The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 162v
2 of 15 folios
I haue her doon my faithful busynes
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After þe legende in tanslacioun
Right of þis glorious lif and passioun
Thou with þi garlond wrought wiþ rose and lylye
The mene I mayde and martir cecilie
And þou þat flour of vigines art alle /
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Of whom þat Bernard lust so wel to write
To þe at my bygynnyng first I calle
Thou comfort of vs wrecches do me endite
Thy maydenes deþ þat wan þurgh hire merite
Theternal lif and of þe feend victorie
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As man may after reden in hir storie
Thou mayde and moder doughter of þi sone /
Thow welle of mercy synful soules cure
In whom þat god for bountes chees to wone
Thou humble and heyh ouer euery creature
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Thow nobelest so ferforþ oure nature
That no disdeyn þe maker had of kynde /
His sone in blood and fleissħ to cloþe and wynde /
Wiþinne þe cloyster of þi blisful sydes
Took mannes schap þe eternal loue and pees
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That of þe trine compas lord and guyde is
Whom erþe and see and heuen out of relees
Ay herien and þou virgine wemmeles
Bar of þy body and dwellest mayden pure
The creatour of euery creature /
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Assembled is in þy magnificence
With mercy goodnes and with such pitee
That þou þat art þe sonne of excellence
But oonly helpist hem þat prayen þe
But often tyme of þy benignite
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Ful frely er þat men þin help biseche
Thou gost biforn and art her lyfes leche /
Now help þou meke and blisful faire mayde /
Me flemed wrecche in þis desert of galle
Thenk on þe wōman canace þat sayde
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That whelpes ete some of þe crōmes aƚƚ
That from her lordes table ben I falle /