The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 166r
2 of 16 folios
¶ Thow mayde and moder / doghter of thy sone
Thow welle of mercy / synful soules cure
In whom / that god / for boūtee chees to wone
Thow humble and heigh / ouer euery creature
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Thow nobledest so ferforth oure nature
That no desdaign / the makere hadde of kynde
His sone / in blood & flessħ / to clothe & wynde
¶ With Inne the Cloistre blisful / of thy sydis
Took mannes shape / the eternal loue and pees
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That of the tryne compas / lord and gyde is
Whom erthe and see / and heuene out of relees
Ay heryen / and thow virgyne wemmelees
Bar of thy body / and dweltest mayde pure
The creatour / of euery creature
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¶ Assembled is in thee Magnificence
With mercy / goodnesse / and swich pitee
That thow that art the sonne of excellence
Nat oonly / helpest hem þt prayen thee
But ofte tyme / of thy benygnytee
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Ful frely / er that men / thyn helpe biseche
Thow goost biforn / and art hir lyues leche
¶ Now help thow meke / and blisful faire mayde
Me flemed wrecche / in this desert of galle
Thynk on the womman Cananee / that sayde
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That whelpes eten / sōme of the crommes alle
That from hir lordes table / been yfalle
And thogh that I / vnworthy sone of Eue
Be synful / yet accepte my bileue
¶ And for that feith is deed / with outen werkis
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So for to werken / yif me wit and space
That I be quyt from thennes / that moost derk is
O thow / that art so fair and ful of grace
Be myn Aduocate / in that heighe place
Ther as with outen ende / is songe Osanne
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Thow cristes moder / doghter deere of Anne