The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 195v
1 of 14 folios
Se whicħ braunes / hatħ this gentil Preest
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So gret a nekke / & swicħ a large breest
He loketħ as a Sparhauke / wt hise eyen
Hī nedetħ nat / his colour for to dygħen
W brasile / ne witħ greyn of Portyngale
Now sire / faire falle ȝow / for ȝoure tale
15
And after that / he wt ful merie chere
Seide vn to a nother / as ȝe shuln heere
Heere endetħ the Tale of the Nōnes Preest /
/ & bigynnetħ the
Secund Nonnes Tale of Seynt Cecile / witħ oute a íloge ;
The ministre / and the Norice vn to vices
Whicħ þt men clepen / in Englissħ / ydelnesse
That porter at the gate is / of delices
To eschuen / & by hire contarie / hire oppersse
5
That is to seyn / by leueful bysinesse
Wel ougħte we / to don al oure entente
Leest þt the fend / thurgħ ydelnesse vs hente
¶ For he þt wt his thousand cordes / slye
Continuely vs waytetħ / to biclappe
10
Whan he may man / in ydelnesse espie
He can so ligħtly / cacche hī in his trappe
Til þt a man be hent / rigħt by the lappe
He nys nat war / the fend hath hī in honde
Wel ougħte vs werche / & ydelnesse wt stonde
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¶ And thougħ men dradden / neuere for to dye