Scottish Text Society publications > New series > Bannatyne manuscript > Volume 4, 1930

BANNATYNE MS.
159
Except of hennis scho had a loly flok
Page 671 And thame to kepe scho had a joly cok fol. 311 a
Rycht curageouft vnto pis wedow ay 20
Deuidand nycht / crawand befoir pe day
A lytill fra pat foirsaid wedois houft
A thorny schaw pair was of grit defence
Quhairin a fox craftye and cawtelouft
Maid his repair and daylie residence 25
Quhilk to this wedow did grete violence
In piking of hir pultry day and nycht
And be no mene reuengit on him scho mycht
This wily tod quhen pat pe lark coud sing
ffull sare hungrye vnto pe toun him drest 30
Quhair Chanteclere into pe gray dawing
Wery of nycht was flowin fra his nest
Lourence this saw and in his mynd he kest
The Iu/>erteis / the wayis / and pe wile
Be quhat menis he mycht pis cok begile 35
Dissimuland thus in countenance and chere
On knees fell and smyland thus he said
Gude mome my maister gentill chanteclere
W1 pat pe cok stert bakward In a braid
Schir be my saull je neid no* be affraid 40
Nor 3it for me to drede nor flee abak
I come bot here 30W service for to mak
Wald I nocht serve 30W s<sr I wer to blame
As I hawe done to 3oure progenitouris
30ur fader oft fulfillit hes my wame 45
And send me mete fra middingis to pe murfs
At his ending I did my besy curis
To hald his hede and gife him drinkis warme
Syne at pe last pat suete suelt in my arme