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DEUS Fyrst qwen I wrought this world so wyde,
Wode and wynde and watters wane,
Hevyn and helle was noght to hyde,
Wyth herbys and gyrse thus I begane.
In endles blysse to be and byde,
And to my liknes made I man,
Lorde and syre on ilke a side
Of all medillerthe I made hym than.
A woman also with hym wroght I,
Alle in lawe to lede ther lyffe.
I badde thame waxe and multiplye
To fulfille this worlde, withowtyn striffe.
Sythn hays men wroght so wofully
And synne is nowe reynand so ryffe,
That me repentys and rewys forthi
That ever I made outhir man or wiffe.
Bot sen they make me to repente
My werke I wroght so wele and trewe,
Wythowtyn seys will noght assente
Bot ever is bowne more bale to brewe.
Bot for ther synnes thai shall be shente
And fordone hoyly, hyde and hewe.
Of tham shal no more be mente,
Bot wirke this werke I wille al newe.
Al newe I will this worlde be wroght
And waste away that wonnys therin;
A flowyd above thame shall be broght
To stroye medilerthe, both more and myn.
Bot Noe alon, lefe shal it noght,
To all be sownkyn for ther synne;
He and his sones, thus is my thoght,
And with there wyffes away sall wynne.
Nooe, my servand, sad an cleyn,
For thou art stabill in stede and stalle,
I wyll thou wyrke, withowten weyn,
A warke to saffe thiselfe wythall.
NOE O, mercy Lorde, qwat may this meyne?
DEUS I am thi Gode of grete and small
Is comyn to telle thee of thy teyn
And qwat ferly sall eftir fall.
NOE A, Lorde, I lowe thee lowde and still
That unto me, wretche unworthye,
Thus with thy worde, as is thi will,
Lykis to appere thus propyrly.
DEUS Nooe, as I byd thee, doo fulfill.
A shippe I will have wroght in hye;
All yf thou can litill skyll,
Take it in hande, for helpe sall I.
NOE A, worthy Lorde, wolde thou take heede,
I am full olde and oute of qwarte,
That me liste do no daies dede
Bot yf gret mystir me garte.
DEUS Begynne my werke behoves thee nede,
And thou wyll passe from peynes smerte;
I sall thee sokoure and thee spede
And giffe thee hele in hede and hert.
I se suche ire emonge mankynde
That of thare werkis I will take wreke,
Thay shall be sownkyn for thare synne;
Therfore a shippe I wille thou make.
Thou and thi sonnes shall be therein,
They sall be savyd for thy sake.
Therfore go bowdly and begynne
Thy mesures and thy markis to take.
NOE A, Lorde, thi wille sall ever be wroght
Os counsill gyfys of ilka clerk,
Bot first of shippecraft can I right noght;
Of ther makyng have I no merke.
DEUS Noe, I byd thee hartely have no thought:
I sall thee wysshe in all thi werke,
And even to itt till ende be wroght;
Therfore to me take hede and herke.
Take high trees and hewe thame cleyne,
All be sware and noght of skwyn,
Make thame of burdes and wandes betwene,
Thus thrivandly and noght over thyn.
Luke that thi semes be suttilly seyn
And naylid wele that thei noght twyne.
Thus I devyse ilk dele bedeyne;
Therfore do furthe, and leve thy dyne.
Three hundred cubyttis it sall be lang
And fyfty brode, all for thy blys,
The highte of thyrty cubittis strang,
Lok lely that thou thynke on this.
Thus gyffe I thee grathly or I gang
Thi mesures that thou do not mysse.
Luk nowe that thou wirke noght wrang;
Thus wittely sen I thee wyshe.
NOE A, blistfull Lord, that al may beylde,
I thanke thee hartely both ever and ay,
Fyfe hundreth wyntres I am of elde,
Methynk ther yeris as yestirday.
Ful wayke I was and all unwelde.
My werynes is wente away,
To wyrk this werke here in this feylde
Al be myselfe I will assaye.
To hewe this burde I wyll begynne,
But firste I wille lygge on my lyne.
