5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140	[Introitus Noe. NOE God, of his goodnesse and of grace grounde, By whoys gloryous power allthyng is wrought, In whom all vertu plentevously is founde, Withowtyn whos wyl may be ryth nought, Thy servautys save, Lord, fro synful sownde In wyl, in werk, in dede, and in thouht. Oure welth in woo lete nevyr be fownde. Us help, Lord, from synne that we be in brought — Lord God, ful of myght. Noe, serys, my name is knowe. My wyff and my chyldere here on rowe, To God we pray with hert ful lowe To plese hym in his syght. In me, Noe, the secunde age Indede begynnyth as I yow say. Afftyr Adam, withoutyn langage, The secunde fadyr am I in fay. But men of levyng be so owtrage — Bothe be nyght and eke by day — That lesse than synne the soner swage God wyl be vengyd on us sum way, Indede. Ther may no man go therowte But synne regnyth in every rowte; In every place rownde abowte Cursydnes doth sprynge and sprede. UXOR NOE Allmyghty God of his gret grace: Enspyre men with hertely wyll For to sese of here trespace, For synfull levyng oure sowle shal spyll! Synne offendyth God in his face And agrevyth oure Lorde full ylle. It causyth to man ryght grett manace And scrapyth hym out of lyvys bylle, That blyssyd book. What man in synne doth allwey scleppe, He shal gon to helle ful depp. Than shal he nevyr after crepp Out of that brennyng brook. I am youre wyff, youre childeryn these be. Onto us tweyn it doth longe Hem to teche in all degré, Synne to forsakyn and werkys wronge. Therfore, fere, for love of me, Enforme hem wele evyr amonge, Synne to forsake, and vanyté And vertu to folwe that thei fonge Oure Lord God to plese. NOE I warne yow, childeryn, on and all, Drede oure Lord God in hevyn hall And in no forfete that we ne fall, Oure Lord for to dysplese. SHEM A, dere fadyr, God forbede That we shulde do in ony wyse Ony werke of synful dede, Oure Lord God that shulde agryse! My name is Shem, youre son of prise. I shal werke aftere youre rede And also, wyff, thee weyll awyse, Wykkyd werkys that thu non brede, Never in no degré. UXOR SHEM Forsothe, sere, be Goddys grace! I shal me kepe from all trespace That shulde offende Goddys face, Be help of the Trynyté. CHAM I am Cham, youre secunde son, And purpose me be Goddys myght Nevyr suche a dede for to don That shuld agreve God in syght. UXOR CHAM I pray to God me grawnt this bone, That he me kepe in such a plyght — Mornynge, hevenynge, mydday, and none — I to affendyn hym day nor nyght, Lord God, I thee pray. Bothe wakynge and eke in slepe Gracyous God, thu me keppe That I nevyr in daunger crepe On dredfull Domysday. JAPHET Japhet thi thryd sone is my name. I pray to God wherso we be That he us borwe fro synfull shame And in vertuous levynge evyrmore kepe me. UXOR JAPHET I am youre wyff and pray the same, That God us save on sonde and se, With no grevauns that we hym grame, He grawnt us grace synne to fle. Lord God, now here oure bone. NOE Gracyous God, that best may, With herty wyl to thee we pray Thu save us sekyr bothe nyght and day Synne that we noon done. DEUS Ow, what menyht this myslevyng man Whiche myn hand made and byldyd in blysse? Synne so sore grevyht me, ya, in certayn: I wol be vengyd of this grett mysse! Myn aungel dere, thu shalt gan To Noe, that my servaunt is. A shypp to make on hond to tan Thu byd hym swyth for hym and his From drynchyng hem to save. For as I am God of myght, I shal dystroye this werd downryght! Here synne so sore grevyht me in syght, Thei shal no mercy have! Fecisse hominem nunc penitet me.1 That I made man sore doth me rewe, Myn handwerk to sle sore grevyth me, But that here synne here, deth doth brewe Go sey to Noe as I bydde thee: Hymself, his wyf, his chylderyn trewe — Tho eighte sowlys in shyp to be — Thei shul not drede the flodys flowe, The flod shal harme them nowht. Of all fowlys and bestys, thei take a peyre In shypp to save both foule and fayere. From all dowtys and gret dyspere This vengeauns or it be wrought. ANGELUS [AD NOE] Noe, Noe! A shypp loke thu make And many a chaumbyr thu shalt have therinne. Of every kyndys best a cowpyl thu take. Within the shyppbord, here lyvys to wynne, For God is sore grevyd with man for his synne That all this wyde werd shal be dreynt with flood, Saff thu and thi wyff shal be kept from this gynne, And also thi chylderyn with here vertuys good. NOE How shuld I have wytt a shypp for to make? I am of ryght grett age, fyff hundryd yere olde! It is not for me this werk to undyrtake, For feynnesse of age my leggys gyn folde. ANGELUS This dede for to do be bothe blythe and bolde! God shal enforme thee and rewle thee ful ryght. Of byrd and of beste take — as I thee tolde — A peyr into the shypp, and God shal thee qwyght. NOE I am ful redy, as God doth me bydde, A shypp for to make be myght of his grace. Alas, that for synne it shal be so betydde That vengeauns of flood shal werke this manase. God is sore grevyd with oure grett tresspass That with wylde watyr the werd shal be dreynt. A shyppe for to make, now lete us hens pas That God agens us of synne have no compleynt.	