Noah | Harvard's Geoffrey Chaucer Website

[The text is lightly glossed; see the glossary in the Riverside Chaucer for words not glossed here.]

NOAH:	Mightfull god verray,
	Maker of all that is,
	Three persons wihouten nay,
	oone god in endles blis,
5	Thou made both night and day,
	beest, fowle, and fish,
	All creatures that live may,
	wrought thou at thy wish,
	As thou wel might;
10	The son, the moone, verrament,
	Thou made; the firmament,
	The sternes also full fervent,
	To shine thou made ful bright.

	Angels thou made ful even,
15	all orders that is,
	To have the blis in heven;
	this did thou more and les,
	Full mervelus to neven,	say
	yet was ther unkindnes,
20	More by foldes seven,	times seven
	then I can well expres;
	For why?
	Of all angels in brightnes
	God gaf Lucifer most lightnes,
25	Yit proudly he flyt his des,	fled from his assigned place
	And set him even Him by.	i.e., sat next to God

	He thoght himself as worthi
	as him that him made,
	In brightnes, in bewty.
30	Therfor he him degrade;	i.e. God degraded him
	Put him in a low degre soon after, in a brade,	brief time
	Him and all his menye,	retinue, followers
	wher he may be unglad,
	For ever.
35	shall thay never win away
	Hence unto Domesday,
	Bot burne in bale for ay,	pain
	Shall thay never dissever.	get away (form the pain)

	Soone after that gracious lord
40	to his liknes made man,
	That place to be restord,
	even as he began,
	Of the Trinite by accord,
	Adam and Eve that woman,
45	To multiplie without discord,
	in Paradise put he thaym,
	And sithen to both
	Gaf in commaundement,
	On the tree of life to lay no hend;
50	Bot yet the fals feend,
	Made him with man wroth,

	Entised man to Glotony,
	stird him to sin in Pride;
	Bot in Paradise securly
55	might no sin abide,
	And therfor man full hastely
	was put out, in that tide,
	In wo and wandreth for to be,
	in paines full unrid,	misfortune. . . cruel
60	To knowe,
	First in erth, sithen in Hell
	With feendis for to dwell,
	Bot he his mercy mell	mingle (with justice)
	To those that will him trowe.	promised

65	Oile of mercy he us hight,
	As I have herd red,
	To every living wight
	that wold luf him and dred,
	Bot now before his sight
70	every living lede,	creature
	Most party day and night	The majority
	sin in word and dede
	Full bold;
	Som in Pride, Ire and Envy,
75	Som in Covetise and Glotiny,	Covetousness
	Som in Sloth and Lechery,
	And other wise many fold.	many times

	Therfor I drede lest God
	on us will take venjance,
80	For sin is now
	alod without any repentance;
	Six hundreth yeres and odd
	have I, without distance,
	In erth, as any sod,
85	lived with grete grevance
	All way;
	And now I wax old,
	Seke, sory, and cold,	Sick
	As muk apon mold	muck on earth
90	I widder away;	wither

	Bot yet will I cry
	for mercy and call;
	Noe thy servant, am I,
	lord over all!
95	Therfor me and my fry	children
	shal with me fall;
	Save from velany
	and bring to thy hall
	In heven;
100	And kepe me from sin,
	This world, within;
	Comly king of mankin,	mankind
	I pray thee here my steven!	hear . . . voice

[God speaks from above]

GOD:	Sin I have made all thing
105	that is livand,	living
	Duke, emperour, and king,
	with mine awne hand,
	For to have thare liking
	by see and bi sand,
110	Every man to my bidding
	shuld, be bowand	bowing
	Full fervent;
	That made man sich a creatoure,
	Fairest of favoure,
	Man must luf me paramoure,	love me devotedly
	By reson, and repent.

	Me thoght I shewed man luf
	when I made him to be
	All angels abuf
120	like to the Trinitee;
	And now in grete reprufe
	full low ligges he,	lies
	In erth himself to stuf
	with sin that displease me
	Most of all;
	Venjance will I take,
	In erth for sin sake,
	My grame thus will I wake,	anger
	Both of grete and small.

