XI.

[Sidenote: Early in the morning the angels command Lot to depart from Sodom, with his wife and two daughters, and to look straight before him, for Sodom and Gomorrah shall be destroyed.] Ruddon of þe day-rawe ros vpon vȝten, When merk of þe mydnyȝt moȝt no more last, Ful erly þose aungeleȝ þis haþel þay ruþen & glopnedly on godeȝ halue gart hy{m} vpryse, 896 Fast þe freke ferkeȝ vp ful ferd at his hert; Þay comau{n}ded hy{m} cof to cach þat he hade, “Wyth þy wyf & þy wyȝeȝ & þy wlone deȝtters, For we laþe þe, s{ir} loth, þat þ{o}u þy lyf haue; 900 [Sidenote: [Fol. 69b.]] Cayre tid of þis kythe er combred þ{o}u worþe, With alle þi here vpon haste, tyl þ{o}u a hil fynde; Fou{n}deȝ faste on yo{ur} fete, bifore yo{ur} face lokes, Bot bes neu{er} so bolde to blusch yow bihynde, 904 & loke ȝe ste{m}me no stepe, bot strecheȝ on faste, Til ȝe reche to a reset, rest ȝe neu{er}; For we schal tyne þis tou{n} & trayþely disstrye, Wyth alle þise wyȝeȝ so wykke wyȝtly de-voyde 908 & alle þe londe w{i}t{h} þise ledeȝ we losen at oneȝ; Sodomas schal ful sodenly synk i{n}-to grou{n}de, & þe grou{n}de of gomorre gorde i{n}-to helle, & vche a koste of þis kyth{e} clater vpon hepes. 912 [Sidenote: Lot asks what is best to be done, that he may escape.] Þe{n} laled loth, “lorde what is best? If I me fele vpon fote þat I fle moȝt, Hov schulde I huyde me fro hem þ{a}t hatȝ his hate ky{n}ned, I{n} þe brath of his breth þat bre{n}neȝ alle þi{n}keȝ,[47] 916 To crepe fro my creato{ur} & know not wheder, Ne wheþer his fooschip me folȝeȝ bifore oþ{er} bihynde?” Þe freke sayde “no foschip oure fader hatȝ þe schewed, Bot hiȝly heuened þi hele fro hem þat arn combred: 920 [Sidenote: He is told to choose himself a dwelling which shall be saved from destruction.] Nov walle þe a wo{n}ny{n}g þat þe warisch myȝt, & he schal saue hit for þy sake þat hatȝ v{us} sende hider, For þ{o}u art oddely þyn one out of þis fylþe, & als Abraham þyn em[48] hit at hi{m} self asked.” 924 “Lorde, loued he worþe,” q{uod} loth, “vpon erþe! [Sidenote: He chooses Zoar.] Þe{n} is a cite herbisyde þat segor hit hatte, Here vtt{er} on a rou{n}de hil hit houeȝ hit one, I wolde, if his wylle wore, to þat won scape.” 928 [Sidenote: The angels command Lot to depart quickly.] “Þe{n}n fare forth,” q{uod} þat fre, “& fyne þ{o}u neu{er} W{i}t{h} þose ilk þat þow wylt þ{a}t þrenge þe aft{er}, & ay goande on yo{ur} gate, wyth-outen agayn-tote, For alle þis londe schal be lorne, longe er þe son{n}e rise.” 932 [Sidenote: He wakes his wife and daughters.] Þe wyȝe wakened his wyf & his wlonk deȝt{er}es, & oþ{er} two myri men þo maydeneȝ schulde wedde; & þay token hit as tyt & tented hit lyttel, Þaȝ fast laþed hem loth, þay leȝen ful stylle. 936 [Sidenote: [Fol. 70a.]] [Sidenote: All four are hastened on by the angels, who “preach to them the peril” of delay.] Þe aungeleȝ hasted þise oþ{er} & aȝly hem þratten, & enforsed alle fawre forth at þe ȝateȝ, Þo wern loth & his lef, his luflyche deȝt{er}, Þer soȝt no mo to sauement of cities aþel fyue. 940 Þise aungeleȝ hade hem by hande out at þe ȝateȝ, Prechande hem þe perile, & beden hem passe fast. “Lest ȝe be taken i{n} þe teche of tyrau{n}teȝ here, Loke ȝe bowe now bi bot, boweȝ fast hence!” 944 [Sidenote: Before daylight Lot comes to a hill.] & þay kayre-ne con & kenely flowen; Erly, er any heuen glem, þay to a hil comen.

