|b{Caxton's_translation_of_}
|b{The_history_of_Reynard_the_Fox.}
|b{In:_Early_Prose_Romances,_}
|b{ed._by_Henry_Morley,_LL.D.,}
|b{London_1889,}
|b{pp.43-166.}



|p{43}


|rEarly_Prose_Romances.

|rTHE_HISTORY_OF_REYNARD
     |rTHE_FOX.


   Here beginneth the History of Reynard the Fox.

In this history ben written the parables, good lerynge, and
diverse points to be marked, by which points men may learn
to come to the subtle knowledge of such things as daily ben
used and had in the counsels of lords and prelates, ghostly and
worldly, and also among merchants and other common people.
And this book is made for need and profit of all good folk, as
far as they in reading or hearing of it shall mowe understand and
feel the foresaid subtle deceits that daily ben used in the world;
not to the intent that men should use them, but that every man
should eschew and keep him from the subtle false shrews, that
they be not deceived. Then who that will have the very under_standing
of this matter, he must oft and many times read in this
book, and earnestly and diligently mark well that he readeth;
for it is set subtlely, like as ye shall see in reading of it; and
not once to read it, for a man shall not with once over reading find
the right understanding ne comprise it well; but ofttimes to read
it shall cause it well to be understood. And for them that under_standeth 
it; it shall be right joyous, pleasant, and profitable.



|p44


                         CHAPTER I.

How the Lion, King of all Beasts, sent out his commandments that
      all Beasts should come to his feast and Court.

It was about the time of Pentecost or Whitsuntide, that the
woods commonly be lusty and gladsome, and the trees clad
with leaves and blossoms, and the ground with herbs and flowers
sweet smelling, and also the fowls and birds singing melodiously
in their harmony, that the Lion, the noble King of all Beasts,
would in the holy days of this feast hold an open Court at state;
which he did to know over all in his land, and commanded by
straight commissions and commandments that every Beast should
come thither, in such wise that all the Beasts great and small
came to the Court save Reynart the Fox : for he knew himself
faulty and guilty in many things against many Beasts that thither
should comen, that he durst not adventure to go thither. When
the King of all Beasts had assembled all his Court, there was
none of them all but that he had complained sore on Reynart
the Fox.

                          CHAPTER II.

   The first complaint made Isegrim the Wolf on Reynart.

ISEGRIM the Wolf, with his lineage and friends, came and stood
before the King, and said, "High and Mighty Prince, my Lord
the King, I beseech you that through your great might, right,
and mercy, that ye will have pity on the great trespass and the
unreasonable misdeeds that Reynart the Fox hath done to me
and to my wife: that is to wit, he is comen in to my house
against the will of my wife, and there he hath bepissed my
children whereas they lay, in such wise as they thereof ben
waxen blind. Whereupon was a day set, and was judged that
Reynart should come and have excused him hereof, and have
sworn on the holy saints that he was not guilty thereof. And



|p45


when the book with the saints was brought forth, tho had Reynart
bethought him otherwise, and went his way again into his hole,
as he had naught set thereby. And, dear King, this knowen
well many of the Beasts that now be comen hither to your
Court. And yet hath he trespassed to me in many other things.
He is not living that could tell all that I now leave untold. But
the shame and villainy that he hath done my wife, that shall I
never hide ne suffer it unavenged, but that he shall make to me
large amends.

                         CHAPTER III.

             The complaint of Courtoys the Hound.

WHEN these words were spoken, so stood there a little Hound
and was named Courtoys, and complained to the King, how that
in the cold winter in the hard frost he had ben sore forwintered,
in such wise as he had kept no more meat than a pudding, which
pudding Reynart the Fox had taken away from him.

                    Tho spake Tybert the Cat.

WITH this so came Tybert the Cat, with an irous mood, and
sprang in among them, and said: "My Lord the King, I here
hear that Reynart is sore complained on, and here is none but
that he hath enough to do to clear himself. That Courtoys
here complaineth of, that is passed many years gone, howbeit,
that I complain not; that pudding was mine, for I had won it by
night in a mill. The miller lay and slept. If Courtoys had any
part hereon, that came by me too."
   Tho spake Panther, "Think ye, Tybert, that it were good that
Reynart should not be complained on? He is a very murderer,
a rover, and a thief, he loveth no man so well, not our Lord the
King here, but that he well would that he should lose good and wor_ship, 
so that he might win as much as a leg of a fat hen. I shall
tell you what I saw him do yesterday to Cuwart the Hare, that
here standeth in the King's peace snd safeguard. He promised



|p46


to Cuwart and said he would teach him his Credo, and make him
a good chaplain. He made him go sit between his legs, and sang
and cried loud, `Credo, Credo!' My way lay thereby there that
I heard this song. Tho went I near and found Master Reynart
that had left that he first read and sang, and began to play his
old play. For he had caught Cuwart by the throat, and had I
not that time comen he should have taken his life from him, like
as ye here may see on Cuwart the Hare the fresh wound yet.
Forsooth, my Lord the King, if ye suffer this unpunished, and let
him go quit that hath thus hroken your peace, and will do no
right after the sentence and judgment of your men, your children
many years hereafter shall be misprised and blamed therefor."
   "Sikerly, Panther," said Isegrim, "ye say truth. It were
good that right and justice were done, for them that would fain
live in peace."

                         CHAPTER IV.

How Grymbart the Dasse the Fox's sister's son spake for Reynart
                  and answered tofore the King.

THEN spake Grymbart the Dasse, and was Reynart's sister's son,
with an angry mood.
   "Sir Isegrim that is evil said. It is a common proverb an
enemy's mouth saith seld well. What lie ye and wite ye mine
Eme Reynart? I would that ye would adventure that who of you
twain had most trespassed to other should hang by the neck as a
thief on a tree. But and if he were as well in this court and as
well with the King as ye be, it should not be thought in him that
it were enow that ye should come and ask him forgiveness; ye
have bitten and nipped mine uncle with your fell and sharp teeth
many more times than I can tell. Yet will I tell some points
that I well know. Know not ye how ye misdealed on the plaice
which he threw down from the car, when ye followed after from
afar, and ye ate the good plaice alone, and gave him no more
than the grate or bones which ye might not eat yourself. In like_wise



|p47


did ye to him also of the fat flitch of bacon which savoured
so well that ye alone ate it in your belly, and when mine Eme
asked his part tho answered ye him again in scorn, `Reynart, fair
youngling, I shall gladly give you your part'-but mine Eme gat ne
had nought, ne was not the better. Notwithstanding he had won
the flitch of bacon with great dread, for the man came and threw
him in a sack that he scarcely came out with his life. Such
manner things hath Reynart many times suffered through Ise_grim.
O ye lordes, think ye that this is good? Yet is there
more. He complaineth how that Reynart mine Eme hath
much trespassed to him by cause of his wife. Mine Eme hath
lain by her, but that is well seven years tofore, ere he wedded
her; and if Reynart for love and courtesy did with her his will,
what was that? She was soon healed thereof. Hereof by right
should be no complaint, were Isegrim wise. He should have
believed that he doth to himself no worship thus to slander his
wife. She plaineth not. Now maketh Cuwart the Hare a com_plaint 
also. That thinketh me a vyseuase. If he read ne
learned aright his lesson, should not Reynart his master beat
him therefor? If the scholars were not beaten ne smitten and
reprised of their truantry, they should never learn. Now com_plaineth 
Courtoys that he with pain had gotten a pudding in
the winter, at such time as the cost is evil to find. Thereof him
had be better to have held his peace, for he had stolen it.
Male quaesisti et male perdidisti. It is right that it be evil lost
that is evil won. Who shall blame Reynart if he have taken
from a thief stolen good. It is reason. Who that understandeth
the law, and can discern the right, and that he be of high birth
as mine Eme Reynart is, knoweth well how he shall resseyue
stolen good. Yet all had he Courtoys hanged when he found
him with the menour he had not much misdone nor trespassed,
save against the Crown, that he had done justice without leave:
Wherefore for the honour of the King he did it not, all hath he
but little thanks. What scathed it him that he is thus complained



|p48


on? Mine Eme is a gentle and true man. He may suffer no
falsehood. He doth nothing but by his priest's counsel. And
I say you, sith that my lord the King hath do proclaim his
peace, he never thought to hurt any man; for he eateth no more
than once a day; he liveth as a recluse; he chastiseth his body,
and weareth a shirt of hair; it is more than a year that he hath
eaten no flesh. As I yesterday heard say of them that came
from him he hath left and given over his Castle Maleperduys
and hath builded a cluse; therein dwelleth he and hunteth no
more ne desireth no winning, but he liveth by alms and taketh
nothing but such as men give him for charity, and doth great
penance for his sins, and he is waxen much pale and lean of
praying and waking, for he would be fain with God."
   Thus as Grymbart his Eme stood and preached these words, so
saw they coming down the hill to them Chanticleer the Cock and
brought on a bier a dead hen of whom Reynart had bitten the
head off, and that must be showed to the King for to have
knowledge thereof.

                        CHAPTER V.

             How the Cock complained on Reynart.

CHANTICLEER came forth and smote piteously his hands and his
feathers; and on each side of the bier wenten tweyne sorrowful
hens, that one was called Cantart and that other good hen Crayant,
they were two the fairest hens that were between Holland and
Arderne. These hens bare each of them a burning taper which
was long and straight. These two hens were Coppen's sisters,
and they cried so piteously "Alas and weleaway" for the death of
their dear sister Coppen. Two young hens bare the bier, which
cackled so heavily and wept so loud for the death of Coppen their
mother, that it was very hard. Thus came they together tofore
the King.
   And Chanticleer tho said, "Merciful lord, my lord the King,
please it you to hear our complaint and abhor the great scathe



|p49


that Reynart hath done to me and my children that here stand.
It was so that in the beginning of April, when the weather is fair,
as that I, as hardy and proud because of the great lineage that I
am come of and also had, for I had eight fair sons and seven fair
daughters which my wife had hatched, and they were all strong
and fat, and went in a yard which was walled round about, in
which was a shed wherein were six great dogs which had totore
and plucked many a beast's skin in such wise as my children were
not afraid. On whom Reynart the thief had great envy because
they were so sure that he could none get of them; how well
ofttimes hath this fell thief gone round about this wall and hath
laid for us in such wise that the dogs have be set on him and have
hunted him away; and once they leapt on him upon the bank,
and that cost him somewhat for his theft. I saw that his skin
smoked. Nevertheless he went his way. God amend it!
   "Thus were we quit of Reynart a long while. At last came he
in likeness of an hermit, and brought to me a letter for to read,
sealed with the King's seal, in which stood written that the King
had made peace over all in his realm, and that all manner beasts
and fowls should do none harm nor scathe to any other. Yet said
he to me more that he was a cloisterer or a closed recluse be_comen,
and that he would receive great penance for his sins.
He showed me his slavyne and pylche and an hairen shirt there_under,
and then said he, `Sir Chanticleer after this time be no
more afraid of me, ne take no heed, for I now will eat no more
flesh. I am forthon so old that I would fain remember my soul.
I will now go forth, for I have yet to say my sexte, none, and mine
evensong. To God I betake you." Tho went Reynart thence,
saying his Credo, and laid him under an hawthorn. Then I was
glad and merry, and also took none heed, and went to my chil_dren 
and clucked them together, and went without the wall for
to walk; whereof is much harm comen to us, for Reynart lay
under a bush and came creeping between us and the gate, so that
he caught one of my children and laid him in his male. Whereof



|p50


we have great harm, for sith he hath tasted of him there might
never hunter ne hound save ne keep him from us. He hath
waited by night and day in such wise that he hath stolen so many
of my children that of fifteen I have but four, in such wise hath
this thief forslongen them. And yet yesterday was Coppen my
daughter, that here lieth upon the bier, with the hounds rescued.
This complain I to you, gracious King, have pity on mine great
and unreasonable damage and loss of my fair children!"

                         CHAPTER VI.

           How the King spake touching this complaint.

THEN spake the King:
   "Sir Dasse, hear ye this well of the recluse of your Eme? He
hath fasted and prayed, that if I live a year he shall abye it.
Now hark, Chanticleer, your plaint is enough. Your daughter
that lieth here dead, we will give to her the death's rite. We
may keep her no longer, we will betake her to God. We will
sing her vigil and bring her worshipfully on earth, and then we
will speak with these lords and take counsel how we may do
right and justice of this great murder, and bring this false thief to
the law.
   Tho began they Placebo domino, with the verses that to longen,
which if I should say were me too long. When this vigil was
done and the commendation, she was laid in the pit, and there
upon her was laid a marble stone polished as clear as any glass,
and thereon was hewen in great letters in this wise: COPPE CHAN_TEKLERS 
DOUGHTER, WHOM REYNART THE FOX HATH BYTEN, LYETH
HIER VNDER BURYED, COMPLAYNE YE HER FFOR, SHE IS SHAME_FULLY 
COMLN TO HER DETH.
   After this, the King sent for his lords and the wisest of his
council for to take advice how this great murder and trespass
should be punished on Reynart the Fox. There was concluded



|p51


and appointed for the best that Reynart should be sent for, and
that he left not for any cause, but he came into the King's court
for to hear what should be said to him; and that Bruin the Bear
should do the message.
   The King thought that all this was good and said to Bruin the
Bear, "Sir Bruin, I will that ye do this message; but see well
to for yourself, for Reynart is a shrew, and fell,and knoweth so
many wiles that he shall lie and flatter, and shall think how he
may beguile, deceive, and bring you to some mockery."
   Then said Bruin, "What, good lord, let it alone! Deceiveth
me the Fox, so have I ill learned my casus. I trow he shall come
too late to mock me." Thus departed Bruin merrily from thence,
but it is to dread that he came not so merrily again.

                       CHAPTER VII.

          How Bruin the Bear was sped of Reynart the Fox.

Now is Bruin gone on his way toward the Fox with a stout
mood, which supposed well that the Fos should not have beguiled
him. As he came in a dark wood in a forest whereas Reynart
had a bypath when he was hunted, there beside was an high moun_tain 
and land, and there must Bruin in the middle goon over for
to go to Maleperduys. For Reynart had many a dwelling-place,
but the Castle of Maleperduys was the best and the fastest burgh
that he had. There lay he in when he had need, and was in any
dread or fear. Now when Bruin was comen to Maleperduys, he
found the gate fast shut. Tho went he tofore the gate, and sat
upon his tail, and called, "Reynart, be ye at home? I am
Browning. The King hath sent me for you that you should
come to Court, for to plead your cause. He hath sworn there by
his God, come ye not, or bring I you not with me, for to abide
such right and sentence as shall be there given, it shall cost you
your life. He will hang you or set you on the rack. Reynart,
do by my counsel, and come to the Court."



|p52


Reynart lay within the gate, as he oft was wont to do, for the
warmth of the sun. When Reynart heard Bruin, tho went he
inward into his hole. For Maleperduys was full of holes, here
one hole and there another, and yonder another, narrow, crooked
and long, with many ways to go out, which he opened and shut
after that he had need. When he had any prey brought home,
or that he wist that any sought him for his misdeeds and tres_passes,
then he ran and hid him from his enemies into his secret
chambers, that they could not find him; by which he deceived
many a beast that sought him. And tho thought Reynard in
himself how he might best bring the Bear in charge and need,
and that he abode in worship.
   In this thought Reynart came out, and said, "Bruin, Eme, ye
be welcome! I heard you well tofore, but I was in mine even_song,
therefore have I the longer tarried a little. Dear Eme, he
hath done to you no good service, and I con him no thank, that
hath sent you over this long hill; for I see that ye be also weary,
that the sweat runneth down by your cheeks. It was no need:
I had nevertheless comen to Court to-morrow: but I sorrow now
the less, for your wise counsel shall well help me in the Court.
And could the King find none less messenger but you for to send
hither? That is great wonder. For next the King ye be the
most gentle, and richest of levies and of land. I would well that
we were now at the Court, but I fear me that I shall not con
well go thither, for I have eaten so much new meat that me
thinketh my belly will break or cleave asunder, and because the
meat was new I ate the more."
   Tho spake the Bear, "Lief Neve, what meat have ye eaten that
maked you so full?"
   "Dear Eme, that I ate, what might it help you that if I told
you? I ate but simple meat. A poor man is no lord, that may
ye know, Eme, by me. We poor folk must eat ofttimes such as
we gladly would not eat if we had better. They were great honey_combs; 



|p53


which I must needs eat for hunger. They have made
my belly so great that I can nowhere endure."
   Bruin then spake anon, "Alas, Reynart, what say ye! Set ye
so little by honey? Me ought to prize and love it above all meat.
Lief Reynart, help me that I might get a deal of this honey, and
as long as I live I shall be to you a true friend, and abide by
you, as far as ye help me that I may have a part of this honey."

                        CHAPTER VIII.

                    How Bruin ate the honey.

BRUIN, Eme, I had supposed that ye had japed therewith."
   "So help me God, Reynart, nay. I should not gladly jape
with you."
   Then spake the red Reynart, "Is it then earnest, that ye love
so well the honey? I shall do let you have so much that ten of
you should not eat it at one meal, might I get therewith your
friendship."
   "Not we ten, Reynart Neve!" said the Bear. "How should
that be? Had I all the honey that is between this and Portugal
I should well eat it alone."
   Reynart said, "What say ye, Eme? Hereby dwelleth an hus_bandman 
named Lantfert, which hath so much honey that ye
should not eat in seven years; which ye shall have in your hold
if ye will be to me friendly and helping against mine enemies in
the King's Court."
   Then promised Bruin the Bear to him, that if he might have his
belly full he would truly be to him tofore all other a faithful friend.
   Hereof laughed Reynart the shrew, and said, "If ye would have
seven hamper barrels full I shall well get them and help you to
have them." These words pleased the Bear so well, and made
him so much to laugh that he could not well stand.
   Tho thought Reynart, "This is good luck; I shall lead him
thither that he shall laugh by measure."



|p54


Reynart said then, "This matter may not be long tarried. I
must pain myself for you. Ye shall well understand the very
yonste and good will that I bear to you ward. I know none in
all my lineage that I now would labour for thus sore."
   That thanked him the Bear and thought he tarried long.
   "Now, Eme, let us go a good pace, and follow ye me. I shall
make you to have as much honey as ye may bear." The Fox
meant, of good strokes; but the caitiff marked not what the Fox
meant; and they went so long together, that they came unto
Lantfert's yard. Tho was sir Bruin merry.
   Now hark of Lantfert. Is it true that men say, so was Lantfert
a strong carpenter of great timber, and had brought that other
day tofore into his yard a great oak, which he had begun to
cleave. And as men be woned he had smitten two betels
therein one after that other, in such wise the oak was wide open.
Whereof Reynart was glad, for he had found it right as he wished,
and said to the Bear all laughing, "See now well sharply to! In
this tree is so much honey that it is without measure. Assay if
ye can come therein, and eat but little, for though the honey_combs 
be sweet and good, yet beware that ye eat not too many,
but take of them by measure, that ye catch no harm in your body;
for, sweet Eme, I should be blamed if they did you any harm."
   "What, Reynart, cousin, sorrow ye not for me! Ween ye that
I were a fool?"
   "Measure is good in all meat," Reynart said. "Ye say
truth. Wherefore should I sorrow? Go to the end and creep
therein."
   Bruin the Bear hasted sore toward the honey, and trode in
with his two foremost feet, and put his head over his ears into
the clift of the tree. And Reynart sprang lightly and brake out
the betle of the tree. Tho helped the Bear neither flattering ne
chiding; he was fast shut in the tree. Thus hath the Neve,
with deceit, brought his Eme in prison in the tree, in such wise
as he could not get out with might ne with craft, head ne foot.



|p55


   What profiteth Bruin the Bear that he strong and hardy is?
That may not help him. He saw well that he was beguiled. He
began to howl, and to bray, and crutched with the hinder feet,
and made such a noise and rumour, that Lantfert came out
hastily, and knew nothing what this might be; and brought in
his hand a sharp hook. Bruin the Bear lay in the clift of the
tree, in great fear and dread, and held fast his head, and nipped
both his fore feet. He wrang, he wrestled, and cried, and all was
for naught. He wist not how he might get out.
   Reynart the Fox saw from far how that Lantfert the carpenter
came, and tho spake Reynart to the Bear, "Is that honey good?
How is it now? Eat not too much, it should do you harm; ye
should not then well con go to the Court. When Lantfert
cometh, if ye have well eaten he shall give you better to drink,
and then it shall not stick in your throat."
   After these words tho turned him Reynart toward his castle,
and Lantfert came and found the Bear fast taken in the tree.
Then ran he fast to his neighbours and said "Come all in to my
yard, there is a bear taken!" The word anon sprang over all in
the thorp. There ne bleef neither man ne wife, but all ran thither
as fast as they could, every one with his weapon, some with a staff,
some with a rake, some with a broom, some with a stake of
the hedge, and some with a flail; and the priest of the church
had the staff of the cross, and the clerk brought a vane. The
priest's wife Julocke came with her distaff,-she sat tho and span,
-there came old women that for age had not one tooth in their
head.
   Now was Bruin the Bear nigh much sorrow that he alone
must stand against them all. When he heard all this great noise
and cry he wrestled and plucked so hard and so sore that he
gat out his head. But he left behind all the skin and both his
ears, in such wise that never man saw fouler he loather beast, for
the blood ran over his eyes. And or he could get out his feet
he must lete there his claws or nails and this rough hand. This
market came to him evil, for he supposed never to have gone, his



|p56


feet were so sore, and he might not see for the blood which ran
so over his eyes.
   Lantfert came to him with the priest, and forthwith all the
parish, and began to smite and strike sore upon his head and
visage. He received there many a sore stroke. Every man
beware hereby: who hath harm and scathe, every man will be
thereat and put more to. That was well seen on the Bear, for
they were all fierce and wroth on the Bear, great and small, yea
Hughelyn with the crooked leg, and Ludolf with the broad long
nose, they were both wroth. That one had a leaden malle, and
that other a great leaden wapper, therewith they wappred and all
forslingred him, Sir Bertolt with the long fingers, Lantfert, and
Ottram the long. This did to the Bear more harm than all the
other, that one had a sharp hook and the other a crooned staff
well leaded on the end for to play at the ball. Baetkyn and
Aue, Abelquak, my dame Baue, and the priest with his staff, and
dame Julocke his wife, these wroughten to the Bear so much harm
that they would fain have brought him from his life to death,
they smote and stack him all that they could.
   Bruin the Bear sat and sighed and groaned, and must take
such as was given to him. But Lantfert was the worthiest of
birth of them all, and made most noise; for dame Pogge of
Chafporte was his mother, and his father was Macob the stoppel_maker,
a much stout man. There as he was alone Bruin received
of them many a cast of stones. Tofore them all sprang first
Lantfert's brother with a staff, and smote the Bear on the head
that he ne heard ne saw; and therewith the Bear sprang up
between the bush and the river among a heap of wives, that he
threw a deal of them in the river, which was wide and deep.
   There was the parson's wife one of them, wherefore he was
full of sorrow when he saw his wife lie in the water. He lusted
no longer to smite the Bear, but called, "Dame Julocke in the
water! Now every man see to, All they that may help her!



|p57


Be they men or women, I give to them all pardon of their pen_ance,
and release all their sins!" All they then Ieft Bruin the
Bear lie, and did that the priest bade.
   When Bruin the Bear saw that they ran all from him, and ran
to save the women, tho sprang he into the water and swam all
that he could. Then made the priest a great shout and noise,
and ran after the Bear with great anger, and said, "Come and
turn again, thou false thief!" The Bear swam after the best of
the stream and let them call and cry, for he was glad that he was
so escaped from them. He cursed and banned the honey tree,
and the Fox also that had so betrayed him that he had crept
therein so deep that he lost both his hood and his ears. And so
forth he drove in the stream well a two or three mile. Tho wax
he so weary that he went to land for to sit and rest him, for he
was heavy; he groaned and sighed, and the blood leapt over his
eyes, he drew his breath like as one should have died.
   Now hark how the Fox did. Ere he came from Lantfert's
house he had stolen a fat hen and had laid her in his male, and
ran hastily away by a bye path where he weened that no man
should have comen. He ran toward the river, that he sweat, he
was so glad that he wist not what to do for joy, for he hoped
that the Bear had been dead. He said, "I have now well
sped, for he that should most have hindered me in the Court
is now dead, and none shall wite me thereof, may I not, then,
by right be well glad?" With these words the Fox looked to the
riverward, and espied where Bruin the Bear lay and rested him.
Tho was the Fox sorrier and heavier than tofore was merry, and
was as angry, and said in chiding to Lantfert, "Alas, Lantfert,
lewd fool! God give him a shames death that hath lost such
good venison, which is good and fat, and hath let him go which
was taken to his hand! Many a man would gladly have eaten of
him. He hath lost a rich and fat Bear." Thus all chiding he
came to the river, where he found the Bear sore wounded, bebled,
and right sick, which he might thank none better thereof than
Reynart, which he spake to the Bear in scorn:



|p58


   "Chiere priestre, Dieu vous garde! Will ye see the red
thief?"
   Said the Bear to himself, "The ribaud and the fell deer, here
I see him coming."
   Then said the Fox, "Have ye aught forgotten at Lantfert's?
Have ye also paid him for the honeycombs that ye stole from
him? If ye have not, it were a great shame, and not honest;
I will rather he the messenger myself for to go and pay him.
Was the honey not good? I know yet more of the same prize.
Dear Eme, tell me ere I go hence into what order will ye go that
wear this new hood? Were ye a monk or an abbot? He that
shaved your crown hath nipped off your ears, ye have lost your
top and don off your gloves, I trow verily that ye will go sing
compline."
   All this heard Bruin the Bear, and waxed all angry, and sorry
for he might not avenge him. He let the Fox say his will, and
with great pain suffered it, and start again in the river, and swam
down with the stream to that other side.
   Now must he sorrow how that he should come to the Court, for
he had lost his ears and the skin with the claws of his forefeet;
for though a man should have slain him he could not go; and
yet he must needs forth, but he wist not how.
   Now hear how he did. He sat upon his hams and began to
rustle over his tail; and when he was so weary, he wentled and
tumbled nigh half a mile; this did he with great pain so long till
at last he came to the Court. And when he was seen so com_ing 
from far, some doubted what it might be that came so
wenteling.
   The King at last knew him, and was not well paid, and said,
"This is Bruin the Bear, my friend! Lord God, who hath
wounded him thus? He is passing red on his head: me
thinketh he is hurt unto the death. Where may he have been?
   Therewith is the Bear came tofore the king, and said:



|p59


                         CHAPTER IX.

