❧ The Parliament of Birds.  

THis is the parliament of birds  
For high and low and them amids  
To ordain a mean how it is best  
To keep among them peace and rest  
For much noise is on every side  
Against the hawk so full of pride  
Therefore they shall in bills bring,  
Their complaints to the Eagle their king  
And by the king in parliament  
Shall be set in lawful judgement.   

The Gripe.  
The great Gripe was the first that spoke,  
And said own is own, who can it take.  
For thine and mine, make much debate,  
With great and small in every estate.   

The Cuckoo.  
I sing said the Cuckoo ever one song  
That the weak taketh ever the wrong  
For he that hath with us most might,  
Taketh his will, as reason is right.   

The Falcon.  
Than answered the Falcon to that same,  
That pleaseth a Prince, is just and law,  
And he that can no song but one,  
When he hath song, his wit is gone.   

The Commons.  
Than all the birds that could speak  
Said, the Hawk doth us great wreak,  
Of them so many divers there be,  
That no Fowl nor bird may fro them fly.   

The hawk  
The hawk answered the prating pie  
Where is many words the troth goeth by  
And better it were to cease of language soon  
than speak and repent when thou hast done.   

The sterling.  
Than said the sterling verament  
Who saith so shallbe shent,  
No man may now speak of troth,  
But his head be broke, and that is routh.   

The hawk.  
The Hawk swore by his head of grey,  
All soothes be not for to say,  
It is better some be left by reason  
Than troth to be spoken out of season.   

The Popyniay.  
Than spoke the Popyniay of paradise,  
Who saith little he is wise,  
For little money is soon spend  
And few words are soon amend   

The hawk.  
The hawk bad for dread of pain  
Speak not to much of thy sovereign  
For who that will forge tales new,  
When he weeneth least his tale may he rue,   

The commons.  
Than desired all the Birds great and small  
to mewe the hawk for good and all  
A place alone we would he had  
For his counsel to us was never glad.   

The Hawk.  
The Hawk answered, ye tail, ye fail all wit,  
It is no time to mewe hawks yet.  
Commons, of hawks can but little skill,  
They shall not rule them as they will.   

The nightingale.  
Anon than sang the nightinggale,  
With notes many great and small.  
That bird that can well speak, and sing,  
Shall be cherished with queen and king.   

The Hawk,  
The Hawk answered with great fury,  
The song is nought that is not merry,  
And who so no better sing can,  
Maketh little cheer to any man.   

The Dove  
Than tumbled the Dove for her lot,  
folk may be merry and sing not,  
And who so hath no good voice,  
Must make merry with little noise.   

The Hawk.  
When this reason was forth showed,  
Learn (quoth the Hawk) or ye be lewd,  
For the bird that can not speak nor sing,  
Shall to the kitchen to serve the king.   

The pheasant.  
Than crowed the pheasant in the wood,  
Dumb men he said getteth little good,  
Wood nor water nor other food,  
It fleeteth from him as doth the flood,   

The Hawk said when all is sought,  
Great crowers were never ought,  
For I swear by my folly,  
He is not most wise that is most jolly.   

The more Cock.  
Than crowed again the More Cock,  
The Hawk bringeth much thing out of nock,  
The Osyll whysteleth and birds black,  
He must have a do, that a do doth make,   

The Hawk.  
I must said the Hawk, buy all my bells,  
Say for myself, for none will else,  
He is not greatly to reprove,  
That speaketh with his sovereigns leave.   

The Byttur.  
Than blushed the Byttur in the fen,  
The Coat, the Bobchick, and the water Hen,  
The Hawk that doth us all this dear,  
We would be were soused in the mire.   

The Hawk  
The Hawk said wysshers want will,  
Whether they speak loud or still,  
When all this done was said and left,  
Every man must live by his craft.   

The Malarde.  
Than creked the Malarde and the Goose,  
They may best fly that are lose,  
He is well that is at large,  
That needeth not the Kings great charge.   

The hawk.  
The hawk said, though they fly lose,  
they must obey they may not choose  
Who hath a master or a make,  
He is tied by the stake.   

