Nachträge zu den legenden / [ed. C. Horstmann].

3. The lyfe of Adam

1) aus Ms. Bodl. 596 (c. 1430).

Adam was made of oure lord god in the same place that Jhesu was borne in, that is to seye in the cite of Bethleem, which is in the myddel of the [f. 1.] erthe. And ther of foure corneres of the worlde Adam body was made; and aungeles broght þat erthe fro thilk partyes, þat is to seye: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Vryel; and þat erthe was brighte and schynynge as the sonne, and þat erthe was broght oute of foure flodes, þat is to seye: Geon, Phison, Tigrys, and Eufrates. Thanne is man made like the ymage of god, and god blewe in his face enspyryng of lyfe, that is to seye his soule. So as he was made of foure parties of erthe, also of foure maner of wyndes he was enspyred, and of foure maner of flodes. Thanne oure lord, whanne Adam was made, he had ȝeue hym no name: and thanne he seyde to the foure aungeles þat they schulde seche hym a name. And Michael went forthe to the est, and there he sawe the sterre þat hight Amiocolum: and he toke the first lettre ther-of. And Raphael went forth in to the southe and fonde the sterre of the southe þat hight Dysys: and he toke the first lettre ther-of. And Gabryel went in to the northe and fonde the sterre of (the) northe þat hight Arthos: and he toke the first lettre (ther-)of. Thanne went Vryel in to the west & fonde the sterre þat hight Mensembryon: and he toke the first lettre ther-of. Thise lettres weren broght to oure Lord, and he bad Vriel reden hem. And he redde hem and seide: "Adam"; and oure Lord seide: "soo schal his name be called." Versus: Annotebe dedit A, Disys D, A contulit Arthos, M Men∣sembrion; collige: fiet Adam.

And ȝe schul vndirstonde that Adam was made of viij thinges. O partye was of slyme of the erthe: where-of his flesshe was; and ther-of he is sloghe. Another partye was of the see: wher-of his blode was; and there-fore he is couetouse and besy. The thridde partye was of stones of the erthe: and ther-fore he is harde and bittir. 1 The ferthe partie was of clowdes: wher-of be wroght his thynkynges; and ther-of he is lecherous. The v partie was of the wynde: wher-of is made his breth; and ther-of he is light. The vj partie was of the sonne: and ther-of be his eyghen; and ther-of he is faire and clere. The vij partie is of the light of the world: wher-of he is made glad; and ther-of he hath his vnderstondynge. The viij partie is of the holygooste: and ther-of he hathe his soule; and ther-of be thise holy prophets and vertuus goddes-chosen.

Aftir the tyme that god hadde made Adam & Eue, thurghe synne thei fell, and were dryuen oute of paradys. Thanne wenten thei in to the west, and there thei maden hem a dwellyng-place; and there thei were sixe dayes sorowyng and criyng in grete tribulacioun. Aftir thilk sex dayes thei be∣gone to hunger (&) thei soght for too eete ... Thanne seide Eue to Adam: "my lorde, I hungre sore. Why go ȝe noght to seche thing that we myght cete, vn-to þat we see þat oure lord god wol haue mercy on vs and clepe vs agayne to the stede there-as we were first?" Thanne arose Adam after the dayes viij, and went alle that londe abowte; but he ne fonde no suche meete as thei had byfore.

Thanne seid Eue to Adam efte: "my lord, I dye for hungre; wolde god I myght dye or elles þat I were slayn of the, forwhy for me is god wrothe with the."

And thanne seide Adam: "grete is in heuen and in erthe his wrethe; where it be for me or for the, I note."

And then seide Eue to Adam: "my lord, sle me, þat I may be done away fro the face of god and fro the sight of his aungeles; so that he may for∣gete to be wrothe with the, oure lord god ȝete, so that happely he lede the in paradys; for why for the cause of me þou art putte oute ther-of." Thanne seide Adam to Eue: "speke no more so, lest oure lord god sende his malisoun vppon vs. How myght it be that I myght (putte) myne hoonde in my flessche—þat is to sayne: how myght it be þat I shuld slee myne owen flesshe? But arise, go we and seche where-with for to lyue, and ne stynt we noght to seche!" They went and soght, but þei fonde noght als thei hadde in paradys; neuerthelees suche thei founden as neet and bestees eten. Thanne seide Adam: "make we sorowe in the sight of oure lorde god, þat made vs, and forthinke we in grete forthingyng xl dayes, ȝif happely oure lord god forȝeue vs and ordeyne vs wher-with to lyfe."

Thanne seide Eue to Adam: "my lord, sey me what forthenkyng is, or how we schulde forthenk, lest happely we take vppon vs that we may not fulfille, and oure praieres be not herde and god turne his face fro vs, ȝif we fulfille not that we haue byhete." Thanne seide Adam to Eue: "thow may suffre so many, ȝif thow wilte, & thow doost (i)noght. I say the so many doo as þou wilte. Forsothe I wil suffre xl dayes and seuen, for on the syxt daye was I made and on the seuent daye god endide alle thingis." And he seide to Eue: "Aryse and go to Tygre flode, and bere a stoone with the and stonde there-on in the water vp to the nekke, & lat not one worde passe oute of thi mouthe; for we be vnworthi for to pray (to) god, for why oure lippes be vnclene for we haue eeten of the forboden tree. Be there xl dayes, and I schal go in the flome Jurdon̄ and be there xl dayes and seuen, if happily oure lord god haue mercy vppone vs." And she went to the water of Tygre, as Adam bad; and Adam went to the flome Jordon̄, and tooke a stone with hym and stoode ther-on vp to the nekke in the water, and the here of his heuede was spreed abrood vpone the water. Thanne seide Adam: "I say to the, Jordan, make sorowe with me, and gadre to-gydre alle the beestes þat be with-in the, and cometh aboute me and make sorowe with me! noght for yowre-seluen make ȝe no sorowe, but alle for me; forwhy ȝe ne synned noght, bot I wikkedly agayns my lorde haue synned; neither ȝe haue done no defaute, nether ȝe be noght begiled fro ȝoure sustenaunce nether fro ȝoure meetes, ordeigned to yow, but I haue synned and I am bigyled fro my sustenaunce the which was ordeigned for me." Whanne Adam had made al this lamentacioun, thanne alle lyfynge thinges that were in contre of Jurdon̄, fisshe, foule and beeste, comen aboute hym, makyng sorow with hym; and the water stoode stille in that tyme of praying. Thanne Adam bygan to crye to his lorde, so that his voice wex ful horse, daye by daye; so that xix dayes of sorow∣ing [f. 3.] be fulfilled with Adam and alle lyfyng thinges þat sorowed with hym for his synne. Thanne was ther aduersarye stered, the feende, angirlye & wroth and envyouse to hem-warde: & thanne he transfigured hym in to a feire louely liknesse, and went to the floode of Tygre, there as Eue was sorowyng. And whenne he sawe here in greete sorowe wepyng, he bygan to wepe; aftirward he bad here goo oute and turne agayn and reste, and wepe no more. "Now stynt of thi sorow, of the whiche thow art losed, forwhi god hath herde youre sorowes and hath forgyfen yow youre tres∣passes;

for the whiche we and alle other aungels haue prayed, and ther∣fore god hath sent me for to lede yow oute of the water and gyfe yow youre foode agayn, þat ye loste for youre synne. Therfore now gooth oute, and I wil lede yow in to your stede, there that youre mete is made redy to yow." And thanne went Eue oute of the water, and here flesshe was also greene as gresse, for colde of the watere. And whenne she cam on londe, she fel doune to the erthe for feble, and she leye as she had ben dede, almoste a daye. And the deuyl toke here vp and supportid hire, and she went forth to Adam, and the deuyl with hire. And whanne Adam sey hem, he cryed wepyng, seying thus: "O Eue, Eue, where is now thi dede of penaunce? how art thow bygiled of thyne aduersarie, by the whiche we be aliened of oure dwellynge-place in paradys and of oure spirituel Joye?" Thanne, when Eue herde this, she knewe that she was begiled thorghe the feende and that he had made hir come oute of the floode.

Thanne she felle grouelyng to the erthe, & thanne hir sorow was doubled so mykil as it was byfore. Thanne Adam cried seying: "Wo be to the, feende, the whiche vs thus greuouslye ne styntes not to trauayle and to fight agaynes vs! what haue we doon to the, þat thow thus sorowfullye and angrely purshewest vs? or what is it to vs thoghe thow be wrothe(!)? or haue we any thinge bynome the of thi Joye þat thow schulde haue ere? haue we done the any maner of shame? whethere wenest þou þat we be dedely enemys to the-warde?" Thanne answerd the deuel sorowfully and seyd: "O Adam, alle sorowful enemyte and enuye ben to me by-cause of the, forwhy for the am I putte oute of my Joye and I am aliened fro the clertee of the faire light þat I had in heuene amydde alle aungeles, and I am for the caste in to erthe and hel." Thanne answerd Adam: "what haue I do to the or wherfore blamest thow me? thow ne were knowe of me ne I ne wist noght of the." The deuel answerde: "Adam, what seyst thow? thow woste noght what thow menest. þou dyddeste noght to me; neuerthelasse for thy cause I am caste oute: in that daye þat thow were made, I was caste fro the face of god, and fro the felawshippe of angeles I am sent away. For, forsothe, whenne god blew in the lyfe and thi sem∣blaunt and thi lyknes was made aftere the ymage of god, then Michael ledde [f. 4.] the to-fore the sight of god and there he made the to be worschipped. And thanne seid god: "biholde, I haue made Adam after the shappe and the lyknesse of vs." And Michael (went) forth and cleped alle the angeles and seide: "worschip ȝe the ymage of oure lord god, as oure lord hath comaunded." And that Michael first honoured the and clepyd (me) and seyde to me: "honoure the ymage of oure lord god." And I answered and seide: "nay, I haue noght to doone to worschippe Adam." Whanne Michael char∣ged me to worschippe the, I seide to hym: "wher-with chargest thow me? I wil noght worschippe a fouler thanne I am; I am fayrer thanne he, for why I was a-fore alle creatures, and er he were, I was made; and therfore he shal wirshippe me, and I not hym." And this herd other aungeles, that be now with me, and nolde not worshipen the neyther. And ȝet seide thilke Michael: "worshepe the ymage of god! forsothe, but thow worschippe hym, god wol be wrothe with the." And I seide: "ȝef god be wroth with me, I schal sette my setee abouen al other in heuene and be lyke hym that is hyest." Thanne was god wroth with me and comaunded that I shulde be dryuen oute of heuene and oute of my Joye, with myn angeles. And so by the cause of the we ben putte oute of oure Joyeful dwellyng and caste in to the erthe and hel. And anoon I was brought in sorwe and angre, for I was putte oute of al my Joye, and thow were putte in alle delites and myrthes. And therfore I bygan to be enuyouse to the-ward, and ne myght noght suffre the to be so in Joye in life in so moche mirthe. But thanne I wente and begiled thy woman, &

