[Sidenote: [The fyfthe met{ur}.]]
++Blysful was þe first age of men. þei helden hem apaied wiþ þe metes
þat þe trewe erþes brouȝten furþe. ¶ þei ne destroyed[e] ne desceyued[e]
not hem self wiþ outerage. ¶ þei weren wont lyȝtly to slaken her hunger
at euene wiþ acornes of okes ¶ þei ne couþe nat medle þe ȝift of bacus
to þe clere hony. þat is to seyn. þei couþe make no piment of clarre. ne
þei couþe nat medle þe briȝt[e] flies of þe co{n}tre of siriens wiþ þe
venym of tirie. þis is to seyne. þei couþe nat dien white flies of
sirien contre wiþ þe blode of a manar shelfysshe. þat men fynden in
tyrie. wiþ whiche blode men deien purper. ¶ þei slepen holesom slepes
vpon þe gras. and dronken of þe rynnyng watres. {and} laien vndir þe
shadowe of þe heyȝe pyne trees. ¶ Ne no gest ne no straunger [ne] karf
ȝit þe heye see wiþ oores or wiþ shippes. ne þei ne hadden seyne ȝitte
none newe strondes to leden merchaundyse in to dyuerse co{n}tres. ¶ þo
weren þe cruel clariou{n}s ful whist {and} ful stille. ne blode yshed by
egre hate ne hadde nat deied ȝit armurers. for wherto or whiche
woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen armes. whan þei seien cruel
woundes ne none medes ben of blood yshad ¶ I wolde þat oure tymes sholde
turne aȝeyne to þe oolde maneres. ¶ But þe anguissous loue of hauyng
brenneþ in folke moore cruely þan þe fijr of þe Mou{n}taigne of Ethna
þat euer brenneþ. ¶ Allas what was he þat first dalf vp þe gobets or þe
weyȝtys of gold couered vndir erþe. {and} þe p{re}cious stones þat
wolden han ben hid. he dalf vp p{re}cious perils. þat is to seyne þat he
þat hem first vp dalf. he dalf vp a p{re}cious peril. for-whi. for þe
p{re}ciousnesse of swyche haþ many man ben in peril.