The Heron.  
Than creeped the Heron and the Crane  
Great trouble make wits lame  
He is well advised that can bear him low,  
And suffer every wind to over blow.   

The hawk.  
The hawk said, who can blow to please,  
Long necks done great ease,  
For the commons that hath no rest  
Meaneth not ever with the best.   

The Patryche, Quayle and Lark.  
The Patryche Quayle and Lark in field  
Said, her may not avail but spear and shield  
the hawk with us maketh great battle.  
In every country, where he may avail.   

The hawk.  
The hawk said who so wilfully will fight  
May make him wrong soon of right  
Law is best I understand,  
To right all in every land.   

The Rodyn and the Wren.  
Than chid the Robin and the Wren,  
And all small birds that bear pen,  
Against the hawk the commons must arise  
And help themself in their best wise.   

The hawk.  
The Hawk made the Wren his answer  
Small power may little deer.  
And who will live in rest louge.  
May not be busy with his tongue.   

The commons.  
Than prayed all the common house.  
That some might the hawk sauce.  
For foul nor bird by water nor land,  
He will leave a live, and he might stand.  
In his nest may none abide  
In country where he doth glide.  
Their feathers he plucketh many a fold,  
And leaveth them naked in full great cold.  
We think therefore by reason good.  
To destroy the Hawk and all his blood.   

The King and his Lords.  
The King and his lords answered anon,  
States may not the hawk foregone.  
Nor by no law his kind destroy.  
Nor dame himself for to die.  
Nor put him to none other distress.  
But keep him in a pair of jesse.  
That he fly not to no bird about,  
Except his keeper let him out.   

The Cornysh daw.  
Than said the Cornyssh daw.  
little money little law.  
For here is nought else with friend nor foe,  
But go bet penny go bet go.   

The Hawk.  
Thou Cornysshe quoth the Hawk by thy will  
Say well, or hold thee still,  
Thou hast hard of many a man,  
A tongue breaketh bone, and itself hath none   

The King.  
Then answered the king, & the birds a row  
Why cometh not to the parliament the Crow  
For good counsel reformeth every miss,  
And it betokeneth where it is.   

The Hawk.  
The Hawk said it is not less,  
Counsel is good in war and peace,  
But the Crow hath no brain,  
For to give counsel but of the rain,   

The Night Wale.  
Than said the night whale with his head gay,  
He shameth us with his parliament array,  
It is a term with john and jacke,  
Broken sleeve, draweth arm a back.   

The Hawk.  
The Hawk said he shall thrive fullate,  
that looketh to keep a great estate,  
And can not with all his wisdom,  
Get himself an hole gown,   

The peacock and the Swan.  
Than said the peacock and the Swan,  
Who no good hath, no good can,  
And little is his wit let by,  
That hath not to bear out company.   

The Hawk.  
The Hawk said he is worse than wood,  
That maketh him fresh with other men's good,  
Or aught will borrow and never pay,  
Or with wrong getteth gallant array.   

The Speck.  
Than in his hole said the Speck,  
I would the hawk broke his neck.  
Or brought unto some mischievous dale,  
For of every bird he telleth a tale.   

The Hawk.  
The Hawk said though thy castle be in the tree  
Build not above thy degree,  
For who so heweth over high,  
The chips will fall in his eye.   

The King.  
Then said the King it is our intent,  
To amend the crows raiment,  
And all the Birds said anon,  
Of each of our feathers be shall have one.   

The Hawk  
The Hawk said he may soon come to honesty▪  
That every man helpeth in his post,  
For as teacheth us the learned clerk  
Many hands maketh light work.   

The Tytyffer.  
I say said the Tytyfer we kentysshe men,  
We may not give the Crow a pen,  
For with them that are sober and good,  
A bird in hand is worth two in the wood,   

The Hawk.  
The Hawk said I take me to my creed,  
Who so will spend with you he may speed,  
little ye give but ye wot why,  
Ye make the blind eat many a sly.   

The Crow.  
Than the Crow was put in his array,  
I am not now as I was yesterday.  
I am able without offence,  
To speak in the Kings presence.   

