Alexander Montgomerie

THE CHERRIE AND THE SLAE

1

About ane bank, quhair birdis on bewis

Ten thusand tymis thair notis renewis

Ilke houre into the day:

The Merle, & Maveis micht be sene,

The Progne, and the Phelomene,

Quhilk caussit me to stay:

I lay and leynit me to ane bus,

To heir the birdis beir,

Thair mirth was sa melodius,

Throw nature of the zeir:

Sum singing, sum springing,

With wingis into the Sky:

So trimlie, and nimlie,

Thir birdis they flew me by.

2

I saw the Hurcheoun, and the Hair,

Quha fed amangis the flowris fair,

Wer happing to and fro:

I saw the Cunning, and the Cat,

Quhais downis with the dew was wat,

With monie beistis mo:

The Hart, the Hynd, the Dae, the Rae,

The Fowmart, and the Foxe

War skowping all fra brae to brae,

Amang the water broxe.

Sum feiding, sum dreiding,

In cais of suddain snairis:

With skipping, and tripping,

They hantit all in pairis.

3

The air was sa attemperate,

But ony myst Immaculate,

Bot purefeit and cleir:

The flouris fair wer flurischit,

As nature had them nurischit,

Baith delicate and deir:

And every blome on branche and bewch

So prettily wer spred,

And hang their heidis out ouir the hewch,

In Mayis colour cled.

Sum knopping, sum dropping,

Of balmie liquor sweit:

Distelling, and smelling,

Throw Phoebus hailsum heit.

4

The Cukkow and the Cuschet cryde,

The Turtle on the uther syde,

Na plesure had to play:

So schil in sorrow was her sang,

That throw her voce the roches rang,

For Eccho answerit ay:

Lamenting sair Narcissus cace,

Quha starvit at the well:

Quha with the shaddow of his face,

For lufe did slay him sell:

Quhylis weiping, and creiping,

About the well he baid:

Quhylis lying, quhylis crying,

Bot it na answere maid.

5

The dew as diamondis did hing,

Upon the tender twistis, and zing,

Ouir twinkling all the treis:

And ay quhair flowris flourischit faire,

Thair suddainly I saw repaire,

In swarmes, the sownding beis:

Sum sweitly hes the hony socht,

Quhil they war cloggit soir:

Sum willingly the waxe hes wrocht,

To heip it up in stoir:

So heiping, with keiping,

Into thair hyvis they hyde it:

Precyselie, and wyselie,

For winter they provyde it.

6

To pen the pleasures of that Park,

How every blossome, branche, and bark,

Agaynst the Sun did schyne:

I leif to Poetis to compyle,

In staitlie verse, and lofty style,

It passis my ingyne:

Bot as I muffit myne allane,

I saw an River rin

Outouir ane craggie Rok of stane,

Syne lichtit in ane lin:

With tumbling, and rumbling,

Amang the Rochis round:

Dewalling, and falling,

Into that pit profound.

7

To heir thae startling stremis cleir,

Me thocht it musique to the eir,

Quhair deskant did abound:

With Trible sweit, and Tenor just,

And ay the Echo repercust,

Hir Diapason sound:

Set with the Ci-sol-fa-uth cleife,

Thairby to knaw the note:

Thair soundit a michtie semibreif,

Out of the Elphis throte.

Discreitlie, mair sweitlie,

Nor craftie Amphion:

Or musis, that usis,

At fountaine Helicon.

8

Quha wald have tyrit to heir that tune,

Quhilk birdis corroborate ay abune,

Throw schowting of the Larkis:

Sum flies sa high into the skyis,

Quhill Cupid walkinnes with the cryis,

Of natures chappell clarkis:

Quha leving all the hevins above,

Alighted in the eird:

Loe how that little God of love

Befoir me thair appeird:

So myld-lyke, and chyld-lyke,

With bow thrie quarteris scant:

So moylie, and coylie,

He lukit like ane Sant.

9

Ane cleinlie Crispe hang ouir his eyis,

His quaver, by his naked Thyis,

Hang in ane silver lace:

Of gold betwix his schoulders grew

Twa pretty wingis quhairwith he flew,

On his left arme ane brace:

This God aff all his geir he schuik,

And laid it on the grund:

I ran als busie for to luik,

Quhair ferleis micht be fund:

Amasit, I gasit,

To see that geir sa gay:

Persawing, my hawing,

He countit me his pray.

10

His youth and stature made mee stout,

Of doublenesse I had no doubt,

But bourded with my Boy:

Quoth I, how call they thee my child,

Cupido sir (quoth he) and smilde,

Please you mee to imploy;

For I can serve you in your sute,

If you please to impire,

With wings to flee, and shafts to schute,

Or flames to set on fire.

Mak choise then, of those then,

Or of a thousand things:

But crave them, and have them,

With that I woo'd his wings.

11

Quhat wald thou give my freind, quod he,

To haif thae prettie wingis to flie,

To sport thee for a quhyle:

Or quhat gif I suld len thee heir,

My bow and all my schuting geir,

Sum bodie to begyle:

That geir quod I can not be bocht,

zit I wald haif it faine:

Quhat gif, quod he, it coist thee nocht

Bot randring it againe:

His wings than, he bringis than,

And band them on my back:

Go flie now, quod he now,

And so my leif I tak.

12

I sprang up on Cupidoes wingis,

Quha bow and quavir baith resingis,

To lend me for ane day:

As Icarus with borrowit flicht,

I mountit hichar nor I micht,

Ouir perrelous ane play:

Than furth I drew that deadlie dairt,

Quhilk sumtyme schot his mother:

Quhairwith I hurt my wanton heart,

In hope to hurt ane uther:

It hurt me, it burt me,

The ofter I it handill:

Cum se now, in me now,

The butter-flie and candill.

13

As scho delytis into the low,

Sa was I browdin in my bow,

Als ignorant as scho:

And as scho flies quhill sche be fyrit,

Sa with the dart that I desyrit,

My hand hes hurt me to:

As fulisch Phaëton be sute,

His fatheris Cart obteind:

I langt in Luiffis bow to shute,

Bot weist not what it meind:

Mair wilfull, than skilfull,

To flie I was so fond:

Desyring, Impyring,

And sa was sene upond.

14

To late I knaw quha hewis to hie,

The spail sall fall into his eie,

To late I went to Scullis:

To late I heard the swallow preiche,

To late Experience dois teiche,

The Skuil-maister of fuillis:

To late to fynde the nest I seik,

Quhen all the birdis are flowin:

To late the stabill dore I steik,

Quhen all the steids are stowin:

To lait ay, their stait ay,

All fulische folke espye:

Behynd so, they fynd so,

Remeid and so do I.

