¶ The prologe of the Prioresses tale. . [on leaf 152]
Domine dominus noster.
O lord oure lord / thy name how merueillous
Is in this large world / ysprad quod she
ffor noght oonly / thy laude precious
Parfourned is / by men of dignitee
Line 1646
But by the mouth of children / thy bountee
Parfourned is / for on the brest soukynge
Somtyme / shewen they thyn heriynge
Line 1649
Wherfore in laude / as I best kan or may [folio 152b]
Of thee / and of the lylye flour
Which that the bar / and is a mayde alway
To telle a storie / I wol do my labour
Line 1653
Nat that I may / encreessen hir honour
sfor she hir self / is honour and the roote
Of bountee next hir sone / and soules boote
Line 1656
O mooder mayde / o mayde mooder fre
O bussh vnbrent brennynge in Moyses sighte
That rauysedest doun fro the deitee
Thurgh thyn humblesse / the goost þat in thalighte
Line 1660
Of whos vertu / whan he thyn herte lighte
Conceyued was / the fadres sapience
Helpe me / to telle it in thy reuerence
Line 1663
Lady / thy bountee / thy magnificence
Thy vertu / and thy grete humylitee
Ther may no tonge expresse / in no science
ffor somtyme lady / er men praye to thee
Line 1667
Thou goost biforn / of thy benyngnytee
And getest vs / thurgh lyght of thy preyere
To gyden vs / vn to thy sone so deere
Line 1670
