The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 153r
3 of 13 folios
Expounde as men maie in here stories see
It is to seyen on Englisshe heuenes lylye
For pure chastenesse of virginitee
Oþer for sche witnesse hadde of honeste
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Of grene of conscience & of good fame
The swete sauoure lylye was hir name
Oþere Cecely . is to seie þe waie to blinde
For sche ensample was be gode techeinge
Or elles Cicily is as .I. writen fynde
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Is Ioyned be a maner conioyneinge
Of heuen & lya . & hir in fygureinge
Þe heuen is sette for þouht of holynesse
And lya for hire lasteinge besinesse
Cecile eke mai be seide in þis manere
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Wanteynge of blindenesse for hire grete liht
Of Sapiens & for hire þewes clere
Or elles lo þis maydens name briht
Men myht þe heuen of þe peple hir caƚƚ
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Ensample of goode & wise werkes aƚƚ
For leos peple in ynglisshe is to seie
And riht as men may in þis heuen see
The sonne & mone & þe sterres euery weye
Riht so gostly in þis mayden fre
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Seyen þe faiþe of manificence
And eke of helpe & of sapiens
And sondre werkes briht of excellence
An riht as þes philosofers write
Þat heuen is swift roūde & berneinge
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Riht so was faire Cecile þe white
Ful sweft & besi euer in good workinge
And rounde & hole in goode perseueringe
And bernede euer in charite liht
Nowe haue .I. declared ȝow what sche hiht
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This maiden hiht Cecile as hir lif seiþe
Was comen of Romeyns & of noble kinde
And so forþe fostred vp in þe feiþe
Of Crist & bare his gospeƚƚ in hir mynde
Sche neuer cesede as .I. wreten finde
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Of hir praier & god to loue & drede
Besecheinge him to kepe hir maidenhede
And whan þis maiden scholde vnto a man