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In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer uses the Manciple’s Tale to preach the dangers of “jangling,” a term that encompassed most pointless chatter:

A gentil Manciple was there of the Temple, Of whom achatours mighten take ensemple, For to ben wise in bying of vitaille.

Manciple, man′si-pl, n. a steward: a purveyor, particularly of a college or an inn of court.

The Manciple, fearing lest the Cook’s resentment should prompt some future revenge in the way of business, pulled out a gourd of wine, coaxed another draught into the drunken man, and earned his half-articulate gratitude.

A doctor of physic, a cook, a poor parson, a ploughman, a reeve, or estate agent, a manciple, and two disgraceful characters—a summoner and a pardoner—make up the total of the company.