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.