451 For Phisiologus seith sikerly, As man that was affrayed in his herte. 460 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? I am nat come your counseils for tespye;6 490 And stonden on his tiptoon13 therwithal, 17 This Chauntecleer his winges gan to bete," As man that coude his tresoun nat espye, So was he ravisshed with his flaterye. Allas! ye lordes, many a fals flatour18505 Is in your courtes, and many a losengeour," That plesen yow wel more, by my feith, Than he that soothfastnesse20 unto yow Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges, 565 So were they fered for15 berking of the dogges And shouting of the men and wimmen eke, They ronne so, hem thoughte hir herte breke. They yelleden as feendes doon16 in helle; The dokes cryden as17 men wolde hem quelle; 18 570 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 lakke 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 19 Lo, how fortune turneth sodeinly The hope and pryde eek of hir enemy! This cok, that lay upon the foxes bak, 585 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; 590 180 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, He was in Paradys; and whan that he Eet of the fruyt defended30 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 4 prosper. 8 prattles. 11 for. 18 it seemed to them. 21 fruit sellers. 14 gambling. 17 tear in pieces. Sente him a paire of dees of gold in scorn, 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 It was me told, er ye cam heer, two houres; upright; 345 Ther cam a privee theef, men clepeth21 That in this contree al the peple sleeth, 349 How that the seconde heste of him is And, maister, er ye come in his presence, this 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, 14 three. 11 plainly. 12 depart. 13 five. 15 cursed. 16 nine o'clock A. M. 17 quickly. 18 there is no need of it. 19 companion. 20 dead drunk. 21 name. 22 truth. |