The Life of Adam and Eve
Including Edinburgh University Library MS 218
(fragments: E ff.1ra-2vb)
Edinburgh Fragments Commence
Liȝtbern, þat angel briȝt, {E f.1ra}  Answerd anonriȝt,
‘Ich was ar þe warld bigan,
Er euer God maked man.
5000 Þerfore’ he seyd ‘so mot y the,
He schal first anoure me.’
Þan seyd þe messanger
To Liȝtbern, þat is now Lucifer,
‘Bot þou do Godes comandment,
1000 Þou art inobedient
& wreþþest God almiȝti þerfore,
& so miȝt þi mirþe be forlore.’
Liȝtbern answerd anonriȝt,
Þurth pride þat in his word was liȝt,
1500 ‘He schal comen al to late
Mi mirþe for to abate.
Ichil go sitten in mi[n] see
& be more maister þan he.’
& anonriȝt wiþ þat
2000 He sett him in his owe[n] sat.
& þo Liȝtbern hade seyd so,
Mani þousend angels & mo
Sayd þai nold in non manere
Anour Adam no Eue his fere.
2500 Þus in heuen pride bigan
While God in erþe made man.
Þo swete Jhesus þat was wiis
Was comen out of paradis
To heuen, þer he won schold
3000 & hadde maked man of mold.
He seyȝe where Liȝtbern set,
& bad him loke to his fet.
& Liȝtbern anonriȝt
For pride þat in him was liȝt,
3500 In holy writ we heren telle,
He sanke adoun into helle;
Þer he þoled michel schame
Satanas is now his name.
& alle angels in heuen þat were,
4000 Þat him ani wittnesse bere
Þat he was worþi to setten in se
Þer swete Jhesu was won to be,
Þurth þe pouwer of Godes miȝt,
Seuen days & seuen niȝt
4500 Angels fellen adoun into
helle – {E f.1rb}
In holy writ we heren it telle.
For pride þat was in hem liȝt,
Of heuen-blis þai lorn þe siȝt.
& as we finden in lettrure
5000 Y not wheþer it be in holy scripture
Þo Liȝtbern sat in his se
& seyd he was worþier þan he,
For þe mone bar him wittnesse,
It wexeþ & wanieþ more & lesse.
5500 Þe se þurth vertu of Godes miȝt
Ebbeþ & flouweþ day & niȝt;
Þis tvay no habbe neuer rest,
Noiþer bi est no bi west.
In heuen pride first bigan
6000 In angel, ar it cam in man.
& for it com out of heuen
& was þe form sinne of seuen,
Þerfore, wiþouten lesing,
Of alle sinnes pride is king.
6500 Lete we now pride
be,
& to Adam wende we,
& loke we hou him spet
Þat þurth his wiues abet
& þurth þe fendes enticement
7000 He brak godes comandment.
God – yblisced mot he be
He forbede Adam an appel-tre,
Þat he ne schold of liif no lim
No frout þerof nim.
7500 Þe fende in lickenesse of a nadder
Clombe opon þe tre wiþouten ladder
& cleped to him Adames wiif,
For to apair Adames liif.
& Eue to þe nadder cam.
8000 & at þe nadder an appel nam,
Þe feirest of alle þat he fond,
& tok it Eue in hir hond.
& seyd ‘ete þou & Adam of þis,
& ȝe schul ben also wiis
8500 As God, þat sitt in trinite
& witen alle his priuite
... ȝe no schuld nouȝt se no here
Whiche Godes priuetes were.
Þerfore he it ȝou forbede {E f.1va} Eue of þe nadder þe appel nam,
& to Adam anon hom cam
& seyd ‘do as ich þe rede,
& it schal be þe best dede
9500 Þat euer ȝete þou dest, ywis.
Ete of þe appel þat here is,
& þou schalt be, wiþouten lesing,
Also wise of alle þing
As he þat it þe forbede.
1000 It schuld nouȝt comen in þine hed.’
Þurth þe fendes comberment
& þurth his wiues enticement
Godes comandment he breke,
Þat he & his wiif eke
1050 Seþþen hem rewe boþe ful sore,
Þat þai leueden þe fendes lore.
In þe boke it is ywrite,
Þo þai hadde of þe appel bite,
Aiþer of oþer aschamed was
1100 & hiled her kinde wiþ more & gras.
Adam was of God afliȝt,
& went & hidde him anonriȝt.
& God out of heuen cam
& cleped anon after Adam.
1150 Þan seyd suete Jhesus,
‘Adam, Adam, why destow þus?
Þou hast ybrouȝt þi selue in wo
& Eue, þi gode wiif, also; 
For þou hast min hest ybroke,
1200 For soþe, Adam, ichil be wroke.
ȝe haue ydon a sori dede,
For soþe ȝe schul haue ȝour mede.’
Þo Jhesu hadde to hem speke
& told hem þat he wald ben awreke
1250 Yblisced be his nam seuen
He steyȝe oȝain into heuen.
& þerafter anonriȝt
He sent adoun an angel briȝt
Wiþ a brenand swerd,
1300 & drof hem into midnerd,
Adam & Eue, his wiif,
In care þer to leden her liif.
Gret pite it was to here {E f.1vb} Of Adam & of Eue his fere,
1350 Hou þai wopen & grad allas,
Þo þai schulden for her trespas
Out of paradys ygon
It was pite to heren her mon.
Þo Adam into erþe cam,
1400 Bowes leues & gras he nam;
A loghe he þouȝt to biginne,
He & his wiif to crepen inne.
& þo þe loghe was ymaked,
Þai lay þe[r]in all star naked,
1450 Sex days & sex niȝt,
For hunger wel iuel ydiȝt.
Euerich day þai souȝten mete,
Bot nowhar þai no couþe it gete.
Þo sex days weren agon
1500 & þai no founde mete non,
Eue bigan for to crie,
‘Allas, Adam, for hunger we dye.
Alle þe sorwe þat þou art inne,
Certes, alle it is for mi sinne.
1550 Adam, ich biseke þe,
Sle me, ȝif þi wille be,
For, were ich out of Godes siȝt,
Par auentour, Adam, þan þou miȝt
Oȝein into paradys wende
1600 & haue þe blis wiþouten ende.’
‘A, woman’ quaþ Adam þo,
‘Allas, whi seydestow so?
Wostow make me so wode
To sle min owhen flesche & blode?
1650 Boþe in flesche & in bon
Jhesus Crist haþ made ous on.
He made þe of mi ribbe
Þou miȝtest be me no ner sibbe.
ȝif þou þenkest more so,
1700 Þou wilt bring ous in more wo
ȝif God sende on ous his curs,
Þan schul we fare þe wors.
Bot go we forþ & seche mete,
Wher þat we may ani gete
1750 & for fauȝt dye we nouȝt,
ȝif we mow finden ouȝt.’
Þai went forþ & mete souȝten, {E f.2ra}
& of hem seluen litel rouȝten.
¶ Astay went to seche mete,
1800 Þai seyȝen bestes stonden & ete;
Ac þai no couþe finde non,
As wide as þai couþe gon.
Þan seyd Adam þus:
‘No hadde [we] wretþed swete Jhesus,
1850 He wald haue sent ous mete anouȝ,
Hongand opon ich bouȝ,
As he doþ þis wilde bestes,
& whe hadden holden his hestes;
Bot for we haue his hest ybroke,
1900 Þerfor he wil ben awroke.
Þerfore, Eue, mi rede it is
For whe han don amis
Go we out of þis wode schawes
& liue we in pennaunce fourti dawes;
1950 & at þe fourti dawes ende
God almiȝti, þat is so hende,
& we miȝten his loue gete,
Þan wolde he send ous mete.’
‘Sir’ quaþ Eue to Adam þo,
2000 ‘Þat wold bring me more wo,
So long penaunce for to take,
Bot ich it miȝt an ending make.
ȝif mi penance weren ybroke,
Þan wold God ben awroke,
2050 & be wroþer þan he is,
& ich dede eft amis.’
¶ ‘Eue’ quaþ Adam anonriȝt,
‘Nouȝt bot do þan what þou miȝt.
Wende to þe water of Tiger anon
2100 & step in opon a ston;
& whan þou art comen in,
Wad in vp to þi chin
& fond to stond þerin all stille,
Fourti days to fulfille.
2150 & jchil into þe flom go
& stond þerin fourti days & mo,
Sex dayes mo & sex niȝt,
Þurth þe help of Godes miȝt:
For in sex dayes & seuen niȝt
2200 Alle þe warld was maked & diȝt,
& fulfild on þe seuen day. {E f.2rb} Þerfore, as forþ as y may,
Jchil fond to helden stille
Sex days more to fulfille.
2250 Þat ich rede we biginne
& do penaunce for our sinne.
& for þe penaunce wil be so hard,
Par auentour þan afterward
God, þat haþ ȝeuen ous liif so,
2300 Wald sende ous sustenaunce þerto.’
Eue vnderstode his rede
& dede as Adam hir bede.
As it telleþ in þe boke,
Aiþer at oþer leue tok.
2350 Eue into Tiger wode
& vp to þe chin sche stode,
& into þe flum wode Adam
& his penaunce vndernam.
Þo þai hadde stonden þare
2400 In m[i]che wo & miche care,
Tventi days stonden inne
In þo to waters in pine,
Þe fende þouȝt him to awreke
& her penaunce for to breke.
2450 & formast he com to Eue,
To brengen hir in misbileue
For Eue hadde leued his lore,
He hoped þat sche wald more
& seyd ‘Eue, wele is þe.
2500 Þi lord sent þe word bi me
Þat þi trespas is forȝeue,
Þat þou dest oȝains his leue.
Com out of þat water anon.
& also swiþe astow miȝt gon,
2550 Go & sigge Adam so
& bring him out of his wo.
& ichil go þider wiþ þe
& say him as ichaue don to þe.’
Of þat tiding Eue was glad
2600 & dede as þe fende hir bad:
Out of þe water sche cam anon
& wiþ þe fende dedde hir to gon.
Þo Adam hadde of Eue a siȝt,
He wist wele anonriȝt
2650 Þat þe fende
hir hadde ouercomen {E f.2va}
& out of hir penaunce ynomen;
& ful gode ȝeme he nam
| gode written superscript. |
It was þe fende þat wiþ hir cam,
& seyd ‘Eue, allas allas,
2700 Now is wers þan it was.
He þat comeþ in þi compeynie,
Now he haþ ygiled þe tvie.
For soþe, Eue, þat is he
Þat giled þe to þe appel-tre
2750 & made þe wiþ his enticement
To breke Godes comandment.’
Þo Eue wist it was Satanas,
For sorwe þat in hir hert was
Sche swoned & fel to grounde,
2800 & lay stille a ful gode stounde;
& anon as sche awoke,
For drede of God sche lay & qwoke,
& seyd ‘allas – ȝif God it nold
Þat euer was ich maked of mold.’
2850 Adam was in gret care
Þat seyȝe his wiif so iuel fare,
& seyd to þe fende of helle,
‘Ich wald þat þou wost me telle
Whi þou [s]uwest me & mi wiif
2900 & art about to pair our liif?
& we þe neuer no dede
Harm no schame in no stede.’
Þe fende answerd þo
& seyd ‘Adam, þou art mi fo.
2950 Sone after þe warld bigan
& God hadde fourmed þe to man,
Bi an angel he sent to me
Þat y schuld anoure þe;
& y seyd þat y nold,
3000 For, ar þou were maked of mold,
Ich was in heuen an angel briȝt,
Of grete pouwer & grete miȝt.
& for y nold anour þe nouȝt,
In þis sorwe icham ybrouȝt,
3050 Into helle for to wende
& won þer wiþouten ende.
& alle þat were to mi asent,
Alle þai ben to helle ywent,
Euer to liue in so[r]w[e] & wo. {E f.2vb} Adam, þer he stode vpriȝt,
Bisouȝt God ful of miȝt,
Deliuer out of his compeynie
Þe fende þat hadde swiche envie
3150 To him & to his wiue Eue,
Þat fonded so her soules to greue.
Adam, þer he stode al naked,
Þo he hadde his preyer maked,
Þurth þe pouwer of Godes miȝt
3200 Þe fende went out of her siȝt.
Þo þe sex & fourti days wer go
Þat Adam hadde yþoled þat wo,
Out of þe water þo he cam.
Þan seyd Eue to Adam,
3250 ‘Adam, Adam, wele is te,
& Adam, Adam, wo is me.
Þou hast þi penaunce to þende brouȝt,
Þou miȝt be ful glad in þouȝt,
& ich may sing ‘allas allas’;
3300 Icham wers þan ich was,
For now ichaue eft agilt,
Seþþen we wer out of paradis pilt.
Þerfore ichil now biginne
Oȝain penaunce for to winne,
3350 & wende & won in þisternesse,
Out of alle liȝtnesse;
Þe foule flesche þat haþ agilt,
In þesternesse it schal be pilt.’
Eue went fram Adam,
3400 Into þesternesse til þat sche cam;
& þo sche com to a þester stede,
Niȝt & day in holy bede,
Gret wiþ child, sche duelled þare,
In miche sorwe & michel care.
3450 Þe time neiȝed atte last
Þat Eue bigan to gret fast,
& hye bigan to gron sore
& seyd ‘Louerd, merci, þine ore.
Who may telle Adam mi þouȝt,
3500 In what sorwe þat ich am brouȝt?
Y no haue messanger non
Þat may on min errand gon.’
Edinburgh Fragments end
‘& he seyȝe me wiþ his eyȝe, {f.14ra}
& seyd, “Adam, þou sc[h]alt dye.
3550 Hold þat word in þi þouȝt,
& loke þou forȝete it nouȝt.”
Þus seyd God almiȝti to me.
Þo com ich into erþe oȝe,
& liued in trauail & in pine;
3600 & so schulen after all mine.
Til God bicom man in erþe,
We schul haue penaunce – & wele is werþe
For ich & þi moder weren at asent
To breke Godes comandment.
3650 For we haue him so agilt,
In our hertes he haþ ypilt
Boþe an euen & amorwe
Sexti woundes of wo & sorwe,
Þat schal doure to alle mi blod.’
3700 & wiþ þat word þer Adam stode
& bigan to wepe sore
& seyd ‘merci, lord, þi nore.
Lord – yblisced mot þou werþe
Wherto was y made of erþe
3750 Swiche pine here to dreye?
Wer time comen, ich wald dye.’
Of Adames sorwe Eue toke kepe
& bigan bitter to wepe,
& anon in þat ich stounde
3800 Sche kneled adoun on þe grounde
& bad a bone to swete Jhesus,
Sore wepende, & seyd þus,
‘Lord, ich biseche þe,
Adames sorwe put in me,
3850 For al þe sorwe þat he is inne,
Is for mi gilt & for mi sinne.’
Adam hadde rewþe of his wiif,
& was al ful of his liif,
& seyd ‘Eue, lat be þi fare,
3900 & fond to bring me out of care.
Take Seþ in þi compeynie,
& lok þat þou fast heyȝe.
Lade him to paradise to þe ȝate,
& lat him abide þer ate,
3950 & let him stonden in þe siȝt:
& God, þat is ful of miȝt,
For he haþ nouȝt trespast so miche {f.14rb}
As haue we, sikerliche,
Þerfore he may þe balder be
4000 To speke wiþ Jhesu Crist þan we.’
Eue toke Seþ anon,
& dede hem in þe way to gon.
Toward paradis anon þai go.
& þe fende, þat was her fo,
4050 Com & mett wiþ hem tvaye
Riȝt amid in þe waye,
& bot Seþ in þe visage.
& afterward a gret stage
In his visage it was ysene,
4100 Where stoden his teþ kene.
‘Allas, allas’ quaþ Eue þo,
‘What icham curssed, & oþer mo,
Þat breken Godes comandment.
Now is mi sones visage schent.
4150 Hadde we holden his hest ariȝt,
Þan hadde þe fende hadde no miȝt
For to touche nouȝt of our blod,
No hadde ydon hem nouȝt bot gode.’
To þe fende þo seyd Eue,
4200 ‘Hou artow so hardi to greue
Godes creatour þat þurth his grace
Is fourmed after his owhen face?
Me þenke þat þou dost nouȝt riȝt
To wretþe wiþ þe king of miȝt.
4250 Why artow so malicious
Toward God & toward ous?’
Þe fende answerd anon þis:
‘Nouȝt toward God our malice nis,
Bot toward þe & al þe brod
4300 Þat euer comeþ of ȝour blod,
For þurth ȝou we ben ybrouȝt
Þer wo & sinne is euer wrouȝt.
&, Eue, ichil þat þou it wite,
Seþþen þou & Adam of þe appel bite,
4350 We haue hadde pouwer & miȝt
To dere ȝou boþe day & niȝt.’
‘A, foule þing’ quaþ Seþ,
‘Fro mi moder þat here geþ,
& fro me, þurth Godes miȝt,
4400 Passe oway out of our siȝt.’
& þe fende, þe foule þing, {f.14va}
Þurth miȝt of þe heuen-king
Out of her siȝt oway he nam;
Þai nist neuer whar he bicam.
4450 Eue haþ Seþ yladde
To paradys, as Adam badde.
