The first part. Of the creation of al things. The Church readeth this
book in her Office from Septuagesima til Passion Sunday. Also this first chapter
& beginning of the second on Easter Eue before Masse.
God createth heauen and earth, and al things therin; distinguishing and
bevvtyfying the same; 26. last of al, the sixth day he createth man: to vvhom he subiecteth al corporal
things of this inferiour vvorld.
1 IN THE beginning GOD created heauen and earth.
2 And the earth was voide & vacant,
and darkenes was vpon the face of the deapth: and the Spirite of God moued ouer the
waters.
3 And God said: Be light made. And light was made.
4 And God saw the light that it was good: & he diuided the light from
the darkenes.
5 And he called the light, Day, and the darkenes, Night: and there
was euening & morning, that made one day.
6 God also said: Be a firmament made amidst the waters: and let it
diuide betwene waters & waters.
7 And God made a firmament, and diuided the waters, that were vnder
the firmament, from those, that were aboue the firmament. And it was so done.
8 And God called the firmament, Heauen: and there was euening &
morning made that made the second day.
9 God also said: Let the waters that are vnder the heauen, be
gathered together into one place: and let the drie land appeare. And it was
so done.
10 And God called the drie land, Earth: and the gathering of
waters together, he called Seas. And God sawe that it was good.
11 And said: Let the earth shootforth grene herbes, and such as
may seede, & fruite trees yelding fruit after his kinde, such as may haue
seede in it selfe vpon the earth. And it was so done.
12 And the earth brought forth grene herbe, such as seedeth
according to his kinde, & tree that beareth fruite, hauing seede eche one
according to his kinde. And God saw that it was good.
13 And there was euening & morning that made the third day.
14 Againe God said: Be there lightes made in the firmament of
heauen, to diuide the day & the night, and let them be for signes &
seasons, and dayes and yeares:
15 to shine in the firmament of heauen, & to giue light vpon
the earth. And it was so done.
16 And God made two great lights: a greater light to
gouerne the day: and a lesser light to gouerne the night: and starres.
17 And he set them in the firmament of heauen, to shine
vpon the earth.
18 and to gouerne the day & the night, and to diuide the
light & the darkenes. And God sawe that it was good.
19 And there was euening and morning that made the fourth
day.
20 God also said: Let the waters bring forth creeping
creature hauing life, and and flying foule, ouer the earth vnder
the firmament of heauen.
21 And God created huge Whales, and al liuing &
mouing creature, that the waters brought forth, according to eche sorte,
& al foule according to their kinde. And God sawe that it was good.
22 And he blessed them saying: Increase and multiplie, and
replenish the waters of the sea: and let the birds be multiplied vpon
the earth.
23 And there was euening & morning that made the fifth day.
24 God said moreouer: Let the earth bring forth liuing creature,
in his kind, cattle, & such as creepe, & beastes of the earth according
to their kindes: and it was so done.
25 And God made the beastes of the earth according to their kindes,
and cattle, & al that crepeth on the earth in his kind.
And God saw that
it was good,
26 and he said Let vs make Man to our image & likenes: and
let him haue dominion ouer the fishes of the sea, and the foules of the
ayre, and the beastes, and the whole earth, and al creeping creature,
that moueth vpon the earth.
27 And God created man, to his owne image: to the image of
God he created him, male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them, and saith: Increase and multiplie,
& replenish the earth, and subdew it, and rule ouer the fishes of the
sea, and foules of the ayre, & al liuing creatures, that moue vpon the
earth.
29 And God said: Behold I haue giuen you al manner of hearbe
that seedeth vpon the earth, and al trees that haue in them selues seede
of their owne kinde, to be your meate:
30 and to al beastes of the earth, and to euerie foule of the
ayre, & to al that moue vpon the earth, and wherein there is life, that
they may haue to feede vpon. And it was so done.
31 And God sawe al things that he had made, and they were
very good. And there was euening & morning that made the sixt day.