Skip to main content

Full text of "Early English poetry, ballads, and popular literature of the Middle Ages ;"

See other formats 


A 

A 

0 
0 
1 

=^^=  jj 

1 
1 
9 
8 
8 
0 

REGIONAL  LiBF 

lARY  fACIL 

1 

Ail 

This  book  IS  DUt  on  last  oaie  siampea  oeiow 


DEC  2      1924 


ml 


EARLY    ENGLISH    POETRY, 
BALLADS, 

AND    POPULAR    LlTEKATUPxE 
OF  THE  MIDDLE  AGES. 

EDITED  FROM  ORIGINAL  MANUSCRIPTS 
AND  SCARCje  ^U:3LJCATI0NS. 

-]    »    1  /  ;' 

VOL.   XII. 


LONDON. 

IMUNIKI)    FOR     I  III;    IM;U(\     SOflK'lV 

BV    1.    RICHARDS    ST   M ARTiys  LANE. 

.U.ULCC.XI.IV. 


P  R  W  0  \ 
V.  \% 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  Xll. 


REVNAUD  THE  FOX,  FROM  CAXTOn's  EDITION. 


K1>1I£U    111    W.    J.    rUOMS,    I  »Q.    >.n.A. 


Till-:     HISTORY 


IJKVNAIM)     riii:    lOX, 


THE    HISTORY 


llEYNARD   THE   FOX, 

FROM  THE  EUITION   I'UINTEU  HY  CAXTON 
IN   1481. 


WITH    NOTES,    AND    AN    INTRODUCTORY 

SKETCH  OF  THE  LITERARY  HISTORY 

OF  THE  ROiLVNCE, 


WILLIAM  J.  TII0M8,  ESQ.,  F.S.A. 

HaCRETAkt    ur    TUK    lAMDKX    A.>U     CLrllC    SOCIITIIS. 


LONDON. 
REl'lliNlEl)    iOR    TUK    I'KKCV    SOCIETY, 

IIV    1     ICK  IIAl;i)S,  llH),  ST.  M AIMIN-.S    I  ANK. 
.M.l)t»(  .XI.I\  . 


i.onhon:  iiiriiAUDs,  10<i,  st.  maiitin's  i.a\k. 


COUNCIL 


C!)r  \}nt})  ^ofiftp. 


President. 
Thf.  Kt.  Hon.  LORD  BRAYBROOKE,  F.S.A. 

THOMAS  AMYOT,  i;s.j.  IMl.S.  Tukas    S.A. 

WILLIAM  HF.NIIV   ULVCK.  Ksq 

WILLIAM  CHAIMM.LL,  Esq.  F.S.A.  Treasurer. 

.1.  PAYNE  COLLIER,  Esq.  F.S.A. 

T.  CROFTON  CROKER,  Esq.  F.S.A.,  M.U.l.A. 

PETER  CUNNINGHAM,  Esq. 

REV.  ALEXANDER  OYCE. 

WILLIAM  .TERnAN,  Esq.  F.S.A.  M.R.S  L 

CAPTAIN  JOHNS,  R.M. 

T.  .1.  PETTIGREW,  E.sg.  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 

LEWIS  I'OCOCK,  Esq.  F.S.A. 

E.  F.   RIMUAULT,  Esq.  LL.D..  F.S.A    .Semlary 

WILLIAM  SANDYS,  Esq.  F.S.A. 

WILLIAM  .T.  THOMS,  Esq.  F.&A. 

THOMAS  WRKiHT.  Es.i.  MA,  I'.S  A. 


THOMAS  AMYOT,  ESQ.  F.R.S. 

TREASUKER   OF    THE    SOCIETY    OF    ANTIQUARIES, 

THIS  OUD-WORLD  HISTORY, 

THE    WIT    AND    WISDOM    OF    WHICH    HE 

CAN    SO    WKLL    Al'l'RECIATE, 

IS    DEDICATED, 

AS    A    TESTIMONY    OF    THE    UESl'ECT    AND    ESTEEM 

OF    HIS 

FAITHFUL   AND    ATTACHED    FHIEXD, 

Till-:   EUITUK. 


PREFACE. 


The  following  pages  contain  The  Hystorye  of 
Reynard  the  Foxe,  as  it  was  printed  by  Caxton 
in  1481,  a  work  of  considerable  interest  and 
literary  merit;  and  one,  moreover,  of  such  excessive 
rarity,  that  the  last  copy  exposed  to  public  auction 
produced,  at  Mr.  Ingli8"'s  sale,  no  less  a  sum  tlian 
r*184.  Ifis.  This  copy  is  now  deposited  in  the 
matchless  library  of  the  Right  Hon.  Thomas 
Grenville,  a  gentleman  who,  from  the  princely 
munificence  with  which  he  purchases  books,  and 
the  liberality  witli  which  he  permits  students  to 
make  use  of  them,  reali/x's  Chaucer's  admirablo 
description  of  the  true  scholar — 

"  Full  pladly  wol.l  lie  kriio,  .ind  ^^ladly  tcc-lic." 

1  beg  publicly  to  return  to  him  my  best  tlianks 
and  acknowledgments,  for  the  rcjulincss  with 
whicli,  at  the  rccpiest  of  my  IVicnd  Mr.  Aiiivot, 
he  was  kind  enougli  to  place  ia  my  iiauils  his 
Ixautiful  copy  of  the  old  Dutch  Rkynakut  die 
Vos,   printed  by  Cheraert   do   Leeu,  from  whicli 


Caxtoirs  translation  was  made  Of  tlir  ailvaiitiigo 
that  I  thus  (^'iijoycd  many  })i'(i()fs  will  ]>f  found  in 
tho  fbllo\vin<,^  pairc's. 

The  several  republications  oi'  the  History  of 
Reynard  the  Fox,  which  appeared  during  the 
seventeenth  century,  professed  to  be  "  newly  cor- 
rect('(l  and  purged  from  all  grossenesso  in  phrase 
and  matter;''  but  notwithstanding  such  alleged 
purification,  they  still  eontain  some  most  offensive 
I)assages. 

In  the  present  edition,  care  has  been  taken,  by 
the  modification  of  some  few  words  and  sentences, 
which  arc  as  little  essential  to  the  conduct  of  the 
story,  as  consonant  to  our  present  notions  of  pro- 
priety, to  lay  before  the  members  of  the  Percy 
Society  a  volume  which  may  be  perused,  it  is 
hoped,  with  pleasure,  certainly  without  offence. 
How  few  and  trifling  have  been  the  liberties 
necessary  to  produce  this  desirable  result,  1  leave 
the  curious  enquirer  to  ascertain  by  comparing  this 
reprint  with  Caxton''s  own  edition:  while  to  those 
who  complain  that  such  alterations  or  omissions 
destroy  tho  value  of  the  book,  I  rei)ly,  by  denying 
that  such  is  the  case,  and  by  answering  that  even 
if  it  were  so,  I  am  j)i-epared  to  adopt  the  declara- 
tion of  Dr.  Johnson  "  that  there  are  laws  of  higher 
riuthoi-ity  than  those  of  criticism.'" 

Would  that  I  could  ilel'en<l  niv  introduction  and 


notos  as  confidently,  «is  I  fan  the  r<.'|irint  wliit-li 
tlicy  accompany.  IJut  I  am  too  well  aware  of" 
the  errors  of  omission  and  commission  which  may 
bo  found  in  them,  not  to  entertain  some  anxiety 
as  to  the  feeling  with  which  my  slight  illustrations 
of  Caxton's  language,  and  his  allusions  to  the 
manners  and  custom  of  the  olden  times,  may  be 
received  by  those  who  arc^  better  skilled  than  my- 
self in  those  branches  of  archaeological  study. 

WILLIAM  J.  TIlOiMS. 


.■}|.  Miirs/iinii  Siirrt,   Wishiiiii'ilrr. 
\\'/iitxini   Kit,   IS  J}. 


SKETCH 

OFTIIF,  LITERARY  HISTORY  OF  Til K  ROMANCE  OF 

REYNAIM)    TlIK    FOX. 


"  Was  von  verwirruns;  in  dor  Geschichto  des  Roinekcfuchses 
hcrzscht,  mid  wio  mum-lier  wichtigo  Punct  in  dersclbt-n  nocli 
unaufgeklart  ist,  wcrdon  diejenigen  am  bcsten  wissen,  ilii-  sicli 
mit  dor  Littcratur  l)oscli:ifti'rt  habcn." — Flogel. 


§  I.  For  upwiirtls  of  five  centuries  h;us  the  world- 
renowned  liistory  of  Keynard  the  Fox,  in  one  or  other 
of  its  various  forms,  succeeded  in  winuin;;  goklen 
o|)iiii()ii.s  from  all  classes  of  society ;  its  homely  wit 
anil  quaint  humour  j)roving  as  deliglitful  to  tlie  "  lewd 
])e()ple,"  as  its  truthful  pictures  of  everyday  life,  and 
its  masterly  impersonation  of  worldly  wisdom,  ha\(^ 
rendered  it  to  the  scholar  and  the  philosopher.  In 
Germany,  its  popularity  has  been  unbounded,  far  ex- 
celling even  that  which  has  been  bestowed  upon  its 
great  rival,  the  INIcrry  -Jests  of  Tyll  Eulenspiegcd. 

One  of  the  most  distinjxuished  of  the  early  (Jerman 
poets,  J.  "W.  Lawrcnberg,  is  said  lo  ha\e  |)r(inc)iiiieed 
it  the  best  book  in  the  world,  next  to  the  Bible.*    No 

♦  See  Morhof's  Unterricht  vnn  dor  Toutschon  Spracho  nnd 
Poesic,  s.  .lar}.     Tlio  statement  was  ropeateil  hy  Ilaekman  in  llio 


VI 

such  expression  is  however  to  be  found  in  any  of  his 
published  writin<;s;  yet  the  followin"^  pussiige,  from 
the  tourth  of  those  eelebrated  satires  wiiieii  lie  jtub- 
lished  in  the  Low  German  dialect,  will  show  very 
distinctly  how  highly  he  estimated  the  work  in  (piestion  : 

"  For  worldly  wisdom  never  book  could  claim 
From  fitting  readers  higher  priiiso  or  fume 
Than  the  Fox  Keynard— a  plain  book,  wlicr(>  clear 
As  in  a  mirror  doth  sound  sense  appear ; 
For  in  its  rhymes  a  wit  which  all  must  prize, 
Like  u  rich  treasure,  half  concealed  lies."* 

Coming  nearer  to  uur  own  times,  we  find  the  ac- 
eonijdished  and  tasteful  Herder  recommending  it  to 
Goethe,  as  an  old  German  epic,  as  fine  in  its  way  as 
the  Iliad hicW;  and  Goethe,  after  having  once  perused 
it,  not  only  confirming  Herder's  opinion,  but  seeking 
to  secure  for  it  additional  favour  in  the  eyes  of  his 
countrymen,  aufl  of  all  lovers  of  poetry  and  hnniour, 
by  telling  the  tale  anew  in  his  own  stately,  yet  melo- 
dious verse,  and  with  his  peculiar  grace  and  wit. 
After  this,   surely  no   apology   can  be   necessary  for 

Academical  Dissertation  which  he  first  published  in  1709  upon 
the  subject  of  Reynard,  and  afterwards  prefixed  to  the  reprint 
of  the  Low  German  version,  which  he  publish(>d  in  1711  from 
the  rare  edition  printed  at  Lubeck  in  1498. 

*    "  In  weltlicher  Wysheit  ys  kein  Boeck  geschreven 
Den  men  hillich  melir  Kolim  und  Loft"  kann  geven 
Als  Reineke  Voss — ein  schlicht  bock  darinnen 
Tho  sehende  ys  ein  Spegel  hogcr  sinnen ; 
Vorstendigheit  in  dem  ringen  Gedicht 
Als  ein  diirbulir  sehnt  verbortjeii  lieht." 


detailing  at  some  length,  the  various  '  fan)ous  histories 
and  right  merry  adventures,'  in  which  the  crafty 
courtier  of  the  King  of  Beasts  i)lays  his  busy  part ; 
first,  however,  saying  a  few  words  toiieliing  th(^  natiin' 
and  spirit  whieli  pervade  the  numerous  stories  in 
which  Keynard  the  Fox  figures  as  the  liero. 

§  II.  Hearne  the  antiquary,  whose  judgment  cannot 
be  pronounced,  like  his  industry,  unquestionable,  said, 
when  speaking  of  the  p]nglish  version  of  this  ro- 
mance, "It  is  an  admirable  thing;"  and  so  far  he  was 
right.  But  when  he  iollowed  up  tliis  assertion  witli 
another,  viz.  "  and  the  design,  l)eing  political  and  to 
represent  a  wise  government,  was  equally  good," — 
with  all  deference  be  it  spoken,  he  clearly  was 
mistaken.  The  design  Js  not  a  political  one,  neither 
is  it,  as  others  have  erroneously  characterized  it, 
satirical.  Jacob  Grimm,  in  the  very  first  chapter  of 
his  introductory  essay  to  the  valual)le  work  which  he 
has  published  upon  the  subject  of  Keyuard,*  enters 
into  a  discussion  upon  tliis  point,  and  shows  very 
clearly  the  impossibility  of  the  popular  stories,  in 
which  animals  are  the  actors,  being  in  their  nature 
satirical.  We  regret  that  we  are  precluded  by  its 
length  from  extracting  this  chapter,  in  which  the 
learneil   autlior  ilisplays  a  critif-al  iicunicn   only  to  lie 


*  Reinhart  Fuchs  ron  Jacob  Grimm.  Berlin,  1834,  8vo.  The 
work  is  (ledicntfd  to  Lnihman,  to  wlioni,  in  the  yonr  1840,  lio 
addressed  a  supph'ment  coiUuininf;  his  latest  discoveries,  under 
tlie  title  of  "  SenfUc/iricl)rn  an  Karl  Lachman  von  Jacob  Grimm. 
fflMT  Jhinhnrt  Fuchs." 

b2 


excelled  by  the  indefatigable  rescarcli  iiiiinifVstod  in 
the  succeeding  ])ag<;s  of  his  work. 

In  lieu  thereof,  we  will  therefore  substitute  the  i'ol- 
lowing  profound,  albeit  ([uaintly  enunciated,  comments 
upon  the  story,  from  the  i)en  of  one,  who  being  "more 
German  than  the  Germans,"  has  naturalized  among  us 
their  semi-JEsthetic,  semi-mystical,  spirit  of  criticism, 
making  some  persons  think,  and  others  think  that  they 
think.  First,  protesting  however  against  the  heretical 
notion  that  any  'true  irony'  has  part  or  lot  in  Reynard's 
history;  and  at  the  same  time  pardoning  the  heresy  (to 
use  the  words  of  l\Ir.  Carlyle  himself)  as  "the  product 
of  ]>oor  humanity,  from  whose  hands  nothing,  not 
even  a  Reineke  de  Fos,  comes  perfect." 

"  This  remarkable  book  comes  before  us  with  a 
character  such  as  can  belong  only  to  a  very  few  ;  that 
of  being  a  true  world's-book,  which  through  centuries 
was  everywhere  at  home,  the  spirit  of  which  diffused 
itself  into  all  languages  and  all  minds.  These  (piaint 
ilCsopic  figures  have  painted  themselves  in  innumer- 
able heads;  that  rough,  deep-lying  humour  has  been 
the  laughter  of  many  generations,  so  that,  at  worst, 
we  must  regard  this  Reinecke  as  an  ancient  idol,  once 
worshipped,  and  still  interesting  for  that  circumstance, 
were  the  sculpture  never  so  rude.  We  can  love  it, 
moreover,  as  being  indigenous,  wholly  of  our  own 
creation;  it  sprang  up  from  European  sense  and  cha- 
racter, and  was  a  faithful  type  and  organ  of  these. 
But  independently  of  all  extrinsic  consi<lerations,  this 
fable  of  Reinecke  may  challenge  a  judgment  on  its 
own  merits. 


"  Cunningly  constructed,  and  not  witlioiit  a  true 
poetic  life,  we  must  admit  it  to  be :  great  power  of 
conception  and  invention,  great  pictorial  fidelity,  a 
warm  sunny  tone  of  colouring,  are  manifest  enough. 
It  is  full  of  broad,  rustic  mirth  ;  inexhaustible  in  comic 
devices:  a  World-Saturnalia,  where  Wolves  tonsured 
into  Monks  and  nigh  starved  by  short  commons.  Foxes 
pilgriming  to  Rome  for  absolution.  Cocks  pleading  at 
the  j  udgment-bar,  make  strange  mummery.  Nor  is  this 
Wild  Parody  of  Human  Life  without  its  meaning  and 
moral :  it  is  an  Air-pageant  from  Fancy's  Dream  grottt), 
yet  Wisdom  lurks  in  it :  as  we  gaze,  the  vision  becomes 
poetic  and  propiietic.  A  true  Irony  must  have  dwelt 
in  the  poet's  heart  and  head  :  here,  under  grotesque 
shadows,  he  gives  us  the  saddest  picture  of  Keality ; 
yet  for  us  without  sadness  ;  his  figures  mask  themselves 
in  uncouth,  bestial  viziirds,  and  enact,  gambolling;  y 
their  Tragedy  dissolves  into  sardonic  grins.  He  has  a 
deep  artful  Humour,  sporting  witli  tlie  world  and  its 
evils  in  kind  mockery  :  this  is  the  poetic  soul,  rouiul 
which  the  outward  material  has  fashioiu'd  itself  into 
living  coherence  And  so,  in  tliat  rmle  old  Apologue, 
we  have  still  a  mirror,  though  now  tarni.-licil  and 
time-worn,  of  true  magic  reality ;  and  can  discern 
there  in  cunning  reflex,  some  image  l)oth  of  our  des- 
tiny and  of  our  <luty,  for  now,  as  then,  "Prudence  is 
the  only  virtue  sure  of  its  reward,"  and  Cunning  tri- 
umphs where  Honesty  is  worsted;  and  now,  as  then, 
it  is  the  wise  man's  jiart  to  know  this,  and  cliecrfiiliy 
look  for  it,  ami  cliecrtnlly  defy  it ; 


"  I't  Milpis  adulatiu 
Here  thro'  his  own  world  inovelh. 
Sic  hominis  et  ratio 
Most  like  to  Reynard's  proveth." 

"  If  Reineeke  is  nowise  a  perfect  Comic  Epos,  it  Ijas 
various  features  of  such,  and,  above  all,  a  genuine 
Epic  spirit,  which  is  the  rarest  feature. 

"  It  has  been  objected  that  the  animals  in  Reineeke 
are  not  animals,  but  men  disguised;  to  which  objection, 
except  in  so  far  as  grounded  on  the  necessary  indubitalde 
fact  that  this  is  an  Apologue  or  emblematic  Fable,  and 
no  Chapter  of  Natural  History,  we  icannot  in  any  con- 
siderable degree  accede.  Nay,  that  very  contrast 
between  Object  and  Effort,  where  the  Passions  of  men 
develope  themselves  on  the  Interests  of  animals,  and  the 
whole  is  huddled  together  in  chaotic  mockery,  is  a  main 
charm  of  the  picture.  For  the  rest,  we  should  rather  say, 
these  bestial  characters  were  moderately  well  sustained: 
the  \  ehenient,  futile  vocifei'ation  of  Chanticleer ;  the 
hysterical  promptitude,  and  earnest  profession,  and 
protestation  of  poor  Lam])e  the  Hare  ;  the  thick-headed 
ferocity  of  Isegrym  ;  the  sluggish,  gluttonous,  rapacity 
of  Bruin  ;  above  all,  the  craft,  the  tact,  and  inexhaust- 
ible knavish  adroitness  of  Reineeke  himself,  are  in 
strict  accuracy  of  costume.  Often  also  their  situations 
and  occupations  are  bestial  enough.  Wliat  quantities 
of  bacon  and  other  proViant  do  Isegrim  and  Reineeke 
forage  ;  Reineeke  contributing  the  scheme, — for  the  two 
were  then  in  partnership, — and  Isegrim  paying  the  shot 
in  broken  bones !  What  more  characteristic  than  tlie 


XI 

fate  of  Bruin,  when,  ill-counselled  he  introduces  his 
stupid  head  into  RustofiU's  half-split  lojr ;  has  the 
wedges  whisked  away,  and  stands  clutched  there,  as 
in  a  vice,  and  uselessly  roaring,  disappointed  of  honey, 
sure  only  of  a  beating  without  parallel !  Not  to  forget 
the  Mare,  whom,  addi-essing  her  by  the  title  of  Good- 
wife,  with  all  politeness,  Isegrim,  sore-pinched  with 
hunger,  asks  whether  she  will  sell  her  foal,  she  answers 
that  the  price  is  written  in  her  hinder  hoof:  which 
document  the  intending  purchaser,  being  '  an  Erfurt 
graduate,'  declares  his  full  ability  to  read ;  but  finds 
there  no  writing,  or  print,  save  only  the  print  of  six 
horscnails  on  his  own  mauled  visage,  and  abundance 
of  the  like,  sufficient  to  excuse  an  old  epos  on  this  head* 
or  altogether  justify  it."* 

§  III.  To  proceed  however  wnth  the  history  of 
the  Renardine  stories,  which  had  their  origin  in 
times  far  difierent  from  this  rail-road  age ;  in  times 
when  men  were  in  daily  contact  with  the  world  of 
animals,  either  in  tending  their  peaceful  flocks,  chasing 
the  wild  deer,  or  hunting  down  the  beasts  of  the 
forest.      The   pecidiarities   of  the   different   animals 


*  From  an  article  by  Mr.  Carlyle  on  German  Literature  of  the 
Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth  Centuries,  in  the  Foreign  Quarterly 
Review,  No.  xvi.  Ami  here  it  may  be  as  well  to  remark,  lest 
the  reader  may  roeo^'iiizu  in  tin-  present  sketeh  much  of  the 
materials  of  another  article  (in  No.  xxxiv  of  the  same  Review), 
that  the  only  excuse  wliieli  tlie  Editor  of  this  reprint  can  oiler 
for  the  appropriation,  is,  the  ri;;lu  to  do  as  he  pleases  witli  his 
own. 


were  brought  by  one  or  other  of  these  causes  con- 
stantly before  their  eyes,  were  constantly  beconiin;^ 
the  subject  of  their  speculation;  and  the  consideration, 
that,  in  many  respects,  the  living  creatui'es  which  they 
saw  around  them  resembled  the  human  race,  that,  in 
some,  as  in  sharpness  of  sifiht,  (luickness  of  hearing, 
and  acuteness  of  the  organs  of  smell,  they  far  excelled 
them,  gave  rise  to  numerous  suppositions  as  to  the 
relationship  which  they  boi'e  to  man ;  and  these 
form  the  foundation  of  all  those  fables  in  which  animals 
enact  their  parts.  Concerning  the  two  great  requisites 
for  the  construction  of  these  fables,  Grimm  speaks  as 
follows : 

"  In  the  tirst  place,  the  fable  must  exhibit  the 
animals  as  being  endowed  with  iiuman  reason,  and 
initiated  into  all  the  customs  and  conditions  of  our 
mode  of  living,  so  that  their  behaviour  has  nothing  at 
all  odd  in  it.  The  murdered  hen  is  carried  on  a  bier, 
with  cries  of  murder,  before  the  king,  who  orders  the 
service  of  the  dead  to  be  performed  and  an  epitaph  to 
be  placed  over  her.  The  men  of  the  fable  do  not 
hesitate  to  recognize  tlie  tonsure  of  the  wolf,  who 
speaks  their  language,  when  he  prays  to  be  received 
into  the  monastery.  The  })easant  enters  into  a  formal 
contract  with  the  fox  on  the  subject  of  his  ]ioultiy, 
and  in  his  trial  with  the  animal,  recognizes  the  lion 
as  the  common  judge  between  them.  But  then,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  peculiarities  of  the  nature  of  the 
several  animals  must  be  brought  into  play  and  made 
of  good  effect.     Thus  the  cock  sings  standing  upon 


one  leg,  and  shutting  his  eyes — u  cliuracteristic  trait, 
entirely  copieil  iroin  nature.  So,  in  his  battle  with 
the  wolf,  does  the  tbx  avail  hiniselt"  of  all  his  natural 
cunning.  In  like  manner,  the  cat's  deeply-impressed 
propensity  for  iiiict;,  the  bear's  fondness  for  honey,  are 
necessary  levers  of  the  fable,  from  which  the  most 
taking  situations  arise.  ^Vithout  this  uniting  into 
one,  of  two  in  reality  opposing  elements,  the  aiiiinal 
fable  (  Thierfubcl)  cannot  exist.  Whosoever  would 
invent  stories  in  which  the  animals  merely  comported 
themselves  like  men,  but  were  occasionally  gifted  with 
the  names  and  ibniis  (it  aniiuals,  would  fail  as  com- 
pletely in  catching  the  spirit  of  the  fable,  as  he  who 
should  atteuipt  to  exliil)it  the  animals  with  all  the 
truth  (if  nature,  witlidUt  liuiuau  address  and  withdut 
the  aimed-at  action  of  men.  If  the  animals  of  the 
fable  be  without  any  smack  of  humanity,  the  fable 
becomes  absurd ;  if  they  are  without  traces  of  their 
animal  nature,  it  becomes  wearisome." 

Thus  much  of  the  nature  of  these  fables.  As  we 
have  already  observed,  Grimm  denies  that  there  exists 
in  them  any  t(,Mnk'ncy  to  satire,  lie  doubts,  moreover, 
and  with  good  show  of  reason,  whetln^r  their  object 
was  didactic.  "  Fal)le,"  says  he,  "  is  now  entirely 
instructive,  yet  I  believe  its  first  beginning  not  to 
have  been  instruction."  Kut  we  must  leave  his  spe- 
culations upon  this  point,  and  his  shrewd  criticism 
upon  the  claims  of  La  Fontaine  and  Lcssing  to  lie 
considered  as  succes>ful  iabulists,  and  (•onnn(  ncc  our 
view  of  tile  rise  and  progress  of  the  far-fanicd  adven- 
tures of  Kevnanl  the  Fox. 


XIV 

§  IV.  Some  critics  of  Kcynard,  acting  upon  that 
wise  and  ancient  law  of  tale-tellers,  "  Initiamus  ab 
initio,''''  have  endeavoured  to  discover  the  precise 
moment  when  the  events  recorded  by  the  historians  oi' 
Keynard  are  supposed  to  have  happened.  AVithout 
entering  into  speculations  so  recondite,  we  shall  not 
greatly  err,  if  we  ascribe  them  to  that  interesting  period 
spoken  of  by  the  venerable  chronicler  of  St.  Denis,  as 
"  ce  tans  que  les  bestes  parloient," — an  epoch  likewise 
referred  to  by  the  sagacious  Bertoldo  as  one  "  quando 
le  bestie  parlavano."  AVliat  was  the  language  thus 
spoken  by  animals  in  the  olden  time,  is  a  matter  hard 
to  decide,  but  we  may  fairly  jjresume  that  it  was  one 
of  the  learned  languages.  A  competent  authority  has 
asserted  that  Latin  was  formerly  employed  by  birds: 
"  Li  oisiaux  dist  en  son  Latin," 

says  Li  Lais  de  I'Oiselet, 

But  though  the  question  as  to  when  Reynard 
flourished  is  involved  in  this  obscurity,  the  labours  of 
modern  antiquaries  have  thrown  considerable  light 
ui)on  the  next  question,  namely,  when  his  name  was 
chosen,  like  that  of  the  great  Gustavus. 

••  To  point  a  moral  and  adorn  a  tale." 

Grimm  produces  a  host  of  witnesses  to  show  how 
widely  spread  and  favourably  received  Reynard's  His- 
tory was  in  the  days  gone  by.  Gautier  de  Coinsi,  one 
of  the  best  poets  of  his  age,  who,  as  a  pious  ecclesiastic, 
held  in  slight  estimation  all  the  profane  materials  of 
poetry,  maintains,  when  speaking  of  his  "  Miracles  de 
hi  Vicrf/e,''  which  was  comj)leted  in  1233,  that 


"  riiis  delitouii  scuit  si  fait  coiiU- 
As  bones  jjeiis,  pur  saiut  Oiiii-r, 
Que  do  Jtetuirl,  in-  ilu  Houiiur, 
Nf  lie  TariUu  lo  iiinofon  ;" 

ami  further  observes  that  even  churchmen  were  more 
desirous  ol'  liaving  roprcscntutions  from  this  fable  in 
their  chambers,  than  images  of  the  saints  in  their 
churches : 

*'  V,n  leur  mousticrs  ne  font  pus  faire 
Sitost  limage  Notre  Dame 
Com  font  Isantfrin  et  safamc 
En  leur  chambres  ou  il  reponent." 

AiKttlier  proof  of  the  early  popularity  of  this  story 
may  be  found  in  Saint  Foix's  "  Essais  Ilistoriques  sur 
Paris,"  where  we  are  told  that  Philip  le  Bel,  probably 
to  mortify  the  Pope  (Boniface  VIII,  who  died  1303), 
with  whom  he  was  on  bad  terms,  caused  the  "Proces- 
sion Rcnart"  to  be  solemnly  represented,  in  which  a 
mummer,  clothed  in  the  skin  of  a  fox,  over  wiiidi  lie 
wore  a  priest's  robes,  performed  mass,  and  then  ran 
after  and  devoured  the  poultry  ;  and  it  is  probable 
that  such  exhibitions  were  frequent. 

§  V.  The  Provenvals,  as  far  as  we  at  j)resent  know, 
never  selected  Keynard  lor  the  hero  of  any  poems. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  obvious  that,  from  their  intercourse 
with  the  Normans  and  their  acquaintance  with  the 
literature  of  their  rivals,  they  soon  became  familiar 
with  his  exploits  ;  and  the  conse<|uencc  is,  that  amonrrst 
tlie  lyrical  composition,-  of"  the  Trouljadiiurs  we  lind 
allusions    to    this    ^t^^ry    ohhr   than    any    pniiii    bv    a 


XVI 

'I'roiivf'ur  now  I'xtaiit  oil  tin- .suhject ;  older  than  the 
lost  Normun-Frencli  poein.s  of  tliis  eyclus,  however, 
they  can  scarcely  bo. 

For  instance,  our  own  nmnanli,  Hichanl  C"«i'ur-(lc- 
Lion,  in  a  Sirvente,  which  must  have  been  written 
between  1  HJJ)  ami  1 199,  has  an  allusion  to  the  stui-y — 

"  K  vns  jiuiiistcifol  moi, 
E  men  portastes  tiel  foi 
Cora  Natngris  a  Jiflitairt." 

Gavaudan,  who  wrote  about  1 195,  Peire  de  Bussinac, 
who  according  to  Raynouard  flourished  before  the  end 
of  the  twelfth  century,  and  many  other  celebrated 
writers  among  the  Proven9als,  allude  to  it. 

In  Sj)ain  and  Italy  the  history  of  Reynard  seems  to 
have  been  but  little  known  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  story  is  shown  to  have  been  highly  popular  in  Flan- 
ders at  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century.  Sub- 
seciuently  to  1229,  but  before  12.jO,  a  canon  of  Liege,* 
when  relating  the  victory  of  his  countrymen  over  Duke 
Henry  of  Brabant,  says,  '■^  Dux  antcin,  {Brabaiitinns) 
siioriim  riflf/is  iiitfrituin,  Jinjit  ad  ipsiim  coinitem  (Far- 
randiiin,  Fla/idrcnsem),  (jitarens  indncins  ct  renia/n  de 
commisso.  Sifj)er  cnjits  jjttlliata  /t//j)OcrL^i  Flandrenses 
iiidlynati  prnrcrrs,  *■  Kij(i\  iiii/i(in)it,  ^  liainardus  f actus 
est  mo/iachus.' " 

Shortly  before  this,    in    1204    and    1206,    occurred 


•  Whose  work  forms  properly  the  third  b()bk  of  the  "  Vila 
S.  t)ililia>  Leodiensis,"  printed  in  the  second  volume  of  Chapea- 
ville. 


another  t'vcnt  rcconlcd  in  llir  liistury  of  Flanders, 
which  shows  how  widely  sprciul  was  Reynard's  reputa- 
tion at  that  time,  Matliihla,  the  widowed  countess, 
was  at  open  war  with  a  party  of  her  subjects.  The 
adherents  of  Mathilda  assumed  the  name  of  Isanjiriner 
{isri/if/ri/ii) ;  those  who  were  (ipi)osed  to  them  bein<^ 
designated  IJlaufusscr  (IJluvotini).  Such  is  the  state- 
ment of  a  contemporary,  Rigordus,  in  his  history  De 
Gestis  Philippi  Augusti,*  and  his  testimony  is 
confirmed  by  (iuilermus  Brito,  and  the  later  evidence 
of  IMiilip  Mi)uskes,  who  was  bishop  of  Tournai  from 
IL'T 4  to  12S1?,  iind  s;iy<  in  liis  Khyniiniz  C'lironiele, 

"Et  grant  douaire  tint  virs  Ipro 
En  celc  ticrc  ties  Imnprins, 
Qui  liaiiient  li's  liliirotinn." 

Jacob  Meyer,  in  his  ("hronicon  Flandri:r,  mentions 
the  circumstance,  and  explains  the  allusion  to  the 
wolf  in  the  name  of  the  Isangriner,  but  is  unable  to 
ilo  the  same  for  that  of  the  lUavoter.  Grimm, 
however  (and  the  circumstance  of  its  being  the  name 
of  the  opposite  faction,  calls  for  some  such  explanation), 
assumes  that  the  epitiiet  is  connected  witli  the  history 
of  the  fox,  who,  as  he  shows  very  clearly,  was  some- 
times designated  by  the  coaxing  names  of  Blaufuss 
(Hluef»)ot)  and  Schwarzi'uss  (Blackfoot).t 


*  Diichcsno,  V.  54. 
t  Sec  some  curious  illustrutions  (if  this,  and  otli<  r  iiistancvs  .if 
tlw  Klcniish  custtim  of  jj^vini,'  cmljlomatic  names  totlii-ir  «iillVnnt 
fiu-tions,  in  an  article  on  "  n(l<,Hnn  Lilcrntiiri'  and  Kivnard  tin.- 
Fox,"  in  the  iwcnlifth  inind)(r  of  \\\v  Hrilisli  and  Fon-ign 
l^oviow. 


§  V.  IJiit  the  earliest  testimony  to  the  existence  ot" 
popuhir  stories  in  which  the  fox  and  the  wolf  exhibit 
those  peculiar  traits  by  which  they  are  characterized 
in  the  Reynardine  fables,  ailbrded  by  the  Abbot 
Guibert  de  Nogent  in  his  Autobiography.  It 
proves  them  to  have  been  as  familiar  to  the  natives 
of  Picardy  at  the  commencement  of  tlie  twelfth 
century,  as  the  passages  we  have  quoted  above 
shew  them  to  have  been  to  the  Flemings  a  century 
later.  Guibert,  or  Wibex't,  a  native  of  Beauvais,  was 
elected  Abbot  of  the  Monastery  of  Nogent,  near 
Coucy,  in  1104,  and  died  in  1124.  He  wrote  three 
books,  De  Vita  sua,  which  were  published  among  his 
collected  works  at  Paris,  by  Lucas  d' Achery,  in  1 60 1 ; 
and  in  book  3,  cap.  8,  p.  507,  he  relates  the  murder, 
in  1112,  of  Gualdricus,  orWaldricus,  Bishop  of  Laon, 
in  Picardy,  who  had  made  himself  hated  by  his  crimes 
and  offences.  The  insurgents  sought  everywhere  for  the 
bishop,  Avho  had  concealed  himself  at  their  approach;  at 
last  they  examined  the  cellar,  "cum  itaque  per  singula 
cum  vasa  disquirerent,  iste  (Teudcgaldus,  the  chief  of 
thf  murderers)  pro  fronte  tonnulaj  illius  in  qua  latebat 
homo,  substitit,  et  retuso  obice  scisitabatur  ingemi- 
nando  '  Quis  esset  ?'  Cumque  vix  eo  fustigante  gelida 
jam  ora  movisset,  '  Captivus,'  inquit. — Solebat  autem 
episcopus  cum  Isengrimum  irridendo  vocare,  propter 
lujiinam  scilicet  speciem:  sic  cnim  aVu/ui solcnt appellarc 
lupns.  Ait  ergo  scelestus  ad  prassulem,  *  Iliccine  est 
dorm7ius Isengrim/s rci>03itus?'  Renulfus igitur,  quam- 
vis  peccator,  christus  (i.  c.  unctus)  tamen  Domini,  de 


vasculo  capillis  dctialiitur."  In  tliis  rcinarkablo 
passage,  obscure  as  it  is  towards  the  conclusion,  in 
which  we  sliould  prubahly  read  licnnrdus  instead  of 
Renulfus,  we  see  that  in  1112  this  fable  was  so  well 
known,  that  the  name  of  Isengrim  was  satirically 
applied  to  a  wihl-looking  man,  and  moreover  that 
every  one  of  the  common  people  understood  the 
allusion.  From  hence  we  may  reasonably  infer  that 
in  the  North  of  France  this  characteristic  fable  was 
then  one  generation  old  at  least ;  that  it  might,  in 
short,  date  its  rise  from  the  middle  of  the  eleventli 
century. 

§  VI.  "We  have  thus  historical  testimony  to  the  fact 
of  the  story  being  current  at  the  commencement  of 
tlie  twelfth  century.  The  names  of  the  chief  actors 
afford  philological  evidence  of  its  existence  in  still 
earlier  times.  We  will  not  follow  Grimm  through 
the  eight-and-twenty  pages  occujiied  by  his  chapter 
upon  tlie  Thiernamcn  (names  of  the  animals);  but 
we  have  long  felt  that  the  very  name  of  the  fox  in 
the  Frencli  romances  upon  the  subject,  served  to 
prove,  not  only  that  those  romances  were  not  of 
French  origin  (for,  had  they  been  so,  tlie  old  French 
apy>cllativc  of  the  fox,  doitjtil,  and  not  the  Teutonic 
luiuurd,  would  have  obtained  as  the  name  of  the  hero), 
but  that  the  German  writers  had  reason  (ni  their  side 
wlien  tliey  claimed  the  credit  of  this  favourite;  narrative 
for  tlieir  countrymen.  We  shall  content  ourselves  with 
extracting  one  passage  from  Grimm,  important  for  tlw 
etymological groundswliich  it  allonls  for  supjwsing that 


XX 

stories  ol"  tlie  Fox  ami  ^^ Oil"  wire  known  to  the 
Franks  as  oaily  as  tlio  t'onrtli,  lit'tli,  ami  sixth  (•(Mituiios. 

After  show  in  i;  that  the  names  applied  to  the  several 
animals,  far  from  being  vague  and  unmeaning,  were 
originallv  strictly  signilieant,  (Irimiii  proceeds  to  spe- 
<-ify  the  several  classes  into  which  these  e[)ithets  were 
capable  of  being  divided,  and  then  to  make  those 
observations  on  the  name  of  the  fox,  which  form  the 
passage  which  follows. 

"  liniart,  RcinJiart,  in  its  earlier  form  J\c(j'inh(irt, 
still  earlier  Rityinolidrd,  lUuinohard,  is  a  projjcr  name 
of  frequent  occurrence  in  documents  of  the  seventh, 
eighth,  and  ninth  centuries,  the  meaning  of  which  has 
long  ceased  to  be  thoroughly  understood.  Smaragd, 
a  Benedictine  monk  of  Lorraine,  who,  about  816,  or 
still  earlier,  completed  a  Donatus  which  has  never 
been  printed,  explains  lieinhart  by  '  nitidum  consi- 
lium,' erroneously  taking  rniu  for  hreni  (purus,  niti- 
dus).  But  how  did  he  come  ])y  'consilium,'  which 
can  in  no  wise  exist  in  hart  ?  Is  it  through  transpo- 
sition in  rat?  Has  he  confounded  with  it  the  some- 
where-ac(iuired  proper  meaning  of  the  first  word?  It 
appears  so ;  for  ragin,  regin,  is  without  doubt  '  con- 
silium' in  the  Gothic  language  throughout.*  In  the 
later  dialects,  the  word  began  to  disappear,  and  to 
exist  only  in  combination.  Probably  the  Frankish 
has  preserved  it  longer,  for  the  well-known  rofjhihnmn 
were — the  before  the  tribunal  giving  counsel,  the  ad- 

*  Philcm.  14,  raffincis,  consiliarius,  senator.  Mark  xv.  4.3  ; 
Rom.  xi.  .34. 


XXI 

visin;;,  tlif  (It'i-iilinj;  —  the  Anglo-Saxon  rccdhormi, 
Frisian  red-jeica*  Tlie  writing  of  the  Lex  Sal.  racin, 
rar/iin  (and  before  b  rachim)  is  of  no  consef|nence, 
bocanse,  for  example,  Incinn  is  there  written  for  hiffhia. 
Thus  liagitihard,  is  iwpert  in  cotmscl,  adviser,  and  \vc 
have  before  seen  that,  throughout  all  these  fables,  the 
fox  was  aetuallj  the  adviser.  Moreover  the  French 
poem  seems  to  exhibit  a  knowledge  of  this  fact,  pro- 
bably from  following  clos^ily  its  jwcomprehended  original 
source : 

'  Si  ai  muint  hon  consell  doiK', 
Par  iiion  droit  lum  iii  non  Kciiurt," — 1.  I.">s7ri. 

'I  have  much  good  counsel  given,  by  my  right  name 
I  am  called  Reinhart.'  From  tliis  it  is  clear  that  the 
name  of  Reinhart  in  these  fables  was  a  characteristic 
one,  and  that  it  was  originally  applied  to  the  fox  on 
that  account.  It  is  therefore  not  to  be  wondered  that 
a  so  deeply-contrived  na;<ie  of  ;iii  aiiinial  Ix'came 
firndy  rooted  in  the  Frankish  tongue,  that  it  could 
even  >upplant  the  French  appellative  goupil,  and  from 
lu  tiiirf  at  last  became  rciKtrd.  But  w  hat  ajipearsmorc 
important,  the  first  application,  or  lindingof  the  name, 
must  be  traced  up  to  a  period  at  which  the  sense  of 
the  word  ragiu  was  generally  i)erceptible,  consetpicntly 
our  faldes  (  Tliu'r/abel)  go  l)ack  far  hi  vimhI  the  tuclfih 
century.  I  venture  to  maintain  that  this  name  alone 
ju>tifies  the  supposition  that  the  Fal)les  ol'  thr  Fox 
and  the  "NVolf  were  known  (uthe  l*"rank.-  in  the  tourlli, 


Rechts-Alterthiimer,  774,  787. 


fifth  and  sixth  ccnturifs,  when  thoy  used  the  yet  un- 
alloyed (Jerinan  tongue,  dulled  hy  no  influx  of  the 
Gaulish  language — that  they  took  the  fables  witli  them 
from  Germany  across  the  Rhine/'* 

§  VII.  Tlic  next  (juestion  for  our  examination  is  the 
locality  in  whidi  tlie  Uenanlini^  faldcs  now  possessed 
by  us  took  their  rise.  This  will  not  take  us  long,  for 
the  ground  on  which  tliey  could  have  sprung  is  not 
widely  spread,  nor  indeed  slj^uld  we  have  alluded  in 
this  place  to  their  local  origin,  but  that  we  were 
anxious  to  call  attention  to  the  extraordinary  fact,  that 
this  peculiar  cycle  of  popular  poetry  accjuired  its  po- 
[)ular  and  long  enduring  form,  in  those  very  regions 
in  which  tliat  branch  of  the  painter's  art  wliich  may 
be  pronounced  of  a  cognate  nature  with  the  works  under 
consideration — we  mean,  of  course,  cattle  and  land- 
scape painting — has  been  cultivated  with  fond  perse- 
verance and  pre-eminent  success.  For  not  only  is  it 
in  Flanders,  and  the  countries  immediately  adjoining 
to  it — the  north  of  Frame,  and  the  western  ]>arts  of 
Germany — that  these  poems  have  flourished  most  lux- 
uriantly, as  we  shall  take  the  opportunity  of  showing 
whtii  we  bring  these  various  compositions  under  the 
notice  of  our  readers,  but  Flanders  is  the  scene  of  that 
history  of  Reynard,  which,  derived  from  the  Flemish, 
now  enjoys  ah  European  reputation,  being,  in  fact, 
the  type  of  the  whole  Renardine  cycle;  while 
the  allusions  to  Flanders  are  so  numerous  in  the 
various  branches  of  the  French  Renart,  as  to  leave 

*    Griinin,  Rcinhnrt  Ftirh.1,  Intriidiictinn,  pp.  Cfxl-cnxlii. 


XXIll 

littlf  doubt  tli:it  it  was  iVniii  tliat  coimtry  the  authors 
of  tliose  poems  gathered  thrii-  mati-iials.  The  nadci- 
sliull  have  proof  of  this  in  the  wonls  of  that  excellent 
and  patriotic  Flemish  antiipiary,  ^I.  Willems,  who  was 
commissioned  to  edit  the  old  Flemish  Kciiiacrt,  from 
the  manuscript  purchased  by  the  Belgian  government 
at  Ileber's  sale,  and  who  in  his  introduction  to  that 
work,  thus  speaks  upon  tliis  very  point  :* — 

"  The  scene  of  the  adventures  of  Reynard  and  Isen- 
grim,  is  tliroughout  laid  in  Flanders,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  iuciilent,  whieh  occurs  in  the  district  of 
Varmandois,"!"  (verse  1514),  and  that  this  excursion  of 
the  fox  and  the  wolf  is  n«tt  spoken  of  as  if  it  hatl 
caused  them  to  (juit  their  own  country,  is  sufficiently 
explained  by  the  political  circumstances  of  the  times. 
By  the  marriage  of  Philip  of  Alsace,  Earl  of  Flan- 
ders, to  the  daughter  and  sole  heir  of  the  Earl  of 
Vermandois,  who  died  in  1 1(33,  Verniandois  was  in  that 
year  united  to  Flandi-rs,  .iiid  eontinued  so  until  1  1  SG. 
In  this  intervening  period,  the  lieinaert  was  most  pro- 
bai)ly  written,  or  how,  otherwise,  could  Vermandois  be 
introduced  into  it  ? 

"  In  another  place,  the  Fox  speaks  of  the  treasure 
of  King  Ermeiiriek,  Imried  under  a  tree  at  llulsterloo, 
which  llulsterloo  is  in  a  very  wihl,  ami  inifre(piente<l 
plac«' 4   '""'  ''"'  ^''//f-/)'o(7i  of  till' Archives  of  (Ihent, 


*  Wilh'ms'  Rcinuert  de  Vo$,  8vo.  Ghent,  1836.     IntrtMliifUoii, 
ji.  XXXV. 

t  Sot'  paijf  .12  of  this  ((lition. 
X  S«*o  p.  5.3  of  this  oditinn. 

c2 


XXIV 

informs  us,  that  pilgrimages  to  Our  Lady  of  Ilulstorloo, 
were  frequtnt  in  tlie  middle  ages ;  for  in  that  place 
the  pilgrims  otl'ered  tlieir  devotions  to  a  miraculous 
image,  which,  according  to  a  note  to  the  unpul)lished 
chronicle  of  the  abbey  of  Drongheu,  near  Ghent,  had 
been  removed  thither  from  Teruane.  Our  Lady  being 
offended  at  the  slight  reverence  paid  to  her  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Teruane,  commanded  that  her  image 
should  be  placed  somewhere  else,  whicli  was  accord- 
ingly done,  in  the  sight  of  vast  multitudes  of  people ; 
two  doves  flying  before  the  bearers  of  the  image,  lead- 
ing them,  like  guides,  until  they  came  to  Ilulsterloo. 
The  numbers  which  then  visited  it  there  were  so  great, 
as  to  cause  a  scarcity  of  food  in  Ghent. 

"■  Ilulsterloo,  by  Kieldrect,  with  its  wood,  wastes,  and 
moors,  was  ceded  to  the  abbey  of  Dronghen  in  the  year 
1 1 36.  It  is  very  probable  that  some  years  after  that 
time,  the  monks  of  the  abbey  erected  a  chapel  in  that 
place  to  the  honour  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  which  might 
account  for  the  celebrity  of  her  image  there  among  the 
Flemings  ;  and  the  crowds  which  visited  it  during  the 
thirteenth,  fourteenth,  and  fifteenth  centuries,  in  short, 
until  Hulsterloo  itself  was  destroyed  by  an  inundation. 
But  if  it  was  a  desolate  place  when  Reinaert  was 
written,  the  poem  must  be  older  than  the  transporta- 
tion of  the  miraculous  image,  and,  consequently,  as  old 
as  the  twelfth  century." 

Iscngrim's  becoming  a  monk  in  the  cloister  of  El- 
mare,*  and  the  mention  of  Herman,  abbot  of  St.  Mar- 


*  See  p.  42  of  tho  present  edition. 


XXV 

tin's,  at  Dornick,*  and  of  Godfridus  Andegavonsi.*i,f 
both  of  whom  lived  in  the'carlier  ])art  of  tlie  twelfth 
century,  are  also  cited  by  Willems,  as  proofs  indica- 
tive, not  only  of  th(^  ajre  of  the  Reinaert,  but  also  of 
its  beinjr  of  Flemish  origin. 

§  viii.  Before  we  commence  our  notice  of  the 
principal  works  connected  with  the  popular  cycle  of 
romance  in  which  the  F'ox  figures  so  conspicuously, 
we  have  a  few  preliminary  remarks  to  make  on  the 
fact  of  the  lion,  a  stranger,  in  our  days  at  least,  to  the 
forests  of  the  European  continent,  apjiearing  in  these 
histories  as  the  acknowledged  king  of  beasts.  "We  had 
thought  of  noticing  the  peculiar  fitness  of  the  fox 
and  the  wolf,  formerly  the  most  populous  denizens  of 
our  coverts,  for  the  parts  which  they  are  called  upon 
to  perform.  We  pass  this  by,  however,  that  we  may 
examine  the  probable  cause  of  the  lion's  being  invested 
with  regal  authority.  This  circumstance  would  seem, 
at  once,  to  contradict  the  Teutonic,  or  indeed  European 
origin  of  the  fable.  But,  setting  aside  our  knowledge 
that  lions  were  formerly  broiight  into  Europe  from 
their  native  wilds,  to  be  exhibited  as  important  objects 
in  royal  and  princely  pageants — that  proof  of  their 

*    "  Ja  ic,  hots  iii  jacr,  diit  ic  wacrt 
Voor  (It'll  (li'kt'ii  Ilcrmanne 

In  vollcn  spcndeto  bannc."— /?(i«fi(T/,  1.27.36-8,('(1  Willoms. 

t   Mai'stcr  Jufroot,  in  the  ConibiirKli  MS.  of  lirimnrt.     In  fho 

Hobor  MS.  Gclis:]]and  in  the  old'prosc  ed.  of  Gcr.ml  (!<•   I-«ii, 

Gfliis,   and   not  Diclis,   as  Willi'ms  statos   in  his   nuti',  p.  1 20. 

He  probably'tjiiotod  from  Sulil's  reprint 


XXVI 

being  indigenous  to  Europe  might  be  adduce*!  from 
those  poets  who  tell  us  that  Sigtritl  waswont  to  hunt  lions 
in  the  Burgundian  forests — both  which  circunistances 
might  be  considered  suffieiently  explanatory  of  the 
motives  which  induced  the  writers  of  these  fables  to 
invest  the  lion  with  sovereignity  over  all  the  other 
animals  who  figure  in  these  narratives ;  another  and 
more  siitisfactory  explanation  is  afforded  by  the  fact, 
that  there  is  good  reason  for  Wlieving,  that  the  lion 
has,  in  comparatively  modern  times,  usurped  the 
crown  which  the  bear  originally  possessed,  both  de Jure 
and  de  facto.  The  bear  is,  indeed,  the  strongest  and 
the  largest  of  all  our  indigenous  animals— the  true 
king  of  our  European  forests;  and  Grimm,  after 
showing  that,  in  the  old  German  language,  the  roaring 
of  the  lion  and  the  growling  of  the  bear  were  both 
expressed  by  one  and  tin-  same  word,  viz.  furmln, — 
and  further  (which  is  very  remarkable  with  regard  to 
this  point)  that  in  the  old  Norse  tongue,  the  highest 
authority  was  expressed  I)y  i>ersa  ln//i  (licentia  ursi), 
adduces  satisfactory  evidence,  the  particulars  of  whicli 
we  shall  not  attempt  to  follow,  that  in  Germany,  in 
the  tenth  century,  and  earlier,  the  kingly  authority 
over  the  beasts  of  the  forests  was  considered  to  belong, 
not  to  the  lion,  but  to  the  bear ;  who,  in  the  works 
now  handed  down  to  us  is  still  exhibited  as  second 
only  to  the  lion  in  power  and  influence  ;  and  the  bear 
is,  in  fact,  next  to  the  fox  and  the  wolf,  the  most  im- 
portant pers(jnage  in  these  oft-told  tales. 

§  IX.  IJut  it  is  time  that  we  proceed  from  these  in- 
troductory and  general  obsenations  to  a  more  parti- 


XXVll 

cular  examination  of  sonic  of  tlic  most  important  ot" 
those  numerous  literary  prcMluctiuns.  to  whicli  the  po- 
pularity of  Reynard's  history  has  given  rise. 

Tlie  first  of  these  in  point  of  date,  though  not  of 
literary  merit,  is  a  poem,  of  which  two  MSS.  were  dis- 
covered in  the  royal  library  at  Brussels,  by  Dr.  Jacob 
Grimm,  soon  after  the  publication  of  that  great  work 
up<m  the  subject  of  Keynanl,  to  which  such  fre(|uent 
allusion  is  necessarily  madt;  in  the  course  of  the  pre- 
sent volume. 

It  was  published  l»y  Grinun  in  tlie  year  1838,  in  a 
curious  and  valuable  collection  of  Latin  poems  of  the 
tenth  and  eleventh  century,  which  he  edited  in  that 
year  in  conjunction  with  Andreas  Sehmeller.*  This 
poem  is  entitled  Echasis  cujnsdtim  cdptivi  per  Trnpn- 
logiam,  and  consists  of  1229  leonine  verses,  the  prin- 
cipal part  l)eing  occuj)ied  with  the  story  of  the  lion's 
illness,  told  by  the  wolf,  as  explanatory  of  the  feud 
between  the  fox  and  himself,  and  the  anger  of  the  king 
of  beasts  against  the  fox,  who  alone  neglected  to  attend 
and  bring  medicines  for  his  recovery — a  fact  which 
the  wolf  takes  care  to  bring  under  the  lion's  notice. 

"  Thf  fox  ali>ni\  when  lion  is  sick, 
Abst-nt.s  lit  t)ucf  liiinsulf  mul  pliysic, 
A  fiwt  wliicli  ill  «hif  toiir.sf  is  rung 
In  royal  ears  by  hostile  tongue."* 

*   LaUinuche  GedichU  dcs  X  und  XI  Jh.  IlerauttfryeiHn  r<»/i  Jac, 
Grimm  und  And.  Schmrllrr.      (jr)ttin^en,  8v(i.   1K.3S. 
f        "  Alisuiit  n  ri'liijiiis  ciiiit.f  incdioatiiiii!!  viilpi.><, 

Aiiribus  liar  reps  ninv  iiifirt  sfdiiliis  hostis." 

KcIhisU,  4(VJ-3. 


All  angry  di-crre  is  liiliiiiuatcd  against  tlic  fox,  who 
in  this,  as  in  oUki-  versions  of"  tlie  sanif  story,  unex- 
pecteilly  appears  at  court,  and,  hy  his  ingenuity,  tri- 
umphs over  all  his  opponents,  more  especially  his  great 
enemy  the  wolf,  at  onee  punishing  hiiu,  and  curing  his 
sovereign  by  the  extraordinary  remedy  which  he  pre- 
scribes for  the  ailing  monarch,  namely — that  he  should 
be  enveloped  in  the  wolf's  hide. 

The  value  of  this  poem,  which  (irinun  has  subse- 
(jufutly  pronounced  not  to  have  been  written  atalater 
period  than  the  middle  of  the  tenth  century,*  is  con- 
siderably lessened  by  its  not  designating  the  animals  by 
the  characteristic  names  assigned  to  them  in  later 
works.  Yet,  that  the  poem  in  question  is  immediately 
connected  with,  and  founded  upon  the  popular  stories 
of  Reynard,  is  clear,  from  the  fact  that  its  main  inci- 
dent,— the  sickness  of  the  lion, — occurs  in  all,  or 
nearly  all,  the  Reynardine  romances.  The  same  ob- 
jection, viz.  tli(!  absence  of  the  lieyiuirdine  names, 
may  be  made  to  a  little  Latin  poem,  which  was  com- 
municated to  us  many  years  since  by  !Mr.  Wright,  and 
which  will  be  found  appended  to  this  introduction.! 

*  See  Sendschrkhen  an  Litrhmmni,  s.  4. 

■(  See  Appendix  I. 

This  little  poem,  entitled  '  Sacerdos  et  Lupus,'  which  corres- 
ponds with  the  twelfth  branch  of  the  French  Renart,  is  contained 
in  a  MS.  in  tlie  Public  Library  at  Cambridge  (Gp  v.  p.  3^))  sup- 
posed to  have  been  written  in  Germany,  about  the  middle  of  the 
eleventh  century,  by  an  Anijlo-Saxon.  It  is  printed  by  Grimm 
{Lattinisclie  Gedichte,  s.  340),  to  wliom  it  was  conununicated  by 


§  X.  Tilt'  next  in  point  of  time  ami  the  lirst  in  wliieli 
tlie  animals  are  designated  \>y  their  (li>tinetive  names, 
is  II  Latin  poem,  now  printed  tor  the  lirst  time  by 
Grimm,  from  a  manuscript  of  the  fourteenth  century, 
preserved  at  Berlin,  "  Isengrimus,"  as  tliis  poem  is 
designated,  contains  688  verses,  and,  though  consi- 
derably shorter  than  the  Latin  poem  "Keinardus 
Vulpes,"  published  by  Mone,  it  is  not  only  obviously 
of  greater  antiquity,  but  surpasses  it  in  the  power  of 
description  which  it  displays.  It  comj)rises,  however, 
only  two  stories — tiie  iirst  is,  "The  Sickness  of  the 
I^ion  ;""  and  tiie  secoiid,  which  is  very  skilfully  com- 
bined with  it,  relates  "  The  Pilgrimage  of  the  Goat." 
It  commences  as  follows  : 

"  It  whilom  chanced  so  sii-k  tlie  lion  lay, 
lie  could  not  feed  by  night,  nor  sleep  by  day  ; 
A  die,  of  life  or  death,  the  fate  did  bear, 
And  hope  fust  fadiii  'fore  iiiereasinj^  fear  ; 
The  season  too,  his  ills  to  iiicreiuse  strove. 
For  rha'bus  then  through  tiery  Cancer  drove."* 

He  had  been  removed,  for  the  sake  of  coolness,  to 
the  shady  coverts  of  the  wood,  and  ordered  a  gem-ral 
court,  proclaimed  a  solemn  peace,  and  summoned  before 


Mr.  Kcmble;    and  also  by  Edelstand  dii  Mnil,  p.  ;{i>2  of  his 
Pottiet  Piypulaires  Lnlinrn. 

•        "CoiUigit  arreptum  forti  languore  li-omni, 
Nil  dorniire,  nieiiil  siiniere  posse  cibi. 
Alea  judicium  vite  mortisijue  trai)eba!, 

Et  spe  liberior  ccp'rat  esse  metiis  ; 
Quin  morbi  ral)iem  sors  tempcstatis  alrlml. 

Cum  traiieret  Caueri  riivbus  in  arte  rotani.'— v.  It;. 


him  all  tlio  l»ea>t.s  of  the  forest,  that  lie  might  secure 
tiicir  allejriance  to  his  wife  and  ehildren,  and  during 
his  lifetime  nominate  his  successor.  Reynard  is 
the  only  one  who  absents  himself:  he  waits  for  a 
special  summons.  Isengrim,  the  wolf,  liis  inveterate 
enemy,  who  is  greatly  rejoiced  at  this,  thrusts  himself 
ostentatiously  forward,  and,  having  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  lion,  slamlers  the  fox,  and  tells  the  royal 
invalid  that  it  would  much  conduce  to  his  recovery  to 
eat  the  livers  of  the  ram  and  of  the  goat,  and,  when 
convalescent,  their  flesh.  But  the  manner  in  which 
this  is  told  deserves  an  extract ; 

"  The  royal  lion  smiled,  as  thus  he  said, 
(\Vhilo  his  harsh  voice  filled  every  beast  with  dread) 
'  Good  Isengrim,  near  me  a  seat  secure, 
I  think  thou  wouldst  relate  what  would  me  cure. 
If  so,  out  with  it  !*     Straif^ht  the  wolf  obeys, 
Sits,  slightly  hems,  hi.i  pulse  then  feels,  and  says, 

'  Fear  not,  great  king.     Sound  health  will  soon  be  thine. 
To  pay  each  traitor  off  in  his  own  coin.'  "♦ 

But  to  proceed:  Joseph,  the  ram,  and  Borfridus, 
the  goat,  who  had  listened  with  great  indignation  to 
the  suggestions  of  the  wolf,  give  him  such  hints  with 

•    "  Ipse  parum  ridet  leo,  sicque  profatur:  eratque 

Vot'is  ad  horrorem  concio  tota  tremens. 
'  Ysengrime  comes,  propc  me  sessurus  adisfi : 

Credo,  referre  paras  quod  michi  prestet  opem. 
Exere  si  quid  habes.'     Proprius  sedet  ille,  pariinn|ui- 

Tussit,  et  ut  vcniam  palpitat,  inquit  ita. 
'  Pone  metum,  rex,  pone.     Vales,  virtute  reversa  : 

lic-dde  suaiii  tidei  perfidieque  vicem.'  " — v.  49-56. 


tlie  point.''  of  their  lioriis,  as  arc  not  to  be  mistaken, 
tliat  he  must  leave  the  throne,  aii<l  tnkr  liis  i)hice  among 
thecals,  tor  that  his  knowledge  ot'meilicine  was  nothing 
worth: 

"  'Scis  nichil,  Isengrimc :  fugo  liinc,'  ait  omnis,  '  abito.'  " 

Gusthcro,  the  hare,  is  then  despatched  with  a  sum- 
mons to  the  fox,  who  is  called  ui)on  to  display  liis  skill 
in  leech-craft ;  lie  is,  however,  desired  by  Keynard  to 
return  forthwith  to  court,  and  say  he  could  not  lind 
him.  lie  accordingly  does  so,  and  is,  after  awhile 
followed  by  Reynard,  who  appears  laden  with  a  quan- 
tity of  healing  herbs,  and  a  number  of  old  worn-out 
shoes.  The  lion  makes  no  reply  to  his  thrice  i)rotl'ered 
salutation.  "I'ulcra,"  remarks  the  Fox  aside, 
"  'Pulcra,'  ait,  'liif  incrcis  pro  piftatc  dutur;'  " 

and  then,  in  answer  to  the  questions  of  his  sovereign, 
he  explains  that,  upon  the  announcement  of  his  royal 
master's  illness,  instead  of  merely  presenting  himself  at 
court,  as  all  the  other  noliles  of  the  land  had  done,  lie 
had  taken  a  wearisome  journey  to  Salerno,  to  lind  an 
etl'ectual  remedy  for  his  disease,  and  in  doing  so  had 
worn  out  an  incredible  number  of  sIkjcs — producing 
these  in  proof  of  tlie  accuracy  of  his  statement.  lie 
then  goes  on  to  explain,  that  only  one  thing  further  is 
required  to  ensure  his  sovereign's  recovery,  which  is 
that,  when  lie  takes  the  medicine,  he  must  promote 
copious  perspiration  by  tMivcloi)ing  himself  in  the  tiiick 
and  grey  hi<le  of  a  wolf  three  years  and  a  half  old, 
and  suggests  that  Iscngrim  may  lend  his  for  tliat  pur- 


XXXII 

pose,  and,  when  the  cure  is  effected,  it  can  he  returned 
t(i  him.  IstMi^'riin,  upon  hearing  this,  seeks  to  escape, 
hut  hfin;,'  prevented,  pleads  tliat  lie  is  an  old  wolf, 
and  not  a  young  one.  Reynard  does  not  admit  this 
excuse,  hut  proves,  from  his  heing  just  two  years  and 
a  half  old  when  a  certain  event  took  place  in  the 
goat's  house  a  twelvemonth  before — that  he  is  just  of 
the  right  age.  The  ass,  the  goat,  and  the  ram  are 
called,  and  confirm  the  truth  of  Reynard's  statement, 
who  however  decides  at  last  that  any  wolfs  .skin,  be  it 
young  or  old,  will  answer  the  purpose.  The  lion 
accordingly  commands  the  boar  to  flay  the  wolf,  wliich 
he  does,  helping  him  otf  with  his  tunic  after  the  French 
fasliion  ; — 

"  Ut  timicam  France  deposuisse  qucas" — 

but  leaving  the  shaggy  covering  on  his  head  and  paws. 
This  circumstance,  as  well  as  the  redness  of  his 
bleeding  limbs,  gives  rise  to  many  hitter  jests ;  such 
as  taunting  his  disloyalty  in  not  always  wearing  his 
gay  red  di'css  at  court,  instead  of  the  old  grey  skin 
in  which  he  was  accustomed  to  appear  ;  and  when 
the  poor  beast  stretches  forth  his  paws,  and  bows  his 
head  that  his  implacable  antagonist  may  tear  away  the 
skin  from  them,  Reynard  upbraids  him,  that  it  became 
a  suppliant  to  ajipear  bare-headed  and  with  naked 
hands,  and  not  with  his  head  covered,  and  with  gloves, 
as  if  lie  were  insolently  going  to  challenge  his  sovereign 
to  a  combat.  At  length  the  wolf  is  allowed  to  escape, 
with  the  understanding  that  his  skin  will  be  taken  care 


of  for  him  until  lie  thinks  proper  to  reclaim  it.  The 
lion  takes  the  medicine  prescribeil  by  the  fox,  an<l 
ensconces  himself  in  the  wolfs  hide — 

"  A  copious  sweat  the  fever  straight  subdued : 
He  woke  refreshed,  nay  more  he  asked  for  food  ; 
Then  better  slept,  and  ato,  until  at  lenfjth 
His  former  health  returned  in  all  its  strength."* 

Rich  gifts  marked  the  obligation  of  tlie  lion  to  his 
physician. 

"  The  kinp  an  honour  to  the  fox  ordained, 
Which  'fore  or  since  no  other  beast  obtained. 
Fearless  to  cross  the  marks  his  tail  should  leave. 
The  bear  and  boar  no  p:rant  like  this  receive. "t 

During  the  king's  progress  towards  convalescence, 
he  is  entertained  by  the  fox,  who  relates  to  him  the  par- 
ticulars of  that  adventure  of  the  wolt',  to  whiehlielnul 
before  alluded  ;  these  are  as  follows  : — 

Bertiliana,  the  she-goat,  went  forth  uj)on  a  pilgrim- 
age. At  first  she  was  alone,  but  was  afterwards  joined 
by  seven  companions,  to  each  of  whom  some  pecu- 
liar duty  was  allotted.  Rearidus  the  stag,  Joseph 
the  ram,  and  Berfrid  the  goat,  being  furnished  with 

*    "  Jamque  finunt  fcbres  largo  sudore  solute  : 
Evigilans  surgit,  poscit  et  ipse  cibnni ; 
Tunc,  melius  meliusque  valcns,  dormivit  et  edit, 
Duui  rediit  pKno  roborc  prisca  salus." — 1.  511-r)14. 
+    "  Precipuo  vulpcm  Renardum  donat  hnnore, 
Quem  nemo  meruit  postea,  nemo  priiis, 
Intrepidum  transire  sue  vestigia  cniidc. 

Non  hoc  coiitigcrunt  iirsus  niicniue  <lf<Mis." — 1.516-20. 


Ijoriis,  loriii('<l  the  \ .in-j.'uanl.  H»;ynanl  is  tlie  (|iiart('r- 
nuistcr ;  the  ass  is  the  janitdr,  and  carrier  oi'  tlie  l»ag- 
ga^ro  ;  (ioranlus  tlic  goose  keeps  watch  at  night,  ami 
Sprotinus  the  cuck  is  the  time-keeper.  An  uhl  wolf, 
who  was  lurking  close  by,  had  overheard  the  treaty, 
and  determined,  as  he  was  very  anxious  to  make  one 
of  the  party,  to  creep  in  amongst  tliem  on  the  very 
first  opportunity.  Reynard  had  however  spied  liim 
out,  and  laid  his  plans  accordingly.  For,  having  found 
a  (load  wolf  hanging  upon  a  tree,  he  cut  ot!"  his  head 
and  gave  it  to  Josei)h,  with  special  directions  how  he 
was  to  act,  should  the  wolf  intrude  among  them. 
Night  approached  :  the  travellers  seated  themselves  to 
their  evening  meal.  In  his  anxiety  for  his  supper  the 
ass  neglects  to  fiisten  the  door — 

"  iisimiin  furor  urget  cdendi" — 

and  Isengrini  l)ursts  in  uj)on  them  exclaiming,  "  Peace 
be  with  you  I"  The  party  are  at  first  greatly  alarmed, 
but  soon  recover  themselves.  Bertiliana  inquired, 
"  What  shall  we  place  before  our  guest  ?" — "  There  is 
nothing  but  the  grey  head  of  an  old  wolf,"  replied 
Joscpli.  "  Bring  that  in  then,"  said  the  fox.  Joseph 
brouglit  in  the  head  accordingly,  at  the  sight  of  which 
Isengrim  clapped  his  tail  between  his  legs,  and  wished 
himself  far  enough  away.  "This  head  won't  do,"(|u<)th 
Reynard,  "take  it  away,  and  bring  a  larger  one?" 
Joseph  went  out  and  brought  the  same  again.  "  That 
won't  do  either,"  said  Reynard ;  "  the  large  heads  are 
in  tlif  other  corner.     Fetch  in  two  of  the  seven  very 


XXXV 

big  ones;  or,  stop,  ItriiiLT  tliiit  liin'  out- that  is  stretched 
open  with  the  hazt'l-twi<r,  that  isju<t  lit  for  catinf?." 
Joseph  went  out  and  hrought  in  tlie  same  again,  Imt 
with  its  jaws  stuck  open  with  a  bit  of  wood.  Tlic 
wolf  trembled  violently,  and  the  several  animals  i)re- 
tended  to  comfort  him.  Gerardus  the  goose  thought 
he  was  suffering  from  ague,  or  perhaps  from  fear  of 
liimself.  "  Be  of  good  cheer,"  said  the  goose,  "  I  have 
no  wish  to  terrify  you  ;  not  but  what  I  could  if  I 
wi.-h«'tl,  for  the  wolf  whose  head  yi)U  see  there,  and 
whieli  I  snapped  otf,  was  a  great  deal  stronger  and 
more  cunning  than  you  are." — "  Our  guest  had  better 
eat,"  cried  Joseph,  "  he  need  not  care  for  the  expense, 
we  have  enough  for  this  nine  or  ten  nights,  if  he  will 
only  stay  with  us." — ''  I  am  very  ill,"  said  the  wolf, 
"and  what  is  more,  very  much  astonished,  for  whoever 
saw  a  party  of  pilgrims  carrying  with  them  so  many 
wolves'  heads?" — "We  never  catch  any  but  wieked 
wolves,"  said  Reynard  ;  "  wu  never  meddle  witli  our 
dear  guests."  "  I  am  expeeted  at  home,"  continued 
the  wolf,  "  my  wife  and  children  are  waiting  for  me." 
— '*  Won't  you  go  with  us  r""  the  stag  cried  out  after 
him  ;  "on  our  way  we  lay  Imlil  of  all  the  Wdlves  we 
lind  in  the  forest,  and  either  hang  them  up  in  the  trees, 
or  starve  them  tti  death.  Vi»u  shall  help  us  ami  l>e 
the  hangman  I" — "  I  am  too  young  for  so  great  an 
honour,  I  am  oidy  two  years  and  a  half  old,"  replied 
the  wolf,  and  so  saying  lie  took  his  departure. 

"  llle  rt-fiit,  '  decus  lioc  inca  iioii  .-jibi  viiiJicul  <ta.s 
Dimidians  lustrun),'  sicquo  solutu.s  abit." 


XXXVl 

Such  arc  tlie  funteiit.s  of  "  Iscngrimus,"  a  pouiu 
written,  as  is  evident  tVoni  various  circumstances,  in 
Soutli  Flanders,  during  the  first  half  of  the  twelfth 
century,  probably  earlier,  for  the  "  Reinardus,"  wliich 
is  certainly  not  so  old,  was  composed  about  th(;  middle 
of  that  century.  And  this  affords  additional  ])r<)(>f,  if 
such  were  necessary,  that  the  Iveynardine  fables  were 
in  general  circulation  during  tlie  whole  of  the  eleventh 
century  ;  for  we  may  be  sure  that,  when  an  ecclesiastic 
(and  that  this  work  was  the  production  of  a  writer  of 
that  class  is  obvious  from  the  traces  of  classical  learning 
which  it  exhibits)  took  it  into  his  head  to  relate  in 
Latin  verse  detached  stories  selected  from  a  whole 
cycle  of  romance,  that  cycle  was  one  wliich  had  long 
been  current  in  the  songs  and  traditions  of  the  people. 
§  XI.  The  poem  which  we  have  just  examined  forms 
a  portion  of,  or  rather  is  engrafted  into,  that  more 
extensive  work,  containing  6596  lines,  the  "  Fabella 
Lupina,"  as  it  is  designated  in  one  of  the  three  manu- 
scripts from  wliiili  it  was  printed,  which  was  published 
some  years  since  by  Monc,  under  tlie  title  of  "Reinardus 
Vulpes."*  This  publication  has  certainly  been  of 
considerable  service,  as  the  poem  in  question  is  un- 
doubtedly one  of  the  mo.st  valuable  monuments  of  the 
literature  of  the  middle  ages,  which  have  of  late  been 

*  Rfinardun  Vulprs.  Carmen  Kpirum  senilis  /A'  et  XII  con- 
scriptum.  Ad  Jidem  Codil.  MSS.  edidit  et  adnnlatinnihtis  ilhstravit 
Franciscus  Josephus  Mone.  Reinhart  Fuchs  aus  rhm  netinten  und 
zwnlften  JcJtrhundcrt .  Ileraiispef/eljen  und  erlautert  voii  F.  J.  Moiif . 
8vo.  Stuttgart  und  Tiibiiipcn.     1832. 


xxxvn 

jj^iven  to  the  world;  and  it  may  well  excite  our  sur- 
prise, that  so  extensive  and  liiglily  interesting  a  work, 
sliould  liave  remained  so  long  entirely  unknown,  and 
indeed  not  have  been  published  till  our  own  tiiiir  :  a 
fact,  which  can  scarcely  be  explained  by  the  su[)p(jsi- 
tion  that  the  clergy,  to  whom  some  parts  of  it  must 
certainly  have  been  peculiarly  displeasing,  took  every 
means  in  their  power  to  suppress  it. 

Wliile  we  thank  the  editor  for  the  publication  of 
the  text,  we  feel  bound  to  express  our  regret,  tliat  in 
his  notes  lie  should  have  indulged  in  so  many  fanciful 
and  unfounded  views,  especially  with  regard  to  tlie 
age  of  the  poem,  which  he  asserts,  without  a  shadow  of 
evidence,  to  have  been  originally  composed  in  the 
nintli  century,  and  afterwards  interpolated  in  the 
twelfth  ;  and  to  contain,  under  the  semblance  of  a 
romance,  an  allegorical  history  of  the  affairs  and 
quarrels  of  various  well-known  personages ;  among 
whom  he  supposes  Zwentibolciis,  King  of  Lorraine, 
and  son  of  the  Emperor  Arnulf,  and  who  llourishcil 
towards  the  close  of  the  nintli  century,  to  be  repre- 
sented as  Isengrimus  the  "Wolf,  and  his  minister, 
Reginarius,  as  Reinardus  the  Fox. 

Before  we  analyse  the  poem,  it  will,  tliri(inr(\  ]h>  as 
well  to  demolish,  as  we  trust  to  do  with  a  very  few 
words,  these  '^  firiUeufniu/crn/cn"  (as  his  countrymen 
characteristically  designate  such  whimsical  specu- 
lations) of  Professor  Mone,  whose  pec-nliar  notions 
on  the  subject  of  the  poem  were  first  made  generally 
known  in  a  series  of  papers  in  tiie  '*  MnvtjvuhhilC'  for 

il 


XXXVUl 

1831  (No.  222-6),  to  whidi  the  purclmsor  of  tlic 
book  is  very  coolly  referred,  if,  us  is  most  likely,  not 
beint;  contented  with  the  opinions  set  fortli  in  the  Pro- 
fessor's notes  to  the  poem,  he  wishes  to  learn  (which  he 
oup:ht  to  do  from  the  preface)  tlie  Editor's  detailed 
opinion  of  the  work  in  ([uestion. 

But  l(.'t  us  proct'fd.  In  tlu-  first  phicf,  there  is  not 
the  slifrhtost  f^roiind  for  attril>utinf;  any  part  of  tlie 
poem  to  a  writer  of  the  ninth  century  ;  for  thougli  por- 
tions of  it  may  appear  to  be  in  a  somewhat  earlier 
style,  there  is  notliing  in  them  to  justify  in  the  least  the 
supposition  of  their  being  the  production  of  that  early 
period.  Keinardus  is  obviously  not  a  piece  of  pure 
inv(Mition  ;  the  style  in  which  tlie  story  is  related,  and 
tlio  oftentimes  uncalled-for  instances  of  book-learning 
which  it  exhibits,  are  the  author's  own.  But  he  liim- 
self  refers  to  some  written  authority:  — 

"  Gavisani  .trriptura  rffrri  his  liisibiis  illam." — v.  1879. 

Tliis  scriptiira  was  probably  some  earlier  and  more 
simple  Latin  history,  which,  if  it  contained  all  the 
materials  of  the  present  poem  (and  it  most  probably 
did  .so,  the  Isengrimus  forming  perhaps  a  porti^m  only 
of  some  more  extensive  work,  the  rest  of  which  is  lost), 
that  fact  mu.st  tend  greatly  to  diminish  the  value  of 
Reinardus  in  our  opinion.  It  is  possible,  however, 
though  much  less  probable,  that  an  earlier  poem  in 
the  vernacular  tongue,  and  current  among  the  common 
people,  formed  the  basis  of  the  present  work. 

That  the  Poem  was  written  between  the  years  1148 


XXXIX 

and  llfiO,  is  proved,  i»y  the  aiitlior's  npofJtrojthisinpj 
two  ecclesiastics:  who  were  persoiiully  IVii-ndly  to  liiin. 
These  were,  "NValtei",  i<rior  of  l">;.Miioml,*  ami  Haldwiii, 
prior  of  Lisburn,  in  Westphalia.  Walter  was  a  native 
of  Flanders;  and  in  the  year  1129  was  at  the  head  of 
an  ecclesiastical  establishment  at  Lens  in  Artois,  at- 
tached to  the  Abbey  of  Ghent.  In  that  year  the 
bishop  of  Utrecht  and  the  Countess  t>f  Holland  wished 
to  nominate  some  worthy  ecclesiastic  iVem  (ihent  to 
the  Abbey  of  Egmond  ;  Anmld,  alilpot  oi"  (ilieiit,  re- 
commended Walter,  who  was  aceordin;zlv  ajipointed, 
and  tilled  the  situation  from  11.30  to  IKil  with  the 
highest  cre<lit.  About  the  same  time,  another  Bene- 
dictine, named  Baldwin,  was  called  from  the  same 
sch(M»l  to  be  abbot  of  the  newly-estaVdished  monastery 
at  Lisborn.  His  inaujruration  took  place  in  1  l.'H),  and 
he  held  the  office  until  llfil,  when  lie  was  sjieceeded 
by  Franco.  From  this  ciriiiiiistane<»,  and  from  the  fact 
of  the  poem  contairiinjr  internal  evidence  ol"  its  havin;^ 
been  written  in  North  Flanders,  we  may  reasonably 
i-onclude  that  its  author  was  a  countryman  of  Walter 
and  Baldwin,  that  is  to  say  a  Flemin<r,  and  j)robably 
an  ecclesiastic  attached  to  the  monastery  of  Saint 
Peter  at  (ihent. 


'  Nomine  vol  numoro  anus  ornt,  »od  nnlhiK  contm, 

Vivendi  stiuliis  et  piotntc  niainis. 
Quo  super  KijTnundi  fmlri";  nhlmto  IxnUhs 
Jus  vip't,  auijo.soit  cfiisiis,  ulmnilnt  luuinr." 

Hriininlni,  lili.  iii.  I.  1501.  oi  seq, 

f/2 


xl 

The  writer,  whoever  lie  was,*  was  undoubtedly  a 
churchman  ;  tliis  is  shown  not  only  by  liis  learning, 
uU  of  wliicli  was  at  that  time  in  the  hands  of  the 
Chureh,  but  also  by  the  monkish  spirit  which  pervades 
the  third  I'able  of  the  third  book.  I'he  fact  of  his 
indulging  in  bitter  derision  upon  tiie  downfall  of  t"*^ 
Church,  and  sparing  neither  the  supreme  head  ol'  it, 
nor  St.  Bernard,  whose  fame  then  echoed  throughout 
Europe,  does  not  at  all  militate  against  this  opinion  ; 
for,  at  the  period  when  he  wrote,  the  divided  state  of 
parties  would  fully  account  for  such  an  expression 
of  opinion.  The  author  of  the  Reinardus  was,  how- 
ever, no  freethinking  scorner,  l>ut  a  man  who  hon- 
oured the  clergy  when  their  conduct  justified  him  in 
doing  so,  as  his  praise  of  Walter  and  Baldwin  sufficiently 
attest; — his  calling  them  his  friends  and  confidants 
affording  additional  evidence  of  his  connexion  with  the 
Church.  If,  too,  as  has  been  surmised,  he  was  a  Bene- 
dictine, rigidly  observant  of  the  ancient  rules  of  the 
order,  and,  as  such,  one  to  whom  the  rapidly-extending 
innovations  of  the  Cistercian  monks  could  not  but  be 
highly  objectional,  his  vehement  opposition  to  Saint 
Bernard,  who  was  the  head  of  the  Cistercians,  and  to 
the  Crusades,  to  the  promotion  of  which  that  distin- 
guished prelate  had  lent  all  his  influence,  is  easily  ac- 
counted for.     When  we  add,  that  the  work  contains 

•  His  name  was  probably  Nlvardus ;  for  a  MS.  in  the  Royal 
Library  at  Berlin,  which  is  supposed  to  be  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  contains  some  extracts  from  this  poem,  with  the  rubric 
^tnqister  yivardvn  Hr  Isenqrinn  ei  Jieinnrdo. 


xli 

allusions  to  an  inundation  in  Fricsland  wliidihapponod 
on  tiic  9th  January  1 1()4,*  and  to  tlit-  ill  success  of  the 
second  Crusade,!  we  think  we  shall  have  proved  very 
satisfactorily  that  the  poem  in  ([ucstion  is  a  production 
of  the  twelfth  century.} 

Having  done  so,  it  seems  almost  a  work  of  super- 
erogation toovcrtlirow  the  theory  ri'cently  advanced  by 
Mone,  of  its  containing  an  allegorical  version  of  the 
history  of  Zwentibold  ;  for  the  idea  of  composing  a 
work  of  such  a  nature  would  hardly  suggest  itself  three 
centuries  after  those  events  had  occurred  which  were 
to  fonii  the  subject-matter  of  the  allegory.  Eccard 
was  the  first  to  broach  the  theory  of  the  historical 
origin  of  Reynard's  story,  in  his  jireface  to  Leibnitz's 
Collectanea  Etymologica,  and  he  imagined  Iscngri- 
mus  to  represent  a  certain  Bavarian  count,  named 
Isanrictis,  who  at  a  somewhat  later  j)eriod,  opposed 
the  Emperor  Arnulf,  in  Havaria,  Austria,  and  Moravia. 
I'^nfortunately  for  Eccard's  case,  although  in  the  fable 
the  wolf  and  the  fox  are  continually  coming  in  contact 
one  with  the  otiier,  history  not  only  <hies  not  iitluid  a 
.ningle  instance  of  i\i'ginarius  and  Isanricus  being  con- 
nected  in   the   slightest  degree ;    but,   which    is    still 

•  "  Proili^^a  refcro,  (jii'xl  Frcsia  tota  fatotiir." — lib.  iv.  lis."). 

t  St'f  lib.  iv.  V.  1221  ct  s<<i. 

X  S«»o  furtliiT  (iriiiiiii,  Idinhurt  Fuch»,  s.  l.x.x-<-ii  ;  and  Du 
Meril,  Pocsifs  rd/mlairm  Liitinrn,  p.  25.  HayilouanI,  oil  tln'  otllcr 
hand,  iuuked  upim  it  as  bvint;  of  tlu'  thirtocnth  or  foiirtcfiith 
ci'utury.  Set'  his  rcvii'w  of  tlic  work  in  the  Journal  drs  Savuntu, 
July  1834. 


xlii 

worse,  lavs  tliu  Sfenes  ut  tlnir  aihriitures  in  widely 
dittereiit  places.  Moue,  in  editin-^  Keiinirdus,  adopts 
Eeeard's  theory  with  certain  aiiieiidineiits,  such  us 
making  King  Zwentibold  the  original  ot"  the  wolt",  in- 
stead of  the  above-mentioned  Isanricus,  and  seeing  in 
the  name  of  the  lion,  Kufanus,  an  anagram  of  that  of 
King  Arnulf  (^Arnafus),*  and  many  other  things 
ecpially  curious  and  equally  imperceptible  to  coinmon- 
lilace  people  like  ourselves,  who  <lo  not  pretend  to  l)e 
able  to  see  further  into  a  millstone  tlian  our  neighbours. 
But  history  treats  the  editor  of  "  Keinai-Jus"  as  scur- 
vily  as  it  had  before  treated  the  editor  of  Leibnitz. 
It  demolishes  his  nicely  balanced  theory.  Its  records 
pi-ove  the  characters  of  Zwentibold  and  Reginarius  to 
have  borne  no  resemblance  to  those  which  the  wolf 
and  the  fox  exhibit  in  flic  i)oem ;  and,  what  alone  is 
([uite  sufficient  to  decide  the  question  against  Mone, 
represent  Reginarius  as  the  subject  of  Zwentibold, 
whereas,  in  "  Reinardus,'''  the  fox  is  ever  free  and  in- 
dependent of  the  wolf. 

