The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian

The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian Henryson, Robert, 1430?-1506? Elect...

Author: Henryson Robert

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The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian

The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian Henryson, Robert, 1430?-1506? Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library All on-line databases About the electronic version The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian Henryson, Robert, 1430?-1506? creation of machine-readable version: Harry D. Watson Conversion to TEI-conformant markup: University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center ca. 190 kilobytes : http://etext.virginia.edu/mideng.browse.html, HenFabl Available from: Oxford Text Archive, U*-243-A 1994

About the print version The poems of Robert Henryson Edited by: G. Gregory Smith 3 v. : ill. ; 23 cm. : Printed for the [Scottish Text] Society by W. Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London 1906-1914 Scottish Text Society, v. 55, 58, 64 Note: The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian: v. 1 Note: The printed text contained illustrations which are not noted in the electronic text Prepared for the University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center

Published: 1450 Middle English Fiction Poetry Revisions to the electronic version Feb. 10, 1994 Gayle Cooper, University of Virginia Library, Cataloging Services Dept. TEI header completed:

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Jan. 1994 David Seaman, University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center tagging brought into line with the OTA.DTD, and parsed: July, 1993 David Gants, University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center UVa header completed; unambiguous line-end hyphenation removed, checked for completeness; basic structural division tags added. Pagination and lineation has been added that corresponds to Harleian MS. version printed in the S.T.S. edition [Note: pagination in this text is odd-numbered only]. When lines or verses not in the Harleian MS. occur in this text, they have not been assigned line numbers. Yoghs, thorns, ligatures, suspensions and other early typographic features have been modernized throughout by depositor, as has been the practice of the tilde standing in for an "n." Additionally, the text as it arrived from Oxford Text Archive was set completely in capitals. For ease of viewing, the entire text, with the exception of the initial letters of each line, has been transformed into miniscule: [email protected]. Commercial use prohibited; all usage governed by our Conditions of Use: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/conditions.html

The Morall Fabillis of Esope the Phrygian, compylit in eloquent, & ornate scottis meter, be M. Robert Henrisone, scolmaister of Dunfermling. Newlie corectit, and vendicat, fra mony errouris, quhilkis war ouer sene in the last prenting, quhair baith Lynes, and haill versis war left owt. Inprinted att Edinburgh be me Thomas Bassandyne, dwelland at the nether bow (anno.) 1571 -3-

1: Thocht feinzeit fabils of ald poetre, 2: Be not al grunded vpon truth zit than, 3: Thair polite termes of sweit rhetore 4: Richt plesand ar vnto the eir of man, 5: And als the caus quhy thay first began, 6: Wes to repreif the of thi misleuing, 7: O man be figure of ane vther thing. 8: In lyke maner as throw a bustious eird, 9: Swa it be laubourit with grit diligence 10: Springis the flouris, and the corne abreird, 11: Hailsum and gude to mannis sustenence. 12: Sa springis thair ane morall sweit sentence, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed?...ages=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (2 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:22 PM]


13: Oute of the subtell dyte of poetry: 14: To gude purpois quha culd it weill apply. 15: The nuttis schell thocht it be hard, and teuch, 16: Haldis the kirnell, sueit and delectabill. 17: Sa lyis thair ane doctrine wyse aneuch, 18: And full of frute, vnder ane fenzeit fabill. 19: And clerkis sayis, it is richt profitabill, 20: Amangis ernist to ming ane merie sport, 21: To blyth the spreit, and gar the tyme be schort. -5-

22: For as we se ane bow that is ay bent, 23: Worthis vnsmart, and dullis on the string, 24: Sa dois the mynd that is ay diligent, 25: In ernistfull thochtis, and in studying, 26: With sad materis sum merines to ming. 27: Accordis weill thus esope said i wis, 28: Dulcius arrident seria picta iocis. 29: Of this poete my maisteris with zour leif, 30: Submitting me to zour correctioun: 31: In mother toung of latyng i wald preif, 32: To mak ane maner of translatioun. 33: Nocht of my self, for vane presumptioun, 34: Bot be requeist, and precept of ane lord, 35: Of quhome the name it neidis not record. 36: In hamelie language and in termes rude, 37: Me neidis wryte: for quhy of eloquence. 38: Nor rethorike, i neuer vnderstude. 39: Thairfoir meiklie i pray zour reuerence, 40: Gif ze find ocht that throw my negligence 41: Be deminute, or zit superfluous, 42: Correct it at zour willis gratious. 43: My author in his fabillis tellis how, 44: That brutal beistis spak, and vnderstude, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed?...ages=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (3 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:22 PM]


45: And to gude purpois dispute, and argow. 46: Ane sillogisme propone, and eik conclude. 47: Putting exempill, and similitude, 48: How mony men in operatioun, 49: Ar like to beistis in conditioun. -7-

50: Na meruell is, ane man be lyke ane beist, 51: Quhilk lufis ay carnall and foull delyte: 52: That schame can not him renze, nor arreisst, 53: Bot takis all the lust and appetyte, 54: Quhilk throw custum, and the daylie ryte. 55: Syne in the mynd sa fast is radicate, 56: That he in brutal beist is transformate, 57: This nobill clerk, esope, as i haif tauld, 58: In gay metir, and in facound purpurate 59: Be figure wrait his buke: for he nocht wald. 60: Tak the disdane off hie, nor low estate. 61: And to begin, first of ane cok he wrate, 62: Seikand his meit,quhilk fand ane iolie stone, 63: Of quhome the fabill ze sall heir anone.

The taill of the cok, and the iasp

64: Ane cok sum tyme with feddram fresch and gay 65: Richt cant and crous albeit he was bot pure, 66: Fleu furth vpon ane dunghill sone be day, 67: To get his dennar set was al his cure. 68: Scraipand amang the as be auenture, 69: He fand ane iolie iasp, richt precious, 70: Wes castin furth in sweping of the hous. 71: As damisellis wantoun, and insolent, 72: That fane wald play, and on the streit be sene, 73: To swoping of the hous thay tak na tent. 74: Quhat be thairin swa that the flure be clene http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed?...ages=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (4 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:22 PM]


75: Iowellis ar tint, as oftymis hes bene sene, 76: Vpon the flure, and swopit furth anone. 77: Peraduenture, sa wes the samin stone. -9-

78: Sa meruelland vpon the stane, quod he 79: O gentill iasp: o riche and nobill thing: 80: thocht i the find, thow ganis not for me, 81: Thow art ane iouell for ane lord or king. 82: It wer pietie thow suld in this mydding, 83: Be buryit thus amang this muke and mold, 84: And thow so fair, and worth sa mekill gold, 85: It is pietie i suld the find, for quhy, 86: Thy grit vertew, nor zit thy cullour cleir, 87: I may nouther extoll, nor magnify: 88: And thow to me may mak bot lyttill cheir, 89: To grit lordis thocht thow be leif, and deir, 90: I lufe fer better thing of les auaill, 91: As draf, or corne, to fill my tume intraill. 92: I had leuer ga skraip heir with my naillis, 93: Amangis this mow, and luke my lifys fude 94: As draf, or corne, small wormis, or snaillis, 95: Or ony meit wald do my stomok gude: 96: Than of iaspis ane mekill multitude. 97: And thow agane, vpon the samin wyis, 98: May me as now for thyne auaill dispyis. 99: Thow hes na corne: and thairof i had neid 100: Thy cullour dois bot confort to the sicht. 101: And that is not aneuch my wame to feid. 102: For wyfis sayis, that lukand werk is licht. 103: I wald sum meit haue, get it geue i micht. 104: For houngrie men may not weill leue on lukis: 105: Had i dry breid, i compt not for na cukis. -11-



106: Quhar suld thow mak thy habitatioun? 107: Quhar suld thow duell, bot in ane royall tour? 108: Quhar suld thow sit, bot on ane kingis croun, 109: Exalt in worschip and in grit honour? 110: Rise gentill iasp, of all stanis the flour, 111: Out of this fen and pas quhar thow suld be, 112: Thow ganis not for me, nor i for the. 113: Leuand this iowell law vpon the ground, 114: To seik his meit this cok his wayis went. 115: Bot quhen, or how, or quhome be it wes found, 116: As now i set to hald na argument. 117: Bot of the inward sentence, and intent: 118: Of this fabill as myne author dois write 119: I sall reheirs in rude and hamelie dite. 120: This iolie iasp hes properteis seuin: 121: The first, of cullour it is meruelous: 122: Part lyke the fyre, and part lyke to the heuin. 123: It makis ane man stark and victorious 124: Preseruis als fra cacis perrillous. 125: Quha hes this stane, sall haue gude hap to speid 126: Of fyre, nor fallis him neidis not to dreid.

Moralitas

127: This gentill iasp, richt different of hew 128: Betakinnis perfite prudence and cunning. 129: Ornate with mony deidiss of vertew, 130: Mair excellent, than ony eirthly thing. 131: Quhilk makis men in honour ay to ring, 132: Happie, and stark to half the victorie, 133: Of all vicis, and spirituall enemie. -13-



134: Quha may be hardie, riche and gratious? 135: Quha can eschew perrell and auenture? 136: Quha can gouerne ane realme cietie or hous, 137: Without science, no man i zow assure? 138: It is riches that euer sall indure, 139: Quhilk maith, nor moist, nor vther rust can freit, 140: To mannis saull it is eternall meit. 141: This cok desyrand mair the sempill corne, 142: Than ony iasp, may till ane fule be peeir. 143: Quhilk at science makis bot ane moik and scorne, 144: And na gude can: als lytill will he leir. 145: His hart wammillis wyse argumentis to heir. 146: As dois ane sow, to quhome men for the nanis, 147: In hir draf troich wald saw the precious stanis. 148: Quha is enemie to science and cunning, 149: Bot ignorants, that vnderstandis nocht? 150: Quhilk is sa nobill, sa precious, and sa ding, 151: That it may with na eirdlie thing be bocht. 152: Weill wer that man ouer all vther that mocht, 153: All his lyfe dayis in perfite studie wair, 154: To get science: for him neidit na mair. 155: Bot now allace this iasp, is tynt and hid: 156: We seik it nocht, nor preis it for to find. 157: Haif we richis, na better lyfe we bid, 158: Of science thocht the saull be bair and blind. 159: Of this mater to speik, it wer bot wind. 160: thairfore i ceis, and will na forther say. 161: Ga seik the iasp, quha will, for thair it lay.

The taill of the vponlandis mous, and the burges mous

162: Esope myne authour makis mentioun, 163: Of twa myis and thay wer sisteris deir, 164: Of quham the eldest duelt in ane borous toun: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed?...ages=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (7 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:22 PM]


165: The vther wynnit vponland weill neir: 166: Richt soliter, quhyle vnder busk, and breir: 167: Quhilis in the corne, in vther mennis skaith, 168: As owtlawis dois and leuit on hir waith. 169: This rurall mous in to the wynter tyde, 170: Had hunger, cauld, and tholit grit distres, 171: The vther mous that in the burgh can byde, 172: Was gild brother and made ane fre burges. 173: Toll-fre als but custum mair or les, 174: And fredome had to ga quhair euer scho list, 175: Amang the cheis and meill in ark and kist. 176: Ane tyme quhen scho wes full and vnfute-sair, 177: Scho tuke in mynd hir sister vpon land, 178: And langit for to heir of hir weilfair, 179: To se quhat lyfe scho led vnder the wand. 180: Bairfute allone with pykestaf in hir hand, 181: As pure pylgryme scho passit owt off town, 182: To seik hir sister baith oure daill and down. 183: Furth mony wilsum wayis can scho walk, 184: Throw mosse and mure throw bankis busk and breir, 185: Fra fur to fur cryand fra balk to balk 186: Cum furth to me my awin sueit sister deir, 187: Cry peip anis, with that the mous culd heir, 188: And knew hir voce as kinnisman will do, 189: Be verray kynd, and furth scho come hir to. -17-

190: The hartlie cheir lord god geue ze had sene, 191: Beis kithit quhen thir sisteris twa war met, 192: Quhilk that oft syis wes schawin thame betuene, 193: For quhylis thay leuch, and quhylis for ioy thay gret, 194: Quhyle kissit sweit, quhylis in armis plet, 195: And thus thay fure quhill soberit wes thair mude, 196: Syne fute for fute vnto the chalmer zude.



197: As i hard say it was ane semple wane, 198: Off fog and farne full misterlyk wes maid, 199: Ane sillie scheill vnder ane erdfast stane, 200: Off quhilk the entres wes not hie nor braid. 201: And in the samin thay went but mair abaid, 202: Withoutin fyre or candill birnand bricht, 203: For comonly sic pykeris luffis not lycht. 204: Quhen thay wer lugit thus thir sely myse, 205: The zoungest sister into hir butterie hyid, 206: And brocht furth nuttis, and peis in steid off spyce, 207: Giff thair wes weilfair i do it on thame besyde. 208: This burges mous prunzit forth in pryde. 209: And said sister is this zour dayly fude? 210: Quhy not quod scho think ze this meit nocht gude? 211: Na be my saull i think it bot ane scorne. 212: Madame quod scho ze be the mair to blame, 213: My mother sayd efter that we wer borne, 214: That i and ze lay baith within ane wame, 215: I keip the ryte and custome off my dame, 216: And off my syre levand in pouertie, 217: For landis haue we nane in propertie. -19-

218: My fair sister quod scho haue me excusit. 219: This rude dyat and i can not accord. 220: To tender meit my stomok is ay vsit, 221: For quhy i fair alsweill as ony lord. 222: Thir wydderit peis, and nuttis, or thay be bord, 223: Wil brek my teith, and mak my wame ful sklender 224: Quhilk vsit wes before to meitis tender. 225: Weil, weil, sister quod the rurall mous, 226: Geue it zow pleis sic thing as ze se heir, 227: Baith meit and dreink, harberie and hous, 228: Salbe zour awin, will ze remane al zeir. 229: Ze sall it haue wyth blyith and hartlie cheir, 230: And that suld mak the maissis that ar rude, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed?...ages=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (9 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:22 PM]


231: Amang freindis richt tender sueit and gude, 232: Quhat plesans is in feistis delicate, 233: The quhilkis ar geuin with ane glowmand brow? 234: Ane gentill hart is better recreate, 235: With blyith visage than seith to him ane kow. 236: Ane modicum is mair for till allow, 237: Swa that gude will be keruer at the dais, 238: Than thrawin vult and mony spycit mais. 239: For all this mery exhortatioun 240: This burges mous had littill will to sing. 241: Bot heuilie scho kest hir browis doun, 242: For all the daynteis thatt scho culd hir bring. 243: Zit at the last scho said halff in hething, 244: Sister this victuall and zour royall feist, 245: May weill suffice for sic ane rurall beist. -21-

246: Lat be this hole and cum vnto my place, 247: I sall zow schaw be trewe experience, 248: My gude friday is better nor zour pace, 249: My dische likingis is worth zour haill expence, 250: I haue housis anew off grit defence, 251: Off cat, na fall na trap, i haue na dreid. 252: I grant quod scho and on togidder thay zeid 253: In skugry ay throw rankest gers and corne: 254: Vnder cowert full preuelie couth thay creip, 255: The eldest wes the gyde and went beforne, 256: The zounger to hir wayis tuke gude keip. 257: On nicht thay ran, and on the day can sleip, 258: Quhill in the morning or the lauerok sang, 259: Thay fand the town, and in blythlie couth gang. 260: Not fer fra thyne vnto ane vorthie vane, 261: This burges brocht thame sone quhare thay suld be. 262: Withowt god speid thair herberie wes tane, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (10 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:22 PM]


263: In to ane spence with vittell grit plentie, 264: Baith cheis, and butter vpon skelfis hie, 265: Flesche and fische aneuch baith fresche and salt, 266: And sekkis full off grotis meill and malt. 267: Efter quhen thay disposit wer to dyne, 268: Withowtin grace thay wesche and went to meit. 269: With all coursis that cukis culd deuyne, 270: Muttoun and beif, strikin in tailzeis greit 271: Ane lordis fair thus couth thay counterfeit, 272: Except ane thing thay drank the watter cleir, 273: In steid off wyne bot zit thay maid gude cheir. -23-

274: With blyith vpcast and merie countenance, 275: The eldest sister sperit at hir gest 276: Giff that scho thocht be ressone difference, 277: Betuix that chalmer and hir sarie nest, 278: Ze dame quod scho bot how lang will this lest? 279: For euermair i wait and langer to. 280: Gif it be swa ze ar at eis quod scho 281: Till eik thair cheir ane subcharge furth scho brocht, 282: Ane plait off grottis, and ane disch full off meill, 283: Thraf caikkis als i trow scho spairit nocht, 284: Aboundantlie about hir for to deill. 285: And mane full fyne scho brocht in steid off geill, 286: And ane quhyte candill owt off ane coffer stall, 287: In steid off spyce to gust thair mouth withall. 288: This maid thay merie quhill thay micht na mair 289: And haill zule haill cryit vpon hiee, 290: Zit efter ioy oftymes cummis cair, 291: And troubill efter grit prosperitie, 292: Thus as thay sat in all thair iolitie, 293: The spenser come with keyis in his hand, 294: Oppinnit the dure and thame at denner fand.

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295: Thay taryit not to wesche as i suppose, 296: Bot on to ga quha micht formest win. 297: The burges had ane hole, and in scho gois, 298: Hir sister had na hole to hyde hir in, 299: To se that selie mous it wes grit sin. 300: So desolate and will off ane gude reid, 301: For verray dreid scho fell in swoun neir deid. -25-

302: Bot as god wald it fell ane happie cace, 303: The spenser had na laser for to byde, 304: Nowther to seik, nor serche, to char nor chace, 305: Bot on he went, and left the dure vp wyde. 306: The bald burges his passage weill hes spyde, 307: Out off hir hole scho come, and cryit on hie. 308: How fair ze sister cry peip quhair euer ze be. 309: This rurall mous, lay flatling on the ground 310: And for the deith scho wes full sair dredand. 311: For till hir hart straik mony wofull stound, 312: As in ane feuer trimbillit fute and hand. 313: And quhan hir sister in sic ply hir fand, 314: For verray pietie scho began to greit, 315: Syne confort hir with wordis hunny sweit. 316: Quhy ly ze thus ryse vp my sister deir? 317: Cum to zour meit, this perrell is ouerpast. 318: The vther answerit with a heuie cheir, 319: I may not eit sa sair i am agast. 320: I had leuer thir fourty dayis fast, 321: With watter caill, and to gnaw benis or peis, 322: Than all zour feist in this dreid and diseis. 323: With fair tretie zit scho gart hir vpryse, 324: And to the burde thay went and togidder sat, 325: And scantlie had thay drunkin anis or twyse, 326: Quhen in come gib hunter our iolie cat, 327: And bad god speid, the burges vp with that, 328: And till hir hole scho fled as fyre of flint, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (12 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


329: Bawdronis the vther be the bak hes hint. -27-

330: Fra fute to fute he kest hir to and fra, 331: Quhylis vp, quhylis doun, als tait as ony kid, 332: Quhylis wald he lat hir rin vnder the stra, 333: Quhylis wald he wink, and play with hir buk heid. 334: Thus to the selie mous grit pane he did. 335: Quhill at the last throw fair fortune and hap, 336: Betwix the dosor and the wall scho crap. 337: Syne vp in haist behind the parraling, 338: So hie scho clam that gilbert micht not get hir, 339: And be the clukis craftelie can hing, 340: Till he wes gane hir cheir wes all the better. 341: Syne doun scho lap quhen thair wes nane to let hir. 342: Apon the burges mous loud can scho cry, 343: Fairweill sister thy feist heir i defy. 344: Thy mangerie is mingit all with cair, 345: Thy guse is gude thy gansell sour as gall. 346: The subcharge off thy seruice is bot sair, 347: Sa sall thow find heir-efterwart may fall, 348: I thank zone courtyne and zone perpall wall. 349: Off my defence now fra zone crewell beist. 350: Almichtie god keip me fra sic ane feist. 351: Wer i into the kith that i come fra, 352: For weill nor wo, i suld neuer cum agane. 353: With that scho tuke hir leif and furth can ga, 354: Quhylis throw the corne, and quhylis throw the plane, 355: Quhen scho wes furth and fre scho wes full fane. 356: And merilie markit vnto the mure. 357: I can not tell how efterwart scho fure. -29-



358: Bot i hard say scho passit to hir den, 359: Als warme as woll suppose it wes not greit, 360: Full beinly stuffit, baith but and ben, 361: Off peiis and nuttis, beiinis, ry, and quheit. 362: Quhen euer scho list scho had aneuch to eit, 363: In quyet and eis withoutin ony dreid, 364: Bot to hir sisteris feist na mair scho zeid.

