& sayde þ{us} to þe segg þat sued hy{m} aft{er}: [Sidenote: God determines to reveal to Abraham his secret purposes.] “How myȝt I hyde myn hert fro habraham þe trwe, Þat I ne dyscou{er}ed to his corse my cou{n}sayl so dere. Syþen he is chosen to be chef chyldryn fader, 684 [Sidenote: [Fol. 66b.]] Þat so folk schal falle fro, to flete alle þe worlde, & vche blod i{n} þat burne blessed schal worþe. Me bos telle to þat tolk þe tene of my wylle & alle myn atly{n}g to abraham vn-haspe bilyue. 688 [Sidenote 30: _cov-hous_ = cow-house (?).] [Sidenote 31: ? _softly_ or _sotly_ = foolishly] [Sidenote 32: ? _bycame_.] [Sidenote 33: _laused_ (?).] [Headnote: THE FILTHINESS OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH.] 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.]