ESOPUS    
¶ Here beginneth the book of the subtle histories and Fables of Esope  which were translated out of french in to english by wylham Caxton at westmynstre In the year of our Lord. M. CCCC. lxxxiij. 


FIrst beginneth the life of Esope with all his fortune how he was subtle/ wise/ and borne in Grece/ not far fro Troy the grant in a Towue named Amoneo/ which was among other dyfformed and evil shapen/ For he had a great heed/ large visage/ long jowes/ sharp eyen/ a short neck/ corbe backed/ great belly/ great legs/ and large feet/ And yet that which was worse he was dumb/ and could not speak/ but not withstanding all this he had a great wit & was greatly ingenious/ subtle in cavilations/ And Io●● wordez   

 
¶ This history containeth/ How he excused him of that was Imposed to him/ that he should have eaten the figs of his lord  
ANd for as much as his lord to whom he was bound supposed that he was not profitable/ he sent him to labour in the Fields/ and to dyke and delve in the earth/ ¶ And on a day as his lord came in one of his Fields/ one of his labourers gathered figs/ And presented them to his Lord/ saying/ My lord take these figs as for the first fruit of this field/ And the lord received them joyously/ & delivered them to his servant named Agatopus/ charging him to keep them/ till he that day returned fro his bain/ ¶ And it happened that Esope coming from his labour/ demanded his dinner like as he was accustomed/ And Agatopus which kept the figs eat of them/ & said to one of his fellows/ if I doubted not/ and feared my master/ I would eat all these figs/ And his fellow said/ if thou wilt let me eat with thee/ I shall find a subtlety that we shall have no blame ne harm therefore/ And how may that be said Agatopus/ to whom his fellow said/ when my lord shall come home/ we shall say to him/ that Esope hath eaten them/ And by cause he can not speak/ he shall not con excuse him/ and so therefore he shall be well beaten/ & hereupon they went & eat the figs between them both/ saying this villain shall be well beaten/ And the lord/ which came out of the bain/ commanded to bring to him his figs/ & Agatopus said to him/ Sire when Esope came fro his labour fro the field/ he fond the Celer open/ and went in without reason/ and hath eaten all the figs/ ¶ And when the lord herd this/ he was much angry/ & said call to me Esope/ to whom he said/ thou counterfeit churl/ how is this happened/ that thou hast not be afeard to eat my figs/ whereof he was afeard/ in beholding them that had accused him/ & the lord commanded to despoylle & take of his clothes for to have beaten him/ & he kneeled down at his lords feet/ & by signs by cause he could not speak prayed his lord to give him space to excuse him/ And his lord granted it to him/ And anon after he took a vessel full of hot water/ which was on the fire/ & poured the hot water in to a bacyn/ and drank thereof/ & anon after he put his finger in his mouth & cast out that which was in his stomach/ which was only water/ for that day he had tasted nothing but water/ & he prayed that his accusers might sembably drink of that water as he had done/ And so they died/ And they held their hand to fore their mouth/ By cause they should have no vomit/ but by cause the water was hot/ and their stomach resolved by the water/ they vomited out the water and all the figs together/ And the lord saying that/ said to them/ why have ye lied to me/ against this Esope that can not speak/ ¶ And then he commanded to despoylle them/ and to beat them openly/ saying/ who somever doth or saith wrong of other/ shall be punished with the same pain that is due therefore/ ¶ And these things seen and experimented/ Esope returned to his labour/ And as he laboured in the field/ there came a priest named ysydys'/ which went toward the city/ & had lost his way/ And he saying Esope/ prayed him that he would ensign him the right way for to go in to the city/ ¶ And Esope received him joyously/ And made him to sit under a fig tree/ And set to fore him breed/ Herbs/ figs and dates/ and prayed him to eat/ and drew water out of a pit and gaf him to drink/ And when he had well eaten/ he took him by the hand/ and set him in the right weigh for to go to the city/ after which things done/ the priest life up his hands to heaven/ making his prayers for Esope/ of whom he had received so good a refreshing/   

¶ This History maketh mention how the goddess of hospitality gave speech of his tongue to esope/ & how he was sold  
then Esope returned to his labour/ ¶ And after when he had well laboured/ for t'eschew the great heat of the son after his usage/ he went in to the shadow for to rest/ and slept under a tree/ ¶ And thenne the goddess of hospitality appeared to him/ and gave to him sapience and ability/ And also she gave to him the gift of speech for to speak diverse fables and Inventions/ as to him which was right devout to hospitalite/ & after when esope was awaked/ he began to say to himself/ I have not only slept ne sweetly rested but also I have had a fair dream/ & without any empessament I speak/ and all that I see I call by their proper names/ as an horse/ an ass/ a ox/ a chariot/ and to all other things/ I can to everich give his name/ For I have received suddenly the grace of this knowledge/ for the great pity that I have had on them that lack hospitality/ For he that doth well aught to have good hope in god/ and he shall have good reward therefore/ And therefore I shall not labour the loss/ than I did to fore/ ¶ And thus when he began to labour came he that had the charge of the field and the oversight/ And anon began to beat one of the labourers grievously/ whereof Esope was greatly displeased/ And said to him in this manner/ what betest thou him for nought/ and every hour thou comest and betest us without cause/ thou sleest us/ and dost nought thyself/ But certainly I shall show to my lord all this matter/ like as thou shall we know/ ¶ And when the procurer herd him called by his own name zenas. he marveled that Esope spoke/ & thought in himself/ I shall go to fore my lord/ to th'end that this foul villain complain not on me/ and that my lord depose me not of my procuration/ ¶ And he took his mulet/ and road in to the city/ and came to his lord and said ¶ My lord I salue you right humbly/ And the Lord looked on him/ and said to him/ why comest thou so effrayed and troubled/ And zenas said to him/ that now in the field is happened a thing monstrous/ And what is that said the lord/ have the trees brought forth their fruit tofore their time/ or have the beasts brought forth their fruit against nature/ And zenas answered him/ Nay my lord/ but this crooked churl/ this counterfeited Esope thy servant beginneth to speak clearly/ And well said the lord/ that me seemeth is a thing monstrous/ ye forsooth said zenae/ ¶ And then said the lord/ We see all day/ many men when they been angry con not speak/ but when they be in peace con well speak/ and profferr●● things/ ¶ And then zenas said/ My lord he can speak above all other men/ And hath said to me things contumelyouse/ blasphemies/ and villainies of thee/ and of all the gods/ ¶ And thenne his lord was angry/ and wroth toward him/ And said/ zenas/ go thou to the field And what thou wilt do with him/ hyhe or low/ do it/ or sell him/ or give him/ or lose him/ For I give him to thee/ And then zenas took this gift by writing/ and came in to the field/ and said to Esope/ Now thou art mine/ and in my puissance/ For my lord hath given the to me/ And by cause thou art a great langager/ and an evyllr churl/ I shall sell the utterly/ And then of fortune it happened that a Merchant that had bought servants came in to that field for to buy beasts for to bear overall his merchandise to Ephese/ the which met with zenas/ And he sale Wed him/ and demanded of him/ if he had any beasts to sell/ And zenas answered that for nothing/ he should find no beasts to sell/ but I have a servant which is not fair/ but he is of good age/ And demanded of him if he would buy him/ And the Merchant said/ I would first seen him/ ¶ And then zenas called Esope/ and showed him to the Merchant/ ¶ And when the Merchant saw him so dyfformed/ and so foul said in this manner/ from whence is this Tupyn comen/ and this trumpet of Tragetenus/ This is a fair merchandise/ For if he had not a wis/ I would ween/ that it were a bottle full of wind/ ye be well occupied to bring me hydre to show me this fair parsonage/ I had supposed thou wouldest have sold to me some fair servant honest/ and pleasant/ And then the merchant returned on his way And Esope followed him/ and said to the Merchant/ Abide a little here/ And the Merchant said/ let me not vylayn For thou mayst have no profit of me/ For if I bought the I should be called the Merchant of follies/ and of wine things And then Esope said to him/ Wherefore then art thou come hither And the Merchant answered for to buy some thing that is fair/ but thou art foul/ over lothly/ and countrefayted/ I have not for to do with such merchandise And then Esope said if thou wilt buy me thou shalt lose nothing/ And the Merchant demanded/ whereof mayst thou do to me any profit/ And Esope said/ been there not in thy house little children/ ne in thy town/ that cry and ren ne/ buy me/ and thou shalt do wisely and shalt be their master/ for they shall dread and fere me like a false visage/ And then the Merchant smiled for the words of Esope/ And returned to Zenas/ and axed of him/ how he would sell this fair merchandise/ And then zenas said to him/ give me thirty pound/ or three half pens/ For I wot well/ no man will buy him/ And then the Merchant paid for him to zenas as much/ as he was well content/ ¶ And then Esope went with his new master unto his town/ ¶ And as he entered in to his house/ he had two children dying in the lap of their mother/ ¶ then Esope said to the Merchant Now shalt thou have experience of that I have promised/ For sith these two little children have seen me/ they have been all seylle and afeard/ ¶ And thenne the Merchant laughing bid him to enter/ and seeing the fellows fair & pleasant salued them/ saying I salue you my fair fellows/ And when they saw Esope/ they saiden all/ we shall anon have a fair parsonage/ what will our Master do/ for to buy such a man so foul and difformed/ And their lord answered to them/ by cause I have founden no beasts for to help you/ there fore I have bought this galaund for to help you to bear my carriage/ And therefore depart among you the farthels for to bear/ And then Esope said to them/ O good fellows/ ye see well/ that I am least & feeblest/ I pray you to give to me the lightest burden/ And his fellows said to him/ by cause/ thou mayst not do/ bear nothing/ To whom Esope said/ by cause ye do all the labour It is not sitting/ that I only should be idle and unprofitable to my lords   

 
¶ This history maketh mention/ how Esope demanded the lightest burden/ but to their seeming he took the heaviest/ which was at last the lightest/ and so beguiled his fellows  
THenne his fellows said to him/ cheese which thou will bear And Esope beholding all the burthene the farthels sacks/ and panyers/ And took a pannier full of breed/ For which two of the bearers were ready for to have borne/ and said/ now take me this pannier here/ And thenne they said/ he was the most fool of them/ by cause he asked the lightest/ and cheese the heaviest/ And so he took the pannier of breed/ and went forth to fore all his fellows/ which when his fellows beheld and saw/ they all sa●●den that their master had not lost his money/ For he was strong and might bear yet an heavier burden/ And thus they mocqued him/ ¶ And alway Esope was at the lodging to fore his fellows/ And when they were arrived at their lodging/ their master made them to rest/ And commanded Esope to bring forth breed for to eat/ & so he took breed out of his pannier/ that his pannier was half empty/ And then when they had eaten/ ●●he of them took his burden/ And Esope bore lass than he did/ And came to his lodging to fore his fellows/ And at souper he gave to them so much breed/ that his pannier was all wide and empty And on the morn in this wise he took his pannier/ and went to fore his fellows so far that they knew him not a right/ so that one demanded/ who is he/ that goth so far tofore ve/ And another said/ It is the cou●●d and counterfeited ●●se/ which by his subtlety hath deceived ve/ that ●●re the burdens not consumed by the way/ but he hath wyded his burden/ And is more wily than we be/ And thenne after they came to Ephese/ And the merchant lad his merchandise to the market/ and also his servants for to sell/ which were named Gramaticus/ Sal●●s and Esope/ And a Merchant said to him/ it thou wilt sell thy servants at a reasonable 〈◊〉/ th●● is a philosopher named Exanctus/ to whom mo●●▪ pe●● go to learn at a place called Somnon/ lead thy servants thither/ And that philosopher will buy them/ and the master and owner of them did do well awye Gramaticus and Saltis with new row/ and lad them thither for to sell/ but by cause Esope was foul and lothly/ he was clad with 〈◊〉/ and was set between the other two/ which were fair/ pleasant/ and welfaring men/ But all they that beheld Esope were abashed by cause of his deformity/ saying/ fro whence cometh this monster/ or who hath brought him hither to mocque us/ And by cause that they so wondered on Esope/ Esope looked all overthwartly on them boldly/   

¶ This history contained the second sale of Esope/  
 
Exanctus the philosopher departed out of his house/ & went to the market/ and as he wen●● to and fro thorough the market/ he saw these two young men/ And Esope standing between them/ And he marveled of the Inprudence of the Merchant that so had sorted them/ and approaching to one of them/ said to him in this manner/ of what country art thou/ And he answered I am of Capadoce/ ¶ And Exantus demanded saying/ what canst thou do/ And he answered I can do all thing that thou wilt/ which answer when Esope herd/ he lowhe showing his great teeth/ ¶ And all the scholars that were with Exantus beholding Esope so sore laughing/ and in laughing showed his great teeth/ them seemed/ they saw a monster/ and not a man/ And said to their fellows that this great paunsart hath great teeth/ ¶ And they asked what they had seen/ And they said that he so sore laughed and showed his teeth/ ¶ And they said/ he lawhed not/ but that he was a cold on his teeth And one demanded him/ why he laughed calling him gentyl galaunt/ And he said to him/ what hast thou to do there with cokyn/ go walk on the gibbet/ And the scholar departed all ashamed and followed his master/ ¶ And then Exantus demanded the prize of Saltis/ And the merchant said that he should pay for him a thousand pens/ And Exantus esteeming the pries over dear/ returned to that other fellow/ and said to him/ of whence art thou/ And he said I am borne of lydye/ and Exantus asked of him/ what canst thou do/ and he answered/ all that thou weenest/ which when Esope herd/ he lawhed thenne more than he did to fore/ ¶ And thus when the scolyers saw him lawhe/ they saiden/ this fellow lawhyth for all thing/ ¶ Then the Marchannt asked/ what shall cost me gramaticus/ and the Merchant said three thousand scutes/ which Exantus thought to dear/ & whence his way/ ¶ Then the scolyers said to their master Exantus/ Master/ these servants please the not/ yes said Exantus/ they please me well/ but it is ordained in our city that no servant may be bought at so high a pries upon a great pain ¶ And one of the scolyers said/ sith they that be●● fair may not be bought/ buy him that is so fowl and so disformed/ and truly he shall do to the some service/ and the ●●ys that he shall be sold fore/ we oure self shall pay/ ¶ And then Exantus said to them/ if I should buy this fellow/ that is so fowl and lothly/ my wife should not be well pleased/ For she is so precious and so delicious/ that she may not suffer to be served with such a counterfeited servant/ And the scholars said/ Master thou hast many things/ of which thy wife shall not gainsay ne meddle/ ¶ And Exantus thenne said/ let us then demand him what he can do/ l●●st for fault of asking we lose our money/ And turned him to Esope/ and said/ god save the young man/ And Esope said to him in this manner/ I pray the grieve me not/ ¶ And Exantus said to him/ I salue thee/ And Esope said/ so do I thee/ ¶ And Exantus said/ leave these molestes/ and answer to this that I shall demand/ And he asked what art thou/ And Esope answered/ I am of flesh and bone/ And Exantus said/ I demand the not that/ but where were thou engendered And Esope answered/ in the womb of my mother/ And Exantus said/ yet I ask the not that neither/ But I ask of thee/ In what place thou were borne/ And Esope said/ My mother never told/ ne assured me/ whether she was delivered of me in her chamber or in the hall/ and Exantus said/ I pray the tell me what thou canst do/ And Esope said/ no thing And he said/ how nothing/ And Esope said by cause my fellows that been here have said that they will do all thing/ then have they left to me nothing for to do/ then the scolyers were moche abashed/ and had great marvel/ saying that he had answered by divine sapience/ For there is none that may be founden that can do all thing/ And therefore he lawhed/ ¶ And Exantus said/ I pray thee/ tell me/ if thou wilt that I buy thee/ And Esope said/ that is in thee/ no man shall enforce the thereto/ Nevertheless/ if thou wilt buy me/ open thy purse/ and tell thy money/ and make the bargain/ then the scolyers said/ by all the gods/ this fellow surmounteth our master/ And Exantus said to him in this manner/ if I buy thee/ wilt thou flee away/ To whom Esope answered/ if I will flee away/ I council the buy me not/ And Exantus said/ thou sayst well/ but thou art over lothly and dyfformed/ to whom Esope said/ me ought not behold only the face of a body/ but all only th'intendment of the courage/ ¶ And then Exantus demanded of the Merchant/ what shall I pay for this Esope/ And the mar chant said to him/ thou art a foolish Merchant for to leave these goodly and fair servants/ and wilt take him/ that nothing can do/ take one of these two/ and let this bossute go/ ¶ And Exantus said/ I require thee/ tell me what I shall pay/ And the merchant said lx pens/ And the scolyers told out the money to the merchant/ And thus by this bargeyne Esope was servant to Exantus/ ¶ And when the Bankers received the money of this sale/ they demanded curiously who were the byar and the cellar/ And then Exantus and the Merchant composed and accorded between them/ that he had not be sold for so moche money/ And then Esope said to the bancquers/ certainly this is he that hath bought me/ and this is he that hath sold me/ which thing they will deny/ wherefore I affirm/ and say that I am free/ then the banker lawhed of this cavillation/ & went & received the pries of exantus of as much as he had bought esope   

 
¶ This History containeth how Exantus brought esope home to his wife  
then when every man was departed/ Esope followed Exantus homeward to his house/ And when he came to fore his house/ he said to Esope/ Abide here a while to fore the gate/ till I go in for to praise the to thy lady and mistress my wife/ well said Esope/ And Exantus entered in to his house/ and said to his wife/ Dame ye shall no more have cause to be at debute with me/ For ye have desired long to get you a fair servant/ wherefore now I have bought one/ that is so wise and so pleasant that thou never sawest none so fair/ ¶ And when two damoiselles servants herd him say so/ weening that it had been troth they began to strive to guider/ and that one began to say to that other/ My lord hath sought for me a fair husband/ And that other said/ I have this night dreamed/ that I was married/ And thus as these servants spoke/ his wife said/ My lord where is the fair fellow/ the which ye praise so moche/ I pray you that I may see him/ And Exantus said/ he is to fore the gate/ And his wife said/ I pray you bring him in/ And thus as the young women had debate for him/ one of them thought in herself/ I shall be the first that shall see him/ And if I may/ he shall be my husband And so as she issued out of the house she said/ where is this fair youngman/ that I so much desire to see/ And then Esope said to her/ what demandest thou/ I am he/ boo here/ ¶ And when she saw Esope/ she was for fere all abashed and troublod/ and said to him/ art thou the fair peacock where is thy taylle/ And Esope said to her/ if thou have need of a tail/ thou shalt not fail of one/ ¶ And thêne as he would have gone in/ the servant said to him/ Come not here within/ For all they that shall see thee/ shall flee away/ ¶ And after she went in to her fellows/ and told what he was/ And that other when she came out and saw him so dysformed/ said/ beware thou payllard that thou touch me not/ that the devil to 〈◊〉 the/ And then when Esope entered in to the house/ anon he presented him to the lady/ and when the lady saw him/ anon she turned her visage/ and said to Exantus/ For a servant/ thou hast brought me a monster/ throw and cast him out/ ¶ And Exantus said to her/ My wife thou oughtest now to be glad and Ioyons/ by cause I have brought to the so fair and so joyous a servant/ And she said to Exantus/ I wot well thou lovest me not/ For thou 〈◊〉 to have another wife/ And by cause thou durst not tell it me/ thou hast brought this great payllart/ to th'end that I shall go fro thee/ And I will no longer abide/ by cause thou knowest well/ that I may not suffer him/ And therefore deliver to me my dowayr/ and I shall anon go my way/ ¶ And then Exantus said to Esope when we were on the way thou spackest largely/ and now thou sayest nought/ ¶ And Esope said to him/ by cause thy wife is so malicious put her in prison/ ¶ And Exantus thenne said to him/ hold thy peace/ thou shalt be beaten/ Seest thou not/ that I love her more than myself/ ¶ then said Esope/ I pray thee/ that thou love her well/ And he said/ wherefore not/ And Esope smote his foot on the pavement/ and cried with a loud voice. hark ye a great miracle/  
THis philosopher Exautus is overcomon of a woman And he turned to his lady/ and said to her/ Madame I pray thee/ take not mine words in evil/ thou will dost have a servant that were young/ well formed/ well arrayed strong and rich/ for to serve the at the wine/ and bear the to thy bed/ that can rub and claw thy feet/ and no●● such a foul and so disfourmed a servant as I am/ For by cause of such a mygnot/ thou wouldest set nought by thy husband/ And therefore Erupis that philosopher had his mouth of gold/ which never lied/ he said that there were many perils and torments in the see and other great Rivers/ And also poverty is a great chagre and dyffycyle to be borne/ And also there been other great dangers and perils infinite/ but there is no worse danger ne peril/ than is a f●● woman/ And therefore Madam I pray thee/ that thou take no more a fair servant ne pleasant for to serve thee/ to th'end/ that thou dishonour not thy lord and husband/ ¶ And she thenne said to Esope/ Avoid thou payllart/ which art not only disformed of ●●ody/ but also of thy words/ when thou sayest so by me/ but I shall well pay thee/ For I shall go my way/ ¶ then said Exantus to Esope/ ne seest thou not how thou hast angered my wife/ See that thou appease her/ And Esope said/ It is not a light thing t'appease the ire of a woman/ but it is a grievous thing Exanctus said to Esope/ Speke no more/ For I have bought the for to make peace/ and not for to make debate ne war   

¶ This History containeth how Exantus brought Esope in a garden  
 
EXantus bad Esope take a panere/ and follow him in to a garden/ & exantus said to the gardyner/ give to us of thine herbs/ & the gardener cut of herbs & delivered to Esope/ & he took them/ & exantus paid for them/ & when they would have gone/ the gardyner said to Exantus/ Maystre I pray the that thou tarry here a while/ well said exantus/ ask what thou will/ And the gardener demanded of him Master what is the cause/ that the herbs that been not laboured grow faster and sooner/ than they that been curiously laboured/ & to this question answered Exantus/ that that came by some providence/ by which the things been brought forth/ And when esope herd this answer/ he began to laugh And Exantus said to him/ thou payllard lawhest thou me to skeen & mockest me/ & esope answered & said I mock you not but him that hath learned the thy philosophy/ what solution hast thou made/ what is that cometh of divine providence/ a child of the kitchen should have made as good an answer/ & Exantus said then/ Esope make thou thenne a better solution/ & Esope answered to him/ if thou command I shall glad lie/ & Exantus said to the gardyner/ it appertaineth not to him that hath for to judge things difficile/ to judge rude things & 〈◊〉/ but I have a servant here which shall inform & give the solution of thy question if thou wilt pray him to give to the the solution/ And the gardener said/ can this vylayne payllard that is so greatly dysformed answer to this question/ hen the gardener said to Esope/ hast thou know leech of such things/ And Esope said ye more than all the men of the world/ For thou demandest wherefore the herbs that been not laboured grow sooner than they that been sown and laboured/ And Esope sa d understand well to mine answer/ For as a woman that hath been a widow hath had children by her first husband that is deed/ And after 〈◊〉 remaryed to another man/ which hath ●●de children of an other wife tofore/ and to the children of her first husband she is mother/ And to the other children she is but stroder/ And' ●●s ●●her is a difference between her own children & the children of that other woman/ For her children she hath nourished ●●sybly/ and the other stepchilds oft-times in anger & wrath/ Right so in this manner ●●s of the earth/ For she is mother der of the herbs that grow without to be laboured sown o●● s●●/ and is but stepmother to the herbs that grown by labour and force/ And then the gardener said to him/ thou hast delivered me of a great pain and study/ And therefore I pra●●e the of the herbs that been in my garden thou take thy pleasure and will at all times and a●● oft 〈◊〉 thou wilt   

¶ This History following maketh mention how Esope b●●re the present  
 
ON a time when the scolyers had been in the audytoyre with Exantus/ one of the scholars arrayed precious meats for the supper/ And when they were at supper/ they took of the most best meats & put them in a platter/ & exantus said to Esope/ go bear this to her that loveth me best/ and Esope thought in himself/ now is it time to avenge me of my mistress/ & when he came home in to the hall he said to his mistress/ Madame/ beware that ye eat not of this meet/ And his lady said/ I wot well/ that thou art alway a great fool And Esope said to her/ Exantus hath not commanded me to give it to thee/ but to her that loveth him best/ Thenne esope commanded the platter to a little hound/ which was alway in the house/ saying to the hound my lord hath sent to the this meet which is precious/ & the wife of Exantus went in to her chamber/ & began to weep/ & after Esope returned to exantus/ & he asked how his love fir/ & he said right well my lord/ & all the meet that I have set to fore her/ she hath eaten it/ & exantus said/ what said she/ & he said my lord she saith no thing/ but she desireth sore for to see thee/ After this when they had well eaten & drunken/ they had many questions together/ And one asked when mortal men shall have most to do/ And Esope said that shall be at the day of judgement when men shall rise/ & the scholars hearing that answer/ began to laugh saying this villain is full of ansuers/ & one of the scholars demanded/ master wherefore is it that when the sheep goth to his death ward he so loweth his master/ & saith not a word/ & when the swine is brought to be slain/ he ne doth but cry & bray/ And Esope answered them/ by cause it is accustomed for to milk the shep & to shear/ & he weeneth that he shall be molken & shorn/ & therefore he feareth not to follow ne come/ But by cause the swine is not accustomed to be molken ne to be shorn/ but to be latin blood & l●●se his life/ therefore he is afeard & dreadeth when he is taken/ & all the scolors said/ it was truth/ ●●o this man is wise & hath said well/ & each man arose & went home to his house/ Thus then when Exantus wa●● returned in to his house/ he entered in 〈◊〉 his chamber/ & fond his wife sore weening/ And he said to her/ My sweet love/ how is it with you/ & kissed her/ & she turned the back to him/ & said let me alone/ I have not to do with thee/ I will go out of this house/ thou lovest better thine hound than me/ to whom thou hast sent the precious meet/ And by cause he knew nothing hereof/ he demanded her what meet hath Esope brought to thee/ & she said none at all/ & exantus said am I drunk/ I have sent to the by Esope a platter full of precious meet/ & she said/ not to me but to thy houn●●/●●henne he called Esope/ & demanded him/ to whom he had given the meet that I delivered to thee/ & he said to her that loveth the most like as thou commandest me/ And Exantus said to his wife/ understandest thou not what he saith/ I understand him well said she/ but he gave to me nothing/ but gave it to thine hound/ & Exantus turned him to Esope/ & said to him/ thou great heed to whom hast thou borne the meet that I delivered to thee/ And Esope answered to her that loveth the best/ And Exantus demanded who is she/ And Esope called the little hound & s●●d this is she here/ for the love of thy wife is right nought for if she be a little angry/ incontinent she reproacheth the & saith villainy to the that lovest her/ And will anon say/ I go fro thee/ and leave thy house/ And if this hound go fro thee/ call her again/ and she cometh to the anon making to the cheer/ And therefore thou oughtest to say to thy wife/ and not to her that loveth the best/ ¶ then Exantus said to his wife thou seest that this fellow is a raylar and an Inuentar of words/ And therefore have patience/ For I shall find cause to avenge the and beat him/ And she said/ do what thou wilt/ For I shall never more have to do with him/ and of ter that take thine hound/ For I go my way/ And without saying Fare well/ she went home to her friends/ And by 〈◊〉 see Exantus was angry and sorrowful for her departing/ Esope said to him/ Now seest thou well/ that thy wife that is gone loveth the not/ but this little hound abideth with thee/ And by cause Exantus was all heavy for the departing of his wife/ he did do pray her to return/ but the more that she was prayed/ so moche more was she obstinate/ For the more a man prayeth a woman/ the more doth she the contrary/   

¶ This history maketh mention/ how Esope made his lady to come home ageyye  
 
ANd by cause Exantus was angry for the departing of his wife/ Esope said to his master/ he not angry/ for without praying I shall anon make her to return and come home again/ And after Esope went to the market/ and bought capons and poullay●●/ And as he bore them passing by the house/ wher●● his mistress was/ It happened/ that one of the servants of the house came out/ & Esope demanded him/ have ye sentt no thing to the wedding of my lord/ do what wedding said the servant/ unto the wedding of Exantus said Esope/ For to morn he shall wed a new wife/ And anon the servant went in to the house/ and said to Exantus wife/ Madame there been new tydyuges/ And what been they said she/ Exantus shall have a new wife/ & be married/ And forthwith incontinent she departed/ & came home to the house of Exantus crying/ Now know●● I well the truth/ And wherefore thou madest this great paystart to anger me/ by cause thou wouldest take another wife/ but I shall keep the well there fro/ As long as I shall live shall never woman come here in/ exantus be thou sure/ ¶ then was Exantus glad/ and well joyous for to have again his wife And could Esope great thank/   

¶ This History containeth how Esope arrayed tongues  
 
ANd a little while after Exantus bade his scholars to dine with him/ And said to Esope/ go anon to the market/ & buy for us the best meet/ that thou shalt find/ And Esope went to the market/ he thought in himself/ Now shall I show/ that I am no fool but wise/ And when Esope came to the market/ he bought the tongues of swine and oxen/ And dyghted them with vinegar/ and set them on the table/ And the scholars said to Exantus/ thy dyner is full of philosophy/ And this Exantus said to Esope/ bring us other meet/ and Esope brought forth more tongues arrayed in another manner/ that is to weet with garleck and onions/ And the scholars said Maystre these tongues been well dressed For that one differenceth fro the other/ And exantus bad esope to bring other meet/ And esope brought yet forth tongues/ then were the scolyers' angry/ and said/ wilt thou alway give us tongues. And exantus all angry in his courage/ said to esope/ what other meet hast thou ordained for us/ And esope said/ forsooth none other/ And exantus said to eso pe/ Ha great heed/ said I not to thee/ that thou shouldest buy the best meet that thou couldst find/ So have I do said Esope/ And I thank god that here is a philosopher/ I would fain know of thee/ what is better than the tongue/ For For certainly all art/ all doctrine and philosophy been notified by the tongue/ Item for to give salewes/ buy/ sell/ and to do site men/ Alle these things been done by the tongue/ the men been praised there by/ And the greatest party of the life of mortal men is in the tongue/ And thus there is no thing better than a good tongue/ ne no thing more sweet/ ne better of savonr/ ne more profitable to mortal men/ ¶ then said the Scolyers to Exantus/ thou hast wrong to anger the thus/ For Esope hath said right well/ ¶ And after all these words they arise fro the table/ ¶ And on the morn after Exantus would in excusing himself/ of their lytel service desired them to come again at supper/ And they should have other service/ ¶ And Exantus said to Esope in the presence of them that were there/ go in to the market/ And buy the wert meet that thou canst find/ For all my friends here shall soup with me/ and Esope without troubling of himself went to the bocherye/ And bought again tongues/ And dyghted them/ as he did to fore/ ¶ And when they came to supper/ he served them with tongues as he did the day tofore/ And the scholars said/ we been comen again to tongues And by cause the scholars were not pleased/ Exantus said to Esope/ thou great heed/ said I not to thee/ that thou shouldest buy the wert meet that thou couldst find/ so have I done said Esope/ what is worse or more stinking than the evil tongue/ by the tongue men been perished/ by the tongue they come in to poverty/ by the tongue the cities been destroyed/ by the tongue cometh moche harm/ ¶ then said one of them that sat at the table/ Exantus/ if thou set thy purpose to this fool/ he shall bring the out of thy wit/ For he showeth well by his form to be shrewish/ For like as he is disformed of his body/ so is he of his courage/ And Esope said to him/ thou art right evil/ For thou settest and makest strife between the master and the servant/ And weenest to be more curious than other/ And Exantus for to have cause to beat Esope said ●●a great heed/ by cause thou callest the philosopher curious/ go get me a man/ that setteth ne retcheth by no thing/ that is to say that is not curious/  
ESope departed/ and went out of the place/ beholding here and there/ if he could find any man/ that retchid of no thing/ he took heed/ and saw a man/ a great vylayne/ sitting upon a block shaking and wagging his legs/ To whom Esope said/ My lord prayeth the to come dine with him/ who anon arose without saying of any word and entered in to the house with Esope/ And not saying god keep you sat him at the table/ And Exantus said to Esope What man is this/ And Esope said to him/ A man that retcheth of no thing/ ¶ then Exantus said to his wife secretly/ to th'end that we may avenge us on Esope/ and beat him well/ Fair love do that I shall bid you/ ¶ Then he said a loud with an high voice/ Dame put water in a bacyn/ and wash this pilgrims feet/ For he thought the villain would not have suffered it/ but have fled for shame/ And than should he have cause to have beaten Esope/ ¶ Then the lady took water/ and put it in a bacyn/ and began to wash the villains feet/ ¶ And how well/ that he wist that she was the lady/ yet he thought/ this lord will do me worship/ and suffered her to wash his feet without saying of any word/ And Exantus said to his wife/ Dame give him drink/ And the villain said to himself/ It is well reason/ that I drink first/ And took the piece/ and drank as much as he might/ And Exantus took a platter with fish/ and set it to fore him/ And the villain began to eat/ ¶ And Exantus said to the cook/ this fish is not well arrayed/ ¶ then Exantus commanded to stripe the Cook and beat him well/ And the villain said to himself/ this fish is well dight/ and the Cook is beaten without cause/ but I retch not/ so I may fill my belly/ And I shall all weigh eat/ and say nothing/ ¶ And Exantus said to the baker/ bring hither the tart/ incontinent as the tart was set on the table/ And the villain broke it in pieces/ and without any words he began to eat thereof/ And Exantus beholding him how he eat/ called the baker/ and said this tart is evil baken and hath no savour/ And the baker said/ if I made it/ it is well dressed/ And if it be none of mine/ the blame is not in me/ but in thy wife/ ¶ And Exantus said he alway looked/ and beheld if he voided it with his filth or ordu●●/ when he had purged his belly/ ¶ And ever after men looken when they have purged their belies/ what they Wide/ but thou oughtest not to doubt thereof/ For thou hast n●● wit to los●●/ ne science/ For to a foolish demand/ belongeth a foolish answer/ ¶ And on the morn next following as Exantus was set at the table with all his friends/ holding a piece full of win in his hand shoste for fere of the questions that men asked of him/ And Esope said to him/ My master Dyonysyus saith that the good win hath three virtues/ The first is Wluptucsyte/ The second is gladness/ and the third is that it maketh men fools and out of their wits wherefore I pray thee/ l●●te us drink joyously and make good cheer/ And by cause Exantus was as thenne almost drunk/ For he had well drunken said to Esope/ hold thy peace/ For thou art counceyller of hell/ And Esope said to him again/ keep the well/ For if thou find me in hell/ I shall avenge me on thyself  
ANd thenne one of the scosyers' said/ seeing/ that exantus had drunk enough/ and was charged of over moche win/ said to him/ My master I ask of thee/ if a man might drink all the see/ wherefore not said Exantus/ I myself shall drink it well/ then said again the scholar/ And if thou drink it not/ what wilt thou lose/ and Exantus said my house/ I am content said the scholar/ and against it I shall leye an hundred crowns/ And the pactional and bargain thus between them made gave for gaige or pledge each of them two their signets of gold/ and then went home/ ¶ And on the morn as Exantus was risen up out of his bed/ and saw that he had not his ring on his fingers/ he said to Esope/ knowest thou not where my ring is I wot not said Esope/ but well I me remember and know for certain/ that this day we shall be put out of this house And why said Exantus/ Esope said to him/ Remembryst thou not the b●●rgeyne and paction that thou yesterday at even made/ And what be they said Exantus/ Thou art bound to drink out all the see/ and for gage and pledge hast thou left thine ring of gold/ ¶ And when exantus herd these words he was sore abashed/ and said/ In what manner shall I drink out all the see/ this may not be/ for it is impossible/ wherefore Esope I pray the to council me/ if it pleaseth to thee/ so that I may Wynquysshe/ or else to br●●ke and set that bargain and paction at nought/ And Esope said to him thou shalt not Wynquysshe/ but peraventure I shall make/ that thou shalt well break the paction/ And the manner of it said Esope is this/ that when thine adversary shall require the to do and fulfil thy promise/ thou shalt charge and command to thy servants/ that they bring a table/ and all such other things that been necessary to it upon the rivage of the see/ and make the botelers and servants to abide there with thee/ And before all the company thou shalt make a piece to be washen and filled full of the water of the S●●e/ and shall take it in thy hand/ and pray that the paction may be declared before all the fellowship & say that thou wilt asseure the promise as well before drink as after/ And then thus shalt thou say to all the fellowship/ My lords of Samye ye know how yesterday at even/ I made promise to drink all the water of the see/ but also ye wot well/ how many great flood●●s and Rivers come and fall in to the See/ wherefore I demand and ask as reason is that mine adversary keep and hold the Rivers and floods/ that they enter not in to the see/ And then I shall drink all the see/ And so the paction shall be broken and undone   

