        And wald ha youthed þan again;
                      
                        þan wald þai be als þai war ar,
                        Line 3593 
                      
                        Bot sua it mai be neuer mare.

¶ Sua has eild now þis ysaac ledd þat he in langur lijs in bedd; 3596

Page 214

                      
                        Line 3596 
                      
                        Him wantes sight, als i said yow,
                      
                        And cald on his son esau.
                      
                        "Esau, life son," he said,
                      
                        "Ga lok þi tacle be puruaid,
                        Line 3600 
                      
                        And faand to stalk þe sa nere
                      
                        þat þou mai drep me sum dere;
                      
                        If þou me dere flesse ani gete,
                      
                        Gladli wald .i. þar-of ete;
                        Line 3604 
                      
                        Leue sun þou has hidir-till
                      
                        Gladli don þi fader will,
                      
                        þou ert schotter wit þe beist,
                      
                        Bath in feild and in forest,
                        Line 3608 
                      
                        If þou mai bring me any beist
                      
                        þou graith me ful fair and eist;
                      
                        þar-efter now mi langes sare,
                        Line 3611 
                      
                        þar i lig her now, in bedd o care;
                      
                        Sun," he said, ".i. will not lei,
                      
                        It bes not lang þat i ne dei;
                      
                        Tac, [[read Ga]]  bring me now sum venisum,
                      
                        And þou sal haue mi benison."
                        Line 3616 
                      
                        "Sir," he said, "blithlik and son,
                      
                        If godd wil, sal þi will be don."
                      
                        ¶ His moder tok tent to ysaac
                      
                        And herd þe wordes þat he spac.
                        Line 3620 
                      
                        Sco wist o lang liue was he noght,
                      
                        A wyel sco hir vmbithogt.
                      
                        Iacob hir sun cald hir vnto,
                      
                        And þusgat til him þan said sco.
                        Line 3624 
                      
                        "Mi leif sun, i will þe warn,
                      
                        For-qui þou ert mi derest barn;
                      
                        þi fader has bidden þi broþer gang
                      
                        To get him waith and duell not lang,
                      
                        þat, if he ani waith mai gete,
                        Line 3629 
                      
                        He suld him dight þar-of to ete,
                      
                        For war he þar-wit ans fedd,
                      
                        Ar þat he deied in car-ful bedd,

                        Line 3632

Page 216

                      
                        Line 3632 
                      
                        His benisun wald he him giue,
                      
                        For lang he wat he mai not liue.
                      
                        Bot life son, ful lath me ware
                      
                        þat he þat blissing fra þe bare,
                        Line 3636 
                      
                        Vnhappi wreche has he ben ai,
                      
                        þi seli he sal noght bere a-wai;
                      
                        Bot þou sal do sun mi consail, [folio 21b:2] 
                      
                        Wel i wat it sal þe wail;
                        Line 3640 
                      
                        Now high þe suith þat þou ne blin
                      
                        Ar þat þi broiþer be commen in,
                      
                        O kyddes fatt þou fett me tuin,
                      
                        I sal þe ken ful gode a gin;
                        Line 3644 
                      
                        I sal þam dight til his be-houe,
                      
                        A mete als he was wonto loue;
                      
                        It sal him sauur al to will,
                      
                        Ete he sal þer-of his fill;
                        Line 3648 
                      
                        Quen it es dight þou it him reche,
                      
                        Do now well, als i þe teche;
                      
                        þat he þe mai þe less mistru
                      
                        þou sal sai þou ert esau,
                        Line 3652 
                      
                        Fra þe forest newli comen,
                      
                        Venison þou has him nommen,
                      
                        Wit dainte dight til his be-houe;
                      
                        þou bidd him rise þar-of to proue,
                      
                        þat þou haue, for þis reson,
                        Line 3657 
                      
                        O þe fader his benison."
                      
                        ¶ "Moder," he said, "wis war þi lare,
                      
                        If i ne dred a-noþer fare;
                        Line 3660 
                      
                        þou wat mi hid es smith and bar,
                      
                        And esau es rugh wit har;
                      
                        If mi fader þat es now blind
                      
                        Mai mi fallace oght vnderfind,
                        Line 3664 
                      
                        I dred me sare, for benison
                      
                        He sal me giue his malison."
                      
                        "Do wai, leue son," rebecca said,
                      
                        "þat malison on me be laid;

                        Line 3668

Page 218

                      
                        Line 3668 
                      
                        Bot þat i badd þou bring me son."
                      
                        "Moder," he said, "it sal be don."
                      
                        ¶ .Iacob went vn to þe fald
                        Line 3671 
                      
                        And broght þe bestes forwit tald;
                      
                        His moder dughtilik it dight,
                      
                        Als sco him forwit had it hight,
                      
                        And cled him, sum it was mete,
                        Line 3675 
                      
                        Wit his broþer robe þat smelled suete;
                      
                        Wit a rugh skin sco hidd his hals
                      
                        And couerd þar-wit his hands als,
                      
                        þat his fader suld al-gat tru
                      
                        þat he war his sun esau:
                        Line 3680 
                      
                        His moder him þis mete bitaght
                      
                        And he it suith his fader raght.
                      
                        "Fader," he said, "sitt vp and ete,
                      
                        I ha broght þi ȝerning mete."
                        Line 3684 
                      
                        "And quat art þou?" þe fader said,
                      
                        "Sir, i esau, þi met es graithid."
                      
                         [folio 22a:1] "And quat-kin mete?" "sir, venisun,
                      
                        Ete and giue me þi benisun."
                      
                        "How es it þou sped sa son?"
                        Line 3689 
                      
                        "Godd," he said, "has herd mi bon,
                      
                        And send it suyth vnto mi hand,
                      
                        Men aght to thanc him his sand."
                      
                        "Cum nere, leue son, and latte me fele [[MS. file]] 
                      
                        If þou be he i luue sa wele."
                      
                        Quen he had feld his fleirand cloth
                      
                        And graped handes and hals both,
                      
                        "þis voice," he said, "þat i here
                        Line 3697 
                      
                        Es o iacob, wit-outen were,
                      
                        Bot hend and hals es als i tru
                      
                        Mi dereli suns child esau;
                        Line 3700 
                      
                        þe odor o þi uestement
                      
                        It smelles als o piement,
                      
                        I sal wend forth, þou duells here,
                      
                        Mi blissing son þan sal þou bere:

Page 220

                      
                        þi breþer be þin vnderlute
                        Line 3705 
                      
                        And alle þat wonnes þe a-boute;
                      
                        All þaa þat blisses þe
                      
                        Sal þam-self blessed be,
                        Line 3708 
                      
                        And all þat bedes þe maliscun
                      
                        Sal bere it on þair auin crun."
                      
                        He ete and dranc þat was his will,
                      
                        And sithen his sun he cald him till,
                      
                        His brade blissing he him gaue
                        Line 3713 
                      
                        þe quilk his broþer wend at haue,
                      
                        And mad him lauerd ouer all his kin;
                      
                        Bot þat was wit his moder gin,
                        Line 3716 
                      
                        His moder consail was þar-to,
                      
                        And godd wald þat sco sua suld do.
                      
