XI

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 hym vpryse,
Fast þe freke ferkeȝ vp ful ferd at his hert;
Þay comaunded hym cof to cach þat he hade,
“Wyth þy wyf & þy wyȝeȝ & þy wlone deȝtters,
For we laþe þe, sir loth, þat þou þy lyf haue;
Cayre tid of þis kythe er combred þou worþe,
With alle þi here vpon haste, tyl þou a hil fynde;
Foundeȝ faste on your fete, bifore your face lokes,
Bot bes neuer so bolde to blusch yow bihynde,
& loke ȝe stemme no stepe, bot strecheȝ on faste,
Til ȝe reche to a reset, rest ȝe neuer;
For we schal tyne þis toun & trayþely disstrye,
Wyth alle þise wyȝeȝ so wykke wyȝtly de-voyde
& alle þe londe with þise ledeȝ we losen at oneȝ;
Sodomas schal ful sodenly synk in-to grounde,
& þe grounde of gomorre gorde in-to helle,
& vche a koste of þis kythe clater vpon hepes.
Þen laled loth, “lorde what is best?
If I me fele vpon fote þat I fle moȝt,
Hov schulde I huyde me fro hem þat hatȝ his hate kynned,
In þe brath of his breth þat brenneȝ alle þinkeȝ,
To crepe fro my creatour & know not wheder,
Ne wheþer his fooschip me folȝeȝ bifore oþer bihynde?”
Þe freke sayde “no foschip oure fader hatȝ þe schewed,
Bot hiȝly heuened þi hele fro hem þat arn combred:
Nov walle þe a wonnyng þat þe warisch myȝt,
& he schal saue hit for þy sake þat hatȝ vus sende hider,
For þou art oddely þyn one out of þis fylþe,
& als Abraham þyn em hit at him self asked.”
“Lorde, loued he worþe,” quod loth, “vpon erþe!
Þen is a cite herbisyde þat segor hit hatte,
Here vtter on a rounde hil hit houeȝ hit one,
I wolde, if his wylle wore, to þat won scape.”
“Þenn fare forth,” quod þat fre, “& fyne þou neuer
With þose ilk þat þow wylt þat þrenge þe after,
& ay goande on your gate, wyth-outen agayn-tote,
For alle þis londe schal be lorne, longe er þe sonne rise.”
Þe wyȝe wakened his wyf & his wlonk deȝteres,
& oþer two myri men þo maydeneȝ schulde wedde;
& þay token hit as tyt & tented hit lyttel,
Þaȝ fast laþed hem loth, þay leȝen ful stylle.
Þe aungeleȝ hasted þise oþer & aȝly hem þratten,
& enforsed alle fawre forth at þe ȝateȝ,
Þo wern loth & his lef, his luflyche deȝter,
Þer soȝt no mo to sauement of cities aþel fyue.
Þise aungeleȝ hade hem by hande out at þe ȝateȝ,
Prechande hem þe perile, & beden hem passe fast.
“Lest ȝe be taken in þe teche of tyraunteȝ here,
Loke ȝe bowe now bi bot, boweȝ fast hence!”
& þay kayre-ne con & kenely flowen;
Erly, er any heuen glem, þay to a hil comen.
Þe grete god in his greme bygynneȝ onlofte;
To wakan wedereȝ so wylde þe wyndeȝ he calleȝ,
& þay wroþely vp-wafte & wrastled togeder,
Fro fawre half of þe folde, flytande loude.
Clowdeȝ clustered bytwene kesten vp torres,
Þat þe þik þunder þrast þirled hem ofte.
Þe rayn rueled adoun, ridlande þikke,
Of felle flaunkes of fyr & flakes of soufre,
Al in smolderande smoke smachande ful ille,
Swe aboute sodamas & hit sydeȝ alle,
Gorde to gomorra þat þe grounde lansed;
Abdama & syboym, þise ceteis alle faure,
Al birolled wyth þe rayn, rostted & brenned,
& ferly flayed þat folk þat in þose fees lenged;
For when þat þe helle herde þe houndeȝ of heuen
He watȝ ferlyly fayn, vnfolded bylyue.
Þe grete barreȝ of þe abyme he barst vp at oneȝ,
Þat alle þe regioun to-rof in riftes ful grete,
& clouen alle in lyttel cloutes þe clyffeȝ aywhere,
As lance leueȝ of þe boke þat lepes in twynne.
Þe brethe of þe brynston bi þat hit blende were,
Al þo citees & her sydes sunkken to helle.
Rydelles wern þo grete rowtes of renkkes with-inne,
When þay wern war of þe wrake þat no wyȝe achaped,
Such a ȝomerly ȝarm of ȝellyng þer rysed;
Þer-of clatered þe cloudes þat kryst myȝt haf rawþe.
Þe segge herde þat soun to segor þat ȝede,
& þe wenches hym wyth þat by þe way folȝed;
Ferly ferde watȝ her flesch, þat flowen ay ilyche,
Trynande ay a hyȝe trot þat torne neuer dorsten.
