The Prioress' Tale
Folio 322r
3 of 4 folios
With turnement & with schameful deth echon
This prouost doth these Iewis for to sterue
That of this mustere wiste & that a noon
He nolde non swich cursedenesse obserue
180
Euele schal he haue that euele wele disserue
Therefore with wilde hors he dede hē drawe
And aftyr that he hyng hē by the lawe
Vp on this beere lyth ay this Innocent
Byfore the highe auteer whil the masse laste
185
And aftyr that the albot with his couent
Han sped hē for to buryen hȳ ful faste
And whā they holy watyr on hē caste
Ȝit spak this child whā sprent was holy watyr
And song. O alma redemptoris mater
190
This Abbot which that was an holy man
As monkys been or ellis oughten bee
This yonge child to coniure he be gan
And seyde o deere child I halse the
In vertu of the holy trynytee
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Telle me what is thȳ cause for to synge
Sithe that thȳ throte is kit to mȳ lokynge
Myn throte is kit vn to myn nekke bon
Seyde this child & as be woye of kynde
I schulde a deyed ȝa longe tyme a gon
200
But Iħu Cist as ȝe in bokys fynde
Wele that his glorye laste & be in mynde
And for the worschepe of his modyr deere
Ȝit may I synge O Alma . loude & cleere
This welle of mercy cristis modyr swete
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I louede alwey as aftyr myn cūnȳge
And whan that I myn lyf schulde for lete
To me sche cam & bad me for to synge
This anteme verayly in myn deyinge
As ȝe han herd & whā that I hadde sunge
210
Me thouthe sche leyde a greyn vp on myn tūge