130	I repente full sore
	that ever made I man,
	By me he settes no store,
	and I am his soveran;
	I will distroy therfor
	both beest, man, and woman;
	All shall perish les and more;
	that bargain may thay ban,	curse
	That ill has done.
	In erth I see right noght
140	Bot sin that is unsoght;	not atoned for
	Of those that well has wroght
	Find I bot a fone.	few

	Therfor shall I fordo	destroy
	all this medill-erd	earth
	With floodes that shall flo	flow
	rin with hidous rerd,	run. . . sound
	I have good cause therto;
	for me no man is ferd,
	As I say shal I do,
150	of veniance draw my swerd,
	And make end,
	Of all that beres life,
	Sauf Noe and his wife,
	For that wold never strife	that = he . . . strive
	With me ne me offend.

	Him to mekill win	joy
	hastly will I go,
	To Noe my servant, or I blin	ere I cease
	to warn him of his wo.
160	In erth I se bot sin
	reinand to and fro,	reigning everywhere
	Among both more min,
	ichon other fo;	more and less (in rank)
	With all thare entent;
	All shall I fordo
	With floodes that shall floo,
	Work shall I thaim wo,	them
	That will not repent.

[God descends and comes to Noah]

	Noe, my freend, I thee commaund
170	from cares thee to keyle,	be cooled, allayed
	A ship that thou ordand	ordain
	of naile and bord, ful wele.
	Thou was alway well wirkand,	working
	to me trew as stele,
	To my bidding obediand,
	frendship shal thou fele
	To mede;	As a reward
	Of lengthe thy ship be
	Thre hundreth cubettis, warn I thee,
180	Of heght even thirtee,
	Of fifty als in brede.	also in breadth

	Anoint thy ship with pik and tar	pitch
	without als within,
	The water out to spar	get out
	this is a noble gin;	clever device
	Look no man thee mar;
	three chese chambres begin,	choice
	Thou must spend many a spar
	this work or thou win	ere
190	To end fully.
	Make in thy ship also,
	Parloures oone or two,
	And houses of office mo,
	For beestis that ther must be.

	One cubite on hight
	a windo shal thou make;
	On the side a doore with slight
	be-neyth shal thou take;
	With thee shal no man fight,
200	nor do thee no kin wrake.	no sort of harm
	When all is done thus right,
	thy wife, that is thi make,	mate
	Take in to thee;
	Thy sonnes of good fame,
	Sem, Japhet, and Came,
	Take in also Hame,
	Thare wifis also three.

	For all shal be fordone
210	that live in land bot ye,	above
	With floodis that from abone
	shal fall, that plente;
	It shall begin full sone
	to rain uncessantly,
	After dayes seven be done,
	and endure dayes fourty,
	Withoutten faill.
	Take to thy ship also
	Of ich kind beestis two,
220	Male female, bot no mo,
	Or thou pull up thy saill,	Or = ere

	For thay may thee availl
	when al this thing is wroght;
	Stuf thy ship with vitaill,
	for hungre that ye perish noght;
	Of beestis, foull, and cataill,
	for thaim have thou in thoght,
	For thaim is my counsaill
	that som socour be soght,
230	In hast;
	Thay must have corn and hay,
	And other mete alway;	food
	Do now as I thee say,
	In the name of the holy gast.

