 | Cain and Abel |  |
Abeel
I wolde ffayn knowe how I xuld do
to serue my lord god to his plesyng
þer fore Caym brother lete us now go
vn-to oure ffadyr with-owte lettyng
Suenge hym in vertu and in norture
to com to þe hyȝe joy celestyall
remembryng to be clene and pure
for in mys-rewle we myth lythly fall
A-ȝens hevyn kynge
lete us now don oure dyligens
to come to oure faderys presens
Good brother passe we hens
to knowe ffor oure levynge.
Caym
As to my fadyr lete us now tee
to knowe what xal be his talkyng
and þat I holde it but vanyte
to go to hym ffor Any spekyng
to lere of his lawe
Ffor if I haue good a-now plente
I kan be mery so moty the
thow my fadyr I nevyr se
I ȝyf not þer of An hawe.
Abel
Ryth sovereyn fadyr semely sad and sure
euer we thank ȝow in hert body and thowth
And alwey shull whyll oure lyf may indure
as inwardly in hert it kan be sought
bothe my brother and I
Ffadyr I ffalle on-to ȝour kne
to knowe how we xul rewlyd be
ffor godys þat fallyth bothe hym and me
I wolde ffayn wete trewly.
Adam
Sonys ȝe arn to spekyn naturaly
The ffyrstffrute of kendely engendrure
Be-fforn whom saff ȝour modyr and I
were nevyr non of mannys nature
And ȝit were we al of a nother portature
As ȝe haue me oftyn herd seyd sothly
Wherfore sonys yf ȝe wyl lyff sad and sure
Ffyrst I ȝow counseyll most syngulerly
God ffor to loue and drede
And suche good as god hath ȝow sent
the fyrst frute offyr to hym in sacryfice brent
hym evyr be-sechyng with meke entent
In all ȝour werkys to save and spede.
Abeell
Gramercy ffadyr ffor ȝour good doctrine
Ffor as ȝe vs techyn so xal we do
And as ffor me þorwe goddys grace dyvyne
I wyl fforth with applye me þerto.
Cayme
And þow me be loth I wyl now also
On to ȝour counsell ffadyr me inclyne
and ȝitt I say now to ȝow both too
I had levyr gon hom well ffor to dyne.
Adam
Now god graunt good sacryfice to ȝow both too
he vowche-saff to acceptyn ȝow and all myne
and ȝeve ȝow now grace to plesyn hym soo
þat ȝe may come to þat blysse þat hym self is inne
With gostly grace
þat all ȝour here levyng
may be to his plesyng
and at ȝour hens partyng
to com to good place.
Abell
dicit
Caym
Amonges all folys þat gon on grownd
I holde þat þou be on of þe most
to tythe þe best þat is not sownd
and kepe þe werst þat is nere lost
But I more wysly xal werke þis stownde
to tythe þe werst and make no bost
Off all my cornys þat may be fownde
In all my ffeldys both croft and cost
I xal lokyn on every syde
here I tythe þis vnthende sheff
lete god take it or ellys lef
þow it be to me gret repreff
I ȝeve no ffors þis tyde.
Abell
Now Caym brother þou dost ful ill
Ffor god þe sent both best and werst
þerfore þou shewe to hym good wyll
and tythe to god evyr of þe best.
Caym
In feyth þou shewyst now a febyll skyll
it wolde me hyndyr and do me greff
what were god þe bettyr þou sey me tyll
to ȝevyn hym awey my best sheff
and kepe my self þe wers
he wyll neyther ete nor drynke
Ffor he doth neyther swete nor swynke
þou shewyst a ffebyl reson me thynke
what þou fonnyst as a best I gesse.
Abell
ȝit me thynkyth my wyt is good
to god euer more sum loue to shewe
Off whom we haue oure dayly food
and ellys we had but lytyl drewe.
Caym
Ȝitt me thynkeht þi wytt is wood
Ffor of þi lore I ffynde but ffewe
I wyll neuer þe more chawnge my mood
Ffor no wordys þat þou dost shewe
I sey I wyll tythe þe werst.
Abell
Now god þat syt in hefne aboue
On whom is sett all myn hool loue
þis wyckyd wyll from þe he showe
As it plesyth hym best.
Hic ardent decimum Abel et Caym quo facto dicit
Caym
herke abel brother what a-ray is þis
thy tythyng brennyth as ffyre fful bryght
it is to me gret wondyr i-wys
I trow þis is now a straunge syght.
Abell
Goddys wyll fforsothe it is
þat my tythyng with fyre is lyth
Ffor of þe best were my tythis
and of þe werst þou dedyst hym dyght
bad thyng þou hym bede
of þe best was my tythyng
and of þe werst was þin offryng
þerfor god almyghty hevyn kyng
Alowyht ryht nowth þi dede.
Caym
What þou stynkyng losel and is it so
doth god þe love and hatyht me
þou xalt be ded I xal þe slo
þi lord þi god þou xalt nevyr se
Tythyng more xalt þou nevyr do
With þis chavyl bon I xal sle þe
þi deth is dyht þi days be go
out of myn handys xalt þou not fle
With þis strok I þe kylle
Now þis boy is slayn and dede
Of hym I xal nevyr more han drede
He xal here after nevyr ete brede
With þis gresse I xal hym hylle.
