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Arise up, let us go hence.

 


How Grymbert the Dasse brought the Fox to law before the King. 

Now, 
go forth 
Grymbert
and see well before you
Reynard is so fell and false
and so subtle
that ye need well to look about you
and to beware of him

Grymbert
said

he should see well
too

thus went Grymbert
to Maleperduysward
and when he came thither
he found Reynard the Fox
at home
and dame Ermelyn his wife
lay by her welps
in a dark corner

then spake Grymbert
and said to Reynard

uncle
beware your absence hurt you not
in such matters as be laid and complained on you
but if ye think it good
it is high time ye come with me to the court
the withholding you from it can do you no good
there is much thing complained over you
and this is the third warning
and I tell you for truth
if ye abide tomorrow all day
there may no mercy help you
ye shall see within three days
your house shall be besieged all about
and there shall be made before it
gallows and rack
I say you truly
ye shall not then escape
neither with wife nor with child
the King shall take all your lives from you
therefore 
it is best that ye go with me to court
your subtle wise counsel 
shall peradventure avail you 
there be greater adventures fall
ere this
for it mayhap 
ye shall go quit of all the complaints
be complained of you
and all your enemies shall abide in the shame
ye have ofttimes done more and greater things
than this

Reynard the Fox
answered

ye say sooth
I trust it is best
I go with you
for there lacks my counsel
peradventure
the King shall be merciful to me
if I may come to speak with him
and see him under his eyes
though I had done much more harm
the court may not stand without me
that shall the King well understand
though some be so fell to me ward
yet it goes not to the heart
all the counsel shall conclude 
much by me
where great courts be gathered
of kings or of great lords
where as needs subtle counsel
there must Reynard find the subtle means
they may well speak and say their advice
but mine is best
and goes before all other
in the court 
be many that have sworn all other
and that causes me apart 
to be heavy in my heart
for many may do more
than one alone
shall hurt me
nevertheless
nephew
it is better I go with you
to the court
and answer for myself
than to set me
my wife and my children
in a venture for to be lost

arise up
let us go hence
he is overmighty for me
I must do as he will
I can not better it
I shall take it patiently
and suffer it

Reynard 
said to his wife
dame Ermelyn

I betake you
my children
that ye see well to them
and specially to Reynkyn
my youngest son
he belikes me so well
I hope he shall follow my steps
and there is Rosel
a passing fair thief
I love them 
as well as any may love his children
If God give me grace
I may escape
I shall when I come again
thank you with fair words

Thus took Reynard
leave of his wife
gracious
how sorrowful abode Ermelyn
with her small whelps
for the victualler 
and he that sorrowed for Maleperduys
had gone his way
and the house 
not provided nor victualled







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