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 but1 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, garrand 9 the wrong proceed. XVII. Oman! 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. To live upon dry bread and water kail.5 For Goddis awe, how dare thou take on hand, And thou in barn and byre so bene7 and big, To put him frae his tack, and gar him thig ?9 XVIII. O man of law! let be thy subtlety, wate; "I For prayer, price, for high nor low estate; Of false quarrel see thou make no defence; Hold with the right, hurt not thy conscience. XIX. The third wolf are men of heritage; XX. XXI. Has thou no reuth to gar thy tennant sweat, Into thy labour, with faint and hungry wame? 7 And syne has little good to drink or eat, With his menyé,8 at even when he comes hame: Thou should be raid for righteous Goddis blame; For it cryis vengeance to the heavenis high, To gar a poor man work, but meat or fee. XXII. O thou, great lord, that has riches and rent, Thou art a wolf thus to devour the poor; Think, that nothing cruel nor violent May in this world perpetually endure. This shall thou trow, and sickerly assure; For till oppress thou shall have as great pain, As thou" the poor had with thy own hand slain. XXIII. His horse, his mare, he maun 14 lend to the God keep the lamb, that is, the innocent, laird, 15 Frae wolfis bite, and men extortioners; God grant that wrongous men of false intent, Be manifest, and punisht as effeirs ;12 on entering into possession of a farm. 14 Must. 15 Landlord, squire. 4 Rented land. 5 Broth. 6 Pity, compassion. 9 Afraid. 10 Without. II As if thou. 12 As appertains. And God, as thou all righteous prayer hears, IV. For as we see, ane bow that is aye bent, Mot save our King, and give him heart Worthis unsmart,' and dullis on the string and hand, All sic wolfis to banish out of the land. THE PROLOGUE. I. Though feigned fables of auld poetry, II. In like manner, as through the busteous erd 2 (Sae it be labourèd with great dilligence), Springis the flowris, and the corn on breird, 3 Wholesome and good to mannis sus tenance; Sae springis there ane moral sweet sentence Out of the subtle dite 4 of poetry My author in his fables tellis how To good purpose, who could it well apply, That brutal beastis spake and understood, III. And to good purpose dispute, and argow, The nuttis shell, though it be hard and Putting example and similitude, How many men in operation VIII. Nae marvel is, ane man be like ane beast 5 Authors. 6 Mix, mingle. 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,' 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 anone-Peradventure 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. For wifis sayis luikand works' are light More excellent than any earthly thing I would have some meat, get it gif I might; | Whilk makis men in honour for to ring,' 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 nae good can, as little will he lear;4 In her draff trough would sow the precious stones. 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,8 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, 2 I Resound. |