 | The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience |  |
V.
“On perle,” quod I, “in perleȝ pyȝt,
Art þou my perle þat I haf playned,
Regretted by myn one, on nyȝte?
Much longeyng haf I for ȝe layned,
Syþen into gresse þou me aglyȝte;
Pensyf, payred, I am for-payned,
& þou in a lyf of lykyng lyȝte
In paradys erde, of stryf vnstrayned.
What wyrde hatȝ hyder my iuel vayned,
& don me in þys del & gret daunger?
Fro we in twynne wern towen & twayned,
I haf ben a Ioyleȝ Iuelere”
Art þou my perle þat I haf playned,
Regretted by myn one, on nyȝte?
Much longeyng haf I for ȝe layned,
Syþen into gresse þou me aglyȝte;
Pensyf, payred, I am for-payned,
& þou in a lyf of lykyng lyȝte
In paradys erde, of stryf vnstrayned.
What wyrde hatȝ hyder my iuel vayned,
& don me in þys del & gret daunger?
Fro we in twynne wern towen & twayned,
I haf ben a Ioyleȝ Iuelere”
That Iuel þenne in gemmyȝ gente,
Vered vp her vyse with yȝen graye,
Set on hyr coroun of perle orient,
& soberly after þenne con ho say:
“Sir ȝe haf your tale myse-tente,
To say your perle is al awaye,
Þat is in cofer, so comly clente,
As un þis gardyn gracios gaye,
Here-inne to lenge for euer & play.
Þer mys nee mornyng com neuer here,
Her were a forser for þe in faye,
If þou were a gentyl Iucler.
Vered vp her vyse with yȝen graye,
Set on hyr coroun of perle orient,
& soberly after þenne con ho say:
“Sir ȝe haf your tale myse-tente,
To say your perle is al awaye,
Þat is in cofer, so comly clente,
As un þis gardyn gracios gaye,
Here-inne to lenge for euer & play.
Þer mys nee mornyng com neuer here,
Her were a forser for þe in faye,
If þou were a gentyl Iucler.
Bot Iueler gente if þou schal lose
Þy ioy for a gemme þat þe watȝ lef,
Me þynk þe put in a mad porpose,
& busyeȝ þe aboute a raysoun bref,
For þat þou lesteȝ watȝ bot a rose,
Þat flowred & rayled as kynde hyt gef;
Now þurȝ kynde of þe kyste þat hyt con close,
To a perle of prys hit is put in pref;
& þou hatȝ called þy wyrde a þef,
Þat oȝt of moȝt hatȝ mad þe cler;
Þou blameȝ þe bote of þy meschef,
Þou art no kynde Iueler.”
9
Me þynk þe put in a mad porpose,
& busyeȝ þe aboute a raysoun bref,
For þat þou lesteȝ watȝ bot a rose,
Þat flowred & rayled as kynde hyt gef;
Now þurȝ kynde of þe kyste þat hyt con close,
To a perle of prys hit is put in pref;
& þou hatȝ called þy wyrde a þef,
Þat oȝt of moȝt hatȝ mad þe cler;
Þou blameȝ þe bote of þy meschef,
Þou art no kynde Iueler.”
A Iuel to me þen watȝ þys geste,
& iueleȝ wern hyr gentyl saweȝ”
“I-wyse,” quod I, “my blysfol beste,
My grete dystresse þou al to-draweȝ,
To be excused I make requeste;
I trawed my perle don out of daweȝ,
Now haf I fonde hyt I schal ma feste,
& wony with hyt in schyr wod schaweȝ,
& loue my lorde & al his laweȝ,
Þat hatȝ me broȝ[t] þys blys ner;
Now were I at yow by-ȝonde þise waweȝ,
I were a ioyfol Iueler.”
& iueleȝ wern hyr gentyl saweȝ”
“I-wyse,” quod I, “my blysfol beste,
My grete dystresse þou al to-draweȝ,
To be excused I make requeste;
I trawed my perle don out of daweȝ,
Now haf I fonde hyt I schal ma feste,
& wony with hyt in schyr wod schaweȝ,
& loue my lorde & al his laweȝ,
Þat hatȝ me broȝ[t] þys blys ner;
Now were I at yow by-ȝonde þise waweȝ,
I were a ioyfol Iueler.”
“Iueler,” sayde þat gemme clene,
“Wy borde ȝe men, so madde ȝe be?
Þre wordeȝ hatȝ þou spoken at ene,
Vn-avysed, for soþe, wern alle þre,
Þou ne woste in worlde quat on dotȝ mene,
Þy worde byfore þy wytte con fle.
Þou says þou Traweȝ me in þis dene,
By cawse þou may with yȝen me se;
Anoþer þou says, in þys countre
Þy self schal won with me ryȝt here;
Þe þrydde, to passe þys water fre,
Þat may no ioyfol Iueler.
“Wy borde ȝe men, so madde ȝe be?
Þre wordeȝ hatȝ þou spoken at ene,
Vn-avysed, for soþe, wern alle þre,
Þou ne woste in worlde quat on dotȝ mene,
Þy worde byfore þy wytte con fle.
Þou says þou Traweȝ me in þis dene,
By cawse þou may with yȝen me se;
Anoþer þou says, in þys countre
Þy self schal won with me ryȝt here;
Þe þrydde, to passe þys water fre,
Þat may no ioyfol Iueler.
| The Pearl; Cleanness; Patience | |