Moralitas

365: Freindis heir may ze find will ze tak heid, 366: In this fabill ane gude moralitie. 367: As fitchis myngit ar with nobill seid, 368: Swa intermellit is aduersitie, 369: With eirdlie ioy, swa that na estate is frie 370: Without trubill or sum vexatioun, 371: And namelie thay quhilk clymmis vp maist hie, 372: And not content with small possessioun. 373: Blissed be sempill lyfe withoutin dreid. 374: Blissed be sober feist in quietie. 375: Quha hes aneuch of na mair hes he neid, 376: Thocht it be littill into quantatie, 377: Grit aboundance and blind prosperitie, 378: Oftymes makis ane euill conclusioun: 379: The sweitest lyfe thairfoir in this cuntrie, 380: Is sickernes with small possession 381: O wantoun man that vsis for to feid, 382: Thy wambe and makis it a god to be. 383: Luke to thy self i warne the weill on deid, 384: The cat, cummis and to the mous, hes ee. 385: Quhat is avale thy feist and royaltie, 386: With dreidfull hart, and tribulatioun. 387: Thairfoir best thing in eird, i say for me, 388: Is merry hart, with small possessioun. -31-



389: Thy awin fyre, my freind, sa it be bot ane gleid 390: It warmis weill, and is worth gold to the. 391: And solomon sayis gif that thow will reid, 392: Vnder the heuin i can not better se, 393: Than ay be blyith and leif in honestie. 394: Quhairfoir i may conclude be this ressoun, 395: Of eirthly ioy it beiris maist degre. 396: Blyithnes in hart with small possessioun.

The taill of schir chantecleir and the foxe

397: Thocht brutall beistis be irrationall, 398: That is to say wantand discretioun. 399: Zyt ilk ane in thair kyndis naturall. 400: Hes mony diuers inclinatioun. 401: The bair busteous, the volff, the wylde lyoun: 402: The fox fenzeit craftie and cawtelows: 403: The dog to bark on nicht and keip the hows. 404: Sa different thay ar in properteis, 405: Vnknawin unto man, and infinite, 406: In kynd hauand sa fell diuersiteis. 407: My cunning i excedis for to dyte. 408: For thy as now i purpose for to wryte. 409: Ane cais i fand quhilk fell this ather zeir, 410: Betwix ane foxe, and gentill chantecleir, -33-

411: Ane vedow dwelt, in till ane drop thay dayis, 412: Quhilk wan hir fude off spinning on hir rok. 413: And na mair had forsuth as the fabill sayis, 414: Except off hennis scho had ane lyttill flok, 415: And thame to keip scho had ane iolie cok: 416: Richt curageous, that to this wedow ay 417: Deuydit nicht and crew befoir the day. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (15 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


418: Ane lyttill fra this foirsaid vedowis hows, 419: Ane thornie schaw thair wes off grit defence. 420: Quhairin ane foxe craftie, and cautelous, 421: Maid his repair, and daylie residence. 422: Quhilk to this wedow did grit violence, 423: In pyking off pultrie baith day and nicht, 424: And na way be reuengit on him scho micht. 425: This wylie tod quhen that the lark couth sing, 426: Full sair hungrie vnto the toun him drest, 427: Quhair chantecleir in to the gray dawing, 428: Werie for nicht wes flowen fra his nest. 429: Lowrence this saw, and in his mynd he kest, 430: The ieperdies, the wayis, and the wyle, 431: Be quhat menis he micht this cok begyle. 432: Dissimuland in to countenance and cheir, 433: On kneis fell, and simuland thus he said. 434: Gude morne my maister gentill chantecleir. 435: With that the cok start bakwart in ane braid. 436: Schir be my saull, ze neid not be effraid, 437: Nor zit for me to start nor fle abak, 438: I come bot heir seruice to zow to mak. -35-

439: Wald i not serve to zow it wer bot blame, 440: As i haue done to zowr progenitouris. 441: Zour father oft fulfillit hes my wame. 442: And send me meit fra midding to the muris. 443: And at his end i did my besie curis, 444: To hald his heid, and gif him drinkis warme. 445: Syne at the last the sweit swelt in my arme. 446: Knew ze my father quod the cok and leuch, 447: Zea, my fair sone, forsuth i held his heid, 448: Quhen that he deit vnder ane birkin beuch. 449: Syne said the dirigie quhen that he wes deid, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (16 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


450: Betuix vs twa how suld thair be ane feid? 451: Quhame suld ze traist bot me zour seruitour, 452: That to zour father did sa grit honour. 453: Q hen i behald zour fedderis fair and gent, 454: Zour beik, zour breist, zour hekill, and zour kame. 455: Schir be my saull, and the blissit sacrament, 456: My hart warmys me think i am at hame, 457: Zow for to serve i wald creip on my wame, 458: In froist and snaw, in wedder wan and weit, 459: And lay my lyart loikkis vnder zour feit. 460: This fenzeit fox fals and dissimulate, 461: Maid to this cok ane cauillatioun. 462: Ze ar me think changit and degenerate, 463: Fra zour father off his conditioun 464: Off craftie crawing he micht beir the croun, 465: For he wald on his tais stand and craw. 466: This is na le, i stude beside and saw. -37-

467: With that the cok vpon his tais hie, 468: Kest vp his beik, and sang with all his micht. 469: Quod schir lowrence weill said sa mot i the. 470: Ze ar zour fatheris sone and air vpricht. 471: Bot off his cunning zit ze want ane slicht. 472: Quhat quod the cok he wald and haif na dout, 473: Baith wink, and craw, and turne him thryis about. 474: The cok inflate with wind and fals vane gloir, 475: That mony puttis vnto confusioun. 476: Traisting to win ane grit worschip thairfoir, 477: Vnwarlie winkand walkit vp and doun, 478: And syne to chant and craw he maid him boun. 479: And suddandlie be he had crawin ane note, 480: The foxe wes war and hint him be the throte. 481: Syne to the woid but tarie with him hyit, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (17 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


482: Off countermaund haifand bot lytill dout. 483: With that pertok, sprutok, and coppok cryit. 484: The wedow hard, and with ane cry come out. 485: Seand the cace scho sichit and gaif ane schout. 486: How murther reylok with ane hiddeous beir, 487: Allace now lost is gentill chantecleir. 488: As scho wer woid, with mony zell and cry, 489: Ryuand hir hair vpon hir breist can beit, 490: Syne, paill off hew, half in ane extasy 491: Fell doun for cair in swoning, and in sweit. 492: With that the selie hennis left thair meit. 493: And quhill this wyfe wes lyand thus in swoun, 494: Fell in that cace in disputatioun -39-

495: Allace quod pertok makand sair murning, 496: With teiris grit attour hir cheikis fell. 497: Zone wes our drowrie, and our dayis darling, 498: Our nichtingall, and als our orlege bell. 499: Our walkryfe watche vs for to warne and tell 500: Quhen that aurora with hir curcheis gray, 501: Put vp hir heid betuix the nicht and day. 502: Quha sall our lemman be? quha sall vs leid? 503: Quhen we ar sad quha sall vnto vs sing? 504: With his sweit bill he wald brek vs the breid, 505: In all this warld wes thair ane kynder thing. 506: In paramouris he wald do vs plesing, 507: At his power as nature list him geif. 508: Now efter him allace how sall we leif? 509: Quod sprutok than, ceis sister off zour sorrow 510: Ze be to mad for him sic murning mais. 511: We sall fair weill, i find sanct iohne to borrow, 512: The prouerb sayis, als gude lufe cummis as gais. 513: I will put on my haly dayis clais, 514: And mak me fresch agane this iolie may, 515: Syne chant this sang wes neuer wedow sa gay. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (18 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


516: He wes angry and held vs ay in aw, 517: And woundit with the speir off ielowsy. 518: Off chalmerglew pertok, full weill ze knaw, 519: Waistit he wes, off nature cauld and dry. 520: Sen he is gone thairfoir sister say i, 521: Be blyith in baill, for that is best remeid. 522: Let quik to quik, and deid ga to the deid. -41-

523: Than pertok spak, that feinzeit faith befoir, 524: In lust but lufe that set all hir delyte. 525: Sister ze wait off sic as him ane scoir, 526: Wald not suffice to slaik our appetyte, 527: I hecht zow be my hand sen ze ar quyte, 528: Within ane oulk for schame, and i durst speik, 529: To get ane berne suld better claw oure breik. 530: Than coppok lyke ane curate spak full crous, 531: Zone wes ane verray vengeance from the heuin. 532: He wes sa lous, and sa lecherous. 533: Seis coud he nocht with kittokis ma than seuin. 534: Bot rychteous god haldand the balandis euin, 535: Smytis rycht sair thocht he be patient, 536: Adulteraris, that list thame not repent. 537: Prydefull he wes, and ioyit off his sin, 538: And comptit not for goddis fauour nor feid. 539: Bot traistit ay to rax, and sa to rin, 540: Quhill at the last his sinnis can him leid, 541: Tto schamefull end, and to zone suddand deid. 542: Thairfoir it is the verray hand off god, 543: That causit him be werryit with the tod. 544: Quhen this wes said, this wedow fra hir swoun, 545: Start vp on fute, and on hir kennettis cryde. 546: How birkye berrie, bell bawsie, broun, 547: Rype schaw, rin weil, curtes, nuttieclyde, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (19 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


548: Togidder all but grunching furth ze glyde, 549: Reskew my nobill cok or he be slane, 550: Or ellis to me se ze cum neuer agane -43-

551: With that but baid thay braidet ouer the bent, 552: As fyre off flint thay ouer the feildis flaw, 553: Full wichtlie thay throw wood and wateris went, 554: And ceissit not schir lourence quhill thay saw. 555: Bot quhen he saw the raches cum on raw, 556: Vnto the cok in mynd he said god sen, 557: That i and thow wer fairlie in my den. 558: Then spak the cok with sum gude spirit inspyrit, 559: Do my counsall and i sall warrand the. 560: Hungrie thow art, and for grit trauell tyrit, 561: Richt faint off force, and may not ferther fle. 562: Swyith turne agane, and say, that i and ze, 563: Freindis ar maid, and fellowis for ane zeir. 564: Than will thay stint, i stand for it and not steir. 565: This tod thocht he wes fals and friuolus, 566: And had frawdis his querrell to defend. 567: Desauit wes be menis richt meruelous. 568: For falset failzeis ay at the latter end. 569: He start about, and cryit as he wes kend. 570: With that the cok he braid vnto a bewch. 571: Now iuge ze all quhairat schir lowrence lewch. 572: Begylit thus the tod vnder the tre, 573: On kneis fell, and said gude chantecleir. 574: Cum doun agane, and i but meit or fe, 575: Salbe zour man and seruand for ane zeir. 576: Na murther theif, and reuar, stand on reir. 577: My bludy hekill, and my nek sa bla, 578: Hes partit lowe for euer betwene vs twa. -45-



579: I wes vnwyse that winkit at thy will, 580: Quhairthrow almaist i loissit had my heid. 581: I wes mair fule quod he coud nocht be still, 582: Bot spake to put my pray in to pleid. 583: Fair on fals theif, god keip me fra thy feid. 584: With that the cok ouer the feildis tuke his flicht, 585: And in at the wedowis lewer couth he licht.

Moralitas

586: Now worthie folk suppose this be ane fabill. 587: And ouerheillit wyth typis figurall. 588: Zit may ze find ane sentence richt agreabill, 589: Vnder thir fenzeit termis textuall. 590: To our purpose this cok weill may we call, 591: Nyse proud men, woid, and vaneglorious, 592: Of kin and blude quhilk is presumpteous. Fy puft vp pryde. thow is full poysonabill. Quha fauoris the on force man haif ane fall. Thy strenth is nocht, thy stule standis vnstabill, Tak witnes of the feyndis infernall, Quhilk houndit doun wes fra that heuinlie hall. To hellis hole, and to that hiddeous hous. Because in pryde thay wer presumpteous. 593: This fenzeit foxe may weill be figurate, 594: To flatteraris with plesand wordis quhyte. 595: With fals mening and mynd maist toxicate. 596: To loif and le, that settis thair haill delyte. 597: All worthie folk at sic suld haif despyte. 598: For quhair is thair mair perrellous pestilence, 599: Nor gif to learis haistelie credence. -47-



600: The wickit mynd and adullatioun, 601: Of sucker sweit haifand similitude, 602: Bitter as gall, and full of fell poysoun, 603: To taist it is quha cleirlie vnderstude. 604: For thy as now schortlie to conclude, 605: Thir twa sinnis, flatterie, and vaneglore, 606: Ar vennomous gude ffoolk fle thame thairfoir.

The taill how this foirsaid tod maid his confessioun to freir volf Vaitskaith

607: Leif we this vedow glaid i zow assure, 608: Off chantecleir, mair blyith than i can tell. 609: And speik we off the fatal auenture. 610: And destenie that to this foxe befell, 611: Quhilk durst na mair with miching intermell, 612: Als lang as leme or licht wes off the day, 613: Bot bydand nicht full styll lurkand he lay. 614: Quhill that thetes the goddes off the flude, 615: Phebus had callit to the harbery. 616: And hesperous put of his cluddie hude, 617: Schawand his lustie visage in the sky. 618: Than lourence luikit vp, quhair he couth ly, 619: And kest his hand vpon his ee on hicht, 620: Merie and glade that cummit wes the nicht. -49-

621: Out off the wod vnto ane hill he went, 622: Quhair he micht se the tuinkling sternis cleir. 623: And all the planetis off the firmament, 624: Thair cours, and eik thair mouing in thair spheir. 625: Sum retrograde, and sum stationeir. 626: And off the zodiak in quhat degre, 627: Thay wer ilk ane, as lowrence leirnit me.



628: Than saturne auld wes enterit in capricorne, 629: And iuppiter mouit in sagittarie. 630: And mars vp in the rammis heid wes borne. 631: And phebus in the lyoun furth can carie. 632: Venus the crab, the mone wes in aquarie, 633: Mercurius the god off eloquence, 634: Into the virgyn maid his residence. 635: But astrolab, quadrant, or almanak, 636: Teichit off nature be instructioun, 637: The mouing off the heuin this tod can tak, 638: Quhat influence and constellatioun, 639: Wes lyke to fall vpon the eirth adoun. 640: And to him self he said withoutin mair, 641: Weill worth the father, that send me to the lair. 642: My destenie, and eik my weird i watt, 643: My auenture is cleirlie to me kend. 644: With mischeif myngit is my mortall fait, 645: My misleuing the soner bot i mend. 646: Deid is reward off sin and schamefull end. 647: Thairfoir i will ga seik sum confessour, 648: And schryiff me clene off all sinnis to this hour. -51-

649: Allace quod he richt waryit ar we theuis. 650: Our lyif is set ilk nicht in auenture. 651: Our cursit craft full mony man mischeuis, 652: For euer we steill, and euer alyk ar pure. 653: In dreid and schame our dayis we indure. 654: Syne widdinek, and crakraip callit als, 655: And till our hyre ar hangit be the hals. 656: Accusand thus his cankerit conscience, 657: In to ane craig he kest about his ee. 658: So saw he cummand ane lyttill than frome thence, 659: Ane worthie doctour of diuinitie, 660: Freir volff waitskaith, in science wonder sle. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (23 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


661: To preiche and pray wes new cum fra the closter 662: With beidis in hand sayand his pater noster. 663: Seand this volff this wylie tratour too, 664: On kneis fell, with hude in to his nek. 665: Welcome my gostlie father vnder god, 666: Quod he with mony binge and mony bek. 667: Ha quod the volff schir tod for quhat effek 668: Mak ze sic feir, ryse vp put on zour hude? 669: Father quod he i haif grit cause to dude. 670: Ze ar the lanterne, and the sicker way, 671: Suld gyde sic sempill folk as me to grace. 672: Zour bair feit, and zour russet coull off gray, 673: Zour lene cheik, zour paill and pietious face, 674: Schawis to me zour perfite halines. 675: For weill wer him that anis in his lyue, 676: Had hap to zow his sinnis for to schryue. -53-

677: A selie lowrence quod the volf and leuch, 678: It plesis me that ze ar penitent. 679: Off reif and stouth, schir, i can tell aneuch, 680: That causis me full sair for to repent. 681: Bot father byde still heir vpon the bent, 682: I zow beseik, and heir me to declair, 683: My conscience, that prikkis me sa sair. 684: Weill quod the volff sit doun vpon thy kne 685: And he doun bair-heid sat full humilly. 686: And syne began with benedicitie. 687: Quhen i this saw, i drew ane lytill by. 688: For it effeiris nouther to heir, nor spy, 689: Nor to reueill thing said vnder that seill, 690: Bot to the tod this gait the volf couth mele. 691: Art thow contrite, and sorie in thy spreit, 692: For thy trespas? na schir, i can not duid, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (24 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


693: Me think that hennis ar sa honie sweit, 694: And lambes flesche that new ar lettin bluid, 695: For to repent my mynd can not concluid, 696: Bot off this thing, that i haif slane sa few. 697: Weill quod the volf in faith thow art ane schrew 698: Sen thow can not forthink thy wickitnes, 699: Will thow forbeir in tyme to cum and mend. 700: And i forbeir, how sall i leif allace, 701: Haifand nane vther craft me to defend. 702: Neid causis me to steill quhair euer i wend. 703: I eschame to thig, i can not wirk ze wait. 704: Zit wald i fane pretend to gentill stait. -55-

705: Weill quod the volf thow wantis pointis twa, 706: Belangand to perfyte confessioun. 707: To the thrid part off pennance let vs ga, 708: Vill thow tak pane for thy transgressioun? 709: A schir considder my complexioun, 710: Seikly and waik, and off my nature tender, 711: Lo, will ze se, i am baith lene and sklender. 712: Zit neuertheles i wald swa it wer licht, 713: Schort and not greuand to my tendernes, 714: Tak part off pane, fulfill it gif i micht, 715: To set my selie saull in way off grace. 716: Thow sall quod he forbeir flesch vntill pasche, 717: To tame this corps that cursit carioun. 718: And heir i reik the full remissioun. 719: I grant thairto, swa ze will giff me leif, 720: To eit puddingis, or laip ane lyttill blude, 721: Or heid, or feit, or paynchis let me preif. 722: In cace i falt of flesch in to my fude. 723: For grit mister i gif the leif to dude, 724: Twyse in the oulk, for neid may haif na law. 725: God zeild zow schir, for that text weill i knaw.



