LOT ENTERTAINS TWO ANGELS.

He roſ, and lutte, and ſcroð him wel,
1056 And bead hem hom to iſ oſtel
To herbergen wið him ðat nigt,
ðo ſwete angeles, faier and brigt;
And he ſo deden alſ he hem bead,
1060 He wiſten him bergen fro ðe dead;
he invited them to his home to stay with him that night.
And loth hem ſerued faire and wel,
And he him gulden it euerilc del.
Oc al ðat burgt folc ðat helde waſ on,
1064 ðe migte lecher crafte don,
Lot served his guests fair and well.
To lothes huſ he cumen ðat nigt
And bi-ſetten it redi to figt;
The wicked Sodomites beset Lot's house.
He boden him bringen ut o-non,
1068 ðo men ðat woren ðidir in-gon.
They bade him bring out the strangers.
Loth hem bead iſ dogtres two,
for to friðen hiſe geſte ſwo;
Oc he ne wulden hiſ dogtres nogt,
 [Fol. 21b.]
Lot offered them his daughters.
1072 for wicke and feble waſ here ðogt.
ðat folc vn-ſeli, ſinne wod,
ðo ſori wrecches of yuel blod
wulden him ðor gret ſtrengðe don,
1076 Til wreche and letting cam hem on.
The wicked folk sought to harm Lot.
ðis angels two drogen loth in,
And ſhetten to ðe dure-pin.
The angels drew Lot in.
Wil ſiðen cam on euerilc on,
1080 ðo wrecches ðe wið-vten gon,
for al ðat nigt he ſogten ðor
Blindness came upon the Sodomites,
ðe dure, and fundend[[139]] neuere mor.
ðo ſeiden ðiſ angeles to loth wið ſped,
and they sought the door in vain.
1084 If ðu frend haueſt and wi[l]t don red,
Bid him, or day, redi ben,
And ſwiðe ut ðiſ burgeſ flen,
elles ſulen he brennen and for-faren,
1088 If he ne bi time heðe[n] waren.
Two ðor werren quam him ðogte ear
To wedden hiſ two dogtres ðear;[[140]]
Lot is commanded to leave the city with his friends before daybreak.

[139]

So in MS.

[140]

read dear