The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 380r
13 of 14 folios
But thilke wrongis may I not endure
That thow spekist of oure goddis heer quod he
Cecile answerde o nyce creature
Thow seydist no word sȳ thow spake with me
495
That I ne knew therw thȳ nycetee
And that thow were in euery maner wise
A lewede offiser & a veyn Iustise
THeere lakkyth no thyng to thȳ viter Iyen
That thow nart blynd / for thyng that we seen alle
500
That is a stoon that men may wel espyen
That ilke stoon a god thow wilt it calle
I rede the let thȳ hond vp on it falle
And taste it weel & ston thow schalt it fynde
Syn that thow sest nat with thȳne eyin blȳde
505
It is schame that the peple schal
So scorne the & laghe at thȳ folye
For comoūly mē wot it weel oueral
That myghty god is in hise heuenys hye
And these ymagis weel thow mayst espie
510
To the ne to hē self may nought profyghte
For in effect they been nat worth a myghte
These wordis & swiche othere seyde sche
And he wex wroth & bad mē schulde hire leede
Hom to hire hous / & in hire hous quod he
515
Brēne hire right in a bath with flambis reede
And as he bad ryȝt so was doon the dede
For in a bath the gune hire faste schette
And nygh & day greet fyr they vndyr bette
The longe nyght & ek a day also
520
For al the feer & ek the bathis heete
Sche sat al cold & felede no woo
It made hire not a drope for to sweete
But in that bath hire lyf muste sche lete
For he Almachi ë with a wekkede entent
525
To sleen hire in the bath his sonde sent