Hands Refuse to put on Gloves the vexd Foot stands Mean while the Stomach was come down and cries What once a hollow Tooth serv'd would suffice The streightend Maw one bit one crum bestow But still the moodie Members answer No. At last an extreme feeblenesse they felt Saw all but skin and their hard bones to melt A pale Consumption Lording over all At which a Counsell the faint Brethren call The Stomach must be fed which now was so Contracted that like them it answer'd No. At which pale Death her cold approaches made When to the dying Feet the weak Hands said Brethren in evill since we did deny The Bellie food we must together die All that are Members in a Common-wealth Should more than Private aim at Publick health The Rich the Poor and Poor the Rich must aide None can protect themselves with their own shade None for themselves are Born we brought in food Which the kind Stomach did prepare for Blood The Liver gave it tincture the great Vein Sends it in thousand severall streams again To feed the parts which there assimulates Concord builds high when Discord ruins States But the chief cause did our destruction bring Was we Rebell'd ' gainst Reason our true King MORALL Civill Commotions strongly carried on Seldome bring Quiet when the War is done Then thousand Interests in strange shapes appear And through all ways to certain Ruine steer 48 THE EIGHT AND FOURTIETH FABLE Of the Horse and laden Asse DEear Brother Horse so heavy is my load That my galld back Is like to crack Some pitty take Or I shall perish in the road For thy fair Sisters sake Who once did bear To me a Son a Mule my hopefull Heir Assistance lend My burthen share Or else a cruell end Waits on thy fellow servant and thy friend Here I must lye And die The tird Asse said to th' empty Horse went by Prick'd up with Pride and Provender the Horse Deni'd his aid Shall I he said My own back lade And hurt my self stird up with fond remorse My prudent Master laid This on thee who Better than you or I know's what to doe My Sister Mare Was given to you Our Nobler race to spare The Asse and Mule must all the burthens bear I must no pack Nor sack But my dear Master carry on my back This said Heart-broak the Asse fell down and di'd The Master streight Laid all the weight On his proud Mate And spread above the Asses hide Repenting but too late The Horse then said Thou wert accurs'd didst not thy Brother aid Now on my back Th' whole burthens laid Such Mortals goodnesse lack And Counsell which their Friends distrest not aid Had I born part The smart Had been but small which now must break my Heart MORALL People that under Tyrant Scepters live Should each to other kind Assistance give The Rich the Poor still over-Taxd should aid Lest on their Shoulders the whole burthens laid 49 THE NINE AND FOURTIETH FABLE Of the Fox and the Cock. SOon as the Fox to Pullein-furnish'd Farms Approaches made Though valiant Chanticleere not trusting Arms Nor humane aid Ascends a tree Where he Stood safe from harms Loud was the Cackle at no false Alarms From ground About him round For safety all his feather'd Household Flock When Reynard thus spake to the wary Cock O thou through all the world for vallour fam'd Hast thou not heard What our two Kings so lately have proclaim'd Both Beast and Bird At Amity Must be War which enflam'd Since Adams fall all creatures wild and tam'd Must cease In lasting Peace The cruell Lyon and the Eagle then Will joyn their force against more cruell Men. The sacrilegious Woolf in graves must feed And Birds of prey With humane slaughter must supply their need The Popinjay Needs not to bauk The Hauke The Lamb and Kid ' Mongst hungry Bears may in dark Forests feed At Feasts Both Birds and Beasts Begin to meet the Cat with Linnets plays And Griffons Dine where tender Heifers graze Therefore most Noble Chanticleer descend And though your Spurs Maintaining Pullein Quarters once did rend My tender Furs When Feathers I Made fly I 'm now your friend Unlesse we strive in love let us contend No more Though Reynard's poor He 's faithfull to his trust and boldly can Affirme no Beast is half so false as Man The Cock long weary of devasting War And fierce Alarms Well knowing what outrages committed are By Civill Arms And how the Man Had slain To mend his fare His Off-spring yet pretending love and care Right glad To him then said I meet your love Sir Reynard and descend To choose 'mong Beasts rather than Men a friend While the Cock spake a pack of cruell Hounds The Fox did hear And saw them powdering down from Hilly grounds After a Deer Reynard not stays Delays Are dangerous found But earth's himself three fathome underground At last The Dogs being past All danger ore again he did appear Then to the Fox return'd spake Chanticleer Learned Sir Reynard if the words be true Which you have said Why did these Dogs the trembling Deer pursue They should have staid Like enemies From these You also flew Then said