In this ill plight, there came to visite mee
Some friends, who, sorie my sad case to see,
Began to comfort me in chearfull wise,
And meanes of gladsome solace to devise. 20
But seeing kindly sleep refuse to doe
His office, and my feeble eyes forgoe,
They sought my troubled sense how to deceave
With talke that might unquiet fancies reave;
[_Reave_, take away.]
And sitting all in seates about me round, 25
With pleasant tales fit for that idle stound
[_Stound_, time.]
They cast in course to waste the wearie howres.
Some tolde of ladies, and their paramoures;
Some of brave knights, and their renowned squires;
Some of the faeries and their strange attires; 30
And some of giaunts hard to be beleeved;
That the delight thereof me much releeved.
Amongst the rest a good old woman was,
Hight Mother Hubberd, who did farre surpas
The rest in honest mirth, that seem'd her well. 35
She, when her turne was come her tale to tell,
Tolde of a strange adventure that betided
Betwixt the Foxe and th'Ape by him misguided;
The which, for that my sense it greatly pleased,
All were my spirite heavie and diseased, 40
Ile write in termes, as she the same did say,
So well as I her words remember may.
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