THE PRIORESS'S TALE.

That learnèd in that schoolè year by year
Such manner doctrine as men usèd there;
This is to say, to singen and to read,
As smallè children do in their childhede.

Among these children was a widow's son,
A little clergion,1 seven years of age,
That day by day to schoolè was his won 2;
And eke alsò, whereas he saw the image
Of Christès mother, had he in usàge,
As him was taught, to kneel adown, and say,
Ave Maria, as he go'th by the way.

Thus hath this widow her little son ytaught
Our blissful Lady, Christès mother dear,
To worship aye, and he forgot it nought;
For sely 3 childè will alway soon lere; 4
But aye when I remember on this mattère,
Saint Nicholas stant 5 ever in my presènce,
For he so young to Christ did reverence.

This little child his little book learning,
As he sat in the school at his primère,
He Alma Redemptoris heardè sing,

6

As children learnèd their antiphonere ;
And as he durst, he drew him near and near
And hearkened aye the wordès and the note,
Till he the firstè verse could all by rote.

Nought wist he what this Latin was to say,
For he so young and tender was of age;
But on a day his fellow 'gan to pray

1 Young clerk.
5 Standeth.
7 Knew.

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2 Custom. 3 Simple. 4 Learn • Chanting alternate verses of the Psalms.

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THE PRIORESS'S TALE.

T'expounden him this song in his language, Or tell him why this song was in usàge; This pray'd he him to construe and declare, Full often time upon his kneès bare.

His fellow, which that elder was than he,
Answered him thus: "This song, I have heard se y,
Was makèd of our blissful Lady free, 1

1

Her to salue,2 and eke her for to pray
To be our help and succour when we dey.3
I can no more expound in this mattère :
I learnè song; I can 4 but small grammère."

"And is this song makèd in reverence

Of Christès mother?" said this innocent:
Now certès I will do my diligence

To conn 5 it all ere Christèmas be went,
Though that I for my primer shall be shent,"
And shall be beaten thriès in an hour,
I will it conn our Lady for t' honòur.'

His fellow taught him homeward privily
From day to day till he could it by rote,
And then he sang it well and boldèly

From word to word according with the note:
Twiès a day it passed through his throat,
To schoolward and homeward when he went;
On Christès mother set was his intent.

As I have said, throughout the Jewèry
This little child, as he came to and fro,
Full merrily then would he sing and cry,

1 Bountiful.

4 Know.

2 Praise.

5 Learn.

® Punished, the strict meaning is ruined.

3 Die.

THE PRIORESS'S TALE.

O Alma Redemptoris! ever mo.

The sweetness hath his heartè pierced so
Of Christès mother, that to her to pray
He cannot stint1 of singing by the way.

Our firstè foe, the serpent Sathanas,

That hath in Jewès heart his waspès nest,
Up swelled and said: "O Ebraike people, alas!
Is this to you a thing that is honest,

That such a boy shall walken as him lest
In your despite, and sing of such sentènce,
Which is against our lawès reverence ? "

From thennèsforth the Jewès have conspired
This innocent out of this world to chase:
A homicide thereto have they hired,

That in an alley had a private place,
And as the child 'gan forth by for to pace,
This cursed Jew him hent 2 and held him fast,
And cut his throat, and in a pit him cast.

I say that in a wardrope 3 they him threw,
Where as these Jewès casten their offàle.
O cursèd folk! of Herodès all-new, 4

What may your evil intente you avail ?
Murder will out, certain it will not fail ;

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And namely there the honour of God shall spread The blood out crieth on your cursèd deed.

This poore widow waiteth all that night

After her little child, and he came nought;
For which, as soon as it was dayès light,
With face pale of dread and busy thought,
She hath at school and ellèswhere him sought,

1 Cease.

3 Drain, common sewer.

2 Caught.

4 Fresh-revived.

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THE PRIORESS'S TALE

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Till finally she 'gan so far espy
That he last seen was in the Jewèry.

With mother's pity in her breast enclosed,
She go❜th, as she were half out of her mind,
To every place where she hath supposed

By likelihood her little child to find;

And ever on Christès mother meek and kind She cried, and at the lastè thus she wrought, Among the cursed Jewès she him sought.

2

She feyneth and she prayèth piteously

To every Jew that dwelt in thilkè place To tell her if her child went ought forth by; They saiden, Nay; but Jesu of his grace Gave in her thought, within a little space, That in that place after her son she cried, There 3 he was casten in a pit beside.

3

great God, that performest thy laud
By mouth of innocents, lo here thy might!

This gem of cnastity, this emeraud,

And eke of martyrdom the ruby bright,
There he with throat ycarven lay upright,

4

He Alma Redemptoris 'gan to sing

So loud, that all the placè 'gan to ring.

The Christian folk that through the streetè went
In comen for to wonder upon this thing,
And hastily they for the provost sent:

He came anon withouten tarrying,

And herieth 5 Christ, that is of heaven king, And eke his mother, honour of mankind,

And after that the Jewès let he bind.

1 Discover.

4 Cut.

2 Asketh.

3 Where.

。 Praiseth.

THE PRIORESS'S TALE.

This child with piteous lamentatiòn
Was taken up, singing his song alway,
And with honour and great processiòn

They carrien him unto the next abbèy;
His mother swooning by the bière lay:
Unnethes might1 the people that was there
This newè Rachel bringen from his bier.

With torinent and with shameful death each one
This provost doth these Jewès for to starve 2
That of this murder wist,3 and that anon:

He n' oldè 4 no such cursedness observe ; 5
Evil shall he have that evil will deserve;
Therefore with wildè horse he did them draw,
And after that he hung them by the law.

Upon his bier aye li'th this innocent

Before the altar while the massè last,
And after that, th' abbot with his convent
Have sped them for to bury him full fast;
And when they holy water on him cast,

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Yet spake this child, when sprent 6 with th' holy water; And sang, O Alma Redemptoris Mater!

This abbot, which that was a holy man,
As monkès be, or elles ought to be,
This youngè child to conjure he began,
And said: "O dearè child! I halsè7 thee,
In virtue of the holy Trinity,

Tell me what is thy causè for to sing,
Since that thy throat is cut, to my seeming."