§  XII.  But  it  is  time  to  give  our  readers  some  notion 
of  the  poem  which  has  called  forth  these  remarks. 
It  is  divided  into  four  books;  and,  from  the  manner 
in  which  it  opens,  Isengrimus  being  named  without  any 
explanation  on  the  part  of  the  author  that  the  wolf  is 
thereby  intended,  and   no  reason  being  given  for  be- 


*  "  At  some  future  time,"  says  Grimm,  "  a  much  better  ana- 
gram luay  satisfy  tlie  world  that  Mcnn,  the  editor  of  the  '  Renard,^ 
and  Mone,  the  editor  of  the  '  Reinnrdus,'  were  identically  one 
and  the  same  person." 


stowing  the  eiiitlut  ot"  Hcynar<I  uikhi  iho  fox,  it  is 
obviously  either  tlie  coiitiiuiatitm  of"  fJome  otiier  poem, 
or  a  new  branch  of  cue,  which  was,  at  the  time  when 
this  was  written,  already  popular.  It  commences  as 
follows : — 

"  At  early  dawn,  ono  summer's  mom,  as  Isenf^rimus  hieil 
Unto  the  wood  in  search  ot"  fooil,  Keinardus  he  espied  ; 
Who  thither  broup;ht  by  selfsame  thought,  by  whieli  tlie  wolf 

had  been. 
Had  hoped  that  he  the  wolf  should  see,  before  himself  was  seen. 
But  findin;j  straif^ht,  althoup^h  too  late,  he  was  in  jtiteous  case, 
Cut  off  from  tlij^ht,  the  cuiiniu}^  wight  put  on  a  good  bold  face; 
And  willingly,  so  feigned  he,  he  was  the  first  to  spi-ak — 
'O  quick  be  thine,  dear  uncle  mine,  the  prey  which  now  you 

seek.' 
lie  called  him  so,  yet  well  did  kn<iw  that  uncle  he  was  none. 
But  thought  wi>lf  ne'er  would  wish  or  dare  to  slay  a  brother's  son. 
'  Rejoice,  thy  prayer  is  heard,  I  swear,'  quoth  Isengrinius  grave, 
'  The  present  hour  puts  in  my  power  the  food  for  which  I  crave : 
Thou  pray'dst  that  I  might  quick  descry  some  fitting  prey  for 

me; 
Food  to  my  mind  in  thee  I  find,  so  thou  that  prey  shalt  be.'  "* 


'  Egnrcdiens  silvam  mane  Iscngrimus,  ut  escam 

Jejunis  natis  quiereret  ntque  sibi, 
Cernit  ab  obliquo  Keinardimi  currere  vulpom. 

Qui  simili  studio  ductus  agebat  iter; 
I'm-visuscjue  lupo,  non  vidrrat  ante  videntem, 

Quam  nimis  admoto  p{rdi<lit  hoste  fugam. 
nie,  ubi  ca.ssa  fuga  est,  ruit  in  discrimiiui  ca-suR, 

Nil  melius  credens  quam  simidnre  fidem. 
Jamque,  salutator  veluti  spontaneus,  inlil: 

'Contingat  piitnio  pneda  cupitn  meol' 
(l)icebat  patruuni  falso  IJcinardus.  ut  ille 

Tan(|uam  cognato  cj-ederet  usqno  suo.) 


xliv 

Rcynartl  objects  tu  his  uiulf's  ]ii'oj)i)sal  that  he 
i.liouhl  travel  after  the  iashion  ul' tlie  prophet  (Jonas), 
that  is  to  say,  in  liis  bowels, 

"  cquitabis  more  prophetae 
Non  tibi  si-llii  siipor  dorsii,  sed  intus  erit." 

and  while  they  are  arguing  the  point,  which  they  do 
at  considerable  length,  a  peasant  passes  along  carrying 
a  ham.  Reynard  makes  his  uncle  a  proposal  that  they 
should  rob  the  peasant ;  his  uncle  agrees  to  do  so  ;  and 
acct)rdingly  Keynard  approaches  him,  feigns  lameness, 
and  allows  himself  to  be  hunted  by  the  countrymaJi, 
who,  that  ho  may  the  more  readily  make  him  Iiis  prize, 
throws  down  the  ham.  This  is  speedily  snapped  up  by 
Isengrim,  who  had  been  on  the  look-out  for  it,  and  car- 
ried off  t(j  the  forest ;  where  the  wolf  is  soon  after 
joined  by  Reynard,  who  demands  his  share  of  the  prize, 
whereupon  Isengrim  gives  him  the  string  by  which  the 
ham  had  been  carried. 

Reynard  afterwards  induces  Isengrim  to  accompany 
him  to  a  store  pond,  wliere  he  will  be  able  to  catch 
abundance  of  fish.  Reynard  tells  him  if  he  dips  his 
tail  in  the  water,  and  allows  it  to  hang  there  a 
suflicient  time,  he  will  be  rewarded  by  an  ample  prey  ; 
and,  advising  him  to  catch  only  eels  and  perch,  and 
not  to  bother  himself  about  the  larger  fish,  leaves  him 
and  r<il)s  the  i)ri(st's  iien-roost  of  a  cock.      The  priest 

•  Contigit,'  Isengrimus  ait,  '  la?tare  petisse, 

Opportuna  tuas  obtulit  liora  preces  ; 
Ut  qujpsita  niilii  coiitin;;at  pra'cla  pftisti, 

Contigit,  in  pnedam  te  cxigo,  tuque  dari,'^.'  " — 1.  1-16. 


xlv 

ii|)un  being  made  acquaintL'tl  uitli  tin:  robbery,  leaves 
off  saying  mass,  and  gives  chase  to  the  fox,  accompa- 
nied by  his  congregation,  who  arm  themselves  with  the 
crucilix,  candlesticks,  &c.  Keynard,  linding  the  pursuit 
growing  hot,  betakes  himself  to  tlic  spot  wliere  tlie 
wolf  is  kept  prisoner  by  his  tail  being  frozen  fast  in 
the  ice.  Reynard  advises  him  to  escape,  and  leaves 
him  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  priest  and  his 
companions.  They  fall  uiiuii  liim.  tootli  and  nail, 
with  the  sacred  weapons  wliicli  tin  y  had  seized. 
Amongst  the  most  active  is  Andrada,  tin'  priest's  wife, 
who,  intending  to  kill  Isengrim,  aims  a  violent  blow 
at  him  with  a  hatchet.  By  great  good  luck  however 
the  blow  only  cuts  off  part  of  his  tail,  so  that  he  is 
thereby  enabled  to  eseaj)e  and  readi  the  forest,  where 
he  vows  to  be  bitterly  revenged  upon  Keynard. 

The  fox  soon  after  joins  him,  and  endeavours  to 
convince  his  uncle  that  his  loss  is  really  a  gain  ;  but 
offers,  by  way  of  making  amends  for  his  suppositl  ill 
conduct,  to  point  out  to  him  four  rams  whom  he  may 
readily  capture.  lie  does  so  ;  and  Isengrim  begins  by 
demanding  from  them  tlir  trilmte  of  hides  and  wool, 
which  their  fathers  had  been  accustomed  to  pay  him. 
Tliey  deny  his  right  to  such  tribute,  and  form  an 
effectual  plan  of  resistance,  for  they  all  four  attack  liiin 
at  oncf  from  tlir  ilitl'rrfnt  sides  of  the  lidd,  in  tin- 
middle  of  wliirh  hf  liiippens  to  be  standing,  and  he 
falls  to  the  ground  half  killed  by  the  blows  given  iiim 
iiy  tin-  very  animals  in  antiripation  ol'  wlmse  tapturc 
In'  had  exdainnd  — 


xlvi 

"  As  knives  cut  butter,  will  my  tct-tli  their  bones." 
The  second  book  contains  the  history  of  the  lion's 
fulling  sick  ;  and  includes  the  first  portion  of  the  earlier 
"  Isengrimus ;"  the  conclusion  of   whidi  poem,  with 
sundry  alterations  and  additions,  constitutes,  according 
to  its  present  arrangement,  the  third  book  of  "  Kcin- 
urdus."     That  wliat  is  now  termed  the  fourth  book 
ought,  at  all  events,   to  be  j)laced  directly  after  the 
second,  is  shown  from  its  commencement,  in  which  we 
are  told  "that,  the  court  being  greatly  rejoiced  at  the 
lion's  restoration  to  health,  the  several  members  return 
to  their  respective  homes :  and  that  on  his  way  through 
the  forest  Reynard  encounters  the  wolf,  who  is  still 
smarting  under  the  loss  of  liis  skin — an   explanation 
which  shows  very  clearly  that  tlie  third  book,  in  which 
the  wolf  and  the  fox  repeatedly  encounter  each  other 
without   the    slightest    allusion    being    made    to    this 
particular  injury,  is  very  improperly  thrust  into  the 
place  which  it  now  occupies.    But  to  proceed,  Reynard, 
after  a  long  discour.s^e  with  Isengrim,  persuades  him 
to    wreak    his   vengeance  upon   the  ram.     The  wolf 
agrees  to  do   so,    and   is  accordingly  conducted   by 
Reynard  to  the  spot  where  he  is  feeding.     The  ram 
succeeds,  however,  in  beating  ofFhis  assailant,  who  is  glad 
to  escape  with  no  worse  treatment  than  a  hearty  drub- 
bing.   When  the  wolf  is  somewhat  recovered  from  the 
wounds  inflicted  on  this  occasion,  Reynard  determines 
to  play  him  another  trick,  and  accordingly  invites  the 

*  "  Ut  butyrum  <;ulter  dentibus  ossa  seco." — v.  1464. 


\lvii 

Hun,  whom  he  meets  ami  who  is  desperately  hungry, 
to  visit  Iseiiirrim.  The  lion  does  so,  to  Iseugrim's 
great  astonishment,  and  the  whole  party  proceed 
together  to  the  forest,  where  they  have  the  good- 
fortune  to  capture  a  young  heifer,  wliich  Isengrim  is 
commanded  by  the  lion  to  divide.  lie  commences  by 
separating  the  spoil  into  three  equal  portions — intend- 
ing one  for  the  lion,  one  for  himself,  and  one  for  the  fox. 
The  king  of  beasts  is,  however,  sore  displeased  with 
the  wolf's  manner  of  sharing  the  spoil,  and  calls  upon 
the  fox  to  divide  afresh.  Reynard  divides  it  into  three 
shares,  certainly  of  cijual  size,  but  of  very  different 
degrees  of  value,  the  first  share  contained  the  very 
clioicest  parts  of  the  heifer,  and  was  in  fact  worth  the 
other  two  put  together;  tlie  scconil  siiare  contained  a 
good  deal  of  meat  but  no  fat  ; 

"  The  third  sill  buiifs,  hut  litth-  fh'sh  wius  thcrr."* 

Lastly  he  then  takes  the  feet  of  the  heifer,  adds  one  of 
them  to  each  of  the  three  shares,  and  lays  the  fourth 
on  one  side.  Being  then  called  upon  by  the  lion  to 
allot  the  several  shares  to  the  parties  for  whom  he 
intended  them,  he  says — the  first  is  for  his  royal 
master,  the  second  for  the  lioness,  and  the  third  for 
the  lion's  whelps.  The  lion  intpiires  what  is  to  be 
done  witli  the  fowrtii  foot.  "  It  is  for  me,  or  to  be 
added    to    your    majesty's    share,"    replies    the    fox  ; 


"Est  ossosa  parmn  torlia  rarnis  habens." — 1.  v.  '_».j8. 


xlviii 

wli(.icu])()ii  lie  is  graciously  pcnnittfil  to  retain  it,  as 
a  reward  lor  the  skill  wliirli  lie  had  displayed  in 
etfecting  so  etjuitable  a  division  ;  a  skill  wliieh  he 
])rotesses, — in  reply  to  the  intjuiry  of  the  lion,  who 
had  taught  him  to  divide  so  well, — to  have  at-tiuired 
IVoni  Isen<rrini. 

"  Me  il(K'iiit     .     .     .     piitnius  isti-  incus."* 

Our  limits  admonish  us  to  hrinj^  our  notiec  of  this 
poem  to  a  close.     We  must  therefore  pass  over  Iseii- 

*  Mono  says  that  in  this  part  of  the  poem  the  lion  no  lon^^er 
represents  the  emperor  Arniilpli,  but  his  son  Lewis  of  Germany, 
ami  tliat  tlio  division  of  tlie  heifer  is  intondctl  to  typify  the 
partition  of  Lorraine.  Unfortunately  for  this  statement,  the 
story  is  one  of  the  commonest  middle  age  fables.  In  a  MS.  of  the 
latter  end  of  the  thirteenth  century,  cont^iinini;  n  collection  of 
Latin  stories  for  the  use  of  the  monks,  amoiif^  tlie  additional 
MSS.  in  the  British  Museum,  which  was  assuredly  ecunpiied  iu 
Enj^Iand,  we  find  a  similar  story,  told  so  smnrtly  and  so  briefly, 
as  to  justify  our  adding  it  to  this  note. 

"  Ix>o,  lupus,  et  vulpes,  vcnantes,  ci'perunt  vacara,  ovem,  et 
aucaiu  ;  et  cum  liora  fuissct  partiendi,  dixit  Ix'o,  '  Luppe  (x/t), 
partire  predam  nostrain.'  Lupus  dixit,  '  Quia  tu  es  rex  iioster 
et  dominus,  tu  habebis  vacara  ;  ego,  quia  minor  te  sed  major 
vulpe,  habebo  ovem ;  vulpes  vero  habebit  aucam.'  Ix-o  aiitcm 
hoc  audiens,  protenso  pede,  pellem  do  capitc  lupi  unguibus  ex- 
traliit  et  caput  totum  fecerat  cruentatum.  Dixit  vulpi,  '  Vulpes 
nunc  partire  tu.'  Dixit  vulpes,  '  Domine,  (juia  tu  es  domintis 
et  rc.\,  tu  habebis  vacam;  et  domina  mea  leona,  uxor  tiia,  habebit 
ovem ;  et  domini  mei,  pueri  tui,  habebunt  aucam.'  Cui  leo — 
'Die  mihi  vulpes,  quis  te  docuit  sapienter  partiri?'  Ad  quem 
vulpes—'  Domine,  iste  socius  meus  cum  rubco  capite'-  ostenso 
lupo." 


xlix 

grim's  porjury,  and  its  j>unishnient,  together  with 
the  particulars  of  liis  tli-ath,  from  an  attack  iiuulf 
on  him  Ity  a  herd  of  swine,  and  of  liis  being  partly 
devoured  by  the  old  sow.  One  short  extract  and  we 
have  done.  Reynard  is  told  that  his  uncle  Isengrim 
will  never  sin  more  : — 

*'  No  wicked  schemes  now  form  his  dreams,  his  mind  no  trea- 
sons fill, 

lie  never  more,  will  as  of  yore,  do  aiij^ht  that's  wronp;  or  ill. 

'  Then  sure  he's  dead,'  sly  Kenurd  said  ;  '  dear  imele  art  iIkki 
gone? 

Alas !  I'm  here,  nh  uncle  dear,  thou  in  thy  toinh,  ah  me  !"♦ 

§  XIII.  yS'c  now  come  to  the  oldest  High  (Jernian 
poem  on  the  subject  of  Reynard.  Unfortunately 
this  ha.**  not  been  handed  down  to  us  in  its  earliest 
shape,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  fragment  from 
a  manuscript  of  the  end  of  the  twelfth  or  commence- 
ment of  the  thirteenth  century,  discovered  in  the  year 
1839,  in  the  vellum  l)inuing  of  an  old  account  book. 
A  slight  examination  of  this  relic,  which  is  pre- 
served in  the  library  at  Casscl,  at  once  satisfied 
Grimm  that  it  was  a  portion  of  Reinhart,  as  origin- 
ally written ;  and  he  announce<l  his  discovery  and 
printed  the  fragment  itself,  in  a  letter  which  ho 
addressed  to  his  learmd  and  zealous  fellow  labourer  in 


' '  Desiit  esse  mains,  mores  projocit  iniquos, 
Nil  sceleris  faciei  postmodo,  niUpie  doli.' 
'  Erpo  ohiit  certe  ?  jimli,  patnie  dulcis,  ohisti? 

Hen,  tumidura  sine  mo^  patrue care  tones ?'" — iv.  I(i7.1-fi. 


1 

onrlv  (lormaii  literature  and  philolopry", thedistinpruished 
editor  oi"  the  XihcliiiKjen,  Karl  Lackmaim.* 

Interesting  as  this  fragment  is,  in  a  philological 
point  of  view,  it  seems  better  for  the  present  pur- 
pose, to  content  ourselves  with  the  somewhat  modern- 
ized version  first  printed  in  1H17,  and  again  by  Grimm, 
from  a  different  manuscript,  but  collated  witli  such 
printed  text.f 

"  Ileinhart,"  tlie  poem  in  question,  contains  no  fewer 
than  22()G  lines  ;  in  the  course  of  which  the  author 
twice  names  himself  Ileairt Uli  <{rr  (iHrlicsrrrc  accord- 
ing to  the  one  M.S. —  (ilUhsctiierc  according  to  the 
other.  This  last  is  not  j»ropcrly  a  family  name,  but 
rather  to  be  considered  a  characteristic  one,  sigTiifying 
a  counterfeiter  or  feigner  (from  the  old  Clerman 
ffrlir/i(sr>n)iin(\  corresponding  with  the  modern  (ierman 
r»7m.v/UT,  a  dissembler.  (Jrimm, — and  his  oj)inion  on 
matters  connected  with  the  early  literature  of  his 
fatherland,  has  all  the  force  of  a  law — concludes  from 
various  circumstances  that  the  author  was  a  Suabian, 
living  in  German  Switzerland,  who  flourished  about 
the  middle,  or  rather  towards  tlie  latter  half  of  the 
twelfth  century.  His  work,  liowever,  has  been  handed 
down  to  us  only  in  the  shape  into  which  it  was  fa- 
shioned by  an  uiikmiwii  writer,  who  lived  some  fifty 
years  later  than  Hcinrich ;  in  whose  version  we  find 

*  SenrlsrhreilM-n  iin  A'nrl  /.nrlinuinn.  rnii  Jnrith  f!riinm.  f/'eher 
Hrinhnrl  Fiichf,  8vo.  Li'ipsic,  1840. 

■f    Reinhnrt  Furh.n,  s.  ciii.-cxv.  iind  s.  2.')-I  14. 


li 

tliat  ii  considerable  nuinljcr  nf  versos  have  been  sup- 
pressed, altered,  and  introduced  ;  but  in  which  tlie 
cranipinj;  metrical  laws  of  the  elder  poet  are  preserved 
in  a  most  remarkable  manner.  The  conti-nts  ot 
Heinrich's  poem  contribute  remarkal)ly  towanls  the 
earlier  history  of  these  fables;  for  it  must  have  been 
from  the  French  sources,  although  not  to  be  found  in 
any  of  those  now  known  to  exist,  that  he  was  enabled 
to  mention,  not  only  Salermi,  but  the  name  of  the 
physician  of  that  place.  Master  J'oidin  or  Bcnd'ui  is 
no  imaginary  person,  but  iyiafrist<'r  I'ontiis,  a  ( 'reek, 
who  is  recorded  as  one  of  the  lir.-t  fumidcrs  of  the 
school.  On  the  «)ther  hand,  the  elephant's  being  in- 
vested with  Bohemia  must  have  been  the  work  ot 
lieinrich  der  Giicltseturre  himself,  lor  it  is  little  likely 
such  au  incident  should  !«■  mentioned  l»y  the  French 
authorities. 

We  shall  not  attempt  to  give  an  outline  of  the 
wljolc  story  contained  in  tln'  •'  Keirdiart  ;"  Imt,  as  one 
of  its  pei-uliarities  consists  in  its  being  the  only  work 
which  tells  how  the  sickness  of  the  lion  was  occa>ioned, 
we  purpose  confining  ourxdves  to  such  portion  ot'  it; 
and  tliereby  completing  that  chapter  of  Iveynanl's  His- 
tory, of  which  our  notice  of  "  Isengrinuis"  and  *'  Kein- 
nrdus"  have  already  furnished  some  particulars. 

The  lion  jiroclainx-d  a  general  peace,  but,  the  ants 
liaving  refused  to  recogni/e  him  as  their  sovereign, 
he  trod  down  their  hillocks,  killing  tliousands  of  this 
tiny  raee,  ai\d  wounding  as  many.  Tlie  l^rd  dI'  the 
ants  was  ab-;ent  wlieii  tlii-;  ciitraL'e  was  conuiiitteil.  Imt 


on  his  r<»turn  vowed  to  tako  I>ittf>r  vengeance  for  the 
injury  done  to  his  people: 

"  So  spake  their  chiof ;  then  hunted  roiiiul. 
After  the  lion,  whom  he  foiinil 
Under  the  linden  fast  asleep. 
Close  to  him  the  ant  did  creep, 
With  an  angry  spirit  frauf^ht ; 
'  Lord  God  of  the  Good,'  he  tiioupht, 
'  IIow  shall  I  my  serfs  avenge  ?' 

*  «  4>  * 

After  thinking  many  things. 
Right  into  his  ear  he  springs."* 

Tlic  pain  which  he  caused  the  lion  was  so  intense, 
and  so  little  capable  of  being  relieved,  that  he  looked 
upon  it  as  a  judgment  of  heaven  for  neglecting  his 
duties  as  a  king  and  judge.  A  court  is  therefore 
summoned,  at  which  Isengrim  complains  against  Rey- 
nard, and  the  cock  and  hen  bring  in  upon  a  bier  the. 
dead  body  of  tlieir  daughter,  whom  the  fox  had  bitten 
to  death ;  at  wliicli  misdeed  the  king  becomes  so  en- 
raged that  he  frightens  the  poor  hare  into  a  fever. 
The  dead  pullet  is  buried  with  all  fitting  solemnity ; 

*        "  Sprach  in  hc-rre,  und  hiiop  sich  sa  ze  hant 
Kach  dem  Lewen,  biz  daz  er  in  vant 
Under  einer  linden,  da  er  slief. 
Der  ameise  zuo  im  lief 
Mit  cime  grimmigen  muotc, 
Er  gedahte  'herre  got  der  guote, 
Wie  sol  ich  rechen  mine  diet  ?' 
*  ♦  ♦  * 

Er  hate  manegen  gedanc 
Mit  kraft  orni  in  das  ore  sprnnc."— v.  1231-1300. 


and  the  liare,  having  laid  liiinsclf  down  to  sleep  upon 
her  grave,  awakes  quite  recovered  from  his  fever, 
which  being  looked  upon  as  a  miracle,  the  pullet  is 
pronounced  a  saint. 

Messengers  are  now  sent  to  summon  the  fox  to 
court ;  who,  regardless  of  their  authority,  plays  them 
sundry  scurvy  tricks.  At  last  his  friend  the  badger 
goes  to  him,  and  Reynard  promises  him  to  appear 
before  the  king.  He  does  so,  and  tells  his  majesty 
he  has  brought  liim  a  remedy  from  Master  Pendin, 
the  physician  of  Salerno,  after  taking  which  he  must 
sweat  himself  in  a  wolfs  hide,  and  wear  a  bear's  skin, 
and  a  cat's-skin  hat.  These  are  speedily  procured 
from  Reynard's  enemies.  Reynard  next  asks  for  food, 
and  names  a  fowl  and  a  piece  of  boar's  Hesh.  The 
poor  hen,  Pinto,  who  had  complained  against  him, 
is  instantly  killed,  and  a  steak  is  as  quickly  cut  from 
the  haunches  of  the  boar  who  had  supported  her  cause. 
In  the  mean  time,  the  king  takes  a  bath,  wraps  him- 
self in  a  wolfs  hide,  throws  the  bear's  skin  over  him, 
and  puts  on  his  cat'.s-.skin  hat.  The  warmth  of  this 
last  draws  out  the  ant,  who  creeps  from  the  lion's  head 
into  the  fur.  The  jihysician  lets  tlu-  sun  shine  ujion 
the  hat,  and  tlicn-by  di.-^covers  the  little  animal  which 
had  occasioned  all  the  king's  sufl'erings.  lie  is  vio- 
lently incensed  against  tin-  anl,  who  at  length  obtains 
forgiveness,  by  promising  tlip  iox  dominion  over 
a  thousand  castles.  Mcanwliile,  the  king  having  re- 
covered, Reynard,  who  lias  already  l)een  revenged  of 
his  enemies,  knavislily  seeks  to  reward  his  friends,  the 

e 


Hv 

elcj)hunt  aiul  the  camel,  with  gilts  which  carry  with 
them  infinite  vexation.  The  king,  at  Reynard's  soli- 
citation, bestows  upon  tlie  clei)hant  tlie  country  of" 
Boliemia,  where  he  gets  most  piteously  maltreated. 
The  camel  receives  a  nunnery,  but  when  she  goes  to 
take  possession  of  it,  the  nuns  rise  up  with  one  accord 
an<l  beat  her  out  of  the  place.  At  length  Reynard 
having  given  the  lion  poison,  he  and  the  badger  beat 
a  retreat.  By  the  time  the  fox  liad  reached  his  castle, 
the  king  had  grown  seriously  ill,  and,  owing  to  the 
distance  of  the  much-desired  ])hysician,  a  fatal  result 
was  expected.  Eventually  the  poison  does  its  work, 
an<l  the  royal  Lion  dies  lamented  by  all  his  subjects, 
who  threaten  vengeance  against  the  traitor  Reynard. 

§  XIV.  If  the  story  of  Reynard  had  its  origin,  as  it 
undoubtedly  had,  among  the  Germans,  with  whom  it 
has  moreover  to  this  day  preserved  its  ])opuIarity, 
undiminished  either  by  the  influence  of  time,  or  the 
changes  of  literary  taste ;  still,  if  we  would  point  out 
the  soil  on  wliicli,  during  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
centuries,  it  was  most  assiduously  cultivated,  and  most 
abundantly  fruitful,  we  must  place  our  finger  on  the 
nortli  ot"  France.  In  the  Norman  French  poems,  we 
find  many  rich  and  pure  streams  of  this  dearly-])rized 
romance :  in  number  and  extent,  although  the  oldest 
of  them  are  not  preserved,  they  far  exceed  all  the 
other  works  to  which  the  story  of  the  fox  has  given 
rise. 

Mcon  has,  therefore,  done  good  service  to  middle  age 
literature  bv  tlie  publication  of   "  Le  Roman  de  Re- 


Iv 

nart  ;"•  and  M.  Cliabaille,  his  successor,  has  added  con- 
siderably to  the  value  of  Moon's  publicati(»n,  l>y  llic 
supplementary  volume  to  that  work  wliicli  lu'  lias 
^'ivon  to  the  public. "j" 

The  "  Koman  dii  Rtiiart"  wliich  Mcon  has  puli- 
lished,  contains  no  less  than  3(),.'5()2  lines  ;  and  il'  to 
these  wc  add  "  Le  Couronnemens  Renart,"  and  "  Kc- 
nart  le  Nouvel,"  wliich  arc  contained  in  the  tuurtli 
volume  of  his  collection,  this  number  will  be  increased 
to  41,748.  Our  readers  will  see,  therefore,  that  any 
attempt  to  epitomize  this  work  would  Ite  totally  incoin- 
patilde  with  the  space  which  we  could  apply  to  thiit 
purpose.  Nay  more,  we  could  hardly  hope  to  jrive 
tlicm  a  satisfactory  analysis  of  one  oi"  the  twenty-seven 
*  branches,'  or  divisions,  of  which  it  consists.  These 
branches,  it  must  be  understood,  do  not,  like  the  .several 
adventures  of  the  Reinardus,  form  one  f^eneral  and 
perfect  whole  ;  on  the  contrary,  they  are  frequently 
directly  the  opposite  of  one  another,  wliich  is  never  the 
ca.se  with  the  .stories  in  the  Latin  and  Dutch  poems. 

fiervinus,  one  of  the  m<ist  distin;^nislied  of  tlie  liviiij; 
critics  of  Germany,^  shows  that  this  was  a  neces- 
sary result  froL.  the  spirit  which  prevailed  in  French 


*  /,«  Roman  du  Ilrnitrt,  pithlic  d'tiprts  lf»  ^lanunriti  ile  la  liilili- 
othripu  du  Itoi,  dtt  XIII,  XIV,  it  XV  Suvlrs,iMir  M.  I).  M.  Mam 
Paris,  8vo.  1824.     Tomos  4. 

t  ItC  Romitn  dn  Urnart,  Siifi/iJi'iiiinl,  ]'iiriiinteii  rt  Ctirrrciinn*, 
jmlilif  d'tiprin  Us  MSS.  d,  In  nil>lii>ll,r,f,ir  du  !(.>,,  rl  d,  hi  Hll>/wlhi</iu- 
df  C Artenid,  ]Hir  I'.  ChnlHidlv.     run.'*,  8vi).  18.'1."). 

\  Gftchichle  der  Portiiu-hrn  Xntinnal — Lilmttur  drr  Ihulxrhcn. 
(II.  1.  s.  44;i,  It  .soil.) 


Ivi 

poetry  at  the  time  tliesc  '  braiielics'  were  composed, 
when  the  short,  joyous  Fabliaux  ol"  the  Trouvt^res 
were  reeeived  with  such  {general  .satisfaction  ;  and  he 
even  ventures  to  express  liis  disbelief  (p.  4.jo),  that  a 
Frenchman  could  liave  written  so  complete  and  sus- 
tained a  work  as  the  Keinaert, — "  Nie  glaube  ich  dass 
ein  Franzose  etwas  du  Artmachen  Konne."  This  de- 
claration is,  on  the  other  hand,  treated  very  contemp- 
tuously by  Edelstainl  lUi  Meril,*  who  argues  that  as 
the  names  of  nuiny  of  the  actors  in  the  fable,  as  Chan- 
ticleer the  cock,  C'uwart  the  leopard,  Fira])el,  the  leo- 
pard, have  no  signification  except  in  France,  the  fable 
must  have  assumed  its  popular  form  in  that  country. 

Another  distinction  between  the  two  classes  of  works 
may  here  be  pointed  out.  The  wolf  and  his  injuries 
form  the  main  action  of  the  Latin  and  Germanic  works  ; 
while,  on  the  contrary,  in  the  F'rench  poems,  taken  as 
a  body,  the  fox  always  appears,  and  that  very  justly, 
as  the  chief  actor ;  although  there  is  frequently  not 
only  no  connexion  b(;twcen  the  several  histories,  but 
oftentimes  positive  contradi<-tions.  The  object  of  the 
more  recent  writers,  again,  ai»j)ears  to  have  been,  to 
represent  the  other  animals  as  obtaining  the  advantage 
over  the  fox,  while  he  at  the  same  time  gets  the  upper 
hand  of  the  wolf.  In  the  Latin  poem  the  cock  is  the 
only  animal  by  whom  Reynard  is  outwitted,  l)Ut  in 
the  French  works  he  is  so  by  the  raven,  the  cat,  and 
the  si)arrow. 

It  is  most  likely  that  the  greater  part  oi"  these  French 

*  Poi*ie$  Fojntlairex  Latinej,  p.  205-6. 


Ivii 

stories,  and,  besides  these,  many  others  similar  to  them, 
were  generally  curniit  aiiionjj  the  cuminon  people; 
and  «)nly  recpiired  to  he  adopted  and  put  into  rhyme 
by  the  poets.  Many  that  were  formerly  in  existence 
have  been  lost,  such  as  the  story  of  the  ant,  that  of 
the  death  of  the  lion,  an<l  many  others  which  now 
exist  in  other  forms,  but  not  in  the  old  French,  from 
which  they  are  known  to  have  been  derived. 

Pierre  de  St.  Cloot  is  considered  to  be  autlior  of 
the  oldest  exi.stin<j  branches  of  "Le  Homan  du  licnart."' 
lie  likewise  wrote  Le  Testament  d' Alexandre,  a  part 
of  the  great  romance  on  the  subject  of  Alexander,  and 
flourished  about  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury. Pierre,  who  refers  to  a  book  as  his  authority 
for  what  he  relates — 

"Que  se  li  livrt's  nos  dit  vr)ir, 
Ou  je  trove  I'estoire  escrite" — v.  4938-9. 

avows  himself  as  the  hibtorian  of  Keynard,  both  at 
the  beginning  and  at  the  end  of  the  seventh  branch 
of  M<''on's  collection;  wliicii  is  ccrtaiMly  one  of  the 
earliest  but  not  on*;  of  the  best  told  divisions  of  the 
work.     The  branch  in  question  commences  : — 

"  l*i»Trc'  who  was  born  al  SU  Cloot, 
Hn.s  takfii  puiiis  iin<l  trouble  too, 
Prompted  by  his  friends'  intreaty. 
In  verse  as  best  lie  may  to  greet  ye. 
With  u  merry  jest  and  wile 
Of  Uemird,  who  is  full  of  f;uile."* 

*         "  rieires  qui  d*-  Saint  Clost  fut  nez, 
S'esl  tant  traveill«'/.  el  jM-iiei, 


Wlietlic'i-  Lc^'raiid  d'Aussy  and  Hayiiuiiani  liavc 
any  grounds  fur  also  attributing  to  Pierre  the  first, 
second,  and  third  branches,  appears  extremely  problem- 
atical, inasmuch  as  the  artair  with  the  cock,  related  in 
the  seventh  branch,  is  told  likewise,  but  in  an  inlerior 
manner,  in  the  tliinl.  That  he  w'as  the  author  ol"  other 
portions  of  the  work  nuiy  reasonably  be  concluded 
from  a  passage  in  a  later  writer,  who  charges  him  witii 
leaving  out  the  best  parts  of  his  subject : — 

"  IVrroz,  who  plied  his  wit  and  art 
To  tell  in  verse  tah's  of  Kcnart, 
And  of  Iscngrini  so  stout — 
The  best  jiart  of  liis  talo  left  out."* 

From  which  it  appears  that  we  are  certainly  acquainted 
with  the  name  of  one  of  the  least  important  autlu>rs  of 
'•Renard;''  and  know  nothing  as  to  who  was  the  autlicM- 
of  the  most  remarkable  parts  ;  to  say  nothing  of  those 
oldest  branches  which  seem  to  have  perished,  or  which 
at  least  have  not  yet  been  discovered  The  German 
Ileinrich  der  GlichseiKEre  ])receded  Pierre  by  twenty 
or  thirty  years  at  least,  and  he  alludes  to  French  poems 
which  must  have  appeared  soon  after  the  middle  of 

Par  proierc  de  ses  amis, 

Quo  il  nos  a  en  rime  niis 

Une  risce  et  un  gabet 

De  Renart,  qui  tant  set  d'abet." — v.  4851 -f>. 

*       "  Perroz  qui  son  engin  et  s'art 
Mist  en  vers  fere  de  Renart. 
Et  d'Ysengrini  son  chier  coiipere, 
I^essa  le  raiez  de  sa  matere."— v.  9649-50. 


lix 

tlic  t'lcvcnth  century  ;  in  tact  there  is  tio  doulit  that, 
at  tlie  time  wlieii  tlie  Latin  works  were  written,  tlierc 
existed  euinpositions  in  tlie  Frencli  hm^^uage  on  the 
suhjects  of  Kcynard  and  Isengrim,  tlie  h)ss  of  which 
is  greatly  to  be  lamented.*  It  ought  to  be  added  that 
two  other  writers  of  later  date  than  Pierre  avow 
themselves  authors  of  i)arts  of  these  poems — Robert 
de  Lison  as  the  author  of  the  twenty-third,  and  a 
"Prcstre  de  la  Croix  en  Brie"  of  the  twentieth 
branch. 

§  XV.  lint  it  is  time  to  refer  to  what  lias  Ijeen  pro- 
duced in  Flanders,  on  the  subject  of  our  luro.  ami  in 
doing  so  we  have  a  pleasant  duty  to  perform,  inasmuch 
as  we  shall  be  instrumental  in  awakening  public  at- 
tention to  a  poet  whose  extraordinary  merits  have  been 
Iiitherto,  through  the  induence  of  fortuit»)Us  circum- 
stances, entirely  overlooked  ;  the  credit  due  to  his  skill 
and  ability  having  been  bestowed  ujion  a  later  writer, 
who  was  in  fact  little  more  than  a  tran.-lator.  We 
allude  to  the  clever  author  of  the  Flemish  poem  en- 
titled, "  Keinart,"  which  was  originally  published  by 
Grilter  in  1817,  afterwards  reprinted  by  Cirimm,  and 

*  It  is  not  too  nuich  to  oxpcct  that  some  of  those  cnrliir 
French  poems  on  tlio  .siil»jri't  ot"  Ki-yniinl  may  yot  conu'  to  li>;ht. 
If  lost,  tjiey  wen'  probably  in  exi.stcnce  up  to  a  later  jK-riod  than 
is  generally  supp<isiHl ;  .some  of  them  being  p«'rhaps  contuine<l 
in  one  or  other  of  the  numerous  MSS.  of  "  Kenart,"  mentioneil 
in  Van  Praet's  catalogue  of  the  Ancient  Library  of  the  T/Ouvn*, 
Inmilairr  df  I'anrirunr  Jiihl'mlhi  i/ue  du  I^nirrr,  fait  rn  T Annrc  l.'J'.l, 
l>tir  (idles  MalUtt,  iiardi  d<  lit  iliU  Hdilii>thr4juc,  Af.  Sm.!.  rails,  IS.Kl. 


Ix 

since  more  fully  edited  by  Willems,  from  the  iiiami.scri|it 
purchased  by  tlio  Belgian  Government  at  lleber's 
sale.* 

The  name  of  tliis  luTctofore  disrefrarded  \otary  of 
the  Muses,  appears  from  the  first  line  ol'  tiiis  poem  to 
have  been  IVillem : 

"  U' litem  liif  vi'lo  hockc  niacctc," 

says  the  Comburgh  MS.,  the  oidy  one  whieh  has  yut 
been  printed.  The  Amsterdam  MS.  on  the  other 
IkiikI,  lias — 

"  Wilkm  die  Madock  niaecte," 

from  which  it  has  been  supposed  that  his  name  was 
Jf'il/cm  die  Matoc  (from  the  old  Flemish  Mate,  socitis, 
likewise  pat/prr,  miser,  with  the  diminutive  oc,  there- 
fore sociohts,  or  pauperculus) ;  a  piece  of  knowledge 
Avhirli  serves  to  explain  the  hitherto  unintelligible 
passage  at  the  torinination  of  Jacob  van  ]\I(arlant's 
Reimbibel. 

"  Want  nit  ties  niot  .Maloc's  drom 
No  Reiimert's,  no  Artur's  bocrdcr." 

"  H'illain  die  Matoc"  says  Grimm,  "must  without 
doubt  be  looked  upon  as  the  author  of  '  Keinaert.'  It 
is  most  pnibable,  that  he  was  an  earlier  poet  than 
Macrlant,  and  not  merely  a  contemporary:  I  believe 
he  must  be  placed  soon  after  the  year  12.jO.'' 

*  Reinatrt  dr  Vnx,  Epixrh  Fnlieldiiht  rnn  de  Iwnclfde  en  dertiendc 
Eeuw,  met  Anmerkingen  rn  OphcUlerlngen  vnn  J.  F.  Willems.  Gent. 
Rvo.  1836. 


1X1 

The  accuracy  of  Grimm's  opinion  is  however 
doubted  by  Willems,  wiio  asserts  tliat  IVillem  van 
C'ten/iove/i  was  the  real  auth<jr:  addinjr,  that  Madoc 
was  not  the  author,  lor  that  the  iiaiiie  of"  such  a  writer 
cannot  be  touiul — tliat,  in  the  jiassa^^e  where  Madoc 
occurs,  it  cannot  be  tlie  name  of  a  man,  and  merely 
designates  a  j^oem  ;  and  histly,  that  the  article  dc  is 
never  used  before  the  Dutch  proper  names.  These 
objections  are  not,  liowever,  conclusive.  The  arjru- 
ment  that  Madoc  cannot  be  the  name  of  the  writer, 
because  no  poet  of  that  name  is  known,  applies  as 
directly  a<iainst  its  bein^  the  title  of  a  poem  ;  for  no 
poem  so  desiirnated  has  bcf'n  handed  down  to  us. 
Anil,  witli  r«'j:ard  to  the  article  dv  never  being  used 
before  Dutch  proper  names,  we  can  only  say  that,  in 
Ilotl'mann  von  Fallersleben's  History  of  Flemish 
Poetry,  mention  is  made  of  Jan  de  C'lerc,  Niclaes 
de  Clerc,  Andreas  ilr.  Sni't.  and  Jan  ilc  ^^'eert  \  an 
Ijpre.* 

lie  the  author  of  the  Flemish  "  luinaert"'  "NVilleni 
van  Utenhoven,  or  AVilleni  die  Matoe,  a  jmint  wiiieh 
further  investigation  can  alone  decide,  his  work,  which 
contains  3474  verses,  is  one  displaying  considerable 
genius  and  spirit,  and  may  justly  claim  the  merit  t)f 
exhibiting  a  number  of  the  most  pleasing  and  spirited 
adventures  in  Keynard's  history,  skilfully  worked  up 
into  one  connected,  well  arranged,  and  ])erfeet  wlmle. 
as   the  readi'r    will    readily    ailniit    wlun    told    that    it 

•    llnffman'f  llnra  Brlijira-,  pstrt  I,  p.  'il.  hv. 


corrcspomls  with  the  lirst  twenty  chapters  of  the 
present  n'|iiiiit.  Willrni,  wlio  states  his  work  ti)  liavc 
been  innlertaken  at  the  sulieitation  of  a  huly,  whose 
name  however  he  does  not  si)ecify,  confessedly  employed 
for  his  purpose  French  materials,  such  certainly  as 
have  not  come  down  to  us,  but  which  were  no  doubt 
current,  at  the  time  he  wrote,  in  French  Flanders  and 
Artois,  whence  he  could  have  little  difliculty  in  pro- 
curing them.  Bnt,  wliatever  those  materials  may 
have  been,  the  manner  in  which  he  has  employed  tlicm 
justifies  to  the  fullest  his  claim  to  the  cliaracter  of  a 
skilful  and  successful  writer.  In  his  work,  the  history 
of  Keynard  is  told  in  light  and  agreeable  language ; 
the  narrative  is  well  sustained,  there  is  nothing 
omitted,  nothing  unnecessarily  introduced,  but  the 
incidents  ai)p<'ar  to  spring  naturally  one  from  another, 
and  the  interest  which  we  feel  at  the  oj)ening  of  the 
poem  keei)s  gradually  increasing  as  we  fii<proacli  its 
tcnnination. 

To  this  poem  of  Willem's,  a  continuation  (consisting 
of  upwards  of  four  thousand  verses,  and  of  which  a 
fragment  comprising  one  thousand  and  tliirty-eight 
lines  was  first  printed  by  Grimm)  was  subsequently 
added  by  .some  writer  whose  name  is  entirely  unknown. 
The  etfect  of  this  addition,  which  relates  a  number  oi" 
adventures  of  very  diilerent  degrees  of  interest,  told 
too  in  a  very  inferior  style,  tcnd.s,  as  may  readily  be 
conceived,  to  weaken  the  impression  produced  by  Wil- 
lem's well-contrived  history.  Nevertheless,  the  two 
works  appear  to  have  been  very  early  regarded  as  only 


one.  The  trunscribcrs  probably  united  them  as  a  matter 
of  course  ;  and  after  tbe  invention  of  printing  they 
were  botli,  to  the  entire  suppression  of  Matoe's  fame 
and  name,  redueed  into  prose:  ami  thi-  story  on  its 
appearance  in  this  form  was  reeeive<l  with  sueii  uni- 
versal favour,  that  in  a  short  time  the  older  poems 
from  which  it  was  derived  were  entirely  forgotten. 
It  is  not  known  who  was  the  adapter  of  this  prose 
version,  the  first  edition  of  wiiicli  was  published  at 
Gouda,  by  Gheraert  Leeu,  in  1  170,  under  the  title 
of  Dii  I/istoric  ran  luinatit  du:  \  os^  uitli  thi-  inj- 
lowing  colophon  on  the  recto  of  fol.  ex.  *'  llvir  «i/n<l(t 
(lie  /ii/storie  ran  Itt  i/iiiitrt  ilic  ]  os  vmlv  is  (jltiprcnt  trr 
goude  in  /inllaiit  hi/  mi  (jln  rmrt  licit  den  seueutienden 
dach  in  ainjusto  IiU  iucr  M.cccc  en  Lxxix  Deo  (irn- 
t'uis.''''  This  edition  is  of  extreme  rarity,  only  two 
copies  being  known — one  at  the  Hague,  the  other  in 
the  matelUess  library  «»f  the  Right  Honourable  Thomas 
Grenville,  and  for  the  use  of  which  the  editor  of 
this  reprint  is  indebted  to  the  liberality  of  that  <lis- 
tinguished  collector.  This  jtrose  version  was  a;:ain 
printed  at  (iouda  in  IfS.j,  uiid  again  in  17^."5  in 
12mo.  at  Lubeek  and  Leipsic,  under  the  editorship  of 
Ludweg  Suhl,  "  Stadts-bibliothekar  in  Lubcck."  At 
the  close  of  this  introduction,  the  reader  will  find 
the  opening  chapter  of  CJerartl  Leeu's  version,  which 
I  have  tliought  it  right  to  give,  not  only  as  an  extract 
from  a  volume  of  extreme  rarity,  but  as  furnishing 
the  curious  empiirer  into  the  uHinity  which  exists 
between  our  language  and  the  Flemish,  with  the  meuns 


of  comparing  Caxton's  version  with  that  iVouj  wliicli 
he  translated.*  To  tliis,  fur  similar  reasons,  has  also 
been  added  tiie  |>;irallel  passage  in  the  original  iiietrieul 
version,  f 

§  xvi.  Before  we  proeeed  to  the  history  of  tlie 
Keynardine  fables  existing  in  English  literature,  to 
which  this  mention  of  Gerard  Leeu's  and  Caxton's 
versions  naturally  lead,  it  will  be  necessary  to  refer  to 
that  version  of  Keynard's  story  to  wliich  we  have  al- 
ready alluded,  as  one  which,  through  its  borrowed 
charms,  has  for  a  long  time  usurped  a  place  in  public 
estimation  to  whieli  its  own  merits  by  no  means  enti- 
tle it. 

This  is  tiie  Low  German  Reincke  dc  Fos  attributed 
by  some  to  Ileinrich  van  Alkmar,  "  Schulmeister  und 
Zuchtlehrer  des  herzogs  von  Lothrigen,"  and  by  others 
to  Nicolaus  Baumann,  who  having  fallen  into  disgrace 
at  the  court  of  the  Duke  of  .luliek,  afterwards  entered 
into  the  service  of  Duke  Magnus  of  Mecklenburgh 
and  <lied  at  Kostoek  in  lo2(3.  The  former  opinion  is 
maintained   by   Gottschcd,J   Scheltema,§   and    Schel- 


*  Appendix,  Nn.  11. 

t  Appendix,  No.  III. 

J  Ihinrivhs  von  Alkmnr  lieincke  der  Furhs  mit  schnncn  Kxipfcrn, 
nach  der  Aiisyahe  von  1498  ins  J lochdiulschc  ubcrsclz  von  J.  C. 
GolUched.  Loipsic  und  Amsterdam,  1752,  sm.  folio.  The  plates 
of  this  edition  are  by  Albert  van  Elverdinpen,  and  are  the  same 
which  pH'acc  the  Pleasant  Illstonj  of  Utynard  the  For,  lately  issued 
by  Felix  Summerly. 

§   Reintje  de    Vof  van  IJriwlrirk  ran  Alhmiiar  dtiir  Jniohnf  Sr/iel- 


Ixv 

Icr.*     The  latter  hv  (Iriiimif  ami  IlnlTniaii  vun  Tal- 

lerslebeii.J 

These  unsettled  elaims  to  the  autlmr.-'liii)  of  the  Luw 
German  "  Keineke''  have  proved  a  fruitful  souree  of 
lit»Tary  controversy,  hut  need  not  now  detain  us.  The 
work  itself  certainly  created  a  jrreat  sensation.  !Miich 
has  formerly  Itcen  written  ahout  it  ;  more  we  vonturf 
to  pre<lict  than  ever  will  be  a;_'aiii.  The  l»rinf;injr  to 
light  of  the  Flemish  Keinacrt  will  assuredly  pluck  it 
from  the  throne  which  it  has  so  long  and  so  unjustly 
occupied.  Yet  it  cannot  he  denied  that  Heynard's 
fame  has  been  greatly  extended  by  nutans  of  this 
version,  which  has  been  look<'d  up  to  tor  ct-nturies,  as 
bv  iar  the  most  imj>ortant  pro<luction  to  which  his 
history  has  given  risr.  The  most  popular  it  assuredly 
has  been,  as  is  .<hown  not  oidy  by  tin-  innumerable 
editions  of  it  which  have  from  tiiuf  to  time  appearetl, 
but  also  from  tin-  various  translations  which  it  has 
undergone. 

The  bildiographical  history  ol'  the  Rciiieke  and  tin- 
translations  of  it,  would  alone  occupv  a  small  volume. 
Such  therefore  it  would  be  useless  to  attempt  in  this 

limit.  IlatrK'in,  1826,  8vo.  This  cruUiiiiis  tin-  I^>w  (jiriniin 
toxt  wiili  ft  Diitth  triinslatidn  liy  St-lii'ltc'iiia. 

*  Itcinrkc  de  Fos  fan  llinrrh  Jitn  AUtmar  ujit  nye  utijeijrrtH  uniU 
forklared  dory  Dr.  K.  F.  A.  Srhrller.      Jirunswick,  182.'j,  8vo. 

t    (irimin.      Reinhart  Fuehs,  8.  i-lxvi.  ct  sc«j. 

X  Rrineke  Vos.  Sack  tier  I.i'dtrckcr  Atutfalf  rum  JnJirr  I  198  mit 
rinltituntf,  i/lnsfar  und  nnmfrkunijrn  iitit  Hoffman  von  FallerMien. 
Hrcslau,  1834,  8vo. 


place;  but  as  this  introduction  would  bo  very  incom- 
plete without  some  few  details  upon  tliis  point,  we 
will  at  once  proceed  to  furnish  them. 

§  XVII.  The  first  edition  of  Reynke  de  Vos,  was 
printed  at  Lubcck  in  1498,  in  quarto,  witli  woodcuts. 
Of  this  edition  but  one  copy  is  known,  and  that  is  in 
the  library  at  Wolfenbuttcl.  It  next  appeared  at 
Rostock,  in  1522,  in  4to.  with  wood-cuts,  printed  for 
L.  Dietz,  and  under  the  editorship  of  Nicolaus  Bau- 
mann,  and  with  the  preface,  in  which  the  real,  or 
pretended  author  declares  himself  as  "Ich  Hinrck 
van  Alckmer."  This  same  L.  Dietz  printed  four 
other  editions  in  4to.,  viz.  in  lo39,  1543,  1549, 
and  1553,  under  the  title  "Reynke  de  Voss  de  olde 
nyge  gedruckct  mit  sidlickem  vorstande  und  schonen 
figuren,  erluchtet  unde  vorbetert." 

An  edition  in  4to.,  under  a  similar  title,  was  pub- 
lished at  Francfort  am  Mayn,  by  Cyriac  Jacobs,  in 
1550,  and  durinji  that  and  the  following  century,  nu- 
merous other  editions  ap|)eared  from  time  to  time. 

The  next  edition,  in  point  of  importance,  if  not 
with  reference  to  its  date,  was  that  published  by  Plack- 
mann — Reineke  de  Vos,  met  dem  Koker.  Verlegt  van 
Frytag,  Boeckhandler  in  Wulffenbuttel,  1711,  4to., 
and  which  was,  till  of  late  years,  one  of  the  rarest 
books  l)elonging  to  this  class.  Hackmann,  who  was 
professor  at  Ilelmstadt,  in  an  academical  exercise, 
dated  1st  November,  1709,  contended  that  Baumann 
was  not  tlie  author  of  Reinike,  but  Ileinrich  van  Alk- 
man  ;  adducing  in  confirmation  of  this  opinion,  the 
Lubeck  edition  of   1498,  which  he  regarded  as  the 


Ixvii 

first,  and  of  which  no  one  had  previously  lieard.  In 
1711  he  reprinted  the  poem  from  the  Lubeek  edition, 
taking  such  care  not  to  mention  where  the  copy  of 
it  was  to  be  found,  that  it  was  not  ascertained  until 
17o3,  when  Guttsched  discovered  it  in  the  library 
at  Wolfenbuttel.  To  his  edition  Ilackmann  has  pre- 
fixed a  '  Vorrede  an  den  aprichtigen  Nedersachsischen 
Leser/  and  the  Latin  academical  dissertation  before 
referred  to.* 

Since  Hackmann's  edition — the  only  ones  deserv- 
ing of  notice  are  those  which  have  api)eared  under 
the  editorship  of  Bredow,f  Scheller,  and  Ilotrniann 
von  Fallersleben — the  last,  which  is  accompanied  by 
an  excellent  glossary,  and  valuable  notes,  being  by  far 
the  best  and  most  useful.  It  is  from  Iloifman's  edition 
that  the  specimen  of  the  Low  German  Reincke,  which 
follows  this  introduction,  has  been  derived.^ 

§  xviii.  But  it  is  time  to  rcfi-r  to  tlie  numerous 
translations  of  this  version,  to  which  we  have  already 
alluded  as  contributing  so  greatly  to  the  wide-sjjreail 

*  This  dissertation  contiiins  numorous  particulars  rt'spoi'tiiifj 
the  history  of  tlie  Ki-ynardiiu;  romaiicts  fciiu-rally;  and  I  liave  a 
curious  analysis  of  it  by  my  late  learned  friend  ^Ir.  Donee,  to 
whom  I  lent  my  copy  of  Ilaekmann's  edition.  Iluckniann  tells 
us,  among  other  things,  that  Luther,  to  wlmni  lie  gives  a  Greek 
appellation  (Megalander)  was  extravagantly  fond  of  uKsop's 
fables,  which  were  never  out  of  his  hand. 

f  lifineke  de  Vos,  mil  einrr  Vvrklanuuj  tier  olilf  sasxisclwn  uitrilc, 
Eutln,  8vo.  1798.  Vot  the  tith-s  of  the  editions  of  Scheller  and 
Ilolfmann,  sec  notes,  \i.  l.\v. 

X  Appendix,  No.  IV. 


Ixviii 

popularity  i»f  Koynard's  history.  An«l  first  oi'  tlu'; 
translation  of  it  into  Ilij^h  German.  This  appeared 
in  \')4'),  under  the  title  of  '■^  Rciitilan  Fuchs,  Das 
Ander  Teyl  dcs  biichs  Schimpff'  und  Ernst,  welches 
mit  weniger  Kurtzwediger,  deii  Centum  Novella,  Eso- 
pus,  Eulenspicgel,  Alte  Weisen,  IVeise  Mei/ster,  und 
alle  andcre  Kitrtztredige  bnchcr,  aher  zu  lernen  tceiss- 
heit  mid  i-erstaud,  ucit  7iutzHchrr  und  bcsserer,  wie 
aifs  dtr  Vorrede zu  vernemen  ist.  Gedruckt  zu  Frnnk- 
fort  am  Maynhey  Cyriarn  Jacobi zu/n  Hart."  lo4o,  fol. 
The  translator  of  this  High  German  version  says,  in  his 
preface,  that  he  has  not  announced  his  name,  because 
he  did  not  undertake  the  task  for  the  sake  of  renown, 
but  for  the  benefit  of  himself  and  others.  But  Schop- 
pcr,  in  the  dedication  of  his  Latin  translation  to  the 
Emperor  Maxiniiliaii  11,  tells  us  his  name  was  Beuther. 

"  Quos  puto  Saxonico  Beutherus  more  loquontes 
Gcrmano  jussit  cultius  ore  lociiii." 

And  we  learn  from  Floegel  and  Grimm  that  he  was 
no  other  than  ^lichael  Beuther,  the  friend  and  pupil 
of  Luther  and  Melancthon,  and  wlui  filled  the  post  of 
Professor  of  History  at  Straslnu-frh,  where  he  died  in 
1  587.  Of  this  translation,  of  which  a  specimen  will 
be  found  at  the  end  of  this  introduction,*  no  less  than 
ten  editions  are  known  to  have  appeared  before  the 
year  1617,  although  it  is  spoken  of  by  Grimm  as  a 
work  of  very  inferior  execution. 

Another  translatinn  into  the  same  language  appeared 

•  See  Appendix,  No.  V. 


lxi\ 

at  Rostock,  in  16;jO,  in  8vo.  iiiKltr  the  titli-,  Iieiuike 
Fuchs  Sfcn  fluff'  fidss  ntiir  /nit  (illcrhand  jetziger  zeit 
ublichvii  reiiii-artrn  (iitsijezicrt't,  iiiit  ctzliclicii  fnintlrrf 
rrrsen  herfichert,  tiiit  uiitcrschiidl'tclun  sitfm  uiid  Itlli- 
satzeti  vcrltessert.  A  second  edition  appoareil  in  1662, 
and  a  third  in  the  foHowing  year.  It  was  from  tliis 
version  that  the  prose  history  was  compiled,  which 
under  the  title,  Der  listigc  Rcinikr  Fuchs,  das  ist  ein  sehr 
nutzUches  lust-uitd  siini-rcichcs  Buchlein,  has  been  for 
so  many  years  one  of  the  favorite  chap-books  of  the 
Oerman  people. 

In  I7t52,  appeared  Gottsched's  translatiim — tlie  title 
of  which  w^e  have  already  given  (see  note,  p.  Ixiv). 
and  in  1794  Goethe's  noble  versification  of  it,  in  twelve 
.songs,  and  in  stately  hexameters  which  ]\Ir.  Carlyle 
has  characteristically  described  as  being,  "  for  poetical 
use  infinitely  the  best  ;  like  some  copy  of  an  ancient 
bedimmcd,  lialf-obliteratcd  wouil-cut,  but  new  done  on 
steel,  on  India  paper,  ami  witli  nil  manner  of  graceful 
ami  appropriate  ai)pcnila;rcs.'"* 

Other  translations  into  the  High  (Jerman  have  since 
appeared,  of  which  it  will  here  sufllicc  to  mention  that 
of  D.  W.  Holtau,  first  publishrd  at  Berlin,  in  1H()3, 
and  .secondly  at  Brunswick,  in  1H2.'{.  'J'he  same  autlior, 
some  years  since,  gave  to  the  world  a  translation  of 
Reynard  into  English  <loggrel  verse. 

In  1554,  there  appeared  a  Danish  translation,  under 

•  Goethe's  po«'ni  wa.H  nrtfrwanl.H  lrnn^lalc(linto  Danish  by  the 
illu.Htrioii.4  Ophlcnschlnpor,  uho^r  vrr>ir(n  wn.>.  published  nt  Co- 
penhnpen  in  ISOfi. 


Ixx 

tlic  title  En  liaffuchog  som  kaldcs  pan  tjjske  lieinike 
Fuss,  nu  nyVuje  J'onUinskit  off'  Ihrinann  Wi'ujcre. 
This  edition,  which  is  in  4to.,  was  published  at  Lubeck  ; 
a  second  appciircd  at  Copenhagen  in  I606;  and  a 
third,  revised  and  amended,  at  the  same  place,  in  8vo., 
in  1747. 

From  the  Danish,  it  was  translated  into  Swedish 
rhyme,  and  |>ublishcd  at  Stockholm,  in  8vo.,  in  1621, 
under  the  title  Reynche  Fuss,  thet  ar  en  shiin  och  nyt- 
tigh  dicht.  This  was  followed  by  a  prose  version  en- 
titled Rt'inick  Fucks  ellcr  mirfirl  ruf  3  nplagan. 
Stockholm,  1775,  in  8vo. 

It  is  also  said  to  have  been  translated  into  Icelandic, 
but  it  does  not  appear  that  any  version  of  it  in  that 
language  has  ever  been  printed. 

§  XIX.  We  now  come  to  the  Latin  version  by 
Hartmann  Schopper,  whose  literary  history  fully  en- 
titles him  to  a  page  in  the  next  edition  of  the  Calamities 
of  Authors.  Schopper  was  born  at  Neumarkt,  in  the 
Upper  Palatinate,  in  the  year  1542  ;  he  appears  to 
havedevoted  himself  to  study,  and,  in  1565,  commenced 
a  translation  of  Reinike  into  Latin  verse,  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  Slgismund  Feyerabend,  the  bookseller  of 
Frankfort.  His  task  was  interrupted  by  his  being 
comi>elled  to  enter  the  army,  and  then  cast  into  prison 
at  Freiburg.  From  Freiburg  he  ai)pears  to  have 
ascended  the  Danube  to  Vienna,  having  first  assigned 
to  another  the  task  of  finishing  his  translation.  His 
military  career  would  seem  to  have  terminated  at 
Vienna,  where  he  was  attacked  by  a  violent  fever,  and 


fell  into  such  distress,  that  lie  liml  ni)t  :i  l»eil  to  rest 
on,  but  slept  in  the  streets,  and  found  shelter  in  an 
empty  eask.* 

At  length,  Josias  Ilufnagel,  whoni  Sehojiper  had  nut 
previously  known,  took  pity  upon  him,  out  of  regard  to 
his  talents  and  reputation,  assisted  him,  gave  him  a 
sword  and  cloak  (in  lieu  of  those  which  had  been  stolen 
from  him),  and  procured  him  the  medical  assistance  of 
Paul  Fabritius,  the  imperial  physician.  Having  some- 
what recovered,  he  returned  in  the  autumn  to  Frank- 
fort, where  he  was  most  kindly  received  by  INI.  Jnjiann 
Cuipius,  the  son-in-law  of  Christopher  Egenolph,  upon 
whose  encouragement  he  eomjdeted  his  translation, 
and  dedicated  it  to  the  Emperor  I\Iaximilian  II, 
to  whom  he  complains  bitterly  of  the  poverty  and 
hardships  which  he  had  endured.*  This  translation, 
whieh  has  contributed  so  greatly  to  spread  Reynard's 
fame  amon"  scholars   who  were   unable   to  read  his 


*  Quin  ncc  mihi  decumbcrc 

Molli  licfbat  in  Thorn, 

Sed  in  platoa*  dolio 

Cubare  sonlidi.ssimo, 

Aut  linicn  anto  rpj;iuiii 

•lari-ns  in  utro  pulvt-rc-  p.  .'Uil,  i-tl.  \!>9'>. 
f  Tln'so  scanty  particulars  arc  all  (hat  are  known  of  the  life 
of  one  whoso  smooth  style  and  rt)up;h  forlnno  kin-p  hint  in 
memory  with  scholars.  They  have  In-en  Kleanid  from  his  dedira- 
tory  versos  to  Maximilinn,  and  otlitr  parts  of  his  work.  W'hiit 
was  his  subsequent  fate,  or  when  and  w  here  "  he  laiil  his 
wearied  back  one  day,  in  a  most  still  btn],  when  the  blanket 
of  the  night  softly  enwrapped  him  and  all  his  woes,"  are  entirely 
unknown. 


Ixxii 

liistory  in  any  of  the  Teutonic  versions*,  was  piiMisluMl 
at  Frankfort,  in  1567,  under  the  title,  "  Opus  J'oedcion 
de  Admirabili  Fallacia  et  Astutia  Vulpeculce  Reinikes 
Ubros  quatiior  hiaudito  ct  plane  nove  more,  nunc  pri- 
mtim  ex  idiomate  Grrmanico  ad  elegantiam  et  mundi- 
tiam  Ciceronis  latinitate  doiiatos,  adjvctis  insiiper  elc- 
gantissimis  ico7iibns,  vcras  omnium  Apologorum  ajiima- 
liumtjtic  species  (id  vivum  aduinbrantihus  iUustratos 
Iccfurptejucundissimos  complectens.  Cum  brrvissimis  in 
margine  commentariis,  omniumque  capitidorum  ciigu- 
ynentis,  nee  non  rerum  ac  vocnm  memorabUium  Indice 
copioso  in  operis  calcem  rejecto  Auctore  Ilartmanno 
Schoppero,  Novoforense  Norico. 

Tliere  are  no  less  than  five  other  editions  of  this 
work  i)ublished  in  the  years  1574,  1579,  1580,  1584, 
and  1595  re.sj)ectively,  all  bearinp;  the  title  of  Specu- 
lum I'itfV  AulicfC.  De  Admirnbili  Frdfaria,  <SfC.,  and 
illustrated  by  the  same  admirable  woodcuts  by  Virpji- 
lius  Solis,  and  Jost  Aminon.  On  the  presumption 
that  the  reader  may  be  curious  to  see  a  specimen  of  a 
work,  of  which  the  literary  history  is  certainly  some- 
what remarkable,  and  of  which  the  merit  appeared  to 
Lotichius  so  great  as  to  justify  him  in  comparing  the 
author  with  Ovid  and  Tibullus 

"  Schoppenis  nitidas  tlum  carmine  surgit  in  niiras, 
Naso,  fore  par  est,  sive,  Tibulle,  tibi  I" 

the  seventh  chapter  of  the  fourth  book  has  been  in- 
serted in  the  appendix.*  This  has  been  selected  not 
merely  as  a  specimen  of  Schopper's  style,  but  because 

*  Appt!ii(lix.  No.  VI. 


i 


Iwiii 

it  has  been  found  necessary  to  omit  a  few  words  in  the 
corresponding  portion  ot"  Cuxton's  narrativi". 

§  XX.  Having  thus  iletaih-d,  at  what  wc  foar  many 
of  our  readers  may  consid«.'r  far  too  great  a  length  the 
particulars  of  the  i>riii(iiial  versions  of  Keynard's 
story,  which  exist  either  in  Latin,  or  in  any  of  the 
languages  of  Europe,  we  must  now  call  their  attention 
to  those  which  are  extant  in  our  own  mother  tongue. 

And  here  we  would  observe  that  Caxton's  translation 
must  not  be  regarded  as  the  first  introduction  of  the 
Reynardine  Fables  into  tlie  littrature  <jf  England,  for 
there  is  good  reason  to  believe  that  thry  had  been  popular 
in  this  country  in  far  earlier  times.  To  say  nothing  of 
Chaucer's  NounesPreeste'sTale,  in  which  we  learn,  how 

"  Dan  Kussel  the  fox  stert  up  at  ones. 
And  by  the  Garpat  hentt'  Chaunteclccre," 

which  is  obviously  a  genuine  Keynard  history,  we 
have  far  earlier  and  more  decisive  evidence  of  that 
fact.  In  the  volume  of  M.  Chabaille,  for  instance,  to 
which  we  have  before  alluded,  there  are  to  be  found 
two  extracts  from  the  writings  of  Anglo-Norman  I'oets, 
from  MSS.  in  the  British  Museum,  in  which  distinct 
references  are  made  to  them.  The  tirst,  from  Chardri's 
Poem  '  La   Vie  de  Sit  Dornnin:,'  is  as  follows: — 

"  Nc  voil  pas  en  Fuhlis  d'OviiK- 
Soinnurs,  nicsirc  mini  cstuiili- ; 
Ne  j^  sachez,  m-  parloruin 
Nc  do  Tristram,  ne  do  GakTun, 
Ne  do  Rrnard,  ne  de  Ilrmmtr 
Ne  voil  pas  metire  m'entente." 

The  other  is  from  Bcnoit  de  Saiiit-More'a  '  Estoire 


Ixxiv 

c    la     Gini'dlogic  des   Diu    i/iii  nut  rs/r  par  ordic  en 
Nonncudie :' — 

"  Diinc  vout  quL'iis  Ilerluins  parlor; 
Ausi  li  prist  talant  d'uslcr 
Cume  fist  a  dan  Isen^m. 
L'li  fhfvalior  do  Costi'iisin 
Coniiit  (jiril  avfit  jii  veu." 

The  Ilarleiiin  MS.  (No.  219)  of  the  Latin  Fables 
of  Odo  de  Ceriton  was  assuredly  compiled  in  England, 
as  the  introduction  of  English  verses  into  the  moral- 
izations  clearly  proves,  and  we  there  find  several  of 
Reynard's  Histories  related,  with  the  names  of  the 
actors,  Isingrinus,  &c.,  a  fact  which  serves  to  show 
that  these  stories  were  as  familiar  to  the  inhabitants 
of  this  island  as  to  those  of  the  continent.*  Ano- 
ther manuscript  in  the  same  library  (No  913),  which 
was  obviously  written  in  the  fourteenth  century,  con- 
tains a  political  balhul,  in  which  is  introduced  the  fol- 
lowing curious  allusion  to  the  same  cycle  of  fable. 
Tlie  autlior  is  complaining  that  there  is  one  law  for 
the  ricli  and  another  for  the  poor,  and  he  illustrates 
liis  case  by  the  following  'spelle': — 

"  The  lyon  Ictc  cri,  as  hit  was  do. 

For  he  bird,  lome  to  telle. 
And  eke  hini  was  i-told  also, 

That  the  wolf  didde  nojte  well. 

•  In  the  Selection  of  Latin  Stories,  edited  by  Mr.  Wright  for 
the  Percy  Society,  several  of  these  histories  are  printed.  See 
more  particularly  No.  LIX,  p.  5.5,  De  Isengrim  monacho,  and  the 
no  te,  p.  229. 


Ixxv 

And  the  fox,  that  litlier  gronie, 

With  the  wolf  i-wreiitl  wns, 
To-for  hnr  lord  hi  schold  come 

To  amend  har  trepas. 

And  so  men  di<Mo  that  scli  asse, 
That  trepasiJ  nujt,  no  did  no  gilte. 

With  ham  bothe  i-wreiid  was, 
And  in  the  ditement  was  i-pilt. 

The  voxo  hird  a-manp:  al  menno, 

And  told  the  wolf  with  the  brode  crune, 

That  on  him  send  gees  and  lienne, 
That  otlior  gcet  and  niotune. 

The  scli  aasse  wend  was  saf, 
Por  he  ne  eete  nojt  bote  grassc, 

None  jiftcs  he  ne  jaf, 

No  wend  that  no  harm  nas. 

Tho  hi  to  har  lurd  com  to  tune, 
He  told  to  ham  h;w  and  skille; 

llios  wikid  bestis  luid  adune, 

'  Lord,'  hi  seiid,   '  what  is  thi  wille?' 

Tho  spek  the  lyon  hem  to. 

To  the  fox  onone  Iiis  wille, 
'  Tell  me,  boi,  what  hast  i-do, 

Men  bcth  aboute  the  to  ^^pille.' 

Tho  spek  the  fox  first  anone, 

*  Lord  king,  nor  thi  wille, 
Thos  men  me  wroiith  of  the  tunc. 

And  wold  ni(>  gladlieh  for  to  spillc. 

'  Ciees  no  hen  nac  ic  nojl. 
Sire,  for  soth  ic  the  sigge: 


Ixxvi 

But  as  ic  Ikuii  dcrc  b<i3t, 

And  bere  ham  up  inyn  owoii  riggc* 

'  Godis  grainc  most  Iii  have, 

Tliat  in  the  ourte  the  so  pilt : 
Wliali  hit  is  so,  ic  vouche  wivc, 

Ic  for-jivc  the  this  gilte.' 

The  t'als  wolf  stoih.*  bc-hiiul, 

He  wasdoggid  and  ek  telle, 
'  Ic  am  i-com  ef  grete  kind, 

Pes  thou  graunt  iiie,  that  on  nijt  full  welle.' 

'  What  hast  ido,  bel  ami, 
That  thou  mc  so  axest  pes?' 

*  Sire,'  lie  seid,  I  nel  nozt  lie 

Ittliou  we  woldest  inier  a  res. 

*  For  ie  hinted  up  the  doune, 

To  loke,  Sire,  mi  hijetc, 
Tlier  ie  slow  a  njotune. 
3e,  Sir,  and  few  gete. 

'  Ic  am  i-wrciiil,  Sire,  to  the. 

For  that  ilk  gilt  : 
Sire,  I  chul  sker  me, 

If  ne  5<'f  ham  dint  no  pilt.' 

'  For  soth  I  siggo  the,  bel  ami. 

Hi  nad  no  gode  mun<le, 
Thai  that  wreiid  the  to  mei, 

Tliou  ne  diddist  no5t  bot  thi  knnd. 

'  Sci,  thou  me,  asse,  what  hast  i-do? 

Me  thinchith  thou  cannist  no  gode  : 
Whi  nadi.-toti  as  other  mo, 

'I'hou  come  of  lether  stode.' 


*  Scrti-s  Sire,  not  \c  no5t, 

Ic  etc  sago  ninil  gras, 
More  harm  n«'  did  ic  11031, 
Tlier  for  i-wrt-iid  ic  was.' 

*  Bel  ami,  that  was  mis-do, 

That  was  a5C  thi  kund, 
For  to  ete  such  gras  so, — 
Ilastilichc  51'  him  Kind  : 

'  AI  his  bonis  50  to-draw, 

Ix)k  that  5c  nojtc  Icto, 
And  that  ic  3ive  al  for  lawc, 

That  his  fleis  be  al  i-frette.'  " 

Hut  the  mo>t  decided  jinuif  that  this  o}'cle  of  Ho- 
maiice  wa»  popular  in  England  at  a  very  early  pcritMl. 
is  furnished  by  an  English  metrical  version  of  that 
branch  of  the  French  Koman  du  Hcnart,  entitlctl 
.Si  commc  Iteuart  Jist  avaUr  )'s(nt/rim  litihuz  Ic  puis,* 
which  was  conununicated  to  tin'  Kdiquia!  Anticpue  by 
Sir  Frederick  Ma<ldcn,  Ity  wliom  it  was  discovered  in 
the  HiMlleian  Library,  in  a  Manuscript  (l)igby,  Ni». 
S(),  fol.  13H),  written  not  later  than  tlu'  reign  t.f  E«l- 
ward  I.  As  tlii>  pmiii,  wliidi  is  entitled  *'()f  tlie 
Vox  and  of  the  Wolf,"  has  already  been  printed  by 
Mr.  Wright,  at  the  close  of  the  intriHluction  to  his 
Selection  of  Latin  Stories,  it  is  obviously  unnecessary 
to  reproduce  it  upon  this  occasion. 

§  XXI.  IJiit  thougli  it  is  evident,  from  tiiesi'  refer- 
ences and  allusions,  that  many  of  the  principal  inci- 

•  Sc  Mcoii.  torn.  i.  p.  2-10-80. 


dents  in  xhv  fox:^  stuvy  liad  long  been  well  known,  and 
popular  in  this  country; — there  is  no  donbt,  that  after 
thi-  sixth  of  June  14H1,  when  William  Caxton  finished 
his  translation  of  it,  *'  into  his  rude  and  simple  English 
in  the  Abbey  of  Westminster,  "  and  thereby  placed 
before  the  lovers  of  romance  a  complete  and  connected 
history  of  Reynard's  adventures,  that  its  popiilarity 
was  greatly  increased  and  extended.* 

Reynard's  history  was  afterwards  printed  by  Pynson. 
Of  this  edition,  which,  like  Caxton's,  is  in  folio,  but 
one  copy  is  known  to  exist.  This,'  which  is  unfortu- 
nately imperfect,  was  formerly  in  the  possession  of 
Herbert,  but  is  now  in  the  liodleian,  to  which  it  was 
bequeathed  with  the  rest  of  his  valuable  library  by 


*  Of  this  intorestin;^  production  of  Caxton's  press  no  less  than 
five  copies  are  known  to  be  in  existence.  Of  these,  the  Kinj^'s 
Library  in  the  BriLish  Museum,  I»nl  Spencer,  the  lU^ht  lion. 
Thoums  Grenvilli',  lunl  Maurict-  Johnson,  Esq.  of  SpnUlin^^, 
each  possess  one.  The  fifth  is  in  private  liantls.  Thi-  first  three 
copies  bi-fore  nam«  d  (and  probably  the  others  also)  have  between 
sheets  h  and  j  a  leaf  inserted,  containing  apparently  one  page  of 
matter  which  hatl  been  omitted  in  the  makinp  up  and  working 
otV  of  the  sbe«ts.  This  page  is  so  divided  as  to  occupy  the 
upp«'r  part  of  each  side  of  the  inserted  leaf,  and  contains  the 
passage  which  in  the  present  reprint  begins  at  lino  16,  p.  I28» 
with  the  words  "  your  chyldrvn,"  and  ends  at  line  19  of  the 
following  page  with  the  words  "  For  I." 

Dibdin  stal<'s  in  liis  Tiqta^rttphical  Antiquities,  i.  .364,  "  a  copy 
of  Caxton's  edition  is  said  to  l)c  in  the  I'epysian  Collection  at 
Cambridge,  and  another  in  the  library  at  Lincoln  Cathedral." 


Ixxix 

the  late  Mr.  Douce*  who  liail  purdiii'ii'd  it  at  the  sale 
•  >f  IIitIktI's  b(M>ks. 

Pyuswui's  e<lition  was  followed,  in  lo.>(),  by  one  in 
12nio.  the  title  of  wliirh  runs  us  fttllows,  "  Here 
beffintuth  the  hooke  of  Jfai/narilc  the  I'tKie,  rnnteiniiuj 
divers  ijooilUje  Itifstorifes  and  parables,  tcit/i  others 
dyvers  pointrs  nccessarye  for  al  men  to  he  murked,  bi/ 
the  tchieh  pointes,  men  iinti/e  hrne  to  eome  unto  the 
siibtt/ll  hnoteledije  of  siiehe  things,  as  (hiilif  ben  used  and 
had,  in  t/'  eounsei/les  of  lordes  and  prelates,  both  f/htisteh/ 
and  tcorldett/,  and  also  among  marehauntes,  and  eomen 
people.  Imprinted  in  f^mdon  in  Saint  Martens  bi/ 
Thomas  GauUier  looO.  This  vohinio,  which  is  of  tiic 
greatest  rarity,  (the  only  known  copy,  I  believe,  being 
that  in  the  British  Museum),  corresponds  exactly  with 
Caxton's  translation,  except  in  a  few  cases,  where 
some  words,  whidi  the  editor  probal)ly  regarded  as 
obsolete,  or  at  all  eventh  obscure,  have  Ik'cu  oniitte<l, 
and  their  place  supplied  by  more  nuxlern  terms.  Tiiis 
is  an  advantage,  in  as  far  as  these  changes  serve  to 
point  out  more  clearly  the  precise  signification  of  the 
older  words  and  phrases. 

The  next  eUitiun  is  said  to  liavo  been  printed  in 

•  My  olrl  friend  onri*  nA.HuriHl  nu'  thai  ho  rra<l  KrynnnI  thi- 
Fox  regularly  oviTy  L'hriittmoii  t<>  XIr.».  I)«uoo;  ami  ujHin  my 
renturing  to  inquire  whi-thi-r  ho  did  not  find  it  nccoAsary  to 
mako  certain  oniiiuiionA,  ho  r<>pliMl,  in  the  wonLt  nf  ih«<  jovial 
clerk  of  Copmonhur»t,  "  Oh,  of  counie,  tj^rrptU  tsripirHilit."  It 
\»  obviou.t,  from  what  hoA  b«-eii  stated  in  the  text,  that  hu  ilid 
not  uso  Tynxon's  e<litioii  upon  the«c  occa.-<!on». 


KilJb,  but  1  um  nut  uwaiv  ut'  tlie  fxititeiice  uf  u  copy 
bearing  that  date  ;  fur  which  reason,  an«l  fur  others 
which  it  is  unnecessary  to  detail,  I  am  im-linctl  tu  duultt 
tlie  accuracy  of  tlic  stateniont. 

In  IG.jO  appeared  an  edition  in  small  quarto,  illus- 
trated witii  wuudciits  uf  a  very  rude  character, — the 
blocks  oi'  which  appear  to  have  been  much  worn. 
The  title-pa<;e  is  as  fullows.  YTk"  most  dvUctablc  his- 
tory of  Reynard  the  Fox,  ttetcly  corrected  ami  purged 
from  all  r/rossenesse  in  phrase  and  matter.  As  also 
axujmented  and  iidaryed  irith  sundry  excellent  morals 
and  expositions  upon  every  sercrall  chapter.  Loiidmi ; 
Printed  by  J.  Bell  IGoO.  In  this  edition  the  work  is 
divided  into  twenty-five  chapters  only — the  language 
has  undergone  further  modernization — and  the  editor, 
whoever  he  was,  concluded  by  promising  "  to  salute 
the  world  with  a  second  part."* 

This  modest  promise  does  not  appear,  to  have  been 
fulfilled  until  the  year  IGHl — although  another  edition 
of  the  furmcr  part  appcaifil  in  HWu  .  In  the  latter  year 
however,  appeared  a  new  etlition  of  the  old  story  of 
Keynard,  which  was  accompanied  l)y  a  sui)plement 
thus  entitled  : — 'rhv  nmst  pltusunl  and  dclitjhtfnlhislory 
if  Reynard  the  fox.    The  second  part,  containing  much 


•  "  If  any  bo  clonr,  h-t  liim  hold  on  his  path  and  avoid  stumblitifr; 
and  if  any  take  dista.sto  or  ofTcncc,  let  him  not  iilame  mc  but  the 
Fox,  for  it  is  only  his  lanj^ajjo.  But,  if  all  tiiinRH  suit  to  my 
wisht  imay;inations,  I  shall  then  be  cncouraj^cd  to  salute  the 
world  with  a  second  part,  clad  in  some  neater  Englisii,  deeper 
matter,  and  if  not  more,  yet  every  whit  as  pleasant  Morals." 


1  x  X  X  i 

matter  of  J'leasure  ami  I'outint,  irrHtni  fur  the  delight 
i<f  yoHiiij  mm,  pleasure  of  the  ai/e<l,  ami  projit  of  nil. 
To  which  is  added  many  excellent  morals. 

Jlert  rriul  the  Fnx,  tiit  nature  and  his  art ; 
Who  in  this  Story  act*  the  fjieatest  Part. 
Him  here  you  find  adranced  hiijltly,  and 
In  thit  hit  grandeur  for  a  time  to  stand ; 
Tdl  he  aspiring  further.   Treachery 
Qmlrired,  and  did  for  his  Treason  die. 

In  lfi84,  this  was  followoil  liv  wlnit  may  he  coiisi- 
(Icrod  as  a  third  part  of  Ivi  vnar(i'>  lii.-torv,  written 
by  some  one,  wiio  ch-arly  i-hows  hy  his  jin-racc,  that 
he  was  not  the  author  of  the  work  we  liave  just  (juotecl. 
This  seeond  supplement  is  entitled.  The  shifts  of 
liei/nardine,  the  son  of  Rei/mird  the  fox,  or  a  pleasant 
history  of  his  life  and  death.  Fall  of  varietu,  S'e.  ami 
may  fitly  be  applied  to  the  late  times.  .\<>u'  published 
for  the  reformation  of  men  s  manmrs. 

liaro  anteceilenteiii  scelestcm 
JJfseruit  jiede  jMrna  i  laudo. 

Into  the  literary  merit  of  these  imitations,  or,  even  of 
their  successor,  Cawood  the  rook,*  it  is  unn<'cessary 
Iicrc  to  enter, — more  especially  since  the  space  which 

•  The  History  of  Caicooel  the  Rook,  or  thr  AssemlJy  of  liinU,  icilh 
the  teeeral  Sfteeeltes  they  made  to  the  Kagle,  in  hojies  to  hare  the  (!o- 
rrmment  in  his  Alisrnee.  How  the  Hook  icas  b<iHithrtt,  u-ith  the 
Reason  why  Crafty  Fellows  are  eatleil  Rook'.      121110.  179H. 

Then*  wh-m,  «•«•  lH>lic>f,  n  noinrwlint  .niinilnr  mntinunlion 
piibli<ihfHl  in  (teniinny  sonif  y(>urs  Hincc;  «  poem  oniiilod  Hennynk 
lie  Hun,  written  li_v  H<^nin'r  nnilcr  tlio  nsKuniod  iinmo  of  Spam-. 


would  tiius  be  occupied,  in:iy  he  better  devoted  to  a 
notice  of  the  English  metrical  versions  of  Reynard's 
History. 

§  XXII,  The  fir.st  of  these,  written  by  John  Sluirley, 
was  published  in  1681. f  It  is  divided  into  chapters, 
corresponding  with  those  of  the  prose  edition  of  1650, 
and  tlie  following  lines,  taken  from  the  commencement 
of  the  poem,  furnish  a  very  fair  sj>ecimen  of  its  lite- 
rary merits,  which  it  must  be  confessed  are  of  no  very 
high  order. 

CHAPTER  I. 

How  first  ilie  Princely  Lyon  did  prochiim 

A  Solemn  Ffast,  to  which  in  numbers  came 

All  Beasts,  except  the  Fox,  who  did  refrain, 

'Gainst  whom  the  Hound  and  Wolf  do  much  complain. 
About  the  Feast  of  Pentecost,  when  all 
Tlie  Suns  brij^ht  rays  shone  on  this  earthly  Ball, 
When  Trees  were  in  their  Gaudy  Liv'ry  drcss'd, 
And  smiling  Flowers  each  fragrant  Field  posscss'd. 
When  balmy  sweets  perfum'd  tho  gentle  air, 
And  blooming  Spices  scented  from  afar. 
All  Nature  then  rejoycing  in  her  prime, 
Whilst  birds  sat  warbling  on  the  boughs  sublime, 
Even  in  the  Glory  of  the  pleasant  Spring, 
The  Lyon  then  of  Savage  Beasts  the  King, 
To  celebrate  this  sacred  Festival 
Did  all  the  Beasts  that  rang'd  the  Forests  call, 

*  77ie  most  delightful  History  of  Renard  the  Foxe  in  Heroic  Verse, 
much  illustrated  and  adorned  with  Alhyorical  Phrases  and  liefined 
Fiif/llsh,  ciinliiiniiir/  much  Wisdom  and  Palieies  of  State,  umler  the 
Faliliiig  Discourse  between  Birds  and  Beasts,  with  a  moral  /explana- 
tion of  each  hard  and  doubtful  Place  or  Part,  Iwinri  not  ordy  pleasant 


Ixxxiii 

And  those  ol"  tlelds,  nor  ilitl  Domcsticks  spare 
On  his  high  Summons  to  atttnil  him  where 
lie  had  late  builded  him  a  Uoyal  Conrt, 
SdHtlt-n  by  name,  in  troops  tliey  there  resort, 
Fearing  that  might  and  powr  to  dare  otlend. 
On  wliieh  their  Lives  and  Fortunes  did  dejxnd. 
The  Foxe  excepted  none  were  absent  found, 
But  all  with  reverence  did  encompass  round 
Their  King,  who  with  his  Queen  was  jilae'd  on  high. 
But  Reynard's  guilt  liad  caused  him  to  fly, 
Or  lurk  close  in  his  Den,  for  well  he  knew 
How  he  had  injur'd  most  o'  th'  Savage  Crew ; 
And  that  against  him  they  [complaints  would  make. 
When  silence  being  cryVl,  thus  Isiirim  spake. 
Itgrim  the  Wolf,  who  was  to  Rcijnunl  Kin, 
Did  to  the  Princely  Lyon  thus  begin. 

*  •  •  4-  *  • 

If  this  metrical  version,  wliich  is  dfrivcil  from  the 
old  prose  narrative,  cxhiliits  but  few  ehiiins  to  adini- 
ration  on  account  of  its  iK)ctical  beauties,  or  as  a  work 
of  art,  that  of  its  successor  and  rival  can  scarcely  be 
held  in  much  hif,'her  estimation,  although  evidently 
the  production  of  a  man  well  skille<l  in  author-craft. 
Thi.s  latter  has,  lutwcver,  the  merit  of  preserving  in  a 
greater  degree  the  characteristics  of  the  original,  ou 
wliich  it  was  moflellcd, '^for  wiiile  Shurley  seems  t(» 
have  been  unable  to  appreciate  the  quaint  simplicity 
and  quiet  humour  of  Caxton's  rude  and  simple  £n- 


Imt  ptnfititlilr,  n*  well  tn  thr  Lcnrnrtt  nf  the  Apr  as  othrrt.  The  Lihr 
nnvr  jmhlithcd  to  the  World  Ufurt.  iMndon,  printed  for  Thnmat 
Pastentfer  at  the  Three  Bible*,  and  Charles  Pastriifirr  at  the  Serrn 
Stars,  on  I^ndon  Bridiie.      ir.Sl,  4 to. 


glish, — tin'  author  ol" ''  Tlie  Crafty  Courtier,"*  despite 
of  his  allusions  to  contemporary  matters,  which  often 
disturb  the  harmony  of  his  work,  approaches  much 
more  closely  to,  and  gives  a  much  better  idea  of  the 
poem  of  Ilartmann  Schopper,  from  which  it  was  de- 
rived. The  following  specimen,  wliich  forms  the  open- 
ing chapter  of  his  book,  will,  we  think,  fully  justify 
this  opinion. 

