ta ke hede to this mete that the dogges or cattes ete it not For I must go in to the kechyn ageyn And she ansuerd to hym go thou where thou wylt for my buttokes haue eyen ¶ And whan Esope had dressyd and made redy al the other metes he brought them in to the halle and found his maystresse whi che slepte stylle vpon her bedde hâ—â—r buttockes toward the table And by cause she had sayd that hâ—r buttokes had eyen Esope wente and took vp her clothes so that men myght see her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus he lefte hâ—â—r slepynge ¶ This Historye conteyneth how Exantus found his wyf aâ—â— discouered ANd as Exantus with hym his scolers perceyued sa we his wyf slepynge her buttoks al bare naked by grete vergoyne and shame tourned his face toward Esope and sayd knaue what is this And Esope sayd My lord as I dyd put the mete vpon the table I prayd my lady that she wold kepe it fro the dogges And she ansuerd me that her buttoks had eyen And by cause I founde her slepynge I discouered her so to th ende that her buttoks myght the better see and loke aboute And thenne Exantus said vnto hym Ha shrewed seruaunt ofte thou hast payd me of suche lesynges what thynge werse mayst thou doo to me but to mocke thus my wyf and me also Neuertheles for the loue and sake of these lordes thou shalt not now be bete but the tyme shal come that I shall make the deye of an euylle dethe ¶ And within a whyle after Exantus sayd to Esope kepe and loke well that no fooles ydeots entre in to my how 's but only the oratours and philosophres Esope thenne wente and sette hym besyde the yate And as one of the philesophres came to haue on tryd in to the how 's Esope beganne to groygne and sayd to hym come in thou dogge And the philosopher wenynge that he had mocqued hym al wrothe and angry wente fro thens And thus dyd many other But at the last came there one whiche was subtyle ynough to whome Esope dyd as he hadde done to the other ¶ And he that was wyse ansuerd hym swetely And thenne Esope lete hym goo and entre in to the how 's ¶ And anone he wente ageyne to his lord And sayd to hym No philosopher is come to the yate but this one wherfore Exantus wend that alle the other hadde mocqued with hym and was wrothe and angry ¶ And on the morne as they mette with Exantus they sayd to hym thus Exantus well thou mocquest vs yesterdaye For he that kepte thy yate castyng on vs ashrewed loke dyd calle vs dogges For the whiche thynge Exantus was troubled and more angry and wrothe than to fore he was ¶ And anone he called Esope and sayd to hym goo thow Crokedbacked Counterfaytte and fals Chorle they whome thou sholdest haue receyued with worship and greete honour thou hast vitupered and mocked Esope ansuerd to hym thou hast charged and commaunded me that none I shold lete entre in to thy how 's but wyse and sage philosophres And Exantus sayd to hym Ha fals face and croked ben not these wyse and sage Nay said Esope For whanne I said that they shold entre they entryd not but lyke fooles went ageyne theyr way withoute spekynge of ony word but thys allone ansuerd wysely And therfore I repute and hold hym as sage and they as fooles For a fool is he that lyghtely ta keth ony word in angre And thenne alle the sages and phi losophres that were there approuued the ansuere of Esope trew and good moche they were merueylled of the grete wysedome whiche was in hym ¶ This history maketh mencyon how Esope found a tresour And how Exantus made hym to be put in pryson ANd within a lytel whyle after as exantus was with Esope beholdynge the greete sepulcres or Tombes and the Epytaphes of the auncyent folke ¶ And Esope whiche perceyued an arche whiche was nyghe of a columpne vnto the whiche men wente vp to it by foure steppes he wente thyder and sawe somme lettres withoute consonaunce or vnderstandynge sauf only by poyntes intytuled after the maner and forme of these lettres whiche ben latyn lettres A B D O ct H c H Esope called his mayster and sayd to hym My lord what bytokenen these lettres Exantus loked and be held them wel And a long whyle he thought what they sygnefyed And by cause he coude not vnderstonde the signyficacion of them he sayd to Esope telle me what these lettres signefyen And Esope said to hym My lord yf I shewe the here a fayr tresour what reward shalle I receyue of the Exantus his mayster sayd to hym haue thou a good courage For I shalle gyue to the fredome and lyberte and the half of this tresour And anone Esope wente doune the four steppes and so depe he delued at the foote of the columpne that he found the tresour the whiche anone he gaf to his lord and sayd to hym My lord I praye the that now thou wylt doo to me as thou hast promysed me Exantus sayd to hym or euer thou haue lyberte and fredome thou must lerne and teche me how thow wost and knowest this scyence for more I repute sette by the scyence hold it to gretter merueylle than to haue the tresour Esope said thenne to hym he that fyrst put here this tresour as philosophye denoteth and specyfyeth it by the 〈◊〉 the whiche ben here wreton in latyn Ascende gradus istos qua tuor fodias et inuenies thesaurum auri ¶ And after Exantus told hym Syth thou arte soo subtyl thow shalte not yet haue no lyberte ¶ And Esope sayd to hym Loke wel what thou doost For this Tresoure apperteyneth to the kynge And Exantus asked of hym and sayd How knowest thow hit By the lettres whiche signyfyen to vs that thow gyue and take to the kynge Dyonysyus the Tresour whiche thou hast found ¶ And whanne Exantus herd hym saye that the tresour whiche they had so fouÌ„de was apperteynynge to the kynge Dyonysices he sayde thus to Esope Take the halfe of alle this Tresoure and and lete no man knowe of it ¶ Esope thenne sayd to hym thou gyuest it me nought but he that put and delued it here gyueth it to me And Exantus sayd how knowest thow hit ¶ And Esope ansuerd to hym For the lettâ—â— folowynge shewen and signyfyen hit that is to wete E D Q I T A the whiche lettres signefyen this latyn Euntes dimitte quem inuenistis thesaurum auri And thenne sayd Exantus goo we home and there shalle we departe it ¶ This Historye maketh mency on how Esope was delyuerd oute of pryson And how Exantus promysed to hym that he shold gyue hym fredome and lyberte ANd as Exantus was tourned ageyne in to his howe fro the place where as esope had fouÌ„d the tresour in the tresour before seid he merueiled of
had herd this crye he ranne Incontynent to his wyf sayd to her My wyf that that we haue found must be rendred or yolden ageyne For hit is better to haue a C crownes withoute synne than a thowsand with synne wrongfully And how be hit that the woman wold haue resysted Neuertheles in th ende she was content And thus the poure man restored the thowsand crownes to the Ryche and demaunded of hym his honderd crownes And the ryche full of frawde or falshede sayd to the poure thow rendrest not to me al my gold whiche thow fondest For of hit I lack four honderd pyeces of gold And whanne thow shalt rendre and brynge to me ageyn the sayd four honderd pyeces of gold thow shalt haue of me the C crownes whiche I promysed to the And thenne the poure ansuerd to hym I haue take and brought to the al that I haue found wherfore they fylle in a grete dyfferent or stryf in so moche that the cause came before the kyng to be decyded and pletyd of the whiche the kyng made to be callyd before hym a grete philosopher whiche was procuratour of the poures And whanne the cause was wel dispnted the philosopher moued with pyte called to hym the poure man and to hym seyd in this maner Come hyther my frend by thy feythe hast thow restored alle that good whiche thou fondest in the purse and the poure ansuerd to hym ye syre by my feythe And thenne the philosophre sayd before thassistantes Syth this ryche man is trewe and feythfull and that hit is not to byleue that he shold demaunde more than he ought to doo he oughte to be by leued And as to the other parte men muste byleue that this poure man is of good renomme and knowen for a trewe man wherfore the philosopher sayd to the kynge Syre I gyue by my sentence that thow take these thowsand crownes and that an C thow take of them the whiche honderd thow shalt delyuere to this poure man whiche fond them And after whan he that hath lost them shall come thow shalt restore them to hym And yf it happeth that another persone fynde the thowsand four C crownes they shal be rendryd and taken ageyn to the same good man whiche is here present whiche sayth that he hath lost them the whiche sentence was moche agreable and ple saunt to al the companye And whan the ryche man sawe that he was deceyued he demaunded myseryoorde and grace of the kynge sayenge in this manere Syre this poure man that hath fond my purse trewely he hath restored it to me all that I ouÈt to haue but certaynly I wold haue deceyued hym wherfor I praye the that thou wylt haue pyte and myserycorde on me And thenne the kynge had myseryoorde on hym And the poure man was wel contented and payd and al the malyce of the ryche man was knowen and manyfested ¶ The v fable is of the feythe of thre felawes OFte it happeth that the euyll whiche is procured to other cometh to hym whiche procureth it as hit apperyth by the felawes of the whiche tweyn were burgeys the thyrd a labourer the whiche assembled them to gydre for to go to the holy sepulcre This thre felawes made so grete prouysyon of flour for to make theyr pylgremage in suche wyse that it was al chauffed and consumed excepte only for to make one loef only And whan the Burgeis sawe th ende of they re floure they sayd to gyder yf we fynde not the maner and cautele for to begylâ—â— this vylayn by cause that he is a ryght grete gallaunt we shalle deye for hongre wherfore we must fynde the maner and facyone that we may haue the loof whiche shall be maad of alle oure floor And therfore they concluded to gy der and sayd whanne the loof shalle be putte within the ouen we shalle goo and leye vs for to slepe and he that shalle dreme best the loof shalle be his And by cause that we â—â—he â—â—n subtyle and wyse he shalle not mowe dreme as wel as we shalle wherof the â—â—of shal be ours wherof alle they thre were wel content and al byganne to slepe ¶ But whanne the labourer or vylayne knewe and perceyued alle they re fallace and sawe that his two felawes we re a sleep he wente and drewe the loof oute of the ouen and ete hit ¶ And after he fayned to be a slepe And theÌ„ne one of the burgeys rose vp and sayd to hys felawes I haue dremed a wonder dreme For two Angels haue taken borne me with grete Ioye before the dyuyn mageste And the other burgeys his felawe awoke and sayd Thy dreme is merueyllous and wonderfull but I suppose that the myn is fayrer than thyn is For I haue dremed that two Angelâ—â— drewe me on hard ground for to lede me in to helle And after they dyd awake the vylayne whiche as dredeful sayd who is there and they ansuerd we be thy felawes And he sayd to them how be ye soo soone retourned And they answerd to hym how retorned we departed not yet fro hens And he sayd to them by my feythe I haue dremed that the Angels had led one of yow in to paradys or heuen and the other in to helle Wherfor I supposed that ye shold neuer haue comen ageyne And therfore I aroos me fro sleep and by cause I was hongry I wente and drewe oute of the ouen the leef and ete hit For ofte hit happeth that he whiche supposeth to begyle somme other is hym self begyled ¶ The vj fable is of the labourer and of the nyghtyngale SOmtyme there was a labourer whiche had a gardeyn wel playsaunt and moche delycious in to the whiche he ofte wente for to take his disporte and playsyre And on a day at euen when he was wery and had trauaylled sore for to take his recreacion he entryd in to his gardyn and sette hym self doune vnder a tree where as he herd the songe of a nyghtyngale And for the grete plesyre and Ioye whiche he took therof he sought and at the last fond the meanes for to take the nyghtyngale to th ende that yet gretter Ioye and playsannce he myght haue of hit And whan the nyghtyngale was take he demaunded of the labourer wherfore hast thow take so grete payne for to take me For wel thow knowest that of me thow mayst not haue grete prouffyte And the vylayne ansuerd thus to the nyghtyngale For to here the songe of the I haue taken the And the nyghtyngale ansuerd Certaynly in vayne thou hast payned and laboured For for no good I wylle synge whyle that I am in pryson And thenne the labourer or vylayne ansuerd yf thow syngest not wel I shalle ete the And thenne the nyghtyngale sayd to hym yf thow putte me within a potte for to be soden lytyl mete shalt thou thenne make of my body and yf thow settest me for to be
his how 's And whan he came to fore his how 's he sayd to Esope Abyde here a whyle to fore the gate tyll I goo in for to preyse the to thy lady and maystresse my wyf well sayd Esope And Exantus entryd in to his how 's and sayd to his wyf Dame ye shalle nomore haue cause to be at debute with me For ye haue desyred longe to gete yow a fayre seruaunt wherfore now I haue bought one that is so wyse and so playsaunt that thow neuer sawest none so fayr ¶ And whan two Damoyselles seruauntes herd hym saye so wenynge that it had ben trouth they beganne to stryue to gyder and that one beganne to saye to that other My lord hath sought for me a fayr husbond And that other sayd I haue this nyght dremed that I was maryed And thus as these seruaunts spake his wyf sayde My lord where is the fayr felawe the whiche ye preyse so moche I pray yow that I may see hym And Exantus sa yd he is to fore the yate And his wyf sayde I pray yow brynge hym in And thus as the yong wymmen had debate for hym one of them thought in her self I shalle be the fyrste that shalle see hym And yf I maye he shalle be my husbond And so as she yssued oute of the how 's she sayd where is this fayr yongman that I so moche desyre to see And thenne Esope sayd to her what demaundest thou I am he boo here ¶ And whanne she sawe Esope she was for fere al abasshed and troublod and sayd to hym arte thou the fayr pecok where is thy taylle And Esope sayd to her yf thou haue nede of a taylle thou shalt not faylle of one ¶ And thêne as he wold haue gone in the seruaunt sayd to hym Come not here within For alle they that shalle see the shalle flee away ¶ And after she wente in to her felawes and told what he was And that other whanne she came oute and sawe hym so dysformed sayd beware thou payllard that thou touche me not that the deuylle to 〈◊〉 the And thenne whanne Esope entryd in to the how 's anone he presentyd hym to the lady and whanne the lady sawe hym anone she torned her vysage and sayd to Exantus For a seruaunt thou hast brought me a monstre throwe and caste hym oute ¶ And Exantus sayd to her My wyf thou oughtest now to be glad and Ioyons by cause I haue brought to the so fayr and so Ioyous a seruaunt And she sayd to Exantus I wote wel thou louest me not For thou 〈◊〉 to haue another wyf And vy cause thou durst not telle it me thou hast brought this grete payllart to th ende that I shalle go fro the And I wylle no lenger abyde vy cause thou knowest wel that I may not suffre hym And therfore delyuer to me my dowayr and I shalle anone goo my waye ¶ And thenne Exantus sayd to Esope whan we were on the way thou spackest largely and now thou sayst nought ¶ And Esope sayd to hym by cause thy wyf is so malycious put her in pryson ¶ And Exantus theÌ„ne sayd to hym hold thy pees thou shalt be beten Seest thow not that I loue her more than my self ¶ Thenne sayd Esope I pray the that thow loue her wel And he sayd wherfore not And Esope smote his foote on the pament and cryed with a lowde voys herke ye a grete myracle THis philosopher Exautus is ouercomon of a woman And he torned to his lady and sayd to her Madame I praye the take not myn wordes in euyll thou wol dest haue a seruaunt that were yonge wel fourmed wel arayed stronge and ryche for to serue the at the wyne and bere the to thy bedde that can rubbe and clawe thy feet and noâ—â— suche a foul and so disfourmed a seruaunt as I am For by cause of suche a mygnot thou woldest sette nought by thy hus bond And therfore Erupis that philosopher had his mouthe of gold whiche neuer lyed he sayd that there were many peryls and tormentes in the see and other grete Ryuers And also pouerte is a grete chagre and dyffycyle to be borne And also ther ben other grete daungers and peryls Infynyte but ther is no werse daunger ne perylle than is a fâ—â— woman And therfore Madame I praye the that thou take nomore a fayr seruauÌ„t ne playsaunt for to serue the to th ende that thow dishonoure not thy lord and husbond ¶ And she thenne sayd to Esope Auoyde thou payllart whiche arte not only disformed of â—â—ody but also of thy wordes whanne thou sayst so by me but I shalle wel paye the For I shalle go my waye ¶ Thenne sayd Exantus to Esope ne seest thou not how thou hast angryd my wyf See that thou appease her And Esope said It is not a lyght thyng tappease the yre of a woman but it is a greuous thynge Exanctus sayd to Esope Speke no more For I haue bought the for to make pees and not for to make debate ne warre ¶ This Historye conteyneth how Exantus brought Esope in a gardyn EXantus bad Esope take a panere and folowe hym in to a gardyn exantus said to the gardyner gyue to vs of thyn herbes the gardyner cutte of herbes delyuerd to Esope he took them exantus payd for them whan they wold haue gone the gardyner sayd to Exantus Maystre I pray the that thou tarye here a whyle wel sayd exantus aske what thou wyll And the gardyner demaunded of hym Mayster what is the cause that the herbes that ben not laboured growe faster and sonner than they that ben curyously laboured to this question ansuerd Exantus that that cam by some prouydence by whiche the thynges ben brought forth And whan esope herd this ansuere he began to lawhe And Exantus sayd to hym thou payllard lawhest thou me to skeen mockest me esope ansuerd said I mocke you not but hym that hath lerned the thy philosophye what solucion hast thow made what is that cometh of dyuyne prouydence a child of the kechyn shold haue made as good an answere Exantus sayd thenne Esope make thou thenne a better solucion Esope ansuerd to hym yf thou commaunde I shal glad ly Exantus said to the gardyner it apperteyneth not to hym that hath for to Iuge thynges dyffycyle to Iuge rude thynges 〈◊〉 but I haue a seruaunt here whiche shal enforme gyue the solucion of thy question yf thou wylt praye hym to gyue to the the solucion And the gardyner sayd can this vy layne payllard that is soo gretely dysformed ansuere to thys question henne the gardyner sayd to Esope hast thow know leche of suche thynges And Esope sayd ye more than alle the men of the world For thow demaundest wherfore the herbes that ben not laboured growe sonner than they that ben sowen and laboured And Esope sa d vnderstond wel to myn
's of Exantus cryenge Now knowâ—â— I well the trouthe And wherfore thou madest this grete paystart to angre me by cause thou woldest take another wyf but I shall kepe the wel ther fro As longe as I shalle lyue shalle neuer woman come here in exantus be thou sure ¶ Thenne was Exantus glad and wel ioyous for to haue ageyne his wyf And coude Esope grete thanke ¶ This Historye conteyneth how Esope arayed tongues ANd a lytel whyle after Exantus bad his scolers to dyne with hym And sayd to Esope goo anone to the market bye for vs the best mete that thou shalt fyn de And Esope wente to the market he thought in hym self Now shall I shewe that I am no fole but wyse And when Esope came to the market he bought the tongues of swyne and oxen And dyghted them with vynegre and sette them on the table And the scolers sayd to Exantus thy dyner is ful of philosophye And this Exantus sayd to Esope bryng vs other mete and Esope brought forth moo tongues arayed in another manere that is to wete with garleck and oynyons And the scolers sayd Maystre these tongues ben wel dressid For that one dyfferensyth fro the other And exantus badde esope to brynge other mete And esope brought yet forth tongues Thenne were the scolyers angry and sayde wylt thow alwey gyue vs tongues And exantus al angry in his courage said to esope what other mete hast thou ordeyned for vs And esope said forsothe none other And exantus said to eso pe Ha grete hede sayd I not to the that thou sholdest bye the best mete that thou coudest fynde So haue I doo sayd Esope And I thanke god that here is a philosopher I wold fayne knowe of the what is better than the tongue For For certaynly al arte al doctryne and philosophye ben notyfyed by the tongue Item for to gyue salewes bye selle and to doo syte men Alle these thynges ben done by the tongue the men ben preysed ther by And the grettest partye of the lyf of mortal men is in the tongue And thus ther is no thyng better than a good tongue ne no thynge more swete ne better of sauonr ne more prouffitable to mortal men ¶ Thenne sayd the Scolyers to Exantus thou hast wronge to angre the thus For Esope hath sayd ryght wel ¶ And after alle these wordes they aryse fro the table ¶ And on the morne after Exantus wold in excusynge hym self of theyr lytel seruyse desyred them to come ageyne at souper And they shold haue other seruyse ¶ And Exantus sayd to Esope in the presence of them that were there goo in to the markette And bye the werst mete that thou canst fynde For al my frendes here shall soupe with me and Esope without troublyng of hym self wente to the bocherye And bought ageyne tongues And dyghted them as he dyd to fore ¶ And whanne they came to souper he serued them with tongues as he dyd the day to fore And the scolers sayd we ben comen ageyn to tongues And by cause the scolers were not pleased Exantus seyd to Esope thou grete hede sayd I not to the that thou sholdest bye the werst mete that thou coudest fynde so haue I done sayd Esope what is werse or more stynkynge than the euylle tongue by the tongue men ben perysshed by the tongue they come in to pouerte by the tongue the Cytees ben destroyed by the tongue cometh moche harme ¶ Thenne sayd one of them that satte at the table Exantus yf thou sette thy purpos to this foole he shalle brynge the out of thy wytte For he sheweth wel by his forme to be shrewysshe For lyke as he is disformed of his body so is he of his courage And Esope sayd to hym thow arte ryght euylle For thou settest and makest stryf bytwene the mayster and the seruaunt And wenest to be more curyous than other And Exantus for to haue cause to bete Esope said â—â—a grete hede by cause thou callest the philosopher curyous go gete me a man that setteth ne retcheth by no thynge that is to saye that is not curyous ESope departed and wente out of the place beholdyng here and there yf he coude fynde ony man that retchid of no thynge he took hede and sawe a man a grete vy layne syttyng vpon a block shakynge and waggyng his leg ges To whome Esope sayd My lord prayeth the to come dyne with hym who anone arose withoute sayenge of ony word and entryd in to the how 's with Esope And not sayeng god kepe you satte hym at the table And Exantus sayd to Esope What man is this And Esope sayd to hym A man that retcheth of no thynge ¶ Thenne Exantus sayd to his wyf secretely to th ende that we maye auenge vs on Esope and bete hym wel Fayre loue doo that I shalle bydde yow ¶ Thenne he sayd a lowde with an hyhe voys Dame put water in a bacyn and wesshe this pylgryms feet For he thoughte the vylayne wold not haue suffred it but haue fled for shame And than shold he haue cause to haue beten Esope ¶ Thenne the lady took water and putte it in a bacyn and beganne to wasshe the vylayns feet ¶ And how wel that he wyst that she was the lady yet he thought this lord wyll doo me worship and suffred her to wasshe his feet without sayeng of ony word And Exantus sayd to his wyf Dame gyue hym drynke And the vylayne sayd to hym self It is well reason that I drynke fyrst And took the pyece and dranke as moche as he myght And Exantus tooke a plater wyth fysshe and sette it to fore hym And the vylayne beganne to ete ¶ And Exantus seyd to the cook this fysshe is not wel arayed ¶ Thenne Exantus commaunded to strype the Cook and bete hym wel And the vylayne sayd to hym self thys fysshe is wel dyght and the Cook is beten withoute cause but I retche not soo I may fylle my bely And I shalle al wey ete and saye nothyng ¶ And Exantus sayd to the baker brynge hyder the tarte Incontynent as the tarte was sette on the table And the vylayne brake it in pyeces and wythoute ony wordes he beganne to ete therof And Exantus beholdyng hym how he ete called the baker and sayd this tarte is euyll baken and hath no sauour And the baker sayd yf I made it it is wel dressyd And yf it be none of myne the blame is not in me but in thy wyf ¶ And Exantus sayd he alwey loked and byheld yf he voyded hit with his fylthe or orduâ—â— whan he had purged his bely ¶ And euer after men loken whan they haue purged they re belyes what they Wyde but thou oughtest not to doubte therof For thou hast nâ—â— wytte to losâ—â— ne scyence For to a folysshe demaunde belongeth a folysshe answere ¶ And on the morne nexte folowynge as Exantus was sette at the table with
he may chasty hym self as it appereth by this fable Of a vylayne whiche had a yonge bole the whi che he myght not bynd by cause that euer he smote with his hornes wherfor the vylayne cutte of his hornes ¶ But yet whan he wold haue bound hym the bole casted his feete fro hym in suche wyse that he suffred noman to come nyghe hym And whan the vylayne perceyued the malyce of the bole he sayd to hym I shalle chastyse the wel For I shalle take the in to the bouchers handes And thenne was the bole wel chastysed ¶ And thus ought men to doo of the euylle cursyd rebelles whiche doo no thynge but playe with dees and cardes and to ruffule Suche folke ought men to put in to the handes of the boucher for to lede them to the galhows For better may no man chastyse them For with grete payne may he be chastysed whiche fleeth alle good werkes ond alle good felauship ¶ The xxij fable is of the viator or palmer and of Satyre MEn ought to beware kepe hym self from hym whiche bereth both fyre water as reherceth to vs this Fable Of a pylgrym whiche somtyme walked in the wynter and wente thurgh a grete forest ¶ And by cause that the snowe had couerd al the wayes he wist ne knewe not whyther he wente ageynste the whiche came a wodewose named Satyre by cause he sawe hym a cold whiche approched to the pylgrym and brought hym in to his pytte And whan the pylgrym sawe hym he hadde grete drede by cause that a wodewose is a monstre lyke to the man as hit appiereth by his fygure ¶ And as the wodewose or Satyre ledde the pylgrym in to his pytte the pylgrym dyd blowe within his handes for to chausfe them For he was sore acold And thenne the wodewose gaf to hym hote water to drynke ¶ And whan the pylgrym wold haue dronken hit he beganne to blowe in hit And the wedewose demaunded of hym why he dyd blowe hit And the pylgrym sayd to hym I blowe in hit for to haue it somwhat more cold than hit is The wodewose thenne sayd to hym Thy felauship is not good to me by cause that thow wrest bothe the fyre and the water in thy mouthe therfore go hens fro my pyt and neuer retorne ageyne For the felauship of the man whiche hath two tongues is nought And the man whiche is wyse ought to flee the felauship of flaterers For by flateryng adulacion many haue ben begyled and deceyued ¶ The xxiij fable is of the oxe and of the rat THe lordes ought to loue theyr subgettis For he whiche is hated of his tenaunts and subgets is not lord of his land as hit appereth by this Fable Of an oxe whiche somtyme was within a stable and as the oxe on a tyme wold haue slepte fayne a rat came whiche bote the oxe by the thyes And as the oxe wold haue smyten hym he ran awaye in to his hole And thenne the oxe beganne to menace the rat And the ratte sayd to hym I am not aferd of the For al be hit that I am lytyl I may lette and empeche the And yf thow arte grete thy parentes ben cause therof and not thy self And therfore the stronge ought not to dispreyse the feble vnt ought to loue hym as the chyef or hede ought to loue his lymmes For he that loueth not oughte not to be loued And therfore the lord must loue his subgettys yf of them he wylle be loued ¶ The xxiiij fable is of the goos and of her lord HE that ouer ladeth hym self is euylle strayned As this fable sayth of a man whiche had a goos that leyd euery day an egge of gold The man of auaryce or couetousnes commaunded and bad to her that euery daye she shold leye two egges And she sayd to hym Certaynly my mayster I maye not wherfore the man was wrothe with her and slewe her wherfore he lost that same grete good of the whiche dede he was moche sorowful and wrothe how be it that it was not tyme to shetle the stable whan the horses ben loste none And he is not wyse whiche dothe suche a thynge wherof he shalle repente hym afterward ne healso whiche doth his owne dommage for to auenge hym self on somme other For by cause that he supposeth to wynne al he leseth all that he hath ¶ The xxv fable is of the ape and of his two children HE that somtyme men dispreysen may wel helpe somme other as hit appereth by this Fable of an Ape whiche had two children of the whiche he hated the one loued the other whiche he toke in his armes and with hym fled before the dogges And whanne the other sawe that his moder lefte hym behynde he ranne and lepte on her back And by cause that the lytyl ape whiche the she ape held in her armes empeched her to flee she lete hit falle to the erthe And the other whiche the moder hated held fast and was saued the whiche from thens forthon kyssed and embraced his moder And And she thenne beganne to loue hym wherfore many tymes it happeth that that thynge whiche is dispreysed is better than that thynge whiche is loued and preysed For somtyme the children whiche ben preysed and loued done lasse good than they whiche ben dispreysed and hated ¶ The xxvj Fable is of the wynd and of therthen pot ¶ The second fable is of the commyssion of pecuny 〈…〉 money A Spaynard arryued somtyme in to the lande of egipte And by cause that he doubted to be robbed within the desertys of Arabe he purposed and bethought in hym self that it were wysely done to take his money to somme trewe man for to stepe hit vnto his retorne ageyne And by cau se that he herd somme saye that within the Cyte was a trewe man he anone wente to hym and toke to hym his syluer for to kepe hit And whan he had done his vyage he came ageyne to hym and demaunded of hym his syluer whiche ansuerd to hym in this manere My frend Ine wote who thow arte for I sawe the neuer that I wote of And yf thou sayest or spekest ony more wordes I shalle make the to be wel bete Thenne was the spaynard sorowful and wroth and therof be wold haue made a playnte to his neyghbours as he dyde the neyghbours sayd to hym Certaynly we be wel abasshed of that that ye telle to vs for he is emonge vs alle reputed and holden for a good man and trewe And therfore retorne ageyne to hym and by swete wordes telle hym that he wyl rendre to the thy good ageyne the whiche thynge he dyd and the old man ansuerd to hym more sharply and rygorously than he had done before wherof the spaynard was wonderly wrothe And as he departed oute of the old mans how 's he mette with an old woman the whiche demaunded of hym wherfore