          The complaint of the Bear upon the Fox.

"I COMPLAIN to you, merciful lord, sir King, so as ye may see
how that I am handled, praying you to avenge it upon Reynart
the fell beast; for I have gotten this in your service. I have lost
both my foremost feet, my cheeks, and mine ears, by his false
deceit and treason."
   The King said, "How durst this false thief Reynart do this? I
say to you, Bruin, and swear by my crown, I shall so avenge you
on him that ye shal con me thank!"
   He sent for all the wise beasts and desired counsel how that
he might avenge this over-great wrong that the Fox had done.
Then the council concluded, old and young, that he should be
sent for, and dayed earnestly again, for to abide such judgment
as should there be given on him of all his trespasses. And they
thought that the cat Tybert might best do this message if he
would, for he is right wise. The King thought this counsel
good.


                           CHAPTER X.

How the King sent another time Tybert the Cat for the Fox, and
            how Tybert sped with Reynart the Fox.

THEN the King said, "Sir Tybert, ye shall now go to Reynart
and say to him this second time, that he come to Court unto the
plea for to answer; for though he be fell to other beasts, he
trusteth you well and shall do by your counsel. And tell him if
he come not he shall have the third warning and be dayed, and
if he then come not, we shall proceed by right against him and
all his lineage without mercy.
   Tybert spake, "My lord the King, they that this counselled
you were not my friends. What shall I do there? He will not,
for me neither, come ne abide. I beseech you, dear King, send



|p60


some other to him. I am little and feeble. Bruin the Bear, which
was so great and strong, could not bring him. How should I
then take it on hand?"
   "Nay," said the King, "Sir Tybert, ye ben wise and well
learned. Though ye be not great, there lieth not on. Many do
more with craft and cunning than with might and strength.
   Then said the Cat, " Sith it must needs be done, I must then
take it upon me. God give grace that I may well achieve it, for
my heart is heavy, and evil willed thereto."
   Tybert made him soon ready toward Maleperduys. And he
saw from far come flying one of Saint Martins's birds, tho
cried he loud and said, "All hail, gentle bird, turn thy wings
hitherward, and fly on my right side." The bird flew forth upon
a tree which stood on the left side of the Cat. Tho was Tybert
woe; for he thought it was a shrewd token and a sign of harm.
For if the bird had flown on his right side he had been merry
and glad, but now he sorrowed that his journey should turn to
unhappe. Nevertheless he did as many do, and gave to himself
better hope than his heart said. He went and ran to Maleper_duys 
ward, and there he found the Fox alone standing tofore his
house.
   Tybert said, "The rich God give you good even, Reynart.
The King hath menaced you for to take your life from you if ye
come not now with me to the court.
   The Fox tho spake and said, "Tybert, my dear cousin, ye be
right welcome. I would well truly that ye had much good luck."
What hurted the Fox to speak fair. Though he said well, his heart
thought it not, and that shall be seen ere they depart.
   Reynart said, "Will we this night be together. I will make
you good cheer, and to-morrow early in the dawning we will
together go to the Court. Good Nephew, let us so do, I have
none of my kin that I trust so much to as to you. Here was
Bruin the Bear,--the traitor! He looked so shrewdly on me,
and methought he was so strong, that I would not for a
thousand mark have gone with him; but, cousin, I will to_morrow 
early go with you."



|p61


Tybert said, "It is best that we now go, for the moon shineth
all so light as it were day; I never saw fairer weather."
   "Nay, dear cousin, such might meet us by day-time that would
make us good cheer and by night peradventure nlight do us harm.
It is suspicious to walk by night. Therefore abide this night here
by me."
   Tybert said, "What should we eat if we abode here?
   Reynard said, "Here is but little to eat. Ye may well have
an honeycomb, good and sweet. What say ye, Tybert, will ye
any thereof?"
   Tybert answered, "I set nought thereby. Have ye nothing
else? If ye gave me a good fat mouse I shouId be better
pleased."
   "A fat mouse!" said Reynart. "Dear cousin, what say ye?
Hereby dwelleth a priest and hath a barn by his house; therein
ben so many mice that a man should not lead them away upon a
wain, I have heard the priest many times complain that they
did him much harm."
   "Oh, dear Reynart, lead me thither for all that I may do for
you!"
   "Yea, Tybert, say ye me truth ? Love ye well mice?"
   "If I love them well?" said the Cat. "I love mice better
than anything that men give me. Know ye not that mice savour
better than venison, yea, than flawnes or pasties? Will ye well
do, so lead me thither where the mice ben, and then shall ye
win my love, yea all had ye slain my father, mother, and all my
kin."
   Reynart said, "Ye mock and jape therewith."
   The Cat said, "So help me God, I do not!"
   "Tybert", said the Fox, "wist I that verily, I would yet this
night make that ye should be full of mice."
   "Reynart!" quoth he, "Full? That were many."
   "Tybert, ye jape!"
   "Reynart", quoth he, "in truth I do not. If I had a fat
mouse I would not give it for a golden noble."



|p62


   "Let us go, then, Tybert"" quoth the Fox, "I will bring you to
the place ere I go from you."
   "Reynart", quoth the Cat, "upon your safe-conduct, I would
well go with you to Monpelier."
   "Let us then go," said the Fox, "we tarry all too long."
   Thus went they forth, without letting to the place whereas they
would be, to the Priest's bam, which was fast walled ahout with a
mud wall. And the night tofore the Fox had broken in, and
had stolen from the Priest a good fat hen; and the priest, all
angry, had set a gryn tofore the hole to avenge him; for he would
fain have taken the Fox. This knew well the fell thief, the Fox,
and said, "Sir Tybert, cousin, creep into this hole, and ye shall
not long tarry but that ye shall catch mice by great heaps. Hark
how they pipe! When ye be full, come again; I will tarry here
after you before this hole. We will to-morrow go together to the
Court. Tybert, why tarry ye thus long? Come off, and so may
we return soon to my wife which waiteth after us, and shall make
us good cheer."
   Tybert said, "Reynart, cousin, is it then your counsel that I
go into this hole? These Priests ben so wily and shrewish I
dread to take harm."
"Oh ho, Tybert!" said the Fox, "I saw you never so sore
afraid. What aileth you?"
   The Cat was ashamed, and sprang into the hole. And anon
he was caught in the gryn by the neck, ere he wist. Thus de_ceived 
Reynart his guest and cousin.
   As Tybert was ware of the gryn, he was afraid and sprang
forth; the gryn went to. Then he began to wrawen; for he
was almost y-strangled. He called, he cried, and made a shrewd
noise.
   Reynart stood before the hole and heard all, and was well
paid, and said, "Tybert, love ye well mice? Be they fat and
good? Knew the Priest hereof, or Mertynet, they be so gentle
that they would bring you sauce. Tybert, ye sing and eat, is



|p63


that the guise of the Court? Lord God, if Isegrim were there
by you, in such rest as ye now be, then should I be glad; for
oft he hath done me scathe and harm."
   Tybert could not go away, but he mawed and galped so loud,
that Mertynet sprang up, and cried loud, "God be thanked, my
gryn hath taken the thief that hath stolen our hens. Arise up,
we will reward him!"
   With these words arose the Priest in an evil time, and waked
all them that were in the house, and cried with a loud voice,
"The Fox is taken!"
   There leapt and ran all that there was. The Priest himself ran,
all mother naked. Mertynet was the first that came to Tybert.
The Priest took to Locken his wife an offering candle, and bade
her light it at the fire, and he smote Tybert with a great staff.
There received Tybert many a great stroke over all his body.
Mertynet was so angry that he smote the Cat an eye out. The
naked Priest lift up and should have given a great stroke to
Tybert, but Tybert that saw that he must die sprang between the
Priest's legs with his claws and with his teeth. That leap be_came 
ill to the Priest and to his great shame.
   When Dame Julocke knew that, she sware by her father's soul,
that she would it had cost her all the offering of a whole year,
that the Priest had not had that harm, hurt, and shame, and that
it had not happened; and said, "In the Devil's name was the
gryn there set! See Mertynet, lief son, this is a great shame
and to me a great hurt!" The Fox stood without, tofore the
hole, and heard all these words, and laughed so sore that he
vnnethe could stand. Thus scorned and mocked the Fox the
Priest's wife, Dame Julocke, that was full of sorrow. The Priest
fell down aswoon. They took him up, and brought him again
to bed. Tho went the Fox again in to his burgh ward and left
Tibert the Cat in great dread and jeopardy, for the Fox wist
none other but that the Cat was nigh dead. But when Tibert
the Cat saw them all husy about the Priest, tho began he to bite
and gnaw the gryn in the middle asunder, and sprang out of



|p64


the hole, and went rolling and wentling towards the King's Court.
Ere he came thither it was fair day, and the sun began to rise.
And he came to the Court as a poor wight. He had caught harm
at the Priest's house by the help and counsel of the Fox. His
body was all tobeaten, and blind on the one eye. When the King
wist this, that Tibert was thus arrayed, he was sore angry, and
menaced Reynart the thief sore, and anon gathered his council
to wit what they would advise him, how he might bring the Fox
to the law, and how he should be fetched.
   Tho spake Sir Grymbart, which was the Fox's sister son, and
said, "Ye lords, though my Eme were twice so bad and shrewish,
yet is there remedy enough. Let him be done to as to a free
man. When he shall be judged he must be warned the third
time for all; and if he come not then, he is then guilty in all the
trespasses that ben laid against him and his, or complained on."
   "Grymbart who would ye that should go and daye him to
come? Who will adventure for him his ears, his eye, or his life;
which is so fell a beast? I trow there is none here so much a fool."
   Grymbart spake, "So help me God, I am so much a fool that
I will do this message myself to Reynart, if ye will command me."


                             CHAPTER XI.

         How Grymbart the Dasse brought the Fox to the law tofore
                             the King.

"Now go forth, Grymbart, and see well tofore you. Reynart is
so fell and false, and so subtle, that ye need well to look about
you and to beware of him."
   Grymbart said he should see well to.
   Thus went Grymbart to Maleperduys ward, and when he came
thither he found Reynart the Fox at home, and Dame Ermelyn
his wife lay with her whelps in a dark corner.
   Tho spake Grymbart and saluted his Eme and his Aunt, and
said to Reynart, "Eme, beware that your absence hurt you not
in such matters as be laid and complained on you; but if ye



|p65


think it good, it is high time that ye come with me to the Court.
The withholding you from it can do you no good. There is
much thing complained over you, and this is the third warning;
and I tell you for truth, if ye abide to-morrow all day, there may
no mercy help you. Ye shall see that within three days that your
house shall be besieged all about, and there shall be made tofore
it gallows and rack. I say you truly ye shall not then escape,
neither with wife ne with child, the King shall take all your lives
from you. Therefore it is best that ye go with me to the Court.
Your subtle wise counsel shall peradventure avail you. There
ben greater adventures falle, ere this; for it may hap ye shall go
quit of all the complaints that ben complained on you, and all
your enemies shall abide in the shame. Ye have ofttimes done
more and greater things than this."
   Reynart the Fox answered, "Ye say sooth. I trow it is best
that I go with you, for there lacketh my counsel. Peradventure
the King shall be merciful to me if I may come to speak with
him, and see him under his eyen. Though I had done much more
harm, the Court may not stand without me; that shall the King
well understand. Though some be so fell to me ward, yet it
goeth not to the heart. All the council shall conclude much by
me. Where great Courts ben gathered, of kings or of great lords,
whereas needeth subtle counsel, there must Reynart find the subtle
means. They may well speak and say their advice, but tho mine
is best, and that goeth tofore all other. In the Court ben many
that have sworn to do me the worst they can, and that causeth
me a part to be heavy in my heart, for many may do more than
one alone that shall hurt me. Nevertheless, nephew, it is better
I go with you to the Court and answer for myself, than to set me
my wife and my children in adventure for to be lost. Arise up,
let us go hence. He is over mighty for me. I must do as he
will. I cannot better it; I shall take it patiently and suffer it."
   Reynart said to his wife Dame Ermelyn, "I betake you my
children, that ye see well to them and specially to Reynkin, my
youngest son. He beliketh me so well I hope he shall follow my
steps. And there is Rossel a passing fair thief, I love them as well



|p66


as any may love his children. If God give me grace that I may
escape, I shall, when I come again, thank you with fair words."
Thus took Reynart leave of his wife.
   Ah, gods! how sorrowful abode Ermelyn with her small whelps,
for the victualler and he that sorrowed for Maleperduys was gone
his way, and the house not purveyed nor victualled.


                         CHAPTER XII.

                    How Reynart shrove him.

WHEN Reynart and Grymbart had gone a while together, tho said
Reynart, "Dear Cousin, now am I in great fear, for I go in dread
and jeopardy of my life. I have so much repentance for my sins
that I will shrive me, dear Cousin, to you; here is none other
priest to get. If I were shriven of my sins my soul should be the
clearer."
   Grymbart answered, "Eme, will ye shrive you, then must ye
promise first to leave your stealing and roving."
   Reynart said, that wist he well. "Now hark, dear Cousin,
what I shall say. Confiteor tibi, pater, of all the misdeeds that I
have done, and gladly will receive penance for them."
   Grymbart said, "What say ye, will ye shrive you? Then say
it in English, that I may understand you."
   Reynart said, "I have trespassed against all the beasts that
live; in especial against Bruin the Bear, mine Eme, whom I made
his crown all bloody; and taught Tybert the Cat to catch mice,
for I made her leap in a grynne where she was all to-beaten; also
I have trespassed greatly against Chanticleer with his children, for
I have made him quit of a great deal of them. The King is not
gone all quit, I have slandered him and the Queen, many times,
that they shall never be clear thereof. Yet have I beguiled
Isegrim the Wolf, oftener than I can tell well. I called him
Eme, but that was to deceive him; he is nothing of my kin. I
made him a monk at Eelmare, where I myself also besame one;



|p67


and that was to his hurt and no profit. I made bind his feet to
the bell rope, the ringing of the bell thought him so good that he
would learn to ring; whereof he had shame, for he rang so sore
that all the folk in the street were afraid thereof and marvelled
what might be on the bell, and ran thither tofore he had comen
to axe the religion, wherefore he was beaten almost to the death.
After this I taught him to catch fish, where he received many a
stroke; also I led him to the richest priest's house that was in
Vermedos, this priest had a spynde wherein hung many a good
flitch of bacon wherein many a time I was wont to fill my belly;
in this spynde I had made an hole in which I made Isegrim to
creep. There found he tubs with beef and many good flitches of
bacon, whereof he ate so much without measure that he might
not come out at the hole where he went in; his belly was so great
and full of the meat, and when he entered his belly was small; I
went in to the village and made there a great shout and noise; yet
hark what I did then, I ran to the priest where he sat at the table
and ate, and had tofore him as fat capon as a man might find;
that capon caught I, and ran my way therewith all that I might.
The priest cried out, and said, "Take and slay the Fox! I trow
that man never saw more wonder. The Fox cometh in my house
and taketh my capon from my table: where saw ever man an
hardier thief!" and as me thought he took his table knife and
cast it at me, but he touched me not. I ran away, he shoved the
table from him and followed me crying "Kill and slay him!" I
too go, and they after, and many moo came after, which all
thought to hurt me.
   "I ran so long that I came whereas Isegrim was, and there I
let fall the capon, for it was too heavy for me, and against my will
I left it there, and then I sprang through a hole whereas I would
be. And as the priest took up the capon, he espied Isegrim
and cried, "Smite down here, friends, here is the thief, the Wolf!
See well to, that he escape us not!" They ran all together with
stocks and staves, and made a great noise, that all the neighbours
camen out, and gave him many a shrewd stroke, and threw at
him great stones, in such wise that he fell down as he had been



|p68


dead. They slipped him and drew him over stones and over
blocks without the village and threw him into a ditch, and there
he lay all the night. I wot never how he came thence, sith I have
goten of him, for as much as I made him to fill his belly, that he
sware he would be mine help a whole year.
   "Tho led I him to a place where I told him there were seven
hens and a cock which sat on a perch and were much fat. And
there stood a fall-door by, and we climbed thereup. I said to him
if he would believe me, and that he would creep into the door,
he should find many fat hens. Isegrim went all laughing to the
doorward, and crept a little in, and tasted here and there, and at
last he said to me, "Reynart, ye bord and jape with me, for what
I seek I find not." Then said I, "Eme, if ye will find, creep
further in. He that will win, he must labour and adventnre.
They that were wont to sit there, I have them away." Thus I
made him to seek further in, and shoved him forth so far, that he
fell down upon the floor, for the perch was narrow. And he fell
so great a fall, that they sprang up all that slept, and they that
next the fire cryden that the fall-door was open and something
was falle, and they wist not what it might be. They rose up
and light a candle, and when they saw him, they smiten, beaten,
and wounded him to the death. I have brought him thus in
many a jeopardy, more than I can now reckon. I should find
many more, if I me well bethought, which I shall tell you here_after.
Also I have bedriuen with dame Ersewynde his wife. I
would I had not done it. I am sorry for it. It is to her great
shame, and that me repenteth."
   Grymbart said, "Eme, I understand you not."
   He said, "I have trespassed with his wife."
   "Ye shrive you, as though ye held somewhat behind. I
wot not what ye mean, ne where ye have learned this lan_guage."

   "Ach, Dear Neve, it were great shame if I should say it openly
as it happened. I have lain by mine aunt, I am your Eme, I
should anger you if I spake villainy of women. Nephew,  now



|p69


have I told you all that I can think on. Set me penance, and
assoil me, for I have great repentance."
   Grymbart was subtle and wise. He broke a rod off a tree
and said, "Eme, now shall ye smite yourself thrice with this rod
on your body, and then lay it down upon the ground, and spring
three times thereover, without bowing of your legs and without
stumbling, and then shall ye take it up and kiss it friendly in
token of meekness and obedience of your penance that I gave
you. Herewith be ye quit of all sins that ye have done to this
day, for I forgive it you all."
   The Fox was glad.
   Tho said Grymbart to his Eme, "Eme, see now forthon that
ye do good works: read your psalms, go to church, fast, and
keep your holydays, and give your alms; and leave your sinful
and ill life, your theft, and your treason, and so may ye come
to mercy."
   The Fox promised that he would so do, and then went they
both together to the Court ward.
   A little beside the way as they went stood a cloister of black
nuns, where many geese, hens and capons went without the
walls; and as they went talking the Fox brought Grymbart out
of the right way thither, and without the walls by the barn
went the polaylle. The Fox espied them, and saw a fat
young capon which went alone from his fellows, and leapt, and
caught him that the feathers flew about his ears, but the capon
escaped.
   Grymbart said, "What, Eme, cursed man, what will ye do!
Will ye for one of these pullets fall again in all your sins of
which ye have shriven you? Ye ought sore repent you."
   Reynart answered, "Truly, cousin, I had all forgotten. Pray
God that he forgive it me, for I will never do so more."
   Then turned they again over a little bridge, yet the Fox alway
looked after the polaylle; he could not refrain himself; that
which clevid by the bone might not out of the flesh: though he
should be hanged he could not let the looking after the polaylle
as far as he might see them.



|p70


   Grymbart saw his manner, and said, "Foul false deceiver, how
go your eyen so after the polaylle!"
   The Fox said, "Cousin, ye misdo to say to me any such
words. Ye bring me out of my devotion and prayers. Let me
say a pater noster for all the souls of polaylle and geese that I have
betrayed, and oft with falsehood stolen from these holy nuns."
   Grymbart was not well apaid, but the Fox had ever his eyen
toward the polaylle till at last they came in the way again, and
then turned they to the Courtward. How sore quaked tho
Reynart when they approached the Court! For he wist well
that he had for to answer to many a foul feat and theft that he
had done.


                       CHAPTER XIII.

     How the Fox came to the Court, and how he excused him tofore
                          the King.

AT the first when it was known in the Court that Reynart the
Fox and Grymbart his cousin were comen to the Court, there
was none so poor nor so feeble of kin and friends but that he
made him ready for to complain on Reynart the Fox.
   Reynart looked as he had not been afraid, and held him better
than he was, for he went forth proudly with his nephew through
the highest street of the Court, right as he had been the King's
son, and as he had not trespassed to any man the value of an
hair: and went in the middle of the place standing tofore Noble
the King and said --
"God give you great honour and worship. There was never
King that ever had a truer servant than I have heen to your good
grace, and yet am. Nevertheless, dear lord, I know well that
there ben many in this Court that would destroy me if ye would
believe them; but nay, God thank you, it is not fitting to your
crown to believe these false deceivers and liars lightly. To God
mote it be complained how that these false liars and flatterers now_adays 
in the lord's Courts ben most heard and believed, the



|p71


shrews and false deceivers ben borne up for to do to good men
all the harm and scathe they may. Our Lord God shall once
reward them their hire."
   The King said, "Peace, Reynart, false thief and traitor! How
well can ye bring forth fair tales! And all shall not help you a
straw. Ween ye with such flattering words to be my friend, ye
have so oft served me so as ye now shall well know. The peace
that I have commanded and sworn, that have ye well holden,
have ye?"
   Chanticleer could no longer be still, but cried, "Alas, what
have I by this peace lost!"
   "Be still, Chanticleer, hold your mouth. Let me answer
this foul thief. Thou shrewd fell thief," said the King, "thou
sayest that thou lovest me well: that hast thou showed well on
my messengers, these poor fellows, Tibert the Cat and Bruin the
Bear, which yet ben all bloody; which chide not ne say not
much, but that shall this day cost thee thy life. In nomine patris
et Christi filii."
   Said the Fox, "Dear lord and mighty King, if Bruin's crown
be bloody what is that to me? When he ate honey at Lantfert's
house in the village and did him hurt and scathe, there was he
beaten therefor; if he had willed, he is so strong of limbs, he
might well have be avenged ere he sprang into the water. Tho
came Tybert the Cat, whom I received friendly. If he went out
without my counsel for to steal mice to a priest's house, and the
priest did him harm, should I abye that, then might I say I were
not happy. Not so, my liege lord. Ye may do what ye will,
though my matter be clear and good; ye may siede me, or roast,
hang, or make me blind. I may not escape you. We stand all
under your correction. Ye be mighty and strong. I am feeble,
and my help is but small. If ye put me to the death it were a
small vengeance."
   Whiles they thus spake, up sprang Bellyn the Ram and his ewe
Dame Olewey and said, "My lord the King, hear our com_plaint." 
Bruin the Bear stood up with all his lineage and his



|p72


fellows. Tybert the Cat, Isegrim the Wolf, Cuwart the Hare,
and Panther; the Boar, the Camel, and Brunel the Goose; the
Kid and Goat; Boudewyn the Ass, Borre the Bull, Hamel the
Ox, and the Weasel; Chanticleer the Cock, Pertelot with all their
children, all these made great rumour and noise, and came forth
openly tofore their lord the King, and made that the Fox was
taken and arrested.


                           CHAPTER XIV.

          How the Fox was arrested and judget to death.

Hereupon was a Parliament; and they desired that Reynart
should ben dead. And whatsomever they said against the Fox
he answered to each to them. Never heard man of such beasts
such plaints of wise counsel and subtle inventions. And on that
other side, the Fox made his excuse so well and formably thereon,
that they that heard it wondered thereof. They that heard and
saw it may tell it forth for truth; I shall short the matter and tell
gou forth of the Fox. The King and the Council heard the wit_nesses 
of the complaints of Reynart's misdeeds. It went with
them as it oft does, the feeblest hath the worst. They gave sen_tence,
and judged that the Fox should be dead and hanged by
the neck. Tho list not he to play. All his flattering words and
deceits could not help him. The judgment was given, and that
must be done. Grymbart, his nephew, and many of his lineage
might not find in their hearts to see him die, but took leave sorrow_fully,
and roomed the court.
   The King bethought him, and marked how many a youngling
departed from thence all weeping, which were nigh of his kin,
and said to himself, " Here hehoveth other counsel hereto; though
Reynart be a shrew, there be many good of his lineage."
   Tybert the Cat said, "Sir Bruin and Sir Isegrim, how be ye
thus slow? It is almost even. Here hen mang bushes and
hedges. If he escaped from us and were delivered out of this
peril, he is so subtle, and so wily, and can so many deceits, that



|p73


he should never be taken again. Shall we hang him ? How
stand ye all thus? Ere the gallows can be made ready it shall
be night."
   Isegrim bethought him tho, and said, "Hereby is a gibbet or
gallows." And with that word he sighed.
   And the Cat espied that, and said, "Isegrim, your be afraid.
Is it against your will? Think ye not that he himself went and
laboured that both your brethren were hanged ? Were ye good
and wise, ye should thank him, and ye should not therewith so
long tarry."


                            CHAPTER XV.

              How the Fox was led to the gallows.

