away The Hedgehog hearing this came foorth who was full of prickles whō the Serpent assaulted but the Hedge-hog pricked hir sore and wounded hir whereof she was ashamed but a Frog willing to be reuenged of the Serpente went on hir would haue slaine hir but she though wearie hardened hir heart and tooke the Frog and deuoured him MOR. He is a foole which béeing vnarmed wil assault his enimie 116 Of the Kings fisher THe kings fisher is a solitary bird always liuing in the sea which as is sayd taketh héede of mens huntings therefore buyldeth hir nest vpon the rocks in the sea who on a time béeing ready to breede did make hir nest As she was gone out to hir pastime it chaunced the sea to arise béeing stirred with a boysterous winde aboue hir nest which béeing drowned hir yong ones perished She at hir returne séeing what had happened sayde Wo is me wretch which fearing to be betrayed on lande haue runne to this which is more deceitfull MOR. Some men taking héede of their foes doo vnwittingly happen vppon friends who are much crueller than their enimies 117 Of the Henne and the Foxe A Foxe entred into a pultrie house where he saw a Hen on hir nest béeing sicke whom he asked how she did Ah quod the Hen I should do much better sister were thou gone MOR. The presence of our enimies dothe muche hurt vs. 118 Of two enimies TWo men hating one another deadly sayled togither in one ship whereof the one sate in the foreparte of the ship the other in the hinder part therof sodenly there arose a tempest which put the ship in hazard thē he that sate in the sterne asked the maister which part of the ship should first be drouned the sterne quod he thē he said My death shall nothing gréene me if I may sée mine enimie die before me MOR. Many men care not what harme they haue so that they may sée their ennimies before them hurte 119 Of the Crow and the Rauen. THe Crowe enuied the Rauen bicause by him men tooke diuination for which he was supposed to forshew things to come wherupon espying trauailers by she flew vp into a trée where shée stoode and cried like a Rauen They at hir crying turning aside and wondring at the laste vnderstanding the truthe one of them sayde Let vs be going fellowes it was the Crow that cryed and shée hathe no soothsaying MOR. Those men which striue with their betters besides that they are neuer able too matche them deserue to be laughed at Enuie 120 Of the Wolfe and the Fox THe Wolfe hauing much prouision of meat liued at ease to whome the Foxe came and demaunded the cause of his ease the Wolfe perceiuing that he enuied his good fare fained sicknesse to be the cause therof and he prayed the Foxe to beséeche the Gods for his healthe The Foxe being grieued that his purpose woulde not prosper went to a Shepeherd and willed him to go to the Wolues den where sodainly he might take his enimie that liued void of care the shepherde assaulted the Wolfe slue him the Fox possessed his denne with al the good chéere but he enioyed it no long time for the same shepeherde caught him likewise MOR. Enuie is a lothseome thing hée that is the cause thereof cōmonly maketh a rod for him selfe Horace in his .1 boke of Epistles writeth The enuious man doth grudge to see his neighbors goodes arise The Sicil tyrants coulde not vvell a greater plage deuise 121 Of the Couetous man and the Enuious TWoo men made their prayer to Iupiter a Couetous man and an enuious who sent Apollo to them to satisfy their desires he gaue thē free libertie to desire vppon this condition that what soeuer the one required the other shoulde receiue duble The couetous man was long in doute bycause he thought nothing was ynough at length he asked no smal thing his companion receyued double so muche The Enuious man requested one of his owne eyes to be put out gretly reioycing that his fellow shuld lose both MOR. Couetousnesse neuer sayth ho as for Enuie nothing is more madde which wisheth him selfe mischief to hurte an other withall 122 Of the Wolfe and the Asse THe Wolfe and the Asse were sawyers together but the Asse wrought aboue the wolf beneath who sought occasion to slea his fellowe wherfore he sayd Ah wretched Asse why doest y cast dust into myne eyes Forsooth quod he I do not but rule it after my knowledge if it please thee to sawe aboue I wil beneath Tushe quoth the Wolfe I sée what thou dost if thou cast any more into my eys I wil plucke out thine when he had thus said the Wolfe blew harde that the dust might flie vp into his fellowes eyes but the timber staying it it fell into his owne wherewith being sore troubled he sware that he wold ouerthrow the porters but sodeynly it fell and kylled the the Wolfe MOR. Mischief commonly lighteth vpon the pate of the Author 123 Of the Lyon and the Wolfe THe Lyon béeing stricken in age fel sicke and laye in his denne all beastes saue onely the Fox came to visite their King Wherevpon the Wolfe hauing oportunitie accused the Fox vnto the Lion as one that set naught by him being their Lorde for whiche cause he came not to sée him By chaunce the Foxe came in and hearde the latter ende of the Wolues tale Then the Lion roared against the Foxe who incontinent crauing space to make answere said which of all those that are héere present hathe done so muche good as I which haue trauailed farre and néere to séeke a remedie for thée of the Phisitian which I haue learned Then the Lion commaunding him foorthwith to tel the medicine he sayde The Wolues skin being yet aliue to be plucked from his backe and put warme aboute thée is the medicine and only remedy As the wolfe lay along the Fox laughed at him saying It becommeth not thée to prouoke thy Lord to wrathe but to fauoure and good will. MOR. He which continually diggeth pittes at length turneth him selfe therein Euill men 124 Of the Cocke and the Cat. A Catte sometime being hungry came to deuoure a Cocke whome bicause shée had no iust cause to hurt laid to his charge his great notse that he was wonte to make bicause that with his shrill crowing he did lette men of theyr rest in the night the Cocke replied that he was thereof giltlesse séeing by that meanes he raised vp men to their daily trauell It is but lost labor said the Cat to plead thus for thou treadest thy mother neither art thou so cōtent but thou medlest with thy sister the Cocke being ready to purge him self of that fault the Cat waxed more eger against him saying thou striuest against the streame for this day I wil be thy priest MOR. If any man would beat a dogge he shall soone finde a staffe The euill man by hooke or by crooke
