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

How the lion king of all beasts sent out his mandments that all beasts should come to his feast and court
capitulo .primo.

It was about the time of Pentecost or Whitsuntide, that the woods commonly be lusty and gladsome; and the trees clad with leaves and blossoms and the ground with herbs and flowers sweet-smelling and also the fowls and birds sing melodiously in their harmony; that the lion the noble king of all beasts would in the holy days of this feast hold an open court at stade, which he did to know over all in his land; and commanded by strait commissions and mandments that every beast should come thither, in such wise that all the beasts great and small came to the court save Reynard the Fox, for he knew himself faulty and guilty in many things against many beasts that thither should come that he durst not adventure to go thither; when the king of all beasts had assembled all his court, there was none of them all, but that he had complained sore on Reynard the Fox.