ADAM

Adam lay i-bowndyn,

bowndyn in a bond,

Fowre thowsand wynter

thowt he not to long;

And al was for an appil,

an appil that he tok,

As clerkes fyndyn wretyn

in here Book.

Ne hadde the appil takÄ— ben,

the appil taken ben,

Ne hadde never our lady

a ben hevene qwen.

Blyssid be the tyme

that appil takÄ— was!

Therefore we mown syngyn

Deo gracias.

479