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The Morall Fabillis The Prologue Thocht feinyeit fabils of ald poetré Be not al grunded upon truth, yit than, Thair polite termes of sweit rhetoré Richt plesand ar unto the eir of man; And als the caus quhy that thay first began Wes to repreif the of thi misleving, O man, be figure of ane uther thing. In lyke maner as throw the bustious eird, Swa it be laubourit with grit diligence, Springis the flouris and the corne abreird, Hailsum and gude to mannis sustenence, Sa dois spring thair ane morall sweit sentence Oute of the subtell dyte of poetry, To gude purpois, quha culd it weill apply. The nuttis schell, thocht it be hard and teuch, Haldis the kirnell, sueit and delectabill; Sa lyis thair ane doctrine wyse aneuch And full of frute, under ane fenyeit fabill; And clerkis sayis, it is richt profitabill Amangis ernist to ming ane merie sport, To light the spreit and gar the tyme be schort. For as we se, ane bow that is ay bent Worthis unsmart and dullis on the string; Sa dois the mynd that is ay diligent In ernistfull thochtis and in studying. With sad materis sum merines to ming Accordis weill; thus Esope said, I wis, Dulcius arrident seria picta iocis. 1 Of this authour, my maisteris, with your leif, Submitting me to your correctioun, In mother toung, of Latyng, I wald preif To mak ane maner of translatioun - Nocht of my self, for vane presumptioun, Bot be requeist and precept of ane lord, Of quhome the name it neidis not record. In hamelie language and in termes rude Me neidis wryte, for quhy of eloquence Nor rethorike, I never understude. Thairfoir meiklie I pray your reverence, Gif that ye find it throw my negligence Be deminute, or yit superfluous, Correct it at your willis gratious. My author in his fabillis tellis how That brutal beistis spak and understude, And to gude purpois dispute and argow, Ane sillogisme propone, and eik conclude; Put in exempill and similitude How mony men in operatioun Ar like to beistis in conditioun. Na mervell is, ane man be lyke ane beist, Quhilk lufis ay carnall and foull delyte, That schame can not him renye nor arreist, Bot takis all the lust and appetyte, Quhilk throw custum and the daylie ryte Syne in the mynd sa fast is radicate That he in brutal beist is transformate. This nobill clerk, Esope, as I haif tauld, In gay metir, facound and purpurat, Be figure wrait his buke: for he nocht wald Tak the disdane off hie nor low estate; And to begin, first of ane cok he wrate, Seikand his meit, quhilk fand ane jolie stone, Of quhome the fabill ye sall heir anone. The Cock and the Jasp Ane cok sum tyme with feddram fresch and gay, Richt cant and crous, albeit he was bot pure, Fleu furth upon ane dunghill sone be day; To get his dennar set was al his cure. Scraipand amang the as be aventure He fand ane jolie jasp, richt precious, Wes castin furth in sweping of the hous. As damisellis wantoun and insolent That fane wald play and on the streit be sene, To swoping of the hous thay tak na tent Quhat be thairin, swa that the flure be clene; Jowellis ar tint, as oftymis hes bene sene, Upon the flure, and swopit furth anone. Peradventure, sa wes the samin stone. Sa mervelland upon the stane, quod he, "O gentill Jasp, O riche and nobill thing, Thocht I the find, thow ganis not for me; Thow art ane jouell for ane lord or king. Pietie it wer thow suld in this mydding Be buryit thus amang this muke and mold, And thow so fair and worth sa mekill gold. "It is pietie I suld the find, for quhy Thy grit vertew, nor yit thy cullour cleir, It may me nouther extoll nor magnify, And thow to me may mak bot lyttill cheir; To grit lordis thocht thow be leif and deir, I lufe fer better thing of les availl, As draf or corne to fill my tume intraill. "I had lever ga scrapit heir with my naillis Amangis this mow, and luke my lifys fude, As draf or corne, small wormis or snaillis, Or ony meit wald do my stomok gude, Than of jaspis ane mekill multitude; And thow agane, upon the samin wyis, May me as now for thyne availl dispyis. "Thow hes na corne, and thairof I had neid; Thy cullour dois bot confort to the sicht, And that is not aneuch my wame to feid, For wyfis sayis that lukand wark was licht. I wald sum meit have, get it geve I micht, For houngrie men may not weill leve on lukis: Had I dry breid, I compt not for na cukis. "Quhar suld thow mak thy habitatioun? Quhar suld thow duell, bot in ane royall tour? Quhar suld thow sit, bot on ane kingis croun Exaltit in worschip and in grit honour? Rise, gentill Jasp, of all stanis the flour, Out of this midding, and pas quhar thow suld be; Thow ganis not for me, nor I for the." Levand this jewell law upon the ground, To seik his meit this cok his wayis went. Bot quhen or how or quhome be it wes found, As now I set to hald na argument. Bot of the inward sentence and intent Of this fabill, as myne author dois write, I sall reheirs in rude and hamelie dite. Moralitas This jolie jasp hes properteis sevin: The first, of cullour it is mervelous, Part lyke the fyre and part lyke to the hevin; It makis ane man stark and victorious; Preservis als fra cacis perrillous; Quha hes this stane sall have gude hap to speid, Of fyre nor fallis him neidis not to dreid. This gentill jasp, richt different of hew, Betakinnis perfite prudence and cunning, Ornate with mony deidis of vertew, Mair excellent than ony eirthly thing, Quhilk makis men in honour for to ring, Happie, and stark to wyn the victorie Of all vicis and spirituall enemie. Quha may be hardie, riche, and gratious? Quha can eschew perrell and aventure? Quha can governe ane realme, cietie, or hous Without science? No man, I yow assure. It is riches that ever sall indure, Quhilk maith, nor moist, nor uther rust can freit: To mannis saull it is eternall meit. This cok, desyrand mair the sempill corne Than ony jasp, may till ane fule be peir, Quhilk at science makis bot ane moik and scorne, And na gude can; als lytill will he leir - His hart wammillis wyse argumentis to heir, As dois ane sow to quhome men for the nanis In hir draf troich wald saw the precious stanis. Quha is enemie to science and cunning Bot ignorants, that understandis nocht Quhilk is sa nobill, sa precious, and sa ding, That it may not with eirdlie thing be bocht? Weill wer that man, over all uther, that mocht All his lyfe dayis in perfite studie wair To get science, for him neidis na mair. Bot now, allace, this jasp is tynt and hid. We seik it nocht, nor preis it for to find; Haif we richis, na better lyfe we bid, Of science thocht the saull be bair and blind. Of this mater to speik, I wair bot wind, Thairfore I ceis and will na forther say. Ga seik the jasp, quha will, for thair it lay. The Two Mice Esope, myne authour, makis mentioun Of twa myis, and thay wer sisteris deir, Of quham the eldest duelt in ane borous toun; The uther wynnit uponland weill neir, Richt soliter, quhyle under busk and breir, Quhilis in the corne, in uther mennis skaith, As owtlawis dois and levis on thair waith. This rurall mous in to the wynter tyde Had hunger, cauld, and tholit grit distres; The uther mous, that in the burgh can byde, Was gild brother and made ane fre burges, Toll-fre als, but custum mair or les, And fredome had to ga quhair ever scho list Amang the cheis and meill, in ark and kist. Ane tyme quhein scho wes full and unfute-sair, Scho tuke in mynd hir sister upon land, And langit for to heir of hir weilfair, To se quhat lyfe scho led under the wand. Bairfute allone, with pykestaf in hir hand, As pure pylgryme, scho passit owt off town To seik hir sister, baith ovre daill and down. Throw mony wilsum wayis can scho walk, Throw mosse and mure, throw bankis, busk, and breir, Fra fur to fur, cryand fra balk to balk, "Cum furth to me, my awin sister deir! Cry peip anis!" With that the mous culd heir And knew hir voce, as kinnisman will do Be verray kynd, and furth scho come hir to. The hartlie cheir, Lord God! geve ye had sene Beis kith quhen that thir sisteris met, And grit kyndnes wes schawin thame betuene, For quhylis thay leuch, and quhylis for joy thay gret, Quhyle kissit sweit, quhylis in armis plet, And thus thay fure quhill soberit wes their mude; Syne fute for fute unto the chalmer yude. As I hard say, it was ane semple wane, Off fog and farne full misterlyk wes maid, Ane sillie scheill under ane erdfast stane, Off quhilk the entres wes not hie nor braid; And in the samin thay went, but mair abaid, Withoutin fyre or candill birnand bricht, For comonly sic pykeris luffis not lycht. Quhen thay wer lugit thus, thir sely myse, The youngest sister into hir butterie hyid, And brocht furth nuttis and peis, in steid off spyce; Giff this wes gude fair, I do it on thame besyde. 2 This burges mous prunyit forth in pryde, And said, "Sister, is this your dayly fude?" "Quhy not," quod scho, "is not this meit rycht gude?" "Na, be my saull, I think it bot ane scorne." "Madame," quod scho, "ye be the mair to blame. My mother sayd, efter that we wer borne, That I and ye lay baith within ane wame; I keip the ryte and custome off my dame, And off my syre, levand in povertie, For landis have we nane in propertie." "My fair sister," quod scho, "have me excusit; This rude dyat and I can not accord. To tender meit my stomok is ay usit, For quhy I fair als weill as ony lord. Thir wydderit peis and nuttis, or thay be bord, Wil brek my teith and mak my wame ful sklender, Quhilk usit wes before to meitis tender." "Weil, weil, sister," quod the rurall mous, "Geve it yow pleis, sic thing as ye se heir, Baith meit and dreink, harberie and hous, Sal be your awin, will ye remane al yeir. Ye sall it have wyth blyith and mery cheir, And that suld mak the maissis that ar rude, Amang freindis, richt tender, sueit, and gude. "Quhat plesans is in feistis delicate, The quhilkis ar gevin with ane glowmand brow? Ane gentill hart is better recreate With blyith visage, than seith to him ane kow. Ane modicum is mair for till allow, Swa that gude will be kerver at the dais, Than thrawin vult and mony spycit mais." For all hir mery exhortatioun This burges mous had littill will to sing, Bot hevilie scho kest hir browis doun, For all the daynteis that scho culd hir bring; Yit at the last scho said, halff in hething, "Sister, this victuall and your royall feist May weill suffice unto ane rurall beist. "Lat be this hole and cum unto my place: I sall to yow schaw, be experience, My Gude Friday is better nor your Pace, My dische likingis is worth your haill expence. I have housis anew off grit defence; Off cat, na fall, na trap, I have na dreid." "I grant," quod scho, and on togidder thay yeid. In stubble array, throw gers and corne, Under cowert full prevelie couth thay creip; The eldest wes the gyde and went beforne, The younger to hir wayis tuke gude keip. On nicht thay ran and on the day can sleip, Quhill in the morning, or the laverok sang, Thay fand the town, and in blythlie couth gang. Not fer fra thyne, unto ane worthie vane, This burges brocht thame sone quhare thay suld be. Withowt God speid thair herberie wes tane In to ane spence with vittell grit plentie: Baith cheis and butter upon skelfis hie, And flesche and fische aneuch, baith fresche and salt, And sekkis full off grotis, meill, and malt. Efter, quhen thay disposit wer to dyne, Withowtin grace, thay wesche and went to meit, With all coursis that cukis culd devyne, Muttoun and beif, strikin in tailyeis greit. Ane lordis fair thus couth thay counterfeit Except ane thing: thay drank the watter cleir In steid off wyne; bot yit thay maid gude cheir. With blyith upcast, and merie countenance, The eldest sister sperit at hir gest Giff that scho be ressone fand difference Betuix that chalmer and hir sarie nest. "Ye, dame," quod scho, "bot how lang will this lest?" "For evermair, I wait, and langer to." "Giff it be swa, ye ar at eis," quod scho. Till eik thair cheir ane subcharge furth scho brocht, Ane plait off grottis and ane disch full off meill; Thraf caikkis als I trow scho spairit nocht Aboundantlie about hir for to deill, And mane full fyne scho brocht in steid off geill, And ane quhyte candill owt off ane coffer stall In steid off spyce, to gust thair mouth withall. This maid thay merie, quhill thay micht na mair, And "Haill, Yule, haill!" cryit upon hie. Yit efter joy oftymes cummis cair, And troubill efter grit prosperitie. Thus as thay sat in all thair jolitie, The spenser come with keyis in his hand, Oppinnit the dure, and thame at denner fand. They taryit not to wesche, as I suppose, Bot on to ga, that micht formest win. The burges had ane hole, and in scho gois; Hir sister had na hole to hyde hir in. To se that selie mous, it wes grit sin; So desolate and will off ane gude reid; For verray dreid scho fell in swoun neir deid. Bot, as God wald, it fell ane happie cace: The spenser had na laser for to byde, Nowther to seik nor serche, to char nor chace, Bot on he went, and left the dure up wyde. The bald burges his passing weill hes spyde; Out off hir hole scho come and cryit on hie, "How fair ye, sister? Cry peip, quhair ever ye be!" This rurall mous lay flatling on the ground, And for the deith scho wes full sair dredand, For till hir hart straik mony wofull stound; As in ane fever trimbillit fute and hand; And quhan hir sister in sic ply hir fand, For verray pietie scho began to greit, Syne confort hir with wordis hunny sweit. "Quhy ly ye thus? Ryse up, my sister deir! Cum to your meit; this perrell is overpast." The uther answerit hir with hevie cheir, "I may not eit, sa sair I am agast. I had lever thir fourty dayis fast With watter caill, and to gnaw benis or peis, Than all your feist in this dreid and diseis." With fair tretie yit scho gart hir upryse, And to the burde thay went and togidder sat. And scantlie had thay drunkin anis or twyse, Quhen in come Gib Hunter, our jolie cat, And bad God speid. The burges up with that, And till hir hole scho fled as fyre of flint; Bawdronis the uther be the bak hes hint. Fra fute to fute he kest hir to and fra, Quhylis up, quhylis doun, als tait as ony kid. Quhylis wald he lat hir rin under the stra; Quhylis wald he wink, and play with hir buk heid; Thus to the selie mous grit pane he did; Quhill at the last throw fortune and gude hap, Betwix the dosor and the wall scho crap. And up in haist behind the parraling Scho clam so hie that Gilbert micht not get hir, And be the clukis craftelie can hing Till he wes gane; hir cheir wes all the better. Syne doun scho lap quhen thair wes nane to let hir, Apon the burges mous loud can scho cry, "Fairweill, sister, thy feist heir I defy! "Thy mangerie is mingit all with cair; Thy guse is gude, thy gansell sour as gall; The subcharge off thy service is bot sair; Sa sall thow find heir-efterwart may fall. I thank yone courtyne and yone perpall wall Off my defence now fra yone crewell beist. Almichtie God keip me fra sic ane feist. "Wer I into the kith that I come fra, For weill nor wo suld I never cum agane." With that scho tuke hir leif and furth can ga, Quhylis throw the corne and quhylis throw the plane. Quhen scho wes furth and fre scho wes full fane, And merilie markit unto the mure; I can not tell how eftirwart scho fure, Bot I hard say scho passit to hir den, Als warme as woll, suppose it wes not greit, Full beinly stuffit, baith but and ben, Off beinis and nuttis, peis, ry, and quheit; Quhen ever scho list scho had aneuch to eit, In quyet and eis withoutin ony dreid, Bot to hir sisteris feist na mair scho yeid. Moralitas Freindis, heir may ye find, will ye tak heid, In this fabill ane gude moralitie: As fitchis myngit ar with nobill seid, Swa interminglit is adversitie With eirdlie joy, swa that na state is frie Without trubill and sum vexatioun, And namelie thay quhilk clymmis up maist hie, That ar not content with small possessioun. Blissed be sempill lyfe withoutin dreid; Blissed be sober feist in quietie. Quha hes aneuch, of na mair hes he neid, Thocht it be littill into quantatie. Grit aboundance and blind prosperitie Oftymes makis ane evill conclusioun. The sweitest lyfe, thairfoir, in this cuntrie, Is sickernes, with small possessioun. O wantoun man, that usis for to feid Thy wambe and makis it a god to be, Luke to thy self, I warne the weill on deid. The cat cummis and to the mous hes ee; Quhat vaillis than thy feist and royaltie, With dreidfull hart and tribulatioun? Thairfoir, best thing in eird, I say for me, Is merry hart with small possessioun. Thy awin fyre, my freind, sa it be bot ane gleid, It warmis weill, and is worth gold to the; And Solomon sayis, gif that thow will reid, "Under the hevin thair can not better be Than ay be blyith and leif in honestie." Quhairfoir I may conclude be this ressoun: Of eirthly joy it beiris maist degré, Blyithnes in hart, with small possessioun. The Cock and the Fox Thocht brutall beistis be irrationall, That is to say, wantand discretioun, Yyt ilk ane in thair kyndis naturall Hes mony divers inclinatioun: The bair busteous, the volff, the wylde lyoun, The fox fenyeit, craftie and cawtelows, The dog to bark on nicht and keip the hows. Sa different thay ar in properteis Unknawin unto man and sa infinite, In kynd havand sa fell diversiteis, My cunning it excedis for to dyte. For thy as now, I purpose for to wryte Ane cais I fand quhilk fell this ather yeir Betwix ane foxe and gentill Chantecleir. Ane wedow dwelt in till ane drop thay dayis Quhilk wan hir fude of spinning on hir rok, And na mair had, forsuth, as the fabill sayis, Except off hennis scho had ane lyttill flok, And thame to keip scho had ane jolie cok, Richt curageous, that to this wedow ay Devydit nicht and crew befoir the day. Ane lyttill fra this foirsaid wedowis hows, Ane thornie schaw thair wes off grit defence, Quhairin ane foxe, craftie and cautelous, Maid his repair and daylie residence, Quhilk to this wedow did grit violence In pyking off pultrie baith day and nicht, And na way be revengit on him scho micht. This wylie tod, quhen that the lark couth sing, Full sair hungrie unto the toun him drest, Quhair Chantecleir, in to the gray dawing, Werie for nicht, wes flowen fra his nest. Lowrence this saw and in his mynd he kest The jeperdies, the wayis, and the wyle, Be quhat menis he micht this cok begyle. Dissimuland in to countenance and cheir, On kneis fell and simuland thus he said, "Gude morne, my maister, gentill Chantecleir!" With that the cok start bakwart in ane braid. "Schir, be my saull, ye neid not be effraid, Nor yit for me to start nor fle abak; I come bot heir service to yow to mak. "Wald I not serve to yow, it wer bot blame, As I have done to yowr progenitouris. Your father oft fulfillit hes my wame, And send me meit fra midding to the muris: And at his end I did my besie curis To hald his heid and gif him drinkis warme; Syne at the last, the sweit swelt in my arme." "Knew ye my father?" quod the cok, and leuch. "Yea, my fair sone, I held his heid Quhen that he deit under ane birkin beuch, Syne said the Dirigie quhen that he wes deid. Betuix us twa how suld thair be ane feid? Quhame suld ye traist bot me, your servitour, That to your father did sa grit honour? "Quhen I behald your fedderis fair and gent, Your beik, your breist, your hekill, and your kame - Schir, be my saull, and the blissit sacrament, My hart is warme, me think I am at hame. Yow for to serve, I wald creip on my wame In froist and snaw, in wedder wan and weit, And lay my lyart loikkis under your feit." This fenyeit foxe, fals and dissimulate, Maid to this cok ane cavillatioun: "Ye ar, me think, changit and degenerate Fra your father and his conditioun. Off craftie crawing he micht beir the croun, For he wald on his tais stand and craw. This wes na le; I stude beside and saw." With that the cok, upon his tais hie, Kest up his beik, and sang with all his micht. Quod schir Lowrence, "Weill said, sa mot I the. Ye ar your fatheris sone and air upricht, Bot off his cunning yit ye want ane slicht." "For," quod the tod, "he wald, and haif na dout, Baith wink and craw, and turne him thryis about." The cok, inflate with wind and fals vane gloir, That mony puttis unto confusioun, Traisting to win ane grit worschip thairfoir, Unwarlie winkand walkit up and doun, And syne to chant and craw he maid him boun - And suddandlie, be he had crawin ane note, The foxe wes war, and hint him be the throte. Syne to the woid but tarie with him hyit, Off countermaund haifand bot lytill dout. With that Pertok, Sprutok, and Coppok cryit; The wedow hard, and with ane cry come out. Seand the cace scho sichit and gaif ane schout, "How, murther, reylok!" with ane hiddeous beir, "Allace, now lost is gentill Chantecleir!" As scho wer woid, with mony yell and cry, Ryvand hir hair, upon hir breist can beit; Syne paill off hew, half in ane extasy, Fell doun for cair in swoning and in sweit. With that the selie hennis left thair meit, And quhill this wyfe wes lyand thus in