¶Here begynneth a lytell treatyse of the horse / the sheep / and the ghoos.
¶Contreuersyes / plees and dyscordes
¶Bytwene persones were two or thre
¶Sought out the groundes by recordes
¶This was the custome of antyquyte
¶Iuges were sette / that hadde auctoryte
¶The caas conceyued standynge Indyfferent
¶Bytwene partyes to gyue Iugement
¶Partyes assembled of hyghe and lowe degree
¶Weren admytted to shewen in sentence
¶Groūded of theyr quarels yt lawe made hem free
¶Without excepcyon to come in audyence
¶By the presydent / commaunded fyrste scylence
¶Fredome gyue / the partyes not to spare
¶By tytell of ryght theyr greues to declare
¶Vpon this mater shortly to conclude
¶Nought yore agone as I reherse shall
¶I founde to purpose a symplytude
¶Full craftely depaynted vpon a wall
¶Tweyne syttynge in estate Ryall
¶The fyerse lyon famose in all Royames
¶And themperyall egle percyng the sonne beames
¶These were the dredefull Iuges tweyne
¶In theyr estate syttynge I toke kepe
[Page] ¶That herde the partyes by and by complayne
¶The hors the ghoos and the symple shepe.
¶The processe was not to perfounde ne depe
¶Of theyr debate but contryued of a fable
¶Whiche of hem was to man moost prouffytable
¶Eche for his partye proudely gan procede
¶To force hym selfe by recorde of scrypture
¶By phylosophers as clerkes seen and rede
¶The prerogatyues / gyuen hem by nature
¶Whiche of these thre / to euery creature
¶In republyca / auayleth moost a man
¶For his partye thus fyrste the horse began
¶The hors.
¶To procede bryefly and not longe to tarye
¶Fryste for the trought that I doo not erre
¶What beest is founde in all thynge so necessarye
¶As is the horse bothe nyghe and ferre
¶And soo notable to man in peas and warre
¶Hors in cronycles who soo redeth a ryght
¶Haue saued ofte a many a worthy knyght
¶Marcyall prowesse in especyall
¶God hath by hors gyue to warryours
¶Recorde of Alysaundre whos hors Bucyfall
¶Made hym escape fro many sharpe shours
¶The golden chare of olde conquerours
¶Towarde the tryumphe for knyghtly dedes
¶Conceyued hit was with foure whyte stedes
¶Remembre Hector the troyan champyon
¶Whoos horse was called Whylom galathe
¶Vpon whos backe pleyed the lyon
¶Full ofte sythes he made the Grekes flee
¶The stede of Perseus was called Pygase
¶With swyfte wynges / peotes sayen the same
¶Was for his swyftnesse named the horse of fame
¶Eques ab equo is sayd of verry ryght
¶And chyualer is sayd of chyuatrye
¶In duche a rydder is called a knyght
¶Aragon tonge dooth also specyfye
¶Caualoro / whiche in that partye
¶Is named of worshyp and toke begynnynge
¶Of spores of golde and chyefly of rydynge
¶These Emperours these prynces & these kynges
¶Whan they ben armed in bryght plate & mayle
¶Without horse what were theyr mustrynges
¶Theyr brode baners or theyr ryche apparayle
¶Tofore ther enemyes to shewe hem in batayle
¶Without horse / spere / swerde / ne shelde
¶Myght lytell auayle for to holde a felde
¶The hardy prykers vpon horse backe
¶Be sente to forne what grounde is best to take
¶In theyr ordenaunce that ther be no lacke
¶By prouydence how they the felde shall make
¶An horse wyll wepe for his maysters sake
[Page] ¶Chactcer remembreth the swerde / rynge / & glasse
¶Presented were vpon a stede of brasse
¶Bytwene two hylles the prophete Zacharye
¶Sawe stedes foure / the fyrste of hem was rede
¶In chares foure the felde to magnefye
¶And the seconde was blacke it is no drede
¶The thyrde was whyte bodye necke and hede
¶The fourth dyuerse of colours / wonder stronge
¶And to knyghthode all these colours longe
¶The rede horse was token of hardynesse
¶Whiche apperteyneth to euery manly knyght