¶ A schole of wise Conceytes Wherein as euery Conceyte hath wit so the most haue much mirth Set forth in common places by order of the Alphabet Translated out of diuers Greeke and Latine Wryters by THOMAS BLAGE student of the Queenes Colledge in Cambridge Printed at London by Henrie Binneman Anno. 1572. CVM PRIVILEGIO The names of the Authors vsed in this Booke LAurentius Abstemius Aulus Gellius Plinius Secundus Nouocomensis Nicolaus Gerbellius Phorcensis Petrus Crinitus Angelus Politianus Aesopus Gabrias Guilielmus Goudanus Anianus Ioannes Antonius Campanus Horatius Gerardus Levv. Poggius Bebelius Brasitanus Adrianus Barlandus Erasmus Roterodamus Hermannus Rimitius To the gentle Reader in the commendation of Fables AS I reuolued in my minde the sundrie kindes of vvriters vvhich for the profit of mā haue put in remēbrance their imaginations they that haue vvrit Fables are to be accounted vvith the reste for they haue not onely vvonderfully delighted the harts of men but also haue more allured them to doe thinges both good and profitable vvith their Fables than Philosophers vvith their preceptes For they vvith suche a svveetnesse do so pierce the hartes of the Readers and by similitudes do declare vvhich are of muche force to moue affection vvhat mē ought to take and vvhat to refuse that thereby they are compelled against their vvils to agree vnto them For the minde is disdaynfull to heare neyther vvill it easely abyde things profitable and honest excepte they be poudered vvith some merry ieste Hereunto beareth vvitnesse a certein Orator of Athens vvho on a tyme speaking to the Athenians vvhen he perceyued them lesse attentiue required them that they vvoulde vouchsafe to heare a Fable they vvere contented then he began thus Ceres the Svvallovve and the Egle sometyme iorneyed togither vvhen they vvere come to a riuer the Svvallovve flue ouer and the Eele svvam through the ryuer vvhen he had so saide he helde his peace then they asked him vvhat Ceres did Your Gods quod he are offended at you vvhich vvil not hear them that counsell you for your profit but if they tell any tales yee heare them vvillingly VVhat force fables are of to moue affection I coulde declare by many examples yet vvill I propound but three The inhabitants of Samos vvould haue put their ruler to death vvhome Aesope dissuaded saying As a Fox passed ouer a riuer he vvas driuen into a ditche vvhere he stucke fast in the mudde that he could not escape vvhome the Flies stinged the hedgehog seing him ther moued vvith compassiō asked him if he shoulde driue the Flies from him No quod he for these are full vvith my bloud and can litle trouble me but if thou shouldest driue thē avvay other hunger sterued flies vvil occupie their romes and suck out al the bloud that is lefte vvithin me The like shall happen to you O Samians for if ye slay your Ruler vvhich is so vvealthie ye must needs chose others vvhich vvhiles they enriche thē selues shall poll you of all that this man hath lefte vvherevvithall the Samians being moued lefte off their purpose By the like meanes vvas Tiberius Caesar persuaded vvhen he appointed for euery day Magistrates vvherevppon as Josephus telleth the countrie of Jurie vvas gouerned by Cratus and Pilatus onely by the space of tvventie yeares For as Statius sayth hee that ruleth but a litle vvhile shevveth small fauour to the people The Himerians sometime minded to choose Captaine of their armie Phalaris the tyrant of Agrigentum vvhom Stesichorus the Poet vvith this Fable discouraged from their purpose saying A horse fed alone in a medovve at length came a Harte thither and spoyled it vvhervpon the horse toke the aduise of man by vvhat meane he might be reuenged to vvhome the man sayde If thou vvilt take a bit in thy mouth and suffer me armed to get vpon thy backe vvhose counsel he follovved and by his helpe put the harte to flight and became the conquerer but from that time forth he could not rid his mouth from the bit nor the mā from his backe Euen so sayde Stesichorus the like shall happen to you if ye chose Phalaris your captaine for your enimies ye shall subdue but ye shal be in bondage to this Tyraunt for euer vvith vvhich vvordes the Himerians being discouraged forsoke the counsel to chose such a captaine VVhat time the people of Rome separated them selues from the Senators bicause they payd tribute and vvere combred vvith vvarfares did not Agrippa Minenius turne them from their purpose vvith this fable Sometime quoth he ye Romaines the members of man perceiuing the belly to be slouthfull fell at variance vvith hir determined to giue her no longer any succor It happened that bicause they denied her nourishment they became faynt vvhervpon they vver at one again In like maner the Senate and people of Rome are as the belly and members vvhich neede one of anothers helpe and as by discord they perishe so by concord they are of strength By vvhich tale the people turned from their purpose and became friends againe vvith the Senate Therfore not vvithout