15

Gif I had rypelie bene advysit,

I had not rashlie enterprysit,

To soir with borrowit pennis:

Nor zit had saied the archer craft,

Nor schot myself with sik a schaft

As resoun quyte miskennis:

Fra wilfulnes gave me my wound,

I had na force to flie:

Then came I granand to the ground,

Freind welcome hame quod he:

Quhair flew ze, quhome slew ze,

Or quha bringis hame the buiting:

I sie now, quod he now,

ze haif bene at the schuting.

16

As skorne cummis commonlie with skaith,

Sa I behufit to byde them baith,

O quhat an stakkering stait!

For under cure I gat sik chek,

Quhilk I micht nocht remuif nor nek

Bot eyther stail or mait.

My agonie was sa extreme,

I swelt and soundt for feir:

Bot or I walkynnit of my dreme,

He spulzied me of my geir:

With flicht than, on hicht than,

Sprang Cupid in the skyis:

Forzetting, and setting,

At nocht my cairfull cryis.

17

Sa lang with sicht I followit him,

Quhill baith my feiblit eyis grew dim,

With staring on the starnis,

Quhilk flew sa thick befoir my ein,

Sum reid, sum zellow, blew and grein,

Sa trublit all my harnis:

Quhill every thing apperit two,

To my barbuilzeit braine:

Bot lang micht I lye luiking so,

Or Cupid come againe:

Quhais thundring, with wondring,

I hard up throw the air:

Throw cluddis so, he thuddis so,

And flew I wist not quhair.

18

Fra that I saw that God was gane,

And I in langour left allane,

And sair tormentit to:

Sum tyme I sicht quhill I was sad,

Sum tyme I musit and maist gane mad,

I wist not quhat to do:

Sum tyme I ravit halfe in a rage,

As ane into dispaire:

To be opprest with sic ane page

Lord gif my heart was saire:

Like Dido, Cupido

I widill and I warye:

Quha reft me, and left me,

In sik a feirie-farye.

19

Then felt I Curage and Desyre,

Inflame my heart with uncouth fyre,

To me befoir unknawin:

Bot now na blud in me remaines,

Unbrunt and boyld within my vaines,

By luffis bellies blawin:

To quench it or I was devorit,

With siches I went about:

Bot ay the mair I schape to smorit,

The baulder it brak out:

Ay preising, but ceising,

Quhill it may breik the boundis:

My hew so, furth schew so,

The dolour of my woundis.

20

With deidlie visage paill, and wan,

Mair like ane Atomie nor man,

I widderit cleine away:

As wax befoir the fyre, I felt

My hart within my bosome melt,

And pece and pece decay:

My vaines with brangling like to brek,

My punsis lap with pith:

Sa fervently did me infek,

That I was vext thairwith:

My hart ay, did start ay,

The fyrie flamis to flie:

Ay houping, throw louping,

To win to liberty.

21

Bot ô alace byde it behuiffit,

Within my cairfull corpis incluissit,

In presoun of my breist:

With sichis sa sowpit and ouirset,

Like to an fische fast in the net,

In deid-thraw undeceist:

Quha thocht in vaine dois strive for strenth,

For to pull out heir heid:

Quhilk profitis na thing at the lenth,

Bot haistes hir to hir deid.

With wristing, and thristing,

The faster still is scho:

Thair I so, did lye so,

My death advancing to.

22

The mair I wrestlit with the wynd,

The faschter still myself I fynd,

Na mirth my mynd micht mease:

Mair noy nor I had never nane,

I was sa alterit and ouirgane,

Throw drowth of my disease:

Than weakly as I micht I rayis,

My sicht grewe dim and dark:

I stakkerit at the windil-strayis,

Na takin I was stark:

Baith sichtles, and michtles,

I grew almaist at ainis:

In angwische, I langwische,

With mony grievous grainis.

23

With sober pace I did approche,

Hard to the River and the Roche,

Quhairof I spak befoir:

Quhais running sic a murmure maid,

That to the Sey it softlie slaid.

The craig was high and schoir:

Than pleasur did me so provok,

Perforce thair to repaire:

Betwix the River and the Rok,

Quahir hope grew with dispaire:

A trie than, I sie than,

Of CHERRIES in the braes,

Belaw to, I saw to,

Ane bus of bitter SLAES.

24

The CHERRIES hang abune my heid,

Like twinkland Rubies round and reid,

So hich up in the hewch:

Quhais schaddowis in the river schew,

Als graithlie glansing as they grewe,

On trimbling twistis tewch:

Quhilk bowed throw burding of thair birth,

Inclining downe thair toppis:

Reflex of Phoebus of the firth,

Newe colourit all thair knoppis:

With dansing, and glansing,

In tirles dornik champ:

Ay streimand, and gleimand,

Throw brichtnes of that lamp.

25

With earnest eye quhil I espye,

The fruit betwixt me and the skye,

Halfe gaite almaist to hevin:

The craig sa cumbersume to clim,

The trie sa hich of growth and trim,

As ony arrowe evin:

I cald to minde how Daphne did

Within the Laurell schrink:

Quhen from Appollo scho hir hid,

A thousand times I think:

That trie then, to me then,

As he his laurell thocht:

Aspyring, but tyring,

To get that fruit I socht.

26

To clime the Craige it was na buit,

Lat be to presse to pull the fruit,

In top of all the trie:

I saw na way quhairby to cum,

Be ony craft, to get it clum,

Appeirandly to me:

The craige was ugly stay & dreich

The trie heich lang and smal.

I was affrayd to mount sa hich,

For feir to get ane fall:

Affrayit, to say it,

I luikit up on loft:

Quhiles minting, quhiles stinting,

My purpose changit oft.

27

Then Dreid, with Danger, and Dispaire,

Forbad my minting anie mair,

To raxe above my reiche:

Quhat tusche, quod Curage man to go,

He is bot daft that hes ado,

And spairis for every speiche:

For I have oft hard wise men say,

And we may see our sellis,

That fortune helps the hardie ay,

And pultrones plaine repellis:

Than feir not, nor heir not,

Dreid, Danger, or Dispaire:

To fazarts, hard hazarts,

Is deid or they cume thair.

