Chapter VI: Prepositions (1)

_Fro_ (Northumbrian _fra_) takes the place of the Southern _fram_ (from), and _til_ (unknown to Southern writers) occurs frequently for _to_.

THE METRE OF THE POEM.

The essence of the system of versification which the poet has adopted is, briefly, that every line shall have _four accented_ syllables in it; the _unaccented_ syllables being left in some measure, as it were, to take care of themselves.

The words which Coleridge prefixed to his poem of "Christabel" are by no means inapplicable here. He says, "I have only to add, that the metre of the 'Christabel' is not, properly speaking, irregular, though it may seem to be so from its being founded on a new (?) principle: namely, that of counting in each line the accents, not the syllables. Though the latter may vary from seven to twelve, yet in each line the accents will be found to be only four."

The normal form of the line of the present poem is that simple one of eight syllables, consisting of four (so-called) iambics, which is so common in English poetry. But it should be remembered that this line is at all times convertible with one of _seven_ syllables, generally described as consisting of three trochees and a long syllable. This is easily exemplified by taking the first two lines of the Conclusion to the Second Part of Coleridge's "Christabel."

\/ —— \/ —— \/ —— \/ ——
A lit | tle child | a lim | ber elf ||
—— \/ —— \/ —— \/ ——
Singing | dancing | to it | self ||

This is adopting the common form of scansion given in English prosodies, which is far from being a very correct method; since to make _trochaic_ and _iambic_ metres convertible is to introduce all sorts of confusion.

The fact is, that the _seven-syllable_ line, though _trochaic_ to the _ear_, is really an _iambic_ line, of which the _first_ syllable is _deficient_, i.e., supplied by a _pause_; and the truer scansion is,

A lit | tle child | a lim | ber elf ||
— Sing | ing danc | ing to | itself ||

At any rate, to adopt this latter method (of beginning to mark off the feet from the _end_, instead of from the _beginning_ of the line) will be found to be far more convenient in practice; since the accented syllables, instead of drifting about, will thus always be placed at the end of a foot. We should thus, for instance, introduce the same marking off of syllables in the line,

Ánd | ðe séx | te dá | is ligt || l. 167,

as we have in the line,

ðo cám | ðe fíf | te dá | is ligt || l. 158.

Examples of couplets containing a line of each kind are not uncommon; thus, ll. 29, 30:—

Fá | der gód | of ál | le ðhínge ||
Almíg | tin lóu | erd hég | est kínge ||

Also lines 289, 290.

And gét | ne kú | ðe hé | nogt blínne ||
Fór | to dón | an óð | er ſínne ||

See also ll. 309, 310; 439, 440, etc.

The introduction of these seven-syllable lines, far from being a defect, is a natural and agreeable variation, adopted by all our best poets.

The next chief variation to be noted is that two very rapid syllables are often (as in other English metres) substituted for an unaccented one, as in l. 88:—

Ór | ðe nígt | and áf | ter ðe dáy ||
~~~~~~

Again, in l. 93:—

On an óð | er daí | ðis míd | del érd ||
~~~~~

and in l. 474:—

To sché | ten áf | ter ðe wíl | de dér ||
~~~~~~

See also ll. 321, 503, 505, 656, etc.; and compare the line from "Christabel:"

"That shá | dowy in | the moon | light shone ||"
~~~~

The syllables thus most frequently _slurred over_—the term _elided_ is but weak and improper, explaining nothing—are the final syllables _-en_, _-er_, _-et_, etc., as in ll. 96 and 116:—

Ál | abú | ten ðis wálk | ne sént ||
~~~~~~~

Was wá | ter and érðe | o ſún | der ſád ||
~~~~~~~

Some lines—and these sound rather harshly—require a little _forcing_ to make them conform to the strict type; as, _e.g._, l. 66, which, to make it agree with the rest, must be written,

Ín | to ðis ðhíſ | terneſſe hér | bi-néðen ||
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

A poet's business is, in fact, to take care that the syllables which _are_ to be rapidly pronounced are such as easily _can_ be so; and that the syllables which are to be heavily accented are naturally those that _ought_ to be. If he gives attention to this it does not much matter whether each foot has _two_ or _three_ syllables in it.

A man is master of his art when he can write—

Come in | to the gar | den, Maud ||
For the black | bat, night, | has flown ||
And the wood | bine spi | ces are waf | ted abroad ||
And the musk | of the rose | is blown ||

With respect to the final _-en_, it should be further noted—

(1) That it is sometimes fully pronounced, as in ll. 87 and 91—

fró | ðat tíme | we tél | len áy ||
ðo gán | hem dá | gen wél | iwíſſe ||

(2) That it is sometimes rapidly slurred over, as in l. 96, already cited; and

(3) That (especially after an _r_) it is often so pronounced as to be incorporated with the syllable preceding it, so that the whole word, supposing it a dissyllable in appearance, becomes monosyllabic in pronunciation; as in l. 514—

Matú | ſalé | was bóren | iſ ſúne ||

and, again, in l. 655—

Wóren | ſtalwúr | ði bóren | bi tále ||

Thus, we may find the same word written and pronounced as a dissyllable—

Wó | ren ðáne | don ſóne | a-nón || l. 3591;

and, in another place, written and pronounced as a monosyllable—

In geu | eléngðh | e wórn | it mád || l. 147.

Thus, the _n_ must have been _very slightly_ touched, as is shewn also by the riming of _e_ and _en_. Examples, ll. 11, 12; 363, 364, etc.

As to the final _-e_, it may be observed that it is most frequently pronounced just when it is most essential, viz., when it marks a grammatical inflexion, or an adverbial form, as, _e.g._:—

Til ihé | sus béð | on Ró | dè dón || l. 386;

and,

Wél | he ſeí | den and ſwí | ðè wél || l. 1645.

In the second place, it is very liable to be slurred over before a vowel following, as in l. 148—

