25 24 20 25 "I haif no boit,20 heir is no mareneir," And thocht thair ware, I haif no frawcht 23 to pay.' Quod scho, Sistir, lat be your havy cheir, Do my counsall, and I sall fynd the way, Withowttin horss, brig,28 boit,20 or yit gallay,27 To bring yow our saifly, be nocht affeird! And nocht to weit 28 the campis 20 of your beird." 30 "I haif mervell," 31 than quod the silly Mowss, "How thow can fleit 32 without feddir or fyn; 30 The rever is so deip and dengerouss, The auld proverb is witness of this lorum: 'Distortum vultum sequitur distortio morum.”” 55 14 15 60 "Na," quod the Taid,10" that proverb is nocht trew, For fair thingis oft tymes ar fowll fakin; " Thir bla berryis, 12 thocht 13 thay be blak of hew, Ar gaddrit up quhen prumross is forsakin. The face may faill to be the hairtis taikin: Thairfoir I fynd in Scriptour in a place, 'Thow suld nocht juge a man eftir his face.' "Thocht 13 I unlusty 18 be to luk upone, I haif na wyt 17 quhy suld I lakkit 18 be; War 19 I als fare as joly Absalone, 65 70 75 I am nocht caussar of that grit 20 bewte. This differens in forme and qualite Almychty God hes cawsit dame Nature To prent and set in every creature. "Off 21 sum the face may be rycht flurisand,22 With silkin tong and cheir most amorus, With mynd inconstant, fals and variand,23 Full of dissait," and menys cautelus." 25 "Lat be preching," quod the hungry Mouss; "And be 20 quhat craft, thow gar me undirstand, How thow wald gyd 28 me to the yondir land." "Thow wait," ,"20 quod scho, "a body that hes neid,30 To help thame selff suld mony wayis cast; Thairfoir go tak a dowble twynnit threid, And bind thi leg to myne with knotis fast; I sall 32 the leir 33 to swyme, be nocht agast." "Is that thi counsale?" quod the silly Mouss, "To preif 4 that play it wer our perrellouss! 34 27 35 "Suld I be bund" and fast, quhair 37 I am fre, 8 6 1 if I have any knowledge of physiognomy 2 also 4 learned men say envy manifests itself bodily temperament perverse 8 twisted • lore 10 toad, 7 frog foully deceitful 12 these blueberries 13 though 14 when 15 token 18 unpleasant 17 knowledge 18 blamed 19 20 were great 21 of 22 flourishing 23 fickle 24 deccit 25 tricky means 26 by 27 make 28 conduct 29 knowest 31 contrive 32 shall 33 teach 34 prove, test 36 bound 30 need 42 forsooth 45 wide 46 hanging 35 Over both 47 loose-jointed, wobbly 48 rough 40 lose 41 if 37 where 38 hope 39 confound us 42 injury swear 44 oath 10 "Be it right or wrong, these men among on women do complaine, Affermyng this, how that it is a labour spent in vaine To love them wele, for never a dele they love a man agayne; For lete a man do what he can ther favor to attayne, Yet yf a newe to them pursue, ther furst trew lover than Laboureth for nought, and from her thought he is a bannisshed man." "I say not nay but that all day it is both writ and sayde That woman's fayth is, as who saythe, all utterly decayed; But nevertheless right good witnes in this case might be layde That they love trewe and contynew,— recorde the Nutbrowne Maide, ΤΟ Whiche from her love, whan, her to prove, he cam to make his mone, Wolde not departe, for in her herte she lovyd but hym allone." Make you redy, for soo am I, all though it were anoon; For in my mynde of all mankynde I love but you alone." "Yet I you rede to take good hede, what men wyl thinke and sey; Of yonge and olde it shalbe tolde that ye be gone away, 50 Your wanton wylle for to fulfylle, in grene wood you to play, And that ye myght from your delyte noo lenger make delay. Rather than ye shuld thus for me be called an ylle woman, Yet wolde I to the grenewodde goo, alone, a bannysshed man." "Though it be songe of olde and yonge that I shuld be to blame, Theirs be the charge that speke so large in hurting of my name; For I wyl prove that feythful love it is devoyd of shame, In your distresse and hevynesse to parte wyth you the same; And sure all thoo1 that doo not so, trewe lovers ar they noon; But in my mynde of all mankynde I love but you alone." 60 1 those For sothe I trowe, you and your bowe shul drawe for fere behynde; And noo merveyle, for lytel avayle were in your councel than; Wherfore I too the woode wyl goo, alone, a bannysshd man.” "Ful wel knowe ye that wymen bee ful febyl for to fyght; Noo womanhed is it indeede to bee bolde as a knight; Yet in suche fere yf that ye were, amonge enemys day and nyght, 81 I wolde wythstonde, with bowe in hande, to greve them as I myght, And you to save, as wymen have from deth many one; For in my mynde of all mankynde I love but you alone." "Yet take good hede, for ever I drede that ye coude not sustein The thorney wayes, the depe valeis, the snowe, the frost, the reyn, The colde, the hete; for, drye or wete, we must lodge on the playn, And, us above, noon other rove but a brake, |