good cause both the Greeke and Latin Poets as Hesiodus and Horace haue mingled suche Fables amongst their vvorkes and also the chiefest and famous Philosophers as Plato Aristotle and Plutarche vvith many moe haue highly commended them vvhose opiniō vvas that they much auayled to the instruction of a morall and ciuill life vvherfore Leouicenus and Valla of late vvriters the best learned did translate Fables out of Greke into Latin vvhich they knevv vvould be to their praise and to the delight and profite of others Neither vvere they deceyued for they are daily red of most learned mē I cā not therfore perceiue vvhy by translating these Fables I should be defrauded of the prayse due to me vvhich other haue had except vve bee so spitefull that to vs that is not lavvfull vvhich vvith great cōmendatiō to the Grecians and Latinistes is allovved Farevvell ¶ A Dialogue betwene the Author and the Printer Author AS I did musing lie with sundrie thoughtes opprest Séeking to salue my carefull minde of paine to be redrest And pondring how my youth full ydlely I had spent In scilence only wrapped vp my minde it did torment From darknesse vnto lyght I thought it best to call By setting forth some little booke which profite might vs all And that I did intende is brought now to effect At ydle houres I did it penne as time would me direct The worke you plainely sée friende Printer what it is Declare if printing it deserue and what there is amis Printer Your meaning I perceyue your purpose I allowe In that you are so diligent to prosecute your vowe And as in ages all those haue their prayses due Which painfully do runne their race and idlenesse eschue So can I not mislyke your noble enterprise Which seeke to helpe your countreymen with this your fyne deuise But shall I tell you playne herein what is my mynde
braying MOR. Some vnlearned men which outwardly beare countenance through their babling are reproued 16 Of the Egle and the Pie. THe Pie sometime desired the Egle to make him one of his frends of his houshold bicause the beautie of his body deserued it and also the redinesse of his speache to doe messages I would so doe said the Egle but I feare least that which I speake within doores thou wouldest preache it abroade on the house tops MOR. Kepe no bablers nor teltales in thy house 17 Of a Countreyman that would passe ouer a Ryuer A Countrey man ready to passe a streame which by chaunce was sodenly rysen wyth late rayne that fell sought the shallowe When he had assayed that part of the Riuer which was calmest he founde it déeper than he supposed agayne where it was roughest there he found it shallowest then he bethought him whyther he might commit his life to the calmest place of the water or to the roughest MOR. Dreade those lesse whiche are full of woordes and threatnings than those that say nothing Benefactors 18 Of a Hart and a Vine A Harte escaping the Hunters lay hid vnder a Vyne When they were a little past hir she supposing she lay safe began to féede on she vine leaues which béeing stirred the Hunters returned and iudging as it was in déede some beast to lurke vnder the leaues they wyth their arrowes slew the harte who as she lay a dying sayde thus Rightly am I serued for I ought not to haue hurt that which saued me MOR. They which doo any wrong to their benefactors are punished of God. Benefites ill rewarded 19 Of an Asse that serued an vnkind Master AN Asse serued a certayne man many yeres in whiche tyme he neuer offended hym It happened afterwarde béeing heauy laden that he stumbled in a rough way and fell vnder his burthen Then his cruell maister bet hym sore and in spite of his harte forced hym to rise calling him a slouthful sluggish beast but this poore wretch thought thus with him selfe Miserable is my estate which haue hapned to so vnkind a maister for though I haue serued him a long time without displeasing him yet dothe he not forgiue me this one fault in recompence of the good seruice I haue done him MOR. This Fable is agaynst those whiche forget the benefites that they haue receiued and gréeuously punish the least offence of their benefactors toward them done Benefites 20 Of a Husbandman pricked by a Bee. A Husbandman being stong by a Bée maruelled that out of the selfe same mouth so swéete iuyce proceded and so gréeuous a sting The Bee aunswered the more beneficiall I am the more I hate them that doo me wrong MOR. The more good men doo the lesse iniurie they endure 21 Of the tree Abrotanum and the Hare THe propertie of Abrotanum is to drawe out any thing that sticketh fast with the helpe of Auxangia Wherefore on a time came a Hare halting to him for a thorne which stucke in his foote and sayde O Physitian both of body and soule take pitie on me and helpe me and forthwith shewed his right foote This trée being moued with compassion putte himselfe vppon the wounde brought out the thorne and healed it Wherfore the Hare remembring this benefite caried daily a flaggon of water on his shoulders and watered the roote of the trée wherby he caused it to continue fresh and gréene MOR. Let vs alwayes gladly serue our benefactors Benefites for aduauntage 22 Of the Crow and the Dogge AS the Crow was offering sacrifice to Mâ—nerua she bad the Dog to hir â–ª good cheare but he aunswered hir Why doest thou bestowe sacrifice to no purpose For the Goddesse so hateth thée that she suffereth thée to haue no credite in any diuination To whom the Crowe sayd for that cause the more doo I sacrifice vnto hir that I might get hir fauour agayne MOR. Many for aduauntage feare not to beâ—efite their enimies Betraying 23 Of a Hunter and a Partriche A Hunter had caught a Partriche which as he would haue killed she besought him pardon for hir life and to set hir at libertie promising to bring to his net many