The Pearl transcribed, encoded, and edited by Robert Whalen Northern Michigan University the National Endowment for the Humanities Northern Michigan University the National Endowment for the Humanities Robert Whalen Transcription, encoding, transformations, and notes Robert Whalen Northern Michigan University the National Endowment for the Humanities Robert Whalen for demonstration purposes only. May not be reproduced without permission.

See witness list.

"The Pearl" is part of a comprehensive edition of George Herbert's English verse, The Digital Temple. This larger project includes computer-readable transcriptions, in both original- and modern-spelling versions, of Williams MS. Jones B62, Bodleian MS. Tanner 307, and a copy of The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations, first edition (Cambridge, 1633); high-resolution digital images of the sources (excepting the Latin verse in Williams); an apparatus that includes critical, textual, and technical introductions and annotations; and a user interface with which to navigate these materials.

Transcriptions are encoded in TEI(P5)-conformant XML.

Currently, only the Williams images and transcriptions are captured directly from the source. Images (where available) and transcriptions of the Bodleian MS. and first edition are captured from Scolar black-and-white facsimiles.

Apparent errors are preserved and editorial corrections provided using SIC and CORR tags, but only where the editor conjectures that the original scribe or compositor would have recognized the instance as an error. For example, what according to modern usage is incorrect subject/verb agreement might have been deemed acceptable to a seventeenth-century scribe or compositor. All such instances are treated instead using the ORIG and REG tags. (See below.)

Original spellings, abbreviations, and orthography are preserved and regularizations provided. Where in the manuscripts a character's status as majuscule or miniscule is ambiguous, the editor has silently chosen one or the other based on context and judgment (i.e., does not register such ambiguity in either the markup or the notes).

Original quotation marks, if any, are preserved.

Original hyphenation is preserved.

