The Prioress' Tale
Folio 202r
5 of 7 folios
Bifore þe lamb and synge a song al newe
That neuer fleischly wommen þay knewe
This pore widowe wayteþ al þis nigħt
135
After þis litel childe but he cometh nougħt
For which as soone as it was dayes ligħt
With face pale in drede and busy þougħt
Sche haþ at scole and elles wher him sougħt
Til fynally sche gan of hem aspye
140
That he was last seyn in þe Iewerie /
With moodres pite in hir brest enclosed
Sche goþ as sche were half out of hir mynde
To euery place wher sche haþ supposed
By liklihede hir child for to fynde
145
And euer on cristes mooder meke and kynde
Sche cried and atte laste þus sche wrought
Among þe cursed Iewes sche him sougħt
Sche freyned and sche prayed pitously
To euery Iew þat dwelled in þat place
150
To telle hir if hir child wente þer by
Thay sayden nay but Ihū of his grace
Ȝaf in hir þougħt wiþinne a litel space
That in þat place after hir sone sche cryde
Wher as he was cast in a put besyde /
155
O grete god þat parformedist þin laude /
by mouth of Innocentz lo here þy might
This gemme of chastite þis emeraude /
And eek of martirdom þe ruby brigħt
Ther he with þrote I kut lay vprigħt
160
He . Alma redemptoris gan to synge
So lowde þat al þe place bigan to rynge
The cristen folk þat þurgh þe strete went /
In comen for to wonder vpon þis þing
And hastily for the prouost þay sent
165
He cam anoon wiþoute tarying
And heriede crist þat is of heuen kyng
And eek his moder honour of mankynde
And after þat þe Iewes let he bynde
This child with pitous lamentaciou~