The Manciple's Tale
Folio 205r
5 of 6 folios
For sorwe of whicħ / he brak his Mynstralcie
Bothe harpe / and lute / and Gyterne / and sautrie
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And eek he brak hise Arwes / and his bowe
And after that thus spak he to the crowe
¶ Traitour quod he / with tonge of Scorpioū
Thou hast me brogħt / to my confusioū
Allas that I was wrogħt / why nere I deed
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O deere wyf o gemme of lustiheed
That were to me / so sad / and eek so trewe
Now listow deed / wt face pale of hewe
Ful giltlees / that dorste I swere ywys
O rakel hand / to doon so foule amys
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O trouble wit o Ire recchelees
That vnauysed / smyteth giltlees
O wantrust. ful of fals suspeciou
Where was thy wit and thy discreciou
O euery man / be war of rakelnesse
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Ne trowe no thyng wt outen strong witnesse
Smyt nat to soone / er þt ye witen why
And beeth auysed / wel and sobrely
Er ye doon / any execuciou
Vp on youre Ire / for suspeciou
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Allas / a thousand folk hath rakel Ire
Fully fordoon / and broght hem in the Mire
Allas / for sorwe I wol my seluen slee
¶ And to the Crowe / o false theef seyde he
I wol thee quite anon / thy false tale
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Thou songe whilom / lyk a nyghtyngale
Now shaltow false theef thy song forgon
And eek thy white fetheres euerichon
Ne neuere in al thy lif ne shaltou speke
Thus shal men / on a traytour been awreke
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Thou / and thyn of spryng / euere shul be blake
Ne neuere / sweete voys shul ye make
But euere crie / agayn tempest and rayn
In tokenynge / þt thurgħ thee / my wyf is slayn
And to the Crowe / he stirte / and that anon
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And pulled / hise white fetheres euerychon
And made hym blak and refte hym al his song
And eek his speche / and out at dore hym slong
Vn to the deuel / which I hym bitake
And for this caas / been alle Crowes blake
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LOrdynges / by this ensample I yow preye
Beth war and taketh kepe what I seye
Ne telleth neuere / no man in youre lyf
How þt another man / hath digħt his wyf /
He wol yow haten / mortally certeyn
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Daun Salomon / as wise clerkes seyn