The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

[Heer gynneth [begynneth EGH.] the booc that is clepid Songus [Song C pr. m.] of Songis, of the bridalis of Crist and of the Chirche [No initial rubric in A.] .] CAP. I.

The Chirche, of the comyng of Crist [verse 1] spekith, seiende, Kisse he me with the cos of his mowth. The vois of the Fa|der. For betere ben thi tetes than wyn, smellende with best oynemens. [verse 2] The vois of the Chirche. Oile held out, thi name; therfore the ȝunge waxende wymmen looueden thee ful myche. The vois of the Chirche to Crist. [verse 3] Draȝ me aftir thee; wee shul rennen in the smel of thin oynemens. The Chirche seith of Crist. Broȝte me in [Om. A.] the king in to his celeris; wee shul ful out ioȝen, and gladen in thee, myndeful of thi tetes, vp on wyn; riȝt men loouen thee. The Chirche of hir tribulaciouns. [verse 4] O! ȝee doȝtris of Je|rusalem, blac I am, but shapli, as the tabernacles of Cedar, as the skynnes of Salamon. [verse 5] Wileth not beholden, that I

be broun, for discoloured me hath the sunne; the sonus of my moder foȝten aȝen me, thei setteden me kepere in vynes; my vyneȝerd I kepte not. The vois of the Chirche to Crist. [verse 6] Shew thou to me, whom looueth my soule, wher thou ȝiuest leswe, wher thou ligge [liggist A.] in myddai; lest to gon vagaunt I bygynne, aftir the flockis of thi [my E pr. m.] felawis [lesewis A.] . The vois of Crist to the Chirche. [verse 7] If thou knowest not thee, O! thou most fair among wymmen, go out, and go awei after the steppis of thi flockis; and feed thi got, biside the tabernacle [tabernaclis AGH.] of shep|perdis. [verse 8] To my riding in charis of Farao I licnede thee, O! my leef. [verse 9] Faire ben thi cheekes, as of [Om. E pr. m.] a turtil [tour E pr. m. turtir AE sec. m. G.] ; thi necke as brooches. [verse 10] Goldene ribanes wee shul make to thee, mad fijr red with siluer. The vois of the Chirche of Crist. [verse 11] Whan the king was in his liyng place, my mad encens ȝaf his smel. [verse 12] A bundelet [bundel A.] of myrre my lemman is to me; betwe [betwen E passim.] my tetes he shal dwelle. [verse 13] The clustre of cipre tree my lemman to me, in the vynes of Engaddy. The vois of Crist to the Chirche. [verse 14] Lo! thou art fair, my leef; lo! thou fair, thin eȝen of culueres. The vois of the Chirche to Crist. [verse 15] Lo! thou art fair, my lemman, and semeli; oure bed shynende. [verse 16] The trees of oure houses cedre; oure couplis cipresse.