apt they are to forgive tresuppasteson fained sorrow which indeed should not be done without a more strict severe examination The Foxes leading the Brock by the Monestary and taking the Capon sheweth that where wickedness is rooted and made as it were a habit that there notwithstanding all hypocrysie I will still flash out and a knave will be a knave in despight of all perswasions and good counsel CHAP. 10. How the Fox came to the Court and how hee excused himself AS soon as it was bruited in the Court that Reynard the Fox and Grimbart his kinsman were arrived there every one from the highest to the lowest prepared himself to complain of the Fox at which Reynards heart quaked but his countenance kept the old garb and he went as proudly as ever he was wont with his Nephew through the stréet and came as gallantly into the Court as if he had been the Kings son and as clear from trespasse as the most innocent whatsoever and when he came before the chair of State in which the King sate he said Heaven give your majestie glorie and renown above all the Princes of the earth I assure your Highness there was never King had a truer servant then my self have been to you and yet am and so will die Neverthelesse my dread Lord I know there be many in this Court that seek my confusion if they could win belief in your Majestie but you scorn the slanders of malice and although in these dayes flatterers have the most rooms in Princes Courts yet with you it is not so nor shall they reap any thing but shame for their labour But the King cut him short at these words and said Peace traiterous Reynard I know your dissimulation and can expound your flatterie but both shall now fail you think you I can be caught with the musick of your words no it hath too often deceiv'd me the Peace which I commanded and swore unto that have you broken And as hee would have gone forward Chaunticleere crying out O how have I lost this noble Peace Be still Chanticleere said the King and then he proceeded Thou Devil among good ones with what face canst thou say thou invest me and seest all those wretched creatures readie to disprove thee whose very wounds yet spit bloodie defiance upon thee and for which believe thy dearest life shall answer In nomine Patris c. said the Fox My dread Lord if Bruins crown be bloodie what is that to me If your Majestie imploied him in a message and he would neglect it to steal Honie at the Carpenters house where he received his wounds how shall I amend it If revenge he sought why did he not take it himself he is strong and puissant it was not for to be lookt for at my wickedness As for Tibert the Cat whom I received with all friendship if he against my will or advice will steal into the Priests Barn to cath Mice and there lose his eies nay his life wherein is mine offence or how become I their guardian O my dread Lord you may doe your royall pleasure and how-ever mine innocence plead yet your will may adjudg me to what death contents you I am your vassaile and have no support but your mercy I know your strength and mine owne weaknesse and that my death can yeeld you but small satisfaction yet whatsoever your will is that to me shall be most acceptable And as â—e thus spake Bellio the Ram stept forth and his Ewe-dame Oreway and be sought the King to heare their complaint with them Bruine the Bear and all his mighty linage And Tibert the Cat Isegrim the Wolfe Kyward the Hare and Panther the Bore the Cammel and Bruel the Goose the Kid and the Colt Bauldwin the Asse Bortel the Bul and Hamell the Ox the Weesel Chantecleere the Cock and Pattler with all her children All these with one entire noyse cried out against the Fox and so moved the King with their complaints that the Fox was taken and arrested The Morall In the Foxes appearing at the Court is shewed that when a malefactor is brought before the Justice that then is the fit time for all men that have bin injured to utter their complaints because then onely redresse is to be had In the Lion is exprest the lawfulnesse of Justice and how terrible it is to every offender especially such as have the guilt of Conscience within them The Foxes bold behaviour shews that impudent male factors when they are called in question make audacity their chief guard and by railing against their adversaries do seek to extenuate the loosness of their offences but truth and Justice will not bee hood-winkt CHAP. 11. How the Fox was Arrested and judged to death UPON this Arrest a Parliament was called and every voice went that Reynard should be executed notwithstanding he answered every objection severally though great Art was used both in one and the other to the wonderfull admiration of all that heard him But witnesses examined and every proofe made pregnant the Fox was condemned judgement was given that he should be hanged till his bodie were dead At which sentence the Fox cast down his head for all his Iollity was lost and no flattery nor no words now prevailed This done Grimbart his Nephew and divers others neer him in blood which could not indure to see him die took their leave of the King departed from the Court When the King roted what gallant young Gentlemen departed thence all sad and weeping being neer of the Foxes blood and alliance he said to himselfe It behoveth us to take good and mature counsel though Reynard have some faults yet he hath many friends and more vertues As the King was thus thinking the Cat said to the Beare Sir Bruine and you Sir Isegrim Why are you slow in this Execution the Even is almost come and here be mary bushes and hedges if he escape and quit himselfe of this danger his subtiltie is so great that not all the Art in the World shal ever again intangle him If you mean to execute him then proceed for before the Gallowes can he made it will be darke night At these words Isegrim remembring himselfe said There is a paire of Gallowes neere at hand and with that fetch'd a deep sigh which the Cat noting said Are you afraid sir Isegrim or is this execution against your mind you may remember it was onely his worke that both your brethren were hanged and sure had you Iudgment you would thanke him for the same and not thus stand trifling time But Isegrim half angrie answered Your anger puts out tho eye of your reason yet had we a halter that would fit his neck we would soon dispatch him Reynard that had been silent a great while said I beseech you shorten my pain Sir Tibert hath a Cord strong enough in which himself was hang'd at the Priests house when he bit off the Priests genitors besides
his shame and my utter losse for ever for howsoever he be cured yet to me he can never more be comfortable All this while Reynard stood before the hole and saw what passed and laughed so extreamly that his bodie was ready to break saying to Dame Jullock Fie woman do not torment your selfe so the Priest hath lost but one stone you may yet receive due beneviolence there is many a Chappell in which but one Bell rings Now whil'st the Fox thus scoffed the Priest's wife the poor Priest fell down in a swound so that every man left the Cat to revive the Priest which whil'st they were doing the Fox returned home to Malepardus for he imagined the Cat was past all hope to escape but the poore Cat seeing all her â—ors busie about the Priest hée presently began to gnaw and 〈◊〉 the cord till he had sheared it quite asunder in the 〈…〉 one he leapt out of â—he hole and went roaring tumbling â—â—ke the Bear to the Kings Court But before he got thither it was fair day and the Sunne being risen he entred the Court like the pittifullest beast that ever was beheld For by the Foxes craft his body was beaten and bruised his bones â—â—ivered and broken one of his eyes lost and his skin 〈◊〉 and mangled This when the King beheld and saw Tibert so pittifully mangled he grew infinitely angry and took counsel once more how to revenge the injuries upon the Fox After sam consultation Grimbard the Brock Reynards Sisters son said to the rest of the Kings counsel My good Lords though my Vncle were twice so evil as these complaints make him yet there is remedy enough against his mischeifs therefore it is fit you do him Iustice as to a man of his ranck which is he must be the third time summoned and then it he appear not make him guilty of all that is laid against him Then the King demanded of the Brock whom he thought fittest to summon him or who would be so desparate to hazard his hands his eares nay his life with one so tyrannous and irreligious Truly answered the Brock if it please your Majesty I am that desperate person who dare adventure to carry the message to my most subtill Kinsman if your highness but command me The Morall By the Fox insnaring of the Cat is exprest now when wise men wil◠〈◊〉 their enemies or give credit to reconciled Friends they evermore miscarry in their designs and therefore every wise man should so temper his affections that he grow noâ— fond of any thing in his enemies power how agreeable soever â—â— be either with his nature or his power For the baiâ—s of an enemie are onely gilded pills which are fair to look on but most bitter to taste By the mischief which the Priest received â—s shewed that they which harm watch harm eatch and that the trap which men now and then set for others briâ—gs hurt to them selves CHAP. 8. How Grimbard the Brock was sent to bid the Fox to the Court. THen said the King Go Grimbard for I command youâ— yet take heed of Reynard for he is subtill and malicious The Brock thanked his Majesty and so taking humble leave went to Mallepardus where he found Reynard Ermelin his wife sporting with their young whelps then having saluted his Vncle and his Aunt he said Take héed fair Vncle that your absence from the Court and not more mischief to your cause then the offence doth deserve believe it it is high time you appear to the Court since your delay doth beget but more danger and punishment the complaints against you are infinite and this is your third time of Summons Therefore your wisedom may tell you that if you delay but one day further there is not left to you or yours any hope of mercie for within thrée daies your Castle will be demolished your kindred made slaves and your self exempted for a publick example Therefore my best Vncle I beseech you recollect your wisdom and go with me presently to the Court I doubt not but your discretion shall excuse you for you have past thorow many as eminent perils and made your foes ashamed whilst the Innocence of your cause hath born you spotlesse from the Tribunal Reynard answered Nephew you say true and I will be advised and go with you not to answer offences but in that I know the Court stands in need of my counsel the Kings mercie I doubt not if I may come to speak with his Majesty though mine offences were ten times doubled for I know the Court cannot stand without me and that shall his highness understand truly though I know I have many enemies yet it troubles me not for mine innocence shall awaken their injuries and they shall know that in high matters of State and policie Reynard cannot be missing they may well harp upon things but the pith and ground must come from my relation it is the envie of others hath made me leave the Court for though I know their shallowness cannot disgrace me yet may their multitudes oppress me nevertheless Nephew I will go with you to the Court and answer for my self and not hazard the welfare of my Wife and Children the King is too mightie and though he do me injurie yet will I bear it with patience This spoke he turn'd to his wife and said Dame Ermelin have care of my children specially Revnikin my youngest son for he had much of my love and I hope will follow my steps also Rossell is passing hopeful and I love them intirely therefore regard them and if I escape doubt not but my love shall requite you At this leave taking Ermelin wept and her children howled for their Lord and victualler was gone and Malepardus left unprovided The Morall In the sending of the Brock to fetch the Fox is shewed that when the viâ—ious cannot be overtaken and brought to answer then it is meet to use their own weapons against them and with policy which can no way be better done then by imploying their kindred and such as they most dearly affect to perswade them because Affection is ever a prevailing Orator CHAP. 9. Mow Reynard shrove him to Grimbard the Brock WHEN Reynard and Grimbard had gone a good way on their journey Reynard stayed and said Dear Nephew blame me not if my heart be full of care for my life is in great hazard yet to blot out my sins with repentance and to cast off the burthen give me leave to shrive my self unto you I know you are holy and having received penance for my sin my soul will be quiet Grimbard bad him procéed Then said the Fox Confiâ—ebor tibi pater Nay said the Brock if you will shrive to me do it in English that I may understand you Then said Reynard I have grievously offended against all the Beasts that live and especially mine Vncle Bruine the Bear whom I lately massacred and Tybert the Cat whom I insnared in a
