Pearl, transcribed by Ross G. Arthur

35 Pages·1999·0.084 MB·English

by  Arthur, Ross G. (ed.)

Pearl
transcribed by
Ross G. Arthur
In parentheses Publications
Middle English Series
Cambridge, Ontario 1999
39a
erle plea˜a(cid:158)te to prynces paye
(cid:229) to clanly clos in golde ˜o|clere
oute of oryent ˘ hardyly ˜aye
ne proued ˘ neu¥ her precios pere
˜o ro(cid:158)de ˜o reken in vche araye
˜o ˜mal ˜o ˜mo%e her ˜yde’ were
quere ˜o eu¥ ˘ ˘ugged g(cid:145)me’ gaye
˘|˜ette hyr ˜engeley (cid:148) ˜ynglure
allas ˘|le˜te hyr (cid:148)|on erbere
%ur’ gre˜˜e to gro(cid:158)de hit fro me yot 10
˘|dewyne for#dolked of luf daungere
of %at pryuy perle w(cid:160)#outen ˜pot
Sy%en (cid:148) %at ˜pote hit fro me ˜prange
ofte haf ˘ wayted wy˜chande %at wele
%at wont wat’ whyle deuoyde my wrange
& heuen my|happe & al|my hele
%(cid:160) dot’ bot %rych my hert %range
my bre˜te in|bale bot bolne & bele
’et %o’t me neu¥ ˜o|˜wete a|˜ange
as ˜tylle ˜to(cid:158)de let to me ˜tele 20
for ˜o%e %¥ fleten to me fele
to %enke hir color ˜o clad (cid:148) clot
o moul %¢ marre’ a|myry iuele
my p“uy perle w(cid:160)#outen ˜potte
3 %at ˜pot of ˜py˜e’ #####t nede’ ˜prede
%er ˜uch|ryche’ to rot is r(cid:158)nen
blome’ blayke & blwe & rede
%er ˜chyne’ ful ˜chyr agayn %e ˜(cid:159)ne
flor & fryte may not be fede
%er hit do(cid:159) drof (cid:148) molde’ d(cid:159)ne 30
for vch gre˜˜e mot grow of grayne’ dede
no whete were elle’ to wone’ w(cid:153)ne
of goud vche goude is ay by#g(cid:154)ne
˜o ˜emly a|˜ede mo’t fayly not
%(cid:160) ˜prygande ˜pyce’ vp ne ˜p(cid:153)ne
of %at p“cios perle wythouten ˜potte
39b
4 To %at ˜pot %at ˘ in ˜peche expo(cid:158)
˘|entred in|%at erber grene
in augo˜te in a|hy’ ˜ey˜o(cid:159)
quen corne is coruen wyth croke’ kene 40
on|huyle %er perle hit trendeled do(cid:159)
˜chadowed %is worte’ ful ˜chyre & ˜chene
gilofre gyngure & gromylyo(cid:159)
& pyonys powdered ay by#twene
’if hit wat’ ˜emly on to|˜ene
a|fayr reflayr ’et fro hit flot
%er wonys %at wor%yly ˘|wot & wene
my p“cio(cid:130) perle wyth#outen ˜pot
5 Bifore %at ˜pot my|honde ˘ ˜p(cid:144)nd
for care ful|colde %at to me ca’t 50
a|deuely dele in my hert d(cid:144)ned
%a’ re˜o(cid:159) ˜ette my#˜eluen ˜a’t
˘|playned my perle %(cid:160) %¥ wat’ ˜p(cid:144)ned
wyth fyrte ˜kylle’ %at fa˜te fa’t
%a’ kynde of kry˜t me comfort k(cid:144)ned
my wreched wylle (cid:148) wo ay|wra’te
˘|felle vpon %at floƒy fla’t
˜uche odoƒ to|my herne’ ˜chot
˘|˜lode vpon a ˜lep(cid:192)g ˜la’te
