IV

Bot in þe þryd watȝ forþrast al þat þryue schuld,
Þer watȝ malys mercyles & mawgre much scheued,
Þat watȝ for fylþe vpon folde þat þe folk vsed,
[Þ]at þen wonyed in þe worlde with-outen any maysterȝ;
Hit wern þe fayrest of forme & of face als,
Þe most & þe myriest þat maked wern euer,
Þe styfest, þe stalworþest þat stod euer on fete;
& lengest lyf in hem lent of ledeȝ alle oþer,
For hit was þe forme-foster þat þe folde bred,
Þe aþel auncetereȝ suneȝ þat adam watȝ called,
To wham god hade geuen alle þat gayn were,
Alle þe blysse boute blame þat bodi myȝt haue,
& þose lykkest to þe lede þat lyued next after,
For-þy so semly to see syþen wern none.
Þer watȝ no law to hem layd bot loke to kynde,
& kepe to hit, & alle hit cors clanly ful-fylle;
& þenne founden þay fylþe in fleschlych dedeȝ
& controeued agayn kynde contraré werkeȝ,
& vsed hem vn-þryftyly vchon on oþer,
& als with oþer, wylsfully, vpon a wrange wyse.
So ferly fowled her flesch þat þe fende loked,
How þe deȝter of þe douþe wern dere-lych fayre,
& fallen in felaȝschyp with hem on folken wyse
& en-gendered on hem ieaunteȝ with her Iapeȝ ille.
Þose wern men meþeleȝ & maȝty on vrþe,
Þat for her lodlych laykeȝ alosed þay were.
He watȝ famed for fre þat feȝt loued best,
& ay þe bigest in bale þe best watȝ halden;
& þenne eueleȝ on erþe ernestly grewen
& multyplyed mony-folde in-mongeȝ mankynde,
For þat þe maȝty on molde so marre þise oþer.
Þat þe wyȝe þat al wroȝt ful wroþly bygynneȝ.
When he knew vche contre corupte in hit seluen,
& vch freke forloyned fro þe ryȝt wayeȝ,
Felle temptande tene towched his hert;
As wyȝe, wo hym with-inne werp to hym seluen:
“Me for-þynkeȝ ful much þat euer I mon made,
Bot I schal delyuer & do away þat doten on þis molde,
& fleme out of þe folde al þat flesch wereȝ,
Fro þe burne to þe best, fro bryddeȝ to fyscheȝ;
Al schal doun & be ded & dryuen out of erþe,
Þat euer I sette saule inne; & sore hit me rweȝ
Þat euer I made hem my self; bot if I may her-after,
I schal wayte to be war her wrencheȝ to kepe.”
Þenne in worlde watȝ a wyȝe wonyande on lyue,
Ful redy & ful ryȝtwys, & rewled hym fayre;
In þe drede of dryȝtyn his dayeȝ he vseȝ,
& ay glydande wyth his god his grace watȝ þe more.
Hym watȝ þe nome Noe, as is innoghe knawen,
He had þre þryuen suneȝ & þay þre wyueȝ;
Sem soþly þat on, þat oþer hyȝt cam
& þe Iolef Iapheth watȝ gendered þe þryd.
Now god in nwy to Noe con speke,
Wylde wrakful wordeȝ in his wylle greued:
“Þe ende of alle-kyneȝ flesch þat on vrþe meueȝ,
Is fallen forþ wyth my face & forþer hit I þenk,
With her vn-worþelych werk me wlateȝ with-inne,
Þe gore þer-of me hatȝ greued & þe glette nwyed;
I schal strenkle my distresse & strye al to-geder,
Boþe ledeȝ & londe & alle þat lyf habbeȝ.
Bot make to þe a mancioun & þat is my wylle,
A cofer closed of tres, clanlych planed;
Wyrk woneȝ þerinne for wylde & for tame,
& þenne cleme hit with clay comly with-inne
& alle þe endentur dryuen daube with-outen.
& þus of lenþe & of large þat lome þou make,
Þre hundred of cupydeȝ þou holde to þe lenþe,
Of fyfty fayre ouer-þwert forme þe brede;
& loke euen þat þyn ark haue of heȝþe þretté,
& a wyndow wyd vpon, wroȝt vpon lofte,
In þe compas of a cubit kyndely sware,
A wel dutande dor, don on þe syde;
Haf halleȝ þer-inne & halkeȝ ful mony,
Boþe boskeȝ & boureȝ & wel bounden peneȝ;
For I schal waken vp a water to wasch alle þe worlde,
& quelle alle þat is quik with quauende flodeȝ.
Alle þat glydeȝ & gotȝ, & gost of lyf habbeȝ,
I schal wast with my wrath þat wons vpon vrþe;
Bot my forwarde with þe I festen on þis wyse,
For þou in reysoun hatȝ rengned & ryȝtwys ben euer;
Þou schal enter þis ark with þyn aþel barneȝ
& þy wedded wyf; with þe þou take
Þe makeȝ of þy myry suneȝ; þis meyny of aȝte
I schal saue of monneȝ sauleȝ, & swelt þose oþer.
Of vche best þat bereȝ lyf busk þe a cupple,
Of vche clene comly kynde enclose seuen makeȝ,
Of vche horwed, in ark halde bot a payre,
For to saue me þe sede of alle ser kyndeȝ;
& ay þou meng with þe maleȝ þe mete ho-besteȝ,
Vche payre by payre to plese ayþer oþer;
With alle þe fode þat may be founde frette þy cofer,
For sustnaunce to yow self & also þose oþer.”
Ful grayþely gotȝ þis god man & dos godeȝ hestes,
In dryȝ dred & daunger, þat durst do non oþer.
Wen hit watȝ fettled & forged & to þe fulle grayþed,
Þenn con dryȝttyn hym dele dryȝly þyse wordeȝ: