For nothing there is done without a fee:
The courtier needs muft recompenced be
With a benevolence, or have in gage
The primetias of your parfonage:
Scarce can a bishoprick forpass them by,
But that it must be gelt in privity.
Do not thou, therefore, seek a living there,
But of more private perfons feek elsewhere
Whereas thou mayft compound a better peny,
Ne let thy learning question'd be of any :
For fome good gentleman that hath the right
Unto his church for to prefent a wight,
Will cope with thee in reasonable wife,
That if the living yearly do arise

To forty pound, that then his youngest fon
Shall twenty have, and twenty thou haft won;
Thou haft it won, for it is of frank gift,
And he will care for all the rest to shift,
Both that the bifhop may admit of thee,
And that therein thou maift maintained be.
This is the way for one that is unlearn'd
Living to get, and not to be difcern'd;

But they that are great clerks, have nearer ways,

For learning-fake to living them to raise :
Yet many eke of them (God wot) are driven
'T' accept a benefice in pieces riven.
How fayft thou (Friend) have I not well difcourft
Upon this common-place (though plain, not
wourft)?

Better a fhort tale than a bad long fhriving;
Needs any more to learn to get a living?

Now fure, and by my hallidom, (quoth he)
Ye a great mafter are in your degree;
Great thanks I yield you for your difcipline,
And do not doubt but duly to incline
My wits thereto, as ye fhall fhortly hear.

The prieft him wifh'd good fpeed, and well to fare;

So parted they as either's way them led.
But th' Ape and Fox e'er long fo well them fped,
Through the prieft's wholefom counsel lately
taught,

And through their own fair handling wifely wrought,

That they a benefice 'twixt them obtained,
And crafty Reynold was a prieft ordained,
And th' Ape his Parith-Clark procur'd to be;
'Then made they revei-rout and goodly glee:
But e'er long time had paffed, they fo ill
Did order their affairs, that th' evil-will
Of all their parish'ners they had conftrain'd,
Who to the Ordinary of them complain'd,
How foully they their offices abus'd,
And them of crimes and herefies accus'd,
That Purfivants he often for them fent;
But they neglecting his commandement,
So long perfiited obftinate and bold,
Till at the length he publifhed to hold
A Vifitation, and them cited thether;
Then was high time their wits about to gether.
What did they then but made a compofition
With their next neighhour pricft for light con-
dition,

To whom their living they refigned quight
For a few pence, and ran away by night.
So paffing through the country in difguife,
They fled far off, where none might them fur
prize,

And after that long ftrayed here and there,
Through every field and foreft far and neare,
Yet never found occafion for their tourn,
But almost farv'd, did much lament and mourn,
At laft they chanc'd to meet upon the way
The mule all deck'd in goodly rich array,
With bells and boffes that full loudly rung,
And coftly trappings that to ground down hung:
Lowly they him faluted in meek wife,
But he through pride and fatnefs 'gan defpife
Their meannefs, fcarce vouchsaf'd them to re-
quite:

Whereat the Fox, deep groling in his sprite,
Said, Ah! Sir Mule, now bieffed be the day
That I fee you fo goodly and fo gay
In your attires, and eke your filken hyde
Fill'd with round flesh, that every bone doth hide;
Seems that in fruitful paftures ye do live,
Or Fortune doth you fecret favour give.

Foolish Fox (faid the Mule) thy wretched need
Praise the thing that doth thy forrow breed,
For well I ween thou canft not but envy
My wealth, compar'd to thine own misery,
That art fo lean and meagre waxen late,
That fearce thy legs uphold thy feeble gate.

Ay me! (faid then the Fox) whom evil hap Unworthy in fuch wretchedneis doth wrap, And makes the fcorn of other beafts to be: [ye? But read (fair Sir! of grace) from whence come Or what of tydings you abroad do hear? News may perhaps fome good unweeting bear.