loked on hym and sayd to hym why comest thou so effrayed and troubled And zenas sayd to hym that now in the felde is happed a thynge monstruous And what is that sayd the lord haue the trees brought forth theyr fruyte to fore they re tyme or haue the bestes brought forth theyr fruyte ageynst na ture And zenas answerd hym Nay my lord but this croked chorle this counterfayted Esope thy seruaunt begynneth to spe ke clerely And wel sayd the lord that me semeth is a thyng monstruous ye forsothe sayd zenae ¶ And thenne sayd the lord We see al daye many men whanne they ben angry conne not speke but whanne they be in pees conne wel speke and profferrâ—â— thynges ¶ And thenne zenas sayd My lord he canne speke aboue al other men And hath sayd to me thynges contumelyouse blasphemyes and vylonyes of the and of alle the goddes ¶ And thenne his lord was angry and wrothe toward hym And sayd zenas goo thou to the feld And what thou wylt do with hym hyhe or lowe doo hit or selle hym or gyue hym or lose hym For I gyue hym to the And thenne zenas took this yefte by wrytynge and came in to the felde and sayd to Esope Now thow arte myn and in my puyssaunce For my lord hath gyuen the to me And by cause thow arte a grete langager and an euyllr chorle I shalle selle the vtterly And thenne of fortune hit happed that a Marchaunt that had bought seruauntes came in to that feld for to bye beestes for to bere oueralle his marchaundyse to Ephese the whiche mette with zenas And he sale Wed hym and demaunded of hym yf he had ony bestes to selle And zenas ansuerd that for nothynge he shold fynde no bestes to selle but I haue a seruaunt whiche is not fayr but he is of good age And demaunded of hym yf he wold bye hym And the Marchaunt sayd I wold fyrste sene hym ¶ And thenne zenas called Esope and shewed hym to the Marchaunt ¶ And whanne the Marchaunt sawe hym so dyfformed and soo foule sayd in this manere Fro whens is this Tupyn comen and this trompette of Tragetenus This is a fayre marchaundyse For yf he had not a wys I wold wene that hit were a botell full of wynd ye be well occupyed to brynge me hydre to shewe me this fayre personage I had supposed thou woldest haue sold to me somme fayre seruaunt honeste and playsaunt And thenne the marchaunt retourned on his way And Esope folowed hym and sayd to the Marchaunt Abyde a lytell here And the MarchauÌ„t sayd lette me not vylayn For thou mayst haue no prouffyte of me For yf I bought the I shold be callyd the Marchaunt of folyes and of wyne thynges And thenne Esope sayd to hym Wherfor thenne arte thou come hyder And the Marchaunt ansuerd for to bye some thynge that is fayre but thow arte foule ouer lothely and countrefayted I haue not for to do with suche Marchaundyse And thenne Esope sayd yf thow wylt bye me thou shalt lose nothynge And the Marchaunt demaunded wherof mayst thou doo to me ony prouffyte And Esope sayd ben ther not in thy how 's lytel children ne in thy towne that crye and ren ne bye me and thow shalt do wysely and shalt be theyr mai ster for they shalle drede and fere me lyke a fals vysage And thenne the Marchaunt smyled for the wordes of Esope And retorned to Zenas and axed of hym how he wold selle this fayre MarchauÌ„dyse And thenne zenas sayd to hym gyue me thyrtty pound or thre half pens For I wote well no man wylle bye hym And thenne the Marchaunt payd for hym to zenas as moche as he was wel content ¶ And thenne Esope wente with his newe mayster vnto his toune ¶ And as he entryd in to his how 's he hadde two chyldren lyenge in the lappe of theyr moder ¶ Thenne Esope sayd to the MarchauÌ„t Now shalt thow haue experyence of that I haue promysed For syth these two lytel children haue sene me they haue ben all seylle and aferd ¶ And theÌ„ne the Marchaunt lawhyng bidde hym to entre and seeynge the felawes fayr playsaunt salewed them sayenge I salewe yow my fayr felawes And whanne they sawe Esope they sayden all we shalle anone haue a fayr personage what wyll oure Mayster doo for to bye suche a man so foule and difformed And theyr lord ansuerd to them by cause I haue fouÌ„den no bestes for to helpe yow ther fore I haue bought thys galauÌ„d for to helpe yow to bere my caryage And therfore departe emonge yow the fardels for to bere And thenne Esope sayd to them O good felawes ye see wel that I am leest feblest I pray yow to gyue to me the lyghtest burthen And his felawes sayd to hym by cause thou mayst not doo bere nothynge To whome Esope sayd by cause ye do alle the laboure It is not syttynge that I only shold be ydle and vnprouffitable to my lord ¶ This historye maketh mencion how Esope demaunded the lyghtest burthen but to theyr semyng he took the heuyest whiche was atte last the lyghtest and so begyled his felawes THenne his felaws said to hym chese whiche thow wyl bere And Esope beholdyng all the burthene the fardels sacks and panyers And took a panyer full of brede For whiche two of the berers were redy for to haue borne and sayd now take me this panyer here And thenne they sayd he was the most foole of them by cause he asked the lyghtest and chese the heuyest And soo he tooke the panyer of brede and wente forthe to fore alle his felawes whiche whanne his felawes beheld and sawe they all saâ—â—den that theyr mayster had not lost his money For he was strong and myght bere yet an heuyer burthen And thus they mocqued hym ¶ And alwey Esope was at the lodgynge to fore his felawes And whan they were aryued at their lodgynge theyr mayster made them to reste And commaunded Esope to brynge forth brede for to ete so he took brede out of his panyer that his panyer was half empty And thenne whanne they had eten â—â—he of them took his burthen And Esope bare lasse than he dyd And cam to his lodgynge to fore his felawes And at souper he gaf to them so moche brede that his panyer was al wyde and empty And on the morne in this wyse he took his panyer and went to fore his felaws so ferre that they knewe hym not a ryght so that one demaunded who is he that goth so ferre to fore ve And another sayd It is the couâ—â—d and counterfayted â—â—se whiche by his subtylyte hath deceyued ve that â—â—re the burthens not consumed by the waye but he hath wyded hys burthen And is more wyly than we be And thenne after they came to Ephese And the marchaunt ladde his marchauÌ„dyse to the market and also his seruauntes for to
selle whiche were named Gramaticus Salâ—â—s and Esope And a Marchaunt sayd to hym yt thow wylt selle thy seruauntes at a resonable 〈◊〉 thâ—â— is a philosopher named Exanctus to whom moâ—â— â–ª peâ—â— goo to lerne at a place called Somnon lede thy seruaunts thyder And that philosopher wylle bye them and the mayster and owner of them dyd do well awye Gramaticus and Saltis with newe Rowe and ladde them thyder for to selle but by cause Esope was foule and lothely he was clad with 〈◊〉 and was sette bytwene the other two whiche were fayr playsaunt and welfarynge men But alle they that beheld Esope were abasshed by cause of his deformyte sayenge fro whens cometh this monstre or who hath brouÈt hym hyder to mocque vs And by cause that they so wondred on Esope Esope loked al ouerthwartly on them boldly ¶ This historye conteyned the second sale of Esope Exanctus the philosopher departed oute of his how 's wente to the market and as he wenâ—â— to and fro thorugh the market he sawe these two yonge men And Esope standynge bytwene them And he merueylled of the Inprudence of the Marchaunt that so had sorted them and approchynge to one of them sayd to hym in this manere of what countre art thou And he ansuerd I am of Capadoce ¶ And Exantus demaunded sayenge what canst thow doo And he ansuerd I can doo alle thynge that thou wylt whiche ansuer whanne Esope herd he lowhe shewynge his grete teethe ¶ And alle the scolers that were with Exantus beholdynge Esope so sore lawhynge and in lawhynge shewed his grete treth them semed they sawe a monstre and not a man And sayd to theyr felawes that this grete paunsart hath grete teeth ¶ And they asked what they had sene And they sayd that he so sore laughed and shewed his teeth ¶ And they sayd he lawhed not but that he was a cold on his teeth And one demaunded hym why he laughed callynge hym gen tyl galaunt And he sayd to hym what hast thou to doo ther with cokyn goo walke on the gybet And the scoler departed all ashamed and folowed his mayster ¶ And thenne Exantus demaunded the prys of Saltis And the marchaunt sayd that he shold paye for hym a thousand pens And Exantus estemynge the prys ouer dere retorned to that other felawe and sayd to hym of whens arte thou And he sayd I am borne of lydye and Exantus asked of hym what canste thou doo and he ansuerd al that thou wenest whiche whanne Esope herd he lawhed theÌ„ne more than he dyd to fore ¶ And thus whanne the scolyers sawe hym lawhe they sayden thys felawe lawhyth for al thynge ¶ Thenne the Marchannt asked what shalle cost me gramaticus and the Marchaunt sayd thre thousand scutes whiche Exantus thought to dere wence his way ¶ Thenne the scolyers sayd to theyr mayster Exantus Mayster these seruauntes please the not yes sayd Exantus they please me well but it is ordeyned in our Cyte that no seruaunt may be bought at so hyhe a prys vpon a grete payne ¶ And one of the scolyers sayde sythe they that beâ—â— fayr may not be bought bye hym that is so fowle and so disformed and truly he shalle doo to the somme seruyse and the â—â—ys that he shall be sold fore we oure self shall paye ¶ And thenne Exantus sayd to them yf I shold bye this felawe that is so fowle and lothely my wyf shold not be wel pleased For she is so precious and so delycious that she may not suffre to be seruyd with suche a counterfayted seruaunt And the scolers sayd Mayster thou hast many thynges of whiche thy wyf shall not gaynsay ne medle ¶ And Exantus thenÌ„e sayde late vs thenne demaunde hym what he can do lâ—â—st for faulte of askynge we lose onre money And tourned hym to Esope and sayd god saue the yong man And Esope sayd to hym in this manere I praye the greue me not ¶ And Exantus sayd to hym I salewe the And Esope sayde so doo I the ¶ And Exantus sayd leue these molestes and ansuer to this that I shalle demaunde And he asked what arte thow And Esope ansuerd I am of flesshe and bone And Exantus sayd I demaunde the not that but where were thou engendrid And Esope ansuerd in the wombe of my moder And Exantus sayd yet I aske the not that neyther But I aske of the In what place thow were borne And Esope sayd My moder neuer told ne assured me whether she was delyuerd of me in her chambre or in the halle and Exantus sayd I praye the telle me what thou canst doo And Esope sayd no thynge And he sayd how nothynge And Esope sayd by canse my felawes that ben here haue sayd that they wylle do al thynge thenne haue they lefte to me nothynge for to doo thenne the scolyers were moche abasshed and had grete merueylle sayenge that he had ansuerd by dyuyne sapyence For there is none that may be founden that can do al thynge And therfore he lawhed ¶ And Exantus sayde I praye the telle me yf thou wylt that I bye the And Esope sayd that is in the no man shalle enforce the therto Neuertheles yf thou wylt bye me opene thy purse and telle thy money and make the bargayne Thenne the scolyers sayd by alle the goddes this felawe surmounteth our maystre And Exantus sayd to hym in this maner yf I bye the wylt thou flee aweye To whome Esope ansuerd yf I wylle flee awey I counceylle the bye me not And Exantus sayd thou saist wel but thou arte ouer lothely and dyfformed to whome Esope sayd me ouÈte not beholde only the face of a body but al only thentendement of the courage ¶ And thenne Exantus demaunded of the Marchaunt what shalle I paye for this Esope And the mar chaunt sayd to hym thou arte a folysshe Marchaunt for to leue these goodly and fayr seruauntes and wylt take hym that nothynge can doo take one of these two and lete this bossute goo ¶ And Exantus sayd I requyre the telle me what I shalle paye And the marchaunt sayd lx pens And the scolyers told oute the money to the marchaunt And thus by this bargeyne Esope was seruaunt to Exantus ¶ And whanne the Banquers receyued the money of this sale they demaunded curyously who were the byar and the sellar And thenne Exantus and the Marchaunt composed and accorded bytwene them that he had not be sold for so moche money And thenne Esope seyd to the bancquers certaynly this is he that hath bought me and this is he that hath sold me which thynge they wylle denye wherfore I afferme and seye that I am fre Thenne the banker lawhed of this cauyllacion went receyued the prys of exantus of as moch as he had bouÈt esope ¶ This Historye conteyneth how Exantus brought esope home to his wyf THenne whan euery man was departed Esope folowed Exantus homeward to
ansue re For as a woman that hath ben a wedowe hath had children by her fyrst husbond that is deed And after 〈◊〉 remaryed to another man whiche hath â—â—de children of an other wyf to fore and to the children of her fyrste husbond she is moder And to the other children she is but sâ—â—oder And â—â—s â—â—her is a dyfference bitwene her owne children the chil dren of that other woman For her children she hath nourysshed â—â—sybly and the other steâ—â—children oftymes in angre wrathe Ryght so in this maner â—â—s of the erthe For she is mo der of the herbes that growe withoute to be laboured sowen oâ—â— sâ—â— and is but stepmoder to the herbes that growen by laboure and force And thenne the gardyner sayd to hym thow hast delyuerd me of a grete payne and studye And therfore I praâ—â—e the of the herbes that ben in my gardyne thou take thy playsyr and wyll at al tymes and aâ—â— oft 〈◊〉 thow wylt ¶ This Historye folowynge maketh mencion how Esope bâ—â—re the present ON a tyme whan the scolyers had ben in the audytoyre with Exantus one of the scolers arayed precious metes for the souper And whanne they were at souper they tooke of the most best metes put them in a plater exantus sayd to Esope go bere this to her that loueth me best and Esope thought in hym self now is hit tyme to auenge me of my maystresse whan he cam home in to the halle he said to his maystresse Madame beware that ye ete not of this mete And his lady said I wote wel that thou arte alwey a grete fole And Esope sayd to her Exantus hath not commaunded me to gyue it to the but to her that loueth hym best Thenne esope pre sented the plater to a lytel hound whiche was alwaye in the how 's sayenge to the hound my lord hath sente to the this mete whiche is precious the wyf of Exantus wente in to her chambre began to wepe after Esope returned to exantus he asked how his loue ferd he said ryght wel my lord al the mete that I haue sette to fore her she hath eten it exantus said what said she he said my lord she sayth no thyng but she desyreth sore for to see the After this whan they had wel eten dronken they had many questions to gydre And one asked whan mortal men shal haue most to do And Esope saide that shall be at the day of Iugement whan men shall ryse the sco lers herynge that ansuere beganne to lawhe sayenge this vylayne is ful of ansuers one of the scolers demauÌ„ded maister wherfor is it that whan the sheep goth to his dethe ward he so loweth his mayster saith not a worde whan the swyne is brought to be slayne he ne dothe but crye braye And Esope ansuerd them by cause it is acustomed for to mylke the shep to shere he weneth that he shalle be molken shorn therfor he fereth not to folowe ne come But by cause the swyne is not acustomed to be molken ne to be shorne but to be laten blood lâ—â—se his lyf therfore he is aferd dredeth whan he is taken al the scolors said it was trouthe â—â—o this man is wyse hath sayd wel eche man aroos wente home to his how 's Thus thenne whan Exantus waâ—â— returned in to his how 's he entrid in 〈◊〉 his chambre fonde his wyf sore wenyng And he said to her My swete loue how is it with yow kyssed her she turned the back to hym said late me allone I haue not to do with the I wylle go out of this how 's thou louest better thyn hound than me to whome thou hast sent the precious mete And by cause he knewe nothyng herof he demaunded her what mete hath Esope brought to the she said none at all exantus sayd am I dronke I haue sente to the by Esope a plater ful of precious mete she seyd not to me but to thy hounâ—â— â—â—henne he called Esope demaunded hym to whom he had gyuen the mete that I delyuerd to the he said to her that loueth the most lyke as thou commaundest me And Exantus sayd to his wyf vnderstandest thou not what he sayth I vnderstond hym wel said she but he gaf to me nothyng but gaf it to thyn hound Exantus torned hym to Esope said to hym thow grete hede to whome hast thou borne the mete that I delyuerd to the And Esope ansuerd to her that loueth the best And Exantus demauÌ„ded who is she And Esope callyd the lytel houÌ„d sâ—â—d this is she here for the loue of thy wyf is ryght nought for if she be a lytel angry incoÌ„tynent she reprocheth the sayth vylonye to the that louest her And wylle anone saye I goo fro the and leue thy how 's And yf this hound go fro the calle her ageyne and she cometh to the anone makynge to the chere And therfore thou oughtest to saye to thy wyf and not to her that loueth the best ¶ Thenne ExaÌ„tus sayd to his wyf thou seest that this felawe is a raylar and an Inuentar of wordes And therfore haue pacyence For I shalle fynde cause to auenge the and bete hym And she sayd doo what thow wylt For I shalle neuer more haue to doo with hym and of ter that take thyn hound For I goo my way And without sayenge Fare wel she wente home to her frendes And by 〈◊〉 se Exantus was angry and sorowfull for her departynge Esope sayd to hym Now seest thow wel that thy wyf that is gone loueth the not but this lytel hound abydeth with the And by cause Exantus was al heuy for the departyng of his wyf he dyd do pray her to retourne but the more that she was prayd so moche more was she obstynate For the more a man prayeth a woman the more dothe she the contrarye ¶ This historye maketh mencion how Esope made his lady to come home ageyye ANd by cause Exantus was angry for the departynge of his wyf Esope said to his maister he not angry for without prayenge I shalle anone make her to retoâ—â—ne and come home ageyne And after Esope wente to the market and bought capons and poullayâ—â— And as he bare them passynge by the how 's wherâ—â— his maystresse was It happed that one of the seruauntes of the how 's cam out Esope demaunded hym haue ye sentt no thynge to the weddynge of my lord do what weddyng sayd the seruaunt vnto the weddynge of Exantus sayd Esope For to morne he shalle wedde a newe wyf And anone the seruaunt wente in to the how 's and sâ—â— yd to Exantus wyf Madame ther ben newe tydyuges And what ben they sayd she Exantus shalle haue a newe wyf be maryed And forthwith incontynent she departed came home to the how
alle his frendes holdyng a pyece ful of wyn in his hand shoste for fere of the questions that men asked of hym And Esope sayd to hym My mayster Dyonysyus sayth that the good wyn hath thre vertues The fyrst is Wluptucsyte The second is gladnesse and the thyrd is that it maketh men foolys and oute of theyr wyttes wherfore I praye the lâ—â—te vs drynke Ioyously and make good chere And by cause Exantus was as thenne almoste dronke For he hadde wel dronken sayd to Esope hold thy pees For thou art counceyller of helle And Esope sayd to hym ageyne kepe the wel For yf thou fynde me in helle I shalle auenge me on thy self ANd thenne one of the scosyers sayd seyng that exantus had dronke ynough and was charged of ouer moche wyn sayd to hym My mayster I aske of the yf a man myght drynke alle the see wherfore not sayd Exan tus I my self shalle drynke it wel Thenne sayd ageyne the scolyer And yf thou drynke it not what wylt thou lese and Exantus sayd my how 's I am content sayd the scoler and ageynst hit I shalle leye an honderd crownes And the pactionâ—â— and bargayne thus bytwene them made gaf for gaige or pledge eche of them two theyr signets of gold and thenne wente home ¶ And on the morne as Exantus was rysen vp oute of his bedde and sawe that he had not his rynge on his fyngre he sayd to Esope knowest thou not where my rynge is I wote not sayd Esope but wel I me remembre and knowe for certayne that this daye we shall be put oute of this how 's And why sayd Exantus Esope sayd to hym Remembryst thou not the bâ—â—rgeyne and paction that thou yesterday at euen made And what be they sayd Exantus Thou arte bound to drynke oute al the see and for gage and pledge hast thow lefte thyn rynge of gold ¶ And whanne exantus herd these wordes he was sore abasshed and sayd In what maner shal I drynke oute alle the see this may not be for hit is Impossyble wherfore Esope I pray the to counceylle me yf it pleaseth to the so that I may Wynquysshe or els to brâ—â—ke and sette that bargayn and paction at nought And Esope sayd to hym thou shalt not Wynquysshe but parauenture I shalle make that thou shalt wel breke the paction And the manere of hit said Esope is this that whanne thyn aduersarye shalle requy re the to doo and fulfylle thy promesse thou shalt charge and commaunde to thy seruauntes that they brynge a table and al suche other thynges that ben necessary to it vpon the Ryuage of the see and make the botelers and seruaunts to abyde there with the And before alle the companye thou shalt make a pyece to be wasshen and fylled full of the water of the Sâ—â—e and shall take it in thy hand and praye that the paction may be declared before alle the felauship saye that thou wylt asseure the promesse as wel before drynke as after And thenne thus shalt thou saye to alle the felauship My lordes of Sa mye ye knowe how yesterday at euen I made promesse to dryn ke alle the water of the see but also ye wote wel how many grete floodâ—â—s and Ryuers come and falle in to the See wherfore I demaunde and aske as rayson is that myn aduersary kepe and hold the Ryuers and floodes that they entre not in to the see And thenne I shal drynke al the see And soo the paction shall be broken and vndone ¶ This historye conteyneth how Exantus excused hym from his promesse by the counceylle of Esope EXantus thenne knowynge that the Counceylle of Esope was wel good he was full gladde ¶ His Aduersary thenne came before the Cytezeyns of the Cyte te telle and signefye the pactyon and prayed the Iuge that Exantus shold doo that whiche he hadde promysed to doo ¶ And Exantus commaunded to alle his seruauntes that they sholde bere his bedde his table and alle other thynges that were necessary to hym vpon the Ryuage of the see And thenne before alle the company he made a pye 〈◊〉 to be wasshâ—â—n and fylled it full of the water of the see the whiche he tooke in his hand and sayd to his aduersary Expose we now and telle our paction and bargayn ¶ Exantus thenne torned hym toward the felauship and sayd My lordes of Sampe ye wote wel how many floodes and ryuers entre and come in to the see And yf myn Aduersary wylle â—â—pe and hold them stylle soo that they entre no more in to the see I shal drynke al the water of the see And alle they that were there beganne thenne to saye Exantus sayth wel And thenne the Scoler aduersary to Exantus sayd My mayster thou hast Wynquysshed me wherfore I pray the that oure bar gayne maye be broken And Exantus sayd I am content ¶ And whanne Exantus was tourned ageyne to his hous Esoâ—â—e dyd praye hym sayenge thus My mayster by cause I haue serued and holpen the wel in thyn nede lete me go fâ—â— at my lyberte EXanctus thenne cursed hym sayeng grete hede yet shalt thou not escape free â—â—e go fro me goo thou see behold before the yate yf thou canst aspye two crowes to gyder And thenne thou come ageyne to telle it me For the syght of two crowes one nyghe the other is good fortune but the syght of one allone is euylle fortune And as Esope yssued oute of the how 's he sawe two crowes vpon a tree wherfore de soone tourned ageyne and told it to his Mayster But as Exantus departed oute of the how 's the one flewe awey Thenne sayd he grete hede grete bely where ben the two crowes that thou sawest And Esope sayd thus to hym As I wente to fetche the the one flewgh awey And Exantus sayd croked back and euylle shapen it is euer thus thy manere to mocque me but thus shalle not thow be quyte and commaunded to vndoo his clothes and to bete hym And as men beâ—â— hym Exantus was called to his dysner And thenne Esope sayd Allas how moche myserable I am For I ha ue sene two crowes to gyder am bete And Exantus whiche sawe but one is called to the delyâ—â—es And ther is none to whome the byrdes ben so contrarye as they are to me ¶ And whan exantus herd hym he was moche merueilled of the grete subtylyte of his wytte and commaunded them that bete hym that they shold ceâ—â—se And within a lytel whyle after Exantus sayd to Esope goo thou and dresse vs good metes for our dyner For alle these lordes shalle dyne with me And eso pe wente to the market bought alle that he wold bye And whan it was al redy he brought the metes in to the halle where he found his maystresse lyenge vpon a bedde slepynge he awaked her and sayd Madame yf it please yow ye shal
