The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 376v
6 of 14 folios
And seyde I wondere this tyme of the ȝeer
Whens that the sote sauour comyth so
Of rose & lylyis / that I smelle heere /
For thow I hadde hē in myne handis two
250
The sauor myghte in me no deppere go
The swete smel that in mȳ herte I fynde
Hath chaūged me al in a nothir kynde
Valerian seyde two coroūnys han we
Snow whit & rose reed that schynȳ cleere
255
Whiche that thȳne eyne han no myght to se
And as thow smellyst hē thor mȳ preyere
So schalt thow seen hē leue brothir deere
Ȝif it so be thow wolt wt outȳ slouthe
Byleue a rygh & knowȳ werray trouthe
260
Tiburse answerde seyst thow this to me
In sothnesse or in drem I herkene this
In dremys quod valerian haue we be
Vn to this tyme brothir myn I wis
But now at erst in trouthe oure dwellȳge is
265
How wost thow this quod Tiburce & ī what wyse
Quod valerian that schal I the deuyse
The Augel of god hath me the trouthe taught
Which thow schalt se ȝif that thow wilt reneye
Thȳne Idolis & been cleene & ellis not
270
And of the myrakele of these coronys tweye
Seynt Ambrose in his perfas leste to seye
Solempnely this noble doughtyr dere
Comemendyth it & seyth in this maneere
The palme of marterdā for to reseeyue
275
Seynt Secile fulfild of godis ȝifte
The world & ek hise chābre gan sche weyue
Witnesse Tiburce & Cecilies schryfte
To whiche god of his boūte wolde shifte
Coroūnys two of floris sweete smellȳge
280
And made his aūgel hē the coroūnys to brynge