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 stint 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 homicidè 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 cursed folk! of Herodès all-new,4

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What may your evil intente you avail? Murder will out, certain it will not fail; And namely there the honour of God shall spread The blood out crieth on your cursèd deed.

This poorè 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

Till finally she 'gan so far espy 1
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.

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 he was casten in a pit beside.

O great God, that performest thy laud
By mouth of innocents, lo here thy might!
This gem of chastity, this emeraud,

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

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.
5 Praiseth.

$ Where.

THE PRIORESS'S TALE.

This child with piteous lamentatiòn

Was taken up, singing his song alway, And with honour and great procession

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

With torment 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

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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, Yet spake this child, when sprent 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."

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16

THE PRIORESS'S TALE.

My throat is cut unto my neckè bone,"
Saidè this childe," and as by way of kind1
I should have died, yea longè time agone;
But Jesu Christ, as ye in bookès find,
Will that his glory last and be in mind,
And for the worship of his mother dear,
Yet may I sing O Alma loud and clear.

"This well of mercy, Christès mother sweet,
I loved alway, as after my conning 3;
And when that I my life would forlete 4

To me she came, and bade me for to sing
This anthem verily in my dying,

As ye have heard; and when that I had sung,
Me thought she laid a grain upon my tongue.

"Wherefore I sing, and sing I must certain,
In honour of that blissful maiden free,
Till from my tongue off taken is the grain.
And after that thus saidè she to me:

6

My little child, then will I fetchen thee, When that the grain is from thy tongue ytake:

Be not aghast, I will thee not forsake.""

This holy monk, this abbot him mean I,

His tongue out caught, and took away the grain, And he gave up the ghost full softily.

And when this abbot had this wonder see
His saltè tearès trill'd adown as rain,

And groff he fell all plat upon the ground,5
And still he lay as he had been ybound.

1 In the course of nature. 4 Forsake.

2 Spring.

3 Ability.

5 Flat on the groun

CHARACTER OF THE HAPPY WARRIOR.

The convent lay eke on the pavement

1

Weeping and herying Christès mother dear;
And after that they risen, and forth been went,
And took away this martyr from his bier,
And in a tomb of marble stonès clear
Enclosen they his little body sweet:
There he is now God lene us for to meet.

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CHARACTER OF THE HAPPY WARRIOR. –

Wordsworth.

WHO is the happy warrior?

Who is he

That every man in arms should wish to be?
It is the generous spirit, who, when brought
Among the tasks of real life, hath wrought
Upon the plan that pleased his childish thought:
Whose high endeavours are an inward light
That makes the path before him always bright:
Who, with a natural instinct to discern
What knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn;
Abides by this resolve, and stops not there,
But makes his moral being his prime care:
Who, doomed to go in company with Pain,
And Fear, and Bloodshed, miserable train!
Turns his necessity to glorious gain;
In face of these doth exercise a power
Which is our human nature's highest dower;
Controls them and subdues, transmutes, bereaves
Of their bad influence, and their good receives :
By objects which might force the soul to abate
Her feeling, rendered more compassionate;

1

1 Praising.

2 Grant.