Pearl

-16-

'Blysful', quod I, 'may þys be trwe?
Dysplese3 not if I speke errour.
Art þou þe quene of heuene3 blwe,
Þat al þys worlde schal do honour?
We leuen on Marye þat grace of grewe,
Þat ber a barne of vyrgyn flour;
Þe croune fro hyr quo mo3t remwe
Bot ho hir passed in sum fauour?
Now, for synglerty o hyr dousour,
We calle hyr Fenyx of Arraby,
Þat freles fle3e of hyr fasor,
Lyk to þe Quen of cortaysye.'

'Cortayse Quen', þenne sayde þat gaye,
Knelande to grounde, folde vp hyr face,
'Makele3 Moder and myryest May,
Blessed bygynner of vch a grace!'
Þenne ros ho vp and con restay,
And speke me towarde in þat space:
'Sir, fele here porchase3 and fonge3 pray,
Bot supplantore3 none wythinne þys place.
Þat emperise al heuen3 hat3,
And vrþe and helle, in her bayly;
Of erytage 3et non wyl ho chace,
For ho is Quen of cortaysye.

'The court of þe kyndom of God alyue
Hat3 a property in hytself beyng:
Alle þat may þerinne aryue
Of alle þe reme is quen oþer kyng,

-17-

And neuer oþer 3et schal depryue,
Bot vchon fayn of oþere3 hafyng,
And wolde her coroune3 wern worþe þo fyue,
If possyble were her mendyng.
Bot my Lady of quom Jesu con spryng,
Ho halde3 þe empyre ouer vus ful hy3e;
And þat dysplese3 non of oure gyng,
For ho is Quene of cortaysye.

'Of courtaysye, as sayt3 Saynt Poule,
Al arn we membre3 of Jesu Kryst:
As heued and arme and legg and naule
Temen to hys body ful trwe and tryste,
Ry3t so is vch a Krysten sawle
A longande lym to þe Mayster of myste.
Þenne loke what hate oþer any gawle
Is tached oþer ty3ed þy lymme3 bytwyste.
Þy heued hat3 nauþer greme ne gryste,
On arme oþer fynger þa3 þou ber by3e.
So fare we alle wyth luf and lyste
To kyng and quene by cortaysye.'

'Cortaysé', quod I, 'I leue,
And charyté grete, be yow among,
Bot my speche þat yow ne greue,
. . . . . . .
Þyself in heuen ouer hy3 þou heue,
To make þe quen þat wat3 so 3onge.
What more honour mo3te he acheue
Þat hade endured in worlde stronge,

-18-

And lyued in penaunce hys lyue3 longe
Wyth bodyly bale hym blysse to byye?
What more worschyp mo3t he fonge
Þen corounde be kyng by cortaysé?