ISEGRIM balked and said, "Ye make much ado, Sir Tybert; had
we an halter which were meet for his neck and strong enough,
we should soon make an end."
   Reynart the Fox, which long had not spoken, said to Isegrim,
"Short my pain. Tybert hath a strong cord which caught him
in the Priest's house. He can climb well, and is swift; let him
bear up the line. Isegrim and Bruin, this becometh you well,
that ye thus do to your Nephew! I am sorry that I live thus
long; haste you, ye be set thereto; it is evil doo that ye tarry thus
long. Go tofore, Bruin, and lead me; Isegrim, follow fast, and
see well to, and be ware that Reynart go not away."
   Tho said Bruin, "It is the best counsel that I ever yet heard,
that Reynart here saith."
   Isegrim commanded anon and bad his kin and friends that
they should see to Reynart that he escaped not, for he is so wily
and false. They helden him by the feet, by the beard; and so
kept him that he escaped not from them.
   The Fox heard all these words, which touched him nigh, get
spake he and said, "Oh dear Eme, methinketh ye pain yourself
sore for to do me hurt and scathe. If I durst, I would pay you
of mercy, though my hurt and sorrow is pleasant to you. I wot



|p74


well, if mine Aunt, your wife, bethought her well of old ferners,
she would not suffer that I should have any harm; but now I
am he that now ye will do on me what it shall please you. Ye
Bruin and Tybert, God give you shames death but ye do to me
your worst. I wot whereto I shall. I may die but once, I would
that I were dead already. I saw my father die, he had soon
done."
   Isegrim said, "Let us go, for ye curse us because we lengthen
the time. Evil might we fare if we abide any longer."
   He went forth with great envy on that one side, and Bruin
stood on the other side, and so led they him forth to the gal_lows 
ward. Tybert ran with a good will tofore, and bare the
cord; and his throat was yet sore of the grynne, and his croppe
did him woe of the stroke that he was take in; that happened by
the counsel of the Fox, and that thought he now to quit.
   Tybert Isegrim and Bruin went hastily with Reynart to the
place there as the felons ben wont to be put to death. Noble
the King and the Queen and all that were in the Court followed
after, for to see the end of Reynart. The Fox was in great dread
if him myshapped, and bethought him oft how he might save
him from the death; and tho three that so sore desired his death,
how he might deceive them and bring them to shame; and how
he might bring the King with leasings for to hold with him
against them. This was all that he studied, how he might put
away his sorrow with wiles, and thought thus: "Though the
King and many one be upon me angry, it is no wonder, for I
have well deserved it; nevertheless, I hope for to be yet their
best friend. And yet shaIl I never do them good. How strong
that the King be, and how wise that his council he, if I may
brook my words I know so many an invention, I shall come to
mine above as far as they would comen to the gallows."
   Tho said Isegrim, "Sir Bruin, think now on your red crown
which by Reynart's mean ye caught; we have now the time that
we may well reward him. Tybert, clime up hastily and bind the



|p75


cord fast to the lynde, and make a riding knot or a strope, ye be
the lightest; ye shall this day see your will of him. Bruin, see
well to, that he escape not, and hold fast. I will help that the
ladder be set up, that he may go upward thereon."
   Bruin said, "Do. I shall help him well."
   The Fox said, "Now may my heart be well heavy for great
dread; for I see the death tofore mine eyen, and I may not
escape. My lord the King, and dear Queen, and forth all ye
that here stand, ere I depart from this world I pray you of a
boone: that I may tofore you all make my confession openly,
and tell my defaults all so clearly that my soul may not be acum_bred,
and also that no man hereafter bear no blame for my
theft ne for my treason. My death shall be to me the easier, and
pray ye all to God that he have mercy on my soul."


                         CHAPTER XVI.

How the Fox made openly his confession tofore the King and tofore
                 all them that would hear it.

ALL they that stood there had pity when Reynart said tho words,
and said it was but a little request if the King would grant it
him, and they prayed the King to grant it him.
   The King gave him leave.
   Reynart was well glad, and hoped that it might fall better, and
said thus:
   "Now help, Spiritus Domini; for I see here no man but I have
trespassed unto. Nevertheless yet was I, unto the time that I
was weaned from the teat, one of the best children that could
anywhere be found. I went tho and played with the lambs,
because I heard them gladly bleat. I was so long with them
that at the last I bit one; there learned I first to lappen of the
blood. It savoured well; me thought it right good. And after
I began to taste of the flesh thereof, I was licorous; so that
after that I went to the gate into the wood, there heard I the
kids bleat and I slew of them twain. I began to wax hardy



|p76


after. I slew hens, polaylle and geese wherever I found them.
Thus worden my teeth all bloody. After this, I wex so fell and
so wroth that whatsomever I found thet I might over, I slew all.
Thereafter came I by Isegrim, now in the winter, where he hid
him under a tree, and reckoned to me that he was mine eme.
When I heard him then reckon alliance, we became fellows,
which I may well repent. We promised each to other to be
true, and to use good fellowship, and began to wander together.
He stole the great things and I the small, and all was common
between us. Yet he made it so that he had the best deal; I got
not half my part. When that Isegrim gat a calf a ram or a
wether, then grimmed he, and was angry on me, and drove me
from him, and held my part and his too, so good is he. Yet
this was of the least. But when it so lucked that we took an
ox or a cow, then came thereto his wife with seven children;
so that unto me might vnnethe come one of the smallest ribs,
and yet, had they eaten all the flesh thereof, therewithall must
I be content; not for that I had so great need, for I have so
great scatte and good of silver and of gold, that seven wains
should not can carry it away."
   When the King heard him speak of this great good and riches,
he burned in the desire and covetyse thereof, and said, "Reynart,
where is the riches becomen? tell me that."
   The Fox said, "My lord, I shall tell you. The riches was
stolen. And had it not be stolen, it should have cost you your life
and you should have been murdered,-which God forbid!-and
should have been the greatest hurt in the world."
   When the Queen heard that, she was sore afraid and cried
aloud, "Alas and weleaway! Reynart, what say ye? I conjure
you by the long way that your soul shall go, that ye tell us openly
the truth hereof, as much as ye know of this great murder that
should have be done on my lord, that we all may hear it!" --
Now hearken how the Fox shall flatter the King and Queen,
and shall win both their good will and loves, and shall hinder



|p77


them that labour for his death. He shall unbind his pack and
lie, and by flattery and fair words shall bring forth so his matters
that it shall be supposed for truth.
   In a sorrowful countenance spake the Fox to the Queen, "I
am in such case now that I must needs die, and had ye me not
so sore conjured I will not jeopardise my soul, and if I so died I
should go therefor in to the pain of hell. I will say nothing but
that I will make it good, for piteously he should have been mur_dered 
of his own folk. Nevertheless they that were most principal
in this feat were of my next kin, whom gladly I would not betray,
if the sorrow were not of the hell."
   The King was heavy of heart, and said, "Reynart, sayest thou
to me the truth?"
   "Yes," said the Fox. "See ye not how it standeth with me?
Ween ye that I shall damn my soul? What should it avail me if
I now said otherwise than truth? My death is so nigh. There
may neither prayer ne good help me." Tho trembled the Fox, by
dissembling, as he had been afraid.
   The Queen had pity on him, and prayed the King to have
mercy on him, in eschewing of more harm, and that he should
doo the people hold their peace, and give the Fox audience, and
hear what he should say.
   Tho commanded the King openly that each of them should be
still, and suffer the Fox to say unberisped what that he would.
   Then said the Fox, "Be ye now all still, sith it is the King's
will, and I shall tell you openly this treason. And therein will I
spare no man that I know guilty."


                       CHAPTER XVII.

   How the Fox brought them in danger that would have brought him
          to death, and how he got the grace of the King.

Now hearken how the Fox began. In the beginning he appealed
Grymbart his dear Cousin, which ever had helped him in his need.



|p78


He did so because his words should be the better believed; and
that he forthon might the better lie on his enemies. Thus began
he first and said:
   "My lord, my father had found King Ermeryk's treasure dolven
in a pit; and when he had this great good, he was so proud and
orguillous that he had all other beasts in despite which tofore had
been bis fellows. He made Tybert the Cat to go into that wild
land of Ardenne to Bruin the Bear for to do him homage, and
bad him say, if he would be King that he should come in to
Flanders. Bruin the Bear was glad hereof, for he had long de_sired 
it, and went forth in to Flanders; where my father received
him right friendly. Anon he sent for the wise Grymbart, mine
nephew, and for Isegrim the Wolf, and for Tybert the Cat. Tho
these five came between Gaunt and the thorp called Yfte, there
they held their council an whole dark night long. What with
the devil's help and craft, and for my father's riches, they con_cluded 
and swore there the King's death. Now hearken, and
hear this wonder. The four swore upon Isegrim's crown that
they should make Bruin a king and a lord, and bring him in the
stool at Akon, and set the crown on his head; and if there were
any of the King's friends or lineage that would be contrary or
against this, him should my father with his good and treasure
fordrive, and take from him his might and power.
   "It happed so that on a morrowtide early when Grymbart, my
nephew, was of wine almost drunk, that he told it to Dame Sloep_cade,
his wife, in counsel, and bade her keep it secret. But she
anon forgat it, and said it forth in confession to my wife upon
an heath where they both wenten a pilgrimage, but she must first
swear, by her truth and by the holy Three Kings of Cologne, that
for love ne for hate she should never tell it forth, but keep it
secret. But she held it not, and kept it no longer secret but till
she came to me; and she then told to me all that she heard, but
I must keep it in secret. And she told me so many tokens that
I felt well it was truth; and for dread and fear mine hair stood
right up, and my heart became as heavy as lead and as cold as



|p79


ice. I thought by this a likeness which here aforetime befell
to the frosshis which were free and complained that they had
none lord ne were not bydwongen, for a comynte without a
governor was not good, and they cried to God with a loud voice
that he would ordain one that might rule them, this was all that
they desired. God heard their request, for it was reasonable, and
sent to them a Stork which ate and swallowed them in, as many
as he could find; he was alway to them unmerciful. Tho com_plained 
they their hurt, but then it was too late; they that were
tofore free and were afraid of nobody ben now bound and must
obey to strength their king: herefor, ye rich and poor, I sorrowed,
that it might happen us in likewise.
   "Thus, my lord the King, I have had sorrow for you whereof
ye can me but little thank. I know Bruin the Bear for such a
shrew and ravener, wherefore I thought if he were king we should
be all destroyed and lost. I know our sovereign lord the King
of so high birth, so mighty, so benign and merciful, that I thought
truly it bad been an evil change for to have a foul stinking thief
and to refuse a noble mighty stately Lion; for the Bear hath
more mad folly in his unthrifty head, and all his ancestors, than
any other hath. Thus had I in mine heart many a sorrow, and
thought alway how I might break and foredo my father's false
counsel, which of a churl and a traitor and worse than a thief
would make a lord and a king. Alway I prayed God that he
would keep our King in worship and good health, and grant him
long life, but I thought well if my father held his treasure he
should with his false fellows well find the way that the King
should be deposed and set aside. I was sore bethought how I
might best wit where my father's good lay. I awaited at all times
as nigh as I could, in woods, in bushes, in fields; where my
father laid his eyen; were it by night or by day, cold or wet, I
was alway by him to espy and know where his treasure was laid.
   "On a time I lay down all plat on the ground and saw my



|p80


father come running out of an hole. Now hark what I saw him
do. When he came out of the hole, he looked fast about if any_body 
had seen him. And when he could nowhere none see, he
stopped the hole with sand aud made it even and plain like to
the other ground by. He knew not that I saw it. And where
his footspore stood, there stryked he with his tail, and made it
smooth with his mouth, that no man should espy it. That learned
I there of my false father, and many subtleties that I tofore knew
nothing of Then departed he thence and ran to the village
ward for to do his things; and I forgot not, but sprang and leapt
to the hole ward, and how well that he had supposed that he
had made all fast I was not so much a fool but that I found the
hole well, and scratched and scraped with my feet the sand out
of the hole, and crept therein. There found I the most plenty
of silver and of gold that ever I saw. Here is none so old that
ever so much saw on one heap in all his life. Tho took I Erme_lyne 
my wife to help, and we ne rested night ne day to bear and
carry away, with great labour and pain, this rich treasure in to
another place that lay for us better, under an hawe in a deep hole.
In the mean while that mine housewife and I thus laboured, my
father was with them that would betray the King. Now may ye
hear what they did. Bruin the Bear and Isegrim the Wolf sent
all the land about if any man would take wages that they should
come to Bruin and he would pay them their souldye or wages
tofore. My father ran all over the land and bare the letters. He
wist little that he was robbed of his treasure; yea though he might
have wonnen all the world, he had not conne find a penny
thereof.
   "When my father had been over all in the land between the
Elbe and the Somme, and had gotten many a soldier that
should the next summer have comen to help Bruin, tho came he
again to the Bear and his fellows, and told them in how great a
venture he had be tofore the boroughs in the land of Saxon, and
how the hunters daily ridden and hunted with hounds after him
in such wise that he unnethes escaped with his life. When he had
told this to these four false traitors, then showed he them letters



|p81


that pleased much. To Bruin therein were written twelve hundred
of Isegrim's lineage by name, without the bears, the foxes, the
cats, and the dassen, all these had sworn that with the first
messenger that should come for them they should be ready, and
come for to help the Bear if they had their wages a month tofore.
This aspied I, I thank God. After these words my father went to
the hole where his treasure had lain, and would look upon it.
Tho began he a great sorrow; that he sought he found nothing.
He found his hole broken, and his treasure borne away. There
did he that I may well sorrow and bewail, for great anger and
sorrow he went and hung himself. Thus abode the treason of
Bruin by my subtilty after. Now see mine infortune. These
traitors Isegrim and Bruin ben now most privy of counsel about
the King, and sit by him on the high bench. And I, poor Rey_nart,
have ne thanks ne reward. I have buried mine own father,
because the King should have his life. My lord," said the Fox,
"where ben they that would so do, that is, to destroy them self
for to keep you."
   The King and the Queen hoped to win the treasure and with_out 
council took to them Reynart and prayed him that he would
do so well as to tell them where this treasure was.
   Reynart said, "How should I tell the King, or them that would
hang me for love of the traitors and murderers which by their
flattery would fain bring me to death? Should I tell to them
where my good is, then were I out of my wit."
   The Queen then spake, "Nay, Reynart, the King shall let you
have your life, and shall altogether forgive you, and ye shall be
from henceforth wise and true to my lord."
   The Fox answered to the Queen, "Dear lady, if the King will
believe me, and that he will pardon and forgive me all my old tres_passes,
there was never King so rich as I shall make him. For
the treasure that I shall do him have is right costly and may not
be numbered."
   The King said, "Ach Dame, will ye believe the Fox? Save
your reverence, he is born to rob, steal, and to lie. This cleaves
to his bones, and can not be had out of the flesh."



|p82


   The Queen said, "Nay, my lord, ye may now well believe him.
Though he were tofore fell, he is now changed otherwise than he
was. Ye have well heard that he hath impeached his father and
the Dasse his nephew, which he might well have laid on other
beasts if he would have been false, fell, and a liar."
   The King said, "Dame, will ye then have it so, and think ye
it best to be don, though I supposed it should hurt me I will take
all these trespasses of Reynart upon me and believe his words.
But I swear by my crown, if he ever hereafter misdo and tres_pass,
that shall he dear abye and all his lineage unto the ninth
degree."
   The Fox looked on the King stoundmele, and was glad in his
heart, and said, "My lord, I were not wise if I should say things
that were not true."
   The King took up a straw from the ground, and pardoned and
forgave the Fox all the misdeeds and trespasses of his father and
of him also.
   If the Fox was tho merry and glad, it was no wonder; for
he was quit of his death and was all free and frank of all his
enemies.
   The Fox said, "My Lord the King and noble Lady the Queen,
God reward you this great worship that ye do to me. I shall
think and also thank you for it in such wise that ye shall be the
richest king of the world; for there is none living under the sun
that I vouchsafe better my treasure on, than on you both."
   Then took the Fox up a straw and proffered it to the King,
and said, "My most dear Lord, please it you to receive here the
rich treasure which King Ermeryk had. For I give it unto you
with a free will, and knowledge it openly."
   The King received the straw, and threw it mere!y from him
with a joyous visage, and thanked much the Fox.
   The Fox laughed in himself.
   The King then hearkened after the counsel of the Fox. And
all that there were were at his will.
   "My Lord", said he, "hearken and mark well my words. In



|p83


the west side of Flanders there standeth a wood and is named
Hulsterlo, and a water that is called Krekenpyt lieth thereby.
This is so great a wilderness, that oft in a whole year man nor
wife cometh therein, save they that will, and they that will not
eschew it. There lieth this treasure hidden. Understand well
that the place is called Krekenpyt, for I advise you, for the least
hurt, that ye and my Lady go both thither; for I know none so
true that I durst on your behalf trust; wherefore go yourself.
And when ye come to Krekenpyt ye shall find there two birch
trees standing althernext the pit. My Lord, to tho birch trees
shall ye go: there lieth the treasure untherdolven. There must
ye scrape and dig away a little the moss on the one side. There
shall ye find many a jewel of gold and silver, and there shall ye
find the crown which King Ermeryk wore in his days. That
should Bruin the Bear have worn, if his will had gone forth.
Ye shall see many a costly jewel, with rich stones set in gold
work, which cost many a thousand mark. My Lord the King,
when ye now have all this good, how oft shall ye say in your
heart and think, "Oh how true art thou, Reynart the Fox, that
with thy subtle wit delvest and hidest this great treasure! God
give thee good hap and welfare wherever thou be!""
   The King said, "Sir Reynart, ye must come and help us to
dig up this treasure. I know not the way. I should never
conne find it. I have heard often named Paris, London, Aachen,
and Cologne; as me thinketh this treasure lieth right as ye
mocked and japed, for ye name Krekenpyt. That is a feigned
name."
   These words were not good to the Fox, and he said with an
angry mood, and dissembled and said, "Yea, my Lord the King,
ye be also nigh that as from Rome to Maye. Ween ye that I will
lead you to flume Jordan. Nay, I shall bring you out of weening
and show it you by good witness."
   He called loud, "Cuwart the Hare, come here tofore the King."
The beasts saw all thitherward and wondered what the King would.



|p84


The Fox said to the Hare, "Cuwart, are ye acold; how tremble
ye and quake so? Be not afraid; and tell my Lord the King
here the truth, and that I charge you, by the faith and truth that
ye owe him and to my Lady the Queen, of such thing as I shall
demand of you."
   Cuwart said, "I shall say the truth, though I should lose my
neck therefor. I shall not lie, ye have charged me so sore, if I
know it."
   "Then say, know ye not where Krekenpyt standeth? Is that
in your mind?
   The Hare said, "I knew that well twelve year agone, where
that standeth. Why ask ye that? It standeth in a wood named
Hulsterlo, upon a warande in the wilderness. I have suffered
there much sorrow for hunger and for cold, yea, more than I can
tell. Pater Symonet the Friese was woned to make there false
money, wherewith he bare himself out and all his fellowship;
but that was tofore ere I had fellowship with Ryn the Hound,
which made me escape many a danger; as he could well tell if
he were here, and that I never in my days trespassed against the
King otherwise than I ought to do with right."
   Reynart said to him, "Go again to yonder fellowship. Hear
.ye, Cuwart? My Lord the King desircth no more to know
of you."
   The Hare returned and went again to the place he came from.
   The Fox said, "My Lord the King, is it true that I said?"
   "Yea, Reynart," said the King, "forgive it me; I did evil that
I believed you not. Now, Reynart, friend, find the way that ye
go with us to the place and pit where the treasure lieth."
   The Fox said, "It is a wonder thing. Ween ye that I would
not fain go with you; if it were so with me that I might go with
you in such wise that it no shame were unto your lordship, I
would go. But nay, it may not be. Hearken what I shall say,
and must needs, though it be to me villainy and shame. When



|p85


Isegrim the Wolf, in the devil's name, went into religion and
became a monk shorn in the order, tho the provender of six
monks was not suffcient to him, and had not enough to eat,
he then plained and wailed so sore that I had pity on him,
for he became slow and sick. And because he was of my kin,
I gave him counsel to run away, and so he did. Wherefore I
stand accursed, and am in the Pope's ban and sentence. I will
to-morrow betimes, as the sun riseth, take my way to Rome for
to be assoiled and take pardon. And from Rome I will over the
sea into the Holy Land, and will never return again till I have
done so much good that I may with worship go with you. It
were great reproof to you, my Lord the King, in what land that
I accompanied you that men should say ye reysed and accom_panied 
yourself with a cursed and person agravate."
   The King said, "Sith that ye stand accursed in the censures
of the Church, if I went with you men should arette villainy unto
my crown. I shall then take Cuwart or some other to go with
me to Krekenpyt; and I counsel you, Reynart, that ye put you
yourself out of this curse."
   "My Lord," quoth the Fox, "therefore will I go to Rome
as hastily as I may. I shall not rest by night nor day till I
be assoiled."
   "Reynart", said the King, "me thinketh ye ben turned into
a good way. God give you grace to accomplish well your
desire."
   As soon as this speaking was done, Noble the King went and
stood upon an high stage of stone and commanded silence to all
the beasts, and that they should sit down in a ring round upon
the grass, everiche in his place after his estate and birth. Reynart
the Fox stood by the Queen, whom he ought well to love.
   Then said the King, "Hear ye all that be poor and rich,
young and old, that standeth here. Reynart, one of the head
officers of my house, had done so evil, which this day should
have been hanged, hath now in this Court done so much, that
I and my wife the Queen have promised to him onr grace and



|p86


friendship. The Queen hath prayed much for him, insomuch
that I have made peace with him. And I give to him his life
and member freely again, and I command you upon your life
that ye do worship to Reynart and his wife, and to his children,
wheresomever ye meet them by day or night. And I will also
hear no more complaints of Reynart. If he hath heretofore
misdone and trespassed, he will no more misdo ne trespass, but
now better him. He will to-morrow early go to the Pope for
pardon and forgiveness of all his sins, and forth over the sea to
the Holy Land, and he will not come again till he bring pardon
of all his sins."
   This tale heard Tyselyn the Raven and leapt to Isegrim to
Bruin and to Tybert, there as they were, and said, "Ye caitifs,
how goeth it now? Ye unhappy folk, what do ye here? Rey_nart 
the Fox is now a squire and a courtier, and right great and
mighty in the Court. The King hath skylled him quite of all
his brokes, and forgiven him all his trespasses and misdeeds.
And ye be all betrayed and appeached."
   Isegrim said, "How may this be? I trow Tyselyn that
ye lie."
   "I do not, certainly," said the Raven.
   Tho went the Wolf and the Bear to the King. Tybert the Cat
was in great sorrow, and he was so sore afraid that for to have
the Fox's friendship he would well forgive Reynart the loss of
his one eye that he lost in the priest's house, he was so woe he
wist not what to do, he would well that he never had seen the
Fox.


                      CHAPTER XVIII.

     How the Wolf and the Bear were arrested by the labour of
                      Reynart the Fox.
.
ISEGRIM came proudly over the field tofore the King, and he
thanked the Queen, and spake with a fell mood ill words on the
Fox, in suchwise that the King heard it and was wroth, and



|p87


made the Wolf and the Bear anon to he arrested. Ye saw never
wood dogs do more harm than was done to them. They were
both fast bounden, so sore that all that night they might not stir
hand ne foot. They might scarcely roar ne move any joint.
Now hear how the Fox forth did. He hated them. He laboured
so to the Queen that he got leave for to have as much of the
Bear's skin upon his rigge as a foot long and a foot broad, for to
make him thereof a scrip; then was the Fox ready if he had
four strong shoon. Now hear how he did for to get these shoon.
   He said to the Queen, "Madam, I am your pilgrim. Here is
mine Eme, Sir Isegrim, that hath four strong shoon which were good
for me. If he would let me have two of them I would on the
way busily think on your soul, for it is right that a pilgrim should
always think and pray for them that do him good. Thus may ye
do your soul good if ye will. And also if ye might get of mine
aunt Dame Ersewynde also two of her shoon to give me, she may
well do it, for she goeth but little out, but abideth alway at
home."
   Then said the Queen, "Reynart, you behoveth well such
shoes; ye may not be without them. They shall be good for
you to keep your feet whole for to pass with them many a sharp
mountain and stony rocks. Ye can find no better shoes for you
than such as Isegrim and his wife have and wear. They be
good and strong. Though it should touch their life, each of
them shall give you two shoes for to accomplish with your high
pilgrimage."


                        CHAPTER XIX.

How Isegrim and his wife Ersewynde must suffer their shoes to be
    plucked off, and how Reynart did on the shoes for to go to
                        Rome with.

THUS hath this false pilgrim gotten from Isegrim two shoes from
his feet, which were hauled off the claws to the sinews. Ye saw
never fowl that men roasted lay so still as Isegrim did when his



|p88


shoes were hauled off. He stirred not, and yet his feet bled.
Then when Isegrim was unshod tho must Dame Ersewynde his
wife lie down in the grass with an heavy cheer. And she lost
there her hinder shoes.
   Tho was the Fox glad, and said to his Aunt in scorn, "My dear
Aunt, how much sorrow have ye suffered for my sake, which me
sore repenteth, save this, hereof I am glad for ye be the liefest of
all my kin. Therefore I will gladly wear your shoes. Ye shall
be partner of my pilgrimage and deal of the pardon that I shall
with your shoes fetch over the sea."
   Dame Ersewynde was so woe that she unnethe might speak.
Nevertheless this she said, "Ah, Reynart, that ye now all thus
have your will, I pray God to wreak it!"
   Isegrim and his fellow the Bear held their peace and were all
still. They were evil at ease for they were bound and sore
wounded. Had Tybert the Cat have been there, he should also
somewhat have suffered, in such wise as he should not have
escaped thence without hurt or shame.
   The next day, when the sun arose, Reynart then did grease
his shoes which he had of Isegrim and Ersewynde his wife, and did
them on, and bound them to his feet, and went to the King and
to the Queen and said to them with a glad cheer, "Noble Lord
and Lady, God give you good morrow, and I desire of your grace
that I may have male and staff blessed as belongeth to a
pilgrim."
   Then the King anon sent for Bellyn the Ram, and when he
came he said, "Sir Bellyn, ye shall do mass tofore Reynart, for
he shall go on pilgrimage; and give to him male and staff."
   The Ram answered again and said, "My Lord, I dare not do
that, for he hath said that he is in the Pope's curse."
   The King said what thereof master Gelys hath said to us, if a
man had don as many sins as all the world and he would tho
sins forsake, shrive him and receive penance, and do by the
priest's counsel, God will forgive them and be merciful unto him.



|p89


Now will Reynart go over the sea into the Holy Land, and make
him clear of all his sins.
   Then answered Bellyn to the King, "I will not do little ne
much herein but if ye save me harmless in the spiritual court,
before the bishop Prendelor and tofore his archdeacon Looswinde
and tofore Sir Rapiamus his official."
   The King began to wax wroth, and said, "I shall not bid you
so much in half a year! I had liever hang you than I should so
much pray you for it!"
   When the Ram saw that the King was angry, he was so sore
afraid that he quoke for fear, and went to the altar and sang in
his books and read such as him thought good over Reynart,
which little set thereby save that he would have the worship thereof.
   When Benyn the Ram had all said his service devoutly, then
he hung on the fox's neck a male covered with the skin of Bruin
the Bear and a little psalter thereby. Tho was Reynart ready
toward his journey. Tho looked he toward the King, as he had
been sorrowful to depart; and feigned as he had wept, right as
he had yamerde in his heart; but if he had any sorrow it was be_cause 
all the other that were there were not in the same plight
as the Wolf and Bear were brought in by him. Nevertheless he
stood and prayed them all to pray for him, like as he would pray
for them. The Fox thought that he tarried long and would fain
have departed, for he knew himself guilty.
   The King said, "Reynart, I am sorry ye be so hasty, and will
no longer tarry."
   "Nay, my Lord, it is time, for we ought not spare to do well,
I pray you to give me leave to depart: I must do my pilgrim_age."

