Tottel sig. Miv

[sig. Miv]

Richely she fedes, and at the richemans cost: And for her meat she nedes not crane nor cry. (25) By sea, by land, of delicates the most Her cater sekes, and spareth for no perell: She fedes on boyle meat, bake meat, and on rost: And hath therefore no whit of charge nor trauell. And when she list the licour of the grape (30) Doth glad her hart, tyll that her belly swell. And at this iourney makes she but a iape: So forth she goes, trusting of all this wealth, With her sister her part so for to shape: That if she might there kepe her self in health: (35) To liue a Lady while her life doth last. And to the dore nowe is she come by stealth: And with her fote anone she scarpes full fast. Thother for fear, durst not well scarse appeare: Of euery noyse so was the wretch agast. (40) At last, she asked softly who was there. And in her language as well as she could, Pepe (quod the other) sister I am here. Peace (quod the towne mouse) why speakest thou so loude? And by the hand she toke her faire and well. (45) Welcome (quod she) my sister by the rode. She feasted her that ioye it was to tell The fare they hadde, they dranke the wine so clere: And as to purpose now and then it fell:She chered her, with how sister what chere? (50) Amid this ioye be fell a sory chance: That (weleaway) the stranger bought full dere The fare she had. For as she lookt a scance: Under a stole she spied two stemyng eyes In a rounde head, wyth sharpe eares: in Fraunce (55) Was neuer mouse so ferde, for the vnwise Had not ysene such a beast before. Yet had nature taught her after her gise, To know her fo: and dread him euermore. The townemouse fled: she knew whither to go: (60) The other had no shift, but wonders soreFerde of her life, at home she wisht her tho: And to the dore (alas) as she did skippe: The heauen it would, lo: and eke her chance was so: At the threshold her sely fote did trippe: