Lamech at last
became blind.
He had a man to
lead him to the
woods in search of
wild deer.
ðat he wurð biſne, and haued a man 472
ðat ledde him ofte wudes ner,
To ſcheten after ðe wilde der;
Al-so he miſtagte, alſo he ſchet,
And caim in ðe wude iſ let; 476
The knave mistook
Cain for a
deer.
His knape wende it were a der,
An lamech droge iſ arwe ner,
Lamech let fly
an arrow,
And letet flegen of ðe ſtre_n_g,
Caim u_n_warde it under-feng, 480
which struck
Cain and killed
him.
Gruſnede, and ſtrekede, and ſtarf wið-ðan.
Lamech wið wreðe iſ knape nam,
Lamech beat and
slew his servant.
Vn-bente iſ boge, and bet, and slog,
Til he fel dun on dedeſ ſwog. 484
Thus was he
guilty of twi-wiving
and twin-slaughter.
Twin-wifing ant twin-manſlagt
Of his ſoule beð mikel hagt.
[106] _read_ fegte and sagte?