"Sick, sick, alas! and little lack of dead, But I be relieved by your beastlyhead. I am a poor sheep, albe my colour dun, For with long travel I am brent in the sun; And if that, my grandsire me said, be true, Sicker, I am very sib to you; So be your goodlihead do not disdain The base kindred of so simple swain. Of mercy and favour then I you pray, With your aid to forestall my near decay." Then out of his pack a glass he took, Wherein while Kiddie unwares did look, He was so enamoured with the newell, That nought he deemed dear for the jewel: Then opened he the door, and in came The false Fox, as he were stark lame: His tail he clapt betwixt his legs twain, Lest he should be descried by his train. Being within, the Kid made him good glee, All for the love of the glass he did see. After his cheer, the pedlar gan chat, And tell many leasings of this and that, And how he could shew many a fine knack; Then shewed his ware and opened his pack, All save a bell, which he left behind In the basket for the Kid to find; Which when the Kid stooped down to catch, He popt him in, and his basket did latch; Ne stayed he once the door to make fast, But ran away with him in all hast. Home when the doubtful dame had her hied, She might see the door stand open wide; All aghast, loudly she gan to call Her Kid; but he nould answer at all: Then on the floor she saw the merchandice Of which her son had set too dear a price. What help! her Kid she knew well was gone: She weeped, and wailed, and made great moan. Such end had the Kid, for he nould warned be Of craft, coloured with simplicity; And such end, perdie, does all them remain, That of such falsers' friendship be fain. PAL. Truly, Piers, thou art beside thy wit, Furthest fro the mark, weening it to hit. Now, I pray thee, let me thy tale borrow For our Sir John,[9] to say to-morrow At the kirk when it is holiday; For well he means, but little can say. But, and if foxes be so crafty as so, Much needeth all shepheards them to know. PIERS. Of their falsehood more could I recount, But now the bright sun ginneth to dismount; And, for the dewy night now doth nigh, I hold it best for us home to hie. PALINODE'S EMBLEME. [Greek: Pas men apistos apistei]. (Every one without faith is suspicious.) PIERS, HIS EMBLEME. [Greek: Tis d' ara pistis apistò? (What faith, then, in the faithless?)] [Illustration: IUNE AEGLOGA SEXTA COLINS EMBLEME] JUNE. ÆGLOGA SEXTA. ARGUMENT.