The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 164v
6 of 15 folios
To schewen ȝow þe good vrban þe olde /
For secre needes and for good entente /
And whan þat ȝe seint vrban han byholde /
180
Tel him þe wordes which þat I to ȝow tolde /
And when þat he haþ purged ȝou fro synne /
Than schul ȝe se þat aungel er ȝe twynne /
Ualirian is to þe place y goon
And right as him was taugħt by his lernynge
185
He fond þis holy old vrban anoon
Among þe seyntes buriels lotynge
And he anoon wiþoute taryinge
Did his message and whan þat he it tolde
Vrban for ioye his handes gan vp holde
190
The teres from his eyȝen let he falle
Almyȝty lord O . ihū crist quod he /
Sower of chaste counseil herde of vs alle
The fruyt of þilke seed of chastite
That þou hast sowe to Cecilie tak to þe
195
Loo lik a busy bee wiþouten gyle /
The serueþ ay þin owne þral Cecile
For þilke spouse þat sche took right now
Ful lyk a fers lyoun sche sendeþ here
As meek as euer was eny lamb to ȝow
200
And wiþ þat word anoon þer gan appere /
An old man clad in white cloþes clere
That had a book wiþ lettres of gold in honde /
And gan toforn valirian to stonde /
Ualirian as deed fyl doū for drede
205
Whan he him say / and he him vp hente þo
And on his book right þus he gan to rede /
O lord . o feith oon god wiþoutē mo
On cistendom and oon fader of aƚƚ also
Abouen aƚƚ and ouer aƚƚ euery where /
And pope vrban him cristened rigħt þere
Ualirian goþ home and fint Cecilie
Wiþinne his chambre with an aungel stonde /
220
This aungel had of Roses and of lilie
Corounes tuo þe which he bar in honde And first