and sette hym in the syege and recyted redde the Royal lettres how the kynge Crossus remytted and forgaf to them the trybutes After this Esope departed fro Samye and wold goo to disporte hym self thorugh many regyons nacions and Cytâ—â—es gyuynge enseygnementes by histo ryes and fables to the mortall men He came to Babyloyne And by cause he dyd shewe there his sapyence he was well receyued and worshipfully festyed of Sycurre kyng of babyloyne And at that tyme the kynges dyd sende the one to the other playes and proposycions problematyks and suche other playsaunces for theyr disportes And he whiche coude not interprete them sente trybute to hym that sended them ¶ And by cause that Esope coude wel interprete them taught to the kynge of Babyloyne the maner of hit And syn he composed there many fables whiche the kyng of Babyloyn sente to other kynges And by cause they coude not interprete them they fen ce many trybutes to the kynge of Babyloyne wherfore the royalme was eslargysshed and fylled of many grete Rychesses And after that by cause Esope had no children he adopted a noble and yonge child to his sone the whiche he presen ted to the kynge And he receyued hym as he had be his own sone whiche child was named Enus This Enus within a lytel whyle after medled with the chamberere of Esope whiche he held for his wyf and knewe her bodyly And by cause he was in grete doubte that Esope wold auenge hym he accused Esope toward the kynge of cryme of lezemageste or treason and composed fals lettres shewynge by them to the kynge how by the fables whiche he sente here and thyder he hadde bytrayd hym and that he had conspyred his dethe ¶ This Historye maketh mencyon how the kynge commaunded that Esope shold be put in his fyrst dygnyte and offyce And how he pardonned and forgaf to his adopted sone THe kynge Lycurius byleuynge and gyuyng credence to the accusacion maade ageynste Esope was gretely wrothe And commaunded to Herope his Seneschalle that Esope shold be put to deth And Herope seynge that this sentence was not Iuste kepte Esope secretely within a sepulcre And alle his goodes were confysked to his sone whiche had accused hym And within a longe whyle after Nectana bus whiche was kynge of Egypte wenynge that Esope had be putte to dethe as the comyn renomme or talkynge was sent a proposycion problematyke to Lycurre kyng of babyloyne the whiche conteyneth this that foloweth Nectanabus kynge of Egypte to Lycurre kynge of Babyloyne gretynge By cause that I wylle edyffye or byld a towre the whiche shalle not touche heuen ne erthe I praye the. that thow wylt sende me massons for to make vp the sayd Toure And this prayer by the accomplysshed I shalle gyue to the ten trybutes of al my Reame and londes And whan the kynge of Babyloyne herd this demaunde he was gretely troubled and wroth and thought how he myght satisfye and gyue an ansuere to this question And thenne he called to hym al his sages for to haue the solucion of the said question And by cause that none conde make the soluaon the kynge was more angry than to fo re And for the grete sorowe that he took herof he felte doune to the ground and sayd Allas I am wel myserable and my schannt that haue lost the crowne of my Royalme cursed be he by whome I made Esope to be put to dethe ¶ And thenne whan Herope the Seneschall knewe the grete anguysshe and sorowe of the kynge he sayd to hym Ryght dere Syre take nomorâ—â— sorowe ne afflyction in thyn herte but pardone and forgyue me For I made not Esope to be put to dethe as thou commaundest me For wel I wyste that yet thou sholdest haue nede of hym And doubtynge to doo ageynst thy mageste syn that tyme vnto this day I haue kepte hym in a sepulcre ¶ And whanne the kynge herd these wordes he wexed ful of Iope And anone rose fro the ground where as he laye wente and enbraced his Seneschall sayenge yf hit be so that Esope maye be yet on lyue durynge my lyf I shalle be bouÌ„d to the And therfore I praye the yf hit be soo lete hym come to me anone Esope was brought before the kyng whiche fyll doune to the kynges feet And whanne the kynge sawe that Esope was so pale and afflyged he had of hym pyte and com maunded or bidde that he sholde be taken vp and clothed of newe And whanne Esope was vpon his feet he came before the kynge and ful mekely salewed hym And demaunded of hym the cause why he had ben put in pryson And the kyng sayd to hym that his adopted sone Enus hadde accused hym And thenne the kynge commaunded that Enus shold be punysshed of suche payne of the whiche oughte to be punysshed they that make theire faders to deye But Esope prayd the kynge that he wold forgyue hym And thenne the kyng shewed to Esope the question of the kynge of Egypte ¶ And whanne Esope had sene the lettres he sayd to the kynge wryte and sende ageyne this sentence to the kynge of Egypte gyuynge to hym this ansuere that after the wynter shal be passed and gone thou shalt sende vnto hym werkmen for to byld and make vp his toure and for to ausuere to hym in al thynges And thus he sente his Ambussatours to the kynge of Egypte After this the kynge made al the goodes of egipt After this the kynge made alle the goodes of Esope to be restytued vnto hym and to be put in his fyrst dygnyte gyuyng to hym auctoryte and myght to punysshe his sone after his wylle But Esope benygnely receyued ageyne in to his own how 's his adopted sone and swetely chastysed and corryged hym and sayd to hym My sone kepe thou my comaundemeÌ„ts and take and put them in to thy courage For we gyue well counceylle to other but for vs we can not take hit ¶ And by cause that thou arte an humayne man thou must be subgette to fortune And therfore thou shalt fyrst loue god and shalle kepe thy self fro the wrath and angre of thy kynge And by cause that thou arte an humayne man haue thenne cure and sollycitude of humayne thynges For god punyssheth the euyll and wycked folke and also it is not heuenly thynge to doo to ony body ony harme but shewe thy self cruell to thyn enemyes to th ende that of them thou be not condampned And to thy frendes make ioyefull semblaunt and good there to th ende that thou mayst haue euer the soner they re help and good wylle For thou oughtest to desyre and wysshe prosperyte and welfare to alle thy frendes and aduersyte to alle thyn enemyes Thou must speke fayre to thy wyf to th ende that she take none other man For by cause a woman is moche varyable and meuable as men flatere and speke fayre to her she then 〈◊〉 ne is lasse
vnder the saue gard or protection of the euylle thou oughtest to wete knowe that whan he asketh demaunded ayde helpe he geteth none ¶ wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable Of the douues whiche demaunded a sperehawke for to be theyr kynge for to kepe them fro the kyte or mylan And whanne the sperehawke was maade kynge ouer them he beganne to deuoure them the whiche columbes or douues sayd amonge them that better it were to them do suffre of the kyte than to be vnder the subiection of the sperehawke to be martred as we be but therof we be wel worthy For we oure self ben cause of this meschyef And therfore whanne men done ony thyng men ought well to loke and consydere th ende of hit For he dothe prudently and wysely whiche taketh good hede to the ende ¶ The fyfthe fable maketh mencyon of the Montayn whiche shoke RYght so it happeth that he that menaceth hath drede and is ferdfull wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable Of a hylle whiche beganne to tremble and shake by cause of the molle whiche delued hit And whanne the folke sawe that the erthe beganne thus to shake they were sore aferd and dredeful and durst not wel come ne approche the hylle 〈◊〉 after whanne they were come nyghe to the Montayne knewe how the molle caused this hylle shakynge theyr doub te and drede were conuerted vnto Ioye and beganne alle to lawhe And therfore men ought not to doubte al folk whiche ben of grete wordes and menaces For somme menacen that ha ue grete doubte ¶ The vj fable is of the wulf and of the lambe THe byrth causeth not so moche to gete some frendes as doth the goodnes wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable Of a wulf whiche sawe a lambe among a grete herd of gootes the whiche lambe sowked a gote And the wulf wente and sayd to hym this gote is not thy moder goo and seke her at the Montayn for she shalle nourysshe the more swetely and more tendyrly than this gote shalle And the lambe ansuerd to hym This goote nouryssheth me in stede of my moder for she leneth to me her pappes soner than to ony of her own children And yet more hit is better for me to be here with these gootes than to departe fro hens and to falle in to thy throte for to be deuoured And therfore he is a foole whiche leueth fredome or surete for to put hym self in grete perylle and daunger of dethe For better is to lyue surely and rudely in sewrte than swetely in peryll daâ—â— And as they ranne they adressyd them in to a medowe fulle of frogges ¶ And whanne the frogges herd the hares renne they beganne also to flee and to renne fast And thenne a hare whiche perceyued them so ferdfull sayd to alle his felawes Lete vs no more be dredeful ne doubtuous for we be not alone that haue had drede For alle the frogges â—â—n in doubte and haue fere and drede as we haue Therfore we ought not to despayrâ—â— but haue trust and hope to lyue And yf somme aduersyte cometh vpon vs we must bere it pacyently For ones the tyme shalle come that we shalle be oute of payne and oute of all drede Therfore in the vnhappy and Infortunat tyme men ought not be despayred but oughte euer to be in good ho pe to haue ones better in tyme of prosperyte For after gretâ—â— werâ—â— cometh good pâ—â—s And after the rayne cometh the fair wâ—â—r ¶ The ix fable maketh mencyon of the wulf and of the kydde GOod Children ought to obserue and kepe euer the commaundements of theyr good parentes and frendes wherof Esope reciteth to vs suche a fable Of a goto whiche had made her yonge kydde and honger toke her soo that she wold haue gone to the feldes for to ete some grasse Wherfore she sayd to her kyd My child beware wel that yf the wulf come hyder to ete the that thow opene not the dore to hym ¶ And whanne the gote was gone to the feldes came the wulf to the dore And faynynge the gotes voyce sayd to the kydde My child opene to me the dore And thenne the kydde ansuerd to hym goo hens euylle and fals beste For well I see the thurgh that hole but for to haue me thow faynest the wyce of my moder ¶ And therfore I shalle kepe me well fro openynge of ony dore of this how 's And thus the good children ought euer to kepe wel and put in theyr hert memory the doctryne and the techyng of theyr parentes For many one is vndone and lost for faulte of obedyence â–ª ¶ The tenthe fable is of the good man and of the serpente saâ—â—en comynly that of the euylle of other men ought not to lawhe ne scorne But the Iniuryous mocquen and scornen the world and geteth many enemyes For the whiche cause oftyme it happeth that of a fewe wordes euyll sette cometh a grete noyse and daunger ¶ The xiij fable is of the foxe and of the storke THow oughtest not to doo to other that whiche thow woldest not that men shold doo to the wherof Esope re herceth to vs suche a fable Of a foxe whiche conueyed a storke to souper And the foxe put the mete vpon a trauncher the whiche mete the storke myght not ete wherof she tooke had grete displaysaunce wente departed oute of the foxes how 's al hongry and wente ageyne to her lodgys And by cause that the foxe had thus begyled her she bythoughte in her self how she myght begyle the Foxe For as men saye it is meryte to begyle the begylers wherfore the storke prayd the foxe to come and soupe with her and put his mete within a glas And whanne the foxe wold haue eten he myght not come ther by but only he lycked the glas bycause he cowde not reche to the mete with his mouthe And thenne he knewe wel that he was deceyued And thenne the storke sayd to hym Take of suche goodes as thow gauest to me And the poure foxe ryght shameful departed fro thens And with the staf which he had made he was bete And therfore he that begyleth other is oftyme begyled hym self ¶ The xiiij fable is of the wulf and of the dede mans hede gowne For suche weren fayre gownes and fayr gyrdels of gold that haue theyr treth cold at home ¶ The xvj fable is of the mule and of the flye SOmme maken grete menaces whiche haue no myghte ¶ wherof Esope reherceth suche a fable ¶ Of a carter whiche ladde a Charyot or carte whiche a Mule drewe forthe And by cause the Mule wente not fast ynough the flye sayd to the Mule Ha a payllari Mule why goost thow not faster I shalle soo egrely pryke the that I shalle make the to go lyghtely ¶ And the Mule answerd to the flye god kepe and preserue the mone for the
The xj fable is of the fader and of the euylle sone ¶ The xij fable is of the serpent and of the mone ¶ The xiij fable is of the wulues and of the sheep ¶ The xiiij fable is of the wulf and of the wood ¶ The xv fable is of the wulf and of the dogge ¶ The xvj fable is of the feet of the handes and of the mans bely ¶ The xvij fable is of the ape and of the foxe ¶ The xviij fable is of the man that kept mules of the asse ¶ The xix fable is of the herte and of the oxe The xx fable is of the fallace of the lyon and of his conuersacion wherof the fyrste maketh mencion of the lyon of the pastour or herdman THe myghty and puyssaunt oughte not to be slowfull of the benefetes done to them by the lytyl and smalle And oughte not also to forgete them but that they may be rewarded of them ¶ And this fable approueth esope sheweth vnto vs of a lyon whiche ranne after a beest and as he ranne a thorne entred in to his foote whiche hurted and greued hym gretely wherfore he myght no ferther goo but as wel as he cowde he came to a shepeherd whiche kepte his sheep and beganne to flatere with his taylle shewynge to hym hys foote whiche was sore hurted and wounded The sheepherd was in grete drede and casted before the lyon one of his sheep But the lyon demaunded no mete of hym For more he desyred to be medycyned and made hole of his foote ¶ And af ter whanne the sheepherd sawe the wounde he with a nydle sub tylly drewe oute of his foote the thorne and had oute of the wound alle the roten flesshe and enoynted hit with swete oynements ¶ And anone the lyon was hole And for to haue rendâ—â—d graces and thankys to the sheepherd or pasto ur the lyon kyssed his handes And after he retorned ageyn in to the hyest of the woode And within a lytel whyle after it happed that this lyon was taken and conueyed to the Cyte of Rome and was put amonge the other beestes for to deuoure the mysdoers Now it befelle that the sayd shepeherd commysed a crymynous dede wherfore he was condempned to be deuoured by these bestes And ryght soo as he was cast emong them the lyon knewe hym and beganne to behold on hym and made to hym chere â–ª and lykked hym with his tongue And pre serued and kepte hym from alle the other bestes ¶ Thenne knewe the sheepherd that it was the lyon whiche he maade hole And that he wold thenne haue recompensed hym of the good whiche he had done to hym wherof alle the Romayns were all wonderly abasshed And wold knowe the cause of hit And the sheepherd sayd to them as aboue is sayd ¶ And whanne they knewe the cause they gaf leue to the sheepherd to goo home and sente ageyne the lyon in to the forest And therfore this is notary and trewe that al maner of folke ought to rendre and gyue thankynges grace and mercye to they re good doers For slowfulnes is a synne whiche is moche displaysaunt to god ¶ The second fable is of the lyon and of the hors â—â—The one ought to eschewe dyssymylyng for none ouÈt to were on hym the skyn of the wulf but that he wyll be lyke to hym For none ouÈt to fayne hym self other than suche as he is As to ve reherceth this fable ¶ Of a lyon whiche sawe a hors whiche ete grasse in a medowe And for to fynde somme subtylyte and manere for to ete and deuoure hym approched to hym and sayd god kepe the my broder I am a leche and with al a good phisycyen ¶ And by cause that I see that thow hast a sore foote I am come hyther for to hele the of hit And the hors knewe wel all his euyl thought And sayd to the lyon My broder I thanke the gretely and thow arte welcome to me I praye the that thow wylt make my foote hole And thenne the lyon sayd to the hors late see thy foote And as the lyon loked on hit the hors smote hym on the forhede In suche wyse that he brake his hede and fyll oute of hismynde the lyon felle to the ground And soo wonderly he was hurte that almost he myght not ryse vp ageyne And thenne sayd the lyon in hym self I am wel wor thy to haue had this For he that sercheth euylle euyll cometh to hym And by cause that I dyssymyled and fayned my self to be a medycyn where as I shold haue shewed my sâ—â— a grete enemye I therfore haue receyued good reward And therfore euery body oughte to shewe hym self suche as he is ¶ The thyrd fable maketh mencion of the asse of the hors of theyr fortune HE that is wel fortuned and happy and is atte vpperest of the whele of fortune may wel falle doune And therfore none ought to disprayse the poure but ought to thynke how the whele of fortune is moche doubtuous as sheweth this present fable Of a fayr hors whiche was wel harnaysed and arayed and his sadel and brydel garnysshed with gold whiche hors mette with an asse sore laden in a narowe way And by cause that the asse tourned hym not a bak Incontynent the hors sayd to hym Ha a chorle hast thow noo shame ne vergoyne that thow doste ne berest none worshippe â—â—e reuerence vnto thy lord who holdeth now me that wyth my foote I breke not thyn hede by cause that thow put test not thy self asyde and oute of my waye so that I myght passe goo on my waye The poure asse ansuerd ne sayd to hym neuer a word and was sore aferd that the hors shold haue beâ—â— hym wherfore he held his pees as wyse and sage And the hors wente his waye ¶ And within a lytel whyle after it â—â—felle that fortune tourned his whele vp so doune For thys â—â—yre hors â—â—ame old lene and seke ¶ And whanne his maystre sawe that his hors was thus lene and seke and oute of prosperyce he comauÌ„ded that he shold be had in to the toun And that in stede of his ryche sadel men shold put and sette on his lucke a panyer for to bere dounge in to the feldes Now it happed that the asse whiche was in a medowe etyng grasse perceyued and sawe the hors and wel knewe hym ' wherof he was wonder abusshed and merueylled moche that he was thus poure and so lene bycome ¶ And the Asse went toward hym and sayd Ha a felawe where is now thy fayre sadel and thy ryche brydel garnysshed with gold how arte thow now bycome soo lene and suche a payllard what haue prouffyted to the thy fayre and ryche rayments and what auaylled now to the thy grete fyerste and pryde and thy grete presumpcion whiche ones thow shewest to me Thynke now how thow arte lene and vnthrysty And how thow and
I ben now of one offyce And the myserable and vnhappy hors was abusshed And for shame loked dounward ansuerd neuer one word for alle his felycite was thenne torned in to aduersyte ¶ And therfore they that ben in felycite oughte not to dysprayse them whiche ben in aduersyte For many one I knewe ryche and myghty whiche are now poure ¶ The iiij fable maketh mencyon of the beestes and of the birdes NOne maye doo no good to two bordes at ones whiche ben coÌ„trary one to that other as sayth to vs this fable that the beestes made grete werre ageynst the byrdes fought euery day to gyder And the backe feryng the wulues And that the beestes shold vaynquysshe and ouercome the byrdes wold haue hold with the beestes and be ageynst the byrdes And whanne the bataylle was ordeyned on bothe sydes the egle beganne to entre in to the batayll of the beestes by suche a strengthe that with the help of the other byrdes he gat the feld and vaynquysshed and ouercame the bestes wherfor the bestes maade pees with the byrdes and were alle of one acord and of one wylle And for the treason that the â—â—acke had made she was condempned to neuer see the day And neuer flee but only by nyght And also she was despoylled of alle her fethers And therfore he that wylle serue two lordes coÌ„ trary one to other may not be good ne trewe And they whiche relynquen and leue theyr owne lordes for to serue another straunger whiche is enemy to theyr lord ben wel worthy to be punysshed For as the Euangely sayth None may serue bothe god and the deuyl ¶ The v fable is of the nyghtyngale and of the sperehawke HE that oppresseth the Innocents shalle haue an euyl ende wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable Of a sperehawk whiche dyd put hym within the nest of a nyghtyngale where he fond the lytyl and yonge byrdes the nyghtyngale came and perceyued hym wherfore she praid the sperehawke sayeng I requyre and praye the as moche as I may that thow haue pyte on my smal byrdes And the sperehawke ansuerd and sayd yf thow wylt that I graunte the thy request thow must synge swetely after my wylle and gree And thenne the nyghtyngale beganne to synge swetely not with the herte but with the threte onely For he was soo fylled of sorowe that otherwyse he myght not doo The sperehawk sayd thenne to the nyghtyngale This songe playseth me not And toke one of the yonge byrdes and deuoured hit And as the sayd sperehawke wold haue deuoured and eten the other came there a hunter whiche dyd caste a grete nette vpon the sperehawke And whanne she wold haue fleen awey he myght not for he was taken And therfore he that doth harme letteth the Innocents is worthy to deye of euylle dethe As Caym dyd whiche slewe his broder Abel ¶ The seuenth fable is of the foxe and of the wulf FOrtune helpeth bothe the good and euylle folke and to alle them whiche she helpeth not she sendeth euylle to them And they that setten alle theyr malyce ageynste fortune ben subuertysed and ouerthrawon by her wherof Esope reherceth suche a fable Of a wulf whiche had assembled to gyter a grete proye or moche mete for to haue lyued more delyaously wherof the foxe had grete enuye and for to haue robbed somme of this good he came vnto the cauerne or hole where as this proye or mete was in and sayd to the wulf My godsep the wulf by cause hit is longe syth I sawe the I am in grete heuynesse and sorowe and also by cause we haue not ben in long tyme gone chaced and gone to gyder ¶ And whan the wulf knewe the malyce of the foxe he sayd to hym thow arte not come hyder for to see me ne how I fare but thou arte come for to robbe and rauysshe my good For the whiche wordes the foxe was moche angry and wente toward a sheepherd to whome he sayd yf thow wylt be auenged of the wulf whiche is enemy of thy heerd or parke on this day I shalle put hym vnder thy handes And the sheepherd ansuerde to the foxe in this manere yf thow doo as thow sayst I shall paye the wel And thenne the foxe shewed to hym the hool wherin the wulf was And the sheepherd Incontynent wente toward the hole and with a spere he kyld the wulf And by this manere the foxe was wel fylled and refresshyd of the good of other but as he retorned homeward he was taken deuoured by somme dogges wherfore he seyd to hym self by cause that ryght euylle I haue done euylle cometh now to me For synne retorneth euer vpon his mayster And he that lyueth but of rauyn and robberye shal at the last be knowen and robbed ¶ The seuenth fable is of the herte and of the hunter MEn preysen somtyme that that shold be blamed vitu pered And ofte men blamen vytuperen that that shold be preysyd as reciteth to vs this fable of a her te To whome it happyd on a tyme that he drank in a fontayn or welle as he dranke he sawe in the water his hede which was horned wherfore he preysed moche his hornes And as he loked on his legges whiche were lene and smal he dispreysed and vytupered them And as he was drynkynge in the fontayne he herd the voys and barkynge of dogges wherfore he wold haue fledde awey in to the forest for to saue hym self but as he sawe the dogges so nyghe hym he wold haue entrid within a busshe but he myght not for his hornes kepte hym withoute And thenne seyng that he myght not escape began to saye within hym self I haue blamed vytupered my legges whiche haue ben to me vtyle and prouffitable and haue preysed my hornes whiche ben now cause of my dethe And therfore men ought to disprayse that thynge whiche is vnprouffitable and preyse that whiche is vtyle and prouffitable And they ought to preyse and loue the chirche and the commaundements of the same the whiche ben moche vtyle prouf fytable And dispreyse and flee al synne and vyce Whiche ben inutyle harmeful and dommageable ¶ The viij fable maketh mencion of Iuno of Menus and of the other wymmen BEfore the goddes and the goddesses men muste euer preyse chastyte for it is a worshipful an honest thyng to a woman to hold hyr contente with a man alone but Menus for her disporte for to dryue aweye the tyme wold Interprete the sayenge of the hennes wherfore she demaunded a henne whiche was in her how 's but at this tyme I shal kepe my tongue and no ferther I shalle speke therof For many wyse men whiche haue sene and redde alle this book vnder standen wel alle the nature of hit And by cause it is lycyte honest And that we alle ben bounden to kepe the ladyes in they re worship and honour also that in
to gnawe me For I telle the that none euyll may hurte ne adommage another as euylle as he Ne none wycked may hurte another wycked ne also the hard ageynst the hard shalle not breke eche other ne two enuyous men shal not both ryde vpon an asse wherfor the myghty and stronge must loue hym whiche is as myghty and as stronge as hym self is ¶ The xiij fable is of the wulues and of the sheep WHanne men haue a good hede and a good defeâ—â—sour or a good Capitayne men oughte not to leue hym for he that leueth hym repenteth hym afterward of hit as to ve reherceth this fable Of the sheep whiche had werre and discencion with the wolues And by cause that the wulues made to stronge werre ageynst the sheep the shepe thenne tooke for theyr help the dogges and the whethers also And thenne was the bataylle of the sheep so grete and so stronge fought so vygorously ageynst the wolues that they put them to flyÈt ¶ And whanne the wolues sawe the strengthe of theyr aduersaryeâ—â— they sent an ambassade toward the sheep for to trete the pees with them the whiche Ambassade sayd to the sheep in this maner yf ye wylle gyue vs the dogges we shalle swere vnto yow oure feythe that we shalle neuer kepe ne hold werre ageynst yow And the sheep ansuerd yf ye wylle gyue vs your fayth we shalle be content And thus they made pees to gyder but the wulues kyld the dogges whiche were capytayns and protectours of the sheep And the dogges dyde but lytyll hurte to the wulues wherfore whanne the lytyl and yong wulues were growen in theyr age they came of eche part and countrey and assembled them to gyder and all of one accord and wylle sayd to they re Auncestres and faders we must ete vp alle the sheep And theyr faders ansuerd thus to them we haue maade pees with them Neuertheles the yonge wolues brake the pees and ranne fyersly vpon the sheep and theyr faders wente after them ¶ And thus by cause that the sheep had delyuerd the dogges to the wolues the whiche were theyr capitayns and that they had none that kepte them they were all eten and deuoured of the wulues Therfore hit is good to kepe well his capytayne whiche may at a nede gâ—â—ue socour and helpe For a trewe frend is oftyme better at a nede than a Royalme For yf the sheep had kepte the loue of the dogges the wolues had neuer deuoured them wherfore it is a sure thynge to kepe wel the loue of his protectour and good frende ¶ The xiiij fable is of the man and of the wood HE that gyueth ayde and help to his enemy is cause of his dethe as recyteth this fable of a man whiche made an axe And after that he had made his axe he asked of the trees and sayd ye trees gyue yow to me a handle And the trees were content ¶ And whanne he had maade fast his handle to the axe he began to cutte and throwe doune to the ground alle the trees wherfore the oke and the Asshe sa yd yf we be cutte hit is wel ryght and reason For of oure owne self we ben cut and thrawen doune ¶ And thus hit is not good to put hym self in to the daunger and subiection of his enemye ne to helpe hym for to be adoÌ„maged as thou maist see by this presente fable For men ought not to gyue the staf by whiche they may he beten with ¶ The xv fable is of the wulf and of the dogge LYberte or fredome is a moche sivete thynge as Esope reherceth by this fable of a wulf and of a dogge whi che by aduenture mette to gyder wherfore the wulf demaunded of the dogge wherof arte thow so fatte and so play saunt And the dogge ansuerd to hym I haue wel kepte my lordes how 's haue barked after the theues whiche came in the how 's of my mayster wherfore he and his meyny gyue to me plente of good mete wherof I am fatte and playsaunt and the wulf sayd thenne to hym It is wel sayd my broder Cer taynly syth thow arte so wel atte thyn ease and farest so wel I haue grete desyre to dwelle with the to th ende that thow I make but one dyner wel sayd the dogge come on with me yf thow wylt be as wel at thyn ease as I am and haue thou no doubte of no thynge The wulf wente with the dogge and as they wente by the way the wulf beheld the dogges neck whiche was al bare of here and demaunded of the dogge My broder why is thy neck so shauen And the dogge ansuerd it is by cause of my grete coler of yron to the whiche dayly I am fasted And at nyght I am vnbound for to kepe the how 's the better Thenne sayd the wulf to the dogge This I myster ne nede not For I that am in lyberte wylle not be put in no subiection And theâ—â—for for to fylle my bely I wylle not be subget yf thou be acustommed for to be bound contynue thow in hit and I shalle lyue as I am wonte and acustomed therfore there is no rychesse gretter than lybete For lyberte is better than alle the gold of the world ¶ The xvj fable maketh mencion of the handes of the feet of the mans bely HOw shalle one do ony good to another the which can doo no good to his owne self As thow mayst see by this fable Of the feet and of the handes whâ—â—che somtyme had grede stryf with the bely sayenge Al that we can or may wynne with grete labour thow etest it all and yet thâ—â—u doost no good wherfore thou shalt no more haue nothynge of vs and we shalle lete the deye for honger And thenne when the bely was empty and sore hongry she beganne to crye 〈◊〉 sayd Allas I deye for hongre gyue me somwhat to ete And the feet and handes sayd thou getest no thynge of vs And by cause that the bely myght haue no mete the conduyts thorugh the whiche the metes passeth bâ—â—me smal and narowe And within fewe dayes after the feete and handes for the feblenes whiche they felte wold thenne haue gyuen mete to the bely but it was to late for the conduits were ioyned to gyder And therfore the lymmes myght doo no good to other that is to wete the bely And he that gouerneth not wel his bely with grete payne he may hold the other lymmes in theyr strengthe and vertue wherfore a seruaunt ought to serue wel his mayster to th ende that his mayster hold and kepe hym honestly and to receyue and haue good reward of hym when his mayster shalle see his feythfulnesse ¶ The xvij fable is of the Ape and of the foxe OF the poure and of the Ryche Esope reherceth suche a fable Of an ape whiche prayd the foxe to gyue hym somme of his grete taylle for to couere his buttoks