The Hawk  
The Hawk said to the commons by dene,  
Envy and pride would fain be seen,  
He is worthy none audience to have,  
That can not say but knave knave.   

The Commons.  
Than asked the birds by advisement,  
Who is that taketh to us no tent,  
He presumeth before us all to fly,  
To the Kings high majesty.   

The Hawk.  
The Hawk answered to the white seamew  
It is the sorry black Crow,  
And for him fareth no man the better,  
Let him crow therefore never the greater.   

The Lords.  
Than said the Lords everichone,  
We will ask of the King abone,  
That every bird shall resume,  
Again his feather and his plume.  
And make the crow again a knave.  
For he that nought hath nought shall have,   

The Hawk.  
Than said the Hawk as some sayne,  
Borrowed aware will home again,  
And who will hearken what every man doose  
May go help to  the goose.   

The cormorant.  
For the Crow spoke the cormorant,  
And of his rule made great avaunt,  
Such worship is reason that every man have  
As the Kings highness vouchsafe.   

The Hawk.  
It is so the said the hawk that thou dost say  
When all turneth to sport and play,  
Thou mayst lest speak for the crows pelf  
For all thing loveth that is like itself.   

The hole parliament.  
Than prayed the hole parliament,  
To the King with one assent,  
That every bird her feather might,  
Take from that proud knight.   

The King.  
The king said ye shall leave have,  
A knight should never come of a knave,  
All thing will show fro whence it come.  
Where is his place and his home.   

The Hawk.  
Now truly said the Hawk than,  
It is a great comfort to all men,  
Or the Kings great prosperity,  
When the King ruleth well his communality  
Than was plucked from the Crow anon,  
All his feathers by one and by one,  
And left a●l bi●cke in ●eede of red,  
And called him a page of the first head.   

The Hawk.  
Quod the Hawk the Crow is now as he should be  
A ●●nde knave in his degree,  
And he that weeneth no bird is him like,  
W●en his feathers are pluked he may him go pike   

The Commons.  
T●an made the Commons great noise,  
And asked of the Lords with one voice,  
That they would the hawk exile,  
Out of this land many a mile,  
Never to come again hither,  
But the king sent to him thither,  
Him to trust we have no theson,  
For it is proved in trust is treason,  
And sith ye say he shall not die,  
Pluck of his hokes and let him fly,   

The Lords.  
To that said the Lords we pretend,  
This statute and other to amend,  
So in this that ye accord,  
To put all to our sovereign Lord.   

The Commons.  
The commons said it is great skill,  
All thing to be at the kings will,  
And under the hand of his great might,  
By grace the people to seek their right.   

The Hawk.  
Than said the Hawk now to, now fro,  
Thus goeth the world in well and woe,   

The King.  
Than said the King in his majesty,  
We will dissever this great sembly,  
He commanded his chauncelere,  
The best statutes to read that he might here  
Thus the final judgement,  
He red of the birds parliament,  
Whether they be white or black  
None shall others feathers take,  
Nor the ravin pluck the Peacock's tail,  
To make him fresh for his avail,  
For the Commons feathers want,  
For with some they be right scant.   

The jay.  
Thus sayeth the chosen of the jay,  
That none shall use others array,  
For who so mounteth with Egle an high,  
Shall fail feathers when he would fly.   

Sapiencia.  
Be not greedy gleed to gather,  
For good fadeth and fowls feather,  
And though thy feather be not gay,  
Have none envy at the swans array,   

Concludent.  
For though an astryche may ease nail,  
Wrath will plucked his wing and tail,  
And if thou lie in swallows nest,  
Let not ●●oush in thy feathers rest,  
Be true as turtle in thy kind,  
For lust will part as feathers in wind,  
And he that is a gluttonous gull,  
Death will soon his feathers pull,  
Though 〈◊〉 be as hasty as a wipe,  
And the feathers ●●●ght ripe,  
Look thy feathers and writing be dene,  
What they say and what they mean,  
For here is none other thing,  
But fowls feathers and writing,  
Thus endeth the birds parliament,  
By their kings commandment.    

¶ Imprinted at London for Antony Kytson.