Þaȝ fast laþed hem loth, þay leȝen ful stylle. 936 [Sidenote: [Fol. 70a.]] [Sidenote: All four are hastened on by the angels, who “preach to them the peril” of delay.] Þe aungeleȝ hasted þise oþ{er} & aȝly hem þratten, & enforsed alle fawre forth at þe ȝateȝ, Þo wern loth & his lef, his luflyche deȝt{er}, Þer soȝt no mo to sauement of cities aþel fyue. 940 Þise aungeleȝ hade hem by hande out at þe ȝateȝ, Prechande hem þe perile, & beden hem passe fast. “Lest ȝe be taken i{n} þe teche of tyrau{n}teȝ here, Loke ȝe bowe now bi bot, boweȝ fast hence!” 944 [Sidenote: Before daylight Lot comes to a hill.] & þay kayre-ne con & kenely flowen; Erly, er any heuen glem, þay to a hil comen. [Headnote: THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES.] [Sidenote: God aloft raises a storm.] Þe grete god i{n} his greme bygy{n}neȝ onlofte; To wakan wedereȝ so wylde þe wyndeȝ he calleȝ, 948 & þay wroþely vp-wafte & wrastled togeder, Fro fawre half of þe folde, flytande loude. Clowdeȝ clust{er}ed bytwene kesten vp torres, Þat þe þik þu{n}der þrast þirled hem ofte. 952 [Sidenote: A rain falls thick of fire and sulphur.] Þe rayn rueled adou{n}, ridlande þikke, Of felle flau{n}kes of fyr & flakes of soufre, Al in smolderande smoke smachande ful ille, [Sidenote: Upon the four cities it comes, and frightens all folks therein.] Swe[49] aboute sodamas & hit sydeȝ alle, 956 Gorde to gomorra þat þe grou{n}de lansed; Abdama & syboym, þise ceteis alle faure, Al birolled wyth þe rayn, rostted & bre{n}ned, & ferly flayed þat folk þat i{n} þose fees lenged; 960 For when þat þe helle herde þe hou{n}deȝ of heuen He watȝ ferlyly fayn, vnfolded bylyue. [Sidenote: The great bars of the abyss do burst.] Þe grete barreȝ of þe abyme he barst vp at oneȝ, Þat alle þe regiou{n} to-rof i{n} riftes ful grete, 964 [Sidenote: Cliffs cleave asunder.] & clouen alle i{n} lyttel cloutes þe clyffeȝ aywhere, As lance leueȝ of þe boke þat lepes i{n} twy{n}ne. [Sidenote: The cities sink to hell.] Þe brethe of þe brynston bi þat hit blende were, Al þo citees & her sydes sunkken to helle. 968 Rydelles wern þo grete rowtes of renkkes w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne, When þay wern war of þe wrake þ{a}t no wyȝe achaped, [Sidenote: Such a cry arises that the clouds clatter again.] Such a ȝom{er}ly ȝarm of ȝelly{n}g þer rysed; Þer-of clat{er}ed þe cloudes þat kryst myȝt haf rawþe. 972 [Sidenote: [Fol. 70b.]] Þe segge herde þat sou{n} to segor þat ȝede, & þe wenches hy{m} wyth þat by þe way folȝed; [Sidenote: Lot and his companions are frightened, but continue to follow their face.] Ferly ferde watȝ her flesch, þat flowen ay ilyche, Trynande ay a hyȝe trot þat torne neu{er} dorsten. 976