And thou, thou art the flow’r of virgins all, Of whom that Bernard list so well to write, 4447 To thee at my beginning first I call; Thou comfort of us wretches, do me indite Thy maiden’s death, that won through her meríte Th’ eternal life, and o’er the fiend victóry, As man may after readen in her story.

Thou maid and mother, daughter of thy Son, Thou well of mercy, sinful soulës’ cure, In whom that God of bounté chose to won; 4448 Thou humble and high o’er every creatúre, Thou nobilest, so far forth our natúre, 4449 That no disdain the Maker had of kind, 4450 His Son in blood and flesh to clothe and wind. 4451