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the_o king_n the_o court_n be_v call_v and_o you_o be_v find_v contumax_fw-la let_v be_v laurence_n quoth_v she_o your_o courtly_a knax._n mistress_n quoth_v he_o come_v to_o the_o court_n you_o must_v go_v the_o lion_n have_v command_v so_o in_o deed_n sir_n tod_n quoth_v she_o go_v you_o and_o your_o felloe_o i_o have_v respite_n a_o year_n and_o you_o will_v read_v i_o can_v spell_v quoth_v he_o so_o god_n i_o speed_n here_o be_v the_o wolf_n a_o noble_a clerk_n at_o all_o and_o of_o this_o message_n be_v make_v principal_a he_o be_v authentic_a and_o a_o man_n of_o age_n and_o he_o have_v great_a practic_n of_o the_o chauncelery_n let_v he_o go_v look_n and_o read_v your_o privilege_n and_o i_o shall_v stand_v and_o bear_v witness_v you_o by_o where_o be_v thy_o respite_n quoth_v the_o wolf_n on_o high_a sir_n it_o be_v here_o under_o my_o boofe_n well_o hide_v hold_v up_o thy_o heel_n quoth_v he_o and_o so_o she_o do_v though_o he_o be_v blind_v with_o pride_n yet_o he_o presume_v to_o look_v down_o low_a where_o that_o her_o letter_n lay_v with_o that_o the_o mare_n gird_v he_o upon_o the_o gum_n and_o strike_v the_o hat_n of_o his_o head_n away_o half_a out_o of_o life_n lie_v down_o there_o he_o lay_v alas_o quoth_v laurence_n lupus_n thou_o be_v lose_v his_o cunning_n quoth_v the_o mare_n be_v worth_a some_o coll_n laurence_n quoth_v she_o will_v thou_o look_v on_o my_o letter_n since_o that_o the_o wolf_n nothing_o thereof_o can_v win_v nay_o by_o s._n bride_n quoth_v he_o i_o think_v it_o better_o to_o sleep_v in_o a_o whole_a than_o in_o a_o hurt_n skin_n once_o a_o scroll_n i_o find_v and_o this_o be_v write_v in_o for_o five_o shilling_n i_o will_v not_o lose_v all_o nor_o some_o folix_a quem_fw-la faciunt_fw-la aliena_fw-la pericula_fw-la caucum_fw-la with_o break_a scalp_n &_o cheek_n that_o be_v bloody_a this_o wretched_a wolf_n wipe_v they_o as_o he_o go_v of_o amends_n invent_v to_o get_v remedy_n to_o tell_v the_o king_n the_o case_n be_v his_o intent_n sir_n quoth_v the_o tod_n bide_v still_o upon_o this_o bent_n and_o fro_o your_o brow_n wash_v away_o this_o blood_n and_o take_v some_o drink_n for_o it_o will_v do_v you_o good_a to_o fetch_v water_n this_o fraudefull_a fox_n fore_o sidelong_v aback_o as_o though_o he_o be_v sick_a and_o as_o chance_v he_o meet_v come_v from_o the_o moor_n a_o trip_n of_o lamb_n dance_v on_o a_o dike_n this_o traitor_n tod_n this_o tyrant_n and_o this_o tikt_a the_o fat_a of_o the_o flock_n he_o kill_v hae_n and_o eat_v his_o fill_n so_o to_o the_o wolf_n he_o go_v they_o drink_v together_o and_o so_o there_o journey_n take_v before_o the_o king_n
soon_o kneel_v on_o their_o knee_n where_o be_v the_o mare_n sir_n tod_n be_v contumax_fw-la then_o laurence_n say_v my_o lord_n ask_v not_o i_o demand_n of_o your_o doctor_n of_o divinity_n with_o his_o red_a cap_n can_v tell_v you_o well_o enough_o with_o that_o the_o lion_n and_o all_o the_o rest_n lough_z tell_v on_o the_o case_n now_o laurence_n let_v we_o hear_v this_o witty_a wolf_n quoth_v he_o this_o clerk_n of_o age_n on_o your_o behalf_n he_o bid_v the_o mare_n to_o appear_v and_o so_o she_o allege_v her_o privilege_n come_v near_o and_o see_v and_o you_o shall_v have_v your_o wage_n because_o he_o read_v her_o respite_n plain_a and_o we_o will_v yonder_o red_a bonnet_n she_o reach_v he_o with_o her_o heel_n the_o lion_n say_v by_o yond_o cap_n i_o see_v then_o this_o tale_n be_v true_a who_o heed_n unto_o it_o take_v the_o great_a clerk_n be_v not_o the_o wise_a man_n the_o hurt_n of_o one_o happy_a the_o other_o make_v as_o they_o be_v talk_v of_o these_o merry_a knake_n and_o all_o the_o court_n in_o mirth_n and_o in_o gam_fw-la in_o come_v the_o ewe_n the_o mother_n of_o the_o lam._n before_o the_o justice_n on_o her_o knee_n she_o fall_v put_v out_o her_o plaint_n on_o this_o wise_a woeful_o this_o harlot_n bear_v