Chapter IX

[Sidenote: He informs him of the destruction about to fall upon
the cities of the plain, for their great wickedness, in abusing
the gifts bestowed upon them.]
“The grete sou{n} of sodamas synkkeȝ i{n} my{n} ereȝ,
& þe gult of gomorre gareȝ me to wrath;
I schal lyȝt i{n}-to þat led & loke my seluen,
If[34] þay haf don as þe dyne dryueȝ on-lofte, 692
Þay han lerned a lyst þat lykeȝ me ille,
Þat þay han fou{n}den i{n} her flesch of fauteȝ þe werst,
Vch male matȝ his mach a man as hy{m} seluen,
& fylt{er} folyly i{n} fere, on fe{m}maleȝ wyse. 696
I compast hem a kynde crafte & kende hit hem derne,
[Sidenote: The ordinance of marriage had been made for them, but
they foully set it at nought.]
& amed hit i{n} my{n} ordenau{n}ce oddely dere,
& dyȝt drwry þer-i{n}ne, doole alþ{er}-swettest,
& þe play of paramoreȝ I portrayed my seluen; 700
& made þer-to a man{er} myriest of oþ{er},
When two true togeder had tyȝed hem seluen,
By-twene a male & his make such m{er}þe schulde conne;[35]
Wel nyȝe pure paradys moȝt preue no bett{er}, 704
Elleȝ þay moȝt honestly ayþ{er} oþ{er} welde.
At a stylle stollen steuen, vnstered wyth syȝt,
[Sidenote: The flame of love.]
Luf lowe hem bytwene lasched so hote,
Þat alle þe meschefeȝ on mold moȝt hit not sleke; 708
Now haf þay skyfted my skyl & scorned natwre,
[Sidenote: Therefore shall they be destroyed as an example to
all men for ever.]
& hentteȝ hem i{n} heþy{n}g an vsage vn-clene;
Hem to smyte for þat smod smartly I þenk
Þat wyȝeȝ schal be by hem war, worlde w{i}t{h}-outen ende.” 712

[Headnote: ABRAHAM PLEADS FOR THE CITIES.]

