But feeing kindly Sleep refufe to do
His office, and my feeble eyes forgo,
They fought my troubled fenfe how to deceave
With talk, that might unquiet fancies reave;
And fitting all on feats about me round,
With pleafant tales (fit for that idle stound)
They caft in courfe to waste the weary hours;
Some told of ladies and their paramours:
Some of brave knights and their renowned fquires;
Some of the Fairies and their strange attires;
And fome of giants hard to be believed;
That the delight thereof me much relieved.
Amongst the reft a good old woman was,
Hight Mother Hubberd, who did far surpass
The reft in honeft mirth, that feem'd her well:
She, when her turn was come her tale to tell,
Told of a ftrange adventure that betided
Betwixt the Fox and th' Ape, by him mifguided,
The which for that my fenfe it greatly pleafed
All were my fpirit heavy and difeafed,
I'll write in terms as the fame did fay,
So well as I her words remember may :
No Mufe's aid me needs hereto to call;
Bafe is the ftyle, and matter mean withal.

"Whylom (faid the) before the world was civil,
The Fox and th' Ape, difliking of their evil
Aud hard eftate, determined to feek
Their fortune far abroad, lycke with his lyeke;
For both were crafty and unhappy witted;
Two fellows might no where be better fitted.

The Fox, that firft this caufe of grief did find, 'Gan firft thus plain his cafe with words unkind. Neighbour Ape, and my Goffip eke befide, (Both two fure bands in friendship to be ty'd) To whom may I more truftely complain The evil plight that doth me fore conftrain, And hope thereof to find due remedy? Hear then my pain and inward agony. Thus many years I now have fpent and worn In mean regard and bafeft fortune's fcorn, Doing my country fervice as I might, No lefs, I dare fay, than the proudest wight, And ftill I hoped to be up advanced For my good parts, but ftill it hath mifchanced: Now therefore, that no lenger hope I fee, But froward fortune ftill to follow me, And lofels lifted high where I did look, I mean to turn the next leaf of the book; Yet ere that any way I do betake, I mean my goflip privy first to make.

Ah! my dear Goflip, (anfwer'd then the Ape) Deeply do your fad words my wits awhape, Both for becaufe your grief doth great appear, And eke because my felf am touched near; For I likewife have wafted much good time, Still waiting to preferment up to clime, Whilft others always have before me stept, And from my beard the fat away have swept, That now unto despair I 'gin to grow, And mean for better wind about to throw; Therefore, to me, my trusty Friend, aread Thy counfel: two is better than one head. Certes (faid he) I mean me to disguize In fome firange habit, after uncouth wize,

Or like a pilgrim or a lymiter,
Or like a gipfen or a juggeler,
And fo to wander to the worldes end,
To feek my fortune where I may it mend,
For worse than that I have I cannot meet:
Wide is the world I wote, and every kreet
Is full of fortunes and adventures firaunge,
Continually fubje&t unto chaunge.
Say, my fair Brother, now, if this device
Do like you, or may you to look entice.
Surely (faid th' Ape) it likes me wond
well,

And would ye not poor fellowship expell,
My felf would offer you t'accompany
In this adventure's chanceful jeopardy;
For to wex old at home in idleness

Is difadventrous, and quite fortuneless:
Abroad where change is, good may gotten be

The Fox was glad, and quickly did agree, So both refolv'd the morrow next enfuing, So foon as day appear'd to peoples viewing, On their intended journey to proceed, And over night, what-fo thereto did need, Each did prepare in readinefs to be. The morrow next, fo foon as one might fee Light out of heaven's windows forth to look, Both their habiliments unto them took, And put themselves (a God's name) of

way,

When-as the Ape beginning well to wey
This hard adventure, thus began t’advise.

Now read, Sir Reynold, as ye be right wi
What courfe ye ween is beft for us to take,
That for ourselves we may a living make.
Whether fhall we profefs fome trade or kill,
Or fhall we vary our device at will,
Even as new occafion appears?

Or fhall we tie our felves for certain yeares
To any fervice, or to any place?
For it behoves, ere that into the race
We enter, to refolve first hereupon.

