THE HABITS OF HOUNDS 79 



so befell that the King Claudoneus son of France 

 was beside his father. *'Sir," she said, "here is 

 your son the which hath done this deed. Now 

 require I you as ye have sworn to me that ye give 

 him to me, I will no other gift of you." The 

 King Claudoneus of France turned him then 

 towards his son and said thus: '*Thou cursed 

 harlot, thou hast shamed and shent (disgraced) 

 me and truly I shall shend (disgrace) you. And 

 though I have no more children yet shall I not 

 spare." Then he commanded to his men to 

 make a great fire, and cast his son therein, and he 

 turned him toward the damsel when the fire was 

 great alight, and thus to her he said : " Damsel, 

 now take ye him for I deliver him to you, as I 

 promised and assured you." The damsel durst 

 not come nigh, for by that time he was all burnt. 

 This ensample have I brought forth for the noble- 

 ness of hounds and also of lords that have been 

 in olden times. But I trow that few lords be 

 now that would do so even and so open justice. 

 A hound is true to his lord and his master, and 

 of good love and true. 



A hound is of great understanding and of great 

 knowledge, a hound hath great strength and great 

 goodness, a hound is a wise beasfand a kind (one). 

 A hound has a great memory and great smelling,^ 



^ G. de F., p. 84, says " se77femc?it,^^ good sense, feeling, or 

 sympathy. 



