[Sidenote: Abraham is full of fear, and asks God whether the “sinful and the sinless” are to suffer together.] Þe{n}ne arȝed abraham & alle his mod chau{n}ge[d], For hope of þe harde hate þat hyȝt hatȝ oure lorde; Al sykande he sayde “s{ir} w{i}t{h} yor leue, Schal synful & sakleȝ suffer al on payne; 716 Weþ{er} eu{er} 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 neu{er}? Þat watȝ neu{er} þy won þat wroȝteȝ v{us} alle. 720 [Sidenote: [Fol. 67a.]] [Sidenote: Whether he will spare the cities provided fifty righteous are found in them?] Now fyfty fyn frendeȝ wer fou{n}de i{n} ȝonde toune In þe Cety of Sodamas & also gomorré Þat neu{er} lakked þy laue, bot loued ay trauþe, & reȝt-ful wern & resou{n}able & redy þe to serue, 724 Schal þay falle i{n} þe faute þat oþ{er} frekeȝ wroȝt & ioyne to her iuggement her iuise to haue? Þat nas neu{er} þyn note, vnneuened hit worþe, Þat art so gaynly a god & of goste mylde!” 728 [Sidenote: For the sake of fifty the cities shall be spared.] “Nay for fyfty,” q{uod} þe fader, “& þy fayre speche, &[36] þay be fou{n}den i{n} þat folk of her fylþe clene, I schal for-gyue alle þe gylt þurȝ my g{ra}ce one, & let hem smolt al unsmyten smoþely atoneȝ.” 732 [Sidenote: The patriarch beseeches God to spare the city for the sake of forty-five righteous.] “AA! blessed be þow,” q{uod} þe burne, “so boner & þewed, & al haldeȝ i{n} 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; 736 What if fyue faylen of fyfty þe nou{m}bre, & þe remnau{n}t be reken, how restes þy wylle?” [Sidenote: For the lack of five the cities shall not be destroyed.] “And fyue wont of fyfty,” q{uod} god, “I schal forȝete alle & wyth-halde my honde for horty{n}g on lede.” 740 “& quat if faurty be fre & fauty þyse oþ{er} Schalt þow schortly al schende & schape non oþ{er}.” [Sidenote: For forty the cities shall be spared.] “Nay þaȝ faurty forfete ȝet fryst I a whyle, & voyde away my vengau{n}ce, þaȝ me vyl þynk.” 744 Þe{n} abraham obeched hym & loȝly hi{m} þonkkeȝ, “Now sayned be þou sauio{ur}, so symple i{n} þy wrath! I am bot erþe ful euel & vsle so blake, [Sidenote: Abraham entreats God’s forbearance for his speech.] Forto mele wyth such a mayst{er} as myȝteȝ hatȝ alle, 748 Bot I haue by-go{n}nen wyth my god, & he hit gay{n} þynkeȝ, Ȝif I for-loyne as a fol þy frau{n}chyse may serue; What if þretty þryuande be þrad i{n} ȝon tou{n}eȝ, What schal I leue if my lorde, if he hem leþe wolde?” 752 Þe{n}ne þe godlych god gef hy{m} onsware,