unwilling to accuse did not the health of mine own soul and the fealty to the King command the contrary The King much perplext at this discovery said Is this true Reynard which you protest the Fox answered Alas my dread Lord you sée the case wherein I stand and how small a sand is left in my poor glasse to run Can your Majesty imagine I will now dissemble what can the whole world avail me when my soul perisheth and at that he trembled and look'd so pitifully that the Quéen had great compassion of him and humbly besought the King for the safety of his own Royall person to take some pity of the Fox and to command all his subjects to hold their peace and kéep silent till he had spoke the uttermost of his knowledge all which was presently done and the Fox procéeded in this manner Since it is the pleasure of my sovereign Lord the King and that his royal life lieth in the ballance with my present death I will freely and boldly unfold this capital and foul treason and in the relation not spare any guilty person for any respect whatsoever whether it be blood greatnesse or authoritie Know then my dread sovereign Lord the King that my father by a strange accident digging in the ground found out King Eâ—mericks treasure being a masse infinite and innumerable of which being possest he grew so proud and haughtie that he held in scorn all the Beasts of the Wildernesse which before had been kinsmen and companions at last he caused Tybert the Cat to go into the vaste Forest of Arden to Bruine the Bear and to tender to him his homage and fealtie faying If it would please him to be King he should come into Flaunders where he would shew him means how to set the Crown upon his head Bruin was glad of this Embassage for he was exceeding ambitious and had long thirsted for sovereignty and thereupon came into Flaunders where my Father received him nobly Then presently hée sent for his wife Grimbart my Nephew and for Isegrim the Wolf and for Tybert the Cat then these five coming betwéen Gaunâ— and the village called Elfe they held a selemne Council for the space of a whole night in which by the assistance of the Divel and the strong confidence of my fathers riches it was there concluded that your Majestie should bée forthwith murthered which to effect they took a solemn oath in this manner The Bear my Father Grimbart and the Cat laying their hands on Isegrims Crown swore first to make Bruine their King to place him in the Chair of Estate at Acon and to set the Imperial Diadem on his head and if by any of your Majesties blood and alliance they should bée gain-saied that then my Father with his treasure should hire those which should utterly chase and root them out of the Forrest Now after this determination held and finished it hapned that my Nephew Grimbart being on a time high flown with wine he discovered this damnable plot to dame Slopard his wife commanded her upon her life to kéep secret the same but she forgotfull of her charge disclosed it in confession to my wife as they went a Pilgrimage over an Heath with like conjuration of secresie but she women-like contained it no longer then till she met with me and gave me a ful knowledge of all that passed yet so as by all meanes I must kéep it secret too for she had sworn by the three Kings of Cullen never to disclose it and withall she gave me such assurance by certain tokens that I right well scund all was true which she had spoken insomuch that the very affright thereof made my hair stand upright and my heart became like Lead cold and heavy in my bosome which made me call to mind the story of the Frogs who being free without subjection complained to Jupiter and desired they might have a King to rule and govern over them and he presently sent them a Stork which eat and devoured them up â—â— that by his tyranny they became the most miserable of all creatures then they complained again to Jupiter for redresse but it was then too late for they that could not be content with their fréedom must now of necessity suffer in thraldome Thus I feared it might happen with us and thus I sorrowed for your Majesty although you little respect my grieving I know that ambition of the Bear and his tyranny is so great that should the Government come into his hands as heaven forbid the whole Common-wealth will he destroyed Besides I know your Majestie of so royall and Princely birth so mighty so gracious and so mercifull that it had been a damnable exchange to have seen a ravenous Bear to sit in the throne of a royall Lyon for there is in the Bear and in his generation more prodigall loosnesse and inconstancie then in any Beast whatsoever But to proceed from this sorrow I began to meditate how I might undo my Fathers false and wicked conspiracies who sought to bring a base Traitor and a slave into the throne Emperiall for I well perceived as long as he held the Treasure there was a possibility of deposing your Majesty and this troubled my thought excéedingly so that I laboured how I might find out where my Fathers Treasure was hid and to that end I watcht and attended night and day in the Woods in the Bushes and in the open fields nay in all places wheresoever my father laid his eyes there was I ever watching and attending Now it hapened on a time as I was laid down flat on the ground I saw my father come running out of a hole and as soon as he was come out he gazed round about him to see if any discovered him then seeing the coast clear he stopped the hole with sand and made it so even smooth and plain that no curious rye could discerne a difference betwixt it and the other earth and where the print of his foot remained that with his tail he stroked over and with his mouth so smoothed it that no man might perceive it and indéed that and many other subtilties I learned of him there at that instant when he had thus finished away he went towards the village about his private affaires then went I presently towards the hole and notwithstanding all his subtiltie I quickly found it out then entres I the Cave where I found that innumerable quantity of treasure which cannot bée expressed which sound I took Ermelin my wife to help me and wée ceast not day nor night with infinite great toyle and labour to carry and convey away this treasure to another place much more convenient for us where we laid it safe from the search of any creature Now during the time that my wife and I were thus imployed my father was in consultation with the rest of the traytors about the death of the King in which consultation it was concluded that Isegrim the Wolf
should travaile over all the Kingdome and promise to all Beasts that would take wages and acknowledge Bruine for their soveraigne and defend his title a full yeares pay beforehand And in this journey my Father accompanied him carrying letters Patents signed to that purpose little suspecting that he was rob'd of the wealth which should supplie his treason When this negotiation was finished betwéen Elve and Soame and a world of valiant souldiers raised against the begining of the next spring then they returned to Bruine and his consorts to whom they declared the many perills they had escaped in the Dukedome of Saxony where they were pursued by Huntsmen and Hounds so as they hardly escaped with life after this relation they shewed Eruine the muster-rolls which pleased him exceeding much for there was of Isegrims lineage about twelve hundred sworne to the actions besides the Beares own kindred the Foxes the Cats and the Dassens all which would be in readinesse upon an hours warning All this I found out I praise Heaven by perfect intelligence now things being brought to this perfection my father went to his Cave of treasure but when he found it open spoâ—â—'d and ransackt it is not in me to expresse the infinite agony and sorrow he fell into that grief converting to madnesse and madnesse to desperation suddainly he went to the next trée and hanged himself Thus by my Art onely was the Treason of Bruine defeated for which I now suffer from hence sprang all misfortune as thus These foule traytors Bruine and Isegrim being of the Kings privatest Counsell and sitting in high and great Authority tread upon me poor Reynard and work my disgrace notwithstanding for your Majesties sake I have lost my naturall Father O my dread Lord what is he or who can tender you a better affection thus to lose himself to save you The King and Quéen having great hope to get this inestimable treasure from Reynard tooke him from the Gibbet and intreated him to unfold where this great treasure was But the Fox replied O my Lord shall I make mine enemies my heirs shall these Traytors which take away my life and would devour yours be possest of the good I injoy No that 's a madness I 'le never dye guilty of Then said the Quéen fear not Reynard the King shall save your life and grant you pardon and you shall henceforth swear Faith and true Allegeance to his Majesty The Fox answered Dearest Madam if the King out of his Royall nature will give credit to my truth and forgive my former offences there was never King so rich as I will make him Then the King staying the Quéen said Madam will you believe the Fox know you not that it is his naturall quality to lye steal and deceive The Quéen answered My dear Lord now you may boldly believe him for howsoever in his prosperity he was full of errors yet now you may see he is changed why he spareth not to accuse his own father nay Grimbard his dearest Nephew and kinsman had he dissembled he might have laid his imputations on other Beasts and not on those he loveth most intirely Well Madam said the King you shall at this time rule me and all the offences of the Fox I will clearly pardon yet with this Protestation That if ever again he offend in the smallest crime whatsoever that not onely himself but his whole generation I will utterly root out of my Dominions The Fox looked sadly when the King spake thus but was inwardly most infinitely glad at his heart and said My dread Lord it were a huge shame in me should I speak any untruths in this great presence Then the King taking a straw from the ground pardoned the Fox of all his trespasses which either he or his Father had ever committed If the Fox now began to smile it was no wonder the swéetnesse of life required it yet he fell down before the King and Queén and humbly thanked them for their mercie protesting that for that favour he would make them the richest Princes in the world And at these words the Fox took up a straw and profered it unto the King and said to him My dread Lord I beseech your Majestie to receive this pledg as a surrender unto your Majestie of all the Treasure that the great King Ermerick was master of with which I fréely infeoffe you out of my meer voluntary and frée motion At these words the King received the straw and smiling gave the Fox great thanks for the same But the Fox laughed out-right to think of the abuse From that day forward no mans counsel prevailed with the King as the Foxes which the Fox seeing said to the King My gracious Lord you shall understand that at the West-side of Flanders there standeth a Wood called Husterloe near which runneth a River named Crekenpit this is a Wildernesse so vaste and unpassable that hardly in all the year there cometh either man or woman in the same In it I have hid this Treasure whither I would have your Majestie and the Queen to go for I know none but your selves whom I dare trust in so great a design and when your Highness comes thither you shall finde two Birchin trees growing by the pit into which you shall enter and there you shaâ—l finde the Treasure which consisteth of the Coine rich Iewels and the wealthy Crown which King Ermerick wore With which Crown Bruine the Bear should have been Crowned if his treason had succeeded according to his determination there shall you sée also many rich and costly precious stones of which when you are possest then remember the love of your servant Reynard The King answered Sir Reynard you must your self help to digge for this Treasure for else I shall never finde it I have heard named Paris London Acon and Cullen but Crekenpit I never heard of therefore I fear you dissemble The Fox blushed at those words yet with a bold countenance he said is your Majesty so doubtfull of my faith nay then I will approve my words by publique testimony and with that he called forth Kayward the Hare from amongst the rest of the Beasts and commanded him to come before the King charging him upon his Faith and Allegiance which he bore to the King and Quéen to answer truly to such questions as he should ask him The Hare answered I will speak truth in all things though I were sure to dye for the same Then the Fox said Know you not where Crekenpit standeth Yes said the Hare I have known it any time this dozen yeares it standeth in a wood called Husserloe upon a vast and wide Wildernesse where I have inâ—ured much torment both of hunger and cold Besides it was there where Father Simony the Fryer made false Coine with which he supported himselfe and his fellows Yet that was before I and Ring the Hound became companions Well said the Fox you have spoken sufficiently go to your place again
