 | The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience |  |
XIX.
As Iohan hym wryteȝ ȝet more I syȝe
Vch pane of þat place had þre ȝateȝ,
So twelue in poursent I con asspye
Þe portaleȝ pyked of rych plateȝ
& vch ȝate of a margyrye,
A parfyt perle þat neuer fateȝ;
Vchon in scrypture a name con plye,
Of israel barneȝ folewande her dateȝ,
Þat is to say as her byrþ whateȝ;
Þe aldest ay fyrst þer-on watȝ done.
Such lyȝt þer lemed in alle þe strateȝ
Hem nedde nawþer sunne ne mone.
Vch pane of þat place had þre ȝateȝ,
So twelue in poursent I con asspye
Þe portaleȝ pyked of rych plateȝ
& vch ȝate of a margyrye,
A parfyt perle þat neuer fateȝ;
Vchon in scrypture a name con plye,
Of israel barneȝ folewande her dateȝ,
Þat is to say as her byrþ whateȝ;
Þe aldest ay fyrst þer-on watȝ done.
Such lyȝt þer lemed in alle þe strateȝ
Hem nedde nawþer sunne ne mone.
Of sunne ne mone had þay no nede
Þe self god watȝ her lompe lyȝt,
Þe lombe her lantyrne with-outen drede,
Þurȝ hym blysned þe borȝ al bryȝt.
Þurȝ woȝe & won my lokyng ȝede,
For sotyle cler moȝt lette no lyȝt;
Þe hyȝe trone þer moȝt ȝe hede
With alle þe apparaylmente vmbe-pyȝte,
As Iohan þe appostel in termeȝ tyȝte;
Þe hyȝe godeȝ self hit set vpone.
A reuer of þe trone þer ran out-ryȝte
Watȝ bryȝter þen boþe þe sunne & mone.
Þe self god watȝ her lompe lyȝt,
Þe lombe her lantyrne with-outen drede,
Þurȝ hym blysned þe borȝ al bryȝt.
Þurȝ woȝe & won my lokyng ȝede,
For sotyle cler moȝt lette no lyȝt;
Þe hyȝe trone þer moȝt ȝe hede
With alle þe apparaylmente vmbe-pyȝte,
As Iohan þe appostel in termeȝ tyȝte;
Þe hyȝe godeȝ self hit set vpone.
A reuer of þe trone þer ran out-ryȝte
Watȝ bryȝter þen boþe þe sunne & mone.
Sunne ne mone schon neuer so swete;
A! þat foysoun flode out of þat flet,
Swyþe hit swange þurȝ vch a strete,
With-outen fylþe oþer galle oþer glet.
Kyrk þer-inne watȝ non ȝete,
Chapel ne temple þat euer watȝ set,
Þe al-myȝty watȝ her mynyster mete,
Þe lombe þe saker-fyse þer to reget;
Þe ȝates stoken watȝ neuer þet,
Bot euer more vpen at vche a lone;
Þer entreȝ non to take reset,
Þat bereȝ any spot an-vnder mone.
A! þat foysoun flode out of þat flet,
Swyþe hit swange þurȝ vch a strete,
With-outen fylþe oþer galle oþer glet.
32
Chapel ne temple þat euer watȝ set,
Þe al-myȝty watȝ her mynyster mete,
Þe lombe þe saker-fyse þer to reget;
Þe ȝates stoken watȝ neuer þet,
Bot euer more vpen at vche a lone;
Þer entreȝ non to take reset,
Þat bereȝ any spot an-vnder mone.
The mone may þer-of acroche no myȝte
To spotty, ho is of body to grym,
& al-so þer ne is neuer nyȝt.
What schulde þe mone þer compas clym
& to euen wyth þat worþly lyȝt,
Þat schyneȝ vpon þe brokeȝ brym?
Þe planeteȝ arn in to pouer a plyȝt,
& þe self sunne ful fer to dym.
Aboute þat water arn tres ful schym,
Þat twelue fryteȝ of lyf con bere ful sone;
Twelue syþeȝ on ȝer þay beren ful frym
& re-nowleȝ nwe in vche a mone.
To spotty, ho is of body to grym,
& al-so þer ne is neuer nyȝt.
What schulde þe mone þer compas clym
& to euen wyth þat worþly lyȝt,
Þat schyneȝ vpon þe brokeȝ brym?
Þe planeteȝ arn in to pouer a plyȝt,
& þe self sunne ful fer to dym.
Aboute þat water arn tres ful schym,
Þat twelue fryteȝ of lyf con bere ful sone;
Twelue syþeȝ on ȝer þay beren ful frym
& re-nowleȝ nwe in vche a mone.
An-vnder mone so gret merwayle
No fleschly hert ne myȝt endeure,
As quen I blusched vpon þat baly,
So ferly þer-of watȝ þe falure.
I stod as stylle as dased quayle,
For ferly of þat french fygure,
Þat felde I nawþer reste ne trauayle,
So watȝ I rauyste wyth glymme pure;
For I dar say, with conciens sure,
Hade bodyly burne abiden þat bone,
Þaȝ alle clerkeȝ hym hade in cure,
His lyf wer loste an-vnder mone.
No fleschly hert ne myȝt endeure,
As quen I blusched vpon þat baly,
So ferly þer-of watȝ þe falure.
I stod as stylle as dased quayle,
For ferly of þat french fygure,
Þat felde I nawþer reste ne trauayle,
So watȝ I rauyste wyth glymme pure;
For I dar say, with conciens sure,
Hade bodyly burne abiden þat bone,
Þaȝ alle clerkeȝ hym hade in cure,
His lyf wer loste an-vnder mone.
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