The morall fabillis of Esope the phrygian, compylit in eloquent, and ornate Scottis meter, be Maister Robert Henrisone, scholemaister of Dunfermeling

¶The Taill of the Foxe, that begylit the Uolf, in the schadow of the Mone.

IN Elderis dayis, as Esope can declair, Thair wes ane Husband, qubilk had ane pleuch to steir. His vse wes ay, in morning to ryse air. Sa happinnit him in streiking tyme of ʒeir, Airlie in the morning to follow furth his feir, Unto the pleuch, bot his gadman and he. His flottis he straucht with Benedicite.

The Caller cryit, how, haik, vpon hicht, Hald draucht my dowis, syne broddit thame full sair. The Oxin wes vnwsit ʒoung and licht, And for fersnes thay couth the fur forfair. The Husband than woxe angrie as ane hair. Syne cryit, and caist his Patill, and greit s••anis. The Uolf (quod he) mot haif ʒow all at atanis.

Bot ʒit the Uolf wes neirar nor he wend, For in ane busk he lay, and Lowrence baith, In ane Rouch Rone wes at the furris end. And hard the hecht: than Lowrence le••ch full raith. To tak ʒone bud (quod he) it wer na skaith. Weill (quod the Uolf) I hecht the be my ha••d, Ʒone Carllis word as he wer King ••all stand.

The Oxin eirit mair reullie at the last. Syne efter thay lousit, ••ra that it worthit weill lait. The Husband hamewart with his cattell past. Than sone the Uolf come hirpilland in his gait, Befoir the Oxin, and schupe to mak de••air. The Husband saw him, and worthit sumdeill agast. And bakwart with his beistis wald haif past.

The Uolf said, quhether dryuis thow this Pray? I challenge it, for nane of thame ar thyne.

The man thairof wes in ane felloun fray. And soberlie to the ••olf answerit syne. Schir, be my Saull, thir oxin ar all myne. Thairfoir I studie, quhy ʒe suld stop me. Sen that I faltit neuer to ʒow trewlie.

The Uolf said, Carll, gaif thow not me this drift Airlie, quhen thow wes eirand on ʒone bank? And is thair oucht (sayis thow) frear than gift? This tarying will tyne the all thy thank. Far better is frelie for to gif ane plank, Nor be compellit on force, to gif ane mark. Fy on the fredome, that cummis not with hart.

Schir (quod the husband) ane mā may say in greif, And syne ganesay fra he auise and se. I hecht to ste••••l, am I thairfoir ane theif? God fo••bid, Schir, all hechtis suld haldin ve. Gaif I my hand or oblissing (quod he) Or haif ʒe witnes, or writ for to schaw. Schir reif me not, bot go and seik the Law.

Carll (quod the Uolf) ane Lord and he be leill, That schrinkis for schame, or doutis to be reprufit, His saw is ay als sickker as his Seill. Fy on the Leid, that is not leill and lufit. Thy argument is fals, and eik contrusit. For it is said in Prouerb: But lawte All vther vertew is ar nocht worth ane fle.

Schir, said the husband, remember of this thing. Ane ••eill man is not tan•• at half ane taill. I may say, and ganesay, I am na King. Quha•• is ʒour witnes, yat hard I hecht thame haill••

Than said the Uolf, thairfoir it sall nocht faill. Lowrence (quod he) cum hidder of that Schaw, And say na thing, bot as thow hard and saw.

¶Lowrence come lourand, for he lufit neuer licht, And sone appe••rit be••oir thame in that place. The man le••ch na thing, quhen he saw that sicht. Lowrēce (quod the Uolf) thow man declair yis cace, Quhairof we sall schaw the suith in schort space. I callit on the leill witnes for to beir. Quhat hard thow that this man hecht me lang eir?

Schir (said the Tod) I can not hastelie Swa sone as now gif sentence finall. Bot wald ʒe baith submit ʒow heir to me, To stand at my decreit perpetuall. To pleis baith I suld preif, gif it may fall. Weill (quod the Uolf) I am content for me. The man said, swa am I, how euer it be.

