Codex Junius 11 | Page 5

the wide ways and spacious tracts useful unto God, but
the land lay covered by the deep. The Lord of angels, by His word,
commanded that the waters come together, which now beneath the
heavens hold their course and place ordained. Then suddenly,
wide-stretching under heaven, lay the sea, as God gave bidding. The
great deep was sundered from the land. The Warden of life, the Lord of
hosts, beheld the dry ground far outspread. And the King of glory
called it earth. For the ocean-billows and the wide-flung sea He set a
lawful path and lettered them....
((LACUNA -- two to three leaves missing))
IV
(ll. 169-191) ....It did not seem good to the Lord of heaven that Adam
should longer be alone as warden and keeper of this new Paradise.
Wherefore the King, Almighty God, wrought him an helpmeet; the
Author of life made woman and brought her unto the man whom He
loved. He took the stuff of Adam's body, and secretly drew forth a rib
from his side. He was fast asleep in peaceful slumber; he knew no pain
nor any pang; there came no blood from out the wound, but the Lord of
angels drew forth from his body a growing rib, and the man was unhurt.
Of this God fashioned a lovely maid, breathing into her life and an
eternal soul. They were like unto the angels. The bride of Adam was a
living spirit. By God's might both were born into the world in the
loveliness of youth. They knew no sin nor any evil, but in the hearts of
both there burned the love of God.
(ll. 192-195) Then the Gracious King, Lord of all human kind, blessed

these two, male and female, man and wife, and spake this word:
(ll. 196-205) "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the green earth with
your seed and increase, sons and daughters. And ye shall have
dominion over the salt sea, and over all the world. Enjoy the riches of
earth, the fish of the sea, and the fowls of the air. To you is given power
over the herds which I have hallowed, and the wild beasts, and over all
living things that move upon the earth; all living things, which the
depths bring forth throughout the sea, shall be subject unto you."
((LACUNA -- One or more leaves missing))
(ll. 206-234) And our Lord beheld the beauty of His works and the
abundance of all fruits of this new creation: Paradise lay pleasant and
inviting, filled with goodly store and endless blessings. Bountifully a
running stream, a welling spring, watered that pleasant land. Not yet
did clouds, dark with wind, carry the rains across the spacious earth;
nathless the land lay decked with increase. Out from this new Paradise
four pleasant brooks of water flowed. All were divisions of one
beauteous stream, sundered by the might of God when He made the
earth, and sent into the world. And one of these the mortal dwellers of
earth called Pison, which compasseth the land of Havilah about with
shining waters. And in that land, as books tell us, the sons of men from
far and near find out the best of gold and precious gems. And the
second floweth round about the land and borders of the Ethiopians, a
spacious kingdom. Its name is Gihon. The third is Tigris, whose
abundant stream lieth about the limits of Assyria. Likewise also the
fourth, which now through many a folk-land men call Euphrates....
((LACUNA -- At least one, possibly two, leaves missing))
(Beginning of "Genesis B")
V
(ll. 235-236) "...Eat freely of the fruit of every other tree. From that one
tree refrain. Beware of its fruit. And ye shall know no dearth of
pleasant things."
(ll. 237-245) Eagerly they bowed them down before the King of heaven,
and gave Him thanks for all, for His teachings and counsels. And He
gave them that land to dwell in. Then the Holy Lord, the Steadfast King,
departed into heaven. And the creatures of His hand abode together on
the earth. They had no whit of care to grieve them, but only to do the
will of God for ever. Dear were they unto God as long as they would

keep His holy word.
VI
(ll. 246-260) The Holy Lord, All-wielding God, with mighty hand had
wrought ten angel-orders in whom He trusted well, that they would do
Him service, and work His will. Therefore God gave them reason, with
His own hands shaped them, and stablished them in bliss. But one He
made so great and strong of heart, He let him wield such power in
heaven next unto God, so radiant-hued He wrought him, so fair his
form in heaven which God had given, that he was like