Now bud it be alle in like thynne,
So that it nowthyr twyne nor twynne.
Thus sall I june it with a gynn,
And sadly sett it with symonde fyne;
Thus schall I wyrke it both more and myne
Thurgh techyng of God, maister myne.
. . .
More suttelly kan no man sewe:
It sall be cleyngked ever ilka dele,
With nayles that are both noble and newe;
Thus sall I feste it fast to feele.
Take here a revette and there a rewe,
With the bowe ther nowe wyrke I wele.
This werke I warand both gud and trewe.
Full trewe it is who will take tente,
Bot faste my force begynnes to fawlde;
A hundereth wyntres away is wente
Sen I began this werk, full grathely talde,
And in slyke travayle for to be bente
Is harde to hym that is thus olde.
But he that to me this messages sent,
He wille be my beylde, thus am I bowde.
DEUS Nooe, this werke is nere an ende
And wrought right as I warned thee,
Bot yit in maner it must be mende;
Therfore this lessoun lerne at me.
For dyverse beestis therin must lende
And fewles also in there degree,
And for that thay sall not sam blende,
Dyverse stages must ther be.
And qwen that it is ordand soo
With dyverse stawllys and stagis seere,
Of ilka kynde thou sall take twoo,
Bothe male and femalle fare in fere.
Thy wyffe, thy sonnes, with thee sall goo,
And thare thre wyffes, withowten were:
There eight bodies withowten moo
Sall thus be saved on this manere.
Therfore to my biddyng be bayne:
Tille all be herberd haste thee faste
Eftir the seventh day sall it rayne
Tille fowrty dayes be fully paste.
Take with thee geere, sclyk os may gayne,
To man and beeste thare lyffes to laste.
I sall thee socoure for certeyne
Tille alle thi care awey be kaste.
NOE A, Lorde, that ilka mys may mende,
I lowe thi lare, both lowde and stille;
I thanke thee both with herte and hende
That me wille helpe fro angrys hill.
Abowte this werke now bus me wende
With beestys and fewlys my shippe to fill.
He that to me this crafte has kende,
He wysshe us with his worthy wille.
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when
Wood; waters dark
grass
every side
middle-earth; then
Since [then] have
reigning so completely; (see note)
regrets
either
ceasing
bound; (t-note)
destroyed
undone entirely (wholly); hue
made
lives
flood; (t-note)
destroy; less
leave; (t-note)
sunken (drowned)
escape
somber and [morally] clean
(i.e., all places)
will (order); slacking
save
what
difficulty (pain)
marvelous thing shall; happen
love (praise)
Deigns; personally
(t-note)
have limited ability
physically unfit; (see note)
would prefer to do; work
need make me
succor
give; health; head; heart
hostility [to me]
vengeance
sunken (drowned); (t-note)
boldly
measurements
Us; gives to
mark (ability)
guide
square; not at an angle; (see note); (t-note)
boards; battens; (t-note)
skillfully; thin
seams; carefully sealed
separate
aspect altogether
go forth; (i.e., say nothing more)
(see note); (t-note)
strong; (t-note)
truly
give; truly before I go
(t-note)
wrong
intelligently since; direct
defend
age
weak; lacking in strength
attempt
board; (see note)
lay; line (for measuring)
must; of regular thickness; (t-note)
separate or warp
join; tool; (t-note)
firmly seal; caulk; (t-note)
less
[line missing, see note]
skillfully; join [seams]
clenched in every part; (t-note)
rivets
rivet; rove
[ship’s] bow; (t-note)
pay attention
fail; (t-note)
(see note)
Since; truly told
such effort; engaged
supporter; very confident; (t-note)
(t-note)
taught
improved; (t-note)
(t-note)
fowls
mix together; (t-note)
levels (decks); (see note); (t-note)
when; ordered
various
every kind (species)
going in company; (t-note)
doubt
more
obedient
harbored (lodged)
passed
such as may be needed
(i.e., done with); (t-note)
failing
praise thy teaching
hand
resentfulness; (t-note)
must; go
fowls
taught
direct
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