Here begynneth the book of the subtyl historyes and fables of Esope whiche were translated out of Frensshe in to Englysshe by wylliam Caxton at westmynstre in the yere of oure Lorde M. CCCC. lxxxiij

¶ And foloweth the Regys∣tre of the fables of his fyrste booke /

• ¶ The fyrst fable is of the Cok and of the precious stone
• ¶ The second fable is of the wulf and of the lambe
• ¶ The thyrd fable is of the rat and of the frogge / and of the kyte /
• ¶ The fourth fable is of the dogge and sheep
• ¶ The fyfthe fable is of the dogge and of the pyece of flesshe
• ¶ The syxthe fable is of the lyon / of the Cowe / of the goote / and of the sheep
• ¶ The seuenth fable is of the theef & of the sonne
• ¶ The eyght fable is of the wulf and of the crane
• ¶ The nynthe fable is of the two dogges
• ¶ The x fable is of the man and of the serpente
• ¶ The xi fable is of the asse / and of the wyld bore
• ¶ The xii fable is of the two rats
• ¶ The xiij fable is of the Egle and of the foxe
• ¶ The xiiij fable is of the egle / of the nut / & of the rat
• ¶ The xv fable is of the rauen and of the foxe
• ¶ The xvj fable is of the lyon / of the wyld bore / of the bool and of the asse
• ¶ The xvij fable is of the asse and of the bytche
• ¶ The xviij fable is of the lyon and of the rat
• ¶ The xix fable is of the myllan whiche was seke / and of his moder
• ¶ The xx fable is of the swalowe and of other byrdes

¶ Here begynneth the preface or prologue of the fyrste book of Esope

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I Romulus sone of thybere of the Cyte of Alyque / gre∣tyng / Esope man of grece / subtyle and Ingenyous / techeth in his fables how men ought to kepe and rew∣le them well / And to thende that he shold shewe the lyf and customes of al maner of men he induceth the byrdes / the trees and the beestes spekynge to thende that the men may knowe wherfore the fables were found / In the whiche he hath wreton the malyce of the euylle people and the argument of the Im∣probes / He techeth also to be humble and for to vse wordes / And many other fayr Ensamples reherced and declared he∣re after / the whiche I Romulus haue translated oute of gre∣kez tongue in to latyn tongue / the whiche yf thou rede them / they sha••••e aguyse and sharpe thy wytte and shal gyue to the cause of Ioye /

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¶ The thyrd fable is of the rat / and of the frogge /

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NOw it be so / that as the rat wente in pylgremage / he came by a Ryuer / and demaunded helpe of a frogge for to passe / and go ouer the water / And thenne the frogge bound the rats foote to her foote / and thus swymed vnto the myddes ouer the Ryuer / And as they were there the frogge stood stylle / to thende that the rat shold be drowned / And in the meane whyle came a kyte vpon them / and bothe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them with hym / This fable made Esope for a symplytude whiche is prouffitable to many folkes / For he that thynketh euylle ageynst good / the euylle whiche he thynketh shall ones 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vpon hym self

¶ The fourth fable is of the dogge and of the sheep

OF the men chalengynge / whiche euer be sekynge occasi on to doo some harme and dommage to the good / saith Esope suche a fable / Somtyme was a dogge / whiche

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demaunded of a sheep a loof of brede that she had wrowed of hym / And the sheep ansuerd that neuer she had none of hym The dogge made her to come before the Iuge / And by cause the sheep denyed the dette / the dogge prouysed and broughte with hym fals wytnes / that is to wete the wulf / the mylan 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the spaehawk / And whanne these wytnes shold be examy∣ned and herd / the wulf sayd to the Iuge / I am certayne & me remembreth wel / that the dogge lend to her a loof of brede And the Myllan went and sayd / she receyued hit presente my persone / And the sperowhawk sayd to the sheep / Come hyder why denyest thow that whiche thow hast take and recey∣ued / And thus was the poure sheep vaynquysshed / ¶ And thenne the Iuge commaunded to her that she shold paye the dogge / wherfore she sold awey before the wynter her flees and wulle for to paye that / that she neuer had / And thus was the ponre sheep despoylled / In suche maner done the euylle hongry peple whiche by theyr grete vntrouthe and malyce robben and despoyllen the poure folke

¶ The fyfthe fable is of the dogge and of the pyece of flessh

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agaynst hym / & prayd Iupiter that he shold kepe the sonne fro w••••ddyng / & Iupiter demaūded of them the cause why they wol de not haue hym to be wedded / he one of them said / Iupiter thou knowest wel / how ther is but one sonne & yet he brenneth vs a•••• / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yf he be maryed & haue ony children / they shal destroye al kynde / And this fable techeth vs that we ought not to be re∣ioy•••• ••••d of euyll felauship /

¶ The viij fable is of the wulf and of the crane

WHo so euer doth ony good to the euyll man he synneth as esope saith / for of ony good which is don to the euils cometh no prouffit / wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a falle / A wulf ete & deuoured a sheep of whos bones he had one in his throte which he coude not haue out & sore it greued hym Thenne went the wulf & praid the crane that she wold draw oute of his throte the bone / & the crane put her nest in to his thro te & drewe out the bone wherby the wulf was hole /

¶ And the crane demaunded of hym to be payd of her sala∣ry / ¶ And the wulf answerd to her / Thow arte well

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vncōnyng & no good connyng / remembryng the good that I ha ue done to the / for whan thou haddest thy neck within my thro¦te / yf I had wold / I myght haue ete the / And thus it appiereth by the fable how no prouffite cometh of ony good whiche is do ne to the euyls

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and with grete payne he myght hold his courage / to haue forth with deuoure or hym / But the lyon sayd to hym self / It be•••• ueth not that trethe soo noble and so fayre as myn be touche•••• not / ••••e byten suche a fowle beest / For he that is wyse must not hurte the foole ne take hede to his wordes / but lete hym go for suche as he is

¶ The xij fable is of the two rats

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BEtter worthe is to lyue in pouerte surely / than to ly∣ue rychely be n••••t euer in daunger / wherof Esope telleth such a fable / There were two rate / wherof the one was grete and fater / and held hym in the celer of a Ryche man And the other was poure and lene / ¶ On a daye this grete and fat ratte wente to sporte hym in the feldes and mette by the way the poure rat / of the whiche he was receyued as well as he coude in his poure cauerne or hole / and gaf hym of suche mete as he had / Thenne sayd the fatte ratte come thow wyth me / And I shalle gyue the wel other metes / He went with

hym in to the toune / and entred bothe in to the celer of the ry∣che man / the whiche celer was full of alle goodes / And whan they were within the grete rat presented and gaf to the poure rat of the delycious metes / sayeng thus to hym / Be mery and make good chere / and ete and drynke Ioyously / ¶ And as they were etynge / the bouteler of the place came in to the celer / & the grete rat fled anon in to his hole / & the poure rat wist not whyther he shold goo ne flee / but hyd hym behynd the dore with grete fere and drede / and the ••••uteler torned ageyne and sawe hym not / And whan he was gone the fatte rat cam out of his cauerne or hole / and called the poure ratte / whiche yet was shakynge for fore / and said to hym / come hyder and be not aferd / & ete as moche as thou wyll / And the poure rat sayd to hym / for goddes loue lete me go oute of this celer / For I ha ue leuer ete some corne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the feldes and lyue surely / than to be euer in this torment / for thou arte here in grete doubte & lyuest not surely / And therfore hit is good to lyue pourely & surely For the poure lyueth more surely than the ryche 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

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yf thow haddest the wys clere and small thow sholdest be the moost happy of al other byrdes / And the foole whiche herd the flaterynge wordes of the foxe beganne to open his bylle for to synge / And thenne the chese fylle to the grounde / and the fox toke and ete hit / And whan the rauen sawe that for his wyn glorye he was deceyued wexed heuy and sorowfull / And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hym of that he had byleued the foxe / And this fable 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vs / how men ought not to be glad ne take reioysshynge in the wordes of caytyf folke / ne also to leue flatery ne wyn glory

¶ The xvj fable is of the lyon / of the wyld bore / of the bole & of the asse

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WHanne a man hath lost his dignyte or offyce / he muste leue his fyrst audacyte or hardynes / to thende / that he be not iniuryed and mocqued of euery one / Wherof Esope sheweth vnto suche a fable / There was a lyon whiche in his yongthe was fyers and moche outragyous / ¶ And when he was come to his old age / there came to hym a wyldbore / whiche with his teeth ••••nt and hirst a grete pyece of his body

and auenged vpon hym of the wrong that the lyon had doo to hym before that tyme / ¶ After came to hym the boole whi∣cha smote and hnrted hym with his hornes / And an asse ca∣me there / whiche smote hym in the forhede with his feete by ma ner of vyndycacion / And thenne the poure Lyon beganne to wepe sayenge within hym self in this manere / whan I was yonge and vertuous euery one doubted and fered me / And now that I am old and feble / and nyghe to my dethe / none is that setteth ne holdeth ought by me / but of euery one I am setten a back / And by cause that now I haue lost bothe vertue and strengthe / I haue lost alle good and worship / And ther fore this fable admonesteth many one whiche ben enhaunced in dygnyte and worship shewynge to them / how they must be meke and humble / For he that geteth and acquyreth no fren∣des ought to be doubtous to falle in suche caas and in suche pe∣ryls

¶ The xvij fable is of the asse and of the yong dogge

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body hurte ne lette may at a nede gyue help and ayde ••••o the g••••