¶ This history containeth how Exantus excused him from his promise by the council of Esope  
EXantus then knowing/ that the council of Esope was well good/ he was full glad/ ¶ His Adversary then came before the citizens of the city te tell and signify the paction and prayed the judge that Exantus should do that/ which he had promised to do/ ¶ And Exantus commanded to all his servants that they should bear his bed/ his table/ and all other things that were necessary to him upon the rivage of the see/ And then before all the company he made a pie 〈◊〉 to be wassh●●n and filled it full of the water of the see/ the which he took in his hand/ and said to his adversary/ Expose we now/ and tell our paction and bargain/ ¶ Exantus then turned him toward the fellowship/ and said/ My lords of Sampe/ ye wot well how many floods and rivers enter and come in to the see/ And if mine Adversary will ●●pe and hold them still/ so that they enter no more in to the see/ I shall drink all the water of the see/ And all they that were there began then to say/ Exantus saith well/ And then the scholar adversary to Exantus said/ My master thou hast Wynquysshed me/ wherefore I pray the that our bar gain may be broken/ And Exantus said I am content/ ¶ And when Exantus was turned again to his house Eso●●e did pray him saying thus/ My master by cause I have served and helped the well in thine need/ let me go f●● at my liberty  
 
EXanctus then cursed him/ saying/ great, heed yet shalt thou not escape free ●●e go fro me/ go thou see & behold before the gate/ if thou canst espy two crows to guider/ And then thou come again to tell it me/ For the sight of two crows/ one nigh the other is good fortune/ but the sight of one alone is evil fortune/ And as Esope issued out of the house/ he saw two crows upon a tree/ wherefore de soon turned again/ and told it to his Master/ But as Exantus departed out of the house the one flew away/ then said he/ great heed/ great belly/ where been the two crows that thou sawest/ And Esope said thus to him/ As I went to fetch thee/ the one flewgh away/ And Exantus said/ crooked back and evil shapen/ it is ever thus thy manner to mocque me/ but thus shall not thou be quite/ and commanded to undo his clothes and to beat him/ And as men be●● him/ Exantus was called to his dysner/ And then Esope said/ Alas/ how moche miserable I am/ For I have seen two crows to guider/ & am beat/ And Exantus which saw but one is called to the dely●●es/ And there is none/ to whom the birds been so contrary as they are to me/ ¶ And when exantus herd him/ he was much marveled of the great subtlety of his wit/ and commanded them that beat him/ that they should ce●●se/ And within a little while after Exantus said to Esope/ go thou/ and dress us good meats for our dyner/ For all these lords shall dine with me/ And eso pe went to the market/ & bought all that he would buy/ And when it was all ready/ he brought the meats in to the hall/ where he found his mistress dying upon a bed sleeping/ he awaked her and said/ Madame if it please you/ ye shall take heed to this meet that the dogs or cats eat it not/ For I must go in to the kitchen again/ And she answered to him go thou where thou wilt/ for my buttokes have eyen/ ¶ And when Esope had dressed and made ready all the other meats/ he brought them in to the hall/ and found his mistress which slept still upon her bed h●●r buttocks toward the table And by cause she had said that h●r buttokes had eyen/ Esope went and took up her clothes/ so that men might see her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉/ And thus he left h●●r sleeping/   

¶ This History containeth how Exantus found his wife a●● discovered/  
 
ANd as Exantus with him his scholars perceived & sa we his wife sleeping/ her buttoks all bare & naked/ by great vergoyne and shame turned his face toward Esope/ and said/ knave/ what is this/ And Esope said/ My lord/ as I did put the meet upon the table/ I prayed my lady that she would keep it fro the dogs/ And she answered me that her buttoks had eyen/ And by cause I found her sleeping/ I discovered her so/ to th'end/ that her buttoks might the better see and look about/ And then Exantus said unto him/ Ha shrewd servant oft thou hast paid me of such losings/ what thing wrose mayst thou do to me/ but to mock thus my wife and me also/ Nevertheless for the love and sake of these lords thou shalt not now be beat/ but the time shall come that I shall make the die of an evil death/ ¶ And within a while after Exantus said to Esope/ keep and look well/ that no fools ydeots enter in to my house/ but only the orators and philosophers/ Esope thenne went/ and set him beside the gate/ And as one of the philesophres came to have on tried in to the house/ Esope began to groygne/ and said to him/ come in thou dog/ And the philosopher weening/ that he had mocqued him/ all wroth and angry went fro thence/ And thus did many other/ But at the last came there one/ which was subtile enough/ to whom Esope did/ as he had done to the other/ ¶ And he that was wise answered him sweetly/ And then Esope let him go/ and enter in to the house/ ¶ And anon he went again to his lord And said to him/ No philosopher is come to the gate/ but this one/ wherefore Exantus wend that all the other had mocqued with him/ and was wroth and angry/  
¶ And on the morn as they met with Exantus/ they said to him thus/ Exantus well thou mockest us yesterday/ For he that kept thy gate casting on us ashrewed look did call us dogs/ For the which thing Exantus was troubled and more angry and wroth than tofore he was/  
¶ And anon he called Esope/ and said to him/ go thou Crokedbacked/ Counterfaytte/ and falls churl/ they whom thou shouldest have received with worship and greet honour/ thou hast vitupered and mocked/ Esope answered to him/ thou hast charged and commanded me that none I should let entre in to thy house/ but wise and sage philosophers And Exantus said to him/ Ha falls face and crooked/ been not these wise and sage/ Nay said Esope/ For when I said that they should enter/ they entered not/ but like fools went again their way without speaking of any word/ but this alone answered wisely/ And therefore I repute and hold him as sage/ and they as fools/ For a fool is he that lightly taketh any word in anger/ And then all the sages and philosophres that were there approved the answer of Esope true and good/ & much they were marveled of the great wisdom/ which was in him   

¶ This history maketh mention how Esope found a treasure And how Exantus made him to be put in prison/  
 
ANd within a little while after/ as exantus was with Esope/ beholding the greet sepulchres or Tombs/ and the Epytaphes of the ancient folk/ ¶ And Esope which perceived an arch/ which was nigh of a column unto the which men went up to it by four steps he went thither/ and saw some letters without consonaunce or understanding/ safe only by points entituled after the manner and form of these letters which been latin letters/ A/ B/ D O/ ct/ H/ c/ H/ Esope called his master and said to him/ My lord what bytokenen these letters/ Exantus looked and be held them well/ And a long while he thought what they signified/ And by cause he could not understand the signification of them/ he said to Esope/ tell me what these letters signefyen/ And Esope said to him/ My lord if I show the here a fair treasure/ what reward shall I receive of thee/ Exantus his master said to him/ have thou a good courage/ For I shall give to the freedom and liberty and the half of this treasure/ And anon Esope went down the four steps/ and so deep he delved at the foot of the column/ that he found the treasure the which anon he gaf to his lord and said to him/ My lord I pray the that now thou wilt do to me as thou hast promised me/ & Exantus said to him/ or ever thou have liberty and freedom/ thou must learn and teach me how thou wost and knowest this science/ for more I repute & set by the science & hold it to greater marvel/ than to have the treasure/ Esope said then to him/ he that first put here this treasure as philosophy denoteth and specifieth it by the 〈◊〉 the which been here written in latin/ Ascend gradus istos qua tuor fodias/ et invenies thesaurum auri/ ¶ And after Exantus told him/ Sith thou art so subtle/ thou shalt not yet have no liberty/ ¶ And Esope said to him Look well what thou dost/ For this treasure appertaineth to the king/ And Exantus asked of him and said/ How knowest thou it/ By the letters which signyfyen to us/ that thou give and take to the king Dyonysyus the treasure which thou hast found/ ¶ And when Exantus herd him say that the treasure which they had so found/ was appertaining to the king Dyonysices/ he said thus to Esope/ Take the half of all this treasure/ and and let no man know of it/ ¶ Esope then said to him/ thou givest it me nought/ but he that put and delved it here/ giveth it to me/ And Exantus said/ how knowest thou it ¶ And Esope answered to him/ For the lett●● following shown and signyfyen it/ that is to wete/ E/ D/ Q/ I/ T/ A/ the which letters signefyen this latin/ Euntes dimit quem invenistis thesaurum auri/ And then said Exantus/ go we home/ and there shall we depart it/   

¶ This History maketh mency on how Esope was delivered out of prison/ And how Exantus promised to him that he should give him freedom and liberty  
 
ANd as Exantus was turned again in to his how fro the place where as esope had found the treasure in the treasure before said he marveled of the wisdom that was in Esope/ but for the liberty and freedom which he demanded he was woothe and angry/ And dreading the tongue of Esope made him to be put fast in prison/ And Esope said to him/ This is a fair promise of a philosopher/ thou knowest well/ how thou promisest to me liberty/ And in stead of freedom & liberty I am put in prison/ And as Exantus herd him so speak he revoked and ●●unged his sentence/ & made him to be delivered/ ¶ And after he said to Esope/ if thou wilt be put to thy liberty/ hold thy tongue in peace/ and accuse me no more/ And Esope said/ do what pleaseth thee/ For wilt thou or not thou shalt put me to my liberty/ ¶ That same time befell a marvelous deed within the city of Samye/ For as men played there the common and public plays/ as yet at this time is custom to do in many good cities/ An Egle sudden lie flewhe thorough all the communyte of the people/ and took & ●●ure away with him the ring and the Seal of him that sovereignly had the might & puissance of all the city/ And let it fall in to the pit of a man which was in liberty/ For the which deed and token all the people of Samye was greatly marveled/ And then arose a great rumour thorough the city among the people/ For moche they were doubtuous of some persecution/ & wist not what that thing might signify/ wher fore they were in great doubt and in great henynesse/ And there for incontinent they came toward Exantus/ as to him which they held for the most sage and wise man of all the city of Samye/ and demanded of him what this marvel signified/ and also what thing might befall thereof/ Exantus was ignorant/ & knew not the signification of this marvel/ wherefore he demanded of the people time & space for to give hereupon an answer/ Exantus thenne was in great heaviness and dolour by cause he wist not what he should say/ ne answer to the people/ And Esope which saw him so heavy/ and full of sorrow/ demanded of him and said/ why art thou so heavy in thy courage/ leave sorrow/ and take with the joy and gladness/ give to me the charge for to answer to the Samians/ And to morn thou shalt say to them such words/ My lords of Samye/ I am no dynyn ne Interpreter of the marvelous things which been to come/ nevertheless I have a servant in my house/ which as he saith can tell such things/ if it please you I shall make him come before you/ And thenne if by my council I satisfy all the fellowship/ thou shalt therefore receive & have worship glory & proof fit/ And if I can not satisfy them/ thou shalt be delivered of great Infamy and shame/ And I shall be rebuked & put to great shame/ then Exantus having his trust in the words of Esope went on the morrow in to the great place of Samye/ and assembled there the people of the city and went up on high where as the judge was accustomed to sit/ and that which he had learned of his servant Esope/ he declared there before the Samians/ the which things by him rehearsed and said// prayed him that he would make his servant to come thither before them/ Esope came anon thither/ And as he was before all the company/ all the people of the Samyens looked and beheld him with great marvel/ by cause he was so co●●fayted and crosted of body/ and said/ look here ●●s a fair person able to be a sewer dyvyn/ and went & mocked with him/ ¶ And Esope being then on the highest party of ass the place/ began to make a token or sign with his hand unto the people of the Samyens/ to th'end/ that they should hold their peace and keep silence among them/ And said do them in this manner/ My lords for what cause laugh you & scorn me of my figure & form/ & know ye not that men must not look in the face of a man to see & behold of what figure or form that he is of/ but only to know his wisdom Also men ought not to look and take heed to the vessel/ but to such thing as is within the vessel/ For oft a fowl vessel is full of good win/ And then when the Samians herd these words/ they said to Esope/ If thou canst give us good council for the wealth of all the common people/ we all pray the that thou wilt do it anon/ And then Esope having confidence and trust in his wisdom and science/ said thus/ Nature or kind of the which cometh all good/ hath this day set & put debute or strife between the lord & the servant/ for he that shall vanquish shall not be paid ne rewarded after his desserte/ for if the lord get the victory I that am his servant shall have no liberty/ as right requireth/ but I shall be beat and cursed/ & also imprisoned/ wherefore if ye will/ that I give you good enseygnement of that that ye demand & ask I require you that ye do make me free & be put again in to my liberty to th'end that with trust & good confidence I may speak to you And I promyt & enseure you that I shall show unto you the signification and understanding of this angry or sign/ & then they all with an equal wis said/ he asketh thing reasonable & just/ wherefore exantus shall make him to be free as reason is/ the which thing exantus refused to do/ And the lord of the authority public said unto him/ Exantus if thou wyl●● not obey to the people by the virtue of mine authority/ I shall take him out of thy servitude & shall humble thyself in the temple of junoys   

¶ This history following maketh mention/ how esope was restitued into his liberty  
 
ANd by cause that exantus was required & prayed by all his good friends that he should restore & put esope in to liberty/ he said to Esope/ how be it that it is not by my good will I give the liberty/ And anon he thatmade them the cries and proclamations went in to all the places wh●● such cries were done/ Exantus the philosopher hath given liberty to Esope/ And thus was acoomplysshed that/ what esope had said/ will ye or will you not/ I shall once be put in to liberty/ And then Esope went in to the mids of all the folauship/ and made sign with his hand that every one should keep peace 〈◊〉 scyl●●nte/ And after said to them/ My lords of Samye/ the Aygle which is king above all other birds/ As the kings been▪ above the people hath take away the ring and scal of your perfect or governor/ This betokeneth/ and signifieth/ that a king shall demand & axe your liberty/ and shall destroy all your laws/ And when the Samians herd the words/ they waxed and became all abashed & sore afeard And anon after came a pursuivant or messenger/ which brought with him Royal letters/ the which demanded after the 〈◊〉 of the Samyens/ this messenger was brought before the counsel of the town/ to whom he presented & took his l●●ēs in the which was contained that which followed/ ¶ Croesus' king of lyndye●●s/ To the Senate & common people of Samye anting/ I command you that ye do to me obeyssounce & that ye pay to me my tr●●butes/ the which thing if ye refuse it to fulfil & do/ I shall put you ●●l to death & br●●ne your town/ the which letters seen & red/ the samyens were all a●●ssded/ & for dread were inclined & willing to obey unto him Nevertheless they would know & have the counsel of esope & pr●●id him to say thereof his sentence/ the which went & set him in the siege/ & said to them My lords of Samye/ how be 〈◊〉/ that I will/ that ye be inclined to oleye the king of lyndye/ Nevertheless to th'end that I may council you that which is needful & covenable for the public wealth & profit I do you to know/ that fortune in this mortal life showeth two things & two manners of ways/ The one is liberty whereof the beginning is bard/ and dyffy●●yle/ but th'end of it is good sweet and facyle/ The other way is servitude/ whereof the beginning is facyle/ but th'end thereof is sharp/ full bitter and hard/ And when the samyens herd these words knowing what it behoveth to the public & common wealth/ beh●●ld & took advice of the sentence of Esope/ And said all together Because that we be in liberty/ we will not be servants to no man/ And with this answer scent again the messenger to Croesus'/ And when the king herd this answer/ he was wroth & sorrowful/ & gathered all his men of were/ and also all the nobles & gentles of his ream/ & made a great army for to have destroyed the Samyens/ the which thing he might well have brought about had not be his messenger/ which said to him/ Right dear Sire & my sovereign lord/ thou mayst not be avenged of the Samyens as long as they have Esope with them which in all their affairs & need helpeth & counseleth them/ wherefore it is necessary that thou send an ambassade unto the Samians/ that they will send to the Esope/ & that thou shalt pardon & forgive to them their offence/ For if thou mayst have Esope/ they of Samye been in thine hand/ And the king suddenly sent an ambassade to them of Samye/ the which ambassadors applyqued & set their wits to show unto the Senate of Samye the will of their lerd Croesus'/ & said that they should send Esope to the lord Croesus'/ ¶ And when Esope understood what the king demanded/ he said to the Samians/ My lords It pleaseth me well to go toward the king But ere I go thither I will tell you a fable   

¶ This history maketh mention/ how the wolves sent ambassa●●ours unto the Sheep  
IN a time when the beasts could speak the wolves made were against the sheep/ And by cause that the sheep might not keep them ne hold against the wolves they demanded help of the dogs/ the which fighting for the sheep made the wolves to torn them backward/ ¶ And by cause the wolves could ne might not get ne have any pro ye ne win nothing upon the sheep for the love of the dogs that kept the sheep/ the wolves sent an Ambassade unto the sheep for to have perpetual peace with them/ And for to have peace/ the wolves went and demanded that for to eschew all suspicion/ the dogs should be taken to the wolves/ or else destroyed for ever/ And the sheep as fools and for to have good peace consented to this demand/ And when the dogs were slain/ the wolves took vengeance on the sheep as appeared/ when Esope had rehearsed this fable/ the Samians determined in themself that Esope should not go toward the king   

¶ This history containeth/ how Esope obeyed not to the samyens/ but went toward the king  
 
ESope obeyed not to the will of the Samyens/ but went with the Ambassade toward the king/ And when he was come in to the kings Court/ the king saying that Esope was so greatly disformed and counterfeit of body/ he was wroth and angry with himself/ And said as by great marvel is the same he/ for the trust of whom/ they of Samye will not obey to me/ ¶ Esope then said/ Haryght dear sire and king magnysyke/ certainly I am not come before thy majesty by force/ but of my good will I am comen to thee/ trusting so moche of thy benignity/ that thou shalt here what I sha●●e say to thee/ The king gave him audience and leave to say what he would/ and thus he said/ that other day was a man which chased the flies/ the which man took a nightingale/ the which seeing that he would have killed her/ prayed to the fawkoner/ saying/ I pray the that without cause thou wilt not slay me/ For to no body I do no harm ne damage/ For I eat not the corn/ ne with my horns I hurt no body/ but give solace and joy to all them that gone by the way of my song and boys/ and in me shalt thou find but only the boyce/ And when the Falconer herd these words he let go her/ wherefore right dear Sire I pray the that without cause/ I which am nought/ and as nothing/ thou wilt not slay me/ For to no body I do no harm/ ne also would I do/ And for the debility and feebleness of my body I may nought do/ but I can speak and say things which been profitable to them that been in the mortal life of this present world/ The king was then marveled and moved of pity and of misericord said to Esope/ I give not to the thy life/ but fortune giveth it to thee/ And if thou wilt have any thing of me// ask it/ and it shall be graūted/ & given to thee/ And Esope said Right dear Sire only one thing I demand of thee/ that is to wete/ that thou give me the tributes of the Samyens/ well said the king I am content/ then kneeled Esope and said to the king/ Sire I thank and regracye you moche/ And after that he come posed the fables which been wr●●ton in this book/ and to the king he gaf them/ And demanded of him the letters of the gift for the remission of the tributes of the Samyens/ the which he delivered to him by the kings commandment/ & with his good will with many other great yefts/ And Eso pe then took leave of the king/ and to Samye he returned ¶ when Esope was arrived in to Samye/ the Samyens received him worshipfully/ and made great joy of his coming/ And Esope commanded to the people to be assembled to guider at a certain hour in to the common place/ ¶ then went Esope and set him in the siege and recited & red the Royal letters/ how the king Crossus remitted and forgaf to them the tributes/ After this Esope departed fro Samye/ and would go to disport himself thorough many regions/ nations and Cities giving ensignments/ by histories and fables to the mortal men/ He came to Babyloyne/ And by cause he did show there his sapience/ he was well received/ and worshipfully festyed of Sycurre king of babyloyne/ And at that time the kings did send the one to the other plays and propositions problematyks/ and such other playsaunces for their disports/ And he which could not interpret them/ sent tribute to him that 'scended them/ ¶ And by cause that Esope could well interpret them taught to the king of Babyloyne the manner of it/ And sin he composed there many fables which the king of Babyloyn sent to other kings/ And by cause they could not interpret them they fence many tributes to the king of Babyloyne/ wherefore the royalme was eslargysshed and filled of many great richesses/ And after that by cause Esope had no children/ he adopted a noble and young child to his son/ the which he presented to the king/ And he received him as he had be his own son/ which child was named Enus/ This Enus within a little while after/ meddled with the chamberere of Esope which he held for his wife/ and knew her bodily/ And by cause he was in great doubt that Esope would avenge him he accused Esope toward the king of crime of lezemageste or treason/ and composed falls letters showing by them to the king/ how by the fables which he sent here and thither he had betrayed him/ and that he had conspired his death  
  

¶ This History maketh mention/ how the king commanded that Esope should be put in his first dignity and office And how he pardoned/ and forgaf to his adopted soon/  
THe king Lycurius believing and giving credence to the accusation maked against Esope was greatly wroth/ And commanded to Herope his Seneschalle that Esope should be put to death/ And Herope saying/ that this sentence was not just/ kept Esope secretly within a sepulchre/ And all his goods were confysked to his son which had accused him/ And within a long while after/ Nectana bus which was king of Egypte weening that Esope had be put to death/ as the common renome or talking was sent a proposition problematyke to Lycurre king of babyloyne/ the which containeth this that followeth/ Nectanabus king of Egypte/ to Lycurre king of Babyloyne greeting/ By cause that I will edyffye or build a tower/ the which shall not touch heaven ne earth/ I pray the. that thou wilt send me massons for to make up the said tour/ And this prayer by the accomplished/ I shall give to the ten tributes of all my Ream and lands/ And when the king of Babyloyne herd this demand/ he was greatly troubled and wroth/ and thought how he might satisfy and give an answer to this question/ And then he called to him all his sages for to have the solution of the said question/ And by cause that none conde make the soluaon/ the king was more angry than to fore/ And for the great sorrow that he took hereof he felt down to the ground/ and said Alas I am well miserable and my; schannt/ that have lost the crown of my Royalme/ cursed be he by whom I made Esope to be put to death/ ¶ And then when Herope the Seneschal knew the great anguish and sorrow of the king/ he said to him/ Right dear Sire take nomor●● sorrow ne affliction in thine heart/ but pardon and forgive me/ For I made not Esope to be put to death/ as thou commandest me/ For well I wist that yet thou shouldest have need of him/ And doubting to do against thy majesty/ sin that time unto this day/ I have kept him in a sepulchre/ ¶ And when the king herd these words/ he waxed full of jope/ And anon rose fro the ground where as he lay/ & went and embraced his Seneschal/ saying/ if it be so that Esope may be yet on live/ during my life I shall be bound to thee/ And therefore I pray thee/ if it be so/ let him come to me anon/ Esope was brought before the king/ which fill down to the kings feet/ And when the king saw that Esope was so pale and affliged/ he had of him pity/ and commanded or bid that he should be taken up/ and clothed of new/ And when Esope was upon his feet/ he came before the king/ and full meekly salued him/ And demanded of him the cause why he had been put in prison/ And the king said to him/ that his adopted son Enus had accused him And thenne the king commanded/ that Enus should be punished of such pain/ of the which ought to be punished they that make their faders to die/ But Esope prayed the king that he would forgive him/ And then the king showed to Esope the question of the king of Egypte/ ¶ And when Esope had seen the letters he said to the king/ write and send again this sentence to the king of Egypte/ giving to him this answer/ that after the winter shall be passed and gone/ thou shalt send unto him workmen for to byld and make up his tour/ and for to ausuere to him in all things/ And thus he sent his Ambussatours to the king of Egypte/ After this the king made all the goods of egypt After this the king made all the goods of Esope to be restytued unto him/ and to be put in his first dignity giving to him authority and might to punish his sone after his will/ But Esope benignly received again in to his own house his adopted son/ and sweetly chastised and corriged him/ and said to him/ My son keep thou my commandments and take and put them in to thy courage/ For we give well council to other/ but for us we can not take it/ ¶ And by cause that thou art an human man thou must be subject to fortune/ And therefore thou shalt first love god/ and shall keep thyself fro the wrath and anger of thy king/ And by cause that thou art an human man have then cure and sollycitude of human things/ For god punisheth the evil and wicked folk/ and also it is not heavenly thing to do to any body any harm/ but show thyself cruel to thine enemies to th'end that of them thou be not condemned/ And to thy friends make joyful semblant and good there/ to th'end that thou mayst have ever the sooner their help and good will/ For thou oughtest to desire and wish prosperity and welfare to all thy friends/ and adversity to all thine enemies/ Thou must speak fair to thy wife/ to th'end that she take none other man/ For by cause a woman is much variable and movable/ as men flatere and speak fair to her/ she than 〈◊〉 ne is lass inclined to do any evil/ keep the well fro the fellowship of a man to much cruel/ For how be it that he have good prosperity yet he is miserable/ Stop thine ears/ and keep and hold well thy tongue/ keep the fro moche talking/ And have not envy of other men's good/ For envy letteth the envious/ Have cure and regard over thy famylle or meinie/ and that thou be loved like a lord/ Have shame in thyself to do against reason/ And be not negligent or reckless to learn every day/ Tell not thy council to thy wife in no wise/ Spend and waste not thy good wilfully/ For better is to a man to leave his goods after his death/ than to be indy▪ gent and a beggar in his life/ ¶ salue or great joyously such as thou meet by the way/ For the dog maketh with his tail feast and cheer to them that he knoweth by the way ¶ Mo●●e no body/ ¶ And never ●●sse thy wit to sapience ¶ And all that thou ●●west yield it again with good will to thence that men lean to the another time with good will ¶ And they which thou mayst well ●●lpe/ refuse them not/ ¶ Keep the fro evil company/ ¶ And thine affairs or business sh●●we unto thy Friends/ ¶ And beware that thou do nothing. whereof thou mayst repent the after/ ¶ And when adversity shall come on thee/ bear it patiently/ ¶ Lodge and her●●owe them that been unpurveyed of lodges/ A good word is medicine against the vy●●/ ¶ Certainly he is well happy that may get to him a good friend/ For nothing is so secretly ●●epte/ but that once it is known and manifested/   

¶ This History maketh mention/ how Enus departed f●●●●ope and killed himself  
 
And after many admonestementes and teachings E●●s the son of Esope departed fro the company of Esope seeing that Injustly and without ●●use he had accused him/ He was full of heaviness and sorrowful/ and went up to the top of a high mountain/ And fro thence he did cast himself down to the foot of the hill/ And thus wilfully he broke his bones/ and killed himself/ as he that ever had kept evil rule and misgovernance/ For of evil life followeth evil end/ ¶ After this Esope commanded to the Faukeners that they should take four young eagles which were yet within their nest/ And when Esope had them/ he acustomed and taught them for to eat their meet high and low/ and each of them had to their feet two children fasted and bounden/ and as the children lift upward or made their meet to come downward/ the young eagles in like wise flough up & down for to take their meet/ And these things thus dressed and made/ and that the winter was gone & pass said/ Esope took his leave of the king ●●ycurre/ and with his Eagles and children went in to Egypte/ And when Esope arrived and came before the king of Egypte/ the king seeing that Esope was Crokedbucked and counterfeited of body/ thought in himself that he was but a be'st/ and that the king of Babyloyne mocqued him and his person/ For he considered not that a fowl vessel may be full of right good win/ For men must not only take heed to the vessel/ but to that which is in it/ ¶ Esope then kneeled before the king and moche humbly he salued him/ And the king sitting in his majesty received him right graciously and benignly/ saying to him in this manner/ how likest thou me and the mine/ And Esope answered Sire thou likest and seemest to me to be the son/ and thy men the sparks of hit/   

¶ This History maketh mention how Esope rendered the solution to the king of Egypte upon the question/ which he sent to the king of Babyloyne/  
 
when the king herd the answer of Esope/ 〈◊〉 was much marveled of that he was so subtile in his an sure/ and said to him in this manner/ Hast thou brought with the all them which shall edyffye and make up my Tour/ y●● said Esope/ but first thou must show to me the place where as thou will have it/ ¶ ●●he king then departed out of his palace/ and led Esope in to a fair fold/ and said/ Seest thou this fair field/ It is the place where I will have my tour edyffyed/  
¶ Esope then to each corner of this field laid an Eagle with ●●o children/ The child held then the meet upward in to the a●●r/ and the eagles began to flee after it/ ¶ And thenne the Children with a high voice began to cry/ saying/ bring now to us clay stones & brick/ would & tye●● for to have build up the tour/ ¶ And when the king saw this/ he said to Esope as by great admiration. how said he/ have ye men in your land which have wings/ And Esope said/ many such one we have there/ ¶ then said the king to Esope/ thou hast wynquysshed me by thy reasons and words/ But I pray the and require/ that thou wilt answer to me upon a question which is this/ I have maked mares to be brought to me out of Grece/ the which conceyue●● and bear horses by the help of the horses/ that been in Babyloyne/ And Esope thenne answered to him/ Sire/ to morn I shall give to the an answer upon this question/  
¶ And after that Esope was returned in to his lodges/ said in this manner to his servant/ Make ye so among you all that ye get me a great Cat/ And the servants accomplished the commandment of Esope/ ¶ Esope then openly before all the folk maked the Cat to be beat with rods/ ¶ And as the Egyptians saw this/ they ran anon after the said cat for to have take him/ but they might not the which feat or deed the Egypciens went and showed it to the king/ ¶ And anon the king commanded that Esope should be brought to fore his person/  
¶ And when he was before his majesty/ the k●●ng said to him/ Esope come hither/ what hast thou done/ wos●●e thou well that the god which is adored and worshipped of us/ is of such figure and likeness as a cat/ For certainly all the Egypcyens worshippeth the idol maked after the form and figure of a cat/ wherefore greatly thou haste offended/ ¶ And Esope said thus to the king/ Sire this false and evil be'st/ on the night last passed offended greatly against the king of Babyloyne  
For this be'st hath slain a cock which be much loved by cause he fought strongly/ And sang on all the hours of the night And the king then said to him/ Esope I had never believed that thou shouldest have mad so great a losing before me/ For it may not be that this cat should have gone and come on a night fro hens to Babyloyne/  
And esope smiling said to him/ Sire in such manner cometh and goth fro Babyloyne hither the horses of Babyloyn by the which thy marys/ brought out of grece couceyven and bere young horses/ ¶ And then after these words said by Esope/ the king praised greatly the sapience of Esope/ ¶ And the king made more of him and more worshipped him than he did to fore/ ¶ And on the next morewe the king of Egypt made all the best and greatest philosophers and wise men of all his Country to be called before him/ the which he informed of the great subtlety 〈◊〉 wit of Esope/ And commanded them to come to supper in to his Court with Esope/ ¶ And as they were sitting at the table/ the one of them said thus to Esope/ Thou must pardon me/ For here I am se●●te to speak with thee/ ¶ And Esope answered to him Say what it pleaseth to thee/ It is not/ God is will that no man should make any losing/ wherefore your words shown/ that lytylle ye dread and love your god/ For ye talk and say but fables and losings/ ¶ And after another said to him/ there is a great Temple in the which is a column/ right great/ the which Columpne beareth and sustaineth xii/ cities/ And every city is covered with thirty great sails upon the which two women been ever running/ And Esope answered to him in this manner/ The small and lie till children of Babyloyne know the solution of this question/ For thy Temple whereof thou speakest is the heaven/ and the column is the earth/ And the twelve cities been the twelve months of the year/ and the thirty sails been the days of the months/ And by the two women which ever without cease run over the thirty sails/ is to under stand the day and night/ ¶ then said the king of egypt to the lords of his Court/ Hit is now right and reason/ that I send tributes and yefts unto the king of Babyloyne/ ¶ And one of them said to the king/ Sire we must yet make to him another question/ the which is this what is it/ that we never herd ne never we saw/ And the king then began to say to Esope/ I pray the to give solution of this question And Esope returned in to his lodges and feigned to make an obligation/ In the which Esope made to be written this which followeth/ I Nectanabus king of Egypte know before all men to have borrowed of the king Lycurre a thousand mark of gold/ the which I Nectanabus king of Egypte promit to render it and pay to the said king Lycurre within a certain term/ which as then was passed/ the which Cyrographe or writing Esope presented on the morn so lowing to the king of Egypte/ greatly was the king esmerneylled of this Cyrographe/ And said to the noble men of his Court which were there present/ Have you ever seen ne herd say that the king Lycurre had lent to me any more neigh ne other thing/ And the knights saiden Nay/ ¶ Esope then said to them/ if it be as ye say to me/ your question is assoiled/ For now ye have herd and seen that/ which ye herd ne saw never/ ¶ And thenne the king of Egypte said that the king Lycurre was well happy and eurous to have in his might and subjection such a subject and servant/ as Esope was/ And sent again Esope in to Babyloyne/ with great yefts and tributes for the king of Babyloyne/   

¶ This History maketh mention how Esope returned in to Babyloyn/ ¶ And how for to make him to be worshipped he did do make a statue or image of gold  
THan Esope was come before the king of Babyloyn he told and rehearsed to him all that he had done in Egypte/ wherefore the king commanded/ that in the worship of Esope a statue or image of gold should be set in the public or common place/ ¶ And within a while after eso pe had desire & will for to go in to grece/ and asked leave of the king for to go thither/ whereof the king was sorrowful And Esope promised to him that he should return in to Babyloyne/ And that there he would live and die with him/ And thus the king granted him leave/ And as Esope was going & walking through all the cities  
THe which thing Esope denied and gainsay/ And then the Delphyns unbynded the male in the which they found the Coup of gold/ And then went and showed it before the people/ And considering and saying the way of their malice and wykkednes also knowing that he might not escape began to weep/ & to make sorrow on his fortune/ And one of his friends named demas as he saw Esope thus weeping/ comforted him saying Have good courage and rejoice thyself/ And anon the delphyns went and concluded to guider/ that they as a sacrilege worthy to receive villainous death/ should take Esope and make him to be led upon a high mountain/ for to be there thrown down fro the top of the hill unto the foot of it/ when Esope knew their sentence/ he said to them and rehearsed this fable for to withdraw them out of their malice/ and said that peace was among all beasts/ the rat and the frog loved much each other/ And the Rat called the frog for to come and soup with him/ The rat said to the frog/ eat of that which pleaseth to thee/ And as they had enough/ the frog said to the Rat/ come with me/ and thou shalt be well festyed at souper/ And to th'end that thou mayst the better pass the river/ thou shalt bind thyself to my foot/ The rat was bound to the frogs feet/ And anon the frog leapt in to the water/ and drew the Rat after her/ And as the Rat was nigh drowned he said to the frog/ wrongly thou makest me suffer death/ but they that shall abide on live/ shall avenge this misdeed on thee/ And as they were thus drawing the one forward and the other backward A kite saying this strife and delate/ took them both to guider/ & eat them/ And semblably ye make me to die wrongfully/ But Babyloyne and grece shall avenge me upon you/ But yet for all this the Delphyns let not go Esope/ but in stead of death they drew and polled him shrewdly/ and the best wise that he could he defended and revenged himself against them   

¶ This Histories maketh mention how Esope ended and 〈◊〉  
 
ANd as Esope was thus fighting against them/ he scaped out of their hands and fled in to the Temple of Apollo/ but all that prouffited him nothing For by force and strength they had & drew him out of the Temple/ And thenne they led him where as they would have him for to be put to death/ And Esope saying him so Vitupered said to them in this manner/ ¶ My lords dread you not your god Apollo shall avenge me upon you/ but not withstanding all that he could say he was brought to the place where he should die/ And saying that he could not scape fro them/ he began to rehearse to them this fable/ A woman was once the which had a daughter which was virgin and fool/ ¶ The mother prayed oft to the gods/ that they would give to her daughter wit and raysen/ her daughter was once with her in the Temple/ and herd what she said in her prayer/ And as this maid was once gone in to the fields/ she saw a man which filled a sak full of cor●● how the delphyns had put Esope to death/ they came to Delph●●e for to punish them which had Injustly and miserably put Esope to death/   
¶ Here endeth the life of Esope/   