NOAH:	A! benedicite!
	What art thou that thus
	Telles afore that shall be?
	Thou art full mervelus!
	Tell me, for charitee
240	thy name so gracius.
GOD:	My name is of dignitee
	and also full glorius
	To knawe.
	I am God most mighty,
	One God in Trinity,
	Made thee and ech man to be;
	To luf me well thou awe.	awe = owe, should

NOAH:	I thank thee, lord, so dere.
	that wold, vouch saf	vouchsafe
250	Thus low to appere
	to a symple knave;	person
	Blis us, lord, here,
	for charitee I hit crave,
	The better may we stere	steer
	the ship that we shall have,
	Certain.
GOD:	Noe, to thee and to thy fry	children
	My blissing graunt I;
	Ye shall wax and multiply,
260	And fill the erth agane,

	When all thise floodes ar past
	and fully gone away.
NOAH:	Lord, homward will I hast
	as fast as that I may;
	My wife will I frast
	what she will say,	ask
	And I am agast
	that we get som fray
	Betwixt us both;
270	For she is full techee,	tetchy, easy to anger
	For litill oft angree;	angry
	If any thing wrong be,
	Sone is she wroth.

[Noah goes to his wife]

	God spede, dere wife,
	how fayre ye?
N'S WIFE:	Now, as ever might I thrive,
	the wars I thee see;
	Do tell me belife,
	where has thou thus long be?
280	To dede may we dryfe
	or lif for thee,	because of you
	For want.
	When we swete or swink,	sweat or work
	Thou dos what thou think,
	Yit of mete and of drink
	Have we veray skant.	true scarcity

NOAH:	Wife, we ar hard sted,
	with tithinges new.	tidings
N'S WIFE:	Bot thou were worthi be cled
290	in Stafford blew;
	For thou art alway adred,
	be it fals or trew;
	Bot God knowes I am led,
	and that may I rew,
	Full ill;
	For I dar be thy borow,	guarantor
	From even unto morow,
	Thou spekes ever of sorow;
	God send the ones thy fill!	once

300	We women may wary	curse
	all ill husbandes;
	I have one, by Mary
	that loosed me of my bondes!
	If he teen I must tary,	is vexed
	how so ever it standes,
	With seymland full sory,	semblant
	wringand both my handes
	For drede.
	Bot yet other while,
310	What with game with gile,
	I shall smite and smile,
	And quite him his mede.	pay him back

NOAH:	Wee! Hold thy tong, ram-skyt,	ram-shit
	or I shall thee still.
N'S WIFE:	By my thrift, if thou smite
	I shal turne the untill.	toward you
NOAH:	We shall assay as tyte!	right away
	Have at thee, Gill!
	Upon the bone shal it bite.
N'S WIFE:	A, so, mary! thou smytis ill!
	Bot I suppose
	I shal not in thy det,	debt (i.e., because of you)
	Flyt of this flett!	move from this place
	Take thee ther a langett	strap
	To tie up thy hose!

[The wife hits Noah]

NOAH:	A! Wilt thou so? Mary,
	that is mine.
N'S WIFE:	Thou shal three for two,
	I swere by goddes pine.	pain
NOAH:	And I shall quite thee tho,
	in faith, or sine.	ere long
N'S WIFE:	Out upon thee, ho!
NOAH:	Thou can both byte and whine,
	With a rerd!	noise
	For all if she strike,
	Yet fast will she skrike,	screech
	In fayth I hold, none slike	like none such
	In all medill-erd;	earth
	Bot I will kepe charitee,
340	for I have at do.	(work) to do
N'S WIFE:	Here shal no man tary thee;
	I pray thee go to!
	Full well may we mis thee,
	as ever have I ro;	rest
	To spin will I dres me.	prepare
NOAH:	Wee! fare well, lo;
	Bot wife,
	Pray for me bisile,	busily
	To eft I com unto thee.	until again
N'S WIFE:	Even as thou prays for me,
	As ever might I thrive.

[Noah goes to work on the Ark]

NOAH:	I tary full long
	fro my worke, I traw;	suppose
	Now my gere will I fang	equipment. . . take
	and thiderward draw;
	I may full ill gang	go
	the soth for to knaw,	know
	Bot if god help among
	I may sit downe daw	melancholy
360	To ken;
	Now assay will I
	How I can of wrightry.	what I know of carpentry
	In nomine patris, & filii,	In the name of the Father and the Son
	Et spiritus sancti, Amen.	and the Holy Spirit

	To begin of this tree
	my bones will I bend;
	I trow from the Trinitee
	socoure will be send;
	It faires full fayre, think me,
370	this work to my hend;	hand
	Now blissed be He
	that this can amend.
	Lo, here the length,
	Thre hundred cubittes evenly,
	Of breed, lo, is it fifty,	breadth
	The heght is even thirty	height
	Cubittes full strength.

