(7) [ A5v-A6r (Page 10-11) ]

10 The Fabillis

Quhilk is sa nobill, sa precious, and sa ding,
That it may with na eirdlie thing be bocht.
Weill wer that man ouer all vther that mocht,
All his lyfe dayis in perfite studie wair,
To get science: for him neidit na mair.

Bot now allace this iasp, is tynt and hid:
We seik it nocht, nor preis it for to find.
Haif we richis, na better lyfe we bid,
Of science thocht the saull be bair and blind.

Of this mater to speik, it wer bot wind.
Thairfore I ceis, and will na forther say.
Ga seik the iasp, quha will, for thair it lay.

Finis.

The taill of the vponlandis mous,
and the burges mous.

Esope myne authour makis mentioun,
Of twa myis and thay wer sisteris deir,
Of quham the eldest duelt in ane borous toun:
The vther wynnit vponland weill neir:
Richt soliter, quhyle vnder busk, and breir:
Quhilis in the corne, in vther mennis skaith,
As owtlawis dois and leuit on hir waith.

This rurall mous in to the wynter tyde,
Had hunger, cauld, and tholit grit distres,
The vther mous that in the burgh can byde,
Was gild brother and made ane fre burges.

of Esope 11

Toll fre als but custum mair or les,
And fredome had to ga quhair euer scho list,
Amang the cheis and meill in ark and kist.

Ane tyme quhen scho wes full and vnfute sair,
Scho tuke in mynd hir sister vpon land,
And langit for to heir of hir weilfair,
To se quhat lyfe scho led vnder the wand.
airfute allone with pykestaf in hir hand,
As pure pylgryme scho passit owt off town,
To seik hir sister baith oure daill and down.

Furth mony wilsum wayis can scho walk,
Throw mosse and mure throw bankis busk and breir,
fra fur to fur cryand fra balk to balk
Cum furth to me my awin sueit sister deir,
Cry peip anis, with that the mous culd heir,
And knew hir voce as kinnisman will do,
Be verray kynd, and furth scho come hir to.

The hartlie cheir lord God geue ze had sene,
Beis kithit quhen thir sisteris twa war met,
Quhilk that oft syis wes schawin thame betuene,
For quhylis thay leuch, and quhylis for ioy thay gret,
Quhyle kissit sweit, quhylis in armis plet,
And thus thay fure quhill soberit wes thair mude,
Syne fute for fute vnto the chalmer zude.

As I hard say it was ane semple wane,