with hire I bygiled the fro alle thyne delytes, Joyes and myrthes, right as I was putte fro my gloriouse beynge."—Whanne Adam herd this, he cried with a grete wepyng and seide: "lord god, my life is in thyne handes: make that this wykked aduersarie be fer fro me, for he secheth euere in al that he may to spille my soule. Lorde, ȝef me the Joye fro whiche I am cast oute!" Thanne anon as Adam this lamentacioun had made, the deuel was wanysshed a-way fro his sight. And Adam trewliche fulfilled there xl dayes and seuen in penaunce in the water of Jurdon.—And Eue seide to Adam: "my lord, god lifeth to the & hathe graunted þ^e lyfe, forwhy noyther atte the firste tyme neyther at the seconde thow were not cursed; but I am cursed and gyled, for I ne kept not the heestes of god. And now de∣part me fro the light of this life, that is to sey, I wil be departied fro the sight of the, for I am not worthi to see the neyther I am not worthi to haue myrthe of the ne comforte for my wikkednesse; but I wil wende as fer as I may in to the west, and dwelle there til I dye." And she went forth in to the west, how fer wote I neuyr, and bygan to make sor∣owe and lamentacioun and bitterly weped; and there she ordeyned hir a dwellyng-place. And that tyme she had goon with childe thre monethes. But forsothe whanne it drowghe to the tyme that she schulde bere childe, [f. 5.] she was trauayled with many diuerse sekenesses, and she cryed to oure lord: "mercy, lord, haue mercy on me and helpe me!" And she was noght herde, ne ther was noone hir to helpe. And she seide thanne to hire-self: "what thing shal doo my lord to weten of my woo? I pray yow seruauntes vnto my lord god in heuene that ye do my lord Adam to wyten and knowe my sorowes." Anoon as she had thus made hir soroweful menyng, it was doon als she prayed. And Adam wiste wel & knewe hir sorowes, and seide: "the sorowe & the disese of Eue cometh right to me; and ther-fore, lest the wikked Edre the fende come and fight with hir, I wil go visiten hir." And he wente forthe, and fonde hir in grete sorowe and disese. And anoon as Eue saw hym, she seide: "my soule and my life is wele refresshed thurgh the sight of hym." And thanne seide Eue: "now, gode lorde, pray for me that I myght be delyuered fro thise werste peynes." And Adam prayed to god for hir. Thanne ther come xij angeles and two vertues, that is to seye two other ordres of angeles, stondyng al aboute hir bothe on the right syde and on the lefte syde. And Michael stode on the right syde and touched hir face & doune to hir brest, and he seyde: "Eue, thow art blissed for Adam, that is to seyn for the penaunces and the prayers of hym thow ert blessyd, for why his prayers ne be noght in vayne; for thurghe the prayeng of hym I am sent, þat thow mayst vnder∣stonde helpe and socour of goddes aungeles. And now aryse and make the redy to haue childe, for thy tyme is nere that thow schalte childe." And she made hir redy ther-to, as she schulde and couthe, and she bare a sone, but she was ful with sorwe. And anoon þe childe arose vp and ranne forth and toke an erbe in his hondes and toke it his moder. & thilke childes name was called Chaym. Thanne toke Adam Eue with the childe & ledde hem forth in to the est. And thanne come angels by the sending of god, to teche Adam forto wirke & trauayle in the erthe; & taughte hym to telye corne and froyte, that thei myght lyfe by and ther ofsprynge. After Eue conseyuede & bare a childe, that was called Abel. & thanne Caym and Abel dwelled to-gydre. Thanne seide Eue to Adam: "my lord, I saw in my slepe that Caym with his hondes arered bloode of Abel and deuoured it with his mouthe." Thanne seide Adam: "happely Caym shal sle Abel, as I vndirstonde; therfore departe we hem atwynne & lat vs make hem dyuerse dwellyngis." And thei made Caym a tylier and Abel a shepherd; and so they were departed and duellyd a-twynne. And after neuerthelesse Caym slogh Abel, his brother. That tyme that Caym sloghe Abel, Adam was an hundreth and xxx ȝere olde. Thanne Adam

bigate of Eue his wyfe a childe, that was clepid Seeth. Thanne seide Adam: "byholde, I haue bygoten a sonne for Abel the whiche Caym sloghe." Thanne lyfed Adam aftir that tyme that he had bygeten Seeth, viijC ȝere, and thanne he bygate xxx sones and xxxij doghtres; the whiche multi∣plied [f. 6.] the erthe with ther dwellynge.—Thanne seide Adam to his sone Seeth: "here, sonne, what I shal seye to the! After that I and thi moder were dryuen owt of paradys, Michael the archaungel, goddes messanger, come to me & I sawe ordres of aungeles as thikke as mots in the son, being in a feire cercle. And thanne I was rauysshed in to rightwisse para∣dys: and ther I sawe oure lord, and his semblant was so ful of bright bemes þat it was vnsighty, that is to seyn so bright that I myght noght endure to loke ther-one. And a gret multitude of aungeles were al aboute the bemes of the brightnesse of his semblaunt, and eke another wonderful companye of aungeles beyng on the right syde & on his lefte syde. And my lord seide to me: "wyte wele that thow schalt dye, for thow forgete my comaundement and herdest the worde of thy wyf, the whiche I ȝaf to the to be thyn vndirlynge and subiecte, to haue hir al at thyn owen wille, and thow were obeissaunt and obeydist hir and noght me." And whenne I herde thus goddes wordes, I fel doun to the erthe and sayde and prayed to god thus: "lord moost myghtful and moost merciable, god bothe blessid and meke, ne for yet not thy worschipful name of thy dignyte, but conforte my soule, for I dye and my spirit passeth oute of my mouthe; ne cast noght me awey fro thy face the which thow hast made of the slyme of the erthe, neyther put noght behynde hym that thow hast norshed with thi grace! biholde how thi wordes brenne me!" And oure lord god seide: "for sothe, for thi hert is made lofynge science and godenesse, for that thow schalt not be doon awey fro thy connynge that thow ne schal mynystre to me with-outen ende." And whenne I herde thise wordes of god, I cast my-self doune to the erthe and worshipped god, seyenge: "thow art euerlastyng god and heyghest, and euery creature shal gyfe wirshepe to the and praysyng; thow art aboue alle lightes shynyng, thow art verey light of lyfe; þou art swiche that no tonge may comprehende the in witte. O thilke grete vertu of god lyfynge, alle creatures to the gyfe honour and spirituel praysinge, whanne thow had made mankynde thorghe grete vertu." And anone as I had prayed this, Michael the archaungel of god toke me by the hande and cast me in to the mydel of paradys in the visi∣tacions and the sightes of god(!). And Michael helde a ȝerde in his hande.... with-in the circuyte of paradys: with the whiche towchynge of the forsaide ȝerde they congeled to-gydre alle (to) yse, and I wente opon them, and Michael wente with me, and ladde me agayne in to the place of paradys fro the which he rauysshed me...." Thanne Adam seide: "here, my sonne Seeth, other priuetes and sacramentes were shewed to me; forwhy I vndir∣stonde and know thynges þat ben comynge in this world temporel the [f. 7.] whiche god made for mannes kynde; that is to seye: I had my knowyng and myn vndirstondyng of thynge that is comynge by the etyng, þat I ete of the tree of vndirstondyng. Also I vndirstode ther-by þat god shal schew hym in water & shewe hym in brennynge, and fyre shal goo oute of his mouthe of his maiestee, and he shal ȝeue vnto alle men his comaundement and his biddyng and he shal make hym holy in the house of his maieste; and god shal shewe to hem a merueylous place of his maieste and there thei schul bigge a house in the erthe to ther god. & thei schul breke his comaundementes, and ther holy place schal be brent and ther londe schal be forsake & thei shal be twynned, for thei wrethed god. The seuen day god schal make hem saaf ageyn fro ther twynnyng and make hem ooned aȝeyne as thei were; and efte thei schul bigge a house to ther god, and thanne schal the last house of god be bettir saued thanne the first. And efte-sones shal shrewdnesse ouercome the ryghtwisnesse, and

