43 



As him was taught, to knele adoun, and snv 

 Arc Marie, as he goth by the way. 



" Nought wist he what this Latin was to say, 

 For he so yonge and tendre was of age ; 

 But on a day his felaw gan he pray 

 To expounden him this song in his langage, 

 Or telle him why this song was in usage ; 

 This prayde he him to construe and declare 

 Ful often time upon his knees bare. 



" His felaw, which that elder was than he, 

 Answerd him thus : this song I have herd say, 

 Was mated of our blisful Lady fre, 

 Hire to salue, * and eke hire for to prey 

 To ben our help, and socour whan we dey.+ 

 I can no more expound in this matere : 

 I lerne song, I can but smal grammere. X 



" And is this song maked in reverence 

 Of Cristes moder ? said this innocent; 

 Now certes I wol don § my diligence 

 To con it all, or Cristemasse be went, 

 Though that I for my primer shal be shent, II 

 And shal be beten thries in an houre. 



" Onr firste fo, the serpent Sathanas, 

 That hath in Jewes herte his waspes nest, 

 Up swale 11 and said, O Ebraike peple, alas ! 

 Is this to you a thing that is honest, 

 That swiche ** a boy shall walken as him leste 

 In your despit, and sing of swiche sentence, 

 Which is again our lawes reverence ? 



" From thennesforth the Jewes han conspired 

 This innocent out of this world to chace : 

 An homicide thereto han they hired, 

 That in an aleye had a privee place, 

 And as the child gan forthby for to pace, 

 This cursed Jew him hent++ and held him fast. 

 And cnt his throte, and in a pit him cast. 



• Salute. + Die t I know the words, I understand but little of the meaning. 



§ Do It Shended or ruined. IT Swelled. ** Such. ++ Caught. 