¶ The xix fable is of the mylan whiche was seke and of his moder

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HE that euer doth euylle ••••ught not to supp••••se ne ••••ue no trust that his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at his nede shalle be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / Of the whiche thynge Esope sheweth to vs suche a fa•••• / Of a mylan whiche was sek•••• / so moche that be had no truste to rec••••uere hi•••• helthe / And as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sawe hym so vexed with fe∣blenes / he prayd his moder that she shold praye vnto the god∣d••••s for hym / And his moder ansuerd to hym / My sone thow ••••ast so gretely offendyd and blas••••hemyd the goddes that now they wol auenge them on the / For thow prayest not them by pyte ne by loue / but for dolour and drede / For he whiche le∣d•••• euylle lyf / and that in his euylle delynge is obstynate / ought not to haue hope to be delyuerd of his euyll / For whan

one i•••• fall in to extremyte of his sekenes / thenne is the tyme come that he must be payed of his werkes and dedes / For he that offendeth other in his prosperyte / whan he falleth in to ad∣uersyte / he fyndeth no frendes /

¶ The xx fable maketh mencion of the swalowe / and other byrdes

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HE that byleueth not good coūceyll / may not fayll to be euylle counceylled / wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable / of a plowgh man / whiche sowed lynseed / & the swalowe seyng that of the same lynseed men myght make net∣tes and gynnes / wente and sayd to alle other byrdes / Come with me ye al & lete vs plucke vp al this / For yf we leue hit growe / the labourer shal mowe make therof gynnes and net∣tes for to take vs al / Alle the byrdes dispraysed his counceyl ¶ And thenne as the swalowe sawe this / he wente and her∣berowed her in the plowgh mans hows / ¶ And whanne the

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frogges had grete drede and fered moche / And after they ap proched to theyr kynge for to make obeyssaunce vnto hym / ¶ And whanne they perceyued that hit was but a pyece of wood / they tyrned ageyne to Iupiter prayenge hym swetely that he wold gyue to them another kynge / And Iupiter gaf to them the He••••n for to be theyr kynge / And thenne the He∣ron beganne to entre in to the water / and ete them one after other / And whanne the frogges sawe that theyr kyng destro∣yed / and ete them thus / they beganne tendyrly to wepe / sayeng in this manere to the god Iupiter / Ryght hyghe and ryght myghty god Iupiter please the to delyuere vs fro the throte of this dragon and fals tyraunt whiche eteth vs the one af∣ter another / And he sayd to them / the kynge whiche ye haue demaunded shalle be your mayster / For whan men haue that / which men oughte to haue / they ought to be ioyeful and glad And he that hath lyberte ought to kepe hit wel / For nothyng is better than lyberte / For lyberte shold not be wel sold for alle the gold and syluer of all the world

¶ The second fable is of the Columbes or douues of the kyte and of the sperehawke /

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WHo that putte and submytteth hym self vnder the saue gard or protection of the euylle / thou oughtest to we∣te & knowe / that whan he asketh & demaunded ayde & helpe / he geteth none / ¶ wherof Esope reherceth to vs su∣che 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 sa∣yd amonge them / that better it were to them do suffre of the ky∣te 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 do∣ne ony thyng / men ought well to loke and consydere thende of hit / For he dothe prudently and wysely whiche taketh good he∣de to the ende

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¶ The fyfthe fable maketh mencyon of the Montayn whiche shoke

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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

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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 gre∣te 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 mo∣re 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 whi∣che 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 & da••••

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 ha∣re 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 ••••n in doubte / and haue fere and drede as we haue / Therfore we ought not to des∣payr•••• / but haue trust and hope to lyue / And yf somme ad∣uersyte 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 gret•••• wer•••• cometh good p••••s / And after the rayne cometh the fair w••••r

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¶ The ix fable maketh mencyon of the wulf and of the kydde

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GOod Children ought to obserue and kepe euer the commaundements of theyr good parentes and fren∣des / wherof Esope reciteth to vs suche a fable / Of a go∣to 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 hows / And thus the good chil∣dren 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▪

¶ The tenthe fable is of the good man and of the serpente

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sa••••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 traun∣cher / the whiche mete the storke myght not ete / wherof she tooke & had grete displaysaunce / & wente & departed oute of the fox∣es hows al hongry and wente ageyne to her lodgys / And by cause that the foxe had thus begyled her / she bythoughte in

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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

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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

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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 dre∣we 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 wolues / For I ha∣ue no grete drede ne fere of the / But I drede and doubte sore my mayster / whiche is vpon me / whiche constrayneth me to fulfylle his wylle / ¶ And more I oughte to drede and doubte hym more / than the / whiche arte nought / and of no valewe ne myght / ¶ And thus men ought not to sette by

ne doubte them / whiche haue no myght ne that ben of no vales we

¶ The xvij fable is of the ante and of the flye

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GO make boost and auanntynge is but vanne glorye and folye / wherof Esope recyteth suche a fable / Of the ante or formyce and of the flye / whiche seryued to gyder / for to wete whiche was the most noble of them bothe / & the flye sayd to the formyce / Come hyder formyce / wylt thow compare thy self to me that dwelle in the kynges places and palays / and ete and drynke at theyr table / And also I kysse bothe kynge and quene / and the most fayre maydens / And thow poure and myschaunt beest thow arte euer within the erthe / And thenne the formyce ansuerd to the flye / Now kno∣we I wel thy vanyte and folye / ¶ For thow auauntest the of that wherof thow sholdest disprayse the / For fro alle places where as thow goost or flyest / thow arte

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the loue of me / but only thow hast done it for to fylle thy bely For yf thow haddest done it for the loue of me / I shold haue pardonned to the / ¶ And by cause that thow dydest not for to serue me / but for to lette and adōmage me / For that the rat∣tes myght not ete / thow burest it awey / And soo by cause / that thow arte wexed fatte of myne owne brede / thow must ren∣dre and yeue to me alle the fatnesse / whiche thou hast conque∣red and goten here / For he that robbeth shall be robbed / Iuxta il•••• / pillatores pillabuntur / For hit suffyseth not to doo wel / but men must haue good wylle and good entencion for to do hit / For an almesse that is done for vayne glorye / is not meri∣ted / but dismeryted / wherfore I shal not pardonne the / but in∣contynent and withoute taryenge thow shalt deye / For by cau¦se that thow hast deseruyd no mercy / thow shalt now be putte to dethe

¶ The xx fable maketh mencion of the Oxe / and of the frog∣ge / whiche wold haue compared her to hym

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THe poure ought not to compare hym self to hym which is ryche and myghty / As sayth this fable of a frog∣ge / whiche was in a medowe / where she aspyed and sawe on oxe whiche pastured / She wold make her self as gre te and as myghty as the oxe / and by her grete pryde she be∣ganne to swelle ageynste the oxe / And demaunded of his chil dren yf she was not as grete as the oxe and as myghty / And theyr children ansuerd and sayd / nay moder / For to boke and behold on the oxe / it semeth of yow to be nothynge / And thenne the frogge beganne more to swelle / ¶ And when the oxe sawe her pryde / he thradde and thrested her with his fo te / and brake her bely / Therfore hit is not good to the poure to compare hym self to the ryche / wherfore men sayn comynly / Swelle not thy self / to thende that thow breste not

¶ Here fynysshed the second booke of Esope /

¶ And after begynneth the regystre or table of the thyrd book of Esope

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¶ The vij fable speketh of the old dogge and of his mayster

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MEn ought not to dysprayse the auncyent ne to pu••••e a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / For yf thow be yonge / thow oughtest to desyre to come to old age or auncyente / And also thow ouʒ∣test to loue and prayse the fayttes or dedes whiche they haue done in theyr yongthe / Wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fa∣ble / Of a lord whiche had a dogge / the whiche dogge had be in his yongthe of good kynde / For ye wote wel / that of kynde the dogges chacen and hunten in theyr yongthe / and haue grete luste to re••••ne and take the wyld beestes / whan thenne this dogge was come to old age / and that he myght nomore renne / It happeth ones that he lete scape and go fro hym an ha r•••• / wherfore his mayster was sorowfull and angry / and by grete wrathe beganne to bete hym / The dogge sayd thenne to hym / My mayster / of good seruyse thow yeldest to me euylle gwerdone and reward / For in my yonge age I serued the ful wel / And now that I am comen to myn old age / thow

betest and settest me a bak / haue memorye how in myn yong age / I was stronge and lusty / And how I made grete oul∣trages and effors / the whiche caused my yongthe / And now when I am bycome old and feble thow settest nought of me / ¶ This fable techeth that who so euer doth ony good in his yongthe / in his auncyente and old age he shalle not contynue in the vertues whiche he posseded in his yong age

¶ The viij fable is of the hares and of the frogges

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MEn say comynly that after that the tym•••• goth / so must folke go / For yf thow makest distinction of the tyme thow shalt wel accord the scryptures / wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable / And sayth thus / that he whiche beholdeth the euylle of other / must haue pacyence of the euylle that maye come vpon hym / For somtyme as a hunter chaced thurgh the feldes and woodes / the hares beganne to flee for fere

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HE that ought not to be assewred that applyketh and setteth hym to doo to somme other eny euyll / wherof esope reherceth suche a fable / Of a serpent / whiche wente & came in to the hows of a poure man / whiche serpent lyued of that whiche felle fro the poure mans table / For the whiche thynge happed a grete fortune to this poure man and bycame moche ryche / But on a daye this man was angry ageynste the serpent / and took a grete staf / and smote at hym / and gre∣tely hurted hym wherfore the serpente wente oute of his hous And therin he came neuer ageyne / And within a lytyll whyle after this / this man retourned and felle ageyne in to grete pouerte / And thenne he knewe that by the fortune of the Ser pent he was bycome ryche / and repentyd hym moche of that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 smote the serpent / And thenne this poure man wente and hū∣bled hym bifore the serpent sayenge to hym / I praye the that thow wylt pardonne me of thoffense that I haue done to the ¶ And thenne sayd the serpente to the poure man / Syth thow repentest the of thy mysdede / I pardonne and forgyue it to the But as longe as I shalle be on lyue / I shalle remembre me of thy malyce / For as thow hurtest me ones / thow maist as wel hurte me another tyme / For the wound: that thow madest to me / may not forgete the euylle whiche thow host done to me wherfore he that was ones euylle / shalle euer be presumed & holden for euylle / And therfore men ought to presume ouer hym / by whome they receyue some dommage and not haue suspecte theyr good and trewe frendes

