Robert Henryson's The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian

The taill of the sone & air of the forsaid foxe, callit father wer: Alswa the parliament of fourfuttit beistis, haldin be the lyoun

This forsaid foxe, that deit for his misdeid, Line 789 Had not ane barne wes gottin richteouslie, Line 790 That to his airschip micht of law succeid, Line 791 Except ane sone, the quhilk in lemanrye, Line 792 He gottin had in purches priuelie. Line 793 And till his name wes callit father-war, Line 794 That luifit weill with pultrie to tig and tar. Line 795

It followis weill be ressoun naturall, Line 796 And gre be gre, off richt comparisoun: Line 797 Off euill cummis war: off war cummis werst of all. Line 798 Off wrangus get cummis wrang successioun. Line 799 This foxe bastard of generatioun, Line 800 Off verray kynde behuifit to be fals. Line 801 Swa wes his father, and his grandschir als. Line 802

As nature will seikand his meit be sent, Line 803 Off cace he fand his fatheris carioun, Line 804 Nakit, new slane, and till him hes he went, Line 805 Tuke vp his heid, and on his kne fell doun, Line 806 Thankand grit god off that conclusioun. Line 807 And said, now sall i bruke sen i am air, Line 808 The boundis quhair thow wes wont for to repair. Line 809

Fy couetice vnkynd, and venemous. Line 810 The sone wes fane he fand his father deid, Line 811 Be suddand schot, for deidis odious, Line 812 That he micht ringe, and raxe in till his steid. Line 813 Dreidand na thing the samin lyfe to leid, Line 814 In thift, and reif, as did his father befoir. Line 815 Bot to the end attent he tuke no moir. Line 816

Zit neuertheles throw naturall pietie, Line 817 The carioun vpon his bak he tais. Line 818 Now find i weill this prouerb trew quod he Line 819 Ay rinnis the foxe, als lang as he fute hais. Line 820 Syne with the corps vnto ane peitpoit gais, Line 821 Off watter full, and kest him in the deip. Line 822 And to the deuill he gaif his banis to keip. Line 823

O fulische man plungit in wardlynes, Line 824 To conqueis wrangwis guidis, gold, and rent. Line 825 To put thy saull in pane, or heuines, Line 826 To riche thy air quhilk efter thow art went, Line 827 Haue he thy gude, he takis bot small tent. Line 828 To sing or say for thy saluatioun Line 829 Fra thow be dede done is thy deuotioun Line 830

This tod to rest him, carit to ane craig, Line 831 And thair he hard ane buisteous bugill blaw. Line 832 Quhilk as him thocht, maid all the warld to waig. Line 833 Than start he vp, quhen he this hard and saw. Line 834 Ane vnicorne come lansand ouer ane law. Line 835 With horne in hand, ane buste in breist he bure. Line 836 Ane pursephant semelie i zow assure. Line 837

Vnto ane bank quhair he micht se about, Line 838 On euerilk syde in haist he culd him hy. Line 839 Schot out his voce, full schyll, and gaif ane schout. Line 840 And oyas oyas twyse, or thryse did cry. Line 841 With that the beistis in the feild thairby, Line 842 All meruelland, quhat sic ane thing suld mene, Line 843 Govand agast thay gaderit on ane grene. Line 844

Out off his buste ane bill sone can he braid, Line 845 And red the text withoutin tarying. Line 846 Commandand silence, sadlie thus he said. Line 847 We nobill lyoun, off all beistis the king, Line 848 Greting to god ay lestand but ending. Line 849 To brutall beistis, and irrationall, Line 850 I send, as to my subiectis grit and small. Line 851

My celsitude and hie magnificence, Line 852 Lattis zow to wit, that euin incontinent, Line 853 Thinkis the morne with royall deligence, Line 854 Vpon this hill to hald ane parliament. Line 855 Straitlie thairfoir i gif commandement, Line 856 For to compeir befoir my tribunall, Line 857 Vnder all pane, and perrell that may fall. Line 858