the Fox though I th' agreement drew So late This Act of State Came forth I fear they th' Edict did not hear But I shall trounce them have they kild the Deer The Cock reply'd but I le make good this tree Is it now true then 't will to morrow be MORALL To what we like we easy credit give This makes us oft from foes feignd news beleive Fame mighty Holds hath took and storm'd alone And false Reports whole Armies overthrown 50 THE FIFTIETH FABLE Of the Lyon and the Forester VAst Forrests and great Cities opend when Betwixt wild Beasts and Men A long Cessation was And it was then That Citizens and Rusticks viewd the Lyons Den At his vast Courts amaz'd Where now fat Buls Colts and tame Asses graz'd Through desarts Travellers took the nearest way Where with their Spaniels wanton Tygers play Foxes 'mong Geese Wolves 'mong fat Weathers lay At Skinners Shops the Bear unmuzeld calls Cheapning on furnished Stals His friend or Cozens fur In common Halls Panthers behold themselves on stately Pedistals And now no Yeoman Cur Nor Sergeant mastive Beasts indebted stir The Woods Inhabitants wander every where And brizly Boars walk safe with untouch'd eare After the Proclamation they did hear When the great Lyon met a Forester With whom he oft in War Had strove with various chance This with a spear The Lyon gald that would his strong-spun ambush tear Then boldly up advance And with his teeth in sunder bite the lance To whom the Lyon said Sir you and I Could nere decide our strength by victory Let us dispute and it by Logick trie Then said the Woodman let us wave dispute Antiquity shall doo 't Behold Mausolus toomb And then be mute If the worlds wonder by example thee confute There let
no idle prayer To recompence his care And fruitfull render hard and barren clods They heard and nurc'd his hope with timely rain That now black grounds did shine with golden Grain When a fierce troop of Plundering Cranes he spies And wicked Geese to cut the Christall Skies Calld in by those domestick Geese he fed In his own Barn with what should make him Bread His Gander thus He heard declare Welcome dear friends to us Our spightfull Master if he see us look But ore the hedge with threatning voice will call Who can the injury brook Come let 's deprive the Hook This said th' whole Army on the Field did fall Plots meet with Counterplots strong Gins were set Which took both Foes and Traitors in a Net ' Mongst whom he found a Stork who to the Swain Thus pleaded innocence I am no Crane Nor impious Goose nor have I touch'd your Corn But the best Bird am I on wings is born 'T is I that feed My Parents spent with age and in their need Bear like the Trojan Hero on my back The Pelican that feasts with her own blood Her young when meat they lack Compar'd to me is black Who will not spend their lives to save their Brood Great Love descends to Age who gives respect Children and Friends Parents grown old neglect Then said the Swain Your boasting will not serve You found with these shall find what they deserve And with these cursed Malefactors die Though as you say you are the best that fly Your wicked troop Would all my Harvest hopes have eaten up Wert thou the Phoenix though we lost the race A Cherubine or Bird of Paradice Expect from me no grace Now thou shalt suffer in this place You tell your Vertues Bird but not your Vice To your own Parents you obedient are But not for Kings our Common Fathers care MORALL What crimes commit we or what grosse abuse That is not palliated by excuse Who saies he 's Guilty these Bad companie load The Devill this and that laies all on God 80 THE EIGHTIETH FABLE Of the Eagle and the Crow THe Plumed King spreading his feather'd sail Down through the clouds like a black tempest stoops Passing through Quarters of Wind Rain and Hail He seiz'd a Lamb among the bleating Troops While the Dogs bark and the old Shepheards rail That he a King should prey on harmelesse Beasts He flys to cruell Nests And bears the prey to Courts nine steeples high Then wonderous Blood Wool rain from the skie A foolish Crow viewing this gallant Flight The Eagle made down from the arched Skies Sweld with opinion soars a mighty height To rob the flock of such another prize Thence on a youngling did with fury light And Knee deep strikes himself in Silver Wool That thence he could not pull His tangled feet with Art nor Force again But yields himself then Prisoner to a Swain Who gave him to the Boys they clip his Wing And ' mongst the Flocks would with their Captive play Taught him new notes another Song to sing And when men ask'd what Bird he was to say He thought he was an Eagle and a King But to his grief he now too well did know He is a foolish Crow Who 'bove his power great things attempting fell A sport to Boys as mercilesse as Hell MORALL All imitate or imitated are A shriveld Dwarf hath managed in War A mighty Steed and boldly charg'd the foe Shooting through loop-holes in the sadle bow 81 