the gifts of Abel, for he and his sacrifices were acceptable to our
Lord; and as to Cain his sacrifices, God beheld them not, for they were
not to him acceptable, he offered withies and thorns. And as some
doctors say, fire came from heaven and lighted the sacrifice of Abel,
and the gifts of Cain pleased not our Lord, for the sacrifice would not
belight nor burn clear in the light of God. Whereof Cain had great envy
unto his brother Abel, which arose against him and slew him. And our
Lord said to him: Where is Abel thy brother? He answered and said: I wot
never, am I keeper of my brother? Then our Lord said: What hast thou
done? The voice of the blood of thy brother crieth to thee from the
earth, wherefore thou art cursed, and accursed be the earth that
received the blood of thy brother by his mouth of thy hands. When thou
shalt work and labor the earth it shall bring forth no fruit, but thou
shalt be fugitive, vagabond, and void on the earth. This Cain deserved
well to be cursed, knowing the pain of the first trespass of Adam, yet
he added thereto murder and slaughter of his brother.

Then Cain, dreading that beasts should devour him, or if he went forth
he should be slain of the men, or if he dwelt with them, they would slay
him for his sin, damned himself, and in despair said: My wickedness is
more than I can deserve to have forgiveness, whoso find me shall slay
me. This he said of dread, or else wishing, as who said, would God he
would slay me. Then our Lord said: Nay not so, thou shalt die, but not
soon, for whosoever slayeth Cain shall be punished seven sithes more,
for he should deliver him from dread, from labor and misery, and added
that he should be punished personally sevenfold more. This punition
shall endure to him in pain unto the seventh, Lameth, whosomever shall
slay Cain shall loose seven vengeances. Some hold that his pain endured
unto the seventh generation, for he committed seven sins. He departed
not truly, he had envy to his brother, he wrought guilefully, he slew