From royal court I lately came (faid he) Where all the bravery that eye may fee, And all the happiness that heart defire, Is to be found he nothing can admire That hath not feen that heaven's pourtracture; But tydings there is none, I you affure, Save that which common is, and known to all, That courtiers, as the tide, do rife and fall.

But tell us (faid the Ape) we do you pray,
Who now in court doth bear the greatest fway?
That if fuch fortune do to us befall,
We may feek favour of the best of all.

Marry (said he) the highest new in grace
Be the wild beafts that swifteft are in chace,
For in their fpeedy courfe and nimble flight
The lion now doth take the most delight,
But chiefly joys on foot them to behold,
Enchafte with chain and circulet of gold;
So wild a beaft fo tame ytaught to be,
And buxom to his bands, is joy to fee;
So well his golden circlet him befeemeth,
But his late chain his liege unmeet efteemeth,
For fo brave beafts he loveth best to fee
In the wild forest raunging fresh and free :
Therefore, if fortune thee in court to live,
In cafe thou ever there will hope to thrive,
To fome of these thou must thyfelf apply,
Elfe as a thinle-down in th' air doth fly,

Or, laftly, when the body lift to pause, His mind unto the Mufes he withdraws; Sweet Lady Mufes! ladies of delight, Delights of life, and ornaments of light,

With whom he clofe confers with wife difcourfe

Of Nature's works, of heaven's continual course,
Of foreign lands, of people different,

Of kingdoms' change, of divers government,
Of dreadful battails of renowned knights,
With which he kindleth his ambitious sprights
To like defire and praise of noble fame,
The only up-fhot whereto he doth aim;
For all his mind on honour fixed is,
To which he levels all his purposes,
And in his prince's service spends his days,
Not fo much for to gain, or for to raise
Himself to high degree, as for his grace,
And in his liking to win worthy place,
Through due deferts and comely carriage,
In whatfo please employ his perfonage,
That may be matter meet to gain him praise;
For he is fit to use in all affays,
Whether for arms and warlike amenance,
Or elfe for wife and civil governance;
For he is practiz'd well in policy,
And thereto doth his courting most apply;
To learn the enterdeale of princes ftrange,
To mark th' intent of counfels, and the change
Of states, and eke of private men fome while,
Supplanted by fine falfehood and fair guile;
Of all the which he gathercth what is fit
T'enrich the storehouse of his powerful wit,
Which, through wife fpeeches and grave confer-

ence

He daily ekes, and brings to excellence.

Such is the rightful courtier in his kind; But unto fuch the Ape lent not his mind; Such were for him no fit companions, Such would defcry his leud conditions; But the young lufty gallants he did chofe To follow, meet to whom he might disclose His witlefs pleafance and ill-pleating vein. A thousand ways he them could entertain, With all the thriftlefs games that may be found, With mumming and with masking all around, With dice, with cards, with balliards far unfit, With fhuttlecocks, mif-feeming manly wit, With courtizans and coftly riotize, Whereof fill fomewhat to his fhare did rize : Ne them to pleasure, would he fometimes fcorn A pandar's coat; (fo bafely was he born) Thereto he could fine loving verses frame, And play the poet oft. But, ah! for fhame, Let not iweet poets praife, whofe only pride Is vertue to advance, and vice deride, Be with the work of lofels' wit defamed, Ne let fuch verfes poetry be named: Yet he the name on him would rafhly take, Maugre the facred Mufes, and it make A fervant to the vile affection Of fuch as he depended moft upon, And with the fugry fweet thereof allure Chafte ladies' ears to fantafies impure.

