460 As man that was affrayed in his herte. This Chauntecleer, whan he gan him espye, He wolde han fled, but that the fox anon Seyde, "Gentil sire, allas! wher wol ye gon? Be ye affrayed of me that am your freend? 485 He moste12 winke, so loude he wolde 490 And stonden on his tiptoon13 therwithal, 16 She was so ful of torment and of rage, 550 O woful hennes, right so cryden ye, Withouten gilt this Nero hath hem slayn. This sely13 widwe, and eek hir doghtres two, 555 Herden thise hennes crye and maken wo, And out at dores sterten thay anoon, And syen14 the fox toward the grove goon, And bar upon his bak the cok away; And cryden, "Out! harrow! and weylaway! Ha, ha, the fox!" and after him they ran, And eek with staves many another man; Ran Colle our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerland, And Malkin, with a distaf in hir hand; 559 19 The gees for fere flowen over the trees; Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees; So hidous was the noyse, a! benedicite! Certes, he Iakke Straw, and his meynee," Ne maden20 never shoutes half so shrille, Whan that they wolden any Fleming kille, As thilke day was maad upon the fox. 577 Of bras thay broghten bemes,21 and of box, 22 Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and pouped, 23 And therwithal they shryked and they houped;24 580 It semed as that heven sholde falle. Now, gode men, I pray yow herkneth alle! 585 Lo, how fortune turneth sodeinly The hope and pryde eek of hir enemy! This cok, that lay upon the foxes bak, In al his drede, un-to the fox he spak, And seyde, "sire, if that I were as ye, Yet sholde I seyn (as wis25 god helpe me), 'Turneth agayn, ye proude cherles alle! A verray pestilence up-on yow falle! Now am I come un-to this wodes syde, Maugree your heed,26 the cok shal heer abyde; 590 For he that winketh, whan he sholde see, Al wilfully, god lat him never thee!"4 "Nay," quod the fox, "but god yeve him meschaunce,6 That is so undiscreet of governaunce," That iangleth whan he sholde holde his pees.' 10 615 620 Lo, swich it is for to be recchelees," And necligent, and truste on flaterye. But ye that holden this tale a folye," As of a fox, or of a cok and hen, Taketh the moralitee, good men. For seint Paul seith, that al that writen is, Toll our doctryne12 it is y-write, y-wis. Taketh the fruyt, and lat the chaf be stille. Now, gode god, if that it be thy wille, As seith my lord, so make us alle good men; And bringe us to his heighe blisse. Amen. Til Crist had boght us with his blood agayn! Lo, how dere, shortly for to sayn, 175 Adam our fader, and his wyf also, Fro Paradys to labour and to wo Were driven for that vyce, it is no drede;29 For whyl that Adam fasted, as I rede, 180 He was in Paradys; and whan that he Eet of the fruyt defended on the tree, Anon he was out-cast to wo and peyne. O glotonye, on thee wel oghte us pleyne!31 O, wiste a man how many maladyes 185 Folwen of excesse and of glotonyes, He wolde been the more mesurable32 Of his diete, sittinge at his table. Allas! the shorte throte, the tendre mouth, Maketh that, Est and West, and North In erthe, in eir, in water men to-swinke33 To gete a glotoun deyntee mete and drinke! 24 Seneca. 4 prosper. 8 prattles. 11 for. 18 it seemed to them. 21 fruit sellers. 27 wretch. 28 bought. 17 tear in pieces. 31 complain. 14 gambling. Of this matere, O Paul, wel canstow trete, "Mete un-to wombe, and wombe eek un-to mete, 1 Of mannes wit and his discrecioun. Shal god destroyen bothe," as Paulus Now kepe yow fro the whyte and fro the seith. Allas! a foul thing is it, by my feith, 195 rede, And namely fro the whyte wyn of Lepe,235 That is to selle in Fishstrete or in Chepe. This wyn of Spayne crepeth subtilly In othere wynes, growing faste by, Of which ther ryseth swich fumositee, 14 That whan a man hath dronken draughtes three, 240 Ne I wol nat take on me so greet defame,3 290 Sente him a paire of dees of gold in scorn, Lordes may fynden other maner pley 305 And swere in dome, and eek in rightwisnesse;" But ydel swering is a cursednesse. 310 Forswering, ire, falsnesse, homicyde. Thise ryotoures three, of whiche I telle, 341 "Sir," quod this boy, "it nedeth neveradel.18 It was me told, er ye cam heer, two houres; He was, pardee, an old felawe19 of youres; And sodeynly he was yslayn to-night, 345 For-dronke, 20 as he sat on his bench upright; Ther cam a privee theef, men clepeth21 Deeth, That in this contree al the peple sleeth, And with his spere he smoot his herte atwo, 349 And wente his wey with-outen wordes mo. He hath a thousand slayn this pestilence: How that the seconde heste of him is And, maister, er ye come in his presence, Me thinketh that it were necessarie For to be war of swich an adversarie: Beth redy for to mete him evermore. Thus taughte me my dame, I sey namore.' "By seinte Marie," seyde this taverner, "The child seith sooth,22 for he hath slayn this yeer, 11 plainly. 12 depart. 13 five. 14 three. 15 cursed. 16 nine o'clock A. M. 17 quickly. 18 there is no need of it. 19 companion. 20 dead drunk. 22 truth. 21 name. |