Reynke de Vos, book 1, chapter 1

How the lion, king of all animals, issued an appeal, proclaimed perpetual peace and invited all animals to come to his court. The first chapter.

¶ Wo de lauwe, konnynck aller deren, leeth vthkreyeren vnde vasten vrede vthropen vnde leet beden allen deren, to synem houe tho komen. Dat erste capittel.

ID gheschach vp eynen pynxstedach,
Datmen de wolde vnde velde sach
Grone staen myt loff vnde gras,
Vnde mannich fogel vrolich was
5 Myt sange in haghen vnde vp bomen;
De krüde sproten vnde de blomen,
De wol röken hir vnde dar;
De dach was schone, dat weder klar.

¶ Nobel, de konnynck van allen deren,
10 Held hoff vnde leet den vthkreyeren
Syn lant dorch ouer al.
Dar quemen vele heren myt grotem schal,
Ok quemen to houe vele stolter ghesellen,
De men nicht alle konde tellen:
15 Lütke de kron vnde Marquart de hegger;
Ja, desse weren dar alder degger
(Wente de konnynck myt synen heren
Mende to holden hoff myt eren,
Myt vrouden vnde myt grotem loue
20 Vnde hadde vorbodet dar to houe
Alle de dere groet vnde kleyne)
Sunder Reynken den vos alleyne;
He hadde in den hoff so vele myßdan,
Dat he dar nicht endorste komen noch gan.

25 ¶ De quad deyt, de schuwet gern dat lycht;
Alzo dede ok Reynke, de bözewycht:
He schuwede sere des konnynges hoff,
Dar in he hadde seer krancken loff.

¶ Do de hoff alsus anghynck,
30 En was dar neen, an alleyne de greuynck,
He hadde to klagen ouer Reynken den voß,
Den men held seer valsch vnde loß.