vpon the top of the hylle the asse byganne to crye And the foxe and hares beganne to flee And whanne thasse sawe them flee sayd to the lyon Seest thou not how these beestes dreden and doubten me and the lyon sayde I had ben also ferdfull of thy voys yf I had not knowen be â—â—ly that thow arte but an asse ¶ And therfore men nede not doubte ne drede hym that auaunceth hym self for to do that that he can not doo For god kepe the mone fro the wulues Ne also men nede not doubte a foole for his menaces ne for his hyghe crye ¶ The xj fable is of the hawke and of other byrdes THe ypocrytes maken to god a berd of strawe As recyteth to vs this fable Of a hawke whiche somtyme fayned that he wold haue celebred and holden a na tall or a grete feste the whiche fest shold be celebred within a Temple And to this feste and solempnyte he Inuyted and somoned alle the smal byrdes to the whiche they came And Incontynent as they were all come in to the temple the 〈◊〉 shette the gate and put them alle to dethe one after an other ¶ And therfore this fable sheweth to vs how we must kepe our self fro all them whiche vnder fayre semynge haue a fals herte and that ben ypocytes and deceptours of god and of the world ¶ The xij fable is of the foxe and of the lyon FAyre doctryne taketh he in hym self that chastyseth hym by the perylle of other As to vs reherceth this present fable Of a lyon whiche somtyme faygned hym self seke ¶ And whanne the beestes knewe that the lyon was seke they wold goo alle to vysyte and see hym as they re kynge ¶ And Incontynent as the beestes entryd in to his how 's for â—â—o see and comforte hym he deuoured and ete them ¶ And whan the foxes were come to the yate for to haue vy syâ—â—d the lyon they knewe wel the fallace and falshede of the lyon and salewed hym at the entre of the yate And enâ—â— not within ¶ And whan the lyon sawe that they wold not entre in to his how 's he demauÌ„ded of them why they wold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within And one of the foxes sayd to hym we kno 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy tracâ—â—s that alle the beestes whiche haue entryd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ws came not oute ageyne And also yf we entryd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ore shold we come ageyneâ—◠¶ And therfore he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that taketh â—â—ample by the dommage of other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 entre in to the how 's of a grete lord it is wel facyle 〈◊〉 for to come oute of hit ageyne it is moche dyffycyle ¶ The xiij fable is of the asse and of the wulf â—â—O none euylle man feythe ne trouthe ought neuer to be adiousted As men may wel see by this Fable Of a wulf whiche vysyted an asse whiche was wel seke the whiche wulf beganne to fele and taste hym and demaunded of hym My broder and my frend where aboute is thy sore And the asse sayd to hym there as thow tastest ¶ And thenne the wulf faynyng to vysyte hym beganne to byte and smyte hym ¶ And therfore men must not trust fla terers For one thynge they saye and done another ¶ The xiiij fable is of the hedgehogge and of thre lytyl kydddes IT behoueth not to the yong and lytyl of age to mocke ne scorne theyr older As this fable sayth of thre lytyll hedgehogges whiche mocked a grete hedgehogge which fled byfore a wulf And whanne he perceyued the scornyng of them he sayd to them Ha a poure fooles wood ye wote not wherfore I fle For yf ye wyst and knewe wel thynconuenyent and paryll ye shold not moche of hit And therfore whan men seen that the grete and myghty ben ferdful and doubtous the lasse or lytyll oughen not to be assured For whan the toune is taken and goten by fortune of warre the Countrey aboute is not therfore more acertayned but ouâ—â— to tremble and shake ¶ The xv fable is of the man and of the lyon MEn ought not to byleue the paynture but the trouthe and the dede as men may see by this present Falle Of a man of a lyon which had stryf to gyder were in grete discencion for to were and knowe whiche of them bothe was more stronger ¶ The man sayd that he was stronger than the loyn And for to haue his sayenge veryfyed he shewed to the lyon a pyctour where as a man had vyctory ouer a lyon As the pyctour of Sampson the stronge ¶ Thenne sayd the lyon to the man yf the lyon coude make pyctour good and trewe hit had be herin paynted how the lyon had had vyctorye of the man but now I shalle shewe to the very and trewe wytnesse therof The lyon thenne ledde the man to a grete pytte And there they fought to gyder But the lyon caste the man in to the pytte and submytted hym in to his sub iection and sayd Thow man now knowest thow alle the trouthe whiche of vs bothe is stronger ¶ And therfore at the werke is knowen the best and most subtyle werker ¶ The xvj fable is of the camel and of the flee HE that hath no myght ought not to gloryfye ne preyse hym self of no thynge As reherceth to vs this presente fable of a camele which bare a grete charge or burden It happed that a flee by cause of the camels here lepte to the back of the camel and made her to be borne of hym all the day And whanne they had made a grete way And that the camel came at euen to the lodgys and was put in the stable the I lee lepte fro hym to the ground besyde the foote of the camel And after she sayd to the camel I haue pyte of the and am comen doune fro thy back by cause that I wylle nomore greue ne trauaylle the by the berynge of me And the camel sayd to the flee I thanke the how be it that I am not sore laden of the And therfore of hym which may neyther helpe ne lette men nede not make grete estymacion of ¶ The xvij fable is of the Ant and of the sygale IT is good to purueye hym self in the somer season of suche thynges wherof he shalle myster and haue nede in wynter season As thow mayst see by this present fable Of the sygalle whiche in the wynter tyme went and demaunded of the ant somme of her Corne for to ete ¶ And thenne the Ant sayd to the sygall what hast thow done al the somer last passed And the sygalle ansuerd I haue songe ¶ And after sayd the ante to her Of my corne shalt not thou none haue And yf thow hast songe alle the somer dauÌ„se now in wynter ¶ And therfore there is one tyme for to doo some labour and werk And one tyme for to haue rest For he that werketh not ne doth no good shal haue
ofte at his teeth grete cold and lacke at his nede ¶ The xviij fable is of the pylgrym and of the swerd AN euylle man maye be cause of the perdycion or losse of mauy folke As regercetg to vs this present Fable Of a pylgrym whiche fond in his way a swerd ¶ And he asked of the swerd what is he that hath lost the ¶ And the swerd answerd to the pylgrym A man alone hath lost me but many one I haue lost And therfor an euyl man may wel be lost but er he be lost he may wel lette many one For by cause of an euylle man may come in a Countrey many euyls ¶ The xix fable is of the sheeep and of the Crowe MEn ought not to iniurye nâ—â— disprayse the poure Innocentes ne the symple folke As reherceth this fable Of a Crowe whiche sette her self vpon the back of a 〈◊〉 And whan the sheep had born her a grete whyle she sayd to her thow shalt kepe thy self wel to sette the vpon a dogge ¶ And thenne the crowe sayd to the sheep Thynke thow poure Innocent that I wote wel with whome I playe For I am old and malycious and my kynde is to lette all Innocents and to be frende vnto the euyls ¶ Ad therfore this fable wylle telle and saye how ther be folke of suche kynde that they wyl doo no good werk but only to lette euer the Innocents and symple folke ¶ The xx fable maketh mencion of the tree and of the reed NOne ought to be prowd ageynst his lord but oughte to humble hym self toward hym As this fable reherceth to vs of a grete tre whiche wold neuer bowe hym for none wynd And a reed whiche was at his foote bowed hym self as moche as the wynd wold And the tree sayd to hym why dost thow not abyde stylle as I doo And the reed ansuerd I haue not the myght whiche thow hast And the tree sayd to the reed prowdly than haue I more strengthe than thow And anone after came a grete wynde whiche threwe doune to the ground the sayd grete tree and the reed abode in his owne beynge For the prowde shall be allwey humbled And the meke and huÌ„ble shalle be enhannced For the roote of alle vertue is obedyence and humylyte ¶ Here fynyssheth the fourthe book of the subtyle Fables of Esope And how be it that moo of them ben not found in ony Regystre Neuertheles many other fables composed by hym haue â—â—en founden whiche here after folowen ¶ The fyrste fable maketh mencion of the Mulet of the foxe and of the wulf MEn calle many folke Asses that ben wel subtyle And suche wenen to knowe moche and to be a grete clerke that is but an asse As hit appiereth by thys 〈◊〉 Of a mule whiche ete grasse in a medowe nyghe to a gre te forest to whome came a foxe whiche demaunded of hym what 〈◊〉 thow And the mule ansuerd I am a beest And the foâ—â— sayd to hym I ne demaunde ne aske of the that but I aske who was thy fader ¶ And the Mule ansuerd My grete fader was an hors And the foxe sayd ageyne I ne demaunde to the that but only that thow tellest me who thow arte named And the Mule sayd to the foxe I ne wote by cause I was lytyll whanne my fader deyde Neuertheles to th ende that my name shold not be forgeten my fader made hit to be wreton vnder my lyfte foote behynde wherfore yf thow wylt knowe my name goo thow and loke vnder my foote ¶ And whanne the foxe vnderstood the fallace or falshede he wente ageyne in to the forest And mette with the wulf to whome he sayd Ha myschaunt beest what dost thow here Come with me and in to thy hand I shall put a good proy Loke in to yonder medowe there shalt thow fynde a fatte beest Of the whiche thow mayst be fylled ¶ And thenne the wulf entryd in to the medowe and fonde there the mule Of whom he demaunded who arte thow And the mule ansuerd to the wulf I am a beest And the wulf sayd to hym This is not that that I aske to the but telle how thow arte named And the mule sayd I wote not but neuertheles yf thow wylt kno we my name thow shalt fynde it wreton at my lyfte foote be hynde Thenne sayd the wulf I praye the wuchesauf to shewe it to me And the mule lyft vp his foote ¶ And as the wulf beheld and studyed in the foote of the mule the Mule gaf hym suche a stroke with his foote before his forhede that almost the brayne ranne oute of his hede And the foxe whi che was within a busshe and sawe alle the maner beganne to lawhe and mocque the wulf to whome he sayd Foole beeste thow wost wel that thow canst not rede wherfore yf euylle is therof come to the thy self is cause of hit For none ought not to entremete hym to doo that that Impossyble is to hym ¶ And therfore many ben deceyued that entremeteth them to doo that that they may not doo ¶ The second fable is of the bore and of the wulf SOOthe desyren to be grete lordes and dyspreysen his parents that at the last becomen poure and fallen in to grete dishonour As thow mayst see by this present fable Of a bore whiche was amonge a grete herd of other swynes And for to haue lordship and domynacion ouer alle them he beganne to make grete rumour and shewed his grete teethe for to make the other swynes aferd but by cause they knewe hym they sette nought by hym wherof he displeased moche and wold goo in to a herd of sheep and emonge lambes And whanne he was amonge the lambes he began to make grete rumour and shewed his sharp and long teeth ¶ And whanne the lambes herd hym they were sore aferd and byganne to shake for fere ¶ And thenne sayd the bore within hym self here is the place wherin I must abyde dueke For here I shalle be gretely worshipped For euerychone quaken for fere of me ¶ Thenne came the wulf there for to haue and rauysshe somme proye And the lambes beganne alle to flee but the bore as prowd wold not sterr hym ne go fro the place by cause he supposed to be lord but the wulf toke hym and bare hym in to the wode for to ete hym ¶ And as the wulf bare hym it happed that he passid before the herd of swynes whiche the bore had lefte ¶ And thenne whanne the bore perceyued and knewe them he prayd and cryed to them that for the loue of god they wold helpe hym And that withoute â—â—er help he was dâ—â—d And thenne the swynes alle of one assent and owne wylle wonte and recouered theyr felawe and after slewe the wulf And as the bore was delyuerd and sa we hym amonge the swynes and that alle his doubte and fere was gone he beganne to haue vergoyne
and shame by cause that he was thus departed and gone fro theyr felauship and sayd to them My bretheren and my frendes I am well worthy to haue had this payne by cause I was gone depar ted from yow And therfore he that is wel lete hym beware that he moue not hym self For suche by his pryde desyreth to be a grete lord whiche ofte falleth in grete pouerte ¶ The thyrd fable is of the foxe and of the cocke OFtyme moche talkynge letteth As hit appiereth by this fable Of a foxe whiche came toward a Cocke And sayd to hym I wold fayne wete yf thow canst as wel synge as thy fader dyde And thenne the Cock shette his eyen and beganne to crye and synge ¶ And thenne the Foxe toke and bare hym awey And the peple of the towne cryed the foxe bereth awey the cok ¶ And thenne the Cocke sayd thus to the Foxe My lord vnderstandest thow not what the peple sayth that thow berest awey theyr cock telle to them that it is thyn and not theyrs And as the foxe sayd hit is not yours but it is myn the â—â—k sâ—â—aped fro the foxe mouthe and fâ—â—ough vpon a tree And thenne the Cok sayd to the fox thow lyest For I am theyrs and not thyn And thenne the foxe beganne to hytte the erthe bothe with his mouthe heed sayenge Mouthe thow hast spoken to moche thow sholdest haue eten the Cok had not be thyn ouer many wordes And ther for ouer moche talkyng letteth and to moche crowynge smarâ—â— therfore kepe thy self fro ouer many wordes to th ende that thow repentest the not ¶ The fourthe fable is of the dragon and of the â—â—erle MEn ought not to rendre euylle for good And them that helpen ought not to be letted As reherceth thys fable Of a dragon whiche was within a Ryuer and as this Ryuer was dymynuyssled of water the dragon abode at the Ryuage whiche was al drye And thus for lack of watre he coude not stere hym A labourer or vylayne came theÌ„ne that waye and demaunded of the dragon what dost thow there And the dragon ansuerd to hym I am here lefte withoute water withoute whiche I can not meue but yf thow wilt bynd me and sette me vpon thyn asse and lede me in to my Ryuer I shal gyue to the habondaunce of gold and syluer And the vylayne or chorle for couetyse bound and ledde hym in to his repayre And whanne he had vnbounden hym he demaunded his sallary and payment And the dragon sayd to hym By cause that thow hast bounden me thow wylt be payd And by cause that I am now hongry I shalle ete the And the vylayne ansuerd and sayd For to haue done wel thow wylt ete and deuoure me And as they stryued to gyder the foxe whiche was within the forest herd wel theyr question and different came to them and sayd in this manere Stryue ye no more to gyder For I wyll acord and make pees bytwixt you â—â—ate eche of yow telle to me his reason for to wete whiche of yow hath ryght And whanne eche of them had told his caas the foxe sayd to the vylayne Shewe thow to me how thow boundest the dragon to th ende that I may gyue therof a trewe and lawfull sentence And the vylayne put the dragon vpon his asse and bound hym as he had done before And the fox demaunded of the dragon helde he thenne the so fast bounden as he dothe now And the dragon ansuerd ye my lord and yet more hard And the foxe sayd to the vylayn Bynde hym yet more harder For who that wel byndeth wel can he vnbynd And whanne the dragon was fast and wel bounden the fox sayd to the vylayne bere hym ageyn there as thow fyrst tokest hym And there thow shalt leue hym bounden as he is nâ—â—w And thus he shalle not ete ne deuoure the For he that dothe euylle euylle he must haue For Iustly he shall ben punysshed of god they that done harme and dommage to the poure folke For who so euer rendreth euylle for good he shalle therof iust ly be rewarded ¶ The v fable is of the foxe and of the catte THere is many folke whiche auauncen them and saye that they ben wyse and subtyle whiche ben grete fooles and knowynge no thynge As this fable reherceth Of a foxe whiche somtyme mette with a Catte to whome he sa yd My godsep god yeue yow good daye And the catte answerd My lord god gyue yow good lyf And thenne the foxe demaunded of hym My godsep what canst thow doo And the catte sayd to hym I can lepe a lytyl And the fox sayd to hym Certaynly thow arte not worthy to lyue by cau se that thow canst nought doo And by cause that the cat was angry of the foxes wordes he asked and demaunded of the foxe And thow godsep what canst thow doo A thousand wyles haue I sayd the foxe For I haue a sak ful of scyenâ—â— and wyles And I am so grete a clerke that none maye begyle ne deceyue me And as they were thus spekyng to gyder the cat perceyued a knyght comynge toward them whiche had many dogges with hym and sayd to the foxe My godsep cer taynly I see a knyght comynge hytherward whiche ledeth with hym many dogges the whiche as ye wel knowe ben our enemyes The foxe thenne ansuerd to the cat My godsep thou spekest lyke a coward and as he that is aferd lete them come and care not thow And Incontynently as the dogges perceyued and sawe the foxe and the catte they beganne to renne vpon them And whanne the foxe sawe them come he sayd to the kat Flee we my broder flee we To whome the kat ansuerd Certaynly godsep therof is none nede Neuerthe les the foxe byleued not the cat but fledd and ranne as fast as he myght for to saue hym And the catte lepte vpon a tree and saued hym self sayenge Now shalle we see who shalle playe best for to preserue and saue hym self And whanne the catte was vpon a tree he loked aboute hym and sawe how the dogges held the foxe with theyr trethe to whome he cryed and seyd O godsep and subtyle foxe of thy thowsand wyles that syth late thow coudest doo lete me now see and shewe to me one of them the foxe ansuerd not but was killed of the dogges send the catte was saued ¶ And therfore the wyse ought not to disprayse the symple For suche supposeth to be moche wyse whiche is a kynd and a very foole ¶ The vj fable is of the hegoote and of the wulf THe feble ought not to arme hym ageynst the stronge As recyteth this present fable of a wulf which som tyme raune after a hegoot and the hegoot for to saue hym lept vpon a roche and the wulf besyeged hym ¶ And after whan they had duellid there two or thre dayes the wulf beganne to wexe hongry and the hegoote to haue thurst
And thus the wulf went for to ete and the hegoot went for to drynke And as the hegoot dranke he sawe his shadowe in the water and speculynge and beholdynge his shadowe profered and sayd suche wordes within hym self Thou hast so fayre legges so fayr a berd and so fayre hornes and hast fere of the wulf yf hit happed that he come ageyne I shalle corryge hym wel and shalle kepe hym wel that he shalle haue no myght ouer me ¶ And the wulf whiche held hys peas and herkened what he sayd toke hym by the one legge thus sayenge what wordes ben these whiche thow proferest sayst broder Hegoote ¶ And whanne the hegote sawe that he was taken he beganne to saye to the wulf Ha my lord I saye no thynge and haue pyte of me I knowe wel that it is my coulpe And the wulf toke hym by the neck and strangled hym ¶ And therfore it is grete folye whan the feble maketh werre ageynst the puyssauut and stronge ¶ The vij fable is of the wulf and of the asse MEn ought not to byleue lyghtly the counceylle of hym to whome men purposen to lette As ye maye see by thio fable Of a wulf whiche somtyme mette with an Asse to the whiche he sayd My broder I am honâ—â—ry Wherfor I must nedes ete the ¶ And thenne the Asse ansuerd ryght benyngly My lord with me thow mayst doo what someuer thow wylt For yf thow etest me thou shalt putte me oute of grete payne but I praye the yf thow wylt ete me that thou vouchesauf to ete me oute of the way For wel thow knowest that I brynge home the raysyns fro the vyne and fro the feldes home the corne ¶ Also wel thow knowest that I bere home wood fro the forest And whanne my maister wel do buyld somme edyffyâ—â— I must go fetche the stones from the montayne And at the other parte I bere the corne vnto the mylle And after I bere home the floure And for alle short conclusions I was borne in a cursyd houre For to alle payne and to alle grete labours I am submytted subget to hit For the whiche I wylle not that thow ete me here in the waye for the grete vergoyne and shame that the â—â—of myght come to me But I pray the and Instantly requyre the that thow wylt here my counceylle whiche is that we two go in to the forest and thow shalt bynde me by the breste as thy seruaunt and I shalle bynd the by thy neck as my mayster And thow shalt lede me before the in to the wood where someuer thow wylt to the ende that more secretely thow ete me to the whiche counceylle the wulf acorded and sayd I wylle wel that it be done so ¶ And whanne they were come in to the forest they bounde eche other in the maner as aboue is sayd ¶ And whanne they were wel bounden the wulf sayd to the Asse goo we where thou wylt and goo before for to shewe the waye And the asse wente byfore and ledde the wulf in to the ryght waye of his maysters how 's ¶ And whanne the wulf beganne to knowe the way he sayd to the asse We goo not the ryght way to the whiche the asse ansuerd ¶ My lord saye not that For certaynly this is the ryght wey But for alle that the wulf wold haue gone backward But neuertheles the Asse ledde hym vnto the how 's of his mayster ¶ And as his mayster and alle his meyny sawe how the Asse drewe the wulf after hym and wold haue entred in to the how 's â–ª they came oute with staues and clubbes and smote on the wulf ¶ And as one of them wold haue caste and smyten a grete stroke vpon the wulfes heede he brake the cord wherwith he was bounden And so scaped and ranne awey vpon the montayne fore hurted and beten And thenne the asse for the grete ioye that he hadde of that he was so scaped fro the wulf beganne to synge And the wulf whiche was vpon the montayne herd the voys of thasse beganne to saye in hym self thow mayst wel crye and calle For I shalle kepe the wel another tyme that thow shalt not bynd me as thow hast done but late gone ¶ And therfore hit is grete folye to byleue the counceylle of hym to whome men will lette and to putte hym self in his subiection And he that ones hath begyled must kepe hym fro another tyme that he be not deceyued For he to whome men purposen to doo somme euylle tourn syth men holden hym at auauntage men muste putte hem self at the vpper syde of hym And after men shaâ—â— purueye for their counceylle ¶ The viij fable is of the serpent and of the labourer THe Auctor of this booke reherceth suche another Fable and of suche sentence as the precydent that is to wete that men shold not byleue hym to whome men hath done euylle And sayth that somtyme in heruest tyme a labourer wente for to see his goodes in the feldes the whiche mette on his way a serpent And with a staf whiche he bare in his hand smote the sayd serpent and gaf hym suche a stro ke vpon the heed that nyghe he slewe hym ¶ And as the Serpent felte hym self soo sore hurted he wente fro the man And entryd in to his hole And sayd to the labourer O euylle Frende thow hast bete me But I warne the that thow neuer byleue not hym to the whiche thow hast done ony euylle Of the whiche wordes the labourer made lytyl extyme and went forthe on his waye ¶ It befelle thenne in the same yere that this labourer wente ageyne by that waye for to goo laboure and ere his ground To whome the sayd Serpent sayd ¶ Ha my frend whyther goost thow And the labourer answerd to hym I goo ere and plowe my ground And the Serpent sayd to hym sowe not to moche For this yere shalle be raynfull and grete habondaunce of waters shalle falle But byleue not to hym to whome thow hast somtyme done ony euylle And withoute ony wordes the labourer wente forthe on his waye and byleued not the serpent but made alle his ground to be cultyued and ered and sowed as moche corne as he myghte In that same yere felle grete habondaunce of water wherfore the sayd labourer had but lytyl of his corne For the mooste parte of the corne that he had sowen perysshed that same yere by cause of the grete rayne that felle that same yere ¶ And the next yere after folowynge as this labourer passyd before the repayre or dwellynge place of the sayd Serpent and went for to sowe his ground the Serpente demaunded thenne of hym My Frend whyther ghost thow ¶ And the labourer answerd I goo for to sowe my ground wyth corn and with other gaynes suche as I hope that shalle ben necessary for me in tyme comynge And theÌ„ne the Serpent saide to hym My frend sowe but
