ADAM
1.
Adam lay i-bowndyn,
bowndyn in a bond,
Fowre thowsand wynter
thowt he not to long;
2.
2.4 ‘here,’ their. The ‘book’ is, of course, the Bible.
And al was for an appil,
an appil that he tok,
As clerkes fyndyn wretyn
in here book.
3.
3.4 ‘hevene’ is the old genitive = of heaven.
Ne hadde the appil take ben,
the appil taken ben,
Ne hadde never our lady
a ben hevene qwen.
4.
4.3 ‘mown’ = can or may.
Blyssid be the tyme
that appil take was!
Therfore we mown syngyn
Deo gracias.