George MacDonald - England's Antiphon

Swinging sweet the water did sweep
With a whispering speech flowing adown;
(Wyth a rownande rourde raykande aryght)

"O pearl," quoth I, "in perlés pight, pitched, dressed.
Art thou my pearl that I have plained? mourned.
Regretted by myn one, on night? by myself.
Much longing have I for thee layned hidden.
Since into grass thou me a-glyghte; didst glide from me.
Pensive, payred, I am for-pained, 25 25 The for here is only an intensive. pined away.
And thou in a life of liking light bright pleasure.
In Paradise-earth, of strife unstrained! untortured with strife.
What wyrde hath hither my jewel vayned, destiny: carried off.
And done me in this del and great danger? sorrow.
Fro we in twain were towen and twayned, since: pulled: divided.
I have been a joyless jeweller."

That jewel then in gemmés gente, gracious.
Vered up her vyse with even gray, turned: face.
Set on her crown of pearl orient,
And soberly after then gan she say:

"Sir, ye have your tale myse-tente, mistaken.
To say your pearl is all away,
That is in coffer so comely clente clenched.
As in this garden gracious gay,
Herein to lenge for ever and play, abide.
There mys nor mourning come never—here, where: wrong.
Here was a forser for thee in faye, strong-box: faith.
If thou wert a gentle jeweller.

"But jeweller gente, if thou shalt lose
Thy joy for a gem that thee was lef, had left thee.
Me thinks thee put in a mad purpose,
And busiest thee about a reason bref. poor object.
For that thou lostest was but a rose,
That flowered and failed as kynd hit gef. nature gave it.
Now through kind of the chest that it gan close, nature.
To a pearl of price it is put in pref; 26 26 Pref is proof. Put in pref seems to stand for something more than being tested. Might it not mean proved to be a pearl of price?
And thou hast called thy wyrde a thef, doom, fate: theft.
That ought of nought has made thee, clear! something of nothing.
Thou blamest the bote of thy mischef: remedy: hurt.
Thou art no kyndé jeweller." natural, reasonable.

"I hold that jeweller little to praise
That loves well that he sees with eye;
And much to blame, and uncortoyse, uncourteous.
That leves our Lord would make a lie, believes.
That lelly hyghte your life to raise who truly promised.
Though fortune did your flesh to die; caused.
To set his words full westernays 27 27 A word acknowledged to be obscure. Mr. Morris suggests on the left hand, as unbelieved.
That love no thing but ye it syghe! see.
And that is a point of surquedrie, presumption.
That each good man may evil beseem, ill become.
To leve no tale be true to tryghe, trust in.
But that his one skill may deme." 28 28 "Except that which his sole wit may judge."

My head upon that hill was laid
There where my pearl to groundé strayed.
I wrestled and fell in great affray, fear.
And sighing to myself I said,
"Now all be to that prince's paye." pleasure.

Fly from the press, and dwell with soothfastness; truthfulness.
Suffice 29 29 "Be equal to thy possessions:" "fit thy desires to thy means." unto thy good, though it be small;
For hoard hath hate, and climbing tickleness; 30 30 "Ambition has uncertainty." We use the word ticklish still.
Praise hath envy, and weal is blent over all. 31 31 "Is mingled everywhere."
Savour 32 32 To relish, to like. "Desire no more than is fitting for thee." no more than thee behové shall.
Rede well thyself that other folk shall rede; counsel.
And truth thee shall deliver—it is no drede. there is no doubt.

Paine thee not each crooked to redress, every crooked thing.
In trust of her that turneth as a ball: Fortune.
Great rest standeth in little busi-ness.
Beware also to spurn against a nail; nail—to kick against
Strive not as doth a crocké with a wall. [the pricks.
Demé thyself that demest others' deed; judge.
And truth thee shall deliver—it is no drede.

That thee is sent receive in buxomness: submission
The wrestling of this world asketh a fall. tempts destruction
Here is no home, here is but wilderness:
Forth, pilgrim, forth!—beast, out of thy stall!
Look up on high, and thanké God of 33 33 For. all.
Waivé thy lusts, and let thy ghost 34 34 "Let thy spiritual and not thine animal nature guide thee." thee lead,
And truth thee shall deliver—it is no drede.