faultles Sins I this dreadfull daunger must endure I am not mortified to beare distres And being cleere remediles from cure Of all my paines that putteth most paine in vre From step to step stretcht on this straining staier No step like that straineth daunger of dispaier For where as if remedy anie weare Hope out of hande shoulde set me there about As hope of helpe is drownde so I for beare All diligens that hence might helpe me out Thus though the caged byrde with stomake stout And voise right sweete can sing his songê by roate Yet can the fettred flie so sing no noate Example of my selfe whose weeping eiese With sobbing sighinge harte bewaileth my payne Appeering suche by ought I can surmiese As doth in maner show my death certaine Namely if so the spider now remaine In this his manshion set here presentlie Then dred I doutles here foorthwith to die Of such a death as most abhorth vs flies Which flies haue felt and folke haue seene to plaine Of propertie the spider hath the gise First to sucke out and so eate vp our braine To his small gaine and our most losse and paine Thus hath it bene thus is it and thus shal be Till pittie may mitigate thextremite ¶ The dreadfull wonder of the spider at sodaine shakyng of his copweb Cap. 3. VVhat tyme the flie this to him selfe had saide About the house he cast a dolefull looke Wherwith to breake away he made abraide With such a thrust that all the copweb shooke At whiche the spider stert and streight awooke Out of sounde sleepe full fast trembling for feare And feintlie spake anone as ye shall heare Alas where am I alas whence came I Or whither shall I whatê this an erthe quake Or cometh the daie of doome now sodeinly Nought els I trow but that my house coulde make In euery place to shatter and to shake What is this buzzyng blumberinge trow we thunder Holde house alas my seelyng riueth a sunder No parte hath rest in all partes of this frame From roofe to groundsill within any roome Is it the diuell or is it our dame Or is it the page or is it the groome Or is it our maide with hir birthin broome Betwene the diuel and all these last and furst The diuel take me if I can choose the wurst But ill woorse and woorst diuel and all togither Do me assaute as it to me â–ª doth seeme Hath fortune wrought my foes at this tyme hither And not so much as warnde me to misdeeme Now fie on fickle fortune thus extreeme And I defie the garde of suche a guider Alas this day I am but a dead spider These woordes thus spoken downe anone he sanke Kneling a while deuoutlie on his knee And then rounde on a heape to grounde he shranke Like an vrchyn vnder an aple tree No felon fast in fetters for his fee Nor ape in chaine that euer lookte more pale Then lookâ—e this spider after this tolde tale So that these twayne stand now in one estate For in like langour both be now here led And of their liues both like desperate For now the spider is as far in dred And by that dred he is euen as neere ded As is the flie Who thinketh he seeth at eie His death aproachyng him aparantlie ¶ The spider takyng comfort entreth in quarell with the flie Cap. 4. Howbeit anone the spider well espide That ennemies were there none saue onely one And him he sawe so safe and surely tide That vp he stoode to stretche him and anone His former feare from him now beyng gone To the top of his copweâ— he stept boldely And in these wordes began to common coldely Who are you that lithe there speake if ye can Forsooth saide then the flie syr it is I I be you I quoth he I pray you than What I be you tell me that by and by What I am I forsooth sir a poore fly What thou false theefe art thou here quoth the spider Thou shalt feele cause to wishe thou hadst gone wider And therwithall full furiouslie he flang Towarde the flie but what tyme he espide him Oh lord how his feat feete and handes he wrang Beseching his great god that day to guide him And from his mortall ennemie to deuide him With out whose ayde from which his foe to flit He saw it past a flies poore powre and wit And his dreadfull dispayre was muche the more To see how speedelie the spider span All rounde about his house eche syde to shore No weauing workman in this worlde that can Weaue that like web of that like stuffe wouen than In eche weake place is wouen a weauing cast By warde in warde to warde the flie more fast Whiche done these woordê the spider sewrely saide Thou auncient enemie and arrant theefe Whose lignage alwaie hath shewde banner splaide Against my parentage to their great greefe And now thy selfe renewing their mischeefe With mallice of thine owne in vre to put Art stolen in to my house my throate to cut And neuer had my house and housholde harme By any flie so much as now by thee I shrew thy naked hart I was full warme Naked a bed a sleepe so moâ—e I thee There as my wife and all my children bee Where god knoweth what they do or how they do By feare whiche thou at this time bringest them to ¶ The spider sterting into his house to comfort his housholde the flie deuiseth what way to escape the daunger of the spider Cap. 5. ANd with these woordes aside the spider start Where his saide bedfelow and ofspring were Saying these woordes now good mine owne sweete hart And my two babes be ye all of good there The present cause of all your present fere Is past I haue the caiteffe fast in snare That was the cause of all your fearefull care What horeson is it husband quoth he wife A fleshe flie as big as a humble bee That shall if I liue surelie leese his life The yongest spider there at this cride he Oh father father I hertelie pray ye Remembre when ye shall returne againe To bring me some part of that fleshe flies braine How say ye to this babe quoth the mother Will ye here this vrchin of eyght weekes olde It is a babling brat aboue all â—ther Ye quoth the father childe hardely be bolde Thornes pricke yonge that shal be sharpe folke haue tolde Which sheweth in thee in that thou art enâ—linde To craue thus yonge accordyng to thy kynde And while the spider dalied in this wise The flie considering this extremitee Did with him selfe aduisedlie deuise To scape with life what might his best meane bee Sâ—ftely as I might here saying I see Like as muche contension can nought prenayle So to muche cowardise might all quayle Betwene these two cowardise and contension The spiders ire the rather to asswage I temprately must tempre mine inuension To plead my right in reason not in rage And sens my body
a flie saide excedyng well Concernyng cummyng here against thy wyll Wheron as yet our matter all doth stay Both partes apeere of so pure perfight skill That we haue brought eche other to the bay I thee to ye and thou me to nay And as in law thy ye seemth to seeme gretter Then doth my nay which showth thy part the better For that ye once by witnesse well aproued That thou against thy will dost here apere Then hast thou woon the whole as yet here moued Aprouyng thy selfe cleerely to stand cleere Of burglary and felony laide here For by what meane can any wight make preefe That any wight without will is a theefe But for asmuche as that point is not yit Laufully proued I entend to keepe The in possession a while here to sit Tyll we this matter wey sum what more deepe Nay feare not flie thou art vnwise to weepe For I will not all onely not destroy thee Vnrightfully but further not anoy thee Nor of or on geue iudgement any way Tyll tyme thy selfe if thou reasonable bee Shalt see that I may iustly do and say By iustice erst promised vnto thee All that shal be sayde or doone here by mee Whiche iustice shall proue me so iust a iudge That thou nor no flie shall haue cause to grudge ¶ The spider seeing that he can not take full hold of the flse in case of burglarie nor felony he chargeth him now with trespas to which the flie reasoneth Cap. 19. HEreunto for entree toward an ende Admit for time thou camst against thy minde Declaryng thy defence well to defende Burglary and felony of eche kinde Yet thou nor no flie is so beetle blinde But thou and they aparantly may see That at the least thou hast trespassed me I say and thou dost see a thousand marke Framthe not this frame as it framde ere this fyll Were it then meete in suche a peere of warke I crie you mercy I thought you none yll Or els I cam hither against my will Shoulde be full restitucion for the acte Without a more amendes made in compacte In case it is and in case it is not As by example quoth the flie put case That in sum high way it shoulde be my lot To driue a carte in sum one such a plase As from that wayes syde within litle spase There were standyng a house on a fayre greene And I perceyuyng that way muche more cleene Then the high way streight to that way I coaste And as I driue the saide house to pas bie My carte wheele catchth holde of the corner poaste Against my will and by violencie Asunder crussheth it to which haplie The rest of that house is so bent and bounde That in defaute therof all falth to the grounde In this case maister spider quoth the flie Chaunce the chaunce by day or chaunce it by night And chaunce it neuer so vnwillinglie Yet law and laufull reason showth it right That recompence punishe mine ouersight Law maintainth no man with or against will To do an acte so to any mans ill But now put case that within this high way This house were set where as my cart should go Whiche did so crushe the same that there it lay For houses in high wayes encroachyng so Cast I downe one house or a thousand mo There am I bounde by reason nor by law To recompence the value of a straw Weyth not the law flie these cases for suche As both in the tone case and in the tother The owners hurt to be fully as muche In one of these cases as in an other His hurt is quoth the flie in th one and thother Hurtfull a like for be he leefe or lothe Downe cumth his house in either case of bothe But the doing diffreth for the