Now, furely, Brother, (faid the Fox anos
Ye have this matter motioned in feafon :
For every thing that is begun with reafon
Will come by ready means unto his end,
But things mifcounselled must needs mitwen
Thus therefore I advife upon the cafe,
That not to any certain trade or place,
Nor any man, we fhould our felves apply;
For why fhould he that is at liberty
Make himself bond? fith then we are free-m
Let us all fervile bafe fubjection fcorn,
And as we be fons of the world fo wide,
Let us our father's heritage divide,
And challenge to our felves our portions dew
Of all the patrimony, which a few
Now hold in hugger-mugger in their hand,
And all the reft do rob of good and land;
For now a few have all, and all have nough
Yet all be brethren ylike dearly bought:
There is no right in this partition,
Ne was it fo by inftitution
Ordained first, ne by the law of Nature,
But that he gave like bleffing to each creat

As well of worldly livelode as of life,

That there might be no difference nor strife,
Nor ought call'd mine or thine: thrice happy

then

Was the condition of mortal men :

That was the Golden Age of Saturn old,
But this might better be the world of Gold;
For without gold now nothing will be got;
Therefore (if pleafe you) this fhall be our plot;
We will not be of any occupation,

Let fuch vile vaffals, born to bafe vocation,
Drudge in the world, and for their living droyle,
Which have no wit to live withouten toyle;
But we will walk about the world at pleasure,
Like two free-men, and make our cafe our trea-
fure,

Free-men fome beggers call; but they be free,
And they which cail them fo more beggers be:
For they do fwink and sweat to feed the other,
Who live like lords of that which they do gather,
And yet do never thank them for the fame,
But as their due by Nature do it clame.
Such will we fashion both ourselves to be,
Lords of the world, and fo will wander free
Where-fo us lifteth, uncontroll'd of any :
Hard is our hap if we (emongst fo many)
Light not on fome that may our ftate amend;
Sildom but fome good cometh ere the end.

Well feem'd the Ape to like this ordinaunce;
Yet well confidering of the circumftaunce,
As paufing in great doubt a while he staid,
And afterwards with grave advizement faid;
I cannot, my lief Brother, like but well
The purpose of the complot which ye tell;
For well I wot (compar'd to all the reft
Of each degree) that beggars' life is beft,
And they that think themselves the best of all,
Oft-times to begging are content to fall:
But this I wote withal, that we shall ronne
Into great daunger, like to be undonne,
Wildly to wander thus in the world's eye,
Withouten pafport or good warrantye;
For fear leaft we like rogues fhould be reputed,
And for ear marked beafts abroad be bruted;
Therefore I read that we our counfels call,
How to prevent this mifchief ere it fall,
And how we may with moft fecurity,
Beg amongst thofe that beggers do defy.
Right well, dear Goflip, ye advised have,
(Said then the Fox) but I this doubt will fave;
For ere we farther pafs, I will devise
A pafport for us both in fitteft wife,
And by the names of foldiers us protect,
That now is thought a civil begging fect.
Be you the fouldier, for you likeft are
For manly femblance and fmall fkill in war;
I will but wait on you, and as occafion
Falls out, my felf fit for the fame will fashion.
The pafport ended, both they forward went,
The Ape clad fouldier-like, fit for th' intent,
In a blue jacket, with a cross of red,
And many flits, as if that he had hed
Much blood through many wounds therein re-
Which had the afe of his right arm bereaved;

[ceived,

Upon his head an old Scotch cap he wore,
With a plume feather all to picces tore;
His breaches were made after the new cut,
Al Portugefe, loofe like an empty gut,
And his hofe broken high above the heeling,
And his fhooes beaten out with traveling:
But neither fword nor dagger he did bear;
Seems that no foe's revengement he did fear :
In ftead of them a hanfom bat he held,
On which he leaned, as onc far in eld:
Shame light on him that through so falfe illufion
Doth turn the name of Souldiers to abufion,
And that which is the nobleft mysterie,
Brings to reproach and common infamie.

Long they thus travelled, yet never met
Adventure which might them a working fet;
Yet many ways they fought, and many tryde,
Yet for their purposes none fit efpy'd.
At laft they chaunc'd to meet upon the way,
A fimple hufband-man in garments gray,
Yet though his vefture were but mean and base,
A good yoeman he was, of honeft place,
And more for thrift did care than for gay cloth
ing;

Gay without good is good heart's greatest loath

ing.