eft schal god dwelle with men in erthe to be seyne: and thanne shal ryght∣wisnesse bygynne forto shyne and he shal be worshepid euer in the house of god, and the aduersarye ne shal not noye to men that trowe in god; and god shal reyse vp a sauf peple to be made with-outen ende. Wikked mene schul putte Adam oute of his kyngdome(!). And afterwarde who that wille of that kingdom loue heuen and erthe nyghtes and dayes and alle creatures worshepynge to the lord, and thei breke not his comaundements ne thei schul not chaunge his werkes. And men forgetyn(g) the comaunde∣mentes of god, thei schul be chaunged, for that god schal put oute wikked men; and rightwisse men shul dwelle as rightwisnesse (asketh) in the sight of god. And in that tyme men schul be puryfyed of ther synne by water of cristendome, noght willyng to be puryfied by water. Wyse is that man that amendeth his soule; for why ther shal be a gret day of Juggement among synful men, and ther dedys schul be enquered of rightwisse god, ther Jugge."—And aftir that Adam was made ixC and xxx ȝere, he wiste wele þat his lyfe-dayes schulde soone eende. He seide to Eue: "gadre to-gydre alle my childre, that I may speke with hem and blisse hem, or I dye." & thei come to-gidre in thre parties byfore his prayenge-place, where Adam had prayed to oure lord god. And thei come to-gidre alle with one voyce seyynge: "What is thy wille, fader? wherfore hastow gadred vs to-gydre, and why lyestow in thy bedde? Say to vs now, what is thy wille that we doo?" Thanne Adam answered & seide: "my childre, me is ful woo and with sorowes I am trauayled." And his childre seide to hym: "Fader, what is it to haue euyl and with sorowes to be trauailed?" Thanne seide his sone Seeth: "lord, fader, happely thow hast desired for to eete of the froyte of paradys of the whiche som-tyme thow eete, & therfore thow lyest in sorowe. Sey to me if thow wil þat I goo & neyghe the gates of paradys & do dust on myn hede and falle doun to the erthe byfore [f. 8.] the gates of paradys and crye in gret lamentacioun prayeng oure lord; and happely he wille here me and sende his aungel to brynge me of þat fruyte the whiche thow desirest." And Adam answered and seide: "Sone, I ne desire nothyng, but I wex ful seeke & I haue gret sorwes and desese in my body." Seeth answered: "I not what sorwe is. Wiltow not say to vs what it is? why helestow it fro vs?" And thanne seide Adam: "hereth alle my childre, why(!) oure lord god made me and ȝoure moder & putte vs in paradys & gaf vs alle the trees berynge fruyte to eete when we wolde, but he seide to vs that we schuld not eete of the tree of know∣ynge gode and euel, that stondeth in the myddel of paradys. Thus god putte vs in paradys, and gaf me power in the est & in the partye þat is aȝeyns the partye of the northe, and to ȝoure moder he gaf the southe and a partye of the west; and he gaf to vs twoo angeles to kepe vs. The tyme come that thise aungeles wente into the sight of god hym for to honoure: thanne anoon the feende fonde a place in ȝoure moder and he begiled hir and made hir eete of the tre vnleful and forboden vnto hir; and she eete and profred to me, (&) I eete. And anoon oure lord god was wrothe in wodenesse to vs, and he seide to me: "For sothe, for that thow hast forsaken my comaundementes, & my worde that I ordeyned to the thow hast not kepte, see now I schal caste in thy body lxx woundes of diuerse sorwes fro the hyest place of thy heede, of thyne eyghen and of thyne eeren vnto the netherest place of thy body, that is to say fro the crowne of thy heede to the nayles of thi tooes, and in alle diuerse membres of thi body be ȝe tourmented," And he ordeyned in tormentynge to vs so sorwes to-gydre with brennynge. For sothe, sones, al this oure lord hath sent vs, & to alle ofsprynge of vs." This seyeng Adam to his sones, he is taken with grete sorwes, and he cryed with grete voyce and saide: "What shal I wrecche do, that am putte in thise sorwes?" And whenne Eue herde this, she bygan to wepe and seide: "lord god, putte his sorwes

in me, for why I haue synned!" And she seide to Adam: "gode sir, gif me parte of ȝoure sorwes, forwhy my defautes haue broght ȝow to thise sorwes!" And Adam seide to Eue: "aryse and goo with thi soonne Seeth nyeghe the ȝates of paradys, and caste erthe in ȝour face and on ȝour heueddes and falleth doune & make sorwe in the sight of oure lord god: and happely he wil haue mercy on vs & happely he wil comaunde an aungel to the tree of mercy, fro the whiche rennethe oyle of lyfe, and happely he schal gyfe ȝow of that medicine, that ȝe may anoynte me with, that I may be lessid of thise sorwes in the whiche I brenne and am ful wery of." And they went forth, Seeth and Eue his moder, to-ward the parties of paradys. And while they ȝede be the wey, so∣deynly ther come an eddre, a foule best with-oute pite, as it were a fende, and boote Seeth wykkedly in the face. Whenne Eue saw that, she bygan to wepe and seide: "Alas be to me, wrecche, for I am [f. 9.] cursed, and alle that kepe noght the comaundement of god." And she seide to the eddre with a grete voyce: "O thow cursed beste, how durstow putte the forth to the ymage of goddes lyknesse? how artow hardy to fight with hym, or were thy teeth ought worthy to touche hym þat is to seyn so myghty?" The serpent answered and seide with a grete voyce: "O thow Eue, whether oure shrewdenesse be not afore go(d), ne hath not god styred oure wodenesse aȝeyns yow? Sey to me, Eue, how was thy mouthe open to eete of the fruyte the which oure lorde comaunded the that thow schulde noght eete? forsothe byfore hadde we no power in ȝow, but after∣ward that thow hadde broken the comaundement of god, thanne bygan oure hardynesse and oure power in ȝow." Thanne seide Seeth to the worme: "cursed be thow of god: go awey fro the sight of men, close thy mouthe and wexe thow dombe, cursed enemy & stroyer of rightwisnesse; go fro the sight of goddes image, vnto the tyme that god calle the aȝeyn to be proued what thow art!" And the worme seide to Seeth: "se, I go awey, as thow seide, fro the face of the image of god" and anoon he wente awey.—Seeth forsothe and his moder wente forth to the gates of paradys: and thei toke the dust of the erthe and cast on ther heedes and on ther faces, and thei felle doun grouelyng to the erthe, and thei beganne to make grete sorwe, with grete lamentacioun prayng ther lord god that he schuld haue mercy vppon Adam that was that tyme contynuyng in sorwe, and þat he wolde sende an aungel of his to gyf them of oyle of the tree of the mercy of god. For sothe in ther praying that thei preyed to god, the aungel Michael appered to hem and seide: "Seeth, what sekest thow? I am an archaungel, Michael, that am ordeyned of god keper of mannes body. I say to the, Seeth, goddes man: wepe no more praying for the oyle of mercy, to anoynte ther-with the body of thi fader Adam for the sorwes þat he suffrith now in his body; I sey to the that thow ne may noght haue ther-of in no maner vnto the laste dayes of vMil. CC xxviij ȝere. Thanne schal come to the erthe Crist, the most loued sone of god, and he shal dye & aryse vp aȝeyn, and with hym the body of Adam and the bodyes of alle dede schal aryse vp. And thilke Cryst, goddes sone, schal be baptised in the floode of Jordan. Whenne he is comyn oute of the water, thanne schal he ennoynte thi fader with oyle of mercy, that schal euermore be forth fro kynde to kynde among men in to the euyrlastyng lyfe. Thanne forsothe shal the beste byloued sone of god, that is to sey Cryst, stye vp, and he wil lede thi fader into paradys to his tree of mercy. And go thow now to thy fader and seye to hym, forsothe, the tyme of his lyf-dayes be doone. And whenne the soule shal passe oute of his body, thow shalt see many merueyles in heuen and in erthe among the bright beerdes of heuene." Whanne Michael the archaungel had seide this, anoone [f. 10.] he vanysshed awey, and Eue turned aȝen, and sothely toke with hem ordoramenta, that is Nardum & Crocum & Calamynte & Cynamomum.

And whenne Seeth and his moder come aȝeyn to Adam, thei seide how the serpent hadde byten Seeth, his sonne. And Adam seide to his wyfe: "beholde what thow hast do to vs! thow hast broght to vs a gret disese and synne into alle oure kynde. But sothely alle thise that thow hast doo to vs, and alle thinges that bee doone, schewe to oure childre aftir my deeth, forwhy thei that schul come of vs here-aftir, ne schul not be worthi 1 to bere the disese that thei schul haue ne the sorwes. Thanne thei schul curse & warye to-ward vs & seye: thise diseses haue oure former fader & moder broght into vs, the whiche were in the byginnyng afore vs." Eue, heryng this, bygan to make mykil sorwe & wepe.—And thanne come the dayes of Adam deth-tyme, as Michael, goddes aungel, hadde seide by∣fore. And whenne þat Adam knew that the tyme of his deth come, he seide to alle his childre: "byholdeth, now I dye, and the nombre of my ȝeres in this werlde be IXC & xxx. Whenne I am ded, berieth me aȝens goddes ȝerde in the felde of his duellyng-place!" And whenne he had seide this, he leete forth his spirite. And the sonne was derk, the moone & sterres, viij dayes lastyng. Whenne Seeth & his moder hadde leyde forth Adam body, thei 2 sorwed vppon it; thei loked to-ward the erthe clap∣pyng ther handes opone ther heuedes and thei putte ther heuedes doune to ther knees, sore wepyng; and alle ther childre also. And thanne Michael the archaungel appered to them stondyng at Adam heued and seide to Seeth: "aryse vp fro the body of thi fader and come to me, that thow may see thi fader & the ordenaunce which god purposed to doon with his shappe that he wroght: forwhy he hath mercy on hym at this tyme." & thanne alle aungeles songe in trompes saying: "Blessid be thow god of thy makyng, for why, for thow art now merciable on hym."—Thanne sagh Seeth the hande of god holde opyn & his fader soule helde, & toke it to seint Michael and seide: "lat this soule be in thy kepyng in tormentes vnto the last dayes of dispensacioun: and thanne shal I deliuere hym of his sorwes; for sothe, thanne he schal sitte in his Joyful troone that hath hym cast so lowe." And ȝet seide god aȝen to Michael: "brynge to me thre clothes of sendel & bismos, & lay oone ouere Adam and a nother ouere his sonne Abel." And alle the ordres of aungeles wente bifore Adam & blessid þe slepe of his laste eende of deeth. And archaun∣geles beried the body of Adam on the body of his sonne Abel in paradys(!). Seeth & his moder saw that the aungeles dyde, 3 and thei were amerueyled gretly. Thanne seide the aungeles to hem: "As ȝe haue seen thise bodyes beried, in the same manere berieth ȝoure dede bodyes aftirward!" Thanne [f. 11.] aftir six dayes that Adam was dede, Eue knew that deeth was comyng to hirward faste: she made gader to-gydre alle hir sones and alle hir dough∣tres & seide: "herith me, sonnes and doughtres, that I shal telle yow! Aftir þat tyme þat ȝoure fader & I wente ouer the comaundementes of god, Michael the archaungel seide to vs: "for ȝoure cursednesse and ȝoure synne god wil bringe his wrath of doome in ȝow and in alle ȝoure kynde first by water aftir by fyre: in thise two alle mannes kynde be punyshed of god." Therfore here, my sonne Seeth: make tables of stoon & tables of shynyng clay (or) erthe, & write ther-inne the lyf of ȝoure fader and of me, and also the thynges that ye haue herde and seen of vs. For whenne god shal iugge alle oure kynde by water, the tables of erthe wil lose and the tables of stoon wil dwelle; forsothe, whenne god wil iugge mankynde by fire, thanne wil the tables of stoon lose and the tables of erthe endure." Whenne Eue had sayd al this to hir childre, she spredde hir hondes to∣ward heuene, & she byholdyng toward heuene kneled doun to the erthe, prayeng (to) oure lord god; and whiles she made hir prayers, she ȝelde vp