726: Quhen this wes said, the volf his wayis went, 727: The foxe on fute he fure vnto the flude. 728: To fang him fisch haillelie wes his intent. 729: Bot quhen he saw the walterand wallis woude, 730: All stonist still in to ane stair he stude. 731: And said, better that i had biddin at hame, 732: Nor bene ane fischar in the deuillis name. -57-

733: Now man i scraip my meit out off the sand, 734: For i haif nouther boittis net nor bait. 735: As he wes thus for falt off meit murnand, 736: Lukand about his leuing for to lait. 737: Vnder ane tre he saw ane trip off gait. 738: Than wes he blyith, and in ane hewch him hid, 739: And fra the gait he stall ane lytill kid. 740: Syne ouer the heuch vnto the see he hyis, 741: And tuke the kid be the hornis twane, 742: And in the watter outher twyis or thryis, 743: He dowkit him, and till him can he sayne. 744: Ga doun schir kid, cum vp schir salmond agane. 745: Quhill he wes deid syne to the land him drewch, 746: And off that new maid salmond eit anewch. 747: Thus fynelie fillit with zoung tender meit, 748: Vnto ane derne for dreid he him addrest, 749: Vnder ane busk, quhair that the sone can beit, 750: To beik his breist and bellie he thocht best. 751: And rekleslie he said quhair he did rest, 752: Straikand his wame aganis the sonis heit, 753: Vpon this wame set wer ane bolt full meit. 754: Quhen this wes said the keipar off the gait, 755: Cairfull in hart his kid wes stollen away, 756: On euerilk syde full warlie couth he wait, 757: Quhill at the last, he saw quhair lowrence lay. 758: Ane bow he bent, ane flane with fedderis gray. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (26 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


759: He haillit to the heid, and or he steird, 760: The foxe he prikkit fast vnto the eird. -59-

761: Now quod the foxe allace and wellaway. 762: Gorrit i am, and may na forther gane. 763: Me think na man may speik ane word in play, 764: Bot now on dayis, in ernist it is tane. 765: The hird him hynt and out he drew his flane. 766: And for his kid, and vther violence, 767: He tuke his skyn, and maid ane recompence.

Moralitas

768: This suddand deith, and vnprouysit end, 769: Of this fals tod, without contritioun, 770: Exempill is exhortand folk to mend. 771: For dreid of sic ane lyke conclusioun, 772: For mony gois now to confessioun, 773: Can not repent, nor for thair sinnis greit, 774: Because thay think thair lustie lyfe sa sweit. 775: Sum bene also throw consuetude and ryte, 776: Vincust with carnall sensualitie. 777: Suppose thay be as for the tyme contryte, 778: Can not forbeir, nor fra thair sinnis fle. 779: Vse drawis nature swa in propertie, 780: Of beist and man, that neidlingis thay man do, 781: As thay of lang tyme hes bene hantit to. 782: Be war gude folke, and feir this suddane schoit, 783: Quhilk smytis sair withoutin resistence. 784: Attend wyislie, and in zour hartis noit. 785: Aganis deith may na man mak defence, 786: Ceis of zour sin, remord zour conscience, 787: Do wilfull pennance here and ze sall wend, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (27 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


788: Efter zour deith, to blis withouttin end.

-61-

The taill of the sone & air of the forsaid foxe, callit father wer: Alswa the parliament of fourfuttit beistis, haldin be the lyoun

789: This forsaid foxe, that deit for his misdeid, 790: Had not ane barne wes gottin richteouslie, 791: That to his airschip micht of law succeid, 792: Except ane sone, the quhilk in lemanrye, 793: He gottin had in purches priuelie. 794: And till his name wes callit father-war, 795: That luifit weill with pultrie to tig and tar. 796: It followis weill be ressoun naturall, 797: And gre be gre, off richt comparisoun: 798: Off euill cummis war: off war cummis werst of all. 799: Off wrangus get cummis wrang successioun. 800: This foxe bastard of generatioun, 801: Off verray kynde behuifit to be fals. 802: Swa wes his father, and his grandschir als. 803: As nature will seikand his meit be sent, 804: Off cace he fand his fatheris carioun, 805: Nakit, new slane, and till him hes he went, 806: Tuke vp his heid, and on his kne fell doun, 807: Thankand grit god off that conclusioun. 808: And said, now sall i bruke sen i am air, 809: The boundis quhair thow wes wont for to repair. -63-

810: Fy couetice vnkynd, and venemous. 811: The sone wes fane he fand his father deid, 812: Be suddand schot, for deidis odious, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (28 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


813: That he micht ringe, and raxe in till his steid. 814: Dreidand na thing the samin lyfe to leid, 815: In thift, and reif, as did his father befoir. 816: Bot to the end attent he tuke no moir. 817: Zit neuertheles throw naturall pietie, 818: The carioun vpon his bak he tais. 819: Now find i weill this prouerb trew quod he 820: Ay rinnis the foxe, als lang as he fute hais. 821: Syne with the corps vnto ane peitpoit gais, 822: Off watter full, and kest him in the deip. 823: And to the deuill he gaif his banis to keip. 824: O fulische man plungit in wardlynes, 825: To conqueis wrangwis guidis, gold, and rent. 826: To put thy saull in pane, or heuines, 827: To riche thy air quhilk efter thow art went, 828: Haue he thy gude, he takis bot small tent. 829: To sing or say for thy saluatioun 830: Fra thow be dede done is thy deuotioun 831: This tod to rest him, carit to ane craig, 832: And thair he hard ane buisteous bugill blaw. 833: Quhilk as him thocht, maid all the warld to waig. 834: Than start he vp, quhen he this hard and saw. 835: Ane vnicorne come lansand ouer ane law. 836: With horne in hand, ane buste in breist he bure. 837: Ane pursephant semelie i zow assure. -65-

838: Vnto ane bank quhair he micht se about, 839: On euerilk syde in haist he culd him hy. 840: Schot out his voce, full schyll, and gaif ane schout. 841: And oyas oyas twyse, or thryse did cry. 842: With that the beistis in the feild thairby, 843: All meruelland, quhat sic ane thing suld mene, 844: Govand agast thay gaderit on ane grene.



845: Out off his buste ane bill sone can he braid, 846: And red the text withoutin tarying. 847: Commandand silence, sadlie thus he said. 848: We nobill lyoun, off all beistis the king, 849: Greting to god ay lestand but ending. 850: To brutall beistis, and irrationall, 851: I send, as to my subiectis grit and small. 852: My celsitude and hie magnificence, 853: Lattis zow to wit, that euin incontinent, 854: Thinkis the morne with royall deligence, 855: Vpon this hill to hald ane parliament. 856: Straitlie thairfoir i gif commandement, 857: For to compeir befoir my tribunall, 858: Vnder all pane, and perrell that may fall. 859: The morrow come, and phebus with his bemis, 860: Consumit had the mistie cluddis gray. 861: The ground wes grene, and as the gold it glemis, 862: With gresis growand gudelie, grit and gay. 863: The spyce thay spred to spring on euerilk spray. 864: The lark, the maueis, and the merll, full hie. 865: Sweitlie can sing trippand fra tre to tre. -67-

866: Thre leopardis come a croun off massie gold 867: Beirand thay brocht vnto that hillis hicht, 868: With iaspis ionit, and royall rubeis rold, 869: And mony diueris dyamontis dicht, 870: With pollis proud ane palzeoun doun thay picht. 871: And in that throne, thair sat ane wild lyoun, 872: In rob royall, with sceptour, swerd, and croun. 873: Efter the tennour off the cry befoir, 874: That gais on fut all beistis in the eird, 875: As thay commandit wer withoutin moir, 876: Befoir thair lord the lyoun thay appeird. 877: And quhat thay wer to me as lowrence leird. 878: I sall reheirs ane part off euerilk kynd, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (30 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


879: Als fer as now occurris to my mynd. 880: The minotaur, ane monster meruelous, 881: Bellerophont that beist of bastardrie. 882: The warwolff, and the pegase perillous, 883: Transformit be assent of sorcerie. 884: The linx the tiger full off tiranie: 885: The elephant: and eik the dromedarie: 886: The cameill with his cran-nek furth can carie. 887: The leopard, as i haif tauld beforne, 888: The anteloip: the sparth furth couth speid: 889: The peyntit pantheir: and the vnicorne: 890: The rayndeir ran throw reueir, rone, and reid. 891: The iolie ionet, and the gentill steid: 892: The asse: the mule: the hors of euerilk kynd, 893: The da: the ra: the hornit hart: the hynd. -69-

894: The bull: the beir: the bugill: and the bair: 895: The wodwys: vildcat: and the wild wolfyne: 896: The hardbakkit hurcheoun: and the hirpland hair: 897: Baith otter and aip: and pennit porcupyne. 898: The gukit gait: the selie scheip the swyne: 899: The bauer bakon and the balterand brok: 900: The fowmart, with the fyber furth can flok. 901: The gay grewhound, the slewthound furth can slyde, 902: With doggis all diuers and different. 903: The rattoun ran, the glebard furth can glyde. 904: The quhrynand quhitret, with the quhasill went, 905: The feitho that hes furrit mony fent. 906: The mertrik: with the cunning: and the con: 907: The bowranbane: and eik the lerion. 908: The marmisset: the mowdewart couth leid, 909: Because that nature denyit had hir sicht. 910: Thus dressit thay all furth, for dreid off deid, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (31 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


911: The musk, the lytill mous with all hir micht, 912: In haist haikit vnto that hillis hicht, 913: And mony kynd off beistis i couth not knaw, 914: Befoir thair lord the lyoun thay loutit law. 915: Seing thir beistis all at his bidding boun, 916: He gaif ane braid, and blenkit him about. 917: Than flatlingis to his feit thay fell all doun, 918: For dreid off deith, thay droupit all in dout. 919: The lyoun he lukit quhen he saw thame lout, 920: And bad thame with ane countenance full sweit, 921: Be not efferit, bot stand vp on zour feit. -71-

922: I lat zow wit, my micht is merciabill, 923: And steiris nane that ar to me prostrait. 924: Angrie, austerne, and als vnamyabill, 925: To all that standfray ar to myne estait. 926: I rug, i reif, all beistys that makis debait. 927: Aganis the micht off my magnyficence, 928: Se nane pretend to pryde in my presence. 929: My celsitude, and my hie maiestie. 930: With micht, and mercie myngit sall be ay. 931: The lawest heir i can full sone vp hie, 932: And mak him maister ouer zow all i may. 933: The dromedarie giff he will mak deray, 934: The grit camell, thocht he wer neuer sa crous. 935: I can him law als lytill as ane mous. 936: Se neir be twentie mylis quhair i am, 937: The kid ga saiflie be the gaittis syde. 938: The tod lowrie luke not to the lam. 939: Na reuand beistis nouther ryn, nor ryde. 940: Thay couchit all efter that this wes cryde. 941: The iustice bad the court for to gar fence, 942: The sutis call, and foirfalt all absence.



943: The panther with his payntit coit armour 944: Fensit the court, as off the law effeird. 945: Than tod lowrie luikit quhair he couth lour, 946: And start on fute, all stonist and all steird, 947: Ryifand his hair, he cryit with ane reird, 948: Quaikand for dreid, and sichand couth he say, 949: Allace this hour, allace this dulefull day. -73-

950: I wait this suddand semblie that i se 951: Haifand the pointis off ane parliament, 952: Is maid to mar sic misdoars as me. 953: Thairfoir geue i me schaw i will be schent, 954: I will be socht, and i be red absent. 955: To byde,, or fle, it makis no remeid, 956: All is alyke, thair followis not bot deid. 957: Perplexit thus in his hart can he mene, 958: Throw falset how he micht him self defend 959: His hude he drew far doun attoure his ene, 960: And winkand with the ane eye furth he wend. 961: Clinscheand he come, that he micht not be kend, 962: And for dreddour that he suld thoill arreist, 963: He playit bukhude behind, fra beist to beist. 964: O fylit spreit, and cankerit conscience, 965: Befoir ane roy renzeit with richteousnes, 966: Blakinnit cheikis, and schamefull countenance, 967: Fairweill thy fame now gone is all thy grace, 968: The phisnomie, the fauour off thy face, 969: For thy defence is foull and disfigurate, 970: Brocht to the licht basit, blunt, and blait. 971: Be thow atteichit with thift, or with tressoun, 972: For thy misdeid wrangous, and wickit fay, 973: Thy cheir changis lowrence, thow man luke doun, 974: Thy worschip of this warld is went away. 975: Luke to this tod how he wes in effray, 976: And fle the filth of falset i the reid, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (33 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


977: Quhairthrow thair fallowis syn, and schamefull deid. -75-

978: Compeirand thus befoir thair lord and king. 979: In ordour set as to thair stait effeird. 980: Of euerilk kynd he gart ane part furth bring, 981: And awfullie he spak, and at thame speird, 982: Geue there wes ony beist in to this eird, 983: Absent, and thairto gart thame deiplie sweir, 984: And thay said nane, except ane gray stude meir. 985: Ga make ane message sone vnto that stude, 986: The court than cryit my lord quha sall it be, 987: Cum furth lowrie lurkand vnder thy hude, 988: Aa schir. mercie, lo i haue bot ane ee, 989: Hurt in the hoche, and cruikit as ze may se. 990: The volff is better in ambassatry, 991: And mair cunning in clergie fer than i. 992: Rampand he said, ga furth ze brybouris baith, 993: And thay to ga withowtin tarying, 994: Ouer ron and rute thay ran togidder raith, 995: And fand the meir at hir meit in the morning. 996: Now quod the tod madame cum to the king, 997: The court is callit, and ze ar contumax 998: Let be lowrence quod scho zour cowrtlie knax. 999: Maistres quod he cum to the court ze mon, 1000: The lyoun hes commandit so in deid. 1001: Schir tod tak ze the flyrdome, and the fon, 1002: I haue respite ane zeir, and ze will reid. 1003: I can not spell quod he sa god me speid, 1004: Heir is the volff, ane nobill clerk at all, 1005: And of this message is maid principall. -77-



1006: He is autentik, and ane man of age, 1007: And hes grit practik of the chanceliary. 1008: Let him ga luke, and reid zour priuilage, 1009: And i sall stand, and beir witnes zow by. 1010: Quhair is thy respite quod the volff in hy? 1011: Schir it is heir vnder my hufe weill hid. 1012: Hald vp thy heill quod he and so scho did. 1013: Thocht he wes blindit with pryde, zit he presumis, 1014: To luke doun law, quhair that hir letter lay. 1015: With that the meir gird him vpon the gumis, 1016: And straik the hattrell off his heid away 1017: Halff out off lyif thair lenand doun he lay, 1018: Allace quod lowrence lupus, thow art loist. 1019: His cunning quod the meir wes worth sum coist. 1020: Lowrence quod scho will thow luke on my letter, 1021: Sen that the volff na thing thairoff can wyn? 1022: Na be sanct bryde quod he me think it better, 1023: To sleip in haill, nor in ane hurt skyn. 1024: Ane skrow i fand, and this wes writtin in, 1025: For fyue schillingis i wald not anis forfaut him, 1026: Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum 1027: With brokin skap, and bludie cheikis reid, 1028: This volff weipand on his wayis went, 1029: Off his menze markand to get remeid, 1030: To tell the king the cace wes his intent. 1031: Schir quod the tod byde still vpon this bent, 1032: And fra zour browis wesche away the blude. 1033: And tak ane drink, for it will do zow gude. -79-

1034: To fetche watter this fraudfull foxe furth fure, 1035: Sydelingis a bank he socht vnto ane syke. 1036: On cace he meittis cummand fra the mure, 1037: Ane trip off lambis dansand on ane dyke. 1038: This tratour tod, this tirrant, and this tyke, 1039: The fattest off this flock, he fellit hais. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (35 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1040: And eit his fill, syne to the volff he gais. 1041: Thay drank togidder, and syne thair iourney takis 1042: Befoir the king, syne kneillit on thair kne. 1043: Quhair is zone meir, schir tod, wes contumax? 1044: Than lowrence said, my lord, speir not at me. 1045: This new-maid doctour off diuinitie, 1046: With his reid cap can tell zow weill aneuch. 1047: With that the lyoun, and all the laif thay leuch. 1048: Tell on the cais, now lowrence let vs heir, 1049: This wittie volff quod he this clerk off age, 1050: On zour behalff he bad the meir compeir. 1051: And scho allegit to ane priuilage 1052: Cum neir, and se, and ze sall haiff zour wage. 1053: Because he red hir rispite plane and weill, 1054: Zone reid bonat scho raucht him with hir heill. 1055: The lyoun said, be zone reid cap i ken, 1056: This taill is trew, quha tent vnto it takis. 1057: The greitest clerkis ar not the wysest men. 1058: The hurt off ane happie the vther makis. 1059: As thay wer carpand in this cais, with knakis, 1060: And all the court in garray and in gam. 1061: Swa come the zow, the mother off the lam. -81-

1062: Befoir the iustice on hir kneis fell, 1063: Put out hir playnt on this wyis wofully. 1064: This harlet huresone, and this hound off hell. 1065: He werryit hes my lamb full doggitly, 1066: Within ane myle, in contrair to zour cry. 1067: For goddis lufe, my lord, gif me the law, 1068: Off this lurker, with that lowrence let draw. 1069: Byde quod the lyoun lymmer let vs se, 1070: Giff it be suthe the selie zow hes said. 1071: Aa souerane lord, saif zour mercie quod he http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (36 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1072: My purpois wes with him for to haif plaid. 1073: Causles he fled as he had bene effraid, 1074: For dreid off deith, he duschit ouer ane dyke, 1075: And brak his nek. thow leis quod scho fals tyke. 1076: His deith be practik may be preuit eith, 1077: Thy gorrie gumis, and thy bludie snout. 1078: The woll, the flesche zit stikkis on thy teith, 1079: And that is euidence aneuch but dout. 1080: The iustice bad ga cheis ane sis about. 1081: And so thay did, and fand that he wes fals, 1082: Off murther, thift, and party tressoun als. 1083: Thay band him fast, the iustice bad belyif, 1084: To gif the dome, and tak off all his clais. 1085: The volff that new-maid doctour couth him schrif 1086: Syne furth him led and to the gallous gais, 1087: And at the ledder fute his leif he tais. 1088: The aip wes basare and bad him sone ascend. 1089: And hangit him, and thus he maid his end. -83-

Moralitas

1090: Richt as the mynour in his minorall, 1091: Fair gold with fyre may fra the leid weill wyn. 1092: Richt so vnder ane fabill figurall, 1093: Sad sentence men may seik: and efter fyne, 1094: As daylie dois the doctouris of deuyne, 1095: That to our leuing full weill can apply, 1096: And paynt thair mater furth be poetry. 1097: The lyoun is the warld be liklynace, 1098: To quhome loutis baith empriour, and king, 1099: And thinkis of this warld to get mare grace, 1100: And gapis daylie to get mair leuing. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (37 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1101: Sum for to reull: and sum to raxe and ring. 1102: Sum gadderis geir: sum gold: sum vther gude, 1103: To wyn this warld, sum wirkis as thay wer wod. 1104: The meir is men of contemplatioun. 1105: Off pennance walkand in this wildernes, 1106: As monkis and othir men of religioun. 1107: That presis god to pleis in euerilk place, 1108: Abstractit from this warldis wretchitnes, 1109: In wilfull pouertee fra pomp and pryde, 1110: And fra this warld in mynd ar mortyfyde. 1111: This volf i likkin to sensualitie, 1112: As quhen lyke brutall beistis we accord, 1113: Our mynd all to this warldis vanitie, 1114: Lyking to tak, and loif him as our lord, 1115: Fle fast thairfra, gif thow will richt remord, 1116: Than sall ressoun ryse, rax and ring, 1117: And for thy saull thair is na better thing. -85-

1118: Hir hufe i likkin to the thocht of deid. 1119: Will thow remember, man, that thow man de, 1120: Thow may brek sensualiteis heid, 1121: And fleschlie lust away fra the sall fle, 1122: Fra thow begin thy mynd to mortifie. 1123: Salomonis saying thow may persaif heirin, 1124: Think on thy end, thow sall not glaidlie sin. 1125: This tod i likkin to temptationis, 1126: Beirand to mynd mony thochtis vane, 1127: That daylie sagis men of religiounis 1128: Cryand to thame cum to the warld agane 1129: Zit gif thay se sensualitie neir slane, 1130: And suddand deith with ithand panis sore, 1131: Thay go abak, and temptis thame no moir. 1132: O mary myld mediatour of mercy meik http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (38 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1133: Sitt doun before thy sone celestiall. 1134: For ws synnaris his celsitude beseik, 1135: Vs to defend fra pane and perrellis all. 1136: And help vs vp vnto that heuinlie hall, 1137: In gloir, quhair we may se the face of god. 1138: And thus endis the talking of the tod.

