[Sidenote: [Fol. 49a.]]
[Sidenote: No one can win heaven except he be meek as a child.]
Ih{esu}c con calle to hy{m} hys mylde
& sayde hys ryche no wyȝ myȝt wy{n}ne.
Bot he com þyder ryȝt as a chylde,
Oþ{er} elleȝ neu{er} more com þer-i{n}ne, 724
Harmleȝ, trwe & vnde-fylde,
W{i}t{h}-outen mote oþ{er} mascle of sulpande sy{n}ne;
Quen such þer cnoken on þe bylde,
Tyt schal hem men þe ȝate vnpy{n}ne, 728
Þer is þe blys þat con not bly{n}ne,
Þat þe Iueler soȝte þurȝ perre pres
& solde alle hys goud boþe wolen & ly{n}ne,
To bye hy{m} a perle [þat] watȝ mascelleȝ. 732
[Headnote: FORSAKE THE MAD WORLD.]
[Sidenote: The pearl of price is like the kingdom of heaven,
pure and clean. Forsake the mad world and purchase the spotless
pearl.]
This makelleȝ perle þat boȝt is dere,
Þe Ioueler gef fore alle hys god,
Is lyke þe reme of heuenesse clere
So sayde þe fader of folde & flode, 736
For hit is we{m}leȝ, clene & clere,
& endeleȝ rou{n}de & blyþe of mode,
& co{m}mune to alle þat ryȝtwys[31] were,
Lo! euen i{n} myddeȝ my breste hit stode; 740
My lorde þe lombe þat schede hys blode,
He pyȝt hit þere i{n} token of pes;
I rede þe forsake þe worlde wode,
& porchace þy perle maskelles.” 744
[Sidenote 31: MS. _ryȝtywys_.]
[Sidenote: The father of the maiden desires to know who formed
her figure and wrought her garments. Her beauty, he says,
is not natural. Her colour passes the fleur-de-lis.]
“O maskeleȝ perle i{n} perleȝ pure
Þat bereȝ,” q{uod} I, “þe perle of prys,
Quo formed þe þy fayre fygure?
Þat wroȝt þy wede, he watȝ ful wys; 748
Þy beaute com neu{er} of nature,
Pymalyon paynted neu{er} þy vys,
Ne arystotel nawþ{er} by hys lettrure
Of carpe þe kynde þese p{ro}perteȝ. 752
Þy colo{ur} passeȝ þe flo{ur}-de-lys,
Þyn angel hauy{n}g so clene corteȝ
Breue me bryȝt, quat-kyn of p{r}iys[32]
Bereȝ þe perle so maskelleȝ.” 756
[Sidenote 32: The MS. has _triys_.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 49b.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden explains to her father that she is a bride
of Christ. She is without spot or blemish. Her weeds are washed
in the blood of Christ.]
“My makeleȝ lambe þat al may bete,”
Q{uod} scho, “my dere destyné
Me ches to hys make al-þaȝ vnmete,
Su{m} tyme semed þ{a}t assemblé 760
When I wente fro yor worlde wete.
He calde me to hys bon{er}té,
‘Cu{m} hyder to me my le{m}man swete,
For mote ne spot is non i{n} þe:’ 764
He gef me myȝt & als bewté.
I{n} hys blod he wesch my wede on dese,
& coronde clene i{n} v{er}gynté,
& pyȝt me i{n} perleȝ maskelleȝ.” 768
[Sidenote: The father asks the nature of the Lamb that has
chosen his daughter, and why she is selected as a bride.]
“Why maskelleȝ bryd þat bryȝt con flambe
Þat reiateȝ hatȝ so ryche & ryf,
Quat-kyn þy{n}g may be þat lambe,
Þat þe wolde wedde vnto hys vyf? 772
Ou{er} alle oþ{er} so hyȝ þ{o}u clambe,
To lede w{i}t{h} hy{m} so ladyly lyf
So mony a cumly on v{n}der cambe,
For kryst han lyued i{n} much stryf, 776
& þ{o}u con alle þo dere out-dryf,
& fro þat maryag al oþ{er} depres,
Al only þyself so stout & styf,
A makeleȝ may & maskelleȝ.” 780
[Headnote: THE LAMB AND HIS BRIDES.]