                        þis iacob went quan sua was don,
                      
                        And esau com efter son.
                        Line 3720 
                      
                        "Fader," he said, "vp in þi bedd,
                      
                        I haue þe broght quar-of be fedd
                      
                        O venisun, .I. here þe bring,
                      
                        Ete and giue me þi blissing."
                        Line 3724 
                      
                        His fader him asked, "quat art þou?"
                      
                        "þi sun," he said, "i esau."
                      
                        "Was þou not at me right now,
                        Line 3727 
                      
                        And fedd me wit þi fang i trau?"
                      
                        "I?" he said, "nai, nai, goddote,
                      
                        Moght i not be sua light o fote."
                      
                        Wit þis gaue ysaac a grane;
                        Line 3731 
                      
                        "Sun," he said, "right nou was an
                      
                        þat first me fedd, and sythen me kist,
                      
                        And me be-suak, þat i ne wist,
                        Line 3734 
                      
                        Mi benisun now has þi broiþer." [folio 22a:2] 
                      
                        "And fader," he said, "has þou non oþer?"
                      
                        "Nai sun, als i mot ha mede."
                      
                        "Allas! quat i am broght in nede,
                      
                        A-way he has mi blissing born,
                      
                        Sua did he als þat toþer morn;

                        Line 3740

Page 222

                      
                        Line 3740 
                      
                        He has me don oft mikel scham,
                      
                        Right-wisli es iacob his nam,
                      
                        þat es to sai, wit right langage,
                      
                        Supplanter als of heritage;
                        Line 3744 
                      
                        For quen i formast born suld be,
                      
                        Wit strengh a-gain þen drou he me;
                      
                        He has me don oft vn-resun
                      
                        And no me reft mi benisun,
                        Line 3748 
                      
                        Me es sua waa, almast i weede;
                      
                        Fader, þis was na broþer dede,
                      
                        Consail me, fader, how to liue."
                        Line 3751 
                      
                        "Wi, quatkin consail mai i þe giue?"
                      
                        "And es þar nakin blessing left?"
                      
                        "Nai, þi broiþer it has þe reft."
                      
                        "And, fader, es þar na noþer wan?"
                      
                        "Wane," he said, "es þar bot an,
                      
                        In dew and gress sere o þorth
                        Line 3757 
                      
                        Sal be þi blissing fra no forth;
                      
                        Wit erth trauaill, and sua þou do,
                      
                        And prai godd send his dew þer-to."
                      
                        "Lauerd," he said, "wat es me best,
                      
                        Mi hert bes neuer broght in rest,
                      
                        Bituixand þis iacob be slan,
                        Line 3763 
                      
                        If he mai oþer be ouertan."
                      
                        þis esau wit his manace
                      
                        Oute o þe land did iacob chace;
                      
                        Quen þe moder sagh it was sua
                        Line 3767 
                      
                        He soght his broþer for to sla,
                      
                        Sco send him son in-til aran,
                      
                        Til hir broþer þat hight laban,
                      
                        þar-to suiorn for hir sake,
                        Line 3771 
                      
                        Til þat his broþer wreth suld slake.
                      
                        Be night flum iordan he wode
                      
                        And thoru a wildernes he yode,
                      
                        He loked war þat him war best,
                      
                        And be þe wai he tok his rest.

                        Line 3776

Page 224

                      
                        Line 3776 
                      
                        He hent a stan he fand him bi,
                      
                        And þar-on laid his hefd to li.
                      
                        In slepe he sagh stand vp a sti,
                      
                        Fra his heued right to þe ski,
                        Line 3780 
                      
                        Apon þe sti þat þar was bun
                      
                        Angls climand vp and dun.
                      
                         [folio 22b:1] Open him thoght þe ȝate of heuen,
                      
                        And herd o drightin suilk a steuen:
                      
                        "Godd and lauerd," he said, "i am
                      
                        Of ysaac and als of abraham:"
                        Line 3786 
                      
                        "Jacob," he said, "þou sal ha tuin
                      
                        Wiues o þi auen kin,
                      
                        Tua doghters o laban, þi nem,
                      
                        þat þou sal haf wit barn-tem;
                        Line 3790 
                      
                        Wit þe i sal be in al þi nede
                      
                        And gar þin oxspring wide spred;
                      
                        I sal be for þin eldres sake
                      
                        With þe, and esau for-sake."
                        Line 3794 
                      
                        Wel was he gladed o þis sight,
                      
                        Fulsotht him thoght he slep þat night.
                      
                        On the morn, wen it was dai,
                      
                        Iacob ras fra þar he lai,
                        Line 3798 
                      
                        And said, "our lauerd, wit-outen were,
                      
                        þat i wist noght es wonnand here;
                      
                        Her es na noþer thing," said he,
                        Line 3801 
                      
                        "Bot godds hus and heuen entre."
                      
                        þe stan his heued lai on þat night,
                      
                        In takning, he it sett vp right,
                      
                        And oyel he yeett apon þat stan
                      
                        And made to godd a voo onan,
                        Line 3806 
                      
                        And said, "if drightin be my freind
                      
                        And lede me in þis wai i wend,
                      
                        And mete me send, and drinc, and clath,
                      
                        And bring me again, wit-outen wath,
                      
                        Vnto mi kyth þat i com fra,
                      
                        If i find he me ledes sua,

                        Line 3812

Page 226

                      
                        Line 3812 
                      
                        Mi godd he sal be and mi king;
                      
                        And þis stan stand als in takening,
                      
                        And þis sted fra þan it sal
                      
                        Be cleped godds auen hall;
                        Line 3816 
                      
                        Of all þe god he dos me weild
                      
                        Lelik his tend i sal him yeild."
                      
                        ¶ Iacob went him forth his wai,
                        Line 3819 
                      
                        Faand quare thre floks o beistes lai,
                      
                        Be-side a well, a-pon a feild,
                      
                        And sagh þe well be a doun heild,
                      
                        A mikel stan apon it lai,
                      
                        þis bestes dranc þar-at ilk dai;
                        Line 3824 
                      
                        þe hirdes bi þaim fand he þare,
                      
                        He spird þaim queþen þai ware.
                      
                        þai said, "sir, we ar of aran."
                        Line 3827 
                      
                        "And knau yee oght," he said, "laban?"
                      
                        "Sir ya, he es bath hail and fere,
                      
                        Ya hail and sound, wit-outen were;
                      
                        His doghtur yonder i se, rachell, [folio 22b:2] 
                      
                        Bringand his beistes til þe well;
                        Line 3832 
                      
                        For all beistes ar broght hider,
                      
                        Euer ilk dai at drinc to-geder."
                      
                        Wit þis come rachell, þat maiden,
                      
                        And iacob lifted vp þe sten,
                        Line 3836 
                      
                        And spak þan wit þe damisel,
                      
                        And kythed him wit may rachell.
                      