[Headnote: THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES.]

[Sidenote: God aloft raises a storm.] Þe grete god i{n} his greme bygy{n}neȝ onlofte; To wakan wedereȝ so wylde þe wyndeȝ he calleȝ, 948 & þay wroþely vp-wafte & wrastled togeder, Fro fawre half of þe folde, flytande loude. Clowdeȝ clust{er}ed bytwene kesten vp torres, Þat þe þik þu{n}der þrast þirled hem ofte. 952 [Sidenote: A rain falls thick of fire and sulphur.] Þe rayn rueled adou{n}, ridlande þikke, Of felle flau{n}kes of fyr & flakes of soufre, Al in smolderande smoke smachande ful ille, [Sidenote: Upon the four cities it comes, and frightens all folks therein.] Swe[49] aboute sodamas & hit sydeȝ alle, 956 Gorde to gomorra þat þe grou{n}de lansed; Abdama & syboym, þise ceteis alle faure, Al birolled wyth þe rayn, rostted & bre{n}ned, & ferly flayed þat folk þat i{n} þose fees lenged; 960 For when þat þe helle herde þe hou{n}deȝ of heuen He watȝ ferlyly fayn, vnfolded bylyue. [Sidenote: The great bars of the abyss do burst.] Þe grete barreȝ of þe abyme he barst vp at oneȝ, Þat alle þe regiou{n} to-rof i{n} riftes ful grete, 964 [Sidenote: Cliffs cleave asunder.] & clouen alle i{n} lyttel cloutes þe clyffeȝ aywhere, As lance leueȝ of þe boke þat lepes i{n} twy{n}ne. [Sidenote: The cities sink to hell.] Þe brethe of þe brynston bi þat hit blende were, Al þo citees & her sydes sunkken to helle. 968 Rydelles wern þo grete rowtes of renkkes w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne, When þay wern war of þe wrake þ{a}t no wyȝe achaped, [Sidenote: Such a cry arises that the clouds clatter again.] Such a ȝom{er}ly ȝarm of ȝelly{n}g þer rysed; Þer-of clat{er}ed þe cloudes þat kryst myȝt haf rawþe. 972 [Sidenote: [Fol. 70b.]] Þe segge herde þat sou{n} to segor þat ȝede, & þe wenches hy{m} wyth þat by þe way folȝed; [Sidenote: Lot and his companions are frightened, but continue to follow their face.] Ferly ferde watȝ her flesch, þat flowen ay ilyche, Trynande ay a hyȝe trot þat torne neu{er} dorsten. 976 Loth & þo luly-whit his lefly two deȝt{er}, Ay folȝed here face, bifore her boþe yȝen; Bot þe balleful burde, þat neu{er} bode keped,

[Headnote: LOT’S WIFE BECOMES A STIFF STONE.]

