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cont’d : How the King held his feast, and how Lapreel the Cony complained unto the King upon Reynart the Fox.

 

3

 

Lapreel the rabbit hopped through the Feast,

     and the revellers parted to make way

     for his progress, which brought the puny Beast

     before the superb table of the King

     and Queen. Without preamble the rabbit

     launched into his problem, and all the guests

     heard him speak. “Your worshipable” (he said)

     have pity on my complaint. I must tell

of unspeakable acts of the despicable Fox!”

 

4

 

At the perturbed rabbit all went silent;

     and a crowd encircled Lapreel’s appeal.

     “The Fox” (he said) “would have murdered me

     yesterday, when I ran past his Castle.

     I thought myself elsewhere but it was there.

     Malperdy. He was standing beside his hole,

     his head bowed, like a pilgrim. I should have

     passed by peaceably toward the Feast, but he

saw me come, and stood before me, saying his beads.”

 

5

 

“I saluted him, but he said nothing.

     Instead he reached out his foot and I felt

     a dubbing in my neck, and suddenly

     he was over me. God be thanked I was light

     enough to spring away, but it smarted

     to tear myself from his claws. I escaped

     the Fox—but look! I lost an ear!” (he said)

     “His sharp nails left four deep holes in my head,

and the blood rushed out like a fountain, and I swooned.”

 

6

 

“So in fear of my life I sprang away

     and ran so fast he couldn’t overtake me.

     Look, my Lord, on these wounds that he has made!”

     The partygoers murmured among them.

     The Rabbit said, “I pray you punish him,

     this contemptible traitor and murderer,

     or else no Beast shall come and go over

     the heath in safety while he haunteth

all the public ways and bypaths with his shrewde rewle.”

 

Next : How Corbant the Roke complayned on the foxe for the deth of his wyf.

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Dub

 

“To thrust: implying a moderately firm blunt thrust or poke. †Formerly also, To stab as with a dagger; to bring down (a club) (obsolete).”

 

earliest example in OED :

 

Or that Proserpine..dubbit hir heid Onto the Stygian hellis flude of deid.

G. Douglas, translation of Virgil, Æneid iv. xii. 109

1513

 

Scrooby rides again!

 

William Caxton’s translation of Reynard the Fox

1481

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Posted (edited)

First use of the expression “Give it time”?

 

χρόν δ δόντες τατ σως εροιμεν ν.

 

[ time ] — [ and if ] - [ we give over to ] , [ this] - [ made straight ] - [ we will find ] - [ possibly ] .

 

Euripides, Ion, 575.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Jeff Bernstein
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Canto 24

How Corbant the Roke complayned on the foxe for the deth of his wyf.

 

1

 

Right as the Rabbit had ended his complaint,

     Corbant the Rook swooped in out of the sky

     and landed before the King. “Dear Lord” (he spoke)

     “hear now my piteous complaint! My wife

     Sharpbeak and I went yesterday to play

     on the heath. And there lay Reynard the Fox

     on the ground, like something already done.

     His eyes stared, and his tongue hung from his mouth;

he looked for all the world like a creature long dead.”

 

2

 

“We both knew all about Reynard the Fox

     so we went about his body carefully.

     We felt and tasted his belly, but found

     no life there. Then my wife had an idea.

     She hopped along his length and laid her ear

     before his mouth, to see if he drew breath;

     this is what brought her terrible evil;

     for the false Fox had been biding his time.

When she went near to him he caught her by the head”

 

3

 

“and bit it off.” And I cried out in sorrow,

     ‘Alas!’ I cried, ‘Alas! What has happened?’

     Then he stood up, and came so fast at me

     that for fear of death I flew up a tree

     and landed on a high branch. So I watched

     from afar as the false Fox ate and swallowed

     my wife so hungrily that neither flesh

     nor bone was left, only a few feathers;

the smaller feathers he’d taken in with the flesh.”

 

4

 

“The villain seemed so hungry he would well

     have eaten two of her. Then he went away.”

     The Rook paused his speech, and you would have heard

     a pin drop in the Court; then Corbant said :

     “I flew down in great sorrow, and gathered

     up the feathers to show them to you here.

     I had never felt such danger and fear

     as I felt there; and wouldn’t want to ever

again, even for all the worms of Araby.”

