XIII.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 49a.]] [Sidenote: No one can win heaven except he be meek as a child.] Ih{esu}c con calle to hy{m} hys mylde & sayde hys ryche no wyȝ myȝt wy{n}ne. Bot he com þyder ryȝt as a chylde, Oþ{er} elleȝ neu{er} more com þer-i{n}ne, 724 Harmleȝ, trwe & vnde-fylde, W{i}t{h}-outen mote oþ{er} mascle of sulpande sy{n}ne; Quen such þer cnoken on þe bylde, Tyt schal hem men þe ȝate vnpy{n}ne, 728 Þer is þe blys þat con not bly{n}ne, Þat þe Iueler soȝte þurȝ perre pres & solde alle hys goud boþe wolen & ly{n}ne, To bye hy{m} a perle [þat] watȝ mascelleȝ. 732

[Headnote: FORSAKE THE MAD WORLD.]

[Sidenote: The pearl of price is like the kingdom of heaven, pure and clean. Forsake the mad world and purchase the spotless pearl.] This makelleȝ perle þat boȝt is dere, Þe Ioueler gef fore alle hys god, Is lyke þe reme of heuenesse clere So sayde þe fader of folde & flode, 736 For hit is we{m}leȝ, clene & clere, & endeleȝ rou{n}de & blyþe of mode, & co{m}mune to alle þat ryȝtwys[31] were, Lo! euen i{n} myddeȝ my breste hit stode; 740 My lorde þe lombe þat schede hys blode, He pyȝt hit þere i{n} token of pes; I rede þe forsake þe worlde wode, & porchace þy perle maskelles.” 744

[Sidenote 31: MS. _ryȝtywys_.]

[Sidenote: The father of the maiden desires to know who formed her figure and wrought her garments. Her beauty, he says, is not natural. Her colour passes the fleur-de-lis.] “O maskeleȝ perle i{n} perleȝ pure Þat bereȝ,” q{uod} I, “þe perle of prys, Quo formed þe þy fayre fygure? Þat wroȝt þy wede, he watȝ ful wys; 748 Þy beaute com neu{er} of nature, Pymalyon paynted neu{er} þy vys, Ne arystotel nawþ{er} by hys lettrure Of carpe þe kynde þese p{ro}perteȝ. 752 Þy colo{ur} passeȝ þe flo{ur}-de-lys, Þyn angel hauy{n}g so clene corteȝ Breue me bryȝt, quat-kyn of p{r}iys[32] Bereȝ þe perle so maskelleȝ.” 756

[Sidenote 32: The MS. has _triys_.]

[Sidenote: [Fol. 49b.]] [Sidenote: The maiden explains to her father that she is a bride of Christ. She is without spot or blemish. Her weeds are washed in the blood of Christ.] “My makeleȝ lambe þat al may bete,” Q{uod} scho, “my dere destyné Me ches to hys make al-þaȝ vnmete, Su{m} tyme semed þ{a}t assemblé 760 When I wente fro yor worlde wete. He calde me to hys bon{er}té, ‘Cu{m} hyder to me my le{m}man swete, For mote ne spot is non i{n} þe:’ 764 He gef me myȝt & als bewté. I{n} hys blod he wesch my wede on dese, & coronde clene i{n} v{er}gynté, & pyȝt me i{n} perleȝ maskelleȝ.” 768

[Sidenote: The father asks the nature of the Lamb that has chosen his daughter, and why she is selected as a bride.] “Why maskelleȝ bryd þat bryȝt con flambe Þat reiateȝ hatȝ so ryche & ryf, Quat-kyn þy{n}g may be þat lambe, Þat þe wolde wedde vnto hys vyf? 772 Ou{er} alle oþ{er} so hyȝ þ{o}u clambe, To lede w{i}t{h} hy{m} so ladyly lyf So mony a cumly on v{n}der cambe, For kryst han lyued i{n} much stryf, 776 & þ{o}u con alle þo dere out-dryf, & fro þat maryag al oþ{er} depres, Al only þyself so stout & styf, A makeleȝ may & maskelleȝ.” 780

[Headnote: THE LAMB AND HIS BRIDES.]