Ye Caitiffs, how goes it now?

 

The Fox said

it is a wonderful thing
ye know
I'd fain go with ye
if it were so with me
I might go with you
in suchwise 
that it no no shame unto your lordship
I would go
but nay
it may not be
hearken what I shall say
and must need though it be to me
villainy and shame

when Isegrym the Wolf
in the Devil's name
went into religion
and became a monk
shorn in the order
the provender of six monks
was not sufficient to him
and had not enough to eat
he plained and wailed so sore
that I had pity on him
for he became slow and sick
and because he was of my kin
I gave him counsel to run away
and so he did
wherefore I stand accursed
and am in the Pope's ban and sentence
I will tomorrow 
betimes as the sun rises
take my way to Rome
for to be absolved and take pardon
and from Rome I will over the sea
into the Holy Land
and will never return again
til I have done so much good
that I may with worship go with you
it were great rebuke
my lord the King
in what land I accompanied you
that men should say 
ye ride forth and accompany yourself
with a cursed and a person aggravate

the King said

since ye stand accursed
in the censure of the church
if I went with you
men should attribute some villainy
unto my crown
I shall then take Cywart
or some other
to go with me to Krekenpyt
and I counsel you
Reynard
ye put yourself out of this curse

quod the Fox

my lord
therefore will I go to Rome
as hastily as I may
I shall not rest by night nor day
til I be absolved

said the King

Reynard
methinks ye been turned
to a good way
God give you grace 
to accomplish well your desire

as soon as this speaking was done
noble the King went and stood
upon a high stage of stone
and commanded silence to all the beasts
that they should sit down 
in a ring round upon the grass
every each in his place
then said the King

hear ye all
that be poor and rich
young and old
that stand here

Reynard
one of my head officers of my house
has done such evil
which this day should have been hanged
has now in this court done so much
that I and my wife the Queen
have promised to him our grace and friendship
the Queen had prayed much for him
in so much I have made peace with him
and I give to him his life and members
freely again
and I command you
upon your life
ye do worship to Reynard
his wife and to his children
where some ever ye meet them
by day or by night
and I will also hear no more complaints 
about Reynard
if he has heretofore mis-done 
and trespassed
he will no more mis-do 
nor trespass
but now better him
he will tomorrow early go
to the Pope for pardon and forgiveness
of all his sins
and forth over the sea to the Holy Land
and he will not come again
til be bring pardon of all his sins

this tale heard Tyselyn the Raven
and leaped
to Ysegrym
to Bruyn
to Tybert
there as they were
and said

ye caitiffs
how goes it now
ye unhappy folk
what do ye here?
Reynard the Fox
is now a squire and a courtier
and right great and mighty
in the court
the King has washed him
clean of all his faults
and forgiven him
all his trespasses and misdeeds
and ye be all betrayed and impeached

Ysegrym said

how may this be?
I think Tyselyn
that ye lie

said the Raven

I do not certainly

then went the Wolf and the Bear
to the King
Tybert the Cat was in great sorrow
he was so sore afraid
for to have the Fox's friendship
he would well forgive Reynard 
the loss of his one eye
that he lost in the priest's house
he was so woe-begone
he knew not what to do
he would well
that he never seen
the Fox