IV

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 in halle;
I hope þat gostly watȝ þat porpose,
I dred on ende quat schulde byfalle,
Lest ho me eschaped þat I þer chos,
Er I at steuen hir moȝt stalle.
Þat gracios gay with-outen galle,
So smoþe, so smal, so seme slyȝt,
Ryseȝ vp in hir araye ryalle,
A prec[i]os pyece in perleȝ pyȝt.

Perleȝ pyȝte of ryal prys,
Þere moȝt mon by grace haf sene,
Quen þat frech as flor-de-lys,
Doun þe bonke con boȝe by-dene.
Al blysnande whyt watȝ hir beau uiys,
Vpon at sydeȝ & bounden bene
Wyth þe myryeste margarys at my deuyse,
Þat euer I seȝ ȝet with myn yȝen;
Wyth lappeȝ large I wot & I wene,
Dubbed with double perle & dyȝte,
Her cortel of self sute schene,
With precios perleȝ al vmbe-pyȝte.

A pyȝt coroune ȝet wer þat gyrle,
Of mariorys & non oþer ston,
Hiȝe pynakled of cler quyt perle,
Wyth flurted flowreȝ perfet vpon;
To hed hade ho non oþer werle,
Her here heke al hyr vmbe-gon;
Her semblaunt sade, for doc oþer erle,
Her ble more blaȝt þen whalleȝ bon;
As schorne golde schyr her fax þenne schon,
On schyldereȝ þat leghe vnlapped lyȝte;
Her depe colour ȝet wonted non,
Of precios perle in porfyl pyȝte,

Pyȝt watȝ poyned & vche a hemme,
At honde, at sydeȝ, at ouerture,
Wyth whyte perle & non oþer gemme,
& bornyste quyte watȝ hyr uesture.
Bot a wonder perle with-outen wemme,
In myddeȝ hyr breste watȝ sette so sure;
A manneȝ dom moȝt dryȝly demme,
Er mynde moȝt malte in hit mesure;
I hope no tong moȝt endure
No sauerly saghe say of þat syȝt,
So watȝ hit clene & cler & pure,
Þat precios perle þer hit watȝ pyȝt,

Pyȝt in perle þat precios p[r]yse.
On wyþer half water com doun þe schore,
No gladder gome heþen in to grece,
Þen I, quen ho on brymme wore;
Ho watȝ me nerre þen aunte or nece,
My Ioy for-þy watȝ much þe more.
Ho profered me speche þat special spyce,
Enclynande lowe in wommon lore,
Caȝte of her coroun of grete tresore,
& haylsed me wyth a lote lyȝte.
Wel watȝ me þat euer I watȝ bore,
To sware þat swete in perleȝ pyȝte!