lytyl corne For the Somer next comynge shalle be soâ—â— grete and soo hote that by the dryenes and hete that alle the goodes sowen on the erthe shall perysshe â—â—ut byleue not hym to whome thow hast done ony euylle ¶ And withoute sayenge ony word the labourer wente and thought on the wordes of the Serpent ¶ And wenynge that the Serpent hadde soo sayd for to deceyue hym he sowed as moche corne and other graynes as he myght ¶ And it happed that the Somer next folowynge was suche as aboue is sayd Therfor the man was begyled ¶ For he gadred that same yere nothynge ¶ And the next yere after folowynge the sayd season as the poure labourer wente ageyne for to ere and cultyue his ground the serpent sawe hym come fro ferre ¶ And as he came and passed before his re payre he asked of the labourer in suche maner ¶ My Frend whyther goost thow And the labourer ansuerd I goo cultyue and ere my ground ¶ And thenne the serpent seyd to hym My Frend sowe not to moche ne to lytyl of â—â—ne and of other graynes but sowe bytwene bothe Neuertheles byleue not hym to the whiche thow hast done euyl ¶ And I telle the that this yere shalle be the most temperate and the moost fertyle of allâ—â— maner of corne that euer thow sawest ¶ And whanne the labourer hadde herd these wordes be wente his waye and dyd as the Serpent had sayd And that yere he gadred moche good by cause of the good disposycion of the season and tyme ¶ And on a daye of the same yere the serpent sawe the sayd labourer comynge fro the heruest to whome he came ageynste and sayd Now saye me my good Frend Hast thow not fond now grete plente of goodes as I had told to the byfore And the labourer ansuerd and sayd ye certaynly wherof I thanke the ¶ And thenne the Serpent demaunded of hym Reâ—â—uneracion or reward ¶ And the labourer thenne demaunded what he wold haue of hym And the Serpent sayd I nâ—â— demaunde of the nothynge but only that to morowe on the mornyng thow wylt sende me a dyssh ful of mylk by som of thy children ¶ And thenne the serpent shewed to the labourer the hole of his dwellyng sayd to hym telle thy sone that he brynge the mylke hyther but take good heede to that that other whyle I told to the that thow byleuest not hym to whome thow hast done euylle ¶ And anone after whanne these thynges were sayd the labourer wente homeward And in the mornynge next folowynge he betoke to his sone a dysshe full of mylke whiche he brought to the serpent and sette the dysshe before the hool And anone the serpent came oute and slewe the child thurgh his Wnym And when the labourer cam fro the feld and that he came before the repayre or dwellynge of the serpent he fond his sonne whiche laye doune deed on the erthe Thenne beganne the sayd labourer to crye with a hyghe wys as he that was ful of sorowe and of heuynesse sayenge suche wordes Ha cursyd euylle serpent vermyn and fals traytour thow hast deceyued me Ha wycked and deceytfull beest ful of all contagyous euyll thow hast sorowfully slayne my sone ¶ And thenne the serpente sayd to hym I wylle well that thow knowe that I haue not slayne hym sorowfully ne with oute cause but for to auenge me of that that thow hurtest me on that other daye withoute cause and hast not amended hit Hast thow now memorye how ofte I sayd to the that thow sholdest not byleue hym to whome thow hast done euyll haue now thenne in thy memorye that I am auengyd of the ¶ And thus this fable sheweth how men ought not to byleue ne bere feythe to them to whome men hath done somme harme 〈◊〉 euylle ¶ The ix fable is of the foxe of the wulf and of the Lyon YF hit be soo that ony hath ben adommaged by other he ought not to take vengeauÌ„ce by the tong in gyuyng Iniuryous wordes and the cause why is by cause that suche vengeaunce is dishonest As to vs reherceth this present fable Somtyme was a foxe that ete fysshe in a Ryuer ¶ It happed that the wulf came that waye ¶ And whâ—â—nne he sawe the foxe whiche ete with so grete appetyte He beganne to saye My broder gyue me somme fysshe And the foxe ansuerd to hym Allas my lord It behoueth not that ye 〈◊〉 the releef of my table but for the worship of your persone I shall counceylle yow wel Doo soo moche to gete yow a les 〈◊〉 And I shalle teche yow how men shalle take fysshes to th ende that ye may take somme whan ye shalle be hongry And the wulf wente in to the strete and stalle a basket whi the â—â—e brought with hym the foxe tooke the basket and bound it with a cord at the wulfs taylle ¶ And whanne he was wel bounden the foxe sayd to the wulf goo thow by the Ryuer and I shalle lede and take hede to the basket And the wulf dyde as the foxe bad hym do ¶ And as the wulf was goâ—â—nge within the water the foxe fylled the basket fulle of stones by his malyce ¶ And whan the basket was full the foxe sayd to the wulf Certaynly my lord I maye no more lyfte ne hold the basket so full it is of fysshe ¶ And the wulf wenynge that the foxe had sayd trouthe profeâ—â—rd such wordes sayenge I rendre graces and thankes to god that I maye ones see thyn hyghe and excellente wysedome in the arte and crafte of fysshynge ¶ And thenne the foxe sayd to hym My lord abyde me here And I shalle fetche some to helpe vs for 〈◊〉 haue and take the fysshe oute of the basket And in sayenge these wordes the foxe ranne in to the strete where he fond men to whome he sayd in this manere My lordes what doo ye here why are yow werkles see yonder the wulf which ete youâ—â— sheep your lambes and your beestes and yet now he taketh your fysshes oute of the Ryuer and ete them ¶ And thenne alle the men came to gyder somme with flynges and somme with bowes and other with staues vnto the Ryuer where they fond the wulf whiche they bete outragyously ¶ And whanne the poure wulf sawe hym thus oppressyd vexed with strokes beganne with alle his strengthe myghte to drawe and supposed to haue caryed the fysshe awey but so strongly he drewe that he drewe and pulled his taylle fro his ers And thus he scaped vnnethe with his lyf ¶ In the mene whyle thenne happed that the lyon whiche was kynge ouâ—â—r alle beestes felle in a grete sekenesse for the whiche cause euery beest wente for to see hym as theyr lord ¶ And when the wulf wold haue gone thyder he salewed his lord sayeng thus to hym My kynge I salewe yow please it yow to knowe that I haue gone round aboute the countre
and prouynce and in alle places of hit for to serche somme medycynes prouffitable for yow and to recouere your helthe but nothyng I haue found good for your sekenesse but only the skynne of a foxe fyers and prowde and malycious whiche is to youre body medycynal-but he daygneth not to come hyther to see you But ye shalle calle hym to a counceylle and whanne ye hold hym lete his skynne be taken from hym And thenne lete hym renne where he wylle and that fayr skynne whiche is so holsome ye shalle make hit to be sette and bound vpon your bely And within fewe dayes after hit shalle rendre yow in as good helthe as euerye were ¶ And whanne he had sayd these wordes he departed fro the lyon and toke his leue but neuer he had supposed that the foxe had herd hym but he had For he was within a terryer nyghe by the lodgys of the lyon where he herd alle the proposycion of the wulf to the whiche he dyd put remedye and grete prouysyon For as soone as the wulf was departed fro the lyon the foxe wente in to the feldes And in a hyghe way he fond a grete donghyll within the whiche he put hym self ¶ And as he supposed after hiâ—â— aduys to â—â—e dâ—â—fowled and dagged ynough came thus aryed in to the pytte of the lyon the whiche he salewed as he oughtâ—â— to haue done to his lord sayenge to hym in this manere Syre kynge god yeue good helthe And the lyon ansuerd to hym God salewe the swete frend come nyghe me and kysse me after I shalle telle to the somme secrete whiche I wylle not that â—â—uery man knowe to whome the foxe sayd in this maner â—â—a a syre kynge be not displeasyd for I am to fowle arayed and al to dagged by cause of the grete way whiche I haue gone sekynge al aboute somme good medycyne for yow Wherfore it behoueth not to me for to be so nyghe your persone For the scenche of the donge myght wel greue yow for the grede sekenesse that ye haue but dere syre yf hit please to the or euer I come nerer to thy Royal mageste I shalle goo bathe me and make me fayre and clene And thenne I shall come ageyne to presente my self byfore thy noble persone And not withstondynge al this also or I goo please the to wete kno we that 〈◊〉 come from alle the contrees here aboute and from alle the Royalmes adiacent to this prouynce for to see yf I 〈◊〉 fynde somme good medycyn dusynge and nedeful to thy sekenesse and for to recouere thy helthe but certaynly I haue souÌ„d no better couÌ„ceylle than the couÌ„ceylle of an auÌ„cyent greke with a grete long berd a man of grete wysedom sage waâ—â— thy to be praysed the whiche sayd to me how in this prouyncâ—◠〈◊〉 a wulf withoute taylle the whiche hath lost his taylle by the vertue of the grete medycyn whiche is within hym For the whiche thynge it is nedeful and expedyent that ye doo make this wulf to come to yow for the recoueraunce of the helthe of your fayr and noblâ—â— body And whan â—â—e is come dyssymylle and calle hym to counceylle sayenge that it shalle be for his grete worship prouffite as he shal be nyghe vnto how case on hym your armed feet and as swetely as ye maye pulle the skynne fro the body of hym kepe it hoole sauf only that ye shalle leue the heed and the feet And thenne lete hym gone his way to seche his auenture And forthwith whan ye shalle haue that skynne al hote and warme ye shal doo bynd hit al aboute your bely And after that or lytyll tyme be passyd your helthe shalle be restored to yow and ye shal be as hole as euer in your lyf ye were ¶ And thenne the foxe toke his leue of the kynge and departed and wente ageyne in to his ter ryer ¶ Soone after came there the wulf for to see the lyon And Incontynent the lyon called hym to counceylle and cas tynge softly his feet vpon hym dyspoylled the wulf of his skynne sauf the skynne of his hede and of his feet And after the lyon bound it al warme aboute his bely ¶ And the wulf ranne aweye skynles wherfore he had ynough to doo to defende and put from hym the flyes whiche greued hym sore And for the grete distresse that he felte by cause of the flyes that thus ete his flesshe he as wood beganne to renne and pas syd vnder an hylle vpon the whiche the foxe was ¶ And af ter whanne the foxe sawe hym he beganne to crye and calle lawhyng after the wulf and mocked and sayd to hym who arte thow that passest there before with suche a fayre hood on thy heed and with ryght fayr glouues in thyn handes Herke herke what I shalle saye to the whan thow wente camest by the kynges how 's thow were blessyd of the lord whan thow were at the Court thow herkenest and also sayest many good wordes and good talkynge of al the world ¶ And therfore my godsep be it euyl or good thow muste al lete passe and goo and haue pacyence in thyn aduersyte ¶ And thus this fable sheweth vnto vs that yf ony be hurted or dommaged by somme other he must not auenge hym self by his tonge for to make ony treson ne for to say of other ony harme ne open blasphemye For he ought to consydere that who so euer maketh the pytte redy for his broder ofte it happeâ—â—h that he hym self falleth in the same and is beten with the same rodde that he maketh for other ¶ The x fable is of the wulf whiche made a fart IT is folye to wene more than men ought to doo For what someuer a foole thynketh-hit someth to hym that it shalle be As it appiereth by this fable of a wulf whiche somtyme rose erly in a mâ—â—nynge And after that he was rysen vp fro his bedde as he retched hym self made a gre 〈◊〉 â—â—art and beganne to saye in hym self blessyd be god therfore these ben good tydynges this daye I shalle be wel fortunate and happy as myn ers syngeth to me And thenne he departed from his lodgys and biganne to walke and goo as he wente on his way he fonde a saâ—â— ful of talowe whiche a woman had lete falle and with his foote he torned hit vpso doune and sayd to hym I shalle not ete the For thow sholdest hurte my tendre stomak and that more is I shall this day haue better mete and more delycious For well I knowe this by myn erâ—â— whiche dyd synge it to me And sayenge these wordes went his way And anone after he fond a grete pye 〈◊〉 of bakon wel salted the whiche he tourned and retourned vpso doune And whan he had torned and retorned hit longe ynough he sayd I dayne not to ete of this mete by cause that hit shold
owne cause and by my proud thoughte For the daye in the mornynge I fond a sak ful of talowe the whiche I dayned not but only smelle hit â–ª And after I fond a grete pyrce of bakon the whiche I wold neuer ete for drede of grete thurst and for my folysshe thought And therfore yf euylle is syn happed to me it is wel bestowed and employed My fader was neuer medecyn ne leche and also I haue not studyed and lerned in the scyence of medycyn or phisyke therfore if it happeth euylle to me whanne I wold drawe the thorne oute of the mares fotâ—â— it is wel employed ¶ Item my fader was neuer neyther patryarke ne Bisshop And also I was neuer bettred and yet I presumed and toke on me for to sacryfyce and to synge be fore the goddes faynyng my self to be a prelate but after my deserte I was wel rewarded ¶ Item my fader was no legist no neuer knewe the lawes ne also man of Iustyce and to gyue sentence of a plee I wold entremete me and fayned my self grete Iustycer but I knewe neyther a ne b ¶ And yf therfore euylle is come to me it is of me as of ryght it shold be O Iupyter I am Worthy of gretter punycyon whanne I haue offensed in so many maners sende thow now to me from thyn hyghe throne a swerd or other wepen wherwith I maye strongly punysshe and bete me by grete penaunce For wel worthy I am to receyue a gretter disciplyne And the good man whiche was vpon the tree herkened alle these wordes deuyses and sayd no word ¶ And whanne the wulf had fynysshâ—â—d alle his syghes and complayntes the good man to ke his axe wherwith he had kytte awey the dede braunches fro the tree and cast it vpon the wulf and it felle vpon his neck in suche maner that the wulf torned vpsodoun the feet vpward and saye as he had ben dede And whan the wulf myght resâ—â—e and dresse hym self he loked and byheld vpward to the â—â—uen and beganne thus to crye Ha Iupiter I see now wel that thow hast herd and enhaunced my prayer And thenne he perceyued the man whiche was vpon the tree wel wende that he had ben Iupiter And thenne with alle his myght he fledde toward the forest sore wounded and rendred hym self to humylyte and more mâ—â—ke and humble he was afterward than euer before he had ben fyers ne prowde ¶ And by this fable men may knowe and see that moche resteth to be done of that that a foole thynketh And hit sheweth to vs that whan somme good cometh to somme it ought not be reffused For it maye not ben recouerd as men wyll And also it sheweth hou none ought to auaunte hym to doo a thynge whiche he can not doo but therfore euery man ought to gouerne and rewle hym self after his estate and faculte ¶ The xj fable is of the enuyous dogge NOne ought not to haue enuye of the good of other As it appiereth by this fable Of a dogge whiche was ennyous and that somtyme was within a stable of ox en the Whiche was ful of heye This dogge kept the oxen that they shold not entre in to theyr stable and that they shold not ete of the sayd hey And thenne the oxen sayd to hym Thow arte wel peruers and euylle to haue enuye of the good the whiche is to vs nedefull and prouffitable And thow hast of hit nought to doo for thy kynde is not to ete no hey And thus he dyd of a grete bone the whiche he held at his mouthe and wold not leue hit by cause and for enuye of another dogge whiche was therby And therfore kepe the wel fro the company or felauship of an enuyous body For to haue to doo with hym hit is moche peryllous and dyffycyle As to vs is wel shewen by Lucyfer ¶ The xij fable is of the wulf and of the hongry dogge Sâ—â—che supposen somtyme to wynne that lesen As hit appiereth by this Fable For hit is sayd comunly that as moche dispendeth the nygard as the large As hit appiereth by this Fable of a man whiche had a grete herd of sheep And also he had a dogge for to kepe them fro the wulues To this dogge he gaf no mete for the grete auaryce whiche held hym And therfore the wulf on a daye came to the dogge and demaunded of hym the rayson why he was soo lene and sayd to hym I see wel that thow dyest for hon ger by cause that thy mayster gyueth to the no mete by his gre te scarepte but yf thow wylt byleue me I shalle gyue to the good counceylle And the dogge sayd to hym Certaynly I myster gretely of good counceylle ¶ Thenne the wulf sayd to hym This shalt thow doo Lete me take a lambe And whanne I shalle haue hit I shalle renne awey And whanne thow shalt see me renne make thenne semblauÌ„t to renne after me and lete thy self falle faynynge that thow canst not ouertake me for lack and fawte of mete which ma keth the so feble And thus whanne the sheepherd shalle see that thow mayst not haue the lambe fro me by cause of the gre te feblenesse and debylyte of thy lene body he shall telle to thy lord that thow myghtest not socoure the lambe by cause that thow arte so sore ahongryd and by this meane thow shalt ha ue mete thy bely ful ¶ The dogge thenne acorded this with the wulf and eche of 〈◊〉 made and dyde as aboue is sayd ¶ And whanne the sheepherd sawe the dogge falle supposed wel that honger was cause of it Forthe whiche cause whanne one of the shepherdes came home he told hit to his mayster And whan the mayster vnderstood hit he seyd as a man wroth for shame I wylle that fro hence forth on he haue breed ynough ¶ And thenne euery daye the sayd dogge hadde soppes of brede and of drye breed he hadde ynough ¶ Thenne the dogge toke strengthe and vygour ageyne ¶ It happed within a lytyl whyle after that the wulf came ageyne to the dogge and sayd to hym I perceyue wel that I gaf to the good counceylle And the dogge sayd to the wulf My broder thow sayst soothe wherfore I thanke the moche For of hit I hadde grete nede ¶ And thenne the wulf sayd to hym Yf thow wylt I shall gyue to the yet better counceylle And the dogge ansuerd hym with ryght a good wylle I shalle here hit And yf hit be good I shalle doo after hit ¶ Thenne sayd the wulf to hym Lete me take yet another lambe and doo thy dylygence for to haue hit fro me and to byte me and I shalle ouerthrowe the thy feet vpward as he that hath no puyssaunce ne strength withoute hurtynge of thy self byleue me hardyly and wel hit shalle happe to the And whanne thy maysters seruaunts shalle haue sene thy dylygence they shalle shewe hit to thy mayster
and sayde to the Iuge He that shalle be moost lyer mooste euylle and most slowe ought to haue hit ¶ Thenne say the eldest sone I am moost slowfull For many yeres I haue dwellyd in a grete how 's and laye vnder the conduytes of the same oute of the whiche felle vpon me alle the fowle waters as pysse dysshe water and alle other fylthe that wonderly stanke In so moche that al my flesshe was roten therof and myn eyen al blynd and the durt vnder my back was a foot hyghe And yet by my grete slouthe I hadde leuer to abyde there than to tourne me and haue lyfte me vp ¶ The second sayd I suppose wel that the mylle shalle be myn For yf I had fasted twenty yere And yf I hadde come to a table couerd of al maner of precious and delycate me tes wherof I myght wel ete yf I wold take of the â—â—st I am so slouthfull that I maye not ete withoute one shold putte the mete in to my mouthe ¶ And the thyrde sayd the Mylle shalle be myn For I am yet a gretter lyar and more slouthfull than ony of yow bothe For yf I hadde ben athurst vnto the dethe And yf I found thenne my self within a fayre water vnto the neâ—â— I wold rather deye than to meâ—â—e ones my heed for to drynke therof only one drop ¶ Thenne sayd the Iuge to them Ye wote not what ye saye For I nor none other maye not wel vnderstande yow But the cause I remytte and put amonge yow thre And thus they wente withoute ony sentence For to a folysshe demaunde behoueth a folysshe ansuere ¶ And therfore they ben fooles that wylle plâ—â—te suche vanyte one ageynste other And many one ben fallen therfore in grete pouerte For for a lytyl thynge ought to be made a lytyl plee ¶ The xiij fable is of the wulf and of the foxe NOne maye not be mayster without he haue be fyrste a disciple As hit appiereth by this Fable Of a Foxe whiche came toward a wulf and sayd to hym My lord I proye yow that ye wylle be my godsep And the wulf ansuerd I am content And the foxe toke to hym his sone prayenge hym that to his sone he wold shewe and lerne good doctryne the whiche the wulf tooke and wente with hym vpon a montayne And thenne he sayd to the lytyll foxe wharne the beestes shalle come to the feldes calle me And the 〈◊〉 wente and sawe fro the top of the hylle how the beestes were comynge to the feldes and forthwith he wente and called his godfader and sayd My godfader the beestes comen in to the feldes And the wulf demaunded of hym what bestes are they and the fox ansuerd they be bothe kyne swyn to gy der wel sayd the wulf I gyue no force for them lete them go for the â—â—gges ben with them And soone after the foxe dyd loke on another syde and perceyued the mare whiche wente to the feldes and he wente to his godfader sayd godfader the mare is goâ—â— to the feldes the wulf demaunded of hym whâ—â—re abouâ—â— is she And the foxe ansuerd she is by the forest And the wulf sayd Now go we to dyner And the wulf with his godsone entryd in to the wood and came to the mare ¶ The wulf perceyued wel and sawe a yonge colt whiche was by his moder the wulf tooke hym by the neck with his trethe and drewe hit within the wood and ete deuoured hym bytwene them bothe ¶ And whan they had wel eten the godson sayd to his godfader My godfader I commauÌ„de yow to god and moche I thanke yow of your doctryne For wel ye haue taught me in so moche that now I am a grete clerke now I wylle goo toward my moder And thenne the wulf sayd to his godson My godsone yf thow gost awey thow shalt repente the therfore For thow hast not yet wel studyed and knowest not yet the Sylogysmes ¶ Ha my godfader sayd the Foxe I knowe wel al ¶ And the wulf sayd to hym Sythe thow wylt goo to god I commaunde the ¶ And whanne the Foxe was come toward his moder she sayd to hym Certaynly thow hast not yet studyed ynough ¶ And he thenne sayd to her Moder I am soo grete a clerke that I can cast the deuylle fro the clyf â—â—ete vs go chace and ye shalle see yf I haue lerned ought or not ¶ And the yong foxe wold haue done as his godfader the wulf dede and said to his moder make good watche ¶ And whanne the beestes shalle come to the feld lete me haue therof knowlege And his moder sayd wel my sone so shalle I doo She maade good watche And whanne she sawe that both kyne and swyne wente to the feldes she sayd thenne to hym My sone the kyne and the swyn to gyder ben in the feldes And he ansuerd My moder of them I retche nâ—â—t lete them goo for the dogges kepe them wel ¶ And within a short whyle after the mo der sawe come the mare nygâ—â—e vnto a wode and wente and sayd to her sone My sone the mare is nyghe the wood And he ansuerd My moder these ben good tydynges Abyde ye here For I goo to fetche our dyner and wente and entred in to the Wode And after wold doo as his godfader dyd before and wente and tooke the mare by the neck But the mare tooke hym with her treth and bare hym to the sheepherd And the moder cryed from the top of the hylle My sone lete goo the mare and come hyder ageyne but he myght not For the mare held hym fast with her teethe ¶ And as the sheepherdes came for to kylle hym the moder cryed and sayd wepynge Allas my sone thow dydest not lerne wel and hast ben to lytel a whyle atâ—â— scole wherfore thow must now deye myserably And the sheepherdes took and slewe hym For no ne ought to saye hym self mayster withoute that he haue fyrst studyed For some wene to be a grete clerke that can nothyng of clergye ¶ The xv fable is of the dogge of the wulf and of the whethâ—â—r GRete folye is to a fool that hath no myght that wylle begyle another stronger thaÌ„ hym self aâ—â— reâ—â—ceth this fable of a fader of famylle whiche had a grete herd or 〈◊〉 of sheep and had a grete dogge for to kepe them which was wel stronge And of his Wys all the wolues were aferd wherfore the sheepherd slepte more surely but it happed that this dogge for his grete age deyde wherfore the sheepherdes we re sore troubled and wrothe and sayd one to other we shall nomore sâ—â—pe at oure easâ—â— by cause that our dogge is dede for the wulues shall now come and ete our sheep ¶ and thenne a grete wether fyers and prowd whiche herd alle these wor des came to them and sayd I shalle gyue yow good counceylle Shaue me and put
on me the skynne of the dogge And whanne the wulues shalle see me they shalle haue grete fere of me ¶ And whanne the wulues came and sawe the wether clothed with the skynne of the dogge they beganne all to flee and ranne awey ¶ It happed on a day that a wulf whiche was sore hongry came and toke a lambe and after ran awaye therwith ¶ And thenne the sayd wether ranne after hym And the wulf whiche supposed that it had ben the dogge shote thryes by the waye for the grete fere that he had And ranne euer as fast as he coude and the wether also ranne af ter hym withoute cesse tyl that he ranne thurgh a busshe full of sharp thornes the whiche thornes rente and brake alle the dogges skynne whiche was on hym And as the wulf loked and sawe behynde hym beynge moche doubtous of his dethe sawe and perceyued alle the decepcion and falshede of the we ther And forthwith retorned ageynste hym and demaunded of hym what beest arte thow And the wether ansuerd to hym in this maner My lord I am a wether whiche playeth with the And the wulf sayd Ha mayster ought ye to playe with your mayster and with your lord thow hast made me so soâ—â— aferd that by the weye as I ranne before the I dyte shyte thre grete toordes And theÌ„ne the wulf ledde hym vnto the place where as he had shyte sayenge thus to hym Loke hyther callest thow this a playe I take hit not for playe For now I shalle shewe to the how thou oughtest not to playe so with thy lord And thenne the wulf took and kylled hym and denoured and ete hym ¶ And therfore he that is wyse muste take good hede how he playeth with hym whiche is wyser mo re sage and more stronge than hym self is ¶ The xvj fable maketh mencyon of the man of the lyon of his sone HE that reffuseth the good doctryne of his fader yf euyl happe cometh to hym â—â—t is but ryght As to vs reherceth this fable of a labourer whiche somtyme lyued in a deserte of his cultyuynge and laboure In this deserte was a lyon whiche waâ—â—ed and destroyed all the sede whiche eue ry daye the sayd labourer sewed and also this lyon destroyed his trees And by cause that he bare and dyd to hym so grete 〈◊〉 and dommage he made an hedge to the whiche he putte and sorte cordes and nettes for to take the lyon And ones as this lyon came for to ete corne he entryd within a nâ—â—te was taken And thenne the good man came thyder and bete and smote hym so wonderly that vnnethe he myght scape fro deth And by cause that the lyon sawe that he myght not escape the subtylyte of the man he took his lytyl lyon and went to dwelle in another Regyon And within a lytel whyle after that the lyon was wel growen and was fyers stronge he demaunded of his fader My fader be we of this Regyon Nay sayd the fader For we ben fledde awey fro oure land And thenne the lytyl lyon asâ—â—ed wherfore And the fader ansuerd to hym For the subtylyte of the man And the lytyl lyon demaunded of hym what man is that And his fader sayd to hym he is not soo grete ne so stronge as we be but he is more subtyle and more Ingenyous than we he And theÌ„ne sayd the sone to the fader I shall goo auenge me on hym And the grete lyon sayd to hym goo not For yf thow gost thyder thow shalt repente the therfore and shalt doo lyke a fole And the sone ansuerd to his fader Ha by my heed I shalle goo thyder and shalle see what he can doo And as he wente for to fynde the man he mette an oxe within a medowe and an hors whos back was al fleyen and fore to whome he said in this manere who is he that hath ledde yow hyder and that so hath hurted yow And they sayd to hym It is the man ¶ And thenne he sayd ageyne to them Certaynly here is a wonder thynge I praye yow that ye wylle shewe hym to me And they wente and shewed to hym the labourer which ered the erthe And the lyon forthwith and withoute sayenge of ony moo wordes wente toward the man to whome he sayd in this maner Ha man thow hast doue ouer many euyls bothe to me and to my Fader and in lyke wyse to oure beestes wherfore I telle the that to me thow wylt doo Iustyce And the man ansuerd to hym I promytte and warne the that yf thow come nyghe me I shalle slee the with this grete clubbe And after with this stuyf I shalle flee the And the lyon sayd to hym Come thenne before my fader and he as kynge shalle doo to vs good Iustyce And thenne the man sayd to the lyon I am content yf that thow wylt swere to me that thow shalt not touche me tyll that we ben in the presence of thy fader And in lyke wyse I shalle swere to the that I shal go with the vnto the presence of thy fader And thus the lyon and the man swered eche one to other and wente toward the grete lyon and the man beganne to goo by the way where as his cordes and nettes were dressyd And as they wente the lyon lete hym self falle within a corde and by the feet he was take so that he myght not ferther goo And by cause he coude not goo he sayd to the man O man I praye the that thow wilt helpe me For I maye no more goo And the man answerd to hym I am sworne to the that I shalle not touche the vnto the ty me that we ben before thy fader And as the lyon suppâ—â— to haue vnbonnd hym self for to scape he fylle in to another nette And thenne the lyon beganne to crye after the man sayenge to hym in this manere O good man I praye the that thou wilt vnhynde me And the man beganne to smyte hym vpon the hede ¶ And thenne whanne the lyon sawe that he myght not scape he sayd to the man I praye the that thow smyte me no more vpon the heed but vpon myn erys by cause that I wold not here the good counceylle of my fader And thenne the man beganne to smyte hym at the herte and slewe hym The whiche thyng happeth ofte to many children whiche ben hanged or by other maner executed and put to dethe by cause that they wil not byleue the doctryne of theyr faders and moders ne obeye to them by no wyse ¶ The xvj fable is of the knyght and of the seruaunt the whiche fond the Foxe MAny ben that for theyr grete lesynges supposen to put vnder alle the world but euer at the last theyr lesynges ben knowen and manyfested as hit appiereth by this fable of a knyght whiche somtyme wente with an archer of his thurgh the lande And as they rode they
