Robert Henryson's The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian

The taill of the foxe,that begylit the Wolf, in the schadow of the mone

In elderis dayis, as esope can declair, Line 2224 Thair wes ane husband, quhilk had ane plewch to steir Line 2225 His vse wes ay, in morning to ryse air. Line 2226 Sa happinnit him in streiking tyme off zeir, Line 2227 Airlie in the morning to follou furth his feir, Line 2228 Vnto the pleuch, bot his gadman and he. Line 2229 His stottis he straucht with benedicite. Line 2230

The caller cryit, how, haik, vpon hicht, Line 2231 Hald draucht my dowis, syne broddit thame full sair. Line 2232 The oxin wes vnwsit zoung and licht, Line 2233 And for fersnes thay couth the fur forfair. Line 2234 The husband than woxe angrie as ane hair. Line 2235 Syne cryit, and caist his patill, and grit stanis, Line 2236 The volff quod he mot haue zou all at anis. Line 2237

Bot zit the volff wes neirar nor he wend, Line 2238 For in ane busk he lay, and lowrence baith, Line 2239 In ane rouch rone wes at the furris end. Line 2240 And hard the hecht: than lowrence leuch full raith. Line 2241 To tak zone bud quod he it wer na skaith: Line 2242 Weill quod the volff i hecht the be my hand, Line 2243 Zone carlis word as he wer king sall stand. Line 2244

The oxin waxit mair reulie at the last. Line 2245 Syne efter thay lousit, fra that it worthit weill lait. Line 2246 The husband hamewart with his cattell past. Line 2247 Than sone the volff come hirpilland in his gait. Line 2248 Befoir the oxin, and schupe, to mak debait. Line 2249 The husband saw him, and worthit sumdeill agast. Line 2250 And bakwart with his beistis wald haif past. Line 2251

The volff said, quhether dryuis thou this pray? Line 2252 I chalenge it, for nane off thame ar thyne. Line 2253 The man thairoff wes in ane felloun fray. Line 2254 And soberlie to the volff answerit syne. Line 2255 Schir, be my saull, thir oxin ar all myne. Line 2256 Thairfoir i studdie, quhy ze suld stop me. Line 2257 Sen that i faltit neuer to zou trewlie. Line 2258

The volff said, carll, gaif thou not me this drift Line 2259 Airlie, quhen thou wes eirrand on zone bank? Line 2260 And is thair oucht sayis thou frear than gift? Line 2261 This tarying wyll tyne the all thy thank. Line 2262 Far better is frelie for to giff ane plank, Line 2263 Nor be compellit on force, to giff ane mart. Line 2264 Fy on the fredome, that cummis not with hart. Line 2265

Schir quod the husband ane man may say in greif, Line 2266 And syne ganesay fra he auise and se. Line 2267 I hecht to steill, am i thairfoir ane theif? Line 2268 God forbid, schir, all hechtis suld haldin be. Line 2269 Gaif i my hand or oblissing quod he Line 2270 Or haue ze witnes, or writ for to schau. Line 2271 Schir reif me not, bot go and seik the lau. Line 2272

Carll quod the volff ane lord and he be leill Line 2273 That schrinkis for schame, or doutis to be repruuit, Line 2274 His sau is ay als sickker as his seill. Line 2275 Fy on the leid, that is not leill and lufit. Line 2276 Thy argument is fals, and eik contrufit. Line 2277 For it is said in prouerb: but lawte Line 2278 All vther vertewis ar nocht worth ane fle. Line 2279

Schir said the husband, remember of this thing, Line 2280 Ane leill man is not tane at halff ane taill. Line 2281 I may say, and ganesay, i am na king. Line 2282 Quhair is zour witnes, that hard i hecht thame haill? Line 2283 Than said the volff, thairfoir it sall nocht faill. Line 2284 Lowrence quod he cum hidder of that schaw, Line 2285 And say na thing, bot as thow hard and saw. Line 2286

Lowrence come lourand, for he lufit neuer licht, Line 2287 And sone appeirit befoir thame in that place. Line 2288 The man leuch na thing, quhen he saw that sicht. Line 2289 Lowrence quod the volff thow man declair this cace Line 2290 Quhairof we sall schaw the suith in schort space. Line 2291 I callit on the leill witnes for to beir. Line 2292 Quhat hard thou that this man hecht me lang eir? Line 2293

Schir said the tod i can not hastelie Line 2294 Swa sone as now gif sentence finall. Line 2295 Bot wald ze baith submit zow heir to me, Line 2296 To stand at my decreit perpetuall Line 2297 To pleis baith i suld preif, gif it may fall. Line 2298 Weill quod the volff i am content for me. Line 2299 The man said swa am i, how euer it be. Line 2300

Than schew thay furth thair allegeance but fabill, Line 2301 And baith proponit thair pley to him compleit. Line 2302 Quod lowrence now i am iuge amycabill. Line 2303 Ze sall be sworne to stand at my decreit. Line 2304 Quhether heirefter ze think it soure or sweit. Line 2305 The volff braid furth his fute, the man his hand: Line 2306 And on the toddis taill sworne thay ar to stand. Line 2307

Than tuke the tod the man furth till ane syde. Line 2308 And said him, freind, thou art in blunder brocht. Line 2309 The volff will not forgif the ane oxe hyde Line 2310 Zit wald myself fane help the, and i mocht. Line 2311 Bot i am laith to hurt my conscience ocht. Line 2312 Tyne nocht thy querrell in thy awin defence, Line 2313 This will not throu but grit coist and expence. Line 2314

Seis thou not buddis beiris bernis throw: Line 2315 And giftis garris crukit materis hald full euin? Line 2316 Sumtymis ane hen haldis ane man in ane kow Line 2317 All ar not halie, that heifis thair handis to heuin. Line 2318 Schir said the man ze sall haue sex, or seuin Line 2319 Richt off the fattest hennis off all the floik. Line 2320 I compt not all the laif, leif me the coik. Line 2321

I am ane iuge quod lowrence than and leuch. Line 2322 Thair is na buddis suld beir me by the rycht. Line 2323 I may tak hennis, and caponis weill aneuch, Line 2324 For god is gane to sleip, as for this nycht. Line 2325 Sic small thingis ar not sene in to his sicht. Line 2326 Thir hennis quod he sall mak thy querrell sure Line 2327 With emptie hand na man suld halkis lure. Line 2328

Concordit thus than lowrence tuke his leiff, Line 2329 And to the volff he went in to ane ling. Line 2330 Syne preuelie, he plukkit him be the sleiff, Line 2331 Is this in ernist quod he ze ask sic thing? Line 2332 Na be my saull, i trow it be in heithing. Line 2333 Than said the volff, lowrence, quhy sayis thou sa? Line 2334 Thow hard the hecht thy selff, that he couth ma. Line 2335

The hecht quod he zone man maid at the pleuch, Line 2336 Is that the cause quhy ze the cattell craif? Line 2337 Halff in to heithing said lowrence than and leuch. Line 2338 Schir, be the rude, vnroikit now ze raif. Line 2339 The deuill ane stirk taill thairfoir sall ze haif. Line 2340 Wald i tak it vpon my conscience, Line 2341 To do sa pure ane man as zone offence. Line 2342

Zit haif i commonnit with the carll quod he Line 2343 We ar concordit vpon this cunnand. Line 2344 Quyte off all clamis swa ze will mak him fre, Line 2345 Ze sall ane cabok haue in to zour hand. Line 2346 That sic ane sall not be in all this land. Line 2347 For it is somer cheis, baith fresche and fair. Line 2348 He sayis it weyis ane stane, and sumdeill mair. Line 2349

Is that thy counsell quod the volff i do, Line 2350 That zone carll for ane cabok suld be fre? Line 2351 Ze be my saull, and i wer sworne zow to, Line 2352 Ze suld nane vther counsell haue for me. Line 2353 For gang ze to the maist extremitie, Line 2354 It will not wyn zow worth ane widderit neip. Line 2355 Schir trow ze not i have ane saull to keip Line 2356

Weill quod the volff it is aganis my will, Line 2357 That zone carll for ane cabok suld ga quyte. Line 2358 Schir quod the tod ze tak it in nane euill. Line 2359 For be my saull zour self had all the wyte. Line 2360 Than said the volff i bid na mair to flyte. Line 2361 Bot i wald se zone cabok off sic pryis. Line 2362 Schir said the tod he tauld me quhair it lyis. Line 2363

Than hand in hand, thay held vnto ane hill. Line 2364 The husband till his hous hes tane the way. Line 2365 For he wes fane, he schaippit from thair ill, Line 2366 And on his feit woke the dure quhill day. Line 2367 Now will we turne vnto the vther tway. Line 2368 Throw woddis waist thir freikis on fute can fair, Line 2369 Fra busk to busk, quhill neir midnycht and mair. Line 2370