first facte I did against the law as law doth tell And euery wight is chargde with euery acte Of his owne doyng at his owne parell Wherby the law prouideth very well Drining my cart by aduenture at lage The hurt in thaduenture I must discharge But in this last fackte the fawte quoth the flie Is wholy turnde vnto the suffrers side For him selfe did an acte vnlaufullie His house to set vp there whiche deede so tride My selfe and eeke my carte law doth prouyde Harmles to saue for sir the law is strong In takyng such hurtes for hurtes without wrong And in this last case quoth the flie stand we In all this hurt here done I do no wrong But all the hurt ye haue is ye may se By your wrong dooyng on your self a long What can you spiders show your selues among By any kynd of law what wey ye may Lawfully bylde within this my high way ¶ The spider at the flies answering him to a question chargeth the flie with procuryng of other flies to disturbe him in his copwebs which the flie denithe Cap. 20. THy high way flie art thou lorde of this soyle A poore lorde sir but if trewth may be founde I stand in case to defend this spoyle What is thy name quoth the spider speake rounde Buz quoth the flie with curtsy to the grounde That name of buz quoth the spider doth show thee Euen for a ringleader to make me know thee Of all the flies that herein haue bene stayde Neuer was there one in my conscience But the first worde that euer he hath sayde Was bvz. whiche is aparant euidence That all flies haue thee in great reuerence Thinkyng the policy or powre of thee Shall set them all from hens at libertee Wherby I may and do take occacion To thinke that thou hast bene the soole procurer Of euery flie that hath made inuasion Into my house and suche alewde allurer Ought by good reason to be kept much surer Then forty flies suche as thou hast beforne Entiste hither and then laught them to skorne Sir quoth the flie trewth is my trew recorde I am giltles of this suspected blame I haue enciste in ernest nor in borde Any flie hither nor it is no game One flie to mocke at an others harme or shame Nor by entisement to bring a flie where As the entiser doth sticke to cum there And though as I saide I can proue it suche That this high way is mine for free passage And that euery flie hath right here as muche Yet was I neuer so set in dotage To set any flie by vndescreete corage To put possession of his right in vre To his destruction and your displeasure If ye can proue that euer I prouokte Any flie hither by worde or wrighting Or by sine of purpose craftely clokte To possession here any flie erighting Then without mo wordê by mouth or endightyng In our hole case much doughtfull how to try I yelde my selfe condemde vndoughtedly ¶ They fal in comparison touching their euidence written or vn written whervnto the flie leith prescripcton of custome which he before alleged supposing therby that the spider ought both to deliuer him and make him
in â—â—eholde and that spiders shoulde builde by the sydes or in the â—oppeâ— whiche case to be â—ride by law or custome thei in maner agree but the flie mouing it to be tride at the comon law the spider reâ—â—seth it wherupon ariseth mattier of dâ—gression in which the flie commendeth the spider for expedite heringe herof brefely definyng the propertie of iustice mercy and tyrannie Cap. 25. I take not my selfe apointed to pates As you will set limittes and bownds fer or nere But clerely I claime all holes in all lates To be flies freholde as maie right well apere Where I distribed when I prescribed here Your auntiters buildinge the sydes and the top As â—â—ise at libertee in and out might chop And as lawe and custome or the tone of them Shall iudge this pointe wherin standth muche parte of all To that will I stande refusinge none of them Standinge with your plesure this case so stande shall Then quoth the spider take custome let lawe fall â—awe can â—ittle saie herein Lawe muste refar The iudgement to custome to make or mar For â—rew trying of custome Sir quoth the flie The lawe please it you maie trie how custome weith What lawe flie the comon lawe syr thinke I Where shall we trie flie what that lawe herein seith In west minster halle syr Why flie by thy feith Woldâ—â—e thou place this case wheron hangeth the sum Where thou saiste I nor no spider maie â—um How fer arte thou from the quitee towarde me That thou desyrest in me towarde the to growe Thou woldste bring forth a thousande flise for the Where no one spider for me maie make showe And so by stelthe woldste win mine ouerthrowe The lawe is one grounde of fowre quoth the fly Whiche your former graunte graunth to tâ—ie all by And though custome as who saie in respecte Of triall in this case is it selfe lawe Yet I saie laâ—e for foorme in pleding directe Aparence of that triall for the to drawe Is mete to be had I graunte thee that dawe But not without this that we both do agre The pleding to be where both present maie be It is meete quoth the flie and by you well weâ—de Vrgente cause excepte where mattier shall procede Againste any person or persons leide That he or thei answere presently in dede And in greattest crymes this hath greattest nede For in crymes moste criminal that lawe is peine The charged partie shall no counsaile obteine Whiche shouth that lawe in moste nede least helpè â—alow Wherto if the partie be kepte in absence So that he nor no man for him maie auow Any worde in plea pleadid for his defence This law is sumwhat sore in my conscience Though faire tales in mine eare peinte this a feire race Yet in mine Iie this case hath a crabed face Sins ye denie me not lawe but ye denie To pleade this plea where ye present maie not be Of that denial apeerth so good cause why That I shall not only moste gladly agre To haue it pleaded where we both shall decre But also I reioice that your selfe espieth This gall in this case and what ill therin lyeth One other ioie with many sorowse I haue The cause wherof commendth you vnspecablie In lesse tyme in maner then my selfe could craue After I am broughte â—ere in prison to lie It stanth with your plesure moste charitablie To here ye and determine out of hande How my case standth and wherto my selfe shall stande Oh maister spider the selfe dedes done in this Commende you more then may pen or tunge of man Thatachid of suspicion or facte amis Enquerie at full had quickely as ye can As iustice iudgeth streighte to dispatche him than Not letting him lie tyll his lyms rot or lame Iustice and merâ—ie both concurre in the same Flie quoth the spider fauour is not al loste Shewde vnto the for thou canste consider it But many other flise therbe in the coste In hauing lyke fauour the diuell spede the whit Theâ— do ponder it wherfore it is not fit When chaunce or deserte flâ—se into prison strike To vse frowarde and flexibill flise a lyke Iustice quoth the flie weith what and why to do Not to whom to do by fauor mede or frey The man is not the marke that iustise shooteth to The mans matter Iustice shooteth at alweie Betwene god and the diuell Iustice doth displey His baner indifferently Yeldinge eche parte In all dewe dewtise the very dew desarte â–ª Mercy ioynde with iustice doth either remit Or qualifie peines that dewe by iustice seme Tiranie not with iustice but against it Not weiyng deserte awardth peines most extreme Tyranie and mercy thus maie we here dems Tyrany not with but againste iustice showth Mercy with and not against iustice growth Iustice place I here in the middes as who saie Mercy on the right hande of iustice to stande Tiranie on the lefte hande now if we sweie From the streight lyne of iustice to either hande That sweie muste nedes bringe our sweiyng to be scande As we maie apere to sweie aparantly Either towarde mercie or towarde tyrany But in leaning to any hande of these twaine From sole iustice when we encline to decline As comon welthe in this case maie vs mainteine From corrupte construction this case to define I wish that we eche as our callinges asine Maie leane to that hande with mete strength or vigor That mercy leanth vnto rather than rygor ¶ The flie for cause here appering desireth to repete his distinction of iustice mercie tiranie which the spider denith wherwith the flie leith to the spider breche of a promes made to him before in discharge wherof the spider answereth C. 26. THe spider hunge downe both his hed and his lyp Like one y â— had nought or wist nought what to speke Wherwith thought the flie I haue geuen him a nyp These distinctions haue shewde his parte so weke That studiyng for matter he findth none to breke But where he thought the spider in study depe He was deceiued the spider was a slepe And herwith sterting awake fy slouth quoth he I had forgot my selfe I herde my selfe rout Naie sir quoth the flie ye had forgotten me The beste parte for my parte ye haue slepte quite out Naie not all flie for I put the out of dout Of all thy wordes had in my commendacion I herde euery worde and can make relation But thine entre to matter more serious Brought me a slepe but I prey the hertelie What 's the pointe of that case so imperious The pith is the distinction quoth the flie Betwene iustice mercy and tyranie Whiche sins you herde not and it muche mete to here I shall repete to you in forme brefe and clere That wolde quoth the spider make me slepe againe And phisike forbidth me to sleape twise a daie Repeticion hereof I denie thee plaine Reason lawe custome and conscience ye saie Shal quoth the flie all our
