The Manciple's Tale
Folio 260r
3 of 8 folios
O wan truste ful of fals suspecioū
Where was þy witte and þi discrecioū
O euery man be war of rekelnesse
180
Ne trowe noþing wiþouten strong witnesse
Smyt nouȝt to sone er þat þou wite why
And be auysed wel and soburly
Vpon ȝoure Ire for suspecioū
185
Allas a þousand folk han rakel Ire
Fully fordoon or brougħt hem in þe myre
Allas for sorwe I wil my selue slee
And to þe crowe O false þeef sayde he
I wol þe quyte anon þy false tale
190
Þou songe whilom lyk a nigħtyngale
Now schalt þou false þeef þi song forgon
Eeke þin white feþeres euerichon
Ne neuer in aƚƚ þi lyue schalt þou speke
Thus schal men on a traitour ben awreke
195
Thou and þin hospreinge euere schuln be blake
Ne neuere swete noyse schul ȝe make /
But euer crye agayn tempest and reyn
In toknyng þat þurgħ þe my wyf was slayn
And to þe crowe he sterte and þat anon
200
And pulled his white feþeres euerychon
And made him blak and reft him aƚƚ his song
And eek his speche and out at þe dore him slong
Vnto þe deuel which I him betake
And for þis caas ben aƚƚ crowes blake
205
Lordynges by þis ensample I ȝou preye
Beþ war and takeþ keepe what þat ȝe seye
Ne telleþ neuer no man in ȝour lyff
How þat anoþer man haþ dight his wyf
He wole ȝow haten mortelly certein
210
Daun Salomon as wise clerkes sein
Techeþ aman to kepe his tonge wel
But as I sayde I am nougħt text wel