swoun, Fell of that cace in disputatioun. "Allace," quod Pertok, makand sair murning, With teiris grit attour hir cheikis fell, "Yone wes our drowrie and our dayis darling, Our nichtingall, and als our orlege bell, Our walkryfe watche, us for to warne and tell Quhen that Aurora with hir curcheis gray Put up hir heid betuix the nicht and day. "Quha sall our lemman be? Quha sall us leid? Quhen we ar sad quha sall unto us sing? With his sweit bill he wald brek us the breid; In all this warld wes thair ane kynder thing? In paramouris he wald do us plesing, At his power, as nature did him geif. Now efter him, allace, how sall we leif?" Quod Sprutok than, "Ceis, sister, off your sorrow. Ye be to mad, for him sic murning mais. We sall fair weill, I find Sanct Johne to borrow; The proverb sayis, `Als gude lufe cummis as gais.' I will put on my haly dais clais And mak me fresch agane this jolie May, Syne chant this sang, `Wes never wedow sa gay!' "He wes angry and held us ay in aw, And woundit with the speir off jelowsy. Off chalmerglew, Pertok, full weill ye knaw Waistit he wes, off nature cauld and dry. Sen he is gone, thairfoir, sister, say I, Be blyith in baill, for that is best remeid. Let quik to quik, and deid ga to the deid." Than Pertok spak, that feinyeit faith befoir, In lust but lufe that set all hir delyte, "Sister, ye wait off sic as him ane scoir Wald not suffice to slaik our appetyte. I hecht yow be my hand, sen ye ar quyte, Within ane oulk, for schame and I durst speik, To get ane berne suld better claw oure breik." Than Coppok lyke ane curate spak full crous: "Yone wes ane verray vengeance from the hevin. He wes sa lous and sa lecherous, He had," quod scho, "kittokis ma than sevin, Bot rychteous God, haldand the balandis evin, Smytis rycht sair, thocht he be patient, Adulteraris that list thame not repent. "Prydefull he wes, and joyit off his sin, And comptit not for Goddis favour nor feid, Bot traistit ay to rax and sa to rin, Quhill at the last his sinnis can him leid To schamefull end and to yone suddand deid. Thairfoir it is the verray hand off God That causit him be werryit with the tod.' Quhen this wes said, this wedow fra hir swoun Start up on fute, and on hir kennettis cryde, "How Birkye, Berrie, Bell, Bawsie, Broun, Rype Schaw, Rin Weil, Curtes, Nuttieclyde! Togidder all but grunching furth ye glyde! Reskew my nobill cok or he be slane, Or ellis to me se ye cum never agane!" With that, but baid, thay braidet over the bent; As fyre off flint thay over the feildis flaw; Full wichtlie thay throw wood and wateris went, And ceissit not, schir Lourence quhill thay saw. Bot quhen he saw the raches cum on raw, Unto the cok in mynd he said, "God sen That I and thow wer fairlie in my den." Then spak the cok, with sum gude spirit inspyrit, "Do my counsall and I sall warrand the. Hungrie thow art, and for grit travell tyrit, Richt faint off force and may not ferther fle: Swyith turne agane and say that I and ye Freindis ar maid and fellowis for ane yeir. Than will thay stint, I stand for it, and not steir." This tod, thocht he wes fals and frivolus, And had frawdis, his querrell to defend, Desavit wes be menis richt mervelous, For falset failyeis ay at the latter end. He start about, and cryit as he wes kend; With that the cok he braid unto a bewch. Now juge ye all quhairat schir Lowrence lewch. Begylit thus, the tod under the tre On kneis fell, and said, "Gude Chantecleir, Cum doun agane, and I but meit or fe Sal be your man and servand for ane yeir." "Na, murther, theif, and revar, stand on reir. My bludy hekill and my nek sa bla Hes partit lowe for ever between us twa. "I wes unwyse that winkit at thy will, Quhairthrow almaist I loissit had my heid." "I wes mair fule," quod he, "coud nocht be still, Bot spake to put my pray in to pleid." "Fair on, fals theif, God keip me fra thy feid." With that the cok over the feildis tuke his flicht; And in at the wedowis lewer couth he licht. Moralitas Now worthie folk, suppose this be ane fabill, And overheillit wyth typis figurall, Yit may ye find ane sentence richt agreabill Under thir fenyeit termis textuall. To our purpose this cok weill may we call Nyse proud men, woid and vaneglorious Of kin and blude, quhilk is presumpteous. Fy, puft up pryde, thow is full poysonabill! Quha favoris the, on force man haif ane fall; Thy strenth is nocht, thy stule standis unstabill. Tak witnes of the feyndis infernall, Quhilk houndit doun wes fra that hevinlie hall To hellis hole and to that hiddeous hous, Because in pryde thay wer presumpteous. This fenyeit foxe may weill be figurate To flatteraris with plesand wordis quhyte, With fals mening and mynd maist toxicate, To loif and le that settis thair haill delyte. All worthie folk at sic suld haif despyte, For quhair is thair mair perrellous pestilence Nor gif to learis haistelie credence? The wickit mynd and adullatioun, Of sucker sweit haifand the similitude, Bitter as gall and full of fell poysoun To taist it is, quha cleirlie understude. For thy as now schortlie to conclude, Thir twa sinnis, flatterie and vaneglore, Ar vennomous: gude folk, fle thame thairfoir! The Fox and the Wolf Leif we this wedow glaid, I yow assure, Off Chantecleir, mair blyith than I can tell, And speik we off the fatal aventure And destenie that to this foxe befell, Quhilk durst na mair with miching intermell Als lang as leme or licht wes off the day, Bot bydand nicht full styll lurkand he lay, Quhill that Thetes, the goddes off the flude, Phebus had callit to the harbery, And Hesperous put up his cluddie hude, Schawand his lustie visage in the sky. Than Lourence luikit up, quhair he couth ly, And kest his hand upon his ee on hicht, Merie and glade that cummit wes the nicht. Out off the wod unto ane hill he went, Quhair he micht se the tuinkling sternis cleir And all the planetis off the firmament, Thair cours and eik thair moving in thair spheir, Sum retrograde and sum stationeir, And off the zodiak in quhat degré Thay wer ilk ane, as Lowrence leirnit me. Than Saturne auld wes enterit in Capricorne, And Juppiter movit in Sagittarie, And Mars up in the Rammis heid wes borne, And Phebus in the Lyoun furth can carie; Venus the Crab, the Mone wes in Aquarie; Mercurius, the god off eloquence, Into the Virgyn maid his residence. But astrolab, quadrant, or almanak, Teichit off nature be instructioun, The moving off the hevin this tod can tak, Quhat influence and constellatioun Wes lyke to fall upon the eirth adoun; And to him self he said, withoutin mair, "Weill worth my father, that send me to the lair. "My destenie and eik my weird I watt, My aventure is cleirlie to me kend, With mischeif myngit is my mortall fait My misleving the soner bot gif I mend; Deid is reward off sin ane schamefull end. Thairfoir I will ga seik sum confessour And schryiff me clene off my sinnis to this hour." "Allace," quod he, "richt waryit ar we thevis: Our lyif is set ilk nicht in aventure, Our cursit craft full mony man mischevis, For ever we steill and ever alyk ar pure; In dreid and schame our dayis we indure, Syne `Widdinek' and `Crakraip' callit als, And till our hyre ar hangit be the hals." Accusand thus his cankerit conscience, In to ane craig he kest about his ee, So saw he cummand, ane lyttill than frome thence, Ane worthie doctour in divinitie, Freir Wolff Waitskaith, in science wonder sle, To preiche and pray was new cum fra the closter, With beidis in hand, sayand his Pater Noster. Seand this wolff, this wylie tratour tod On kneis fell, with hude in to his nek: "Welcome, my gostlie father under God," Quod he, with mony binge and mony bek. "Ha," quod the wolff, "schir Tod, for quhat effek Mak ye sic feir? Ryse up, put on your hude!" "Father," quod he, "I haif grit cause to dude: "Ye ar the lanterne and the sicker way Suld gyde sic sempill folk as me to grace; Your bair feit and your russet coull off gray, Your lene cheik, your paill and pietious face, Schawis to me your perfite halines; For weill wer him that anis in his lyve Had hap to yow his sinnis for to schryve." "A, selie Lowrence," quod the wolf, and leuch, "It plesis me that ye ar penitent." "Off reif and stouth, schir, I can tell aneuch, That causis me full sair for to repent. Bot father, byde still heir upon the bent, I yow beseik, and heir me to declair My conscience, that prikkis me sa sair." "Weill," quod the wolff, "sit doun upon thy kne." And he doun bairheid sat full humilly, And syne began with "Benedicitie." Quhen I this saw, I drew ane lytill by, For it effeiris nouther to heir nor spy Nor to reveill thing said under that seill. Bot to the tod this gait the wolf couth mele: "Art thow contrite and sorie in thy spreit For thy trespas?" "Na, schir, I can not duid. Me think that hennis ar sa honie sweit, And lambes flesche that new ar lettin bluid, For to repent my mynd can not concluid, Bot off this thing, that I haif slane sa few." "Weill," quod the wolf, "in faith thow art ane schrew. "Sen thow can not forthink thy wickitnes, Will thow forbeir in tyme to cum, and mend?" "And I forbeir, how sall I leif, allace, Haifand nane uther craft me to defend? Neid causis me to steill quhair ever I wend: I eschame to thig, I can not wirk, ye wait, Yit wald I fane pretend to gentill stait." "Weill," quod the wolf, "thow wantis pointis twa Belangand to perfyte confessioun; To the thrid part off pennance let us ga: Uill thow tak pane for thy transgressioun?" "Na, schir, considder my complexioun, Seikly and waik, and off my nature tender; Lo, will ye se, I am baith lene and sklender. "Yit nevertheles I wald, swa it wer licht, Schort, and not grevand to my tendernes, Tak part off pane, fulfill it gif I micht, To set my selie saull in way off grace." "Thow sall," quod he, "forbeir flesch untill Pasche To tame this corps, that cursit carioun, And heir I reik the full remissioun. "I grant thairto, swa ye will giff me leif To eit puddingis, or laip ane lyttill blude, Or heid, or feit, or paynches let me preif, In cace I falt of flesch in to my fude." "For grit mister I gif the leif to dude Twyse in the oulk, for neid may haif na law." "God yeild yow, schir, for that text weill I knaw." Quhen this wes said, the wolf his wayis went; The foxe on fute he fure unto the flude; To fang him fisch haillelie wes his intent. Bot quhen he saw the walterand wallis woude, Astonist all still in to ane stair he stude, And said, "Better that I had biddin at hame Nor bene ane fischar, in the Devillis name. "Now man I scraip my meit out off the sand, For I haif nouther boittis, net, nor bait." As he wes thus for falt off meit murnand, Lukand about, his leving for to lait, Under ane tre he saw ane trip off gait. Than wes he blyith, and in ane heuch him hid, And fra the gait he stall ane lytill kid. Syne over the heuch unto the see he hyis, And tuke the kid be the hornis twane, And in the watter outher twyis or thryis He dowkit him, till him can he sayne, "Ga doun, schir Kid, cum up, schir Salmond, agane," Quhill he wes deid, syne to the land him drewch, And off that new-maid salmond eit anewch. Thus fynelie fillit with young tender meit, Unto ane derne for dreid he him addrest, Under ane busk, quhair that the sone can beit, To beik his breist and bellie he thocht best; And rekleslie he said, quhair he did rest, Straikand his wame aganis the sonis heit, "Upon this wame set wer ane bolt full meit." Quhen this wes said, the keipar off the gait, Cairfull in hart his kid wes stollen away, On everilk syde full warlie couth he wait, Quhill at the last he saw quhair Lowrence lay. Ane bow he bent, ane flane with fedderis gray He haillit to the heid, and or he steird The foxe he prikkit fast unto the eird. "Now," quod the foxe, "allace and wellaway! Gorrit I am, and may na forther gang; Me think na man may speik ane word in play, Bot now on dayis in ernist it is tane." The hird him hynt, and out he drew his flane, And for his kid and uther violence, He tuke his skyn and maid ane recompence. Moralitas This suddand deith and unpruvysit end Of this fals tod, without contritioun, Exempill is exhortand folk to mend, For dreid of sic ane lyke conclusioun; For mony gois now to confessioun Can not repent, nor for thair sinnis greit, Because thay think thair lustie lyfe sa sweit. Sum bene also throw consuetude and ryte Vincust with carnall sensualitie: Suppose thay be as for the tym contryte, Can not forbeir, nor fra thair sinnis fle. Use drawis nature swa in propertie Of beist and man that neidlingis thay man do As thay of lang tyme hes bene hantit to. Be war, gude folke, and feir this suddane schoit, Quhilk smytis sair withoutin resistence. Attend wyislie, and in your hartis noit, Aganis deith may na man mak defence. Ceis of your sin; remord your conscience; Do wilfull pennance here; and ye sall wend, Efter your deith, to blis withouttin end. The Trial of the Fox This foirsaid foxe that deit for his misdeid Had not ane barne wes gottin richteouslie That to his airschip micht of law succeid, Except ane sone, the quhilk in adulterie He gotten had in purches privelie, And till his name wes callit "Father-war," That luifit weill with pultrie to tig and tar. It followis weill be ressoun naturall, And gre be gre off richt comparisoun, Off evill cummis war, off war cummis werst of all; Off wrangus get cummis wrang successioun. This foxe, bastard of generatioun, Off verray kynde behuifit to be fals; Swa wes his father, and his grandschir als. As nature will, seikand his meit be sent, Off cace he fand his fatheris carioun, Nakit, new slane, and till him hes he went, Tuke up his heid, and on his kne fell doun, Thankand grit God off that conclusioun, And said,"Now sall I bruke, sen I am air, The boundis quhair thow wes wont for to repair." Fy, covetice, unkynd and venemous! The sone wes fane he fand his father deid, Be suddand schot for deidis odious, That he micht ringe and raxe in till his steid, Dreidand na thing the samin lyfe to leid In thift and reif as did his father befoir, Bot to the end, attent he tuke no moir. Yit nevertheles, throw naturall pietie, The carioun upon his bak he tais. "Now find I weill this proverb trew," quod he, "Ay rinnis the foxe, als lang as he fute hais." Syne with the corps unto ane peitpoit gais Off watter full, and kest him in the deip, And to the Devill he gaif his banis to keip. O fulische man! Plungit in wardlynes To conqueis wrangwis guidis, gold, and rent, To put thy saull in pane or hevines, To riche thy air, quhilk efter thow art went, Have he thy gude, he takis bot small tent To sing or say for thy salvatioun. Fra thow be dede, done is thy devotioun. This tod to rest him he passit to ane craig, And thair he hard ane buisteous bugill blaw Quhilk, as him thocht, maid all the warld to waig. Than start he up quhen he this hard and saw Ane unicorne come lansand over ane law, With horne in hand: ane buste in breist he bure; Ane pursephant semelie, I yow assure. Unto ane bank, quhair he micht se about On everilk syde, in haist he culd him hy, Schot out his voce full schyll, and gaif ane schout, And "Oyas! Oyas!" twyse or thryse did cry. With that the beistis in the feild thairby, All mervelland quhat sic ane thing suld mene, Gritlie agast, thay gaderit on ane grene. Out off his buste ane bill sone can he braid And red the text withoutin tarying. Commandand silence, sadlie thus he said, "We, nobill Lyoun, off all beistis the king, Greting to God, ay lestand but ending, To brutall beistis and irrationall I send, as to my subjectis grit and small. "My celsitude and hie magnificence Lattis yow to wit, that evin incontinent, Thinkis the morne with royall deligence Upon this hill to hald ane parliament. Straitlie thairfoir I gif commandement For to compeir befoir my tribunall, Under all pane and perrell that may fall." The morrow come, and Phebus with his bemis Consumit had the mistie cluddis gray; The ground wes grene, and als as gold it glemis, With gresis growand gudelie, grit, and gay, The spyce thay spred to spring on everilk spray; The lark, the maveis, and the merll full hie Sweitlie can sing, trippand fra tre to tre. Thre leopardis come, a croun off massie gold Beirand thay brocht unto that hillis hicht, With jaspis jonit, and royall rubeis rold, And mony diveris dyamontis dicht. With pollis proud ane palyeoun doun thay picht, And in that throne thair sat ane wild lyoun, In rob royall, with sceptour, swerd, and croun. Efter the tennour off the cry befoir, That gais on fut, all beistis in the eird, As thay commandit wer withoutin moir, Befoir thair lord the lyoun thay appeird: And quhat thay wer, to me as Lowrence leird, I sall reheirs ane part off everilk kynd, Als fer as now occurris to my mynd. The minotaur, ane monster mervelous, Bellerophont, that beist of bastardrie, The warwolff, and the Pegase perillous, Transformit be assent of sorcerie, The linx, the tiger full off tiranie, The elephant, and eik the dromedarie, The cameill with his cran-nek furth can carie. The leopard, as I haif tauld beforne, The anteloip, the sparth furth couth speid, The peyntit pantheir, and the unicorne, The rayndeir ran throw reveir, rone, and reid, The jolie jonet, and the gentill steid, The asse, the mule, the hors of everilk kynd The da, the ra, the hornit hart, the hynd. The bull, the beir, the bugill, and the bair, The wodwys, wildcat, and the wild wolfyne, The hardbakkit hurcheoun, and the hirpland hair; Baith otter and aip, and pennit porcupyne; The gukit gait, the selie scheip, the swyne, The baver, bakon, and the balterand brok; The fowmart with the fibert furth can flok. The gay grewhound, with slewthound, furth can slyde, With doggis all divers and different; The rattoun ran, the glebard furth can glyde, The quhrynand quhitret with the quhasill went; The feitho that hes furrit mony fent, The mertrik, with the cunning and the con, The bowranbane, and eik the lerion. The marmisset the mowdewart couth leid, Because that nature denyit had hir sicht. Thus dressit thay all furth for dreid off deid; The musk, the lytill mous with all hir micht In haist haikit unto that hill of hicht, And mony kynd off beistis I couth not knaw, Befoir thair lord the lyoun thay loutit law. Seing thir beistis all at his bidding boun, He gaif ane braid and blenkit him about, Than flatlingis to his feit thay fell all doun; For dreid off deith, thay droupit all in dout. The lyoun lukit quhen he saw thame lout, And bad thame, with ane countenance full sweit, "Be not efferit, bot stand up on your feit. "I lat yow wit, my micht is merciabill And steiris nane that ar to me prostrait; Angrie, austerne, and als unamyabill To all that standfray ar to myne estait. I rug, I reif all beistys that makis debait Aganis the micht off my magnyficence: Se nane pretend to pryde in my presence. "My celsitude and my hie majestie With micht and mercie myngit sall be ay. The lawest heir I can full sone up hie, And mak him maister over yow all I may: The dromedarie, giff he will mak deray, The grit camell, thocht he wer never sa crous, I can him law als lytill as ane mous. "Se neir be twentie mylis quhair I am The kid ga saiflie be the gaittis syde, The tod Lowrie luke not to the lam, Na revand beistis nouther ryn nor ryde." Thay couchit all efter that this wes cryde; The justice bad the court for to gar fence, The sutis call, and foirfalt all absence. 3 The panther, with his payntit coit-armour, Fensit the court, as off the law effeird, Than Tod Lowrie luikit quhair he couth lour, And start on fute, all stonist and all steird, Ryifand his hair, he cryit with ane reird, Quaikand for dreid and sichand couth he say, "Allace, this hour, allace, this dulefull day! "I wait this suddand semblie that I se, Haifand the pointis off ane parliament, Is maid to mar sic misdoars as me. Thairfoir geve I me schaw, I will be schent; I will be socht and I be red absent; To byde or fle, it makis no remeid; All is alyke, thair followis not bot deid." Perplexit thus in his hart can he mene Throw falset how he micht him self defend. His hude he drew far doun attoure his ene, And winkand with the ane eye furth he wend. Clinscheand he come, that he micht not be kend, And for dreddour that he suld bene arreist, He playit bukhude behind, fra beist to beist. O fylit spreit, and cankerit conscience! Befoir ane roy renyeit with richteousnes, Blakinnit cheikis and schamefull countenance! Fairweill thy fame; now gone is all thy grace! The phisnomie, the favour off thy face, For thy defence is foull and disfigurate, Brocht to the licht basit, blunt, and blait. Be thow atteichit with thift, or with tressoun, For thy misdeid wrangous, and wickit fay, Thy cheir changis, Lowrence, thow man luke doun; Thy worschip of this warld is went away. Luke to this tod, how he wes in effray, And fle the filth of falset, I the reid, Quhairthrow thair fallowis syn and schamefull deid. Compeirand thus befoir thair lord and king, In ordour set, as to thair stait effeird, Of everilk kynd he gart ane part furth bring, And awfullie he spak, and at thame speird Geve there wes ony beist is in eird Absent, and thairto gart thame deiplie sweir, And thay said nane, except ane gray stude meir. "Ga, make ane message sone unto that stude." The court than cryit, "My lord, quha sall it be?" "Cum furth, Lowrie, lurkand under thy hude." "Na, schir, mercie! Lo, I have bot ane ee, Hurt in the hoche, and cruikit as ye may se. The wolff is better in ambassatry And mair cunning in clergie fer than I." Rampand he said, "Ga furth, ye brybouris baith!" And thay to ga withowtin tarying; Over ron and rute thay ran togidder raith, And fand the meir at hir meit in the morning. "Now," quod the tod, "madame, cum to the king; The court is callit, and ye ar contumax." "Let be, Lowrence," quod scho, "your cowrtlie knax." "Maistres," quod he, "cum to the court ye mon; The lyoun hes commandit so in deid." "Schir Tod, tak ye the flyrdome and the fon; I have respite ane yeir, and ye will reid." "I can not spell," quod he, "sa God me speid. Heir is the wolff, ane nobill clerk at all, And of this message is maid principall. "He is autentik, and ane man of age, And hes grit practik of the chanceliary. Let him ga luke, and reid your privilage, And I sall stand and beir witnes yow by." "Quhair is thy respite?" quod the wolff in hy. "Schir, it is heir under my hufe, weill hid." "Hald up thy heill," quod he, and so scho did. Thocht he wes blindit with pryde, yit he presumis To luke doun law, quhair that hir letter lay. With that the meir gird him upon the gumis And straik the hattrell off his heid away; Halff out off lyif thair lenand doun he lay. "Allace," quod Lowrence, "Lupus, thow art loist." "His cunning," quod the meir, "wes worth sum coist. "Lowrence," quod scho,"will thow luke on my letter, Sen that the wolff na thing thairoff can wyn?" "Na, be Sanct Bryde!" quod he. "Me think it better To sleip in haill nor in ane hurt skyn. Ane skrow I fand, and this wes writtin in - For fyve schillingis I wald not anis forfaut him - Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum." 4 With brokin skap and bludie cheikis reid, This wolff weipand on his wayis went, Off his menye markand to get remeid; To tell the king the cace wes his intent. "Schir," quod the tod, "byde still upon this bent, And fra your browis wesche away the blude, And tak ane drink, for it will do yow gude." To fetche watter this fraudfull foxe furth fure; Sydelingis abak he socht unto ane syke. On cace, he meittis, cummand fra the mure, Ane trip off lambis dansand on ane dyke. This tratour tod, this tirrant, and this tyke, The fattest off this flock he fellit hais, And eit his fill; syne to the wolff he gais. Thay drank togidder, and syne thair journey takis Befoir the king; syne kneillit on thair kne. "Quhair is yone meir, schir Tod, wes contumax?" Than Lowrence said, " My lord, speir not at me, This new-maid doctour off divinitie, With his reid cap can tell yow weill aneuch." With that the lyoun and all the laif thay leuch. "Tell on the cais, now Lowrence let us heir." "This wittie wolff," quod he, "this clerk off age, On your behalff he bad the meir compeir, And scho allegit to ane privilage - "Cum neir, and se, and ye sall haiff your wage." Because he red hir rispite plane and weill, Yone reid bonat scho raucht him with hir heill." The lyoun said, "Be yone reid cap I ken This taill is trew, quha tent unto it takis. The greitest clerkis ar not the wysest men; The hurt off ane happie the uther makis." As thay wer carpand in this cais, with knakis, And all the court in garray and in gam, Swa come the yow, the mother off the lam. Befoir the justice on hir kneis fell, Put out hir playnt on this wyis wofully, "This harlet huresone and this hound off hell, He devorit hes my lamb full doggitly Within ane myle, in contrair to your cry. For Goddis lufe, my lord, gif me the law Off this lurker!" With that Lowrence let draw. "Byde!" quod the lyoun. "Lymmer, let us se Giff it be suthe the selie yow hes said." "Aa, soverane lord, saif your mercie!" quod he. "My purpois wes with him for to haif plaid. Causles he fled as he had bene effraid; For dreid off deith, he duschit over ane dyke And brak his nek." "Thow leis," quod scho, "fals tyke!" "His deith be practik may be previt eith: Thy gorrie gumis and thy bludie snout - The woll, the flesche, yit stikkis on thy teith - And that is evidence aneuch, but dout." The justice bad ga cheis ane sis about, And so thay did, and fand that he wes fals Off murther, thift, and party tressoun als. Thay band him fast; the justice bad belyif To gif the dome, and tak off all his clais. The wolff, that new-maid doctour, couth him schrif; Syne furth him led and to the gallous gais, And at the ledder fute his leif he tais. The aip wes bowcher and bad him sone ascend, And hangit him, and thus he maid his end. Moralitas Richt as the mynour in his minorall Fair gold with fyre may fra the leid weill wyn, Richt so under ane fabill figurall Sad sentence men may seik, and efter fyne, As daylie dois the doctouris of devyne, That to our leving full weill can apply And paynt thair mater furth be poetry. The lyoun is the warld be liklynace, To quhome loutis baith empriour and king, And thinkis of this warld to get incres, And gapis daylie to get mair leving; Sum for to reull, and sum to raxe and ring, Sum gadderis geir, sum gold, sum uther gude; To wyn this warld, sum wirkis as thay wer wod. The meir is men of contemplatioun, Off pennance walkand in this wildernes, As monkis and othir men of religioun That presis God to pleis in everilk place, Abstractit from this warldis wretchitnes, In wilfull povertee, fra pomp and pryde, And fra this warld in mynd ar mortyfyde. This wolf I likkin to sensualitie, As quhen lyke brutall beistis we accord Our mynd all to this warldis vanitie, Lyking to tak and loif him as our lord: Fle fast thairfra, gif thow will richt remord. Than sall ressoun ryse, rax, and ring, And for thy saull thair is na better thing. Hir hufe I likkin to the thocht of deid: Will thow remember, man, that thow man de, Thow may brek sensualiteis heid; And fleschlie lust away fra the sall fle. Fra thow begin thy mynd to mortifie, Salomonis saying thow may persaif heirin, "Think on thy end; thow sall not glaidlie sin." This tod I likkin to temptationis, Beirand to mynd mony thochtis vane, That daylie sagis men of religiounis, Cryand to thame, "Cum to the warld agane!" Yit gif thay se sensualitie neir slane, And suddand deith with ithand panis sore, Thay go abak, and temptis thame no more. O Mary myld, mediatour of mercy meik, Sitt doun before thy sone celestiall, For us synnaris his celsitude beseik Us to defend fra pane and perrellis all, And help us up unto thy hevinlie hall, In gloir quhair we may se the face of God! And thus endis the talking of the tod. The Sheep and the Dog Esope ane taill puttis in memorie How that ane doig because that he wes pure, Callit ane scheip unto the consistorie, Ane certane breid fra him for to recure. Ane fraudfull wolff wes juge that tyme and bure Authoritie and jurisdictioun, And on the scheip send furth ane strait summoun. For by the use and cours and commoun style, On this maner maid his citatioun: "I, Maister Wolff, partles off fraud and gyle, Under the panis off hie suspensioun, Off grit cursing, and interdictioun, Schir Scheip, I charge the straitly to compeir, And answer to ane doig befoir me heir." Schir Corbie Ravin wes maid apparitour, Quha pykit had full mony scheipis ee; The charge hes tane and on the letteris bure, Summonit the scheip befoir the wolff, that he Peremptourlie within twa dayis thre, Compeir under the panis in this bill, To heir quhat Perrie Doig will say the till." This summondis maid befoir witnes anew, The ravin, as to his office weill effeird, Indorsat hes the write, and on he flew. The selie scheip durst lay na mouth on eird 5 Till he befoir the awfull juge appeird. The oure off cause quhilk that the juge usit than, Quhen Hesperus to schaw his face began. The foxe wes clerk and noter in the cause; The gled, the graip at the bar couth stand, As advocatis expert in to the lawis, The doggis pley togidder tuke on hand, Quhilk wer confidderit straitlie in ane band Aganis the scheip to procure the sentence. Thocht it wes fals, thay had na conscience. The clerk callit the scheip, and he wes thair; The advocatis on this wyse couth propone: "Ane certane breid, worth fyve schilling or mair, Thow aw the doig, off quhilk the terme is gone." Off his awin heid, but advocate, allone, The scheip avysitlie gaif answer in the cace: "Heir I declyne the juge, the tyme, the place. "This is my cause, in motive and effect: The law sayis it is richt perrillous Till enter in pley befoir ane juge suspect, And ye, Schir Wolff, hes bene richt odious To me, for with your tuskis ravenous Hes slane full mony kinnismen off myne; Thairfoir as juge suspect I yow declyne. "And schortlie, of this court ye memberis all, Baith assessouris, clerk, and advocate, To me and myne ar ennemies mortall And ay hes bene, as mony scheipheird wate. The place is fer, the tyme is feriate, Quhairfoir na juge suld sit in consistory Sa lait at evin: I yow accuse for thy." Quhen that the juge in this wyse wes accusit, He bad the parteis cheis with ane assent Twa arbeteris, as in the law is usit, For to declair and gif arbitriment Quhidder the scheip suld answer in jugement Befoir the wolff; and so thay did, but weir, Off quhome the namis efter ye sall heir. The beir, the brok, the mater tuke on hand, For to discyde gif this exceptioun Wes off na strenth, or lauchfully mycht stand; And thairupon as jugis thay sat doun And held ane lang quhyle disputatioun, Seikand full mony decretalis off the law, And glosis als, the veritie to knaw. Of civile law mony volum thay revolve, The codies and digestis new and ald, Contra et pro, strait argumentis thay resolve, Sum a doctryne and sum a nothir hald; For prayer or price, trow ye, thay wald fald, Bot held the glose and text of the decreis As trew jugis. I beschrew thame ay that leis. Schortlie to mak ane end off this debait, The arbiteris than summar and plane The sentence gave, and proces fulminait: The scheip suld pas befoir the wolff agane And end his pley. "Than wes he nathing fane, For fra thair sentence couth he not appeill. On clerkis I do it, gif this sentence wes leill. The scheip agane befoir the wolff derenyeit, But advocate, abasitlie couth stand. Up rais the doig, and on the scheip thus plenyeit: "Ane soume I payit have befoir the hand For certane breid." Thairto ane borrow he fand, That wrangouslie the scheip did hald the breid, Quhilk he denyit, and thair began the pleid. And quhen the scheip this stryif had contestait, The justice in the cause furth can proceid. Lowrence the actis and the proces wrait, And thus the pley unto the end thay speid. This cursit court, corruptit all for meid, Aganis gude faith, gude law, and eik conscience, For this fals doig pronuncit the sentence. And it till put to executioun, The wolff chargit the scheip, without delay, Under the panis off interdictioun, The soume off silver or the breid to pay. Off this sentence, allace, quhat sall I say, Quhilk dampnit hes the selie innocent, And justifyit the wrangous jugement? The scheip, dreidand mair persecutioun, Obeyit to the sentence, and couth tak His way unto ane merchand off the toun, And sauld the woll that he bure on his bak, Syne bocht the breid, and to the doig couth mak Reddie payment, as he commandit was; Naikit and bair syne to the feild couth pas. Moralitas This selie scheip may present the figure Of pure commounis, that daylie ar opprest Be tirrane men, quhilkis settis all thair cure Be fals meinis to mak ane wrang conquest, In hope this present lyfe suld ever lest. Bot all begylit, thay will in schort tyme end, And efter deith to lestand panis wend. This wolf I likkin to ane schiref stout Quhilk byis ane forfalt at the kingis hand, And hes with him ane cursit assyis about, And dytis all the pure men up on land; Fra the crownar haif laid on him his wand, Thocht he wer als trew as ever wes Sanct Johne - Slain sall he be, or with the juge compone. This ravin I likkin to ane fals crownair, Quhilk hes ane porteous of the inditement, And passis furth befoir the justice air, All misdoaris to bring to jugement; Bot luke gif he wes of ane trew intent, To scraip out Johne, and wryte in Will or Wat, And swa ane bud at boith the parteis skat. Of this fals tod, of quhilk I spak befoir, And of this gled, quhat thay micht signify, Of thair nature, as now I speik no moir. Bot of this scheip and of his cairfull cry I sall reheirs, for as I passit by Quhair that he lay, on cais I lukit doun, And hard him mak sair lamentatioun. "Allace," quod he, "this cursit consistorie In middis of the winter now is maid, Quhen Boreas with blastis bitterlie And frawart froistes thir flouris doun can faid; On bankis bair now may I mak na baid." And with that word in to ane coif he crap, Fra sair wedder and froistis him to hap. Quaikand for cauld, sair murnand ay amang, Kest up his ee unto the hevinnis hicht, And said, "O lord, quhy sleipis thow sa lang? Walk, and discerne my cause groundit on richt; Se how I am be fraud, maistrie, and slicht Peillit full bair, and so is mony one Now in this warld richt wonder wo begone. "Se how this cursit syn of covetice Exylit hes baith lufe, lawtie, and law. Now few or nane will execute justice, In falt of quhome, the pure man is overthraw. The veritie, suppois the juge it knaw, Thay ar so blindit with affectioun, But dreid, for meid, thay thoill the richt go doun. "Seis thow not, lord, this warld overturnit is, As quha wald change gude gold in leid or tyn? The pure is peillit, the lord may do na mis, And simonie is haldin for na syn. Now is he blyith with okker maist may wyn; Gentrice is slane, and pietie is ago. Allace, gude lord, quhy tholis thow it so? "Thow tholis this evin for our grit offence; Thow sendis us troubill and plaigis soir, As hunger, derth, grit weir, or pestilence; Bot few amendis now thair lyfe thairfoir. We pure pepill as now may do no moir Bot pray to the: sen that we ar opprest In to this eirth, grant us in hevin gude rest." The Lion and the Mouse Prologue In middis of June, that joly sweit seasoun, Quhen that fair Phebus with his bemis bricht Had dryit up the dew fra daill and doun, And all the land maid with his bemis licht, In ane mornyng betuix mid day and nicht I rais and put all sleuth and sleip asyde, And to ane wod I went allone but gyde. Sweit wes the smell off flouris quhyte and reid, The noyes off birdis richt delitious, The bewis braid blomit abone my heid, The ground growand with gers gratious; Off all plesance that place wes plenteous, With sweit odouris and birdis harmony; The morning myld, my mirth wes mair for thy. The rosis reid arrayit rone and ryce, The prymeros and the purpour viola; To heir it wes ane poynt off paradice, Sic mirth the mavis and the merle couth ma; The blossummis blythe brak up on bank and bra; The smell off herbis and the fowlis cry, Contending quha suld have the victory. Me to conserve than fra the sonis heit, Under the schaddow off ane hawthorne grene I lenit doun amang the flouris sweit, Syne maid a cors and closit baith my ene. On sleip I fell amang thir bewis bene, And in my dreme, me thocht come throw the schaw The fairest man that ever befoir I saw. His gowne wes off ane claith als quhyte as milk, His chymmeris wes off chambelate purpour broun, His hude off scarlet, bordowrit weill with silk On hekillit wyis untill his girdill doun, His bonat round, and off the auld fassoun, His beird wes quhyte, his ene wes grit and gray, With lokker hair quhilk over his schulderis lay. Ane roll off paper in his hand he bair, Ane swannis pen stikand under his eir, Ane inkhorne, with ane prettie gilt pennair, Ane bag off silk, all at his belt he weir. Thus wes he gudelie grathit in his geir, Off stature large, and with ane feirfull face. Evin quhair I lay he come ane sturdie pace, And said, "God speid, my sone," and I wes fane Off that couth word, and off his cumpany. With reverence I salusit him agane, "Welcome, father," and he sat doun me by. "Displeis yow not, my gude maister, thocht I Demand your birth, your facultye, and name; Quhy ye come heir, or quhair ye dwell at hame." "My sone," said he, "I am off gentill blude; My native land is Rome, withoutin nay, And in that towne first to the sculis I yude, In civile law studyit full mony ane day, And now my winning is in hevin for ay. Esope I hecht; my writing and my werk Is couth and kend to mony cunning clerk." "O maister Esope, poet lawriate, God wait ye ar full deir welcum to me. Ar ye not he that all thir fabillis wrate, Quhilk in effect, suppois thay fenyeit be, Ar full off prudence and moralitie?" "Fair sone," said he, "I am the samin man. God wait gif that my hert wes merie than. I said, "Esope, my maister venerabill, I yow beseik hartlie for cheritie, Ye wald dedene to tell ane prettie fabill Concludand with ane gude moralitie." Schaikand his heid, he said, "My sone, lat be, For quhat is it worth to tell ane fenyeit taill, Quhen haly preiching may na thing availl? "Now in this warld me think richt few or nane To Goddis word that hes devotioun; The eir is deif, the hart is hard as stane; Now oppin sin without correctioun, The hart inclynand to the eirth ay doun. Sa roustie is the warld with canker blak That now my taillis may lytill succour mak." "Yit, gentill schir," said I, "for my requeist, Not to displeis your fatherheid, I pray, Under the figure off ane brutall beist, Ane morall fabill ye wald denye to say. Quha wait nor I may leir and beir away Sum thing thairby heirefter may availl?' "I grant," quod he, and thus begouth ane taill. The Fable Ane lyoun, at his pray wery foirrun, To recreat his limmis and to rest, Beikand his breist and belly at the sun, Under ane tre lay in the fair forest; Swa come ane trip off myis out off thair nest, Richt tait and trig, all dansand in ane gyis, And over the lyoun lansit twyis or thryis. He lay so still, the myis wes not effeird, Bot to and fro out over him tuke thair trace; Sum tirlit at the campis off his beird, Sum spairit not to claw him on the face; Merie and glaid, thus dansit thay ane space, Till at the last the nobill lyoun woke, And with his pow the maister mous he tuke. Scho gave ane cry, and all the laif, agast, Thair dansing left and hid thame sone alquhair. Scho that wes tane cryit and weipit fast, And said "Allace" oftymes that scho come thair: "Now am I tane ane wofull presonair, And for my gilt traistis incontinent Off lyfe and deith to thoill the jugement." Than spak the lyoun to that cairfull mous: "Thow cative wretche and vile unworthie thing, Over malapart and eik presumpteous Thow wes, to mak out over me thy tripping. Knew thow not weill I wes baith lord and king Off beistis all?" "Yes," quod the mous, "I knaw, Bot I misknew, because ye lay so law. "Lord, I beseik thy kinglie royaltie, Heir quhat I say, and tak in patience. Considder first my simple povertie And syne thy mychtie hie magnyfycence; Se als how thingis done off neglygence, Nouther off malice nor of presumtioun, Erer suld have grace and remissioun. "We wer repleit and had grit aboundance Off alkin thingis, sic as to us effeird; The sweit sesoun provokit us to dance And mak sic mirth as nature to us leird; Ye lay so still and law upon the eird That be my sawll we weind ye had bene deid; Elles wald we not have dancit over your heid." "Thy fals excuse," the lyoun said agane, "Sall not availl ane myte, I underta. I put the cace, I had bene deid or slane, And syne my skyn bene stoppit full off stra, Thocht thow had found my figure lyand swa, Because it bare the prent off my persoun, Thow suld for feir on kneis have fallin doun. "For thy trespas thow can mak na defence, My nobill persoun thus to vilipend; Off thy feiris, nor thy awin negligence, For to excuse thow can na cause pretend; Thairfoir thow suffer sall ane schamefull end And deith, sic as to tressoun is decreit, Onto the gallous harlit be the feit." "Na, mercie, lord, at thy gentrice I ase, As thow art king off beistis coronate, Sober thy wraith, and let it overpas, And mak thy mynd to mercy inclynate. I grant offence is done to thyne estate, Quhairfoir I worthie am to suffer deid, Bot gif thy kinglie mercie reik remeid. "In everie juge mercy and reuth suld be As assessouris and collaterall; Without mercie, justice is crueltie, As said is in the lawis spirituall. Quhen rigour sittis in the tribunall, The equitie off law quha may sustene? Richt few or nane, but mercie gang betwene. "Alswa ye knaw the honour triumphall Off all victour upon the strenth dependis Off his conqueist, quhilk manlie in battell Throw jeopardie of weir lang defendis. Quhat pryce or loving, quhen the battell endis, Is said off him that overcummis ane man Him to