In Ré | ke-fíl | le on ſún | der ſhád ||
~~~~~

and, thirdly, it is frequently added to words without cause, and is therefore mute, as in l. 60—

ðat éu | ere ſpróng | in wérld | wíd ||

It seems to be sometimes mute after _-ed_, when _-ede_ forms part of a verb. See ll. 1396, 1433, etc.

Attention to the metre may detect errors in the text. Thus, in l. 75, the word _dais_ is missing:—

forð glód | ðat fír | me [dá | is] lígt ||

See l. 113, which proves the point.

In l. 1846 the definite form of the adjective is required, and _strong_ should be _stronge_—

ðe stróng | e gód | of ýs | raél ||

It has been noted that the first foot of a line sometimes consists of _one_ syllable only, and that one _accented_. By a bolder license, this is sometimes the case not only with the _first_ foot, but with _other_ feet, e.g. with the _third_ foot. Line 2572:—

Q_u_an é | bru chíld | ſúld | be bóren ||

Again, with the _last_ foot, as in l. 3580, unless we read _duste_:—

And ſtíred | it ál | to dúſt | ſir ||

Very many other curious variations occur, which the reader will probably observe for himself with some interest. Thus, in l. 60, just above cited, the question arises whether or not the _r_ in _werld_ was pronounced with so strong a _burr_ as to render the word _dissyllabic_, as is often the case in Scotch poetry with words containing _rl_, _rn_, etc.

CONTRACTIONS USED IN THE GLOSSARY.

A.S. Anglo-Saxon.
Da. Danish.
Du. Dutch.
Allit. Poems, Early English Alliterative Poems (Ed. Morris).
O.E. Old English.
Prov. E. Provincial English.
Fr. French.
Fris. Frisian.
Ger. German.
Goth. Gothic.
M.H.Ger. Middle High German.
O.H.Ger. Old High German.
Laȝ. Laȝamon's Brut (Ed. Sir F. Madden).
Met. Hom. Metrical Homilies (Ed. Small).
O.N. Old Norse.
Orm. Ormulum.
P. of C. Hampole's Pricke of Conscience (Ed. Morris).
Prompt. Parv. Promptorium Parvulorum (Ed. Way).
S.Sax. Semi-Saxon.
Sw. Swedish.

[1] My obligations to Mr Skeat (in whose accuracy and judgment I have the
fullest confidence) are numerous; and I am indebted to him, among
other obligations, for the description of the manuscript, and for
some interesting remarks upon the metre of the poem. My thanks are
also due to the Rev. J. R. Lumby, who most kindly and readily
re-collated the text with the manuscript.

[2] It is thus described—wrongly, of course, as to age—in the printed
catalogue of the Corpus manuscripts:—"ccccxliv. A parchment book in
8vo., written in the xv. century, containing the history of Genesis
and Exodus in Old English verse."

[3] From lines 19-26 we might infer that our author intended to include
in his song much more of the Bible narrative than we have in the
present work.

[4] Father, God of all things, Almighty Lord, highest of kings, Give thou
me a propitious season (enable thou me successfully), to show this
world's beginning, Thee, Lord God, to honour, whetherso I read or
sing.

[5] The following are the chief omissions:—1. Genesis, chapters ii.
10-14; ix. 20-27, x. 2-7, 10-32; xxiii. 3-20; xxx. 1-5, 14-16, 37-43;
xxxi. 1-17; xxxvi.; xxxviii.; xlviii.; xlix. 1-27. 2. Exodus,
chapters xii. 40-51; xiii. 1-16; xx. 20-26; xxi.; xxii.; xxiii.;
xxv.; xxvi.; xxvii.; xxviii.; xxix.; xxx.; xxxi.; xxxiii. 12-23;
xxxiv. 1-32; xxxv.; xxxvi.; xxxvii.; xxxviii.; xxxix.; xl.

[6] Numbers, chapters xi.; xii.; xiii.; xiv.; xvi.; xvii.; xix.; xx.;
xxi.; xxii.; xxiii.; xxiv.; xxv.; xxvi.; xxvii.; xxxi. Deut. xxxiv.

[7] Natural marks?

[8] MS. in-sile.

[9] The Bestiary presents not only the same _grammatical_ and _verbal_
forms which distinguish the Genesis and Exodus from other Early
English compositions, but also its _orthographical_ peculiarities,
_e.g._ _ſ_ for _sch_; _ð_ for _th_; _g_ for _y_ and _ȝ_ (_gh_), etc.
The editor assigns this poem to the _early_ part of the thirteenth
century.

[10] Warton assigned it to the reign of Henry II. or Richard I.; Sir F.
Madden to the time of Henry III. (1216-1272).

[11] Those employed (about _fifty_ altogether) are more or less
technical—_aucter_, _auter_, _astronomige_, _arsmetrike_, _bigamie_,
_bissop_, _crisme_, _charité_, _canticle_, _circumcis_, _corune_,
_crune_, _desert_, _graunte_, _gruchede_, _holocaust_, _hostel_,
_iurnee_, _iusted_ (allied), _lecherie_, _lepre_, _mount_, _mester_,
_meister_, _neve_ (nephew), _offiz_, _pais_, _plente_, _pore_,
_present_, _prest_, _pris_, _prisun_, _promissioun_, _prophet_,
_roche_, _sacrede_, _scité_ (city), _spirit_, _spices_, _suriurn_
(sojourn), _swinacie_ (quinsy), _serue_, _seruice_, _ydeles_,
_ydolatrie_.

[12] Since writing the above I have printed for the Early English Text
Society "Old English Homilies, 2nd Series," which are earlier than
the Ormulum, and contain many East Midland peculiarities. "The Wooing
of Our Lord" in Old English Homilies, 1st Series, contains some
peculiarities of the West Midland dialect.

[13] See Preface to O.E. Hom., 2nd Series.

[14] It must be recollected that the Ormulum is much earlier than the
Story of Genesis and Exodus.

[15] See Ormulum, Introduction, p. lxxviii., note 105; lxxxi., note 112.

[16] While agreeing with the editor of the Ormulum, that the simplicity of
grammatical forms may fairly be considered as indicating a less
artificial, and therefore advanced, stage of the language, I cannot
adopt his theory, that "the strict rules of grammar" were therefore
abandoned, and thereby was anticipated, to a certain extent, a later
phraseology and structure; or that Orm, or any other O.E. writer,
ever sacrificed "the more regular for a simpler, though more corrupt,
structure and style." It must always be borne in mind that our
earlier writers always speak of their language as English; but it was
the English of the district in which they lived. In some districts,
as in the Northumbrian, for instance, the language underwent certain
changes at a very early period, which more Southern dialects did not
adopt for more than a century afterwards: thus, in works of the 14th
century, we find the Midland more archaic than the Northumbrian, and
the Southern more archaic than either. Authors seeking to become
popular would write in the dialect best understood by their readers,
