And all that ever shall have being It is closed in my mind.
The next scene is the _Fall of Man_, which is full of poetic feeling and expression both. I must content myself with a few passages.
Here is part of Eve's lamentation, when she is conscious of the death that has laid hold upon her.
Alas that ever that speech was spoken That the false angel said unto me! Alas! our Maker's bidding is broken, For I have touched his own dear tree. Our fleshly eyes are all unlokyn, _unlocked._ Naked for sin ourself we see; That sorry apple that we have sokyn _sucked._ To death hath brought my spouse and me.
Adam, that with my hands I made, Where art thou now? what hast thou wrought?
Adam replies, in two lines, containing the whole truth of man's spiritual condition ever since:
Ah, Lord! for sin our flowers do fade: I hear thy voice, but I see thee nought.
The vision had vanished, but the voice remained; for they that hear shall live, and to the pure in heart one day the vision shall be restored, for "they shall see God." There is something wonderfully touching in the quaint simplicity of the following words of God to the woman:
Unwise woman, say me why That thou hast done this foul folly, And I made thee a great lady, In Paradise for to play?
As they leave the gates, the angel with the flaming sword ends his speech thus:
This bliss I spere from you right fast; _bar._ Herein come ye no more, Till a child of a maid be born, And upon the rood rent and torn, To save all that ye have forlorn, _lost._ Your wealth for to restore.
Eve laments bitterly, and at length offers her throat to her husband, praying him to strangle her:
Now stumble we on stalk and stone; My wit away from me is gone; Writhe on to my neck-bone With hardness of thine hand.
and goes on to make what excuse for themselves he can in a very simple and touching manner:
Our hap was hard, our wit was nesche, _soft, weak,_ still in use in To Paradise when we were brought: [some provinces. My weeping shall be long fresh; Short liking shall be long bought. _pleasure._
The scene ends with these words from Eve:
Alas, that ever we wrought this sin! Our bodily sustenance for to win, Ye must delve and I shall spin, In care to lead our life.
_Cain and Abel_ follows; then _Noah's Flood_, in which God says,
