The Manciple was an
officer who had the care of
buying
victuals for an
Inn of Court—like the Temple.
The particular individual who
accompanied
the party was a wily man who had more than thirty masters, and made
fools
of them all. Yet he was a man "whom purchasers might take as an example
How to be wise in buying of their victual."
It happened that at
a certain stage of the journey
the Miller
and the
Weaver sat down to a light repast.
The Miller produced five loaves and
the Weaver three.
The Manciple coming upon the scene asked permission
to
eat with them, to which they agreed.
When the Manciple had fed he laid
down eight pieces of money and said with a sly smile, "Settle betwixt
yourselves how the money shall be fairly divided. 'Tis a riddle for thy
wits."
A
discussion followed, and many of the pilgrims joined in it.
The Reve
and the Sompnour held that the Miller should receive five pieces and
the
Weaver three, the simple Ploughman was ridiculed for suggesting that
the
Miller should receive seven and the Weaver only one, while the
Carpenter,
the Monk, and the Cook insisted that the money should be divided
equally
between the two men.
Various other
opinions were urged with
considerable
vigour, until it was finally decided that the Manciple, as an expert in
such matters, should himself settle the point.
His decision was quite
correct.
What was it?
Of course, all three are supposed to have eaten
equal shares of the bread.
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