son_n and_o this_o hound_n of_o hell_n devour_v have_v my_o lamb_n full_a dogged_o within_o a_o mile_n contrary_a to_o your_o cry_n for_o god_n love_v my_o lord_n give_v i_o the_o law_n of_o this_o lurker_n with_o that_o laurence_n let_v draw_v bide_v quoth_v the_o lion_n limmer_v let_v we_o see_v if_o it_o be_v sooth_n the_o silly_a yew_n have_v say_v a_o have_v sovereign_a lord_n please_v your_o grace_n quoth_v he_o my_o purpose_n be_v with_o he_o for_o to_o have_v play_v and_o causeless_o he_o flee_v as_o he_o have_v be_v afraid_a for_o dread_v of_o death_n over_o a_o hedge_n with_o mischief_n and_o break_v his_o neck_n thou_o lie_v quoth_v she_o false_a thief_n his_o death_n by_o practice_n may_v be_v prove_v â—ith_n thy_o gory_a gum_n 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beard_n i_o have_v great_a wonder_n quoth_v the_o little_a mous_z how_o can_v thou_o float_v without_o feather_n or_o fin_n this_o river_n be_v so_o deep_a and_o dangerous_a i_o think_v that_o thou_o shall_v drown_v be_v therein_o tell_v i_o therefore_o what_o faculty_n or_o gin_n thou_o have_v to_o bring_v thou_o over_o this_o water_n wan_a that_o to_o declare_v the_o paddocke_n thus_o begin_v with_o my_o two_o foot_n quoth_v she_o long_a and_o brade_n in_o steed_n of_o oar_n i_o row_v the_o stream_n full_a still_o and_o though_o the_o bryme_n be_v perilous_a to_o wade_v both_o too_o and_o fro_o i_o row_n at_o my_o own_o will_n i_o may_v not_o drown_v for_o why_o my_o open_a gill_n devoyde_n all_v the_o water_n i_o receive_v therefore_o to_o drown_v forsooth_o no_o dread_n i_o have_v the_o mouse_n behold_v then_o her_o frown_a face_n her_o wrinkle_a cheek_n and_o her_o lip_n side_n her_o hang_a brow_n and_o her_o voice_n so_o harce_o her_o lagr_a leg_n and_o her_o harsky_a hide_n 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over_o this_o water_n bring_v this_o oath_n be_v make_v the_o mouse_n without_o perceive_v the_o false_a engine_n of_o this_o foul_a carp_a pad_n take_v thread_n and_o bind_v her_o leg_n as_o she_o her_o bad_a then_o foot_n for_o foot_n they_o lap_v both_o in_o the_o brim_n but_o in_o their_o mind_n they_o be_v right_o different_a the_o mouse_n think_v of_o nothing_o but_o for_o to_o swim_v the_o paddock_n for_o to_o drown_v set_v his_o intent_n when_o they_o in_o midway_n of_o the_o stream_n never_o go_v with_o all_o her_o force_n the_o paddock_n press_v down_o and_o think_v the_o mouse_n without_o mercy_n to_o drown_v perceive_v this_o the_o mouse_n on_o she_o can_v cry_v traitor_n to_o god_n and_o forswear_a unto_o i_o thou_o take_v upon_o thy_o faith_n right_a now_o that_o i_o without_o hurt_n or_o harm_n shall_v ferry_v be_v and_o free_a and_o when_o she_o see_v there_o be_v but_o do_v or_o dee_fw-mi withal_o her_o might_n she_o force_v herself_o to_o swim_v and_o press_v upon_o 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the_o thirteen_o of_o august_n anno_fw-la domini_fw-la 1574._o the_o epilogue_n behold_v you_o man_n esope_n that_o noble_a clerk_n although_o of_o body_n yform_v wondrous_a ill_n his_o fable_n write_v with_o wisdom_n deep_a and_o dark_a to_o stir_v our_o mind_n to_o good_a which_o have_v no_o will_n by_o beast_n and_o fowl_n he_o speak_v to_o warn_v we_o still_o as_o fox_n wolf_n sheep_n dog_n cock_n and_o hen_n to_o stir_v our_o mind_n to_o live_v on_o earth_n like_o man_n it_o be_v write_v of_o old_a by_o author_n that_o be_v past_a that_o esope_n be_v crook_n back_v great_a belly_n &_o head_n crook_n legged_a splay_n foot_n &_o like_o a_o cow_n in_o waist_n yet_o virtuous_a of_o his_o life_n as_o it_o be_v seed_n who_o good_a example_n life_n though_o he_o be_v dead_a in_o each_o man_n mouth_n and_o shall_v do_v still_o for_o aye_o lo_o virtue_n bring_v forth_o fruit_n without_o decay_n thus_o as_o you_o hear_v ill_o shape_v of_o his_o body_n yet_o of_o his_o mind_n none_o 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