 

                                             5

 

And now the whole Court burst into murmur

     when Corbant announced, “My Lord, my King,

     see here this sad sight! Look on the feathers

     of Sharpbeak my wife!” And the Court looked on,

     and shuddered, and murmured, and they listened :

     “My Lord” (said the Rook) “if you would have worship

     you must give me justice! Avenge this act

     so all Beasts shall fear you; for if you aren’t feared,

ye yourself shall not go peaceably on the highway.”

 

6

 

And now the whole Court burst into murmur

     again, but Corbant the Rook wasn’t done.

     “The Kings who do not give justice” (he said)

     “and allow murderers and thieves and all

     who misdo to escape the punishment

     of the law are thereby themselves partners

     of all of those misdeeds and trespasses.

     And will each Beast be a king unto himself?

Dear Lord, see well to things, so to keep yourself well.”

 

 

Next : How the kynge was sore angry of thise complayntes.

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Canto 25

How the kynge was sore angry of thise complayntes.

 

1

 

The King was sore angry with these complaints.

     His fierce lion eyes flashed with fire;

     and he was frightful to look on. He raised

     a roar that moved the Court to quake in fear;

     then at the last he said for all to hear :

     “By my crown I shall so wreak and avenge this

     evil that our forest shall never forget it.

     I was foolish to believe so lightly

the Fox’s false flattering speech; and he fooled me.”

 

2

 

“Oh he can stuff the pillow with feathers

     all right!” (said the King) “I gave him a staff

     and a scrip and made of him a pilgrim;

     and all in earnest, true and heart-to-heart.

     Oh with what false touches he paints his words!

     I pray and command all those who follow me

     and desire my fellowship, be they here

     or wheresoever they be, to help me

avenge this evil, and put this false thief in shame.”

 

3

 

Isengrim the Wolf and Bruno the Bear

     approved the King’s speech, as both hoped to avenge

     themselves on Reynard the Fox, but they dared

     not speak one word; and the King was so sore

     that no one there had any courage to speak.

     Finally the Queen spoke out, and replied :

     “Pour Dieu!” (she said) “A discerning Beast

     should not so lightly trust their suspicions,

nor greatly swear either one way or the other,

 

4

 

until the matter is clearly understood.

     By rights the other party should be given

     leave to reply. We know many Beasts complain

     aloud who are themselves in the default.

     Audi alteram partem—the other side

     must have the opportunity to speak.

     I myself believe Reynard the Fox is good”

     (the Queen continued) “and I have helped him

as well as I may, thinking he means no falsehood.”

 

5

 

“But howsoever it cometh or goeth,

     is Reynard evil or good, I thinketh

     ye should not proceed against him quickly.

     That were nor good nor honest, for you know

     he may not escape from you. You may throw

     the Fox in prison or flay him; he must obey

     your judgment.” Then Fyrapeel the Leopard

     spoke out : “My lord, me thinketh my Lady

is wise and true and counsels well, and should be heard.

 

6

 

And if it be found the Fox is guilty

     of many misdeeds, let him be punished.

     And if he come not hither ere this feast

     be ended, and give excuse as he should,

     then do as the council shall advise you.

     And though he be as twice as false and ill

     as he already is, I do not advise

     he be done to more than is right.” Answering

this the Wolf said : “Sir Fyrapeel, we all agree.

 

7

 

As far as this pleaseth my lord the King,

     it cannot be better. However, if the Fox

     were here, and cleared of double the complaints

     against him, still I would argue in Court

     that his crimes are so great he’s forfeited

     his life. But I speak no more, for the Fox

     is not here to answer. But allow me

     to point out that Reynard hath told the King

of certain treasure hidden in a squatting-pit

 

8

 

in Husterlo Forest, West of Flanders.

     Permit me to point out there is no treasure.

     And there may be no squatting-pit either.

     A greater lie has never been attempted!

     He fooled all of us, and sore hindered me

     and the Bear. I would dare lay down my life

     that the Fox hath said not one true word yet.

     Now he lurks upon the heath and robbeth

all that go innocently by Castle Malperdy.

 

9

 

“Nevertheless” (the Wolf said) “what pleases

     the Leopard and the King must well be done.

     But there is one more point I’d like to make.

     The Fox would be here now if Bruno the bear

     hadn’t been sent to him as messenger.”

