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NOYE That Lord that leves aylastand lyff,
I love thee ever with hart and hande
That me wolde rewle be reasonne ryffe,
Sex hundereth yere to lyffe in lande.
Thre semely sonnes and a worthy wiffe
I have ever at my steven to stande.
Bot nowe my cares aren keene as knyffe
Bycause I kenne what is commaunde.
Thare comes to ilke contré,
Ya, cares bothe kene and calde.
For God has warned me
This worlde wastyd shalle be,
And certis the sothe I see,
As formefadres has tald.
My fadir Lamech who, likes to neven,
Heere in this worlde thus lange gon lende,
Sevene hundereth yere seventy and sevene,
In swilke a space his tyme he spende.
He prayed to God with stabill stevene
That he to hym a sone shuld sende,
And at the laste ther come from heven
Slyke hettyng that hym mekill amende
And made hym grubbe and grave,
As ordand faste beforne,
For he a sone shulde have,
As he gon aftir crave;
And as God vouchydsave
In worlde than was I borne.
When I was borne Noye named he me
And saide thees wordes with mekill wynne;
“Loo,” he saide, “this ilke is he
That shalle be comforte to mankynne.”
Syrs, by this wele witte may ye,
My fadir knewe both more and mynne,
By sarteyne signes he couthe wele see
That al this worlde shuld synke for synne.
Howe God shulde vengeaunce take,
As nowe is sene sertayne,
And hende of mankynde make
That synne wold nought forsake,
And howe that it shuld slake,
And a worlde waxe agayne.
I wolde God itt wasted were
Sa that I shuld nott tente thertille.
My semely sonnes and doughteres dere,
Takis ye entent unto my skylle.
I FILIUS Fader, we are all redy heere
Youre biddyng baynly to fulfille.
NOE Goos calle youre modir, and comes nere,
And spede us faste that we nought spille.
I FILIUS Fadir, we shal nought fyne
To youre biddyng be done.
NOE Alle that leves under lyne,
Sall, sone, soner passe to pyne.
I FILIUS Where are ye, modir myne?
Come to my fadir sone.
UXOR What sais thou, sone?
I FILIUS Moder, certeyne
My fadir thynkis to flitte full ferre.
He biddis you haste with al youre mayne
Unto hym that nothyng you marre.
UXOR Ya, good sone, hy thee faste agayne
And telle hym I wol come no narre.
I FILIUS Dame, I wolde do youre biddyng fayne,
But yow bus wende, els bese it warre.
UXOR Werre, that wolde I witte.
We bowrde al wrange, I wene.
I FILIUS Modir, I saie you yitte,
My fadir is bowne to flitte.
UXOR Now, certis, I sall nought sitte
Or I se what he mene.
I FILIUS Fadir, I have done nowe as ye comaunde:
My modir comes to you this daye.
NOE Scho is welcome, I wele warrande;
This worlde sall sone be waste awaye.
UXOR Wher arte thou, Noye?
NOE Loo, here at hande.
Come hedir faste, dame, I thee praye.
UXOR Trowes thou that I wol leve the harde lande
And tourne up here on toure deraye?
Nay, Noye, I am nought bowne
To fonde nowe over there fellis.
Doo barnes, goo we and trusse to towne.
NOE Nay, certis, sothly than mon ye drowne.
UXOR In faythe, thou were als goode come downe
And go do somwhat ellis.
NOE Dame, fowrty dayes are nerhand past
And gone sen it began to rayne.
On lyffe sall no man lenger laste
Bot we allane, is nought to layne.
UXOR Now, Noye, in faythe thee fonnes full faste.
This fare wille I no lenger frayne;
Thou arte nere woode, I am agaste.
Farewele, I wille go home agayne.
NOE O, woman, arte thou woode?
Of my werkis thou not wotte;
All that has ban or bloode
Sall be overeflowed with the floode.
UXOR In faithe, thee were als goode
To late me go my gatte.
