Dublin Core
Title
The fables of Aesop paraphras'd in verse
Description
A courtly dame of Moustapha's great line when length of time digested had long sorrow will with her sister in the country dine: the rustic mouse dwelt near a little burrough about her round verminious troops inhabit; the weesle, fox, badgers, and brocks, and ferrets which to persecute the rabit. Hither Crevisa coming soon was brought down by Pickgrana to a homely Table supply'd with cates not fetch'd but dear bought; which to behold the court mouse was not able. Cheese that would break a saw and blunt a hatchet. She could not taste, nor mouldy paste though twelve stout rustic mice that night did fetch. Yet had the fruit and store of pulse and grain ants eggs the bees fw eet bag, a star's fall'n jelly snails drest in shells with cuckow foame and rain, frogs legs, a lizard's foot, a newts py'd belly, the cob, and hard roe of a pickled herring. Got for a dog as they did prog and a rush candle purchas'd by pickeering. When dame crevisa thus at length begun: dear sister rise and leave this homely banquet who with westphalia hamms and parmazan are daily feasted (Oberon be thanked) Such meats abhor, come go with me to th'city here is cold air, famine and care, your miserable life in truth I pity. We lords and ladies see, dance, laugh, and sing where is that dish they keep from us is dainty? Proud cats not oftener look upon the king and we with princes share prodigious plenty. Invited thus, they wen through many a crany when it was wide, on side by side, to the court larder undesery'd of any There heaps appear'd of bak'd, rost, stew'd, and sod, the vast earth's plenty and the ocean's riches; able to satisfie a belly-god: The roof was hung with tongues and bacon flitches, beef mountains had rosemary forests growing on their high back, nor was their lack of vinegar in pepper channels flowing. Little they said but suddenly they charge huge venison walls, then towers of paste they batter; breaches are made in trembling custard large, here a potrido the bold sisters shatter; this takes a sturgeon that a pickl'd sammon, then tooth and nail, they both assail red deer immur'd, or feiz'd an armed gammon. While boldy thus the might havock made, they hear keys gingle and the groaning wicketfrom place to place pickgrana as betray'd seeks in strange corners out some hole or thicket. To the alarms crevisa being no stranger needs not think where was the chink that should man protect her from man and all danger. The coast being celar, the court-mouse straight did call the country dame to pillage the whole larder and sister said to second courselets fall but amaz'd still seeting out some harbour trembling and pale, dear lady pray tell use are these fears oft? Crevisa laught and thus replies tis common what befell us. NO danger this; it adds to our delight. NOr are we with a careless servant frightened. Motion and time revives dull appetite and we to banquets are fresh invited. Then said pickgrane, is this the royal palace? Better are farms, without alarms, where we enjoy less plenty but more solace. What relish hath fated appetite when false alarms tumultuous cities fright but in the noysless country free from care swains are more blest though harder be their fare
Creator
John Ogilby
Source
Creighton Rare Books
Publisher
Thomas Roycroft
Date
1668
Contributor
Illustrated by Wenceslaus Hollar
Language
English
Type
Verse
Identifier
45
Coverage
Pages 18-20