[Sidenote: The father of the maiden desires to know who formed her figure and wrought her garments. Her beauty, he says, is not natural. Her colour passes the fleur-de-lis.] “O maskeleȝ perle i{n} perleȝ pure Þat bereȝ,” q{uod} I, “þe perle of prys, Quo formed þe þy fayre fygure? Þat wroȝt þy wede, he watȝ ful wys; 748 Þy beaute com neu{er} of nature, Pymalyon paynted neu{er} þy vys, Ne arystotel nawþ{er} by hys lettrure Of carpe þe kynde þese p{ro}perteȝ. 752 Þy colo{ur} passeȝ þe flo{ur}-de-lys, Þyn angel hauy{n}g so clene corteȝ Breue me bryȝt, quat-kyn of p{r}iys[32] Bereȝ þe perle so maskelleȝ.” 756 [Sidenote 32: The MS. has _triys_.] [Sidenote: [Fol. 49b.]] [Sidenote: The maiden explains to her father that she is a bride of Christ. She is without spot or blemish. Her weeds are washed in the blood of Christ.] “My makeleȝ lambe þat al may bete,” Q{uod} scho, “my dere destyné Me ches to hys make al-þaȝ vnmete, Su{m} tyme semed þ{a}t assemblé 760 When I wente fro yor worlde wete. He calde me to hys bon{er}té, ‘Cu{m} hyder to me my le{m}man swete, For mote ne spot is non i{n} þe:’ 764 He gef me myȝt & als bewté. I{n} hys blod he wesch my wede on dese, & coronde clene i{n} v{er}gynté, & pyȝt me i{n} perleȝ maskelleȝ.” 768 [Sidenote: The father asks the nature of the Lamb that has chosen his daughter, and why she is selected as a bride.] “Why maskelleȝ bryd þat bryȝt con flambe Þat reiateȝ hatȝ so ryche & ryf, Quat-kyn þy{n}g may be þat lambe, Þat þe wolde wedde vnto hys vyf? 772 Ou{er} alle oþ{er} so hyȝ þ{o}u clambe, To lede w{i}t{h} hy{m} so ladyly lyf So mony a cumly on v{n}der cambe, For kryst han lyued i{n} much stryf, 776 & þ{o}u con alle þo dere out-dryf, & fro þat maryag al oþ{er} depres, Al only þyself so stout & styf, A makeleȝ may & maskelleȝ.” 780 [Headnote: THE LAMB AND HIS BRIDES.] XIV. [Sidenote: The Lamb has one hundred and forty thousand brides. St. John saw them on the hill of Sion in a dream, in the new city of Jerusalem.] “Maskelles,” q{uod} þat myry quene, “Vnblemyst I am wyth-outen blot, & þat may I w{i}t{h} mensk me{n}teene; Bot makeleȝ quene þe{n}ne sade I not, 784 Þe lambes vyueȝ i{n} blysse we bene, A hondred & forty þowsande flot As i{n} þe apocalyppeȝ hit is sene; Sant Ioh{a}n hem syȝ al i{n} a knot, 788 On þe hyl of syon þat semly clot. Þe apostel hem segh i{n} gostly drem Arayed to þe weddy{n}g i{n} þ{a}t hyl coppe, Þe nwe cyte u I{e}r{usa}l{e}m. 792