The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 84r
5 of 16 folios
And whil that the Orgones maden melodye
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To god allone in hir hert thus song she
O lorde my soule and eke my body gye
Vnwemmed lest that I confounded be
And for his loue that dide vpon the tre
Euery secunde and thrid day she faste
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Ay biddyng in hir orisons ful faste
The nyght cam and to bedde moste she gon
Wyth hir husbonde as ofte is the manere
And piuely she seyde to him anon
O swete and welbeloued spouse dere
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Ther is a counseil and ye wold it here
Which that ryght fayn I wolde vnto yow seye
So that ye swere ye shol it nat bewrye
Ualaryan gan fast vnto hir swere
That for no cas ne thing that myght be
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He sholde neuer mo biwryen here
And thanne at erst to him seyde she
I haue an angel which that loueth me
That wyth gret loue wher so I wake or slepe
Is redy ay my body for to kepe
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And yif that he may felen out of drede
That ye me touche or loue in vileynye
He ryght anon wol sleen yow wyth the dede
And in your youthe thus ye sholden dye
And yif that ye in clene loue me gye
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He wol yow loue as me for your clennesse
And shew to yow his ioy and his bryghtnesse
This valerian corrected as god wolde
Answerde agayn if I shal tristen the
Lat me that angel seen and him biholde
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And yif that it a verray angel be
Than wol I don as thou hast payde me
And yif thow loue another man for sothe
Ryght wyth this swerd than wil I slex yow bothe