& Eue drouȝ hir fram þe ȝate;
Sche no durst nouȝt loke in þerate,
Sche durst nouȝt schewe God hir face,
& Seþ in þilke stede,
Sore wepeand, in holy bede,
He abod þer alle stille
Godes merci & Godes wille.
4550 Þurth þe vertu of Godes miȝt
Þer com adoun an angel briȝt,
& seyd to Seþ in þis maner,
Þat he miȝt wiþ eren here,
‘God, þat al þe warld haþ wrouȝt,
4600 Sent þe word, þou biddest for nouȝt.
Er þe term be ygon
Of fiue þousende winter & on
& fiue & tventi winter & mo,
Er þat terme be ago,
4650 & God, þat is ful of miȝt,
Be into erþe yliȝt,
& haue ynomen kind of man
& baþed in þe flom Jordan:
Þan schal Adam & Eue, his wiif,
4700 Be anoint wiþ oyle of liif,
& alle þo þat after hem comen
Þat haue C(i)ristendom ynomen.
Go tel Adam, þi fader, þis
Þat no noþer grace þer nis.
4750 & to grayþe him, bid him heyȝe;
His terme neiȝeþ þat he schal dye.
& when þe bodi, þat haþ don sinne,
& þe soule schal parten atvinne,
Riȝt whan þat time schal be,
4800 Miche meruayl ȝe schullen yse
So seyt mi lord, þat alle haþ wrouȝt,
& biddeþ þat ȝe no drede nouȝt
For nouȝt þat ȝe schul here no se.
So he sent ȝou word bi me.’
4850 Eue & Seþ her
way nome {f.14vb}
& went oȝain as þai come
& told Adam þe tiding
Þat him sent þe heuen-king.
& Adam held vp boþe his hond
4900 & þonked God of alle his sond.
Adam his eiȝen vnfeld,
& seþþen his sone he biheld
& seyd ‘merci, swete Jhesus.
Who haþ wounded mi sone þus?’
4950 ‘Bi God, Adam’ quaþ Eue,
‘He þat is about to greue
Oure soules, boþe niȝt & day,
As michel as euer he may;
Þat is þe fende, þat is our fo,
5000 Þat haþ ous brouȝt into þis wo.
He com & mett wiþ ous tvay,
As we ȝeden in þe way
& went toward paradys;
Þus he bot him in þe viis.’
5050 ‘Owe, Eue’ quaþ Adam þo,
‘Þou hast ywrouȝt michel wo.
Alle þat after ous be bore,
Alle schal curssen ous þerfore,
& alle þat after ous liuen,
5100 Boþe amorwe & eke aneuen,
Schul be bisy to bere þe wo
Þat is ywakened of ous tvo.
Þerfore, Eue, telle alle þine childer,
Boþe þe ȝonger & þe elder,
5150 Þat þai be filed of our sinne;
& bid hem ichon biginne
Niȝt & day merci to crie.
Mi time is comen, y schal dye.’
Þus Adam bad Eue his wiif
5200 Techen his childer after his liif,
Hou þai schuld anon biginne
To crien merci for her sinne.
& þo he hadde ytauȝt hem þus,
As þe boke telleþ ous,
5250 He kneled adoun in his bede,
& dyed anon in þat stede.
& as þe angel hadde yseyd,
Alle þe liȝtnisse was aleyd,
Sonne & mone lorn her liȝt, {f.15ra} Eue bigan to wepe & crie,
Þo he seyȝe Adam dye;
& Seþ made reweli mon
& fel doun on his fader anon,
5350 &, as it telleþ in þe boke,
In his armes his fader he tok,
& ful bitterliche he wepe.
& God almiȝti þerof toke kepe,
& sent adoun an angel briȝt
5400 Þat seyd to Seþ anonriȝt,
‘Arise, & lete þi sorwe be,
& wiþ þine eyȝen þou schalt se,
God, þat al þe warld schal glade,
What he wil do wiþ þat he made.’
5450 God, þat sit in heuen heyȝe,
Tok Adam soule, þat Seþ it seiȝe,
& bitok it seyn Miȝhel
& seyd ‘haue, loke þis soule wel,
& put it in sorwe & þesternisse,
5500 Out of ioie & alle liȝtnisse,
Til fiue þousend winter ben ago,
Tvo hundred & eiȝte & tventi mo,
Fro þe time þat he ete
Of þat appel him þouȝt so swete.
5550 So long for his gilt
Jn his ward he schal be pilt
Þat maked him min hest breke;
So long ich wil ben awreke,
On him, & alle his blod eke,
5600 Mi comandment for he breke.
& whan þat terme is ago,
To ioie schal turn al his wo:
& afterward þan schal he
Sitten in þilke selue se
5650 Þat Liȝtbern sat, min angel briȝt,
Er pride was in his hert aliȝt.’
Þus seyd Jhesus, þat sitt an heyȝe,
& seþþen into heuen he steiȝe.
Fram þe time þat cas fel
5700 Þat curssed Kaim slouȝ Abel
Til Adam dyed opon mold,
As swete Jhesus Crist wold,
ȝete lay Abel aboue erþe, {f.15rb} Til Jhesu Crist – herd mot he werþe
5750 Bad his angels þat þai scholde
Biry þe bodis vnder molde.
Þe angels al wiþouten chest
Dede anon Godes hest,
I[n]to cloþes þe bodi þai feld.
5800 Eue & hir children stode & biheld
Riȝt in þilke selue stede,
& hadde wonder what þai dede,
For þai no hadde ar þan
Neuer sen biry no man.
5850 Þan seyd an angel, þer he stode,
To Eue & to al hir brode,
‘Take ȝeme hou we do,
& her afterward do so.
Birieþ alle so þat dyen
5900 As ȝe se wiþ ȝour eyȝen
Þat we don þis bodis here
Doþ ȝe in þe selue manere.’
Þo þe angels had seyd þus,
Þai wenten oȝain to swete Jhesus,
5950 To heuen þer þai formast were,
& leued Eue & hir children þere.
Sex days after Adam was dede
God almiȝti an angel bede
Go tellen Eue, Adames wiif,
6000 Þe terme was comen of hir liif.
Þo Eue wist sche schuld dye,
Sche cleped forþ hir progenie,
Boþe þe ȝonger & þe eldre,
Hir childer & hir childer childre,
6050 & sayd þat alle miȝten here,
‘Þo ich & Adam mi fere
Breken Godes comandment,
Anon his wretþe was ysent
On ous & on our progenie,
6100 & þerfore merci ȝe schul crie,
& boþe bi day & eke bi niȝt
Doþ penance bi al ȝour miȝt.
& þou, Seþ, for ani þing
Ich comand þe on mi blisceing
6150 Þat þi fader liif be write,
& min also, eueri smite,
This line repeated identically
at the beginning of the next folio,
but scored out. |
Fro þe bigining of his liif {f.15va} Þat he was maked, & ich, his wiif,
& hou we were filed wiþ sinne,
6200 & what sorwe whe han liued inne,
& in whiche maner þat þou seye
Rediliche wiþ þine eiȝe
Þi fader soule to pine sent,
For he brak Godes comandment.
6250 Alle þis loke þat þou write,
As wele as þou kanst it dite,
Þat þo þat be now ȝong childre
Mai it see, & her elder,
& oþer þat here after be bore,
6300 Hou we han wrouȝt here bifore,
Þat þai mowe taken ensaumple of ous
& amenden oȝain Jhesus.’
Þo Eue hadde þus yseyd
& hir erand on Seþ yleyd,
6350 Sche kneled adoun & bad hir bede,
& riȝt in þilke selue stede
Þat alle her kin stoden & seyȝe
Where, sche dyed biforn her eyȝe.
Anon riȝt as Eue was dede,
6400 Her children token hem to rede
& beren hir þilke selue day
Vnto þe stede þer Adam lay,
& biried hir in þilke stede
Riȝt as þe angels dede
6450 Þat biried Adam & Abel:
Þerof þai token hede ful wel.
& þo sche was in erþe ybrouȝt,
Þai were sori in her þouȝt
& wopen & made miche wo,
6500 Þo Adam & Eue was ago,
Boþe an euen & amorwe
Þai wopen & made miche sorwe.
made: a is written superscript
with insertion mark. |
& at þe four dayes ende
Jhesu made an angel wende,
6550 & seyd, þer þai wepen sore:
‘Doleþ sex days, & na more,
Þe seuen day rest of ȝour sorwe,
Boþe an euen & amorwe.
For God þat alle þe warld haþ wrouȝt
6600 & alle þe warld made of nouȝt,
As him þouȝt it wald be best, {f.15vb} Þe seuen day he toke rest.