the spirit. And after ther was made grete wepyng of hir childre, and thanne hir sones and hir doughtres beried hir. And while thei made sorwe for the deeth of ther moder iiij dayes lastynge, Michael the arch∣aungel appered to hem and seide: "more thanne sex dayes ne wepeth noght the dethes, þat is to say for them that be dede, for the seuent day is token of vprysing and rest to come of this worlde and in seuent day god toke rest of alle his werkes." Thanne Seeth made tables of stoone and tables of shynyng erthe, & thanne he bigan to make the shappe of let∣tres & wrote his fader lyf and his moder, as he had herd hem tolde, and also þat he had seen with his eyghen, and thanne he putte thilke tables, when thei were writen, in his fadres hous into his oratorye, where Adam was wont for to preye to oure lord god. The which tables were founden aftir Noee flode & seen of many oone, but thei were noght redde. So after wyse Salamon hadde seen thise tables writen, he prayed to god that he myght haue witte to vndirstonde the thynges ywriten in thoo tables. Thanne appered to hym goddes aungel, seyeng: "I am the aungel that helde the honde of Seeth whenne his fyngre wrothe this with yrne in thise tables. Now herken knowyng of this writyng, that thow it vnderstonde 1 where thise tables were. Forsothe, thei were in Adam prayeng-place where he and his wyfe were wonte to preye to oure lord god; and therfore it behouith to the that thow make there prayeng to god." And Salamon cleped thise lettres Achiliacos, þat is to seye with-oute techyng of lyppes writen with fynger of Seeth, the aungel of god holdyng his honde. And in thoo tables was founden þat that was prophecied of Adam seuene sythes, and Ennok spak afore Noe flood, of the comyng [f. 12.] of Crist Jhesu: "Byholde, oure lord shal come in his holy knyghthede to make Juggement of men and distroye alle wikked of ther werkes and of alle the spekyng of hem with synners, wikked men and grucchers he seketh, for to speke after ther owne coueytyng, thei entred & spak proudely."

2) The Life of Adam and Eue, aus Ms. Harl. 4775.

NOwe take hede that whan oure lorde god had made heuene and erthe and alle the Ornamentis of hem, God sawe that thei wer goode, and seide: "make we mane vnto oure ymage and liknesse, and be he soueraine to the ffisshis of the see and to the volatiles of heuene and to the vnresonable beestis of the eerthe and to eche creature and to eche reptile which is [ 5] meued in the erthe." And god made of naught man to his ymage and liknesse, god made of nought hem male and ffemale, and blessid hem and seide: "encrece yee and be ye multiplied, and felle yee the erthe and make ye it sogette, and be ye the lordis to the ffisshis of the see and to the volatilis of heuene and to alle liuinge beestis on erthe." And (god seide:) "loo 1 I haue [ 10] youen to you eche herbe beringe seede on erthe, and alle trees that haue in hemselff seede in her kinde, that thei be in to meete to you and to alle livinge beestis on erthe and to eche bridde of heuene and to alle thingis that ben

meued on the erthe (&) in which is a livinge soule, that ye haue to ete." And it was done so, and god sawȝ alle thingis which that he made, and thoo were fulle god.—Than oure lorde god fourmed mane of the slyme of the erthe, and spired in to the face of hym an entre of brethe of life, and is made mane in to a soule lyving yevinge liffe. Adam was made of oure [ 5] lorde god in the vale of Ebronne, and there of ffour corneris of the worlde Adam was made; and aungellis 1 brought that erthe fro thoo foure parties, the which aungellis ben clepid Michaelle, Gabrielle, Raphaelle, and Vrielle; and the erthe that these aungellis broughten was bright and shininge as the sonne; and that erthe was brought out of foure floodis: that is to seie, [ 10] Seon, Phison, Tigres, and Euffrates. Than is man like the ymage of god made, and god blewȝ in his face enspiringe of life, that is to seie, his soule. And so he was made of iiij parties of the erthe, and also of iiij manere of wyndis of the firmament he was enspired.—Than oure lorde god, whan Adam was mad, had 2 youene hym no 3 name as yit: and than god seide [ 15] to the iiij Angellis that thei shulde seche hym a name. And than Michaelle went forth in to the este, and there he saughe the sterre that hight Annotalum: and he toke the frist lettere there-of. And Raphaelle went forthe in to the southe, and fonde there the sterre of the southe that hight Dises: and he toke the frist letter there-of. And Gabriel went in to [ 20] the north, and fonde there the sterre of the north that hight Arthos: and he toke the frist lettre there-of. And than Vrielle went in to the west, and fonde there the sterre that hight Memsembrion: and he toke the frist letter there-of. And than these lettris were brought to oure lorde, and he bad Vrielle rede them: and he radde hem and seide: Adam; and than oure [ 25] lorde seide: "so shalle his name be callid." Vnde versus: Annotale dedit A, disis D, contulit Arthos, M Memsembrion; collige: fiet Adam.—And ye shulle vndirstonde that Adam was made of viij thingis: oo partie was made of the slyme of the erthe: where-of his flesshe was; and there-of he is slowe. A-nothir parte was of the see: where-of his bloode was; and [ 30] there-of he is couetous and busie. The thrid parte was of stoones of the erthe: and ther-of he is harde and bitter. The fourthe parte was of the clowdis: where-of be his thynkingis wrought; and there-of he is lecherous. The v^te parte was of the wynde: where-of is made his brethe; and there∣of he is light. The vj^te parte was of the sonne: and there(-of) ben (his) [ 35] eyȝene; and there-of he is fair and cler. The vij parte is of the light of the worlde: where-of he is made gladde; and there-of he hath his vndir∣stondinge. The viij^te parte is of the holie gooste: and there-of is made his soule; and there-of ben these holie prophetis and alle goddis (chosen). 4——For sothe, lorde god had 5 plantid Paradis of delite from the biginninge: [ 40] in the which he sette man, whan he had fourmed hym. And oure lorde god brought forthe of the erthe ech a tree faire of sight and swete to eete; also the tree of life in the myddille of paradis; and he tok man and putte hym in paradis, and he plantid 6 the tree of knowinge goode and eville. Than oure lorde toke mane and putte hym in paradis of delite, that he [ 45] shulde worche and kepe it. And he commaundid hym, seienge: "Of eche a tree of Paradis eete of, sauff of the tree of knowinge goode and euelle eete thou nought; and what daie that euer thou eete there-of, with deethe thou shalt die." Also the lorde god for soth seide: "it is nat good to a mane to be allone: make we to hym an helpe like to hym." The lorde [ 50] god, fourmed of the moiste 7 erthe alle thingis of the erthe hauinge saule and alle volatilis of heuene, and oure lorde god 8 brought hem to Adam, that he shuld clepe hem. Alle thingis for sothe of soule liuinge affter the kinde and propirte of it he yafe it name; and right as Adam cleped hem, alle∣weie

sith is the name of hem.—But vn-to Adam for sothe was nought founde an helpe to hym: Then sent the Lorde god sleepe vn-to Adam; and whan he was asleepe, he toke oone of his ribbis and fulled flesshe for it, and than oure lorde god edefied that ribbe the whiche he toke from Adam in to a womman, and brought hir to Adam. Than Adam seide: "this is [ 5] nowe a boone of my boones and flesshe of my flesshe; this shalle be clepid mannes deede, for she is taken of man. Wher-for a man shalle forsake ffadir & moodir and drawe to his wiffe, and thei shulle be twoo in oo flesshe." And eithir of hem for sothe was nakid, and that was Adam and Eve his wiffe, and thei shamed nat. But the Adder was feller than any [ 10] livers of the erthe whiche the lorde god made: whiche Adder seide to the yonge womman: "whi commaundid god to you that ye shulde nat eete of eche tree of Paradis?" To whom the womman aunswerid and seide: "of the ffrute of the trees that ben in paradis wee ete of; sauff of the tree that is in the myddis of Paradis commaundid god vs that we shulde [ 15] nat eete, ne that we shulde nat touche hit, lest perauenture we deie." "Forsothe, quod the Addere to the womman, through dethe ye shulle nat deie; but god wote welle for sothe that what daie ye eete ther-of, your eyȝene shulle be opened and ye shulle be as goddis, knowenge goode and eville." Than the womman saughe welle that the tree was goode and [ 20] swete and faire to the eyȝe and delectable to the sight: and she toke of the frute and eete there-of, (and yafe to her man, the whiche ete) also. And than the eyene of hem bothe were opened. And whan thei knewe hem-selff to be nakid, thei sowed to-gedirs leves of ffigge-trees and made hem breches there-of, to hide there-with her preue membris. And whan [ 25] thei herde the wois of the lorde god goynge in paradis and 1 the shininge affter Middaie, Adam and his wiffe hidde hem from the fface of the lorde god in the myddis of the trees of paradis. And than the lorde god cleped Adam and seide to hym: "where art thou, Adam?" And than he aunswerid and seide: "lorde, I hurde thi wois in paradis, but I dradde there-through, [ 30] for I was nakid, and hidde me." To whom the lorde god seide: "who for sothe schewed the that thou were nakid but 2 that thou ete of the tree of which I commaundid the that thou sholdist nat eete?" And than Adam seide: "the womman that thou yafe me to fellawe, yafe to me of the frute and I ete there-of." And oure lorde god seide to the womman: "whi didist [ 35] thou soo?" And than the womman aunswerid and seide: "the Adder be∣gilid me and I eete there-of." And than the lorde god seide to the serpent: "ffor that thou hast doo this thinge, thou shalt be cursid amonge alle the soulis heiris 3 and beestis of the erthe, and vppone thi brest thou shalt goo, and erthe thou shalt ete alle the daies of thi live; and enemytees [ 40] I shalle putte bi-twene the and womman and thi seede and hir seede; (she) shalle treede thine heede, and thou shalt espie to hir hele." And also to the womman oure lorde god seide: "ffor sothe, I shalle multiplie thi deseses and thi conceivingis, and in sorowe thou shalt bere thi childrenne, and thou shalt be vndir the power of mane, and he shalle haue lordeshippe [ 45] ouer the." And than the lorde god seide to Adam: "for sothe, for that thou hast herde the voice of þi wiffe, and that thou hast etenne of the tree of which I commaundid that thou sholdist nat eete, cursid is the erthe in thi werke, and in traueile thou shalt eete of it alle the daies of thi life; and it shalle bere 4 vnto the thornes and breris, and thou shalt ete the [ 50] herbis of the erthe in swote of thi chere and face, and thou shalt ete thi brede vn-to the time that thou shalt entre ayenne vnto the erthe of which thou art take and I-made of. Forsoth, poudir thou art and to poudir thou shalt turne." And Adam cleped the name of his wiffe Eve, tho(r)ugh (that) she was moodir of alle thingis livinge. Also forsothe, the lorde god made to [ 55]

Adam and to his wiffe letheren cootes and clothid hem and seide: "se Adam is made as oone of vs knowinge good and eville: nowe perauentur he put∣tith out his honde and takith also of the tree of his life and ete and liue 1 euer-more." And the lorde god sent hym out of Paradis of delite, that he shulde werche the erthe of the which (he was) take and made of; and he threugh out Adam and sette Cherubyne bi-fore Paradice of delite, and [ 5] a flawmynge swerde and a pliaunt, to kepe the weie towardes the tree of liue.

