Lytyl ne mekyl — now wete þou weel —
Tyl twelue dayes be comen & gon!
Out off þis land I wole forsoþe —
Me be-houes nouȝt longe dwelle:
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To grete men & wyse boþe
Off þese auntrys forto telle;
Counseyl I haue wiþ-outen dred
Hou I schal þis maydyn quelle;
But sche take anoþer red,
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Sche schal wete off woo ful welle."
Whenne þe emperour was Iwent,
Þe qwene sayde vntyl a knyȝte —
Off knyȝtys he was cheeff & gent:
Porphurye, seys þe book, he hyȝte —
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Þe qwene sayde: "wiþ Kateryne
Doo me speke, ȝyff þat þou myȝt!
Longyng I haue in herte myne
To speke wiþ here þis ylke nyȝt."
Þat ylke nyȝt forgat he nouȝt
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To doo þe qwenys comaundemente:
Vnto presoun þo he here brouȝt
And preuyly wiþ here he wente.
Þey sawȝ þer-Inne ful mekyl lyȝt:
Goddys aungelys þedyr were sent,
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Þat seten aboute þat swete wyȝt,
Anoyntyd here wiþ oynement.
Aungelys þey seen here cors anoynte,
Ylke a wem & ylke a wounde,
Þorwȝ Jhesu myȝt in euery ioynte
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Þey maden here boþe heyl & sounde.
Þey hadde nouȝt at þe presoun dore
Istonden but a lytyl stounde,
Off þe lyȝt þey were adred so sore:
In swownyng fel þey to þe grounde.
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Þe maydyn ros & to hem came
And spak to hem wiþ mylde mood:
"Rysys vp in goddys name,
And loke ȝe ben off counfort good!"
On Jhesu Cryst sche bad hem leue,
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Þat for man-kynde schedde hys blood.
And whanne sche hadde þis counseyl geue,
Vp þey resen & by here stood.