The morrow come, and phebus with his bemis, Line 859 Consumit had the mistie cluddis gray. Line 860 The ground wes grene, and as the gold it glemis, Line 861 With gresis growand gudelie, grit and gay. Line 862 The spyce thay spred to spring on euerilk spray. Line 863 The lark, the maueis, and the merll, full hie. Line 864 Sweitlie can sing trippand fra tre to tre. Line 865

Thre leopardis come a croun off massie gold Line 866 Beirand thay brocht vnto that hillis hicht, Line 867 With iaspis ionit, and royall rubeis rold, Line 868 And mony diueris dyamontis dicht, Line 869 With pollis proud ane palzeoun doun thay picht. Line 870 And in that throne, thair sat ane wild lyoun, Line 871 In rob royall, with sceptour, swerd, and croun. Line 872

Efter the tennour off the cry befoir, Line 873 That gais on fut all beistis in the eird, Line 874 As thay commandit wer withoutin moir, Line 875 Befoir thair lord the lyoun thay appeird. Line 876 And quhat thay wer to me as lowrence leird. Line 877 I sall reheirs ane part off euerilk kynd, Line 878 Als fer as now occurris to my mynd. Line 879

The minotaur, ane monster meruelous, Line 880 Bellerophont that beist of bastardrie. Line 881 The warwolff, and the pegase perillous, Line 882 Transformit be assent of sorcerie. Line 883 The linx the tiger full off tiranie: Line 884 The elephant: and eik the dromedarie: Line 885 The cameill with his cran-nek furth can carie. Line 886

The leopard, as i haif tauld beforne, Line 887 The anteloip: the sparth furth couth speid: Line 888 The peyntit pantheir: and the vnicorne: Line 889 The rayndeir ran throw reueir, rone, and reid. Line 890 The iolie ionet, and the gentill steid: Line 891 The asse: the mule: the hors of euerilk kynd, Line 892 The da: the ra: the hornit hart: the hynd. Line 893

The bull: the beir: the bugill: and the bair: Line 894 The wodwys: vildcat: and the wild wolfyne: Line 895 The hardbakkit hurcheoun: and the hirpland hair: Line 896 Baith otter and aip: and pennit porcupyne. Line 897 The gukit gait: the selie scheip the swyne: Line 898 The bauer bakon and the balterand brok: Line 899 The fowmart, with the fyber furth can flok. Line 900

The gay grewhound, the slewthound furth can slyde, Line 901 With doggis all diuers and different. Line 902 The rattoun ran, the glebard furth can glyde. Line 903 The quhrynand quhitret, with the quhasill went, Line 904 The feitho that hes furrit mony fent. Line 905 The mertrik: with the cunning: and the con: Line 906 The bowranbane: and eik the lerion. Line 907

The marmisset: the mowdewart couth leid, Line 908 Because that nature denyit had hir sicht. Line 909 Thus dressit thay all furth, for dreid off deid, Line 910 The musk, the lytill mous with all hir micht, Line 911 In haist haikit vnto that hillis hicht, Line 912 And mony kynd off beistis i couth not knaw, Line 913 Befoir thair lord the lyoun thay loutit law. Line 914

Seing thir beistis all at his bidding boun, Line 915 He gaif ane braid, and blenkit him about. Line 916 Than flatlingis to his feit thay fell all doun, Line 917 For dreid off deith, thay droupit all in dout. Line 918 The lyoun he lukit quhen he saw thame lout, Line 919 And bad thame with ane countenance full sweit, Line 920 Be not efferit, bot stand vp on zour feit. Line 921

I lat zow wit, my micht is merciabill, Line 922 And steiris nane that ar to me prostrait. Line 923 Angrie, austerne, and als vnamyabill, Line 924 To all that standfray ar to myne estait. Line 925 I rug, i reif, all beistys that makis debait. Line 926 Aganis the micht off my magnyficence, Line 927 Se nane pretend to pryde in my presence. Line 928

My celsitude, and my hie maiestie. Line 929 With micht, and mercie myngit sall be ay. Line 930 The lawest heir i can full sone vp hie, Line 931 And mak him maister ouer zow all i may. Line 932 The dromedarie giff he will mak deray, Line 933 The grit camell, thocht he wer neuer sa crous. Line 934 I can him law als lytill as ane mous. Line 935

Se neir be twentie mylis quhair i am, Line 936 The kid ga saiflie be the gaittis syde. Line 937 The tod lowrie luke not to the lam. Line 938 Na reuand beistis nouther ryn, nor ryde. Line 939 Thay couchit all efter that this wes cryde. Line 940 The iustice bad the court for to gar fence, Line 941 The sutis call, and foirfalt all absence. Line 942

The panther with his payntit coit armour Line 943 Fensit the court, as off the law effeird. Line 944 Than tod lowrie luikit quhair he couth lour, Line 945 And start on fute, all stonist and all steird, Line 946 Ryifand his hair, he cryit with ane reird, Line 947 Quaikand for dreid, and sichand couth he say, Line 948 Allace this hour, allace this dulefull day. Line 949

I wait this suddand semblie that i se Line 950 Haifand the pointis off ane parliament, Line 951 Is maid to mar sic misdoars as me. Line 952 Thairfoir geue i me schaw i will be schent, Line 953 I will be socht, and i be red absent. Line 954 To byde,, or fle, it makis no remeid, Line 955 All is alyke, thair followis not bot deid. Line 956

Perplexit thus in his hart can he mene, Line 957 Throw falset how he micht him self defend Line 958 His hude he drew far doun attoure his ene, Line 959 And winkand with the ane eye furth he wend. Line 960 Clinscheand he come, that he micht not be kend, Line 961 And for dreddour that he suld thoill arreist, Line 962 He playit bukhude behind, fra beist to beist. Line 963

O fylit spreit, and cankerit conscience, Line 964 Befoir ane roy renzeit with richteousnes, Line 965 Blakinnit cheikis, and schamefull countenance, Line 966 Fairweill thy fame now gone is all thy grace, Line 967 The phisnomie, the fauour off thy face, Line 968 For thy defence is foull and disfigurate, Line 969 Brocht to the licht basit, blunt, and blait. Line 970

Be thow atteichit with thift, or with tressoun, Line 971 For thy misdeid wrangous, and wickit fay, Line 972 Thy cheir changis lowrence, thow man luke doun, Line 973 Thy worschip of this warld is went away. Line 974 Luke to this tod how he wes in effray, Line 975 And fle the filth of falset i the reid, Line 976 Quhairthrow thair fallowis syn, and schamefull deid. Line 977

Compeirand thus befoir thair lord and king. Line 978 In ordour set as to thair stait effeird. Line 979 Of euerilk kynd he gart ane part furth bring, Line 980 And awfullie he spak, and at thame speird, Line 981 Geue there wes ony beist in to this eird, Line 982 Absent, and thairto gart thame deiplie sweir, Line 983 And thay said nane, except ane gray stude meir. Line 984

Ga make ane message sone vnto that stude, Line 985 The court than cryit my lord quha sall it be, Line 986 Cum furth lowrie lurkand vnder thy hude, Line 987 Aa schir. mercie, lo i haue bot ane ee, Line 988 Hurt in the hoche, and cruikit as ze may se. Line 989 The volff is better in ambassatry, Line 990 And mair cunning in clergie fer than i. Line 991

Rampand he said, ga furth ze brybouris baith, Line 992 And thay to ga withowtin tarying, Line 993 Ouer ron and rute thay ran togidder raith, Line 994 And fand the meir at hir meit in the morning. Line 995 Now quod the tod madame cum to the king, Line 996 The court is callit, and ze ar contumax Line 997 Let be lowrence quod scho zour cowrtlie knax. Line 998

