Purity, a Middle English poem, ed. with introduction, notes, and glossary by Robert J. Menner.

                                
                                  Now fyfty fyn frendez wer founde in ȝonde toune, [folio 71a] 
                                
                                  In þe cety of Sodamas and also Gomorre,
                                
                                  Þat never lakked þy laue, bot loved ay trauþe,
                                
                                  And reȝtful wern, and resounable, and redy þe to serve
                                  Line 724 
                                
                                  Schal þay falle in þe faute þat oþer frekez wroȝt,
                                
                                  And joyne to her juggement her juise to have?
                                
                                  Þat nas never þyn note, unnevened hit worþe,
                                
                                  Þat art so gaynly a God and of goste mylde!'
                                  Line 728 
                                
                                  'Nay, for fyfty,' quod þe Fader, 'and þy fayre speche,
                                
                                  And þay be founden in þat folk of her fylþe clene, [MS., M. &; M. note An(?), and similarly, 864, 1346.] 
                                
                                  I schal forgyve alle þe gylt þurȝ my grace one,
                                
                                  And let hem smolt al unsmyten smoþely at onez.'
                                  Line 732 
                                
                                  'Aa! blessed be þow,' quod þe burne, 'so boner and þewed,
                                
                                  And al haldez in þy honde, þe heven and þe erþe;
                                
                                  Bot for I haf þis talke, tatz to non ille
                                
                                  Ȝif I mele a lyttel more þat mul am and askez.
                                  Line 736 
                                
                                  What if fyve faylen of fyfty þe noumbre,
                                
                                  And þe remnaunt be reken, how restes þy wylle?'
                                
                                  'And fyve wont of fyfty,' quod God, 'I schal forȝete alle, [wont inserted above line (see Introd., p. ix, n. 2).] 
                                
                                  And wythhalde my honde for hortyng on lede.'
                                  Line 740 
                                
                                  'And quat if faurty be fre, and fauty þyse oþer,
                                
                                  Schalt þow schortly al schende and schape non oþer?'
                                
                                  'Nay, þaȝ faurty forfete, ȝet fryst I a whyle
                                
                                  And voyde away my vengaunce, þaȝ me vyl þynk.'
                                  Line 744 
                                
                                  Þen Abraham obeched hym and [hy]ȝly him þonkkez: [MS., M. & loȝly him þonkkeȝ; Fi. (p. 47) reads heȝly, referring to Gaw. 773; Sch. proposes 'and boweȝ to him loȝly.'] 
                                
                                  'Now sayned be þou, Savior, so symple in þy wrath!
                                
                                  I am bot erþe ful evel and usle so blake,
                                
                                  For to mele wyth such a Mayster as myȝtez hatz alle;

                                  Line 748

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Title: Purity, a Middle English poem, ed. with introduction, notes, and glossary by Robert J. Menner.
Canvas: Page 29
Publication: New Haven,: Yale university press; [etc., etc.]; 1920.

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/acs0188.0001.001
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Full citation: "Purity, a Middle English poem, ed. with introduction, notes, and glossary by Robert J. Menner." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/acs0188.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 7, 2025.

Purity, a Middle English poem, ed. with introduction, notes, and glossary by Robert J. Menner.

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