Than sch••w thay ••urth thair allegeance but fabill, And baith prop••••it thair pley to him compleit. (Quod Lowrence) now I am ane Iuge amycabill. Ʒe sall be sworne to stand at my decreit. Quh••••her beit efter ʒe think it soure or sweit. The Uolf braid furth his fute, the man his hand: And on the Toddis Taill sworne thay ar to stand.

Thair t••ke the Tod the man furth till ane syde. And said him, ••rein•••• thow art in blunder brocht. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will not forg•••• the ane O••e hyde. Ʒit wald my sel••••••ne hel•• the, and I mocht. Bot I am la••th to hur•• my conscience oth••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not thy querrell in thy awin defence,

This will not throw but greit coist and ••xpenc••.

¶Seis thow not Buddis beiris Bernis throw: And giftis gar••is crukit ma••eris hald full euin? Sumtymis ane nedill haldis ane man in ane Kow. ••ll ar not halie, that heifis thair handis to heui••. Schir (said the man) ʒe sall haif sex, or seuin Richt of the f••ttest hennis of all the ••••oik. I compt not all the laif, leif me the Coik.

I am ane Iuge (quod Lowrence than) and leuch. Thair is na Buddis suld beir me by the rycht. I may tak hennis•• and Caponis weill aneuch, For God is gane to sleip, as for this nycht. Sic small thingis a•• not sene in to his sycht. Thir hennis (quod he) sall mak thy qu••rrell sur•• With emptie hand na man suld Ha••••is lure.

Concord in this than Lowrence tuke his leif, And to the Uolf he went in to ane ling. Syne priu••lie, he plukkit him be the s••ei••, Is this in ernist (quod he) ʒe ask sic thing? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 b•• my Saull, I trow it be in he••hing. Than said the Uolf, Lowrence, quhy sayis thow s••? Thow h••rd the hech•• thy sell, th•••• ••e couth m••.

The hecht (quod he) ʒon•• man maid at the pleuch, Is that the cause quhy ʒe the ca••tell crai••? Half in to heithing (said Lowrence th••n) and le••ch. Schir, be the Rude, v••ro••kkit now ʒ•• raif•• The Deuill ane 〈…〉〈…〉 Wald I tak it vp••n my conscience, To do 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pure ane man•• as ••••ne o••fen••e••

¶Ʒ•••• ha•••• I comm••nit with the C••••ll (quod he•• We ar concordit vpon this 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Quyte of all clamis ••w•• ʒe will mak him fre, Ʒ•• sall ane Ca••ok hai•• in to ʒour hand. That sic ane sall not be in all this land. For it is Somer Cheis, baith ••resche and fair. He sayis it weyis ane s••ane, and sumdeill mair.

Is that thy counsell (quod the Uolf) I do, That ʒone Carll for ane Cabok ••uld be fre? Ʒe ve my Saull, and I wer sworne ʒow to, Ʒe suld nane vther counsell ha••f for me. For gang ʒe to the maist ex••••••••••tie, It will not wyn ʒow worth ••ne widderit neip. Schir trow ʒe nocht, I ha••t ane Saull to keip••

Weill (quod the Uolf) it is aganis my will, That ʒone Carll for ane Cabok suld ga quyte. Schir (q••od the Tod) ʒ•• ••••k 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in nane euill. For be my Saull ʒou•• self had all the wyte. Than (said the Uolf) I bid na mair to flyte. Bo•• I wald se ʒone Cabok of sic pryis. Sch•••• (said the ••••d) he tauld me quhar it lyi••.

Than ha••d in hand, thay held vnto ane hill. The Husban•• ••i•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 hes ta••e the way. For he we•• 〈…〉〈…〉st from thair euill, And on his ••elt wo••e the ••ure quhill day. Now•• 〈…〉〈…〉 turne v••••o the vther tway. Throw woddis waist thir Freikis on ••ute can ••ai••, Fra 〈…〉〈…〉 ••usk, quhill neir und••y••ht and mair.

Lowrence wes euer remembring vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉, ••nd subteltei•• the Uolf for to ••egyle.