[Sidenote: Lot’s wife looks behind her, and is turned to a stiff stone “as salt as any sea.”] Blusched by-hynden her bak, þat bale forto herkken; 980 Hit watȝ lusty lothes wyf þat ou{er} he[r] lyfte schulder. Ones ho bluschet to þe burȝe, bot bod ho no lenger, Þat ho nas stadde a stiffe ston, a stalworth image Al so salt as ani se & so ho ȝet standeȝ. 984 [Sidenote: Her companions do not miss her till they reach Zoar.] Þay slypped bi & syȝe hir not þat wern hir samen feres, Tyl þay i{n} segor wern sette, & sayned our lorde; Wyth lyȝt loueȝ vplyfte þay loued hy{m} swyþe, Þat so his seruau{n}tes wolde see & saue of such woþe. 988 [Sidenote: By this time all were drowned.] Al watȝ dampped & don, & drowned by þe{n}ne; [Sidenote: The people of Zoar, for dread, rush into the sea and are destroyed.] Þe ledeȝ of þat lyttel tou{n} wern lopen out for drede, I{n}-to þat malscrande mere, marred bylyue, Þat noȝt saued watȝ bot segor þat sat on a lawe, 992 [Sidenote: Only Zoar with three therein (Lot and his daughters) are saved.] Þe þre ledeȝ þer-i{n}, loth & his deȝter; For his make watȝ myst, þat on þe mou{n}t lenged In a stonen statue þat salt sauor habbes, [Sidenote: Lot’s wife is an image of salt for two faults: 1. She served salt before the Lord at supper. 2. She looked behind her.] For two fautes þat þe fol watȝ fou{n}de i{n} mistrauþe; 996 On, ho serued at þe soper salt bifore dryȝtyn & syþen, ho blusched hir bihynde, þaȝ hir forboden were; For on ho standes a ston, & salt for þat oþ{er}, & alle lyst on hir lik þat arn on launde bestes. 1000 [Sidenote: Abraham is up full early on the morn.] Abraham ful erly watȝ vp on þe morne, Þat alle naȝt [so] much niye hade no mon i{n} his hert, Al i{n} longi{n}g for loth leyen i{n} a wache, Þer he lafte hade oure lorde, he is on lofte wo{n}nen; 1004 [Sidenote: He looks towards Sodom, now only a pit filled with pitch, from which rise smoke, ashes and cinders, as from a furnace.] He sende toward sodomas þe syȝt of his yȝen, Þat eu{er} hade ben an erde of erþe þe swettest As aparau{n}t to paradis þat plantted þe dryȝtyn, Nov is hit plu{n}ged i{n} a pit like of pich fylled. 1008 [Sidenote: [Fol. 71a.]] Suche a roþu{n} of a reche ros fro þe blake, Askeȝ vpe i{n} þe ayre & vselleȝ þer flowen, As a fornes ful of flot þat vpon fyr boyles, When bryȝt bre{n}nande brondeȝ ar bet þ{er} an-vnder. 1012 Þis watȝ a uengau{n}ce violent þat voyded þise places, Þat fou{n}dered hatȝ so fayr a folk & þe folde sonkken.

[Headnote: THE DEAD SEA COVERS THE FIVE CITIES.]

[Sidenote: A sea now occupies the place of the four cities.] Þer faur{e} citees wern set, nov is a see called, Þat ay is drouy & dym, & ded i{n} hit kynde, 1016 Blo, blubrande, & blak, vnblyþe to neȝe, [Sidenote: It is a stinking pool, and is called the Dead Sea.] As a stynkande stanc þat stryed sy{n}ne, Þat eu{er} of sy{n}ne & of smach, smart is to fele; For-þy þe derk dede see hit is demed eu{er} more, 1020 For hit dedeȝ of deþe duren þere ȝet. For hit is brod & boþe{m}leȝ, & bitter as þe galle, [Sidenote: Nothing may live in it.] & noȝt may lenge i{n} þat lake þat any lyf bereȝ, & alle þe costeȝ of kynde hit combreȝ vchone; 1024 [Sidenote: Lead floats on its surface.] For lay þ{er}-on a lump of led & hit on loft fleteȝ, [Sidenote: A feather sinks to the bottom of it.] & folde þ{er}-on a lyȝt fyþ{er} & hit to fou{n}s synkkeȝ. [Sidenote: Lands, watered by this sea, never bear grass or weed.] & þ{er} wat{er} may walt{er} to wete any erþe, Schal neu{er} grene þ{er}-on growe, gresse ne wod nawþ{er}. 1028 If any schalke to be schent wer schowued þ{er}-i{n}ne, Þaȝ he bode i{n} þat boþe{m} broþely a monyth, [Sidenote: A man cannot be drowned in it.] He most ay lyue i{n} þat loȝe i{n} losy{n}g eu{er}-more, & neu{er} dryȝe no dethe, to dayes of ende; 1032 & as hit is corsed of kynde & hit coosteȝ als, [Sidenote: The clay clinging to it is corrosive, as alum, alkaran, sulphur, etc., which fret the flesh and fester the bones.] Þe clay þat clenges þ{er}-by arn corsyes strong, As alu{m} & alkaran,[50] þat angré[51] arn boþe, Soufre so{ur}, & sau{n}dyu{er}, & oþ{er} such mony; 1036 & þer walteȝ of þat wat{er} i{n} waxlokes grete, Þe spuniande[52] aspaltou{n} þat spysereȝ sellen; & suche is alle þe soyle by þat se halues, Þat fel fretes þe flesch & festred[53] bones. 1040 [Sidenote: On the shores of this lake grow trees bearing fair fruits, which, when broken or bitten, taste like ashes.] & þer ar tres by þat terne of trayto{ur}es; & þay borgou{n}eȝ & beres blomeȝ ful fayre, & þe fayrest fryt þat may on folde growe, As orenge & oþ{er} fryt & apple garnade 1044 [Sidenote: [Fol. 71b.]] Also red & so ripe & rychely hwed, As any dom myȝt deuice of dayntyeȝ oute; Bot quen hit is brused oþ{er} broken, oþ{er} byten i{n} twy{n}ne, No worldeȝ goud hit wyth-i{n}ne, bot wydowande[54] askes; 1048

