Here spak Mercy.
THus til her fader sho began
To pray him for synful man:
"Dere fader, kyng of myȝtes mast,
Thi doghter y am, wele thou wast,
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fful of myknes, swetnes and pite;
Dere fader, all thes haue y of the.
Now here my praier for this prison,
That he may be put til his raunson.
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His enemys with thair falshede
Has put him to so gret nede
That he may neuer saued be,
Bot thurgh mercy and gret pite.
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Thair falshed may gretly letted be,
And that prison be ȝolden to me.
Dere fader, mercyful is thi name,
And y thin eldest doghter ame;
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That y were thi doghter, myȝt y neuer say
Bot y wald euer for sinful man pray.
Thi mercy thurgh riȝt sall he haue,
And thi gret mercy sal him saue.
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I sal euer crie mercy to the
Til that wreched prison deliuerd be.
Dere fader, my praier may noȝt be lette,
ffor y am ouer all thi werkes to sette."
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Here spak Sothfastnes.
WHen the second sister, sothfastnes,
Hade herd, mercy thurgh here swetnes
Wold sone bye the synful prison agayn
That sho hade iugged to ay-lastand payne,
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Sho sayde: "dere fader, thi doghter am y,
As ner sib to the as is my sister mercy.
Mercy of no thing may wele gife the dome,
Bot if y, sothfastnes, with her come;
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Hir praier may noȝt be herd of the
Bot if hit acordand be with me.
If all hir prayers suld ay be herd,
Neuer no shrewe for the sul be ferd,
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