The Prioress-s Tale [from Chaucer] Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AB CDCDE FG GHII CJCJJKK KCKCCLM C NKOKKFF PCQCCCC CGCMLKC RCSCCFF F CMCTFF F F CMCTMCC F CKCKKFF F FFFFFC F FCFCCG C CCCC K KKFF UKUKKF CFCFFCC C C CC F CQCVKCK F CCCCCWN F CCCCCCC F FFFFF F CCCCCXX CXCXXCC YFYFFMT RL

'Call up him who left half toldA
The story of Cambuscan bold 'B
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I-
-
'O LORD our Lord how wondrously ' quoth sheC
'Thy name in this large world is spread abroadD
For not alone by men of dignityC
Thy worship is performed and precious laudD
But by the mouths of children gracious GodE
Thy goodness is set forth they when they lie-
Upon the breast thy name do glorify-
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II-
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'Wherefore in praise the worthiest that I mayF
Jesu of thee and the white Lily flowerG
Which did thee bear and is a Maid for aye-
To tell a story I will use my powerG
Not that I may increase her honour's dowerH
For she herself is honour and the rootI
Of goodness next her Son our soul's best bootI
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III-
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'O Mother Maid O Maid and Mother freeC
O bush unburnt burning in Moses' sightJ
That down didst ravish from the DeityC
Through humbleness the spirit that did alightJ
Upon thy heart whence through that glory's mightJ
Conceived was the Father's sapienceK
Help me to tell it in thy reverenceK
-
IV-
-
'Lady thy goodness thy magnificenceK
Thy virtue and thy great humilityC
Surpass all science and all utteranceK
For sometimes Lady ere men pray to theeC
Thou goest before in thy benignityC
The light to us vouchsafing of thy prayerL
To be our guide unto thy Son so dearM
-
VC
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'My knowledge is so weak O blissful QueenN
To tell abroad thy mighty worthinessK
That I the weight of it may not sustainO
But as a child of twelvemonths old or lessK
That laboureth his language to expressK
Even so fare I and therefore I thee prayF
Guide thou my song which I of thee shall sayF
-
VI-
-
'There was in Asia in a mighty townP
'Mong Christian folk a street where Jews might beC
Assigned to them and given them for their ownQ
By a great Lord for gain and usuryC
Hateful to Christ and to his companyC
And through this street who list might ride and wendC
Free was it and unbarred at either endC
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VII-
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'A little school of Christian people stoodC
Down at the farther end in which there wereG
A nest of children come of Christian bloodC
That learned in that school from year to yearM
Such sort of doctrine as men used thereL
That is to say to sing and read alsoK
As little children in their childhood doC
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VIII-
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'Among these children was a Widow's sonR
A little scholar scarcely seven years oldC
Who day by day unto this school hath goneS
And eke when he the image did beholdC
Of Jesu's Mother as he had been toldC
This Child was wont to kneel adown and sayF
'Ave Marie ' as he goeth by the wayF
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IXF
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'This Widow thus her little Son hath taughtC
Our blissful Lady Jesu's Mother dearM
To worship aye and he forgat it notC
For simple infant hath a ready earT
Sweet is the holiness of youth and henceF
Calling to mind this matter when I mayF
Saint Nicholas in my presence standeth aye-
For he so young to Christ did reverenceF
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XF
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'This little Child while in the school he sateC
His Primer conning with an earnest cheerM
The whilst the rest their anthem book repeatC
The 'Alma Redemptoris' did he hearT
And as he durst he drew him near and nearM
And hearkened to the words and to the noteC
Till the first verse he learned it all by roteC
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XIF
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'This Latin knew he nothing what it saidC
For he too tender was of age to knowK
But to his comrade he repaired and prayedC
That he the meaning of this song would showK
And unto him declare why men sing soK
This oftentimes that he might be at easeF
This child did him beseech on his bare kneesF
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XIIF
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'His Schoolfellow who elder was than heF
Answered him thus 'This song I have heard sayF
Was fashioned for our blissful Lady freeF
Her to salute and also her to prayF
To be our help upon our dying dayF
If there is more in this I know it notC