¶ The xj fable is of the herte / of the sheep & of the wulf

THe thyng which is promysed by force & for drede is not to be hold / wherof esope reherceth suche a fable of a hert which in the presence of a wulf demaūded of a sheep that she shold paye a busshel of corn / And the wulf commaū∣ded to the sheep to paye hit / And whanne the day of payment was come / the herte came and demaunded of the sheep his corn And the sheep sayd to hym / the conenaunces and pactyons made by drede and force oughte not to be holden / For it was force to me beynge to fore the wulf to promytte & graunte to gyue to the that whiche thow neuer lenest to me / And ther∣for

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thow shalt haue ryght nought of me / Wherfore somtyme it is good to make promesse of some thynge for to eschewe gret∣ter dommage or losse / For the thynges whiche are done by force haue none fydelyte

¶ The xij fable is of the balled man / and of the flye /

OF a lytel euylle may wel come a gretter / Wherof Eso pe recyteth suche a fable / Of a flye / whiche pryked a man vpon his bald hede / And whanne he wold ha∣ue smyte her / she flewgh awey / and thus he smote hym self / wherof the flye beganne to lawhe / And the bald man sayd to her Ha a euylle beest thow demaundest wel thy dethe / yf I smo te my self wherof thow lawhest and mocquest me / but yf I had hytte the / thow haddest be therof slayne / And therfore men

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MAny one ben whiche haue grete worship and glorye / but noo prudence / ne noo Wysedom they haue in them wherof Esope reherceth suche a fable / Of a wulf which found a dede mans hede / the whiche he torned vp so doune with his foote / And sayd / Ha a how fayr hast thow be and play∣saunt / And now thow hast in the neyther wytte / ne beaute / & yet thow arte withoute wys and withoute ony thought / And therfore men ought not only to behold the beaulte and fayre∣nesse of the body / but only the goodnes of the courage / For somtyme men gyuen glorye and worship to some / whiche haue not deseruyd to haue hit /

¶ The xv fable is of the Iaye and of the pecok

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NOne ought to were and putte on hym the gowne of other / wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable Of a Iaye full of vayne glory / whiche took and putte on hym the fethers of a pecok / and with them he aourned / and arayed hym self well / And whanne he was wel dressyd and arayed / by his oultrecuydannce or ouerwenynge wold haue gone and conuersed amonge the pecoks / and dispraysed alle his felawes / And whanne the pecoks knewe that he was not of theyr kynd / they anone plucked of alle his fethers / And smote and bete hym by suche maner / that no fethers abode vpon hym / And he fledde away al naked and bare /

¶ And thenne whanne his felawes sawe hym / they sayd to hym / what gallaunt come hyther / where ben thy fayre fethers / whiche thow haddest but late a gone / Hast thow no shame ne vergoyne to come in oure companye / And thenne alle the byrdes came vpon hym / and smote & lete hym / sayenge thus to hym / yf thow haddest be content of thyn owne vestymentes / thow haddest not come to this vylony / Ther for hit appereth that hit is not good to were another mans

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ha••••ed chaced and put oute / and lyuest in grete daunger / for assone as the wynter shalle come thow shalt deye / And I shal abyde on lyue alone within my chambre or hole / where as I drynke and ete at my playsyr / For the wynter shalle not for∣gyue to the thy mysdede / but he shalle slee the / ¶ And thus he that wylle mocque or dispreyse somme other / he ought fyrst to loke and behold on hym self wel / For men sayn comynly / who that beholdeth in the glas / wel he seeth hym self / ¶ And who seeth hym self / wel he knoweth hym self / And who that kno weth hym self wel / lytel he preyseth hym self / ¶ And who that preyseth hym self lytyll / he is ful wyse and sage

¶ The xviij fable is of the wulf / of the foxe / and of the ape

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HE that ones falleth in to somme euylle faytte or dede / he shalle euer lyue with dishonour and in suspecion / of the peple / ¶ And how be it that by aduenture he

purposed to doo somme prouffitable thynge to somme other / yet he shold not be trusted ne byleued / wherof Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable / Of a wulf / whiche in aade the foxe to be cyted before the Ape / ¶ And the wulf sayd that the foxe was but a cheef and a payll••••rt and a knaue of poure folke / And the foxe sayd that he lyed / and that he was a good and trewe man / And that he dyde moche good /

¶ And thenne the ape whiche was sette as a Iuge / gaf su∣che a sentence / And sayd thus to the wulf / Come hyther / thow hast not loste alle that whiche thow demaundest / ¶ And thow Fox•••• I byleue wel that thow hast vsurped and robbed som thynge / how be it / that thow denyest hit in Iustyce / But for as moche that pees may be bytwixe yow bothe / ye shall parte to gyder your good / to thende / that none of yow haue no hole parte / For he that is wonte and acustomed to rolbe and gua∣we / with grete payne he may absteyne hym self fro hit / For a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wylle euer begyle other / ¶ And by cause that the ape felte them bothe gylty and suspycious made theyr dyfference to be acorded / and parted half by half / For they that ben cus∣tomed to doo ony frawde or falshede / shall euer lyue ryʒ•••• heuyly and in suspycion

¶ The xix fable is of the man and of the wesel

MEn ought wel to loke and behold the courage & tho∣ught of hym / whiche dothe good / and the ende / wherfor he dothe hit / wherof Esope reherceth suche a fable Of a man whiche tooke a wesell / the whiche chaced after the rattes wythynne his hows / ¶ And after whanne he had taken her / be wold haue kylled her / ¶ And whanne the poure weselle sawe the wrathe and fnrour of her mayster / she cryed to hym / mercy / sayenge thus / My lord I requyre and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 raye the / that thow wylt pardonne to me / And that thow wylt reward me of the grete seruyse whiche I haue done to the / For euer I ha∣ue chaced the rats oute of thy hows /

¶ And the man sayd to her / thow dydest not that for

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¶ Here begynneth the thyrdde booke of the subtyle fables of Esope /

• ¶ The fyrst fable is of the lyon and of the shepeherd
• ¶ The second fable is of the hors and of the lyon
• ¶ The thyrd fable is of the horse / of the asse / and of theyr•••• fortune
• ¶ The fourthe fable is of the beestes and of the byrdes
• ¶ The fyfthe fable is of the nyghtyngale & of the sperehawke
• ¶ The sixthe fable is of the wulf / and of the foxe
• ¶ The seuenth fable is of the herte and of the hunter
• ¶ The eyght fable is of Iuno and of Menus
• ¶ The ix fable is of the woman and of the knyght
• ¶ The x fable is of the yonge man and of the yong woman
• ¶ 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 conuer∣sacion

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

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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 desy∣red 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 rend••••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 deuou∣red 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▪ 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 ho∣le / And that he wold thenne haue recompensed hym of the go∣od whiche he had done to hym / wherof alle the Romayns we∣re 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 ou∣ght to rendre and gyue thankynges grace and mercye to theyre good doers / For slowfulnes is a synne / whiche is moche dis∣playsaunt to god /

¶ The second fable is of the lyon and of the hors

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••••The one ought to eschewe dyssymylyng / for none ouʒt to were on hym the skyn of the wulf / but that he wyll be lyke to hym / For none ouʒt 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 a∣geyne / 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 s•••• 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

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HE that is wel fortuned and happy / and is atte vp∣perest 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 na∣rowe 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 ••••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 ne∣uer a word / and was sore aferd that the hors shold haue be∣•••• hym / wherfore he held his pees as wyse and sage / And the hors wente his waye / ¶ And within a lytel whyle after / it ••••felle / that fortune tourned his whele vp so doune / For thys ••••yre hors ••••ame old lene and seke / ¶ And whanne his maystre sawe that his hors was thus lene and seke and oute of prosperyce / he comaūded 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 a∣uaylled 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 bir∣des

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NOne maye doo no good to two bordes at ones / whiche ben cōtrary 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 sy∣des / 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 ••••acke had made / she was condempned to neuer see the day / And ne∣uer flee / but only by nyght / And also she was despoylled of alle her fethers / And therfore he that wylle serue two lordes cō trary one to other may not be good ne trewe / And they whi∣che 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 /

[illustration]

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 spere∣hawke 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 fyl∣led 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 my∣ght 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

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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 Eso∣pe reherceth suche a fable / Of a wulf whiche had assembled to gyter a grete proye / or moche mete for to haue lyued more de∣lyaously / 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

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or welle as he dranke / he sawe in the water his hede which was horned / wherfore he preysed moche his hornes / And as he lo∣ked on his legges / whiche were lene and smal / he dispreysed and vytupered them / And as he was drynkynge in the fon∣tayne 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 leg∣ges / 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 vnpro∣uffitable / and preyse that whiche is vtyle and prouffitable / And they ought to preyse and loue the chirche and the com∣maundements 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

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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 hows / but at this tyme I shal ke∣pe my tongue / and no ferther I shalle speke therof / For ma∣ny 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 theyre worship and honour / also that in euery place where hit shalle be possyble to vs. we ought to preyse them / We shalle now cesse to enquere ferther of this matere / and Historye / whiche we shall leue iij latyn for the grete clerkes / & in especial

for them that wylle occupye theyr tyme to studye and rede the glose of the sayd Esope

