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Then gan our Host to laughe wondrous loud,
And said, “I see well it is necessary
Where that we go good drink with us to carry;
For that will turne rancour and disease* *trouble,
T’accord and love, and many a wrong appease. annoyance
O Bacchus, Bacchus, blessed be thy name,
That so canst turnen earnest into game!
Worship and thank be to thy deity.
Of that mattere ye get no more of me.
Tell on thy tale, Manciple, I thee pray.”
“Well, Sir,” quoth he, “now hearken what I say.”

Notes to the Prologue to the Manciple’s Tale

1. Bob-up-and-down: Mr Wright supposes this to be the village of Harbledown, near Canterbury, which is situated on a hill, and near which there are many ups and downs in the road. Like Boughton, where the Canon and his Yeoman overtook the pilgrims, it stood on the skirts of the Kentish forest of Blean or Blee.

2. Dun is in the mire: a proverbial saying. “Dun” is a name for an ass, derived from his colour.

3. The mention of the Cook here, with no hint that he had already told a story, confirms the indication given by the imperfect condition of his Tale, that Chaucer intended to suppress the Tale altogether, and make him tell a story in some other place.

4. The quintain; called “fan” or “vane,” because it turned round like a weather-cock.

5. Referring to the classification of wine, according to its effects on a man, given in the old “Calendrier des Bergiers,” The man of choleric temperament has “wine of lion;” the sanguine, “wine of ape;” the phlegmatic, “wine of sheep;” the melancholic, “wine of sow.” There is a Rabbinical tradition that, when Noah was planting vines, Satan slaughtered beside them the four animals named; hence the effect of wine in making those who drink it display in turn the characteristics of all the four.

6. The pose: a defluxion or rheum which stops the nose and obstructs the voice.

7. Bring thee to his lure: A phrase in hawking — to recall a hawk to the fist; the meaning here is, that the Cook may one day bring the Manciple to account, or pay him off, for the rebuke of his drunkenness.

THE TALE. <1>

 

 When Phoebus dwelled here in earth adown,
 

 As olde bookes make mentioun,
 

 He was the moste lusty* bacheler         *pleasant
 

 Of all this world, and eke* the best archer.  *also
 

 He slew Python the serpent, as he lay
 

 Sleeping against the sun upon a day;
 

 And many another noble worthy deed
 

 He with his bow wrought, as men maye read.
 

 Playen he could on every minstrelsy,
 

 And singe, that it was a melody
 

 To hearen of his cleare voice the soun'.
 

 Certes the king of Thebes, Amphioun,
 

 That with his singing walled the city,
 

 Could never singe half so well as he.
 

 Thereto he was the seemlieste man
 

 That is, or was since that the world began;
 

 What needeth it his features to descrive?
 

 For in this world is none so fair alive.
 

 He was therewith full fill'd of gentleness,
  

 Of honour, and of perfect worthiness.