Pearl

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Ry3t as þe maynful mone con rys
Er þenne þe day-glem dryue al doun,
So sodanly on a wonder wyse
I wat3 war of a prosessyoun.
Þis noble cité of ryche enpryse
Wat3 sodanly ful wythouten sommoun
Of such vergyne3 in þe same gyse
Þat wat3 my blysful an-vnder croun:
And coronde wern alle of þe same fasoun,
Depaynt in perle3 and wede3 qwyte;
In vchone3 breste wat3 bounden boun
Þe blysful perle wyth gret delyt.

Wyth gret delyt þay glod in fere
On golden gate3 þat glent as glasse;
Hundreth þowsande3 I wot þer were,
And alle in sute her liuré3 wasse;
Tor to knaw þe gladdest chere.
Þe Lombe byfore con proudly passe
Wyth horne3 seuen of red golde cler;
As praysed perle3 his wede3 wasse.
Towarde þe throne þay trone a tras.
Þa3 þay wern fele, no pres in plyt,
Bot mylde as maydene3 seme at mas,
So dro3 þay forth wyth gret delyt.

Delyt þat hys come encroched
To much hit were of for to melle
Þise aldermen, quen he aproched,
Grouelyng to his fete þay felle.

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Legyounes of aungele3 togeder uoched
Þer kesten ensens of swete smelle.
Þen glory and gle wat3 nwe abroched;
Al songe to loue þat gay juelle.
Þe steuen mo3t stryke þur3 þe vrþe to helle
Þat þe Vertues of heuen of joye endyte.
To loue þe Lombe his meyny in melle
Iwysse I la3t a gret delyt.

Delit þe Lombe for to deuise
Wyth much meruayle in mynde went.
Best wat3 he, blyþest, and moste to pryse,
Þat euer I herde of speche spent;
So worþly whyt wern wede3 hys,
His loke3 symple, hymself so gent.
Bot a wounde ful wyde and weete con wyse
Anende hys hert, þur3 hyde torente.
Of his quyte syde his blod outsprent.
Alas, þo3t I, who did þat spyt?
Ani breste for bale a3t haf forbrent
Er he þerto hade had delyt.

The Lombe delyt non lyste to wene.
Þa3 he were hurt and wounde hade,
In his sembelaunt wat3 neuer sene,
So wern his glente3 gloryous glade.
I loked among his meyny schene
How þay wyth lyf wern laste and lade;
Þen sa3 I þer my lyttel quene
Þat I wende had standen by me in sclade.
Lorde, much of mirþe wat3 þat ho made
Among her fere3 þat wat3 so quyt!
Þat sy3t me gart to þenk to wade
For luf-longyng in gret delyt.