THE EIGHTIE FIRST FABLE Of the Dog and the Sheep ROugh with a trundle tail a Prick-ear'd Cur That had nine Warrens of starv'd Fleas in 's Fur On whom was manginesse entail'd and itch From his Sire Isgrim and a Cat-ey'd Bitch With these endowments Rich And some bold vices now we vertues call He brought to th' Judgement Hall His accusation ' gainst a guiltlesse Sheep That he the staff of life from him did keep A Loaf he lent him of the purest Wheat And at the high Tribunal seat At once he charg'd and at once claims the debt The Sheep denies that ere he had to doe With this strange Dog that no good Shepheard knew Since he no Bond could prove desir'd release Then bawls the Cur Behold my Witnesses Let them the truth confesse The Vulture Fox and Squint-ey'd Kite appear Whom God nor Conscience fear To whom he promis'd equall shares before For which as they instructed were they swore They saw when he deliver'd him the Bread Refusing bond and kindly said Without such things Brethren should Brethren aid The Beasts had savage Laws Who could not pay Convicted at the Cred'tors mercy lay Such was the poor Sheeps case none could exhort The Dog to save the honour of the Court Since cruelty was his sport But at the Sheep with open mouth he flew And in th' whole benches view Sucks his warm Blood and eats his panting Heart And to each Witnesse quarters out their part When one did say Thus innocence we see Was never yet from danger free As th' Evidence so must the Sentence be MORALL While Oaths and Evidence shall bear the cause Men of small Conscience little fear the Laws What Trade are you a Witnesse Sir Draw neer Ther 's Coyn goe swear what I would have you swear FINIS
lodges Where at night His delight His dear wife hee l invite And home again in haste he trudges The viper as a precious jewell Streight he layd in mosse Putting sticks acrosse Busling out to fetch more fuell Fresh warmth gave resurrection to the fiend And from the dead the devill did ascend His vitall spirits returning He now grown hot Fresh poyson got Contriving streight a damned plot With rage and malice burning He uncoyls his speckled cable And prepares by arms To seize all the farms Of him that was so hospitable And with injustice thus he tax'd the Gods Gives Jove to silly swains such warm aboads When subtile Serpents must lye sterving Who else will dain But this dull swain To take us up and ease our pain What ever our deserving But leaves us gasping in a furrow Or with a staff When we are half Dead kill and so conclude our sorrow I le scourse my windy lodging for this grange Nor is it robery to make a change A cool house for a warmer Him I le assigne What ere is mine In open field to sup and dine And here I le play the Farmer I le take the charge of Sheep and Cattel And when ther 's need On them I le feed This said he streight prepares for battell His Nervy back and his voluminous train Are both drawn up to charge one single swain His eys like Aetna flaming His sting he whets His scales he sets Now up and down the room he jets With hisses war proclaming He stools and tables forms imbraces Wreathing about Now in now out And takes possession of all places Mean while the Rustick had with sounding strokes Whole Elms disrob'd and naked left tall Okes To bring the Snake home store of fuell Little the good Man understood Whom he sav'd would seek his blood And with the devill to have a duell But when he came into the entry It made him quake To see the Snake Stand like an uglie Souldier centrie Not staying to plead the goodnesse of his cause Arm'd with a stake up the bold Shepherd draws To save his house and dwelling Well he knows He must oppose Though fire and poyson arm your foes At first charge them rebelling A horse and arms the Knight could brag on This with a stake Assaults the Snake Swoln with fury to a Dragon Long time the fight was equally maintain'd The Shepherd now and now the Serpent gaind Chance gave the swain the better When with a stroke Three ribs he broke And words with blows thus mixing spoke Sir still I am your debtor I tender thus my house and cattle The Serpent flies And quarter cries And once more dying quits the battel Spawn of th' old Dragon worme ingratefull wretch Then lights a blow which made his long sides stretch What doe you crie peccavie Unworthy soul Think'st thou a hole Will shelter like a worme or mole And from my fury save thee I le sign your lease first on your shoulder Next take this sowse And then my house Now goe and be a good free-holder With what he meant for fire a knottie stake He warms the Serpents sides untill they ake Then on his breast he tramples His purple head Waxt pale as lead His golden scales with blood were red Live now he said among examples While this tough cudgell lasts I le bang thee I to my grief Have sav'd a thief That would have been the first to hang me MORALL Ingratefull men are marshald in three rancks This not returns the second gives