N-Town Cycle, Play 2 [The Creation of the World and the Fall of Adam and Eve] 1 DEUS. Now hevyn is made for aungell sake 2 țe fyrst day and țe fyrst nyth. 3 The secunde day watyr I make, 4 The walkyn also, ful fayr and [br]yth. 5 The iijde day I parte watyr from erthe; 6 Tre and every growyng thyng, 7 Bothe erbe and floure of suete smellyng, 8 The jijde day is made be my werkyng. 9 Now make I țe day țat xal be țe ferthe. 10 Sunne, and mone, and sterrys also 11 țe forthe day I make in-same. 12 țe vte day werm and fysch țat swymme and go, 13 Byrdys and bestys, bothe wylde and tame. 14 The sexte day my werk I do 15 And make țe, man, Adam be name. 16 In erthelech paradys withowtyn wo 17 I graunt țe bydyng, lasse țu do blame. 18 Flesch of ți flesch and bon of ți bon, 19 Adam, here is ți wyf and make. 20 Bothe fysche and foulys țat swymmyn and gon, 21 To everych of hem a name țu take; 22 Bothe tre, and frute, and bestys echon, 23 Red and qwyte, bothe blew and blake, 24 țu 3eve hem name be țiself alon, 25 Erbys and gresse, both beetys and brake; 26 ți wyff țu 3eve name also. 27 Loke țat 3e not ses 28 3owre frute to encres, 29 țat țer may be pres, 30 Me worchipe for to do. 31 Now come forth, Adam, to paradys; 32 Ther xalt țu haue all maner thynge: 33 Bothe flesch, and fysch, and frute of prys, 34 All xal be buxum at ți byddyng. 35 Here is pepyr, pyan, and swete lycorys; 36 Take hem all at ți lykyng, 37 Bothe appel, and pere, and gentyl rys— 38 But towche nowth țis tre țat is of cunnyng. 39 Allthynge saff țis for țe is wrought. 40 Here is allținge țat țe xulde plese 41 All redy made onto țin ese. 42 Ete not țis frute ne me dysplese, 43 For than țu deyst, țu skapyst nowth! 44 Now haue I made all thynge of nowth, 45 Hevyn and erth, foull and best. 46 To allthynge țat myn hand hath wrowth 47 I graunt myn blyssyng țat evyr xal lest. 48 My wey to hefne is redy sowth, 49 Of werkyng I wole be vijte day rest. 50 And all my creaturys țat be abowth, 51 My blyssyng 3e haue both est and west. 52 Of werkyng țe vijte day 3e sees. 53 And all țo țat sees of laboryng here 54 țe vijte day, withowtyn dwere, 55 And wurchyp me in good manere, 56 ței xal in hefne haue endles pes. 57 Adam, go forth and be prynce in place, 58 For to hefne I sped my way. 59 ți wyttys wel loke țu chase, 60 And gostly gouerne țe as I say. 61 ADAM Holy Fadyr, blyssyd țu be, 62 For I may walke in welthe anow. 63 I fynde datys gret plenté 64 And many fele frutys ful every bow. 65 All țis wele is 3ovyn to me 66 And to my wyf țat on me lowh. 67 I haue no nede to towche 3on tre, 68 A3ens my Lordys wyl to werke now. 69 I am a good gardenere. 70 Euery frute of ryche name 71 I may gaderyn with gle and game. 72 To breke țat bond I were to blame 73 țat my Lord bad me kepyn here. 74 EUA We may both be blythe and glad 75 Oure Lordys comaundement to fulfyll. 76 With fele frutys be we fayr fad, 77 Woundyr dowcet and nevyr on ill. 78 Euery tre with frute is sprad, 79 Of them to take as plesyth us tyll. 80 Oure wytte were rakyl and ovyrdon bad 81 To forfete ageyns oure Lordys wyll 82 In ony wyse. 83 In țis gardeyn I wyl go se 84 All țe flourys of fayr bewté, 85 And tastyn țe frutys of gret plenté 86 țat be in paradyse. 87 SERPENS Heyl, fayr wyff and comely dame, 88 țis frute to ete I țe cownselle. 89 Take țis appyl and ete țis same; 90 țis frute is best, as I țe telle. 91 EUA That appyl to ete I were to blame! 92 From joy oure Lorde wolde us expelle. 93 We xuld dye and be put out with schame, 94 In joye of paradyse nevyrmore to duelle. 95 God hymself țus sayde. 96 What day of țat frute we ete, 97 With țese wurdys God dyd us threte, 98 țat we xuld dye, oure lyff to lete. 99 țerffore I am affrayde. 100 SERPENS Of țis appyl yf 3e wyl byte, 101 Evyn as God is, so xal 3e be: 102 Wys of connyng, as I 3ow plyte, 103 Lyke onto God in al degré. 104 Sunne, and mone, and sterrys bryth, 105 Fysch and foule, boțe sond and se, 106 At 3oure byddyng bothe day and nyth, 107 Allthynge xal be in 3owre powsté: 108 3e xal be Goddys pere! 109 Take țis appyl in țin hond 110 And to byte țerof țu fond. 111 Take another to țin husbond; 112 țerof haue țu no dwere. 