This that followeth was done afftir that Adam was cast out of Paradis in to this woofulle place.

Afftir that Adam and Eue were cast out of Paradis, thei went in to the [ 10] west and made hem there a Tabernacle: and there-inne thei dwellid vij daies, wepenge, louringe 2 and crienge in moost tribulacioun. And affter thoo vij daies thei be-gonne to hungre: and sought mete, and founde noone that thei myght eete of. And than seide Eue vnto Adam: "my lorde, I hungre sore; whi goo ye nat to seche some thinge that we myght ete and [ 15] there-bi live, yif perauentur oure lorde god wille loke on vs and haue mercie on vs and clepe vs ayenne to the steede that we woned inne ffriste?" Than aroos Adam affter thoo vij daies and yede about the londe vij daies, and fonde noo such mete as thei had in paradis. Than seide Eue vn-to Adam efte: "A, my lorde, I deie for hungre; wolde god I myght deie [ 20] or ellis be slaine of the, my lorde, for whi for me god is wroothe with the." And than seide Adam: "grete is in heuene and in erthe his wrath: whethir it be for me or for the, I note." And eft seide Eue vn-to Adam: "my lorde, slee me, that I mai be doone aweie fro the face of god and fro the sight of his aungellis; so that oure lorde god for-yete to be wrothe with [ 25] the, so that he myght lede the ayenne in to paradis; for whi for the cause of me thou art put out there-of." Than seide Adam: "speke no more so, lest oure lorde god sende his malisoune on vs! howe myght it be that I shulde putte myne hond in to my flesshe—that is to seie, howe myght it be that I myght slee my flesshe? But arise and goo we and seche we [ 30] where-with to liue, ne stent we nat to sech it!" Than thei went forth and sought ix daies, but thei fonde nat such as thei had in paradis; but neuer∣theles thei founde suche as beestis etenne. Than seide Adam to Eue: "oure lorde god deliuerid vs mete of aungellis; 3 where-for make we sorowe and doo penaunce bi-fore the sight of oure lorde, that made vs, xl daies, [ 35] yif happelie oure lorde god, that made vs, foryeue vs and ordeine vs where∣with to liuene." Than seide Eue to Adam: "my lorde, what is penaunce or howe shuld we doo penaunce, lest happelie that we take on vs that we mai nat fulfille, and oure praieris be nat herde and god turne his face from vs, yif we fulfille nat that we haue bihote? Thou, my [ 40] lorde, whi seidist thou so? whi thoughtist thou to doo penaunce; for I haue brought the to tribulacioun." Than seid Adam to Eue: "myghtist thou nat suffr(e) as many daies as I mai; suffre (as many) and thou shalt be sauff. I shal suffre xl daies and vij, for alle thingis were 4 made, confermed and blessid in vij daies. Arise and goo thou to the ffloode of Tigree, and [ 45] bere a stoone with the and stonde thou there-on in the watir vpe to the necke, and let noo worde come out of thi mouthe; for we ben vnworthi to praie to god, for oure lippes ben wnclene for we etenne of the forbodene tree. Be thou there xl daies, and I shalle goo in to fflome Jordane and be there xl daies and vij, yif happelie oure lorde god wille haue [ 50] mercie on vs." Than Eue went to the water of Tigre, as Adam bad hir; and Adam went to the fflome Jordane, and leide his stoone and stoode there-on vpe to the necke in the ffloode, and the heere of his hede was spred a-broode on the water. Than seide Adam: "I seie to the, Jordane,

gedre to-gidir thi wawes and alle liuinge beestis with-in the, and com about me and make sorowe (with) me! but for your-selff make ye noo sorowe, but alle for me: for ye haue nat synned, but I wickidlie ayenst my lorde haue synned; nothir ye did noo defaute ne ye were nat begilid from your sustenance ne from your meetis ordeined for you, but I am begilid fro my [ 5] sustenaunce the whiche was ordeined for me."

See here howe that alle thingis sorowedene with Adam.

Whane Adam had made alle this lamentacioun with sighynge and sorowe∣fulle teeris, than alle livinge thinges on erthe, ffisshe, foule and beeste, come aboute hym in makinge sorowe with hym; and also the watir stode stille [ 10] in that tyme of praienge. Than Adam with teeris cried 1 to the lorde god fro daie to daie, so that his voice waxe hors. And whan xix daies of his sorowe were fulfillid with Adam and alle liuinge thingis that sorowed with hym for his synne, than his aduersarie, the ffeende, stered with wrath and envie to hym-warde, transfigurid hym in to an aungelle othere to a [ 15] fair ymage, and wente to the ffloode of Tigre there Eue was sorowinge; and he come to hir and wepte with hir. And than the ffeende seide to hir: "come out of the floode and wepe noo more, for thou art discharged of alle thine othir penaunce; for god hath seene your sorowes and hath foryeuene to you your trespas, atte praier of me and of alle othir aungellis. [ 20] Come out, come out, for Adam is out. And god sent me to the to lede Adam and the vn-to your sustenaunce ayenne the whiche yee haddene in paradis and lost for your synne. Therefor come out, that ye were at youre mete that is made redie for you." Thane Eve come out of the water, and hir flesshe was grene as gres, for coold of the watir. And whan she [ 25] come to londe, she fille doune for febilnesse, and laie there stille as deede alle-moost a daie. And than the feende toke hir vpe and comfortid hir, and brought hir to Adam. And whan Adam saugh hir, he cried wepenge: "O Eue, where is the werk of thi penaunce? howe is it that oure enemye hath begilid the, the which begilid us from oure dwellinge-place in paradis [ 30] and fro our goostelie ioie." And whan Eue herde this that she was be∣gilid through the feende, she fille grouelinge to the erthe, and than was hir sorowe doublid. And thane Adam fille doun, and his sorowe was doublid, and cried and seide: "cursid be thou, ffeende! what eylith the at us or what haue we doo to the, whi dost thou suche malice to us? haue [ 35] we ought bi-nome the thi Joie or thine honoure? whi fightist thou ayenst vs, thou enuious deville and wickid ffeende?" Than aunswerid the deville and seide sorowfullie: "O Adam, alle myne enevie, malice and sorowe is through the, for through the I am kepte fro my Joie and cast out of my heritage that I had in heuene amonge Aungellis, and for the 2 I am cast [ 40] oute in to this erthe." Than aunswerid Adam: "what haue I doo to the or where-for blamest thou me? thou were vnknowen to me ne I wist nat of the." Than the ffeende seide to Adam: "thou wotist nat what thou seiest. For in that daie that thou were made, I was cast a-doune fro heuene. And whan god blewȝ in the the spirite of life and thou were made [ 45] to the liknesse of god, Mighelle 3 the aungelle lad the bifore god, and god seid: "loo I haue made Adam as oone of us." And than Mighelle went forthe and cleped alle the Aungellis and seide to hem: "worshippe yee the ymage of god, as god hath commaundid." And that same Mighelle first 4 honourid the, 5 and clepid me and seide to me: "honour thou the Image of [ 50] god." And I aunswerid and seide: "nay, I haue naught to doo to worshippe Adam." And whan Mighelle chargid me to worshipe the, I seide to hym: "wher-for chargist thou me? I wille nat worshippe a fouler than I am; for

I am fairer than he, and I was afore alle creaturis and or he was I was made; and there-for I shalle nat worshippe hym." And also othir aun∣gellis that herde and knewe this, woolde nat worshipe the. 1 And than seide Mighelle: "worshippe thou the ymage of god or els god wolle be wrothe with the." And I seide to hym: "yif so be that god be wrothe with [ 5] me, I shalle sette my sette aboue the sterris of heuene and be like to hym that is althir-highest." And than god was wrothe with me and commaundid that I shuld be driven out of heuene and out of my Joie, and with me alle the Aungellis that consentid with me, that wolde nat worshippe the. Also 2 bicause of the we be put out of oure dwellinge-place and cast into [ 10] the erthe; and anone I was brought in to sorowe and angir, for I was put out of alle my Joie, and thou were put in to alle manere of merthis and delitis. And therfor I beganne to be envious to the-ward, for I myght nat suffre the to be in so grete ioie and merthis as thou were inne. But than I went and begilid the womman, and with hir I begilid the fro alle the [ 15] delitis, Joies and merthis that thou were inne, right as I was put out fro my glorious beynge."—And whan Adam had hurde alle this, he cried wepingeli and seide: "lorde god, my life is in thine hondis: make that this wickid aduersarie be ferre fro me, for he sechith in alle that he may to spille my soule. Lorde, graunte me the Joie that I lost." Than whan Adam [ 20] had thus longe made his lamentacioun, the feende vanisshid aweie from his sight. And than Adam treulie fulfillid there his penaunce xl daies and vij, in grete sorowe and anguisshe, in the fflome Jordane. And than Eue seide to Adam: "my lorde, god leueth to the grace and is 3 grauntid to the liffe, and my life is grauntid to the, ffor atte frist time nor atte last [ 25] thou were nat cursed, but I am cursed and begilid, for bi-cause that I kepte nat the commaundementis of god. Where-for nowe departe me fro the light of this life, for I wolle be departid fro the sight of the; for I am nat worthi to se the nothir to haue comforte ne merthe of the for my wickid∣nesse. But I wolle wende as ferre as that I may in to the west and [ 30] dwelle there, tille that I deie." And so than anone she went forth in to the west with right grete and passinge sorowe, and there she made hir 4 a woninge-place to dwelle inne, and there-in she wepte fulle bittirlie. And in that time she had gone with childe three moonethis. And whan the time (come) of the childis birthe, that she sholde be deliuerd, she was [ 35] traueilid gretelie with many diuers sikenesses. And than she mette with oure lorde and seide to hym: "lord god, haue mercie on me and helpe nowe me!" And god wolde nat hire hir ne he had noo mercie on hir. And than Eue seide to hir-selff with mornynge chere: "who shalle nowe doo my lorde Adam to wite and to knowe of my woo? ye lightis (in) [ 40] heuene, whan ye turne ayenne in to the este, shewe ye my sorowes and dissesis vn-to Adam myne husbonde!" And also sone as she had thus I-praied, her dissesis were I-opened and shewed vn-to Adam. And whan Adam vndirstode and knewe hir sorowes and tribulaciouns, he seide thane: "the desesis of my wife Eve be comene vnto me; and there-for lest the [ 45] wickid Addir the ffeende come and fight with hir, I wolle goo nowe and vesite hir." And he went longe-time forth and vesitid hir, and fonde hir in grete sorowe and dissese. And anone as euer Eue saugh hym, she seide: 5 "my soule and my life is welle refresshid through the sight of Adam, my lorde." And than seide Eue vnto Adam: "nowe, good lorde, [ 50] praie for me, that I myght be deliuered of these werst penauncis!" And than Adam praied for her vn-to god ful ententifflie. And there come anone xij aungellis and twoo vertues, that is to seie twoo othere ordris of Aun∣gellis, stondinge alle about hir bothe on the right side and also on the