28

Quha speidis, bot sic as heich aspyris,

Quha triumphis nocht, bot sic as tyris,

To win a nobill name:

Of schrinking, quhat bot schame succeidis,

Than do as thou wald haif thy deidis

In register of fame:

I put the cais thou nocht prevaild,

Sa thou with honour die:

Thy lyfe bot not thy courage faild,

Sall Poetis pen of thee:

Thy name than, from fame than,

Sall nevir be cut aff:

Thy graif ay, sall haif ay,

That honest Epitaff.

29

Quhat can thou losse, quhen honour lyvis,

Renowne thy vertew ay revyvis,

Gif valiauntlie thou end:

Quod Danger, hulie freind, tak heid,

Untymous spurring spillis the Steid,

Tak tent quhat ze pretend:

Thocht Courage counsell thee to clim,

Bewar thou kep na skaith:

Haif thou na help bot Hope & him

They may beguyle the baith:

Thy sell now, can tell now,

The counsell of thae Clarkis;

Quhairthrow zit, I trow zit,

Thy breist dois beir the markis.

30

Brunt bairn with fyre the danger dreidis,

Sa I beleif thy bosome bleidis,

Sen last that fyre thou felt:

Besydis this, seindell tymis the seis,

That ever Curage keipis the keyis

Of knawledge at his belt:

Thocht he bid fordwart with gunnis,

Small powder he provydis,

Be not ane novice of the Nunnis,

That saw nocht baith the sydis:

Fuil-haist ay, almaist ay,

Ouirsylis the sicht of sum:

Quha huikis not, nor luikis not

Quhat eftirward may cum.

31

Zit Wisdome wischis the to wey

This figour of Philosophey,

A lessoun worth to leir:

Quhilk is in time for to tak tent,

And not when time is past repent,

And buy repentance deir:

Is thair na honour efter lyfe,

Except thou slay thy sell?

Quhairfoir hes Attropus that knyfe,

I trow thou cannot tell,

That but it, wald cut it,

That Clotho skairse hes spun:

Distroying, thy joying,

Befoire it be begun.

32

All ouirs are repuit to be vyce,

Ore hich, ore law, ore rasch, ore nyce:

Ore heit, or zit ore cauld:

Thou seemes unconstant be thy sings,

Thy thocht is one ane thousand things,

Thou wattis not quhat thou wald:

Let fame hir pittie on the powre,

Quhan all thy banes ar brokin:

Zone SLAE, suppose thou think it soure,

May satisfie to slokkin

Thy drouth now, O zouth now,

Quhilk drownis thee with desyre:

Aswage than, thy rage man,

Foull water quenches fyre.

33

Quhat fule art thou to die of thrist,

And now may quench it gif thou list,

So easilie but paine:

Maire honor is to vanquisch ane,

Nor feicht with tensum and be tane,

And outhir hust or slaine:

The prattick is to bring to passe,

And not to enterprise:

And als guid drinking out of glas,

As gold in ony wise.

I levir, have ever,

Ane foule in hand or tway:

Nor seand, ten fleand,

About me all the day.

34

Luik quhair to licht before thou loup,

And slip na certenty for Houp,

Quha gydis thee bot be gesse:

Quod Curage, Cowartis takis na cuire,

To sit with schame, sa they be suire,

I like them all the lesse:

Quhat plesure purchest is but paine,

Or honor wyn with eis?

He will not ly quhair he is slaine,

That douttis befoir he dies,

For feir than, I heir than,

Bot onlie ane Remeid:

That lattis, and that is,

For to cut of the heid.

35

Quhat is the way to heill thy hurt?

Quhat way is thair to stay thy sturt?

Quhat meinis may make thee merrie?

Quhat is the comfort that thou cravis?

Suppose thir Sophistis thee decewis,

Thou knawis it is the CHERRIE:

Sen for it only thou bot thristis,

The SLAE can be na buit:

In it also thy health consistis,

And in na uther fruit:

Thou quakis now, and schakis now,

And studyes at our strife:

Advise thee, it lies thee,

On na les nor thy life.

36

Gif ony pacient wald be pancit,

Quhy suld he loup quhen he is lancit

Or schrink quhen he is schorne?

For I have hard Chirurgianes say,

Oft tymes deferring of ane day,

Micht not be mend the morne:

Tak time in time or time be tint

For tyme will not remaine:

Quhat forces fire out of the flint

Bot als hard match againe:

Delay not, and stay not,

And thou sal sie it swae:

So gets ay, that sets ay,

Stout stomackis to the brae.

37

Thocht all beginnings be most hard,

And yschewis plesand efterward,

Then schrink not for any schoure:

Fra anes that thou thy grening get,

Thy paine and travel is forzet,

The weit exceidis the soure:

Go to than quicklie, feir not thir,

For hope gud hap hes hecht:

Quod Danger be not soddane Sir,

The mater is of wecht:

For spye baith, syne try baith,

Advisement dois na ill:

I say than, ze may than,

Be wilful quhen ze will,

38

Bot zet to mynd the proverbe call,

Quha usis perrillis perische sall,

Schort quhile thair lyfe them lastis:

And I haif hard (quod Hope) that he,

Sall nevir schaip to sayle the Se,

That for all perrils castis:

How many throw dispaire ar deid,

That never perrillis preivit:

How many also, gif thou reid,

Of lives we have releivit:

Quha being, evin deing,

But Danger, bot dispaird:

A hunder, I wunder,

Bot thou hes hard declaird.

39

Gif we twa hald not up thy hart,

Quhilk is the cheife and noblest part,

Thy wark wald not gang weill:

Considdering thae companions can

Perswade a sillie simpill man,

To hazard for his heill:

Suppose they have desavit some,

Or thay and we micht meit:

Thay get na credit quhair we come,

In ony man of Spreit:

Be resoun, thair tressoun,

Be us is first espyit:

Reveiling, thair deiling,

Quhilk dowe not be denyit.

40

With sleikit Sophismis seiming sweit,

As all their doings was discreit,

Thay wische thee to be wise:

Postponing tyme from hour to hour,

Bot faith in underneath the flour,

The lurking Serpent lyis:

Suppois thou seis hir not a styme,

Till tyme scho sting thy fute:

Persawis thou nocht quhat precious tyme,

Thy slewthing dois ouirschute:

Allace man, thy cace man,

In lingring I lament:

Go to now, and do now,

That Curage be content.

