“Victorious tree, protection of the true, That only worthy werë for to bear The King of Heaven, with his woundës new, The whitë Lamb, that hurt was with a spear; Flemer of fiendës out of him and her On which thy limbës faithfully extend, Me keep, and give me might my life to mend.”
Yearës and days floated this creature Throughout the sea of Greece, unto the strait Of Maroc, as it was her áventure: On many a sorry meal now may she bait, After her death full often may she wait, Ere that the wildë wavës will her drive Unto the place there as she shall arrive.
Men mighten askë, why she was not slain? Eke at the feast who might her body save? And I answer to that demand again, Who saved Daniel in the horrible cave, Where every wight, save he, master or knave, Was with the lion frett, ere he astart? No wight but God, that he bare in his heart.
God list to shew his wonderful mirácle In her, that we should see his mighty workës: Christ, which that is to every harm triácle, By certain meanës oft, as knowë clerkës, Doth thing for certain endë, that full derk is To mannë’s wit, that for our, ignorance Ne cannot know his prudent purveyance.
Now since she was not at the feast y-slaw, Who keptë her from drowning in the sea? Who keptë Jonas in the fish’s maw, Till he was spouted up at Nineveh? Well may men know, it was no wight but he That kept the Hebrew people from drowníng, With dryë feet throughout the sea passing.
Who bade the fourë spirits of tempést, That power have t’ annoyë land and sea, Both north and south, and also west and east, Annoyë neither sea, nor land, nor tree? Soothly the cómmander of that was he That from the tempest aye this woman kept, As well when she awoke as when she slept.