Geoffrey Chaucer,
The Canterbury Tales — The Maunciples Tale
(1900)
“ The firste vertu, sone, if thou wolt lere, Is to restreyne and kepe wel thy tonge.— Thus lerne children whan that they ben yonge.— (230) My sone, of muchel speking yvel-avysed, 335 Ther lasse speking hadde y-nough suffysed, Comth muchel harm, thus was me told and taught. ”
Geoffrey Chaucer,
The Canterbury Tales — The Maunciples Tale
(1900)
“ Techeth a man to kepe his tonge wel; 315 But as I seyde, I am noght textuel. But nathelees, thus taughte me my dame: 'My sone, thenk on the crowe, a goddes name; My sone, keep wel thy tonge and keep thy freend. A wikked tonge is worse than a feend. 320 My sone, from a feend men may hem blesse; My sone, god of his endelees goodnesse Walled a tonge with teeth and lippes eke, For man sholde him avyse what he speke. (220) My sone, ful ofte, for to muche speche, 325 Hath many a man ben spilt, as clerkes teche; But for a litel speche avysely Is no men shent, to speke generally. ”
Geoffrey Chaucer,
The Canterbury Tales — The Maunciples Tale
(1900)
“ Now had this Phebus in his hous a crowe, 130 Which in a cage he fostred many a day, And taughte it speken, as men teche a Iay. Whyt was this crowe, as is a snow-whyt swan, And countrefete the speche of every man (30) He coude, whan he sholde telle a tale. ”
