IV.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 41b.]] [Sidenote: So he stands still, like a well trained hawk. He fears lest she should escape before he could speak to her. His long lost one is dressed in royal array--decked with precious pearls.] More þen me lyste my drede aros, I stod ful stylle & dorste not calle, Wyth yȝen open & mouth ful clos, I stod as hende as hawk i{n} halle; 184 I hope þ{a}t gostly watȝ þ{a}t porpose, I dred on ende quat schulde byfalle, Lest ho me eschaped þat I þ{er} chos, Er I at steuen hir moȝt stalle. 188 Þat gracios gay w{i}t{h}-outen galle, So smoþe, so smal, so seme slyȝt, Ryseȝ vp i{n} hir araye ryalle, A p{re}c[i]os pyece[7] i{n} perleȝ pyȝt. 192

[Sidenote 7: MS. looks like _pyete_.]

[Sidenote: She comes along the stream towards him. Her kirtle is composed of ‘sute,’ ornamented with pearls.] Perleȝ pyȝte of ryal prys, Þere moȝt mon by grace haf sene, Quen þat frech as flor-de-lys, Dou{n} þe bonke con boȝe by-dene. 196 Al blysnande whyt watȝ hir beau uiys, Vpon at sydeȝ & bou{n}den bene Wyth þe myryeste margarys at my deuyse, Þat eu{er} I seȝ ȝet with myn yȝen; 200 Wyth lappeȝ large I wot & I wene, Dubbed with double perle & dyȝte, Her cortel of self sute schene, W{i}t{h} p{re}cios perleȝ al vmbe-pyȝte. 204

[Sidenote: [Fol. 42a.]] [Sidenote: She wore a crown of pearls. Her hair hung down about her. Her colour was whiter than whalebone. Her hair shone as gold.] A pyȝt coroune ȝet wer þat gyrle, Of mariorys & non oþ{er} ston, Hiȝe pynakled of cler quyt perle, Wyth flurted flowreȝ perfet vpon; 208 To hed hade ho non oþ{er} werle, Her here heke[8] al hyr vmbe-gon; Her semblau{n}t sade, for doc oþ{er} erle, Her ble more blaȝt þen whalleȝ bon; 212 As schorne golde schyr her fax þe{n}ne schon, On schyldereȝ þat legh{e} vnlapped lyȝte; Her depe colo{ur} ȝet wonted non, Of p{re}cios perle i{n} porfyl pyȝte, 216

[Sidenote 8: In the MS. it is _lere leke_.]

[Sidenote: The trimming of her robe consisted of precious pearls. A wonderful pearl was set in her breast.] Pyȝt watȝ poyned & vche a he{m}me, At honde, at sydeȝ, at ouerture, Wyth whyte perle & non oþ{er} ge{m}me, & bornyste quyte watȝ hyr uesture. 220 Bot a wonder perle w{i}t{h}-outen we{m}me, In myddeȝ hyr breste watȝ sette so sure; A ma{n}neȝ dom moȝt dryȝly de{m}me, Er mynde moȝt malte i{n} hit mesure; 224 I hope no tong moȝt endure No sau{er}ly saghe say of þ{a}t syȝt, So watȝ hit clene & cler & pure, Þat p{re}cios perle þ{er} hit watȝ pyȝt, 228

[Sidenote: No man from here to Greece, was so glad as the father, when he saw his pearl on the bank of the stream. The maiden salutes him.] Pyȝt in perle þat p{re}cios p[r]yse. On wyþ{er} half wat{er} com dou{n} þe schore, No gladder gome heþen i{n} to grece, Þe{n} I, quen ho on bry{m}me wore; 232 Ho watȝ me nerre þen au{n}te or nece, My Ioy for-þy watȝ much þe more. Ho p{ro}fered me speche þ{a}t special spyce, Enclynande lowe i{n} wo{m}mon lore, 236 Caȝte of her corou{n} of grete tresore, & haylsed me wyth a lote lyȝte. Wel watȝ me þ{a}t eu{er} I watȝ bore, To sware þat swete i{n} perleȝ pyȝte! 240

[Headnote: THE MAIDEN ADDRESSES HER FATHER.]