Chapter XVIII

[Sidenote: [Fol. 52b.]]
[Sidenote: The maiden then tells her father to go along the bank
till he comes to a hill. He reaches the hill, and beholds the
heavenly city.]
If I þis mote þe schal vn-hyde,
Bow vp to-warde þys borneȝ heued,
& I an-endeȝ þe on þis syde
Schal sve, tyl þ{o}u to a hil be veued, 976
Þe{n} wolde [I] no lenger byde,
Bot lurked by lau{n}ceȝ so lufly leued,
Tyl on a hyl þat I asspyed
& blusched on þe burgh{e}, as I forth dreued, 980
By-ȝonde þe brok fro me warde keued,
Þat schyrrer þen su{n}ne w{i}t{h} schafteȝ schon;
I{n} þe apokalypce is þe fasou{n} preued,
As deuyseȝ hit þe apostel Ihoñ. 984

[Sidenote: As St. John saw it, so he beheld it. The city was
of burnished gold. Pitched upon gems, the foundation composed
of twelve stones.]
As Ioh{a}n þe apostel hit syȝ w{i}t{h} syȝt
I syȝe þat cyty of gret renou{n},
I{e}r{usa}l{e}m so nwe & ryally dyȝt,
As hit watȝ lyȝt fro þe heuen adou{n}. 988
Þe borȝ watȝ al of brende golde bryȝt,
As glemande glas burnist brou{n},
W{i}t{h} gentyl ge{m}meȝ an-vnder pyȝt;
W{i}t{h} banteleȝ twelue on basy{n}g boun, 992
Þe fou{n}dementeȝ twelue of riche tenou{n};
Vch tabelment watȝ a serlypeȝ ston,
As derely deuyseȝ þis ilk tou{n},
I{n} apocalyppeȝ þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 996

[Sidenote: The names of the precious stones.]
[Sidenote: i. Jasper. ii. Sapphire. iii. Chalcedony.
iv. Emerald. v. Sardonyx. vi. Ruby.]
As þise stoneȝ i{n} writ con ne{m}me
I knew þe name aft{er} his tale;
Iasper hyȝt þe fyrst ge{m}me,
Þat I on þe fyrst basse con wale, 1000
He glente grene i{n} þe lowest he{m}me.
Saffer helde þe secou{n}de stale,
Þe calsydoyne þe{n}ne w{i}t{h}-outen we{m}me,
I{n} þe þryd table con purly pale; 1004
Þe emerade þe furþe so grene of scale;
Þe sardonyse þe fyfþe ston;
Þe sexte þe rybe he con hit wale,
I{n} þe apocalyppce þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 1008

[Sidenote: [Fol. 53a.]]
[Sidenote: vii. Chrysolite. viii. Beryl. ix. Topaz.
x. Chrysoprasus. xi. Jacinth. xii. Amethyst.]
Ȝet Ioyned Ioh{a}n þe crysolyt,
Þe seuenþe ge{m}me i{n} fundament;
Þe aȝtþe þe beryl cler & quyt
Þe topasye twy{n}ne how þe ne{n}te endent; 1012
Þe crysopase þe tenþe is tyȝt;
Þe Iacy{n}gh[41] þe enleuenþe gent;
Þe twelfþe þe gentyleste i{n} veh a plyt,
Þe amatyst purpre w{i}t{h} ynde blente; 1016
Þe wal abof þe bantels bent,
Masporye as glas þat glysnande schon,
I knew hit by his deuysement,
I{n} þe apocalyppeȝ þe apostel I{o}h{a}n. 1020

[Sidenote 41: _Iacynth_ (?).]

[Sidenote: The city was square. The wall was of jasper.
Twelve thousand furlongs in length and breadth.]
As Ioh{a}n deuysed ȝet saȝ I þare.
Þise twelue de-gres wern brode & stayre,
Þe cyte stod abof ful sware,
As longe as brode as hyȝe ful fayre; 1024
Þe streteȝ of golde as glasse al bare,
Þe wal of Iasper þat glent as glayre;
Þe woneȝ w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne enurned ware
Wyth alle ky{n}neȝ perre þat moȝt repayre, 1028
Þe{n}ne helde vch sware of þis manayre,
Twelue forlonge space er eu{er} hit fon,
Of heȝt, of brede, of lenþe to cayre,
For meten hit syȝ þe apostel Ioh{a}n. 1032

[Headnote: NO SUN NOR MOON IN HEAVEN.]