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, For purë chasteness of virginity; Or, for she whiteness had of honesty, And green of consciénce, and of good fame The sweetë savour, Lilie was her name.
Or Cecilie is to say, the way of blind; For she example was by good teachíng; Or else Cecilie, as I written find, Is joined by a manner conjoiníng Of heaven and Lia , 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 thewës 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 people in English is to say; And right as men may in the heaven see The sun and moon, and starrës every way, Right so men ghostly, 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 whole in good perséveríng, And burning ever in charity full bright; Now have I you declared what she hight.
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