Manuscript images © Cambridge University Library. Reproduction is strictly prohibited.
- You are now viewing the graphical version of the manuscript
1. The General Prologue
2. The Knight's Tale
3. The Miller's Prologue
4. The Miller's Tale
5. The Reeve's Prologue
6. The Reeve's Tale
7. The Cook's Prologue
8. The Cook's Tale
9. Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale
10. The Man of Law's Tale
11. The Wife of Bath's Prologue
12. The Wife of Bath's Tale
13. The Friar's Prologue
14. The Friar's Tale
15. The Summoner's Prologue
16. The Summoner's Tale
17. The Clerk's Tale
18. Lenvoye de Chaucer
19. Words of the Host
20. The Merchant's Prologue
21. The Merchant's Tale
22. Epilogue to the Merchant's Tale
23. The Squire's Tale
24. The Franklin's Tale
25. The Physician's Tale
26. Introduction to the Pardoner's Tale
27. The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
28. The Shipman's Tale
29. The Prioress' Tale
30. The Tale of Sir Thopas
31. Here the Host 'stynteth' Chaucer's Tale of Sir Thopas
32. The Tale of Melibeus
33. The Monk's Prologue
34. The Monk's Tale
35. The Nun's Priest's Prologue
36. The Nun's Priest's Tale
37. Epilogue to the Nun's Priest's Tale
38. The Second Nun's Tale
39. The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
40. The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
The Prioress' Tale Folio 157r 3 of 4 folios
Is this to ȝow a thyng / that is honest
110
That swicħ a boy / shal walken as hī lest
In ȝoure despit / and synge of swicħ sentence
Whicħ is a geyns / oure lawes reuer ence
This Innocent / out of this world to chace
115
An homycyde / ther to han they hyred
That in an aleye / had a pryue place
And as the child / gan forby for to pace
This cursed Iew / hi hente / and helde hi fast
120
Where as theise Iewes / purgen here entraille
O cursed folk / of herodes al newe
What may ȝoure euele entent / ȝow a vaille ¶ Legamus Apocalipsim Johannis & ibi
reperimus agnum super montem Syon&
cum illo Cxliiijor milia signatorum& cetera
qui cantant canticum nouum& cetera Isti sunt
qui cum mulieribus se non coinquinauerunt
virgines autem permanserunt , hij sun/expan>t
qui secuntur agnum quocumque vadit& cetera
reperimus agnum super montem Syon
cum illo Cxliiijor milia signatorum
qui cantant canticum nouum
qui cum mulieribus se non coinquinauerunt
virgines autem permanserunt , hij sun/expan>t
qui secuntur agnum quocumque vadit
Mordre wol out / certeyn it wol nat faille
125
And namely there / as the honor / of god / shal sprede
The blod out crietħ / on ȝoure cursed dede
Now maistow syngen / & folwen euer e in oon
The white lamb / celestial quod she
130
Of whicħ the gret Ewangelist / Seynt Ioħ n
In pathmos wrot / whicħ seitħ / that they that gon
Biforñ this lamb / & synge a song al newe
That neuer e flesshly / wō men they ne knewe ¶ id est carnaliter
135
After hire litel child / but he cam nougħ t
For whicħ as sone / as it was dayes ligħ t
Witħ face pale of drede / and bisy thougħ t
She hatħ atte scole / and elles where hī sougħ t
Til finaly / she gan so fer a spie
140
That he last seyn was / in the Iuerie
She gootħ / as she were half / out of hire mynde
To euer y place / where she hatħ supposed
By lyklied / hire litel child to fynde
145
And euer e on cristes moder / meke and kynde
She criede / and at the laste thus she wrougħ te
To euer y Iew / that dwelled in thilke place
150
To telle hire if hire child / went ougħ t for by
They seiden nay / but Iħ u of his grace