The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 165r
7 of 15 folios
And first to Cecilie as I vnderstonde
He ȝaf þat oon and after can he take /
That oþer to valerian hir make
225
Wiþ body clene and wiþ vnwemmed þougħt
Kepeth ay wel þese corounes þre
Fro paradys to ȝou I haue hem brougħt
Ne neuer moo ne schul þey roten be /
Ne leese here soote sauour trusteþ me
230
Ne neuer wigħt schal seen hem wiþ his ye
But he be chast and hate vilonye
And þou valirian for þou so soone
Assentedist to good counseil also
Say what þe list and þou schalt haue þi boone
235
I haue a broþer quod valirian þo
That in þis world I loue no man so
I pray ȝow þat my broþer may haue gace
To knowe þe trouþe as I doo in þis place
The aungel sayde god liketh þy request
240
And boþe with þe palme of martirdom
Ȝe schullen come vnto his blisful feste /
And with þat word tiburce his broþer com
And whan þat he þe sauour vndernom
Which þat þe roses and þe lilies cast
245
Wiþinne hir hert he gan to wondre fast /
And sayde I wondre þis tyme of þe ȝer
Whennes þat soote sauour comeþ so
Of Rose and lilies þat I smelle her
For þougħ I had hem in myn hondes tuo
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The sauour migħt in me no depper go
The swete smel þat in myn hert I fynde
Hath chaunged me al in anoþer kynde
Ualirian sayd tuo corouns haue we
Snow whyt and rose reed þat schinen cleere /
255
Whiche þat þine eyȝen han no might to see /
And þou smellest hem þurgh my prayere /
So schalt þou seen hem my lieue broþere deere
If so be þou wilt wiþouten slouþe
Bilieuen aright and knowen verray trouthe /