The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 375r
3 of 14 folios
The nyght cax & to bedde muste sche goon
With her husbond as ofte is the māner
And preuyly to hym sche saide a noon
O sweete & weel belouyd spouse deere
145
There is a conseyl & ȝe wele it here
Whiche that rygh fayn I wolde vn to ȝow seye
So that ȝe swere ȝe schul it nat bewreye
Valerian gan faste vn to hire swere
That for no cas ne thyng that myghte be
150
He schulde neueremore bewreyen hire
And thāne at erst to hȳ seyde sche
I haue an aūgel whiche that louygh me
That with greet loue wheere so I wake or sleepe
Is redy ay mȳ body for to keepe
155
And ȝif that he m\a/y felyn out of dreede
That ȝe me touche or loue in vilenye
He rygh a noon wele sle ȝow with the dede
And in youre youthe thus ye shullen dye
And ȝif that ȝe in cleene loue me gye
160
He wele ȝow loue as me for ȝore clēnesse
And schewe to ȝow his ioye & his bryghtnesse
This valerian corektid as god wolde
Answerede a geyn if I schal truste the
Lat me that angel se & ek beholde
165
And ȝif that it a verray aūgel be
Thāne wele I doon as thow hast preyed me
And ȝif thow loue a nothir man forsothe
Ryght with this swerd I wele sle ȝow bothe
Cecyle answerede a noon rygh in this wise
170
Ȝif that ȝe lyste the aūgel schal ȝe se
So that ȝe trowe on cryst & ȝow baptyse
Goth forth to via apia quod sche
That frō this toū stant but mylis three
And to the poure folkys that theere dwelle
175
Seye hē righ as I schal ȝow telle