Song do I learn small grammar I have got '-
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XIIIF
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''And is this song fashioned in reverenceF
Of Jesu's Mother ' said this InnocentC
'Now certes I will use my diligenceF
To con it all ere Christmas tide be spentC
Although I for my Primer shall be shentC
And shall be beaten three times in an hourG
Our Lady I will praise with all my power '-
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XIV-
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'His Schoolfellow whom he had so besoughtC
As they went homeward taught him privily-
And then he sang it well and fearlessly-
From word to word according to the noteC
Twice in a day it passed through his throatC
Homeward and schoolward whensoe'er he wentC
On Jesu's Mother fixed was his intentC
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XV-
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'Through all the Jewry this before said I-
This little Child as he came to and froK
Full merrily then would he sing and cry-
O 'Alma Redemptoris ' high and lowK
The sweetness of Christ's Mother pierced soK
His heart that her to praise to her to prayF
He cannot stop his singing by the wayF
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XVI-
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'The Serpent Satan our first foe that hathU
His wasp's nest in Jew's heart upswelled 'O woeK
O Hebrew people ' said he in his wrathU
'Is it an honest thing Shall this be soK
That such a Boy where'er he lists shall goK
In your despite and sing his hymns and sawsF
Which is against the reverence of our laws '-
-
XVII-
-
'From that day forward have the Jews conspiredC
Out of the world this Innocent to chaseF
And to this end a Homicide they hiredC
That in an alley had a privy placeF
And as the Child 'gan to the school to paceF
This cruel Jew him seized and held him fastC
And cut his throat and in a pit him castC
-
XVIII-
-
'I say that him into a pit they threwC
A loathsome pit whence noisome scents exhale-
O cursed folk away ye Herods newC
What may your ill intentions you avail-
Murder will out certes it will not fail-
Know that the honour of high God may spreadC
The blood cries out on your accursed deedC
-
XIXF
-
'O Martyr 'stablished in virginityC
Now may'st thou sing for aye before the throneQ
Following the Lamb celestial ' quoth sheC
'Of which the great Evangelist Saint JohnV
In Patmos wrote who saith of them that goK
Before the Lamb singing continuallyC
That never fleshly woman they did knowK
-
XXF
-
'Now this poor widow waiteth all that nightC
After her little Child and he came notC
For which by earliest glimpse of morning lightC
With face all pale with dread and busy thoughtC
She at the School and elsewhere him hath soughtC
Until thus far she learned that he had beenW
In the Jews' street and there he last was seenN
-
XXIF
-
'With Mother's pity in her breast enclosedC
She goeth as she were half out of her mindC
To every place wherein she hath supposedC
By likelihood her little Son to findC
And ever on Christ's Mother meek and kindC
She cried till to the Jewry she was broughtC
And him among the accursed Jews she soughtC
-
XXIIF
-
'She asketh and she piteously doth prayF
To every Jew that dwelleth in that placeF
To tell her if her child had passed that wayF
They all said Nay but Jesu of his graceF
Gave to her thought that in a little spaceF
She for her Son in that same spot did cry-
Where he was cast into a pit hard by-
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XXIIIF
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'O thou great God that dost perform thy laudC
By mouths of Innocents lo here thy mightC
This gem of chastity this emeraldC
And eke of martyrdom this ruby brightC
There where with mangled throat he lay uprightC
The 'Alma Redemptoris' 'gan to singX
So loud that with his voice the place did ringX
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XXIV-
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'The Christian folk that through the Jewry wentC
Come to the spot in wonder at the thingX
And hastily they for the Provost sentC
Immediately he came not tarryingX
And praiseth Christ that is our heavenly KingX
And eke his Mother honour of MankindC
Which done he bade that they the Jews should bindC
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XXV-
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'This Child with piteous lamentation thenY
Was taken up singing his song alwayF
And with procession great and pomp of menY
To the next Abbey him they bare awayF
His Mother swooning by the body layF
And scarcely could the people that were nearM
Remove this second Rachel from the bierT
-
XXVI-
-
'Torment and shameful death to every oneR
This Provost doth for those bad Jews prepareL

William Wordsworth



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