The Fox him fpying bade the Ape him dight
To play his part, for lo he was in fight
That if he err'd not) fhould them entertain.
And yield them timely profit for their pain.
Eftfoons the Ape himfelf 'gan to uprear,
And on his fhoulders high his bat to bear,
As if good fervice he were fit to do,
But little thrift for him he did it to;
And ftoutly forward he his fteps did strain,
That like a handfom fwain it him became.
When-as they nigh approached, that good man
Secing them wander loofely, first began
T'enquire, of cuftom, what and whence they
were?

To whom the Ape, I am a Souldiere,
That late in war have spent my dearest blood,
And in long fervice loft both limbs and good,
And now constrain'd that trade to over-give,
I driven am to feek fome means to live;
Which might it you in pity please t'efford,
I would be ready both in deed and word,
To do you faithful fervice all my days.
This yron world that fame he weeping says)
Brings down the flouteft hearts to loweft ftate;
For mifery doth bravest minds abate,

And make them feek for that they wont to scorn,
Of fortune and of hope at once forlorn.

The honeft man, that heard them thus com-
plain,

Was griev'd, as he had felt part of his pain,
And, well difpos'd him fome relief to fhow,
Afkt if in husbandry he ought did know;
To plough, to plant, to reap, to rake, to fow,
To hedge, to ditch, to thresh, to thatch, to mow,
Or to what labour elfe he was prepar'd?
For husband's life is laborous and hard.

When-as the Ape him hear fo much to talk
Of labour, that did from his liking balk,

He would have flipt the coller handfomly,
And to him said, Good Sir! full glad am 1
To take what pains may any living wight,
But my late maimed limbs lack wonted might
To do their kindly fervices as needeth;

Scarce this right hand the mouth with diet feedeth,

So that it may no painful work endure,
Ne to strong labour can it self enure;
But if that any other place you have,
Which afks fmall pains, but thriftynefs to fave,
Or care to overlook, or thruit to gather,
Ye may me truft as your own ghoftly father.
With that the hufband-man 'gan him avize,
That it for him was fitteft exercise
Cattle to keep, or grounds to over-fee,
And asked him if he could willing be
To keep his fheep, or to attend his fwine,
Or watch his mares, or take his charge of kine?
Gladly (faid he) whatever fuch like pain
Ye put to me, I will the fame sustain;
But gladlicft I of your fleecy fheep
(Might it you pleafe) would take on me to keep;
For ere that unto arms I me betook,
Unto my father's fheep I us'd to look,
That yet the fkill thereof I have not loft;
There-to right well this curdog, by my coft,
(Meaning the Fox) will ferve my fheep to gather,
And drive to follow after their belwether.
The hufband-man was meanly well content
Tryal to make of his endeavourment,
And home him leading, lent to him the charge
Of all his flock, with liberty full large,
Giving account of the annual increase,
Both of their lambs and of their woolly flecce.

Thus is this Ape become a fhepherd fwain, And the falle Fox his dog; God give them pain,

For ere the year have half his course out-run,
And do return from whence he first begun,
They fhall him make an ill account of thrift.
Now when-as time flying with winges fwift,
Expired had the term that these two javels
Should render up a reckning of their travels
Unto their mafter, which it of them fought,
Exceedingly they troubled were in thought,
Ne wift what anfwer unto him to frame,
Ne how to escape great punishment or shame
For their falfe treafon and vile thievery;
For not a lamb of all their flock's fupply
Had they to fhew, but ever as they bred
They flew them, and upon their fleshes fed;
For that difguifed dog lov'd blood to spill,
And drew the wicked fhepherd to his will;
So twixt them both they not a lamkin left,
And when lamb's fail'd, the old sheep's lives they
reft;

'That how t'acquit themselves unto their lord
They were in doubt, and flatly fet abord.
The Fox then counfel'd th' Ape for to require
Refpite till morrow t' aufwer his defire;
For time's delay new hope of help fill breeds,
The good man granted, doubting nought their
deeds,