                        "Quat art þou," he said, "lemman?"
                      
                        "Sir, mi fader es cald laban."
                        Line 3840 
                      
                        Abute hir hals þan he hir hent,
                      
                        And thris he kyst hir ar he stent.
                      
                        "I am iacob, þi cosin nere,
                      
                        For þi luue am i commen here."
                        Line 3844 
                      
                        þai mai quen sco can vnderstand
                      
                        þat iacob suld be hir husband,
                      
                        To laban tald sco new tiþand,
                      
                        And he him ledd in be þe hand.

                        Line 3848

Page 228

                      
                        Line 3848 
                      
                        þai frannid o þar frendes fare,
                      
                        And þam cald bath less and mare.
                      
                        Laban for fainnes did him call
                      
                        For his neueu his frendes all;
                        Line 3852 
                      
                        And siþen he did him for to sai
                      
                        Quat was þe chesiun of his wai.
                      
                        "Sir, þe soth i wil þe tell,
                      
                        þi doghter for to spus, rachell."
                        Line 3856 
                      
                        "þan sal þou serue me seuen yeir,
                      
                        Ar þou sal haue mi doghter dere."
                      
                        "Blithli, sir, sua sal it be."
                      
                        Fra þan wit laban duelled he,
                        Line 3860 
                      
                        þe eilder sister he for-sok,
                      
                        For sco gleied, als sais þe bok;
                      
                        For to serue for rachel fre
                      
                        He was master hird of his fee;
                        Line 3864 
                      
                        It was ferli in þat siquar
                      
                        How fast þai multiplid þar.
                      
                        Quen þat þe seuen yere war gane
                      
                        Iacob hasked his lemman.
                        Line 3868 
                      
                        Laban said, "frend, ful blethli."
                      
                        Bot þar he did a trecheri,
                      
                        For þan he had may rachell wedd,
                      
                        Lia he stall vn-til his bedd;
                        Line 3872 
                      
                        Bisid lya al night he lai,
                      
                        His vnwitand, til it was dai;
                      
                        Bot quen he wist it o þe morn,
                      
                        Ful wa was him þat he was born;
                      
                        Fra hir he ras and siked sare
                        Line 3877 
                      
                        And asked wa þan broght hir þare.
                      
                         [folio 23a:1] "Laban," sco said, "allas for sinn
                      
                        Qua wend he wald þus me biginn."
                      
                        þan did he laban to resun:—
                      
                        "Qui has þou don me sli tresum?"
                      
                        "Vr lagh," he said, "þat we in liue
                      
                        Wil first our elder doghter giue.

                        Line 3884

Page 230

                      
                        Line 3884 
                      
                        Bot, neuou, murn þou na wight,
                      
                        þou sal haue rachell, als i hight;
                      
                        And þat mai be nanoþer wis
                      
                        Bot yeit for-þi seuen wintur seruis,
                      
                        To quils haa lya in þi bedd,
                        Line 3889 
                      
                        For-soth þan sal þou rachel wedd."
                      
                        þis neu forward was festend þan
                      
                        Bituix iacob and sir laban.
                        Line 3892 
                      
                        þis term was passed, and seuen dais,
                      
                        He spused rachell, þe stori sais.

                      
                        Lya bred child, and hadd a sun
                      
                        Ruben, and siþen symeon,
                        Line 3896 
                      
                        þan leuy, and þan ysacar,
                      
                        Zabulon, iudas, sex breþer war,
                      
                        A doghter sco hadd hight dyna.
                      
                        Bot of oþer wommen tua
                        Line 3900 
                      
                        Had four suns geten him,
                      
                        Dan, gad, asser, neptalim.
                      
                        Rachell bare iacob suns tuin,
                      
                        First ioseph, þan beniamin.
                        Line 3904 
                      
                        He was þe chesun of hir fine,
                      
                        Of him sco deid in gesine.
                      
                        Quat of his wiues tuin in spus,
                      
                        And wat of hand wimmen in hus,
                      
                        Tuelue suns had he o þaa,
                        Line 3909 
                      
                        And a doghter hight dyna.

                      
                        Iacob wex riche, his childer thraf,
                      
                        Thoru þe grace þat godd him gaue.
                      
                        þan bigan þam tak talent
                        Line 3913 
                      
                        To wend in to þair aun land,
                      
                        Wit wijf and child, and al handband,
                      
                        Ilkan wit oþer went in hand;

                        Line 3916

Page 232

                      
                        Line 3916 
                      
                        Laban o leue þam nicked nai,
                      
                        And þai bi night þam stal a way,
                      
                        Wijf and barn, wit flitting hale,
                        Line 3919 
                      
                        All stal þai forth wit nighter tale.
                      
                        A godd had laban in his bure
                      
                        þe quilk þat he was wonnt anure;
                      
                        In hir flitting rachell it fand
                        Line 3923 
                      
                        And forth sco bare it in hir hand;
                      
                        Laban it mist, ouer-tok and sogtht,
                      
                        Bot his godd þan fand he noght.
                      
                        Iacob went him forth his wai, [folio 23a:2] 
                      
                        On þe feild þar-oute he lai.
                        Line 3928 
                      
                        On þe ta side o flum jordan,
                      
                        And send his aght vte-ouer ilkan;
                      
                        And iacob lai him an þat naght,
                      
                        In hand an angel has he laght,
                        Line 3932 
                      
                        þat sammen handlinges wristeld þai
                      
                        Al þe night, til it was dai,
                      
                        þe angel badd him lete him far;
                      
                        He said þat suld he neuer mare,
                        Line 3936 
                      
                        þat he suld pass for ani thing,
                      
                        Till he had gin him his blissing:
                      
                        Sa lang þai wrasteld samen þare
                      
                        þat iacob was þan hurt wel sare,
                        Line 3940 
                      
                        þe maister sinu of his the,
                      
                        þat all his liue þan halted he,
                      
                        And for þis resun, i tald yow now,
                      
                        O sinnu etes neuer juu.
                        Line 3944 
                      
                        þan asked him our lauerd drightin,
                      
                        "Tel me nam," [he] said, "quat es þin?"
                      
                        "Iacob i hatt." "iacob ya,
                      
                        Sal þou na langer hetten sua,
                        Line 3948 
                      
                        For sin þou gain godd stalworth
                        Line 3951 
                      
                        Wel mat gain man sal þou be worth,
                      
                        Bot þou sal be cald israel
                        Line 3949 
                      
                        þat es man scand, godd of hel."

                        Line 3950

Page 234

3950

                      
                        ¶ Iacob send þan for to faand
                        Line 3953 
                      
                        Esau wit saghting saand,
                      
                        For he was raad of al thing
                      
                        For to cum in his metyng;
                        Line 3956 
                      
                        For quen he of his cuming herd
                      
                        Ful wrathli gains him he ferd,
                      
                        Four hundret men he ledd him with;
                      
                        God wer iacob fra his grith,
                        Line 3960 
                      
                        And sua he sal, þat wat i well,
                      
                        For he his vm-sett all wit sell.
                      
