This is the table of the historye of reynart the foxe

How the foxe sente the heed of kywart the hare to the kynge by bellyn the ramme· capitulo xxj^o.

tHe foxe saide / bellyn remēbre ye not that yesterday the kynge & his coūseyl commanded me that er I shold departe out of this lande / I shold sende to hym two lettres. dere cosyn I pray you to bere them. they be redy wre¦ton. the rāme sayde I wote neuer yf I wiste that your en∣dyttyng & wrytyng were good / ye myght p••reuēture so mo¦••che praye me that I wold bere them / yf I had ony thyng to bere them in / reynard saide ye shal not fayle to haue so∣mwhat to bere them in / rather than they shold be vnborn I shal rather gyue yow my male that I bere. and put the kynges lettres therin. & hāge them aboute your necke ye shal haue of the kynge grete thāke therfore & be right welcomen to hym. hier vpon bellyn promysed hym to bere thise lettres· tho retorned reynart in to his hows & toke the male and put therin kywarts heed and brought it

to bellyn for to brynge hym in daunger / And henge it on his necke / and chargyd hym not for to loke in the male / yf he wolde haue the kyngis frendship & yf ye wil that the kynge take you in to his grace & loue you / saye that ye your self haue made the lettre & endited it / & haue gyuen the coūnseyl that it is so wel made & wreton / ye shal haue grete thank therfore / bellyn the ramme was glad herof & thought he shold haue grete thank & saide reynard I wote wel that ye now doo for me / I shal be in the court gretl•• preysed whan it is knowen that I can so wel endyte & ma¦ke alettre / thaugh I can not make it / ofte tymes it ha••••peth that god suffreth sōme to haue worship & thāke o•• the labouris & cōnyng of other m••n / & so it shal bifalle m•• now / Now what coūseyle ye reyner / shal kywa••rt he ••a••e co¦me wyth me to the court / nay sayd the foxe he shal anone folowe yow / he may not yet come / for he muste speke wyth his aunte /

nOw goo ye forth to fore / I shal shewe to k••wart s••¦crete thyngis whiche ben not yet knowen / bellyn sayd fare wel reynart / & wen•••• hym forth to the court & he ran & hasted so faste that he cam to fore mydday to the cour•• & fonde the kynge in his palays wyth his barons / the ky••ge meruaylled whan he saw hym brynge the male agayn whi¦che was made of the beres ••kyn / the kyng saide saye on bel••lyn fro whens come y•• / where is the fo••e / how is it ••h••t 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hath not the male with hym / bellyn sayd my lord I shal sa¦ye yow al that I knowe / I accompayned reynard vnto his hows / And whan he was redy he asked me yf I that wold ffor your saacke bere two. lettre••

to yow / I saide for to do you playsir and worship / I wold gladly here to yow vij. tho brought he to me this male where in the lettres be / whiche ben endyted by my connyng and I gaf counseyl of the makyng of them / I trowe ye sawe neuer lettres better ne craftelyer made ne endyted / the kynge commanded anon bokart his secretarye to rede the lettres / ffor he vnderstode al maner langages / ty∣bert the catte and he toke the male of bellyns necke / and bellyn hath so ferre sayd and confessyd / that he therfore was dampned.

tHe clerke bokart vndyde the male / and drewe out kywarts heed and said alas what lettres ben these / certaynly my lord this is kywarts heed / alas sayde the kynge that euer I beleuid so the foxe / There myght men see grete heuynesse of the kynge and of the quene / the kyng was so angry that he helde longe doun his heed And atte l••ste after many thoughtes / he made a grete crye / that alle the bestys were aferde of the noyse / Tho spack sir firapeel the lupaerd whiche was sybbe somwhat to the kynge / and saide / sixe kyng how make ye suche a noyse ye make sorow ynough thaugh the quene were de∣ed / late this sorowe goo / and make good chere / it is grete shame / be ye not a lorde and kynge of this londe / Is it not alle vnder yow. that here is / the kynge sayde sir fira∣peel how sholde I suffre this / one false shrewe and decey∣uar hath betrayed me and brought me so ferre / that I ha∣ue forwrought and angred my frendes / that I the stoute bruyn the bere / and ysegrym the wulf / whiche sore me

r••pent••th / and this g••th ayenst my worship that I haue done amys ayenst my beste barons and that I trusted and beleuid so moche the fals horeson the foxe / and my wyf is cause therof / she prayde me so moche that I herde her prayer and that me repenteth / thaugh it be to late / what thawh sir kyng said the lupaerd / yf ther be ony thyng mysdon / it shal be amended we shal gyue to bru∣yn the bere to ysegrym the wulf / and to erswyn hys wyf for the pece of his skynne and for their shoes for to haue good pees bellyn the rāme / for he hath confessyd hym self that he gaf counseyl and consentyd to kywardes de••h it is reson that he abye it / And we alle shal goo fe••••he r••••••nard and we shal areste hym and hange hym by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 neeke without lawe or Iugement / and ther with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shul be contente /