¶ And followeth the Regystre of the fables of his first book/  

¶ The first fable is of the cock and of the precious stone  
¶ The second fable is of the wolf and of the lamb  
¶ The third fable is of the rat and of the frog/ and of the kite/  
¶ The fourth fable is of the dog and sheep  
¶ The fifth fable is of the dog and of the piece of flesh  
¶ The sixth fable is of the lion/ of the Cow/ of the goat/ and of the sheep  
¶ The seventh fable is of the thief & of the son  
¶ The eight fable is of the wolf and of the crane  
¶ The ninth fable is of the two dogs  
¶ The x fable is of the man and of the serpent  
¶ The xi fable is of the ass/ and of the wild boar  
¶ The xii fable is of the two rats  
¶ The xiii fable is of the Eagle and of the fox  
¶ The xiv fable is of the eagle/ of the nut/ & of the rat  
¶ The xv fable is of the raven and of the fox  
¶ The xuj fable is of the lion/ of the wild boar/ of the bool and of the ass  
¶ The xvij fable is of the ass and of the bitch  
¶ The xviij fable is of the lion and of the rat  
¶ The nineteen fable is of the milan which was seek/ and of his mother  
¶ The xx fable is of the swallow and of other birds    

¶ Here beginneth the preface or prologue of the first book of Esope  
 
I Romulus son of thyberes of the city of Alyque/ greeting/ Esope man of grece/ subtile and ingenious/ teacheth in his fables how men ought to keep and rule them well/ And to th'end that he should show the life and customs of all manner of men he induceth the birds/ the trees and the beasts speaking to th'end that the men may know wherefore the fables were found/ In the which he hath written the malice of the evil people and the argument of the Improbes/ He teacheth also to be humble and for to use words/ And many other fair Ensamples rehearsed and declared here after/ the which I Romulus have translated out of grekez tongue in to latin tongue/ the which if thou read them/ they sha●●e aguyse and sharp thy wit and shall give to the cause of joy/   

¶ The third fable is of the rat/ and of the frog/  
 
NOw it be so/ that as the rat went in pilgrimage/ he came by a river/ and demanded help of a frog for to pass/ and go over the water/ And then the frog bond the rat's foot to her foot/ and thus swymed unto the mids over the river/ And as they were there the frog stood still/ to th'end that the rat should be drowned/ And in the mean while came a kite upon them/ and both 〈◊〉 them with him/ This fable made Esope for a symplytude which is profitable to many folks/ For he that thinketh evil against good/ the evil which he thinketh shall ones 〈◊〉 upon himself   

¶ The fourth fable is of the dog and of the sheep  
OF the men challenging/ which ever be seeking occasi on to do some harm and damage to the good/ saith Esope such a fable/ Sometime was a dog/ which demanded of a sheep a loof of breed that she had wrowed of him/ And the sheep answered that never she had none of him The dog made her to come before the judge/ And by cause the sheep denied the debt/ the dog provysed and brought with him falls witness/ that is to weet the wolf/ the milan 〈◊〉 the spaehawk/ And when these witness should be examined and herd/ the wulf said to the judge/ I am certain & me remembreth well/ that the dog lend to her a loof of breed And the Milan went and said/ she received it present my person/ And the sperowhawk said to the sheep/ Come hither why deniest thou that which thou hast take and received/ And thus was the power sheep vanquished/ ¶ And thenne the judge commanded to her that she should pay the dog/ wherefore she sold away before the winter her flees and wool for to pay that/ that she never had/ And thus was the ponre sheep despoiled/ In such manner done the evil hungry people which by their great untruth and malice robben and despoyllen the power folk   

¶ The fifth fable is of the dog and of the piece of flesh  
  

against him/ & prayed jupiter that he should keep the son fro w●●ddyng/ & jupiter demanded of them the cause why they would not have him to be wedded/ he one of them said/ jupiter thou knowest well/ how there is but one son & yet he brenneth us a●●/ 〈◊〉 if he be married & have any children/ they shall destroy all kind/ And this fable teacheth us that we ought not to be reioy●● ●●d of evil fellowship/   

¶ The viii fable is of the wolf and of the crane  
WHo so ever doth any good to the evil man he sinneth as esope saith/ for of any good which is done to the evils cometh no profit/ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fall/ A wolf eat & devoured a sheep of whose bones he had one in his throat which he could not have out & sore it grieved him then went the wolf & prayed the crane that she would draw out of his throat the bone/ & the crane put her nest in to his throat & drew out the bone whereby the wolf was hole/  
¶ And the crane demanded of him to be paid of her salary/ ¶ And the wolf answered to her/ Thou art well uncunning & no good cunning/ remembering the good that I have done to thee/ for when thou hadst thy neck within my throat/ if I had would/ I might have eat thee/ And thus it appeareth by the fable how no profit cometh of any good which is do ne to the evils  
  

and with great pain he might hold his courage/ to have forth with devour or him/ But the lion said to himself/ It be●● beareth not that trethe so noble and so fair as mine be toucheth not/ ●●e bitten such a fowl be'st/ For he that is wise must not hurt the fool ne take heed to his words/ but let him go for such as he is   

¶ The xii fable is of the two rats  
 
BEtter worth is to live in poverty surely/ than to live richly be n●●t ever in danger/ whereof Esope telleth such a fable/ There were two rate/ whereof the one was great and fater/ and held him in the celer of a Rich man And the other was pour and lean/ ¶ On a day this great and fat rat went to sport him in the fields and met by the way the pour rat/ of the which he was received as well as he could in his power cavern or hole/ and gave him of such meet as he had/ then said the fat rat come thou with me/ And I shall give the well other meats/ He went with him in to the town/ and entered both in to the celer of the rich man/ the which celer was full of all goods/ And when they were within the great rat presented and gave to the pour rat of the delicious meats/ saying thus to him/ Be merry and make good cheer/ and eat and drink joyously/ ¶ And as they were eating/ the bouteler of the place came in to the celer/ & the great rat fled anon in to his hole/ & the pour rat witted not whither he should go ne flee/ but hid him behind the door with great fere and dread/ and the reuteler turned again and saw him not/ And when he was gone the fat rat came out of his cavern or hole/ and called the power rat/ which yet was shaking for fore/ and said to him/ come hither and be not afeard/ & eat as much as thou will/ And the pour rat said to him/ for god's love let me go out of this celer/ For I have liefer eat some corn 〈◊〉 the fields and live surely/ than to be ever in this torment/ for thou art here in great doubt & livest not surely/ And therefore it is good to live pourely & surely For the power liveth more surely than the rich   

if thou hadst the voice clear and small thou shouldest be the most happy of all other birds/ And the fool which herd the flattering words of the fox began to open his bill for to sing/ And then the cheese fill to the ground/ and the fox took and eat it/ And when the raven saw that for his win glory he was deceived waxed heavy and sorrowful/ And 〈◊〉 him of that he had believed the fox/ And this fable 〈◊〉 us/ how men ought not to be glad ne take rejoicing in the words of caitiff folk/ ne also to leave flattery ne win glory   

¶ The xuj fable is of the lion/ of the wild boar/ of the bull & of the ass  
 
when a man hath lost his dignity or office/ he must leave his first audacity or hardiness/ to th'end/ that he be not injuried and mocqued of every one/ Whereof Esope showeth unto such a fable/ There was a lion which in his youth was fierce and moche outrageous/ ¶ And when he was come to his old age/ there came to him a wyldbore/ which with his teeth ●●nt and hirst a great piece of his body and avenged upon him of the wrong that the lion had do to him before that time/ ¶ After came to him the bull whicha smote and hnrted him with his horns/ And an ass came there/ which smote him in the forehead with his feet by manner of vindication/ And then the pour Lion began to weep saying within himself in this manner/ when I was young and virtuous every one doubted and feared me/ And now that I am old and feeble/ and nigh to my death/ none is that setteth ne holdeth aught by me/ but of every one I am setten a back/ And by cause that now I have lost both virtue and strength/ I have lost all good and worship/ And there fore this fable admonesteth many one which been enhanced in dignity and worship showing to them/ how they must be meek and humble/ For he that getteth and acquireth no friends ought to be doubtous to fall in such caas and in such perils   

¶ The xvij fable is of the ass and of the young dog  
 
  

body hurt ne let may at a need give help and aid ●●o the g●●   

¶ The nineteen fable is of the milan which was seek and of his mother  
 
HE that ever doth evil ●●ught not to surprise ne ●●ue no trust that his 〈◊〉 at his need shall be 〈◊〉/ Of the which thing Esope showeth to us such a fa●●/ Of a milan which was sek●●/ so moche that be had no trust to rec●●uere hi●● health/ And as 〈◊〉 saw him so vexed with feebleness/ he prayed his mother that she should pray unto the goddess for him/ And his mother answered to him/ My son thou ●●ast so greatly offended and blas●●hemyd the gods that now they will avenge them on thee/ For thou prayest not them by pity ne by love/ but for dolour and dread/ For he which led●● evil life/ and that in his evil dealing is obstinate/ aught not to have hope to be delivered of his evil/ For when one i●● fall in to extremity of his sickness/ then is the time come that he must be paid of his works and deeds/ For he that offendeth other in his prosperity/ when he falleth in to adversity/ he findeth no friends/   

¶ The xx fable maketh mention of the swallow/ and other birds  
 
HE that believeth not good council/ may not fail to be evil counseled/ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable/ of a plough man/ which sowed linseed/ & the swallow seeing that of the same linseed men might make nets and gins/ went and said to all other birds/ Come with me ye all & let us pluck up all this/ For if we leave it grow/ the labourer shall mow make thereof gins and nets for to take us all/ Alle the birds dispraised his council ¶ And then as the swallow saw this/ he went and herberowed her in the plough man's house/ ¶ And when the    


 
frogs had great dread and feared much/ And after they approached to their king for to make obeisance unto him/ ¶ And when they perceived that it was but a piece of wood/ they tyrned again to jupiter praying him sweetly that he would give to them another king/ And jupiter gaf to them the He●●n for to be their king/ And then the Heron began to enter in to the water/ and eat them one after other/ And when the frogs saw that their king destroyed/ and eat them thus/ they began tendyrly to weep/ saying in this manner to the god jupiter/ Right high and right mighty god jupiter please the to deliver us fro the throat of this dragon and false tyrant which eateth us the one after another/ And he said to them/ the king which ye have demanded shall be your master/ For when men have that/ which men ought to have/ they aught to be joyful and glad And he that hath liberty aught to keep it well/ For nothing is better than liberty/ For liberty should not be well sold for all the gold and silver of all the world   

¶ The second fable is of the Columbes or doves of the kite and of the sparrowhawk/  
 
WHo that put and submitteth himself under the save guard or protection of the evil/ thou oughtest to wete & know/ that when he asketh & demanded aid & help/ he getteth none/ ¶ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable/ Of the doves which demanded a sparrowhawk for to be their king/ for to keep them fro the kite or milan/ And when the sparrowhawk was maked king over them/ he began to devour them/ the which columbes or doves said among them/ that better it were to them do suffer of the kite than to be under the subjection of the sparrowhawk/ & to be martyred as we be/ but thereof we be well worthy/ For we oure self been cause of this mischief/ And therefore when men done any thing/ men ought well to look and consider th'end of it/ For he doth prudently and wisely which taketh good heed to the end   

¶ The fifth fable maketh mention of the mountain which shaken  
 
Right so it happeth/ that he that menaceth hath dread and is fearful/ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable Of a hill which began to tremble and shake by cause of the molle which delved it/ And when the folk saw that the earth began thus to shake/ they were sore afeard and dreadful/ and durst not well come ne approach the hill/ 〈◊〉 after when they were come nigh to the mountain/ & knew how the molle caused this hill shaking/ their doubt and dread were converted unto joy/ and began all to laugh/ And therefore men ought not to doubt all folk which been of great words and menaces/ For some menacen that have great doubt   

¶ The uj fable is of the wolf and of the lamb  
 
THe birth causeth not so much to get some friends/ as doth the goodness/ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable/ Of a wolf which saw a lamb among a great herd of goats/ the which lamb sowked a goat/ And the wolf went and said to him/ this goat is not thy mother/ go and seek her at the mountain/ for she shall nourish the more sweetly and more tendyrly than this goat shall/ And the lamb answered to him/ This goat nourisheth me in stead of my mother/ for she leaneth to me her paps sooner than to any of her own children/ And yet more/ it is better for me to be here with these goats than to depart fro hens/ and to fall in to thy throat for to be devoured/ And therefore he is a fool which leaveth freedom or surety/ for to put himself in great peril and danger of death/ For better is to live surely and rudely in sewrte than sweetly in peril & da●● And as they ran/ they addressed them in to a meadow full of frogs/ ¶ And when the frogs herd the hares run they began also to flee and to run fast/ And then a hare which perceived them so fearful said to all his fellows/ let us no more be dreadful ne doubtuous/ for we be not alone that have had dread/ For all the frogs ●●n in doubt/ and have fere and dread as we have/ Therefore we ought not to despaired/ but have trust and hope to live/ And if some adversity cometh upon us/ we must bear it patiently/ For ones the time shall come that we shall be out of pain and out of all dread/ Therefore in the unhappy and infortunate time men ought not be despaired/ but ought ever to be in good hope to have one's better in time of prosperity/ For after gret●● wer●● cometh good p●●s/ And after the rain cometh the fair w●●r   

¶ The ix fable maketh mention of the wolf and of the kid  
 
GOod Children ought to observe and keep ever the commandments of their good parents and friends/ whereof Esope reciteth to us such a fable/ Of a goto which had made her young kid/ and hunger took her so that she would have gone to the fields for to eat some grass/ Wherefore she said to her kid/ My child/ beware well/ that if the wolf come hither to eat thee/ that thou open not the door to him/ ¶ And when the goat was gone to the fields/ came the wolf to the door/ And feigning the goats voice said to the kid/ My child open to me the door/ And then the kid answered to him/ go hen's evil and falls best/ For well I see the through that hole/ but for to have me thou feignest thee wyce of my mother/ ¶ And therefore I shall keep me well fro opening of any door of this house/ And thus the good children ought ever to keep well/ and put in their heart & memory the doctrine and the teaching of their parent's/ For many one is undone and lost for fault of obedience▪   

¶ The tenth fable is of the good man and of the serpent  
  

 
sa●●en commonly that of the evil of other/ men ought not to laugh ne scorn/ But the Injurious mocquen and scornen the world/ and getteth many enemies/ For the which cause oft-time it happeth that of a few words evil set/ cometh a great noise and danger   

¶ The xiii fable is of the fox and of the stork  
Thou oughtest not to do to other that which thou wouldest not that men should do to thee/ whereof Esope reherceth to us such a fable/ Of a fox which conveyed a stork to supper/ And the fox put the meet upon a trauncher/ the which meet the stork might not eat/ whereof she took & had great displaysaunce/ & went & departed out of the foxes house all hungry and went again to her lodges/ And by cause that the fox had thus beguiled her/ she bythoughte in herself/ how she might beguile the Fox/ For as men say/ it is merit to beguile the beguilers/ wherefore the stork prayed the fox to come and soup with her/ and put his meet within a glass/ And when the fox would have eaten/ he might not come there by/ but only he licked the glass/ because he could not reach to the meet with his mouth/ And then he knew well that he was deceived/ And then the stork said to him/ Take of such goods as thou gavest to me/ And the pour fox right shameful departed fro thence/ And with the staff which he had made he was beat And therefore he that beguileth other/ is oft-time beguiled himself/   

¶ The xiv fable is of the wolf and of the deed man's heed  
  

gown/ For such weren fair gowns and fair girdles of gold that have their treth cold at home   

¶ The xuj fable is of the mule and of the fly  
 
Some maken great menaces/ which have no might/ ¶ whereof Esope rehearseth such a fable/ ¶ Of a carter/ which lad a Chariot or cart/ which a Mule drew forth/ And by cause the Mule went not fast enough/ the fly said to the Mule/ Haraldus a payllari Mule/ why ghost thou not faster/ I shall so eagerly prick thee/ that I shall make the to go lightly/ ¶ And the Mule answered to the fly/ god keep and preserve the moan for the wolves/ For I have no great dread ne fere of thee/ But I dread and doubt sore my master/ which is upon me/ which constraineth me to fulfil his will/ ¶ And more I ought to dread and doubt him more/ than the/ which art nought/ and of no value ne might/ ¶ And thus men ought not to set by ne doubt them/ which have no might ne that been of no vales we   

¶ The xvij fable is of the ant and of the fly  
 
GO make boost and avannting is but van glory and folly/ whereof Esope reciteth such a fable/ Of the aunt or formyce and of the fly/ which seryved to guider/ for to wete which was the most noble of them both/ & the fly said to the formyce/ Come hither formyce/ wilt thou compare thyself to me that dwell in the kings places and palace/ and eat and drink at their table/ And also I kiss both king and queen/ and the most fair maidens/ And thou pour and myschaunt be'st thou art ever within the earth/ And then the formyce answered to the fly/ Now know I well thy vanity and folly/ ¶ For thou avauntest the of that whereof thou shouldest dispraise thee/ For fro all places where as thou ghost or fliest/ thou art   

the love of me/ but only thou hast done it for to fill thy belly For if thou hadst done it for the love of me/ I should have pardoned to thee/ ¶ And by cause that thou didst not for to serve me/ but for to let and adommage me/ For that the rats might not eat/ thou burest it away/ And so by cause/ that thou art waxed fat of mine own breed/ thou must render and give to me all the fatness/ which thou hast conquered and gotten here/ For he that robbeth shall be rob/ juxta il●●/ pillatores pillabuntur/ For it sufficeth not to do well/ but men must have good will and good intention for to do it/ For an alms that is done for vain glory/ is not merited/ but dismeryted/ wherefore I shall not pardon thee/ but incontinent and without tarrying thou shalt die/ For by cause that thou hast deserved no mercy/ thou shalt now be put to death   

¶ The xx fable maketh mention of the Ox/ and of the frog/ which would have compared her to him  
 
THe power ought not to compare himself to him which is rich and mighty/ As saith this fable of a frog/ which was in a meadow/ where she espied and saw on ox which pastured/ She would make herself as great and as mighty as the ox/ and by her great pride she began to sweet against the ox/ And demanded of his children if she was not as great as the ox and as mighty/ And their children answered and said/ nay mother/ For to book and behold on the ox/ it seemeth of you to be nothing/ And then the frog began more to sweet/ ¶ And when the ox saw her pride/ he tread and thrested her with his foot/ and broke her belly/ Therefore it is not good to the power to compare himself to the rich/ wherefore men say commonly/ swell not thyself/ to th'end that thou breast not   
¶ Here finished the second book of Esope/   


¶ And after beginneth the register or table of the third book of Esope  
  

¶ The seven fable speaketh of the old dog and of his master  
 
MEn ought not to dispraise the ancient ne to pu●●e a 〈◊〉/ For if thou be young/ thou oughtest to desire to come to old age or ancient/ And also thou oughtest to love and praise the feats or deeds which they have done in their youth/ Whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable/ Of a lord which had a dog/ the which dog had be in his youth of good kind/ For ye wot well/ that of kind the dogs chacen and hunten in their youth/ and have great lust to re●●ne and take the wild beasts/ when then this dog was come to old age/ and that he might no more run/ It happeth once that he let escape and go fro him an ha r●●/ wherefore his master was sorrowful and angry/ and by great wrath began to beat him/ The dog said then to him/ My master/ of good service thou yieldest to me evil gwerdone and reward/ For in my young age I served the full well/ And now that I am comen to mine old age/ thou betest and settest me a back/ have memory how in mine young age/ I was strong and lusty/ And how I made great outrages and effors/ the which caused my youth/ And now when I am become old and feeble thou settest nought of me/ ¶ This fable teacheth that who so ever doth any good in his youth/ in his ancient and old age he shall not continue in the virtues which he posseded in his young age   

¶ The viii fable is of the hares and of the frogs  
 
MEn say commonly that after that the tym●● goth/ so must folk go/ For if thou makest distinction of the time thou shalt well accord the scriptures/ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable/ And saith thus/ that he which beholdeth the evil of other/ must have patience of the evil that may come upon him/ For sometime as a hunter chased through the fields and woods/ the hares began to flee for fere   

HE that ought not to be assured that applyketh and setteth him to do to some other any evil/ whereof esope rehearseth such a fable/ Of a serpent/ which went & came in to the house of a power man/ which serpent lived of that which fell fro the pour man's table/ For the which thing happened a great fortune to this pour man and became much rich/ But on a day this man was angry against the serpent/ and took a great staff/ and smote at him/ and greatly hurted him wherefore the serpent went out of his house And therein he came never again/ And within a little while after this/ this man returned and fell again in to great poverty/ And then he knew that by the fortune of the Serpent he was become rich/ and repented him moche of that 〈◊〉 smote the serpent/ And then this pour man went and humbled him before the serpent saying to him/ I pray the that thou wilt pardon me of thoffence that I have done to the ¶ And then said the serpent to the pour man/ Sith thou repentest the of thy misdeed/ I pardon and forgive it to the But as long as I shall be on live/ I shall remember me of thy malice/ For as thou hurtest me ones/ thou mayst as well hurt me another time/ For the wound: that thou madest to me/ may not forget the evil which thou host done to me wherefore he that was once evil/ shall ever be presumed & holden for evil/ And therefore men ought to presume over him/ by whom they receive some damage and not have suspect their good and true friends   

¶ The xj fable is of the heart/ of the sheep & of the wolf  
THe thing which is promised by force & for dread is not to be hold/ whereof esope rehearseth such a fable of a heart which in the presence of a wolf demanded of a sheep that she should pay a bushel of corn/ And the wolf commanded to the sheep to pay it/ And when the day of payment was come/ the heart came and demanded of the sheep his corn And the sheep said to him/ the conenaunces and pactions made by dread and force ought not to be holden/ For it was force to me being to fore the wolf to promit & grant to give to the that which thou never lenest to me/ And therefore thou shalt have right nought of me/ Wherefore sometime it is good to make promise of some thing for to eschew greater damage or loss/ For the things which are done by force have none fidelity   

¶ The xii fable is of the bald man/ and of the fly/  
OF a little evil may well come a greater/ Whereof Esop reciteth such a fable/ Of a fly/ which pryked a man upon his bald heed/ And when he would have smite her/ she flewgh away/ and thus he smote himself/ whereof the fly began to laugh/ And the bald man said to her Ha a evil be'st thou demandest well thy death/ if I smo te myself whereof thou lawhest and mocquest me/ but if I had hit thee/ thou hadst be thereof slain/ And therefore men  
  

MAny one been which have great worship and glory/ but no prudence/ ne no wisdom they have in them whereof Esope rehearseth such a fable/ Of a wolf which found a deed man's heed/ the which he turned up so down with his foot/ And said/ Ha a how fair hast thou be and pleasant/ And now thou hast in the neither wit/ ne beauty/ & yet thou art without wis and without any thought/ And therefore men ought not only to behold the beauty and fairness of the body/ but only the goodness of the courage/ For sometime men given glory and worship to some/ which have not deserved to have hit/   

¶ The xv fable is of the jay and of the peacock  
 
NOne ought to were and put on him the gown of other/ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable Of a jay full of vain glory/ which took and put on him the feathers of a peacock/ and with them he adorned/ and arrayed himself well/ And when he was well dressed and arrayed/ by his oultrecuydannce or overwening would have gone and conversed among the peacocks/ and dispraised all his fellows/ And when the peacocks knew that he was not of their kind/ they anon plucked of all his feathers/ And smote and beat him by such manner/ that no feathers abode upon him/ And he fled away all naked and bare/  
¶ And then when his fellows saw him/ they said to him/ what gallant come hither/ where been thy fair feathers/ which thou hadst but late a gone/ Hast thou no shame ne vergoyne to come in our company/ And then all the birds came upon him/ and smote & let him/ saying thus to him/ if thou hadst be content of thine own vestiments/ thou hadst not come to this villainy/ There for it appeareth that it is not good to were another man's   

ha●●ed chased and put out/ and livest in great danger/ for assoon as the winter shall come thou shalt die/ And I shall abide on live alone within my chamber or hole/ where as I drink and eat at my pleasure/ For the winter shall not forgive to the thy misdeed/ but he shall slay thee/ ¶ And thus he that will mocque or dispraise some other/ he ought first to look and behold on himself well/ For men say commonly/ who that beholdeth in the glass/ well he seeth himself/ ¶ And who seeth himself/ well he knoweth himself/ And who that himself well/ little he praiseth himself/ ¶ And who that praiseth himself little/ he is full wise and sage   

¶ The xviij fable is of the wolf/ of the fox/ and of the ape  
 
HE that once falleth in to some evil feat or deed/ he shall ever live with dishonour and in suspicion/ of the people/ ¶ And how be it that by adventure he purposed to do some profitable thing to some other/ yet he should not be trusted ne believed/ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable/ Of a wolf/ which in aade the fox to be cited before the Ape/ ¶ And the wolf said that the fox was but a chief and a payll●●rt and a knave of power folk/ And the fox said that he lied/ and that he was a good and true man/ And that he died much good/  
¶ And thenne the ape which was set as a judge/ gave such a sentence/ And said thus to the wolf/ Come hither/ thou hast not lost all that which thou demandest/ ¶ And thou Fox●● I believe well that thou hast usurped and rob some thing/ how be it/ that thou deniest it in justice/ But for as much that peace may be bytwixe you both/ ye shall part to guider your good/ to th'end/ that none of you have no hole part/ For he that is wont and accustomed to rolbe and guawe/ with great pain he may abstain himself fro it/ For a 〈◊〉 will ever beguile other/ ¶ And by cause that the ape felt them both guilty and suspicious made their difference to be accorded/ and parted half by half/ For they that been customed to do any fraud or falsehood/ shall ever live ryʒ●● heavily and in suspicion   

¶ The nineteen fable is of the man and of the wesel  
MEn ought well to look and behold the courage & thought of him/ which doth good/ and the end/ wherefore he doth it/ whereof Esope rehearseth such a fable Of a man which took a weasel/ the which chased after the rats wythynne his house/ ¶ And after when he had taken her/ be would have killed her/ ¶ And when the pour counsel saw the wrath and fnrour of her master/ she cried to him/ mercy/ saying thus/ My lord I require and 〈◊〉 ray thee/ that thou wilt pardon to me/ And that thou wilt reward me of the great service which I have done to thee/ For ever I have chased the rats out of thy house/  
¶ And the man said to her/ thou didst not that for    

¶ Here beginneth the third book of the subtile fables of Esope/  


¶ The first fable is of the lion and of the shepherd  
¶ The second fable is of the horse and of the lion  
¶ The third fable is of the horse/ of the ass/ and of theyr●● fortune  
¶ The fourth fable is of the beasts and of the birds  
¶ The fifth fable is of the nightingale & of the sparrowhawk  
¶ The sixth fable is of the wolf/ and of the fox  
¶ The seventh fable is of the heart and of the hunter  
¶ The eight fable is of juno and of Menus  
¶ The ix fable is of the woman and of the knight  
¶ The x fable is of the young man and of the young woman  
¶ The xj fable is of the father and of the evil sone  
¶ The xii fable is of the serpent/ and of the moan  
¶ The xiii fable is of the wolves and of the sheep  
¶ The xiv fable is of the wolf and of the wood  
¶ The xv fable is of the wolf and of the dog  
¶ The xuj fable is of the feet/ of the hands and of the man's belly  
¶ The xvij fable is of the ape and of the fox  
¶ The xviij fable is of the man that kept mules & of the ass  
¶ The nineteen fable is of the heart and of the ox  
The xx fable is of the fallacy of the lion/ and of his conversation    

whereof the first maketh mention/ of the lion/ & of the pastor or herdman  
THe mighty and puissant ought not to be slowfull of the benefetes done to them by the little and small And ought not also to forget them/ but that they may be rewarded of them/ ¶ And this fable approveth esope & showeth unto us/ of a lion which ran after a be'st/ and as he ran/ a thorn entered in to his foot/ which hurted and grieved him greatly/ wherefore he might no ferther go/ but as well as he could he came to a shepherd which kept his sheep and began to flatere with his tail showing to him his foot/ which was sore hurted and wounded/ The shepherd was in great dread and casted before the lion one of his sheep But the lion demanded no meet of him/ For more he desired to be medycyned and made hole of his foot/ ¶ And after when the shepherd saw the wound/ he with a nydle sub tylly drew out of his foot the thorn/ and had out of the wound all the rotten flesh/ and anointed it with sweet oynements/ ¶ And anon the lion was hole/ And for to have rend●●d graces and thanks to the shepherd or pasto ur the lion kissed his hands/ And after he returned again in to the highest of the wood/ And within a little while after it happened that this lion was taken and conveyed to the city of Rome and was put among the other beasts for to devour the misdoers/ Now it befell that the said shepherd commised a criminous deed/ wherefore he was condemned to be devoured by these beasts/ And right so as he was cast among them the lion knew him/ and began to behold on him/ and made to him cheer▪ and lykked him with his tongue/ And preserved and kept him from all the other beasts/ ¶ Thenne knew the shepherd that it was the lion which he maked hole/ And that he would then have recompensed him of the good which he had done to him/ whereof all the romans were all wonderly abashed/ And would know the cause of it And the shepherd said to them as above is said ¶/ And when they knew the cause/ they gave leave to the shepherd/ to go home/ and sent again the lion in to the forest/ And therefore this is notary and true that all manner of folk ought to render and give thankings grace and mercy to their good doers/ For slowfulnes is a sin/ which is much displaysaunt to god/   

¶ The second fable is of the lion and of the horse  
 
●●The one ought to eschew dyssymyling/ for none ought to were on him the skin of the wolf/ but that he will be like to him/ For none ought to fain himself other than such as he is/ As to ve rehearseth this fable/ ¶ Of a lion which saw a horse/ which eat grass in a meadow/ And for to find some subtlety and manner for to eat and devour him/ approached to him/ and said/ god keep the my brother/ I am a leche/ and with all a good phisycyen/ ¶ And by cause that I see that thou hast a sore foot/ I am come hither for to hele the of it/ And the horse knew well all his evil thought And said to the lion/ My brother I thank the greatly/ and thou art welcome to me/ I pray the that thou wilt make my foot hole/ And then the lion said to the horse/ late see thy foot/ And as the lion looked on it/ the horse smote him on the forehead/ In such wise that he broke his heed and fill out of hismind/ & the lion fell to the ground/ And so wonderly he was hurt/ that almost he might not rise up again/ And then said the lion in himself/ I am well worthy to have had this/ For he that searcheth evil/ evil cometh to him/ And by cause that I dissimuled and feigned myself to be a medicine/ where as I should have showed my s●● a great enemy/ I therefore have received good reward/ And therefore every body ought to show himself such as he is/   

¶ The third fable maketh mention of the ass/ of the horse/ & of their fortune  
 
HE that is well fortuned and happy/ and is at upperest of the wheel of fortune/ may well fall down/ And therefore none ought to dispraise the power/ but aught to think how the wheel of fortune is much doubtuous as showeth this present fable/ Of a fair horse which was well harnaysed and arrayed/ and his saddle and bridal garnished with gold/ which horse met with an ass sore laden in a narrow way/ And by cause that the ass turned him not a back incontinent the horse said to him/ Ha a churl haste thou no shame ne vergoyne/ that thou dost ne bearest none worship ●●e reverence unto thy lord/ who holdeth now me/ that with my foot I break not thine heed/ by cause that thou put test not thyself aside and out of my way/ so that I might pass & go on my way/ The pour ass answered ne said to him never a word/ and was sore afeard that the horse should have be●● him/ wherefore he held his peace as wise and sage/ And the horse went his way/ ¶ And within a little while after/ it ●●felle/ that fortune turned his wheel up so down/ For this ●●yre horse ●●ame old lean and seek/ ¶ And when his master saw that his horse was thus lean and seek and out of prosperyce/ he commanded that he should be had in to the town And that in stead of his rich saddle men should put and set on his luck a pannier for to bear dung in to the fields/ Now it happened that the ass which was in a meadow eating grass perceived and saw the horse and well knew him '/ whereof he was wonder abashed/ and marveled moche that he was thus pour and so leanly become/ ¶ And the Ass went toward him and said/ Ha a fellow. where is now thy fair saddle/ and thy rich bridal/ garnished with gold/ how art thou now become so lean and such a payllard/ what have profited to the thy fair and rich raiments/ and what availed now to the thy great fierté and pride/ and thy great presumption which once thou showest to me/ Think now/ how thou art lean and unthrysty/ And how thou and I been now of one office/ And the miserable and unhappy horse was abashed/ And for shame looked downward/ & answered never one word/ for all his felicity was then turned in to adversity/ ¶ And therefore they that been in felicity/ ought not to dispraise them/ which been in adversity/ For many one I knew rich and mighty/ which are now pour/   

¶ The iiij fable maketh mention of the beasts and of the birds  
 
NOne may do no good to two boards at one's/ which been contrary one to that other/ as saith to us this fable that the beasts made great were against the birds/ & fought every day to guider/ And the back fearing the wolves And that the beasts should vanquish and overcome the birds/ would have hold with the beasts/ and be against the birds/ And when the battle was ordained on both sides/ the eagle began to enter in to the battle of the beasts by such a strength/ that with the help of the other birds he got the field/ and vanquished/ and overcame the beasts/ wherefore the beasts maade peace with the birds/ and were all of one accord and of one will/ And for the treason that the ●●acke had made/ she was condemned to never see the day/ And never flee/ but only by night/ And also she was despoiled of all her feathers/ And therefore he that will serve two lords contrary one to other may not be good ne true/ And they which relynquen and leave their own lords for to serve another stranger/ which is enemy to their lord/ been well worthy to be punished/ For as the evangely saith/ None may serve both god and the devil   

¶ The v fable is of the nightingale and of the sparrowhawk/  
 
HE that oppresseth the Innocents shall have an evil end/ whereof Esope rehearseth to us such a fable/ Of a sperehawk/ which did put him within the nest of a nightingale/ where he fond the little and young birds/ the nightingale came and perceived him/ wherefore she prayed the sparrowhawk/ saying/ I require and pray the as much as I may/ that thou have pity on my small birds/ And the sparrowhawk answered and said/ if thou wilt that I grant the thy request/ thou must sing sweetly after my will and 'gree And thenne the nightingale began to sing sweetly/ not with the heart/ but with the threat only/ For he was so filled of sorrow that otherwise he might not do/ The sperehawk said then to the nightingale/ This song pleaseth me not/ And took one of the young birds and devoured it/ And as the said sparrowhawk would have devoured and eaten the other came there a hunter which did cast a great net upon the sparrowhawk/ And when she would have fleen away/ he might not/ for he was taken/ And therefore he that doth harm & letteth the Innocents/ is worthy to die of evil death/ As Cain did which slew his brother Abel   

¶ The seventh fable is of the fox and of the wolf  
 
FOrtune helpeth both the good and evil folk/ and to all them/ which she helpeth not she sendeth evil to them/ And they that setten all their malice against fortune been subvertysed and overthrawon by her/ whereof Esope rehearseth such a fable/ Of a wolf which had assembled together a great prey/ or moche meet for to have lived more delyaously/ whereof the fox had great envy/ and for to have rob some of this good/ he came unto the cavern or hole where as this prey or meet was in/ and said to the wolf/ My godsep the wolf/ by cause it is long sith I saw thee/ I am in great heaviness and sorrow/ and also by cause we have not been in long time gone chased and gone to guider/ ¶ And when the wolf knew the malice of the fox/ he said to him thou art not come hither for to see me/ ne how I far/ but thou art come for to rob and ravish my good/ For the which words the fox was much angry/ and went toward a shepherd/ to whom he said/ if thou wilt be avenged of the wolf which is enemy of thy heerd or park/ on this day I shall put him under thy hands/ And the shepherd answered to the fox in this manner/ if thou do as thou sayest/ I shall pay the well/ And then the fox showed to him the hool/ wherein the wolf was/ And the shepherd incontinent went toward the hole/ and with a spear he killed the wolf/ And by this manner the fox was well filled and refreshed of the good of other/ but as he returned homeward/ he was taken & devoured by some dogs/ wherefore he said to himself/ by cause that right evil I have done/ evil cometh now to me/ For sin returneth ever upon his master/ And he that liveth but of ravin and robbery shall at the last be known and rob/   

¶ The seventh fable is of the heart and of the hunter  
MEn preysen sometime that that should be blamed & vitupered/ And oft men blamen & vytuperens that/ that should be praised/ as reciteth to us this fable of a heart/ To whom it happed on a time that he drank in a fountain or well as he drank/ he saw in the water his heed which was horned/ wherefore he praised much his horns/ And as he looked on his legs/ which were lean and small/ he dispraised and vytupered them/ And as he was drinking in the fountain he herd the voice and barking of dogs/ wherefore he would have fled away in to the forest for to save himself/ but as he saw the dogs so nigh him he would have entered within a bush/ but he might not/ for his horns kept him without/ And then seeing that he might not escape began to say within himself/ I have blamed & vytupered my legs/ which have been to me utile and profitable/ and have praised my horns/ which been now cause of my death/ And therefore men ought to dispraise that thing/ which is unprofitable/ and praise that which is utile and profitable/ And they ought to praise and love the church and the commandments of the same/ the which been moche utile & profitable/ And dispraise and flee all sin and vice/ Which been inutyle harmful and damageable   

¶ The viii fable maketh mention of juno/ of Menus/ and of the other women  
 
BEfore the gods and the goddesses men must ever praise chastity/ for it is a worshipful & an honest thing to a woman to hold her content with a man alone/ but Menus for her disport & for to drive away the time/ would Interpret the saying of the hens/ wherefore she demanded a hen which was in her house/ but at this time I shall keep my tongue/ and no ferther I shall speak thereof/ For many wise men which have seen and red all this book under standen well all the nature of it/ And by cause it is lycyte & honest/ And that we all been bounden to keep the ladies in their worship and honour/ also that in every place where it shall be possible to us. we ought to praise them/ We shall now cease to inquire ferther of this matter/ and History/ which we shall leave iij latin for the great clerks/ & in especial for them that will occupy their time to study and read the gloze of the said Esope   

¶ The ninth fable is of the knight and of the widow  
 
THe woman which liveth in this world without reproach or blame is worthily to be greatly praised/ whereof Esope rehearseth such a fable of a man and of a woman/ which loved moche each other/ It happened then by the effors of Atropos or death/ the which we all must suffer/ that the said man died/ And as men would have borne him in to his grave/ which was without the town there to be buried/ his wife made great sorrow and wept piteously/ And when he was buried/ she would abide still upon the grave/ and let do make a little lodge or house thereupon/ and out of this lodge she would never depart for no prayer ne fair word/ neither for any yefts ne for menaces of her parents Now it befell in the town that a misdoer was condemned to be hanged/ ¶ And to th'end that he should not be taken fro the gallows/ it was then commanded that a knight should keep him/ And as the knight kept him/ great thirst took him/ And as he perceived the lodge of the said woman he went to her/ and prayed her to give him some drink/ And she with good heart gaf him to drink/ And the knight drank with great appetite/ as he that had great thirst/ & when he had drunk/ he turned again to the gallows ward/ This knight came another time to the woman for to comfort her/ And three times he did so/ And as he was thus going and coming/ doubting him of no body/ his hanged man was taken and had fro the gallows/ And when ne the knight was come again to the gallows & saw that he had lost his deed man/ he was greatly abashed & not without cause For it was charged to him upon pain to be hanged/ if he were take away/ This knight then saying his judgement/ turned and went again to the said woman/ & cast him at her feet/ and lay before her as he had be deed/ And she demanded of him/ My friend/ what wilt thou that I do for thee/ Alas said he/ I pray the that thou succour and council 〈◊〉 now at my great need/ For by cause I have not kept well my thief/ which men have ravished fro me/ the king shall make me to be put to death/ And the woman said/ Have no dread my friend/ For well I shall find the manner whereby thou shalt be delivered/ For we shall take my husband/ and shall hang him in stead of thy thief/ ¶ then began she to delve/ and took out of the earth her husband/ and at night she hanged him at the gallows in stead of the other/ & said to the knight/ My right dear friend I pray the that this be kept well secret/ For we do it theefly/ And thus the deed men have some/ which make sorrow for them/ but that sorrow is soon gone and passed/ And they which been on live have some which dread them/ but their dread wantith and faileth when they been deed   

¶ The tenth fable maketh mention of the young man/ and of the common woman  
 
OF the common and foolish women Esope rehearseth to us such a fable/ Of a woman which had to name Tahys/ the which was cause by her feigned love of the death and loss of many young men/ to one of the which she had be beat oft before that time/ she said to him in this wise/ My right dear love and good friend/ I suppose that of many one I am well beloved and desired/ Nevertheless I shall set my love on thyself alone/ wherefore I pray the that thou mayst be mine/ and I shall be thine/ for all thy goods I retch not/ but only I desire thy sweet body/ And he that knew the feyntyse and falsheed of the woman/ answered to her/ right benignly and sweetly/ thy will and the mine been both but one alone/ For thou art she which I most desire/ and the which I shall love all the term of my life/ if thou deceive me no more/ For by cause that thou hast received me in time passed/ I am ever afeard of thee/ but notwithstanding this/ thou art now much pleasant and fair to the sight of me/ And thus the one beguiled that other/ For the love of a common woman is not to be trusted/ For thou oughtest to know and think within thyself/ that the common and folyssh woman love the not/ but she loveth thy silver   

¶ The xj fable is of the father and of the evil soon/  
 
THe good and wise father ought to chastise his children in their young age/ and not in their old age/ For then it is moche difficile to make them bow As to us r●●ateth this fable/ Of a father of famylle/ which had a son the which did no thing that he ought to have done but ever was going and playing in the town/ And the fa●●r for the crime and mys●●wle of his son brawled ever and beat his meinie/ And said to them such a fable/ Of a plough man or labourer/ which bond a bull by the horns to an ox The booll would not be bound/ and smo●● strongly with his feet after the man/ and launched his horns at him/ ¶ And at the last when he was bound/ the labourer said to them/ I have joined and bound you both to guider/ to th'end that ye too some labour/ But I will that the lest of you two/ that is to wete the bowl/ be learned and corriged of the most/ which is the ox/ For I must said the labourer to himself bind them thus to guider/ to th'end that the bull/ which is young fierce and malyaous and strong/ smite ne hurt no body/ whereof great damage might come to me/ But by cause that I wot well/ that the ox shall teach and corryge him well/ I have put and bound them both to guider/ ¶ Thus this fable showeth to us/ that the father ought to teach and give good ensample to his children and chastise them when they be young For he that well loveth/ well he chastiseth   

¶ The xii fable is of the serpent  
 
THe author that is to weet Esope rehearseth to us such a fable of two evils/ saying that a serpent entered some time within the forge of a smythe/ for to search some meet for her dyner/ It happened/ that she fond a file which she began to gnaw with her trethe/ Then said the file to her/ if thou bite and gnaw me/ yet shalt thou do to me no hurt/ but biting and gnawing on me/ thou shalt hurt thine own self/ For by my strength all the iron is planed by me/ And therefore thou art a fool to gnaw me/ For I tell thee/ that none evil may hurt ne adommage another as evil as he/ Ne none wicked may hurt another wicked/ ne also the hard against the hard shall not break each other/ ne two envious men shall not both ride upon an ass/ wherefore the mighty and strong must love him which is as mighty and as strong as himself is   

¶ The xiii fable is of the wolves and of the sheep  
 
when men have a good heed/ and a good defe●●sour/ or a good captain/ men ought not to leave him/ for he that leaveth him repenteth him afterward of it/ as to ve rehearseth this fable/ Of the sheep which had were and dissension with the wolves/ And by cause that the wolfs made to strong were against the sheep/ the sheep then took for their help the dogs/ and the whethers also/ And then was the battle of the sheep so great and so strong/ & fought so vigorously against the wolves. that they put them to flyʒt ¶ And when the wolves saw the strength of their aduersarye●●/ they sent an ambassade toward the sheep for to treat the peace with them/ the which Ambassade said to the sheep in this manner/ if ye will give us the dogs/ we shall swear unto you our faith/ that we shall never keep ne hold were against you/ And the sheep answered/ if ye will give us your faith/ we shall be content/ And thus they made peace to guider/ but the wolves killed the dogs/ which were captains and protectors of the sheep/ And the dogs died but little hurt to the wolves/ wherefore when the little and young wolves were grown in their age/ they came of each part and country/ and assembled them to guider/ and all of one accord and will said to their ancestors and faders/ we must eat up all the sheep/ And their faders answered thus to them/ we have maked peace with them/ Nevertheless the young wolves broke the peace and ran fiercely upon the sheep/ and their faders went after them/ ¶ And thus by cause that the sheep had delivered the dogs to the wolves/ the which were their captains/ and that they had none that kept them/ they were all eaten and devoured of the wolves/ Therefore it is good to keep well his capitain/ which may at a need g●●ue succour and help/ For a true friend is oft-time better at a need than a Royalme/ For if the sheep had kept the love of the dogs/ the wolves had never devoured them/ wherefore it is a sure thing to keep well the love of his protector and good friend/   

¶ The xiv fable is of the man and of the wood  
HE that giveth aid and help to his enemy is cause of his death/ as reciteth this fable of a man which made an axe/ And after that he had made his axe/ he asked of the trees/ and said/ ye trees give you to me a handle/ And the trees were content/ ¶ And when he had maked fast his handle to the axe/ he began to cut and throw down to the ground all the trees/ wherefore the oak and the ash said/ if we be cut/ it is well right and reason/ For of our own self we been cut and thrawen down/ ¶ And thus it is not good to put himself in to the danger and subjection of his enemy/ ne to help him for to be adommaged/ as thou mayst see by this present fable/ For men ought not to give the staff/ by which they may he beaten with   

¶ The xv fable is of the wolf and of the dog/  
 
liberty or freedom is a moche sivete thing/ as Esope rehearseth by this fable/ of a wolf and of a dog which by adventure met to guider/ wherefore the wolf demanded of the dog/ whereof art thou so fat and so pleasant/ And the dog answered to him/ I have well kept my lords house/ & have barked after the thieves which came in the house of my master/ wherefore he and his meinie give to me plenty of good meet/ whereof I am fat and pleasant/ and the wolf said then to him/ It is well said my brother/ Certainly sith thou art so well at thine ease and farest so well I have great desire to dwell with thee/ to th'end that thou & I make but one dinner/ well said the dog/ come on with me if thou wilt be as well at thine ease as I am/ and have thou no doubt of no thing/ The wulf went with the dog/ and as they went by the way/ the wolf beheld the dogs neck/ which was all bare of here/ and demanded of the dog/ My brother why is thy neck so shaven/ And the dog answered/ it is by cause of my great collar of iron/ to the which daily I am fasted/ And at night I am unbound for to keep thee house the better/ Thenne said the wolf to the dog/ This I mister ne need not/ For I that am in liberty/ will not be put in no subjection/ And therefore for to fill my belly/ I will not be subject/ if thou be acustommed for to be bound/ continue thou in it/ and I shall live as I am wont and accustomed/ therefore there is no richesse greater/ than lybete/ For liberty is better than all the gold of the world/   

¶ The xuj fable maketh mention of the hands/ of the feet/ & of the man's belly  
HOw shall one do any good to another/ the which can do no good to his own self/ As thou mayst see by this fable/ Of the feet and of the hands/ wh●●che sometime had greed strife with the belly/ saying/ All that we can or may win with great labour thou etest it all/ and yet th●●u dost no good/ wherefore thou shalt no more have nothing of us/ and we shall let the die for hunger/ And then when the belly was empty and sore hungry/ she began to cry 〈◊〉 said Alas I die for hunger/ give me somewhat to eat/ And the feet and hands said/ thou getest no thing of us/ And by cause that the belly might have no meet/ the conduits thorough the which the meats passeth b●●me small and narrow/ And within few days after the feet and hands for the feebleness which they felt would then have given meet to the belly/ but it was to late/ for the conduits were joined to guider And therefore the limbs might do no good to other/ that is to wete the belly/ And he that governeth not well his belly with great pain he may hold the other limbs in their strength and virtue/ wherefore a servant ought to serve well his master/ to th'end that his master hold and keep him honestly/ and to receive and have good reward of him/ when his master shall see his feythfulnesse   

¶ The xvij fable is of the Ape and of the fox  
 
OF the power and of the Rich Esope rehearseth such a fable/ Of an ape/ which prayed the fox to give him some of his great tail for to cover his buttoks therewith/ saying thus to him/ what availeth to the so long a tail/ it doth but wag/ And that which letteth thee/ shall be profitable and good for me/ The fox said to him I would that it were yet longer/ For rather I would see it all to fouled and dagged/ than it should bear to you such honour/ as to cover thy fowl buttoks therewith/ And therefore give thou not that thing of which thou hast need of/ to the end that afterward thou mister not of hit   

¶ The xviij fable si of the Merchant and of the ass  
MAny one been travailed after their death/ wherefore men ought not to desire the death/ As rehearseth Esope by this fable/ Of a merchant which lad an Ass laden unto the market/ And for to be the sooner at the market/ he beat his ass/ and sore pricked him/ wherefore the pour ass wished & desired hisowne death/ weening to him that after his death he should be in rest/ And after that he had be well beat & chased he died/ And his master made him to be slain/ and of his skin he did do make tambours which been ●●uer beat/ And thus for what pain that men may have during his life/ he ought not to desire and wish his ●●the/ For many one been/ which have great pain in this world-that -that shall have a gretter in the other world/ For the man hath no rest for the death but for his merits   

¶ The nineteen fable is of the heart and of the ox  
Only for to flee none is assured to scape the danger wh●●rfore he fleeth/ As thou shalt mow see by this fable/ Of a heart which ran before the dogs/ and to th'end that he should not be take/ he fled in to the first town that he found/ & entered in to a stable where as many oxen were/ to whom he said the cause why he was come there/ praying them sweetly that they would save him/ And the oxen said thus to him/ Alas pour heart thou art among us evil addressed/ thou shouldest be more surely in the fields. ¶ For if thou be perceived or seen of the oxeherd or else of the master/ Certainly thou art but deed/ Helas for god & for pity I pray you that ye will hide me within your rack/ and that ye deceive me not/ and at night next coming/ I shall go hens/ and shall put myself in to a sure place/ ¶ And when the servants came for to give hay to the oxen/ they did cast hay before the oxen/ and went again their way and saw not the heart/ whereof the heart was greatly reioysshed weening to have scaped the peril of death/ He then rendered thank and graces to the oxen/ and one of the oxen said to him/ It is facyle to scape out of the hands of the blind but it is not facyle to scape fro the hands of him that seeth well/ For if our master come hither which hath more than an hundred eyen/ Certainly thou art deed if he perceive the ¶ And if he see the not/ certainly thou art saved/ and shalt go forth on thy way surely/ The mayst●●r within a short while after entered in to the seab●● And after he commanded to visit and see the hay/ which was before his oxen/ And himself went and tasted/ if they had enough of it/ And as he tasted thus the hay/ he felt the horns of the heart with his hand/ and to himself he said/ what is that that I feel here/ and being dreadful called all his servants/ and demanded of the manner how the heart was come thither/ And they said to him/ My lord I know nothing thereof/ And the lord was full glad and made the heart to be taken and slain/ and maked a great feast for to have eat him/ Therefore it happeth oft-time/ that he which supposeth to flee is taken and hold within the lace or net/ For he that fleeth away is in great peril/ wherefore men ought well to kepe themself to do such deed/ that they must needs flee therefore   

¶ The xx fable maketh mention of the fallacy of the lion/ And of his conversation  
 
TO converse with folk of evil life is a thing moche perilous/ And only to speak with them letteth much other/ As this fable rehearseth of a lion right strong and right mighty/ the which made himself king for to have great renomee and glory/ And fro then forthon he began to change his conditions and customme showing himself courteous/ and swore that he should hurt no beasts/ but should keep them against every one/ And of this promise he repented him by cause it is moche difficile and hard to change his own kind/ And therefore when he was angry/ he lad with him some small beasts in to a secret place for to eat and deceive them/ And demanded of them/ if his mouth stank or not/ And they that said that it stank or not were all saved/ And all they the which answered not he killed/ & devoured them all/ It happened that he demanded of the Ape/ if his mouth stank or not/ And thape said no but that it smelleth like bane/ And then the lion had shame to slay the ape/ but he fond a great falsehood for to put him to death/ He feigned to be seek and commanded that all his leches & Cyrurgyens should anon come unto him/ when they were come/ he commanded them to book his urine/ And when they had seen hit●●/ they said to him/ Sire ye shall soon be hole/ but ye must eat light meats/ And by cause that ye be king/ all is at your commandment/ And the lion answered Alas Right fain I would eat of an Ape/ Certainly said the medicine that same is good meet/ then was the Ape sen●●e for And not withstanding that he worshipfully spoke & answered to the king/ the king made him to die/ and devoured him ¶ Therefore it is perilous and harmful to be in the fellowship of a Tyrant/ For be it evil or good he will eat and devour every thing/ And well happy is he/ that may ecape fro his bloody hands/ And that may eschew and flee the fellowship of the evil tyrants   
¶ Here finished the third book of the subtile fables of Esope/ And beginneth the table of the fourth book/   



¶ The first fable is of the fox/ and of the raysyn  
¶ The second fable is of the weasel and of the rat/  
¶ The third fable is of the wolf/ of the shepherd/ and of the hun●●er  
¶ The fourth is of the peacock/ of juno the goddess/ and of the nightingale  
¶ The v fable is of the panther and of the vylayns/  
¶ The uj fable is of the butchers and of the whethers/  
¶ The seven fable is of the fawkener and of the birds  
¶ The eight fable is of the true man/ of the man liar/ and of the apes  
¶ The ix fable is of the horse/ of the hunter and of the heart  
¶ The tenth fable is of the lion and of the ass  
¶ The xj fable is of the hawk and other birds  
¶ The xii fable is of the lion and of the foxes  
¶ The xiii fable is of the seek ass/ and of the wolf  
¶ The xiv fable is of the great hegotte and of the little goat  
¶ The xv fable is of the man and of the lion  
¶ The xuj fable is of the camel and of the fly  
¶ The xvij fable is of the Ant and of the sygalle  
¶ The xviij fable is of the pilgrim and of the sword  
¶ T●● nineteen fable is of the sheep and of the raven  
¶ The xx fable is of the tree and of the Rosyer    

¶ The first fable maketh mention of the fox and of the raisins  
 
HE is not wise/ that desireth to have a thing which he may not have/ As reciteth this fable Of a fox/ which looked and beheld the raisins that grew upon an high vine/ the which raisins he much desired for to eat them ¶ And when be saw that none he might get/ he turned his sorrow in to joy/ and said these raisins been sour/ and if I had some I would not eat them/ And therefore this fable showeth that he is wise/ which feigneth not to desire that thing the which he may not have/   

¶ The second fable is of the ancient weasel and of the rat/  
Wit is better than force or strength/ As rehearseth to us this fable of an old weasel/ the which might no more take no rats/ wherefore she was oft sore hungry and bethought her that she should hide herself within th●● f●●ure for to take the rats which came there for to eat it. And as the rats came to the flower/ she took and eat them each o●●e after other/ And as the oldest rat of all perceyned & knew●● h●●r malice/ he said thus in himself/ Certainly I shall k●●pe me well fro thee/ For I know all thy malice & falsehood ¶ And therefore he is wise that scapeth the wit and malice of evil folk/ by wit and not by for●●   

¶ The third fable is of the wolf and of the shepherd and of the hunter  
MAny folk show themself good by their words which are full of great fantasies/ As rehearseth to us this fable of a wolf which fled before the hunter/ And as he fled he met with a shepherd/ to whom he sai●● My friend I pray the that thou t●●lle not to him that followeth me which weigh I am gone/ & the sh●●epherd said to him have no dread ne fere no thing/ For I shall not accuse thee/ For I shall show to him another way/ And as the hunter came/ he demanded of the shepherd if he had seen the wolf pass/ And the shepherd both with the heed and of the eyen showed to the hunter the place where the wolf was/ & with the hand and the tongue showed all the contrary/ And incontinent the hunter understood him well/ But the wolf which perceived well all the feigned manners of the shepherd fled away/ ¶ And within a little while after the shepherd encountered and met with the wolf/ to whom he said/ pay me of that I have kept the secret/ ¶ And thenne the wolf answered to him in this manner/ I thank thine hands and thy tongue/ and not thine heed ne thine eyen/ For by them I should have been betrayed/ if I had not fled away/ ¶ And therefore men must not trust in him that hath two faces and two tongues/ for such folk is like and semblable to the/ the which enoynteth with his tongue/ and pricketh sore with his tail   

¶ The fourth fable is of juno the goddess and of the peacock and of the nightingale  
 
●●ery one ought to be content of kind/ and of such good as god hath sent unto him/ whereof he must use jusely/ As wherceth this fable of a peacock which 〈◊〉 me to juno the goddess/ and said to her I am heavy and so rowful/ by cause I can not sing as well as the nightingale For every one mocketh and scorneth me/ by cause I can not sing/ And juno would comfort him and said/ thy fair form and beau●● is fairer and more worthy and of greater praising than the song of the nightingale/ For thy feathers and thy colour been resplendishing as the precious 〈◊〉 And there is no bird like to thy feathers ne to thy beauty/ ¶ And the peacock said then to juno/ All this is nought/ sith I can not sing/ And then juno said again thus to the peacock for to content him/ This is in the disposition of the gods/ which have given to either of you one property/ and one virtue/ such as it pleased them/ As to the they have given fair figure/ to the eagle have they given strength/ and to the nightingale fair & playsaunt song/ And so to all other birds/ wherefore every one must be content of that that he hath For the miserable avaricious/ the more goods that they have the more they desire to have   

¶ The v fable maketh mention of the panther and of the vylayns  
 
●●ery one ought to do well to the stranger and for: give to the miserable/ As reher●●th this fable of a pan there which fill in to a pit/ And when the villains or churls of the country saw her/ some of them began to smite on her/ and the other said pardon and forgive her/ for she hath hurted no body/ and other were that gaf to her breed/ And another said to the vylayns/ beware ye well that ye slay her not/ And by cause that they were all of diverse will/ everichone of them went and returned home a gain weening that she should die within the said pit/ but little and little she clymmed up/ and went to her how●● again/ and made her to be well medecyned/ in so much/ that soon she was all hole/ ¶ And within a while after she has ve in her memory the great Injury that had be done to her came again to the place where she had be hurt and sore beat/ & began to kill & slay all the beasts which were there about & put all the shepherds and swyneherds & other which kept beasts all to flight/ she brent the Corn/ & many other evil and great harm she did there about/ And when the folk of the country saw the great damage that she did to them/ they came toward her/ praying that she would have pity on them/ And to them she answered in this manner/ I am not come hither to take vengeance on them which have had pity and misericord of me/ but only on them that would have slain me/ And for the wicked and evil folk I recite this fable/ to th'end that they hurt no body/ For if all the villains had had pity/ the one as the other of the pour panther or ser●●ent which was stranger and miserable/ as moche as sh●● was fallen in to the pit/ the foresaid evil and damage had not come to them   

 
¶ The uj fable is of the butchers and of the whethers  
when a lineage or kindred is indifferent or indyvysyon/ not lightly they shall do any thing to their salute/ as rehearseth to us this fable/ Of a bocher which entered within a stable full of whethers/ And after as the whethers saw him/ none of them said one word/ And the bocher took the first that he fond/ ¶ Then the whethers spoke all to guider and said/ let him do what he will/ And thus the bocher took 'em all one after another safe one only/ And as he would have taken the last/ the pour w●●ether said to him/ justly I am worthy to be take/ by ca●● see I have not helped my fellows/ For he that will not help ne comfort other/ ought not to demand or ask help ne comfort/ For virtue which is unied is better than virtue separate   

¶ The seventh fable is of the fawkoner and of the birds  
 
THe wise aught ever to keep and observe the good cost ceyll/ And in no wise they ought not to do the contra rye/ As rehearseth to us this fable/ Of the birds which were joyful and glad/ as the prymtemps came/ by cause that their nests were then all covered with leaves/ And incontinent they beheld and saw a fawkoner which dressed and laid his laces and nets for to take them/ ¶ And then they said all to guider/ yonder man hath pity of us/ For when he beholdeth us he weepeth/ ¶ And thenne the pertryche/ which had experimented and assayed all the ●●ytes of the said Fawkoner/ said to them/ keep you all well fro that said man and flee high in to the air/ For he seeketh nothing/ but the manner for to take you/ For if he took you/ he shall eat and devour you/ or to the market he shall bear you for to be sold/ And they that believed his coum ceylle were saved/ And they that believed it not were taken and lost/ ¶ And therefore they which believe good council are delivered out of their perils/ And they which believe it not been ever in great danger   

 
IN time passed men praised more the folk full of losings and falsehood than the man full of truth/ the which thing reigneth greatly unto this day/ As we may see▪ by this present fable/ Of the man of truth and of the man liar/ which went both to guider thorough the country/ And so long they went to guider by their journeys/ that they came in to the pronynce of the apes/ And the king of thapes made them both to be taken and brought before him And he being in his Royal majesty/ where as he sat like an Emperor/ and all his Apes about him/ as the subgets been about their lord/ would have demanded/ and in deed he demanded to the liar/ who am I/ And the losing maker & flatterer said to him/ thou art emperor and king/ the faith rest creature that is in earth/ ¶ And after the king demanded of him again/ who been these which been all about me/ And the liar answered/ Sire they been your knights & your subjects for to keep your person/ and your Royalme/ And then the king said thou art a good man/ I wool that thou be my great steward of my household/ and that every one bear to the honour and reverence/ And when the man of truth herd all this he said in himself/ if this man for to have made losings is so greatly enhanced/ then by greater vayson/ I shall be more worshipped and enhanced/ if I say truth/ ¶ And after the king would ask the true man/ and demanded of him/ who am I/ and all that been about me/ And then the man of truth answered thus to him/ thou art an ape and a best right abominable/ And all they which been about the are like and semblable to thee/ ¶ The king then commanded that he should be broken and ●●oren with teeth and claws and put all in to pieces/ And therefore it happeth oft that the liars and flatterers been enhanced/ and the men of truth been set allow and put a back/ For oft-time for to say truth men lose their lives/ the which thing is against justice and equity   

¶ The ix fable is of the horse/ of the hunter and of the heart/  
NOne ought to put himself in subjection for to avenge him on other/ For better is not to submit himself/ than after to be submitted/ as rehearsed to us this fable/ Of an horse which had envy over an heart/ by cause the heart was fairer than he/ and the horse by envy went unto an hunter/ to whom he said in this manner/ if thou wilt believe me/ we shall this day take a good prey/ ●●epe upon my ●●k/ and take thy sword/ and we shall chase the heart/ and thou shalt hit him with thy sword/ and kill him/ and shalt take him/ and then his flesh thou mayst ●●e/ and his skin thou mayst sell/  
¶ And thenne the hunter moved by avarice/ demanded of the horse/ thinkest thou by thy faith that we may take the heart/ of whom thou speakest to me of/ ¶ And the horse answered thus/ suffice thee/ For there to I shall put all my diligence and all my strength/ leap upon me/ and do after my council/ ¶ And thenne the Hunter ●●epte forthwith upon the horse back/ And the horse began to run after the heart/ And when the heart saw/ him come he fled/ And by cause that the heart ran faster/ than the horse did/ he soaped fro them/ and saved him/ ¶ And then when the horse saw and felt him much weary/ and that he might no more run/ he said to the hunter in this manner/ alight fro my back/ For I may bear the no more and have mist of my prey/ then said the hunter to the horse Sith thou art entered in to my hands/ yet shalt not thou escape thus fro me/ thou hast the bridal in thy mouth whereby thou mayst be kept still and arrested/ And thou wilt leap/ the saddle shall save me/ And if thou wilt cast thy feet fro thee/ I have good spurs for to constrain and make the go whether thou wilt or not where as I will have thee/ and And therefore keep the well/ that thou showest not thyself rebel unto me/ ¶ Therefore it is not good to put and submit himself under the hand of other weening thereby to be avenged of him/ against whom men have envy/ For who submitteth himself under the might of other/ he bindeth himself to him   

 
¶ The tenth fable is of the ass and of the lion  
THe great callers by their high and loud cry supposen to make folk afeard/ as reciteth this fable/ Of an ass which sometime met with a lion/ to the which the ass said/ let us climb upon the mountain/ and I shall show to thee/ how the beasts been afeard of me/ and the lion began to smile/ and he answered to the ass/ Go we my brother/ And when they were upon the top of the hill/ the ass began to cry/ And the fox and hares began to flee/ And when thass saw them flee said to the lion/ Seest thou not how these beasts dreaden and doubten me/ and the lion said/ I had been also fearful of thy voice/ if I had not known be ●●ly that thou art but an ass/ ¶ And therefore men need not doubt ne dread him that advanceth himself for to do that that he can not do/ For god keep the moan fro the wolves/ Ne also men need not doubt a fool for his menaces/ ne for his high cry   

¶ The xj fable is of the hawk and of other birds/  
 
THe hypocrites maken to god a beard of straw/ As reciteth to us this fable/ Of a hawk/ which sometime feigned/ that he would have celebred and holden a na tall or a great feast/ the which fest should be celebred within a Temple/ And to this feast and solemnity he Inuyted and summoned all the small birds/ to the which they came/ And incontinent as they were all come in to the temple/ the 〈◊〉 shut the gate and put them all to death/ one after an other/ ¶ And therefore this fable showeth to us/ how we must keep ourself fro all them// which under fair seeming have a false heart/ and that been ypocytes and deceptours of god and of the world/   

¶ The xii fable is of the fox/ and of the lion  
 
Fair doctrine taketh he in himself/ that chastiseth him by the peril of other/ As to us rehearseth this present fable/ Of a lion which sometime feigned himself seek/ ¶ And when the beasts knew that the lion was seek/ they would go all to visit and see him as their king/ ¶ And incontinent as the beasts entered in to his house for ●●o see and comfort him/ he devoured and eat them/ ¶ And when the foxes were come to the gate for to have visited the lion/ they knew well the fallacy and falsehood of the lion and salued him at the entry of the gate/ And en●● not within/ ¶ And when the lion saw that they would not enter in to his house/ he demanded of them/ why they would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within/ And one of the foxes said to him/ we kno〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy tractus/ that all the beasts which have entered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●●ws came not out again/ And also if we entered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●●ore should we come ageyne●● ¶ And therefore he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that taketh ●●ample by the damage of other/ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enter in to the house of a great lord/ it is well facyle 〈◊〉 for to come out of it again it is moche difficile/   

 
¶ The xiii fable is of the ass/ and of the wolf  
●●O none evil man faiths ne truth ought never to be adjusted/ As men may well see by this Fable/ Of a wolf which visited an ass which was well seek the which wolf began to feel and taste him/ and demanded of him/ My brother and my friend where about is thy sore/ And the ass said to him/ there as thou tastest/ ¶ And thenne the wolf feigning to visit him/ began to bite and smite him/ ¶ And therefore men must not trust flatterers/ For one thing they say/ and done another   

¶ The xiv fable is of the hedgehog and of three little kydddes  
 
IT behoveth not to the young and little of age to mock ne scorn their older/ As this fable saith/ of three little hedgehogges/ which mocked a great hedgehog/ which fled before a wolf/ And when he perceived the scorning of them/ he said to them/ Ha a pour fools & would ye wot not wherefore I i'll/ For if ye wist and knew well thinconvenient and peril/ ye should not much of it/ And therefore when men seen that the great and mighty been fearful and doubtous/ the alas or little oughen not to be assured/ For when the town is taken and gotten by fortune of war the Country about is not therefore more ascertained/ but ou●● to tremble and shake   

¶ The xv fable is of the man and of the lion/  
 
MEn ought not to believe the painture/ but the truth and the deed/ as men may see by this present fall/ Of a man & of a lion which had strife to guider & were in great dissension for to were and know/ which of them both was more stronger/ ¶ The man said/ that he was stronger than the loin/ And for to have his saying verified/ he showed to the lion a pyctour/ where as a man had victory over a lion/ As the pyctour of Samson the strong/ ¶ then said the lion to the man/ if the lion could make pyctour good and true/ it had be herein painted/ how the lion had had victory of the man/ but now I shall show to the very and true witness thereof/ The lion then led the man to a great pit/ And there they fought to guider/ But the lion cast the man in to the pit/ and submitted him in to his subjection and said/ Thou man/ now knowest thou all the truth/ which of us both is stronger/ ¶ And therefore at the work is known the best and most subtile worker/   

¶ The xuj fable is of the camel/ and of the flee  
 
HE that hath no might aught not to glorify ne praise himself of no thing/ As rehearseth to us this present fable of a camel/ which bore a great charge or burden It happened that a flee by cause of the camels here leapt to the back of the camel/ and made her to be borne of him all the day And when they had made a great way/ And that the camel came at even to the lodges/ and was put in the stable/ the flee leapt fro him to the ground beside the foot of the camel/ And after she said to the camel/ I have pity of thee/ and am comen down fro thy back by cause that I will no more grieve ne travail the by the bearing of me/ And the camel said to the flee/ I thank thee/ how be it that I am not sore laden of thee/ And therefore of him which may neither help ne let men need not make great estimation of   

¶ The xvij fable is of the Ant and of the sygale  
 
IT is good to purvey himself in thee, summer season of such things/ whereof he shall mister and have need in winter season/ As thou mayst see by this present fable/ Of the sygalle/ which in the winter time went and demanded of the ant some of her Corn for to eat/ ¶ And thenne the Ant said to the sygall/ what hast thou done all the summer last passed/ And the sygalle answered/ I have song/ ¶ And after said the aunt to her/ Of my corn shalt not thou none have/ And if thou hast song all the summer/ dance now in winter/ ¶ And therefore there is one time for to do some labour and work/ And one time for to have rest/ For he that worketh not ne doth no good/ shall have oft at his teeth great cold and lack at his need/   

¶ The xviij fable is of the pilgrim and of the sword/  
 
AN evil man may be cause of the perdition or loss of many folk/ As regercetg to us this present Fable/ Of a pilgrim/ which fond in his way a sword ¶ And he asked of the sword/ what is he that hath lost thee/ ¶ And the sword answered to the pilgrim/ A man alone hath lost me/ but many one I have lost/ And therefore an evil man may well be lost/ but ere he be lost he may well let many one/ For by cause of an evil man may come in a Country many evils   

¶ The nineteen fable is of the sheep and of the Crow  
 
MEn ought not to injury n●● dispraise the pour Innocentes ne the simple folk. As rehearseth this fable/ Of a Crow/ which set herself upon the back of a 〈◊〉/ And when the sheep had born her a great while she said to her/ thou shalt keep thyself well to set the upon a dog/ ¶ And thenne the crow said to the sheep/ Think thou pour Innocent that I wot well with whom I play/ For I am old and malicious/ and my kind is to let all Innocents/ and to be friend unto the evils/ ¶ Add therefore this fable will tell and say/ how there be folk of such kind/ that they will do no good work/ but only to let ever the Innocents and simple folk   

¶ The xx fable maketh mention of the tree and of the reed/  
 
NOne ought to be proud against his lord/ but ought to humble himself toward him/ As this fable rehearseth to us of a great tree/ which would never bow him for none wind/ And a reed which was at his foot bowed himself as much as the wind would/ And the tree said to him/ why dost thou not abide still as I do/ And the reed answered/ I have not the might which thou hast/ And the tree said to the reed proudly/ than have I more strength/ than thou/ And anon after came a great wind/ which threw down to the ground the said great tree/ and the reed abode in his own being/ For the proud shall be always humbled And the meek and humble shall be enhannced/ For the root of all virtue is obedience and humility  
¶ Here finisheth the fourth book of the subtile Fables of Esope/ And how be it that more of them been not found in any Regystre/ Nevertheless many other fables composed by him/ have ●●en founden which here after followen    


