the Prioress' Tale 
In a great city of Asia amongst the Christian folk there was 
a Jewry, sustained by a lord of that land for foul usury and 
villainous lucre, hateful to Christ and his followers; and men 
might ride or walk through the street, for it was free and open 
at both ends. Down at the farther limit there was a little 
school of Christian folk, in which there were a throng of children 
of Christian blood, that learned year by year in that school such 
lore as was wonted in that place, that is to say, to read and sing, 
as small children do in their childhood. 
Among these children there was a widow's son, a little chor- 
ister-boy seven years of age, that day by day went to school, 
and eke as he had been taught it was his wont, where he saw 
the image of Christ's mother as he went by the way, to kneel down 
and say his Ave Marie. So hath this widow taught her little 
son to honour aye our blessed lady, Christ's mother dear, and he 
forgot it in no wise, for a good child will alway learn soon; 
and ever, when I have this thing in remembrance, Saint Nicholas 
standeth aye before me, because he did reverence to Christ so 
young. This little child, as he sat in the school, learning his 
little primer, heard sung Alma redemptoris, as the children 
learned their anthem-book, and as he durst, he drew nearer and 
nearer and hearkened ever the words and the note till he knew 
the first verse all by heart. He wist not at all what this Latin 
meant, for he was so young and tender in years ; but one day he 
prayed his fellow to expound him this song in his own language, 
or to tell him why this song was in use. This he prayed him to 
construe and explain full oft a time upon his bare knees. 
His fellow, that was older than he, answered him thus: "I 
have heard tell that this song was made to salute our noble blessed 
lady, and eke for to pray her to be our succour and help when 
we die. I can expound no more thereof; I learn singing; I know 
but small grammar." 
"And is this song made in reverence of Christ's mother?" said 
this innocent, "now certes I will do my best to know it all, ere 
Christmas is gone; though I shall be scolded for my primer and 
be beaten thrice in an hour, I will know it to honour our lady." 
His fellow taught him in secret from day to day on the way 
home, till he knew it by heart, and then he sung it boldly and 
well from word to word in accord with the tune; twice a day it 
passed through his throat, when he went schoolward and home- 
ward; his mind was set on Christ's mother. As I have said, this 
little child, as he came to and fro through the Jewry, would sing 
full merrily, and cry evermore O alma redemptoris; the sweetness 
of Christ's mother hath so pierced his heart, that in prayer to 
her, he cannot stint singing by the way. 
Our first foe, the serpent Sathanas, that in a Jew's heart 
hath his wasp's nest, up-swelled and said: "O Hebrew people 
is this, alas! a thing seemly to you, that such a boy shall walk 
as he list in your despite and sing of such a theme, which is 
against the reverence of your law?" From thenceforth the 
Jews have conspired to hunt this innocent out of this world. 
Thereto they have paid an homicyde that had a privy dwelling 
in an alley; and as the child gan pass by, this cursed Jew seized 
him and held him fast, and cut his throat and flung him into 
a pit. 
O cursed folk of new Herods, what may your evil mind avail 
you? Murder will out; verily it must; and chiefly where the 
honour of God is pledged, the blood crieth out on your cursed 
act. O martyr, confirmed to virginity, now mayst thou sing, 
following ever and ever the white lamb celestial, of which the 
great evangelist wrote, Saint John in Pathmos, who saith that 
they that go before this lamb and sing a fresh song, never carnally 
know women. 
All that night this poor widow awaiteth her little child, but 
he came not; for which, as soon as it was day, with face pale 
for dread and anxious disquietude, she hath sought him at school 
and elsewhere, till finally she espied thus far that he was last seen 
in the Jewry. With mother's pity pent in her breast, she goeth as 
it were half out of her mind to every place where by likelihood 
she hath supposed her little child might be, and ever she cried 
on Christ's mother meek and kind, and at last she came to seek 
him among the cursed Jews. 
She asketh and prayeth piteously of every Jew that dwelt 
there to tell her if her child had passed by. They said "Nay;" 
but after a little while, Jesu of his grace put it in her thought 
to call aloud for her son in that place where he was cast beside 
the way into a pit. O great God, that performeth thy praise 
by the mouths of innocents, lo Thy power! This gem of chas- 
tity, this emerald and eke this bright ruby of martyrdom, where 
he lay prone with slashed throat, began to sing Alma redemp- 
toris so loud that all the place rang. The Christian folk that 
passed through the street came in to wonder upon this thing, 
and sent forthwith for the provost, who cometh anon without 
delay and praiseth Christ that is king of heaven and eke the glory 
of mankind, his mother, and after that he causeth the Jews to be 
bound. 
With piteous lament, this child was taken up, alway singing 
his song, and with honours of a great procession they carried him 
unto the nearest abbey. His mother lay swooning by the bier; 
so that scarce could the people draw this new Rachel from his 
corse. 
This provost causeth these Jews that wist of his murder to 
be slain, and that anon, with torment and shameful death; he 
would suffer no such cursedness. Evil shall have what evil 
deserveth, therefore he let them be drawn with wild horses and 
after that he hanged them by law. Aye upon his bier lieth this 
innocent before the chief altar while mass was singing, and after, 
the abbot and his monks sped them to bury him, and when they 
cast holy water on him yet spake this child and sang ff O alma 
redemptoris mater!" 
This abbot, that was an holy man, as monks be, or else ought 
to be, begun to conjure this young child and said, "O dear child, 
in virtue of the holy Trinity, I supplicate thee tell what is thy 
reason for singing, sith to my seeming thy neck is cut?" "My 
throat is cut to my neck-bone," said this child, "and by way of 
nature, I should have died, yea, long time ago, but as ye may 
learn in books, Jesu Christ willeth that his glory last and be 
kept in mind, so for the worship of his sweet mother, I may still 
sing f O alma' clear and loud. This well of mercy, Christ's dear 
mother, I loved alway according to my knowledge and when I 
was to lose my life she came to me and bade me to sing this 
anthem even in my death as ye have heard, and while I was sing- 
ing, methought she laid a grain on my tongue. Wherefore I 
sing, and needs I must sing in honour of that blessed and noble 
maiden, till the grain is taken from off my tongue ; and afterward 
she said to me thus: 'My little child, I will fetch thee when the 
grain is taken from thy tongue ; be not aghast, I will not forsake 
thee.' " 
This holy monk, this abbot I mean, caught out the child's 
tongue, and took off the grain, and full softly he gave up the 
ghost. And when this abbot had beheld this wonder, his salt tears 
trickled down like rain and prone he fell all flat on the pavement, 
and lay still as he had been bound. 
The abbey-monks eke lay on the pavement weeping, and 
praised Christ's dear mother, and after that they rise and be 
gone forth and take this martyr from his bier and in a tomb 
of fair marble-stones they enclose his little sweet body. Where 
he is now God grant us that we may come. 
O young Hugh of Lincoln, slain eke by cursed Jews, as is 
well known, for it was but a little while ago, pray also for us, 
unstable, sinful folk, that of his mercy God who is so pitiful 
may multiply his great mercies upon us, for reverence of his 
mother Mary. Amen. 
Here is ended the Prioress 3 Tale.