From The Prioress's Tale

516    This litel child, his litel book lernynge,
517    As he sat in the scole at his prymer,
518    He alma redemptoris herde synge,
519    As children lerned hire antiphoner;
520    And as he dorste, he drough hym ner and ner,
521    And herkned ay the wordes and the noote,
522    Til he the firste vers koude al by rote.
523    Noght wiste he what this latyn was to seye,
524    For he so yong and tendre was of age.
525    But on a day his felawe gan he preye
526    T' expounden hym this song in his langage,
527    Or telle hym why this song was in usage;
528    This preyde he hym to construe and declare
529    Ful often tyme upon his knowes bare.
530    His felawe, which that elder was than he,
531    Answerde hym thus: this song, I have herd seye,
532    Was maked of our blisful lady free,
533    Hire to salue, and eek hire for to preye
534    Fo been oure help and socour whan we deye.
535    I kan namoore expounde in this mateere;
536    I lerne song, I kan but smal grammeere.
537    And is this song maked in reverence
538    Of cristes mooder? seyde this innocent.
539    Now, certes, I wol do my diligence
540    To konne it al er cristemasse be went.
541    Though that I for my prymer shal be shent,
542    And shall be beten thries in an houre,
543    I wol it konne oure lady for to honoure!
544    His felawe taughte hym homward prively,
545    For day to day, til he koude it by rote,
546    And thanne he song it wel and boldely,
547    Fro word to word, acordynge with the note.
548    Twies a day it passed thurgh his throte,
549    To scoleward and homward whan he wente;
550    On cristes mooder set was his entente.