weaker and brought not forth so good fruit, wherefore flesh was ordained
to be eaten. And then Noah began to labor for his livelihood with his
sons, and began to till the earth, to destroy briars and thorns and to
plant vines. And so on a time Noah had drunk so much of the wine that he
was drunk, and lay and slept. Ham, his middlest son, laughed and scorned
his father, and called his brethren to see, which rebuked Ham of his
folly and sin. And Noah awoke, and when he understood how Ham his son
had scorned him, he cursed him and also his son Canaan, and blessed Shem
and Japhet. All the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years and
then he died. And after his death his sons dealed all the world between
them, Shem had all Asia, Ham Africa, and Japhet all Europe. Thus was it
departed. Asia is the best part and is as much as the other two, and
that is in the east. Africa is the south part, and therein is Carthage
and many rich countries, therein be blue and black men. Ham had that to
his part Africa. The third part is Europe which is in the north and
west, therein is Greece, Rome, and Germany. In Europe reigneth now most
the christian law and faith, wherein is many a rich realm. And so was
the world departed to the three sons of Noah.




THE RAINBOW


Triumphal arch, that fill'st the sky
When storms prepare to part,
I ask not proud Philosophy
To teach me what thou art.