1315
And cast to seeke the Lion, where he may,
     [Cast, projected.]
That he might worke the avengement for this shame
On those two caytives which had bred him blame
And seeking all the forrest busily,
At last he found where sleeping he did ly. 1320
The wicked weed which there the Foxe did lay
From underneath his head he tooke away,
And then him, waking, forced up to rize. 
The Lion, looking up, gan him avize,
     [Avize, bethink.]
As one late in a traunce, what had of long 1325
Become of him:  for fantasie is strong. 
“Arise,” said Mercurie, “thou sluggish beast,
That here liest senseles, like the corpse deceast,
The whilste thy kingdome from thy head is rent,
And thy throne royall with dishonour blent:  1330
     [Blent, stained.]
Arise, and doo thy selfe redeeme from shame,
And be aveng’d on those that breed thy blame.” 
Thereat enraged, soone he gan upstart,
Grinding his teeth, and grating his great hart;
And, rouzing up himselfe, for his rough hide 1335
He gan to reach; but no where it espide. 
Therewith he gan full terribly to rore,
And chafte at that indignitie right sore. 
But when his crowne and scepter both he wanted,
Lord! how he fum’d, and sweld, and rag’d, and panted,
And threatned death and thousand deadly dolours
To them that had purloyn’d his princely honours. 
With that in hast, disroabed as he was,
He toward his owne pallace forth did pas;
And all the way he roared as he went, 1345
That all the forrest with astonishment
Thereof did tremble, and the beasts therein
Fled fast away from that so dreadfull din. 
At last he came unto his mansion,
Where all the gates he found fast lockt anon 1350
And manie warders round about them stood: 
With that he roar’d alowd, as he were wood,
     [Wood, frantic.]
That all the pallace quaked at the stound,
     [Stound, (time, scene) tumult.]
As if it quite were riven from the ground,
And all within were dead and hartles left; 1355
And th’Ape himselfe, as one whose wits were reft,
Fled here and there, and everie corner sought. 
To hide himselfe from his owne feared thought. 
But the false Foxe, when he the Lion heard,
Fled closely forth, streightway of death afeard, 1360
     [Closely, secretly.]
And to the Lion came, full lowly creeping,
With fained face, and watrie eyne halfe weeping,
T’excuse his former treason and abusion,
And turning all unto the Apes confusion: 
Nath’les the royall beast forbore beleeving, 1365
But bad him stay at ease till further preeving.
     [Preeving, proving.]