defend quhilk nouther may nor can? "Ane thowsand myis to kill and eik devoir Is lytill manheid to ane strang lyoun; Full lytill worschip have ye wyn thairfoir, To quhais strenth is na comparisoun. It will degraid sum part off your renoun To sla ane mous, quhilk may mak na defence Bot askand mercie at your excellence. "Also it semis not your celsitude, Quhilk usis daylie meittis delitious, To fyle your teith or lippis with my blude, Quhilk to your stomok is contagious. Unhailsum meit is of ane sarie mous, And that namelie untill ane strang lyoun, Uont till be fed with gentill vennesoun. "My lyfe is lytill worth, my deith is les, Yit and I leif I may peradventure Supple your hienes beand in distres; For oft is sene, ane man off small stature Reskewit hes ane lord off hie honour, Keipit that wes, in poynt to be overthrawin Throw misfortoun: sic cace may be your awin." Quhen this wes said, the lyoun his langage Paissit, and thocht according to ressoun, And gart mercie his cruell ire asswage, And to the mous grantit remissioun, Oppinnit his pow, and scho on kneis fell doun, And baith hir handis unto the hevin upheild, Cryand, "Almichty God mot yow foryeild!" Quhen scho wes gone, the lyoun held to hunt, For he had nocht, bot levit on his pray, And slew baith tayme and wyld, as he wes wont, And in the cuntrie maid ane grit deray; Till at the last the pepill fand the way This cruell lyoun how that thay mycht tak. Off hempyn cordis strang nettis couth thay mak, And in ane rod, quhair he wes wont to ryn, With raipis rude fra tre to tre it band; Syne kest ane range on raw the wod within, With hornis blast and kennettis fast calland. The lyoun fled, and throw the ron rynnand Fell in the net and hankit fute and heid; For all his strenth he couth mak na remeid, Welterand about with hiddeous rummissing, Quhyle to, quhyle fra, quhill he mycht succour get. Bot all in vane; it vailyeit him na thing; The mair he flang, the faster wes the net. The raipis rude wes sa about him plet On everilk syde, that succour saw he nane, Bot styll lyand, thus murnand maid his mane. "O lamit lyoun, liggand heir sa law, Quhair is the mycht off thy magnyfycence, Off quhome all brutall beist in eird stude aw, And dred to luke upon thy excellence? But hoip or help, but succour or defence, In bandis strang heir man I ly, allace, Till I be slane; I se nane uther grace. "Thair is na wy that will my harmis wreik Nor creature do confort to my croun. Quha sall me bute? Quha sall my bandis breik? Quha sall me put fra pane off this presoun?" Be he had maid this lamentatioun, Throw aventure, the lytill mous come neir, And off the lyoun hard the pietuous beir; And suddanlie it come in till hir mynd That it suld be the lyoun did hir grace, And said, "Now wer I fals and richt unkynd Bot gif I quit sumpart thy gentilnes Thow did to me," and on this way scho gais To hir fellowis, and on thame fast can cry, "Cum help, cum help!" and thay come all in hy. "Lo" quod the mous, "this is the samin lyoun That grantit grace to me quhen I wes tane, And now is fast heir bundin in presoun, Brekand his hart with sair murning and mane; Bot we him help, off souccour wait he nane. Cum help to quyte ane gude turne for ane uther; Go, lous him sone"; and thay said, "ye, gude brother." Thay tuke na knyfe, thair teith wes scharpe anewch; To se that sicht, forsuith, it wes grit wounder - How that thay ran amang the rapis tewch, Befoir, behind, sum yeid abone, sum under, And schuir the raipis off the net in schunder; Syne bad him ryse, and he start up anone, And thankit thame; syne on his way is gone. Now is the lyoun fre off all danger, Lows and delyverit to his libertie Be lytill beistis off ane small power, As ye have hard, because he had pietie. Quod I, "Maister, is thair ane moralitie In this fabill?" "Yea, sone," he said, "richt gude." "I pray yow, schir," quod I, "Ye wald conclude." Moralitas As I suppois, this mychtie gay lyoun May signifie ane prince or empriour, Ane potestate, or yit ane king with croun, Quhilk suld be walkrife gyde and governour Of his pepill, that takis na labour To reule and steir the land, and justice keip, Bot lyis still in lustis, sleuth, and sleip. The fair forest with levis, lowne and le, With foulis sang and flouris ferlie sweit, Is bot the warld and his prosperitie, As fals plesance, myngit with cair repleit. Richt as the rois with froist and wynter weit Faidis, swa dois the warld, and thame desavis Quhilk in thair lustis maist confidence havis. Thir lytill myis ar bot the commountie, Wantoun, unwyse, without correctioun; Thair lordis and princis quhen that thay se Of justice mak nane executioun, Thay dreid na thing to mak rebellioun And disobey, for quhy thay stand nane aw, That garris thame thair soveranis misknaw. Be this fabill, ye lordis of prudence May considder the vertew pietie, And to remit sumtyme ane grit offence, And mitigate with mercy crueltie. Oftymis is sene ane man of small degré Hes quit a commoun, baith for gude and ill, As lord hes done rigour or grace him till. Quha wait how sone ane lord of grit renoun, Rolland in wardlie lust and vane plesance, May be overthrawin, destroyit, and put doun Throw fals fortoun, quhilk of all variance Is haill maistres, and leidar of the dance Till injust men, and blindis thame so soir That thay na perrell can provyde befoir? Thir rurall men, that stentit hes the net In quhilk the lyoun suddandlie wes tane, Waittit alway amendis for to get, For hurt men wrytis in the marbill stane. 6 Mair till expound, as now, I lett allane, Bot king and lord may weill wit quhat I mene: Figure heirof oftymis hes bene sene. Quhen this wes said, quod Esope, "My fair child, Perswaid the kirkmen ythandly to pray That tressoun of this cuntrie be exyld, And justice regne, and lordis keip thair fay Unto thair soverane king baith nycht and day." And with that word he vanist and I woke; Syne throw the schaw my journey hamewart tuke. The Preaching of the Swallow The hie prudence and wirking mervelous, The profound wit off God omnipotent, Is sa perfyte and sa ingenious, Excellent far all mannis jugement; For quhy to Him all thing is ay present, Rycht as it is or ony tyme sall be, Befoir the sicht off His divinitie. Thairfoir our saull with sensualitie So fetterit is in presoun corporall We may not cleirlie understand nor se God as He is, nor thingis celestiall; Our mirk and deidlie corps materiale Blindis the spirituall operatioun, Lyke as ane man wer bundin in presoun. In Metaphisik Aristotell sayis That mannis saull is lyke ane bakkis ee, Quhilk lurkis still, als lang as licht off day is, And in the gloming cummis furth to fle; Hir ene ar waik, the sone scho may not se: Sa is our saull with fantasie opprest, To knaw the thingis in nature manifest. For God is in His power infinite, And mannis saull is febill and over small, Off understanding waik and unperfite To comprehend Him that contenis all; Nane suld presume be ressoun naturall To seirche the secreitis off the Trinitie, Bot trow fermelie and lat all ressoun be. Yit nevertheles we may haif knawlegeing Off God almychtie be His creatouris, That He is gude, fair, wyis, and bening. Exempill tak be thir jolie flouris, Rycht sweit off smell and plesant off colouris, Sum grene, sum blew, sum purpour, quhyte, and reid, Thus distribute be gift off His Godheid. The firmament payntit with sternis cleir From eist to west rolland in cirkill round, And everilk planet in his proper spheir, In moving makand harmonie and sound; The fyre, the air, the watter, and the ground - Till understand it is aneuch, I wis, That God in all His werkis wittie is. Luke weill the fische that swimmis in the se; Luke weill in eirth all kynd off bestyall; The foulis fair, sa forcelie thay fle, Scheddand the air with pennis grit and small; Syne luke to man, that He maid last off all, Lyke to His image and His similitude: Be thir we knaw that God is fair and gude. All creature He maid for the behufe Off man, and to his supportatioun In to this eirth, baith under and abufe, In number, wecht, and dew proportioun; The difference off tyme, and ilk seasoun Concorddand till our opurtunitie, As daylie be experience we may se. The somer with his jolie mantill grene, With flouris fair furrit on everilk fent, Quhilk Flora, goddes off the flouris, quene, Hes to that lord as for his seasoun lent, And Phebus, with his goldin bemis gent, Hes purfellit and payntit plesandly, With heit and moysture stilland from the sky. Syne harvest hait, quhen Ceres, that goddes, Hir barnis benit hes with abundance, And Bachus, god off wyne, renewit hes The tume pyipis in Italie and France, With wynis wicht and liquour off plesance; And copia temporis to fill hir horne, That never wes full off quheit nor uther corne. Syne wynter wan, quhen austerne Eolus, God off the wynd, with blastis boreall The grene garment off somer glorious Hes all to-rent and revin in pecis small. Than flouris fair faidit with froist man fall, And birdis blyith changit thair noitis sweit In styll murning, neir slane with snaw and sleit. Thir dalis deip with dubbis drounit is, Baith hill and holt heillit with frostis hair, And bewis bene ar bethit bair off blis Be wickit windis off the winter wair. All wyld beistis than from the bentis bair Drawis for dreid unto thair dennis deip, Coucheand for cauld in coifis thame to keip. Syne cummis ver, quhen winter is away, The secretar off somer with his sell, Quhen columbie up keikis throw the clay, Quhilk fleit wes befoir with froistes fell. The mavis and the merle beginnis to mell; The lark on loft, with uther birdis smale, Than drawis furth fra derne, over doun and daill. That samin seasoun, in to ane soft morning, Rycht blyth that bitter blastis wer ago, Unto the wod, to se the flouris spring, And heir the mavis sing and birdis mo, I passit furth, syne lukit to and fro To se the soill, that wes richt sessonabill, Sappie, and to resave all seidis abill. Moving thusgait, grit myrth I tuke in mynd, Off lauboraris to se the besines, Sum makand dyke, and sum the pleuch can wynd, Sum sawand seidis fast frome place to place, The harrowis hoppand in the saweris trace; It wes grit joy to him that luifit corne To se thame laubour, baith at evin and morne. And as I baid under ane bank full bene, In hart gritlie rejosit off that sicht, Unto ane hedge, under ane hawthorne grene, Off small birdis thair come ane ferlie flicht, And doun belyif can on the leifis licht On everilk syde about me quhair I stude, Rycht mervellous, ane mekill multitude. Amang the quhilks, ane swallow loud couth cry, On that hawthorne hie in the croip sittand: "O ye birdis on bewis heir me by, Ye sall weill knaw and wyislie understand: Quhair danger is, or perrell appeirand, It is grit wisedome to provyde befoir It to devoyd, for dreid it hurt yow moir." "Schir Swallow," quod the lark agane, and leuch, "Quhat have ye sene that causis yow to dreid?" "Se ye yone churll," quod scho, "beyond yone pleuch Fast sawand hemp - lo se! - and linget seid? Yone lint will grow in lytill tyme in deid, And thairoff will yone churll his nettis mak, Under the quhilk he thinkis us to tak. "Thairfoir I reid we pas quhen he is gone At evin, and with our naillis scharp and small Out off the eirth scraip we yone seid anone And eit it up, for giff it growis we sall Have cause to weip heirefter ane and all. Se we remeid thairfoir furth-with, instante, Nam levius laedit quicquid praevidimus ante. 7 "For clerkis sayis it is nocht sufficient To considder that is befoir thyne ee; Bot prudence is ane inwart argument That garris ane man provyde befoir and se Quhat gude, quhat evill, is liklie for to be Off everilk thing evin at the fynall end, And swa fra perrell ethar him defend." The lark, lauchand, the swallow thus couth scorne, And said scho fischit lang befoir the net - "The barne is eith to busk that is unborne; All growis nocht that in the ground is set; The nek to stoup quhen it the straik sall get Is sone aneuch; deith on the fayest fall." Thus scornit thay the swallow ane and all. Despysing thus hir helthsum document, The foulis ferlie tuke thair flicht anone: Sum with ane bir thay braidit over the bent, And sum agane ar to the grene wod gone. Upon the land quhair I wes left allone I tuke my club, and hamewart couth I carie, Swa ferliand as I had sene ane farie. Thus passit furth quhill June, that jolie tyde, And seidis that wer sawin off beforne Wer growin hie, that hairis mycht thame hyde, And als the quailye craikand in the corne. I movit furth betuix midday and morne Unto the hedge under the hawthorne grene, Quhair I befoir the said birdis had sene, And as I stude, be aventure and cace, The samin birdis as I haif said yow air - I hoip because it wes thair hanting place, Mair off succour, or yit mair solitair - Thay lychtit doun, and quhen thay lychtit wair, The swallow swyth put furth ane pietuous pyme, Said, "Wo is him can not bewar in tyme! "O blind birdis, and full off negligence, Unmyndfull off your awin prosperitie, Lift up your sicht and tak gude advertence, Luke to the lint that growis on yone le! Yone is the thing I bad, forsuith, that we, Quhill it wes seid, suld rute furth off the eird: Now is it lint; now is it hie on breird. "Go yit, quhill it is tender, young, and small, And pull it up, let it na mair incres! My flesche growis, my bodie quaikis all, Thinkand on it I may not sleip in peis!" Thay cryit all, and bad the swallow ceis, And said, "yone lint heirefter will do gude, For linget is to lytill birdis fude. "We think, quhen that yone lint bollis ar ryip, To mak us feist and fill us off the seid, Magré yone churll, and on it sing and pyip." "Weill," quod the swallow, "freindes, hardilie beid; Do as ye will, bot certane, sair I dreid Heirefter ye sall find als sour as sweit, Quhen ye ar speldit on yone carlis speit. "The awner off yone lint ane fouler is, Richt cautelous and full off subteltie; His pray full sendill tymis will he mis, Bot giff we birdis all the warrer be. Full mony off our kin he hes gart de, And thocht it bot ane sport to spill thair blude. God keip me fra him, and the halie Rude!" Thir small birdis, haveand bot lytill thocht Off perrell that mycht fall be aventure, The counsell off the swallow set at nocht, Bot tuke thair flicht and furth togidder fure; Sum to the wode, sum markit to the mure. I tuke my staff, quhen this wes said and done, And walkit hame, for it drew neir the none. The lynt ryipit, the carll pullit the lyne, Rippillit the bollis, and in beitis set, It steipit in the burne, and dryit syne, And with ane bittill knokkit it and bet, Syne swingillit it weill, and hekkillit in the flet; 8 His wyfe it span, and twynit it in to threid, Off quhilk the fowlar nettis maid indeid. The wynter come, the wickit wind can blaw, The woddis grene wer wallowit with the weit, Baith firth and fell with froistys wer maid faw, Slonkis and slaik maid slidderie with the sleit; The foulis fair, for falt thay fell off feit - On bewis bair it wes na bute to byde, Bot hyit unto housis thame to hyde. Sum in the barn, sum in the stak off corne Thair lugeing tuke and maid thair residence. The fowlar saw, and grit aithis hes sworne, Thay suld be tane trewlie for thair expence; His nettis hes he set with diligence, And in the snaw he schulit hes ane plane, And heillit it all over with calf agane. Thir small birdis, seand the calff, wes glaid; Trowand it had bene corne thay lychtit doun, Bot of the nettis na presume thay had, Nor of the fowlaris fals intentioun; To scraip and seik thair meit thay maid thame boun. The swallow on ane lytill branche neir by, Dreiddand for gyle, thus loud on thame couth cry: "Into that calf scraip quhill your naillis bleid - Thair is na corne, ye laubour all in vane. Trow ye yone churll for pietie will yow feid? Na, na, he hes it heir layit for ane trane. Remove, I reid, or ellis ye will be slane; His nettis he hes set full prively, Reddie to draw; in tyme be war for thy! "Grit fule is he that puttis in dangeir His lyfe, his honour, for ane thing off nocht. Grit fule is he that will not glaidlie heir Counsall in tyme, quhill it availl him mocht. Grit fule is he that hes na thing in thocht Bot thing present, and efter quhat may fall Nor off the end hes na memoriall." Thir small birdis, for hunger famischit neir, Full besie scraipand for to seik thair fude, The counsall off the swallow wald not heir, Suppois thair laubour dyd thame lytill gude. Quhen scho thair fulische hartis understude Sa indurate, up in ane tre scho flew - With that this churll over thame his nettis drew. Allace, it wes grit hart sair for to se That bludie bowcheour beit thay birdis doun, And for till heir, quhen thay wist weill to de, Thair cairfull sang and lamentatioun. Sum with ane staf he straik to eirth on swoun, Off sum the heid, off sum he brak the crag, Sum half on lyfe he stoppit in his bag. And quhen the swallow saw that thay wer deid, "Lo," quod scho, "thus it happinnis mony syis On thame that will not tak counsall nor reid Off prudent men or clerkis that ar wyis. This grit perrell I tauld thame mair than thryis; Now ar thay deid, and wo is me thairfoir!" Scho tuke hir flicht, bot I hir saw no moir. Moralitas Lo, worthie folk, Esope, that nobill clerk, Ane poet worthie to be lawreate, Quhen that he waikit from mair autentik werk, With uther ma, this foirsaid fabill wrate, Quhilk at this tyme may weill be applicate To gude morall edificatioun, Haifand ane sentence according to ressoun. This carll and bond, of gentrice spoliate, Sawand this calf, thir small birdis to sla, It is the feind, quhilk fra the angelike state Exylit is, as fals apostata, Quhilk day and nycht weryis not for to ga, Sawand poysoun and mony wickit thocht In mannis saull, quhilk Christ full deir hes bocht. And quhen the saull, as seid in to the eird, Gevis consent in delectatioun, The wickit thocht beginnis for to breird In deidlie sin, quhilk is dampnatioun; Ressoun is blindit with affectioun, And carnall lust grouis full grene and gay, Throw consuetude hantit from day to day. Proceding furth be use and consuetude, The sin ryipis, and schame is set on syde; The feynd plettis his nettis scharp and rude, And under plesance previlie dois hyde; Syne on the feild he sawis calf full wyde, Quhilk is bot tume and verray vanitie Of fleschlie lust and vaine prosperitie. Thir hungrie birdis, wretchis we may call, Ay scraipand in this warldis vane plesance, Greddie to gadder gudis temporall, Quhilk as the calf ar tume without substance, Lytill of availl and full of variance, Lyke to the mow befoir the face of wind Quhiskis away and makis wretchis blind. This swallow, quhilk eschaipit is the snair, The halie preichour weill may signifie, Exhortand folk to walk, and ay be wair Fra nettis of our wickit enemie, Quha sleipis not, bot ever is reddie, Quhen wretchis in this warldis calf dois scraip, To draw his net, that thay may not eschaip. Allace, quhat cair, quhat weiping is and wo, Quhen saull and bodie partit ar in twane! The bodie to the wormis keitching go, The saull to fyre, to everlestand pane. Quhat helpis than this calf, thir gudis vane, Quhen thow art put in Luceferis bag, And brocht to hell, and hangit be the crag? Thir hid nettis for to persave and se, This sarie calf wyislie to understand, Best is bewar in maist prosperitie; For in this warld thair is na thing lestand; Is na man wait how lang his stait will stand, His lyfe will lest, nor how that he sall end Efter his deith, nor quhidder he sall wend. Pray we thairfoir quhill we ar in this lyfe For four thingis: the first, fra sin remufe; The secund is to seis all weir and stryfe; The thrid is perfite cheritie and lufe; The feird thing is, and maist for our behufe, That is in blis with angellis to be fallow. And thus endis the preiching of the swallow. The Fox, the Wolf, and the Cadger Qwhylum thair wynnit in ane wildernes, As myne authour expreslie can declair, Ane revand wolff, that levit upon purches On bestiall, and maid him weill to fair; Wes nane sa big about him he wald spair And he war hungrie, outher for favour or feid, Bot in his breith he weryit thame to deid. Swa happinnit him in watching as he went To meit ane foxe in middis off the way. He him foirsaw, and fenyeit to be schent, And with ane bek he bad the wolff gude day. "Welcum to me," quod he, "thow Russell gray." Syne loutit doun, and tuke him be the hand: "Ryse up, Lowrence! I leif the for to stand. "Quhair hes thow bene this sesoun fra my sicht? Thow sall beir office, and my stewart be, For thow can knap doun caponis on the nicht, And lourand law thow can gar hennis de." "Schir," said the foxe, "that ganis not for me; And I am rad, gif thay me se on far, That at my figure beist and bird will skar." "Na," quod the wolff, "thow can in covert creip Upon thy wame and hint thame be the heid, And mak ane suddand schow upon ane scheip, Syne with thy wappinnis wirrie him to deid." "Schir," said the foxe, "ye knaw my roib is reid, And thairfoir thair will na beist abyde me, Thocht I wald be sa fals as for to hyde me." "Yis," quod the wolff, "throw buskis and throw brais Law can thow lour to come to thy intent." "Schir," said the foxe, "ye wait weill how it gais; Ane lang space fra thame thay will feill my sent; Than will thay eschaip, suppois thay suld be schent; And I am schamefull for to cum behind thame, In to the feild thocht I suld sleipand find thame." "Na," quod the wolff, "thow can cum on the wind; For everie wrink, forsuith, thow hes ane wyle." "Schir," said the foxe, "that beist ye mycht call blind That micht not eschaip than fra me ane myle: How micht I ane off thame that wyis begyle? My tippit twa eiris and my twa gray ene Garris me be kend quhair I wes never sene." Than said the wolff, "Lowrence, I heir the le, And castys for perrellis thy ginnes to defend; Bot all thy sonyeis sall not availl the, About the busk with wayis thocht thow wend. Falset will failye ay at the latter end: To bow at bidding and byde not quhill thow brest, 9 Thairfoir I giff the counsall for the best." "Schir," said the foxe, "it is Lentring, ye se; I can nocht fische, for weiting off my feit, To tak ane banestikill, thocht we baith suld de; I have nane uther craft to win my meit. Bot wer it Pasche, that men suld pultrie eit, As kiddis, lambis, or caponis in to ply, To beir your office than wald I not set by." Than said the wolff in wraith, "Wenis thou with wylis And with thy mony mowis me to mat? It is ane auld dog, doutles, that thow begylis; Thow wenis to drau the stra befoir the cat!" "Schir," said the foxe, "God wait, I mene not that; For and I did, it wer weill worth that ye In ane rude raip had tyit me till ane tre. "Bot nou I se he is ane fule perfay That with his maister fallis in ressoning. I did bot till assay quhat ye wald say; God wait, my mynd wes on ane uther thing. I sall fulfill in all thing your bidding, Quhat ever ye charge on nichtis or on dayis." "Weill," quod the wolff, "I heir weill quhat thou sayis. "Bot yit I will thow mak to me ane aith For to be leill attour all levand leid." "Schir," said the foxe, "that ane word maks me wraith, For nou I se ye have me at ane dreid: Yit sall I sweir, suppois it be not neid, Be Juppiter, and on pane off my heid, I sall be treu to you quhill I be deid." With that ane cadgear, with capill and with creillis, Come carpand furth; than Lowrence culd him spy. The foxe the flewer off the fresche hering feillis, And to the wolff he roundis prively: "Schir, yone ar hering the cadgear caryis by; Thairfoir I reid that we se for sum wayis To get sum fische aganis thir fasting dayis. "Sen I am stewart, I wald we had sum stuff, And ye ar silver-seik, I wait richt weill. Thocht we wald thig yone verray churlische chuff, He will not giff us ane hering off his creill, Befoir yone churle on kneis thocht we wald kneill. Bot yit I trou alsone that ye sall se Giff I can craft to bleir yone carlis ee. "Schir, ane thing is, and we get off yone pelff, Ye man tak travell and mak us sum supple; For he that will not laubour and help him selff, In to thir dayis he is not worth ane fle. I think to work als besie as ane be - And ye sall follou ane lytill efterwart And gadder hering, for that sall be your part." With that he kest ane cumpas far about, And straucht him doun in middis off the way; As he wer deid he fenyeit him, but dout, And than upon lenth unliklie lay. The quhyte he turnit up off his ene tuay, His toung out hang ane handbreid off his heid, And still he lay, als straucht as he wer deid. The cadgear fand the foxe, and he wes fane, And till him self thus softlie can he say: "At the nixt bait, in faith, ye sall be flane, And off your skyn I sall mak mittenis tway." He lap full lichtlie about him quhair he lay, And all the trace he trippit on his tais; As he had hard ane pyper play he gais. "Heir lyis the Devyll," quod he, "deid in ane dyke; Sic ane selcouth sau I not this sevin yeir. I trou ye have bene tussillit with sum tyke, That garris you ly sa still withoutin steir. Schir Foxe, in faith, ye ar deir welcum heir; It is sum wyfis malisone, I trow, For pultrie pyking, that lychtit hes on yow. "Thair sall na pedder, for purs, nor yit for glufis, Nor yit for poyntis, pyke your pellet fra me: I sall off it mak mittenis to my lufis Till hald my handis hait quhair ever I be; Till Flanderis sall it never saill the se." With that in hy he hint him be the heillis, And with ane swak he swang him on the creillis, Syne be the heid the hors in hy hes hint. The fraudfull foxe thairto gude tent hes tane, And with his teith the stoppell, or he stint, Pullit out, and syne the hering ane and ane Out off the creillis he swakkit doun gude wane. The wolff wes war, and gadderit spedilie: The cadgear sang, "Huntis up, up," upon hie. Yit at ane burne the cadgear lukit about; With that the foxe lap quyte the creillis fray. The cadgear wald have raucht the foxe ane rout, Bot all for nocht, he wan his hoill that day. Than with ane schout thus can the cadgear say: "Abyde, and thou ane nekhering sall haif Is worth my capill, creillis, and all the laif." "Now," quod the foxe, "I schreu me and we meit! I hard quhat thou hecht to do with my skyn. Thy handis sall never in thay mittinnis tak heit, And thou wer hangit, carll, and all thy kyn! Do furth thy mercat - at me thou sall nocht wyn - And sell thy hering thou hes thair till hie price; Ellis thow sall wyn nocht on thy merchandice." The cadgear trimmillit for teyne quhair that he stude. "It is weill worthie," quod he, "I want yone tyke, That had nocht in my hand sa mekill gude As staff or sting yone truker for to stryke." With that lychtlie he lap out over ane dyke And hakkit doun ane staff - for he wes tene - That hevie wes and off the holyne grene. With that the foxe unto the wolff could wend, And fand him be the hering quhair he lyis. "Schir," said he than,"maid I not fair defend? Ane wicht man wantit never, and he wer wyis; Ane hardie hart is hard for to suppryis." Than said the wolff, "Thow art ane berne full bald, And wyse at will, in gude tyme be it tald. "Bot quhat wes yone the carll cryit on hie, And schuke his hand?" quod he. "Hes thou no feill?" "Schir," said the foxe, "that I can tell trewlie: He said the nekhering wes in till the creill." "Kennis thou that hering?" "Ye, schir, I ken it weill, And at the creill mouth I had it thryis but dout: The wecht off it neir tit my tuskis out. "Now suithlie, schir, micht we that hering fang, It wald be fische to us thir fourtie dayis." Than said the wolff, "Nou God nor that I hang! Bot to be thair I wald gif all my clays, To se gif that my wappinnis mycht it rais." "Schir," said the foxe, "God wait, I wischit you oft, Quhen that my pith micht not beir it on loft. "It is ane syde off salmond, as it wair, And callour, pypand lyke ane pertrik ee: It is worth all the hering ye have thair - Ye, and we had it swa, is it worth sic thre." Than said the wolff, "Quhat counsell gevis thou me?" "Schir," said the foxe, "wirk efter my devyis, And ye sall have it, and tak you na suppryis. "First, ye man cast ane cumpas far about, Syne straucht you doun in middis off the way; Baith heid and feit and taill ye man streik out, Hing furth your toung, and clois weill your ene tway Syne se your heid on ane hard place ye lay; And dout not for na perrell may appeir, Bot hald you clois, quhen that carll cummis neir. "And thocht ye se ane staf, have ye na dout, Bot hald you wonder still in to that steid, And luke your ene be clois, as thay wer out, And se that ye schrink nouther fute nor heid: Than will the cadgear carll trou ye be deid, And in till haist will hint you be the heillis, As he did me, and swak you on his creillis." "Now," quod the wolff, "I sweir the be my thrift, I trou yone cadgear carll dow not me beir." "Schir," said the foxe, "on loft he will you lift Upon his creillis, and do him lytill deir - Bot ane thing dar I suithlie to you sweir: Get ye that hering sicker in sum place, Ye sall not fair in fisching mair quhill Pasche. "I sall say In principio upon yow, And crose your corps from the top to tay; Wend quhen ye will, I dar be warrand now That ye sall de na suddand deith this day." With that the wolff gird up sone and to gay, And caist ane cumpas about the cadgear far; Syne raucht him in the gait, or he come nar. He laid his halfheid sicker hard and sad, Syne straucht his four feit fra him, and his heid, And hang his toung furth as the foxe him bad; Als styll he lay as he wer verray deid, Rakkand na thing off the carlis favour nor feid, Bot ever upon the nekhering he thinkis, And quyte foryettis the foxe and all his wrinkis. With that the cadgear, als wraith as ony wind, Come rydand on the laid, for it wes licht, Thinkand ay on the foxe that wes behind, Upon quhat wyse revenge him best he micht; And at the last of the wolff gat ane sicht, Quhair he in lenth lay streikit in the gait - Bot giff he lichtit doun or nocht, God wait! Softlie he said, "I wes begylit anis; Be I begylit twyis, I schrew us baith! That evill bot it sall licht upon thy banis He suld have had, that hes done me the skaith." On hicht he hovit the staf, for he wes wraith, And hit him with sic will upon the heid Quhill neir he swonit and swelt in to that steid. Thre battis he bure, or he his feit micht find, Bot yit the wolff wes wicht, and wan away; He mycht not se, he wes sa verray blind, Nor wit reddilie quhether it wes nicht or day. The foxe beheld that service quhair he lay, And leuch on loft quhen he the wolff sa seis, Baith deif and dosinnit, fall swonand on his kneis. He that of ressoun can not be content, Bot covetis all, is abill all to tyne. The foxe, quhen that he saw the wolff wes schent, Said to him self, "Thir hering sall be myne." I le, or ellis he wes efterwart fyne, That fand sic wayis his maister for to greif. With all the fische thus Lowrence tuke his leif. The wolff wes neir weill dungin to the deid, That uneith with his lyfe away he wan, For with the bastoun weill brokin wes his heid. The foxe in to his den sone drew him than, That had betraisit his maister and the man: The ane wantit the hering off his creillis; The utheris blude wes rynnand over his heillis. Moralitas This taill is myngit with moralitie, As I sall schaw sumquhat, or that I ceis. The foxe unto the warld may likkinnit be; The revand wolf unto ane man, but leis; The cadgear, deith, quhome under all man preis - That ever tuke lyfe throw cours of kynd man dee, As man, and beist, and fische in to the see. The warld, ye wait, is stewart to the man, Quhilk makis man to haif na mynd of deid, Bot settis for winning all the craftis thay can. The hering I likkin unto the gold sa reid, Quhilk gart the wolf in perrell put his heid; Richt swa the gold garris landis and cieteis With weir be waistit daylie, as men seis. And as the foxe with dissimulance and gyle Gart the wolf wene to haif worschip for ever, Richt swa this warld with vane glore for ane quhyle Flatteris with folk, as thay suld failye never; Yit suddandlie men seis it oft dissever With thame that trowis oft to fill the sek - Deith cummis behind and nippis thame be the nek. The micht of gold makis mony men sa blind, That settis on avarice thair felicitie, That thay foryet the cadgear cummis behind To stryke thame, of quhat stait sa ever thay be: Quhat is mair dirk than blind prosperitie? Quhairfoir I counsell mychtie men to haif mynd Of the nekhering, interpreit in this kynd. The Fox, the Wolf, and the Husbandman In elderis dayis, as Esope can declair, Thair wes ane husband quhilk had ane plewch to steir. His use wes ay in morning to ryse air: Sa happinnit him, in streiking tyme off yeir, Airlie in the morning to follou furth his feir Unto the pleuch, bot his gadman and he. His stottis he straucht with "Benedicité!" The caller cryit, "How! Haik!" upon hicht, "Hald draucht, my dowis," syne broddit thame full sair: 10 The oxin wes unusit, young, and licht, And for fersnes thay couth the fur forfair. 11 The husband than woxe angrie as ane hair, Syne cryit, and caist his patill and grit stanis: "The wolff," quod he, "mot have you all at anis!" Bot yit the wolff wes neirar nor he wend, For in ane busk he lay, and Lowrence baith, In ane rouch rone wes at the furris end, And hard the hecht; than Lowrence leuch full raith: "To tak yone bud," quod he, "it wer na skaith." "Weill," quod the wolff, "I hecht the, be my hand, Yone carlis word as he wer king sall stand." The oxin waxit mair reulie at the last; Syne efter thay lousit, fra that it worthit weill lait; 12 The husband hamewart with his cattell past. Than sone the wolff come hirpilland in his gait Befoir the oxin, and schupe to mak debait. The husband saw him, and worthit sumdeill agast, And bakwart with his beistis wald haif past. The wolff said, "Quhether dryvis thou this pray? I chalenge it, for nane off thame ar thyne!" The man thairoff wes in ane felloun fray, And soberlie to the wolff answerit syne: "Schir, be my saull, thir oxin ar all myne: Thairfoir I studdie quhy ye suld stop me, Sen that I faltit never to you, trewlie." The wolff said, "Carll, gaif thou not me this drift Airlie, quhen thou wes eirrand on yone bank? And is thair oucht, sayis thou, frear than gift? This tarying wyll tyne the all thy thank: Far better is frelie for to giff ane plank Nor be compellit on force to giff ane mart. Fy on the fredome that cummis not with hart!" "Schir," quod the husband, "ane man may say in greif, And syne ganesay fra he avise and se. I hecht to steill, am I thairfoir ane theif? God forbid, schir, all hechtis suld haldin be. Gaif I my hand or oblissing," quod he, "Or have ye witnes or writ for to schau? Schir, reif me not, bot go and seik the lau." "Carll," quod the wolff, "ane lord, and he be leill, That schrinkis for schame, or doutis to be repruvit - His sau is ay als sickker as his seill. Fy on the leid that is not leill and lufit! Thy argument is fals, and eik contrufit, For it is said in proverb: "But lawte All uther vertewis ar nocht worth ane fle." "Schir," said the husband, "remember of this thing: Ane leill man is not tane at halff ane taill. 13 I may say and ganesay; I am na king. Quhair is your witnes that hard I hecht thame haill?" Than said the wolff, "Thairfoir it sall nocht faill. Lowrence," quod he, "cum hidder of that schaw, And say na thing bot as thow hard and saw." Lowrence come lourand, for he lufit never licht, And sone appeirit befoir thame in that place: The man leuch na thing quhen he saw that sicht. "Lowrence," quod the wolff, "thow man declair this cace, Quhairof we sall schaw the suith in schort space. I callit on the leill witnes for to beir: Quhat hard thou that this man hecht me lang eir?" "Schir," said the tod, "I can not hastelie Swa sone as now gif sentence finall; Bot wald ye baith submit yow heir to me, To stand at my decreit perpetuall, To pleis baith I suld preif, gif it may fall." "Weill," quod the wolff, "I am content for me." The man said, "Swa am I, how ever it be." Than schew thay furth thair allegeance but fabill, And baith proponit thair pley to him compleit. Quod Lowrence, "Now I am juge amycabill: Ye sall be sworne to stand at my decreit, Quhether heirefter ye think it soure or sweit." The wolff braid furth his fute, the man his hand, And on the toddis taill sworne thay ar to stand. Than tuke the tod the man furth till ane syde, And said him, "Freind, thou art in blunder brocht; The wolff will not forgif the ane oxe hyde. Yit wald my self fane help the, and I mocht, Bot I am laith to hurt my conscience ocht. Tyne nocht thy querrell in thy awin defence; This will not throu but grit coist and expence. "Seis thou not buddis beiris bernis throw, And giftis garris crukit materis hald full evin? Sumtymis ane hen haldis ane man in ane kow; All ar not halie that heifis thair handis to hevin." "Schir," said the man, "ye sall have sex or sevin Richt off the fattest hennis off all the floik - I compt not all the laif, leif me the coik." "I am ane juge," quod Lowrence than, and leuch: "Thair is na buddis suld beir me by the rycht. 14 I may tak hennis and caponis weill aneuch, For God is gane to sleip, as for this nycht; Sic small thingis ar not sene in to His sicht. Thir hennis," quod he, "sall mak thy querrell sure: With emptie hand na man suld halkis lure." Concordit thus, than Lowrence tuke his leiff, And to the wolff he went in to ane ling; Syne prevelie he plukkit him be the sleiff: "Is this in ernist," quod he, "ye ask sic thing? Na, be my saull, I trow it be in heithing." Than said the wolff, "Lowrence, quhy sayis thou sa? Thow hard the hecht thy selff that he couth ma. "The hecht," quod he, "yone man maid at the pleuch - Is that the cause quhy ye the cattell craif?" Halff in to heithing said Lowrence than, and leuch: "Schir, be the Rude, unroikit now ye raif: The Devill ane stirk taill thairfoir sall ye haif! Wald I tak it upon my conscience To do sa pure ane man as yone offence? "Yit haif I commonnit with the carll," quod he. "We ar concordit upon this cunnand: Quyte off all clamis, swa ye will mak him fre, Ye sall ane cabok have in to your hand That sic ane sall not be in all this land, For it is somer cheis, baith fresche and fair: He sayis it weyis ane stane and sumdeill mair." "Is that thy counsell," quod the wolff, "I do, That yone carll for ane cabok suld be fre?" "Ye, be my saull, and I wer sworne yow to, Ye suld nane uther counsell have for me; For gang ye to the maist extremitie, It will not wyn yow worth ane widderit neip: Schir, trow ye not I have ane saull to keip?" "Weill," quod the wolff, "it is aganis my will That yone carll for ane cabok suld ga quyte." "Schir," quod the tod, "ye tak it in nane evill, For, be my saull, your self had all the wyte." Than said the wolff, "I bid na mair to flyte, Bot I wald se yone cabok off sic pryis." "Schir," said the tod, "he tauld me quhair it lyis." Than hand in hand thay held unto ane hill; The husband till his hous hes tane the way, For he wes fane he schaippit from thair ill, And on his feit woke the dure quhill day. Now will we turne unto the uther tway: Throw woddis waist thir freikis on fute can fair, Fra busk to busk, quhill neir midnycht and mair. Lowrence wes ever remembring upon wrinkis And subtelteis, the wolff for to begyle; That he had hecht ane caboik he forthinkis; Yit at the last he findis furth ane wyle, Than at him selff softlie couth he smyle. The wolff sayis, "Lowrence, thou playis bellie blind; We seik all nycht, bot na thing can we find." "Schir," said the tod, "we ar at it almaist; Soft yow ane lytill, and ye sall se it sone." Than to ane manure place thay hyit in haist; The nycht wes lycht, and pennyfull the mone. Than till ane draw well thir senyeours past but hone, 15 Quhair that twa bukkettis severall suithlie hang; As ane come up ane uther doun wald gang. The schadow off the mone schone in the well: "Schir," said Lowrence, "anis ye sall find me leill; Now se ye not the caboik weill your sell, Quhyte as ane neip and round als as ane seill? He hang it yonder that na man suld it steill. Schir, traist ye weill, yone caboik ye se hing Micht be ane present to ony lord or king." "Na," quod the wolff, "mycht I yone caboik haif On the dry land, as I it yonder se, I wald quitclame the carll off all the laif: His dart oxin I compt thame not ane fle; Yone wer mair meit for sic ane man as me. Lowrence," quod he, "leip in the bukket sone, And I sall hald the ane, quhill thow have done." Lowrence gird doun baith sone and subtellie; The uther baid abufe and held the flaill. "It is sa mekill," quod Lowrence, "it maisteris me: On all my tais it hes not left ane naill. Ye man mak help upwart, and it haill: Leip in the uther bukket haistelie, And cum sone doun and mak me sum supple!" Than lychtlie in the bukket lap the loun; His wecht but weir the uther end gart ryis: The tod come hailland up, the wolff yeid doun. Than angerlie the wolff upon him cryis: "I cummand thus dounwart, quhy thow upwart hyis?" "Schir," quod the foxe, "thus fairis it off fortoun: As ane cummis up, scho quheillis ane uther doun." Than to the ground sone yeid the wolff in haist; The tod lap on land, als blyith as ony bell, And left the wolff in watter to the waist. Quha haillit him out, I wait not, off the well. Heir endis the text; thair is na mair to tell. Yyt men may find ane gude moralitie In this sentence, thocht it ane fabill be. Moralitas This wolf I likkin to ane wickit man Quhilk dois the pure oppres in everie place, And pykis at thame all querrellis that he can, Be rigour, reif, and uther wickitnes. The foxe, the feind I call into this cais, Arctand ilk man to ryn unrychteous rinkis, Thinkand thairthrow to lok him in his linkis. The husband may be callit ane godlie man With quhome the feynd falt findes, as clerkis reids, Besie to tempt him with all wayis that he can. The hennis ar warkis that fra ferme faith proceidis: Quhair sic sproutis spreidis, the evill spreit thair not speids, Bot wendis unto the wickit man agane - That hes tint his travell is full unfane. The wodds waist, quhairin wes the wolf wyld, Ar wickit riches, quhilk all men gaipis to get: Quha traistis in sic trusterie ar oft begyld, For mammon may be callit the Devillis net, Quhilk Sathanas for all sinfull hes set: With proud plesour quha settis his traist thairin, But speciall grace, lychtlie can not outwin. The cabok may be callit covetyce, Quhilk blomis braid in mony mannis ee: Wa worth the well of that wickit vyce, For it is all bot fraud and fantasie, Dryvand ilk man to leip in the buttrie That dounwart drawis unto the pane of hell - Christ keip all Christianis from that wickit well! The Wolf and the Wether Qwhylum thair wes, as Esope can report, Ane scheipheird duelland be ane forrest neir, Quhilk had ane hound that did him grit comfort: Full war he wes to walk his fauld, but weir, That nouther wolff nor wildcat durst appeir, Nor foxe on feild, nor yit no uther beist, Bot he thame slew, or chaissit at the leist. Sa happinnit it (as everilk beist man de), This hound off suddand seiknes to be deid; Bot than, God wait, the keipar off the fe For verray wo woxe wanner nor the weid. "Allace," quod he, "now se I na remeid To saif the selie beistis that I keip, For with the wolff weryit beis all my scheip." It wald have maid ane mannis hart sair to se The selie scheiphirdis lamentatioun: "Now is my darling deid, allace," quod he; "For now to beg my breid I may be boun, With pyikstaff and with scrip to fair off toun; For all the beistis befoir that bandonit bene Will schute upon my beistis with ire and tene." With that ane wedder wichtlie wan on fute: "Maister," quod he, "mak merie and be blyith: To brek your hart for baill it is na bute; For ane deid dog ye na cair on yow kyith. Ga fetche him hither and fla his skyn off swyth; Syne sew it on me - and luke that it be meit, Baith heid and crag, bodie, taill, and feit. "Than will the wolff trow that I am he, For I sall follow him fast quhar ever he fair. All haill the cure I tak it upon me Your scheip to keip at midday, lait, and air: And he persew, be God, I sall not spair To follow him as fast as did your doig, Swa that I warrand ye sall not want ane hoig." Than said the scheipheird, "This come of ane gude wit: Thy counsall is baith sicker, leill, and trew; Quha sayis ane scheip is daft, thay lieit of it." With that in hy the doggis skyn off he flew, And on the scheip rycht softlie couth it sew. Than worth the wedder wantoun off his weid: Now off the wolff," quod he, "I have na dreid." In all thingis he counterfait the dog, For all the nycht he stude, and tuke na sleip, Swa that weill lang thair wantit not ane hog; Swa war he wes and walkryfe thame to keip, That Lowrence durst not luke upon ane scheip - For and he did, he followit him sa fast That off his lyfe he maid him all agast. Was nowther wolff, wildcat, nor yit tod Durst cum within thay boundis all about, Bot he wald chase thame baith throw rouch and snod. Thay bailfull beistis had of thair lyvis sic dout, For he wes mekill and semit to be stout, That everilk beist thay dred him as the deid, Within that woid that nane durst hald thair heid. Yit happinnit thair ane hungrie wolff to slyde Out throw his scheip, quhair thay lay on ane le: "I sall have ane," quod he, "quhat ever betyde, Thocht I be werryit, for hunger or I de." With that ane lamb in till his cluke hint he; The laif start up, for thay wer all agast, Bot God wait gif the wedder followit fast. Went never hound mair haistelie fra the hand Quhen he wes rynnand maist raklie at the ra Nor went this wedder baith over mois and strand, And stoppit nouther at bank, busk, nor bra, Bot followit ay sa ferslie on his fa With sic ane drift, quhill dust and dirt over-draif him, And maid ane vow to God that he suld have him. With that the wolff let out his taill on lenth, For he wes hungrie and it drew neir the ene, And schupe him for to ryn with all his strenth; Fra he the wedder sa neir cummand had sene, He dred his lyfe, and he overtane had bene. Thairfoir he spairit nowther busk nor boig, For weill he kennit the kenenes off the doig. To mak him lycht, he kest the lamb him fra, Syne lap over leis and draif throw dub and myre. "Na," quod the wedder, "in faith we part not swa: It is not the lamb, bot the, that I desyre; I sall cum neir, for now I se the tyre." The wolff ran still quhill ane strand stude behind him, Bot ay the neirar the uedder he couth bind him. Sone efter that, he followit him sa neir Quhill that the wolff for fleidnes fylit the feild, Syne left the gait and ran throw busk and breir, And schupe him fra the schawis for to scheild. 16 He ran restles, for he wist off na beild; The wedder followit him baith out and in, Quhill that ane breir busk raif rudelie off the skyn. The wolff wes wer, and blenkit him behind, And saw the wedder come thrawand throw the breir, Syne saw the doggis skyn hingand on his lind. "Na," quod he, "is this ye, that is sa neir? Richt now ane hound, and now quhyte as ane freir. I fled over fer, and I had kennit the cais: To God I vow that ye sall rew this rais. "Quhat wes the cause ye gaif me sic ane katche?" With that in hy he hint him be the horne: "For all your mowis, ye met anis with your matche, Suppois ye leuch me all this yeir to scorne. For quhat enchessoun this doggis skyn have ye borne?" "Maister," quod he, "bot to have playit with yow; I yow requyre that ye nane uther trow." "Is this your bourding in ernist than?" quod he, "For I am verray effeirit, and on flocht: Cum bak agane, and I sall let yow se." Than quhar the gait wes grimmit he him brocht: "Quhether call ye this fair play or nocht: To set your maister in sa fell effray, Quhill he for feiritnes hes fylit up the way? "Thryis, be my saull, ye gart me schute behind: Upon my hoichis the senyeis may be sene; For feiritnes full oft I fylit the wind. Now is this ye? Na, bot ane hound, I wene! 17 Me think your teith over schort to be sa kene. Blissit be the busk that reft yow your array; Ellis, fleand, bursin had I bene this day." "Schir," quod the wedder, "suppois I ran in hy, My mynd wes never to do your persoun ill. Ane flear gettis ane follower commounly, In play or ernist, preif quha sa ever will. Sen I bot playit, be gracious me till, And I sall gar my freindis blis your banis: Ane full gude servand will crab his maister anis." "I have bene oftymis set in grit effray, Bot, be the Rude, sa rad yit wes I never As thow hes maid me with thy prettie play: I schot behind quhen thow overtuke me ever. Bot sikkerlie now sall we not dissever." Than be crag-bane smertlie he him tuke, Or ever he ceissit, and it in schunder schuke. Moralitas Esope, that poet, first father of this fabill, Wrait this parabole, quhilk is convenient, Because the sentence wes fructuous and agreabill, In moralitie exemplative prudent; Quhais problemes bene verray excellent, Throw similitude of figuris, to this day, Gevis doctrine to the redaris of it ay. Heir may thow se that riches of array Will cause pure men presumpteous for to be; Thay think thay hald of nane, be thay als gay, 18 Bot counterfute ane lord in all degré. Out of thair cais in pryde thay clym sa hie That thay forbeir thair better in na steid, Quhill sum man tit thair heillis over thair heid. Richt swa in service uther sum exceidis, And thay haif withgang, welth, and cherising, That thay will lychtlie lordis in thair deidis, And lukis not to thair blude nor thair offspring. Bot yit nane wait how lang that reull will ring; Bot he was wyse that bad his sone considder: Bewar in welth, for hall benkis ar rycht slidder. Thairfoir I counsell men of everilk stait To knaw thame self, and quhome thay suld forbeir, And fall not with thair better in debait, Suppois thay be als galland in thair geir: It settis na servand for to uphald weir, Nor clym sa hie quhill he fall of the ledder Bot think upon the wolf and on the wedder. The Wolf and the Lamb Ane cruell wolff, richt ravenous and fell, Upon ane tyme past to ane reveir Descending from ane rotche unto ane well; To slaik his thrist, drank of the watter cleir. Swa upon cace ane selie lamb come neir, Bot of his fa the wolff na thing he wist, And in the streme laipit to cule his thrist. Thus drank thay baith, bot not of ane intent: The wolfis thocht wes all on wickitnes; The selie lamb wes meik and innocent: Upon the rever in ane uther place Beneth the wolff he drank ane lytill space, Quhill him thocht gude, presomyng thair nane ill. The wolff this saw, and rampand come him till, With girnand teith and angrie austre luke, Said to the lamb, "Thow cative wretchit thing, How durst thow be sa bald to fyle this bruke Quhar I suld drink with thy foull slavering? It wer almous the for to draw and hing, That suld presume with thy foull lippis wyle To glar my drink and this fair watter fyle." The selie lamb, quaikand for verray dreid, On kneis fell and said, "Schir, with your leif, Suppois I dar not say thairoff ye leid, Bot, be my saull, I wait ye can nocht preif That I did ony thing that suld yow greif; Ye wait alswa that your accusatioun Failyeis fra treuth and contrair is to ressoun. "Thocht I can nocht, nature will me defend, And off the deid perfyte experience: All hevie thing man off the selff discend, Bot giff sum thing on force mak resistence; Than may the streme on na way mak ascence Nor ryn bakwart; I drank beneth yow far: Ergo, for me your bruke wes never the war. "Alswa my lippis, sen that I wes ane lam, Tuitchit na thing that wes contagious, Bot sowkit milk from pappis off my dam, Richt naturall, sweit, and als delitious." "Weill," quod the wolff, "thy language rigorus Cummis the off kynd; swa thy father before Held me at bait, baith with boist and schore. "He wraithit me, and than I culd him warne, Within ane yeir, and I brukit my heid, I suld be wrokkin on him or on his barne For his exorbetant and frawart pleid: Thow sall doutles for his deidis be deid." "Schir, it is wrang that for the fatheris gilt The saikles sone suld punist be or spilt. "Haiff ye not hard quhat Halie Scripture sayis, Endytit with the mouth off God almycht? Off his awin deidis ilk man sall beir the pais, As pyne for sin, reward for werkis rycht; For my trespas, quhy suld my sone have plycht? Quha did the mis, lat him sustene the pane." "Yaa!" quod the wolff. "Yit pleyis thow agane? "I let the wit, quhen that the father offendis, I will cheris nane off his successioun, And off his barnis I may weill tak amendis Unto the twentie degré descending doun. Thy father thocht to mak ane strang poysoun, And with his mouth into my watter spew." "Schir," quod the lamb, "thay twa ar nouther trew. "The law sayis, and ye will understand, Thair suld na man, for wrang nor violence, His adversar punis at his awin hand Without proces off law and evidence; Quhilk suld have leif to mak lawfull defence, And thairupon summond peremtourly For to propone, contrairie, or reply. "Set me ane lauchfull court; I sall compeir Befoir the lyoun, lord and leill justice, And be my hand I oblis me rycht heir That I sall byde ane unsuspect assyis. This is the law, this is the instant wyis; Ye suld pretend thairfoir ane summondis mak Aganis that day, to gif ressoun and tak." "Na," quod the wolff, "thou wald intruse ressoun Quhair wrang and reif suld duell in propertie. That is ane poynt and part of fals tressoun, For to gar reuth remane with crueltie. Be Goddis woundis, fals tratour, thow sall de For thy trespas, and for thy fatheris als." With that anone he hint him be the hals. The selie lamb culd do na thing bot bleit: Sone wes he hedit; the wolff wald do na grace; Syne drank his blude and off his flesche can eit Quhill he wes full; syne went his way on pace. Off his murther quhat sall we say, allace? Wes not this reuth, wes not this grit pietie, To gar this selie lamb but gilt thus de? Moralitas The pure pepill, this lamb may signifie, As maill men, merchandis, and all lauboureris, Of quhome the lyfe is half ane purgatorie, To wyn with lautie leving, as efferis. The wolf betakinnis fals extortioneris And oppressouris of pure men, as we se, Be violence, or craft in facultie. Thre kynd of wolfis in this warld now rings: The first ar fals perverteris of the lawis, Quhilk under poleit termis falset mingis, Lettand that all wer gospell that he schawis; Bot for ane bud the pure man he overthrawis, Smoirand the richt, garrand the wrang proceid - Of sic wolfis hellis fyre sall be thair meid. O man of law, let be thy subteltie, With nice gimpis and fraudis intricait, And think that God in his divinitie The wrang, the richt, of all thy werkis wait. For prayer, price, for hie nor law estait, Of fals querrellis se thow mak na defence: Hald with the richt, hurt not thy conscience. Ane uther kynd of wolfis ravenous Ar mychtie men, haifand aneuch plentie, Quhilkis ar sa gredie and sa covetous Thay will not thoill in peace ane pureman be: Suppois he and his houshald baith suld de For falt of fude, thairof thay gif na rak, Bot over his heid his mailling will thay tak. O man but mercie, quhat is in thy thocht? War than ane wolf, and thow culd understand! Thow hes aneuch; the pure husband richt nocht, Bot croip and crufe upon ane clout of land. For Goddis aw, how durst thow tak on hand - And thow in barn and byre sa bene and big - To put him fra his tak and gar him thig? The thrid wolf ar men of heritage, As lordis that hes land be Goddis lane, And settis to the mailleris ane village, And for ane tyme gressome payit and tane; Syne vexis him, or half his terme be gane, With pykit querrellis for to mak him fane To flit or pay his gressome new agane. His hors, his meir, he man len to the laird, To drug and draw in cairt or in cariage; His servand or his self may not be spaird To swing and sweit withoutin meit or wage: Thus how he standis in labour and bondage That scantlie may he purches by his maill To leve upon dry breid and watter caill. Hes thow not reuth to gar thy tennentis sweit In to thy laubour, with faynt and hungrie wame, And syne hes lytill gude to drink or eit With his menye, at evin quhen he cummis hame? Thow suld be rad for richteous Goddis blame, For it cryis ane vengeance unto the hevinnis hie To gar ane pure man wirk but meit or fe. O thow grit lord, that riches hes and rent, Be nocht ane wolf, thus to devoir the pure! Think that na thing cruell nor violent May in this warld perpetuallie indure. This sal thow trow and sikkerlie assure: For till oppres, thow sall haif als grit pane As thow the pure with thy awin hand had slane. God keip the lamb, quhilk is the innocent, From wolfis byit and men extortioneris; God grant that wrangous men of fals intent Be manifest, and punischit as effeiris; And God, as thow all rychteous prayer heiris, Mot saif our king, and gif him hart and hand All sic wolfis to banes of the land. The Paddock and the Mouse Upon ane tyme, as Esope culd report, Ane lytill mous come till ane rever syde: Scho micht not waid, hir schankis wer sa schort; Scho culd not swym; scho had na hors to ryde; Off verray force behovit hir to byde; And to and fra besyde that revir deip Scho ran, cryand with mony pietuous peip. "Help over! Help over!" this silie mous can cry, "For Goddis lufe, sum bodie, over the brym." With that ane paddok, in the watter by, Put up hir heid and on the bank can clym, Quhilk be nature culd douk and gaylie swym. With voce full rauk, scho said on this maneir: "Gude morne, schir Mous! Quhat is your erand heir?" "Seis thow," quod scho, "off corne yone jolie flat, Off ryip aitis, off barlie, peis, and quheit? I am hungrie, and fane wald be thair at, Bot I am stoppit be this watter greit; And on this syde I get na thing till eit Bot hard nuttis, quhilkis with my teith I bore: Wer I beyond, my feist wer fer the more. "I have no boit; heir is no maryner; And thocht thair war, I have no fraucht to pay." Quod scho, "Sister, lat be your hevie cheir; Do my counsall, and I sall find the way, Withoutin hors, brig, boit, or yit galay, To bring yow over saiflie, be not afeird - And not wetand the campis off thy beird." "I haif mervell," than quod the lytill mous, "How can thow fleit without fedder or fin? This rever is sa deip and dangerous, Me think that thow suld droun to wed thairin. Tell me, thairfoir, quhat facultie or gin Thow hes to bring the over this watter wan." That to declair the paddok thus began: "With my twa feit," quod scho, "lukkin and braid, In steid off airis, I row the streme full styll, And thocht the brym be perrillous to waid, Baith to and fra I swyme at my awin will. I may not droun, for quhy my oppin gill Devoidis ay the watter I resaiff: Thairfoir to droun, forsuith, na dreid I haif." The mous beheld unto hir fronsit face, Hir runkillit cheikis, and hir lippis syde, Hir hingand browis, and hir voce sa hace, Hir loggerand leggis, and hir harsky hyde. Scho ran abak, and on the paddok cryde: "Giff I can ony skill off phisnomy, Thow hes sumpart off falset and invy. "For clerkis sayis the inclinatioun Off mannis thocht proceidis commounly Eter the corporall complexioun To gude or evill, as nature will apply: Ane thrawart will, ane thrawin phisnomy. The auld proverb is witnes off this lorum: Distortum vultum sequitur distortio morum." 19 "Na," quod the taid, "that proverb is not trew, For fair thingis oftymis ar fundin faikin; The blaberyis, thocht thay be sad off hew, Ar gadderit up quhen primeros is forsakin; The face may faill to be the hartis takin; Thairfoir I find this scripture in all place: `Thow suld not juge ane man efter his face.' "Thocht I unhailsum be to luke upon, I have na wyt quhy suld I lakkit be? Wer I als fair as jolie Absolon, I am no causer off that grit beutie; This difference in forme and qualitie Almychtie God hes causit dame Nature To prent and set in everilk creature. "Off sum the face may be full flurischand, Off silkin toung and cheir rycht amorous, With mynd inconstant, fals, and wariand, Full off desait and menis cautelous." "Let be thy preiching," quod the hungrie mous, "And be quhat craft, thow gar me understand, That thow wald gyde me to yone yonder land." "Thow wait," quod scho, "ane bodie that hes neid To help thame self suld mony wayis cast. Thairfoir ga tak ane doubill twynit threid And bind thy leg to myne with knottis fast: I sall the leir to swym - be not agast - Als weill as I." "As thow?" than quod the mous. To preif that play, it wer our perrillous! "Suld I be bund and fast, quhar I am fre, In hoip off help? Na, than I schrew us baith, For I mycht lois baith lyfe and libertie! Giff it wer swa, quha suld amend the skaith, Bot gif thow sweir to me the murthour aith: But fraud or gyle to bring me over this flude, But hurt or harme?" "In faith," quod scho, "I dude." Scho goikit up, and to the hevin can cry: "O, Juppiter, off nature god and king, I mak ane aith trewlie to the, that I This lytill mous sall over this watter bring." This aith wes maid; the mous, but persaving The fals ingyne of this foull carpand pad, Tuke threid and band hir leg, as scho hir bad. Than fute for fute thay lap baith in the brym, Bot in thair myndis thay wer rycht different: The mous thocht na thing bot to fleit and swym; The paddok for to droun set hir intent. Quhen thay in midwart off the streme wer went, With all hir force the paddok preissit doun, And thocht the mous without mercie to droun. Persavand this, the mous on hir can cry: "Tratour to God, and manesworne unto me! Thow swore the murthour aith richt now that I But hurt or harme suld ferryit be and fre." And quhen scho saw thair wes bot do or de, Scho bowtit up and forsit hir to swym, And preissit upon the taiddis bak to clym. The dreid of deith hir strenthis gart incres, And forcit hir defend with mycht and mane. The mous upwart, the paddok doun can pres; Quhyle to, quhyle fra, quhyle doukit up agane. This selie mous, plungit in grit pane, Gan fecht als lang as breith wes in hir breist, Till at the last scho cryit for ane preist. Fechtand thusgait, the gled sat on ane twist, And to this wretchit battell tuke gude heid; And with ane wisk, or owthir off thame wist, He claucht his cluke betuix thame in the threid; Syne to the land he flew with thame gude speid, Fane off that fang, pyipand with mony pew; Syne lowsit thame, and baith but pietie slew. Syne bowellit thame, that boucheour with his bill, And bellieflaucht full fettislie thame fled, Bot all thair flesche wald scant be half ane fill, And guttis als, unto that gredie gled. Off thair debait, thus quhen I hard outred, He tuke his flicht and over the feildis flaw. Giff this be trew, speir ye at thame that saw. Moralitas My brother, gif thow will tak advertence, Be this fabill thow may persave and se It passis far all kynd of pestilence Ane wickit mynd with wordis fair and sle. Be war thairfore with quhome thow fallowis the, To the wer better beir the stane barrow, For all thy dayis to delf quhill thow may dre, Than to be matchit with ane wickit marrow. Ane fals intent under ane fair pretence Hes causit mony innocent for to de; Grit folie is to gif over sone credence To all that speiks fairlie unto the; Ane silkin toung, ane hart of crueltie, Smytis more sore than ony schot of arrow; Brother, gif thow be wyse, I reid the fle To matche the with ane thrawart fenyeit marrow. I warne the als, it is grit nekligence To bind the fast quhair thow wes frank and fre: Fra thow be bund, thow may mak na defence To saif thy lyfe nor yit thy libertie. This simpill counsall, brother, tak at me, And it to cun perqueir se thow not tarrow: Better but stryfe to leif allane in le Than to be matchit with ane wickit marrow. This hald in mynd; rycht more I sall the tell Quhair by thir beistis may be figurate: The paddok, usand in the flude to duell, Is mannis bodie, swymand air and lait In to this warld, with cairis implicate: Now hie, now law, quhylis plungit up, quhylis doun, Ay in perrell, and reddie for to droun; Now dolorus, now blyth as bird on breir; Now in fredome, now wrappit in distres; Now haill and sound, now deid and brocht on beir; Now pure as Job, now rowand in riches; Now gounis gay, now brats laid in pres; Now full as fysche, now hungrie as ane hound; Now on the quheill, now wappit to the ground. This lytill mous, heir knit thus be the schyn, The saull of man betakin may in deid - Bundin, and fra the bodie may not twyn, Quhill cruell deith cum brek of lyfe the threid - The quhilk to droun suld ever stand in dreid Of carnall lust be the suggestioun, Quhilk drawis ay the saull and druggis doun. The watter is the warld, ay welterand With mony wall of tribulatioun, In quhilk the saull and bodye wer steirrand, Standand rycht different in thair opinioun: The saull upwart, the body precis doun; The saull rycht fane wald be brocht over, I wis, Out of this warld into the hevinnis blis. The gled is deith, that cummis suddandlie As dois ane theif, and cuttis sone the batall. Be vigilant thairfoir and ay reddie, For mannis lyfe is brukill and ay mortall. My freind, thairfoir, mak the ane strang castell Of gud deidis, for deith will the assay, Thow wait not quhen - evin, morrow, or midday. Adew, my freind, and gif that ony speiris Of this fabill, sa schortlie I conclude, Say thow, I left the laif unto the freiris, To mak exempill or similitude. Now Christ for us that deit on the rude, Of saull and lyfe as thow art Salviour, Grant us till pas in till ane blissit hour. Finis |
