(28) D2 verso-D3 recto (Page 52-53)

52 The Fabillis

The scheip agane befoir the volff derenzeit,
But aduocate abasitlie couth stand.
Vp rais the doig, and on the scheip thus plenzeit,
Ane soume I payit haue befoir the hand,
For certane breid thairto ane borrow he fand,
That wrangouslie the scheip did hald the breid.
Quhilk he denyit: and thair began the pleid,

And quhen the scheip this stryif had contestait,
The iustice in the cause furth can proceid.
Lowrence the actis, and the proces wrait,
And thus the pley vnto the end thay speid.
This cursit court corruptit all for meid,
Aganis gude faith, gude law, and conscience,
For this fals doig pronuncit the sentence.

And it till put to executioun
The volff chargit the scheip without delay,
Vnder the panis off interdictioun,
The soume off siluer, or the breid to pay.
Off this sentence allace quhat sall I say?
Quhilk dampnit hes the selie innocent,
And iustifyit the wrangous iugement.

The scheip dreidand mair persecutioun,
Obeyit to the sentence, and couth tak.
His way vnto ane merchand off the toun,
And sauld the woll, that he bure on his bak.
Syne bocht the breid, and to the doig couth mak,

off Esope. 53

Reddie payment, as he foiriugeit was.
Naikit and bair syne to the feild couth pas.

Moralitas.

This selie scheip may present the figure,

Of pure commounis that daylie ar opprest,
Be tirrane men, quhilkis settis all thair cure,
Be fals meinis, to mak ane wrang conquest,
In hope, this present lyfe suld euer lest.
Bot all begylit, thay will in schort tyme end,
And efter deith to lestand panis wend.

This volf, I likkin to ane schiref stout,
Quhilk byis ane forfalt at the kingis hand.
And hes with him ane cursit assyis about,
And dytis all the pure men vp on land.
Fra the crownar haif laid on him his wand,
Suppois he be als trew as wes sanct iohne,
Slane sall he be, or with the iuge compone.

This rauin, I likkin to ane fals crownair,
Quhilk hes ane porteous of the inditement,
And passis furth befoir the iustice air,
All misdoaris to bring to iugement.
Bot luke gif he be of ane trew intent,
To scraip out iohne, and wryte in will, or wat,
And swa ane bud at boith the parteis skat.

Of this fals tod of quhilk I spak befoir,
And of this gled, quhat thay micht signify.
Of thair nature, as now I speik no moir.
Bot of this scheip, and of his cairfull cry,