The Manciple

Character Overview

A manciple is someone who's in charge of purchasing food and supplies for an institution like a school, monastery or law court. This particular manciple works for an inn of court (the "temple"), which is a place where lawyers might live or gather. Although Chaucer the pilgrim suggests the Manciple is one who can serve as a great example for other purchasers, we quickly begin to question his ethics and trade when we learn that, whether he purchases with cash or on credit, he always ends up ahead in his accounts.

The manciple’s prologue talks little about what he looks like, his attire and his horse. This would suggest that either this meant little to the manciple, like the clerk, or that his trade is what defined his character, not the way he looked. It also could suggest that Chaucer knew a character like this, and if he described his look too much, then he could have possibly revealed who this character in real life may have been.

Links to other characters

The manciple is similar to the merchant as he earns his keep through by a less than legal means it is suggested. He is also like the next character we will meet which is the reeve as he manages to trick is a superior. He is also like the Clerk and the Doctor of Phisik as he has had an education and is one of the more highly intelligent characters on the pilgrimage. He is also dishonest like the miller.

Important lines

The last line of the manciple’s prologue would suggest that he tricks his superiors and changes his income somehow as it says ‘and yet this Manciple sette hir aller cappe.’

The use of rhyme in the line ‘Algate he wayted so in his achaat
, That he was ay biforn and in good staat’ highlights the irony that the manciple earns his keep by a questionable means.

The use of rhyme in the line ‘now is nat that of God a ful fair grace That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace’ emphasizes the fact that the trade the manciple was taking part in was unholy, as it has some dramatic irony to it.

Conclusion

The manciple was a manipulative character that could fool anyone, even his highly educated superiors into believing him. The Manciple like the miller is an embezzler.