without considering whether it was simple or complex. Thus the
Ayenbite of Inwyt (A.D. 1340), written for the men of Kent, contains
far more of the older inflectional forms than the Ormulum of the
twelfth century.

[17] Southern writers before 1340 formed the g.s. of fem. nouns in _-e_
and not in _-es_.

[18] In the Southern dialect the article had separate forms for the
nominative fem. (_theo_, _tho_), and neuter (_thet_, _that_); the
fem. gen. sing. (_thar_, _ther_), and the masc. acc. (_than_,
_then_).

[19] See Ormulum, Introduction, p. lxxviii., note 105.

[20] _Sinden_, are, occurs in the Ormulum and the Bestiary, but is not
employed in the present poem.

[21] These forms occur in O.E. Hom., 2nd Series.

[22] In O.E. Hom., 2nd Series, we find _hes_ = them. See Moral Ode, l.
186, O.E. Hom., 2nd Series: "wel diere he _hes_ bohte."

[23] Robt. of Gloucester, Shoreham, Dan. Michel's Ayenbite of Inwyt.

[24] Deep he _them_ buried under an oak.

[25] For Solomon find _them_ shall.

[26] He took _them_.

[27] All his _footsteps_ after him he filleth, draweth dust with his tail
where he steppeth, or dust or dew (moisture), that they are not able
to find _them_.

[28] I have in one case taken the liberty of separating the pronoun from
the verb (for the convenience of the reader), giving the MS. reading
in the margin; but I am sorry now that I did not let them stand as in
the original copy.

[29] _Mes_ = _me_ + _es_ = one, them, occurs in O. E. Hom., 2nd Series.

[30] All _he them_ had (he had them all) with might begotten (obtained).

[31] Undealt (undivided) _he them_ laid, whereso _he them_ brought.

The dove hath habits good,
All _we them_ ought to have in mind

(_i.e._ we ought to have them all in mind).

Bilhah two children bore by him,
Rachel _called them_ Dan, Naphtali;
And Zilpah two sons to him bore,
Leah _called them_ Gad and Asher.

[34] The tabernacle he _put them_ in.

[35] He _set them_ in the firmament.

[36] _ðei_ occurs _once_ only in the present poem, _þeȝȝr_, _þeȝȝm_, not
at all; it occurs twice in O.E. Hom., 2nd Series.

[37] Philolog. Soc. Proceedings, vol. i. pp. 73, 261. _Almigtin_,
almighty, p. 2, l. 30, is the only _adjective_ I find with this
termination.

[38] The dative of the A.S. _bóc_ was _béc_.

[39] _gebroðeren_ (A.S. _broðru_) occurs in the Semi-Sax. Gospels.

[40] A.S. _cealfru_.

[41] _cildru_.

[42] _dura_.

[43] _ægru_.

[44] _handa_.

[45] _cý_.

[46] _lambru_.

[47] _greiðe_ (prepare), _kipte_ (seized), _lit_ (stain), _liðe_ (listen),
_mal_ (speech), _witterlike_ (truly), are found in Southern English,
and may be the remains of the Anglian element in the A.Saxon.

[48] Those marked * thus constantly occur in Northumbrian and Midland
works (with Northern peculiarities) of the 14th century.

[49] _fere_ occurs for _feren_, so _senwe_ = sinews (A.S. _sinu_, sing.,
_sina_, pl.).

[50] As a rule fem. nouns, and nouns of the _n_ declension, take the
inflexion _-es_; as, '_sinnes_ same' (sin's shame), '_sowles_ frame'
(soul's profit), '_helles_ male' (hell's mail), '_werldes_ drof'
(world's assembly). The Bestiary contains the following genitives in
_-e_:—'_nese_ smel' (O.E. Miscell., p. 1), '_welle_ grund' (_Ib._, p.
3), '_kirke_ dure' (_Ib._, p. 6), '_soule_ drink' (_Ib._, p. 7),
'_soule_ spuse' (_Ib._, p. 23), '_helle_ pine' (_Ib._, p. 24).

[51] The forms in _-er_, _-est_, are properly adverbial and not
adjectival.

[52] _tigðe_ = _tithe_, tenth, occurs in l. 895, and _tigðes_ in l. 1628.

[53] Orm uses the more Northern _ȝho_ (Northumbrian _sco_).

[54] _get_ = she it: "al _get_ bit otwinne," she biteth it all in two
(Bestiary, O.E. Miscell., p. 9).

[55] See p. xix.

[56] _ðei_ occurs but once only.

[57] O.E. Hom., 2nd Series.

[58] See pp. xix, xx.

[59] See Preface to O.E. Hom., 2nd Series.

[60] If _godes_ = god's, _seiden_ (pl.) may be an error for _seide_
(sing.), and _hem_ will then = _he_ + _hem_, he them.

[61] Chaucer constantly uses _men_ with a _verb_ in the _singular_ number,
third person. See Notes and Queries for Feb. 8th, 1873, where I have
shown that the West-Midland substituted _men_ for the Southern _me_.

[62] The genitive and possessive are denoted by one form; as, _ure_, of
us; _gure_, of you; _here_, of them.

[63] Because elided in these cases.

[64] The Bestiary is far more accurate in this respect.

[65] _gangande_ rhymes with _standen_ (O.E. Miscell., p. 21, ll. 654,
655).

[66] This form is used when the pronoun follows.

[67] _Followed_ by the pronoun.

[68] The second person of irregular verbs (pret.) does not occur in the
poem. In the Ormulum the inflection is _-e_, which is occasionally
dropped.

[69] These forms do not occur in the poem.

[70] _Sinden_ = are, occurs in the Bestiary and the Ormulum. _Sinde_ and
_senden_ in O.E. Hom., 2nd Series.

THE STORY OF GENESIS AND EXODUS, ETC.

Man ought to
love those who instruct
the lewd,

MAn og to luuen ðat rimes ren,
ðe Wiſſeð wel ðe logede men,
hu man may him wel loken

so that he who is
not book-learned
may love and
serve God.

ðog he ne be lered on no boken, 4
Luuen god and ſeruen him ay,
For he it hem wel gelden may,
And to alle criſtenei men

God shall love all
Christian men,
and give them
soul-rest

beren paiſ and luue bi-twen; 8
ðan ſal him almighti_n_ luuen,
Her bi-neðen and ðund[71] abuuen,
And giuen him bliſſe and ſoules reſte[n]

that shall last
evermore.

ðat him ſal earuermor[72] leſten. 12

Out of Latin is
this song turned
into English speech.

Ut of latin ðis ſong is dragen
on engleis ſpeche, on ſoðe ſagen;

Christian men
ought to be as
glad as birds are
of dawn to hear
the story

Cristene men ogen ben ſo fagen
ſo fueles arn q_u_an he it ſen dagen, 16
ðan man hem telled soðe tale
Wid[73] londes ſpeche and wordes ſmale,

of man's bliss and
sorrow,

Of bliſſes dune, of ſorwes dale;
Q_u_hu lucifer, ðat deuel dwale, 20
[Brogte mankinde in sinne and bale]

and how salvation
came through
Christ,

And held hem ſperd in helles male
til god ſrid him in manliched,
dede mankinde bote and red, 24

and destroyed the
power of Satan.

And unſpered al ðe fendes ſped,