   The King said, "God be with you," and commanded all them
of the court to go and convey Reynart on his way, save the Wolf
and the Bear which fast lay bounden. There was none that durst
be sorry therefor, and if ye had seen Reynart how personably
he went with his male and psalter on his shoulder, and the shoes
on his feet, ye should have laughed. He went and showed him



|p90


outward wisely, but he laughed in his heart that all they brought
him forth which had a little tofore been with him so wroth.
And also the King which so much hated him, he had made him
such a fool that he brought him to his owne intent. He was a
pilgrim of deuce ace."
   "My Lord the King," said the Fox, "I pray you to return
again. I win not that ye go any further with me. Ye might
have harm thereby. Ye have there two murderers arrested. If
they escape you, ye might be hurt by them. I pray God keep.
you from misadventure!" With these words he stood up on his
afterfeet, and prayed all the beasts, great and small, that would
be partners of his pardon, that they should pray for him.
   They said that they all would remember him.
   Then departed he from the King so heavily that many of them
ermed.
   Then said he to Cuwart the Hare and to Bellyn the Ram
merrily, "Here, friends, shall we now depart? Yea, with a good
will accompany me further. Ye two made me never angry. Ye
be good for to walk with, courteous, friendly, and not complained
on of any beast. Ye be of good conditions and ghostly of your
living; ye live both as I did when I was a recluse. If ye have
leaves and grass ye be pleased, ye reck not of bread of flesh ne
such manner meat."
   With such flattering words hath Reynart these two flattered
that they went with him till they came tofore his house Male_perduys.



|r                       CHAPTER XX.

         How Cuwart the Hare was slain by the Fox.

WHEN the Fox was come tofore the gate of his house, he said
to Bellyn the Ram, "Cousin, ye shall abide here without, I and
Cuwart will go in, for I will pray Cuwart to help me to take my
leave of Ermelyne my wife, and to comfort her and my children."
   Bellyn said, "I pray him to comfort them well."



|p91


   With such flattering words brought he the Hare into his hole
in an evil hour. There found they Dame Ermelyne lying on the
ground with her younglings, which had sorrowed much for dread
of Reynart's death. But when she saw him come, she was glad.
But when she saw his male and psalter, and espied his shoes, she
marvelled and said, "Dear Reynart, how have ye sped?"
   He said I was arrested in the court, but the King let me gon.
I must go a pilgrimage. Bruin the Bear and Isegrim the Wolf
they be pledge for me. I thank the King he hath given to us
Cuwart here, for to do with him what we will. The King said
himself that Cuwart was the first that on us complained, and by
the faith that I owe you I am right wroth on Cuwart."
   When Cuwart heard these words he was sore afraid. He would
have fled but he might not, for the Fox stood between him and
the gate, and he caught him by the neck. Tho cried the Hare,
"Help, Bellyn, help! Where be ye? This pilgrim slayeth me?"
But that cry was soon done, for the Fox had anon bitten his throat
a two.
   Tho said he, "Let us go eat this good fat hare." The young
whelps came also. Thus held they a great feast, for Cuwart had
a good fat body. Ermelyne ate the flesh and drank the blood;
she thanked oft the King that he had made them so merry. The
Fox said, "Eat as much as ye may, he will pay for it if we will
fetch it."
   She said, "Reynart, I trow ye mock. Tell me the truth how
ye be departed thence."
   "Dame, I have so flattered the king and the queen that I sup_pose 
the friendship between us shall be right thin. When he
shall know of this he shall be angry, and hastily seek me for to
hang me by mine neck. Therefore let us depart, and steal secretly
away in some other forest where we may live without fear and
dread, and there that we may live seven year and more an they
find us not. There is plenty of good meat of partridges, wood_cocks,
and much other wild fowl, Dame, and if ye will come with
me thither there ben sweet wells and fair and clear running brooks;
Lord God, how sweet air is there. There may we be in peace



|p92

and ease, and live in great wealth. For the King hath let me
gon because I told him that there was great treasure in Krekenpyt,
but there shall he find nothing though he sought ever. This shall
sore anger him when he knoweth that he is thus deceived. What!
trow ye how many a great leasing must I lie ere I could escape
from him. It was hard that I escaped out of prison; I was never
in greater peril ne nearer my death. But how it ever go I shall
by my will never more come in the King's danger. I have now
gotten my thumb out of his mouth, that thank I my subtilty."
   Dame Ermelyne said, "Reynart, I counsel that we go not
into another forest where we should be strange and elenge. We
have here all that we desire. And ye be here lord of our neigh_bours;
wherefore shall we leave this place and adventure us in
a worse? We may abide here sure enough. If the King would
do us any harm or besiege us, here ben so many by or side holes,
in such wise as we shall escape from him; in abiding here we may
not do amiss. We know all bypaths over all, and ere he take
us with might he must have much help thereto. But that ye
have sworn that ye shall go oversea and abide there, that is the
thing that toucheth me most."
   "Nay, Dame, care not therefor. How more forsworn, how
more forlorn. I went once with a good man that said to me
that a bedwongen oath, or oath sworn by force, was none oath.
Though I went on this pilgrimage it should not avail me a cat's
tail. I will abide here and follow your counsel. If the King
hunt after me, I shall keep me as well as I may. If he be me
too mighty, yet I hope with subtlety to beguile him. I shall
unbind my sack. If he will seek harm he shall find harm."
   Now was Bellyn the Ram angry that Cuwart his fellow was so
long in the hole, and called loud, "Come out, Cuwart, in the
devil's name; how long shall Reynart keep you there? Haste
you, and come! Let us go."
   When Reynart heard this, he went out and said softly to Bellyn
the Ram, "Lief Bellyn, wherefore be ye angry? Cuwart speaketh
with his dear Aunt. Methinketh ye ought not to be displeased



|p93


therefor. He bade me say to you ye might well go tofore, and
he shall come after; he is lighter of foot than ye. He must tarry
awhile with his Aunt and her children, they weep and cry because
I shall go from them."
   Bellyn said, "What did Cuwart? Methought he cried after
help."
   The Fox answered, "What say ye, Bellyn? Ween ye that he
should have any harm? Now hark what he then did. When
we were comen into mine house, and Ermelyne my wife under_stood 
that I should go over sea, she fell down in a swoon; and
when Cuwart saw that, he cried loud, "Bellyn, come help mine
Aunt to bring her out of her swoon.""
   Then said the Ram, "In faith I understood that Cuwart had
been in great danger."
   The Fox said, "Nay truly, or Cuwart should have any harm
in my house I had liever that my wife and children should suffer
much hurt."


                        CHAPTER XXI.

      How the Fox sent the head of Cuwart the Hare to the King
                    by Bellyn the Ram.

THE Fox said, "Bellyn, remember ye not that yesterday the
King and his council commanded me that ere I should depart out
of this land I should send to him two letters? Dear cousin, I
pray you to bear them, they be ready written."
   The Ram said, "I wot never. If I wist that your inditing
and writing were good, ye might peradventure so much pray me
that I would bear them, if I had anything to bear them in."
   Reynart said, "Ye shall not fail to have somewhat to bear
them in. Rather than they should be unborne I shall rather
give you my male that I bear; and put the King's letters therein,
and hang them about your neck. Ye shall have of the King
great thanks therefor, and be right welcomen to him."
   Hereupon Bellyn promised him to bear these letters.
   Tho returned Reynart into his house and took the male and



|p94


put therein Cuwart's head, and brought it to Bellyn for to bring
him in danger, and hang it on his neck, and charged him not to
look in the male if he would have the King's friendship. "And
if ye will that the King take you into his grace and love you, say
that ye yourself have made the letter and indited it, and have
given the counsel that it is so well made and written. Ye shalI
have great thanks therefor."
   Bellyn the Ram was glad hereof, and thought he should have
great thanks, and said, "Reynart, I wot well that ye now do for
me. I shall be in the Court greatly praised when it is known
that I can indite and make a letter, though I cannot make it.
Ofttimes it happeneth that God suffereth some to have worship
and thank of the labours and cunning of other men, and so it
shall befall me now. Now, what counsel ye, Reynart? Shall
Cuwart the Hare come with me to the Court?"
   "Nay," said the Fox, "he shall anon follow you. He may not
yet come, for he must speak with his Aunt. Now go ye forth
tofore. I shall show to Cuwart secret things which ben not yet
known."
   Bellyn said, "Farewell, Reynart," and went him forth to the
Court. And he ran and hasted so fast, that he came tofore mid_day 
to the Court, and found the King in his palace with his
Barons. The King marvelled when he saw him hring the male
again which was made of the Bear's skin. The King said, "Say
on, Bellyn, from whence come ye? Where is the Fox? How
is it that he hath not the male with him? "
   Bellyn said, "My Lord, I shall say you all that I know. I
accompanied Reynart unto his house. And when he was ready,
he asked me if I that would for your sake bear two letters to you.
I said, for to do you pleasure and worship, I would gladly bear
to you seven. Tho brought he to me this male wherein the
letters be, which ben indited by my cunning, and I gave counsel
of the making of them. I trow ye saw never letters better ne
craftlier made ne indited."
   The King commanded anon Bokart, his secretary, to read the
letters, for he understood all manner languages. Tybert the Cat



|p95


and he took the male of Bellyn's neck, and Bellyn hath so far
said and confessed that he therefore was dampned.
   The clerk Bokwart undid the male, and drew out Cuwart's
head, and said "Alas, what letters ben these! Certainly, my
Lord, this is Cuwart's head."
   "Alas," said the King, "that ever I believed so the Fox!"
There might men see great heaviness of the King and of the
Queen. The King was so angry that he held long down his
head, and at last, after many thoughts, he made a great cry, that
all the beasts were afraid of the noise.
   Tho spake Sir Firapeel the Leopard, which was sybbe some_what 
to the King, and said, "Sire King, how make ye such a
noise! Ye make sorrow enough though the Queen were dead.
Let this sorrow go, and make good cheer. It is great shame.
Be ye not a Lord and King of this land? Is it not all under
you, that here is?"
   The King said, "Sir Firapeel, how should I suffer this? One
false shrew and deceiver has betrayed me and brought me so far,
that I have forwrought and angered my friends the stout Bruin
the Bear and Isegrim the Wolf, which sore me repenteth. And
this goeth against my worship, that I have done amiss against my
best Barons, and that I trusted and believed so much the false
Fox. And my wife is cause thereof. She prayed me so much
that I heard her prayer, and that me repenteth, though it be
too late."
   "What though, Sir King," said the Leopard. "If there be any
thing misdone it shall be amended. We shall give to Bruin the
Bear to Isegrim the Wolf and to Ersewynde his wife for the piece
of his skin and for their shoes, for to have good peace, Bellyn the
Ram. For he hath confessed himself that he gave counsel and
consented to Cuward's death. It is reason that he abye it. And
we all shall go fetch Reynart, and we shall arrest him and
hang him by the neck, without law or judgment. And there
with all shall be content."



|p96


                        CHAPTER XXII.

How Bellyn the Ram and all his lineage were given in the hands of
          Isegrim and Bruin, and how he was slain.

THE King said, "I will do it gladly."
   Firapeel the Leopard went tho to the prison and unbound them
first, and then he said, "Ye, sirs, I bring to you a fast pardon
and my lord's love and friendship. It repenteth him, and is
sorry, that he ever hath done spoken or trespassed against you,
and therefore ye shall have a good appointment. And also
amends he shall give to you, Bellyn the Ram and all his lineage
fro now forthon to doomsday, in such wise that wheresomever ye
find them, in field or in wood, that ye may freely bite arrd eat
them without any forfeit. And also the King granteth to you
that ye may hunt and do the worst ye can to Reynart and all his
lineage without misdoing. This fair great privilege will the King
grant to you ever to hold of him. And the King will that ye
swear to him never to misdo, but do him homage and fealty. I
counsel you to do this, for ye may do it honourably."
   Thus was the peace made by Firapeel the Leopard, friendly
and well. And that cost Bellyn the Ram his tabart and also his
life, and the Wolf's lineage hold these privileges of the King.
And in to this day they devour and eat Bellyn's lineage where
that they may find them. This debate was begun in an evil time,
for the peace could never sith be made between them.
   The King did forth with his Court and feast length twelve days
longer for love of the Bear and the Wolf, so glad was he of the
making of this peace.


                          CHAPTER XXIII.

How the King held his feast, and how Lapreel the Cony complained
               unto the King upon Reynart the Fox.

To this great feast came all manner of beasts, for the King did do
cry this feast over all in that land. There was the most joy and



|p97


mirth that ever was seen among beasts. There was danced
mannerly the hovedance, with shalms, trumpets, and all manner
of minstrelsy. The King did do ordain so much meat that
everych found enough. And there was no beast in all his land so
great ne so little but he was there, and there were many fowls and
birds also, and all they that desired the King's friendship were
there, saving Reynart the Fox, the red false pilgrim which lay
in await to do harm and thought it was not good for him to be
there. Meat and drink flowed there. There were plays and
esbatemens. The feast was full of melody. One might have
lust to see such a feast.
   And right as the feast had dured eight days, about mid-day
came in the Cony Lapreel tofore the King, where he sat on the
table with the Queen, and said all heavily that all they heard him
that were there, "My lord, have pity on my complaint, which is
of great force and murder that Reynart the Fox would have done
to me yester morrow as I came running by his borugh at Male_perduys.
He stood before his door without, like a pilgrim. I
supposed to have passed by him peaceably toward this feast, and
when he saw me come he came against me saying his beads. I
saluted him, but he spake not one word, but he raught out
his right foot and dubbed me in the neck between mine ears
that I had weened I should have lost my head, but God be
thanked I was so light that I sprang from him. With much pain
came I off his claws. He grimmed as he had been angry by cause
he held me no faster. Tho I escaped from him I lost mine one
ear, and I had four great holes in my head of his sharp nails that
the blood sprang out and that I was nigh all aswoon, but
for the great fear of my life I sprang and ran so fast from him
that he could not overtake me. See, my Lord these great
wounds that he hath made to me with his sharp long nails. I
pray you to have pity of me, and that ye will punish this false
traitor and murderer, or else shall there no man go and come
over the heath in safety whiles he haunteth his false and shrewd
rule."



|p98


                       CHAPTER XXIV.

  How Corbant the Rook complaint on the Fox for the death of
                         his wife.

RIGHT as the Cony had made an end of his complaint, came in
Corbant the Rook flowen in the place tofore the King and said,
"Dear Lord, hear me. I bring you here a piteous complaint. I
went to-day by the morrow with Sharpebek my wife for to play
upon the heath. And there lay Reynart the Fox down on the
ground, hke a dead caitiff. His eyes stared and his tongue hung
long out of his mouth, like an hound had been dead. We tasted
and felt his belly but we found thereon no life. Tho went my
wife and hearkened, and laid her ear tofore his mouth for to wit
if he drew his breath, which misfell her evil: For the false fell
Fox awaited well his time, and when he saw her so nigh him he
caught her by the head and bit it off. Tho was I in great
sorrow and cried loud, "Alas! alas! what is there happened?"
Then stood he hastily up and raught so covetously after me that
for fear of death I trembled, and flew upon a tree thereby, and
saw from far how the false caitiff ate and slonked her in, so
hungrily that he left neither flesh ne bone, no more but a few
feathers. The small feathers he slang them in with the flesh; he
was so hungry, he would well have eaten twain. Tho went he
his strete. Tho flew I down with great sorrow, and gathered up
the feathers for to show them to you here. I would not be again
in such peril and fear as I was there for a thousand mark of the
finest gold that ever came of Araby. My Lord the King, see
here this piteous work. This ben the feathers of Sharpebek my
wife! My Lord, if ye will have worship ye must do herefor
justice, and avenge you in such wise as men may fear and hold of
you, for if ye suffer thus your safe conduct to be broken, ye your_self 
shall not go peaceably in the highway. For the lords that do
not justice, and suffer that the law be not executed upon the



|p99


thieves, murderers, and them that misdo, they be partners tofore
God of all their misdeeds and trespasses, and eueryche then will
be a lord himself. Dear Lord see well to, for to keep yourself."


                            CHAPTER XXV.

       How the King was sore angry of these complaints.

NOBLE the King was sore moved and angry when he had heard
these complaints of the Cony and of the Rook. He was so
frightful to look on that his eyen glimmered as fire; he brayed as
loud as a bull, in such wise that all the Court quoke for fear; at
the last he said, crying, "By my crown, and by the truth that I
owe to my wife, I shall so awreak and avenge these trespasses that
it shall be long spoken of after. That my safe conduct and my
commandment is thus broken, I was over nice that I believed so
lightly the false shrew. His false flattering speech deceived me.
He told me he would go to Rome, and from thence over the sea to
the Holy Land. I gave him male and psalter, and made of him
a pilgrim, and meant all truth: Oh, what false touches can he!
How can he stuff the sleeve with flocks! But this caused my
wife. It was all by her counsel. I am not the first that have
been deceived by women's counsel, by which many a great hurt
hath befallen. I pray and command all them that hold of my,
and desire my friendship, be they here or wheresomever they be,
that they with their counsel and deeds help me to avenge this over
great trespass, that we and ours may abide in honour and worship
and this false thief in shame. That he no more trespass against
our safeguard, I will myself in my person help thereto all that I
may."
   Isegrim the Wolf and Bruin the Bear heard well the King's
words, and hoped well to be avenged on Reynart the Fox, but
they durst not speak one word. The King was so sore moved
that none durst well speak.
   At last the Queen spake, "Sire, pour dieu ne croyes mye toutes
choses que on vous dye, et ne Iures pas legierment. A Man of



|p100


worship should not lightly believe, he swear greatly, unto the
time he knew the matter clearly; and also he onght by right
hear that other pay speak. There ben many that complain on
other and ben in the default themself. Audi alteram partem:
hear that other party. I have truly holden the Fox for good, and
upon that that he meant no falsehood I helped him that I might.
But howsomever it cometh or goeth, is he evil or good, me
thinketh for your worship that ye should not proceed against
him over hastily. That were not good ne honest, for he may
not escape from you. Ye may prison him or flay him, he must
obey your judgment.
   Then said Firapeel the Leopard, "My Lord, me thinketh my
Lady here hath said to you truth and given you good counsel; do
ye well and follow her, and take advice of your wise council.
And if he be founden guilty in the trespasses that now to you
be showed, let him be sore punished according to his trespasses.
And if he come not hither ere this feast be ended, and excuse
him as he ought of right to do, then do as the council shall
advise you. But and if he were twice as much false and ill as
he is, I would not counsel that he should be done to more than
right."
   Isegrim the Wolf said, "Sir Firapeel, all we agree to the same;
as far as it pleaseth my lord the King, it cannot be better. But
though Reynart were now here, and he cleared him of double so
many plaints, yet should I bring forth against him that he had
forfeited his life. But I will now be still and say not, because
he is not present. And yet, above all this, he hath told the
King of certain treasure lying in Krekenpyt in Hulsterlo. There
was never lied a greater leasing; therewith he hath us all beguiled,
and hath sore hindered me and the Bear. I dare lay my life
thereon that he said not thereof a hue word. Now robbeth he
and stealeth upon the heath all that goeth forth by his house.
Nevertheless, Sir FirapeeI, what that pleaseth the King and you
that must well be done. But and if he would have comen hither
he mght have been here, for he had knowledge by the King's
messenger."



|p101[missing]



|p102


kindred. Ye have run fast, ye ben all besweat; have ye any new
tidings? "
   "Alas, said he,"lief Eme, it standeth evil with you. Ye have
lost both life and good. The King hath sworn that he shall give
you a shameful death. He hath commanded all his folk within
six days for to be here. Archers, footmen, horsemen, and people
in wains! And he hath guns, bombards, tents, and pavilions.
And also he hath do laden torches. See tofore you, for ye have
need. Isegrim and Bruin ben better now with the King than
I am with you. All that they will is done. Isegrim hath don him
to understand that ye be a thief and a murderer; he hath great
envy to you. Lapreel the Cony, and Corbant the Rook have
made a great complaint also. I sorrow much for your life, that
for dread I am all sick."
   "Puf!" said the Fox. "Dear Nephew, is there nothing else?
Be ye so sore afraid hereof? Make good cheer hardily. Though
the King himself and all that ben in the Court hath sworn my
death, yet shall I be exalted above them all. They may all fast
jangle, clatter, and give counsel, but the Court may not prosper
without me and my wiles and subtlety.


                           CHAPTER XXVII.

       How Reynart the Fox came another time to the Court.

"DEAR Nephew, let all these things pass, and come here in and
see what I shall give you; a good pair of fat pigeons. I love no
meat better. They ben good to digest. They may almost be
swolowen in all whole; the bones ben half blood; I eat them with
that other. I feel myself other while encumbered in my stomach,
therefore eat I gladly light meat. My wife Ermelyne shall receive
us friendly, but tell her nothing of this thing for she should take
it over heavily. She is tender of heart; she might for fear fall in
some sickness; a little thing goeth sore to her heart. And to_morrow 
early I will go with you to the Court, and if I may come
to speech and may be heard, I shall so answer that I shall touch



|p103


some nigh ynowh. Nephew, will not ye stand by me as a friend
ought to do to another?
   "Yes truly, dear Eme," said Grymbart, "and all my good is at
your commandment."
   "God thank you, Nephew ", said the Fox. "That is well said.
If I may live, I shall quite it you."
   "Eme ", said Grymbart, "ye may wen come tofore all the lords
and excuse you. There shall none arrest you ne hold as long
as ye be in your words. The Queen and the Leopard have
gotten that."
   Then said the Fox, "Therefor I am glad; then I care not for
the best of them an hair; I shall well save myself."
   They spoke no more hereof, but went forth into the burrow,
and found Ermelyne there sitting by her younglings, which arose
up anon and received them friendly. Grymbart saluted his aunt
and the children with friendly words. The two Pigeons were
made ready for their supper, which Reynart had taken. Each of
them took his part, as far as it would stretch; if each of them had
had one more there should but little have left over. The Fox
said, "Lief Nephew, how like ye my children Rossel and Rey_nerdine
? They shall do worship to all our lineage. They begin
already to do well. That one catcheth well a chicken, and that
other a pullet. They conne well also duck in the water after
lapwings and ducks. I would oft send them for provender, but
I will first teach them how they shall keep them from the grynnes,
from the hunters, and from the hounds. If they were so far
comen that they were wise, I durst well trust to them that they
should well victual us in many good divers meats that we now
lack. And they like and follow me well, for they play all grim_ming,
and where they hate they look friendly and merrily; for
thereby they bring them under their feet, and bite the throat
asunder. This is the nature of the Fox. They be swift in their
taking, which pleaseth me well."
   "Eme", said Grymbart, "ye may be glad that ye have such
wise children. And I am glad of them also because they be of
my kin."



