The Prioress' Tale
Folio 188v
6 of 7 folios
180
Euel schal haue þat yuel wil deserue
There fore wiþ wilde hors he did him drawe
And after þat he hinge him be þe lawe
¶ Vpon þis bere ay lyeþ þis Innocent
Be forne þe chief autter whiles Masse last
185
And after þat þe Abbot wiþ his Couent
Hadde spedde hem for to burye him fast
And whan þei haly water on him cast
And ȝit spakke þe childe whan spreynt was þe holy water
And songe O alma redemptoris mater
190
¶ This Abbot whiche þat was an holy man
As monkes be or elles ouhten to bee
Þis ȝonge childe to coniure he gan
And seide o dere childe .I. hailese þe
Be vertue of þe holy Trinite
195
Tel me what is þi cause for to singe
Sethen þi þrote is kette att myn semeinge
¶ My þrot is cutte vnto my nekke bone
Saide þis childe & as be waie of kinde .
.I. scholde haue deyed longe time agone
200
Bott ihū criste as ȝe in bokes finde
Wil þat his glori last & bue in mynde
And for worschipe of his moder dere
Ȝette may .I. singe O Alma loude & cle
¶ This wel of Mercie cristes moder swete
205
.I. loued alweie as after my cōinge
And whan þat .I. my lif scholde lete
To me sche cāme & badd me for to singe
Þis Antime verrely in my mynde deynge
As ȝe haue herd & whan þat .I. had songe
210
Me þouht sche laide a greyne vpon my tonge
¶ Where for .I. saie & singe most certeigne
In honor of cristes moder fre
Til of my tonge of taken is þe greyne
And after þat seide sche þus to me
215
My litel childe nowe wil .I. feche þe
Whan þat þe greine . is fro þi tonge y take
Be nouht a gast .I. wil þe nouht for saake
¶ This Holy monke þis Abbot him mene .I.
His tonge oute cauht & toke awey þe greyne
220
And he ȝaf vpe þe gost ful softly
And whan þe Abbotte hadde þis wondere seyne