	Now my gowne will I cast
	and wirk in my cote,	work. . . coat
380	Make will I the mast
	or I flyt oone foote,	ere. . . move away
	A! My bak, I trow, will brast!	break
	this is a sory note!	sad business
	Hit is wonder that I last,
	sich an old dote	fool
	All dold!	grown dull
	To begin such a wark!	work
	My bones ar so stark,
	No wonder if thay wark,	pain, hurt
390	For I am full old.

	The top and the saill
	both will I make,
	The helme and the castell
	also will I take,	forecastle
	To drive ich a naill
	will I not forsake,	every
	This gere may never faill,	gear
	that dar I undertake
	Onone.
400	This is a nobell gin,	good device
	Thise nailes so thay rin,	run
	Thoro more and min,	through great and small
	Thise bordes ichon;	every one

	Window and doore,
	even as he saide,
	Three ches chambre
	thay ar well made,	choice, fine
	Pik and tar full sure
	ther upon laide,	pitch
410	This will ever endure;
	therof am I paide;	pleased
	For why?
	It is better wroght
	Then I coude have thoght;
	Him that made all of noght
	I thank only.

	Now will I hy me	hasten
	and no thing be leder,	evil
	My wife and my meneie	household
420	to bring even heder.	hither
[Noah goes to his wife]

	Tent hedir tidely,	come here quickly
	wife, and consider,
	Hens must us fle
	all sam togeder	all of us together
	In hast.
N'S WIFE:	Why, sir, what ailes you?
	Who is that asailes you?
	To fle it availes you,
	And ye be agast.	And = if

NOAH:	Ther is garn on the reel	yarn
	other, my dame.
N'S WIFE:	Tell me that ich a del,	every bit
	els get ye blame.
NOAH:	He that cares may keyll	cool, alleviate
	blissed be his name!
	He has for oure seyll	happiness
	to sheld us fro shame,
	And said,
	All this world aboute
440	With floodes so stoute,
	That shall rin on a route,	run with a roar
	Shall be overlaide.	covered over

	He saide all shall be slain
	bot onely we,
	Oure barnes that ar bain	ready, obedient
	and thare wives thre;
	A ship he bad me ordain
	to save us oure fee,	possessions
	Therfor with all oure main
450	thank we that free	noble one
	Beytter of baill;	one who remedies evils
	Hy us fast, go we thider.	hasten
NOAH'S WIFE:	I wote never whider,
	I dase and I dedir	am dazed. . . dither
	For ferd of that taill.	fear. . . number

NOAH:	Be not aferd; have don;
	trus sam oure gere,	truss together our gear
	That we be ther or none	ere noon
	without more dere.	danger
FIRST SON:	It shall be done full sone!
	Brother, help to bere.	carry
SECOND SON:	Full long shall I not hoyne	delay
	to do my devere,	duty
320	Brether sam.	(My) brothers all
THIRD SON:	Without any yelp,	further talk
	At my might shall I help.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Yit for drede of a skelp	blow
	Help well thy dam.	mother

[They go to the Ark; the wife gets in it]

NOAH:	Now ar we there
570	as we shuld be;
	Do get in oure gere,	possessions
	oure catall and fe,
	In to this vessell here
	my chylder free.	noble children
NOAH'S WIFE:	I was never bard ere	barred, shut up
	As ever might I thee,	prosper
	In sich an oostree as this.	hostelry, inn
	In faith I can not find
	Which is before, which is behind;
580	Bot shall we here be pind,	penned, confined
	Noe, as have thou blis?