41

Quhat gif Melancholie cum in,

And get an grip or thou begin,

Than is thy labour lost:

For he will hald thee hard and fast,

Till tyme and place and fruit be past,

Till thou give up the ghost:

Than sal be gravd upon the stane,

Quhilk on thy grave beis laid:

Sum tyme their lived sik a ane,

Bot how suld it be said:

Heir lyis now, but prise now,

Into dishonors bed:

Ane cowart, as thou art,

That from his fortune fled:

42

Imagyne man gif thou were laid

In grave and syne micht heir this said,

Wald thou nocht sweit for schame:

Zes faith I doubt not bot thou wald,

Thairfoir gif thou hes eyis behald,

How they wald smoir thy fame:

Go to, and make na mair excuse,

Now life or honor lose:

And outher them or us refuis,

Thair is na uther chose:

Considder, togidder,

That we can never dwell:

At length ay, at strength aye,

Thae pultrons we expell.

43

Quod Danger sen I understand,

That counsall can be na command,

I haif na mair to say:

Except gif that he thocht it gude,

Take counsall zit or ze conclude,

Of wyser men nor thay:

They are bot rakles, zoung, and rasche,

Suppois thay think us fleid:

Gif of our fellowschip zou fasche,

Gang with tham hardlie beid:

God speid you, they leid zou,

That hes not meikill wit:

Expell us, and tell us,

Heirefter comes not zit.

44

Quhyle Danger, and Dispaire retyrit,

Experience came in and speirit,

Quhat all the matter meind:

With him came Ressoun, Wit, and Skill,

And thay began to speir at Will,

Quhair mak ze to, my friend?

To pluk zone lustie CHERRIE loe,

Quod he and not the SLAE:

Quod thay is thair na mair adoe,

Or ze cum up the brae:

Bot to it, and do it,

Perforce the fruit to pluck:

Weill brother, some uther,

Wer meter to conduct.

45

I grant ze may be gude aneuch,

Bot zit the hazard of zon hewch,

Requyris ane graver gyde:

As wyse as ze ar may gang wrang,

Thairfore tak counsaill or ze gang,

Of sum that standis besyde:

Bot quhilk were zone thrie ze forbad

Zour company richt now:

Quod Will thre prechours to perswad,

The poysond SLAE to pow:

They tratlit, and ratlit,

A lang half houre and mair:

Foull fall them, they call them,

Dreid Danger and Dispaire.

46

Thay are maire faschious nor of feck,

Zon faizardis durst not for thair neck

Clim up the Craig with us:

Fra we determinit to die,

Or else to clime zone CHERRIE trie,

Thay baid about the bus:

Thay are conditionate like the Cat,

They wald not weit their feit:

Bot zit gif of the fruit we gat,

Thay wald be fayne to eit:

Thocht thay now, I say now,

To hazard hes na hart:

Zit luck we, and pluck we,

The fruit they wald have part.

47

Bot fra we get our voyage wun,

They sall not than the CHERRIE cun,

That wald not enterpryse:

Weill, quod Experience ze boist,

Bot he that countis without his oist,

Oft tymes he countis twyse:

Ze sell the Beir skin on his back,

Bot byde quhill ze it get:

Quhen ze have done its tyme to crak,

ze fische befoir the net:

Quhat haist Sir, ze taist Sir,

The CHERRIE or ze pow it:

Bewar zit, ze ar zit,

Mair talkative nor trowit.

48

Call Danger back againe quod Skill,

To se quhat he can say to Will,

We see him schod sa strait:

We may nocht trow that ilk ane tellis,

(Quod Curage) we concludit ellis,

He servis not for our mait:

For I can tell zou all perqueir,

His counsail or he cum:

Quod Will, quhairto suld he cume heir?

He can not hald his tung.

He speikis ay, and seikis ay,

Delay of tyme be driftis:

He grevis us, and deves us,

With sophistries and schiftis.

49

Quod Ressoun quhy was he debard?

The tale is ill may not be hard,

Zit let us heir him anis:

Than Danger to declair began,

How Hope and Curage tuik the man,

And led him all thair lanis:

For they walk haif him up the hill,

But outher stop or stay:

And quha was welcomer nor Will,

He wald be formaist ay:

He culd do, and suld do,

Quha evir wald or nocht:

Sic speiding, proceiding,

Unlikelie was I thocht.

50

Thairfoir I wischt them to be war,

And rashlie not to ryn ouir far,

Without sik gydis as ze:

Quod Courage friend I heir zou faill,

Remember better on zour taill,

ze sayd it culd not be:

Besydis that ze wald not consent,

That evir we suld clym:

Quod Will for my pairt I repent,

We saw them mair nor him:

For they ar, the stayer,

Of us, alsweill as he:

I think now, they schrink now,

Go fordwart let them be,

51

Go, go, we do not heir bot guckis,

They say that voyage nevir luckis,

Quhair ilk ane hes ane vote:

Quod Wisdome gravelie, Sir I grant,

We wer na war zour vote to want,

Sum sentence heir I note:

Suppose ze speak it bot be gesse,

Sum fruit thairin I fynd:

Ze wald be forward I confesse,

And cummis oft tymis behynd:

It may be, that thay be,

Dissavit that nevir doutit:

Indeid Sir, that heid Sir,

Hes meikill wit about it.

52

Than wilfull Will began to rage,

And aware he fand na thing in age,

Bot anger, yre, and grudge:

And for my selfe (quod he) I sweir

To quyte all my companions heir,

And they admit the Judge:

Experience is grown sa auld,

That he begins to rave:

The laif bot curage ar sa cauld,

Na hazarding thay haif:

For Danger, far stranger,

Hes maid them nor they war,

Ga fra them, we pray them,

That nouther dow nor dar.

53

Quhy may nocht these thre leid this ane,

I led ane hunder all my lane,

But counsall of them all;

I grant, quod Wisdom ze have led

Bot I wald speir how many sped,

Or furderit but ane fall?

But uther few or nane I trow,

Experience can tell:

(He sayis) that man may wyte bot zow,

The first tyme that he fell:

He kennis now, quhais pennis now,

Thou borrowit him to flee:

His wounds zit, quhilk stounds zit,

He gat them than throw thee.

54

That (quod Experience) is trew,

Will flatterit him when first he flew,

And set him in an Low:

Will was his Counsell and convoy,

To borrow fra the blindit boy,

Baith quiver, wingis, and bow:

Quhairwith befoir he seyit to schuit,

He neither zeild to zouth:

Not zit had neid of any fruit,

To quench his deidly drouth:

Quhilk pynis him, and dwynis him,

To deid he wattis not how;

Gif Will than, did till than,

Himselfe remembers now.

55

For I Experience was thair,

Lyke as I use to be all quhair,

Quhat tyme he wytit Will

To be maist cause of his mischeif,

For I my self can be ane preif,

And witnes thairintill.

