The most Delectable History af Reynard the Fox.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 16, 10 August 1848, Page 3

The most Delectable History of Reynard the Fox.

CHAPTER 11. How Grimbard the Brock spake for Reynard before the King. Then spake Grimbard the brock, that was Reynard's sister's son, bemg lumh tuoved with auger; <■ Iseijrim you are malicious, and it is a comiron proverb, Atuttee never spake well ; what can you sny against my Km*. man Reynard? I wou'd you duist utiveuluie, that which ot ym had moat injured one another, might die the death, and be bange«* as a felou: I tell you, were be here in the court, t»»d »s much in tho Kind's fav. ':- at you are, It would be much too little sauat ctioa t m

you to ask* him mercy; you have many times bitt*n and torn my kinsman with your venomous teeth, and oftener much than I can leckon, yet some I will call up to my remembrance. " Have you forgot how you cheated him with the plaice which he threw down from the cart, when you folbwed aloof for feir ? Yet you devoured the good plaice alone* aid gave him no more but the great bones winch you could not eat yourself; the like you did with the fat flitch of bacon, whose taste m ao good, that you yourself alone did eat it up, and when my uncle asked hU part, you answered him with scora, * Fair young niau, thou shalt have thy share;' but ha got not anything, albeit he wou the bacon with great fear tmi hoztrd, for the owner came, and caught my kinsman in a sack, from whence he hardly escaped with life. Many of these injuries hatb Isegrim done to Reynard, which I beseech your lordship judge if they be sufferable. " Now com-s Kyward the hare with his complaint, which to me seems but <t trifle, for if he will learn to read, and read not his lesson aright, who will blame the schwiluiiuter Reynard if he give htm due correction ? Fur if scholars be not Beaten and chastised they will never learn. " Lastly complaiocth Curtis that he with great pain had gotten a pudding in the winter, being a season in which victuals ure hard to And; methinks silence wauld have become him better, for bo had stolen it; | and Male qucesidi, et male perduhsti, it is fit it be evil lost was evil won; who can blan-e Reynard to take stolen goods from a thief. It it rea&ou that he ; which understands (he law and can discern right, 1 being of gre*t and high birth as my kinsman is, do right unto the law; nay, had he hanged up Curtis when he took lim with the manner, he hod offended none but the Kin? in doing j'»t ce without leave; wherefore for lespect to his Majesty he did not, thuu:h he reaped little thanks for his lubour; alas, how do these camulaints huit him ! Mine uncle is a gentleman ard a true imui, nor can he cudure false* hood, he doih nothing without the counsel of bia priest: and I affirm, since my Lord (he King proclaimed his peace, be never tluudH to hut any man ; for he ea'eth but once a day, he live lb as a recluse, he (histtseth his body, and weureih a shirt of hair cloth; it is aoove a yc *r siuci* be eat any flesh (as 1 have been truly io'ormed by them which came but yes-er-day ft Ota him), he hath funuken his castle Malepardtts, and. abandoned ail rjyal.y, a poor hermitage retains him, hunting he hath forsworn, and his wealth he halli scattered, living only by alms and good men's chari* tie •; doinj infinite penance lor his sins, so that he U become pale and Iran With praying mi fasting." Thus while Grimburd his nephew stood preaching, thsy perceived coming down the Iwtt utito tbetn, stout Chanticleer the cock, who brought upon a bier a dead hen, of whom Reynard had bitten oft the head, and %as brought to the King to have know.edge thereof.