Partriches The Fouler answered hir readily agayne saying I thinke that now thou art more worthy of death bicause thou hast giuen thy worde to betray thy friende MOR. He which goeth about by deceite to vndoo his friend runneth headlong into miserie Beware of enemies 24 Of the Dolphin and the Eele A Certayne Dolphin finding an Eele in the sea pursued after hir whome when he had often caught but could not holde bicause of hir slipperinesse he was wonderfull sory But the Eele béeing disposed to mocke him and thereby to escape spake craftily to the Dolphin I am sorie for thée that thou arte too muche wéeried and gréeued with swimming after me but thy labour is loste for in the deepe waters thou shalt neuer take me but goe with me into the mudde and thou shalte haue me at thy pleasure The foolishe Dolphin béeing in a chafe and also gréedie of hys pray began to swim after hir intending vtterly to destroy hir when the Ele had led the Dolphin into shallow places she wound hir selfe into the mud and sayd Come vp to me for I shal be staied by the rootes of herbs thou shalt haue thy desire of me The Dolphin gaue a skip to catche the Eele but shée skipte into the mud and shée stacke faste on dry grounde In the meane time came a Fisher and strake hym through wherof he dyed MOR. He that goeth with his Foe it is no maruell if he fall 25 Of a Lyonesse and the Foxe THe Fox oftentimes vpbrayded the Lyonesse that she had but one whelpe at a time truth it is quod she but then that is a Lyon. MOR. Beautie consisteth not in plentie but in vertue Boasters 26 Of an Astronomer and a Traueler A Certayne Astronomer diligently vewing the starres vnwittingly fel into a wel but a Trauailer by chaunce comming by séeing him sighing sayde Doest not thou sée the earth which gauest thy minde vpwarde MOR. Many boast that they know of things to come not knowing what presently happeneth 27 Of Scholers A Certayne Whéele wright had bene often deluded by Schollers which wer vagabunds which came to him for almes saying they had great skill in Magike and that they coulde doo many things of which number there came one a begging to his doore in the name of a Maister of the seuen lyberall Artes to whom he sayde My friende were not you héere the laste yere No quod the Scholer depart therfore quod he and come no more héere for I will giue thée nothing The Scholer was offended and asked why he spake in the singuler number to him béeing a Maister of the seuen liberal Artes and a Magitian He aunswered I know much more than thou doest for with one handie craft labour I fynde me my wyfe and children but thou with thy seuen
with the least beating of the water he moued but of his owne strength and stoutnesse he boasted excéedingly and how that he had continued there many yeres not able to be shaken by the violence of the water It hapned on a tyme that by force of the waues he was broken downe and caryed away by the streame Then the Osier mocked him saying Whither away neighbour wilte thou nowe forsake me Where is nowe thy strength become MOR. Those men are wyser that giue place to their betters than they that doo contende and haue a foule ouerthrowe 59 Of the Harte and the Wolfe A Hart sometime accused a Shéepe before the Wolfe that he ought him a bushel of wheat The shéepe in very déede knew nothing of this yet for feare of the Wolfe promised payment A day was set which béeing come the Hart put the Shéepe in remembraunce thereof she denyed it excusing that promise to be made for feare of the Wolues presence Forced promises are not to be kept MOR. It is a clause of the lawe force muste haue the repulse by force But thereof commeth a new sentence It is lawfull to pay craft with the lyke 60 Of a Feller of Woode AS a Woodseller was cutting woode néere a ryuer side he lost his axe who béeing vncertayne what to doe sate hym downe on the ryuers banke and wepte But Mercurius vnderstanding the cause and moued with pitie dyued vnder the water broughte vp a golden Axe and asked him if that were it which he lost He denyed it to bée his then he dyued agayne and brought vp one of Siluer the which he refused to bée hys then he dyued the thirde tyme and tooke vp his Axe whiche he acknowledged to be hys which he lost Mercurius perceiuing him to bée a iuste man and a true gaue them all vnto hym who foorthwith came to hys fellowes and shewed them what hadde happened vnto hym One of them bycause hée woulde also trys it came to the Ryuer and caste in hys Axe willingly then satte hym downe and wepte Vnto whome when Mercurius had appeared and vnderstoode the cause he lykewyse dyued and brought vp a golden Axe which he asked if he had loste He reioycing did affirme it to be his Whose impudent manifest falshoode Mercurie perceiuing neither gaue him the golden Axe nor his owne MOR. How much God loueth the righteous so muche he hateth the vnrighteous 61 Of the Cocke and the Foxe THE Foxe béeing sometyme very hungry thought by suttletie to gette his pray amongest the Hennes which by the conduction of the Cocke were flowne into a hygher trée than he coulde clymbe wherevppon he came to the Cocke whome he gently saluted and sayde What makest thou so high Hast thou not heard the newes of late whiche are so good for vs Verily quod the Cocke I heard nothing but I pray thée what are they The Foxe sayde I am come hyther to make thée priuie of oure ioye For there was lately a generall Counsell helde of all Beastes wherein was concluded a continuall peace betwéene all Beastes so that nowe wythoute any manner of feare molestation or laying awayte of any euery one may walke where as hée lyste in safetie and quietnesse therefore come downe and lette vs kéepe holy thys day The Cocke perceyuing the subtiltie and craft of the Foxe sayd to him Thy tydings are very good which