would pray for your Majesties soul in all my travel above my charitable devotion Also mine Aunt dame Arsewinde hath other two shoo 's which would your Majestie bestow upon me I should be most infinitely bound to you nor should you do to her any wrong because she goes seldom abroad The Quéen replied Reynard I cannot perceive how you can want such shoo 's for your journey is full of labour and difficulty both in respect of the stonie mountains and the gravelly waies and thereforè you shall have though it touch their life never so nearly from each of them a pair of Shoo 's to accomplish and finish your journey The Morall By this honour done to the Fox you may see that when policy and wisdome get the upper hand of their enemies it never resteth till it maketh known to the world the greanesse of their Conquest both to expresse their ambition as also to exâ—enuate their crimes and keep â—heir foes in aw with the goodly shews of new grace and favour By the complaint of the Raven is shewed they jelousie and fear of the weaker sort and how in their troubles they flie to the Heads of faction and stir them with their owne safteies to prevent evils By the Wolf and the Bears commitment is shewed that when men complain in unseasonable times they ever run themselves into most apparent and grievous mischiefs CHAP. 14. How Isegrim and his wife Arsewind had their shoo 's plucks off for Reynard to wear to Rome AFter the Fox had made this petition Isegrim was taken and his shoo 's pulled off in most cruel and violent manner so that all the veins and sinews lay naked nor durst the poor massacred Wolf either complain or resist After he had been thus tormented then dame Arsewinde his wife was used on the same manner on her hinder-féet as her husband was on his fore-feet which the Fox séeing said to her in a scornful manner Dear Aunt how much an I bound to you that takes all this pains for my sake questionlesse you shall be a sharer in my Pilgrimage and taken part in the pardon I shall bring from beyond the Seas by the help of your Shoo 's Then Arsewinde though speech were troublesome to hor said Well Sir Reynard you have your will accomplisht yet heaven I hope will requite the mis-doer This she said but her husband and the Bear lay mute for their wounds were grievous unto them and surely had the Cat been there also he had not escap'd some extreame punishment The next morning very early Reynard causing his shooes to be wel oyled put them on and made them as fit to his féet as they were to the Wolvs and then went to the King and Quéen and said My Lord and Lady your poor subject boweth himself before your Majesties humbly beséeching your Highnessss to deliver me my male and my staffe blest according to the custome due unto Pilgrims This said the King sent for Bellin the Ramme and commanded him to say solemne Masse before the Fox and to deliver him his staffe and his male but the Ram refused saying My Lord I dare not for he hath confessed he is in the Popes curse and the King said what of that have not our Doctors told us that if a man commit all the sinnes in the world yet if he repent himself be shriven do penance and walke as the Priests shall instruct him that all is clearely forgiven him and hath not Reynard done all this then answered Bellin Sir I am loath to meddle herein yet if your Majestie will bear me harmlesse against the Bishop of Prenâ—â—lor my ordinary and against the Arch-deacon of Loos-wind and Rapiamus his Officiall I will effect your commandment At this the King grew angry and said I scorne to be beholding unto you but when the Ram saw the King offended hée shook for fear and ran presently to the Altar and sung Mass and used many ceremonies over the Fox who gave little respect unto them more then the desire he had to enjoy the honour Now when Bellin the Ram had finished his Orizons he presently hung about Reynards neck his male which was made of the Bears skin and put into his right foot a Palmers staffe and thus being furnished of all things he looked sadly upon the King as if he had been loath to depart and fained to wéep though sorrow and he were never farther asunder onely his worst grief was that all in that presence were not in the same case that the Bear and the Wolf were yet he took his leave of them and desired every one to pray for him as he would pray for them and then offering to depart for knowing his own knavery he was very desirous to be gone The King said Sir Reynard I am sorry we must part thus suddenly then said the Fox There is no remedy my Lord nor ought I be slow in so devout an action Then the King took leave and commanded all that were about him but the Bear and the Wolf to attend Reynard some part of his journey O he that had seen how gallant and personable Reynard was and how well his staffe and his male became him as also how fit his shoos were for his féet it could not have chosen but have wirred in him very much laughter yet the Fox carried himself outwardly very demurely however inwardly he smiled at the abuses he had cast amongst them especially to sée his enemies now his attendants and the King whom he had most palpably wronged with false lies to be aiding to all his vain desires did accompany him also as if they dad been his commpanions But the Fox being now onward his way he said to the King I beséech your Majesty trouble your self no further but in respect of your ease and the danger that might happen to your royall person for you have arrested two capitall Traitors who if in your absence they should get at liberty the danger were infinite which might insue thereon And this said he stood upon bis hinder féet and intreated the bests that were in his company and would be partakers of his pardon that they would pray for him which done he departed from the King with an excéeding sad and heavy countenance Then turning to Kayward the Hare and Bellin the Ram he said with a smiling countenance My best friends shall we part thus soon I know your lov 's will not leave me yet with you two I was never offended and your conversations are agréeable to my nature for you are mild loving and courteous religious and full of wise counsell even such as my self was when I was first a Recluse if you have a few gréen leaves or a little grasse you are well content as with all the bread and fish in the world and you are temperate and modest and thus with a world of such like flattering words be inticed thes two that they were content to go along with him The Morall In the
counsail that whosoever will go about to chastise another should ever be sure of his own cleareness All this and a world more then I can well remember was curiously wrought on this Glass for the work-master thereof was the cunningest and profoundest Clark in all Sciences that ever breathed And because the Iewels were too good and precious for me to kéep therfore I sent them to the King Quéens Majesties as a present to witness my faith and service O hée that had séen what sorrow my Children made when I sent the Glass away would have wondred for by reason of the great vertue therein they oft gazed in the same both to behold themselvs and to sée how their cloathing and apparell became them Little did I then imagine that good Kyward was so néere his death for then but himself and Bellin the Ram I knew no messenger worthy to carry so rich a present But I will search the whole world but I will find the murtherer for murther cannot be his It may bée hée is in this presence which knows what is become of Kvward albeit he do conceal it for many deviâ—s walk like Saints Yet the greatest wonder of all is which troubled me most that my Lord the King thould say that my Father nor myself ever did good But the troubles of affaires may well bréed forgetfullness in Kings otherwise your Majesty might call to mind how when the King your Father lived and you were a Prince not above two yeares old My Father came from the School at Mounâ—pelioâ— where he had studied five years the Art of Physick and was expert in all the principles thereof and so Famous in those days that he wore cloathes of Silk and a Golden Girdle Now when he was come to the Court hée found the King in great extremity of sickness which was no little grief unto him for he loved the King most dearly and the King rejoiced at his sight and would not suffer him to be out of his presence All others might walk whither they would onely hée must ever be néer him Then said your Father Reynard I am exceeding sick and I féel my sickness increasing My Father answered my Lord here is a Vrinall make water therein and as soon as I behold your state I will give mine opinion The King did as he was advised for he trusted not any equall with him Then said my Father My best Lord if you will be eased of your grief you must needs eat the Liquor of a Wolf of seven yeares old or else your disease is incurable The Wolf at that time stood by your Father but said nothing whereupon the King said Sir Isegrim you heare how there is nothing which can cure mée but your Liquor The Wolf replied not so my Lord sor I am not yet full five yeares old It is no matter answered my Father let him be opened and when I sée the Liquor I will tell you if it bée medicinable Then was the Wolf carried to the Kitchin and his Liquor taken out which the King did eat was presently cured of his sickness Then the King thanked my Father and commanded all his Subjects on pain of death from thenceforth to call him Master Reynard so he abode still about the King walking by his side and was trusted in all things and the King gave him for an honour a Garland of Roses which he must ever wear upon his head But these remembrances are all lost and gone and his enemies are now onely advanced vertue is put back and Innocence liâ—es in sorrow for when baseness and covetousness are made Commanders they neither know themselvs nor look at the lowness from whence they are risen They have no hearts for pitty nor ears for the par mans cause Gold is the goâ—e they run to and gifts the god which they worship What great mans Gate doth not look upon Covetousness where is not flattery entertained and what Prince takes hate at his own praises But should greatness néed their honest service well might they starve ere they could gain that imployment For like Wolvs they had rather sée their Masters dye then lend them the least part of their Liquor This my Lord was an accident which fell in your youth and you may well forget it Yet without boasting I my self may say I have done to you both honour and service and you haply also forget this which I shall repeat which I vow I do not to upbraid your Majesty for you are ever worthy of more then I can tender and my uttermost is but the rent of a loyall Subject which I am ever bound by the lawes of God and nature to perform So it was that on a time Isegrim the Wolf and I had gotten a Swine under us and by reason of his extreame lowd crying we were compelled to bite him to death At which time your self came out of a Grove unto us and saluted us friendly saying That you and the Qéen your wife which came after you were both excéeding hungry and intreated us to give you part of our getting Isegrim then whispered in such manner that none could understand him but I spake out aloud With all my heart my Lord and were it better then it is it were too mean for your service But Isegrim according to his wont departed grumbling and took half of the Swine giving you and the Qeen but one poor quarter the other he himself unmannerly devoured and left me for my share but pâ—râ—â—alf of the Lungs When your Majesty had eaten your part you were still hungry but the Wolf would deliver none so that you reach'd him a blow with your foot which tore all the skin from about his eares so that he ran awâ—y crying and howling with extremity But you Majestie commanded him to return again spéedily and bring you more meat but he went away grumbling Then I besought your Majestly that I might go with him and I well remember your answer So away we went together his eares dropping blood all the way as he went In the end we took a Câ—if and when your Majesty saw us bring it you laughed and said to me I was a swift Huntsman and could finde my game quickly and therefore I was fit to serve in time of necessitie Then you bade me to divide it and I did it and gave one half thereof to your Majesty the other half to the Quéen As for the Muggets Liver Lungs and all the inwards I sent them to the young Princes your Children As for the head I gave it to Isegrim the Wolf and took unto my self but the féet onely Then said your Majesty ha Reynaâ—d who taught you to make these courteous divisions My Lord answered I that did this Priest which sits here with his bloodly pate for he lost his skin for his too much inequality and for his covetousness hath reap'd nothing but shame and dishonour But it matters not for there be many Wolvs in these days that
would even eat up their best friends and kindred Nay if they had power even your Majesty also for they make no respect either of friend or enemy But woe to that Common-wealth where such have the upper hand and goverment My gracious Lord this and many such like actions as this have I done for your Majesty which were it not for tediousnesse sake I could well repeat But they are all now cast out of your remembrance but time and my loyalty I hope will one day again recall them I have séen the day when no matter was finished in the Court without my advice and censure though now that Iudgment is not so reputed yet it may be the same reputation may spring up again and be believed as firmely as before as long as it swerves not from Iustice which is the onely thing I aim at For if any one can charge me otherwise and prove it by witness here I stand to indure the uttermost the Law can inflict upon me But if malice onely slander me without witness I crave the combate according to the Law and instance of the Court. Then said the King Reynard you say well nor know I any thing more of Kywards death then the bringing of his head unto me by Bellin the Ram therefore of it I here acquit you My dear Lord said the Fox I humbly thank you yet is his death so grievous unto me I cannot let it pass so easie I remember my heart was heavy at his departure and I was ready to sink to the ground which was a certain presage of the losse which happened These words and the sad looks of the Fox so amazed all the beholders that they could not chuse but believe all that he uttered so that every one bemoan'd his loss and pittied his sorrow But the King and Qéen were most touched with the same and then intreated him that he would make diligent search for the finding of them out for his praises had stricken them far in love with the Iewels And because he told them he had sent those Iewels unto them though they never saw them yet they gave him as great thanks as if they had béen in their safe possession and desired him he would be a meanes they might be restored to them again The Morall By the relation which the Fox made of the Jewels and their several virtues and riches is shewed the policy of the wicked which are ever prepared of those baits which they know wil soo nâ—â—â— catch the minds of them they are to intangle as wealth health honour virtue all which be lodged in those Jewels As for the stories conteined in them the Fox doth moralize them himself shewing in them severally the imputations he would have the Lion know to be in his enemies such examples are evermore bitter and work more in the mindes or the hearts â—â—en any violent speech or invection whatsoever By the repeating of his and his Fathers services is sheâ—ed he subtil insiâ—nuation of offenders which to extenuate present crimes call to minde their good deeds Past not so much for the memory of the good example as to beg a new reward though it have bin never so often paid for for noble spirits have ever a tender seeing and are soon toucht with the remembrance of any good turns received for it is an obligation they seldom cancell CHAP. 22. How Reynard made his peace wich the King and how Isegrim the Wolf complained of him again Then the King answered him that so soon as it should be known where they were no help or assistance should be wanting The Fox gave the King humble thanks for now he had gotten all his purposes to the wished end he expected and by his false tale and flatterie had so fastned the King unto him that now he might go freely whither he pleased and none should dare to complain upon him onely Isegrim the Wolf stood all this while infinitely displeased and not able to contein his anger any longer he said O my Lord the King â— is it possible your Majestie should be so much childish or weak of belief as to fix your trust upon the falshood of this ever-deceiving merchant which hath nothing but shadows and Chymera's wherewith to inchant you O be not so easily seduced he is a wretchall covered and besmeared with murther and treason and even to your own face hath made a scoffe of your Majestie For my own part I am glad hee is here in your presence and I intend to ring him such a peal of contray nature that all the lies he can invent shall not bear him away with safety But Reynard answered and said If this were true I confesse it would touch me near in honour and reputation but God forbid that such a slaunder should bee proved against me I confesse I taught her to catch fish and taught her how to enter the water and never touch the mire but her gréedinesse so transported her when she heard me name the fish that shee ran without respect of any path or direction and so comming into the Ice the was there presently frozen by reason of her too long tarrying for she had more fish then would have satisfied twentie reasonable appetites but it is commonly seen that who all would have all forego for covetousnesse seldom bringeth any thing well home yet when I saw her so fastned in the Ice I used all my best indeavours to loosen her and so indéed was heaving and shoving about her but to little purposé for by reason of her weight I was not able to move her Now whilst this was in doing came Isegrim and séeing me so busie about her Churle-like hée most vilely slandered me like a profuse Wittal which takes delight to bée accounted a Cuckold but believe it my gracious Lord all was false and his wife virtuous for any thing within my knowledge whence I am perswaded that surely his eye dazled for indéed he uttered many a grievous curse and threatned much revengement against me so that more to eschew his blasphemy then fury I went my way and he came and with as great ado and as much heave and shove he helpt her out which done they then almost starved with cold ran and skipt up and down the fields to get them heat and that this is all truth which I have spoken I will willingly be deposed for I would not be the father of any falshood before your Majestie to be master of many millions however my fortunes go I respect not truth is my badge and hath ever been the Ensigne of all my Ancestors and if there be any scruple or doubt made of mine assertion I aske but eight daies liberty that I may confer with my learned Counsel and I will so approve all my words by the oath and testimony of good and sufficient witnesse that your Majestie and your honorable Counsel shall accord to the justnesse of my pretestation As for the Wolf what have
good that your selfe alone did eat it up and when my Vnckle asked his part you answered him with scorne Faire young man thou shalt have thy share but he got not any thing albeit he wonne the Bacon with great feare and hazard for the owner came and caught my kinsman in a Sack from whence he hardly escaped with life many of those injuries hath Isegrim don to Reynard which I beseech your Lordships judge if they be sufferable again he complaineth that my kinsman hath wronged him in his wife 't is true and I confesse Reynard hath lien with her yet it was seven yeares before Isegrim did wed her and if my uncle out of courtesie did her a pleasure what was that to him she was soon healed of the sore nor ought he to complaine of any thing not belonging to him wisedome would have concealed it for what credit gets he by the slander of his wife especially when she is unagrieved Now comes Kayward the Hare with his complant which to me seemed but a triâ—â—e for if he will learn to read and read not his lesson aright who will blame the Schoole-master Reynard if he give him due correction for if scholers be not beaten and chastised they will never learn Lastly complaineth Curtise that he with great paine had gotten a Pudding in the winter being a season in which victuals are hard me thinks silence would have become him better for he had stollen it and Malè quefisti malè perdidisti ' its fit it was evil lost 't was evil wonn who can blamâ— Reynard to take stollen goods from a thief It is reason that he which understands the Law and can discerne right being of great and high birth as my kinsman is do right unto the law Nay had he hanged up Curtise when he took him with the manner he had offended none but the King in doing Iustice without leave wherefore for respect to his Majestie he did it not though he reapt little thankes for his labour alas how do those complaints hurt him mine Vncle is a Gentleman and a true-man nor can he indure falshood he doth nothing without the counsell of the Priest and I affirme since my Lord the King proclaimed his peace he never thought to hurt any man for he eateth but once a day he liveth as a Recluse he chastiseth his body and weareth a shirt of hair cloth it is above a yeare since he eat any flesh as I have been truly informed by them which came but yesterday from him he hath forsaken his Castle Malepardus and abandoned all royaltie a poor hermitage retaines him hunting he hath forsworne and his wealth he hath scattered living onely by armes and good mens charities doing infinite peâ—ance for his sins so that he is become pale and leane with praying and fasting for he would faine be with God Thus whilest Grimberd his nephew stood preaching they perceived coming downe the hill vnto them stout Chantecleere the Cock who brought upon a Beer a dead Hen of whome Reynard had bitten off the head and was brought to the King to have knowledge thereof The Morall Vice is never without his advocate and be a man never so lewde yet he shall still finde one or other to plead for him especially where there is either greatnesse or wealth in the offender or any alliance of bloud to those in favour as appeares here by the Brock which pleads for the Fox first because he was of his kin and next he was rich able to pleasure him lastly here is to be obserâ—ed the insinuation of the Advocate excusing the Foxes faults with a new form of penitence cloaking the 〈…〉 done with zeal and hypocrisie then the which no king 〈◊〉 brings a good man to beliefe and forgivenesse CHAP. 3. How Chantecleere the Cock complained of Reynard the Fox Most mercifull and my great Lord the King vouchsafe I beseech you to heare our complaint and redreâ—â—e these injuries which Reynard hath unjustly don to me and my children that here stand weeping for so it is most mighty Sir that in the beginning of Aprill when the weather was faire I being then at the height of my pride and glory because of the great stock and linage I came of and also in that I had eight valient sonnes and seven faire daughters which my wife had hatched all which were strong and fat and walked in a yard well walled and fenced round about wherein they had in severall sheds for their guarde sixe stout Mastife Dogges which had torne the skinnes of many wild Beasts so that my children feared not any evil which might happen unto them But Reynard that false and dissembling traytor envying their happie fortune because of their safety many times assailed the walles and gave such dangerous assaults that the Dogges divers times were let forth unto him and hunted him away yea once they light upon him and bit him and made him pay the price for his theft and his torn skinne witnessed yet neverthelesse he escaped the more was the pitty yet wee were quiet of his trouble a great while after at last he came in the likenesse of a Hermit and brought me a Letter to reade sealed with your Majesties Seale in which I found written that your Highnesse had made peace throughtout all your Realm and that no manner of Beasts or Fowle should do injurie one to another affirming unto me that for his own part he was become a Monke or cloystred Recluse vowing to performe a daily penance for his sinnes shewing unto me his beads his bookes and the haire shirt next to his skinne saying in humble wise unto me Sir Chanticleere never henceforth be affraid of me for I have vowed never more to eat flesh I am now waâ—ed old and would onely remember my soule therefore I take my leave for I have yet my noon and my even-song to say which spake he departed saying his Credo as he went and layed him down under a Hauthorn at this I was exceeding glad that I tooke no heed but went and clocked my children together and walked without the Wall which I shall even rue for false Reynard lying under a bush came creeping betwixt us and the gate and suddainly surprised one of my children which he thrust up in his male and bore away to my great sorrow for having tasted the sweetnesse of our flesh neither hunter nor hound can protect or keep him from us Night and day he waites upon us with that greediness that of fifteen of my children he hath left me but four unslaughtred and yesterday Coppel my daughter which here lieth dead on the Bier was after her mother by a kennel of hounds rescued from him This is my complaint and this I leave to your Highness mercy to take pitty of me and the losse of my fair children The Morall When wicked men cannot compasse their wickedness by strong hand or violeÌ„ce against their enemies then they study deceit and shifts to entangle them
so away went the Hare Then said the Fox My soveraign Lord the King what say you now to my relation am I worthy of your beliefe or no the King said Yes Reynard and I beseech thee excuse my Iealousies it was my ignorance which did thee evill therefore forthwith make preparation that we may go to the pit where this Treasure lyeth The Fox answered Alas my Lord do you imagine that I would sain go with you If it were so that I might go without your dishonour which I cannot do For you shall understand though it be my disgrace that when Isegrim the Wolf in the Devills name would needs grow religious and turn a Monke that then the permision of meat which was for six Monks was too little for him alone Whereupon he complained so pitifully unto me that I commiserating his case being my kinsman gave him consell to run away which he did Whereupon I stand accursed and excommunicated under the Popes sentence and am determined to morrow as soon as the Sun ariseth to take my way towards Rome to be absolved and from Rome I intend to crosse the Seas to the Holy land and will never return again to my native Country till I have done so much good and satisfied for my sins that I may with honour and reputation attend on your Highnesses person The King hearing this said Since you stand accursed in the censures of the Church I may not have you about me and therefore I will at this time take Kayward the Hare and some others with me to Crekenpit and onely command you Reynard as you respect my favour to clear your self of his Holinesses curse My Lord said the Fox it is the onely reason of my going to Rome neither will I rest night nor day till I have gotten a full absolution the course you take is good said the King go on and prosper in your intent and purpose The Morall By the Foxes confession and accusation of his enemies is expressed a three fold subtilty in the Fox First by his voluntary confession of his faults is shewed his sorrow for the same and the little hope he had of life which piercing into the weak nature of the Queen being a woman and subject to pity begot much compassion towards him 2. The accusing of those whom he was known most assuredly to love was a means to draw belief to that he spake 3. The ingaging of the life of the King and making the treason so foul was a way to affright the Queen and others of the tendernesse of heart and to bring his enemies into disgrace and scandal where in the Fox sheweth that he which will slander or wil have any untruth believed must first strengthen his opinion with pity then get belief and lastly exercise his mischief against all which a wise man will shut his eares as the Lyon did If he be not over-tempted by those he loves as the Lyon was by the Queen and his own covetousness in desiring that infinite treasure then which there is nothing draws a man sooner to the belief of untruth and of falshood for what a man desires that his own desire will make him credit and where such credit is given there commonly the wicked escape from punishment as here it fell out with the Fox CHAP. 13 How Reynard the Fox was honoured of all Beasts by the Kings Commandment AS soon as this conference was ended the royall King mounted upon his high Throne made in manner of a scaffold made of fair squared Stone and then commanded a generall silence amongst all his Subjects and that every one should take his place according to his Birth or dignity in Office onely the Fox was placed between the King and the Qéen Then said the King Hear all you Noble men Knights Gentlemen and others of inferiour quality This Reynard one of the chief and supreame Officers of my houshould whose offences had brought him to the least reckning of his life as being in the hands of the Law and Iustice hath this day in requitall of those Injuries done that Noble and worthy service to the State that both my selfe and my Quéen stand bound to render him our best grace and favour Therefore know that for divers things best known unto our selves we have freely given pardon to all his offences and restored back to him whatsoever to us was confiscate therefore henceforth I command all of you upon the pain and hazard of your dearest lives that you fail not from this day forward to do all reverence and honour not onely to Reynard himself but also to his Wife and Children whersoever or wheresoever you shall meet them whether by night or by day not that any one hereafter be so audacious as to trouble mine ears with any more complaints of him for his wickednesse he hath cast behinde him and will no more be guilty of wrong doing which to effect the better to morrow very early he taketh his journey towards Rome where from the Pope he will purchase a free Pardon and Indulgence for all his offences and then on Pilgrimage to the Holy-land This speech when Tisellin the Raven heard he flew to Bruine Isegrim and Tibert and said Wretched creature how are your fortunes changed or how can you indure to hear these ttioings Why Reynard is now a Courtier a Counsellour nay the prime Favorite his offences are forgiven and you are all betraied And sold unto bondage Isegrim answered It is impossible Tisellin nor can such a thing be suffered do not deceive your selves said the Raven for it is true as that now I speak it Then went the Wolf and the Bear to the King but the Cat staid and was so sore affrighted with the newes that to purchase the Foxes friendship again she would not onely have forgiven the exile received but willingly have run into a second hazard But now Isegrim with great majestie and pride tracing over the Fields came before the King and Quéen and with most bitter and cruel words inveighed against the Fox in such a passionate and impudent manner that the King being infinitely moved with displeasure caused the Wolf and the Bear to be presently arrested upon high Treason which suddenly was done with all violence and fury and they were bound hand and foot so fast that they could neither stir nor move from the place where they were couched Now when the Fox had thus inthralled and intangled them he so laboured with the Quéen that he got leave to have so much of the Bears skin as would make him a large Scrip for his Iourney Which granted he wanted nothing but a strong pair of Shoo 's to defend his feet from the stones in his travel Whereupon he said to the Quéen Madam I am your Pilgrim and if it would please your Majestie but to take it into your consideration you shall find that Sir Isegrim hath a pair of excellent long lasting ones which would you vouchsafe to bestow upon me I
spoyling the Bear of his skin and the Wolf of his shoos is shewed both the malice of a revengeful enemy that never thinks his Foe weakened enough till he be utterly ruined as also the indiscretion of an over-angry nature that cannot stay to give his wroÌ„gs aduantage but utters his spleen before he can either get relief or remedy By the ceremonies done to the Fox and the curiosity of the Ram is shewed that in cases of indifferency where authority hath power to coÌ„mand for any man to stand upon nice and puritanicall terms with his superiors doth not onely breed reprehension but punishment By the Foxes Hypocrisie is seen the dissimulation of worldly men and how to effect their mischiefe to the full height they ever put on a most false cloke of Religion By the generall attendance of all the Beasts on the Fox is shewed the flattery and basenesse of many people that never look how good a man is but how great and that favour and countenance is ever enough to command at their services CHAP. 15. How Kayward the Hare was slain by Reynard the Fox and sent by the Ram to the King All this while stood Bellin the Ram at the Gate and grew excéeding angry both against the Fox and the Hare that they made him waite so long and therefore called out aloud for Reynard to come away Which when Reynard heard he went forth and said softly to the Ramme Good Bellin be not offended Kyward is in earnest conference with his dearest Aunt and intreated me to say unto you that if you would be pleased te walke before he would spéedily overtake you for he is light of foot and spéedier then you nor will his Aunt part with him thus suddenly for she and her children are much perplexed at my departure I but quoth Bellin me thought I heard Kyward cry for help How cry for helpe can you imagine he shall receive hurt in my House far be such a thought from you but I will tell you the reason assoone as we were come into my house and that Ermelin my Wife understood of my pilgrimage presently she fell downe in a swoone which when Kyward saw he cried aloud O Bellin come and help my Aunt she dies she dies then said the Ram In sadnesse I mistook the cry and thought the Hare had béen in danger It was your too much care of him said the Fox but before he should have any injury in my house I would leave to respect either Wife or Children But letting this discourse passe you remember Bellin that yesterday the King and his Councell commanded me that before I departed from the Land I should send unto him two Letters which I have made ready and will intreat you my dearest Cousin to bear them to his Majestie The Ram answered I would willingly do you the service if there be nothing but honourable matter contained in your Letters but I am unprovided of any thing to carry them in The Fox said that is provided for you already for you shall have my male which you may conveniently hang about your neck I know they will be thankfully received of his Majestie for they contain matter of great importance Then Bellin promised to carry them So the Fox returned into the house and tooke the male and put therein the head of Kyward and brought it to the Ram and gave him a great charge not to looke therein till it was presented to the King as he did expect the Kings favour and that he might farther indeare himselfe with his Majestie he bade the Ram take upon him the inditing of the Letters which will be so pleasing to the King that questionlesse he will poure upon you many favours The Ram was excéeding glad of his advice and thanked the Fox saying that the favours he did him should not die unrequited â—nd I know it will be much to mine honour when the King shall thinke I am able to indite with so great perfection for I know there be many in these daies as ignorant as my selfe that are risen to high promotion onely by taking upon them the worth of other mens Labours And therefore why may not I run the same course also Yet I pray you Reynard farther advise me is it méets that I take Kyward the Hare along with me O by no meanes said the Fox let him come after you for I know his Aunt will yet not part with him Besides I have other secret things to impart to him which may not yet be revealed This said Bellin tooke leave of the Fox and went toward the Court in which journey he made such speed that he came thither before noon where he found the King in his Palace sitting amongst the Nobility The Morall By the killing of the Hare is shewed that whereas men out of the lightnesse and easinesse of their belief do give credit to the enticements of their Adversaries or new reconciled Friends that evermore some inevitable mischief doth still follow such folly and improvidence Also how easily a malicious man can finde cause of quarrel with such as are too weak for them or as eye-sores stand between them and the end of their purposes or are able to reveal and hinder their projects By the Rams carrying the Hares head to the Lion and taking upon him to indite the Letters which he saw not is discovered that ever such vain-glorious pick-purses of others qualities do ever carry their own shames and disreputations and when they look for most honour or renown they reap nothing but misery scorn and disgrace CHAP. 16. How Bellin the Ramme and his Lineage were given to the Bear and the Wolfe TO this motion of the Libard the King consented so that Firapell forthwith went to the prison where the Bear and the Wolfe were and said My Lords I bring a frée and generall pardon from the King with his love and a recognition of your injuries which to recompence in some large manner out of his Princely bounty he is pleased to bestow upon you both Bellin the Ram and his whole generation with whatsoever they possesse and is now confiscate to his Majestie to hold from henceforth to you and yours till dooms-day with full Commission to slay kill and devour them wheresoever you finde them be it in Woods Fields or Mountains And also the King granted unto you full power to hunt kill or wound Reynard the Fox wheresoever you finde him or any of his lineage or generation and of this great privilege you shall receive Lettere Patents at your pleasure with onely a reservation of your fealty and homage to be due to his Majestie which I advise you to accept for it will redound much to your honours Thus was the peace made between the King and these Nobles by the Lybard and Bellin the Ram was forthwith slain by them and all these Privileges doth the Woolf hold to this hour nor could ever any reconcilement be made between them and the Rams kindred When