& anoþer þing witterly,
It bitokneþ þe day of merci;
6650 Þe seuenday was Sononday.
& þat day schal be domesday
& alle þe soules þat wele haue wrouȝt
Þat day schul to rest be brouȝt.’
Þo þe angel hadde his erand seyd
6700 Þat God almiȝten hadde on him leyd,
Into heuen þe way he nam
Þai wist neuer whar he bicam.
Seþ anonriȝt bigan,
Of Adam, þat was þe forme man,
6750 Al togider he wrot his liif,
As Eue hade beden, Adames wiif.
As telleþ þe boke, þat wele wot,
In ston alle þe letters he wrot
For fir no water opon mold
6800 Neuer greuen it no schold.
Þo Seþ hadde writen Adames liif,
& Eues, þat was Adames wiif,
Riȝt in þilke selue stede
Þer Adam was won to bide his bede,
6850 In þilke stede þe bok he leyd
As wise men er þis han yseyd
Þer Adam was won to biden his bede,
& leued it in þilke stede.
& þer it lay alle Noes flode
6900 & no hadde nouȝt bot gode.
Long after N[o]es flod was go,
Salamon þe king com þo,
Þat was air of Dauid lond,
& Adames liif þer he fond,
6950 & al in ston writen it was,
& damaghed non letter þer nas.
For alle þat euer Salamon couþe
Þink in hert or speke wiþ mouþe,
On word he no couþe wite
7000 Of alle þat euer was þer write;
He no couþe o word vnderstond
Þat Seþ hadde writen wiþ his hond.
& Salamon, þat was wiis,
Bisouȝt þe king of paradys
| Catchword: at he schuld for his. |
Sende him grace fram heuen-liȝt
Þat he miȝt haue grace to wite
What þing weren þere ywrite.
God – yblisced mot he werþe
7100 He sent an angel into erþe,
Þat tauȝt Salamon eueri smite
Alle Adames liif ywrite,
& seyd to Salamon, ywis,
‘Here, þer þis writeing is,
7150 Riȝt in þis selue stede
Adam was wont to bid his bede.
| wont: t added later in smaller script. |
& here þou schalt a temple wirche,
Þat schal be cleped holi chirche
Þer men schal bid holy bede,
7200 As Adam dede in þis stede.’
& Salamon þe king anon
Lete reren a temple of lime & ston,
Þe first chirche vnder sonne
Þat euer in warld was bigonne.
7250 Now haue ȝe herd of
Adames liif
& of Eue, þat was his wiif,
Whiche liif þai ladden here on mold
& seþþen diden, as God wold.
& þo Adam in erþe was ded,
7300 For sinne þat com of her sed
God sent Noes flod
& adrenched al þe blod
Swich wreche God nam
Of alle þat of Adam cam
7350 Saue Noee & his wiif,
Þat God hadde graunted liif,
& his children þat he hadde,
To schip wiþ him þat he ladde.
Of Noee seþþen & of his childer
7400 We beþ ycomen altogider.
& seþþen þai leued in swiche sinne
Þat for þe liif þai liueden inne
Sodom & Gomore, þat wer þo
Swiþe noble cites tvo,
7450 Boþe sonken into helle,
As we here clerkes telle.
& anoþer noble cite,
Þat was yhoten Niniue,
Was in þilke selue cas; {f.16rb} Bad for hem day & niȝt
To swete Jhesu ful of miȝt,
& made boþe king & quene
& alle þat oþer pople bidene
7550 In her bedes he made hem wake
& hard penaunce he dede hem take:
& þo þai were to penaunce pilt,
God forȝaf hem her gilt;
Þus Niniue saued was
7600 Þurth bisekeing of Jonas.
ȝete after Noes flod
Al þat com of Noees blod,
Weren he neuer so holy man,
For þe sinne þat Adam bigan
7650 Þer most non in heuen com,
Er God hadde his conseyl nome
To liȝten in þe virgine Marie
& on þe rode wald dye,
For to biggen ous alle fre
7700 Yherd & heyed mot he be.
Now haue ȝe herd of swete Jhesus,
As þe bok telleþ ous,
Of þe warld hou it bigan
& hou he made of mold man.
7750 Jhesu þat was nomen wiþ wrong
& þoled mani paines strong
Among þe Jewes, þat wer felle,
To bring Adam out of helle,
ȝif ous grace for to winne
7800 Þe ioie þat Adam now is inne.
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