This poorë widow waited all that night After her little child, but he came not; For which, as soon as it was dayë’s light, With facë pale, in dread and busy thought, She hath at school and ellëswhere him sought, Till finally she gan so far espy, That he was last seen in the Jewerý.
With mother’s pity in her breast enclosed, She went, as she were half out of her mind, To every placë, where she hath supposed By likelihood her little child to find: And ever on Christ’s mother meek and kind She cried, and at the lastë thus she wrought, Among the cursed Jewës she him sought.
She freined, and she prayed piteously To every Jew that dwelled in that place, To tell her, if her childë went thereby; They saidë, “Nay;” but Jesus of his grace Gave in her thought, within a little space, That in that place after her son she cried, Where he was cast into a pit beside.
O greatë God, that pérformest thy laud By mouth of innocents, lo here thy might! This gem of chastity, this emeraud, And eke of martyrdom the ruby bright, Where he with throat y-carven lay upright, He Alma redemptoris gan to sing So loud, that all the place began to ring.
The Christian folk, that through the streetë went, In camë, for to wonder on this thing: And hastily they for the provost sent. He came anon withoutë tarrying, And heried Christ, that is of heaven king, And eke his mother, honour of mankind; And after that the Jewës let he bind.
With torment, and with shameful death each one The provost did these Jewës for to sterve That of this murder wist, and that anon; He wouldë no such cursedness observe; Evil shall have that evil will deserve; Therefore with horses wild he did them draw, And after that he hung them by the law.
The child, with piteous lamentatión, Was taken up, singing his song alway: And with honoúr and great processión, They carry him unto the