¶The cole blacke hewe a sygne of sobernesse
¶Poraylle oppressyd to helpe in theyr ryght
¶The whyte mylke stede that was glad of syght
¶Tokeneth yt knyghthode treuly sholde entende
¶Holy chirche maydens and wydowes to defende
¶The many folde colours to speke in generall
¶Be sondry vertues and condycyons
¶As the foure vertues called cardynall
¶Longynge to knyghthode tencrece theyr renons
¶In re publyca / called the champyons
¶Trought to sustene and shewe hemselfe stronge
¶Bounde by ordre to see no man haue wronge
¶Withouten horse Justes ne cournayll
¶May not beholde in warre ne in pees
[Page] ¶Nor in palastee noo playes martyall
¶Yf horse doo fayle may come to none encrees
¶Ne noman sothly dare put hym in prees
¶Withouten horse for shorte conclusyon
¶To atteyne the palme of tryumphall guerdon
¶Lower degrees ther ben of horse also
¶Doo grete prouffyte / to euery comonte
¶The plough ne carte myght nought do
¶Without horse / dayly ye may see
¶Tyllynge were loste ne were we horses perde
¶The besy marchaūte to his auauntage
¶Ner shyppes and horse coude haue no caryage
¶The shyppe by lykenesse is called an hors of tree
¶Full notably who can vnderstande
¶To lede men and carye them ouer the see
¶As done horse whan they come to lande
¶The poore man eke ledeth in a bande
¶His lytell capull / his corne his mele to selle
¶And whan hit is groūden bryngeth it fro ye melle
¶In wynter season to make beall chere
¶The horse is nedefull wood and turf to carye
¶Wyne fruyte & oyle to serue thurgh the yere
¶Is brought to vyneters and to potecarye
¶Dyuerse drugges and many a letuarye
¶Sondry bales and shortly all vytayll
¶Of the caryage horse haue the trauayll
¶Heye ne otes playnly who lyste lerne
¶May fro the feldes net the medes grene
¶To the garner neyther to the berne
¶Without horse be caryed hit is sene
¶And vnto purpose. I saye as I mene
¶Ther is no beest rekene as I began
¶Soo necessarye / as horse is vnto man
¶Auguste is a season mery and glad
¶Whan euery tree with newe fruyte is lade
¶With draught of horse the sheuys ben home lad
¶That moneth passed / the leeuys gyn to fade
¶Whiche made in somer a plesaūt lusty shade
¶What done horse than to speke in wordes pleyn
¶The seconde croppe they carye home of ryweyn
¶By draught of horse fro ryuers and welles
¶Bouges be brought to brewers for good ale
¶Lede stone tymbre caryage of belles
¶We brynge to chirches in trought this is no tale
¶We lede clothe sackes and many a large male
¶And gladly somers be sente to forn
¶With gardeuyandes / how myght hors be forborn
¶Ye prudent Iuges the egle and the lyon
¶What I haue sayd doth wysely aduertyse
¶Weyeth this mater in your dyscrecyon
¶Where ghoos or sheep playnly to deuyse
¶Of theyr nature may in ony wyse
[Page] ¶Iustely deme ye / late hit not be spared
¶Vnto an hors be lykened and compared
¶That I haue tolde is tronght and noo faynynge
¶Noo wyght of reason agayne hit may applye
¶Ghoos ne gander ne grene gosselynge
¶But yf they entre the boundes of enuye
¶Lete her come forth and saye for her partye
¶Ghoos yes truste me wel for the I wyl not spare
¶Lyke as I fele my verdyte to declare
¶Where as thou haste vnto thy pasture
¶But one place / to make in thy repayre
¶Hit is graunted to me by nature
¶To abyde on water / londe & eyer
¶Now amonge floures and grenes that be fayer
¶Now bathe in ryuers swymme in many a ponde
¶For storme or shoure as drye as on the londe
¶To myne entent mo thynges ye may seen
¶As men experte knowen that ben olde
¶Whan wylde ghees hye in thayre vp fleen
¶With theyr wynges dysplayed and vnfolde
¶A pronostyque of snowe and froste colde
