Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	great_a	king_n	lord_n	8,214	5	3.8032	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60011	The most delectable history of Reynard the Fox Newly corrected and purged from all grossenesse in phrase and matter. As also augmented and inlarged with sundry excellent moralls and expositions upon every severall chapter.; Reynard the Fox.	J. S. (John Shirley), fl. 1680-1702, attributed name.	1656 (1656)	Wing S3510; ESTC R220018	74,373	124

good that your selfe alone did eat it up and when my Vnckle asked his part you answered him with scorne Faire young man thou shalt have thy share but he got not any thing albeit he wonne the Bacon with great feare and hazard for the owner came and caught my kinsman in a Sack from whence he hardly escaped with life many of those injuries hath Isegrim don to Reynard which I beseech your Lordships judge if they be sufferable again he complaineth that my kinsman hath wronged him in his wife 't is true and I confesse Reynard hath lien with her yet it was seven yeares before Isegrim did wed her and if my uncle out of courtesie did her a pleasure what was that to him she was soon healed of the sore nor ought he to complaine of any thing not belonging to him wisedome would have concealed it for what credit gets he by the slander of his wife especially when she is unagrieved Now comes Kayward the Hare with his complant which to me seemed but a tri●●e for if he will learn to read and read not his lesson aright who will blame the Schoole-master Reynard if he give him due correction for if scholers be not beaten and chastised they will never learn Lastly complaineth Curtise that he with great paine had gotten a Pudding in the winter being a season in which victuals are hard me thinks silence would have become him better for he had stollen it and Malè quefisti malè perdidisti ' its fit it was evil lost 't was evil wonn who can blam● Reynard to take stollen goods from a thief It is reason that he which understands the Law and can discerne right being of great and high birth as my kinsman is do right unto the law Nay had he hanged up Curtise when he took him with the manner he had offended none but the King in doing Iustice without leave wherefore for respect to his Majestie he did it not though he reapt little thankes for his labour alas how do those complaints hurt him mine Vncle is a Gentleman and a true-man nor can he indure falshood he doth nothing without the counsell of the Priest and I affirme since my Lord the King proclaimed his peace he never thought to hurt any man for he eateth but once a day he liveth as a Recluse he chastiseth his body and weareth a shirt of hair cloth it is above a yeare since he eat any flesh as I have been truly informed by them which came but yesterday from him he hath forsaken his Castle Malepardus and abandoned all royaltie a poor hermitage retaines him hunting he hath forsworne and his wealth he hath scattered living onely by armes and good mens charities doing infinite pe●ance for his sins so that he is become pale and leane with praying and fasting for he would faine be with God Thus whilest Grimberd his nephew stood preaching they perceived coming downe the hill vnto them stout Chantecleere the Cock who brought upon a Beer a dead Hen of whome Reynard had bitten off the head and was brought to the King to have knowledge thereof The Morall Vice is never without his advocate and be a man never so lewde yet he shall still finde one or other to plead for him especially where there is either greatnesse or wealth in the offender or any alliance of bloud to those in favour as appeares here by the Brock which pleads for the Fox first because he was of his kin and next he was rich able to pleasure him lastly here is to be obser●ed the insinuation of the Advocate excusing the Foxes faults with a new form of penitence cloaking the 〈…〉 done with zeal and hypocrisie then the which no king 〈◊〉 brings a good man to beliefe and forgivenesse CHAP. 3. How Chantecleere the Cock complained of Reynard the Fox Most mercifull and my great Lord the King vouchsafe I beseech you to heare our complaint and redre●●e these injuries which Reynard hath unjustly don to me and my children that here stand weeping for so it is most mighty Sir that in the beginning of Aprill when the weather was faire I being then at the height of my pride and glory because of the great stock and linage I came of and also in that I had eight valient sonnes and seven faire daughters which my wife had hatched all which were strong and fat and walked in a yard well walled and fenced round about wherein they had in severall sheds for their guarde sixe stout Mastife Dogges which had torne the skinnes of many wild Beasts so that my children feared not any evil which might happen unto them But Reynard that false and dissembling traytor envying their happie fortune because of their safety many times assailed the walles and gave such dangerous assaults that the Dogges divers times were let forth unto him and hunted him away yea once they light upon him and bit him and made him pay the price for his theft and his torn skinne witnessed yet neverthelesse he escaped the more was the pitty yet wee were quiet of his trouble a great while after at last he came in the likenesse of a Hermit and brought me a Letter to reade sealed with your Majesties Seale in which I found written that your Highnesse had made peace throughtout all your Realm and that no manner of Beasts or Fowle should do injurie one to another affirming unto me that for his own part he was become a Monke or cloystred Recluse vowing to performe a daily penance for his sinnes shewing unto me his beads his bookes and the haire shirt next to his skinne saying in humble wise unto me Sir Chanticleere never henceforth be affraid of me for I have vowed never more to eat flesh I am now wa●ed old and would onely remember my soule therefore I take my leave for I have yet my noon and my even-song to say which spake he departed saying his Credo as he went and layed him down under a Hauthorn at this I was exceeding glad that I tooke no heed but went and clocked my children together and walked without the Wall which I shall even rue for false Reynard lying under a bush came creeping betwixt us and the gate and suddainly surprised one of my children which he thrust up in his male and bore away to my great sorrow for having tasted the sweetnesse of our flesh neither hunter nor hound can protect or keep him from us Night and day he waites upon us with that greediness that of fifteen of my children he hath left me but four unslaughtred and yesterday Coppel my daughter which here lieth dead on the Bier was after her mother by a kennel of hounds rescued from him This is my complaint and this I leave to your Highness mercy to take pitty of me and the losse of my fair children The Morall When wicked men cannot compasse their wickedness by strong hand or violēce against their enemies then they study deceit and shifts to entangle them

