CONSEIL TENU PAR LFS RATS ET LES SOUKIS

With that ran there a route ■ of ratones at ones, And smale mys myd hem • mo Ihen a thousande, And comen to a conseille ■ for hère comune profit ; For a cat of a courte • cam whan hym lyked, And ouerlepc hem lyghtlich ■ and lauhte hem at lus wille, And pleyde with hem perilouslych ■ and possed hem aboute. « For doute of dyuersc dredes • wo dar noughte wel loke ; And yif we grucche of his gamen ■ he wil greue vs aile, Oracche vs or clowe vs ■ and in his cloches holde, That vs lotheth the lyf • or he let vs passe. Myghte we with any witte • his wille withstonde, We myghte he lordes aloft ■ and lyuen at oure ese. »

A raton of renon ■ most renable of tonge, Seide for a souereygne • help to hym-selue ; — « I haue ysein segges, » quod he ■ « in the cite of London Beren bighes fui hrighte ■ abouten hère nekkes, And some colers of crafty werk ; ■ vncoupled they wenden

242 L'KPOPÉE MYSTIQUE.

Bothc in wareine and in waste • where hem lene lyketh; And othcrwhile thei aren elles-where • as I hère telle. Were there a belle on hère beigh ■ bi Ihesn as nie tynketh, Mon myghte wite where thei went ■ and awei renne ! And right so, » quod that ratonn ■ o reson me sheweth To bugge a belle of brasse ■ or of brighte sylner, And knitten on a colère ■ for onre comune profit, And hangen it vp-on tbe cattes bals ■ thanneherewe mowen Where he ritt or rest • or renneth to playe. And yif him list for to laike • thenne loke we mowen, And peren in bis présence ■ ther while byin plaie liketh, And yif him wrattheth, be ywar ■ and his weye sbonye ». Aile tins route of ratones ■ to tbis reson thei assented. Ac tbo the belle was ybought • and on the beighe hanged, Ibère ne was ratonn in aile the route • for aile the rewme

[of Fraunce, That dorst liane ybonnden tbe belle ■ abonte tbe cal lis

nekke, Ne hangen it abonte tbe cattes bals ■ al Engelonde to wynne ; And heldcn hem vnbardy • and hère conseille feble, And leten hère labour lost • and aile hère longe studye.

A nions that moche good ■ conthe as me thoughte, Stroke forlb sternly ■ and stode biforn hem aile, And to the route of ratones ■ reherced thèse wordes ; « Though we culled the cattc • ynt sbolde ther corne

anothcr, « To craccliv vs and al owre kynde ■ though we crope

[vnder benches.

For-lbi I conseille aile the commune • to lat the catte

[wortbe, And be we neuer so bolde tbe belle bvm sbewe;

EXTRAITS DES VISIONS. 2i3

For I herde my sire seyn ■ is seuene yere ypassed, There the catte is a kitoim ■ the courte is fui elyng; That witnisseth holiwrite* who-so wil it rede.

Ve terre vbi puer rex est, etc.

For may no renke there rest haue ■ for ratones bi nyghte, The while lie caccheth conynges ■ lie coueiteth nouglit

[owre caroyne, But fet hym al with venesoun • defame we liym neuere. For better is a litel losse • tban a longe sorwe, The mase amonge vs aile* though we misse [a sclirewe. For nianv mannus malt ■ we mys wolde destruye, And also ye route of ratones ■ rende menues i-lot lies, Nere thaï cat of that courte • thaï cao yow ouerlepe; For had ye rattes yowre wille ■ ye couthe nought renie

[yowreselue.

I sey for me », quod the mous, • « I se so mykel after, Shal neuer the cat ne the kitoun ■ bi my conseille lie

greued, Ne earpynge of this côler ■ that costed me neure. And though it had coste me catel • hiknowen it I noble. But suffre as hym-self wolde • to do as kym Iiketh. Coupled and vncoupled ■ to càcche wliat thei mowe. For-thi vche a wise wighte I warne ■ wite wel his owne. d What this meteles bemeneth ■ ye men that be merye, Deuine ye, for 1 ne dar • bi dere god in beuene !

B. Prol. 145.

LADÏ MEED V LA COUR. — FUITE DE SES COMPAGNONS A TRAVERS LES RUES DE LONDRES

Le roi ordonne qu'on lui amène Meed el qu'on arrête les gens de sa suite :

« Go atàche tho tyrauns • for eny tresour, ich hôte,

Let feterye fast Falsnesse ■ for ony kynnes giftcs.

And gurd of Gylcs hefd ■ and lete hym go no Avyddere,

And brynge Mode to me • maugre hem aile.

And if ye lacche Lyere ■ let hym nat a-skapie

Er he be put on the pullery ■ for eny preier, ich hôte! ■»

Drede stod at the dore ■ and al that duenc herde, Wiiat the kynges wil was • and wyghtlyche he wente, And bad Falsnesse to flee ■ and hus feren aile. Falsnesse for fere tho- flegh to the frères, And Gyle dud hym to gon ■ agast for to deye; Ac marchauns metten with hym ■ and made hym ahyde, And shutten hym in hure shoppes ■ to shewen hère ware, And parailed hym lyke hère prentys ■ the puple to seruen. Lyghtliche Lyere ■ lep a-way thennes, Lorkynge tlmrw lanes • to-logged ofmenye. Ile was nawher welcome ■ for hus meny taies, Oner-al houted out ■ and yhote trusse, Til pardoners hadden pitte ■ and pullede hym to house. Thei woshe hym and wypede hym • and wonde hym in

[cloutes, And sente hym on sonnedaycs ■ with seeles to churches,

And gaf pardon for pans ■ pound-meel a-boute. Thanne lourede lèches- and letters thei senten, That Lyer shold won y with hem- waters to loke. Spicers to hym speke • to aspic hère warc, For he eau on hère crafte • and knoweth meny gommes. Ac mynstrales and messagers ■ mette with Lyere ones, And with-helde hym half a yere • and elleuc dayes. Ac Frères thorw fayre speche ■ fetten hym thennes ; For knowynge of corners ■ thei coped hym as a frère; Ac he hath leue to lepen ont • as ofte as hym lyketh, And ys welcome whanne he cometh ■ and woneth with Symonye and Cynyle- senten to Rome, [hem ofte.

And pntte hem thorw a-peles ■ in the popes grâce. Ac Conscience to the kyng ■ a-cusede hem hothe, And scide, « syre kyng, hy Cryst ' hôte clerkus amende, Thi kyngdom thorw hère couetyse ■ wol ont of kynde wendc, And holy churche thorw hem ■ worth harmed for ener. 9 Aile fledden for fere • and flowen in-to hernes; Saue Mede the mayde • no mo dorste a-hyde. Ac treweliche to telle ■ hue tremhlede for fere. And hotli wrang and weptc • whanne hue was a-tached.