                        Iacob þan sent him of his aght
                      
                        Giftes large, al for þe saght,
                        Line 3964 
                      
                        þe messag[er]s him broght answar,
                      
                        He com a-gain wit his poer.
                      
                        Iacob leed grett folk of his kin,
                      
                        For doute he delt þam in tuin;
                        Line 3968 
                      
                        For þe doute þat he had þan,
                      
                        He delt in tua, bath beist and man,
                      
                        þat quils esau smat an o þe tua
                        Line 3971 
                      
                        þe toþer party suld scape him fra.
                      
                        Esau ai he dred ful sare,
                      
                        For he was fel and wald noght spare;
                      
                         [folio 23b:1] He dred if he him moght ouer-ta,
                      
                        Wit-outen pite he wald him sla;
                        Line 3976 
                      
                        And þan he said þus his praiyer—
                      
                        "Lauerd," he said, "þou drightin dere,
                      
                        þat adam first man made o liue,
                        Line 3979 
                      
                        And sythen of him wroght eue his wijf,
                      
                        þat had þai halden þat þou þan badd
                      
                        þai had in blis ben ouer stadd;
                      
                        þat ald noe, bath lel and gode,
                      
                        þou sauued fra þat ferli flode;—
                        Line 3984 
                      
                        þu wat now, lauerd, þat it es sua,
                      
                        Mi broiþer es now mi grettest faa,
                      
                        þat thoru mi moder red and run,
                      
                        I stal him fra his benisun;

                        Line 3988

Page 236

                      
                        Line 3988 
                      
                        Vte-ouer þis flum, last quen i ferd,
                      
                        In hand i ber noght bot a yerd,
                      
                        And now, lauerd, blissed mote þu be!
                      
                        O folk tua flokes cums wit me,
                        Line 3992 
                      
                        Lauerd, þou send me now þi rede,
                      
                        Gains esau has suorn mi dede;
                      
                        For man þat þou will help in nede
                      
                        Thar him neuer na derfnes drede;
                      
                        O þis gret aght þou has me lent
                        Line 3997 
                      
                        I sal gret fern be-for me sent,
                      
                        For ar he þe half o þaa haa slayn
                      
                        He sal be matid of his main;
                        Line 4000 
                      
                        To quils, if þou wil, sal i slip
                      
                        And fal noght in his hand grip."
                      
                        Esau coms brem and brath,
                      
                        Now es iacob in mikel wath;
                        Line 4004 
                      
                        He suer if he might wit him mete
                      
                        Formast his lijf he suld for-lete,
                      
                        For qua godds help es wit-all
                      
                        Ful siker mai he wend ouer all.
                        Line 4008 
                      
                        Quen he his folk sagh and aght
                      
                        His broþer he soght alsuith wit saght,
                      
                        For þat he for his come was bl[i]þe,
                      
                        Wel can he wit his kissing kiþe;
                      
                        Sli strengh es o þe holi gast,
                        Line 4013 
                      
                        To saghtnes mak þar wrath es mast.
                      
                        He welcumd iacob selli fair,
                      
                        He wist he was his fader air,
                        Line 4016 
                      
                        Wit-outen wreth, wit-outen wrak,
                      
                        O luue and pes þai samen spak;
                      
                        Quen þai had said þat þai wald sai
                      
                        Esau went him hame his way
                        Line 4020 
                      
                        Vnto seyr þar he com fra,
                      
                        Iacob can til his fader ga;
                      
                        For yeit he was þat sith liuand, [folio 23b:2] 
                      
                        Rebecca his moder ded he fand.

                        Line 4024

Page 238

                      
                        Line 4024 
                      
                        þis ysaac, þat i of rede,
                        Line 4025 
                      
                        In boke es cald þe lastand seed,
                      
                        He ledd his liue wit-vten blam, [De etate iacob] 
                      
                        And birid biside sir abraham.
                      
                        Nine score yeir he had houergan
                        Line 4029 
                      
                        Oute o þis lijf wen he was tan.
                      
                        Quen þis dughti man was ded,
                      
                        þir breþer tuain þam tok to red
                        Line 4032 
                      
                        To dele þair landes þam bi-tuixs,
                      
                        þat aiþer might þam ald wit his;
                      
                        Til esau bitid ebron
                      
                        And he self went til edom.
                        Line 4036

De iacob & eius filijs & de exsompnia iacob

                      
                        ¶ Iacob was selcut riche o fee,
                      
                        Of ilkin god he had plente;
                      
                        He was ful riche, als we rede,
                        Line 4039 
                      
                        Luued and lele, and loued in lede.
                      
                        Bot þof he luued his suns ilkan,
                      
                        Sua wel als ioseph he luued nan,
                      
                        For he was fair, wit-outen sake,
                        Line 4043 
                      
                        O breþer nan had he his make.
                      
                        All his breþer hirdes ware,
                      
                        He duelt ai at ham mare;
                      
                        þis was ioseph þat lele þat dred
                        Line 4047 
                      
                        þat has loue-word þat spedli spred,
                      
                        þat was þe chast and þat gentil
                      
                        þat siþen sufferd sa fele peril;
                      
                        Bot o perils þat he fell in
                      
                        Sum-quat to tell i sal bigin;
                        Line 4052 
                      
                        And how he com als oute o wath,
                      
                        His waa, his well, yee sal here bath.
                      
                        Ioseph he sagh a night in sueuen,
                      
                        þe quilk es worþie for to neuen—

Page 240

                      
                        Him thogh[t] his fader þaier corn schare
                      
                        Quar his elleuen breþer ware,
                      
                        He-self was on þe feld biside
                        Line 4059 
                      
                        To geder corn in herueistide;
                      
                        Hijs breþer schaues he sagh lutand
                      
                        Til his allan þat was standand.
                        Line 4062 
                      
                        Anoþer drem þer after sone,
                      
                        Him thoght þat bath sun and mone,
                      
                        And o þe mast þat war in heuen,
                      
                        Honurd sternes him elleuen,
                      
                        All luted him on þair maner,
                        Line 4067 
                      
                        Right als he þere lauerd were.
                      
                        He tald it þaim and þai said, "how
                      
                        Mai þis bitide, quat wennis þou
                      
                        For to be lauerd out ouer vs all? [folio 24a:1] 
                      
                        þat blis sal þe neuer fall."
                        Line 4072 
                      
                        Fra þis time forth, ne dai, ne naght,
                      
                        Wit ioseph ware þai neuer saght,
                      
                        For nigh þai had til him sa strang
                      
                        þai soght him ai to greue wit wrang;
                      
                        Ne wald þai apon him sei
                        Line 4077 
                      
                        Fra þis dai forth wit blithful ei.
                      
                        Ioseph was mast at ham duelland,
                      
                        His breþer in þe wildrin land,
                        Line 4080 
                      
                        Wit þair fee bituix þair lauus,
                      
                        Als it bi tidd mikel in þaa dauus.
                      
