Classic Poem

The Water-Lion is the God verray,
God to the Lion is likened many way;
The water was their own fragility
And their trespass and their iniquity
Into this world, the which they stand enclosed,
That was the water which they have supposed,
That hath their knowledge made so imperfite
Their sin and eke their world's great delight.
As cloudy water was evermore between,
That they the Lion perfitly hath not seen
But God the which that is the Sovereign Leech
Needeth no manner medicine to sech
For there is no infirmity nor wound,
But as Him liketh all is whole and sound.
So can He heal infirmity of thought,
Which that no earthly medicine can nought;
This is His might that never more shall sin
This is the Leech withouten medicine.
Now of the flower I will to thee discern,
This is the flower that hath the fruit etern,
This is the flower that fadeth for no shower;
This is the flower, of whom the fruit was born,
This us redeemed after that we were lorn;
This is the flower that ever springeth new,
This is the flower that changeth never hue;
This is the Virgin, this is the blessed flower
That Jesu bore, that is our Salvour
This flower unwemmed of her Virginity
This is the flower of our felicity,
This is the flower to whom we should exhort
This is the flower ceaseth not to support
In prayer, counsel and in business
Us caitiffs aye into our wretchedness.
She shall such counsel give one to the two,
The Lion and the Sovereign Leech also.