The Prioress' Tale
Folio 187r
3 of 7 folios
And eke also where he sawe þe ymage
Of cristes mod ere had he in vsage
55
As him was tauht to knele a doune & saie
His Aue marie as he goþe be þe weie
¶ Thus haþe þis wedowe hire lytel childe tauht
Oure blisfol lady cristes modere dere
To worschipe aie & he for ȝat it nouht
60
Fe Cely childe wil al daie sone lere
Bot aie whan .y. remembre me on þis matere
Seint Nicholas stant euer in my persence
For he so ȝonge to criste dide reuerence
¶ This childe is litel booke lerenynge
65
As he satt in þe scole att his pimere
He alma redemptoris herd singe
As childern lerned hir Antiphanere
And as he durste he drouhe him nere & nere
And erkened aye þe wordes & þe note
70
Til he þe first vers couþ al be rote
¶ Nouht wyste he what þe latine was to seie
For he so ȝonge & tender was of age
Bott on a daie his felawe he gan preie
To expounen þis songe in his langage
75
Or tellen whi þis songe was in vsage
This preide he him to constrewe & declare
Ful oft time vpon his knees bare
¶ His felawe whiche þat elder was þan he
Ansewarde him þus þis songe .I. haue herd seie
80
Was maked of oure blissed ladi fre
Hir to salue & eke hir to preie
To bene oure helpe & socoure whan we deye
.I. can no more expounde in þis matiere
.I. leren songe .I. can bott smaƚƚ gramere
85
¶ And is þis songe maad in reuerence
Of cristes moder seide þis Innocent
Nowe certes .I. wil do my diligence
To konne it ar cristenmes bewent
Þouhe þat .I. for my pimer schal be schent
90
And schal be beten þries in an oure
.I. wiƚƚ . it conne oure lady for to honoure
¶ His felawe tauht him homward piuely
fro day to day til he couþe it be rote
And þanne he songe it wele & boldely