Loth & þo luly-whit his lefly two deȝter,
Ay folȝed here face, bifore her boþe yȝen;
Bot þe balleful burde, þat neuer bode keped,
Blusched by-hynden her bak, þat bale forto herkken;
Hit watȝ lusty lothes wyf þat ouer 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.
Þay slypped bi & syȝe hir not þat wern hir samen feres,
Tyl þay in segor wern sette, & sayned our lorde;
Wyth lyȝt loueȝ vplyfte þay loued hym swyþe,
Þat so his seruauntes wolde see & saue of such woþe.
Al watȝ dampped & don, & drowned by þenne;
Þe ledeȝ of þat lyttel toun wern lopen out for drede,
In-to þat malscrande mere, marred bylyue,
Þat noȝt saued watȝ bot segor þat sat on a lawe,
Þe þre ledeȝ þer-in, loth & his deȝter;
For his make watȝ myst, þat on þe mount lenged
In a stonen statue þat salt sauor habbes,
For two fautes þat þe fol watȝ founde in mistrauþe;
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 oþer,
& alle lyst on hir lik þat arn on launde bestes.
Abraham ful erly watȝ vp on þe morne,
Þat alle naȝt [so] much niye hade no mon in his hert,
Al in longing for loth leyen in a wache,
Þer he lafte hade oure lorde, he is on lofte wonnen;
He sende toward sodomas þe syȝt of his yȝen,
Þat euer hade ben an erde of erþe þe swettest
As aparaunt to paradis þat plantted þe dryȝtyn,
Nov is hit plunged in a pit like of pich fylled.
Suche a roþun of a reche ros fro þe blake,
Askeȝ vpe in þe ayre & vselleȝ þer flowen,
As a fornes ful of flot þat vpon fyr boyles,
When bryȝt brennande brondeȝ ar bet þer an-vnder.
Þis watȝ a uengaunce violent þat voyded þise places,
Þat foundered hatȝ so fayr a folk & þe folde sonkken.
Þer faure citees wern set, nov is a see called,
Þat ay is drouy & dym, & ded in hit kynde,
Blo, blubrande, & blak, vnblyþe to neȝe,
As a stynkande stanc þat stryed synne,
Þat euer of synne & of smach, smart is to fele;
For-þy þe derk dede see hit is demed euer more,
For hit dedeȝ of deþe duren þere ȝet.
For hit is brod & boþemleȝ, & bitter as þe galle,
& noȝt may lenge in þat lake þat any lyf bereȝ,
& alle þe costeȝ of kynde hit combreȝ vchone;
For lay þer-on a lump of led & hit on loft fleteȝ,
& folde þer-on a lyȝt fyþer & hit to founs synkkeȝ.
& þer water may walter to wete any erþe,
Schal neuer grene þer-on growe, gresse ne wod nawþer.
If any schalke to be schent wer schowued þer-inne,
Þaȝ he bode in þat boþem broþely a monyth,
He most ay lyue in þat loȝe in losyng euer-more,
& neuer dryȝe no dethe, to dayes of ende;
& as hit is corsed of kynde & hit coosteȝ als,
Þe clay þat clenges þer-by arn corsyes strong,
As alum & alkaran, þat angré arn boþe,
Soufre sour, & saundyuer, & oþer such mony;
& þer walteȝ of þat water in waxlokes grete,
Þe spuniande aspaltoun þat spysereȝ sellen;
& suche is alle þe soyle by þat se halues,
Þat fel fretes þe flesch & festred bones.
& þer ar tres by þat terne of traytoures;
& þay borgouneȝ & beres blomeȝ ful fayre,
& þe fayrest fryt þat may on folde growe,
As orenge & oþer fryt & apple garnade
Also red & so ripe & rychely hwed,
As any dom myȝt deuice of dayntyeȝ oute;
Bot quen hit is brused oþer broken, oþer byten in twynne,
No worldeȝ goud hit wyth-inne, bot wydowande askes;
Alle þyse ar teches & tokenes to trow vpon ȝet,
& wittnesse of þat wykked werk & þe wrake after,
Þat oure fader forferde for fylþe of þose ledes.
Þenne vch wyȝe may wel wyt þat he þe wlonk louies,
& if he louyes clene layk þat is oure lorde ryche,
& to be couþe in his courte þou coueytes þenne
To se þat semly in sete & his swete face,
Clerrer counseyl, counsayl con I non,
bot þat þou clene worþe.
For clopyngnel in þe compas of his clene rose,
Þer he expouneȝ a speche, to hym þat spede wolde,
Of a lady to be loued, loke to hir sone,
Of wich beryng þat ho be, & wych ho best louyes,
& be ryȝt such in vch a borȝe of body & of dedes,
& folȝ þe fet of þat fere þat þou fre haldes.
& if þou wyrkkes on þis wyse, þaȝ ho wyk were,
Hir schal lyke þat layk þat lyknes hir tylle.
If þou wyl dele drwrye wyth dryȝtyn þenne,
& lelly louy þy lorde & his leef worþe.
Þenne confourme þe to kryst, & þe clene make,
Þat euer is polyced als playn as þe perle seluen.
For loke fro fyrst þat he lyȝt with-inne þe lel mayden!
