The Manciple's Tale
Folio 398r
7 of 8 folios
But natheles thus taughte me mȳ dame
Mȳ sone thȳ~ke on the Crowe a godis name
215
Mȳ sone kep weel thȳ tunge & kep thȳ frend
A wekede tūge is werse thā a feend
Myn sone frō a feend men may hē blysse
Myn sone god of his endeles goodnesse
Wallede a tūge wt tetħ & lippis ek
220
For man schulde hȳ a vise what he spek
Mȳ sone ful ofte for to meche speche
Hath manye a man been spilt as clerkis teche
But for lytil speche auysely
I no man schent to speke generally
225
Mȳ sone thȳ tunge schuldist thow restreyne
At alle tymys but whā thow dost thȳ peyne
To speke of god in honor & preyere
The fyrste vertu sone ȝif thow wilt leere
Is to restreyne & kepe weel thȳ tunge
230
Thus lernede childerȳ whā that they ben ȝonge
Myn sone of mekyl spekȳge euele a vysed
There lasse spekȳge hadde I now suffised
Comyth meche harm it was me told & taugħt
In mechil speche sȳne wantyth naugħt
235
Wist thow whrof rakyl tunge seruyth
Rigħt as a swerd forkyttyth & for keruyth
An arm on two mȳ deere sone ryght so
A tunge kyttyth frendsche al a two
A Iangelere is to god abamynable
240
Reede salomon so wys & honurable
Rede Dauyth in hise psalmys rede Senekke
Myn sone speknat but wt thȳ heed thow bekke
Dissymule as thow weere def ȝif that thow heere
A Iangelere speke / of perlyous mateere
245
The flemyng seyth & lerne it ȝif the leste
That lytil Iangelyng causyth meche reste
Mȳ sone ȝif thow no wekede word hast seyd
The thar nat drede the for to been by wreyd
But he that hath mysseyd / I dare weel sen
250
He may by noweye clepe his word a geyn