Deus
Caym come fforth and answere me
a-soyle my qwestyon anon ryght
thy brother Abel wher is now he
ha don and answere me as tyght.
Caym
My brothers kepere ho made me
Syn whan was I his kepyng knyght
I kan not telle wher þat he be
to kepe hym was I nevyr dyght
I know not wher he is.
Deus
Caym
Alas in whoo now am I wounde
a-cursyd of god as man vn-kende
of any man yf I be founde
He xal me slo I haue no ffrende
Alas and wele Away.
Deus
Of what man þat þou be sclayn
he xal haue vij folde more payn
hym were bettyr to be sayn
on lyve be nyth ne day.
Caym
Alas alas whedyr may I go
I dare nevyr se man in þe vesage
I am woundyn as a wrecch in wo
And cursyd of god ffor my ffalfage
Vn-profytabyl and vayn also
In felde and town in strete and stage
I may nevyr make merthis mo
I wot nevyr whedyr to take passage
I dare not here abyde
Now wyl I go wende my way
With sore syeng and wel away
Introitus Noe
to loke where þat I best may
Ffrom mannys ssyht me hyde.
I wolde ffayn knowe how I xuld do
to serue my lord god to his plesyng
þer fore Caym brother lete us now go
vn-to oure ffadyr with-owte lettyng
Suenge hym in vertu and in norture
to com to þe hyȝe joy celestyall
remembryng to be clene and pure
for in mys-rewle we myth lythly fall
A-ȝens hevyn kynge
lete us now don oure dyligens
to come to oure faderys presens
Good brother passe we hens
to knowe ffor oure levynge.
Caym
As to my fadyr lete us now tee
to knowe what xal be his talkyng
and þat I holde it but vanyte
to go to hym ffor Any spekyng
to lere of his lawe
Ffor if I haue good a-now plente
I kan be mery so moty the
thow my fadyr I nevyr se
I ȝyf not þer of An hawe.
Abel
Ryth sovereyn fadyr semely sad and sure
euer we thank ȝow in hert body and thowth
30
as inwardly in hert it kan be sought
bothe my brother and I
Ffadyr I ffalle on-to ȝour kne
to knowe how we xul rewlyd be
ffor godys þat fallyth bothe hym and me
I wolde ffayn wete trewly.
Adam
Sonys ȝe arn to spekyn naturaly
The ffyrstffrute of kendely engendrure
Be-fforn whom saff ȝour modyr and I
were nevyr non of mannys nature
And ȝit were we al of a nother portature
As ȝe haue me oftyn herd seyd sothly
Wherfore sonys yf ȝe wyl lyff sad and sure
Ffyrst I ȝow counseyll most syngulerly
God ffor to loue and drede
And suche good as god hath ȝow sent
the fyrst frute offyr to hym in sacryfice brent
hym evyr be-sechyng with meke entent
In all ȝour werkys to save and spede.
Abeell
Gramercy ffadyr ffor ȝour good doctrine
Ffor as ȝe vs techyn so xal we do
And as ffor me þorwe goddys grace dyvyne
I wyl fforth with applye me þerto.
Cayme
And þow me be loth I wyl now also
On to ȝour counsell ffadyr me inclyne
and ȝitt I say now to ȝow both too
I had levyr gon hom well ffor to dyne.
Adam
Now god graunt good sacryfice to ȝow both too
he vowche-saff to acceptyn ȝow and all myne
31
þat ȝe may come to þat blysse þat hym self is inne
With gostly grace
þat all ȝour here levyng
may be to his plesyng
and at ȝour hens partyng
to com to good place.
Abell
dicit
Al-myhtty god and god ful of myth
be whom all þing is made of nowth
to þe myn hert is redy dyht
for upon þe is all my thought
O souereyn lord reygnyng in eternyte
with all þe mekenesse þat I kan or may
This lombe xal I offre it up to the
accept it blyssyd lord I þe pray
my ȝyft is but sympyl þis is no nay
but my wyl is good and evyr xal be
þe to servyn and worchepyn both nyht and day
and þer to þi grace grawnt þou me
throwh þi gret mercy
which in a lombys lyknes
þou xalt for mannys wyckydnes
Onys ben offeryd in peynfulnes
and deyn ful dolfoly.
be whom all þing is made of nowth
to þe myn hert is redy dyht
for upon þe is all my thought
O souereyn lord reygnyng in eternyte
with all þe mekenesse þat I kan or may
This lombe xal I offre it up to the
accept it blyssyd lord I þe pray
my ȝyft is but sympyl þis is no nay
but my wyl is good and evyr xal be
þe to servyn and worchepyn both nyht and day
and þer to þi grace grawnt þou me
throwh þi gret mercy
which in a lombys lyknes
þou xalt for mannys wyckydnes
Onys ben offeryd in peynfulnes
and deyn ful dolfoly.