                        Bi þeir storis mai man wel se
                        Line 4083 
                      
                        þe folk liued mast þat tide wit fee.
                      
                        þeir breþer, þat i said of are,
                      
                        Amang þaa felles duelland ware,
                      
                        þat nan cuth tiþand o þam tell,
                      
                        For þai sent naman þam emell.
                        Line 4088 
                      
                        þair fader þat o þaim wite wald
                      
                        Til him his sun ioseph he cald:

"Sun," he said, "þou most agat Ga witt quat es þi breþer stat, 4092

Page 242

                      
                        Line 4092 
                      
                        Lang es sin we o þam herd,
                        Line 4093 
                      
                        þair fee wald i als witt how ferd."
                      
                        "Fader," he said, "i will ful fayn,
                      
                        þi bod i aght noght to stand agayn."
                      
                        He went him forth, and wist not quare,
                      
                        Grathli quare his breþer ware;
                        Line 4098 
                      
                        Bot ar he til his breþer wan,
                      
                        Will he yode, and mett a man:
                      
                        "Quat sekes þou, sun, here?" said he.
                      
                        "Mi breþer, and mi fader fee."
                        Line 4102 
                      
                        And þan ansuerd þat man til him—
                      
                        "þou sal þam find in dotaym."
                      
                        . . . . .
                      
                        . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] 
                      
                        He went him forth and forþer soght
                      
                        Til he þam faand he finid noght.
                        Line 4108 
                      
                        Quen þai sagh command ioseph, þair broþer,
                      
                        Ilkan o þaim þan said til oþer—
                      
                        "Lo quar þe dremer now es cummen,
                      
                        Bi drightin now he sal be nummen;
                      
                        Do we him [nu] to dreri ded
                        Line 4113 
                      
                        And his dremmes he siþen red [[MS. ded]] ."
                      
                        Fulfayn war þai þair þar him fand,
                      
                        Now mai þai him haue to will in hand,
                      
                        If þai him forwit oght for-bar,
                        Line 4117 
                      
                        Fra now mai þai noght him spare;
                      
                        An was eildest o þe elleuen
                      
                        þe quilk yee herd me ruben neuen:
                      
                        Quen he herd þai wald [[þai wald repeated in the MS.]]  him sla [folio 24a:2] ,
                      
                        Na selcuth þan him was ful waa;
                      
                        To stint wald he, if he moght,
                        Line 4123 
                      
                        þe foly þat his breþer thoght;
                      
                        All he sagh þam in a wil
                      
                        þair broþer sacles for to spil.
                      
                        "Mi breþer," he said, "now dos not sua,
                      
                        I rede noght yee your broþer sla,

                        Line 4128

Page 244

                      
                        Line 4128 
                      
                        þat es your aun fless and blod,
                      
                        To murþer him it es not god;
                      
                        And, if yee do, for-sotht, mi will,
                      
                        Sal yee neuer haue [harm] þar-till;
                      
                        And if yee do suilk an outrake
                        Line 4133 
                      
                        Ful siker may yee be o wrake,
                      
                        Fra your scending be mad cuth,
                      
                        All men sal yow haue in mouth;
                      
                        þat Baret rede i noght yee bru,
                        Line 4137 
                      
                        þat yow mai euer after ru;
                      
                        He has yow nathing don for-qui
                      
                        Yee haue noght gain him bot enuy,
                      
                        And wijt þat he be slain
                        Line 4141 
                      
                        His liue dais i tell gain."
                      
                        Ful fellik þai a-gain answard,
                      
                        "Quar-for suld we of oght be ferd?
                      
                        For man þat liuand es, ne wijf,
                        Line 4145 
                      
                        Ne sal he scappus wit þe lijf."
                      
                        Quen ruben sagh þair was nanoþer
                      
                        Bot algat for to sla þer broþer,
                        Line 4148 
                      
                        "For godds luue dos a-wai he said
                      
                        þat na hand on him be laid,
                      
                        þat na blod o him be schedd;
                      
                        Bot sin he algat sal be ded
                        Line 4152 
                      
                        Do it þan wit suilk a wile
                      
                        þat yee your handes ne þer-wit file;
                      
                        In þis wast i wat a pite,
                      
                        Dri and waterles es it,
                        Line 4156 
                      
                        þer ouer standes a mikel tre,
                      
                        Cast yee him þar. and lat him be
                      
                        Bi-tuixand he o liue be broght,
                        Line 4159 
                      
                        þan mai we sai, we sagh him noght;
                      
                        His kyrtil sal we riue and rend,
                      
                        And blody til his fader seind,
                      
                        And sai til him þat we it fand
                      
                        Wit-in þe wildernes liggand,

                        Line 4164

Page 246

                      
                        Line 4164 
                      
                        And sai we þat he riuen es
                      
                        Wit beistes wild, in wildernes,
                        Line 4166 
                      
                        And þan wil naman mak on sau
                      
                        þat we him suld haue broght on dau."
                      
                        Al said ruben þis, þat i sai [folio 24a:1] ,
                      
                        For he wald lede his lijf a-wai.
                        Line 4170 
                      
                        ¶ "Gladli," said þai, "and þat be skete."
                      
                        þai hent ioseph be hend and fete,
                      
                        And nackend him and kest him dun,
                      
                        And left him þar, als in prisun;
                      
                        Siþen þai settam dun and ete,
                      
                        þan sagh þai cumand be þe stret
                        Line 4176 
                      
                        Marchands of an vncuth thede
                      
                        O egypte, als in boke we rede,
                      
                        Wit camels þat gret birþin bar,
                      
                        O spice and of oþer ware;
                        Line 4180 
                      
                        Amang þir breþer þar was
                      
                        An þat had to nam judas.
                      
                        "Quat bote es it," he said, "til vs
                      
                        þat we for-do our broþer þus?
                        Line 4184 
                      
                        Bot tac we him out of yon den
                      
                        And sel we him to yon chapmen,
                      
                        þat þai him lede mai into fer land,
                      
                        To be þair thral þar-in lastand;
                        Line 4188 
                      
                        If it sua tide þat he dei þar
                      
                        þar-for forsoth bot littell care,
                      
                        Or if þat he be þar liuand
                      
                        His fader of him hirs na ti-þand."
                      
                        þar was ioseph in seruage sald,
                        Line 4193 
                      
                        For tuenti besands þan and tald.
                      
                        Ioseph es now ledd out o land,
                      
                        Godd hald ouer him his holi hand!
                      
                        Ruben, þat þe mast o þaim was wis,
                      
                        Wist noght o þis marchandis.
                        Line 4198 
                      
                        Apon þe morn he com and soght
                      
                        þe pite, bot ioseph fand he noght;

Page 248

                      
                        He morn mare þan .i. can tell,
                      
                        Al-mast in suoning þar he fell;
                        Line 4202 
                      
                        Til his breþer þan yode he son
                      
                        And þai him tald wat þai had don.
                      