no thanks Evill the last for good repays and this Of all hels monsters the most horrid is 17 THE SEVENTEENTH FABLE Of the sick Kite and his mother THe Kite first steeredge taught to Mariners By which strange lands they found and unknown stars And took from Seas imaginary bars They saw when heaven was cleer His plumie rudder steer Starboord and Larboord plying here now there These Sailers having a good voyage made Neer Kitish seats rich vessels did unlade And to that Prince a royall banquet made Him with fat offerings fed With Oyl Wine moyst and red Which Surfeit a Malignant Feaver bred And now who long by rapine and by stealth Had heap'd up riches lost his former health More worth to mortals than all worldly wealth In his well-feather'd nest The sick bird takes no rest When to his mother he himself confest Mother you know and I now to my grief That I have liv'd a most notorious thief Robbing for pleasure oftner than relief I once from th' Altar stole With flesh a kindled cole Which burnt my nest high as the lofty Pole Such are my sins no God I dare implore Lest they should know I live and punish more You for your son may pray as heretofore Let heaven but grant me health I le give the Church my wealth And orders take repenting former stealth Then to her son the mother made reply Ah my dear bird couldst thou but once-more fly And cut with fanning wings the ample skie Wert hungry once agen Thou 'lt rob the Lyons den Spoyl th' Eagles nest and pillage Gods and men MORALL A golden robe in Winter is too cold Too hot in Summer is a beard of gold Church robbers thus cram impious coffers still And greedy men count sacrilege Gods will 18 THE EIGHTEENTH FABLE Of the Old Hownd and his Master OLd Dog 't is thou must doe it come away Within a thicket neer Is lodg'd a gallant Dear We must not friend neglect so brave a prey Kill'd thou and I will feast To morrow and to day Upon the slaughterd beast Then come I say Remember once a Conqueror thou wert And seizing didst pull down a mighty Hart When the Kings swiftest dogs thou didst out-strip This said the Huntsman let his old Hownd slip The rows'd Dear flys for life the Dog to kill Through Lawns ore hils and dales So swift the Nymble gales Seem in their faces turn which way they will Ready to pinch Kilbuck With air his mouth did fill At last the Dear he took Yet was deluded still His phangs grown old now fail and what vext more He crost a proverb says old Dogs bite sore Then stripes resound upon his panting side Who while his Master beat him lowd thus cry'd Ingratefull Lord once I did save thy life When thou by thy own Hownds Wer't chac'd through neighbouring grounds Transform'd like to Actaeon by thy wife You a hornd monster Sir I knew and vent'ring life Beat off the leading cur But these rewards are rise Thus Masters former-services forget This no new way to pay old servants debt Ah me poor wretch and must the proverb hold A serving creature is a Beggar old MORALL Servants beware oft is but little space Betwixt preferment and the losse of place Ladies are fickle and fantastick Lords Would see new faces waiting at their boards 19 THE NINTEENTH FABLE Of the Hares and Frogs WHile a huge tempest through the wood resounds The frighted Hares Prick up their ears
advance The Horse a Man brings with a mighty launce Longer than th' others crest The manner of the fight is chang'd he feels No more the Horses hoof and ill-aimd heels They charge now breast to breast Two to one ods ' gainst Hercules the Hart Though strong and stout Could not hold out But flys and must from Conquer'd Realms depart Nor longer could the Horse his joy contain But with lowd neighs and an erected main Triumpheth after fight When to the Souldier mounted on his back Feeling him heavy now the Beast thus spake Be pleas'd good Sir to light Since you restor'd to me my fathers seat And got the day Receive your pay And to your City joyfully retreat Then said the Man This Sadle which you wear Cost more than all the Lands we conquer'd here Beside this burnish'd Bit. Your self and all you have too little are To cleer m' engagemens in this mighty War Till that 's paid here I 'le sit And since against your Foe I aided you Can you deny Me like supply Come and with me my Enemie subdue Then sigh'd the Horse and to the Man reply'd I feel thy cruell Rowels gaul my side And now I am thy slave But thank thy self for this thou foolish beast That for revenge to forraign interest Thy self and Kingdom gave 'Mong Rockie Mountains I had better dwelt And fed on Thorns Gor'd by th' Harts Horns Than wicked Man's hard servitude have felt MORALL Some injur'd Princes have to be reveng'd With their own Realms the Christian World unhing'd On any tearms with any Nation deal Will Heaven not hear them they 'l to Hell appeal 46 THE SIX AND FOURTIETH FABLE Of the Satyre and Traveller WHen Lucifer the first Grand Rebell fell With all his winged Officers to Hell Th' Almighty Conqueror