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truth_n	able_a	entreat_v	great_a	29	3	2.0729	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43907	The history of Reynard the Fox, and Reynardine his son In two parts. With morals to each chapter, explaining what appears doubtful or allegorical: and every chapter illustrated with a curious device, or picture, representing to the eye all the material passages. Written by an eminent statesman of the German Empire, and since done into English, Dutch, French, Italian, &c.; Reynard the Fox.	D. P.	1700 (1700)	Wing H2137; ESTC R215189	71,523	173

Cat hearing this and being akin to Reynard in a Rage started out of the Throng and humbly besought his Majesty's Leave to speak which the King granting he proceeded in this wise May it please my Sovereign Lord I own that grievous Complaints are made against my Kinsman Reynard in his absence yet were their Actions narrowly search'd into who make the Complaints they would appear worse to your Majesty than what they lay to the Fox's Charge For tho' I pretend not in every thing to vindicate him yet thus much I must say touching the Accusation of this scoundrel Hound If Reynard took the Pudding from him he only deceiv'd the Deceiver for this Thief my Liege stole it from me after I had ventur'd my Life for 't in a Mill by taking it thence whilst the Miller was tumbling a handsome Wench on the Sacks and he meeting me before I could convey it to my Store-house by purposely crossing the Way upon me without a Word speaking took it by Violence from me Besides this is long since and seeing it was most properly mine and I forgive my Kinsman there can be no just ground of Indictment against him upon his Accusation since according to the old Proverb To deceive the Deceiver is no Deceit And further if without offending I might produce Evidence I doubt not but to prove the Wolf's Accusation malicous and to clear the Fox in all Points At these last Words the Panther rising from his Seat with a compos'd Countenance said Sir Tibert you are carried too far by the Bonds of Friendship in Vindication of your Kinsman more than he deserves since most know him to be a Theif and a Blood-sucker a Dettroyer of the King 's peaceable Subjects and a Hater of them all making it his Study how to bring them into Mischief and then his Pastime to insult over and devour such as are too feeble for him or not wife enough to shun his Craftiness a Person altogether regardless of the King's Honour which he would not only contemn but suffer the utmost for so small a thing as the Leg of a fat Hen or Goose And to make this more plain I shall only instance what I was an Eye-witness of in relation to poor Keyward the Hare who now is under the King's Protection by whose Royal Goodness he is defended from Reynard's Insults This crafty Villian Reynard pretending to be in Orders and a Chaplain so far insinuated on the poor Hare's Belief with a shew of Sanctity cloakde with Hypocrisie in hopes of satisfying his own End that the silly Creature agreed he should teach him his Creedo and being by that means in his Power he made him sit between his Legs to sing but it had like indeed to have been his last Song for the Fox catch'd him so fast by the Throa that had I not been passing by and at the Cry rush'd in to his assistance he had died there and serv'd Reynard and his Family for a Holiday-feast And that this my Lord the King is true you may easily perceive by the yet bleeding Wound on Keyward's Throat Therefore may Liege if you suffer such Outrages to go unpunish'd it will be a Dishonour to your Royal Dignity a manifest Violation of the Laws and not only reflect on your self but on your Children that are now or shall hereafter be begotten and many Years to come will not be able to blot out the Slander of this Evil. This was applauded by most and the King by 'em intreated to execute the Laws in punishing of the Fox but especially the Wolf urg'd it vehemently saying The Panther has spoke the Truth and therefore his Advice and Council ought not to be rejected But whilst the King was about to give Sentence his Eyes sparking like Fire and groaning within himself so that most Beasts trembled up started Grimbard the Brock Nephew to Reynard intreating That in his Uncle's absence he might plead for him to the Accusation laid to his Charge which with some difficulty the King consented to and then he proceeded in this manner As to the Wolf said he my Dread Sovereign you cannot I hope but conceive in your Princely Wisdom what he says against my Uncle proceeds only from Malice and that according to the old Proverb Never speaks well Kings as well as meaner Persons are not exempted from it Then turning to him said Sir Isgrim notwistanding all that you have alledg'd I wish you durst to venture your Honesty with my Kinsman 's upon the Tryal of both your Lives that he who upon plain Proof and Conviction should be found guilty of the greatest Crimes might die in a Halter I boldly tell you here in the Face of the Court and as much as