also I do lyke well and foorthwith he stretched out hys necke and looked a farre off as thoughe he sawe some straunge thing whom the Foxe asked what he espied The Cocke aunswered I sée two Dogges comming amayne with open mouth the Foxe therewith quaking for feare bad them Adieu for time it is for me to be gone and foorthwith tooke him to his féete What sir quod the Cocke whither runnest thou what fearest thou thou néedest doubt nothing if this peace be concluded verily quod the Foxe I can not tell whether these Dogges haue heard of this decrée or not Whereby one crafte was payde with the like 62 Of a deceiuer THere was a certayne man who sowed leade and other trifles in a peece of lether as thoughe it had bene some Iewell and in the sighte of a riche marchaunt and other men he priuily threw it to the ground after tooke it vp agayn inquiring if any had lost it This rich mā béeing couetous came affirmed it to be his to whom the Deceiuer sayde Is it a precious thing as it séemeth The Marchaunte auouched it to bée Mary quod the other thou shalte not haue it it againe except thou giue me ten crownes for a rewarde which he willingly gaue foorthwith departed and opened the leather but he perceiuing it to be a small trifle went to the deceiuer alleaging that he was beguyled wherefore he threatned to hang him excepte he restored the .x. Crownes Why quod the deceiuer didste thou craftely falsely say it was thine and he caught holde on his hande and would haue brought him before the Maior to trie their honestie but the marchant plucked backe his hand and ran away 63 Of a Fox caught by a Dog whiles she fained hir selfe deade A Foxe counterfeyting that shée was deade to the ende to entrap the birdes which shoulde come to hir as to a dead carcase being walowed in durte did lie with hir face vpwarde in a fielde wayting for Choughs and Rauens and such like gréedy birdes which shée would deuoure It hapned a dog to come by which snatched at hir and with his téeth tore hir Whereat shée saide I am worthily serued for whiles I endeuor subtilly to catch birds my selfe am caught by an other MOR. They which lie in waite for other ought not to be gréeued if they be entrapped them selues 64 Of a Boy and a Theefe A Boy sate wéeping on the brinke of a Well whom a Théefe demaunded the cause thereof Mary quod he as I drewe water my roape brake and a pot of gold is falne in This théefe beléeuing him put of his clothes lept into the wel to séeke it which bicause he founde not he came vp again where he could neither sée the Boy nor his cote for the Boy was gone with it MOR. He that vseth deceit somtime is deceiued 65 Of a Thrushe THe Thrushe made his vaunts that he hadde won the friendship of the Swallow to whom his mother sayde Thou arte a foole sonne if thou thinke to liue with hir séeing either of you desireth contrary places for shée abideth in hotte places but thou in colde MOR. Make not those thy friendes whose liuing disagréeth from thine 66 Of the Aire and the Winde THe Aire on a time cited the winde before the Iudge and maker of all things and sayde O Lord of all things beholde and take pitie of me yée haue placed me Princelike inough for which I giue you thanks bicause ye haue appointed me to be the life of all liuing things but heerein I was deceiued for this Winde dothe make me so colde and
the Bishop that thou sayst Forsoth quod the Priest he made a Will at his latter end and knowing your necessitie he bequeathed you fiftie pieces of golde which I haue broughte with me The Bishop when he had receiued the money being well pleased sent away the Priest vnpunished Counsell 75 Of the Owle SOmetime the most part of birds went to the Owle and desired hir no longer to abyde in holes of houses but rather in the boughes of trées where is swéeter singing And incontinently they shewed hir a yong Oke newe sprong vp smal and tender where shée might sit very softly and build hir nest shée would not agrée thereto but gaue them counsell not to credite the yong plant for it would beare in time to come birdelime which would be their destruction They being a light kinde of birds and often flitting despised the good counsell of the Owle but when the Oke was growen it was brode full of boughs then the Birdes togither did flie amongste the boughes there they tooke their pleasure hopped vp and downe played and song togither In the meane time the Oke broughte forthe Birdlime Then the small birdes all too late repented that they refused that holsome counsell and this is the cause men say why al birds assone as they sée the Owle come clustering about hir folow hir sitte about hir and flie with hir for they remembring that counsell accounte hir wise and come aboute hir by flockes that they might learne wisedome and knowledge of hir MOR Despise not the counsell of him that giueth it a right Counsell for priuate gaine 76 Of a Foxe A Foxe being caught in a snare when shée had escaped with hir taile cutte off was ashamed of hir life wherevppon shée pretended to persuade other Foxes thereto so as by a common mischéefe shée might couer hir owne shame When shée had assembled them all togither shée counselled them to cutte off their tailes alleaging that they were not onely vncomely but also a superfluous burthen One of the Foxes aunswered hir Truely sister if this thing were not onely for thy profite thou wouldest not counsell vs thereto MOR Wicked menne giue counsell to theyr neighboures for no good will but for theyr owne aduantage Craftie men 77 Of the Lyon and the Gote A Lion by chaunce espied a Gote vpon an high rocke whome he counselled rather to come downe and féede in the gréene medow so would I sayd the gote if thou were thence for thou géeuest me counsel not for my pleasure but to slake thy hunger MOR. Credit not euery mannes