Dibdin, Thomas Frognall; Spencer, George John [Bearb.]: Bibliotheca Spenceriana: or a descriptive catalogue of the books printed in the fifteenth century, and of many valuable first editions, in the library of George John Earl Spencer (Band 4) (London, 1815) [Cicognara, 4650-4]

24 7

the Fox; 1481.] WILLIAM CAXTON.

after vs, and shal make vs good ehiere, Tybert saide, reynart cosyn is
it thenne your counseyl that I goo in to this hole. Thise prestes ben
so wyly & shrewyssh, I drede to take harme, O ho tybert said the fox
I sawe you neuer so sore aferde, what eyleth yow, the catte was ashamed
and sprange in to the hoole, And anon he was caught in the gryn by
the necke er he wyste, thus deceyuyd reynard his ghest and cosyn,
As tybert was wair of the grynne, he was a ferde and sprange forth,
the grynne wente to, thenne began he to wrawen, for he was almost.
ystranglyd, he called he cryed & made a shrewd noyse, reynart stode to
fore the hool and herde al, and was wel a payed and sayde, tybert loue
ye wel myes, be they fatte and good, knewe the preeste herof or
mertynet, they be so gentyl that they wolde brynge you sawce, Tybert
ye synge and eten, is that the guyse of the court, lord god yf ysegrym
ware there by yow in suche reste as ye now be thenne shold 1 be glad,
for ofte he hath don me scathe and liarme tybert coude not goo awaye,
but he mawede, and galped so lowde, that martynet sprang vp, and cryde
lowde, god be thanked my gryn hath taken the thief that hath stolen
our hennes, aryse vp we wil rewarde hym. Sign. b. 6, 7-

In his way to Court, from apprehension of condign punishment,
Reynard makes his Confession. This ‘ Shriving ' shall tell its own tale :

‘ How reynard shroef hym Capitulo. xij.

‘ Whan reynart and grymbert had goon a whyle to gydre, tho saide
reynart, dere cosyn now am I in grete fere, for I goo in drede and
ieopardye of my lyf, 1 haue so moche repentaunce for my synnes that
I wil shryue me dere cosyn to yow, here is none other preest to gete
yf I were shryuen of my sinnes, my soule shold be the clerer, grymbert
ansuerde, Eem wil ye shryue you, thenne muste ye promyse fix’st to
leue your steelyng and rouynge reynart saide that wiste ye wel, now
herke dere cosyn what I shal saye, Confiteor tibi pater of alle the
xnysdedes that I haue don, And gladly wil receyue penance for them,
Grymbert sayde what saye ye, wylle ye shryue yow, thenne saye it in
englissh that I may vnderstande. you reynart sayde, I haue trespaced
ayenst alle the bestis that lyue in especyal ayenst bruyn the bere myne
Eem whom I made his crowne al blody, And taughte tybert the catte
to catche myes for I made her leepe in a grenne wher she was al to
beten, also I haue trespaced gretly ayenst chanteclere with his chil-
dren, for I haue made hym quyte of a grete dele of hem.

‘ The kynge is not goon al quyte, I haue sklandred hym and the

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VOL. IV.