Zu Lydgates Isopus / [ed. Julius Zupitza].

The tale of the frogge and þe mowse foundyd by Isopus, þe philosophor, groundyd ayenst de∣ceyte. [Die Überschrift in C rot, fehlt L]

By a decree of natures law [ (6, 1)] [358 vgl. zu V. 1 ‖ a decree] de∣crees L] Peysyd egally þe balance of reson, Who þat cast hym deceue hys felaw, [ 360] [360 to dissayve L] Shall of deceyte receue þe guerdon. Salary to feynyng ys simulacion. [ (6, 5)] Who by dyssimelyng and fraude doþ procede, [363 dyssimelyng] disceyte L] Lyke a defrauder receue shall hys mede.

Som reioyse þeym in malyce and in fraude [ 14v. b.] [ 365] And couertely to hynder þeyr neyghbors. As men deserue, reporte yeueþ theym þeyr lawde. [ (6, 10)] Cloþe falsly wouen may kepe no fresshe colours. [368 *fresshe fehlt L] The dorre on donghyll, þe bee on holsom floures, [369 dunghills L ‖ the .B. in L] As þey receue, þey bryng home to theyr heue: [ 370] The oon doþe damage, þe oþer doþ releue. [371 that other L.]

Aftyr þeyr naturall disposicions [ (6, 15)] In man and beste ys shewyd experyence: Som haue to vertew þeyr inclinacions,

Oone to profyte, anoþer to do offence; [ 375] [375 hinter 376 L] Som man pesyble, som man doþ violence; [376 erstes man] men L ‖ zweites man fehlt L] Som man delyteþ in trouþe in hys entent, [ (6, 20)] [377 erstes in] to L] Anoþer reioyseþ to be fraudulent. [378 for to L]

Who þat meneþ treson or falsnes With a pretence outward or frenshyp or frendlyhede, [ 380] [380 or frenshyp or] *of L] Face counterfete of feynyd fals gladnes, [381 countrefeted L] Of all enemyes suche oon ys most to drede, [ (6, 25)] [382 most fehlt L] And Isopus to purpos, as I rede, [383 And] Wherfor L] Telleþ, how a frosshe felle and contraryouse [384 felle and] ful L ‖ contraryouse] ein langes s aus einem kurzen C] Dowble of entent deceuyd haþe þe movse. [ 385] [385 movse] v aus etwas anderem und ein langes s aus einem kurzen C]

Of þys fable þe processe for to tell, The frosshe of custom abode at a ryuer; [ (6, 30)] [387 a] the L] The mowse also soiornyd at a myll, [388 a] the L] That stood besyde from all dangere; [389 *ferre from L] And a morow, when Phebus shone full clere, [ 390] [390 *on a morn L] So as þe frosshe passyd þerbesyde, The mowse besought hym goodly to abyde. [ (6, 35)]

Lad hym vp to þe myll alofte, [393 * After lad L] Shewyd hym the hoper, þe trowgh and þe myll stone, [394 þe trowgh fehlt L] On a corne sak made hym syt softe, [ 395] [395 * And on L ‖ to sitte L] Seyde, he shuld to dyner go anone, [396 * And seyde L] Leyde afore hym greynes many oone: [ (6, 40)] [397 of dyuers greynes L (of ist wohl auf∣zunehmen)] To shewe hym of gentylnes gret fauourure [398 To shewe hym] Thus L ‖ grete] the mowse shewid hym grete L ‖ * favoure L] The second course he brought in mele and floure.

'See', quoth þe mowse, 'þys ys a mery lyfe. [ 15r. a.] [ 400] Here ys my lordshyp and dominacion. I lyue here esyly out of noyse and stryfe. [ (6, 45)] Thys cloos all hoole ys in my subieccion. [403 This is al hooly vnder my possessioun L] Suffisaunce ys my possessione. [404 In suffisaunce is my condicioune L] As I haue appetyte, I dyne late or sone; [ 405] [405 zweites I] to L] For Gyb, þe catte, haþe here noþyng to done.

As me semeþ, I am here ryght well easyd. [ (6, 50)] [407 here fehlt L.] Better ys quyete, þen troble with ryches.

A poreman, þat ys with lytyll plesyd, Laboreþ truly, meneþ no falsenes [ 410] [410 l in falsenes aus etwas anderem C] And ys sequestryd fro worldly besynes, [411 from al worldly riches L] He may at nyght by many sondry preues [ (6, 55)] [412 preues] brefis L] Meryly slepe for any fere of theues.

Blessyd be pouerte, þat causeþ assurance, [414 Sauerstein hat unnötigerweise aswraunce, wie L schreibt, in a swrance getrennt] Namely when gladnes doþ hys brydyll lede. [ 415] What god sendeþ, hit ys to þeyr plesance, [416 What that L ‖ to fehlt L ‖ auch L hat theyr, aber es ist doch wohl wegen V. 418 hys zu lesen] Thankeþ þe lorde, grogeþ for no nede. [ (6, 60)] [417 * and gr. L] As he fyndeþ, þeron he doþ hym fede. Thus am I content here in my householde As well, as Cresus was with all hys golde. [ 420] [420 his riche gold L]

Tresour of Mygdas medelyd was with drede, [421 Mygdas = Mydas L] Broke slepes, reft hym hys libertees. [ (6, 65)] [422 *Brak his slepes L ‖ *liberte L] The pore man slepeþ fearelese, takeþ noon hede, Who ryde or go: hys gatys opyn bee. [424 ridith or goth L] And I suppose, noman ys more free [ 425] Nor more assuryd to myne opynyon, Then glad pouert with small possession. [ (6, 70)]

Salomon wryteþ, howe hit ys bet by halfe [428 Salomon: Lydgate hat wohl Sprüche 15, 17 im Sinne: Melius est uocari ad olera cum caritate, quam ad uitu∣lum saginatum cum odio ‖ better L ‖ Sauerstein schreibt behalf statt be half, scheint also darin ein Substantivum gesehen zu haben; vgl. aber Grein s. v. healf, wo zu healfe þŷ swêtre altn. Parallelen angeführt werden. Ähn∣lich braucht man auch jetzt noch by half; vgl. Dickens, Bleak House (House∣hold Edition) 146 b You girls are more trouble than you're worth, by half; 227 b That grandfather of his is too keen by half; Payn, Confidential Agent 24 They are already too clever by half; Smedley, Lewis Arundel 32 Bell's too lazy by half; Mrs. H. Ward, Rob. Elsmere (Tauchn.) 1, 301 You clergy are too inventive by half; Miss Betham-Edwards, For One and the World (Tauchn.) 217 My heir is a worthy man enough, but already too rich by half] A lompe of brede with reioysyng, [429 lompe] *smal morsel L ‖ with joy and rejoysyng L] Then at festys to haue a rostyd calfe [ 430] With heuy chere, frownyng or grogyng. [431 frown∣yng or] and forward L] Nature ys content with full lytell þyng. [ (6, 75)] As men seyen and reporte at þe leste, [433 leste] best L.] Nat many deyntees, but good chere makeþ a feste.

Where a tyraunt haþ power noon nor myght, [ 15r. b.] [ 435] Ys sewre abydyng vnto þe porayll. [436 There is L] Diogenes was with hys towne as lyght, [ (6, 80)] [437 towne] *tonne L ‖ as] of L] As Alysaundre with all hys apparayll. [438 As riche as Ali∣saundre L ‖ all fehlt L] Thys lytyll mylle fynt me my vytayll: [439 Thus this L] I haue þerin as gret lust and ioy, [ 440] [440 lust and] a L] As kyng Priamus had in hys towne of Troy. [441 As euer had priamus of his L]

The poreman mery in hys cotage, [ (6, 85)] [442 as vor mery L (es ist wohl statt dessen ys in den Text zu setzen)] As ys þe merchaunt in hys stuffyd house; The plowman glad with bacon and potage, As in þeyr paleyse byn prynces gloriouse. [ 445] [445 As princis with delicatis in theyr paleys glorious L (es ist wohl byn zu streichen)] And, þough þat I be but a lytell movse, [446 Sauerstein interpungiert seltsamerweise And though, that ‖ movse] v aus etwas anderem C] Ther ys no lorde, mo castelles haþ to kepe, [ (6, 90)] Then I haue hernes and hooles in to crepe.

Abyde with me all nyght in þys mylle, [449 alnyght with me L] That we togedyr may haue our dalyaunce. [ 450] Of greyn and mele þou shalt haue þy fylle. When frendys mete, ys ioy and plesaunce. [ (6, 95)] [452 it is L] At eue at soper we shall haue a petaunce, [453 to souper L] And, when Aurora to morow doþ apere, [454 doth to morwe L] Or we departe, we shall dyne in fere.' [ 455]

The frosshe answeryd and gan hys tale telle: [456 to telle L] 'I haue had here plente of vytayll, [ (6, 100)] [457 *of goode vitaile L] Of fresshe lycour þys ys a baren mylle. [458 * But of L] I prayse no feeste, where good drynke doþ fayll, And what ys worþe all þe apparayll [ 460] [460 And fehlt L ‖ þe] the straunge L] Of diuerse deyntees to a mannys lust, [461 deyntees] metis L ‖ a fehlt L] When aftyr mete men gon awey a thrust? [ (6, 105)] [462 men] gestis L ‖ auch in L getrennt a thurst: man sah darin wohl ein Nomen = ae. on þurste]

Good drynke at festes makeþ all þe chere, Well sesenyd mete, of good drynke habundance. [464 of—hab.] * requirith drynk suffisaunce L (suffisaunce zeigt dieselbe Konstruktion wie plente u. dgl.).] Here fast by ys a brode ryuere, [ 465]

