The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 164r
5 of 15 folios
And for his loue þat deyde vpon a tre
Euery secound or þridde day sche faste
140
Ay biddyng in hire orisouns ful faste /
The nygħt cam and to bedde most sche goon
Wiþ hir housbond as oft is þe manere
And priuely to him sche sayde anoon
O swete and wel biloued spouse deere /
145
Ther is a counseil and ȝe wold it heere /
Which þat right fayn I wold vnto ȝou saye
So þat ȝe swere ȝe schul it not bywraye
Ualirian gan fast / vnto hir swere
That for no caas ne þing þat mighte be /
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He scholde neuer mo bywreye hire
And þanne at erst þus sayde sche
I haue an aungel which þat loueþ me
That wiþ gret loue wher so I wake or slepe
Is redy ay my body for to kepe
IF ȝe me touche or loue in vilonye
He rigħt anoon wil sle ȝou wiþ þe dede
And in ȝoure ȝouþe þus schulde ȝe dye
And if þat ȝe in clene loue me gye
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He wol ȝow loue as me for ȝour clennesse /
And schewe ȝou his ioye and his brightnesse /
Ualirian corrected as god wolde /
Answerde agayn if I schal truste þe /
Let me þat aungel se and him biholde
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And if þat it a verray aungel be /
Than wol I doon as þou hast prayed me
And if þou loue anoþer man forsoþe
Right wiþ þis þis swerd þan wol I slee ȝou boþe /
Cecilie answerd anoon right in þis wise
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If þat ȝow list þe aungel schul ȝe see
So þat ȝe trowe on crist and ȝou baptise
Goþ forþ to via apia quod sche /
That fro þis toun stant but myles þre
And to þe pore folkes þat þer duelle
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Saith hem right þus . as þat I schal ȝou telle /
Telle hem I cecilie . ȝow vnto hem sent