The Prioress' Tale
Folio 165r
5 of 6 folios
This childe with pitous lamentacioun
170
Vp taken was syngyng his song alwey
And with honour and gret processioun
Thei caryed him to the next Abbay
His modir swownyng bi the bere lay
Vnnethes myght the peple that was there
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This new Rachel brynge fro the bere
With turment and with shameful ded echon
This prouost doth this Iewes for to sterue
That of this morder wist and that anon
He nolde no swich cursednesse obserue
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Euel shal haue that euel wol deserue
Therfore with wild horses he did hem drawe
And aftyr that he henge hem bi the lawe
Upon his bere lith ay this Innocente
Biforn the chief auter whiles messe last
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And aftyr that the Abbot with his Couente
Hath spedde him for to biry him ful fast
And whan thei halywater on him cast
Yit spak this child whan spreyned was the halywater
And Songe .o. Alma redemptoris mater
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This Abbot which that was an holy man
As monkes ben or elles ought to be
This yonge childe to coniure he bigan
And seide .o. dere child I coniure the
In vertue of the holy trynyte
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Telle me what is thi cause for to synge
Syn that thi throte is kit at my semynge
My throte is kit vnto my nekboon
Seyde this child and as bi wey of kynde
I shuld be ded longe tyme agon
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But Iħu crist as ye in bokes fynde
Wole that his glori last and be in mynde
And for the worshep of his moder dere
Yit may I synge .o. alma loude and clere