on %at p“cos perle w(cid:160)#outen ˜pot 60
Æ ro ˜pot my ˜pyryt %er ˜prang (cid:148) ˜pace
my body on|balke %er|bod (cid:148)|˜weuen
my go˜te is gon in gode’ grace
in auenture %¥ meruayle’ meuen
˘ ne wy˜te in|%is worlde quere %(cid:160) hit wace
bot ˘|knew me ke˜te %¥ klyfe’ cleuen
towarde a|fore˜te ˘ bere %e face
where rych rokke’ wer to dy˜creuen
%e|ly’t of hem my’t no mon|leuen
%e glemande glory %at of hem gl(cid:144)t 70
for wern neu¥ webbe’ %at wy’e’ weuen
of half ˜o dere adubmente
40a
7 Dubbed wern alle %o downe’ ˜yde’
w(cid:160) cry˜tal klyffe’ ˜o cler of kynde
holte#wode’ bry’t aboute hem|byde’
of bolle’ as blwe as ble of|ynde
as borny˜t ˜yluer %e lef on|˜lyde’
%at %ike con|trylle on vch a|tynde
quen glem of glode’ agayn’ hem|glyde’
wyth ˜chym¥(cid:192)g ˜chene ful ˜chrylle %ay ˜chynde 80
%e grauayl %at on gro(cid:158)de con grynde
wern p“cio(cid:130) perle’ of oryente
%e ˜(cid:158)ne#beme’ bot blo & blynde
˘n re˜pecte of %at adubbement
8 The adubbemente of %o downe’ dere
garten my go˜te al greffe for#’ete
˜o frech flauore’ of fryte’ were
as fode hit con me fayre refete
fowle’ %¥ flowen (cid:148) fryth (cid:148) fere
of fla(cid:159)bande hwe’ bo%e ˜male & grete 90
bot ˜ytole ˜tr(cid:192)g & gyt¥nere
her reken myr%e mo’t not retrete
for quen %o˜e brydde’ her wynge’ bete
%ay ˜ongen wyth a|˜wete a˜ent
˜o gracos gle cou%e no mon gete
as here & ˜e her adubbement
9 So al wat’ dubbet on|dere a˜y˜e
%at fryth %er|fortwne forth me fere’
%e der%e %erof for to deuy˜e
nis no wy’ wor%e %at tonge|bere’ 100
˘|welke ay forth (cid:148)|wely wy˜e
no bonk ˜o|byg %(cid:160) did me dere’
%e fyrre (cid:148) %e fryth %e|feier con ry˜e
%e playn %e|plontte’ %e ˜py˜e %e pere’
& rawe’ & rande’ & rych reuere’
as fyldor fyn her bnkes brent
˘|wan to a water by|˜chore %at ˜chere’
lorde dere wat’ hit adubbement
40b
10 The dubbemente of %o derworth depe
wern|bonke’ bene of|beryl bry’t 110
˜wangeande ˜wete %e|water con|˜wepe
wyth a|rownande rourde raykande ary’t
(cid:148) %e fo(cid:158)ce %¥ ˜tonden ˜tone’ ˜tepe
as glente %ur’ glas %at glowed & gly’t
a|˜tremande ˜terne’ quen ˜tro%e m(cid:144) ˜lepe
˜taren (cid:148) welkyn (cid:148) wynt¥ ny’t
for vche|a pobbel (cid:148) pole %er py’t
wat’ Emerad ˜affer o%¥ g(cid:145)me gente
%at alle %e lo’e lemed of|ly’t
˜o dere wat’ hit adubbem(cid:144)t 120
he dubbem(cid:144)t dere of do(cid:158) & dale’
(cid:223)
of wod & wat¥ & wlonk playne’
bylde in me blys abated my bale’
for#didden my|˜tre˜˜e dy˜tryed my payne’