(see note) (see note) Though fictional; old based; even so polished; rhetoric pleasing; ear also; why; (see note) reprove thee; misdeeds; (see note) by example; (see note) similar; through; rough field; (see note) If; ploughed; great Springs; grain in first shoots Wholesome So does; sweet meaning; (see note) subtle verse purpose [for] whoever though; tough; (see note) Holds the kernel sweet; tasty; (see note) Thus; enough beneath a fictional profitable With serious subjects to mix lighten; spirit; make always; (see note) Becomes warped ever serious thoughts grave; merriness to mix Agrees; certainly permission myself; (see note) Into; tongue from Latin; attempt my own intention; vain by request; order whom; is not necessary to plain; common I need (to); because rhetoric humbly If anything abbreviated (see note) unreasoning beasts spoke good; argue syllogism expound; also (see note) [their] actions beasts Which always loves; delight shame; restrain; stop indulges habit; daily ritual so deeply is rooted; (see note) in (to a); transformed; (see note) have told eloquent and excellent; (see note) In metaphors wrote Endure the scorn of high; social status; (see note) Seeking; food; pretty jewel shall hear soon (see note) once with feathers pretty bright; bold; poor Flew; at dawn interest Scratching; rubbish (ash) by chance pretty jasper; (see note) cast forth young girls foolish rather would sweeping; care as long as; (see note) Jewels; dropped swept By chance; same Thus marvelling jewell profit jewell Pity; situation; (see note) buried; muck and earth; (see note) so much pity; because great virtue; color praise though; beloved; precious love far; of lesser worth husks; empty stomach rather; scrape here; (see note) offal; seek; life's chaff; grain food jewels; great you likewise help despair; (see note) You have no grain; need color; comfort enough; stomach wives; watching; easy; (see note) food; if I might live on beauty care; consider, cooks home tower Exalted stones; flower filth profit Leaving, lie by (cannot say) deeper meaning does; (see note) common verse properties seven; (see note) (see note) (see note) brave Protects; situations (cases) fortune to prosper accidents; (see note) (unique) of color Signifies; learning; (see note) Embellished resound strong (enough) to have Over all vices Who; gracious overcome peril; circumstance city maggots; water; destroy; (see note) food desiring fool be compared mockery goodness knows; moreover; learn feels nausea carelessly; (see note) trough would sow; (see note) Who; learning the ignorant who That; noble; rare earthly Fortunate; might perfect; spend knowledge alas; lost strive (If) we have; ask knowledge though; bare waste but air cease Go seek the jewel (see note) two mice; (see note) whom; dwelt; thriving lived in the country nearby; (see note) solitary sometimes; bush; (see note) Sometimes; grain; harm; (see note) live by; hunting; (see note) season suffered great town lived (see note) Tax-free also without customs; (see note) cheese; meal; cupboard; chest; (see note) One; comfortable thought of; in the country longed to hear in the woods; (see note) Barefoot; pikestaff poor over valley and hill wild; (see note) swamp; moor; hills, bush furrow; unploughed strip; (see note) "peep" once voice; kinsmen Naturally hearty cheer; if you; (see note) Was displayed when these shown; (see note) a while; laughed; wept hugged fared until; mood walking together; chamber went humble dwelling; (see note) Of moss; fern; miserly; (see note) simple shell; buried stone; (see note) entrance; lofty; broad together; without delay burning brightly such pilferers love lodged; these simple pantry hastened; (see note) peas instead of; (see note) city mouse puffed; (see note) meal insult more (see note) both; one womb tradition and custom of; (see note) father living; (see note) ownership; (see note) pardon me diet; agree accustomed Because; as well as; (see note) These withered peas; pierced stomach; thin accustomed was; (see note) said If you please, such lodging remain all year happy and hearty servings of food sweet; (see note) feasts; (see note) gloomy noble; refreshed happy; to boil a cow for him; (see note) moderate amount As long as goodness; carver twisted visage; courses sadly dainty dishes half in jest food country creature Leave; (see note) (fasting); Easter feast scraps; whole budget aplenty with ample security snare; boxtrap; (see note) went rustic; grass; grain; (see note) bushes; secretly; (see note) guide care before; lark happily went far; there; house (wain) city mouse Without "Hello"; shelter; taken pantry; food (in) great plenty shelves high; (see note) meat; enough; salted sacks; groats, meal; (see note) disposed [saying] grace; washed cooks; devise cut in big pieces feast; imitate Instead of happy taunt; mien asked of If; by reason found Between; chamber; meager last; (see note) think, longer ease, said aid; an appetizer plate of groats; dish Unleavened cakes; believe give out bread; jelly; (see note) white; chest stole; (see note) give a relish to Thus; until; no more loudly after joy often; care prosperity butler them; found lingered; wash up ran off, as if the foremost would; (see note) goes herself simple; great pity deprived of any good advice; (see note) fear; faint nearly befell; chance butler; leisure to remain seek; clean up; chase; (see note) door bold city mouse; leaving; seen loudly fare; "peep" prostrate sorely afraid woeful pains trembled foot; (see note) such plight found her very; weep Then comforted; honey lie meal; peril is passed sad countenance sorely; aghast rather these gruel fear; discomfort; (see note) entreaty; bade her rise up table barely; once (see note) "God speed"; (rose) up to; like fire off flint The cat; caught; (see note) paw Sometimes; gaily; any; (see note) Sometimes; let; straw blind-man's buff; (see note) simple; pain; caused luck baseboard; crept; (see note) paneling; (see note) climbed; high claws; did hang; (see note) mood Then; leapt; stop To; (see note) abjure banquet; mixed; care goose; garlic sauce appetizer; meal; pain; (see note) hereafter; happen; (see note) curtain; woodwork partition cruel home leave Sometimes; field out; glad proceeded; moor afterwards; fared; (see note) wool; although; large well furnished; kitchen; parlor; (see note) beans; rye; wheat desired; enough; eat quiet; ease went if; heed; (see note) moral; (see note) vetches are mixed; seed earthly; free; (see note) trouble especially; most high fear moderate meal Whoever has enough Though Often result (in) security; (see note) wanton; is accustomed to feed belly; (see note) Protect; of death; (see note) and has eyes for (seeks) the mouse avails fearful earth; (see note) (see note) own; even though; ember read (see note) happy; live highest level Happiness (see note) Though brute; (see note) lacking judgement; Yet each one (see note) fierce boar; wolf treacherous; cunning guard the house properties Unknown; (see note) species having so many differences wit; recite; (see note) Therefore; propose which occurred Between; noble; (see note) a hamlet (in) those days earned; food from; distaff indeed watch; jolly rooster ever Divided; crowed widow's house thicket; density cunning dwelling stealing poultry revenged fox sorely; farmyard went himself; (see note) dawn Weary of night; flown considered stratagems; tricks; (see note) means; beguile Feigning; appearance; mood appearing with a jump ancestors filled; stomach; (see note) food; midden; moors gave my best care sweet one died laughed (see note) died; birch bough Then; funeral mass; (see note) Between; feud servant feathers; noble hackle; comb home stomach; (see note) weather gloomy grey locks treacherous; dissembling ironic jibe changed (see note) bear toes; (see note) lie toes high might I thrive heir proper skill; a little have no doubt Both close his eyes vanity; (see note) Trusting; great praise therefrom Unwarily closing his eyes; (see note) then; himself ready before; crowed alert; seized woods without tarrying; fled interception having; fear; (see note) (see note) heard Seeing; gasped robbery; clamor; (see note) crazy Tearing; beat pale; swoon sorrow; sweat silly; food lying situation; (see note) making intense While; around beloved nightingale; clock; (see note) vigilant guard kerchief lover; lead lovemaking According to his natural strength live Cease; (see note) frantic; to make Saint John to cite goes holiday clothing pretty, lovely fear wounded; (see note) lovemaking (chamber sport) Feeble; (see note) happy in sorrow; remedy living had dissembled; (see note) without love; (see note) know of each; score satisfy promise; free; (see note) week; dare lover; [sexually] caress our rump preacher; sternly; (see note) so loose (wanton) wenches; (see note) holding scales Strikes choose themselves not to repent; (see note) rejoiced in cared; enmity trusted; do his will; then run; (see note) lead sudden death murdered by the fox Jumped; hounds (see note) Together without grumbling go Rescue; before without delay; sprang; field Like fire from flint; flew swiftly ceased hounds; in a pack; (see note) grant; (see note) safely inspired Take; provide guarantees effort tired weak from exertion Quickly companions stop; promise; stir fox; frivolous tricks; cause Deceived; means falseness fails always turned; schooled flew; bough; (see note) at what; laughed Beguiled; fox without meat or fee servant robber, get away; (see note) hackle; blue severed; (see note) stupid; closed my eyes Through which; lost (a) greater fool; (see note) prey; doubt; (see note) Move; menu flight widow's turret although enamelled with figurative typology meaning aptly suitable fictional; of the text Foolish; reckless blood; (see note) poisonous of necessity must have throne presumptuous false; likened flatterers; pleasing; fair poisonous flatter; lie; whole such; contempt perilous Than to give lies hasty adulation sugar sweet; similarities deadly; (see note) to those who see clearly Therefore flattery; vain glory (see note) Leave; glad happy (see note) poaching meddle; (see note) gleam awaiting night (see note) bed cloudy hood Showing; handsome placed; above; eye; high twinkling stars (see note) stationery each one; taught entered; (see note) head; carried Without Taught fox; did understand without more ado Bless; school destiny; also my fate; know; (see note) future; revealed mixed; fate; (see note) bad life; unless Death; (see note) seek shrive troubled; thieves beset each; (see note) harms poor; (see note) endure When "Stretchneck"; "Gallows Bird" as our reward; neck; (see note) Disclosing From a crag; eye coming; (see note) Do-harm; wonderfully sly; (see note) cloister; (see note) fox down to spiritual scrapes; bows obeissance do it certain; (see note) guide homespun cowl pale; (see note) Show once Had the good fortune; confess simple; laughed; (see note) theft and robbery; enough remain; field beseech troubles kneel bare-headed; humbly then away is right seal (of confession) fox; way; speak; (see note) sorry; spirit do it sweet have recently let blood villain (consciously) abandon forebear If; live Having; support go am ashamed to beg; know gentility lack; (see note) Belonging third; go; (see note) Will; submit to penance condition Sickly; weak; (see note) slender abrasive; fragility punishment innocent; on the path to meat; Easter body; worm's meat grant you agree; give me permission eat; taste entrails; try lack; diet; (see note) need; permission to do so week bless foot; sea catch; completely wild stormy waves; (see note) Astounded; like a rock stayed (Than to) be Now must I scrape; (see note) boat; (see note) lack of food grieving Looking; food; find herd of goats happy; ditch goats Then; ditch; runs two either dunked; saying to him As soon as; then; dragged enough completely glade; fear; went bush; shine warm Stretching his stomach belly; arrow appropriately; (see note) herd Grieving every; carefully; search arrow; feathers drew; before he could move stuck Impaled nowadays; taken goatherd; seized; arrow; (see note) sudden; unshriven; (see note) fox exhorting; repent; (see note) such a similar; (see note) (see note) weep; (see note) merry habit; custom Overcome Even though Custom; in (natural) attribute necessarily; must used sudden shot strikes; protection Observe; note; (see note) Against examine (feel remorse in) go; (see note) (see note) died heir; begotten legitimately estate; (see note) concubinage secretly "Father-worse" Who loved; tug and tear generation by generation worse bastardry; wrongful inheritance; (see note) in his begetting From his lineage was bound food by scent By chance enjoy; heir lands; roam happy he found By sudden shot prevail and rule Dreading; same theft; robbery thought takes Ever runs Then; body; peatbog goes bones foolish; Steeped in worldliness acquire wrongly goods; (see note) pain; sadness enrich; heir; dead goods; interest say (prayers); (see note) When fox; went up; crag boisterous stir leaping; hill message case; bore heraldic officer every; run shrill Hear! Hear!; (see note) Greatly; gathered case a document; did he bring; (see note) solemnly (see note) everlasting without; (see note) brute regal elevation; high Let; know at once tomorrow Immediately appear pain; peril (see note) Consumed shines grasses growing thickly, tall; (see note) scent; every thrush; blackbird; loudly darting; (see note) (see note) Bearing; summit jaspers joined; adorned diamonds set poles; pavilion; set; (see note) robe Based on the message go; (see note) more (ado) taught species Pegasus means also carried before him leopard?; run; (see note) spotted river, rushes, and reed pretty jennet; (see note) every type doe; roe; horned bear; wild ox; boar wild man; she-wolf; (see note) hedgehog; limping hare ape; quilled foolish goat; simple beaver, pig; waddling badger; (see note) polecat; beaver (Scottish) bloodhound; (see note) rat; doormouse whining stoat; weasel polecat; seams martin; rabbit; squirrel (see note) marmoset; mole; (see note) denied; sight proceeded; fear of death civet cat Hastily trudged up; height; (see note) bowed low Seeing these; ready start; glanced; (see note) prostrate fear; bowed; awe noticed; bow; (see note) bade afraid know; merciful disturbs stern; hostile aloof; power tear; plunder See (that) greatness mixed shall be always lowest; bring dromedary; disturbance so bold lay low as See (that) walks; goat's fox; has no designs on ravenous; run wild on a raid lay down swear suitably; (see note) (see note) (see note) Opened the proceedings properly sought; hide jumped up; astonished; frightened Tearing; loud cry Quaking; fear; gasping sorry know; gathering Possessing called; punish such criminals if I show myself; destroyed sought if; noted there is no good choice nothing but death plan falsehood around his eyes; (see note) squinting; one Limping; recognized dread hide and seek; (see note) foul spirit king arraigned Pale cheeks physiognomy distorted dejected, stupid, and spiritless arrested for theft unjust; faith countenance; you're shamed reputation; lost fright duplicity I advise you From which; follows; death Paying homage rank proper; (see note) species he had a awesomely; inquired If; earth; (see note) solemnly none; brood mare; (see note) brood mare (see note) lurking; hood one eye Injured; hock; lame ambassadorial duties knowledgeable in learning Rearing up; wretches; (see note) (did) go thicket; root; hastily mare; breakfast in contempt; (see note) legal tricks mockery and foolishness if you can read it scholar at all things principal (courier) trustworthy much experience; (see note) document of exemption loudly heel Though low; document struck; gums knocked; crown; (see note) Half-dead; prostrate; (see note) Wolf; lost deserved; reward get Bridget health than scroll; found once give it up; (see note) scalp weeping; (see note) wound planning; revenge situation rest; field went went; stream; (see note) By chance; moor small flock; dancing; wall scoundrel killed goes resumed in contempt inquire (see note) red; (see note) rest; laughed situation smart old scholar appear respite reward read; exemption plainly; (see note) red (bloody) cap; gave know proverb; who attention; pays scholars; (see note) pain of one misfortune talking; tricks commotion; good sport; (see note) Then; ewe judge Explained her plight in whoreson doggedly; (see note) contradiction; decree justice Against; stalker; withdrew Halt; Scoundrel If; true [what] the innocent [of] you has vouchsafe frightened dashed; wall scoundrel by murder; easily wool; stick without select a jury; (see note) guilty theft; petty treason; (see note) bound; judge; bade quickly pronounce sentence; clothes shrive gallows goes foot his leave he takes ape; executioner; bade; (see note) miner; engineering from the lead distill figurative Solemn interpretation; later; (see note) divinity lives expound; subject figuratively; (see note) bow down seek; goods; (see note) rule; gain power; reign personal possessions; (see note) mad (see note) For; walking; (see note) (see note) strive; please in every; (see note) voluntary; (see note) purged direct flatter him feel remorse gain power; reign Her hoof; death If; must; (see note) sensuality's head From (the time); cleanse Solomon's; perceive (see note) fox Bringing besiege; religious life; (see note) Yet sudden; constant; (see note) (see note) majesty ask glory story; fox (see note) poor consistory court; (see note) loaf of bread; recover judge; bore binding summons form; procedure summons having no part of punishment excommunication attend; (see note) dog; here made summoner Who had picked out; eyes summons Immediately; (see note) Appear; complaint to you sufficient suited Endorsed; (see note) (see note) hour; (see note) notary; (see note) kite; vulture attorneys plea; under consideration Who were joined fast; group Against fashion; plead (see note) owe; time period Using his own wits without advisedly made (see note) biased hateful fangs (see note) judicial advisors many a shepherd knows distant; illegal; (see note) For no late; evening; this choose requires judgment Whether; should without doubt (see note) bear; badger; under consideration; (see note) decide if no merit; legally; (see note) Searching; statutes; (see note) as well; truth civil law; evaluate; (see note) (see