¶Kalendes brynge playnly for to saye
¶Agayne wynter how men sholde pourueye
¶The grees of ganders is good in medycyne
¶With sondry gommes tempred for the goute
[Page] ¶Dyuerse aches to swayen and declyne
¶In thextremytee to drawe the malyce oute
¶Fethers of ghees whan they falle or moute
¶To gadre hem vp herdes hem delyte
¶To selle to fletchers the graye with the whyte
¶Men pluche stalkes out of my wynges tweyne
¶Some to portreye some to note or wryte
¶Whan Rethorycyens haue doo theyr besye peyne
¶Fresshe epystles and lettres to endyte
¶Without wrytynge auayleth not a myte
¶For yf pennes and wrytynge were aweye
¶Of remembraunce than were loste the keye
¶Of ghees also the dede is prouyd ofte
¶In many a contree and many a regyon
¶To make pylowes and fetherbeddes softe
¶Of prudence men plucken of the doun
¶Thus to make a playne comparyson
¶As pylowes ben to chambres agreable
¶Soo is harde strawe lytter for the stable
¶The fyme of ghees and grene ghoselynges
¶Gadred in many amonge the herbes sote
¶Agayne brennynge scaldynge and other thynges
¶Tempred with oyle or butter dooth bothe
¶To swage payne perceth to the rote
¶But hors doūge as refuse is caste awaye
¶Is good for furneys tempred with claye
¶A deed horse is but a foule carayne
¶Thayer Infectynge it is soo corruptable
¶But a fatte ghoos whan hit is newe slayne
¶In dysshes of golde a mussell greable
¶Is serued vpon a hynges table
¶Swymmynge a lyue in watres crystallyne
¶Tenderly rosted requyreth to haue wyne
¶Thurgh all the londe of Brutes albyon
¶For fethers arowes as I reherse can
¶Ghoos is the beste to make comparyson
¶Except fethers of pecok and of swan
¶Be bowe and arowes syth the warre began
¶Haue Englysshe men remembred in storye
¶Of theyr enemyes hadde many a vyctorye
¶Horse in the felde may mustre with grete pryde
¶Whan they of trompettys here the blody sowun
¶But whan an arowe hath percyd his syde
¶To groūde he gooth & caste his mayster dowun
¶Entrynge the felde he pleyeth the lyon
¶What foloweth after / his carayne stynketh sore
¶Saue skynne and shone ther leueth nomore
¶Myghty captaynes and knyghtes in the felde
¶Make theyr wardes in theyr ordenaunce
¶Fyrste men of armes with polax spere & shelde
¶Sette in ordre dewe to haue the gouernaunce
¶Whiche at peyters toke the kynge of Fraunce
[Page] ¶Thanke to the ghoos moost be gyuen of ryght
¶Whiche in the felde soo proudely toke her flyght
¶Slouth of my flyght for hasty neclygence
¶Of presumpcyon / the ghoos was lefte behynde
¶Whan the famous & the worthy duke of clarence
¶Rode on Bayarde with his eyen blynde
¶Flyght of my fethers was put out of mynde
¶And for he sette that daye of me no force
¶So lytell or nought what auayled hym his horse
¶Bookes olde remembre well in sentence
¶Whylom whan Rome by his foon was take
¶The Lapytole hepte of with grete defence
¶Noyse of a gander / the captayne dyde wake
¶Whiche remembred / they sette vp for his sake
¶In theyr Temples wyde and olde
¶A large gandre forged all of fyne golde
¶His waker noyse was theyr sauacowne
¶By whiche the captayne ranne vpon the walle
¶Thus by a gandre recouered was the towne
¶Called of the worlde the cyte moost ryalle
¶Cyte of cytees that daye moost pryncypalle
¶Was euer hors in booke that ye can rede
¶Pro re publyca / that dyde suche a dede
¶In the booke named of cheualrye destyne
¶The storye telleth as in sentemente
[Page] ¶There were childern of the ryall lyne
¶Born with chaynes / & whan they were of rente
¶They tourned to swannes by enchaūtemente
¶Toke theyr flyght the trought is full clere
¶And as swannes they swamme in the ryuere
¶This storye is full autentyke and olde
