The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 83r
3 of 16 folios
And for that feith is deth with outen werkis
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So for to worken yeue me wit and space
That I be quyt from thennes that most derk is
And thou that art so fair and ful of gace
Be myn aduocate in that high place
There as wyth outen ende is songe osanne
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Thou cristes modre doughter dere of anne
And of thi light my soul in pisoun lighte
That troubled is bi the cogitacioun
Of my body and also bi the wighte
Of erthely lust and fals affeccioun
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O. hauene. o. refut. o. sauacioun
Of hem that ben in sorowe and in destresse
Now helpe for to my werke I wol me dresse
Yit pray ich you that reden that I wryte
For yeue me that I do no diligence
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This ilk story subtily tendyte
For both haue I the wordes and sentence
Of him that at the seintes reuerence
The story wrot and folowen hir legende
I pray yow that ye wol my werke amende
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First wold I yow the name of seint Cecelye
Expone as men may in hir story se
It is to seyn on englyssh heuenes lilie
For pure chastnesse of virginite
Or for she whitnesse had of honestee
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And grene of consciens and of good fame
The swot sauour lilie was hir name
Or cecilie it is to seyn the wey to blynde
For she ensample was bi good techyng
Or elles Cecily as I wryten fynde
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Is ioyned bi a maner conioynynge
Of heuene and lya and hir figuryng
The heuene is set for thought of holynesse
And lya for hir lastyng bisinesse