 | The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience |  |
XXI.
Delyt me drof in yȝe & ere,
My maneȝ mynde to maddyng malte;
Quen I seȝ my frely I wolde be þere,
Byȝonde þe water, þaȝ ho were walte,
I þoȝt þat no þyng myȝt me dere
To fech me bur & take me halte;
& to start in þe strem schulde non me stere,
To swymme þe remnaunt, þaȝ I þer swalte,
Bot of þat munt I watȝ bi-talt;
When I schulde start in þe strem astraye,
Out of þat caste I watȝ by-calt;
Hit watȝ not at my prynceȝ paye,
My maneȝ mynde to maddyng malte;
Quen I seȝ my frely I wolde be þere,
Byȝonde þe water, þaȝ ho were walte,
I þoȝt þat no þyng myȝt me dere
To fech me bur & take me halte;
& to start in þe strem schulde non me stere,
To swymme þe remnaunt, þaȝ I þer swalte,
Bot of þat munt I watȝ bi-talt;
When I schulde start in þe strem astraye,
Out of þat caste I watȝ by-calt;
Hit watȝ not at my prynceȝ paye,
Hit payed hym not þat I so flonc,
Ouer meruelous mereȝ so mad arayde,
Of raas þaȝ I were rasch & ronk,
Ȝet rapely þer-inne I watȝ restayed;
For ryȝt as I sparred vn-to þe bonc,
Þat brathe out of my drem me brayde;
Þen wakned I in þat erber wlonk,
My hede vpon þat hylle watȝ layde,
Þer as my perle to grounde strayd;
I raxled & fel in gret affray,
& sykyng to my self I sayd:
“Now al be to þat prynceȝ paye.”
Ouer meruelous mereȝ so mad arayde,
Of raas þaȝ I were rasch & ronk,
Ȝet rapely þer-inne I watȝ restayed;
For ryȝt as I sparred vn-to þe bonc,
Þat brathe out of my drem me brayde;
Þen wakned I in þat erber wlonk,
My hede vpon þat hylle watȝ layde,
Þer as my perle to grounde strayd;
I raxled & fel in gret affray,
& sykyng to my self I sayd:
“Now al be to þat prynceȝ paye.”
Me payed ful ille to be out-fleme,
So sodenly of þat fayre regioun,
Fro alle þo syȝteȝ so quykeȝ & queme.
A longeyng heuy me strok in swone,
& rewfully þenne I con to reme;
“O perle,” quod I, “of rych renoun,
So watȝ hit me dere þat þou con deme,
In þys veray avysyoun;
If hit be ueray & soth sermoun,
Þat þou so stykeȝ in garlande gay,
So wel is me in þys doel doungoun,
Þat þou art to þat prynseȝ paye.”
So sodenly of þat fayre regioun,
Fro alle þo syȝteȝ so quykeȝ & queme.
A longeyng heuy me strok in swone,
& rewfully þenne I con to reme;
“O perle,” quod I, “of rych renoun,
So watȝ hit me dere þat þou con deme,
In þys veray avysyoun;
If hit be ueray & soth sermoun,
Þat þou so stykeȝ in garlande gay,
So wel is me in þys doel doungoun,
Þat þou art to þat prynseȝ paye.”
To þat prynceȝ paye hade I ay bente,
& ȝerned no more þen watȝ me geuen,
& halden me þer in trwe entent,
As þe perle me prayed þat watȝ so þryuen,
As helde drawen to goddeȝ present,
To mo of his mysterys I hade ben dryuen.
Bot ay wolde man of happe more hente
Þen moȝten by ryȝt vpon hem clyuen;
Þer-fore my ioye watȝ sone to-riuen,
& I kaste of kytheȝ þat lasteȝ aye.
Lorde! mad hit arn þat agayn þa stryuen,
Oþer proferen þe oȝt agayn þy paye;
To pay þe prince oþer sete saȝte,
& ȝerned no more þen watȝ me geuen,
& halden me þer in trwe entent,
As þe perle me prayed þat watȝ so þryuen,
As helde drawen to goddeȝ present,
To mo of his mysterys I hade ben dryuen.
Bot ay wolde man of happe more hente
Þen moȝten by ryȝt vpon hem clyuen;
Þer-fore my ioye watȝ sone to-riuen,
& I kaste of kytheȝ þat lasteȝ aye.
Lorde! mad hit arn þat agayn þa stryuen,
Oþer proferen þe oȝt agayn þy paye;
Hit is ful eþe to þe god krystyin;
For I haf founden hym boþe day & naȝte,
A god, a lorde, a frende ful fyin.
Ouer þis hyl þis lote I laȝte,
For pyty of my perle enclyin,
& syþen to god I hit by-taȝte,
In krysteȝ dere blessyng & myn,
Þat in þe forme of bred & wyn,
Þe preste vus scheweȝ vch a daye;
He gef vus to be his homly hyne,
Ande precious perleȝ vnto his pay.
Amen. Amen.
| The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience | |