The Manciple's Tale
Folio 250r
6 of 8 folios
Thow hast me brougħt to my confusioun
Allas þat I was born why nere I deed
170
O dere wyf o gemme of lustyhed
That were to me so sad and eek so trewe
Now list þou deed with face pale of hewe
Ful gulteles þat dorst I swere I wis
O racle hond to do so foul amys
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O trouble . wit O Ire recheles
That vnauysed smytest gulteles
O wantrust ful of fals suspeccioun
Wher was þy wit and þy discreciou~
O euery man be war of raclenesse
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Ne trowe no þing wiþoute gret witnesse
Smyt nouȝt to soone . er þat þou wite why /
And be auysed wel and sobrely
Er ȝe doon eny execuciou~
Vpon ȝour Ire for suspecciou~ /
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Allas a þousand folk haþ racle Ire
Fordoon . or dun hath brouȝt hem in þe myre
Allas for sorw / I wil my seluen sle /
And to þe crowe o false þeef sayd he
I wil þe quyt anoon þy false tale /
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Thow songe whilom as any nightyngale /
Now schaltow false þef þy song forgoon
And eek þy white fetheres euerich oon
Ne neuer in al þy lyf ne schaltow speke
Thus schal men on a fals þeef ben a wreke
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Thou and þin ofspring euer schuln be blake
Ne neuer sweete noyse schul ȝe make
But euer crye agayn tempest and rayn
In tokenyng þat þurgh þe my wyf was slayn
And to þe crowe he stert and þat anoon
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And puld his white feþeres euerychoon
And made him blak and raft him al his song
And eek his speche and out at dore him slong
Vnto þe deuel which I him bytake
And for þis cause ben alle crowes blake
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Lordyngs by þis ensample I ȝow pray