THE CAT

The catte is a beaste of uncerten heare and colour; for some catte is white, some rede, some blacke, some skewed and speckled in the fete and in the face and in the eares.… And he is a ful lecherous beste in youth, swyfte, plyaunte, and mery, and lepeth and reseth on all thynge that is to-fore him; and is led by a strawe and playeth therwith. And is a right hevy beast in aege, and ful slepy, and lyeth slily in wait for myce; and is waare where they ben more by smelle than by sight; and hunteth and reseth on them in prevye places; and whan he taketh a mous he playeth therwith, and eateth him after the play. And is as it were wilde, and gothe about amonge cattes. In tyme of love is harde fightyng for wives, and one cratchethe and rentethe the other grevously with bytyng and with clawes. And he maketh a ruthefull noyse and gastfull, whan one proffreth to fyghte with another…and falleth on his owne fete whan he falleth out of hye places.

THE DOG

Nothing is more besy and wittyer than an hound, for he hath more wit than other bestis. And houndes knowe theyr owne names, and love their maisters, and defend the houses of their maisters, and put themselfe wilfullye in peryll of deth for their maisters, and ren to take proies for their maisters and forsake not the deed bodyes of theyr maysters.