We owte, herrowe!
NOE What now, what cheere?
UXOR I will no nare for no kynnes nede.
NOE Helpe, my sonnes, to holde her here,
For tille hir harmes she takes no heede.
II FILIUS Beis mery, modir, and mende youre chere.
This worlde beis drowned, withouten drede.
UXOR Allas that I this lare shuld lere.
NOE Thou spilles us all, ille myght thou speede.
III FILIUS Dere modir, wonne with us,
Ther shal nothyng you greve.
UXOR Nay, nedlyngis home me bus,
For I have tolis to trusse.
NOE Woman, why dois thou thus
To make us more myscheve?
UXOR Noye, thou myght have leteyn me wete.
Erly and late thou wente theroutte
And ay at home thou lete me sytte
To loke that nowhere were wele aboutte.
NOE Dame, thou holde me excused of itt;
It was Goddis wille, withowten doutte.
UXOR What, wenys thou so for to go qwitte?
Nay, be my trouthe, thou getis a clowte.
NOE I pray thee, dame, be stille.
Thus God wolde have it wrought.
UXOR Thow shulde have witte my wille
Yf I wolde sente thertille,
And Noye, for that same skylle,
This bargan sall be bought.
Nowe at firste I fynde and feele
Wher thou hast to the forest soght,
Thou shuld have tolde me for oure seele
Whan we were to slyke bargane broght.
NOE Now, dame, thee thar noght drede a dele,
For till accounte it cost thee noght;
A hundereth wyntyr, I watte wele,
Is wente sen I this werke had wrought.
And when I made endyng,
God gaffe me mesore fayre
Of every ilke a thyng;
He bad that I shuld bryng
Of beestis and foules yynge,
Of ilke a kynde a peyre.
UXOR Nowe, certis, and we shulde skape fro skathe
And so be saffyd as ye saye here,
My commodrys and my cosynes bathe,
Tham wolde I wente with us in feere.
NOE To wende in the watir it were wathe:
Loke in and loke withouten were.
UXOR Allas, my lyff me is full lath,
I lyffe overelange this lare to lere.
I FILIA Dere modir, mende youre moode,
For we sall wende you with.
UXOR My frendis that I fra yoode
Are overeflowen with floode.
II FILIA Nowe thanke we God al goode
That us has grauntid grith.
III FILIA Modir, of this werke nowe wolde ye noght wene
That alle shuld worthe to watres wan.
II FILIUS Fadir, what may this mervaylle mene,
Wherto made God medilerth and man?
I FILIA So selcouthe sight was never non seene
Sen firste that God this worlde began.
NOE Wendes and spers youre dores bedene,
For bettyr counsell none I can.
This sorowe is sente for synne;
Therfore to God we pray
That he oure bale wolde blynne.
III FILIUS The kyng of al mankynne
Owte of this woo us wynne,
Als thou arte Lorde, that maye.
I FILIUS Ya, Lorde, as thou late us be borne
In this grete bale, som bote us bede.
NOE My sonnes, se ye mydday and morne
To thes catelles takes goode hede.
Keppes tham wele with haye and corne;
And women, fanges these foules and feede
So that they be noght lightly lorne
Als longe as we this liffe sall lede.
II FILIUS Fadir, we are full fayne
Youre biddyng to fulfille.
Nine monethes paste er playne
Sen we wer putte to peyne.
III FILIUS He that is most of mayne
May mende it qwen he wyll.
NOE O, barnes, itt waxes clere aboute,
That may ye see ther wher ye sitte.
I FILIUS I, leffe fadir, ye loke thareowte
Yf that the water wane ought yitt.
NOE That sall I do withowten dowte,
For be the wanyng may we witte.
A, Lorde, to thee I love and lowte,
The catteraks I trowe be knytte.
Beholde, my sonnes al three,
The clowdes are waxen clere.
II FILIUS A, Lorde of mercy free,
Ay lovyd myght thou be.
