Another Medieval Poem

This is not a Christmas poem, but I thought it interesting anyway. In particular, I noticed that although Eve gets a passing mention in the first stanza, the devil deals directly with Adam.

In the vale of Abraham

Cryst hym self he made Adam,

And of his rybbe a fayr womman,

And thus this seemly word began.

‘Cum, Adam, and thou xalt se

The blysse of paradis that is so fre;

Therein stant an appil-tre,

Lef and fruit growit thereon.

Adam, if thou this appil ete,

Alle these joyis thou xalt forsete,

And the peynis of helle gete.’

Thus God hym self warnid Adam.

Quan God was fro Adam gon,

Sone after cam the fend anon;

A false tretour he was on,

He tok the tre and krep thereon.

‘What eylyt the, Adam, art thou wod?

Thi lord hast tawt the lytil good, 

He wolde not thou understood

Of the wyttes that he can.

Take the appil of the tre,

And ete thereof, I bidde the,

And alle hese joyis thou xalt se,

Fro the he al hedyn non.’

Quan Adam hadde that appil ete,

Alle hese joyis wern forsete,

Non word more must he speke,

He stood as nakyd as a ston.

Then cam an aungil with a swerd,

And drof Adam into a disert;

Ther was Adam sore aferd,

For labour coude he werkyn non.

Source:  Songs and Carols from a Manuscript in the British Museum of the Fifteenth Century