XV REYNARD THE FOX II5

upon he delivered me the letters enclosed in
this mail, which letters myself had formerly
indited, and I doubt not but are such as will
give your highness both contentment and
satisfaction.’

Presently he commanded the letters to be
delivered to Bocart, his secretary, who was an
excellent linguist, and understood all languages,
that he might read them publicly; so he and
Tibert the cat took the mail from Peldin’s
neck, and opening the same, instead of letters
they drew out the head of Ayward the hare,
at which, being amazed, they said, ‘Woe, and
alas, what letters call you these? Believe it,
my dread Lord, here is nothing but the head
of poor murdered Kyward.’

Which the King seeing, he said, ‘Alas,
how unfortunate was I to believe the traitorous
fox?’

And with that, being oppressed with anger,
grief, and shame, he held down his head for a
good space, and so did the Queen also; but in
the end, shaking his curled locks, he groaned
out such a dreadful noise, that all the beasts
of the forest did tremble to hear it.

Then spake sir /7zrapell the leopard, who
was the King’s nearest kinsman, and _ said,