Chapter VII

[Sidenote: When God repented that he had made man, he destroyed
all flesh.]
Syþe{n} þe sou{er}ayn i{n} sete so sore for-þoȝt
Þat eu{er} he man vpon molde merked to lyuy,
For he i{n} fylþe watȝ fallen, felly he uenged,
Quen fo{ur}ferde[25] alle þe flesch þat he formed hade, 560
[Sidenote: But afterwards He was sorry, and made a covenant with
mankind that He would not again destroy all the living.]
Hy{m} rwed þat he hem vp-rerde & raȝt hem lyflode,
& efte þat he he{m} vndyd, hard hit hym þoȝt;
For quen þe swemande sorȝe soȝt to his hert,
He knyt a couenau{n}de cortaysly w{i}t{h} monkynde þ{er}e, 564
In þe mesure of his mode & meþe of his wylle,
Þat he schulde neu{er} for no syt smyte al at oneȝ,
As to quelle alle quykeȝ for qued þat myȝt falle,
Whyl of þe lenþe of þe londe lasteȝ þe t{er}me. 568
Þat ilke skyl for no scaþe ascaped hy{m} neu{er},
Wheder wonderly he wrak on wykked men aft{er};
[Sidenote: For the filth of the flesh God destroyed a rich city.]
Ful felly for þat ilk faute forferde a kyth ryche,
I{n} þe anger of his ire þat arȝed mony; 572
& al watȝ for þis ilk euel, þat vn-happen glette,
Þe venym & þe vylanye & þe vycios fylþe,
Þat by-sulpeȝ ma{n}neȝ saule i{n} vnsou{n}de hert,
Þat he his saueour ne see w{i}t{h} syȝt of his yȝen, 576
[Sidenote: [Fol. 65a.]]
[Sidenote: God hates the wicked as “hell that stinks.”]
Þat alle illeȝ he hates as helle þat stynkkeȝ;
Bot non nuyeȝ hy{m}, on naȝt ne neu{er} vpon dayeȝ,
[Sidenote: Especially harlotry and blasphemy.]
As harlottrye vn-honest, heþy{n}g of seluen;
Þat schameȝ for no schrewedschyp schent mot he worþe! 580
Bot sauyo{ur} mon i{n} þy self, þaȝ þ{o}u a sotte lyuie,
Þaȝ þ{o}u bere þy self babel, by-þenk þe su{m}-tyme,
Wheþer he þat stykked vche a stare i{n} vche steppe yȝe,
Ȝif hy{m} self[26] be bore blynd{e} hit is a brod wonder; 584
& he þat fetly i{n} face fettled alle eres
If he[27] hatȝ losed þe lysten hit lyfteȝ meruayle;
[Sidenote: Nothing is hidden from God.]
Trave þ{o}u neu{er} þat tale, vn-trwe þ{o}u hit fyndeȝ,
Þer is no dede so derne þat ditteȝ his yȝen; 588
Þer is no wyȝe i{n} his werk so war ne so stylle
Þat hit ne þraweȝ to hym þre[28] er he hit þoȝt haue;
[Sidenote: God is the ground of all deeds.]
For he is þe gropande god, þe grou{n}de of alle dedeȝ,
Rypande of vche a ri{n}g[29] þe reynyeȝ & hert; 592
[Sidenote: He honours the man that is honest and whole.]
& þere he fyndeȝ al fayre a freke wyth-i{n}ne
Þat hert honest & hol, þat haþel he hono{ur}eȝ,
Sendeȝ hy{m} a sad syȝt to se his auen face,
& harde honyseȝ þise oþ{er} & of his erde flemeȝ. 596
[Sidenote: But for deeds of shame He destroys the mighty ones.]
Bot of þe dome of þe douþe for dedeȝ of schame
He is so skoymos of þat skaþe, he scarreȝ bylyue,
He may not dryȝe to draw allyt, bot drepeȝ i{n} hast
& þat watȝ schewed schortly by a scaþe oneȝ. 600

[Sidenote 25: _for-ferde_ (?).]
[Sidenote 26: MS. _sele._]
[Sidenote 27: MS. _he he._]
[Sidenote 28: _þer_ (?).]
[Sidenote 29: _rink_ or _renk_ (?).]

[Headnote: ABRAHAM RECEIVES THREE GUESTS, AND ENTERTAINS THEM.]