Part 5

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.