[Sidenote: He is little to be praised who loves what he sees.
To love nothing but what one sees is great presumption.]
I halde þat iueler lyttel to prayse.
Þat loueȝ wel þ{a}t he seȝ wyth yȝe,
& much to blame & vn-cortoyse,
Þat loueȝ[10] oure lorde wolde make a lyȝe, 304
Þat lelly hyȝte yo{ur} lyf to rayse,
Þaȝ fortune dyd yo{ur} flesch to dyȝe;
Ȝe setten hys wordeȝ ful westernays
Þat loueȝ[11] no þy{n}k bot ȝe hit syȝe, 308
& þat is[12] a poy{n}t o sorquydryȝe,
Þat vche god mon may euel byseme
To leue no tale be t{ru}e to tryȝe,
Bot þat hys one skyl may dem[e]. 312
[Sidenote 10: Looks at first sight like _lyueȝ_--MS. rubbed, but
read _leueȝ_.]
[Sidenote 11: Read _leueȝ_.]
[Sidenote 12: The MS. reads _īs_.]
[Sidenote: To live in this kingdom (_i.e._ heaven) leave must be
asked. This stream must be passed over by death.]
Deme now þy-self, if þ{o}u con, dayly
As man to god wordeȝ schulde heue.
Þ{o}u saytȝ þ{o}u schal won i{n} þis bayly;
Me þynk þe burde fyrst aske leue, 316
& ȝet of grau{n}t þ{o}u myȝteȝ fayle;
Þ{o}u wylneȝ ou{er} þys water to weue,
Er moste þ{o}u ceuer to oþ{er} cou{n}sayl,
Þy corse i{n} clot mot calder keue, 320
For hit watȝ for-garte, at paradys greue
Oure ȝore fader hit con mysseȝeme;
Þurȝ drwry deth boȝ vch ma dreue,
Er ou{er} þys dam hy{m} dryȝty{n} deme.” 324
[Sidenote: [Fol. 43b.]]
[Sidenote: The father asks his pearl whether she is about to
doom him to sorrow again. If he loses his pearl he does not care
what happens to him.]
“Demeȝ þ{o}u me,” q{uod} I, “my swete
To dol agayn, þe{n}ne I dowyne;
Now haf I fonte þat I for-lete
Schal I efte for-go hit er eu{er} I fyne? 328
Why schal I hit boþe mysse & mete?
My p{re}cios perle dotȝ me gret pyne,
What serueȝ tresor, bot gareȝ men grete
When he hit schal efte w{i}t{h} teneȝ tyne? 332
Now rech I neu{er} forto declyne,
Ne how fer of folde þat man me fleme,
When I am partleȝ of perleȝ myne.
Bot durande doel what may men deme?” 336
[Headnote: ALL MUST ABIDE GOD’S DOOM.]
[Sidenote: The maiden tells her father to suffer patiently.
Though he may dance as any doe, yet he must abide God’s doom.]
“Thow demeȝ noȝt bot doel dystresse,”
Þenne sayde þat wyȝt “why dotȝ þ{o}u so?
For dyne of doel, of lureȝ lesse,
Ofte mony mon for-gos þe mo; 340
Þe oȝte better þy seluen blesse,
& loue ay god &[13] wele & wo,
For anger gayneȝ þe not a cresse.
Who nedeȝ schal þole be not so þro; 344
For þoȝ þ{o}u dau{n}ce as any do
Brau{n}dysch & bray þy braþeȝ breme,
When þ{o}u no fyrre may, to ne fro,
Þ{o}u moste abyde þat he schal deme. 348
[Sidenote 13: _in_ or _an_ (?).]
[Sidenote: He must cease to strive. All lies in God’s power
to make men joyful or sad.]
Deme dryȝtyn, euer hy{m} adyte,
Of þe way a fote ne wyl he wryþe,
Þy mendeȝ mou{n}teȝ not a myte,
Þaȝ þ{o}u for sorȝe be neu{er} blyþe; 352
Sty{n}st of þy strot & fyne to flyte,
& sech hys blyþe ful swefte[14] & swyþe,
Þy prayer may hys pyte byte,
Þat mercy schal hyr crafteȝ kyþe; 356
Hys comforte may þy lango{ur} lyþe,
& þy lureȝ of lyȝtly leme,
For marre oþ{er} madde, morne & myþe,
Al lys i{n} hym to dyȝt & deme.” 360
[Sidenote 14: MS. _sweste_.]
[Headnote: THE BEREAVED PARENT ASKS HIS CHILD’S PITY.]