twixt vs for euermore I was vnwise that winked at thy will Where thorow almost I losed had my head I was more foole quoth he to be so still Where thorow to put my pray now into plead Away false theefe God keepe me fro thy fead With that the Cock ouer the fieldes tooke flight And in at the widowes window could he light Moralitie NOw worthy folke suppose this be a Fable And ouerheled with tipes fugerall Yet may ye finde some sentence right agreeable Vnder these fayned termes textuall To our purpose this Cock well may we call Nice proude men voyde and vaine glorious Of kin and bloud which are presumptuous Fie puft vp pryde thou art full poysonable Who fauoureth thee of force must haue a fall Thy strength is nought thy stoole stands vnstable Take witnesse of the fendes infernall Whiche throwen downe were from the heaueÌ„ly hal To Hels hole and to that hideous house Bicause in pryde they were presumptuous This fayned Foxe may well be figurate To flatterers with pleasant woordes white With false meaning and minde most toxicate To glose and lie that settes their whole delite All worthy folke at such should haue despite For where is there more perillous pestilence Than giue to lyars hasty credence The wicked minde and adulation Of these sweete suckers hauing the similitude Are bitter as gall and full of poyson To tast it is who cleerely vnderstoode For this as now shortly to conclude These two sinnes flattery and vaineglore Are perilous good folke flee them therefore FINIS ¶ The pleasant tale howe this false dissembling Tod made his confession to the hypocrite fryer Wolfe Waytskayth LEauing this wydow glad I you assure Of Chauntclere more iocund than I can tell And speake we of the subtill aduenture And destinit that to this Foxe befell Whiche durst no more with wayting intermell As long as leame or light was of the day But byding night full still lurking he lay Whyle that the Goddosse of the flood Phebus had called to the harbery And Hesperus put vp his clowdy hood Shewing his iusty visage in the skie Then Laurence looked vp where he did lie And cast his hande vpon his eye on hight Mery and glad that come was the night Out of the woodde vnto a hill he went Where he mought see the twinekling starres cleâ—re And all the Planets of the firmament Theyr course and eke their mouing in the sphere Some Retrograde and some Stationere And of the Zodiake in what degree They were eche one as Laurence learned mee Then Saturne olde was entred in Capricorne And Iuppiter moued in Sagittarie And Mars in the Rams head was borne And Phebus in the Lion forth can carrie Venus the Crab the Mone was in Aquarie Mercury the God of Eloquence Into the Virgin made his residence Without Astrolab Quadrant or Almanake Taught of nature by instruction The mouing of the heauen this Tod can take What influence and constellation Was like to fall vpon the earth adowne And to himselfe he sayd this one thing God haue me Father that set me to learning My desteny and eke my death is knowne My aduenture is clearely to me kend With mischiefe mortall men are ouerthrowne My missyning the sooner but if I mend It is rewarde of sinne a shamefull end Therefore I will go seeke some confessoure And shryue me cleane of my sinnes to this houre And quoth he right fearfull are wee theeues Our liues be eche night in aduenture Our cursed crafte full many men mischieues For euer we steale and ouer are like poore In dread and shame our dayes we endure Still hunting after mischief at euery becke Till at last for our hyre we are hanged by the necke Accursing thus his cankred conscience On top of a crag he cast aboute his eye And saw comming a little from thence A worthy Docter in diuinitie Fryer Wolfe Waytskayth in science wonders slie To preach and pray was commen from the closter With heades in hand saying his Pater noster Seyng this Wolf this wyly traytor Tod On knees fell with hood into his necke Welcome my ghostly father vnder God Quoth he with many bow and many becke Ha quoth the Wolf siâ— Tod for what effect Make ye such mone rise vp on your foet Father quoth he I haue great cause to do et Ye are Mirrour Lanterne and liuely way To guyde suth simple men as me to grace Your barefeete and your uâ—sseâ—â—â—nle of grey Your leane cheekes your pale pitâ—ous face Whiche shewes to me your perfect holinesse For well were him that once in his liue Had hap to you his sinnes for to shryne Nay silly Laurence quoth the Wolf and lough It pleaseth me that ye are penitent Of theft