BOOK  I,  CHAPTKR  I. 
Argument. 
T/ie  Lion  thro'  hig  Jiedlms  ilecrees 
A  Festival,  and  solemn  Pence  : 
His  Subjects  far  and  near  resort. 
And  croud  their  Passage  to  his  Court. 
TTie  will/  Pox  some  danger  guessed, 
Su*])rcts  it,  and  avoids  the  Feast. 
Nor  Anns  I  simj,  nor  of  Adventurous  Deeils, 
Xor  Shepherd's  playing  on  their  Oaten  Reeds, 
But  civil  Fury,  and  invidious  Strife 
With  the  J  alse  pleasures  of  a  Courtier's  Life. 

To  wlioin  yi"  Pluses,  will  my  Theme  belong, 
Ami  whom  sliuU  I  invoke  to  aid  my  Song? 
Thalia  !  sjtritely'st  of  the  Sacred  Nine, 
For  Gayety  and  Mirth,  'tis  said  are  thine, 
Thee,  to  direct  me  in  my  Task  I  choose 
Protect  the  Fable  and  inspire  the  Muse. 

*  TTie  Crafty  Courtier,  or  the  Fable  of  Reynard  the  Fox ;  newly 
done  into  English  Verse,  from  the  Antient  Latin  Iambics  of  Ilartm. 
SchojtpcT-us,  and  by  him  Dedicated  to  Maximilian,  then  Emperour  of 
Germany.  Ijondon  :  Printed  for  John  Autt,  near  Stationers  Hull, 
1706,  8t'«. 


Ixxxv 

Now,  in  her  Glory  Aid  the  Spriiifx  upj)oar. 

And  the  glad  Hind  beheld  tlu-  coming  Yi-ar ; 

leaves  cloath  tlu-  Trees,  aiid  Flowers  the  Fields  adorn 

Ami  ehearful  Birds  siiluto  the  rosie  Morn. 

When  the  fiero'  Lion  from  the  Tlirone  ordains 

Peace  to  the  various  Nations  of  tiie  Plains. 

His  Will  the  Heralds  and  a  Feast  proclaim. 

Invite  alike  the  Savage  and  the  Tame. 

BbI'IN  and  IsuRLM,  Princes  of  the  Wood, 

Ft)r  Beasts  too  boast  their  Quality  and  Blood  ; 

The  Pard,  descended  of  the  Royal  Kace, 

Approachd  the  Throne,  and  took  an  envyd  Placf. 

The  Baduer  next,  and  then  the  Vulgar  came  ; 

B<'asLs  without  Number  and  without  a  Name: 

For  these  a  miglity  Bumjuet  is  prepar'd. 

To  celebrate  the  Peace  so  late  declar'd. 

Re.n'ard,  invited  as  a  fav'rito  Guest, 

Was  only  missing  at  the  Uoyal  Feast : 

Conscious  of  Guilt,  the  Coward  kept  at  Home, 

Pretendeil  he  was  sick  and  couldn't  come  : 

Himself  he  knew  unworthy,  or  wxs  loth 

To  venture  farther  on  a  Tynint's  Oalh. 

The  Tables  spn'd,  the  (lowing  li<iwls  go  round, 

Healths  to  thi-  King  froni  evry  Hoimi  resoiuid. 

They  more  familiar  ils  they  drunker  grow, 

And  Imsrim  rails  against  his  absent  Foe : 

The  Fox's  Treasons  he  asst-rts  at  large. 

The  Many  shout  him,  and  approve  tiie  Charge. 

§  xxiii.  If  it  were  not  for  the  lon^rth  t<»  which  thi.s 
sketch  hn.s  already  exteruletl,  I  niijrht  have  ollerid 
some  remarks  on  tin-  characteristic  epithets  liy  which 
tlic  several  animals  an-  <li-;tin^Miishe<l  in  the  tlilliniit 
viTsidus  of  Hiynaitl's   Ili-tnry,   and    on    the    vahiahle 


Iwwi 

illustrutiim  svliidi  flu-  r(iiii:iii(f  allinds  uC  l»y-jruiic 
customs,  feelings,  ami  «>iiiiiitni>.*  'J'lu-  court  j)a;.'i:iiit 
wliicli  it  lias  lately  iuniislK'tl  lortli,  wedded  to  tin- 
music  of  Meyerbeer  ;f  the  traces  of  the  story  dis- 
coverable in  the  popular  literature  of  many  countries  J 
and  languages  ;§  the  works  of  art  to  which  it  has  given 
rise, — as  for  instance  the  illustrations  of  Kan»ljerg,|| 
Richter,^  and  Kaulbach,** — would  all  have  afforded 

*  Its  value  in  illiistratinp^  the  old  Teutonic  law,  has  been  the 
subject  of  a  special  essay  by  Dreyer,  entitled,  "  Alihandluiuj  von 
(Ifiii  iV«/;<'n  tltr  trijUchcn  Gedichts  Ite'mlit  (If  Vos  in  Ktkliirung  tier 
Dmtsclirn  litclits-Alllierthiimer,  insonderheit  des  vUemaUijrn  Civrichis- 
tcesens  ;  Wismar,  1708,411).  This  paper  is  reprinted  in  Dreycr's 
Nebenst  u  nden . 

I  There  is  no  novelty  fvt  ii  in  tliis.  Fur  we  an-  told  that  at  a 
prrand  festival  j^ivcn  by  IMiilip  li-  Bel  of  France,  in  l.'M.'J,  then- 
was  exhibiti'd  a  dramatic  representation  of  the  history  of  Kcy- 
nard,  wlio  eventually  became  Pope,  but  even  while  in  the  full 
di;^nity  of  the  papacy  never  ceiused  from  devourinf:;  poultry,  old 
and  yoiin;;.     See  Lc  Gruiul,  FaliUaux,  ii.  422,  ed.  1829. 

X  As,  for  instance,  in  A.  Kldm's  Minki^rhc  Swjen  und  Li(icndcn, 
8.  296  et  seq.;  in  the  Lithuanian  sonrr^  The  Wolfs  Wedding. — 
See  Rhesa's  Dainoa  oder  Litl/iauuche  Volkslieder,  Sfc. 

§  As  the  modern  Greek  story  book,  in  which  the  wolf,  the 
fox,  and  the  ass  play  such  conspicuous  parts.  Tiiis  porm,  of 
three  himdred  and  forty  lines,  is  reprinted  by  Grimm,  in  liis 
Sendichriel/en  an  Karl  Lachman  uImt  Rcinnrt  I'lirlis.  s.  7.')-90,  from 
anc<lition  published  at  Venice  in  1832. 

II  J.  JI,  R<immbcrfj.    IJmrisse  zur  Reinehc  Fnrlis.    IIanov<>r,  1827. 
^    licinrke  drr  Fiichx.      Virrle   Verliexaerte  Aujlaijc  mil  twuen  Kup- 

J'ern  rerxclionrrt,  tiarli  /.i-irhnnngrn  von  Prnfr.itsor  I..  Richtcr  in 
Dresden. 

**  These  last  admirable  illustrations  w  ill  be  published  in  Eng- 


Iwwii 

ample  field  for  observation  ;  and  lastly,  I  niifrht  have 
called  attention  to  the  evidence  of  the  endurinp:  vitality 
of  Keynard's  story,  as  manifested  in  (i-ermany  an<l 
Holland,  not  only  hy  its  publication  in  new  "  Volks 
buchcr,''*  but  in  other  works  of  higher  character,  and 
in  this  country  by  Felix  Summerly's  reissue  of 
Everdingen's  engravings  in  his  Home  Trcasuri/  \\  and 
by  the  recent  appearance  among  us  of  a  modernized 
version,  especially  intended  for  circulation  among  tlm 
rising  generation.} 

On  each  of  these  several  points  the  editor  might 
and  would  fain  have  said  a  few  words,  but  for  the 
fear  of  drawing  down  upon  himself,  from  some  of  the 
mendjcrs  of  the  Society,  the  reproof  given  to  honest 
Dogberry, — "  Neighbour,  you  are  tedious."  lie  is 
not  altogether  sure  that  what  he  has  already  done 
may  not,  in  their  cye.s,  aj)j)ear  to  deserve  this  censure. 


land  by  Messrs.  Ixjn-jman,  nioonijianiiil  l>y  a  lu-w  inutrical 
translation,  rcndireil  principally  from  Alkmar's  vorsion,  int<i  a 
somewhat  peculiar  style  of  verso,  but  one  which  we  can  confi- 
denlly  say  is  well  befitting  the  subject-matter.  The  work  will, 
it  is  umlirstoml,  app«-ar  under  the  editorship  luid  auspicrs  of 
Samuel  Naylor,  Juii.  Ksij. 

•  RrtHfkr  iier  Fucks  ul>rrtftzt  ron  G.  O.  Murtnich,  in  Otto  Wie- 
fl^d's  curious  series  of  Cicmian  "  VulAtbuchrr ,"  &c. 

t  The  I'lratant  Ilittory  of  Rrynanl  thr  Fur,  loUl  />v  F-rrrdiiuyrn's 
Forty  Pielurrt. 

X  As  one  of  the  volumes  of  Tarker's  Colii-ciions  in  I'opid.ir 
Literalun>,  under  ihr  title  of  The  most  DrIrcUtUc  llittnry  of  Hrynanl 
thr  Fixr,  anil  of  hi*  .Vow  liryrinnlinr,  A  rrritnl  rrmion  if  nn  old 
romanrr. 

fr2 


Ixxxviii 

If  it  he  so,  he  can  only  ivply  in  the  sjjirit,  iilthoii^'h 
not  in  the  words,  of  the  worthy  officer  of  Messina, 
that  liis  desire  to  ])roniote  the  welfiu'e  of  the  Percy 
Society,  lias  alone  induced  him  to  lay  hefore  its 
members  as  complete  a  sketch  as  he  could  jtroduce  of 
the  literary  history  of  that  most  delectable  romance, 
Reynard  the  Fox. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  INTRODUCTION. 


APPENDIX  No.  I. 

MS.  Bibl.  Pub.  Clin  tab.  Gp.  5,  .35. 

(  Written  before  the  middle  i>f  the  1  \tli  cetilnn/. ) 

Qrmus  ludns  est  animo  Fossani  cavat  non  modicam 

Et  jocularis  caiitio  Intas  ponaiis  af^niculuiii 

Et  lie  patcrct  liostibus 
Supcrnc  tegit  frondibus. 


HiK-advcrtant  ridiculmn 
Ex  vcro  non  flctitum. 


Saccrdos  jam  niricola 
iEUitc  sub  dccrcpita 
Vivcbat  amans  pecudis 

Hie  cnini  nu>s  est  ru>tieis. 


Ilumaiio  datum  comroodo 
Nil  majus  est  ingenio 

laipus  dum  nwte  cireuit 
Speni  predc  captus  incidit. 


Ad  cujiu?  tale  studium  Aceurrit  inane  presbilor 
Omnc  patiret  eouuuoduni  Gaudet  vieisse  taliter 

Nisi  forel  tarn  pnixima  Inlus  protento  baeulo 
Luporum  aitrix  silvula.  I.iipi  niinatur  oeido. 

Ili  niinuentes ntimenim  Jam  inquit  fera  |>e<ksima 
Per  ejus  sumniani  penenim       Tibi  rependam  dabitur 

Dant  inipares  ex  paribus,  Aut  hie  fraii|T;etur  baeuhts 
El  pares  ex  iniparibus.  Aul  hie  eripal)it  ocuhis. 


Qui  dolens  sibi  fieri 
Petrimentum  pecidii 

Quia  diflidit  viribus 

Vindietum  (pia-rit  artibus 


Hoedieto  simul  impulit, 
Verbo  sed  faetum  th-fiiit 

Nam  lupus  .senans  oeuluni 
Morsu  retentat  baeulum. 


xc 

At  ille  miser  vctulus  Post  i-uiiipk-tuui  psiilUTiiiiii 

Uiim  sesc  tnihit  iinniub  C'Dinimiiic  i)rc"stat  euniinmliiin 

Ripa  cidcntc  corniit  Sacenlolis  timiditas 

Ut  lupo  comes  im-idil.  Ati|iic  lupi  culliditiis. 

Ilinc  stilt  lupus,  hinc  pn'>l)itt'r,Nam  tuin  actlivis  Prcsbiter 
Timeut  sed  disparihiliter,  Perliuiret  Pater  Nostcr, 

\am  ut  fidenter  arl)itror  At(|ue  clainart't  Domino 

Lupub  stabat  sccurior.  Sed  libera  uos  a  malo. 

Sacerdos  secum  mussitat  Ilic  dorsum  ejusiiisilit, 

Septemiiue  psalmos  rumiuat,     Et  saltu  liber  effugit 

•Sed  revolvit  freijueiitius  Kt  eujus  arte  eaptus  est 

'  Miserere  mei  Ucus.'  I  Ho  pro  scala  usus  est 

Hoc  imiuit  infortuuii,  A>t  ille  la-tus  nimium 

Dant  mihi  votxi  jxipuli  Caiitat  l-iudate  Dominuui, 

Quorum  ncglcxi  aiiimas  Et  promisit  j)ro  populu 

Quorum  eoracdi  victimas.  Se  onituruui  a  modo. 

Pro  dcfuuetiirum  mcrito  Hinc  a  vieinio  ijuaritur 

Canliit  Placebo  domino,  Et  invcntiLS  extr;diilur 

Et  pro  votis  viventium,  Sed  numjuam  devotius 

Totum  canUit  psallerium.  Oravit  ncc  fidelius. 

Tliis  story  fonus  the  12th  bnmch  of  the  French  Roman  dc 
Renart. — Sec  Grimm  Ih  inhart  Fuchs,  s.  cxviii. 


Al'ri;M)lX  No.  II. 

Specimen  of  the  Historic  van  Reinaert  die  Vos.— Printed  by 
Gheraert  I><ecu,  in  1479. 

Het  wa-s  omtrcnt  i»inxtcrcn,  also  dat  tct  woutdan  gacnie  lus- 
tclit  gestelt  plech  le  wcscn,  van  loucrcn  blocssemc  blocmen 


XCl 

\s(l  ruknidf  eiiilf  iiuilc  van  vo^Miilrii  jjlii'siiijjhc,  Alsoc*  ilat 
«iyc  tnlcl  coiiiiick  van  alltn  ilicriii  woiulc  drs  pinxttTo  dagc'* 
ft  stadf  ceil  tvrlic  Iml'  houdcn  dat  lii  niur  al  sijn  lanto  wclen 
dedf.  Kfi  lid  dat  mil  necrstcfjcbicde  oin  cen  ycgclie  ditr  al 
daiT  to  conjcn.  Also  dat  allc  die  dycren  fjroot  la  clcync  Ic 
hoiic  ({name,  Sonder  Iloynat'rt  die  vos,  want  liij  biktndc  luin 
st'lven  lirockick  aen  mcni(;lien  dyeri"  dye  dacr  wcscn  soudcn, 
Alsoc  dat  hi  dut  niet  wajjhcn  en  dorste  dacr  tc  comT-.  Doc- 
die  cuninc  uldus  allc  sijn  hof  vcrsamet  liadde  doe  en  was 
daer  nycmant  dan  alio  die  das,  hi  tn  had  out-r  reynaert 
swaerlic  tc  elai;hcn. 

Die  erste  ela^^hc  van  Vsesfjn  in  de  wcdf  oner  Reynaert. 

Vseprym  mit  sinen  ma^e  die  (jhine  stac  voer  den  conie  en 
sprac,  liel"  ghenadi^he  here  heer  eoninc  doer  uwc  grote  mo- 
^enllicil  doer  recht  en  doer  nwc  grotc  genadc  soe  wilt  uiijnrc 
ont  fcnnen  der  groteronreilelieker  niisdaet  die  lleynaer  die  vtis 
aen  mi  en  ain  niyne  huu>\n)uwe  gedaen  heett.  Also  dat  hi  tot 
mine  hnys  en  mit  wille  va  mijnre  hnusvrouwc  ghcweest  is,  en 
daer  bcseykede  hi  niijn  Kinderen  daer  si  laghen,  also  dat  si 
daer  al  hlint  of  geworden  sijn.  Noeh  meer  so  sijn  hier  dage 
al"  geraemt  efi  udadingt  wart  also  dat  Reynert  S4iude  hiereen 
onsenlt  \oer  doen,  also  dat  doe  die  heilig«-  voert  gehroeht  wor- 
den,  doe  had  n-ynaert  he  andcrs  bedacht  en  hi  ontvoer  roeke- 
lo«'s  weder  in  sijn  vfste.  En  liene  heereoninek  dit  wrten  veie 
van  de  besten  die  hier  tot  nweii  hone  sijn  ghecomen.  Noch 
heeft  hi  mi  in  vih-  meer  anden-n  suken  /eer  grotelie  misdaen, 
Kfi  hi  en  leeft  niert  ilirt  val  ge^eggen  vmde  die  ie  o|>  des*-  tijt 
slaen  wil  laten.  Mer  die  st^'ande  en  ilie  onere  «lie  hi  mini- 
wine  ghcilaen  hccft  dye  en  wil  ie  niet  \cn>chwigen  noeh 
onghewroeke  laten  by  en  silt  mi  iieleren. 


XC'll 

AI'I'F.NDIX  No  III. 
From  thf  oil  FItniisli  Metrical  Rcinarrt,  vd.  Willems. 

"  III  t  was  n|)  t'lU'U  pinxtcr  dacli 
Dat  iiu'ii  woiuk"  ciulc  vi'hic  sach 
(Jroen  slaen  niyt  lovtr  eude  j^rass 
Ende  mcnich  vogel  Midc  wass 
Mit  sanpe,  in  liajji-ii  t'lidc  in  bonicn  ; 
Die  cnide  sprntcn  uut,  cndc  die  l)l(K'nu-ii 
Die  wel  rokcn  hier  ende  daer, 
Elide  die  dai-li  was  schoon  and  daar. 
Nctliel,  flic  Conine  van  alien  dicren, 
Mad  sijn  lioff  doen  krcyj^ren 
Sijn  lant  al  door,  ende  overal, 
Dat  his  waende  haddc  his  peval, 
Houdcn  ten  wd  proten  love. 
Doc  ({uamcn  tes  coninix  hove, 
Alle  die  dicre,  j^oot  ende  clene, 
Sondcr  vos  Rcinairt  allene. 
Hi  liafldc  tc  hove  so  vcle  niisdaen, 
Dat  hire  niet  dorste  gaen, 
Die  hem  bcschuldich  Kent  ontsieh. 
Also  was  Rtinacrdc  gescict ; 
Ende  iiier  omme  scuwedis  coninx  hof, 
Daer  hi  in  hadde  crankcn  lof, 
Doe  al  dat  hof  veramet  was, 
Was  daer  nicnicn,  sondcr  die  das, 
Hine  hadde  tc  clagcnc  over  Itcinacrde, 
Den  fellen,  metten  rodon  bacrdc. 

Nu  pact  hier  op  ene  dage. 
Iscngrijn  cndc  sine  mage, 
Gingen  voor  den  coninc  staen, 


XCIU 

Iseiiprijn  boponstc  sacii, 

Kndi-  Rpiiu",  '  Conine  licrc, 

Dor  u  ctlflhtit  L-ndf  dor  u  ere, 

Eiulc  dor  rccht,  ondc  dor  pcnadcn, 

Onlformt  u  dcr  ^^rotor  scadi*, 

Die  mi  lUinaert  lictft  pcdaen, 

Daer  ic  af  dicken  hebbe  ourfaen, 

Grotcn  lachtcr  cude  verliess. 

V(H)r  al  dandrc  outfcnne  u  dies, 

Dat  he  niijn  wijf  licvct  verhooit, 

Endi  nKiicn  kindrcu  so  misvoert, 

Dat  hisc  l)e  sckedc,  claer  si  lagen, 

Daltertwee  noint  [meor]  nc  sagen, 

Kndc  si  wordcn  stacr  blint ; 

Nochtan  hoondi  mi  sint, 

I  let  was  so  vt-rri'  conuMi, 

Daltcfnc'U  dath  af  was gcnommcn, 

Ende  Ileinaert  sonde  hebben  gedaen, 

Sine  ousenlde  ende  alsusncn, 

Alse  die  belege  waron  brocbt, 

\Va.s  hi  anden>ins  l)fdoiht, 

Eudo  outvocr  ons  in  sine  vestc, 

Here  dit  kcnncn  nochdie  bestc, 

Die  te  hovt'sijn  tomen  hicr. 

Mi  hevet  UeinacTt,  dat  iVUe  dier, 

So  vele  te  lecdc  giilaen, 

It  wcfli  wel,  al  s«indir  wacn, 

Ware  al  tlaken  iHrkenu-nl, 

Dat  men  maket  nu  te  (>ent, 

Inc  gesereeft  niet  daer  an, 

Dies  swijgic  nochtan  ; 

Nc  ware  niijns  wivi-s  laehter, 

Nc  mach  hict  bli\en  achter, 

No  onvcrxwcgcn,  no  ongcwroken. 


XCIV 

Al'l'KNDlX  No.  IV. 

(From  Ilon'mon  v.  Fallerslebt'n's  lU-iucki-  Vos.) 

It  (;(*&ch:icl>  U|»  tiit'ii  ])iiiksU.-(lach, 

Dat  men  de  woldc  ufi  vt-lde  sach 

(•rone  stall  mil  luf  ufi  ^ma 

L'u  inaiinich  vof^t'l  vmlik  was 

Mil  saii^e  in  lia^cn  nfi  n\>  Ixmicn  ; 

Dc  krudo  sprnUn  iifi  di- liloim-ii, 

Dc  wol  riiken  hier  un  dar : 

De  daeli  was  srhone,  dat  wi-der  klar, 

N(»l)el  de  Konniiik  van  alien  deren 

Helt  hof  un  let  den  utkrejercn 

S>ni  lant  dorch  over  a). 

Dar  queinen  vele  hercn  mit  grotciu  sebal 

Ok  <iuenien  to  hove  vclc  stoltcr  gcsellcn, 

De  nion  nicht  alle  honde  tellen  : 

Lutke  de  kriin  un  Mar(|iuirt  de  begger, 

•la,  dessc  weren  ilar  alle  dejrper; 

W'ente  de  konninek  niit  synen  berin, 

Mcndc  to  hidden  hof  mit  eren, 

Mil  vronden  ufi  mit  groten  love, 

In  hadde  vtirhodet  dar  to  hove, 

Alle  de  dere  grot  un  klcnc, 

Sunder  Reinkcn  den  vos  allcnc. 

He  ba<ldc  in  dem  hof  so  velc  misdan, 

Dat  he  dar  nicht  en  dorstc  komen  iioch  gan. 

De  quit  deit,  de  sebuwct  gem  dat  lichl, 

Also  dwlc  ok  Reinke  dc  boscwicht, 

He  scbuwedc  sere  dcs  K»iininge.s  Imf, 

Darin  be  baddc  ser  krankcu  lof. 


xev 

IXi  dc  liuf  alsus  uiif^iiik, 
Kn  was  tliir  iitii  an  JilK'iio  ik-  (iitvinck, 
He  Imdilf  to  kia^i-n  over  KciiiLcii  dcii  vus, 
1  )i'ii  mill  ht'lt  stT  fal.scli  un  16s. 


APPENDIX  V. 

(From  Roinicken  Fuchs,  by  lieutlur.) 

AiFK  eiiicn  I'liiiffsUijj  i-s  ^oschach, 

Das  ujaii  die  wilde  uiid  Foldo  sag, 

Scbcn  liisUg  hti'hn  init  Luub  uiid  ujas 

L'nd  manirh  vogi-l  frolich  wju*, 

Mitsiiigen  sjiriiigeii  iiidt-u  woldeii, 

l>if  bluinlin  blucii  aufT  den  i-Vldeii, 

Wolhccheud  »>U-heu  bin  uud  dar, 

Der  tag  Yios  scbuii,  das  woUer  Liar : 

Nobel  der  Koiiig  aller  Tbier 

Kin  tiig  auv>cbreil>eii  liess  gar  sebier, 

Durcb  sein  gaiit/  l-^\u\  mid  iilienill 

Da  kaineii  vicl  berreii  iiiit  grosxern  seliall, 

Dazu  viel  sUdt/.er  juiiger  geM.lIeii, 

Die  man  nicht  all  wol  kiiiile  /elleii. 

Liitgc  der  Kniiick,  uiid  Manjuarl  der  herr, 

Ja  dise  katneii  aiieb  daber. 

Dcnn  der  Kmiig  meiiitc  init  seincn  bcrren 

Zu  baltrii  eineii  tag  mil  chren. 

Mit  fieudcn  uiid  lob,  wie  ieb  sag, 

I  lid  batte  vcrM'briel)eii  zu  dein  tag 

Ja  alle  lliiere  gn>ss  uud  aueb  klein, 

On  Rciniken  den  Fuebs  ollein. 

Der  belt  v>  \iel  uiiv>liandelt  g:ir, 

Das  cr  nicbl  durfte  koniuien  dar. 


XCVl 

W'vT  u]<cU  tliut,  Rclicut  jjtTii  (ias  Liclit, 

Si  I  tlict  aiK'h  Rcinikcn  de  busscwicbt. 

Dos  Koiii^'s  lioir  IT  sflifurt  solir 

Dciiii  IT  ilariiin  hftt  wciiifj  Ehr.J 

Da  nun  des  hiifT  also  ungien;!^ 

War  nyimandt  da  diii  der  (irt-vinp, 

DtT  hftt  zc  klageii  uhcr  Ri-inikcn  den  Fuclu>, 

Ucn  Uielt  man  fur  tin  falsclic-n  I.uchss. 


APPKNDIX  No.  VI. 

(From  Ilartniann  Scboppcr's  De  Admirahili  Astutia  \'ul- 
jicculic  lltinikfs,  lib.  iv.  c.  vii.) 

AROrMKNTIM. 

Aplant  St'  puiftitt  lupus,  rt  rulprrula  fnllax  ; 

I'iribus  hie  pra-slans  corporis,  ilia  dolis. 
Qu<r  truris  rrupvrat  crudelia  membra  Gii/autis, 

Sirpe  breri  virtus  citrpnre  vuujna  latrl. 


Uont  srrs  Iscnf^inius 
I.,ivore  plenus  iinpio, 
Kt  cxtrcnieiuliis  uiij,'uil)us, 
Rictiui  suos  fj^ravi.ssinii 
Distendit  insUir  fulminis 
Oinniquc  tutus  inipetu 
Irrunipil  in  vuljxculani. 
Que  nixa  miris  fniudibus 
Resistit  ipsi  forlitcr 
Contraq  ;  nunc  assultibas 
Insurpit  ct  contrarijs 
Eludit  urpons  ictil)us. 
Alquaudo  jam  viriliter 


Sc  sat  supcnj ;  gesscrat 
Mcmorq  ;  semper  Rij,'enx> 
Olenlc  Cauda  plurimum 
Diuijj  niulus  cursibus 
Vexarat  Iscnprinium  : 
F",t  insc(|ucnltni  luserat 
IVdum  citis  anibaf,'ibu.s 
Tandem  lupi  comprcnditur, 
Ferocientis  unguibus. 

Tunc  qui  priiLs  male  dixcral, 
Vcrbisque  fulminavcrat, 
Hostcmquc  sat  notabili, 


XCVll 


Vcxalionc  carpscrat, 
Jam  pisco  (|uovis  niutior 
Sill-but  ii'ptT  Iloiiiike. 
Lu|iu^<|uc  lUH^^iis  viriuin 
Quassahat  ilium  motibus, 
Ut  lie  salute  corporis 
Actum  putaretis  sui. 

Quarc  lu|Hi  Mauorlio, 
MaiuLs  iiuriut's  ])orripciis 
Is  supplicahat  t.ililnis. 

Per  tc  omnes  C'liliics, 
I'er  ossa  matris  uptima* 
M:itios4|ue  patris  comprfcor, 
\'<K-em  precanlis  acrijK' 
\  it;tm<|nc  scnes  iiilcgram 
Tihi  <|U(iu.N<|ue  vixcro, 
Ml*  (Icdd  totiu  in  jugum, 
Lul)cnter  attiuc  scn'iam, 
Dum  st'iisus  hoc  ill  rorj^nn- 
I^tchit  ut<|Mr  ^pi^itw^, 
Sed  id  furens  vulpcculo* 
Rwasat  Isciiffrinius 
Vitami|ue  s;i'ru.s  ahiicj^iit, 
Ilaud  vcrlia  iludum  Uilia 
Dallas,  ait,  ncquivsime, 
Itomts  vini<u|ut*  nobilt-s 
Ilia  tiia  fallacia, 
Kt  ore  meiulacisaiiiu) 
Tam  dcxincs  lacos.scrt', 
( >ppn»briJ!Mjuc  ludtTi', 


Noil  te  scpultum  splcndido 
Plonibit  uxor  mannorr 
Carive  llobuiit  lilirri 
Si'd  jini'da  turpis  omnibiLS 
Corvis  oris  nipai'ibu.s. 

Aut  tf  ])n)fuii(lo  giirpitis 
III  aiiini-  iiii-rsuni  vitrcis 
C'ibuui  reliii(|uam  piscibiis, 
Ut  atni  lambaiit  vulncra 
El  dcnte  morsuin  distniliaiit. 

Mac  ore  dum  durissimo 
Profuiulit  Iseii^rriiiMis 
VuliH's  iiiriiinr  nriiitia 
C'otisuha  versat  altera 
MaiiU(|ui'  iiiirum  |ht  miidtiiii 
Lupi  pudenda  eorripit 
Hostilittri|uc  coniprimiL, 
Uolorc  pni'  |^avi^!>imo 
Ui'maxirais  rcsolveret 
()s  turpi'  I'uiii  (laiiioribu-s. 
A>tuta  vulpts  interim 
Kx  liustis  ore  subiraliit 
Maiiuni  |>uleiiter  alteram, 
Hie  piijjna  Mirpl  a>p«'ni  : 
Virf>(|ue  nam  eum  Ueiuike 
Manas  habea-t  libeni>, 
I)uov|Ue  piif^nnN  fuerat, 
Liipiim  mideslum  \iiieulis 
C'onstrinjjit  au-lioribas, 
lU-monlct,  uriret,  op|irimil 
I't  cordis  ex  nii^Lslia 


Df  vciitris  aiitro  tur^idi  Cuiirusiuni  coiululenl, 

Iii(;eiis  onus  rejumerft.  Staliiiii|iie  Re>^i  su])|ilirniit, 
I^ir^uiii({iit>  sUrt-iLs  omniuin      Miscrtasut  iiiiem  gruvi 

In  vnltihus  spccUmtiuni  Inipunat  huic  ccrtaniinc. 

Cai-ari't  Iscnprinius  Kxtcniplo  Hex  beni^nior 

Claiiiart'l  ati]iie  nionlio.  Suis  inini><lris  inijuTut, 

Id  intiR-ntes  pnixinii  It  liella  (liniicantiuni 

'rnrbantur  omnes  vl  liijii  l'iipiawi<inc  loUant  Imrridanj. 


<r[)P5torpr 

or 

i\n'narti    tljc  jfoir. 


This  is  the  Tabic  of  the 
IDistonjc    of    llfjjnart    tfjc    ,j}oxc. 


In  the  first  liow  tlu'  kynge  of  ^Ue  bestes  the  lyon  hclde 

liis  court.     Capitiilo  primo      ...  2 

How  IsojjTjm  tlic  wolf  coinpliiync'd  first  on  tlio  foxe. 

Capitulo  ij.  .  .  .  .  2 

The  coinplaynt  of  Curto^'s  tin-  hound  and  of  tlu'  ciitto 

Tjjjort.     Capitulo  iij.  .  .  .  .1 

lIow  Grjinbert  theda.sse  the  foxes  sustirssoneanswen-d 

for  the  foxe  to  the  kynge.     Capitulo  iiij.  .  T) 

Hipw   Chantecler   the   cok    complayncd    on    the   foxe. 

Capitulo  V.  .  .  .  .  f< 

How  the  k3'ngo  sayde  touchyng  the  complaynt.     Ca- 
pitulo vj.  .  .  .  .10 

lliiw  Bruyn  the  here  .spedde  wyth  the  foxe.     Ciu  vij.    .  Iii 

How  the  hero  etc  the  hony.     Capitulo  viij.     .  1-4 

The  complaynt  of  the  here  vpon  the  foxe.    Capitulo  ix.  J I 

How  the  kyn-j^e   sent  Tybert  the  calte  for  the  foxe. 

Capitulo  X.  .  .  .  .  'Jii 

How   Grynibcrt  brouf;iit   the  foxe   to   tlir  lawe.    Ca- 
pitulo xj.    .  .  .  .  2'J 

How  the  foxe  was  shryuen  to  GrymlKTt.    Capittdo  xij.  .'M 

How   the   foxe   cam    to   the  court  and  excused  hyni. 

Capitulo  xiij.  ....  :U'> 

How    the    foxe  was  are.stitl   anil  ju^^cd    to  <lelli.     Ca- 
pitulo xiiij.  ....  .'I'.i 

// 


How  tho  fdxc  was  lodde  to  tho  p^lwcs.     Capitulo  xv.    .  4(t 

Ilow  the  foxp  inailo  open  conft-ssion  to  fore  the  kyn<;i'  and 
>(_  .  to  fore  alU-  thciii  that  wohl  liere  it.     Capitulo  xvj.  4.'J 

I  How  the  foxe  brought  them  in  danger  that  woKl  have 
brought  hym  to  detli  and  how  he  gate  the  grace  of 
the  kyng.    Capitulo  xvij.         .  .  .  -Iii 

Ilow  tlie  wulf  and  tlie  here  were  arestyd  by  tlio  labour 

of  the  foxe.     Capitulo  xviij.    .  .  .58 

How  the  wulf  and  his  wyf  suffred  her  shoystobepluckyd 
of,  and  liow  the  foxe  dydc  them  on  his  feet  for  to 
go  to  Rome.    Capitulo  xix.     .  .  .  ;"»'J 

How  Kywart  the  hare  was  slayn  by  the  foxe.  Ca- 
pitulo XX.  ....  G.'J 

How  the  foxe  sente  the  hares  heed  to  the  kynge  by 

Bellyn  the  rame.     Capitulo  xxj.  .  .  f>7 

How  Bellyn  the  rame  and  allc  his  lygnage  were  jugged 
to  be  gyucn  to  the  wulf  and  to  the  berc.  Ca- 
pitulo xxij.  .  .  .  .  7() 

How  the  kynge  helde  his  feste,  and  Lapreel  the  cony 

complayned  to  hym  of  the  foxe.     Capitulo  xxiij.  72 

How  Corbant  the  roek  complayned  on  the  foxe  for  the 

deth  of  his  wyf.     capitulo  xxiiij.  .  .  7'i 

How  the  kynge  was  angry  of  these  complayntcs.  Ca- 
pitulo XXT.  .  .  .  .  7'l 

How  Grymbert  warned  the  foxe  that  the  kynge  was 

wroth  and  wold  slee  hym.    Capitulo  xxvj.  78 

How  the  foxe  cam  agayn  to  the  court  and  of  his  shrifte. 

Capitulo  xxvij.  .  .  .  .79 

How  the  foxe  excused  hym  byforc  the  kynge.  Ca- 
pitulo xxWij.  .  .  .  .89 

How  dame  Kuktnawe  the  she  ape  answerd  for  the  foxe. 

Capitido  xxix.  .  .  .99 

A  parable  of  a  man  whiche  dclyucrd  a  serpent  fro  deth. 

Capitulo  XXX.  .  .  .  .103 

Of  them  that  were  frendis  and  k^ne  to  the  foxe.  Ca- 
pitulo xxxj.  .  .  .108 


CI 

How  the  foxo  subtylly  oxciiscfl  hym  of  tho  dclh  of  thi- 
haro  and  of  other  niaUrs  and  liow  \n-  t^iitc  liis  pots. 
Capitulo  xxxij.  .  .  .  1  lu 

IIuw  the  wulf  complayncd  on  the  foxe.   Capitulo  xxxiij.  1.11 

A  parabk-  of  tho  foxe  and  the  wulf.     Capitulo  xxxiiij.  1.3G 

How  the  wulf  caste  his  gloue  to  fight  with  the  foxe. 

Capitulo  XXXV.  .  .  .142 

How  tho  foxo  toke  vp  the  gloue,  and  the  kynge  .sctte 

them  day  and  feldo  for  to  fighte.     Capitulo  xxxvi.  143 

How  dame  Rukenawo  the  she  ape  counseyllcd  the  foxe 
how  he  shold  doo  in  the  fold  ayenst  the  wulf. 
Capitulo  xxxij.  ....  Mfl- 

How  the  foxo  cam  in  to  the  fold.    Capitulo  xxxiij.        .  140 

How  tho  foxe  and  the  wxdf  foughtcn  to  gydre.  Ca- 
pitulo xxxix.  ....  147  ; 

How  the  foxe  beyng  vnder  the  wulf  with  glosyng  and  ' 

flateryng  wordes  cam  to  his  aboue.     Capitulo  xl.  .  I.'jI 

How  Ysegrym  the  wulf  wa.s  ouercomen  and  the  batayl 
fynysshyd,  and  how  the  foxo  had  the  worship. 
Capitulo  xlj.  .  .  .  .  l.'iG    ,' 

An  example  that  the  foxe  told  to  the  kyng  wlian  he  hud 

wonnc  the  feldo.    Capitulo  xlij.  158 

How  tho  (oxc  with  his  frendes  depnrti-d  nolily  fi'o  tiie 
kynge  and  wento  to  hi.s  castel  Maleperduys.  Ca- 
pitulo xliij.  .  .  .  I(;4 


HVi:i{   liKfJVNNKTIl  TIIVSTOHVi:  (H    HI .^NAIM) 

Tin:  loxK. 


In  this  historye  ben  wntton  the  parables,  good  It-in- 
yiige,  and  dyverse  poyntcs  to  be  iiierkyd,  by  whitliu 
poyntes  men  inaye  Icrne  to  come  to  the  subtyl  knowe- 
lecbe  of  suche  thynges  as  dayly  ben  used,  antl  hail  in 
the  counseyllys  of  lordes  and  prehit<s,  gostly  and 
worldly  ;  and,  also  cmonge  marchantes  and  other 
eomone  peple.  And  this  booke  is  maad  for  ncdc  ami 
proiiffyte  of  all*'  god  folke,  as  fer  as  they  in  redynge 
or  iieeryng  of  it  shal  mowe  understande  and  fele  the 
forsayd  subtyl  deceytes  that  <layly  ben  used  iu  the 
worlde,  not  to  thcntente  that  men  shold  use  them,  but 
that  every  man  shold  esehewe  and  kepc  hym  from  the 
Bubtyl  false  shrewis  that  they  be  not  deeeyvyd.  Tlu-nne 
who  that  wyll  have  the  very  uiiderstandyng  of  this 
mater,  he  muste  ofte  and  many  tymes  rede  in  thys 
boke,  and  frnrstly  and  diligently  marke  wel  that  he 
redeth,  for  it  is  sette  subtylly,  lyke  as  ye  shal  see  in 
redyng  of  it,  and  not  ones  to  rrde  it,  for  a  nnin  shal 
not  wyth  ones  over  redyng  fynde  the  ryght  under- 
standing, ne  comprise  it  wel,  l)ut  oftymes  to  re«le  it 
shal  cause  it  wel  to  be  understande.  And  f<»r  them 
that  uuderst.iJidi'th  it,  it  sliiill  lie  ryght  joyous,  phiysant, 
and  proutlilable. 

It 


2  rnYsTouYK  of  ukynakd  thi:  foxk. 

HOW  Tin:  LYON,  KYNGK  OK  AI.I.K  UnSTIS,  SKNTK  OI'T  IIIH 

MANDEMKNTIS  THAT  ALLK  UKESTIH  NUOLDE  COMK 

TO  HIS  FKEST  AND  COl'BT. 

CAriTl'LO  PHIMO. 

It  was  abouto  the  tynic  of  Pentliccostc  or  "Wliytsontydc, 
that  the  woiles  comynly  be  histy  and  ghidsoin,  ami  the 
trees  chul  with  levys  and  blossoinc,  and  tlie  ground 
with  herbes  and  flowris  swetc  sinellyng,  and  also 
the  fowles  and  byrdcs  syngen  melodyously  in  theyr 
arinonye,  that  the  lyon,  the  noble  kynge  of  all 
bcestis  wolde  in  the  holydayes  of  thys  feost  holdc  an 
open  court  at  Stade,  whychc  he  dyde  to  knowe  over  alle 
in  his  land,  ami  commanded  by  strayte  coininyssyons 
and  ujaundements  that  euery  becst  shold  come  thyder, 
in  suche  wyse  that  alle  the  beestis  grete  and  smale  cam 
to  the  courte,  sauf  Keynard  the  Foxe,  for  he  kncwe 
hymsclf  fawty  and  gylty  in  many  thyngcs  aycnst 
many  beestis  that  thyder  sholde  comen,  that  he  durstc 
not  aventure  to  goo  thyder.  Whan  the  kynge  of  alle 
bcestis  had  assembled  alle  his  court,  thcr  was  none  of 
them  alle  but  tliat  he  had  complaynerl  sore  on  Ivevnart 
the  Foxe. 


THK.  MUST  rOMPLAYNT  MADK  IsKCKYM  TIIK   \\V\.V 
ON   RKYNART. 

CAPITl'LO  H. 

IsKGRYM  the  wulf,  wyth  his  lynage  and  frendcs,  cam 
and  stode  to  fore  the   kynge,   and   sayde :   llyc   and 


TIIYSTORVK  OF  HKYNAUO  TIIF.  FOXK.  ': 

mighty    prynce,  my  lord  the  kynge,  I  beseche  yow 
that  thtirgh  your  grcte  myght,  rvght,  and  mtMvy,  that 
yv  wyl  have  pyte  on  tlic  gretc  trespas,  and  the  iinrc- 
sonablc  mysdedcs  that  Kcynart  the  Foxe  hath  don  to 
me  and  to  my  wyf,  tliat  isi  to  wete,  he  is  oomon  in  to 
my  hows  ayenst  the  wylle  of  my  wyf,  and  there  he 
hath  bespattered  my  chyhhen  where  as  they  laye,  in 
suehe    wyse     as    tliey    therof    ben    woxen     Myn<le. 
Wliorupnn  was  a  day  sette,  and  wa-s  jngcd  tliat  Keyg- 
nart  tihoM  come  and  have  excused   hym   hierof,   and 
liave    sworen  on    tin*    holy  sayntes,   that   he    was   not 
gylty  therof,  and  whan  the  book  with  the  sayntes  was 
brought  forth,  tho  ha<l  Heyguart  bythought  hym  otlier 
wyse,  and  wcnte  his  waye  agayn  in  to  his  hole,  as  lie 
had  nought  sette  therby,  and,  dere  kynge,  this  knowcn 
wel  many  of  the  bestes  tluit  now   be  comcn   hyther  to 
your  court,  and  yet  hath   lu-  trespaced   to  me  in  many 
other  thingcs,  he  is  not  ly^•-vnge  that  coude  telle  alle 
that  I  now  leve  untolde.     I5ut  the  shame  and  vylonye 
tluit  he  hath  don  to  my  wyf,  that  shall  I  never  hydc  ne 
suffrr  it  miaveng<-  but   that  he  .--hal  make  to  me  large 
amendes. 


TIIK  COMri.AVNT  or  COURTOT9  TIIK  UOl'NUK. 
CAI'ITI'l-O  IIJ. 

WiiAN  thysc  wordes  were  s|>oken  so  stodc  there  a 
lytyl  hounde  a>id  was  nam<>d  Courtoys,  and  eomphiy- 
n»"d  to  tln>  kviiL'i-.  liiiw  th:it  ill  the  cnldc  \v\iiti  r.  in  llii* 


4  TIIVSTOkYK  or  REY.VAIU)  TIIK  KOXK. 

harde  froste,  he  had  ben  sore  forwyntcrd,  in  such  wyse 
as  he  had  koptc  no  more  mete  tlian  a  piiddynjr,  whych 
puddyng  Keygnard  the  Foxc  had  taken  away  from 
liym. 

Tho  spak  Thybert  the  Catte. 
"NVytii  tills  so  eani  Tybcrt  the  C'att(>  wyth  an  irons 
meed,  and  sprang  in  emonge  thciii  and  sayde  :  My  lord 
the  kyng,  I  here  bier  that  IJeggnart  is  sore  coniphiy- 
ned  on,  and  bier  is  none  bnt  tiiat  he  hath  ynowh  to  doo 
to  clere  liym  self;  that  Courtoys  bier  eomplaynetb  of, 
that  is  passyd  many  yeres  goon,  how  be  it  that  I 
eomplayne  not,  that  pudyng  was  myne,  for  I  hadde 
wonne  it  by  nyglite  in  a  mylle.  The  myllar  laye  and 
slepe,  }'f  Courtoys  had  ony  parte  hieron,  that  cam  by  me 
to.  Thenne  spak  Panther.  Tliynke  ye  Tybcrt  tliat  it 
were  good  that  Reynard  sholdt!  not  be  complayned  on,  he 
is  a  very  murderer,  a  rover,  and  a  theef.  lie  loveth  no 
man  so  wel,  not  our  lord  the  kyng  here,  that  he  wcl 
wold  that  he  shuM  lese  good  and  worshyp,  so  that  he 
my^dit  Wynne  as  moche  as  a  legge  of  a  fat  henne.  I 
shal  telle  vow  what  I  sawe  hym  do  yesterday,  to  Cu- 
wart  the  hare  that  bier  standeth  in  the  kynges  pees 
and  saufgarde.  He  promysed  to  Cuwart  the  hare,  and 
sayde,  he  wold  teche  hym  his  Credo,  and  make  hym  a 
goo<l  chapelayn  ;  he  made  hym  goo  sytte  bytwene  his 
legges,  and  sange,  and  eryde  lowde.  Credo,  Credo. 
My  way  liye  therby  there  that  I  herde  this  songe. 
Tho  wente  I  ner  and  fonde  Maister  Reynar  that  had 
lefte  that  he  fyrst  redde  and  songe,  and  bygan  to  playe 
his    olde  playe,    for  he  had   caught  Kywaert  by   the 


TIIVSTORYE  OF  KEVNARD  THE  EOXK.  .) 

tlirotc,  and  had  I  not  that  tyme  conien,  lie  sholdc  liave 
takf'n  his  lyf  from  hyni,  like  ns  ye  hiere  may  see  on 
Kywaert  the  Hare  the  iVesse  wounde  yet  ;  forsothe 
my  lord  tlie  kynge,  yt'  ye  suttre  this  iiiipiinys.-hytl  and 
lete  hym  go  (juytc  that  hath  thus  broken  your  peas, 
and  wyl  do  no  right  alter  the  sentenee  and  jugement 
ttt"  your  men,  your  ehihhvn  many  yeris  heral'ter  shal 
be  myspreysed  and  bhimed  therfore.  Sykerly,  I'antlier, 
sayd  Isegrym,  ye  saye  trouthe,  hit  were  good  that 
right  and  justyse  were  don,  lor  them  that  woklc  f'ayne 
lyve  in  peas. 


HOW  r.RY.MIlAllT  TIIK  DASSl.,  TlIK  KOXKS  SI  .s  IK.  US  SOM:,  SPACK 
FOU  IlKYNAHT,  AXU  ASSWKIU)  TOFORK  THK  KYSi;i;. 

CAI'ITILO  IlIJ. 

Tho  spnek  Grymbart  the  dasse,  and  was  Reynart's 
sister  sone,  wyth  an  angry  moed.  Sir  Isegrym,  that  is 
evyl  sayd  ;  it  is  a  comyn  i)roverbe,  an  enemyes  moutli, 
sayth  seeld  wel.  What  leye  ye,  and  wyte  ye  myn  eme 
Keynart?  I  wohl  that  ye  wolde  aventure  that  who  of 
vow  tweyne  had  moste  trespaced  to  otiier  shohh.'  iumge 
bv  tho  necke  as  a  tlieef  on  a  tree.  Hut  and  yf  he  were 
as  wel  in  this  eourt,  and  as  wel  wyth  the  kynge,  as  ye 
be,  it  shold  not  be  thought  in  hym,  that  it  were  ynowh, 
that  yc  shold  come  and  askc  hym  forgyvncs,  ye  have 
byten  and  nypte  myn  unele  wyth  your  felle  anil  sharp 
teeth  many  mo  tymes  than  1  enn  telle,  yet  wil  I  tell.- 
some  poyntes  that  I  wel  knowe. 


fi  TIlYSToKYIi  OK  KKYNAUD  TIIH  KOXK. 

Kuowe  not  ye  how  ye  mysdeled  on  the  pluys  whiche  he 
threwe  doun  fro  the  carrc,  whan  yc  folowed  after 
fro  ferro.  Ami  ye  ete  tlie  good  phiys  allone,  and  gaf 
liyiii  no  nioH'  tli.iii  the  grate  or  bones,  whycho  ye 
myght  not  etc  your  self.  In  lyke  wyse  dyde  yc  to 
hym  also  of  the  fatte  vlyeche  of  bacon,  whiche  savomnl 
so  wcl,  that  ye  allone  ete  in  your  bcly,  and  whan  niyn 
eme  askyd  his  i)arte,  tho  answerd  ye  hym  agayne  in 
seorne,  Kcynart,  fayr  yonglyng,  I  shal  gladly  gyve  yon 
yonr  part,  bnt,  niyn  emc  gate  no  had  nought,  ne  was 
not  the  better,  notwith.standyng  he  liad  wuiuien  the 
(lycche  of  bacon  wyth  grcte  drcde,  for  tlie  man  cam 
and  threw  hym  in  a  sacke,  that  he  scarsely  cam  out 
wyth  liis  lyf.  Suche  maner  thynges  hath  Ileynart 
many  tymes  s^ulFrcd  thurgh  Yscgrym. 

O  ye  lordes,  thynke  ye  that  this  is  good,  yet  is  ther 
more,  he  comphiyncth  how  that  Rcynart  inyn  emc 
hath  mochc  trespaccd  to  hym  Ijy  cause  of  Ids  wyf. 
lint  that  is  wel  seven  yer  to  fore  er  he  wedde<l 
her,  and  she  was  sone  heled  therof.  Ilierof  by  ryght 
sliold  be  no  complaynt :  were  Isegrym  wyse  he  shold 
have  lefte  that :  lie  doth  to  hym  self  no  worsliyj)  thus 
to  sklaundre  his  wyf:  siie  playncth  not.  Now  maketh 
Kywaert  the  hare  a  complaynt  also,  that  thynkcth  me 
a  vyseuasc,  yf  he  rede  ne  lerned  a  right  his  lesson, 
sholdc  not  Keynard  his  maister  bete  hym  therfore? 
yf  the  scolcrs  were  not  beten,  ne  smyten  and  reprised 
of  tlicir  truantrye.  they  shold  never  lerne. 

Now  comphiyueth  C'ourtoys,  that  he  with  payne  had 
'    gotten  a  puddyni-^   in  ihr  u  viil<r.  nt   such  tyme  as  the 


TIIYSTOUYK  OF  UKVNAKI)  TMK  F«i.\K.  7 

coste  is  evyl  to  fyiule,  therof  hym  liu<l  be  bottcr  to  have 
lioltlt!  his  |H-rs,  ftir  he  iinci  stolen  it.  Mule  (|uesisti  et 
iimle  penlidisti.  Hit  is  rv<;ht  that  it  he  evil  loste, 
that  is  evil  woiiiie  ;  who  shal  l)lanie  Keyiiart,  yf  he 
have  taken  fro  a  theet'  stolen  ;:oo(l,  hit  is  reson.  Who 
that  inulerstandeth  the  lawe  and  ean  tliseernc  the  right, 
and  that  he  be  of  hye  biifthe  as  niyn  erae  Keynart  is, 
wiiiehe  knoweth  wcl  how  he  shal  resseyvc  stolen  gootl, 
ye,  al  had  he  Courtoys  hanged  whan  he  fonde  hyni 
with  the  nienowr,  he  luul  not  inoche  niysdon  ne 
trespaeed,  sauf  ayeiist  the  erowne,  tliat  he  had  don 
jiistvse  wvthoiit  leve  ;  wherl'ore  for  the  honour  of  the 
kynge  he  dyde  it  not,  all  hath  he  bnt  lytyl  thanke. 
What  skathed  it  hyin  that  he  is  thus  complayned  on  ? 
Myn  cnie  is  a  gentil  and  a  trewe  man,  he  may  sufFre 
no  falshcdc,  he  doth  nothyng  but  by  his  prestes  eoun- 
seyl,  and  I  sayc  yow,  syth  that  my  lorde  the  kynge 
liath  do  proi'lamcd  his  pcc5,-  he  never  thoughte  to  hurte 
ony  man,  for  lit;  etcth  no  more  than  ones  a  day,  he 
lyveth  as  a  recluse,  he  ehastistth  his  l)ody  and  wereth 
a  sherte  of  heer  ;  liit  is  mon-  than  a  y<rc  that  he  hath 
eten  no  tlcsshe,  as  I  yesti-rday  herd  save  of  them  that  , 
cam  fro  hym ;  he  hath  lefte  and  geven  over  his  C'astel 
Malcperduys,  and  hatii  bylded  a  eluse,  thcryn  dwelleth 
lie,  and  hunteth  no  more,  nc  desyrcth  no  wynnyngc, 
bnt  he  lyveth  by  almesse  an«l  takcth  nothyng  bnt  suehe 
as  men  gyve  hym  for  ( haryte,  and  doth  gr»-t«'  [K'nancc 
for  his  synnes,  an<l  he  is  woxen  moche  pale  and  lene  of 
prnyeng  and  wakyng,  for  he  woldc  be  fayn  wytli  (Jod. 
Thus  as  fIrviiilM  If    hi.-*   <nie    stode    ;mil    iniclicd    thise 


s 


TflYSTOKYK  OI'  KKVNAKI)  THK  KOXK 


wordes,  so  sawe  thvy  cDiiifii  doiin  the  hylle  to  hem 
Chauntt'cler  the  cock,  aiul  broiiglit  on  a  biere  a  deed 
hcnne,  of  wliom  Hcynart  had  bytcn  tlie  heed  of,  and 
that  inuste  be  shewed  to  the  kynge  to  have  kiiowleche 
tlierof. 


IIOWK  TIIK  C<XKK  COMPLAYXED  ON  KEYNART. 
•  AI'lTCl.O  V. 

Chauntecler  cam  fortli,  and  smote  pyteously  his 
handes  and  his  fetheris,  and  on  eche  side  of  the  byer 
wenten  tweyne  soronfiil  hennes,  that  one  was  called  Can- 
tart,  and  that  nthcr  ^.mkkIc  henne  Crayant ;  they  were 
two  the  fayrcst  hennes  that  were  bytwene  Holland  an<l 
Arderne.  Thise  hennes  bare  eche  of  them  a  brmnyng 
taprc  wliyche  was  longe  and  strayte.  Tiiise  two  hennes 
were  Coppens  susters,  and  they  cryed  st)  pitously, 
alas  and  weleaway,  for  the  deth  of  her  dere  snster 
Copjx-n.  Two  yonge  hennes  bare  the  byere,  whichc 
kakled  so  hevyly,  an<l  wepte  so  lowde,  for  tlie  deth  of 
C'oppen  their  moder  that  it  was  ferre  herde.  Thus 
cam  tln'v  to  jrydre  to  fore  the  kynge,  and  Chauntecleer 
tho  seyde  ;  Mercyi'ul  lui-d,  my  lord  the  kynge,  plese  it 
yow  to  here  our  complaynte,  and  abhorren  the 
grete  scathe  that  Keynart  hath  don  to  me  and  my 
chihlren  that  hiere  stonden.  It  was  so  that  in  the 
bcgynnyng  of  appryl  whan  the  weder  is  fayr,  and  that  I 
as  hanly  and  prowde,  l)ycaii.-e  of  the  jrrete  lyna^'c  that 
I  am  comcn  of,  and  also  haddu,  for  I  had  viij  fayr  sones 


THYSTORYK  OF  KKVN.\|{I)  Till',  FOXK.  !) 

ami  seven  fu}T  daughters  whiehe  my  wyf  had  hatcheil, 
and  tliey  were  alle  stronj.'e  and  latte,  and  wcnte  in  a 
venlc  whi<  he  was  walled  round  aboute,  in  whiehe  was 
a  .-liadde  whert-  in  were  six  gretc  dogjues,  whiehe  had 
to  t«»rc  and  |»lueke<l  many  a  heestis  skyn,  in  suche  wysc 
as  my  ehyldrcn  were  not  aferd.  On  whom  Kcynart 
the  tlieef  had  grete  envye,  by  eause  tliey  were  so  sure 
that  he  cowde  none  get  of  thcni,  how  wel  oftymes  hath 
this  fel  theef  goon  rounde  a!»oute  this  wal,  and  hath 
leyde  for  us,  in  suche  wy!=e  that  the  ilogges  have  be 
sette  on  hym  and  have  linntcd  hyiii  :i\v;iy.  And  oiin' 
they  Icep  on  hynj  uj)on  the  bankf,  and  tliat  eost  hym 
somewhat  for  his  thefte.  I  saw  tliat  his  skyn  smoked, 
nevcrtheles  he  wente  his  waye,  God  amende  it. 

TIuis  were  we  quyt*-  of  Heynart  a  longe  whyle;  atte 
laste  earn  he  in  lyknes  of  an  heremyte,  and  brought 
to  me  a  Icttre  for  to  re«Ie,  sealed  wytli  tin*  kynges  seal, 
in  wliyche  8to<Ie  wn-ton,  that  the  kynge  had  made  pees 
ov<'r  al  in  his  royamr,  and  that  allc  mant-r  beestis  and 
fowlh's  shold  doo  none  harnic  lur  scathe  to  ony  other; 
yet,  sayd  he  to  mr  more,  tliut  he  was  a  eloysterer,  up  a 
elosyil  n-eluse  beeomen,  an<l  tiiat  In*  wolde  rereyvc 
grete  penanee  for  his  syniu-s,  he  .".liewd  mc  his  slavync, 
and  pylehe,  and  an  heren  sherte  ther  under,  and  thenne 
sayd  he.  syr  Chaunteclcre,  after  thys  tyme  l)c  no  more 
aferd  of  me,  ne  take  no  iiede,  for  I  now  wil  ete  no 
more  Hesshe,  I  am  forlhon  so  olde,  thai  I  woIdc  fayn 
remembre  my  sowlc;  I  will  now  go  forth,  fnr  I  lia%<' 
yete  to  saye  my  sextr,  nniu',  an<]  n>y  rvenxnigc,  to 
Clod  I  by  take  yow.      Tho  wente  Heynart  thcns  sayrng  / 


10     THYSTORVK  OF  HKYNARI)  THE  FOXE. 

his  Credo,  and  leyde  hym  under  an  hawthorn.  Tlienne 
was  I  glad  and  mery,  and  also  toke  none  hede,  and  wentc 
to  my  chyldren,  and  clucked  hem  togydre,  and  wentc 
Avythout  the  wal  for  to  walkc,  wherof  is  moche  huniic 
conien  to  us,  for  lleynart  laye  under  a  busshe  and  cam 
krepyng  bitwene  us  and  the  yate,  so  that  he  caght  one  of 
my  chyldren,  and  leyd  hym  in  his  male,  wherof  we  have 
liad  grete  harme,  for  syth  he  hath  tasted  of  hym,  ther 
myght  never  hunter  ne  hounde  save  ne  kepe  hym  from 
/  us,  he  hath  wayted  by  nyghte  and  daye  in  suche  wyse, 
that  he  hath  stolen  so  many  of  my  chyldren,  that  of  xv. 
I  have  but  foure  ;  in  suche  wyse  hath  this  theef 
forslongen  them  ;  and  yet  yesterday  w-as  Coppen  my 
daughter  that  hier  lyeth  upon  the  byer  with  the  houndes 
rescowed.  This  complayne  I  to  yow  gracious  kynge, 
have  pyte  on  myn  grete  and  iniresonable  damage  and 
losse  of  my  fayre  chyldren. 


HOW  THE  KYNG  SPACK  TOUCHYNG  THIS  COMPLAVNT. 
CAPITULO    VJ. 

TiiENNE  spack  the  kynge  :  Syre  Dasse,  here  ye  this 
wel  of  the  recluse  your  eme?  he  hath  fasted  and  prayde, 
that  yf  I  lyve  a  yore  he  shal  abye  it ;  nowe  hearke 
Chauntecler,  your  playnt  is  ynough,  your  doughter 
tliat  lyeth  here  dede,  we  wyl  gyve  to  her  the  dethes 
right,  Ave  may  kepe  her  no  lenger,  we  wil  betake  her  to 
God,  we  wyllc  syngen  here  vygylie,  and  brynge  her 
worshipfuUy  on  crthe,  and  thennc  we  wille  si)ckc  wytli 


THYSTORYF.  OK  i.HVNARD  TIIK  FOXK.  1  I 

thisc  lurdcs,  unci  take  counse_)  1,  how  we  may  do  vyglit 
ami  justyse  of  thys  grete  niurdre,  and  brynge  this  fals 
tlieef  to  the  lawe.  Tho  begonne  they  Phicebo  Domino, 
with  the  verses  that  to  longen  whiche  yf  I  shokl  saye, 
were  me  to  longe.  Whan  this  vigilye  was  don,  and  the 
commendacion,  she  was  leyde  in  the  pytte,  and  ther 
upon  was  leyde  a  marble  stone  polyshed  as  clere  as  ony 
glas  and  theron  was  hewen  in  grete  Icttres  in  this 
wyse :  Coppe,  Chauntckler's  doughter,  whom  Reynart 
the  foxe  hath  byteu,  lyeth  hier  under  buryed ;  com- 
playne  ye  her  for,  she  is  shamefully  conien  to  her  deth. 
After  this,  the  kynge  sente  for  his  lordes  and 
wysest  of  his  counseyl  for  to  take  advys,  how  this 
grete  murdre  and  trespaas  shold  be  punyshyd  on 
Reynart  the  foxe.  Thcr  was  concluded  and  apoyntcd 
for  the  beste,  that  Reynart  shold  be  sent  for,  and  that 
he  lefte  not  for  ony  cause,  but  he  came  into  tho 
kynges  court,  for  to  here  V/at  shold  be  sayd  to  hym, 
and  that  Bruyn  tiie  here  shold  do  the  message.  The 
kynge  thought  that  alle  this  was  good,  and  said  to 
Bruno  the  bcre  :  Syr  Brune,  I  wyl  that  ye  doo  this 
message,  but,  see  wel  to  for  your  self,  lor  Reynart  is  a 
shrewe,  and  felle,  and  kiioweth  so  many  wyles,  that  he 
shal  lye  and  flatre,  and  shal  thynke  how  he  may  begyle, 
deceyve,  and  brynge  yow  to  some  mockerye.  Tho 
sayd  Brune,  what  good  lord  late  it  allone,  deccyvcth 
me  the  foxe,  so  have  I  ylle  lerned  my  casus,  I  trowc 
he  shal  come  to  late  to  inocqiie  me.  Thus  departed 
Brune  meryly  fro  tiiens,  but  it  is  to  drede  that  he  cam  I 
not  so  meryly  agayu.  / 


l!i  TIIVsroRVF.  OF  UF:Y\AI{n  THR  KOXF. 

HOW  BRl'NK  THE  IIEKRK  WAS  SPED  OF  HEYNAHT  THE  fOXE. 
CAl'ITII.O  VlJo. 

Now  is  IJrunc  {loon  on  his  waye  toward  the  fox*- 
wytli  H  stowte  nioodc,  whirhe  supposed  wel  that  tlie 
tbxe  sholde  not  liave  be^yh.-d  hyin,  as  he  eain  in  a  drrke 
wode  in  a  t'on'st  were  as  Ht'ynart  liad  a  l>yp;ith  \\li:in 
he  was  hunted,  ther  hysydc  was  an  hie  niontayne  and 
land,  and  there  niuste  lirune  in  the  niy(hh.'l  ;roon  over, 
lor  to  goo  to  i\Ialeperduys,  for  Heynart  had  many  a 
dwellynjr  phice,  but  the  eastel  of  Malepenhiys  was  the 
beste  and  the  fastest  burgh  that  he  had.  Ther  hiyc  he 
innc  whan  he  had  nedc,  and  was  in  ony  drede  or  fere. 
Now  wh;in  IWuyn  was  eomcn  to  Malperduys  he 
fonde  the  yatf  last  shette,  tho  wente  he  to  fore  the  yatc 
and  satte  vjion  his  taylle,  and  ealled,  Iv<'ynart,  be  ye  at 
home  ?  I  am  lirownyng,  the  kynge  hatli  sente  me  for 
yow  that  ye  siiohle  eome  to  eourt,  for  to  plete  your 
cans.  lie  hatli  sworn  tiirre  by  his  (iod,  eome  ye  not, 
or  brynge  I  yow  not  with  nie  for  tabyde  suehe  right 
and  sentenee  as  shal  be  there  gyven,  it  shal  coste  you 
your  lyf,  he  wyl  hange  yow,  or  sette  yow  on  tiie  ratte. 
I  Reynart  doo  by  niyn  eounseyl  and  eome  to  the  eourt. 
Reynart  hiye  within  the  gate  as  he  ofte  was  wontc 
!  to  doo  for  the  warmtli  of  the  sonne.  Whan  Heynart 
\  herd  liruyn  tho  wente  hr  inneward  in  to  his  iioh.',  for 
I  Malepenhiys  was  fnl  of  hooles,  hier  one  hool  and  ther 
an  other,  and  yonder  an  other,  narowc,er«»ked  and  longe, 
wyth  many  weyes  to  goo  out,  whichc  lie  opend  and 
shette  after  that  he  had  nede,  whan  he  had  ony  proye 


THY8TORYK  OK  KI'.VNAKD  Till.  lOXr.  13 

Id-DUght  liiHiic,  or  that  lie  wislc  that  oiiy  souglit  liyin  for 
liys  inysiK-(les  and  trfspares,  tlicnne  he  run  and  hydde 
Iiyin  fro  his  enemyt'S  in  to  hys  secrete  eharnhres,  that 
they  coude  not  fyndc  hym,  I>y  whiih  he  tleccyvyd 
many  a  beest  that  .<oii;.'ht  hyni  ;  and  tiio  tliou^hl  i 
Keynart  in  liyin  sell'  how  he  niyjjht  best  brynge  the 
beere  in  charge  and  nede,  and  that  he  abode  in  worship. 
In  this  thoughtc  Keynart  cam  ont  and  sayde,  liiuyn 
cme,  ye  be  welcome,  I  herde  you  wel  to  fore,  but  I  was  ' 
in  myn  evesong,  therfoix*  have  I  the  lenger  tarycd  a  j 
lytvl.  Dere  enie,  he  hath  «l«>n  to  you  no  good  servyse, 
and  I  can  hym  no  thank  that  hath  scute  yon  over  this 
longc  hylle,  for  I  see  that  )  e  be  al  so  wery  that  the  swete 
rcnneth  doun  by  your  chekys  ;  it  was  no  nede,  I  had 
nenertheles  conjen  to  court  to  niorowe,  but  I  sorowe 
now  the  lasse,  for  your  wyse  eounscyl  shal  wel  helpe 
me  in  the  court;  and  coude  the  kyng  fynde  none  lasse 
mcssager  but  yow  llbr  to  b^iid  hulur,  that  is  grete 
wonder,  for  next  the  kynge  ye  be  the  moo.-te  g<'ntyl 
and  richest  of  leeuys  ami  of  land.  I  woldf  \\v\  that 
we  wen:  now  at  tin-  court.  l>n:  I  l\n-  nir  that  I  t-lial 
not  conne  wel  g<K>  thydcr,  for  1  have  ctni  so  mu<h 
new  mete,  that  me  thynketh  my  bely  wylle  breke  or 
cleve  asou<ler  and  by  cause  the  mete  was  nycwe,  I  etc 
U>e  more.  Tho  s[)ack  the  berc,  lyef  neve,  what  mete 
have  ye  eten  that  maked  yow  so  ful  ?  Dere  enie  that  I 
etc  what  njyght  it  helpc  yow  that  yf  I  tolde  y«»w.  I 
cte  but  symple  mete,  a  pnun-  man  is  no  lord  that  may 
ye  knowe,  erne,  by  mc  ;  «••  jKiure  f«)lke  niuste  etc 
oftymes  .suche  ha  wc  l'I.i.1I\    wnMi-  in.i    ii..  vf   «■■  ).  id 


1  I  TllVSTdlJVi;  OF  UKVNAUD  THE  FOXK, 

better;  tlicy  wore  grcte  liony  combes  which  I  imistf 
nodes  etc  for  liunger  ;  tlicy  liave  ma«le  my  boly  so 
gretc,  that  1  can  nowhcr  endure.  liruyn  tho  spaek 
anone,  alas !  Kcyiiart  what  save  ye  ?  sette  ye  so  lyfyl 
by  hony?  me  oiipjht  to  preysc  ami  love  it  above  all 
mete,  lief  Ileynart  heli)e  mc  that  I  myght  gete  a  deel 
of  this  hony,  and  as  longe  as  I  lyve  I  shal  be  to  yon 
I  ft  tryew  fricude,  and  abydeby  yow  as  ferre  as  ye  helpe 
I  me.  that  I  may  have  a  parte  of  thys  hony. 


now  imiYN  KTi:  THK  HONY. 
CAITULO  VIIJ. 

BiiUYN  cme  I  had  supposed  that  ye  had  japed  ther 
wyth.  So  lielj)  me  God,  Keynard,  nay,  I  sliold  not 
ghully  jai)c  with  yow.  Thenne  spaeke  the  rede  R«;y- 
nart,  is  it  thenne  crnest  that  ye  love  so  wcl  the  hony  ? 
I  shal  do  late  you  have  so  much  that  ten  of  yow  shold 
not  etc  it  at  one  mcle,  myght  I  gete  therwith  your 
IViendship.  Not  tlu^  ten,  Heynerd  neve,  .^ayd  the  here, 
how  shold  that  be,  had  I  alh-  the  hony  that  is  bytwcne 
this  and  Portyngal  I  siiolde  wel  etc  it  allone.  Reynart 
.sayde  :  What  saye  ye,  erne  ?  hier  by  dwelleth  an 
luisbondman  named  Lantfert  which  hath  so  moche  hony 
that  ye  shold  not  cte  it  in  vij.  yen-,  whiche  ye  shal 
have  in  your  holde,  yf  ye  willc  be  to  me  friendly  and 
helpyng  agenst  myn  enemyes  in  the  kynges  court. 
Thenne  promysed  15niyii  tlu;  here  to  hym,  that  yi'  he 
iiiv'lit  liavi'  his  bcly  full,  he  wold  truly  be  to  hym  to 


THYSTOKYK  Of  KKYNAKD  TIIK  FOM 

fore  all  other  a  fay th fill  iVcndc  ;  hcrof  laughed  Heynart 
the  shrewe,  and  sayde,  yf  yc  woMe  liave  vij  hainUer 
barelis  ful  I  shal  wel  gete  them  and  help  yon  to  have 
them.  These  wordes  plesyd  the  here  so  wel,  and 
made  hym  so  moche  to  lawhe,  that  he  cou<le  not  well 
stand.  Tho  thought  Heynart,  this  is  good  luek,  I 
shal  lede  hym  thyder  that  he  shal  lawhe  by  nicsurc. 

Reynart  sayd  thenne,  this  mater  may  not  be  longe 
tarycd.  I  mustc  paync  my  self  for  you,  ye  siial  wel 
understande  the  very  yonste  and  gtwxl  wyl  that  I  bore 
to  you  ward.  I  knowe  none  in  al  my  lygnago  that  I 
nou  wolde  lalxture  fore  thus  sun-.  That  thankcil 
hym  the  bere,  and  tlu)ught  he  taryed  longe.  IS'ow 
emc,  late  us  goo  a  goo<l  paas  and  folowe  yc  me.  I 
shnl  make  you  to  have  as  nux-he  hony  as  ye  may  bere. 
The  fox e  menteof  good  strokes,  but  the  eaytyf  markyd 
not  what  the  foxe  raente,  and  they  wenle  so  longe  to 
gydre,  that  they  cam  unto  Ijiintferts  yerdc,  tho  wa.s  sir 
IJruyn  mery.  Now  herke  ;  of  Lantfert  is  it  true  that 
men  saye,  so  was  Lantfert  a  stronge  ear|)enter  of  grete 
tymbre,  and  had  lirought  that  other  day  to  fore  in  his 
yerdc  a  prctcokc  whiehe  he  had  Ijcgonne  to  eleve  ;  and 
ais  men  be  woned,  he  had  smeten  two  betels  therin,  one 
after  that  other,  in  suehe  wyse  the  oke  was  wyde  o|ien; 
wherof  Reynart  was  glad,  for  he  had  founde  it  right  as 
he  wissheil,  and  sayde  to  the  Iktc  all  lawhyng,  see  nou 
wel  sharply  to,  in  this  tree  is  so  morhe  hony  that  it  is 
w  itiiout  inesure,  nsayc  yf  ye  can  cotne  therin  and  etc 
but  Ij'til,  for  though  the  hony  ooixilx's  be  swetc  and 
goo«l,  yet  b<'ware  that  ye  etc  not  to  many,  but  take  of/ 


U!  niVSTOUVK  OF  KKYNAUI)  TIIK  FOXK. 

tlu'iii  l>y  iiusiuc,  tli;it  yo  cacclw  no  liariiic  in  your 
body  ;  for,  swctc  cnio,  I  shoM  be  blamed  yf  tln-y  dydc 
you  ony  harme.  AN'liat,  Heynart  ccsyn,  sorowc  ye  not 
for  me,  wene  ye  tbat  I  were  a  f'ole  ?  mesure  is  good  in 
alle  mete.  IJeynart  sayde,  ye  saye  trouthe.  Wherfore 
shold  I  sorowe?  goo  to  thende  and  crej)c  theryn.  IJruyn 
the  berc  hasted  sore  toward  the  hony,  and  trad  in  wyth 
his  two  formest  feet,  and  put  his  heed  over  his  eeris  in 
to  the  clyft  of  the  tree.  And  Reynart  sprani;  lyghtly 
and  brak  out  tiie  betle  of  the  tree.  Tho  helped  the 
I  bere  nether  flateryng  ne  chydyng,  he  was  fast  shette  in 
I  the  tree;  thus  hath  the  neveu  wyth  deceyte  brought  his 
erae  in  pryson  in  the  tree,  in  suche  wyse  as  he  coude 
not  gete  out  wyth  myght  ne  wyth  crafte,  hede  ne  foote. 
"What  prouffyteth  Bruyn  the  bere  that  he  stronge 
and  hardy  is,  that  may  not  helpc  hym ;  lie  sawe  wel 
that  he  begyled  was,  he  began  to  howle  and  to  braye, 
and  crutt'heil  wyth  tin-  hynder  feet  and  made  suche  a 
noyse  and  rumour,  that  Lantfert  cam  out  hastely,  and 
knewe  nothyng  what  this  myght  be,  and  brought  in 
his  hand  a  sharp  hoke.  IJruyn  the  bere  laye  in  the 
clyfte  of  the  tree  in  grete  fere  and  drede,  and  helde  fast 
his  heed,  and  nyped  both  his  fore  feet,  he  wrange,  he 
wrastk'il,  and  cryed,  and  all  was  for  nought,  he  wiste 
not  how  he  might  gete  out. 

IJeynart  the  foxe  sawe  fro  ferre  how  that  Lantfert 
the  caq)enter  cam,  and  tho  spack  Keynart  to  the  bere. 
Is  that  hony  good  ?  How  is  it  now  ?  Ete  not  to  moche 
it  shold  do  you  harme,  ye  soohl  not  thenne  wel  conne 
goo  to  the  court;  wlian  Lantfert  comcth  yf  ye  have  wel 


TIIYSTOm  r.  OK  KKVNAKI)  TUK  VOW.  17 

t'ten  he  shal  ycvc  you  hotter  to  (hiiiki-,   and  thoniic  it 
shal  not  8tyke  in  your  throtc. 

After  thise  wordcs  tho  torned  liyni  Kcynart  toward 
his  eastel,  and  Lantlert  cam  and  i'onde  the  here  last 
taken  in  the  tree;  thenne  ran  he  faste  to  his  neyghhors 
and  sayde,  Come  alio  in  to  my  ycrde,  thcr  is  a  hcere 
taken ;  the  worde  anone  sprange  oueral  in  the  thorpe, 
ther  nc  hleef  nether  man  ne  wyf,  but  alle  rannc  theder 
as  fast  as  they  coude,  everychc  wyth  his  wepen ;  some 
wyth  a  staf,  some  wyth  a  rake,  some  wyth  a  bromc, 
some  wytii  a  stake  of  the  hegghc  and  some  wyth  a 
flayel,  and  the  preest  of  the  chirche  had  the  staf  oi"  the 
erosse,  and  the  olerk  brought  a  vane,  the  prostis  wyf 
Julok  cam  wytli  her  dystaf,  she  sat  tho  and  spanne. 
Ther  cam  olde  wymcn  that  for  age  had  not  one  toeth  in 
her  heed.  Now  was  Bruyn  the  here  nygh  moche  sorowe, 
that  he  allonc  muste  standc  aycnst  thorn  all :  whan  he 
horde  alle  this  grete  noyse  and  orye,  he  wrastlod  and 
plucked  so  harde  and  so  soro,  that  ho  gate  out  his  heed, 
but  he  lefte  bohymle  allr  the  skyne  and  botho  his  orris 
in  suche  Avyse  that  never  num  sawe  fowllor  ne  lothlyor 
becst,  for  the  blodc  ran  over  his  eycn,  and  or  he  coude  j 
gete  oute  his  feet,  he  muste  letc  there  his  oiawes  or 
nayles  and  his  roughe  hande.  This  market  cam  to 
hyni  evyl,  for  he  su|)posed  neucr  to  have  goon,  his  feet 
were  so  sore,  and  he  myght  not  see  for  the  bloili-  whi(  In- 
ran  so  over  his  oyen.  Lantfcrt  cam  to  hym  wyth  tlic 
prcost,  and  fortli  witli  allr  tho  parysshe,  and  bi-gan  to 
sniytc  and  stryke  sore  upon  his  heed  and  visage,  he 
receyvd  there  maiiv  a  sore  stn>ke.      Kvery  man  beware 


1.^  TIlYSTOlOr.  OK  |{i:VN.Mtl»  TlIK  KOXK. 

hierby  who  liath  luiniie  and  scatlic,  every  man  wil  hv 
thcr  at  and  put  more  to.  That  was  wel  seen  on  the 
bere,  for  they  were  alle  tiers  and  wroth  on  the  berc, 
grete  and  smal.  Ye,  1 1  iipihelyn  wy  th  the  croked  lege,  and 
Ludolt"  with  tlio  brude  longe  noose,  they  were  liouth 
wroth  ;  tiiat  one  had  an  leden  inalle,  and  that  other  a 
grete  leden  wapj)er,  ther  wyth  they  wappred  and  al  I'or- 
slyngred  liyin.  Syr  lii.'rtolt  witli  the  longe  fyngers, 
Lantlert,  and  Ottram  the  longe,  thyse  dydc  to  the 
bere  more  harnic  than  id  the  other,  that  one  had  a 
sharp  hoke,  and  that  other  a  eroked  staf  well  leded  on 
thende  for  to  playe  at  the  balle.  Bactkyn  andc  Ave 
Abehpiak,  my  flame  Baue,  and  the  prcest  with  his 
staf,  and  dame  .lulok  his  wyf,  thise  wroughten  to  tlie 
bere  so  raoehe  harmc,  that  they  wolde  fayn  have  brought 
hym  fro  hi.s  lyf  to  deth:  they  smote  and  staeke  hym 
al  that  they  eowde.  Bruyn  the  beere  satte  and  syghed 
and  groned,  and  must  take  suche  as  was  gy\en  to  hym, 
but  Lantfert  was  the  worthiest  of  byrthe  of  them  alle, 
and  made  nioste  noyse,  for  dame  Pogge  of  Chafporte 
was  his  modcr,  and  his  fader  was  Macob  tlie  stoppel 
maker,  a  nioche  stowt  man.  'liii're  as  he  was  allonc 
Bruyn  receyvcd  of  hem  many  a  caste  of  stones.  To- 
fore  hem  alle  sprang  fortii  Lantefert's  brother  witli  a 
staf,  and  smote  the  bere  on  the  heed  that  he  ne  herde 
ne  sawe,  and  therewith  the  bere  sprang  vp  bytwene 
the  bushe  and  ryver  emonge  au  hcep  of  wyvis  that  he 
threw  a  deel  of  hem  in  the  ryver  which  was  wyde  and 
depe;  ther  was  the  persons  wyf  one  of  them,  wherfor  he 
was  ful  of  sorow,  whan  he  sawe  his  wyf  lye  in  the  water 


TIIYSTORYi:  «)K  UKYNAUD  TIIK  FOXK.  I!> 

liyni  liistetl  no  linger  to  sniytc  the  berc,  but  cjille<l, 
Dame  Juloke  in  the  water!  now  every  man  see  to;  alle, 
they  that  may  helpc  her,  be  they  men  or  wymen  I 
gyvti  to  hem  alle  pardon  of  her  penance  ami  releoe  alle 
theyr  synnes.  All  they  thenne  lette  liruyn  ilif  hwr 
lye,  and  dyde  that  the  preest  hudde. 

Whan  Bruyn  the  here  suwc  that  th('y  ramie  alle  iVo 
hym,  and  ranneto  save  the  wymtn,  tho  spraii;:c  Ik;  in  to 
the  water  and  swame  all  that  he  coiide.  Thenne  made 
the  prccst  a  gretc  showte  and  noyse,  and  ran  alter  the 
bere  wyth  grete  anger  and  said,  Come  and  tome  agayne 
thow  false  theef.  The  bore  swame  after  the  beste  of  the 
streme,  and  lete  them  calle  and  crye,  for  he  was  glad 
tliat  he  was  so  escaped  from  them ;  he  cursed  ami 
banned  the  hony  trei-,  and  the  foxe  also  tliat  had  so 
betrayeil  hym,  that  he  had  cropen  therin  so  depc  that 
he  lodte  boothe  his  hood  and  his  eeris.  And  so  forth 
he  droof  in  the  streem  wel  a  ij  or  iij  mylc.  Tiio  waxe 
he  80  wery  that  he  wente  to  lande  for  to  sitte  and  restc 
hym,  for  he  was  hevy,  he  groned  and  syghed,  and  the 
blodc  lepc  over  his  eyen,  he  drough  his  breth  lyke  as 
one  sholde  have  (leyde. 

Now  herke  how  tin:  loxi-  dyde  :  er  he  cam  fro 
Lantferts  h«>ws  he  had  tstolen  a  fatte  hcnne  and  had 
leyde  her  in  ids  mole,  and  ranne  hast»'ly  away  by 
a  by  path  were  he  wende  that  no  man  shold  have  co- 
mon,  he  ranne  toward  tho  ryver  that  he  swette,  he 
was  so  glad  that  ho  wist  not  what  to  do  for  joye,  for 
he  hoped  that  the  l>ere  had  Ik'  dede :  he  saydc,  I  have  1 
now  wcl  .s|)edde  for  he  that  sholde  most  have  hvndn'd 


20 


TIIYSToKVr,  OK  RKVNAIU)  THE  FOXE. 


mc  ill  the  court  is  now  dedc,  and  none  shal  wyte  me 
therof,  may  I  not  tlicnne  by  right  be  wel  glad.  With 
these  wordes  the  foxe  loked  to  the  ryver  ward  and 
espyed  where  Bruyn  the  bcrc  hiy  and  rested  liyni. 
'J'ho  was  the  foxe  sorier  and  hevyer  than  he  to  fore 
was  niery,  and  was  as  angry  and  sayde  in  chydyng  to 
Lantfert,  Alas  Lantfert,  lewde  fool,  God  gyve  hym  a 
shames  deth  that  hath  loste  such  good  venyson  whiche 
is  good  and  fatte,  and  hath  late  hym  goo  whiche  was 
taken  to  his  hand;  many  a  man  wolde  gladly  have  eten 
of  hym,  he  hath  loste  a  riche  and  fatte  here.  Thus  al 
chydyng  he  cam  to  the  ryver  where  he  fonde  the  here 
sore  wounded,  bebled,  and  riglit  seke,  whiche  he  myght 
thanke  none  better  thereof  than  Reynart  whiche  spack 
to  the  here  in  skorne,  Chiere  priestre,  dieu  vous  gai'de. 
Wylle  ye  see  the  rede  theef,  sayde  the  here  to  hym  self, 
the  rybaud  and  the  felle  diere  here  I  sc  hym  comen. 
Thenne  sayd  the  foxe,  have  ye  ought  forgoten  at 
Lantferts?  have  ye  also  payd  hym  fur  the  liony  combes 
that  ye  stale  fro  hym  ?  yf  ye  ha\  e  not,  it  were  a  grete 
shame  and  not  honeste.  I  wyl  rather  be  the  messenger 
my  self  for  to  goo  and  payc  hym ;  was  the  liony  not 
good  ?  I  knowe  yet  more  of  the  same  prys.  Dcre  p]me, 
telle  me  er  I  goo  hens,  in  to  what  ordre  wille  ye  goo, 
that  ye  were  this  newc  hode.  Were  ye  a  monke  or  an 
abbot?  he  that  shoef  your  crowne,  hath  nyped  of  your 
ceris,  ye  have  lost  yoin*  tojipe,  and  don  of  your  gloves. 
I  trowe  veryly  that  ye  wyl  go  synge  Comi)lyn,  Alle  this 
herde  Bruyn  the  here,  and  wexe  alle  angry  and  sory 
for  he  myglit  nctt  avenge  hym  ;  lie  lete  tlie  foxe  saye  his 


TIIYSTOUYK  OF  KKVNAIJl)  TIIF,  FOXE 


21 


wyllc  ami  wyth  ;:n'te  payne  suHVimI  it,  and  stcrte 
a^rayiic  in  the  ryvcr,  and  swam  iloiin  wvtli  the  stroem 
to  tliat  otluT  syd«'.  Now  niusti-  li»>  suniwc  Iiow  that 
III-  sholde  come  to  the  court;  for  he  had  loste  hiseeriH, 
and  the  skyniie  wyth  the  clawes  of  his  forefeet.  For 
though  a  man  sholde  have  slayn  hyin  he  ooude  not  <ro  : 
and  yet  he  muste  nedes  fortli,  hut  he  wist  not  how. 
Now  here  how  he  dyd«:  he  satte  vpon  his  hammes,  an<l 
l»e;ran  to  rutsele  ouer  his  tayle,  and  whan  he  wa<  -o 
wery,  he  wentled  and  tomhleil  nyjrhe  half  a  myle;  this 
dy<h'  lie  with  grete  i)aync  solonge  tyl  atte  h\st<'  he  cam 
to  tlie  courte.  And  whan  he  was  seen  so  eomyng  fro 
ferre,  some  dt)ubted  what  it  my;;ht  he  that  cam  so 
wentelyng.  Tlie  kyng  att«'  laste  knewe  hyni,  and  was 
not  wel  pay<l  and  sayde :  This  is  IJruyn  tlie  here  my 
friende  ;  who  hath  wounded  hym  thus?  He  ispassyng 
reed  on  his  heed  ;  me  thyuketh  he  is  hurte  vnto  the 
deth,  where  may  he  have  hen  ?  Therwyth  is  the  here 
come  to  fore  the  kynge  and  sayde. 