And bade next day that all should ready be;
But they more fubtil meaning had than he;
For the next morrow's meed they closely ment,
For fear of afterclaps, for to prevent;
And that fame evening, when all shrouded were
In careless fleep, they without care or fear
Cruelly fell upon their flock in fold,
And of them flew at pleasure what they weld;
Of which when as they feafted had their fill,
For a full complement of all their ill,
They ftole away, and took their hafty flight,
Carry'd in clouds of all-concealing night.
So was the hufband-man left to his lofs,
And they unto their fortune's change to tofs,
After which fort they wandered long while,
Abusing many through their cloaked guile,
That at the last they 'gan to be defery'd
Of every one, and all their fleights efpy'd,
So as their begging now them failed quite,
For none would give, but all men would then

write;

Yet would they take no pains to get their living,
But feek fome other way to gain by giving;
Much like to begging, but much better named,
For many beg which are thereof afhamed.
And now the Fox had gotten him a gown,
And th' Ape a caffock fide-long hanging downE,
For they their occupation meant to change,
And now in other ftate abroad to range;
For fince their fouldier's pafs no better fped,
They forg'd another, as for clerks book-red :
Who paffing forth, as their adventures fell,
Through many haps which reeds not here to tell,
At length chanc'd with a formal pricft to meet,
Whom they in civil manner first did greet,
And after afkt an alms for God's dear love.
The man ftraight-way his choler up did move,
And with reproachful terms 'gan them revile
For following that trade fo bafe and vile,
And afkt what licence or what pass they had?
Ah! (laid the Ape, as fighing wondrous fad)
It's an hard cafe when men of good deferving
Muft either driven be perforce to ftcrving,
Or afked for their pass by every fquib
That lift at will them to revile or fnib;
And yet (God wote) fmall odds I often fee
"Twixt them that afk and them that afked be.
Nath'lefs, becaufe you fhall not us mildeem,
But that we are as honeft as we feem,
Ye fhall our pafport at your pleasure fee,
And then ye will (I hope) well moved be.
Which when the priest beheld, he view'd it

nere,

As if therein fome text he studying were,
But little elfe (God wote) could thereof fkill,
For read he could not evidence nor will,
Ne tell a written word, ne write a letter,
Ne make one tittle worse, ne make one better:
Of fuch deep learning little had he need,
Ne yet of Latin, ne of Greek, that breed
Doubts mongit divines, and difference of texts,
From whence arife divirfity of fects,
And hateful herefies, of God abhor'd;
But this good Sir did follow the plain word,

Ne medled with their controverfies vain;
All his care was his fervice well to fain,
And to read homelies on holy-days;
When that was done, he might attend his plays :
An eafy life, and fit high God to please.
He, having over-lookt their pass at ease,
'Gan at the length them to rebuke again,
That no good trade of life did entertain,
But loft their time in wandring loose abroad,
Seeing the world, in which they bootlefs boad,
Had ways enow for all therein to live,
Such grace did God unto his creatures give.
Said then the Fox, Who hath the world not tride,
From the right way full eath may wander wide;
We are but novices new come abroad,
We have not yet the tract of any troad,
Nor on us taken any state of life,
But ready are of any to make prief:

Therefore might pleafe you, which the world have proved,

Us to devife, which forth but lately moved,
Of fome good courfe, that we might undertake,
Ye fhall for ever us your bondmen make.

The priest 'gan wex half proud to be so praid,
And thereby willing to afford them aid;
It feems (faid he) right well that ye be clerks,
Both by your witty words and by your werks:
Is not that name enough to make a living
To him that hath a whit of Nature's giving?
How many honeft men fee ye arise
Daily thereby, and grow to goodly prize?
To deans, to archdeacons, to commiflaries,
To lords, to principals, to prebendaries,
All jolly prelates, worthy rule to bear,
Who ever them envie; yet fpite bites near:
Why fhould ye doubt then but that ye likewise
Might unto fome of those in time arife?
In the mean time to live in good estate,
Loving that love, and hating those that hate,
Being fome honeft curate, or fome vicar,
Content with little in condition ficker.