fonde a Fox And the knyght sayd to his archer In good soothe I see a grete Foxe And the Archer beganne to saye to his lord My lord merueylle ye therof I haue ben in a Regyon where as the Foxes ben as grete as an oxe And the knyght ansuerd In good soothe theyr skynnes were good for to make mantels with yf skynners myght haue them And as they were rydynge they felle in many wordes and deuyses And thenne by cause the knyght perceyued wel the lesynge of his Archer he beganne to make prayers and orysons to the goddes for to make his Archer aferd And sayd in this manere O Iupiter god almyghty ¶ I praye the that this daye thow wylt kepe vs fro all lesynges so that we may sauf passe thys flood and this grete Ryuer whiche is here before vs and that we may surely come to oure how 's And whanne the Archer herd the prayer and oryson of his lord he was moche abasshed ¶ And thenne the Archer demannded of hym My lord wher fore prayest thow now soo deuoutely And the knyÈt ansuerd wost thou not wel that hit is wel knowen and manyfested that we soone must passe a ryght grete Ryuer And that he who on al this daye shalle haue made ony lesynge yf he entre in hit he shalle neuer come oute of hit ageyne of the whiche wordes the Archer was moche doubtous and dredeful And as they had ryden a lytyl waye they fond a lytyl Ryuer wherfore the Archer demaunded of his lord Is this the flood whiche we must passe Nay sayd the knyght For hit is wel gretter O my lord I saye by cause that the foxe whiche ye sa we may wel haue swymmed and passed ouer this lytyl wa ter And the lord sayd I care not therfore ¶ And after that they had ryden a lytyl ferther they fond another lytyll Ryuer And the Archer demaunded of hym Is this the flood that ye spake of to me Nay sayd he For hit is gretter more brode And the Archer sayd ageyne to hym My lord I say so by cause that the Foxe of the whiche I spake of to daye was not gretter than a calf ¶ And theÌ„ne the knyght herkyng the dyssymylacion of his archer answerd not And soo they rode forthe so longe that they fond yet another Ryuer And thenne the Archer demaunded of his lord Is this the same hit Nay sayd the knyght but soone we shalle come ther to O my lord I saye so by cause that the Foxe wherof I spak to yow this daye was not gretter than a sheep ¶ And when they had ryden vnto euen tyme they fond a grete Ryuer and of a grete vrede ¶ And whan tharcher sawe hit he began al to shake for fere and demaunded of his lord My lord is this the Ryuer ye sayd the knyght O my lord I ensure you on my feythe that the Foxe of the whiche I spake to daye was not gretter than the Foxe whiche we sawe to day wherfore I knowlege and confesse to yow my synne ¶ And thenne the knyght beganne to smyle and sayd to his Archer in this manere Also this Ryuer is no wore than the other whiche we sa we to fore and haue passed thurgh them And thenne the archer had grete vergoyne and was shameful by cause that he myght no more couere his lesynge And therfore hit is fayre and good for to saye euer the trouthe and to be trewe bothe in speche and in dede For a lyer is euer begyled and his lesynge is knowen and manyfested on hym to his grete shame dommage ¶ Here after folowen somme Fables of Esope after the newe translacion the whiche Fables ben not founden ne wreton in the bookes of the philosopher Romulus ¶ The Fyrst fable is of the Egle and of the rauen ¶ The second Fable is of the egle and of the wesell ¶ The thyrdde fable is of the Foxe and of the gote ¶ The fourthe Fable is of the katte and of the chyken ¶ The v Fable is of the Foxe and of the busshe ¶ The syxthe Fable is of the man of the god of the wodes ¶ The vij Fable is of the fyssher ¶ The eyghte Fable is of the catte and of the rat ¶ The ix Fable is of the labourer and of the large foote ¶ The x fable is of the child that kepte the sheep ¶ The xj fable is of the Ante and of the columbe ¶ The xij fable is of the Bee and of Iupiter ¶ The xiij fable is of a carpenter ¶ The xiiij fable is of a yonge theef and of his moder ¶ The xv fable is of the man and of the flee ¶ The xvj fable is of the husbond and of his two wyues ¶ The xvij fable is of the labourer and of his children ¶ The fyrst fable is of the Egle and of the rauen NOne ought to take on hym self to doo a thynge whiche is peryllous withoute he fele hym self strong ynouÈ to doo hit As reherceth this Fable Of an Egle whiche fleyncte took a lambe wherof the Rauen hadde grete enuye wherfor vpon another tyme as the sayd rauen sawe a grete herd of sheep by his grete enuy pryde by his grete oultrage descended on them and by suche fachon and manere smote a wether that his clowes abode to the flyes of hit In soo moche that he coude not flee awey The sheepherd thenne came and brake and toke his wynges from hym And after bare hym to his children to playe them with And demaunded of hym what byrd he was And the Rauen ausuerd to hym I supposed to haue ben an Egle And by my ouerwenynge I wende to haue take a lambe as the egle dyd but now I kno we wel that I am a Rauen wherfore the feble ought not in no wyse to compare hym self to the stronge For somtyme when he supposeth to doo more than he may he falleth in to grete dishonour as hit appiereth by this present Fable Of a Rauen whiche supposed to haue ben as stronge as the egle ¶ The second Fable is of the egle and of the wesel NOne for what so euer myght that he haue ought not to dispreyse the other As hit appiereth by this present fable of an Egle whiche chaced somtyme after an hare And by cause that the hare myght not resyste ne withstande a geynst the egle he demaunded ayde and helpe of the wesel the whiche tooke hym in her kepynge And by cause that the egle sawe the wesel soo lytyl he dispreysed her and before her toke the hare wherof the wesel was wrothe And therfore the wesell wente and beheld the Egles nest whiche was vpon a hyghe tree And whanne she sawe hit the lytell wesell clymmed vpon a tree and took and cast doune to the ground the yong egles wherfore they deyde And for this cause was the Egle moche wrothe and angry and after wente to the god Iupiter And prayd hym that he wold fynde
hym a sure place where as he myght leye his egges and his lytyl chykyns And Iupiter graunted it and gaf hym suche a gyfte that whan the tyme of childynge shold come that she shold make her yong Egles within his bosome And thenne whanne the wesel kno we this she gadred and assembled to gyder grete quantite of ordure or fylthe and therof made an hyghe hylle for to lete her self falle fro the top of hit in to the bosome of Iupiter And whanne Iupyter felte the stenche of the fylthe he leganne to shake his bosome and both the wesel and the egges of the egle felle doune to the erthe And thus were alle the egges broken and bost And whanne the Egel knewe hit she made anowe that she shold neuer make none egles tyll of the wesel she we re assured And therfore none how stronge and myghty that he be ought not to dispreyse somme other For there is none soo lytyl but that somtyme he may lette and auenge hym self wherfore doo thow no displaysyr to none that displaysyre come not to the ¶ The thyrdde fable is of the Foxe and of the gote HE whiche is wyse and sage ought fyrst to loke and be hold the ende or he begynneth the werke or dede as hyer appiereth by this fable Of a Foxe of a gote that somtyme defanded and wente doune in to a depe welle for to drynke And whanne they had wel dronke by cause that thei â—â—oude not come vpward ageyne the Foxe sayd to the gote in this maner my frend yf thow wylt helpe me we shall sone ben bothe oute of this welle For yf thow wylt sette thy two feet ageynste the walle I shal wel lepe vpon the vpon thy hornes And thenne I shal lepe oute of this welle ¶ And whanne I shalle be oute of hit thow shalt take me by the handes and I shal plucke and drawe the oute of the welle And at this request the gote acorded and ansuerd I wylle wel And theÌ„ne the gote lyfte vp his feet ageynst the walle and the foxe dyd so moche by his malyce that he gat out of the welle And whan he was oute he began to loke onthectote whiche was within the welle thenne the gote sayd to hym help me now as thow hast promysed And theÌ„ne the foxe beganne to lawhe and to scorne hym and sayd to hym O mayster goote yf thow haddest be wel wyse with thy fayre berde or euer thow haddest entryd in to the welle thow sholdest fyrst haue taken hede how thow sholdest haue comen oute of hit ageyne ¶ And therfore he whiche is wyse yf he wysely wylle gouer ne hym self ought to take euer good hede to the ende of his werke ¶ The fourthe fable is of the catte and of the chyken HE whiche is fals of kynde hath begonne to deceyue some other euer he wyl vse his craft As it appiereth by this present Fable of a kat whiche somtyme toke a chyken the whiche he biganne strongly to blame for to haue fonde somme cause that he myght ete hit and sayd to hym in this manere Come hyther thou chyken thow dost none other good but crye alle the nyght thow letest not the men slepe And thenne the chykyn ansuerd to hym I doo hit for they re grete prouffite And ouer ageyne the catte sayd to hym Yet is there wel wors For thow arte an inceste lechour For thow knowest naturelly both thy moder and thy doughter And thenne the chyken sayd to the cat I doo hit by cause that my mayster maye haue egges for his etynge And that hys mayster for his prouffyte gaf to hym bothe the moder and the doughter for to multyplye the egges And thenne the Catte sayd to hym by my feythe godsep thow hâ—â—t of excusacions ynough but neuertheles thow shalt passe thurgh my throte for I suppose not to faste this day for alle thy wordes ¶ And thus is it of hym whiche is custommed to lyue by rauyn For he can not kepe ne absteyne hym self fro hit For alle thex cusacions that be leyd on hym ¶ The v fable is of the Foxe and of the busshe MEn ouÈt not to demanÌ„de ne aske help of them that ben more customed to lette than to do good or prouffit as it appereth by this fable of a fox which for to scape the peril to be taken wente vpon a thorne busshe whiche hurted hym sore and wepynge sayd to the busshe I am come as to my refuge vnto the and thow hast hurted me vnto the dethe And thenne the busshe sayd to hym thow hast erred and wel thou hast begyled thy self For thow supposest to haue taken me as thow arte custommed to take chekyns and hennes ¶ And ther fore men ought not to helpe them whiche ben acustomed to doo euylle but men ought rather to lette them ¶ The vj fable is of the man and of the god of the wodes OF the euylle man somtyme prouffiteth soÌ„me other he doth hit not by his good wylle but by force As reherceth to vs this fable Of a man whiche had in his how 's an ydolle the whiche oftyme he adoured as his god to whome ofte he prayd that he wold gyue to hym moche good And the more that he prayd hym the more he faylled and became pouere wherfore the man was wel wrothe ageynst his ydolle and took hit by the legges and smote the hede of hit so strongly ageynst the walle so that it brake in to many pyeces Oute of the whiche ydolle yssued a ryght grete tresoure wherof the man was ful gladde and Ioyous And thenne the man sayd to his ydolle Now knowe I wel that thou art wycked euyl and peruers For whanne I haue worshipped the thow hast not holpen me And now whanne I haue bete the thow hast moche done for me ¶ And therfore the euylle man whanne he doth ony good it is not of his good wylle but by force ¶ The vij fable is of a fyssher ALle thynges which ben done made in theyr tyme se ason ben wel made as by this present fable it appereth Of a fyssher whiche somtyme touched his bagpype nyhe the Ryuer for to make the fysshe to daunse ¶ And whan he sawe that for none fonge that he coude pype the fysshes wold not dauÌ„se As wroth dyd cast his nettes in to the Ryuer toke of fysshe grete quantite And whanne he had drawe oute his netâ—â—s oute of the water the fysshe beganne to lepe and to dauÌ„ se and thenne he sayd to them Certaynly hit appiereth now wel that ye be euylle beestes For now whanne ye be taken ye lepe and daunse And whanne I pyped and played of my muse or bagpype ye dayned ne wold not daunse Therfore hit appiereth wel that the thynges whiche ben made in season ben wel made and done by reason ¶ The eyght fable is of the catte and of the rat HE whiche is wyse and that ones
hath ben begyled ought not to truste more hym that hath begyled hym As wherceth this Fable of a catte whiche wente in to a how 's where as many rats were the whiche he dyd ete eche one after other ¶ And whanne the rats perceyued the grete fyersnes and crudelyte of the catte held a counceylle to gyder where as they determyned of one comyn wylle that they shold no more hold them ne come nor goo on the lowe floore â–ª wherfore one of them moost auncyent profered and sayd to al the other suche wordes ¶ My bretheren and my frendes ye knowe wel that we haue a grete enemye Whiche is a grete persecutour ouer vs alle to whome we may not resyste wherfor of nede we must hold our self vppn the hyghe balkes to th ende that he may not take vs Of the whiche proposycion or wordes the other rats were wel content and apayd and byleuyd this counceylle And whanne the kat knewe the counceylle of the rats he hynge hym self by his two feet behynd at a pynne of yron whiche was styked at a balke feynynge hym self to be dede And whanne one of the rats lokynge dounward saw â–ª the katte beganne to lawhe and sayd to the cat O my Frend yf I supposed that thow were dede I shold goo doune but wel I knowe the so fals peruers that thou mayst wel haue hanged thy self faynynge to be dede wherfore I shall not go doune And therfore he that hath ben ones begyled by somme other ought to kepe hym wel fro the same ¶ The ix fable is of the labourer and of the pyelarge HE whiche is taken with the wicked and euyll ouÈte to suffre payne and punycyon as they As it appiereth by this fable Of a labourer whiche somtyme dressyd and sette his gynnes and nettes for to take the ghees and the cranes Whiche ete his corne It happed thenne that ones amonge a grete meyny of ghees and cranes he took a pyelarge whiche prayd the labourer in this maner I praye the lete me go For I am neyther goos ne crane nor I am not come byther for to do to the ony euylle The labourer beganne thenne to lawâ—â— and sayd to the pyelarge yf thow haddest not be in theyr felauship thow haddest not entryd in to my nettes nâ—â— haddest not be taken And by cause that thow arte founde and taken with them thow shalt be punysshed as they shalle be Therfore none ought to hold companye with the euylle withoute he wylle suffre the punycion of them whiche ben punysshed ¶ The tenth fable is of the child whiche kepte the sheep HE whiche is acustommed to make lesynges how be it that he saye trouthe yet men byleue hym not As reherceth this fable Of a child whiche somtyme kepte sheep the whiche cryed ofte withoute cause sayenge Allaâ—â— for goddes loue soâ—â—ure yow me For the wulf wylle ete my sheep And whanne the labourers that cultyued and ered the erthe aboute hym herd his crye they came to helpe hym the whiche came so many tymes and fond nothyng And as they sawe that there were no wulues they retorned to theyr labourage And the child dyd so many tymes for to playe hym ¶ It happed on a day that the wulf came and the child cry ed as he was acustommed to doo And by cause that the labourers supposed thaâ—â— hit had not ben trouthe abode stylle at theyr laboure wherfore the wulf dyd ete the sheep For men bi leue not lyghtly hym whiche is knowen for a lyer ¶ The xj fable is of the ante and of the columbe NOne ought to be slowful of the good whiche he receyueth of other As reherceth this fable of an Ante whiche came to a fontayne for to drynke and as she wold haue dronke she felle within the fontayn vpon the whiche was a columbe or douue whiche seyng that the Ante shold haue ben drowned withoute helpe took a braunche of a tree cast it to her for to saue her self And the Ante wente anone vpon the braunche and saued her ¶ And anone after came a Fawkoner whiche wold haue take the douue And thenne the Ante whiche sawe that the Fawkoner dressyd his nettâ—â—s came to his foote and soo fast pryked hit that she caused hym to smyte the erthe with his foote and therwith made soo grete noyse that the doune herd hit wherfore she flâ—â—whe aweye oâ—â— the gynne and nettes were al sette ¶ And therfore none ought to forgete the benyfyce whiche he hath receyued of some other foâ—â— slowfulnesse is a grete synne ¶ The xij fable is of the Bee and of Iupiter NOw the euyl which men wysshe to other cometh to hym whiche wyssheth hit as hit appiereth by this fable of a Bee whiche offred and gaf to Iupyter a pyece of hony wherof Iupyter was moche Ioyous And thenne Iupyter sayd to the bee demaunde of me what thow wylt and I shalle graunte and gyue hit to the gladly And thenne the Bee prayd hym in this manere God almyghty I pray the that thow wylt gyue to me and grauÌ„te that who so euer shal come for to take awey my hony yf I pryke hym he may sodenly deye And by cause that Iupyter loued the humayn lyg nage he sayd to the Bee Suffyse the that who so euer shalle goo to take thy hony yf thow pryke or stynge hym Incontynent thow shalt deye And thus her prayer was tourned to her grete dommage For men ought not to demaunde of god but suche thynges that ben good and honest ¶ The xiij fable is of a carpenter IN as moche as god is more propyce and bâ—â—nygne to the good and holy moche more he punyssheth the wyc â—â—d and euylle As we may see by this fable Of a carpenter whiche cutte wode vpon a Ryuer for to make a temple to the goddes And as he cutte wode his axe felle in the Ryuer wherfore he beganne to wepe and to calle helpe of the goddes And the god Mercurye for pyte appiered before hym And demaunded of hym wherfore he wepte and shewed to hym an axe of gold and demaunded of hym yf hit was the axe whiche he had lost he sayd nay And after the god shewed to hym another axe of syluer And semblably said nay And by cause that Mercurius sawe that he was good and trewe he drewe his axe oute of the water and took hit to hym with moche good that he gaf to hym And the carpenter told thystorye to his felawes of the whiche one of them came in to the same place for to cutte woode as his felawe dyd before E lete falle his axe within the water and beganne to wepe and to demaund the helpe and ayde of the goddes And thenne Mercury appiered to fore hym and shewed to hym an axe of gold and demaunded of hym in suche manere Is the same hit that thow hast lost And he ansuerd to Mercury ye fayre syre and myghty god the same is it And
Mercury sâ—â—ynge the malyce of the vylayne gaf to hym ueyther the same ne none other and lefte hym wepynge For god whiche is good and Iust rewarded the good and trewe in this woâ—â— or eche other after his deserte and punyssheth the euylle and Iniuste ¶ The xiiij fable is of a yonge theef and of his moder HE whiche is not chastysed at the begynnynge is â—â—uyll and peruers at the ende As hit appiereth by this fable of a yonge child whiche of his yongthe beganâ—â—e to stele and to be a theef And the theftys whiche he maad he broughte to his moder and the moder toke them gladly in no wyse she chastysed hym And after that he had done ma ny theftys he was taken and condempned to be hanged And as men ledde hym to the Iustyce his moder folowed hym and wepte sore And thenne the child prayd to the Iustyce that he myght saye one word to his moder And as he approuched to her made semblaunt to telle her somme wordes at her ere with his treth he bote of her nose wherof the Iustyce blamed hym And he ansuerd in this manere My lordes ye haue no cause to blame me therfore For my moder is cause of my deth For yf she had wel chastysed me I had not come to this sha me and vergoyne For who loueth wel wel he chastyseth And therfore chastyse wel youre children to th ende that ye falle not in to suche a caas ¶ The xv fable is of the flee and of the man HE that 〈◊〉 the euyl how be hit that the euylle be not gre te men ought not to leue hym vnpunysshed As it ap pyereth by this fable Of a man whiche took a flee whi che bote hym to whome the man sayd in this manere Fle why bytest thow me and letest me not slepe And the flee ansuerd It is my kynd to doo soo wherfore I praye the that thow wyll not put me to dethe And the man beganne to lawhe sayd to the flee how be it that thow mayst not hurte me sore Nâ—â—uertheles to the behoueth not to prycke me wherfore thow shalt deye For men ought not to leue none euyll vnpunysshed how be hit that hit be not grete 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ The xvj fable is of the husbond and of his two wyues NOo thynge is werse to the man than the woman As it appereth by this fable of a man of a meane age whiche tooke two wyues that is to wete an old one yong whiche were both dwellyng in his how 's by cau se that the old desyred to haue his loue she plucked the blak herys fro his hede and his berde by cause he shold the more be lyke to her And the yonge woman at the other syde plucked end drewe oute alle the whyte herys to the ende that he shold seme the yonger more gay and fayrer in her syghte And thus the good man abode withoute ony here on his hede And therfore hit is grete folye to theauncyent to wedde them self ageyne For to them is better to be vnwedded than to be euer in trouble with an euyl wyf for the tyme in whiche they shold reste them they put it to payne and to grete labour ¶ The xvij fable is of the labourer and of his children HE that laboureth and werketh contynuelly maye not faylle to haue plente of goodes as it appiereth by this present fable Of a good man labourer whiche all his lyf had laboured and wrought and was ryche And whan he shold deye he sayd to his children My children I muste now deye And my tresour I haue lefte in my vyne And after that the good man was dede his children whiche supposed that his tresour had ben in the vyne dyd nothyng al day but delued hit it bare more fruyte than dyd before ¶ For who trauaylleth wel he hath euer brede ynough for to ete And he that werketh not dyeth for honger ¶ Here fynysshen the Fables of Esope ¶ And after foloweth the table of the fables of Auyan ¶ The fyrst fable is of the wulf and of the old woman ¶ The second fable is of the Tortose and of the byrdes ¶ The thyrd fable is of the two creuyses ¶ The fourth fable is of the asse of the skynne of the lyon ¶ The v fable is of the frogges and of the Foxe ¶ The vij fable is of the camel and of Iupiter ¶ The eyght fable is of the two felawes ¶ The ix fable is of the two postes ¶ The x fable is of the bole of the lyon and of the gote ¶ The xj fable is of the Ape and of his child ¶ The xij fable is of the crane and of the pecost ¶ The xiij fable is of the hunter and of the tygre ¶ The xiiij fable is of the four oxen ¶ The xv fable is of the busshe and of the tree ¶ The xvj Fable is of the fyssher and of the lytyl fysshe ¶ The xvij fable is of phebus of the Auarycious and of the enuyous ¶ The xviij fable is of the theef of the child whiche wepte ¶ The xix fable is of the lyon and of the gote ¶ The xx fable is of the crowe whiche had thurst ¶ The xxj fable is of a vylayne and of a yonge bole ¶ The xxij fable is of a pylgrym and of the satyre ¶ The xxiij fable is of an oxe and of the ratte ¶ The xxiiij fable is of the ghees and of her lord ¶ The xxv fable maketh mencion of the ape and of his two children ¶ The xxvi fable is of the wynd and of the potte ¶ The xxvij fable is of the wulf and of the cheuerel or lytil goot ¶ The fyrst fable is of the old woman and of the wulf MEn ought not to byleue on al maner spyrytes As reherceth this fable of an old woman which said to her child bicause that it wept certeynly if thou wepst ony more I shal make the to be ete of the wulf the wulf heryng this old woman abode styll to fore the yate supposed to haue eten the old womans child by cause that the wulf had soo longe taryed there that he was hongry he retorned and went ageyne in to the wood And the shewulf demaunded of hym why hast thow not brought to me some mete And the wulf ansuerd by cause that the old woman hath begyled me the whiche had promysed to me to gyue to me her child for to haue ete hym And at the laste I hadde hit not And therfore men ought in no wyse to truste the woman And he is wel a fole that setteth his hope and truste in a woman And therfore truste them not and thow shalt doo as the sage and wyse ¶ The second fable is of the tortose and of the other byrdes HE that enhaunceth hym self more than he oughte to do To hym oughte not to come noo good As hit appiereth by this present fable
