The Manciple's Prologue
Folio 394v
3 of 3 folios
A nothir day he wele perauenture
Reclayme the & brȳge the to loure
I mene he speke wele of smale thȳgis
As for to pȳche at thȳne rekenȳgis
75
That were nat onest ȝif that it come to pref
No quod the Manciple that were a greet myschef
So myght he lyghtely brȳge me in the snare
Ȝit hadde I leuere payen for the mare
Whiche he rit on thā he schulde wt me styue
80
I wele nat wrathe hȳ also mote I thryue
That that I spak I seyde but in borde
And wete ȝe weel I haue heere in a gorde
A draght of wȳ ȝa of a ripe grape
And right a noon ȝe schul seen a good Iape
85
This cok schal drenke therof If I may
Vp peyne of deth he wele nat sey me nay
And certeynly to tellȳ as it was
Of this vessel this Cook drank faste allas
What nedith hȳ he drank I now by forn
90
And whā he hadde poupid in this horn
To the manciple he tok the gorde a geyn
And of that drenk the Cook was wōdyr fayn
And thākede hȳ in swich wyse as he coude
Thāne gan oure hoost to laghe wōdyr loude
95
And seyde I se weel it is necessarie
Wheere that we goon / we good drynke \with vs carie/
For that wele turne rancor & disese .
To a cord & loue & manye a wrong appese .
O Bacus I blyssede \be thyn name ./
100
That so canst turne ernest in to game .
Worschipe & thank be to thȳ deite .
Of that matiere ȝe gete namore for me .
Telle on thȳ tale manciple I the preye .
Weel sere quod he herkenyth what I schal seye .