                        Quat bote es soru, or mak mane
                      
                        O thing þat couering has nane.
                        Line 4206 
                      
                        His fader þai sent, wit-outen bade,
                      
                        Ioseph kirtell al bloide made.

                      
                        Quen his fader his kirtell kneu,
                        Line 4209 
                      
                        Moght na gamen him com to gleu:
                      
                        "Beistes," he said, "mi sun has rent,
                      
                        Allas! þat i him ouþer oute-sent,
                      
                        þat wai þat was so wath to wend,
                      
                        Al mi luue on him was lend.
                      
                        Allas! wittles was i þat dai,
                        Line 4215 
                      
                        Of him has beistes made þair prai;
                      
                        þis es his clath, þat es well sene [folio 24a:2] ,
                      
                        Ha! quat þaa bestes war selcuth kene
                      
                        þat has me refte mi derling dere,
                      
                        Mi ioi, mi gladnes, o mi chere;
                        Line 4220 
                      
                        Ioseph þou was mi ioi allan,
                      
                        Now ert þou ded, now haue i nain;
                      
                        Ioseph þat was fre and feir
                      
                        Of al min aght suld haben air,
                        Line 4224 
                      
                        For þi suettnes and þi fair heu
                      
                        Mi care sal euermar be neu;
                      
                        I wald sinc in-til helle depe
                      
                        Wit mi sun þar for to wepe."
                        Line 4228 
                      
                        Bot al his quainn[i]ng, for to rede
                      
                        Or for to spek, it war vn-spede.
                      
                        His oþer suns com ilkan sere
                      
                        For to mend þair fader chere,
                        Line 4232 
                      
                        Bot for noght com þai him nere,
                      
                        O cumforth wald he nathing here;
                      
                        Es noght his murning mai amend
                      
                        I wen bifor his liues ende.

                        Line 4236

Page 250

                      
                        Line 4236 
                      
                        Leue we now iacob in þis care.
                        Line 4237 
                      
                        To tell of ioseph and his fare.

                      
                        ¶ þir chapmen þat haue ioseph boght
                      
                        Vn-til egipte þai haue him broght,
                      
                        þar he was eftursons saald
                        Line 4241 
                      
                        Til a dughti barn and bald;
                      
                        To putifer, þe king stiward,
                      
                        He was saal[d] wit neu for-ward,
                        Line 4244 
                      
                        þat held ioseph in mensk and are,
                      
                        þof þair throut al sundri ware,
                      
                        For men war þar o sarzin lede,
                      
                        And joseph held ai his juhede.
                        Line 4248 
                      
                        Sir putifar wel vndirstod
                      
                        þat ioseph was o gentil blod;
                      
                        In all þe dedis þat he did
                      
                        He sagh drightin was him emid.
                        Line 4252 
                      
                        þe wardein-scipp of al his aght
                      
                        Has putifar ioseph bi-taght;
                      
                        þan was ioseph bath luued and dred,
                      
                        Wit wisdom al his werkes ledd,
                        Line 4256 
                      
                        And, for he curtays was and hende,
                      
                        Of all folk þar þan fand he freind.
                      
                        Putifar ferd in to þe contre,
                        Line 4259 
                      
                        And ioseph dueld wit his meigne,
                      
                        And has his godes all in hand,
                      
                        Als he þat was his al weldand.
                      
                        Ioseph was farli fair in face,
                      
                        And fild wit al of goddes grace.
                        Line 4264 
                      
                        His leuedi ei apon him kest, [folio 25a:1] 
                      
                        Forward o fele es eth to fest;
                      
                        Foli was it, & sua sco faand,
                        Line 4267 
                      
                        Hir luue to seit þar it ne moght stand;
                      
                        Sco miþed it, to-quils sco moght,
                      
                        And ioseph lette he wist it noght;
                      
                        He wist and dild it, als þe wis,
                      
                        An ai sco praised his seruis;

                        Line 4272

Page 252

                      
                        Line 4272 
                      
                        Sua lang in hert sco has it hid,
                      
                        þat ned-wais most it for bi kid,
                      
                        For qua þar-for be wrath or blith
                      
                        Luken luue at þe end wil kith.
                        Line 4276 
                      
                        Oft sco meind til him hir mane,
                      
                        Bot ai sco fand ioseph in ane;
                      
                        Quen sco sagh þat, þan wex hir care,
                      
                        And langing had, ai mare and mare;
                      
                        In hir foli sua was sco fest
                        Line 4281 
                      
                        þat dai ne night ne had sco rest;
                      
                        For o quat pine es herder threst
                      
                        þen tharn þe thing men luues best,
                      
                        And to bi put in sli prisun,
                        Line 4285 
                      
                        þat reues man might and als resun?
                      
                        In prisun hald i þat licam
                      
                        Wit quam þe hert es noght at ham,
                      
                        For quen hert has þat it will wiss
                      
                        þe bodi mai haue namar bliss,
                        Line 4290 
                      
                        Ne namar wa þan will to wan
                      
                        Wit-outen will es liking nan;
                      
                        Hert and will bath ar als an,
                      
                        þat bath er reft fra manian,
                        Line 4294 
                      
                        Thoru strengh o luue þat nan mai stere,
                      
                        þof his hert al stillen were,
                      
                        Hert o stele, and bodi o brass,
                      
                        Strenger þen euer sampson was,
                        Line 4298 
                      
                        þat luue ne mai him mike wit might,
                      
                        Quilum allan wit an ei sight;
                      
                        Ful hard it es again him dele
                      
                        To bidint of his mangonele,
                        Line 4302 
                      
                        Quen his lok allan may bring
                      
                        Vn-til his thraldom þe king;
                      
                        And, maugre his, he dos him lute,
                      
                        For ai he ledes him wit doute.
                        Line 4306 
                      
                        For-þi if þou be suilk a gum
                      
                        þat þou will luue al-gat ouercum,

Page 254

                      
                        Quen þou seis him busk to þe,
                      
                        þou do þe stallworthli to flei;
                      
                        Fleand turn þou noght þin ei,
                      
                        For elles þof þou be ful slei,
                        Line 4312 
                      
                        Thoru þine [[þire in MS.]]  ei þe sal be sent [folio 25a:2] 
                      
                        A flan, wit wild fire al brent,
                      
                        First to brin þin hert wit-in
                        Line 4315 
                      
                        And siþen to slokend bi wit sin;
                      
                        Fleand þou folu noght i rede
                      
                        For sua þou mai þe driue to ded,
                      
                        To ded vmquil, and to langur,
                        Line 4319 
                      
                        Quen þou art soght fra þi succur;
                      
                        For bettur it es bi-time to stint
                      
                        þan folu þi prai þat es bot tint;
                      
                        Qua folus lang, wit-outen turn,
                      
                        Oft his fote sal find a spurn;
                        Line 4324 
                      
                        Reu his res þan sal he sare,
                      
                        Or heuen his harm wit foli mare.
                      
