[The Prologue.]
[No breaks between the stanzas in Sloane, Cambr. or Harl. MS.]
O lord oure lord þi nane so marvelous [[Sloane MS 1685]]
ys in þis worlde y-sprad quod she
ffor not only þi laude precious
performed ys by men of dignyte
Line 1646
But be þe mouthe of Children þi bownte
Perfourmed ys for in oure brest soukynge
Some tyme shewen þei þine heryinge
Line 1649
Wherefore in lawde as I can beste & may
Of the þat and of þe þat holy floure
. . . . . [no gap in the MS.]
To tellen a storie I woll do my labour
Line 1653
Not þat I may encrece hir honoure
ffor she hir self ys honoure & þerto roote
Of bounte next hir sone of saules bote
Line 1656
. . . . . [no gap in the MS.]
O . bussh vnbrent brennynge in Moses siȝt
But rauyssheþ doun fro þe dignete [Sloane MS 1685 folio 198b]
Thorouȝe þine humblenesse þe goste þat in þe lyȝt
Line 1660
Of whos vertu whan he in þine hert lyȝt
Conceyued was þe fadres sapience
helpe me to telle yt in þine reuerence
Line 1663
¶ Lady þi bounte and þi magnificence
Thy vertu and thy grete humilite
There may no þinge expresse in no sentence
ffor som tyme lady or men pray to þe
Line 1667
þou geste be-fore of þi benygnite
And geteste vs þe lyȝt/ þorouȝe þi prayere
To leden vs vnto þi sone so clere
Line 1670