TBE  COMPLAYNT  OK  THK  IIKIIK  ITHN  TIIK  FOXE. 
CM"'.  IX". 

T  coMi'i.AYNK  to  yow,  nuTcyful  lorde.  svre  kynpe,  so  as 
ye  may  see  how  that  I  am  handled,  pravenjr  you  tavenge 
it  upon  Reynart  the  felle  heest,  for  I  have  goten  this 
in  your  scruyse,  I  have  loste  botlie  my  formest  foot, 
my  chekcs   and   myn   erris    liy    hi-;   fal>r   decfvlc   and 


I'L'  TIIVSTOUYK  OF  KKYNARD  THE  FOXK. 

trcson.  The  kyii<re  fJiiydr,  IlJtw  durst  tliis  i'liU  tlifd' 
Kopiart  iloolhis?  I  siiye  to  yow  IJriiyn,  and  swere  by 
my  crowni',  I  sluil  so  avenpo  you  on  hym,  that  ye  sliiil 
oomi<>  1110  tlianko.  Hi*  sent  for  allc  the  wysc  bcestis, 
and  di'sirrd  coiinscyl  how  that  ho  mvfjlit  aucnp:c  this 
oner  prete  wruiifre  that  tlic  foxo  ha«l  don.  Tfiennc  the 
counsoyl  coiu-hidotl,  nhh*  and  yoiifr,  that  h<;  shoM  ho 
sento  fore  and  dayod  ornostly  ajjayn,  for  tahydo  .sucho 
jufioniont  as  sliohl  there  be  pyvon  on  liyni  of  alh-  his 
trespaoos ;  and  thoy  thoufilit  that  the  oatt<'  Tyl)ort 
niy^iht  best  (hj  this  niossa^o  yf  ho  woUU',  for  ho.  is 
ryjrht  wyso.     Tlio  kyngo  tliouj^lit  this  counceyl  goo(h 


now    THK    KYXCK   8KSTK    AXOTIIKR   TVMK    T\Ui:HT    THK    OATTK 

FOIt  'IlIK  KOXK,  AM)  HOW  TVHKIIT  HHKKKK  WITH 

HKYNAUT  TIJK  FOXE. 

CA".   X". 

Thknnk  tlio  kyii^ro  saido,  Syr  Tylu-rt,  yo  siial  now  goo 
to  Koynart  and  sayo  to  hym,  tliis  soconde  tyme,  that  he 
oonio  to  court  vntu  tho  j>h-«'  for  to  answero,  for  though 
ho  l>e  foUo  to  other  boestis  he  trustoth  you  wol,  and 
shal  df>o  by  your  oounseyl  ;  anil  toih\  yf  he  ooino  not, 
he  shal  li:i\c  the  tliinle  warnyng,  and  1m-  duyed,  and  yi' 
lie  theiiiio  niiiie  not.  We  shal  prooodc  by  ryght  ayenste 
hyn\,  and  alli-  hys  lygnago,  wvthont  nierey.  Tybort 
spaok  ;  My  lord  the  kynge,  tlii-y  that  this  oounseyldo 
you  wen-  not  my  frendes,   what   shal   I  doo  tln-re  ?   he 


TIIYSTOUYK  OF  KKYNAUM  TlIK  lOXr..  2.'{ 

wyl  not  for  me  ncythcr  coin*'  nt-  altyilf,  I  Jm'>«.-cIii-  yon, 
di*rr  kyii^p,  seruU'  soino  otlu'i'  to  liyin,  I  nin  lytyl  and 
ffl)l«',  Hruyn  the  Ix^re  wliichc  was  so  frrcte  nn«l  stron^je 
couile  not  bryn^f  hyin,  how  sliold  I  thcniu'  tukr  it  on 
hon«h!  ?  Nay,  sai<l  the  kynffc,  sir  'lylitrt.  yi-  Ixn  wysc 
and  wel  lerned.  Thou;:h  ye  be  not  ^rrete  ihi-r  lyeth 
not  on,  many  do  more  wyth  eral'te  aiul  connyn;:,  than 
with  my«rht  and  stren^rthe.  Thenne,  wiid  the  eatti'. 
sytli  it  nuiste  ncdes  b<'  don,  I  muste  thcnnc  take  it 
vpon  me.  Got!  j»eve  {rrare  that  I  may  wel  achieve  it, 
tor  my  herte  is  hevy  and  evil  wilh-d  thert<».  Tybert 
made  hym  soue  redy  t*»ward  Maleperdnys,  and  hr  saw 
fro  ferre  come  fleyin;:  one  of  S'vnt  Martyns  byrdes  ; 
tho  eryde  lie  hiwd<'  and  said*',  Al  hayl  L'fiityl  byrde, 
t<irne  thy  wynjjes  lictherward  and  flc-  mi  my  ri;rlit 
hide;  the  l»yrde  th-wh  fortli  vjion  a  tree  whirhe  stiMMh- 
on  the  lift  side  of  the  catte,  tho  was  Tybert  woo,  f<»r 
h«'  thouprht  hit  was  a  shrewd  t«»ken  and  a  sy^rne  of 
harme,  for  yf  the  binh*  liad  llowen  on  his  ri^rht  side, 
he  had  Ix-n  mery  and  •rlad,  Imt  now  he  sorowed  that 
his  journey  sholde  toriu-  to  viiha|i|»-.  Nevertlieli->  hi- 
dyde  as  many  diM),  and  ^'af  to  hviiiM-lf  b<'lt<i-  ho|M' 
than  his  herti-  sayd<' ;  In-  weiitc  ami  ronne  to  Malc|HT- 
diiys  ward;  and  then-  In*  fondi- tin- foxe  alloiu'  standyn;; 
to  fore  his  hous.  Tyln-rt  wiide.  The  riehe  (Jod  geve 
you  po<»«l  even,  Keynart,  the  kynj;  hath  menan>d  yow, 
for  to  take  your  lyf  from  yow,  yf  ye  roine  n«it  now 
wyth  me  to  the  eoiirt.  Tho  foxe  tln'U  s[in«'k  and 
saide,  Tilxrt,  my  dere  eosyn,  ye  Im>  ryuht  wi-1  <  i.me.  I 
wjtldr  wil  truly  that  yi-  had  nnH-he  ftmnl  liiekc     What 


2  t  TIIVSTOKVK  OK  KI.VNAUD  TIIK  FOXF,. 

hurtt'd  till-  \\i\v  to  spckc  fiijic,  t)ioii<;h  he  saycl  wd 
his  liiTtc  thuu<rht('  it  not,  and  that  shal  he  seen  er  they 
depai-t,  Keynart  sayde,  wylle  we  this  nyght  be  to- 
jrydre,  1  wyl  make  you  jrood  eliyere  and  to  niorow 
erly  in  tin-  dawnyng  we  wyl  to  jrydre  gtx)  to  the  court. 
Good  neve  hite  us  so  doo,  I  luiv«'  none  of  my  kyn,  tliat 
I  trustc  so  nioche  as  to  yow,  hier  was  rn-uyn  the  here 
the  tiavtdur  III-  lukcil  so  shrewdly  on  out',  aJid  me 
thou^dite  he  was  so  stronge,  that  I  woMe  not  for  a 
thousand  markc  have  goon  with  hym,  bJt  oosyn  I 
wil  to  morow  erly  goo  with  yow.  Tybert  saide,  it  is 
beste  that  we  now  goo,  for  the  nione  sliyneth  al  s<t 
light  as  it  were  daye,  I  never  sawe  fayrer  weder.  Nay 
dere  eosyn,  suehe  myght  mete  vs  by  daye  tynie  that 
wold  make  us  good  chicn',  and  by  nyghtf  paravan- 
ture  myght  doo  us  harme,  it  is  suspeeyous  to  walke 
by  nyghte,  therfore   abyde    this    nyght   here    by   me. 

jTybert  .sayde,  wat  sholde  we  ete  yf  we  abode  here? 
Reynart  sayde,  ht-rc  is  liut  lytle  to  ete,  ye  niaye  wel 
haue  an  bony  et»ndje  good  and  swete,  wliat  .saye  ye 
Tyb«'rt  ?  wyl  )'e  ony  therof?  Tybert  answerd,  I  sette 
nought  thcrliy;  iiauf  ye  nothyng  ellis?  yf  ye  gaf  me  a 
good   fatti-  mows,    I  .shold   be  better  plesyd.     A  fatte 

I  mows,  .-aid  Kiynard,  dere  cosyn  what  saye  ye?  here 
by  dwillcth  a  jtrcc-t  and  hath  a  liarne  l)y  his  hows 
therin  ben  so  nuiny  myse,  that  a  num  sholde  not  lede 
them  away  u|)on  a  wayne,  I  luive  herd  the  preest 
many  tymes  eomplayne  that  they  dyde  hym  nioche 
harme.  O  dere  He  yiur,  lede  me  thyder  for  alle  that  I 
may  doo  for  yow.      Ye,  Tybert,  saye  ye  me  trouthe  ? 


THYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  TilK  I'OXK.  '_'» 

love  ye  wel  iwyvr^  ?  Yt"  I  love  luiii  wcI,  >ai<l  tlic  cattc. 
I  love  myes  better  than  oiiy  tliyii.i.'  tliat  men  fryve  me, 
knowe  ye  nut  that  myes  savdure  hetter  that  veneson, 
ye  than  flawnes  or  pasteyes ;  wil  ye  wel  doo,  so  lede 
me  thuder  where  the  myes  ben,  and  thenne  shal  ye 
Wynne  my  love,  ye  al  had  ye  slayn  my  fader,  moder, 
an<l  alle  my  kyn.  Keynart  sayde,  ye  moke  and  jape, 
therwyth.  The  catte  saide,  so  helpe  me  God  I  doo  not. 
Tybert,  said  the  foxe,  wi>te  I  that  veryly,  I  wolde  yet 
this  ny;;lit  make  that  yi'  shidd  be  ful  of  myes.  Reynart 
<luo«l  he,  full  that  were  many.  Tybert  ye  jape.  luynart 
(pio<l  he  in  trouth  I  doo  not,  yf  I  hadde  a  fatte  mow.s 
I  wtdd  not  fryve  it  for  a  jjolden  noble.  Late  vs  ;;oo 
thenne.  Tybert,  (juikI  the  foxe,  I  wyl  brynge  yow  to 
the  place.  Er  I  goo  fro  you,  reyner?  (^uod  the  foxe, 
vpon  yt)ur  sauf  <'onduyt,  I  woMe  wel  goo  wyth  you 
to  Monpelier.  Late  vs  thenne  goo,  said  the  foxe,  we 
tarye  al  to  long.  Thus  wente  tlity  forth  without 
lettyng  to  the  place  where  as  they  wold  be,  to  the 
prestes  barne,  whiehe  was  faste  wallid  aboute  withe  a 
niu<h'  wal,  an<l  the  nyght  to  fore  the  f«»xe  had  broken 
in  and  had  stolen  fro  tlu-  preest  a  g«K)d  fatte  henne,  and 
the  ])reest  alle  angry  had  sette  a  gryn  to  fon>  the  hool 
to  avenge  hym,  for  he  wold  fayn  have  take  the  foxe.  | 
This  knewe  wd  iIh-  filjc  tlurf  the  foxe,  and  said,  ,-ir 
TylM-rt,  eosyn,  <'repe  in  to  this  hool,  an<l  ye  shal  not 
longr  tarye  but  that  yv  .'<hal  eatehe  myes  by  grrte 
lieepis,  herke  hitw  they  pvpe.  Whan  ve  be  ful,  e«inu' 
agayn  ;  I  wil  tarye  here  after  you,  Im-  f«ire  this  hole, 
wr  wil  to  morowe  g(M)  t<»  gy«Ier  to  tin-  enurt.      'J'vberf 


-'I  I IIVSTOKYK  OF  KKYNARI)  THE  KOXK. 

why  taryt-  yv  thus  longe  ?  come  of,  and  .so  inaye  we 
retoriie  soiie  to  my  wyf,  whiche  wayteth  after  vs,  aiul 
slial  make  vs  fjootl  eliiere.  Tybert  saide,  Keyiiart  cosyn 
is  it  tlu'iine  your  eouiitJcyl  that  1  ;:tKi  in  this  holi-. 
Tbise  prestes  ben  so  wyly  and  shrewyssh,  1  drech-  to 
take  harme.  ()  ho  Tybert,  saiil  the  fox,  I  sawe  yt)u 
never  so  sore  afered,  what  eyleth  yow  ?  Tlie  eatte  was 
asliamed  and  sprange  in  to  the  hoole,  and  anon  he  was 
caujrht  in  tlie  pryn  ])y  the  neeke  er  he  wyste,  thus 
dceeyuyd  Keynart  his  ji;hest  and  cosyn.  As  Tyl>ert 
was  waer  of  the  prynne,  he  was  a  fi-rde  and  sprange 
forth,  the  grrynne  wente  to,  thennc  began  In-  to  wrawm 
for  he  was  ahnost  ystranglyd,  he  caUed,  and  eryed,  and 
matlc  a  shn-wd  iioysc.  Keynart  stode  to  fon*  the  hool 
and  hrnh-  al,  ami  was  wtl  a  payed  and  sayde,  Tybert, 
love  ye  wel  myes  ?  be  they  fatte  and  good?  knewetlie 
preeste  lierof  or  JSIertynet,  they  be  so  gr-ntyl  that 
they  wohle  brynge  yow  sawce :  Tybert  ye  synge  and 
cten,  is  that  the  guyse  of  the  eourt  ?  if  Ysegrym  ware 
thej-e  by  yow  in  suche  reste  as  ye  now  be  thenni- 
shohl  I  be  ghid,  for  ofte  he  hath  don  me  scathe  and 
harnie.  Tybert  coude  not  g<io  awaye,  but  he  niawede 
anil  galped  so  lowd<'  that  Martynet  sprang  vp,  and 
cryde  lowde,  Go<l  be  thanked  !  my  gryn  hath  taken 
the  tlieef  that  hath  stolen  our  hennes,  aryse  vp  we 
wil  rewarde  hym. 

"NVyth  tiies(>  wordes  am.-e  tlie  preest  in  an  evyl 
tyme  and  waked  alle  them  that  were  in  the  hows, 
and  cryde  wyth  a  lowyde  vois,  the  foxe  is  take ; 
there  jeep  and  ranne  alle  that  there  was,   the  preest 


THVSTORYK  OF  ItKYNAKD  Till".  IdXK.  2t 

liyms<-lt"  nmiu-  al  iiumIit  luikt-d.  Mertyint  was  tin' 
first  that  cam  to  TvlM-rt,  tlif  pnvst  t(»k(>  to  Lockcn 
his  wyt"  an  otlrrnfr  caiulol,  ami  had  hi-r  1\  frht  it  attc  f'y«>r 
and  he  sniotr  Tylxu-t  with  a  jrrctt'  staf".  Thtr  n'royiicd 
Tybert  many  a  grete  stroke  over  all  his  IxmIv;  Mi-rtv- 
net  wa.s  so  nnjrry  that  h(^  smote  the  eatte  an  eye  out, 
the  naked  prest  lyfte  vp  and  shold  have  pyven  a  preto 
stroke  to  Tybert,  but  Tylrt*rt  that  sawe  that  h*-  inuste 
di-ye,  sprnnpe  bytwene  tin-  pre>tes  lep^;.'es  w\-th  liis 
clawj's  and  with  his  teeth,  so  that  that  h-ep  becain  yl 
t«»  thepreest  and  to  his  p^rete  siianie. 

Wlmn  danje  Julocke  knewe  that,  she  sware  by 
her  I'aders  sowh-,  that  she  wolde  it  had  cost  her  alle 
thortrynp  of  a  hole  yere,  that  tin-  preest  had  not  had 
tiiat  harine,  hurte,  and  shame,  and  that  it  had  not 
h»])iH'd  an«l  said,  In  the  develes  naine  was  the  prynne 
there  sette,  s<'e  Mertynet  Ivef  sone :  this  is  a  jrreti" 
shame  and  a  prete  hurte,  tliou^h  he  Iw  hele<l  lien)!'. 
The  foxe  8tod«!  wythoute  to  fore  the  iioje  and  henle 
alle  thyse  wordes,  and  lawhed  so  son-  that  he  vniicthe 
roude  stonde ;  he  spark  thus  al  softly,  dame  .Iulo<'k  1m' 
al  stylle,  and  lete  your  prete  sorowe  sjiike.  He  slial 
d<Kj  wel  ynowh.  ther  is  in  the  world  many  a  cha|Md  in 
whiehe  is  ronpen  but  on*-  Ix-Ile.  Thus  s<-orned  and 
mocked  the  foxe  th<'  prostcs  wyf  danje  .lul(M-k,  that 
was  ful  of  sorowe.  Tin*  pn-eM  fyl  doun  a  swoinie, 
they  toke  hym  vp  and  bmupht  hvm  a;javn<'  to  Ih'cMc. 
Tho  wente  the  foxe  auayn  in  to  his  iMirn^h  ward,  and 
lefto  TylMTt  the  catte  in  frrete  dredc  and  jeo|»ardyo, 
for   tin"   f«»Xf   wiste  none  other   Imt   thaJ  the  cattc  was 


28  THYSTOUYH  OK  KKYNARD  THK  FOXE. 

nygh  deed  ;  Imt  wIr-ii  the  catto  siiwo  them  ul  Ix'sy  nbout»5 
the  precst,  tho  began  he  to  liytc  ami  jriiawc  thi-  ^'^riiiiic 
in  tlie  niychh'l  a  sonchf,  an<l  sprangc  ont  of  the  hool 
and  wcntc  rollynjr  and  wcntlyni.'  towards  the  kyngs 
.c«)iiit  :  or  he  caiii  llndtr  it  was  lavr  day  an<l  tlic  sonne 
Imlmii  to  ryse.  And  he  eani  to  the  eourt  lus  u  poure 
wyjrht ;  iie  liad  eaujriit  harnic  atte  j)restes  hows  hy  the; 
helj>e  and  counseyl  of  the  foxe,  his  body  was  al  to  beten, 
and  Idjiidc  on  tlie  one  eye.  ^V ban  the  kynge  wyste  this, 
that  Tyl)ert  was  thns  arayed,  lie  was  sore  angry  and 
menaced  Heynart  the  t beef  sore,  and  anone  gadn-d  ids 
eounseyl  to  wyte  what  they  wold  avyse  hyni,  liow  he 
niygiit  bringe  the  foxe  to  the  lawe,  and  how  he  sholde 
be  fette.  Tho  spaek  sir  Grynd)art,  whiehe  was  the 
foxes  sustersone,  and  saide.  Ye  lordes,thowgh  inyn  erne 
were  twyes  so  bad  and  shrewessli,  yet  is  there  remedye 
ynough,  late  hym  be  don  to  as  to  a  free  man  whan  he 
j  shal  be  judged,  he  nuiste  be  warned  the  thirde  tyme 
for  al,  and  yi'  In-  eonie  not  tliainu"  he  is  thenne  gylty  in 
alle  the  trespaces  that  ben  leyd  aycnst  hym  and  his,  or 
eomplayned  on.  Grymbert,  wlu)  W(tlde  ye  that  sholde 
goo  and  daye  hym  to  come,  who  wil  aventure  for  hym 
his  eeris,  hys  eye,  or  his  lyf,  whiehe  is  so  fel  a  beest.  I 
trowe  ther  is  none  here  so  moche  a  fool.  Grymbart 
spaek,  so  helpe  me  Gml  I  am  so  moche  a  fool,  that  I 
Mv\\  do  tills  message  my  self  to  Reynart,  yf  ye  willo 
/commande  nie. 


TIIYSTORVE  OV  HKYNAUD  TIIK  !(».\i:.  2'J 

HOW  <iHYMDF.RT  TIIK  DAHHK  BBorGIlT  TIIK  FOXK  TO  LAWK  T<> 
FORK  TIIK  KYNUK. 

CAI'ITII-O  XJ". 

Now  {r«)  forth  Ciryinbart  ami  slm'  wi-l  to  foro  yow, 
Krynart  is  so  fclle  ami  tals  ami  so  sulityi,  tliat  yr  iicdc 
wcl  to  loke  alxmti'  yow,  ami  to  licwan-  of"  liyin. 
Griniljort  said,  he  shoUl  sih-  wfl  to.  'llnis  wcntc  ( iiyiii- 
bart  to  MiiK'penluys  ward,  and  wliaii  he  <-am  tlu-dcr, 
h«'  f«»ud»'  Hi-ynart  the  loxc  at  hoinf,  and  dann-  Krnu-lyn 
his  wyf  hiyi!  by  her  whi-lpis  in  a  di-rki*  fornt-r,  Tho 
spack  (JrynilM-rd  and  >al«'\vril  his  cnir,  ami  his  aunt*', 
and  sai<K'  to  Hi-ynart,  Knic,  bi-warr  that  your  absence 
hurte  yow  not  in  >uchr  niatrrs  as  be  h-yd*'  and  coin- 
playned  on  yow,  Imt  yl  ye  thynki*  it  ;:o(m1,  it  is  liyc 
tyiiie  that  ye  come  wyth  me  to  tlie  court.  Tlie  wytli- 
holdyn;;  yow  fro  it  can  doo  yow  no  pkhI,  there  is  inoche 
thyn^re  cofn|dayned  over  yow,  and  this  is  tlie  thirde 
warnynp,  ami  I  t«dle  you  for  troutli  yf  ye  abyde  to 
morow  al  day,  ther  may  no  mercy  lielpe  you,  ye  >hal  see 
tliat  wythiii  tinedayes  that  y<»ur  hows  shal  be  l»ys<';:ed 
al  about)-,  and  ther  .-^hai  be  made  to  tore  it  iralowes  and 
racke,  I  saie  you  truly  yeslial  not  thenneesc-ape,  neyther 
with  wyf  lie  wyth  chyhh-.  Tiie  kyn;;e  shal  take  allc 
your  livys  fro  yow,  tiierfore  it  is  Im'sI*'  that  ye  poo 
wytli  inc  to  the  court,  your  subtyl  wys**  eounswyl  shal 
parnvcnture  nvaylle  you,  ther  Im-u  jrretter  nventures 
falle  er  this,  for  it  may  happe  ye  shal  poo  cpiyte  «if  all 
the  coniplnynlcs  that  Im-ii  comphiym'<l  on  you.  ami  alle. 
your  eneniycM  shal  altyde  in  the  shame,  ye  have  ofiyntes 


IM)  TIIYSTOHVi:  (»!••  KKYNAUI*    INK  FOXK. 

(1(111  more  and  ;.'Tctt('r  tliiii;ics  than  this.  Rcynart  the 
foxe  answiTe<l,  Yv  saye  soth,  I  trowe  it  is  beste  tliat  I 
goo  wyth  you  for  tlier  lackcth  my  counscyl,  paraventurc 
the  kynge  shal  bo  niprcyful  to  iiie  yf  I  maye  come  to 
spekc  wytli  hym,  and  sec  hyiii  iiiidcr  his  e^en,  thoufrh 
I  had  (K)n  iiiocdu^  more  hariiic,  the  court  may  not  stonde 
without  mo,  tiiat  shal  tiic  kynjr*'  wel  unth-rstande. 
Thoufih  some  be  so  telle  to  me  ward,  yet  it  goth  not  to 
the  herte,  alle  the  eouuseyl  shal  conclude  moclu^  by 
me,  where  grete  courtes  ben  gadred  of  kynges  or  of 
grete  lordes,  where  as  nedeth  subtyl  counseyl,  ther 
mustc  Regnart  fynde  the  subtyl  meanes.  They  maye 
wel  speke  and  save  theyr  advys  but  the  myne  is  beste, 
and  that  goth  to  fore  alle  other.  In  the  courte  ben 
many  that  have  sworcn  to  doo  me  the  werst  they  can: 
and  that  causeth  me  a  parte  to  be  bevy  in  my  herte, 
for  many  maye  doo  more  than  one  allone  that  shal 
hurte  me,  nevertheless,  nevew,  it  is  better  that  I  goo 
with  yow  to  the  court,  and  answere  for  myself,  than 
to  sette  me,  my  wyf,  and  my  chyldren  in  a  venture  for 
to  be  loste  :  aryse  uj),  late  us  goo  hens,  he  is  over 
myghty  for  me,  I  muste  doo  as  he  wylle,  I  can  not 
Itcttre  it,  I  shal  take  it  pacicntly  and  sullVe  it.  Reyncrt 
saidc  to  his  wyf,  dame  Erm(.'lyn  I  betake  yow  my 
chyldren  that  ye  see  wel  to  hem,  and  specyally  to 
Reynkyn,  my  yongest  sone.  He  belykcth  me  so  wel  I 
hope  he  .shal  folowe  my  stappes,  and  ther  is  liosel  a 
passyng  fayr  thecf.  I  love  hem  as  wel  a.s  any  may 
love  his. chyldren.  Yf  God  gy^'e  me  grace  that  I  may 
escape,  I  shal  whan  I  come  agayn  thank  yow  wyth  fair 


THYSTOKYK  OK  UKYNAKD  TlIK  lOXK  • » I 

wonU'S.  Tluis  t(ik<*  Hfyniirt  Ifin-  ot"  liis  wyl".  A  {T'kIs, 
how  sorout'ul  alxKlf  Kriuelyn  wytli  hrr  snmlo  whclpis, 
fortlu'  vytaylU'r,  ami  Ik- that  soiowcd  for  Malcpcnliiys 
has  pcMni  hiri  way.  Ami  the  hows  not  pourvcyi'd  nc 
vitaylled. 


HOW   UKYNAIU)  SIIIIOF  IIYM. 
CAIMTfl.O    XU. 


Whan  Heynart  ami  (IrynilK-rt  had  froon  a  whylc  to- 
jrydrc,  tho  saidf  lii-ymirt,  (Jrete  cosyn,  now  am  I  in  , 
grcto  fen',  for  I  «J(K)  in  dredc  and  it-opanly*.'  of  my  lyf.  \ 
I  havo  so  mofhc  rcpentauncc  for  my  .synncs  that  I  wil 
shryvc  me  dore  cosyn  to  yow,  here  is  none  otluT  preost 
to  iivtv,  yi'  I  were  shryven  nf  my  synnes,  my  souh;  siiohl 
be  the  clercr.  Grynihert  au.-m  nle,  Kern,  wil  ye  ^hryve 
you,  then  mnste  ye  promyse  first  to  h;ve  your  steel- 
yng  and  rovynge.  Koynart  saide  that  wyst  he  wel. 
Now  herkc,  dere  coHyn,  what  I  shal  saye.  Confiteor 
tibi,  pater,  of  allc  the  misdedes  that  I  have  don,  and 
fjladly  will  receyve  penance  for  them.  (IrymlM-rte 
.sayde,  What  saye  ye?  wylle  ye  shryve  y«»u  ?  theune 
saye  it  in  En^jlish,  that  I  may  nnder.-'lande  yow. 
Rrynard  sayde,  I  have  tre.-pai-ed  ayenst  aUe  the  iK'stis 
tliat  lyve,  in  espeeyal  ayenst  Hruyn  the  Iwre,  myne 
e«'m,  whom  I  niayde  his  eruwne  al  bbnly;  and  taUL'htr 
TylxTt  the  eatte  to  eat«'he  mye.s  for  I  niadr  her  lei-pe 
in   .»  irrenne  wher  sin-  >v  >-   ••'   '•  !■•  tt-n  :  also  I   have 


;>2  TUVSrOKYK  OF  REYNARD  TIIK  KOXK, 

trcspaccd  jrretly  ayoii-'t  (.'haiiticlfrc  with  his  oliililicn. 
ior  I  have  iiiudo  hyin  quyte  (if  a  prpte  dele  of  hem. 
Tht'  kyn;r<'  is  not  goon  al  (|uyte.  I  have  skhuulert'il 
hyin  ami  the  quene  many  tynu's,  that  they  shall  never 
be  cleer  therof;  yet  have  I  bejryled  Ysegrym  thcwulf 
ofter  than  I  can  telle  wel :  I  have  ealleil  hym  erne,  but 
that  was  t<t  deceyve  hym,  he  is  nothin;;  of  my  kyn. 
I  made  liym  a  nionke,  Kelmare,  where  I  my  self  also 
beeam  one.  And  tliat  was  to  his  hurte  and  no  prouf- 
fyte.  I  mayde  bynde  his  feet  to  the  belle  rope  ;  the 
rynjryng  of  the  belle  thought  hym  so  good  that  he 
wolde  lerne  to  rynge,  wherof  he  had  shame,  for  he 
ranjro  so  .sore  that  alle  the  folke  in  the  .strete  were 
aferd  therof  and  mervaylled  what  myght  be  on  the 
belle;  and  ranne  thyder  to  fore  he  had  eomen,  to  axe 
the  reliiryon,  wlierfore  he  was  Iteten  almost  to  the  <leth. 
After  tliis  1  taught  hym  to  cateiie  fy.ssh  where  h«' 
reeeyvid  many  a  stroke  ;  also  I  ledde  hym  to  the  richest 
prestes  hows  that  was  in  Vermedos.  This  preest  had 
a  spynde  wherin  hcnge  many  a  good  flitehe  of  bacon  ; 
wherin  many  a  tyme  I  was  wonte  to  fyl  my  bely,  in 
this  .s|)ynde  1  had  made  an  hole,  in  whiche  I  made 
Ysegrym  to  crepe.  'I'here  fonde  lie  tubbes  wyth  beef 
ami  many  good  flytches  of  bacon,  wherof  he  etc  so 
nioehe  withoute  mcsure,  tliat  lie  myght  not  come  out 
at  the  hole  where  he  wente  in  ;  his  b<'ly  was  .so  gret<^ 
and  ful  of  the  mete,  and  whan  he  entred  his  bely  wa.s 
smal.  I  wente  in  to  the  village  and  made  there  a  grete 
showte,  and  noy.se,  yett  In  iLe  what  I  dyde,  thenne  I 
ranne  to  the  |iiee-f.  w  Ik  re  he  satte  at  the  table  and  elr. 


TIIYSTORYF  OK  UKYNAUn  TIIR  FOXK.  X] 

ami  hadtic  to  fore  liyin  as  fattc  caponc  aa  a  man  myglit 
fyiuk'.  Tliat  nipone  caught  I,  and  ran  in*  my  weyc  ther- 
witli  al  that  I  iny^htc.  Thf  prtM-st  «ry«'(l  out  aud  said, 
Take  ami  sice  the  foxe  :  1  trowc  that  never  man  sawc 
more  wonder :  The  Ibxc  conieth  in  my  hows  and  tak<>th 
my  cap<M)ne  fro  my  table :  Where  saw  ever  nnm  an 
hardyer  tlieef?  And,  as  me  thought,  he  toke  his  table 
knyf  and  ca.stc<l  it  at  me,  but  he  toudied  me  not.  I 
ranne  away  ;  he  ehoof  the  table  from  hym,  and  folowed 
me  cryeng,  Kyllc  and  slee  liym.  I  to  goo  and  they  after, 
and  many  moo  cam  after,  whiche  alle  thongiit  to  hurte 
njo.  I  rannc  so  longe  that  I  cam  where  as  Isegrym 
was,  and  then*  I  lete  falle  the  capone,  for  it  wius  to 
hevy  for  me,  and  ayenst  my  wille  I  lefte  it  there  ;  and 
thenne  I  sprange  thurgh  an  hole  where  as  I  wolde  l>o  ; 
and  as  the  prcest  toko  vjt  the  capone,  he  espyede  Ise- 
grym, and  cryde,  Smyte  doun  her«',  frendes  ;  here  is 
the  theef,  the  wulf,  see  wel  to  that  hi"  escape  vs  not. 
Thoy  rannc  alle  togydre  wyth  stokkcs  and  staues,  and 
made  a  grete  noys<'  that  alle  the  neyghbours  canien 
oute,  and  gauen  hym  numy  a  shrcwdc  stroke,  and 
thn*we  at  hyuj  grctc  stones,  in  suche  wyse  that  he  fyl 
doun  as  he  luul  Im-u  deed.  They  slepid  hynj  and  drcwe 
hym  ouer  stones  and  oner  bhwkes  wythout  the  village 
and  threwc  hym  in  to  a  «lyehi-,  ancl  there  he  hiye  al 
the  nyght.  I  wote  neucr  how  he  cam  thens.  Svth  I 
liaue  goten  of  hym,  for  as  nun-he  as  I  nuule  hvm  to 
fylle  his  l)cly,  that  lie  sware  that  hi*  wdlde  Ih»  myn  heljM* 
an  hole  yore.  Tho  led<le  I  hym  to  a  place  wli«re  1 
toldo  hym  then  w«Te  vij.   Iiennes  and  a  ccn-ke.   whiche 

V 


3t  THVSTOUYK  OF  UKVNAUI)  THE  FOXE. 

satte  on  a  jMnlie  ami  were  morlit.'  fattc.       And  tlur 

stoilc  a  f'aMon*  liv,  ami  we  clyiniiicil  tlicr  v|».      I  sayd"- 

to  hym,  yf  ho  wolde  bilt-iic  iiio,  and  tliat  In-  wolde  crojn' 

in  to  the  dore,  hi;   .sholdc;  fyiidc    many   fattc  henncs. 

Iscgrym  wente  al  lawhyng  to  the  don-  wanl,  and  cmiM' 

a  lityl  in,  and  tasted  here  and  there,  and  at  laste  he 

sayde  to  nie,  Reynarde,  ye  horde  and  iaj)e  with  nic,  for 

what  I  seehe  I  fynde  not.    Tiicne,  said  I,  Enie  yf  ye 

wyl  fynde,  crepe  forther  in,   he  that  wil  wynne,  he 

iiuiste  lahoure  and  auenture ;  they  that  were  wonte  to 

sittc  tliere,  I  hane  them  a  waye.      Thns  I  made  hyni 

to  seche  ferther  in,  andshoouc  hym  forth  so  ierre,  tliat 

liefylledoun  vponthefloer,  for  the  pereh  wasnarow,  and 

lie  lill  so  grete  a  falle,  that  they  sprange  vp  alle  tliat 

slcpte ;  and  they  that  laye  nexte  the  fyre  cryden  that 

the  valdorc  was  open,  and  sonithyng  was  falle,  and  they 

wistc  not  wat  it  niyglit  be.     They  roose  vp  and  lyghte 

acandel,  and  whan  they  saw e  hym  they  smeton,  lx.'t<jn, 

and  wounded  hym  to  the  detii.      I  have  brought  hym 

thus  in  many  a  jepardyc.-,  nioo  than  I  can  now  rekeiie^ 

I  sholde   fyndi-   many  moo  yf  I  nie  wel  bytlioughte, 

which(.'    I    .--IkiI    trill'   you    here    after.      Also,    I    havf 

bydryuen  wyth  dame  Erswynde  his  wyf.     I  wohlc  I 

had  n(»t  don  it :  I  am  sory  for  it :  hit  is  to  her  gretc 

shame,  and  that  me  rcpenteth.     (Irymbert  saidc,  Eme, 

I  vnderstande  you  not :  ye  shryue  you  as  though  ye 

hclde  somwhat  behynde.     I  wote  not  what  ye  raene, 

ne  where  ye  haue  h-rned  this  langage.  He  saydo,  I  hauc 

trcspaccd  with  his  wyf.     Aeh  derc  Eme,  it  were  grete 

sh:ime  \\'  I  sholde  saye  it  oppcnly  as  it  hapfKid.     I  have 


THYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXE.  .)5 

loyen  by  myn  aunto.  I  am  your  Eino,  I  .--IiKld  an;_M-i' 
you  yf  I  spak  vylanye  of  wynuncu.  Neucu,  imw  liauc 
1  told  you  alle  that  I  ran  tliynke  on,  sctte  nu»  pcnauiicf 
and  assoyllc  nie,  for  1  liau<'  i:rvU'  rrju-ntaunce. 

Grynilx?rt  was  snbtyl  and  wysr,  lie  hrakr  a  nMld<«  of 
a  tree  and  saide,  Knic,  now  slial  ye  sniytr  yourself 
tliryes  with  this  rodde  on  your  hocly  ;  and  thciun- h'yo 
itdoun  vpon  the  grounde,  and  s[»ryn{;e  thre  tyinesther 
oner  without  bowyng  of  yoiir  li';.'ir<'s,  ami  w  vtliout 
8toiiiiilvii;r,  and  thenne  shal  ye  take  it  \  p  and  kysse 
it  frendly,  in  token  of  niekem-s  aixl  ohedienee  of  your 
penance  that  I  pif  yow  :  herwith  !)••  \r  quyte  of  alle 
synnes  that  ye  haue  don  to  this  day,  for  I  forL'<-ue  it 
yow  al.  The  foxe  was  glad.  Tln>,  saytl  Grynd>ert  to 
his  cmc,  Eme,  see  now  ft>rtlion  that  ye  din)  goo<l  werkis, 
rede  your  psalines,  g(M)  to  ehirehe,  faste  and  kepe 
your  halydayrs,  and  gyut- y<iur  allniesse,  and  leue  your 
synful  and  yl  lyf,  your  thefte  and  y«»ur  treson,  and  so 
maye  ye  eome  to  nirn-y.  Thi'  foxi'  |)roniys('d  that  In- 
wold  «o  diMi,  and  thenne  wc-nte  they  both  to  gydre  to 
the  court  wanl.  A  lytel  liesyde  tiie  waye  as  they 
wente,  stmle  u  cloyster  of  hhu-k  iu»nne.s  where  many 
ghees,  henne.H,  and  eapones  wcnte  withoute  th**  walles  ; 
and  as  they  went*'  lalkynge,  the  fiixe  hrought  (Jrym- 
bcrt  out  of  the  right  waye  thy»ier:  and  wytlmut  the. 
walles,  by  the  harm-  wcnt<'  the  polayh*.  The  foxi* 
espyed  tliem,  and  saw  a  fatte  yong  cupone  wliicli  went** 
allon<'  fro  hisfflaws,  and  lepp  and  eaiight  hym  that  the 
fethers  flewh  al>«»ut<'  his  ccri-.  Itut  tlie  eapone  esea|M'd. 
(Iryndxrt  saydc.  what  Kme,  eursyd  man,  what  wil  ye 

I.  'J 


.*}()  THVSTOKVK  OK  UKVNAIU)  THK  I'OXK. 

(loo?  wilk'  ye  for  ono  ol'  tliise  poletes  falle  ajrayn  in 
alle  your  synnos  of  whiclic  ye  Imuc  shryucn  yow  ?  ye 
oufrlit  sore  repent  you.  Keyiuirt  answenl,  Truly  cosyn, 
I  had  al  fttrgoten  ;  prayc  God  tintt  he  forgeuc  it  ine, 
for  I  wil  neuerdo  so  more.  Thene  torned  they  ajjayu 
ouer  a  lityl  Itrydge,  yet  the  foxe  alway  lokcd  after  tlie 
polaylle,  he  eoudo  not  refrayne  hyni  self,  that  whiehe 
eli'iiid  Ity  the  hone,  niyjrht  not  out  of  tin*  flesshe;  though 
he  shold  he  hanged,  he  coude  not  leto  the  lokyng  after 
the  polayll  as  fer  as  he  nivght  see  them.  Grynd)ert 
sawe  his  maner,  and  sayde,  Fowle  false  deceyuour,  h<tw 
goo  your  eyen  so  after  the  poleyl.  The  foxe  sayde, 
Cosyn,  ye  mysdoo  to  saye  to  me  ony  suche  wordes ; 
ye  hryngc  me  out  of  my  deuocion  and  prayers.  Late 
me  saye  a  Pater  Noster  for  alle  the  fowles  of  polaylle 
and  ghees  that  I  have  hetrayed,  and  ofte  wyth  falsheed 
stolen  from  thyse  iiolly  nonnes.  (Irynihert  was  not 
wel  a  payd,  Imt  the  foxe  had  ever  his  eyen  toward  the 
judayl,  til  atte  lastethey  eani  in  the  waye  agayn.  Ami 
thenne  torned  they  to  tin*  eourt  wanle.  How  sore 
({uaked  tho  Reynard  whan  they  aproehed  the  court, 
for  he  wiste  wel  that  he  had  for  to  answere  to  many  a 
fowle  feet  and  theft  tliat  he  had  doon. 


HOW  TIIK  roXK  r.\>I  to  THK  roIRT,    ANI>  how  HK  KXCU8ED 
HVM  TOFOnE  THE  KYNCE. 

TAPITULO  XIIJ. 

At  the  first  whan  it    was  knowen   in   the  eourt  that 
Reynart   the    foxe,    and    (iryniha«'rt    his    eosyn   were 


TIIYSTORYK  OK  HKYNAHD  TllK  TOXK. 


37 


coiiu'i)  to  till'  court,  tluT   was   none   mo   poiirt'  iior  so 
fVI»l«*  «»t'  kyiine  and  fri'iuhy*,  but  that   lie  made  liym 
n-dy  for  to  coiiiiilayne  on  Keynart  the  foxi-.      Krynart 
Iok«'  as  lie  liad  not  Ih-u  aferd,   and  lielde    liyiu  Jn-tter 
than    he   was,   tor   he   wt'iite   lortli    proudly   with   his 
n»'ueii  thur<rh  the  hyest  streete  of  the  eourte,  ri;:lit  as 
In;    had    Iwii    the    kyn^jes    sone,    an<l  as   he    had    not 
trespaeed  to  ony  man  the  vahie  of  an  heer,  and  wente 
ill  the  mydel  of  the  phiee  stondynp  to  fore  Noble  the 
kynjic,  aiul   sayde,    Gtxl   pyuc  you  prete   honour  and 
worship,  there  was  neuer  kynp  that  eut-r  had  a  trewer 
s«'ruant   than   1   haue  Ix-n  to  your  jrood  prniee  and  yet 
am.     Neuertheh'S,  dere  lorde,  1  knowf  wil  that  tlur  Kin 
many  in  this  eourte  that  woldi-  destroy  me  yf  ye  wold 
byh-ve  them;   but  nay,   (rod  thanke   yow,    hit   is   not 
fyttynp  to  youre  erowne  to  bylevc  thise  false  di-ecy\ars 
ami  lyars  ly-jhtly.      To  (iod  mot*-   it    be   etmiplayned 
how  that  thise  false  lyars  and  flatrrers  nt»w  a  ilayes  in 
the  hirde.s  eourtes  ben   inoste  herde  and  Udevyd,  the 
shrcwert  and  fuLs4'  deecyvers  ben  borne  \  ji  t'or  to  thni 
tu  ;;(hm1    mm   allf   the    harmc   and   seath    they    may«>. 
Oure  l^>rdi-   (mmI  .shal  «»nes  n-warde  them  tlirir  livre. 
The  kynfje  wiydi-,  I'l-i-s,  Keynnrd,  fals<'  th(M-f  and  tniy- 
t»»ur,  how   wcl  can  ye  bryn;:i'  forth    fayer  talis;    an<l 
alle  shalle  not  helpe  yow  a  stniwe,  wcne  ye  wytli  sueh 
rtaterynj?  wordea  to   be  n»y   fn-mle,  ye   have  wj  oftc 
servyd  me  imm»  as  ye  now  shal   wcl  kiiowe.      The   [mh'h 
that  I   have  eomandcd  and  sworne,  that  havi-  ye  wel 
hohh-n,    haue    ye.      C'haunteclcr   eoud«'   n«»   h-n^cr  ha 
*tyllc,  but  eryde,  Ala.s  I   what  have  I  by  this  pees  lonte. 


45377 


V,H 


THVSTORYr:  OF  RKYNAUI)  TIIK  F'OXK 


lii-  sfvllf  (■|i:iuntc<'lfre,  lioMr  ymir  iimutli,  late  rrn* 
answcrc  this  fowlc  tlicef.  Tliow  shrewd  I'elle  theef, 
saiiU'  the  kynge,  thou  saist  that  thou  loucst  mc  wcl ; 
that  hast  thou  shewd  wcl  on  my  messugcrs  tliese  poure 
ffhiws,  Tibert  the  cat.  ami  IJruyu  the  bere,  whicheyet 
hen  al  hhxly,  whiehe  chyde  not,  ne  saye  not  moche,  but 
that  shal  thisilay  oostc  the  thy  lyf.  In  nomine  I'atris, 
Cri>ti.  lilii,  sayil  the  foxe,  dere  lord,  and  niyjL^hty 
kyn;r,  yt'  Hruynes  erowne  be  blo«ly,  what  is  that  to  nic; 
whan  he  ete  hony  at  Lantferts  hows  in  the  vylla|:^e, 
and  dyde  hym  liurte  and  scathe,  there  was  he  beten 
therforc  ;  yf  he  had  willyd,  lie  is  so  stronge  of  lynnnes, 
he  niyght  wel  haue  be  aucngid  er  he  sprang  in  to  the 
water.  Tho  cam  Tybert  tiie  catte,  whom  I  recyue<l 
\  frendly;  yf  he  wente  out  without  my  counseyl  for  to 
\  stele  myes  to  a  prestes  hows,  ami  the  i)rest  «lyde  hym 
/  harme,  sholde  I  aljye  that?  thenne  myght  I  say  I  were 
not  happy.  Not  so  my  liege  lorde,  ye  maye  doo  what  ye 
wille,  thowh  my  mater  be  cleer  and  goo<l,  ye  may  siede 
me,  or  roste,  hangc*  or  make  me  blynde,  I  may  not 
escape  you;  we  stonde  allc  vnder  your  ('orreccion.  Yc 
be  myghty  and  stronge,  I  am  feblr,  ami  my  lujlpc  is 
but  smal.  Yf  ye  put  nw  to  tin-  dftli,  hit  were  a  smal 
vengeance. 

Whiles  they  thus  spak,  sprangc  vp  Bellyn  the 
ramc,  and  his  erne  Dame  Oh'wey,  and  saidc.  My 
lord  the  kynge,  here  our  complaynt  ;  Bruyn  the  bere 
stodc  up  w)'th  al  his  lygnage  and  his  felaws  :  Ti- 
birt  the  catte,  Isegrym  tlie  wulf,  KyAvart  the  hare, 
and   I'anthcr   the   boon-,   the   camel    and   lirunel   the 


THVSTOKYK  OF  KKYNARD  TUK  FOXE.  3D 

ghoos,  thckyile  and  ghoot,  n«»u(U'\vyn  the  nssc,  Borrc  the 
Imllf,  Ilaiiul  t\u'  oxc,  ami  the  wrscl,  C'haiitci-h'r  the 
nn-k,  IVrtohtt  witli  alio  tlii-vn-  chililn-ii.  allf  tliisc 
made  grctc  ruiiKtiir  ami  iKiysf,  aiitl  ••am  lurth  openly 
to  fore  tlu'ir  lord*'  the  kynge  ;  ami  niaile  that  the  foxc 
was  taken  an<l  arcsted. 


HOW  THK  rOXE  WAS  AUKSTKO,  AND  JIOGKI)  TO  DKTIt. 
CAIMTILO  XIIJJ. 

IIkrk  vpon  was  a  p  .rliannMit,  an<l  they  dr.sin-d  that 
Ivt-ynart  sholdc  ben  deed,  and  what  sonnne  euer  they 
saden  uyenst  the  foxe,  he  answerdu  to  eehe  to  them. 
Neuer  herde  man  of  suehe  playntis  of  wyse  eounseyl, 
and  suhtyl  inm-neions  :  ami  on  that  otlur  syde,  tlie 
foxe  made  hisexeu.se  so  wel  ami  formahly  theron,  that 
they  that  herde  it  wondrej  therof.  Thi-y  that  henle 
and  MHwe  it,  may  telle  it  forth  for  troutlie.  1  shal 
short  the  mater,  and  telle  yow  forth  of  the  foxe.  The 
kynjre  and  the  eounseyl  herde  the  witnessis  of  the 
eotiiphtyntes  of  lv«  ynarts  myMliMles  ;  hit  wente  with 
hem  a>  it  ofte  dmh.  the  feblest  hath  the  worst.  Tliey 
jrat'e  sentcm-e  ami  jn;:ed  that  the  foxe  sholde  Im*  declo 
and  han;:ed  by  tl>e  neeke  ;  tlio  lyste  not  he  to  pleye 
nlle  his  flateryng,  wordos  ami  doec^'tes  roude  not  hel|>c 
hynu  The  jupement  wa^  pyven  and  that  muste  Ik; 
<lon.  ClrymlHTt  his  neueu,  and  many  of  his  lignafje 
mypht  not  fynde  in  their  ht-rtes  to  see  hym  dye,  bnt 
token  leue  sorouftdly,  and  romed  tin*  eonrt.  The 
kynge  bithoughte  h)  ni  and  niarke«l  how  many  a  yong- 


40  THYSTORYK  oK  UKVNMtl)  Till:  KOXE. 

ling  departed  rnmi  tlii-iis  al  wrpyntr,  wliitli  wore  nyghc 
of  Ins  kynne,  and  sayde  to  hymself,  llii-r  belioiietli 
other  counseyl  herto  ;  tliotigli  Hcyiiart  be  a  shrewe, 
ther  be  many  good  of  his  lignage.  Tybert  tlie  cattc 
sayde,  sir  Bruyn  and  Sir  Lsegrym,  how  be  ye  thus 
shnve,  it  is  ahnost  euen,  hier  ben  many  l)usshes  and 
liedges,  yf  he  eseaped  from  vs  and  were  delyuerd  ont 
of  this  pawl,  lie  is  so  subtyl  and  so  wyly  and  can  so 
many  deeeytes,  that  he  shold  neuer  be  taken  agayn. 
Shal  we  hange  hym  ?  now  stonde  yc  al  thus,  er  the 
galewis  can  be  made  redy  it  shal  be  nyght. 

lsegrym  bethought  hym  tho  and  seyde,  hierby  is  a 
gybct  or  galewis,  and  wyth  that  worde  he  sighed,  and 
the  catte  espyed  that  and  sayed,  lsegrym,  ye  be  aferd, 
ys  it  ayenst  your  wylle?  Thynke  ye  not  that  he  hym- 
self wentc  and  laboure<l  that  bothe  your  bretlwrn  were 
hanged  ?  were  ye  good  and  wyse,  ye  sholde  thanke 
hym,  and  ye  sholde  nd  tht  r  with  st)  longe  tarye. 


now  TIIK  H»XK  WAS  LV:UI>K  To  THK  UALKWI8. 
CAPlTri-O  XV. 

IsKGKYM  balke<l  and  sayde,  ye  make  mochc  a  doo,  sir 
Tybert;  ha<Mi'  we  an  halter  whiche  were  mete  for  his 
neekc  and  stronge  ynough,  we  shold  sftne  make  an 
endc.  Keynart  tlic  fi»xe,  whiehc  longe  had  not  spoken, 
saidc  to  lsegrym.  Short  my  payne.  Tyberte  hath  a 
stronge  corde  whiehe  eaught  hym  in  the  prestes  hous, 
whan   he  bote  the  jncste.      He  ean  elymc  wel  and  i» 


TIIYSTORYK  OK  UF.YNAUP  THK  l-OXK.  41 

swift,  lutt'  Iiyiii  bert'  vp  the  lyne.  Isof^ryiii  mid  Bniyn, 
tliys  iK'ctuuftli  yow  wd,  that  yi;  thus  doo  to  your 
lu-uew.  I  uin  sory  timt  I  lyue  thus  h»nge  :  hiuste  you, 
ye  be  sctte  thcrto  ;  it  is  euyl  iloo  tliat  y<'  turye  tluis 
Uuifre  :  goo  to  fore  IJruyn  aiide  h  de  iiif  ;  Iscgryin,  fo- 
lowe  taste,  and  see  wel  to  and  beware  that  Keyiiart  fro 
not  away.  The,  sayd  Bruyii,  it  is  X\ir.  best  eounseil 
that  I  euer  yet  herde,  tliat  Keyiiart  there  seith. 

Isegrym  eoiunianded  anon  and  bachh*  liis  kyn  and 
frendes,  that  they  shold  see  to  Keynart  tliat  he  eseaped 
not,  for  he  is  so  wyly  and  fals.  They  hehlen  hyiii  by  the 
feet,  by  the  berde,  an<l  so  kepte  liyin  tliat  he  eseaped  not 
from  liein.  The  foxe  iierdc  alli-  thyse  wordes,  whiehc 
toueliid  hyni  nygh,  yet  spak  lie  and  sayde,  Och  dt-rc 
Kine,  nn'  thynkrth  ye  payne  your  self  sore,  for  to  doo 
to  nic  hurte  and  seatlie  ;  yf  I  durste  I  wolde  prayo 
you  of  nierey,  thaugh  my  hurti;  nnd  sorow  is  playsant 
to  you.  I  wote  wel  yf  niyn  auntc  your  wyf  bethought 
her  wel  of  oldc  ferners,  she  wohle  not  suffre  that  1 
shold  haue  ony  hariiie  ;  but  now  1  am  h**,  that  now  ye 
wille  doo  on  nie  what  it  slial  ples<'yow;  ye,  Bruyii  and 
Thiliert,  (i«m1  gyue  you  shames  deth,  but  ye  «1«m>  tt>  me 
your  werst,  I  wote  wln'rto  I  slial,  I  maye  deye  but 
oneH,  I  wohle  that  I  wcp-  de«h'  alretly.  I  sawc  my 
fader  deye  ;  he  had  sonc  d<>nin'.  Is<'gryni  sayde,  Lctc 
V8  goo,  for  y<'  eurse  vs  bi  cause  we  longthe  the  tyme, 
euyl  mote  he  fare  yf  we  aby«le  ony  longer.  He  wento 
forth  wyth  gretc  enuye  on  that  one  side,  nnd  Hruyn 
stixnle  on  the  iitlirr  sydr,  ami  so  lede  thry  hym  I'ortli 
to  the  galowes  warde.      TylnTt  ranne  with  a  gtHnl  wil 


42  TIIVSTORYE  OF  UEYNAUI)  TIIK  FOXK. 

to  fore,  and  hare  the  cordc,  and  his  throte  was  yet  sore 
of  thf  rri'viinc,  and  Ins  tToppt'  dyde  hym  woo  of  the 
strykc  that  he  was  take  in,  tliat  happi-d  hy  tlie  counseil 
of  the  foxc,  and  that  thoiiirht  hi-  now  t<»  quyte. 

Tyhert,  Isefrryni,  and  IJruyn,  wcnte  hastely  wyth 
Reinert  to  the  phice  there  a.s  the  feU)ns  ben  wonte  to  he 
put  to  detli.  Nobel  the  kynge,  and  the  quene,  and  alio 
that  were  in  the  eourt,  folowed  after  for  to  see  the  ende 
of  Keynart.  The  foxe  was  in  grete  drede  ^'f  hym 
myshapited,  and  bethought  hym  ofte,  how  he  myghte 
saue  hym  fro  the  detii,  and  tho  thre,  that  so  sore  desi- 
reden  hys  <leth  how  he  niyght  deeeyuc  them,  an<l 
brynge  them  to  shame  ;  and  how  he  myght  brynge 
the  kynge  wyth  Icsyngis  for  to  holdc  wyth  hym  aycnst 
hem.  This  was  alle  that  he  studyed,  how  he  myght 
putte  away  his  sorowe  wyth  wylys  ;  and  tiiought  thus, 
though  the  kynge  an<l  many  one  be  vpon  me  angry, 
it  is  no  wonder,  lor  I  have  wil  dcscruid  it  ;  ni-ucr- 
theh'S  I  hopi!  for  to  be  yi-t  his  ])est  fn-ndc,  and  yet 
shal  I  nfui'r  do  them  g(^><l.  How  strong  that  the  ^yngc 
bt',  and  how  wyse  that  his  counseil  In-,  yf  I  may  brouke 
my  wordes,  I  kiujwe  so  many  an  inueneion,  I  shal 
come  to  myn  above,  as  fc-r  as  they  wolde  comen  to  tho 
galewcs.  Tho  saidc  Ysegrym,  Sir  IJruyn  thynke  now 
on  your  rede  crowne  whiehe  by  Keynarts  mcne  ye 
caughte  ;  we  haue  now  the  tyme  that  wo  may  wel  re- 
wards hym.  Tybert  clyme  vp  hastyly  and  bynde  the 
corde  fxste  to  the  lynde,  and  make  a  rydynge  knottc 
or  a  strop*',  ye  1)0  tlie  lyghtyst.  Ye  shal  this  day  see 
your  wylli'  of  hym.      Bruyn  see  wel  to  that  he  escape 


TIIYSTOUYK  or  KKYNAUD  TIIK  FOXK.  iS 

not,  and  lu»l«le  fuste;  I  will  litlpc  tliut  the  lailtK-r  l)c 
84'ttr  vp,  tliut  lie  may  {r«M)  vpwart  tlicroii.  Hruyn 
sau\v.  Do,  I  simll  holpe  liyin  \\v\.  Tlu'  foxc  sayde,  now 
may  my  lu*rtc  be  wel  hcny  for  i:rfU'  drede ;  for 
I  .-re  the  deth  to  fore  niyn  eyen,  and  I  may  not  cwape. 
My  lorde  the  kynjre,  and  dere  (juene,  and  fortli  aUe  ye 
tliat  here  stande,  er  I  dcparte  fro  this  worUh",  I  pray 
you  of  a  honi",  that  I  may  to  fon-  you  alh-  make  my 
eonfes.sion  opeidy,  and  t«'lle  my  drfaultes  also  elerly, 
that  my  sowie  l>c  not  aeomhn-il,  and  also  that  no  mun 
hen-after,  here  r>o  Idame  for  my  thcftc,  m-  for  my 
tre.-HJn  ;  my  deth  «hal  Ik*  to  me  the  esyer,  and  praye  yc 
alle  to  God  that  !><•  haue  mercy  on  my  sowle. 


HOW  TMK  lOXK  MADK  OPK.M.Y  'IIH  COSTK^HIOS  To  KOKK  TUK 
KYN(i>^  AM>  TU  FORK  AL  TIIKM  THAT  Uol.Ii  IIKKK  IT. 

CAIMTrU)  XVJ. 

Ai.l,  tlu-y  that  sto«len  there,  had  pyte  wlh-n  Ivrynart 
snide  the  wordes  ;  and  said  it  was  liut  a  lyti-l  requestc 
yf  tin'  kynge  w«ihh'  jjrnnte  it  hym  ;  ami  thry  pniyilo 
the  kynp-  to  frniunt<'  it  hym.  The  kyn;;«'  ^'af  hym 
leue.  Heynart  \*  as  wel  ;:lad,  ami  ho|M-d  that  it  myj^ht 
falle  better,  and  said,  tiiUiS  Now  hrI|N>,  Spiritiis  iXunini, 
f«»r  I  sec  hicr  no  man,  but  I  have  tn'spne<'d  vnto.  Nc- 
uerthelcH  yet  was  I,  vnto  the  tyme  that  I  wn.H  weneil 
fro  the  tote,  one  the  ln'Ste  ehylde  that  eouch;  onwher 
be  founden.  I  wmte  tho  an<l  ph-yde  wyth  the  himU'CS 
by    eause    I    herde    hi-m  phully    bhte  ;    I   was    >o    lonp. 


H  TIIVSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXF,. 

wyth  lioni,  that  at  the  lastc  I  bote  one,  there  Icrned  I 
tyrst  to  \ii\u-u  of  tho  hlooih- :  liit  sauourd  wcl ;  ine 
tliouf^ht  it  ri^rlit  {^ixmI.  Ami  ai'ter  I  bc^an  to  taste  of 
the  flossh  thcrot",  I  was  lycourous,  so  tliat  at't<  r  that  1 
w«'ut«:  to  the  fjlioi-t  in  to  the  W(«le,  tliere  henie  1  the 
kyddes  blute,  and  1  slewe  of  them  tweyne.  I  bo;;an  to 
wexe  hardy.  After  I  slew  henncs  polayl,  and  ghees, 
wliere  euer  I  fonde  hem.  Thus  worden  my  teeth  al 
bhxly.  After  this  I  wexe  so  felle,  and  so  wroth,  that 
wliat  sonnnc  euer  I  founde  tliat  I  myght  ouer,  1  slowe 
allr.  Tlier  after  cain  I  l)y  Isej^rym  now  in  the  wynter, 
where  he  liydde  hyin  vnder  a  tree,  aii<l  rekened  to  me 
that  lie  was  myn  Kme.  Whenne  I  herde  hym  thennc 
rekene  allyanee,  we  becomen  fehiws,  whieh  I  may  wel 
repcnte  ;  we  promysed  eeho  to  other  to  be  trewe,  ami 
to  vsc  good  fehiwshij),  and  began  to  wandre  to  gyder: 
he  stal  the  grete  tliyngs,  and  I  the  smaUe,  and  all  was 
comyn  bytwene  vs  ;  yet  he  made  it  so,  that  he  had  the 
bcste  dele,  I  gate  not  half  my  parte.  AVlian  that  Yse- 
grym  gate  a  calf,  a  raninic,  or  a  weder,  thenne  grim- 
nicfl  in-,  and  was  angry  on  nic,  and  droof  me  fro  hym, 
and  lielde  my  j»art  and  liis  to,  so  gimd  is  lie.  Yet  this 
was  of  the  leste:  but,  whan  it  so  lucked,  that  wc  toke 
an  oxe  or  a  cowe,  thenne  cam  therto  his  wyf  wyth 
vij  <'hildrcn,  so  that  vnto  me  myght  vnnethe  eome  one 
of  the  smallest  rybbes ;  and  yet  had  they  eten  alle  the 
flcssh  tlicrof,  ther  with  all  mustc  I  be  content.  Not 
for  tliat  I  had  so  grete  nede,  for  I  have  so  grettc 
scatte,  and  good,  of  sylucr  and  of  gold,  that  scuen 
Waynes  shold   W)t  conne  carye  it  away.     ^Viian   the 


TIIYSTORYE  OF  RKYNAKP  TIIK  FOXE,  45 

kynfje  liordc  hym  8i>eke  of  this  {jrete  gmxl  and  riches, 
s«»  he  breiincd  in  the  dcsyre  and  coiictys*^  thrrof,  and 
siiydr,  Hovnart,  wlicrc  i>  the  rychcsse  iMcoiniMi,  tell  iii(» 
that. 

The  ftixc  suicle,  My  lonlf  I  shal  tcUc  ymi.  Tlic  rych- 
e»sc  waij.stoU'n,  and  had  it  nt)t  he  stolen,  it  siiold  liaue 
cost  you  your  lyl'e,  and  you  shoUl  haue  hen  niurdere«l, 
whiehe  God  forhede,  and  shold  haue  ben  the  {rretcst 
hurte  of  the  woHde.  Wlmn  the  queue  herde  that  she 
was  s«ire  aferde,  and  erytU-  low(K',  Ahis  I  and  wele 
away,  Keynart  what  saye  ye?  I  eoniun-  vi>u  \>y  the 
KtUfre  way  that  your  souh'  shal  ^joo,  tliat  ye  teUe  vs 
opeidy  tin-  tmuthe  herof,  as  nuK-he  as  ye  knowe  of  this 
^rn-te  niunlre,  that  sholde  haue  l)C  doon  on  my  h»rde, 
that  we  alh-  nuiy  here  it.  Now  herkene  liow  th»'  foxe  shal 
flatrc  the  kyn^e  and  queue,  and  shal  wynne  Ixithc 
their  gtwd  willes  and  loue ;  and  shal  hyndre  them 
tluit  laboure  for  his  dith  ;  In-  shal  vnhyndc  his  packe 
and  lye,  and  hy  flaterye  and  fayr  Wdrdes,  shal  lirvn;.'e 
forth  so  his  maters,  that  it  slial  hi-  supposed  for  tmuthe. 
In  a  syrrowful  conteuanee  spak  the  foxe  to  tiie  ipieiie, 
I  am  in  suehe  eiuis  now,  that  I  mu>te  n«'des  dey«' ;  and 
hadde  ye  me  not  so  sore  conjured,  I  will  not  jeo- 
panic  my  sowlc ;  an<l  yf  I  so  dyde,  I  shold  ri>o  ther- 
fore  in  to  the  payne  of  hcUe.  I  wil  wiye  nothyng.  I>ut 
that  I  wil  make  it  pixxl ;  for  pyt4)UMly  he  shoM 
haue  ben  murthred  of  his  owen  folke  ;  neuertheles 
they  that  were  most  pryncypal  in  this  feat,  wen*  «»f  my 
next  kyne,  whom  ;:ladly  I  wold  not  iMMvraye.  yf  the 
Sorow  were  not  of  the  inllr.       The  k\n'.'  w:,.  In  i.v  ..r 


40  TIIYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXF., 

liertc  and  saide,  Keynart,  saisto  tliou  to  ine  tlie  trouthe? 
Ye,  said  the  foxc,  See  ye  not  how  it  stantU'th  with  iiic  ? 
Wene  ye  tliat  I  wil  dain|me  my  sowle  ?  what  slioM  it 
auaylle  me,  yt"  I  n(»w  saide  other  wise  ihiui  tnuithc  : 
my  deth  is  >o  nyfrhe,  tlier  may  iiethor  prayer  ne  <;<ki(1 
helpe  me.  Tlio  tremhK-d  the  foxe  by  dyssymlyyng,  as 
he  had  ben  aft-rde.  The  (juene  liad  pytc  on  hym, 
and  prayde  the  kyng  to  haue  merey  on  hym,  in 
cschewyng  of  more  harme  ;  and  that  he  shoUle  doo 
tlie  peple  hohhi  their  peas,  and  gyue  tlie  foxe  au- 
dience, and  here  what  he  shold  say.  Tho  commanded 
the  kynge  openly,  that  eelie  of  them  shoUl  he  styMe, 
and  suifrc  the  foxe  to  saye  vnberisped  wliat  that  lie 
wolde.  Tlieiiiie  saide  tlie  foxe,  Be  ye  now  allc  stylle, 
syth  it  is  the  kynges  wille,  and  I  slial  telle  you  openly 
this  treson ;  and  therin  I  wil  spare  noinan  that  I 
knowc  gylty. 


now  TUF.  loxr.  imioicmit  tukm  in  dainckii,  that  woi.dk.  hauk 

BROUGHT  nVM  To  DKTII,  AM)  HOW   nK  <;ATK  TllK  (JIIACK 
OF  TJIK  KVNG. 

CAI'ITLLO  XVIJ. 

Now  harkone  how  the  foxe  began.  Tii  tin-  begynnyng 
he  applied  (irynibert  his  dere  cosyn,  which  euer  had 
holpeii  hym  in  his  nede  ;  he  dydc  so,  bycause  his  wordes 
sholih-  be  the  })etter  byleued,  and  that  he  forthon 
myght  the  better  lye  on  his  enemyes.  Thus  began  he 
firste,  and  said,  My  lord,  my  fader  had  founden  kyng 
Ermeiyks  tresour  iloluen  in  a  pytte  ;  and  whan  lie  had 


TIIYSTORYE  OK  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXK.  17 

thys  grete  good,  lie  was  so  proiule  and  orgnillous,  that 
he  had  alio  other  beestis  in  despyte,  whielie  to  lore  had 
been  hi^  fehiws.  He  made  Tybert  the  catte,  to  go  in 
to  that  wylde  lande  of  Ardenne  to  Bniyii  the  bore,  for  to  / 
do  to  hyni  homage,  and  bad  liym  sayo  yl"  lie  wohle  be  / 
kynge,  that  he  shoM  eonie  in  to  Flaundres.  Bruvn  the 
bere  was  glad  hierof,  for  he  had  longe  desired  it,  and 
wente  forth  in  to  Flaundres,  where  my  fader  rccoyued 
hym  right  frendly.  Anone  he  sente  for  the  wyse  Grym- 
bert  myn  neuewe,  and  for  Ysegrym  the  wulfe,  and  for  / 
Tybert  the  catte.  Tlio  these  fyue  eamen,  bytwenei 
Gaunt  and  the  tliorpe,  eallyd  Yfte.  Tlure  they  held- 
en  their  cuunseyl  an  liole  derke  nyght  longe.  What 
with  the  deuels  helpeand  eraft,  and  for  my  faders  richesse 
they  eoncluiled,  and  swore  there  the  kyngys  deth.  Now 
herkene,  an«l  here  tiiis  wonder;  the  foure  sworen 
vpon  Ysegryms  erowne,  that  they  sholde  mak«>  Bruyn 
41  kynge  and  a  lorde  ;  and  l>rynge  hym  in  the  stole  a 
Akon,  and  sette  the  erowne  on  ids  heed  ;  and,  vf  tin-re 
were  ony  uf  the  kynges  fn-nilcs,  or  lignage,  tliat  wolde 
be  contrarye  or  ayenst  this,  liyni  .-holde  my  fadi-r 
wyth  hisgoiidand  tres(nirfordryu<',  and  take  from  hym 
his  myght  and  power.  It  liappi-d  so,  that  t»n  a  niorow 
tyde  erly,  that  (iryndx-rt  n>y  neuew,  was  of  wyne 
almost  dronke,  that  he  tolde  it  to  dame  Sh'opead«*  his 
wif  in  counsryl,  and  i)adde  her  kcpe  it  a  se<Tete,  but 
she  nnoiw  forgate  it,  and  saide  it  forth  in  eonfrssion  t<) 
my  wyf,  vpon  an  hfth  wh«ii-  they  luith  went.'n  a 
pylgrema;.'e  ;  but  sh.-  must  IhsU-  swcre  Ity  hr-r  troutlie, 
and  by  tin*  holy  tlire  kyng.'s  of  C'oleyn.  tlial  for  loue, 
ne  for  hate,  she  sholde  ncuer  telle  it  forth,  but  kepc  it 


48  TIIYSTOUYK  OI'  REYNAKD  TMR  FOXK. 

secrete.  But  she  lielde  it  not,  and  kepte  it  no  lonjjcr 
secrete,  but  tyl  she  cam  to  me ;  and  she  theiine  tolde 
to  me  alh.'  that  she  lierde,  but  I  must  kcpe  it  in  secrete; 
and  she  toMe  me  so  many  tokenys,  that  I  felte  wi-l  it 
was  trouthe  ;  and  lor  dreih'  and  fere,  myn  heer  stodn 
right  vj),  and  my  herte  becam  as  heauy  as  leed,  and 
as  colde  as  ise.  1  thought  by  this,  a  lyknesse  whiche 
hier  a  fore  tyme  byfylle  to  tlie  frosshis,  which  were 
free ;  and  comphiyned  that  tliey  had  none  lorde,  ne 
were  not  bydwongen,  for  a  comynte  witliout  a  gouuer- 
n»»ur  was  not  god;  and  they  cryden  to  God  with  a 
lowde  voys,  tliat  lie  wohle  ordeyne  one  that  myglit 
rewle  them.  Tins  was  al  that  they  ch-sired.  (lod 
horde  theyr  requeste,  for  it  was  resonab^^  and 
sent  to  them  a  storke,  wliiche  ete  and  swolowed  tliem 
in  as  many  as  he  coude  fynde :  he  was  alway  to  liem 
vnmercyfid.  Tho  comphiyned  they  theyr  hurte,  but 
thene  it  was  to  hitf  ;  tiny  that  were  to  fore  free,  and 
were  aferde  of  no  liody,  ln'U  now  Ininde  and  musto 
obeye  tostrengthc  theyr  kynge  ;  hyerfore,  ye  riche  and 
poure,  I  sorowed  tliat  it  iiiyght  liappi-n  vs  in  lyke  wyse. 
Tlius,  my  h)rd  tlie  kyng,  1  iiaue  liad  sorowe  for  you, 
wherof  ye  can  me  but  lytyl  tiianke.  I  knowe  Bruyn 
the  here,  for  suche  a  shrewe  and  raveneur,  wherfor  I 
tlioughte  yf  hi-  were  kynge,  we  shohl  be  all  destroyed 
and  loste.  I  knowe  our  souerain  lord  the  kyng,  of  so 
Jiye  Ijyrtiie,  so  niyghty,  so  benygnc  and  niercyful,  that 
I  thought  truly  it  ha<l  inn  an  euyl  chaunge  for  to 
haue  a  fouh'  stynkynge  thoef,  and  to  refuse  a  noble, 
myghty,  stately  lyon,  for  the  here  hath  more  madde 
folyc  in  his  vnthrifty  heed,  and  al  Iiis  anncestris,  than 


TIIYSTORYK  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXK.  41) 

oiiy  other  hath.  Thus  liiul  I  in  inyii  hcrtc,  many  ii 
sontwc  ;  aiul  thoii^'ht  alway,  hnw  I  my^lit  Itreke  and 
t<ir<l(M>  my  laih-rs  tals  t-ounsi-yl.  whi«-h  (if  a  «-hurlo  and 
traytour,  and  uur.-c  than  a  thrct',  wdltlc  iiiaki'  a  hirdc, 
and  a  kyngo.  Alway  I  prayd  Hod,  that  hi-  wohle 
ki'pe  our  kyng  in  worship,  and  good  helthi',  and  grantc 
hyni  long  lyf ;  but  I  tliought  wed,  yf  my  Imh-r  ht-lde 
his  tresour,  he  sluddc  witli  liis  fals  felaws,  wcl  I'ynde 
the  waye  that  the  kyng  shohl  he  deposeil,  and  set  a 
syde.  I  \va.s  sore  bethought,  how  I  myght  heste  wyte 
where  my  faders  g(K)d  laye  ;  I  awayted  at  al  tynu'S, 
U.S  nygh  as  I  couch',  in  wodes,  in  bushes,  in  feeMis, 
where  my  fader  h-ytle  his  eyen  ;  were  it  by  nyght  or 
by  daye,  colde  or  weet,  I  was  alway  by  hym,  to  espye 
ami  knowe  where  his  tresour  was  leyde.  On  a  tyme, 
I  laye  doun  al  pat  on  the  grountle,  and  sawe  my  fad«'r 
come  rcnnyng  out  of  an  hole.  Now  herke  what  I  sawe 
hym  doo.  "VVhan  he  eaiu  out  of  the  hole,  he  hiked  fast  a 
JM)Ute,  yf  ony  bmly  luul  si-en  hym  ;  and,  whan  he  coude 
no  wher  none  see,  he  stttpj)ed  the  hole  witli  saiide,  and 
made  it  euen  and  playn,  lyke  to  tlie  i»tlier  gniumle  \>\. 
He  knewe  not  that  I  sawe  it :  and  wliere  his  fo<»tsporc 
st«)od,  there  stryked  lie  with  his  tayl,  and  made  it 
smothe  with  his  mouth,  tluit  no  man  shohl  espy  it. 
That  lerned  I  there  of  my  fals  fadrv,  and  nuuiy  sub- 
tylitoes,  that  I  to  f«»re  knewe  notiiyng  of.  Thenne  <le- 
parted  he  tiiens,  and  ran  to  the  village  wanh',  for  to 
doo  his  thyngi.x ;  and  I  forgate  not,  iuit  .-prauge  and 
lepe  to  the  hole  ward  ;  and  how  wel  that  In*  had  sup- 
posed, that  he  had  ni:i<1<    al    fa.^te.  I  was    not    ><>  niorlie 


50 


TIIVSTOKYi:  OK  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXE. 


II  tool,  hut  that  I  touch'  the  holt'  w<;l,  and  cratchcd  and 
scraiM'd  with  my  tV'ct  the  simd  out  of  the  liole,  and 
creptc  thcrin ;  There  fonde  I,  the  nioste  plente  of 
siluer,  and  of  golde,  that  euer  I  sawe.  Hier  is  none 
80  ohlo,  that  euer  so  much  sawe,  on  one  heep,  in  alle 
his  lyf.  Tho  toke  I  Ermelyne,  my  wife,  to  lielpe,  and 
we  ne  rested,  ny^dit  nc  <hiy,  to  here  and  carye  awaye 
with  grete  lahour,  and  |)aync,  tliis  riehe  trcsour,  in  to 
another  plaee,  that  lave  for  vs  better,  vnder  an  hawe  in 
a  de|i((  hole.  In  the  menc  whyle,  that  niyn  liousewyf 
and  I  thus  labouryd,  my  fader  was  with  them,  that 
wolde  bctraye  the  kynge.  Now  may  ye  here  what 
they  dede.  Bruyn  the  here,  and  Yscgrym  tlie  wulf, 
sente  alle  the  hmde  aboute ;  yf  ony  man  wolde  take 
wages,  that  they  sliold  come  to  Bruyn,  and  he  wohlc 
paye  them  their  souhlye  or  wagis  to  fore :  My  fader 
ranne  ouer  alle  the  lantle,  and  bare  the  lettres.  lie 
wist  lytil  that  he  was  roblied  of  his  trcsour,  ye  though 
he  myght  haue  wonnen  al  the  worhl,  he  had  not  eonne 
fynde  a  peny  therof.  Whan  my  fader  had  ben  oueral 
in  the  laude,  bytwene  the  Elue,  and  the  Somme  ;  and 
liadde  goten  many  a  souldyour,  that  shold  the  next 
somer  haue  comcn  to  helpe  Bruyn,  tlio  cam  he  agayn 
to  the  here,  and  his  felowis,  an<l  tolde  them,  in  liow 
grete  auenture  Ik-  had  l>e  tofore  the  borughes,  in  the 
l(»n(h!  of  Saxone  ;  and  how  the  liunters  dayly  rydcn, 
and  hunted  with  houndes  after  hyra,  in  sueho  wise, 
that  he  vnnethis  escaped  with  his  lyf.  "Wlian  he  had 
tolde  this  to  thise  fonre  false  traytours,  thenne  .shewde 
he  them  lettres,  that  plcsyd  moche  to  Bruyn  ;  tliere  in 


THVSTORYE  OF  FtKYNARn  TIIK  KOXK.  f)! 

wcro  wrotoii  xii.  c,  of  Ysoprryins  liprnnnrr  by  name, 
witlioute  the  lK?res,  tlu'  foxes,  tho  cattes,  and  tlie  cla&»cs. 
All  tliisc  had  sworn,  that  wytli  thr  first  nn'ssa«»('r  that 
.shoM  conic  forthrin,  tlu-y  sii(»l«l  bi'  n'dy,  and  come  for 
to  heipe  the  b<'rc,  yf  th«'y  had  tlicir  waj^cs  a  nioneth 
to  fore.  This  aspycd  I  ;  I  tliankc  Gml.  Aft«-r  this« 
wordes,  my  fader  wentc  to  the  liule,  where  his  tn-sour 
had  h'yn,  and  wohh'  loke  vpon  it.  'I'lio  bc^'iin  he  a 
preto  son»we,  of  tliat  lie  soufrhte  he  fondo  notliyn;;  :  lie 
fonde  his  hole  broken,  and  his  tresonr  born  a  way. 
There  de<le  ho  that  I  may  wel  sorowe,  and  In'waylle  ; 
for  preto  anger  and  sorowe,  he  weiite  and  hynpe  hym 
self.  Thus  alxxle  the  treson  of  Hriiyn,  by  my  subtylte, 
after.  Now  s«»e  myii  int'ortiini-  ;  thise  traytoiirs,  Yso- 
grym,  an<l  Hruyn,  b<  ii  now  iiio-.t  pnuy  of  counseyl 
alxiut*'  the  kynjre,  and  sytte  by  hym  on  the  hye 
Ixiiiche  ;  And  I,  puiirr  Key::art,  have  no  thaiike  ne  rc- 
wanl.  I  haue  buryed  niyn  owcn  fader,  by  cause  the 
kynge  sholde  haue  his  lyf.  My  lorde,  sai«le  the  foxe, 
where  Immi  they  that  so  wolde  doo,  tliut  is  to  «lestroye 
them  self  for  to  kejK'  yow. 

The  kynpe,  and  the  (juenc,  hoped  to  wynne  the  tre- 
sonr, and  wythout  eoun«'fyl,  toke  to  them  K«'yiiarl,  and 
prayde  hym  that  he  wold  do  so  wel,  as  to  tidle  them  were 
this  tresour  was.  Kcymirt  saide,  how  sliold  I  telle  the 
kynpe,  or  them  that  wolde  han>r«'  me,  ft)r  love  of  the 
traytours,  ami  murderars,  which  by  her  flaterye,  wolde 
fayno  hrynge  me  t«>  detli.  Shold  I  telle  to  them  wher 
tnyc  {ro<Hl  if*,  thenne  wen'  I  out  »if  my  wytti*.  Tlu'iiuenc 
tho  spak.  Nay,  I?eynarf,  th«>  kyn^r  sinil  htr  you  haue 

y.  *J 


.):i  TIIVSTOUVK  OF  RKYNAKI)  Till".  FOXE. 

your  lyf,  ami  slial  al  to  ^yilre  forjryuc  you,  and  ye 
shal  be  fro  hens  forth  wyse,  and  true  to  my  lorde. 
The  Ibxe  answerd  to  the  «iucne,  Dere  lady,  yf  the 
kynge  wil  beleue  mo,  and  that  he  wil  pardone,  and 
forgyue  me  allf  my  olde  tresjiaecs  ;  ther  was  neuer 
kynge  so  riche,  as  1  shal  make  liym,  for  the  tresour, 
that  I  shal  doo  hym  iiaue,  is  right  costely,  and  may  not 
be  nombred.  The  kynge  saidf,  Ach  damt',  wille  ye 
beleue  the  foxe  ;  sauf  your  reuerencc,  he  is  borne  to 
robbe,  stele,  and  tt>  lye,  this  cleuid  to  his  bones,  and 
can  not  be  had  out  of  the  flessh.  The  queue  said&,  Nay, 
my  lorde,  ye  may  now  well  byleue  hym  ;  though  he 
were  heretofore  felle,  he  is  now  changed  otherwise 
than  he  was.  Ye  hauc  wel  herde,  that  he  hath  ajjpe- 
cliiil  liis  fader,  and  the  das.^c,  his  iicuew,  whiehe  he 
juyght  wel  hauc  leyde  on  otlier  bestes,  yf  he  woldc 
haue  ben  false,  felle,  and  a  lyar.  The  kynge  saide, 
Dame,  wille  ye  thenne  haue  it  soo,  and  thynke  ye  it 
best  to  be  don,  though  I  supposed  it  sholde  hurte  me, 
I  will  take  alle  thise  trespaccs  of  Keynart  vpon  me, 
and  bileue  his  wordes.  But  I  swere  by  my  crownc, 
yf  he  euir  here  after  mysdoo  and  trespace,  that  shal 
he  dere  abye,  and  all  his  lignage  vnto  the  ix.  degree. 
The  foxe  loked  on  the  kyng  stoundmele,  an<l  was  glad 
in  his  hcrtc,  and  saide,  My  lonle,  I  were  not  wyse,  yf 
I  sholde  saye  thynge  that  were  not  trewe.  The  kynge 
toke  vp  a  straw  i'ro  the  ground,  and  pardoned,  and 
forgaf  the  foxe,  all  the  mysdedes,  and  tresi)aces,  of  his 
fader,  and  of  hym  also.  Yf  the  foxe  wastho  mery,  and 
glad,  it  was  no  wonder,  for  he  was  quyte  of  his  deth, 
and  was  all  free,  and  franke,  of  alle  his  enemyes. 


TIIYSTORYE  OF  UKVNAUD  TIIK  FOXK.  ').'] 

The  foxe  saide.  My  Innlc,  tlio  kynp^o,  and  noWe  lady, 
the  (jueno,  God  rewanh'  yow,  thys  jfreto  wur.sliip  tliat  ye 
do  to  me,  I  shal  thynke,  ami  alsn  tlianko  you  for  hit, 
in  siK-ht'  wise,  that  ye  shal  1m'  the  rii-hi'st  kynjre  of  tlie 
world  ;  for  ther  is  none  lyuyng  vntlicr  tlic  sonno,  that 
I  vouchesjiuf  hotter  my  tresour  on,  than  on  yow  bothe. 
Thennc  toke  the  foxc  vp  a  straw,  and  profred  it  to  the 
kyng,  and  saidc.  My  nioste  dere  lord,  plese  it  yow  to 
receyue  hiere,  the  ryche  trosoiir,  whichc  kyn;je 
Ermeryk  hadilo,  for  I  gyue  it  vnto  yow,  wytli  a  fre 
wylle,  and  knowlcehe  it  ojtenly.  The  kyngi'  recoyiiid 
the  straw,  and  threwe  it  ineryly  fro  hyin,  with  a  joyous 
visa«r<',  and  thanknl  moehe  the  foxe. 

The  foxe  laughed  in  hyni  self.  The  kyng«'  thenn  her- 
kenede  after  the  counseyl  of  the  foxe,  aiid  alle  that  ther 
were,  were  at  his  wylle.  My  lorde,  sadc  he,  herkene, 
and  marke  wel  my  wordes ;  in  the  west  side  of  Flaun- 
dres,  ther  standeth  a  woode,  and  is  named  Ilulsterlo, 
and  a  water  that  is  cnllid  Kerekenpyt  lyetli  thcrhv. 
Thi."*  is  so  grete  a  wyldtrnesse,  that  ofte  in  an  hole 
yere  man  ner  wyf  <'oMieth  fiirrin,  sauf  they  that  wil,/ 
Mild  they  that  willo  not  esehewe  it;  there  lyeth  thig 
tresour  hyddi-.  Vnderstamle  wi-l,  that  thi'  place  iij 
raUed  Krekenpit  ;  for  I  aduys*-  you  for  the  lesst<"  hurte, 
that  ye  and  my  lady  goo  lM)the  thyder,  for  I  knowe 
none  so  trewe,  that  1  durste  on  your  hehalue  truste, 
wherfore  goo  vour  self.  And  whan  ye  come  to  Kre- 
kenpyt,  ye  shal  fynde  thi're.  two  l)irehen  trees  standvng 
alther  next  the  |>ytte.  My  lorde.  to  the  hyrohen  trcca  1 
shal   VI'   LToo,  there   Ivcth   thi-   tnv-our   viitlur  doluen.  ' 


54  TIIYSTOHVK  OF  KKYNARD  THE  FOXE. 

There  muste  ye  scrape,  and  dyprjie  a  way  a  lytyl,  the 
niii^.-c  mi  tlie  one  side;  Ther  shalle  ye  fynde  many  a 
jewel  oi"  golde,  and  syluer ;  and  there  shal  y(;  lynde 
the  crowne,  whielie  kyn;re  KrnuTyk  ware  in  his  dayes; 
that  sholde  Bruyn  the  here  have  WDrn,  yf  hi8  wyl  had 
gon  forth.  Ye  slial  see  many  a  costly  jewel,  with 
riche  stones  sette  in  golde  wcrk,  whiche  coste  many  a 
thousand  marke.  My  lorde,  the  kynge,  whan  ye  now 
haue  all  this  good,  how  ofte  shal  ye  saye  in  your  herte 
and  thynke,  O  how  true  art  thou  Keynart,  the  foxe, 
that  with  thy  subtyl  wytte,  daluyst  and  hyd<lest  here 
this  grete  tresour ;  God  gyue  the  goo<l  ha[ii)e,  and 
Avelfare,  where  eucr  thou  be. 