                        Sua did þis wijf, i yow of redd,
                      
                        Sco folud ioseph ai þar he fledd,
                        Line 4328 
                      
                        And for sco foluand fand a spurn,
                      
                        Sco waited him wit a werr turn,
                      
                        Hir-self in godds gram and gilt,
                      
                        And almast did him to be spilt.
                        Line 4332 
                      
                        How sco broght him to þe fand,
                      
                        Forth to tell wil i noght waand:
                      
                        Sco fanded ioseph many dai,
                        Line 4335 
                      
                        And euer he ansuerd hir wit nai.
                      
                        ¶ Ioseph, þat was god purueur,
                      
                        A dai he went in to þe bour;
                      
                        Quen he had hir hend-li gret,
                        Line 4339 
                      
                        "Lauedi," he said, "com to þi mete."
                      
                        "yus," sco said, "bot ar i ga
                      
                        þou spek wit me a word or tua."
                      
                        "Lang," he said, "[may]i noghti duell."
                      
                        And þus bigan sco him to spell.

                        Line 4344

Page 256

4344

                      
                        "Ioseph," sco said, "to þe lemman,
                      
                        Hendes[t] of all i mak mi man,
                      
                        Bituix þe now allan and me
                      
                        Sceu i now mi priuete;
                        Line 4348 
                      
                        þi luue me has broght to grund,
                      
                        þat i mai neuer mar be sund,
                      
                        Bot if mi bote mai rese o þe,
                      
                        þat es þat þou mi lefe wald be;
                        Line 4352 
                      
                        O werldes welth to wale and wan
                      
                        Sal þou haf mare þan mai be gan;
                      
                        To mi lauerd sal þou be dere,
                      
                        Til oþer nain sal þou be pere;"
                        Line 4356 
                      
                        Sco can hals him son wit þis
                      
                        And bedd him mothes for to kys,
                      
                        And drou him þen toward hir bedd;
                      
                        Bot ioseph, þat our drightin dredd,
                      
                        "Bilete," he said, "þi foli will, [folio 25b:1] 
                      
                        Wil þou me and þi seluen spil?
                      
                        Putifar me has be-taght
                        Line 4363 
                      
                        His land, and lithe, and al his aght,
                      
                        And for his [[MS. hes]]  traist o mi leute
                      
                        Of all his god he trues me;
                      
                        Al es me taght, and noght vttan,
                      
                        Bot þou þat es his wijf allan;
                        Line 4368 
                      
                        O þe haf i nakin might,
                      
                        For elles it war a-gain þe right;
                      
                        He þat has giue[n] me pouste slike,
                      
                        Godd forbedd i suld him suike;
                        Line 4372 
                      
                        And we aght noght wit no resun
                      
                        Til our lauerd do slik tresun;
                      
                        And leuer es me be pour and lele
                      
                        þan wikudli at win catell;
                        Line 4376 
                      
                        For-þi, lauedi, wit mode and main,
                      
                        þou drau þi foli thoght a-gain;
                      
                        For qua bigin wil ani thing
                      
                        He aght to thinc on þe ending."

                        Line 4380

Page 258

                      
                        Line 4380 
                      
                        ¶ "Allas!" sco said, "ioseph, þis dai,
                      
                        And has þou nicked me wit nay?
                      
                        If i liue þou sal me [[MS. mi]]  proue
                      
                        An iuel freind to þi be-houe;
                        Line 4384 
                      
                        I sal þe mak wit myn husband
                      
                        þe werst luue in al þis land."
                      
                        Sco drou his mantel wit þe pan,
                      
                        Quen ioseph sagh na bettur wan
                        Line 4388 
                      
                        He drou, sco held, þe tassel brak,
                      
                        þe mantel left, he gafe þe bak.
                      
                        þan fel þat wijf to feloni
                      
                        And foreiud sun a trecheri.
                        Line 4392 
                      
                        Sco gaue a cri þat all moght here,
                      
                        þe folk þat in þat pales were—
                      
                        "Lauedi," þai said, "wat aleis yow?"
                      
                        Sco said, "ne herd yee na wight how
                      
                        Yon traitur juu me wald sceind,
                        Line 4397 
                      
                        þat mi lauerd halds for freind,
                      
                        He wald haue forced me in hi,
                      
                        If i ne had mad titter cri,
                        Line 4400 
                      
                        Bot for mi cri ful suith he fled
                      
                        And left wit me a taken wedd;
                      
                        His mantel es bi-left wit me,
                      
                        þat ilk man þee sothe mai see,
                        Line 4404 
                      
                        þat þai mai se þe wilani
                      
                        þe quilk he soght on his lauedi."
                      
                        "Sir," sco said to putifar,
                      
                        "Was neuer don to leuedi mar
                        Line 4408 
                      
                        Scam þat liuand es in lede, [folio 25b:2] 
                      
                        þan þe gedling of vncuth thede;
                      
                        Ioseph soght on me in bour
                        Line 4411 
                      
                        þat suikeful fals, þat fole lichour,
                      
                        Al suilk and suilk, sir, was þe [[MS. þi]]  scam
                      
                        þat he can seke on mi licam;
                      
                        For-þi, als þou es man for þe,
                      
                        On him lok i wel wroken be."

                        Line 4416

Page 260

                      
                        Line 4416 
                      
                        Putefar þan comanded son
                      
                        þat ioseph suld be tan, and don
                      
                        In kinges prisun for to lij,
                      
                        Wit na raunsuming to bij.
                        Line 4420 
                      
                        ¶ Allas! ioseph, þat war and wis,
                      
                        Ill es þe quit þi god seruis!
                      
                        For þi leute and þi truthhede
                      
                        Ful iuel es yolden þe þi mede!
                        Line 4424 
                      
                        Suilk es tresun of ille womman,
                      
                        In werld es stranger funden nan;
                      
                        And god amend hir þat es slike
                        Line 4427 
                      
                        And giue man grace to fle hir suike!

                      
                        ¶ Now es ioseph in prisun strang
                      
                        Don, als yee haue herd, wijt wrang,
                      
                        And siþen liked him ful well,
                      
                        For all it turned him to sele;
                        Line 4432 
                      
                        For son was ioseph halden dere
                      
                        Wit þe maister jailere,
                      
                        Thoru godds grace þat wit him ras,
                      
                        Of all þe prisuns þat þar was
                        Line 4436 
                      
                        þat oþer in prisun war or band,
                      
                        Al had þam ioseph vnder hand;
                      
                        He ferd ai wit so mikel thrift
                      
                        þat al was don als he wald scift.
                        Line 4440 
                      
                        þus can godd help man in nede,
                      
                        Namli þat wil him luue and dred.
                      
                        ¶ In þat siquar ioseph ferd þus:—
                      
                        Was tua men in þe kinges hus
                        Line 4444 
                      
                        To prisun sent for þair misdede,
                      
                        (Bot quat it was can i not rede);
                      
                        þe spenser and þe botelar bath
                        Line 4447 
                      
                        þe king self wit þaim was wrath.
                      