113 EUA So wys as God is in his gret mayn 114 And felaw in kunnyng, fayn wold I be. 115 SERPENS Ete țis appyl and in certeyn, 116 țat I am trewe sone xalt țu se. 117 EVA To myn husbond with herte ful fayn 118 țis appyl I bere, as țu byddyst me. 119 țis frute to ete I xal asayn 120 So wys as God is yf we may be, 121 And Goddys pere of myth. 122 To myn husbond I walke my way, 123 And of țis appyl I xal asay 124 To make hym to ete, yf țat I may, 125 And of țis frewte to byth. Hic Eua reueniet Ade viro suo a dicet ei: 126 My semely spowse and good husbond, 127 Lystenyth to me, sere, I 3ow pray: 128 Take țis fayr appyl all in 3oure hond, 129 țerof a mursel byte and asay. 130 To ete țis appyl loke țat 3e fonde, 131 Goddys felaw to be alway, 132 All his wysdam to vndyrstonde, 133 And Goddys pere to be for ay, 134 Allthyng for to make: 135 Both fysch and foule, se and sond, 136 Byrd and best, watyr and lond. 137 țis appyl țu take out of myn bond; 138 A bete țerof țu take. 139 ADAM I dare not towch țin hand for dred 140 Of oure Lord God omnypotent! 141 If I xuld werke aftyr ți reed, 142 Of God oure Makere I xuld be shent. 143 If țat we do țis synful dede, 144 We xal be ded by Goddys jugement! 145 Out of țin hand with hasty spede 146 Cast out țat appyl anon present 147 For fer of Goddys threte! 148 EVA Of țis appyl yfțu wylt byte, 149 Goddys pere țu xalt be pyht, 150 So wys of kunnyng, I țe plyht, 151 țis frute yf țu wylt ete. 152 ADAM If we it ete ouresclf we kylle. 153 As God us tolde, we xuld be ded. 154 To ete țat frute and my lyf to spylle, 155 I dar not do aftyr ți reed. 156 EUA A fayr aungell țus seyd me tylle: 157 'To ete țat appyl take nevyr no dred. 158 So kunnyng as God in hevyn hille 159 țu xalt sone be withinne a sted’. 160 țerfore țis frute țu ete. 161 ADAM Off Goddys wysdam for to lere, 162 And in kunnyng to be his pere, 163 Of thyn hand I take it here, 164 And xal sone tast țis mete. Adam dicit sic: 165 Alas, alas for țis fals dede! 166 My flesly frend my fo I fynde. 167 Schameful synne doth us vnhede: 168 I se vs nakyd before and behynde. 169 Oure Lordys wurd wold we not drede, 170 țerfore we be now caytyvys vnkynde. 171 Oure pore pryuytés for to hede 172 Summe fygge levys fayn wolde I fynde, 173 For to hyde oure schame. 174 Womman, ley țis leff on ți pryvyté, 175 And with țis leff I xal hyde me. 176 Gret schame it is vs nakyd to se, 177 Oure Lord God țus to grame. 178 EVA Alas, țat evyr țat speche was spokyn 179 țat be fals aungel seyd onto me! 180 Alas, oure Makers byddyng is brokyn, 181 For I haue towchyd his owyn dere tre! 182 Oure flescly eyn byn al vnlokyn; 183 Nakyd for synne ouresylf we se. 184 țat sory appyl țat we han sokyn 185 To deth hath brouth my spouse and me. 186 Ryth grevous is oure synne. 187 Of mekyl shame now do we knowe, 188 Alas, țat evyr țis appyl was growe! 189 To dredful deth now be we throwe, 190 In peyne vs evyr to pynne. 191 DEUS. Adam, țat with myn handys I made, 192 Where art țu now? What hast țu wrought? 193 ADAM A, Lord, for synne oure flourys do fade. 194 I here ți voys but I se țe nought. 195 DEUS. Adam, why hast țu synnyd so sone, 196 țus hastyly to breke my bone? 197 And I made țe maystyr vndyr mone, 198 Trewly of euery tre. 199 O tre I kept for my owe, 200 Lyff and deth țerin I knowe. 201 ți synne fro lyf now țe hath throwe— 202 From deth țu mayst not fle. 203 ADAM Lord, I haue wrought a3ens ți wyll! 204 I sparyd nat mysylf to spylle. 205 țe woman țat țu toke me tylle, 206 Sche brougth me țerto! 207 It was here counsell and here reed; 208 Sche bad me do be same deed. 209 I walke as worm, withowtyn wede, 210 Awey is schrowde and sho. 211 DEUS. Womman țat arte țis mannys wyffe, 212 Why hast țu steryd 3oure bothers stryffe? 213 Now 3e be from 3oure fayr lyffe, 214 And are demyd for to deye. 215 Vnwys womman, sey me why 216 țat țu hast don țis fowle foly. 217 And I made țe a gret lady 218 In paradys for to pleye. 