The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 154r
5 of 13 folios
And to þe pouer folkes þat þere duelle
175
Sei hem riht þus as þat .I. schal ȝowe telle
¶ Tel hem þat .I. Cecile ȝowe to hem sent
To schewen ȝowe þe good vrbane þe oolde
For secre nedes & for good entent
And whan þat ȝe seint vrban haue be holde
180
Tel him þe wordes whiche þat .I. tolde ȝowe
And whan þat he haþ purged ȝowe fro sinne
Than schal ȝe se þat angel ar ȝe twinne
¶ Valerian is to þat place y goon
And riht as him was tauht behis lerenynge
185
He fonde þis holy Vrban a none
Amonge þe seintes buriels lotiynge. \ .i. latitaus /
And he a none wiþ outen tariynge
Did his message & whan he hadde tolde
Vrban for Ioye gan his hondes vpholde
190
The teres from his yen lete he faƚƚ
Almihti god o ihū Crist qd he
Sewer of Chaste counseil . & herde of of vs aƚƚ
The fruyte of þilke seed of chastite
Þat þou hast sowe in Cecile take to þe
195
Loo y like a buse bee wiþ oute gile
Þe serueþ aye þin owen þral Cecile
¶ For þilke spouse þat sche toke bot nowe
Ful like a fers lyon sche sendeþ here
As meeke as any lombe was to ȝowe
200
And wiþ þat worde anone þer gan a pere
An old man clad wiþ white cloþes clere
And had abooke wiþ lr~es of gold in honde
And gan beforne valerian stonde
¶ Valerian as dede fel doune for drede
205
When he him saughe & him vp hent þoo
And on his booke riht þus he gan to rede
O lorde .o. feiþe .o. god wiþ owten mo
Of Cristendome & fader of aƚƚ also
Aboue aƚƚ & ouer al euery where
210
Þis wordes al wiþ golde wreten were
¶ Whan þis was radde þan seide þis olde man
Leuest þou þis þinge or no sey ȝe or naye
.I. leue al þis þinge ; þan þis .I. dare wele saye
215
Vnder þe heuen no wiht ne þenke maye
Tho vanysched þe olde man he nyste wher