 | The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience |  |
10
VI.
I halde þat iueler lyttel to prayse,
Þat loueȝ wel þot he seȝ wyth yȝe,
& much to blame & vn-cortoyse,
Þat loueȝ oure lorde wolde make a lyȝe,
Þat lelly hyȝte your lyf to rayse,
Þaȝ fortune dyd your flesch to dyȝe;
Ȝe setten hys wordeȝ ful westernays
Þat loueȝ no þynk bot ȝe hit syȝe,
& þat is a poynt o sorquydryȝe,
Þat vche god mon may euel byseme
To leue no tale be true to tryȝe,
Bot ȝat hys one skyl may dem[e].
Þat loueȝ wel þot he seȝ wyth yȝe,
& much to blame & vn-cortoyse,
Þat loueȝ oure lorde wolde make a lyȝe,
Þat lelly hyȝte your lyf to rayse,
Þaȝ fortune dyd your flesch to dyȝe;
Ȝe setten hys wordeȝ ful westernays
Þat loueȝ no þynk bot ȝe hit syȝe,
& þat is a poynt o sorquydryȝe,
Þat vche god mon may euel byseme
To leue no tale be true to tryȝe,
Bot ȝat hys one skyl may dem[e].
Deme now þy-self, if þou con, dayly
As man to god wordeȝ schulde heue.
Þou saytȝ þou schal won in þis bayly;
Me þynk þe burde fyrst aske leue,
& ȝet of graunt þou myȝteȝ fayle;
Þou wylneȝ ouer þys water to weue,
Er moste þou ceuer to oþer counsayl,
Þy corse in clot mot calder keue,
For hit watȝ for-garte, at paradys greue
Oure ȝore fader hit con mysseȝeme;
Þurȝ drwry deth boȝ veh ma dreue,
Er ouer þys dam hym dryȝtyn deme.”
As man to god wordeȝ schulde heue.
Þou saytȝ þou schal won in þis bayly;
Me þynk þe burde fyrst aske leue,
& ȝet of graunt þou myȝteȝ fayle;
Þou wylneȝ ouer þys water to weue,
Er moste þou ceuer to oþer counsayl,
Þy corse in clot mot calder keue,
For hit watȝ for-garte, at paradys greue
Oure ȝore fader hit con mysseȝeme;
Þurȝ drwry deth boȝ veh ma dreue,
Er ouer þys dam hym dryȝtyn deme.”
“Demeȝ þou me,” quod I, “my swete
To dol agayn, þenne I dowyne;
Now haf I fonte þat I for-lete
Schal I efte for-go hit er euer I fyne?
Why schal I hit boþe mysse & mete?
My precios perle dotȝ me gret pyne,
What serueȝ tresor, bot gareȝ men grete
When he hit schal efte with teneȝ tyne?
Now rech I neuer forto declyne,
Ne how fer of folde þat man me fleme,
When I am partleȝ of perleȝ myne.
Bot durande doel what may men deme?”
To dol agayn, þenne I dowyne;
Now haf I fonte þat I for-lete
Schal I efte for-go hit er euer I fyne?
Why schal I hit boþe mysse & mete?
My precios perle dotȝ me gret pyne,
What serueȝ tresor, bot gareȝ men grete
When he hit schal efte with teneȝ tyne?
Now rech I neuer forto declyne,
Ne how fer of folde þat man me fleme,
11
Bot durande doel what may men deme?”
“Thow demeȝ noȝt bot doel dystresse,”
Þenne sayde þat wyȝt “why dotȝ þou so ?
For dyne of doel, of lureȝ lesse,
Ofte mony mon for-gos þe mo;
Þe oȝte better þy seluen blesse,
& loue ay god & wele & wo,
For anger gayneȝ þe not a cresse.
Who nedeȝ schal þole be not so þro;
For þoȝ þou daunce as any do
Braundysch & bray þy braþeȝ breme,
When þou no fyrre may, to ne fro,
Þou moste abyde þat he schal deme.
Þenne sayde þat wyȝt “why dotȝ þou so ?
For dyne of doel, of lureȝ lesse,
Ofte mony mon for-gos þe mo;
Þe oȝte better þy seluen blesse,
& loue ay god & wele & wo,
For anger gayneȝ þe not a cresse.
Who nedeȝ schal þole be not so þro;
For þoȝ þou daunce as any do
Braundysch & bray þy braþeȝ breme,
When þou no fyrre may, to ne fro,
Þou moste abyde þat he schal deme.
Deme dryȝtyn, euer hym adyte,
Of þe way a fote ne wyl he wryþe,
Þy mendeȝ mounteȝ not a myte,
Þaȝ þou for sorȝe be neuer blyþe;
Stynst of þy strot & fyne to flyte,
& sech hys blyþe ful swefte & swyþe,
Þy prayer may hys pyte byte,
Þat mercy schal hyr crafteȝ kyþe;
Hys comforte may þy langour lyþe,
& þy lureȝ of lyȝtly leme,
For marre oþer madde, morne & myþe,
Al lys in hym to dyȝt & deme.”
Of þe way a fote ne wyl he wryþe,
Þy mendeȝ mounteȝ not a myte,
Þaȝ þou for sorȝe be neuer blyþe;
Stynst of þy strot & fyne to flyte,
& sech hys blyþe ful swefte & swyþe,
Þy prayer may hys pyte byte,
Þat mercy schal hyr crafteȝ kyþe;
Hys comforte may þy langour lyþe,
& þy lureȝ of lyȝtly leme,
For marre oþer madde, morne & myþe,
Al lys in hym to dyȝt & deme.”
| The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience | |