The Manciple's Tale
Folio 228r
4 of 7 folios
120
And an owtelawe & a þefe errant
Þe sam .I. seie þere is no difference
To Alisander was tolde þis sentence
Þat for þe terant is of gretter myht
Be fors of meyne to sle doune riht
125
And birne hous & home & maken al pleyne
Lo þere fore he is clepe a Capiteigne
And for þe outelawe haþe bot smal menȝe
And may nouht do so grete an harme as he
Ne bringe a contre to so grete meschefe
130
Men klepen him an outelawe or elles an þef
Bot for .I. am a man not texed wele
.I. wil note tel of titus neuer adele
.I. wil go to my tale as .I. be ganne
Whan phebus \wif/ hadde sent for hir lemman
135
Anone þei wrouht al her lust volage
Þis white crowe þat honge aye in þe cage
Be helde her werke & seide neuere a worde
And whan þat home was cōmen phebus þe lorde
This Crowe sange kokkow kokkowe cokkowe
140
What birde qd Phebus what songe singes þou
Newere þou wonte so merilye to singe
Þat to myne herte it was a reioysinge
To here þi voice alace what songe is þis
Be god qd he .I. singe nouht amys
145
Phebus qd he for al þi worþinesse
For al þi beute & þi gentillesse
For al þi songe & al þi minstralcye
For al þi wayteinge blered is þine eye
Wiþ one of luytel reputacioū
150
Nouht worþ to þe as in cōperisoū
The mountance of a gnate so mot þriue
For on þi bedde þi wif .I. sawe him swyue
What wile ȝe more þe crowe anone him tolde
Be sadde tokenes & be wordes bolde
155
Howe þat his wif hadde done her lycherie
Him to grete schame & to grete velanye
And tolde him oft he sawe it wiþ his eyȝen
This Phebus gan a wai warde for to wrien
Him þouht his sorweful herte a brast in tuo
160
His bowe he bente & sette þerine a floo
And in his . Ire þan haþe he his wif sleyne