CAP. III.
[verse 1] [The vois of the Chirche, gaderid togidere of Gentilis. X marg.] In my litle bed [In iij.co. is set the letting of the puple, that bi|felde bi aspieris of the lond of biheest, that maden the pu|ple so myche aferd, that thei wolden forsake Moises, and the arke of the Lord, and turne aȝen in to E|gipt; and the spousesse bi|weilith this letting, and seith, in my litle bed; that is, in the taber|nacle of Moises. bi nyȝtis; that is, in the tyme of tribulacioun, reisid bi thilke aspieris. Moises and Aaron in the tabernacle preyeden the Lord for the puple, that the forseid sentence schulde be tem|perid, ether re|uokid, but for thei weren not herd, it sueth, Y souȝte him, and foond not. cum|passe the citee; that is, the de|sert bi xl. ȝeer. the wakeris; that is, Moises and Aaron. founden me; and tolden the sentence of God; and for the puple re|pentide of that rebelte, and was redi to stie in to the lond of biheest, and so thei souȝten the good wille of God, it sueth, wher ȝe sien him, etc. where the spousesse spekith to Moi|ses and Aaron, and for they answeriden not to her desir, but more to the contrarie, and seiden, Nyle ȝe stie, therfor here is set noon answer to the forseid axing. Lire here. C.] Y souȝte hym bi niȝtis, whom my soule loueth; Y souȝte hym, and Y foond not. [verse 2] I shal rise, and Y schal cumpasse the citee, bi litle stretis and large stretis; Y schal seke hym, whom my soule loueth; I souȝte hym, and Y foond not. [verse 3] Wakeris [Wacche men I.] , that kepen the citee, founden me. [The Chirche seith of Crist to the Apostlis. X marg.] Whether ȝe sien hym, whom my soule loueth? [verse 4] A litil whanne Y hadde passid hem, Y foond hym, whom my soule loueth; Y helde hym, and Y schal not leeue hym [Om. C.] , til Y brynge him in to the hous of my modir, and in to the closet of my modir. [verse 5] [The vois of Crist, of the Chirche. X marg.] Ȝe douȝtris of Jerusalem, Y charge you greetli, bi the capretis, and hertis of feeldis, that ȝe reise not, nether make to awake the dereworthe spousesse, til sche wole. [verse 6] [The synagoge, of the Chirche. X marg.] Who is this womman, that stieth [stieth up I.] bi the deseert, as a ȝerde of smoke [as a ȝerde of smoke, etc.; that is seid for encence maad of many swete smellinge spices, that signefiede deuocioun of the puple, bi which thei desserueden to be brouȝt in to the lond of biheest. sixti stronge men; that is, sixti sithis ten thousinde that maken vj. hundrid thousynde of werriours, aboute the bed of Salomon, that is, the tabernacle of pees of the Lord. Lire here. C.] of swete smellynge spices, of mirre, and of encence, and of al poudur of an oynement makere? [verse 7] [The vois of the Chirche, of Crist. X marg.] Lo! sixti stronge men of the strongeste men of Israel cumpassen the bed of Salomon; [verse 8] and alle thei holden swerdis, and ben moost witti to batels; the swerd of ech man is on his hipe, for the drede of nyȝtis. [verse 9] [Of Crist, and of the Chirche, chosen of Gentilis. X marg.] Kyng Salomon [Kyng Salomon; that is, God a king to ȝou, specialy in the ȝyuyng of lawe. a goldun resting place; that is, the pro|piciatorie, that was the seete of God was al of pure gold. stiyng of purpur; that is, a veil of purpur hanginge bitwixe the pileris, and was reisid vp, whanne me entride in to the hooly of hooli places. the myddil thingis with charite; for in the hooli of hooli places on the pawment was the arke of testament, with the tablis of lawe, and manna, and the ȝerde of Aaron, that weren signes of Goddis charite to the puple. Lire here. C.] made to hym a seete, of [verse 10] the trees of Liban; he made the pilers therof of siluer; he made a goldun rest|yng place, a stiyng [stiyng up I.] of purpur; and he arayede the myddil thingis with charite, for the douȝtris of Jerusalem. [verse 11] [The vois of the Chirche, of Crist. X marg.] Ȝe douȝ|tris of Sion, go [goth I.] out, and se [se ȝe I.] kyng Salo|mon
