Witness on him that any perfect clerk is, That in school is great altercation In this matter, and great disputison, And hath been of an hundred thousand men. But I ne cannot bolt[377] it to the bren,[378] As can the holy doctor Augustin, Or Boece, or the bishop Bradwardin, Whether that Godes worthy forewiting[379] Straineth me needly for to do a thing,-- Needly clepe I simple necessity-- Or elles if free choice be granted me To do that same thing, or do it nought, Though God forewot it ere that it was wrought; Or if his witing[380] straineth never a del, But by necessity conditionel. I will not have to do of such mattere; My tale is of a cock, as ye may hear, That took his counsel of his wife with sorrow To walken in the yard upon that morrow That he had met[381] the dream, that I of told. Womenes counsels be full often cold; Womanes counsel brought us first to woe, And made Adam from Paradise to go, There as he was full merry, and well at ease. But for I not,[382] to whom it might displease, If I counsel of women woulde blame, Pass over, for I said it in my game. Read authors, where they treat of such mattere, And what they say of women ye may hear. These be the cockes wordes, and not mine; I can none harm of no woman divine.[383] Fair in the sand, to bathe her merrily, Lieth Partelote, and all her sisters by, Again the sun; and Chanticleer so free Sang merrier than the mermaid in the sea; For Physiologus saith sikerly,[384] How that they singen well and merrily. And so befell that as he cast his eye Among the wortes on a butterfly, He was ware of this fox that lay full low. Nothing ne list him thenne for to crow, But cried anon "Cock! cock!" and up he start,[385] As man that was affrayed in his heart. For naturally a beast desireth flee From his contrary, if he may it see, Though he ne'er erst[386] had seen it with his eye. This Chanticleer, when he gan him espy, He would have fled, but that the fox anon Said, "Gentle Sir, alas! why will ye gon? Be ye afraid of me that am your friend? Now certes, I were worse than a fiend, If I to you would harm or villainy. I am not come your counsel for to espy, But truely the cause of my coming Was only for to hearken how that ye sing: For truely ye have as merry a steven,[387] As any angel hath that is in heaven; Therewith ye have in music more feeling, Than had Boece, or any that can sing. My lord your father! God his soule bless And eke your mother of her gentillesse, Have in mine house ybeen, to my great ease: And certes, sir, full fain would I you please. But for men speak of singing, I will say, So mote I brooken[388] well my eyen tway, Save you, I hearde never man so sing, As did your father in the morwening. Certes it was of heart all that he sung. And for to make his voice the more strong, He would so pain him, that with both his eyen