|p104


   "Grymbart", said the Fox, "ye have sweat and be weary. It
were high tide that ye were at your rest."
   "Eme, if it pleaseth you, it thinketh me good." Tho lay they
down on a litter myde of straw. The Fox his wife and his chil_dren 
went all to sleep, but the Fox was all heavy and lay, sighed,
and sorrowed how he might best excuse himself.
   On the morrow early he roomed his castle and went with Grym_bart.
But he took leave first of Dame Ermelyne his wife and of
his children, and said, "Think not long. I must go to the Court
with Grymbart, my cousin. If I tarry somewhat, be not afraid;
and if ye hear any ill tidings, take it alway for the best. And see
well to yourself and keep our castle well. I shall do yonder the
best I can, after that I see how it goeth."
   "Alas, Reynart," said she, "how have ye now thus taken upon
you for to go to the Court again? The last time that ye were
there, ye were in great jeopardy of your life. And ye said ye
would never come there more.
   "Dame," said the Fox, "the adventure of the world is won_derly;
it goeth otherwhile by weening. Many one weeneth to have
a thing which he must forego. I must needs now go thither.
Be content. It is all without dread. I hope to come at alther_lengest 
within five days again."
   Herewith he departed, and went with Grymbart to the Court
ward. And when they were upon the heath then said Reynart,
"Nephew, sith I was last shriven I have done many shrewd
turns. I would ye would hear me now of all that I have tres_passed 
in: I made the Bear to have a great wound for the male
which was cut out of his skin; and also I made the Wolf and his
wife to lose their shoon; I peased the King with great leasings,
and bare him on hand that the Wolf and the Bear would have
betrayed him and would have slain him, so I made the King right
wroth with them where they deserved it not; also I told to the
King that there was great treasure in Hulsterlo of which he was
never the better ne richer, for I lied all that Isaid; I led Bellyn



|p105


the Ram and Cuwart the Hare with me, and slew Cuwart and
sent to the King by Bellyn Cuwart's head in scorn; and I dowed
the Cony between the ears that almost I benamme his life from
him, for he escaped against my will, he was to me overswift; the
Rook may well complain for I swallowed in Dame Sharpebek his
wife. And also I have forgotten one thing, the last time that I
was shriven to you, which I have sith bethought me; and it was
of great deceit that I did; which I now will tell you.
   "I came with the Wolf walking between Houthulst and Elver_dynge.
There saw we go a red mare, and she had a black colt
or a foal of four months old which was good and fat. Isegrim
was almost storven for hunger, and prayed me go to the Mare
and wit of her if she would sell her foal.
   "I ran fast to the Mare and asked that of her. She said she
would sell it for money.
   "I demanded of her, how she would sell it.
   "She said, `It is written on my hinder foot. If ye can read
and be a clerk ye may come see and read it.'
   "Tho wist I well where she would be, and I said, `Nay, for
sooth, I cannot read. And also I desire not to buy your child.
Isegrim hath sent me hither, and would fain know the price
thereof.'
   "The Mare said, `Let him come then himself, and I shall let
him have knowledge.'
   "I said, `I shall;' and hestily went to Isegrim, and said, `Eme
will you eat your bellyful of this colt, so go fast to the Mare for
she tarrieth after you. She hath do write the price of her colt
under her foot. She would that I should have read it, but I can
not one letter, which me sore repenteth for I went never to school.
Eme will ye buy that colt? Can ye read, so may ye buy it.'
   "`Oh, Nephew, that can I well. What should me let? I can
well French, Latin, English, and Dutch. I have gone to school
at Oxenford, I have also with old and ancient doctors been in
the audience and heard pleas, and also have given sentence, I
am licensed in both laws; what manner writing that any man



|p106


can devise I can read it as perfectly as my name: I will go to
her, and shall anon understand the price,' and he bade me to
tarry for him, and he ran to the Mare, and asked her how she
would sell her foal or keep it. She said, `The sum of the money
standeth written after on my foot.' He said, `Let me read it,'
She said, `Do,' and lifte up her foot, which was new shod with
iron and six strong nails; and she smote him, without missing,
on his head, that he fell down as he had been dead. A man
should well have ridden a mile ere he arose. The Mare trotted
away with her colt, and she left Isegrim lying shrewdly hurt and
wounded. He lay and bled, and howled as an hound. I went
tho to him and said, `Sir Isegrim, dear Eme, how is it now with
you? Have you eaten yenowh of the colt? Is your belly full?
Why give ye me no part? I did your errand. Have slept ye
your dinner? I pray you tell me, what was written under the
mare's foot? What was it, prose or rhyme, metre or verse? I
would fain know it. I trow it was cantum, for I heard you sing,
me thought, from fear; for ye were so wise that no man could
read it better than ye.'
   "`Alas, Reynart, alas!' said the Wolf, `I pray you to leave
your mocking. I am so foul arrayed and sore hurt than an heart
of stone might have pity on me. The Mare with her long leg
had an iron foot, I weened the nails thereof had been letters, and
she hit me at the first stroke six great wounds in my head that
almost it is cloven. Such manner letters shall I never more
desire to read.' `Dear Eme, is that truth that ye tell me? I have
great mervaylle. I held you for one of the wisest clerks that
now live. Now I hear well it is true that I long since have read
and heard, that the best clerks ben not the wisest men. The lay
people otherwhile wax wise. The cause that these clerks ben
not the wisest is that they study so much in the cunning and
science that they therein doole.' Thus brought I Isegrim in this
great laste and harm, that he vnneth byhelde his life.
   "Lief Nephew now have I told you all my sins that I remember.
Whatsoever falle at the Court--I wote never how it shall stand
with me there--I am not now so sore afraid, for I am clear from



|p107


sin. I will gladly come to mercy and receive penance by your
counsel."
   Grymbart said, "The trespasses ben great. Nevertheless who
that is dead must abide dead, and therefore I will forgive it you
altogether, with the fear that ye shall suffer therefor ere ye shall
conne excuse you of the death, and hereupon I will assoil you.
But the most hinder that ye shall have shall be, that ye sent
Cuwart's head to the Court, and that ye blinded the King with
sutthe lies. Eme, that was right evil done."
   The Fox said, "What, lief nephew! Who that will go through
the world this to hear and that to see and that other to tell, truly
it may not clearly be done. How should any man handle honey
but if he licked his fingers? I am ofttimes rored and pricked in
my conscience as to love God above all thing and mine even
Crysten as myself, as is to God well acceptable and according to his
law. But how ween ye that reason within forth fighteth against
the outward will, then stand I all still in myself, that me thinketh
I have lost all my wits, and wote not what me aileth, I am then
in such a thought I have now all left my sins, and hate all thing
that is not good, and climb in high contemplation abone his com_mandments.
But this special grace have I when I am alone;
but in a short while after, when the world cometh in me, then find
I in my way so many stones, and the foot spores that these loose
prelates and rich priests go in, that I am anon taken again.
Then cometh the world and will have this; and the flesh will
live pleasantly; which lay tofore me so many things that I then
lose all my good thoughts and purpose. I hear there sing, pipe,
laugh, play, and all mirth, and I hear that these prelates and rich
curates preach and say all otherwise than they think and do.
There learn I to lie, the leasings ben most used in the lord's
courts; certainly lords, ladies, priests, and clerks, maken most
leasings. Men dare not tell to the lords now the truth. There is
default. I must flatter and lie also or else I should be shut
without the door. I have often heard men say truth and right_fully,
and have their reason made with a leasing like to their



|p108


purpose, who brought it in and went through because their matter
should seem the fairer. The leasing ofttimes cometh unavised,
and falleth in the matter unwittingly, and so, when she is well
clad, it goeth forth through with that other.
   "Dear Nephew thus must men now lie nere and there, say
sooth, flatter and menace, pray and curse, and seek every man upon
his feeblest and weakest. Who otherwise will now haunt and use
the world than devise a leasing in the fairest wise, and that be_wimple 
with kerchiefs about in such wise that men take it for a
truth, he is not run away from his master. Can he that subtilty
in such wise that he stammer not in his words, and may then be
heard, Nephew, this man may do wonder. He may wear scarlet
and grise. He winneth in the spiritual law and temporal also, and
wheresomever he hath to do. Now ben there many false shrews
that have great envy that they have so great fardel, and ween
that they can also well lie; and take on them to lie and to tell it
forth. He would fain eat of the fat morsels. But he is not
believed ne heard. And many ben there that be so plump and
foolish that when they ween best to pronounce and show their
matter and conclude, they fall beside and out thereof, and cannot
then help themself, and leave their matter without tail or head;
and he is acompted for a fool; and many mock them therewith.
But who can give to his leasing a conclusion, and pronounce it
without tatelying, like as it were written tofore him, and that he
can so blind the people that his leasing shall better be believed
than the truth: that is the man. What cunning is it to say the
truth that is good to do? How laugh these false subtle shrews
tbþt give counsel, to make these leasings and set them forth,
and maken unright go above right, and maken bills and set
in things that never were thought ne said, and teach men see
through their fingers; and all for to win money and let their
tongues to hire for to maintain and strengthen their leasings.
Alas, Nephew, this is an evil cunning, of which life-scathe and
hurt may come thereof.
   "I say not but that otherwhile men must jape, bourd, and lie



|p109


in small things; for whoso saith alway truth, he may not now go
nowhere through the world. There ben many that play Placebo.
Whoso alway saith truth, shall find many lettings in his way.
Men may well lie when it is need, and after amend it by counsel.
For all trespasses there is mercy. There is no man so wise, but
he dooleth other while."
   Grymbart said, "Well, dear Eme, what thing shall you let?
Ye know all thing at the narrowest. Ye should bring me hastily
in doting; your reasons passen my understanding. What need
have ye to shrive you? Ye should yourself by right be the
priest, and let me and other sheep come to you for to be shriven.
Ye know the state of the world in such wise as no man may halt
tofore you."
   With such manner talking they came walking in to the Court.
The Fox sorrowed somewhat in his heart, nevertheless he bare
it out and striked forth through all the folk till he came into the
place where the King himself was.
   And Grymbart was alway by the Fox and said, "Eme, be not
afraid, and make good cheer! Who that is hardy, the adven_ture 
helpeth him. Ofttimes one day is better than sometime
a whole year."
   The Fox said, "Nephew, ye say truth. God thank you, ye
comfort me well."
   And forth he went, and looked grimly here and there, as
who saith, "What will ye? here come I" He saw there many
of his kin standing which yonned him but little good, as the
Otter, Beaver, and other to the number of ten whom I shall
name afterward. And some were there that loved him.
   The Fox came in and fell down on his knees tofore the King,
and began his words and said: --



|p110


                         CHAPTER  XXVIII.

         How Reynart the Fox excused him before the King

"GOD from whom nothing may be hid, and above all thing is
mighty, save my Lord the King and my Lady the Queen and
give him grace to know who hath right and who hath wrong. For
there live many in the world that seem otherwise outward than
they be within. I would that God showed openly every man's
misdeeds, and all their trespasses stooden written in their fore_heads,
and it cost me more than I now say; and that ye, my Lord
the King, knew as much as I do how I dispose me both early and
late in your service. And therefore am I complained on of the
evil shrews, and with leasings am put out of your grace and con_ceit,
and would charge me with great offences, without deserving,
against all right. Wherefore I cry out harowe on them that so
falsely have belied me, and brought me in such trouble. Howbe_it,
I hope and know you both my Lord and my Lady for so wise
and discreet, that ye be not led nor believe such leasings ne
false tales out of the right way, for ye have not be woned so to
do. Therefore, dear Lord, I beseech you to consider by your
wisdom all things by right and law. Is it in deed or in speech,
do every man right. I desire no better. He that is guilty and
found faulty, let him be punished. Men shall well know ere I
depart out of this Court who that I am. I cannot flatter, I will
always show openly my head."


          How the King answered upon Reynart's excuse.

ALL they that were in the palace weren all still and wondered that
the Fox spake so stoutly.
   The King said, "Ha Reynart, how well can ye your fallacy
and salutation doon! But your fair words may not help you. I
think well that ye shall, this day, for your works be hanged by
your neck. I will not much chide with you, but I shall short
your pain. That ye love us well, that have ye well showed on



|p111


the Cony and on Corbant the Rook. Your falseness and your
false inventions shall without long tarring make you to die. A
pot may go so long to water, that at the last it cometh tobroken
home. I think your pot, that so oft hath deceived us, shall now
hastily be broken."
   Reynart was in great fear of these words. He would well he
had ben at Cologne when he came thither. Then thought he I
must here through, how that I do.
   "My Lord the King," said he, "it were well reason that ye
heard my words all out. Though I were dampned to the death,
yet ought ye to hear my words out. I have yet heretofore time
given to you many a good counsel and profitable, and in need
alway have biden by you where other beasts have wyked and
gone their way. If now the evil beasts with false matters have
tofore you with wrong belied me, and I might not come to mine
excuse, ought I not then to plain? I have tofore this seen that
I should be heard before another; yet might these things well
change and come in their old state. Old good deeds ought to
be remembered. I see here many of my lineage and friends stand_ing,
that seem they set now little by me, which nevertheless
should sore dere in their hearts, that ye, my Lord the King,
should destroy me wrongfully. If ye so did, ye should destroy the
truest servant that ye have in all your lands. What ween ye, Sir
King, had I knowen myself guilty in any feat or broke, that I
would have comen hither to the law among all mine enemies?
Nay, sire, nay. Not for all the world of red gold. For I was
free and at large. What need had I to do that? But, God be
thanked, I know myself clear of all misdeeds, that I dare welcome
openly in the light and to answer to all the complaints that any
man can say on me. But when Grymbart brought me first these
tidings, tho was I not well pleased but half from myself, that I
leapt here and there as an unwise man, and had I not been in the
censures of the Church I had without tarrying have comen, but
I went dolynge on the heath, and wist not what to do for sorrow.



|p112


And then it happened that Mertyne, mine Eme, the Ape, met
with me, which is wiser in clergy than some priest. He hath ben
advocate for the Bishop of Cameryk nine year during. He saw
me in this great sorrow and heaviness, and said to me, `Dear
Cousin, me thinketh ye are not well with yourself, what aileth
you? Who hath displeased you? Thing that toucheth charge
ought to be given tn knowledge to friends. A true friend is a
great help; he findeth oft better counsel than he that the charge
resteth on, for whosomever is charged with matters is so heavy
and acombred with them that oft he can not begin to find the
remedy, for such be so woe like as they had lost their inwytte.'
I said `Dear Eme, ye say truth, for in likewise is fallen to me. I
am brought into a great heaviness, undeserved and not guilty, by
one to whom I have alway been an hearty and great friend; that
is the Cony which came to me yesterday in the morning whereas
I sat tofore my house and said matins.'
   "He told me he would go to the Court, and saluted me friendly,
and I him again.
   "Tho said he to me, `Good Reynart, I am an hungred and
weary. Have ye any meat?'
   "I said, `Yea, ynowh; come near.'
   "Tho gave I him a couple of manchets with sweet butter. It
was upon a Wednesday, on which day I am not wont to eat any
flesh, and also I fasted because of this feast of Whitsuntide which
approached. For who that will taste of the overest wisehede, and
live ghostly in keeping the commandments of our Lord, he must
fast and make him ready against the high feasts. Et vos estote
parati. Dear Eme, I gave him fair white bread with sweet butter,
wherewith a man might well be eased that were much hungry.
   "And when he had eaten his bellyful, tho came Rossel, my
youngest son, and would have taken away that was left. For
young children would alway fain eten. And with that he tasted
for to have taken somewhat, the Cony smote Rossel tofore his
mouth that his teeth bled, and he fell down half aswoon. When



|p113


Reynardyn, mine eldest son, saw that, he sprang to the Cony and
caught him by the head, and should have slain him had I not
rescued him. I helped him, that he went from him, and beat my
child sore therefor.
   "Lapreel the Cony ran to my Lord the King and said I would
have murdered him. See, Eme, thus come I in the words and
I am laid in the blame. And yet he complaineth, and I plain not.
   "After this came Corban the Rook fleeing with a sorrowful
noise. I asked what him ailed.
   "And he said, `Alas my wife is dead. Yonder lieth a dead
here full of moths and worms, and there she ate so much thereof
that the worms have bitten atwo her throat.'
   "I asked him how cometh that by. He would not speak a
word more, but flew his way, and let me stand.
   "Now saith he that I have bitten and slain her. How should
I come so nigh her? For she fleeth and I go afoot. Behold, dear
Eme, thus I am born on hand. I may say well that I am un_happy.
But peradventure it is for mine old sins. It were good
for me if I could patiently suffer it.
   "The Ape said to me, `Nephew, ye shall go to the Court to_fore 
the lords, and excuse you.'
   "`Alas, Eme, that may not be, for the Archdeacon hath put
me in the Pope's curse because I counselled Isegrim the Wolf
for to leave his religion at Elmare and forsake his habit. He
complained to me that he lived so straitly, as in long fasting, and
many things reading and singing, that he could not endure it; if
he should long abide there, he should die. I had pity of his com_plaining,
and I holpe him as a true friend, that he came out.
Which now me sore repenteth, for he laboureth all that he can
against me to the King for to do me be hanged. Thus doth he
evil for good. See, Eme, thus am I at the end of all my wits
and of counsel. For I must go to Rome for an absolution, and
then shall my wife and children suffer much harm and blame.
For these evil beasts that hate me shall do to them all the hurt
they may, and fordrive them where they can. And I would well
defend them if I were free of the curse, for then I would go to



|p114


the Court and excuse me, where now I dare not. I should do
great sin if I came among the good people, I am afraid God should
plague me.'
   "`Nay, cousin, be not afraid. Ere I should suffer you in this
sorrow, I know the way to Rome well. I understand me on this
work. I am called there Mertyne the bishop's clerk, and am well
beknowen there. I shall do cite the Archdeacon and take a plea
against him, and shall bring with me for you an absolution against
his will, for I know there all that is for to be done or left. There
dwelleth Simon, mine Eme, which is great and mighty there.
Who that may give aught, he helpeth him anon. There is Pren_tout,
Wayte, Scathe, and other of my friends and allies. Also I
shall take some money with me if I need any. The prayer is
with gifts hardy; with money alway the right goeth forth. A true
friend shall for his friend adventure both life and good, and so
shall I for you in your right. Cousin, make good cheer! I shall
not rest after to-morrow till I come to Rome, and I shall solicit
your matters. And go ye to the Court as soon as ye may. All
your misdeeds and the sins that have brought you in the great
sentence and curse, I make you quit of them and take them in
myself. When ye come to the Court ye shall find there Rukenawe
my wife, her two sisters, and my three children, and many more
of our lineage. Dear cousin, speak to them hardily. My wife is
sondrely wise, and will gladly do somewhat for her friends. Who
that hath need of help shall find in her great friendship. One
shall alway seek on his friends, though he hath angered them, for
blood must creep where it cannot go. And if so be that ye be
so overcharged that ye may have no right, then send to me by
night and day to the Court of Rome, and let me have knowledge
thereof, and all tho that ben in the land, is it King or Queen,
wife or man, I shall bring them all in the Pope's Curse and send
there an interdict that no man shall read ne singen ne christen
children, ne bury the dead, ne receive sacrament, till that ye
shall have good right. Cousin, this shall I well get, for the
Pope is so sore old that he is but little set by, and the cardinal



|p115


of Pure Gold hath all the might of the Court. He is young and
great of friends, he hath a concubine whom he much loveth, and
what she desireth that getteth she anon. See, Cousin, she is mine
niece, and I am great and may do much with her, in such wise
what I desire I fail not of it but am alway furthered therein.
Wherefore, Cousin, bid my Lord the King that he do you right
I wote well he will not warn you, for the right is heavy enough to
every man.'
   "My Lord the King, when I heard this I laughed, and with
great gladness came hither, and have told you all truth. If there
be any in this Court that can lay on me any other matter with
good witness, and prove it, as ought to be to a noble man, let
me then make amends according to the law; and if ye will not
leave off hereby, then set me day and field, and I shall make good
on him all so ferre as he be of as good birth as I am and to me like,
and who that can with fighting get the worship of the field, let him
have it. This right hath standen yet hitherto, and I will not it
should be broken by me. The law and right doth no man wrong."
   All the beasts both poor and rich were all still when the Fox
spake so stoutly. The Cony Lapreel and the Rook were so sore
afraid that they durst not speak, but piked and striked them out
of the Court both two, and when they were a room far in the
plain they said, "God grant that this fell murderer may fare evil.
He can bewrap and cover his falsehood, that his words seem
as true as the gospel. Hereof knoweth no man than we: how
should we bring witness. It is better that we wyke and depart,
than we should hold a field and fight with him; he is so shrewd,
yea though there of us were five we could not defend us, but that
he should slay us all."
   Isegrim the Wolf and Bruin the Bear were woe in themself
when they saw these twain room the court.
   The King said, "If any man will complain, let him come forth,
and we shall hear him: yesterday camen here so many, where
ben they now Reynart is here?"
   The Fox said, "My Lord, there ben many that complain that



|p116


and if they saw their adversary they would be still and make no
plaint; witness now of Lapreel the Cony and Corbant the Rook,
which have complained on me to you in my absence, but now
that I am comen in your presence they flee away, and dare not
abide by their words. If men should believe false shrews it
should do much harm and hurt to the good men, as for me it
skilleth not. Nevertheless, my lord, if they had by your com_mandment 
asked of me forgiveness, how be it they have greatly
trespassed, yet I had for your sake pardoned and forgive them;
for I will not be out of charity, ne hate ne complain on mine
enemies. But I set all thing in God's hand, he shall work and
avenge it as it pleaseth him."
   The King said, "Reynart, me thinketh ye be grieved as ye
say. Are ye withinforth as ye seem outward? Nay, it is not so
clear ne so open, nowhere nigh, as ye here have showed. I must
say what my grief is, which toucheth your worship and life, that
is to wit that you have done a foul and shameful trespass when
I had pardoned you all your offences and trespasses, and ye pro_mised 
to go over the sea on pilgrimage, and gave to you male and
staff. And after this ye sent me by Bellyn the Ram the male
again and therein Cuwart's Head. How might ye do a more
reprovable trespass? How were ye so hardy to dare to me do
such a shame? Is it not evil done to send to a lord his ser_vant's 
head? Ye cannot say nay hereagainst, for Bellyn the
Ram, which was our chaplain, told us all the matter how it
happed? Such reward as he had when he brought us the mes_sage,
the same shall ye have, or right shall fail."
   Tho was Reynart so sore afraid that he wist not what to say.
He was at his wit's end, and looked about him piteously, and saw
many of his kin and allies that heard all this, but nought they
said. He was all pale in his visage, but no man proffered him
hand ne foot to help him.
   The King said, "Thou subtle fellow and false shrew, why
speakest thou not? Now dumb?"
   The Fox stood in great dread, and sighed sore that all heard
him. But the Wolf and the Bear were glad thereof.



|p117


                      CHAPTER XXIX.

       How Dame Rukenawe answered for the Fox to the King.

DAME Rukenawe the She Ape, Reynart's Aunt, was not well
pleased. She was great with the Queen and well beloved. It
happened well for the Fox that she was there, for she understood
all wisdom, and she durst well speak, where as it to do was.
Wherever she came everich was glad of her.
   She said, "My Lord the King, ye ought not to be angry when
ye sit in judgment, for that becometh not your nobleness. A man
that sitteth in judgment ought to put from him all wrath and
anger. A lord ought to have discretion that should sit in justice.
I know better the points of the law than some that wear furred
gowns, for I have learned many of them and was made cunning
in the law. I had in the Pope's palace of Woerden a good bed
of hay, where other beasts lay on the hard ground, and also when
I had there to do I was suffered to speak, and was heard tofore
another because I knew so well the law. Seneca writeth that a
lord shall overall do right and law, he shall charge none to whom
he hath given his safeguard to above the right and law; the law
ought not to halt for no man. And every man that standeth here
would well bethink him what he hath done and bedriven in his
days, he should the better have patience and pity on Reynart.
Let every man know him self, that is my counsel. There is none
that standeth so surely but otherwhile he falleth or slideth. Who
that never misdid ne sinned is holy and good, and hath no need
to amend him. When a man doth amiss and then by counsel
amendeth it, that is humanly and so ought he to do; but alway
to misdo and trespass and not to amend him, that is evil and a
devily life. Mark then what is written in the gospel, Estote
misericordes, be ye merciful; yet standeth there more, Nolite
judicare et non judicabimini, deem ye no man and ye shall not be
deemed. There standeth also how the pharisees brought a woman
taken in adultery and would have stoned her to death. They



|p118


asked Our Lord what he said thereto; he said, "Who of you all is
without sin let him cast the first stone." Tho abode no man but
left her there standing. Me thinketh it is so here. There be
many that see a straw in another's eye that can not see a balke
in his own. There be many that deem other, and himself is
worst of all. Though one fall oft, and at last ariseth up and
cometh to mercy, he is not thereof damned. God receiveth all
them that desire his mercy. Let no man condemn another though
they wist that he had done amiss; yet let them see their own
defaults, and then may they themself correct first, and then
Reynart my Cousin should not fare the worse. For his father
and his grandfather have alway been in more love and reputation
in this Court than Isegrim the Wolf or Bruin the Bear with all
their friends and lineage. It hath been heretofore an unlike
comparison, the wisdom of Reynart my Cousin, and the honour
and worship of him, that he hath done, and the counsel of them;
for they know not how the world goeth. Me thinketh this Court
is all turned upside down. These false shrews, flatterers, and de_ceivers,
arise and wax great by the lordes, and ben enhanced up;
and the good, true, and wise ben put down, for they have been
wont to counsel truly and for the honour of the King. I can_not 
see how this may stand long."
   Then said the King, "Dame, if he had done to you such tres_pass 
as he hath done to other it should repent you. Is it wonder
that I hate him? He breaketh away my safeguard. Have ye
not heard the complaints that here have been showed of him, of
murder, of theft, and of treason? Have ye such trust in him?
Think ye that he is thus good and clear? then set him up on the
altar, and worship and pray to him as to a saint. But there is
none in all the world that can say any good of him; ye may say
much for him, but in the end ye shall find him all nought. He
hath neither kin ne one friend that will enterprise to help him.
He hath so deserved. I have great marvel of you. I heard
never of none that hath fellowshipped with him that ever
thanked him or said any good of him, save you now, but alway
he hath striked them with his trail."



|p119


   Then the She Ape answered and said, "My lord, I love him
and have him in great charity. And also I know a good deed
that he once in your presence did, whereof ye could him great
thank. Though now it be thus turned, yet shall the heaviest
weigh most. A man shall love his friend by measure, and not his
enemy hate overmuch. Steadfastness and constancy is fitting and
behoveth to the lords, how soever the world turneth. Me ought
not to praise too much the day, till even be come. Good counsel
is good for him that will do thereafter.


                          CHAPTER XXX.

    Aparable of a Man that delivered a Serpent from peril of death.

