The Prioress' Tale
Folio 186v
2 of 7 folios
To tel a storye .I. wil do my labor
Nouhte þat .I. maie encrese hir honor
For sche hir self is honor & þer to Rote
Of bounte next hire sonne of soules bote
15
¶ O moder maide O maide moder fre
O busche vnbernde bernynge in Moyses siht
Þat rauisched doune fro þe deite
Þoruhe þine humblesse þe gost þat in þe aliht
Of whos verten whan he in þine hert aliht
20
Conceyued was þe faders Sapiens
Helpe me to tel it in þi reuerence
¶ Lady þine bounte & þine magnificence
Þine vertue & þi grete humilite
Þer maie no tunge expresse in no science
25
For sum time ladi ar men perye to þe
Thou gost be forne of þine benyngnyte
And getest vs þe liht þoruhe þi praiere
To guyden vs vnto þi son so clere
¶ My konnynge is to wayke o blisful qweene
30
For to declare þi grete worþinesse
Þat .I. ne may þe weyht nouht sustene
Bot as a childe of twelmoþe age or lesse
Þat can vnneþ any worde expresse
Riht so fare .I. & þerefore .I. ȝowe preye
35
Gyder my songe þat .I. schal of ȝowe seye
Ther was a Ce in a grete Cite
Amonge cristen folke & Iewre
Suteynde be a lorde of þat contre
For foule vser & locre of velany
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Hatteful to criste & to his compaignye
And þoruhe þe strete men miht ride or wende
For it was & open at euere ende
¶ A litel folke of cristen folke þere stode
Doune att þe ferþer ende in whiche þere were
45
Childern an hepe cōmen of cristes blode
Þat in þat scole ȝere be ȝere
Lerned þe doctrine as men vsed þere
Þis is to seie to singen & to rede
As smale childern done in her childehede
50
¶ Amonge þes childern was a wedow soñe
A litel clergeon vj. ȝer of age
Þat daye be daie to scole was his wonne