Maistres quod he cum to the court ze mon, Line 999 The lyoun hes commandit so in deid. Line 1000 Schir tod tak ze the flyrdome, and the fon, Line 1001 I haue respite ane zeir, and ze will reid. Line 1002 I can not spell quod he sa god me speid, Line 1003 Heir is the volff, ane nobill clerk at all, Line 1004 And of this message is maid principall. Line 1005

He is autentik, and ane man of age, Line 1006 And hes grit practik of the chanceliary. Line 1007 Let him ga luke, and reid zour priuilage, Line 1008 And i sall stand, and beir witnes zow by. Line 1009 Quhair is thy respite quod the volff in hy? Line 1010 Schir it is heir vnder my hufe weill hid. Line 1011 Hald vp thy heill quod he and so scho did. Line 1012

Thocht he wes blindit with pryde, zit he presumis, Line 1013 To luke doun law, quhair that hir letter lay. Line 1014 With that the meir gird him vpon the gumis, Line 1015 And straik the hattrell off his heid away Line 1016 Halff out off lyif thair lenand doun he lay, Line 1017 Allace quod lowrence lupus, thow art loist. Line 1018 His cunning quod the meir wes worth sum coist. Line 1019

Lowrence quod scho will thow luke on my letter, Line 1020 Sen that the volff na thing thairoff can wyn? Line 1021 Na be sanct bryde quod he me think it better, Line 1022 To sleip in haill, nor in ane hurt skyn. Line 1023 Ane skrow i fand, and this wes writtin in, Line 1024 For fyue schillingis i wald not anis forfaut him, Line 1025 Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Line 1026

With brokin skap, and bludie cheikis reid, Line 1027 This volff weipand on his wayis went, Line 1028 Off his menze markand to get remeid, Line 1029 To tell the king the cace wes his intent. Line 1030 Schir quod the tod byde still vpon this bent, Line 1031 And fra zour browis wesche away the blude. Line 1032 And tak ane drink, for it will do zow gude. Line 1033

To fetche watter this fraudfull foxe furth fure, Line 1034 Sydelingis a bank he socht vnto ane syke. Line 1035 On cace he meittis cummand fra the mure, Line 1036 Ane trip off lambis dansand on ane dyke. Line 1037 This tratour tod, this tirrant, and this tyke, Line 1038 The fattest off this flock, he fellit hais. Line 1039 And eit his fill, syne to the volff he gais. Line 1040

Thay drank togidder, and syne thair iourney takis Line 1041 Befoir the king, syne kneillit on thair kne. Line 1042 Quhair is zone meir, schir tod, wes contumax? Line 1043 Than lowrence said, my lord, speir not at me. Line 1044 This new-maid doctour off diuinitie, Line 1045 With his reid cap can tell zow weill aneuch. Line 1046 With that the lyoun, and all the laif thay leuch. Line 1047

Tell on the cais, now lowrence let vs heir, Line 1048 This wittie volff quod he this clerk off age, Line 1049 On zour behalff he bad the meir compeir. Line 1050 And scho allegit to ane priuilage Line 1051 Cum neir, and se, and ze sall haiff zour wage. Line 1052 Because he red hir rispite plane and weill, Line 1053 Zone reid bonat scho raucht him with hir heill. Line 1054

The lyoun said, be zone reid cap i ken, Line 1055 This taill is trew, quha tent vnto it takis. Line 1056 The greitest clerkis ar not the wysest men. Line 1057 The hurt off ane happie the vther makis. Line 1058 As thay wer carpand in this cais, with knakis, Line 1059 And all the court in garray and in gam. Line 1060 Swa come the zow, the mother off the lam. Line 1061

Befoir the iustice on hir kneis fell, Line 1062 Put out hir playnt on this wyis wofully. Line 1063 This harlet huresone, and this hound off hell. Line 1064 He werryit hes my lamb full doggitly, Line 1065 Within ane myle, in contrair to zour cry. Line 1066 For goddis lufe, my lord, gif me the law, Line 1067 Off this lurker, with that lowrence let draw. Line 1068