you suppose you stand in the King's Favour on such a Tryal your Guilt will appear so hanious that if you were not asham'd to do it it wou'd be in vain to ask Mercy How often with your venomous Teeth have you maliciously worred and wounded my Kinsman put him in peril of his Life and defrauded him of what he labour'd and ventur'd hard for that you might satisfie your greedy Maw Amongst many of which Injuries and Outrages I shall here for Brevity's sake reckon up but a few You have perhaps forgot how you cheated him of a large Plaice which he at the hazard of his Life ventur'd into a Cart for and throwing it down you immediately took it by Violence from him and for his share gave him only the Bones which you durst not eat for fear they shou'd stick in your Throat and made you howl as when you implor'd the Crane's Aid and prov'd ingrateful to her in denying her the promis'd Reward tho' by putting her long Neck down your Throat she had eas'd your Misery and in all probability sav'd you from being chok'd At another time you serv'd my Kinsman a base fraudulent Trick by taking from him a Flitch of Bacon which he got out of a Chimney not without danger of breaking his Neck and tho' he was so kind when he perceiv'd you almost starv'd to offer you Part nothing would serve you but the Whole tho' till you came to devour the last Morsel you all along promis'd to leave him a sufficient Share and finding he was deluded by you he went only away sighing without making any just Reproach Nor was this all for following him at a distance you perceiv'd he was going in search for Provision you soon found he by his Cunning had sung a large Sow asleep and gotten from her one of her fattest Pigs which you likewise greedily seiz'd tho' at his return in hopes to get another he was not only torn by the inrag'd Sow but taken by the Owner in a Sack out of which he gnaw'd his way whilst the Peasant carried him at his Back to have him worried in the Market-place by Mastiffs These and innumerable other Injuries have you at sundry times done my Kinsman Reynard wherefore you and not he ought to be

of Treasure and how he had befriended him in preventing the Treachery designed against him he caused him immediately to be taken down from the Gallows and questioned him where the great Riches he spoke of was who told him it was hid by him in a Wilderness call'd Hulsterlo under the bottom of a Beech-tree by the side of the River Creckneypet that runs thro' the Wilderness At this the Lion stared on him as if he believed it not saying he had heard of most Places in the World as well Cities and Towns as Forests and Rivers but never heard of these O my Lord replied the Fox as I am a dying Creature unless your Mercy be extended to me it is certainly true and if my Words gain no belief even Keyward the Hare tho' he declares himself without Cause my Enemy if he be sworn will give you an Account of the Wilderness and River Then was Keyward call'd and put to his Oath to answer nothing but the Truth to such Questions as should be demanded of him Then said the Fox Keyward let not Prejudice hinder you to answer my Question Know you Creckneypit Yes very well replied the Hare it is a great River that runs thro' the Wilderness of Hulsterlo where Father Simony the Monk was taken coming false Money many Years before Ringwood the Hound and I scrap'd Acquaintance I may well remember it for there I have endured many bitter Winters Upon giving this Testimony he was ordered to withdraw Then said the Fox May my Relation be now credited Yes Reynard said the King and I intreat you to excuse my Jealousie which could not be less since you have so many times deceived me but however it will be convenient that you go with me and shew me the Place Alas said Reynard I should be proud to attend upon your Majesty and the willingest Creature in the World to do it had I not Yesterday made a Vow if I escaped with Life and Liberty I would immediately take a Pilgrimage to Rome to be absolv'd of the Pope's Curse which I lay under for perswading the Wolf to run away from a Monastery where he had enter'd himself a Monk upon his complaining to me that he was almost famished for want of Food tho' indeed he eat as much as six and from thence I intend to pass to Jerusalem and to mortifie myself by Fasting and doing good Works that I may wash off the Stains my Crimes have fixed on me Well replied the King if such a Vow be upon you and you under the Censure of the Church you shall not accompany me but depart and perform what you have promised I will take Keyward the Hare and some others with me who may direct me as well The Fox greatly rejoyced at this and the Conference was no sooner over but the King and Queen mounted on a Scaffold in sight of all Beasts present placing the Fox between 'em and Silence being commanded the Lion thus began All you my Subjects who are here assembled give good Attention to what I shall say In Reynard I find no Fault or at least such as he has repented of therefore I constitute him one of my supream Ministers in