and flouth sir I can tell inough That causeth me full sore for to repent But Father byde still here vpon the bent I you beseech and heare mee to deplore My guiltie conscience that prickes me so sore Well quoth the Wolf sit downe vpon thy knee And he downe barehead sate full humily And so began with Benedicitee When I this saw I drewe a little by For it is no good manners to heare nor spie Nor to reueale things sayde vnder that seale Yet to the Tods coÌ„science the Wolf did thus appeale Art thou contrite and sory in thy spryte For thy trespas nay sir I cannot do et My thinkes that hennes are so hony sweete And Lambes flesh that new are letten blood For to repent my minde cannot conclude But of this thing that I haue slayne so few Well quoth the Wolf in sayth thou art a shrew Since thou cannot forethinke thy wickednesse Wilt thou forbeare in time to come and mende And I forbeare how should I liue alas Hauing no other crafte me to defende Neede causeth me to steale where euer I wende I shame to begge and worke I ne can Yet would I fayne pretende a Gentleman Well quoth the Wolfe thou wantes points two That belong to perfect confession To the third part of penitence let vs go Wilt thou take paynes for thy transgression Nay sir consider my complexion Sielly and weake and of my nature tender Lo will yee see I am both leaue and slender Yet neuerthelesse I would so it were light Shorte and not greeuing to my tendernesse Take parte of payne fulfill it if I might To set my silly soule in way of grace Thou shalt quoth he forbeare flesh vntill Pase To tame thy corps that cursed carrion And here I giue thee full remission I graunt thereto so ye will giue me leaue To eate puddings or lap a little blood Or head or feete or panches let me preue In case I fall no fleshe vnto my food For great neede I giue thee leaue good Twise in the weeke for neede may haue no law God thanke you sir for that text well I knaw When this was sayd the Wolf his wayes went The Foxe a foote he goth vnto the flood To get him fishe hollily was his intent But when he
saw the water and waues wood Astonisht all still in a muse he stood And sayd better that I had bidden at hame Nor bene a fisher in the Deuils name Now must I scrape my meate out of the flood And I haue nother bootes nor yet boat As he was thus for faulte of meate neare wood Looking about like a wyly soat Vnder a tree he saw a trip of goate Than was he mery and through the hedge him hid And from the goate he stale hir little kid So ouer the hedge vnto the water hies And tooke the kidde by the hornes twayne And in the water either twise or thryse He dowked him and to him can he sayne Go downe sir kid come vp sir Salmon againe While he was dead so to the lande him drough And of that new made Salmon he eate inough Thus finely filled with yong tender meate Vnto a thicket for dread he him adrest Vnder a bush where the Sunne can beate To beyke his brest and belly he thought best And scorningly he sayde where he did rest Stroking his wombe against the Sunnes heate Vpon this belly what if a bolt should beate When this was sayd the keeper of the gayt Carefull in hart his kid was stolne away On euery side full warely could he wayt Till at the last he saw where Laurence lay A bowe he bent an arrow with feathers gray He drew to the head and or he stearth The Foxe he pricketh fast vnto the earth Now quoth the Foxe alas and well away Gored I am and may no further go Me thinkes no man may speake a woorde in play But now adayes in earnest it s turned so He tooke him and his arrow drew him fro And for his Kid and other violence He tooke his skinne and made a recompence Moralitie THis sudden death and vnprouided end Of this false Tod without prouision Example is exhorting folke to amend For dread of such and like confusion For many now hath good profession Yet not repentes nor for their sinnes weepe Bicause they thinke their lusty life so sweete Some bene also thorow consueted and ryte Vanquisht with carnall sensualitie Suppose they be as for the time contryte Can not forbeare nor fro their sinnes flee Vse drawes nature so in propertie Of beast and man that needes they must do As they of long time haue bene vsde thereto Beware good folkes and feare this sudden shote Whiche smites sort without any resistaunce Attend wisely and in your hartes note Against death may no man make defence Cease off your sinne remorse your conscience Obey vnto your God and ye shall wend After your death to blisse withouten