By how comly a kest he watȝ clos þere,
When venkkyst watȝ no vergynyté, ne vyolence maked,
Bot much clener watȝ hir corse, god kynned þerinne;
& efte when he borne watȝ in beþelen þe ryche,
In wych puryté þay departed; þaȝ þay pouer were,
Watȝ neuer so blysful a bour as watȝ abos þenne
Ne no schroude hous so schene as a schepon þare,
Ne non so glad vnder god as ho þat grone schulde;
For þer watȝ seknesse al sounde þat sarrest is halden,
& þer watȝ rose reflayr where rote hatȝ ben euer,
& þer watȝ solace & songe wher sorȝ hatȝ ay cryed;
For aungelles with instrumentes of organes & pypes,
& rial ryngande rotes & þe reken fyþel,
& alle hende þat honestly moȝt an hert glade,
Aboutte my lady watȝ lent, quen ho delyuer were.
Þenne watȝ her blyþe barne burnyst so clene,
Þat boþe þe ox & þe asse hym hered at-ones;
Þay knewe hym by his clannes for kyng of nature,
For non so clene of such a clos com neuer er þenne;
& ȝif clanly he þenne com, ful cortays þer-after,
Þat alle þat longed to luþer ful lodly he hated;
By nobleye of his norture he nolde neuer towche
Oȝt þat watȝ vngoderly oþer ordure watȝ inne.
Ȝet comen lodly to þat lede, as laȝares monye,
Summe lepre, summe lome, & lomerande blynde,
Poysened & parlatyk & pyned in fyres,
Drye folk & ydropike, & dede at þe laste;
Alle called on þat cortayse & claymed his grace.
He heled hem wyth hynde speche of þat þay ask after,
For what-so he towched also-tyd tourned to hele,
Wel clanner þen any crafte cowþe devyse;
So clene watȝ his hondelyng vche ordure hit schonied,
& þe gropyng so goud of god & man boþe,
Þat for fetys of his fyngeres fonded he neuer
Nauþer to cout ne to kerue, with knyf ne wyth egge,
For-þy brek he þe bred blades wyth-outen;
For hit ferde freloker in fete in his fayre honde,
Displayed more pryuyly when he hit part schulde,
Þenne alle þe toles of tolowse moȝt tyȝt hit to kerue,
Þus is he kyryous & clene þat þou his cort askes;
Hov schulde þou com to his kyth bot if þou clene were?
Nov ar we sore & synful & sov[er]ly vch one,
How schulde we se, þen may we say, þat syre vpon throne?
Ȝis, þat mayster is mercyable; þaȝ þou be man fenny,
& al to-marred in myre whyl þou on molde lyuyes,
Þou may schyne þurȝ schryfte, þaȝ þou haf schome serued,
& pure þe with penaunce tyl þou a perle worþe.
Perle praysed is prys, þer perre is schewed,
Þaȝ hym not derrest be demed to dele for penies,
Quat may þe cause be called, bot for hir clene hwes,
Þat wynnes worschyp, abof alle whyte stones?
For ho schynes so schyr þat is of schap rounde,
Wyth-outen faut oþer fylþe ȝif ho fyn were;
& wax euer in þe worlde in weryng so olde,
Ȝet þe perle payres not whyle ho in pyese lasttes
& if hit cheue þe chaunce vncheryst ho worþe,
Þat ho blyndes of ble in bour þer ho lygges,
No-bot wasch hir wyth wourchyp in wyn as ho askes,
Ho by kynde schal be-com clerer þen are;
So if folk be defowled by vnfre chaunce,
Þat he be sulped in sawle, seche to schryfte
& he may polyce hym at þe prest, by penaunce taken,
Wel bryȝter þen þe beryl oþer browden perles.
Bot war þe wel, if þou be waschen wyth water of schryfte,
& polysed als playn as parchmen schauen,
Sulp no more þenne in synne þy saule þer-after,
For þenne þou dryȝtyn dyspleses with dedes ful sore,
& entyses hym to tene more trayþly þen euer
& wel hatter to hate þen hade þou not waschen;
For when a sawele is saȝtled & sakred to dryȝtyn,
He holly haldes hit his & haue hit he wolde,
Þenne efte lastes hit likkes, he loses hit ille,
As hit were rafte wyth vn-ryȝt & robbed wyth þewes.
War þe þenne for þe wrake, his wrath is achaufed,
For þat þat ones watȝ his schulde efte be vn-clene,
Þaȝ hit be bot a bassyn, a bolle, oþer a scole,
A dysche oþer a dobler þat dryȝtyn oneȝ serued,
To defowle hit euer vpon folde fast he for-bedes,
So is he scoymus of scaþe þat scylful is euer.
& þat watȝ bared in babyloyn in Baltaȝar tyme,
Hov harde vnhap þer hym hent & hastyly sone,
For he þe vesselles avyled þat vayled in þe temple
In seruyse of þe souerayn sum tyme byfore.
Ȝif ȝe wolde tyȝt me a tom telle hit I wolde,
Hov charged more watȝ his chaunce þat hem cherych nolde
Þen his fader forloyne þat feched hem wyth strenþe,
& robbed þe relygioun of relykes alle.