The Manciple's Tale
Folio 250v
7 of 8 folios
Beth war and takeþ kepe what ȝe say
Ne tellith neuer man in al ȝoure lif
How þat anoþer man hath dight his wyf
He wol ȝow hatin mortelly certeyn
210
Daun Salamon as wise clerkes seyn
Techeþ a man to kepe his tonge wel
But as I sayd . I am nought tixted wel
But naþeles þus taugħte me my dame
My sone thenk on þe crowe in goddes name
215
My son keep wel þy tōnge and kep þy frend
A wicked tonge ; is worse þan a feend
My sone fro a feend men may hem blesse
My sone god of his endeles goodnesse
Wallid a tonge wiþ teeþ and lippes eek
220
For man schal him auyse what he speek
My sone ful ofte for to mochil speche /
Haþ many a man be spilt as clerkes teche /
But for a litil speche auisily
Is no man schent to speke generally
225
My sone þy tonge scholdest þou restreigne
At alle tyme but whan þou dost þy peyne /
To speke of god in honour and prayere
The firste vertu sone if þou wilt lere
Is to restreigne and kepe wel þy tonge
230
Thus lerne clerkes whan þat þay ben ȝonge
My sone of mochil spekyng euel auised
Ther lasse speking had ynougħ suffised
Comeþ mochil harm þus was me told and taugħt
In mochel speche synne wantith nougħt
235
Wost wher of a racle tonge serueþ
Right a swerd for kutteþ and kerueþ
An arm a tuo my dere sone rigħt so
A tonge cutteþ frendschip al a tuo
A iangler is to god abhominable
240
Red Salamon so wys and honurable
Red Dauid in his psalmes reed Senek
My sone spek not . but with þy heed þu bek
Dissimul as þou were deed if þat þou heere