IX

“The grete soun of sodamas synkkeȝ in myn ereȝ,
& þe gult of gomorre gareȝ me to wrath;
I schal lyȝt in-to þat led & loke my seluen,
If þay haf don as þe dyne dryueȝ on-lofte,
Þay han lerned a lyst þat lykeȝ me ille,
Þat þay han founden in her flesch of fauteȝ þe werst,
Vch male matȝ his mach a man as hym seluen,
& fylter folyly in fere, on femmaleȝ wyse.
I compast hem a kynde crafte & kende hit hem derne,
& amed hit in myn ordenaunce oddely dere,
& dyȝt drwry þer-inne, doole alþer-swettest,
& þe play of paramoreȝ I portrayed my seluen;
& made þer-to a maner myriest of oþer,
When two true togeder had tyȝed hem seluen,
By-twene a male & his make such merþe schulde conne;
Wel nyȝe pure paradys moȝt preue no better,
Elleȝ þay moȝt honestly ayþer oþer welde.
At a stylle stollen steuen, vnstered wyth syȝt,
Luf lowe hem bytwene lasched so hote,
Þat alle þe meschefeȝ on mold moȝt hit not sleke;
Now haf þay skyfted my skyl & scorned natwre,
& hentteȝ hem in heþyng an vsage vn-clene;
Hem to smyte for þat smod smartly I þenk
Þat wyȝeȝ schal be by hem war, worlde with-outen ende.”
Þenne arȝed abraham & alle his mod chaunge[d],
For hope of þe harde hate þat hyȝt hatȝ oure lorde;
Al sykande he sayde “sir with yor leue,
Schal synful & sakleȝ suffer al on payne;
Weþer euer 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 neuer?
Þat watȝ neuer þy won þat wroȝteȝ vus alle.
Now fyfty fyn frendeȝ wer founde in ȝonde toune
In þe Cety of Sodamas & also gomorré
Þat neuer lakked þy laue, bot loued ay trauþe,
& reȝt-ful wern & resounable & redy þe to serue,
Schal þay falle in þe faute þat oþer frekeȝ wroȝt
& ioyne to her iuggement her iuise to haue?
Þat nas neuer þyn note, vnneuened hit worþe,
Þat art so gaynly a god & of goste mylde!”
“Nay for fyfty,” quod þe fader, “& þy fayre speche,
& þay be founden in þat folk of her fylþe clene,
I schal for-gyue alle þe gylt þurȝ my grace one,
& let hem smolt al unsmyten smoþely atoneȝ.”
“AA! blessed be þow,” quod þe burne, “so boner & þewed,
& al haldeȝ in 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;
What if fyue faylen of fyfty þe noumbre,
& þe remnaunt be reken, how restes þy wylle?”
“And fyue wont of fyfty,” quod god, “I schal forȝete alle
& wyth-halde my honde for hortyng on lede.”
“& quat if faurty be fre & fauty þyse oþer
Schalt þow schortly al schende & schape non oþer.”
“Nay þaȝ faurty forfete ȝet fryst I a whyle,
& voyde away my vengaunce, þaȝ me vyl þynk.”
Þen abraham obeched hym & loȝly him þonkkeȝ,
“Now sayned be þou sauiour, so symple in þy wrath!
I am bot erþe ful euel & vsle so blake,
Forto mele wyth such a mayster as myȝteȝ hatȝ alle,
Bot I haue by-gonnen wyth my god, & he hit gayn þynkeȝ,
Ȝif I for-loyne as a fol þy fraunchyse may serue;
What if þretty þryuande be þrad in ȝon touneȝ,
What schal I leue if my lorde, if he hem leþe wolde?”
Þenne þe godlych god gef hym onsware,
“Ȝet for þretty in þrong I schal my þro steke,
& spare spakly of spyt in space of my þeweȝ,
& my rankor refrayne four þy reken wordeȝ.”
“What for twenty,” quod þe tolke, “vntwyneȝ þou hem þenne?”
“Nay, ȝif þou ȝerneȝ hit, ȝet ȝark I hem grace;
If þat twenty be trwe I tene hem no more,
Bot relece alle þat regioun of her ronk werkkeȝ.”
“Now aþel lorde,” quod Abraham, “oneȝ a speche
& I schal schape no more þo schalkkeȝ to helpe;
If ten trysty in toune be tan in þi werkkeȝ
Wylt þou mese þy mode & menddyng abyde?”
“I graunt,” quod þe grete god, “graunt mercy,” þat oþer.
& þenne arest þe renk & raȝt no fyrre;
& godde glydeȝ his gate by þose grene wayeȝ
& he conueyen hym con with cast of his yȝe,
& als he loked along þere as oure lorde passed,
Ȝet he cryed hym after with careful steuen:
“Meke mayster on þy mon to mynne if þe lyked,
Loth lengeȝ in ȝon leede þat is my lef broþer,
He sytteȝ þer in sodomis, þy seruaunt so pouere
Among þo mansed men þat han þe much greued;
Ȝif þou tyneȝ þat toun, tempre þyn yre
As þy mersy may malte þy meke to spare.”
Þen he wendeȝ, wendeȝ his way wepande for care
To-warde þe mere of mambre wepande for so[rȝe,]
& þere in longyng al nyȝt he lengeȝ in wones,
Whyl þe souerayn to sodamas sende to spye.