Early English Alliterative Poems 12

Early English Alliterative Poems 12

[Sidenote: The father begs the maiden to excuse his speech, for

he really thought his pearl was wholly lost to him.]

A Iuel to me þen watȝ þys geste,

& iueleȝ wern hyr ge{n}tyl saweȝ,

“I-wyse,” q{uod} I, “my blysfol beste,

My grete dystresse þ{o}u al to-draweȝ, 280

To be excused I make requeste;

I trawed my perle don out of daweȝ,

Now haf I fonde hyt I schal ma feste,

& wony w{i}t{h} hyt i{n} schyr wod schaweȝ, 284

& loue my lorde & al his laweȝ,

Þat hatȝ me broȝ[t] þys blys ner;

Now were I at yow by-ȝonde þise waweȝ,

I were a ioyfol Iueler.” 288

 

[Sidenote: [Fol. 43a.]]

[Sidenote: The maiden tells her father that he has spoken

three words without knowing the meaning of one. The first word.

The second. The third.]

“Iueler,” sayde þat ge{m}me clene,

“Wy borde ȝe men, so madde ȝe be?

Þre wordeȝ hatȝ þ{o}u spoken at ene,

Vn-avysed, for soþe, wern alle þre, 292

Þou ne woste in worlde quat on dotȝ mene,

Þy worde byfore þy wytte con fle.

Þou says þ{o}u traweȝ me i{n} þis dene,

By cawse þ{o}u may w{i}t{h} yȝen me se; 296

Anoþ{er} þ{o}u says, i{n} þys cou{n}tre

Þy self schal won w{i}t{h} me ryȝt here;

Þe þrydde, to passe þys wat{er} fre,

Þat may no ioyfol Iueler. 300

 

 

[Headnote: DEATH IS THE ROAD TO PARADISE.]

 

VI.

 

[Sidenote: He is little to be praised who loves what he sees.

To love nothing but what one sees is great presumption.]

I halde þat iueler lyttel to prayse.

Þat loueȝ wel þ{a}t he seȝ wyth yȝe,

& much to blame & vn-cortoyse,

Þat loueȝ[10] oure lorde wolde make a lyȝe, 304

Þat lelly hyȝte yo{ur} lyf to rayse,

Þaȝ fortune dyd yo{ur} flesch to dyȝe;

Ȝe setten hys wordeȝ ful westernays

Þat loueȝ[11] no þy{n}k bot ȝe hit syȝe, 308

& þat is[12] a poy{n}t o sorquydryȝe,

Þat vche god mon may euel byseme

To leue no tale be t{ru}e to tryȝe,

Bot þat hys one skyl may dem[e]. 312

 

[Sidenote 10: Looks at first sight like _lyueȝ_--MS. rubbed, but

read _leueȝ_.]

[Sidenote 11: Read _leueȝ_.]

[Sidenote 12: The MS. reads _īs_.]

 

[Sidenote: To live in this kingdom (_i.e._ heaven) leave must be

asked. This stream must be passed over by death.]

Deme now þy-self, if þ{o}u con, dayly

As man to god wordeȝ schulde heue.

Þ{o}u saytȝ þ{o}u schal won i{n} þis bayly;

Me þynk þe burde fyrst aske leue, 316

& ȝet of grau{n}t þ{o}u myȝteȝ fayle;

Þ{o}u wylneȝ ou{er} þys water to weue,

Er moste þ{o}u ceuer to oþ{er} cou{n}sayl,

Þy corse i{n} clot mot calder keue, 320

For hit watȝ for-garte, at paradys greue

Oure ȝore fader hit con mysseȝeme;

Þurȝ drwry deth boȝ vch ma dreue,

Er ou{er} þys dam hy{m} dryȝty{n} deme.” 324

 

[Sidenote: [Fol. 43b.]]

[Sidenote: The father asks his pearl whether she is about to

doom him to sorrow again. If he loses his pearl he does not care

what happens to him.]

“Demeȝ þ{o}u me,” q{uod} I, “my swete

To dol agayn, þe{n}ne I dowyne;

Now haf I fonte þat I for-lete

Schal I efte for-go hit er eu{er} I fyne? 328

Why schal I hit boþe mysse & mete?

My p{re}cios perle dotȝ me gret pyne,

What serueȝ tresor, bot gareȝ men grete

When he hit schal efte w{i}t{h} teneȝ tyne? 332

Now rech I neu{er} forto declyne,

Ne how fer of folde þat man me fleme,

When I am partleȝ of perleȝ myne.

Bot durande doel what may men deme?” 336

 

[Headnote: ALL MUST ABIDE GOD’S DOOM.]

 

[Sidenote: The maiden tells her father to suffer patiently.

Though he may dance as any doe, yet he must abide God’s doom.]

