The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 152v
2 of 13 folios
His sonne in blode & flessche to cloþe & winde
¶ Wiþ inne þe cloister blisful of þi sides
Toke mannes schap eterne loue & pees
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Þat of þe trine compas lorde & gide es
Whome heuene & see & erþe out of reles
Ay herien . & þou virgine wemles
Bare of þine body & dueldist maide pure
The creatore of euery creature
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¶ Assembled is in þe magnificence
W mercy goodnesse & wiþ suche pite
Þat þou ert þe soñe of excellence
Nouht only helpest hem þat preyen þe
Bot oft time of þi benignite
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Ful frely er þat men þin helpe beseche
Þou gost be forne & ert her lyues leche
¶ Nowe help þou meke & blisful faire maide
Me flemed wriche in þis in þis desert of gal
Þenke on þe wōman Canan þat seide
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Þat whelpes eten sōme of þe crōmes al
Þat from her lordes table buen yfal .
And þouhe þat .I. þe vnworþe douhter of Eue
Be synful ȝit accept my be leue
¶ And for þat feiþ is dede wiþ outen werkes
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So for to worchene ȝeue me witte & space
Þat .I. be qwyte frome þe place þat most derke is
O þou þat art so faire & so ful of grace
Be myne aduocate in so hihe a place
There as wiþ outen eende is songe Osanna
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Thou cristes moder & douhter of Anna
¶ And of þine lyht þou gaunt my self haue parte
Þat triblide is be þe cogitacione
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O heuen o refute o saluacione
Of hem þat buen in sorwe & destresse
Nowe helpe for vnto my werke .I. wil me redresse
¶ Ȝet praie .I. ȝowe þat reden þat .I. write
For ȝeueþ me þat .I. do no diligence
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Þis ilke storie subtely to endyte
For boþe haue .I. þe wordes & þe sentence
Of hem þat att þe seintes reuerence
Þe stori wrote & folowen here legende
And praien ȝowe þat ȝe woƚƚ my werk amende
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¶ Firste wiƚƚ .I. ȝowe þe name of sein Cecile