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.]