The Historye of Reynard the Foxe/capitulo .iiii. (2)

How Grimbard the Dass, the fox's sister's son, spoke for Reynard and answered tofore the king
capitulo .iiii.

Tho spoke Grimbard the Dass, and was Reynard's sister-son, with an angry mood: "Sir Isegrim that is evil said it is a common proverb, 'An enemy's mouth, saith seld well.' What lie ye and wite ye my Eam Reynard? I would that ye would venture that who of you twain had most trespassed to other should hang by the neck as a thief on a tree; but and if he were as well in this court and as well with the king as ye be, it should not be thought in him, that it were enough, that ye should come and ask him forgiveness ye have bitten and nipped my uncle with your fell and sharp teeth many mo times than I can tell, yet will I tell some points that I well know, know not ye how ye misdealt on the plaice, which he threw down fro the car, when ye followed after from far; and ye ate the good plaice alone, and gave him then the grate or bones, which ye might not eat yourself; in likewise did ye to him also of the fat flitch of bacon, which savored so well, that ye alone ate in your belly, and when my eam asked his part, tho answered ye him again in scorn, 'Reynard fair youngling I shall gladly give you your part,' but my eam got ne had naught, ne was not the better; Notwithstanding he had won the flitch of bacon with great dread, for the man came and threw him in a sack, that he scarcely came out with his life; such manner things hath Reynard many times suffered through Isegrim.

"O ye lords think ye that this is good, yet is there more, he complaineth how that Reynard my eam hath much trespassed to him because of his wife; my eam hath lain by her but that is well seven year tofore, ere he wedded her, and if Reynard for love and courtesy did with her his will, what was that? She was soon healed thereof, hereof by right should be no complaint were Isegrim wise. He should have left that he doth to himself no worship thus to slander his wife; she plaineth not; now maketh Kyward the Hare a complaint also, that thinketh me a visevase, if he read ne learned aright his lesson, should not Reynard his master beat him therefore? If the scholars were not beaten ne smitten and reprised of their truantry, they should never learn.

"Now complaineth Curtise that he with pain had gotten a pudding in the winter, at such time as the cost is evil to find. Thereof him had be better to have hold his peace, for he had stolen it; Male quesisti et male perdidisti, 'It is right that it be evil lost, that is evil won.' Who shall blame Reynard? If he have taken fro a thief stolen good it is reason who that understandeth the law can discern the right, and that he be of high birth as my eam Reynard is which knoweth well how he shall receive stolen good, yet all had he Curtise hanged when he found him with the mainor, he had not much misdone no trespassed; save against the crown, that he had done justice without leave wherefore for the honor of the king he did it not, all hath he but little thanks, what scathed it him that he is thus complained on; my eam is a gentle and a true man he may suffer no falsehood, he doth nothing but by his priest's counsel. And I say you sith that my lord the king hath do proclaimed his peace he never thought to hurt any man, for he eateth no more than once a day, he liveth as a recluse, he chastiseth his body and weareth a shirt of hair, it is more than a year that he hath eaten no flesh, as I yesterday heard say of them that came fro him he hath left and given over his castle Maleperduis; and hath built a cluse, therein dwelleth he, and hunteth no more, ne desireth no winning but he liveth by alms and taketh nothing but such as men give him for charity and doth great penance for his sins, and his is waxen much pale and lean of praying and waking for he would be fain with God."

Thus as Grimbard his eam stood and preached these words, so saw they come down the hill to him Chanticleer the Cock and brought on a bier a dead hen of whom Reynard had bitten the head off, and that must be showed to the king for to have knowledge thereof.