-87-

The taill of the scheip and the doig

1139: Esope ane taill puttis in memorie, 1140: How that ane doig, because that he wes pure, 1141: Callit ane scheip vnto the consistorie, 1142: Ane certane breid fra him for to recure. 1143: Ane fraudfull volff wes iuge that tyme, and bure, 1144: Authoritie, and iurisdictioun. 1145: And on the scheip send furth ane strait summoun. 1146: For by the vse, and cours, and commoun style, 1147: On this maner maid his citatioun. 1148: I maister volff partles off fraud and gyle, 1149: Vnder the panis off hie suspensioun, 1150: Off grit cursing and interdictioun, 1151: Schir scheip, i charge the, straitly to compeir, 1152: And answer to ane doig befoir me heir. 1153: Schir corbie rauin wes maid apparitour, 1154: Quha pykit had full mony scheipis ee. 1155: The charge hes tane, and on the letteris bure, 1156: Summonit the scheip befoir the volff, that he, 1157: Peremptourlie within the dayis thre, 1158: Compeir vnder the panis in this bill, 1159: To heir quhat perrie doig will say the till. 1160: This summondis maid befoir witnes anew, 1161: The rauin as to his office weill effeird, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (39 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1162: Indorsat hes the write, and on he flew. 1163: The selie scheip durst lay na mouth on eird, 1164: Till he befoir the awfull iuge appeird. 1165: The oure off cause, quhilk that the iuge vsit than 1166: Quhen hesperus to schaw his face began. -89-

1167: The foxe wes clerk, and noter in the cause. 1168: The gled, the graip vp at the bar couth stand, 1169: As aduocatis expert in to the lawis, 1170: The doggis pley togidder tuke on hand, 1171: Quhilk wer confidderit straitlie in ane band, 1172: Aganis the scheip to procure the sentence. 1173: Thocht it wes fals thay had na conscience 1174: The clerk callit the scheip, and he wes thair. 1175: The aduocatis on this wyse couth propone. 1176: Ane certane breid, worth fyue schilling or mair, 1177: Thow aw the doig, off quhilk the terme is gone. 1178: Off his awin heid but aduocate allone, 1179: Auysitlie gaif answer in the cace. 1180: Heir i declyne the iuge, the tyme, the place. 1181: This is my cause, in motiue and effect. 1182: The law sayis, it is richt perrillous, 1183: Till enter pley befoir ane iuge suspect. 1184: And ze schir volff, hes bene richt odious 1185: To me, for with zour tuskis rauenous. 1186: Hes slane full mony kinnismen off myne. 1187: Thairfoir as iuge, suspect, i zow declyne. 1188: And schortlie, of this court ze memberis all, 1189: Baith assessouris, clerk, and aduocate, 1190: To me, and myne, ar ennemies mortall, 1191: And ay hes bene, as mony scheipheird wate. 1192: The place is fer, the tyme is feriate. 1193: Quhairfoir na iuge suld sit in consistory, 1194: Sa lait at euin, i zow accuse for thy.



-91-

1195: Quhen that the iuge in this wyse wes accusit, 1196: He bad the parteis cheis with ane assent, 1197: Twa arbeteris, as in the law is vsit, 1198: For to declair, and gif arbitriment, 1199: Quhidder the scheip suld answer in iugement, 1200: Befoir the volff: and so thay did but weir, 1201: Off quhome the namis efter ze sall heir. 1202: The beir, the brok, the mater tuke on hand 1203: For to discyde gif this exceptioun, 1204: Wes off na strenth, or lauchfully mycht stand. 1205: And thairupon as iugis thay sat doun, 1206: And held ane lang quhyle disputatioun, 1207: Seikand full mony decreitis off the law, 1208: And glosis als, the veritie to knaw. 1209: Of ciuile mony volum thay reuolue 1210: The codeis, and digestis new and ald. 1211: Contra et pro strait argumentis thay resolue. 1212: Sum a doctryne and sum a nothir hald. 1213: For prayer, nor price, trow ze thay wald fald 1214: Bot held the glose, and text of the decreis, 1215: As trew iugis. i schrew thame ay that leis. 1216: Schortlie to mak ane end off this debait, 1217: The arbiteris than summar and plane. 1218: The sentence gaue, and proces fulminait, 1219: The scheip suld pas befoir the volff agane, 1220: And end his pley. than wes he nathing fane, 1221: For fra thair sentence couth he not appeill. 1222: On clerkis i do it, gif this sentence wes leill. -93-

1223: The scheip agane befoir the volff derenzeit, 1224: But aduocate abasitlie couth stand. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (41 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1225: Vp rais the doig, and on the scheip thus plenzeit, 1226: Ane soume i payit haue befoir the hand, 1227: For certane breid thairto ane borrow he fand, 1228: That wrangouslie the scheip did hald the breid. 1229: Quhilk he denyit: and thair began the pleid, 1230: And quhen the scheip this stryif had contestait, 1231: The iustice in the cause furth can proceid. 1232: Lowrence the actis, and the proces wrait, 1233: And thus the pley vnto the end thay speid. 1234: This cursit court corruptit all for meid, 1235: Aganis gude faith, gude law, and conscience, 1236: For this fals doig pronuncit the sentence. 1237: And it till put to executioun 1238: The volff chargit the scheip without delay, 1239: Vnder the panis off interdictioun, 1240: The soume off siluer, or the breid to pay. 1241: Off this sentence allace quhat sall i say? 1242: Quhilk dampnit hes the selie innocent, 1243: And iustifyit the wrangous iugement. 1244: The scheip dreidand mair persecutioun, 1245: Obeyit to the sentence, and couth tak. 1246: His way vnto ane merchand off the toun, 1247: And sauld the woll, that he bure on his bak. 1248: Syne bocht the breid, and to the doig couth mak, 1249: Reddie payment, as he foiriugeit was. 1250: Naikit and bair syne to the feild couth pas. -95-

Moralitas

1251: This selie scheip may present the figure, 1252: Of pure commounis that daylie ar opprest, 1253: Be tirrane men, quhilkis settis all thair cure, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (42 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1254: Be fals meinis, to mak ane wrang conquest, 1255: In hope, this present lyfe suld euer lest. 1256: Bot all begylit, thay will in schort tyme end, 1257: And efter deith to lestand panis wend. 1258: This volf, i likkin to ane schiref stout, 1259: Quhilk byis ane forfalt at the kingis hand. 1260: And hes with him ane cursit assyis about, 1261: And dytis all the pure men vp on land. 1262: Fra the crownar haif laid on him his wand, 1263: Suppois he be als trew as wes sanct iohne, 1264: Slane sall he be, or with the iuge compone. 1265: This rauin, i likkin to ane fals crownair, 1266: Quhilk hes ane porteous of the inditement, 1267: And passis furth befoir the iustice air, 1268: All misdoaris to bring to iugement. 1269: Bot luke gif he be of ane trew intent, 1270: To scraip out iohne, and wryte in will, or wat, 1271: And swa ane bud at boith the parteis skat. 1272: Of this fals tod of quhilk i spak befoir, 1273: And of this gled, quhat thay micht signify. 1274: Of thair nature, as now i speik no moir. 1275: Bot of this scheip, and of his cairfull cry, 1276: I sall reheirs, for as i passit by, 1277: Quhair that he lay on cais i lukit doun, 1278: And hard him mak sair lamentatioun. -97-

1279: Allace quod he this cursit consistorie, 1280: In middis of the winter now is maid, 1281: Quhen boreas with blastis bitterlie, 1282: And frawart froistes, thir flouris doun can faid, 1283: On bankis bair now may i mak na baid. 1284: And with that word in to ane coif he crap, 1285: Fra hair wedder, and froistis him to hap.



1286: Quaikand for cauld, sair murnand ay amang, 1287: Kest vp his ee vnto the heuinnis hicht. 1288: And said, o lord , quhy sleipis thow sa lang: 1289: Walk, and discerne my cause groundit on richt. 1290: Se how i am be fraud, maistrie, and slicht, 1291: Peillit full bair, and so is mony one. 1292: Now in this warld, richt wonder wo begone. 1293: Se how this cursit syn of couetice, 1294: Exylit hes baith lufe lawtie, and law. 1295: Now few, or nane will execute iustice, 1296: In falt of quhome, the pure man is ouerthraw. 1297: The veritie suppois the iugis knaw, 1298: Thay ar so blindit with affectioun, 1299: But dreid for meid thay thoill the richt go doun. 1300: Seis thow not lord this warld ouerturnit is, 1301: As quha wald change gude gold in leid or tyn, 1302: The pure is peillit, the lord may do na mis. 1303: And simonie is haldin for na syn. 1304: Now is he blyith with okker maist may wyn. 1305: Gentrice is slane, and pietie is ago. 1306: Allace gude lord quhy tholis thow it so? -99-

1307: Thow tholis this euin for our grit offence, 1308: Thow sendis vs troubill, and plaigis soir. 1309: As hunger, derth, grit weir, or pestilence. 1310: Bot few amendis now thair lyfe thairfoir. 1311: We pure pepill as now may do no moir, 1312: Bot pray to the, sen that we ar opprest 1313: In to this eirth, grant vs in heuin gude rest.

The taill of the lyoun & the mous

Prologue http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (44 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1314: In middis of iune, that ioly sweit seasoun, 1315: Quhen that fair phebus with his bemis bricht, 1316: Had dryit vp the dew fra daill and doun, 1317: And all the land maid with his lemis licht. 1318: In ane mornyng betuix mid day and nicht, 1319: I rais and put all sleuth, and sleip asyde. 1320: And to ane wod i went allone but gyde 1321: Sweit wes the smell off flouris quhyte and reid. 1322: The noyes off birdis richt delitious 1323: The bewis braid blomit abone my heid, 1324: The ground growand with gresis gratious. 1325: Off all plesance, that place wes plenteous, 1326: With sweit odouris, and birdis harmony, 1327: The morning myld, my mirth wes mair for thy. -101-

1328: The rosis reid arrayit rone and ryce, 1329: The prymeros, and the purpour viola. 1330: To heir it wes ane poynt off paradice, 1331: Sic mirth the mauis, and the merle couth ma. 1332: The blossummis blythe brak vp on bank and bra, 1333: The smell off herbis and the fowlis cry, 1334: Contending quha suld haue the victory. 1335: Me to conserue than fra the sonis heit, 1336: Vnder the schaddow off ane hawthorne grene, 1337: I lenit doun amang the flouris sweit, 1338: Syne maid a cors and closit baith my ene. 1339: On sleip i fell amang thir bewis bene. 1340: And in my dreme, me thocht come throw the schaw, 1341: The fairest man that euer befoir i saw. 1342: His gowne wes off ane claith, als quhyte as milk. 1343: His chymmeris wes off chambelate purpour broun. 1344: His hude off scarlet, bordowrit weill with silk, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (45 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1345: On hekillit wyis vntill his girdill doun. 1346: His bonat round, and off the auld fassoun. 1347: His heid wes quhyte, his ene wes grit and gray, 1348: With lokker hair, quhilk ouer his schulderis lay. 1349: Ane roll off paper in his hand he bair. 1350: Ane swannis pen stikand vnder his eir. 1351: Ane inkhorne, with ane prettie gilt pennair, 1352: Ane bag off silk, all at his belt he weir 1353: Thus wes he gudelie grathit in his geir, 1354: Off stature large, and with ane feirfull face. 1355: Euin quhair i lay he come ane sturdie pace. -103-

1356: And said, god speid my sone: and i wes fane 1357: Off that couth word, and off his cumpany. 1358: With reuerence i salusit him agane, 1359: Welcome father: and he sat doun me by. 1360: Displeis zow not my gude maister, thocht i. 1361: Demand zour birth, zour facultye, and name, 1362: Quhy ze come heir, or quhair ze dwell at hame? 1363: My sone said he i am off gentill blude. 1364: My natall land is rome withoutin nay. 1365: And in that towne first to the sculis i zude, 1366: In ciuile law studyit full mony ane day. 1367: And now my winning is in heuin for ay. 1368: Esope i hecht, my writing and my werk, 1369: Is couth and kend to mony cunning clerk. 1370: O maister esope poet lawriate, 1371: God wait ze ar full deir welcum to me. 1372: Ar ze not he that all thir fabillis wrate, 1373: Quhilk in effect suppois thay fenzeit be, 1374: Ar full off prudence and moralitie? 1375: Fair sone said he i am the samin man. 1376: God wait gif that my hert wes merie than.



1377: I said, esope my maister venerabill, 1378: I zow beseik hartlie for cheritie, 1379: Ze wald dedene to tell ane prettie fabill, 1380: Concludand with ane gude moralitie. 1381: Schaikand his heid, he said, my sone lat be, 1382: For quhat is it worth to tell ane fenzeit taill, 1383: Quhen haly preiching may na thing auaill? -105-

1384: Now in this warld me think richt few or nane, 1385: To goddis word that hes deuotioun. 1386: The eir is deif, the hart is hard as stane. 1387: Now oppin sin without correctioun. 1388: The e inclynand to the eirth ay doun. 1389: Sa roustit is the warld with canker blak, 1390: That now my taillis may lytill succour mak. 1391: Zit gentill schir said i for my requeist, 1392: Not to displeis zour fatherheid, i pray, 1393: Vnder the figure off ane brutall beist, 1394: Ane morall fabill ze wald denze to say. 1395: Quha wait, nor i may leir and beir away 1396: Sum thing thairby heirefter may auaill? 1397: I grant quod he and thus begouth ane taill.

Fable

1398: Ane lyoun at his pray wery foirrun, 1399: To recreat his limmis and to rest, 1400: Beikand his breist, and belly at the sun, 1401: Vnder ane tre lay in the fair forest. 1402: Swa come ane trip off myis out off thair nest, 1403: Richt tait and trig, all dansand in ane gyis, 1404: And ouer the lyoun lansit twyis, or thryis.



1405: He lay so still, the myis wes not effeird, 1406: Bot to and fro out ouer him tuke thair trace. 1407: Sum tirlit at the campis off his beird, 1408: Sum spairit not to claw him on the face, 1409: Merie and glaid, thus dansit thay ane space, 1410: Till at the last, the nobill lyoun woke, 1411: And with his pow, the maister mous he tuke. -107-

1412: Scho gaue ane cry, and all the laif agast, 1413: Thair dansing left, and hid thame sone alquhair 1414: Scho that wes tane, cryit and weipit fast. 1415: And said allace oftymes that scho come thair. 1416: Now am i tane ane wofull presonair 1417: And for my gilt traistis incontinent, 1418: Off lyfe and deith, to thoill the iugement. 1419: Than spak the lyoun to that cairfull mous. 1420: Thow catiue wretche, and vile vnworthie thing, 1421: Ouer malapart, and eik presumpteous 1422: Thow wes, to mak out ouer me thy tripping. 1423: Knew thow not weill, i wes baith lord and king. 1424: Off beistis all. zes quod the mous i knaw. 1425: Bot i misknew, because ze lay so law. 1426: Lord, i beseik thy kinglie royaltie, 1427: Heir quhat i say, and tak in patience. 1428: Considder first my simple pouertie, 1429: And syne thy mychtie hie magnyfycence. 1430: Se als how thingis done off neglygence, 1431: Nouther off malice, nor of prodissioun, 1432: Erer suld haue grace and remissioun. 1433: We wer repleit, and had grit aboundance, 1434: Off alkin thingis, sic as to vs effeird. 1435: The sweit sesoun prouokit vs to dance, 1436: And mak sic mirth as nature to vs leird. 1437: Ze lay so still, and law vpon the eird, 1438: That be my sawll, we weind ze had bene deid. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (48 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1439: Elles wald we not haue dancit ouer zour heid. -109-

1440: Thy fals excuse, the lyoun said agane, 1441: Sall not auaill ane myte i vnderta. 1442: I put the cace, i had bene deid, or slane, 1443: And syne my skyn bene stoppit full off stra. 1444: Thocht thow had found my figure lyand swa, 1445: Because it bare the prent off my persoun, 1446: Thow suld for feir on kneis haue fallin doun. 1447: For thy trespas thow can mak na defence, 1448: My nobill persoun thus to vilipend. 1449: Off thy feiris, nor thy awin negligence, 1450: For to excuse thow can na cause pretend. 1451: Thairfoir thow suffer sall ane schamefull end, 1452: And deith, sic as to tressoun is decreit, 1453: Onto the gallous harlit be the feit. 1454: A mercie lord, at thy gentrice i ase, 1455: As thow art king off beistis coronate, 1456: Sober thy wraith, and let thi yre ouerpas, 1457: And mak thy mynd to mercy inclynate. 1458: I grant offence is done to thyne estate, 1459: Quhairfoir i worthie am to suffer deid, 1460: Bot gif thy kinglie mercie reik remeid. 1461: In euerie iuge mercy and reuth suld be, 1462: As assessouris, and collaterall. 1463: Without mercie iustice is crueltie, 1464: As said is in the lawis spirituall. 1465: Quhen rigour sittis in the tribunall, 1466: The equitie off law quha may sustene? 1467: Richt few or nane but mercie gang betwene. -111-



1468: Alswa ze knaw the honour triumphall, 1469: Off all victour, vpon the strenth dependis 1470: Off his compair, quhilk manlie in battell, 1471: Throw ieopardie of weir lang defendis. 1472: Quhat pryce or louing quhen the battell endis, 1473: Is said off him, that ouercummis ane man, 1474: Him to defend quhilk nouther may, nor can 1475: Ane thowsand myis to kill, and eik deuoir, 1476: Is lytill manheid to ane strang lyoun. 1477: Full lytill worschip haue ze wyn thairfoir, 1478: To qwhais strenth is na comparisoun: 1479: It will degraid sum part off zour renoun, 1480: To sla ane mous, quhilk may mak na defence, 1481: Bot askand mercie at zour excellence. 1482: Also it semis not zour celsitude, 1483: Quhilk vsis daylie meittis delitious, 1484: To fyle zour teith, or lippis with my blude, 1485: Quhilk to zour stomok is contagious. 1486: Vnhailsum meit is of ane sarie mous, 1487: And that namelie vntill ane strang lyoun, 1488: Vont till be fed with gentill vennesoun. 1489: My lyfe is lytill worth, my deith is les. 1490: Yit and i leif, i may peradventure 1491: Supple zour hienes beand in distres, 1492: For oft is sene, ane man off small stature, 1493: Reskewit hes ane lord off hie honour, 1494: Keipit that wes in poynt to be ouerthrawin. 1495: Throw misfortoun sic cace may be zour awin. -113-

