 | The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience |  |
XX.
Ryȝt as þe maynful mone con rys,
Er þenne þe day-glem dryue al doun,
So sodanly on a wonder wyse,
I watȝ war of a prosessyoun.
Þis noble cite of ryche enpresse
Watȝ sodanly ful with-outen sommoun
Of such vergyneȝ in þe same gyse
Þat watȝ my blysful an-vnder croun,
& coronde wern alle of þe same fasoun
Depaynt in perleȝ & wedeȝ qwyte,
In vchoneȝ breste warȝ bounden boun,
Þe blysful perle with gret delyt.
Er þenne þe day-glem dryue al doun,
33
I watȝ war of a prosessyoun.
Þis noble cite of ryche enpresse
Watȝ sodanly ful with-outen sommoun
Of such vergyneȝ in þe same gyse
Þat watȝ my blysful an-vnder croun,
& coronde wern alle of þe same fasoun
Depaynt in perleȝ & wedeȝ qwyte,
In vchoneȝ breste warȝ bounden boun,
Þe blysful perle with gret delyt.
With gret delyt þay glod in fere,
On golden gateȝ þat glent as glasse;
Hundreth þowsandeȝ I wot þer were,
& alle in sute her liureȝ wasse,
Tor to knaw þe gladdest chere.
Þe lombe byfore con proudly passe,
Wyth horneȝ seuen of red golde cler,
As praysed perleȝ his wedeȝ wasse;
Towarde þe throne þay trone a tras.
Þaȝ þay wern fele no pres in plyt,
Bot mylde as maydeneȝ seme at mas,
So droȝ þay forth with gret delyt.
On golden gateȝ þat glent as glasse;
Hundreth þowsandeȝ I wot þer were,
& alle in sute her liureȝ wasse,
Tor to knaw þe gladdest chere.
Þe lombe byfore con proudly passe,
Wyth horneȝ seuen of red golde cler,
As praysed perleȝ his wedeȝ wasse;
Towarde þe throne þay trone a tras.
Þaȝ þay wern fele no pres in plyt,
Bot mylde as maydeneȝ seme at mas,
So droȝ þay forth with gret delyt.
Delyt þat hys come encroched,
To much hit were of for to melle;
Þise alder men quen he aproched,
Grouelyng to his fete þay felle;
Legyounes of aungeleȝ togeder uoched,
Þer kesten ensens of swete smelle,
Þen glory & gle watȝ nwe abroched.
Al songe to loue þat gay Iuelle,
Þe steuen moȝt stryke þurȝ þe vrþe to helle,
Þat þe vertues of heuen of Ioye endyte,
To loue þe lombe his meyny in melle,
I-wysse I laȝt a gret delyt;
To much hit were of for to melle;
Þise alder men quen he aproched,
Grouelyng to his fete þay felle;
Legyounes of aungeleȝ togeder uoched,
Þer kesten ensens of swete smelle,
Þen glory & gle watȝ nwe abroched.
Al songe to loue þat gay Iuelle,
Þe steuen moȝt stryke þurȝ þe vrþe to helle,
Þat þe vertues of heuen of Ioye endyte,
To loue þe lombe his meyny in melle,
I-wysse I laȝt a gret delyt;
Delit þe lombe forto deuise,
With much meruayle in mynde went.
Best watȝ he, blyþest & moste to pryse,
Þat euer I herde of speche spent,
So worþly whyt wern wedeȝ hys;
His lokeȝ symple, hym self so gent,
Bot a wounde ful wyde & weete con wyse
An-ende hys hert þurȝ hyde to-rente;
Of his quyte syde his blod out-sprent,
A-las þoȝt I, who did þat spyt?
Ani breste for bale aȝt haf for-brent,
Er he þer-to hade had delyt.
With much meruayle in mynde went.
34
Þat euer I herde of speche spent,
So worþly whyt wern wedeȝ hys;
His lokeȝ symple, hym self so gent,
Bot a wounde ful wyde & weete con wyse
An-ende hys hert þurȝ hyde to-rente;
Of his quyte syde his blod out-sprent,
A-las þoȝt I, who did þat spyt?
Ani breste for bale aȝt haf for-brent,
Er he þer-to hade had delyt.
The lombe delyt non lyste to wene,
Þaȝ he were hurt & wounde hade,
In his sembelaunt watȝ neuer sene,
So wern his glenteȝ gloryous glade.
I loked among his meyny schene,
How þay wyth lyf wern laste & lade,
Þen saȝ I þer my lyttel quene,
Þat I wende had standen by me in sclade;
Lorde! much of mirþe watȝ þat ho made,
Among her fereȝ þat watȝ so quyt!
Þat syȝt me gart to þenk to wade,
For luf longyng in gret delyt.
Þaȝ he were hurt & wounde hade,
In his sembelaunt watȝ neuer sene,
So wern his glenteȝ gloryous glade.
I loked among his meyny schene,
How þay wyth lyf wern laste & lade,
Þen saȝ I þer my lyttel quene,
Þat I wende had standen by me in sclade;
Lorde! much of mirþe watȝ þat ho made,
Among her fereȝ þat watȝ so quyt!
Þat syȝt me gart to þenk to wade,
For luf longyng in gret delyt.
| The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience | |