c'est le chien de jean de nivelle, il s'enfuit quand on l'appelle

Jean de Nivelle was the eldest son of Jean II., Duc de Montmorency, and was born about 1423. Having been summoned to appear before the Judges at Paris for having espoused the cause of the Duke of Burgundy against the wishes of the king, Louis XI., and of his father, who disinherited him, he fled to Flanders, where his wife had property. He therefore became an object of scorn to the people for refusing to answer the summons of his king, and they called him chien: the saying ought to run: C’est CE chien de Jean de Nivelle. La Fontaine evidently thought the phrase referred to a real dog when he wrote:— “Une traîtresse voix bien souvent vous appelle, Ne vous pressez donc nullement, Ce n’était pas un sot, non, non et croyez m’en. Que le chien de Jean de Nivelle.” Compare the Italian:— Far come il can d’Arlotto que chiamoto se la batte.