Chapter I

[Sidenote: [Fol. 39a.]]
[Sidenote: Description of a lost pearl (_i.e._ a beloved child).
The father laments the loss of his pearl.]
Perle plesau{n}te to prynces paye,
To clanly clos in golde so clere,
Oute of oryent I hardyly saye,
Ne proued I neu{er} her precios pere, 4
So rou{n}de, so reken in vche araye,
So smal, so smoþe her sydeȝ were.
Quere-so-eu{er} I Iugged ge{m}meȝ gaye,
I sette hyr sengeley i{n} synglure; 8
Allas! I leste hyr i{n} on erbere,
Þurȝ gresse to grou{n}de hit fro me yot;[1]
I dewyne for-dolked of luf daungere,
Of þat pryuy perle w{i}t{h}-outen spot. 12

[Sidenote 1: ? _got._]

[Sidenote: He often visits the spot where his pearl disappeared,
and hears a sweet song.]
Syþen i{n} þat spote hit fro me sprange,
Ofte haf I wayted wyschande þat wele,
Þat wont watȝ whyle deuoyde my wrange,
& heuen my happe & al my hele, 16
Þ{a}t dotȝ bot þrych my hert þrange,
My breste in bale bot bolne & bele.
Ȝet þoȝt me neu{er} so swete a sange,
As stylle stou{n}de let to me stele, 20
For-soþe þ{er} fleten to me fele,
To þenke hir color so clad i{n} clot;
O moul[2] þ{o}u marreȝ a myry mele.
My p{r}iuy perle w{i}t{h}-outen spotte, 24

[Sidenote 2: ? _mould._]

[Sidenote: Where the pearl was buried there he found lovely
flowers. Each blade of grass springs from a dead grain.]
Þat spot of spyseȝ myȝt nedeȝ sprede,
Þer such rycheȝ to rot[3] is ru{n}nen;
Blomeȝ blayke & blwe & rede,
Þer schyneȝ ful schyr agayn þe su{n}ne. 28
Flor & fryte may not be fede,
Þer hit dou{n} drof i{n} moldeȝ du{n}ne,
For vch gresse mot grow of grayneȝ dede,
No whete were elleȝ to woneȝ wo{n}ne; 32
Of goud vche goude is ay by-go{n}ne.
So semly a sede moȝt fayly not,
Þ{a}t spry{n}gande[4] spyceȝ vp ne spo{n}ne,
Of þat p{re}cios perle wyth-outen spotte. 36

[Sidenote 3: ? _rote._]
[Sidenote 4: The MS. reads _sprygande_.]

[Sidenote: [Fol. 39b.]]
[Sidenote: In the high season of August the parent visits the
grave of his lost child. Beautiful flowers covered the grave.
From them came a delicious odour.]
To þat spot þat I in speche expou{n}
I entred in þat erber grene,
In augoste in a hyȝ seysou{n},
Quen corne is coruen wyth crokeȝ kene. 40
On huyle þer perle hit trendeled dou{n},
Schadowed þis worteȝ ful schyre & schene
Gilofre, gyngure & gromylyou{n},
& pyonys powdered ay by-twene. 44
Ȝif hit watȝ semly on to sene,
A fayr reflayr ȝet fro hit flot,
Þer wonys þat worþyly I wot & wene,
My p{re}cio{us} perle, wyth-outen spot. 48

[Sidenote: The bereaved father wrings his hands for sorrow,
falls asleep upon the flowery plot, and dreams.]
Bifore þat spot my honde I spe{n}n[e]d,
For care ful colde þat to me caȝt[e];
A denely dele in my hert de{n}ned,
Þaȝ resou{n} sette my seluen saȝt[e]. 52
I playned my perle þ{a}t þ{er} watȝ spe{n}ned
Wyth fyrte skylleȝ þat faste faȝt[e],
Þaȝ kynde of kryst me comfort ke{n}ned,
My wreched wylle i{n} wo ay wraȝte. 56
I felle vpon þat flo{ur}y flaȝt[e],
Suche odo{ur} to my herneȝ schot;
I slode vpon a slepy{n}g slaȝte,
On þat p{re}c[i]os perle w{i}t{h}-outen spot. 60

[Headnote: HE SEES A BEAUTIFUL FOREST, WHICH CAUSES HIS GRIEF TO ABATE.]