And halp ðor he ſag mikel ned.

[71] _read_ gund?

[72] So in MS.

[73] _read_ wið

GOD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH BY HIS WORD.

Biddi[74] hic ſingen no_n_ oðer led,
ðog[75] hic folgen idel-hed. 28

[Fol. 1b.]
Father, God of
all things,

FAder god of alle ðhinge,
Almigtin louerd, hegeſt kinge,

enable thou me to
sing this world's
creation,

ðu giue me ſeli timinge
To thaunen ðis werdes biginninge, 32
ðe, leuerd god, to wurðinge,
Queðer ſo hic rede or ſinge!

wrought with
wit, wisdom, and
good love.

Wit, and wisdam, and luue godd,
And fer ear biðohte al in his modd, 36

In the Creator's
wisdom was all
devised ere it
came into being.

In his wiſdom was al biðogt
Ear ðanne it was on werlde brogt.
In firme bigini[n]g, of nogt

Heaven and earth
were wrought
when God bad
exist time and
place.

Was heuene and erðe ſamen wrogt; 40
ðo bad god wurðen ſtund and ſtede,
ðis middes werld ðor-inne[76] he dede,

First all was
night.

Al was ðat firme ðroſing in nigt,
Til he wit hiſe word made ligt; 44

Light came by
God's word, that
is, His Son.

Of hiſe word, ðu wiſſike mune,
Hiſe word, ðat is, hiſe wiſe ſune,
ðe was of hin fer ear bi-foren

He existed long
before time.

Or ani werldes time boren; 48
And of hem two ðat leue luuen,

These two rule
all things with
wisdom.

ðe welden al her and abuuen,
ðat heli luue, ða[t] wiſe wil,
ðat weldet alle ðinge wit rigt and [ſ]kil; 52

In the Godhead
there are three
persons of one
counsel and
might.

Migt bat wit word wurðen ligt,
(Hali froure welt oc ðat migt;

[Fol. 2.]

for ðhre p_er_ſones and on reed,
On migt and on godfulhed.) 56

Light came at the
divine command.

ðo ſo wurð ligt ſo god it bad,
fro ðiſterneſſe o ſunde[r] ſad;

Then was the first
morning time
that ever sprang
in the world.

ðat waſ ðe firme morgen tid,
ðat euere ſprong in werld[e] wid. 60

[74] _read_ bidde

[75] 'may' is inserted between 'ðog' and 'hic' in a later hand.

[76] MS. īme.

THE DEVIL'S FALL FROM HEAVEN. THE FIRST LIGHT DAWNS.

With that light
were angels
made,

wid ðat ligt worn angles wrogt,
And in-to newe heuene brogt,

and brought into
a new heaven.

ðat iſ ouer dis[77] walkenes turn,
God hem q_u_uad ðor ſeli ſuriurn; 64

Some for pride
fell thence into
nether darkness.

Su_m_me for pride fellen ðeðen,
In-to ðis ðhiſterneſſe her bi-neðen;

Pride turned angels
into devils,
who became the
source of every
sorrow, bale, and
woe.

Pride made angel deuel dwale,
ðat made ilc ſorge, and eu_er_ilc bale, 68
And eu_er_ilc wunder, and eu_er_ilc wo,
ðat iſ, or ſal ben euere mo.

The devil was
made on the Sunday
and fell out
on the Monday.

He was mad on ðe ſunedai,
He fel out on ðe munendai; 72
(ðis ik wort in ebriſſe wen,
He witen ðe ſoðe ðat iſ ſen.)

Forth glided the
first light, and
afterwards the
first night.

forð glod ðat firme [dais] ligt,
And after glod ðat firme nigt; 76

The dawning
came again.

ðe daigening cam eſt[78] a-gon,

Thus in the welkin's
course
comes day and
night "of twenty-four
hours
right."

His firme kinde dei was a-gon,
On walkenes turn wid dai and nigt
Of foure and twenti time rigt; 80

[Fol. 2b.]

ðes frenkis men o france moal,
it nemnen "un iur natural;"

So ever came the
day first,

And eu_er_e gede ðe dai biforn,
ſiðen ðat newe werld was boren, 84

till Christ
brought his
saints from hell.

Til ih_esus_ criſt fro helle nam,
Hiſ quemed wid[79] eue and adam;

From that time
we ever reckon
first the night
and then the day.

fro ðat time we tellen ay,
Or ðe nigt and after ðe day, 88

For God led them
from Hell's might
into Paradise's
bright light.

for god ledde hem fro helle nigt
to paradises leue ligt;
ðo gan hem dagen wel iwiſſe,
Quan god hem ledde in-to bliſſe. 92

On the second day
the earth was
enclosed by the
firmament,

On an oðer dai ðiſ middel-erd,
waſ al luken and a-buten ſperd;
ðo god bad ben ðe firmament,
Al abuten ðis walkne ſent, 96

[77] _read_ ðis

[78] _read_ eft

[79] _read_ wið

THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH ARE PARTED.

by frozen waters
and wall of ice.

Of watres froren, of yſeſ wal,
ðis middel werld it luket al;—

No fire has ever
yet melted this
ice.

May no fir get melten ðat yſ;
He ðe it made iſ migtful and wis,— 100

This enclosure
may be called
Heaven-roof.

It mai ben hoten heuene-Rof;
It hiled[80] al ðis werldes drof,
And fier, and walkne, and water, and lond,
Al iſ bi-luken in godes hond, 104

It shall last until
Doomsday.

Til domeſ-dai ne ſal it troken.
Al middel-erd ðer-inne is loken,

[Fol. 3.]

watres ben her ðer-under ſuuen,
And watres ðor a-buuen; 108

Above this is another
heaven full
of bliss and life.

And ouer ðat ſo ful i-wis,
An oðer heuene ful o blis,
And ful o lif ðe leſted oo,
wo may him ben ðe fel ðor-fro. 112

Thus passed this
second day's
night.

Forð glod ðis oðer daiſ nigt,
ðo cam ðe ðridde dais ligt:

Then came the
third day's light.

ðe ðridde dai, ſo god it bad,

Water and earth
became separated.

was water and erðe o ſunder ſad; 116
God bi-q_u_uad watres here ſtede,

The earth did
bring forth grass,
herb, and fruit
tree.

And erðe brimen and beren dede;
Ilk gres, ilc wurt, ilc birðheltre,
Hiſ owen ſed beren bad he; 120

Thus was earth
made mother of
wealth.

Of euerilc ougt, of eu_er_ilc ſed,
Waſ erðe mad moder of ſped.
ðe ðridde dai was al ðis wrogt,
And erðes fodme on werldes brogt; 124
An eu_er_ilc fodme his kinde q_u_uemeðen.

Then was all fair
here below.

ðo was it her fair bi-neðen,

God saw that it
was so, and
blessed it.

God ſag his ſafte fair and good,
And bliſcede it wid[81] milde mood. 128

Then came the
fourth day's
light, and Might
made the sun and
moon and each
bright star.

Forð glod ðis ðridde daiſ nigt,
ðo cam ðe ferðe daiſ ligt.
ðe ferðe dai made migt
Sunne, and mone, and ilc ſterre brigt, 132

[80] _read_ hileð

[81] _read_ wið

THE STARS ARE SET, AND FOWL AND FISH ARE MADE.

[Fol. 3b.]

walknes wurði_n_ge, and erdes frame,
He knowned[82] one ilc ſterre name,

God set them in
the firmament.

He ſettes in ðe firmament,

He let them be

Al abuten ðis walkne went; 136
ðe ſeuene he bad on fligte faren,

for signs and for
seasons.

And toknes ben, and times garen.

Sun and moon
