The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

THE MANCIPLE'S TALE. 18.7
I mean, he speake will of smalle things, This Phoebus, that was flower of bach'lery,
As for to pinchen at I thy reckonings, As well in freedom 11 as in chivalry,
That were not honest, if it came to prefe."2 For his disport, in sign eke of victory
Quoth the Manciple, " That were a great mis- Of Python, so as telleth us the story,
chief; Was wont to bearen in his hand a bow.
So might he lightly bring me in the snare. Now had this Phoebus in his house a crow,
Yet had I lever 3 payd for the mare Which in a cage he foster'd many a day,
Which he rides on, than he should with me And taught it speaken, as men teach a jay.
strive. White was this crow, as is;a snow-white
I will not wrathi 4 him, so may I thrive; swan,
That that I spake, I said it in my bourde.5 And counterfeit the speech of every man
And weet ye what? I have here in my gourd He coulde, when he shouldi tell a tale.
A draught of wine, yea, of a ripS grape, Therewith in all this world no nightingale
And right anon ye shall see a good jape.6 Ne could6 by an hundred thousand deall2
This Cook shall drink thereof, if that I may; Singe so wondrous merrily and well.
On pain of my life he will not say nay." Now had this Phoebus in his house a wife,
And certainly, to tellen as it was, Which that he loved morp than his life,
Of this vessel the cook drank fast (alas! And night and day did ever his diligence
What needed it? he drank enough beforn), Her for to please, and do her reverence:
And when he haddd pouped in his horn,7 Save only, if that I the sooth shall sayn,
To the Manciple he took the gourd again. Jealous he was, and would have kept her fain.
And of that drink the Cook was wondrous fain, For him were loth y-japed 13 for to be;
And thanked him in such wise as he could. And so is every wight in such degree;
Then gan our Host to laughe wondrous loud, But all for nought, for it availeth nought.
And said, " I see well it is necessary A good wife, that is clean of work and thought,
Where that we go good drink with us to carry; Should not be kept in none await 14 certain:
For that will turne rancour and disease 8 And trusly the labour is in vain
T' accord and love, and many a wrong appease. To keep a shrew6,l5 for it will not be.
0 Bacchus, Bacchus, blessed be thy name, This hold I for a very nicety,16
That so canst turnen earnest into game! To spille17 labour for to keepi wives;
Worship and thank be to thy deity. Thus writen oldd clerkes in their lives.
Of that mattere ye get no more of me. But now to purpose, as I first began.
Tell on thy tale, Manciple, I thee pray." This worthy Phcebus did all that he can
" Well, Sir," quoth he, "now hearken what I To pleas6 her, weening, through such pleasance,
say." And for his manhood and his governance,
That no man should have put him from her
THE TALE.9 grace;
But, God it wot, there may no man embrace
When Phoebus dwelled here in earth adown, As to distrain 18 a thing, which that natfre
As olde bookes makd mentioin, Hath naturally set in a creature.
He was the moste lusty 0 bacheler Take any bird, and put it in a cage,
Of all this world, and eke the best archer. And do all thine intent, and thy corage,l9
He slew Python the serpent, as he lay To foster it tenderly with meat and drink
Sleeping against the sun upon a day; Of all5 dainties that thou canst bethink,
And many another noble worthy deed And keep it all so cleanly as thou may;
He with his bow wrought, as men maye read. Although the cage of gold be never so gay,
Playen he could on every minstrelsy, Yet had this bird, by twenty thousand fold,
And singe, that it was a melody Lever 3 in a forest, both wild and cold,
To hearen of his cleare voice the soun'. Go eat5 wormes, and such wretchedness.
Certes the king of Thebes, Amphiofn, 1 For ever this bird will do his business
That with his singing walled the cityr, T' escape out of his cage when that he may:
Could never singe half so well as he. His liberty the bird desireth aye.20
Thereto he was the seemlieste man Let take a cat, and foster her with milk
That is, or was since that the world began; And tender flesh, and make her couch of silk,
What needeth it his features to descrive? And let her see a mouse go by the wall,
For in this world is none so fair alive. Anon she weiveth21 milk, and flesh, and all,
He was therewith full fill'd of gentleness, And every dainty that is in that house,
Of honour, and of perfect worthiness. Such appetite hath she to eat the mouse.
1 Take exception to, pick flaws in. His skill in new dressing an old story was never, per.
2 Proof, test. 3 Rather. haps, more successfully exerted."
4 Provoke. 5 Jest. 10 Pleasant. 11 Generosity. 12 Part.
6 Trick. 13 Tricked, deceived. 14 Observation, espionage.
7 Blown into his horn; a metaphor for belching. 15 A contrarious or ill-disposed woman.
8 Trouble, annoyance. 16 Sheer folly. 17 Lose.
9 " The fable of'The Crow " says Tyrwhitt, "which 18 Succeed in constraining.
is the subject of the Manciple's Tale, has been related 19 All that thy heart prompts.
by so many authors, from Ovid down to Gower, that it 20 See the parallel to this passage in the Squire's Tale,
is impossible to say whom Chaucer principally followed. and note 6, page 121. 21 Forsaketh.