The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 373r
1 of 14 folios
15
And thow men dreddȳ neuere for to deyin
Ȝit seen men weel by resoū douteles
That ydilnesse is rote slogardye
Of whiche there neuere comyth encrees
And seen that slouthe hire holdyt in a lees
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Only for to slepe & ete & drynke
And to deuoure al that othir swȳke
And for to putte vs frō swich ydilnes
That cause is of so greet cōfusioū
I haue here don myn feythful businesse
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Aftyr the legende in translacioū
Rygh of thȳ glorious lyf & pascioū
Thow with thȳ garlād wrogh wt rose & lilye
Tho meene I mayde & martyr Seyn Cecyle
And thow that flor of virgynis art alle
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Of whom that bernard lyste so weel to write
To the at mȳ begȳnȳge I leste to calle
Thow confort of vs wrechis do me endite
Thyn maydenys deth / that wā thor hire meryte
The eternal lyf & ouyr the fend victorye
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As man may aftyr redyn in hre storye
Thow maydyn & modyr doghtir of the sone
Thow welle of mercy sȳful soulys cure
In whō that god of mercy ches to wone
Thow hūble & heig ouer euery creature
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Thow nobledist so fer forth oure nature
That no disdayn the makere hadde of kynde
His sone in blood & flesch to clothe & wynde
With inne the cloystre blisful of thȳne sydis
Tok mānys schap the eternal loue & pees
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That of the tryne cūpas lord & gide is
Wō heuene & se & erthe out of reles
Ay heryen & thow virgyne wēmelees
Bar of thȳ body & dweldist mayde pure
The creator of euery creature