¶ The first fable maketh mention of the Mulet/ of the fox/ and of the wolf  
 
MEn call many folk Ass'/ that been well subtile/ And such weenen to know moche/ and to be a great clerk that is but an ass/ As it appeareth by this 〈◊〉/ Of a mule which eat grass in a meadow nigh to a great forest/ to whom came a fox which demanded of him/ what 〈◊〉 thou/ And the mule answered I am a be'st/ And the fo●● said to him/ I ne demand ne ask of the that/ but I ask who was thy father/ ¶ And the Mule answered/ My great father was an horse/ And the fox said again I ne demand to the that/ but only that thou tellest me/ who thou art named/ And the Mule said to the fox/ I ne wot/ by cause I was little when my father died/ Nevertheless to th'end that my name should not be forgotten/ my father made it to be written under my lift foot behind/ wherefore if thou wilt know my name/ go thou and look under my foot/  
¶ And when the fox understood the fallacy or falsehood/ he went again in to the forest/ And met with the wolf/ to whom he said/ Ha myschaunt be'st/ what dost thou here/ Come with me/ and in to thy hand I shall put a good proy Look in to yonder meadow/ there shalt thou find a fat be'st Of the which thou mayst be filled/ ¶ And thenne the wolf entered in to the meadow/ and fond there the mule/ Of whom he demanded/ who art thou/ And the mule answered to the wolf/ I am a be'st/ And the wolf said to him/ This is not that that I ask to thee/ but tell how thou art named/ And the mule said I wot not/ but nevertheless if thou wilt know my name/ thou shalt find it written at my lift foot be hind/ then said the wolf/ I pray thee/ semble to show it to me/ And the mule life up his foot/ ¶ And as the wolf beheld and studied in the foot of the mule/ the Mule gave him such a stroke with his foot before his forehead/ that almost the brain ran out of his heed/ And the fox which was within a bush and saw all the manner began to laugh and mocque the wolf/ to whom he said/ Fool beast thou wost well/ that thou canst not read/ wherefore if evil is thereof come to thee/ thyself is cause of it/ For none ought not to entremete him to do that/ that impossible is to him/  
¶ And therefore many been deceived/ that entremeteth them to do that/ that they may not do/   

¶ The second fable is of the boar and of the wolf  
Sooth desiren to be great lords/ and dyspreysen his parents/ that at the last becomen power and fallen in to great dishonour/ As thou mayst see by this present fable/ Of a boar/ which was among a great herd of other swines/ And for to have lordship and domination over all them/ he began to make great rumour/ and showed his great teeth for to make the other swines afeard/ but by cause they knew him/ they set nought by him/ whereof he displeased much/ and would go in to a herd of sheep/ and among lambs/ And when he was among the lambs/ he began to make great rumour/ and showed his sharp and long teeth ¶ And when the lambs herd him/ they were sore afeard/ and began to shake for fere/ ¶ And then said the boar within himself/ here is the place wherein I must abide & dueke For here I shall be greatly worshipped/ For everichone quaken for fere of me/ ¶ then came the wolf there for to have and ravish some prey/ And the lambs began all to flee/ but the bore as proud would not sterr him/ ne go fro the place/ by cause he supposed to be lord/ but the wolf took him/ and bore him in to the wood for to eat him/ ¶ And as the wolf bore him/ it happened that he passed before the herd of swines/ which the boar had left/ ¶ And then when the bore perceived and knew them/ he prayed and cried to them/ that for the love of god they would help him/ And that without ●●er help/ he was d●●d/ And thenne the swines all of one assent and own will wont and recovered their fellow/ and after slew the wolf/ And as the boar was delivered/ and sa we him among the swines/ and that all his doubt and fere was gone/ he began to have vergoyne and shame/ by cause that he was thus departed/ and gone fro their fellowship and said to them/ My brethren and my friends/ I am well worthy to have had this pain/ by cause/ I was gone & departed from you/ And therefore he that is well/ let him beware/ that he move not himself/ For such by his pride desireth to be a great lord/ which oft falleth in great poverty/   

¶ The third fable is of the fox and of the cock/  
 
OFtyme much talking letteth/ As it appeareth by this fable/ Of a fox/ which came toward a Cock/ And said to him/ I would fain weet/ if thou canst as well sing as thy father died/ And then the Cock shut his eyen/ and began to cry and sing/ ¶ And thenne the Fox took and bore him away/ And the people of the town cried/ the fox beareth away the cock/ ¶ And thenne the Cock said thus to the Fox/ My lord understandest thou not/ what the people saith/ that thou bearest away their cock/ tell to them/ that it is thine/ and not theirs/ And as the fox said/ it is not yours/ but it is mine/ the ●●k s●●aped fro the fox mouth/ and f●●ough upon a tree/ And then the cock said to the fox thou liest/ For I am theirs and not thine/ And then the fox began to hit the earth both with his mouth & heed saying/ Mouth/ thou hast spoken to much/ thou shouldest have eaten the cock/ had not be thine over many words/ And there for over moche talking letteth/ and to moche crowing smar●●/ therefore keep thyself fro over many words/ to th'end/ that thou repentest thee not   

¶ The fourth fable is of the dragon and of the ●●erle  
MEn ought not to render evil for good/ And them that helpen ought not to be letted/ As rehearseth this fable Of a dragon which was within a river/ and as this river was dymynuyssled of water/ the dragon abode at the rivage/ which was all dry/ And thus for lack of water he could not steer him/ A labourer or villain came thenne that way/ and demanded of the dragon/ what dost thou there/ And the dragon answered to him/ I am here left without water/ without which I can not move/ but if thou wilt bind me/ and set me upon thine ass/ and lead me in to my river/ I shall give to the abundance of gold and silver/ And the villain or churl for covetise bound and led him in to his repair/ And when he had unbounden him/ he demanded his salary/ and payment/ And the dragon said to him/ By cause that thou hast bounden me/ thou wilt be paid And by cause that I am now hungry/ I shall eat thee/ And the villain answered and said/ For to have done well/ thou wilt eat and devour me/ And as they strived to guider/ the fox which was within the forest herd well their question and different came to them/ and said in this manner/ strive ye no more to guider/ For I will accord/ and make peace bytwixt you ●●ate each of you tell to me his reason for to wete/ which of you hath right/ And when each of them had told his caas the fox said to the villain/ Show thou to me/ how thou boundest the dragon/ to th'end/ that I may give thereof a true and lawful sentence/ And the villain put the dragon upon his ass/ and bound him as he had done before/ And the fox demanded of the dragon/ held he thenne the so fast bounden/ as he doth now/ And the dragon answered/ ye my lord/ and yet more hard/ And the fox said to the villain/ Bind him yet more harder/ For who that well bindeth/ well can he unbind And when the dragon was fast and well bounden/ the fox said to the villain/ bear him again there as thou first tookest him/ And there thou shalt leave him bounden as he is n●●w/ And thus he shall not eat ne devour thee/ For he that doth evil/ evil he must have/ For justly he shall been punished of god/ they that done harm and damage to the pour folk For who so ever rendereth evil for good/ he shall thereof just lie be rewarded   

 
¶ The v fable is of the fox and of the cat  
THere is many folk/ which avauncen them and say that they been wise and subtile/ which been great fools and knowing no thing/ As this fable rehearseth/ Of a fox which sometime met with a Cat/ to whom he said/ My godsep/ god give you good day/ And the cat answered/ My lord god give you good life/ And then the fox demanded of him/ My godsep what canst thou do/ And the cat said to him/ I can leap a little/ And the fox said to him/ Certainly thou art not worthy to live/ by cause that thou canst nought do/ And by cause that the cat was angry of the fox's words/ he asked and demanded of the fox/ And thou godsep what canst thou do/ A thousand wiles have I said the fox/ For I have a sak full of scyen●● and wiles/ And I am so great a clerk/ that none may beguile ne deceive me/ And as they were thus speaking to guider the cat perceived a knight coming toward them/ which had many dogs with him/ and said to the fox/ My godsep/ certainly I see a knight coming hitherward/ which leadeth with him many dogs/ the which as ye well know been our enemies/ The fox then answered to the cat/ My godsep/ thou speakest like a coward/ and as he that is afeard/ let them come and care not thou/ And incontinently as the dogs perceived and saw the fox and the cat/ they began to run upon them/ And when the fox saw them come/ he said to the kat/ Flee we my brother/ flee we/ To whom the kat answered/ Certainly godsep/ thereof is none need/ Neverthe less the fox believed not the cat/ but fled/ and ran as fast as he might for to save him/ And the cat leapt upon a tree and saved himself/ saying/ Now shall we see/ who shall play best for to preserve and save himself/ And when the cat was upon a tree/ he looked about him/ and saw how the dogs held the fox with their trethe/ to whom he cried and said/ O godsep and subtile fox/ of thy thousand wiles that sith late thou couldst do/ let me now see/ and show to me one of them/ the fox answered not/ but was killed of the dogs send the cat was saved/ ¶ And therefore the wise ought not to dispraise the simple/ For such supposeth to be much wise/ which is a kind and a very fool/   

¶ The uj fable is of the hegoote and of the wolf  
 
THe feeble ought not to arm him against the strong/ As reciteth this present fable of a wolf/ which some time raune after a hegoot/ and the hegoot for to save him leapt upon a roche/ and the wolf besieged him/ ¶ And after when they had dwelled there two or three days/ the wolf began to wax hungry/ and the hegoote to have thirst/ And thus the wolf went for to eat/ and the hegoot went for to drink/ And as the hegoot drank he saw his shadow in the water/ and speculing and beholding his shadow proffered and said such words within himself/ Thou hast so fair legs/ so fair a beard/ and so fair horns/ and hast fere of the wolf/ if it happened that he come again/ I shall corryge him well/ and shall keep him well/ that he shall have no might over me/ ¶ And the wolf which held his peace/ and hearkened what he said/ took him by the one leg thus saying/ what words been these which thou proferest & sayest brother Hegoote/ ¶ And when the hegote saw that he was taken/ he began to say to the wolf/ Ha my lord/ I say no thing/ and have pity of me/ I know well/ that it is my coulpe/ And the wolf took him by the neck and strangled him/ ¶ And therefore it is great folly when the feeble maketh were against the puyssawt and strong   

¶ The seven fable is of the wolf and of the ass  
 
MEn ought not to believe lightly the council of him to whom men purposen to let/ As ye may see by thio fable/ Of a wolf which sometime met with an Ass/ to the which he said/ My brother I am hon●●ry/ Wherefore I must needs eat thee/ ¶ And thenne the Ass answered right benignly/ My lord/ with me thou mayst do what somever thou wilt/ For if thou etest me/ thou shalt put me out of great pain/ but I pray the if thou wilt eat me/ that thou vouchsafe to eat me out of the way/ For well thou knowest that I bring home the raisins fro the vine/ and fro the fields home the corn/ ¶ Also well thou knowest/ that I bear home wood fro the forest/ And when my master well do build some edyffy●●/ I must go fetch the stones from the mountain/ And at the other part I bear the corn unto the mill/ And after I bear home the flower/ And for all short conclusions I was borne in a cursed hour/ For to all pain and to all great labours I am submitted & subject to it/ For the which I will not that thou eat me here in the way for the great vergoyne and shame that the ●●of might come to me/ But I pray thee/ and Instantly require thee/ that thou wilt here my council/ which is/ that we two go in to the forest/ and thou shalt bind me by the breast/ as thy servant/ and I shall bind the by thy neck as my master And thou shalt lead me before the in to the wood where somever thou wilt/ to the end that more secretly thou eat me/ to the which council the wolf accorded and said/ I wool well that it be done so/ ¶ And when they were come in to the forest/ they bound each other in the manner as above is said ¶ And when they were well bounden/ the wulf said to the Ass/ go we where thou wilt/ and go before for to show the way/ And the ass went before and led the wolf in to the right way of his masters house/ ¶ And when the wolf began to know the way/ he said to the ass/ We go not the right way/ to the which the ass answered/ ¶ My lord say not that/ For certainly/ this is the right weigh/ But for all that/ the wolf would have gone backward/ But nevertheless the Ass led him unto the house of his master/ ¶ And as his master and all his meinie saw how the Ass drew the wolf after him/ and would have entered in to the house▪ they came out with staves and clubs and smote on the wolf/ ¶ And as one of them would have cast and smitten a great stroke upon the wulfes heed/ he broke the cord/ wherewith he was bounden/ And so scaped and ran away upon the mountain fore hurted and beaten/ And then the ass for the great joy that he had of that he was so scaped fro the wolf/ began to sing/ And the wolf which was upon the mountain/ & herd the voice of thass began to say in himself/ thou mayst well cry and call/ For I shall keep the well another time/ that thou shalt not bind me as thou hast done/ but late gone/ ¶ And therefore it is great folly to believe the council of him/ to whom men will let/ and to put himself in his subjection/ And he that once hath beguiled/ must keep him fro another time that he be not deceived/ For he to whom men purposen to do some evil turn/ sith men holden him at advantage/ men must put 'em self at the upper side of him/ And after men sha●● purvey for their council   

¶ The viii fable is of the serpent and of the labourer/  
 
THe author of this book rehearseth such another Fable and of such sentence/ as the precydent/ that is to weet/ that men should not believe him/ to whom/ men hath done evil/ And saith that sometime in harvest time a labourer went for to see his goods in the fields/ the which met on his way a serpent/ And with a staff which he bore in his hand smote the said serpent/ and gave him such a stroke upon the heed/ that nigh he slew him/ ¶ And as the Serpent felt himself so sore hurted/ he went fro the man/ And entered in to his hole/ And said to the labourer/ O evil friend/ thou hast beat me/ But I warn thee/ that thou never believe not him/ to the which thou hast done any evil/ Of the which words the labourer made little esteem and went forth on his way/ ¶ It befall then in the same year/ that this labourer went again by that way/ for to go labour and ere his ground/ To whom the said Serpent said/ ¶ Ha my friend/ whither ghost thou/ And the labourer answered to him/ I go ere and plough my ground/ And the Serpent said to him/ sow not to much/ For this year shall be raynfull and great abundance of waters shall fall/ But believe not to him/ to whom thou hast sometime done any evil/ And without any words the labourer went forth on his way/ and believed not the serpent/ but made all his ground to be cultyved and eared/ and sowed as much corn as he might/ In that same year fell great abundance of water/ wherefore the said labourer had but little of his corn/ For the most part of the corn that he had sown perished that same year by cause of the great rain that fell that same year/ ¶ And the next year after following/ as this labourer passed before the repair or dwelling place of the said Serpent and went for to sow his ground/ the Serpent demanded then of him/ My Friend whither ghost thou/ ¶ And the labourer answered/ I go for to sow my ground with corn and with other gains such as I hope that shall been necessary for me in time coming/ And thenne the Serpent said to him/ My friend sow but little corn/ For the Summer next coming shall be so●● great and so hot/ that by the dryness and heat/ that all the goods sown on the earth shall perish ●●ut believe not him/ to whom thou hast done any evil/ ¶ And without saying any word/ the labourer went/ and thought on the words of the Serpent/ ¶ And weening/ that the Serpent had so said for to deceive him/ he sowed as much corn and other grains/ as he might/ ¶ And it happened that the Summer next following was such/ as above is said/ Therefore the man was beguiled/ ¶ For he gathered that same year nothing/ ¶ And the next year after following/ the said season as the pour labourer went again for to ere and cultive his ground the serpent saw him come fro far/ ¶ And as he came and passed before his repair he asked of the labourer in such manner/ ¶ My Friend whither ghost thou/ And the labourer answered/ I go cultive and ere my ground/ ¶ And thenne the serpent said to him/ My Friend sow not to much ne to little of ●●ne and of other grains/ but sow between both/ Nevertheless believe not him/ to the which thou hast done evil ¶ And I tell the that this year shall be the most temperate and the/ most fertile of all●● manner of corn/ that ever thou sawest/ ¶ And when the labourer had herd these words/ be went his way/ and did as the Serpent had said/ And that year he gathered much good/ by cause of the good disposition of the season and time/ ¶ And on a day of the same year/ the serpent saw the said labourer coming fro the harvest/ to whom he came against/ and said/ Now say me my good Friend/ Hast thou not fond now great plenty of goods/ as I had told to the before And the labourer answered and said ye certainly/ whereof I thank thee/ ¶ And thenne the Serpent demanded of him remuneration or reward/ ¶ And the labourer then demanded what he would have of him/ And the Serpent said I n●● demand of the nothing/ but only that to morrow on the morning thou wilt send me a dyssh full of milk by some of thy children/ ¶ And thenne the serpent showed to the labourer the hole of his dwelling/ & said to him/ tell thy son that he bring the milk hither/ but take good heed to that that other while I told to thee/ that thou believest not him/ to whom thou hast done evil/ ¶ And anon after when these things were said/ the labourer went homeward/ And in the morning next following/ he betook to his son a dish full of milk/ which he brought to the serpent/ and set the dish before the hool/ And anon the serpent came out and slew the child through his Wnym/ And when the labourer came fro the field/ and that he came before the repair or dwelling of the serpent/ he fond his son which lay down deed on the earth/ then began the said labourer to cry with a high voice/ as he that was full of sorrow and of heaviness saying such words/ Ha cursed & evil serpent/ vermin and false traitor/ thou hast deceived me/ Ha wicked and deceitful be'st/ full of all courageous evil thou hast sorrowfully slain my son ¶ And thenne the serpent said to him/ I wool well/ that thou know/ that I have not slain him sorrowfully/ ne with out cause/ but for to avenge me of that/ that thou hurtest me on that other day without cause/ and hast not amended it/ Hast thou now memory/ how oft I said to thee/ that thou shouldest not believe him/ to whom thou hast done evil/ have now then in thy memory/ that I am avenged of thee/ ¶ And thus this fable showeth how men ought not to believe ne bear faith to them/ to whom men hath done some harm/ 〈◊〉 evil   

¶ The ix fable is of the fox/ of the wolf/ and of the Lion/  
IF hit be so that any hath been adommaged by other he ought not to take vengeance by the tongue in giving Injurious words/ and the cause why/ is by cause/ that such vengeance is dishonest. As to us rehearseth this present fable/ Sometime was a fox/ that eat fish in a river/ ¶ It happened/ that the wolf came that way/ ¶ And wh●●nne he saw the fox/ which eat with so great appetite/ He began to say/ My brother give me some fish/ And the fox answered to him/ Alas my lord/ It behoveth not that ye 〈◊〉 the relief of my table/ but for the worship of your person I shall council you well/ Do so much to get you a les 〈◊〉/ And I shall teach you how men shall take fishes/ to th'end/ that ye may take some when ye shall be hungry/ And the wolf went in to the street/ and stall a basket/ why the ●●e brought with him/ the fox took the basket/ and bound it with a cord at the wulfs taylle/ ¶ And when he was well bounden/ the fox said to the wolf/ go thou by the river/ and I shall lead and take heed to the basket/ And the wolf died as the fox bade him do/ ¶ And as the wolf was goring within the water/ the fox filled the basket full of stones by his malice/ ¶ And when the basket was full/ the fox said to the wolf/ Certainly my lord/ I may no more lift ne hold the basket/ so full it is of fish/ ¶ And the wolf weening that the fox had said truth/ profe●●rd such words/ saying/ I render graces and thanks to god/ that I may once see thine high and excellent wisdom in the art and craft of fishing/ ¶ And thenne the fox said to him/ My lord abide me here/ And I shall fetch some to help us for 〈◊〉 have and take the fish out of the basket/ And in saying these words/ the fox ran in to the street/ where he fond men/ to whom he said in this manner/ My lords what do ye here/ why are you werkles/ see yonder the wolf/ which eat you●● sheep/ your lambs/ and your beasts/ and yet now he taketh your fishes out of the river/ and eat them/ ¶ And thenne all the men came to guider/ some with flings/ and some with bows/ and other with staves unto the river/ where they fond the wolf/ which they beat outrageously/ ¶ And when the pour wolf saw him thus oppressed/ & vexed with strokes began with all his strength & might to draw/ and supposed to have carried the fish away/ but so strongly he drew/ that he drew and pulled his tail fro his ers/ And thus he scaped uneath with his life/ ¶ In the mean while then happened/ that the lion which was king ou●●r all beasts fell in a great sickness/ for the which cause every be'st went for to see him/ as their lord/ ¶ And when the wolf would have gone thither/ he salued his lord/ saying thus to him/ My king I salue you/ please it you to know that I have gone round about the country and province/ and in all places of it for to search some medicines profitable for you/ and to recover your health/ but nothing I have found good for your sickness/ but only the skin of a fox fierce and proud and malicious/ which is to your body medycynal-but he daygneth not to come hither to see you But ye shall call him to a council/ and when ye hold him/ let his skin be taken from him/ And then let him run where he will/ and that fair skin which is so wholesome/ ye shall make it to be set and bound upon your belly/ And within few days after it shall render you in as good health/ as every were/ ¶ And when he had said these words/ he departed fro the lion and took his leave/ but never he had supposed/ that the fox had herd him/ but he had/ For he was within a terrier nigh by the lodges of the lion/ where he herd all the proposition of the wolf/ to the which he did put remedy and great provision/ For as soon as the wolf was departed fro the lion/ the fox went in to the fields/ And in a high way he fond a great dunghill/ within the which he put himself/ ¶ And as he supposed after hi●● advice to ●●e d●●fowled and dagged enough/ came thus aryed in to the pit of the lion/ the which he salued as he ought●● to have done to his lord/ saying to him in this manner/ Sire king god give good health/ And the lion answered to him God salue the sweet friend/ come nigh me and kiss me/ & after I shall tell to the some secret/ which I will not that ●●uery man know/ to whom the fox said in this manner ●●a a sire king be not displeased/ for I am to fowl arrayed and all to dagged/ by cause of the great way/ which I have gone/ seeking all about some good medicine for you/ Wherefore it behoveth not to me/ for to be so nigh your person For the scenche of the dung might well grieve you for the greed sickness that ye have/ but dear sire/ if it please to thee/ or ever I come nearer to thy Royal majesty I shall go bathe me and make me fair and clean/ And then I shall come again to present myself before thy noble person/ And not withstanding all this/ also or I go/ please the to wete & know that 〈◊〉 come from all the countries here about/ and from all the Royalmes adjacent to this province/ for to see if I 〈◊〉 find some good medicine dusing and needful to thy sickness/ and for to recover thy health/ but certainly I have sound no better council than the council of an ancient greek with a great & long beard/ a man of great wisdom/ sage & wa●● thy to be praised/ the which said to me/ how in this prouync●● 〈◊〉 a wolf without tail/ the which hath lost his tail by the virtue of the great medicine which is within him/ For the which thing it is needful and expedient/ that ye do make this wolf to come to you for the recoverance of the health of your fair and nobl●● body/ And when ●●e is come dyssymylle and call him to council/ saying that it shall be for his great worship & profit/ & as he shall be nigh unto how case on him your armed feet/ and as sweetly as ye may pull the skin fro the body of him & keep it whole/ safe only that ye shall leave the heed and the feet/ And then let him gone his way to seche his adventure/ And forthwith when ye shall have that skin/ all hot and warm ye shall do bind it all about your belly/ And after that or little time be passed/ your health shall be restored to you/ and ye shall be as hole as ever in your life ye were/ ¶ And thenne the fox took his leave of the king/ and departed/ and went again in to his terry/ ¶ Soon after came there the wolf for to see the lion/ And incontinent the lion called him to council/ and castynge softly his feet upon him dyspoylled the wolf of his skin safe the skin of his heed and of his feet/ And after the lion bond it all warm about his belly/ ¶ And the wolf ran away skynles/ wherefore he had enough to do to defend and put from him the flies/ which grieved him sore/ And for the great distress that he felt by cause of the flies/ that thus eat his flesh/ he as wood began to run/ and passed under an hill/ upon the which the fox was/ ¶ And after when the fox saw him/ he began to cry/ and call/ laughing after the wolf/ and mocked/ and said to him/ who art thou that passest there before with such a fair hood on thy heed and with right fair glows in thine hands/ Hark hark/ what I shall say to thee/ when thou went & camest by the kings house/ thou were blessed of the lord/ & when thou were at the Court thou hearkenest and also sayest many good words and good talking of all the world/ ¶ And therefore my godsep be it evil or good/ thou must all let pass/ and go/ and have patience in thine adversity/ ¶ And thus this fable showeth unto us/ that if any be hurted or damaged/ by some other he must not avenge himself by his tongue for to make any treason/ ne for to say of other any harm ne open blasphemy/ For he ought to consider/ that who so ever maketh the pit ready for his brother/ oft it happe●●h that he himself falleth in the same/ and is beaten with the same rod that he maketh for other   

¶ The x fable is of the wolf which made a fart/  
 
IT is folly to ween more/ than men ought to do/ For what somever a fool thynketh-hit some to him that it shall be/ As it appeareth by this fable/ of a wolf/ which sometime rose early in a m●●nynge/ And after that he was risen up fro his bed/ as he retched himself/ made agree 〈◊〉 ●●art/ and began to say in himself/ blessed be god therefore/ these been good tidings/ this day/ I shall be well fortunate and happy/ as miners singeth to me/ And then he departed from his lodges/ and began to walk and go/ & as he went on his way he fond a sa●● full of tallow/ which a woman had let fall/ and with his foot he turned it upso down/ and said to him/ I shall not eat thee/ For thou shouldest hurt my tender stomach/ and that more is/ I shall this day have better meet/ and more delicious/ For well I know this by mine er●●/ which did sing it to me/ And saying these words went his way/ And anon after he fond a great pie 〈◊〉 of bacon well salted/ the which he turned and returned upso down/ And when he had turned and returned it long/ enough/ he said/ I deign not to eat of this meet/ by cause that it should cause me for to drink to much/ for it is to salt And as mine ers' song to me last I shall eat this same day better and more delicious meet/ ¶ And then he began to walk ferther/ And as he entered in to a fair meadow/ he sa●● we a mare/ and her young fool with her/ and said to himself alone/ I render thanks and graces to the gods of the gods that they send me/ For well I wist and was certain/ that this day I should find some precious meet/ And then he came nigh the mare and said to her/ Certainly my sister I shall eat thy child/ And the mare answered to him/ My brother do what somever it shall please thee/ But first I pray the that one pleasure thou wilt do to me/ I have herd say that thou art a good chirurgeon/ wherefore I pray thee/ that thou wilt hele me of my foot/ I say to the my good brother/ that yesterday as I went within the forest/ a thorn entered in to one of my feet behind/ the which grieveth me sore/ I pray thee/ that or thou eat my fool/ thou wilt draw and have it out of my foot/ And the wolf answered to the mare that shall I do gladly my good sister/ show me thy foot/ ¶ And as the mare showed her foot to the wolf/ she gave to the wolf such a stroke bytwixe both his eyen/ that all his heed was astonied and fell down totheground/ and by the same occasion was her fool or colt saved/ And a long space was the wolf dying upon the earth/ as deed/ And when he was come to himself again/ and that he could speak/ he said/ I care not for this mishap/ For well I wot that yet this day I shall eat/ and be filled of delicious meet/ And in saying these words life himself up/ and went away/ ¶ And when he had walked and gone a while/ he fond two rams within a meadow which with their horns launched each other/ And the wolf said in himself/ blessed be god/ that now I shall be well fed/ he then came nigh the two rams/ & said/ Certainly I shall eat the one of you two And one of them said to him/ My lord do all that it please you/ but first ye must give to us the sentence of a process of a plea which is bytwixe us both/ And the wolf answered/ that with right a good will he would do it/ And after said to them/ My lords tell me your reson●● and ●●as/ to then●● that the better I may give the sentence of your different and question/ And then one of them began to say/ My lord/ this meadow was belonging to our father/ And by cause that he died without masting any ordinance or testament/ we be now in debate and strife for the parting of it/ wherefore we pray the that thou vouchsafe to accord our different/ so that peace be made between us/ And then the wolf demanded of the rams how their question might be accorded/ Right well said one of them/ by one manner/ which I shall tell to thee/ if it please to the to hear me/ we two shall be at the two ends of this meadow/ and thou shalt be in the mids of it/ And fro th'end of the meadow/ we both at ones shall run toward thee/ And he that first shall come to thee/ shall be lord of the meadow/ And the last shall be thine/ well then said the wolf/ thine advice is good and well purposed/ late set now who first shall come to me/ then went the two rams to the two ends of the meadow/ and both at ones began to run toward the wolf/ and with all their might came and g●●f to him such two strokes both at ones against both his sides/ that almost they broke his heart within his belly/ & there fill down the power wolf all aswowned/ And the rams went their way/ ¶ And when he was come again to himself/ he took courage and departed/ saying thus to himself/ I care not for all this Injury and shame/ For as mine er●● did sing to me/ yet shall I this day eat some good and delicious meet/ ¶ He had not long walked/ when he fond a sow/ and her small pigs with her/ And incontinent as he saw her/ he said/ blessed be god of that I shall this day eat and fill my belly with precious meats/ and shall have good fortune/ And in that saying approached to the sow/ & said to her/ My sister I must eat some of thy young pigs And the sow went and said to him/ My lord I am content of all that/ which pleaseth to you/ But or ye eat them/ I pray you that they may be baptized and made clean in pure and fair water/ And the wolf said to the sow/ Show me thenne the water/ And I shall wash and baptize them well/ And then the sow went and led him at a strange or pond where as was a fair mill/ ¶ And as the wolf was upon the little bridge of the said mill/ and that he would have take one pygge/ the sow threw the wolf in to the water with her hwde/ and for the swiftness of the water/ he must needs pass under the wheel of the mill/ And god wot if the wings of the mill beat him well or not/ And as soon as he might/ he ran away/ And as he ran said to himself/ I care not for so little a shame/ ne therefore I shall not be let/ but that I shall yet this day eat my belly full of meats delicious/ as miners did sing it early to me/ ¶ And as he passed through the street/ he saw some sheep/ and as the sheep saw him/ they entered in to a stable/ ¶ And when the wolf came there he said to them in this manner/ God keep you my sisters/ I must eat one of you/ to th'end/ that I may be filled and rassasyed of my great hunger/ And then one of them said to him/ Certainly my lord/ ye are welcome to pass/ For we been comen hither for to hold a great solemnity/ wherefore we all pray you/ that ye pontyfycally will sing And after the service complete and done/ do what ye will of the one of us/ & thenne the wolf for vain glory/ feigning to be a prelate began to sing and to howl before the sheep/ ¶ And when the men of the tou●●e herd the Wis of the wolf/ they came to the stable with great staves and with great dogs/ and wonderly they wounded the wolf/ and almost brought him to death/ that with great pain he could go/ Nevertheless he soaped/ and went under a great tree/ upon the which tree was a man which hew of the bows of the tree/ The wulf then began to sigh sore/ and to make great sorrow of his evil fortune/ and said/ Ha jupiter how many evils have I had and suffered this day/ but well I presume and know/ that it is by me and by mine own cause/ and by my proud thought/ For the day in the morning I fond a sak full of tallow/ the which I deigned not but only smell it▪ And after I fond a great pyrce of bacon/ the which I would never eat for dread of great thirst and for my foolish thought/ And therefore if evil is sin happened to me/ it is well bestowed and employed/ My father was never medicine ne leech/ and also I have not studied and learned in the science of medicine or physic/ therefore if it happeth evil to me/ when I would draw the thorn out of the mares fot●● it is well employed/ ¶ Item my father was never neither patriarch ne Bishop/ And also I was never bettered/ and yet I presumed/ and took on me for to sacrifice and to sing be fore the gods/ feigning myself to be a prelate/ but after my desert I was well rewarded/ ¶ Item my father was no legist no never knew the laws/ ne also man of justice/ and to give sentence of a plea/ I would entremete me/ and feigned myself great justicer/ but I knew neither/ a/ ne/ b/ ¶ And if therefore evil is come to me/ it is of me as of right it should be/ O jupiter I am Worthy of greater punition when I have offensed in so many manners/ send thou now to me from thine high throne a sword or other weepen/ wherewith I may strongly punish and beat me by great penance/ For well worthy I am to receive a greater discipline/ And the good man which was upon the tree/ hearkened all these words & devices/ and said no word/ ¶ And when the wolf had fynyssh●●d all his sighs and complaints/ the good man took his axe/ wherewith he had cut away the deed branches fro the tree/ and cast it upon the wolf/ and it fell upon his neck in such manner that the wolf turned upsodoun the feet upward and say as he had been deed/ And when the wolf might res●●e and dress himself/ he looked and beheld upward to the ●●uen/ and began thus to cry/ Ha jupiter I see now well that thou hast herd and enhanced my prayer/ And then he perceived the man which was upon the tree/ & well wend that he had been jupiter/ And thenne with all his might he fled toward the forest sore wounded/ and rendered himself to humility/ and more m●●ke and humble he was afterward than ever before he had been fierce ne proud/ ¶ And by this fable men may know and see that moche resteth to be done of that/ that a fool thinketh/ And it showeth to us/ that when some good cometh to some/ it ought not be refused/ For it may not been recovered as men will/ And also it showeth/ how none ought to avaunt him to do a thing which he can not do/ but therefore every man ought to govern and rule himself after his estate and faculty/   

¶ The xj fable is of the envious dog/  
 
NOne aught not to have envy of the good of other/ As it appeareth by this fable/ Of a dog which was ennyous/ and that sometime was within a stable of oxen/ the Which was full of hay/ This dog kept the oxen that they should not enter in to their stable/ and that they should not eat of the said hay/ And thenne the oxen said to him/ Thou art well perverse and evil to have envy of the good/ the which is to us needful and profitable/ And thou hast of it nought to do/ for thy kind is not to eat no hay/ And thus he did of a great bone/ the which he held at his mouth/ and would not leave it by cause and for envy of another dog/ which was thereby/ And therefore keep the well fro the company or fellowship of an envious body/ For to have to do with him it is much perilous and difficile/ As to us is well shown by lucifer   

