The country mouse, and the city mouse. Or a merry morrall fable enlarged out of Horace. Serm. lib. 2. Sat. 6.

THE COVNTRY MOVSE ; AND The Citty Mouse . IN Italy , a Country rich in pleasure , Which nature had adorn'd with all her treasure , Both to delight the eye , and feed the sence ; And seeming prodigall in her expence Had made the ayre sweete with the breath of flowērs Which were begot by soft and gentle showres . Here on the bending of a Hill there stood , Some pleasant trees which made a shady wood , And here it chanced that a Country Mouse Did live alone , and kept a Country house . His house was not so spacious as those are Whose lofty Pinicles advanc'd with care May seeme the living grave of some rich man : Who does usurpe authority , and can In a faire roomy building , keepe a house Of such cleane dyet that shall starve a mouse . But such was not the Cottage , nor the Cave , Wherein this Country Mouse , did live most brave And most compleate , for though it were not large And spacious , yet this Mouse at his owne charge , Did keep a good warm house , wel stord with plenty The larders , nor the Butteries were not empty , As in these pinching dayes , no , he had store Of rich provision , and that is no soare . And first he had brave yellow Bacon , which For fatnesse was both glorious and rich , And some dry chippins that long time had beene Kept in the mouldy Prison of a Binne : Yet you must know this Country Mouse by nature Was but a covetous and hide bound creature , That stored up provision without end , Which he did choisely keepe and would not spend Vntill that hunger did compell , then he Vnto himselfe would somewhat liberall be . Yet he would feed alone , and oft did grutch To thinke his belly should devoure so much , The thought of a deere yeare kept him in awe , So that with Acornes he would scoure his mawe , With Acornes or with some farre courser fare , And as the Miser doth his God , would spare His chiefe provision , yet his narrow minde Did somewhat now enlarge , he grew more kinde : To counterfeit a vertue he nere had Liberality , he shewd himselfe right glad , That the City Mouse would come visite him In his poore Cottage , whereby it did seeme He forgot not his poore friends , thus he went Forward with his dissembling complement . The City Mouse as cunning , did returne His Country Complement with a kind of scorne , Casting a looke on him which seem'd to pitty His ignorance that never knew the City , Imagining that Wit must be confin'd To Cloakes that are with Plush and Velvet lin'd : And that a Country man ( as we doe say , ) Hath not a mother wit as well as they . The City Mouse it seem'd conceived so , But now the Country Mouse begins to show Vnto the other all his roomes , contriv'd In such a manner , as if he had striv'd To imitate the Labarinth of Greece ; Where Theseus obtaind the Golden Fleece . Being so intricate , for it did winde And turne about , so that no Art could finde The way out of it , and such was the Cave Wherein this Mouse did live , and wisely save His Fathers wealth , his parlour was thicke spred With rushes , which were dry and withered . I should at first indeed have nam'd the Hall , But that his house had no such roome at all , He kept no Liveries , nor did he feede A crue of serving Creatures , nor did neede A Hall wherein they might unto his credit Entertaine strangers , no he did not neede it , But scorning such old fashions , he had none , For entertainement but his dining roome : On this hand stood his Buttery where he laid The Meate and Chippins which he had convaid From rich mens houses , and there went a way , Which led unto a Seller , where there lay . Some Crabs , & wildings with whose sharpe soure juce To quench his thirst he oftentimes did use , He had no greasie kitching , for his meate Was alwayes dressed , ready for to eate . Yet he had Larders where he layd his store , And a bed-chamber , with divers roomes more : For you must know , an old and ancient Mole , Was at the charge of building of this hole ; And you doe know a Mole , can forthwith cast , A house at his owne proper charge and cost , Much workemanship , are in his models found , Although the building be still underground . And it did seeme , this faire house did belong Vnto a Mole , but he was dead and gone , And being defunct , both his goods and lands , As others doe , came to a strangers hands , But this is but a needlesse fond digression , The Country Mouse had gotten now possession , And warmely liv'd therein full many a day , And to the Lord of the soyle did not pay Any rent at all , which made him to grow bolder , Because he knew that he was a freeholder . But let this pass , the Country mouse having shown The Citty Mouse his house and every roome , As he had given content unto his sight , He thought to yeeld his stomacke some delight . For the belly when a mery tale it heares , Takes no delight because it hath no eares , The hungry belly loves no tales I wish , Vnlesse it be a Taile of buttered fish . It loves a pudding , wherein plumbs doe sticke , Better than Aristotles Rhetoricke . But I make haste now to describe the feast , Wherewith he did receive his dainty guest , So that Vitellius feasts though Sea , and Field , The earth , the ayre and all did freely yeeld Their severall sacrifices to his Table , Yet to compare with this they were not able . Yet not for store , but this was more compleate , Because it did exceede the dull conceit Of Cookes to make such , unles they turne theeves , When they doe make a dinner for the Shreeves . Sure not one bit of meat or bread was here , But had beene stollen before it came there . He set before him ground Oates for to fill His belly , which were stollen from a Mill , With Pease , and other Pulse , and yellow Bacon , In pecces , which he cunningly had taken Out of a Cubboard , for his time he spide , When the Mayd swallow'd sleepe by the fire side , When night grew old , and the candle burnt dim , Then presently to filch he did begin , Also some huskes of grapes which being prest , Last vintage had bled forth wine of the best . Also some fragments of dry Pasty Crust , Wherein some lushious meates to heighten lust , Had smoak't sometime , or else some Goose had been , Within this funerall Coffin closed in , Which at the private Sessions of a feast , Had beene carv'd round about to every guest . And thus the Country Mouse with change of fare To please the City Mouse , did take great care , That with variety he might yeeld delight , To the City Mouse , whose costly appetite , Expected greater cheare , and was so dainty , He scarce would taste of any , in such plenty And store of dishes : but the Country Mouse , ( who may be stil'd the Master of the house , ) At th' others nicenesse inwardly did laugh , And being laid along in this yeares chaffe , He onely fed upon dry Beanes and Pease , And Barley , or such other pulse as these , Or on hard Petches that might exercise His teeth , at these he closely nubling lies , But for the other dishes he did spare To tast them , since indeed he thought they were Too costly ; for his sparing was too great To allow his belly any such good meate , T' was an affliction unto him to waste His store in such a manner , or to taste Of those same dishes ; with which it did seeme , His stomacke never had acquainted beene . And herein he did lively represent Some Miser , whose minde is so closely bent Vpon his riches , that he does command The occasions of his life , to wait and stand At the will of his purse , he must not dine If his purse checke him , he must drinke no wine If his purse checke him , then it is not good : For he pretends it will enflame his blood . And thus the Miser basely serves his purse , Money is not his blessing , but his curse , Who out of covetousnesse inures his Pallet With Diogenes , to feede on a poore Sallet , With musty Vinegar , and no oyle at all , This is the man whom we a miser call . He with this Country Mouse doth well agree , For both of them alike conditioned be . The Country Mouse did set before his guest His chiefest fare , to feast him with the best , But for him selfe he did allow the worst , And in this manner covetous men are curst : But at the last the City Mouse to shew , That from the Citty he his breeding drew , Where it is held a point of manners great , To talke and complement , as they doe eate , The City Mouse to observe due decorum , And shew he was of the bene moratorum , Or the well manured , began to stroake His beard with his foote , and in Print thus spoke , Kind friend quoth he , know I am of the City , And therefore I your ignorance doe pitty , Had you any wisdome or intelligence , You would not live here with such patience , On the backside of a darke wood alone , Without company or conversation . Having no pleasant objects which may yeeld Delight unto you , but a hedge or field , Or store of trees wherein the wind doth make A hollow noyse , when he their leaves doth shake . If thou hadst wit or ingenuity , Thou wouldst not preferre the society Of beasts and trees before men , therefore leave This melancholy Cell , which doth bereave Thee of delight , come therefore follow me Vnto the Citty , where all pleasures be , And since that we who are terrestiall creatures , Have all of us but fraile and mortall natures , And after life we must returne againe Vnto the earth , and no part shall remaine Of us , to tell the world that we have beene , To live in pleasure , it to me doth seeme The readiest way to happinesse that 's knowne , Our summum bonum , is a good fat bone . These Latine words I once by chance did eate , While I a booke did gnaw , since that I speake These words by rote , and as some doe , so I On all occasions bring forth and apply , Because I have no more ; but to the matter My friend and Country Mouse I would not flatter Your understanding , for beleeve me death Will one day stop the pipes of our weake breath , If we were nere so great , yet you and I Must yeeld to time , for men and Mice must dye . Nay there is no exception , none can have , Nor great nor small a Priviledge from the grave , Therefore be wise , make use now of thy time , Before thy dayes runne on , and strength decline . Cherish thy selfe , and banish heavy sorrow , Thinke not on cares that shall ensue to morrow . Because our time will quickly have an end , Let us be sure our precious houres to spend , In such delights , that every greedy sence , May have his object , age doth bring offence , And takes away the enjoying of all pleasure , Then let us now enjoy our youthfull leasure : Let us make time grow young , to see how we Doe wast our time in mirth and jollity , And since our time will quickly waste away , Friend Country Mouse , 't is wisdome to obey My counsell , and therefore come goe with me , Vnto the Citty where all pleasures be . Come goe with me , and thou shalt quickly finde That in the Citty , which will please thy mind . The Country Mouse harkning unto the story , Which the Citty Mouse , unto the Citties glory , Did thus set forth , in all her Pagentry Consented unto him most willingly . It seemes he had no great intelligence , And therefore he was drawne on by his sence , For of his speech he understood none of it , But that which toucht his pleasure , or his profit : Like to some men who nothing understand , Vntill the matter be put into their hand , Even so this Mouse imagining that he , Should in the Citty live in Iollity And height of Pleasure ; does consent to goe With the City Mouse ; and so away they two Doe trudge together , for both lightly skipt Out of the house , and so away they tript , And thus together they jog'd on a while , Till having gone the length of one good mile They reacht their journey , and at last they came To the City gates , where a blinckling flame Of Candle in a lanthorne , seem'd to watch The sleepy bill men , that stood there to catch Some wandring drunkard , whose light giddy head Was reeling home to finde the way to bed . But happy were those Travellers , or Mice , Who comming to the gates did in a trice Slip in betweene them , and in this fashion They past the watch without examination . And now it was the mid-time of the night , And Luna in her chariot shined bright , While these two Mice did strike up many streetes , The Country Mouse at every thing he meetes Did wonder much , for when that he had seene A Conduite , he imagined it had beene A bottle wherein Widdowes teares were kept , Which at their husbands buriall they had wept . He thought the signes that on the signeposts hung Were hang'd for some offence that they had done , And when he saw a Taverne , he was bold To aske if any ale at all was sold In that Gentlemans Hall ; The Country Mouse Thought every Taverne had beene an Alehouse , And that the bush an Ivy bush bad beene Where the old Owle or Buzzard liv'd within , Thus every thing appeard most strange and rare , For strangers with new objects taken are : So was this Mouse , who in the Country saw No rarities or sights were worth a straw , But in the City each thing did invite His eyes , to gaze with wonder and delight , And now suppose that they at last arriv'd At the house of a Cittizen , who thriv'd So much in getting store of wealth , that he Exceeded all the rest of his degree , And he it seemes had made a Misers feast ; Who seldome making any , had exprest More bounty then he used , for there came Many dishes from the table , to remaine In the keeping of the Butler , to be made A standing sacrifice , and to upbraid The guests in cold blood for their gluttony , For their excesse and wanton luxury . In a large platter here a Goose did lye , Of whom they had made an Anatomy , As it had beene dissected at the Hall By cruell Surgeons , for to the bone all His flesh was pared off ; and then moreover , There were some pasties that had halfe a cover , Some quaking Custards that had beene attempted With many spoones , & so had been halfe empted . Besides some Tarts that had beene cut with knives And dealt about unto the talking wives . To sweeten their conceits , whose froward hearts Doe make their husbands often sup with Tarts . Also there was a worshipfull peece of beefe Which is held to be of all meates the cheife . Besides the bones of foules that had deserv'd So ill at their hands to be cut and carv'd , While the woodcocke , whose name is ill abided , Amongst the wiser sort had beene divided . There were wings of Partridges , Ducks , & Quales The legges of Turkies , Phesants , Snipes , and Railes As if they had ransackt the Sea and Field , And got all kind of foule , the Arke did yeeld : The Country Mouse likt all this good cheere well , And ayrd his stomacke with the wholesome smell Of such good fare , for with much readinesse , These Mice into the Buttery got accesse , At a small hole , was underneath the doore , And when they saw of cheare such costly store , The Country Mouse therewith was well content And the Citty Mouse without all Complement , Bid him welcome , and advised him to eate , For here quoth he you see is store of meate , Dispence with my blunt phrases for t is night , And to use many words would but afright The Servants in the house ; if we should squeake In a loud key , out of their sleepe they 'd breake . Content quoth the Country Mouse , let us fall About the meate , and make no noise at all . Withat the Country Mouse straightway did lay His teeth to a Ducke that was in his way , And spoyl'd the fashion of his wings then next The body of a Turky , he straight vext With gnawing it , and then againe to change His diet he began againe to range , And fasten on a Quaile , then on a Snipe , And all this