8
Nor one that's guilty of a crime.
Mother, said she, the fault is thine,
That knocking here so long I stand:
The guilt is more than that of mine,
If thou wilt rightly understand,
Thou wast the cause of all our sin,
Wherein we're born and conceived;
Our misery thou didst begin,
By thee thy husband was deceived.
Eve went back where Noah was,
And told him all how she was blam'd
Of her great sin and first trespass,
Whereof she was so much ashamed.
Then Noah said, I will go down,
And will forbid her that she knock;
Go back, he said, ye drunken lown,
You're none of the celestial flock.
Noah, she said, hold thou thy piece,
Where I drank ale, thou didst drink wise,
Discovered was to thy disgrace,
When thou was full like to a swine:
If I was drunk I learned at thee,
For thou'rt the father and the first,
That others taught, and likewise me,
To drink when we as had no thirst.
Then Noah turned back with speed,
And told the Patriarch Abraham then,
How that the carling made him dread,
And how she all her deeds did ken.
Abraham then said, now get you gone,
Let us no more hear of your din;