Of a tortose whiche said to the byrdes yf ye lyft me vp wel hyghe fro the ground to the ayer I shalle shewe to yow grete plente of precious stones And the Egle toke her and bare her so hyghe that she myghte not see the erthe And the Egle sayd to her shewe me now these precious stones that thow promysest to shewe to me And by cause that the tortose myght not see in the erthe and that the Egle knewe wel that he was deceyued thrested his clowes in to the tortoses bely and kylled hit For he that wylle haue and gete worship and glorye may not haue hit withoute grete laboure Therfore hit is better and more sure to kepe hym lowely than to enhaunce hym self on hyghe and after to deye shamefully and myserably ¶ For men sayn comynly who so mounteth hyher than he shold he falleth lower than he wold ¶ The thyrd fable is of the two Creuysses HE whiche wyll teche and lerne some other ought first to corryge examyne hym self as it appereth by this fable of a creuysse whiche wold hauec hastysed her owne doughter bicause that she wente not wel ryght And sayd to her in this manere My doughter hit pleaseth me not that thow goost thus backward For euylle myght wel therof come to the And thenne the doughter sayd to her moder My moder I shalle go ryght and forward with a good will but ye must goo before for to shewe to me the waye But the moder coude none other wyse goo than after her kynd wherfore her doughter sayd vnto her My moder fyrst lerne your self for to goo ryght and forward and thenne ye shalle teche me And therfore he that wylle teche other ought to shewe good ensample For grete shame is to the doctour whanne his owne coulpe or faulte accuseth hym ¶ The fourthe fable is of the asse and of the skynne of the Lyon NOne ought not to gloryfye hym self of the goodes of other as recyteth this fable of an asse whiche som tyme fo nd the skynne of a lyon the whiche he dyd wered on hym but he coude neuer hyde his ere 's therwith when he was as he supposed wel arayed with the sayd skynne he ranne in to the forest And whanne the wyld 〈◊〉 sawâ—â— hym come they were so ferdfull that they alle beganne to flee For they wend that it had be the lyon And the mayster of the asse serâ—â—d and soughte his asse in euery place al aboute And as he had soughte longe he thougiht that he wold go in to the forest for to see yf his asse were there And as soone as he was entryd in to the forest he mette with his asse arayed as before is sayd but his mayster whiche had soughte hym â—â—onge sawe his erys wherfore he knewe hym wel and anonâ—â— toke hym and sayd in this manere Ha a mayster asse arâ—â— thow câ—â—othed with the skynne of the lyon thow makest the 〈◊〉 stes to be aferd but yf they knewe the as wel as I do then shold haue no fere of the but I ensure the that wel I shall â–ª bete the therfore And thenne he toke fro hym the skynne of the lyon and sayd to hym Lyon shalt thow be no more but an asse shalt thow euer be And his mayster tooke thenne a staf and smote hym soo that euer after he remembryd hym wel of hit And therfore he whiche auaunceth hym self of other mennes goodes is a very foole For as men sayn comynly he is not wel arayed nor wel appoynted whiche is clothed with others gowne ne also it is not honeste to make large â—â—onges of other mennes leder ¶ The v fable is of the frogge and of the Foxe NOne ought to auaunce hym self to doo that whiche he be can not doo As hit appiereth of a frogge whiche somtyme yssued or came oute of a dyche the whiche presumed to haue lepte vpon a hyghe montayne And whanne she was vpon the montayne she sayd to other beestes I am a maystresse in medecyn and canne gyue remedy to al manere of sekenes by myn arte and subtylyte and shalle rendre and brynge yow vp ageyne in good helthe wherof somme byleued her And thenne the Foxe whiche perceyued the folysshe byleue of the beestes beganne to lawhe and sayd to them poure beestes how may this fowle and venemous beest whiche is seke and pale of colour rendre and gyue to yow helthe For the leche whiche wylle he le somme other ought fyrste to hele hym self For many one counterfayteth the leche whiche can not a word of the scyence of medecyne from the whiche god preserue and kepe vs ¶ The vj fable is of the two dogges HE that taketh within hym self vayne glorye of that thynge by the whiche he shold humble hym self is a very fole as hit appereth by this fable of a fader of famylle whiche had two dogges of the whiche the one withoute ony barkyng bote the folke the other dyd barke bote not And whan the fader of famyll perceyued the shrewdnes and malyce of the dogge that barkyd not he henge on his nest a belle to the ende that men shold beware of hym wherfore the dogge was ouer prowd and fyers and beganne to dyspreyse alle the other dogges of the whiche one of the moost aunâ—â—en â–ª sayd to hym in his manere O fole beest now perceyue I 〈◊〉 thy foly and grete wodenesse to suppose that this belle is gyuen to the for thyn owne deserte and meryte but certaynly hit is not soo For hit is taken to the for thy demerytes and by cause of thy shrewdnesse and grete treason for to shewe that thow arte fals and traytour And therfore none oughte to be Ioyeful and gladd of that thynge wherof he oughte to be tryst and sorowful as many foles done whiche make Ioye of theyr vyces and euyll dedes for a moche fole were the theef whiche that men ledde for to be hanged and that he had a cord of gold aboute his neck yf he shold make Ioye therof how be hit that the corde were moche ryche and fayre ¶ The vij Fable is of the camel and of Iupiter EWery creature ought to be content of that that god hath gyuen to hym withoute to take thenherytaunce of other As reherceth this fable Of a camel whiche som tyme complayned hym to Iupiter of that the other beestes mocqued hym by cause that he was not of so grete beaute as they were of wherfore to Iupiter Instantly he prayd in suche maner as foloweth Fayr syre and god I requyre and praye that thou wylt gyue to me hornes to th ende that I maye be nomore mocqued Iupiter thenne beganne to lawhe and in stede of hornes he took fro hym his erys and sayd thow hast more good than hit behoueth to the to haue And by cause that thow demaundest that whiche thow oughtest not to haue I haue take fro the that whiche of ryght and kynd
he was soo troubled and heuy And after that he had told to her the cause why thold woman sayd to hym make good chere For yf hit be so as thow sayst I shalle counceylle the how thow shalt recouere thy syluer And thenne he demauÌ„ded of her how hit myght be done And she sayd to hym bâ—â—yng hyther to me a man of thy countrey whome thow trustest and doo to be made four fayr chestes and fylle them alle with stones and by thy felawes thow shalt make them to be borne in to his how 's and to hym they shalle say that the marchauÌ„ts of spayne send them to hym for to be kepte surely And whan the chestes shalte be within his how 's thow shalt go and demaÌ„ de of hym thy syluer whiche thynge he dyd And as the sayd chestes were borne within his how 's the spaynard wente with them that bare them the whiche straungers sayd to the old maÌ„ My lord these four chestes ben al ful of gold of syluer and oâ—â— precious stones whiche we brynge to yow as to the trewest man and feythful that we knowe for to stepe them surely by cause that we fere and doubte the theues whiche ben within the desert After the whiche wordes sayd came he whiche the old woman had counceylled and demaunded of hym his syluer And by cause that the old man doubted that the spaynard wold haue dispreysed hym he sayd thus to hym Thow arte welcome I merueylled how thow taryest soo longe for to come And Incontynent he restored to hym his syluer And thus by the counceylle of the woman whiche he gretely thanked he had his good ageyn and retourned ageyne in to his countrey ¶ The thyrd fable speketh of a subtyle Inuencion of a sentence gyuen vpon a derke and obscure cause HIt befelle somtyme that a good man labourer wente fro lyf to deth the whiche labourer lefte nothyng to his sone but only a how 's the whiche sone lyued by the 〈◊〉 of his handes pourely This yong man had a neyghâ—â—ur whiche was moche ryche whiche demauÌ„ded of the sayd yong man yf he wold selle his how 's but he wold not selle it by cau se that it was come to hym by enherytauÌ„ce and by patrymony wherfore the ryche man his neyÈbour connersyd was fuloft with hym for to deceyue hym but the yong man fled his company as moche as he myght whan the ryche man perceyued that the yong man fled from hym he bithouÈt hym self of a gre te deceâ—â—on falshede demauÌ„ded of the poure yong man that he wold hyre to hym a parte of his how 's for to delue make a celer the whiche he shold hold of hym payeng to hym yerely rent the poure yonge man hyred it to hym whan the celer was made the ryche man did do bryng therin x toÌ„nes of oylle of the which the v were ful of oylle the other v were but half ful dyd do make a grete pytte in the erthe dyd do put the fyue tonnes whiche were half ful in hit the other fyue aboâ—â—e them And thenne he shytte the dore of the celer and delyuerd the keye to the poure yonge man and prayd hym frawdelently to kepe wel his oylle but the poure yonge man knewe not the malyce and falshede of his neyghboure wherfore he was contente to kepe the keye And within a why le after as the oylle became dere the ryche man came to the pou re and asked of hym his good and the yong man tooke to hym the keye this Ryche man thenne sold his oylle to the marchauntes and warauntysed eche tonne al ful And when the marchauntes mesured theyr oylle they fond but fyue of the x tonnes full wherof the ryche man demaunded of the pou re yonge man resticucion and for to haue his how 's he maade hym to come before the Iuge ¶ And whanne the poure man was before the Iuge he demaunded terme and space for to answere For hym thought and semed that he had kepte wel his oylle and the Iuge gaf and grauÌ„ted to hym day of aduys theÌ„ne he went to a philosophre whiche was procuratour of the poure peple prayd hym for charyte that he wold gyue to hym good couÌ„ceylle at his grete nede he reherced and told to hym al his cause swore vpon the holy euangely that he to ke none of the ryche mans oylle And thenne the philosopher ansuerd to hym in this manere My sone haue no fere for the trouthe may not faylle And the next morowe after the philo sopher wente with the poure man in to Iugement the whiche Philosopher was constitued by the kynge for to gyue the Iust sentence of hit And after that the cause had be wel deffended and pleted of bothe partyes the philosophre sayd the same ryche man is of good renommee and I suppose not that he demaunded more than he shold haue And also I byleue not that this poure may be maculed ne gylty of the blame which he putteth on hym but notwithstondynge for to knowe the trouthe of hit I ordeyne and gyue sentence that the oylle pu re and clene of the v tonnes whiche are ful to be mesured and also the lye therof And after that the pure and clene oylle of the fyue tonnes whiche ben but half ful to be also mesured with the lye therof and that men loke yf the lye of the fyue Tonnes half ful is egal and lyke to the lye of the fyue Tonnes whiche ben fulle And yf hit be not soo that as momoche lye be fond within the vessels whiche ben but half full as in the other he shalle thenne be suffysauntly ryghtwysly proued that none oyle hath be taken oute of them but yf ther be fond as moche lye in the one as in the other the poure shall be condempned and of this sentence the poure was contente the trouthe was knowen wherfore the poure man went quyte and the ryche was condempned For his grete malyce and falsheed was knowen and manyfested For there is no synne or mysdede done but that ones it shalle be knowen and ma nyfested ¶ The fourthe fable maketh mencion of the sentence gyuen vp the pecuny or money whiche was found A Ryche man somtyme wente by a Cyte And as he wal ked fro one syde to that other fylle fro hym a grete purse wherin were a thowsand crownes the whiche a poure man fond and toke them for to kepe to his wyf wherof she was ful gladde and sayd thanked be god of al the goodes whiche he sendeth to vs yf he sendeth now this grete somme kepe we hit wel And on the next mâ—â—ne after folowyng the Ryche man made to be cryed thurgh the Cyte that who someuer had fond a thowsand Crownes in a purse he shold restitue and brynge them to hym ageyne and that he shold haue for his reward an honderd of them And after that the poure man
rosted lesse mete shalle be thenne made of me And therfor neyther boylled ne rosted shalle not be thy grete bely fylled of me but yf thow lete me flee ħit shalle be to the a grete good and prouffyte For thre doctrynes I shall teche the whiche thow shalt loue better than thre fat kyne And thine the labourer lete the nyghtyngale flee And whan he was oute of his handes and that he was vpon a tree he sayd to the vylayne in this maner My Frend I haue promysed to the that I shall gyue to the thre doctrynes wherof the fyrst is this that thow byleue no thynge whiche is Impossyble The second is that thow kepe wel that thyn is And the thyrd is that thow take no sorowe of the thynge lost whiche may not be recouerd And soone after the nyghtgngale beganne to synge in his songe sayd thus blessyd be god whiche hath delyuerd me oute of the handes of this vylayne or chorle whiche hath not knowen sene ne touched the precious dyamond whiche I haue within my bely For yf he had foūde hit he had be moche ryche And fro his handes I had not scaped And thenne the vylayne whiche herd this songe beganne to complayne and to make grete sorowe and after sayd I am wel vnhappy that haue lost so fayre a tresour whiche I had wonne and now I haue lost hit And the nyghtyngale seyd thenne to the chorle Now knowe I wel that thow arte a fool For thow takest sorowe of that wherof thow sholdest haue none and sone thow hast forgeten my doctryne by cause that thow wenest that with in my bely shold be a precious stone more of weyght than I am And I told and taught to the that thow sholdest neuer byleue that thynge whiche is Impossyble And yf that stone was thyn why hast thow lost ħit And yf thow 〈◊〉 lost ħit and mayst not recouere hit why takest thow sorowe for hit And therfore hit is foly to chastyse or to teche a fole whiche neuer byleueth the lernynge and doctryne whiche is gyuen to hym ¶ The vij fable is of a Rethorycian and of a crowkbacked A Philosopher sayd ones to his sone that whan he were falle by fortune in to somme dommage or perylle the sooner that he myght he shold delyuere hym of hit to th ende that afterward he shold no more be vexed ne greued of hit As ħit appiereth by this fable of a rethoryque man or fayr speker whiche ones demaunded of a kynge that of alle them whiche shold entre in to the Cyte hauynge somme faulte of kynde on theyr bodyes as crouked or counterfayted he myght haue and take of them at thentre of the yate a peny the whiche demaunde the kynge graunted to hym and made his lettres to be sealed and wreton vnder his sygnet And thus he kepte hym styll at the yate And of euery lame scabbed of alle suche that had ony counterfaytour on theyr bodyes he tooke a peny ¶ It happed thēne on a day that a croukbacked and counterfayted man wold haue entryd within the Cyte withoute gyuynge of ony peny and bethought hym self that he shold take and put on hym a fayre mantel and thus arayed came to the yate ¶ And thenne whan the porter byheld hym he perceyued that he was goglyed and sayd to hym pay me of my dowte And the goglyed wold paye nought wher fore he toke from hym his mantel And thenne he sawe that he was crowkbacked and sayd to hym thow woldest not tofore paye a peny but now thow shalt paye tweyne ¶ And whyle that they stryued to gyder the hat and the bonet folle from his hede to the erthe And the porter whiche sawe his scabbed hede sayd to hym now shalt thow paye to me thre pens And thenne the porter yet ageyne setted his handes on hym and felte that his body was al scabbed And as they were thus wrastlynge to gyder the crowkbacked fylle to the ground and hurted hym self sore on the legge And the porter sayd thenne to hym Now shalt thow paye v pens For thy body is al counter fayted wherfore thow shalt leue here thy mantell And yf thou haddest payd a peny thow haddest gone on thy waye free and quyte wherfore he is wyse that payeth that that he oweth of ryght to then de that therof come not to hym gretter dommage ¶ The eyght fable is of the discyple And of the sheep A Discyple was somtyme whiche toke his playsyre to reherce and telle many fables the whiche prayd to his mayster that he wold reherce vnto hym a long fable To whome the mayster ansuerd kepe and beware wel that hit happe not to vs as it happed to a kyng and to his fabulatour And the discyple ansuerd My mayster I pray the to telle to me how it befelle And thenne the mayster sayd to his discyple ¶ Somtyme was a kynge whiche hadde a fabulatour the whiche reherced to hym at euery tyme that he wold sleep fyue fables for to reioysshe the kynge and for to make hym falle in to a slepe It bifelle thenne on a daye that the kynge was moche sorowful and so heuy that he coude in no wyse falle a sle pe And after that the sayd fabulatour had told and reherced his fyue fables the kynge desyred to here more And thenne the sayd fabulatour recyted vnto hym thre fables wel shorte And the kynge thenne sayd to hym I wold fayne here one wel longe And thenne shalle I loue wel the slepe The fabulatour thenne reherced vnto hym suche a fable Of a ryche man whiche wente to the market or feyre for to bye sheep the which man bought a thowsand sheep And as he was retornynge fro the feyre he cain vnto a Ryuer and by cause of the grete wawes of the water he coude not passe ouer the brydge Neuerthe les he wente soo longe to and fro on the Ryuage of the sayd Ryuer that at the last he fonde a narowe way vpon the whiche myght passe scant ynough thre sheep attones And thus he passed and had them ouer one after another And hyderto reherced of this fable the fabulatour felle on slepe And anon after the kynge awoke the fabulatour and sayd to hym in this manere I pray the that thow wylt make an ende of thy fable And the fabulatour ansuerd to hym in this manere Syre this Ryuer is ryght grete and the ship is lytyll wherfore late the marthaunt doo passe ouer his sheep And after I shalle make an ende of my fable And thenne was the kynge wel appeased and pacyfyed ¶ And therfore be thow content of that I haue reherced vnto the For there is folke so superstycious or capaxe that they may not be contented with fewe wordes ¶ The ix fable is of the wulf of the labourer of the foxe of the chese SOmtyme was a labourer wgiche vnnethe myght gouerne and lede his oxen by cause that they smote
with theyr feet wherfore the labourer sayd to them I pray to god that the wulf may ete yow the whiche wordes the wulf herd wherfore he hyd hym self nyghe them vnto the nyght And thenne came for to ete them ¶ And whanne the nyght was come the labourer vnbonde his oxen and lete them goo to his how 's ¶ And thenne whanne the wulf sawe them comynge homeward he sayd O thow labourer many tymes on this day thow dydest gyue to me thyn oxen and ther fore hold thy promesse to me ¶ And the labourer sayd to the wulf I promysed to the nought at al in the presence of whome I am oblyged or bound I swore not neyther to and yong man whiche fournysshed to thappoyntement And ones as they thre made good chere the husbond came ageyne fro the feyre and knocked at the dore of the how 's wherfore they were wel abasshed Thenne sayd the old moder thus to them haue no fere but doo as I shalle telle to yow and ca re yow not And thenne she sayd to the yonge man hold this swerd and goo thow to the yate and beware thy self that thow saye no word to hym but lete me doo And as the husband wold haue entryd his how 's and that he sawe the yong man holdynge a naked swerd in his handes he was gretely aferd And thenne the old woman sayd to hym My sone thow arte ryght welcome be not aferd of this man For thre men ranne ryght now after hym for to haue slayne hym and â—â—y auenture he fond the yate open and this is the cause why he came here for to saue his lyf And thenne the husbond said to them ye haue done wel And I can yow grete thanke And thus the yonge amerous wente his waye surely by the subtylyte of the moder of his wyf to the whiche truste thy self not and thow shalt doo as sage and wyse ¶ The xi fable is of an old harlotte or bawde A Noble man was somtyme whiche had a wyf moche chaste and was wonder fayr This noble man wold haue go on pylgremage to Rome and lefte his wyf at home by cause that he knewe her for a chaste and a good woman ¶ It happed on a daye as she wente in to the toun A fayre yonge man was esprysed of her loue and took on hym hardynes and requyred her of loue and promysed to her many grete yeftes But she whiche was good had leuer deye than to consente her therto wherfore the yonge man deyde al mooste for sorowe to the whiche felawe came an old woman whiche demaunded of hym the cause of his sekenesse And the yonge man manyfested or discouered vnto her alle his courage and herte askynge help and counceylle of her And the old woman wyly and malycious sayd to hym Be thow gladde and Ioyous and take good courage For wel I shalle doo and brynge aboute thy fayâ—â— in soo moche that thow shalt haue thy wyll fulfylled And after thys the old bawde wente to her how 's and maade a lytyl catte which she hadde at home to faste thre dayes one after another And after she took somme breed with a grete dele or quantite of mostard vpon hit and gaf hit to thys yonge Catte for to ete hit ¶ And whanne the Catte smelled hit she beganne to wepe and crye ¶ And the old woman or Bawde wente vnto the how 's of the sayd yonge woman and bare her lytyl Catte with her the whiche yonge and good woman receyued and welcomed her moch honestly by cause that alle the world held her for a holy woman ¶ And as they were tallynge to gyder the yong woman hadde pyte of the catte whiche wepte And demaunded of the old woman what the cat eyled And the old woman sayd to her Ha a my fayr doughter my fayre Frend renewe not my sorowe And sayenge these wordes she beganne to wepe and sayd My frend for no good I wyl telle the cause why my catte wepeth And thenn the yonge woman sayd to her My good Moder I praye yow that ye wyll telle me the cause why wherfor your catte wepeth And thenne the old woman sayd to her My Frend I wyll wel yf thow wilt swere that thou shalt neuer reherce it to no body to the whiche promesse the good trewe yonge woman accorded her self supposyng that hit had ben al good and sayd 〈◊〉 wylle wel And thenne the old woman sayd to her in this manere My frend this same catte whiche thow seest yonder was my doughter the whiche was wonder fayre gracious and chaste whiche a yonge man loued moche and was so moche esprysed of her loue that by cause that she reffused hym he deyde for her loue wherfore the goddes hauyng pyte on hym haue torned my douggter in to this catte And the yonge woman whiche supposed that the old woman had sayd trouthe sayd to her in this manere Allas my fayr moder I ne wote what I shalle doo For suche a â—â—as myght wel happe to me For in this Towne is a yonge man whiche deyeth almoost for the loue of me But for loue of my husband to whome I oughte to kepe chastyte I haue not wylle graunte hym Neuertheles I shall doo that that thow shalt counceylle to me And thenne the old woman sayd to her My Frend haue thow pyte on hym as soone as thow mayst soo that hit 〈◊〉 not to the lyke as it dyd to my doughter ¶ The yonge woman thenne answerd to her and sayd yf he requyre me ony more I shalle accorde me with hym And yf he requyre me no more yet shalle I profere me to hym ¶ And to th ende that I offende not the goddes I shalle doo and accomplysshe hit as soone as I maye ¶ The old woman theÌ„ne took leue of her wente forthwith to the yong man And to hym she reherced and told all these tydynges wherof hys herte was fylled with Ioye the whiche anone wente toward the yonge woman and with her he fulfylled his wylle ¶ And thus ye maye knowe the euyls whiche ben done by bawdes and old harlottes that wold to god that they were al brente ¶ The xij fable is of a blynd man and of his wyf THere was somtyme a blynd man whiche had a fayre wyf of the whiche he was moche Iaâ—â—us He kepte her so that she myght not goo no wher For euer he had her by the hand And after that she was enamoured of a gentil felawe they coude not fynde the maner ne no place for to fulfylle theyr wyll but notwithstandyng the woman whiche was subtyle and Ingenyous counceylled to her frende that he shold come in to her how 's and that he shold entre in to the gardyn and that there he shold clymme vpon a pere tree And he did as she told hym and when they had made theyr enterpryse the woman came ageyne in to the how 's and sayd to her
husbond My frend I praye yow that ye wylle go in to our gardyn for to disporte vs a lytel whyle there of the whiche prayer the blynd man was wel content and sayd to his wyf wel my good frend I will wel lete vs go thyder And as they were vnder the pere tree she sayd to her husband My frende I praye the to lete me goo vpon the pere tre And I shalle gader for vs bothe some fayre peres wel my frend sayd the blynd man I wylle wel grauÌ„t therto And when she was vpon the tree the yong man begannn to shalte the 〈◊〉 tree at one syde and the yonge woman atthe other syde And And as the blynd man herd thus hard shake the pere tree and the noyse whiche they made he sayd to them Ha a euylle woman how be it that I see hit not Neuertheles I fele and vnderstande hit well But I praye to the goddes that they vouchesauf to sende me my syght ageyne And as soone as he had made his prayer Iupiter rendâ—â—yd to hym his syght ageyn ¶ And whanne he sawe that pagent vpon the pere tree he sayd to his wyf Ha vnhappy woman I shalle neuer haue no Ioye with the And by cause that the yonge woman was re dy in speche and malycious she ansuerd forthwith to her husbond My frend thow arte wel beholden and bounden to me For by cause and for the â—â—oue the goddes haue restored to the thy syght whâ—â—rof I thanke alle the goddes and goddesses whiche haue enhaunced and herd my prayer For I desyryng moche that thow myght see me cessed neuer day ne nyght to pray them that they wold rendre to the thy syghte wherfore the goddesse Wenus Vysybly shewed her self to me and sayd that yf I wold doo somme plays yr to the sayd yonge man she shold restore to the thy syght And thus I am cause of it And thenne the good man sayd to her My ryght dere wyf good frende I remercye and thanke yow gretely For ryght ye haue and I grete wronge ¶ The xiij fable is of the tayller of a kynge and of his seruaunte MEn ought not to doo some other that whiche he wold not that it were done to hym As it appiereth by thys present fable of a kynge whiche had a tayller whiche was as good a werkman of his craft as ony was at that tyme in alle the world the whiche tayller had with hym many good seruauntes wherof the one was called Medius whi che surmounted alle the other in shapynge or sewynge wherfore the kyng commaunded to his styward that the sayd tayllers shold fare wel and haue of the best metes and of delycious drynke ¶ It happed on a daye that the mayster Styward gaf to them ryght good and delycious mete in the whiche was some hony And by cause that Medius was not atte that feste the styward sayd to the other that they shold kepe for hym somme of their mete And thenne the mayster tayller ansuerd he must none haue For yf he were here he shold not ete of hit For he ete neuer no hony And as they had done Medius came and demaunded of his felawes why kepte you not parte of this mete for me And the styward ansuerd and sayd to hym By cause that thy mayster sayd to me that thow ete neuer no hony no parte of the mete was kepte for the And Medius ansuerd thenne neuer one word but beganne to thynke how he myght paye his mayster And on a day as the styward was allone with Medius he demaunded of Medius yf he knewe no man that coude werke as wel as his mayster And Medius sayd nay and that it was grete dommage of a sekenes that he had And the styward demaunded what sekenes hit was And thenne Medius ansuerd to hym My lord whan he is entryd in to his fransy or wodenes there cometh vpon hym a rage And how shalle I knowe hit sayd the styward Certaynly my lord sayd Medius whan ye shalâ—â— see that he shalle sette at his werke and that he shalle loke here and there and shal smyte vpon his borde with his fyst theÌ„ne may ye knowe that his sekenesse cometh on hym And theÌ„ne withoute ye take and bynde hym and also bete hym wel he shalle doo grete harme and dommage And the styward sayd to hym Care not therof my frend For wel I shalle beware my self of hym And on the mornynge next folowynge the styward came for to see the tayllers And whan Medius whiche knewe wel the cause of his comynge tooke aweye secretely his maysters sheres and hydde them And anone his mayster beganne for to loke after them and sawe and serched al aboute here and there and beganne to smyte his fyste vpon the borde And thenne the mayster styward beganne to loke on his maners and sodenly made hym to be take and holde by his seruaunts And after made hym to be bound and wel 〈◊〉 Thenne was the mayster tayller al abasshed and demauÌ„ded of them My lordes wherfor doo ye bete me soo outrageously what offense haue I done wherfore I must be bound and thus â—â—e bete And thenne the Styward sayd to hym in thys maner by cause that Medius told me that thow art frantyck And yf thow be not wel bete thow sholdest doo grete harme and dommage And theÌ„ne the mayster came to his seruaunt Medius and rygorously sayd to hym Ha a euyl boye fylled whan euylle wordes whan sawest thow me madde And his seruaunt proudâ—â—ly ansuerd to hym My mayster whan dydest thow see that I ete no hony And therfore I threwe to the one â—â—ole for another And the mayster styward and alle his seruaunts beganne thenne to lawhe and sayd al that he hadde wel done ¶ And therfore men ought not to doo to eny other that thynge whiche they wylle not that men dyd to them ¶ Here enden the fables of Alfonce ¶ And folowen other fables of Poge the Florentyn ¶ The fyrst fable is of the subtylyte of the woman for to dâ—â—yue her husbond THe cautele or falshede of the woman is wonder merueyllous as it appiereth by this fable Of a marchauÌ„t whiche was wedded of newe vnto a fayre and yong woman the whiche marchaunt wente ouer the see for to bye selle and for to gete somwhat for to lyue honestly And by cause that he dwellyd to longe his wyf supposed that he was dede And therfore she enamoured her self with another man whiche dyd to her mykle good as for to haue doo make and bylde vp his how 's of newe the whiche had grete nede of reparacion and also he gaf to her all newe Vtensyles to kepe a hous hold And within a long tyme after the departyng of the marchaunt he came ageyne in to his how 's whiche he sawe newe byl ded sawe dysshes pottes pannes and suche other houshold wherfore he demaunded of his wyf how and in what manâ—â— she