this peace was thus finished the King for joy thereof proclaimed a Feast to be held for twelve daies after which was done with all solemnitie To this feast came all manner of wilde Beasts for it was universally known through the whole Lâ—fâ— gâ—oâ—â— nor 〈◊〉 there wanting any delight or pleasure that 〈…〉 as musick dancing masking and all Princely 〈…〉 As for several meats they were in that abundance that the Court seemed a store-house which could not be emptied Aâ—â—o to this seest resorted abundance of â—â—atherâ—â— fowl and all other Creatures that held peace with his Majestie and no one missing but the Fox onely Now after this feast has thus continued in all pomp the space of eight daies about high-noon came Laprell the Cony before the King and Queen as they sate at dinner and with a heavie and lamentable voice said My gracious and great Lord have pitie upon my misery and attend my complaint which is of great violence force and murther which Reynard the Fox would â—rssâ—rdâ—y have committed against me as I passed by the Castle of Malepardus where standing without his gates attired like a Pâ—grime I supposing to passe peaceably by him toward my â—est hee crost my way saying his Beaâ—s so devoutly that I saluted him but he returning â—â— answer stretcht forth his right foot and gave me such a blow on the neck betwéen the head and shoulders that I imagined my head had been stricken from my body but yet so much memory was left me that I leapt from his clairs though most grievously hurt and wounded At this he grieved extreamly because I escaped onely of one of my eares he utterly deprived me which I beséech your Majesty in your royall nature to pitty and that this bloody murtherer may not live thus to afflict your poor Subjects Now whil'st the Conie was thus speaking to the King there came flying into the Cout Corbant the Rook who coming before the King said Great King I beséech you vouchsafe to hear me and pitty the complaint I shall utter so it is that I went this morning with Sharpbeake my wife to recreate our selves on the Heath and there we found Reynard the Fox laid on the ground like a dead carkasse his eyes staring his tongue lolling out of his mouth like a dead Hound so that wée wandering at his strange plight began to féel and touch his body but found no life therein at all then went my wife poor carefull soul and laid her head to his mouth to see if hée drew any breath which she had no sooner done but the foule murtherer awaiting his time snatched her head into his mouth and bit it quite off At that I screaked out and cried Woe is mée what misforiunes are these But presently the murtherer starts up reached at me with such a bloody intent that with much trembling and anguish I was fain to flye up into a trée where I saw him devour up my wife in such terrible manner that the very thought is death to me in the repeating The massacre finished the murtherer departed and I went to the place and gathered the feathers of my lost wife which here I humbly present before your Majesty beséeching you to do me justice and in such manner to revenge mine injury that the world may speak fame of your great excellence for thus to suffer your Laws Protections and safe Conducts to be violated a â—â— broken will be such disreputation and scandall to your Crown and Dignity that your very neighbours and Colleagues will note and point at your remissnesse besides the sufferance of the evill will make you guilty of the trespasses which arise from such sufferance But to your great considerations I leave it since I know your Majesties own goodnesse will make you carefull of your honour and royalty The Morall By the giving of Bellin unto his enemies is shewed that when simple men give themselves to pride and vain glory they are over taken by their enemies made slaves to shame and destruction By the complaint of the Conie is shewed that when the weak will believe the fair shews of the strong and cruell and so commit their safeties to their enemies mercies they seldom escape with life or if they do by some hidden providence yet it is not without ever some maime either to their bodies or reputations The coÌ„plaint of the Rook shews that when the evill man sleepeth or seemeth to have least power or in â—ent of wickednesse that then his thoughts are most busied and laborious to destroy the innocent and the mischief is more violent then when he lyeth most apparent and publisheth himself an open enemie wherefore the simple and innocent ought at such times to be most fearefull and to keep farthest out of his danger CHAP. 17. How the King was angry at these complaints took counsel for revenge and how Reynard was forewarned by Grimbard the Brock THe royal King was much moved with anger when he heard these complaints both of the Coney and the Rook so that his eies darting out fire amongst the beams of Majestie his countenance was dreadful and cruel to look on and the whole Court trembled to behold him In the end he said By my Crown and the truth I evermore reverence and owe unto the Quéen my Wife I will so revenge these outrages committed against my Crown and Dignity that goodnesse shall adore me and the wicked shall die with the remembrance his falshood and flatterie shall no more get belief in me Is this his journey to Rome and to the Holy Land are these the fruits of his Male his Staffe and other ornaments be coming a devout Pilgrim Well he shal find the reward of his Treasons but it was not my belief but the perswasion of my Quéen nor am I the first that hath been deceived by that soft gender since many great spirits have fallen through their inticements And this said he commanded all that were about him both Noble worthy and every discréet spirit to assist him with their counsel and to lay him down such sure ground for his revenge that his honour and royaltie might be anew revived and every offender made to know and féel the heavie price for their most unjust actions To this spéech Isegrim the Wolf replied Sir Firapel for my own part I think not any of this assemblie will dissent from your counsel so it may stand with the pleasure of my Lord the King yet this I dare maintein that howsoever Reynard shall clear himself of these and a thousand such like trespasses which shall be brought against him Yet I have that lodgeth in my bosome which shall approve he hath forfeited his life but at this time his absence shall make me silent onely touching the treasure of which he hath informed his Majestie to lie at Crekenpit in Husterloe there never came a falser information from the mouth of any creature for it was a lie made out of malice to wrong me
and the Bear and get himself libertie to rob and spoil all that passe by his house as now he doth but not withstanding I held it meet that all things be done as shall seem god to his majestie or you Sir Firapel Yet this believe that if he had meant to have appeared he had béen here long since for he had summons given him by the Kings Messenger To this the King answered I will have no other course of summoning him but command all that owe me allegiance or respect mine honour that forthwith they make themselves ready for the war and at the end of six daies appear before me with their Bowes Gunns Bumbards Pikes and Halberds some on horse-back some on foot for I will besiege Malepardus instantly and destroy Reynard and his generation from the earth for ever this if any dislike let him turn his back that I may know him for mine enemie And they all cried with one voice we are ready to attend your Majestie When Grimbard the Brock heard this determination he grew excéeding sorry though his sorrow was desperate and stealing from the rest of the company hee ran with all speed possible to Mallepardus neither sparing bush nor brier pale nor rail and as he went he said to himself Alas my dear Vncle Reynard into what hazards art thou drawn haâ—ing but one step betwixt thée and thy death or at the best thine everlasting banishment Well may I grieve for thée since thou art the top and honour of my house art wise and politick and a friend to thy friends when they stand in need of thy counsel for with thy swéet language thou canst inchant all creatures but all is now bootlesse With such manner of lamentations as these came Grimbard uâ—to Mallepardus and found his Vncle Reynard standing at the Castle gates who had newly gotten two young Pigeons as they came créeping out of their nest to try how they could learn to flie But now beholding his Nephew Grimbard he staid and said Welcome my best beloved Nephew the onely hee I esteem above all my kindred Surely you have run exceeding fast for you sweat wonderfully What newes man how runs the squares at the Court O said Grimbard exceeding ill with you for you have forfeited both your life honour and estate The King is up in armes against you with horse-men and foot-men and souldiers innumerable besides Isegrim and Bruine are now in more favour with his Majestie then I am with you therefore it is high time you have great care of your self for their envie hath toucht you to the quick they have informed against you that you are a thief and a murtherer and to second their informations Laprel the Coney and Corbant the Rook have made hainous complaints against you so that but your shamefull death I sée no escape or freedome Tush said the Fox my dear Nephew if this be the worst let no sorrow affright you but let us be chéerfull and pleasant together for though the King and all the Court would swear my death yet will I be exalted above them all well may they prate and jangle and tire themselves with their counsells but without the help of my wit and policie neither can the Cour or Common-wealth have any long continuance Come then my best Nephew let us enter into my Castle and feast I have a pair of fat Pigeons for you which are meat of pure and light digestion I love not any thing better they are young and tender and may be almost swallower whole for their bones are little other then blood yet come I say my wife Ermeline will receive you kindly but by all meanes report not to her of any dangers for she is of soft and melting temper and it might strike her into suddain sickness for women are apt to entertain grief When wée have feasted I will then to morrow early in the morning go with you to the Court and if I can but attain speech with the King I shall gall some deep enough onely this I desire dear Nephew at your hands that you will stand to me as one friend and kinsman ought to do one by another Doubt me not said Grimbard for both my life and goods shal be at your service I thank you Nephew said the Fox and you shall not find me ingratefull Sir said the Brock be bold of this that you shall come and make your answer before the Lords fréely for none shall dare to arrest or hold you for that favour the Quéen and the Libard have purchast from the King I am glad of that said the Fox nor eate I then a hair for their worst malice And this said they went into Malepardus and found Ermelin sitting amongst her younglings who presently arose and received the Brock with all reverence and he on the other part saluted her and her chidren with all courtesie Presently the two Piegons were made ready and they supped together each taking their part though none had so much as they desired then said the Fox Nephew how like you my children Rossel and Reynardine I hope they will do honour to our family they are towardly I assure you for the one lately caught Chicken and the other hath killed a Pullet they are also good Duckers and can both deceiv the Lapwing and the Mallard I tell you true I dare already adventure them farre onely I mean first to instruct them how to escape the Grins and to prevent both the Huntsman and his Hounds they are of the right heir Nephew and like me both in countenance and quality they play grinning intangle soothing and kill smiling this is the true nature of the Fox and in this they are perfect which is great pride unto me The Morall The anger of the Lion at the Foxes trespasses shews the disposition of a good Prince which is ever moved and offended when his good subjects are injured And the perswasion of the Queen and the Libard shews the true temperance which every Prince should use when he administreth Justice The moderate yet biting words of the Wolf shews the cunning malice of a subtil foe who before such as are of his contrary faction will conceal the violence of his malice that so he may gain a more quiet attention and then mixing his calme words with bitteâ— bitter promises and doubt full injuries doth the uttermost he can to poison the reâ—naâ—tion of him be hateth The Brocks â—oing to the Fox sheweth the office of a true friend which bo hâ—gâ—veth warning and advice to them they love when theâ— see them run into evil courses The Foxes carelesnesse shews the true nature of a desperate man that when he hath plunged himself into the depth of evil hath nothing but an audacious countenance and an impudent shew to make him seem innocent yet evermore his heart is nipâ— with the stinging of his coscience as oâ—â— as he is alone which is the torment of every offender CHAP. 18 How the Fox repenting
