Chapter II

[Sidenote: In spirit he is carried to an unknown region,
where the rocks and cliffs gleamed gloriously.]
Fro spot my spyryt þer sprang i{n} space,
My body on balke þer bod i{n} sweuen,
My goste is gon in godeȝ grace,
In auenture þ{er} meruayleȝ meuen; 64
I ne wyste in þis worlde quere þ{a}t hit wace,
Bot I knew me keste þ{er} klyfeȝ cleuen;
Towarde a foreste I bere þe face,
Where rych rokkeȝ wer to dyscreuen; 68
Þe lyȝt of hem myȝt no mon leuen,
Þe glemande glory þat of hem gle{n}t;
For wern neu{er} webbeȝ þat wyȝeȝ weuen,
Of half so dere adubmente. 72

[Sidenote: [Fol. 40a.]]
[Sidenote: The hill sides were decked with crystal cliffs.
The leaves of the trees were like burnished silver. The gravel
consisted of precious pearls.]
Dubbed wern alle þo downeȝ sydeȝ
W{i}t{h} crystal klyffeȝ so cler of kynde,
Holte-wodeȝ bryȝt aboute hem bydeȝ;
Of bolleȝ as blwe as ble of ynde, 76
As bornyst syluer þe lef onslydeȝ,
Þat þike con trylle on vch a tynde,
Quen glem of glodeȝ agaynȝ hem glydeȝ,
Wyth schym{er}y{n}g schene ful schrylle þay schynde. 80
Þe grauayl þat on grou{n}de con grynde
Wern p{re}cio{us} perleȝ of oryente;
Þe su{n}ne bemeȝ bot blo & blynde,
In respecte of þat adubbement. 84

[Sidenote: The father forgets his sorrow. He sees birds of the
most beautiful hues, and hears their sweet melody.]
The adubbemente of þo downeȝ dere
Garten my goste al greffe for-ȝete
So frech flauoreȝ of fryteȝ were,
As fode hit con me fayre refete. 88
Fowleȝ þ{er} flowen i{n} fryth i{n} fere,
Of flau{m}bande hweȝ,[5] boþe smale & grete,
Bot sytole stry{n}g & gyt{er}nere,
Her reken myrþe moȝt not retrete, 92
For quen þose bryddeȝ her wyngeȝ bete
Þay songen wyth a swete asent;
So grac[i]os gle couþe no mon gete
As here & se her adubbement. 96

[Sidenote 5: Or _hiweȝ_.]

[Sidenote: No tongue could describe the beauty of the forest.
All shone like gold. The dreamer arrives at the bank of a river,
which gave forth sweet sounds.]
So al watȝ dubbet on dere asyse;
Þat fryth þer fortwne forth me fereȝ,
Þe derþe þer-of for to deuyse
Nis no wyȝ worþe þat tonge bereȝ. 100
I welke ay forth i{n} wely wyse,
No bonk so byg þ{a}t did me dereȝ,
Þe fyrre i{n} þe fryth þe feier con ryse,
Þe playn, þe plontteȝ, þe spyse, þe pereȝ, 104
& raweȝ & randeȝ & rych reuereȝ,
As fyldor fyn her b[o]nkes brent.
I wan to a water by schore þat schereȝ,
Lorde! dere watȝ hit adubbement! 108

[Sidenote: [Fol. 40b.]]
[Sidenote: In it, stones glittered like stars in the welkin on a
winter night.]
The dubbemente of þo derworth depe
Wern bonkeȝ bene of beryl bryȝt;
Swangeande swete þe water con swepe
Wyth a rownande rourde raykande aryȝt; 112
I{n} þe fou{n}ce þ{er} stonden stoneȝ stepe,
As glente þurȝ glas þat glowed & glyȝt,
A[6] stremande sterneȝ quen stroþe me{n} slepe,
Staren i{n} welkyn i{n} wynt{er} nyȝt; 116
For vche a pobbel i{n} pole þer pyȝt
Watȝ Emerad, saffer, oþ{er} ge{m}me gente,
Þat alle þe loȝe lemed of lyȝt,
So dere watȝ hit adubbeme{n}t. 120

[Sidenote 6: ? _As._]