Whyche of fresshe watyr haþ all suffisaunce. [466 suffisaunce] *habaundaunce L] Bacus, Thetis be causers of plesaunce, [Bacus god of wyne, Thetis god of water.] [467 ff. Die Randbemerkung rot C, fehlt L] [467 Asyndeton auch in L, aber Sauerstein hat and interpoliert (vgl. zu V. 246) ‖ Thetus L ‖ cause L (Sauerstein hat gegen die Handschrift because zusammengeschrieben: ich weiss nicht, wie er das verstanden hat)] And, to discure þe sentence of my þought, [468 discure] discord L] Where þey two fayle, I sey, þe fest ys nought.' [469 þey] these L]

They passyd forþe by a grene mede: [ 15v. a.] [ 470] The syluer dew toward þe mornyng [471 þe fehlt L] Haþe of þe mowse soylyd so þe wede, [ (6, 115)] [472 soylyd] wet L] That he haþ lost hys power of rennyng. [473 of] and L] Thus were þese wormes contrary of lyuyng: The frosshe delyteþ to abyde in mory lakys, [ 475] [475 delyteþ] desirith L] The mowse to fede hym on chese and tendyr cakys.

The mowse was wery with þe frosshe to abyde, [ (6, 120)] But þe frosshe with a false feynyd chere [478 feyneng L] Seyþe to þe mowse: 'Yende on þe oþer syde [479 Sayde L ‖ yonder on that L] Ys myne abydyng vppon þe water clere. [ 480] Lat vs go swymme ouer þe ryuere, And, lyke as I haue vnto þe tolde, [ (6, 125)] Thow shalt abyde and see þere my householde.'

The mowse answeryd quakyng in hys drede: 'I haue of swymmyng noon experience.' [ 485] 'No', quoth þe frosshe, 'I shall tey a threde About þy nek by gret diligence, [ (6, 130)] The other ende shall for þy defence [488 That other L] At my leg sore be knyt behynde [489 sore] fast hinter knyt L (fast ist wohl vorzuziehen)] Ouer þe broke passage for to fynde.' [ 490]

Thus gan þe frosshe couertly to feyne Of false fraude þe lytell mowse to drowne. [ (6, 135)] The frosshe by swymmyng dyd hys besy peyne To make þe mowse lowe to plonge downe. [494 adowne L.] Forþe goþ þe frosshe, þe mowse for fere gan sowne, [ 495] And in þys whyle a kyte, or þey toke hede, Raught hem boþe vp hangyng by þe þrede. [ (6, 140)]

Fatte was þe frosshe, þe mowse sklender and lene; The frosshe deuouryd because of hys fatnes. The threde tobrake, þe mowse fell on þe grene, [ 500]

Fro deþe escapyd: þe frosshe for hys falsnes [501 he skapid L] Gwerdon receueþ of vnkyndenes. [ (6, 145)] [502 Gwerdon] Gwer undeutlich C ‖ of] for his L] For conclusion, clerkys put in mynde, [503 For this c. L] Lawe and nature pleynyn on folke vnkynde. [504 That lawe L ‖ of folkis L]

Conclusio. [ 15v. b.] [Conclusio rot in C, fehlt L]

Of vyces all, shortly to conclude, [ 505] Ther ys no vyce in comparyson [506 in comparyson] * so parilous of reason L] To þe vyce of ingratitude; [ (6, 150)] [507 To] *As is L] For hit ys worse, þen pestylence or poyson, More to be drad, me semeþ, of reson: [509 And more L] Preseruatyf made for pestylence, [ 510] [510 *Preservatifs are made L] But agayn fraude may be no defence.

In þys fable for an exemplary [ (6, 155)] For þe party of pure innocence [513 parties in pure L] The mowse ys but sympyll, nat contrary, [514 but fehlt L ‖ *and nat L] Where þe frosshe by fraude and violence [ 515] Vnder colour of frendly dylygence Was euer besy hys felow to encloy: [ (6, 160)] The cause out sought hit dyd hymsylf dystroy. [518 hit] he L]

To a deceyuour by ryght, as hit ys founde: [519 ist by = be L als Konj. des Verb. subst. zu nehmen? 'Dem Betrüger gehe es genau, wie man es (in der Fabel) findet'?] Kynde requyreþ in folkys fraudulent, [ 520] Where fraude ys vsyd, fraude mot rebounde, Gwerdon for fraude most conuenient; [ (6, 165)] For whyche Isopus in hys fynall entent [523 in hys] *to this L (vgl. 2, 416)] Thys fable wrote full soþly in hys wyt: [524 soþly] shortly L] Who useþ fraude, with fraude shalbe quyt. [ 525] [525 shalbe auch in L zusammengeschrieben]

Explicit. [Explicit rot C, Here endith the .v. fable of Isopos discernyng the myschief that the frossh (hier fehlt wohl ein Verbum, etwa hadde) for his ingratitud shewed to the mowse L]