III.

[Sidenote: His grief abates, and he follows the course of the stream.] The dubbeme{n}t dere of dou{n} & daleȝ, Of wod & wat{er} & wlonk playneȝ, Bylde in me blys, abated my baleȝ, For-didden my [dis]tresse, dystryed my payneȝ. 124 Dou{n} after a strem þat dryȝly haleȝ, I bowed in blys, bred ful my brayneȝ; Þe fyrre I folȝed þose floty valeȝ, Þe more strenghþe of ioye myn herte strayneȝ, 128 As fortune fares þ{er} as ho frayneȝ, Wheþ{er} solace ho sende oþ{er} elleȝ sore, Þe wyȝ, to wham her wylle ho wayneȝ, Hytteȝ to haue ay more & more. 132

[Sidenote: No one could describe his great joy. He thought that Paradise was on the opposite bank. The stream was not fordable.] More of wele watȝ i{n} þat wyse Þe{n} I cowþe telle þaȝ I tom hade, For vrþely herte myȝt not suffyse To þe tenþe dole of þo gladneȝ glade; 136 For-þy I þoȝt þ{a}t paradyse Watȝ þer oþ{er} gayn þo bonkeȝ brade; I hoped þe water were a deuyse By-twene myrþeȝ by mereȝ made, 140 By-ȝonde þe broke by slente oþ{er} slade, I hope[de] þ{a}t mote merked wore. Bot þe water watȝ depe I dorst not wade & eu{er} me longed a more & more. 144

[Sidenote: [Fol. 41a.]] [Sidenote: More and more he desires to see what is beyond the brook. But the way seemed difficult. The dreamer finds new marvels.] More & more, & ȝet wel mare, Me lyste to se þe broke by-ȝonde, For if hit watȝ fayr þ{er} I con fare, Wel loueloker watȝ þe fyrre londe. 148 Abowte me con I stote & stare To fynde a forþe, faste con I fonde, Bot woþeȝ mo i-wysse þ{er} ware, Þe fyrre I stalked by þe stronde, 152 & euer me þoȝt I schulde not wonde For wo, þer weleȝ so wy{n}ne wore. Þe{n}ne nwe note me com on honde Þat meued my mynde ay more & more, 156

[Headnote: THE FATHER SEES HIS LOST CHILD DRESSED IN WHITE ROBES.]

[Sidenote: He sees a crystal cliff, at the foot of which, sits a maiden clothed in glistening white. He knows that he has seen her before.] More meruayle con my dom adau{n}t; I seȝ by-ȝonde þat myry mere, A crystal clyffe ful relusau{n}t, Mony ryal ray con fro hit rere; 160 At þe fote þ{er}-of þ{er} sete a fau{n}t, A mayden of menske, ful debonere; Blysnande whyt watȝ hyr bleau{n}t, (I knew hyr wel, I hade sen hyr ere) 164 As glysnande golde þat man con schere, So schon þat schene an vnder schore; On lengh{e} I loked to hyr þere, Þe lenger I knew hyr more & more 168

[Sidenote: He desires to call her but is afraid, at finding her in such a strange place.] The more I frayste hyr fayre face. Her fygure fyn, quen I had fonte, Suche gladande glory con to me glace, As lyttel byfore þerto watȝ wonte; 172 To calle hyr lyste con me enchace, Bot baysme{n}t gef myn hert a bru{n}t, I seȝ hyr in so strange a place, Such a burre myȝt make my{n} herte blu{n}t 176 Þe{n}ne vereȝ ho vp her fayre frou{n}t, Hyr vysayge whyt as playn yuore, Þat stonge my{n} hert ful stray atou{n}t, & eu{er} þe lenger, þe more & more. 180