The Prioress' Tale
Folio 214r/213r
2 of 7 folios
They carien him to þe next abbay
His moder swownyng by þe bere lay
Vnneþes mighte þe poeple þat was þere
175
This newe rachel bringe fro his bere
Wiþ torment and with schameful deþ ilkon
This prouost doþ þis Iewes for to sterue
That of þis moerdre wiste and þat anon /
He nolde non such cursednesse obserue /
180
Euel schal haue þat euel wol deserue
Þerfore with wilde hors he dede him drawe
And after þat he hynge him by þe lawe
¶ Vpon þis beere ay liþ þis Innocent
Biforn þe chief auter whiles masse last /
185
And after þat þe abbot wiþ his couent
Hadde spedde him for to burye him als fast
And whan þey haly water on him cast
Ȝit spak þe child when spreynt was þe holy water
And sang O alma redemptoris mater
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¶ This abbot which þat was an holy man
As monkes bē or elles oughten \to/ be
This ȝonge childe to coniure he bigan
And sayde O deere childe I hailse þe
By vertu of þe holy trinite
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Telle me what is þy cause for to synge
Siþenes þat þy þrote is kutte at my semynge
¶ My þrote is cutte vnto my nekke bon
Sayde þis childe and as by way of kynde
I schulde haue deyed ȝe long tyme agon
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But ihū crist as ȝe in bookes fynde
Wol þat his glorie laste and be in mynde
And for þe worschipe of his moder deere /
Ȝet may I synge O alma lowde and cleere
¶ This welle of mercy crystes mooder swete
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I loued alwey as after my konnyng
And whan þat I my lyff schulde lete
To me sche cam and bad me for to synge