O thou, that art so fair and full of grace,
Be thou mine advocate in that high place,
Where as withouten end is sung Osanne,
Thou Christë’s mother, daughter dear of Anne.
And of thy light my soul in prison light,
That troubled is by the contagión
Of my bodý, and also by the weight
Of earthly lust and false affectión;
O hav’n of refuge, O salvatión
Of them that be in sorrow and distress,
Now help, for to my work I will me dress.
Yet pray I you, that readë what I write,4463
Forgive me that I do no diligence
This ilkë4464 story subtilly t’ indite.
For both have I the wordës and senténce
Of him that at the saintë’s reverence
The story wrote, and follow her legénd;
And pray you that you will my work amend.
First will I you the name of Saint Cecílie
Expound, as men may in her story see.
It is to say in English, Heaven’s lily,4465
For purë chasteness of virginity;
Or, for she whiteness had of honesty,4466
And green of consciénce, and of good fame
The sweetë savour, Lilie was her name.
Or Cecilie is to say, the way of blind;4467
For she example was by good teachíng;
Or else Cecilie, as I written find,
Is joined by a manner conjoiníng
Of heaven and Lia,4468 and herein figuríng
The heaven is set for thought of holiness,
And Lia for her lasting business.
Cecilie may eke be said in this mannére,
Wanting of blindness, for her greatë light
Of sapience, and for her thewës4469 clear.
Or ellës, lo, this maiden’s name bright
Of heaven and Leos comes, for which by right
Men might her well the heaven of people call,
Example of good and wisë workës all;
For Leos people4470 in English is to say;4471
And right as men may in the heaven see
The sun and moon, and starrës every way,
Right so men ghostly,4472 in this maiden free,
Sawen of faith the magnanimitý,
And eke the clearness whole of sapiénce,
And sundry workës bright of excellence.
And right so as these philosóphers write,
That heav’n is swift and round, and eke burning,
Right so was fairë Cecilíe the white
Full swift and busy in every good workíng,
And round and whole4473 in good perséveríng,
And burning ever in charity full bright;
Now have I you declared what she hight.4474
This maiden bright Cecile, as her life saith,
Was come of Romans, and of noble kind,
And from her cradle foster’d in the faith
Of Christ, and bare his Gospel in her mind:
She never ceased, as I written find,
Of her prayére, and God to love and dread,
Beseeching him to keep her maidenhead.
And when this maiden should unto a man
Y-wedded be, that was full young of age,
Which that y-called was Valerian,
And comë was the day of marriáge,
She, full devout and humble in her coráge,4475
Under her robe of gold, that sat full fair,
Had next her flesh y-clad her in an hair.4476
And while the organs madë melody,
To God alone thus in her heart sang she;
“O Lord, my soul and eke my body gie4477
Unwemmed,4478 lest that I confounded be.”
And, for his love that died upon the tree,
Every second or third day she fast’,
Aye bidding4479 in her orisons full fast.
The night came, and to beddë must she gon
With her husbánd, as it is the mannére;
And privily she said to him anon;
“O sweet and well-beloved spousë dear,
There is a counsel,4480 an’4481 ye will it hear,
Which that right fain I would unto you say,
So that ye swear ye will it not bewray.”
Valerian gan fast unto her swear
That for no case nor thing that mightë be,
He never should to none bewrayen her;
And then at erst4482 thus to him saidë she;
“I have an angel which that loveth me,
That with great love, whether I wake or sleep,
Is ready aye my body for to keep;
“And if that he may feelen, out of dread,4483
That ye me touch or love in villainy,
He right anon will slay you with the deed,
And in your youthë thus ye shouldë die.
And if that ye in cleanë love me gie,4484
He will you love as me, for your cleannéss,
And shew to you his joy and his brightnéss.”
Valerian, corrected as God wo’ld,
Answer’d again, “If I shall trustë thee,
Let me that angel see, and him behold;
And if that it a very angel be,
Then will I do as thou hast prayed me;
And if thou love another man, forsooth
Right with this sword then will I slay you both.”
Cecile answér’d anon right in this wise;
“If that you list, the angel shall ye see,
So that ye trow4485 Of Christ, and you baptise;
Go forth to Via Appia,” quoth she,
That from this townë4486 stands but milës three,
And to the poorë folkës that there dwell
Say them right thus, as that I shall you tell.
“Tell them, that I, Cecile, you to them sent
To shewë you the good Urban the old,
For secret needës,4487 and for good intent;
And when that ye Saint Urban have behold,
Tell him the wordës which I to you told;
And when that he hath purged you from sin,
Then shall ye see that angel ere ye twin.”4488
Valerian is to the placë gone;
And, right as he was taught by her learning,
He found this holy old Urban anon
Among the saintës’ burials louting;4489
And he anon, withoutë tarrying,
Did his messáge, and when that he it told,
Urban for joy his handës gan uphold.
The tearës from his eyen let he fall;
“Almighty Lord, O Jesus Christ,” quoth he,
“Sower of chaste counsél, herd4490 of us all;
The fruit of thilkë4491 seed of chastity
That thou hast sown in Cecile, take to thee:
Lo, like a busy bee, withoutë guile,
Thee serveth aye thine owen thrall4492 Cicile.
“For thilkë spousë, that she took but new,4493
Full like a fierce lión, she sendeth here,
As meek as e’er was any lamb to ewe.”
And with that word anon
