[Sidenote: Thirty righteous, found in the cities, shall save them from destruction.] “Ȝet for þretty i{n} þrong I schal my þro steke, & spare spakly of spyt i{n} space of my þeweȝ, & my rankor refrayne fo{ur} þy reken wordeȝ.” 756 [Sidenote: [Fol. 67b.]] “What for twenty,” q{uod} þe tolke, “vntwyneȝ þ{o}u hem þe{n}ne?” “Nay, ȝif þ{o}u ȝerneȝ hit, ȝet ȝark I hem g{ra}ce; [Sidenote: For the sake of twenty guiltless ones God will release the rest.] If þat twenty be trwe I tene hem no more, Bot relece alle þat regiou{n} of her ronk werkkeȝ.” 760 “Now aþel lorde,” q{uod} Abraham, “oneȝ a speche & I schal schape no more þo schalkkeȝ to helpe; If ten trysty i{n} toune be tan i{n} þi werkkeȝ [Sidenote: Or if ten only should be found pure.] Wylt þ{o}u mese þy mode & menddy{n}g abyde?” 764 “I grau{n}t,” q{uod} þe grete god, “grau{n}t mercy,” þ{a}t oþ{er}. & þe{n}ne arest þe renk & raȝt no fyrre; & godde glydeȝ his gate by þose grene wayeȝ & he co{n}ueyen hy{m} con w{i}t{h} cast of his yȝe, 768 [Sidenote: The patriarch intercedes for Lot.] & als he loked along þere as oure lorde passed, Ȝet he cryed hy{m} aft{er} w{i}t{h} careful steuen: “Meke mayst{er} on þy mon to my{n}ne if þe lyked, Loth lengeȝ i{n} ȝon leede þat is my lef broþ{er}, 772 He sytteȝ þer i{n} sodomis, þy seruau{n}t so pou{er}e Among þo mansed men þat han þe much g{r}eued; [Sidenote: Beseeches Him to “temper His ire,” and then departs weeping for sorrow.] Ȝif þ{o}u tyneȝ þat tou{n}, te{m}pre þyn yre As þy mersy may malte þy meke to spare.” 776 Þe{n} he wendeȝ, wendeȝ his way wepande for care To-warde þe mere of mambre wepande for so[rȝe,][37] & þere i{n} longy{n}g al nyȝt he lengeȝ i{n} wones, Whyl þe sou{er}ayn to sodamas sende to spye. 780 [Sidenote 34: MS. i{n}f.] [Sidenote 35: _come_ (?).] [Sidenote 36: _An_ (?).] [Sidenote 37: _sorewe_ is written by a late hand over the original word.] [Headnote: MESSENGERS ARE SENT TO LOT.] X.