Thair is na boundis bot I haif bene

Nor hidlingis fra me hid:

Nor secret thingis bot I haif sene,

That he or onie did:

Thair foir now, no moir now,

Lat him think to conceild:

For quhy now, evin I now,

Am detbound to reveild.

56

My custome is for to declair,

The treuth, and nevir eik, nor pair,

For onie man ane jote:

Gif wil-full Will delytis in leis,

Exampill in thy self thou seis,

How he can turne his cote,

And with his langage wald alluir

Thee zit to brek thy bainis:

Sum tyme thou knawis gif he was suir,

Thou usd his counsell ainis:

Quha wald zit, be bald zit,

To wrak thee, wer not we:

Think on now, of zon now,

Quod Wisdome than to me.

57

Weill, quod Experience, gif that he

Submittis himself to zow and me,

I wait quhat I suld say:

Our gude advyse he sall nocht want,

Provyding alwayis gif he grant

To put zon Will away:

And banische baith him and Dispair,

That all gude purpose spillis:

Sa he will melle with them na mair

Lat them twa flyte thair fillis:

Sic coissing, but loissing,

All honest men may use:

That change now, wer strange now,

Quod Ressoun to refuse.

58

(Quoth Will) fy on him when he flew,

That powde not Cherries then anew,

For to have staide his sturt,

(Quoth Reason) though he beare the blame,

He never saw nor needed them,

Till he himselfe had hurt.

First when he mistred not, he micht,

He needs and may not now,

Thy folly when he had his flicht,

Empashed him to pow.

Both hee now, and we now,

Perceives thy purpose plaine,

To turne him, and burne him,

And blow on him againe.

59

(Quoth Skil) what would wee longer strive,

Far better late than never thrive.

Come let us helpe him yet.

Tint time we may not get againe,

We waste but present time in vaine,

Beware with that quoth Wit.

Speak on Experience let see.

We think you hold you dumb,

Of bygones I have heard (quoth he)

I know not things to come:

Quoth Reason, the season,

With Slouthing slydes away:

First take him, and make him

A man if that you may.

60

(Quoth Will) if he be not a man,

I pray you sirs what is he than,

He lookes like one at least.

(Quoth Reason) if he follow thee,

And minde not to remaine with mee,

Nought but a bruital beast.

A man in shape doth nought consist,

For all you tanting tales,

Therefore, sir Will, I would yee wist,

Your Metaphysick failed.

Goe leare yet, a yeare yet,

Your Logick at the schooles:

Some day then, yee may then,

Passe Maister with the Mules.

61

(Quoth Will) I marvel what you meane,

Should I not trow mine own two eyne,

For all your Logick schooles,

If I did not, I were not wise,

(Quoth Reason) I have told you thrise,

None ferlies more than fooles.

There be more senses than the sight,

Which ye ov'rhaile for haste.

To wit, if ye remember richt,

Smel, hearing, touch, and taste.

All quick things, have sic things,

I meane both man and beast,

By kinde ay, we finde ay,

Few lackes them at the least.

62

So by that consequence of thine,

Or Syllogisme said like a swine,

A Kow may learne thee laire.

Thou uses onely but the eyes,

She touches, tastes, smels, heares, and sees.

Which matches thee and maire.

But since no triumph yee intend,

As presently appeares,

Sir, for your Clergie to be kend,

Take yee two asses eares;

No Miter, perfyter,

Got Midas for his meed:

That hood sir, is good sir,

To hap your braine-sick head.

63

Ye have no feele for to defyne,

Though yee have cunning to decline,

A man to bee a moole;

With little work, yet yee may vowde,

To grow a gallant horse and good,

To ride thereon at Yoole;

But to our ground when wee began,

For all your gustlesse jests,

I must be master of the man,

But thou to bruital beasts:

So wee two, must bee two,

To cause both kinds be knowne:

Keep mine then, from thine then,

And each one use their owne.

64

Then Willas angry as an ape,

Ran ramping, swearing rude and rape,

Saw he none other shift.

He would not want an inch his wil,

Even whether't did him good or ill,

For thirty of his thrift.

He would be formest in the field,

And master if he might;

Yea, hee should rather die than yeeld,

Though Reason had the right.

Shal he now, make mee now,

His subject or his slave?

No rather, my father,

Shal quick goe to the grave.

65

I height him while mine heart is haile,

To perish first ere he prevaile,

Come after what so may.

(Quoth Reason) doubt yee not indeed,

Yee hitte the naile upon the head,

It shall bee as yee say.

Suppose yee spur for to aspire,

Your bridle wants a bit;

That mare may leave you in the myre,

As sicker as yee sit.

Your sentence, repentance,

Shall leare you I believe,

And anger, you langer,

When yee that practick prieve.

66

As yee have dyted your decreet,

Your prophecy to bee compleat,

Perhaps and to your paines,

It hath been said, and may be so,

A wilful man wants never woe,

Though he get little gaines.

But since ye thinkt an easie thing,

To mount above the Moone,

Of your owne fiddle take a spring,

And dance when yee have done.

If than sir, the man sir,

Like of your mirth hee may:

And speare first, and heare first,

What he himselfe will say.

67

Than all togidder they began,

To say cum on thou martyrit man,

And do as we devyse:

Abasd ane bonie quhyle I baid,

And musd or I my answere maid,

I turnd me ainis or twyse.

Behalding everie ane about,

I feird to speik in haist:

Sum seimd assurd, sum dred for doubt,

Will ran reid-wood almaist:

With wringing, and thringing,

His hands on uther dang:

Dispair to, for cair to,

Wald needs himselfe go hang.

68

Quhilk quhen Experience persavit,

Quod he remember gif we ravit,

As Will alledgit of laite:

Quhen as he sware na thing he saw,

In age bot anger, slack and slaw,

And cankerit of consait:

ze culd not lick as he alledgit,

That all opinions sperit:

He was sa frak and fyerie edgit,

He thocht us four bot feirit:

Quha pansis, on chancis,

(Quod he) na worschip winnis:

Ay some best, sall come best,

That hap weill rak weill rinnis.

69

zit quod Experience behauld,

For all the tales that he has tauld,

How he himselfe behaves:

Because Dispaire could come na speid,

Lo quhaire he hangs all bot the heid,

And in ane withie waves:

Gif zon be suir ains thou may se,

To men that with them mellis:

Gif thay had hurt or helpit the,

Consider be thame sellis:

Than chuse the, to use the,

Be us, or sik as zone:

Say sone now, have done now,

Mak outher aff or on.