To fuch delights the noble wits he led
Which him reliev'd, and their vain humours fel
With fruitless follies and usfound delights;
But if perhaps into their noble (prights
Defire of honour or brave thought of arms
Did ever creep, then with his wicked charms
And ftrong conceits he would it drive away,
Ne fuffer it to house there half a day;
And when fo love of letters did infpire
Their gentle wit, and kindle wife defire,
That chiefly doth each noble mind adorn,
Then he would scoff at learning, and eke from
The fectaries thereof, as people base,
And fimple men, which never came in place
Of world's affairs, but, in dark corners mew'?,
Mutter'd of matters as their books them fhew'
Ne other knowledge ever did attain,
But with their gowns their gravity maintain.
From them he would his impudent lewd ipcach
Against God's holy minifters oft reach,
And mock divines and their profeffion:
What elfe then did he by progreffion

But mock high God himself, whom they pro fefs?

But what car'd he for God or godliness?
All his care was himself how to advance,
And to uphold his courtly countenance
By all the cunning means he could devise;
Were it by honeft ways or otherwife,
He made fmall choice; yet fure his honefty
Got him fmall gains, but fhameless flattery,
And filthy brocage, and unfeemly shifts,
And borrow bafe, and fome good ladies gifts;
But the best help which chiefly him fuftain'd,
Was his man Reynold's purchase which
gain'd;

For he was school'd by kind in all the skill
Of close conveyance, and each practice ill
Of coofinage and cleanly knavery,
Which oft maintain'd his mafter's bravery.
Befides, he us'd another flippery fleight,
In taking on himfelf in common fight
Falfe perfonages, fit for every fred,
With which he thousands cleanly coofined;
Now like a merchant, merchants to deceave,
With whom his credit he did often leave
In gage for his gay mafter's hoplefs det;
Now like a lawyer, when he land would kt,
Or fell fee-fimples in his mafter's name,
Which he had never, nor ought like the fame,
Then would he be a broker, and draw in
Both wares and money, by exchange to win;
Then would he feem a farmer, that would fell
Bargains of woods which he did lately fell,
Or corn, or cattle, or fuch other ware,
Thereby to coolin men not well aware;
Of all the which there came a fecret fee
To th' Ape, that he his countenance might be.
Befides all this he us'd oft to beguile
Poor futers that in court did haunt fome whit
For he would learn their business secretly,
And then inform his mafter haftily,
That he by means might caft them to prevent
And beg the fute the which the other meat:

Or otherwife, falfe Reynold would abuse The fimple fuiter, and with him to chuse lis mafter, being one of great regard a court, to compafs any fute not hard,

And leave the sweetness of contented home, Though eating hips, and drinking watry fome.

1 cafe his pains were recompenc'd with reason;

o would he work the filly man by treason 'o buy his master's frivolous good-will, hat had not power to do him good or ill. So pitiful a thing is futers' state! Loft miferable man! whom wicked Fate lath brought to court to fue for had-ywift, hat few have found, and many one have mist; all little knoweft thou, that haft not tride, That hell it is in fuing long to bide;

o lofe good days that might be better spent,
o wafte long nights in pensive discontent;
a fpeed to-day, to be put back to-morrow;
o feed on hope, to pine with fear and forrow;
have thy princes grace, yet want her peers;
have thy afking, yet wait many years;
fret thy foul with croffes and with cares;
eat thy heart through comfortless despairs;
fawn, to crouch, to wait, to ride, to ronne,
fpend, to give, to want, to be undonne,
happy wight, born to disastrous end,
at doth his life in fo long tendance spend.
hoever leaves fweet home, where mean eftate
fafe affurance, without ftrife or hate,
ids all things needful for contentment meek,
d will to court for fhadows vain to feck,
hope to gain, himself a daw will try ;
at curfe God fend unto mine enemy:
t none but such as this bold Ape unblest
never thrive in that unlucky queft,
fuch as have a Reynold to his man,
at by his fhifts his mafter furnish can.
But yet this Fox could not fo closely hide
crafty feats, but that they were defcryde
length, by fuch as fate in Juftice' feat,
to for the fame him foully did entreat,
d having worthily him punished,
t of the court for ever banished.