talke for some counsel not to profit thée but themselues Craftie men 78 Of a Fox taken by a Countryman A Foxe being taken by a countryman of whose Hennes he had killed many with flattering woords besought him to set him at libertie swearing deuoutly that thencefoorthe he would neuer doe him harme The Countryman answered I would willingly forgiue thée and let thée go safe and sounde but that I knowe thée to be craftie and a promisse breaker and I certenly knowe that thou canst not hinder me being deade but I mistrust thée being aliue MOR. We muste giue no credite to false and craftie men Crafâ—e of women 79 Of a Woman that would die for hir Husband A Certaine chast Matrone that loued hir husbande wel was grieued at the heart for the sickenesse of him wéeping and mourning muche and bicause hir heartie good will mighte appeare the more shée besought deathe if néedes he would haue hir Husbande rather too take hir and to excuse him whiles shée thus spake shée espied death with his lothsome lookes approching wherewith shee being agaste and already repenting said I am not that body which thou séekest he lieth in the bed whome thou cammest to slea MOR. No man loueth his friend so well but he loueth him selfe better Neare is my coate but nearer is my skin Crueltie requited 80 Of a Lyon being olde THer was a Lion which in his youth through his fiercenesse had purchased the displeasure of many whereof in his olde age he receyued iust punishment Euery beast in recompence of theyr hurte requited his quarell The Bore wyth hys Tuske the Bull strake him wyth hys bornes and especially the Asse béeing inflamed to caste off the name of a cowarde wyth chiding and kicking couragiously did beate him The Lion then wayling lamentably said Those whome sometime I haue hurte paye me againe with the same measure and not without a cause Againe those to whome sometime I haue done good requite not nowe my goodnesse but rather vniustly are my foes great was my follie when I made so many my enemies but greater in that I trusted false friendes MOR. When thou art in prosperous estate be not loftie nor fierce if fortune once frowne or looke awry they whom thou hast hurte shall reuenge their quarell if thou haue fréends put a difference betwéene them some are fréends not to thée but to thy table and to thy fortune which as the wynd â–ª turneth will turne and happie shalt thou be if they be not thy foes As Ouid complayneth not without cause VVhen prosprous vvindes did driue my sailes of Frendes I had good store But all vvere gone vvhen raging Seas by blustring vvindes did rore Courage 81 Of the Hares and the Frogs IT hapned that Hares hearing a straunge roaring in the woode all trembling began swiftly to runne away In running they stayed at a marishe being in dout what to doe séeing danger on euery side and to encrease their feare they espied Frogs there drowned Then one wiser than the rest sayd Wherfore are we so fondly afraid Lette vs take a good harte for swiftnesse in running we lacke not but onely a couragious stomacke as for this hurly burly we néed not feare but set it lighte MOR. In all things take a good hart strength without courage is but dead for the chéefe heade of strength is hardinesse Cursing 82 Of the Bee and Iupiter THe Bée which as men thinke was the first maker of Waxe came sometime to sacrifice to the Gods whose oblation to Iupiter was a house of Honey wherewith Iupiter reioysing commaunded hir petition whatsoeuer it were to be graunted Then the Bée asked thus moste puissant God of all Gods I beséeche thée graunt to thy handmaide that who so euer commeth to the hiue to steale away hir Honey may forthewith die as I haue pricked him Iupiter being abashed at hir request bicause he loued mankinde farre aboue all other at lengthe sayde to hir Be thou contente if thou sting him that steateth thy hony that thou maiste leese thy sting and forthewith die and that in thy sting thy life may lie MOR. We curse our enemies but it commonly lighteth on our owne heades Daunger 83 Of a Hart and a Lyon. A Harte escaping Hunters entred a caue where he chaunced on a Lyon by whome he was taken As he was dying he sayde Woe is me that fléeing from men haue hapned on the cruellest
his tender age had lyued in continuall pouertie whom fortune aunswered I haue determined to double yea treble the riche mans goods which sente thée whâ—ther he will or not but thée will I make to lyue continually in pouertie besides that thou shouldest neuer haue had the .10 Crowns which thou receyuedst had I not ben very fast asléepe MOR. Againste a miserable person Fortune always frowneth but to a fortunate person shée is continually beneficial euen against his wil. Friendes 147 Of a Phisitian A Phisitian hauing the cure of a sicke man whose chaunce was to die sayde to them whiche caried the corps this man if he had refrayned wine and taken clisters had bin aliue at this day then one of them that were by aunswered Sir your aduise should haue ben shewed when it mighte haue done good and not nowe when it is to late to call him back MOR. Friends should helpe in time of néede 148 Of the Countryman and the Mouse THere was a Countryman very poore but yet so merie conceyted that in his moste miserie he forgot not his naturall pleasauntnesse It happened that his ferme house by chaunce was set on fire which burned so sore that he mistrusted the quenching which wyth heauye chéere he beheld In the mean time he espied a Mouse running out of the ferme which made hast to escape burning The Countriman forgetting his losse ran after the mouse caught him slong him into the midst of the fire saying Thou vnthaÌ„kful beast in tyme of my prosperytie thou dwelledst wyth me nowe bicause Fortune is chaunged thou hast lefte my house MOR. Those are no true fréends