V.

[Sidenote: The father enquires of the maiden whether she is his long-lost pearl, and longs to know who has deprived him of his treasure.] “O perle,” q{uod} I, “in perleȝ pyȝt, Art þ{o}u my perle þat I haf playned, Regretted by my{n} one, on nyȝte? Much longey{n}g haf I for þe layned, 244 Syþen into gresse þ{o}u me aglyȝte; Pensyf, payred, I am for-payned, & þ{o}u i{n} a lyf of lyky{n}g lyȝte In paradys erde, of stryf vnstrayned. 248 What wyrde hatȝ hyder my iuel vayned, & don me in þys del & gret dau{n}ger? Fro we i{n} twy{n}ne wern towen & twayned, I haf ben a Ioyleȝ Iuelere.” 252

[Sidenote: [Fol. 42b.]] [Sidenote: The maiden tells him that his pearl is not really lost. She is in a garden of delight, where sin and mourning are unknown.] That Iuel þe{n}ne in ge{m}myȝ gente, Vered vp her vyse w{i}t{h} yȝen graye, Set on hyr corou{n} of perle orie{n}t, & soberly after þe{n}ne con ho say: 256 “Si{r} ȝe haf yo{ur} tale myse-tente, To say yo{ur} perle is al awaye, Þat is i{n} cofer, so comly clente, As i{n} þis gardyn gracios gaye, 260 Here-i{n}ne to lenge for eu{er} & play. Þer mys nee morny{n}g com neu{er} here, Her were a forser for þe i{n} faye, If þ{o}u were a gentyl Iueler. 264

[Headnote: SHE TELLS HIM OF HER BLISS.]

[Sidenote: The rose that he had lost is become a pearl of price. The pearl blames his rash speech.] Bot Iueler gente if þ{o}u schal lose Þy ioy for a ge{m}me þat þe watȝ lef, Me þynk þe put i{n} a mad porpose, & busyeȝ[9] þe aboute a raysou{n} bref, 268 For þat þ{o}u lesteȝ watȝ bot a rose, Þat flowred & fayled as kynde hyt gef; Now þurȝ kynde of þe kyste þ{a}t hyt con close, To a perle of prys hit is put i{n} pref; 272 & þ{o}u hatȝ called þy wyrde a þef, Þat oȝt of noȝt hatȝ mad þe cler; Þ{o}u blameȝ þe bote of þy meschef, Þ{o}u art no kynde Iueler.” 276

[Sidenote 9: Looks like _husyeȝ_ in MS.]

[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.]