And hir clene maydenhed suffred no lecherie;
Line 424
Wikkid couetyse in hir hert myȝt neuer dwelle,
ffor wilful pouert in hir hert keped the castil;
Pacience in hir hert euer was so prest
That synne of wrath ther-in myȝt neuer haue rest;
Line 428
Ther was so mekil in hir hert of comfort gastly
That ther myȝt neuer synne of slewth dwelle ther-by.
The fair welle in the castil that filles ay the dykes,
Is grace in goddes moder that synful man ay likes.
Line 432
Thou that myster has of grace, go to this spring-welle;
Who so help has of hir, sal neuer go to helle.
[vv. 435-446 freely added.] Make the dykes of meknes & of gode wille
And four stremes of that grace sal the sone fille:
Line 436
On streme euermore sal the clene wasch of synne that is past,
Another agayn temptacion sal make the stedefast,
The thirde sal stere the to do werkes of charite,
And the ferd sal bere the to blis that ay sal be.
Line 440
This welle is euermore springand mercy & pite;
If thou haue no part therof, it is al lange on the.
The trone of yuor is the saule of oure swete lady;
Seuen grees that lys therto, are werkes of mercy;
Line 444
The raynbowe that bendes ouer with his colours thre,
Is the myȝt that couers hir of the haly trinite.
No wonder if this castel were ful fair in siȝt,
When god, the sonne of riȝtwisnes, wald ther-in liȝt!
He come thurgh the cloise ȝate, & when he went clois it was;
Line 449
Riȝt as the briȝt sonne-beme comes & goos thurgh the glas. [folio 15]
Al that man nede has of [is] in this ilk castell;
He that help has of hit, has ynogh of wele.
Line 452
¶ Here spak the autour.
GEntil lady of this castell,
Let me my myscheue to the telle.
Moder of mercy & qwene of pite,
To synful man thou art ay avowe:
Line 456
Ther-for at thi ȝates now y lye,
Thi help and mercy for to crye;
