(15) [ B5v-B6r (Page 26-27) ]

26 The fabillis

Then spak the cok with sum gude spirit inspyrit,
Do my counsall and I sall warrand the.
Hungrie thow art, and for grit trauell tyrit,
Richt faint off force, and may not ferther fle.
Swyith turne agane, and say, that I and ze,
Freindis ar maid, and fellowis for ane zeir.
Than will thay stint, I stand for it and not steir.

This tod thocht he wes fals and friuolus,
And had frawdis his querrell to defend.
Desauit wes be menis richt meruelous.
For falset failzeis ay at the latter end.
He start about, and cryit as he wes kend.
With that the cok he braid vnto a bewch.
Now iuge ze all quhairat schir lowrence lewch.

Begylit thus the tod vnder the tre,
On kneis fell, and said gude chantecleir.
Cum doun agane, and I but meit or fe,
Salbe zour man and seruand for ane zeir.
Na murther theif, and reuar, stand on reir.
My bludy hekill, and my nek sa bla,
Hes partit lowe for euer betwene vs twa.

I wes vnwyse that winkit at thy will,
Quhairthrow almaist I loissit had my heid.
I wes mair fule quod he coud nocht be still,
Bot spake to put my pray in to pleid.
Fair on fals theif, God keip me fra thy feid.

Off Esope 27

With that the cok ouer the feildis tuke his flicht,

And in at the wedowis lewer couth he licht.

Moralitas.

Now worthie folk suppose this be ane fabill.
And ouerheillit wyth typis figurall.
Zit may ze find ane sentence richt agreabill,
Vnder thir fenzeit termis textuall.
To our purpose this cok weill may we call,
Nyse proud men, woid, and vaneglorious,
Of kin and blude quhilk is presumpteous.

Fy puft vp pryde. Thow is full poysonabill.
Quha fauoris the on force man haif ane fall.
Thy strenth is nocht, thy stule standis vnstabill,
Tak witnes of the feyndis infernall,
Quhilk houndit doun wes fra that heuinlie hall.
To hellis hole, and to that hiddeous hous.
Because in pryde thay wer presumpteous.

This fenzeit foxe may weill be figurate,
To flatteraris with plesand wordis quhyte.
With fals mening and mynd maist toxicate.
To loif and le, that settis thair haill delyte.
All worthie folk at sic suld haif despyte.
For quhair is thair mair perrellous pestilence,
Nor gif to learis haistelie credence.

The wickit mynd and adullatioun,
Of sucker sweit haifand similitude,
Bitter as gall, and full of fell poysoun,
To taist it is quha cleirlie vnderstude.