Lords Ladies Priests and Clerkes use most dissimulation It is now an offence to tell great men truth and he that cannot dissemble cannot live I have oft heard men speak truth yet they have still grac'd it with falshood for untruths many times happen into discourse unwillingly and without knowledge yet having a handsome garment it ever goes for currant Dear Nephew it is now a fashion to lye flatter sooth threaten pray and curse and to do any thing that may kéep the weak in subjection who do otherwise is held foolish but he that cannot wimble falshood in truths kerchiefe hath neither Art nor cunning but he that can do it and deliver errour without stammering he may do wonders he may we●r Scarlet Gray or Purple he shall gain both by the Laws spirituall and temporall and write himself conquerour in every designment There be many that imagine they can i● neatly but their cunning oft failes them so that when they think to féed of the fat morsells they slip quite besides their trenchers Others blunt and foolish and for want of method marre all their discourses but he that can give to his lie a fit and an apt conclusion can pronounce it without ratling and make it as truth fair and amiable That is the man and worthy of nomiration But to speak truth is no cunning it never makes the Devill laugh foly● well and with a grace to lift up wrong above right to make mountains and build Castles in the aire to make men juggle and look thorow their fingers and all for hope of gain onely This Nephew is an Art beyond expression yet evermore of the end cometh misery and affliction I will not deny but somtimes men may jest or lye in small things for he that will speak all truths shall somtimes speak out of season To play Placebo may now and the be born with for who so speaks allways truth shall finde many rubs in his way men may erre for néed and mend it by counsell since no trespass but hath his mercy nor any wisdom but at somtime dulleth Then said the Brock Vncle you are so wise you cannot fail in any purpose and I would grow inamored of you your reasons so far surpass my understanding that it is no néed of your shrift for your self may both play the Priest and confessor you know the world in such sort that it is impossible for any man to halt before you With these and such manner of discourses they held on their journey towards the Court yet the Foxes heart for all his fair shew was sad and heavy yet countenance bewrai'd it not but he past without amazement through all the press of the Court even till he came to the presence of the King and the Brock march'd close by his side saying Vncle be not afraid but be of good chéer it is courage of whom Fortune is ever enamoured Then said the Fox Nephew you say true and your comfort avails me and so on he went casting many disdainful countenances on those he lik'd not or as who would say Here I am what is it that the proudest of yon dare object against me he beheld there many of his kin which hée knew loved him not as the Otter the Bever and divers others which I will name hereafter and many he saw which loved him As soon as he was come in the view of the King he fell down humbly on his knée and spake as followeth The Morall The Foxes sh●●ving him self to the Brock shewes the Art of all disemblers which ever make devotion their cloak By h●buying of the Foal of the Mare is shewed that when proud men make instruments of wiser then themselves such as affect not their qualities the service they do them is ever to bring them to mischief c Also when ambition or covetousness blinds men and makes them trust onely in their own skill and knowledge that then they are ever so●ainly overtaken with one mischief or another and made a mock and scorn to their foes and such as led them blindfold into the evill CHAP. 9. How Reynard the Fox excused himself before the King and of the Kings answer Then said the Ape Cousin cast off your sorrow for I know the way to Rome wel and am experienced in these businesses for I am called the Bishops Clerke therefore I will go thither and enter a plea against the Archdeacon and in spight of his will bring you from the Pope a will seel'd absolution But man I have many great friends there as 〈◊〉 Vncle Sim●● and others Pren tour Wai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like all which will stand unto me besides I will not go unfurnished of money for I know Paratersare best heard with gift and the Law hath no feet to walke on but money a true friend in tried in necessity and you shall finde me without dissembling therefore cast off your griefe and go to the Court as 〈…〉 for I will presently to 〈◊〉 and in the mea●e time here I quit you of all your ●●nues and ●●sences and an●●y p●t them upon my selfe when you come to the Court you shall finde there Dame Rukenaw my wife her two sisters and my three children with divers others of our family I pray you salute them from me and shew them mine occasions my wife is excéeding wife and she shall finde that her distressed freinds shall not shrinke when I can help them I know she is faithfull and as behoves her will never leave her friend in danger At the uttermost If your oppression be more then you can beare send presently to me to Rome and not an enemy that you have be it King or Queene or Sub ject even from the highest to the lowest but I will presently put them in the Popes curse and send back such an Interdiction that no holy or sacred duty shall be performed till you have right and Iustice restored you This assure your selfe I can easily performe for his Holynesse is very old and little regarded onely now Cardinall Pare-gold beareth all the sway in the Country as being young and rich in many friends besides he hath a Concubine of whome he is farre enamoured that he denies nothing she demandeth his Lady is my Niece and will doe whatsoever I request her therefore Cousin goe boldly to the King and charge him to do you Iustice which I know hee will since he understands the Lawes are made for the use of all men This my Soveraigne Lord the King when I heard him speak I smil'd and with great joy came hither to relate unto you the truth that can charge me with any Creature within this Court that can charge me with any trespass whatsoever and prove it by testimony as the Law requireth or if otherwise he will oppose himselfe against me person to person grant me but a day and equall lists and in combate I will maintaine my innocency against him provided he be equal to me in birth and degree