| | That can vnnethe ony word expresse | |
| | Right so fare I and therfore I you pray | |
| 35 | Gidith my songe as I shal you say | |
| | ¶ Here endith the Prioresses prolog . | |
| | ¶ And here begynneth her tale . | |
| | T | Her was in asie in a gret Citee | |
| | Among cristyn folk a Iurye | |
| | Susteyned by a lord of that contre | |
| | For foul vsurye and lucre of vilony | |
| 40 | Hateful to crist and to his company | |
| | And thorow this strete men mighte ryde & wende | |
| | For it was fre and opyn at euery ende | |
| | A litil scole of cristen folk ther stood | |
| | Doun atte ferther ende in whiche ther were | |
| 45 | Childryn an heep comyn of cristen blood | |
| | That lerned in scole yeer by yeer | |
| | Suche maner doctryne as men vsen here | |
| | This is to say to syngen and to rede | |
| | As smale children doon in her childhede | |
| 50 | Among thyse childryn was ther a widowis son | |
| | A litil clergion . vij . yeer of age | |
| | That day by day to scole was his wone | |
| | And eke also wher that he saw the Image | |
| | Of cristis moder had he in vsage | |
| 55 | As hym was taught to knele a doun and say | |
| | His Aue maria as he goth by the way | |
| | Thus hath this widow har litil sone taught | |
| | Our blissed lady cristis moder dere | |
| | To worship ay and he forgat it nought | |