together in life eternall And for the chief spider and flie vnderstand Spider that dide and flie that scapte at maydes hand As in that figure both most charitablie Thone in deede dieing thother redie to die So should we not onlie die but also liue As gods preseptes paine of endelesse deth do giue Ye se also that this fygure here implies For strife in windowes betweene spiders and flies The plat of all the world and people therin In which world which people if all now begin And hensforth endeuer them deuring theyr liues By counsell of those two to cut of all striues By cuting of all cause of strife in all parties As they both eche in his last tale did deuise The first tale in chapter four score and eight here The second in foure score and twelue doth a pere Thaduice in both turnd to it to here and hold Turning their persons to oures in those tales told Then shall we first se and after feele what frewte Our right doing against wrong shall execute Which since ye maie turne and behold as a glasse Tedius Iteracion therof I let passe As I for tediousnesse and other causes Omit to remit the nombre of clauses To those learnd and geuen in enterpretacion More them am I vnto moralisacion I leaue to the learnd the corps of this matter How beete as I can I craue leaue to smatter In vttring my fancie vnder submission Touching the taking of one exposission In one peece herof one sence tenterpretate Of apt aplication to sence literate In this the last saide part of this saide fygure That maide I meane putting her office in vre Sweping downe copwebs in euerie border That she in that window saw set out of order Setting all flies at their lawfull libertie And spiders also tavoyde all ieobertie They bilding in windowes without her broms rech Where bilding within it brought much of this brech Keeping them selues within their boundes as they ought Harme she none did them none saide nor none thought But spiders hauing past their boundes as they had And flies hauing flowne more brode then order bad Thone to nie her masters and maistres iye showing Thother her masters and maistres meate blowing She thought it her dutie it being her charge To do sum execucion for warning large Both to spiders and flies the flockes euerichone By executing of spiders onlie one And saue custom of iustice forst her therto Both was she execusion on him to do Her brome not sword of rigor doble edgid blade But the branche of mercie that milde maiden made Finallie vpon her benigne behauer Appeasing all this furie with all this fauer In spiders and flies without stripes to stint strife All plaste in right place to place prosperus life Ech one in him selfe in most ioyfull ioy ioyde And eche one to other their ioyes they imploide All loying in her as their redempsion Of rest long erst had in exsempsion All bent as all weare bounde in all that they maie That maide in her office to loue and obaie Wherwith as this parable here taketh ende So I with a few wordes therin an ende intende Of this last peece pleine interpretacion Lighteth in the lap of imaginacion Which of force in weying the sence literall Clerelie conueithe the sence alligoricall To our sufferaigne Ladie Queene Marie and maide At gods bringing whom to her crowne may be laide Our lyke strife rissen and more then like to rise Then showth here risen betweene spiders and flies Whose sworde like a brome that swepth out filth cleane Not a sword that fileth the house by blodie meane This mercifull maiden tooke in hand to sweepe Her window this realme Not to kill but to keepe All in quiet On her bringing vs therto As that maide all spiders and flies showth to do And as vnder that mayde spider dide but one So vnder this maide saue one in effect none And as that one vnder that one maide did die Repentaunt so this other repentauntlie Vnder this other maide the deth meeklie tooke All sin with all sinfull errours he forsooke Of god crauing forgiuenesse principallie And then of the world And most speciallie Of this mayde his mastres Who clerlie him forgaue As that maide did that spider when he did craue And as that maide lothlie forst by iust custum Was dreuin to bring that one texcucion to cum So this maide saue like that maide by force was dreuine Was with that maide for pitie more then euine And as that maidins most quarell was addikt For that spiders and flies in that window kikt Against the will of her master and maistres So did this maide her cheefe quarell addres To vs or to such of vs as the presept Of her master and maistres had not kept And as that maide tooke those fautes much more to hart In respect of her masters and maistres part Then for her owne part her part being not small In that the redres she was charged with all So vnder her master and maistres this meyde Being theyr like instrument to se thinges weyde She weyde that With more greefe to se them offendid Then for ought that on her owne part dependid Her master Christ the head master principall Her maistres mother hollie church catholicall And as that one maide with that one stroke of her broome Clensed her window clere in euerie roome Setting flies at liberte in their right rate Plasing spiders likewise in accustumd state Poynting both partes path of direct direction To trace and treade in as welthes protection So this one mayde with this one