Enter Noah [the] foundation; (see note); (t-note) whose; everything abundantly nothing at all; (t-note) utterance thought woe brought into sirs; known; (see note) altogether; (see note) humble (see note) plainly speaking father; faith men’s conduct; outrageous by; also unless sin lessens immediately avenged cannot go anywhere everywhere Noah’s Wife; (see note) heartfelt to cease of their behavior; destroy; (t-note) erase; the book of life; (see note) slip; (see note) burning (t-note) both it is our duty Them; in every way husband; (t-note) them to follow; try one Fear; heaven’s; (t-note) misdeed; (t-note) (see note) any manner offend worthy son; (t-note) advice advise yourself well bring forth sir; by God’s (t-note) By the I intend by (t-note) grieve God’s sight prayer manner evening; noon not to offend Doomsday third wheresoever protect us; (t-note) shore and sea anger hear; boon [That] you keep us secure [So] that we commit no sin means; sinful mankind; (see note) established grieves; certainly; (t-note) Wickedness; (t-note) go; (see note); (t-note) to undertake at once drowning them world outright Their; grieves (see note) regret their sin; brings about; (t-note) Those; (t-note) flood’s; (t-note) not pair unclean and clean [creatures] fears before (see note); (t-note) Chamber kind of beast; couple; (see note) their lives to save grieved world; inundated Save; instrument their virtues the skill (see note); (t-note) feebleness; begin; (t-note) guide thee completely beast pair; reward you (t-note) by so happen menace sorely grieved world; flooded go
	[Hic transit Noe cum familia sua pro naui. Quo exeunte locum interludii, sub intret statim Lameth, conductus ab adolescente, et dicit:2 (t-note)
145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185	LAMETH Gret mornyng I make, and gret cause I have. Alas, now I se not, for age I am blynde. Blyndenes doth make me of wytt for to rave! Whantynge of eyesyght in peyn doth me bynde. Whyl I had syht, ther myht nevyr man fynde My pere of archerye in all this werd aboute. For yitt schet I nevyr at hert, are, nere hynde, But yf that he deyd, of this no man have doute. Lameth, the good archere, my name was ovyr all For the best archere, myn name dede ever sprede! Record of, my boy, here wytnes this, he shal. What merk that wer set me, to deth it shuld blede! ADOLESCENS It is trewe mayster, that ye seyn, indede, For that tyme ye had youre bowe bent in honde, If that youre prycke had be half a myle in brede, Ye wolde the pryk han hitte if ye ny had stonde.3 LAMETH I shuld nevyr affalyid what marke that ever were sett Whyl that I myght loke and had my clere syght, And yit as methynkyht, no man shuld shete bett Than I shuld do now if myn hand were sett aryght. Aspye som marke, boy! My bow shal I bende wyght And sett myn hand evyn to shete at som best, And I dar ley a wagour, his deth for to dyght. The marke shal I hitt; my lyf do I hest. ADOLESCENS Under yon grett busche, mayster, a best do I se! Take me thin hand swyth and holde it ful stylle. Now is thin hand evyn as evyr it may be. Drawe up thin takyll, yon best for to kylle. LAMETH My bowe shal I drawe ryght with herty wylle. This brod arwe I shete that best for to sayll.4 Now have at that busch, yon best for to spylle, A sharppe schote I shote therof — I shal not fayll. CAYM Out, out, and alas! Myn hert is on-sondyr! With a brod arwe I am ded and sclayn! I dye here on grounde, myn hert is all to tundyr With this brod arwe it is clovyn on twayn. LAMETH Herke, boy, cum telle me the trewth in certeyn! What man is he that this cry doth thus make? ADOLESCENS Caym thu has kyllyd, I telle thee ful pleyn; With thi sharp shetyng, his deth hath he take. LAMETH Have I slayn Cayme? Alas, what have I done? Thu stynkynge lurdeyn! What hast thu wrought? Thu art the why I scle hym so sone! Therfore, shal I kyll thee here: thu skapyst nowght.	mourning I am having; (see note) insanely Lacking eyesight might peer; world shot; hart; hare, nor Except that everywhere; (see note) Watch this target what you say hand; (see note) target; breadth; (t-note) missed; target shoot better target; quickly to shoot; beast dare lay; to ready target; I bet beast; see your weapon go to; beast; kill heart; split; (see note) broad-tipped arrow aflame; (see note) cloven in two sharp shooting scoundrel the reason I slayed not