¶ The nynthe fable is of the knyght and of the wydowe

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THe woman whiche lyueth in this world without re∣proche or blame is worthely to be gretely preysed / wherof Esope reherceth suche a fable of a man and of a woman / whiche loued moche eche other / It happed thenne by the effors of Atropos or dethe / the whiche we al must suffre / that the sayd man deyde / And as men wold haue borne hym in to his graue / whiche was withoute the toune there to be bu ryed / his wyf made grete sorowe and wepte pyteously / And whanne he was buryed / she wold abyde stylle vpon the gra∣ue / and lete do make a lytyll lodge or hows therupon / and oute of this lodge she wold neuer departe for no prayer ne fa∣yr word / neyther for ony yeftes ne for menaces of her parentes Now it befell in the toun that a mysdoer was condampned to be hanged / ¶ And to thende that he shold not be taken fro the galhows / hit was thenne commaunded that a knyght

shold kepe hym / And as the knyght kepte hym / grete thurste took hym / And as he perceyued the lodge of the sayd woman he wente to her / and prayd her to gyue hym somme drynke / And she with good herte gaf hym to drynke / And the kny∣ght dranke with grete appetyte / as he that had grete thurste / & whan he had dronke / he torned ageyne to the galhows ward / This knyght came another tyme to the woman for to comforte her / And thre tymes he dyd soo / And as he was thus goyng and comynge / doubtynge hym of no body / his hanged man was taken and had fro the galhows / And whan ne the kny∣ght was come ageyne to the galhows & sawe that he had loste his dede man / he was gretely abasshed & not withoute cause For hit was charged to hym vpon peyne to be hanged / yf he were take awey / This knyght thenne seynge his Iugement / tourned and went ageyne to the sayd woman / & cast hym at her feete / and laye before her as he had be dede / And she demaū ded of hym / My frend / what wylt thow that I doo for the / Allas sayd he / I praye the that thow socoure and counceylle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 now at my grete nede / For by cause I haue not kept wel my theef / whiche men haue rauysshed fro me / the kynge shalle make me to be put to dethe / And the woman sayd / Haue no drede my frend / For well I shalle fynde the manere wherby thow shalt be delyuerd / For we shall take my husbond / and shalle hange hym in stede of thy theef / ¶ Thenne beganne she to delue / and tooke oute of the erthe her husbond / and at nyʒt she hanged hym at the galhows in stede of the other / & sayd to the knyght / My ryght dere frend I pray the that this be kept wel secrete / For we doo hit theefly / And thus the dede men ha∣ue somme / whiche make sorowe for them / but that sorowe is so∣ne gone and passyd / And they whiche ben on lyue haue some whiche drede them / but theyr drede wantith and faylleth whan they ben dede

¶ The tenthe fable maketh mencyon of the yonge man / and of the comyn woman

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OF the comyn and folysshe wymmen Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable / Of a woman whiche had to name Tahys / the whiche was cause by her feyned loue of the dethe and losse of many yonge men / to one of the whiche she had be bete ofte before that tyme / she sayd to hym in this wy se / My ryght dere loue and good frende / I suppose that of ma ny one I am wel byloued and desyred / Neuertheles I shall sette my loue on thy self alone / wherfore I pray the that thow mayst be myn / and I shalle be thyn / for alle thy goodes I retche not / but only I desyre thy swete body / And he that kne∣we the feyntyse and falsheed of the woman / ansuerd to her / ryght benyngly and swetely / thy wyll and the myn ben both but one alone / For thow arte she whiche I moost desyre / and the whiche I shalle loue alle the terme of my lyf / yf thow de∣ceyue me nomore / For by cause that thow hast receyued me in tyme passed / I am euer aferd of the / but notwithstondynge this / thow arte now moche playsaunt and fayr to the syghte of me / And thus the one begyled that other / For the loue of a comyn woman is not to be trusted / For thow oughtest to knowe and thynk within thy self / that the comyn and folyssh woman loue the not / but she loueth thy syluer

¶ The xj fable is of the fader and of the euylle sone /

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THe good and wyse fader ought to chastyse his chil∣dren in theyr yong age / and not in theyr old age / For thenne hit is moche dyffycyle to make them bowe As to vs r••••ateth this fable / Of a fader of famylle / whiche had a sone the whiche dyd no thynge that he oughte to haue done but euer was goynge and playeng in the toune / And the fa∣••••r for the cryme and mys••••wle of his sone brawled euer and bete his meyny / And sayd to them suche a fable / Of a plough man or labourer / whiche bond a bole by the hornes to an oxe The booll wold not be bound / and smo•••• strongly with his feet after the man / and launched his hornes at hym / ¶ And at the last whan he was bound / the labourer sayd to them / I haue ioyned and bound yow bothe to gyder / to thende that ye too somme labour / But I wyll that the lest of yow two / that is to wete the boole / be lerned and corryged of the moste / whi che is the oxe / For I must sayd the labourer to hym self bynde them thus to gyder / to thende that the bole / whiche is yong fyers and malyaous and strong / smyte ne hurte no body / wherof grete dommage myght come to me / But by cause that I wote well / that the oxe shalle teche and corryge hym wel / I haue

put and bound them bothe to gyder / ¶ Thus this fable she∣weth to vs / that the fader ought to teche and gyue good en∣sample to his children and chastyse them whanne they be yong For he that wel loueth / wel he chastyseth

¶ The xij fable is of the serpent

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THe Auctor that is to wete Esope reherceth to vs suche a fable of two euyls / sayeng that a serpent entryd som tyme within the forge of a smythe / for to serche somme mete for her dyner / It happed / that she fond a fyle whiche she beganne to gnawe with her trethe / Thenne sayd the fyle to her / yf thow byte and gnawe me / yet shalt thow doo to me no hurte / but bytynge and gnawyng on me / thow shalt hurte thyn owne self / For by my strengthe alle the yron is planed by me / And therfore thow arte a foole 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

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WHanne men haue a good hede / and a good defe••••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 flyʒt ¶ And whanne the wolues sawe the strengthe of theyr ad∣uersarye•••• / 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 wer∣re 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 capy∣tayns 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 theyre 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 we∣re 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 g••••∣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

[illustration]

his enemye / ne to helpe hym for to be adōmaged / 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 /

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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 de∣maunded of the dogge / wherof arte thow so fatte and so play saunt / And the dogge ansuerd to hym / I haue wel kepte my lordes hows / & haue barked after the theues whiche came in the hows 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 thende 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 hows 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 the••••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 acusto∣med / therfore there is no rychesse gretter / than lybete / For ly∣berte 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 / wh••••che som∣tyme had grede stryf with the bely / sayenge / Al that we can or may wynne with grete labour thow etest it all / and yet th••••u

[illustration]

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 tho∣rugh the whiche the metes passeth b••••me smal and narowe / And within fewe dayes after the feete and handes for the fe∣blenes 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 stren∣gthe and vertue / wherfore a seruaunt ought to serue wel his mayster / to thende that his mayster hold and kepe hym honest∣ly / 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

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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 but∣toks therwith / sayenge thus to hym / what auaylleth to the soo long a taylle / hit doth but wagge / And that whiche letteth the / shalle be prouffitable and good for me / The foxe said to hym I wold that hit were yet lenger / For rather I wold see hit al to fowled and dagged / than hit shold bere to yow suche ho nour / as to couere thy fowle buttoks therwith / And therfore gyue thou not that thynge of whiche thow hast nede of / to the ende that afterward thow myster not of hit

¶ The xviij fable si of the Marchaunt and of the asse

MAny one ben trauaylled after theyr dethe / wherfor men ought not to desyre the dethe / As reherceth Esope by this fable / Of a marchant whiche ladde an Asse laden

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vnto the market / And for to be the sooner at the market / he bete his asse / and sore prycked hym / wherfor the poure asse wysshed & desyred hisowne deth / wenyng to hym that after his dethe he shold be in reste / And after that he had be wel bete & chaced he deyde / And his mayster made hym to be flayne / and of his skynne he dyd doo make tambours whiche ben ••••uer bete / And thus for what payne that men may haue durynge his lyf / he ought not to desyre and wysshe his ••••the / For many one ben / whiche haue grete payne in this world-that shall haue a gret ter in the other world / For the man hath no reste for the dethe but for his merytes

¶ The xix fable is of the herte and of the oxe

ONely for to flee none is assured to scape the daunger wh••••rfore he fleeth / As thow shalt mowe see by this fable / Of a herte whiche ranne byfore the dogges / and to thende that he shold not be take / he fledde in to the fyrst toun that he found / & entryd in to a stable where as many oxen we re / to whom he sayd the cause why he was come there / prayeng them swetely that they wold saue hym / And the oxen sayd

[illustration]

thus to hym / Allas poure herte thow arte amonge vs euylle adressyd / thow sholdest be more surely in the feldes. ¶ For yf thow be perceyued or sene of the oxeherd or els of the mays∣ter / Certaynly thow arte but dede / Helas for god & for pyte I praye yow that ye wylle hyde me within your racke / and that ye deceyue me not / and at nyght next comynge / I shalle goo hens / and shalle putte my self in to a sure place / ¶ And whanne the seruaunts came for to gyue heye to the oxen / they dyd cast heye before the oxen / and wente ageyne theyre waye and sawe not the hert / wherof the herte was gretely reioysshed wenynge to haue scaped the perylle of dethe / He thenne ren∣dred thanke and graces to the oxen / and one of the oxen sa∣yd to hym / It is facyle to scape out of the handes of the blyn•••• but hit is not facyle to scape fro the handes of hym that seeth wel / For yf oure mayster come hyther whiche hath more than an honderd eyen / Certaynly thow arte deed yf he perceyue the ¶ And yf he see the not / certaynly thow arte saued / and shalt goo forthe on thy waye surely / The mayst••••r withyn a short whyle after entryd in to the seab••••

And after he commaunded to vysyte and see the hey / whiche was before his oxen / And hym self went and tasted / yf they had ynough of hit / And as he tasted thus the heye / he felt the hornes of the herte with his hand / and to hym self he sayd / what is that that I fele here / and beynge dredeful called alle his seruauntes / and demaunded of the manere how the herte was come thyder / And they sayd to hym / My lord I knowe nothynge therof / And the lord was full gladde and made the herte to be taken and slayne / and maade a grete feest for to ha ue ete hym / Therfore it happeth oftyme / that he whiche supposeth to flee is taken and hold within the lace or nette / For he that fleeth awey is in grete perylle / wherfore men ought wel to ke pe them self to doo suche dede / that they must nedes flee therfore

