Chapter XIX

[Sidenote: Each “pane” had three gates. Each gate adorned with
a pearl. Such light gleamed in all the streets, that there
was no need of the sun or moon.]
As Ioh{a}n hy{m} wryteȝ ȝet more I syȝe
Vch pane of þat place had þre ȝateȝ,
So twelue i{n} po{ur}sent I con asspye
Þe portaleȝ pyked of rych plateȝ 1036
& vch ȝate of a margyrye,
A parfyt perle þat neu{er} fateȝ;
Vchon i{n} scrypture a name con plye,
Of isr{ae}l barneȝ folewande her dateȝ, 1040
Þat is to say as her byrþ whateȝ;
Þe aldest ay fyrst þ{er}-on watȝ done.
Such lyȝt þer lemed i{n} alle þe strateȝ
Hem nedde nawþ{er} su{n}ne ne mone. 1044

[Sidenote: [Fol. 53b.]]
[Sidenote: God was the light of those in the city.
The high throne might be seen, upon which the “high God” sat.
A river ran out of the throne;]
Of su{n}ne ne mone had þay no nede
Þe self god watȝ her lompe[42] lyȝt,
Þe lombe her lantyrne w{i}t{h}-outen drede,
Þurȝ hy{m} blysned þe borȝ al bryȝt. 1048
Þurȝ woȝe & won my loky{n}g ȝede,
For sotyle cler moȝt[43] lette no lyȝt;
Þe hyȝe trone þer moȝt ȝe hede
W{i}t{h} alle þe apparaylmente vmbe-pyȝte, 1052
As Ioh{a}n þe appostel in termeȝ tyȝte;
Þe hyȝe godeȝ self hit set vpone.
A reu{er} of þe trone þer ran out-ryȝte
Watȝ bryȝter þen boþe þe su{n}ne & mone. 1056

[Sidenote 42: MS. _lombe_.]
[Sidenote 43: MS. _noȝt_.]

[Headnote: NO CHURCH IN HEAVEN.]

[Sidenote: it flowed through each street. No church was seen.
God was the church; Christ the sacrifice. The gates were
ever open.]
Su{n}ne ne mone schon neu{er} so swete;
A! þat foysou{n} flode out of þat flet,
Swyþe hit swange þurȝ vch a strete,
W{i}t{h}-outen fylþe oþ{er} galle oþ{er} glet. 1060
Kyrk þer-i{n}ne watȝ non ȝete,
Chapel ne temple þat eu{er} watȝ set,
Þe al-myȝty watȝ her mynyster mete,
Þe lombe þe saker-fyse þer to reget; 1064
Þe ȝates stoken watȝ neu{er} ȝet,
Bot eu{er} more vpen at vche a lone;
Þer entreȝ non to take reset,
Þat bereȝ any spot an-vnder[44] mone. 1068

[Sidenote: There is no night in the city. The planets,
and the sun itself, are dim compared to the divine light.
Trees there renew their fruit every month.]
The mone may þer-of acroche no myȝte
To spotty, ho is of body to grym,
& al-so þ{er} ne is neu{er} nyȝt.
What schulde þe mone þer compas clym 1072
& to euen wyth þat worþly lyȝt[45],
Þat schyneȝ vpon þe brokeȝ brym?
Þe planeteȝ arn i{n} to pou{er} a plyȝt,
& þe self su{n}ne ful fer to dym. 1076
Aboute þat wat{er} arn tres ful schym,
Þat twelue fryteȝ of lyf con bere ful sone;
Twelue syþeȝ on ȝer þay beren ful frym
& re-nowleȝ nwe i{n} vche a mone. 1080

[Sidenote: [Fol. 54a.]]
[Sidenote: The beholder of this fair city stood still as a
“dased quail.”]
An-vnder mone so gret m{er}wayle
No fleschly hert ne myȝt endeure,
As quen I blusched vpon þat baly,
So ferly þ{er}-of watȝ þe falure. 1084
I stod as stylle as dased quayle,
For ferly of þat french[46] fygure,
Þat felde I nawþ{er} reste ne t{ra}uayle,
So watȝ I rauyste wyth gly{m}me pure; 1088
For I dar say, w{i}t{h} conciens sure,
Hade bodyly burne abiden þat bone,
Þaȝ alle clerkeȝ hy{m} hade i{n} cure,
His lyf wer loste an-vnder mone. 1092

[Sidenote 44: MS. _an-vndeȝ_.]
[Sidenote 45: Or _syȝt_.]
[Sidenote 46: _fresch_ (?).]

[Headnote: A PROCESSION OF VIRGINS.]