NOE I sall assaye the see
How depe that it is here.
UXOR Loved be that Lord that giffes all grace
That kyndly thus oure care wolde kele.
NOE I sall caste leede and loke the space
Howe depe the watir is ilke a dele.
Fyftene cobittis of highte itt hase
Overe ilke a hille fully to feylle,
Butte beese wel comforte in this casse,
It is wanand, this wate I wele.
Therfore a fowle of flight
Full sone sall I forthe sende
To seke if he have sight
Som lande uppon to light;
Thanne may we witte full right
When oure mornyng sall mende.
Of al the fowles that men may fynde,
The raven is wighte and wyse is hee.
Thou arte full crabbed and al thy kynde,
Wende forthe thi course, I comaunde thee,
And werly watte and yther thee wynd,
Yf thou fynde awdir lande or tree.
Nine monethes here have we bene pyned,
But when God wyll, better mon bee.
I FILIA That Lorde that lennes us lyffe,
To lere his lawes in lande,
He mayd bothe man and wyffe,
He helpe to stynte oure striffe.
III FILIA Oure cares are kene as knyffe,
God graunte us goode tydand.
I FILIUS Fadir, this foule is forthe full lange,
Uppon sum lande I trowe he lende,
His foode therfore to fynde and fange:
That makis hym be a fayland frende.
NOE Nowe, sonne, and yf he so forthe gange
Sen he for all oure welthe gon wende,
Then be he for his werkis wrange
Evermore weried withowten ende.
And sertis for to see
Whan oure sorowe sall sesse,
Anodyr foule full free
Owre messenger sall be.
Thou doufe, I comaunde thee,
Owre comforte to encresse.
A faithfull fewle to sende art thow
Of alle within there wanys wyde.
Wende forthe, I pray thee, for owre prowe,
And sadly seke on ilke a side
Yf the floodes be falland nowe
That thou on the erthe may belde and byde.
Bryng us som tokenyng that we may trowe
What tydandes sall of us betyde.
II FILIA Goode Lorde, on us thou luke,
And sesse oure sorow sere
Sen we al synne forsoke
And to thy lare us toke.
III FILIA A twelmothe bott twelve weke
Have we be hoverand here.
NOE Now barnes, we may be blithe and gladde
And lowe oure Lord of hevenes kyng.
My birde has done as I hym badde,
An olyve braunche I se hym brynge.
Blyste be thou fewle that nevere was fayd
That in thy force makis no faylyng.
Mare joie in herte never are I hadde,
We mone be saved, now may we synge.
Come hedir my sonnes in hye,
Oure woo away is wente.
I se here certaynely
The hillis of Hermony.
I FILIUS Lovyd be that Lord forthy
That us oure lyffes hase lente.
Tunc cantent Noe et filii sui, etc.
UXOR For wrekis nowe that we may wynne,
Oute of this woo that we in wore,
But Noye, wher are nowe all oure kynne
And companye we knwe before?
NOE Dame, all ar drowned, late be thy dyne,
And sone thei boughte ther synnes sore.
Gud lewyn latte us begynne
So that we greve oure God no more;
He was greved in degré
And gretely moved in mynde
For synne, as men may see,
Dum dixit “penitet me.”
Full sore forthynkyng was he
That evere he made mankynde.
That makis us nowe to tole and trusse,
But sonnes, he saide, I watte wele when,
Arcum ponam in nubibus,
He sette his bowe clerly to kenne
As a tokenyng bytwene hym and us
In knawlage tille all Cristen men
That fro this worlde were fynyd thus,
With wattir wolde he nevere wast yt then.
Thus has God most of myght
Sette his senge full clere
Uppe in the ayre of heght;
The raynebowe it is right,
As men may se in sight
In seasons of the yere.
II FILIUS Sir, nowe sen God oure soverand Syre
Has sette his syne thus in certayne,
Than may we wytte this worldis empire
Shall evermore laste, is noght to layne.