which cleaue to thée like a burre in thy felicitie but in aduersitie swiftly run away 149 Of the Lion and the Hogge THe Lion intended to gette him a companion whervpoÌ„ many beasts desired to be matched with him yea and instantly required it but hée set light by them chose only the Hog into hys fellowship whereof being demaunded the cause answered this beast is so faithfull that he neuer forsaketh his friends or fellowes in the greatest daunger that can be MOR. Wée séeke the friendship of those men which in time of néed cleaue to vs and not those which giue vs the slippe Friendship fayned 150 Of the Dog that deuoured the shepe A Certen shepherd gaue his Dog charge ouer his shéepe to looke to them for whiche he fed him with the best meate Neuerthelesse the Dog often killed a shéepe deuoured him which when the shepheard had espyed caught the Dog and wold haue kylled him Why quod the dog wouldest thou destroy me I am one of thy houshold slay the wolfe rather which continually lyeth in waite to destroy thy sheep Nay quod the shepheard I thinke thée ratherworthy of death than the Wolfe for hée is myne open enimie but thou vnder the colour of friendship dost daily decrease my flocke MOR. They are more greuously to be punished whiche vnder the pretence of friendship do hurt vs than those whiche shewe them selues to be our open enimies Gayne 151 Of the Larke A Lark being caught in a net wept and said Woe is mée wretch and vnhappy birde for I haue taken froÌ„ no man either gold siluer or any other thing but for a grain of corne I die MOR. This fable is against those which for a trifling gayne put them selues in daunger 152 Of a wilde Asse A Wild Asse seing a tame Asse in a fuÌ„ny place weÌ„t to him accouÌ„ted him blissed bicause he had good féeding was in good liking afterward seing him beare burthens the horsekéeper follow striking him with a staffe he sayd I thinke thee nowe no more happie for I sée that with much sorrow thou enioyest this felicitie MOR Gaine ful of miserie and daunger is not to be followed Giftes 153 Of a Countryman and a Counseller A Certeine Countryman béeing in lawe vp to the eares came to a Counseller to the ende that by hys helpe he might wynde him selfe oute of the lawe But his Counseller béeing otherwise occupied sente him worde that he had no leysure to talke with him now praying him to returne an other time The Countreyman accounting him for his sure friende came often but could not speake with him At length he returned againe and broughte with him a yong sucking Kidde and fatte with whiche he stoode at the Lawyers gate and often plucked him to make him bleate the Porter whom his maister commaunded to open the gates to them that brought presentes hearing the voyce of the Kid streight way opened the gate and had him come in Then the Countryman turned to the Kyd sayde I thanke thée my little Kyd for thou arte the cause that I come in so lightly MOR. Nothing is so harde but with giftes it is mollifyed 154 Of Iupiter WHat tyme that Iupiter made a feast at a maryage all beastes brought in their presents euery one after his abilitie among whom the SerpeÌ„t was with a rose in his mouth which he offered Iupiter séeing him sayd aloude euery mans beneuolence I willingly accept but thine in no wise I will receyue MOR The wise man may well gesse that the wicked offer nothing without a craftie pretence Gluttonie 155 Of Flies FLies flew into a hole ful of hony wherof they did eate their féete stuck fast therin that they could not escape who being nyghe choaked sayde Ah wretches whiche for a little meat doe peryshe MOR. Gluttonye is the cause of muche euyll to many Glorying 156 Of the Egle and the Rauen. AN Egle came down from an high rock and light one a Lambes back whiche thing the Rauen séeing desired to counterfet him in hys dooings and discended vppon a Ram where bicause he stuck faste he was caught and cast out to play withall MOR. Let no man account of himselfe by an other mans manhoode but by hys owne power Cut thy rote after thy cloth God knoweth all 157 Of two yong men TWo yong men came into a Cookes shoppe as though they woulde haue bought meate the Cooke béeing occupied the one stole a péece of meate out of the basket and gaue it hys felow to hide vnder his garment the Cooke perceiuing that a péece of fleshe was gone accused them both of theft then he that tooke it swore by Iupiter he had it not the other that had it swore that he tooke it not Well quod the Cooke the théefe I know not but he that you haue sworne by both sawe and knoweth the théefe MOR. If we haue ought offended men know it not straight way but God that rideth on the heauens beholdeth the depthes of the sea seeth al things if men woulde remember this they woulde offend lesse Goodes euill gotten 158 Of Mony. SOmtime Money béeing demauÌ„ded of vertue why she rather went to the euil thaÌ„ the good aunswered bicause good men brought vp in thy schoole neuer learned to lye and forswere to occupie vsurie to rob others for these