The  kynge  sayde,  Sir  Keynart,  ye  muste  come  and 
helpe  V8  to  dygge  vp  this  tresour;  I  knowe  not  the  way; 
I  sholde  neuer  conne/ynde  it.  I  haue  herde  ofte  named, 
Parys,  London,  Akon,  and  Colcyn.  As  me  thynketh, 
this  tresour  lyeth  right  as  ye  nuK-ked  and  japed,  for  ye 
name  Kryekenpyt,  that  is  a  fayned  name.  These  wordes 
were  not  good  to  the  foxe,  and  he  sayd  with  an  angry 
mode,  and  dyssymyled  and  saide ;  Ye,  my  lord,  the 
kynge,  ye  be  also  nyghc,  that  as  fro  Rome  to  Maye. 
Wene  ye  that  I  wille  lede  yow  to  flomme  Jordayn. 
Nay,  I  shal  brynge  you  out  of  wenyng,  and  shewe  it 
you  by  good  wytnes.  He  called  lowde,  Kywart,  the 
hare,  come  here  to  fore  the  kjnige.  The  bestes  sawe 
alle  thyder  ward,  and  wondred  what  the  kynge  wold. 
The  foxe  sayde  to  the  hare,  Kywart,  ar  ye  a  colde  ? 
How  tremble  ye,  and  quake  so?  be  not  aferd,  and  telle 
my  lorde,  the  kynge,  here  the  trouthe ;  And  that  I 


TllYSTORVE  OF  RKYNAUD  Till;  FOXK.  55 

eharpre  you,  by  the  fayth  and  troutlic,  tlmt  ye  owe  hyin, 
and  to  my  lady,  the  (juene,  ot"  suche  thyng  as  I  slial 
deniandc  of  you.  Kywacrt  said**,  I  slial  saye  tlie 
ti'outhe,  though  1  sliohl  K)se  my  ui-ckc  tlurlniv,  I  !*lial 
not  lye,  ye  haue  cluirfied  jne  so  sore,  yt"  I  kiiowe 
it.  Thenne  saye,  knuwe  ye  not  where  Keriiki-iipyt 
etaudeth ;  is  that  i.»  your  niynde  i"  The  hare  i^aidc,  I 
knewe  that  wel,  xii.  yer  a  goon,  wher  that  standeth, 
why  aske  ye  that?  It  stantlt-th  in  a  woode,  named 
Ilulsterto,  vpon  a  warande,  in  the  wyUlernesse.  I 
haue  suH'ri'd  there  moehe  sorowe  for  hunger  and  for 
colde ;  ye  more  than  I  eaii  telle.  Pater  SyinciRt  the 
friese,  was  woned  to  nuike  thure  riil.-«L'  inoney,  wher- 
wyth  he  bare  hyni  self  out,  and  al  his  rchiw>hi|) ;  but 
that  was  to  fore  er  1  had  fi-hiw.'-hip  \sitli  iilxii  tlie 
houude,  whirhe  made  me  escape  many  a  daiuiger,  as 
he  eoude  wei  telle  yf  he  wore  here,  and  that  I  neui-r 
in  my  dayes  trespaced  agenst  the  kyiige,  other  wyso 
than  I  ouglit  to  doo  with  ri;:lit.  Krynart  suy<l  to  liyui, 
( io  agayne  to  yonder  felawshiji,  here  ye,  Key  ward: 
my  lorde,  the  kynge  desyreth  no  more  tti  knowe  of 
yow.  The  liare  ret(»rned  and  wente  agayn  to  the  place 
he  cam  fro.  The  foxe  sayde.  My  loni,  the  kynge,  is 
it  trewe  that  I  saide.  Ye,  Keynart,  said  the  kynge,  for- 
gyue  it  me.  I  dy<le  euyl  that  I  ladeuitl  you  not. 
Now  Rcynart,  frende,  fynde  the  waye  that  ye  goo 
wyth  vs  to  the  place  and  pytt«',  where  the  tresour 
lyeth.  The  foxe  saidt*.  it  if«  a  woncler  thyng  wene  ye, 
that  I  wolde  not  favnt-  giw)  wyth  yow,  \{'  it  were  w» 
with   nie  that  1  myght  gixi  with  yow,   in  suche  wise 


r.()  TIIVSTOUYE  (»!••  UI.YNAUI)  TIIK  TOXE. 

that  it  no  sliaiin'  wcri'  viit<»  your  lordsliyp,  I  wnM  goo  ; 
Imt,  nay,  it  may  not  lu'c :  licrkt'iic  what  I  hIiuI  saye, 
and  imistc  nedos  thautrh  it  he  to  ine  vyloiiyt-  and  shanic. 
AVhan  Iscgryin  the  wult",  in  the  dt'Uels  name,  wentc  in 
to  ndigion  and  become  a  monke,  shorn  in  the  ordre, 
tlio  the  prouende  of  sixe  raonkes  was  not  suffycient  to 
liym,  and  had  not  ynoiigh  to  ete ;  he  thcnne  phiyncd 
and  wayllcd  so  sore,  that  I  liad  pyte  on  liym  ;  lor  he 
becani  slowe  and  soke,  and  byeause  he  was  of  my  kynne 
I  gaf  Iiyn)  connscyl  t.)  renne  away,  and  so  he  dyde ; 
wlierforc  I  stonde  a  curseil,  and  am  in  the  Popes  bannc 
and  sentence.  I  wil  to  morow,  bytymes,  as  the  Sonne 
riseth,  take  my  waye  to  Kome  for  to  be  assoyled,  and 
take  par(h)n,  and  fro  Kome  I  wil  ouer  the  see  in  to  the 
holy  landc,  and  wil  neuer  retorne  agayn  til  I  haue 
doon  so  moche  goo<l,  that  I  may  with  worship  goo 
wyth  yow  ;  hyt  were  greet  rcprcl' to  yon,  my  lord,  the 
kyng,  in  what  U>ndc  that  I  accompanyed  you,  that  men 
shold  saye,  j'e  reysed  and  accompanyed  your  self  with 
a  cnrsyd  and  a  porsone  agravato. 

The  kynge  sayde,  Sith  that  ye  stand  a  cursyd  in  the 
censures  of  the  chirche,  yf  I  wente  wyth  you,  men 
sholdc  arette  vilonye  vnto  my  crowne  ;  I  shal  thcnne 
take  Kywaert,  or  somme  other,  to  goo  with  me  to 
Krykenpytte,  and  I  counseylle  you,  lieynart,  that  ye 
put  your  <elf  out  of  this  curse.  My  lord,  qcl.  the  foxe, 
therfore  wyllo  I  goo  to  Kome,  as  hastely  as  I  may: 
I  shal  not  restc  by  nyght  nor  day,  til  I  bee  assoyllcd. 
Reynart,  said  the  kynge,  uic  thynketh  ye  ben  torned 
in  to  a  good  waye ;  God  gyue  you  grace  taccomplyssb 


THYSTOUYK  OK  IlEYNARD  TIIH  KOXE.  /jT 

wel  jonr  (k'syre.  Assons  ns  tliis  spokyn;;  was  don, 
Noble,  the  kyng,  wente  and  stode  vjxm  an  liygh  stago 
cif  stone,  and  (-(unniiindod  siK-iicc  to  allc  tlic  bestes,  and 
that  thi'y  shuhlf  syttf  doiiii  in  a  ryiifjo  rounde  vpon 
the  grasse,  eueriche  in  Ins  jthicc,  after  his  estate  and 
byrthe.  Reynart  the  foxc  stode  hy  the  rjiicne,  whom 
he  ought  wel  to  lone.  Thennc  said  the  kynjre.  Here 
ye  alle,  tliat  be  pourc  and  riciip,  yong  and  olde,  that 
stondeth  here,  Keynart,  one  of  tlic  lieed  otlycers  of  my 
hows,  had  don  so  eiiyl,  whi<'he  this  daye  shold  hano 
ben  lianged,  hath  now  in  this  eonrte  don  so  nHK'he, 
that  I  and  my  wyf,  the  <|nene,  haue  promysed  to  h}T« 
our  grace  and  frendshyji.  The  (juene  hath  pravdc 
nuK'he  for  hyni  ;  in  so  moche  tliat  I  haue  made  pees 
wyth  hym,  and  I  pyf  to  hpn  his  lyf,  and  metnbre, 
freely  agayne  ;  and  I  eonnincle  you,  vpon  your  Ivf, 
tliat  ye  d«x>  worship  to  !{<•)  iuirt,  his  wyf,  and  to  his 
chyldren,  where  sonieuer  ye  mete  Ih-ui,  by  «lay  or  by 
nyght ;  and  I  wil  also  here  no  moo  eomplayntes  of 
Keynard ;  yf  he  hath  heirtofore  mysdtm,  and  tres- 
paced,  he  wil  no  more  mysdo,  iw  trespaee,  Imt  now 
iM'ttre  hym  ;  he  wylle  to  inomwe  erly  goo  to  tin'  I'ope, 
for  pardon  and  ft>ryeuenes  «»f  alle  hys  synnes  ;  and 
forth  ouer  the  sec  to  the  Iltdy  Lande,  and  he  wil  not 
come  agayn  til  he  brynge  |»ardon  of  alle  his  synnes. 

This  tale  lierde  Tyselyn  the  rauen,  and  hep  t«» 
Ysegrym,  to  IJruyn.  and  t«»  TylM'rt,  there  as  thev  were, 
and  sai«le.  Ye  eaytyf.-s  how  guth  it  now  ye  vnhappy 
folke,  what  do  ye  here  ?  Keynard  the  fow  is  now  a 
squyer,  and  a  eourtycr,  and  right  gretc  and  myghty  ia 


i)S  THYSTOKYK  OF  RHYNAKI)  TIIK  KOXE. 

the  cdiirt.  Tlic  kyiigc  hath  skyUcil  liym  (juyte  of  all<' 
his  hntki's,  ami  forgyu<.'ii  liyiu  alle  his  trespaces  aud 
niystlcdes,  and  ye  he  alle  ht-trayed  and  ajx'chyd. 
Ysegrym  saidc,  How  may  this  be?  1  trowc  Tyselyn 
that  ye  lye.  1  do  not  certaynly,  saide  the  rauen. 
Tlio  wente  the  wulf,  and  the  here,  to  the  kynge. 
Tybert,  the  cattc,  was  in  grcte  sorowe,  he  was  so  sore 
aferde,  that  lor  to  haue  the  foxes  frendship,  he  wold 
wel  forgyue  Reyner  the  losse  of  his  one  eye,  that  he 
lostc  in  tlie  prestos  hows;  lie  was  so  woo,  he  wist  not 
what  to  doo,  he  wolde  wel  that  he  neuer  had  seen 
the  foxe. 


now  TUK  Wri.F  AND  THK  HEHE  WKKE  AUE8TVI)  IJV  THE 
LAUUL'R  OK  IlKVNAUT  THE  FOXE. 

CAI'ITI  I.O  XVIIJ, 

YsECRYM  cam  prondly  on«'r  the  felde  to  fore  the 
kynge,  and  he  thanked  the  (jui-ne,  and  spaek,  wyth  a 
felle  nuM.'d,  ylle  wonh-s  on  the  foxe,  in  snehc  wy8<% 
that  the  kynge  herde  it,  and  was  wroth,  and  nia«le  the 
wulf  and  the  here  anon  to  he  arestyd.  Ye  sawe  neuer 
w<xk1  dt)gg<'S  <lo  more  liarme  than  was  don  to  them  ; 
they  were  botht;  fast  Ijounden,  so  sore,  that,  alle  that 
night,  thfy  myght  not  stere  liande  ne  foot;  they 
myght  searsely  rore,  ne  niene  ony  joynte. 

Now  here  how  the  foxe  forth  dyde :  lie  haterl  hrrii  ; 
he  laboured  so  to  the  quene,  that  he  gate  leue  for  to 
haue  as  mochc  of  the  beres  skyn  vpon  his  ridge  as  a 


TIIYSTORYK  OF  REYNARD  TUF  FOXE.  /)9 

foote  longe  anil  n  foot  brmle  for  to  nuikc  Iivin  therof  a 
scrj'pjK'.  Tlieniie  was  the  foxc  rcdy  yf  he  had  foure 
stroupo  »h«>on. 

Now  here  how  he  dyile  ft)r  to  gcte  th«'>e  slioon. 
H«'  said  to  the  queue,  Madame,  I  am  yourc  pylgrvm, 
here  is  myn  eme,  sir  Isoprym,  tliat  hath  iiij.  strong 
sh(Hin,  whioho  were  pootl  for  uu\  yf  he  woldc  hitc  uie 
haur  two  of  them,  I  wohh'  tin  tlic  wayc  hcsyly  tliynkc 
on  vour  sowlf  ;  for  it  is  ri^rht  tliiit  a  pylLTviii  shnld 
alway  tlivnk*'  and  praye  for  thcni  that  iloo  liiin  jxihxL 
Thus  maye  yc  doo  your  sowlc  giMxl,  yf  ye  wyll.  And 
also,  yf  ye  niyght,  gete  of  myn  aunt«',  dame  I">?rswyn, 
also  two  of  her  shoon  to  gyue  me  ;  she  may  well  doo  it, 
for  she  go<»th  hut  lytil  out,  hut  ahydcth  alway  at  home. 
Thcnne,  sayde  the  cpuMir,  Hcynard,  yow  lR-liou«-th  wel 
suclie  shoes,  ye  may  not  Ik'  wythout  them ;  they  shal 
Ik'  grxnl  for  you  to  kcpe  your  feet  hool  for  to  passo 
with  then*  many  a  sharpe  montayn,  and  stony  nn-hes  ; 
ye  ran  fynde  no  iK'ttcr  sIkm-s  for  you,  than  such  as 
Ysegrym  and  his  wyf  hauc  and  were,  they  he  gcMnl  and 
stn>nge  ;  though  it  sholde  touehe  their  lyf,  «'ehe  of 
them  shal  gyue  y<»u  two  shoes,  for  to  aecomplis^h  wyth 
your  hye  pilgremagc. 


HOW  TMrORTM  AND  HIS  WVF  »;B»U»>vrS  Ml'HT  Hill  RK  IIRR 

ItUOIH  TO  Dr.   i'trCKKU  o|,  AM>  HOW  IIKVNAIII)  IIYKi: 

ON  TIIK  HHOrfl  roR  TO  OOO  TO  ROMK  WVTH. 

■    vrlTfLO  XIX. 

Tuus  hath  tliis  fal&c  pylgrym  gotun  fro  Ysegrym  ij. 


GO  TFIYSTORVE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXK. 

sliooes  fro  liis  feet,  which  were  haled  of  the  clawes,  to 
tl»c  .scnewis  ;  ye  sawe  neucr  foulc  that  men  rosted  hiye 
so  stylle  as  Ysegryin  dyde,  whan  liis  shoes  were  haled 
of  he  styred  not ;  and  yet  his  feet  bledde.  Thenne 
whan  Ysegrym  was  unshoed,  tho  muste  dame  Eerswyn, 
his  wyf,  lye  doun  in  the  grasse  wyth  an  heuy  chere, 
and  she  loste  ther  her  hynder  shoes.  Tho  was  the 
foxe  glad,  and  saide  to  hid  aunte,  in  scorne,  My  dere 
aunte,  how  moche  sorow  haue  ye  suffred  for  uiy  sake, 
whiche  me  sore  repenteth,  sauf  tins  herof  I  am  glad, 
for  ye  be  the  lyeuest  of  alle  my  kyn,  therefore  I  wyl 
gladly  were  your  shoen.  Ye  shal  be  partcner  of  my 
pylgremage,  and  dele  of  the  pai'don  that  I  shal,  with 
your  shoen,  fecche  ouer  the  see. 

Dame  Erswyne  was  so  woo  that  she  vnnethe  myght 
speke ;  neuertheles,  this  she  sayde,  A  Reynart,  that 
ye  now  al  thus  haue  your  wyl,  I  pray  Gud  to  wreke 
it !  Ysegrym  and  his  felaw,  the  here,  helden  their  pees 
and  wheren  al  stylle.  They  were  euyl  at  ease,  for 
they  were  bounden  and  sore  wounded ;  had  Tybert, 
the  catte,  haue  ben  there,  he  shold  also  somwhat  haue 
suffred,  in  suche  wyse,  as  he  sholde  not  escaped  thens 
wythout  hurte  and  shame.  The  next  day,  whanne  the 
Sonne  aroos,  Keynard  thenne  dyde  grece  liis  shoes, 
whithc  he  had  of  Ysegrym  and  Erswyn,  his  wyf,  and 
dyde  hem  on,  and  bonde  hem  to  his  feet ;  and  wente 
to  the  kynge  and  to  the  queue,  and  said  to  hem  with  a 
glad  chere,  Noble  lord  and  lady,  God  gj'ue  you  good 
morow  !  and  I  desire  of  your  grace,  that  I  may  haue 
male  and  staff,   blessyd  as  belongeth  to  a  pilgrym. 


TIIYSTORYE  OF  HKYNARD  THK  FOXK.  01 

Thennc  the  kynge,  anone,  sent  lor  Bellyn  the  ramuie, 
and  whan  he  cam  he  saidc,  Sir  Bellyn,  ye  shal  do 
masse  to  fore  Reynart,  for  he  shal  goo  on  pylgremage, 
and  gyue  to  hym  male  and  staf.  The  Ram  answerd 
agayn,  and  said,  My  lord,  I  dare  not  do  that,  for  he 
hath  said  that  he  is  in  the  Pope's  curse.  The  kynge 
said,  what  thcrof  ?  IMayster  Gelys  hath  said  to  vs,  yf 
a  man  had  doo  as  many  synnes  as  al  the  world,  and  he 
wold  those  synnes  forsake,  shryue  hem,  and  resseyuc 
penance,  and  do  by  the  prestes  counseyl,  God  wil 
forgyue  them,  and  he  mercytul  \iit<)  hym  ;  now 
wil  Reynard  goo  ouer  the  see,  in  to  the  Holy  Lande, 
and  make  hym  clere  of  al  hys  synnes. 

Thenne  ansuerd  Bellyn  to  the  kynge  :  I  wil  not  doo 
litil  no  moche  herin,  but  yf  ye  sane  me  harndes  in  the 
spirituel  court  byfore  the  bysshop  Prcndelor  and  to 
fore  his  archedeken  Loosuyndc  and  to  fore  sir  Rapiamus 
hisoffyryal.  The  kynge  began  to  wexe  wroth  and  saide, 
I  shal  not  bydde  you  so  moche  in  halfe  a  ycre :  I  had 
leucr  hangc  you  than  I  sholde  so  moche  praye  you  for 
it.  AVhan  the  ranic  sawc  that  tlie  kynge  was  angry,  he 
was  so  sore  afcrd  that  he  tpioke  for  fere,  and  wente  to 
tlie  awter  and  sange  in  his  l)ookes  and  raddc  suche  as 
hym  thought  good  ouer  Reynart,  wliiihc  lytyl  sctte 
ther  by,  sauf  that  he  wold  haue  the  worship  therof. 
When  Bellyn  the  rannnc  had  allc  sayd  his  seruyse 
deuoutly,  thenne  he  hynge  on  the  foxes  necke  a  male 
couered  wyth  the  skyiinc  of  riiiiyn  the  l)crr,  and  a 
lytil  palster  therby :  tlio  was  Hrynart  redy  toward  his 
journey.     Tho  loked  he  toward  the  kynge  as  he  had 


62  TnYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  TIIF,  FOXF,, 

ben  sorowful  to  departe  and  fayned  as  he  had  weptc, 
right  as  lie  hadde  yamcrdo  in  liis  liertc,  but  yf  he  hail 
ony  sorow,  it  was  by  cause  al  the  other,  that  were 
there,  were  not  in  the  same  plyght  as  the  wulf  and 
here  were  brought  in  by  hym.  Ncuertheles  he  stood 
and  prayd  them  allc  to  praye  for  hym,  lyke  as  he  wold 
praye  for  them.  The  foxe  thought  that  he  taryed 
longe,  and  wold  fayn  haue  departed,  for  he  knewe 
hymself  gylty.  The  kynge  saide,  Reynart  I  am  sory 
ye  be  so  hasty,  and  wil  no  lenger  tarye.  Nay  my 
lorde,  it  is  tyme,  for  we  ought  not  spare  to  doo  wel. 
I  praye  you  to  gyue  me  leue  to  departe,  I  muste  doo 
my  i)ylgremage.  The  kynge  sayd,  God  be  wyth  yow  ! 
and  commanded  alle  them  of  the  court  to  go,  and 
conueyne  Reynart  on  his  way.  Sauf  the  wulf  and 
the  here,  whyche  fast  laye  bounden,  ther  was  none 
that  durst  be  sory  therfore ;  and  yf  ye  had  seen  Rey- 
nart how  personably  he  wente  wyth  his  male,  and 
palstcr  on  his  sholder,  and  the  shoes  on  his  feet,  ye 
shold  haue  laughed.  He  wente  and  shewde  hym 
^  outeward  wysely ;  but  he  laughed  in  his  herte,  that 
I  alle  they  brought  hym  forth,  whiche  had  a  lytyl  to 
I  fore  been  with  hym  so  wrooth ;  and  also  the  kynge, 
j  whiche  so  moche  hated  him,  he  had  made  hym  suche 
I'  a  lool,  that  he  brought  hym  to  his  owne  entente,  he 
,  was  a  pylgrym  of  deux  aas.  ]My  lord  the  kyng,  sayd 
the  foxe,  I  i)ray  you  to  retorne  agayn  ;  1  wil  not  that 
ye  goo  ony  ferther  with  me;  ye  myght  haue  harme 
therby ;  ye  haue  there  two  morderars  arestyd,  yf  they 
escaped  you,  ye  myght  be  hurt  by  them.    I  pray  God 


THYSTORYE  OP  REYNARD  THE  FOXE.  iu] 

kepe  you  fro  mysaventurc.  Wyth  these  wordes  he 
stode  u|»  on  liis  afterft'ot,  and  ]»raydc  alio  the  l^eostys 
grete  and  sinal,  that  wohle  he  partencrs  of  his  i)anh)n, 
tliat  they  shoUl  praye  tor  hyni  ;  tlicy  saydc  that  tlii-y 
alio  wolde  ronnMnlire  him. 

Then  departed  he  tio  the  kyncre  so  hevyly,  that 
many  of  them  ermed. 

Thenne  saide  he  to  Kyward  the  hare,  and  to  Bellyn 
the  ramnie,  meryly,  Dere  frendcs,  shal  we  now  departe  ? 
Ye  wil,  and  God  will,  accompanye  me  fcrther  ;  ye  two 
made  me  never  angry  ;  ye  be  good  fur  ti)  walke  wyth, 
courtoys,  frendly,  and  not  comjjlayncd  on  of  ony  beeste  ; 
yc  he  of  good  condicions,  and  goostly  of  your  lyuyng ; 
yc  lyue  both  as  I  dyde,  whan  I  was  a  reeluse  ;  yf  yc 
haue  leeuis  and  gras,  ye  be  plesyd ;  ye  rctehe  not  of 
brede,  of  flesshe,  ne  suehe  manor  mete.  "With  such 
flateryng  wordes  hath  Keynard  thise  two  flatrcd,  that 
they  wente  wyth  hyni  fyl  they  canicn  to  fon;  his  hows 
Malepcrduy3. 


now    KVWAKT    TIIK    IIAIIK.    WAS    SI.AYN    IIV    Till:    H)XK. 
CAPITfLO  XX. 

AViiAN  the  foxe  was  come  to  fore  the  yate  of  his  hows, 
he  sayde  to  Bellyn  tin-  rainine,  Cosyn  ye  shal  abide 
here  withoute,  I  an«l  Kywart  wille  goo  in,  for  I  wille 
praye  Kywart  to  helpe  me  to  take  my  leuc  of  Ermelyn, 
my  wif,  and  to  comforte  her  and  my  chyldrcn.  Bellyn 
sayde,  1  praye  hym  to  romforte  thcin  wel. 


; 


fil-  TIIYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXK. 

Wyth  suclie  flateryng  wonles  brought  he  the  Iiare 
in  to  his  liole  in  an  euyl  liour.  Tliere  founde  they 
(lame  Ermelyn,  lyeng  on  the  grounde,  witii  liur  yong- 
lyngis,  whiche  had  sorowed  moche  for  (h-cdc  ol' 
Reynart's  detli;  but  whan  she  sawe  liyin  coiuo  she  was 
glad.  But  whan  she  sawe  his  male  and  palster,  and 
espyed  his  shoes,  she  meruailled  and  sayd,  Dere 
Reyner,  how  haue  ye  spedd  ?  He  sayd,  I  was  arestitl 
in  the  court,  but  the  kynge  lete  me  gow.  I  muste  goo 
a  pilgremage.  Bruyn  the  bere,  and  Ysegrym  the 
wulf,  tliey  be  I)leggc  lor  me ;  I  tlianke  the  kynge,  he 
hath  gyuen  to  vs  Kywart  hier  for  to  doo  with  hyni 
what  wc  W}  1.  The  kynge  saide  hyra  self,  that  Kywart 
was  the  first  tliat  on  vs  complayned  ;  and  by  the  fayth 
that  I  owe  yow,  I  am  right  wroth  on  Kywart. 

Whan  Kywart  hcrde  thise  wordes,  he  was  sore 
aferdc.  He  wold  haue  fledde,  but  he  might  not,  for 
the  foxe  stode  bytwene  hym  and  the  yatc,  and  he 
caught  hym  ]>y  the  necke.  Tho  crycd  the  hare,  Ilclpe 
Bcllyn,  hclpe  !  where  be  ye  ?  this  pilgryme  sleeth  me. 
But  that  cryc  was  sone  doon,  for  the  foxe  had  anon 
byten  his  throte  a  two.  Tho  sayd  he.  Late  vs  go  ete 
this  good  fatte  hare.  The  yonge  whelpes  cam  also. 
Thus  heldc  they  a  grete  fcste,  for  Kywart  had  a  good 
fatte  body.  iM-melyn  ete  the  flessli  and  dranke  the 
blood  ;  she  tlianked  ofte  the  kynge  that  he  had  made 
them  so  mery.  The  foxe  saide,  Ete  as  moche  as  ye  maye, 
he  wil  paye  for  it,  yf  we  will  feche  it.  She  sayd, 
Reynart  I  trowe  ye  moche :  telle  me  the  trouthe,  how 
ye  be  de[)arted  thens.     Dame,  I  haue  so  fiaterid  the 


I 


I 


tiiystoryp:  ok  heynard  the  foxe.        65 

the  kingc  and  tlio  (lucnc,  tliat  I  suppose  the  froml-liip 
bytwene  vs  shal  be  right  th}'iin('  wlian  lie  shal  kiiowc 
of  this ;  he  shal  be  angry ;  and  hastcly  seke  me  for 
to  hange  me  by  myne  necke. 

Therfore  late  vs  departe,  and  stele  secretly  a  way  in 
Ronime  other  foreste,  where  we  may  lyue  wythout<' 
fere  and  drede  ;  and  there  that  wc  may  lyue  vij  ycrc 
and  more  and  fynde  vs  not.  There  is  plenty  of  good 
mete  of  partrychs.  wododckkis,  and  niocho  other  wilde 
fowle,  dame  ;  and  yf  ye  wil  come  with  me  thyder, 
ther  ben  swete  welles  and  fayr  clere  rennyng  brokes. 
Lord  God,  how  swete  eyer,  is  there  ;  there  may  Ave  be 
in  pees,  and  ease,  and  lyue  in  grete  welthe,  for  the 
kynge  hath  lete  me  gon,  by  cause  I  tolde  hym  that 
ther  was  grete  tresour  in  Krekenpyt  ;  but  there  shal 
he  fynde  nothyng,  thdugh  he  sought  cuer.  This  shal 
sore  angre  hym,  whan  ho  knoweth  that  he  is  thus 
deceyuid  ;  wliat  trowe  y(\  how  many  a  gn-tc  lesynge, 
muste  I  lye,  er  I  coude  escape  from  hym.  It  was 
harde  that  I  escaped  out  of  pryson  ;  I  was  neuer  in 
gretter  paryl,  ne  nerrer  my  doth.  But  how  it  euer 
goo,  I  shal  by  niy  willr  ncui-r  mure  Cdnic  in  tli<'  kyngcs 
daungcr :  I  banc  now  gotcn  niv  thoinlM'  dut  of  his 
moutli  ;  that  thankc  I  my  subtylyto. 

Dame  Ermelync  saiib",  Hivnait,  1  rounsoyle  that 
we  goo  not  into  another  foreste,  where  we  sholde  bo 
strange,  and  elenge  ;  we  banc  licre  al  that  we  des^TC : 
and  ye  be  here  lorde  of  our  neygh])<)urs:  wherfore 
shalle  we  leue  this  place,  ami  auenture  vs  in  a  wnrso  : 
we   may  abydc  her  sure  ynuuLrli.      If  the  kynge  Wdld 


66  TIIYSTORYH  OF  REYNARD  THF.  FOXE. 

(loo  vs  oiiy  liarmc?,  or  Ix'siogo  vs,  here  ben  so  many 
by  or  side  holes,  in  suche  wysc,  as  we  shal  escape  fro 
hym:  in  abydyng  here,  we  may  not  doo  amys  ;  we 
knowe  alle  bypathes  ouer  alle  ;  and  er  he  take  vs  with 
rayght,  he  muste  haue  raoche  helpe  therto.  But  that 
ye  haue  sworcn,  that  ye  shal  goo  ouer  sec,  and  abide 
there,  that  is  the  thyng  that  toucheth  me  moste.  Nay, 
dame,  care  not  therfore  ;  how  m<jre  forsworn  how 
more  forlorn.  I  wente  ones  with  a  good  man,  that 
said  to  me,  that  a  bydwogen  oth,  or  oth  sworn  by 
force,  was  none  oth.  Though  I  wente  on  this  pil- 
gremage,  it  shold  not  auaylle  me  a  cattestayl.  I  wil 
abydc  here,  and  folowe  your  conseyl.  Yf  the  kyng 
liunte  after  me,  I  shal  kcpe  me  as  wel  as  I  maye  ;  yf 
he  be  me  to  myghty  ;  yet  I  hope  wyth  subtylte  to 
begyle  hym.  I  shal  vnl)ynde  my  sack,  yf  he  wil  seeke 
harm  he  shal  fynde  harine. 

Now  was  Bellyn  the  ramme  angry,  that  Kywart, 
his  felawe,  was  so  longe  in  the  hole;  and  called  lowed, 
Come  out,  Ky^varte,  in  the  deuels  name  !  how  longe 
shal  Keynart  kcpe  you  there.  Haste  you,  and  come 
late  vs  goo. 

"Whan  Reynard  herde  this,  lu;  wente  out,  and 
saide  softly  to  IJcllyn  the  ramme,  Lief  Bellyn,  wher- 
fore  be  ye  angry  ?  Kywart  spekcth  wyth  his  derc 
aunte  ;  me  thynketh  ye  ought  not  to  be  dysphjsid 
therfore.  He  bad  me  saye  to  yow,  ye  myght  wel  go 
to  fore,  and  he  shal  come  after  :  he  is  lighter  of  fote 
than  ye,  he  muste  tarye  a  whylc  wytli  his  aunte,  and 
her  chyldren ;  they  wcpe,  and  crye,  by  cause  I  shal 


THYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXE.  67 

;;o()  fro  them.  Btllyn  saydc,  AVliat  dydc  Kyward  ? 
nic  tli«)ught(j  lie  cryed  after  hclpc.  TIic  foxc  answerd. 
What  sayc  ye  Bellyne?  wene  ye  that  he  sludd  liauc 
ony  harmc.  Now  herkc  wluit  he  thcnne  dydc  ;  wlian 
he  were  comcn  in  to  inyn  hows  ;  aiid  Eriudyn.  my 
wyf,  vuderstode  that  I  shoUle  groo  ouer  sec,  slie  fyl 
doun  in  a  swoun.  Tliennesayde  the  ranimc,  In  iaytli 
I  vnderstode  that  Kywart  had  ben  in  gretc  duun'ier. 
The  foxe  sayde,  Nay,  truly  or  Kyward  shold  liauc  ony 
hanne  in  my  hows,  I  had  leiier  that  my  wyf  and 
fhyldren  sholde  sutfre  mochc  hurto ! 


HOWE  THE  FOXE  8KNTE  THE  HEED  OP  KYWART  THE  HARE   r«» 
THE  KYNtiE,   IIV   HKLLYN  THE  HAMME. 

CAl'ITULO  XX J. 

The  foxe  saide,  llrllyn,  rcmcinljre  ye  not  that 
yesterday  the  kynp;c  and  his  oounscyl  commanded  me, 
that  or  I  ehold  departe  out  of  this  hinde,  I  shold  st'ndc 
to  hym  two  lettres.  Dere  cosyn,  I  pray  you  to  here 
them:  they  he  redy  wreton.  The  ranime  sayde,  I 
wote  neuer  yf  I  wiste  that  your  endythynpr  and 
wrytynj;  were  pood,  ye  myirht  pannienture  so  mocln- 
praye  me  that  I  woltl  here  tin-in.  yf  I  had  ony  tliyn^' 
to  berc  th<iii  in.  Ivcynard  saide,  ye  shal  not  fayle  tft 
haue  somwhat  to  l)iri'  thfUi  in.  Kather  than  they  shold 
be  vnb»)rn,  I  shal  rather  fryue  yow  my  male,  that  1 
here,  and  put  tin-  kynges  Irttres  therin,  and  hanjie 
them   ahoutc  your  necke.      Ye  shal  haue  of  the  kyngre 

V  2 


68  TIIYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXE. 

grete  tlianke  therfore  and  be  right  welcomen  to  liym. 
Thcr  vpon  Bellyn  proinystMl  liym  to  berc  tluse  Icttres. 

Tlio  retorned  Reynart  in  to  liis  liows,  and  toke  the 
niule  and  put  tlicrin  Kywarts  heed  ;  and  lirought  it  to 
Bellyn  for  to  brynge  him  in  daunger  ;  and  hengc  it 
on  his  necke  ;  and  chargyd  hym  not  for  to  loke  in  the 
male,  yf  he  wolde  haue  the  kyngis  frendship  :  and  yf 
ye  wil  that  the  kynge  take  you  into  his  grace,  and  loue 
you  ;  saye  that  ye  your  self  haue  made  the  lettre  and 
endited  it  ;  and  haue  gyuen  the  counseyl  that  it  is  so 
wel  made  and  wreton.  Ye  shal  haue  grete  thank, 
therfore.  Bellyn  the  ramme  was  glad  herof,  and 
thought  he  sholde  haue  grete  thank,  and  saide,  Reynard, 
I  wote  wel  that  ye  now  doo  for  me.  I  shal  be  in  the 
court  gretly  preysed,  whan  it  is  knowen  that  I  can  so 
wel  endyte  and  make  a  lettre,  thaugh  I  can  not  make 
it :  ofte  tymes  it  happeth,  that  God  sufFreth  sonime  to 
haue  worship  ;  and  thanke  of  the  lal)ouris,  and  connyng 
of  other  men  ;  and  so  it  shal  bifalle  me  now.  Now 
what  counseyle  ye,  Reyner  ?  shal  Kywaert  the  hare 
come  wyth  me  to  the  court  ?  Nay,  sayd  the  foxe,  he 
shal  anone  folowe  yow  ;  he  may  not  yet  come,  for  he 
muste  speke  wyth  his  aunte. 

Now  goo  ye  forth  to  fore,  I  shal  shewe  to  Kyvvart 
secrete  thyngis  whiche  ben  not  yet  knowen.  Bellyn 
sayd.  Fare  wel,  Reynart  !  and  wente  hym  forth  to  the 
court  ;  and  he  ran,  and  hasted  so  faste,  that  he  cam 
to  fore  mydday  to  the  court  ;  and  founde  the  kynge  in 
his  palays  wyth  his  barons. 

The  kynge  meruayllcd  whan  he  saw  hym  brynge 


TIIYSTORYF,  OK  UKYNAKD  TIIF,  KOXK.  ()!) 

the  male  agajii,  whiche  was  made  of  tlie  beres  skyn. 
The  kynge  saide,  Saye  on,  Bi-Uyn,  fro  whoiis  come  ye? 
where  is  the  foxe  ?  how  i&  it  that  he  hatli  not  the  male 
witli  hym  ?  Bellyn  sayil,  3Iy  lonl,  I  shal  saye  yow  al 
that  1  know.  I  accompayned  Reynard  vnto  his  hows  ; 
and  whan  he  was  redy  ;  he  asked  me  yf  that  I  wold 
for  your  saacke  here  two  lettres  to  yow.  I  saide  for 
to  do  you  playsir  and  worship,  I  wold  gladly  here  to 
yow  vij  :  tho  brought  he  to  me  this  uiale,  wherein 
the  lettres  be  ;  whielie  ben  endyted  by  my  connyng, 
and  I  gaf  eounseyl  of  tlie  makyng  of  them.  I  trowe 
ye  sawe  neuer  lettres  better,  ne  craftelyer  made,  ne 
endyted.  The  kynge  commanded  anon,  Bokart  his 
sceretarye,  to  rede  the  lettres  ;  for  he  vnderstode  al 
mancr  langages.  Tybert  the  catte,  and  he,  toke  the 
male  of  Bellyns  neckc  ;  and  Bellyn  hath  so  fcrre  sayd, 
and  confessyd ;  that  he  tlierfon;  was  dampned. 

The  elerke  Bokart  umlyde  the  male  ;  and  drewe  out 
Ky warts  heed;  and  said,  AlasI  what  lettres  ben  these? 
cfrtaynly,  my  lord,  this  is  Kywarts  heed.  Alas,  sayde 
thi'  kynge,  that  euer  I  beleuid  so  the  foxe.  Tliere 
myght  men  see  grete  heuynesse  of  the  kynge,  and  df 
th«^  (|uenc.  The  kyng  was  so  angry,  that  lie  lieUle 
h)nge  doun  his  heed  ;  and  atte  last  afti'r  many  thoughtes 
he  made  a  grete  crye  ;  tliat  alle  the  bestys  were uferde 
of  the  noyse.  Tho  sjjaek.  Sir  Firapeel,  the  lupaerd, 
whiche  was  sybbe  somwhat  to  the  kynge,  and  saide  : 
Sire  kyng,  how  make  ye  suche  a  noyse  ;  ye  make  sorow 
ynough  thaugh  the  queue  were  ileed.  Late  this  somwe 
goo  ;  and  make  gotxl  chere  :  it  is  grete  shame  ;  be  yo 


70  TIIYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXE. 

not  a  Idrdc  and  kynjrc  of  tliis  londo.  Is  it  not  allr 
\  luler  yow,  that  licre  is.  The  kynge  sayde,  Sir  Fira- 
pcel,  liow  shoUl  1  sutf  re  tliis :  one  false  shrcwc  and 
deceyuar  hath  betrayed  me,  and  brought  me  so  ferre, 
that  liavc  I  t'orwrought,  and  angred  my  frendes,  the 
stoute  Bruyn  the  here,  and  Ysegryni  tlie  wulf ;  whiche 
sore  me  ropenteth  :  and  this  gotli  ayenst  my  worsliip, 
that  1  hauc  done  ainys  ayenst  my  beste  barons  ;  and 
tliat  I  trusted  and  lielcuid  so  moche  tlie  I'als  horeson 
the  f'oxe  ;  and  jny  wyt"  is  cause  therof :  slie  prayde 
me  so  moohe,  tliat  I  h(  rde  her  prayer,  and  that  me 
repcnteth  ;  tliaugh  it  be  to  hitc.  Wliat  tliawli,  sir 
kyng,  said  the  hipacrd,  yf  thcr  be  ony  thyiig  mysdon, 
it  shal  be  amemh'd :  we  slial  gyue  to  IJruyn,  the  here, 
to  Yscgrym  tlic  w  iilt'.  and  to  Erswjm  his  wyf,  for  the 
pece  of  his  skynne,  and  for  tlieir  slioes,  for  to  liaue 
good  pees,  Bellyn  the  ramme  ;  for  he  hath  confessyd 
hyin  self,  that  he  gaf  counseyl,  and  consentyd  to 
Kywardes  deth  ;  it  is  reson,  that  he  abye  it.  And 
we  alle  slial  goo  fecche  Reynard  and  we  slial  areste 
hym,  and  hangc  hym  by  the  neckc,  without  lawc  or 
juirement:   and  tlit-r  with  alle  shal  be  conteutc. 


IIUW   liKLLYN  Tin:  KAMMK  AND  AI.LK    UlS    LUiNAOi;  WKKE  UWEN 

IN  TIIK  HANUKS  of  VSKGIiyM  AND  BRUYN, 

AM)  IHJW   IIK  WAS  SLAVN. 

CAl'ITI'LO  XXIJ. 

TiiK  kynge  saide,    I   wil  do   it  gia<lly.      Firapeel,   the 
Juj)acrd,  wcnlc  tlm  in  the  jtrysun,  and  \iibonde  them 


TIIYSTORYE  OF  RF.YN'ARD  TIIF.  FOXK.  /  1 

lirstc:  niultlii'iiiit',  he  saydo,  Yc  sires,  1  liryiij:e  to  ymi 
a  ikste  pardon,  and  my  lordes  loue,  and  tVcndsliip  ;  it 
rL'i)entt'tli  hym,  and  is  sory,  that  he  cucr  hath  don, 
spoken,  or  trespaecd,  ayeiist  you  :  and  therforc  ye  shal 
hauc  a  good  appoyntmicnt.  And  aha  aniondes  he 
shal  gyuo  to  you  ;  Ikllyn  the  raninie,  and  alle  lu3 
lignage,  fro  now  tbrtlmn  to  domesdaye,  in  sudie  wyse 
that  wheresonieutT  ye  tynde  them  in  iVle  or  in  wode, 
tliat  ye  may  f'rely  l)ytc,  and  ete  them,  wythout  ony 
t'oH'ayte.  And  also  the  kynge  graunteth  to  yow  that 
ye  maye  hunte,  and  do  the  werst  tliat  ye  can  to  Key- 
nard,  and  alle  his  lygnago,  wj-thoute  mysdoyng.  This 
layr  grete  i)ryuelage  wyllc  the  kynge  graunt  to  you, 
cuer  to  holde  of  hym.  And  tlie  kyiige  willc,  that  yo 
swrre  to  hym,  neuer  to  mysd(K»,  but  doo  hym  homage, 
and  feawte  :  I  counseil  yow  to  doo  this  ;  for  ye  may 
«loo  it  honorably. 

Thus  was  the  i)ees  made  by  Fyraprl,  the  lupaerd, 
frendly  and  wel.  And  that  coste  IkUyn  the  ramme 
his  tabart,  and  also  his  lyf.  And  the  wulfis  lignage 
liulile  tliise  |)reuilegi3  of  the  kynge  ;  ami  in  to  thys) 
dayc,  they  deuoin-e  and  vie  IJcllyns  lignagr,  where 
that  they  may  fyndi-  them.  This  di-bate  was  lirgonni 
in  an  ciiyl  tynu-  ;  for  the  pees  roudi-  m-ucr  syth  l>e 
made  betwene  tliem.  The  kynge  dyde  forthwyth  his 
eourtc  and  feste,  lengthe  xij.  dayes  linger  for  loui>  of 
tho  hero,  and  the  wulf.  So  glad  wa.s  he  of  the  nmkyng 
ol'  the  pees. 


72  THYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  TMK  FO.XE. 


liOSV   TUE  KVNGE  UELUK  UUS  FKKSTK,  AM)  llOW  LATRKKL   IIIK 

CONY  COMPLAYNKl)  VNTO  THE  KYNGE  VPON 

BEYNAKT  THE  FOXE. 

CAPITDLO  XXIIJ. 

To  this  grete  feste  cum  al  uiaiR-r  ot"  bcstis:  lor  the 
kynge  dyde  to  crye  this  feste  oUer  alio  in  that  h)iKle. 
Tlier  was  the  mostc  joye,  and  myrtlie,  that  euer  was 
seen  eraonge  beestis.  Ther  was  daunsed  nianerly  the 
lioue  daunce  with  shalmouse,  trompettis,  and  alle  maner 
of  menestraylsye.  Tlie  kynge  dyde  do  ordeyne,  so 
moche  mete,  that  eueryeh  fonde  ynough.  And  ther 
was  no  beest  in  al  liis  lande  so  grete  ne  so  lytyl  but  he 
was  tliere :  and  ther  were  many  fowles  and  byrdes 
also :  and  alle  they  that  desired  the  kynges  fi'endship 
were  there,  sauyng  Keynard  tlie  f'oxe,  the  rede  false 
pilgryiii,  wliiche  laye  in  a  Avaytc  to  <li)o  liarme  ;  and 
thoughte  it  was  not  good  for  hyni  to  be  there.  Mete 
and  drinke  flowed  there.  Ther  weere  i)layes,  and 
esbatemens.  The  feest  was  ful  of  melodye.  One 
myght  haue  luste  to  see  suche  a  feestc  ;  and  right  as 
the  feestc  had  dured  viij  dayes,  a  boute  mydday,  cam 
in  the  cony,  Laprcel,  to  fore  the  kynge,  where  he  satte 
on  the  table,  with  the  (picnc  ;  and  sayde,  al  heuyly, 
that  all  they  herde  hyni  that  were  there,  My  lorde,  liaue 
pyte  on  my  complaynt,  whiche  is  of  grete  force,  and 
murdre,  that  Reynard  the  foxe  wold  haue  don  to  me. 
Yester  morow  as  I  cam  rennyng  by  his  borugh  at 
Maleperdhuys  he  stoile  byfore  his  dore  without  lyke  a 
j.ylgryme.     I  supposed  to  haue  passed  by  hym  i)easi- 


TIIYSTOKYK  OF  KKYNAKF)  THE  KOXE  /3 

My,  towurd  this  Ibste,  and  whan  lie  sawc  me  come,  he 
came  ayenst  me,  sayeng  his  bedes  ;  I  salewcd  liym  ; 
but  he  spack  not  one  worde  ;  but  he  raught  out  his 
right  foot  and  dubbed  me  in  the  necke  betwene  myn 
ccris,  that  I  had  wende  I  sholde  haue  loste  my  heed. 
lUit,  (jod  be  thanked  I  1  was  so  Ivglit,  that  1  >|>iaiige 
l'n>  hyiii.  Wyth  mucho  payne  cam  I  ut'  his  chiwes. 
He  giymmed,  as  he  had  ben  angry,  bycause  he  helde 
me  no  faster.  Tho  1  escaped  from  hym,  I  loste  myn 
one  ere,  and  I  had  foui'e  grete  holes  in  my  heed,  of  his 
sliarpc  nayles,  that  the  blood  sprange  out  ;  and  that  1 
was  nyhe  al  a  swoun  ;  but  for  the  grete  fere  of  my 
lyf  I  sprange  and  ran  so  faste  fro  hyuj,  that  he  coude 
not  ouertake  me.  See  my  lord,  thise  grete  woundes, 
that  he  hath  made  to  me,  with  his  sharpe  long  nayles. 
I  praye  you,  to  haue  pite  of  me,  and  that  ye  wil 
punysshe  this  false  traytour,  and  morderar  ;  or  ellis 
shal  ther  no  man  goo,  and  conien,  ouer  tlie  hctli  in 
saefte,  whyles  he  haunteth  his  fal>eand  slirewd.-  rcwle. 


IKiW  COKnA.NT  THK  KOKK  COMI'LA  YNKI)  ON  THK  KOXK  Foil  TIIK 
DKTH   OF  Ills  WVF. 

fAI'ITll.O  XXIII.I. 

Ryciit  as  the  cony  had  niadr  :tii  ciidc  of  his  coni- 
|)lant,  catn  in  Corbant  the  rokr,  Howen  in  the  phice  to 
fore  tlie  kynge;  and  sayde,  Dere  lorde,  here  me  :  1 
brynge  you  hier,  a  jiitrous  complaynt :  I  wente  to  day 
by  tlie  morow  wyth  Sliarp(;bck  my  wyf  for  to  playo 
vpoii  the  hcth,  and  there  laye  Heynart  the  foxe  doun 


74  THYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXE. 

on  the  grounde,  lyke  a  detle  kcytyf.  Ilis  eyen  stared 
and  his  tonge  licnge  longe  out  of  his  mouth,  lyke  an 
hounde  had  ben  deed.  We  tasted  and  felte  his  bely, 
but  we  fonde  tlieron  no  lyf.  Tho  wente  my  wyf  and 
herkcned,  and  leyde  her  ere  to  fore  his  mouth,  for  to 
wite  yf  he  drewe  liis  breeth:  whiche  mysfylle  her 
euyl,  for  the  false  felle  foxe  awayted  wel  his  tyme, 
and  whan  he  sawe  her  so  nygh  hyre.  he  caught  her  by 
the  heed  and  boote  it  of. 

Ther  was  I  in  grete  sorowe  ,and  cryde  lowde,  Alas  ! 
alas !  wliat  is  there  happed.  Then  stode  he  hastely 
vp,  and  ruught  so  couetously  after  me,  that  for  feere  of 
deth  I  tremljlcd  and  flewh  vpon  a  tree  therby,  and 
sawe  i'ro  lerre  how  the  false  keytyf  etc  and  slonked  her 
in,  so  hungerly  tha£  lie  lefte  neyther  flessh  ne  bone,  no 
more  but  a  fewe  fethers ;  the  smal  fethers  he  slange 
them  in  wyth  the  flessh :  he  was  so  hungry  he  wolde 
wel  haue  eten  tweyne.  Tho  wente  he  his  strete.  Tho 
flewh  I  doun  wyth  grete  sorow,  and  gatb'ed  up  the  fe- 
theris  for  to  shewc  them  to  you  here.  I  wolde  not  be 
agayn  in  suche  peryl  and  fere  as  I  was  there,  for  a 
thousand  marke  of  the  fynest  gold  that  ever  came  out 
of  Arabye.  My  lord  the  kyng,  see  hier  this  pyteous 
werke,  these  ben  the  fetheres  of  Sharpbecke,  my  wyf. 
My  lord,  yf  ye  wil  haue  worship,  ye  muste  do  herfore 
justyce,  and  avenge  you,  in  such  wise  as  men  may  fere 
and  holde  of  yow  :  for  yf  ye  sufFre  thus  your  sauf  con- 
duyt  to  be  broken,  ye  your  self  shal  not  goo  peasibly 
in  tlie  bye  way  :  for  tho  lordes  that  do  not  justyce,  and 
.>utlrc  that  the  lawc  be  not  executed  vpon  the  theeuis, 


TIIYSTORYE  OK  REYNARD  THE  EOXE.  7") 

merderars,  and  tluMu  that  in}  sdoo,  they  be  pai*tener3 
to  fore  God,  of  alio  thcyr  iiiysdcdcs  and  trespaces,  and 
eueryc'he  thcnne  wylle  he  a  lord  liyni  self.  Derelurde, 
see  wel  to  for  to  kepe  your  sell'. 


now  THF,  KYNfiE  WAS  SORE  ANGRY  OF  THISE  COMI'LAYNTE8. 
•  AlMTl  I,()   XXV. 

Noni.K,  tlie  kyng  was  sorr  niciiyd  ami  aiiirry  whan  lie 
had  herde  thise  comj)hiyntcs  of  the  cony,  and  of  the 
roek.  He  was  so  ferdful  to  loke  on,  that  his  cyen 
Lrlymmcrd  as  fyre,  he  brayed  as  lowde  as  a  bulle,  in 
suehe  wise  that  alle  the  court  (juake  for  fecre.  At  the 
liuste  he  sayde,  crycng,  IJy  my  cntwne,  and  by  the 
trouthe  that  I  owe  to  my  wyf,  1  shal  so  awreke  antl 
auenge  this  trespaces,  that  it  slial  be  longe  spoken  of 
after  that  my  sauf  conduyt  an<l  my  conimandement  is 
thus  broken.  I  was  ouer  nycc  that  I  beleiued  so 
lyghtly  the  false  shrewe.  His  false  flateryng  speche 
deceyved  me.  He  tolde  me  he  wolde  go  to  Home,  and 
I'or  thens  ouer  see  to  the?  Holy  Londe.  I  gal  liym  male 
and  palstt-r,  and  made  of  hym  a  pylgrym,  and  mente 
al  trouth.  (J  what  false  touches  can  he  !  How  can  he 
atutfe  the  sleue  wyth  flockes  !  15ut  tiiis  caused  my  wyf; 
it  was  al  by  her  counscyl;  I  am  not  thefyrst  that  haue 
ben  deccyued  by  wymmcn's  counscyl,  by  whichc  many 
a  grete  hurte  hatii  byfallcn.  1  pray  and  comande  alle 
tlinn  that  hold  oi  inc.  and  desire  my  l'n'nil,-hi|i,  inilicy 
here,  <>r  wlicre  someuer  ilu  y  Im,  that  they  wyth  tlicyr 


"G    THYSTORYE  OF  kkvnakd  tih:  koxe, 

coonseyl  and  dedes,  helpe  me  tauenge  this  ouer  gretc 
trcspaas,  that  we  and  owris  may  abydc  in  honour  and 
woi'dhip,  and  this  i'alse  theef  in  shame,  that  he  no 
more  trespace  ayenst  our  saufgarde.  I  wil  my  sell,  in 
my  persone,  helpe  therto  al  that  I  maye. 

Yscgrym  the  wulf,  and  Bruyn  the  here,  herde  wel 
the  kynges  wordes,  and  hoped  wel  to  be  auengid  on 
Reynard  the  foxe,  l)iit  they  durste  not  speke  one  word. 
The  kynge  was  so  sore  meuyde  that  none  durste  wel 
speke.  Attelaste  the  queue  spak,  Sire,  Poui-  Dieu,  ne 
croyes  mye  toutes  choses  que  on  vous  dye,  et  ne  jures 
pas  legierment.  A  man  of  worship  shold  not  lyghtly 
bileue,  ne  swere  gretly,  vnto  the  tyme  he  knewe  the 
mater  elerly ;  and  also,  we  ought  by  right  here  that 
other  partye  speke  ;  tlier  \)cn  many  that  complayne  on 
other,  and  ben  in  tlie  defaute  them  self.  Audi  alteram 
j)artem  ;  here  that  other  partye.  I  liaue  truly  liolden 
the  foxe  for  good,  and  vi)on  that,  that  lie  mente  no 
falshede,  I  helped  hym  that  I  niyghte ;  but  how  som- 
ever  it  cometh  or  gooth,  is  he  euyl  or  good,  me  thynk- 
eth  for  your  worship,  tliat  ye  sholde  not  proeede  ayenst 
liym  ouer  hastely,  that  were  not  good  ne  honeste ;  for 
he  may  not  eseape  fro  you.  Ye  maye  prysone  hym, 
or  slee  hym,  he  muste  obeye  your  jugement. 

Thenne  saide  Fyrapel,  the  lupaerd,  My  lord,  me 
thynketh  my  lady  here  hath  saide  to  you  troutlie,  and 
gyuen  yow  good  counseyl,  do  ye  wel  and  folowe  her, 
and  take  aduyse  of  your  wyse  counseyl,  and  yf  he  be 
founden  gylty  in  the  trespaces  that  now  to  yow  be  shewd, 
late  hym  be  sore  punysshid  accordyng  to  his  trespaces. 


TIIVSTORVr:  OFREYNAUD  TIIF.  FOXF..  (  I 

And  }T  In-  coMH'  not  liytlior,  cr  this  feste  be  ended, 
:iii<l  excuse  liyiii,  as  he  ou<rlit  of  rijrht  to  doo,  tlicnne 
doo  as  the  counseyl  shall  adiiyse  yow.  Hut  and  yf 
he  were  twyes  a.s  moche  false  and  ylle  as  he  is,  I 
wolde  not  counseyllc  tliat  he  slmldt!  he  done  to  more 
than  rifrlit. 

Ise;rryni,  the  widf,  saide,  Sir  Fyrapal,  all  we  atM-ee 
to  the  same  as  ferre  as  it  plcseth  my  lord  the  kynire, 
it  can  not  be  beter.  But  thonjrh  Heyiiart  wen-  now 
here,  and  he  elery<l  hym  of  double  as  many  ]>layntes, 
yet  siiold  I  Itryngc  forth  ayenst  him  that  he  had  ior- 
fayted  his  lyf ;  but  I  wyl  now  be  stylle  and  say  not, 
by  cause  he  is  not  prcsente,  and  yet  above  alle  this,  he 
hath  tolde  the  kynj^e  of  certayn  tresure  lyencf  in  Kre- 
keiijiyt,  in  Ilulsterlo.  Ther  was  never  lyed  a  frreter 
lesyng,  ther  wyth  he  hath  vs  alle  bepryletl,  and  hath 
sore  hyndred  me  and  the  here,  lilar  leye  my  lyf  theron 
that  he  sayd  not  therof  a  trewe  worde.  Now  robbeth 
he,  and  steleth  v]»on  the  heth,  all  that  {^ooth  forth  by 
his  hows.  Neuertheles,  Sir  Firapel,  what  that  plesi'th 
the  kynfje  an<l  yow,  that  niusti;  wel  be  don.  But  and 
yf  he  wolde  haue  eonien  hyther,  he  myu'lit  liaue  ben 
here,  for  he  had  knowleelie  by  the  kyn;;e's  luessa^'er. 

The  kynge  sayde.  We  wyl  none  tttherwyse  sende  for 
hym,  but  I  comniande.  alle  them  that  owe  me  .seru)'se» 
and  wylle  my  honour  and  worshi|i|te,  that  they  make 
tliem  redy  to  the  warn>  at  the  end*;  of  vj.  dayes  ;  all 
them  that  l>en  archers,  and  haue  bowes.  prolines,  bom- 
liardes,  Iiorsemen.  and  I'outcMieM.  that  alle  tlii,-«e  be  redy 
to  besiefje  Maleperduys  ;   I  >lial  de.-troye   lieynart    the  [ 


78  TIIYSTOIIVH  OK  HKVNAia)  TIIK  FOXK. 

i'oxc  yf  I  l)c  a  kyngc.     Yo  Ionic.*,  and  sires,  what  sayc 
yc  hereto  ?  wille  ye  doo  this  wytli  a  pjood  wyl  ? 

And  they  sayd  and  cryed  alle,  Ye,  me  lordo,  wliari 
that  ye  wyllc,  we  shall  allc  goo  with  yow. 


nO\.     iRYMUKnT  THE  DASSE  WARNED  THE  KOXE  THAT  THI. 
KYNGE  WAS  WIlOTIf  WITH   HYM  AND  WOLD  Sl.KK  HYM 

CAPITlfLO  XXVJ. 

Alle  thisc  wordes  herde  Grymbcrt  the  dasso,  wliichc 
was  his  bi'othor  sone ;  he  was  sory  and  angry  yf  it 
myght  haue  proufyted.  He  ranne  thenne  the  hye  way 
to  Maloperduys  ward,  he  spared  nether  busshe  nc 
liawe,  but  he  hasted  so  sore,  that  he  swctte.  lie  so- 
rowed  in  liym  self,  for  Rejoiart  his  rede  erne ;  and  as 
he  went  he  saide  to  hjmiself,  Alas  !  in  what  daunger  bo 
ye  conicn  in.  Wlicre  slial  ye  become  ?  shal  I  sec  you 
brought  fro  lyf  to  deth,  or  elles  exylod  out  of  the  lands  ? 
Truly  I  may  be  wel  sorouful,  for  ye  be  the  heed  of  allc 
our  lygnage ;  ye  be  wysc  of  counseyl  ;  ye  be  redy  to 
helpe  your  frendes  whan  they  haue  nede ;  ye  can  so 
wel  shewe  your  resons,  that  where  ye  speke  yc  wynnc 
alle.  With  suchc  maner  wayllyng  and  pytous  wordes 
cam  Grymbcrt  to  Maloporduys,  and  fonde  Rcynart  his 
erne  there  standyng,  whiche  had  goten  two  pygcons, 
as  they  cam  lirst  out  of  lior  ncste  to  assaye  yf  they 
coude  flee,  and  bicausc  the  fethors  on  her  wyngis  were 
to  shortc,  they  fyllo  doun  to  the  ground,  and  as  Rcy- 
nart  was  gon  out  to  seche  his  mete,  he  espyed  them, 
and  caught  lu'm,  aiul  was  comcn  home  with  hem. 


I 


TIIYSTORYF.  OF  REYNARD  THE  EOXE.  7f) 

And  whan  he  sawe  Grymbf  rt  comyng,  he  tar}'(l  anil 
said,  Wt'lroino,  my  best  beloucd  nouew,  that  I  knuwe 
in  al  my  kynrcde,  yc  hauc  ronne  taste,  yo  ben  al  be 
swette ;  haue  ye  ony  newe  tydiiigs  ?  Alas,  said  he, 
Lyet"  eme  it  standeth  euyl  wyth  yow.  Ye  haue  loste 
both  lyf  and  good.  The  kynge  hath  sworn  'at  he 
shal  gyue  you  a  shameful  deth  ;  he  hath  con.  ^nded 
alle  his  folke  withyn  vj  dayes  for  to  be  here ;  archers, 
foteincn,  liorsenien,  and  peple  in  waynes.  And  he 
liatli  gunne?,  bonibardes,  tentes,  and  pauyllyons.  And 
also  he  hath  do  laaden  torches.  See  to  fore  ynw,  for  yc 
liaue  nedc.  Yscgryni  and  liruyn  ben  better  now  wyth 
tjic  kynge  than  I  am  wyth  yow.  AUc  that  they  wille,  is 
doon  ;  Lscgrym  hath  don  him  to  vnderstande  that  ye 
be  a  theef,  an<l  a  mordorar :  he  hath  grete  enuye  to 
yow.  Lapreel  the  cony,  and  Curbaiit  tiie  roek  haue 
made  a  grete  coniplaynt  also.  I  sorow  nioche  for  your 
lyf,  that  for  drede  I  am  alle  soke. 

I'uf,  said  the  f«)X<*,  dere  neuew  is  ther  nothyng  clli!?, 
be  ye  so  sore  aferd  lierof.  Make  good  ehere  hardely. 
Though  the  kynge  hym  self  and  alle  that  ben  in  the 
court  liatl  sworn  my  deth,  yet  shal  I  be  exalted  above 
them  alle.  They  may  alle  faste  jangle,  clatre,  and 
geue  ct)unseyl,  but  tlie  eourtc  may  not  prosjitre  wcyth-j 
oute  me,  and  my  wylcs  and  subtyltc. 


HOW    IlKVNART  TMK   H»XK.  <A>I    ANoTUKft  TVMK  To  TH  K  <-urHTIC. 
<  Al'ITlLO  XXVI.I. 

Dim.  iiciKw  lati'  all  the.-f  tliyngo  pa>.-M',   and  foiiif 


80  TIIYSTOUYF.  OF  UrYNAUD  TllF  FOXK. 

liorc  in,  and  see  what  I  sliall  gyue  you,  a  good  payrc 
of  fattc  py^jft'ons.  I  loue  no  mete  better  ;  tliey  ben 
fjood  to  dygestc.  They  may  ahnost  be  swoluwen  in  al 
hool,  the  bones  ben  half  bU)de,  I  ete  theiuwyth  that 
other.  I  fele  my  self  other  whole  encombred  in  my 
stomak,  therefore  ete  I  gladly  lyjrht  mete.  My  wyf 
Ermelyn  shall  receyuc  vs  frendly.  But  telle  her 
nothyng  of  tliis  thynge  ;  for  she  sholde  take  it  ouer 
heuyly  :  she  is  tcndre  of  herte  :  she  myght  for  fere 
falle  in  sommc  sekenes.  A  lytyl  thynge  gooth  sore  to 
l)tr  hcrtp  ;  and  to  morow  crly  I  wil  goo  with  yon  to 
the  eourte,  and  yf  I  may  come  to  speclie,  and  may  be, 
herd,  I  shal  so  answcre,  that  I  shal  touche  somme  nygh 
ynowh.  Neuew,  wyl  not  ye  stande  by  me,  as  a  frendc 
ought  to  doo  to  another. 

Yes  truly  derc  erne,  saiil  Grymbort,  and  alle  my  good 
is  at  your  coniniandement.  God  tlianke  you,  ncncw, 
said  the  foxe,  that  is  wel  said  :  yf  I  may  lyne  I  shall 
quyte  it  yow.  Eme,  said  (irymbert,  ye  may  wel  come 
to  fore  allc  the  lordes,  and  excuse  yow  ;  ther  shal  none 
areste  yow,  ne  holde  as  longe  as  ye  be  in  your  wordes. 
The  quene  and  the  hi[)aord  have  gotenn  that. 

Then  said  the  foxe,  therfor  I  am  glad.  Thenne  I 
carre  not  for  the  beste  of  the  man  lu'cr.  I  shal  wel 
saue  my  self.  rh<y  spake  no  more  bcrof  ;  l)nt  wente 
forth  in  to  the  burgh  ;  and  fondc  Ermelyn  there  sit- 
tyng  by  her  yonglyngs,  whichc  aroose  up  anon  and 
receyuid  thr^m  frendly.  Grymbert  salewed  his  ante 
and  the  chyldre  wytli  frendly  wordes.  Then  ij  pigeons 
were  made  ready  for  tlieyr  sopcr,  whiche  Reynard  had 


THYSTORYK  OK  UKYN  \l{l>  Tlir  lOXK.  M 

tukcn  :  echo  ol"  them  take  Iiis  part  as  tcrrc  as  it  woldi- 
strutchc.  Yf  wlie  of  lit'iii  lunl  had  one  more,  tlier  sliolde 
but  \yty\  haue  ben  leite  over.  The  foxe  saide,  Lief 
neiiewe,  how  lyke  ye  my  cliyldreii  Kosel  and  Keyner- 
<lyn,  they  shal  do  W(>r>liij)  to  alle  our  lygnuge.  They 
l>e;rynne  alredy  to  do  wel.  Tliat  one  eatelielli  wel  a 
chyken,  and  that  otiier  a  |nill<'t  ;  they  conne  wel  also 
duke  in  the  water  after  lapuynclies  ami  dukcys.  1 
wohle  ofte  sende  them  for  prouande,  but  I  wil  fyrst 
teehe  them  how  they  shal  kepe  them  fro  the  grynnes, 
fro  the  hunters,  and  fro  the  houndes.  Yf  they  were  so 
ferre  comen  that  they  were  wyse,  I  dur>c  wd  trustc 
t4>  them,  that  tln-y  shold  wel  vytaylh*  vs  in  many  <:(i()d 
diucrses  meti'S,  that  we  now  lacke.  And  they  lykc 
and  fiilowe  me  wel  ;  for  they  playe  alle  grymmyng, 
and  where  they  hate,  they  loke  frendly  and  meryly  ; 
for  therby,  they  bryn;^e  them  under  their  I'eet,  and 
byte  the  throte  usondre.  This  is  the  nature  of  the 
foxe.  They  bo  swyfte  in  their  takynfi^e,  whiche  pleseth 
me  wel.  Eme,  said  Grymbert,  ye  may  lie  ghul  that  ye 
haue  suehe  wyse  ehyldren.  And  I  am  j^lad  of  them 
also,  byeause  they  l>e  of  my  kynni-.  (iryinlxrt,  .--aid 
the  foxe,  ye  hniie  swetiu'  and  l)e  wery,  it  were  bye  tyme 
that  ye  were  at  vonr  rt-.|«-.  Knie,  yf  '•  ph'se  you,  it 
thynketh  me  }^ood.  rho  layi-  th»  y  i|i»wn  on  a  Iviier 
nmdc  of  strawe,  the  foxe,  hys  wyf  iinil  hys  ehyldn-n 
w«'nte  alle  to  slept-.  Hut  iIh;  foxe  was  al  heuy,  and 
laye,  sii^hed,  and  sorowed,  Imw  he  might  beste  exeus<! 
Iiyniseir. 

On  tin    iiiorow  crlv,  in   ruvnHil  lii-  ca.-^tii.  and  wtntc 


82  TIIYSTORYH  OF  REYNARD  THK  FOXE. 

with  Gr}nnbcrt.  But  he  toke  leuc  first  of  (hiiiie 
Erinelyn  his  wyf,  and  of  his  chyhlrcn,  and  sayde  : 
Thynke  not  longe,  I  must  goo  to  tlie  court  wyth 
Grymbert  my  cosyn  ;  yf  I  tarye  somewhat  be  not 
aferde  ;  and  yf  yc  here  ony  ylle  tydyngs,  take  it  alway 
for  tlie  bcste  ;  and  see  wel  to  your  self,  and  kepc  our 
castel  wel.  I  shal  doo  yonder  the  bestc  I  can,  after 
that  I  see  how  it  gooth. 

Alas,  Reyner,  said  she,  how  haucyc  now  thus  taken 
vpon  yow  for  to  go  to  the  court  agayn.  The  last 
tyme  that  ye  were  there,  ye  were  in  grete  jeopardye 
of  your  lyf :  and  ye  sayde,  ye  wold  neuer  come  there 
more.  Dame,  said  the  foxe,  Thauenture  of  the  world 
is  wonderly,  it  goth  other  whylc  by  wenyng.  Many 
one  weneth  to  have  a  thing  whiche  he  must  forgoo. 
I  muste  nedes  now  go  thyder.  Be  content,  it  is  al 
wythoute  dreade  ;  I  hope  to  come  at  al  ther  lengest 
within  fyue  dayes  agayn.  Here  wyth  he  departed, 
and  wente  with  CJrynibert  to  the  court  ward. 

And  when  they  wt-rc  vpon  the,  hcctli,  th(innc  sayde 
Reyner  :  Neuew,  syth  1  was  iaste  shryuen,  I  iiaue  don 
many  shrewde  tomes.  I  wolde  ye  wold  here  me  now, 
of  alle  that  I  have  trcspaced  in.  1  made  the  here  to 
haue  a  grete  wonde  for  the  male  whiche  was  cutte  out 
of  his  skynne.  And  also,  I  made  the  wulf  and  his  wyf 
to  Icse  her  shoon.  I  peased  the  kynge  with  grete 
lesyngis,  and  bare  hym  on  honde  that  the  wulf  and 
the  bcre  wold  haue  betrayed  hym  and  wolde  haue 
slayn  him.  .So  I  made  tlic  kynge  right  wratli  witli 
them,   where  tkcy  dcseruytl  it  not.     Also,  I  tolde  to 


TITYSTORYK  OF  KF.VN  AUH  TIIK  KOXK.  SH 

the  kynfTc,  tliat  tlur  was  p^rote  trosoiir  in  Iliilsterlo,  of 
whiflie  he  was  neuer  the  better,  ne  richer,  for  I  lyed 
nl  that  I  sayih'.  I  k^hh-  r>(lljii  tlic  raiiuiie,  and 
Kywart  the  hare,  with  inc,  ami  slewe  Kyward,  and 
scnte  to  tlic  kynge,  by  Bellyn,  Kywarts  liecd  in  skorn. 
And  I  dowcd  the  cony  bytwene  Ills  cers  that  ahnost  I 
benaamc  his  lyf  from  hyni,  for  lie  escaped  a^renst  my 
wyl  :  he  was  to  me  oner  swyft.  The  roekc  may  wcl 
comphiyne,  fur  1  swok)wed  in  dame  Sharpbeck  his 
wyf.  And  also,  1  haue  furgoten  on  thyng,  the  laste 
tyme  that  I  was  shreuen  to  you,  wliicli  I  haue  syth 
bctlioiight  me,  and  it  was  of  grctc  deccytc  that  I  dydt' 
whiche  I  now  wyll  telle  yow. 

1  cam  wyth  the  wulf,  walkynge  bytwene  Iluutluil.-'t 
and  Eluerdynage,  there  sawe  we  goo  a  rede  mare  ;  and 
she  had  a  black  eolte  or  a  fool  of  iiij  monctliis  olde, 
which  was  good  and  futte.  Isegrym  was  almost 
storuen  for  hunger,  and  jnayd  me  goo  to  the  marc  and 
wytc  of  her  yf  slie  wohl  selle  her  fool.  I  ran  faste  to 
the  mare,  and  axed  that  of  her.  She  sayd  she  wold 
selle  it  for  money.  1  demandeil  of  lier  how  she  wold 
selie  it.  Siic  saydr  it  is  wnton  in  my  hymhc  foot  : 
yf  ye  conne  rede,  ami  lie  a  clirk,  ye  may  come  sec  and 
rede  it.  Tho  wyst  I  wcl  where  she  wold  be,  and  I 
saide.  Nay  for  sothe  lean  not  rede  ;  and  also  I  desyrn 
not  to  bye  your  cliyldc.  Isegrym  hath  -cnti-  nu- 
hcther  ;  and  wold  t'ayn  knowc  the  j'rys  tlicrof.  The 
mare  saide,  Lati'hymcome  thenne  h^'msclf,  ami  I  shal 
late  hyni  banc  knoulechc  I  sav<le,  I  slial,  and 
hastely  wente  to  Yse^rym   and   <;iide,  Knie,  wil  yc  ete 


81  TIIYS^TORYE  OF  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXE. 

your  bely  tiil  of  tlii.-i  colte  ?  so  goo  fustc  to  the  mare, 
for  she  tnryeth  after  yow.  She  hatli  do  wryte  the 
pris  of  her  colte  vnder  her  fote,  slie  wolde  that  I  sliold 
haue  redde  it  ;  Imt  I  can  not  one  lettre,  whiche  me 
sore  repenteth,  for  I  wente  neuer  to  scole.  Erne, 
wylle  ye  bye  that  colte  ?  conne  ye  rede,  so  maye  ye 
bye  it  ? 

Oy  nouow,  that  can  I  wtl,  wliat  sholde  me  lotte ; 
I  can  wel  Frenshc,  Latyn,  Englissh  and  Ducho  ;  I  haue 
goon  to  scole  at  Oxenford.  I  haue  also  wyth  oldt?  and 
auncyent  doctours,  ben  in  the  audyencc,  and  herde 
plees,  and  also  haue  gyuen  sentence.     I  am  lycensyd  j, 

in  bothe  lawes  :  what  maner  wrytyng  that  ony  man  can 
deuyse,  I  can  rede  it  as  perfyghtly  as  my  name.      I  • 

wyl  goo  to  her,   and  >hal  anon  vnderston<lc  tlic  prys.  \ 

And  bad  me  to  tarye  for  hym  ;  and  he  rannc  to  the  ' 

marc,  and  axed  of  her,  how  she  wohh;  sell*;  her  fob;, 
or  kcpe  it. 

She  sayde  the  somme  of  the  money  standeth  wre-  ^ 

ton  after  on  my  fote.     He  saide,  late  me  rede  it.     She  '"^ 

saide,   Doo ;  and  lyfte  vj)  her  foot  wliiche  was  newe  f 

shood  wytli  yron,  and  \j.  stronge  nayles,  and  she  smote 
hym  wytliout  myssyngon  iiis  liccd,  thathcfyl  doun  as 
he  liad  ben  deed  ;  a  man  shold  wel  haue  ryrlcn  a  myle 
er  he  aroos. 

The  mare  trotted  a  way  wyth  her  colte,  and  she  leet 
Isegrym  lyeng  shrewdly  hurte,  and  wounded.  He 
laye  and  bledde  as  an  hound.  I  wente  tho  to  hym  and 
sayde,  Sir  Ysegrym,  dere  eme,  how  is  it  now  wyth 
yow  ?  Haue  ye  eten  ynowh  of  tin;  colte  ?  Is  your  bely 


THVsroKVK  Ol-  KKVNAia)  TlIi:  lOXK.  a.) 

Jul  ?  ^^'lly  jryue  yo  nic  no  [)art  ?  I  (ly<lt'  your  craiKlc 
Haue  ye  sleptr  your  flymr  ?  I  |>r:iy  vow  telle  iiie  wliat 
was  wPL'toii  vnder  the  iiiares  I'ote,  what  was  it,  prose, 
or  ryiiie,  metro  or  verse,  I  wold  tayn  know  it.  I  trowc 
it  was  eantiun,  for  I  herde  you  syngc  nie  thought 
fro  ferre,  for  ye  were  so  wysc,  that  iuj  man  eoude  rede 
it  better  tlian  ye. 

Alas,  Keynart !  alas!  said  the  wulf,  I  pray  yow  to 
leue  your  moekyng.  I  anj  so  foule  arayed,  and  sore 
hiirte,  that  an  lierte  of  stone  niyght  Iiaue  pyte  of  me. 
The  mare  wyth  her  Utnge  legge  had  an  yron  foote,  I 
weiiile  the  iiayles  therof  had  ben  lettres,  and  slie  hytte 
me  at  the  fyrst  stroke  vj.  grete  woundes  in  my  heed, 
tiiat  almost  it  is  clouen.  Suche  maner  lettres  shal  I 
neuer  more  desire  to  rede. 

Dere  enie,  is  that  trouthe  that  ye  telle  me?  I  haue 
herof  grete  meruaylle.  I  heehh-  you  for  one  of  the 
wysest  elerkes  that  now  lyue.  Now  I  here  wel,  it  is 
treue  that  I  long  syth  haue  redde  and  herde,  that  the 
beste  elerkes  I)en  not  the  wysest  men.  The  laye  pejde 
otherwhyl  wexe  wyse.  The  eause  that  thise  elerkes 
ben  not  the  wysest,  is  that  they  studye  so  moehe  in  the 
connyng  and  science,  that  they  therin  do..le.  Tims 
brought  I  Isegrym  in  this  grete  laste  and  harme,  that 
ho  vnneth  byiielde  iiis  lyf.  Lyef  neuew,  now  haue  I 
tolde  you  alle  my  >ynnes  that  I  renieiuhre.  What  .^o 
euer  falh;  at  the  court,  I  wote  neuer  how  it  shal  stonde 
with  me  then".  I  am  not  now  so  sore  aferd,  ft)r  I  am 
clere  from  synne,  I  wyl  gladly  come  to  raercy,  and 
reccyue  penance  by  your  (•oun.-»eyl. 


80  TMVsrOKVK  OK  in'.VNAKD  Till".  I'OXK. 

firyinluTt  saydc,  TIic  trespaccshcn  ^Tftc,  JU'urrtlic- 
Ics  who  tliat  is  deccl  iiuisto  abide  deed,  and  tlR'rfore  I 
wyl  forfryin;  it  you  altofrydre,  with  the  fei*e  that  ye 
shal  sunVu  thcrtoiv,  cr  yc  .slud  coiinc  excuse  you  of  the 
<h'th  ;  and  hicr  \  j)i)ii  1  wyl  iussoylle  you.  But  the  nioste 
hyiidre  that  ye  shal  haue  shal  be  tliat  ye  seute  Kywart's 
heed  to  the  court,  and  tliat  ye  blynded  the  kynge  wyth 
suttlc  lye3.  Erne,  that  was  riglit  euyl  doon. 

The  Ibxe  sayde,  What  lyef  neuew  ?  Who  that  wyl 
goo  thurgh  the  worUl  this  to  here,  and  that  to  see,  ami 
that  other  to  telle,  truly  it  may  not  clerly  be  done. 
How  sliolil  ony  man  handle  hony,  but  yf  he  lycked  his 
fyngres.  I  am  oftymes  rored  and  pryeked  in  my  con- 
science as  to  loue  God  above  all  thynge,  and  inyn  euen 
Crysten  as  my  self,  as  is  to  God  wel  acceptable,  and 
accordyng  to  his  lawi-.  But  how  weno  ye  that  reson 
wythin  forth  fyghteth  ayenst  the  outeward  wylle,  than 
stonde  I  alle  stylle  in  my  self,  that  methynkethi  haue 
loste  alle  my  wittes,  and  wote  not  what  me  eyleth,  1 
am  thenne  in  suche  a  thought.  I  haue  now  alle  lefte 
my  synnes,  and  hate  alle  thynge  that  is  not  good,  and 
clymrae  in  bye  contemplacion  aboue  his  commande- 
ments  ;  but  this  specyal  grace  haue  I  whan  I  am  alone, 
but  in  a  short  whyle  after,  whan  the  warld  cometh  in 
mi',  tiienne  fynde  I  in  my  wayc  so  many  stones,  and 
the  fotespores  that  thyse  loos  prelates  and  riclie  |)iees- 
tys  goo  in,  that  I  am  anone  taken  agayn.  Thenne 
Cometh  the  world  and  wyl  haue  tliis  ;  and  the  flesshe 
wyl  lyue  plesantly,  whiche  leyc  to  fore  me  so  many 
thinges  that  I  thenne  lose  alle  my  good  thoughtis  and 


THYSTOUYK  OK  lU'.VN AKD  TIIK  R)XE.  87 

puq)Oos.  I  licrc  tliero  syiijrc  I'Vpt',  lawlir,  pliiyc,  uiid 
alie  mirth,  ami  I  here  that  tlicse  prehite.*,  uiul  richc 
curates,  preche  and  saye  al  other  wyse,  then  they  thynkc 
and  diK).  There  learue  I  to  lye.  The  lesyuf!;es  ben 
moste  vsed  in  the  lordes  courtcs,  certaynly  hjrdes,  la- 
dves,  prestis,  antl  clerke.s  nuiken  most  lesyn;;es.  Men 
dar  not  telle  to  the  lonles  now  the  trouthe.  Ther  is 
defaute,  1  must  flatre  and  lye  also,  or  ellis  I  shold  be 
shette  wythout  tlie  dore.  I  haue  ofte  horde  men  saye 
trouthe  and  ri^rhtl'ully,  and  haue  theyr  re-son  made 
wyth  a  Icsynge  lykc  to  theyr  purpose,  and  brought  it  in 
and  wcnte  thurgh  by  cause  their  mater  shold  seme  the 
fayrer :  the  lesyng  oftymes  comcth  vnauysed,  and  fal- 
h'tii  in  the  mater  vnwetyngly,  and  so  whan  she  is  wel 
claddc,  it  goth  forth  thurgh  with  tliat  other. 

Dere  neuew,  thus  muste  men  now  lye  here,  and 
tlicre  saye  soth,  llatre,  and  menace,  i)raye,  and  curse, 
and  seke  cuery  man  vpon  his  feblest  and  wckcst.  A\  \u> 
otherAvyse  wyll  now  haunte  and  vse  the  world,  than 
deuyse  a  lesyng  in  the  fayrest  wise,  and  that  bywym- 
ple  witii  kercliieiiis  aboutc  in  siiehe  wise  that  men  take 
it  fur  a  tnmthr,  lie  is  imt  ruinu-  away  Im  his  maister. 
Can  he  tliat  sidttyltc  in  >uche  wis«!  that  he  stamer  not 
in  his  wordes,  and  may  thenne  be  hernle,  neuew,  this 
man  nuiy  doo  womliT  ;  he  may  were  skarlet  and 
grysc  ;  he  wynncth  in  the  spyrituel  lawe,  and  teniporal 
also,  and  wheresommeuer  ho  hath  to  «1(M),  Now  ben 
tlier  many  false  siiifwis  that  have  grete  cnuye  that 
thfv  have  so  grete  lurdclc  ;  and  wcm-  that  tiny  caniie 
also  wel  lye  :   and   take  nn  them  to   lyi'  and  to  telle  it 


8S  TlIVSTOkYH  OF  HF.YXAkI)  Tin',  FOXK. 

forth.  lit'  woldc  iayn  vU.'  oi"  tlic  I'littc  morscUis.  Ijiit 
he  iri  not  bileiud  ne  herd.  And  many  bcii  tlni-  lliat 
h(j  so  pluinpc  and  folisshe,  tluit  wlian  they  \v«jnc  bi-ste 
to  prononce  and  shewe  their  mater  and  conclude,  they 
falle  l^csyde  and  outc  therot",  and  can  nut  thcnne  hclpe 
hem  .self,  and  leue  tlieyr  mater  wythout  tayl  or  heed, 
and  he  is  acom})ted  for  a  fool.  And  many  mockc 
them  ther  with.  But  who  can  gyue  to  his  lesynge  a 
conclusion,  and  prononce  it  without  tatclyng,  lyke  as 
it  were  wreton  to  fore  hym,  and  that  he  can  .so  Idynde 
the  j)eide,  that  his  Icsynge  shal  better  be  bileuid  than 
the  troiitlif,  that  is  the  man. 

What  connyng  is  it  to  sayc  the  trouth  that  is  good 
to  doo.  How  lawhe  thisc  false  subtyl  shrewis  that  gyue 
eounseyl  to  make  thise  lesynges,  and  sette  tliem  forth  ; 
ami  iiiaken  vnright  goo  aboue  right;  and  make  billes, 
and  sctte  in  thynges  that  neuer  were  thought  ne  sayd, 
and  teche  men  see  thurgh  their  fyngrcs,  and  alle  for  to 
Wynne  mone}' ;  and  late  their  tonges  to  hyre  fur  to 
niayntene  and  strengthe  tlieir  lesynges,  ala.^  neuewe  ! 
this  is  an  euyl  connyng  of  whiche  lyf,  scathe,  and  hurte 
may  come  therof. 
I  I  saye  not  but  that  otherwhyle,  men  muste  jape, 
'  bourde,  and  lye,  in  sniale  thyngi.s,  for  who  .so  sayth 
alway  troutlie,  lie  may  not  now  goo  nowher  tliurgli  the 
j  world.  Tlier  ben  many  that  playe  Placebo.  AVho  .so 
alle  way  sayth  trouth,  shal  fynde  many  lettynges  in 
his  way.  Men  may  wel  lye  whan  it  is  nede,  and  after 
amende  it  by  eounseyl:  for  alle  trespace.s  ther  is  mercy. 
Ther  is  no  man  so  wyse  but  he  dooleth  otlier  whyle. 


I 


t 


TMVSTORYK  Ol'  KI'.VNAKD  Till'.  I'dXR.  89 

Gryniltrrt  saydi',  WrI.  ilcro  cmc,  what  tliyiiL'i'  slial 
you  lette.  Ye  knowe  al  thyng  at  the  narewcst.  Ye 
sliulcle  brynge  me  hastely  in  dotyiig,  your  rcsons  pas- 
sen  my  viulei'standyng.  What  nede  haue  yc  to  shryue 
you  ?  yr  shulde  yourself  by  right  be  thi-  pncst,  and 
lete  nu',  and  other  sheep  come  to  you  for  to  be  shryuen. 
Ye  knowe  the  state  of  the  worM  in  suehe  wyse  as  no 
man  may  halte  to  ft)re  you. 

Wyth  suehe  maner  talkynge,  the  cam  walkyng  in 
to  the  court.  The  foxe  sorowed  somvvliat  in  liis  liertc. 
Neuertheles  he  bare  it  out  and  stryked  forth  thrugh 
aUe  tlie  folke  til  he  caiii  in  to  the  place  where  the  kynge 
liym  self  was.  And  (irymbert  was  alway  by  the  foxe 
anil  .-iayde,  Erne  be  not  a  ferde  ;  ami  make  good  chcre. 
^\'h<)  that  is  hardy  thauiMitun-  helpeth  hym.  Oftymes 
out;  day  is  better  than  somtyme  an  hole  yere. 

The  foxe  sayde,  Neuewe,  ye  say  trouthe.  God 
ti.anke  you,  ye  comforte  me  wel.  .^nd  forth  he  wentc 
and  lokyd  grymly  hen-  and  tlicrc  as  who  .-aith.  What 
wylle  ye?  Here  come  I.  He  sawc  tliere  many  of  his 
kyinie  standyng,  wliiehr  yuncd  liym  Imt  lytyl  good,  as 
the  otter,  bcui'r,  and  otlirr  to  the  nomlirc  o|"  x.  whoine 
I  slial  name  afterward.  And  sonnno  were  thcic  tliat 
loued  liym.  The  loxe  eani  in  ami  fvl  doun  on  his 
knees  to  fore  the  kyng  and  began  liis  wonles  and  sayde. 


now    KEYNAUT  TUK  FO.\K  K.XCl'SKU  IIV.M   TO  lOllK  TUK  KV.NUK. 
CAI'lTULO  XXVIU. 