are the greatest
of all these
tokens.

Sunne and mone ðe moſte ben
Of alle ðe toknes ðat men her ſen; 140

The moon is
greater than the
earth.

ðe mone iſ more bi mannes tale,
ðan al ðis erðe in werldes dale;

The sun's brightness
is greater
than the moon's
light.

And egeſt ſwilc ðe ſunnes brigt,
Iſ more ðanne ðe mones ligt. 144

The moon's light
is the measure of
a month.

ðe mones ligt is moneð met,
ðor-after iſ ðe ſunne ſet;

In the equinox
was it made.

In geuelengðhe worn it mad,
In Reke-fille, on ſunder ſhad; 148

Two equinoxes
and two solstices
are in the year.

Two geuelengðhes timen her,
And two ſolſtices i_n_ ðe ger.

In four parts the
year is divided,
each part being of
three months.

On four doles delen he
ðe ger, ilc dole of moneð ðhre; 152
Euere ſchinen ðo toknes brigt,
And often giuen iſ on erðe ligt;
wel wurðe his migt lefful ay,
ðe wroutis on ðe ferðe day! 156
Forð glod ðis ferðe daiſ nigt,
ðo cam ðe fifte dais ligt;

On the fifth day,
God made of
water each fowl
and fish,
[Fol. 4.]

ðe fifte day god made ywis
of water, ilc fuel and eru_er_ilc[83] fiſ, 160
And tagte fuel on walkene his fligt,
Ilc fiſ on water his flotes migt,

and bad them
multiply.

And bliſced he_m_, and bad hem ðen
And tuderande on werld[e] ben. 164

This fifth day
took its flight,

Ðiſ fifte dai held forð his fligt,
And forð endede ðat fifte nigt;

and on the sixth
day God made all
cattle, reptiles,
and wild deer
(beasts).

And [cam] ðe ſexte dais ligt,
So made god wid[84] witter migt, 168

[82] _read_ knoweð

[83] So in MS.

[84] _read_ wið

CATTLE ARE MADE FOR MAN'S SERVICE. ADAM IS CREATED.

Al erue, and wrim, and wilde der,
Qwel[85] man mai ſen on werlde her.

God knew that
Adam would sin,

God ſag bi-fore quat after cam,
ðat ſingen ſulde firme adam, 172
And him to fremen and do[86] frame,

so He made tame
cattle to help him
in his labour and
to give him food
and clothing.

He made on werlde al erue tame,
ðe ſulde him her, in ſwinkes ſtrif,
to fode, and ſrud, to helpen ðe lif; 176
And him to pine, and loar her,

God made the
wild deer to
trouble man with
sorrow and dread
and cause him to
moan his sinfulness.

God made wirme _and_ wilde der.
He pine man wid[87] ſorwe and dred,
And don hem[88] monen hiſ ſinfulhed, 180
ðat iſ him loar quan he ſeð,
ðan he for ſinne i_n_ ſorwe beð.

Each kind of
cattle, reptile,
and beast was
made of earth.

Ilk kinnes erf, and wrim, and der
Was mad of erðe on werlde her, 184

[Fol. 4b.]
All were good
while Adam was
pure.

And eu_er_ilc on in kinde good,
ðor quiles ada_m_ fro ſinne ſtod;

But reptiles and
wild beasts hurt
man as soon as he
became sinful.

Oc der and wrim it deren man
fro ðan ðat he ſingen bi-gan; 188
In ðe moſte and i_n_ ðe leſte he forleſ
Hiſ lou_er_d-hed[89] q_u_uanne he miſ-cheſ;

Lions and bears
tear him in
pieces.

Leunes and beres him wile to-dragen,

Flies have no awe
of him.

And fleges ſen on him non agen; 192
Hadde he wel loked him wið ſkil,
Ilc beſte ſulde don hiſ wil;

Cattle help him
through God's
mercy.

Erf helpeð him ðurg godes með,
Hiſ lordehed[90] ðor-onne he ſeð. 196
And for hiſe ſinne oc he to munen,
ðat moſte and leiſte hi_m_ ben binumen.

On this sixth day
God made Adam
of earth,

Ðiſ ſexte dai god made Adam,
And his licham of erðe he nam, 200

and blew into his
body a "life's
blast,"

And blew ðor-in a liues blaſt,

"a likeness of His
Holy Ghost,

A likneſſe of his hali gaſt,

[85] qwilc?

[86] to?

[87] _read_ wið

[88] him?

[89] louerd-hel in MS.

[90] _read_ louerd-hed

OF PARADISE AND THE CREATION OF EVE.

a spirit full of wit
and skill."

A ſpirit ful of wit and ſckil;
ðor quiles it folgede heli wil, 204
God ſelf ðor quile liket iſ,
An un-liſ q_u_uanne it wile miſ.

In Damascus field
Adam was made.

[I]N feld damaske adam was mad,
And ðeðen fer on londe ſad; 208

God bore him
into Paradise, an
abode full of
sweet bliss.

God bar him in-to paradiſ,
An erd al ful of ſwete bliſ;

[Fol. 5.]

fol wel he wid[91] him ðor dede,

He intrusted to
him all that
pleasant place.

bi-tagte him al ðat mirie ſtede; 212
Oc an bodeword ðer he hi_m_ forbed,
if he wulde him ſilden fro ðe ded,

But forbad him
to touch the fruit
which taught
"weal and woe."

ðat he ſulde him ðer loken fro
A fruit, ðe kenned wel and wo, 216

Dead should he
be if he broke
this command.

And hiegt him ded he ſulde ben
If he ðat bode-word ne gunne flen.

God brought all
beasts of the
earth, fowl, and
fish unto Adam,

God brogt ada_m_ ðor bi-forn
Ilc kinnes beſte of erðe boren, 220
and fugel, an fiſ, wilde and tame,

who gave to each
a name.

ðor gaf adam ilc here iſ name;
Ne was ðor non lik adam.

God caused a
sleep to come
upon Adam,
and in that sleep
he saw much that
should hereafter
be.

God dede dat[92] he on ſweuene cam, 224
And in ðat ſweuene he let him ſen
Mikel ðat after ſulde ben.

Out of his side
God took a rib,
and out of it
made a woman.

Ut of his ſide he toc a rib,
And made a wimman him ful ſib, 228
And heled him ðat ſide wel
ðat it ne wrocte him neu_er_e a del.

Adam awoke and
saw his wife.

Adam abraid, and ſag ðat wif,
Name he gaf hire dat[93] iſ ful Rif; 232

Issa was her first
name,

Iſſa waſ hire firſte name,
ðor-of ðurte hire ðinken no ſame;

because she was
made of man.

Mayden, for ſche was mad of man,
Hire firſt name ðor bi-gan; 236

After she brought
us to woe Adam
called her Eva.
[Fol. 5b.]

Siðen ghe brocte us to woa,
Adam gaf hire name eua.

[91] _read_ wið

[92] _read_ ðat

[93] _read_ ðat

THE SEVENTH DAY IS MADE A DAY OF REST.

Adden he folged godes red,
Al man-kin adde ſeli ſped; 240

For sin they lost
the bliss of Paradise.

for ſinne he ðat bliſſe for-loren,
ðat derede al ðat of hem was boren;
It is her-after in ðe ſong,
Hu adam fel in pine ſtrong. 244

The sixth day
passed and

Forð glod ðiſ ſexte dais lig[t],
After glod ðe ſexte nig[t];

the seventh
morning sprung.
That day betokened
long rest.

ðe ſeuendai morgen ſpro[_n_]g,
ðat dai tokenede reſte lo_n_g; 248
ðis dai waſ forð i_n_ reſte wrogt,
Ilc kinde newes ear waſ brog[t];

God ordained this
day a day of bliss
and rest.

God ſette ðis dai folk bitwen,
Dai of bliſſe and off reſte ben, 252