¶ The xii fable is of the wolf and of the hungry dog/  
 
S●●che supposen sometime to win that losen/ As it appeareth by this Fable/ For it is said commonly/ that as moche dispendeth the niggard as the large/ As it appeareth by this Fable of a man which had a great herd of sheep/ And also he had a dog for to keep them fro the wolves/ To this dog he gaf no meet/ for the great avarice which held him/ And therefore the wolf on a day came to the dog/ and demanded of him the reason/ why he was so leanly/ and said to him/ I see well that thou diest for hunger/ by cause that thy master giveth to the no meet/ by his great scarepte/ but if thou wilt believe me I shall give to the good council/ And the dog said to him/ Certainly I mister greatly of good council/ ¶ Then the wolf said to him/ This shalt thou do/ let me take a lamb/ And when I shall have it I shall run away/ And when thou shalt see me run/ make then semblant to run after me/ and let thyself fall feigning that thou canst not overtake me/ for lack and fault of meet/ which maketh the so feeble/ And thus when the shepherd shall see that thou mayst not have the lamb fro me by cause of the great feebleness and debility of thy lean body/ he shall tell to thy lord that thou mightest not succour the lamb/ by cause that thou art so sore hungered/ and by this mean thou shalt have meet thy belly full/ ¶ The dog then accorded this with the wolf/ and each of 〈◊〉 made and died as above is said/ ¶ And when the shepherd saw the dog fall/ supposed well/ that hunger was cause of it Forth which cause when one of the shepherds came home he told it to his master/ And when the master understood it/ he said as a man wroth for shame/ I wool that fro hence forth on he have breed enough/ ¶ And thenne every day the said dog had sops of breed/ and of dry breed he had enough/ ¶ Then the dog took strength/ and vigour again/ ¶ It happened within a little while after/ that the wolf came again to the dog/ and said to him/ I perceive well/ that I gaf to the good council/ And the dog said to the wolf/ My brother thou sayest sooth/ wherefore I thank the moche/ For of it I had great need/  
¶ And thenne the wolf said to him/ If thou wilt I shall give to the yet better council/ And the dog answered him with right a good will I shall here it/ And if it be good I shall do after it/ ¶ then said the wolf to him let me take yet another lamb/ and do thy diligence for to have it fro me/ and to bite me/ and I shall overthrow the thy feet upward/ as he that hath no puissance ne strength without hurting of thyself/ believe me hardily/ and well it shall hap to thee/ And when thy masters servants shall have seen thy diligence/ they shall show it to thy master how that thou shalt keep full well his fold/ if thou be well nourished/ ¶ And thenne the dog answered to the wolf that he was content/ And as it was said/ right so it was done/ and both of them made good diligence The wolf bare away the lamb/ and the dog ran after him/ and overtook him/ & boat him faintly/ And the wolf overthrew the dog upsodoune to the ground/ And when the shepherd's saw give such strokes among the dog & the Wulf/ said Certainly we have a good dog/ we must tell his diligence to our master/ and so they did/ & how he boat the wolf/ and how he was overthrown/ and yet said Certainly if he had had ever meet enough/ the wolf had not borne away the lamb/ then the lord commanded to give him plenty of meet/ whereof the dog took again all strength and virtue/ And within a while after the wolf came again to the dog/ and said to him in this manner/ My brother have I not given to the good council/ And then the dog answered to him/ Certainly ye/ whereof I thank you/ And the wolf said to the dog/ I pray the my brother and my good friend that thou wilt yet give another lamb/ and the dog said to him/ Certainly my brother/ well it may suffice the to have had twain of them/ ¶ then said the wolf to the dog/ ¶ At the least way I may have one for my labour and sallarye/ That shalt thou not have said the dog/ Hast thou not had good sallarye for to have had two lambs ou●● of my masters herd/ ¶ And the wolf answered to him again/ My brother give it me if it please thee/ ¶ And after said the dog to him/ Nay I will not/ And if thou takest it against my will/ I promit and warn thee/ that never after this time thou shalt eat none/ And then the wolf said to him/ Alas my brother I die for hunger/ Counceylle me for God's love what I shall do/ And the dog said to him/ I shall counsel the well▪ a wall of my masters celer is fallen down/ go thither this night and enter in it/ and there thou mayst both eat and drink after thy pleasure/ For both breed flesh and win shalt thou find at plenty there within/ And thenne the wolf said to him/ Alas my brother/ beware well then/ that thou accuse ne deceive me not/ And the dog answered/ I warrant thee/ but do thy feat so privily/ that none of my fellows know not of it/ ¶ And the wolf came at the night/ and entered in to the celer/ and/ eat and drank at his pleasure/ In so much that he waxed drunk/ And when he had drunk so moche/ that he was drunk/ He said to himself/ when the villains been filled with meats/ and that they been drunk/ they sing their songs/ and I wherefore should I not sing/ ¶ And then he began to cry and to howl/ And the dogs herd the Wis of him wherefore they began to bark and to howl/ And the servants which herd them said/ It is the wolf/ which is entered within the celer/ And then they all to guider wenman thither/ and killed the wolf/ And therefore more dispendeth the niggard than the large/ For avarice was never good/ For many one been which dare not eat ne drink as nature requireth/ But nevertheless every one ought to use and live prudently of all such goods as god sendeth to him/ This fable also showeth to us/ that none ought to do against his kind/ as of the wolf which waxed drunk/ for the which cause he was slain   

¶ The xiii fable maketh mention of the father and of his th●● children  
HE is not wise/ which for to have vanity and his plesyr taketh debate or strife/ As it appeareth by this fable/ Of a man which had three children/ and at the hour of his death he byquethed/ and gave to them his heritage or lyue●●de/ that is to weet a great pear tree/ a goat & a mill/ ¶ And when the father was deed/ the brethren assembled them three to guider/ and went before the judge for to part their lyue●●de/ and said to the judge/ My lord the judge/ Our father is deed which hath byquethed to us three brethren all his heritage and as much of it should have the one as the other And then the judge demanded/ what was their livelihood/ And they answered a peer tree/ a goat and a mill/ And then the judge said to them/ that they should set and make parties equal of your lyvelede/ and the one to have as much of it as the other/ it is a thing moche difficile to do/ but to your advice how should ye part it/ And then the eldest of the three brethren spoke and said/ I shall take fro the peer tree all that is crooked and upright/ And the second said/ I shall take fro the peer tree all that is green and dry/ And the third said I shall have all the rote/ the pull or mast and all the branches of the peer tree/ ¶ And thenne the judge said to them/ He that then shall have the most part●● of the tree/ let him be judge/ For I ne none other may know ●●e understand who shall have the more or less part/ And therefore he that can or shall prove more openly/ that he hath the most part shall be lord of the tree/ ¶ And after the judge demanded of them/ how that their father had devised to them the goat/ And they said to him/ he that shall make the fairest prayer and request must have the goat/ And thenne the first brother made his request/ and said in this manner/ would god that the good were now so great that she might drink all the water which is under the cope of heaven/ And that when she had drunken it/ she should yet be sore thirsty ¶ The second said/ I suppose that the goat shall be mine/ For a fairer demand or request than thine is I shall now ma●●/ ¶ I would/ that all the hemp/ and all the Flax and all the wool of the world were made in one thread alone/ And that the Goat Were so great/ that with that same th●●de men might not bind one of his legs/ ¶ then said the third/ yet shall be mine the goat/ ¶ For I would/ that he were so great/ that if an Eagle were at the uppermost of the heaven/ he might occupy and ●●aue then as much place as the Eagle might look and see in height/ in length and in breed/ ¶ And thenne the judge said to them three/ who is he of you three/ that hath maked the fairest prayer/ Certainly I no●● none other can not say ne give the judgement/ And therefore the good shall be belonging to him/ that of it shall say the truth ¶ And the Mill how was it devised by your father for to be parted among you three/ ¶ And they answered and said to the judge/ He that shall be most liar/ most evil and most slow aught to have it/ ¶ then say the eldest son/ I am most slowfull/ For many years I have dwelled in a great house/ and lay under the conduits of the same/ out of the which fell upon me all the fowl waters/ as piss/ dish water/ and all other filth that wonderly stank/ In so much that all my flesh was rotten thereof/ and mine eyen all blind/ and the dirt under my back was a foot high/ And yet by my great sloth I had liefer to abide there/ than to turn me/ and have lift me up ¶ The second said/ I suppose well/ that the mill shall be mine/ For if I had fasted twenty year/ And if I had come to a table covered of all manner of precious and delicate meats/ whereof I might well eat if I would take of the ●●st/ I am so slothful that I may not eat without one should put the meet in to my mouth/ ¶ And the third said/ the Mill shall be mine/ For I am yet a greater liar and more slothful/ than any of you both/ For if I had been athurst unto the death/ And if I found then myself within a fair water unto the ne●●/ I would rather die/ than to me●●e ones my heed for to drink thereof only one drop/ ¶ then said the judge to them/ Ye wot not what ye say/ For I nor none other may not well understand you/ But the cause I remit and put among you three/ And thus they went without any sentence/ For to a foolish demand behoveth a foolish answer ¶ And therefore they been fools that will pl●●te such vanity one against other/ And many one been fallen therefore in great poverty/ For for a little thing ought to be made a little plea   

¶ The xiii fable is of the wolf and of the fox  
NOne may not be master without he have be first a disciple/ As it appeareth by this Fable/ Of a Fox which came toward a wolf/ and said to him// My lord I prey you that ye will be my godsep/ And the wolf answered/ I am content/ And the fox took to him his son praying him that to his son he would show and learn good doctrine/ the which the wolf took/ and went with him upon a mountain/ And then he said to the little fox wharne the beasts shall come to the fields call me/ And the 〈◊〉 went and saw fro the top of the hill/ how the beasts were coming to the fields/ and forthwith he went and called his godfader/ and said My godfader the beasts comen in to the fields/ And the wolf demanded of him/ what beasts are they/ and the fox answered/ they be both kine & swine together/ well said the wolf/ I give no force for them/ let them go for the ●●gges been with them/ And soon after the fox did look on another side and perceived the mare which went to the fields/ and he went to his godfader & said/ prayer the mare is go●● to the fields/ & the wolf demanded of him wh●●re abou●● is she/ And the fox answered she is by the forest/ And the wolf said/ Now go we to dyner/ And the wolf with his godson entered in to the wood/ and came to the mare/ ¶ The wolf perceived well and saw a young colt/ which was by his mother/ the wolf took him by the neck with his trethe and drew it within the wood/ and eat & devoured him between them both/ ¶ And when they had well eaten the godson said to his godfader/ My prayer I command you to god and moche I thank you of your doctrine/ For well ye have taught me/ in so much/ that now I am a great clerk/ & now I will go toward my mother/ And then the wolf said to his godson/ My godson if thou ghost away/ thou shalt repent the therefore/ For thou hast not yet well studied/ and knowest not yet the Sylogysmes/ ¶ Ha my godfader said the Fox/ I know well all/ ¶ And the wolf said to him/ Sith thou wilt go/ to god I command thee/ ¶ And when the Fox was come toward his mother/ she said to him/ Certainly/ thou hast not yet studied enough/ ¶ And he thenne said to her/ Mother I am so great a clerk that I can cast the devil fro the cliff/ ●●ete us go chase/ and ye shall see if I have learned aught or not/ ¶ And the young fox would have done as his godfader the wolf deed/ and said to his mother/ make good watch/ ¶ And when the beasts shall come to the field/ let me have thereof knowledge/ And his mother said/ well my son/ so shall I do/ She maade good watch/ And when she saw that both kine and swine went to the fields/ she said then to him. My son the kine and the swine to guider been in the fields/ And he answered/ My mother of them I retch n●●t/ let them go/ for the dogs keep them well/ ¶ And within a short while after/ the mother saw come the mare night unto a wood/ and went/ and said to her son/ My son the mare is nigh the wood. And he answered/ My mother these been good tidings/ Abide ye here/ For I go to fetch our dyner/ and went and entered in to the Wooed/ And after would do as his godfader did before/ and went and took the mare by the neck/ But the mare took him with her teeth/ and bore him to the shepherd And the mother cried from the top of the hill/ My son let go the mare/ and come hither again/ but he might not/ For the mare held him fast with her teeth/ ¶ And as the shepherd's came for to kill him/ the mother cried and said weeping/ Alas my son thou didst not learn well/ and hast been to little a while at●● school/ wherefore thou must now die miserably/ And the shepherd's took and slew him/ For no ne ought to say himself master without that he have first studied/ For some ween to be a great clerk/ that can nothing of clergy/   

¶ The xv fable is of the dog/ of the wolf and of the wheth●●r  
 
great folly is to a fool that hath no might/ that will beguile another stronger than himself/ a●● re●●ceth this fable of a father of famylle which had a great herd or 〈◊〉 of sheep/ and had a great dog for to keep them which was well strong/ And of his Wis all the wolves were afeard wherefore the shepherd slept more surely/ but it happened/ that this dog for his great age died/ wherefore the shepherd's were sore troubled and wroth/ and said one to other/ we shall no more s●●pe at our eas●● by cause that our dog is deed/ for the wolves shall now come and eat our sheep/ ¶ and thenne a great wether fierce and proud/ which herd all these words came to them and said/ I shall give you good council/ Shave me/ and put on me the skin of the dog And when the wolves shall see me/ they shall have great fere of me/ ¶ And when the wolves came and saw the wether clothed with the skin of the dog/ they began all to flee/ and ran away/ ¶ It happened on a day that a wolf which was sore hungry/ came and took a lamb/ and after ran away therewith/ ¶ And thenne the said wether ran after him/ And the wolf which supposed that it had been the dog shoot thrice by the way for the great fere that he had/ And ran ever as fast as he could/ and the wether also ran after him without cease/ till that he ran through a bush full of sharp thorns/ the which thorns rent and broke all the dogs skin/ which was on him/ And as the wolf looked and saw behind him/ being moche doubtous of his death/ saw and perceived all the deception and falsehood of the we there/ And forthwith returned against him/ and demanded of him/ what be'st art thou/ And the wether answered to him in this manner/ My lord I am a wether which playeth with thee/ And the wolf said/ Ha master ought ye to play with your master and with your lord/ thou hast made me so so●● afeard/ that by the weigh as I ran before thee/ I dyte shit three great toordes/ And thenne the wolf led him unto the place where as he had shit/ saying thus to him/ Look hither/ callest thou this a play/ I take it not for play/ For now I shall show to thee/ how thou oughtest not to play so with thy lord/ And then the wolf took and killed him/ and denoured and eat him/ ¶ And therefore he that is wise must take good heed/ how he playeth with him which is wiser/ more sage/ and more strong/ than himself is/   

¶ The xuj fable maketh mention of the man/ of the lion & of his sone  
 
HE that reffuseth the good doctrine of his father/ if evil hap cometh to him/ ●●t is but right/ As to us rehearseth this fable of a labourer/ which sometime lived in a desert of his cultyving and labour/ In this desert was a lion/ which wa●●ed and destroyed all the seed/ every day the said labourer sewed/ and also this lion destroyed his trees/ And by cause that he bore and did to him so great 〈◊〉 and damage/ he made an hedge/ to the which he put and sort cords and nets for to take the lion/ And one's as this lion came for to eat corn/ he entered within a n●●te/ & was taken/ And then the good man came thither/ and beat and smote him so wonderly/ that uneath he might scape fro death/ And by cause that the lion saw that he might not escape the subtlety of the man/ he took his little lion/ and went to dwell in another region/ And within a little while after that the lion was well grown and was fierce/ & strong he demanded of his father/ My father be we of this region/ Nay said the father/ For we been fled away fro our land/ And then the little lion ashied/ wherefore/ And the father answered to him/ For the subtlety of the man/ And the little lion demanded of him what man is that/ And his father said to him/ he is not so great ne so strong as we be/ but he is more subtile and more ingenious/ than we he/ And thenne said the son to the father/ I shall go avenge me on him And the great lion said to him/ go not/ For if thou ghost thither thou shalt repent the therefore/ and shalt do like a fool And the son answered to his father/ Ha by my heed I shall go thither/ and shall see what he can do/ And as he went for to find the man/ he met an ox within a meadow/ and an horse whose back was all fleyen/ and fore/ to whom he said in this manner/ who is he that hath led you hither/ and that so hath hurted you/ And they said to him/ It is the man/ ¶ And then he said again to them/ Certainly/ hear is a wonder thing/ I pray you/ that ye will show him to me And they went and showed to him the labourer/ which eared the earth/ And the lion forthwith and without saying of any more words went toward the man/ to whom he said in this manner/ Ha man thou hast dove over many evils/ both to me and to my father/ and in like wise to our beasts/ wherefore I tell the that to me thou wilt do justice/ And the man answered to him/ I promit and warn thee/ that if thou come nigh me I shall slay the with this great club/ And after with this stuyf I shall flee thee/ And the lion said to him/ Come then before my father/ and he as king shall do to us good justice/ And then the man said to the lion/ I am content/ if that thou wilt swear to me/ that thou shalt not touch me/ till that we been in the presence of thy father/ And in like wise I shall swear to thee/ that I shall go with the unto the presence of thy father/ And thus the lion and the man sweared each one to other/ and went toward the great lion/ and the man began to go by the way where as his cords and nets were dressed/ And as they went/ the lion let himself fall within a cord/ and by the feet he was take/ so that he might not ferther go/ And by cause he could not go he said to the man/ O man I pray the that thou wilt help me/ For I may no more go/ And the man answered to him/ I am sworn to the that I shall not touch the unto the time that we been before thy father/ And as the lion supp●● to have unbonnd himself for to scape/ he fill in to another net And then the lion began to cry after the man/ saying to him in this manner/ O good man I pray the that thou wilt unhind me/ And the man began to smite him upon the heed/ ¶ And then when the lion saw that he might not scape/ he said to the man/ I pray thee/ that thou smite me no more upon the heed/ but upon mine ears/ by cause that I would not here the good council of my father/ And then the man began to smite him at the heart and slew him/ The which thing happeth oft to many children which been hanged or by other manner executed and put to death/ by cause that they will not believe the doctrine of their faders and moders/ ne obey to them by no wise   

¶ The xuj fable is of the knight and of the servant/ the which fond the Fox/  
 
MAny been that for their great losings supposen to put under all the world/ but ever at the last their losings been known and manifested/ as it appeareth by this fable of a knight which sometime went with an archer of his through the land/ And as they road/ they fond a Fox And the knight said to his archer/ In good sooth I see a great Fox/ And the Archer began to say to his lord/ My lord/ marvel ye thereof/ I have been in a region where as the Foxes been as great as an ox/ And the knight answered In good sooth their skins were good for to make mantles with/ if skinners might have them/ And as they were riding/ they fell in many words and devices/ And then by cause the knight perceived well the losing of his Archer/ he began to make prayers and orisons to the gods/ for to make his Archer afeard/ And said in this manner/ O jupiter god almighty/ ¶ I pray thee/ that this day thou wilt keep us fro all losings/ so that we may safe pass this flood and this great river which is here before us/ and that we may surely come to our house/ And when the Archer herd the prayer and orison of his lord/ he was moche abashed ¶ And thenne the Archer demannded of him/ My lord where fore prayest thou now so devoutly/ And the knight answered wost thou not well that it is well known and manifested/ that we soon must pass a right great river/ And that he who on all this day shall have made any losing/ if he enter in it/ he shall never come out of it again/ of the which words the Archer was much doubtous and dreadful/ And as they had riden a little way/ they fond a little river/ wherefore the Archer demanded of his lord/ Is this the flood which we must pass/ Nay said the knight/ For it is well greater/ O my lord I say by cause that the fox which ye sa we may well have swimmed and passed over this little water/ And the lord said/ I care not therefore/ ¶ And after that they had riden a little ferther/ they fond another little river/ And the Archer demanded of him/ Is this the flood that ye spoke of to me/ Nay said he/ For it is greater & more broad/ And the Archer said again to him/ My lord I say so/ by cause that the Fox of the which I spoke of to day was not greater than a calf/ ¶ And thenne the knight herking the dyssymylation of his archer/ answered not/ And so they road forth so long that they fond yet another river/ And then the Archer demanded of his lord/ Is this the same it/ Nay said the knight/ but soon we shall come there to/ O my lord I say so by cause that the Fox whereof I spoke to you this day/ was not greater than a sheep/ ¶ And when they had riden unto even time they fond a great river and of a great urede/ ¶ And when tharcher saw it/ he began all to shake for fere/ and demanded of his lord/ My lord is this the river/ ye said the knight/ O my lord I ensure you on my faith/ that the Fox of the which I spoke to day/ was not greater than the Fox/ which we saw to day/ wherefore I knowledge and confess to you my sin/ ¶ And thenne the knight began to smile/ and said to his Archer in this manner/ Also this river is no wore than the other which we sa we tofore and have passed through them/ And then the archer had great vergoyne and was shameful/ by cause that he might no more cover his losing/ And therefore it is fair and good for to say ever the truth/ and to be true both in speech and in deed/ For a liar is ever beguiled/ and his losing is known and manifested on him to his great shame & damage     

¶ Here after followen some Fables of Esope after the new translation/ the which Fables been not founden ne written in the books of the philosopher Romulus  


¶ The first fable is of the Eagle and of the raven  
¶ The second Fable is of the eagle and of the weasel  
¶ The third fable is of the Fox and of the goat/  
¶ The fourth Fable is of the katte and of the chyken  
¶ The v Fable is of the Fox and of the bush  
¶ The sixth Fable is of the man/ of the god of the woods/  
¶ The seven Fable is of the fisher  
¶ The eight Fable is of the cat and of the rat  
¶ The ix Fable is of the labourer and of the large foot  
¶ The x fable is of the child that kept the sheep  
¶ The xj fable is of the Ant and of the columb  
¶ The xii fable is of the Bee and of jupiter  
¶ The xiii fable is of a carpenter  
¶ The xiv fable is of a young thief and of his mother  
¶ The xv fable is of the man and of the flee  
¶ The xuj fable is of the husband and of his two wives  
¶ The xvij fable is of the labourer and of his children    

¶ The first fable is of the Eagle and of the raven  
 
NOne ought to take on himself to do a thing/ which is perilous without he feel himself strong enough to do it/ As rehearseth this Fable/ Of an Eagle/ which fleyncte took a lamb/ whereof the Raven had great envy wherefore upon another time as/ the said raven saw a great herd of sheep/ by his great envy & pride & by his great outrage descended on them/ and by such fachon and manner smote a wether that his clowes abode to the flies of it/ In so much that he could not flee away/ The shepherd then came and broke and took his wings from him/ And after bore him to his children to play them with/ And demanded of him/ what bird he was/ And the Raven ausuerd to him/ I supposed to have been an Eagle/ And by my overwening I wend to have take a lamb/ as the eagle did/ but now I know well that I am a Raven/ wherefore the feeble ought not in no wise to compare himself to the strong/ For sometime when he supposeth to do more than he may/ he falleth in to great dishonour/ as it appeareth by this present Fable/ Of a Raven/ which supposed to have been as strong as the eagle   

¶ The second Fable is of the eagle and of the weasel  
 
NOne for what so ever might that he have/ aught not to dispraise the other/ As it appeareth by this present fable of an Eagle/ which chased sometime after an hare And by cause that the hare might not resist ne withstand a against the eagle/ he demanded aid and help of the weasel/ the which took him in her keeping/ And by cause that the eagle saw the weasel so little/ he dispraised her/ and before her took the hare/ whereof the weasel was wroth/ And therefore the weasel went/ and beheld the eagles nest which was upon a high tree/ And when she saw it/ the little weasel climbed upon a tree and took and cast down to the ground the young eagles wherefore they died/ And for this cause was the Eagle much wroth and angry/ and after went to the god jupiter And prayed him that he would find him a sure place where as he might lay his eggs and his little chykyns/ And jupiter granted it/ and gave him such a gift/ that when the time of childing should come/ that she should make her young Eagles within his bosom/ And then when the weasel know this/ she gathered and assembled to guider great quantity of ordure or filth/ and thereof made an high hill for to let herself fall fro the top of it in to the bosom of jupiter/ And when jupiter felt the stench of the filth/ he leganne to shake his bosom/ and both the weasel and the eggs of the eagle fell down to the earth/ And thus were all the eggs broken and boast/ And when the Egel knew it/ she made anowe/ that she should never make none eagles/ till of the weasel she were assured/ And therefore none how strong and mighty that he be/ ought not to dispraise some other/ For there is none so little/ but that sometime he may let and avenge himself/ wherefore do thou no displaysyr to none/ that displaysyre come not to the   

¶ The third fable is of the Fox and of the goat  
 
HE which is wise and sage aught first to look and be hold the end/ or he beginneth the work or deed/ as higher appeareth by this fable/ Of a Fox & of a goat/ that sometime defanded and went down in to a deep well/ for to drink. And when they had well drunk/ by cause that they ●●oude not come upward again/ the Fox said to the goat in this manner/ my friend if thou wilt help me/ we shall soon been both out of this well/ For if thou wilt set thy two feet against the wall/ I shall well leap upon thee/ & upon thy horns And then I shall leap out of this well/ ¶ And when I shall be out of it/ thou shalt take me by the hands/ and I shall pluck and draw the out of the well/ And at this request the goat/ accorded and answered/ I wool well/ And thenne the goat lift up his feet against the wall/ and the fox did so moche by his malice that he got out of the well/ And when he was out/ he began to look onthectote/ which was within the well/ & thenne the goat said to him/ help me now as thou hast promised/ And thenne the fox began to laugh and to scorn him/ and said to him/ O master goote/ if thou hadst be well wise with thy fair beard/ or ever thou hadst entered in to the well/ thou shouldest first have taken heed/ how thou shouldest have comen out of it again/ ¶ And therefore he which is wise/ if he wisely will govern himself/ ought to take ever good heed to the end of his work   

¶ The fourth fable is of the cat and of the chyken  
 
HE which is false of kind/ & hath begun to deceive some other/ ever he will use his craft/ As it appeareth by this present Fable of a kat which sometime took a chyken/ the which he began strongly to blame/ for to have fond some cause that he might eat it/ and said to him in this manner/ Come hither thou chyken/ thou dost none other good but cry all the night/ thou lettest not the men sleep/ And then the chykyn answered to him/ I do it for their great prouffite/ And over again the cat said to him/ Yet is there well worse/ For thou art an incest & lecher For thou knowest naturally both thy mother and thy daughter And then the chyken said to the cat/ I do it by cause that my master may have eggs for his eating/ And that his master for his profit gave to him both the mother and the daughter for to multiply the eggs/ And then the Cat said to him/ by my faith godsep thou h●●t of excusations enough/ but nevertheless thou shalt pass through my throat/ for I suppose not to fast this day for all thy words/ ¶ And thus is it of him which is custommed to live by ravin/ For he can not keep ne abstain himself fro it/ For all thex cusations that be laid on him   

¶ The v fable is of the Fox and of the bush  
 
MEn ought not to demand ne ask help of them that been more customed to let than to do good or profit/ as it appeareth by this fable of a fox which for to scape the peril to be taken went upon a thorn bush/ which hurted him sore/ and weeping said to the bush/ I am come as to my refuge unto thee/ and thou hast hurted me unto the death/ And then the bush said to him/ thou hast erred/ and well thou hast beguiled thyself/ For thou supposest to have taken me as thou art custommed to take chickens and hens/ ¶ And there fore men ought not to help them which been acustomed to do evil/ but men ought rather to let them   

¶ The uj fable is of the man and of the god of the woods  
OF the evil man sometime prouffiteth some other/ he doth it not by his good will/ but by force/ As rehearseth to us this fable/ Of a man which had in his house an idol the which oft-time he adored as his god/ to whom oft he prayed that he would give to him much good And the more that he prayed him/ the more he failed/ and became povere/ wherefore the man was well wroth against his idol/ and took it by the legs/ and smote the heed of it so strongly against the wall/ so that it broke in to many pieces/ Out of the which idol issued a right great treasure/ whereof the man was full glad and joyous/ And then the man said to his idol/ Now know I well/ that thou art wicked/ evil and perverse/ For when I have worshipped thee/ thou hast not helped me/ And now when I have beat thee/ thou hast much done for me/ ¶ And therefore the evil man when he doth any good/ it is not of his good will/ but by force/   

¶ The seven fable is of a fisher  
All things which been done & made in their time & see ason been well made/ as by this present fable it appeareth Of a fisher which sometime touched his bagpipe nigh the river for to make the fish to dance/ ¶ And when he saw that for none fonge that he could pipe/ the fishes would not dance/ As wroth did cast his nets in to the river/ & took of fish great quantity/ And when he had draw out his net●●s out of the water/ the fish began to leap and to dance/ and then he said to them/ Certainly it appeareth now well/ that ye be evil beasts/ For now when ye be taken/ ye leap and dance/ And when I piped and played of my muse or bagpipe ye deigned/ ne would not dance/ Therefore it appeareth well that the things which been made in season/ been well made and done by reason   

¶ The eight fable is of the cat and of the rat  
HE which is wise/ and that once hath been beguiled/ aught not to trust more him that hath beguiled him As wherceth this Fable of a cat which went in to a house/ where as many rats were/ the which he did eat each one after other/ ¶ And when the rats perceived the great fierceness and crudelity of the cat/ held a council to guider where as they determined of one common will/ that they should no more hold them ne come nor go on the low floor▪ wherefore one of them most ancient proffered and said to all the other such words/ ¶ My brethren and my friends/ ye know well/ that we have a great enemy/ Which is a great persecutor over us all/ to whom we may not resist/ wherefore of need we must hold ourself upon the high balks/ to th'end that he may not take us/ Of the which proposition or words the other rats were well content and apaid/ and believed this council/ And when the kat knew the council of the rats/ he hang himself by his two feet behind at a pin of iron which was styked at a baulk/ feigning himself to be deed/ And when one of the rats looking downward saw▪ the katte began to laugh and said to the cat/ O my Friend if I supposed that thou were deed/ I should go down/ but well I know the so falls & perverse/ that thou mayst well have hanged thyself/ feigning to be deed/ wherefore I shall not go down/ And therefore he that hath been once beguiled by some other/ ought to keep him well fro the same   

¶ The ix fable is of the labourer and of the pyelarge  
 
HE which is taken with the wicked and evil ought to suffer pain and punition as they/ As it appeareth by this fable/ Of a labourer which sometime dressed and set his gins and nets for to take the ghees and the crane's/ Which eat his corn/ It happened then that one's among a great meinie of ghees and crane's/ he took a pyelarge/ which prayed the labourer in this manner/ I pray the let me go/ For I am neither goose ne crane nor I am not come byther for to do to the any evil/ The labourer began then to law●●/ and said to the pyelarge/ if thou hadst not be in their fellowship/ thou hadst not entered in to my nets/ n●● hadst not be taken/ And by cause that thou art found and taken with them/ thou shalt be punished as they shall be Therefore none ought to hold company with the evil without he will suffer the punition of them which been punished   

¶ The tenth fable is of the child/ which kept the sheep  
 
HE which is acustommed to make losings/ how be it that he say truth/ yet men believe him not/ As rehearseth this fable/ Of a child which sometime kept sheep/ the which cried oft without cause/ saying/ Alla●● for gods love so●●ure you me/ For the wolf will eat my sheep/ And when the labourers that cultyved and eared the earth about him/ herd his cry/ they came to help him/ the which came so many times/ and fond nothing/ And as they saw that there were no wolves/ they returned to their labourage/ And the child did so many times for to play him/ ¶ It happened on a day that the wolf came/ and the child cried as he was acustommed to do/ And by cause that the labourers supposed/ tha●● it had not been truth/ abode still at their labour/ wherefore the wolf did eat the sheep/ For men by leave not lightly him/ which is known for a liar   

¶ The xj fable is of the aunt and of the columb  
 
NOne ought to be slowful of the good which he receiveth of other/ As rehearseth this fable of an Ant/ which came to a fountain for to drink/ and as she would have drunk she fell within the fountain/ upon the which was a columb or dove/ which seeing that the Ant should have been drowned without help/ took a branch of a tree/ & cast it to her for to save herself/ And the Ant went anon upon the branch and saved her/ ¶ And anon after came a Fawkoner/ which would have take the dove/ And then the Ant which saw that the Fawkoner dressed his nett●●s came to his foot/ and so fast pryked it/ that she caused him to smite the earth with his foot/ and therewith made so great noise/ that the down herd it/ wherefore she fl●●whe away o●● the gin and nets were all set/ ¶ And therefore none ought to forget the benyfyce which he hath received of some other/ fo●● slowfulnesse is a great sin   

¶ The xii fable is of the Bee and of jupiter  
 
NOw the evil which men wish to other/ cometh to him which wisheth it/ as it appeareth by this fable/ of a Bee which offered and gave to jupiter a piece of honey/ whereof jupiter was much joyous/ And then jupiter said to the be/ demand of me what thou wilt/ and I shall grant and give it to the gladly/ And then the Bee prayed him in this manner/ God almighty I pray the that thou wilt give to me and grant/ that who so ever shall come for to take away my honey/ if I pryke him/ he may suddenly die/ And by cause that jupiter loved the human lyg nag he said to the Bee/ suffice thee/ that who so ever shall go to take thy honey/ if thou pryke or sting him/ incontinent thou shalt die/ And thus her prayer was turned to her great damage/ For men ought not to demand of god/ but such things that been good and honest   

¶ The xiii fable is of a carpenter  
 
IN as much as god is more propice and b●●nygne to the good and holy/ moche more he punisheth the wyc ●●d and evil/ As we may see by this fable/ Of a carpenter which cut wooed upon a river for to make a temple to the gods/ And as he cut wood/ his axe fell in the river/ wherefore he began to weep and to call help of the gods/ And the god Mercury for pity appeared before him And demanded of him wherefore he wept/ and showed to him an axe of gold/ and demanded of him if it was the axe which he had lost/ & he said nay/ And after the god showed to him another axe of silver/ And semblably said nay And by cause that Mercurius saw that he was good and true/ he drew his axe out of the water/ and took it to him with moche good that he gaf to him/ And the carpenter told th'history to his fellows/ of the which one of them came in to the same place for to cut wood as his fellow did before/ E let fall his axe within the water/ and began to weep and to demand the help and aid of the gods/ And then Mercury appeared to fore him/ and showed to him an axe of gold/ and demanded of him in such manner/ Is the same it that thou hast lost/ And he answered to Mercury/ ye fair sire and mighty god the same is it/ And Mercury s●●ynge the malice of the villain gaf to him neither the same ne none other/ and left him weeping/ For god which is good and Just rewarded the good and true in this wo●●/ or each other after his desert and punisheth the evil and injust   

¶ The xiv fable is of a young thief and of his mother  
 
HE which is not chastised at the beginning is ●●uyll and perverse at the end/ As it appeareth by this fable of a young child which of his youth began●●e to steel/ and to be a thief/ And the thefties which he made/ he brought to his mother/ and the mother took them gladly/ & in no wise she chastised him/ And after that he had done many thefties/ he was taken/ and condemned to be hanged/ And as men led him to the justice/ his mother followed him and wept sore/ And then the child prayed to the justice/ that he might say one word to his mother/ And as he approached to her/ made semblant to tell her some words at her ere/ & with his teeth he boat of her nose/ whereof the justice blamed him/ And he answered in this manner/ My lords ye have no cause to blame me therefore/ For my mother is cause of my death For if she had well chastised me/ I had not come to this shame and vergoyne/ For who loveth well/ well he chastiseth/ And therefore chastise well your children/ to th'end/ that ye fall not in to such a caas   

¶ The xv fable is of the flee and of the man/  
 
HE that 〈◊〉 the evil/ how be it that the evil be not great men ought not to leave him unpunished/ As it appeareth by this fable/ Of a man which took a flee which boat him/ to whom the man said in this manner/ flee why bytest thou me/ and lettest me not sleep/ And the flee answered It is my kind to do so/ wherefore I pray the that thou will not put me to death/ And the man began to laugh/ & said to the flee/ how be it/ that thou mayst not hurt me sore/ N●●uertheles/ to the behoveth not to prick me/ wherefore thou shalt die/ For men ought not to leave none evil unpunished how be it that it be not great 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   

¶ The xuj fable is of the husband and of his two wives  
 
No thing is worse to the man than the woman/ As it appeareth by this fable/ of a man of a mean age/ which took two wives/ that is to weet an old/ & one young/ which were both dwelling in his house/ & by cause that the old desired to have his love/ she plucked the black hairs fro his heed and his beard/ by cause he should the more be like to her/ And the young woman at the other side plucked end drew out all the white hairs/ to the end/ that he should seem the younger/ more gay and fairer in her sight/ And thus the good man abode without any here on his heed And therefore it is great folly to theauncyent to wed themself again/ For to them is better to be unwedded/ than to be ever in trouble with an evil wife/ for the time in which they should rest them/ they put it to pain and to great labour   

¶ The xvij fable is of the labourer and of his children  
 
HE that laboureth and worketh continually may not fail to have plenty of goods/ as it appeareth by this present fable/ Of a good man labourer/ which all his life had laboured and wrought/ and was rich/ And when he should die/ he said to his children/ My children I must now die/ And my treasure I have left in my vine/ And after that the good man was deed/ his children which supposed that his treasure had been in the vine/ did nothing all day but delved it/ & it bore more fruit than did before/ ¶ For who travaileth well/ he hath ever breed enough for to eat/ And he that worketh not dieth for hunger   
¶ Here fynysshen the Fables of Esope/   


¶ And after followeth the table of the fables of Auyan  

¶ The first fable is of the wolf and of the old woman  
¶ The second fable is of the Tortose and of the birds  
¶ The third fable is of the two crevyses  
¶ The fourth fable is of the ass/ & of the skin of the lion  
¶ The v fable is of the frogs and of the Fox  
¶ The seven fable is of the camel and of jupiter  
¶ The eight fable is of the two fellows  
¶ The ix fable is of the two posts  
¶ The x fable is of the bull/ of the lion and of the goat  
¶ The xj fable is of the Ape and of his child  
¶ The xii fable is of the crane and of the pecost  
¶ The xiii fable is of the hunter and of the tiger  
¶ The xiv fable is of the four oxen  
¶ The xv fable is of the bush and of the tree  
¶ The xuj Fable is of the fisher and of the little fish  
¶ The xvij fable is of phoebus/ of the Auarycious/ and of the envious  
¶ The xviij fable is of the thief & of the child which wept  
¶ The nineteen fable is of the lion and of the goat  
¶ The xx fable is of the crow which had thirst  
¶ The xxj fable is of a villain/ and of a young bull  
¶ The xxij fable is of a pilgrim and of the satire  
¶ The twenty-three fable is of an ox and of the rat  
¶ The xxiv fable is of the ghees and of her lord  
¶ The xxv fable maketh mention of the ape and of his two children  
¶ The xxvi fable is of the wind and of the pot  
¶ The xxvij fable is of the wolf and of the cheverel or little good    

¶ The first fable is of the old woman and of the wolf  
MEn ought not to believe on all manner spirits/ As rehearseth this fable of an old woman/ which said to her child because that it wept/ certainly if thou slepst any more/ I shall make the to be eat of the wolf/ & the wolf hearing this old woman/ abode still to fore the gate/ & supposed to have eaten the old woman's child/ & by cause that the wolf had so long tarried there that he was hungry/ he returned and went again in to the wood/ And the shewulf demanded of him/ why hast thou not brought to me some meet/ And the wolf answered/ by cause/ that the old woman hath beguiled me/ the which had promised to me to give to me her child for to have eat him/ And at the last I had it not/ And therefore men ought in no wise to trust the woman/ And he is well a fool that setteth his hope and trust in a woman/ And therefore trust them not/ and thou shalt do as the sage and wise   

¶ The second fable is of the tortose and of the other birds  
HE that enhanceth himself more than he ought to do To him ought not to come no good/ As it appeareth by this present fable/ Of a tortose/ which said to the birds/ if ye life me up well high fro the ground to the air I shall show to you great plenty of precious stones/ And the Eagle took her and bore her so high/ that she might not see the earth/ And the Egle said to her show me now these precious stones that thou promisest to show to me/ And by cause that the tortose might not see in the earth/ and that the Eagle knew well that he was deceived/ thrested his clowes in to the tortoses belly/ and killed it/ For he that will have and get worship and glory may not have it without great labour/ Therefore it is better and more sure/ to keep him lowly than to enhance himself on high/ and after to die shamefully and miserably/ ¶ For men say commonly/ who so mounteth hyher/ than he should/ he falleth lower than he would   

¶ The third fable is of the two Crevysses  
HE which will teach and learn some other/ ought first to corryge & examine himself/ as it appeareth by this fable of a crevysse/ which would havec hastysed her own daughter because that she went not well right/  
And said to her in this manner/ My daughter/ it pleaseth me not that thou ghost thus backward/ For evil might well thereof come to thee/ And then the daughter said to her mother My mother I shall go right and forward with a good will but ye must go before for to show to me the way/ But the mother could none other wise go/ than after her kind/ wherefore her daughter said unto her/ My mother first learn yourself for to go right and forward/ and then ye shall teach me And therefore he that will teach other/ ought to show good ensample/ For great shame is to the doctor when his own coulpe or fault accuseth him   

¶ The fourth fable is of the ass/ and of the skin of the Lion  
NOne ought not to glorify himself of the goods of other as reciteth this fable of an ass which some time found the skin of a lion/ the which he did & weared on him/ but he could never hide his ears therewith/ & when he was/ as he supposed well arrayed with the said skin/ he ran in to the forest/ And when the wild 〈◊〉 saw●● him come/ they were so fearful that they all began to flee/ For they wend/ that it had be the lion/ And the master of the ass served and sought his ass in every place all about And as he had sought long/ he thougiht that he would go in to the forest for to see if his ass were there/ And as soon as he was entered in to the forest/ he met with his ass arrayed as before is said/ but his master which had sought him ●●onge saw his ears/ wherefore he knew him well/ and anonym took him/ and said in this manner/ Ha a master ass/ ar●● thou c●●othed with the skin of the lion/ thou makest the 〈◊〉 stes to be afeard/ but if they knew thee/ as well as I do/ then should have no fere of thee/ but I ensure thee/ that well I shall▪ beat the therefore/ And then he took fro him the skin of the lion/ and said to him Lion shalt thou be no more/ but an ass shalt thou ever be/ And his master took then a staff/ and smote him/ so that ever after he remembered him well of it/ And therefore he which advanceth himself of other men's goods is a very fool/ For as men sayn commonly/ he is not well arrayed nor well appointed/ which is clothed with others gown/ ne also it is not honest to make large ●●onges of other men's leader   

¶ The v fable is of the frog and of the Fox  
 
NOne ought to advance himself to do that which he be can not do/ As it appeareth of a frog/ which sometime issued or came out of a ditch/ the which presumed to have leapt upon a high mountain/ And when she was upon the mountain/ she said to other beasts/ I am a mistress in medicine/ and can give remedy to all manner of sickness by mine arte/ and subtlety/ and shall render and bring you up again in good health/ whereof some believed her/ And then the Fox which perceived the foolish believe of the beasts/ began to laugh/ and said to them/ pour beasts/ how may this fowl and venomous be'st which is seek and pale of colour render and give to you health/ For the leech which will he'll some other/ ought first to hele him self/ For many one counterfeiteth the leech/ which can not a word of the science of medicine/ from the which god preserve and keep us   

¶ The uj fable is of the two dogs  
 
HE that taketh within himself vain glory of that thing/ by the which he should humble himself is a very fool/ as it appeareth by this fable/ of a father of famylle/ which had two dogs/ of the which the one without any barking boat the folk/ & the other did bark & boat not/ And when the father of famyll perceived the shrewdness and malice of the dog that barked not he hinge on his nest a bell/ to the end that men should beware of him/ wherefore the dog was over proud and fierce/ and began to dispraise all the other dogs/ of the which one of the most aun●●en▪ said to him in his manner/ O fool be'st/ now perceive I 〈◊〉 thy folly and great woodness to suppose/ that this bell is given to the for thine own desert and merit/ but certainly it is not so/ For it is taken to the for thy demerits/ and by cause of thy shrewdness/ and great treason/ for to show/ that thou art false and traitor/ And therefore none ought to be joyful and glad of that thing/ whereof he ought to be tryst and sorrowful/ as many fools done/ which make joy of their vices and evil deeds/ for a moche fool were the thief which that men led for to be hanged/ and that he had a cord of gold about his neck/ if he should make joy thereof/ how be it that the cord were much rich and fair   

¶ The seven Fable is of the camel and of jupiter  
 
EWery creature ought to be content of that/ that god hath given to him without to take thenherytaunce of other/ As rehearseth this fable Of a camel which some time complained him to jupiter of that the other beasts mocqued him/ by cause that he was not of so great beauty/ as they were of/ wherefore to jupiter Instantly he prayed in such manner as followeth/ Fair sire and god/ I require and pray that thou wilt give to me horns/ to th'end that I may be no more mocqued/ jupiter thenne began to laugh/ and in stead of horns/ he took fro him his ears/ and said/ thou hast more good than it behoveth to the to have/ And by cause that thou demandest that/ which thou oughtest not to have I have take fro the that which of right and kind thou oughtest to have/ For none ought not to desire more than he ought to have/ to the end that he lose not that which he hath/   

¶ The eight fable is of the two fellows.  
 
MEn ought not to hold fellowship with him/ which is acustommed to beguile other/ As it appeareth by this Fable/ Of two fellows which sometime held fellowship to each other for to go both by mountains and valleys/ And for to make better their viage/ they were sworn each one to the other/ that none of them both should leave other unto that the time of death should come and depart them/ And as they walked in a forest they met with a great wild bear/ & both fellows ran soon away for fere/ of the which the one climbed upon a tree/ And when the other saw that his fellow had left him laid himself on the earth/ and feigned to be deed/ And incontinent the bear came for to eat him/ but by cause the gallant played well his game/ the bear went forth his way and touched him not/ And thenne his fellow came down fro the tree which said to him/ I pray the to tell me what the b●●re said to thee/ For as me seemeth he spoke to thee/ and hath showed to the great sign or token of love/ And then his fellow said to him/ He taught to me many fair secrets/ but among all other things he said to me/ that I should ne ver trust him who once hath deceived me   

¶ The ix fable maketh mention of the two pots  
 
THe power ought not to take the Rich as his fellow As it appeareth by this fable of two pots/ of the which the one was copper/ and the other of earth/ the which pots did meet to guider within a river/ ¶ & by cause that the earthen pot went swifter than did the copper pot/ the pot of copper said to the pot of earth/ I pray the that we may go to guider/ And the earthen pot answered and said to the copper pot/ I will not go with thee/ For it should hap to me as it happened to the glass and of the mortar For if thou school dost meet with me/ thou shouldest break and put me in to pieces/ ¶ And therefore the power is a fool that compareth and likeneth himself to the rich and mighty/ For better is to live in poverty than to die villainly and be oppressed of the rich   

¶ The x fable is of the lion and of the bowl  
 
IT is not alway time to avenge himself of his enemy/ As it appeareth by this fable of a bull/ which sometime fled before a lion/ And as the bull would enter within a cavern for to save him/ a goat went against him for to keep and let him that he should not enter in it/ to whom the bull said/ It is not time now to avenge me on thee/ for the lion that chaseth me/ but the time shall come that well I shall find thee/ For men ought not to do to himself damage for to be avenged of his enemy/ but ought to look time and place covenable for to do hit   

¶ The xj fable is of the ape and of his sone  
 
NO fouler a thing is to the man/ than with his mouth to praise himself/ As this fable rehearseth to us/ Of jupiter king of all the world/ which maked all the beasts and all the birds to be assembled to guider for to know their lounte/ and also their kind/ among all the which came the Ape/ which presented his son to jupiter/ sa yenge thus/ Fair sire and mighty god/ look and see here the fairest be'st that ever thou createst in this world/ And jupiter then began to laugh/ and after said to him/ thou art well a fowl be'st to praise so thyself/ For none ought to praise himself/ but ought to do good and virtuous works/ whereof other may praise him/ for it is a shameful thing to praise himself   

¶ The xii fable is of the crane and of the peacock  
 
FOr what virtue that any man hath/ none ought to praise himself/ As it appeareth by this fable/ Of a peacock/ which sometime made a dinner to a crane/ And And when they had eaten and drunken enough/ they had great words to guider/ wherefore the peacock said to the crane/ Thou hast not so fair a form ne so fair a figure as I have/ ne also fair fe hers/ ne so resplendishing as I have/ To whom the crane answered/ and said/ It is truth/ Nevertheless thou hast not one good/ ne one so fair a virtue as I have/ For how be it that I have not so fair feathers as thou hast/ yet can I flee better than thyself dost/ For with thy fair feathers thou must ever abide on the earth/ And I may flee where somever it pleaseth me/ And thus everichone ought to have suffisance and to be content of that/ that he hath/ without avanncyuge or praising of himself/ and not to dispraise none other   

¶ The xiii fable is of the hunter and of the tiger  
 
wrose is the stroke of a toncte/ than the stroke of a spear as it appeareth by this fable/ Of a hunter/ which with his arrows hurtrd the wild beasts/ in such wise that none scoped fro him/ to the which beasts a tiger fierce and hardy said in this manner/ Be not afeard/ For I shall keep you well/ And as the Tiger came in to the wood/ the hunter was hid within a bush/ the which when he saw pass the tiger before the bush/ he shot at him an arrow/ and hit him on the thy/ wherefore the tiger was greatly abashed And weeping and sore sighing said to the other beasts/ I wot not from whence this cometh to me/ ¶ And when the fox saw him sooo greatly abashed/ all laughing said to him/ Ha a tiger/ thou art so mighty and so strong/ And then the tiger said to him/ My strength availed me not at that time/ For none may keep himself fro treason And therefore some secret is here/ which I knew not before But notwithstanding this I may well conceive/ that there is no worse arrow/ ne that letteth more the man/ than tharrow which is shot fro the evil tongue/ For when some person proffereth or saith some words in a fellowship/ of sommen a of honest & good life/ all the fellowship supposeth that that which this evil tongue hath said be true/ be it true or not/ how be it that it be but losing/ but notwithstanding the good man shall ever be wounded of that same arrow/ which wound shall be Incurable/ And if it/ were a stroke of a spear/ it might be by the chirurgeon healed/ but the stroke of an evil tongue may not be heeled/ by cause that incontinent as the word is proffered or said/ he that hath said it/ is no more master of it/ And for this cause the stroke of a tongue is Incurable and without garrison   

¶ The xiv fable is of the four oxen  
MEn ought not to break his faith against his good Friend/ ne to leave his fellowship/ as it appeareth by this fable/ of four oxen which to guider were in a fair meadow/ ¶ And by cause that ever they were and kept them to guider/ none other be'st durst not assail them/ and also the lion dread them much/ the which lion on a day came to them/ And by his deceivable words thought for to beguile them/ & to ravish & take them the better/ maade them to be separed each one fro other/ ¶ And when they were 〈◊〉/ the lion went/ and took one of them/ And when ●●he lion would have strangled him/ the ox said to him/ godsend/ He is a fool/ which believeth false and deceivable words And leaveth the fellowship of his good friend/ For if we had ●●en ever to guider/ thou hadst not taken me/ And therefore he which is/ and standeth well sure/ aught to keep him so that he full not/ For he which is well/ move not himself   

¶ The xv fable is of the bush/ and of the aubyer tr●●e  
NOne for his beauty ought not to dispraise some other/ For sometime such one is fair that soon waxeth lothly and fowl/ and to high falleth unto low/ as it appeareth by this fable/ Of a fair tree/ which mocqued and scorned a little bush/ and said/ ¶ Seest thou not/ my fair form and my fair figure/ And that of me men and buildeth fair edifices as palace and castellis/ galleys & other ships for to sail on the see/ And as he advanced & praised himself thus/ came there a labourer with his axe for to hew and smite him to the ground/ And as the labourer smote upon the fair tree/ the bush said/ Certainly my brother if now thou were as little/ as I am/ men should not hew ne smite the down to the earth/ And therefore none ought to rejoice himself of his worship/ For such is now in great honour and worship/ that hereafter shall fall in to great vytupere shame and dishonour   

¶ The xuj fable is of the fisher and of the little fish  
MEn ought not to leave that thing which is sure & certain for hope to have the uncertain/ as to us rehearseth this fable of a fisher which with his line took a little fish which said to him/ My friend I pray thee/ do to me none evil/ ne put me not to death/ For now I am nought/ for to be eaten/ but when I shall be great/ if thou come again hither/ of me shalt thou mow have great avail/ For then I shall go with the a good while/ And the fisher said to the fish. Synon I hold the now/ thou shalt not scape fro me/ For great folly it were to me for to seek the here another time/ For men ought not to let go that/ of what they be sure of/ hoping to have afterward that that they have not and which is uncertain   

¶ The xvij fable is of Phoebus'/ of the Auarycious/ and of the envious  
NOne ought to do harm 〈◊〉 damage to some other for to receive or do his own damage/ As it appeareth by this fable/ Of jupiter which sent phoebus in to ther●●he for to have all the knowledge of the thought of me●●  
¶ This phoebus then met with two men/ of which the one was much envious/ And the other right covetous/ Phoebus' demanded of them what their thought was/ We think said they to demand and ask of the great yefts/ To the which Phoebus answered/ Now demand what ye will/ For all that that ye shall demand of me/ I shall grant it/ And of that/ that the first of you shall ask/ the second shall have the double part/ or as much more again/ And then the avaricious said/ I will that my fellow ask what he will first whereof the envious was well content/ which said to P●●ebus Fair sire I pray the that I may lose one of mine eyen/ to th'end that my fellow may lose all both his eyen/ wherefore phoebus began to laugh which departed and went again unto jupiter/ and told him the great malice of the envious/ which was joyful and glad of the harm and damage of an other/ & how he was well content to suffer pain for to have a damaged some other   

 
The xviij fable is of the thief/ and of the child which wept  
HE is a fool that putteth his good in jeopardy to lose it for to get & have some others good/ as it appeareth by this fable of a thief which fond a child wepyuge be side a well/ of whom the thief vyde ask why he wept/ & the child answered to him I weep/ by cause that I have let fall within this well a boket of gold/ & thenne the thief took of his clothes/ & set them on the ground and went down in to the well/ And as be was down the child took his gown & left him within the well/ And thus for covetise to win/ he lost his gown/ For such supposen to win sometime which lossen/ And therefore none ought to wish that/ that he hath not/ to th'end that he loseth not that/ that he hath/ For of the thing wrongfully and evil gotten/ the third heir shall never be possessor of hit   

 
¶ The nineteen fable is of the lion and of the goat  
HE is wise that can keep himself from the wily and falls/ as it appeareth by this fable/ Of a lion/ which ones met with a goat/ which was upon a mountain And when the lion saw her/ he said to her in this manner/ for to give to her occasion to come down fro the hill/ to th'end that he might eat her/ My sister why comest thou not hither on this fair and green meadow for to eat of these fair herbs or grass/ And the goat answered to him/ How be it/ that thou sayest truth/ Nevertheless thou sayest it not/ neither for my weal ne for my profit/ but thou sayest it/ by cause that thou wouldest fain eat and devour me/ but I trust not in thy fair speech/ For many times I have herd say of my grant mother/ he that is well/ move not himself/ For he which is in a place well sure/ is well a fool to go fro it/ and to put himself in great danger and peril   

¶ The xx fable was of the crow which was a thirst  
 
BEtter is craft and subtlety than force/ As rehearseth to us this fable/ Of a crow which upon a day came for to drink out of a boket/ and by cause that she might not reach to the water/ she did fill the boket full of small stones/ in so much that the water came upward/ whereof she drank then at her will/ and pleasure/ And therefore it appeareth well/ that wit or sapience is a moche fair virtue For by sapience or wit/ thou shalt mow resist to all faults/   

¶ The xxj fable is of the villain and of the young bull/  
HE which is of evil and shrewd kind/ with great pain he may chasty himself/ as it appeareth by this fable/ Of a villain/ which had a young bull/ the which he might not bind/ by cause that ever he smote with his horns/ wherefore the villain cut of his horns/ ¶ But yet when he would have bound him/ the bull casted his feet fro him/ in such wise that he suffered noman to come nigh him/ And when the villain perceived the malice of the bull/ he said to him/ I shall chastise the well/ For I shall take the in to the butchers hands/ And then was the bull well chastised/ ¶ And thus ought men to do of the evil/ cursed & rebels/ which do no thing but play with dice and cards and to ruffule/ such folk ought men to put in to the hands of the boucher for to lead them to the gallows/ For better may no man chastise them/ For with great pain may he be chastised/ which fleeth all good works and all good fellowship   

¶ The xxij fable is of the viator or palmer and of Satire  
MEn ought to beware & keep himself from him which beareth both fire & water/ as rehearseth to us this Fable Of a pilgrim/ which sometime walked in the winter/ and went through a great forest/ ¶ And by cause that the snow had covered all the ways/ he witted ne knew not whither he went/ against the which came a wodewose named Satire by cause he saw him a cold/ which approached to the pilgrim and brought him in to his pit/ And when the pilgrim saw him/ he had great dread by cause that a wodewose is a monster like to the man/ as it appeareth by his figure/ ¶ And as the wodewose or Satire led the pilgrim in to his pit/ the pilgrim did blow within his hands for to chausfe them/ For he was sore a-cold/ And then the wodewose gaf to him hot water to drink/ ¶ And when the pilgrim would have drunken it/ he began to blow in it/ And the wedewose demanded of him/ why he did blow it/ And the pilgrim said to him/ I blow in it/ for to have it somewhat more cold than it is/ The wodewose then said to him/ Thy fellowship is not good to me/ by cause that thou wrist both the fire and the water in thy mouth/ therefore go hens fro my pit and never return again/ For the fellowship of the man which hath two tongues is nought/ And the man which is wise aught to flee the fellowship of flatterers/ For by flattering & adulation many have been beguiled and deceived  
  

 
¶ The twenty-three fable is of the ox and of the rat  
THe lords ought to love their subjects/ For he which is hated of his tenants and subgets/ is not lord of his land/ as it appeareth by this Fable/ Of an ox/ which sometime was within a stable/ and as the ox on a time would have slept fain/ a rat came/ which boat the ox by the thighs/ And as the ox would have smitten him/ he ran away in to his hole/ And then the ox began to menace the rat/ And the rat said to him/ I am not afeard of the For all be it that I am little/ I may let and impeach thee/ And if thou art great/ thy parents been cause thereof and not thyself/ And therefore the strong ought not to dispraise the feeble/ unt aught to love him as the chief or heed ought to love his limbs/ For he that loveth not/ ought not to be loved/ And therefore the lord must love his subjects/ if of them he will be loved   

¶ The xxiv fable is of the goose and of her lord  
 
HE that over ladeth himself/ is evil strained/ As this fable saith/ of a man/ which had a goose/ that layed every day an egg of gold/ The man of avarice or covetousness commanded and bad to her/ that every day she should lay two eggs/ And she said to him/ Certainly/ my master I may not/ wherefore the man was wroth with her/ and slew her/ wherefore he lost that same great good/ of the which deed he was much sorrowful and wroth/ how be it that it was not time to shetle the stable when the horses been lost/ & none/ And he is not wise/ which doth such a thing/ whereof he shall repent him afterward/ ne healso/ which doth his own damage for to avenge himself on some other/ For by cause that he supposeth to win all/ he loseth all that he hath   

¶ The xxv fable is of the ape and of his two children  
 
HE that sometime men dispreysen/ may well help some other/ as it appeareth by this Fable of an Ape/ which had two children/ of the which he hated the one/ & loved the other/ which he took in his arms/ and with him fled before the dogs/ And when the other saw/ that his mother left him behind/ he ran and leapt on her back/ And by cause that the little ape which the she ape held in her arms impeached her to flee/ she let it fall to the earth/ And the other which the mother hated held fast and was saved/ the which from thence forthon kissed and embraced his mother/ And And she then began to love him/ wherefore many times it happeth/ that that thing which is dispraised/ is better than that thing which is loved and praised/ For sometime the children which been praised and loved/ done alas good than they which been dispraised and hated   

¶ The xxuj Fable is of the wind and of thearthen pot  
   


  

¶ The second fable is of the commission of pecuny 〈…〉 money  
 
A Spaynard arrived sometime in to the land of egypt And by cause that he doubted to be rob within the deserts of Arabe/ he purposed and bethought in himself that it were wisely done to take his money to some true man for to step it unto his return again/ And by cause that he herd some say/ that within the city was a true man/ he anon went to him/ and took to him his silver for to keep it/ And when he had done his viage/ he came again to him/ and demanded of him his silver/ which answered to him in this manner/ My friend/ Ine wot who thou art/ for I saw the never that I wot of/ And if thou sayest or speakest any more words/ I shall make thee to be well beat/ Thenne was the spaynard sorrowful and wroth/ and thereof be would have made a plaint to his neighbours/ as he died/ & the neighbours said to him Certainly/ we be well abashed of that/ that ye tell to us/ for he is among us all reputed and holden for a good man and true/ And therefore return again to him/ and by sweet words tell him that he will render to the thy good again/ the which thing he did/ and the old man answered to him more sharply and rigorously/ than he had done before/ whereof the spaynard was wonderly wroth/ And as he departed out of the old man's house/ he met with an old woman/ the which demanded of him/ wherefore he was so troubled and heavy/ And after that he had told to her the cause why/ thold woman said to him/ make good cheer/ For if it be so as thou sayest/ I shall council the how thou shalt recover thy silver/ And then he demanded of her/ how it might be done/ And she said to him b●●yng hither to me a man of thy country whom thou trustest/ and do to be made four fair chests/ and fill them all with stones/ and by thy fellows thou shalt make them to be borne/ in to his house/ and to him they shall say/ that the merchants of spain send them to him for to be kept surely/ And when the chests shalt be within his house/ thou shalt go and demand of him thy silver/ which thing he did/ And as the said chests were borne within his house/ the spaynard went with them/ that bare them/ the which strangers said to the old man My lord/ these four chests been all full of gold/ of silver and o●● precious stones/ which we bring to you/ as to the truest man and faithful that we know for to step them surely by cause that we fere and doubt the thieves/ which been within the desert/ After the which words said/ came he/ which the old woman had counseled/ and demanded of him his silver And by cause that the old man doubted/ that the spaynard would have dispraised him/ he said thus to him/ Thou art welcome/ I marveled how thou tarriest so long for to come/ And incontinent he restored to him his silver/ And thus by the council of the woman which he greatly thanked/ he had his good again/ and returned again in to his country/   

¶ The third fable speaketh of a subtile Invention of a sentence given upon a dark and obscure cause  
 
HIt befell sometime that a good man labourer went fro life to death/ the which labourer left nothing to his son/ but only a house/ the which son lived by the 〈◊〉 of his hands pourely/ This young man had a neighbour which was much rich which demanded of the said young man if he would sell his house/ but he would not sell it/ by cause that it was come to him by inheritance and by patrimony wherefore the rich man his neyʒbour conversed & was full oft with him for to deceive him/ but the young man fled his company as much as he might/ & when the rich man perceived that the young man fled from him/ he bethought himself of a great dece●●on & falsehood/ & demanded of the pour young man that he would hire to him a part of his house for to delve & make a celer/ the which he should hold of him paying to him yearly rend/ & the pour young man hired it to him/ & when the celer was made/ the rich man did do bring therein x tons of oil of the which the v were full of oil/ & the other v were but half full/ & did do make a great pit in the earth/ & did do put the five tons which were half full in it/ & the other five abo●●e them/ And then he shit the door of the celer/ and delivered the key to the pour young man/ and prayed him frawdelently to keep well his oil/ but the pour young man knew not the malice and falsehood of his neighbour/ wherefore he was content to keep the key/ And within a while after as the oil became dear/ the rich man came to the poor/ and asked of him his good/ and the young man took to him the key/ this Rich man thenne sold his oil to the merchants/ and warauntysed each ton all full/ And when the merchants measured their oil/ they fond but five of the x tons full/ whereof the rich man demanded of the poor young man resticution/ and for to have his house he maked him to come before the judge/ ¶ And when the pour man was before the judge/ he demanded term and space for to answer/ For him thought and seemed that he had kept well his oil/ and the judge gaf and granted to him day of advice/ & thenne he went to a philosopher which was procurator of the pour people/ & prayed him for charity/ that he would give to him good council at his great need/ & he rehearsed and told to him all his cause & swore upon the holy evangely that he took none of the rich man's oil/ And then the philosopher answered to him in this manner/ My son/ have no fere/ for the truth may not fail/ And the next morrow after/ the philo sopher went with the power man in to judgement/ the which Philosopher was constitued by the king for to give the Just sentence of it/ And after that the cause had be well defended and pleaded of both parties/ the philosopher said/ the same rich man is of good renomee/ and I suppose not that he demanded more than he should have/ And also I believe not/ that this power may be maculed ne guilty of the blame/ which he putteth on him/ but notwithstanding for to know the truth of it/ I ordain and give sentence/ that the oil pure clean of the v tons which are full to be measured/ and also the lie thereof/ And after that the pure and clean oil of the five tons which been but half full to be also measured with the lie thereof/ and that men look if the lie of the five Tons half full is equal and like to the lie of the five Tons/ which been full/ And if it be not so/ that as momoche lie be fond within the vessels which been but half full as in the other/ he shall then be sufficiently & rightwisely proved/ that none oil hath be taken out of them/ but if there be fond as much lie in the one as in the other/ the pour shall be condemned/ and of this sentence the power was content/ & the truth was known/ wherefore the pour man went quite/ and the rich was condemned/ For his great malice and falsehood was known and manifested/ For there is no sin or misdeed done/ but that once it shall be known and manifested   

¶ The fourth fable maketh mention of the sentence given up the pecuny or money which was found  
 
A Rich man sometime went by a city/ And as he walked fro one side to that other/ fill fro him a great purse/ wherein were a thousand crowns/ the which a pour man fond/ and took them for to keep to his wife/ whereof she was full glad/ and said/ thanked be god of all the goods which he sendeth to us/ if he sendeth now this great sum keep we it well/ And on the next m●●ne after following/ the Rich man made to be cried through the city/ that who somever had fond a thousand Crowns in a purse/ he should restitue/ and bring them to him again/ and that he should have for his reward an ninety of them/ And after that the pour man had herd this cry/ he ran incontinent to his wife/ & said to her/ My wife/ that/ that we have found must be rendered or yolden again/ For it is better to have a C crowns without sin than a thousand with sin & wrongfully/ And how be it that the woman would have resisted/ Nevertheless in th'end she was content/ And thus the power man restored the thousand crowns to the Rich/ and demanded of him his hundred crowns/ And the rich full of fraud or falsehood said to the pour/ thou rendrest not to me all my gold/ which thou fondest/ For of it I lack four ninety pieces of gold And when thou shalt render and bring to me again the said four ninety pieces of gold/ thou shalt have of me the C crowns/ which I promised to thee/ And then the pour answered to him/ I have take and brought to the all that I have found/ wherefore they fill in a great different or strife/ in so much that the cause came before the king/ to be decided and pleated/ of the which the king made to be called before him a great philosopher which was procurator of the pours/ And when the cause was well dispnted/ the philosopher moved with pity/ called to him the pour man/ and to him said in this manner/ Come hither my friend/ by thy faith hast thou restored all that good which thou fondest in the purse/ and the pour answered to him/ ye sire by my faith/ And thenne the philosopher said before thassistantes/ Sith this rich man is true and faithful/ and that it is not to believe/ that he should demand more than he ought to do/ he ought to be by lived/ And as to the other part men must believe that this pour man is of good renome and known for a true man wherefore the philosopher said to the king// Sire I give by my sentence/ that thou take these thousand crowns/ and that an C thou take of them/ the which hundred thou shalt deliver to this pour man which fond them/ And after when he that hath lost them shall come/ thou shalt restore them to him/ And if it happeth that another person find the thousand & four C crowns/ they shall be rendered and taken again to the same good man which is here present which saith that he hath lost them/ the which sentence was much agreeable and pleasant to all the company/ And when the rich man saw that he was deceived/ he demanded myseryoorde and grace of the king saying in this manner/ Sire this power man that hath fond my purse/ truly he hath restored it to me all that I ought to have/ but certainly I would have deceived him/ wherefore I pray the that thou wilt have pity and misericord on me And then the king had myseryoorde on him/ And the pour man was well contented and paid/ and all the malice of the rich man was known and manifested   

¶ The v fable is of the faith of three fellows  
 
Oft it happeth that the evil which is procured to other cometh to him which procureth it/ as it appeareth by the fellows/ of the which tweyn were burgess/ & the third a labourer/ the which assembled them together for to go to the holy sepulchre/ This three fellows made so great provision of flower for to make their pilgrimage/ in such wise/ that it was all chauffed/ and consumed/ except only for to make one loef only/ And when the Burgeiss saw th'end of their flower they said to guider/ if we find not the manner and cautel for to begyl●● this villain/ by cause that he is a right great gallant/ we shall die for hunger/ wherefore we must find the manner and fashion that we may have the loof which shall be maked of all our floor/ And therefore they concluded together and said/ when the loof shall be put within the oven we shall go and leye us for to sleep/ and he that shall dream best/ the loof shall be his/ And by cause that we ●●he ●●n subtile and wise/ he shall not mow dream as well as we shall/ whereof the ●●of shall be ours/ whereof all they three were well content/ and all began to sleep/  
¶ But when the labourer or villain knew and perceived all their fallacy/ and saw that his two fellows were a sleep/ he went and drew the loof out of the oven and eat it/ ¶ And after he feigned to be a sleep/ And thenne one of the burgess rose up/ and said to his fellows/ I have dreamed a wonder dream/ For two Angels have taken & borne me with great joy before the divine majesty/ And the other burgess his fellow awoke and said/ Thy dream is marvelous and wonderful/ but I suppose that the mine is fairer/ than thine is/ For I have dreamed that two Angel●● drew me on hard ground for to lead me in to hell/ And after they did awake the villain which as dreadful said/ who is there/ and they answered/ we be thy fellows/ And he said to them/ how be ye so soon returned/ And they answered to him/ how returned/ we departed not yet fro hens/ And he said to them by my faith/ I have dreamed that the Angels had led one of you in to paradise or heaven/ and the other in to hell/ Wherefore I supposed/ that ye should never have comen again/ And therefore I arose me fro sleep/ and by cause I was hungry/ I went and drew out of the oven the leaf and eat it/ For oft it happeth that he which supposeth to beguile some other/ is himself beguiled   

¶ The uj fable is of the labourer and of the nightingale  
 
Sometime there was a labourer/ which had a garden well pleasant and moche delicious/ in to the which he oft went for to take his disport and pleasure/ And on a day at even when he was weary and had travailed sore/ for to take his recreation he entered in to his garden and set himself down under a tree/ where as he herd the song of a nightingale/ And for the great plesyre and joy which he took thereof/ he sought and at the last fond the means for to take the nightingale/ to th'end/ that yet greater joy and playsannce he might have of it/ And when the nightingale was take/ he demanded of the labourer/ wherefore hast thou take so great pain for to take me/ For well thou knowest that of me thou mayst not have great profit/ And the villain answered thus to the nightingale/ For to here the song of the I have taken thee/ And the nightingale answered Certainly in vain thou hast pained and laboured/ For/ for no good I will sing while that I am in prison/ And then the labourer or villain answered/ if thou singest not well/ I shall eat thee/ And then the nightingale said to him/ if thou put me within a pot for to be sudden/ little meet shalt thou thenne make of my body/ and if thou settest me for to be roasted/ less meet shall be then made of me/ And therefore neither boiled ne roasted shall not be thy great belly filled of me/ but if thou let me flee/ ħit shall be to the a great good and profit/ For three doctrines I shall teach the which thou shalt love better than three fat kine/ And thine the labourer let the nightingale flee/ And when he was out of his hands/ and that he was upon a tree/ he said to the villain in this manner/ My Friend I have promised to thee/ that I shall give to the three doctrines/ whereof the first is this that thou believe no thing which is impossible/ The second is that thou keep well that thine is/ And the third is/ that thou take no sorrow of the thing lost which may not be recovered/ And soon after the nyghtgngale began to sing/ & in his song said thus/ blessed be god/ which hath delivered me out of the hands of this villain or churl/ which hath not known/ seen/ ne touched the precious diamond which I have within my belly/ For if he had found it/ he had be much rich/ And fro his hands I had not scaped/ And then the villain which herd this song/ began to complain and to make great sorrow, and after said I am well unhappy/ that have lost so fair a treasure/ which I had won/ and now I have lost it/ And the nightingale said then to the churl/ Now know I well that thou art a fool/ For thou takest sorrow of that whereof thou shouldest have none/ and soon thou hast forgotten my doctrine/ by cause that thou weenest that with in my belly should be a precious stone more of weight than I am/ And I told and taught to thee/ that thou shouldest never believe that thing/ which is impossible/ And if that stone was thine/ why hast thou lost ħit/ And if thou 〈◊〉 lost ħit and mayst not recover it/ why takest thou sorrow for it/ And therefore it is folly to chastise or to teach a fool/ which never believeth the learning and doctrine which is given to him   

¶ The seven fable is of a Rethorycian and of a crowkbacked/  
 
A Philosopher said once to his son/ that when he were fall by fortune in to some damage or peril/ the sooner that he might he should deliver him of it/ to th'end/ that afterward he should no more be vexed ne grieved of it/ As ħit appeareth by this fable of a rhetoric man or fair speaker/ which ones demanded of a king/ that of all them which should enter in to the city/ having some fault of kind on their bodies/ as crouked or counterfeited/ he might have and take of them at th'entry of the gate a penny/ the which demand the king granted to him/ and made his letters to be sealed and written under his signet/ And thus he kept him still at the gate/ And of every lame scabbed/ & of all such that had any counterfaytour on their bodies/ he took a penny/ ¶ It happened thenne on a day that a croukbacked and counterfeited man would have entered within the city without giving of any penny/ and bethought himself/ that he should take and put on him a fair mantle/ and thus arrayed came to the gate/ ¶ And then when the porter beheld him/ he perceived that he was goglyed/ and said to him pay me of my doubt/ And the goglyed would pay nought/ wher fore he took from him his mantle/ And then he saw that he was crowkbacked and said to him/ thou wouldest not tofore pay a penny/ but now thou shalt pay twain/ ¶ And while that they strived to guider/ the hat and the bonnet fell from his heed to the earth/ And the porter which saw his scabbed heed/ said to him/ now shalt thou pay to me three pens/ And then the porter yet again setted his hands on him/ and felt/ that his body was all scabbed/ And as they were thus wrestling to guider/ the crowkbacked fill to the ground/ and hurted himself sore on the leg/ And the porter said then to him/ Now shalt thou pay v pens/ For thy body is all counterfeited/ wherefore thou shalt leave here thy mantel/ And if thou hadst paid a penny/ thou hadst gone on thy way free and quite/ wherefore he is wise that payeth that/ that he oweth of right/ to then the that thereof come not to him greater damage/   