end FINIS The Retoricall tale of the sonne and heyre of the foresayd Foxe called Father Wars also the Parlement of foure footed beastes holden by the Lyon. THis foresayd Foxe that dide for his misdeede Had not one Sonne was gotten rightuously To be heyre by law that might succeede Except one Sonne whiche in adultery He gotten had by purchase priuily And he gaue him to name father wurst That loude well pultry although he were curst It folowes still by reason naturall As degree by degree of right comparison Of euill comes worse of worse comes worst of all Of wrongfull getting comes false succession This Foxe bastard of generation Of very kinde behoued to be false So was his Father and his Graundsir al 's As naturall seeking his meate by sent By chaunce he found his fathers carrion Naked new slayne and to him as he went Tooke vp his head and on his knees fell downne Thanking the Gods of that conclusion And sayd now shall I walke since I am heyre The boundes where thou were wont to repayre Fye couetous vnkind and venemous The Sonne was glad he found his father dead By sudden shotte for deedes odious That he might raigne and rage still in his stead Dreading nothing the same life to leade In theft and robry as did his father before But to the end attent he tooke no more Yet neuerthelesse thorow naturall pittie The Carrion vpon his backe he taeth Now finde I well this Prouerbe true quoth he Still runnes the Foxe as long as he foote hath So with the corps vnto a pit he gaeth Of water full and cast him in the deepe And to the Deuill he gaue his bones to keepe Oh foolish man plonged in worldlinesse To gather golde and other worldly meede To put thy soule in payne and heauinesse To ritche thine heyre whiche hath but little neede Haue be thy good once he takes but small heede To execute to do to satisfie Thy latter will thy debt and legacie This Tod to rest him he passed till a crag And there be heard a boystrous horne bloro Whiche as he thought made all the world wag At last a Vnicorne came running below Then start he vp when he this heard and sawe With horne in band a bill on brest he bore The goodliest Pursiuant that erst was seene before Unto a banke where he mought see aboute On euery side in hast he gan him hie Shot out his voyce full shrill and gaue a showte And on this wise twice or thryce did crie With that the beasts in the fieldes thereby All meruayling what such a thing should meene Greatly agast they gathered on a greene Out of a wood a Bull so gan he brayde And redde the text withouten tarrying Commaunding silence sadly thus he sayd The noble Lion of all beasts the King Greeting to God health euerlasting To brutall beasts and irration all I send as to my subiects great and small My celsitude and hie magnificence Let you to wit that euen incontinent As to morow with Royall diligence Vpon this hill to holde my Parlement Straytly therefore I giue commaundement For to appeare before my trybunall Vnder all payne that may thereof befall The morrow came and Phebus with his beames Consumed had the misty clowdes gray The ground was greene and as gold it gleames With grasse growing goodly great and gay The spice they spread to smell on euery spray The Larke the Mauis and the Metle full hie Sweetely can sing skipping fro tree to tree Two Leopards came with crowne of massiue gold And so they brought it to the hils height With Iaspers Ionet and royals Rubies rold And many diuers Diamondes ydight With speaken roapes a pauilion downe they pight And there in throne sate a mighty wilde Lion In robe Royall with Scepter swoorde Corone After the tenor of the cry before That all foure footed beasts should appeere in place Is they commaunded were withouten more Before the Lorde the mighty Lions grace And what they were to me Laurence tolde apace As I shall rehearse apart of euery kinde As far as now occurreth to my minde The Minotaur a monster maruelous Bellerophon that beast of bastardy The Warwolf and the Pegase perillous Transformed by assent of Sorcery The Linx the Tyger full of tyranny The Elephant and eke the Dromedary The Camell with
of corne Theyr lodging tooke and made theri residence The fowler saw and great othes hath sworne They should be tane truly for theyr expence His nettes then he set with great diligence And in the snow he showled hath a playne And heled it all ouer with chaf agayne These small byrdes seyng this chaf were glad Thinkyng it had bene corne they lited downe But of the nettes no inkling they had Nor of the fowlers false intention To scrape seeke their meate they made them bowne The Swallow on a little branch neare by Dreading some guyle thus lowd to them can cry Into that chaf scrape whiles your nayles bleede There is no corne ye labour all in vayne Trowe ye yond churle for pitty will you feede Na na he hath it here layde for a trayne Remoue I reade you or els ye wil be slayne His nettes he hath set full priuily Reddy to draw in tyme beware or ye die Great folies in him that puts in daunger His life his honour for a thing of nought Great follies in him that will not gladly heare Counsell in time while it auayle him mought Great folies in him that hath nothing in thought But things present and after what may fall Nor of the ende hath no memoriall These small birdes for hunger famisht neare Full busily scraping for to seeke their foode The counsell of the Swallow would not heare Suppose their labour did them litle good When she their foolish hartes vnderstood So indurate vp in a tree she flewe With that this churle ouer them his nettes drew Alas it was great pitty for to see That bloudy Boucher to beate the birdes downe And ah to heare when they wist well to die Their carefull crie and lamentation Some with a staffe he strake to earth on fowne Of some the head he strake of some he brake the crag Some halfe on liue he stopt into his bagge And when the Swallow saw that they were dead Lo quoth she these chances do arise On them that will not take councell nor head Of prudent men or Clerkes that are wise This great perill I tolde them more than thryse Now are they dead wo is me therefore She tooke hir flight and I saw hir no more Moralitie LO worthy folke Esope that noble Clerke A poet worthy to be Lawreate When he had leasure from more autentike werke With other mo this forsayd fable wrote Whiche at this time may well be applicate To very good morall edification Hauing ay sentence according to reason This carle and bond of gentry spoliate Sowing this chaf the small byrdes to sla It is the fende whiche fro the angelike state Exiled was as false Apostata Whiche day and night werieth not to ga Sowing poyson in euery wicked thought In mans soule which Christ ful deere hath bought And when the soule as into earth the seede Giues consent vnto delectation Then wicked thoughts begins for to breede In deadly sinne whiche is damnation Reason is blinded with affection And carnall lust growes full greene and gay Through consuetude haunted from day to day Proceeding foorth by vse and consuetude Then sinne ripes and shame is set aside The feende makes his nettes sharp and rude And vnder pleasaunce priuily them hide Then on the field he soweth chaf full wide Whiche is but drosse and very vanitie Of fleshly lust and vayne prosperitie These little hirdes wretches we may call Still scraping in this worldes vayne pleasaunce Greedy to gaher goodes temporall Which as the chaffe or drosse without substaunce Little of auayle and full of variaunce Like to the dust before the blast of winde Which whisks away and maketh wretches blinde This Swallow whiche scaped is the snare The holy preacher well may signifie Exhorting folke to walke and ay beware From the nettes of our wicked enimie Who sleepeth not but euer is ready When wretches in this world chaffe do scrape To draw his net then they may not escape Alas what care what weeping is and woe When soule and body departed are in twayne The body to the wormes kitchin doth goe The soule to fire to euerlasting payne What helpes then this chaffe these goodes vayne When thou art put to Lucifers hyre And brought to Hell and hangd in the fyre These hid nettes for to perceyue and see And this sory chaffe is wise vnderstanding Best is beware in most prosperitie For in this world there is nothing lasting There is noman certayne how long shal be his being How long his life shall last nor how shal be his end Nor after his death whether he shall wend. Pray we therefore whyle we are in this life For foure things the first fro sinne remoue The second is fro all warre and strife The third is perfect charitie and loue The fourth thing is and most for our behoue That is in blisse with Angels to be fellow And thus endeth the preachyng of the Swallow FINIS ¶ The mery tale of the wolf that woldshaue had the Neckhering through the wyles of the Foxe thnt beguiled the Carrier WHylom there wound in a wildernes As mine Author expresly can declare A rauenyng Wolf that liued vpon purches On all beasts and made him well to fare Was none so bigge about him he would spare And he weare hongry other for fauour or fayth But in his wrath he weried them to death So happened him in rouing as he went To meete a Foxe in mids of the way Laurence him first sawe and feard to be shent And with a beke he bad the Wolf good day Welcome to me quoth he thou russet gray So bowed he downe and tooke him by the hand Rise vp Laurence I giue thee leaue to stand Where hast thou bene this long out of my sight Thou shalt beare office and my steward be For thou can knap downe Capons in the night And lurking lowe thou can make hennes die Sir sayd the Foxe that agrees not for me And I am redde if they see me afarre At my figure beast and birdes will skarre Nay quoth the Wolf thou can in couert creepe Vpon thy belly and catch them by the head And make a sudden showe vpon a sheepe So with thy weapons weary him to dead Sir sayd the Foxe ye know my robe is read And therefore there will no beast abide me Though I would be so false as for to hide me Yes quoth the Wolf through hedge through bush Low can thou bowe to come to thine intent Sir sayd the Foxe ye wote well how I pushe And long fro them they will feele my sent Then will they escape suppose I should be shent And I am ashamde to come behind them Into the field though I should sleeping find them Nay quoth the Wolf thou can come on the winde For euery wrinke forsooth thou hast a wyle Sir sayd the Fox that beast ye might call blinde That might not scape then fro me a mile How might I one of them that wayes beguyle My tipped two eares and my
head feete and tayle ye must stretch out Hang forth your tong and cloze your eyne tway And see your head on a harde place ye lay And doubte ye no perill that may appeere But hold you close when that the Carle comes neere And though ye see a staffe haue ye no doubte But holde you wounders still in that steede And looke your tyne be close as they were out And see that ye shrinke neyther foote nor head Then will the hoorson Carle trow ye be dead And so in hast will take you by the heeles As he did me and swinge you in his creeles Now quoth the Wolfe I sweare thee by my thrift I feare the Carrier carle he will me beare Sir sayd the Foxe on lofte he will you lift Vpon his creeles and do him little deare But one thing sothly I dare to you sweare Get ye that herring in some place sicker Ye shall not neede go a fishing more while Easter I shall say in principio ouer you And crosse your corps fro top to the fa Wend when you will I dare warrant you That ye shall die no sudden death this day With that the Wolfe girt him vp and away And cast a compasse before the Carrier farre So layd him downe in the way or he came naâ—â—e He layd the side of his head both hard and sadde So stretcht his forefeete fro him and his head And hang his tong forth as the Foxe him bad Also still he lay as he had bene dead Caring nothing of the Carles fauour nor fewd But euer vpon the neckherring he thinkes And quite forgets the Foxe and all his wrinkes With that the Carrier wauering as the winde Came riding on the lode for it was light Thinking on the Foxe that was behinde Vpon what wise reuenged on him he might And at the last on the Wolfe he hath the sight Where be in length lay stretched in the gate But if he lighted downe or not God wate Softly he sayd I was beguyled once Be I beguyld twice I be shrewe vs bathe That euill now shall light vpon thy bones He should haue had it that hath done me the skath On hie he lifted the staffe for he was wrath And â—it him with such will vpon the head That weâ—neere he sowned to the dead Three battes he bore or he his feete might finde But yet the Wolf was wight and ran away He might not see he was so very blinde Nor wit readily whether it were night or day The Foxe beheld that seruice where he lay And leâ—ght aloft when he the Wolf so sees Both deafe and stonnishst fall sowning on his knees He that with reason cannot be content But couetes all is likely all to lose The Foxe when that he saw the Wolf was shent Sayd to himself these herrings with me goes I lye or els he after got blowes That found such wayes his maister for to greeue With all the fish thus Laurence tooke his leeue The Wolf he was welneere done to dead That vneth with his life away he ran â–ª With the Bastianado broken was his head The Foxe into his denne soone drew him than That had betrayed his maister and the man The one wanted the herrings out of his creeles The others bloud it ranne downe by his heeles Moralitie THis tale is mingled with Moralitee As I shall shew somewhat or that I cease The Foxe vnto the world may liâ—â—ned â—ee â–ª The rauening Wolfe vnto man but lease The Carrier death whom all men do oppresse That euer tooke life through course of kinde must die As man and beast and fowles aloft that flie The world ye woâ—e is steward to the man Whiche maketh him haue no minde of dead But settes for winnyng all the craftes be â—an â–ª The herring I liken vnto the gold so râ—ad Whiche made the Wolfe in perill put his â—ead Right so the golde maketh â—andes and citâ—ies With warre be wasted dayly as men sees And as the Foxe dissembling with guyle Made the Wolf weene to haue worship for euer Right so this worlde with â—ayneglory for a while Flattereth with folke as they should die neuer â–ª Yet suddenly men seeth it oft disseuer With them that thinkes to â—ll at length the seâ—ke Death comes behind and â—â—ps them by the neeke The getting of golde makes many so blinde That settes on auariâ—â— theyr feâ—â—citce That they forget the Carrier comes behinde To strike them off what â—â—aâ—e so ere they bee What is more darke than blinde prosperiter Wherefore I councell â—â—â—che men to haue minde Of the Neckherring interprete in this kinde FINIS The excellent tale of the wyly Laurence Foxe that beguylde the couetous crafty Wolâ—e with the shadow of the Moone IN elder dayes as Esope can deâ—lare There was a husband man which had a â—low to â—â—eare His vse was aâ— in morning to rise rare So it happened him in stirring tyme of yearâ— Early in the morning to follow forth his fearâ— Vnto the psough only his gadman and he His Oxen he blessed with Beâ—â—dicite The driuer cryed hop hoâ—â— on height Well drawen my dowâ—es so spake them fayre The Oxen were lusty yong and light And for fearcenesse they layde the forrow for fayre The husbande then wore angry as a hare So cried and cast his pattell and great stones The Wolfe quoth â—e mought haue yâ— all at ones But yet the Wolfe was neerer than he wenâ— For in a bush he lay and â–ª Laurence bathe Among rough shâ—ub was at the â—urrowes end And heard the height then Laurence â—aught full rath To take yoâ—d offer quoth â—e it were no sâ—ath Well quoth the Wolfe I hold thee herâ— my hand The Carles woorde as he were king shall stand The Oxen waxte more rulâ— at the last So after they lowsed when it was somewhat late The husband homeward with his â—attell pâ—st Then soone the Wolfe came hopping in his gate Before the Oxen and shope to make debate The husband saw him and was somewhat agast And backwarde with his beasts would haue past The Wolfe sayd whether dryues thou this pray I chalengâ— it â–ª for none of them are thine The maâ— therâ—at was in a fellon fray And soberly to the Wolfe answered sine Sir by my soule these Oxen are all mine Therefore Iâ—nuse now why yâ— should stop me Considering I neuer offended â–ª you truly The Wolfe sayd Carle didst thou not giue this drift Early when thou was earing â—n you banke And is therâ— any thing morâ— frâ—er than gift This â—arrying will lose thee aâ— thy thankâ— Far better â—is freely for to giue a planke Nor be compelled by force to giue a mart Fye on that gift that comes not with good hart Sir quoth the husband a man may say in greefe A woorde and call againe if he aduise and see I promise to steâ—le am I therefore a theefe God forbid siâ— all heights should holden bee Gaue I my hand or obligation quoth he Or haue ye witnesse or wryting
ouer this water bring This othe was made the Mouse without perceiuing The false engine of this foule carping Pad Toke threede and bound hir legge as she hir bad Then foote for foote they lap both in the brim But in their mindes they were right different The Mouse thought of nothing but for to swim The Paddock for to drowne set his intent When they in midway of the streame nere went With all hir force the Paddock pressed downe And thought the Mouse without mercy to drowne Perceyuing this the Mouse on hir can cry Traytour to God and forsworne vnto me Thou tookest vpon thy faith right now that I Without hurt or harme should ferried be and free And when she sawe there was but do or dee Withall hir might she forst hir selfe to swim And pressed vpon the Todes back for to clim The dread of death hir strength made increas And forced hir defende with might and mayne The Mouse vpward the Paddock downe can pres Whyle to while fro whyle dowked vp againe This silly Mouse plunged into great payne Can fight as long as breath was in hir breast Till at the last she cried for the priest Fighting thus togither the kight sate on a twist And to this wretched battell tooke good heede And with a whiske or any of them wist He clenchet his talens betwixt them on the threede So to the lande he flew with them good speede Glad of that catch piping with many pew So lowsed them and without pity slew Then bowelled them that butcher with his bill And belly drawen full featly them he fleede But all their flesh would scant be half a fill And guttes also vnto that greedy gleede Of their debate thus when I heard the reede He tooke his flight and ouer the fieldes flaw If this be not true then aske of them that saw Moralitie MY brother if thou wil take aduertence By this Fable thou may perceyue and see It passes farre all kinde of pestilence A wicked minde fraught with woordes fayre and sâ—ee Beware therefore with whome thou matchest thee For thee were better go to carte and plow And all thy dayes to delue in wet and drie Than to be matched with a wicked fellow A false intent vnder a fayre pretence Hath caused many an innocent to die Great folly it is to giue ouersoone credence To all that speakes fayrely vnto thee A silken tong an heart of cruelty Smites more sore than any shot of arrow Brother if thou be wise I red thee flee To match thee with a fained froward fellow I warrant thee also it is great negligence To bind thee fast where thou were franke free When thou art bounde thou can make no defence To saue thy life nor yet thy libertie This simple counsel brother take of me And it to conne forth both early and late Better without strife to liue alone we see Than to be matched with a wicked mate This holde in mind right more I shall thee tel What by these beastes may be fygurate The Paddocke vsing in the floud to dwel Is mans body swimming rare and late In this wretched world with cares implicate Now hy now low whiles pluÌ„ged vp whiles down Continually in peril and ready for to drowne Now dolorous now glad as byrde on breere Now in freedome now wrapped in distresse Now hole and sound now dead brought on beer Now pore as Iob now rolling in riches Now gownes gay now ragges laide in presse Now full as pease now hungry as the hounde Now hoyst on wheele now thrown vpon the ground This litle mouse here knit thus by the shin The soule of man betoken may indeede Bounden and from the body may not win While cruel death come breake of life the threede The which to drown should euer stand in dread Of carnall lust by the suggestion Which drawes the soule continually a downe The water is the world aye weltering With many waues of tribulation In which the soule and bodie be sturring Standing right different in their opinion The soule vpwarde the body preaces downe The soule right faine would be brought ore ywis Out of this world into the heauens blisse The Right is death that cometh sodainely As doth a theef and endeth soone the battell Be vigilant therfore and still ready For mans life is brickle and aye mortall My friend therefore make thee a strong wall Of faith in Christ for death wil the assay Thou knowst not when euen morrow or midday Adew my friend and if that any aske Of these Fables so shortly I conclude Say thou I left the rest vnto the learneds taske To make example and some simlitude Now Christ for vs that died on the rood Of soule and life as thou art sauiour Graunt vs to passe into a blessed houre Finished in the vale of Aylesburie the thirtenth of August Anno Domini 1574. THE EPILOGVE BEhold ye men Esope that noble clerke Although of body yformed wondrous ill His fables wrote with wisdome deep and darke To stir our mindes to good which had no will By beastes and foules he spake to warne vs still As Foxe Woulfe sheepe dog cocke and henne To stirre our mindes to liue on earth like men It s writ of olde by authours that are past That Esope was crooke backt great belly head Crooke legged splay foote like a Cowe in wast Yet vertuous of his life as it is sead Whose good examples liues though he be dead In eche mans mouth and shall do still for aye Lo vertue brings forth fruite without decay Thus as ye heare ill shapen of his body Yet of his minde none perfecter then he But marke his Sawes and ye finde him no noddy But perfect aye as perfect loe may be Who lendes you light good vertuous wayes to see Then loue this worke and and reade it at your will I but eclipse his tales of so great skill FINIS