Ah! but (said th' Ape) the charge is wondrous great,

To feed mens fouls, and hath an heavy threat.
To feed mens fouls (quoth he) is not in man,
For they must feed themselves, do what we can;
We are but charg'd to lay the meat before;
Eat they that lift, we need to do no more.
Bat God it is that feeds them with his grace,
The bread of life pour'd down from heavenly
place;

Therefore, faid he, that with the budding rod
Did rule the Jews, "All fhall be taught of

"God."

That fame hath Jefus Chrift now to him raught,
By whom the flock is rightly fed and taught;
He is the Shepherd, and the Prieft is he;
We but his fhepherd fwains ordain'd to be:
Therefore herewith do not your feit difmay;
Ne is the pains fo great but bear ye may;
For not fo great as it was wont of yore
It's now adays, ne half fo straight and fore:
They whylom ufed duly every day

Their fervice and their holy things to fay..

At morn and even, befides their anthems fweet,
Their peny maffes, and their complynes meet,
Their dirges, their trentals, and their shrifts,
Their memories, their fingings, and their gifts:
Now all these needlefs works are laid away,
Now once a week, upon the Sabbath-day,
It is enough to do our small devotion,
And then to follow any merry motion.
Ne are we tyed to faft but when we lift,
Ne to wear garments bafe, of wollen twift,
But with the finest filks us to aray,

That before God we may appear more gay,
Refembling Aaron's glory in his place;
For far unfit it is that perfons bafe
Should with vile clothes approach God's majeftie,
Whom no uncleannefs may approachen nie;
Or that all men which any mafter serve,
Good garments for their service should deferve;
But he that ferves the Lord of Hoafts most high,
And that in highelt place t'approach him nigh,
And all the people's prayers to prefent
Before his throne, as on ambaffage fent
Both to and fro, fhould not delerve to wear
A garment better than of wool or hair.
Beside, we may have lying by our fides.
Our lovely laffes, or bright shining brides:
We be not tyde to wilful chastity,
But have the gofpel of free liberty.

By that he ended had his ghoftly fermon,
The Fox was well enduc'd to be a parfon,
And of the priest eftfoons 'gan to enquire
How to a benefice he might afpire?
Marry, there (faid the priest) is art indeed;
Much good deep learning one thereout may reed;
For that the ground-work is and end of all,
How to obtain a beneficial.

First, therefore, when ye have in handsom wife
Your felves attired, as you can devife,
Then to fome noble man your felf apply,
Or other great one in the worldes eye,
That hath a zealous difpofition
To God, and io to his religion;
There must thou fafhion eke a goodly zeale,
Such as no carpers may contrayr reveale,
For cach thing fained ought more wary be;
There thou muft walk in fober gravitie,
And feem as faint-like as Saint Radegund;
Faft much, pray oft, look lowly on the ground,
And unto every one do curtefie meek.
Thefe looks (nought faying) do a benefice feek,
And be thou fure one not to lack ere long.
But if thee lift unto the Court to throng,
And there to hunt after the hoped prey,
Then must thou thee difpose another way;
For there thou needs must learn to laugh, to lye,
To face, to forge, to feoff to company,
To crouch, to pleafe, to be a beetle-stock
Of thy great mafter's will, to fcorn, to mock;
So mailt thou chance mock out a benefice,
Unless thou canft one conjure by device,
Or caft a figure for a bishoprick;

And if one could, it were but a fchool-trick.
Thefe be the ways by which without reward
Livings in courts be gotten, though full hard;

For nothing there is done without a fee:
The courtier needs must recompenced be
With a benevolence, or have in gage
The primetias of your parfonage:
Scarce can a bishoprick forpass them by,
But that it must be gelt in privity.
Do not thou, therefore, feek a living there,
But of more private perfons feek elicwhere
Whereas thou mayft compound a better peny,
Ne let thy learning queftion'd be of any :
For fome good gentleman that hath the right
Unto his church for to present a wight,
Will cope with thee in reasonable wife,
That if the living yearly do arise
To forty pound, that then his youngest fon
Shall twenty have, and twenty thou haft won;
Thou haft it won, for it is of frank gift,
And he will care for all the reft to fhift,
Both that the bishop may admit of thee,
And that therein thou maift maintained be.
This is the way for one that is unlearn'd
Living to get, and not to be difcern'd;

But they that are great clerks, have nearer

ways,

For learning-fake to living them to raise :
Yet many cke of them (God wot) are driven
T' accept a benefice in pieces riven.
How fayft thou (Friend) have I not well difcourft
Upon this common-place (though plain, not
wourft)?

