The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 177v
1 of 14 folios
For he Almachie wiþ ful wikked entent
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To slen hure in þe bath his sonde sent
Þre strokes in þe necke he smot hire þo
The tormentor but for no maner chaunce
He might not smyten al hire necke a tuo
And for þer was þat tyme an ordynaunce
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That no man scholde do man such penaūce
Þe ferþe strook to smyten softe or sore
Þis tormentor ne durste nomore
But half ded wiþ hire necke koruen þere /
He laft hir lye and in his wey he went
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Þe cristne folke whiche abouten hire were /
Wiþ scheetes home ful faire hire hent
Þre dayes lyued sche in þis torment
And neuer cessed hem þe feiþ to teche
Þat sche hadde fostred hem sche gan to perche
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And hem sche ȝaff hire moebles and hire þing
And to þe pope vrban bitok hem þo /
And sayde þus I askede þis of heuen king
To haue respyt þre dayes and no mo /
To recomande to ȝou er þat I go
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Þise soules lo and þat I mighte do wirche
Here of myn hous perpetuelliche a chirche
Seint vrban wiþ his deaknes priuely
The body fette and buried it by nighte
Among his oþere seintes honestely
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Hire hous þe chirche of seint Cecile highte
Seynt vrban halwed it as he wel mighte
In þe which in to þis day in noble wyse /
Men don to cryst and to his seintz seruise