 | The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience |  |
XIII.
Ihesuc con calle to hym hys mylde
& sayde hys ryche no wyȝ myȝt wynne.
Bot he com þyder ryȝt as a chylde,
Oþer elleȝ neuer more com þer-inne,
Harmleȝ trwe & vnde-fylde,
With-outen mote oþer mascle of sulpande synne;
Quen such þer cnoken on þe bylde,
Tyt schal hem men þe ȝate vnpynne,
Þer is þe blys þat con not blynne,
Þat þe Iueler soȝte þurȝ perre pres
& solde alle hys goud boþe wolen & lynne,
To bye hym a perle [þat] watȝ mascelleȝ.
& sayde hys ryche no wyȝ myȝt wynne.
Bot he com þyder ryȝt as a chylde,
Oþer elleȝ neuer more com þer-inne,
Harmleȝ trwe & vnde-fylde,
With-outen mote oþer mascle of sulpande synne;
Quen such þer cnoken on þe bylde,
Tyt schal hem men þe ȝate vnpynne,
Þer is þe blys þat con not blynne,
Þat þe Iueler soȝte þurȝ perre pres
& solde alle hys goud boþe wolen & lynne,
To bye hym a perle [þat] watȝ mascelleȝ.
This makelleȝ perle þat boȝt is dere,
Þe Ioueler gef fore alle hys god,
Is lyke þe reme of heuenesse clere
So sayde þe fader of folde & flode,
For hit is wemleȝ, clene & clere,
& endeleȝ rounde & blyþe of mode,
& commune to all þat ryȝtwys were,
Lo! euen in myddeȝ my breste hit stode;
My lorde þe lombe þat schede hys blode,
He pyȝt hit þere in token of pes;
I rede þe forsake þe worlde wode,
& porchace þy perle maskelles.”
Þe Ioueler gef fore alle hys god,
Is lyke þe reme of heuenesse clere
So sayde þe fader of folde & flode,
For hit is wemleȝ, clene & clere,
& endeleȝ rounde & blyþe of mode,
& commune to all þat ryȝtwys were,
Lo! euen in myddeȝ my breste hit stode;
My lorde þe lombe þat schede hys blode,
He pyȝt hit þere in token of pes;
I rede þe forsake þe worlde wode,
& porchace þy perle maskelles.”
“O maskeleȝ perle in perleȝ pure
Þat bereȝ” quod I, “þe perle of prys,
Quo formed þe þy fayre fygure?
Þat wroȝt þy wede, he watȝ ful wys;
Þy beaute com neuer of nature,
Pymalyon paynted neuer þy vys,
Ne arystotel nawþer by hys lettrure
Of carpe þe kynde þese properteȝ.
Þy colour passeȝ þe flour-de-lys,
Þyn angel hauyng so clene corteȝ
Breue me bryȝt, quat-kyn of priys
Bereȝ þe perle so maskelleȝ.”
Þat bereȝ” quod I, “þe perle of prys,
Quo formed þe þy fayre fygure?
Þat wroȝt þy wede, he watȝ ful wys;
23
Pymalyon paynted neuer þy vys,
Ne arystotel nawþer by hys lettrure
Of carpe þe kynde þese properteȝ.
Þy colour passeȝ þe flour-de-lys,
Þyn angel hauyng so clene corteȝ
Breue me bryȝt, quat-kyn of priys
Bereȝ þe perle so maskelleȝ.”
“My makeleȝ lambe þat al may bete,”
Quod scho “my dere destyné
Me ches to hys make al-þaȝ vnmete,
Sum tyme semed þat assemblé
When I wente fro yor worlde wete.
He calde me to hys bonerté,
‘Cum hyder to me my lemman swete,
For mote ne spot is non in þe:’
He gef me myȝt & als bewté.
In hys blod he wesch my wede on dese,
& coronde clene in vergynté,
& pyȝt me in perleȝ maskelleȝ.”
Quod scho “my dere destyné
Me ches to hys make al-þaȝ vnmete,
Sum tyme semed þat assemblé
When I wente fro yor worlde wete.
He calde me to hys bonerté,
‘Cum hyder to me my lemman swete,
For mote ne spot is non in þe:’
He gef me myȝt & als bewté.
In hys blod he wesch my wede on dese,
& coronde clene in vergynté,
& pyȝt me in perleȝ maskelleȝ.”
“Why maskelleȝ bryd þat bryȝt con flambe
Þat reiateȝ hatȝ so ryche & ryf,
Quat-kyn þyng may be þat lambe,
Þat þe wolde wedde vnto hys vyf?
Ouer alle oþer so hyȝ þou clambe,
To lede with hym so ladyly lyf
So mony a cumly on vunder cambe,
For kryst han lyued in much stryf,
& þou con alle þo dere out-dryf,
& fro þat maryag al oþer depres,
Al only þyself so stout & styf,
A makeleȝ may & maskelleȝ.”
Þat reiateȝ hatȝ so ryche & ryf,
Quat-kyn þyng may be þat lambe,
Þat þe wolde wedde vnto hys vyf?
Ouer alle oþer so hyȝ þou clambe,
To lede with hym so ladyly lyf
So mony a cumly on vunder cambe,
For kryst han lyued in much stryf,
& þou con alle þo dere out-dryf,
& fro þat maryag al oþer depres,
Al only þyself so stout & styf,
A makeleȝ may & maskelleȝ.”
| The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience | |