Robert Henryson's The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian

Prologue

Thocht feinzeit fabils of ald poetre, Line 1 Be not al grunded vpon truth zit than, Line 2 Thair polite termes of sweit rhetore Line 3 Richt plesand ar vnto the eir of man, Line 4 And als the caus quhy thay first began, Line 5 Wes to repreif the of thi misleuing, Line 6 O man be figure of ane vther thing. Line 7

In lyke maner as throw a bustious eird, Line 8 Swa it be laubourit with grit diligence Line 9 Springis the flouris, and the corne abreird, Line 10 Hailsum and gude to mannis sustenence. Line 11 Sa springis thair ane morall sweit sentence, Line 12 Oute of the subtell dyte of poetry: Line 13 To gude purpois quha culd it weill apply. Line 14

The nuttis schell thocht it be hard, and teuch, Line 15 Haldis the kirnell, sueit and delectabill. Line 16 Sa lyis thair ane doctrine wyse aneuch, Line 17 And full of frute, vnder ane fenzeit fabill. Line 18 And clerkis sayis, it is richt profitabill, Line 19 Amangis ernist to ming ane merie sport, Line 20 To blyth the spreit, and gar the tyme be schort. Line 21

For as we se ane bow that is ay bent, Line 22 Worthis vnsmart, and dullis on the string, Line 23 Sa dois the mynd that is ay diligent, Line 24 In ernistfull thochtis, and in studying, Line 25 With sad materis sum merines to ming. Line 26 Accordis weill thus esope said i wis, Line 27 Dulcius arrident seria picta iocis. Line 28

Of this poete my maisteris with zour leif, Line 29 Submitting me to zour correctioun: Line 30 In mother toung of latyng i wald preif, Line 31 To mak ane maner of translatioun. Line 32 Nocht of my self, for vane presumptioun, Line 33 Bot be requeist, and precept of ane lord, Line 34 Of quhome the name it neidis not record. Line 35

In hamelie language and in termes rude, Line 36 Me neidis wryte: for quhy of eloquence. Line 37 Nor rethorike, i neuer vnderstude. Line 38 Thairfoir meiklie i pray zour reuerence, Line 39 Gif ze find ocht that throw my negligence Line 40 Be deminute, or zit superfluous, Line 41 Correct it at zour willis gratious. Line 42

My author in his fabillis tellis how, Line 43 That brutal beistis spak, and vnderstude, Line 44 And to gude purpois dispute, and argow. Line 45 Ane sillogisme propone, and eik conclude. Line 46 Putting exempill, and similitude, Line 47 How mony men in operatioun, Line 48 Ar like to beistis in conditioun. Line 49

Na meruell is, ane man be lyke ane beist, Line 50 Quhilk lufis ay carnall and foull delyte: Line 51 That schame can not him renze, nor arreisst, Line 52 Bot takis all the lust and appetyte, Line 53 Quhilk throw custum, and the daylie ryte. Line 54 Syne in the mynd sa fast is radicate, Line 55 That he in brutal beist is transformate, Line 56

This nobill clerk, esope, as i haif tauld, Line 57 In gay metir, and in facound purpurate Line 58 Be figure wrait his buke: for he nocht wald. Line 59 Tak the disdane off hie, nor low estate. Line 60 And to begin, first of ane cok he wrate, Line 61 Seikand his meit,quhilk fand ane iolie stone, Line 62 Of quhome the fabill ze sall heir anone. Line 63