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504
COMPLAINTS
So pitifull a thing is Suters state 891 So in the world long time they wandered,
Most miserable man, whom wicked fate And mickle want and hardnesse suffered,
Hath brought to Court, to sue for had ywist, That them repented much so foolishly
That few haue found, and mame one hath mist, To come so farre to seeke for misery,
Full little knowest thou that hast not tride, And leaue the sweetnes of contented home,
What hell it is, in suing long to bide
Though eating hipps, and drinking watry fome
To loose good dayes, thatmight be better spent, Thus as they them complayned too and fro,
To wast long nights in pensiue discontent, Whilst through the forest rechlesse they did got,
To speed to day, to be put back to morro.v, Lo where they spide, how in a gloomy glade,
To feed on hope, to pine with feare and sorrow, The Lyon sleeping lay in secret shade, 952
To haue thy Princes grace, yet want her Peeres, His Crowne and Scepter lying him beside,
To haue thy asking, yet waite mame yeeres, And hauing doft for heate his dreadfull hide
To fret thy soule with crosses and with cares, Winch when they sawe, the Ape was son
To eate thy heart through comf or tlesse dispaires, afrayde,
To fawne, to crowche, to waite, to ride, to And would haue fled with terror all dismaydt
ronne,
But him the Foxe with hardy words did stay,
To spend, to giue, to want, to be vndonne And bad him put all cowardize away
Vnhappie wight, borne to desastrous end, For now was time (if euer they would hope)
That doth his life in so long tendance spend To ayme their counsels to the fairest scope,
Who euer leaues sweete home, where meane And them for euer highly to aduaunce, 961
estate
In case the good which their owne happic
In safe assurance, without strife or hate, 910 chaunce
Findes all things needfull for contentment Them freely oflred, they would wisely take
meeke,
Scarse could the Ape yet speake,sodidhe quakt,
And will to Court for shadowes vaine to seekt, Yet as he could, he askt how good might growe
Or hope to game, himselfe will a daw trie Where nought but dread and death do setme in
That curse God send vnto mine enemie show
For none but such as this bold Ape vnblest, Now (sayd he) whiles the Lyon sleepeth sound
Can euer thriue in that vnluckie quest, May we his Crowne and Mace take from the
Or such as hath a Reynold to his man,
ground,
That by his shifts his Master furnish can And eke his skinne the terror of the wood,
But yet this Foxe could not so closely lude Wherewith we may our selues (if we thinke
His craftie feates, but that they were descnde good) 970
At length, by such as sate in lustice seate, 921 Make Kings of Beasts, and Lords of forests all,
Who for the same him fowlie did entreate , Subiect vnto that powre imperiall
And hailing worthily him punished,
Ah but (sayd the Ape) who is so bold a wretch
Out of the Court for euer banished
That dare his hardy hand to those outstretch
And now the Ape wanting his huckster man, When as he knowes his meede, if he be spidt,
That wont prouide his necessaries, gan To be a thousand deathes, and shame beside *
To growe into great lacke, ne could vpholde Fond Ape (sayd then the Foxe) into whose brest
His countenaunce in those his garments olde Neuer crept thought of honor, nor braue gest,
Ne new ones could he easily prouide,
Who will not venture life a King to be,
Though all men him vncased gan deride, 930 And rather rule and raigne in soueraign see,
Like as a Puppit placed in a play,
Than dwell in dust inglorious and bact, 981
Whose part once past all men bid take away Where none shall name the number of his place'
So that he driuen was to great distresse, One loyous houre in bhsfull happincs,
Andshortly brought to hopelesse wretchednesse I :hose before a life of wrttchednes
Then closely as he might, he cast to leaue Be therefore counselled herein by me,
The Court, not asking any passe or leaue, And shake off this vile harted cowardrce
But ran away in his rent rags by night, If he awake, yet is not death the next,
Ne euer stayd in place, ne spake to wight, For we may coulor it with some pretext
fill that the Foxe his copesmate he had found, Of this, or that, that may excuse the cryme
To whome complayning his vnhappy stound, Else we may flye , thou to a tree mayst clyme,
At last againe with him in trauell loynd, 941 And I creepe vnder ground, both from hib
And with him far'd some better chaunce to reach
fynde
Therefore be rul'd to doo as I doo teach
991