for ðat time ear fear bi-forn,

So it remained
until Christ rose
from the cold
rock.

Til ihesus was on werlde boren,
And til he was on ðe rode-wold,
And biried in ðe roche cold. 256
And reſtede him after ðe ded,
ðat ilke dai god aligen bed.

Then the Sunday
from that time
forth became hallowed
for ever.

Siðen for-leſ ðat dai iſ priſ,
for ih_esus_,[94] god and man ſo wis, 260
Roſ fro ded on ðe ſunenday,

[Fol. 6.]

ðat is forð ſiðen worðed ay;

So shall it remain
until Doomsday.

And it ſal ben ðe laſte tid,
Quan al man-kinde, on werlde wid, 264
Sal ben fro dede to liue brogt,
And ſeli ſad fro ðe forwrogt,
An ben don in bliſſe and in lif,
fro ſwinc, and ſorwe, and deades ſtrif. 268

Wisdom made
each thing of
nought.

Wiſdom ðe made ilc ðing of nogt,
q_u_uat-ſo-eu_er_e on heuone or her iſ wrogt.

Lucifer waxed
proud,

Ligber he ſridde a dere ſrud,
An he wurðe in him-ſeluen prud, 272

and with that
pride came envy.

An wid ðat p_ri_de him wex a nyð,
ðat iwel weldeð al his ſið;

[94] MS. ihc.

LUCIFER IS CAST INTO HELL, AND THERE PLOTS MAN'S FALL.

ðo ne migte he non lou_er_d ðhauen,
ðat him ſulde ðhinge grauen:[95] 276

"My flight," he
says, "I will up
take,

"Min fligt," he ſeide, "ic wile up-taken,

and make my seat
north of heaven,
and therein will
I sit and see all
things.

Min ſete norð on heuene maken,
And ðor ic wile ſitten and ſen
Al ðe ðhinges ðe in wer[l]de ben, 280
Twen heuone hil and helle dik,
And ben min lou_er_d geuelic."

Then became he
dragon that ere
was knight;

ðo wurð he drake ðat ear was knigt,
ðo wurð he mirc ðat ear was ligt, 284

all that held with
him became dark,
dim, and black,

And eu_er_ilc on ðat helden wid[96] him,
ðo wurðen mirc, and ſwart, and dim,

and fell out of
heaven's light.

And fellen ut of heuones ligt
In-to ðis middil walknes nigt; 288

[Fol. 6b.]
Yet would Satan
not cease to commit
sin.

And get ne kuðe he nogt blinne
for to don an oðer ſinne.

He saw Adam and
Eve in Paradise
in great bliss and
honour.

Eſten[97] he ſag in paradiſ
Adam and eue i_n_ mike[l] p_ri_ſ, 292
Newelike he was of erðe wrogt,
And to ðat mirie bliſſe brogt;

How may it be,
thought he, that
Adam is king and
Eve queen of all
things in the
world,

ðowgte ðis q_u_ead, "hu ma it ben,
Adam ben king and eue q_u_uen 296
Of alle ðe ðinge i_n_ werlde ben.
Hu mai it hauen, hu mai it ſen,
Of fiſ, of fugel, of wrim, of der,
Of alle ðhinge ðe wunen her, 300
Eu_er_ilc ðhing haued he geue name,

while I am in
sorrow, scathe,
and shame.

Me to ſorge, ſcaðe, and ſame;
for ada_m_ ſul ðus and his wif
In bliſſe ðus leden leſteful lif; 304
for alle ðo, ðe of hem ſule cumen,

Evermore shall
they remain in
bliss,

ſulen ermor i_n_ bliſſe wunen,
And we ðe ben fro heuene driuen,

while we must
live in sorrow.
Yet I think I
know of a plan
to bring them
into sin.

ſulen ðuſſe one in ſorwe liuen; 308
Get ic wene I can a red,
ðat hem ſal bringen iwel ſped;

[95] _read_ þrauen?

[96] _read_ wið

[97] _read_ eften

EVE AND ADAM EAT THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT.

For if they do
what God forbiddeth
they shall
die.

for gef he don ðad[98] god for-bead,
ðat ſal hem bringen to ðo dead, 312

This I will without
delay bring
about to-day.

And ſal get ðis ilke dai,
ðor buten hunte if ic mai

[Fol. 7.]
I think that Eve
and I shall deprive
Adam of his
life."

Ic wene ðat ic and eue hiſe wif
ſulen adam bilirten of hiſe lif. 316
Ic wene ðat ic and eue
ſulen alle is bliſſe dreue."

Thus he thought,
and up he went,
and to the earth
he came.

Ðus he ðhogte, and up he ſteg,
And eſten[99] til dat[100] erð he teg, 320

He went into a
"worm" and told
Eve a tale.

Wente in to a wirme, and tolde eue a tale;
And ſenkede hire hure aldre bale.

"Eve," he said,
"what meaneth
it that a tree is
forbidden you,

"Eue," ſeide he, ðat neddre bold,
"Quat oget nu ðat for-bode o-wold, 324
ðat a tre gu forboden is,

a tree that surpasses
all others,

ðat ouer alle oðre bered p_ri_s?
for iſ fruit ſired mannes mood,

which shall teach
you evil and good,

To witen boðen iwel and good, 328
Sone ge it ðor-of hauen eten,
Al ge it ſulen witent[101] and nogt forgeten,

and make you as
wise as those who
dwell above in
heaven?"

And ben ſo wiſe alle euene
So ðo ðe wunen a-buuen i_n_ heuone." 332

When Eve saw
that it was fair
to the sight and
soft to the hand,

Ðanne ðogte eue on hire mod,
ðanne iſ tiſ fruit wel ſwiðe good,
fair on ſigðhe and ſofte on hond,
Of ðiſ fruit wile ic hauen fond. 336

she ate thereof,
and took some
and brought it to
Adam.

Su_m_ ghe ðer at, and ſu_m_ ghe nam,
And bar it to her fere adam;
So manie times ghe him ſcroðt,

[Fol. 7b.]

Q_u_eðer so him was lef or loðt, 340
for to forðen iſ fendes wil,

He ate that fruit
and did foolishly.

At he dat[100] fruit, and dede unskil;
Sone it was under breſt numen;

Then death's two
bonds came upon
them.

Dedes two bondes on hem ben comen; 344

[98] _read_ ðat

[99] _read_ eften

[100] _read_ ðat

[101] witen?

GOD'S CURSE ON ADAM AND EVE, AND THE ADDER.

Vn-buxumhed he hauen hem don,
Vn-buxu_m_hed iſ hem cumen on;

Weakness and
sorrow troubled
their limbs.

Vn-welde woren and in win,
Here owen limes he_m_ wið-in. 348

They were
ashamed of their
nakedness,

fleſſes fremeðe and ſafte ſame
boðen he felten on here lichame;
ðo gunen he ſame ſriden,

and shrouded
themselves in
leaves.

And limes in leues hiden. 352
Nu wot adam ſum-del o wo,
Her-after ſal he leren mo.

After this deed a
voice came, saying,
"Where art
thou, Adam?"
Quoth Adam, "I
am naked, and
hid myself."

After ðiſ dede a ſteuone cam,
"ðu, nu, q_u_or art, adam, adam?" 356
"Lou_er_d, q_u_at ſame iſ me bi-tid,
for ic am naked and haue me hid?"
"Quo ſeide ðe dat gu[102] wer[e] naked;
ðu haues ðe ſorges ſigðhe waked, 360

Then said God,
"Because thou
hast broken my
command,

for ðhu min bode-word haues broken,
ðhu ſalt ben ut in ſorge luken,

thou shalt till thy
meat with toil,
and eat thy bread
with sweat and
tears,

In ſwinc ðu ſalt tilen ði mete[n],
ðin bred wid ſwotes t_e_res eten, 364

until thou come
again to the
earth.

Til gu[102] beas eft in to erðe cumen,
Q_u_er-of gu[102] beaſ to manne numen;

[Fol. 8]
Woman shall be
under man, and
