XVIII.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 52b.]]

[Sidenote: The maiden then tells her father to go along the bank

till he comes to a hill. He reaches the hill, and beholds the

heavenly city.]

If I þis mote þe schal vn-hyde,

Bow vp to-warde þys borneȝ heued,

& I an-endeȝ þe on þis syde

Schal sve, tyl þ{o}u to a hil be veued, 976

Þe{n} wolde [I] no lenger byde,

Bot lurked by lau{n}ceȝ so lufly leued,

Tyl on a hyl þat I asspyed

& blusched on þe burgh{e}, as I forth dreued, 980

By-ȝonde þe brok fro me warde keued,

Þat schyrrer þen su{n}ne w{i}t{h} schafteȝ schon;

I{n} þe apokalypce is þe fasou{n} preued,

As deuyseȝ hit þe apostel Ihoñ. 984

[Sidenote: As St. John saw it, so he beheld it. The city was

of burnished gold. Pitched upon gems, the foundation composed

of twelve stones.]

As Ioh{a}n þe apostel hit syȝ w{i}t{h} syȝt

I syȝe þat cyty of gret renou{n},

I{e}r{usa}l{e}m so nwe & ryally dyȝt,

As hit watȝ lyȝt fro þe heuen adou{n}. 988

Þe borȝ watȝ al of brende golde bryȝt,

As glemande glas burnist brou{n},

W{i}t{h} gentyl ge{m}meȝ an-vnder pyȝt;

W{i}t{h} banteleȝ twelue on basy{n}g boun, 992

Þe fou{n}dementeȝ twelue of riche tenou{n};

Vch tabelment watȝ a serlypeȝ ston,

As derely deuyseȝ þis ilk tou{n},

I{n} apocalyppeȝ þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 996

[Sidenote: The names of the precious stones.]

[Sidenote: i. Jasper. ii. Sapphire. iii. Chalcedony.

iv. Emerald. v. Sardonyx. vi. Ruby.]

As þise stoneȝ i{n} writ con ne{m}me

I knew þe name aft{er} his tale;

Iasper hyȝt þe fyrst ge{m}me,

Þat I on þe fyrst basse con wale, 1000

He glente grene i{n} þe lowest he{m}me.

Saffer helde þe secou{n}de stale,

Þe calsydoyne þe{n}ne w{i}t{h}-outen we{m}me,

I{n} þe þryd table con purly pale; 1004

Þe emerade þe furþe so grene of scale;

Þe sardonyse þe fyfþe ston;

Þe sexte þe rybe he con hit wale,

I{n} þe apocalyppce þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 1008

[Sidenote: [Fol. 53a.]]

[Sidenote: vii. Chrysolite. viii. Beryl. ix. Topaz.

x. Chrysoprasus. xi. Jacinth. xii. Amethyst.]

Ȝet Ioyned Ioh{a}n þe crysolyt,

Þe seuenþe ge{m}me i{n} fundament;

Þe aȝtþe þe beryl cler & quyt

Þe topasye twy{n}ne how þe ne{n}te endent; 1012

Þe crysopase þe tenþe is tyȝt;

Þe Iacy{n}gh[41] þe enleuenþe gent;

Þe twelfþe þe gentyleste i{n} veh a plyt,

Þe amatyst purpre w{i}t{h} ynde blente; 1016

Þe wal abof þe bantels bent,

Masporye as glas þat glysnande schon,

I knew hit by his deuysement,

I{n} þe apocalyppeȝ þe apostel I{o}h{a}n. 1020

[Sidenote 41: _Iacynth_ (?).]

[Sidenote: The city was square. The wall was of jasper.

Twelve thousand furlongs in length and breadth.]

As Ioh{a}n deuysed ȝet saȝ I þare.

Þise twelue de-gres wern brode & stayre,

Þe cyte stod abof ful sware,

As longe as brode as hyȝe ful fayre; 1024

Þe streteȝ of golde as glasse al bare,

Þe wal of Iasper þat glent as glayre;

Þe woneȝ w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne enurned ware

Wyth alle ky{n}neȝ perre þat moȝt repayre, 1028

Þe{n}ne helde vch sware of þis manayre,

Twelue forlonge space er eu{er} hit fon,

Of heȝt, of brede, of lenþe to cayre,

For meten hit syȝ þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 1032

[Headnote: NO SUN NOR MOON IN HEAVEN.]

Early English Alliterative Poems in the West-Midland Dialect of the Fourteenth Century · 第 55 / 191 题