The Manciple's Tale
Folio 249r
4 of 8 folios
This phebus which þat þougħt vpon no gile
Deceyued was for al his iolite
For vnder him anoþer hadde sche /
95
A man of litil reputaciou~
Nought worþ to phebus in comparisou~
Mor harm it is it happeþ ofte so
Of which þer comeþ boþe harm and woo
And so bifel whan phebus was absent
100
His wif anoon hath for hir lemman sent
Hir lemman certes . þis is a knauiscħ speche
Forȝiueþ it me and þat I ȝow biseche
The wise plato saith as ȝe may rede
Þe word mot neede accorde wiþ þe dede
105
If men schal telle propurly a þing
The word mot corde wiþ þe þing werkyng
I am a boystous right þus say I
Ther is no difference trewely
Bytwix a wyf þat is of heigh degre /
110
If of hir body dishonest sche be
And a pore wenche oþer þen þis
If so be þay werke boþe amys
But the gentil in estat aboue
Sche schal be cleped his lady as in loue
115
And for þat oþer is a pore wōman
Sche schal be cleped his wenche and his lemman
And god it wot my good lieue broþer
Men layn þat oon as lowe as þat oþer
Right so bitwixe atticles tirant
120
And an outlawe or a þef erraunt
The same I say þer is no difference
To alisaunder told was þis sentence
Þat for þe tiraunt is of gretter migħt
Bi force of meyne for to sle doun rigħt
125
And brenne hous and home and make al playn
Lo þerfor is he cleped a Captayn
And for an outlawe haþ so smal meyne
And may not doon so gret an harm as he /
Ne bringe a contre to so gret meschief /