"Now two year past came a Man and a Serpent here into this
Court for to have judgment, which was to you and yours right
doubtful. The Serpent stood in an hedge whereas he supposed
to have gone through, but he was caught in a snare by the neck
that he might not escape without help, but should have lost his
life there. The Man came forth by, and the Serpent called to
him and cried, and prayed the Man that he would help him out
of the snare, or else he must there die.
   "The Man had pity of him, and said, `If thou promise to me
that thou wilt not envenom me, he do me none harm ne hurt, I
shall help thee out of this peril.'
   "The Serpent was ready, and swore a great oath that he now
ne never should do him harm ne hurt.
   "Then he unloosed him and delivered him out of the snare.
And they went forth together a good while that the Serpent had
great hunger, for he had not eaten a great while tofore, and sterte
to the Man and would have slain him. The Man sterte away and
was afraid, and said, `Wilt thou now slay me? hast thou forgotten
the oath that thou madest to me that thou shouldest not misdo
ne hurt me?'
   "The Serpent answered, `I may do it good tofore all the world
that I do. The need of hunger may cause a man to break his oath.'



|p120


   "The Man said, `If it may be not better, give me so long re_spite 
till we meet and find that may judge the matter by right.'
   "The Serpent granted thereto. Thus they went together so
long that they found Tyseln the Raven and Slyndpere his son;
there rehearsed they their reasons.
   "Tyseln the Raven judged anon that he should eat the Man.
He would fain have eaten his part, and his son also.
   "The Serpent said to the Man, `How is it now?What think
ye? Have I not won?'
   "The Man said, `How should a robber judge this? He should
have avail thereby. And also he is alone: there must be two or
three at least together, and that they understand the right and
law, and that done let the sentence gon; I am nevertheless ill
on enough.'
   "They agreed and went forth both together so long that they
found the Bear and the Wolf, to whom they told their matter.
   "And they anon judged that the Serpent should slay the Man.
For the need of hunger breaketh oath alway. The Man then was
in great doubt and fear, and the Serpent came and cast his venom
at him; but the Man leapt away from him with great pain, and
said, `Ye do great wrong that ye thus lie in await to slay me. Ye
have no right thereto.'
   "The Serpent said, `Is it not enough yet? It hath been twice
judged.'
   "`Yea,' said the Man, `that is of them that ben wont to murder
and rob. All that ever they swear and promise they hold not.
But I appeal this matter into the Court tofore our Lord the King,
and that thou mayst not forsake. And what judgment that shall
be given there, shall I obey and suffer, and never do the contrary.'
   "The Bear and the Wolf said that it should be so, and that
the Serpent desired no better. They supposed if it should come
tofore you it should go there as they would. I trow ye be well
remembered hereof. Tho came they all to the Court tofore you;
and the Wolf's two children came with their father, which were
called Empty Belly and Never Full, because they would eat of



|p121


the Man; for they howled for great hunger. Wherefore ye com_manded 
them to avoid your Court.
   "The Man stood in great dread, and called upon your good
grace, and told how the Serpent would have taken his life from
him, to whom he had saved his life, and that, above his oath and
promise, he would have devoured him.
   "The Serpent answered, `I have not trespassed, and that I
report me wholly unto the King. For I did it to save my life, for
need of life one may break his oath and promise.'
   "My Lord that time were ye and all your Council herewith
accombred. For your noble grace saw the great sorrow of the
Man, and ye would not that a man should for his gentleness and
kindness be judged to death. And on that other, sith hunger,
and need to save the life, seeketh narrowly to be holpen, here
was none in all the Court that could ne knew the right hereof.
There were some that would fain the Man had be holpen. I see
them here standing. I wot well they said that they could not
end this matter.
   "Then commanded ye that Reynart, my nephew, should come
and say his advice in this matter. That time was he above all
other believed and heard in this Court, and ye bade him give
sentence according to the best right and we all shall follow him,
for he knew the ground of the law.
   "Reynart said, `My Lord, it is not possible to give a true
sentence after their words, for in hearsaying ben oft leasings.
But and if I might see the Serpent in the same peril and need
that he was in when the Man loosed him and unbound, then
wist I well what I should say. And who that would do other_wise 
he should misdo gainst right.'
   "Then said ye, my Lord, `Reynart, that is well said. We all
accord hereto; for no man can say better.'
   "Then went the Man and the Serpent into the place whereas
he found the Serpent. Reynart bade that the Serpent should be
set in the snare in likewise as he was. And it was done.
   "Then said ye, my Lord, `Reynart, how thinketh you now?
What judgment shall we give?'



|p122


   "Then said Reynart the Fox, `My Lord, now ben they both
like as they were tofore. They have neither won ne lost. See,
my Lord, how I judge for a right, also ferre as it shall please your
noble grace. If the Man will now loose and unbind the
Serpent, upon the promise and oath that he tofore made to him,
he may well do it. But if he think that he for anything should
be encumbered or hindered by the Serpent, or for need of hunger
would break his oath and promise, then judge I that the Man may
go freely where he will, and let the Serpent abide still bounden,
like as he might have done at the beginning: for he would have
broken his oath and promise, whereas he holp him out of such
fearful peril. Thus thinketh me a rightful judgment that the
Man shall have his free choice like as he tofore had.'
   "Lo my Lord this judgment thought you good, and all your
council which at that time were by you; and followed the same, and
praised Reynart's wisdom, that he had made the Man quit and
free. Thus the Fox wisely kept your noble honour and worship,
as a true servant is bound to do to his Lord. Where hath the
Bear or the Wolf done ever to you so much worship? They
conne well huylen and blasen, steal and rob, and eat fat morsels
and fill their bellies, and then judge they for right and law that
small thieves that steal hens and chickens should be hanged, but
they themself that steal kine, oxen, and horses, they shall go quit
and be lords. And same as though they were wiser than Solomon,
Avicene, or Aristoteles; and each will be holden high proud,
and praised of great deeds and hardy; but and they come where
as it is to do, they ben the first that flee. Then must the simple
go forth tofore, and they keep the reward behind. Och, my Lord,
these and other like to them be not wise, but they destroy town,
castle, land, and people. They reck not whose house burneth,
so that they may warm them by the coals. They seek all their
own avail and singular profit. But Reynart the Fox and all his
friends and lineage sorowen and think to prefer the honour,
worship, fordeel, and profit of their lord, and for wise counsel



|p123


which oft more profiteth here than pride and boast. This doth
Reynart, though he have no thank. At long it shall be well
known who is best and doth most profit. My Lord, ye say that
his kin and lineage draw all afterward from him, and stand not by
him for his falsehood and deceivable and subtle touches. I
would another had said that; there should then such wrake be
taken thereof that him might growl that ever he saw him. But,
my Lord, we will forbear you; ye may save your pleasure; and
also I say it not by you. Were there any that would bedrive
anything against you, with words or with werkes, him that would
we so do to, that men should say we had been there. There as
fighting is, we ben not wont to be afraid. My Lord, by your
leave, I may well give you knowledge of Reynart's friends and
kin. There ben many of them that for his sake and love will
adventure life and good. I know myself for one. I am a wife.
I should, if he had need, set my life and good for him. Also I
have three full waxen children which ben hardy and strong, whom
I would all together adventure for his love, rather than I should
see him destroyed; yet had I liever die than I saw them mis_carry 
tofore mine eyes, so well love I them.


                         CHAPTER XXXI.
          Which ben friends and kin unto Reynart the Fox.

   "THE first child is named Bytelouse, which is much cherished
and can make much sport and game, wherefore is given to him
the fat trenchours and much other good meat, which cometh well
to profit of Fulrompe his brother. And also my third child is a
daughter, and is named Hatenit, she can well pick out lice and
nits out of men's heads. These three ben to each other true,
wherefore I love them well."
   Dame Rukenawe called them forth and said, "Welcome, my
dear children: to me forth, and stand by Reynart, your dear
nephew."



|p124


   Then said she, "Come forth all ye that be of my kin and
Reynart's, and let us pray the King that he will do to Reynart
right of the land."
   Tho came forth many a beast anon, as the Squirrel, the Musk_rat,
the Fitchews, the Marten, the Beaver with his wife Ordegale,
the Genete, the Otter, the Boussyng, and the Ferret, these
twain eat as fain polaylle as doth Reynart. The Otter and Pante_croet 
his wife, whom I had almost forgotten, yet were they tofore,
with the Beaver, enemies to the Fox, but they durst not gainsay
Dame Rukenawe, for they were afraid of her. She was also the
wisest of all his kin of counsel and was most doubted. There
came also more than twenty other, because of her, for to stand
by Reynart. There came also Dame Atrote with her two sisters,
Weasel and Hermelin, the Ass, the Badger, the Water-rat, and
many more to the number of forty, which all camen and stoden
by Reynart the Fox.
   "My Lord the King," said Rukenawe, "come and see here if
Reynart have any friends. Here may ye see we ben your true
subjects, which for you would adventure both life and good if ye
had need. Though ye be hardy, mighty, and strong, our well_willed 
friendship cannot hurt you. Let Reynart the Fox well
bethink him upon these matters that ye have laid against him,
and if he cannot excuse them, then do him right.We desire no
better. And this by right ought to no man be warned."
   The Queen then spake, "This said I to him yesterday. But
he was so fierce and angry that he would not hear it."
   The Leopard said also, "Sire, ye may judge no further than
your men give their verdict; for if ye would go forth by will and
might, that were not worshipful for your estate. Hear always
both parties, and then by the best and wisest counsel give judg_ment 
discreetly according to the best right."
   The King said, "This is all true, but I was so sore moved
when I was informed of Cuwart's death and saw his head, that I
was hot and hasty. I shall hear the Fox. Can he answer and



|p125


excuse hrm of that is laid against him, I shall gladly let him go
quit; and also at request of his good friends and kin."
   Reynart was glad of these words, and thought, God thank mine
Aunt, she hath the rys do blosme again. She hath well holpen
me forth now. I have now a good foot to dance on. I shall
now look out of mine eyen, and bring forth the fairest leasing
that ever man heard, and bring myself out of this danger.


                         CHAPTER XXXII.

How the Fox with subtlety excused him for the death of Cuwart the
   Hare and of all other matters that were laid against him, and
       how with flattering he gat again his peace of the King.

THEN spake Reynart the Fox and said, "Alas, what say ye! is
Cuwart dead? And where is Bellyn the Ram? What brought
he to you when he came again? For I delivered to him three
jewels; I would fain know where they ben becomen. That one
of them should he have given to you, my Lord the King, and the
other two to my Lady the Queen.?"
   The King said, "Bellyn brought us nought else but Cuwart's
head, like as I said you tofore; whereof I took on him wrake.
I made him to lose his life, for the foul caitiff said to me that he
himself was of the counsel of the letters making that were in the
male."
   "Alas, my lord, is this very truth? Woe to me caitiff that ever
I was born! Sith that these good jewels be thus lost, mine heart
will break for sorrow. I am sorry that I now live! What shall
my wife say when she heareth hereof? She shall go out of her
wit for sorrow. I shall never, all so long as I live, have her friend_ship.
She shall make much sorrow when she heareth thereof."
   The She Ape said, "Reynart, dear Nephew, what profiteth that
ye make all this sorrow? Let it pass, and tell us what these jewels
were. Peradventure we shall find counsel to have them again.
If they be above earth Master Akeryn shall labour for them in



|p126


his books, and also we shall curse for them in all the churches,
unto the time that we have knowledge where they been. They
may not be lost."
   "Nay, Aunt, think not that, for they that have them will not
lightly depart from them. There was never King that ever gave
so rich jewels as these be. Nevertheless ye have somewhat with
your words eased mine heart and made it lighter than it was.
Alas, lo, here ye may see how he or they to whom a man trusteth
most is often by him or them deceived. Though I should go all
the world through, and my life in adventure set therefor, I shall
wit where these jewels ben becomen."
   With a dismalled and sorrowful speech, said the Fox: "Hearken
ye all my kin and friends, I shall name to you these jewels what
they were, and then may ye say that I have a great loss. That
one of them was a ring of fine gold, and within the ring next the
finger were written letters enamelled with sable and azure, and
there were three Hebrew names therein. I could not myself read
ne spell them, for I understand not that language; but Master
Abrion of Trier he is a wise man, he understandeth well all
manner of languages and the virtue of all manner herbs, and
there is no beast so fierce ne strong but he can dompte him, for
if he see him once he shall do as he will, and yet he believeth not
on God. He is a Jew, the wisest in conning, and specially he
knoweth the virtue of stones. I showed him once this ring. He
said that they were tho three names that Seth brought out of Para_dise 
when he brought to his father Adam the Oyle of Mercy, and
whosomever beareth on him these three names he shall never be
hurt by thunder ne lightning, ne no witchcraft shall have power
over him, ne be tempted to do sin. And also he shall never take
harm by cold though he lay three winters long nights in the field,
though it snowed, stormed, or frore, never so sore, so great might
have these words, witness of Master Abrion. Without forth on
the ring stood a stone of three manner colours; the one part was
like red crystal, and shone like as fire had been therein, in such
wise that if one would go by night him behoved none other light,
for the shining of the stone made and gave as great a light as it



|p127


had been midday; that other part of the stone was white and
clear as it had been burnished, who so had in his eyen any smart
or soreness, or in his body any swelling, or headache, or any sick_ness,
withoutforth if he striked this stone on the place where the
grief is he shall anon be whole; or if any man be sick in his body
of venom, or ill meat in his stomach, of colic, strangulation, stone,
fistel, or cancer, or any other sickness, save only the very death,
let him lay this stone in a little water and let him drink it, and
he shall forthwith be whole and all quit of his sickness. Alas,"
said the Fox, "we have good cause to be sorry to lose such a
jewel! Furthermore the third colour was green like glass, but
there were some sprinkles therein like purple; the master told
for truth, that who that bare this stone upon him should never
be hurt of his enemy, and was no man, were he never so strong
and hardy, that might misdo him; and wherever that he fought he
should have victory, were it by night or by day, also ferre as he
beheld it fasting; and also thereto, wheresomever he went and in
what fellowship, he should be beloved, though he had hated him
tofore, if he had the ring upon him they should forget their anger
as soon as they saw him. Also though he were all naked in a
field again an hundred armed men, he should be well hearted and
escape from them with worship; but he must be a noble gentle_man 
and have no churl's conditions, for then the stone had
no might. And because this stone was so precious and good,
I thought in myself that I was not able ne worthy to bear it, and
therefore I sent it to my dear Lord the King, for I know him for
the most noble that now liveth, and also all our welfare and wor_ship 
lieth on him, and for he should be kept from all dread, need,
and ungheluck.
   "I found this ring in my father's treasure, and in the same
place I took a glass or a mirror and a comb which my wife would
algates have. A man might wonder that saw these jewels. I
sent these to my Lady the Queen, for I have founden her good
and gracious to me. This Comb might not be too much praised.
It was made of the bone of a clean noble beast named Panthera,



|p128


which feedeth him between the great Inde and Earthly Paradise.
He is so lusty fair and of colour, that there is no colour under the
heaven but some likeness is in him; thereto he smelleth so sweet,
that the savour of him boteth all sickness; and for his beauty and
sweet smelling all other beasts folIow him, for by his sweet savour
they ben healed of all sickness. This panthera hath a fair bone,
broad and thin; when so is that this beast is slain all the sweet
odour rested in the bone, which cannot be broken, ne shall never
rot, ne be destroyed by fire, by water, ne by smiting, it is so
hardy, tight and fast, and yet it is light of weight. The sweet odour
of it hath great might; that who that smelleth it sette nought by
none other lust in the world, and is eased and quit of all manner
diseases and infirmities, and also he is jocund and glad in his
heart. This Comb is polished as it were fine silver, and the teeth
of it be small and strait, and between the greater teeth and the
smaller is a large field and space where is carven many an image
subtilly made and enamelled about with fine gold; the field is
checked with sable and silver, enamelled with cybore and azure,
and therein is the history how Venus, Juno, and Pallas strove for
the apple of gold which each of them would have had, which con_troversy 
was set upon Paris that he should give it to the fairest
of them three.
   "Paris was that time an herdman, and kept his father's beasts
and sheep without Troy. When he had received the apple, Juno
promised to him if he would judge that she might have the apple,
he should have the most riches of the world. Pallas said if she
might have the apple she would give him wisdom and strength,
and make him so great a lord that he should overcome all his
enemies and whom he would. Venus said, `What needest thou
riches or strength, art not thou Priamus' son, and Hector is thy
brother, which have all Asia under their power? Art not thou
one of the possessors of great Troy? If thou wilt give to me the
apple, I shall give thee the richest treasure of the world, and that



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shall be the fairest woman that ever had life on earth, ne never
shall none be born fairer than she. Then shalt thou be richer
than rich, and shalt climb above all other, for that is the treasure
that no man can prize enough; for honest fair and good women
can put away many a sorrow from the heart, they be shamefast
and wise, and bring a man in very joy and bliss.' Paris heard
this Venus, which presented him this great joy and fair lady, and
prayed her to name this fair lady that was so fair, and where she
was. Venus said, `It is Helen, King Menelaus' wife of Greece,
there liveth not a nobler, richer, gentler, ne wiser wife in all the
world. Then Paris gave to her the apple, and said that she was
fairest. How that he gat afterward Helen by the help of Venus,
and how he brought her in to Troy and wedded her, the great love
and jolly life that they had together, was all carven in the field,
everything by himself, and the story written.
   "Now ye shall hear of the Mirror. The glass that stood thereon
was of such virtue that men might see therein all that was done
within a mile, of men of beasts and of all thing that me would
desire to wit and know. And what man looked in the glass, had
he only disease of pricking or motes, smart, or pearls in his eyen,
he should be anon healed of it, such great virtue had the glass.
Is it then wonder if I be moved and angry for to lose such
manner jewels? The tree in which this glass stood was light and
fast and was named Cetyne. It should endure ever ere it would
rot, or worms should hurt it, and therefore King Solomon ceiled
his temple with the same wood withinforth. Men praised it dearer
than fine gold; it is like to tree of hebenus, of which wood King
Crompart made his horse of tree for love of King Morcadigas'
daughter that was so fair, whom he had weened for to have won.
That horse was so made within, that whosoever rode on it, if
he would, he should be within less than one hour an hundred
miles thence; and that was well proved, for Cleomedes the king's
son would not believe that that horse of tree had such might and
virtue. He was young, lusty, and hardy, and desired to do great



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deeds of praise for to be renowned in this world, and leapt on
this horse of tree. Crompart turned a pin that stood on his
breast, and anon the horse lift him up and went out of the hall
by the window, and ere one might say his pater noster he was
gone more than ten mile away. Cleomedes was sore afraid, and
supposed never to have turned again, as the history thereof
telleth more plainly. But how great dread he had, and how far
that he rode upon that horse made of the tree of hebenus ere he
could know the art and craft how he should turn him; and how
joyful he was when he knew it; and how men sorrowed for him;
and how he knew all this, and the joy thereof when he came
again, all this I pass over for losing of time; but the most part
of all came to by the virtue of the wood, of which wood the tree
that the glass stood in was made. And that was, without forth of
the glass, half a foot broad, wherein stood some strange histories,
which were of gold, of sable, of silver, of yellow, azure, and
cynope, these six colours were therein wrought in such wise as it
behoved; and under every history the words were graven and
enamelled, that every man might understand what each history
was. After my judgment there was never mirror so costly, so
lustly, ne so pleasant. In the beginning stood there an Horse,
made fat, strong, and sore envious upon an Hart which ran in the
field so far and swiftly that the Horse was angry that he ran so
far tofore him and could not overtake him. He thought he
should catch him and subdue him, though he should suffer much
pain therefor. The Horse spake tho to a Herdman in this wise,
`If thou couldst taken an Hart that I well can show thee, thou
shouldst have great profit thereof; thou shouldst sell dear his
horns, his skin, and his flesh.' The Herdman said, `How may I
come by him?' The Horse said, `Sit upon me, and I shall bear
thee, and we shall hunt him till he be take.' The Herdman
sprang and sat upon the Horse, and saw the Hart; and he rode
after; but the Hart was light of foot and swift, and outran the
Horse far. They hunted so far after him that the Horse was
weary, and said to the Herdman that sat on him, `Now sit of,



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I will rest me, I am all weary, and give me leave to go from thee.'
The Herdman said, `I have arrested thee; thou mayst not
escape from me; I have a bridle on thy head and spurs on my
heels; thou shalt never have thank hereof; I shall bedwynge and
subdue thee, hadst thou sworn the contrary.'
   "See how the Horse brought himself in thraldom and was
taken in his own net. How may one better be taken than by his
own proper envy suffer himself to be taken and ridden. There
ben many that labour to hurt other, and they themselven ben hurt
and rewarded with the same.
   "There was also made an Ass and an Hound which dwelled
both with a rich man. The man loved his Hound well, for he
played oft with him as folk do with Hounds. The Hound leapt
up and played with his tail, and licked his master about the
mouth. This saw Howdwin the Ass, and had great spite thereof
in his heart, and said to himself, `How may this be? and what
may my lord see on his foul Hound, whom I never see doth
good ne profit save springeth on him and kisseth him? But me,
whom men putten to labour, to bear and draw and do more in a
week than he with his fifteen should do in a whole year,--and
yet sitteth he nevertheless by him at the table and there eateth
bones, flesh, and fat trenchours,--and I have nothing but thistles
and nettles, and lie on nights on the hard earth, and suffer many
a scorn. I will no longer suffer this. I will think how I may
get my lord's love and friendship, like as the Hound doth. There_with 
came the lord, and the Ass lift up his tail and sprang with
his fore feet on the lord's shoulders and blared, grinned, and sang,
and with his feet made two great boles about his ears, and put
forth his mouth and would have kissed the lord's mouth as he
had seen the Hound done. Tho cried the lord, sore afraid,
`Help! help! this Ass will slay me!' Then came his servants
with staves and smiten and beat the Ass so sore that he had
weened he should have lost his life. Tho returned he to his stable
and ate thistle and nettles and was an Ass as he tofore was. In
likewise whoso have enough and spite of another's welfare, and were
served in likewise, it should be well behoveful. Therefore it is



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concluded that the Ass shall eat thistles and nettles and bear the
sack. Though men would do him worship he cannot understand
it, but must use old lewd manners. Whereas asses getten lord_ships,
there men see seldom good rule. For they take heed of
nothing but on their singular profit; yet ben they take up and
risen great, the more pity is.
   "Hearken further how my father and Tybert the Cat went to_gether,
and had sworn by their truth that for love ne hate they
should not depart. And what they gat they should depart to
each the half. Then on a time they saw hunters coming over the
field with many hounds. They leapt and ran fast from themward
all that they might, as they that were afraid of their life.
    "`Tybert,' said the Fox, `whither shall we now best flee? the
hunters have espied us. Know ye any help?' My father trusted
on the promise that each made to other, and that he would for
no need depart from him. `Tybert,' said he, `I have a sackful of
wiles if we have need; as far as we abide together we need not
to doubt hunters ne hounds.'
   "Tybert began to sigh and was sore afraid, and said, `Reynart,
what availlen many words? I know but one wile, and thither
must I too.'
   "And tho clamb he up on a high tree into the top under the
leaves, whereas hunter ne hound might do him none harm, and
left my father alone in jeopardy of his life, for the hunters set on
him the hounds all that they could. Men blew the horns, and
cried, and hallooed, `The Fox! Slee and take!' When Tybert
the Cat saw that, he mocked and scorned my father and said,
`What, Reynart, cousin, unbind now your sack where all the
wiles ben in! It is now time. Ye be so wise called; help your_self,
for ye have need.'
   "This much must my father hear of him to whom he had most
his trust on, and was almost taken, and nigh his death. And he
ran and fled with great fear of his life, and let his male slide off
because he would be the lighter. Yet all that could not help
him, for the hounds were too swift and should have bitten
him; but he had one adventure that thereby he found an



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old hole, wherein he crept, and escaped thus the hunters and
hounds.
   "Thus held this false deceiver Tybert his sykernes that he had
promised. Alas, how many ben there now a days that keep not
their promise, and set not thereby though they break it! And
though I hate Tybert herefor, is it wonder? But I do not.
Sikerly, I love my soul too well thereto. Nevertheless, if I saw
him in adventure and misfall in his body or in his goods, I trow
it should not much go to my heart, so that another did it. Never_theless,
I shall neither hate him ne have envy at him. I shall,
for God's love, forgive him. Yet is it not so clear out of mine
heart but a little ill-will to himward abideth therein as this cometh
to my remembrance; and the cause is that the sensuality of my
flesh fighteth against reason.
   "Ther stood also in that Mirror, of the Wolf, how he found
once upon a heath a dead horse flayen, but all the flesh was eaten.
Then went he and bote great morsels of the bones, that for
hunger he took three or four at once and swallowed them in, for
he was so greedy that one of the bones stack thwart in his mouth.
Whereof he had great pain, and was of great fear of his life. He
sought all about for wise masters and surgeons, and promised
great gifts for to be healed of his disease. At last, when he could
nowhere find remedy, he came to the Crane with his long neck
and bill, and prayed him to help him, and he would love and
reward him so well that he should ever be the better. The
Crane hearked after this great reward, and put his head into his
throat, and brought out the bone with his bill.
   "The Wolf start aside with the plucking, and cried out, `Alas,
thou doest me harm! but I forgive it thee. Do no more so, I
would not suffer it of another.'
   The Crane said, `Sir Isegrim, go and be merry, for ye be all
whole. Now give to me that ye promised.'
   "The Wolf said, `Will ye hear what he saith? I am he that
hath suffered and have cause to plain, and he will have good
of me! He thanketh not me of the kindness that I did to him.
He put his head in my mouth, and I suffered him to draw it out



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whole without hurting; and he did to me also harm. And if
any here should have a reward, it should be I, by right.'
   "Thus the unkind men nowadays reward them that do them
good. When the false and subtle arise and become great, then
goeth worship and profit all to nought. There ben many, of right
that ought reward and do good to such as have helpen them in
their need, that now find causes and say they be hurt, and would
have amends where they ought to reward and make amends them_self.
Therefore it is said, and truth it is, who that will chide
or chastise see that he be clear himself.
   "All this and much more than I now can well remember was
made and wrought in this glass. The master that ordained it was
a cunning man and a profound clerk in many sciences. And be_cause 
these jewels were over good and precious for me to keep and
have, therefore I sent them to my dear Lord the King and to the
Queen in present. Where ben they now that give to their lords
such presents. The sorrow that my two children made when I
sent away the glass was great; for they were wont to look therein
and see themself how their clothing and array became them on
their bodies. Oh, alas! I knew not that Cuwart the Hare was so
nigh his death when I delivered him the male with these jewels.
I wist not to whom I might better have taken them, though it
should have cost me my life, than him and Bellyn the Ram.
They were two of my best friends. Out, alas! I cry upon the
murderer. I shall know who it was, though I should run through
all the world to seek him, for murder abideth not hid, it shall
come out. Peradventure he is in this company that knoweth
where Cuwart is becomen, though he telleth it not; for many
false shrews walk with good men, from whom no man can keep
him, they knowen their craft so well and can well cover their
falseness. But the most wonder that I have is that my Lord the
King here sayeth so felly, that my father nor I did him never
good. That thinketh me marvel, of a king. But there come so
many things tofore him that he forgetteth that one with that other,
and so fareth by me. Dear Lord, remember not ye when my
Lord your father lived, and ye an youngling of two year were, that



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my father came from school from Monpellier whereas he had five
year studied in recipes of medicines. He knew all the tokens of
the urine as well as his hand, and also all the herbs, and nature
of them which were viscous or laxative. He was a singular master
in that science. He might well wear cloth of silk and a gilt
girdle. When he came to Court he found the King in a great
sickness, whereof he was sorry in his heart, for he loved him
above all other lords. The King would not forego him, for when
he came all other had leave to walk where they would; he trusted
none so much as him. He said, `Reynart, I am sick, and feel
me the longer the worse.' My father said, `My dear Lord, here
is an urinal: make your water therein, and as soon as I may see
it I shall tell what sickness it is and also how ye shall be holpen.'
The King did as he counselled him, for he trusted no man better
that lived. Though so were that my father did not as he should
have done to you, but that was by counsel of evil and foul beasts
- I had wonder thereof - but it was a raising against his death.
He said, `My Lord, if ye will be whole ye must eat the liver of a
wolf of seven year old, that may ye not leave or else ye shall die;
for your urine showeth it plainly.'
   "The Wolf stood thereby and said nought.
   "But the King said to him, `Sir Isegrim, now, ye hear well that
I must have your liver if I will be whole.'
   "Tho answered the Wolf and said, `Nay my lord not so, I
wot well I am not yet five year old. I have heard my mother
say so.'
   "My father said `What skilleth these words? Let him be
opened, and I shall know by the liver if it be good for you or
not.'
   "And therewith the Wolf was taken to kitchen, and his liver
taken out, which the King ate and was anon all whole of all his
sickness. Then thanketh he my father much, and commanded
all his household upon their lives that after that time they should
call him Master Reynart.
   "He abode still by the King, and was believed of all things,
and must always go by his side; and the King gave to him a gar_land 



