The most Delectable History of Reynard the Fox.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 17, 17 August 1848, Page 3

The most Delectable History of Reynard the Fox.

Chapter 111. How Chanticleer the Cock complained of Reynard the Fox, Chanticleer marched foremost, smote Piteously his hauas and teuthers, white on the other si c the bier I wem two soirowiul hen<=, 'he ens was Tanturt, the . 1 uther the good hen Crag ant* being two rf the fairest I hensbetwe.il Holland ami Arden; these hens boie each oftueni a st.aight biubt bartiing taper, *ud these ! hens were sisters to Lopp'e, which lay dead on the j , bier, and in the marching they cried piteously, alack and weil-a-day for tUe death ot f. opjtle our dear s.isttr- i Two joung hsns bare the bier, »bich c;icfeeled zn lie ivi-y, and wept so loud lor the death of Coppte their . muili< r, that the hi! s gave «n echo to thtir ilimuur ; thus being come before the King, Chanticleer kneelm* ! down, spake in this manner. 1 " Most merciful and ray great Lord the King, v mch sa f e, 1 bes"eih you, t-i bear cur compla nt, and reJn^a , ttiose ii jmies which Reynard hath unjustly toae to me, a d my children tiat htre stmd weeping ; ior so lit is, mest mighty Sir. that in th" begt niug of April, vh.-n the ne-thrr was fair, I being then in tbe !tti;ht ■ tit my pride and glory, because of tbe great stock n I luita 0 e I carre of, anJ also in that I bad e:ghi vaHui.t sens, and seven fair daughters, win'ch my wife Lad i hatched, all which weje strung and fat, and walked in ' a yard well walled and fenced round about, wherein they bad in several sheds ior their guard six stout mastiff dogs, winch had torn tbe skins of many wild beasts, so that my children feared not any ovd which i might happen unto them: but Reynard, that false and I dissembling traitor, envying their happy fortune be- • cause of thtir safety, many times assailed the walls, aad I gavd sa< h dangerous assaults, that the dogs divers, times I were let forth unto him and hunttd him away ; yea, j onae they lighted upon him and bit him, and made ! Mm pay the price for his theft, and his torn skin>i.nessed; yet nevertheless he escaped, tbe more was t'le j pity; yet we were qu-t of his trouble a great while I ultur. At last he came in the likeness of a hermit, and ! brought me a letter to read, sealed wi h your Majesty's | seal, in which I found written, that your highness had , insidj peace throughout all your realm, and that no maimer of beast or Lwl should do injury one io ! i.no her, affirming unto me, that for his own part he ivus become a monk or cloistered recluse, v..whig to i perform a daily penance for his sins; showing unto me his beads, his books, and the hair shirt next to hU s* m, baying in bumble wise unto me, * Sir Ci.anUcle t never neuceforth be afraid of me, for 1 have vowtd nevermore to eat fLsli. I am now wax* d übl, ami would only reimniber m\ boul, therefore 1 take my lejve, for I have yet my nion and my evening sonar to say ; wnich spake, he departed, saying bis Credo as he went, and laid him down under a hawthorn ; tit this I wjs exceeding gial, that 1 took j no heed but went ant clacked my children t^ftier,and waked without the w«U, which I shall eeer rue, for fjlse Reynard tying under a bush cane creeping betwixt us ai d the gale, and suddenly surprised one of my children, which he trusstd up in his oiai, and bore away, to my great sorrow; for hivuig ta*t e J the sneetne±» ot our flcUl", neither huuter nor hound can protect or hifp him from us; night and d yhe wails upon us with » that grvedine s, that of fifteen of my children he tiutli | K'lt ii;e but four , m»lau»utered, and yesterday Lojple j my daughter, which hero layeth dead on this bier, w.<s after ber murder, by a kennel of hounds, ivstuei iro i bin; Um is my eompKi-iit, and tbU I le«ve to jour highlit: sfs mercy to take pity of m* s and tie Lb* of :_y imr ehdurcu. 1 ' END OK CUAP UI,

I Th.* iili'b of tb' lULbins. r<&pectng the origin of w«. ' trail it aoi .i li tie singular. Tuey tti.uk u.at uaa \v i- c igiual y i.irut cl wuli a tail, like a iuiu!;*y, but ■ tuat the "mi\ cut off u.tt a t and maJo a wv,* j inau vl U,