The Prioress' Tale
Folio 189r
7 of 7 folios
His salte teres strikled doune as reyne
And gruffe he fel al platte to þe grounde
And stiƚƚ he laie as he had bene ybounde
225
The Eke ley vpon þe pament
Wepeinge & heriing Cristes moder dere
And after þei rise & forþe been went
And toke aweie þis marter fro his bere
And in a tombe of Marble stones clere
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Enclosen þei his lytel body swete
There he is nowe god leue vs for to mete
O ȝonge howe of Lincolne sleyne also
Wiþ cursed Iewes as it is notable
For it nys bot a litel while a goo
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Preye eke for vs we sinful folke vnstable
Þat of his Mercie god so merciable
On vs his grete mercie multiplye
For reuerence of his moder Marye
Explicit fabula priorisse .
Incipit prologë de Thopas
Whan seide was þis tale euery man
As sober was þat wonder was to se
Til þat oure Oste Iape be gāne
And þan att erst he loked vpon me . \ .i. Chaucer /
5
And seide þus what man ert þou qd he
Thou lokest as þou woldest finde an hare
For euer vpon þe grounde .I. se þe stare
Apprche nere & loke merely
Nowe ware ȝowe sires & latt þis man haue place
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He in þe waste is schapen as wele as .I.
This were a popet in armes to enbrace
For any wōman smal & faire of face
He semeþe eluysche be his countenance
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Say nowe sumwhat seþen oþere folke haþe seide
Tel vs a tale of merþe & þat anone
Oste qd .I. ne be nouht yuel apaide
For oþer tale certes can .I. none
Bot of a rime .I. lerned longe a gone
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Ȝe þat is good \quod/ he schal we here
Sūme deynteþ þinge me þenkeþ be his chiere