70

Persaves thou not quhairfra proceids,

The frantik fantasies, that feids

Thy furious flaming fyre:

Quhilk dois thy bailfull breist combuir,

That nane bot we (quod thay) can cuir,

Or knawis quhat dois requyre:

The persing passion of thy Spreit,

That waists thy vitall breath:

Hes holit thy heavie hart with heit,

Desyre drawes on thy death:

Thy punsis, renuncis,

All kynd of quiet rest:

That fever, hes ever,

Thy person sa opprest.

71

Quod thay were thou acquaint with Skill,

He knawis quhat humors dois thee ill,

Quhair thou cares contrakis:

He knawis the ground of all thy griefe,

And recept to for thy releife,

All medicines he makis:

Cum on quod Skil content am I

To put my helping hand:

Provyding alwayis he apply

To counsall and command:

Quhill we than, quod he than,

Ar myndit to ramaine:

Gif place now, in cace now,

Thou get us not againe.

72

Assuire thy selfe gif that we sched,

Thou sall not get thy purpose sped,

Tak tent, we haif thee tald:

Haif done and dryve nocht aff the day,

The man that will nocht quhen he may,

He sall not quhen he wald.

Quhat wald thou do, I wald we wist,

Except or give us oure:

Quod he I think me mair than blist,

To fynde sick famous foure:

Besyde me, to guyde me,

Now quhen I haif to doe:

Considering, the swidering,

Ze fand me first into.

73

Quhen Courage crav'd ane stomack stout,

And Danger drave me into dout,

With his companione Dreid,

Quhylis Will wald up above the aire,

Quhylis I was dround into dispaire,

Quhylis hope held up my heid:

So pithie resounis and replyis,

On every side they shewe,

That I quha was not verie wyis,

Thocht all thair tales was trew:

Sa mony, and bony,

All problemis they propond:

Baith quicklie, and liklie,

I marveld mekill ond.

74

Zit Hope and Curage wan the field,

Thocht Dreid and Danger nevir zeild,

Bot fled to fynde refuge:

Swa fra ze fowr met they were fayne,

Because ze cauld them back againe,

And glad that ze war Judge:

For thay were fugitive befoir,

Now thay are frank and fre,

To speak and stand na aw na moir:

Quod reasoun swa suld be:

Oft tymes now, but crymes now,

Bot evin be force it falls:

The strang ay, with wrang ay,

Puttis waiker to the walls,

75

Quhilk is a fault thou man confesse,

Strenth is not ordaynd till oppresse,

With rigour by the richt:

Bot be the contrair to sustein,

The waik anes that oreburdenit bein,

Als meikill as thay micht:

Sa Hope and Curage did (quod I),

Experimented lyke,

Schaw skild and pithie resouns quhy,

That Danger lap the dyke:

Quod Dreid Sir, tak heid Sir,

Lang speiking part man spil:

Insist not, ze wist not,

We went aganis our will.

76

With Curage ze were sa content,

ze nevir socht our small consent,

Of us ze stand na aw:

Thair logique ressouns ze allowit,

ze ware determined to trow it,

Alledgence past for law:

For all the proverbs they perusit,

ze thocht them skantly skild:

Our ressouns had bene als weill rusit,

Had ze bene als weill wild:

Till our side, as zour side,

Sa trewlie is it termd:

We se now, in thee now,

Affection dois affermd.

77

Experience then smyrkling smyld,

We ar na barnis to be begyld,

Quod he, and schuik his heid:

For authours quha alledgis us,

They may not ga about the bus,

For all their deadly feid:

For wee are equal for you all.

No persons wee respect.

We have been so, are yet, and shall

Be found so in effect.

If we were, as ye were,

We had comde unrequyrde,

But wee now, ye see now,

Doe nothing undesirde.

78

There is a sentence said by some,

Let none uncald to counsell come,

That welcome weines to bee.

Yea I have heard another yet,

Who came uncald, unserv'd shuld sit,

Perhaps sir, so may yee.

Good-man, grande mercie for your gecke,

(Quoth Hope) and lowly lowts,

If yee were sent for, we suspect,

Because the Doctours doubts.

Your yeares now, appeares now,

With wisedome to be vext.

Rejoycing, in gloysing,

Till you have tint your text.

79

Where yee were sent for let us see,

Who would be welcomer than wee.

Prove that, and we are payde:

Wel (quoth Experience) beware.

You know not in what case you are,

Your tongue hath you betrayde.

The man may aiblins tine a stot,

Who cannot count his kinch;

In your owne bow you are ov'rshot,

By more then halfe an inch.

Who wat sir, if that sir,

Is sowre which seemeth sweet,

I feare now, ye heare now,

A dangerous decreete.

80

Sir, by that sentence yee have said,

I pledge ere all the play bee plaid,

That some shall lose a laike.

Since yee but put me for to prove,

Such heads as help for my behove,

Your warrand is but waike.

Speare at the man your selfe, and see,

Suppose you strive for state,

If hee regrated not how hee,

Had learnd my lesson late,

And granted, hee wanted,

Both Reason, Wit, and Skill;

Compleaning, and meaning,

Our absence did him ill.

81

Confront him further face for face,

If yet hee rewes his rackles race,

Perhaps and ye shall heare.

For ay since Adam and since Eve,

Who first thy leasings did believe,

I sold thy doctrine deare.

What hath beene done even to this day

I keep in minde almaist,

Ye promise further than ye pay,

Sir Hope for all your haste.

Promitting, unwitting,

Your heghts yee never hooked:

I show you, I know you,

Yor bygones I have booked.

82

I would incace a count were crav'd,

Shew thousand thousands thou deceivde,

Where thou was true to one,

And by the contrare I may vant,

Which thou must (though it grieve thee) grant

I trumped never a man.

But truely told the naked trueth,

To men that meld with mee,

For neither rigour, nor for rueth,

But onely loath to lie.

To some yet, to come yet,

Thy succour shall be slight:

Which I then, must try then,

And register it right.

83

Ha ha (quoth Hope) and lowdly leugh,

Ye'r but a prentise at the pleugh,

Experience yee prieve,

Suppose all bygones as yee spacke,

Ye are no Prophet worth a plack,

Nor I bound to believe:

Yee should not say sir till yee see,

But when yee see it, say:

Yet (quoth Experience) at thee

Make many mints I may:

By sings now, and things now,

Which ay before mee beares:

Expressing, by gessing,

The perill that appeares.

84

Then Hope replyde, and that with pith,

And wisely weigh'd his words therewith,

Sententiously and short,

(Quoth hee) I am the Anchor grip,

That saves the Sailers and their ship,

From perill to their port,

(Quoth hee) oft times that Anchor drives,

As wee have found before,

And loses many thousand lives,

By shipwrack on the shore.

