A sword and buckler bore he by his side.
His mouth gaped big as a furnace;
He was a talker and a joke teller,
And those mostly of sin and off-color.
Well could he steal wheat, and grind it thrice,
And yet he had a thumb of gold, by God.
A white coat and blue hood wore he.
A bagpipe well could he blow and sing,
And with it he brought us out of town.

A worthy MANCIPLE was there of a law school,
From whom buyers might take example
To be smart in purchasing their needs,
For whether he paid, or put on account,
Always he so carefully watched his pennies
That he was always ahead, and in the black.
Now is that not of God a full fair grace,
That such an uneducated man should surpass
The wisdom of a heap of graduates?
Of masters had he thrice ten
Who were of law expert and skillful,
Among whom there were a dozen in that house
Worthy to be stewards of money and land
For any lord that is in England,
To make him live by his propre good,
In honour dettelees, but he were wood,
Or live as scarsly as him list desire;
And able for to helpen al a shire
In any cas that mighte falle or happe;
And yit this maunciple sette hir aller cappe.

The REVE was a sclendre colerik man,
His berd was shave as ny as ever he can.
His heer was by his eres round y-shorn.
His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn.
Ful longe were his legges, and ful lene,
Y-lyk a staf, ther was no calf y-sene.
Wel coude he kepe a gerner and a binne;
Ther was noon auditour coude on him winne.
Wel wiste he, by the droghte, and by the reyn,
The yelding of his seed, and of his greyn.
His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye,
His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye,
Was hoolly in this reves governing,
And by his covenaunt yaf the rekening,
Sin that his lord was twenty yeer of age;
Ther coude no man bringe him in arrerage.
Ther nas baillif, ne herde, ne other hyne,
That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne;
They were adrad of him, as of the deeth.
His woning was ful fair up-on an heeth,
With grene trës shadwed was his place.
He coude bettre than his lord purchace.
Ful riche he was astored prively,
His lord wel coude he plesen subtilly,
To yeve and lene him of his owne good,
And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood.
In youthe he lerned hadde a good mister;
He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter.
This reve sat up-on a ful good stot,
That was al pomely grey, and highte Scot.
A long surcote of pers up-on he hade,
And by his syde he bar a rusty blade.
Of Northfolk was this reve, of which I telle,
Able to make him live within his means
In honor, debt free, unless he had big dreams,
Or to live as frugally as he desired,
And the same dozen were able to help an entire shire,
In any situation that might happen or befall,
And yet this manciple made fools of them all.

The REEVE was a slender choleric man.
His beard was shaved as close as he could;
His hair was by his ears closely shorn,
His top was cut short like a priest’s in front.
Full long were his legs, and full lean,
Like a staff; there was no calf to be seen.
Well could he keep a granary and a bin—
There was no auditor who could catch him short.
Well judged he by the drought and by the rain
The yielding of his seed and of his grain.
His lord’s sheep, his cattle, his dairy herd,
His swine, his horses, his livestock, and his poultry,
Were wholly in this reeve’s governing,
And by his contract he kept the reckoning,
Since his lord was in age but twenty years.
There could no man bring him in arrears.
There was no bailiff, nor herdsman, nor other servant,
But that he knew their tricks and their deceit;
They were afraid of him as of the Death.
His dwelling was full fair upon a heath;
With green trees shadowed was his place.
Better than his lord he could his goods increase.
Full rich he was with private stock;
His lord could he please full subtly,
To give and lend him of his own goods,
And receive thanks, and a gift coat and hood.