State-affairs and of my Houshold the chief Officer freely acquitting him of all his Trespasses and consigning to him a general Pardon for all Crimes committed by him to this very Moment and therefore command you upon your Allegiance to do to him his Wife and Children that Reverence as is due to their Characters for he is going a Pilgrimage to Rome to repent him of his Sins and obtain the Pope's Absolution When the Wolf Bear and Cat heard this they were much griev'd that his Flatteries and Lies had prevail'd against the Truth so that the Wolf could not forbear complaining against the Fox to the King with such Arrogance that being seconded in the manner by the Bear it was taken so heinously that they were both arrested for High-Treason and bound hand and foot so that they could not stir from the Place where they lay afterward they were cast into a Dungeon which not only overjoyed the Fox that his Project had taken so well but struck the rest of his Enemies with such Fear that they immediately departed yet here he stopped not but petitioned the Queen to have as much of the Bear 's Skin as would make a Male as also to have the Wolf 's two Foreshoes and his Wife 's Hinder shoes to keep his Feet from the Stones and and Gravel which were taken from them with great Pain and Danger of their Lives yet notwithstanding the intolerable Pain they durst not revile the treacherous Fox who had been the Occasion of their Miseries When Reynardine had greas'd and fitted on his Shoes he desired that his Staff might be blessed and delivered to him according to the Use of Pilgrims which the King commanded the Ram to do as also to say Mass over him before he departed but he refused it because he was under the Pope's Curse unless the King would secure him against the Bishop and Ordinary but when he saw the Lion angry he trembl'd for Fear and immediately sung Mass over the Fox who little regarded it more than to have the Honour of it then giving Benediction to his Staff and Male he deliver'd it to him so the Lion and all the Beasts attended the Fox part of his Way who seemed loath to depart tho' inwardly he desir'd nothing more than to be rid of their Attendance so that he intreated the King to return for his Health's sake and to prevent the Danger that might happen if the Wolf and Bear should get loose and raise Tumults and Commotions so taking solemn Leave the King return'd with all the Beasts except Keyward and Sir Bellin whom Reynard perswaded to go further with him so by degrees with pleasant Tales and Discourses he drill'd 'em by unknown Ways to Malepardus that being his furthest intended Pilgrimage and now he was fully resolved to be revenged on the Hare for accusing him to the King wherefore at the Gate of his Palace he said Sir Bellin if you 'll but stay a little here I and Keyward will step in a few Moments and take Leave of my Wife and Children where he shall be Witness to a few Passages and Vows between us that if either break 'em the Law may inflict due Punishment so going in they found the Shefox and her young Ones at their Ease yet she no sooner see Reynard return in Safety but leaping up she run to embrace him and ask of his Welfare and how he sped at Court which he told her from Point to Point with all the Honour that had been done him how he had left the Bear and Wolf in Prison and deceived the King and as for this Keyward he 's my Enemy and has vehemently accused me and I have decoyed him hither to take Revenge and feast on his Carcase Keyward no sooner heard this but he trembled and cried

that and so he grecdily enter'd yet he had not long been there but I heard him howl most terribly and soon after he came rushing out with his Ears bloody and his Skin torn in many Parts for it seems he had not only reproach'd her with her own and her Youngs Ugliness but went to take away her Meat by force wherefore they all fell upon him and used him as he deserv'd for so ill timing his brutish Language since he ought to know according to the old Proverb That how deformed soever they be each one esteems her own the fairest This my Lord is the Truth of the Matter and if he can deny it let him speak The Wolf hearing this fell into a great Rage for indeed he had been betray'd into that Place by Reynard saying Thou Traytor this as all the rest thou hast alledged is utterly false and to justifie it and that thou art the basest of all Traytors I will prove upon thy Body by Combat according as the Laws direct in Confirmation whereof I throw down my Gage before the King if thou darest take it up to answer me The Fox doubting his Strength knew not what to think of it yet considering the Wolf's Claws since the last stripping were not grown again and contemning to let his Courage fall before so many of his Kindred and that what he had said might thereupon be suspected he recollected his Spirits and starting up said Whosoever accused him as a Traytor was a Liar to his Face and he would prove it upon his Body by Arms when or wheresoever he should be required to it That do I said Isgrim