 | The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience |  |
IX.
That cortayse is to fre of dede,
Ȝyf hyt be soth þat þou coneȝ saye,
Þou lyfed not two ȝer in oure þede,
Þou cowþeȝ neuer god nauþer plese ne pray,
Ne neuer nawþer pater ne crede,
& quen mad on þe fyrst day!
I may not traw, so god me spede,
Þat god wolde wryþe so wrange away;
Of countes damysel, par ma fay,
Wer fayr in heuen to halde asstate
Aþer elleȝ a lady of lasse aray,
Bot a quene, hit is to dere a date.”
Ȝyf hyt be soth þat þou coneȝ saye,
Þou lyfed not two ȝer in oure þede,
Þou cowþeȝ neuer god nauþer plese ne pray,
Ne neuer nawþer pater ne crede,
& quen mad on þe fyrst day!
I may not traw, so god me spede,
Þat god wolde wryþe so wrange away;
Of countes damysel, par ma fay,
Wer fayr in heuen to halde asstate
Aþer elleȝ a lady of lasse aray,
Bot a quene, hit is to dere a date.”
“Þer is no date of hys god-nesse,”
Þen sayde to me þat worþy wyȝte,
“For al is trawþe þat he con dresse,
& he may do no þynk bot ryȝt,
As mathew meleȝ in your messe,
In sothfol gospel of god al-myȝt
In sample he can ful grayþely gesse,
& lykneȝ hit to heuen lyȝte.”
“My regne, he saytȝ, is lyk on hyȝt,
To a lorde þat hade a uyne I wate,
Of tyme of ȝero þe terme watȝ tyȝt,
To labor vyne watȝ dere þe date,
Þen sayde to me þat worþy wyȝte,
“For al is trawþe þat he con dresse,
& he may do no þynk bot ryȝt,
As mathew meleȝ in your messe,
In sothfol gospel of god al-myȝt
In sample he can ful grayþely gesse,
& lykneȝ hit to heuen lyȝte.”
“My regne, he saytȝ, is lyk on hyȝt,
To a lorde þat hade a uyne I wate,
Of tyme of ȝero þe terme watȝ tyȝt,
To labor vyne watȝ dere þe date,
Þat date of ȝere wel knawe þys hyne;
Þe lorde ful erly vp he ros,
To hyre werkmen to hys vyne,
& fyndeȝ þer summe to hys porpos,
Into acorde þay con de-clyne,
For a pene on a day & forth þay gotȝ,
Wryþen & worchem & don gret pyne,
Keruen & caggen & man hit clos;
Aboute vnder, þe lorde to marked totȝ
& ydel men stande he fyndeȝ þer-ate,
“Why stande ȝe ydel” he sayde to þos,
Ne knawe ȝe of þis day no date?
16
To hyre werkmen to hys vyne,
& fyndeȝ þer summe to hys porpos,
Into acorde þay con de-clyne,
For a pene on a day & forth þay gotȝ,
Wryþen & worchem & don gret pyne,
Keruen & caggen & man hit clos;
Aboute vnder, þe lorde to marked totȝ
& ydel men stande he fyndeȝ þer-ate,
“Why stande ȝe ydel” he sayde to þos,
Ne knawe ȝe of þis day no date?
“Er date of daye hider arn we wonne,”
So watȝ al samen her answar soȝt;
“We haf standen her syn ros þe sunne,
& no mon byddeȝ vus do, ryȝt noȝt.”
“Gos in-to my vyne, dotȝ þat ȝe conne.”
So sayde þe lorde & made hit toȝt.
“What resonabele hyre be naȝt be runne,
I yow pay in dede & poȝte.”
Þay wente in to þe vyne & wroȝte,
& al day þe lorde þus ȝede his gate,
& nw men to hys vyne he broȝte;
Wel neȝ wyl day watȝ passed date,
So watȝ al samen her answar soȝt;
“We haf standen her syn ros þe sunne,
& no mon byddeȝ vus do, ryȝt noȝt.”
“Gos in-to my vyne, dotȝ þat ȝe conne.”
So sayde þe lorde & made hit toȝt.
“What resonabele hyre be naȝt be runne,
I yow pay in dede & poȝte.”
Þay wente in to þe vyne & wroȝte,
& al day þe lorde þus ȝede his gate,
& nw men to hys vyne he broȝte;
Wel neȝ wyl day watȝ passed date,
At þe day of date of euen-Songe,
On oure byfore þe sonne go doun
He seȝ þer ydel men ful stronge
& sa[y]de to hem with sobre soun;
“Wy stonde ȝe ydel þise dayeȝ longe.”
Þay sayden her hyre watȝ nawhere boun.
“Gotȝ to my vyne ȝemen ȝonge
& wyrkeȝ & dotȝ þat at ȝe moun.”
Sone þe worlde by-com wel broun,
Þe sunne watȝ doun & hit wex late;
To take her hyre he mad sumoun;
Þe day watȝ al apassed date.
On oure byfore þe sonne go doun
He seȝ þer ydel men ful stronge
& sa[y]de to hem with sobre soun;
“Wy stonde ȝe ydel þise dayeȝ longe.”
Þay sayden her hyre watȝ nawhere boun.
“Gotȝ to my vyne ȝemen ȝonge
& wyrkeȝ & dotȝ þat at ȝe moun.”
Sone þe worlde by-com wel broun,
Þe sunne watȝ doun & hit wex late;
To take her hyre he mad sumoun;
Þe day watȝ al apassed date.
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