Chapter VII

[Sidenote: [Fol. 44a.]]
[Sidenote: The father beseeches the pearl to have pity upon him.]
Thenne demed I to þat damyselle,
Ne worþe no wrath þe vnto my lorde,
If rapely raue[15] spornande i{n} spelle.
My herte watȝ al w{i}t{h} mysse remorde, 364
As wallande water gotȝ out of welle;
I do me ay i{n} hys myserecorde.
Rebuke me neu{er} w{i}t{h} wordeȝ felle,
Þaȝ I forloyne my dere endorde, 368
Bot lyþeȝ me kyndely yo{ur} cou{m}forde,
Pytosly þenkande vpon þysse;
Of care & me ȝe made acorde,
Þat er watȝ grou{n}de of alle my blysse; 372

[Sidenote 15: _rane_ (?).]

[Sidenote: He says that she has been both his bale and bliss.
And when he lost her, he knew not what had become of her.]
My blysse, my bale ȝe han ben boþe,
Bot much þe bygger ȝet watȝ my mon,
Fro þ{o}u watȝ wroken fro vch a woþe.
I wyste neu{er} quere my perle watȝ gon; 376
Now I hit se, now leþeȝ my loþe,
& quen we departed we wern at on,
God forbede we be now wroþe,
We meten so selden by stok oþ{er} ston; 380
Þaȝ cortaysly ȝe carp con,
I am bot mol & marereȝ mysse,
Bot crystes mersy & mary & Ion,
Þise arn þe grou{n}de of alle my blysse. 384

[Sidenote: And now that he sees her in bliss, she takes little
heed of his sorrow. He desires to know what life she leads.]
In blysse I se þe blyþely blent
& I a man al mornyf mate,
Ȝe take þ{er}-on ful lyttel tente,
Þaȝ I hente ofte harmeȝ hate. 388
Bot now I am here i{n} yo{ur} p{re}sente,
I wolde bysech wythouten debate,
Ȝe wolde me say i{n} sobre asente,
What lyf ȝe lede, erly & late, 392
For I am ful fayn þat yo{ur} astate
Is worþen to worschyp & wele I wysse,
Of alle my Ioy þe hyȝe gate
Hit is i{n} grou{n}de of alle my blysse.” 396

[Headnote: SHE DESCRIBES HER MODE OF LIFE.]

[Sidenote: [Fol. 44b.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden tells him that he may walk and abide
with her, now that he is humble. All are meek that dwell
in the abode of bliss.]
“Now blysse burne mot þe bytyde;”
Þen sayde þat lufsou{m} of lyth & lere,
“& welcu{m} here to walk & byde,
For now þy speche is to me dere; 400
Maysterful mod & hyȝe pryde
I hete þe arn heterly hated here;
My lorde ne loueȝ not forto chyde,
For meke arn alle þ{a}t woneȝ hy{m} nere, 404
& when i{n} hys place þ{o}u schal apere,
Be dep deuote i{n} hol mekenesse;
My lorde þe lamb, loueȝ ay such chere,
Þat is þe grou{n}de of alle my blysse. 408

[Sidenote: All lead a blissful life. She reminds her father
that she was very young when she died. Now she is crowned
a queen in heaven.]
A blysful lyf þ{o}u says I lede,
Þou woldeȝ knaw þ{er}-of þe stage;
Þow wost wel when þy perle con schede,
I watȝ ful ȝong & tender of age, 412
Bot my lorde þe lombe, þurȝ hys god-hede,
He toke my self to hys maryage,
Corou{n}de me quene i{n} blysse to brede,
I{n} lengh{e} of dayeȝ þat eu{er} schal wage, 416
& sesed i{n} alle hys herytage
Hys lef is, I am holy hysse;
Hys prese, hys prys & hys parage,
Is rote & grou{n}de of alle my blysse.” 420

[Headnote: MARY IS THE EMPRESS OF HEAVEN.]