The Manciple's Tale
Folio 257v
8 of 8 folios
Whan phebus dwelde heer in þis erþe adoun
As olde booke maken mencioū
He was þe moste lusty bachiler
Of aƚƚ þe world and eek þe best archeer
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He slougħ Phytoū þe serpent as he lay
Slepyng agayn þe sonne vpon a day
And many anoþer noble worþy dede /
He wiþ his bowe brougħt as men mowe rede
Pleyen he couþe of euery menstralcye
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And syngen þat it was a melodye
To heeren of his cleere voys þe soun
Certes þe king of Thebes amphyoū
That wiþ his syngyng walled þat Cite
Cowde neuer syngen half so wel as he
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Therto he was þe semlyeste man
Þat is or was siþen þe world bygan
What needeþ it his fetures to discryue
For in þis world was non so fair on lyue
He was þer wiþ fulfild of gentilnesse
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Of honour and of parfyte worþinesse
This Phebus þat was flour of Bachelrye
As wel in freedam as in Chiualrie
For disporte in signe eek of victorie
Of Phytoū so as telleþ vs þe storye
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Was worþy to beren in his hond a bowe /
Now hadde þis Phebus in his hous a crowe
Which in a cage he fostred many a day
And taugħt it speke as þat men teche a Iay
Whit was þis Crowe as is a snow whit swan
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And countrefeted þe speche of euery man
He cowde when he schulde telle a tale
Ther wiþ in al þe world no nightyngale