Your grips oft, but slips oft,

When men have most to doe:

Syne leaves them, and reaves them,

Of thy companions too.

85

Thou leaves them not thy selfe alone,

But to their griefe, when thou art gone,

Gars Courage quite them als.

(Quoth Hope) I would ye understood,

I grip fast if the ground be good,

And fleets where it is false;

There should no fault with mee be found,

Nor I accusde at all;

Wyte such as should have sound the ground,

Before the Anchor fall:

Their leede ay, at neede ay,

Might warne them if they would:

If they there, would stay there,

Or have good anchor-hold.

86

If yee read right it was not I,

But onely Ignorance whereby

Their carvels all were cloven;

I am not for a trumper tane,

All quoth Experience is ane;

I have my processe proven,

To wit, that we were cald eachone,

To come before wee came;

That now objection ye have none

Your selfe may say the same.

Ye are now, too farre now,

Come forward for to flee:

Perceive then, ye have then,

The worst end of the tree.

87

When Hope was gald into the quick,

(Quoth Courage) kicking at the prick,

Wee let you well to wit:

Make hee you welcomer than wee,

Then bygones bygones farewell he,

Except hee seeke us yet.

Hee understands his owne estate,

Let him his chiftanes chuse,

But yet his battel will bee blate,

If hee our force refuse.

Refuse us, or chuse us,

Our counsel is hee clim:

But stay hee, or stray hee,

We have none help for him.

88

Except the Cherrie be his chose,

Bee ye his friends, wee are his foes,

His doings we despite.

If we perceive him satled sa,

To satisfie him with the Slae,

His company we quite.

Then Dread and Danger grew so glad,

And wont that they had wun,

They thought all seald that they had said

Sen they had first begun.

They thought then, they mought then,

Without a partie plead:

But yet there, with Wit there,

They were dung downe indeed.

89

Sirs Dread and Danger then (quoth Wit),

Ye did yourselves to mee submit,

Experience can prove.

That (quoth Experience) I past:

Their owne confession made them fast,

They may no more remove.

For if I right remember mee,

This maxime then they made,

To wit, the man with Wit should wey

What Philosophs had said.

Which sentence, repentance,

Forbade him deare to buy:

They knew then, how true then,

And preasde not to reply.

90

Though hee dang Dread and Danger down,

Yet Courage could not overcome,

Hope heght him such an hyre:

He thought himselfe so soone he saw,

His enemies were laid so law,

It was no time to tyre.

Hee hit the yron while it was hait,

Incace it might grow cold;

For he esteemde his foes defaite,

When once he found them folde.

Though we now, quoth hee now,

Have beene so free and franke:

Unsought yet, ye mought yet,

For kindnesse cund us thanke.

91

Suppose it so as thou hast said,

That unrequyrde wee offered aide,

At least it came of love.

Experience, yee start too soone,

Yee dow nothing while all be done,

And then perhaps yee prove

More plaine than pleasant, too perchance,

Some tell that have you tryit;

As fast as you your selfe advance,

Ye dow not wel deny it.

Abide then, your tide then,

And waite upon the wind:

Ye know sir, ye ow sir,

To hold you ay behinde.

92

When yee have done some doughty deeds,

Syne ye should see how all succeeds,

To write them as they were.

Friend, huly, haste not halfe so fast,

Lest (quoth Experience) at last,

Ye buy my doctrine deare.

Hope puts that haste into your head,

Which boyles your barmie braine;

Howbeit Fooles haste comes hulie speede,

Faire heights make fooles be faine.

Such smyling, beguiling,

Bids feare not for no freets:

Yet I now, deny now,

That al is gold that gleets.

93

Suppose not silver all that shines,

Oft times a tentlesse Merchant tines,

For buying geare begesse,

For all the vantage and the winning,

Good buyers gets at the beginning.

(Quoth Courage) not the lesse,

Whiles as good Merchant tines as wins,

If old mens tales bee true;

Suppose the pack com to the pins,

Who can his chance eschew?

Then good sir, conclude sir,

Good buyers have done baith:

Advance then, take chance then.

As sundry good ships hath.

94

Who wist what would bee cheape or deare,

Should neede to traffique but a yeare,

If things to come were kend.

Suppose all bygone things be plaine,

Your Prophecy is but prophane,

Ye're best behold the end.

Yee would accuse mee of a crime,

Almost before wee met:

Torment you not before the time,

Since dolour payes no debt:

What by past, that I past,

Ye wot if it was well:

To come yet, by doome yet,

Confesse ye have no feele.

95

Yet (quoth Experience) what than?

Who may be meetest for the man,

Let us his answere have.

When they submitted them to mee,

To Reason I was faine to flee,

His counsell for to crave.

(Quoth he) since you yourselves submit,

To doe as I decreet,

I shal advise with Skil and Wit,

What they thinke may bee meete.

They cryde then, we byde then,

At Reason for refuge:

Allow him, and trow him,

As governour and judge.

96

So said they all with one consent,

What he concluds we are content,

His bidding to obey.

Hee hath authority to use,

Then take his chose whom he would chuse,

And longer not delay.

Then Reason rose and was rejoysde:

(Quoth he) mine hearts come hither,

I hope this play may bee composde,

That we may goe together.

To all now, I shall now,

His proper place assing.

That they heere, shal say heere,

They thinke none other thing.

97

Come on (quoth he) companion Skill,

Ye understand both good and ill,

In Physick yee are fine,

Be medciner unto this man,

And shaw such cunning as yee can,

To put him out of paine.

First gard the ground of all his griefe,

What sicknes ye suspect,

Syne looke what hee lackes for reliefe,

Ere further he infect:

Comfort him, exhort him,

Give him your good advice:

And panse not, nor skanse not,

The preill nor the price.

98

Though it be cumbersome what recke?

Finde out the cause by the effect,

And working of his veines.

Yet while we grip it to the ground,

See first what fashion may bee found

To pacifie his paines.

Doe what ye dow to have him haile,

And for that purpose prease;

Cut off the cause, the effect must faile,

So all his sorrowes cease.

His fever, shall never,

From thencefoorth have no force:

Then urge him, to purge him,

He will not waxe the worse.

99

(Quoth Skil) his senses are so sicke,

I know no liquor worth a leeke,

To quench his deadly drouth.

Except the Cherrie help his heat,

Whose sappy sloking sharp and sweet,

Might melt into his mouth,

And his melancholy remove,

To mitigate his minde.

