VI.

[Sidenote: He is little to be praised who loves what he sees. To love nothing but what one sees is great presumption.] I halde þat iueler lyttel to prayse. Þat loueȝ wel þ{a}t he seȝ wyth yȝe, & much to blame & vn-cortoyse, Þat loueȝ[10] oure lorde wolde make a lyȝe, 304 Þat lelly hyȝte yo{ur} lyf to rayse, Þaȝ fortune dyd yo{ur} flesch to dyȝe; Ȝe setten hys wordeȝ ful westernays Þat loueȝ[11] no þy{n}k bot ȝe hit syȝe, 308 & þat is[12] a poy{n}t o sorquydryȝe, Þat vche god mon may euel byseme To leue no tale be t{ru}e to tryȝe, Bot þat hys one skyl may dem[e]. 312

[Sidenote 10: Looks at first sight like _lyueȝ_--MS. rubbed, but read _leueȝ_.] [Sidenote 11: Read _leueȝ_.] [Sidenote 12: The MS. reads _īs_.]

[Sidenote: To live in this kingdom (_i.e._ heaven) leave must be asked. This stream must be passed over by death.] Deme now þy-self, if þ{o}u con, dayly As man to god wordeȝ schulde heue. Þ{o}u saytȝ þ{o}u schal won i{n} þis bayly; Me þynk þe burde fyrst aske leue, 316 & ȝet of grau{n}t þ{o}u myȝteȝ fayle; Þ{o}u wylneȝ ou{er} þys water to weue, Er moste þ{o}u ceuer to oþ{er} cou{n}sayl, Þy corse i{n} clot mot calder keue, 320 For hit watȝ for-garte, at paradys greue Oure ȝore fader hit con mysseȝeme; Þurȝ drwry deth boȝ vch ma dreue, Er ou{er} þys dam hy{m} dryȝty{n} deme.” 324

[Sidenote: [Fol. 43b.]] [Sidenote: The father asks his pearl whether she is about to doom him to sorrow again. If he loses his pearl he does not care what happens to him.] “Demeȝ þ{o}u me,” q{uod} I, “my swete To dol agayn, þe{n}ne I dowyne; Now haf I fonte þat I for-lete Schal I efte for-go hit er eu{er} I fyne? 328 Why schal I hit boþe mysse & mete? My p{re}cios perle dotȝ me gret pyne, What serueȝ tresor, bot gareȝ men grete When he hit schal efte w{i}t{h} teneȝ tyne? 332 Now rech I neu{er} forto declyne, Ne how fer of folde þat man me fleme, When I am partleȝ of perleȝ myne. Bot durande doel what may men deme?” 336

[Headnote: ALL MUST ABIDE GOD’S DOOM.]

[Sidenote: The maiden tells her father to suffer patiently. Though he may dance as any doe, yet he must abide God’s doom.] “Thow demeȝ noȝt bot doel dystresse,” Þenne sayde þat wyȝt “why dotȝ þ{o}u so? For dyne of doel, of lureȝ lesse, Ofte mony mon for-gos þe mo; 340 Þe oȝte better þy seluen blesse, & loue ay god &[13] wele & wo, For anger gayneȝ þe not a cresse. Who nedeȝ schal þole be not so þro; 344 For þoȝ þ{o}u dau{n}ce as any do Brau{n}dysch & bray þy braþeȝ breme, When þ{o}u no fyrre may, to ne fro, Þ{o}u moste abyde þat he schal deme. 348

[Sidenote 13: _in_ or _an_ (?).]

[Sidenote: He must cease to strive. All lies in God’s power to make men joyful or sad.] Deme dryȝtyn, euer hy{m} adyte, Of þe way a fote ne wyl he wryþe, Þy mendeȝ mou{n}teȝ not a myte, Þaȝ þ{o}u for sorȝe be neu{er} blyþe; 352 Sty{n}st of þy strot & fyne to flyte, & sech hys blyþe ful swefte[14] & swyþe, Þy prayer may hys pyte byte, Þat mercy schal hyr crafteȝ kyþe; 356 Hys comforte may þy lango{ur} lyþe, & þy lureȝ of lyȝtly leme, For marre oþ{er} madde, morne & myþe, Al lys i{n} hym to dyȝt & deme.” 360

[Sidenote 14: MS. _sweste_.]

[Headnote: THE BEREAVED PARENT ASKS HIS CHILD’S PITY.]