Male quesisti et male perdidisti: It is Right that it be Evil Lost that is Evil Won.

 

Then spake Thybert the Cat.

With this
so came Thybert the Cat
iresome indeed
and sprang in among them
and said

my lord the King
I hear that Reynard
is sore complained on
and here is none 
but he has enough to do to clear himself

that Courtoys
here complains of
that is passed many years gone
how be it that I complain not
that pudding was mine
for I had won it by night in a mill
as the miller lay and slept
if Courtoys had any part hereof
that came by me 

then spake Panther
think you Thybert
that it were good 
that Reynard should not be complained on?
he is a very murderer
a rover and a thief
he loves no man so well
not our lord the King here
that he well would

that he should 
befoul good and worship
so that he might win
as much as a leg of a fat hen

I shall tell you what I saw him do 
yesterday
to Cuwaert the Hare
that here stands in the King's peace and safeguard

Reynard promised to Cuwaert
and said he would teach him his Credo
and make him a good chaplain

he made him go sit between his legs
and sang and cried loud
Credo
Credo

my way lay thereby there
that I heard this song
then went I near
and found Master Reynard
that had left that he first read and sang
and began to play his old play
for he had caught Cuwaert by the throat
and had I not that time come
he should have taken his life from him
like as you here may see on Cuwaert the Hare
the fresh wound yet

forsooth
my lord King
if you suffer this unpunished
and let him go free
that has thus broken your peace
and will do no right
after the sentence and judgement
of your men
your children many years hereafter
shall be mispraised and blamed therefore

Openly Panther said
Isegrym
you say truth
it were good that right and justice
were done
for them that would fain live in peace

Capitulo iiij. How Grymbart the Dasse, the fox's sister's son, spake for Reynard, and answered before the King.

Then spake Grymbart rhe Dasse, 
and was Reynard's sister-son, 
with an angry heart

Sir Isegrym
that is evil said

it is a common proverb
an enemy's mouth
says seld' well

what lay you before
and accuse you 
my uncle Reynard?

I would
that you would venture
who of you twain
had most trespassed
so the other should long hang
by the neck 
as a thief on a tree?

Bur
and if
he were as well in this court
and as well with the King
as you be
it should not be thought in him
that it were enough
that you should come
and ash him forgiveness

you have bitten and nipped
my uncle
with your fell and sharp teeth
many more times than I can tell

yet will I tell some points
that I well know

know not you how 
you mistled on the plaice
which he threw down from the cart
when you followed from far
and you ate the good plaice alone
and gave him no more than the scraps or bones
which you might not eat yourself?

in likewise
did you to him also
of the fat flitch of bacon
which savoured so well
that you alone ate in your belly
and when my uncle asked his part
then answered you him again in scorn
Reynard
fair youngling
I shall gladly give you your part
but my uncle 
had nought nor 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
had Reynard many times suffered
through Isegrym

O you lords
think you that this is good?
yet is the more
he complains how that 
Reynard
my uncle
has much trespassed him
by cause of his wife
my uncle
has lain with her
but that is well seven year before
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 Isegrym wise
she should have left
that he does himself no worship
thus to slander his wife
she complains not

now
makes Cuwaert the Hare
a complaint also
that thinks me is a clod
if he read nor learned aright his lesson
should not Reynard
his master
beat him therefore?
if the scholars were not beaten nor smitten
and reprised of their truancy
they should never learn

now
complains Courtoys
that he with pain had gotten a pudding
in the winter
at such time as the cost is evil to find
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 from a thief
stolen goods?
it is reason
who that understands laws
and can discern the right
and he be of his birth as mine uncle Reynard
is which knows well
how he shall rescue stolen goods
you all had he Courtoys hanged
when he found him with the swag

he had not much misdone or trespassed
save against the crown
that he had done justice without leave

wherefore
for the honour of the King
he did it not all
he has but little thanks

what scathed it him
that he is thus complained on?

mine uncle is a gentle and a true man
he may suffer no falsehood
he does nothing but by his priest's counsel
and I say you
since that my lord the King has proclaimed his peace
he never thought to hurt any man
for he eats no more than once a day
he lives as a recluse
he chastises his body and wears a shirt of hair
it is more than a year that he has eaten no flesh
as I yesterday heard say of them that came from him
he has left and given over his castle where laid he ambush
and has built a cell
therein dwells he
and hunts no more
nor desires no winning
but he lives by alms
and takes nothing but such as men give him
for charity 
and does great penance for his sins
and he has waxed pale and lean
from praying and waking 
for he would be fain with God

thus as Grymbart for his uncle stood
and preached these words
so saw they coming down the hill to them
Chauntecler 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 of