Death of Cain

Lamech ledde long lif til ðan Lamech led long life till then

ðat he wurð biſne, and haued a man That he became blind and had a man

ðat ledde him ofte wudeſ ner, That led him oft to woods near,

To scheten after ðe wilde der; To shoot after the wild deer (animals);

Al-so he miſtagte, alſo he ſchet, As he mistaught, so he shot,

And caim in ðe wude iſ let; And Cain in the wood is let;

His knape wende it were a der, His knave (servant) weened it were a deer,

An lamech droge iſ arwe ner, And Lamech drew his arrow near

And letet flegen of ðe ſtreng, And let it fly off the string,

Caim unwar[n]de it under-feng, Cain unwarned it received,

Gruſnede, and ſtrekede, and ſtarf wið-ðan. Groaned, fell prostrate (stretched) and died with-that.

Lamech wið wreðe iſ knape nam, Lamech with wrath his knave seized,

Vn-bente iſ boge, and bet, and slog, Unbent his bow, and beat and slew,

Til he fel dun on dedeſ ſwog. Till he fell down in death's swoon.

Twin-wifing and twin-manſlagt, Twi-wiving (bigamy) and twi-slaughter (double homicide)

Of his ſoule beð mikel hagt. On his soul is great trouble (anxiety).

—(ll. 471-486.)