“Thow demeȝ noȝt bot doel dystresse,”

Þenne sayde þat wyȝt “why dotȝ þ{o}u so?

For dyne of doel, of lureȝ lesse,

Ofte mony mon for-gos þe mo; 340

Þe oȝte better þy seluen blesse,

& loue ay god &[13] wele & wo,

For anger gayneȝ þe not a cresse.

Who nedeȝ schal þole be not so þro; 344

For þoȝ þ{o}u dau{n}ce as any do

Brau{n}dysch & bray þy braþeȝ breme,

When þ{o}u no fyrre may, to ne fro,

Þ{o}u moste abyde þat he schal deme. 348

 

[Sidenote 13: _in_ or _an_ (?).]

 

[Sidenote: He must cease to strive. All lies in God’s power

to make men joyful or sad.]

Deme dryȝtyn, euer hy{m} adyte,

Of þe way a fote ne wyl he wryþe,

Þy mendeȝ mou{n}teȝ not a myte,

Þaȝ þ{o}u for sorȝe be neu{er} blyþe; 352

Sty{n}st of þy strot & fyne to flyte,

& sech hys blyþe ful swefte[14] & swyþe,

Þy prayer may hys pyte byte,

Þat mercy schal hyr crafteȝ kyþe; 356

Hys comforte may þy lango{ur} lyþe,

& þy lureȝ of lyȝtly leme,

For marre oþ{er} madde, morne & myþe,

Al lys i{n} hym to dyȝt & deme.” 360

 

[Sidenote 14: MS. _sweste_.]

 

 

[Headnote: THE BEREAVED PARENT ASKS HIS CHILD’S PITY.]

 

VII.

 

[Sidenote: [Fol. 44a.]]

[Sidenote: The father beseeches the pearl to have pity upon him.]

Thenne demed I to þat damyselle,

Ne worþe no wrath þe vnto my lorde,

If rapely raue[15] spornande i{n} spelle.

My herte watȝ al w{i}t{h} mysse remorde, 364

As wallande water gotȝ out of welle;

I do me ay i{n} hys myserecorde.

Rebuke me neu{er} w{i}t{h} wordeȝ felle,

Þaȝ I forloyne my dere endorde, 368

Bot lyþeȝ me kyndely yo{ur} cou{m}forde,

Pytosly þenkande vpon þysse;

Of care & me ȝe made acorde,

Þat er watȝ grou{n}de of alle my blysse; 372

 

[Sidenote 15: _rane_ (?).]

 

[Sidenote: He says that she has been both his bale and bliss.

And when he lost her, he knew not what had become of her.]

My blysse, my bale ȝe han ben boþe,

Bot much þe bygger ȝet watȝ my mon,

Fro þ{o}u watȝ wroken fro vch a woþe.

I wyste neu{er} quere my perle watȝ gon; 376

Now I hit se, now leþeȝ my loþe,

& quen we departed we wern at on,

God forbede we be now wroþe,

We meten so selden by stok oþ{er} ston; 380

Þaȝ cortaysly ȝe carp con,

I am bot mol & marereȝ mysse,

Bot crystes mersy & mary & Ion,

Þise arn þe grou{n}de of alle my blysse. 384

 

[Sidenote: And now that he sees her in bliss, she takes little

heed of his sorrow. He desires to know what life she leads.]

In blysse I se þe blyþely blent

& I a man al mornyf mate,

Ȝe take þ{er}-on ful lyttel tente,

Þaȝ I hente ofte harmeȝ hate. 388

Bot now I am here i{n} yo{ur} p{re}sente,

I wolde bysech wythouten debate,

Ȝe wolde me say i{n} sobre asente,

What lyf ȝe lede, erly & late, 392

For I am ful fayn þat yo{ur} astate

Is worþen to worschyp & wele I wysse,

Of alle my Ioy þe hyȝe gate

Hit is i{n} grou{n}de of alle my blysse.” 396

 

[Headnote: SHE DESCRIBES HER MODE OF LIFE.]

 

[Sidenote: [Fol. 44b.]]

[Sidenote: The maiden tells him that he may walk and abide

with her, now that he is humble. All are meek that dwell

in the abode of bliss.]

“Now blysse burne mot þe bytyde;”

Þen sayde þat lufsou{m} of lyth & lere,

“& welcu{m} here to walk & byde,

For now þy speche is to me dere; 400

Maysterful mod & hyȝe pryde

I hete þe arn heterly hated here;

My lorde ne loueȝ not forto chyde,

For meke arn alle þ{a}t woneȝ hy{m} nere, 404

& when i{n} hys place þ{o}u schal apere,

Be dep deuote i{n} hol mekenesse;

My lorde þe lamb, loueȝ ay such chere,

Þat is þe grou{n}de of alle my blysse. 408