Page:Wife of Beith (12).pdf/7

 High were the walls, the gates were shut, And long she thought for to be in; But then for fear of biding out, She knocked hard and made some din. To knock and cry she did not spare, Till father Adam did her hear; Who is't that raps so rudely there, Heaven cannot well be won by weir. The wife of Beith' since that you speer, Hath stood these two hours at the gate. Go back, saith he, you must forbear, Here may no sinners entrance get. Adam, quoth she, I shall be in, In spite of all such churls as thee: Thou'rt the original of all sin, For eating of the forbidden tree: For which thou art not flyting free, But for thy foul offences fled. Adam went back and let her be; Looking as if his nose had bled. Then mother Eve did at him speer, Who was it that made such a din? He said a woman would be here, For me, I durst not ler ler in. I'll go, said she, and ask her will, Her company I would have fain; But aye she cried and knocked still, And in no ways she would refrain. Daughter, said Eve, you will do well, and come again another time; Heaven is not won by sword or steel,