3

Nouther' to ga ne yhit to stand,
Ne to crepe with fote ne with hand.
Than has a man les myght than a beste
When he es born, and is sene leste;"
For a best, when it es born, may ga
Als-tite aftir, and ryn' to and fra;
Bot a man has na myght thar-to,
When he es born, swa 8 to do;

9

For than may he noght stande ne crepe,
Bot ligge and sprawel, and cry and wepe.
For unnethes 10 es a child born fully
That it ne bygynnes to goule" and cry;
And by that cry men may knaw than
Whether it be man or weman,

For when it es born it cryes swa;
If it be man, it says 'a, a,'
That the first letter es of the nam
Of our forme-fader 12 Adam.
And if the child a woman be,
When it es born, it says 'e, e.'

E es the first letter and the hede 13

Of the name of Eve, that bygan our dede." Tharfor a clerk made on this manere

This vers of metre that es wreten here:

470

480

Dicentes E vel A quotquot nascuntur ab Eva. 490 "Alle thas," he says, "that comes of Eve,

That es al men that here byhoves leve,15

When thai er born, what-swa 16 thai be,
Thai say outher 17 'a, a,' or 'e, e.'”
Thus es here the bygynnyng,

Of our lyfe sorow and gretyng,'

18

Bifore that spot my honde I spennd For care ful colde that to me caght;"7 A denely dele in my herte denned,28 Thagh resoun sette my selven saght.20

20

1 delight 2 cleanly enclose? or enclosed? fit in every respect alone in uniqueness lost an arbor departed I pine away, deprived of the lovedominion 10 since 11 wishing 12 weal 13 was formerly 14 to remove 15 lift up 16 prosperity 17 does but oppress my heart grievously 18 distress 19 swell and burn 20 the quiet hour 21 float many things 23 clod 24 earth 25 sweet delight 26 stretched out 27 that seized upon 28 a secret sorrow lay in my heart reason reconciled all difficulties

me

22

29 though

I playned' my perle that ther wacz spenned❜
Wyth fyrte skyllez3 that faste faght;*
Thagh kynde of Kryst me comfort kenned,"
My wreched wylle in wo ay wraghte."
I felle upon that floury flaght; 7
Suche odour to my hernez schot,
I slode upon a slepyng-slaghte
On that precios perle withouten spot.

XIV

14

12

9

More mervayle con my dom adaunt; 10
I segh "by-yonde that myry mere
A crystal clyffe ful relusaunt,13
Mony ryal ray con fro hit rere;
At the fote thereof ther sete a faunt,15
A mayden of menske, ful debonere,
Blysnande whyte wacz hyr bleaunt,"7.
I knew hyr wel, I hade sen hyr ere.18

16

160

As glysnande golde that man con schere 19 So schon that schene anunder schore; 20 On lenghe " I looked to hyr there,

The lenger, I knew hyr more and more."2

XV

24

25

The more I frayste 23 hyr fayre face,
Her figure fyn quen I had fonte,"
Suche gladande glory con to me glace
As lyttel byfore therto wacz wonte;
To calle hyr lyste con me enchace,28
Bot baysment " gef myn hert a brunt; 28
I segh hyr in so strange a place,

27

170

⚫ fought hard though Christ's nature taught me comfort wrought 7 bed of flowers 8 brains I a greater wonder daunted my judgment pleasant lake 13 gleaming many a royal gleam arose from it 15 child 16 grace gleaming white was her attire 18 before 19 that one has refined 20 so shone that beautiful one beneath the cliff 21 a long time 22 the longer I looked the more certainly I knew her 23 questioned 24 when I had examined 25 such delight came to me 26 desire to speak to her seized me timidity 28 attack 20 such a surprise might well astound me 30 then she lifts her fair face 31 ivory 32 that struck me into bewilderment

27

9

"In blysse I se the blythely blent,'
And I a man al mornyf, mate, 8
Ye take ther-on ful lyttel tente,
Thagh I hente 10 ofte harmez hate."
Bot now I am here in your presente,
I wolde bysech wythouten debate,
Ye wolde me say in sobre asente,
What lyf ye lede, erly and late;
For I am ful fayn that your astate
Is worthen to worschyp and wele
Of alle my joy the hyghe gate 13
Hit is in grounde of alle my blysse."

XXXV

"A blysful lyf thou says I lede,

12

390

iwyss.

410

14

Thou woldez knaw ther-of the stage;
Thow wost wel when thy perle con schede,14
I wacz ful yong and tender of age,
Bot my Lorde, the Lombe, thurgh hys godhede,
He toke myself to hys maryage,
Corounde me quene in blysse to brede,15
In lenghe of dayez that ever schal wage,1
And sesed in 17 alle hys herytage
Hys lef 18 is, I am holy hysse;

16

21

Hys prese,1 his prys, 20 and hys parage
Is rote and grounde of all my blysse." 420

LXIV

"My maskelez Lambe that al may bete,"1 Quod scho," "my dere destyne

5

Me ches to hys make, al-thagh unmete.
Sum tyme semed that assemble,
When I wente fro yor worlde wete:
He calde me to hys bonerte:".
'Cum hyder to me, my lemman 7 swete,
For mote ne spot is non in the.'

760

on dese,"

He yef me myght and als bewte;
In hys blod he wesch my wede 10
And coronde clene in vergynte,
And pyght me in perlez maskellez."

That schene 16 sayde, that 17 God wyl schylde,
"Thou may not enter with-inne hys tor,18
Bot of the Lombe I have the 19 aquylde 20
For a syght ther-of thurgh gret favor.
Ut-wyth 1 to se that clene cloystor,
Thou may; bot in-wyth 22 not a fote, 970
To strech in the strete thou hacz no vygour,
Bot thou wer clene with-outen mote."
XCVI

The Lombe delyt non lyste to wene; 23
Thagh he were hurt and wounde hade,
In his sembelaunt 24 wacz never sene;
So wern his glentez 25 gloryous glade.
I loked among his meyny schene, 26
How thay wyth lyf wern last and lade,27
Thenne sagh I ther my lyttel quene,

That I wende 28 had standen by me in sclade.20
Lorde! much of mirthe wacz that ho 30

made,

Among her ferez 3 that wacz so quyt !

That syght me gart 33 to think to wade, For luf-longyng in gret delyt.

XCVII

Delyt me drof in yghe and ere;

35

37

My manez mynde to maddyng malte.36 Quen I segh my frely,38 I wolde be there, By-yonde the water thagh ho 30 were walte.39

1 amend 2said she chose mate 5

8

32

1152

6 wet goodness

7 sweetheart gave 9 also 10 garment "dais 12 spotless

13 flower 14 great building 15 bower 16 beautiful one

17 whom 18 tower 19 for thee 20 obtained 21 from without 22 within 23 wished to doubt 24 appearance 25 looks 26 beautiful company 27 supplied and laden 28 thought 29 valley 30 she 31 companions 32 white 33 caused

one

34

39 kept

eye

36 man's melted 20

37

saw 38 gracious