[Headnote: IT IS A TOKEN OF WICKEDNESS AND VENGEANCE.]

[Sidenote: All these are tokens of wickedness and vengeance.] Alle þyse ar teches & tokenes to trow vpon ȝet, & wittnesse of þat wykked werk & þe wrake aft{er}, Þat oure fader forferde for fylþe of þose ledes. [Sidenote: God loves the pure in heart.] Þe{n}ne vch wyȝe may wel wyt þat he þe wlonk louies, 1052 & if he louyes clene layk þat is oure lorde ryche, [Sidenote: Strive to be clean.] & to be couþe i{n} his co{ur}te þ{o}u coueytes þe{n}ne To se þat semly i{n} sete & his swete face, Clerrer cou{n}seyl, cou{n}sayl con I non, bot þat þ{o}u clene worþe. 1056 [Sidenote: Jean de Meun tells how a lady is to be loved.] For clopy{n}gnel i{n} þe compas of his clene rose, Þer he expouneȝ a speche, to hy{m} þat spede wolde, Of a lady to be loued, loke to hir sone, [Sidenote: By doing what pleases her best.] Of wich bery{n}g þat ho be, & wych ho best louyes, 1060 & be ryȝt such i{n} vch a borȝe of body & of dedes, & folȝ þe fet of þat fere þat þ{o}u fre haldes. & if þ{o}u wyrkkes on þis wyse, þaȝ ho wyk were, Hir schal lyke þat layk þat lyknes hir tylle. 1064 If þ{o}u wyl dele drwrye wyth dryȝtyn þe{n}ne, [Sidenote: Love thy Lord!] & lelly louy þy lorde & his leef worþe. [Sidenote: Conform to Christ, who is polished as a pearl.] Þe{n}ne co{n}fo{ur}me þe to kryst, & þe clene make, Þat eu{er} is polyced als playn as þe p{er}le seluen. 1068 For loke fro fyrst þat he lyȝt w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne þe lel mayden! [Sidenote: By how comely a contrivance did he enter the womb of the virgin!] By how comly a kest he watȝ clos þere, When venkkyst watȝ no v{er}gynyté, ne vyole{n}ce maked, Bot much clener watȝ hir corse, god ky{n}ned þeri{n}ne; 1072 [Sidenote: In what purity did he part from her!] & efte when he borne watȝ i{n} beþelen þe ryche, I{n} wych puryté þay dep{ar}ted; þaȝ þay pou{er} were, Watȝ neu{er} so blysful a bo{ur} as watȝ abos[55] þe{n}ne [Sidenote: No abode was better than his.] Ne no schroude ho{us} so schene as a schepon þare, 1076 Ne non so glad vnder god as ho þat grone schulde; [Sidenote: The sorrow of childbirth was turned to joy.] For þer watȝ seknesse al sou{n}de þat sarrest is halden, & þer watȝ rose reflayr where rote hatȝ ben eu{er}, & þer watȝ solace & songe wher sorȝ hatȝ ay cryed; 1080 [Sidenote: [Fol. 72a.]] [Sidenote: Angels solaced the virgin with organs and pipes.] For au{n}gelles w{i}t{h} i{n}strumentes of organes & pypes, & rial ry{n}gande rotes & þe reken fyþel, & alle hende þat honestly moȝt an hert glade, Aboutte my lady watȝ lent, quen ho delyu{er} were. 1084

