And þe fox, þat liþer grome,
Wiþ þe wolf iwreiid was;
Tofor har lord hi schold come
To amend har trepas.
And so men didde þat seli asse
Þat trepasid noȝt no did no gilte,
Wiþ ham boþe iwreiid was
And in þe ditement was ipilt.
Þe uoxe hird amang [g verwischt] al menne
And told þe wolf wiþ þe brode crune;
Þat on him send gees and henne,
Þat oþer geet and motune.
Þe seli aasse wend was saf, [so im Ms.]
For he ne eete noȝt bote grasse,
None ȝiftes he ne ȝaf
No wend þat no harm nasse.
Þo hi to har lord com to tune,
He told to ham law and skille;
Þos wikid bestis lutid [luid] adune:
Lord, hi seiid, what is þi wille?
Þo spek þe lion hem [hem im Ms.] to, [folio 46]
To þe fox anone his wille:
"Tel me, boi, what hast ido?
Men beþ aboute þe to spille."
Þo spek þe fox first anone:
"Lord king, nov þi wille,
Þos men me wreiiþ of þe tune
And wold me gladlich forto spille.
Gees no hen nad ich noȝt,
Sire, for soþ ich þe sigge,
Bot al [as] ich ham dere boȝt
And bere ham vp myn owen rigge."
"God is [Godis] grame most hi haue
Þat in þe curte þe so pilt;