                        Bot son þe maister iailer
                      
                        To ioseph taght þam for to ster;
                      
                        Bot ioseph sagh þam ai vmstunt
                        Line 4451 
                      
                        To comforth þam wel was he wont.

Page 262

                      
                        Bot als þai lai in þat prisun,
                      
                        A-naght þam mete a visiun,
                      
                        And of þis sueuen þat had sene
                        Line 4455 
                      
                        Aieþer can til oþer mene.
                      
                         [folio 26a:1] Drupand a dai he sagh þeir chere
                      
                        And asked qui þai murnand were.
                      
                        þe botellar gaue for þaim ansuer:
                      
                        Said, "sir, we are þe droupander,
                      
                        For tua sueuens we sagh in sight
                      
                        Aiþer of him-self, to night."
                        Line 4462 
                      
                        "And quat war þai, bi þi leute?
                      
                        þin auen drem first sceu þou me."
                      
                        "Me-thoght i sagh a wintre,
                      
                        A bogh þat was wit branches thre;
                      
                        O þis tre apon ilk bogh
                        Line 4467 
                      
                        Me-thoght hang winberis inogh;
                      
                        And o þe berys þat þar-on hang
                      
                        In a cupe, me-thoght, i wrang;
                        Line 4470 
                      
                        Me-thoght þe king was at his mete
                      
                        And i þis cupe in hand him sette."
                      
                        "Godote," said ioseph, "wit þe might of heuen
                        Line 4473 
                      
                        I sal vn-do þe wel þi sueuen;
                      
                        Ar þis thrid dai be gan
                      
                        þou sal be vte o prisun tan,
                        Line 4476 
                      
                        And clensed be befor iustis,
                      
                        And don again in þin offis;
                      
                        Quen þou es in welth befor þe king
                      
                        For godd o me þou haf mining,
                        Line 4480 
                      
                        þat i mai, thoru þe help o þe,
                      
                        Broght oute o þis prisun be.
                      
                        First man stal þae o mi thede
                      
                        And me prisund, saccles o ded."
                        Line 4484 
                      
                        þe spenser said, "me-thoght i bare
                      
                        A lepe, als i was oft won ar,

Page 264

                      
                        Wit bred þat i bar on mi heued;
                      
                        Me thoght wit rauens it was me refd,
                      
                        A mikel rauen mi basket hent,
                        Line 4489 
                      
                        Aboute mi heued he raft and rent."
                      
                        "Godote," said ioseph, "bes not lang
                      
                        Bituixand þou on galus hang;
                        Line 4492 
                      
                        Bot sal it wit-in thre dais be,
                      
                        It sal na raunsun ga for þe."
                      
                        Right als ioseph had said be-forn
                      
                        Was hanged on þe thrid morn.
                        Line 4496 
                      
                        þe bottelar was lesed þat ilk dai,
                      
                        Bot ioseph in þat prisun lai,
                      
                        Wit langor lengand and with care,
                      
                        Lang he was for-geten þar.
                        Line 4500 
                      
                        Welnes o welth did þis boteler
                      
                        For-gete ioseph, his drem-reder;
                      
                        For man þat weltres in his welis
                        Line 4503 
                      
                        And, thoru his welth, na fautes felis,
                      
                        þof he ha freind þat lijs in waa [folio 26a:2] 
                      
                        Ful oft he his forgeten sua;
                        Line 4506 
                      
                        For lang was said, and yeit sua bes,
                      
                        'Hert sun for-gettes þat ne ei seis';
                      
                        Bot i dar sai, and god it wat,
                        Line 4509 
                      
                        'Qua leli luues for-gettes lat'.
                      
                        ¶ Ioseph him lai in þat langing,
                      
                        Bituixand pharaon þe king
                        Line 4512

                      
                        Sagh in slepe suilk a sueuening,
                      
                        þat he commanded be-for him bring
                      
                        Clerc and kinthe, [[read knihte]]  erle and baron
                      
                        To sceu til his a-uisiun,
                      
                        At wit if animan þar war
                        Line 4517 
                      
                        Cuth tel þe birþin þat it bar.
                      
                        Bot was þar nan emang ham [[? þam]]  all
                      
                        Cuth sai quat þar-of suld fall.
                        Line 4520 
                      
                        þan bigan þe boteler sai
                      
                        O ioseph þat in prisun lai.

Page 266

                      
                        To þe king þus spak he þan—
                      
                        "Sir," he said, "i wat a man,
                        Line 4524 
                      
                        If he forth war broght in place,
                      
                        I vnderstand he has þe grace
                      
                        Son o þi drem, wit-outen bide,
                      
                        þe soth to tell quat mai bitide.
                        Line 4528 
                      
                        Sir king, þou was wit me wrath
                      
                        And wit þi maister spenser bath;
                      
                        In prisun war we don in band,
                      
                        þar in a juen child we fand;
                        Line 4532 
                      
                        Aiþer of hus a drem we sau
                      
                        And he us bad til him it scau;
                      
                        And we be-gin him for to tell,
                      
                        He tald us al þat siþen fell."
                        Line 4536 
                      
                        "Ga to þe prisun," said þe king,
                      
                        "And him do suith be-for me bring;
                      
                        Lok cletyng [[? cleþyng]]  neu on him be don
                      
                        And þat he cum be-for me son."
                        Line 4540 
                      
                        þe boteler to þe prisun lep,
                      
                        And suith þar-out he broght ioseph;
                      
                        And did a-pon him fair clething
                        Line 4543 
                      
                        And broght him to þat gad[e]ring.
                      
                        On ioseph sight it was wel sene
                      
                        þat he had lang in prisun bene;
                      
                        For lene he was, and wan þe face,
                      
                        Als he þat was lang fra solace;
                        Line 4548 
                      
                        þe barunnage mikel ferli thoght
                      
                        þat suilk to king red was broght.
                      
                        þan cald þe king ioseph nerr:
                      
                        "I haf soght," he said, "both farr and nerr,
                      
                         [folio 26b:2] At find a man mi drem to rede
                        Line 4553 
                      
                        Bot hider-to moght i noght spede;
                      
                        Bot cuth þou tel me quat it ware
                      
                        Mi grace þou suld haf euermar."
                      
                        "Sir," he said, "yee sceu it þan,
                        Line 4557 
                      
                        And i sal red it, if i can;

Page 268

                      
                        I am seruand þi wil to do
                      
                        If godd me gif grace þerto."
                        Line 4560

                      
                        ¶"Me thoght in drem, þis ender night,
                      
                        þat i com in a medu slight;
                      
                        Flours and gress i-nogh i faand,
                        Line 4563

About this Item

Pages

description Page 8

PROLOGUE.

[Cotton Vesp. A iii., British Museum, leaf 2]

1The Cursur o the world.1 [[1_1 in a later hand.]]

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Incipit de trinitate & creacione mundi [folio 3b:1]

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[Of the name Adam, and of Paradise.]

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[Of Satan's scheme to tempt and ruin Adam.]

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Expulsio ade & transgressio euis

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