219 EVA Lord, whan țu wentyst from țis place, 220 A werm with an aungelys face, 221 He hyth vs to be ful of grace, 222 țe frute yf țat we ete. 223 I dyd his byddyng, alas, alas! 224 Now we be bowndyn in dethis las. 225 I suppose it was Sathanas; 226 To peyne he gan vs pete. 227 DEUS. Thou werm with ți wylys wyk, 228 ți fals fablis, ței be ful thyk! 229 Why hast țu put dethis pryk 230 In Adam and his wyff? 231 Thow ței bothyn my byddyng haue brokyn, 232 Out of whoo 3et art not wrokyn. 233 In helle logge țu xalt be loky[n], 234 And nevyrmo lacche lyff. 235 DIABOLUS I xal be sey whereffore and why 236 I dede hem all țis velony: 237 For I am ful of gret envy, 238 Of wreth and wyckyd hate 239 That man xulde leve above țe sky, 240 Whereas sumtyme dwellyd I; 241 And now I am cast to helle sty, 242 Streyte out at hevyn gate. 243 DEUS. Adam, for țu țat appyl boot 244 A3ens my byddyng, well I woot, 245 Go teyl ți mete with swynk and swoot 246 Into ți lyvys ende; 247 Goo nakyd, vngry, and barefoot, 248 Ete both erbys, gres, and root. 249 Thy bale hath non other boot. 250 As wrecch in werlde țu wende. 251 Womman, țu sowtyst țis synnyng 252 And bad hym breke myn byddyng. 253 țerfore țu xalt ben vndyrlyng; 254 To mannys byddyng bend. 255 What he byddyth țe, do țu țat thynge, 256 And bere ți chyldere with gret gronynge, 257 In daungere and in deth-dredynge 258 Into ți lyvys ende. 259 Thou wyckyd worm, ful of pryde, 260 Fowle envye syt be ți syde! 261 Vpon ți gutt țu xalt glyde, 262 As werm wyckyd in kende, 263 Tyl a maydon in medyl-erth be born. 264 țu fende, I warn țe beforn, 265 Thorwe here ți bed xal be to-torn. 266 On wombe awey țu wende. 267 DIABOLUS At ți byddyng fowle I falle, 268 I krepe hom to my stynkyng stalle. 269 Helle pyt and hevyn halle 270 Xul do ți byddyng bone. 271 I falle down here a fowle freke; 272 For țis falle I gynne to qweke. 273 With a fart my brech I breke! 274 My sorwe comyth ful sone. 275 DEUS. For 3oure synne țat 3e haue do, 276 Out of țis blysse sone xal 3e go, 277 In erthly labour to levyn in wo, 278 And sorwe ye xal atast. 279 For 3oure synne and mysdoyng 280 An angell with a swerd brennyng, 281 Out of țis joye he xal 3ow dyng. 282 3oure welth awey is past. Hic recedit Deus, a angelus seraphicus cum gladio flamme[o] verberat Adam et Euam extra paradisum 283 SERAPHIM 3e wrecchis vnkend and ryht vnwyse, 284 Out of țis joye hy3 3ow in hast! 285 With flammyng swerd from paradyse 286 To peyn I bete 3ow, of care to tast. 287 3oure myrth is turnyd to carfull syse, 288 3oure welth with synne awey is wast. 289 For 3oure false dede of synful gyse 290 țis blysse I spere from 3ow ryth fast. 291 Herein come 3e no more 292 Tyl a chylde of a mayd be born 293 And vpon țe rode rent and torn 294 To saue all țat 3e haue forlorn, 295 3oure welth for to restore. 296 EVA Alas, alas, and weleaway, 297 țat evyr towchyd I țe tre! 298 I wende as wrecch in welsom way; 299 In blake busshys my boure xal be. 300 In paradys is plenté of pleye, 301 Fayr frutys ryth gret plenté; 302 țe 3atys be schet with Godys keye. 303 My husbond is lost because of me. 304 Leve spowse, now țu fonde. 305 Now stomble we on stalk and ston. 306 My wyt awey is fro me gon! 307 Wrythe onto my neckebon 308 With hardnesse of țin honde. 309 ADAM Wyff, ți wytt is not wurth a rosch. 310 Leve woman, turne ți thought. 311 I wyl not sle flesc[h] of my flesch, 312 For of my flesch ți flesch was wrought. 313 Oure hap was hard, oure wytt was nesch 314 To paradys whan we were brought. 315 My wepyng xal be longe fresch, 316 Schort lykyng xal be longe bought. 317 No more telle țu țat tale. 318 For yf I xulde sle my wyff, 319 I sclow myself withowtyn knyff, 320 In helle logge to lede my lyff, 321 With woo in wepyng dale. 322 But lete vs walke forth into țe londe, 323 With ryth gret labour oure fode to fynde, 324 With delvyng and dyggyng with myn hond, 325 Oure blysse to bale and care to-pynde. 326 And, wyff, to spynne now must țu fonde, 327 Oure nakyd bodyes in cloth to wynde 328 Tyll sum comforth of Godys sonde 329 With grace releve oure careful mynde. 330 Now come, go we hens, wyff. 331 EVA Alas țat ever we wrought țis synne! 332 Oure bodely sustenauns for to wynne, 333 3e must delve and I xal spynne, 334 In care to ledyn oure lyff.