1496: Quhen this wes said, the lyoun his language 1497: Paissit, and thocht according to ressoun. 1498: And gart mercie his cruell ire asswage, 1499: And to the mous grantit remissioun. 1500: Oppinnit his pow, and scho on kneis fell doun, 1501: And baith hir handis vnto the heuin vpheild, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (50 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1502: Cryand, almichty god mot zow forzeild. 1503: Quhen scho wes gone, the lyoun held to hunt, 1504: For he had nocht, bot leuit on his pray 1505: And slew baith tayme and wyld, as he wes wont, 1506: And in the cuntrie maid ane grit deray. 1507: Till at the last, the pepill fand the way, 1508: This cruell lyoun how that thay mycht tak. 1509: Off hempyn cordis strang nettis couth thay mak. 1510: And in ane rod, quhair he wes wont to ryn, 1511: With raipis rude fra tre to tre it band. 1512: Syne kest ane range on raw the wod within, 1513: With hornis blast, and kennettis fast calland. 1514: The lyoun fled, and throw the ron rynnand, 1515: Fell in the net, and hankit fute and heid, 1516: For all his strenth he couth mak na remeid. 1517: Welterand about with hiddeous rummissing, 1518: Quhyle to, quhyle fra, quhill he mycht succour get. 1519: Bot all in vane, it vailzeit him na thing. 1520: The mair he flang, the faster wes he knet, 1521: The raipis rude wes sa about him plet, 1522: On euerilk syde, that succour saw he nane, 1523: Bot styll lyand, thus murnand maid his mane. -115-

1524: O lamit lyoun liggand heir sa law, 1525: Quhair is the mycht off thy magnyfycence? 1526: Off quhome all brutall beist in eird stude aw, 1527: And dred to luke vpon thy excellence. 1528: But hoip, or help, but succour, or defence, 1529: In bandis strang heir man i ly allace 1530: Till i be slane, i se nane vther grace. 1531: Thair is na wy that will my harmis wreik, 1532: Nor creature do confort to my croun. 1533: Quha sall me bute? quha sall my bandis breik? http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (51 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1534: Quha sall me put fra pane off this presoun? 1535: Be he had maid this lamentatioun, 1536: Throw auenture, the lytill mous come neir, 1537: And off the lyoun hard the pietuous beir. 1538: And suddanlie it come in till hir mynd, 1539: That it suld be the lyoun did hir grace, 1540: And said, now wer i fals, and richt vnkynd, 1541: Bot gif i quit sumpart thy gentilnes, 1542: Thow did to me: and on with that scho gais, 1543: To hir fellowis and on thame fast can cry. 1544: Cum help, cum help, and thay come all in hy. 1545: Lo quod the mous this is the samin lyoun, 1546: That grantit grace to me, quhen i wes tane. 1547: And now is fast heir bundin in presoun, 1548: Brekand his hart, with sair murning and mane. 1549: Bot we him help off souccour wait he nane. 1550: Cum help to quyte ane gude turne for ane vther. 1551: Go lous him sone, and thay said ze gude brother. -117-

1552: Thay tuke na knyfe, thair teith wes scharpe anewch: 1553: To se that sicht, forsuith it wes grit wounder, 1554: How that thay ran amang the rapis tewch, 1555: Befoir, behind, sum zeid abone, sum vnder. 1556: And schuir the raipis off the mastis in schunder. 1557: Syne bad him ryse, and he start vp anone, 1558: And thankit thame, syne on his way is gone. 1559: Now is the lyoun fre off all danger, 1560: Lows and delyuerit to his libertie, 1561: Be lytill beistis off ane small power. 1562: As ze haue hard, because he had pietie. 1563: Quod i maister is thair ane moralitie 1564: In this fabill? zea sone he said richt gude. 1565: I pray zow schir quod i ze wald conclude.



Moralitas

1566: As i suppois, this mychtie gay lyoun, 1567: May signifie ane prince, or empriour. 1568: Ane potestate, or zit ane king with croun, 1569: Quhilk suld be walkrife gyde, and gouernour, 1570: Of his pepill and takis na labour 1571: To reule, and steir, the land, and iustice keip, 1572: Bot lyis still in lustis, sleuth, and sleip. 1573: The fair forest with leuis lowne and le, 1574: With foulis sang, and flouris ferlie sweit, 1575: Is bot the warld, and his prosperitie, 1576: As fals plesance myngit with cair repleit. 1577: Richt as the rois, with froist, and wynter weit 1578: Faidis, swa dois the warld, and thame desauis, 1579: Quhilk in thair lustis maist confidence hauis. -119-

1580: Thir lytill myis, ar bot the commountie, 1581: Wantoun, vnwyse, without correctioun. 1582: Thair lordis, and princis quhen that thay se, 1583: Of iustice mak nane executioun, 1584: Thay dreid na thing to mak rebellioun, 1585: And disobey: for quhy thay stand nane aw, 1586: That garris thame thair soueranis to misknaw. 1587: Be this fabill, ze lordis of prudence, 1588: May considder the vertew of pietie. 1589: And to remit sumtyme ane grit offence, 1590: And mitigate with mercy crueltie. 1591: Oftymis is sene ane man of small degre, 1592: Hes quit ane commoun baith for gude and ill. 1593: As lord hes done rigour, or grace him till. 1594: Quha wait how sone ane lord of grit renoun, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (53 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1595: Rolland in wardlie lust, and vane plesance, 1596: May be ouerthrawin, destroyit, and put doun, 1597: Throw fals fortoun? quhilk of all variance 1598: Is haill maistres, and leidar of the dance 1599: Till iniust men, and blindis thame so soir. 1600: That thay na perrell can prouyde befoir. 1601: Thir rurall men, that stentit hes the net, 1602: In quhilk the lyoun suddandlie wes tane: 1603: Waittit alway amendis for to get. 1604: For hurt men wrytis in the marbill stane 1605: Mair till expound, as now i lett allane. 1606: Bot king and lord may weill wit quhat i mene: 1607: Figure heirof oftymis hes bene sene. -121-

1608: Quhen this wes said quod esope my fair child, 1609: Perswaid the kirkmen ythandly to pray, 1610: That tressoun of this cuntrie be exyld, 1611: And iustice regne, and lordis keip thair fay 1612: Vnto thair souerane lord baith nycht and day. 1613: And with that word he vanist, and i woke. 1614: Syne throw the schaw my iourney hamewart tuke.

The preiching of the swallow

1615: The hie prudence, and wirking meruelous, 1616: The profound wit off god omnipotent, 1617: Is sa perfyte and sa ingenious 1618: Excellent far all mannis iugement. 1619: For quhy to him all thing is ay present, 1620: Rycht as it is, or ony tyme sall be, 1621: Befoir the sicht off his diuinitie. 1622: Thairfoir our saull with sensualitie, 1623: So fetterit is in presoun corporall, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (54 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1624: We may not cleirlie vnderstand, nor se 1625: God, as he is, nor thingis celestiall, 1626: Our mirk and deidlie corps naturall, 1627: Blindis the spirituall operatioun, 1628: Lyke as ane man wer bundin in presoun. -123-

1629: In metaphisik aristotell sayis, 1630: That mannis saull is lyke ane bakkis ee, 1631: Quhilk lurkis still, als lang as licht off day is, 1632: And in the gloming cummis furth to fle. 1633: Hir ene ar waik, the sone scho may not se. 1634: Sa is our saull with fantasie opprest, 1635: To knaw the thingis in nature manifest. 1636: For god is in his power infinite: 1637: And mannis saull is febill, and ouer small, 1638: Off vnderstanding waik, and vnperfite 1639: To comprehend him that contenis all. 1640: Nane suld presume be ressoun naturall 1641: To seirche the secreitis off the trinitie, 1642: Bot trow fermelie, and lat all ressoun be. 1643: Zyt neuertheles we may haif knawlegeing 1644: Off god almychtie, be his creatouris. 1645: That he is gude, fair, wyis and bening, 1646: Exempill takis be thir iolie flouris, 1647: Rycht sweit off smell, and plesant off colouris. 1648: Sum grene, sum blew, sum purpour, quhyte, and reid, 1649: Thus distribute be gift off his godheid. 1650: The firmament payntit with sternis cleir, 1651: From eist to west rolland in cirkill round. 1652: And euerilk planet in his proper spheir, 1653: In mouing makand harmonie and sound. 1654: The fyre, the air, the watter, and the ground. 1655: Till vnderstand it is aneuch, i wis, 1656: That god in all his werkis wittie is.



-125-

1657: Luke weill the fische that swimmis in the se. 1658: Luke weill in eirth all kynd off bestyall. 1659: The foulis fair sa forcelie thay fle. 1660: Scheddand the air with pennis grit and small. 1661: Syne luke to man, that he maid last off all, 1662: Lyke to his image, and his similitude, 1663: Be thir we knaw, that god is fair and gude. 1664: All creature he maid for the behufe 1665: Off man, and to his supportatioun, 1666: In to this eirth, baith vnder and abufe, 1667: In number, wecht, and dew proportioun. 1668: The difference off tyme, and ilk seasoun, 1669: Concorddand till our opurtunitie. 1670: As daylie be experience we may se. 1671: The somer with his iolie mantill grene, 1672: With flouris fair furrit on euerilk fent. 1673: Quhilk flora goddes off the flouris quene, 1674: Hes to that lord as for his seasoun lent. 1675: And phebus with his goldin bemis gent, 1676: Hes purfellit and payntit plesandly. 1677: With heit and moysture stilland from the sky 1678: Syne haruest hait, quhen ceres that goddes 1679: Hir barnis benit hes with abundance. 1680: And bachus god off wyne renewit hes 1681: Hir tume pyipis, in italie, and france, 1682: With wynis wicht, and liquour off plesance. 1683: And copia temporis to fill hir horne, 1684: That neuer wes full off quheit, nor vther corne -127-

1685: Syne wynter wan, quhen austerne eolus, 1686: God off the wynd with blastis boreall, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (56 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1687: The grene garment off somer glorious, 1688: Hes all to rent, and reuin in pecis small. 1689: Than flouris fair faidit with froist, man fall. 1690: And birdis blyith changeis thair noitis sweit, 1691: In styll murning, neir slane with snaw, and sleit. 1692: Thir dalis deip with dubbis drounit is. 1693: Baith hill and holt heillit with frostis hair. 1694: And bewis bene ar bethit bair off blis, 1695: Be wickit windis off the winter wair. 1696: All wyld beistis than from the bentis bair 1697: Drawis for dreid vnto thair dennis deip, 1698: Coucheand for cauld in coifis thame to keip. 1699: Syne cummis ver, quhen winter is away, 1700: The secretar off somer with his sell. 1701: Quhen columbie vp keikis throw the clay, 1702: Quhilk fleit wes befoir with froistes fell. 1703: The mauis, and the merle, beginnis to mell: 1704: The lark on loft, with vther birdis smale, 1705: Than drawis furth fra derne, ouer doun and daill. 1706: That samin seasoun, in to ane soft morning, 1707: Rycht blyth that bitter blastis wer ago, 1708: Vnto the wod to se the flouris spring, 1709: And heir the mauis sing, and birdis mo 1710: I passit furth, syne lukit to and fro 1711: To se the soill, that wes richt sessonabill, 1712: Sappie, and to resaue all seidis abill. -129-

1713: Mouing thusgait grit myrth i tuke in mynd 1714: Off lauboraris to se the besines. 1715: Sum makand dyke, and sum the pleuch can wynd, 1716: Sum sawand seidis fast frome place to place. 1717: The harrowis hoppand in the saweris trace. 1718: It wes grit ioy to him that luifit corne, 1719: To se thame laubour, baith at euin and morne.



1720: And as i baid vnder ane bank full bene, 1721: In hart gritlie reiosit off that sicht. 1722: Vnto ane hedge, vnder ane hawthorne grene 1723: Off small birdis thair come ane ferlie flicht. 1724: And doun belyif can on the leifis licht, 1725: On euerilk syde about me quhair i stude, 1726: Rycht meruellous ane mekill multitude. 1727: Amang the quhilks, ane swallow loud couth cry, 1728: On that hawthorne hie in the croip sittand. 1729: O ze birdis on bewis, heir me by, 1730: Ze sall weill knaw, and wyislie vnderstand, 1731: Quhair danger is, or perrell appeirand, 1732: It is grit wisedome to prouyde befoir, 1733: It to deuoyd, for dreid it hurt zow moir. 1734: Schir swallow quod the lark agane and leuch, 1735: Quhat haue ze sene, that causis zow to dreid? 1736: Se ze zone churll quod scho bezond zone pleuch. 1737: Fast sawand hemp, lo se and linget seid 1738: Zone lint will grow in lytill tyme in deid, 1739: And thairoff will zone churll his nettis mak, 1740: Vnder the quhilk he thinkis vs to tak. -131-

1741: Thairfoir i reid we pas quhen he is gone, 1742: At euin, and with our naillis scharp and small, 1743: Out off the eirth scraip we zone seid anone, 1744: And eit it vp, for giff it growis, we sall 1745: Haue cause to weip heirefter ane and all. 1746: Se we remeid thairfoir furth with instante, 1747: Nam leuius laedit quicquid praevidimus ante 1748: For clerkis sayis, it is nocht sufficient, 1749: To considder that is befoir thyne ee. 1750: Bot prudence is ane inwart argument, 1751: That garris ane man prouyde befoir and se, 1752: Quhat gude, quhat euill is liklie for to be, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (58 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1753: Off euerilk thingis at the fynall end. 1754: And swa fra perrell ethar him defend. 1755: The lark lauchand the swallow thus couth scorne 1756: And said scho fischit lang befoir the net. 1757: The barne is eith to busk that is vnborne. 1758: All growis nocht, that in the ground is set. 1759: The nek to stoup quhen it the straik sall get, 1760: Is sone aneuch: deith on the fayest fall. 1761: Thus scornit thay the swallow ane and all. 1762: Despysing thus hir helthsum document 1763: The foulis ferlie tuke thair flicht anone, 1764: Sum with ane bir thay braidit ouer the bent: 1765: And sum agane ar to the grene wod gone. 1766: Vpon the land quhair i wes left allone, 1767: I tuke my club, and hamewart couth i carie 1768: Swa ferliand, as i had sene ane farie. -133-

1769: Thus passit furth quhill iune that iolie tyde, 1770: And seidis that wer sawin off beforne, 1771: Wer growin hie, that hairis mycht thame hyde: 1772: And als the quailze craikand in the corne. 1773: I mouit furth betuix midday and morne, 1774: Vnto the hedge vnder the hawthorne grene, 1775: Quhair i befoir the said birdis had sene. 1776: And as i stude be auenture and cace, 1777: The samin birdis as i haif said zow air, 1778: I hoip, because it wes thair hanting place, 1779: Mair off succour, or zit mair solitair, 1780: Thay lychtit doun: and quhen thay lychtit wair, 1781: The swallow swyth put furth ane pietuous pyme, 1782: Said, wo is him can not bewar in tyme. 1783: O blind birdis, and full off negligence, 1784: Vnmyndfull off zour awin prosperitie. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (59 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1785: Lift vp zour sicht, and tak gude aduertence, 1786: Luke to the lint, that growis on zone le. 1787: Zone is the thing i bad forsuith, that we 1788: Quhill it wes seid suld rute furth off the eird. 1789: Now is it lint: now is it hie on breird. 1790: Go zit, quhill it is tender zoung and small, 1791: And pull it vp, let it na mair incres. 1792: My flesche growis, my bodie quaikis all, 1793: Thinkand on it i may not sleip in peis. 1794: Thay cryit all, and bad the swallow ceis. 1795: And said, zone lint heirefter will do gude, 1796: For linget is to lytill birdis fude, -135-

1797: We think quhen that zone lint bollis ar ryip, 1798: To mak vs feist, and fill vs off the seid, 1799: Magre zone churll, and on it sing and pyip. 1800: Weill quod the swallow freindes hardilie beid. 1801: Do as ze will, bot certane sair i dreid, 1802: Heirefter ze sall find als sour, as sweit, 1803: Quhen ze ar speldit on zone carlis speit. 1804: The awner off zone lint, ane fouler is, 1805: Richt cautelous, and full off subteltie. 1806: His pray full sendill tymis will he mis, 1807: Bot giff we birdis all the warrer be. 1808: Full mony off our kin he hes gart de 1809: And thocht it bot ane sport to spill thair blude. 1810: God keip me fra him, and the halie rude. 1811: Thir small birdis haueand bot lytill thocht 1812: Off perrell that mycht fall be auenture, 1813: The counsell off the swallow set at nocht, 1814: Bot tuke thair flicht, and furth togidder fure. 1815: Sum to the wode sum markit to the mure. 1816: I tuke my staff, quhen this wes said and done, 1817: And walkit hame, for it drew neir the none.



1818: The lynt ryipit, the carll pullit the lyne: 1819: Rippillit the bollis, and in beitis set. 1820: It steipit in the burne, and dryit syne: 1821: And with ane bittill knokkit it, and bet. 1822: Syne swingillit it weill, and hekkillit in the flet. 1823: His wyfe it span, and twynit it in to threid. 1824: Off quhilk the fowlar nettis maid in deid. -137-

1825: The wynter come, the wickit wind can blaw: 1826: The woddis grene wer wallowit with the weit. 1827: Baith firth and fell with froistys wer maid faw, 1828: Slonkis and slaik maid slidderie with the sleit. 1829: The foulis fair for falt thay fell off feit. 1830: On bewis bair it wes na bute to byde, 1831: Bot hyit vnto housis thame to hyde. 1832: Sum in the barn, sum in the stak off corne, 1833: Thair lugeing tuke, and maid thair residence. 1834: The fowlar saw, and grit aithis hes sworne, 1835: Thay suld be tane trewlie for thair expence. 1836: His nettis hes he set with diligence, 1837: And in the snaw he schulit hes ane plane, 1838: And heillit it all ouer with calf agane. 1839: Thir small birdis seand the calff wes glaid. 1840: Trowand it had bene corne thay lychtit doun. 1841: Bot of the nettis na presume thay had, 1842: Nor of the fowlaris fals intentioun. 1843: To scraip, and seik thair meit thay maid thame boun, 1844: The swallow on ane lytill branche neir by, 1845: Dreiddand for gyle, thus loud on thame couth cry. 1846: Into that calf scraip quhill zour naillis bleid, 1847: Thair is na corne, ze laubour all in vane. 1848: Trow ze zone churll for pietie will zow feid. 1849: Na, na, he hes it heir layit for ane trane. 1850: Remoue i reid, or ellis ze will be slane. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (61 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1851: His nettis he hes set full priuely. 1852: Reddie to draw: in tyme be war for thy. -139-

1853: Grit fule is he that puttis in dangeir 1854: His lyfe, his honour, for ane thing off nocht. 1855: Grit fule is he, that will not glaidlie heir 1856: Counsall in tyme, quhill it auaill him mocht. 1857: Grit fule is he, that hes na thing in thocht, 1858: Bot thing present: and efter quhat may fall, 1859: Nor off the end hes na memoriall. 1860: Thir small birdis for hunger famischit neir, 1861: Full besie scraipand for to seik thair fude. 1862: The counsall off the swallow wald not heir. 1863: Suppois thair laubour dyd thame lytill gude. 1864: Quhen scho thair fulische hartis vnderstude 1865: Sa indurate, vp in ane tre scho flew. 1866: With that this churll ouer thame his nettis drew, 1867: Allace it wes grit hart sair for to se 1868: That bludie bowcheour beit thay birdis doun. 1869: And for till heir, quhen thay wist weill to de, 1870: Thair cairfull sang and lamentatioun. 1871: Sum with ane staf he straik to eirth on swoun: 1872: Off sum the heid: off sum he brak the crag: 1873: Sum half on lyfe, he stoppit in his bag. 1874: And quhen the swallow saw that thay wer deid. 1875: Lo quod scho thus it happinnis mony syis, 1876: On thame that will not tak counsall nor reid 1877: Off prudent men, or clerkis that ar wyis. 1878: This grit perrell i tauld thame mair than thryis. 1879: Now ar thay deid, and wo is me thairfoir. 1880: Scho tuke hir flicht, bot i hir saw no moir. -141-



