[Headnote: DEATH IS THE ROAD TO PARADISE.] VI. [Sidenote: He is little to be praised who loves what he sees. To love nothing but what one sees is great presumption.] I halde þat iueler lyttel to prayse. Þat loueȝ wel þ{a}t he seȝ wyth yȝe, & much to blame & vn-cortoyse, Þat loueȝ[10] oure lorde wolde make a lyȝe, 304 Þat lelly hyȝte yo{ur} lyf to rayse, Þaȝ fortune dyd yo{ur} flesch to dyȝe; Ȝe setten hys wordeȝ ful westernays Þat loueȝ[11] no þy{n}k bot ȝe hit syȝe, 308 & þat is[12] a poy{n}t o sorquydryȝe, Þat vche god mon may euel byseme To leue no tale be t{ru}e to tryȝe, Bot þat hys one skyl may dem[e]. 312 [Sidenote 10: Looks at first sight like _lyueȝ_--MS. rubbed, but read _leueȝ_.] [Sidenote 11: Read _leueȝ_.] [Sidenote 12: The MS. reads _īs_.] [Sidenote: To live in this kingdom (_i.e._ heaven) leave must be asked. This stream must be passed over by death.] Deme now þy-self, if þ{o}u con, dayly As man to god wordeȝ schulde heue. Þ{o}u saytȝ þ{o}u schal won i{n} þis bayly; Me þynk þe burde fyrst aske leue, 316 & ȝet of grau{n}t þ{o}u myȝteȝ fayle; Þ{o}u wylneȝ ou{er} þys water to weue, Er moste þ{o}u ceuer to oþ{er} cou{n}sayl, Þy corse i{n} clot mot calder keue, 320 For hit watȝ for-garte, at paradys greue Oure ȝore fader hit con mysseȝeme; Þurȝ drwry deth boȝ vch ma dreue, Er ou{er} þys dam hy{m} dryȝty{n} deme.” 324 [Sidenote: [Fol. 43b.]] [Sidenote: The father asks his pearl whether she is about to doom him to sorrow again. If he loses his pearl he does not care what happens to him.] “Demeȝ þ{o}u me,” q{uod} I, “my swete To dol agayn, þe{n}ne I dowyne; Now haf I fonte þat I for-lete Schal I efte for-go hit er eu{er} I fyne? 328 Why schal I hit boþe mysse & mete? My p{re}cios perle dotȝ me gret pyne, What serueȝ tresor, bot gareȝ men grete When he hit schal efte w{i}t{h} teneȝ tyne? 332 Now rech I neu{er} forto declyne, Ne how fer of folde þat man me fleme, When I am partleȝ of perleȝ myne. Bot durande doel what may men deme?” 336 [Headnote: ALL MUST ABIDE GOD’S DOOM.]