left side. And Michael stode on the right side and touchid hir face and the brest, and seide to hir: "Eue, thou art blessid ffor Adam, that is for the in penaunce and in praieris for the: for through his praieris we bene sent to the, that thou myght vndirstonde helpe and socoure of godis aun∣gellis. Wherfor a-rise thou nowe and make the redie to the birthe, for [ 5] the time is nyghe." And she anone made hir redie there-to: and than she childid and brought forthe a sone, with grete sorowe and traueile. And anone the childre roos upe and ranne forth and toke gras in his hondis and yaffe to his moodir. And thei clepid his name Cayme. And than Adam toke Eue and hir childe and ledde hem in to the este. And oure [ 10] lorde god sent Michael the Archaungelle to sowe diuers seedis, and yafe hem vn-to Adam and taught Adam to worche and to tilie the lond, for to haue frute to live bi, and alle othere generacions affter hym. Than afftir Eue conceiued and bere a sone, that hight Abelle. And Cayme and Abelle woned to-gidir. And Eve seide to Cayme: "my dere sone, as I slept, me [ 15] thought in my slepe that I saugh the bloode of Abelle, thi brothir, fallen in to thine hondis." And this same thinge Eve tolde vn-to Adam. And whan Adam herde this, he seide: "I drede gretelie lest Cayme slee Abelle, his brothir: and ther-for thei shulle be departid and dwelle assondre." And than Adam made hem dwellinge-placis, the toone ferre from the tothir, [ 20] and Cayme was made a tiliere of the erthe, and Abelle was made a shepperde. And yitte afftir-warde Cayme slough Abelle. And in that tyme that Cayme slough Abelle, Adam was an hundrid and xxx^ti yere oolde: ffor sith 1 Abelle was slaine of Cayme in the yeeris of his age an hundrid and twoo yere. And afftir that knewe Adam Eve, his wife, and bi-gate [ 25] a sone that hight Seth: than seide Adam to Eue: "I haue begotene a sone for Abelle which that Cayme sloughe." Than livid Adam afftir that he bigate Seth viijC yere and bi-gate in alle xxxiij^ti sones and xxxij doughtris, so that alle his childrene in oo noumbre were lx and v; the whiche multi∣plied gretelie vppone the erthe. [ 30]

This that followith here tellith howe Cayme slowȝ Abelle his brothir, and of the veniaunce that god toke of Caym, as is in Genesis in the iiij^the Chapiter.

Afftir that many daies Cayme shulde offre of the ffrutes of the erthe and of his yifftis to the lorde god. And Abelle his brothir offrid and vsed to offre 2 the frist-bigotenne thinge of his flok and of the fattest of hem. [ 35] And our lorde hym-selff be-helde to Abelle and to his yifftis, and 3 vnto Cayme and his yifftis for sothe he behelde naught; and for this cause Cayme was gretelie wrothe with his brothir and felle with 4 his chere. And than oure lorde god seide to hym: "Cayme, whi art thou wrothe and what is the cause? Abelle thi brother with fallith his chere and malice (!). 5 Shalt [ 40] thou nat haue good, yif thou haue doo welle, and elles forsothe anone euelle, and in the yatis thy synne shalle be atte the, but vndir the shalle be the appetite of hym and thou shalt haue the worshippe 6 of hym." And thane Cayme seide to Abelle his brothir: "goo we out." (&) in the feelde Cayme aroos with envie ayens Abelle his brothir and sloughe hym. And [ 45] than oure lorde seide to Caym: "where is Abelle thi brothir?" And Caym aunswerid and seide: "I note nat where; whan was I the keper of my bro∣thir?" And than god seide to hym: "Caym, what hast thou doo? Loo the voice of the bloode of thi brothir crieth to me fro the erthe. Wherfor nowe thou shalt be cursed on the erthe, whiche opened his mouthe and [ 50] toke the blood of thi brothir of 7 thine hondis; and whan thou werchist the erthe, (it) shalle nat yeue to the his frute, but be vacaunt; 8 and ferre fugi∣tiff

thou shalt be on the erthe alle the daies of thi life." And than Cayme seide to the lorde god: "more is my wickidnes than I deserue 1 foryeuenesse. Sith 2 thou cast me out this daie fro the face of the erthe and fro thi face, thou shalt 3 be hidde fro me, 4 and I shalle be vagabounde and ferre fugitiff in the erthe alle the daies of my life; and than who that shalle ffynde me, [ 5] shalle slee me." And than the lorde god seide to hym: "hit shalle nat ben done so, but alle thoo that shalle slee Caym shalle vij-foolde be ponysshid." And than oure lorde god sette a signe in Caym, that alle thoo that fyndith hym shalle nat slee hym. And than Caym passid thens out fro the face of oure lorde and dwellid ferre fugitiff in the erthe atte este [ 10] partie of Edon̄. Thane Cayme for soothe kneugh his wife: the whiche conceiued and bere hym Ennok .... And this Ennok bigate Irade, and Irade bi-gate Mauianelle, and Mauianelle bigate Matersale, and Matersale bigate Lameth: the whiche toke twoo wifis, and the name of the too wife was Ada, and the name of the tothir Sella; and he bigate Jabelle, that [ 15] was ffader of dwelleris in the tentis 5 and of shepperdis. And the name of his brothir was Tuballe: and he was ffader of syngeris in harpe and Organus. And Sella gate Tuballecaan, that was an hamersmyth and a smyth to alle werkis of bras and of Irenne; and the sustris of hym wer Taym and Neonia. 6 And Lameth seid thus to his wifis Ada and Sella: [ 20] "hire ye my voice, wifis of Lameth, and herkene ye my worde, for I slough a mane in to a wounde, a litille wexinge mane in to my warinesse; 7 veniaunce shalle be youene of Cayme vij-foolde and of Lameth forsothe lxx times vij-foolde."——Yit forsothe Adam knewe his wife: and she conceiued and bare a sone, and clepid the name of hym Seth. And Adam seide: [ 25] "god hath sent to me anothir sone for Abelle, whom Cayme sloughe." But vn-to Seth is borne a sone whom he clepid Enos: and this biganne in worde to clepe the name of the lorde.—And Adam seid to Seth: "sone, hire thou me nowe and I shalle telle the what I saughe and hurde. Afftir that thi moodir and I were passid cut of Paradis, (as) I and thi moodir [ 30] were in orisoune, Michaelle the Archaungel, godis messangere, come to me, and I saugh the ordris of aungellis as thikke as winde beynge in a faire sercle; and I saugh a chare, and the wheles there-of were as fire, and than I was rauisshid in to paradis: and there I saughe oure lorde, and his semblaunte and chere was as fire brenninge, and his vesase and chere was [ 35] so bright that I myght nat in noo-manere wise endure ne suffre to loke there-vppone; and a grete multitude of aungellis were euer there about the brennynge beemes of his brightnes and of his semblaunt and chere; and than also I sawe anothir wondirfulle companie of Aungellis beynge on his right side and also on his lefft side. And bicause of alle these sightis [ 40] I was in grete drede, an(d) than I made my praier to god in erthe. And than my lorde god seide to me: "wite it welle that thou shalt deie, for thou foryate and were vnobedient and that thou brakist my commaundement and herdist and tokist hede of the wordis of thi wiffe, the whiche wiffe I yaue to the to be thine vndirlinge and sogette to thine owne wille, and [ 45] thou obeiedist to hir and nought to me." And whan it was so that I herde these woordis, I fille anone doun to the erthe and seid thus: "A lorde, that art moost myghtyfulle and most merciable, god bothe blessid and meke, ne foryete thou nat the worshipefulle name of thi dignite, but comforte thou, lorde, my soule, whan I die and my spirite passeth out of [ 50] my mouthe; ne cast me nat, lorde, aweie fro thi face, which thou hast made of slyme of the erthe, ne put thou hym behynde that thou hast norisshid with thi grace! biholde howe that thy wordis brenne me!" And than oure lorde seide to me: "for thine herte is such that thou lovist science