Byde quod the lyoun lymmer let vs se, Line 1069 Giff it be suthe the selie zow hes said. Line 1070 Aa souerane lord, saif zour mercie quod he Line 1071 My purpois wes with him for to haif plaid. Line 1072 Causles he fled as he had bene effraid, Line 1073 For dreid off deith, he duschit ouer ane dyke, Line 1074 And brak his nek. thow leis quod scho fals tyke. Line 1075

His deith be practik may be preuit eith, Line 1076 Thy gorrie gumis, and thy bludie snout. Line 1077 The woll, the flesche zit stikkis on thy teith, Line 1078 And that is euidence aneuch but dout. Line 1079 The iustice bad ga cheis ane sis about. Line 1080 And so thay did, and fand that he wes fals, Line 1081 Off murther, thift, and party tressoun als. Line 1082

Thay band him fast, the iustice bad belyif, Line 1083 To gif the dome, and tak off all his clais. Line 1084 The volff that new-maid doctour couth him schrif Line 1085 Syne furth him led and to the gallous gais, Line 1086 And at the ledder fute his leif he tais. Line 1087 The aip wes basare and bad him sone ascend. Line 1088 And hangit him, and thus he maid his end. Line 1089

Moralitas

Richt as the mynour in his minorall, Line 1090 Fair gold with fyre may fra the leid weill wyn. Line 1091 Richt so vnder ane fabill figurall, Line 1092 Sad sentence men may seik: and efter fyne, Line 1093 As daylie dois the doctouris of deuyne, Line 1094 That to our leuing full weill can apply, Line 1095 And paynt thair mater furth be poetry. Line 1096

The lyoun is the warld be liklynace, Line 1097 To quhome loutis baith empriour, and king, Line 1098 And thinkis of this warld to get mare grace, Line 1099 And gapis daylie to get mair leuing. Line 1100 Sum for to reull: and sum to raxe and ring. Line 1101 Sum gadderis geir: sum gold: sum vther gude, Line 1102 To wyn this warld, sum wirkis as thay wer wod. Line 1103

The meir is men of contemplatioun. Line 1104 Off pennance walkand in this wildernes, Line 1105 As monkis and othir men of religioun. Line 1106 That presis god to pleis in euerilk place, Line 1107 Abstractit from this warldis wretchitnes, Line 1108 In wilfull pouertee fra pomp and pryde, Line 1109 And fra this warld in mynd ar mortyfyde. Line 1110

This volf i likkin to sensualitie, Line 1111 As quhen lyke brutall beistis we accord, Line 1112 Our mynd all to this warldis vanitie, Line 1113 Lyking to tak, and loif him as our lord, Line 1114 Fle fast thairfra, gif thow will richt remord, Line 1115 Than sall ressoun ryse, rax and ring, Line 1116 And for thy saull thair is na better thing. Line 1117

Hir hufe i likkin to the thocht of deid. Line 1118 Will thow remember, man, that thow man de, Line 1119 Thow may brek sensualiteis heid, Line 1120 And fleschlie lust away fra the sall fle, Line 1121 Fra thow begin thy mynd to mortifie. Line 1122 Salomonis saying thow may persaif heirin, Line 1123 Think on thy end, thow sall not glaidlie sin. Line 1124

This tod i likkin to temptationis, Line 1125 Beirand to mynd mony thochtis vane, Line 1126 That daylie sagis men of religiounis Line 1127 Cryand to thame cum to the warld agane Line 1128 Zit gif thay se sensualitie neir slane, Line 1129 And suddand deith with ithand panis sore, Line 1130 Thay go abak, and temptis thame no moir. Line 1131

O mary myld mediatour of mercy meik Line 1132 Sitt doun before thy sone celestiall. Line 1133 For ws synnaris his celsitude beseik, Line 1134 Vs to defend fra pane and perrellis all. Line 1135 And help vs vp vnto that heuinlie hall, Line 1136 In gloir, quhair we may se the face of god. Line 1137 And thus endis the talking of the tod. Line 1138