Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n
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A60011
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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.
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J. S. (John Shirley), fl. 1680-1702, attributed name.
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1656
(1656)
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Wing S3510; ESTC R220018
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74,373
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124
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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 triâ—â—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 blamâ— 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 peâ—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 obserâ—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 redreâ—â—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 waâ—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 violeÌ„ce against their enemies then they study deceit and shifts to entangle them
he can climb well and swift O let him be mine Executioner for it neither becometh Isegrim nor Bruine thus to doe to their Nephew I am sorry I live to see it But since you are set to be my hangmen play your parts and delay not goe before Bruine and lead my waie follow Isegrim and beware I escape not you saie well said Bruine and it is the best counsel I have heard you give So forth they went and Isegrim and all his friends guarded the Fox leading him by the neck and other parts of his bodies when the Fox felt this usage he was dismaied yet said O why do you put your selves my best kinsemen to this pain to do me hurt beleeve it I could well ask you forgivenesse though my paiâ—es be pleasant unto you yet well I know did my Aunt your wife understand of my trouble she would for old affection sake not see me thus tormented But I am subject to your will and can endure your worst malice as for Bruine and Tybert I leave my revenge to justice and with you the reward of Traitors if you do not to me the worst of your powers I know my worst fortune and death can come but once unto me I wish it were past already for to me it is no terror I saw my Father die and how quickly he vanished therefore the worst of death is familiar unto me Then said Isegrim let us go for his curse shall not light on me by delaying So he on one side and Bruine on the other led the poor Fox to the gallows Tybert runing before with the halter hoped to he revenged of his wrong formerly received When they were come to the place of Execution the King and Quéen and all the rest of the Nobilitie took their place to see the Fox die Then Reynard full of sorrow and busily bethinking himself how he might escape that danger and how to inthral and disgrace his proud enemies and also how to draw the King on his partie saying to himself Though the King many others be offended with me as they have reason for I have throughly deserved it neverthelesse yet I hope to live to be their best friend During this meditation the Wolf said Sir Bruine now remember your injuries take your revenge in a full measure for the day is come wee wisht for Tibert ascend quickly and bring the rope to the Gallows making a running nooz for this day you shall have your will of your enemie and good sir Bruine take heed he escape not whilst I my selfe raise up the Ladder When all things were prepared the Fox said Now may my heart be heavie for Death stands now in all his horror before me and I cannot escape my dread Lord the King and you my Sovereign Lady the Quéen and you my Lords that stand to behold to see mee die I beséech you grant me this charitable Boon that I may unlock my heart before you and clear my soul of her burthens so that hereafter no man may be blamed for me which done my death will be easie and the assistance of your praiers will raise my soul to heaven The Morall By the violence of the Bear the Wolf and the Cat in persuing the Fox to death and making themselvs executioners is shewed the great malice of great persons against their enemies and such from whom they have received mischief in which they will many times rather hazard their honours then their reveÌ„ges so blind is wrath and deformed it makes men that are cloathed therewith The Foxes patience and mild temper shewes that when men are in extremitie they must make use of all their virtues especially meeknesse for that soon est doth insisinuate with mens natures and drawes forth piâ—y whereas roughness ever increaseth mischiefe CHAP. 12. How Reynard made his Confession before the King EVery creature now took compassion on the Fox and said his request was small beseeching the King to grant it which was done And then the Fox thus spake Help me Hearen for I see no man here whom I have not offended yet was this evil no natural ineâ—â—iation in me for in my Youth I was accounted as virtuous as any breathing this know I have plaid with the Lambs all the day long and took delight in their prettie bleating yet at last in my plaie I bit one and the taste of the Blood was so sweet that since I could never forbear it This liquorish humor drew me into the Woods amongst the Goats where hearing the bleating of the little Kids I slew one of them and after two more which slaughter made me so hardie that then I fell to murther Hens Geese and other Pullen And thus my crimes increased by custom and furie so possest mee that all was fish which came to my net After this in the Winter season I met with Isegrim whereas he lay hid under a hollow tree and he unfolded unto me how he was my Vncle and laid the Pedegree down so plain that from that day forth we became fellows and companions Which knot of friendship I may ever curse for then began the flood of our thefts and slaughters hée stole the grat things I the small he murthered Nobles I the meanest Subjects and in all our actions his share still was ever the greatest when he got a Ram a Calf or Wether his furie would hardly afford me the horns to pick on nay when he had an Oxe or a Cow after himself his wife and his seven children were served nothing remained to me but the bare bones to pick on This I speak not in that I wanted for it is well known I have more plate Iewels and coine then twenty Carts are able to carry but onely to shew his ingratitude When the King heard him speak of this infinite treasure and riches his heart grew inflamed with a desire thereof and he said Reynard where is that treasure you speak of The Fox answered My Lord I shall willingly tell you for it is true the wealth was stolne and had it not been stolne in that manner as it was it had cost your Highnesse your life which heavens I beseech keep ever in their protection When the Quéen heard that dangerous speech she started and said What dangers are these you speak of Reynard I do command you upon your souls health to unfold these doubtfull speeches and to kéep nothing concealed which concernes the life of my dread Lord. The Fox with a sorrowfull and sad countenance replied to the Queen O my dread Soveraign Lady at what infinite ease were I if I might dfe at this present but gracious Madam your conjuration and the health of mine own soul so prevaileth with me that I will discharge my conscience and yet speak nothing but what I will make good with the hazard of my damnation 'T is true the King should have béen piteously murdred by his own people and I must confesse by those of my dearest kindred whom I am