 LATIN LIGATURE SMALL C AND SMALL T LATIN LIGATURE SMALL LONG S AND SMALL H LATIN LIGATURE SMALL LONG S AND SMALL I LATIN LIGATURE SMALL LONG S AND SMALL L LATIN LIGATURE SMALL LONG S AND SMALL LONG S LATIN LIGATURE SMALL LONG S, SMALL LONG S, AND SMALL I LATIN LIGATURE SMALL LONG S, SMALL LONG S, AND SMALL L Dewey Decimal Classification English French Latin 006
Williams MS. Jones B62 Bodleian MS. Tanner 307 The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations, first edition (Cambridge, 1633)
The Church. The Church 61 130 The Church. 81
The PearlePearl: Matth: 13.45. The PearlePearl Math. 13. ¶ The Pearl. Matth. 13. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matthew 13:45-46). Elaborating this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, the poem reviews wistfully even while denouncing much of what is positive in worldly experience: the pleasures of intellect, social distinction, and the flesh. I know yethe wayesways of learning, both the Head I know yethe waiesways of Learning. both the head I Knowknow the wayesways of learning; both the head And Pipes that feed yethe PreſsPress and make it runnrun. And pipes, ytthat feed yethe pressepress, &and make it runnerun: And pipes that feed the preſſepress, and make it runnerun; Lines 1-2: The Head/head and Pipes/pipes can be read as both mechanical components of the printing press and the human head and its channels through which experience enters the mind via the eyes and ears and, transformed into knowledge, exits via the mouth (speech being counterpart to the printed word). This opening metaphor immediately establishes the tone of the poem by suggesting that much of human knowledge is but a mechanistic response to sensory stimuli—knowledge which reason/reaſon hath from Nature/nature (line 3). What reason hath from Nature purchased What reason hath from Nature borrowed, What reaſonreason hath from nature borrowed, ØrOr of itself like a good huſwifehousewife spunnspun Or of it selfeitself, like a good huswifehousewife spunnespun Or of it ſelfitself, like a good huſwifehousewife, ſpunnespun In laweslaws &and PoliciePolicy: what yethe starresstars conspire: In Laws &and PoliciePolicy. what yethe starresstars conspire, In laws and policiepolicy; what the ſtarresstars conſpireconspire, Lines 4-5, or … Policie/policie: Reason, like a resourceful housewife who makes due with the materials at her immediate disposal, is self-sufficient with respect to the knowledge and practice of law and politics. conspire/conſpire: combine harmoniously (OED 3.a). What willing Nature speaks, what forstforc'd by fire: What willing Nature speakesspeaks, what forc'd by fire. What willing nature ſpeaksspeaks, what forc'd by firefire; "What is immediately apparent, what revealed by fire," the latter referring perhaps to some alchemical or occult process through which nature's secrets are exposed. Both th'old diſcoveriesdiscoveries, &and yethe new-found seas, Both the'old discoueriesdiscoveries, &and yethe New foundNew-found seas, Both th' old diſcoveriesdiscoveries, and the new foundnew-found ſeasseas, The stock and surplus, cause and History. The stock &and surplus, cause and history: The ſtockstock and ſurplussurplus, cauſecause and hiſtoriehistory: The abundance of knowledge already acquired, and how it came to be (i.e., philology). The Church 131 All these stand open or I have the keyeskeys. All these stand open, or I hauehave the keyeskeys. All theſethese ſtandstand open, or I have the keyeskeys: keyes: i.e., means and methods with which to unlock nature's secrets (see line 6 and note). Yet I love Thee. Yet I louelove thee. Yet I love thee. I know the wayesways of Honour: what maintains I know yethe wayesways of honorhonour. what mantainesmaintains I know the wayesways of honour, what maintains The quick returnesreturns of curtesiecourtesy and wittwit: The quick returnesreturns of curtesiecourtesy and wittwit: The quick returns of courteſiecourtesy and wit: "The courtier's skill in lively banter." In vyesvies of fauoursfavours whitherwhether party gains, In vyesvies of fauorsfavours, whether party gainesgains, In vies of favours whether partieparty gains, "Which of two courtiers wins favour in a contest of deference to a person of rank." When glory swelsswells yethe hartheart and moldeth it When Glory swells yethe heart, &and moldeth it When glorieglory ſwellsswells the heart, and moldeth it To all expreſsionsexpressions both of hand &and eye To all expressions both of hand &and eieeye, To all expreſſionsexpressions both of hand and eye, WchWhich on the world a trutrue-love-knottknot may tyetie WchWhich on yethe World a true-louelove-knot may tie Which on the world a true-love-knot may tie, tru/true-love/loue-knot: ornamental knot used as a symbol of true love. And bearebear yethe bundle wheresoerewheresoe'er it goes. And bearebear yethe bundle, wheresoerewheresoe'er it goes: And bear the bundle, whereſoe'rewheresoe'er it goes: Lines 15-17: "When the desire for fame and reputation at court is evident in subtle physical gestures and glances: a wooing of the world as though it were a mistress—a pretence which, like a burdensome load, must always be sustained." How many drams of spirit there must beebe How many drammesdrams of spirit there must beebe How many drammesdrams of ſpiritspirit there muſtmust be drams/drammes: small amounts (OED 3.b). spirit/ſpirit: mental vigor, courage (OED 13.a); vital bodily fluid (OED 16.a); distilled alcohol (OED 21). To sell my life vntounto my frendsfriends or foes To sell my life vntounto my freindsfriends or foes. To ſellsell my life unto my friends or foes: Lines 18-19: The speaker bemoans the considerable energy it takes to sustain worldly respectability, wryly suggesting that such effort can be mustered at all only with a little fortifying courage from the bottle. Yet I love Thee. Yet I louelove thee. Yet I love thee. The church. 