(22) [ C4v-C5r (Page 40-41) ]

40 The Fabillis

The bowranbane: and eik the lerion.

The marmisset: the mowdewart couth leid,
Because that nature denyit had hir sicht.
Thus dressit thay all furth, for dreid off deid,
The musk, the lytill mous with all hir micht,
In haist haikit vnto that hillis hicht,

And mony kynd off beistis I couth not knaw,
Befoir thair lord the lyoun thay loutit law.

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

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

My celsitude, and my hie maiestie.
With micht, and mercie myngit sall be ay.
The lawest heir I can full sone vp hie,
And mak him maister ouer zow all I may.
The dromedarie giff he will mak deray,

Off Esope. 41

The grit camell, thocht he wer neuer sa crous.
I can him law als lytill as ane mous.

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

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

I wait this suddand semblie that I se
Haifand the pointis off ane parliament,
Is maid to mar sic misdoars as me.
Thairfoir geue I me schaw I will be schent,
I will be socht, and I be red absent.
To byde,, or fle, it makis no remeid,

All is alyke, thair followis not bot deid.

Perplexit thus in his hart can he mene,
Throw falset how he micht him self defend
His hude he drew far doun attoure his ene,