Als-tite aftir, and ryn to and fra;

Bot a man has na myght thar-to,
When he es born, swa 8 to do;

9

For than may he noght stande ne crepe,
Bot ligge and sprawel, and cry and wepe.
For unnethes 10 es a child born fully
That it ne bygynnes to goule
11 and cry;
And by that cry men may knaw than
Whether it be man or weman,

For when it es born it cryes swa;8

If it be man, it says 'a, a,'

That the first letter es of the nam

Of our forme-fader 12 Adam.
And if the child a woman be,
When it es born, it says 'e, e.'

E es the first letter and the hede 13

Of the name of Eve, that bygan our dede." Tharfor a clerk made on this manere

470

480

PEARL (c. 1350)

(Unknown Author)

I

16

Sythen 19 in that spote hit fro me sprange,
Ofte haf I wayted wyschande " that wele,1
That wont wacz whyle 13 devoyde 14 my wrange,
And heven 15 my happe and al my hele;
That docz bot thrych my herte thrange,17
My breste in bale 18 bot bolne and bele.1o
Yet thoght me never so swete a sange
As stylle stounde 20 let to me stele;

Forsothe ther fleten 21 to me fele,22
To thenke hir color so clad in clot! 23
O moul 24 thou marrez a myry mele,25
My privy perle withouten spot.

8

20

50

1 delight 2 cleanly enclose? or enclosed? equal fit in every respect alone in uniqueness lost 7 an arbor 8 departed I pine away, deprived of the lovedominion 10 since 11 wishing 12 weal 13 was formerly 14 to remove 15 lift up 16 prosperity 17 does but oppress my heart grievously 18 distress 19 swell and burn 20 the quiet hour 21 float 22 many things 23 clod 24 earth sweet delight 26 stretched out 27 that seized upon 28 a secret sorrow lay in my heart 29 though reason reconciled all difficulties

25

me

14

12

160

More mervayle con my dom adaunt; 10
I segh "by-yonde that myry mere
A crystal clyffe ful relusaunt,13
Mony ryal ray con fro hit rere;
At the fote thereof ther sete a faunt,15
A mayden of menske, 16 ful debonere,
Blysnande whyte wacz hyr bleaunt,17.
I knew hyr wel, I hade sen hyr ere.1
As glysnande golde that man con schere 19
So schon that schene anunder schore; 20
On lenghe "I looked to hyr there,
The lenger, I knew hyr more and more.22

XV

18

The more I frayste 23 hyr fayre face,
Her figure fyn quen I had fonte,24
Suche gladande glory con to me glace
As lyttel byfore therto wacz wonte;
To calle hyr lyste con me enchace,20
Bot baysment 27 gef myn hert a brunt;
I segh hyr in so strange a place,
Such a burre myght make myn herte blunt.20
Thenne verez ho up her fayre frount, 30
Hyr vysayge whyt as playn yvore,31
That stonge myn hert ful stray atount,
And ever the lenger, the more and more.

though Christ's nature taught me 7 bed of flowers 8 brains 9 I 10 a greater wonder daunted my judgment saw pleasant lake 13 gleaming 14 many a royal gleam arose from it 15 child 16 grace gleaming white was her attire 18 before 19 that one has refined 20 so shone that beautiful one beneath the cliff a long time 22 the longer I looked the more certainly I knew her questioned 24 when I had examined 25 such delight came to me 26 desire to speak to her seized me 27 28 timidity attack 29 such a surprise might well astound me 30 then she lifts her fair face 31 ivory 32 that struck me into bewilderment

21

23

9

11

3

1 set 2 on the opposite side of the water cliff 4 person from hence than I when she was at the bank she was nearer to me 7 on that account was 8 she spoke to me, that rare one bowing low as women are taught 10 greeted me pleasantly answer 12 lamented 13 alone by night 14 suffered secretly 15 since thou didst slip away from me into the grass 16 weakened 17 worn with grief 18 and thou in a life of delightful pleasure 19 land 20 what fate has brought my jewel hither 21 put me in this grief 22 since we were drawn apart and separated possessor of 25 lifted her face 20 eyes jewels 24 beautiful 27 she said 28 distorted 29 remain 30 where lack nor mourning

31 jewel-box

23 26

"In blysse I se the blythely blent,'
And I a man al mornyf, mate,
Ye take ther-on ful lyttel tente,
Thagh I hente 10 ofte harmez hate."
Bot now I am here in your presente,
I wolde bysech wythouten debate,
Ye wolde me say in sobre asente,
What lyf ye lede, erly and late;
For I am ful fayn that your astate
Is worthen to worschyp and wele
Of alle my joy the hyghe gate
Hit is in grounde of alle my blysse."

13

390

12

iwyss.

"My maskelez Lambe that al may bete," 1 Quod scho," "my dere destyne

3

Me ches to hys make,' al-thagh unmete.

Sum tyme semed that assemble,

760

5

When I wente fro yor worlde wete:
He calde me to hys bonerte: "
'Cum hyder to me, my lemman 7 swete,
For mote ne spot is non in the.'

7

He yef me myght and als' bewte;
In hys blod he wesch my wede 10
on dese,11
And coronde clene in vergynte,
And pyght me in perlez maskellez."

LXXXI

"Motelez 12 may, so meke and mylde," Then sayde I to that lufly flor,13

"Bryng me to that bygly bylde,11 And let me se thy blysful bor." 15 That schene 16 sayde, that 17 God wyl schylde, “Thou may not enter with-inne hys tor,18 Bot of the Lombe I have the aquylde 20 For a syght ther-of thurgh gret favor. Ut-wyth to se that clene cloystor,

21

19

Thou may; bot in-wyth 22 not a fote, 970 To strech in the strete thou hacz no vygour, Bot thou wer clene with-outen mote."

XCVI

26

The Lombe delyt non lyste to wene; 23
Thagh he were hurt and wounde hade,
In his sembelaunt 24 wacz never sene;
So wern his glentez 25 gloryous glade.
I loked among his meyny schene,
How thay wyth lyf wern last and lade,"
Thenne sagh I ther my lyttel quene,
That I wende 28 had standen by me in sclade.29
Lorde! much of mirthe wacz that ho 30

made,

Among her ferez 3 that wacz so quyt! That syght me gart 33 to think to wade, For luf-longyng in gret delyt.

XCVII

32

1152

wet goodness 11dais 12 spotless 13 flower 14great building 15 bower 16 beautiful one

17 whom 18 tower 19 for thee 20 obtained 21 from without 22 within 24 23 wished to doubt appearance

25 looks

26 beautiful company 27 supplied and laden

28 thought 29 valley 30 she 31 companions 32 white

33 caused 34

one

saw

37 35 man's 36 melted eye 39 kept

35 gracious