[The wife leaves the Ark]

NOAH:	Dame, as it is skill,	reasonable
	here must us abide grace;
	Therfor, wife, with good will,
	com into this place.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Sir, for Jak nor for Gill
	will I turne my face
	Till I have on this hill
	spon a space	spun for a while
590	On my rok;	distaff
	Well were he, might get me.
	Now will I downe set me,
	Yit reede I no man let me,	advise. . . prevent
	For drede of a knok.	fear

NOAH:	Behold to the hevens
	the cateractes all,
	That are open full even,
	grete and small,
	And the planettes seven
600	left has thare stall,	place
	Thise thoners and leven	thunders and lightning
	downe gar fall	began to fall
	Full stout,
	Both halles and bowers,
	Castels and towres;
	Full sharp ar thise showers,
	That rennes aboute;	run

	Therfor, wife, have done!
	Com into ship fast!
NOAH'S WIFE:	Yee, Noe, go cloute thy shone,	mend your shoes
	the better will thay last.
FIRST SON'S WIFE:	Good moder, com in sone,
	For all is over cast,
	Both the son and the mone.	moon
SECOND SON'S WIFE:	And many wind blast
	Full sharp;
	Thise floodes so thay rin,	run
	Therfor, moder, come in.
NOAH'S WIFE:	In faith yet will I spin;
620	All in vain ye carp.	talk, complain

THIRD SON'S WIFE:	If ye like ye may spin,
	Moder, in the ship.
NOAH:	Now is this twys Com in,	twice
	dame, on my frenship.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Wheder I lose or I win,
	in fayth, thy felowship,
	Set I not a pin.
	This spindell will I slip
	Upon this hill,
	Or I stir one fote.	Ere
NOAH:	Peter! I trow we dote;	act follishly
	Without any more note	business, talk
	Come in if ye will.

370 NOAH'S WIFE:	Yee, water nighes so nere
	that I sit not dry,
	Into ship with a byr
	therfor will I hy	hasten
	For drede that I drone here.	drown
NOAH:	Dame, securly,
640	It bees boght full dere,	will be
	ye abode so long by
	Out of ship.
375 NOAH'S WIFE:	I will not, for thy biding,	command
	Go from doore to myding.	dunghill (privy)
NOAH:	In faith, and for youre long tarying
	Ye shal lik on the whip.	i.e., accept your punishment

NOAH'S WIFE:	Spare me not, I pray thee,
	bot even as thou think,
	Thise grete wordes shall not flay me.
NOAH:	Abide, dame, and drink,
	For beten shall thou be
	with this staf to thou stink;	to = until
	Ar strokes good? say me.

[Noah strikes his wife]

NOAH'S WIFE:	What say ye, Wat Wink?
NOAH:	Speke!
	Cry me mercy, I say!
385 NOAH'S WIFE:	Therto say I nay.
NOAH:	Bot thou do, by this day,	unless
	Thy hede shall I breke.

NOAH'S WIFE:	Lord, I were at ese,
	and hertely full hoille,	whole, contented
	Might I ones have a measse	serving
	of widows coyll;	pottage (i.e., were I a widow)
	For thy saull, without lese,
	shuld I dele penny doyll,	dole (i.e., gladly pay)
	So wold mo, no frese,	fear (doubt)
	that I se on this sole	in this place (in the audience)
	Of wives that ar here,
	For the life that thay leyd,	lead
670	Wold thare husbandes were dede,
	For, as ever ete I brede,
	So wold I oure sire were.	our lord (i.e., Noah)

NOAH:	Ye men that has wives
	whils they ar yong,
	If ye luf youre lives,
	chastise thare tong!
	Me think my hert rivis,	splits
	both levyr and long,	liver and lung
	To see such strifes wedmen among;	wedded men
680	Bot I,
	As have I blys,
	Shall chastyse this.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Yit may ye miss,
	Nicholl Nedy!

[Noah and the wife fight, ad lib.]

NOAH:	I shall make thee still as stone,
	beginner of blunder!
	I shall bete thee, bak and bone,
	and breke all in sonder.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Out, alas, I am gone!
690	Oute apon thee, mans wonder!