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of roses which he must always wear on his head. But now
this is all turned. All the old good things that he did be for_gotten,
and these covetous and ravenous shrews ben taken up and
set on the high bench, and ben heard and made great, and the
wise folk ben put aback, by which these lords oft lack, and
cause them to be in much trouble and sorrow. For when a
covetous man of low birth is made a lord, and is much great, and
above his neighbours hath power and might, then he knoweth not
himself, ne whence he is comen, and hath no pity on no man's
hurt, ne heareth no man's request, but if he may have great gifts.
All his intent and desire is to gather good, and to be greater.
Oh, how many covetous men ben now in lords' courts! They
flatter and smeke, and please the prince, for their singular avail,
but and the prince had need of them or their good, they should
rather suffer him to die, or fare right hard, ere they would give
or lend him. They he like the Wolf that had liefer the King had
died than he would give him his liver. Yet had I liefer ere that
the King or the Queen should fare amiss, that twenty such wolves
should lose their lives; it were also the least loss. My lord, all
this befell in your youth, that my father did thus. I trow ye
have forgotten it.
   "And also I have my self done you reverence, worship, and
courtesy. Unroused be it, though ye now thank me but little,
but peradventure ye remembered not that I shall now say, -- not
to any forwitting of you, for ye be worthy all worship and reverence
that any man can do; that have ye of Almighty God by inherit_ance 
of your noble progenitors, wherefore I your humble subject
and servant am bounden to do to you all the service that I can or
may. I came on a time walking with the Wolf Isegrim, and we
had gotten under us both a Swine. And for his loud crying we bit
him to death; and, sire, ye came from far out of a grove against us.
Ye saluted us friendly, and said we were welcome, and that ye
and my Lady the Queen, which came after you, had great hunger
and had nothing for to eat, and prayed us for to give you part of
our winning. Isegrim spake so soft that a man unnethe might



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hear him, but I spake out and said, `yea, my lord, with a good
will. Though it were more, we will well that ye have part.' And
then the Wolf departed as he was wont to do; departed, and
took that one half for himself, and he gave you a quarter for
you and for the Queen. That other quarter he ate and bit
as hastily as he might, because he would eat it alone. And
he gave to me but half the lungs, that I pray God that evil
might he fare.
   "Thus showed he his conditions and nature. Ere men should
have sungen a Credo, ye, my lord, had eaten your part, and yet
would ye fain have had more, for ye were not full. And because
he gave you no more, ne proffered you, ye lift up your right foot
and smote him between the ears that ye tore his skin over his
eyen, and tho he might no longer abide, but he bled, howled, and
ran away, and left his part there lying. Tho said ye to him,
`Haste ye again hither, and bring to us more. And here after
see better to how ye deal and part.' Then said I, `My lord, if it
please you I will go with him, I wot well what ye said.' I went
with him. He bled and groaned, as sore as he was, all softly;
he durst not cry loud. We went so far that we brought a calf.
And when ye saw us come therewith ye laughed, for ye were well
pleased, ye said to me that I was swift in hunting: `I see well
that ye can find well when ye take it upon you. Ye be good to
send forth in a need. The calf is good and fat, hereof shall ye be
the dealer.' I said, `My lord, with a good will. The one half,
my lord, shall be for you. And that other half for my lady the
Queen. The moghettis, liver, lungs, and the inward, shall be for
your children. The head shall Isegrim the Wolf have, and I will
have the feet.' Tho said ye, `Reynart, who hath taught you to
depart so courteously?' `My lord,' said I, `that hath done this
priest that sitteth here with the bloody crown. He lost his skin
with the uncourteous departing of the swine, and for his courtesy
and ravin he hath hurt and shame.'
   "Alas there be many wolves now a days that, without right and
reason, destroy and eat them that they may have the overhand of.
They spare neither flesh ne blood, friend ne enemy. What they



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can get that take they. O, woe be to that land and to towns
where as the wolves have the overhand!
   "My lord, this and many other good thing have I done for you,
that I could well tell if it were not too long, of which now ye re_member 
little by the words I hear of you. If ye would all thing
oversee well, ye would not say as ye do. I have seen the day
that there should no great matter be concluded in this Court
without mine advice. Albeit that this adventure is now fallen, it
might happen yet that my words shall be heard and also believed
as well as another's, as far as right will, for I desire none other.
For if there be any can say and make good by sufficient witnesses
that I have trespassed, I will abide all the right and law that may
come thereof; and if any say on me anything of which he can
bring no witnesses, let me then he ruled after the law and custom
of this court."
   The King said, "Reynart, ye say reasonably. I know not of
Cuwart's death more than that Bellyn the Ram brought his head
hither in the male. Thereof I let you go quit, for I have no
witness thereof."
   "My dear lord," said Reynart, "God thank you. Sykerly ye
do well. For his death maketh me so sorrowful that methinketh
my heart will break in two. Oh, when they departed from me,
mine heart was so heavy that I should have swooned. I wot
well it was a token of the loss that tho was so nigh coming to me."
   All the most part of them that were there and heard the Fox's
words of the jewels, and how he made his countenance and
stretched him, had verily supposed that it had not be feigned but
that it had be true. They were sorry of his loss and misadven_ture,
and also of his sorrow. The King and the Queen had both
pity of him, and bade him to make not too much sorrow, but
that he should endeavour him to seek them. For he had so much
praised them that they had great will and desire to have them.
And because he had made them to understand that he had sent
these jewels to them, though they never had them yet they thanked
him, and prayed him to help that they might have them.
   The Fox understood their meaning well, he thought toward



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them but little good for all that. He said, "God thank you, my
lord and my lady, that ye so friendly comfort me in my sorrow.
I shall not rest night ne day, ne all they that will do anything
for me, but run, and pray, threaten, and ask all the four corners
of the world, though I should ever seek, till that I know where
they ben bicomen. And I pray you, my Lord the King, that
if they were in such place as I could not get them by prayer, by
might, ne by request, that ye would assist me and abide by me;
for it toucheth yourself, and the good is yours; and also it is
your part to do justice on theft and murder, which both ben in
this case."
   "Reynart", said the King, "that shall I not leave, when ye
know where they ben. Mine help shall be alway ready for you."
   "Oh, dear lord, this is too much presented to me. If I had
power and might I should deserve against you."
   Now, hath the Fox his matter fast and fair, for he hath the
King in his hand as he would. Him thought that he was in
better case than it was like to have be; he hath made so many
leasings that he may go freely where he will, without complaining
of any of them all, save of Isegrim, which was to himward angry
and displeased, and said, "O noble King, are ye so much childish
that ye believe this false and subtle shrew, and suffer yourself
with false lies thus to be deceived? Of faith it should be long or
I should believe him, he is in murder and treason all bewrapped,
and he mocketh you tofore your visage. I shall tell him another
tale. I am glad that I see now him here. All his leasings shall
not avail him ere he depart from me."


                         CHAPTER XXXIII.

     How Isegrim the Wolf complained again on the Fox.

"MY lord, I pray you to take heed. This false thief betrayed my
wife once foul and dishonestly. It was so that in a winter's day
they went together through a great water, and he bare my wife
an honde that he would teach her take fish with her tail, and that



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she should let it hang in the water a good while and there should
so much fish cleave on it that four of them should not conne eat
it. The fool, my wife, supposed he had said truth. And she
went in the mire ere she came into the water, and when she was
in the deepest of the water he bad her hold her tail till that the fish
were comen. She held her tail so long that it was frozen hard
in the ice and could not pluck it out. And when he saw that,
he sprang up after on her body. She could not defend herself,
the silly beast, she stood so deep in the mire. Hereof he cannot
say nay, for I found him with the deed. Alas, what pain suffered
I tho at my heart! I had almost for sorrow lost my five wits, and
cried as loud as I might, and when he saw me so nigh he went
his way. I went to her in a great heaviness, and went deep in
that mire and that water ere I could break the ice, and much
pain suffered she ere she could have out her tail, and yet left
a gobbet of her tail behind her. And we were like both thereby
to have lost our lives, for she yelped and cried so loud for the
smart that she had ere she came out, that the men of the village
came out, with staves and bills, with flail and pickforks, and
the wives with their distaffs, and cried despitously, "Slay! slay!
and smite down right!" I was never in my life so afraid, for
unnethe we escape. We ran so fast that we sweat. There was
a villain that stake on us with a pike which hurted us sore; he
was strong and swift a foot. Had it not be night, certainly we
had been slain. The foul old queans would fain have beaten
us. They said that we had bitten their sheep. They cursed us
with many a curse. Tho came we in a field full of broom and
brambles, there hid we us from the villains, and they durst not
follow us further by night, but returned home again. See my
lord this foul matter. Ye ought to do justice thereon sharply."
   Reynart answered and said, "If this were true, it should go too
nigh mine honour and worship. God forbid that it should be
found true! It is well true that I taught her how she should in
a place catch fish, and showed her a good way for to go over into
the water without going into the mire. But she ran so desirously
when she heard me name the fish, that she neither way ne path



|p141


held, but went into the ice wherein she was forfrorn. And that
was because she abode too long. She had fish enough, if she
could have be pleased with measure. It falleth oft, who that
would have all loseth all. Over covetous was never good. For
the beast cannot be satisfied, and when I saw her in the ice so
fast I went to have holpen her, and to have brought her out, but
it was all pain lost, for she was too heavy for me. Tho came
Isegrim, and saw how I did all my best, and he, as a foul churl,
foul and rybadously slandereth me with her, as these foul
unthrifts ben wont to do. But, my dear Lord, it was none
otherwise. He belieth me falsely. Peradventure his eyen
dazzled as he looked from above down. He cried and cursed
me, and swore many an oath I should dear abye it. When
I heard him so curse and threaten I went my way, and let
him curse and threaten till he was weary. And tho went he
and help his wife out, and then he leapt and ran, and she also,
for to get them an heat and to warm them, or else they should
have died for cold. And whatsomever I have said, afore or
after, that is clearly all truth. I would not for a thousand mark
of fine gold lie to you one leasing. It were not fitting for me.
Whatsomever fall of me, I shall say the truth, like as mine elders
have always done sith the time that we first understood reason.
And if ye be in doubt of anything that I have said otherwise than
truth, give me respite of eight days, that I may have counsel, and
I shall bring such information with good true and sufficient
record that ye shall all your life during trust and believe me, and
so shall all your council also. What have I to do with the Wolf?
It is tofore clearly enough showed that he is a foul villainous caitiff,
and an unclean beast, when he dealed and departed the swine. So
it is now knowen to you all by his own words, that he is a defamer
of women as much as in him is, ye may well mark euerychone.
Now ask ye his wife if it be so as he saith. If she will say the
truth I wot well she shall say as I do."
   Tho spake Ersewynde the Wolfs wife, "Ach, fell Reynart, no
man can keep himself from thee, -- thou canst so well utter thy
words and thy falsness and reason set forth. But it shall be



|p142


evil rewarded in the end. How broughtest thou me once into
the well, where the two buckets hung by one cord running through
one pulley, which went one up and another down, thou sattest
in that one bucket beneath in the pit in great dread. I came
thither and heard thee sigh and make sorrow, and asked thee
how thou camest there. Thou saidst that thou hadst there so
many good fishes eaten out of the water that thy belly would
burst. I said, `Tell me how I shall come to thee.' Then saidst
thou, `Aunt, spring into that bucket that hangeth there, and ye
shall come anon to me. I did so; and I went downward, and
ye came upward. Tho was I all angry.' Thou saidst, `Thus
fareth the world, that one goeth up and another goeth down.'
Tho sprang ye forth and went our way, and I abode there alone,
sitting an whole day sore and hungered and a cold; and thereto
had I many a stroke ere I could get thence."
   "Auntie," said the Fox, "though the strokes did you harm, I
had liever ye had them than I, for ye may better bear them; for
one of us must needs have had them. I taught you good, will ye
understand it and think on it, that ye another time take better
heed and believe no man over hastily, is he friend or cousin, for
every man seeketh his own profit. They be now fools that do
not so, and specially when they be in jeopardy of their lives."


                       CHAPTER XXXIV.

         A fair parable of the Fox and the Wolf.

"MY Lord," said Dame Ersewynde, "I pray you hear how he can
blow with all winds, and how fair bringeth he his matters forth."
   "Thus hath he brought me many time in scathe and hurt," said
the Wolf. "He hath once betrayed me to the She Ape, mine aunt,
where I was in great dread and fear, for I left there almost mine
one ear. If the Fox will tell it, how it befel, I will give him the fordele thereof, for I cannot tell it so well but he shall beryspe me."
   "Well," said the Fox, "I shall tell it without stammering. I
shall say the truth. I pray you harken me. He came into the



|p143


wood and complained to me that he had great hunger; for I saw
him never so full but he would alway have had fain more. I
have wonder where the meat becometh that he destroyeth. I
see now on his countenance that he beginneth to grymme for
hunger. When I heard him so complain, I had pity of him.
And I said, I was also hungry. Then went we half a day to_gether 
and found nothing. Tho whined he and cried, and said
he might go no further. Then espied I a great hole, standing in
the middis under an hawe which was thick of brambles, and I
heard a rushing therein, I wist not what it was. Then said I,
`Go therein and look if there be anything there for us; I wot
well there is somewhat.' Tho said he,`Cousin, I would not
creep into that hole for twenty pound, but I wist first what is
therein. Methinketh that there is some perilous thing. But I
shall abide here under this tree, if ye will go therein tofore. But
come anon again, and let me wete what thing is therein. Ye can
many a subtlety, and can well help yourself, and much better
than I.' See my Lord the King, thus he made me, poor wight,
to go tofore into the danger, and he, which is great, long, and
strong, abode without and rested him in peace. Await if I did
not for him there. I would not suffer the dread and fear that I
there suffered, for all the good in earth, but if I wist how to escape.
I went hardily in. I found the way dark, long, and broad. Ere
I right in the hole came, so espied I a great light which came in
from that one side. There lay in a great Ape with twain great
wide eyen, and they glimmed as a fire; and she had a great
mouth with long teeth, and sharp nails on her feet and on her
hands; I weened it had be a mermouse, a baubyn, or a mercatte,
for I saw never fouler beast. And by her lay three of her
children, which were right foul, for they were right like the
mother. When they saw me come, they gapeden wide on me and
were all still. I was afraid and would well I had been thence;
but I thought, I am therein, I must there through, and come out
as well as I may. As I saw her, me thought she seemed more



|p144


than Isegrim the Wolf, and her children were more than I. I
saw never a fouler meyne. They lay on foul hay which was all
bepissed. They were beslabbed and beclagged to their ears too
in her own dung. It stank that I was almost smothered thereof.
I durst not say but good, and then I said, `Aunt, God give you
good day, and all my cousins, your fair children, they be of their
age the fairest that ever I saw. O, Lord God, how well please
they me! how lovely! how fair be they! Each of them for their
beauty might be a great king's son! Of right we ought to thank
you, that ye thus increase our lineage. Dear Aunt, when I
heard say that ye were delivered and laid down I could no
longer abide, but must come and friendly visit you. I am sorry
that I had not erst knowen it.'
   "`Reynart, cousin,'said she, "ye be welcome. For that ye
have found me, and thus come see me, I thank you. Dear
cousin, ye be right true, and named right wise in all lands, and
also that ye gladly further and bring your lineage in great worship.
Ye must teach my children with yours some wisdom, that they
may know what they shall do and leave. I have thought on you,
for gladly ye go and fellowship with the good.
   "Oh how well was I pleased when I heard these words. This
deserved I at the beginning when I called her aunt; howbeit
that she was nothing sybbe to me; for my right Aunt is Dame
Rukenawe that yonder standeth, which is wont to bring forth
wise children.
   "I said, `Aunt, my life and my good is at your commandment,
and what I may do for you by night and by day. I will gladly
teach them all that I can.'
   "I would fain have be thence for the stench of them; and also
I had pity of the great hunger that Isegrim had.
   "I said, `Aunt, I shall commit you and your fair children to
God and take my leave. My wife shall think long after me.'
  "`Dear cousin,' said she, `ye shall not depart till ye have
eaten; for if ye did I would say ye were not kind.'
   Tho stood she up and brought me in another hole, whereas



|p145


was much meat of hearts and hinds, roes, pheasants, partridges,
and much other venison, that I wondered from whence all this meat
might come. And when I had eaten my bellyful, she gave me a
great piece of an hind for to eat with my wife and with my house_hold 
when I come home. I was ashamed to take it, but I might
none otherwise do. I thanked her and took my leave. She
bade me I should come soon again. I said I would, and so
departed thence merrily that I so well had sped. I hasted me
out, and when I came, saw Isegrim which lay groaning. And I
asked him how he fared. He said, `Nephew, all evil, for it is
wonder that I live. Bring ye any meat to eat? I die for hunger.'
Tho had I compassion of him and gave him that I had, and saved
him there his life; whereof then he thanked me greatly, howbeit
that he now oweth me evil will.
   "He had eaten this up anon, tho said he, `Reynart, dear
cousin, what found ye in that hole? I am more hungry now
than I was tofore. My teeth ben now sharped to eat."
   "I said then, `Eme, haste you then lightly into that hole. Ye
shall find there enough. There lieth mine Aunt with her children;
if ye will spare the truth, and lie great leasings, ye shall have
there all your desire. But and ye say truth, ye shall take harm.'
   "My Lord, was not this enough said and warned, who so
would understand it, that all that he found, he should say the
contrary. But rude and plump beasts cannot understand wisdom;
therefore hate they all subtle inventions, for they cannot conceive
them. Yet nevertheless, he said he would go in, and lie so many
leasings, ere he should mishap, that all men should have wonder
of it; and so went forth into that foul stinking hole, and found
the marmosette. She was like the devil's daughter, and on her
hung much filth clottered in gobbets.
   Tho cried he, `Alas, me growleth of these foul nickers!
Come they out of hell? Men may make devils afraid of them.
Go and drown them, that evil might they fear! I saw never
fouler womys, they make all mine hair to stand right up.'
   "`Sir Isegrim', said she, `what may I do thereto? They ben
my children, and I must be their mother. What lieth that in



|p146


your way, whether they be foul or fair? They have you nothing
cost. Here hath been one to-day before you which was to them
nigh of kin, and was your better and wiser; and he said that
they were fair. Who hath sent you hither with these tidings?'
   "`Dame, will ye wit, I will eat of your meat. It is better
bestowed on me than on these foul wights.'
   "She said, `Here is no meat.'
   "He said, `Here is enough.'
   "And therewith he stert with his head toward the meat, and
would have gone into the hole where the meat was. But mine
aunt stert up with her children, and run to him with their sharp
long nails so sore that the blood ran over his eyen. I heard him
cry sore and howl, but I know of no defence that he made but
that he ran fast out of the hole. And he was there scratched and
beaten, and many an hole had they made in his coat and skin.
His visage was all on a blood and almost he had lost his one ear.
He groaned and complained to me sore: then asked I him if he
had well lied. He said, `I said like as I saw and found, and that
was a foul beast with many foul wights."
   "`Nay, Eme,' said I, `ye should have said Fair niece how fare ye
and your fair children which ben my wellbeloved cousins?' The
Wolf said, `I had liefer that they were hanged ere I that said.'
   "`Yea, Eme, therefore must ye receive such manner payment.
It is better otherwhile to lie than to say truth. They that ben
better wiser and stronger than we be have done so tofore us.'
   "See, my Lord the King, thus got he his red coif. Now
standeth he all so simply as he knew no harm. I pray you ask
ye him if it was not thus. He was not far off, if I wot it well."


                           CHAPTER XXXV.

   How Isegrim proffered his glove for the Fox to fight with him. 

THE WoIf said, "I may well forbear your mocks and your scorns
and also your fell venomous words, strong thief that ye are. Ye
said that I was almost dead for hunger, when ye help me in my need.



|p147


That is falsely lied, for it was but a bone that ye gave to me, ye
had eaten away all the flesh that was thereon. And ye mock me
and say that I am hungry, here where I stand. That toucheth
my worship too nigh, -- what many a spity word have ye brought
forth with false leasings! -- and that I have conspired the King's
death, from the treasure that ye have said to him is in Hulsterlo, and 
ye have also my wife shamed and slandered that she shall never
recover it, and I should ever be disworshipped thereby if I avenged
it not. I have forborne you long, but now ye shalI not escape
me. I can not make hereof great proof, but I say here tofore my
lord and tofore all them that ben here that thou art a false traitor
and a murderer, and that I shall prove and make good on thy
body within lists in the field, and that body against body, and
then shall our strife have an end. And thereto I cast to thee
my glove, and take thou it up I shall have right of thee or die
therefor."
   Reynart the Fox thought, How come I on this campaign? we
ben not both like. I shaIl not well conne stand against this strong
thief. All my proof is now come to an end.


                         CHAPTER XXXVI.

How the Fox took up the glove. And how the King set to them day
          and field for to come an do their battle.

YET thought the Fox I have good advantage: the claws of his
forefeet ben off, and his feet ben yet sore thereof, when for my
sake he was unshoed. He shall be somewhat the weaker.
   Then said the Fox, "Who that saith that I am a traitor or a
murderer, I say he lieth falsely; and that art thou specially
Isegrim. Thou bringest me there as I would be. This have I
oft desired. Lo here is my pledge that all thy words ben false,
and that I shall defend me and make good that thou liest."
   The King received the pledges, and admitted the battle, and
asked borowes of them both that on the morn they should come



|p148


and perform their battle, and do as they ought to do. Then the
Bear and the Cat were borowes for the Wolf; and for the Fox
were borowes Grymbart the Dasse and Byteluys.


                          CHAPTER XXXVII.

   How Rukenawe the She Ape counselled the Fox how he should
         behave him in the field against the Wolf.

THE She Ape said to the Fox, "Reynart Nephew, see that ye
take heed in your battle. Be cold and wise. Your Eme taught
me once a prayer that is of much virtue to him that shall fight;
and a great master and a wise clerk, and was abbot of Boudelo,
that taught him, he said, who that said devoutly this prayer fasting
shall not that day be overcomen in battle ne in fighting. There_fore,
dear Nephew, be not afraid, I shall read it over you to_morrow,
then may ye be sure enough of the Wolf. It is better to
fight than to have the neck asunder."
   "I thank you, dear aunt," said the Fox. "The quarrel that
I have is rightful, therefore I hope I shall speed well and that
shall greatly be mine help."
   All his lineage abode by him all the night and holp him to drive
away the time.
   Dame Rukenawe the She Ape, his aunt, thought alway on his
profit and fordele. And she did all his hair from the head to
the tail be shorn off smooth; and she anointed all his body with
oil of olive; and then was his body also glat and slipper that the
Wolf should have none hold on him. And he was round and
fat also on his body.
   And she said to him, "Dear cousin, ye must now drink much
that to-morrow ye may the better make your urine; but ye shall
hold it in till ye come to the field. And when need is and time,
so shall ye piss full your rough tail and smite the Wolf therewith
in his beard. And if ye might hit him therewith in his eyen, then
shall ye byneme him his sight. That should much hinder him.



|p149


But else, hold alway your tail fast between your legs that he catch
you not thereby; and hold down your ears lying plat after your
head that he hold you not thereby; and see wisely to yourself.
And at beginning flee from his strokes, and let him spring and
run after you, and run tofore where as most dust is, and stir it
with your feet that it may flee in his eyen, and that shall much
hinder his sight. And while he rubbeth his eyen, take your
advantage and smite and bite him there as ye may most hurt
him, and alway to hit him with your tail full of piss in his visage,
and that shall make him so woe that he shall not wit where he
is. And let him run after you for to make him weary. Yet his
feet ben sore of that ye made him to lose his shoes, and though
he be great he hath no heart. Nephew, certainly this is my
counsel. The connyng goeth tofore strength; therefore see for
yourself, and set yourself wisely at defence, that ye and we all
may have worship thereof. I would be sorry if ye mishapped. I
shall teach you the words that your Eme Martin taught me, that ye
may overcome your enemy, as I hope ye shall do without doubt."
   Therewith she laid her hand upon his head, and said these
words: "Blaerde Shey Alphenio Kasbue Gorfons Alsbuifrio.
Nephew, now be ye sure from all mischief and dread. And I
counsel you that ye rest you a little, for it is by the day ye shall
be the better disposed; we shall awake you in all in time."
   "Aunt," said the Fox, "I am now glad. God thank you, ye
have done to me such good I can never deserve it fully again.
Methinketh there may nothing hurt me sith that ye have said
these holy words over me."
   Tho went he and laid him down under a tree in the grass, and
slept till the sun was risen. Tho came the Otter and waked him,
and bad him arise, and gave him a good young duck and said,
"Dear cousin, I have this night made many a leap in the water
ere I could get this young fat duck. I have taken it from a fowler.
Take and eat it."
   Reynart said, "This is good handsel. If I refused I were a
fool. I thank you, cousin, that ye remember me. If I live I
shall reward you."



|p150


   The Fox ate the duck without sauce or bread. It savoured
him well, and went well in. And he drank thereto four great
draughts of water. Then went he to the battle ward, and all they
that loved him went with him.


                        CHAPTER XXXVIII.

    How the Fox came into the field and how they fought.

WHEN the King saw Reynart thus shorn and oiled he said to him,
"Ey, Fox, how well can ye see for yourself!"
   He wondered thereof; he was foul to look on.
   But the Fox said not one word, but kneeled down low to the
earth unto the King and to the Queen, and striked him forth into
the field.
   The Wolf was there ready and spake many a proud word. The
rulers and keepers of the field were the Leopard and the Losse.
They brought forth the book on which sware the Wolf that the
Fox was a traitor and a murderer, and none might be falser than
he was, and that he would prove on his body and make it good.
Reynart the Fox sware that he lied as a false knave and a cursed
thief, and that he would do good on his body.
   When this was done, the governors of the field bade them do
their devoir. Then roomed they all the field, save Dame Ruke_nawe 
the She Ape, she abode by the Fox and bade him remember
well the words that she had said to him. She said, "See well to.
When ye were seven years old ye were wise enough to go by night
without lantern or moonshine where ye wist to win any good. Ye
ben named among the people wise and subtle. Pain yourself to
work so that ye win the prize, then may ye have ever honour and
worship, and all we that ben your friends."
   He answered, "My dearest aunt, I know it well. I shall do
my best, and think on your counsel. I hope so to do that all
my lineage shall have worship thereby, and mine enemies shame
and confusion."
   She said, "God grant it you."



|p151


                         CHAPTER XXXIX.

