[Sidenote: For the fault of one, vengeance alighted upon all men.] Bot þat oþ{er} wrake þat wex on wyȝeȝ, hit lyȝt Þurȝ þe faut of a freke þat fayled i{n} trawþe. 236 [Sidenote: Adam was ordained to live in bliss.] A{da}m i{n} obedyent[14] ordaynt to blysse, Þer pryuely i{n} paradys his place watȝ de-vised, To lyue þer i{n} lyky{n}g þe lenþe of a terme, & þe{n}ne en-herite þat home þat au{n}geleȝ for-gart, 240 [Sidenote: Through Eve he ate an apple.] Bot þurȝ þe eggy{n}g of eue he ete of an apple Þat en-poysened alle pepleȝ þat parted fro hem boþe, [Sidenote: Thus all his descendants became poisoned.] For a defence þat watȝ dyȝt of dryȝtyn seluen, & a payne þer-on put & pertly halden; 244 Þe defence watȝ þe fryt þat þe freke towched, & þe dom is þe deþe þat drepeȝ v{us} alle. [Sidenote: A maiden brought a remedy for mankind.] Al i{n} mesure & meþe watȝ mad þe vengiau{n}ce, & efte amended w{i}t{h} a mayden þat make hade neu{er}. 248 [Sidenote 11: _wened_ (?).] [Sidenote 12: _ȝis_ (?).] [Sidenote 13: MS. _lyttlel_.] [Sidenote 14: _obedience_ (?).] [Headnote: THE WICKEDNESS OF THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD.] IV. Bot in þe þryd watȝ forþrast al þat þryue schuld, [Sidenote: Malice was merciless.] Þer watȝ malys mercyles & mawgre much scheued, Þat watȝ for fylþe vpon folde þ{a}t þe folk vsed, [Sidenote: A race of men came into the world, the fairest, the merriest, and the strongest that ever were created.] [Þ]at þen wonyed i{n} þe worlde w{i}t{h}-outen any mayst{er}ȝ; 252 [Sidenote: [Fol. 60b.]] Hit wern þe fayrest of forme & of face als, Þe most & þe myriest þat maked wern euer, Þe styfest, þe stalworþest þat stod eu{er} on fete; & lengest lyf i{n} hem lent of ledeȝ alle oþ{er}, 256 For hit was þe forme-foster þat þe folde bred, [Sidenote: They were sons of Adam.] Þe aþel au{n}cetereȝ su{n}eȝ þat ad{a}m watȝ called, To wham god hade geuen alle þat gayn were, Alle þe blysse boute blame þat bodi myȝt haue, 260 & þose lykkest to þe lede þat lyued next aft{er}, For-þy so semly to see syþe{n} wern none. [Sidenote: No law was laid upon them.] Þer watȝ no law to hem layd bot loke to kynde, & kepe to hit, & alle hit cors clanly ful-fylle; 264 [Sidenote: Nevertheless they acted unnaturally.] & þe{n}ne fou{n}den þay fylþe i{n} fleschlych dedeȝ & controeued agayn kynde contraré werkeȝ, & vsed hem vn-þryftyly vchon on oþ{er}, & als with oþ{er}, wylsfully, vpon a wrange wyse. 268 [Sidenote: The “_fiends_” beheld how fair were the daughters of these mighty men, and made fellowship with them and begat a race of giants.] So ferly fowled her flesch þat þe fende loked, How þe deȝt{er} of þe douþe wern dere-lych fayre, & fallen i{n} felaȝschyp w{i}t{h} hem on folken wyse