The Manciple's Prologue
Folio 226r
3 of 4 folios
Be cause þat drinke haþe dñacione
Vpon þis man be my saluacione
.I. trowe fill lewdly wolde tel his tale
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For were it wyne or olde or moyste ale
That he haþ dronke he spekeþ so in his nose
And fneseþ fast & eke he haþe þe pose
He also to done more þan .I. nouhe
To kepen him & his capel oute of þe slowhe
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And if he fal fro his Capel eft sone
Þan schal we al haue . ynouhe to done
In liftynge vp his hevy dronken cors
Tel on þi tale . of him maake .I. no force
Bot ȝitte Maunciple in feiþe þou ert to nyce
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Thus openly to reproue him of his vice
Anoþere daie he wil peraduenture
Recleyme þe & bringe þe to lupre
.I. mene he speke wiƚƚ of smale þinges
And for to speke att þine rekenynges
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Þat were nouht honest þouhe it cam to preue
No qd þe Manciple þat were a grete meschef
So myht he bringe me in to þe snare
Ȝit hadde .I. leuer pay . for þe Mare
Whiche he rideþ oñ þan he schold wiþ me strive
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I. wil nouht wreþþe him so mot .I. þrive
Þat att .I. spak .I. saide it in my bourde
And wyte ȝe wele þat .I. haue here in a gourde
A drauht of wyne ȝe of arype grape
And riht a none ȝe scholne se a good Iape
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This koce schal drink þer of if .I. maye
Vpon peine of my lif he wil not sey neye
And certanly to tellen as it was
Of þis vessel þe koce drank fast alas
Whate nedeþ it he dranke . ynowhe aforne
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And whan he had poped in his horne
And to þe manciple he toke þe gourde aȝeine
And of þat drink þe koc was wonder feyne
And þonked him in suche wise as he couþe
Þan gan oure oste waxen wonder louþe
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And seide .I. see wele it is necessarie
Wher þat we gone drinke wiþ vs to carye
For þat wil torne Rankour & disese
To accord & loue & mony worde to pese