NOE Nay, sonne, that sall we nought desire,
For and we do we wirke in wane,
For it sall ones be waste with fyre
And never worthe to worlde agayne.
UXOR A, syre, owre hertis are seere
For thes sawes that ye saye here,
That myscheffe mon be more.
NOE Beis noght aferde, therfore,
Ye sall noght lyffe than yore
Be many hundereth yhere.
I FILIUS Fadir, howe sall this lyffe be ledde
Sen non are in this worlde but we?
NOE Sones, with youre wiffes ye salle be stedde
And multyplye youre seede sall ye.
Youre barnes sall ilkon othir wedde
And worshippe God in gud degré.
Beestes and foules sall forthe be bredde,
And so a worlde begynne to bee.
Nowe travaylle sall ye taste
To wynne you brede and wyne,
For alle this worlde is waste.
Thez beestes muste be unbraste,
And wende we hense in haste
In Goddis blissyng and myne.
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lives; everlasting life
praise
by plenteous reason
live
handsome; (see note)
word (command)
troubles
know; commanded
every country
sharp; cold (distressing)
destroyed
truth
forefathers; told; (t-note)
appropriate to mention; (see note)
(i.e., lived so long)
steady voice
son
Such a promise; improved [his status]
delve; dig
ordained firmly; (t-note)
granted
great joy; (t-note)
well understand
less
certain; could well
seen definitely
end
end
rise up
were destroyed
attend thereto
notice of; reason
ready
hurry; die
rest (stop)
Until
lives under linen (i.e., everyone)
son, sooner; pain (perish)
mother
right away
flee; far
strength
obstruct
nearer
gladly
must go; it will be worse
Worse; know
jest; think
yet
determined
(i.e., make speed)
Until; means
(t-note)
Think; will leave; dry land
go up; such disarray
obligated
attempt; hills; (t-note)
children, go
may
since
longer
alone; (i.e., this is clear)
act irrationally
matter; question
almost mad
do not understand
bone
let; way
nearer; need
concerning
mood
lore; learn
destroy; (t-note)
remain
I must go home
[household] equipment; gather
allowed me [to] know
see
free
blow
known my wishes
assent
reason
discover
happiness
such a
dread nothing
know
(t-note)
measure
young
each species; pair
escape harm
saved
gossips; both
together
perilous; (see note)
(i.e., get in here)
loathly
teaching; learn
(see note)
went
inundated
safety
believe
pass under; dark
marvelous
Go and close (spar); now; (see note)
relieve
rescue
allowed
sorrow; help us bid (offer)
(see note)
animals
care for
lost
glad
are passed plainly
pain
power
when
children
As you may
dear
recede
by; know
praise and worship
floodgates [of heaven]; closed; (see note)
praised
suffering; alleviate
lead; (see note)
cubits
cover
be well comforted
waning; know well; (t-note)
know
mourning
strong/white; (see note)
sour-tempered
carefully know; hither make your way; (t-note)
either
in severe discomfort
might it be
gives
(t-note)
end
sharp
bird; long
believe; has landed
take up
unreliable
go
good has gone
cursed
dove; (see note)
walls
our good
soberly seek everywhere
build; abide
token; rely upon
cease; many
teaching
but (except for)
been hovering (idle)
happy and glad
love (praise)
bade
Blessed; deceptive
More; before
shall
Armenia; (see note)
Praised
given
Then Noe and his sons should sing; (see note); (t-note)
disasters; redeem
were
knew; (t-note)
(i.e., be quiet)
recently they paid for
Good living let
Then [God] said, “It repenteth me.”; (see note)
he was sorry
toil; heave
I will set the rainbow in the clouds; (see note)
rainbow; know
sign
ended
destroy; (t-note)
sign
air on high
(t-note)
Father
sign
know
hide
vain
(see note)
(i.e., exist as a world)
sore
sayings
may
live then so long
years
living together
good
travail; experience
released
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