     (Isengrim recalled the plot of Canto 6.)

     In answer the King said, “We will send for him

     no more. Instead, I command all of those

who owe me service, and trust my honour and worship,

 

10

 

to make ready for war in six days’ time.”

     The King continued : “All those with bows, guns,

     cannons, horsemen, and soldiers, I command

     all these be ready to besiege Malperdy.

     If I am King I will destroy Reynard the Fox.

     Ye Lords and Sirs, what say ye to all this?

     Will ye follow my standard with good will?”

     And the entire Court of Partygoers

cheered, and cried, “Where you go, my Lord, we go with you!”

 

 

next : How Grimbert the Dasse warned the foxe that the kynge was wroth with hym and wold slee hym.

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The Portland Pirate and Fashions of 1934

384f87e3350bc6a8e07c7d9a52674caf.jpg

Perhaps the best approximation of the European model by publisher Thomas Mosher of Maine, known as the "Portland Pirate" for his shameless quick-off-the-draw copyright infringement (recalling the film Fashions of 1934).
 
The layout recalls the first edition of Paradise Lost (1667); and, for example :
 
e81339020ebf05ecefc147d7bf765fdd.jpg
The Temple
George Herbert
Nonesuch Press, 1927.
 
 
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Canto 26

How Grimbert the Badger warned the Fox that the King was wroth with him and would slay him.

 

1

 

Grimbert the Badger heard this with dismay.

     He sorrowed for red Reynard his uncle;

     and ran then the highway to Malperdy,

     sparing nor bush nor branch but ran so sore

     he broke a sweat. “Alas!” (he said) “Good uncle!

     He’s in terrible danger! Ah, me! Ah, me!

     What shall become of him? Must I see his life

     taken? Or watch him leave our land as exile?

I sorrow, for he is best of all our lineage.”

 

2

 

“Ye be wise of council,” (Badger continued)

     “ye be ready to help all your friends in need,

     ye speak so well that when ye speak ye lead.

     Now’s the time to think, good uncle, or bleed!”

     With such a wailing and piteous Word

     came Grimbert the Badger to Malperdy.

     There he found Reynard his uncle walking

     before the Castle gate. ’Twere two pigeons

who had just come first out of their nest to see things.

 

3

 

Might they spread their wings and fly? No; they fell

     down to the ground, for their wing feathers

     were too short; and as Reynard left the Castle

     to find out meat he saw them, and caught them,

     and was coming home with them. When he saw

     Grimbert coming, he tarried awhile.

     “Welcome!” (he said) “O best beloved nephew,

     the favorite of all my kindred! Ye have

run fast; ye be all in a sweat. Have ye any news?”

 

4

 

“Alas, alas!” (said Grimbert) “dear uncle,

     it stands evil with you! Ye have lost both life

     and good. The King hath sworn he shall give ye

     a shameful death. He has commanded his folk

     within six days to be here. Reynard, think of it!

     Archers, soldiers, horsemen, wagons; guns, cannons,

     tents, pavilions! And Beasts with fiery torches!

     See before you, for you have need to think.

I fear much for your life, so much so I’m all sick.”

 

5

 

“That’s it?” (asked the Fox) “Puff puff! Dear nephew,

     why be ye so afraid?” Badger answered,

     “The Wolf, the Bear, the Leopard, and the Rook

     all want you dead, and the King has listened.”

     “Don’t worry” (said the Fox) “be happy.

     Let the King swear my death, let every Beast

     in the Court swear my death, yet I shall win.

     Though they all jangle, clatter, and counsel,

and do it quickly, they can’t beat my subtlety;

and let me add they can not prosper without me.”

 

 

next : How Reynard came another time to the court.

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Posted (edited)

Molto Lensing : Poetry-Prose Fusion c1300s

34e654aeab4b932022c6ce258b79412c.jpg

page 8. Here is a refrain that recurs in which Nicolete is described as “La face clere”.

 

clere = [holy] bright; exquisite (as in well-lensed).

429eaa44ba89f459a9b17fdad85361de.jpg

page 21. Here is Nicolete escaping from her captor. Above her over the shadowy street :

 

la lune luiosoit molt clere

 

the - moon - [ to shine ] - much - [ clere ]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Jeff Bernstein
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