There they held their council a whole dark night long.

 

How the Fox brought them in danger that would have bright him to death, and how he got the grace of the King.

Now hearken how the Fox began

in the beginning
he called Grymbert
his dear cousin
who ever had helped him in his need
he did so 
because his words should be the better believed
and that he forth on
might the better lie about his enemies

thus began he first
and said

my lord
my father found King Ermeryk's treasure
buried in a pit
and when he had this great good
he was so proud and opulent
that he had all other beasts in despite
which before had been his fellows

he made Tybert the Cat
go into that wild land of Ardennes
to Bruyn the Bear
for to do him homage
and bade him say
if he would be King
he should come to Flanders
where my father received him right friendly

anon he sent 
for the wise Grymbert
my nephew
and for Isegrym the Wolf
and for Tybert the Cat
then these five came
between Gaunt and the thorpe called Yfte
there they held their council
a whole dark night long

what with the devil's help and craft
and for my father's richness
they concluded 
and swore there the King's death

now hearken
and hear this wonder
the four swore
upon Ysegrym's crown
that they should make Bruyn
a king and a lord
and bring him to the stool at Aachen
and set the crown on his head
and if there were any
of the King's friends or lineage
that would be contrary 
or against this
him should my father
with his goods and treasure
drive forth
and take from him 
his might and power

it happed so
on a morrowtide early
that Grymbert 
my nephew
was with wine almost drunk
that he told dame Sleopcade
his wife
in counsel
and bade her keep it a secret
but she anon forgot it
and said it forth
in confession to my wife
upon a heath
where they both went a-pilgrimage
but she must first swear by her truth
and by the holy three kings of Coleyn
that for love nor for hate
she should never tell it forth
but keep it secret
but she held it not
and kept it no longer secret
but til she came to me
and she then told to me 
all that she heard
but I kept it secret
and she told me so many tokens
that I felt well it was truth
and for dread and fear
my hair stood tight up
and my heart became
as heavy as lead
as cold as ice

I thought by this
a likeness which
here aforetime befell
to the frogs
which were free
and complained 
that they had no lord
nor were they wrong
for a commonwealth 
without a governor
was not good
and they cried to God
with a loud voice
that he would order one
that might rule them
this was all they desired

God heard their request
for it was reasonable
and sent to them a stork
which ate and swallowed them
as many as he could find
he was always to them 
unmerciful

then complained they 
their hurt
but then it was too late
they that were before free
and were afraid of nobody
be now bond 
and must obey 
their King
in his strength

henceforth
ye rich and poor
I sorrowed
it might happen to us
in likewise
thus
my lord the King
I have had sorrow for you
whereof ye can me
but little thank
I know Bruyn the Bear
so mighty
so benign and merciful
I thought truly
it had been an evil change
for to have
a foul stinking thief
and to refuse a noble
mighty, stately Lion
for the Bear
has more made folly
in his unthrifty head
and all his ancestors
than any other has

thus had I in my heart
many a sorrow
and thought always
how I might break and fore-do
my father's false counsel
which of a churl and traitor
and worse than a thief
would make a lord
and a king