¶ The xx fable maketh mencion of the fallace of the lyon / And of his conuersacion

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TO conuerse with folke of euylle lyf is a thyng moche peryllous / And only to speke with them letteth moch other / As this fable reherceth of a lyon ryght strong and ryght myghty / the whiche made hym self kynge for to ha ue grete renommee and glorye / And fro thenne forthon he be∣ganne to chaunge his condycions and customme shewyng hym self curtois / and swore that he shold hurte no bestes / but shold kepe them ageynst euery one / And of this promesse he repen∣ted hym by cause hit is moche dyffycyle and hard to chaunge his owne kynd / And therfore whanne he was angry / he lad with hym somme smalle beestes in to a secrete place for to ete and deceyue them / And demaunded of them / yf his mouthe stanke or not / And they that sayd that it stanke or not were al saued / And alle they the whiche ansuerd not he kylled / & deuoured them al / It happed that he demaunded of the Ape / yf his mouthe stanke or not / And thape sayd no but that hit smelleth lyke baine / And thenne the lyon had shame to slee the ape / but he fond a grete falsheed for to put hym to dethe / He fayned to be seke and commaunded that al his leches & Cyrurgyens shold anone come vnto hym / whan they were co∣me / he commaunded them to boke his vryne / And whan they had sene hit•••• / they sayd to hym / Syre ye shalle soone be hole / but ye must ete lyght metes / And by cause that ye be kynge / alle is at your commaundement / And the lyon ansuerd Allas Ryght fayne I wold ete of an Ape / Certaynly sayd the me decyn that same is good mete / Thenne was the Ape sen••••e for And not withstondyng that he worshipfully spak & ansuerd to the kynge / the kynge made hym to deye / and deuoured hym ¶ Therfore hit is peryllous and harmeful to be in the felau∣ship of a Tyraunt / For be hit euylle or good he wylle ete and deuoure euery thynge / And wel happy is he / that may ecape fro his blody handes / And that may eschewe and flee the fe∣lauship of the euyll tyraunts

¶ Here fynysshed the thyrdde booke of the subtyle fables of Esope / And begynneth the table of the fourthe booke /

• ¶ The fyrst fable is of the foxe / and of the raysyn
• ¶ The second fable is of the wesel and of the rat /
• ¶ The thyrd fable is of the wulf / of the shepherd / and of the hun••••er
• ¶ The fourthe is of the pecok / of Iuno the goddesse / and of the nyghtyngale
• ¶ The v fable is of the panthere and of the vylayns /
• ¶ The vj fable is of the bochers and of the whethers /
• ¶ The vij fable is of the fawkener and of the byrdes
• ¶ The eyght fable is of the trewe man / of the man lyer / and of the apes
• ¶ The ix fable is of the hors / of the hunter and of the herte
• ¶ The tenthe fable is of the lyon and of the asse
• ¶ The xj fable is of the hawke and other byrdes
• ¶ The xij fable is of the lyon and of the foxes
• ¶ The xiij fable is of the seke asse / and of the wulf
• ¶ The xiiij fable is of the grete hegotte and of the lytyl gote
• ¶ The xv fable is of the man and of the lyon
• ¶ The xvj fable is of the camel and of the flye
• ¶ The xvij fable is of the Ante and of the sygalle
• ¶ The xviij fable is of the pylgrym and of the swerd
• ¶ T•••• xix fable is of the sheep and of the rauen
• ¶ The xx fable is of the tree and of the Rosyer

¶ The fyrst fable maketh mencyon of the foxe and of the raysyns

[illustration]

HE is not wyse / that desyreth to haue a thynge whiche he may not haue / As reciteth this fable Of a foxe / whi∣che loked and beheld the raysyns that grewe vpon an hyghe vyne / the whiche raysyns he moche desyred for to ete them ¶ And whanne be sawe that none he myght gete / he torned his sorowe in to Ioye / and sayd these raysyns ben sowre / and yf I had some I wold not ete them / And therfore this fable sheweth that he is wyse / whiche fayneth not to desyre that thynge the whiche he may not haue /

¶ The second fable is of the auncyent wesel and of the rat /

WYtte is better than force or strengthe / As reherceth to vs this fable of an old wesel / the whiche myghte no more take no rats / wherfor she was ofte sore hongry

[illustration]

and bethought her that she shold hyde her self withynne th•••• f••••ure for to take the rats whiche came there for to ete hit. And as the rats came to the floure / she took and ete them eche o••••e after other / And as the oldest rat of all perceyned & kne∣w•••• h••••r malyce / he sayd thus in hym self / Certaynly I shalle k••••pe me wel fro the / For I knowe alle thy malyce & falshede ¶ And therfore he is wyse that scapeth the wytte and malyce of euylle folke / by wytte and not by for••••

¶ The thirdde fable is of the wulf and of the sheepherd and of the hunter

MAny folke shewe them self good by theyr wordes whi che are ful of grete fantasyes / As reherceth to vs thys fable of a wulf whiche fledde byfore the hunter / And as he fledde he mette with a sheepherd / to whome he sai•••• My frende I praye the that thow t••••lle not to hym that folo∣weth me which wey I am gone / & the sh••••epherd said to hym haue

[illustration]

no drede ne fere no thynge / For I shalle not accuse the / For I shalle shewe to hym another way / And as the hunter came / he demaunded of the sheepherd yf he had sene the wulf pas∣se / And the sheepherd both with the heed and of the eyen she∣wed to the hunter the place where the wulf was / & with the hand and the tongue shewed alle the contrarye / And in∣contynent the hunter vnderstood hym wel / But the wulf whiche perceyued wel all the fayned maners of the sheepherd fled awey / ¶ And within a lytyll whyle after the sheepherd encountred and mette with the wulf / to whome he sayd / paye me of that I haue kepte the secrete / ¶ And thenne the wulf ansuerd to hym in this manere / I thanke thyn handes and thy tongue / and not thyn hede ne thyn eyen / For by them I shold haue ben bytrayd / yf I had not fledde aweye / ¶ And therfore men must not truste in hym that hath two faces and two tongues / for suche folke is lyke and semblable to the scor pion / the whiche enoynteth with his tongue / and prycketh so∣re with his taylle

¶ The fourth fable is of Iuno the goddesse and of the pecok and of the nyghtyngale

[illustration]

••••ery one oughte to be content of kynde / and of su∣che good as god hath sente vnto hym / wherof he must vse Iusely / As wherceth this fable of a pecok whiche 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me to Iuno the goddesse / and sayd to her I am heuy and so rowful / by cause I can not synge as wel as the nyghtyngale For euery one mocketh and scorneth me / by cause I can not synge / And Iuno wold comforte hym and sayd / thy fayre forme and beau•••• is fayrer and more worthy and of gretter preysynge than the songe of the nyghtyngale / For thy fethers and thy colour ben resplendysshyng as the precious 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And ther is no byrde lyke to thy fethers ne to thy beaulte / ¶ And the pecok sayd thenne to Iuno / All this is nought / syth I can not synge / And thenne Iuno sayd ageyne thus to the pecok for to contente hym / This is in the disposycion of the goddes / whiche haue gyuen to eyther of yow one propyrte / and one vertue / suche as it pleasyd them / As to the they haue gyuen fayr fygure / to the egle haue they gyuen strengthe / and

to the nyghtyngale fayr & playsaūt songe / And so to all other byrdes / wherfore euery one must be content of that that he hath For the myserable auarycious / the more goodes that they haue the more they desyre to haue

¶ The v fable maketh mencion of the panthere and of the vylayns

[illustration]

••••ery one ought to do wel to the straunger and for: gyue to the myserable / As reher••••th this fable of a pan there whiche fylle in to a pytte / And whan the vy∣layns or chorles of the countrey sawe her / somme of them be∣ganne to smyte on her / and the other sayd pardonne and for∣gyue her / for she hath hurted no body / and other were that gaf to her breed / And another sayd to the vylayns / beware ye wel that ye slee her not / And by cause that they were al of dyuerse wyll / euerychone of them wente and retorned home a geyne wenynge that she shold deye within the sayd pytte / but lytyl and lytyl she clymmed vp / and wente to her how••••

ageyne / and made her to be wel medecyned / in so moche / that soone she was al hole / ¶ And within a whyle after she has uynge in her memorye the grete Iniurye that had be done to her came ageyne to the place where she had be hurte and sore be∣te / & began to kylle & slee al the bestes whiche were there about & put al the sheepherds and swyneherds & other whiche kepte beestes all to flyght / she brente the Corne / & many other euyl and grete harme she dyd there aboute / And whanne the folke of the countrey sawe the grete dommage that she dyd to them / they came toward her / prayenge that she wold haue pyte on them / And to them she ansuerd in this manere / I am not come hyther to take vengeaunce on them whiche haue had pyte and myserycorde of me / but only on them that wold haue slayne me / And for the wycked and euylle folk I recyte this fable / to thende that they hurte no body / For yf alle the vylaynes hadde hadde pyte / the one as the other of the poure panthere or ser••••ent whiche was straunger and myserable / as moche as sh•••• was fallen in to the pytte / the forsayd euylle and domma∣ge had not come to them

[illustration]