Goi;,    iVo  whom  nothyng  may  be   hyd,  and  abouc  aiU- 


90  TIIVSTOUVK  OF  KKVNAliD  TIIF.  FOXE. 

thyng  is  myglity,  suue  my  lordr  tlie  kyufro,  and  my  lady 
tlie  (jucne,  and  gyue  Lyiii  grace  to  kiiowc  who  hath 
right,  and  who  hath  wroiigc.  For  thcr  lyue  many  in 
the  world,  that  seme  otherwise  outward  than  tJH'v  \u> 
withinne,  I  wolde  that  God  shewde  openly  cuery  mans 
mysdedes,  and  alle  theyr  trespaces  stoden  wrcton  in 
theyr  forehedes  ;  and  it  coste  me  more  than  I  now 
saye.  And  that  ye,  my  lord  the  kynge,  knewe  as  raoche 
as  I  doo,  how  I  dispose  me  bothc  erly  and  late  in  your 
seruyse.  And  therfore  am  I  complayned  on  of  the 
euyl  shrewys,  and  wyth  lesynges  am  put  out  of  your 
grace,  and  consayte,  and  wohl  charge  me  with  grete 
otfencis,  wythout  deseruyng,  ayonst  al  right.  Wher- 
fore  I  cryc  out,  Ilarowe  on  them,  that  so  falsely  haue 
belyed  me  ;  and  brought  me  in  suche  trouble.  How 
be  it,  I  hope  and.  knowe  you  bothe,  my  lord  and  my 
lady,  for  so  wyse  and  discrete,  that  ye  be  not  ledde  nor 
bileue  suche  lesyngis,  ne  false  talis,  out  of  the  right 
waye  ;  for  ye  haue  not  be  woned  so  to  doo.  Therfore, 
derc  lorde,  I  biseche  you  to  considere  by  your  wysedora 
alle  thynge  by  right,  and  lawe  ;  is  it  in  dcede,  or  in 
speche,  do  euery  man  right.  I  desire  no  better.  He 
that  is  gylty,  and  founde  fawty,  late  hym  be  punsshyd  ; 
men  shal  wcl  knowe  er  I  departe  out  of  this  courte, 
who  that  I  am.  I  can  not  flatre,  I  wil  allewey  shewe 
openly  luy  heed. 


now   Tin:   KVNCK  ANSWKKU  VI'ON   IlEYNARTH  KXCL'SK. 

Alle  they,  that  wcva  in  the  palays,  weren  alle  stylle, 
and    wuudrcd    that   the   foxe  spack  so  stoutly.     The 


TllVSTORVK  or  KI'.YNAUP  TIIK  FOXK.  !»! 

kynjro  saytlc,  Ila,  Ki'yiiart,  how  wel  can  ye  your  t'alacyc 
ami  salutacion  dooii ;  Imt  your  tayr  wordes  may  nut 
liclpt'  you.  I  tliyiike  wi'l  that  he  slial  this  dayi"  for 
your  workis  ]>c  haii;_M'(l  I)y  your  iiccko.  I  wil  not  nioche 
chydo  wyth  you.  IJut  I  shal  sliorteyour  paync  Tliat 
ye  h)ue  vs  wel,  that  haue  ye  wel  shewde  ou  the  eony, 
and  on  Corbaut  the  roeek.  Your  falsenes,  and  your 
false  inuencions,  shal  without  longe  taryeng  make  you 
to  dryc.  A  pot  may  goo  so  longe  to  water,  that  at 
the  la.ste  it  eomcth  tohroken  hoom.  I  thynkc  your 
potte,  that  .so  ofte  hath  deceyued  vs,  shal  now  hadtly 
be  broken. 

Hcynart  was  in  grete  fere  of  thisc  wordes.  lie 
wold  wel  he  had  ben  at  Coleyn,  whan  he  come  thedyr. 
Thcnne,  thoughte  he,  I  muste  her  thurgh,  how  that  I 
doo.  ]\Iy  lorde,  the  kynge,  seyd  he,  it  were  wel  reson 
that  ye  herde  my  wordes  alle  out.  Thaugh  I  were 
dampned  to  the  deth,  yet  ought  ye  to  here  my  wordes 
out.  I  haue  yet  here  to  fore  tyme  gyuen  to  you  juany 
a  good  eounseyl  and  prouHytable.  And  in  nedealwey 
baue  byden  by  you  where  other  beestis  haue  wyked 
and  goon  theyr  way.  Yf  now  the  cuyl  beestis  with 
false  maters,  haue  to  fore  you  wyth  wronge  belyetl  me 
and  1  myght  not  eome-  to  myn  excuse,  ought  1  not 
thcnne  to  plaync.  I  haue  to  fore  tliis  seen  that  I  sliold 
l>e  herde  by  fore  anutlier  ;  yet  myght  thisi'  thyngi.s 
W(d  ehaunge  ami  eonn'  in  tlieyr  olde  state.  Olile  good 
detles  ought  to  be  renieinbrid.  I  .see  here  nuiny  of 
my  lygnage  and  frendes  standyng,  that  .seme  they  settc 
now  lytyl  by  me,  wliiehe  neucrthelcs  ehold  sore  deere 


Vl         THY s r( ) It V i;  « ) I- 1{ k v n a k i >  r 1 1 1".  I'l » x i:. 

in  theyr  liertes,  that  ye,  my  lonle  tlic  kynge,  sholde 
destroye  inc  wroiif^^fully.  Yt"  yc;  so  dyde  ye  sholde 
destroye  the  trcwest  scniaiit  that  ye  haia-  in  alk'  y»'in" 
laiides. 

What  wenc  yc,  syr  kynge  ;  hadde  I  knowen  my  self 
gylty  in  ony  feat  or  broke,  that  wold  haue  comen  hether 
to  the  lawe  emonge  alle  myne  cnemycs.  Nay,  sire, 
nay.  Not  for  alle  the  world  of  rede  gold.  For  I  was 
fre  and  at  largf.  Wliat  node  had  I  to  do  that,  but 
God  be  thanked  I  I  knowe  my  self  elere  of  alle  niys 
dedes,  that  I  dar  wel  eomc  openly  in  the  lyghte  and  to 
answere  to  alio  the  coniplayntes  that  ony  man  can  saye 
on  me. 

But  Avhan  Grymbert  brought  mc  first  thise  tydyngis 
tho  was  I  not  wel  plesed,  but  half  fro  myself  that  I 
lei>e  here  and  there,  as  an  viiwyse  man.  And  had  I 
not  ben  in  the  eensures  of  the  chyrclH',  J  had  wythout 
taryeng  ham;  comen.  But  I  wente  dolynge  on  the 
heeth,  and  wist  not  wliat  to  doo  for  sorowc.  And 
thenne  it  happed  that  Mertyne,  myn  cnie,  the  ape,  met 
wyth  me,  whiche  is  wyser  in  dergie  than  somme 
prcest  ;  he  hath  ben  aduocate  for  the  bysshop  of 
Eameryk  ix  yere  duryng.  lie  sawe  me  in  this  grcte 
sorow  and  heuynes  ;  and  saide  to  me,  Dere  cosyn,  me 
thyiiketh  ye  ar  not  wel  wytli  yourself  ;  what  eyleth 
yow  ?  who  hath  dysplesyth  yow  ?  thynge  that  thoucheth 
charge  ought  to  be  gyuen  in  knowleche  to  frendis.  A 
triew  frende  is  a  grete  helpe.  lie  fyndetli  ofte  better 
counseyl  than  he  that  the  charge  restcth  on.  For  who 
someuer   is    charged    wyth    maters,    is    so    heuy  and 


TIIYSTORYK  OF  RF.YNAKD  TUK  RtXK.  U'.l 

acombrod  with  tlit-iii,  that  oitc  he  can  imt  ln'iryniu-  to 
fynde  the  reraedyc.  For  suclie  be  so  woo  \y\n'  as  they 
hud  h)ste  thcyr  inwytte. 

1  sui<le,  Dere  emc,  ye  .^ayc  tnnithc  For  in  lyke 
wyse  is  fallen  to  me.  I  am  Ijioii^'lit  in  to  a  ;rrtte 
heuynes,  vndeseruid  and  imt  jrylty,  l)y  one  tn  whom  1 
haue  alway  ben  an  lierty  and  j^rete  frende :  lliat  is  the 
cony,  whiche  cam  to  me  yesterday  in  tin-  moniiyng 
where  as  I  satte  to  fore  my  hows,  and  sayd  matyns. 
He  tolde  me  he  wolde  goo  to  the  court,  and  sah-wed 
me  frendly,  and  I  iiym  agayn.  Tlio  sayd  he  to  me, 
Gootl  Keynard,  I  am  an  hoiiirnd  and  am  \vt  rv  :  haiie 
ye  ony  mete  ?  1  .-aide,  Ye,  ynowli,  come  nere.  'Iho 
traf  I  hym  a  cojx-l  of  maynchettis  with  swete  l)utt<'r. 
It  was  vjxm  a  We<lnesday,  on  whiche  day  I  am  not 
wonte  to  etc  ony  llessh.  And  also  1  fasted  by  cause 
of  tins  feste  of  Whytsontyd  whiche  approuchcd.  For 
who  that  wylle  ta.ste  of  the  oucrest  wysclicdc,  and 
lyuc  g<K)Stly,  in  kepyng  tlu;  commandtints  of  our  Lonl. 
he  muste  faste,  ami  make  hym  rrdy  aycnst  thi-  hyr 
testis.  Ft  vos  cstote  parati.  Dm-  Fmr,  I  gaf  hym 
I'ayr  whyte  lireed  with  .swete  l)Uttrr,  wlii-r  wyth  a  man 
myght  Wfl  be  casid  that  were  moche  hongry.  And 
whan  he  liad  i-t<Mi  his  b<>ly  fidle,  tho  cam  Kussi'l,  my 
yongest  .sonc,  and  wold  haiic  taken  away  that  was  lefti*. 
For  yonge  chyldnii  wold  aluay  fayn«'  et<ii.  And  with 
that  he  tasted  for  to  banc  taken  .somwhat.  tli<-  coiiv 
smote  Kussi-I,  to  fore  his  mouthc,  that  his  teeth  biiild<-, 
and  fyl  down  half  a  swonn.  Whan  lieynardyn,  myn 
eldest  .sone,  saw*-  that,   lie  sprange  to  the  eonv,   and 


94  TIIYSTORVK  oi'  RKVNAFJF)  TIIK  FOXF. 

cnii^lit  liyin  hy  the  hvvA,  and  slioM  liaiic  slayii  Iiyni, 
had  I  not  reskowed  hyni.  I  lidjui  hym  that  he  wcnte 
iVoni  hym  :  and  l»cte  my  cliyhlo  scui'  tlicrfore.  Laprecl 
tlie  cony  ran  to  my  lord  tlie  kynp,  and  saidc  I  wohl 
hano  niunhi'd  hym.  Sec,  emc,  thns  come  I  in  thr 
wonh'S  ;  and  I  am  leydc  in  the  Idame.  And  yet  In- 
comj)hiyneth,  and  I  playne  not. 

After  this  cam  Corhant  the  roek,  fleyiig  wyth  a 
soronful  noyse.  I  asked  what  liyin  cylcd.  And  he 
said,  Alas  my  wyf  is  deed  :  yonder  lyeth  a  dede  hare 
full  of  mathes,  and  wormes,  and  there  she  etc  so  moche 
thcrot",  tliat  the  wormes  haue  byten  a  two  her  throte. 
I  axed  hym  Ikjw  cometh  that  by  ;  he  wohle  not  speke 
a  wordc  mitre,  but  llewe  his  waye  ;  and  lete  me  stande. 
Now,  saith  he,  that  I  haue  byten  and  slayn  her.  IIow 
shold  I  come  so  nygh  lier  ;  for  she  fleeth,  and  I  jyoo  a 
fote.  IJeholde,  dere  emc,  thus  am  I  bftrn  an  hondc.  I 
may  saye  wcl  that  I  am  vnhapjiy.  15ut  parauenture 
it  is  for  myn  ohle  synnes.  Hit  were  goutl  for  me,  yf 
I  coude  paeiently  sufl're  it. 

The  ajie  saide  to  me,  Neucw,  ye  shal  goo  to  the 
courte  to  fori-  tlic  lordes  and  excuse  yow.  Alas,  erne, 
that  may  not  be  ;  for  tlie  archdeken  hath  put  me  in 
the  popes  curse,  bycausc  I  counscyllc<l  Ysegrym  the 
wulf,  for  to  Icue  his  rclygon  at  Elmare,  and  forsake 
liis  liabytr.  lie  <-oni|ilayned  to  nic,  that  Iir  lyiiyd  so 
straytly,  as  in  longe  fastyng,  and  many  thyngi.s  reilyng 
and  syngyng,  tliat  he  coude  not  endure  it.  Yf  he 
shold  longe  aliydr  tlure  he  shold  deyc.  1  liad  i)yt(;  of 
his  complaynyng,  and  I  helpe  hym,  as  a  trewe  frende, 


TIlYSTfiRYr.  OK  KKYNARn  TIM:  VOW.  95 

that  ho  cam  mifc.  Wliicln'  imw  me  sore  rciicntctli. 
Vov  lie  lal)oiiivtli,  al  tliat  In*  can,  ajjcnst  inc  to  tlie 
kyngc,  for  to  do  mc  to  Im-  Iiaii^rcil.  Thus  dotli  lie  cii}l 
for  good.  So,  erne,  thus  am  1  at  theendc  ol'  my  \s  yltcs 
ami  of  counseyl.  For  I  mustc  goo  to  Uome  for  an 
ub.M)lucion,  and  tliennc  shal  my  wyf  and  chyldren 
suffre  raoche  liarnie  aiul  blauie.  For  thisc  cuyl  hostis 
that  hate  me,  shalle  do  to  hem  allc  the  Imrtf  tiny 
maye,  and  fordryue  them  whcr  they  can  ;  and  I  wnld 
wel  dcfende  hem,  yf  I  were  IVe  of  the  curse  ;  for 
thenne  wold  I  g<M)  to  the  court  ami  excuse  mc,  win-re 
iH)W  I  «lar  not.  I  sliold  do  grete  syiiiic  yf  I  cam 
emonge  the  gotxl  iM|)le,  I  am  aferde  God  shohl  phiglie 
me. 

Nay,  cosyn,  be  not  aferd.  Kr  I  shold  suffre  you  in 
this  sorow,  I  know  the  way  to  Rome  wel,  I  vnder- 
standc  mc  on  this  werke.  I  am  called  ther  Mertyue, 
the  bisshops  clerke  ;  and  am  wd  by  knowen  ther<'.  I 
shal  do  syt«'  the  anhdikru  and  take  a  pier  ayenst  hym, 
and  shal  l>ryngf  witii  me  for  you  au  absctlucion,  aycn.st 
hi",  wil,  for  I  kiiowf  thtrr  all  that  is  for  to  Im-  doon  or 
Icftc,  There  dwelleth  Symon,  myn  eme,  whiche  is 
grete  and  myghty  thcr ;  wim  that  may  gyue  ought,  lie 
holpeth  hym  anon.  Tlnr  is  I'rentout,  Waytescathe, 
and  other  of  my  frendis  and  alyes.  Also,  I  shal  take 
so(»mc  money  with  nw,  yi'  I  ned  ony.  The  preyer  is 
wyth  yeftes  hardy,  wyth  money  alle  way  the  right 
goth  forth.  A  trewi-  frende  shal  for  his  frende  auenture 
!)oth  lyf  and  good  ;  and  so  shal  I  for  you  in  your 
right.      Cosyn,  make  gtHnl  chere,  I  shal  not  reste  after 


9 0  Til  YSTf ) R  Y  F-  O V  U  F. Y  N  A  li  I  >  Til  I-:  FO  X  F. 

to  iiKirow,  til  I  coino  ti>  Roinc,  ami  I  shal  solycyte  your 
maters.  Ami  gou  ye  to  the  court,  as  soiie  as  ye  may  ; 
all  your  mysdedes,  and  tlio  synues  that  haue  brought 
you  in  the  grete  sentence  and  curse,  I  make  you 
quyte  of  them  ;  and  take  them  in  my  self.  Whan  ye 
come  to  the  court,  ye  shal  fynde  there,  Rukenawc,  my 
wyf,  her  two  susters,  and  my  thre  chyldrcn,  and  many 
mo  of  our  lignage.  Derc  cosyn,  speke  to  them  hardciy. 
My  wyf  is  sondrely  wyse,  and  wil  gladly  do  somnii! 
what  for  her  frcndis.  Who  that  hath  nedc  of  helpe, 
shal  fynde  on  her  grete  frendship.  One  shal  alway 
seke  on  his  frendes,  thaugh  he  haue  angred  them  : 
For  blood  mustc  krepe  where  it  can  not  goo  ;  and  yf 
so  be,  that  ye  be  so  ouer  chargyd,  that  ye  may  haue 
no  right,  thenne  sende  to  me,  by  nyght  and  day,  to 
the  court  of  Koine,  and  late  me  haue  knowlcche  therof, 
and  alio  tho  that  ben  in  the  lande,  is  it  kynge  or  quene, 
wyf  or  man,  I  shal  brynge  them  alle  in  the  Popes 
curse ;  and  sende  there  an  inderdicte,  that  no  man  shal 
rede  ne  syngen,  ne  crystene  chyldren,  ne  burye  the 
dede,  nc  receyue  sacramcnte,  tyl  that  ye  shal  haue 
good  ryght. 

Cosyn,  this  shal  1  wel  gete,  for  the  pope  is  so  sore 
oldc,  that  he  is  but  lytil  sette  by  :  and  the  cardynal  of 
Puregold  hath  alle  the  myght  of  the  court  :  he  is 
yonge  and  grete  of  frendis  ;  he  hath  a  conculjyne, 
whom  he  mouch  loueth  ;  and  what  she  dcsyreth  that 
geteth  she  anone.  See  cosyn,  she  is  myn  nece,  and  I 
am  grete  and  may  doo  mouche  with  her:  in  .-uche  wyse 
what  I  desyre,  I  faylle  not  of  it  ;  but  am  alway   fur- 


I 


TMYSTOUYK  OK  KKYNAUD  Tlir.  FOXK.  1»7 

thcrd  tlii'riii.  Wlierefore,  cosyn,  liyd  my  lunl  the 
kynge,  that  he  (h>o  you  rijrht.  I  wote  wol  h<'  wil  not 
wariiryitu,  for  the  ri<;ht  is  hrvy  vmoiil'Ii  to  every  mail. 

My  lord  the  kynge,  whun  I  herde  this  I  hiwhed  :  and 
wyth  grete  gladncs  cam  hether,  and  haue  told  you  allc 
trouthe.  Yf  ther  be  ony  in  this  court,  that  can  leyc 
on  nie,  ony  other  mater,  wyth  goo<l  witncsse,  and 
preue  it,  as  ouglit  to  be,  to  a  nolde  man,  late  me 
thenne  make  amendcs,  acordyng  to  the  lawc  :  and  yf 
he  wil  not  leue  of  herbi,  thciine  settc  mc  day  and  fcld, 
and  I  slial  make  gotKl  on  hym,  also  ferre  as  he  be  of 
as  good  birth  as  I  am,  and  to  me  lyke  ;  and  who  tliat 
can  wyth  fyghtyng  gete  the  worship  of  the  fehle, 
late  hyni  haue  it.  This  riglit  hath  standen  yet 
hethcrto  ;  and  I  wil  not  it  shold  be  broken  by  me. 
The  lawe  and  right  doth  no  man  wrong. 

Alle  the  beestis,  both  poure  and  riche,  were  allc 
stylle  whan  the  foxe  spak  .so  stoutly.  Tlic  cony 
Laprcl,  ami  tin-  rock,  were  .so  sore  aferde,  that  tliey  / 
durste  not  >peke  ;  but  pyk<'d  and  strykcd  them  out  of 
tbe  court  botlie  two,  and  wlian  they  were  a  room,  fer 
in  the  playne,  they  .saide,  (iod  graunte  that  thi.s  felltt 
nuirderarc  may  fare  cvyl.  IIi-  tan  liywrappe  and 
covere  liis  falslie«le,  that  his  wordes  seme  as  trowe  as 
the  gospel  ;  herof  knoweth  no  man  tlian  we  :  How 
sh(dd  we  brynge  wytncs.sc  ?  it  is  bettr-r  tliat  we  wyko  I 
and  departc,  than  we  sholde  holde  a  felde,  and  fyghto 
with  hym  ;  he  is  .so  shrcwde,  ye  thaugh  ther  of  us 
were  fyve,  we  coud  not  dcfendc  us,  but  that  he  shold 
sic  vs  alle. 

u 


98  THYSTORYE  OF  KFA'NAUD  THK  FOXE. 

Isegrym  tlir  wiilt",  and  IJriiyn  the  bcre,  were  woo  in 
hemself,  wlian  tliey  j^awe  tliisc  tweyne  mine  the  eourt. 
The  kynjxe  sayde,  Yf  ony  man  wil  coniphiyne,  hite  hym 
conic  forth,  and  we  shal  hci*e  hym.  Yesterday  eamen 
here  so  many,  where  ben  they  now  ?  Reynart  is  here. 
\  The  foxe  saide.  My  lord,  ther  ben  many  that  com- 
iplayne,  that  and  yf  they  sawe  their  athieisarye,  they 
jwold  be  stylle,  and  make  no  playnte.  Witnes  now  of 
Laprel  the  cony,  and  Corbant  the  rock,  which  haue 
j  comphiyned  on  me  to  yow,  in  my  absence  :  but  now 
j  tliat  I  am  conien  in  your  presence,  they  flee  away, 
and  dar  not  abyde  by  tlieyr  wordes.  Yf  men  shohl 
byleue  false  shrewes,  it  shold  do  moche  harme  and 
hurte  to  the  good  men.  As  for  me,  it  skylleth  not. 
Nevertlicles,  my  lord,  yf  they  had  by  your  com- 
mandement,  axed  of  me  forgyfnes,  liow  be  it  tlii>y 
haue  gretly  trespaced,  yet  I  had  for  your  sake  par- 
doned and  forgyue  them.  For  I  wil  not  be  out  of 
charyte,  ne  hate  ne  complayne  on  myne  enemyes. 
But  I  sette  alio  thyng  in  Goddes  hand  ;  he  shal  werke 
and  auenge  it  as  it  plesyth  hym.  The  kynge  sayde, 
Reynart,  me  thynketh  ye  be  greued,  as  ye  saye  :  Ar 
ye  withinforth,  as  ye  seme  outward.  Nay,  it  is  not  so 
cleer,  ne  so  open  nowher  nyghe,  as  ye  here  liaue 
shewed.  I  muste  saye  what  my  gryef  is,  which  towch- 
eth  your  worship  and  \yf,  that  is  to  wete,  that  ye  liaue 
don  a  foul  and  shameful  trespaas.  "Whan  I  had  par- 
doned you  alle  your  offencis,  and  trespacis,  and  ye 
promysed  to  goo  ouer  the  see  on  pylgremage,  and  gaf 
to  you,  male  and  staf,  and  after  tliis,   ye  sente  me  by 


TIIYSTDRYK  OK  KKVNAliD  TIIK  KOXK.  9<) 

IJt'Uyn  the  nunc  the  male  airayno,  and  tlicryn  KywartS 
lic'i^'tl.  How  might  ye  do  a  more  reprouable  trespass  ? 
Now  were  ye  so  hardy  to  dore  to  me  doo  suche  a 
shame.  Is  it  not  euyl  don  to  send  to  a  lorde,  his  scr- 
uaunts  heed  ?  Ye  can  not  saye  nay,  here  agaynst  ; 
for  Bcllyn  th(;  ranie  wliiche  was  our  chapehiyn,  tohle 
vs  al  the  mater,  how  it  happed.  Suche  reward  as  lie 
had  wlian  he  brought  vs  the  message,  the  same  .shal  ye 
liaue  or  right  shal  taylle. 

Tho  wius  lleynart  so  sore  atord,  that  he  wist  not 
what  to  saye.  He  was  at  his  wittcs  ende  ;  and  lokyd 
ahoutc  him  pytously  ;  and  sawe  many  of  liis  kyn  and 
alycs  that  horde  alle  this,  hut  nought  they  saide.  He 
was  al  pale  in  his  visag<\  hut  nomun  profcrd  hym  hand 
ne  foot  t<»  Indpi-  hvni.  The  kinge  said,  Thou  suhtyl 
felaw  and  fals  shrewe,  why  spekest  thou  not,  now 
dombe.  The  foxe  stode  in  grete  drede,  and  syghed 
sore,  that  alle  herde  him.  But  the  wulf  and  the  here 
were  glad  hcrof. 


now  i>.\Mi:  III  KK.SAWK  an.s\vi;hij  Koit  Tni;  ><>\i;  TO  Tin;  kyn»;k. 

CAl'ITILO  AXIX. 

Dame  Rnkenawe,  tlie  she  apt-,  Reynart's  nuntc,  wa« 
not  wel  plesyd.  She  was  grete  wyth  tlic  <puMic,  and 
wel  belouyd.  Hit  happed  wel  for  the  foxe  that  she 
was  there,  for  she  vmlerstood  alh'  wysedom  ;  and  she  i 
durste  wel  speke,  where  iv^  it  to  doo  was.  Where  mer 
she  cam  euerich  was  glad  of  hci-.      She  sayde.  My  loixl 

II  2 


loo  I  IIYSTORYF,  OF  KKVNAUl)  TIIK  TOXK. 

the  kyng,  yc  ought  not  to  be;  angry  whan  ye  sytte  in 

jugenicnt ;   for  that  becometh  not  your  noblesse.     A 

man  that  sytteth  in  jugement  ought  to  put  fro  hym 

alle  wrath  and  angre.     A  lorde  ought  to  have  dyscrc- 

cion  that  shold  sytte  in  justyse.     I  knuwe  better  the 

poyntes  of    the  lawe  tlian    somnie  tliat  were  furred 

gownes,  for  I  haue  Icrned  many  of  tliem,  and  was  made 

connyng  in  tli(>  la\v(\     1   had  in  the  pope's  palays  of 

Woerden,  a  good  bedde  of  Iieye,  where  other  beestes 

laye  on  the  harde  grounde  ;  and  also  whan  I  had  there 

to  doo,  I  was  suffred  to  speke,  and  was  herde  to  fore 

another,  by  cause  I  knowe  so  wcl  the  lawe.     Seneca 

wryteth  that  a  lorde  shal  oueral  doo  right  and  lawe, 

he  slial  charge  none  to  whom  he  hath  gyuen  liis  sauf- 

garde  to,  aboue  the  right  and  lawe ;  the  lawe  ouglit 

not  to  halte  for  no  man  ;  and  euery  man  tliat  stondetli 

here  wolde  wcl  betliynke  hym  what  he  hath  doon  and 

bydryuen  in  his  dayes  ;  he  shold  the  better  haue  pa- 

cience  and  pyte  on  Reynart.     Late  euery  man  knowe 

hym   self,   that  is   my  counseyL     Ther  is  none  that 

stoiiilcth  so  surely,  but  otht-rwhyle  he  falleth  or  slyd- 

eth.     Wlio  tliat  neuer  mysdede  ne  synned,  is  holy  and  ||j 

good,  and  hath  no  neede  to  amende  hym.     AVhan  a 

man  doth  amys,  and  thenne  by  counseyl  amendeth  it, 

that  is  humaynly  and  so  ought  he  to  doo,  but  alway  to 

mysdo  and  trespace,  and  not  to  amende  hym,  that  is 

euyl,  and  a  deuely  lyf. 

Merke  thenne  what  is  wreton  in  the  gospel.  Estate 
misericordes,  be  ye  mercyful ;  yet  standetli  ther  more, 
Nolite  iudicarc,  ct  non  indicabimi?ii,  derae  ye  no  man, 


TIIVSTORYH  Ol'  lU:V\AKn  TIIF,  FOXK.  KH 

and  ye  slial  not  be  tlcincd.  Tlicr  stiuidftli  also  liow 
tin-  pliarisL'Csbrouf^lit  a  woman  taken  in  aduoultrvi-,  and 
wold  liaiie  stoned  her  to  detli :  they  axed  onr  Lonl  what 
he  said  therto,  lie  said,  Who  of  yow  alle  is  withoiite 
synne,  late  hym  easte  the  fyrst  stone.  Tho  abode  no 
man,  but  lefte  her  there  stondyng. 

Me  thynketh  it  is  so  hycre.     Therbe  many  that  see 
a  strawe  in  an  other?  ye,  that  can  not  see  a  balke  in  ■ 
his  owne.      Ther  be  many  that  denie  other,  and  hviu 
8idf  is  werst  of"  alle.     Thaugh  one  fallc  ofte,  and  at 
laste  aryseth  vp  and  cometh  to  mereye,  he  is  not  therof 
danipned.      God  receyueth  alle  them  that  desyre  his 
mercy  ;  Late  no  man  condampne  another  ;  though  they 
wystc  tliat  he  had  don  amys,  yet  late  them  see  theyr 
own  defautes,  and  thennc  may  they  them  self  correcte 
fyrste  ;  and  thenne  Reynart  my  cosyn  shold  not  fare  the 
werse :  for  his  fadre  and  ins  graunfadre,  haue  alway 
ben   in  more  loue  and  repntaeion   in   this  court,  than 
Isegrym  the  wulf  or   lliuyn   the  here,   witli   al   theyr 
frendis   and   lignage.      Hit   hatli  ben   here  to  f<tre  an 
vidyke    comparison.      The    wysedom  of    Reynart  my 
cosyn,  and  the  lionour  and  worship  of  hym,  that  lie 
hath  doon,  and  the  counseyl  of  them  ;  for  tlirv  know 
not  how  the  world  gooth.      Me  thynketh  this  court  is 
al  torned  vp  so  doon.      Thise  false  shrewes,  flaterers, 
and  deceyuours  ari>e  and  wexc  grete  by  tlic  lonhs  and 
ben   euhaunsed    vp  ;   and  tlm  gootl,   triewc,  and  wvso 
been  put  doun.     For  tiiey  haue  ben  woned  to  counseylle 
truly,  and  for  t honour  of  the  kyng  :  I  can  not  sec  how 
this  may  stondc  longc. 


]()'2  TIIYSToUVi;  (IF  KKYNARD  TIIK  KOXK. 

Thonnc;  said  the  kyiige,  Dame,  yf  lie  had  don  to 
yow  suche  trcspaas  as  he  hath  don  to  other  it  shohl 
repeute  yow.  Is  it  wonder  that  I  hate  liym.  Ho 
brekcth  ahvay  my  saufgurde.  Ilaue  ye  not  herde 
tlie  comphiyntes  tliat  here  haue  ben  shewde  of  hym, 
of  iiuirdre,  of  theefte,  and  of  treson  ?  Ilaue  ye  suche 
trurft  in  hym  ?  Thynke  ye  that  lie  is  thus  go<id  and 
cleer,  tlienne  sette  hym  vp  on  the  awter  and  worshi|>e 
and  praye  to  hym  as  to  a  saynte.  But  thcr  is  none 
in  alle  the  world  that  can  saye  ony  good  of  hyin.  Ye 
maye  saye  moche  for  hym,  but  in  thende  ye  shal  fynde 
hym  al  nought.  He  hath  nether  kyn,  ne  wyn,  ne  frende 
that  wylle  entreprise  to  helpe  hym,  he  hath  so  deseruyd. 
I  haue  grete  ineruaylle  of  you  ;  I  herde  neuer  of  none 
tliat  hatii  felawshipped  with  hym  that  euer  thanked 
liym,  or  saide  any  gocjd  of  hym,  sauf  you  now ;  but 
alway  he  hath  stryked  hem  with  his  tayl.  The  she 
ape  ansuerd  and  said,  My  lord,  I  loue  hym,  and  haue 
hym  in  grete  chicrte ;  and  also  I  knowe  a  good  dede 
that  he  ones  in  your  i)resence  dyde,  wherof  ye  coude 
hym  grete  thanke :  though  now  it  be  thus  torned,  yet 
shal  the  heuyest  weye  moste.  A  man  shal  love  his 
frende  by  mesui'C,  and  not  his  enemyehate  ouennnche. 
iStedfastnes  and  constaunce  is  fyttyng,  and  behoueth  to 
the  lordes,  how  someuer  the  world  torneth.  ]\Ien 
ought  not  preyse  to  moche  the  daye,  tyl  euen  be  come. 
Good  counseyl  is  good  for  hyiu  that  wil  doo  ther 
ai'ter. 


I 


T 1 1 YSTO  K  Y  !•:  ( )  K  K  K  Y  N  A  U I )  T  III :  l'( )  X  i:.         1  Oo 


A    I'AIIAIILK  Ol    A   MAN  THAT  DELVVERD  A  SERPENT  FIIOM    I'KKVI, 
OF  DETH. 

CAl'ITCLO  XXX. 

Now  two  yore  ])assi(l  cam  n  iiuin  and  a  scrixiit  in  to 
tliis  court,  for  to  haue  jugement,  wliichc  was  to  3'ow 
an<l  youres  ri^lit  doubtcful.  Tlic  serpent  stoile  in  an 
liedche  where  as  he  sujiposcd  to  Iiauc  jron  tlioru;^li,  l>ut 
he  was  caught  in  a  snare  l>y  the  necke,  that  he  mvght 
not  escape  without  helpe,  hut  shuhl  liaue  k)st  his  lyi" 
there.  The  man  cam  Ibrth  by.  and  tlie  serpente  cal- 
led to  hym,  and  cryde,  and  prayde  the  man,  that  he  wolde 
helpe  hym  out  of  the  snare,  or  ellis  he  muste  there  dye. 
The  man  had  pyte  of  hym,  and  saide,  Yf  thou  pro- 
myse  to  me  that  tliou  wilt  not  enuenyme  me,  ne  d«> 
iiie  none  harme  ne  hurte,  I  >\i:\\  lulpe  tlie  out  of  this 
peryl.  The  serpente  was  i.'dy,  and  swore  agrete  othe 
that  he,  now  ne  neuer,  sholde  iloo  hym  harnie  ne  hurte. 
Thenne  he  vnlosed  hym,  and  delyuerd  liyiii  out  of  tlie 
snare,  and  wente  forth  to  gydre  a  good  whyle,  that  the 
serpente  had  grete  hongre,  for  he  had  not  eten  a  gretc 
while  to  fore,  and  sterte  to  the  man.  and  wohl  haue 
slayn  livni.  The  man  >ti  rte  away,  and  wa>  a  terile, 
and  saide,  ^^'ilte  thou  now  sle  me?  ha>t  tliuu  forgoten 
the  oth  that  thou  madest  to  me,  tliat  thou  shohlest  not 
mysdoo  ne  hurte  mo  ?  The  serpent  auswcrd,  I  nmye 
doo  it  good  to  fore  al  the  worhl  that  I  dcM) ;  the  node 
of  hongre  may  cause  a  man  to  broke  his  oth  The 
man  saide,  j'f  it  n»ay  bo  not  bottre,  gyue  me  so  longe 
respyte  tyl  we  mete  ami  fynde  that  nuiy  juge  the  mater 
by  right.     The  serpent  graunteil  therto. 


10  1-  TIIVSToUVi;  (IF  KKV.NAKI)    Till:  I'liXK. 

Tliu.s  tliry  wfiite  to  ;i;ytlre  ^o  longf,  that  tliry  I'oiule 
Tyselyn,  tlic  nuicn,  ami  Slyndpere,  his  sone.  There 
rehersed  they  theyr  rcsons.  Tisdyii  the  raucn  juged 
anon  tliat  he  shold  etc  the  man,  he  wolde  fayn  haue 
oten  his  parte,  and  liis  sune  also.  The  serpent  said  to 
the  mail,  How  is  it  mow  ?  AViiat  thynkc  ye,  haue  I  not 
wonne  ?  Tiio  man  saidc.  How  sholde  a  robber  juge 
this?  he  shold  haue  auayle  therby,  and  also  he  is  alloiie; 
thcr  iiiu.-te  be  two  or  tlue  at  leste  to  gytlre,  and  that 
they  umlerstande  the  right  and  lawe  ;  and  that  don,  late 
the  sentence  gon.     I  am  neuertheles  yl  on  ynough. 

They  agreed  and  wente  forth  bothe  to  gydre  so  longe 
that  they  ioutle  the  beer  and  the  wull",  to  wliom  they 
tolile  theyr  mater.  And  they  nium  juged  that  the 
serpent  shold  sle  the  man,  for  the  nede  of  hongre  brek- 
cth  oth  alwaye.  The  man  theniic  was  in  gretedoubte 
and  fere,  and  the  serpent  earn  and  caste  his  venyni  at 
hym.  But  the  man  lepe  a  way  from  hym  with  grcte 
payne,  and  said.  Ye  doo  grcte  wronge  that  ye  thus  lye 
in  a  wayte  to  slee  me  ;  ye  haue  no  right  therto.  The 
serpent  sayde,  Is  it  not  ynough  yet?  hit  hath  lien 
twyes  juged.  Ye,  sayd  the  man,  that  is  of  tlu'm  that 
ben  wonte  to  munlrt'  and  mljiic.  AUe  that  cucr  they 
swere  and  promyse  they  hold  not.  But  I  aj)pele  this 
mater  in  to  the  court  to  fore  our  lord  the  kyng ;  and 
that  thou  mayst  not  foraske  ;  and  what  jugement  shal 
be  gyuen  there,  I  shal  obeye  and  suftre,  and  ncuerdoo 
the  contrarye. 

The  bore  and  the  wulf  sayden  that  it  shold  be  so, 
ami  that  the  M-rpcnt  dtsirud  no  better.      "i'Ley  supposed 


TIIYSTORYK  OF  UKYNAUD  TlIK  KOXK.         105 

jrf  it  sbolJ  come  to  fore  you,  it  shoUl  goo  there  as  tliey 
woKle.      I  trowc  yi'  l»c  wcl  remeiubrid  lierof. 

Tho  cam  thry  ulle  to  the  court  to  fore  yow,  und  the 
wulues  two  cliyMren  cam  with  thcyr  fader,  wliiche 
were  caliyJ  Empty  bely,  and  Neuer  full,  by  cause  they 
wold  etc  of  the  man,  for  they  howlyd  for  grete  hon- 
gre,  whcrfore  ye  commaundcd  them  to  auoyde  your 
court.  The  man  stode  in  gretedrede,  and  called  vpon 
your  gtKMl  grace,  and  toldc  how  the  serpentc  wold  haue 
taken  his  lyf  fntm  hyin,  to  wiiomhe  had  sauyd  his  lyf, 
and  that  aboue  his  oth  and  promyse,  he  wtdd  haue  de- 
uoured  hym.  The  serpente  answcrd,  I  haue  not  tres- 
paccd,  and  that  I  report  me  hoolly  on  the  kyng.  For 
I  dyde  it  to  saue  my  lyf;  for  nede  of  lyf,  one  may  breke 
bid  oth  and  promy&c. 

My  lord,  that  tyme  were  ye  and  alle  y«)ur  counseyl 
herewyth  aconibryd.  For  your  noble  grace  sawe  (he 
grete  sorow  of  the  man,  and  ye  wold  not  that  the  man 
shold  for  his  gentilnes  and  kyndenes  bo  juged  to  deth. 
And  on  that  other,  sith  hongre  and  nede  to  saue  the 
lyf,  seketh  narowly  to  be  holpen.  Ther  was  none  in 
al  the  court  that  coude  ne  knewe  the  right  hierof. 
Ther  were  somme  that  wolde  fayn  the  man  ha»l  be 
holpen.  I  see  them  Iiicr  8tondyng.  I  wote  wcl  they 
saydc  that  they  coude  not  ende  this  mater. 

Thenne  commanded  ye  that  K«'ynard,  my  neuew, 
shold  come  and  save  his  aduysc  in  thi>«  mater.  That  tyme 
was  lie  aboue  alle  other  luleuyd,  and  herd  in  the  court, 
and  ye  bad  hym  gyue  sentence  acordyng  to  the  bent 
right,  and  we  alle  .shal  folowc  hym  ;  for  he  knewe  the 


10<I         TIIYSTOUYH  (IF  l{i;VNAKI)  TlIK  KOXK. 

groiinde  of  the  lawo.  Reynard  said,  My  l(ird,  it  is  not 
possyble  to  yeue  a  trewe  sentence  after  theyr  wordes, 
for  in  here  sayenjjr  ben  ofte  lesyn<j:es.  But  and  yf  I 
myght  see  the  serpent  in  the  same  paryl  and  nede  that 
he  was  in,  wlian  the  man  loosed  hym,  and  unbonde, 
thenne  wyste  I  wel  what  I  shold  saye,  and  who  that 
wolde  doo  otherwise  he  shokl  mys(Ui(»  airayn  riglit. 

Thenne  sayd  ye,  my  lord,  Reynard,  that  is  wel  said, 
we  alle  acorde  hcrto,  for  no  man  can  saye  better. 
Thenne  wente  the  man  and  tlie  serpent  in  to  the  place 
wher  as  he  fonde  the  serpent.  Kcynart  bad  that  the 
serpent  shold  be  sette  in  the  snare  in  lyke  wyse  as  he 
was,  and  it  was  don.  Thenne  sayd  ye,  my  lord,  Rey- 
nart,  how  thynketh  yow  now  ?  what  jugement  shal  we 
gyue  ?  Thenne  said  Reynard  the  foxe,  ]\Iy  hjrd,  now 
ben  thry  ])othe  lyke  as  they  were  to  fore,  they  hane 
neyther  wonne  ne  loste.  See,  my  lord,  how  I  jugefor 
a  riglit,  also  fcrre  as  it  shal  ph-se  your  noltir  grace. 
Yf  the  man  wil  now  lose  and  vnbynde  the  serpent 
vpoii  the  ])romyse  and  oth  that  he  to  fore  made  to  hym, 
h<!  may  wel  doo  it ;  but  yf  he  thynke  that  he  for  ony 
tliyng  shold  be  emcc)m])ryd  or  hyndred  by  the  serpent,  or 
for  nedeof  hongre  wold  l)reke  liis  oth  and  promysc,  thenne 
juge  I  that  the  man  may  goo  frdy  where  lie  wyl,  and  late 
the  serpenteabydestylleboundcn,  lyke  as  he  myght  haue 
don  at  the  begynnyng;  for  he  wold  haue  broken  liis  oth 
and  promyse  wher  as  he  helpe  hym  out  of  suche  fereful 
peryl.  Thus  thynketh  me  a  ryghtful  jugement  that  the 
man  shal  haue  his  fre  choys,  lyke  as  he  tofore  hadde. 

Lo,  my  lord,  this  jugement  thought  yow  good,  and 


I 


TIIYSTORYK  OF  KKVNAKn  Till".  IdXF..  107 

allc  your  c'oiins«'yI,  whiclK'  at  that  tyiiic  were  by  you, 
and  t*«>lc\vfd  th<'  t^aiiu',  ami  prcysed  Keynardis  wysedom, 
that  he  had  inatle  the  man  (luytc  and  fri-e.  Thus  the 
foxe  wysely  kepto  your  noble  honour  and  worship,  as 
a  triowe  seruant  is  bounde  to  doo  to  his  lord.  ^Vher 
liath  the  beer  or  tlio  wulf  don  cuer  to  yow  so  moche 
worship?  Tliey  conne  wed  huylen,  and  blasen,  .st(de 
and  robbe,  and  etc  latte  niorsdlis,  and  fyll  thi-yr  ludycs, 
and  thenne  juj;e  they  for  rifrht  and  lauc.  tliat  snude 
theuis  that  stolen  hcnnys  and  chekyns  sholdbe  hanp'd. 
Jiut  they  hem  self  that  stelen  kyen,  ttxen,  and  horses, 
they  shal  goo  quyte,  and  be  lordcs,  and  seme  as  though 
they  were  wyser  than  Salamon,  Avyccnc,  or  Aristoti- 
les.  And  eeiie  wil  Ijc  holden  hye  i)roud,  and  preiscd 
of  grcte  dedes  and  hardy  ;  but  and  they  come  where 
as  it  is  to  «loo,  they  bi-n  the  lir.-te  that  Mee.  Thenne 
muste  tin;  symple  ;.'cm)  forth  to  lore,  and  they  kepe  the 
rcreward  Ix-hynde.  Och,  my  lorde,  these  luid  other 
lyke  to  them,  Ik;  not  wysc,  but  they  destroye.  towne, 
eastle,  lande,  and  peple.  They  retchc  not  whos  hows 
brenn»*th,  so  that  they  may  warme  them  by  the  eoles. 
They  seke  alle  theyr  owne  anayll,  and  syn;iuler 
profTyfe  ;  but  Keynarf  tlie  foxe,  and  alle  his  frendin, 
and  Ivfrna^re,  sorowen  and  thynke  to  preferre  the. 
honour,  worship,  fordeel,  and  prolfyte,  of  theyr  lonl, 
and  for  wiac.  eounm-yl,  wliiehe  ofte  more  prouffvtetli 
here  tluin  prydt'  and  l><H»st.  Thih  doth  Heynard.  thou;:h 
he  haue  no  thanke.  Atte  longe  it  shal  be  widknowen 
wlio  is  beste,  and  «lt»th  moste  prouflyt.  Mv  h)rd.  ve 
saye,   that    his   kynne   and   li^na;;e  drawe  :i|  afterward 


lOM  THVSTOHVK  OK  UKVNARD  TIIK  K<>XH. 

from  livm,  :iinl  stoiidc  not  liy  liviii,  \\>r  his  falshcdc 
ami  (l<ccvual)lt'  ami  sulityl  tDiirhis.  I  wolilc  an  otlicr 
luul  saydo  that,  thi-i  shultlc  thenne  .suchf  wrakt-  lie 
taken  thorul",  that  liyni  niyght  growlc  that  cuer  lie 
sawe  hyni.  But,  my  lonle,  we  wyl  forbere  you.  Ye 
niaye  sayc  your  playsir,  and  also  I  saye  it  n*>t  l)y  yow. 
Were  ther  ony  that  wolde  bcdryue  ony  thyng  ayenst 
yow  with  wordes  or  with  werkes,  liyni  wold  we  soo  doo 
to,  that  men  slmM  save  wo  liad  ben  there.  Ther  as 
fyghtyng  is,  we  ben  not  woned  to  be  aferd. 

My  lorde,  by  your  leue  I  may  wel  gyue  you  know- 
leehe  of  Ileynardis  fremlis  and  kynne.  Ther  ben 
many  of  them  that  for  his  sake  and  loue  wille  auenture 
lyf  and  good.  I  know  my  self  for  one.  I  am  a  wyf. 
I  shold,  yf  he  had  nede,  sette  my  lyf  and  good  for 
hyiii.  Also  I  liane  tlirr  fid  waxen  eldldn'ii  wliiidi  lien 
hardy  and  stronge,  whom  1  wold  alle  to  gydre  auenture 
for  his  loue,  ratlier  than  I  shold  see  hym  destroyed  ; 
yet  had  I  Icutr  dye  fliaii  I  sawe  th(Mn  mysearyc  to 
fore  niyn  eyeii :    so  wel  loue  I  hym. 


WniCOE  BEN  FRENDKS  AND  KYNNE  TNTO  REYNARD  THE  FOXE. 
CAI'ITl :i.O  XXXJ. 

The  fyrste  eliyldc  is  named  Byteluys,  whichc.  is 
moehe  eht-rysshyd  and  ean  make  moehe  sjjorte  and 
game,  whei"forc  is  gyuen  to  hym  the  fatte  trenehours 
and  moehe  other  good  mete,  whiehe  eometh  wel  to 
proulfyt  of  Fulrompe  liia  brother,  and  also  my  thyrdc 


TIIYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  KOXE.         109 

chyhlc  is  a  dou<;liter  ami  is  nuincil  IIat<Mn-tt<>.  Sin* 
can  wel  pyke  out  lyse  ami  iictis  out  of  mens  lu'ctlis. 
Thisc  thro  ben  to  cche  othor  tryewc,  wlicrfor  I  loiic 
them  wel. 

Dame  Itukenawe  called  hem  turth  ami  sayde,  AVel- 
come,  my  derc  chyldren  ;  come  I'nrth  and  stande  by 
Keynard  your  derc  ncuew.  Theiine  payd  slic.  Come 
fortli,  alle  ye  that  beii  of  my  kyiim-  ami  licynarts  ; 
and  late  vs  praye  the  kynge  that  he  wille  doo  to 
Keynard  ryght  of  the  lande.  Tho  eam  forth  many  a 
becst  anon,  as  the  squyrel,  the  musehont,  the  fyehews, 
the  martron,  the  bcuer  wytli  his  wyt'  Ordegalc,  the 
gr*nete,  the  ostrole,  the  boussyng  and  the  fyret  ; 
thyse  tweyne  etc  as  fayne  polayl  as  dotli  Keynart  ; 
the  oter  and  Tantecroet  his  wyf,  whom  I  had  alm<»te 
forgoten,  yet  were  they  to  fore  with  the  beuer,  enemyes 
to  the  foxc  ;  but  they  dn'-st  not  gaynsaye  Dame 
Rukcnawe,  for  they  were  aferd  of  her.  She  was  also 
the  wyscst  of  al  his  kynne  of  counscyl,  and  was  moste 
doubted.  Ther  cam  also  mo  than  xx  other  by  cause  of 
her  for  to  stan<le  by  Kyiianl.  Ther  cam  also  dame  Atrote 
with  her  ij  sustrcs  the  wesel,  and  Ilermell  tlieasse,  tlie 
backo,  the  watrerattc,  and  many  moo  to  the  nonibre  of 
xl.  whiche  alle  eamen  and  stoden  by  Keynard  the  foxc. 

My  lord  the  kynig,  saide  Kukenawc,  come  and  see, 
lieir  yf  Keynart  haue  any  fron<li9.  Here  nuiy  ye  see 
we  ben  your  trewe  subgettis  whiche  for  yt)W  wohl 
anenture  both  lyf  an«l  goo<l,  yf  ye  had  neile.  Though 
ye  be  hardy,  myghty  an<l  stronge,  oure  wel  wyllyd 
frendsliij)  nxu  nut  hurte  )ou.      Late  Keynard  the  foxe 


1  10  TUVSTOKVK  or  KF.YNAKI)  TIIK  FOXE. 

wiA  hrtliyiiko  Iiyiii  \  poii  tliisc  maters  that  yo  hnim 
leyd  ayenst  Iiiiii,  and  yf  he  can  not  excuse  hyni, 
thenue  doo  hyni  right,  we  desire  no  bett«T.  And  tliis 
by  right  ought  to  no  man  be  warned. 

Tiie  quene  tlienne  spack  :  This  saide  I  to  hym  yes- 
terday; but  lie  was  so  fyers  and  angry  that  he  wold 
not  here  it.  The  lupaerd  saide  also,  Syre,  ye  may  juge 
no  iV-rthcr  than  your  men  gyue  theyr  verdyte  :  for  \i' 
ye  wold  goo  forth  by  wyl  and  myghte,  that  were  nut 
worshipful  for  your  estate  ;  here  allewaye  botlie 
partyes,  and  thenne  by  the  beste  and  wysest  counseyl, 
gyue  jugement  discretly  acordyng  to  the  beste  right. 

The  kinge  saide,  this  is  al  trewc  ;  but  I  was  so  sore 
nieuyd  whan  I  was  enformed  of  Ky-wart's  deth,  and 
sawe  his  hede,  that  I  was  hoot  and  hasty.  I  shal  here 
the  foxe.  Can  he  answere  and  excuse  hym  of  that  is  leyd 
ayenst  hym,  1  shal  gladly  late  hym  goo  (piyte.  And 
also  atte  requeste  of  his  good  frendis  and  kynnc. 
Reynart  was  glad  of  tliise  wordcs,  and  tlioughte,  (lod 
thanke  myn  aunte  I  Siic  hath  the  rys  doo  blosme 
agayn.  She  hath  wel  holpen  me  forth  now.  I  haue 
now  a  good  foot  to  daunse  on.  I  shal  now  lokc  out  of 
iiiync  eycn,  and  bryngc  forth  the  fayrest  lesyngis  that 
euer  luan  herde,  and  brynge  my  self  out  of  this  dauuger. 


HOW  Tire    FOXE  WYTH  81BTYLTE    EXCt:SEn    IIYM   FOR  THE   DETH 

OF  KYW\KT  THE  HAKE,    ANU  OF  AM.E  OTHER   MATERS  THAT 

WERE  EEYDE  AYENST  HYM,  ANU  HOW  WYTH  FLATERYNG 

OATF:  AGAYTf  HIS  PEES  OF  TIIE  KYNGE. 

CAPITIEO  XXXIJ. 

Thenne  spak  Reynart  the  foxe,  and  saide,  Alas  what 


TIIYSTORVK  OK  KKYN  \R1>  TIIK  FOXR.  Ill 

sayc  ye,  is  Kywnrt  ilccd  ?  and  where  is  Bellyn  the 
rainnie,  what  hroiight  he  to  y<»w  wlian  he  earn  airayn  ; 
tor  I  (lelyuerd  to  liyni  thn'  iewellis.  I  wold  fayii 
knowe  where  tliey  ben  he  eonien.  That  one  of  hem 
shohl  he  liaiie  fryuen  to  yow,  my  h)rd  the  kyiij;  :  and 
the  other  ij  to  my  lady  the  quenc. 

The  kynge  saide,  Bellyn  brought  us  nought  ellis 
but  Kywaiis  lieed:  lykc  as  I  saide  you  to  lbre;wherof 
I  toke  on  hym  wrake  ;  I  made  hym  to  lose  his  lyf. 
For  the  fouie  kaytyt"  said  to  me,  tliat  he  hym  self  was 
of  the  cimnseyl  of  tlie  Kttres  makyng  that  were  in 
the  mah-. 

Ala-s  my  lord,  is  this  very  trouthe  ?  "\Vt)  to  mc 
kaytyf,  that  euer  I  was  born,  sith  tliat  thise  good 
jewellis  be  tluis  lost,  myn  herte  wil  breke  for  sorowc. 
I  am  sory  that  I  now  lyue.  What  shal  my  wyl*  sayo 
whan  she  hereth  lu'rof.  She  shal  goo  out  of  her  wytte 
for  sorow.  I  shal  neuer,  also  longc  as  I  lyue,  haue  her 
fren<lship;  she  slial  maki;  moehesorowe  when  slie  hereth 
therof.  The  she  ape  saitle,  Heynard,  dere  neuew,  what 
proufTyteth  that  ye  nuikc  al  tliis  sorowc.  Late  it  piusse, 
and  telle  us,  what  thise  jewellis  were.  Parauenturo 
W('  shallc  fynde  eounseyl  to  haue  them  agayn  yf  they 
be  aboue  erthe.  Mayster  Akeryn  shal  hiboure  for 
tliem  in  his  book  is  ;  ami  also  we  shal  eurse  for  them 
in  alle  ehirehys  vnto  tiie  tyme  that  we  haue  knowleehc 
wher  they  Ix'n.      They  maye  not  be  loste. 

Nay,  aunte,  thynke  nut  that  ;  for  they  that  liauu 
them,  wyl  not  lyghtly  departe  fro  thorn.  Ther  was 
neucr  kynge  that  euer  gaf  so  rielie  jewellis  as  these 


112        TIIVSTORYE  OF  nr.vNARn  Tin:  foxf,. 

be.  Neuerthclos  yc  haue  somwhat  wylli  your  wordes 
casyd  myn  licrtc,  and  made  it  li^'hter  tliaii  it  was. 
Alas  loo,  here  ye  may  see  how  he  or  they  to  whoiue  a 
man  triisteth  nioost,  is  ofte  l»y  h\  iii  or  tln'in  deeeyvyd. 
Thaufjh  I  shold  goo  al  the  world  thorugh,  and  my  lyl" 
in  auenturc  settc  tlierforc,  I  slial  wyte  wher  thise 
jewellis  ben  be  comcn. 

"Wyth  a  dissymylyd  and  sorouful  speehe  .saide  the 
foxe,  Herken  ye,  alle  my  kynnc  and  frendys,  I  slial 
name  to  yow,  thise  jewellis,  what  they  were.  Ami 
thenne  may  ye  saye  that  I  hauf  a  grcte  lossc.  That 
one  of  them  was  a  rynge  of  i'yn  golde,  and  within  the 
rynge  next  the  fyngre  M'ere  wreton  lettres  cnameld 
*  with  sable  and  asure,  and  ther  were  thre  hebrews  names 
therin.  I  coude  not  my  self  rede  ne  spelle  them,  for 
I  vnderstonde  not  that  langage  ;  but  Maister  Abrion  of 
Tryer,  he  is  a  wyse  man,  he  vnderstandeth  wel  al 
maiuT  of  langages,and  the  vertue  of  a!  niani-r  herhes  ; 
and  ther  is  no  beest  so  fiers  ne  stronge,  but  he  ean 
doiiijite  hym,  for  yi'  he  see  hym  ones  he  shal  doo  as 
hec  wyl.  And  yet  lie  beleueth  not  on  God.  He  is  a 
jewe.  The  wysest  in  connyng,  and  speeially  he  knowcth 
the  vertue  of  stones.  I  shewde  hym  ones  this  rynge. 
He  saide  that  tln-y  were  tho  thre  names  that  Seth 
brought  out  of  Paradys  whan  he  brought  to  his  fadrc 
Adam  the  oyle  of  mercy."  And  whom  someuer  bereth 
on  hym  thise  thre  names  he  shal  iieuer  be  hiirte  by 
thondre  ne  lyglitiiyng  ;  ne  no  witehcral't  shal  liauc 
power  oiur  hym,  ne  be  tempted  to  doo. synne.   And  also 


THYSTOUYi:  oi'  UI.VNAUI)  TIIK  Fit.Xi:.  1  I*} 

he  shal  iioucr  take  Iiarin  \ty  Cdlilc,  tliau;:Ii  iic  layc  tliro 
wynters  longe  nyghtis  in  the  fitlilf,  tliaiii,'li  it  sm>\vo(I, 
stornu'd  or  trons  ncucr  so  sore.  So  ;:rL'te  iiiyght  hauc 
this«!  worik's ;   wytnes  of  Maistcr  Abrion. 

Withought  forth  on  the  rynge  stode  ii  stone  of  thre 
maner  colours  ;  the  one  part  was  lyke  rede  cristaUe, 
and  shoon  lykc  as  fyrc  had  ben  therin,  in  suehc  wysc 
tliat  yf  one  wold  gtx)  by  nyght,  hyni  behoiied  non  other 
lighte,  for  the  shynyng  of  the  stone  made  and  gaf  as 
gret«' a  lijrht  as  it  had  ben  niydday.  That  other  parte 
of  the  stone  was  whyte  ami  clcre,  as  it  liad  I»en  biir- 
nysshid.  Whi)  so  had  in  his  eyen  ony  sniarte  or  son,'- 
nes,  or  in  his  body  ony  swellynge  or  heed  aehe,  or  ony 
"vkenes  without  forth,  yf  he  stryked  this  stone  on  the 
place  whcr  the  gryef  is,  he  shal  anon  be  hole ;  or  yf 
<»ny  man  be  s«.'ke  in  his  body  of  v<iivin,  or  vile  iiict*' 
in  his  stonmeh,  of  colyk,  straiiguyllon,  stone,  fyst<l,  or 
kanker,  or  ony  other  sckencs.  sauf  only  tin-  uery  dtth, 
late  hym  leye  tliis  stf»ni'  in  a  litlc  watn-,  and  late  liym 
drj'nke  it,  an<l  hr  slial  I'orthwvth  l><'  hulc,  and  ijnyteof 
his  sekenes. 

Alas!  saide  the  fox*-,  we  liaue- ;.mmm1  caiisc  to  besory 
to  lesc  suche  a  jewel,  K<»rthcmore  the  tiiird<'  eolour 
was  gren«',  lyke  glas,  but  ther  were  soninie  sprynklis 
therin  lyke  purjiure.  The  niaister  t<dd  for  tmnthe, 
that  who  that  bare  this  stone  vpon  hyni  shoM  ikmut 
be  hurte  of  his  cin-niye.  and  that  nonian,  were  he  neuer 
so  fttronge  and  hardy,  that  myght  mysdiM)  hym  ;  and 
where  euer  that  he  fought  he  shold  haue  vyctorye,  were 
it  by  iiyght  or  daye,  als. .  t'l-rrf  n>  lii«  brlielde  it  fastyiip  ; 


I  I  I-  IIIVSTOUVK  OK  HKVNAItl)  TIIK  TOXF. 

ami  also  thi-rto  where  ."oineuer  he  wcnto,  urnJ  in  what 
felawship,  he  shoUl  be  bylouyd,  thouf;:h  they  lia<lde  hatcil 
liym  to  fore;  yf  he  had  the  riiif;  vpnn  hyin,  they  sliohl 
forgete  thoyr  angre  as  soiie  as  they  sawe  hyni.  Also 
though  he  were  al  iiake<l  in  a  fehh-  ngayii  an  honch-cd 
armed  men,  he  shold  he  wel  herted,  and  escape  fro 
them  with  worsliip.  But  he  moste  b<;  a  nohU'  gentle 
man,  and  haue  no  rhorh's  eondicions,  for  thenne  the 
stone  had  no  myglit.  And  by  eansc  this  stotic  waa  so 
precious  and  goo<l,  I  thought  in  m^'self  that  I  was  not 
able  ne  worthy  to  here  it,  and  therefore  I  sento  it  to 
my  dere  lord  the  kyng  ;  for  I  knowe  hym  for  the  moste 
nolih'  tliat  imw  lymtli,  and  al-o  a!lc  our  welfare  nn<] 
worship  lyctli  on  hym,  and  for  he  shohl  bo  kcptc  fro 
alle  dre<le,  nedc,  and  nngiieluck. 

I  fonde  this  rynge  in  my  fadres  tresonr,  and  in  tin' 
same  jilaee  I  toke  a  glasse  or  mirrour,  and  a  rond>e 
whiclie  my  wyf  wold  algates  haue.  A  man  myght 
wondre  that  sawe  thise  jewellis.  I  scntu  thyse  to  my 
ladv  the  queue,  for  I  haue  founden  her  good  and  gra- 
cious to  me.  This  combe  myght  not  be  morhe  preysed  ; 
hit  Avas  made  of  a  clene  noble  bcest  named  I'antlH-ra, 
whichc  fidtth  hym  bytwcnc  the  grete  Inde  and  crthly 
Paradyse.  lie  is  so  lusty  fayr,  and  of  colour,  that  ther 
is  no  colour  vnder  the  heuen  but  somme  lyknes  is  in 
hym.  Therto  he  smelleth  so  swete,  that  the  sauour  of 
hym  boteth  alio  syknessis ;  and  for  his  beaute  and 
swetc  smellyng  all  other  beestis  folowc  hym,  for  by 
his  swete  sauour,  they  Ijen  helcd  of  all  syknessis. 

This  Panthera  hath  a  fair  boon,  brode  and  thynne, 


THYSTOKYK  0\-  KF.YNAKIi  Till",  F()XK.  1  If) 

wliaii  so  i.-^  tlmt  tliid  hocstc  is  hluyu,  al  tlu'  swcU-  odour 
restiil  in  the  Ikmic  whiche  can  not  be  broken,  ne  siml 
neucr  rote,  ne  l>c  (lo3tn>yc«l  by  tyre,  by  watrr,  ne  by 
sm_>-tynfr,  hit  is  so  hard,  tyjrht,  and  taste,  and  yi't  it  is 
lypht  of  weypht.  The  swcte  odour  of  it  hatli  gretc 
niyprht,  that  who  that  sincllcth  it  settc  nought  by  none 
otljiT  lustc  in  thi"  wtirld,  and  is  wisyd  and  ([uyt*;  of  alle 
nianer  disrasi'.<,  and  iiilinnvtf-;.  And  aL>-(t  he  is  jocondc 
and  glad  in  Iiis  h*M-t<  . 

Tliis  coiidK'  is  |)«»lys.-.hid  a,-<  it  were  fyue  syhier,  and 
the  teeth  of  it  ben  smal  and  straite;  and  bytwen  the 
grettor  tcetlj  and  the  smaller,  is  a  large  felde,  and  s|>ace, 
where  is  caruen  many  an  yinagi',  hul)tilly  made  mid 
enameld  aboute  with  fyn  gold.  The  felde  is  eiieeked 
with  sable  and  siluer,  enameld  with  cyixm^  and  asure. 
And  ther  in  is  thistorye  how  Venus,  Juim.  and  Pallas, 
strof  for  tha])|)le  of  gold,  whiehe  oehe  of  them  wold 
liaue  hatl,  whiehe  contrauersye  was  settc  upon  Parys, 
that  he  shold  gyue  it  to  the  fayrest  of  them  thre. 

Parys  was  that  tyme  an  herde  man  and  kepte  his 
fa<lers  beestis  and  sheep  without  Troye.  AVliaii  he  had 
resceyuid  thap|de,  .Inno  promysvd  to  liym  vf  lie  wolde 
juge  that  she  myght  liaiie  tliap|d<-,  he  .-.hnld  haiie  llie 
mo«te  rieliess<;  of  the  world.  Pallas  said,  \{  .".he  my;:ht 
liave  theapple,  she  wold  gyve  hym  wysedom  and 
strength,  and  make  hym  so  grcto  a  lorde  that  he  sluild 
overcome  alle  his  onemyes,  and  whom  he  wi>ld.  Venus 
.saide.  What  ne<lest  thou  riehessr  or  strengthe?  art  not 
thou  Prianjfl  sone,  ami  Ileetor  is  thy  brother,  wiiiehe 
liaue  al  Asye  undir  th<  ir  power?     Art   tliou   not   onf 

I  2 


116         THYSTORYH  OK  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXT. 

of  the  possessours  of  grete  Troye?  Yf  thou  wylt 
gyve  to  me  thapple  I  shal  gyve  the  richest  tresour 
of  the  world,  and  that  shal  be  the  fayrest  woman  that 
ever  had  lyf  on  erthe ;  ne  never  shal  none  be  born 
fairer  than  she.  Then  shal  thou  l)e  riclier  than  riehe, 
and  shal  clymine  above  al  other,  for  tliat  is  tin-  tresour 
that  no  man  ean  preyse  ynou^h,  for  honest,  fair,  and 
good  women  can  put  a  way  many  a  sorow  fro  the 
herte ;  they  be  shamefast  and  wyse,  and  brynge  a  man 
in  every  joye  and  blysse. 

Parysherde  this  Venus,  whiclie  presented  hym  this 
grete  joye  and  iayr  lady,  and  prayed  her  to  name  this 
fayr  lady,  that  was  so  fair,  and  where  she  was.  Venus 
saide.  It  is  Ilclene,  kynge  Menclaus  wyf,  of  Grece. 
Ther  lyveth  not  a  nobler,  richer,  gentiller,  ne  wyser  wyf 
in  al  the  world.  Tlienne  Parys  gaf  to  her  thapple,  and 
said  that  she  was  fuyrest.  IIow  that  he  gate  afterward 
Ilelene  by  the  helpe  of  Venus,  and  how  he  brought 
her  in  to  Troye,  and  wedded  her ;  the  grete  love  and 
ioly  lyf  that  they  had  to  gydre,  was  al  carven  in  the 
felde,  every  tliyng  by  hym  self,  and  the  story  wreton. 

Now  ye  shal  here  of  the  mirrour.  The  glas  that 
stode  thcron  was  of  suche  vertu  that  men  myght  see 
therin  all  that  was  don  within  a  myle,  of  men,  of  beestis, 
and  of  al  thyngc  that  men  wold  desire,  to  wj'te,  and 
knowe.  And  what  man  loked  in  the  glasse  had  he  ony 
dissease,  of  prickyng,  or  motes,  smarte,  or  perles  in 
his  eyen,  he  shold  be  anon  heled  of  it.  Suche  grete 
vertue  had  the  glas. 

Is  it  thennc  wondrc  yf  I  be  mevyd  and  angry  for  to 
lose  suche  maner  jewellis.     The  tree  in  whiche  this 


THYSTOKVK  OF  l<i:V\Al{I>  TIIK  FOXK.  I  I  , 

glas  stodc  was  lyf^Iit  and  fa-tr,  ami  was  named  Cetyuc, 
liit  shohK'  endure  ever,  er  it  wcild  rote,  or  wonncs 
slmld  luirte  it ;  and  therfore  kynrre  Salamon  seelyd  his 
temple  wvtii  the  same  wodc  withynf'orth.  Mcti  preysed 
it  dft-rcr  than  fyn  gold,  hit  is  like  to  tn'  ot'  Ilcljenus, 
of  whiche  wode  kynge  Cnmipart  made  his  hors  of  tree 
for  love  of  kynge  Moreadij^as  dou^xhtfr,  that  was  so 
fayr,  whom  he  had  wende  for  to  have  wonne. 

That  hors  was  so  made  within,  that  wosomever  rode 

on  it,  yf  he  wolde,  he  shold  he  within  lesse  than  an 

hour,  an  hondred  myle  thens  ;  and  that  was  wel  jjrevyd, 

for  Cleomedes,  the  kynges  sonc,  W(d<le  not  hylevr  that 

hors   of  tree  luul  sucIh'  mvght  and  vertue.      lie  was 

yonge,  lusty,  and  hanly,  and  drsyn-d  to  doo  grcte  <h'des 

of  prys.  for  to  be  rtMiomcd  in  this  world,  and  li<|)  on 

this  hors  of  tree.     Cronipart  tornctl  a  pynne  that  sto<le 

on  his  brest,  and  anon   th"  hors   lyfte  hym   up,  and 

wente  out  of  the  hallc  by  the  wvndowe,  and  cr  on<> 

myght  saye  liis  Pater  Nost<'r,   he  was  goon  more  ten 

myle  waye.      Cleomt'dis  was  son>  aferd,  an<l  supposed 

never  to  have  torned  agavn,  as  thistorve  therof  telh'th 

more  playnly  :   but    Imw  grete  dnde   lie  jiad.  ami   how 

ferre  that  he  rood  upon  that  horse  made  of  the  tree  of 

Hebenus,  er  he  eoude  knowe  the  arte  and  erafte  how  he 

shold  torne  hym,  and   liow   jovet'nl   he  was  whan   he 

knewe  it,  and  how  imn  sorowed  for  hvm,  and  how  lie 

kn(»we  all  this,  and  the  joye  therof  whan  he  cam  agayn, 

al  this  I   pass  over  for  lo-;yng  of  tvme,  Imt  the  moste 

parte  of   alle  eani   to  \>y  the  vertue  of  thi>  wode.  of 

wliielu"  Wode  the  fp.e  that  the  glas  stode  in  was  made  : 


1  IS         THYRTORYK  OV  KEYNAKD  TIIK  VOXl-l. 

ami  that  was  w  itiiout  Icnth  of  tlic  glas  halt'  a  foot  brood, 
wherin  stode  somme  strange  hystorycs,  wliiche  were  of 
gold,  of  sable,  of  silver,  of  yelow,  asure,  and  cynoi)C. 
Thysc  sixe  culowrs  were  tlieriii  wrought  in  suehe  wise 
as  it  behoved,  ami  under  every  hystorye  tlie  wordes 
were  graven  and  enanield,  that  every  man  inyght 
undcrstandc  what  eche  historye  was. 

After  my  jugcment  ther  was  never  m^Tour  so  eostly, 
80  lustly,  ne  so  playsaunt.  In  the  l^cgynnyng  stode 
there  an  horse  made  fatte,  stronge,  and  sore  enuyous 
upon  an  herte,  whiehe  ran  in  tlie  feeld  so  ferre  and 
swyftly,  that  tlie  hors  was  angry  that  he  ran  so  ferre 
to  fore  hym,  and  eoudc  not  overtake  hyni.  He  tiiought 
he  shold  caceho  hym,  and  subdue  liyni,  though  he  shold 
suffre  moehe  paync  therfore.  The  horse  spack  tho  to 
a  hcrdeman  in  this  wyse.  Yf  thou  cowdest  taken  an 
herte  that  I  wcl  can  shcwe  the,  thou  sholdest  haue 
grete  prouffyt  therof:  thou  sholdest  selle  dcre  his 
homes,  his  skyii  and  his  Hesshe.  The  lierdeman  sayd, 
How  may  I  eoiiic  by  hym.  The  hors  saiile,  Sytte  vpon 
me,  and  I  shal  here  the,  and  we  shal  hunte  hym  til  he 
be  take. 

The  herdeman  sprangc  and  satte  vpon  the  hors  and 
sawe  the  herte,  and  he  rode  after,  but  the  herte  was 
lyght  of  foot,  and  swyft,  and  out  ran  the  hors  ferre. 
They  honted  so  ferre  after  hym  that  the  horse  was 
wery,  and  said  to  the  hcrdeman  that  satte  on  hym, 
Now  sytte  of,  I  wil  reste  me:  I  am  al  wery,  and  gyue 
me  leue  to  goo  fro  the.  The  hcnhmian  saide,  I  liauo 
arested  the,  thow  mayst  not  escape  fro  me.     I  iiaue  a 


THYSTORYK  OF  KKYNARD  THK  TOXK.  1  11) 

brydio  on  thy  lu-de  uiid  sporis  on  my  holes,  thou  shalt 
I1IMHT  ham:  thiinke  iierof.  I  shal  bydwynj^e  and  siib- 
tlue  the,  haddost  thou  sworn  the  eontnirye.  See  how 
the  liorse  brouirht  liyni  self  in  thraldom,  and  was  taken 
in  his  owno  nette.  How  may  one  better  bo  taken  than 
by  hi^  owne  propre  enuye  siiU're  liym  self  to  be  taken 
and  ritien;  tlier  ben  many  tliat  laltoure  to  hurte  othtr, 
and  they  them  seluen  bi'U  Iiurto  and  rLwanlt.d  with 
tlie  same. 

Ther  was  also  made  an  asse  and  an  hound;  whiehc 
dwelled  bothe  with  a  riehe  man.  The  man  louy<l  his 
liountl  wel,  for  he  pleydc  ofte  witli  hym  as  folke  doo 
witli  hitundis.  The  liound  lecp  vj)  and  pleyd  with  his 
lay],  ami  lyeked  liis  nuiister  aln)Ute  the  mouth.  This 
-awe  liowdwyn  the  asse,  and  had  grete  spytc  therof 
in  Ids  hi-rte,  and  said  to  iiyin  self,  how  may  this  l>e 
and  what  may  my  lordc  sec  on  tins  fowle  hound,  whom 
I  neuer  sec  doth  good  nc  proU'yt,  sauf  spryngeth  on 
hym  and  kysseth  hym,  but  me  whom  men  puttcn  to 
laboure,  to  here  and  drawe,,  and  <h)o  more  in  u  weke 
tiian  lie  wytli  his  xv  shtdd  doo  in  a  liole  yen-;  and  yet 
sytteth  he  neuertheles  by  hym  at  the  talih',  ami  there 
ctctli  b«»ne,s,  {lessii,  and  fatte  trenehours;  and  1  haue 
nothyng  but  thysth-s  and  lutth  .s  ami  lye  on  nyglites 
on  the  liardc  erthe  and  suHre  numy  a  smrn.  1  wyl  no 
Icngrc  sufVrc  this.  1  wylh-  thynke  Imw  1  nuiy  gete 
my  lordcs  loue  and  frendship  lyke  as  the  hound  doth. 

Therwyth  eam  tin*  lorde,  and  the  as.se  lyfl  vp  his 
tayl  and  spranir  witli  Ids  fore  feol  on  llif  lordes  shol- 
dres.      Ami  blen-d,  ^'rennyd,  and  songe,  ami  with  his 


120      thystokvl:  of  khynahi)  tiik  fo.m:. 

I'cL't  iiKulc  two  }i:rctc  buk'-s  iiboutL'  his  cris;  uihI  put 
forth  liis  mouth  and  wold  htuie  kyssed  the  lordes  mouth 
as  Lc  had  seen  the  hound  doon.  Tlio  eryde  the  lorde 
sore  aferde,  Help!  lieli)!  thisasse  wil  slee  me.  Thenne 
eain  lii.s  seruauiitis  witii  good  stauis,  and  sniyten  and 
bete  the  asse  so  sore  that  lie  had  weiide  he  shold  luiue 
lostc  his  lyt".  Tho  returned  lie  to  his  stable  and  ete 
thistles  and  nettles  and  was  an  asse  as  he  to  fore  was. 
In  lyke  wvse,  who  so  haue  enuye  and  spy  to  of  an 
others  welfare,  and  were  seruyd  in  lyke  wyse,  it  shold 
be  wel  behoeful.  Therfor  it  is  concluded  that  the  asse 
shal  ete  thistelis  and  netteles  and  here  the  saeke. 
Though  men  wold  duo  hyni  worshij)  he  can  not  vnder- 
stondc  it,  but  must  vse  old  lewde  maners.  Where  as 
asses  geten  lordship] >is,  there  men  see  selde  good  rewle. 
For  they  take  hede  of  uothyng  but  on  theyr  synguler 
prouflyt ;  yet  ben  they  take  vp  and  rysen  grete,  the 
more  pyte  is. 

llerkeu  fei'ther,  how  my  fadrc  and  Tybert  the  catte 
wende  to  gydre,  and  had  sworn  by  theyr  trouthe,  that 
lor  loue  ue  hate  they  shold  not  departe  ;  and  what 
they  gate,  the  shold  departe  toeche  the  half.  Thenne 
on  a  tyme  they  sawe  hunters  comyng  ouer  the  felde 
with  many  houndes.  They  leep  and  ranne  faste  fro 
them  ward,  al  that  they  myhte,  as  they  that  were  aferd 
of  theyr  lyf.  Tybert,  said  the  foxe,  whyther  shal  we 
now  best  Hee  ?  The  hunters  banc  espyed  vs,  knowe  ye 
ony  helpe  ?  My  fadre  trusted  on  the  [)romyse  that  eche 
made  to  other.  And  that  he  wolde  for  no  nede  departe 
fru  liyni.      Tybert,   saiil  he,  I  haue  a  sack  ful  of  wyles 


TUYSTORYK  OT  KKVNAltD  TIIK  FOXK.         1  "J  I 

y(  \vc  liauo  iieile  ;  as  lorri!  as  we  ubyde  to  gydre  we 
iictle  not  to  doubto  liuntcrs  ne  houndt-.s. 

Tybcrt  bigan  to  syghe  aiul  was  sore  aford,  and  saidt.', 
Reynart,  what  auayllen  many  wordes?  I  knowe  but 
one  wyle ;  and  theder  muste  I  too.  And  the  claninie 
he  vpon  an  hye  tree  in  to  tlie  toppe  vnder  the  Icuys, 
where  as  hunter  no  hounde  myjrht  doo  hyni  non  liarme, 
and  Ict'tc  my  iadrc  alloiu;  in  jeoparde  ol"  his  lyl":  t'tn- 
the  liiiiiters  sette  on  iiym  the  lioundes  alle  that  they 
eoude.  Men  blewe  the  hurnes  and  eryed  and  hah)wed 
The  foxe.  Slee  and  take  !  Wlian  Tybtrt  the  catte  sawe 
that,  I>e  mocked  and  scorned  my  tadre  and  said,  what 
lieynart,  cosyn,  vnbynde  now  your  sakke  wher  al  tlio 
wylis  ben  in,  it  is  now  tyme;  ye  be  so  wyse  called,  helpe 
your  sell',  for  ye  haue  nede. 

This  moeke  muste  my  ta<lre  here  ol"  liym  to  wlnnn 
he  had  most  his  trust  on.  And  was  almoste  taken 
and  nyghe  his  deth  ;  and  he  ranne  and  lledde  wyth 
grete  I'ere  ot'  his  lyt"  and  lete  his  male  slydeof  by  cause 
he  wold  be  lyghter.  Yet  al  that  coude  not  helpe  hyni, 
for  the  houndes  were  to  swyft  and  shold  haue  byton 
hym ;  but  he  had  one  auenture,  that  ther  by  he  fond 
an  old  hole,  wherin  he  crepte,  and  escaped  thus  the 
honters  and  houndes.  Thus  lu-lde  this  false  dcceyuer 
Tibaert  his  sykcrnes  that  he  Iku!  promysed, 

Alas  I  how  many  ben  there  now  a  dayes  that  kepe 
not  theyr  promyse  and  sette  not  tlierby  thougii  they 
brcke  it.  And  though  I  hate  Tybaert  hcrfore,  is  it 
won»ler?  I5ut  I  doc  not  sikerly ;  1  loue  my  sowle  to  wel 
tlierttt.      Ncuertheles  yf  I   sawi-   hytn  in  auenture  and 


122         TIIYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXE. 


1 


mysfalle  in  his  body  or  in  liis  goodes,  1  trow  hit  shoM 
not  inofhc  goo  to  my  herte  so  that  another  dyde  it. 
Neuertheles  I  shal  ueythcr  hate  hym  ne  haue  enuye 
at  hyin.  I  shal  for  goddes  loue  forgyue  liym,  yet  is  it 
not  so  clere  out  of  myn  herto,  but  a  lytyl  ylle  wylle  to 
hym  ward  abideth  therin,  as  tiiis  conieth  to  my  re- 
uicmbrannce,  and  the  cause  is  that  the  scnsualyte  of 
my  flessh  fyghteth  ayenst  reson.  I 

Tlier  stode  also  in  that  myrrour,  of  the  wulf.  How 
he  fonde  ones  vpon  an  heth  a  dede  hors,  elayn  :  but  al 
the  flessh  was  eten.  Thcnne  wente  he  and  bote  grete 
morsellis  of  the  bones,  that  for  hongre  he  toke  thre  or 
iii j  att  ones  and  swolowed  them  in.  For  he  was  so 
gredy  that  one  of  the  bones  stack  thwart  in  his  mouth. 
Wherof  he  had  grete  payne,  and  was  in  grete  fere  of 
his  lyf.  He  soughte  al  aboute  for  wyse  masters  and 
surgyens,  and  promysed  grete  yeftis  for  to  be  heled  of 
his  disease. 

Atte  laste  whan  he  coude  nowher  fynde  reraedye,  he 
cam  to  the  crane  wyth  his  longe  necke  and  bille  ;  and 
prayde  hym  to  holpc  hym,  and  he  wolde  loue  and  re- 
wardc  hym  so  wel  tiiat  he  sholde  euer  be  the  better. 
The  crane  herked  after  this  grete  rewarde,  and  put  his 
heed  in  to  his  throte  and  brought  out  the  boon  wyth 
his  bylle.  The  wulf  sterte  a  syde  wyth  the  pluckyng 
and  cryde  out,  Alas  thou  doost  me  harme !  but  I  for- 
gyue it  the :  doo  no  more  soo,  I  wolde  not  suffre  it  of 
an  other.  The  crane  saide,  Sir  Isegrym,  goo  and  be 
mery,  for  ye  be  al  hool  now.  Gyue  to  me  that  ye 
promysed.      The  wulf  saide,  AVyl  ye  here  what  he 


TUYSTORYK  OK  HKYNMU)  TlIK  KOXK.         1  2o 

sayth  :  I  am  Ik;  tliat  liuth  sunre<l,  and  have  cause  to 
plaync,  and  lie  wille  have  good  of"  me.  lie  thanketh 
not  me  of  the  kyndncs  tliat  I  dyde  to  liym ;  he  put  liis 
heed  in  my  mouth,  and  I  sullVed  hym  to  drawe  it  out 
liole,  without  hurtyng;  and  he  dyde  tome  also  hurme, 
and  yt'  ony  hier  shold  have  a  reward,  it  sliold  be  1  by 
ryght. 

Thus  the  unkynde  men  now  a  dayes  rewardc  them 
that  doo  them  good.  AViian  tlie  false  and  subtyl  aryse 
and  become  grete,  thenne  goth  worship  and  proufl'ytal 
to  uought.  Tlier  ben  many  of  right  that  ought  reward 
and  doo  good  to  suche  as  have  holpen  hem  in  her  nede, 
that  now  fy nde  causes  and  sayc  they  be  hurte,  and 
wolde  have  amendis,  where  they  ought  to  rewarde  and 
make  amendes  them  .self.  Therfore  it  is  said,  and 
trowthe  it  is,  whoo  that  wyl  chyde  or  ehastyse,  see  that 
lie  be  clere  hym  self. 

Alle  this,  and  moche  more  than  1  now  can  wtl 
remembre,  was  made  and  wrought  in  this  glasse ;  the 
maister  that  ordeyned  it  was  a  coiniyng  man,  and  a 
|in)founde  clerk  in  many  sciences ;  and  by  cause  thise 
Jewells  were  over  good  ami  precious  for  me  to  kepo 
an<l  have,  therfore  1  .■>ent«'  them  to  my  dcre  lord  the 
kynge,  and  to  tiie  (|uene  in  presente.  AVhcre  ben  they 
now  that  gyve  to  theyr  lordes  .suriie  prescntes ?  the 
sorowe  that  my  ij.  chyhlren  miule  whan  1  sente  away 
the  glasse  was  grete,  for  they  wi-re  woncd  to  loke  therin 
and  see  them  self  how  theyr  clothyng  and  araye  bycam 
thi'in  on  their  bodyes. 

()  alas  ;    I  knewt!  imt    that   Kvwart   the   hnre  was  SO 


124  TIIYSTORVK  f»FREYN.\KI)  THK  F()\K, 

nyghe  liis  dcth  wlirm  I  drlyvrryd  liviu  tli<>  male  uitli 
thise  jewellis  I  I  wi&te  not  to  whom  1  inyglit  better 
have  taken  them,  though  it  sliold  have  coste  me  my 
lyf,  than  hym  and  Bellart  the  ramme.  They  were 
two  of  my  best  frendis.  Oute,  alas,  I  crye  upon  the 
murdcrar !  I  shal  knowe  who  it  wa.s,  though  I  shold 
renne  thurgh  al  the  world  to  seke  hym  ;  for  niurdre 
abydeth  not  hyd,  it  shal  come  out.  IVraventure  he  is 
ill  this  companye  that  knoweth  where  Kywart  is  bico- 
luen,  though  he  telleth  it  not ;  tor  many  false  slirewys 
walke  wyth  good  men,  fro  whom  no  man  can  kepe 
hym.  They  knowen  tlieyr  craft  so  wcl  and  can  wel 
covcrc  their  falsenes. 

But  the  most  wondre  that  I  Imve  is  that  my  lord  tlie 
kyng  hier  saith  so  felly,  that  my  fadre  nor  I  dyde  hym 
never  good ;  that  thynketh  me  mervayl  of  a  kynge. 
But  ther  come  so  many  thyngis  to  fore  hym  that  he 
forgeteth  that  one  wytli  that  other,  and  so  faryth  by 
me.  Dere  lorde,  remembre  not  ye  whan  ray  lord  your 
fadre  lyvyd,  and  ye  an  yonglyng  of  two  yere  were,  that 
my  fadre  cam  fro  skole  fro  Moiipellier,  where  as  he  had 
fyve  yere  studyed  in  recoptes  of  medycyncs.  He 
knewe  al  the  tokcnes  of  the  uryne  as  wel  as  his  honde  ; 
and  also  alle  the  herbes  and  nature  of  them  whiche 
were  viscose  or  laxatyf.  He  was  a  synguler  maister 
in  that  science,  he  rayght  wel  were  cloth  of  sylke  and 
a  gylt  gyrdle. 

Wlian  he  cam  to  court  he  fondethe  kynge  in  a  grete 
sekenes,  wherof  he  was  sory  in  his  hert,  for  he  lovyd 
hym  above  alle  other  lordes.      The  kynge  wold  not 


THYSTOUYK  ol'  KKYNAUD  TIIK  FOXK.  1*2.) 

for/Too  hyni,  for  wliaii  ln'  <':ini  :illi'  (itlitr  luid  It've  to 
walke  where  they  w(»ld,  he  trusted  none  so  inoche  as 
livin.  lie  said,  Reynar<l,  I  am  seke,  and  fele  nie  tlic 
Icnirer  the  werse.  ^ly  t'adre  saiil,  My  dere  lord,  here 
is  an  uryiial,  assone  as  I  may  see  it  I  shal  telle  what 
sekcnes  it  is,  and  also  how  yc  shal  be  holpen.  The 
kyngc  dyde  as  he  conseilled  hym,  for  he  tru>tcd  nuinan 
better  that  lyuyd.  Th(in;:li  so  were  tliat  my  fader 
dyde  not  as  he  shold  have  don  to  you,  but  that  was  l)y 
founseyl  of  evyl  and  foule  beestis,  I  had  wonder  therof 
but  it  was  a  rasyng  ayenst  his  deth.  lie  sayd,  iSIy 
lord,  yf  ye  wyl  lie  hole,  ye  niuste  etc  the  lyver  of  a 
wulf  of  vii.  yere  old.  that  may  yc  not  leve,  or  ellis  yc 
shal  deye,  for  your  uryne  sheweth  it  playnly. 

