(14) [ B4v-B5r (Page 24-25) ]

24 The fabillis

In all this warld wes thair ane kynder thing.
In paramouris he wald do vs plesing,
At his power as nature list him geif.
Now efter him allace how sall we leif?

Quod sprutok than, ceis sister off zour sorrow
Ze be to mad for him sic murning mais.
We sall fair weill, I find sanct iohne to borrow,
The prouerb sayis, als gude lufe cummis as gais.
I will put on my haly dayis clais,
And mak me fresch agane this iolie may,
Syne chant this sang wes neuer wedow sa gay.

He wes angry and held vs ay in aw,
And woundit with the speir off ielowsy.
Off chalmerglew pertok, full weill ze knaw,
Waistit he wes, off nature cauld and dry.
Sen he is gone thairfoir sister say I,
Be blyith in baill, for that is best remeid.
Let quik to quik, and deid ga to the deid.

Than pertok spak, that feinzeit faith befoir,
In lust but lufe that set all hir delyte.
Sister ze wait off sic as him ane scoir,
Wald not suffice to slaik our appetyte,
I hecht zow be my hand sen ze ar quyte,
Within ane oulk for schame, and I durst speik,
To get ane berne suld better claw oure breik.

Than coppok lyke ane curate spak full crous,

Off Esope 25

Zone wes ane verray vengeance from the heuin.
He wes sa lous, and sa lecherous.
Seis coud he nocht with kittokis ma than seuin.
Bot rychteous God haldand the balandis euin,
Smytis rycht sair thocht he be patient,
Adulteraris, that list thame not repent.

Prydefull he wes, and ioyit off his sin,
And comptit not for Goddis fauour nor feid.
Bot traistit ay to rax, and sa to rin,
Quhill at the last his sinnis can him leid,
Tto schamefull end, and to zone suddand deid.

Thairfoir it is the verray hand off God,
That causit him be werryit with the tod.

Quhen this wes said, this wedow fra hir swoun,
Start vp on fute, and on hir kennettis cryde.
How birkye berrie, bell bawsie, broun,
Rype schaw, rin weil, curtes, nuttieclyde,
Togidder all but grunching furth ze glyde,
Reskew my nobill cok or he be slane,
Or ellis to me se ze cum neuer agane

With that but baid thay braidet ouer the bent,
As fyre off flint thay ouer the feildis flaw,
Full wichtlie thay throw wood and wateris went,
And ceissit not schir lourence quhill thay saw.
Bot quhen he saw the raches cum on raw,
Vnto the cok in mynd he said God sen,
That I and thow wer fairlie in my den.