Moralitas

1881: Lo worthie folk esope that nobill clerk, 1882: Ane poet worthie to be lawreate. 1883: Quhen that he waikit from mair autentik werk, 1884: With vther ma, this foirsaid fabill wrate. 1885: Quhilk at this tyme may weill be applicate, 1886: To gude morall edificatioun, 1887: Haifand ane sentence, according to ressoun. 1888: This carll, and bond of gentrice spoliate, 1889: Sawand this calf, thir small birdis to sla. 1890: It is the feind, quhilk fra the angelike state, 1891: Exylit is, as fals apostata. 1892: Quhilk day and nycht weryis not for to ga, 1893: Sawand poysoun and mony wickit thocht, 1894: In mannis saull, quhilk christ full deir hes bocht. 1895: And quhen the saull, as seid in to the eird, 1896: Geuis consent vnto delectatioun, 1897: The wickit thocht beginnis for to breird, 1898: In deidlie sin, quhilk is dampnatioun. 1899: Ressoun is blindit with affectioun. 1900: And carnall lust grouis full grene and gay, 1901: Throw consuetude hantit from day to day. 1902: Proceding furth be vse and consuetude, 1903: The sin ryipis, and schame is set on syde. 1904: The feynd plettis his nettis scharp and rude, 1905: And vnder plesance preuilie dois hyde. 1906: Syne on the feild he sawis calf full wyde, 1907: Quhilk is bot tume and verray vanitie, 1908: Of fleschlie lust, and vaine prosperitie. -143-

1909: Thir hungrie birdis, wretchis we may call, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (63 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1910: Ay scraipand in this warldis vane plesance. 1911: Greddie to gadder gudis temporall, 1912: Quhilk as the calf, ar tume without substance. 1913: Lytill of vaill, and full of variance. 1914: Lyke to the mow, befoir the face of wind 1915: Quhiskis away, and makis wretchis blind. 1916: This swallow quhilk eschaipit is the snair. 1917: The halie preichour weill may signifie. 1918: Exhortand folk to walk, and ay be wair 1919: Fra nettis of our wickit enemie. 1920: Quha sleipis not, bot euer is reddie, 1921: Quhen wretchis in this warldis calf dois scraip, 1922: To draw his net, that thay may not eschaip. 1923: Allace quhat cair, quhat weiping is and wo, 1924: Quhen saull and bodie partit ar in twane? 1925: The bodie to the wormis keitching go: 1926: The saull to fyre to euerlestand pane. 1927: Quhat help is than this calf, thir gudis vane? 1928: Quhen thow art put in luceferis bag, 1929: And brocht to hell, and hangit be the crag. 1930: Thir hid nettis for to persaue and se, 1931: This sarie calf wyislie to vnderstand: 1932: Best is bewar, in maist prosperitie, 1933: For in this warld thair is na thing lestand. 1934: Is na man wait how lang his stait will stand, 1935: His lyfe will lest, nor how that he sall end: 1936: Efter his deith nor quhidder he sall wend. -145-

1937: Pray we thairfoir quhill we ar in this lyfe,, 1938: For four thingis: the first, fra sin remufe. 1939: The secund is, to seis all weir and stryfe, 1940: The thrid is, perfite cheritie and lufe. 1941: The feird thing is, and maist for our behufe, 1942: That is in blis with angellis to be fallow. 1943: And thus endis the preiching of the swallow. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (64 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


The taill of the wolf, that gat the nekhering, throw the wrinkis of the foxe, that begylit the cadgear

1944: Qwhylum thair wynnit in ane wildernes, 1945: As myne authour expreslie can declair 1946: Ane reuand volff, that leuit vpon purches, 1947: On bestiall, and maid him weill to fair. 1948: Wes nane sa big about him he wald spair, 1949: And he war hungrie, outher for fauour, or feid, 1950: Bot in his breith he weryit thame to deid. 1951: Swa happinnit him in waithing as he went, 1952: To meit ane foxe in middis off the way. 1953: He him foirsaw, and fenzeit to be schent, 1954: And with ane bek, he bad the volff gude day, 1955: Welcum to me quod he thow russell gray. 1956: Syne loutit doun, and tuke him be the hand. 1957: Ryse vp lowrence, i leif the for to stand. -147-

1958: Quhair hes thow bene this sesoun fra my sicht? 1959: Thow sall beir office, and my stewart be. 1960: For thow can knap doun caponis on the nicht, 1961: And lourand law thow can gar hennis de. 1962: Schir said the foxe that ganis not for me. 1963: And i am rad, gif thay me se on far, 1964: That at my figure, beist and bird will skar. 1965: Na quod the volff thow can in couert creip 1966: Vpon thy wame, and hint thame be the heid. 1967: And mak ane suddand schow vpon ane scheip, 1968: Syne with thy wappinnis wirrie him to deid. 1969: Schir said the foxe ze knaw my roib is reid. 1970: And thairfoir thair will na beist abyde me, 1971: Thocht i wald be sa fals as for to hyde me. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (65 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


1972: Zis quod the volff throw buskis and throw brais 1973: Law can thow lour, to come to thy intent. 1974: Schir said the foxe ze wait weill how it gais, 1975: Ane lang space fra thame thay will feill my sent. 1976: Than will thay schaip, suppois thay suld be schent. 1977: And i am schamefull for to cum behind thame, 1978: In to the feild thocht i suld sleipand find thame. 1979: Na quod the volff thow can cum on the wind, 1980: For euerie wrink forsuith thow hes ane wyle. 1981: Schir said the foxe that beist ze mycht call blind 1982: That micht not eschaip than fra me ane myle. 1983: How micht i ane off thame that wyis begyle? 1984: My tippit twa eiris, and my twa gray ene, 1985: Garris me be kend, quhair i wes neuer sene. -149-

1986: Than said the volff lowrence, i heir the le, 1987: And castys for perrellis thy ginnes to defend. 1988: Bot all thy sonzeis sall not auaill the, 1989: About the busk with wayis thocht thow wend. 1990: Falset will failze ay at the latter end: 1991: To bow at bidding, and byde not quhill thow brest, 1992: Thairfoir i giff the counsall for the best. 1993: Schir said the foxe it is lentring ze se, 1994: I can nocht fische, for weiting off my feit, 1995: To tak ane banestikill, thocht we baith suld de. 1996: I haue nane vther craft to win my meit. 1997: Bot wer it pasche, that men suld pultrie eit 1998: As kiddis, lambis, or caponis in to ply. 1999: To beir zour office than wald i not set by. 2000: Than said the volff in wraith wenis thou with wylis, 2001: And with thy mony mowis me to mat. 2002: It is ane auld dog, doutles that thow begylis: 2003: Thow wenis to drau the stra befoir the cat. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (66 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2004: Schir said the foxe god wait, i mene not that, 2005: For and i did, it wer weill worth that ze, 2006: In ane rude raip had tyit me till ane tre. 2007: Bot nou i se, he is ane fule perfay, 2008: That with his maister fallis in ressoning. 2009: I did bot till assay quhat ze wald say, 2010: God wait my mynd wes on ane vther thing. 2011: I sall fulfill in all thing zour bidding, 2012: Quhat euer ze charge on nichtis or on dayis. 2013: Weill quod the volff i heir weill quhat thou sayis. -151-

2014: Bot zit i will, thow mak to me ane aith, 2015: For to be leill attour all leuand leid. 2016: Schir said the foxe that ane word maks me wraith 2017: For nou i se, ze haue me at ane dreid. 2018: Zit sall i sweir, suppois it be nocht neid. 2019: Be iuppiter, and on pane off my heid, 2020: I sall be treu to zou, quhill i be deid. 2021: With that ane cadgear, with capill, and with creillis 2022: Come carpand furth: than lawrence culd him spy? 2023: The foxe the flewer off the fresche hering feillis, 2024: And to the volff he roundis priuely. 2025: Schir, zone ar hering the cadgear caryis by. 2026: Thairfoir i reid, that we se for sum wayis, 2027: To get sum fische aganis thir fasting dayis. 2028: Sen i am stewart, i wald we had sum stuff, 2029: And ze ar siluer seik, i wait richt weill. 2030: Thocht we wald thig, zone verray churlische chuff, 2031: He will not giff vs ane hering off his creill, 2032: Befoir zone churle on kneis thocht we wald kneill. 2033: Bot zit i trou alsone that ze sall se, 2034: Giff i can craft, to bleir zone carlis ee. 2035: Schir, ane thing is, and we get off zone pelff http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (67 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2036: Ze man tak trauell, and mak vs sum supple. 2037: For he that will not laubour, and help him selff, 2038: In to thir dayis he is not worth ane fle. 2039: I think to work als besie as ane be. 2040: And ze sall follou ane lytill efterwart, 2041: And gadder hering, for that sall be zour part. -153-

2042: With that he kest ane cumpas far about, 2043: And straucht him doun in middis off the way, 2044: As he wer deid, he fenzeit him but dout. 2045: And than vpon lenth vnliklie lay, 2046: The quhyte he turnit vp, off his ene tuay. 2047: His toung out hang ane handbreid off his heid. 2048: And still he lay, als straucht as he wer deid. 2049: The cadgear fand the foxe, and he wes fane, 2050: And till him self, thus softlie can he say. 2051: At the nixt bait in faith ze sall be flane, 2052: And off zour skyn i sall mak mittenis tway. 2053: He lap full lichtlie about him quhair he lay, 2054: And all the trace he trippit on his tais, 2055: As he had hard ane pyper play he gais. 2056: Heir lyis the deuyll quod he deid in ane dyke. 2057: Sic ane selcouth sau i not this seuin zeir. 2058: I trou ze haue bene tussillit with sum tyke, 2059: That garris zou ly sa still withoutin steir. 2060: Schir foxe, in faith ze ar deir welcum heir. 2061: It is sum wyfis malisone, i trow, 2062: For pultrie pyking that lychtit hes on zow. 2063: Thair sall na pedder, for purs, nor zit for glufis, 2064: Nor zit for poyntis pyke zour pellet fra me. 2065: I sall off it mak mittenis to my lufis, 2066: Till hald my handis hait quhair euer i be. 2067: Till flanderis sall it neuer saill the se. 2068: With that in hy, he hint him be the heillis, 2069: And with ane swak he swang him on the creillis. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (68 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


-155-

2070: Syne be the heid the hors in hy hes hint. 2071: The fraudfull foxe thairto gude tent hes tane. 2072: And with his teith the stoppell or he stint, 2073: Pullit out, and syne the hering ane, and ane, 2074: Out off the creillis he swakkit doun gude wane. 2075: The volff wes war, and gadderit spedilie. 2076: The cadgear sang, huntis vp, vp vpon hie. 2077: Zit at ane burne the cadgear lukit about. 2078: With that the foxe lap quyte the creillis fray. 2079: The cadgear wald haue raucht the foxe ane rout. 2080: Bot all for nocht, he wan his hoill that day. 2081: Than with ane schout, thus can the cadgear say. 2082: Abyde and thou ane nekhering sall haif, 2083: Is worth my capill, creillis, and all the laif. 2084: Now quod the foxe i schreu me, and we meit. 2085: I hard quhat thou hecht to do with my skyn. 2086: Thy handis sall neuer in thay mittinnis tak heit, 2087: And thou wer hangit carll, and all thy kyn. 2088: Do furth thy mercat, at me thou sall nocht wyn, 2089: And sell thy hering thou hes thair, till hie price 2090: Ellis thow sall wyn nocht on thy merchandice. 2091: The cadgear trimmillit for teyne quhair that he stude. 2092: It is weill worthie quod he i want zone tyke, 2093: That had nocht in my hand sa mekill gude, 2094: As staff, or sting, zone truker for to stryke. 2095: With that lychtlie he lap out ouer ane dyke. 2096: And snakkit doun ane staff, for he wes tene. 2097: That heuie wes, and off the holyne grene. -157-

2098: With that the foxe vnto the volff could wend. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (69 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2099: And fand him be the hering, quhair he lyis. 2100: Schir said he than maid i not fair defend. 2101: Ane wicht man wantit neuer, and he wer wyis. 2102: Ane hardie hart is hard for to suppryis. 2103: Than said the volff thow art ane berne full bald. 2104: And wyse at will, in gude tyme be it tald. 2105: Bot quhat wes zone the carll cryit on hie, 2106: And schuke his hand, quod he hes thou no feill? 2107: Schir said the foxe that i can tell trewlie. 2108: He said, the nekhering wes in till the creill. 2109: Kennis thou that hering: ze schir, i ken it weill. 2110: And at the creill mouth i had it thryis but dout. 2111: The wecht off it neir tit my tuskis out. 2112: Now suithlie schir, micht we that hering fang, 2113: It wald be fische to vs thir fourtie dayis. 2114: Than said the volff nou god nor that i hang, 2115: Bot to be thair, i wald gif all my clays. 2116: To se gif that my wappinnis mycht it rais. 2117: Schir said the foxe god wait, i wischit zou oft, 2118: Quhen that my pith micht not beir it on loft. 2119: It is ane syde off salmond, as it wair, 2120: And callour, pypand lyke ane pertrik ee. 2121: It is worth all the hering ze haue thair. 2122: Ze and we had it swa, is it worth sic thre. 2123: Than said the volff quhat counsell geuis thou me? 2124: Schir said the foxe wirk efter my deuyis, 2125: And ze sall haue it, and tak zou na suppryis. -159-

2126: First, ze man cast ane cumpas far about. 2127: Syne straucht zou doun in middis off the way. 2128: Baith heid, and feit, and taill ze man streik out. 2129: Hing furth zour toung, and clois weill zour ene tway. 2130: Syne se zour heid on ane hard place ze lay. 2131: And dout not for na perrell may appeir, 2132: Bot hald zou clois, quhen that the carll cummis neir. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (70 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2133: And thocht ze se ane staf, haue ze na dout. 2134: Bot hald zou wonder still in to that steid. 2135: And luke zour ene be clois, as thay wer out. 2136: And se that ze schrink nouther fute, nor heid, 2137: Than will the cadgear carll trou ze be deid, 2138: And in till haist will hint zou be the heillis, 2139: As he did me, and swak zou on his creillis. 2140: Now quod the volff i sweir the be my thrift, 2141: I trou zone cadgear carll dow not me beir. 2142: Schir said the foxe on loft he will zou lift, 2143: Vpon his creillis and do him lytill deir. 2144: Bot ane thing dar i suithlie to zou sweir, 2145: Get ze that hering sicker in sum place, 2146: Ze sall not fair in fisching mair quhill pasche. 2147: I sall say in principio vpon zow, 2148: And crose zour corps, from the top, to tay. 2149: Wend quhen ze will, i dar be warrand now, 2150: That ze sall de na suddand deith this day. 2151: With that the volff gird vp sone, and to gay, 2152: And caist ane cumpas about the cadgear far, 2153: Syne raucht him in the gait, or he come nar. -161-

2154: He laid his halfheid sicker, hard, and sad. 2155: Syne straucht his four feit fra him, and his heid. 2156: And hang his toung furth as the foxe him bad. 2157: Als styll he lay, as he wer verray deid. 2158: Rakkand na thing off the carlis fauour nor feid. 2159: Bot euer vpon the nekhering he thinkis, 2160: And quyte forzettis the foxe, and all his wrinkis. 2161: With that the cadgear als wraith as ony wind, 2162: Come rydand on the laid, for it wes licht. 2163: Thinkand ay on the foxe that wes behind, 2164: Vpon quhat wyse, reuenge him best he micht. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (71 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2165: And at the last, of the volff gat ane sicht, 2166: Quhair he in lenth lay streikit in the gait. 2167: Bot giff he lichtit doun, or nocht, god wait. 2168: Softlie he said, i wes begylit anis, 2169: Be i begylit twyis, i schrew vs baith. 2170: That euill bat it sall licht vpon thy banis, 2171: He suld haue had, that hes done me the skaith. 2172: On hicht he houit the staf for he wes wraith. 2173: And hit him with sic will vpon the heid, 2174: Quhill neir he swonit, and swelt in to that steid. 2175: Thre battis he bure, or he his feit micht find. 2176: Bot zit the volff wes wicht, and wan away. 2177: He mycht not se, he wes sa verray blind. 2178: Nor wit reddilie quhether it wes nicht or day. 2179: The foxe beheld that seruice quhair he lay, 2180: And leuch on loft, quhen he the volff sa seis, 2181: Baith deif, and dosinnit, fall swonand on his kneis. -163-

2182: He that of ressoun can not be content, 2183: Bot couetis all, is abill all to tyne. 2184: The foxe, quhen that he saw the volff wes schent, 2185: Said to him self, thir hering sall be myne. 2186: I le, or ellis he wes efterwart fyne, 2187: That fand sic wayis his maister for to greif, 2188: With all the fische thus lowrence tuke his leif. 2189: The volff wes neir weill dungin to the deid, 2190: That vneith with his lyfe away he wan. 2191: For with the bastoun weill brokin wes his heid. 2192: The foxe in to his den sone drew him than, 2193: That had betraisit his maister, and the man. 2194: The ane, wantit the hering off his creillis. 2195: The vtheris blude wes rynnand ouer his heillis.



Moralitas

2196: This taill is myngit with moralitie, 2197: As i sall schaw sumquhat, or that i ceis. 2198: The foxe, vnto the warld may likkinnit be. 2199: The reuand wolf, vnto ane man but leis. 2200: The cadgear deith, quhome vnder all man preis, 2201: That euer tuke lyfe, throw cours of kynd man dee. 2202: As man, and beist, and fische in to the see. 2203: The warld ze wait, is stewart to the man. 2204: Quhilk makis man to haif na mynd of deid. 2205: Bot settis for winning all the craftis thay can. 2206: The hering, i likkin vnto the gold sa reid, 2207: Quhilk gart the wolf, in perrell put his heid. 2208: Richt swa the gold garris landis and cieteis, 2209: With weir, be waistit daylie as men seis. -165-

2210: And as the foxe, with dissimulance and gyle, 2211: Gart the wolf wene to haif worschip for euer. 2212: Richt swa, this warld with vane glore for ane quhyle, 2213: Flatteris with folk, as thay suld failze neuer. 2214: Zit suddandlie men seis it oft disseuer 2215: With thame, that trowis oft to fill the sek. 2216: Deith cummis behind, and nippis thame be the nek, 2217: The micht of gold makis mony men sa blind 2218: That settis on auarice thair felicitie. 2219: That thay forzet the cadgear cummis behind, 2220: To stryke thame of, quhat stait sa euer thay be. 2221: Quhat is mair dirk, than blind prosperitie? 2222: Quhairfoir, i counsell mychtie men to haif mynd, 2223: Of the nekhering interpreit in this kynd.

