Pearl

Section I

[folio 39r]

Perle, pleasaunte to prynces paye To clanly clos in golde so clere, Oute of oryent, I hardyly saye, Ne proued I neuer her precios pere. So rounde, so reken in vche araye, So smal, so smoþe her sydeȝ were, Quere-so-euer I jugged gemmeȝ gaye, I sette hyr sengeley in synglere. Allas! I leste hyr in on erbere; Þurȝ gresse to grounde hit fro me yot. I dewyne, fordolked of luf-daungere Of þat pryuy perle wythouten spot.

Syþen in þat spote hit fro me sprange, Ofte haf I wayted, wyschande þat wele, Þat wont watȝ whyle deuoyde my wrange And heuen my happe and al my hele. Þat dotȝ bot þrych my hert þrange, My breste in bale bot bolne and bele; Ȝet þoȝt me neuer so swete a sange As stylle stounde let to me stele. For soþe þer fleten to me fele, To þenke hir color so clad in clot. O moul, þou marreȝ a myry iuele, My priuy perle wythouten spotte.

Þat spot of spyseȝ mot nedeȝ sprede, Þer such rycheȝ to rot is runne; Blomeȝ blayke and blwe and rede Þer schyneȝ ful schyr agayn þe sunne. Flor and fryte may not be fede Þer hit doun drof in moldeȝ dunne; For vch gresse mot grow of grayneȝ dede; No whete were elleȝ to woneȝ wonne. Of goud vche goude is ay bygonne; So semly a sede moȝt fayly not, Þat spryngande spyceȝ vp ne sponne Of þat precios perle wythouten spotte.

[folio 39v] To þat spot þat I in speche expoun I entred in þat erber grene, In Augoste in a hyȝ seysoun, Quen corne is coruen wyth crokeȝ kene. On huyle þer perle hit trendeled doun Schadowed þis worteȝ ful schyre and schene, Gilofre, gyngure and gromylyoun, And pyonys powdered ay bytwene. Ȝif hit watȝ semly on to sene, A fayr reflayr ȝet fro hit flot. Þer wonys þat worþyly, I wot and wene, My precious perle wythouten spot.

Bifore þat spot my honde I spenned For care ful colde þat to me caȝt; A deuely dele in my hert denned, Þaȝ resoun sette myseluen saȝt.

I playned my perle þat þer watȝ spenned Wyth fyrce skylleȝ þat faste faȝt; Þaȝ kynde of Kryst me comfort kenned, My wreched wylle in wo ay wraȝte. I felle vpon þat floury flaȝt, Suche odour to my herneȝ schot; I slode vpon a slepyng-slaȝte On þat precios perle wythouten spot.