and konnynge and goodenes and repentest the 1 that thou shalt be done aveie fro thi cōmynge, therefor the seede that commyth of the and that wille serue me, shalle neuer be lorne." And whan I had herde alle these woordis, I honourid hym lowelie on the erthe and seide to hym: "thou art god without begynnynge and endinge, and euery creature owith to [ 5] worshipe the and loue the, for thou art aboue alle lightis shininge, thou art the verreie light of life, thou art suche that noo tonge mai telle ne comprehende in noo-manere witte. O thilke grete and meruelous vertue of god, alle creaturis to the yeuene honour and preisinge whom thou hast made mankinde through thi grete vertue." And anone as euer I had praied [ 10] thus, Michaelle the Archaungelle of god toke me bi the honde and cast me out of paradis in to the visitaciouns fro the sight of god. And Michaelle helde a yerde in his honde, with the which he touchid the watris that went in circuite of Paradis: bi the which touchinge of the forseide yerde the watris congelid to-gidirs in to ise, and I went on hem. And Michaelle [ 15] went with me and ladde me ayenne in to the place of Paradis, fro the whiche he rauisshid me, and efft ayenwarde he had me to the lake, there he rauisshid me. Nowe, my sone Seth, hire thou me and I shalle shewe to the the priuetees that beth to come and the sacramentis that bene shewed to me; for whi I vndirstonde and knowe thingis that ben to come in to [ 20] this worlde temporalle the which god made for mankinde: that is to seie, I had my knowinge and vndirstandinge of thingis that be comminge bi etenge, that I ete of the tree of vndirstandinge that was forbode me. Also I vndirstod that god shalle shewe hym in the fourme of ffire and goo out of the Cite of his mageste, and he shalle yeuene men of his heestis [ 25] and make hem holie in the hous of his mageste, and god shalle shewe to hem a meruelous place of his mageste on which thei shulle make dwellinge∣placis in erthe, and there thei shulle bigge an hous in erthe to her god; and thei shulle breke his commaundementis, and her holie place shalle be brent and her lande shalle be forsaken and eche of hem shalle be driuene [ 30] from othir, bi-cause thei wolle wrathe her lorde god. And the vij^te daie god shalle make hem sauff and bringe hem ayenne to-gidir, and efft thei shulle beginne newe housis to her god, and than shalle the last hous of god be better saued than the frist. And yit efftsones shalle sherewed∣nesse ouercome rightwisnes: and than shalle god dwelle in erthe with men [ 35] to be seene: and than shalle rightwissnesse biginne to shine and enemies than shulle haue noo more powere to noye noo mane that trowith in god; and he shalle saue his folk, and the wickid men shulle be ponisshid and departid bifore god, for thei wolde nauȝt kepe his commaundementis ne kepe his lawe ne his wille. And god shalle thane areise a faire puple [ 40] to be made with-outene eende and wickid men shulle put Adam out of his kingedome(!). And afftir that whoo that wille haue the kingedome, loue heuene and erthe, nyght and daie and alle-manere creatures worshippinge to the lorde, and thei shul nat breke his commaundementis ne thei shulle nat chaunge his werkis. And thoo men that foryetene the commaunde∣mentis [ 45] of god, thei shulle be chaungid, for god shalle put out wickid men; and rightwis men shulle aske to dwelle as rightwisnesse askith in the sight of god. And in that time men shulle be purified of her synne bi watir of cristendome, nauȝt willinge to be purified bi watir. Wise is that mane that amendithe his soule, ffor whi there shalle be a grete daie of Jugement amonge [ 50] synfulle men, and her deedis shulle be enquerid of the rightwis god, her Juge."—And whan that Adam was of ixC and xxx^ti yere oolde, he wist welle that his life-daies shortid and neighid fast and sone shulde eende. And than he seid to Eue: "gadre to-gidir nowe alle my childrene, that thei mowe com bifore me and that I mai speke my fille vnto hem and yife hem [ 55]

my blessinge, or that I deie." And than thei come to-gidir in three par∣ties bi-fore his praienge-place, where that Adam had praied to oure lorde god. And thei come to-gidir with oo voice seienge: "what seie ye to us, ffadir? whi be we hidir gadrid to-gidir bifore you and whi list thou in thi bedde? Seie to vs what is thi wille, that wee mai doo it." Than [ 5] Adam aunswerid and seide: "my childrene, me is fulle woo and with sor∣owes I am turmentid and traueilid." And than his childrene seide to hym: "ffader, what is it to haue eville and with sorowes to be traueilid othir tormentid?" Than seide his sone Seth: "lorde, ffadir, thou desirist hap∣pelie to eete of the frute of paradis of the whiche some-time thou eete, [ 10] and there-for thou liest thus in sorowes. Wolt thou that I goo and neyȝ to the yatis of Paradis and doo duste on myne hede and falle doun 1 to the erthe bi-fore the yatis of paradis, and crie in grete lamentacioun, praieng to oure lorde god, and happelie he wille hire me and sende his aungelle to me to bringe me that thou desirist." And than Adam aunswerde and [ 15] seide: "sone, I desire noo thinge, but that I am woxene fulle sike and I haue grete penaunce in my bodi." And Seth aunswerid: "I wote nat what sorowe is; there-for seie what it is, and hile it nought to me!" Than seide Adam: "herkeneth nowe, alle my childrenne! Whan god made me and your moodur and put vs in paradis and yafe to us alle the trees beringe frute, to [ 20] eete whan wee wolde, but oonelie of the tree of goode and eville that stondith in the myddis of Paradis—thus god put us than in paradis and yafe me powere in the este (and) in the parties ayens the northe, and to your moodir he yafe from the southe in to the west; and yaffe twoo aungellis to kepe vs. The time come that these Aungellis went to the sight [ 25] of god, hym to honour: and than the ffeend anone fonde a place in youre profrid moodir and counseilid hir to eete of the forboodene tree; and she eete and profrid me to eete, and I eete: and anone our lorde was wroth with us. Than he seid to me: "for thou hast forsake my commaundementis and that I ordeined to the thou hast nat kept me, se nowe I shalle cast in to [ 30] thi bodie lxx woundis of diuers sorowes and maladies fro the coroune of thine hede in to the soole of thi foote, and alle the diuers membris of thi bodie be thei turmentid." Loo, sones, many sondrie sikenessis god hath ordeined us for our trespas and to alle oure kinrede afftir us."—Thus Adam seiing 2 to his sones, he (was) I-take with grete sorowis, and he cried [ 35] with a grete vois and seide: "what shall I wrecche nowe doo, that am nowe put in to suche sorowes and tribulacions?" And whan he had alle this I-seide and Eve had herde alle this, she biganne to wepe and seide: "lord god, put these sorowes in me, for whi I haue trespacid, and nought he." and than Eue seide to Adam: "good sir, yeue me parte of thi des∣esis [ 40] and of thi sorowes, for my defautis make the to haue these sorowes." And than Adam seid to Eve: "arise and goo with thi sone Seth and neyȝ the to the yatis of paradis, and castith erthe on youre heedis and fallith doun and makith sorowe in the sight of oure lorde god, that hap∣pelie he wille haue mercie on vs, and happelie he wille commaunde an [ 45] Aungelle to the tree of mercie fro the which tree rēnneth oile of life, and happelie he shall yeue you of that medicine, so that ye may anointe me ther-with, that I myght be lissid of my sorowes that I suffre, in the which I brenne and am fulle werie off."—Thane Seth and Eue, his moodir, went toward paradis. And while thei yoode bi the weie, sodeinlie there come [ 50] vpon hem a foule Adder with-out pete and a foule beeste, right as it were the feende, and he boote Seth wickedli in the face. And whan Eue saugh that, she biganne bittirlie to wepe and seid: "allas to me wrecche! for I am cursed, and alle that kepe nat the commaundementis of god." And thane Eve seide to the Adder with a grete voice: "thou cursed beeste, whi [ 55]

douȝtist thou nat to hurte and to noie thus cruelli the ymage of god? and howe art thou so hardie and so boold to fight with it, or that thi teethe shulde greue so worthi a creature?" And than the Addre aunswerid and seide with a grete voice: "O thou Eue, whethere oure wrecchidnes be nat afore god ne hath nat god steerid oure woodenesse ayens you? seie [ 5] thou, Eue, howe were thou so hardie to eete of the tree the which our lorde forbedde and commaundid to eete nat of? ffor bifore-hande we had no right ne powere ouer yowe; but afftir that time that ye had ones brokene goddis biddinge and his commaundementis, we hadden powere anone in yowe." And than seide Seth to the worme: "cursed be thou of god: goo 1 [ 10] aweie fro the sight of men and close thi mouthe and wexe thou doumbe, cursed enemie and distroier of rightwisnes; goo from the sight of the lord godis ymage, tille the time that god calle the ayenne to be preued what thou art." And than the worme seide to Sethe: "I mai nat with-stonde thi biddinge, but nowe I goo aweie fro the Image of god."—And Seth and [ 15] Eue, his moodir, wenten to the yatis of paradis: and thei toke the dust of the erthe and kest it on her heedis and on her facis, and thei fillen doun grouelinge to the erthe and made grete sorowis, and praieden to god to haue mercie on Adam and that he wolde sende an Aungelle to bringe hem of the Oile of the tree of mercie, to hele with Adam. Than the Aun∣gelle [ 20] Michaelle appered to hem and seide: "I am the Archaungelle Michaelle, that am ordeined of god kepere 2 of mannys bodie. I seie to the, Seth, wepe no more ne praie nat for the Oile of mercie to anoynte with the bodie of thi ffadir Adam, for thou maie nat haue of that Oile, tille vMCC and xviij yere be eendid. Than shalle come on the erthe Jhesu Crist, god∣dis [ 25] sone, and shalle ben baptisid in the fflome Jordane, and he shalle deie and rise ayen and goo to helle and anointe there Adam, thi ffadir, and bringe hym and alle feithfulle deede mene with . . . whiche annointinge shalle endure with-outene eende; than shalle Jhesu Criste stiȝe vpe, and he wille lede thi ffadir in to paradis to his tree of mercie. And goo thou nowe [ 30] to thi ffadir and seie to hym: the time of his life-daies ben doone, for afftir vj daies his life-daies shalle passe. And than thou shalt se grete wondris in heuene and in erthe amonge the brighte aungelles of heuene." And whan Michaelle the Archaungelle had seide alle this, anone he vanisshid aweie. And than Eve and Seth turned ayenne homewarde, and toke with hem [ 35] swete oynementis, that is Adoramenta: Nardum, Crocum, Calamynt, Synamom̄ and Canelle. And whan thei come home to Adam, Eve tolde howe the serpent had betenne Seth, his sone. And than seide to his wiffe Adam: "bi∣holde what thou hast done to vs! thou hast brought to vs grete dissesis and synnes to alle oure kinrede. Where-for alle that thou hast done vs and [ 40] alle thingis that is done, shewe to my childrene afftir my dethe, that thei that shulle come of vs here-afftir ne shulle nat be wroothe to bere the dissesis that thei shulle haue, nor the sorowis; than thei shalle curse to∣warde us and seie: these dissesis hath our ffadris and moodris brought to us, that were in the biginninge afore us."—And whan Eue had herde [ 45] alle this, she biganne to wepe and make grete sorowe and doole. And as Michaelle the Archaungelle had seid bifore, afftir vj daies Adam deide. And bifore that he deied, he seide to his childrene: "biholde, for nowe I daie and the noumbre of my yeris in this worlde bene ixC and xxx yere. And whan I am deede, burie me ayens godis yerdis in the feelde of his [ 50] dwellinge-place!" And whan he had seide this, he yelde vpe the spirite. And than the sonne wexe derke, and the mone and the sterris, viij daies lastinge afftir his dethe. And whan Seth and his moodir Eve had leide forthe Adame his body, thei sorowedene on it; and thei loked toward the erthe clappinge her hondis on her hedis and thei put doun her heedis on