stroke of her sword From long thrall thraldom hath set vs clere a bord Poynting vs our places and pathes of old knowne Great gides both to gostlie and worldlie welth growne Thus fer goth this figure and this exposiscion Betweene that mayde and this maide The condiscion On her part fulfild Whervpon let vs here Plaie our parts in this part all parts to apere To this maide as spiders and flies to that maide Let our baners of obedience be displaide Of loue the bage of reioysing the right roote And of our owne welthis the right and full boote Loue we her and obey we her as we ought And also our suffrayne Lorde Philip to her brought By god as god brought her to vs. Which twaine Conioyned one in matrimoniall trayne Both one also in auctorite regall These two thus made one bothe one here we call Which two thus one reioyse we eueriechone And these two thus one obey we all as one Effectuallie as those spiders and flies Figuratiuelie that one recongnies Beseching god that brought them to keepe them here In long prosperus raigne And of his mercie mere So to blisse vs that on this blessed stocke He bring such impes as ouer their faythfull flocke As their progenitors do raygne presentlie They after them maie raigne perpetuallie And for gift of these two thus one to vs geuine â—o yeld the three and one thankes as we are dreuine And also them conclude we this euen thus Thanke we god for them and god and them for vs FINIS ♣ IMPRINTED AT LONDON ♣ IN FLETESTRETE BY THO. POVVELL ♣ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum
to be hys warrant to distroy the flie which the flie can not denie Whervpon he desireth that the case maie be reasoned in conscience Which the spider now graunteth Cap. 86. ¶ They both laie sundrie sharpe reasons in conscience for the spiders life and death But the spider in conclusion draweth these foure principles reason law custom and conscience which he at beginning graunted to trie all by so to combine that he maketh therby an aparence to show the fli conuinst streight by custom he geueth iudgement of the flies death To which the flie yeldeth Praying to speak with twelue flies before he die And it is graunted Cap. 87 ¶ The flie to twelue graue flies for all flies geueth his aduice for a voiding their parels by their strife had in windowes against spiders the great grounde of which tale standeth most vpon consideration of these three things Wherfore they striue with whom they striue and how they striue Cap. 88. ¶ As the spider is about to kill the flie the mayde of the house commeth in and striketh downe the copweb and the spider to the ground Cap. 89. ¶ The maide being at poinet to treade the spider to death the spider praieth her to here him speake ere he die and then to adiudge him iustlie The maide graunting to vse him as he dyd vse the flie as maie best stand with reason law custom and conscience She at his request for the time withdrawing hyr foote they fall to reasoning of the case Cap. 90. ¶ In reasoning of both sides the maide driueth the spider to graunt him selfe conuinst by custom eyded with the other principles erst saide as he conuinst and adiudged the flie before Whervpon she by custom decreth the spider to die He then desiring to speake with his sonne and his counsell Which the mayde graunteth Cap. 91. ¶ The spider to his sonne and twelue spiders geueth his best aduise for most quiet and best gouernance His tale standynge most vpoÌ„ these three termes First a declaration of him selfe second an exhortation to them the third a submission for him self Whervnto he desireth licence to take his childe in his armes now at theyr departing whiche the mayde graunteth Cap. 92. ¶ After a few wofull woordes of the spider had to his sonne they bothe claspynge eche other in armes verie naturally he kysseth and blisseth him Wherewyth that sonne with all the twelue spiders dolefullie departe from the spider Cap. 93. ¶ The mayde appering as woe to distroye the spider as he is to be dystroyde wyth her foote presseth hym to death Cap. 94. ¶ The mayde hath before her the twelue spiders and the twelue flies that had bene before in place And upon her show that all harms doone by those generacions is growne by mysorder she fynally deuiseth full redresse in poynting them to grow to order Cap. 95. ¶ The twelue spiders and twelue flies hauyng hearde theyr order set by the mayde they thankefullie receyue it And vpon her commaundement to them to put thys order in vre amonge all spyders and flies they ioyfullye departe that commaundement to fulfill Cap. 96. ¶ The spiders and flies beynge now absent The mayde sweepyth the wyndow cleane in euerie place As far as her breme and arme wyll stretch which doone she departeth Cap. 97 ¶ The maide being gone the auctor cuÌ„meth in And vpon hys beholding the wyndow fayre and cleane swept wythoute anie combirus copwebs or excessif flockes of flies he departeth Cap. 98. FINIS TABVLAE I H ¶ The Introduction