[Sidenote: Abraham is full of fear, and asks God whether the
“sinful and the sinless” are to suffer together.]
Þe{n}ne arȝed abraham & alle his mod chau{n}ge[d],
For hope of þe harde hate þat hyȝt hatȝ oure lorde;
Al sykande he sayde “s{ir} w{i}t{h} yor leue,
Schal synful & sakleȝ suffer al on payne; 716
Weþ{er} eu{er} hit lyke my lorde to lyfte such domeȝ,
Þat þe wykked & þe worþy schal on wrake suffer,
& weye vpon þe worre half þat wrathed þe neu{er}?
Þat watȝ neu{er} þy won þat wroȝteȝ v{us} alle. 720
[Sidenote: [Fol. 67a.]]
[Sidenote: Whether he will spare the cities provided fifty
righteous are found in them?]
Now fyfty fyn frendeȝ wer fou{n}de i{n} ȝonde toune
In þe Cety of Sodamas & also gomorré
Þat neu{er} lakked þy laue, bot loued ay trauþe,
& reȝt-ful wern & resou{n}able & redy þe to serue, 724
Schal þay falle i{n} þe faute þat oþ{er} frekeȝ wroȝt
& ioyne to her iuggement her iuise to haue?
Þat nas neu{er} þyn note, vnneuened hit worþe,
Þat art so gaynly a god & of goste mylde!” 728
[Sidenote: For the sake of fifty the cities shall be spared.]
“Nay for fyfty,” q{uod} þe fader, “& þy fayre speche,
&[36] þay be fou{n}den i{n} þat folk of her fylþe clene,
I schal for-gyue alle þe gylt þurȝ my g{ra}ce one,
& let hem smolt al unsmyten smoþely atoneȝ.” 732
[Sidenote: The patriarch beseeches God to spare the city for the
sake of forty-five righteous.]
“AA! blessed be þow,” q{uod} þe burne, “so boner & þewed,
& al haldeȝ i{n} þy honde, þe heuen & þe erþe,
Bot for I haf þis talke tatȝ to non ille,
Ȝif I mele a lyttel more þat mul am & askeȝ; 736
What if fyue faylen of fyfty þe nou{m}bre,
& þe remnau{n}t be reken, how restes þy wylle?”
[Sidenote: For the lack of five the cities shall not be
destroyed.]
“And fyue wont of fyfty,” q{uod} god, “I schal forȝete alle
& wyth-halde my honde for horty{n}g on lede.” 740
“& quat if faurty be fre & fauty þyse oþ{er}
Schalt þow schortly al schende & schape non oþ{er}.”
[Sidenote: For forty the cities shall be spared.]
“Nay þaȝ faurty forfete ȝet fryst I a whyle,
& voyde away my vengau{n}ce, þaȝ me vyl þynk.” 744
Þe{n} abraham obeched hym & loȝly hi{m} þonkkeȝ,
“Now sayned be þou sauio{ur}, so symple i{n} þy wrath!
I am bot erþe ful euel & vsle so blake,
[Sidenote: Abraham entreats God’s forbearance for his speech.]
Forto mele wyth such a mayst{er} as myȝteȝ hatȝ alle, 748
Bot I haue by-go{n}nen wyth my god, & he hit gay{n} þynkeȝ,
Ȝif I for-loyne as a fol þy frau{n}chyse may serue;
What if þretty þryuande be þrad i{n} ȝon tou{n}eȝ,
What schal I leue if my lorde, if he hem leþe wolde?” 752
Þe{n}ne þe godlych god gef hy{m} onsware,
[Sidenote: Thirty righteous, found in the cities, shall save
them from destruction.]
“Ȝet for þretty i{n} þrong I schal my þro steke,
& spare spakly of spyt i{n} space of my þeweȝ,
& my rankor refrayne fo{ur} þy reken wordeȝ.” 756
[Sidenote: [Fol. 67b.]]
“What for twenty,” q{uod} þe tolke, “vntwyneȝ þ{o}u hem þe{n}ne?”
“Nay, ȝif þ{o}u ȝerneȝ hit, ȝet ȝark I hem g{ra}ce;
[Sidenote: For the sake of twenty guiltless ones God will
release the rest.]
If þat twenty be trwe I tene hem no more,
Bot relece alle þat regiou{n} of her ronk werkkeȝ.” 760
“Now aþel lorde,” q{uod} Abraham, “oneȝ a speche
& I schal schape no more þo schalkkeȝ to helpe;
If ten trysty i{n} toune be tan i{n} þi werkkeȝ
[Sidenote: Or if ten only should be found pure.]
Wylt þ{o}u mese þy mode & menddy{n}g abyde?” 764
“I grau{n}t,” q{uod} þe grete god, “grau{n}t mercy,” þ{a}t oþ{er}.
& þe{n}ne arest þe renk & raȝt no fyrre;
& godde glydeȝ his gate by þose grene wayeȝ
& he co{n}ueyen hy{m} con w{i}t{h} cast of his yȝe, 768
[Sidenote: The patriarch intercedes for Lot.]
& als he loked along þere as oure lorde passed,
Ȝet he cryed hy{m} aft{er} w{i}t{h} careful steuen:
“Meke mayst{er} on þy mon to my{n}ne if þe lyked,
Loth lengeȝ i{n} ȝon leede þat is my lef broþ{er}, 772
He sytteȝ þer i{n} sodomis, þy seruau{n}t so pou{er}e
Among þo mansed men þat han þe much g{r}eued;
[Sidenote: Beseeches Him to “temper His ire,” and then departs
weeping for sorrow.]
Ȝif þ{o}u tyneȝ þat tou{n}, te{m}pre þyn yre
As þy mersy may malte þy meke to spare.” 776
Þe{n} he wendeȝ, wendeȝ his way wepande for care
To-warde þe mere of mambre wepande for so[rȝe,][37]
& þere i{n} longy{n}g al nyȝt he lengeȝ i{n} wones,
Whyl þe sou{er}ayn to sodamas sende to spye. 780

[Sidenote 34: MS. i{n}f.]
[Sidenote 35: _come_ (?).]
[Sidenote 36: _An_ (?).]
[Sidenote 37: _sorewe_ is written by a late hand over the
original word.]

[Headnote: MESSENGERS ARE SENT TO LOT.]