Ffor trewly lord þou art most worthy
þe best to haue in eche degre
both beste and werst ful certeynly
all is had þurowe grace of þe
The best schep full hertyly
amonges my flok þat I kan se
I tythe it to god of gret mercy
And bettyr wold if bettyr myht be
Evyn here is myn offryng
I tythe to þe with ryht good wylle
of þe best þou sentyst me tylle
now gracyous god on hevyn hille
Accept now my tythyng.
þe best to haue in eche degre
both beste and werst ful certeynly
all is had þurowe grace of þe
The best schep full hertyly
amonges my flok þat I kan se
I tythe it to god of gret mercy
And bettyr wold if bettyr myht be
Evyn here is myn offryng
I tythe to þe with ryht good wylle
32
now gracyous god on hevyn hille
Accept now my tythyng.
Caym
Amonges all folys þat gon on grownd
I holde þat þou be on of þe most
to tythe þe best þat is not sownd
and kepe þe werst þat is nere lost
But I more wysly xal werke þis stownde
to tythe þe werst and make no bost
Off all my cornys þat may be fownde
In all my ffeldys both croft and cost
I xal lokyn on every syde
here I tythe þis vnthende sheff
lete god take it or ellys lef
þow it be to me gret repreff
I ȝeve no ffors þis tyde.
Abell
Now Caym brother þou dost ful ill
Ffor god þe sent both best and werst
þerfore þou shewe to hym good wyll
and tythe to god evyr of þe best.
Caym
In feyth þou shewyst now a febyll skyll
it wolde me hyndyr and do me greff
what were god þe bettyr þou sey me tyll
to ȝevyn hym awey my best sheff
and kepe my self þe wers
he wyll neyther ete nor drynke
Ffor he doth neyther swete nor swynke
þou shewyst a ffebyl reson me thynke
what þou fonnyst as a best I gesse.
Abell
ȝit me thynkyth my wyt is good
to god euer more sum loue to shewe
Off whom we haue oure dayly food
and ellys we had but lytyl drewe.
Caym
Ȝitt me thynkeht þi wytt is wood
33
I wyll neuer þe more chawnge my mood
Ffor no wordys þat þou dost shewe
I sey I wyll tythe þe werst.
Abell
Now god þat syt in hefne aboue
On whom is sett all myn hool loue
þis wyckyd wyll from þe he showe
As it plesyth hym best.
Hic ardent decimum Abel et Caym quo facto dicit
Caym
herke abel brother what a-ray is þis
thy tythyng brennyth as ffyre fful bryght
it is to me gret wondyr i-wys
I trow þis is now a straunge syght.
Abell
Goddys wyll fforsothe it is
þat my tythyng with fyre is lyth
Ffor of þe best were my tythis
and of þe werst þou dedyst hym dyght
bad thyng þou hym bede
of þe best was my tythyng
and of þe werst was þin offryng
þerfor god almyghty hevyn kyng
Alowyht ryht nowth þi dede.
Caym
What þou stynkyng losel and is it so
doth god þe love and hatyht me
þou xalt be ded I xal þe slo
þi lord þi god þou xalt nevyr se
Tythyng more xalt þou nevyr do
With þis chavyl bon I xal sle þe
þi deth is dyht þi days be go
out of myn handys xalt þou not fle
With þis strok I þe kylle
Now þis boy is slayn and dede
Of hym I xal nevyr more han drede
He xal here after nevyr ete brede
With þis gresse I xal hym hylle.
34
Caym come fforth and answere me
a-soyle my qwestyon anon ryght
thy brother Abel wher is now he
ha don and answere me as tyght.
Caym
My brothers kepere ho made me
Syn whan was I his kepyng knyght
I kan not telle wher þat he be
to kepe hym was I nevyr dyght
I know not wher he is.
Deus
A cursyd Caym þou art vntrewe
and for þi dede þou xalt sore rewe
þi brothers blood þat þou slewe
Askyht vengeauns of þi mys.
and for þi dede þou xalt sore rewe
þi brothers blood þat þou slewe
Askyht vengeauns of þi mys.
Thu xalt be cursyd on þe grounde
Vn-prophitable where so þou wende
both veyn and nowthty and no thyng sounde
with what þing þou medele þou xalt it shende.
Vn-prophitable where so þou wende
both veyn and nowthty and no thyng sounde
with what þing þou medele þou xalt it shende.
Caym
Alas in whoo now am I wounde
a-cursyd of god as man vn-kende
of any man yf I be founde
He xal me slo I haue no ffrende
Alas and wele Away.
Deus
Of what man þat þou be sclayn
he xal haue vij folde more payn
hym were bettyr to be sayn
on lyve be nyth ne day.
Caym
Alas alas whedyr may I go
I dare nevyr se man in þe vesage
I am woundyn as a wrecch in wo
And cursyd of god ffor my ffalfage
35
In felde and town in strete and stage
I may nevyr make merthis mo
I wot nevyr whedyr to take passage
I dare not here abyde
Now wyl I go wende my way
With sore syeng and wel away
Introitus Noe
to loke where þat I best may
Ffrom mannys ssyht me hyde.
| Cain and Abel | |