¶ The vj fable is of the bochers and of the whethers

WHanne a lygnage or kynred is indyfferent or indy∣uysyon / not lyghtly they shalle doo ony thynge to theyr salute / as reherceth to vs this fable / Of a bocher whiche entryd within a stable full of whethers / And after as the whethers sawe hym / none of them sayd one word / And the bocher toke the fyrst that he fonde / ¶ Thenne the whethers spake al to gyder and sayd / lete hym doo what he wylle / And thus the bocher tooke hem all one after another sauf one onely / And as he wold haue taken the last / the poure w••••ether sayd to hym / Iustly I am worthy to be take / by ca•••• se I haue not holpen my felawes / For he that wylle not helpe ne comforte other / ought not to demaunde or aske helpe ne com forte / For vertue whiche is vnyed is better than vertue sepa∣rate

¶ The seuenth fable is of the fawkoner and of the byrdes

[illustration]

THe wyse ought euer to kepe and obserue the good cost ceyll / And in no wyse they ought not to doo the contra rye / As reherceth to vs this fable / Of the byrdes whi che were Ioyeful and gladde / as the prymtemps came / by cause that theyr nestes were thenne al couerd with leues / And Incontynent they beheld and sawe a fawkoner whi∣che dressyd and leyd his laces and nettes for to take them / ¶ And thenne they sayd al to gyder / yonder man hath pyte of vs / For whanne he beholdeth vs he wepeth / ¶ And thenne the pertryche / whiche had experymented and assayed all the ••••ytes of the sayd Fawkoner / sayd to them / kepe yow alle wel fro that sayd man and flee hyghe in to the ayer / For he seketh nothynge / but the manere for to take yow / For yf he toke yow / he shalle ete and deuoure yow / or to the markette he shalle bere yow for to be sold / And they that byleuyd his coū ceylle were saued / And they that byleuyd it not were taken and lost / ¶ And therfore they whiche byleue good counceylle are delyuerd oute of theyr peryls / And they whiche byleue it not ben euer in grete daunger

[illustration]

IN tyme passyd men preysyd more the folke full of le∣synges and falshede than the man full of trouthe / the whiche thynge regneth gretely vnto this daye / As we may see▪ by this present fable / Of the man of trouthe and of the man lyar / whiche wente bothe to gyder thorugh the coun trey / And so longe they wente to gyder by theyr Iourneyes / that they came in to the pronynce of the apes / And the kynge of thapes made them bothe to be taken and brought before hym And he beynge in his Royal mageste / where as he satte lyke an Emperour / and alle his Apes aboute hym / as the subgets ben aboute theyr lord / wold haue demaunded / and in dede he demaunded to the lyer / who am I / And the lesynge maker & flaterer sayd to hym / thow arte emperour and kynge / the fay rest creature that is in erthe / ¶ And after the kynge demaun∣ded of hym ageyne / who ben these whiche ben al aboute me / And the lyar ansuerd / Syre they ben your knyghtes & your subgettes for to kepe your persone / and your Royalme / And thenne the kynge sayd thow arte a good man / I wylle that thow be my grete styward of my houshold / and that euery one bere to the honour and reuerence / And whan the man of trouthe herd alle this he sayd in hym self / yf this man for to haue made lesynges is soo gretely enhaunced / thenne by gret∣ter vayson / I shalle be more worshipped and enhaunced / yf I saye trouthe / ¶ And after the kynge wold aske the trewe man / and demaunded of hym / who am I / and alle that ben aboute me / And thenne the man of trouthe ansuerd thus to hym / thow arte an ape and a beste ryght abhomynable / And alle they whiche ben aboute the are lyke and semblable to the / ¶ The kynge thenne commaunded that he shold be broken and ••••oren with teeth and clawes and put alle in to pyeces / And therfore it happeth ofte that the lyers and flaterers ben enhaū ced / and the men of trouthe ben set alowe and put a back / For oftyme for to saye trouthe men lese theyre lyues / the whiche thynge is ageynst Iustyce and equyte

¶ The ix fable is of the hors / of the hunter and of the hert /

[illustration]

NOne ought to put hym self in subiection for to auenge hym on other / For better is not to submytte hym self / than after to be submytted / as reherced to vs this fa∣ble / Of an hors whiche had enuye ouer an herte / by cause the herte was fayrer than he / and the hors by enuye went vnto an hunter / to whome he sayd in this manere / yf thow wylt byle∣ue me / we shalle this day take a good proye / ••••epe vpon my ••••k / and take thy swerd / and we shalle chace the herte / and thow shalt hytte hym with thy swerd / and kylle hym / and shalt take hym / and thenne his flesshe thow mayst ••••e / and his skynne thow mayst selle /

¶ And thenne the hunter moued by auaryce / demaunded of the hors / thynkest thow by thy feythe that we maye take the herte / of whome thow spekest to me of / ¶ And the hors an∣swerd thus / Suffyse the / For ther to I shalle put al my dy∣lygence and alle my strengthe / lepe vpon me / and doo after my counceylle / ¶ And thenne the Hunter ••••epte forthwith vpon the hors backe / And the hors

beganne to renne after the herte / And whanne the herte sawe / hym come he fled / And by cause that the hert ranne faster / than the hors dyd / he soaped fro them / and saued hym / ¶ And thenne when the hors sawe and felte hym moche we∣ry / and that he myght no more renne / he sayd to the hunter in this maner / alyght fro my back / For I may bere the no more and haue myst of my proye / Thenne said the hunter to the hors Syth thow arte entryd in to my handes / yet shalt not thow escape thus fro me / thow hast the brydel in thy mouthe wherby thow mayst be kepte stylle and arrested / And thow wylt lepe / the sadell shalle saue me / And yf thow wylt caste thy feet fro the / I haue good spores for to constrayne and make the goo whether thow wylt or not where as I wylle haue the / and And therfore kepe the wel / that thow shewest not thy self re∣belle vnto me / ¶ Therfore it is not good to put and submyt∣te hym self vnder the hand of other wenynge therby to be auen ged of hym / ageynste whome men haue enuye / For who sub∣mytteth hym self vnder the myght of other / he byndeth hym self to hym

[illustration]

¶ The tenthe fable is of the asse and of the lyon

THe grete callers by theyr hyghe and lowd crye suppo sen to make folke aferd / as recyteth this fable / Of an asse whiche somtyme mette with a lyon / to the whiche the asse sayd / lete vs clymme vpon the montayne / and I shall shewe to the / how the beestes ben aferd of me / and the lyon be∣ganne to smyle / and he ansuerd to the asse / Goo we my broder / And whan they were vpon the top of the hylle / the asse by∣ganne 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 ••••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 /

[illustration]

THe ypocrytes maken to god a berd of strawe / As re∣cyteth 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

[illustration]

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 theyre kynge / ¶ And Incontynent as the beestes entryd in to his hows for ••••o see and comforte hym / he deuoured and ete them / ¶ And whan the foxes were come to the yate for to haue vy sy••••d the lyon / they knewe wel the fallace and falshede of the lyon and salewed hym at the entre of the yate / And en∣•••• not within / ¶ And whan the lyon sawe that they wold not entre in to his hows / he demaūded of them / why they wold 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 within / And one of the foxes sayd to hym / we kno 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thy trac••••s / that alle the beestes whiche haue entryd 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••ws came not oute ageyne / And also yf we entryd 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••ore shold we come ageyne•••• ¶ And therfore he is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that taketh ••••ample by the dommage of other / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 entre in to the hows of a grete lord / it is wel facyle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for to come oute of hit ageyne it is moche dyffycyle /

[illustration]

¶ The xiij fable is of the asse / and of the wulf

••••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 demaun∣ded 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

[illustration]

IT behoueth not to the yong and lytyl of age to moc∣ke ne scorne theyr older / As this fable sayth / of thre lytyll hedgehogges / whiche mocked a grete hedgehog∣ge / 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 ou•••• to tremble and shake

¶ The xv fable is of the man and of the lyon /

[illustration]

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 bo∣the was more stronger / ¶ The man sayd / that he was stronger than the loyn / And for to haue his sayenge veryfyed / he she∣wed 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

[illustration]

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 ca∣mel came at euen to the lodgys / and was put in the stable / the flee 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

[illustration]

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 / daūse 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 /

[illustration]

AN euylle man maye be cause of the perdycion or losse of mauy folke / As regercetg to vs this present Fa∣ble / 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

[illustration]

MEn ought not to iniurye n•••• disprayse the poure In∣nocentes 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 sa∣yd to her / thow shalt kepe thy self wel to sette the vpon a dog∣ge / ¶ 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 In∣nocents / 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 /

[illustration]

NOne ought to be prowd ageynst his lord / but oughte to humble hym self toward hym / As this fable reher∣ceth 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 thre∣we 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 hūble 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 ••••en founden whiche here after folowen

¶ The fyrste fable maketh mencion of the Mulet / of the foxe / and of the wulf

[illustration]

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 fo•••• 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 de∣maunde 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 thende 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 she∣we 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 pa∣rents / that at the last becomen poure and fallen in to grete dishonour / As thow mayst see by this present

[illustration]

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 gre∣te teethe for to make the other swynes aferd / but by cause they knewe hym / they sette nought by hym / wherof he displea∣sed 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

••••er help / he was d••••d / And thenne the swynes alle of one as∣sent 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 /

[illustration]

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 ••••k s••••aped fro the foxe mouthe / and f••••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 ha∣ue eten the Cok / had not be thyn ouer many wordes / And ther for ouer moche talkyng letteth / and to moche crowynge smar∣•••• / therfore kepe thy self fro ouer many wordes / to thende / that thow repentest the not

¶ The fourthe fable is of the dragon and of the ••••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 abo∣de at the Ryuage / whiche was al drye / And thus for lack of watre he coude not stere hym / A labourer or vylayne came thē∣ne that waye / and demaunded of the dragon / what dost thow there / And the dragon ansuerd to hym / I am here lefte with∣oute 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 de∣maunded 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 ••••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 thende / 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 n••••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

[illustration]

¶ 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 an∣swerd / 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 scyen∣•••• 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 co∣me 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

[illustration]

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 profe∣red 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 my∣ght 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

[illustration]