[The fight ends with the wife sitting atop Noah]

NOAH:	See how she can grone,
	and I lig under;	lie below
	Bot, wife,
	In this hast let us ho,	stop
	For my bak is nere in two.
NOAH'S WIFE:	And I am bet so blo	black and blue
	That I may not thrive.

415 FIRST SON:	A! Why fare ye thus,
	Fader and moder both?
SECOND SON:	Ye shuld not be so spitus,
	standing in sich a woth.	peril
THIRD SON:	Thise ar so hidus,
	with many a cold coth.	disease
NOAH:	We will do as ye bid us;
	we will no more be wroth,
	Dere barnes!	children
420	Now to the helme will I hent,
	And to my ship tent.	attend, go
NOAH'S WIFE:	I see on the firmament,
710	Me think, the seven starnes.	stars (planets)

[All go board the Ark]

NOAH:	This is a grete flood;
	wife, take hede.
425 NOAH'S WIFE:	So me thoght, as I stode;
	we ar in grete drede;
	Thise wawghes ar so wode.	waves. . . wild
NOAH:	Help, god, in this nede!
	As Thou art stere-man good,
	and best, as I rede,	steersman
	Of all;
720	Thou rewle us in this rase,	rule . . . race, rush of water
	As thou me behete has.	promised
NOAH'S WIFE:	This is a perlous case
	Help, god, when we call!

[Time passes]

NOAH:	Wife, tent the stere-tree,
	and I shall asay	tend to the tiller
	The deepnes of the see
	that we bere, if I may.
NOAH'S WIFE:	That shall I do ful wisely;
	now go thy way,
730	For upon this flood have we
	flett many day,	floated
	With pine.	pain
NOAH:	Now the water will I sound
	A! It is far to the ground;
	This travell I expound	travail
	Had I to tine.	time to lose

	Above all hilles bedeyn	at the same time
	the water is risen late
	Cubittes fifteen,
740	bot in a higher state
	It may not be, I ween,
	for this well I wate,	know
	This forty dayes has rain been.
	It will therfor abate
	Full lele.	true
	This water in hast,
	Eft will I tast;
	Now am I agast,
	It is waned a grete dele.

750	Now are the weders cest	ceased
	and cateractes knit,
	Both the most and the leest.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Me think, by my wit,
	The son shines in the eest.
	Lo, is not yond it?
	We shuld have a good feest,
	were thise floodes flyt	gone away
	So spitus.	cruel
NOAH:	We have been here, all we,
760	Thre hundreth dayes and fifty.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Yee, now wanes the see;
	Lord, well is us!

460 NOAH:	The thrid tyme will I prufe
	what deepnes we bere.	prove, test
NOAH'S WIFE:	How long shall thou hufe?
	Lay in thy line there.	delay
NOAH:	I may touch with my lufe
	the ground even here.	hand, palm
NOAH'S WIFE:	Then beginnes to grufe
770	to us mery chere;	come to us
	Bot, husband,
	What ground may this be?
NOAH:	The hilles of Armonye.	Armenia
NOAH'S WIFE:	Now blissed be He
	That thus for us can ordand!	ordain

NOAH:	I see toppes of hilles he,	high
	many at a sight,
	No thing to let me,	prevent me (from seeing)
	the wether is so bright.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Thise ar of mercy
	tokens full right.
NOAH:	Dame, thou counsell me
	what foull best might
	And couth,	knows how
	With flight of wing
	Bring, without tarrying,
	Of mercy som tokening
	Either by north or southe?

	For this is the first day
790	of the tent moine.	tenth month
NOAH'S WIFE:	The raven, durst I lay,
	will com agane sone;	bet
	As fast as thou may
	cast him furth, have done,
	He may happen to day
	com agane or none	ere noon
	With grath.	readiness (without delay)
NOAH:	I will cast out also
	Douves one or two
800	Go youre way, go,
	God send you som wathe!	prey (something to fetch)

[Noah releases the birds]

	Now ar thise foules flone	flown
	into sere countre;	various countries
	Pray we fast ichon,
	kneland on our knee,	kneeling
	To Him that is alone
	worthiest of degre,
	That He wold send anon
	oure foules som fee	possession
810	To glad us.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Thay may not faill of land,
	The water is so wanand.	waning
NOAH:	Thank we God all weldand,	ruling
	That Lord that made us.