	[Hic Lameth cum arcu suo verberat adolescentem ad mortem, dicente adolescente:5
190 195	ADOLESCENS Out, out, I deye here! My deth is now sought! This theffe with his bowe hath broke my brayn! Ther may non helpe be, my dethe is me brought. Ded here I synke down as man that is sclayn. LAMETH Alas, what shal I do, wrecch wykkyd on woolde? God wyl be vengyd ful sadly on me, For deth of Caym, I shal have sefne folde More peyn than he had, that Abell dede sle. These to mennys deth full sore bought shal be! Upon all my blood God wyll venge this dede Wherefore sore wepyng, hens wyl I fle And loke where I may best my hede sone heyde.	found here on the earth seven; (t-note) did slay two men’s deaths avenge head soon hide; (t-note)
	[Hic recedat Lamet et statim intrat Noe cum naui cantantes.6 (see note)
200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245	NOE With doolful hert syenge sad and sore, Grett mornyng I make for this dredful flood. Of man and of best is dreynte many a skore. All this werd to spyll these flodys be ful wood. And all is for synne of mannys wylde mood That God hath ordeyned this dredfull vengeaunce. In this flood spylt is many a mannys blood, For synfull levynge of man, we have gret grevauns. All this hundryd yere ryght here have I wrought This schypp for to make as God dede byd me. Of all maner bestys a copyll is in brought Within my shyppborde on lyve for to be. Ryght longe God hath soferyd, amendying to se, All this hundyrd yere God hath shewyd grace. Alas, fro gret syn man wyl not fle. God doth this vengeauns for oure gret trespace. UXOR NOE Alas, for gret ruthe of this gret vengeaunce, Gret doyl it is to se this watyr so wyde, But yit thankyd be God of this ordenaunce That we be now savyd on lyve to abyde. SHEM For grett synne of lechory all this doth betyde. Alas, that evyr such synne shulde be wrought. This flood is so gret on every asyde That all this wyde werd to care is now brought. UXOR SHEM Becawse the chylderyn of God that weryn good Dede forfete ryght sore what tyme that thei were, Synfully compellyd to Caymys blood. Therfore, be we now cast in ryght grett care. CHAM For synful levynge this werd doth forfare, So grevous vengeauns myght nevyr man se. Ovyr all this werd wyde, ther is no plot bare With watyr and with flood — God vengyd wyll be. UXOR CHAM Rustynes of synne is cawse of these wawys. Alas, in this flood this werd shal be lorn For offens to God: brekyng his lawys On rokkys ryght sharp is many a man torn. JAPHET So grevous flodys were nevyr yett beforn. Alas, that lechory this vengeauns doth gynne. It were well bettyr ever to be unborn Than for to forfetyn evyrmore in that synne. UXOR JAPHET Oure Lord God, I thanke of his gret grace That he doth us save from this dredful payn. Hym for to wurchipe in every stede and place We beth gretly bownde with myght and with mayn. NOE Fourty days and nyghtys hath lasted this rayn, And fourty days this grett flood begynnyth to slake. This crowe shal I sende out to seke sum playn. Good tydyngys to brynge this massage I make.	heart sighing mourning beast; drowned crazy man’s wild conduct man’s living did bid me couple alive (t-note) pity It is distressing this provision alive (see note) world; to sorrow (see note); (t-note) Did forfeit; (see note) driven to Cain’s living; perish world Corruption; waves world; lost rocks Such begin transgress everywhere; (see note) bound; strength (t-note) Lessen; (t-note) land
	[Hic emittat coruum et parum expectans iterum dicat:7
	This crowe on sum careyn is fall for to ete; Therfore a newe masangere I wyll forth now sende. Fly forth, thu fayr dove, ovyr these waterys wete, And aspye afftere sum drye lond oure mornyng to amend.8	fallen; carrion; (see note)
	[Hic euolet columba qua redeunte cum ramo viridi olive.9 (t-note)
250	Joye now may we make of myrth that yet were frende! A grett olyve bush this dowe doth us brynge, For joye of this tokyn ryght hertyly we tende. Oure Lord God to worchep, a songe lete us synge.	friends; (t-note) dove intend (see note); (t-note)
	[Hic decantent hos versus: “Mare vidit et fugit. Jordanis conuersus est restrorsum. Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam.” Et sic recedant cum naui.10 (see note); (t-note)