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12 neither destroy the tree, nor depriue it of the vertue to prolong life, nor bereaue man of freewil, by which he might desire to returne: but conseruing nature in al creatures, preuenteth inconueniences otherwise.

These Angels also hinder the diuel, that he can not enter Paradise, lest he should take of the fruit of the tree, and giue it to men to prolong their liues, and therby draw them to his seruice.

CHAP. IIII.

''Wicked Cain killeth holie Abel 9. whose bloud cryeth for reuenge. 11. Cain a cursed vagabond, 17. hath much issue. 25. Adam also hath Seth, and Seth Enos.''

ND Adam knew Eue his wife: who conceiued and brought forth Cain, saying: I haue gotten a man through God. And againe she brought forth his brother Abel. And Abel was a shephard, & Cain a husbandman. And it befel after manie dayes that Cain ″ offred of the fruits of the earth guifts to our Lord. Abel also (a) offred of the first-begotten of his flocke, and of their fat: and our Lord ″ had respect to Abel, & to his guifts. But to Cain, and to his guifts he had not respect: And Cain was exceeding angrie, and his countenance abated. And our Lord said to him: Why art thou angrie? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doe wel, ″ shalt thou not receiue againe: but if thou dost il, shal not thy sinne forthwith be present at the dore? but the lust therof shal be ″ vnder thee, and thou shalt haue dominion ouer it.

And Caine said to Abel his brother: Let vs goe forth abroad. And when they were in the field, Caine rose vp against his brother Abel, and slew him. And our Lord said to Cain: Where is Abel thy brother? Who answered: I know not, am I my brothers keeper? And he said to him: What hast thou done? (b) the voice of thy brothers bloud crieth to me out of the earth. Now therfore cursed shalt thou be vpon the earth, which hath opened her mouth, & receiued the bloud of thy brother at thy hand. When thou shalt til it, it shal not yeald to thee her fruite: a roag and vagabound shalt thou be vpon the earth. And Cain said to our Lord: Myne iniquitie is greater then that I may deserue pardon. Loe thou doest cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shal I be hid, and I shal be a vagabond and fugitiue on the earth: euerie one therfore that findeth me, shal kil me. And our Lord said to him: No, it shal not so be: but whosoeuer shal kil Cain, shal be punished seauen-fold. And our Lord put a marke on Cain, that whosoeuer found him should not kil him.

And ″ Cain went forth from the face of our Lord, and dwelt as a fugitiue on the earth at the east side of Eden. And Cain knew his Rh