The taill of the foxe, that begylit the Wolf, in the schadow of the http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (73 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


mone

2224: In elderis dayis, as esope can declair, 2225: Thair wes ane husband, quhilk had ane plewch to steir 2226: His vse wes ay, in morning to ryse air. 2227: Sa happinnit him in streiking tyme off zeir, 2228: Airlie in the morning to follou furth his feir, 2229: Vnto the pleuch, bot his gadman and he. 2230: His stottis he straucht with benedicite. -167-

2231: The caller cryit, how, haik, vpon hicht, 2232: Hald draucht my dowis, syne broddit thame full sair. 2233: The oxin wes vnwsit zoung and licht, 2234: And for fersnes thay couth the fur forfair. 2235: The husband than woxe angrie as ane hair. 2236: Syne cryit, and caist his patill, and grit stanis, 2237: The volff quod he mot haue zou all at anis. 2238: Bot zit the volff wes neirar nor he wend, 2239: For in ane busk he lay, and lowrence baith, 2240: In ane rouch rone wes at the furris end. 2241: And hard the hecht: than lowrence leuch full raith. 2242: To tak zone bud quod he it wer na skaith: 2243: Weill quod the volff i hecht the be my hand, 2244: Zone carlis word as he wer king sall stand. 2245: The oxin waxit mair reulie at the last. 2246: Syne efter thay lousit, fra that it worthit weill lait. 2247: The husband hamewart with his cattell past. 2248: Than sone the volff come hirpilland in his gait. 2249: Befoir the oxin, and schupe, to mak debait. 2250: The husband saw him, and worthit sumdeill agast. 2251: And bakwart with his beistis wald haif past. 2252: The volff said, quhether dryuis thou this pray? 2253: I chalenge it, for nane off thame ar thyne. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (74 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2254: The man thairoff wes in ane felloun fray. 2255: And soberlie to the volff answerit syne. 2256: Schir, be my saull, thir oxin ar all myne. 2257: Thairfoir i studdie, quhy ze suld stop me. 2258: Sen that i faltit neuer to zou trewlie. -169-

2259: The volff said, carll, gaif thou not me this drift 2260: Airlie, quhen thou wes eirrand on zone bank? 2261: And is thair oucht sayis thou frear than gift? 2262: This tarying wyll tyne the all thy thank. 2263: Far better is frelie for to giff ane plank, 2264: Nor be compellit on force, to giff ane mart. 2265: Fy on the fredome, that cummis not with hart. 2266: Schir quod the husband ane man may say in greif, 2267: And syne ganesay fra he auise and se. 2268: I hecht to steill, am i thairfoir ane theif? 2269: God forbid, schir, all hechtis suld haldin be. 2270: Gaif i my hand or oblissing quod he 2271: Or haue ze witnes, or writ for to schau. 2272: Schir reif me not, bot go and seik the lau. 2273: Carll quod the volff ane lord and he be leill 2274: That schrinkis for schame, or doutis to be repruuit, 2275: His sau is ay als sickker as his seill. 2276: Fy on the leid, that is not leill and lufit. 2277: Thy argument is fals, and eik contrufit. 2278: For it is said in prouerb: but lawte 2279: All vther vertewis ar nocht worth ane fle. 2280: Schir said the husband, remember of this thing, 2281: Ane leill man is not tane at halff ane taill. 2282: I may say, and ganesay, i am na king. 2283: Quhair is zour witnes, that hard i hecht thame haill? 2284: Than said the volff, thairfoir it sall nocht faill. 2285: Lowrence quod he cum hidder of that schaw, 2286: And say na thing, bot as thow hard and saw.



-171-

2287: Lowrence come lourand, for he lufit neuer licht, 2288: And sone appeirit befoir thame in that place. 2289: The man leuch na thing, quhen he saw that sicht. 2290: Lowrence quod the volff thow man declair this cace 2291: Quhairof we sall schaw the suith in schort space. 2292: I callit on the leill witnes for to beir. 2293: Quhat hard thou that this man hecht me lang eir? 2294: Schir said the tod i can not hastelie 2295: Swa sone as now gif sentence finall. 2296: Bot wald ze baith submit zow heir to me, 2297: To stand at my decreit perpetuall 2298: To pleis baith i suld preif, gif it may fall. 2299: Weill quod the volff i am content for me. 2300: The man said swa am i, how euer it be. 2301: Than schew thay furth thair allegeance but fabill, 2302: And baith proponit thair pley to him compleit. 2303: Quod lowrence now i am iuge amycabill. 2304: Ze sall be sworne to stand at my decreit. 2305: Quhether heirefter ze think it soure or sweit. 2306: The volff braid furth his fute, the man his hand: 2307: And on the toddis taill sworne thay ar to stand. 2308: Than tuke the tod the man furth till ane syde. 2309: And said him, freind, thou art in blunder brocht. 2310: The volff will not forgif the ane oxe hyde 2311: Zit wald myself fane help the, and i mocht. 2312: Bot i am laith to hurt my conscience ocht. 2313: Tyne nocht thy querrell in thy awin defence, 2314: This will not throu but grit coist and expence. -173-

2315: Seis thou not buddis beiris bernis throw: 2316: And giftis garris crukit materis hald full euin? http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (76 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2317: Sumtymis ane hen haldis ane man in ane kow 2318: All ar not halie, that heifis thair handis to heuin. 2319: Schir said the man ze sall haue sex, or seuin 2320: Richt off the fattest hennis off all the floik. 2321: I compt not all the laif, leif me the coik. 2322: I am ane iuge quod lowrence than and leuch. 2323: Thair is na buddis suld beir me by the rycht. 2324: I may tak hennis, and caponis weill aneuch, 2325: For god is gane to sleip, as for this nycht. 2326: Sic small thingis ar not sene in to his sicht. 2327: Thir hennis quod he sall mak thy querrell sure 2328: With emptie hand na man suld halkis lure. 2329: Concordit thus than lowrence tuke his leiff, 2330: And to the volff he went in to ane ling. 2331: Syne preuelie, he plukkit him be the sleiff, 2332: Is this in ernist quod he ze ask sic thing? 2333: Na be my saull, i trow it be in heithing. 2334: Than said the volff, lowrence, quhy sayis thou sa? 2335: Thow hard the hecht thy selff, that he couth ma. 2336: The hecht quod he zone man maid at the pleuch, 2337: Is that the cause quhy ze the cattell craif? 2338: Halff in to heithing said lowrence than and leuch. 2339: Schir, be the rude, vnroikit now ze raif. 2340: The deuill ane stirk taill thairfoir sall ze haif. 2341: Wald i tak it vpon my conscience, 2342: To do sa pure ane man as zone offence. -175-

2343: Zit haif i commonnit with the carll quod he 2344: We ar concordit vpon this cunnand. 2345: Quyte off all clamis swa ze will mak him fre, 2346: Ze sall ane cabok haue in to zour hand. 2347: That sic ane sall not be in all this land. 2348: For it is somer cheis, baith fresche and fair. 2349: He sayis it weyis ane stane, and sumdeill mair.



2350: Is that thy counsell quod the volff i do, 2351: That zone carll for ane cabok suld be fre? 2352: Ze be my saull, and i wer sworne zow to, 2353: Ze suld nane vther counsell haue for me. 2354: For gang ze to the maist extremitie, 2355: It will not wyn zow worth ane widderit neip. 2356: Schir trow ze not i have ane saull to keip 2357: Weill quod the volff it is aganis my will, 2358: That zone carll for ane cabok suld ga quyte. 2359: Schir quod the tod ze tak it in nane euill. 2360: For be my saull zour self had all the wyte. 2361: Than said the volff i bid na mair to flyte. 2362: Bot i wald se zone cabok off sic pryis. 2363: Schir said the tod he tauld me quhair it lyis. 2364: Than hand in hand, thay held vnto ane hill. 2365: The husband till his hous hes tane the way. 2366: For he wes fane, he schaippit from thair ill, 2367: And on his feit woke the dure quhill day. 2368: Now will we turne vnto the vther tway. 2369: Throw woddis waist thir freikis on fute can fair, 2370: Fra busk to busk, quhill neir midnycht and mair. -177-

2371: Lowrence wes euer remembring vpon wrinkis, 2372: And subtelteis, the volff for to begyle. 2373: That he had hecht ane caboik, he forthinkis. 2374: Zit at the last he findis furth an wyle 2375: Than at him selff softlie couth he smyle. 2376: The volff sayis, lowrence, thou playis bellie blind. 2377: We seik all nycht, bot na thing can we find. 2378: Schir said the tod we ar at it almaist. 2379: Soft zow ane lytill, and ze sall se it sone. 2380: Than to ane manure place thay hyit in haist. 2381: The nycht wes lycht, and pennyfull the mone. 2382: Than till ane draw well thir senzeours past but hone. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (78 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2383: Quhair that twa bukkettis seuerall suithlie hang. 2384: As ane come vp, ane vther doun wald gang. 2385: The schadow off the mone schone in the well. 2386: Schir said lowrence anis ze sall find me leill. 2387: Now se ze not the caboik weill zour sell, 2388: Quhyte as ane neip, and round als as ane seill. 2389: He hang it zonder, that na man suld it steill 2390: Schir traist ze weill, zone caboik ze se hing, 2391: Micht be ane present to ony lord or king. 2392: Na quod the volff mycht i zone caboik haif, 2393: On the dry land, as i it zonder se 2394: I wald quitclame the carll off all the laif. 2395: His dart oxin i compt thame not ane fle. 2396: Zone wer mair meit for sic ane man as me. 2397: Lowrence quod he leip in the bukket sone, 2398: And i sall hald the ane, quhill thow haue done. -179-

2399: Lowrence gird doun baith sone, and subtellie. 2400: The vther baid abufe, and held the flaill. 2401: It is sa mekill quod lowrence it maisteris me. 2402: On all my tais it hes not left ane naill. 2403: Ze man mak help vpwart, and it haill. 2404: Leip in the vther bukket haistelie. 2405: And cum sone doun, and mak me sum supple. 2406: Than lychtlie in the bukket lap the loun, 2407: His wecht but weir the vther end gart ryis. 2408: The tod come hailland vp, the volff zeid doun. 2409: Than angerlie the volff vpon him cryis. 2410: I cummand thus dounwart, quhy thow vpwart hyis 2411: Schir quod the foxe thus fairis it off fortoun, 2412: As ane cummis vp, scho quheillis ane vther doun. 2413: Than to the ground sone zeid the volff in haist. 2414: The tod lap on land, als blyith as ony bell. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (79 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2415: And left the volff in watter to the waist. 2416: Quha haillit him out i wait not off the well. 2417: Heir endis the text, thair is na mair to tell. 2418: Zyt men may find ane gude moralitie, 2419: In this sentence, thocht it ane fabill be.

Moralitas

2420: This wolf, i likkin to ane wickit man 2421: Quhilk dois the pure oppres in euerie place: 2422: And pykis at thame all querrellis that he can, 2423: Be rigour, reif, and vther wickitnes. 2424: The foxe, the feind i call into this cais, 2425: Arctand ilk man to ryn vnrychteous rinkis, 2426: Thinkand thairthrow to lok him in his linkis. -181-

2427: The husband may be callit ane godlie man, 2428: With quhome the feynd falt findes as clerkis reids 2429: Besie to tempt him, with all wayis that he can. 2430: The hennis, ar warkis, that fra ferme faith proceidis. 2431: Quhair sic sproutis spreidis, the euill spreit thair not speids 2432: Bot wendis vnto the wickit man agane. 2433: That he hes tint his trauell is full vnfane. 2434: The wodds waist, quhairin wes the wolf wyld, 2435: Ar wickit riches, quhilk all men gaipis to get: 2436: Quha traistis in sic trusterie, ar oft begyld. 2437: For mammon may be callit the deuillis net, 2438: Quhilk sathanas for all sinfull hes set. 2439: With proud plesour quha settis his traist thairin. 2440: But speciall grace lychtlie can not outwin. 2441: The cabok, may be callit couetyce, 2442: Quhilk blomis braid in mony mannis ee. 2443: Wa worth the well of that wickit vyce, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (80 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2444: For it is all bot fraud, and fantasie. 2445: Dryuand ilk man to leip in the buttrie 2446: That dounwart drawis vnto the pane of hell. 2447: Christ keip all christianis from that wickit well.

-183-

The taill of the wolf, and the wedder

2448: Qwhylum thair wes as esope can report 2449: Ane scheipheird duelland be ane forrest neir. 2450: Quhilk had ane hound, that did him grit comfort, 2451: Full war he wes to walk his fauld but weir. 2452: That nouther volff, nor wildcat durst appeir, 2453: Nor foxe on feild, nor zit no vther beist, 2454: Bot he thame slew, or chaissit at the leist. 2455: Sa happinnit it as euerilk beist man de 2456: This hound off suddand seiknes to be deid. 2457: Bot than god wait the keipar off the fe, 2458: For verray wo woxe wanner nor the weid. 2459: Allace quod he now se i na remeid, 2460: To saif the selie beistis that i keip, 2461: For with the volff, weryit beis all my scheip. 2462: It wald haue maid ane mannis hart sair to se, 2463: The selie scheiphirdis lamentatioun. 2464: Now is my darling deid, allace quod he 2465: For now to beg my breid i may be boun, 2466: with pyikstaff, and with scrip to fair off toun. 2467: For all the beistis befoir bandonit bene, 2468: Will schute vpon my beistis with ire and tene. 2469: With that ane wedder wrethlie wan on fute: 2470: Maister quod he mak merie, and be blyith. 2471: To brek zour hart for baill, it is na bute. 2472: For ane deid dog ze na cair on zow kyith. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (81 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2473: Ga fetche him hither, and fla his skyn off swyth. 2474: Syne sew it on me: and luke that it be meit, 2475: Baith heid, and crag, bodie, taill, and feit. -1852476: Than will the volff trow that i am he. 2477: For i sall follow him fast quhar euer he fair. 2478: All haill the cure i tak it vpon me. 2479: Zour scheip to keip at midday, lait, and air. 2480: And he persew, be god, i sall not spair 2481: To follow him as fast as did zour doig. 2482: Swa that i warrand, ze sall not want ane hoig. 2483: Than said the scheipheird, this come of ane gude wit. 2484: Thy counsall is baith sicker, leill, and trew. 2485: Quha sayis ane scheip is daft, thay lieit of it. 2486: With that in hy the doggis skyn off he flew, 2487: And on the scheip rycht softlie couth it sew 2488: Than worth the wedder wantoun off his weid. 2489: Now off the volff quod he i haue na dreid. 2490: In all thingis he counterfait the dog, 2491: For all the nycht he stude, and tuke na sleip. 2492: Swa that weill lang thair wantit not ane hog, 2493: Swa war he wes, and walkryfe thame to keip, 2494: That lowrence durst not luke vpon ane scheip, 2495: For and he did, he followit him sa fast, 2496: That off his lyfe he maid him all agast. 2497: Was nowther volff, vildcat, nor zit tod, 2498: Durst cum within thay boundis all about: 2499: Bot he wald chase thame baith throw rouch and snod. 2500: Thay bailfull beistis had of thair lyuis sic dout. 2501: For he wes mekill, and semit to be stout. 2502: That euerilk beist thay dred him as the deid, 2503: Within that woid that nane durst hald thair heid. -187-



2504: Zit happinnit thair ane hungrie volff to slyde 2505: Out throw his scheip, quhair thay lay on ane le, 2506: I sall haue ane quod he quhat euer betyde, 2507: Thocht i be werryit, for hunger or i de. 2508: With that ane lamb in till his cluke hint he. 2509: The laif start vp, for thay wer all agast. 2510: Bot god wait gif the wedder followit fast. 2511: Went neuer hound mair haistelie fra the hand, 2512: Quhen he wes rynnand maist raklie at the ra, 2513: Nor went this wedder baith ouer mois and strand, 2514: And stoppit nouther at bank, busk, nor bra. 2515: Bot followit ay sa ferslie on his fa, 2516: With sic ane drift, quhill dust and dirt ouer draif him. 2517: And maid ane vow to god that he suld haue him. 2518: With that the volff let out his taill on lenth, 2519: For he wes hungrie, and it drew neir the ene. 2520: And schupe him for to ryn with all his strenth, 2521: Fra he the vedder sa neir cummand had sene, 2522: He dred his lyfe, and he ouertane had bene. 2523: Thairfoir he spairit nowther busk, nor boig. 2524: For weill he kennit the kenenes off the doig. 2525: To mak him lycht, he kest the lamb him fra. 2526: Syne lap ouer leis, and draif throw dub and myre. 2527: Na quod the wedder in faith we part not swa. 2528: It is not the lamb, bot the, that i desyre. 2529: I sall cum neir, for now i se the tyre. 2530: The volff ran till ane rekill stude behind him 2531: Bot ay the neirar the vedder he couth bind him. -189-

2532: Sone efter that, he followit him sa neir, 2533: Quhill that the volff for fleidnes fylit the feild, 2534: Syne left the gait, and ran throw busk, and breir, 2535: And schupe him fra the schawis for to scheild. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (83 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2536: He ran restles, for he wist off na beild. 2537: The wedder followit him, baith out, and in, 2538: Quhill that ane breir busk raif rudelie off the skyn. 2539: The volff wes wer, and blenkit him behind, 2540: And saw the wedder come thrawand throw the breir. 2541: Tyne saw the doggis skyn hingand on his lind. 2542: Na quod he is this ze, that is sa neir? 2543: Richt now ane hound, and now quhyte as ane freir. 2544: I fled ouer fer, and i had kennit the cais. 2545: To god i vow, that ze sall rew this rais. 2546: Quhat wes the cause ze gaif me sic ane katche? 2547: With that in hy he hint him be the horne. 2548: For all zour mowis, ze met anis with zour matche, 2549: Suppois ze leuch me all this zeir to scorne. 2550: For quhat enchessoun this doggis skyn haue ze borne? 2551: Maister quod he bot to haue playit with zow, 2552: I zow requyre, that ze nane vther trow. 2553: Is this zour bourding in ernist than quod he 2554: For i am verray effeirit, and on flocht. 2555: Cum bak agane, and i sall let zow se. 2556: Than quhar the gait wes grimmit he him brocht. 2557: Quhether call ze this fair play, or nocht? 2558: To set zour maister in sa fell effray, 2559: Quhill he for feiritnes hes fylit vp the way. -191-

2560: Thryis be my saull ze gart me schute behind, 2561: Vpon my hoichis the senzeis may be sene. 2562: For feiritnes full oft i fylit the wind. 2563: Now is this ze: na bot ane hound, i wene. 2564: Me think zour teith ouer schort to be sa kene. 2565: Blissit be the busk, that reft zow zour array. 2566: Ellis, fleand, bursin had i bene this day. 2567: Schir quod the wedder suppois i ran in hy, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (84 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2568: My mynd wes neuer to do zour persoun ill. 2569: Ane flear gettis ane follower commounly, 2570: In play or ernist, preif quha sa euer will. 2571: Sen i bot playit, be gracious me till. 2572: And i sall gar my freindis blis zour banis. 2573: Ane full gude seruand will crab his maister anis. 2574: I haue bene oftymis set in grit effray, 2575: Bot be the rude sa rad zit wes i neuer. 2576: As thow hes maid me with thy prettie play. 2577: I schot behind quhen thow ouertuke me euer. 2578: Bot sikkerlie now sall we not disseuer. 2579: Than be the crag-bane smertlie he him tuke, 2580: Or euer he ceissit, and it in schunder schuke.

Moralitas

2581: Esope that poet first father of this fabill 2582: Wrait this parabole quhilk is conuenient. 2583: Because the sentence wes fructuous and agreabill, 2584: In moralitie exemplatiue prudent. 2585: Quhais problemes bene verray excellent, 2586: Throw similitude of figuris to this day, 2587: Geuis doctrine to the redaris of it ay. -193-

2588: Heir may thow se, that riches of array, 2589: Will cause pure men presumpteous for to be. 2590: Thay think thay hald of nane be thay als gay, 2591: Bot counterfute ane lord in all degre. 2592: Out of thair cais in pryde thay clym sa hie, 2593: That thay forbeir thair better in na steid, 2594: Quhill sum man tit thair heillis ouer thair heid. 2595: Richt swa in seruice vther sum exceidis, 2596: And thay haif withgang, welth, and cherising, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (85 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2597: That thay will lychtlie lordis in thair deidis, 2598: And lukis not to thair blude, nor thair ofspring. 2599: Bot zit nane wait, how lang that reull will ring. 2600: Bot he was wyse, that bad his sone considder. 2601: Bewar in welth, for hall benkis ar rycht slidder. 2602: Thairfoir i counsell men of euerilk stait, 2603: To knaw thame self, and quhome thay suld forbeir. 2604: And fall not with thair better in debait, 2605: Suppois thay be als galland in thair geir. 2606: It settis na seruand for to vphald weir, 2607: Nor clym sa hie, quhill he fall of the ledder. 2608: Bot think vpon the wolf, and on the wedder.

