Our author, of whom, unfortunately, we know nothing, introduces his subject
to his readers by telling them that they ought to love a rhyming story
which teaches the "layman" (though he be learned in no books) how to love
and serve God, and to live peaceably and amicably with his fellow
Christians. His poem, or "song," as he calls it, is, he says, turned out of
Latin into English speech; and as birds are joyful to see the dawning, so
ought Christians to rejoice to hear the "true tale" of man's fall and
subsequent redemption related in the vulgar tongue ("land's speech"), and
in easy language ("small words").
So eschewing a "high style" and all profane subjects, he declares that he
will undertake to sing no other song, although his present task should
prove unsuccessful.[3] Our poet next invokes the aid of the Deity for his
song in the following terms:—
"Fader god of alle ðhinge,
Almigtin louerd, hegeſt kinge,
ðu giue me ſeli timinge
To thaunen ðis werdes biginninge,
ðe, leuerd god, to wurðinge,
Queðer ſo hic rede or ſinge!"[4]
Then follows the Bible narrative of Genesis and Exodus, here and there
varied by the introduction of a few of those sacred legends so common in
the mediæval ages, but in the use of which, however, our author is far less
bold than many subsequent writers, who, seeking to make their works
attractive to the "lewed," did not scruple to mix up with the sacred
history the most absurd and childish stories, which must have rendered such
compilations more amusing than instructive. It seems to have been the
object of the author of the present work to present to his readers, in as
few words as possible, the most important facts contained in the Books of
Genesis and Exodus without any elaboration or comment, and he has,
therefore, omitted such facts as were not essentially necessary to the
completeness of his narrative;[5] while, on the other hand, he has included
certain portions of the Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy,[6] so as to
present to his readers a complete history of the wanderings of the
Israelites, and the life of Moses their leader.
In order to excite the reader's curiosity, we subjoin a few passages, with
a literal translation:—