The Manciple's Prologue
Folio 246r
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This Cok brak from his mouth delyuerly /
And / heigh vpon a tree he fleigħ anoon
And whan þe fox seigh þat he was I goon
Allas quod he o . Chaunteclere allas
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I haue to ȝow quod he y don trespas
In as moche as I makid ȝow aferd
Whan I ȝow hent and brouȝt out of þe ȝerd
But sire I dede it in no wicked entent
Com doun and I schal telle ȝow what I ment
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I schal say soþ to ȝow god help me so
Nay þan quod he I schrew vs . boþe tuo
And first I schrew my self boþe blood and boones
If þou bigile me any ofter þan oones
Thou schalt no more þurgh þy flaterye /
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Do me to synge and wynke with myn ye
For he þat wynkith whan he scholde se
Al wilfully god let him neuer the
Nay quod þe Fox but god ȝiue him meschaunce /
Þat is so vndiscret / of gouernaunce /
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Þat iangleth whan he scholde holde his pees
Lo such it is for to be recheles
And necligent and trust on flaterie /
But ȝe þat holde / þis tale a folye /
As of a Fox . or of a cok or of an hen
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Takith þe moralite goode men
For seint poul saiþ þat al þat writen is
To oure doctrine it is I write I wys
Takith þe fruyt and let þe chaf be stille
Now goode god . if þat it be þy wille
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As saith my lor so make vs aƚƚ good men
And bring vs aƚƚ . to his blisse ameN
¶ Here endeþ þe tale of Chaunteclere and pertelote
¶ Here bygynneþ þe prologe of þe maūciples tale
WOt ȝe not wher þer stont a litel toun
Which þat cleped is Bob vp and dou~
Vnder þe Ble in Caunterbury way
Ther gan our hoste for to iape and play
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And sayde sires what dun is in þe myre