           How the Fox and the Wolf fought together.

THEREWITH she went out of the field and let them twain go
together. The Wolf trode forth to the Fox in great wrath, and
opened his forefeet, and supposed to have taken the Fox in
them. But the Fox sprang from him lightly, for he was lighter
to foot than he. The Wolf sprang after, and hunted the Fox
sore. Their friends stood without the lists and looked upon
them. The Wolf strode wider than Reynart did, and oft over_took 
him, and lift up his foot and weened to have smitten him.
But the Fox saw to, and smote him with his rough tail, which
he had all bepissed, in his visage. Tho weened the Wolf to have
ben plat blind; the piss started in his eyen. Then must he rest,
for to make clean his eyen. Reynart thought on his fordele, and
stood above the wind scraping and casting with his feet the
dust, that it flew the Wolf's eyenful. The Wolf was sore blinded
therewith, in such wise that he must leave the running after him,
for the sand and piss cleaved under his eyen, that it smarted so
sore that he must rub and wash it away.
   Tho came Reynart in a great anger and bote him three great
wounds on his head with his teeth, and said, "What is that, Sir
Wolf! Hath one there bitten you? How is it with you? I
will all otherwise on you yet. Abide. I shall bring you some
new thing. Ye have stolen many a lamb, and destroyed many
a simple beast, and now falsely have appealed me and brought
me in this trouble. All this shall I now avenge on thee. I am
chosen to reward thee for thine old sins, for God will no longer
suffer thee in thy great raven and shrewdness. I shall now
assoil thee, and that shaIl be good for thy soul. Take patiently
this penance, for thou shalt live no longer: The hell shall be
thy purgatory. Thy life is now in my mercy, but and if thou
wilt kneel down and ask me forgiveness, and knowledge thee to
be overcomen, yet though thou be evil, yet I will spare thee. For



|p152


my conscience counselleth me I should not gladly slay no
man."
   Isegrim weened with these mocking and spiteous words to have
gone out of his wits; and that dered him so much that he wist
not what to say, buff ne haff, he was so angry in his heart. The
wounds that Reynart had given him bled and smarted sore, and
he thought how he might best avenge it.
   With great anger he lift up his foot and smote the Fox on the
head so great a stroke that he fell to the ground. Tho stert the
Wolf to, and weened to have taken him. But the Fox was light
and wily, and rose lightly up, and met with him fiercely. And
there began a fell battle which dured long. The Wolf had great
spite on the Fox, as well it seemed. He sprang after him
ten times each after other, and would fain have had him fast.
But his skin was so slipper and fat of the oil, that alway he
escaped from him. O, so subtle and snelle was the Fox, that
many times when the Wolf weened well to make sure of him, he
stert then between his legs and under his belly, and then turned
he again and gave the Wolf a stroke with his tail in his eyen, that
Isegrim weened he should have lost his sight, and this did he
often times. And alway when he had so smitten him, then would
he go above the wind and raise the dust, that it made his eyen full
of stuffs. Isegrim was woebegone, and thought he was at an after_dele;
yet was his strength and might much more than the Fox's.
Reynart had many a sore stroke of him when he raught him.
They gave each other many a stroke and many a bite when they
saw their advantage, and each of them did his best to destroy
that other. I would I might see such a battle. That one was
wily, and that other was strong. That one fought with strength,
and that other with subtlety.
   The Wolf was angry that the Fox endured so long against him.
If his foremost feet had been whole, the Fox had not endured so
long; but the sores were so open that he might not well run.



|p153


And the Fox might better of and on than he, and also he swang
his tail oft under his eyen, and made him that him thought that
his eyen should go out.
   At last he said to himself, I will make an end of this battle.
How long shall this caitiff dure thus against me? I am so great,
I should, if I lay upon him, press him to death. It is to me a
great shame that I spare him so long. Men shall mock and point
me with fingers to my shame and rebuke, for I am yet on the
worst side. I am sore wounded; I bleed sore; and he drowneth
me with his piss and casts so much dust and sand in mine eyen
that hastily I shall not conne see, if I suffer him any longer. I will
set it in adventure and seen what shall come thereof.
   With that he smote with his foot Reynart on the head that he
fell down to the ground, and ere he could arise he caught him in
his feet and lay upon him as he would have pressed him to death.
Tho began the Fox to be afraid, and so were all his friends when
they saw him lie under. And on that other side all Isegrim's
friends were joyful and glad. The Fox defended him fast with
his claws as he lay upward with his feet, and gave many a clope.
The Wolf durst not with his feet do him much harm, but with his
teeth snatched at him as he would have bitten him. When the
Fox saw that he should be bitten and was in great dread, he smote
the Wolf in the head with his foremost claws and tare the skin of
between his brows and his ears, and that one of his eyen hung
out; which did him much pain. He howled, he wept, he cried
loud, and made a piteous noise, for the blood ran down as it had
been a stream.


                          CHAPTER XL.

 How the Fox, being under the Wolf, with flattering wordes glosed
        him, that the Fox came to his above again.

THE Wolf wiped his eyen, the Fox was glad when he saw that.
He wrestled so sore, that he sprang on his feet while he rubbed
his eyen. The Wolf was not well pleased therewithal, and smote



|p154


after him ere he escaped, and caught him in his arms, and held
him fast, notwithstanding that he bled. Reynard was woe then.
There wrestled they long and sore. The Wolf waxed so angry
that he forgat all his smarts and pain, and threw the Fox all plat
under him, which came him evil to pass, for his one hand, by
which he defended him stert in the falling into Isegrim's throat,
and then was he afraid to lose his hand.
   The Wolf said tho to the Fox, "Now choose, whether ye will
yield you as overcome or else I shall certainly slay you. Thy scat_tering 
of the dust, thy piss, thy mocking, ne thy defence, ne all thy
false wiles, may not now help thee. Thou mayest not escape me.
Thou hast heretofore done me so much harm and shame, and
now I have lost mine one eye and thereto sore wounded."
   When Reynart heard that it stood so rowme that he should
choose to knowledge him overcomen and yield him or else to
take the death, he thought the choice was worth ten mark, and
that he must say that one or that other. He had anon concluded
what he would say, and began to say to him with fair words in
this wise:
   "Dear Eme, I will gladly become your man with all my good.
And I will go for you to the holy grave, and shall get pardon and
winning for your cloister of all the churches that ben in the holy
land, which shall much profit to your soul and your elders'souls
also. I trow there was never such a proffer proffered to any
king. And I shall serve you like as I should seme our holy
father the Pope. I shall hold of you all that I have, and ever
ben your servant, and forth I shall make that all my lineage
shall do in like wise. Then shall ye be a lord above all lords.
Who should then dare do anything against you? And further_more 
whatsomever I take of polaille, geese, partridge, or plover,
fish or flesh, or whatsomever it be, thereof shall ye first have the
choice: and your wife and your children, ere any come in my body.
Thereto I will alway abide by you, that where ye be there shall
no hurt ne scathe come to you. Ye be strong; and I am wily:
let us abide together that, one with the counsel and that other



|p155


with the deed, then may there nothing misfall to usward. And
we ben so nigh of kin each to other that of right should be no
anger between us. I would not have foughten against you if I
might have escaped. But ye appealed me first unto fight, tho must
I do that I not do would gladly. And in this battle I have ben
curtoys to you, I have not showed the utterest of my might on
you like as I would have done if ye had been a stranger to me;
for the Nephew ought to spare the Eme, it is good reason and it
ought so to be. Dear Eme, so have I now do, and that may ye
mark well when I ran tofore you, mine heart would not consent
thereto. For I might have hurt you much more than I did, but
I thought it never; for I have not hurt you, ne done you so
much harm that may hinder you, save only that mishap that is
fallen on your eye. Ach! therefore I am sorry, and suffer much
sorrow in my heart. I would well, dear Eme, that it had not
happed you, but that it had fallen on me, so that ye therewith
had been pleased; howbeit that ye shall have thereby a great
advantage. For when ye hereafter sleep ye need not to shut
but one window where another must shut two. My wife and my
children and my lineage shall fall down to your feet, tofore the
King and tofore all them that ye will, desire and pray you humbly
that ye will suffer Reynart, your nephew, live; and also I shall
knowledge oft to have trespassed against you, and what leasings
I have lied upon you. How, might any lord have more honour
than I proffer you. I would for no good do this to another.
Therefore I pray you to be pleased herewithall. I wote well, if
ye would, ye might have slew me; but and ye so done had, what
had ye won? So must ye ever after this time keep you from my
friends and lineage. Therefore he is wise that can in his anger
measure himself, and not be over hasty, and to see well what may
fall or happe afterward to him. What man that in his anger can
well advise him, certainly he is wise. Men find many fools that
in heat hasten them so much that after they repent them and
then it is too late. But, dear Eme, I trow ye be too wise so to
do. It is better to have praise, honour, rest, and peace, and
many friends that be ready to help him, than to have shame,



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hurt, unrest, and also many enemies lying in a wait to do him
harm. Also it is little worship to him that hath overcomen a man
then to slay him. It is great shame, not for my life, though I
were dead that were a little hurt."
   Isegrim the Wolf said, "Ay, thief, how fain wouldest thou be
loosed and discharged from me, that hear I well by thy words.
Were thou now from me on thy free feet thou wouldst not set by
me an egg shell. Though thou promisedst to me all the world
of fine red gold, I would not let thee escape. I set little by thee
and all thy friends and lineage. All that thou hast here said is
but leasings and feigned falseness. Weenest thou thus to deceive
me? it is long since that I knew thee. I am no bird to be
locked, ne take by chaff. I know well enough good corn. O,
how wouldest thou mock me if I let thee thus escape. Thou
mightest well have said this to one that knew thee not, but to me
thou losest thy flattering and sweet fluting, for I understand too
well thy subtle lying tales. Thou hast so oft deceived me that
me behoveth now to take good heed of thee. Thou false stinking
knave, thou sayest that thou hast spared me in this battle. Look
hitherward to me. Is not mine one eye out? And thereto hast
thou wounded me in twenty places in my head. Thou wouldest
not suffer me so long to rest as to take once my breath. I were
over much a fool if I should now spare thee or be merciful to
thee. So many a confusion and shame as thou hast done to me;
and that also that toucheth me most of all, that thou hast dis_worshipped 
me and sklaundred Ersewynde my wife, whom I love
as well as myself, and falsely deceivedst her, which shall never out
of my heart: for as oft as it cometh to mine mind all mine anger
and hate that I have to thee reneweth."
   In the meanwhile that Isegrim was thus speaking, the Fox
bethought him how he might help himself, and stuck his other
hand after between his legs, and grepe the Wolf fast. And he
wrong him so sore that for woe and pain he must cry loud and
howl. Then the Fox drew his other hand out of his mouth.
The Wolf had so much pain and anguish of the sore wringing,
that he spit blood.



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                       CHAPTER XLI.

 How Isegrim the Wolf was overcomen and how the battle was taken
    up and finished. And how the Fox had the worship.

THIS pain did him more sorrow and woe than his eye did that so
sore bled, and also it made him to overthrow all in a swoon. Then
Reynart the Fox leapt upon him with all his might, and caught
him by the legs, and drew him forth through the field that they
all might see it, and he stack and smote him sore. Then were
Isegrim's friends all full of sorrow, and went all weeping unto their
Lord the King, and prayed him that he would do cease the battle,
and take it up into his hand.
   The King granted it. And then went the keepers of the field
the Leopard and the Lossem and said to the Fox and to the
Wolf, "Our Lord the King will speak with you, and wilI that this
battle be ended. He will take it into his hand. He desireth
that ye will gif your strife unto him, for if any of you here were
slain it should be great shame on both sides. For ye have as
much worship of this field as ye may have."
   And they said to the Fox, "All the beasts give to you the
prize that have seen this battle."
   The Fox said, "Thereof I thank them, and what that shall
please my lord to command that shall not I gainsay. I desire no
better but to have won the field. Let my friends come hither to
me. I will take advice of them what I shall do."
   They said, "That they thought it good; and also it was reason
in weighty matters a man should take advice of his friends."
   Then came Dame Slopecade and Grymbart the Dasse her
husband, Dame Rukenawe with her two sisters, Byteluys and
Fulrompe her two sons and Hatenit her daughter, the Flynder_mows 
and the Weasel. And there came more than twenty which
would not have come if the Fox had lost the field. So who that
winneth and cometh to hys aboue, he getteth great loos and
worship: and who that is overthrown and hath the worse, to



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him will no man gladly come. There came also to the Fox the
Beaver, the Otter and both their wives Panthecrote and Ordegale.
And the Ostrole, the Marten, the Fitchews, the Ferret, the Mouse,
and the Squirrel, and many more, than I can name. And all be_cause 
he had won the field. Yea some came that tofore had
complained on him, and were now of his next kin, and they
showed him right friendly cheer and countenance. Thus fareth
the world now. Who that is rich and high on the wheel, he hath
many kinsmen and friends that shall help to bear out his wealth:
but who that is needy and in pain or in poverty findeth but few
friends and kindsmen; for every man almost escheweth his com_pany 
and way.
   There was then great feast. They blew up trumpets and piped
with shalmoyses.
   They said all, "Dear Nephew, blessed be God that ye have
sped well. We were in great dread and fear when we saw you
lie under."
   Reynart the Fox thanked all them friendly, and received them
with great joy and gladness. Then he asked of them what they
counselled him. If he should give the field unto the King
or no?
   Dame Slopecade said, "Yea hardily cousin. Ye may with
worship well set it in to his hands, and trust him well enough."
   Tho went they all with the keepers of the field unto the
King. And Reynart the Fox went tofore them all, with trumpets
and pipes and much other minstrelsy. The Fox kneeled down
tofore the King.
   The King bad him stand up, and said to him, "Reynart ye
be now joyful. Ye have kept your day worshipfully. I discharge
you, and let you go freely quit where it pleaseth you. And the
debate between you, I hold it on me, and shall discuss it by reason
and by counsel of noble men, and will ordain thereof that ought
be done by reason, at such time as Isegrim shall be whole. And
then I shall send for you to come to me, and then by God's grace
I shall give out the sentence and judgment."



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                          CHAPTER XLII.

     An ensample that the Fox told to the King when he had
                          won the field.

"MY worthy and dear Lord the King," said the Fox, "I am well
agreed and paid therewith. But when I came first into your
Court there were many that were fell and envious to me, which
never had hurt ne cause of scathe by me. But they thought that
they might best over me, and all they crieden with mine enemies
against me and would fain have destroyed me, because they
thought that the Wolf was better withholden and greater with
you than I was, which am your humble subject. They knew
none other thing, why ne wherefore. They thought not as the
wise be wont to do, that is what the end may happen.
   "My lord these ben like a great heap of hounds which I once
saw stand at a lord's place upon a dunghill, whereas they awaited
that men should bring them meat. Then saw they an hound
come out of the kitchen and had taken there a fair rib of beef
ere it was given him. And he ran fast away withal; but the cook
hed espied or he went away, and took a great bowl full of scalding
water and cast it on his hips behind; whereof he thanked nothing
the cook, for the hair behind was scalded off and his skin seemed
as it had be through sodden. Nevertheless he escaped away and
kept that he had won.
   "And when his fellows the other hounds saw him come with
this fair rib, they called him all and said to him, `Oh how good
a friend is the cook to thee, which hath given to thee so good
a bone, whereon is so much flesh.'
   "The hound said, `Ye know nothing thereof. Ye praise me
like as ye see me tofore with the bone. But ye have not seen
me behind. Take heed, and behold me afterward on mine but_tocks,
and then ye shall know how I deserved it.'
   "And when they had seen him behind on his hips how that
his skin and his flesh was all raw and through sodden, tho



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growled they all and were afraid of that syedyng water; and
would not of his fellowship, but fled and ran away from him, and
let him there alone.
   "See, my Lord, this right have these false beasts. When they
be made lords, and may get their desire, and when they be mighty
and doubted, then ben they extortioners and scatte and pylle
the people and eaten them like as they were forhungred hounds.
These ben they that bear the bone in their mouth. No man dare
have to do with them, but preyse all that they bedrive. No man
dare say otherwise but such as shall please them, because they
would not be shorn. And some help them forth in their un_righteous 
deeds because they would not have part, and lick their
fingers, and strengthe them in their evil life and works. O, dear
Lord, how little seen they that do thus after behind them, what
the end shall be at last. They fall from high to low in great shame
and sorrow, and then their works come to knowledge and be open
in such wise that no man hath pity ne compassion on them in
their mischief and trouble, and every man curse them and say
evil by them to their shame and villainy. Many of such have
been blamed and shorn full nigh, that they had no worship ne
profit but lose their hair as the hound did, that is their friends
which have help them to cover their misdeeds and extortions like
as the hair covereth the skin. And when they have sorrow and
shame for their old trespasses, then each body plucketh his hand
from him, and flee, like as the hounds did from him that was
scalded with the syedyng water, and let him these extortions in
their sorrow and need.
   My dear Lord King, I beseech you to remember this example
of me; it shall not be against your worship ne wisdom. What
ween ye how many ben there such false extortioners now in these
days, -- yea much worse than an hound that beareth such a bone
in his mouth -- in towns, in great lords' courts, which with great
facing and bracing oppress the poor people with great wrong, and
sell their freedom and privileges, and bear them on hand of
things that they never knew ne thought, and all for to get good



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for their singular profit. God give them all shame, and soon
destroy them, whosomever they be that so do!
   "But God be thanked," said the Fox, "there may no man
indite me, ne lineage, ne kin, of such works, but that we shall
acquit us, and comen in the light. I am not afraid of any that
can say on me any thing that I have done otherwise than a true
man ought to do. Alway the Fox shall abide the Fox, though
all his enemies had sworn the contrary. My dear Lord the
King, I love you with my heart above all lords, and never for no
man would I turn from you, but abide by you to the utterest.
How well it hath been otherwise informed your highness, I have
nevertheless alway do the best, and forth so will do, all my life
that I can or may."


                       CHAPTER XLIII.

How the King forgave the Fox all things, and made him Sovereign
             and greatest over all his lands.

THE King said, "Reynart, ye be one of them that oweth me
homage; which I will that ye alway so do. And also I will that,
early and late, ye be of my council and one of my justices. See
well to that ye not misdo ne trespass no more. I set you again
in all your might and power, like as ye were tofore, and see that
ye further all matters to the best right. For when ye set your
wit and counsel to virtue and goodness, then may not our Court
be without your advice and counsel, for here is none that is like
to you in sharp and high counsel, ne subtler in finding a remedy
for a mischief. And think ye on the example that ye yourself
have told, and that ye haunt righteousness and be to me true. I
will from henceforth work and do by your advice and counsel.
He liveth not that if he misdid you, but I should sharply avenge
and wreke it on him. Ye shall overall speak and say my words, and
in all my land shall ye be, above all other, sovereign and my bayle.
That office I give you. Ye may well occupy it with worship."
   All Reynart's friends and lineage thanketh the King highly.



|p162


 "The King said, "I would do more for your sake than ye ween.
I pray you all that ye remember him that he be true."
   Dame Rukenawe then said, "Yes sykerly, my Lord, that shall
he ever be, and think ye not the contrary. For if he were other_wise,
he were not of our kin ne lineage, and I would ever mis_sake 
him, and would ever hinder him to my power."
   Reynart the Fox thanked the King with fair courteous words,
and said, "Dear Lord, I am not worthy to have the worship that
ye do to me. I shall think thereon and be true to you all so
long as I live, and shall give you as wholesome counsel as shall
be expedient to your good grace."
   Herewith he departed with his friends from the King.
   Now hark how Isegrim the Wolf did. Bruin the Bear, Tybert
the Cat and Ersewynde and her children with their lineage
drewen the Wolf out of the field, and laid him upon a litter of
hay, and covered him warm, and looked to his wounds which
were well twenty-five. And there came wise masters and surgeons
which bound them and wash them. He was so sick and feeble
that he had lost his feeling, but they rubbed and wryued him
under his temples and eyen, that he sprang out of his swound,
and cried so loud that all they were afraid. They had weened
that he had been wood.
   But the masters gave him a drink that comforted his heart and
made him to sleep. They comforted his wife, and told to her
that there was no death-wound ne peril of his life. Then the
Court brake up; and the Beasts departed and went to their places
and homes that they came from.


                       CHAPTER XLIV.

How the Fox with his friends and lineage departed nobly from
     the King and went to his castle Malperduys.

REYNART the Fox took his leave honestly of the King and of the
Queen. And they bade him he should not tarry long, but shortly
return to them again.



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   He answered and said, "Dear King and Queen, alway at your
commandment I shall be ready, if ye need anything, which God
forbid. I would alway be ready with my body and my good to
help you, and also all my friends and lineage in likewise shall
obey your commandment and desire. Ye have highly deserved
it, God quite it you, and give you grace long to live. And I
desire your license and leave to go home to my wife and children.
And if your good grace will anything, let me have knowledge of
it, and ye shall find me alway ready."
   Thus departed the Fox with fair words from the King.

   Now who that could set him in Reynart's craft, and could
behave him in flattering and lying as he did, he should I trow
be heard, both with the Lords Spiritual and Temporal. They ben
many, and also the most part, that creep after his way and his
hoIe. The name that was given to him abideth alway still with
him. He hath left many of his craft in this world which alway
wax and become mighty: for who that will not use Reynart's
craft now is nought worth in the world, nor in any estate that is
of might. But if he can creep in Reynart's net and hath been
his scholar, then may he dwell with us, for then knoweth he well
the way how he may arise, and is set up above of every man.
There is in the world much seed left of the Fox which now overall
groweth and cometh sore up. Though they have no red beards,
yet there ben founden more foxes now than ever were heretofore.
The righteous people ben all lost; Truth and Righteousness ben
exiled and fordriven; and for them ben abiden with us Covetyse,
Falsehood, Hate, and Envy; these reign now much in every country.
For is it in the Pope's court, the Emperor's, the King's, Dukes's,
or any other lord's, wheresomever it be, each man laboureth to
put other out from his worship, office and power, for to make him_self 
to climb high, with lies, with flattering, with simony, with
money, or with strength and force. There is nothing beloved ne
known in the court nowadays but Money. The Money is better
beloved than God. For men do much more therefor: for who_somever 
bringeth Money shall be well received, and shall have



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all his desire, is it of lords or of ladies or any other. That Money
doth much harm. Money bringeth many in shame and dread
of life, and bringeth false witness against the people for to get
Money. It causeth uncleanness of living, lying, and lechery.
Now clerks gon to Rome, to Paris, and to many another place,
for to learn Reynart's craft: is he clerk, is he layman everiche of
them treadeth in the Fox's path, and seeketh his hole. The world
is of such condition now, that every man seeketh himself in all
matters. I wot not what end shall come to us hereof. All wise
men may sorrow well herefor. I fear that for the great falseness,
theft, robbery, and murder, that is now used so much and com_monly,
and also the unshamefast lechery and avoultry, bosted,
blowen abroad with the avaunting of the same, that without great
repentance and penance therefor that God will take vengeance and
punish us sore therefor. Whom I humbly beseech, and to whom
nothing is hid, that he will give us grace to make amends to him
therefor and that we may rule us to his pleasure.
   And herewith will I leave; for what have I, to write of these
misdeeds? I have enough to do with mine own self. And so it
were better that I held my peace and suffer, and the best that I
can, do, for to amend myself now in this time. And so I counsel
every man to do, here in this present life, and that shall be most
our profit. For after this life cometh no time that we may occupy
to our advantage for to amend us. For then shall every man
answer for himself and bear his own burthen.

   Reynart's friends and lineage to the number of forty have taken
also their leave of the King, and went all together with the Fox,
which was right glad that he had so well sped and that he stood
so well in the King's grace. He thought that he had no shame,
but that he was so great with the King that he might help and
further his friends, and hinder his enemies, and also to do what
he would without he should be blamed; if he would be wise.
   The Fox and his friends went so long together that they camen
to his burgh to Malperduys, there they all took leave of each



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other with fair and courteous words. Reynart did to them great
reverence, and thanked them all friendly of their good faith and
also worship that they had done and showed to him. And prof_fered
to each of them his service, if they had need, with body
and goods. And herewith they departed, and each of them went
to their own houses.
   The Fox went to name Ermelyne his wife, which welcomed
him friendly. He told to her and to his children all the wonder
that to him was befallen in the Court, and forgot not a word, but
told to them every deal how he had escaped. Then were they
glad that their father was so enhanced and great with the King.
And the Fox lived forthon with his wife and his children in great
joy and gladness.

   Now who that said to you of the Fox more or less than ye have
heard or read, I hold it for leasing. But this that ye have heard
or read, that may ye believe well. And who that believeth it not,
is not therefore out of the right belief; howbeit there be many
if that they had seen it they should have none less doubt of it.
For there ben many things in the world which ben believed
though they were never seen: also there ben many figures, plays,
founden that never were done ne shaped, but for an example to
the people that they may there learn better to use and follow virtue
and to eschew sin and vices. In like wise may it be by this
book that who that will read this matter, though it be of japes
and bourds, yet he may find therein many a good wisdom, and
learnings by which he may come to virtue and worship. There
is no one man blamed herein; it is spoken generally. Let
every man take his own part as it belongeth and behoveth, and
he that findeth him guilty in any deal or part thereof, let him
repent and amend him. And he that is verily good, I pray God
keep him therein. And if any thing be said or written herein
that may grieve or displease any man, blame not me but the Fox,
for they be his words and not mine.

Prayeng alle them that shal see this lytyl treatis / to correcte and



|p166


amende / Where they shal fynde faute / For I haue not added ne
mysnusshed but haue folowed as nyghe as I can my copye whiche
was in dutche / and by me william Caxton translated in to this
rude and symple englyssh in thabbey of westmestre. fynysshed
the vj daye of Juyn the yere of our lord M.CCCC.Lxxxj. and the
xxj yere of the regne of kynge Edward the iiijth /