	It is a wonder thing,
	me think sothle,	truly
	Thay ar so long tarying,
	the foules that we
	Cast out in the morning.
NOAH'S WIFE:	Syr, it may be
	Thay tary to thay bring.	until
NOAH:	The raven is a-hungrye	hungered
	All way;	always
	He is without any reson;
	And he find any carrion,	And = if
	As peraventure may befon,	happen
	He will not away;

	The douve is more gentill --
	her trust I untew --	unto
830	Like unto the turtell,	turtle dove
	for she is ay trew.	true
NOAH'S WIFE:	Hence bot a litell.
	She commes! Lew, lew!	look, look!

[The dove appears]

	She bringes in her bill
	som novels new;	new things
	Behold!
	It is of an olive tre
	A branch, thinkes me.
NOAH:	It is soth, perdee,	by God
840	Right so is it cald.	called

	Douve, bird, full blist,
	faire might thee befall!	blessed
	Thou art trew for to trist
	as ston in the wall;	trust
	Full well I it wist
	thou wold com to thy hall,	knew
NOAH'S WIFE:	A trew token is't.	is it
	We shall be saved all
	For why?
850	The water, sin she com,	since
	Of deepnes plom,	plumb
	Is fallen a fathom,
	And more hardely.

FIRST SON:	Thise floodes ar gone,
	fader, behold!
SECOND SON:	Ther is left right none,
	and that be ye bold.
525 THIRD SON:	As still as a stone
	oure ship is stold.	fixed
NOAH:	Upon land here anone
	that we were, fain I wold;
	My childer dere,
	Sem, Japhet and Cam,
	With glee and with game,
	Com go we all sam,	together
	We will no longer abide here.

NOAH'S WIFE:	Here have we been,
	Noy, long enogh,	Noah
	With tray and with teen	grief. . . sorrow
870	and dreed mekill wogh.	dreadful great woe
NOAH:	Behold, on this green
	nowther cart ne plogh	neither
	Is left, as I ween,
	nowther tree then bogh,	neither tree nor bough
	Ne other thing,
	Bot all is away;
	Many castels, I say,
	Grete townes of aray,	great condition
	Flitt has this flowing.	taken away . . . flood

NOAH'S WIFE:	Thise floodes not afright
	all this world, so wide
	Has meved with might
	on se and by side.	moved
NOAH:	To dede ar thay dight	death
	proudest of pride,	put
	Ever ich a wight
	that ever was spide,
	With sin,
	All ar thay slain,
890	And put unto pain.	i.e., gone to Hell
NOAH'S WIFE:	From thens again
	May thay never win?	come

NOAH:	Win? No, i-wis.
	Bot He that might has	Unless
	Wold min of thare mys,	be mindful of their distress
	admitte thaim to grace.
	As He in bale is blis	in evil (times) is a blessing
	I pray Him in this space,
	In heven hye with His,	high
900	to purvaye us a place,	provide
	That we,
	With His saintes in sight,
	And His angels bright,
	May com to His light
	Amen, for charitee.


Here ends the play of Noah; that of Abraham follows.

The text, lightly regularized and glossed, is from the edition by George England and Alfred W. Pollard, EETS, e.s. 71. London, 1897 [Widener 11473.71]. A newer and better edition is ed. by Martin Stevens and A.C. Cawley, EETS 1994. Note that this new edition has lineation that differs from that in the old EETS edition and that in the version printed above. This form of lineation as been adopted in this text, but note the line numbers of the old EETS edition are used (since this text is based on that edition).

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[The text is lightly glossed; see the glossary in the Riverside Chaucer for words not glossed here.]