The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 172r
12 of 14 folios
And ekyng of helpe and of sapience
And sondry werkes bright of excellence
And right as þis philosophres wryte
That heuen is swyft round and brynnyng
115
Right so was faire Cecile þe whyte
Ful swift and besy euer in good werkyng
And round & hool in good perseueryng
And brenne euere in charite lighte /
Now haue I declared ȝou what sche highte
120
This mayden brigħt Cecile as hire lyf saiþ
Was comen of Romayns and of noble kynde
And so forþ fostred vp in þe faiþ
Of crist and bar his gospel in hire mynde
Sche neuer cessede as I writen fynde
125
Of hire prayere and god to loue and drede
Besechinge him to kepe hire maydenhede /
And what þis mayden schulde vnto a man
Y wedded be þat was ful ȝong of age
Which þat y cleped was valerian
130
And þe day was comen of hire mariage
Sche fil deuoute and humble in hire corage
Vnder hire robe of gold þat sat ful faire
And next hire fleissħ sche clad hire in an haire
And whiles þe Orgles maden melodye
135
To god allone þus in herte sang sche
O lord my soule and eek my body gye
Vnwemmed lest þat I confoundid be
And for his loue þat deyde vpon a tre
Euery secounde or þridde day sche faste
140
Ay byddyng in hire orisons ful faste /
The night com and to bedde sche moste gon
Wiþ hire housbonde as often is þe manere
And pryuely sche sayde to him anon
O swete and wel biloued spouse dere
145
Ther is a counseil and ȝe wolde it here
Which þat right fayn I wol vnto ȝou sayn