The Manciple's Tale
Folio 248r
2 of 8 folios
That is or was siþþen þe world bigan
What nediþ it his fortune to descriue
For in þis worlde is noon such on lyue
He was þer with fulfild of gentilesce
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Of honour and of parfyt worþinesse
This phebus þat was flour of bachilerie
Als wel in fredom as in chiualrie
For to disport in signe of victorie
Of phiton so as telleþ vs þe storie
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Was wont to bere in his hond a bowe
Now had þis phebus in his hous a crowe
Which in a cage he fostred many a day
And taugħt it speken as men doon a iay
Whit was þis crowe as is a snow whyt swan
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And countrefete the speche of euery man
He couþe whan he schulde telle a tale
Ther is wiþinne þis world no nightingale
Ne couþe by an hundred þousend del
Singe so wonder merily and wel
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Now had þis phebus in his hous a wyf
Which þat he loued . more þan his lif
And night and day . did euermor diligence
Hir for to please . and doon hir reuerence
Sauf oonly if þe soþ þat I schal sayn
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Ialous he was and wold haue kept hir fayn
For him were loth biiaped for to be /
And so is euery wigħt in such degre
But al for nougħt for it auaileth nouȝt
A good wyf þat is clene of werk and thougħt
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Schuld not be kept in noon a wayt certayn
And trewely þe labour is in vayn
To kepe a schrewe for it wil nougħt be
This hold I for a verray nycete
To spille labour for to kepe wyues
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Thus olde clerkes writen in her lyues
But now to purpos as I first bigan
This worþi phebus doþ al þat he can
To pleasen hir wenyng by such plesaunce /