44 



" This poure widewe awaiteth al that night 

 After hire litel childe, and he came nought : 

 For which as sone as it was dayes light 

 With face pale of drede and besy thought, 

 She hath at scole and elleswher him sought, 

 Til finally she gan so fer aspie* 

 That he last seen was in the Jewerie. 



" She freyneth,*' and she praieth pitously 

 To every Jew that dwelled in thilke * place, 

 To telle hire, if hire child went ought forthby: 

 They sayden, Nay ; but Jesu of his grace 

 Yave§ in hire thought, within a litel space 

 That in that place after hire sone she cride, 

 There he was casten in a pit beside. 



" O grete God, that parformest thy laude. i 

 By mouth of innocentes, lo here thy might ! 

 This gemme of chastitee, this emeraude, 

 And eke of martirdome the rubie bright, 

 Ther he with throte ycorvenll lay upright, 

 He Alma Bedemptoris gan to singe 

 So loude, that all the place gan to ringe. 



" The Cristen folk, that thurgh the strete wente, 

 In comen, for to wondre upon this thing: 

 And hastifly they for the provost sente. 

 He came anon, withouten tarying, 

 And herieth ** Crist that is of heven King, 

 And eke his moder, honour of mankind, 

 And after that the Jewes let he binde. 



" With turmeut, and with shameful deth echc on 

 This provost doth thise Jewes for to sterve, 

 That of this morder wiste, and that anon ; 

 He n'olde no swiche cursednesse observe: 

 Evil shal he have, that evil wol deserve, ++ 

 Therefore with wilde hors he did hem drawe, 

 And after that, he hengft hem by the lawe. 



" Upon his here ay lith this innocect 

 Beforn the auter while the masse last ; 

 And after that, the abbot with his covent 

 Han spedde hem for to berie him ful fast: 

 And whan they holy water on him cast, 



Espy. + Asketh. ♦ This same. § Gave. II Praise. V Carved or cut. 

 ** PraUeth. ++ Honi soit qui uial-y pense. Jt Hanged. 



