[Sidenote: [Fol. 55a.]]
[Sidenote: Great delight takes possession of his mind.
He attempts to cross the stream. It was not pleasing to the Lord.]
Delyt me drof i{n} yȝe & ere,
My maneȝ mynde to maddy{n}g malte;
Quen I seȝ my frely I wolde be þere,
Byȝonde þe water, þaȝ ho were walte, 1156
I þoȝt þat no þy{n}g myȝt me dere
To fech me bur & take me halte;
& to start in þe strem schulde non me stere,
To swy{m}me þe remnau{n}t, þaȝ I þer swalte, 1160
Bot of þat mu{n}t I watȝ bi-talt;
When I schulde start i{n} þe strem astraye,
Out of þat caste I watȝ by-calt;
Hit watȝ not at my prynceȝ paye, 1164
[Headnote: THE FATHER OF THE MAIDEN AWAKES.]
[Sidenote: The dreamer awakes, and is in great sorrow.]
Hit payed hym not þat I so flonc,
Ou{er} meruelo{us} mereȝ so mad arayde,
Of raas þaȝ I were rasch & ronk,
Ȝet rapely þer-i{n}ne I watȝ restayed; 1168
For ryȝt as I sparred vn-to þe bonc,
Þat brathe out of my drem me brayde;
Þen wakned I i{n} þat erber wlonk,
My hede vpon þat hylle watȝ layde, 1172
Þer as my perle to grou{n}de strayd;
I raxled & fel i{n} gret affray,
& syky{n}g to my self I sayd:
“Now al be to þat prynceȝ paye.” 1176
[Sidenote: He addresses his pearl; laments his rash curiosity.]
Me payed ful ille to be out-fleme,
So sodenly of þat fayre regiou{n},
Fro alle þo syȝteȝ so quykeȝ & queme.
A longey{n}g heuy me strok i{n} swone, 1180
& rewfully þe{n}ne I con to reme;
“O perle,” q{uod} I, “of rych renou{n},
So watȝ hit me dere þ{a}t þ{o}u con deme,
I{n} þys v{er}ay avysyou{n}; 1184
If[49] hit be ueray & soth sermou{n},
Þat þ{o}u so stykeȝ i{n} garlande gay,
So wel is me i{n} þys doel dou{n}gou{n},
Þat þ{o}u art to þat prynseȝ paye.” 1188
[Sidenote 49: MS. _inf_.]
[Sidenote: [Fol. 55b.]]
[Sidenote: Men desire more than they have any right to expect.]
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, 1192
As helde drawen to goddeȝ p{re}sent,
To mo of his mysterys I hade ben dryuen.
Bot ay wolde man of happe more hente
Þen moȝten by ryȝt vpon hem clyuen; 1196
Þer-fore my ioye watȝ sone to-riuen,
& I kaste of kytheȝ þat lasteȝ aye.
Lorde! mad hit arn þat agayn þe stryuen,
Oþ{er} proferen þe oȝt agayn þy paye; 1200
[Headnote: GOD GIVE US GRACE TO SERVE HIM.]
[Sidenote: The good Christian knows how to make peace
with God. God give us grace to be his servants!]
To pay þe p{r}ince oþ{er} sete saȝte,
Hit is ful eþe to þe god krystyin;
For I haf fou{n}den hym boþe day & naȝte,
A god, a lorde, a frende ful fyin. 1204
Ou{er} þis hyl[50] þis lote I laȝte,
For pyty of my perle enclyin,
& syþen to god I hit by-taȝte,
In krysteȝ dere blessy{n}g & myn, 1208
Þat in þe forme of bred & wyn,
Þe preste v{us} scheweȝ vch a daye;
He gef v{us} to be his homly hyne,
Ande precio{us} perleȝ vnto his pay. Amen. Amen. 1212
[Sidenote 50: MS. _hyiıl_.]
NOTES: _The Pearl_.
Page 1.
l. 2, _to_, very.
8 _sengeley in synglure_, ever in singleness (uniqueness).
Now is Susan in sale _sengeliche_ arayed.
Pistel of Susan, Vernon MS., fol. 317.
11 _dewyne_, pine; _for-dolked_, for-wounded (severely hurt).
16 _heuen my happe_, increase my happiness.
17 _þrych my hert þrange_, through my heart pierce.
20 _stylle stounde_, a secret sorrow.
23
_O moul þou marreȝ a myry mele_,
O mould (earth) thou spoilest a merry discourse.