Problemys of olde siknesse and figures Whiche p[ro]uyd been fructuous of sentens and haue auctorities grounded on scripture by resemblance of notable apperannce [sic] with moralities concludynge on prudence.

PRoblemys of olde liknesse and figures . whiche prouyd been fructuous of sentens And haue auctorities grounded on scripture By resemblance of notable apperannce with moralitees concludynge on prudence . Lyke as to the byble rehercith by writynge . Howe trees somtyme those them a kynge Firste in their chose they named olyue . To reigne emong them Judicum dothe expresse But he him self gan excuse blyue . That he might nat forsake the fatnesse Nor the figgetre her amozous swetenes . Nor the vyne tre his holsom fresshe corage . whiche yeueth comforte to al maner of age . And semblably poetes laureat . By dyrke parables ful conuenient . Feyne that byrdes and bestes of estate As a ryol / eglys and lyons by assent . Sent oute wrytes to holde a parlement And made the crye brefly for to say . Some to haue lordeship and some to obeye Eglys in the eyre heest to take their flight Power of lyones on the grounde is seen . Cedre emonge trees highest is of sight The laurelle of nature is ay grene . Of floures al flora ay goddesse and quene . Thus in al thinges ther been diuersitees Some of estate and some of lowe degrees Poetys wryte wonderful lykenesse . And vndre couert kepe thym self ful close They take bestes and foules to wytnesse Of whose saynges fables first arose . And here I caste on my purpose Oute of frensshe a tale to translate . within a pamflet I radde & sawe but late This tale whiche I make of mencion In grose reherceth playnly to declare The grete prouerbes payes for the raunson Of a lytel byrde taken in a snare . Wonderful desirous to escape oute of care . Of myn auctour folowynge the processe . So as it felle in ordre shal expresse Somtyme ther dwellyd in a smal vyllage . As myn auctor maketh mencion . A chorle whiche hadde luste and corage within him self by diligent trauayl . To araye his gardyn with notable aparayl Of lenghe and brede y liche square & longe Hedged and diched to make it sure & stronge Alle the alyes were made playn with sonde The benches couered with newe turues grene . With the sote herbes and condutes at the hunde That wellyd vp ayenst the sonne shene Lyke vnto siluer or any cristal clene The burbyl waues in their vp boylynge . Rounde as a beral their bemys out shewynge . In myddes of the gardyn stode a fresshe laurel Theron a byrde syngyng day and nyght . With shynyng fethers brighter than gold wyre Whiche with her song made heuy hertes lighte . That her to biholde it was an heuynly sight How towarde euyn and in the dawnynge . She dyd her peyne mooste amerously to synge Esperus enforced her corage To warde ewyn when phebus went to west Amonge the braunches to take her auantage . To synge her compleyn and than to go to rest At at the rysyng of the quene alceste To synge agayn as it were her dewe Erly on morowe the day after to salewe It was a very heuynly melody Euyn and morowe to here the byrdes songe And the swete sugred armony with vncouthe warbles & tones drawe a longe That al the gardeyn of the noyse ronge Tyl on the moro we whan titan dyd shyne clet̄ The byrde was trapped & caught in a pantere . The chorl was glad that he the byrde had take Mery of chere of loke and of visage And in al haste he caste for to make within his house a pretty lytel cage . And with her songe to reioyse his corage Tyl at the laste the cely byrde abrayde . And soburly vnto the chorle she sayde I am nowe take and stonde vndre daunger Holden strayt that I may natfle . A dieu my song / my lusty notes clere . Nowe haue I loste my libertie . Nowe am I thralle that somtyme was free . And trust me wele while I stonde in distresse I can nat synge nor make no gladnesse And though my cage forged were of golde . And the penacles of beral and cristal I remembre a prouerbe saide of olde who lesith his fredom he lesith alle For I had leuyr vpon a braunche smalle Merely synge amonge the wode grene Than in a cage of siluer bright and shene Songe and pryson haue noon accordance . Trowyst thou I wyl synge in prysone Nay / for songe procedith of ioy & plesaunce . And pryson causeth deth and distruction Ryngyng of feters maketh no mery sounde . Or who shulde be mery or iocunde . Ayenst his wyl that lyeth in cheynes hounde what auayleth a lyon to be a kynge To be shyt vp in a toure of stone Or an egle vndre strayt kepynge Called kynge of foules euerichone Fye on lordeshyp whan libertie is gone Aunswere herto and let it nat asterte who syngeth merely that synge nat atte hert But and thou wylt reioyse of my syngyuge Suffre me to go fre from al daunger . And euery day in the gray mornynge I wyl repaire vnto thy laurer And merely synge with lusty notes clere Vndre thy chambre or afore thyn halle . Euery season whan thou lyst me calle To be shytte vp and pynned vndre drede No thynge accordeth to my nature Though I wer fed with myllr & wastel brede And swete curdes brought to my pasture . yet I hadde leuyr to do my besy cure . Erly on morowe to shrappe in the walle To fynde my dyner emong the wormes smal . The labourer is gladder at the ploughe Erly on moro we to fede him with bacon Than some man is that hath tresour enoughe And of al deynties plenty and foyson And no fredom with his possession To go at large but as a bere at a stake To passe his bondes if he leue take Take this aunswere for a ful conclusion To synge in prison thou shalt me nat constrain Tyl I haue fredome in wodes vp and downe To flee at large on bough rough & playne . And of reason thou sholdest nat disdeyn Of my desire but laughe & haue gode game But he that is a chorl wold eche were the same . we le quod the chrole sith it wol nat be . That I desire as by thy talkynge . Magre thy wyl thou shalt chese one of thre within a cage mery to synge Or to the kechyn I shal thy body bryng . Plucke thy fethers that been bright and clere . And after roste or bake the to my soupere wele quod the byrde as to reson I say nat nay Touchynge my song a ful answere thou hast And whanne my feders be pulled a wey If I be rostyd and baken in a paste . On me thou shalt haue a smal repaste But and if thou wylte worke after my conseil By me thou maist haue greate auayl . If thou wylt to my reasone assent And suffre me to go fre from pryson without raunson or any other rent I shal the yeue a notable guerdon Thre grete wisdomes accordyng to resone . More of value take hede what I profre . Than alle thy gold shyt in thy cofre Truste me wele I shal the nat disceyue . we le quod the chorle tel on let see Nay quod the byrde thou muste afore conceyue who that shal teche of reason must go fre It sytteth a master to haue his libertie . And at large to teche his lessone Haue me nat suspecte I mene no treason wele quod the chorle I holde me content . I truste thy promysse whiche thou madest me The birde fley forth the chorle was of assent And toke her flight vnto the laurel tree Than thought she nowe stonde I free with nor panters I cast nat al my lyue . Nor with lyme tuygges any more to stryue He is a fole that scaped is daunger . Broken his fetters and fled oute of prison . To resorte / for brent childe dredith fyre . Eche man be ware of wysdome and reasone Of sugre strawed whichl hydeth fals poyson Ther is no poison venym so ꝑlous of sharpnes As is whan it hath of triacle a lykenesse who dredith no peryl in peryl he shal falle Smothe waters ben oftentymes depe The quayle pype can moste falsly calle Tyl the qu ayle vndre the nette dothe crepe A blereyed fouler trust nat though he wepe Eschewe his thomb of weping take non hede That smalle byrdes can nyppe by the hede And I that nowe suche daunger am escaped I wyl be ware and afore prouyde That of no fouler I wyl no more be iaped . From their lymetwygges I wyl fle fer aside . where peryl is grete peryl is to abyde . Come nere thou chorle & herkyn to my speche . Of thre wisdomes that I wyl the teche . Gyue nat of wysdome to hasty credence To euery tale and eche tydynge But considre of reason and prudence Amonge many tales is many a grete lesyng . Hasty credence hath caused greate hyndrynge . Reporte of tales & tydynges brought vp newe Caused many a man to be holde vntrue . For one part take this of my raunson Lerne the secounde grounded on scripture Desire thou nat by no condicion Through whiche is impossible to recure worldly desires stonde in auenture As who desireth to clymbe hye on loft By sodeyn turne he falleth vnsofte The thrid is this beware bothe euyn & morow . Forgete it not but lerne this of me For tresoure loste make neuyr to grete sorowe whiche in no wyse may recouered be . For who so taketh sorow for loue of any degre Rekyn his loue and ofter his payn . And of one sorowe he maketh sorowes tweyn Aftre this lessone the byrde began a songe Of her escape gretly reiosynge And she remembred also the greate wrouge . Done by the chorle firste at her takynge Of her affray and her imprisonynge Glade that she was out of drede Saide vnto him houyng aboue his hede Thou were quod she a very natural fole To suffre me departe of thy leudnesse Thou ought complayn & make dole And in thy hert to haue grete heuynesse That thou loste so passinge grete richesse whiche myght suffised by value in reknynge To pay the raunson of a mightye kynge Ther is a stone whiche is called a iacounce Of olde engendred in myn entrayl whiche of fyne golde passith a grete vnce Citryne of colour like a garnet of entable whiche maketh men victorious in batayl And who soeuir beryth on him this stone . Is fully assured ayenst his mortal fone who that hath this stone in possession Shal suffre no pouerte ne noon indigens But of al treasoure haue plenty and foyson And euery man shal do him reuerence . And noon ennemye shall do to him offence But fro thy hondes nowe that I am gone . Pleyn if thou wylt for thy part is none . If causeth loue it maketh men gracious . And fauourable in euery mannys sight It maketh accorde bit wene men enuyous . It conforteth soroful it maketh heuy hertes light Lyke to poyson in colour shyneth bright I am a fole to tel al at onye Or to teche a chorle the pryce of precious stones . Men shulde not put a precious margarite . As rubyes saphires and other stones ynde Emeraudes nor rounde perles whyte Afore rude swyne