do(cid:158) after a|˜trem %at dry’ly hale’
˘|bowed in|blys bred#ful my brayne’
%e fyrre ˘|fol’ed %o˜e floty vale’
%e more ˜trengh%e of ioye myn|herte ˜trayne’
as fortune fares %¥ as ho frayne’
whe%¥ ˜olace ho ˜ende o%¥ elle’ ˜ore 130
%e wy’ to wham her wylle ho wayne’
hytte’ to|haue ay more & more
12 More of wele wat’ (cid:148) %at wy˜e
%(cid:144) ˘|cow%e telle %a’|˘|tom hade
for vr%ely herte my’t not ˜uffy˜e
to %e ten%e|dole of %o gladne’ glade
for#%y ˘|%o’t %(cid:160) parady˜e
wat’ %er o%¥ gayn %o bonke’ brade
˘ hoped %e water were a|deuy˜e
by#twene myr%e’ by mere’ made 140
by’onde %e broke by|˜lente o%¥ ˜lade
˘|hope %(cid:160) mote merked wore
bot %e water wat’ depe ˘|dor˜t not wade
& eu¥ me longed a|more &|more
41a
13 More & more & ’et wel|mare
me|ly˜te to| ˜e %e|broke by#’onde
for if hit wat’ fayr %¥ ˘|con fare
wel loueloker wat’ %e fyrre londe
abowte me con ˘ ˜tote & ˜tare
to fynde a|for%e fa˜te con|˘|fonde 150
bot wo%e’ mo ˘wy˜˜e %¥ ware
%e fyrre ˘|˜talked by %e|˜tronde
& euer me %o’t ˘ ˜chulde not wonde
for wo %er|wele’ ˜o w(cid:192)ne wore
%(cid:144)ne nwe note me com on honde
%at meued my|mynde ay more|&|more
14 More meruayle con my dom ada(cid:158)t
˘|˜e’ by’onde %at myry mere
a|cry˜tal clyffe ful relu˜a(cid:158)t
mony|ryal ray con|fro hit rere 160
at %e fote %¥#of %¥ ˜ete a|fa(cid:158)t
a|mayden of men˜ke ful|debonere
bly˜nande whyt wat’ hyr blea(cid:158)t
˘|knew hyr wel ˘|hade ˜en hyr ere
as gly˜nande golde %at man con ˜chere
˜o ˜chon %at ˜chene an|vnder ˜hore
on|lengh$ ˘ loked to|hyr|%ere
%e lenger ˘|knew hyr more & more
15 The more ˘ fray˜te hyr fayre face
her fygure fyn quen ˘ had fonte 170
˜uche gladande glory con|to me glace
as lyttel byfore %erto wat’ wonte
to calle hyr ly˜te con me enchace
bot bay˜m(cid:144)t gef myn|hert a|br(cid:158)t
˘|˜e’ hyr in ˜o ˜trange a|place
˜uch a|burre my’t make m(cid:192) herte bl(cid:158)t
%(cid:144)ne vere’ ho vp her fayre fro(cid:158)t
hyr vy˜ayge whyt as playn yuore
%at ˜tonge m(cid:192) hert ful ˜tray ato(cid:158)t
& eu¥ %e|lenger %e more & more 180
41b
ore %en me ly˜te my drede aros
(cid:231)
˘|˜tod ful|˜tylle & dor˜te not calle
wyth y’en open & mouth ful|clos
˘ ˜tod as hende as hawk (cid:148) halle
˘ hope %at go˜tly wat’ %(cid:160) porpo˜e
˘ dred on#ende quat ˜chulde byfalle
le˜t ho me e˜chaped %at ˘%¥ chos
er ˘ at ˜teuen hir mo’t ˜talle
%at gracios gay w(cid:160)outen galle
˜o ˜mo%e ˜o ˜mal ˜o ˜eme ˜ly’t 190
ry˜e’ vp (cid:148) hir|araye ryalle
a p“cos pyece (cid:148) perle’ py’t