-195-

The taill of the wolf, and the lamb

2609: Ane cruell volff, richt rauenous, and fell, 2610: Vpon ane tyme past to ane reueir. 2611: Descending from ane rotche, vnto ane well. 2612: To slaik his thrist, drank of the watter cleir. 2613: Swa vpon cace, ane selie lamb come neir. 2614: Bot of his fa, the volff, na thing he wist. 2615: And in the streme laipit to cule his thrist. 2616: Thus drank thay baith, bot not of ane intent. 2617: The volfis thocht wes all on wickitnes. 2618: The selie lamb, wes meik, and innocent, 2619: Vpon the reuer, in ane vther place, 2620: Beneth the volff, he drank ane lytill space, 2621: Quhill him thocht gude, presomyng thair nane ill, 2622: The volff this saw, and rampand come him till. 2623: With girnand teith, and angrie austre luke, 2624: Said to the lamb, thow catiue wretchit thing. 2625: How durst thow be sa bald, to fyle this bruke, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (86 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2626: Quhar i suld drink, with thy foull slauering? 2627: It wer almous the for to draw and hing, 2628: That suld presume, with thy foull lippis wyle, 2629: To glar my drink, and this fair watter fyle. 2630: The selie lamb quaikand for verray dreid, 2631: On kneis fell, and said, schir, with zour leif. 2632: Suppois i dar not say, thairoff ze leid: 2633: Bot be my saull, i wait ze can nocht preif, 2634: That i did ony thing, that suld zow greif. 2635: Ze wait alswa that zour accusatioun, 2636: Failzeis fra treuth, and contrair is to ressoun. -197-

2637: Thocht i can nocht, nature will me defend, 2638: And off the deid perfyte experience. 2639: All heuie thing, man off the selff discend. 2640: Bot giff sum thing on force mak resistence. 2641: Than may the streme on na way mak ascence, 2642: Nor ryn bakwart: i drank beneth zow far. 2643: Ergo, for me, zour bruke wes neuer the war. 2644: Alswa, my lippis sen that i wes ane lam, 2645: Tuitchit na thing that wes contagious, 2646: Bot sowkit milk, from pappis off my dam, 2647: Richt naturall, sweit, and als delitious. 2648: Weill quod the volff thy language rigorus, 2649: Cummis the off kynd: swa thy father before. 2650: Held me at bait, baith with boist, and schore. 2651: He wraithit me, and than i culd him warne, 2652: Within ane zeir, and i brukit my heid. 2653: I suld be wrokkin on him, or on his barne, 2654: For his exorbetant and frawart pleid. 2655: Thow sall doutles for his deidis be deid. 2656: Schir, it is wrang, that for the fatheris gilt, 2657: The saikles sone suld punist be or spilt.



2658: Haiff ze not hard, quhat halie scripture sayis, 2659: Endytit with the mouth off god almycht? 2660: Off his awin deidis ilk man sall beir the pais, 2661: As pyne for sin, reward for werkis rycht. 2662: For my trespas, quhy suld my sone haue plycht? 2663: Quha did the mis, lat him sustene the pane. 2664: Zaa quod the volff zit pleyis thow agane. -199-

2665: I let the wit, quhen that the father offendis, 2666: I will cheris nane off his successioun 2667: And off his barnis, i may weill tak amendis, 2668: Vnto the twentie degre descending doun. 2669: Thy father thocht to mak ane strang poysoun, 2670: And with his mouth in to my watter spew. 2671: Schir quod the lamb thay twa ar nouther trew. 2672: The law sayis, and ze will vnderstand: 2673: Thair suld na man for wrang, nor violence 2674: His aduersar punis at his awin hand, 2675: With-out proces off law, and audience. 2676: Quhilk suld haue leif to mak lawfull defence, 2677: And thairupon summond peremtourly, 2678: For to propone, contrairie, or reply. 2679: Set me ane lauchfull court, i sall compeir, 2680: Befoir the lyoun, lord, and leill iustice. 2681: And be my hand i oblis me rycht heir. 2682: That i sall byde ane vnsuspect assyis. 2683: This is the law: this is the instant wyis: 2684: Ze suld pretend thairfoir ane summondis mak, 2685: Aganis that day, to gif ressoun, and tak. 2686: Ha quod the volff thou wald intruse ressoun, 2687: Quhair wrang, and reif suld duell in propertie. 2688: That is ane poynt, and part of fals tressoun, 2689: For to gar reuth remane with crueltie. 2690: Be goddis woundis, fals tratour, thow sall de, 2691: For thy trespas, and for thy fatheris als. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (88 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2692: With that anone he hint him be the hals. -201-

2693: The selie lamb culd do na thing bot bleit. 2694: Sone wes he hedit: the volff wald do na grace. 2695: Syne drank his blude, and off his flesche can eit, 2696: Quhill he wes full, syne went his way on pace. 2697: Off his murther quhat sall we say allace? 2698: Wes not this reuth, wes not this grit pietie? 2699: To gar this selie lamb but gilt thus de.

Moralitas

2700: The pure pepill, this lamb may signifie, 2701: As maill men, merchandis, and all lauboureris. 2702: Of quhome the lyfe is half ane purgatorie, 2703: To wyn with lautie leuing as efferis. 2704: The wolf betakinnis fals extortioneris, 2705: And oppressouris of pure men, as we se, 2706: Be violence, or craft in suteltie. 2707: Thre kynd of wolfis, in this warld now rings. 2708: The first, ar fals peruerteris of the lawis. 2709: Quhilk vnder poleit termis, falset mingis, 2710: Lettand that all wer gospell, that he schawis. 2711: Bot for ane bud the pure man he ouerthrawis, 2712: Smoirand the richt, garrand the wrang proceid. 2713: Of sic wolfis hellis fyre sall be thair meid. 2714: O man of law, let be thy subteltie, 2715: With nice gimpis, and fraudis intricait: 2716: And think that god in his diuinitie, 2717: The wrang, the richt, of all thy werkis wait. 2718: For prayer, price, for hie, nor law estait, 2719: Of fals querrellis se thow mak na defence. 2720: Hald with the richt, hurt not thy conscience. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (89 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


-203-

2721: Ane vther kynd of wolfis rauenous, 2722: Ar mychtie men, haifand aneuch plentie. 2723: Quhilkis ar sa gredie, and sa couetous, 2724: Thay will not thoill in pece ane pureman to be. 2725: Suppois he, and his houshald baith suld de, 2726: For falt of fude, thairof thay gif na rak, 2727: Bot ouer his heid his mailling will thay tak. 2728: O man but mercie, quhat is in thy thocht 2729: War than ane wolf, and thow culd vnderstand, 2730: Thow hes aneuch, the pure husband richt nocht, 2731: Bot croip, and crufe, vpon ane clout of land. 2732: For goddis aw, how durst thow tak on hand. 2733: And thow in barn, and byre sa bene, and big. 2734: To put him fra his tak, and gar him thig? 2735: The thrid wolf, ar men of heritage: 2736: As lordis, that hes land be goddis lane. 2737: And settis to the mailleris ane village: 2738: And for ane tyme gressome payit and tane. 2739: Syne vexis him, or half his terme be gane, 2740: With pykit querrellis, for to mak him fane 2741: To flit, or pay his gressome new agane. 2742: His hors, his meir, he man len to the laird, 2743: To drug, and draw, in cairt, and cariage. 2744: His seruand, or his self may not be spaird, 2745: To swing, and sweit, withoutin meit, or wage. 2746: Thus how he standis in labour, and bondage, 2747: That scantlie may he purches by his maill, 2748: To leue vpon dry breid, and watter caill. -205-

2749: Hes thow not reuth, to gar thy tennentis sweit, 2750: In to thy laubour, with faynt, and hungrie wame? http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (90 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2751: And syne hes lytill gude to drink, or eit, 2752: With his menze, at euin quhen he cummis hame. 2753: Thow suld be rad, for richteous goddis blame. 2754: For it cryis ane vengeance vnto the heuinnis hie, 2755: To gar ane pure man wirk, but meit or fe. 2756: O thow grit lord, that riches hes and rent: 2757: Be nocht ane wolf, thus to deuoir the pure. 2758: Think that na thing cruell, nor violent, 2759: May in this warld perpetuallie indure. 2760: This sall thow trow, and sikkerlie assure, 2761: For till oppres, thow sall haif als grit pane, 2762: As thow the pure with thy awin hand had slane. 2763: God keip the lamb, quhilk is the innocent, 2764: From wolfis byit, and men extortioneris. 2765: God grant, that wrangous men of fals intent, 2766: Be manifest, and punischit as effeiris. 2767: And god, as thow all rychteous prayer heiris, 2768: Mot saif our king, and gif him hart and hand, 2769: All sic wolfis to banes of the land.

-207-

The taill of the paddok, and the mous

2770: Vpon ane tyme as esope culd report 2771: Ane lytill mous come till ane reuer syde. 2772: Scho micht not waid, hir schankis wer sa schort 2773: Scho culd not swym, scho had na hors to ryde, 2774: Off verray force behouit hir to byde. 2775: And to, and fra, besyde that reuir deip, 2776: Scho ran, cryand, with mony pietuous peip. 2777: Help ouer, help ouer, this silie mous can cry, 2778: For goddis lufe, sum bodie ouer the brym. 2779: With that ane paddok in the watter by, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (91 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2780: Put vp hir heid, and on the bank can clym. 2781: Quhilk be nature culd douk, and gaylie swym. 2782: With voce full rauk, scho said on this maneir. 2783: Gude morne schir mous quhat is zour erand heir? 2784: Seis thow quod scho off corne zone iolie flat 2785: Off ryip aitis, off barlie, peis, and quheit. 2786: I am hungrie, and fane wald be thair at. 2787: Bot i am stoppit be this watter greit, 2788: And on this syde, i get na thing till eit, 2789: Bot hard nuttis, quhilkis with my teith i bore. 2790: Wer i bezond, my feist wer fer the more. 2791: I haue no boit, heir is no maryner: 2792: And thocht thair war, i haue no fraucht to pay. 2793: Quod scho sister lat be zour heuie cheir: 2794: Do my counsall, and i sall find the way, 2795: Withoutin hors, brig, boit, or zit galay. 2796: To bring zow ouer saiflie, be not afeird: 2797: And not wetand, the campis off zour beird. -209-

2798: I haif mervell than quod the lytill mous, 2799: How can thow fleit without fedder or fin: 2800: This reuer is sa deip, and dangerous, 2801: Me think, that thow suld droun to wed thairin. 2802: Tell me thairfoir, quhat facultie or gin, 2803: Thow hes to bring me ouer this watter wan? 2804: That to declair the paddok thus began. 2805: With my twa feit quod scho lukkin and braid, 2806: In steid off airis, i row the streme full styll, 2807: And thocht the brym be perrillous to waid. 2808: Baith to, and fra, i swyme at my awin will, 2809: I may not droun, for quhy my oppin gill 2810: Deuoidis ay the watter i resaiff. 2811: Thairfoir to droun forsuith na dreid i haif.



2812: The mous beheld vnto hir fronsit face, 2813: Hir runkillit cheikis, and hir lippis syde: 2814: Hir hingand browis, and hir voce sa hace: 2815: Hir loggerand leggis, and hir harsky hyde. 2816: Scho ran abak, and on the paddok cryde. 2817: Giff i can ony skill off phisnomy, 2818: Thow hes sumpart off falset, and inuy. 2819: For clerkis sayis, the inclinatioun, 2820: Off mannis thocht, proceidis commounly, 2821: Efter the corporall complexioun, 2822: To gude, or euill, as nature will apply. 2823: Ane thrawart will ane thrawin phisnomy. 2824: The auld prouerb is witnes off this lorum: 2825: Distortum vultum sequitur distortio morum -211-

2826: Na quod the taid that prouerb is not trew: 2827: For fair thingis oftymis ar fundin faikin. 2828: The blaberyis thocht thay be sad off hew, 2829: Ar gadderit vp, quhen primeros is forsakin. 2830: The face may faill, to be the hartis takin. 2831: Thairfoir i find this scripture in all place. 2832: Thow suld not iuge ane man efter his face. 2833: Thocht i vnhailsum be to luke vpon, 2834: I haue na wyt quhy suld i lakkit be. 2835: Wer i als fair, as iolie absolon, 2836: I am no causer off that grit beutie, 2837: This difference in forme, and qualitie, 2838: Almychtie god hes causit dame nature: 2839: To prent, and set in euerilk creature. 2840: Off sum the face may be full flurischand, 2841: Off silkin toung, and cheir rycht amorous, 2842: With mynd inconstant, fals, and wariand, 2843: Full off desait, and menis cautelous. 2844: Let be thy preiching quod the hungrie mous 2845: And be quhat craft thow gar me vnderstand, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (93 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2846: That thow wald gyde me to zone zonder land 2847: Thow wait quod scho ane bodie that hes neid, 2848: To help thame self, suld mony wayis cast. 2849: Thairfoir ga tak ane doubill twynit threid, 2850: And bind thy leg to myne with knottis fast. 2851: I sall the leir to swym, be not agast, 2852: Als weill as i, as thow than quod the mous 2853: To preif that play, it wer our perrillous. -213-

2854: Suld i be bund, and fast, quhar i am fre, 2855: In hoip off help, na than i schrew vs baith. 2856: For i mycht lois baith lyfe and libertie. 2857: Giff it wer swa, quha suld amend the skaith? 2858: Bot gif thow sweir to me the murthour aith, 2859: But fraud, or gyle, to bring me ouer this flude, 2860: But hurt, or harme. in faith quod scho i dude. 2861: Scho goikit vp, and to the heuin can cry: 2862: How iuppiter, off nature god and king. 2863: I mak ane aith trewlie to the, that i. 2864: This lytill mous sall ouer this watter bring. 2865: This aith wes maid, the mous but persauing 2866: The fals ingyne of this foull crappald pad, 2867: Tuke threid, and band hir leg, as scho hir bad. 2868: Than fute, for fute, thay lap baith in the brym. 2869: Bot in thair myndis thay wer rycht different. 2870: The mous thocht na thing, bot to fleit and swym: 2871: The paddok for to droun set hir intent. 2872: Quhen thay in midwart off the streme wer went, 2873: With all hir force the paddok preissit doun. 2874: And thocht, the mous without mercie to droun. 2875: Persauand this, the mous on hir can cry, 2876: Tratour to god, and manesworne vnto me. 2877: Thow swore the murthour aith richt now, that i http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (94 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2878: But hurt, or harme, suld ferryit be and fre. 2879: And quhen scho saw thair wes bot do, or de 2880: Scho bowtit vp and forsit hir to swym: 2881: And preissit vpon the taiddis bak to clym. -215-

2882: The dreid of deith hir strenthis gart incres, 2883: And forcit hir defend, with mycht, and mane. 2884: The mous vpwart: the paddok doun can pres. 2885: Quhyle to, quhyle fra, quhyle doukit vp agane. 2886: This selie mous this plungit in grit pane, 2887: Gan fecht als lang as breith wes in hir breist. 2888: Till at the last, scho cryit for ane preist. 2889: Fechtand thusgait the gled sat on ane twist, 2890: And to this wretchit battell tuke gude heid. 2891: And with ane wisk, or owthir off thame wist, 2892: He claucht his cluke betuix thame in the threid, 2893: Syne to the land he flew with thame gude speid, 2894: Fane off that fang, pyipand with mony pew: 2895: Syne lowsit thame, and baith but pietie slew. 2896: Syne bowellit thame, that boucheour with his bill 2897: And bellieflaucht full fettislie thame fled. 2898: Bot all thair esche wald scant be half ane fill, 2899: And guttis als vnto that gredie gled. 2900: Off thair debait, thus quhen i hard outred, 2901: He tuke his flicht, and ouer the feildis flaw. 2902: Giff this be trew, speir ze at thame that saw.

Moralitas

2903: My brother, gif thow will tak aduertence, 2904: Be this fabill thow may persaue and se. 2905: It passis far all kynd of pestilence, 2906: Ane wickit mynd. with wordis fair and sle. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (95 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


2907: Be war thairfore, with quhome thow fallowis the. 2908: For thow wer better beir of stane the barrow, 2909: Or sueitand dig and delf quhill thow may dre, 2910: Than to be matchit with ane wickit marrow. -217-

2911: Ane fals intent vnder ane fair pretence, 2912: Hes causit mony innocent for to de. 2913: Grit folie is to gif ouer sone credence, 2914: To all that speiks fairlie vnto the. 2915: Ane silkin toung, ane hart of crueltie, 2916: Smytis more sore, than ony schot of arrow. 2917: Brother, gif thow be wyse, i reid the fle, 2918: To matche the with ane thrawart fenzeit marrow. 2919: I warne the als, it is grit nekligence, 2920: To bind the fast, quhair thow wes frank and fre. 2921: Fra thow be bund, thow may mak na defence, 2922: To saif thy lyfe, nor zit thy libertie. 2923: This simpill counsall, brother, tak at me, 2924: And it to cun perqueir, se thow not tarrow. 2925: Better but stryfe to leif allane in le, 2926: Than to be matchit with ane wickit marrow. 2927: This hald in mynd, rycht more i sall the tell, 2928: Quhair by thir beistis may be figurate. 2929: The paddok vsand in the flude to duell, 2930: Is mannis bodie, swymand air and late, 2931: In to this warld with cairis implicate. 2932: Now hie, now law, quhylis plungit vp, quhylis doun. 2933: Ay in perrell, and reddie for to droun. 2934: Now dolorus, now blyth, as bird on breir: 2935: Now in fredome, now wardit in distres. 2936: Now haill and sound, now deid and brocht on beir: 2937: Now pure as iob, now rowand in riches: 2938: Now gounis gay, now brats laid in pres. 2939: Now full as fische, now hungrie as ane hound. 2940: Now on the quheill, now wappit to the ground. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgibin/browse-mixed...ges=images/mideng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed (96 of 97) [10/28/2003 1:18:23 PM]


-219-

2941: This lytill mous, heir knit thus be the schyn. 2942: The saull of man betakin may in deid. 2943: Bundin, and fra the bodie may not twyn, 2944: Quhill cruell deith cum brek of lyfe the threid. 2945: The quhilk to droun suld euer stand in dreid, 2946: Of carnall lust be the suggestioun: 2947: Quhilk drawis ay the saull, and druggis doun. 2948: The watter is the warld, ay welterand, 2949: With mony wall of tribulatioun: 2950: In quhilk the saull, and bodye wer steirrand, 2951: Standand distinyt in thair opinioun. 2952: The spreit vpwart, the body precis doun: 2953: The saull rycht fane wald be brocht ouer i wis, 2954: Out of this warld, into the heuinnis blis. 2955: The gled is deith, that cummis suddandlie, 2956: As dois ane theif, and cuttis sone the battall. 2957: Be vigilant thairfoir, and ay reddie, 2958: For mannis lyfe is brukill, and ay mortall. 2959: My freind thairfoir, mak the ane strang castell, 2960: Of gud deidis: for deith will the assay: 2961: Thow wait not quhen, euin, morrow, or midday. 2962: Adew my freind: and gif that ony speiris, 2963: Of this fabill, sa schortlie i conclude. 2964: Say thow, i left the laif vnto the freiris, 2965: To mak a sample or similitude. 2966: Now christ for vs that deit on the rude, 2967: Of saull, and lyfe, as thow art saluiour: 2968: Grant vs till pas, in till ane blissit hour.


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