Then there said the Fox is my Gage to answer thee These being mutually exchanged were deliver'd to the King who allow'd the Combate to be the next Day and took Sureties of 'em for the performing it Dame Rukenaw understanding this came to the Fox and drawing him aside after she had commended his Courage as a Grace to his Family who had been valiant doing many brave exploits in Arms at home and abroad she proceeded to give him some Council as to this particular Affair saying Good Nephew be attentive to my Advice and then the Wolf shall not prevail against you Dear Aunt replyed Reynard your Love and wise Councils have always been so available to me that I shall not forget the least of your Instructions but to the utmost put in Practice whatsoever you desire Then she proceeded in this manner You must to make you the nimbler and not to be laid hold on have all your Hair shav'd off except that on the Tail which you shall reserve to offend your Enemy then I will sleek you over with an Ointment that shall harden your Skin and yet make it so stick that he can never lay hold of you This being done Reynard look'd very airy and gay and so he went to Bed in great Hopes of obtaining the Victory Many other Advices she gave him too tedious here to mention and not much to the purpose of the History but one among the rest was That the next Morning he should drink stoutly the better to expel any Fear and to piss upon his Tail and sprinkle it as he saw occasion thereby to blind the Wolf and hinder his Pursuit For this the Fox gave her infinite Thanks and kept her Councils in his Mind as resolving to put 'em in Practice He slept little that Night for thinking of his next Day 's Enterprize but the Wolf slept soundly as fancying himself sure of the Victory by which we may see how Men are often disappointed of their Expectations In the Morning his Kinsman the Otter came to him and brought him a young Duck saying Take good Heart and eat this to strengthen you for great is your Undertaking and requires your utmost Strength and Policy to acquit yourself nobly I thank you for your present Advice said the Fox and so they breakfasted together Moral By the Wolf's Complaint is shewed an insatiable Thirst of Revenge for Injuries done him By the Fox's accepting the Challenge denotes that politick Men tho' weak are in Expectation to overcome the Strong that are given up to unadvised Rashness The She-wolf's Misfortunes denotes Covetousness brings Danger The Fox's Escape that way Self-preservation And the She-Ape's Cave that good Words are bitter than bad CHAP. VIII How the Fox entered into Combate with the Wolf and overcome him And how thereupon he was advanc'd by the King to many Honours AFter this Refreshment Reynard went attended by a great number of his Kinsfolks to enter the Lists where the Wolf stood raving and accusing him as a Traytor and tho' he had accepted the Challenge he was so guilty he durst not appear but when they saw him marching very stately in that Trim they star'd on him whereupon the King said Reynard I see you more regard your Safety than your fine Apparel But he only made his Obeysance and pass'd on then entering the List they were both sworn by the Libard appointed Marshal of the Field that their Causes were right and just and every one on pain of Death except the Combatants to avoid the List And now the King Queen and Nobles having taken their places the Trumpets sounded the Signal to begin the Combate Upon this the Wolf came towards the Fox with open Mouth and extended Paws as if he would immediately have devour'd him but Reynard nimbly leap'd between his Legs and when he turn'd again upon him he piss'd on his Tail and dash'd it in his Eyes which so blinded him that it hindred his Pursuit and in the next Course he cast up the Sand with his Hind-feet which sticking to the Urine put him to more Pain which whilst he was clearing he sprung upon him and with his Claws tore the Skin of his Eye-brow down to the middle of his Face whereupon his Eye hung out and Blood flow'd exceedingly but this enrag'd Sir Isgrim the more so that violently falling upon him he rush'd him to the Ground and whilst he laboured to get from under him he catc'h one of Reynard's Feet in his Mouth whereupon he cry'd out Now Traytor thou are at my Mercy confess thy Sins and all the Injuries done to me before thou dyest for now thy End is come The Fox finding himself in this piteous Plight betook him to his Dissimulation humbly beseeching Mercy and for spairing his Life himself his Family and whole Estate should be at his Service to dispose of as he pleas'd that he would freely confess his Guilt and be at his Command to bring him Provisions at all times that he was sorry he had undertaken the Combate against him O thou base Dissembler replied the Wolf these fair Speeches are made only to escape from the Advantage I have over you and then you will sing a new Song to my Disgrace but I have been too often deceiv'd e'er to trust you more but will now take my Revenge at full for the Injuries done to my