[Headnote: CHRIST WAS EVER PURE.]

[Sidenote: The child Christ was so clean that ox and ass worshipped him.] Þe{n}ne watȝ her blyþe barne burnyst so clene, Þat boþe þe ox & þe asse hym hered at-ones; Þay knewe hy{m} by his clannes for ky{n}g of nature, For non so clene of such a clos com neu{er} er þe{n}ne; 1088 & ȝif clanly he þe{n}ne com, ful cortays þ{er}-aft{er}, [Sidenote: He hated wickedness, and would never touch ought that was vile.] Þat alle þat longed to luþ{er} ful lodly he hated; By nobleye of his norture he nolde neu{er} towche Oȝt þat watȝ vngoderly oþ{er} ordure watȝ i{n}ne. 1092 [Sidenote: Yet there came to him lazars and lepers, lame and blind.] Ȝet comen lodly to þat lede, as laȝares monye, Su{m}me lepre, su{m}me lome, & lom{er}ande blynde, Poysened & parlatyk & pyned i{n} fyres, [Sidenote: Dry and dropsical folk.] Drye folk & ydropike, & dede at þe laste; 1096 Alle called on þat cortayse & claymed his g{ra}ce. [Sidenote: He healed all with kind speech.] He heled hem wyth hynde speche of þat þay ask aft{er}, For what-so he towched also-tyd to{ur}ned to hele, Wel cla{n}ner þen any crafte cowþe devyse; 1100 So clene watȝ his hondely{n}g vche ordure hit schonied, [Sidenote: His handling was so good, that he needed no knife to cut or carve with.] & þe gropy{n}g so goud of god & man boþe, Þat for fetys of his fyngeres fonded he neu{er} Nauþ{er} to cout[56] ne to kerue, w{i}t{h} knyf ne wyth egge, 1104 For-þy brek he þe bred blades wyth-outen; [Sidenote: The bread he broke more perfectly than could all the tools of Toulouse.] For hit ferde freloker i{n} fete i{n} his fayre honde, Displayed more pryuyly when he hit part schulde, Þe{n}ne alle þe toles of tolowse moȝt tyȝt hit to kerue, 1108 [Sidenote: How can we approach his court except we be clean?] Þ{us} is he kyryo{us} & clene þat þ{o}u his cort askes; Hov schulde þ{o}u com to his kyth bot if þ{o}u clene were? Nov ar we sore & synful & sov[_er_]ly[57] vch one, How schulde we se, þe{n} may we say, þ{a}t syre vpon throne? 1112 [Sidenote: God is merciful.] Ȝis, þat mayst{er} is mercyable; þaȝ þ{o}u be man fe{n}ny, & al to-marred i{n} myre whyl þ{o}u on molde lyuyes, Þ{o}u may schyne þurȝ schryfte, þaȝ þ{o}u haf schome serued,

[Headnote: PENANCE MAKES MAN PURE AS A PEARL.]

