BEDIGHT and broidered was each hem—

at the sleeves, the sides, and each opening— with white pearls, with none other gem,

and burnished white was all her array : but a wondrous pearl without a flaw amidmost her breast was firmly set,— soul of man might grow full faint, ere mind of man might measure its worth. I trow no tongue might e'er avail to speak of that sight a fitting word, so all unspotted, and clear, and pure, was that precious pearl, where it was dight.

EDIGHT with pearls, that precious thing

BE

came down the shore on that yonder bank; from here to Greece was no gladder man than I, when she stood at the water's edge. She was nearer to me than aunt or niece, and so much the more was my joy. She proffered me speech, that creature rare, bending low in womanly wise;

her crown of richest worth she doffed,
and hailed me with obeisance blithe:

well was me that e'er I was born

to answer that sweet one, with pearls bedight.

21

22

PERLE,' quoth I, 'in perlez pyght, §V

Art thou my perle that I haf playned,
Regretted by myn one, an nyghte?

Much longeyng haf I for the layned,
Sythen in-to gresse thou me aglyghte;
Pensyf, payred, I am for-payned,
And thou in a lyf of lykyng lyghte
In paradys erde, of stryf unstrayned.

What wyrde hacz hyder my juel wayned,
And don me in del and gret daunger?
Fro we in twynne wern towen and twayned
I haf ben a joylez jueler.'

THA

'HAT juel thenne in gemmez gente,
Vered up her with yghen graye,

vyse

Set on hyr coroun of perle orient,

And soberly after thenne con ho say:

'Syr, ye

haf your tale myse-tente,

To say your perle is al awaye,

That is in cofer, so comly clente,

As in this gardyn gracios gaye,

Here-inne to lenge for-ever and play,

Ther mys nee mornyng com never ner;
Her were a forser for the in faye,

Ό

PEARL!' quoth I, 'with pearls bedight,

art thou my Pearl ?—of me so lone regretted, and through the night bewailed. Much longing for thee have I borne concealed, since thou glancedst from me into grass ; pensive, shattered, forlorn, am I,

but thou hast reached a life of joy

in the strifeless home of Paradise.

What chance hath hither brought my jewel,
and me in dolorous plight hath cast?
Since we twain were sundered and set apart,
have I been joyless, so loved I my jewel.

HAT jewel then, so fair begemmed,

THA

veered up her visage, raised her grey eyes,

set on her crown of orient pearls,

and gently thus she spake :

'Sir, thou hast misread thy tale,

to say thy pearl is all perdu,

that is in a casket so well bestowed,

yea, in this garden of grace and joy,

herein for ever to dwell and play,

where sin nor mourning come ne'er nigh:

this were thy treasure-hold in sooth,

didst thou love thy jewel aright.

23

24

OT jueler gente if thou schal lose

'BOT

Thy joy for a gemme that the wacz lef,

Me thynk the put in a mad porpose,

And busyez the aboute a raysoun bref,

For that thou lestez wacz bot a rose,

That flowred and fayled as kynde hit gef;
Now thurgh kynde of the kyste that hyt con close,
To a perle of prys hit is put in pref;

A

And thou hacz called thy wyrde a thef,
That oght of noght hacz mad the cler;
Thou blamez the bote of thy meschef,
Thou art no kynde jueler.'

JUEL to me then wacz thys geste,

And juelez wern hyr gentyl sawez.
'I-wyse,' quoth I, my blysfol beste,
My grete dystresse thou al to-drawez,
To be excused I make requeste;
I trawed my perle don out of dawez,
Now haf I fonde hyt I schal ma feste,
And
wony with hyt in schyr wod-schawez,
And love my lorde and all his lawez,
That hacz me broght thys blysse ner;
Now were I at yow byyonde thise wawez,

UT, noble sir, if for a gem—

BUT,

a gem that was dear-thou losest thy joy,

methinks thou goest far astray,

and all thy care hath little ground:

'twas but a rose that thou didst lose,

that bloomed and withered, as nature bade;

through the casket's grace, that held it secure, now 'tis proved a pearl of price:

and thou hast called thy fate a thief,

that hath bereft thee of no whit:

thou blam'st the cure of all thy woe,

P

thou lovest not thy jewel aright.

A JEWEL to me then was this visitant,

and jewels were her gentle words.

'Iwis,' quoth I, my blissful gem,

thou riddest me of all my woe:

pardon me, I prythee now,

methought my pearl bereft of life:

now I have found it, I shall hold it fast, and dwell with it in the radiant groves,

and praise my Lord and all his laws,

that hath me brought this bliss anigh. Were I now with thee beyond these waves, joyful were I with my jewel