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More and more, and yet wel mare,
Me lyste to se the broke byyonde;
For if hit was fayr ther I can fare,
Wel loveloker was the fyrre londe.
Abowte me con I stote and stare,
To fynde a for the faste con I fonde;
Bot wothes mo iwysse ther ware,
The fyrre I stalked by the stronde.
And ever me thoght I schulde not wonde
For wo there weles so wynne wore,
Thenne new note me com on honde
That meved my mynde ay more and more.

More mervayle con my dom adaunt:
I sey byyonde that myry mere
A crystal clyffe ful relusaunt;
Mony ryal ray con fro hit rere.
At the fote therof ther sete a faunt,
A mayden of menske, ful debonere;
Blysnande whyt was hyr bleaunt.
I knew hyr wel, I hade sen hyr ere.
As glysnande golde that man con schere,
So schon that schene anunder shore,
On lenghe I loked to hyr there;
The lenger, I knew hyr more and more.

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More and more and yet more still
I longed to see that other side;
If this bank could such joy instil
Still lovelier sights that shore supplied.
I stood and stared against my will;
At once to find a ford I tried,
But felt something threatened ill
The more I walked that brook beside.
'Gainst further progress reason cried
Though such delights might lie in store;
A newer thing I then espied
That moved my senses more and more.

More marvels to my sense repair
I looked and saw yet more anon,
A crystal cliff resplendent there
With royal rays of splendour shone;
And at its foot a child so fair
More courtly maiden there was none.
A gleaming mantle she did wear;
I knew her well from times long gone,
Like gold that craftsmen work upon
So shone that maid upon that shore,
And long my eyes did linger on
That maid, and knew her more and more.



More and more, and yet still more, I longed to see beyond the stream; for it was lovely where I walked still lovelier was the farther land. I stopped and gazed about me; I tried hard to see if I could find a ford, but for certain there were more dangers the further I walked along the bank. And still I though I ought not to shrink from [possible] dangers where there were so many delights [to be found]. Then I noticed a new thing that moved my mind still more and more.

A greater wonder now strove with my reason. I saw beyond that pleasant stream a crystal cliff full resplendent. Many a ray of royal splendour sprang therefrom. At the foot of it sat a child, a maiden of honour most gracious in manner. Gleaming white was her mantle; I knew her well, I had seen her before. As brightest gold that men fashion, so shone that fair maid at the foot of the cliff. Long time I looked upon her there; the longer I looked the more and more I knew her.

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