[Sidenote: Through penance we may shine as a pearl.] & pure þe with penau{n}ce tyl þ{o}u a perle worþe. 1116 [Sidenote: [Fol. 72b.]] [Sidenote: Why is the pearl so prized?] Perle praysed is prys, þ{er} perre is schewed, Þaȝ hy{m} not derrest be demed to dele for penies, Quat may þe cause be called, bot for hir clene hwes, Þat wy{n}nes worschyp, abof alle whyte stones? 1120 For ho schynes so schyr þat is of schap rou{n}de, Wyth-outen faut oþ{er} fylþe ȝif ho fyn were; [Sidenote: She becomes none the worse for wear.] & wax eu{er} i{n} þe worlde i{n} wery{n}g so olde, Ȝet þe perle payres not whyle ho i{n} pyese lasttes 1124 [Sidenote: If she should become dim, wash her in wine.] & if hit cheue þe chau{n}ce vncheryst ho worþe, Þat ho blyndes of ble i{n} bo{ur} þ{er} ho lygges, No-bot wasch hir wyth wo{ur}chyp i{n} wyn as ho askes, [Sidenote: She then becomes clearer than before.] Ho by kynde schal be-com clerer þen are; 1128 So if folk be defowled by vnfre chau{n}ce, [Sidenote: So may the sinner polish him by penance.] Þat he be sulped i{n} sawle, seche to schryfte & he may polyce hym at þe prest, by penau{n}ce taken, Wel bryȝt{er} þen þe beryl oþ{er} browden perles. 1132 [Sidenote: Beware of returning to sin.] Bot war þe wel, if þ{o}u be waschen wyth wat{er} of schryfte, & polysed als playn as parchmen schauen, Sulp no more þe{n}ne i{n} sy{n}ne þy saule þ{er}-aft{er}, [Sidenote: For then God is more displeased than ever.] For þe{n}ne þ{o}u dryȝtyn dyspleses w{i}t{h} dedes ful sore, 1136 & entyses hy{m} to tene more trayþly þe{n} eu{er} & wel hatt{er} to hate þe{n} hade þ{o}u not waschen; [Sidenote: The reconciled soul God holds as His own.] For when a sawele is saȝtled & sakred to dryȝtyn, He holly haldes hit his & haue hit he wolde, 1140 Þe{n}ne efte lastes hit likkes, he loses hit ille, [Sidenote: Ill deeds rob Him of it.] As hit were rafte wyth vn-ryȝt & robbed wyth þewes.[58] War þe þe{n}ne for þe wrake, his wrath is achaufed,

[Headnote: GOD PUNISHES IMPURITY.]

[Sidenote: God forbids us to defile any vessels used in His service.] For þat þat ones watȝ his schulde efte be vn-clene, 1144 Þaȝ hit be bot a bassy{n}, a bolle, oþ{er} a scole, A dysche oþ{er} a dobler þ{a}t dryȝtyn oneȝ serued, To defowle hit eu{er} vpon folde fast he for-bedes, So is he scoym{us} of scaþe þat scylful is eu{er}. 1148 [Sidenote: In Belshazzar’s time, the defiling of God’s vessels brought wrath upon the king.] & þat watȝ bared i{n} babyloyn i{n} Baltaȝar tyme, Hov harde vnhap þer hy{m} hent & hastyly sone, For he þe vesselles avyled þat vayled i{n} þe temple I{n} seruyse of þe sou{er}ayn su{m} tyme byfore. 1152 [Sidenote: [Fol. 73a.]] Ȝif ȝe wolde tyȝt me a tom telle hit I wolde, Hov charged more watȝ his chau{n}ce þat he{m} cherych nolde Þen his fader forloyne þat feched he{m} wyth strenþe, & robbed þe relygiou{n} of relykes alle. 1156

[Sidenote 47: þi{n}geȝ.] [Sidenote 48: _broþer_ is written over in a later hand.] [Sidenote 49: _Sweyed_ (?).] [Sidenote 50: _alkatran_ (?).] [Sidenote 51: _augre_ = _aigre_ (?).] [Sidenote 52: _spinnande_ (?).] [Sidenote 53: _festres_ (?).] [Sidenote 54: MS. wy{n}dowande.] [Sidenote 55: _abof_ (?).] [Sidenote 56: _cut_ (?).] [Sidenote 57: MS. _sovly_.] [Sidenote 58: _þeues_. (?).]