That he had hecht ane Caboik, he forthin••••••, Ʒit at the last, he findis furth ane wyle•• Than at him self softlie couth he smyle. The Uolf sayis, Lowrence, thow playis bellie blind•• We seik all nycht, bot na thing can we find.

¶ Schir (said the Tod) we ar at it almaist•• Soft ʒow ane lytill, and ʒe sall se it sone. Than to ane Manure place thay hy••t in hai••t. The nicht wes lycht, and pennyfull the Mone. Than til ane draw wel thir Senʒeour{is} past but hone•• Quhar that twa 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is seuerall suithlie hang. As ane come vp, ane vther doun wald gang.

The schadow of the Mone schon•• in the well. Schir (said Lowrence) anis ʒe sall ••ind me leill. Now se ʒe not the Caboik weill ʒour sell, Quhy••e, as ane Nei••, and als round as ane schell. He hang it ʒo••der, that na man ••ind it st••ill. Schir, trai••t ʒ•• weill•• ʒone Caboik ʒe se ••ing, Micht be ane presend to our Lord the King.

Na (quod the Uolf) mycht I ʒone Caboik ha••f, On the dry land, as I it ʒonder s••. I wald quitclame the Ca••ll ••f all ••••e la••f•• His dart O••in I compt tha••e not 〈…〉〈…〉. Ʒone wer mai•• mei•• for sic ane man 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Lowrence (quod he) leip in the bukketsone, And I sall ••••ld the ane, quhill thow haif 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Lowrence g••d doun baith sone, and subtelli••. The vther baid abufe, and held the f••aill. It is sa mekill (quod Lowrence) it maisteris me. On all my ••ais it ••es not le••t ••ne n••••ll••

Ʒe man mak help vpwart, aud it haill. Leip in the vth•••• ••ukket haistelie. ••nd cum sone doun, and mak me sum supple.

¶ Than lychtlie in the bukket lap the loun, His wecht but weir the vther end gart ryis. The Tod come hailland vp, the Uolf ʒeid doun. Than angerlie the Uolf vpon him cryis. I cūmand thus dounwart, quhy thow vpwart hyis•• Schir (quod the Tod) thus fai••is it of Fortoun, As ane cummis vp, scho quheillis ane vther doun.

Than to the ground sone ʒeid the Uolf in haist. The Tod lap on land, als blyith as ony bell. And left the Uolf in watter to the waist. Quha haillit him out I wait not of the well. Heir endis the Text, thair is na mair to tell. Ʒit men may find agane moralitie, In this sentence, thocht it ane Fabill be.

MORALITAS.

THis Uolf, I likkin to ane wickit man, Quhilk do••s the pure oppres in euerie place: And pykis at thame all querrellis that he can, Be Rigour, reif, and vther wickitnes. The Foxe, the Feynd I call in to this ca••••, Arctand ilk man to ryn vnrychteous rinkis, Thinkand thairthrow to lok him in his linkis.

The Husband may be callit ane godlie man, With quhome the Feynd salt findis (as Clerkis reid{is}) Besie to tempt him, with all wayis that he can. The hennis, ar warkis, yat fra serme faith proceidis. Quhar sir sproutis spreidis, y^• euill spreit yair not speid{is}

Bot wendis vnto the wickit man agane•• That he hes tint his trauell is full vnfane.

¶The wodd{is} waist, quhairin wes the Uolf wyld At wickit riches, quhilk all men ga••p••s to get: Quha traistis in sic Trusterie, ar oft begyld. For Mammon may be callit the Deuillis Net, Quhilk Sathanas for all sinfull hes set. With proud plesour quha settis his traist thairin, But speciall grace lychtlie can not outwin.

The Cabok, may b•• callit Couetyce, Quhilk blomis braid in mony mannis E••. Ua worth the well of that wickit vyce, For it is all bot fraud, and fa••tasie. Dryuand ilk man to leip in the buttrie, That dounwart drawis vnto the pane of hell Christ keip all Christianis from that wickit well.

¶FINI••.