¶In frensshe compyled oft red and seyn
¶Of thylke chaynes was made a cupe of golde
¶Whiche is yet kepte as some folkes seyn
¶And by dyscent hit longeth in certeyn
¶To the hertordes ye shall soo fynde in dede
¶Ceryously who soo lyste the storye to rede
¶And semblably / not longe here to forn
¶I telle this tale as for my partye
¶Ther was a man in lombardy born
¶To a ghoos ytorned by crafte of sorcerye
¶And so abode seuen yere me lyste not to lye
¶His wrytte fyll of / than stode he vp a man
¶And bode in seruyce with the duke of Melan
¶And for he was a man of hyghe degree
¶Born of good blood and notable in substaūce
¶His kynrede gyueth a ghoos for theyr lyueree
¶The sayd meruayle to put in remembraūce
¶Peyse alle thynges Iustely in balaūce
¶And lete the horse leue his boost and roos
¶To make comparyson with gander or ghoos
¶Within Rome the gander was defyēd
¶Set in theyr Temples of grete affeccyon
¶By Senatours of the towne magnefyed
¶As chyef protectour & sauer of the toun
¶Lete horse & sheep laye theyr boost a doun
¶But yf the Ram with his brasen belle
¶Can for the sheep some better storye telle
¶The Ram speketh for the sheep
¶The sheep was symple & lothe to make a fraye
¶Lyke a beest dysposed to mekenesse
¶The sturdy Ram his aduocate was that daye
¶Tofore the Iuges he gan hym dresse
¶With an exordye of latyn he dyde expresse
¶Veste purpurea vt rectores regum
¶Induti sunt arietes ouium
¶Of this notable ryall hye scrypture
¶The blessyd doctour Augustyn as I rede
¶Be a man goostly fayre of fygure
¶Of a meke sheep thus he doth procede
¶Called Maria a mayde in thought & dede
¶Brought forth a lambe of moost vertu
¶The lambe of grace whos name was Ihesu
¶Augustyn called this lambe in estate
¶By manyfolde recorde of scrypture
¶The ryall lambe of colour purpurate
¶Whiche for mankynde lyste passyon tendure
¶Borne of a mayde by grace agayne nature
[Page] ¶Whan he by mene of her humylyte
¶Toke the clothynge of our humanyte
¶Borne by dyscente to be bothe preest & kynge
¶Kyng by successyon fro Dauyd doun by lyne
¶Of purpyll rede was his ryall clothynge
¶This agnus dei born of a pure virgyne
¶Whiche wysshe awaye all venyin serpentyne
¶On caluarye / whan he for man was deed
¶With his pure blood purpurate and reed
¶This paschall lambe without spot all whyte
¶By his passyon in Bosra steyned rede
¶Whiche cam from Edom this lambe of delyte
¶That gaf his bodye to man in forme of brede
¶On sherthursdaye tofore that he was dede
¶Was ther euer founde in scrypture
¶Of horse or ghoos so solempne a fygure
¶This lambe was cryste that lyneally cam
¶By dyscente conueyed de pee de gre
¶From the patryarke called Abraham
¶By Ysaac and Iacob so doun to Yesse
¶Whiche by vertue of his humylyte
¶Lyste to be called the blessyd Ihesu
¶For his mekenesse the lambe of moost vertu
¶And for to reherce worldely cōmodytees
¶In re publyca / make noo comparyson
[Page] ¶There is noo beest / whiche in all degrees
¶Neyther Tygre / Olyphant / ne Grysson
¶Alle thynges rekened thurgh euery regyon
¶Dooth so grete prouffyte / horse / ghoos / ne swan
¶As dooth the sheep vnto the ease of man
¶Lece be thy boost thou horse & thy Iangelynge
¶Laye doun thy trappours forged of plate & mayle
¶Laste of thy fadell of golde so fresshly shynynge
¶What may brydett or bores now auayle
¶This goostly lambe hath done a grete batayle
¶By his mekenesse he offred vp for man
¶Clad in purpyll vaynquysshed hath Sathan
¶The ghoos may cakle the horse pryke & praūce
¶Neyther of hem in processe may atteyne
¶For to be sette or put in remembraūce
¶Agayne the lambe though they dysdeyne
¶For comon prouffyt he passeth bothe tweyne