Better a short tale than a bad long fhriving;
Needs any more to learn to get a living?

Now fure, and by my hallidom, (quoth he)
Ye a great mafter are in your degree;
Great thanks I yield you for your difcipline,
And do not doubt but duly to incline
My wits thereto, as ye thall shortly hear.

The pricft him with'd good speed, and well to fare;

So parted they as either's way them led.
But th' Ape and Fox e'er long fo well them fped,
Through the pricft's wholefom counfel lately
taught,

And through their own fair handling wifely wrought,

That they a benefice 'twixt them obtained,
And crafty Reynold was a priest ordained,
And th' Ape his Parish-Clark procur'd to be;
Then made they revei-rout and goodly glee:
But e'er long time had paffed, they fo ill
Did order their affairs, that th' evil-will
Of all their parish'ners they had constrain'd,
Who to the Ordinary of them complain'd,
How fouily they their offices abus'd,
And them of crimes and herefies accus'd,
That Purfivants he often for them fent;
But they neglecting his commandement,
So long perfifted obitinate and bold,
Till at the length he publifhed to hold
A Vifitation, and them cited thether;
Then was high time their wits about to gether.
What did they then but made a compofition
With their next neighhour pricft for light con-
dition,

To whom their living they refigned quight
For a few pence, and ran away by night.
So paffing through the country in disguise,
They fled far off, where none might them f
prize,

And after that long strayed here and there,
Through every field and foreft far and neare,
Yet never found occafion for their tourn,
But almost arv'd, did much lament and mourn.
At laft they chanc'd to meet upon the way
The mule all deck'd in goodly rich array,
With bells and boffes that full loudly rung,
And coftly trappings that to ground down bug,
Lowly they him faluted in meek wife,
But he through pride and fatnefs 'gan defpife
Their meannels, scarce vouchfaf'd them to
quite:

Whereat the Fox, deep groling in his fprite,
Said, Ah! Sir Mule, now bleffed be the day
That I fee you fo goodly and fo gay

In your attires, and eke your filken hyde
Fill'd with round flesh, that every bone doth h
Seems that in fruitful pastures ye do live,
Or Fortune doth you fecret favour give.

Foolish Fox (faid the Mule) thy wretched a
Praife the thing that doth thy forrow breed,
For well I ween thou canst not but envy
My wealth, compar'd to thine own mifery,
That art fo lean and meagre waxen late,
That fcarce thy legs uphold thy feeble gare.

Ay me! (faid then the Fox) whom evil hap Unworthy in fuch wretchedness doth wrap, And makes the fcorn of other beafts to be: ' But read (fair Sir! of grace) from whence cons Or what of tydings you abroad do hear? News may perhaps fome good unweeting betr.

From royal court I lately came (said he) Where all the bravery that eye may fee, And all the happinefs that heart defire, Is to be found: he nothing can admire That hath not feen that heaven's pourtracurt, But tydings there is none, I you affure, Save that which common is, and known to a, That courtiers, as the tide, do rife and fall

But tell us (faid the Ape) we do you pray,
Who now in court doth bear the greatest (way!
That if fuch fortune do to us befall,
We may feek favour of the best of all,

Marry (faid he) the highest now in grace
Be the wild beasts that fwifteft are in chace,
For in their speedy courfe and nimble flight
The lion now doth take the moft delight,
But chiefly joys on foot them to behold,
Enchafte with chain and circulet of gold;
So wild a beaft fo tame ytaught to be,
And buxom to his bands, is joy to fee;
So well his golden circiet him befeemeth,
But his late chain his lege unmeet eliecmeth,
For fo brave beafts he loveth beft to fe
In the wild foreft raunging fresh and free:
Therefore, if fortune thee in court to live,
In case thou ever there will hope to thrive,
Ta fome of these thou must thyfelf apply,
Elle as a chille-down in th' air doth fy,