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COMPLAINTS
To plough, to plant, to reap, to rake, to sowe, For their false treason and vile theeuene
Tohedge,toditch, to thrash, to thetch, to mowe, For not a lambe of all their flockes supply
Or to what labour els he was prepar'd ? Had they to shew but euer as they bred,
For husbands life is labourous and hard They slue them, and vpon their fleshes fed
Whenas the Ape him hard so much to talke For that disguised Dog lou'd blood to spill,
Of labour, that did from Ins liking balke, And drew the wicked Shepheard to his will
He would haue slipt the coller handsomly, So twixt them both they not a lambkin left,
And to him said, good Sir, full glad am 1,270 And when lambes fail'd, the old sheepes hues
To take what pames may anie humg wight they reft, 322
But my late maymed limbs lack wonted might That how t'acquite themselues vnto their Lord,
To doo their kindly seruices, as needeth They were in doubt, and flatly set abord
Scarce this right hand the mouth with diet The Foxe then counsel'd th'Ape, for to require
feedeth,
Respite till morrow, t'answere his desire
So that it may no painfull worke endure, For times delay new hope of helpe still breeds
Ne to strong labour can it selfe enure The goodman granted, doubting nought their
But if that anie other place you haue, deeds, 328
Which askes small pames,but thriftines to saue, And bad, next day that all should readie be
Or care to ouerlooke, or trust to gather, But they more subtill meaning had than he
Ye may me trust as your owne ghostly father For the next morrowes meed they closely ment,
With that the husbandman gan him auize For feare of afterclaps for to preuent
That it for him were fittest exercise 282 And that same euenmg, when all shrowded were
Cattell to keep, or grounds to ouersee, In careles sleep, they without care or feare,
And asked him, if he could willing bee Cruelly fell vpon their flock in folde,
To keep his sheep, or to attend his swyne, And of them slew at pleasure what they wolde
Or watch his mares, or take his charge of kyne ? Of which whenis they feasted had their fill,
Gladly (said he) what euer such like paine For a full complement of all their ill,
Ye put on me, I will the same sustaine They stole away, and tooke their hastie flight,
But gladliest I of your fleecie sheepe Carried in clowdes of all concealing night
(Might it you please) would take on me the So was the husbandman left to his losse, 341
keep 290 And they vnto their fortunes change to tosse
For ere that vnto armes I me betooke, After which sort they wandered long while,
Vnto my fathers sheepe I vsde to looke, Abusing manie through their cloaked guile,
That yet the skill thereof I haue not loste That at the last they gan to be descryed
Thereto right well this Curdog by my coste Of euerie one, and all their sleights espyed
(Meaning the Foxe) will serue, my sheepe to So as their begging now them failed quvte ,
gather,
For none would giue, but all men would them
And dnue to follow after their Belw ether wyte
The Husbandman was meanly well content, Yet would they take no paines to get their
Triall to make of his endeuourment,
huing, 349
And home him leading, lent to him the charge But seeke some other way to game by giumg
Of all his flocke, with libertie full large, 300 Much like to begging but much better named,
Giuing accompt of th'annuall incrcace For manie beg, which are thereof ashamed
Both of their lambes,and of their woollcy fleece And now the Foxe had gotten him a gowne,
Thus is this Ape become a shepheard swame And th'Apeacassocke sidelong hangmgdowne,
And the false Foxe his dog (God giue them For they their occupation meant to change,
pame)
And now in other state abroad to range
For ere the yeare haue halfe his course out run, For since their souldiers pas no better spedd,
And doo returne from whence he first begun, They forg'd another, as for Clerkcs booke-redd
They shall him make an ill accompt of thrift Who passing foorth, as their aduentures fell,
JJow whenas Time flying with winges swift, Through manie haps, which needs not here to
Expired had the terme, that these two lauels tell, 360
piould render vp a reckning of their trauels At length chaunst with a formall Priest to
Vnto their master, which it of them sought, meete,
Exceedingly they troubled were in thought, Whom they in ciuill manner first did greete,
Ne wist what answere vnto him to frame, And after askt an almes for Gods deare loue
Ne how to scape great punishment, or shame, The man straight way his choler vp did moue,