¶Weye and consydere bytwene poore and rythe
¶To hym in valowe they be no thynge lyche
¶Of Bruces albyon his mulle is chyef rychesse
¶In pryce surmoūtynge euery other thynge
¶Saue grayne & come marchaūtes all expresse
¶Wulle is chyef tresoure in this londe growynge
¶To ryche & poore this beest fynde clothynge
¶All nacyons afferme hit vp to the fulle
¶In all the worlde is no better wulle
¶Of the sheep also cometh pellet and the felle
¶Gadred in this londe for grete marchaūdyse
¶Caryed ouer the see where men may hit selle
¶The wulle skynnes causen men to ryse
¶In to grete rychesse in many sondry wyse
¶The sheep also tourneth to grete prouffyte
¶To helpe of man hereth furres black & whyte
¶There is also made of the sherps skynne
¶Pylches & gloues to dryue awaye the colde
¶Therof also is made good parchemyne
¶To wryte of bookes & quayers manyfolde
¶The Ram of Cholchos bare a flees of golde
¶The flees of Gedeon with dewe delectable
¶Was of Maria a fygure full notable
¶His flesshe his naturall restauracyon
¶As some men seen after grete sekenesse
¶Rosted or soden holsom is moton
¶Boyleth with grewell / phesycyens expresse
¶Full nutrytyfe after grete accesse
¶The sheep also concludynge doubteles
¶Of his nature loueth reste and pees
¶Of the sheep is caste awaye no thynge
¶His horne for nockes to hastes go his bone
¶To londe grete prouffyte doth his tyrtelynge
¶His talowe serued for plasters mo than one
¶For harpe strenges his roppes serue echone
[Page] ¶Of whos hede boyled with wulle and all
¶Ther cometh a gely & an oynement ryall
¶For the ache of bones & also for brosure
¶Hit remedyeth and doth ease blyue
¶Causeth men of starke Ioyntes to recure
¶Deed senewes restoreth agayne to lyue
¶Blacke shepes wulle with oyle olyue
¶These men of armes with charmes preued good
¶At a strayt nede can well straunce blood
¶Vnto the wolfe contrarye of nature
¶As sayen auctours is this humble beste
¶Loueth no debate for whiche eche creature
¶For his partye he wolde lyue in reste
¶Wherfore ye Iuges I holde hit for the beste
¶Rem publycam / ye sholde of ryght preferr [...]
¶Alwaye consyderynge yt peas is better than [...]
¶In this mater bryefly to conclude
¶Peas to preferre as to my deuyse
¶By many olde prouyde symylytude
¶Make no delaye / gyue the thepe the pryce
¶Of one assent syth that ye be wyse
¶Lete all warre and stryue be sette a syde
¶And vpon peas do with the sheep abyde
¶The horse.
¶Nay sayd the horse your request is wronge
¶All thynge consydered me were loth to erre
[Page] ¶The sheep is cause and hath be full longe
¶Of newe stryues and of mortall werre
¶The circumstaunce me lyste not to deferre
¶Thy wulle was cause and grete occasyon
¶Why that the proude duke of Bourgon
¶Cam tofore Calays with flemynges not a fewe
¶Whiche gaf the sackes & sarplers of the toun
¶To Gaūt & Brugges his fredom for to shewe
¶Of thy wulles / he hyght hem possessyon
¶His boustous bastyle fyrste was beten doun
¶Hymselfe vnnethe escaped with the lyfe
¶What / but thy wulles was cause of this stryfe
¶Were rychesse is of wulles and suche good
¶Men drawe thyder that ben recheles
¶As souldyours that braynles be and wood
¶To gete bagage they put hemselfe in prees
¶Thus causest yu warre / & sayst thou louest pees
¶And yf ther were no warre ne batayle
¶Lytell or nought the grete horse sholde auayle
¶The ghoos.
¶No sayd the ghoos nor my fethers whyte
¶Without warre sholde do none auauntage
¶Ner hoked arowes prouffyte but a lyte
¶To mete our enemyes magre theyr vysage
¶And from them to saue vs fro domage
¶Flyght of fethers despyte of sheep echoone
¶Shall vs defende agayne our mortall foone
¶The horse holdynge with the ghoos.