thought not fit That then All should be quarter'd in the Brimstone Pit Prepared for bad Angels and worse Men But they the vulgar Spirits did incense Against Gods Counsell with a fair pretence That thus Heavens King they would more glorious make Were sent by thunder to the Stygian Lake But such whose crime was Error he confines To Caves And Graves And tender Gold to guard in hollow Mines And some there be that dare Make their repayr To Etheriall air These the rough Ocean rule and others guide Wing'd Clouds and on the backs of Tempests ride Such are those Spirits timorous people fright In horrid shapes and Play mad prancks by night Nymphs Faireys Goblins Satyres Fauns Which haunt Soft purling streams cool shades and silent lawns Begot on Mortals Sires Immortall vaunt Of which our Satyre was whose cloven hoof Rough Thighs and crooked Horns were ample proof Who by the Mothers side more gentle gave To a cold Traveller shelter in his Cave Whom Boreas charg'd with a huge drift of Snow The Man Began Having no Fire his Fingers ends to blow Why thus he blew his hands His Hoste demands And wondring stands Who then reply'd My Breath my Fingers will Streight unbenum and warm though nere so chill Soon the kind Satyre made a Fire and got Boyld Lentils which he gave the stranger hot The Traveller begins to blow His Broth Then ask'd the rurall Deity Why so My breath will cool't he said Then wondrous wrath The staring Satyre Answer'd I that am The Devils Sister's Son and to his Dam As neer ally'd by my dear Mother which Is now a famous Callydonian witch Dare not a Monster like to thee behold A Man That can With the same lungs at once blow hot and cold Be gon or else that breath Thou shalt bequeath To me in death A Sycophant and a Backbiter too My Unckle himself had best beware of you MORALL Who Smile and Stab at once cleer and attaint Like Pictures are here Devill and there Saint But Fiends and Saints convertible be for where We spie a Devill some say a Saint goes there 47 THE SEAVEN AND FORTIETH FABLE Of the Rebellion of the Hands and Feet REason once King in Man Depos'd and dead The Purple Isle was rul'd without a head The Stomach a devouring State swaid all At which the Hands did burn the Feet did gaule Swift to shed blood and prone to Civill stirs These Members were who now turn Levellers The vast Revenue of the little World Is in the Exchequer of the Bellie hurld And toyl on them impos'd by Eternall Laws With a drawn Sword the Hands thus pleads the cause Freeborne as you here we demand our right Reason being vanquish'd the proud Appetite In Microcosmos must no Tyrant be The idle Paunch shall work as well as we The Stomach promis'd and so gaind our loves Our King dethron'd we should in Kid-skin Gloves Grow soft again and free from corn the Feet In Cordovant at leasure walk the Street Who now toyl more than when that Monarch swaid Then we did works of wonder then we made Aegyptian Pyramids Mausolus toomb Built the Gran Caire great Ninevie and Rome Heaven-threatning Babell those skie-kissing Towres Proud boast themselves a mighty work of ours We Daedalus wing'd to fly from spire to spire And Thunder fram'd out-ranted Jove's lowd fire These were our works which are by fame enrold Now we dresse Meat Change it some God to Gold Skies Seas we spread with Nets vast Earth with Gins To Banquet you who feast seaven deadly Sins Did we for this storm the bold Breast and raze Joves Image in the Heaven-advanced Face Where our sharpe Nails a Rubrick pend in gore And curld roofs from King Reasons Palace tore For such rewards the Feet in cooling streams Sweating did rush who by such Stratagems Did at strange distance disafect with pain The Head hurt Reason and disturb the Brain In brief or work or fast take up your Staffe Guird thy Loyns Bellie and leave Banquets off This said the Stomach with sharp Choler stird Cast forth such things belching at every word Rebellious Members you that be so far From Peace that rather 'mong your selves you 'l War What Acts did you to those that we have done Who was it carried the great businesse on The Senses took the Cinque-Ports of the Realm With a fair Shade and a deluding Dream Was 't you or we full with * Garlicks and Onyons Aegyptian Gods The Brainish Monarch drove from his aboads Beat up all Quarters of the Heart by Night And did that Fort with its own trembling fright Who sweld the Spleen and made the Gall ore-flow The Feet and Hands who made the Liver glow Till all those Purple Attoms in the Blood Which make the Soul swom in a burning Flood From whence inflam'd they seiz'd upon the Head And ore the Face their blushing Ensigns spread All that you boast of since this War began Are but light skirmishes with th' outward man Leave threatning must we keep perpetuall Lent The Members shall as soon as we repent Trembling with rage the Feet and Hands depart The Stomach swels high goes th' incensed Heart Three days in Pockets closeted the