Frogs and Mice.
For oft the greedy all-devouring Cat,
Which would be thought a safegard to the meat,
Doth under colour of her inward hate,
That aye between us two is wondrous great,
Forrage the cupbords, kitchin, and the house,
Pretending hatred to the harmelesse Mouce:
But cert's let all beware of this device,
"One greedy [1]Cat is worse then many Mice.
Which would be thought a safegard to the meat,
Doth under colour of her inward hate,
That aye between us two is wondrous great,
Forrage the cupbords, kitchin, and the house,
Pretending hatred to the harmelesse Mouce:
But cert's let all beware of this device,
"One greedy [1]Cat is worse then many Mice.
Oft, when a Pigeon, or some dainty bit,
Chiefly for master or the mistris drest;
If any parcell be reserv'd of it,
To close their stomacke at another feast,
No sooner comes the morsell from the hall,
But servants take a part, or eate it all;
And when enquiry for this thing is made,
Still on the guiltlesse Mouce the fault is layd.
Chiefly for master or the mistris drest;
If any parcell be reserv'd of it,
To close their stomacke at another feast,
No sooner comes the morsell from the hall,
But servants take a part, or eate it all;
And when enquiry for this thing is made,
Still on the guiltlesse Mouce the fault is layd.
Surely I grant, it grieves me to the heart,
To beare these slanders and incessant wrong,
Which still they lay unto the Mouces part,
By their false lying and deceitfull tongue,
But in my sprite I scorne the vaine surmises
Which ev'ry cogging mate by craft devises;
Yet smile to see the mistris of the house,
Vpon her servants shoulders beat the Mouce.
To beare these slanders and incessant wrong,
Which still they lay unto the Mouces part,
By their false lying and deceitfull tongue,
But in my sprite I scorne the vaine surmises
Which ev'ry cogging mate by craft devises;
Yet smile to see the mistris of the house,
Vpon her servants shoulders beat the Mouce.
- ↑ Too many of these Cats.
Neth-
