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So al was dubbet on dere asyse
That fryth ther fortwne forth me feres.
The derthe therof for to devyse
Nis no wyy worthé that tonge beres.
I welke ay forth in wely wyse;
No bonk so byg that did me deres.
The fyrre in the fryth, the feier con ryse
The playn, the plonttes, the spyse, the peres,
The rawes and randes and rych reveres -
As fyldor fyn her bonkes brent.
I wan to a water by schore that scheres;
Lorde, der was hit adubbement !

The dubbement of tho derworth depe
Wern bonkes bene of beryl bryght.
Swangeande swete the water con swepe,
Wyth a rownande rourde raykande aryght.
In the founce ther stonden stones stepe,
As glente thurgh glas that glowed and glyght,
As stremande sternes, quen strothe-men slepe,
Staren in welkyn in wynter nyght.
For uche a pobbel in pole ther pyght
Was emerad, saffer, other gemme gente,
That alle the loghe lemed of lyght,
So dere was hit adubbement.




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The splendour bright of that display,
The wood where fortune smiled on me,
The glory thereof to portray
No man could render worthily.
I wandered joyful on my way;
No height could do me injury.
As through the woods my footsteps stray
Field, shrub, and spice, and each pear-tree,
Hedgerow and stream and banks I see
Like gold thread shines each wooded height;
I came to a streamlet running free;
Lord, glorious was that splendour bright !

The splendour of the water deep
Was lovely banks of beryl clear
And sweetly did that water sweep,
Flowing with murmuring sound anear.
Its depths each standing stone did steep,
And, as through glass, bright gleams appear
As streaming stars, when mortals sleep,
Sine in the heavens when winter's here;
Each pebble in that sparkling mere,
Emerald and sapphire, all unite;
Its glowing radiance without peer,
So dear to me that splendour bright.



So all was adorned in splendid manner [in] that woodlands where fortune continued to reward me. To describe the splendour thereof no man is able who has a tongue. I still walked on in blissful mood, no cliff so high that it daunted me. The further into the wood the fairer grew the meadow, the plants, the spices, the pear-trees, and hedgerows, banks and fine streams - like fine gold thread the banks shone. I came to a stream by a shore that shone. Lord, glorious was that splendour !

The adournment of these splendid depths was pleasant banks of bright beryl. Swirling gently, the stream swept by with whispering sound flowing straight on. At the bottom there stood shining rocks like a beam of light glinting through the glas, like streaming stars, when men of earth sleep, shining in the sky on winter night. For every pebble set there in the pool was emerald, sapphire, or noble jewel, so that all the pool gleamed with light, so splendid was the adournment.

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