The  wulf  stoile  ther  by  and  said  non<rht,  but  the 
kynfre  said  to  hym.  Sir  Ysegrym,  now  ye  lu-re  wel  tiiat 
1  muste  have  your  lyver  yf  I  wil  be  hool.  Tho  an- 
Rwerd  the  wulf,  and  said,  Nay,  my  lord,  not  soo.  I 
wote  wel  I  am  not  yet  fyve  yere  olde,  I  have  herde  my 
moder  saie  s(k>.  My  fadre  sayd,  "What  skylh^th  his 
wordes?  late  hym  be  o|>enrd  an<l  I  shal  knowe  by  the 
lyver  yf  it  be  <ro(id  for  yow  or  imt.  And  therwvtii  tiie 
wulf  was  had  to  kycheii,  and  his  lyver  taken  out, 
whiche  the  kynge  ete,  and  wa^  unon  al  hole  ol"  alle  his 
sckenes.  Thenne  thanketh  he  my  fudrc  mwhe,  and 
commnnded  alle  his  hous4-hold,  upon  their  lyvys,  that 
after  that  tyme  they  shold  ealle  hym  Mayster  Reynard. 

He  abode  stylle  liy  tho  kynge,  and  was  beleuid  of 
alle  thyngis,  and  muste  alleway  go  by  his  side.  And 
the   kynge   gaf  to  In  ni  a  garlond  of  roo>e>,  whiehe  he 


hJ«i  rilYSTOKVK  ()|-  HKYNMil)  TIIK  I'dXK. 

muste  ;il\v:iy  wrrc  on  liis  licid.  JJiit  now  tiiis  is  al 
torned.  Alle  tlie  old  good  thinfjis  that  lio  dyde,  ben 
forfrotcn;  Jiiid  thise  covetouse  and  riiuenou3  shrewys 
l)en  takiii  vp  and  sette  on  the  hyc  benche,  ami  ben 
herde  and  made  grete;  and  tlie  wyse  t'olke  \n:u  put  a 
back.  By  wliielio  thise  lordes  otte  lacke,  and  cause 
them  to  be  in  nioche  trouble  and  sorowe;  for  whan  a 
couetou.s  man  of  lowe  byrthe  is  made  a  lord,  and  is 
moche  greet,  and  aboue  his  ncyghbours  hath  power 
and  inyght,  tlicnnc  he  knoweth  not  hyin  self,  ne 
whens  he  is  a  conien,  and  hath  no  pytc  on  nomons 
hiirtc;  no  hereth  nomans  reqneste,  but  yf  he  may  liaue 
gretc  yet'tis.  Al  his  entent  and  desyre  is  to  gadre 
good  and  to  be  grctter.  O  how  many  couctous  men 
ben  now  in  lordes  courtcs.  They  Jiatri-  and  smoke, 
and  plese  the  pryneo  Ibr  theyr  syjiguler  auayl.  But 
and  the  prynce  had  nedc  of  them  or  their  g(H)d  they 
sholde  rather  sufl're  hym  to  «leye,  or  fare  right  hard,  er 
they  wolil  gyne  or  h-ne  hym.  They  be  lyki'  the  wnlf 
that  had  hmer  the  kyngc  had  deyed  than  he  wolde 
gyue  hvtn  his  lyuer.  Yet  had  I  leuer  er  the  kyngc 
or  the  (piciH-  >hold  fan-  amys,  that  xx  suche  wulves 
.sliolil  lose  thevr  lytie.s  ;  hit  were  also  tin-  leest  losse. 
My  h»rde  ul  this  bifelle  in  your  yougth*'  that  my 
fader  dyde  thus.  I  trowe  ye  haue  forgoten  it.  And 
also  I  httuc  myself  don  yoAV  rcucrencc,  worship  and 
courtosye.  Vnroused  be  it,  thaugh  ye  nowe  thanke 
me  but  lytyl,  but  parauenture  ye  remcmbred  not  that 
I  shal  nowe  saye;  not  to  ony  forwyttyng  of  yow,  for 
ye    l>o   worthy   alle   worship  and  n-uj-rcnce  that  ony 


TIIYSTOHYK  Ol    Ur.YNAUn  TIIK  TOXK.  \17 

iiiiui  ran  »1<m>.  That  liauc  yr  ot"  Alniy;.'lify  (Ji>(I  \>y 
eiilit'ritunci',  of  your  noldc  jtrojicnytours ;  wliortor  I 
your  huiultle  sul>;;t'tte  an«l  st-rtiant  am  boundcii  to  tloo 
to  yow  alio  tlio  stMMiyso  that  I  can  or  niaye. 

I  cani  on  a  tyiiit-  walkynir  with  the  wiilf  Iscfrryni. 
And  \vi'  hathlf  ;rott>n  vndi-r  vs  hothe  a  swync.  And 
for  liis  hiwclc  cryynj^  we  h<itf  hyni  to  detli,  and,  Syrr, 
yc  ram  I'm  tVrrr  out  of  a  ^'rouc  ayenst  vs.  Yo  sa- 
Ifwed  vs  fri'iidly,  and  saide,  we  were  welcome,  and  tliat 
yc  and  my  lady  thcqucnc  wliiclic  cam  after  yow  liadilc 
RTotc  hongre  and  had  nothyn;^  for  to  etc,  and  praydc. 
V8  for  to  pryue  y(»w  parte  of  our  wynnynpr.  Isef»rym 
spac-k  so  softc  that  a  man  vnncthe  niyfrht  here  hym, 
but  I  spack  out,  ami  saidc  :  Ye.  my  lord,  with  a  ^tikmI 
will,  thuiiu'h  it  were  iimrc,  we  wil  wd  that  vc  iiaiio 
parte.  And  thenne  the  wnlf  departed  as  he  was  wont 
to  doo,  ho  departed  and  tok-  that  on  half  fur  hym  self. 
And  he  guf  yow  a  quarter;  for  yow  and  the  (|uene. 
That  other  rjuarter  he  eto  an«l  bote  as  hastely  as  he 
myfrhtc,  bicausc  he  wolde  <-te  it  allone.  And  he  jraf  to 
ino  but  half  the  lonjres,  that  I  pray  (Jod  that  i-uyl 
mot«  he  fare. 

Thus  shewile  he  hin  cinidieiuns  ami  nature.  JOr 
men  shold  haue  sonpen  a  Credo,  ye  my  lord  had  eten 
your  part.  And  yet  wold  ye  fayn  had  mi>re,  fur  ye 
wow  not  lid.  Afid  bicause  he  gaf  ytiu  no  more  no 
protVred  yow,  ye  lyfte  vp  your  ri;;ht  fote  and  smote 
hym  l»ytwene  the  eris,  that  ye  tnre  hifl  skynne  ouer  his 
eyen,  and  tho  he  myght  no  Icngrc  abytle,  but  he  bicdde, 
howled,  and  ran  away,  and  lefte  his  part  then*  lye. 


128         THY STO k  Y  I".  i)V  n  v. Y  N  A  in )  Til  I'.  I'( ) \  K . 

Tho  said  ye  to  liyin,  li:i<t<'  yow  a^ayn  littlicr  ami 
brynge  to  vs  more.  And  here  alter  sec  better  to  how 
ye  dele  and  parte.  Thennc  ?»'u\  I,  My  lord  yf  it  plese 
yow  I  wyll  goo  wyth  liym.  I  wote  w«'l  what  yesaidc. 
I  wente  wyth  liyin,  he  bleddc  and  groned  as  sore  as  ho 
was  al  softly.  II<'  <liirst  not  crye  lowde.  We  wente 
so  ferre  that  we  brouglit  a  calf. 

And  whan  ye  sawe  vs  come  therwytli,  y<'  lawhyd, 
for  ye  were  wel  plesyd.  Ye  said  to  me  that  I  was 
.swj'ft  in  hontyng.  I  see  wel  that  yc  can  fynde  wel 
whan  ye  take  it  vpon  yow,  ye  be  good  to  sende  forth 
in  a  nede.  The  calf  is  goode  and  fatte.  llcinf  shal 
ye  be  the  ddar.  T  saide,  My  lord  wyth  a  jstnul  wyl. 
The  one  half  my  lord  shal  be  for  yow.  And  that 
other  half  inr  my  lady  the  quene.  The  moghettis, 
lyuer,  longes,  and  the  inward,  shal  befor  your  chyldren. 
The  heed  shal  Iscgrym  the  wulf  liaue,  and  I  wyl  haue 
the  feet.  Tho  said  ye,  Roynart  who  hath  taught  you 
to  departe  so  courtoisly.  My  lord,  said  T,  that  hath  don 
this  prcest  that  syttcth  her  with  the  blody  crowne, 
he  lost  his  skynno  wyth  the  vncourtoys  dcpartyng  of 
the  swyn.  And  for  Iiis  couetyse  and  rauyne  he 
hathe  botlie  hurtc  and  siiamo.  Alas  th«>r  ben  many 
wulucs  now  a  dayes  that  without  right  and  reson 
destroye  and  ete  them  that  they  iftay  haue  the 
ouerhand  of.  They  spare  neyther  flesh  ne  blood, 
frende  ne  enemye:  what  they  can  gete,  that  take  they. 
O  woo  be  to  that  lande  and  to  towncs,  where  as  the 
wulues  haue  tin-  ouerhand. 

My  lord,  this  and  many  other  good  thing  haue  I  don 


TIIYSTOUVK  (ir  KKVNAKD  Till.  KOXK.  1 'Jl> 

for  yuii,  tliat  I  cowdc  wol  telle,  yl"  it  wito  not  to  loii;;^ 
of  wliiclK'  iKnv  ye  n'UH'inhrc  litil  by  the  wtirdt'S  that  I 
her  {>['  yt>u.  Vt'  yi'  wold  al  thyii^r  onersec  wcl,  ye 
wolii  not  sayc  as  y»!  doo.  1  liaue  seen  the  day  that 
ther  shold  no  jrrete  inat<T  lie  eoiiclinlcd  in  this  court 
witliout  niyn  ailiiyse.  Al  l)e  yt  that  this  aueiiture  is 
now  fallen.  It  niyfiht  ha|>|)(Mi  yet  that  my  wordes  shal 
be  herd  and  also  bileuyd  as  wel  as  an  others  as  ferre 
a.s  ryjrht  wyl,  for  I  desyre  none  other,  for  yf  ther  be 
ony  ran  save  and  make  good  by  sutfyeient  wit- 
nesis  that  I  haue  trcspa<"ed,  I  wyll  abyd  al  the  ri;;ht 
and  lawe  that  niav  come  therof.  and  yf  ony  saie  on 
me  ony  thyng  of  whiehe  he  can  bryn<:f  no  wytn«'sses« 
late  me  thennc  ix;  rcwlyd  after  the  lawe  and  customc 
of  thy.s  court. 

The  kynge  suid,  Reynart  ye  saye  resonably.  I 
knowe  not  of  Kywarts  deth  more  than  that  Bellyn  the 
ramn>e  brought  his  heed  hether  in  the  male.  Therof 
1  lete  yow  goo  <|uyte.     For  I  haue  no  wytnes  therof. 

My  dcre lord,  sjii<l  Reynard.  ( Jodthankc  yow;  sykerly 
ye  doo  w«;l,  for  his  deth  makcth  me  so  sorowful,  fliat 
me  thynketh  my  herte  wyl  brekc  in  two.  ()  whan 
tliey  departed  fro  mo  n>yn  hertc  was  so  In-uy,  that  me 
thought  I  shohl  Imuo  swoned.  I  wote  wel  it  wivs  a 
token  of  the  \onse  that  the  was  so  nyghe  eomyng  to 
me. 

AUe  the  moost  parte  of  them  th.'it  were  there,  and 
lierdc  the  foxes  worded  of  the  jcwellis,  and  how  he 
made  his  contenani'c  and  stratchid  hym,  had  veryly 
supposed  that  it    had  not  l>e  fayiied,  but  tiiat  it  had  be 


130       tiiystouyf;  of  reynard  the  foxr 

tryewe.  They  were  sory  ot"  liis  lossc  ami  mysaucnture; 
and  also  of  his  sorowc.  The  kynge  and  the  quone 
had  bothe  pyte  of  hym;  and  bad  hyn»  to  make  not  to 
moche  eorowe,  but  that  he  sholde  endcucre  h}Tn  to 
feche  hem.  For  he  had  nioehe  preysed  hem,  that  they 
had  grete  wyl  and  desyre  to  hauetheni.  And  by  cause 
he  had  made  them  to  vnderstftnde  that  lie  had  sente 
these  jewellis  to  them,  tliough  tliey  neuer  had  tlicni 
yet  they  thankyd  hym.  And  prayd  hym  to  helpe  that 
they  myght  haue  them. 

The  foxe  vnder?todc  theyrmenyngwel.  He  thought 
toward  them  but  lytyl  good.  For  al  that,  he  said,  God 
thanke  y<JW,  my  lord,  and  my  lady,  that  yc  so  f'rendly 
comforte  me  in  my  sorow.  I  shal  not  reste  nyght  ne 
day,  nc  alle  they  tliat  wyl  doo  ony  thyng  for  me,  but 
renne,  and  i)raye,  thretene,  and  aske  alle  the  four 
corners  of  the  world,  thaugh  I  shold  euer  seche,  tyl 
that  I  knowc  where  they  ben  bicomen;  and  I  pray 
you  my  lord  the  kynge,  that  yf  they  were  in  suchc 
place  as  I  eowde  not  gete  them  by  prayer,  by  myght, 
ne  by  re«]uest,  tiiat  ye  wold  assiste  me  and  abide  by 
me:  for  it  toweheth  your  self,  and  tlie  good  is  youris. 
And  also  it  is  your  part  to  doo  justyse  on  theftc  and 
nuirdre  whiche  bothe  ben  in  this  caas. 

Rcynart,  said  the  kynge,  that  shal  I  not  loue  whan 
ye  knowe  wher  they  ben.  Myn  helpe  shal  be  alway 
redy  for  you.  O  dere  lorde,  this  is  to  moche  presented 
to  me,  yf  I  had  power  and  myght  I  shoMe  deserue 
ayenst  yow. 

Now  hath  the  foxe  his  mater  fast  and  fayr.     For  he 


TIIYSTOUVK  OK  Itr.VNAUD  HIK  IOXK.  |.)I 

liatli  till'  kyiiL't'  ill  hi-*  li.iiiil  :i>  Ii<- wnM.  Ilvin  tlmiijrht 
that  he  was  in  l)cttti-  caa-^  than  it  waslvki'  to  haiic  he. 
He  liath  iua«lo  so  many  k-synj^cs  that  In;  may  jrod 
frcly  when  he  wyl  without  coniphiynyn";  of  ony  ol" 
them  alio.  Sauf  of  Lscf^rym,  which  was  to  hyni  ward 
nnp^ry  and  dysplcsyd,  and  saide,  O  noble  kynge,  ar  ye 
so  mocho  chyldyssh  tiiat  ye  hyleve  this  false  and  suhtyl 
shrewo,  and  sutfrc  your  self  wyth  ialsc.  lyes  thus  to  1m; 
•l.M-cyvyd  ?  Of  fayth  it  sin. Id  I..-  h,u'^c  ..r  1  -Iiold 
l>yii-v('  liyiM.  He  is  in  niuriliL'  and  troson  al  \ni  \vra|t- 
prd  ;  aiwl  hf  nio«-keth  you  to  fore  your  visa^i-.  I  shal 
tidle  hym  a  nother  tale.  I  am  j^lad  that  I  si-e  now  hym 
h<n\  Al  liis  lcsyn{;:es  shal  not  avayllo  hym  er  he  de- 
parts fro  mo. 


iroxs    y^k<;kv  >r    iiii;  \m  i.k  comi'lvvskd  acjavn  on  rni;  koxk. 
fArrn  I.O  x.wiu. 

.My  lord,  I  |»ray  you  to  take  licdr,  this  falsi-  thc<  1 
iM-traicd  my  wyf  ones,  fowh-  and  <lisIionfstly.  Hit 
was  so  that  in  a  wynters  day  that  they  wrnte  to  ^'yder 
tlinr>rh  n  pretc  water;  and  lie  han-  my  wyf  an  honde 
that  he  wold  teche  Iht  take  fysshe  wylli  Inr  tayl,  and 
that  .shi>  shold  late  it  hanjre  in  the  water  a  jioud  while, 
and  ther  .shold  .so  mo<dic  fysshe  tdeue  on  it  that  foure  i 
of  them  shold  not  eonne  «-te  it. 

The  fool,  my  wyf,  supposed  he  had  said  trouthe  ; 
and  .she  wente  in  the  myre  to  tin;  l)ely  to,  er  she  cam 
in  to  the  water.  And  whan  she  wa.s  in  the  dep|>est  of 
the  water,  he  had  her  hoMe  Iht  tnyl  -.tyllr,  til  that  tie- 

K  •-' 


132         TIIYSTORYE  OF  RKYNAUn  THK  FOXK. 

fyssho  were  comen.  She  heldc  her  tuyl  su  loiij^e  that 
it  was  from  harde  in  the  yse,  and  coude  not  plucke  it 
out.  And  Avhan  he  sawc  that,  he  sprange  up  after  on 
licr  ;  alas  ;  so  knauisshly  that  I  am  ashamed  to 
telle  it.  She  coude  not  defende  herself,  the  sely  beest, 
she  stode  so  depe  in  the  myre.  Hereof  he  can  not 
saye  naye,  for  as  I  wente  above  vpon  the  banke  I  sawe 
hym  bynethe.  Alas  !  what  payne  sutl'red  I,  tho  at 
my  herte.  I  had  almost  for  sorow  loste  my  fyve  wits  ; 
and  cryde  so  lowde  as  I  myght,  Reynart,  what  do  ye 
there  ?  And  whan  he  sawe  me  so  nyghe  tlio  lepe  he 
of,  and  wente  his  waye. 

I  wente  to  her  in  grete  hevvinesse  ;  and  wente  depe 
in  that  myre  and  that  water  er  I  coude  breke  the  yse  ; 
and  moche  payne  suffred  she  er  she  coude  have  out 
her  taylle  ;  and  yet  lefte  a  gobet  of  her  tayle  behynd 
lier.  And  we  were  lyke  bothe  therby  to  liave  lost  our 
lyves,  for  she  galped  and  cryde  so  loude  for  the 
smarte  that  she  had,  er  she  cam  out,  that  the  men 
of  the  village  cam  out  with  stavys  and  l>yllis,  with 
flaylis  and  jn'kforkcs  ;  and  the  wyvis  wyth  theyr 
distavis,  and  cryed  dyspytously  Sle  I  sle  !  and  smyte 
down  right.  I  was  never  in  my  lyf  so  aferdc  :  for 
unnethe  we  escape,  we  ran  so  fast  that  we  swette. 
Ther  was  a  vylayne  that  stake  on  vs  wyth  a  pyke, 
whiche  hurted  vs  sore.  lie  was  stronge,  and  swyfte 
a  fote.  Hadde  it  not  be  nyght,  certaynly  we  had  ben 
slayn. 

The  fowlc  oldc  queues  wold  fayn  have  beten  us. 
They  saide   that  we  had   byten   theyr  sheep.     They 


■|•||^■s^ol:^•|••.  oi'  i<i;n  nakd  iiiI';  I'oxi:.        \'3'l 

cursed  vs  with  iiiaiiy  a  riirsc.  Tim  caiii  we  in  to  a  lirUl 
I'liI  lit"  liioiiii-  and  bn!!iil>los  ;  tlicre  liy«Me  we  vs  fro 
the  vyhiyiu'S,  and  they  durst  iu)t  folowe  vs  lertluT  l>y 
nyght,  hut  retorned  lioine  a^ayn. 

See,  my  lord,  tliys  tbwle  luatrr  ;  this  is  murdre, 
rape,  and  treason,  which  ye  ought  to  dwo  justyce 
therein  sharply. 

Reynard  answerd  and  said,  Yl'  this  wc^re  trewe,  it 
slioM  go  to  nvghe  niyn  honour  and  wor>hip.  (iod  tor- 
hede  tliat  it  shohl  be  lounde  trewc.  But  is  wel  truwu 
that  1  taught  her  huw  she  sliohle  in  a  plaee  catelie 
lysslie,  and  shewde  her  a  good  waye  for  to  goo  t)ver 
in  to  the  water  without  goyng  in  to  the  niyre  ;  but  she 
ranne  so  desyrously  whan  she  henk*  me  name  the 
fysslie,  that  slie  nether  way  iuj  path  In-ide,  l)Ut  wente 
in  to  tlie  yse  wherin  she  was  forfrorn  ;  and  that  was 
by  cause  she  abode  to  hinge  ;  slie  liad  lissli  yuough  yt' 
she  coude  have  lie  plesyd  wyth  mesure.  It  laUeth 
ofte,  wlio  tiiat  Wold  liavo  ail.  Itv-rtli  alle.  ()\.t 
covetous  was  never  good  ;  for  the  beest  can  not  be 
satisfycd.  And  whan  1  suwe  her  in  the  yse  s«)  taste, 
1  wendc  to  have  hol|ien  her,  and  href  and  shoef,  and 
stack  here  and  tlnrf,  to  have  brought  Inr  out  ;  Imt  it 
was  al  i)ayne  loste,  for  •^Ih-.  was  to  hi;vy  lor  nic 

Tho  cam  Ysegryin  and  sawe  how  I  shoef  and  stack, 
and  dyde  al  my  liote,  and  he  a  towle  choile,  fnwlc  and 
rybadously  sklaundryth  mc  wyth  her,  as  thvsc  luwlc 
niithrittcH  ben  wontc  to  do. 

Uut.  my  dere  lord,  it  wa>  none  otlnrwyx-  ;  lie 
lidyeth  me  falsely,      reradvenlure  his  even  da.>clyd  as 


I'.il  1  llVsToItVK  OK  KI'.VNAKD  TlIK  I'OXK. 

lit'  li)k«'il  tVoiii  :ili()\(>  liowii.  Ill'  (  ryilc  ainl  curscil  u\<\ 
ami  swort'  many  an  otli  I  slinM  di-rc  altvc  it.  W  lien  I 
lierde  hyin  so  curse  ami  tliri-teiu',  I  wente  my  wayc, 
and  lete  him  curse  and  menace  til  he  was  wery.  And 
tho  wente  he  and  heel'  and  shoef,  and  halpe  his  wyf 
out,  and  tlun  hf  Iccp  and  ran,  and  she  also,  for  to  gete 
them  an  lietc,  and  to  warm  them,  or  ellis  they  shold 
have  deyed  for  eolde.  And  what  somever  I  have  sai<l 
a  fore  or  aftci-.  tliat  is  elerdy  al  trouthe.  I  wuldi-  not 
for  a  thousand  marke  of  fyn  gold,  lye  to  yow  one 
lesying,  it  were  not  fyttyng  for  me.  What  somever 
falle  of  me,  I  shal  saye  the  trouthe,  lyke  as  myn  elders 
have  alway  don  syth  the  tynic  tliat  fvrst  we  vnderstode 
reson  ;  and  if  ye  he  in  douhte  of  ony  thyng  that  I  have 
said  otiierwyse  than  trouth,  gyve  me  respytc;  of  viij 
dayes,  that  I  may  have  eouseyl  ;  and  I  .-lial  lirynge 
suehe  informacion  wyth  good  tryew  and  sullycient 
reeorde,  that  ye  shal  alle  your  lyf  duryng  truste  and 
byleve  mc,  and  so  shal  all  your  counscyl  also.  What 
liave  I  to  doo  wyth  the  wulf,  hit  is  to  fore  clerly 
ynowh  shewde  that  he  is  a  foulo  vylaynous  kaytyf,  and 
an  nnclene  heest  when  he  deled  and  d<-])arted  the 
swyn. 

So  it  is  now  knowen  to  yow  alle  hy  his  owenwordes 
that  is  a  (letVamer  of  wynimen,  as  nioche  as  in  him  is. 
Ye  may  wel  marke  everychone.  Who  shold  luste  to  do 
that  game  to  one  so  stcdfast  a  wyf,  heyng  in  so  grete 
j)eryll  of  dcth.  Now  aske  ye  hys  wyf,  yf  it  he  so  as  he 
sayth  ;  yt'  she  wyl  saye  the  trouth,  I  wotc  wel  she  shal 
saye  as  I  doo. 


I 


THVSTOFtYK  OK  FIEVNAUD  Till:  KOXK.  loO 

Ilio  s|i:iik  Hrswyiulc,  the  wiillis  wvt  :  A<li  i'vUn 
rt-yiiiirt,  iiu  iimn  niii  kcpc  liym  srlf  fro  the  ;  thou 
must  so  wel  uttrc  thy  wonh-s  and  tliy  IhIscik'S,  iiiul 
treson  settc  forth  ;  Imt  it  shall  In-  riiyl  n,'\vur«lc(l  in  the 
ende.  How  broii;;ht(St  tlmu  mo  ones  in  to  the  welle 
where  the  two  bokettys  hengc  by  one  corde  rennyng 
thurgh  one  poUey  which  wente  one  up  and  another 
down.  Thou  sattcst  in  that  one  boekct  bynethe  in  the 
pytte  in  great  drede.  1  eani  thedei*,  and  herde  the 
syghe  and  make  sorrow,  and  axed  the  how  thou 
earnest  there.  Thou  suidcst  tliat  thou  haddist  tii<'rc 
so  many  good  fy.sshes  eten  out  of  the  water  that  thy 
bely  wolde  bresto.  I  said.  Tell  me  how  I  shall  eomc 
to  the.  Thennc  Raidcst  thou,  Aunte,  sprynge  iu  to  that 
boket  that  hangeth  there,  and  ye  shal  eome  anon  to  me. 
I  dyde  so,  and  I  wente  downward,  and  ye  cam  upward. 
Tlio  was  I  alle  angry:  thou  saidcst,  'J'iius  fanlli  the 
world,  that  one  goth  ii[>,  and  another  gotii  down.  Tho 
s[)rang  ye  forth,  anil  wente  your  waye,  and  1  abode 
there  allone,  syttyng  an  Imle  «lay  sore  an  hongryd, 
and  a  coldc  ;  and  therto  ha<l  1  many  a  stroke  er  I 
coude  getc  thcns. 

Aunte,  snyd  the  foxe,  tht)ngh  the  strokes  dyde  you 
harme,  1  had  lever  ye  had  them  than  I,  for  ye  nuiy 
better  bcrc  them,  f<>r  one  of  vs  nnist  nrdes  have  had 
them.  I  taught  y«>w  good  ;  wyl  ye  vndcrstande  it,  atid 
tliynke  on  it,  that  ye  another  tyme  take  better  hedr, 
ami  bileve  no  man  uvt-r  hastely  ;  is  he  frcndc  or  eosyn. 
For  every  man  .-rkitli  his  owe  proull'yt.    Th»y  l>e  now 


1 


136         THVSTORVK  <)l'  UKVNAUI)  TlIi:  VOXE. 

fooles  that  do  not  so  ;  ami  specyally  wliaii   tlit-y  lt<-   in 
jeopardy  ot'tlu-yr  lyves. 


A    FAVK    PAKAULE    OF    THE    FoXK    ANU    TlIK    WILF. 
CAI'ITLLO  XXXIIIJ. 

My  lord,  said  dame  Erswyii,  I  pray  yow  here  how 
he  can  blowe  with  alk-  wyndes  ;  and  how  fayr  bryng- 
eth  he  his  maters  forth.  Thus  hath  lie  hron^rlit  me  many 
tyme  in  scatiie  and  hurte,  said  the  wull".  lli'  iiath  ones 
betrayed  nic  to  the  she  ape,  niyn  aunte;  where  1  was 
in  grete  drede  and  fere,  for  1  lefte  there  almost  myn 
one  ere.  Yf  the  foxe  wil  telle  it  how  it  byfel,  1  wyl 
gyve  liym  the  fordcle  thereof ;  for  I  can  not  telle  it  so 
wel,  but  he  shal  beryspe  me. 

Wei,  said  the  foxe,  I  shal  telle  it  wythout  stameryn^s 
I  shal  saye  tlie  trontli.  I  pray  yow  lierken  me.  Hi- 
(■am  in  to  the  wode,  and  eomplayned  to  me  that  he  had 
gretc  hongre;  for  1  sawc  hym  never  so  ful,  but  he 
wold  alway  have  had  fayn  more.  1  have  wonder 
wlicre  tI»o  mete  becometh  that  he  destroycth.  I  see 
now  on  his  contcnance  that  he  begynneth  to  gryrame 
for  hongre.  "NV'han  I  herde  hym  so  eom[dayne,  I  had 
jtyte  of  hym ;  and  I  said  I  was  also  hongry.  Thenne 
wente  we  half  a  day  togydre,  and  fond  nothyng, 
tho  whyned  he  and  cryted,  and  said  he  myght  goo  no 
ferther.  Thenne  espyed  I  a  grete  hool,  standyng  in 
the  inyddys  vndcr  an  hawe  whiche  was  thyek  of  brem- 
bles;  and  I  herde  a  russhyng  therin;  I  wist  not  what 


T11Y6TOKYK  ol'  UKVNAUD  Till".  KoXK.  l.')7 

it  was.  Theunc  saitl  I,  t-!i)<»  tlifriii,  and  lnkc  yl'  tlirr 
Itc  uiiy  lliyng  thcr  for  us;  I  wotc  wcl  tlier  is  buinwliat. 
Tlio  suid  he,  Cosyii,  I  wolilc  not  crepe  in  to  that  hole 
for  twenty  pound,  but  I  wist  fyrst  what  is  tlierin;  nic 
thynketh  thut  ther  is  some  perylous  thyng.  But  I  shal 
ahyde  here  vnilerthis  tree,  yf  ye  wilgoo  thcrin  to  fore; 
but  eonie  anon  a;.Min,  and  hite  me  wete  what  tliyng  is 
therin.  Ye  i"Ui  many  a  subtyltc  and  wcl  helpc  your 
selfe,  and  moehc  better  than  1. 

See,  my  lord,  the  kynge  ;  thus  he  made  me,  iioure 
wiglit,  to  goo  to  fore  in  the  daunger  ;  and  he,  whiche 
is  grete,  longc,  and  stronge,  abode  withoute,  and  rested 
hym  iu  pees :  awaytc  yi'  I  dyde  not  for  him  there.  I 
wold  not  sulVre  the  drede  and  fere  that  I  there  sutt'red 
lor  al  the  good  in  erthe  ;  liut  yl'  1  wyste  how  to  eseape. 
i  wente  hardyly  in.  I  fondr  tiie  way  derke,  longe,  and 
brood.  Kr  1  right  in  the  hind  eam,  s*^)  espyed  I  a  grete 
light;  whiche  cam  in  fro  that  one  syde  ;  tlitr  layr  in  a 
grete  ape  with  tweyne  grete  wydc  eyen,  and  tiiey 
glymmed  as  a  fyre.  And  she  had  a  grete  mouth  witii 
large  teeth,  and  sharp  naylles  on  hir  feet,  and  on  her 
liaiiili-,-.  1  wende  hit  had  l)e  a  mermoyse,  a  banbyn, 
or  a  mereatte,  for  I  ^awe  never  fowler  bee>t.  And  by 
her  laye  thre  of  her  ehildreii,  whiehe  were  right  fowle; 
for  they  were  right  lyke  tlie  moder.  \\  lian  they  sjiwo 
me  come,  they  gapetlen  wyde  on  me,  and  were  al  htylle. 

1  was  aferd,  an<l  wold  wel  I  had  Ih-ii  tiiens  ;  but  I 
thoughte,  I  am  therin,  I  must*'  ther  tliurgh,  and  couk' 
out  as  wel  as  I  nuiye.  As  I  .-awe  her  me  thou;:iit  >he 
semed  nmre   than  Y,-ei:i")  m  tin;  wulf.      And  her  thyl- 


138         TIIYSTOUVI-:  OF  KKVNAUI)  TIIK  KOXK. 

(Iruii  wurc  inorc  tliaii  I.  1  siiwc  never  a  loulci- 
ineyiie  ;  they  leye  on  luwie  heye  which  was  iil  Ix- 
fouled.  They  were  byslabbcJ  and  byclaggcd  to  their 
ores  to  in  her  owen  dongc.  Hit  stanke  that  I  was 
almost  smoldred  therof.  I  durst  not  saye  but  good  ; 
and  thenne  I  said,  Aunte,  goed  gyve  yow  good  dayc, 
and  alio  my  cusyns,  your  fayr  chyldreii,  they  be  of 
theyr  age  the  fayre.st  that  ever  I  sawe.  O  Lord  God! 
how  wel  plesc  they  nic  ;  how  lovely,  how  fayr  ben 
they.  Eche  of  them  for  their  beaute  niyght  be  a  grete 
kyngis  sone.  Of  right  we  ought  to  thanke  yow,  that 
ye  thus  encrece  oure  lygnage.  Dere  aunte,  whan  I 
herde  saye  that  ye  were  delyverd  and  Icyd  down,  I 
eoude  no  lenger  abyde,  but  muste  come  and  frendly 
vysite  yow.      I  am  sory  that  1  liail  not  erst  knowcn  it. 

lieynard,  cosyn,  saide  he,  ye  be  welcome  f(»r  that  ye 
liavc  founde  me,  and  thus  come  see  me,  1  thanke  yow. 
Dere  cosyn,  ye  be  right  trewe,  and  named  right  wyso 
in  alle  londes,  and  also  that  ye  gladly  furthrc  and 
brynge  your  lignage  in  grete  worship.  Ye  muste 
teche  my  chyldix'n  with  theyouris,  som  wysedom,  that 
they  may  knowe  what  they  shal  doo  and  leue.  1  have 
thought  on  yow  ;  for  gladly  ye  goo  and  felowship  with 
the  good. 

O,  how  wel  was  I  plesyd  whan  I  horde  thise  wordes. 
This  deservyd  I  at  the  begynnyng  whan  I  callyd  her 
aunte  ;  how  be  it  that  she  was  nothyng  sybbe  to  me  ; 
for  my  right  aunte  is  dame  Kukenawe,  that  yonder 
standeth,  whichc  is  woned  to  brynge  fortli  wise  chyl- 
dren.     I  saide,  Aunte,  my  lyf  and  my  good  is  at  your 


TIIYSTOKVK  dl'  UKVNAIM)  Mir.  roXK.  l.*>!* 

(-oininiinilc'inciit ;  and  what  I  may  tluo  lor  yow  l>y 
iiyirlit  ami  hy  daye.  I  wyllc  gladly  U'v]ut  tlicin  alli- 
1  fail.  1  woldc  tayii  have  be  tlieiis  tor  the  stoiudie  ol 
llieni,  and  also  1  had  i)yte  of  the  grcte  hongre  that 
isegrym  had. 

I  saide,  A  unto,  I  shal  eoimnytt!  yuii  and  your  layr 
chyldrcn  to  Ciod,  and  take  my  leve.  My  wyl'  shal 
tliynkc  longe  after  ine. 

Dere  cosyn,  said  she,  ye  shal  notdeparte  til  ye  have 
I'tcn,  for  yf  ye  dyde,  1  wold  saie  ye  were  not  kynde. 
i'ho  .stode  she  up,  and  Itrought  me  in  an  other  hool, 
where  as  was  nioehe  mi'tc  of  hertcs  and  hyndcs,  roes, 
tcsanntfs,  partryehs,  and  moche  otlu-r  vcnyson,  that  I 
wondn-d  fret  wiieiis  al  this  mete  myght  eome.  And 
wlian  I  had  eaten  my  bely  ful,  she  gafme  a  gretc  pece 
of  an  hynde  for  to  etc  wyth  my  wyf  and  wytli  my 
houshold  whan  I  come  homo.  I  was  ashamctl  to  take 
it;  but  I  myght  none  other  wysc  doo.  I  thankyil  her. 
and  toki-  my  Icvc  She  l»ail  nic  I  slmld  ciinic  suiic 
agavn.  I  sayd,  I  wohl  ;  and  so  departed  tliens 
iiiervly,  that  1  .so  wel  had  spedde. 

I  hasted  me  out,  and  wlian  I  earn  and  sawc  Y.segrym, 
whiche  laye  gronyng  ;  and  I  axed  liyni  Imw  he 
ferde;  he  said,  Ncvew,  al  evyll,  for  it  is  wonder  that 
I  Ivve.  liryngt'  ye  ony  nietc  to  ete,  I  (leye  for  lionger. 
'riin  had  I  eomjiassion  of  hyni,  and  gaf  livm  tliat  I 
had.  and  saved  hyin  there  his  lyt";  whemf  thenne  he 
thanked  me  gretely  ;  how  be  it  that  he  now  owetli  me 
evyl  wyl. 

lie  had  eten  tliis  vp  anon.    I'hn,   .»aiil   he.    Re\  nard. 


140  TIIVSTOUYK  OF  KKYX.M;n  TIIK  FOXK, 

ilere  cosyn,  what  loinl<-  ye  in  tliat  liool?  I  am  more 
hongry  now  than  I  was  to  fore  ;  my  teeth  ben  now 
sharped  to  cte.  I  said  thenne,  Eme,  haste  yow  thenne 
lyghtly  in  to  that  hool.  Ye  shal  fynde  there  ynough. 
There  lieth  inyn  auntc  wyth  lier  ch^lih-cn.  Yf  ye  wyl 
spare  the  trouth,  and  lye  grete  lesynges,  ye  shal  liave 
tliere  al  your  desire  ;  but,  and  ye  saye  trouth,  ye  shal 
take  harnie.  My  lord,  was  not  this  ynough  sayd  and 
warned,  who  so  wold  vnderstonde  it  that  al  that  he 
fonde  he  shold  saye  the  contrayre.  But  rude  and 
plompe  beestis  can  not  vnderstonde  wysdom ;  therfore 
hate  they  alle  subtyl  inuencions,  for  they  can  not  eon- 
ceyve  them.  Yet,  nevcrtheles,  he  saide  he  wolde  goo 
iiine,  and  lye  so  many  lesynges  er  he  sholde  myshappe, 
that  alle  man  slioldc  liavc  wondre  of  it;  and  so  wente 
forth  in  to  that  fowle  stynkyng  hool,  and  fonde  the 
marmosette.  She  was  lyke  the  devyl's  doughter,  and 
on  her  chyldren  hynge  moche  fylth  cloterd  in  gobettis. 

Tho  crydi-  In',  Ala.sl  me  growleth  of  thysc^  fowle 
nyckcrs,  come  tiiey  out  of  helle  ?  Men  may  make 
devylles  aferd  of  hem.  Goo  and  drowne  them,  that 
fvyl  mote  they  fare.  I  sawe  never  fowler  wormes  ; 
they  make  al  myn  hecr  to  stande  right  up. 

Sir  Ysegrym,  said  she,  what  may  I  doo  thcrto? 
they  ben  my  chyldren,  and  I  muste  be  their  moder. 
What  lyeth  that  in  your  waye  ?  Whether  they 
b«!  fowl  or  fayr  they  have  yow  nothyng  coste.  There 
hath  ben  one  to-day  byfore  yow,  whiche  was  to  them 
nyhe  of  kyn,  an<i  was  your  better  and  wyser  ;  and  he 
sayde  that    they    were    fayr.      Who    hath    sente   yow 


THYSTUKYK  OF  UKYNAUD  Till'.  FoXK.  1  II 

Iiytlior  with  tliyse  tyclynfres?  Daino,  wyl  ya  wytte,  I 
wylle  etc  of  your  mete  ;  hit  is  better  bestowed  on  me 
than  on  thyse  tbwle  wyghtcs.  She  said,  Heir  is  no 
mete.  He  saide,  Here  is  ynough  ;  and  ther  wyth  he 
sterte  with  his  hede  toward  the  mete,  and  wolde  have 
goon  in  to  the  hool  wher  the  mete  was.  But  myn 
aunte  sterte  vp  wyth  her  ehyldren,  and  ronne  to  hym 
wyth  their  sharp  longe  nayles  so  sore  that  the  l)lii(lc 
ran  over  his  eyen.  I  herde  hym  cry  sore  and  howle, 
but  I  knowe  of  no  defence  that  lie  made,  but  that  he 
ran  faste  out  of  the  huol.  And  he  was  there  eratchod 
and  bytcn  ;  and  many  an  huul  had  thfv  made  in  liis 
cote  and  skyn.  His  visage  was  alle  on  a  bh)od,  and 
ahnost  he  had  loste  Ids  one  ere.  He  groned  andcom- 
playned  to  me  sore. 

Thenne  asked  I  hym  yf  he  had  wel  lyed?  He  sayd, 
I  saide  lyke  as  I  sawe  and  fon<h,' ;  and  that  was  a 
fowle  bytche  with  many  fowle  wyghtis.  Nay  eme, 
said  I,  ye  shoUl  have  said,  Fayr  nccc,  liuw  fare  ye  and 
your  fair  ehyldren,  whii-hc;  ben  my  wel  belovidcosyns. 

The  wulf  sayd,  1  had  lever  that  they  were  hanged 
er  I  that  saide. 

Ye  cmc,  therefore  muste  ye  resscyue  sudn-  ni.iner 
payment.  Hit  is  better  other  while  to  lye  than  li>  sayc 
trouthe.  They  that  ben  better,  wyser,  and  strenger 
than  We  be,  have  doon  so  to  fore  vs. 

See,  my  lord  the  kyng,  thus  gate  he  his  re<le  royf. 
Now  stondeth  he  al  so  symjily  as  he  knewe  no  harme. 
1  pray  yow  aske  ye  hym  yf  it  was  not  thu.->  ;  ho  was 
not  fer  of,  }  f  I  wote  it  wel. 


142  TIIYSTORYK  OK  KKYNAKD  TIIK  I'OXK. 

UOW  YSEGRYM  PBOFERD  HIS  GLOVF.  TO  THK  FOXK  Full  TO  FYGHT 
WVTII   IIVM. 

CAPITULO  XXXV. 

Tlio  wiilt'  say<l,  I  may  wcl  forbere  your  inockes  und 
your  scorncs,  ami  also  your  fi-lle  venymous  wordes, 
stronj;  tliecf  that  yc  ar.  Ye  saido  that  I  was  almost 
dede  tor  hungre  when  ye  helpe  mc  in  my  nede.  Tliat 
is  falsely  lyed,  for  it  was  but  a  boon  that  ye  gat"  to  me, 
ye  had  eten  away  alle  the  flessh  that  was  theron.  And 
ye  mocke  me  and  saye  that  I  am  hongry  here  where  I 
stande  ;  that  toucheth  my  worship  to  nygh.  What 
many  a  spyty  worde  have  ye  brought  forth  wyth  false 
lesyngis  ;  and  that  I  have  conspyred  tlic  kynges  detli 
fro  the  trcsour  that  ye  have  seidto  hym  is  in  Ilulsterlo. 
And  ye  have  also  ray  wyf  shamed  and  sklandred  that 
ye  shal  never  recovre  it,  and  I  shold  ever  be  diswf»r- 
shipped  therby,  yf  I  avengyd  it  not.  I  have  forborn 
yow  longe,  but  now  yc  shal  not  escape  me.  I  can  not 
make  licrof  greet  preof  ;  Imt  I  saye  here  to  fore  my 
lord,  and  to  fore  alle  them  that  ben  here,  that  thou  art 
a  false  traytour  and  a  morderar  ;  and  that  shal  I  prove 
and  make  good  on  thy  body  wythin  lystes  in  the  felde, 
and  that  body  ayenst  body,  and  thenne  shal  our  stryf 
have  an  ende.  And  therto  I  caste  to  the  my  glove  ; 
and  take  thou  it  up.  I  shal  have  right  of  the  or  deye 
therfore. 

Reynard  the  foxe  thought  how  come  I  on  this  cam- 
pyng,  we  ben  n(jt  Ijothc  lyke.  I  shal  not  wel  come 
stonde  ayenst  this  stronge  theef  ;  all  my  proof  is  now 
come  to  an  ende. 


THYSTORYK  OI'  HKVN.MM)  TIIK  I'OXi:.  1  l-o 

IIOWK    TltK    Fi>XK   TOKK    VI*    THK    C.I.OVK.       AM)  HOW  TUK.  KYNUK 

8KTTK  TO  TIIKM   DAYK  AM)  FKLDK  FOH  TO  COMK 

AM)  UOO  TIIKVn  IJATTAYLLK. 

CAPITILO   XXXVJ. 

Ytt,  tlioiij^rht  tlif  foxo,  I  luive  good  avauntarrc.  Tin- 
claw  (.'s  <il"  Ills  fore  tuft  ben  of,  and  liis  feet  bcu  yet  son' 
tliontf;  wlian  for  my  sake  hr  was  viislioed.  lie;  slial  be 
soiiiwliat  tlie  weyker.  Tlienne,  said  the  foxe,  Wlio 
that  saitli  tliat  I  am  a  traytour  or  a  morderar,  I  sale  lie 
lirth  falsely,  and  that  art  thou  specyally,  Yscgrym. 
Thou  brynjrest  me  there  as  I  wolde  be.  This  have  I  ofte 
desyred.  Lol  here  is  my  pledge,  that  allc  thy  wordcs 
ben  falls  ;  and  that  I  shal  defcndc  me,  and  make  irood 
that  thou  lyest, 

riu!  kynge  receyvyd  the  plegges,  and  amyttcd  tin 
Itatryll,  and  askt-il  borowes  of  them  bothe,  that  on  the 
morn  they  shold  come  and  })arforme  theyr  batayll,  and 
doo  as  they  ought  to  doo.  Tiien  the  bere  and  cattc 
were  borowes  for  the  wnlf;  and  inr  the  fox»;  wen- 
borowys  (irymbert  the  dasse,  and  llyttinvs. 


HOW  Kl-KF.SAWK  TIIK  SIIK  AI'K  for.NSKVI.I.KD  Till:  FOXK  II(»\V   III. 
BlIULUi:  IIVIIAIK  IIVM   IN  Tilt  FKLDK  AVKNM     I  II)    \M  I  ) 

<  AI-ITULO  XXXVIJ. 

The  she  ape  saidc  to  tlie  foxe,  Keyner,  ncvcw,  see 
tiiat  yc  take  hcdo  in  your  batayll  ;  be  colde  and  wyse. 
V<»ur  eme  taught  nw  ones  a  ])rayer  that  is  of  iiioehe 
vertue  to  hym  that  .-ha!  fvghtf  ;  and  a  gretc  inaistcr, 
and  a    wyse  clerk,    and   wa^   abbot  of  Hoiidelo,    that 


14-1<         TIIVSTOKVF,  OF  RF.VNARD  TlIK  FOXH. 

tauglitcil  liyii>.  lie  saiilc,  Who  flcit  8ay<lc  deiioutly 
this  prayer  fustyng,  shal  not  tliat  day  be  overcomen  in 
batayl,  nc  in  fygliting.  Therforc,  dcre  ncuew,  be  not 
afenl,  I  sbal  rede  it  over  yow  to-morow  ;  thcnnc  may 
yc  be  sure  ynough  of  the  wiilf".  Hit  is  Ix-ttrc  to  tVghte 
than  to  liave  the  ncoke  asondre.  I  thankc  yow,  den; 
aunte,  said  tlie  foxe.  The  quarel  that  I  have  is  right- 
ful, therfore  I  liope  I  shal  spede  wel  ;  and  that  shal 
gretely  be  niyne  helpe. 

Alio  his  lygnage  abede  by  hym  al  the  nyght,  and 
helpe  hym  to  dryve  a  way  the  tj-me. 

Dame  Rukenawe  the  she  ape,  his  aunte,  thnughte 
alway  on  his  prouff'yt  and  fordele  ;  and  she  dyde  alle  liis 
heer  fro  the  heed  to  the  tayl  be  shorn  of  sniothe;  and 
she  annoyted  alle  his  body  wyth  oyle  of  olyve.  And 
thenne  w^as  his  body  al  so  glat  and  slyper,  that  the  wull" 
sholde  have  none  holdc  on  hym.  And  he  was  rounde 
and  fatte  also  on  his  body.  And  she  said  to  hym, 
Dcre  cosyn,  yc  mustc  now  drynkc  niochc,  that  to-mor- 
row ye  may  the  better  when  ye  come  to  the  felde. 
And  whan  nede  is  and  tyme,  so  shal  yc  iil  your  rowhe 
tayll,  and  smytc  the  wulf  thcrwytli  in  his  bcrde.  And 
yf  ye  myght  hytte  hym  therwyth  in  his  eyen,  thenne 
shal  ye  byneme  hym  his  syght,  that  shold  moche 
hyndrc  hym.  But  ellis,  hold  alway  your  tayl  faste 
bytwene  your  legges  that  he  catch  you  nottherby;  and 
liolde  down  your  cris  lycng  plat  after  your  heed  that 
lie  holdc  you  not  thcrby.  And  sec  wisely  to  yourself; 
and  at  begynnyng  flee  fro  his  strokes,  and  let  hym 
spryngc  and  renne  after  you,  and  renne  to  fore  where 


TIIYSTOltYK  OF  RI",V\AUI)  Till'.  KoXK.         14") 

us  inostt-  ilii>t  is  ;  aii<l  >t}iv  it  wytli  your  feet,  that  it 
may  flee  in  liis  eyeii  aiitl  that  .-Iial  iikkIic  Iiyiidi-f  his 
syjrht.  And  whyle  lie  rul)l)eth  his  eyen  take  your 
auantage,  and  sniyte  and  liyte  hyni  there  as  ye  may 
most  hurte  hym  ;  and  allewayto  liytte  li3'ni  \\'yth  your 
tayll  lul  in  his  visage,  and  that  slial  make  hym  so  woo 
that  he  shal  not  wyte  where  he  is.  And  late  hym 
rennc  after  yow  lor  to  make  hym  wery;  yet  his  feet 
ben  sore  of  that  ye  made  hym  to  lose  his  shooes,  and 
though  he  be  greet  he  hath  no  herte.  Neuew,  eer- 
taynly  this  is  my  eonnsoyll. 

The  eoimyng  goth  to  fore  strengthe,  thcrfore  see  for 
your  .-ilf,  and  sette  your  sell'  wyscly  attc  defence,  that 
ye  ami  we  alle  may  have  worsiiip  tht-rof  ;  I  wold  be 
sory  yf  y<'  myshappcd.  I  shal  ti-che  you  the  wordes 
that  your  erne  ^lertyn  taught  nu-,  that  ye  may  o\er- 
eome  your  enemye,  as  1  hope  yow  shal  dou  wytliout 
doubt. 

'I'iu-rwyth  she  Icydc  hrr  hand  v|M)n  his  iicfd,  and 
saide  these  wordes,  Hlaenic  Shay  Alplii  uio,  Kaslnic 
(iorsons  alsbuifrio.  Neuew,  now  be  ye  sure  iVo  alle 
mysehief  an<l  dre(le  ;  and  I  eounseyle  yow  that  ye 
rcstc  yow  a  lytyl,  for  it  is  by  the  daye  y»>  •"hat  be  the 
better  dysposed.      AVe  shal  awake  y<»u  al  in  tym(>. 

Aunte,  said  the  foxe,  I  am  nt>w  glad.  Clod  thanke 
you,  ye  have  <lon  tti  ine  suehe  g(M»d.  I  ran  never 
deserve  it  fully  agayn.  Mi-  thynketh  iher  iii;iy  no 
thynge  hurte  me,  syfh  that  ye  have  said  thyse  holy 
wonles  over  me. 

Tho  wente  he  amlleyd  hym  down  vndera  tre  in  the 

1 


14(!  TIJVSTOUYK  OK  KKYNAUD  Till:  KOXE. 

grasse  and  slopte  tyl  the  sonno  wiisrysi-n  ;  tliocani  tlic 
otter  and  waked  liyin,  and  l»ad  liym  arysc,  and 
gaf  hyni  a  good  yong  doke,  and  said,  Dere  cosyn,  1 
have  this  nyght  made  many  a  leep  in  the  water  cr  1 
coude  gette  this  yong  fattc  doke.  I  have  taken  it  fro 
a  fowler.     Take  and  etc  it. 

Rcynart  saydo,  Tliis  is  goodhansclo,  yf  I  refused  tiiis 
I  were  a  fool.  I  thanke  you,  cosyn,  that  ye  remeinbre 
me.  Yf  I  lyve,  I  shal  rewarde  yow.  The  foxe  ete 
the  doke  with  oute  sawce  or  breed  ;  it  sauourd  hym 
Avcl,  and  wente  wel  in.  And  he  drankc  therto  iiij 
grete  draughtis  of  water,  thenne  wente  he  to  the 
bataylle  wainle,  mid  allc  they  that  luiiyil  hym  wente 
wyth  hym. 


HOWE  THK  FOXE  CAM  IN  TO  THE  FELDE,  AM)  HOW  THEY 
FOf'UIITEN. 

CAI'ITII.O  XXXVIIJ. 

Whan  the  k}Tige  sawe  Reynart  thus  sliorn  and  oyled 
lie  said  to  him,  Ey  fo.xe,  how  wel  ean  ye  .<ee  for  your 
self  ?  He  wondred  therof  he  was  fowle  to  loke  on. 
But  the  foxe  saide  not  one  worde,  but  kncled  down 
lowe  to  therthe  vnto  the  kynge  and  to  the  <iueni',  and 
stryked  hym  forth  in  to  the  felde. 

Thewulfwas  ther  redy  and  spack  many  a  proud 
word.  The  rulers  and  kepars  of  the  felde  was  the 
lupacrt  and  the  losse.  They  brought  forth  the  booke, 
on  whiche  sware  the  wulf  that  the  foxe  was  a  traytour 
and  a  morderar,  and  none  myght  be  falser  than  he  was; 


TUYSTOliYK  OK  KKYNAKD  TIIK  FOXK.  1  1^7 

ami  that  lie  wnM  imiu.'  on  his  hody  ami  make;  it  l'i'imI. 
Ueynart  the  Ibxe  sware  that  ho.  lycd  as  a  false  knave 
ami  a  ciirsyil  thoef,  ami  that  he  wohl  doo  good  on  hiij 
body.  Wiian  this  wa.s  don,  thi'  frovononrs  of  the  fclde 
liail  thcMi  duo  thcyr  dciinyr.  'rhiiun'  roiinil  they  alli> 
tlu-  tt'ldf,  sauf  Dame  Kukcnawt'  the  she  ape  ;  she  aliode 
l»y  the  foxo,  and  bad  hyin  renicnibre  wel  the  wordes 
that  she  had  sayd  to  hyni.  She  said,  See  wel  too  ;  whan 
ye  were  vii.  yer  olde  ye  were  wyse  ynouj^li  to  goo  by 
iiyght  wythout  lanternc,  or  mono  shyne,  whore  yo  wysto 
to  wynno  ony  gooilo.  Ye  bon  named  emong  the  j)e|de 
wy.-i'  and  .-ubtyl,  |iayne  your  sell"  to  wcrke  soo  that  ye 
\synne  the  prys,  tlnnne  may  ye  have  ever  honour  and 
worship,  and  al  we  that  ben  your  Irendys. 

lie  answerd,  My  dercst  aunto,  I  knowc  it  wel.  1 
shal  doo  njy  besto,  and  thynkc  on  your  counsoyl.  I 
hope  so  to  doo  that  alio  my  lignage  shal  have  worship 
theri>y,  ami  myn  onemyes  shame  and  eoui'usion.  She 
saydo,  God  graunte  it  yow. 


MOW  Tin;  roXK  ANU  TIIK   WII.F  For<illTKN  TO  UYIUtK. 
CAI'1TI:L0  XXXIX. 

Therwyth  she  wentc  out  of  the  feldo,  and  let  them 
twoync  goo  to  gydre.  The  wulf  trade  forth  to  the  foxo 
in  grete  wrath,  and  opened  his  fore  feet,  and  -iipposcd 
to  have  taken  the  foxo  in  hem;  but  the  foxe  sprang  fro 
hym  lyghtly;  for  he  was  lyghter  to  foto  than  he.  The 
wulf  sprange  after  and  hunted  the  foxe  sore.  Thoyr 
frendes  stodo  without  tin-  ly.»tes  and  lokcd  vpon   hem. 

L  2 


l-iS  TllVSTORVK  or  KHYNAUD  Till:  KOXK. 

The  Willi"  strode  wydi-r  than  Ivcvnai'il  dyilc,  and  ofto 
overtoke  hyni,  and  lytU-  vp  Iiis  foot  and  wcnde  tn  hauc 
sniyten  hyni,  but  the  foxc  sawe  to,  and  smote  hyin 
wyth  ids  rowhe  tayle  al  in  his  visage.  Tlio  wendc  the 
wulf  to  Iiavo  IxMi  plat  blyndc.  Thenne  niiiste  he  restc 
for  to  make  clene  his  eyen. 

Keyner  thoughte  on  his  fordele,  and  stode  above  the 
wynde  skrabbing  and  casting  wytli  his  feet  the  duste, 
that  it  flewe  the  wulfis  eyen  ful.  The  wulf  was  sore 
blynded  therwyth,  in  suche  wyse  that  he  muste  leve 
tlie  rennyng  after  hym,  for  the  sonde  eleuytl  vnder  his 
eyen  that  it  smarted  so  sore  that  he  muste  rubbe  and 
wasshe  it  a  way. 

Tho  cam  Keyner  in  a  grete  angre,  and  bote  hyni 
thre  grete  woundes  on  his  heed  wyth  his  teetli,  and 
said,  What  is  that,  syr  wulf?  hath  one  there  byten 
yow  ?  how  is  it  wyth  yow  ?  I  wyl  al  otherwyse  on 
yow  yet.  Abyde  I  shal  brynge  yow  somme  newe 
thyng.  Ye  have  stole  many  a  laml)e,  and  destroyed 
many  a  symple  beest ;  and  now  falsely  have  appeled  me 
and  brought  me  in  this  trouble.  Al  this  shal  I  now 
auenge  on  the.  I  am  chosen  to  reward  the  for  tliyn 
old  synnes,  for  good  wyl  no  longer  sufTre  the  in  thy 
grete  rauyn  and  shrewdnes.  I  shal  now  assoylle  the. 
and  that  shal  be  good  for  thy  sowle.  Take  pac-iently 
this  penaunce,  for  thou  shalt  lyuc  no  longer.  'J'he  helle 
shal  be  thy  purgatoi-ye.  Thy  lyf  is  now  in  my  mercy; 
but,  and  yf  thou  wilt  knele  down  and  aske  me  forgyf- 
nes,  and  knowlcchc  th(,'  to  be  overcomen  ;  yet,  though 
thou    be    evyl,    yet    1    wyl    spare    the,   i'or    my     con- 


i 


TIIYSTOIIYH  OF  KKYNAUl)  Till;  lOXK.  1  11) 

science   coiinsclleth   inc    I    .slioUl    not    ghuUy    slee   no 
iiiun. 

li^egryn  wcmlc  wytli  tliyse  niockyng  iind  spytous 
wonlcs  to  have  goon  out  of  liis  wytte  ;  and  tliat  dercd 
liyin  .so  nioclie  that  he  wyste  not  what  to  .saye  bull"  ne 
balf,  he  was  so  angry  in  his  Iierte.  The  woundes  that 
Reynart  had  given  hyni  bledde,  and  snierted  sore  ;  and 
he  thought  how  he  myghte  best  auenge  it. 

Wyth  grete  angre  he  lyft  vp  his  foot  and  smote  the 
foxe  on  the  heed,  so  grete  a  stroke,  that  he  fyl  to  tlie 
ground.  Tlio  sterte  tlie  wulf  to,  and  weiide  to  have 
take  hyni  ;  but  the  foxe  was  lyght  and  wyly,  and  roose 
lyghtly  \p  and  uiette  wyth  hyni  lier.-ly,  and  there 
began  a  felle  bataylle  whiehe  dured  longe.  Tlic  wulf 
had  grete  spyte  on  llie  ft)xe,  as  it  wel  seined,  lie 
sprange  after  hyni  x  times  eehe  after  other,  and  wold 
fayn  have  had  hyiu  I'a.-tr,  but  iii.s  .skyu  was  so 
slyper  and  falte  of  tiie  oyK,  tiiat  alway  he  escaped  fro 
hym.  OI  so  subtyl  and  snelle  was  the  foxe,  that 
many  tymf>,  whan  the  wulf  wcndc  wel  to  be  sure  of 
iiini,  he  stt-rtc  tiienne  bytwcne  his  legges,  and  vndre 
his  bely,  and  theiine  torned  he  agayn  and  gaf  the  wulf 
a  stroke  wyth  his  tayl  in  liis  eyen,  that  Isegryn  wende 
he  shohl  haue  losle  his  syght  ;  and  tliis  dydc  lie  often 
tymes. 

And   alway,   wli.iu  In-    had    >o  >iin  ten   hvni,   tin  iiu 
wold  lie  goo  uboue  tin;  wyndeand  reyse  the  dusle,  llmt 
it  made  his  eyen  ful  of  stufs. 

Isegrym  was  wo  begon,  and  thought  in-  was  at  av^ 
aftcrdele.      Yet  wa.s  his  strcngthe   and   mvght    mocho 


!.',()         TIIYSTOItYlC  or  KKYNAkI)  THE  FOXE. 

\  more  thtin  the  luxes.  K(;yiuinl  luul  many  a  sore  stroke 
ot"  hym  wliun  lie  ranglit  liym.  Tlie  jraf  eclie  other 
many  a  stroke  and  many  a  byte  whan  they  sawe  theyr 
anaimtage  ;  anil  eehe  of  hem  <ly«le  his  best  to  de.stroye 
that  other.  I  ^vokl  I  myght  see  suehe  a  bataylle  :  that 
one  was  wyly  ami  that  other  was  stronge  ;  that  one 
faught  wyth  strengthe  and  that  other  wyth  subtylte. 

The  wulf  was  angry  that  the  foxe  endured  so  longc 
ayenst  hym.  Yf  his  formest  I'eet  had  ben  hole  the  foxe 
had  not  endured  so  longe  ;  but  the  sores  were  so  open 
that  he  myght  not  wel  renne,  and  the  loxe  myght  bet- 
ter ol"  and  on  than  he.  And  also  he  swange  his  tayl 
ofte  vnder  his  eyen,  and  made  hym  that  hym  thoughte 
that  his  eyen  shold  goo  out. 

Attc  laste  he  sayd  to  hym  self,  I  wyl  make  an  ende 
of  this  bataylle.  How  longe  shal  this  eaytyf  dure  thus 
ayenst  nie.  I  am  so  grete,  I  shold,  yf  I  laye  \\)on 
hym,  presse  hym  to  deth.  Hit  is  to  me  a  grete  shame 
that  1  spare  hym  so  longe.  Men  shal  moeke  and 
poynte  me  wyth  fyngrcs  to  my  shame,  and  reljuke,  for 
I  am  yet  on  the  werst  syde.  I  am  sore  wounded.  I 
blede  sore,  and  he  drowneth  me,  and  caste  so  mochc 
dust  and  sande  in  myne  eyen  that  hastely  I  shal  not 
conne  see.  Yf  I  sulire  hym  ony  longre,  I  wyl  sette  it 
in  auenture,  and  seen  what  shal  eome  therof. 
1  Wyth  that,  he  smote  wyth  his  foot  Keynard  on  the 
\  heed,  that  he  fyll  down  to  the  ground  ;  and  er  he  cowde 

,  aryse,  he  caught  hjin  in  his  I'eet  and  laye  vpon  hym  as 

Ihe  wold  haue  pressed  hym  to  deth. 
i    Tho  began  the  foxe  to  be  aferd,  and  so  were  alle 


TIIYSTORYK  0     UEYNAKD  TIIK  FdXK.         151 

his  frcndis,  wliaii  theysawc  hym  lye  viulor  ;  ami  on 
that  othiT  syde  alle  Yse^jrynis  frciuk's  were  ioycful  ami 
glad.  The  toxe  defended  liyin  faste  wyth  hiri  clawes,  as 
he  laye  vpward  wyth  his  feet  ;  and  gaf  hym  many  a 
elope.  The  wulf  durste  not  wyth  his  feet  doo  hym 
moche  harrae,  but  wyth  his  teeth  snatehcd  at  hym  as 
he  wold  have  byten  hym. 

^^'han  the  foxc  .sawe  that  he  shold  be  byten,  and  was 
in  grete  drede,  he  smote  the  wulf  in  the  heed  wyth  his 
formest  clawes,  and  tare  the  skynne  of  bytwcne  his 
browes  and  hys  eeris  ;  and  that  one  of  his  cyen  henge 
out ;  whiehe  dyde  him  moche  payne.  He  howlyd  ;  he 
wej)te;  he  cryde  lowde;  and  made  a  py teous  uoyse ;  for 
the  blodc  ranne  down  as  it  had  ben  a  streme. 


HOWE   TIIK    KOXK    nKYNc:    VMirjl    THK    WITLF  WYTH    FLATlillYSll 

WOKUE8  ULU.SKI)  II YM,  THAT  THE  FOXE  CAM 

TO  HIS  ADOUK  AGAYN. 

CAI'ITTLO    XL. 

'I'lic  wulfwypt  il  hi-  (  yi-ii.  Tlie  foxe  was  glail  whan 
he  sawc  that.  He  wrastle«l  so  sore,  that  he  sprang  on 
Ids  feet  whyk's  he  nibbrd  his  eyen.  The  wulf  was  not 
wel  plesyd  tlh-i  wyth  alle  ;  and  smote  after  hym  er  he 
escaped,  and  caught  hym  in  his  amies,  and  helde  hym 
fa^tc,  notwythstandyng  that  he  bleddo. 

Reynard  was  woo  thenne.  There  wrastletl  theylongo 
and  .-^ore.  The  wulf  wexc  so  angry  that  he  forgat  nl 
his  smartc  and  payne,  and  threw  the  foxe  al  plat  vnder 
hym.  whiehe  cam  hym  euyl  to  passe  :  for  his  one  hand 


152         THYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXE. 

by  wiiiclie  lie  deffendcd  hym  sterte  in  tlie  fallying  in  to 
Ysegryms  tlirote,  ami  tliunne  was  lie  aferd  to  lose  his 
hand. 

The  wulf  sayd  tlio  to  the  foxe,  Now  chese  whether 
ye  wyl  yelde  yow  as  ouercoine,  or  ellis  I  shal  certaynly 
,  slee  yow,  the  skatcryng  of  the  dust,  thy  mockyng,  ne 
tliy  detFence,  ne  alle  thy  false  wylys,  may  not  now  helpe 
the  ;  thou  mayeste  not  escape  nie.  Thou  hast  here  to 
fore  don  me  so  moche  luirnie  and  shame,  and  now  T 
haue  lost  myne  one  eye,  and  therto  sore  wounded. 

"Whan  Reynard  herde  that  it  stode  so  rowme,  that 
he  shold  chese  to  knowleche  hyra  ouercomen,  and  yelde 
hym,  or  ellis  to  take  the  deth,  he  thought  the  choys  was 
worth  ten  marke,  and  that  he  muste  saye  that  one,  or 
that  other,  he  had  anon  concluded  what  he  wold  sale, 
and  began  to  saye  to  hym,  wyth  fayr  wordes  in  this 
wyse :  Dere  eme,  I  wyl  gladly  become  your  man  wyth 
alle  my  good,  and  I  wyl  goo  for  you  to  the  holy  graue, 
and  shal  gete  pardon  and  wynnyng  for  your  cloistre, 
of  all  the  chyrches  that  ben  in  the  Holy  Lande,  whiche 
shal  moche  proutFyte  to  your  sowle,  and  your  elders' 
sowles  also.  I  trowe  tlier  was  neuer  suche  a  proufFre 
prouffred  to  ony  kynge.  And  I  shal  serue  you  lyke  as 
I  shold  serue  our  holy  fixder  the  pope.  I  shal  holde  of 
you  al  that  I  haue,  and  eucr  ben  your  seruaunt,  and 
forth  I  shal  make  that  al  my  lignage  shal  do  in  lyke 
wyse.  Thenne  shal  ye  be  a  lorde  aboue  all  lordes  ; 
who  shold  thenne  dare  doo  ony  thyng  ayenst  you  ?  and 
furthermore,  what  someuer  I  take  of  polaylle,  ghees, 
yiaitrvch,  or  plouyer,  fysshc,  or  flcsshe,  or  what  someuer 


TIIVSTOKYK  or  RKYNAIU)  TIIK  roXH.         l'),*] 

itbe,  thfi'of  slialyclyrst  luuio  the  choys,  ami  your  wyf,  ami 
your  chyUlren,  er  ony  come  in  my  body.  Thcrto  I  wyl 
alway  abyde  by  you,  that  where  ye  be  ther  shal  no  liurte 
ne  scathe  come  to  yow.  Ye  be  strong,  and  I  am  wyly  ; 
late  vs  abyde  to  gydre,  that  one  wyth  the  counseyl,  and 
that  other  wyth  the  dcde,  then  may  ther  nothyng  mys- 
ialle  to  us  warde,  and  we  ben  so  nygh  of  kynne  eche  to 
other,  that  of  right  shold  be  no  angre  bytwene  vs.  I 
wold  not  haue  Ibughten  ayenst  you  yf  I  niyght  haue 
escaped ;  but  ye  appeled  me  fyrst  vnto  fyghte  ;  tho 
muste  I  doo,  that  I  not  doo  wold  gladly.  And  in  this 
bataylle  I  haue  ben  curtoys  to  yow  ;  I  haue  nut  yet 
shewde  the  utterist  of  my  myght  on  yow,  lyke  as  I  wold 
haue  doon  yf  ye  had  ben  a  straungerto  me;  for  the  neuew 
ought  to  spare  the  erne.  It  is  good  reson,  and  it  ought 
so  to  bee.  Dere  erne,  so  haue  I  now  doo,  auil  that 
maye  ye  marke  wel,  whan  I  ran  to  fore  yow  ;  myn 
herte  wold  not  consente  therto,  for  I  myght  hauehurte 
yow  moehe  more  than  I  dydc,  hut  I  tliouirht  it  iicuer ; 
for  I  haue  not  hurte  you,  ne  don  yow  so  nuK-lu'  harm 
that  may  liyndre  yow,  sauf  oidy  that  myshappe  that  is 
fallen  on  your  eye.  Aili  I  tin  rion'  I  am  sory,  ami 
sufTre  moche  sorrow  in  njy  herte.  I  wold  wel,  dere 
emc,  that  it  had  not  hai)ped  yow,  but  that  it  had  fallen 
on  me,  so  that  ye  therwyth  had  ben  ple.-yd  ;  how  be  it 
that  ye  shal  haue  therby  a  grete  auaunta^^e,  fur  whan 
ye  here  after  shal  slepe,  ye  nedc  not  to  shette  but  one 
wyndowe  where  another  muste  siiette  two.  My  wyf 
and  my  chyldreu  ancj  uiy  lignagcshal  falledoun  to  your 
feet,  to  fore  the  kynge,  and  to  fore  all  them  that  ye  wyl 
desyre,   and  prayo  yow    humbly,    that    ye  wyl    .-uflVe 


154    THYSTORYK  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXE. 

Reynart,  your  iieiiew  lyue,  and  also  I  slial  knowcleche 
ofte  to  haue  trespaced  aycnst  yow,  and  what  lesynges  I 
haue  lycd  vpon  yow.  How  myfiht  ony  lord  hauc  more 
honour  than  I  protire  yow  ?  I  wold  ior  no  good  do  this 
to  another ;  therforc  1  i)ray  yow  to  be  plosyd  here 
wyth  al. 

I  wote  wel,  yt'  ye  wolde,  ye  niyght  now  slec  me, 
but  and  ye  so  don  liad,  what  had  ye  wonne.  So  muste 
ye  euer  after  this  tyme  kepe  yow  fro  my  frendes  and 
lignage.  Thcrfore  he  is  wyse  that  can,  in  his  angre, 
mesurc  hym  self,  and  not  be  ouer  hasty ;  and  to  see  wel 
what  may  falle  or  ha[)pe  afterward  to  hym,  what  man 
that  in  his  angre  can  wel  aduyse  hym,  certaynly  he  is 
wyse.  Men  tynde  many  fooles  that  in  bote  hasten  hem 
so  moche,  that  after  they  repente  hem,  and  thenne  it  is 
to  late.  But,  dere  eme,  I  trowe  that  ye  be  to  wyse  so 
to  doo.  Hit  is  better  to  haue  prys,  honour,  reste,  and 
pees,  and  many  frendes  that  be  redy  to  helpc  hym,  than 
to  haue  shame,  hurte,  vnreste,  and  also  many  enemyes 
lyeng  in  a  wayte  to  doo  hym  harme.  Also  it  is  lityl 
worship  to  hyni  that  hath  ouercomcn  a  man  thenne  to 
slee  hym,  it  is  a  grete  sliauie ;  not  ior  my  lyf,  though 
I  were  deed,  that  were  a  lyt}ll  hurte. 

Isegrym  the  wulf  said.  Ay,  theef,  how  fayn  woldest 
thou  be  loscd  and  dyscharged  fro  me,  that  here  I  wel 
by  thy  wordes.  Were  thou  now  fro  me  on  thy  free 
feet,  thou  woldest  not  sette  by  me  an  egge  shelle. 
Though  thou  promyscdest  to  me  alle  the  world  of  fyn 
rede  gold,  I  wold  not  late  the  escape.  I  sette  lytyl  by 
the,  and  alle  tliy  iVcndes  and  lignage.     AUe  that  thou 


TIIYSTORYK  or  UKVNAliD  THE  FOXE.         15.5 

hast  here  said  is  luit  Icsyngis  and  faynod  falsenes ; 
weiiest  thou  thus  to  deceyue  me.  It  is  Ion;:*'  .-}  tli  that 
I  kuewe  the.  I  am  no  byrde  to  be  loeiicd  ne  take  by 
dial".  I  know  wel  ynowh  good  corn.  C)  how  woldest 
thou  raocke  me  yf  I  lete  tlie  thus  escape  ?  thou  myght- 
e^st  wel  haue  said  this  to  one  that  knewe  the  not,  but  to 
me,  thou  losest  thy  llateryng  and  swete  floytyng,  for  1  / 
vnderstande  to  wel  thy  subtyl  lyeng  talys  ;  thow  hast  ' 
60  ofte  deceyued  me  that  me  behoueth  now  to  take  good 
hedc  of  the ;  thow  false  styiikyng  knaue,  thow  saist 
that  thou  hast  spared  me  in  this  batayl ;  loke  hether- 
ward  to  nu',  is  not  jnyn  one  eye  out,  and  tiierto  hast 
thou  Wduniled  me  in  xx.  places  in  my  heed  ;  thou  woldest 
not  sutlre  me  so  louge  to  reste  as  to  take  ones  my  breeth. 
I  were  oucr  moche  a  fool  yf  I  shold  now  spare  the,  or 
be  mercyful  to  the,  so  many  a  confusion  and  shame  thou 
hast  don  to  me  ;  and  that  al.o  that  touchcth  me  most  of 
alle,  tiiat  thou  hast  diswor-hijicd  and  sklaundred  Krs- 
wyn,  my  \\y\\  wlinm  I  Iduc  as  wel  as  my  self,  and 
falsely  dfceyuedest  her,  whiche  shal  neiier  out  of  my 
herte,  for  as  ofte  as  it  eometh  to  myn  mynde,  all  myn 
angre  and  hate  that  I  haue  to  the  reneweth. 

In  the  niene  wylle  that  Ysegrym  was  tlius  spekyng,  \ 
the  foxc  bithougiit  hym  how  he  myght  helpe  hym  self, 
and  stak  his  other  bond  after  bytwene  his  legges,  ami 
grepe  the  wulf  fast,  and  he  wnuige  hem  so  sore  that  for 
woo  and  payne  he  iiiuste  crye  lowde,  and  howle. 
Thcnne  the  foxe  drewe  his  otiier  honde  out  of  his 
raouth.  Tlie  wiilf  had  so  moche  payne  and  anguyssh 
of  the  sore  wryngyng  that  the  foxc  dowed  and  wn.nge 
that  ho  spytto  blood. 


loH         TIIYSTORYK  OF  UKYNAUr)  THE  FOXK. 

now  YSEGRYM  THE  WCLF  WAS  OUKRCOMKN,    ANU    HOW  THE 

BATAYL  WAS  TAKEN  VI>  AND  FYNY8SHED,  AND   HOW 

TUE  FOXE  HAD  THE  WOnSHII". 

CAl'ITCLO  XUI. 

This  paync  dydc  liym  more  sorow  and  woo  tluui  his  eye 
dyde,  that  so  sore  bledde,  and  also  it  made  liym  to 
ouerthrowe  alle  in  a  swowne,  for  he  had  so  mcjehc 
bledde,  and  also  the  thrcstyng  that  he  suflVed  made 
hym  so  faynt,  that  lie  had  lost  his  myj^ht. 

Thenne  Keynard  the  foxe  lepe  vpon  hym  wyth  al 
his  myght,  and  caught  hym  by  the  legges,  and  drewe 
hym  forth  thurgh  the  felde,  that  they  all  myght  see  it, 
and  he  stack  and  smote  hym  sore. 

Thenne  were  Ysegrym's  frendcs  al  l"ul  of  sorowe, 
and  wente  al  wepyng  vnto  theyr  lord  the  kynge,  and 
;  prayde  hym  that  he  wold  doo  sece  the  batayll,  and  taKu 
it  vp  in  to  his  handcs. 

I  The  kynge  graunted  it,  and  theinie  wente  the  kepars 
of  the  felde,  the  lupaerd  and  the  lossem,  and  saide  to 
the  foxe,  and  to  the  wulf.  Our  lord,  the  kynge,  wil 
speke  wyth  yow,  and  wyl  that  this  batayl  be  ended  ; 
he  wil  take  it  in  to  his  hand  ;  he  desyreth  that  ye  wyl 
gyue  your  stryf  vnto  liyni,  for  yJ"  ony  iA'  yow  here  were 
slayn,  it  shold  be  grete  shame  on  bothe  sydes.  For  ye 
haue  as  raoche  worship  of  this  felde  as  ye  maye  haue. 
And  they  sayde  to  the  foxe,  Alle  the  beestis  gyue  to 
yow  the  prys,  that  haue  seen  this  bataylle. 

The  foxe  said,  Therof  I  thanke  hem,  and  what  that 
shal  plese  my  lord  to  command,  that  shal  I  not  gayn- 
saye.     I  desire  no  better,  but  to  haue  wonne  the  felde. 


I 


TiivsTdiiVK  oi"  ur.YNAun  Tin:  F()\i:.       l>/ 

Late  my  frendes  coinc  Iictlicr  to  nic,  I  wil  take  aduyse 
of  them  what  I  shal  doo. 

Tliey  saide,  That  they  thought  it  good :  and  also  it 
was  reson  in  weyghty  matters,  a  man  slioUl  take  adiiys 
of  Iiis  frendis. 

Tiienne  came  dame  Slopeeade  and  Grymbert  the 
dasse,  her  husband;  dame  Kukenawc  wyth  lier  ii  sus- 
ters;  Bytchiys  and  Fuh(iiii])c,  her  two  sons,  and  Ilate- 
net  her  doughter ;  the  llyndermows,  and  the  wezel. 
And  ther  cam  moo  than  xx,  whiche  wouhl  not  have 
conien  yf  the  foxe  hail  lest  the  feeld.  So  who  that 
wynntth  and  conicth  to  hys  aboue,  he  getteth  grete 
loos  and  worship  ;  and  who  that  is  oveithrowen  and 
hath  the  werse,  to  hyni  wil  no  man  gladly  come.  Ther 
earn  also  to  the  foxe,  the  beuer,  the  otter,  and  bothe 
t' ,  yr  wyues  I\inthecrote  and  Ordegali'  ;  and  the 
ostrole,  the  niartre,  the  fychcws,  the  fyret,  the  mowse, 
and  the  scjuyrel,  and  many  moo  than  I  can  name  ;  and 
alle  byeause  he  ha<l  woime  the  feeld.  Ye  some  that  to 
fore  had  coinplayned  on  hym,  and  were  now  of  his 
next  kynne,  and  they  shewdf  hyin  right  iVendly  cliitT 
and  eontenanee.  Thus  fanth  the  world  now:  ^\  ho 
that  is  riche  and  high  on  the  wheel,  he  hath  many 
kynnesmcn  and  frendes  that  shal  lulpe  to  here  out  his 
welthc.  But  who  that  is  ncdy  and  in  payne,  or  in 
poverte,  fyndcth  but  few  frendes  and  kynnesmcn  ;  for  | 
every  man  almost  eshewcth  his  companye  and  waye. 

There  was  then  no  grete  fcste  :  they  blewc  up 
trompettis  ami  pypcd  wytli  shalmoyscs.  They  saydcn 
alle,  Dere    nenew,  bles.-yd   l)e   (iodthat  ye  haue   sped 


1.58  TIIYSTORYi;  OF  HKYNAKI)  TIIK  FOXK. 

wel.  Wc  were  in  gretc  dreile  ami  i'erc  whan  we  saw 
yow  lye  vnder. 

Reynart  the  foxe  thaukcLl  alle  them  frendly,  ami 
resceyued  them  with  grete  joye  and  gladnes.  Thenne 
he  asked  ol"  them,  what  they  couns^t-ylled  liym  ;  yf  he 
sholde  gyue  the  lelde  vnto  the  kynge  or  no.  Dame 
81oi)ecade  sayde,  Ye  hardcly  cosyn.  Ye  may  wyth 
worship  wel  sette  it  in  to  his  handes,  and  truste  hym 
wel  ynough. 

Tho  wente  they  alle  wyth  the  kepars  of  the  fclde 
vnto  the  kynge,  and  Reynard  the  foxe  wente  to  fore 
them  alle  wyth  trompes  and  pypes,  and  moche  other 
mynstralcye.  The  foxe  kneled  down  to  fore  the  kynge. 
The  kynge  bad  hym  stand  vp,  and  said  to  hym,  Rey- 
nard ye  he  nowjoyeful.  Ye  have  kepte  your  day  wor- 
shipfidly.  I  discharge  yow,  and  late  yow  goo  freely 
quyte  where  it  plesyth  yow.  And  the  debate  bytweue 
yow  I  holde  it  on  nie,  and  shal  discusse  it  by  reson  and 
by  counscyl  of  noble  men,  and  wil  ordeync  therof  that 
ought  be  doon  by  reson,  at  suche  tymc  as  Yysegrym 
shal  be  hool.  And  thenne  I  shal  sende  for  yow  to  come 
to  me  ;  and  thenne,  by  Goddes  grace,  1  shal  yeue  out 
the  sentence  and  j  ugcment. 


AN  ENSAMPLE  THAT  THE  FOXE  TOLDE  TO  THE  KYNCE  WHAN 
HE  HAD  WONNE  THE  FELDE. 

CAPITULO  XLIJ. 

iNIy  worthy  and  dere  lord,  the  kynge,  saide  the  foxe, 
I   am  wel  agreed  and   ]>ayd   therwytli.     But  whan    I 


TIIVSTOKVK  OF  RKVNAKD  TIIK  KOXK.  I  •")!) 

cam  fyrst  in  your  court,  tin  r  wore  many  that  were 
felle  and  cniiyous  to  nic,  whiclie  never  hail  hurte  ne 
cause  of  scathe  by  me,  but  they  thoii-^'ht  that  they 
myght  beste  over  me.  And  alle  they  cryden  wyth  myn 
enemyes  ayenst  me,  and  wold  fayn  haue  destroyed  me, 
by  cause  they  thought  that  the  wult'was  better  with- 
holden  and  gretter  wyth  you  than  I  was,  whiche  am 
your  humble  subget.  They  kncwe  none  other  thynge 
why  ne  wherfore.  They  thoughtc  not  as  the  wyse  be 
woncd  to  doo,  tliat  is  what  the  end  may  happen.  My 
Ionic,  thyse  ben  lykc  a  grete  heepof  houndes  whiclie  I 
ones  saw  stonde  at  a  lordes  place  vpon  a  donghil, 
where  as  they  awayted  that  men  sholde  brynge  them 
mete.  Thenne  sawe  they  an  hound  come  out  of  the 
kychen,  and  had  taken  there  a  fayr  r}'bbe  of  beef  er  it 
was  gyuen  hym,  and  he  ran  fast  away  wyth  all.  But 
the  cook  had  espyed  or  he  wcnte  away,  and  took  a  grete 
bolle  ful  of  scaldyng  water  and  caste  it  on  his  hyppes 
behyndc,  ;  wherofhe  thankyd  nothyng  tiie  cook,  for  the 
beer  behynde  was  skaldcd  of,  and  his  skyn  semed  as  it 
had  be  thurgh  sodcn.  Ncvertheles  he  escaped  away, 
and  keptc  that  be  had  woniic'  And  wliaii  his  felaws, 
the  otiicr  houndes,  saw  hym  come  wytli  this  fayr 
rybbe,  they  called  hym  allc,  and  saidc  to  hym,  (),  how 
good  a  frendc  is  the  cook  to  tlic,  whidic  hath  gyuen  to 
the  so  good  a  boone  whcron  his  so  moche  llcssh.  The 
hound  saide.  Ye  knowe  nothyng  thcrof ;  ye  preyse  mc 
lyke  as  yc  sec  mc  to  fore  wyth  tiiis  bone,  but  ye  hauo 
not  seen  me  behynde.  Take  hede  and  Ijcholdc  mc  after- 
ward on  myne  buttokkis,  and  thcnncyc  shal  knowe  how 
I  haue  deseruyd  it. 


160         TIIYSTORYK  OF  REYN.\U!)  THH  roXK. 

And  wliiiii  tlicy  liail  seen  Iiym  Ixjliymlc  on  liis  liyppos, 
how  that  his  skynne  and  his  llessh  was  al  rawe  an<l 
thurgli  sodon  ;  the  growled  thcin  alio,  and  were  afcrd 
of  that  syedyng  water,  and  wold  not  of  his  felawship, 
but  fleddc  and  ran  away  from  hyin,  and  lete  hyni  there 
allone.  See,  my  lord,  this  right  haue  thyse  false 
beestis,  whan  they  be  made  lordes  and  may  gete  their 
desire,  aM<I  wlian  they  be  iiiy;.fhty  ami  doubted,  tlienne 
ben  thoy  extoreionners  and  scatte  and  pylle  the  peple, 
and  eten  them  lyke  as  they  were  forhongred  houndes. 
These  ben  they  that  here  the  bone  in  her  mouth.  No 
man  dar  haue  to  doo  wyth  hem,  but  preyse  alle  that 
they  bedryve.  No  man  dar  saye  other  wyse,  but  suche 
as  shal  plese  hem  by  cause  they  wold  not  be  shorn  ; 
and  ,<onime  helpe  them  forth  in  tluyr  vniyghtwys  dedes 
by  cause  they  wold  haue  parte,  and  lykke  theyr  fyn- 
grcf,  and  strengthe  them  in  theyr  euyl  lyf  and  werkis. 
O,  dere  lonl,  how  lytyl  seen  tin  v  that  do  thus  after 
behynde  them  what  the  cnde  shal  be.  Attc  lastc  they 
fal  fro  hye  to  lowe  in  grete  shame  and  sorowe,  and 
thenne  theyr  werkis  come  to  knowleche,  and  be  opene 
in  suche  wyse  that  no  man  hath  pyte  ne  compasion  on 
them  in  theyr  meschief  and  trouble  ;  and  every  man 
curse  them,  and  saye  euyl  by  them  to  their  shame  and 
vylanye. 