have sorrow in
every birth.

And wif ſal under were wunen,
In heu_er_ilc birðhe ſorge numen; 368

The adder shall
glide on his breast
and eat earth.

And niðful neddre, loð an liðer,
ſal gliden on hiſe breſt neðer
And erðe freten wile he mai liuen,

Poison shall
cleave to his
tongue.

And atter on is tunge cliuen; 372

Envy, strife, hate,
and shame shall
be between the
adder and the
woman."

And nið, and ſtrif, and ate, and ſan,
Sal ben bi-twen neddre and wi_m_man;
And get ſal wi_m_man ou_er_cumen,
His heued under fote bi-numen." 376

Two pilches the
angels wrought
for Adam and
Eve,

Two pilches weren ðurg engeles wrogt,
And to adam and to eue brogt,

so that their
shame might be
hid.

ðor-wið he ben nu boðen ſrid,
And here ſame ſumdel is hid. 380

[102] _read_ ðu?

EVE BEGETS CAIN AND ABEL, AND OTHER CHILDREN.

They were turned
out of Paradise.

He ben don ut of paradiſ,
ðat erd al ful of ſwete bliſ;
He ben don ut of bliſſes erd,

Cherubim closed
the gates.

Cherubin hauet ðe gateſ ſperd; 384

Never shall they
be undone till
Christ is crucified.

Ne ſulen it neu_er_e ben un-don,
Til ih_esus_ beð on Rode don;
Ne ſulen it neu_er_more ben opened,
Til ih_esus_ beð on rode dead. 388

Thus Adam and
Eve became acquainted
with
sorrow and care.

Iff mikel is ſorge, and more care,
Ada_m_ and eue it wite ful gare;
Of paradiſ hem ðinkeð ſwem,

[Fol. 8b.]
Evil and death
troubled them.
They thought
that they must
never look upon
one another.

Of iwel and dead hem ſtondeð greim. 392
On ſundri ðhenken he to ben,
And neiðere on oðer ſen,
Til angel brogte ada_m_ bode,

Message came
from God,

bodeword and tiding fro gode:— 396

"Adam, know
Eve, thy wife, and
live together.

"Adam, ðhu knowe eue ðin wif,
And leded ſamen gunker lif;

Some that shall
be born of you
shall come to
bliss, others shall
be in sorrow after
their death.

Su_m_me ſulen of gu to kumen,
Sulen ben in to reſte numen; 400
Su_m_me ſulen folwen fendes red,
And ben in ſorwe after ðe dead;
And get ſal godeſ dere ſune

God's dear Son
shall bring man
again into Paradise."

In gure kin i_n_ werlde wunen, 404
And he ſal bringen man a-gen
In paradiſ to wunen and ben."

These tidings
partly softened
Adam's sorry
mood.

Swilc tiding ðhugte ada_m_ god,
And ſumdel quemeð it his ſeri mood. 408
Ðiſ angel is to heuone numen,

Adam and Eve
lived together.

And adam iſ to eue cumen,
More for erneſte dan[103] for gamen;
Adam and eue wunen ſamen, 412

Children had
they, many more
than Genesis tells
of.

And hadden childre manige i-wiſ,
Mo ðan of telleð de geneſis;

After fifteen
years Cain was
born,

for fiftene ger hadde adam,
ðan caim of eue cam, 416

[103] _read_ ðan

CAIN BUILDS ENO. LAMECH BEGINS BIGAMY.

and afterwards
Eve bore righteous
Abel.

And oðer fiftene al-ſwilc ſel,
Quane eue bar rigt-wiſe abel.[104]

[Fol. 9.]
Abel was a hundred
years old
when he was slain
by his brother.

Abel an hundred ger waſ hold,
ðan he was of iſ broðer wold; 420
An hundred ger after iſ dead,

After this Adam
from Eve in shrift
abode one hundred
years.

Adam fro eue in ſrifte abead.
To hundred ger and .xxx.^{ti} mo
was adam hold and eue ðo, 424

Seth was born
when Adam was
230 years old.

ðan bor ghe ſeht in ðe ſtede
Of caym ðat abel for-dede;
Or or midleſt, or after ðo
Bar eue of ada_m_ manige moo. 428

Cain fled from his
home and became
an outlaw.

Ðor quiles ðat adam ſorge dreg
for abel, caym fro him fleg,
wið wif and hagte, and wurð ut-lage,
wið dead him ſtood hinke and age. 432

He chose an
abode near Eden.

He ches a ſtede toward eden,
And to him[105] ſameden oðer men,

He built a city,
Enoch by name.

wallede a burg, e-no bi name;

Theft and robbery
was no sin
to him; many
foes he made.

ðeft and reflac ðhugte hi_m_ no ſame, 436
for ðat he made hi_m_ manige fon,
ðor he ðhogte he ſtonden agon.

Measure of corn,
weight of goods,
division of land,
taught he first.

Met of corn, and wigte of fe,
And merke of felde, first fond he. 440
Tellen ic wile ſo birðe bad,
Ada_m_, caym, enos, iraab,
Malaleel, matusale;
Lamech is at ðe sexte kne, 444

[Fol. 9b.]
The seventh man
after Adam, of
Cain's kind, was
Lamech.

ðe ſeuende man after adam,
ðat of caymes kinde cam.
ðiſ lamech waſ ðe firme man,

He first began
bigamy.

ðe bigamie firſt bi-gan. 448
Bigamie is unkinde ðing,
On engleis tale, twie-wifing;

[104] At the bottom of fol. 8b is the catchword—Abel a hundred.

[105] _him_ is by a later hand.

LAMECH KILLS CAIN AND HIS OWN SERVANT.

for ai was rigt and kire bi-forn,
On man, on wiſ, til he was boren. 452

Two wives he
took—Adah and
Zillah.

Lamech him two wifes nam,
On adda, an noðer wif ſellam.

Adah bare Jabal.

Adda bar him ſune Iobal,

He was a cunning
shepherd.

He was hirde witt_er_e and wal; 456
Of merke, and kinde, and helde, & ble,

He taught separation
and assembling.

ſundring and ſameni[n]g tagte he;

Jubal, his brother,
wise in song and
glee,

Iobal iſ broðer ſong and glew,
Wit of muſike, wel he knew; 460

wrote on tile and
brass.

On two tableſ of tigel and braſ
wrot he ðat wiſtom, wiſ he was,
ðat it ne ſulde ben undon
If fier or water come ðor-on. 464

Zillah bare Tubal,
a mighty smith.

Sella wuneð oc lamech wið,
ghe bar tubal, a ſellic ſmið;

Iron, gold, silver,
and brass he well
knew how to separate
and to mix.

Of irin, of golde, ſiluer, and bras
To ſundren and mengen wiſ he was; 468

He was skilled in
making weapons
of war and household
tools.

Wopen of wigte and tol of grið,
wel cuðe [106]egte and ſafgte[106] wið.

[Fol. 10.]

Lamech ledde long lif til ðan

Lamech at last
became blind.
He had a man to
lead him to the
woods in search of
wild deer.

ðat he wurð biſne, and haued a man 472
ðat ledde him ofte wudes ner,
To ſcheten after ðe wilde der;
Al-so he miſtagte, alſo he ſchet,
And caim in ðe wude iſ let; 476

The knave mistook
Cain for a
deer.

His knape wende it were a der,
An lamech droge iſ arwe ner,

Lamech let fly
an arrow,

And letet flegen of ðe ſtre_n_g,
Caim u_n_warde it under-feng, 480

which struck
Cain and killed
him.

Gruſnede, and ſtrekede, and ſtarf wið-ðan.
Lamech wið wreðe iſ knape nam,

Lamech beat and
slew his servant.

Vn-bente iſ boge, and bet, and slog,