Lowrence wes euer remembring vpon wrinkis, Line 2371 And subtelteis, the volff for to begyle. Line 2372 That he had hecht ane caboik, he forthinkis. Line 2373 Zit at the last he findis furth an wyle Line 2374 Than at him selff softlie couth he smyle. Line 2375 The volff sayis, lowrence, thou playis bellie blind. Line 2376 We seik all nycht, bot na thing can we find. Line 2377

Schir said the tod we ar at it almaist. Line 2378 Soft zow ane lytill, and ze sall se it sone. Line 2379 Than to ane manure place thay hyit in haist. Line 2380 The nycht wes lycht, and pennyfull the mone. Line 2381 Than till ane draw well thir senzeours past but hone. Line 2382 Quhair that twa bukkettis seuerall suithlie hang. Line 2383 As ane come vp, ane vther doun wald gang. Line 2384

The schadow off the mone schone in the well. Line 2385 Schir said lowrence anis ze sall find me leill. Line 2386 Now se ze not the caboik weill zour sell, Line 2387 Quhyte as ane neip, and round als as ane seill. Line 2388 He hang it zonder, that na man suld it steill Line 2389 Schir traist ze weill, zone caboik ze se hing, Line 2390 Micht be ane present to ony lord or king. Line 2391

Na quod the volff mycht i zone caboik haif, Line 2392 On the dry land, as i it zonder se Line 2393 I wald quitclame the carll off all the laif. Line 2394 His dart oxin i compt thame not ane fle. Line 2395 Zone wer mair meit for sic ane man as me. Line 2396 Lowrence quod he leip in the bukket sone, Line 2397 And i sall hald the ane, quhill thow haue done. Line 2398

Lowrence gird doun baith sone, and subtellie. Line 2399 The vther baid abufe, and held the flaill. Line 2400 It is sa mekill quod lowrence it maisteris me. Line 2401 On all my tais it hes not left ane naill. Line 2402 Ze man mak help vpwart, and it haill. Line 2403 Leip in the vther bukket haistelie. Line 2404 And cum sone doun, and mak me sum supple. Line 2405

Than lychtlie in the bukket lap the loun, Line 2406 His wecht but weir the vther end gart ryis. Line 2407 The tod come hailland vp, the volff zeid doun. Line 2408 Than angerlie the volff vpon him cryis. Line 2409 I cummand thus dounwart, quhy thow vpwart hyis Line 2410 Schir quod the foxe thus fairis it off fortoun, Line 2411 As ane cummis vp, scho quheillis ane vther doun. Line 2412

Than to the ground sone zeid the volff in haist. Line 2413 The tod lap on land, als blyith as ony bell. Line 2414 And left the volff in watter to the waist. Line 2415 Quha haillit him out i wait not off the well. Line 2416 Heir endis the text, thair is na mair to tell. Line 2417 Zyt men may find ane gude moralitie, Line 2418 In this sentence, thocht it ane fabill be. Line 2419

Moralitas

This wolf, i likkin to ane wickit man Line 2420 Quhilk dois the pure oppres in euerie place: Line 2421 And pykis at thame all querrellis that he can, Line 2422 Be rigour, reif, and vther wickitnes. Line 2423 The foxe, the feind i call into this cais, Line 2424 Arctand ilk man to ryn vnrychteous rinkis, Line 2425 Thinkand thairthrow to lok him in his linkis. Line 2426

The husband may be callit ane godlie man, Line 2427 With quhome the feynd falt findes as clerkis reids Line 2428 Besie to tempt him, with all wayis that he can. Line 2429 The hennis, ar warkis, that fra ferme faith proceidis. Line 2430 Quhair sic sproutis spreidis, the euill spreit thair not speids Line 2431 Bot wendis vnto the wickit man agane. Line 2432 That he hes tint his trauell is full vnfane. Line 2433

The wodds waist, quhairin wes the wolf wyld, Line 2434 Ar wickit riches, quhilk all men gaipis to get: Line 2435 Quha traistis in sic trusterie, ar oft begyld. Line 2436 For mammon may be callit the deuillis net, Line 2437 Quhilk sathanas for all sinfull hes set. Line 2438 With proud plesour quha settis his traist thairin. Line 2439 But speciall grace lychtlie can not outwin. Line 2440

The cabok, may be callit couetyce, Line 2441 Quhilk blomis braid in mony mannis ee. Line 2442 Wa worth the well of that wickit vyce, Line 2443 For it is all bot fraud, and fantasie. Line 2444 Dryuand ilk man to leip in the buttrie Line 2445 That dounwart drawis vnto the pane of hell. Line 2446 Christ keip all christianis from that wickit well. Line 2447