¶ The eight fable is of the disciple/ And of the sheep/  
A disciple was sometime/ which took his pleasure to rehearse and tell many fables/ the which prayed to his master/ that he would rehearse unto him a long fable/ To whom the master answered/ keep and beware well that it hap not to us/ as it happened to a king and to his fabulatour And the disciple answered/ My master I pray the to tell to me how it befell/ And then the master said to his disciple/ ¶ Sometime was a king which had a fabulatour/ the which rehearsed to him at every time/ that he would sleep five fables for to rejoice the king/ and for to make him fall in to a sleep/ It befell then on a day/ that the king was much sorrowful and so heavy/ that he could in no wise fall a slay pe/ And after that the said fabulatour had told and rehearsed his five fables/ the king desired to here more/ And then the said fabulatour recited unto him three fables well short/ And the king then said to him/ I would fain here one well long/ And then shall I love well the sleep/ The fabulatour then rehearsed unto him such a fable/ Of a rich man which went to the market or fair for to buy sheep/ the which man bought a thousand sheep/ And as he was returning fro the fair/ he cain unto a river/ and by cause of the great waves of the water he could not pass over the bridge/ Neverthe less he went so long to and fro on the rivage of the said river/ that at the last he fond a narrow way/ upon the which might pass scant enough three sheep atones/ And thus he passed and had them over one after another/ And hitherto rehearsed of this fable/ the fabulatour fell on sleep/ And anon after the king awoke the fabulatour/ and said to him in this manner/ I pray the that thou wilt make an end of thy fable/ And the fabulatour answered to him in this manner Sire this river is right great/ and the ship is little/ wherefore let the marthaunt do pass over his sheep/ And after I shall make an end of my fable/ And then was the king well appeased and pacified/ ¶ And therefore be thou content of that I have rehearsed unto thee/ For there is folk so superstitious or capaxe/ that they may not be contented with few words   

¶ The ix fable is of the wolf/ of the labourer/ of the fox/ & of the cheese  
 
Sometime was a labourer wgiche uneath might govern and lead his oxen by cause that they smote with their feet/ wherefore the labourer said to them/ I pray to god that the wolf may eat you/ the which words the wolf herd/ wherefore he hid himself nigh them unto the night/ And then came for to eat them/ ¶ And when the night was come/ the labourer unbonde his oxen/ and let them go to his house/ ¶ And then when the wolf saw them coming homeward/ he said/ O thou labourer many times on this day thou didst give to me thine oxen/ and therefore hold thy promise to me/ ¶ And the labourer said to the wolf/ I promised to the nought at all/ in the presence of whom I am obliged or bound/ I swore not neither to   

and young man which fournysshed to thappointment/ And one's as they three made good cheer the husband came again fro the fair and knocked at the door of the house/ wherefore they were well abashed/ then said the old mother thus to them/ have no fere/ but do as I shall tell to you/ and care you not/ And then she said to the young man/ hold this sword/ and go thou to the gate/ and beware thyself that thou say no word to him/ but let me do/ And as the husband would have entered his house/ and that he saw the young man holding a naked sword in his hands/ he was greatly afeard/ And then the old woman said to him/ My son thou art right welcome/ be not afeard of this man/ For three men ran right now after him for to have slain him/ and ●●y adventure he fond the gate open/ and this is the cause why he came here for to save his life/ And then the husband said to them/ ye have done well/ And I can you great thank/ And thus the young amorous went his way surely by the subtlety of the mother/ of his wife/ to the which trust thyself not/ and thou shalt do as sage and wise   

 
¶ The xi fable is of an old harlot or bawd  
A Noble man was sometime/ which had a wife much chaste and was wonder fair/ This noble man would have go on pilgrimage to Rome/ and left his wife at home/ by cause that he knew her for a chaste and a good woman/ ¶ It happened on a day as she went in to the town A fair young man was esprised of her love/ and took on him hardiness/ and required her of love/ and promised to her many great yefts/ But she which was good had liefer die than to consent her thereto/ wherefore the young man died all most for sorrow/ to the which fellow came an old woman/ which demanded of him the cause of his sickness/ And the young man manifested or discovered unto her all his courage and heart/ asking help and council of her/ And the old woman wily and malicious said to him/ Be thou glad and joyous/ and take good courage/ For well I shall do/ and bring about thy fay●●/ in so much that thou shalt have thy will fulfilled/ And after this the old bawd went to her house/ and maked a little cat which she had at home to fast three days one after another/ And after she took some breed with a great deal or quantity of mostard upon it/ and gave it to this young Cat for to eat it/ ¶ And when the Cat smelled it/ she began to weep and cry/ ¶ And the old woman or Bawd went unto the house of the said young woman/ and bare her little Cat with her/ the which young and good woman received and welcomed her much honestly/ by cause that all the world held her for a holy woman/ ¶ And as they were talling to guider/ the young woman had pity of the cat which wept/ And demanded of the old woman/ what the cat ailed/ And the old woman said to her/ Ha a my fair daughter & my fair Friend/ renew not my sorrow/ And saying these words she began to weep/ and said/ My friend for no good I will tell the cause why my cat weepeth/ And thenn/ the young woman said to her/ My good Mother I pray you that ye will tell me the cause why & wherefore your cat weepeth/ And then the old woman said to her/ My Friend I will well/ if thou wilt swear that thou shalt never rehearse it to no body/ to the which promise the good & true young woman accorded herself/ supposing/ that it had been all good and said/ 〈◊〉 will well/ And then the old woman said to her in this manner/ My friend this same cat which thou seest yonder was my daughter/ the which was wonder fair gracious and chaste/ which a young man loved much/ and was so much esprised of her love/ that by cause that she refused him/ he died for her love/ wherefore the gods having pity on him/ have turned my douggter in to this cat/ And the young woman which supposed that the old woman had said truth said to her in this manner/ Alas my fair mother/ I ne wot what I shall do/ For such a ●●as might well hap to me/ For in this Town is a young man/ which dieth almost for the love of me/ But for love of my husband/ to whom I ought to keep chastity/ I have not will grant him/ Nevertheless I shall do that/ that thou shalt council to me/ And then the old woman said to her/ My Friend have thou pity on him as soon as thou mayst/ so that it 〈◊〉 not to the like as it did to my daughter/  
¶ The young woman thenne answered to her/ and said/ if he require me any more/ I shall accord me with him/ And if he require me no more/ yet shall I profere me to him/  
¶ And to th'end/ that I offend not the gods/ I shall do and accomplish it/ as soon as I may/ ¶ The old woman thenne took leave of her/ & went forthwith to the young man/ And to him she rehearsed and told all these tidings/ whereof his heart was filled with joy/ the which anon went toward the young woman/ and with her he fulfilled his will/ ¶ And thus ye may know the evils/ which been done by bawds and old harlots/ that would to god/ that they were all brent   

¶ The xii fable is of a blind man and of his wife/  
 
THere was sometime a blind man which had a fair wife/ of the which he was moche Ia●●us/ He kept her so that she might not go no where/ For ever he had her by the hand/ And after that she was enamoured of a gentle fellow/ they could not find the manner ne no place for to fulfil their will/ but notwithstanding the woman which was subtile and ingenious counseled to her friend that he should come in to her house/ and that he should enter in to the garden and that there he should climb upon a peer tree/ And he did as she told him/ and when they had made their enterprise/ the woman came again in to the house/ and said to her husband/ My friend I pray you that ye will go in to our garden for to disport us a little while there/ of the which prayer the blind man was well content/ and said to his wife/ well my good friend I will well/ let us go thither/ And as they were under the peer tree/ she said to her husband/ My friend I pray the to let me go upon the peer tree/ And I shall gather for us both some fair peers/ well my friend said the blind man/ I wool well & grant thereto/ And when she was upon the tree/ the young man begannn to shalt the 〈◊〉 tree at one side/ and the young woman atthe other side/ And And as the blind man herd thus hard shake the peer tree/ and the noise which they made/ he said to them/ Ha a evil woman how be it that I see it not/ Nevertheless I feel and understand it well/ But I pray to the gods/ that they vouchsafe to send me my sight again/ And as soon as he had made his prayer jupiter rend●●yd to him his sight again  
¶ And when he saw that pageant upon the peer tree/ he said to his wife Ha unhappy woman/ I shall never have no joy with thee/ And by cause that the young woman was ready in speech and malicious/ she answered forthwith to her husband/ My friend thou art well beholden and bounden to me/ For by cause and for the ●●oue the gods have restored to the thy sight/ whereof I thank all the gods and goddesses/ which have enhanced and herd my prayer/ For I desiring moche that thou might see me/ cessed never day ne night to pray them/ that they would render to the thy sight/ wherefore the goddess Wenus visibly showed herself to me/ and said/ that if I would do some plays yr to the said young man/ she should restore to the thy sight/ And thus I am cause of it And then the good man said to her/ My right deer wife & good friend/ I remercye and thank you greatly/ For right ye have and I great wrong   

¶ The xiii fable is of the tayller/ of a king/ and of his servant  
MEn ought not to do some other/ that which he would not that it were done to him/ As it appeareth/ by this present fable/ of a king which had a tayller which was as good a workman of his craft/ as any was at that time in all the world/ the which tayller had with him many good servants/ whereof the one was called Medius/ which surmounted all the other in shaping or sewing/ wherefore the king commanded to his steward that the said tayllers should far well/ and have of the best meats and of delicious drink/ ¶ It happened on a day that the master steward gaf to them right good and delicious meet in the which was some honey/ And by cause that Medius was not at that feast/ the steward said to the other/ that they should keep for him/ some of their meet/ And then the master tayller answered/ he must none have/ For if he were here/ he should not eat of it/ For he eat never no honey/ And as they had done/ Medius came/ and demanded of his fellows/ why kept you not part of this meet for me/ And the steward answered and said to him/ By cause that thy master said to me/ that thou eat never no honey/ no part of the meet was kept for the And Medius answered then never one word/ but began to think/ how he might pay his master/ And on a day as the steward was alone with Medius/ he demanded of Medius/ if he knew no man that could work as well as his master/ And Medius said nay/ and that it was great damage of a sickness that he had/ And the steward demanded what sickness it was/ And then Medius answered to him/ My lord when he is entered in to his frenzy or woodness/ there cometh upon him a rage/ And how shall I know it said the steward/ Certainly my lord said Medius/ when ye shal●● see that he shall set at his work/ and that he shall look here and there/ and shall smite upon his board with his fist/ thenne may ye know that his sickness cometh on him/ And thenne without ye take and bind him/ and also beat him well/ he shall do great harm and damage/ And the steward said to him/ Care not thereof my friend/ For well I shall beware myself of him/ And on the morning next following/ the steward came for to see the tayllers/ And when Medius which knew well the cause of his coming/ took away secretly his masters shears/ and hid them/ And anon his master began for to look after them/ and saw and searched all about here and there/ and began to smite his fist upon the board/ And then the master steward began to look on his manners/ and suddenly made him to be take/ and hold by his servants/ And after made him to be bound and well 〈◊〉/ then was the master tayller all abashed/ and demanded of them/ My lords wherefore do ye beat me so outrageously/ what offence have I done/ wherefore I must be bound and thus ●●e beat/ And then the steward said to him in this manner/ by cause that Medius told me/ that thou art frantic And if thou be not well beat/ thou shouldest do great harm and damage/ And thenne the master came to his servant Medius and rigorously said to him/ Ha a evil boy filled when evil words/ when sawest thou me mad/ And his servant proud●●ly answered to him/ My master when didst thou see that I eat no honey/ And therefore I threw to the one ●●ole for another/ And the master steward/ and all his servants began then to laugh/ and said all that he had well done/ ¶ And therefore men ought not to do to any other that thing which they will not that men did to them/   
¶ Here enden the fables of Alfonce   

¶ And followen other fables of Poge the Florentyn  

¶ The first fable is of the subtlety of the woman for to d●●yue her husband  
 
THe cautel or falsehood of the woman is wonder marvelous/ as it appeareth by this fable/ Of a merchant which was wedded of new unto a fair and young woman/ the which merchant went over the see for to buy & sell/ and for to get somewhat for to live honestly/ And by cause that he dwelled to long/ his wife supposed that he was deed/ And therefore she enamoured herself with another man/ which did to her mykle good/ as for to have do make and build up his house of new the which had great need of reparation/ and also he gave to her all new Vtensyles to keep a house hold/ And within a long time after the departing of the merchant he came again in to his house which he saw new builded/ & saw dishes pots/ pans/ and such other household wherefore he demanded of his wife how and in what man●● she had found the fashion and the mean for to have repaired so so honestly his house/ And she answered that it was by the grace of god/ And he answered/ blessed be god of it/ And when he was within the chamber/ he saw the bed richly covered/ & the walls well hanged/ and demanded of his wife he had done before/ And she thenne answered to him in like manner as she did before/ And therefore he thanked god as he had done to fore/ And as he would set him at his dinner/ there was brought before him unto his wife a child of three year of age/ or there about/ wherefore he demanded of his wife/ My friend to whom belongeth this fair child/ And she answered/ My Friend the holy ghost of his grace hath sent it to me/ Thenne answered the merchant to his wife in this manner/ I render not graces ne thanks not to the holy ghost of this/ For he hath taken to much pain and labour for to have it made up mine own work/ And I will that in no manner wise he me dl●● no more therewith/ For such thing belongeth to me for to do it/ and not to the holy ghost   

¶ The second fable is of the woman and of the hypocrite  
 
THe generation or birth of the hypocrite is much damnable and evil/ As it appeareth by this fable/ and as poge rehearseth to us which saith/ that sometime he fond himself in a good fellowship/ where he herd a fable/ which was there rehearsed/ Of the which the tenor followeth/ and saith the said poge/ that of all the goods of this world/ the hypocrites been possessors/ For how be it/ that a●● hypocrite have sometime will for to help some power and Indygent/ Nevertheless he hath a condition within himself/ that is to w●●/ that he should rather see a man at the point of death/ than for to save his life of an halfpenny/ And this presumption is called hypocrisy/ as ye shall here hereafter by the fable following the which saith that one being in the fellowship of Poge rehearsed/ that sometime the custom of all the power was that they went before the folks doors without saying any word It happened then on that time that a pour man much fair and of good life went to search his life fro one door to another/ And upon a day among other he went and set himself upon a great stone before the gate of a widow/ which widow was acustommed to give him ever somewhat/ ¶ And when the good woman knew that he was at her door she did bring to him his portion as she was custommed for to do/ And as she gave to him the meet she looked on him/ and seeing him so fair/ and well made of body/ she then filled of car nal concupiscence/ and brenning in the fire of love/ requered and Instantly prayed him that he would return thither within three days/ and promised to him that she should give to him a right good dinner/ And the pour man said to her/ that he should do so/ And when he came again/ he set himself as before/ at door of the widows house/ which the woman knew well when he should come/ wherefore she came to the gate and said/ Come within good man/ For now we shall dine/ to the which prayer the power man assented/ & entered within the house/ the which widow gave to him good meet/ and good drink/ And when they had well dined/ the said widow pressed the good man strongly/ and after she kiss said him/ requiring him that she might have the copy of his love/ And thenne the pour man all ashamed & Vergoynous knowing her thought and her will/ answered thus to her/ Certainly my good lady I dare not/ but nevertheless he would fain have done it/ And the widow all embraced with love beseeched and prayed him more and more/ And then when the pour man saw that he might not excuse himself/ he said to the widow in this manner/ My friend sith that thou desirest it for to do so moche and so great an evil/ I take god to my witness/ that thou art causer of it/ For I am not consenting to the feat or deed/ but saying these words he consented to her will   

¶ The third fable is of a young woman which accused her husband of coulpe or blame  
 
POge florentyne saith/ that sometime there was a man named Nerus de pace/ the which of his age was among the florentine/ Right sage and prudent and right rich/ This Nerus had a fair daughter/ the which he he married with a tight fair young man/ and a rich/ and of good parentage or kindred/ the which young man the next day after the feast of his wedding did lead her in to his castle/ a little way without the city of Florence/ And within few days after/ this young man brought his wife again in to Florence unto the house of her father Nerus/ the which made then a feast as it was customed to do at that time in some places eight days after the wedding/ when this new married or wedded woman was come again to her faders house/ she made not over good cheer/ but ever she had her look downward to the earth/ as full trist/ thoughtful & melancholious/ And when her mother perceived and saw her daughter so sorrowful/ and of mourning countenance/ she called her within a wardrobe where as no body was/ but they two/ and asked of her the cause of her sorrow/ saying/ how far ye my daughter/ what want you/ have you not all things coming to you after your desire and pleasance/ wherefore take ye so great thought and melancholy/ And then the daughter we ping full tendyrly said to the mother in this manner/ Alas my mother ye have not married me to a man/ For of such a thing that a man ought to have/ he hath never a deal/ safe only a little part of that thing for the which wedding is made/ And then the mother right wroth & sorrowful of this evil fortune went toward her husband Nerus/ and told to him thevil adventure and hap of their daughter/ whereof he was greatly wroth and sore troubled/ And soon after this fortune was also divulged manifested and known among all the lineage of Nerus/ whereof they were all sorrowful/ & greatly abashed/ how this fair young man/ to whom god had sent so many good Virtues/ and that had so many yefts of grace/ as is beauty/ richesse/ and good renomee/ and that he was indigent or fawtyf of that thing/ wherefore marriage is made/ Nevertheless the tables were set and covered/  
¶ And when the time of dinner came/ the young man came in to the house of Nerus with his friends and parents/ And incontinent they set them all at the table/ some with heavy and sorrowful heart/ and the other with great joy and pleasure/ And when the young man saw that all his Friends made good cheer/ and that all the parents of his wife were heavy and melancholious/ he prayed and besought them/ that they would tell him the cause of their heaviness and sorrow/ but none of them all answered/ Nevertheless he prayed/ and besought them yet again/ And then one of them full of sorrow and more liberal than all the other/ said thus to him/ Certainly my fair son/ thy wife hath told to us/ that thou art not man parfyghte/ For the which words the man began to laugh/ and said with an high boys that all they that were there might Understand what he said/ My lords/ and my friends make good cheer/ For the cause of your sorrow shall soon be peased/ And then he being clothed with a short gown Vntyde his hosen/ and took his member with his hand/ which was great and much suffisant upon the table/ so that all the folauship might see it/ wherefore the said fellowship might see it/ whereof the said fellowship was full glad and joyful/ whereof some of the men desired to have as much/ And many of the women wished to their husbandsuch an Instrument/ And then some of the friends & parents of Nerus daughter went toward her/ and said to 〈◊〉/ that she had great wrong for to complain her of her husband/ For he had well wherewith she might be contented/ and blamed her greatly of her folly/ to whom the young daughter answered/ My friends why blame ye me/ I complain me not without cause/ For our ass/ which is a brute be'st/ hath well a member as great as mine arm/ and my husband which 〈◊〉 a man/ his member is Vnnethe half so great/ wherefore the simple and young damosel wend that the men should have it as great and greater than Asses  
¶ Therefore it is said oft/ that moche lacketh he of that that a fool thinketh or weeneth   

¶ The fourth fable is of hunting and hawking  
¶ The fourth fable is of the hunting & hawking  
 
POge Florentyn rehearseth to us/ how ones he was in a fellowship where men spoke of the superflue cure of them which govern the dogs and hawks/ whereof a mylannoys named Paulus began to laugh/ and laughing required of Poge that he would rehearse some fable of the said hawks/ And for love of all the fellowship he said in this manner/ Sometime was a medicine which was a Mylannoys This medicine healed all fools of all manner of folly/ and how & in what manner he did hele them/ I shall tell it to you This medicine or leech had within his house a great garden And in the mids of it was a deep and a broad pit/ which was full of stinking and Infected water/ And within the same pit the said medicine put the fools after the quantity of their foolishness/ some unto the knes/ and the other unto the belly/ And there he bond them fast at a post/ but none he put depper/ than unto the stomach for doubt of greater Inconvenient/ It happened then that among other was one brought to him/ which he put in to the said water unto the thighs/ And when he had be by the space of xv days within the said water/ he began to be peaceable and gate his wit again/ And for to have take some disport and consolation he prayed to him which had the keeping of him/ that he would take him out of the water/ and promised to him that he should not depart fro the garden/ And then the keeper that kept him unbound him fro the stake/ and had him out of the water/ And when he had be many days out of the pit/ he went well unto the gate of the garden/ but he durst not go out/ less that he should be put again within the said pit/ And on a time he went above upon the gate/ and as he looked all about/ he saw a fair young man on a horsbuk/ which bore a sperehawk on his fist/ and had with him two fair spaynels/ whereof the said fool was all abashed/ And in deed as by ●●as of novelty/ he called the said young man/ and after he said to him benyngly/ My friend I pray the that thou wilt 〈◊〉 me what is that whereupon thou art set/ And then the young son said to him/ that it was a horse which prouffited to him to the chase/ and bore him where he would/ And after the fool demanded of him/ And what is that which thou wrist on thy fist/ and where to is it good/ and the youngman answered to him/ It is a sperehawst which is good for to take par●●ryches and quaylles/ And yet again the fool demanded of him/ My friend what are those that follow thee/ & where to been they good/ And the young man answered to him/ they be dogs which are good for to search and find partridges & quaylles/ And when they have raised them/ my sparrowhawk taketh them/ whereof proceedeth to me great solace and pleasure/ And the fool demanded again/ To your advice the taking that ye do by them in a hole year/ how moche is it/ shall it bear to the great profit/ And the young man answered to him four or five crowns 〈◊〉 there about/ And no more said the fool/ And to your advice how moche shall they dispend in a year/ And the young man answered xl or l crowns/ ¶ And when the fool herd these words/ he said to the said young man/ O my friend I pray the that soon thou wilt depart fro hens/ For if our fysicien come/ he shall put the within the said pit by cause that thou art a fool/ I was put in it unto the thighs/ but therein he should put the unto the chin/ for thou dost the greatest folly that ever I herd speak of/ ¶ And therefore the study of the hunting and hawking is a slouful cure/ And none ought to do it without he be much rich and man of livelihood/ And yet it ought not to be done full oft/ but sometime for to take disport and solas/ and to drive away melancholy   

¶ The V fable is of the recitation of some monsters  
 
POge of Florence reciteth how in his time one named Hugh prince of the medicines/ saw a cat which had two heads/ and a calf which also had two heads And his legs both before and behind were double/ as they had be joined all to guider/ as many folk saw/ Item about the matches of italy within a meadow was sometime a Cow/ the which Cow maked and delivered her of a Serpent of wonder and Right marvelous greatness/ Right hideous and fearful/ ¶ For first he had the heed greater than the heed of a calf/ ¶ Secondly/ he had a neck of the length of an Ass/ And his ●●dy made after the likeness of a dog/ and his tail was wonder great/ thick and long without comparison to any other  
¶ And when the Cow saw that she had maked such a birth/ And that within her belly she had borne so right horrible a beast/ she was all fearful/ and lift herself up/ and supposed to have fled away/ but the Serpent with his wonder long taylle enlaced her two hinder legs/ and the Serpent then began to suck the Cow/ And in deed so moche/ and so long he soaked till that he fond some milk/ ¶ And when the Cow might escape fro him/ she fled unto the other kine/ ¶ And incontinent her paps and her behynder legs and all that the Serpent touched was all black a great space of time/ ¶ And soon after the said Cow maked a fair calf/ The which marvel was announced or said to the said 〈◊〉 he being 〈◊〉 Ferrare/ ¶ And yet again soon after that/ there was fond within a great river a monster maryn/ or of the see of the form or likeness which followeth/  
¶ first he had from the navylle upward the similitude or likeness of a man/ And fro the navylle downward/ he had the form or making of a fish/ the which part was i●●melle that is to weet double/ ¶ Secondly he had a great beard/ and he had two wonder great horns above his ears/ ¶ Also he had great paps/ and a wonder great and horrible mouth/ and his hands wretched unto his entrails or bowels/ And at the both his elbows he had wings right broad and great of fishes mails/ wherewith he swimmed/ and only he had but the heed out of the water/  
¶ It happened then as many women bouked and washed at the port or haven of the said river/ that this horrible and fearful beast was/ for lack and default of meet came swimming toward the said women/ Of the which he took one by the hand/ and supposed to have draw her in to the water/ but she was strong/ and well advised and resisted against the said monster/ And as she defended herself/ she began to cry with a hy●● wis/ help help/ to the which came running five women/ which by hurling and drawing of stones killed and slew the said monster/ For he was come to far within the sonde/ wherefore he might not return in to the deep water/ And after when he rendered his spirit/ he made a right little cry/ saying that he was so disformed and so much cruel/ For he was of great corpulence more than any man's body/ And yet saith ●●oge in this manner/ that he bring at Ferrare he saw the said monster/ And saith yet/ that the young children were customed for to go bathe and wash them within the said river/ but they came not all again/ wherefore the women washed ne bouked no more their clothes at the said port/ For the folk presumed and supposed that the monster killed the young children/ which were drowned/ ¶ Item also within a little while after it befell about the marches of italy that a child of form human which had two heads and two Visages or faces beholding one upon the other/ & the arms of each other embraced the body/ the which body fro the navel upward was Aoyned safe the two heads/ and from the navel downward the limbs were all separed one fro other in such wise that the limbs of generation were showed manifestly/ Of the which child the tidings came unto the person of the 〈◊〉 of Rome   

¶ The sixth fable is of the parson/ of his dog/ And of the Bishop/  
SYluer doth and causeth all thing to be done unto the hallowing again of a place which is profane or interdict/ As ye shall mow here by this present Fable/ ¶ Of a ●●reest dwelling in the country which sometime had a dog/ which he boved much/ the which priest was much rich/ The said dog by process of time died/ & when he was deed/ he entered and buried it in the church yard for cause of the great love which he loved him/ it hap●●ed then on a day his bishop knew it by thadvertisement of some other/ wherefore he sen●●e for the said priest/ and supposed to have of him a great sum of gold/ or else he should make him to be straightly punished/ And then he wrote a letter unto the said priest/ of which the tenor contained only that he should come and speak with him/ And when the priest had red the letters/ he Understood well all the caas/ and presupposed or bethought in his courage/ that he would have of him some silver/ For he knew well enough the conditions of his bishop/ & forthwith he took his brevyarye/ & an C crowns with him/ and went for to speak to his prelate/ & when he came before him/ the prelate began to remember and to she we to him the enormity of his misdeed/ And to him answered the priest which was right wise saying in this manner/ O my right reverend father/ if ye knew the sovernyne prudence of which the said dog was filled/ ye should not be marveled if he hath well deserved for to be buried honestly and worshipfully among the men/ he was all sylled with human wit as well in his life/ as in tharticle of the death/ And then the bishop said/ how may that be/ wherce to me thenne all his life/ Certainly right reverend father ye ought well to know/ that when he was at tharticle and at the point of death/ he would make his testament/ and the dog knowing your great need and indigence/ he bequeathed to you an C crowns of gold/ the which I bring now unto you/ And then the Bishop for love of the money he assoiled the priest And also granted the said sepulture/ And therefore silver causeth all thing to be granted or done   

¶ The Seven fable is of the Fox of the Cock and of the dogs  
 
All the salary or payment of them that mokken other is for to be mocaved at the last/ as it appeareth by this present Fable/ of a Cock which sometime saw a fox coming toward him sore hungry and fainysshed/ which Cock supposed well that he came not toward him/ but for to eat some hen/ for which cause the Cock maked all his hens to flee upon a tree/ And when the fox began tapproche to the said tree/ he began to cry toward the cock good tidings good tidings/ And after he salued the cost right reverently/ & demanded of him thus/ O godsep/ what dost thou there so high/ And thy hens with thee/ hast not thou herd the good tidings worthy and profitable for us/ ¶ And thenne the cock full of malice answered to him/ Nay verily godsep/ but I pray thee/ tell and rehearse them unto us/ then said the fox to the cost/ Certainly godsep/ they 〈◊〉 the best that ever ye herd/ For ye may go and come/ talk & commnnpque among all leestes without any harm or damage/ And they shall do to you both pleasure and all service to them possible/ for thus it is concluded and accorded/ and also confirmed by the great council of all beasts/ And yet they have made commandment that none be so hardy to Vex ne let in no wise any other/ be it never so little a be'st/ For the which good tidings I pray thee/ that thou wilt come down/ to th'end/ that we may go and sing/ Te deum laudamus/ for joy/ And the cock which knew well the fallaces or falsehood of the fox answered to him in this manner/ Certainly my brother and my good Friend thou hast brought to me right good tidings/ whereof more than C times I shall thank thee/ And saying these words the Cock lift up his neck/ and his feet/ and looked far fro him/ And the fox said to him/ what godsep/ where about lookest thou/ And the cock answered to him/ Certainly my brother I see two dogs strongly and lightly running hitherward with open mouths/ which as I suppose come for to bring to us the tidings which thou hast told to us/ And then the Fox which shaken for fere of the two dogs said to the Cock/ god be with you my friend/ It is time that I depart fro hens/ or these two dogs come ●●rer/ And saying these words took his way/ & ran as fast as he might/ And then the cock demanded and cried after him/ godsep/ why runnest thou thus/ if the said pac●● is accorded/ thou oughtest not to doubt no thing Ha a godsep said the Fox from far/ I doubt/ that these two dogs have not herd the decre●● of the peace/ And thus when a beguiler is beguiled/ he received the salary or payment/ which he ought to have/ wherefore let every man keep himself there fro   

POgius rehearseth that there were two women in Rome/ which he knew of diverse age and form/ which came to a Curteyzan by cause to have and win some what with their bodies/ whom he received and happened that be knew the fairest of both twice/ and that other ones/ and so departed/ And afterward when they should depart/ he gave to them a piece of linen cloth/ not decerning how moche each of them should have to her part and portion/ And in the parting of the said cloth fill between the women a strife by cause one of them demanded two parts after thexigence of her work/ And that other the half after their persons/ each of them showing diversly their reasons/ that one saying that she had suffered him twice to do his pleasure/ and that other pretended/ that she was ready and in her was no default And so fro words they came to strokes and cratching with nails/ and drawing their here/ in so much that their neighbours came to this battle for to depart them/ And also their own and proper husbands/ not knowing the cause of their strife and debate/ each of them defending his wives cause/ And fro the fighting of the women it arose and came to their husbands with buffettis and casting of stones/ so long that men ran between them/ And after the custom of Rome both the husbands were brought to prison bearing enmity each to other/ & know no thing the cause wherefore/ The said cloth is set in the hands of the women secretly yet not departed/ but is secretly argued among the women in what wise that this matter shall be divided/ And I demand of doctors what the law is of it  
¶ He saith also that a Merchant of Florence bonght an horse of a man/ and made his covenant with the cellar for xxv ducats for to pay forthwith in hand xv ducats/ And as for the rest he should abide debtor and own/ And the cellar was content/ and thereupon delivered the horse and received the xv ducats/ After this a certain term the cellar demanded of the byar the residue/ And he denied the payment/ & had him hold his covenant/ For the bier said we were accorded that I should be thy debtor/ And if I should satisfy & pay the I should no more be thy debtor/ et 〈◊〉/ and so he abode debtor   

HE telleth also that there was a carryk of Iene hired in to france for to make war against englissħmen/ of the which ●●arrik the patron bore in his shield painted an ox heed/ which a noble man of france beheld & saw/ & said he would avenge him on him that bare though arms/ whereupon arose an altercation so moche/ that the Frenchman provoked the Ia●●eye to battle and fight therefore/ The januey accepted the provocation/ & came at the day assigned in to the field without any array or habyllements of war/ And that other french man came in moche noble apparel in to the field that was ordained/ & thenne the patron of the carrik said where fore i●● it that we two should this day fight & make battle fore I say said that other that thine arms been mine/ & bylonged to me tofore that thou hadst them/ then the januey said It is no need to make any battle therefore/ For the arms that I bear is not the heed of an ox but it is the heed of a cow which thing so spoken the noble french man was abashed and so departed half mocqued   

ALso he saith that there was a phisycyens dwelling in a city/ which was a great & a cunning man in that say en●●/ & he had a servant a young man which made pill les after a certain form that he showed to him/ & when this young man had dwelled long with him/ & could parfghtly make the pyllies/ he departed fro his master/ and went in to straūge country where as he was known/ and let men there to understand that he was a cunning phisycyen/ and could give medicines for all manner maladies and sicknesses/ and ministered alway his pills to every man that came to him for any remedy/ And it was so that a pour man of that place where he was came to him/ and complained how he had lost his ass/ and prayed him to give to him a medicine for to find his ass again/ And he gave to him the said pyllies/ & ●●dde him to receive and take them/ And he should find ħis ass/ And this pour man did so/ and after went in to the fields and pastures to seek and look after his ass/ and so doing the pyllies wrought so in his belly/ that he must needs go purge him/ and went among the reed and there eased him/ And anon there he fond his ass/ whereof he being much joyful ran in to the town/ and told and proclaimed/ that by the medicine that he had received of the phisycyens he had found his ass/ which thing known all the simple people reputed him for a moche cunning man/ which could no thing do but make pyllies/ And thus many fools are oft taken for wise and cunning/ Fo●● he was reputed to hele all manner sicknesses/ and also to find asses   

THere was in a certain town a widower wooed a widow for to have and wed her to his wife/ and at the last they were agreed and sured to guider/ ¶ And when a young woman being servant with the widow herd thereof/ she came to her mistress/ and said to her/ Alas mistress what have ye do/ why said she/ I have herd say said the maid/ that ye be assured and shall wed such a man/ And what then said the widow/ Alas said the maid I am sorry foryow/ by cause I have herd say that he is a perilous man/ For he lay so oft and knew so much his other wife that she died thereof/ And I am sorry thereof/ that if ye should fall in like caas/ to whom the widow answered and said/ Forsooth I would be deed/ For there is but sorrow and care in this world/ This was a courteous excuse of a widow   

NOw then I will finish all these fables with this tale that followeth which a worsħipful priest and a parson told me late/ he said/ that there were dueling in Oxenford two priests both master of art/ of who me that one was quick and could put himself forth/ And that other was a good simple priest/ And so it happened that the master that was part and quick was anon promoted to a benefice or twain/ and after to prebendys'/ and for to be a Dene of a great princes chapel/ supposing and weening that his fellow the simple priest should never have be promoted but be alway an Annuel/ or at the most a parish priest/ So after long time that this worshipful man this dene came riding in to a good paryssh with a x or xii horses/ like a prelate/ and came in to the church of the said parish/ and fond  
there this good simple man sometime his fellow/ which ca●● and welcomed him lowly/ And that other bad him good morrow master johan/ and took him slightly by the hand and asked him where he dwelled/ And the good man said/ in this paryssh/ how said he/ be ye here a soul priest or a paryssh pressed/ nay sir said he/ for lack of a better though I be not able ne worthy I am parson and curate of this parish/ and then that other availed his bonnet and said master parson I pray you to be not displeased/ I had supposed ye had not ●●e been fyeed/ But master said he/ I pray you what is this benefice worth to you a year/ Forsooth said the good simple man/ I wot never/ for I make never accounts thereof/ how well I have had it four or five year/ And know ye not sa it he what it is worth/ it should seem a good benefice/ No forsooth said he/ but I wot well what it shall be worth to me/ why said he/ what shall it be worth/ Forsooth said he/ if I do my true diligence in the cure of my parysshens in preaching and teaching/ and do my part longing to my cure/ I shall have heaven therefore/ And if their souls been lost or any of them by my default/ I shall be punished therefore/ And hereof am I sure/ And with that word the rich dene was abussded And thought he should be the better/ and take more heed to his ●●res and benefices than he had done/ This was a good answer of a good priest and an honest/    

And here with I fynysshe this book/ translated & imprinted by me William Caxton at wesemynstre in th'abbey/ And finished the xxuj day of March the year of our lord M CCCC lxxxiiij/ And the first year of the reign of king Richard the third