Nou is hit plunged in a pit like of pich fylled.
Line 1008
Suche a roþun of a reche ros fro þe blake, [folio 75a]
Askez upe in þe ayre and usellez þer flowen,
As a fornes ful of flot þat upon fyr boyles
When bryȝt brennande brondez ar bet þer anunder.
Line 1012
Þis watz a vengaunce violent þat voyded þise places,
Þat foundered hatz so fayr a folk, and þe folde sonkken.
Þer faure citees wern set, nou is a see called, [þer faure by second hand, the r of þer being unlike the scribe's (cf. for 257, broþer, 924) and the r of faur having an extraordinary flourish above it, apparently intended as abbrev. for e; a faint stroke under a may indicate that the original had fyve: is, inserted above line by second hand, which is betrayed by the Greek s.]
Þat ay is drovy and dym, and ded in hit kynde,
Line 1016
Blo, blubrande, and blak, unblyþe to neȝe,
As a stynkande stanc þat stryed synne,
Þat ever of s[mell]e and of smach, smart is to fele. [MS., M., Sk. synne.]
Forþy þe derk Dede See hit is demed evermore,
Line 1020
For hit dedez of deþe duren þere ȝet;
For hit is brod and boþemlez, and bitter as þe galle,
And noȝt may lenge in þat lake þat any lyf berez,
And alle þe costez of kynde hit combrez uch one.
Line 1024
For lay þeron a lump of led, and hit on loft fletez,
And folde þeron a lyȝt fyþer, and hit to founs synkkez;
And þer water may walter to wete any erþe, [Sk. inserts þat after þer.]
Schal never grene þeron growe, gresse ne wod nawþer. [M. 1 greue, note grene(?); M. 2 grene.]
Line 1028
If any schalke to be schent wer schowved þerinne,
Þaȝ he bode in þat boþem broþely a monyth,
He most ay lyve in þat loȝe in losyng evermore,
And never dryȝe no dethe to dayes of ende.
Line 1032
And as hit is corsed of kynde, and hit coostez als,
Þe clay þat clenges þerby arn corsyes strong,