while his mouth he did not wipe , Forgetting Ceremonies and all manners , For these two Mice had never learnt their Grammars Of morrall matters , or of Civillity , And therefore they scorn'd all formality : When they had eaten hard seeing such store The Country Mouse since he could eate no more , Was very sorry for he did never tast , Such dishes as had at this feast beene plac't . Before this time , so that he thus did say , Happy are such as eate and sport , and play . We may talke of wonders , but I thinke t is right That sensuall pleasures yeeld the most delight Though some tearm'd Clarks are more intelligible Yet Mice , and Maydens still are sensible , And this morrall Note I will gather hence The soule of pleasure lieth in the sense . Why doe we talke , yet why are we afeard ? A Mouse is a Philosopher by his beard . But now all thankes unto the Citty Mouse I tender , for bringing me unto this house . How poore is the Country , how disconsolate ? For now my belly 's full a while to prate I can intend , I tell you those who live In Country Ignorance , and doe onely give , Their time to vulgar drugery ; doe spend Their happy houses unto a servile end , That understand but how to drive their teame With whistling while their Horses are in a dream , Concerning provender , untill they do make them An exposition when their whip doth wake them . I tell thee Citty Mouse , the Country can , Afford no pleasures unto Mouse or Man , For here I have what my desire can crave , There I am glad of chippings in a cave . And yet I thought them good , but now I finde , He that doth change his aire , doth chang his mind . If I talke beyond my compasse , I desire , To be excus'd , this cheare doth me inspire For when the bellyes full , out of the Platter Men oftentimes doe speake exquisite matter . Some say that we should with a stomacke talke And let our tongues couragiously then walke But to talke without a stomacke sure is best When we have fild our stomacke at a feast . Nay quoth the Citty Mouse since you admire This store and plenty I doe now desire You would survey the Roomes , and you shall see What spacious and faire large roomes here be . Each place doth seeme a paradise of pleasure , Wherein the Rich man spends his doting leasure , You are not cas'd up here within a cave , For your large minde , as large a roome shall have , Vnder the guilded seeling of some chamber Or palace , where you may live free from danger ; The thefts of Mice rich men doe scorne to see For in such places Mice may live most free , But a small fault committed by a Mouse Is soone discerned in a Country house . Here we may live , but as I said come see Those other roomes , which I will shew to thee . Thus usherd by the Citty Mouse they come At last into a faire neate dining Roome : With pictures hung about , there was a Frier , That to a Nunne it seemes had a desire He hugd her in his armes , and the warme zeale Which Fryers doe beare Nuns he did reveale . The Country Mouse , had a dull apprehension So that he tooke no pleasure in invention , Or to view that picture , but was more taken With the picture , of a gamon of Bacon , What sweete proportions are there quoth he ? In this gamon , it is loves epitomie . Thus rurall mindes doe oftentimes advance Vnworthy things through their dull ignorance ▪ The tables in this dining roome were spred With Turkey carpets all embroidered . The stooles the cushions , and every chaire Of cloath of Silver and rich Tissue were Whereon young Gentlewomen , and Ladies might Sit , while their beauties shined forth more bright , Then their lesse glorious feate , but at this time The Country mouse into a chaire did climbe , But the other mouse upon the Table got , And presently it was his happy lot , To smell a dish of sweet conserves and plumbs , Then straightway he a little farther runnes And findes a dish of marchpaine , that was fram'd In the shape of a Castle , and had sustain'd , A most fierce seige , so that the structure quite Had beene demolisht for the guests delight . The Country Mouse thus seated in a chaire The Citty Mouse exprest much love and care In waiting on him and before him set A dish wherein was left some Marmalet , And then he brought him some sweet Sugar plums The Country Mouse thought these were pleasant crums . For he before had use to whet his teeth , On rusty Bacon , or upon hung Beefe : So that these sweetmeates seem'd to melt , Within his mouth before that they were felt . The Citty Mouse did still attending stand Waiting upon him ready at 's command , And tasting unto him every dish least he Should suspect in him some foule treacherie . Much diligence he showd thereby to expresse What happinesse his present state did blesse . So that the plenty seem'd to upbraid The dinner which the Country Mouse had made . For the Citty Mouse , when he came to his Cave . No such varieties , for him could have In the Country , but his stomacke there was linde With such fare as the Country Mouse did finde Into some poore cupboord that stood open empty , But in the Citty he found store and plenty . The Country Mouse thus feasted with good cheat Did in a jocund humour soone appeare , And his conceits were sweetned so that he In a fine witty humour