17 Perle’ py’te of|ryal prys
%ere mo’t mon by grace haf|˜ene
quen %at frech as flor de|lys
do(cid:158) %e bonke con|bo’e by#dene
al bly˜nande whyt wat’ hir beau|uiys
vpon at ˜yde’ &|bo(cid:158)den bene
wyth %e myrye˜te margarys at my|deuy˜e
%at eu¥ ˘|˜e’ ’et with myn y’en 200
wyth lappe’ large ˘|wot & ˘|wene
dubbed with double perle & dy’te
her cortel of ˜elf ˜ute ˜chene
w(cid:160) p“cios perle’ al vmbe#py’te
18 A py’t coroune ’et wer %at gyrle
of mariorys & non o%¥ ˜ton
hi’e pynakled of cler quyt perle
wyth flurted flowre’ perfet vpon
to hed hade ho non o%¥ werle
her lere leke al hyr vmbe#gon 210
her ˜embla(cid:158)t ˜ade for doc o%¥ erle
her ble more bla’t %en whalle’ bon
as ˜chorne golde ˜chyr her fax %(cid:144)ne ˜chon
on|˜chyldere’ %at legh$ vnlapped ly’te
her depe coloƒ ’et wonted non
of p“cios perle (cid:148) porfyl py’te
42a
19 Py’t wat’ poyned & vche a|h(cid:145)me
at honde at ˜yde’ at ouerture
wyth whyte perle & non o%¥ g(cid:145)me
&|borny˜te quyte wat’ hyr ue˜ture 220
bot a|wonder perle w(cid:160)#outen w(cid:145)me
in#mydde’ hyr|bre˜te wat’|˜ette ˜o ˜ure
a|m(cid:137)ne’ dom mo’t dry’ly d(cid:145)me
er mynde mo’t malte (cid:148) hit me˜ure
˘|hope no|tong mo’t endure
no ˜au¥ly ˜aghe ˜ay of %(cid:160) ˜y’t
˜o wat’ hit clene & cler & pure
%at p“cios perle %¥ hit wat’ py’t
20 Py’t in perle %at p“cios pyse
on wy%¥ half wat¥ com|do(cid:158) %e ˜chore 230
no gladder gome he%en (cid:148)#to grece
%(cid:144) ˘ quen|ho on|br(cid:216)me wore
ho wat’ me nerre %en|a(cid:158)te or nece
my ˘oy for#%y wat’ much %e more
ho „fered me ˜peche %(cid:160) ˜pecia´ |˜pyce
enclynande lowe (cid:148) w(cid:154)mon|lore
ca’te of her coro(cid:158) of grete tre˜ore
& hayl˜ed me wyth a|lote ly’te
wel wat’ me %(cid:160) eu¥ ˘|wat’ bore
to ˜ware %at ˜wete (cid:148) perle’ py’te 240
perle ˇ ˘ in|perle’ py’t
O
art %¢ my perle %at ˘|haf playned
regretted by m(cid:192) one on ny’te
much longe(cid:192)g haf ˘|for %e layned
˜y%en into gre˜˜e %¢ me agly’te
pen˜yf payred ˘|am|for#payned
& %¢ (cid:148) a|lyf of lyk(cid:192)g ly’te
in paradys erde of|˜tryf vn˜trayned
what wyrde hat’ hyder my iuel vayned
& don me in %ys del & gret daunger 250
fro we (cid:148) tw(cid:192)ne wern towen &|twayned
˘|haf ben a|˘oyle’ ˘uelere
42b
22 That ˘uel %(cid:144)ne in g(cid:145)me’ gente
vered vp her vy˜e w(cid:160) y’en graye
˜et on hyr coro(cid:158) of perle ori(cid:144)t
& ˜oberly after %(cid:144)ne con|ho ˜ay
(cid:236) ’e haf yoƒ tale my˜e#tente
