from his pen is sent forth a Man whose conduct and speech are
unassailably above earthly taint, who is, amongst men, Divine.

Observe the impressive note struck in the opening verse. God stands
amidst his angels, prepared to exercise his sovereign wisdom in the work
of creation.

My name is knowyn, God and kynge,
My werk for to make now wyl I wende[3],
In myself restyth my reynenge,
It hath no gynnyng ne non ende;
And alle that evyr xal have beynge[4],
It is closyd in my mende,
Whan it is made at my lykynge,
I may it save, I may it shende[5],
After my plesawns[6].
So gret of myth[7] is my pousté[8],
Alle thyng xal be wrowth[9] be me,
I am oo[10] God in personys thre,
Knyt in oo substawns.

But before the world can be made, a rebellion has to be stamped out, and
the same scene presents the overthrow of Satan--not after days of
doubtful battle as Milton later pictured it, but in a moment at the word
of the Almighty, 'I bydde the ffalle from hefne to helle'. At once
follows the creation of the world and man.

_Scene 2_ brings Adam and Eve before us, rejoicing in the abundant
delights of Eden. The guiding principle of the scene is the folly and
wickedness of the Fall. Here is no thought of excuse for silly Eve. With