The Prioress' Tale
Folio 163v
2 of 6 folios
This litel child his litel book lernyng
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As he sat in the scole at his primere
He alma redemptoris mater herd singe
As children lerned hir antiphoner
And as he durst he drow him ner and ner
And herkened ay the wordes and the note
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Til he the first vers couth al bi rote
Noght wist he what this latyn was to say
For he so yonge and tendre was of age
But on a day his felaw gan he pay
To expoune him this songe in his langage
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Or telle him whi this songe was in vsage
Thus preyde he him to construe and declare
Ful ofte tyme vpon his knees bare
His felaw which that elder was than he
Answerd him thus this songe I haue herd sey
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Was makid of our lady blisful lady fre
Hir to salwe and ek hir to preye
To ben our help our Socour whan we deye
I can no more expoune in this Matere
I lerne song I can no more gramere
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And is this song made in reuerence
Of cristes modre seide this Innocente
Now certes I wol do my diligence
To kon it al. er cristenmasse be wente
Thogh that I al for my prymer shal be shente
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Or shal be beten thries in an hour
I wol it kon our lady to honour
His felaw him taught homward priuely
Fro day to day til he couth it bi rote
And than he lerned it wel and boldly
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Fro word to word acordyng to the note
Twies on a day it passed thurgh his throte
To scoleward and hoomward whan he went
Of cristes moder was set al his entent.