d now the Ape wanting his huckster-man,
at wont provide his neceffaries, 'gan
grow into great lack, ne could up-hold
3 countenance in thofe his garments old;

new ones could he easily provide,
ough all men him uncafed 'gan deride,
ke as a puppet placed in a play,
hofe part once paft, all men bid take away,
that he driven was to great diftress,
id fhortly brought to hopeless wretchedness.
en clofely as he might he caft to leave
le court, not afking any pafs or leave.
t ran away in his rent rags by night,
never ftaid in place, ne fpake to wight,
Il that the Fox his copefmate he had found,
whom complaining his unhappy found,
laft again with him in travel join'd,

ad with him far'd, fome better chance to find: in the world long time they wandered, ad puckle want and hardness fuffered, at them repented much fo foolishly come fo far to feck for milery,

Thus as they them complained to and fro, Whil'ft through the foreft rechlefs they did go, Lo, where they spide how in a gloomy glade The lion fleeping lay in fecret fhade, His crown and fceptre lying him befide, And having doft for heat his dreadful hide; Which when they faw, the Ape was fore afraid, And would have fled, with terror all dismaid; But him the fox with hardy words did stay, And bad him put all cowardize away, For now was time (if ever they would hope) To aim their counfels to the fairest scope, And them for ever highly to advaunce, In cafe the good which their own happy chaunce Them freely offered they would wifely take.

Scarce could the Ape yet speak, so did he quake,

Yet as he could he afkt how good might grow Where nought but dread and death did feem in fhow?

Now (faid he) whiles the lion fleepeth found, May we his crown and mace take from the ground,

And eke his skin, the terror of the wood,
Where-with we may ourfelves (if we think good)
Make kings of beafts and lords of forests all,
Subject unto that power imperial.

Ah! but (faid the Ape) who is fo bold a wretch
That dare his hardy hand to thofe out-stretch,
When as he knows his meed, if he be fpide,
To be a thousand deaths, and shame befide?

Fond Ape (faid then the Fox) unto whofe
breft

Never crept thought of honour nor brave geft,
Who will not venture life a king to be,

And rather rule and raign in foveraign fee,
Than dwell in duft inglorious and bafe,
Where none shall name the number of his place?
One joyous hour in blifsful happiness

1 chufe before a life of wretchedness:
Be therefore councelled herein by me,
And shake off this vile hearted cowardee,
If he awake, yet is not death the next,
For we may colour it with fome pretext
Of this or that, that may excuse the crime;
Elfe we may fly; thou to a tree mayft clime,
And I creep under ground, both from his reach :
Therefore be rul'd to do as I do teach.

The Ape, that earst did nought but chill and quake,

Now gan fome courage unto him to take,
And was content to attempt that enterprise,
Tickled with glory and rash covetise;

But first 'gan queftion whether should assay
Thofe royal ornaments to fteal away.

Marry that fhall yourfelf, (quoth he thereto) For ye be fine and nimble it to do;

Of all the beafts which in the forefts be,
Is not a fitter for this turn than ye;

Therefore, mine own dear Brother! take good hart,

And ever think a kingdom is your part.

venture,

Yet faintly 'gan his work to enter,
Afraid of every leaf that stirr'd him by,
And every flick that underneath did lie:
Upon his tiptoes nicely he up went,
For making noife, and ftill his ear he lent
To every found that under heaven blew ;
Now went, now ftept, now crept, now back-
ward drew,

That it good sport had been him to have ey'd :
Yet at the laft (fo well he him apply'd)
Through his fine handling and his cleanly play,
He all thofe royal figns had ftoln away,
And with the Fox's help them born aside
Into a fecret corner uncfpide;

Whether whenas they came, they fell at words,
Whether of them fhould be the lord of lords?
For th' Ape was ftrifeful and ambitious,
And the Fox guileful, and most covetous,
That neither pleased was to have the rein
Twixt them divided into even twain,
But either (algates) would be lords alone;
For love and lordfhip bide no paragone.

