What he offered with a free heart his guests took in charity, for ðat he bad wið herte fre, He it nomen in charite; 1016 [Fol. 20b.] though it was but as a drop of water in a fire. So malt ðat mete in hem to nogt, So a watreſ drope in a fier brogt. [137] _read_ nigenti ABRAHAM IS PROMISED A SON. Abraham ſtod and q_u_amede hem wel, Hiſ good[e] wil was hem good mel. 1020 Abraham is promised a son. Q_u_uad ðiſ on, "ðiſ time oðer ger, Sal ic me to ðe taunen her; Bi ðan ſal ſarra ſelðe timen, ðat ge ſal of a ſune trimen." 1024 Sarah heard the words of the Lord. ðanne herde ſarra ſwilc tiding, And it hire ðogte a ſelli ðhing, for ghe waſ nigenti winter hold, Abraham on wane of an hundred told; 1028 She did not believe them. Ghe glente and ðhogte, migte it nogt ben, And ghe ðat ſulde her wið childe be ſen; Abraham, however, trowed it full well. And Abraham trewid it ful wel, And it wurð ſoð binnen ſwilc ſel. 1032 Then the three went towards Sodom. Fro mambre dale wente ðo ðre, to-ward ſodome geden he; Q_u_ad ðe lou_er_ed, "wile ic nogt ſtelen, The destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham. Ne min dede abraham helen; 1036 Ic cume to ſen ðat ſinne dwale ðat iſ me told of mirieſ dale." He is in great grief on account of Lot. ðo adde abram iſ herte ſor, for loth hiſ newe wunede ðor. 1040 He intercedes for the wicked cities. "Lou_er_d," q_u_ad he, "hu ſaltu don, If ðu ſalt nimen wreche ðor on; [Fol. 21.] Salt ðu nogt ðe rigt-wiſe weren, Or for hem ðe toðere með beren?" 1044 God promises to spare the cities for the sake of five righteous. Q_u_ad god, "find ic ðor ten or mo, Ic ſal meðen ðe ſtede for ðo." Durſte Abraham freinen nu_n_mor,