Raven adjudged that the Serpent should eat the man hoping that he and his son should get a share also But the man said How shall he that is a robber and lives by blood judge this cause it must not be one but divers and such as know both Law and equity that must judge this contention the Raven is neither just nor indifferent Then they travelled till they met the Bear and the Wolfe unto whom also they told the matter and they adjudged against the man likewise Then the Serpent began to cast his venom at the man but the man leaped away and said You do me wrong thus to attempt to kill me and the Serpent said Hath not Iudgment gone twice on my side Yes said the Man by such as are murtherers themselves and such as never kept promise but I appeale to the Court let mee be tryed by your King and what judgment he giveth I will willingly abide To this all consented So they came to the Court before your Majesty and the Wolfes two children came with their Father the one was call Empty-Belly the other Navel-full because they sought to devour the Man So the full processe of the matter was declared to your Majestie But the Mans kindnesse and covenant the Serpents danger and Faith-breach occasioned through the extremitie of hunger Remember how much your Highnes was perplexed with their difference and all your Counsell also For the Mans sorrow the Serpents hunger the Mans goodnes and the Serpents ingratitude equally raiseth much pitty in your bosome But in the end such doubts rose that not any in your Court was able to judge it At the last when no helpe could be found then you commanded my kinsman Reynard to decide the businesse the a was he Oracle of the Court nor was any thing received but what he propounded But he told your Maiesty it was impossïble to give true Iudgment according to their relations but if he might sée the Serpent in what manner he was fettered and the greatnesse of his danger then he knew wel how to give Iudgment therein Then you commended him and called him by the the title of Lord Reynard aproving that to be done which he had spoken Then said the Queen to Rukenaw Thus much I told into his Majestie yesterday but his anger was so great hee would not give ear to me Also the Libero said Sir you must iudge according to witness for to be governed by will is tyrannous and ignoble Then aâ—swered the King It is true you inform me but the disgrace done to my particular self in Kywards death and others informations robb'd me of patience that I had no leisure to look back either to Law or reason Therefore now let the Fox speak bold'y and if he can â—ustly acquit himself of the crime laid against him I shall gladly restore him his liberty and the rather for you his dear friends sake whom I have ever found faithful and loyal O how infinitely glad was the Fox when hée heard thâ—se words and said in himself Thanks my noble Aunt a thousand times thou hast put me new blossoms on my dry'd Roses and set me in a fair path to libertie I have one good fâ—â—t to dance on and I doubt not but to use my Art of diâ—â—imâ—lation so bravely that this day shall be remembred for my renown and victory The Morall By the shee Apes answering for the Fox is shewed how apt weak women are to be flattered into any beliefs in which they may either expresse their pitty or gain glory Also it shews the verifying of the old proverb That a Friend in Court is ever wâ—rth a pound in a mans puâ—se By the violence of her defence is shewed the true nature of a woman that evermore turns into extreames and so shee may doe the good or evill she in tends will not keep any thing concealed with may any way work for her purpose nor yet any thing unurged which may disgrace those that are â—f the contrary faction as may appear by the taâ—e of the Man and the Serpent in which she sheweth the wisedom of the Fox and the folly and disability of the Bear the Wolf and the rest of the Foxes enemies CHAP. 21. How Reynard excused himself of Kaywards death and all other imputations got the Kings favour and made relation of certain Jewels This combe is polished like unto fine silver and the téeth of it be smal and streight and between the great teeth and the small in a large field or space there is graven many an Image subtilly made and eunningly enamelled about with fine gold the field is checked with Sables and Silver and enamelled with Eybor and Azure and therein is contained the story how Venus Juno and Pallas strove for the golden Ball in the mountain Ida and how it was put to Paris to give it to the fairest of them Paris at that time was a Shpherd and kept his Flocks with Oenon on that hill and as soon as he had receiv'd the Ball Juno promis'd if he would bestow it on her she would make him the richest man in the world Pallas said That she might have it to make him the wisest man in the world and the most fortunate against his enemies But when Venus said What needst thou wealth wisdom or valour Art thou not Priamus son and Hectors brother which have all Afia under their power Art thou not one of the heirs of mighty Troy come give me the Ball and I will give thee the goodliest treasure of the world and that shall be the fairest Lady breathing she whose like no Sun shall ever again behold so shalt thou be richer then riches and climbe above all in glory that 's the wealth none can praise too much since beauty is that heavenly Elixar which turns all things in man to joy and contentment When Paris heard this he desired to know the Ladie and Venus said It is Hellen of Greece the wife of King Menelaus she that is the Iem of the world the treasure of beauty and the glory of all eies which did be hold her then presently Paris gave her the Ball and confirm'd her fairer then the other Goddesses Then another place was figured how he won Hellen brougt her to Troy the solemnitie at the marriage the honour at the triumphs and all things else contein'd in that large story Of this wood the Glasse-case was made being larger then the Glasse by half a foot and more square upon which verge was decyphred divers many strange Histories in Gold in Silver in Sables Yellow Azure and Cynope and these colours were very curiously wrought and interlaid together and under each History the words so engraven and enamelled that any man might read the whole Story believe it the world never produced a thing of a greater worth lustre or pleasure In the upper part thereof stood a Horse in his naturall glory fat fair and fiery which braved a stately Hart which ran before him but
I to do with him It is well known already that he is a debausht and almost notorious villain false both to heaven and to your Majestie and now his own words witnesse him a base slanderer of women therefore I refer my self to the trial of his wife if she accuse me let the world hold me guilty provided she may be made frée from her husband whose tyranny will compell her to say any thing though never so unjustly Then said dame Arsewinde to the King I beseech your Majestie mark how this dissembler can blow with all windes and paint his mischiefs with false colours a world of times hath he brough me into these hazards Once he betrai'd me to my Aunt the shee-Ape where ere I escaped I was fain to leave one of mine ears behind me if the Fox dare tell the truth of the story for I know his memorie to be much better besides he is apt to catch advantage from the weaknesse of language I desire no better evidence against him Then said the Fox willingly I will do it and without flattery or falshood and therefore I beséech your Majestie lend me your Royal patience Vpon a certain time the Wolf here came to me into the Wood and complained unto me that he was exceeding hungry yet never saw him fuller in my life but he would ever dissemble at which presently I took pity of him and said I was also as hungry as he so away he went and travelled half a day together without finding any thing then began he to whine and crie and said he was able to go no further Then hard by the foot of a Hathorn trée we espied a hole all covered over with Brambles and heard a great rushing therein but could not imagin the cause why then I desired the Wolf to go in and look if any thing were there to profit us for some thing I knew there was then said he Cousin I would not créep into the hole for a hundred pounds till I know certainly what was therein for there may be danger but if you please to attempt it who I know hath both Art and wit to save your self I will stay here under this Trée till you return but I beséech you make haste and let me know what is there in as soon as you perceive it Behold my dread Lord the King thus he hath made me poor silly beast to go before into the hazard and he who is great strong and mighty did abide without in peace wherein I exprest no little friendship for I would not endure the like danger for a Kingdom but to procéed I entered into the hole and found the way dark long and tedious in the end I espied a great light which came in on the further side of the hole by which I saw there lying a great shée-Ape with eies glimmering and sparkling with fire her mouth set round with long sharp téeth and on her hands and nails sharp as an Elsin or Bodkin I imagined her at first a Marmazin or Baboon or else a Mercat for a more dreadful beast I never beheld in all my life time and by her side lay divers of her children which like her selfe were cruel and sterne of countenance when they saw me come towards them they gaped wide with their mouths upon me so that I grew amazed and wish'd my self far from the harbor But resolving with my self that now I was in I must quit my self as well as I could I looked more constantly upon her and me thought she appeared bigger then Isegrim the Wolf and the least of her brats much larger then my self for a fouler company I never saw they were all laid in foul litter rotten and durtie with their own pisse they were all daubed and clogged with their own dung which stunk so filthie that I was almost poisoned with the smell For my own part I durst not but speak them fair and therefore I said Aunt God give you many good daies and blesse you and my Cousins your prettie children questionlesse they are the sairest of their ages that ever I beheld and so surpasse in beautie and perfection that they may well be accounted of most princely issue I ruly Aunt we are infinitely beholden to you that doth adde this increase and glorie to your familie For mine own part dear Aunt when I heard you were laid down and delivered I could not stay but needs must come and visit you Then replied she Cousin Reynard you are exceeding welcome you have found me like a slut but I thank you for your kinde visitation you are a worthie Gentleman and thorow the Kings Dominions for your wit and judgement held of singular reputation you do much honour to our kindred and are famous for the means you work to their preterment I must intreat you to take the charge of my children and instruct them in the rules of knowledge and science that they â—ay know hereafter how to live in the world I have thought of you ever since they were born and resolved upon this Cousin because I knew your perfection and that you accompanied your self with none but the good and the virtuous O how glad was I when I heard those words to proceed from her which kindnesse was onely because at first I called her Aunt who indeed was no foul kin unto me for my true Aunt indeed is onely dame Rukâ—naw which standeth yonder who indeed is mother of excellent children Yet notwithstanding I answered this foul monster Aunt my life and goods are both at your service and what I can do for you night or day shall ever be at your commandement and your childrens Yet I most heartily wisht my self farre from them at that instant for I was almost poisoned with their stink And I pitied Isegrim who was sore griped with hunger all this while and offering to take my leave and fainâ—ing that my wife will think it long till my returne She said Dear Cousin you shall not depart till you have eaten something I shall take it unkindly if you offer it then rose wee up and carried mee into an inner Room where was great store of all kinde of Venison both the Red Deer Fâ—llow Deer and Roe and great store of Partridge Pheasant and other Fowls that I amazed much from whence such store of meat should come Now when I had eaten sufficiently she gave me a side and half a haunch of a Hinde to carrie home to my Wife which I was ashamed to take but that she compelled me and so taking my leave and being intreated often to visit her I did depart thence much joied that I had sped so well Now being come out of the Causey I spied whereas Isegrim lay groaning pitifully and I asked him how he fared He said wondrous ill and so extreamly ill that dear Nephew without some meat I die presently then did I take compassion on him and gave him my wifes Token which preserved his life and for which then he gave
