till Christ brought his saints from hell. Til ih_esus_ criſt fro helle nam, Hiſ quemed wid[79] eue and adam; From that time we ever reckon first the night and then the day. fro ðat time we tellen ay, Or ðe nigt and after ðe day, 88 For God led them from Hell's might into Paradise's bright light. for god ledde hem fro helle nigt to paradises leue ligt; ðo gan hem dagen wel iwiſſe, Quan god hem ledde in-to bliſſe. 92 On the second day the earth was enclosed by the firmament, On an oðer dai ðiſ middel-erd, waſ al luken and a-buten ſperd; ðo god bad ben ðe firmament, Al abuten ðis walkne ſent, 96 [77] _read_ ðis [78] _read_ eft [79] _read_ wið THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH ARE PARTED. by frozen waters and wall of ice. Of watres froren, of yſeſ wal, ðis middel werld it luket al;— No fire has ever yet melted this ice. May no fir get melten ðat yſ; He ðe it made iſ migtful and wis,— 100 This enclosure may be called Heaven-roof. It mai ben hoten heuene-Rof; It hiled[80] al ðis werldes drof, And fier, and walkne, and water, and lond, Al iſ bi-luken in godes hond, 104 It shall last until Doomsday. Til domeſ-dai ne ſal it troken. Al middel-erd ðer-inne is loken, [Fol. 3.] watres ben her ðer-under ſuuen, And watres ðor a-buuen; 108 Above this is another heaven full of bliss and life. And ouer ðat ſo ful i-wis, An oðer heuene ful o blis, And ful o lif ðe leſted oo, wo may him ben ðe fel ðor-fro. 112 Thus passed this second day's night. Forð glod ðis oðer daiſ nigt, ðo cam ðe ðridde dais ligt: Then came the third day's light. ðe ðridde dai, ſo god it bad, Water and earth became separated.