Chapter IV

[Sidenote: [Fol. 41b.]]
[Sidenote: So he stands still, like a well trained hawk.
He fears lest she should escape before he could speak to her.
His long lost one is dressed in royal array--decked with
precious pearls.]
More þen me lyste my drede aros,
I stod ful stylle & dorste not calle,
Wyth yȝen open & mouth ful clos,
I stod as hende as hawk i{n} halle; 184
I hope þ{a}t gostly watȝ þ{a}t porpose,
I dred on ende quat schulde byfalle,
Lest ho me eschaped þat I þ{er} chos,
Er I at steuen hir moȝt stalle. 188
Þat gracios gay w{i}t{h}-outen galle,
So smoþe, so smal, so seme slyȝt,
Ryseȝ vp i{n} hir araye ryalle,
A p{re}c[i]os pyece[7] i{n} perleȝ pyȝt. 192

[Sidenote 7: MS. looks like _pyete_.]

[Sidenote: She comes along the stream towards him.
Her kirtle is composed of ‘sute,’ ornamented with pearls.]
Perleȝ pyȝte of ryal prys,
Þere moȝt mon by grace haf sene,
Quen þat frech as flor-de-lys,
Dou{n} þe bonke con boȝe by-dene. 196
Al blysnande whyt watȝ hir beau uiys,
Vpon at sydeȝ & bou{n}den bene
Wyth þe myryeste margarys at my deuyse,
Þat eu{er} I seȝ ȝet with myn yȝen; 200
Wyth lappeȝ large I wot & I wene,
Dubbed with double perle & dyȝte,
Her cortel of self sute schene,
W{i}t{h} p{re}cios perleȝ al vmbe-pyȝte. 204

[Sidenote: [Fol. 42a.]]
[Sidenote: She wore a crown of pearls. Her hair hung down
about her. Her colour was whiter than whalebone. Her hair
shone as gold.]
A pyȝt coroune ȝet wer þat gyrle,
Of mariorys & non oþ{er} ston,
Hiȝe pynakled of cler quyt perle,
Wyth flurted flowreȝ perfet vpon; 208
To hed hade ho non oþ{er} werle,
Her here heke[8] al hyr vmbe-gon;
Her semblau{n}t sade, for doc oþ{er} erle,
Her ble more blaȝt þen whalleȝ bon; 212
As schorne golde schyr her fax þe{n}ne schon,
On schyldereȝ þat legh{e} vnlapped lyȝte;
Her depe colo{ur} ȝet wonted non,
Of p{re}cios perle i{n} porfyl pyȝte, 216

[Sidenote 8: In the MS. it is _lere leke_.]

[Sidenote: The trimming of her robe consisted of precious
pearls. A wonderful pearl was set in her breast.]
Pyȝt watȝ poyned & vche a he{m}me,
At honde, at sydeȝ, at ouerture,
Wyth whyte perle & non oþ{er} ge{m}me,
& bornyste quyte watȝ hyr uesture. 220
Bot a wonder perle w{i}t{h}-outen we{m}me,
In myddeȝ hyr breste watȝ sette so sure;
A ma{n}neȝ dom moȝt dryȝly de{m}me,
Er mynde moȝt malte i{n} hit mesure; 224
I hope no tong moȝt endure
No sau{er}ly saghe say of þ{a}t syȝt,
So watȝ hit clene & cler & pure,
Þat p{re}cios perle þ{er} hit watȝ pyȝt, 228

[Sidenote: No man from here to Greece, was so glad as the father,
when he saw his pearl on the bank of the stream. The maiden
salutes him.]
Pyȝt in perle þat p{re}cios p[r]yse.
On wyþ{er} half wat{er} com dou{n} þe schore,
No gladder gome heþen i{n} to grece,
Þe{n} I, quen ho on bry{m}me wore; 232
Ho watȝ me nerre þen au{n}te or nece,
My Ioy for-þy watȝ much þe more.
Ho p{ro}fered me speche þ{a}t special spyce,
Enclynande lowe i{n} wo{m}mon lore, 236
Caȝte of her corou{n} of grete tresore,
& haylsed me wyth a lote lyȝte.
Wel watȝ me þ{a}t eu{er} I watȝ bore,
To sware þat swete i{n} perleȝ pyȝte! 240

[Headnote: THE MAIDEN ADDRESSES HER FATHER.]