began to be And would needs discourse unto the Citty Mouse , Telling him that he lik't the rich mans house , For here quoth he , we shall doe wondrous well , And no body our knavery can smell , For if we to a rich mans house belong : We shall be honest doe we right or wrong . To walke a nights we neede not be afear'd For in the great roomes we shall not be heard ; O quoth the Citty Mouse , I see you are wise , The Citty doth afford most rarities , And in the Citty rich mens houses be Places of pleasure , as you painely see , Besides all this you shall finde more delight For I will tell you 't was my chance one night To heare a wooing match , and as I said The Butler was wooing the Chambermaide . I heard it all and when their candle grew Vnto a snufe , he did much boldnesse shew , So that he would have done I tell you plaine An act of darknesse which I will not name , You must conceive my meaning , but when he Imagin'd all the house in bed to be , I having behind the chamber wainscot got , Began to scrape , which he mistrusted not . And hindred him of that which he did meane , And put him quite out of his wooing Scene . For I was then even gnawing of a bone , Behind the wainscot , as I oft had done , But when the Butler , and the Mayd it heard They presently began to be afeard And through a little cranny I espy'd That both the Maids cheeks with a blush were di'd And so these Lovers , being both faint-hearted By a poore Mouse were frighted and soone parted For when I gnawd my bone againe , then they For feare they should be taken ran away . O then thought I , I doe observe by this That such are fearefull as intend amisse , And though they never thinke upon the devill A Mouse can fright them when they purpose evil . The Country Mouse , when he had heard his story Began to tell another in his glory . Some Maydens in the Country on a time Had made one night a Posset of good Wine . And thereunto their sweet hearts did envite Intending to be merry all that night ; The Maydens and their Sweethearts merry were , When I did put them all into a feare . For I began to scrape behinde a wall , So that they straightway were affrighted all . They thought their mistresse had beene comming downe And so away they slipped every one , And as you said , thereby it did appeare That guilty minds of all things stand in feare . But O friend Citty Mouse what rare content ? Shall we enjoy when we are resident , Here in the Citty ; where each day and night Shall yeeld us choise varieties of delight . Here we shall feast our bodies with quaint dishes And in a word we shall have here our wishes . But when the Country Mouse these words had spoke One of the Maids began to turne the locke , Of the dining roome , because that she did meane As it did seeme to sweepe it very cleane , But then the Mice were put unto their Trumps One from the Tableleapes , and tother jumps Off from the Chaire , and so both round about They ran , but yet no hole they cold find out , So that behinde the hangings they did hide Themselves , and in a mortall feare did bide . Vntill the Mayd when she had swept the roome Went out and lockt the doore when she had done . But now the Mice being in a sweate for feare Came forth againe when that the coast was cleare , But the country mouse did then so quak & tremble That you might plainely see he did not dissemble . And now the Servants did begin to rise And in the streets they heard a hundred cryes So that the Country Mouse was in a fright And wisht he had not come from home that night Thanking the Citty Mouse for his good cheare , Which he esteem'd he had bought too deare . He told the Citty Mouse he would repaire Vnto the Country where without all care He could live freely , telling him he thought Pleasure to deare , that with such feare is bought , Although my Country fare is not so dainty , Content is better unto me than plenty . There I can live most quietly under ground In a poore cave , and never there be found And when I list can goe unto a mill , And with ground corne my belly soundly fill To steale into a cubboard I 'me not afraid For any Mouse may fright a Country Mayd , Especially if I doe sometimes proffer To creepe beneath her coates , she feares the offer And presently aloud the Mayde will screeke And then into some hole I straightway creepe And there I laugh to thinke the Mayd Ione can Thus feare a Mouse that does not feare a man . Therefore I thanke you for my cheare but I In the Country resolve to live and dye . Let me in quietnesse there spend my leasure For as I said content is my chiefe pleasure . But now the Crow with hollow voice did creake , And daylight did begin a pace to breake The Citty Mouse , a little on his way Did bring him , and then it did grow broad day , So that the Country Mouse bid him Farewell . For I ( quoth he ) within the woods will dwell . Where though my fare be course , I will live free " He is not poore that can contented be . The Morrall . Philosophy was vayld of old Vnder Fables , such as Aesop told . And Horace , showing men their lives Through those cleare Perspectives : So by this Fable this is meant That happinesse rests in Content , And that contentednesse may dwell In a poore Cave or Hermits Cell . FINIS .