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Perles pyght of ryal prys,
There moght mon by grace haf sene,
Quen that frech as flor-de-lys
Doun the bonke con bowe bydene.
Al blysnande whyt was hir beau blys,
Upon at sydes and bounden bene
With the myrest margarys, at my devyse,
That ever I sey yet with myn yyen;
Wyth lappes large, I wot and I wene,
Dubbed with double perle and dyghte;
Her cortel of self sute schene,
With precios perles at umbepyghte.

A pyghte coroune yet were that gyrle
Of mariorys and non other ston,
High pynakled of cler quyt perle,
With flurted flowrs perfet upon.
To hed hade ho non other werle.
Her lere leke al hyr umbegon,
Her semblaunt sade for doc other erle,
Her ble more blaght then whalles bon.
As schorne golde schyr her fax thenne schon,
On schylderes that leghe unlapped lyghte.
Her depe colour yet wonted non
Of precios perle in porfyl pyghte.

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With pearls bedight most royally
There by God's grace might now be seen,
When she, as fresh as fleur-de-lys,
Came straightaway down to the bank between,
Her linen gleaming white I see,
Open at sides, bright with a sheen
Of lovelier pearls, it seemed to me
Than in my sight had ever been;
With hanging sleeves so wide and clean
And double rows of pearls so bright
Her kirtle matched that lovely scene,
With precious pearls richly bedight.

Bedight with pearls her crown arrayed;
With pearls and with no other stone,
High-pinnacled in pearls displayed
With figured flowers thereupon,
And on her head no covering laid.
Her face enclosèd round; as one
Like duke or earl her look was staid;
Her features white as whalebone shone;
Like burnished gold her tresses on
Her shoulders, all unbound, lay light;
Their hue defied comparison
With wimple's edge in pearls bedight.


Adorned with pearls of royal worth, there might by one grace have seen when that fair one like a fleur-de-lys came directly down to the bank. All gleaming white was her beautiful linen garment, open at the sides and decorated with the brightest pearls, I must say that I have ever seen, with wide hanging sleeves, I am sure, decorated with rows of pearls. Her gown [was] a perfect match, adorned with precious pearls.

That maiden also wore a crown, adorned with pearls and other jewels [and] high-pinnacled in clear white pearls [and] with perfectly figured flowers upon it. On her head she had no covering. Her wimple encircled her face, her look [was] as grave as that of duke or earl, her colour white as whale-bone. Her hair, shining like cut gold, lay lightly unbound on her shoulders. Her colouring lacked nothing in comparison with the precious pearls adorning the embroidered border.

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