25

20

25

"I haif no boit,20 heir is no mareneir,21 And thocht 22 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, boit,20 or yit gallay,27 To bring yow our3 saifly, - be nocht affeird! And nocht to weit 28 the campis 29 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,

"Gife I can any skeill of fysnomy,1 Thow hes sum pairte of frawd and als' invy."

"For clerkis sayis the inclinatioun

Of manis thocht persavis commounly

Eftir the corporall complexioun "

Till gud or yll, as natur will apply;
A frawart will, a thrawin phisnomy.

9

53

50

The auld proverb is witness of this lorum: 55 'Distortum vultum sequitur distortio morum.""

14

11

60

"Na," quod the Taid,10" that proverb is nocht trew, For fair thingis oft tymes ar fowll fakin; Thir bla berryis," thocht 13 thay be blak of hew, Ar gaddrit up quhen prumross is forsakin. The face may faill to be the hairtis taikin: 15 Thairfoir I fynd in Scriptour in a place, 'Thow suld nocht juge a man eftir his face.'

70

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; 75 "And be 26 quhat craft, thow gar 27 me undirstand, How thow wald gyd 28 me to the yondir land."

31

"Thow wait," 29 quod scho, "a body that hes neid,30 To help thame selff suld mony wayis cast; Thairfoir go tak a dowble twynnit threid, 80 And bind thi leg to myne with knotis fast;

8

I sall 32 the leir 33 to swyme, be nocht agast." "Is that thi counsale?" quod the silly Mouss, "To preif that play it wer our perrellouss!

3

34

35

85

39

"Suld I be bund 30 and fast, quhair 37 I am fre, In howp38 of help? nay, than eschrew ws baith,3 For I mycht loss 40 both lyfe and libertie! Gife" it wer sa, quha mycht amend my skaith? 42 Bot gife" thow sueir 3 to me the murthour aith,** 1if I have any knowledge of physiognomy 2 also 4 learned men say envy 6 5 manifests itself • bodily temperament 10 toad, 8 twisted perverse 9 lore frog foully deceitful 12 these blueberries 13 though 14 when 15 token 16 unpleasant 17 knowledge 18 blamed were great 21 of 22 flourishing 23 fickle 24 deceit 25 tricky means 26 by 27 make 28 conduct 29 knowest 31 contrive 32 shall 33 teach prove, test 36 bound 37 where 40 lose 41 if 42

19

20

7

34

38 hope 39 confound us 43 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,

ΙΟ

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."

"Than betwene us lete us discusse what was all the maner

Betwene them too, we wyl also telle all the peyne infere "

That she was in. Now I begynne, soo that ye me

To ther owne shame wymen to blame, and causeles them accuse.

Therfore to you I answere now, alle wymen to

excuse:

'Myn owne hert dere, with you what chiere? I prey you telle anoon;

For in my mynde of all mankynde I love but you allon.'"

55

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 thoo' that doo not so, trewe lovers ar they noon;

But in my mynde of all mankynde I love but you alone."

60

1 those