Pearl's Stanza-Group Link Words and Phrases

Group I-"spot" (both "place" and "flaw")

Group II-"adubbemente" ["enobling splendor"]

Group III-"more and more"

Group IV-"pyght" ["adorned"] except #2, "umbethyghte" ["set round with]

Group V-"X + juelere" [joylez, gentyl, no kynde, weren joyful, may no joyful]

VI-"deme" ["judge," but also "understand"]

Group  VII-"grounde of alle my blysse"

Group VIII-"Quen of cortaysye" [except #5, D's rebellion, "kyng by cortayse'"]

Group  IX-"date" ["time," "occasion"]

Group X-"more"

 Group XI-"grete inoghe"

Group XII "ryght" [both "correct" and "in accordance with justice or custom": saf and, saf by, saf by, not by, saf by]

Group XIII- "maskellez" ["spotless," both "without place" and "without flaw"]

Group XIV-"Jerusalem" [the worldly city in the Middle East and the perfected city of Heaven in Revelations]

Group XV-"never the les" ["never fewer or smaller," except #5, "neverthelese,"--note #5's objection introduces the 6th, "otiose" stanza to make possible the 1212-line poem (first pointed out by P. M. Kean, "Numerical Composition in Pearl," Notes & Queries, 251 (1965) 49-51)]

Group  XVI-"wythouten mote" ["without spot," see XIII above, except #2, "myry mote," dialect play on "city"]

Group XVII-"the apostel John" [i.e., St. John, author of the Book of Revelations describing the Apocalypse]

Group XVIII-"mone" ["moon," play on "month" in #4]

Group XIX-"delyt" ["delight," "powerful urging," of one's self]

Group XX- "paye" ["pleasure," "pleasing," of another, the Prince/Ruler/God].