had fouÌ„de the facion and the meane for to haue repayred so so honestly his how 's And she ansuerd that it was by the gra ce of god And he ansuerd Blessyd be god of hit And when he was within the chambre he sawe the bedde rychely couerd the walles wel hanged and demaunded of his wyf he had done before And she thenne ansuerd to hym in lyke maner as she dyd before And therfore he thanked god as he had done to fore And as he wold sette hym at his dyner there was brought before hym vnto his wyf a child of thre yere of age or there aboute wherfore he demaunded of his wyf My frend to whome belongeth this fayre child And she ansuerd My Frend the holy ghoost of his grace hath sente hit to me TheÌ„ne ansuerd the marchaunt to his wyf in this manere I rendre not graces ne thankes not to the holy ghoost of this For he hath taken to moche payne and labour for to haue it made vp myn owne werke And I wyll that in no maner wyse he me dlâ—â— no more therwith For suche thynge belongeth to me for to doo hit and not to the holy ghoost ¶ The second fable is of the woman and of the ypocryte THe generacion or byrth of the ypocryte is moche damp nable and euylle As it appiereth by this fable and as poge reherceth to vs whiche sayth that somtyme he fond hym self in a good felauship where he herd a fable whi che was there reherced Of the whiche the tenour foloweth and seyth the sayd poge that of alle the goodes of this world the ypocrytes ben possessours For how be hit that aâ—â— ypocryte ha ue somtyme wylle for to helpe somme poure and Indygent Neuertheles he hath a condycyon within hym self that is to wâ—â— that he shold rather see a man at the poynt of dethe than for to saue his lyf of an halfpeny And this presumpcion is called ypocrysye as ye shal here herafter by the fable folowyng the whiche sayth that one beynge in the felauship of Poge reherced that somtyme the customme of alle the poure was that they wente before the folkes dores withoute sayenge ony word It happed thenne on that tyme that a poure man moche faire and of good lyf wente to serche his lyf fro one dore to another And vpon a day emonge other he wente and sette hym self vpon a grete stone before the yate of a wydowe whiche wy dowe was acustommed to gyue hym euer somwhat ¶ And whan the good woman knewe that he was at hir dore she dyd brynge to hym his porcion as she was custommed for to doo And as she gaf to hym the mete she loked on hym and seyng hym soo fayre and wel made of body she thenne fylled of car nal concupiscence and brennynge in the fyre of loue requered and Instantly prayd hym that he wold retorne thyder within thre dayes and promysed to hym that she shold gyue to hym a ryght good dyner And the poure man sayd to her that he shold doo soo And whanne he came ageyne he sette hym self as before atte dore of the wydowes how 's whiche the woman knewe well whanne he shold come wherfore she came to the yate and sayd Come within good man For now we shalle dyne to the whiche prayer the poure man assented entred within the how 's the whiche wydowe gaf to hym good mete and good drynke And whanne they had wel dyned the sayd wydowe pressyd the good man strongly and after she kys sed hym requyrynge hym that she myght haue the copye of his loue And theÌ„ne the poure man al ashamed Vergoynous knowynge her thoughte and her wylle ansuerd thus to her Certaynly my good lady I dare not but neuertheles he wold fayne haue done hit And the wydowe al embraced with loue beseched and prayd hym more and more And thenne whan the poure man sawe that he myght not excuse hym self he sayd to the wydowe in this manere My frend syth that thow desyrest it for to doo soo moche and soo grete an euylle I take god to my wytnes that thow arte causer of hit For I am not consentynge to the faytte or dede but sayenge these wordes he consented to her wylle ¶ The thyrd fable is of a yonge woman whiche accused her husband of coulpe or blame POge florentyne sayth that somtyme ther was a man named Nerus de paas the whiche of his age was emonge the Florentyne Ryght sage and prudent and ryght ryche This Nerus had a fayr doughter the whiche he he maryed with a tyght fayre yonge man and a ryche and of good parentage or kynred the whiche yong man the next day after the feest of his weddynge dyd lede her in to his castel a lytyl way withoute the Cyte of Florence And within fewe dayes after this yonge man brought his wyf ageyne in to Florence vnto the how 's of her fader Nerus the whiche made thenne a feest as it was customed to doo at that tyme in some places eyght dayes after the weddynge whanne this newe maryed or wed ded woman was come ageyne to her faders how 's she maad not ouer good chere but euer she had her loke dounward to the erthe as ful tryste thoughtful melancolyous And whanne her moder perceyued and sawe her dough ter so sorowful and of mournynge contenaunce she called her within a wardroppe where as no body was but they two and asked of her the cause of her sorowe sayenge how fare ye my doughter what wante yow haue yow not all thynges comyng to yow after your desyre and playsaunce wherfore take ye so grete thought and melancolye And thenne the doughter we pynge ful tendyrly sayd to the moder in this maner Allas my moder ye haue not maryed me to a man For of suche a thynge that a man oughte to haue he hath neuer a dele sauf only a lytel parte of that thynge for the whiche weddynge is made And thenne the moder ryght wrothe sorowful of this euyl fortune wente toward her husbond Nerus and told to hym theuyll auenture and happe of theyr doughter wherof he was gretely wrothe and sore troubled And soone after this fortune was also dyuulged manyfested and knowen emong alle the lygnage of Nerus wherof they were al sorowful gretely abasshed how this fayr yonge man to whome god had sent so many good Vertues and that had soo many yeftes of grace as is beaute Rychesse and good Renommee and that he was Indygent or fawtyf of that thynge wherfore maryage is made Neuertheles the tables were sette and couerd ¶ And whanne the tyme of dyner came the yonge man cam in to the how 's of Nerus with his frendes and parents And Incontynent they sette them all at the table somme with heuy and sorowful herte and the other with grete Ioye and pleasyr And whanne the yonge man sawe that alle his Frendes maad good chere
and that alle the parentes of his wyf were heuy and melancolyous he prayd and besoughte them that they wold telle hym the cause of their heuynes and sorowe but none of them alle ansuerd Neuertheles he prayd and besought them yet ageyne And thenne one of them ful of sorow and more lyberall than alle the other sayd thus to hym Certaynly my fayre sone thy wyf hath told to vs that thow arte not man parfyghte For the whiche wordes the man beganne to lawhe and sayd with an hyghe boys that al they that were there myght Vnderstand what he sayd My lordes and my frendes make good chere For the cause of your sorowe shalle soone be peased And thenne he beynge clothed with a shorte gowne Vntyde his hosen and tooke his membre with his han de whiche was grete and moche suffysaunt vpon the table so that al the folauship myght see hit wherfore the sayd felauship myght see hit wherof the sayd felauship was ful glad and Ioyeful wherof somme of the men desyred to haue as moche And many of the wymmen wysshed to theyr husbande 's suche an Instrument And thenne somme of the frendes parentes of Nerus doughter wente toward her and sayd to 〈◊〉 that she had grete wronge for to complayne her of her husband For he had wel wherwith she myght be contented and blamed her gretely of her folye to whome the yong doughter ansuerd My frendes why blame ye me I complayne me not without cause For our asse whiche is a brute beest hath wel a membre as grete as myn arme and my husband whiche 〈◊〉 a man his membre is Vnnethe half so grete wherfore the symple and yonge damoysell wend that the men shold haue hit as grete and gretter than Asses ¶ Therfore it is sayd ofte that moche lacketh he of that that a fole thynketh or weneth ¶ The fourthe fable is of huntynge and hawkynge ¶ The fourth fable is of the huntynge hawkynge POge Florentyn reherceth to vs how ones he was in a felauship where men spak of the superflue cure of them whiche gouerne the dogges and hawkes wherof a mylannoys named Paulus beganne to lawhe and lawhyng re quyred of Poge that he wold reherce somme fable of the sayd hawkes And for loue of alle the felauship he sayd in thys manere Somtyme was a medecyn whiche was a Mylannoys This medecyn heled al foles of al maner of foly and how in what manere he dyd hele them I shalle telle hit to you This medycyn or leche had within his how 's a grete gardyn And in the myddes of hit was a depe and a brode pytte whi che was ful of stynkynge and Infected water And within the same pytte the sayd medycyn put the foles after the quan tyte of theyr folysshnes somme vnto the knes and the other vnto the bely And there he bonde them fast at a post but none he putte depper than vnto the stomack for doubte of gretter Inconuenient It happed thenne that emonge other was one brought to hym whiche he putte in to the sayd water vnto the thyes And whan he had be by the space of xv dayes within the sayd water he beganne to be peasyble and gate his wytte ageyne And for to haue take somme disporte and consolacion he prayd to hym whiche had the kepynge of hym that he wold take hym oute of the water and promysed to hym that he shold not departe fro the gardyn And thenne the kepar that kepte hym Vnbounde hym fro the stake and had hym oute of the water And whanne he had be many dayes oute of the pytte he wente wel vnto the yate of the gardyn but he durst not go oute lesse that he shold be put ageyne within the sayd pytte And on a tyme he went aboue vpon the yate and as he loked al aboute he sawe a fayr yong man on a horsbuk whiche bare a sperehawk on his fyste and had with hym two fayre spaynels wherof the sayd fole was al abasshed And in dede as by â—â—as of nouelte he callyd the sayd yong man and after he sayd to hym benyngly My frend I praye the that thou wilt 〈◊〉 me what is that wherupon thow arte sette And thenne the yonge sone sayd to hym that it was a hors whiche prouffi ted to hym to the chace and bare hym where he wold And af ter the fole demaunded of hym And what is that whiche thou wrest on thy fyste and wher to is it good and the yongman ansuerd to hym It is a sperehawst whiche is good for to take parâ—â—ryches and quaylles And yet ageyne the fole demaun ded of hym My frend what are thoos that folowe the wher to ben they good And the yonge man ansuerd to hym they be dogges whiche are good for to serche and fynde partryches quaylles And whan they haue reysed them my sperehawke taketh them wherof procedeth to me grete solas and playsyre And the fole demaunded ageyne To your aduys the takyng that ye doo by them in a hole yere how moche is hit shalle hit bere to the grete prouffyte And the yong man ansuerd to hym four or fyue crownes 〈◊〉 ther aboute And no more sayd the fole And to your aduys how moche shalle they dispende in a yere And the yong man ansuerd xl or l crownes ¶ And whanne the fole herd these wordes he sayd to the sayd yonge man O my frend I pray the that soone thow wylt departe fro hens For yf our fysicien come he shalle putte the within the sayd pytte by cause that thow arte a fole I was put in it Vn to the thyes but therin he shold putte the vnto the chynne for thow dost the grettest foly that euer I herd speke of ¶ And therfore the studye of the huntynge and hawkynge is a slouful cure And none ought to doo hit withoute he be moche ryche and man of lyuelode And yet hit ought not to be done ful ofte but somtyme for to take disporte and solas and to dry ue awey melancolye ¶ The V fable is of the recytacion of somme monstres POge of Florence recyteth how in his tyme one named Hugh prynce of the medycyns sawe a catte whiche had two hedes and a calf whiche also had two hedes And his legges bothe before and behynde were double as they had be Ioyned al to gyder as many folke sawe Item about the matches of ytalye withynne a medowe was somtyme a Cowe the whiche Cowe maade and delyuerd her of a Serpent of wonder and Ryght merueyllous grettenesse Ryghte hydous and ferdful ¶ For fyrste he hadde the heede gretter than the hede of a calf ¶ Secondly he had a necke of the lengthe of an Asse And his â—â—dy made after the lykenesse of a dogge and his taylle was wonder grete thycke and longe withoute comparyson to ony other ¶ And whanne the Cowe sawe that she hadde maade suche a byrthe And that within her bely she had
borne soo ryght horryble a beeste she was al ferdful and lyfte her self vp and supposed to haue fledde aweye but the Serpent with his wonder longe taylle enlaced her two hynder legges and the Serpent thenne beganne to souke the Cowe And in dede soo moche and soo longe he souked tylle that he fond somme mylke ¶ And whanne the Cowe myght escape fro hym she fledde vnto the other kyne ¶ And Incontynent her pappes and her behynder legges and all that the Serpent touched was all black a grete space of tyme ¶ And soone after the sayd Cowe maade a fayre calf The whiche merueylle was announced or sayd to the sayd 〈◊〉 he beynge 〈◊〉 Ferrare ¶ And yet ageyne soone after that ther was fond within a grete Ryuer a monstre maryn or of the see of the forme or lykenesse whiche foloweth ¶ Fyrste he hadde from the nauylle vpward the symylytude or lykenesse of a man And fro the nauylle dounward he had the fourme or makynge of a Fysshe the whiche parte was iâ—â—melle that is to wete double ¶ Secondly he hadde a grete berd and he hadde two wonder grete hornys aboue his ere 's ¶ Also he hadde grete pappes and a wonder grete and horryble mouthe and his handes retched vnto his entraylles or bowellys And at the bothe his elbowes he hadde wynges ryght brode and grete of fysshes mayles wherwith he swymmed and only he hadde but the hede oute of the water ¶ It happed thenne as many wymmen bouked and wesshed at the porte or hauen of the sayde Ryuer that thys horryble and ferdful beeste was for lacke and defaulte of mete came swymmyng toward the sayd wymen Of the which he toke one by the hand and supposed to haue drawe her in to the water but she was stronge and wel auysed and resysted ageynste the sayd monstre And as she deffended her self she beganne to crye with a hyâ—â— wys help help to the whiche came rennynge fyue wymmen whiche by hurlynge and drawynge of stones kyld and slewe the sayd monstre For he was come to ferre within the sonde wherfore he myght not retorne in to the depe water And after whanne he rendryd his spyryte he made a ryght lytyl crye sayenge that he was so disformed and soo moche cruel For he was of grete corpulence more than ony mans body And yet sayth â—â—oge in this manere that he bryng at Ferrare he sawe the sayd monstre And saith yet that the yonge children were customed for to go bathe and wesshe them within the sayd Ryuer but they came not all ageyne wherfor the wymen wesshed ne bouked nomore theyr clothes at the said porte For the folke presumed and supposed that the monstre kyld the yonge children whiche were drowned ¶ Item also within a lytyl whyle after hit befelle aboute the marches of ytaly that a child of fourme humayne whiche hadde two hedes and two Vysages or faces beholdynge one vpon the other the armes of eche other embraced the body the whiche body fro the nauyl vpward was Aoyned sauf the two hedes and from the nauyll dounward the lymmes were al separed one fro other in suche wyse that the lymmes of generacion were shewed manyfestly Of the whiche child the tydynges came vnto the persone of the 〈◊〉 of Rome ¶ The syxthe fable is of the parsone of his dogge And of the Bisshop SYluer dothe and causeth alle thynge to be done vnto the halowynge ageyne of a place whiche is prophane or Interdicte As ye shalle mowe here by thys presente Fable ¶ Of a â—â—reest dwellynge in the countrey whiche somtyme had a dogge whiche he boued moche the whiche preest was moche ryche The sayd dogge by processe of tyme deyde whan he was dede he entered and buryed hit in the chirche yerd for cause of the grete loue whiche he loued hym it hapâ—â—ed thenne on a day his bisshop knewe hit by thaduertysement of somme other wherfore he senâ—â—e for the sayd preest and supposed to haue of hym a grete somme of gold or els he shold make hym to be straytly punysshed And thenne he wrote a lettre vnto the sayd preest of whiche the tenour conteyned only that he shold come and speke with hym And whan the prest had redde the lettres he Vnderstood wel alle the caas and pre supposed or bethought in his courage that he wold haue of hym somme syluer For he knewe wel ynough the condycions of his bisshop forthwith he toke his breuyarye an C crownes with hym and wente for to speke to his prelate whan he came before hym the prelate beganne to remembre and to she we to hym the enormyte of his mysdede And to hym answerd the preest whiche was ryght wyse sayenge in this manere O my ryght reuerende fader yf ye knewe the souernyne prudence of whiche the sayd dogge was fylled ye shold not be merueylled yf he hath wel desernyd for to be buryed honestly and worshipfully amonge the men he was al sylled thith humayn wytte as wel in his lyf as in thartycle of the dethe And thenne the bisshop sayd how may that be wherce to me thenne al his lyf Certaynly ryght reuerende fader ye ought wel to knowe that whanne he was atte thartycle and at the poynt of dethe he wold make his testament and the dogge knowyng your grete nede and Indygence he bequethed to yow an C crownes of gold the whiche I brynge now vnto yow And thenne the Bisshop for loue of the money he assoylled the prest And also graunted the sayd sepulture And therfore syluer causeth alle thynge to be graunted or done ¶ The Vij fable is of the Foxe of the Cock and of the dogges ALle the sallary or payment of them that mokken other is for to be mocaued at the last as hit appiereth by this present Fable of a Cock whiche somtyme sawe a foxe comynge toward hym sore hongry and fainysshed whiche Cock supposed wel that he came not toward hym but for to ete some henne for whiche cause the Cock maade al his hennes to flee vpon a tree And when the foxe beganne tapproche to the said tree he began to crye toward the cock good tydynges good tydynges And after he salewed the cost ryght reuerently demaunded of hym thus O godsep what dost thow there soo hyghe And thy hennes with the hast not thow herd the good tydynges worthy and prouffitable for vs ¶ And thenne the Cok ful of malyce ansuerd to hym Nay Veryly godsep but I praye the telle and reherce them vnto vs Thenne sayd the foxe to the cost Certaynly godsep they 〈◊〉 the best that euer ye herd For ye may goo and come talke commnnpque emong alle leestes withoute ony harme or dommage And they shalle doo to yow bothe pleasyr and alle seruyse to them possible for thus it is concluded and accorded and also confermed by the grete counceyll of all bestes And yet they haue made commaundement that none be so hardy to
Vexe ne lette in no wyse ony other be it neuer soo lytyll a beest For the whiche good tydynges I praye the that thow wylt come doune to th ende that we may goo and synge Te deum laudamus for Ioye And the Cok whiche knewe wel the fallaces or falshede of the foxe ansuerd to hym in this manere Certaynly my broder and my good Frend thow hast brought to me ryght good tydynges wherof more than C tymes I shalle thanke the And sayenge these wordes the Cock lyfte vp his neck and his feet and loked ferre fro hym And the foxe sayd to hym what godsep where aboute lokest thow And the Cok ansuerd to hym Certaynly my broder I see two dogges strongly and lyghtly rennynge hytherward with open mouthes whiche as I suppose come for to brynge to vs the tydynges whiche thou hast told to vs And thenne the Foxe whiche shoke for fere of the two dogges sayd to the Cock god be with yow my frend It is tyme that I departe fro hens or these two dogges come â—â—rer And sayenge these wordes toke his waye ranne as fast as he myght And thenne the cock demaunded and cryed after hym godsep why rennest thow thus yf the sayd pacâ—â— is accorded thow oughtest not to doubte no thynge Ha a godsep sayd the Foxe from ferre I doubte that these two dogges haue not herd the decreâ—â— of the pees And thus whanne a begyler is begyled he receyued the sallary or payement whiche he ought to haue wherfore lete euery man kepe hym self ther fro POgius reherceth that there were two wymmen in Rome whiche he knewe of dyuerse age and forme which came to a Curteyzan by cause to haue and wynne som what wyth theyr bodyes whome he receyued and happed that be knewe the fayrest of bothe twyes and that other one 's and soo departed And afterward whanne they shold departe he gaf to them a pyece of lynen clothe not decernynge how moche eche of them shold haue to her parte and porcion And in the partynge of the sayd clothe fylle bitwene the wymmen a stryf by cause one of them demaunded two partes after thexygence of her werke And that other the half after they re persones eche of them shewynge dyuersly theyr resons that one sayeng that she hadde suffred hym twyes to doo his pleasyr and that other pretended that she was redy and in her was no defawte And soo fro wordes they came to strokes and cratchyng with naylys and drawynge theyr here in so moche that theyr neygh bours came to this batayll for to departe them And also their owne and propre husbondes not knowynge the cause of theyr stryf and debate eche of them defendynge his wyues cause And fro the fyghtynge of the wymmen hit aroos and came to theyr husbondes with buffettis and castynge of stones soo longe that men ranne bytwene them And after the customme of Rome bothe the husbondes were brought to pryson berynge enemyte eche to other knowe no thynge the cause wherfore The sayd cloth is sette in the handes of the wymen secretely yet not departed but is secretely argued amonge the wymmen in what wyse that this mater shal be deuyded And I demaunde of doctours what the lawe is of it ¶ He sayth also that a Marchaunt of Florence bonght an hors of a man and made his couenaunt with the sellar for xxv du cattes for to paye forthwith in hande xv ducattes And as for the rest he shold abyde dettour and owe And the sellar was content and therupon delyuerd the hors and receyued the xv ducattes After this a certayne terme the sellar demaunded of the byar the resydue And he denyed the payment had hym hold his couenaunt For the byer sayd we were accorded that I shold be thy debtour And yf I shold satysfye paye the I shold nomore be thy dettour et 〈◊〉 and soo he abode dettour HE telleth also that ther was a carryk of Iene hyred in to frauÌ„ce for to make warre ayenst englissħmen of the whiche â—â—arrik the patrone bare in his sheld painted an oxe hede whiche a noble man of frauÌ„ce beheld sawe sayd he wold auenge hym on hym that bare tho armes wherupon aroos an altercacion so moche that the frensshman prouoked the Iaâ—â—eye to bataylle and fyght therfore The Ianuey acceptyd the prouocacion came at the day assigned in to the felde withoute ony araye or habyllements of warre And that other frensshe man came in moche noble apparayll in to the feld that was ordeyned theÌ„ne the patrone of the carrik said wher fore iâ—â— it that we two shold this day fyght make bataill fore I saye said that other that thyn armes ben myn bylonged to me to fore that thow haddest them Thenne the Ianuey said It is no nede to make ony bataylle therfore For the armes that I bere is not the hede of an oxe but it is the hede of a cowe whiche thynge so spoken the noble Frensshe man was abasshed and so departed half mocqued ALso he saith that ther was a phisycyen dwellyng in a Cyte whiche was a grete a connyng man in that sey enâ—â— he had a seruauÌ„t a yong man whiche made pyl les after a certayne forme that he shewed to hym whan this yong man had dwellid long with hym coude parfÈtly make the pyllys he departed fro his mayster and went in to strauÌ„ ge countre where as he was knowen and lete men there to Vn derstonde that he was a connynge phisycyen and coude gyue medycynes for al maner maladyes ond sekenesses and mynystred alwey his pylles to euery man that came to hym for ony remedy And hit was soo that a poure man of that place where he was came to hym and complayned how he had loste his asse and prayd hym to gyue to hym a medycyne for to fynde his asse ageyne And he gaf to hym the sayd pyllys â—â—dde hym to receyue and take them And he shold fynde ħis asse And this poure man dyd soo and after wente in to the feldes and pastures to seke and loke after his asse and soo doynge the pyllys wronght soo in his bely that he must nedes go purge hym and went amonge the reed and there easyd hym And anone there he fonde his asse wherof he beyng moche Ioyeful ranne in to the toune and told and proclamed that by the medecyn that he had receyued of the phisycyen he had found his asse whiche thynge knowen alle the symple peple reputed hym for a moche connynge man whiche coude no thynge doo but make pyllys And thus many fooles are ofte taken for wyse and connynge Foâ—â— he was reputed to hele all maner sekenesses and also to fynde asses THere was in a certayne towne a wydower wowed a wydowe for to haue and wedde her to his wyf and at the last they were agreed and sured to gyder ¶ And whan a yonge woman beynge seruaunt with the wydowe herd therof she came to her maystresse and sayd to her Allas maystresse what haue ye doo why sayd she I haue herd say sayd the mayde that ye be assured and shalle wedde suche a man And what thenne sayd the wydowe Allas sayd the mayde I am sory foryow by cause I haue herd saye that he is a peryllous man For he laye so ofte and knewe so moch his other wyf that she deyde therof And I am sory therof that yf ye shold falle in lyke caas to whome the wydowe answerd and sayd Forsothe I wold be dede For ther is but sorowe and care in this world This was a curteys excuse of a wydowe NOw thenne I wylle fynysshe alle these fables wyth this tale that foloweth whiche a worsħipful preest and a parsone told me late he sayd that there were duellynge in Oxenford two prestes bothe maystres of arte of who me that one was quyck and coude putte hym self forth And that other was a good symple preest And soo it happed that the mayster that was perte and quyck was anone promoted to a benefyce or tweyne and after to prebendys and for to be a Dene of a grete prynces chappel supposynge and wenynge that his felaw the symple preest shold neuer haue be promoted but be alwey an Annuel or at the most a parysshe preest So after longe tyme that this worshipful man this dene came rydynge in to a good paryssh with a x or xij horses lyke a prelate and came in to the chirche of the sayd parysshe and fond there this good symple man somtyme his felawe whiche caâ—â— and welcomed hym lowely And that other badde hym good morowe mayster Iohan and toke hym sleyghtly by the hand and axyd hym where he dwellyd And the good man sayd in this paryssh how sayd he are ye here a sowle preest or a paryssh preste nay syr said he for lack of a better though I be not able ne worthy I am parson and curate of this parysshe and thenne that other aualed his bonet and said mayster parson I praye yow to be not displeasyd I had supposed ye had not â—â—e bene fyeed But mayster sayd he I pray yow what is this benefyce worth to yow a yere Forsothe sayd the good symple man I wote neuer for I make neuer accomptes therof how wel I haue had hit four or fyue yere And knowe ye not sa id he what it is worth it shold seme a good benefyce No forsothe sayd he but I wote wel what it shalle be worth to me why sayd he what shalle hit be worth Forsothe sayd he yf I doo my trewe dylygeÌ„ce in the cure of my paryssheÌ„s in prechyng and techynge and doo my parte longynge to my cure I shalle haue heuen therfore And yf they re sowles ben lost or ony of them by my defawte I shall be punysshed therfore And herof am I sure And with that word the ryche dene was abussded And thought he shold be the better and take more hede to his â—â—res and benefyces than he had done This was a good answere of a good preest and an honest And here with I fynysshe this book translated emprynted by me William Caxton at wesemynstre in thabbey And fynysshed the xxvj daye of Marche the yere of oure lord M CCCC lxxxiiij And the fyrst yere of the regne of kyng Rychard the thyrdde