58 PARLAMENT OF FOULES. Gg. 4. 27, CAMBR. UNIV. LIBR.

(49)

The gentyl facoun that with his feet distraynyth

The kyngis hand / the hardy sperhauk eke

The quaylis foo / the Merilioun that paynyth

Hym self ful ofte the larke for to seke
There was the douue with hire eyen meke

340

The Ielous swan / a-zens hire deth that syngith
The oule ek that of deth the bode bryngyth

343

(50)

The crane geaunt with his trompis soun

The thef the crow / & ek the Iangelynge pye
The skornynge Iay / the elis fo heroun
The false lapwynge ful of trecherye

The starlyng that the conseyl can be-wreye
The tame rodok & the coward kyte
The kok that orloge is / of thorpis lyte

(51)

The sparwe venus sone / the nyhtyngale
That clepith forth the grene leuys newe
The swalwe mortherere of the foulis smale
That makyn hony of flouris frosche & newe
The wedded turtil with hire herte trewe
The pokok with his aungelis clothis bryghte
The fesaunt skornere of the cok be nyghte

347

350

[leaf 486]

354

357

(52)

The wakyr goos / the cokkow 1most onkynde [1m altered from en]

The popyniay ful of delicasye

The drake stroyere of his owene kynde

The stork the wrekere of a-vouterye

361

The hote Cormeraunt of glotenye

The rauen wys/ the crowe wit vois of care

PARLAMENT OF FOULES. Gg. 4. 27, CAMBR. UNIV. LIBR. 59

(53)

What shulde I seyn of foulys euery kynde
That In this world hath federis & stature

To loke on hire & ofte hire bek to kysse

378

(55)

Nature vicarye o the almyghty lord

That hot. cold. heuy. lyght. moyst. & dreye

Hath knyt with euene noumberis of a-cord

In esy voys gan for to speke & seye

382

Foulis tak hed of myn centence I preye

And for 30re ese In fortheryng of 3oure nede

As faste as I may speke I wele 30w speede [1 a altered] 385

(56)

3e knowe wel how seynt volantynys day

[leaf 486, lack]

By myn statute / & thorw myn gouernaunce
3e come for to cheese & fle 30ure wey
3oure makis as I prike 30w with plesaunce
But natheles myn ryghtful ordenaunce

389

May I nat breke for al this world to wynne
That he that most is worthi shal begynne

392

62 PARLAMENT OF FOULES. GJ. 4. 27, CAMBR. UNIV. LIBR.

(65)

A nothir tersel egle spak a-non

Of 1lower kynde seyde that shal nat be
I loue hire bet than зе don be seynt Ion
Or at the leste I loue as wel as ze
And longere haue seruyd hire in myn degre
And If she shulde a louid for long louynge
To me fullonge hadde be the gerdonynge

(66)

I dar ek seyn If she me fynde fals
Vnkynde or Iangelere / or rebel ony wyse

[1l we altered]

452

[2 originally ff] 455

[leaf 487, back]

Or gelous do me hangyn by the hals

And but I bere me / In hire seruyse

459

As wel as that myn wit can me suffyse

From poynt In poynt / hyre honour for to saue

Tak the myn lif & al the good I haue

462

(67)

The thredde tercel Egle answerde tho
Now serys 3e seen the lytil leyser heere
For euery foul cryeth out to ben a-go

Forth with his mak or with his lady deere
And ek nature hire self ne wele not heere

466

For taryinge here not half that I wolde seye

And but I speke / I mot for sorwe deye

469

(68)

Of long seruyse auante I me nothing
That possible is to me to deye to day
For wo as he that hath ben languyssynge
This twenty 3eer & as wel happyn may
A man may seruyn bet & more to pay

473

In half a 3er al thav It were no moore

PARLAMENT OF FOULES. Gg. 4. 27, CAMBR. UNIV. LIBR. 63

(69)

I sey not this by me for I ne can

Don non seruyse that may myn lady1 plese

[1altered]

But I dar seyn/ I am hire treweste man

As to myn dom and fayneste wolde hire ese
At shorte wordis til that deth me sese
I wele ben heris were I wake or wynke
And trewe in al that herte may bethynke

480

483

(70)

Of al myn lyf syn that day I was born

So gentil ple in loue or othir thyng
Ne herde neuere no man me be-forn
Ho that hadde leyser & cunnyng
For to reherse hyre cher & hire spekyng

487

And from the morwe gan this speche laste
Tyl dounward drow the sunne wondir faste

(71)

490

The noyse of foulis for to ben delyuered

So loude ronge haue don & lat vs wende

That wel wende I the wode hadde al to-slyuered

[leaf 488]

The

goos the cokkow/ & the doke also

So cryede kek kek. kokkow. quek quek hye
That thourw myne erys the noyse wente tho
The goos seyde al this nys not worth a flye
But I can shappe herof a remedie
And I wele seye myn verdit fayre & swythe
For watyr foul ho so be wroth or blythe

501

504

64 PARLAMENT OF FOULES. Gg. 4. 27, CAMBR. UNIV. LIBR.

(73)

And I for werm foul quod the fol kokkowe

And I wele of myn owene autorite

For comun profit tak on / no charg howe

For to delyuere vs Is gret charite

508

3e may onbyde a while zit perde

Quod the turtil If it be 3oure wille

A whit may speke / hym were as fayr hen stylle

511

(74)

I am a sed foul, on the onworthieste
That wot I wel / & litil of cunnynge
But bet is that a wyhtis tunge reste
Than entirmetyn hym of suhe doinge
Of which he neythir rede can ne fynde

[1an erasure]

515

And who so doth ful foule hym self a-cloyith

Assentid was to this conclusioun
The briddis alle & foulis of lauyne
Han chosyn fyrst by playn eleccioun
The terselet of the facoun to diffyne
Al here centence as hem leste to termyne
And to nature hym gunne to presente

[leaf 488, back]

529