Then they all with one accorde payd his damages supposing that it was not fit that any should receiue hinderance which had trauelled for their common wealth 256 Of the Mule and the Horsse A Mule espied a horsse gorgeously decked with a gilt byt a faire sadle purple trappers at whose Fortune he enuied much supposing him to be happy bicause he alwayes fared well and went gayly contrarywise his owne estate in comparison of hys to be miserable For quod he I am ouerladen with the packsaddle and I am a dayly drudge to cary burdens But shortly after he espyed the Horsse returning from battaile sore wounded then he accounted his owne estate better than the Horses saying I had rather get my liuing hardly with my daily labour and to bée clad in vile aray than after such faire and trim apparell to be in daunger of my life MOR. We must not enuie Kings and Princes bicause of their wealth and substance séeing they are subiecte to many moe peryls than poore men are 257 Of a Diuell A Diuill wandring through the worlde as his maner is marked a certaine yong man reioysing at the deth of his parēts wherat he was very glad but going a little further he wept séeing an other very heauie at his Fathers buriall who being demaunded the cause of so diuers affections aunswered The laughing of the sonne for the deathe of his parents declareth that those being riche are dead of which number very few escape our handes but the wéeping is a token of the fathers pouertie and the kingdome of Heauen for the most part is wont to belong to those whiche are poore MOR. Too much riches do cary a man downe to Hell. Riche enimies 258 Of the Birdes THe Birdes were greatly afrayde least the Dorres shoulde kill them with shooting of Balles bicause they hearde that they hadde rolled togither a great heape of bals Feare not sayd the Sparrow for how shall they shoote bals at vs that flie in the aire when they can not carry them on earth but with much toyle MOR. Wée néede not feare the riches of our foes when wée sée they lacke wit. Riottousnesse 259 Of an Oxe and a Bullock AN Oxe béeing well striken in age dayly went to plow. It hapned that a yong Heyfer whiche neuer had laboured fetched hys friskes in the pastures not farre off and scorned the toyling of the elder boasting muche of hys owne libertie that he had tasted neyther yoke nor chayn but the others necke was worn bare with laboure The Oxe presently aunswered nothing not long after he espyed this royster ledde to be sacrificed then he saide thus to him What end hath now thy easy life Thy carelesse liuing at harts ease hath brought thée to the axe I think now thou wilt rather counsel me to labor than to tolenesse which is the cause of thy death MOR. To leade an honest life there néedeth trauell the Sluggard and he that is bent to riottous liuing shall come to that which he would be lothe 260 Of a Boy that would not learne A Boye whiche hated learning béeing broughte by his Father into a Schoole coulde not be enticed by any faire meanes of his Maister to speake the fiest letter of the Alphabete Then sayd his Maister open thy mouth for that thys Letter requireth but he gaped and spake not The Maister seeing his labor lost had hym sitte amongst his fellowes warning them to persuade him to speake onely this Letter then his schoolefellows exhorted him in the best maner that they coulde saying Is it suche a payne to saye A Nay quod the Boye but if I speake that he would make me learn B and so the rest But neither my master nor my father shal haue the power to make me learne MOR. They which are vnwilling to learne can neuer be forced to it Seruaunts 261 Of the Doue and the Crowe A Doue being fed in a doue house was excceeding proude of hir fertilitie The Crow hearing therof sayd to hir Friend brag no more thereof for the more thou breedest the more care thou heapest MOR. Amongest seruants those are most miserable which in time of their bondage get many children 262 Of the Asse and the Calfe AN Asse and a Calfe fed togither in one pasture by chaunce they heard the founde of a bell which they supposed to be a signe that their enimies were at hand to whom the Calfe sayde Let vs be packing hence fellowe least our enimies take vs prisoners Nay flee thou hence rather quod the Asse whom they vse to kill eate for I care not I know this where soeuer I become my life shall be to cary burdens MOR Let not seruants feare much to chaunge their maisters least the last bée woorser than the firste Shifies 263 Of a Marchaunt and a Iewe. A Certein prodigall fellowe hauing wasted al his Fathers goods applied his minde to practise deceyt It happened on a time that he wrapped a piece of ordure in a cloute and brought it into the market saying that he had a precious thing which was of such force that if any mā tasted the least crum therof he should haue fulfilled whatsoeuer he thought of But a Iew whose maner is priuily to mark al things thought if he did buy it that he would haue o◠his minde many townes and lordships when he tasted of it bycause he would be exceding riche he came therfore secretly vnto him and asked the price whervnto this prodigall fellow sayde Auaunt thou shalt not buy it for thy clothes declare that thou art not able The Iewe sayde to him how knowest thou tel mée the price he answered .700 crownes the Iewe payd him the money vpon condition that if he had fayde true he should enioy it but when he had tasted it he spit it out and sayd it was ordure Then the seller hauing performed his promise pleaded the cause before the Maior and enioyed the money Sicke folke 264 Of a Carter A Certein Carter asked his wagon why that whéele which was worst made so much creaking séeing none of the rest did so The waggon aunswered Sicke folkes are wayward and alwayes complayning MOR. Diseases cause men to complayne Sinners 265 Of an olde Woman MEn commonly will if through their follie any mischaunce happen to them laye the blame to Fortune or the Deuill to excuse them selues they doo so muche followe their appetites wherewith the Deuill not contented when by chaunce he espyed an olde woman clymbing a trée whence he perceyued she was lyke to fal and then the faulte would be layd on his necke he called for witnesses to whome he sayde Beholde that same olde woman hath climbed that trée without my consente where I see shee wyll fall beare witnesse therfore with mée that I counselled hir not to goe vp Immediatly she fel then being demaunded why she climbed that trée answered the Deuil forced me then he brought foorth his witnesses and proued that she did that without his aduise MOR.