that loue draffe of kynde For a sowe delyteth as I fynde More in foule draffe her pigges for to glade Than in al the pery that cummeth of garnade . Eche thinge draweth to his semblable Fysshes in the see bestes on the grounde . The ayr for foules is commendable And to the plough man for to tylle the londe And a chorle to haue a muk forke in honde I lese my tyme any more to tary . Or to teche a chorle of the lapidary . That thou haddest thou gettyst nomore ayen Thy lyme twygges and thy panters I defye . To let me go thou were foul ouirseen To lese thy richesse only of folye I am nowe fre to synge and to flye / where that me lyste he is a fole at alle That gothe at large & maketh him self a thral To here to wysdome thyn erys been deef Lyke an asse that lysteth to an harpe Thou maist go pype in an yue leef For bettre is to synge on thornes sharpe Than in a cage with a chorle to carpe . For it was saide of follres yere a gone That a chorles hyrde is often woby gone The chorle felt his herte at weyn For very sorowe and asondre ryue Alas quod he I may wele wepe and pleyn . As a wretche neuir lyke to the nor thryue . But to morne in pouerte al my lyue For of folye and of wylfulnesse I haue loste holy al my richesse I was a lorde I cryed oute on fortune . And had greate tresoure late in my kepinge whiche myght haue made longe for to contynue . with that stone to haue lyued lyke a kynge Or if that I hadde set it in a rynge Borne it vpon me I hadde gode ynough Me nedyd no more to haue goon to plough . whanne the byrde herde the chorle thus morne . And howe that he was heuy of his chere . She toke her flight and gan ayen retorne Towarde him and saide as ye shal here . O thou dulle chorle wisdome for to lere That I the taught al is lefte behynde Raced awey and clene oute of thy mynde Taught I the nat this wysdome in sentence To euery tale brought vp a newe Nat to hastely to yeue credence Vnto the tyme thou knewe that it were trewe Alle is nat golde that shewyth goldisshe hewe . Nor stones al by nature as I fynde . Be nat saphyres that shewyn colour ynde In this doctryne I haue loste my laboure To teche the suche prouerbes of substance Here maist thou se thy lewde blynde erroure . For al my body paysed in a balaunce . weyeth nat an vnce rude is thy remembrance . I to haue more peyse closed in myn entrayl Than al my body sett for the counterayl . Al my body weyeth nat an vnce / Howe might I than haue in me a stone . That peyseth more than doth a grete iaconce . Thy brayne is dulle thy wytte is almost goon Of thre wisdomes thou haste forgoten one . For thou sholdest nat after my sentence . To euery tale to gyue to hasty credence I badde also be ware bothe euyn and morow . For thynge loste by soden auenture Thou sholdest nat make to moche sorowe whan thou seest thou mayst it nat recurne And here thou faylest that doste thy besy cure . In thy snare to cache me ageyn Thou art a fole thy laboure is in veyne In the thryd thou doste raue . For I badde thou sholdest in no maner . Coueyte thynge whiche thou mayst nat haue . In whiche thou haste forgoten myn empryse . Thus I may say playnly to deuyse That thou hast of madnesse forgoten al thre Notable wysdomes that I taughte the. It were folye more with the to carpe Or preche of wysdomes more or lesse I holde him mad that bryngeth forth an harpe Theron to teche a rude dulle asse . And madder is he that syngeth a fole a masse And he is moste madde that both his besynesse To teche a chorse termys of gentylnesse And semblably in apryl and in maye when gentyl byrdes maken mooste melody The gucko we syngeth but one lay Of other tones he hath no fantesye Thus euery thynge as bokes specifye As foules bestes of euery age From whens they came thy take talage The vyntener tretyth of his holsom vynes . Of gentyl frutes bostith the gardener . The fyssher cassiteth his bokes and his synes. To cache fisshe in euery fresshe ryuere . Of tysth of lond tretyth the labourer The gentylman tretyth of gentrye And the chorle deliteth him in al rebaudry . Alle one to the a faucon as a kyte . As gode an owle as a popingay A donghyl ducke as deynte as a snyte who seruith a chorle hath many a careful daye Adieu sir chorle fare wele I fle my weye For I caste me neuir hensforth in my lykynge A fore a chorle any more to synge ye folke that shalle this fable see or rede Newe forged tales I counseyl you to fle For losse of godes take neuyr to great hede . Nor be nat sorye for noon aduersite Ne coueyt thynge that may natt recouered be . And remembre where euyr ye goue That a chorles byrde is euyr wobigone . Vnto purpose this prouyd is ful ryue Rede and reporte by olde remembraunce That a chorles byrde and a knaues wyue . Haue oftentymes grete sorowe & myschaunce And who that hath fredom hath al suffisance . For bettre is fredome with lytel in gladesse . Than to be thralle with al worldly richesse Go lytel squyer and recommaunde me Vnto my master with humble affection Besechynge him lowle of mercy and pyte Of this rude makyng to haue compassion . And as touchynge the translacion . Dute of frensshe howe so it englisshed be Alle thinge is saide vndre correctioy with supportacion of your benignynte