her knes sore wepinge, and alle her childrenne also. And than Michael the Archaungelle appered to hem stondinge at Adames heede and seide to Seth: "arise vpe fro the bodie of thi ffadir and come to me, that thou se thi ffadir and the ordenaunce what oure lorde purposed to do with hym: for he had mercio on hym atte this time." And than alle aungellis tromped [ 5] vpe, seienge: "blessid be, god, of thi makinge, for thou art nowe merciable on hym." Than saugh Seth the honde of god holdinge vpe the soule of his ffadir Adam and toke it to Seint Michaelle and seide: "Lete this soule be in thi kepinge in tormentis in to the last daie of dispensacioun: and than shalle I deliuer hym of his sorowes; ffor sothe than he shalle sytte [ 10] on his ioiefull Throne, he that hath cast hym so lowe." And yit god seide ayenne to Michaelle: "bringe to me thre clothis of sendelle, and leie oone ouer Adam and anothir ouere his sone Abel." And alle the ordris of Aungellis wentene bifore Adam and blessid the slepe of his last eende of his dethe. And archaungellis buried the bodie of Adam in the vale of [ 15] Ebronne, as the maister of stories tellith. And Seth and his moodir Eve saugh what the aungellis didene, and thei meruelid gretelie. And than seide the Aungellis to hem: "loke howe ye haue seene these bodies buried: and in the same manere burie ye youre dede bodies here-afftirward forth in time commyng." And than vj daies affter that Adam was thus deede [ 20] and buried, Eue knewe than that deth was commynge to hir fast. And she gadrid to-gidir alle hir sones and doughtris and seide to hem: "hire ye me, my sonnes and doughtris, what I telle you! Afftir the time that your ffadir and I passid godis biddinge, Michaelle the Archaungelle seide to us: "for youre synne god wolle distroie your kinde ffrist bi water and afftir be [ 25] fire: and in these twoo alle mennes kinde be of god." There-for hire, my sone Seth: make tablis of stone and also tablis of shininge claie or erthe, and write there-Inne the livis of your ffadir and me, and alle thoo thingis that ye haue herde and seene of us. For atte that time whan god shalle iuge alle oure kinde bi water, the tablis of erthe wille lose and melte aweie [ 30] with sokinge and drinkinge of the watris, but thou shalt vndirstonde and knowe welle that the tablis of stoone wille dwelle and abide; and, for∣sothe, whan god wille Juge mankinde bi fir, than wille the tablis of stone (lose & the tablis of erthe) abide and endure."—And whan Eue had seide alle this to (hir) childrene, she spradde hir hondis abrode and [ 35] lokid vpewarde to heuen, knelinge on the erthe, praienge to god; and whilis she praied, hir spirite passed. And than alle hir childrenne wepte bittirlie, and buried hir. And while thei made sorowe for her moodir foure daies fastinge, Michaelle the Archaungelle apperid and seide to hem: "men of god, make ye no sorowe for the dethe of your [ 40] ffadir ne of your moodir, noo lenger than vj daies, ne for noone that deiene, for the vij daie is tokenne of oure vpe-risinge and rest that is to commene of this worlde, and in the vij^te daie he toke rest of alle his werkis." And than made Seth tablis of stone and of erthe, and also he wrote in hem bothe the liuis of his ffadir Adam and of his moodir Eue, [ 45] and leide the same tablis in his ffadris Oratorie where he was wonte to worshipe god. And afftir Noes ffloode the tablis were founden and seene of many oone, but thei were nat redde ne declared. And than aftirward come Salamone, the wise kinge, and saugh these tablis wretenne: and he deuoutelie praied to god that he myght vndirstonde the writinge of thoo [ 50] tablis. And than appered to hym an Aungelle of god, that helde the honde of Seth whanne he wrote this with Irenne in his tablis, and seide: "thou shalt knowe the scripture there-of: and these tablis were in the place where Adam and Eue were wont to praie to god: and ther-for hit bihoueth to the to make a praienge-place to god." And than Salamone clepid these [ 55] lettris in the tablis Archiliates, that is to seie with-out techinge of lippes I-wretene with the ffynger of Seth, the aungelle of god holdinge his honde.

Than made Salamone an hous of god menne to praie Inne. And (in) the tablis were founde I-writtenne that was prophecied of Adam vij sythes and Ennok spak of Noes floode and the comminge of Criste Jhesu. "Loo, he seide, oure lorde shalle come in his holie knyghthode to make Juge∣ment of mene and to distroie alle wickidmene of her werkis and of alle the [ 5] spekinge of hem with synners; wickid mene and grucchers thei seke to speke afftir her owne couetinge, thei entrid and spake proudelie."—This is the boke of the generacioun of Adam. Adam in that daie in the whiche god made mane of nought to the ymage and liknesse of god and he made of hem both male and ffemale and he made hem of nought and than he [ 10] blessid hem and clepid the name of hym Adam in that daie the whiche he was made of nought, Adam for sothe liuid C 1 and xxx^ti yere or he gate a sone; and than he gate a sone to the liknesse of his ymage and callid the name of hym Seth. And the daies of Adam be made, afftir that he had bigote his sone Seth, viijC yere, and he bigate sones and doughtres [ 15] many oone. And alle the time that Adam liuid here in erthe, was markid and I-made and it commeth to ix and xxxC yere; and alle the sones of Adam were in noumbre xxxiij and the doughtris of hym were in noumbre xxxij.

Here endith the life of Adam and of Eve.

Notes

• Dieselbe Legende findet sich, mit vielfach abweichendem vermehrtem Texte, in der altengl. Übertragung der Leg. aurea (Ms. Harl. 4775, Egert. 876 u. Douce 872). Das lat. Original findet sich in Ms. Queens Coll. Oxf. 213 u. d. T. Vita protho∣plasti Adae.—Abschrift des ersten Textes danke ich Mr. Furnivall. Die Hs. ist fehlerhaft, öfter lückenhaft und abgerissen.
• 1

  Ms. bettir.
• Sorow of Adam.
• Beestes made sorow for Adam.
• Feende (to) Eue
• Answere of the feende to Adam.
• Feende.
• Worschi(p) of Ad(am)
• Why (the fende) was (put) oute.
• Adam.
• Eue spak to Adam pitously.
• Adam.
• Eue.
• Howe (Eue) hadde (helpe).
• Abel is bore.
• Caym slogh Abel.
• Praye(r)
• God to Adam.
• Adam to god.
• Adam called his children.
• Adam spak to his chil∣dre.
• Adam to (Seth).
• Seeth t(o Adam). Whi A(dam) (was) putte in (paradys).
• Nota
• Adam had (in his) body lxx w(oundes).
• Eue and Seeth.
• Eue s(eide to) the (eddre).
• The (eddre) to (Eue).
• Seet(h to) the (eddre)
• Aungel to Seeth.
• (Pro)phecy of (C)ristis comyng.
• Ad(am) to (Eue).
• 1

  l. wrothe.
• Adam (deth).
• 2

  Ms. & thei.
• Michael spak to Seeth.
• Adam soule.
• Where & how Adam was beryed.
• 3

  Ms. dyede.
• Eue s(pak to) hir chi(ldre).
• Twoo (tables).
• Seeth made the tables beforsaide.
• Salamon.
• 1

  Ms. vnderstonde vndirstonde.
• Name of thise lettres.
• Diese Hs. enthält die engl. Übersetzung der Leg. aurea; das Leben Adams ist hier am Schlusse angehängt und zu einem Teil der Sammlung gemacht, obschon es ursprünglich wohl ein besonderes Werk für sich bildete. Es findet sich ausserdem in Ms. Egert. 876 u. Ms. Douce 872 (ebenfalls Hss. der Übersetzung der Leg. aurea). In dieser Version sind die biblischen Partien hinzugefügt. In Ms. Egert., der besten Hs., fehlt leider der Schluss.
• 1

  Ms. soo.
• 1

  Ms. an aungelle.
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  Ms. and.
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  Ms. a st. no.
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  Ms. goodis, Eg. goddes chosen.
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  Ms. hath.
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  tilge he tok bis plantid.
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  Ms. mooste.
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  tilge and bis god.
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  and st. at? Gen. ad auram.
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  Eg. no but.
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  Eg. hauers.
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  Eg. burione.
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  Ms. liuid.
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  Eg. lorwing, l. sorwing.
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  l. beestis.
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  Ms. that were.
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  Ms. crienge, Ms. Eg. cried.
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  Ms. that st. the.
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  Ms. and Mighelle.
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  Ms. fast.
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  Ms. hym st. the.
• 1

  Ms. hym.
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  l. And so.
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  is st. has.
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  Ms. victore, Ms. Eg. her.
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  Ms. seide to hym.
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  l. forsoth.
• 2

  tilge and—offre.
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  Ms. and also.
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  Eg. & there-with ell.
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  Eg. whi art thou wrothe and whi ther-with fallithe thi chere?
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  Eg. lord∣hip.
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  Ms. in.
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  Eg. vagaunt; but be fehlt.
• 1

  Ms. desire.
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  Eg. se.
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  Eg. y shall.
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  fro me fehlt in Eg.
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  Ms. tem∣plis tentis.
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  Eg. & the suster of Tubalcaym Noema.
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  Eg. wannesse.
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  Ms. nat, Eg. the.
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  Hier bricht Ms. Egert. ab.
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  Ms. seid.
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  Ms. goo we.
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  Ms. kepers.
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  Ms. ixC.