58 I know yethe wayesways of Pleasure: the sweet strains, I know yethe waiesways of Pleasure. yethe sweet strainesstrains, I know the wayesways of pleaſurepleasure, the ſweetsweet ſtrainsstrains, strains/straines/ſtrains: passages of song or verse (OED 13.b); sexual exertions. The gustos lullings and the relishes of ittit.gustos: keen enjoyments (OED 2). The Lullings &and yethe rellishesrelishes of ittit: The lullings and the reliſhesrelishes of it; lullings/Lullings: soothing songs (OED 1.b); soothing caresses (OED lull, v.1, 1). relishes/rellishes/reliſhes: pleasing flavours or qualities (OED 1.d); and, as Wilcox (325) notes, musical embellishments (OED relish, n.3). The propositions of hotthot blood and brains: The propositions of hotthot blood &and brainesbrains: The propoſitionspropositions of hot bloudblood and brains; propositions/propoſitions: schemes or courses of action (OED 2.a). What mirth &and MusickMusic meanemean, what louelove &and wittwit What Mirth &and MusiqMusic meanemean: what louelove &and wittwit What mirth and muſickmusic mean; what love and wit Have done these twenty many hundred yeersyears and more: HaueHave done these twenty hundred yearesyears &and more: Have done theſethese twentietwenty hundred yearesyears, and more: Lines 24-25: "What are the major cultural achievements inspired by love from Classical antiquity to the present." Where both their baſketsbaskets are wth allwithal their store their: i.e., loue's and witt's. I know yethe proiectsprojects of vnbundledunbundled store: I know the projects of unbridled ſtorestore: vnbundled/unbridled: Whereas the #b version means merely unpacked or released, the #p revision means unrestrained or undisciplined (as of a horse without a bridle). The smacks of dainties and their exaltation: smacks: agreeable flavours (OED 1.c). dainties: choice viands (OED 6). their exaltation: the elation they cause (OED 2.b). My stuff is flesh, not brassebrass; my senses liuelive, My ſtuffestuff is fleſhflesh, not braſſebrass; my ſenſessenses live, What both yethe stops and pegs of pleasure beebe: stops: ventages or apertures on the tube of a wind instrument (OED 15.a). pegs: tuning pegs of a stringed instrument (OED 2.a). And grumble oft; that they hauehave more in meeme And grumble oft, that they have more in me The ioyesjoys of Company or Contemplation"The pleasures of society or solitary reflection." ThenThan he, ytthat curbs them, being but one to fiuefive. ThenThan he that curbs them, being but one to fivefive: Lines 27-29: "I am made of flesh and my five senses complain often that they are restrained by Reason even though outnumbering him five to one." Yet I love Thee Yet I louelove thee. Yet I love thee. D5 I The Church 62 132 The Church. 82 I know all these &and have them in my hand. I know all these, &and hauehave them in my hand. I know all theſethese, and have them in my hand: have/haue them in my hand: i.e., by virtue of having written this poem. Therefore not seeledsealed, but wthwith open eyes Therefore not sealed, but with open eyes Therefore not ſealedsealed, but with open eyes I fly to thee, and fully vnderstandunderstand I fly to thee, and fully vnderstandunderstand, I fliefly to thee, and fully underſtandunderstand Both the mainemain sale and the Commodities Both yethe mainemain sale, and the commodities: Both the main ſalesale, and the commodities; And at what rate &and price I hauehave thy love, And at what rate &and price I hauehave thy louelove And at what rate and price I have thy love; Lines 32-35: Using a cold, mercantile language of exchange, the speaker arrogantly presumes to comprehend the extent of the sacrifice required to follow Christ. Worse yet, he fails utterly to comprehend the extent of Christ's sacrifice relative to his own. WthWith all the Circumstances ytthat may mouemove. With all yethe circumstances, ytthat may mouemove, With all the circumſtancescircumstances that may move: "The speaker even claims to be able to anticipate changes in circumstances and to understand how they will affect the agreement" (Wilcox, 326). Yet th‸roughthrough these labyrinths not my grouelinggroveling wittwit, Yet through these labarinthslabyrinths, not my grouelinggroveling wittwit, Yet through the labyrinths, not my groveling wit, labyrinths/labarinths: mazes, recalling the story of Theseus and the Minotaur in Ovid's Metamorphoses (8.130ff.). After slaying the beast, Theseus finds his way out of the labyrinth by means of Ariadne's thread (the latter suggested here by the silk twist/twiſt in the following line). groueling/groveling witt/wit: This sudden assertion that the poem to this point has been merely obsequious seems entirely at odds with the arrogance of the lines (32-36) immediately preceding. The crucial question is whether the acknowledgement of such folly has sufficiently corrected it. But perhaps that is the point: nothing the speaker says or does can redeem him. The poem's conclusion is the moment before the clime/climbe (line 40) has even begun. But thy silk-twist, lettlet downedown from HeauenHeaven to meeme But thy silk twist, let downedown from heauenheaven to meeme, But thy ſilksilk twiſttwist let down from heav'n to me, silk-/silk/ſilk twist/twiſt: In addition to the echo of Ovid (see line 37 and note), Wilcox (326-27) cites three possible interpretations of this much-discussed phrase: an echo of Jacob's ladder linking heaven and earth (Genesis 28:12); the proverbial "threefold cord" that "is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 3:12) and therefore a type of the Trinity; and a passage in Calvin's Institutes (1.6.3) in which the "twist" of God's Word is said to lead the Christian to salvation. Did both conduct and teach meeme how by ittit Did both conduct, &and teach meeme, how by it Did both conductconduct and teach me, how by it To climeclimb to Thee. To climbeclimb to Thee. To climbeclimb to thee.