Many  of  suche  haue  ben  Ijhuned  and  sliorn  ful  nyghe 
that  they  had  no  worship  ne  prouflyt,  but  lose  theyr  heer 
as  the  hound  dyde  ;  that  is,  theyr  frendes,  whiche  haue 
liolpc  tliem  to  couere  their  mysdedes  and  extorcions, 
like  as  the  hccr  couerythe  the  skyn.     And  whan  they 


i 


TIIVSTOKYE  OK  HKVNAKI1  1  IIK  TOXK.  KH 

hauc  sorow  and  .-liainc  lor  tlit-yr  ulile  trc>{)acc'3,  thenne 
cche  body  pluckyth  his  hand  fro  hyin,  and  flee,  lyke  as 
the  houndes  dyde  fro  hym  that  was  scaMcd  wyth  the 
syedyng  water,  and  leto  liyin  thysc  exturcions  in  her 
sorow  and  nede. 

My  dere  lorde  the  kyngc,  I  besechcyou  to  rt'iiifinbrf 
the  example  of  me,  it  shal  not  be  aycnst  your  worship 
ne  wyse(h»m.  Whatweneye  how  many  ben  thcr  suehe 
false  extoreioiuiers,  now  in  tht'sc  daycs,  ye  nuicli  werse 
tlian  an  hound,  tliat  bereth  suehe  a  bone  in  hismoutli, 
in  townes,  in  grete  lordes  courtes,  whiehe  wyth  greet 
faeing  and  braeyng  oppressc  the  poure  peple  wyth 
grete  wronge,  and  selle  theyr  fredoni  and  jiryuelages; 
and  here  tiit-m  on  bond  of  thyngis  that  tlii-y  neuer 
kncwe,  ne  thoughte.  And  all  for  to  gete  good  for 
theyr  synguler  proffyt,  God  giuc  tlniii  all  >liam<'  and 
soone  destroy  them,  who  soiuine  euer  they  be  that  so  doo. 

But  God  be  thanked,  said  the  foxe,  thcr  may  no 
man  endwyte  me,  ne  my  lygnage,  ne  kynne,  of  suche 
werkys,  but  that  we  shal  aequyte  vs,  and  eomen  in 
the  lyglite.  I  am  not  aferd  of  ony,  that  ean  saye  <jn  me 
ony  thyng  tliat  I  haue  don  olherwyse  than  a  trewe  man 
ought  to  doo.  Allc  way  the  foxe  shal  a  byih-tlie  foxe, 
though  allc  his  encinyes  hadde  sworn  the  eontrarye. 
My  dere  lord  the  kynge,  I  loue  you  wyth  my  herle 
aboue  allc  other  lordes.  And  neuer  for  nonuin  wold  1 
torne  fro  yow  ;  but  abyde  by  yow  to  the  utteri.-t  ;  how 
wel  it  hath  ben  otherwysc  enformed  your  hycni.> :  I 
hatie  neuertheles  alway  do  the  best,  and  forth  so  wylle 
doo  alle  my  lyf  that  I  can  or  may. 


162         TIIYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXE. 

HOW    THE    KYNG    FORGAF  THE    FOXE   ALLE   THYNGI9,    AND    MADE 

HYM  SOUERAYN  AND  GRETTEST  d'ER  AL 

HIS  LANDES. 

CAI'ITULO  XLIIJ. 

The  kyngc  saycle,  Reynard,  ye  be  one  of  them  that 
oweth  me  homage,  whiche  I  wyl  that  ye  allway  so  doo. 
And  also  I  wylle  that  erly  and  late  ye  be  of  my  coun- 
seyl,  and  one  of  my  justyses.  See  wel  to  that  ye  not 
mysdoo,  ne  trespace  no  more.  I  sete  yow  agayn  in  alle 
your  myght  and  power,  lyke  as  ye  were  to  foi"e,  and  see 
that  ye  further  alle  matters  to  the  bestc  righte,  for 
whan  ye  sette  your  wytte  and  counseyl  to  vertuc  and 
goodnesse,  thenne  may  not  our  court  be  wythout  your 
aduyse  and  counseyl,  for  here  is  non  that  is  lyke 
to  yow  in  sharp  and  hye  counseyll,  ne  subtyller  in 
fyndyng  a  remedye  for  a  meschief.  And  thynkc  ye  on 
thexample  that  ye  yourself  haue  tolde ;  and  that  ye 
haunte  rightwysnes,  and  be  to  me  trewe.  I  will  fro 
hensforth  wcrkc  and  doo  by  your  aduyse  and  counseyll ; 
he  lyucth  not  that  yf  he  mysdede  yow,  but  I  shold 
sharply  aduenge  and  wreke  it  on  hym.  Ye  shall  ouer- 
alle  speke  and  saye  my  wordes,  and  in  alle  my  lande 
shall  ye  be,  aboue  alle  other  souerayne,  and  my  bayle  ; 
that  offyce  I  gyue  yow :  ye  may  wel  occupye  it  wyth 
worship. 

Alle  Rey nardis  frendis  and  lignage  thanketh  the  kyngo 
heyly.  The  kyngc  sayde,  I  wolde  doo  more  for  your 
sake  than  ye  wene;  I  praye  yow  alle  that  ye  remembre 
hym  that  he  be  trewe. 


THYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  THE  FOXE.         103 

Dame  Rukcnawo  thcnnc  sayd,  Yes  sykerly,  my  lord, 
that  slial  he  euer  be.  And  thynke  ye  not  the  contrary  ; 
for  yf  he  were  otherwysc,  he  were  not  of  our  kynne 
ne  lignage,  and  I  wold  euer  myssake  hyni,  and  wold 
ever  hyndre  hyni  to  my  power. 

Kcynart  the  foxe  thanked  the  kynge  with  fayr  cur- 
toys  wordes,  and  sayd,  Dere  lorde,  I  am  not  worthy  to 
haue  the  wership  that  ye  doo  to  me ;  I  shal  thynke 
thcron,  and  be  trewe  to  you  also  longe  as  I  lyue,  and 
shal  gyue  you  as  holsom  counseyl  as  shal  be  expedient 
to  your  good  grace.  Here  wyth  he  departed  wytli  his 
frendes  fro  the  kynge. 

Now  herkc  how  Isegrym  the  wulf  dyde.  Bruyn  the 
here,  Thybert  the  catte,  and  Erswynde  and  her  chyl- 
dren,  wyth  their  lignage,  drewcn  the  wulf  out  of  the 
felde,  and  leyde  hym  vpon  a  lyter  of  hcyc,  and  couerd 
hym  warm,  and  loked  to  his  woundes,  which  were  wel 
XXV.  ;  and  ther  cam  wyse  maistres  and  surgyens,  whiche 
bondc  them,  and  weeshe  hem.  He  was  so  soke  and 
feble,  that  he  had  lost  hisfelynge;  but  they  rubbed  and 
wryued  hym  vnderhis  temples  and  eycn,that  he  sprange 
out  of  his  swoune  and  crydc  so  lowde,  that  allc  they 
were  aferde :  they  had  wcndc  that  he  had  been  wood. 

But  the  maistres  gaf  hym  a  drynke  that  comforted 
his  herte,  and  made  hym  to  slcpe.  They  comforted  hys 
wyf,  and  tolde  to  hor  that  ther  was  no  <loth  wounde,  ne 
paryl  of  his  lyf.  Theniu'  the  court  brake  vj),  and  the 
beestis  departed  to  theyr  [)laccs  and  homes  that  thi-y 
cam  froo. 


M  2 


1G4-         THYSTORYE  OF  REYNARD  TIIK  FOXK. 


HOW    THE    FOXE    WYTU    IIIS    FKENDIS    AND     LION  AGE    DEPARTEO 

NOBLY  FKO  THE  KYNGE,  AND  WENTE  TO  HIS 

CASTEL  MALLEPERDUYS. 

CAPITULO  XLIIJ. 

Reynaut  the  foxe  toke  his  leue  honestly  of  the  kynge 
and  of  the  quene,  and  they  bad  hyni  he  shold  not  tarye 
longe,  but  shortly  retorne  to  them  agayn.  He  answerd 
and  said,  Dere  kynge  and  quene,  alway  at  your  cora- 
mandement  I  shal  be  redy.  Yf  ye  node  ony  thynge, 
whiche  God  forbede,  I  wold  alway  be  redy  wyth  my 
body,  and  my  good  to  helpe  yow,  and  also  al  my  frendes 
and  lignage  in  lyke  wyse  shal  obeye  your  coramande- 
ment  and  desire.  Ye  haue  hyely  deseruyd  it,  God 
quyte  it  yow  and  yeue  you  grace  longe  to  lyue ;  and  I 
desyre  your  lycence  and  leue  to  goo  home  to  ray  wyf 
and  chyldren  ;  and  yf  your  good  grace  wil  ony  thyng, 
late  me  haue  knowleche  of  it,  and  ye  shal  fynde  me 
alway  redy.  Thus  departed  the  foxe  wytli  fayr  wordes 
fro  the  kynge. 

Now  who  that  coude  sette  hym  in  Reynardis  crafte, 
and  coude  behaue  hym  in  flateryng  and  lyenge,  as  he 
dyde,  he  shold,  I  trowe,  be  berde,  both  wyth  the  lordes 
spyrytuel  and  temporel.  Ther  ben  many,  and  also  the 
moste  parte  that  crepe  after  his  waye  and  his  hole. 
The  name  that  was  gyuen  to  hym  abydeth  alway  stylle 
wyth  hym.  He  hath  lefte  many  of  his  crafte  in  this 
world,  whiche  alwaye  wexe  and  become  myghty,  for 
!who  that  wyl  not  vse  Reynardis  crafte  now,  is  nought 


I 


THYSTORYF-  OF  RF.YNAIU)  TIIF  FOXK.  1  fio 

worth  in  the  world  now  in  ony  estate  tliat  is  ot"  niyglit.  \ 
l>ut  yf  he  can  crei)e  in  Keynanlis  nettc,  and  liath  ben 
his  scoler,  thenne  may  ye  dwelle  with  vs.      For  thenne 
knoweth  he  wcl  the  way  how  he  may  aryse,  and  is  sette 
vp  abouc  of  euery  man. 

Ther  is  in  the  workl  moche  seed  left  of  the  foxe,    I 
whiche  now  oueral  groweth  and  coraeth  sore  vp  ;  though   | 
they  haue  no  rede  berdes,  yet  ther  ben  foundcn  mo  foxes 
now  than  euer  were  here  to  fore.    The  rightwys  people 
boti  al  loste,  trouthe  and  rightwysnes  ben  cxyled,  and 
f(jrdriuen,  and  for  them  ben  abyden  wyth  vs  couetyse, 
falshede,  hate,  and  enuye.     Thyse  regne  now  moche  in 
euery  centre,  for  is  it  in  the  popes  court,  the  emperours,  I 
the  kynges,  dukes,  or  ony  other  lordes  where  some  euer  I 
it  be,  eche  man  laboureth  to  put  other  out  fro  his  wor-  ; 
shi|),  ofiyce,  and  power,  for  to  make  hym  sylf  to  clymme  ' 
hyo  witli  lyes,  wyth  llateryng,  wyth   symonye,  wyth 
money,  or  wyth  stren;Lrthe  and  force. 

Ther  is  none  thyng  byloued  ne  knowen  in  the  court , 
now  a  days  but  money;  the  money  is  better  byloued 
than  God,  for  men  doo  moche  more  therfore  ;  fn-  who 
pomcuer  bryngeth  money  shal  be  wel  reccyuyd,  and  shal 
haue  allc  his  desyro,  is  it  of  lordi's  or  of  ladyes,  or  ony 
other.  That  iiioncy  dutli  nKK-Jic  hannc.  IMoncv  l)i"vng- 
cth  many  in  shame  and  drcdc  of  his  lyf,  and  bryngeth 
false  wytnes  ayenst  true  peple  for  to  gete  money.  Hit 
causeth  vnclennes  of  lyuyng,  lyeng,  and  lechorye. 

Now  clerkes  goon  to  Home,  to  Parys,  and  to  manv 
another  place,  for  to  lerne  Kcynardis  crafte.  Is  lie 
clerke,  is  he  laye  man,  euerichc  of  them  tredeth  in  the 


166         THYSTOUYK  OV  UKYNAUD  THK  KOXE. 

foxes  path,  and  scketh  his  hole.  The  world  is  of  snche 
condycion  now,  that  euery  man  seketh  iiym  self  in  alio 
raaters.  I  wotc  not  what  ende  shal  come  to  vs  heroi'. 
All  wyse  men  may  sorowc  wel  herforc,  I  fere  that  for 
the  gretc  falsenes,  thefte,  robberye,  and  murdre,  that 
is  now  vsed  so  raoche  and  comonly,  and  also  the  vn- 
shamfast  lecherye  and  avoultry  hosted  and  blowen  a 
brood  with  the  auauntyng  of  the  same,  that  wythout 
grete  repentaunce,  and  penaunce  therfore,  that  God 
will  take  vcngeaunce  and  punyshe  vs  sore  therfore  ; 
whom  I  humbly  bcseche,  and  to  whom  nothyng  is  hyd, 
that  he  wylle  gyue  vs  grace  to  make  araendes  to  hym 
therfore,  and  that  we  maye  rewle  vs  to  his  [)laysyr. 

And  herwyth  wil  I  leue :  for  what  haue  I  to  wryte 
of  thise  mysdedis?  I  haue  ynowh  to  doo  with  myn  owne 
self,  and  so  it  were  better  that  I  helde  my  pees,  and 
sufFre  ;  and  the  beste  that  I  can  doo  for  to  amende  my 
self  now  in  tliis  tyme,  and  so  I  counseyle  euery  man 
to  doo  Iierc  in  this  present  lyf,  and  that  shal  be  moste 
our  proulfyt.  For  after  this  lyf  cometh  no  tyme  that 
we  may  occupye  to  our  auantage  for  to  amende  vs,  for 
thenne  shal  euery  man  answerc  for  hym  self,  and  bero 
his  owen  burthen. 

Reynardis  frendes  and  lignagc  to  the  nombre  of  xl., 
haue  taken  also  theyr  leue  of  the  kynge,  and  wente 
alle  to  gydre  wyth  the  foxc,  whiche  was  right  glad  that 
he  had  so  wel  sped,  and  that  he  stode  so  wel  in  the 
kyngcs  grace.  He  thought  that  he  had  no  shame,  but 
that  he  was  so  grete  with  the  kyng,  that  he  myght 
htlj»e  and  further  his  frendes,  and  hyndre  his  enemyes, 


TIIYSTOKYK  OF  KKVNAKI)  TllK  KOXK  1«I7 

and  also  to  doc  what  he  woMe,  wytliout  he  shoUl  be 
bhuiunl  yf  he  wold  be  wysc. 

Tlie  foxc  and  his  tVemlis  wentc  so  longe  to  gydre 
that  they  camcn  to  his  burph  to  Maleporduys  ;  ther  tliey 
alio  tuke  leuc,  echc  of  other,  wyth  fayr  and  courtoys 
wordes.  Reynard  dyde  to  them  grete  reuerence,  and 
thanked  them  allc  frendly,  of'theyrgood  I'ayth,  and  also 
worship,  that  they  had  don  and  shewd  to  hym,  and  pro- 
frcd  to  eche  of  them  his  seruysc  yf  they  had  nede,  wyth 
boily  and  goodes.  And  herwyth  they  departed,  and 
eche  of  them  wente  to  theyr  ownc  howscs. 

llie  foxc  wente  to  dame  Ermelyn  his  wyf,  whiehe 
welcomed  hym  frendly:  he  tolde  to  her  and  to  his 
chyldren,  allc  the  wonder  that  to  hym  was  befallen  in 
the  court ;  and  forgote  not  a  worde,  but  tolde  to  them 
eucry  dele,  how  he  had  escaped.  Thennc  were  they 
glail  that  theyr  fader  was  so  enhaunscd  and  grctc  wyth 
the  kynge.  And  the  foxc  lyued  forthon  wyth  iiis  wyf 
and  rhyhlren  in  grete  joyc  ami  gladnes. 

Now.  who  tliat  said  to  yow  of  the  foxc,  more  or  lesse, 
than  yc  hau<'  herd  or  red,  I  holde  it  for  lesyngc.  I'lit 
tliis  that  ye  hauc  herd  or  red,  that  may  ye  beleuc  wcl ; 
and  who  that  bylcueth  it  not,  is  not  therforc  out  of  the 
right  bclcui".  I  low  be  it,  ther  be  many,  yf  that  they 
had  ficcn  it,  tiicy  .shold  haue  the  lessc  doubte  of  it. 
For  ther  l)en  many  thinges  in  the  world  whiehe  ben 
byleued  though  they  were  ncuer  .'Mjen  ;  also  tlur  ben 
many  fygures,  playes  foun<h'ii,  that  neuer  were  don  ne 
happeil,  but  for  an  example  to  the  peple,  that  they  may 
therby  the  Iwttcr  vsc  and  folowc  vertuc,  and  tcschewe 


I 


IfJS  TIIYSTORVH  OK  KKYNARD  TIIK  KOXE. 

synne  and  vycos.  In  lyke  wyse  in:iy  it  be  by  this 
booke  :  that  who  that  wyl  rede  this  mater,  though  it  be 
of  iapes  and  bourdcs,  yet  he  may  fynde  therin  many 
a  good  wysedom,  and  lernynges ;  by  whiche  he  may 
come  to  vertue  and  worship.  Ther  is  no  good  man 
bhinied  Iierin ;  hit  is  spoken  generally.  Late  eucry 
man  take  his  ownc  part  as  it  belongetli  and  behoveth, 
and  he  that  fyndeth  hym  gylty  in  ony  dele  or  part 
tlierof,  late  hym  bettre  and  amende  hym.  And  he 
that  is  good,  veryly  I  pray  God  kepe  hym  therin. 
And  yf  ony  thyng  be  said  or  wreton  herin,  that  may 
greue  or  dysplease  ony  man ;  blame  not  me ;  but  the 
I'oxe.     For  they  be  his  wordes  and  not  myne. 

Prayeng  alle  them  that  shal  see  this  lytyl  treati^,  to 

correcte  and  amende,  where  they  shal  fynde  faute ;  for 

I  haue  not  added  ne  mynusshed,  but  haue  folowcd  as 

I  nyghe  as  I  can,  my  copye,  whiche  was  in  dutche,  and 

!  by  me  William  Caxton  translated  in  to  this  rude  and 

I  symple  Englyssh,  in  thabbey  of  Westmestre.  Fynysshed 

the  vj  daye  of  juyn  the  yere  of  our  lord  m.cccg.lxxxj 

and  the  xxj  yere  of  the  regne  of  kynge  Edward  the 

j   iiijtb. 

HERE  ENDETIl  THE  HISTORTE  OF 
REYNARD  THE  FOXE. 


NOTES. 


p.  2,  Open  Court. — This  open  court,  the  "Cour  I'leiiirri' 
of  the  Fix'iieli,  is  very  characteristiciilly  smnmoiied  at  U  hil- 
suntide ;  sueh  as.seiiil)liiijjs  of  the  feudatory  iioldes  at  the 
eourt  of  their  sovereipi  during  the  middle  ajjes,  heiiifj  eustoni- 
arily  hchl  ii|)oii  the  three  great  festivals  of  tlie  Church. — «S'<r 
Diuanj^e,  s.  v.  Curia. 

1*. :),  Ur-iiMtlirid. — The  words  in  the  Dutch  prose  are  "  end 
dacr  heseykedc  hi  luijn  kiudercu  daer  si  laghcn,"  ^c. 

Iliiil.  Ilnli/  S(ti/ntr.<i. —  In  the  original  "die  heeligen"  by 
which  is  meant,  not  "  the  hook  with  the  Saynles"  which 
Caxton  introduces  a  few  lincf.  after,  and  of  which  no  mention 
is  made  in  the  Dutch  prose,  hut  the  relics  of  saints,  a  fonn  of 
adjuration  which  wils  anciently  of  frerjuent  occurrence,  and 
regarded  as  of  the  most  solemn  and  binding  naturi-.  I'he 
reader  will  call  to  mind  the  circumstance  of  William  having 
concealed  the  "  holy  sayntes''  hcneath  the  altar  at  which 
Harold  swore  fidelity  to  him,  sec  liappcnbcrg,  i.  .VJ7.  That, 
in  this  ease,  relics  are  alluded  to,  is  shown  by  the  following 
vi'rses  from  tlic  lirinunlux. 

"  A  III  lit  prn-jurc*  piini<>ri>  mutii  mijmt."  —  lili   iv.  IMfl. 
and — 

"  Qui*  inilii  n'liqiiias  nffcn't  ?  trqim  vi-lim." — iv.  flOH. " 
See   further   ujion    this    point    (Jrimm's    Deutsche   Ketlits- 
Aitherthumer,  s.  NiXi. 

P.  5,  Grijmhiiil  tin  Dinsc. — The  dasse  is  the  badger,  from 


1 70  NOTES. 

the  Dutch  Das,  and  German  Dachs.  In  the  English  edition 
of  IGoO,  \c.  he  is  called  "  the  Brock." 

Ibid.  Myn  Emc. — Thuuyh  Griniliart  here  calls  Reynart 
his  '  Erne'  or  uncle,  the  word  which  we  have  from  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  Eaui,  and  is  the  same  with  the  Gennan  Oheiin,  Low 
German  Ow,  and  Frisian  Em,  originally  siguilicd  the  mother's 
brother  (avunculus),  but  afterwards  was  applied  in  the  sense 
of  father's  brother  (patnius),  and  eventually  became  a  com- 
plimentaiy  epithet,  bestowed  without  regard  to  the  relationship 
of  the  parties. 

P.  (i,  The  (/rate  or  bones. — Grate  is  the  Flemish  Gract, 
German  Grate,  a  fish  bone.  The  fish  Thomback  is  called  by 
the  Dutch  Grict,  from  its  spinous  appendages. 

Ibid.  By  cause  of  his  ui/c. — The  passage  which  follows  is 
thus  given  in  the  Dutch  prose :  "  Mijn  oeme  heft  se  germint, 
lae  dat  is  wel  seveniaer  gheleden  eer  dat  hy  se  trouwede. 
Of  dan  Reynaert  daer  doer  minne  en  houescheit  sinen  willc 
did.     Wat  wast  dan.    Si  was  daer  schier  of  genesen." 

P.  7,  The  Menowr. — A  thief  is  said  to  be  taken  with  the 
Mainour,  when  he  is  taken  with  the  thing  stolen  upon  him 
in  manu.  And  Blackstone  furnishes  an  illustration  of  the 
accuracy  with  which  the  Badger  lays  down  the  law,  when  he 
adds  (l)ook  iv.  c.  23),  that  "  by  the  Danish  law  he  might  be 
tiikcn  and  hanged  upon  the  spot,  without  accusation  or  trial." 

P.  7,  What  skathed  it  him. — What  harmed  it  him  ;  from 
the  Anglo  Saxon  scethan,  to  injure,  hurt,  SiC. 

Ibid.  Bijlded  a  cluse. — A  cluse  is  a  cell,  from  the  I/itin 
clnsa,  see  Ducange ;  and  in  the  next  chapter  (p.  9)  we  hear 
that  Reynard  was  "  a  eloysterer,  or  closyd  recluse,  becomen." 

P.  9,  Slaryne  and  ■pijlche. — The  "  slavyne"  is  the  robe  worn 
by  pilgrims,  .see  Ducange,  s.  v.  Sclavina,  who  says,  quoting, 
ex  Chronico  Andiensi ;  Pedes  incedens  in  habitu  pereyrini 
i/ui  vulgo  dicitur  Sclavina. 


NOTES.  1  7  1 

The  pylchc,  from  llie  An^xlo-Saxim  pi/Ica,  is  a  gani)ent  <»!' 
skin,  with  the  liuir,  or  I'ur  fjarmcnt.  The  tenn  "pilch"  is  still 
retiiiiicd  in  our  nurseries  fur  a  llanuel  wrapper. 

Ibid.  Fort/iiin. —  Indeed  ;  from  the  An<iln-Su.rnii  fiirthou. 

P.  10,  Sexte,  None,  and  Evensonij. — Three  of  the  seven 
cnnonieul  houre  of  the  Romish  Church,  to  each  of  which  proper 
services  were  assijijned. 

Ibid.  Bijtakc. — Commend  ;  from  the  Anglo-Saxon,  beta  can . 

Ibid.  Forslonycn. — Swallowed  up,  devoured.  From  the 
Dutch  Vcrslindcn,  German  Vcrscldingcn,  to  devour.  Thus 
in  Luther's  (Jennan  BiMo,  2  Sam.  xx.  I  J),  "  Warum  willst 
du  diis  Erbtheil  des  Ilerrn  versihlint/iii."  "  ^^  hy  wilt  thou 
swallow  up  tlie  inheritance  of  the  Lord?" 

Ibid.  Abijc. — .Make  amends  for,  atone,  so  in  Tiers  Plough- 
man. 

Tlie  commune  for  theyr  iinkymlcnes, 

I  ilreJu  mo,  -sUul  abyo." — 1.  6330-7.  ed.  Wright. 

P.  10,  \Vc  will  t/ive  to  her  the  dcthvs  riyhts. —  It  was  not 
unreasonable  to  hope  that  this  passage  would  have  furnished 
some  illustration  of  Shakspere's  '  \'irgin  crants,'  an  expression 
whicli  has  excited  so  much  comment.  In  the  metrical  Dutch 
version,  we  have  the  veiy  words  of  Caxton,  "  Daer  willtu  wy 
ecus  doden  reeht  me  plegcn." 

P.  11,  Plnnbii. — At  the  service  of  tlic  dead,  after  tlie  verse 
Retjuieiii  tetiruaiii,  V'".  Placebo  Dnntinu  in  rii/ioiie  liiorunt 
is  sung. 

Ibid.  When  tliii  \  iijUic  was  done  and   the  r«iniitiudnriitti. 

The  ollice  for  the  dead  in  the  Unmish  Church  was  some- 
times so  designated,  see  Ducange  in  v.  lii/ilitr. 

Cmnmendalio,  pniyers  nv  ollice  fur  the  dead,  so  cntitlt  d, 
savs  Ducange  (1.  v.)  (|Uotiuj;  tlie  statutes  of  the  onler  of 
Scmpringham,  "  (piia  in  co  fit  cximmendatio  aniuiu;  defmicti  a 
sacerdote. ' 


172  NOTES. 

P.  1 3.  Richest  of  leevijs  and  of  land. — This  is  obviously  one 
of  th(.sc  allitt'iativo  fonmihc,  oi"  which  so  many  have  l)een 
preserved  in  legal  technicology,  as  "  might  and  main,"  "  life 
and  limb,"  "part and  parcel," &c.  It  is  here  used  to  express 
a  person  of  wealth  and  consideration,  as  is  obvious  from  the 
original  Dutch  prose,  in  which  the  Fox  describes  the  Bear  as 
being  "  die  edelste  en  die  nieeste  van  lone  van  aide  lande."  ^ 

Ihid.   Lyef  neve. — Lyef,  dear,  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  Leof. 

f.  14.  The  rede  Reynard. — Rede  is  red :  so  in  the  metrical 
Riinarts  "  1st  u  eernst,  sprac  die  rode." 

P.  14.  Vii  ha)nber  barclis. — Probably  seven  wine  barrels,  see 
Ducange, s.  v.  Ania,  llama,  nnd  JIantcllicits.  The  Dutch  prose 
says,  "  seuen  aemen  heblien,"  and  the  metrical  Rcinart. 

"  Al  wllilij.s  hebbun  vii  iimeii," — line  019. 

Ante  is  explained  by  Killian  "  Cadus  llama,"  and  in 
French  Caque. 

Ihid.  Y^nnstc. — Favoiu"  and  affection,  from  the  Dutch 
(jnnste. 

Ibid.  Two  betels. — Betels,  here  and  in  the  following  page,  is 
used  in  the  sense  of  wedge  ;  and  in  the  copy  of  Caxton's 
Reynard,  in  the  King's  Library,  British  Museum,  the  word 
"  Betels"  has  been  struck  out  with  a  pen,  and  the  word 
"  wegge"  written  over  it,  in  an  old,  apparently  a  contemporary, 
hand. 

P.  17.  lilccf. — Remained,  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  Mtf/c/^', 
the  perfect  of  the  verb  bclij'an. 

P.  18,  Grete  Irden  n-apper. — What  precise  instrument  is 
meant  by  the  "  grooten  loden  wappere,"  as  it  is  called  in 
Caxton's  original,  is  by  no  means  clear.  Killian  defines 
wapperaii  Flagellum  :  and  again,  irapper,  Ini/erikloof,  asPlum- 
bata,  martiobarl»ulus,  i>ila  idumljca,  missilis,  Plombec,  boule 
de  plombe  attachee  a  une  corde  pour  la  jcter,  et  retirer  ayant 
assene  .son  coup. 

Ibid.   Forslyrncdgc . — Smote  or  beat. 


NOTES.  1 73 

Ibid.  A  cruked  staf,  ivcll  Icded,  ^-v. — i'robably  such  a  slalV 
as  is  now  used  in  playing  Golf. 

Ibid.  Maciib,  the  sloppil-maker. — A  maker  of  stoppds  or 
stoops,  sec  Killian,  s.  v.  ^Stoppcl,  Stmipc,  \c.  In  the  Low 
Genuan  Reineke  Vos,  we  find, — 

"  It  were  de  sluppilmctcr,"  which  Ilnffnianu  explains  in  his 
Glossary,  Sluhhle-nieter,  used  ironically  tor  Tithc-collcctor. 

Ibid.  Ut/m  lusted. — It  pleased  him.  This  impersonal  verb  is 
frcf|ucntly  used  by  Chaucer,  see  Tyr^vhitt's  Glossaiy,  s.  v.  Leste. 

P.  20.  Such  good  veni.sou.—  Tiom  this  use  of  the  word 
"  N'cnison,"  it  would  seem  that  it  was  formerly  applied,  not  to 
the  flesh  of  deer  only,  but  to  that  of  any  other  animal  taken 
by  the  chase,  and  used  as  an  article  of  food. 

Ibid,  Dicu  Vitus  (/ardr. — C'axton  has  not  transferred  this 
sentence  into  his  English  version,  but  altered  it  in  a  way  which 
shows  his  knowledge  of  the  French  language.  The  metrical 
Keimirt  says, 

"  Sire  I'riistiT,  ilieii  vu  Mint!" 

The  Dutch  prose  from  which  Caxtoii  translated  "  C'liyrc 
pricster,  dieux  vos  fant." 

Ibid,  The  fcUc  dicre. — 'Jhc  fell  beast,  IVdUi  tlie  1  )uuli  Diem, 
and  German  Thier. 

P.  21.  To  rulsele. — To  slip  or  slide,  I'ldni  tlie  Dutch  nilseii 
or  ml  sen. 

Ibid.  He  irriitlfil. —  He  tnriietl  <ir  nilled  umi,  tmni  the  ulil 
Dutch  icentelen  or  ueiidteleti,  .see  Killian.  So  a^ain,  page  '28, 
the  Cat  is  described  as  "  rolling  and  ueuthjuij  towards  the 
kyng's  court." 

Ibid.  Not  null  ]iiii/il. — Not  well  pleastd.  So  Chancer,  in 
the  Wifeof  liath's  Talc: 

"  AVlio  so  tluit  link  liiin  paid  of  lii<t  povprlo, 
]  liolil  liiiii  ricli,  111  luul  he  not  a  sluTtr." 

In  Piers  Ploughman,  as  in  the  present  work  (see  page 
2(5,  5:c.),  the  word  occurs    again,  nmler   tlie   furni  n-patjed: 


1  7  t  NOTES. 

"  Thcrwitli  wns  IVrkyn  ii  payoil." — 

Pur*  rioughinan,  I.  t012.  ed.  Writjht. 

P.  2-2.  "  And  thi/r,l,"  "  and  he  daijed ;"  from  the  Flemish 
aii'l  l.iiw  (u-miaii  daffcn,  to  he  summoned  for  a  eertain  day, 
or  Imvo  a  day  appointed,  sec  Hoffmann's  Rcincke,  v.  902  ; 
Willem's  lieinart,  v.  1007. 

This  explanation  is  confirmed  hy  tlie  passaj^e  in  page  2S, 
where  Grymbart  ilaims  for  the  Fox  tliat  lie  shall  "he  don  to 
as  to  a  free  man,  whan  he  shall  he  judged,  he  miiste  he  warned 
the  thirde  tyme  for  al." 

P.  23.  "  One  of  Sei/nt  Mart}jns  bj/rdes." — Dreyer,  in  his 
Essay  on  Reynard,  Nchmstunden,  s.  108,  and  Grimm,  in  his 
Reiidiart  Fuchs,  suppose  the  crow,  Virjjil's  "sinistra  cornix," 
the  "  comeia  sinistra"  of  the  Poema  del  Cid,  to  be  the  bird 
alluded  to  ;  and  the  superstition  connected  with  such  a  bird,  is 
mentioned  by  Peter  of  Blois,  epist.  t>5.  "  Si  a  sinistra  in  dex- 
teram  avis  Sancti  Martini  volaverit."  Others  have  suj)posed 
the  Goose  to  be  the  bird  alluded  It),  whose  connexion  with  the 
anniversary  of  St.  Martin,  is  shown  by  the  following  lines  from 
the  old  German  comic  romance  of  Peter  Leu: 

"  Hiiiiiiini  lii*  nuf  S.  Mnrlin's  Tun 
Als  <la  iu;m  (liu  (iiins-Fcstf  pllaj;." 

V.  der  HuKt'ii'siVrtrrmfci/r/i,  ».  .Hill. 

And  in  Donee's  Illustrations  of  Shaksjierc,  ii.  •\\'>,  tliero  is  a 
story  t|uotcd  from  Odo  de  t'eriton,  in  which  mention  is  made 
of  a  kind  of  wren  named  after  St.  Martin,  w ith  very  long  and 
slender  legs. 

Ibid.  Unhappe. — Misfortune.  In  the  Dutch  prose,  from 
which  Caxton  translated,  the  word  is  nni/hcluckc. 

P.  25.  Flownrx. — In  this  instance,  pancakes  are  probjibly 
intended.  "  Of  milke  and  of  egges  men  make  flawnes,"  says 
Caxton,  in  the  f^oke  for  Travellers,  see  further  Mr.  Way's 
Promptorium  Parvulonim,  y.  KM,  n   3.  where  the  reader  will 


NOTES.  175 

find  an  almndancc  of  illustrations  of  tlic  several  nu-aniiigs 
attaclu'd  to  this  word. 

Ibid.  Line  1.').— It  is  plain,  from  an  examination  of  the 
Diitih  prose,  that  this  passage  should  he  printed,  "  Tyl>ert, 
quod  the  Foxe,  I  will  hring  jow  to  the  place,  cr  I  goo  from 
yow.  Reyner,  quod  the  Cattr,  upon  your  sauf  conduijt,  I 
wolde  wel  goo  wylh  you  to  Moniiclicr  !" 

Iliiil.  Uryn. — A  trap  or  snare.  So  in  the  Anglo-Saxon 
(iospel,  Luke  xxi.  35,  we  read,  Siva  ma  gn/n,  as  a  snare. 

P.  26.  Wrawcn.— To  call  out,  from  the  Dutch  irrauwm. 
In  the  Dutch  prose  it  is  uraumii  ;  in  tlu'  nutrical  Urinarl, 
ri>rprii. 

Ibid.  Al  mnder  naked.— 'V\\\^  expressive  substitute  for  the 
more  common  phrase  "  naked  as  he  was  born,"  Caxton  has 
copied  from  his  original,  when  it  is  said  "  Die  paep  seh  o  liep 
al  moder  nacct."  The  incident  affords  a  striking  proof  how 
universally  the  custom  of  so  sleeping  prevailed  during  the 
Middle  Ages,— a  custom  which  is  curiously  illustrated  by  the 
Fal)liau  of  Le  lioucher  d\ibbtvilli;  and  still  more  so  by  the 
rcri/  French  engraving  of  that  subject,  which  appeai-s  in  the 
frontispiece  to  the  fourth  volume  of  Meon's  edition  of  iiarba- 
zan's  Kabliaux  et  C'ontes. 

Ibiil.  Liickrii  /lis  »(•///■.— Thi.s  error  in  the  name  of  tlie  jtricst's 
wife,  whose  name  w.-uj  Dame  .lulocke,  as  we  have  it  in  the 
next  page,  is  not  t'axlon's.  The  author  of  the  Dutch  jirose 
calls  her  I^oeken  in  this  jihice.  To  show  how  slight  have  been 
tlie  alterations,  Imw  few  the  onii>siiins,  made  in  the  text  of 
•his  edition,  we  lake  this  opportunity  of  gi>ing  the  original  (pf 
a  passiige,  which  hius  necessirily  been  more  modified  tliaii  anv 
"•tlif'r  \u  the  book. 

Die  naectc  paep  hief  op  en  sonde  enen  grotcn  .slach  slaen, 
en  Tyberl  sacii  wel  dat  hi  unmer  stcrven  moeste,  daer\er- 
inande  hi  hem,  en  voer  dm  p.ij)e  tusehen  sine  Inenen  niitlt  n 


176  NOTICS. 

clamven  en  mitten  tandon,  also  dat  hi  lien  sinen  rechtcren 
ciil  (if  haclde.  Desen  spionck  bi([iiuiu  den  paej)  so  qnuliken 
eude  tot  proton  suadcn. 

"  Dit  dine  viol  neder  op  die  vloer,  vronwe  .Inlocke  dit 
vernani  ende  swoer  grofliek  hoers  vaders  (ielo,  si  woudc  dattct 
hoer  ghceost  waer  die  otrerhande  van  enen  heelen  iacr  dat  den 
paep  die  scade  die  scande  ende  die  leemte  niet  gheschiet  en 
waer,  ende  spracli,  In  des  duuels  name  wort  die  striek  bier 
ye  gliesettet.  Sicli  mertinet,  leue  soen,  di.ts  van  dijns  vaders 
ghewade,  dat  as  een  alien  groten  scande  ende  mi  alte  grolc 
scade,  al  genase  hi  hier  van  so  is  noch  van  mi  vcrdcrft  ende 
ewelic  des  soeten  speels  ommachtich.  Keynert  stant  buten 
voer  dat  gat,  ende  hoerde  alle  die  woerden,  ende  lachte  also 
uterwaten  sere  dz  hi  nauwe  ghestaen  en  coude.  Hi  sprac 
aldus  in  scbimpe,  vromve  Julocke  schwiget  al  stillc  ende  laet 
uwen  groten  rouwe  sincken.  Al  heeft  u  here  sincn  cid  verloren, 
ten  scaet  hem  met  als  hi  u  anders  van  bachten  dienen  wille, 
hi  sal  u  nochtans  wel  gberiiien.  Menighe  capellen  sijn  oeck 
in  die  wereldt  daerinen  niet  dan  mit  eonre  cloekcn  en  luydt  " 

P.  27.    Vnnethr.  —  Scarcely,  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  nu-mthe. 

P.  ;U.    Vi/lai/llcr. — Purveyor. 

Ibid.  He  that  soruurd. —  He  that  cared  or  provided  for. 

P.  32.  Spt/nde. —  A  pantry  or  larder,  from  the  Dutch  sjriudc. 

P.  33.  Slepid. — Dragged,  from  the  Flemi-sh sleypen,Ui drag. 

P.  34.  Faldure,  and  again,  valditre. — A  trap-door  or  fcdding- 
door,  from  the  Flemish  valdntre  or  vald-dcure. 

Ibid.  Yr  borde  and  jape  iril/i  me. — You  joke  and  jest  with 
me.  Borde,  from  the  Anglo-Norman,  or  more  j)rolialtly  from 
the  old  Friesic  Bord,  a  jest ;  and  jape,  to  mock,  from  the 
Norman-French  Gabcr,  and  not,  I  think,  from  the  Anglo- 
Saxon,  as  has  freipiently  been  stated.  The  words  are  freciuenlly 
found  in  connexion,  as  in  Chaucer's  Manciple's  Prologue : 

"  That  that  I  spake,  I  said  it  in  mj  bourd. 
And  wete  ye  what?     I  liave  here  in  my  gourd 


SOTVJi.  177 

A  ilraiiK)it  of  win,  yi-  of  n  ripe-  Kru]M'. 
And  riglit  amin  yp  sliiil  stfii  a  (jtMul  jui'f.' 

And  in  Palsf^nive,  where  we  find  :  "  To  hounle  or  y.i[H-  wiili 
iiiie  in  sport."  "  Triijfltr,  hurdrr,  jnuuvhn;"  sec  fnrtliii  Mr. 
W'jiy's  vahiaMe  illustraticms  of  both  (lu'se  words,  in  liis  eililiiMi 
of  tlie  Pronii>toriinn  Parvvdornin,  pp.  II  and  267. 

P.  ;{|.  liijilriivrn. — From  the  I'lcniisli  licilryvcn,  nialnni 
comniittere,  see  Killian. 

P.  3.').  Piil(ii/I(\  poliii/lli,  piilmill,  fiolii/l — for  the  wor<l 
occurs  in  all  these  forms,  within  the  space  of  two  paj^es — is 
here  used  in  the  sense  of  ponltry,  or  domestic  fowls  ;  from  the 
French  Poulaillr. 

P.  W.  Rnmrd  the  court. — Departed  from  the  eonrt ;  from 
the  anplo-Saxon  /2umta>i,and  Danish  Rmmuw.  In  pajjcHl, 
we  have  "  rnjined  his  castle." 

P.  !<>.  lialkeil — Was  an<;ry,  from  llie  I'leniish  bclffcn,  in 
past  ten.se  hnlrh,  to  lie  angry. 

/'.  II.  Fcmers, — past  event'-.  This  word  oecurt>  in  Piers 
Ploiifjlhman,  nsed  adverbially,  line  33.')!,  and  as  a  substantive 
in  the  following  passage  : 

"  And  many  tiim-s  liiivr  nu'vcd  tlic 
l'i>  (liynki!  on  thru  cndc, 
And  how  TcIm /fTHyrrii  on-  fnH'n,"  &c. 

/.  7ni>.  .<»../   <-/.  M'ri.iht 

In  Gualliers  edition,  tlir  wurd  "  tyme"  is  substituted. 

/'.  II.  rf7//77.— (Joats,  froni  the  .\uglo-Saxon  (iiil,ii  goat. 

Ibiil.  Gnjmmiil.  —  U.iged,  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  i/riiiiinuii, 
to  rage. 

Ihifl.  Sinltc.—  ]]\  this  inslanee  .«r«//f,  which  is  derive<l  from 
the  .\nglo-Saxon  snat,  is  nsed  in  the  .sense  of  treasure.  It 
son)etimes  means  money  only  ;  and  ccrUiin  Anglo-Saxon  coins 
were  expres.sly  denominated  xcraltas.  It  is  also  frecjuently 
used  to  siiriiifv  a  tax  or  tribute  :    and   in  this  latter  scn.se  is  :i 


17S  NOTES, 

household  word  at  the  present  day,  under  the  modernized  fonn 
of  "  scot,"  as  in  scot  and  lot,  scot-free,  \'c. 

P.  4<».     Unherisped This  word,  which  Gualtier  in  his 

edition  has  changed  into  openly,  is  here  used  in  the  sense  of 
harmless,  undisturbed,  and  is  the  same  as  the  old  Flemish 
niiberispt,  harmless,  see  Killian  ;  or  rather,  as  the  wihirepprd, 
unbciTppcd,  untouched,  undisturbed,  of  the  old  Fricsic  law, 
see  Richthofer.     Sec  note  on  Deryspr,  p.  13(). 

Ibid.  KyiKj  ErvuTi/ks  tresoitr. — The  reader  who  desires 
better  acquaintance  with  this  treasure,  which  is  so  fre([uently 
referred  to  in  the  German  poems  of  the  Middle  Ages,  as  the 
Nibelun<::en,  \'c.  and  is  intimately  connected  with  the  northern 
and  Gothic  traditional  cycles,  is  referred  to  Mr.  Kemble's 
edition  of  Beowulf,  vol.  i.  p.  261,  and  to  the  note  on  line  2396 
in  vol.  ii. ;  or  for  yet  fuller  particulars,  to  W.  Grimm's  DcuLichc 
Heldcnsage,  s.  17,46,  ifc. 

P.  47.  Sivoren  upon  Ysegrym's  croume. — Willems,  in  his 
Reinaert,  p.  92,  explains  this  passage,  by  a  reference  to  Ise- 
grim's  having  entered  the  cloister  of  Elniare  and  become  a 
monk,  and  to  the  practice  which  fonncrly  obtained,  when  a 
priest  never  took  an  oath,  but  when  he  gave  evidence  laid  his 
right  hand  upon  his  crown  or  tonsure,  and  in  that  way  testi- 
fied to  the  truth  of  his  statement. 

Ibid.  The  sliile  at  Aeon. — Acou  is  Aix  la  Chapelle,  or,  as  it 
is  called  in  German,  Aachen.  "  The  stole"  is  the  celebrated 
throne  or  coronation  chair  of  white  marble,  covered  with  plates 
of  gold,  on  which  no  less  than  fifty-five  crowned  emperors  had 
been  seated  previously  to  the  year  1558,  see  Nolten's  Archao- 
logische  Bcschreibnufj  des  Mxmstrr  oder  Kronungikirche  zu 
Aachen. 

Ibid.  Fnrdryve. — Chaucer  uses  this  word  in  hisRomaunt  of 
the  Rose : 

"  ArMien  they  in  case  wene  best  to  live 
They  ben  with  tonipest  i\\\  fordrive."—l.  3781,2. 


NOTES.  1 79 

Gaulticr  in  his  nlitiiin  has  altered  the  seiiteiiec,  and  reads 
"  shouhle  ehace  him  away." 

Ibid.  "  T/u-  linhj  thre  Kingx  of  Calli/it,^' — I  he  Tliree  Kings 
of  Cologfnc,  the  patrons  of  that  city,  are  the  Three  Wise  Men, 
whose  bodies  were  broiipht  to  Constantinople  by  the  Empress 
Helena,  ahont  the  year  ;V2M,  thenec  transferred  to  Milan,  and 
aftenvards,  in  1104,  when  Milan  was  taken  by  the  Emperor 
Frederick,  presented  l)y  him  to  the  Arehbishop  of  Cologne. 
In  Fosbroke's  liritish  ^Lmachisin  is  an  account,  drawn  from 
Dii  Cange,  of  the  Feast  ol'  the  Star,  or  Ofliec  of  the  Three 
Kings  ;  and  in  IlolVman's  Hone  Hcltjirtr,  ii.  (>!>,  the  s<mg  sung 
by  the  Star-Singers,  tlie  actors  in  a  popular  ceremony  observed 
in  (iermany  on  the  Feast  of  tlie  F.]>iphany,  until  the  el(l^e  of 
the  last  eentun.'. 

P.  -18.  Frosshis — Frogs.  See  Mr.  Way's  observations  on 
this  fonn  of  the  word  in  his  edition  of  the  i'mmptoriiun, 
p.  180.  n.  n. 

Ibid,  hydu-nnijen — "  Kept  under"  is  the  expression  substi- 
tuted by  (Jualtier  in  his  edition — which  coiTesponds  very 
closely  with  the  original  Flemish  word,  bedwongen,  which 
Killian  defines  "Coactus,  Adaetus,  Ci>ntraint."  The  word 
occurs  again  in  a  somewhat  dilVcrent  form  at  j).  (H),  where  we 
read  "  a  bydwogen  oth,  or  oth  sworn  by  force." 

P.  40.  /•'("(/  xporr — foot-mark,  the  voil-.ipnerc.  Vestigium 
pedis,  of  Killian.     It  occurs  again  at  p.  80. 

P.  50.  Snuldi/r  or  wages. —  Pay,  or  wages,  fmni  the  In  m  li 
Snuldi',souldvr,  see  Roijuefort.  Wc  sec  very  clearly  Imm  this, 
and  the  word  "  Souldyour,"  which  oecurs  a  few  lines  lower 
down,  the  strict  meaning  of  the  name  souldicrs,  that  is,  hired 
troops. 

P.  52.  Stoundiurlr — a  little  while.  Caxtou  appears  to  ha\e 
misunderstood  the  original  |)assagc,  whieh  says, —  The  f<>xe 
saw  that  the  king  \\n>;  '/<.<?>"/,— and   translated  the   Dutch 

N  2 


180  NOTKS. 

«i<7<y)r'H stoundniele,  which  GiuiUior  not  undeistandinpjaltcred 
in  his  edition  (if  l;')oo,  into  "sadly." 

J  hid.  lite  khitf  toke  up  a  straw  fro  the  ground. — This,  and 
tlic  passage  in  the  foHowing  page,  where  the  fox  takes  np  a 
straw,  and  proffers  it  to  the  king,  contain  alhisions  to  one  of 
tlio  must  ancient  symhulical  fonns  which  exist  in  the  early 
hiws  of  the  Roman  and  Germanic  nations:  and  the  lawyer 
who  speaks  of  agreements  and  stipulations,  little  thinks  how 
much  (if  legal  archa'ology  is  involved  in  the  latter  word.  But 
the  subject  would  require  a  book  instead  of  a  note,  so  I  will 
refer  the  reader  desirous  of  investigating  this  curious  p(jint, 
to  (Jrimm's  Deutsche  Rcchts-altherthilmfr,  s.  121,  et  seq.,  or 
Michelct,  Oriijincs  du  Droit  Fran<;ais,  p.  120. 

P.  54.  "  Fro  Rome  to  mai/e."  A  bantering  expression 
equivalent  to  the  English  one, —  From  the  first  of  April  to  the 
foot  of  Westminster  Bridge.  Similar  forms  of  speech  occur 
in  the  Reinardus,  as — 

"  inter  Pascha  Remisque  fcror." — HI),  ii.  v.  690. 
and  again, 

"  inter 
Cluniacum  et  Sancti  fe.stu  Joliaiiiiis  obit." — lib.  iv,  v.  072. 

The  French  have  a  similar  saying,  "  Cela  s'est  passe  cntrc 
Maubeuge  et  la  I'entecote. 

P.  .0(5.  Ye  rei/scd — Journeyed,  as  it  is  modernized  l)y  Gual- 
tier.  It  is  the  same  as  the  modern  German  Reisen,  to  tra- 
vel, and  occurs  in  Chaucer,  who  says,  speaking  of  the  knight, 
"  In  Lctlowc  had  lie  rcysed,  and  in  lluw!." 

Iliid.  rt,«rt?//rt/— absolved.     So  in  Piei-s  Ploughman, 
"  And  so  to  ben  assoiled," — 1.  13,  7.53. 

P,  67.  An  hygh  stage  of  stone.  That  in  old  times"  high  stages 
of  stone"  were  among  the  places  most  frequently  chosen  for 
the  administration  of  justice,  is  shown  very  clearly  by  Grimm, 
Deutsche  Rerhls  AJihirlli'i'niur,  s.  H02,  while  the  practice  which 


NOTES.  ISl 

(il)Uiiiif(l  aniiiiij;  the  Scamliiiiiviiin  nations  nf  crcatini;  iheir 
kinj^s  liy  plaiing  tlit-ni  on  an  cli-vatcd  stunc,  (a  practice 
still  shadowed  forth  in  our  own  coionatinii  service),  scr>'es  to 
illiistnite  very  strikinj^ly  the  i>rtM'nl  passa<;e.  The  Enfrlish 
roadrr  will,  ])rolial)ly,  hv  rcmindrd  of  tlie  "  marble  UMv  "  in 
Westminster  i  lall,  and  the  Frith  stool  of  Beverley. 

P.  5S.  Jirokc. — This  word,  which  occurs  again  in  p.  }>'2,  is  liy 
(iualtier  changed  in  the  one  instance  into  "  fehmy,"  in  the 
.second  into  "misdeed."  It  is  frmu  the  I'lcniisli  l>nuil;r,  a 
crime. 

P.  60.  Male  and  staff' blessi/d as  luiontjeth  Inn  jiili/rini. —  In 
I"osijroke's  Ihilis/i  Afoiiarltisiii,  p.  '.V2ii,  ed.  ISI.I,  is  acliaptir 
on  the  eonsccr.ition  of  j)ilgrims,  from  which  we  learn  that 
after  certain  prayi  rs  and  psalms  had  been  said  ovt-r  the 
intended  jtilgrims  as  they  lay  jirostrale  before  the  altar,  they 
arose,  ami  the  priest  consecrated  their  scrips  and  staves.  He 
next  sprinkled  holy  water  upon  their  .scrips  and  stiives,  and 
placed  the  scrip  around  the  neck  of  each  pilgrim,  with  other 
religious  services.  Afterwards  he  delivered  to  each  of  them 
their  stalf,  witli  similar  prayers,  (S:u. 

P.  ()1.  Ma-slir  (ill i/s— In  some  copies  of  the  Flemish  met- 
rical Reinaert,  as  well  as  in  the  old  prose  version,  "  Master 
(ielis"  is  here  named,  by  whom  it  has  been  sup]>osed  the 
author  intended  /T'ljidins  dr  J.r.isinin,  a  eelebnited  theologian, 
the  friend  of  Albertns  Magmis.  In  the  other  cojiy  of  the 
Flemish  poem,  Mecster  Jufroet  is  the  authority  referred  to. 
By  Jufroet,  there  is  no  doubt  that  (lodfridus  .\ndegavensis  is 
meant,  who  lived  in  the  earlier  i)art  of  the  twilfth  century, 
and  the  passage  in  his  works  to  which  the  lion  relers,  is  thus 
•  pioted  by  (irimm,  and  Willems,  froni  the  liihlia  Pulniiii, 
toni.  xxi.  p.  <><> ;  "  I'ude  uuieuiipie  peecatori  de  magna 
Domini  miseratione  iiululgeiitiam  sperare  licet,  si  secognovcrit 


182  NOTES. 

peccatorein,  ct  suis  proxiuiis  cuinpaliens  tie  pcccjiU)  pa'iiitcrc 
voluerit. 

Ibid.  Palsler — a  pilpiiius  staff.  Tliese  were  soiiietiines 
armed  with  iron,  and  are  named  among  other  forbidden  wea- 
pons in  a  document  printed  in  Anselmi  Codex  Bcigicus  Pars 
II.  J).  17.  See,  for  a  full  description  of  the  pilj^rim's  stiiff, 
Fosbroke's  British  Monachism,  p.  'M6,  ed.  18  j:}. 

P.  ()2.  Yammerde.—'nm  word,  which  is  clearly  the  same  as 
tlie  German  Jammcrn,  to  lament,  is  by  Gualtier  modernized 
into  "sorrowed."  It  is  the  Anglo-Saxon  Earmian,  which  we 
find  in  the  next  page,  under  the  fomi  ermcd. 

Ibid.  "  A  jjijlijryin  nf  deux  aas." — W'illems,  who  tpiotes  a 
l>oem  entitled  Frenesie,  printed  by  him  in  his  Mengclingeiiy  to 
show  that  deux  ai  was  a  game, 

"  Nocbtan  eysch  ic  toe  twee  aes," 

explains  this  to  mean  that  the  fox  was  only  a  pretended  pil- 
grim, or  a  pilgrim  '  i)nur  la  farce.' 

P.  0.3.  Ermcd. — (jualticr  has  altered  this  into  "  maruayled," 
It  properly  means  lamented.     See  the  last  note  but  one. 

Ibid.  Retche  not  of — do  not  care  for.  From  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  Reccan.  Chaucer  uses  the  word  in  his  "  Man  of  Lawes 
Prologue"" — 

"  But  naUieles  I  rccclic  not  a  bene." 

P.  <>i).  Si/bbe, — related  or  allied.  From  the  Anglo-Saxon 
sib.  It  occurs  in  the  same  sense  in  Chaucer's  "  Tale  of 
Mclibeus," — "they  ben  but  litel  .libbe  to  you,  and  tlic  kin  of 
yourc  enemies  ben  nigh  sibbe  to  hem." 

P.71.  Afa.ite  pardon — a  sure  pardon,  as  it  is  rightly  modern- 
ized by  (iualtier.  It  is  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  fast,  finnus, 
and  the  epithet  is  still  used  in  its  original  sense,  in  the  word 
fastness. 

P.  72.  Iloue  Datmce—Comi  daunee,  as  Gualtier  has  it, 
from  the  Anglo-Saxon  Hof. 


NOTKS.  1^S3 

Ibid.  Plai/cs  andexbatrmruls. —  rhc>;c  arc  not  jileas  and  abate- 
ments, as  our  lej^al  friends  may  be  inclined  to  suiiimse— but 
literally  plays  and  pastimes,  as  Gualtier  has  modernized  the 
cxi)ression — Esbatenicnts,  from  the  old  I'rench  Esbdlltjnent, 
which  Ko(|uefon  defines  Passe-temjis,  S:c. 

]'.  73.  To  daij  bi/  the  viorow. — In  the  morning,  as  Gualtier 
has  modernized  it.  It  is  the  old  form  of  the  word  morning, 
from  the  Anglo-Saxon  Mor(jni. 

P.  74.  Slonkid  hrr  jh.— This  expressive  term,  which  oecnrs 
again  in  the  next  line  but  one,  in  another  fonn,  "he  slange 
them  in,"  is  from  the  riemish  Slindcn,  Gernum  Schliuijen, 
to  swallow  greedily,  to  devour. 

Ibid.  Thn  xcvu(f  he  his  strctc.—Hh  way.  From  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  Stitrt,  via. 

P.  75.  IIi»r  rail  lie  stuff'  thv  sliiir  with  Jhnkcs. — This  ob- 
scure proverbial  expression  is  literally  translated  by  C'axton 
from  the  old  Dutch  prose.  "  Hoe  maccte  hi  die  mouwe  mit 
ons  vol  mit  vloeken."  Gualtier  retains  the  phrase,  which  was 
probably  well  understood  in  his  day. 

P.  7(5,  Sirr  pour  Dicii. — This  passage  in  French,  is  trans- 
ferred literally  from  the  old  poem,  into  the  Dutch  prose.  The 
reader  will  iiLstantly  perceive  its  metrical  constniction. 

P.  77.  Gonnt's,  boinbardts. —  Honibardcs  arc  cannon.  The 
reader  will  find  a  most  coniplcic  sunmiaiy  of  the  history  of 
guns,  gmipowdcr,  fic,  in  Mr.  Way's  edition  of  ilic  I'r^ioipto- 
riuin,  p.  2 IN,  n.  1.  UolTiiian  in  his  edition  of  liriiiikr,  p. 
'221,  refers  to  the  Uuunm-cr:  Mmjaziii,  17!>H,  s.  :J('>1,  for  a 
proof  that  cannon  and  their  use  were  known  as  early  as  the 
year  1330. 

P.  Hi.  /V<»i(j>i</<'.— Provender,  from  the  IVcnch  proniid,-, 
see  lloqucfort,  who  defines  it  "  Provisions  de  boiicbe."  Sliak- 
spcrc  uses  it  in  Coriolanus,  act  ii.  sc.  1. 

'•  Of  MO  more  vjiil,  nor  fitncM  in  tlir  world 


I.S4  NOTES. 

I'hiui  cainrls  in  llit-ir  war  ;  wln>  hiivc  their  jirnrawl 
Only  lor  bearing  burdens.  ' 

I*.  .s;<.  nmaame—tooV  awjiy,  iVdiii  the  Aiijrlii-Saxim  Jiruu 
iitni . 

Ibid.  The  "  ijrete  dtceijtv''  wliich  Rcynanl  here  relale^, 
(onus  one  of  the  most  popular  faliles  of  the  Middle  Ages. 
It  is  alluded  to  by  Chaucer  in  his  Miller's  Tale. — 

"  The  pretest  clerks  ben  not  tlie  wisest  men, 
As  whilom  to  the  wolf,  this  spoke  the  mare." 

It  forms  the  91st  story  of  the  "  Cento  Novclle  Antiehe,"  and 
its  literary  history  pencially,  may  be  read  in  Schmidt's  Bei- 
trage  zur  Gesch.  der  Homaiitischcn  Poesie,  s.  181,  et  scq. 

P.  84.  /  can  wel  Frenshc,  Lati/n,  English. — Caxton  has 
adapted  the  whole  of  this  passage  to  the  meridian  of  London, 
in  the  (uiginal  there  is  no  mention  of  the  English  language 
or  of  Oxford,  ^c,  as  the  following  extract  will  show:^ 

"  Ich  can  wel  walsch,  latyn,  cnde  duytsch.  le  hebbe  terf- 
forden  ter  seholen  ghcgaen.  Oee  hcb  ich  luit  oudcn  wisen 
meesters  van  deraudiencien  questien,  cnde  sentencien  gheghe- 
vcn,  endc  was  in  loeyen  ghelycencecrt,  5cc. 

P.  85.  Laste, — loss,  as  in  Gualtier's  edition. 

P.  86.  Even  Christen. — Neighbour  or  fellow -Christian. 
Kven,  in  the  sense  of  felhiw,  occurs  in  tlie  Anglo-Saxon  Gos- 
jtels,  Matthew  xix.  where  fellow-servant  is  rendered  efen 
ihenua,  and  cven-ehristian  for  neighbour,  in  the  old  Pricsie, 
where  the  commandment.  Thou  sbalt  love  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself;  is  "minna  thinne  evncristena  like  thi  selva." 

'ITie  word  occurs  also  in  Piers  Plr)ughman,  and  in  Hamlet. 

P.  87.  Jhjni/mplc  with  kervhinds. — Veil  or  mask  the  truth, 
as  women's  faces  were  concealed  by  their  wimples.  Tlie  edi- 
tion of  KioO  rcad.s,  "but  he  that  cannot  wimple  falshood  in 
truthcs  kerchief,  hath  neither  art  nor  cunning." 

Ifiid.  Ih-maij  urrc  acarlct  ««(/ ^n/if.— Scarlet  and  gryse,  the 


I 


NOTh^S.  185 

roslumo  ul"  a   dortor  of  laws.     (Irys  is  a   liir,  and  t^hamrr 
ilescrilies  liis  monk  as  lia\in^j 

•'  His  slfVfs  ]iiir|ili'(l  at  thf  liuiiil, 

Willi  f!ri$,  uiiil  lliat  tlic  liiitst  of  the  Imiil.  — 1.  HKl  J, 

See  fuithcr  Pnnnptoriuiti^  ]>.  211,  (■<!.  Way. 

/*.  HK.  Without  tati'lijnii — willioiit  staninicriiijr-  Inmi  the 
Old  I'lemish  tntrren,  wliieli  Killian  explains  l>y  lialiutirc, 
(itubarr. 

P.  MS).  >'()H«f/. — This  word,  which  is  modernized  hy  Cnaltier 
into  "wished,"  is  I'mm  the  I'lemish  J'i/ihch,  whieh  Killian 
explains  by  favere. 

P.  I'O.  /  cri/e  out  Iliirou'v  on  them. —  I  denounee  lluin. 
llarow  was  the  cry  by  whieh  the  Nonnans  were  bniiiid  to 
denounce  any  great  offence,  such  as  theft,  murder,  Nee.  whieh 
had  been  committed.  It  is  said  by  Roquefort  in  his  Glossairr 
s.  V.  Ilarow,  to  be  derived  from  I  la  and  Rmml,  in  remembrance 
of  Raoul  I,  Duke  <»f  Normandy,  whose  memory  was  highly 
esteemed  by  his  eountrynu-n.  for  his  love  of  justice,  aiul  the 
strictness  with  whieh  lieaihiiinisteicil  it.  See  further,  DindiK/r 
s.  V.  Ham.  Uncertain  as  is  tin-  etymology  of  this  cry,  it  is 
probably  connected  with  the  hnralms  of  the  Ia'X  Hipuaria, 
mentioned  by  (Jrimm,  HeehLs-Altherthiimer,  s.  7!>4. 

/'.  !»1.  Wykni. —  !)e|)a'rted,  or  gone  away,  from  the  Flemish 
Wifrkvn,  cedere,  reeedere,  've. 

P.  }I2.  Kiimrrick. — This  is  a  misprint  for  Camerirk. 

P.\y.\.  Iniri/tlr—Rvasitn,  consciousness,  from  the  .\nglu- 
Saxon  inirit. 

P.  !M.  .}f(iffi(s. — Wonus  or  maggots,  from  the  .\nglo. Saxon 
Miiiha,  the  riemish,  Mmlru. 

/'.  !>»>.  Soiulrrli/  »//«. —  I'.xtremily  wisi-,  from  llif  .\ngIo- 
Saxon,  .viiH</er,  si-parate  or  peeidiar,  or  rather  ptrha|>s  ilu 
<ii'rman  somlrrlii/i,  espteially,  partieularlv 

/'.  lol.  Iliilkr. — Abeam,  from  the  Anglo  Saxon  hair. 


186  NOTES. 

P.  102.  Nct/icr  hi/n,  nv  wi/ii,  nc  frende. — Neither  kinsiiiiiii, 
1101-  friend,  Wyn,  ;i  I'rieiul,  from  the  old  Fricsic  Winnc.  .See 
Richtliofer. 

Ibid.  Grete  chierie. — This  French  phrase  is  introduced  by 
Caxton  ;  "  lief  ende  weert"  are  the  words  of  the  original. 

P.  103.  A  parable  of  a  man. — This  fable  is  one  of  the  most 
frequent  occurrence  in  the  literature  of  the  middle  ages.  See 
Robert's  Fables  Incdilcs,  Sec.  II,  p.  51.  Barbazan's  Fabliaux, 
ii.  p.  7.3,  ed.  Meon. 

P.  104.  Avat/lc. — Profit.  This  word,  which  occurs  several 
times,  see  pp.  107,  12(),  &c.  is  used  by  Chaucer  in  his  Court 

of  Love : 

"  By  mine  advice,  love  shall  be  contrurie 
To  bis  availe." 

P.  107.  Avicen. — Avicenna  or  Ebn  Sina,  as  he  is  properly 
called,  was  an  Arabian  Physician  of  the  tenth  century.  He 
was  no  less  celebrated  as  a  philosopher,  and  his  "  canon,"  as 
the  volume  in  which  he  had  collected  all  the  medical  know- 
ledge of  his  time  was  designated,  was  looked  upon,  during  the 
middle  ages,  as  the  text-book  of  medical  science.  The 
original  text  was  first  published  at  Rome,  in  15!>.'),  jind  has 
since  been  frequently  translated.  His  philosojihical  works 
translated  into  Latin  were  i)riiited  at  Venice,  in  two  volumes, 
folio,  in  1523,  and  again  in  1504. 

Ibid.  Forded. — Profit  or  advantage,  con'esponding  with 
the  modem  Gennan,  Vortheil. 

P.  109.  The  Musehimt  is  the  weasel,  mustcla,  according 
to  Grimm,  who  tells  us  that  in  the  Schildbiirgcrn,  cap.  44, 
the  cat  is  called  the  mam/tund.    HofTraan  ccmsiders  it  the  cat. 

Ibid.  The  fychcws  is  also  described  by  Mr.  Wright  in  his 
Glossary  to  Piers  Ploughman,  as  a  kind  of  weasel. 

Ibid.  The  marlron,  the  marten. 

Ibid.  The  (jcncte,  the  ustrolc  and  the  doussyng. — The  genete 
is  the  wild  cat. 


NOTES.  187 

P.  10!'.  Ilrrmil,  the  assi-. — Caxtoii  lias  in  this  instunce 
inismulei-stixKl  his  original,  in  whiih  ilat  Ihruirl  is  cnnnuTuted 
before  the  ass,  anil  not  as  being  the  name  of  that  animal. 
The  Ilcrinrl,  aecoriling  to  Iloirnian,  is  the  Ermine,  Miis 
linnenus,  the  Enuellino  of  the  Italians. 

P.  110.  "She  hath  the  r)s  doe  blosuie  agayn." — In  the 
original  "  Si  hevet  rijs  aveder  begonnen  doen  bloejcn." 
She  hath  made  the  branehcs  blossom  again,  or  as  the  Editor 
of  the  editiim  of  1(350  has  improved  it,  "  put  new  blossomcs 
on  my  dried  roses. " 

P.  111.  Mai/stcr  Aken/ii. — Willcms  supposes  this  to  be 
altogether  an  imaginary  personage.  See  his  Note,  Rciimert, 
p.  '20-.). 

P.  ll'J.  Maisttr  Ahrion  of  Tri/cr. — Willems  supposes  this 
also  to  be  an  imaginary  personage,  witli  a  name  derived  from 
the  old  French  Abricon,  a  quaek  or  charlatan,  (irimm, 
(s.  c.  4.  iii.)  who  stiites  that  he  cannot  lind  in  Wolfe's  Jiihli- 
olheca  Ilehraica  any  Jewish  writer  of  this  name,  "of  Tryer," 
queries  whether  the  name  may  not  be  (Uri\eil  from  Aaron, 
Abraham,  or  rather  from  Ajijiirion,  the  diminutive  of  1-phraim. 
He  adds  that  the  name  somewhat  resembles  in  .'^ound  that  of 
Apnmculus,  the  old  Bishop  of  Triers,  of  the  sixth  century 
(Bouquet  iii.  110),  but  whom  any  tradition,  which  might  eomc 
down  to  the  middle  ages,  woidd  hardly  convert  into  a  .lew. 

P.  1 12.  The  Oijlr  itf  Mercy. — The  legend  of  Seth's  bringing 
the  Oil  of  Mercy  out  of  I'aradi.se,  is  poetically  related  in  the 
jioem  "  Van  dem  lioltc  des  heiligcn  Cruccs,"  «if  the  wood  of 
the  Holy  Cross,  printed  in  Staphorst  :  "  Hamb  :  Kirchen- 
gesehiehte  iv.  s.  iOH-'Jii.    See  HofTmann's  Ihiiukr,  s.  '22\. 

P.  1  \'^.  "  Late  him  bye  this  stone  in  a  litlc  uatri-." — The 
virtue  attriltutcd  to  this  stone  must  remind  the  reader  of  that 
of  the  "  I*ee  Penny,"  on  which  Sii  Walter  Scott  founded  his 
story  of  The  Talisman.  .\  similar  ring,  sa\s  Willems,  is 
mentioned  in  l'lori>  c>u  Blanclielleui. 


1 88  NOTES. 

1'.  Ml.  Wrl  hrrted — This  will  hv  host  cxplaiiuil  in  the 
words  of  the  Editor  of  the  1().'>()  edition,  "yet  should  not  his 
heart  fail  him." 

Ibid.  Pantlivrii. — The  belief  that  the  panther  "  smelleth  so 
sweet"  and  that  "  for  his  sweet  sniellin<j;  all  other  beasts  follow 
hiui,"  is  one  of  very  great  antiquity.  It  is  mentioned  in  the 
old  English  Bestiarius,  in  the  Arundel  MS.  No.  292,  printed 
in  tlie  Alt-Deutschf  Blatter  n.  i>J),  in  the  old  (Jemian  Physio- 
logus  referred  toby  Iloffman  in  his  "  Fundgruben,  1.  1(>,  and 
in  Maerlant's  "  Naturenblomc." 

/'.  1)5.  Ci/bere. — In  the  metiical  licinacrl,  v.  5611,  Uiis 
eolour  is  called  Synoper,  which  Willems  interprets  green. 
C'axton  mentions  it  again,  p.  1 18,  when  he  terms  it  "  Cynope." 

P.  117.  Ctti/ne. — This  wood  is  called  Cetijn  in  both  the 
metrical  and  prose  Flemish  versions.  In  the  low  German 
Ueiiiikc  it  is  called  Sfthim,  and  Hoffman  gives  the  fidlowing 
description  of  it  from  the  Liber  de  Natura  of  Thomas 
Canlipratensis.  Constit  ergo  (|uod  Sethhn  arbor  maxime 
sit;  lignum  ejus  album  ac  leve  legitur  et  inconibustii)ile,  id 
est  de  facili  non  cedens  igni :  imputnl)ile  (juod  nun(|uam 
uli(iuo  humore  vel  anti(]uitate  corrumpitur,  quod  patet  adhuc 
in  archa  Noe,  qua;  super  monies  Armenia;  incorruptibilis  per- 
severat.  De  lignis  i.stis,  et  archa  testamenti  fuis.sc  legitur  et 
inulta  alia  in  cdilicium  templi  et  vasorum. 

And  the  following  passage  from  Maerlcnt's  dcscrijition  of 
the  Tabernacle  in  his  Ri/mbybel,  will  serve  to  show  that  it  is 
the  Shittim  wood  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  : 

An  die  nordside  dar  icgen  recht, 
Stont  ene  tafle  van  hoiite  Cclin, 
Dair  ic  oec  wel  seker  ave  bin 
Dat  lichtste  oude  ist  dat  men  vint, 
Ende-  verrot  iiiet  en  twiut 

Ibiil.  IIor.se  of  tre. — This  W(»oden  hor.ic  is  the  cheval  defusi 
which   not  only  figures  so   conspicuously   in  the  celebrated 


NOTKS.  189 

roiuance  of  Clrnuiadn,,  written  by  Adiiiis,  or  Adciiey  Ic  IU>i, 
but  in  s(tnic  ol'  the  MSS.  jjivcs  its  title  to  the  poem.  Much 
nirious  iUiistration  of  the  liisttir)'  juhI  writinffs  of  Adencz, 
who  was  tlie  minstrel  of  Henry  III,  Duke  of  Brabant,  will 
be  found  in  De  la  Rue,  llistoire  des  Bardes,  \c.  ii.  ;5<),  in 
Paulin  Paris,  Lettre  ii  M.  Monmenjue,  and  in  Terdinand 
Wolf  "  I'eber  dcr  Lcistungen  der  Franzosen,"  s.  'M.  In  the 
latter  work,  and  in  Keiphtley's  "Talcs  and  Popular  Fictions," 
are  many  notices  of  similar  maj^ic  horses. 

P.  1  i!>.  lii/fliri/nf/c. — In  Guallier's  edition  this  is  modernized 
into  "  well  rule."     See  also  note  on  p.  IH. 

P.  \'20,  Tiro  (jrelc  hulvs. — Two  great  boils  or  swellings.  It 
is  the  Flemish  and  Low  Gennan  hulni. 

Ihiil.  And  was  an  as.i,  i^-c. — A  similar  fable  will  be  found  in 
the  old  French  Vsopctin  Robert's"  Fables  ineditcs des xiinu*. 
xiii.  et  xivrae.  Siecles,  i.  231. 

Ibid.  Ilcrkni  ferthrr. — The  story  which  the  fox  here  relates 
is  another  of  the  fables  so  po])ular  during  the  middle  ages, 
which  the  author  has  contrived  to  weave  into  the  thread  of  his 
narrative.  It  occurs,  among  other  places,  in  the  "  Poesies  de 
Marie  de  France,"  ii.  3S7. 

P.  \'22.  There  also  stndi-  ulsn  in  thiil  nii/rrour. —  l"or  this 
fable  the  reader  is  again  referred  to  Robert's  Fahlis  imttiti's, 
i.  I'X). 

P.  I'JI.  fro  scote  fro  MontjKllier. — Montpelier  was  ceh-- 
brated  as  a  seat  of  learning  in  the  twelfth  century,  and 
according  to  Ilesselin — Dirdonnairr  I  niiTrxrl  dp  la  Franrr, 
iv.  55.0,  medical  lectures  were  publicly  delivered  there  jus 
early  as  11  SO. 

Iliid.  Cloth  of  si/lkr,  and  a  t/j/lt  gtjrdle. —  I  must  leave  to 
my  friend  Mr.  Petlign  w,  who  has  made  hinisi-lf  so  com- 
pletely master  of  that  interesting  held,  llie  ArchaH)logy  of 
Medicine,  to   decide   when   and  how   this   pcctiliar  costume 


lOO  NOTES. 

was  lirst  appropriated  to  tlic  nicdical  prolVssion,  and  t(i 
explain  wliy  Caxton  has  changed  the  "  bontc  ende  side," 
the  fur  and  silk,  of  his  original,  into  the  "  clothe  of  sylke 
and  a  gylt  gyrdle."  The  inference  is  that  the  latter  formed, 
in  Caxton's  time,  the  characteristic  costume  of  the  English 
physicians.  Let  me  add  that  La  C'licnaye  des  Bois,  in  his 
most  useful  Dirlhinnnirc  Ilixliirif/ur  des  Frati^ni'!,  iii.  DO, 
speaking  of  the  physician  of  the  king  of  France,  says:  — 
"  Quand  il  va  aux  ecoles  de  Paris,  il  est  vetu  d'une  robe  de 
satin  commc  les  conseillers  d'Etat,"  &c. 

P.  125.  A  garhmd  of  roses. — On  the  subject  of  these  gar- 
lands, see  Le  Grand  d^  Aussi/,  Vie  privie  des  Francois,  ii. 
222.  The  nature  of  these  garlands,  and  the  objects  and 
occasions  on  which  they  were  bestowed,  have  never  yet  been 
sufficiently  investigated,  and  the  present  is  scarcely  the  place 
to  discuss  a  point  involved  in  as  much  obscurity,  as  it  is  re- 
plete with  interest. 

P.  126.  Smeke. — Gualticr,  in  his  edition,  has  changed  this 
expressive  epithet  into  "  speak  fair ;"  it  properly  means  to 
flatter,  and  is  the  same  as  the  old  Flemish  s)iu<'('k<')i. 

P.  12(1.  Not  li>  (Uiij  J'onri/lli/n</  of  i/mr. — Reproaeli.  It  is 
obviously  connected  with  the  (ierman  vomit:,  i)ertness.     In 

Gualtier's  edition  the  ithrase  is  altered  to  "  not  that  I  will  cast  ' 

■» 

you  in  the  teeth  therewith." 

P.  128.  The  mogghctis. — The  paunch.  In  the  original 
"  pensen  darmen,"  the  paunch  and  intestines. 

P.  132.  Gobet. — A  part  or  morsel,  from  the  French  gobel. 
The  word,  which  is  used  several  times  by  Caxton  (page  140), 
occurs  also  in  Chaucer,  whose  Pardonere  is  described  as 
Siiying : 

"  he  haddc  a  gobliet  of  tlio  seyl 

Wliich  tliat  St.  Peter  liad,  whan  that  he  wente 
Upon  the  sea. 


NOTES.  191 

P.  V^S.  Forfiorn. — Fro/.i'ii.     Kd.  Gualtior. 

Ibid.  Rifbadnitsli/. — Iiulcrcntly.  Kihaiid  and  lihaiidif, 
occur  both  in  Piers  Plmifj^lmian,  and  in  Cliauccr,  but  I 
do  not  remember  to  have  met  with  the  word  use<l  adver- 
bially. 

P.  i;U).  But  that  lie  shall  hrri/spp  mc. — This  is  a  eonlinna- 
tion  of  the  former  note  upon  the  word  "  iniberisped."  In 
(iiialtier's  edition  we  read,  instead  of  the  above,  "  but  that  he 
will  take  me  in  my  wordes." 

P.  137.  A  mrrmoi/xi',  a  baubi/n,i»a  iiurcate.  In  the  I'lem- 
ish  prose,  "  een  marraoeyse  een  baubyn  of  ecn  meereat,"  and 
in  the  metrical  Reiuaert,  Willems  describes  Mamet  as  an 
epithet  of  the  foul  fiend,  and  dcriverl  from  Mahomet,  but 
states  that  he  cannot  trace  the  name  of  such  an  evil  spirit 
as  bakuinijn  in  (irimm's  Deutsche  Mi/thalnyie.  But  it  is 
obvious  that  the  fox  did  not  allude  to  supernatural  beings. 
Killian  explains  tnvvr-katte,  siinia  eaudata,  and  the  general 
sense  of  the  passage  may,  perhaps,  l)e  gathered  from  the  more 
modern  version  in  the  edition  of  1650,  "a  marmo/.in,  or 
baboone,  or  else  a  mereat."  Caxton,  it  may  be  observed, 
afterwards  (p.  110),  uses  the  term  marmosette. 

P.  110.  Nt/ckers.—  In  liiis  name,  by  which  the  wolf  desig- 
nated the  fiend-like  oll'spring  of  the  "  mannosel,"  we  have  a 
striking  allusion  to  the  Muhology  of  Scandinavia,  and  that 
portion  of  it  which  is  retained  among  us  to  this  day,  when 
we  designate  the  lOvil  One  by  the  epithet  of  Old  i^'irk.  Odin 
assumes  the  name  of  Nikar  or  llnikar  when  he  enacts  Uie 
destroying  or  evil  principle,  and  scarcely  a  river  of  Scandinavia 
which  has  not  its  appropriate  Nikr.  See  further  upon  this 
curious  point,  (Jrimm  Deutsche  Mytliologic,  s.  2.')(»-2(>5, 
2te.  .\nsge. 

/*.  1  J2.  .V;/ _<//.ii'c.— Cniisnll  nil  the  siibjirt  of  challenging 
l>y  throwing  down  a  gIo\c,  and  of  accepting  such  cliallengi- 


1 1)2  NOTES. 

liy  tlio  lakiiij,'  iiji  nt  the  satiu-,  (iriiinn'^  DciUscIr'  RecliLs- 
Althcitliiiiiicr,  !s.  l.VJ. 

P.  1  12.  J'his  campijng. — This  lighting,  lioiu  the  Gcnuaii, 
hampf,  a  fight,  kampfen  to  fight. 

P.  143.  Jiiiroins. — Pledges,  hail,  security.  This  wonl 
occurs  in  almost  all  the  Teutonic  languages.  In  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  we  have  Imr/i,  used  precisely  in  the  sense  in  which 
Caxton  uses  the  word,  see  Thorpe's  Auylo-Saxnu  Laws.  It 
occurs  also  in  Piers  Ploughman, 

"  Ami  lirougbtest  nie  horwcs, 
My  biddyng  to  fulfil." 

And  in  Luther's  version  of  the  Old  Testament,  Genesis  xliii. 
V.  9,  we  read  "  Ich  will  barge  fur  ihn  scyn." 

P.  120.  Glat. — Slippery,  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  glid, 
slippery,  or  from  glad  the  participle  oi  glid,  to  glide  or  slip. 

P.  14.5.  Blaerdf  shaj/. — HofTnian,  in  a  note  upon  the 
corresponding  passage,  in  his  edition  of  the  Reinikcy  refers  to 
his  "  Beitrage  zur  Gerchichte  der  Segens-und  Beschworungs- 
formeln,"  in  the  Monatschrift,  v.  u.  f.  Schlesien,  1H2!>,  s.  7;')!, 
and  to  his  Fundgruben,  i.  2«>0-;}  and  34;3-r»,  for  an  illustra- 
tion of  similar  ancient  forms  of  adjuration.  Willems  further 
refers  to  Mone's  Aiiztigcr,  1834,  s.  277. 

P.  14().  Stri/kcd. — To  go  forth,  from  the  Anglo-Saxon 
strican.  It  occurs  in  the  Creed  of  Piers  Ploughman,  under 
the  form  straketh. 

"  With  stenie  slaves  and  stronge 
Thci  over  loud  slraketb.' — 1.  163-^1,  ed.  Wright. 

P.  1  J<>.  The  lussr. — The  lynx,  which  is  called  the  Inssem 
in  p.  166. 

P.  148.  Pint  /////nrfr.—Gualtier  has  altered  this  into  "  starcke 
blind." 

P.  14!).  Snrllc. — Quick,  the  Gernian  schnell. 

Ibid.  Afterdelp. — Disadvantage,  in  contradistinction  to 
fnrdete,  which  lias  occurred  so  fre(|uently. 


NOTF.s.  ifc; 

I*.  !;')(>.  Jiiiuff/il. — Rcarlied,  Irom  tlic  .•\ii}^l(i-Sii\ini  rticaii, 
past  tt'iiso  ni/ili;  to  reach.  ChaiiciT  uses  the  word  in  liis 
admimble  description  of  the  Prioresse, 

"  Full  wiiifly  after  hire  ini-to  slii-  rinit;lil.' 

And  in  several  other  passages. 

P.  131.  dope. — A  Idow,  the  German,  A/c/;/". 

P.  1;')'2.  "  That  it  stt>de  so  rownie." — Tliat  alTairswerc  in  snch 
a  position. 

Ihid.  The  huh/  (jrnrr. — The  holy  sepnlchre.  On  thesulyect 
of  such  Pilirrinia;,'esof])nnishnientiind  ])enante,  see  Foslirokc's 
British  Monaehisni,  p.  3I«>,  ed.  isi;?. 

P.  1  ;'>"2.  "  For  whan  ye  hereafter  shall  slepe."— This  taunting 
speech,  uttered  even  at  a  moment  when  the  fox  is  seeking  to 
propitiate  the  favour  of  his  rival,  is  highly  characteristic  of 
that  comhinatiou  of  impudence,  confidence,  and  audacity 
which  distinguish  Reynard  from  the  other  actors,  in  this 
strange  drama. 

p.  l.O.').  Locked. — Caught,  from  the  (dd  I'lemish  Inehen, 
or  rather  tlic  Anglo-Saxon  Ucccan,  to  seize  or  take.  Tin-  v;iin<- 
word  occurs  in  "  Piers  Ploughman." 

'■  .\iiil  if  yo  larrhi-  Lyeri'. 
I.at  liyiii  iii>);)it  u.Hrnpeii, 
Er  hi"  Ik-  put  cii  tlie  ))illory. ' — s.  I2H«I  N. 

Ibid.  Sireti  Jliii/liiiif. — This  word  occnis  in  t'haiiccrV 
(leserijition  of  the  Voung  Sipiire, 

"  Singing  li<"  was  or  floyliuij  nil  tin-  ilnv." 

And  is  explained  hy  Tyrwliitl  "  playing  on  the  llnte."  llui 
as  the  Flemish  //n»//r;i  si^nilies  Itoih  to  ]>lay  on  the  flute,  and 
to  tell  lies,  it  may  be  douhteil  whether,  in  the  present  case, 
the  latter  interpretation  is  not  to  be  preferred. 

P.  137.  Fli/itdennows. — In  CJualtier's  edition  we  read  field 
mouse,  but  it  is  more  i)robably   the  bat,  the   vleddernim  of 


194  NOTES. 

till'  Flemish  Reinaerl,  which  Killian  explains  by  Vespertilio, 
mus  vnlucer,  I've. 

fbid.  Grete  Loos. — Great  praise  or  honour  ;  in  which  sense 
the  word  is  used  in  "  Piers  Ploughman." 

"  Ne  pooil  loos  of  liisc  handes." — 1.  7161. 

P.  IHO.  Scatte  and  pijlle. — 'J'ax  and  rob.  The  former  word 
has  already  been  explained  in  the  note  on  page  44.  Thf 
lalter  is  from  the  Anplo-Nonnan,  see  Roquefort,  s.  v.  -pille, 
pillrnr,  &c. 

P.  1(52.  Ml/  bai/le. — Bailiff.  The  sheriff  is  now  the  king's 
bailiff,  whose  duty  it  is  to  preserve  the  rights  of  the  kin^ 
within  his  bailiwick  ;  for  so  his  county  is  frequently  called  in 
the  writs.     See  Blackstone,  book  i.  cap.  9,  p.  .344,  ed.  1778. 

P.  1H,3.  Missake. — Renounce  or  forsake,  from  the  old 
Flemish  mis-saecken,  negare. 

Ibid.  Wrj/ved. — Rubbed,  from  the  old  Flemish  urijvrn, 
atterere,  fricare,  ^c. 


KICHAKUS,  PBINTER,  100,  ST.  MaRTIN'S  LANE. 


university  ol  CaUtorma 
SOUTHERN  REG,ONALUB,,pV^PAC,U^^^^^ 

305  De  Neve  Dnve^  ?al  FORNIA  90095-1388 

LOS  ANGELES.  CALlhUM  borrowed. 

Returnt^v^n^ " 


AiVV 
7- 


Form  L9— 3