Incipit fabula Mancipij.
WHan phebus dwelled here in þis erþe adoune
Line 105
As olde bokes makeþ mencioune
He was þe most lusti bacheller
Of al þis werlde & eke þe best archer
Line 108
He slowe phiton þe serpent as he leye
Slepeinge a-ȝeine sonne vpon a daie
And mony anoþere worþe noble dede
He wiþ his bowe brouht as men mowe rede
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Pleynge he couþe of euery mynstralcye
And singen þat it was a melodye
To heren of his clere voice þe soune
Certes þe kinge of Thebes amphione
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þat wiþ his singeinge walled þat Cite
Couþe neuer singen half so wele as he
Therto he was þe semelest man
þat is or was seþþe þe werlde be-ganne
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Whatt nedeþ it his fetures for to discryue
For in þis werld was none so faire on lyue
He was þer-wiþ fulfilled of gentillesse
Of honour & of parfite worþinesse
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þis Phebus þat was floure ob Bachellarie
As wele in fredam as in Cheualrye
For disport in signe eke of victorie
Of Pheton so as telleþ vs þe storie
Line 128
Was worþi to beren in his honde a bowe
Now hadde þis Phebus in his hous a crowe
Whiche in cage he fostred moni a daie
And tauht it speke as men techeþ a iaie
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