note) one doctrine; another; (see note) For (neither); know; yield; (see note) (see note) curse; lie summarily; plainly; (see note) condemnation; published; (see note) conclude plea; glad scholars; ask; correct was arraigned; (see note) Without; humbly rose; against; complained amount; in advance pledge; made wrongfully denied; pleading dispute; contested wrote hastened bribery That condemned; helpless wrongful fearing more; (see note) (see note) Then commanded; (see note) innocent poor By tyrannous; interest unrighteous acquisition endure deceived lasting; go forfeiture assizes indicts; poor Once; coroner Even though; (see note) shall; come to agreement coroner list of offenses; (see note) circuit court criminals see whether; truthful erase; (see note) bribe from; exact; (see note) fox kite woeful by chance sorry consistory court held winds bitter harsh; wither; (see note) barren hillsides; abode; (see note) cave; crept bad weather; shield sorely; continually eye; high (see note) force and cunning Skinned (see note) fidelity; (see note) Because of which; poor; undone even if (see note) Without; bribery; allow; (see note) (see note) as if anyone poor; skinned; misdeed happy; usury most Gentility suffer allow plagues famine (see note) (see note) dale and down beams; (see note) rose; sloth without a guide delightful boughs broad blossomed above sprouting; grass plentiful had an abundance aromas these thicket; branches; (see note) purple violet; (see note) bit thrush; blackbird; make burst forth; hillside birds' songs; (see note) lay Then; sign of the cross; eyes; (see note) boughs pleasant woods (see note) cloth as white shirt; of deep purple cloth; (see note) hood; bordered Fringed unto bonnet eyes were large curly; (see note) swan's-quill; behind; ear gold writing case (see note) well furnished; attire awe-inspiring Right; at a vigorous pace glad kind greeted if (though) Ask; profession to be sure; (see note) schools I went dwelling; forever am called known; familiar; learned knows these even though; fictional same knows if deign; (see note) (see note) let [it] be fictional [there are] few ear; deaf [exists] without heart corrupt; (see note) (see note) ancestry brute deign knows but; learn help began weary because of the hunt; (see note) reinvigorate his legs Basking small flock playful and nimble; round leapt mice were made their path tweaked; whiskers spared paw rest elsewhere taken taken expect immediately suffer sorrowful impudent; also dance misunderstood; low beseech Hear also (see note) Sooner; (see note) full [of food] every kind; such; [is] proper taught thought let you know [Even if] I If then Even if visage fear on knees (see note) treat contemptuously companions gallows hauled by; (see note) gentility I plead crowned Temper; anger prestige death Unless; grant clemency; (see note) pity balances; guarantees (see note) who unless; intervenes war (see note) Himself mice; also won whose Except suits; loftiness is accustomed befoul vile Accustomed to be if Help; if you are Captive, about such (see note) Tempered did [with] reward went on nothing; lived great disarray capture path; run ropes strong; bound Then gathered hunters; row small hunting dogs undergrowth running was tangled remedy Rolling; roaring Now; fro until availed struggled strong ropes; entwined every lying; mourning; lament; (see note) crippled; lying earth stood in awe Without hope; without; (see note) here must I lie, allas creature; avenge Who; aid; bonds release; pain As soon as By chance lament showed her mercy Unless I return in some way; (see note) goes hastily haste same captured Breaking; lamentation Unless; knows return; deed free enough certainly ropes strong went above; (see note) cut; ropes leapt Free By means of vigilant guide rule; guide desire, sloth calm and sheltered birds; wonderfully its pleasure mixed; abundant wet Fades; deceives desires most These; common folk Willful fear because they feel no respect causes; misunderstand By pardon low rank repaid a debt; (see note) knows (see note) complete mistress; leader anticipate These; set; (see note) retribution injured; marble Examples clergy: constantly; (see note) from reign; faith woods (see note) Excelling Because; ever blindness; physical body; (see note) working of the spirit bat's eye remains shut dark; fly Their eyes are weak very weak; imperfect encompasses believe firmly benevolent purple, white created by stars every; its know rational Observe Observe; beasts birds; strongly; fly Cutting; feathers great Then them needs weight; due each Conforming to (see note) arrayed; border queen gentle decorated warmth; distilling hot barns have stocked empty casks strong the plenty of the season wheat; other grain wanes when stern torn; sundered happy Into quiet; nearly slain dales; puddles drowned wood hidden with hoar-frost lovely boughs are blasted; (see note) awful; (see note) fields barren Lying huddled; caves spring; is gone seal columbines spring up fled; hard; (see note) thrush; blackbird; sing (see note) hiding; hill; valley on a happy; storms; gone thrush (ready for planting) Fertile; nourish; potent seeds Wandering thusly; joy ditches; plough guided; (see note) sowing hopping; sower's wake grain paused; beautiful hill rejoiced sudden flight quickly did every large likes of which top perched boughs hear peril appearing anticipate dispell; fear; (see note) laughed plow sowing; flax seed; (see note) which he plans; catch advise we go seed quickly hereafter one remedy [this matter]; instantly what; eyes internal helps; anticipate; (see note) (see note) peril more easily himself to; (see note) laughing child; easy to dress; (see note) neck to bow; blow death; doomed one salient advice suddenly whirr; flew; field staff; go amazed; marvel until; season hares; themselves as landrails croaking; (see note) aforesaid birds by luck; chance earlier guess; gathering safety; seclusion alighted soon; cry; (see note) sight; advice flax; field argued, indeed root up flax; in growth (see note) crawls; quakes peace cease flax flax seed flax pods Despite; peep just wait as skewered; peasant's spit owner; fowler treacherous few Unless: more cautious caused to die Cross by chance left went; moor noon flax; churl harvests; (see note) Stripped; bundles soaked; stream; then flail; beat spun; braided indeed flooded; rain woods; hills; streaked Dells; hollows; slippery beautiful birds; hunger boughs bare; help hastened stalk lodging great oaths caught; damage shovelled; clearing covered; chaff These; seeing Thinking; alighted no anticipation (see note) food; ready Fearing treachery chaff scratch until Think trap Flee; advise secretly Therefore no value when it might help; (see note) mind subsequent events has no recollection Even if foolish hardened (see note) heartache butcher beat those hear; knew in a daze head; broke the neck; (see note) alive; stuffed (see note) many times advice was at leisure; scholarly many others; wrote morality peasant; bondman; lacking Sowing; chaff; slay devil Exiled; heretic wearies (see note) dear has bought (see note) delight; (see note) sprout consent developed by habit and consent weaves; merciless and crude pleasure secretly chaff only empty; true (see note) Greedy; gather things chaff; empty value dust Blows escaped holy always beware chaff; (see note) escape; (see note) (see note) worm's kitchen chaff; these worthless things neck These hidden; perceive sorry chaff lasting knows; condition; endure last where; go depart from sin cease all war; (see note) welfare ensconced (see note) Once upon a time; lived thieving; by stealing livestock; live strong If; friendship; enmity fury he worried; (see note) (see note) saw first; pretended; exhausted bow (see note) Then bent give you leave catch capons in lurking low; kill hens is not profitable to afraid if; out and about appearance; flee brushes stomach; grab sudden attack weapons worry robe Though bushes; banks Low; creep know, goes smell my scent escape even if; injured; (see note) ashamed even if approach up wind problem indeed; trick escape; a mile (away) any; way beguile pointed two; eyes Cause me to be recognized hear you lie forecast perils; tricks to maintain excuses; (see note) bush; stratagems; go Falsehood; always fail Lent for [fear of] stickleback Easter when; poultry eat in good condition refuse Expect; guile tricks; confuse beguiles think to draw; straw; (see note) knows if; most proper strong rope; tied; tree; (see note) perfect fool debate to test knows demand oath loyal above all living creatures angry are suspicious of me even if; necessary until fishmonger; horse; creels; (see note) singing; see aroma; senses whispers secretly suggest; seek; means in readiness for these provisions penniless I know Even though; beg; peasant from think figure out; blur; eye if; booty You must take pains; help these bee follow a little later gather herring; role went a long way around stretched himself feigned; without doubt at length unseemly white; two eyes hung; hand's breadth from rigid fishmonger; glad stop; flayed two leapt; lightly path he danced; toes As if he heard; [so] he capers ditch Such a marvel saw think; worried; scoundrel makes; moving dearly wife's curse I think theft; lighted pedlar; gloves laces steal; pelt palms To keep; warm (see note) haste he grabbed; heels hard blow he swung; in; creel haste; taken attention; paid stopper before he finished one by one creel; hurled; good number alert; gathered loudly; (see note) stream leapt out from the creel struck; blow returned to his den Stay; neckherring; (see note) That's; horse, creel; rest; (see note) beshrew myself if heard; vowed warmth If; hanged commerce at a high Otherwise trembled with rage justified; lost that scoundrel as much good pole that scoundrel nimbly; leapt cut; angry; (see note) holly go lay defense strong man is never in need if strong; surprise creature; bold loudly shook; understanding (see note) Know thrice without doubt weight; nearly pulled my fangs truly; catch (see note) even if I hang clothes if my claws (weapons) knows I wished for power, out salmon glistening, shining like a partridge eye if; three times that much advice plans if you're not taken by go the long way around stretch must stretch Hang worry lie still; churl fear in that place eyes be closed tremble think grab throw as I may thrive think; is not able; carry; (see note) high harm truly secured; (see note) go; until Easter (see note) make the sign of Cross; toe Go; certain die jumped up quickly and departed went around stretched out in the road, before on the side of his head firmly stretched As; truly Caring; about; ill-will big fish completely forgets; tricks as angry; (see note) with his load manner; (see note) caught sight stretched; road if he alighted; knows tricked once tricked; curse blow; fall; bones harm high; raised; angry violence swooned; died on the spot blows; before; feet strong; ran truly knew treatment laughed out loud; thus deaf; dazed; swooning liable; lose humiliated These lie; cunning; (see note) found; harm almost beaten barely; escaped club then betrayed lacked; creel running; heels mixed somewhat; before I stop thieving; doubtless (no lie); (see note) strive Whatever; nature must die know thought of death skills causes causes; cities war to be laid waste lying and guile think as (if); fail depart think; sack grabs joy social station dark interpreted; way (see note) olden times farmer; plow habit; early ploughing Early; trace only his herdsman castrated oxen he urged on teamster; loudly; (see note) unbroken; energetic grew; hare; (see note) threw; pattle (plough-staff); (see note) may; once nearer than he knew bush; the fox as well wild thicket; furrows' vow; laughed spontaneously offer; harm promise churl's; as if grew more obedient livestock soon; limping in his path prepared grew somewhat afraid would have retreated Whether; booty horrible fright wonder committed a fault gave; team Earlier; plowing anything; more generous lose small coin Than; ox liberality in anger gainsay when; reflects if I say I'll steal promises; enforced Did I give; pledge title rob; law if he be honest recoils; fears; censured word; as true; seal person; honest; respected also counterfeit; (see note) Without honesty fly gainsay promised; altogether from the thicket heard skulking; daylight laughed must decide truth honest promised me earlier fox abide by my decision always try; work out allegations without lying expounded; pleas friendly drew fox's trouble one ox's hide if I might reluctant; at all Lose prosper without great bribes carry men through make crooked hen helps a man keep a cow holy who lift don't care about the rest; cock laughed These; case secure hawks leave straightaway secretly such think; jest vow; make vow; plough want mockery; laughed Cross, heedlessly; rave; (see note) heifer's poor spoken; churl agreed; covenant if cheese such a one weighs a stone; somewhat cheese if if you go to the greatest withered turnip think; protect cheese should go free blame quarrel cheese of such value went farmer; (see note) glad he escaped; evil guarded; door until two creatures; fare bush until tricks promised a cheese; regrets trick blind-man's buff Hush manor house; went round as a penny (see note) two separate buckets truly reflection; (see note) for once; honest cheese; yourself White; turnip; seal cheese; hanging cheese release; rest worn-out oxen I count; fly more suitable; such other until sprang; dexterously stayed above; crank so big; overwhelms toes; nail must help get it up if it's to be whole quickly give; assistance leapt the rogue weight without doubt fox; shooting; went came; why; rise up fortune pushes (wheels) bottom; went jumped to; happy Who pulled; know poor picks with By harshness, dissension Inciting each; pursue; paths; (see note) lock; chains farmer counsel flourishes not goes lost his effort; unhappy beguiled are greedy Whosoever trusts in our rubbish riches who; trust Without; escape cheese flourishes broadly; eye A curse on only Driving; bucket; (see note) pain (see note) (see note) Once upon a time by; near careful; guard; flock no doubt chased every beast must die knows; flock grew thinner than the grass no remedy simple harrassed are; (see note) heavy simple forced bag; wander from the farm have been subdued; (see note) attack; ferocity sheep valiantly got up; (see note) happy sorrow is to no avail show quickly tailored neck think goes Completely the task early If; hesitate lose a lamb advice; certain, honest Whoever; crazy; lied about haste; flayed carefully grew; sheep proud; garment fear there was lost; lamb wary; vigilant if fearful fox Dare rough and smooth sorry large; strong every; death wood; dared show; face creep field happens killed; otherwise I die clutches he snatched rest; (see note) knows that swiftly [when released] from recklessly after the roe Than; bog; stream bush; brae fiercely; foe dash; clouded over (ran at full speed) evening forced himself For feared [for]; if balked at; bush nor bog knew the ferocity light; threw leapt; fields; puddles; mud you tire stream; (see note) did pursue So that; fear befouled road; bush; briar unceasing; knew no haven Until a briar bush tore alert; glanced twisting Then; hanging; backside; (see note) One time; white; (see note) too far, if; known rue; race chase haste he grabbed schemes Even if; laugh reason teased ask; believe jesting in earnest afraid; in flight road; befouled Do you call better; great fright That; fear; befouled Thrice; made me shit haunches the evidence fear; befouled too short; sharp bush; disguise Otherwise fleeing burst very fast fleeing person has a pursuer anyone can prove it Since; jested; to shall have; bones servant; cross; once fear Cross; frightened jest shat be apart neck Before; pieces shook (see note) parable; useful moral; meaningful a prudent example interpretations parallels of [its] Gives; always poor imitate; aspects From their station respect; no way Until; turns their heels another surpasses others If; success; acclaim disparage; (see note) take no heed knows; state; last benches; slippery; (see note) station [in life] to whom; respect Even if; gallant; attire be arrogant until (see note) fierce river bank cliff; stream So it happened; innocent foe; knew drank to quench with the same simple another good (safe); (see note) rearing up; (see note) bared; hostile; (see note) bold to defile; brook; (see note) almost (enough) you; hang vile muddy; defile innocent; quaking by your leave; (see note) lied Nonetheless; know; prove grieve know as well Departs am not able true must of itself Unless Thus; run upstream water; worse Moreover sucked; paps; mother harsh by nature, similarly in confusion; menace; threat angered year if I used avenged; offspring brash; argument therefore innocent; killed Created by each; consequences; (see note) Such as punishment; (see note) blame misdeed; bear the pain quibble know spare; (see note) offspring; revenge generation intended to (see note) these two; neither if enemy punish; own (see note) permission summoned quickly plead, contradict, or rebut lawful; appear honest judge vow; here await an impartial jury current procedure; (see note) prepare take (hear my reason) intrude; (see note) Where; villany; sovereignty argument permit pity to remain die; (see note) as well seized; neck simple; bleat beheaded; (see note) Until; then; apace; (see note) murder a shame cause; without; to die poor tenant farmers loyalty a living, as appropriate poor ability; (see note) prevail polished; falsehood mix; (see note) Implying; shows Without; bribe; poor; undoes Impeding; letting such; hellfire; reward forsake tricks knows money; low social station having stores aplenty; (see note) suffer; poor man; (see note) Even if; die lack; heed But for a greater price his land; (see note) without Worse; if poor farmer; nothing shack and sty; bit; (see note) fear of God; dare cattle-house so well-equipped farm; make; beg Like; loan tenant farmers a lease; (see note) tenant's fine (gressom); taken; (see note) before fabricated; desire leave; fine his mare he must lend; lord drag; (see note) toil; sweat; food pay; rent live; cabbage broth pity stomachs family beware of; (see note) give a poor; without food; wages poor believe and certainly know Because of your oppression [of others] As if; poor; own; (see note) bite; extortionate; (see note) evil exposed; appropriate such; banish (see note) Once upon a time river bank wade; legs Sheer necessity compelled; wait peep dismayed water frog (see note) dive most hoarse; (see note) field Of ripe oats; peas; wheat gladly break on the other side; greater even if; funds forget; sorrow; (see note) Take my advice even galley; (see note) (see note) wetting; whiskers (see note) go across; feather; (see note) wade; (see note) skill or device dark frog webbed and broad oars; quietly though; water (see note) because; (see note) Voids; take in wrinkled; (see note) sagging; wide drooping; hoarse gangly; rough skin started back have, physiognomy falsehood, malice Based on the body's composition incline perverse; twisted advice toad deceitful bill berries; dull primrose token based on Even if knowledge; scorned; (see note) (see note) not responsible for To print and impress in each very attractive countenance very unstable deceit; ways treacherous Forego skill; make know; anyone who seek teach to try that game; too dangerous; (see note) when I have been hope; curse harm Unless; murder oath; (see note) Without, river Without; do stared stupidly oath oath; without perceiving design; toad; (see note) bade leapt; water; (see note) cross; (see note) the middle; arrived intended Perceiving perjured oath Without; should be ferried only "do or die" bolted; forced herself; (see note) struggled; toad's enabled Sometimes; dived great pain; (see note) fight (see note) Struggling thusly; kite; branch swoop before either; knew; (see note) reached; claw swiftly Happy; booty, peeping; "pew" loosed; without pity disembowelled; butcher; beak elegantly; flayed; (see note) a meal intestines also; hungry kite heard settled ask you of those who saw [it] heed perceive surpasses sly seek fellowship stone cart; (see note) shovel; suffer companion easy smooth tongue Strikes advise you to avoid evil mendacious companion whence (before); independent Once take from; (see note) commit to memory; tarry without; tranquility companion Which by these; signified frog accustomed; water swimming early engrossed sometimes sorrowful; happy; briar (see note) carried on bier poor; rolling gowns; rags; cupboard; (see note) (see note) wheel; dashed; (see note) bound herself; leg signify Bound; separate; (see note) Until entices; drags turbulent wave moving goals dearly; certainly kite; suddenly cuts short fragile good works; assail; (see note) know asks about rest an example; (see note) to die at |