Thus how he stands in labour and bondage, But crop and calf,4 upon ane clout5 of That scantly may he purchase by his maill, 4 land. To live upon dry bread and water kail.5

And God, as thou all righteous prayer hears,

IV.

For as we see, ane bow that is aye bent,

Mot save our King, and give him heart Worthis unsmart,1 and dullis on the string

and hand,

All sic wolfis to banish out of the land.

THE PROLOGUE.

I.

Though feigned fables of auld poetry,
Be not all grounded upon truth, yet than
Their polite terms of sweet rhetorie,
Are right pleasant unto the ear of man ;
And also the cause that they first began,
Was to reprove the hale misliving'
Of man, by figure of another thing.

II.

In like manner, as through the busteous erd 2

Sae goes the man that is aye delligent
In earnestful thought, and in studying :
With sad matteris some merryness to ming,
Accordis well, thus Æsop said, I wis,
Dulcius arrident seria picta jocis. 3

V.

Of this author, my masteris, with your leave
Submitting me in your correction,
In mother tongue of Latin I would prieve
To make ane manner of translation;
Not of myself for vain presumption,
But by request, and precept of ane Lord,
Of whom the name it needs not here re-
cord.

VI.

In homely language, and in termis rude,
Me needis write for why! of eloquence
Nor rhetoric I never understood;
Therefore meikle I pray your reverence,

(Sae it be laboured with great dilligence), Gif that ye find ought through my negliSpringis the flowris, and the corn on

breird, 3

Wholesome and good to mannis sus

tenance;

Sae springis there ane moral sweet

sentence

Out of the subtle dite 4 of poetry

gence,

Be diminute, or yet superfluous,
Correct it at your willis gracious.

VII.

My author in his fables tellis how

To good purpose, who could it well apply, That brutal beastis spake and understood,

III.

And to good purpose dispute, and argow,
Ane syllogism propone, and eke conclude;

The nuttis shell, though it be hard and Putting example and similitude,

And that through custom, and the daily Jewels are tint, as oft-times has been seen rite

For wifis sayis luikand works' are light-
I would have some meat, get it gif I might;
For hungry men may not live on lookis
Had I dry bread, I count nought for nae
cookis.

VII.

"Where should thou make thy habitation? Where should thou dwell, but in ane royal tower?

More excellent than any earthly thing
Whilk makis men in honour for to ring,'
Happy, and stark to win the victory
Of all vices, and spiritual enemy.

XI.

Wha may be hardy, rich, and gracious?
Wha can eschew peril and aventure?
Wha can govern in ane realm, city, or
house,

Where should thou sit but on ane kingis Without science? over all thing

crown,

Exalted in worship and great honour?
Rise, gentle jasp, of all stanis the flower,
Out of this midding, and pass where thou
should be,

Thou gainis nought for me, nor I for thee.

VIII.

Leavand this jewel low upon the ground,
To seek his meat this cock his wayis went ;
But when, or how, or whom by it was found,
As now I set to hold no argument;
But of the inward sentence and intent
Of this fable, as mine author does write,
I shall rehearse in rude and homely dite.

THE MORAL.

íx.

This jolly jasp had properties seven :
The first, of colour it was marvellous;
Part like the fire, and part like to the heaven
It makis ane man stark2 and victorious;
Preservis als 3 frae cases perilous :

assure,

you

It is riches that ever shall endure;
Whilk moth nor moist, nor other rust
can freit ;2

To mannis soul it is eternal meat.

XII.

This cock desirand mair,3 the simple corn
Than any jasp, may till ane fool be peer,
Whilk at science makes but ane mock
and scorn,

And nae good can, as little will he lear;4
His heart wamillis wise arguments to hear,
As does ane sow to whom men for the
nones, 5

In her draff trough would sow the precious

stones.

XIII.

Wha is enemy to science and cunning,
But ignorants that understandis nought?
Whilk is so noble, so precious, and so ding,
That it may not with erdly 7 thing be
bought.

Weel were that man o'er all other that
moght

Who has this stone, shall have good hope All his life days in perfite study wair,8

to speed,

Of fire or water him needs nought to dread.

X.

This gentle jasp right different of hue,
Betokennis perfect prudence and cunning;4
Ornate with many deedis of virtue

Resound.
Decay.
3 More.

4 Learn.

5 The occasion.

Of science though the soul be bare and Summoned the Sheep before the Wolf,

And on the sheep sent forth a strait Agane the Sheep to procure the sentence; Though it were false, they have no conscience.