me a world of thanks though now he hate me extreamly But as soon as he had devoured up my Venison he said Reynard my dear Cousin what found you in the hole believe it I am now more hungrie then I was before and this small morsel hath but sharpned my téeth to eat more Then said I to him Vncle get yon into that hole and you shall find store of victuals for there lieth my Aunt with her children if you can flatter and speak her fair you néed fear no hard measure all things will be as you would wish it I think my gracious Lord this was warning sufficient and that which might have armed any wise spirit but rude and barbarous beasts will never understand wisedom And therefore they loath the policies they know not But yet he promised to follow my counsel so forth he went into that foul stinking hole and found the Ape in that filthie sort as before I described which when he saw being affrighted he cried out Wo and alas I think I am come into hell did ever creature sée such fearful goblins drown them for shame drown them they are so ugly they are able to scare the Divel why they make my hair stand an end with their horrid deformitie Then said she Sir Iâ—egrim their creation is not my fault set it suffice they are my children and I am their Mother Nor ought their beautie or hard favour to displease you here was a kinsman of theirs to day and is but newly departed who is well known to exceed you both in birth virtue and wisdome and he accounted them fair and lovely for your opinion I care not therefore you may depart at your pleasure Then he repli'd Dame I would have you know that I would eat of your meat it is much better bestowed one mee then on those uglie Vrchins But she told him she had no meat Yes said he here is meat enough and with that offering to reach at the meat my Aunt start up with her children and ran at him with their sharpe nailes and so clawed him that the blood ran about his eares and I heard him erie and howle so extreamly that it appeared he had no defence but to run out of the hole as fast as he could For indéed he came out both extreamly beaten and extreamly bitten and all his skin slasht like a Spanish Ierkin and one year left behind as a paune of his manners This when I saw I asked him if he had flattred sufficiently and he said he had spoken as he found for the Damme was a foule Bitch and the Litter most ugly monsters Then I told him how he should have commended their beauties and take them for his best of alliance And he replied he had rather have séen them all hang'd Then quoth I you must alwaies receive such reward as now you do but wisdome would do otherwise a lie somtimes as much aâ—aâ—â—eth as a true tale and faire words never come out of season and better then we hold it for a rule worthy Imitation Thus my Lord I have told you truly how he came by his red night-cap which I know he caâ—mot nor dare to 〈◊〉 for all is true without any addition The Morall By the complaint of the Wolf is shewed the envie that one ill man bears another and how loath they are that any of their contrary faction should scape punishment and that to gain reveÌ„gement they care not what indignitie they do to themselves as doth appear by the Wolfs slandering of his own wife By the rising of the Town up against the Wolf and his wife is shewed that one mischief seldom cometh to all folks but another still follows it at the heels By the Foxes excuse is shewed how policy hath ever an evasion or a cloak for any evil it doth can colour every thingâ— with a presence of goodnesse The Foxes contempt of the Wolf shews that the strength or policie consists in disgracing the adverse part and calling his good name in question by which means he may lose his life and credit By the shee-Wolfs falling into the well shewes the effects of covetousness which never brings any thing home but losse and danger and that policie cares not who pines so he feel no pain as appears by the Foxes tempting her into the Bucket By their entring into the she Apes Cave is shewed the difference betwixt temperance and rashness and how far good words will prevail before rude and churlish behaviour CHAP. 23. How Isegrim profered his Glove to Reynard to fight with him which Reynard accepted and how Rukenaw advised the Fox how to carrie himself in the fight THe Wolf answered the Fox I may well forbear false Villain as thou art thy mocks and scorns but thine injuries I will not You say I was almost dead for hunger when you helpt me in my need but thou â—iest falsely therein for it was nothing but a Hare-bone thou gavest me when thou hadst gnawed all the meat thereof and therefore know in this thou injurest my reputation again thou accusest me of treason against the King and to conspire his Majesties death for certain treasure thou saiest is in Husterloe also thou hast abused and slandered my wife which will ever be an infamie to her name if it be not revenged these things considered I have for born you long therefore now look not to escape wherefore séeing there is no other testimony but out own consciences here before you my Lord the King and the rest of my Noble Lords friends and alliances here I will affirm and approve to the lost drop of my blood that thou Reynard the Fox art a faise Traitor and a murtherer and this I will approve and make good upon thy bodie within the Lists of the field bodie against bodie by which means our strife shall have an end and in witnesse whereof I cast thée here my Glove which I dare thée to take up that I may have right for mine injuries or else die like a Recreant Reynard was somthing perplexed when he saw this for he knew himself much too weak for the Wolf and feared to come by the worst but straight remembring the advantage he had by reason the Wolfs fore-claws were pulled away and that they were not yet fully cured he said Whatsoever he be that saith I am a Traitor or a murtherer I say he lieth in his throat especially Isegrim above all others poor fool thou bringest me to the place I desire and to the purpose I wish for in signe whereof I take up the gage and throw down mine to approve all thy words lies and falshoods When these ceremonies were done the Marshalls of the Field bad them do their devoir And then every creature avoided the Lists save Dame Rukenaw who stood by the Fox and had him remember the words and instructions she had â—iven him and call to minde how when he was scarce seven years old he had then wisdom enough to pisse
men my Lord are like a great kennel of Hounds which once I saw standing at a Lords house on a dunghill where they waited for such as should bring them meat anon they saw a Hound come out of the Kitchen which had thence brought a goodly rib of Beef but the Cook pursuing him threw hot scalding water after him and scalded all his hinder parts but notwithstanding away he went with his booty but when his fellows perceived him they called to him and said O how much art thou bound to the good Cook which hath given thee that goodly bone so well furnished with flesh but the Dog replied You speak according to your knowledg and praise me in such sort as you see me before with the bone in my mouth but if you please to look upon me behinde on my buttocks you shall finde how dearly I paid for it and they beholding how he was scalded and all the hair and skin flayed from his hinder loins they began to be agast and amazed at his torment neither would they any more of his fellowship but fled and ran away from him In the same sort my Lord these faise and unworthie Beasts when they are made Lords possesse their desires and are mighty and renowned then do they extort pill and pell the poor and needy and cat them up like so many hungry starved Hounds for they are the dogs with bones in their mouths no man dare to meddle with them but praise all their actions no man dare offend them nay many assist and help them in their unlawful actions onely that they may lick their fingers and be partakers of their extortions O my dear Lord how can those men go safely which go thus blind-fould Or how can they expect but a shameful fall whose steps are so uncertain neither can any man pity them when their works are disclosed but continual curses and upbraidings follow them to the grave with destruction many of these have lost their hair which is their friends as the Hound did and have none left to cover their mischiefs but all forsake them as the Hounds did the dog which was scalded My gracious Lord I beséech you remember this moral example and it will nothing impair the greatnesse of your virtue for doubtlesse mary of these evil exrorting creatures are under your subjection both in Towns Cities and great Lords houses who out-face the poor and sell away their freedoms and privileges and threaten things upon them which they never knew thought or imagined and all to make up the Common-wealths of their own particular profits but the ends of such are vile and heaven hath for them a judgement but of these errors I hope none shall justly accuse me nor any of my kindred but we shall acquite us nobly from the same I fear no creatures accusations For I will ever be the Fox though all my foes swear to the contrary My Lord you I adore above all mortal creatures living nor can any wisdom divert me from you but I will abide by you to the last gasp and though malice have told your Highnesse to the contrary yet I have ever disproved them and so will do to the last moment The Morall By the Wâ—lfs 〈◊〉 assaulâ—ing the Fox and the Foxes watching and pursuing of advantages is shewed the â—olly of â—age passion and the discretion of temperance and wisdome the first never bringing any thing 〈◊〉 loâ—â— the other commonly accompanied with honour and safetie By the pistâ—â—il is exprest the sharp afflictions with which wisdom ever punish as rashness and by the losse of the Wolfs eie is â—hewed that madnesse and rage is evermore but â—lindnesse The Wolfs catching the Fox and holding him in 〈◊〉 power shews that so sure somtime â—avour fools but never gives them grace to enjoy the benefit The Foxes flattâ—â—ing of the Wolf shâ—ws That whensoever wisdom is oppressed it hath yet still one temperate means or other to gain his own liberty and that fair words do ever either vanquish or astonish Lastly by the weak Foxes conquering the strong Wolf is shewed that in all these accidents of change neither force rage nor violence do prevail so much as wisdome discretion and temperate and wary carriage CHAP. 25. How the King forgave the Fox all things and made him the greatest in his Land and of his noble return home with all his kindred All Reynards friends and kindred humbly thanked the King but he told them it was much short of that he intended to do for their sakes and advised them all to admonish him to be careful of his faith and loialty This said Dame Rukenaw Believe it my Lord we will not fail in that point neither fear you the contrary for should he prove otherwise we would renounce him Then the Fox also thanked the King with fair and courteous words saying My gracious Lord I am not worthie of these high honours you do me yet will ever studie with my service how to deserve them nor shal my best counsel at any time be wanting And this said he took his humble leave of the King and so departed with the rest of his friends and kindred Amongst the rest Reynard the Fox took his leave of the King and Quéen they desired him not to be long absent from them To whom he answered that he would be ever ready at their service as was his bounden duty and not himself alone but all his friends and kindred also And so begging licence of his Majestie in all solemne manner and with fair spéech he departed the Court. Was never creature that ever flatterd braver or to better purpose for he that could do the like might be a Master of the eight liberall Sciences And no Lord whether Spirituall or Temporall but would have an eare open for all his language Nor dyed he without issue for he hath Children almost in all places And indéed he that hath no alliance to him in the Art of dissimulation shall hardly prosper as the world goeth Though he want his heir yet if he have his heart it is enough to make him accepted Plain dealing is now an exile and Coveteousness and fraud have taken possession of his Tenements not the Popes Palace the Court of Emperours Kings and Princes cannot be excepted of this error Money is now grown the onely Favorite of the times the very Church-Idol and the Countrey worship it can purchase all things defend all things and confound all things And mad men travell over the world to gain this folly this fashion Who is not a true Fox is but a beast of base estimation This is the worlds custome and what will become of the use the wise man can hardly judge or imagine Onely that these hainous sins of falshood Theft Murther and Ambition can never walk but hand in hand with Iudgment From which I heartily pray that the hand of the Highest will defend us and make us walk in those paths which shall be sutable to vertue