Til he fel dun on dedeſ ſwog. 484

Thus was he
guilty of twi-wiving
and twin-slaughter.

Twin-wifing ant twin-manſlagt
Of his ſoule beð mikel hagt.

[106] _read_ fegte and sagte?

OF SETH, ENOCH, METHUSELAH, AND NOAH.

Of his death we
know nothing.

Of hiſe endinge ne wot ic nogt,
oc of iſ kinde woren brogt 488

His descendants
were all destroyed
by Noah's flood.

On werlde ſeue and ſeuenti ðhuſant men,
Or or flum noe ſpredde hiſ fen;
Queðer ſo it ðhogte hem iuel or good,
Alle he drinkilden i_n_ ðat flood. 492

Of Seth came
Enos, who was
prayerful and
God-fearing.

Of ſeth, ðe waſ adam-iſ ſune,
cam enos; he gan ali wune
Of bedes, and of godefrigtihed,
for liues helpe and ſoules red. 496

[Fol. 10b.]

Ic wile rigt tellen, if ic can,

God took Enoch
to Himself,

Adam, ſeth, enos, caynan,
Malaleel, iareth, enoch,
for alied[107] god ſelf him toch 500
fro ma_n_nes mene i_n_ to ðat ſtede
ðat adam forles for iuel dede;

to dwell with
Him in Paradise.

get liueð enoch wið-vten ſtrif,
In paradiſ in ſwete lif; 504

Enoch shall come
before Doomsday
to turn the Jews
to Christ.

Get he ſal cumen or domeſ-day,
And wenden iewes, if he may,
To ðe witteneſſe of ieſus criſt,
And tholen dead vnder a_n_tecrist; 508
Siðen ſal antecriſt ben ſlagen,
And man and angeles wurðen fagen.
chirches ben wurſiped mor and mor,
And fendes dregen ſorge and ſor. 512

Before Enoch
went from the
world Methuselah
was born.

Or enoch wente [fro] werldes wune,
Matuſale waſ boren iſ ſune,

Lamech came of
Methuselah.

And lamech of matuſale,

Lamech begat
Noah.

And of lamech rigt-wiſe noe. 516

Methodius, holy
martyr, knew
much of this
world's beginning,
middle, and
ending.

Metodius, ali martyr,
Adde in his herte ſighe[108] ſir;
Alſo he god adde ofte bi-ſogte,
Wiſlike was him in herte brogt 520
ðis midelerdes biginni_n_g,
And middel-hed, and iſ ending;

[107] _read_ halihed

[108] _read_ sigðhe

OF THE WORLD'S CORRUPTION AND NOAH'S FLOOD.

[Fol. 11.]
He wrote a book,
well known to
many.

He wrot a boc dat manige witen,
Manige tiding ðor-on iſ writen; 524
ðor iſ writen q_u_at agte awold,
dat[109] ðiſ werld waſ wat_er_ wold.
Fif hundred ger of ðat ðuſent
ðat mankin was on werlde ſent, 528

Cain's kind
wrought against
law.

Caymes ſunes wrogten vn-lage,
Wið breðere wifes hore-plage;
And on ðe ſexte hundred ger

Women waxed
evil, unchaste,
and unnatural.

Wimmen welten wereſ meſter, 532
And ſwilc woded wenten[110] on,
Golhed hunkinde he gunnen don;
And ðe fifte hundred ger,

Men began to addict
themselves
to wretched
practices.

wapmen bi-gu_n_nen q_u_ad meſter, 536
bi-twen hem-ſeluen hun-wreſte plage,
A ðefis kinde, a-genes lage.
Two hundred ger after ðo wunes,

Seth's sons made
marriages contrary
to Adam's
commands.

Mis-wiuen he_m_ gu_n_nen ſeðes ſunes, 540
Agenes ðat adam for-bead,
And leten godeſ frigti-hed;

They chose wives
of Cain's seed,
and mixed with
the accursed kind.

He choſen hem wiwes of caym,
And mengten wið waried kin; 544
Of hem woren ðe getenes boren,

Of them were
giants born who
wrought many
evils.

Migti men, and figti, [and] for-loren;
He wrogten manige [sinne] and bale,
Of ðat migt [nu] is litel tale; 548

[Fol. 11b.]

for ðat he god ne luueden nogt,
ðat migt iſ al to ſorge brogt;

For their great sin
there came wrath
and vengeance
upon the world.

for ſwilc ſinful dedes ſake,
ſo cam on werlde wreche and wrake 552
for to bliſſen ſwilc ſinnes ſame,
ðat it ne wexe at more hu_n_-frame.

A flood drowned
man and beast.

Ðo wex a flod ðis werlde wid-hin,
and [o]uer-flowged men & deres kin, 556

Noah and his
family were saved
in an ark.

wið-vten noe and hise ðre ſunen,
Sem, Cam, Iaphet, if we rigt munen,

[109] _read_ ðat

[110] wentem MS.

THE BUILDING OF THE ARK. THE FLOOD.

And here foure wifes woren he_m_ wið;
ðise .viij. hadden i_n_ ðe arche grið.[111] 560

The ark was a
good vessel.

Ðat arche was a feteles good,
ſet and limed a-gen ðe flood;

Three hundred
ells was it long,

ðhre hundred elne waſ it long,
Naild and ſperd, ðig and ſtrong, 564

fifty wide, and
thirty high.

And .l.^{ti} elne wid, and .xxx.^{ti} heg;
ðor buten noe (.) long ſwing he dreg,

A hundred winters
was Noah in
building it.

An hundred winter, eu_er_ilc del,
welken or it was ended wel; 568
Of alle der ðe on werlde wunen,
And foueles weren ðer-inne cume_n_

Clean animals entered
the ark by
seven and seven,
unclean by two
and two.

Bi ſeuene and ſeuene, or bi two & two,
Al-migti_n_ god him bad it ſo, 572
And mete q_u_orbi ðei migte_n_ liuen,
ðor q_u_iles he woren on water driuen.

[Fol. 12.]
Six hundred
years old was
Noah when he
entered the ark.

Sexe hundred ger noe was hold
Quan he dede him in ðe arche-wold; 576
Two ðhuſant ger, ſex hundred mo,
And ſex and fifti forð to ðo,
weren of werldes elde numen
ðan noe waſ in to ðe arche cumen. 580

The water
springs undid
their strength.
Rain poured
down on every
place.

Ilc wat_er_eſ ſpr_i_nge here ſtrengðe undede,
And Reyn gette dun on eu_er_ilk ſtede
fowerti daiſ and fowerti nigt,
So wex wat_er_ wið magti migt; 584
So wunderlike it wex & get

Fifteen ells it
overflowed, over
every hill and
vale.

ðat fiftene elne it ouer-flet,
Ouer ilk dune, and ou_er_ ilc hil,
ðhurge godes migt and godes wil; 588
And oðer fowerti ðore-to,
Daiſ and nigtes ſtodet ſo;

Then was all flesh
destroyed.

ðo waſ ilc fleiſ on wer[l]de ſlagen,
ðo gu_n_nen ðe wat_er_es hem wið-dragen. 592

[111] _At the end of the line in the margin_ 'Se archa Nœe.'

THE ARK STOOD IN ARMENIA.

In the seventh
month and the
twenty-seventh
day the ark stood
in Armenia.

Ðe ſeuend moned[112] waſ in cumen,
And ſeuene and .xx.^{ti} dais numen,
IN armenie ðat arche ſtod,
ðo waſ wið-dragen ðat ilc flod. 596

When the tenth
month came the
waters withdrew.

Ðo ðe tende moned[112] cam in,
So wurð dragen ðe watreſ win;
Dunes wexen, ðe flod wið-drog,
It adde leſted longe a-nog 600

[Fol. 12b.]
Forty days after
this the ark's
window is undone,
the raven
out flew, and
came not again
to the ark.

Fowerti daiſ after ðiſ,
Arches windoge undon it iſ,
ðe Rauen ut-fleg, hu ſo it gan ben,
Ne cam he nogt to ðe arche a-gen; 604

The dove found
no clean place,
and came again
to the ark.