to the matter showing howe the flie chaunsed to fall in the spiders copweb Cap. primuÌ„ IN season what time euery growing thinge That ripeth by roote hath liuely taken hart Grasse leafe and flowre in field so florishing That wintered withered stalkê stand in couart Though weerie wythered hartê plaie than like part Couertly coucht in bed them selues to hyde Yet hartê of lust the bed can not abyde But vp they must profe of that lust to make In whiche like cherefull tyme it chaunced me From sleepe one night so timelie to awake That how ferre night or how nie daie might be It past my reache of searche sure sine to se But streight the searche of nature wrought the crowe Of daunyng of the daie warnyng to showe Vpon whiche admonision I arose But by the tyme that I coulde get me out The daie apeereth and so brode breaketh lose Leadyng mine eye at large to loke about The fieldê so freshe that be ye out of dout For sauour sight and heringe eche byrdê voyse No chaunge could chaunce to choose the better choyst Whiche I reioysynglie herde and behelde Tyll suche time as the sonne was cum in sight So that the dew drawne by his powre must yelde From therth to th aire from whence it fell that night And hauyng herein had mine appetight I made returne temprately to remayne Out of whot sonne to temprate house agayne Where as anone a booke I tooke in hand Some thinge to reade to fode foorth fantasie And stepping to a window there to stand In at a lattes hole right sodenlie Euen at a fling fast flew there in a flie That sang as shrill and freshlie in my minde As any byrde coulde do bredde of that kinde About the parler flew this flie full rounde And as apeerde he sought for foode in deede But when in no wise ought wolde there be founde In to the buttrie hastelie he yeede And stale in to the almerie to feede Where he at pleasure triumpht vncontrolde Till he had there at will wrought what he wolde From whense anone couragiouslie he flang Now here now there of winge he made no store But for a flie oh lorde how he then sang Two notes aboue his highest note before Wherin encreast his courage more and more He flew he friskt he tost he turnde about The flie of flies no flie I trow so stout But as the firmament most cleere and blew The golden sonbeames bent to bewtifie The courtaine drawne of clowdie weeping hew Withdraweth and chaungeth that christall asure skiâ— From blew to blacke so fareth it with the flie Amyd whose ioy at window to haue past A copweb maskth his winges and maketh him fast Thus chaunce hath by exchaunge the flie so trapt That sodainly he lost his libertee The more he wrange the faster was he wrapt And all to thencrease of his ieoberdee Which parell when he did conceiue and see Suche was his rage in hast from thence to flitte As made him seeme welnie out of his witte He wafted his winges he wagged his tayle He shooke his head he frounde he stared wyde He spurnde he kickte but when nought wolde auayle To ryd him thence but there he must abyde As breath and breast wolde beare loudely he cryde And wofullie as any one flie can In folowynge foorme this wofull flie began ¶ The lamentacion of the flie with declaracion partlie of the propertie of Fortune and of his owne estate past and presente Cap. 2
ALas alas alas and welawaie To crie aloude alas what cause haue I Alas I saie that euer I sawe this daie My whole estate in twinklyng of an eye Is here transformde from myrth to miserie For frowarde fortune hath led my mys hap To lay and locke me in myne ennemies lap Oh sodayne sorowe from setled solas For so sat I in solas as me thought Oh fortune false flaterer that euer was In one moment and in an other wrought So furious that both thaffertê foorth brought Furie or flaterie which is worst in thee Hard for a flie to iudge the certeintee Namelie for me who all my life haue beene Lapped in lap of thy fayre flattering flowres Till from those roses now thou castest me cleene Into thease nettles of thy furious showres Wherin my lacke of practice lacketh powres My whole tyme hauing bene spent in the tone To iudge in thease two whiche is the woorst one I lacke I meane iudgement to iudge at full Bothe thease sayde sides Howbeit here to declare Somwhat in bothe partes I bothe can and wull Mine entrie now in chaunge from ioye to care Hath in this instant taught me to compare Flaterie with furie trewth in both to trie When Fortune telleth treuth and when Fortune doth lie Who while she was or rather seemde my freende Thapparaunce of hir pleasaunt countenaunce Promised me my welth shoulde haue none eende But swifter then the star doth seeme to glaunce That assemblaunce turneth to dissemblaunce Myne ended welth now turnde to endles wo Amyd monge hir false flaterie proueth so And putting now hir fewrie here in vre Threatniug the daunger of my life present Perfourmaunce therof doth appere as sure As it in maner had experiment Hir fewrie is a glasse right excellent Betwene fewrie