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 hon••••ry / Wherfor I must nedes ete the / ¶ And thenne the Asse ansuerd ryght benyngly / My lord / with me thow mayst doo what som∣euer 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 mais∣ter wel do buyld somme edyffy•••• / 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 & sub∣get to hit / For the whiche I wylle not that thow ete me here in the waye for the grete vergoyne and shame that the ••••of my∣ght 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 som∣euer 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 she∣we the waye / And the asse wente byfore and ledde the wulf in to the ryght waye of his maysters hows / ¶ 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 hows 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 hows▪ 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 sha•••• purueye for their counceylle

¶ The viij fable is of the serpent and of the labourer /

[illustration]

THe Auctor of this booke reherceth suche another Fa∣ble 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 labou∣rer / 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 ex∣tyme 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 ha∣bondaunce 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 by∣leued not the serpent / but made alle his ground to be culty∣ued 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 pas∣syd 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 neces∣sary for me in tyme comynge / And thēne the Serpent saide to hym / My frend sowe but lytyl corne / For the Somer next

comynge shalle be so•••• grete and soo hote / that by the dryenes and hete / that alle the goodes sowen on the erthe shall perysshe ••••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 a∣boue is sayd / Therfor the man was begyled / ¶ For he ga∣dred that same yere nothynge / ¶ And the next yere after fo∣lowynge / 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 cul∣tyue and ere my ground / ¶ And thenne the serpent seyd to hym / My Frend sowe not to moche ne to lytyl of ••••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 all•••• maner of corne / that euer thow sawest / ¶ And whanne the labourer hadde herd these wordes / be wente his waye / and dyd as the Ser∣pent had sayd / And that yere he gadred moche good / by cau∣se 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 Re••••uneracion or reward / ¶ And the labourer thenne de∣maunded what he wold haue of hym / And the Serpent sayd I n•••• 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 ho∣meward / And in the mornynge next folowynge / he betoke to his sone a dysshe full of mylke / whiche he brought to the ser∣pent / and sette the dysshe before the hool / And anone the ser∣pent 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 whi∣che laye doune deed on the erthe / Thenne beganne the sayd la∣bourer 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 vengeaūce by the tong in gyuyng Iniuryous wordes / and the cause why / is by cause / that suche vengeaunce is dishonest. As to vs reherceth this pre∣sent fable / Somtyme was a foxe / that ete fysshe in a Ryuer / ¶ It happed / that the wulf came that waye / ¶ And

[illustration]

wh••••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 thende / that ye may take somme whan ye shalle be hongry / And the wulf wente in to the strete / and stalle a basket / whi the ••••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 Ry∣uer / 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 go••••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 / profe••••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 hel∣pe 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 you•••• 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 ou••••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 kno∣we that I haue gone round aboute the countre and prouyn∣ce / 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 holso∣me / ye shalle make hit to be sette and bound vpon your bely / And within fewe dayes after hit shalle rendre yow in as go∣od helthe / as euerye were / ¶ And whanne he had sayd the∣se wordes / he departed fro the lyon and toke his leue / but ne∣uer 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 hi•••• aduys to ••••e d••••fowled and dagged ynough / came thus aryed in to the pytte of the lyon / the whiche he salewed as he ought•••• 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 ••••uery man knowe / to whome the foxe sayd in this maner ••••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 a∣geyne 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 soūd no better coūceylle than the coūceylle of an aūcyent greke with a grete & long berd / a man of grete wysedom / sage & wa•••• thy to be praysed / the whiche sayd to me / how in this prouync•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 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 nobl•••• body / And whan ••••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 le∣ue 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 af∣ter 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 hows / 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 hur∣ted 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 hap∣pe••••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 /

[illustration]

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 m••••nynge / And after that he was rysen vp fro his bedde / as he retched hym self / made a gre 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••art / and beganne to saye in hym self / blessyd be god ther∣fore / these ben good tydynges / this daye / I shalle be wel for∣tunate 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 sa•••• 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 shol∣dest 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 er•••• / 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 cause me for to drynke to moche / for it is to salte

And as myn ers songe to me last I shalle ete this same day better and more delycious mete / ¶ And thenne he beganne to walke ferther / And as he entryd in to a fayr medowe / he sa•••• we a mare / and her yong foole with her / and sayd to hym self alone / I rendre thankes and graces to the goddes of the go∣des that they send me / For wel I wyst and was certayne / that this daye I shold fynde somme precious mete / And then∣ne he came nyghe the mare and sayd to her / Certaynly my sister I shalle ete thy child / And the mare ansuerd to hym / My broder doo what someuer hit shalle please the / But fyrst I praye the that one playsyre thow wylt do to me / I haue herd saye that thow art a good Cyrurgyen / wherfore I praye the / that thou wylt hele me of my foote / I saye to the my good bro der / that yesterdaye as I wente within the forest / a thorne en∣teyd in to one of my feet behynd / the whiche greueth me sore / I praye the / that or thow ete my fool / thow wylt drawe and haue it oute of my foote / And the wulf answerd to the mare that shalle I doo gladly my good suster / shewe me thy foote / ¶ And as the mare shewed hir foote to the wulf / she gaf to the wulf suche a stroke bytwixe bothe his eyen / that alle his hede was astonyed and felle doune totheground / and by the same occasion was hir foole or colt saued / And a longe space was the wulf lyenge vpon the erthe / as deed / And whanne he was come to hym self ageyne / and that he coud speke / he sayd / I care not for this myshap / For wel I wote that yet this day I shalle ete / and be fylled of delycious mete / And in sayenge these wordes lyft hym self vp / and wente aweye / ¶ And whanne he had walked and gone a whyle / he fond two rammes within a medowe whiche with their hornes laū∣ched eche other / And the wulf sayd in hym self / Blessyd be god / that now I shal be well fedde / he thenne came nyghe the two rammes / & said / Certaynly I shall ete the one of you two And one of them sayd to hym / My lord doo alle that it plese yow / but fyrst ye must gyue to vs the sentence of a processe of a plee whiche is bytwixe vs bothe / And the wulf ansuerd / that with ryght a good wylle he wold doo hit / And after sa∣yd to them / My lordes telle me your reson•••• and ••••as / to then••••

that the better I may gyue the sentence of your different and question / And thenne one of them beganne to say / My lord / this medowe was bylongynge to our fader / And by cause that he deyde withoute mastynge ony ordenaunce or testament / we be now in debate and stryf for the partynge of hit / wherfore we praye the that thow vouchesauf to accorde oure different / so that pees be made bytwene vs / And thenne the wulf demaunded of the rammes how theyr question myght be accorded / Ryght wel seyd one of them / by one manere / whiche I shal telle to the / yf hit please to the to here me / we two shalle be at the two endes of this medowe / and thow shalt be in the myddes of it / And fro thende of the medowe / we bothe at ones shalle renne toward the / And he that fyrst shalle come to the / shalle be lord of the medowe / And the last shalle be thyn / wel thenne sayd the wulf / thyn aduys is good and wel purposed / late set now who fyrst shalle come to me / Thenne wente the two rammes to the two endes of the medowe / and bothe at ones beganne to renne toward the wulf / and with alle theyr myght came and g••••f to hym suche two strokes bothe at ones ageynst bothe his sydes / that almost they brake his herte within his bely / & there fyll doune the poure wulf alle aswowned / And the rammes wente theyr way / ¶ And whanne he was come ageyn to hym self / he took courage and departed / sayenge thus to hym self / I care not for alle this Iniurye and shame / For as myn er•••• dyd synge to me / yet shalle I this day ete somme good and delycious mete / ¶ He had not long walked / whanne he fond a sowe / and her smal pygges with her / And Incontynent as he sawe her / he sayd / blessyd be god of that I shalle this daye ete and fylle my bely with precious metes / and shalle haue good fortune / And in that sayenge approched to the sowe / & sayd to her / My suster I must ete somme of thy yonge pygges And the sowe wente and sayd to hym / My lord I am con∣tent of alle that / whiche pleaseth to yow / But or ye ete them / I praye yow that they maye be baptysed and made clene in pure and fayre water / And the wulf sayd to the sowe / Shewe me thenne the water / And I shalle wasshe and baptyse them wel / And thenne the sowe wente and ledde hym at a stange or pond where as was a fayr mylle / ¶ And as the wulf

was vpon the lytyl brydge of the sayd mylle / and that he wold haue take one pygge / the sowe threwe the wulf in to the water with her hwde / and for the swyftnesse of the water / he must nedes passe vnder the whele of the mylle / And god wo∣te yf the wynges of the mylle bete hym wel or not / And as soone as he myght / he ranne away / And as he ranne seyd to hym self / I care not for soo lytyl a shame / ne therfore I shall not be lette / but that I shalle yet this daye ete my bely full of metes delycious / as myners dyd synge it erly to me / ¶ And as he passed thurgh the strete / he sawe somme sheep / and as the shepe sawe hym / they entryd in to a stable / ¶ And whan the wulf came there he sayd to them in this manere / God kepe yow my susters / I must ete one of yow / to thende / that I may be fylled and rassasyed of my grete honger / And thenne one of them sayd to hym / Certaynly my lord / ye are welcome to passe / For we ben comen hyder for to hold a grete solempnyte / wherfore we alle praye yow / that ye pontyfycally wylle synge And after the seruyse complete and done / doo what ye wyll of the one of vs / & thēne the wulf for vayn glory / faynyng to be a prelate beganne to synge and to howle before the sheep / ¶ And whanne the men of the tou••••e herd the Wys of the wulf / they came to the stable with grete staues and with gre∣te dogges / and wonderly they wounded the wulf / and almost brought hym to deth / that with grete payne he coude goo / Ne∣uertheles he soaped / and wente vnder a grete tree / vpon the whiche tree was a man whiche hewe of the bowes of the tree / The wulf thenne beganne to syghe sore / and to make grete so∣rowe of his euylle fortune / and sayd / Ha Iupiter how ma∣ny euyls haue I had and suffred this daye / but wel I pre∣sume and knowe / that hit is by me and by myn 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▪ And after I fond a grete pyrce of bakon / the whi∣che I wold neuer ete for drede of grete thurst and for my fo∣lysshe thought / And therfore yf euylle is syn happed to me / it is wel bestowed and employed / My fader was neuer me∣decyn 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 fot•••• it is wel employed / ¶ Item my fader was neuer neyther pa∣tryarke 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 fynyssh••••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 re∣s••••e and dresse hym self / he loked and byheld vpward to the ••••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 m••••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 /