None wholesomer for you behove,

Nor more cooling of kinde;

No Nectar, directar,

Could all the gods him give:

Nor send him, to mend him,

None like it I believe.

100

For drowth decayes as it digests.

Why then (quoth Reason) nothing rests,

But how it may bee had.

Most true (quoth Skil) that is the scope,

Yet we must have some helpe of Hope,

(Quoth Danger) I am rad,

His hastines breeds us mishap,

When he is highly horst,

I would wee looked ere wee lap.

(Quoth Wit) that were not worst.

I meane now, conveene now,

The counsell one and all,

Begin then, cal on then,

(Quoth Reason) so I shall.

101

Then Reason rose with gesture grave,

Belyve conveening all the lave,

To see what they would say;

With silver scepter in his hand,

As Chiftane chosen to command,

And they bent to obey.

He pansed long before he spake,

And in a study stood,

Syne hee began and silence brake,

Come on (quoth he) conclude,

What way now, we may now,

Yon Cherrie come to catch:

Speak out sirs, about sirs;

Have done, let us dispatch.

102

(Quoth Courage) scourge him first that skars;

Much musing memory but marres.

I tell you mine intent.

(Quoth Wit) who will not partly panse,

In perils perishes perchance,

Ov'r rackles may repent.

Then (quoth Experience) and spake,

Sir, I have seene them baith,

In bairnlines and lye-aback,

Escape and come to skaith.

But what now, of that now?

Sturt followes all extreames:

Retaine then, the meane then,

The surest way it seemes.

103

Where some hes further'd, some hes faild;

Where part hes perisht, part prevaild;

Alike all cannot lucke.

Then either venture with the one,

Or with the other let alone,

The Cherrie for to plucke.

(Quoth Hope) for feare folke must not fash.

(Quoth Danger) let not light.

(Quoth Wit) bee neither rude nor rash,

(Quoth Reason) yee have right.

The rest then, thought best then,

When Reason said it so,

That roundly, and soundly,

They should together goe

104

To get the Cherrie is all haste,

As for my safety serving maist,

Though Dread and Danger feard

The peril of that irksome way,

Lest that thereby I should decay,

Who then so weake appearde,

Yet Hope and Courage hard beside,

Who with them wont contend,

Did take in hand us for to guide,

Unto our journeyes end;

Impleadging, and waidging,

Both two their lives for mine:

Providing, the guiding,

To them were granted syne.

105

Then Dread and Danger did appeale,

Alledging it could not be well,

Nor yet would they agree.

But said they should sound their retreate,

Because they thought them no wise meete

Conductores unto mee,

Nor to no man in mine estate,

With sicknes sore opprest,

For they tooke ay the nearest gate,

Omitting oft the best.

Their nearest, perquearest,

Is alwayes to them baith:

Where they sir, may say sir,

What recks them of your skaith?

106

But as for us two, now we sweare,

By him before whom we appeare,

Our ful intent is now

To have you whole, and alway was,

That purpose for to bring to passe;

So is not theirs I trow.

Then Hope and Courage did attest

The gods of both these parts,

If they wrought not all for the best

Of mee with upright hearts.

Our Chiftane, than liftane,

His scepter, did enjoyne:

No more there, uproare there,

And so their strife was done.

107

Rebuiking Dread and Danger sore,

Suppose they meant well evermore

To me as they had worne:

Because their neighbours they abusde,

In so farre as they had accusde

Them, as ye heard beforne.

Did ye not else (quoth he) consent

The Cherry for to pow?

(Quoth Danger) we are well content,

But yet the maner how?

We shal now, even all now,

Get this man with us there:

Is rest is, and best is,

Your consel shall declare.

108

Wel said (quoth Hope and Courage) now,

We thereto will accord with you,

And shall abide by them:

Like as before we did submit,

So wee repeate the samine yet,

We minde not to reclaime.

Whom they shal chuse to guide the way,

Wee shal him follow straight;

And further this man what we may,

Because wee have so height.

Promitting, but flitting,

To doe the thing we can:

To please both, and ease both,

This silly sickly man.

109

When Reason heard this, then, quoth hee,

I see your chiefest stay to bee,

That we have nam'd no guide.

The worthy counsel hath therefore,

Thought good that Wit should goe before,

For perils to provide.

(Quoth Wit) there is but one of three

Which I shall to you show,

Whereof the first two cannot bee,

For any thing I know.

The way heere, so stay heere,

Is that wee cannot clim

Even ou'r now, we foure now,

That will bee hard for him.

110

The next, if we goe downe about,

While that this bend of Craiges run out,

The steame is there so starke,

And also passeth wading deepe,

And broader farre than we dow leape,

I should be idle wark.

It growes ay broader nere the sea,

Sen over the lin it came;

The running dead doth signifie

The deepnes of the same.

I leave now, to deave now,

How that it swiftly slides:

As sleeping, and creeping,

But nature so provides.

111

Our way then lyes about the Lin,

Whereby a warrand, we shal win,

It is so straight and plaine,

The water also is so shald,

We shal it passe, even as we wald,

With pleasure and but paine.

For as we see the mischief grow,

Oft of a feckles thing,

So likewise doth this river flow,

Foorth of a pretty spring,

Whose throat sir, I wot sir,

You may stop with your neive;

As you sir, I trow sir,

Experience, can prieve.

112

That (quoth Experience) I can,

All that yee said sen yee began,

I know to be of truth.

(Quoth Skill) the samine I approve.

(Quoth Reason) then let us remove,

And sleepe no more in sleuth.

Wit and Experience (quoth he)

Shall come before apace,

The man shall come with Skill and mee,

Into the second place.

Attour now, you foure now,

Shall come into a band:

Proceeding, and leading,

Each other by the hand.

113

As Reason ordeinde all obeyde,

None was ov'r rash, nor none affraide,

Our counsel was so wise:

As of our journey Wit did note,

We found it true in every jote,

God bles'd our interprise.

For even as wee came to the tree,

Which as yee heard mee tell,

Could not be clum, there suddenly

The fruite for ripenes fell.

Which hasting and tasting,

I found myselfe relievde

Of cares all, and sares all,

Which minde and body grievde.

114

Praise be to God my Lord therefore,

Who did mine health to mee restore,

Being so long time pinde:

Yea blessed bee his holy Name,

Who did from death to life recleame

Mee, who was so unkinde.

All Nations also magnifie

This everliving Lord;

Let me with you, and you with mee,

To laude him ay accord;

Whose love ay, wee prove ay,

To us above all things:

And kisse him, and blesse him,

Whose Glore eternall rings.