Canterbury Tales Manciple Quotes

For wheither that he payde or took by taille,
Algate he wayted so in his achaat
That he was ay biforn and in good staat.
Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace
That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace
The wisdom of an heep of lerned men?

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Manciple, who works for a law school, is in charge of buying food and supplies there. Questions are raised about his honesty. For we learn that whether he purchases with cash or credit, he always manages to come out ahead on his accounts. It is suggested that he is cooking the books and making money for himself, as we are told with delicious irony that this unlearned man surpasses the wisdom of his masters, a bunch of lawyers.

Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten,
That weren of lawe expert and curious,
Of which ther were a duszeyne in that hous
Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond
Of any lord that is in Engelond…
And yet this Manciple sette hir aller cappe.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Manciple has more than thirty masters, all skilled and expert in law. It is an irony that he is able to fool all these legal eagles, making good bargains in his purchases of food and supplies, to fraudulently gain money for himself.

But yet, Manciple, in feith thou art to nyce,
Thus openly repreve hym of his vice.
Another day he wole, peraventure,
Reclayme thee and brynge thee to lure;
I meene, he speke wole of smale thynges,
As for to pynchen at thy rekenynges,
That were nat honest, if it cam to preef.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Manciple’s Prologue. The Host cautions the Manciple that he is foolish to openly reprimand the Cook for his excessive drinking. The Cook could repay his insults by finding fault in the Manciple’s financial accounts, he warns. The Host is raising suspicions about the Manciple’s dishonest dealings here.

And, wel I woot, thy breeth ful soure stynketh:
That sheweth wel thou art nat wel disposed.
Of me, certeyn, thou shalt nat been yglosed.
See how he ganeth, lo, this dronken wight,
As though he wolde swolwe us anonright.
Hoold cloos thy mouth, man, by thy fader kyn!
The devel of helle sette his foot therin!
Thy cursed breeth infecte wole us alle.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Manciple’s Prologue. From being courteous at first to the drunken Cook, the Manciple’s speech midway turns nasty. He says that the Cook’s yawn is so big it will swallow them all and claims that his foul breath will give them all disease.

Of this vessel the Cook drank faste, allas!
What neded hym? He drank ynough biforn.
And whan he hadde pouped in this horn,
To the Manciple he took the gourde agayn;
And of that drynke the Cook was wonder fayn,
And thanked hym in swich wise as he koude.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Manciple’s Prologue. The Manciple, having being warned that the Cook might repay criticism of his drinking by finding dishonesty in the Manciple’s financial accounts, offers the Cook more wine to buy his silence. With the Manciple stealing from his lord’s estate, he can’t afford being exposed by a blabbermouth Cook.

O deere wyf! O gemme of lustiheed!
That were to me so sad and eek so trewe,
Now listow deed, with face pale of hewe,
Ful giltelees, that dorste I swere, ywys!

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Manciple’s Tale. Phoebus is mourning his wife, whom he has killed in a fit of jealous rage. He was told by his pet white crow that his wife was unfaithful to him with her secret lover. So he slew her with an arrow. But at the sight of her dead body he is filled with remorse. Using a metaphor, he describes her as a gem of delight.
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