¶Soth qd the horse as in my Inwarde syght
¶Without warre afore as I you tolde
¶We may not saue / ne kepe our ryght
¶Our garysouns ner castlellys olde
¶But here this sheep ruchynge in his folde
¶Sette lytell store of swerde nor arowes kene
¶Whan he in peasmay pasture on the grene
¶Yf hit so stode that no warre were
¶Loste were the crafte of armorers
¶What sholde auayle polar swerde or spere
¶Or these daggers wrought by cu [...]tellers
¶Bowes / crossebowes / arowes of fletchers
¶All these Instrumentes for the warre is wrought
¶Ys warres were stynt they sholde serue of nought
¶Theyr occupacyon sholde haue none encreas
¶Knyghthode sholde not floure in his astate
¶In euery contre yf that ther were peas
¶Noo men of armes sholde be fortunate
¶I preue that peas is grounde of all debate
¶For in fyue spekes lyke as is a whele
¶Tourned all the worlde who consydereth wele
¶Begynne fyrste at peas whiche causeth rychesse
¶And rychesse is thorygynall of pryde
[Page] ¶Pryde causeth for lacke of ryghtwysnesse
¶Warre bytwene reames loke on euery syde
¶Hertes contrarye in peas wyll not abyde
¶Thus fynally who can consydere and see
¶Warre is chyef grounde & cause of pouertes
¶Hit is full harde to knowe ony astate
¶Double vysage loketh out of enery hood
¶Surete is loste Truste is paste the date
¶Thryfte hath take his leue ouer the flood
¶Lawe can do no thynge without good
¶Theeft hath leue to go out at large
¶Of the comons myscule hath take the charge
¶And thou desyre thy selfe to auaunce
¶Poore or ryche whether that thou be
¶Be lowely and gentyll in thy gouernaunce
¶Good rule doubteles may best preferre the
¶Yf thou be gentyll hurte not thy degre
¶And thou be poore doo all that thou can
¶To vse good maners for maner maketh man
¶Atte thy mele be glad in contenaunce
¶In mere and dryke be thou mesurable
¶Beware of surfete and mysgouernaunce
¶They cause men ofte to be vnresonable
¶Suffre no thynge be sayd at thy table
¶That ony man may hurte or dysplease
¶For good mete & drynke axeth Ioye and ease
¶Yf thy goodes to the not suffyse
¶Conforme the euer to that thou haste
¶Gouerne so thy selfe in suche a wyse
¶In thyn expenses make noo waste
¶Grete excesse causeth vnthryft in haste
¶Beware betyme bere this in thyn herte
¶Mysrule maketh ofte many men to smarte
¶Beware of nouellys that be newe brought
¶Though they be plesaūt / locke faste thy lyppe
¶An hasty worde may be to sore bought
¶Close thy mouth leste thy tonge tryppe
¶To thy selfe / loke thou make not a whyppe
¶Hurte not thy selfe / leste thou sore rewe
¶For thyn owne ease / hepe thy tonge in mewe
¶The worlde so wyde the ayer so remuable
¶The sely man so lytell of stature
¶The graue and gounde of clotynge soo mutable
¶The fyre so hote and subtyll of nature
¶The water neuer in one / what creature
¶That made is of these foure thus flyttynge
¶May endure stable & perseuere in abydynge
¶The further I goo / the more behyndt
¶The more behynde / the ner my wayes ende
¶The more I seche / the worse can I fynde
¶The lyghter leue / the lother for to wende
¶The truer I serue / the ferther out of mynde
[Page] ¶Though I go louse I am tyed with a lyne
¶Is it fortune or Infortune thus I fyne
¶Explicit.
- An Hare in his forme is sholdrynge or lenynge
- a Douue sytteth
- a Herte is herbored
- a Knyght is herbored
- a Bucke is lodged
- a Squyer is lodged
- a Roo is bedded
- a Yoman is bedded
- Yf an herte stande he stalleth
- Yf a bucke stande he herkenyth
- Yf a roo stande he fereth
- a Dere broken
- a Ghoos reryd
- a Swanne lyfte
- a Capon sawsyd
- a Henne spoyled
- a Chekyn frusshed
- a Malarde vnbrased
- a Cony vnlaced
- a Heron dysmembred
- a Crane dysplayde
- a Pecok dysfygured
- a Curlewe vnioynted
- a Byttore vntached
- a Fesant eyled
- a Patryche eyled
- a Woodcok thyed
- All smale byrdes thyed
- a Pygge hedet & syded
- a Lambe & hyde shuldred
- a Herte yf he be chasid he wyll desyre to haue a ryuer. As sonne as he taketh the ryuer he suleth / yt he take ouer the ryuer he crosseth / yf he retorne he recrosseth / & yf he take with the streme he fleteth / yf he take agayn the streme he beteth or els beketh / yf he take the londe he fleeth.
¶Explicit.