and flaterie to deuise To take hir threats trew and hir promesse liese Flaterie and fewrie thus in hir this gose When she speaketh fayre then hath she lust to lie When she speaketh foule then trewth she will disclose Which thinge showth somwhat straunge but commenlie In man to man mans vse doth verifie In loue and hate disclosyng trewth and liese The selfe show showde in dailie exercise In sundrie thinges experience doth tell No friende with friende in friendship will be plaine As foe with foe will in his fewrie fell Loue to tell trewth doth ofte for loue refraine Hate hideth no iote vntolde for to remaine Loue lockth in trewth least trewth might friendê displease Hate lashth out trewth foes to displease and disease Friendes in this case will hide trewth and show liese Foes in this case will hide lies and shew trewth Of trewth that towcheth in displeasant wise Hate hideth nought that memorie endewth In man and fortune who that fully vewth How vse of trewth and lies herein hath gone Shall se in both small difference saue this one Loue causeth friendes to hide displeasant trowth To kepe their friendes in quiet while thei maie By loue in friendes to friendes a lothnesse growth In thing extreeme the trewth extreeme to saie Where hiding of the trewth harmeth no waie Or that the trewth is better hid then tolde There friende to friende by loue will trewth with holde But those respectes fortune doth nought attend Hir hidden trewth in pleasaunt present show Is to begile such as on hir depend When from hir grace their greefe vnknowen shall grow By fore purposed folowing ouerthrow In quiet calme she shadoweth shipwracke rockes To make hir mariners hir mockyng stockes And noting here from hir proclaimed calme How sodenlie hir stolne stormes do arise Of ioie longe sought late had the sodeine qualme I iudge to be hir great ioy to deuise By hir which ioy my sorow in this wise Teatheth me I say to say that I haue saide And so much more as is next after laide What is long liking life the tyme once past Except the same haue bene orderlie spent Thaccounted audite daie must cum at last When woorde and deede with thought of eche entent Shall haue a iust account with like iudgement Wolde god for all whiche dredfull doubtfull doutes That I had died euen in my swadlynge cloutes For liue we neuer so longe a time here The tyme determined once that hence must wee Then doth all worldelie pleasure past apere Euen as in deede it is all vanitee Whiche pleasure hath bene longe possest in mee I thinke in no creature liuynge more That euer liued here a flie before Full many a night haue I escaped harme When many a flie to harme was bought and solde And many a night haue I lien close and warme When many a flie abrode hath died for colde And many a flie the flap hath iobde and iolde When I haue safely kepte from ieobardee My selfe and all the flies that folowde mee Wherby with flies I was then so esteemed That few thinges passed without my councell And where I past there was no daunger deemed Nor no cause why for in all thinges that fell My woorke did then approue my wit so well That nowhit cared I what flie did know it Nor yet how far or brode al flies did blow it I haue bene ere this daie these many daies By mine experience and mother wit Highly in estimation many waies And where I was present no filie wolde sit Nor pertely prease to blow or bite one bit Till I were set for where were fleshe or fishe The choise of both was mine in euery dishe And I suppose as longe as present tence Maie keepe possest possession peasably To stand in place and case of reuerence Is thing much pleasaunt to all flies welny But once in chaunged case as now am I The preter tence presentlie takinge place Then hath the present tence lost all his grace Alas my ioyfull ioy of yesterdaie How can it cure my carefull care present Of pleasure past remembraunce doth alwaie The pinche of present payne right much augment Then in this present case this consequent Conclewdeth I say all pleasure past to bee Nought els but vanished vaine vanitee Thus lithe there now in charge of my repreefe Those thinges which I haue longe time gloried in Which glory past encreaseth present greefe And as my woorthy wyt did woorship win So shall shew of my foly neuer blin To bruite defame report of this distresse Shall tosse and turne my wyt to foolyshnesse As thus the simplest flie whiche by my skoole Is taught ere this of copwebs to beware And seeth his master plaie so far the foole To be my selfe now tript in the same snare Shall by reporte my folie full declare Whiche surely shall amonge all flies suruiue As long as any one flie is aliue And though this fall I take to be as cleane Without my faute as without remedie And parience the medsonable meane To take all fautles falles reioisinglie And eke where no helpe helpeth maladie To make a vertue of necessitee Yet those two poinctes are poynctes to high for me For be I faultie or be I