'Twas sworn, the fact that caus’d the blur,
About the Egg, he did aver;
But, when he heard them both unfold
The tale that had been sworn and told,
' LXXX.
It was a falsehood all, he said:
The noble Jackall shook his head,
And in such sort, it would imply
He doubted his veracity.. .
LXXXI.
The Owl exclaim'd, in louder strain,
• Sir, you may shake your head again!
My word's as good, sir, understand,
As any Jackall's in the land!
LXXXI.
* And I declare, in Truth's fair name,
And to my death will swear the same,
What has been sworn is falsehood quite,
Falsehood rank and black as night!
LXXXIII. Quite chop-fall’n at số great a balk, Off Jackall set and Justice Hawk: They search'd about the Dove's domain, Among the meaner servile train;
LXXXIV. . .
But found each story quite the same,
And e’en went back just as they came.-.
O, noble Jackall! thus to tamper. ,,
With menials, will your Lordship hamper.
LXXXV.
For such as Justice Hawk ’t might do; .
But you, my Lord! I blush for you.—
In spite of titles, rank, and place,
When known, 'twill breed thee sore disgrace!
At length the bus'ness was begun,
And (all preliminaries done)
Judge Bear was seated in his pride: .
Three other Quadrupeds, beside,
LXXXVII.
Of high importance in the state
Of Birds, around his Judgeship saté:
The Viper came and told her tale,
Which in black yenom could not fail;
LXXXVIII.
A tale, which prov'd the guilt innale
That could such monstrous things create;
A tale so gross, so beastly base,
Was never heard in any case;
· LXXXIX.
A tale, all decent feeling mocking,
E’en for a Viper far too shocking: -
Her consort Toad put in his oar,
And said that what the Viper swore,
XC. From what he saw, from what he knew, Was all as any gospel true.Next, the Jack-daws were call’d to swear, And all the facts they knew declare:
XCI.
They did their office mighty well,
And trifles they contriv’d to swell
To matters of importance great,
That foul suspicions might create
. . . XCII.
Not quite so bold in perjury,
As was the Toad and Viper she,
They did not swear such facts were true,
They did not swear such thing's they knew.
XCIII. Confin'd to base surmise, no more, All that they durst, the hirelings swore; Yet all they swore they had perceived Was most completely negatived,
By those who best the truth could know,
Whose testimony gave the blow
Of death, to all the suborn'd Crew,
Daws, Toud, and perjur'd Viper, too.
| xcv. . . .
The bus’ness done, the Bear and others
Consulted, like grave learned Brothers;
And, summing up the whole account,
This was their judgement's full amount:
.
XCVI.
They told the Cock, their r- Sire,
The Viper was a wicked liar;
The Toad, too, who to work had set her,
They all agreed was little better.
XCVII.
As for the Dove, they did protest
No purious Egg had stain'd her nest;
But yet they something did infer;
Some levity of character,
· XCVIII. Some trifling stain, some lighter blot, Some other thing, they knew not what, (Thus with their sweets still mingling bitter,) Of which they could not quite acquit her...
And this, because they did believe What the Jack-daws did not perceive; They must believe their oaths, because They were respectable Jack-daws!
. . C. The EldeST CHICK, quite dash'd to find : His willing tools thus all behind,
Ran to the PARENT Cock with speed, -
And begg'd no farther he'd proceed,
ci. .
Nor deem the r- Dove quite free
From charge of infidelity;
But grant a little kind delay,
To hear what more he had to say.
СІ.
Delay was giv’n, -?twas but a trick
Of this same wild ungen'rous Chick;
Nought more he could alledge or prove
Against his persecuted Dove.
The PARENT Cock, with honor due,
Brought forth the Fair to public view;
She mingled with the noblest train,
On ev'ry hand sleem'd free from stain.
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