[illustration]

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 compa∣ny 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 /

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S••••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 aua∣ryce 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 semblaūt 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 abo∣ue is sayd / ¶ And whanne the sheepherd sa∣we 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 a∣geyne / ¶ It happed within a lytyl whyle after / that the wulf came ageyne to the dogge / and sayd to hym / I percey∣ue 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 go∣od 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 how that thow shalt kepe full wel his folde / yf thou be wel nourysshed / ¶ And thenne the dogge ansuerd to the wulf that he was contente / And as hit was sayd / ryght so hit was done / and bothe of them maad good dylygence

The wulf bare aweye the lambe / and the dogge ranne after hym / and ouertook hym / & bote hym fayntly / And the wulf ouerthrewe the dogge vpsodoune to the ground / And whan the sheepherdes sawe gyue suche strokes amonge the dogge & the Wulf / sayd Certaynly we haue a good dogge / we muste telle his dylygence to our mayster / and soo they dyd / & how he bote the wulf / and how he was ouerthrowen / and yet sayd Certaynly yf he hadde hadde euer mete ynough / the wulf had not borne awey the lambe / Thenne the lord commaunded to gy ue hym plente of mete / whe••••f the dogge took ageyne al streng the and vertue / And within a whyle after the wulf came a∣geyne to the dogge / and sayd to hym in this manere / My bro der haue I not gyuen to the good counceylle / And thenne the dogge ansuerd to hym / Certaynly ye / wherof I thanke yow / And the wulf sayd to the dogge / I praye the my broder and my good frend that thow wylt yet gyue another lambe / and the dogge sayd to hym / Certaynly my broder / wel hit maye suffyse the to haue had tweyne of them / ¶ Thenne sayd the wulf to the dogge / ¶ At the lest waye I maye haue one for my laboure and sallarye / That shalt thow not haue sayd the dogge / Hast thow not hadde good sallarye for to haue hadde two lambes ou•••• of my maysters herd / ¶ And the wulf ansuerd to hym ageyne / My brother gyue hit me yf hit please the / ¶ And after sayd the dogge to hym / Nay I wylle not / And yf thow takest hit ageynste my wylle / I promytte and warne the / that neuer after this tyme thow shalt ete none / And thenne the wulf sayd to hym / Allas my broder I deye for honger / Counceylle me for goddys loue what I shalle doo / And the dogge sayd to hym / I shal coū∣ceylle the wel▪ a walle of my maysters celer is fallen doune / go thyder this nyght and entre in hit / and there thow mayst both ete and drynke after thy playsyr / For bothe breed flesshe and wyn shalt thow fynde at plente there within / And thenne the wulf sayd to hym / Allas my broder / beware wel thenne / that thow accuse ne deceyue me not / And the dogge ansuerd / I waraunt the / but doo thy faytte soo pryuely / that none of my felawes knowe not of hit / ¶ And the wulf

came at the nyght / and entryd in to the celer / and / ete and dranke at his playsyre / In so moche that he wexed dronke / And whanne he hadde dronke soo moche / that he was dronke / He sayd to hym self / whanne the vylaynes ben fylled wyth metes / and that they ben dronke / they synge theyr songes / and I wherfore shold I not synge / ¶ And thenne he be∣ganne to crye and to howle / And the dogges herd the Wys of hym wherfore they beganne to barke and to howle / And the seruaunts whiche herd them sayd / It is the wulf / whiche is entryd within the celer / And thenne they al to gyder wen••••n thyder / and kylled the wulf / And therfore more dispendeth the nygard than the large / For auaryce was neuer good / For many one ben whiche dare not ete ne drynke as nature re∣quyreth / But neuertheles euery one oughte to vse and lyue prudently of alle suche goodes as god sendeth to hym / This fable also she weth to vs / that none ought to do ageynste his kynde / as of the wulf whiche wexed dronke / for the whi∣che cause he was slayne

¶ The xiij fable maketh mencyon of the fader and of his th•••• children

HE is not wyse / whiche for to haue vanyte and his ple∣syr taketh debate or stryf / As hit appiereth by this fa∣ble / Of a man whiche hadde thre children / and at the houre of his dethe he byquethed / and gaf to them his herytage or lyue••••de / that is to wete a grete pere tree / a gote & a mylle / ¶ And whanne the fader was deed / the bretheren assembled them thre to gyder / and wente before the Iuge for to parte the∣ir lyue••••de / and sayd to the Iuge / My lord the Iuge / Oure fader is dede whiche hath byquethed to vs thre bretheren al his herytage and as moche of hit shold haue the one as the other And thenne the Iuge demaunded / what was theyr lyuelode / And they ansuerd a pere tree / a gote and a mylle / And then∣ne the Iuge sayd to them / that they shold sette and make partyes egal of your lyuelede / and the one to haue as moche

of hit as the other / hit is a thynge moche dyffycyle to doo / but to your aduys how shold ye parte it / And thenne the eldest of the thre bretheren spake and sayd / I shalle take fro the pere tree alle that is croked and vpryght / And the second sayd / I shalle take fro the pere tree alle that is grene and drye / And the thyrd sayd I shalle haue alle the rote / the pulle or maste and alle the braunches of the pere tree / ¶ And thenne the Iuge sayd to them / He that thenne shalle haue the most part•••• of the tree / lete hym be Iuge / For I ne none other may kno∣we ••••e vnderstande who shalle haue the moore or lesse parte / And therfore he that can or shalle proue more openly / that he hath the moost parte shal be lord of the tree / ¶ And after the Iuge demaunded of them / how that theyr fader had deuysed to them the gote / And they sayd to hym / he that shalle make the fayrest prayer and request must haue the gote / And thēne the fyrste broder made his request / and sayd in this manere / wold god that the goot were now soo grete that she myght drynke alle the water whiche is vnder the cope of heuen / And that whanne she hadde dronken it / she shold yet be sore thursty ¶ The second sayd / I suppose that the gote shalle be myn / For a fayrer demaunde or request than thyn is I shalle now ma•••• / ¶ I wold / that alle the hempe / and alle the Flaxe and alle the wulle of the worlde were made in one threed alone / And that the Gote Were so grete / that with that same th••••de men myght not bynde one of his legges / ¶ Thenne sayde the thirdde / yet shalle be myn the gote / ¶ For I wolde / that he were soo grete / that yf an Egle were at the vppermost of the heuen / he myghte occupye and ••••aue thenne as moche place as the Egle myght loke and see in hyght / in lengthe and in breed / ¶ And thenne the Iuge sayde to them thre / who is he of yow thre / that hath maade the fayrest prayer / Certaynly I no•••• none other canne not saye ne gyue the Iugement / And therfore the goode shalle be bylongynge to hym / that of hit shalle say the trouthe ¶ And the Mylle how was hit deuysed by your Fader for to be par∣ted amonge yow thre / ¶ And they ansuerde 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 hows / 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 co∣me to a table couerd of al maner of precious and delycate me tes / wherof I myght wel ete yf I wold take of the ••••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 ne•••• / I wold rather deye / than to me••••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 pl••••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 / /

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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 cal∣led 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 ••••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 go•••• to the feldes / & the wulf demaunded of hym wh••••re abou•••• 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 by∣twene them bothe / ¶ And whan they had wel eten the godson sayd to his godfader / My godfader I commaūde 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 re∣pente 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 / ••••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 go∣od 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 n••••t / lete them goo / for the dogges kepe them wel / ¶ And within a short whyle after / the mo der sawe come the mare nyg••••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 be∣fore / 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 sheep∣herdes

came for to kylle hym / the moder cryed and sayd we∣pynge / Allas my sone thow dydest not lerne wel / and hast ben to lytel a whyle at•••• 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 whe∣th••••r

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GRete folye is to a fool that hath no myght / that wylle begyle another stronger thā hym self / a•••• re••••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 s••••pe at oure eas•••• 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 coun∣ceylle / Shaue me / and put on me the skynne of the dogge And whanne the wulues shalle see me / they shalle haue gre∣te 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 so•••• aferd / that by the weye as I ranne before the / I dyte shyte thre grete toordes / And thēne the wulf ledde hym vnto the pla∣ce 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

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HE that reffuseth the good doctryne of his fader / yf euyl happe cometh to hym / ••••t is but ryght / As to vs reher∣ceth this fable of a labourer / whiche somtyme lyued in a deserte of his cultyuynge and laboure / In this deserte was a lyon / whiche wa••••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 n••••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 esca∣pe the subtylyte of the man / he took his lytyl lyon / and went to dwelle in another Regyon / And within a lytel whyle af∣ter 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 as••••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 thē∣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 supp•••• 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 he∣de / ¶ 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 /

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MAny ben that for theyr grete lesynges supposen to put vnder alle the world / but euer at the last theyr lesyn∣ges 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 man∣tels with / yf skynners myght haue them / And as they were rydynge / they felle in many wordes and deuyses / And then∣ne by cause the knyght perceyued wel the lesynge of his Ar∣cher / 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 hows / 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 knyʒt 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 & mo∣re 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 thēne 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 ma∣nere / Also this Ryuer is no wore than the other whiche we sa we to fore and haue passed thurgh them / And thenne the ar∣cher 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 le∣synge is knowen and manyfested on hym to his grete shame & dommage