I am most worthy (said the Ape) sith I
For it did put my life in jeopardy;
Thereto I am in perfon and in ftature
Most like a man, the lord of every creature,
So that it feemeth I was made to raign,
And born to be a kingly foveraign,

Nay, (faid the Fox) Sir Ape, you are astray;
For though to steal the diadem away
Were the work of your nimble hand, yet I
Did first devife the plot by policy,
So that it wholly fpringeth from my wit,
For which alfo I claim myfelf more fit
Than you to rule; for government of state
Will without wifdom foon be ruinate;

And where ye claim your felf for outward fhape

Moft like a man, man is not like an Ape
In his chief parts, that is, in wit and spirit,
But I therein moft like to him do merit,
For my fly wyles and fubtil craftiness,
The title of the kingdom to poffefs.
Nath'lefs (my Brother) fince we paffed are
Unto this point, we will appeafe our jar,
And I with reafon meet will reft content,
That ye shall have both crown and government,
Upon condition that ye ruled be

In all affairs, and councelled by me,
And that ye let none other ever draw
Your mind from me, but keep this as a law,
And hereupon an oath unto me plight.

The Ape was glad to end the ftrife fo light, And there-to fwore; for who would not oft fwear,

And oft unfwear, a diadem to bear?
Then freely up thofe royal spoils he took,
Yet at the lion's fkin he inly quook,
But it diffembled, and upon his head
The crown, and on his back the skin, he did,
And the falfe fox he helped to array:
Then when he was all dight, he took his way

Of the wild beafts in his new glory fheen.
There the two first whom he encountred were
The sheep, and th' afs, who, ftriken both with
fear

At fight of him, 'gan fast away to fly;
But unto them the Fox aloud did cry,
And in the king's name bade them both to stay,
Upon the pain that thereof follow may.
Hardly nath'lefs were they reftrained fo,
Till that the Fox forth toward them did go,
And there diffuaded them from needlefs fear,
For that the king did favour to them bear,
And therefore dreadless bade them come to
court,

For no wild beasts should do them any torte
There or abroad, ne would his majesty
Ufe them but well, with gracious clemency,
As whom he knew to him both fast and true;
So he perfuaded them with homage due
Themfelves to humble to the Ape proftrate,
Who gently to them bowing in his gate,
Received them with chearful entertain.

Thence, forth proceeding with his princely
train,

He shortly met the tyger and the boar,
Which with the fimple camel raged fore
In bitter words, feeking to take occafion
Upon his fleshy corps to make invafion;
But foon as they this mock-king did espy,
Their troublous ftrife they ftinted by and by,
Thinking indeed that it the lion was.
He then, to prove whether his power woul
pafs

As current, fent the Fox to them ftraightway,
Commanding them their cause of ftrife bewray,
And if that wrong on either fide there were,
That he should warn the wronger to appear
The morrow next at court it to defend,
In the mean time upon the king t' attend.

The fubtile Fox fo well his meffage faid,
That the proud beafts him readily obeyd;
Whereby the Ape, in wondrous ftomach wox,
Strongly encourag'd by the crafty Fox,
That king indeed himself he fhortly thought,
And all the beasts him feared as they ought,
And followed unto his palace hie,
Where taking congee, each one by and by
Departed to his home in dreadful awe,
Full of the feared fight which late they faw.

The Ape thus feized of the regal throne,
Eftfoons, by counsel of the Fox alone,
'Gan to provide for all things in affurance,
That fo his rule might longer have endurance.
Firft to his gate he pointed a strong guard,
That none might enter but with issue hard;
Then for the fafeguard of his perfonage,
He did appoint a warlike equipage
Of forraign beafts, not in the lorreft bred,
But part by land and part by water fed;
For tyranny is with ftrange aid fupported.
Then unto him all monstrous beafts reforted,
Bred of two kinds, as griffins, minotaures,
Crocodiles, dragons, beavers, and centaures: