And with his mouth into my water spew." "Sir," quoth the lamb, "they twa are noways true. X. "The law sayis, and ye will understand, There should no man, for wrong nor violence, His adversar punish at his own hand, And thereupon summons peremptorily XI. "Set me a lawful court: I shall compear Before the lion, lord and leal justice; And, by my hand, I obliss me right here That I shall bide ane unsuspect assize. This is the law; this is the justest wise :2 Ye should proceed therefore, and summons make Against that day, to give reason and take." XII. "Na," quoth the wolf, "thou would intruss 3 reason, Till he was full; syne went his way apace. Of this murthour what shall I say, alas! Was not this reuth? was not this great pity? To gar this silly lamb but' guilt thus die? MORAL. XIV. The poor people this lamb may signify, As mail-men, merchands, and poor labourers, Of whom the life is half a purgatory, To win with lawty2 living as effeirs. 3 The wolf betokens false extortioners, And oppressors of poor men, as we see, By violence, or craft, or subtlety. XV. Three kind of wolfis in the world now rings:4 The first are false perverters of the laws, Quhilk under polite termis falset mingis,5 Lettand that all were gospel that he shaws: But for a bud? the poor man he o'erthraws, Where wrong and reif4 should dwell in Smoirand the right, garrand9 the wrong proceed. XVII. O man! but' mercy, what is in thy thought? Waur2 than a wolf, and thou could understand; Thou has enough; the poor husband 3 has nought To dring' and draw, in court or in carriage; His servant, or himself, may not be spared, To swink3 and sweat, withouten meat or wage: Thus how he stands in labour and bondage, But crop and calf, upon ane clout 5 of That scantly may he purchase by his maill, land. For Goddis awe, how dare thou take on hand, And thou in barn and byre so bene? and big, To live upon dry bread and water kail.5 XXI. Has thou no reuth to gar thy tennant sweat, To put him frae his tack, and gar him Into thy labour, with faint and hungry thig ?9 wame? 7 And God, as thou all righteous prayer hears, Mot save our King, and give him heart and hand, All sic wolfis to banish out of the land. THE PROLOGUE. I. Though feignèd fables of auld poetry, II. In like manner, as through the busteous erd 2 (Sae it be laboured with great dilligence), Springis the flowris, and the corn on breird, 3 Wholesome and good to mannis sustenance; Sae springis there ane moral sweet sentence Out of the subtle dite 4 of poetry To good purpose, who could it well apply, III. IV. For as we see, ane bow that is aye bent, V. Of this author, my masteris, with your leave VI. In homely language, and in termis rude, Be diminute, or yet superfluous, VII. My author in his fables tellis how The nuttis shell, though it be hard and Putting example and similitude, And that through custom, and the daily Jewels are tint, as oft-times has been seen rite Syne in their minds sae fast is radicate,1 That they in brutal beastis are transformate. IX. This noble clerk, Æsop, as I have told, In gay metre, as poet laureate, By figure wrote his book; for he nought would Lack the wisdom of high, nor low estate, And to begin, first of ane cock he wraite. Seekand his meat, which found ane jolly stone, Of whom the fable ye shall hear anone. THE COCK AND THE JASP. I. Upon the floor, and sweepèd forth anonePeradventure so was this samen stone. III. Sae marvelland upon the stone, quoth he, "O gentle jasp! O rich and noble thing; Though I thee find, thou gainis nought for me! Thou art a jewel for a lord or king; And thou so fair, and worth sae meikle gold. IV. "It is pity I should thee find, for why, Ane cock, sometime with fetheram 2 fresh As draff, or corn, to fill my toom entrail. Where should thou sit but on ane kingis Without science? over all thing I you crown, Exalted in worship and great honour? Thou gainis nought for me, nor I for thee. VIII. Leavand this jewel low upon the ground, THE MORAL. IX. This jolly jasp had properties seven : assure, It is riches that ever shall endure; To mannis soul it is eternal meat. XII. This cock desirand mair,3 the simple corn and scorn, And nae good can, as little will he lear;4 In her draff trough would sow the precious XIII. Wha is enemy to science and cunning, Weel were that man o'er all other that Who has this stone, shall have good hope All his life days in perfite study wair, to speed, Of fire or water him needs nought to dread. X. This gentle jasp right different of hue, To get science; for him needs nae mair. XIV. But now, alas! science is tint 9 and hid; I Resound. 2 Decay. 3 More. |