to ˜ay yoƒ perle is al|awaye
%at is (cid:148)|cofer ˜o|comly clente
as (cid:148) %is gardyn gracios gaye 260
here#(cid:148)ne| to|lenge for|eu¥ & play
%er mys nee morn(cid:192)g com neu¥here
her were a|for˜er for %e (cid:148) faye
if %¢ were a|gentyl ˘ueler
23 Bot ˘ueler gente if %¢ ˜chal lo˜e
%y ioy for a|g(cid:145)me %at %e|wat’|lef
me %ynk %e put (cid:148) a|mad porpo˜e
& bu˜ye’ %e aboute a|ray˜o(cid:158) bref
for %at %¢ le˜te’ wat’ bot a|ro˜e
%at flowred &|fayled as kynde hyt gef 270
now %ur’ kynde of|%e ky˜te %(cid:160)|hyt con clo˜e
to a|perle of prys hit is put (cid:148) pref
& %¢ hat’ called %y wyrde a|%ef
%at o’t of no’t hat’ mad %e cler
%¢ blame’ %e|bote of %y me˜chef
%¢ art no kynde ˘ueler
24 A ˘uel to me %en wat’ %ys ge˜te
& iuele’ wern hyr g(cid:144)tyl ˜awe’
˘wy˜e ˇ ˘ my bly˜fol be˜te
my grete dy˜tre˜˜e %¢ al|todrawe’ 280
to|be excu˜ed ˘|make reque˜te
˘|trawed my perle don|out of dawe’
now haf ˘ fonde hyt ˘|˜chal ma fe˜te
& wony w(cid:160) hyt (cid:148) ˜chyr wod ˜chawe’
&|loue my lorde & al|his lawe’
%at hat’ me bro’ %ys blys ner
now were ˘ at yow by’onde %i˜e|wawe’
˘ were a ioyful ˘ueler
43a
25 Iueler ˜ayde %at g(cid:145)me clene
wy borde ’e|men ˜o madde ’e be 290
%re worde’ hat’ %¢ ˜poken at ene
vn#a#vy˜ed for|˜o%e wern alle %re
%¢ ne wo˜te in worlde quat ####on dot’ mene
%y worde by#fore %y wytte #######con|fle
%¢ ˜ays %¢ trawe’ me (cid:148) %is dene
by#caw˜e %¢ may w(cid:160) y’en me ˜e
ano%¥ %¢ ˜ays (cid:148) %ys co(cid:158)tre
%y#˜elf|˜chal won w(cid:160) me ry’t|here
%e %rydde to|pa˜˜e %ys wat¥ fre
%at may no ioyfol ˘ueler 300
halde %at iueler lyttel to pray˜e
(cid:237)
%at loue’ wel %(cid:160) he ˜e’ wyth y’e
& much to|blame & vn#cortoy˜e
%at leue’ oure lorde wolde make a|ly’e
%at lelly hy’te yoƒ lyf to ray˜e
%a’ fortune dyd yoƒ fle˜ch to dy’e
’e|˜etten hys worde’ ful we˜ternays
%at loue’ no#%(cid:192)k bot ’e hit ˜y’e
& %at (cid:148)s a|po(cid:192)t o|˜orquydry’e
%at vche god mon may euel by˜eme 310
to leue no|tale be t£e to|try’e
bot %at hys one ˜kyl may|dem
27 Deme now %y#˜elf if %¢ con|dayly
as man to god worde’ ˜chulde heue
%¢ ˜ayt’ %¢ ˜chal won (cid:148) %is bayly
me %ynk %e|burde fyr˜t a˜ke leue
& ’et of gra(cid:158)t %¢ my’te’ fayle
%¢ wylne’ ou¥ %ys water to|weue
er mo˜te %¢ ceuer to o%¥ co(cid:158)˜ayl
%y cor˜e (cid:148) clot mot calder keue 320
for hit wat’ for#garte at paradys greue
oure ’ore#fader hit con my˜˜e’eme
%ur’ drwry deth bo’ vch ma dreue
er ou¥ %ys dam h(cid:216) dry’t(cid:192) deme