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

NOw thenne I wylle fynysshe alle these fables wyth this tale that foloweth whiche a worsħipful preest and a parsone told me late / he sayd / that there were duel∣lynge in Oxenford two prestes bothe maystres of arte / of who me that one was quyck and coude putte hym self forth / And that other was a good symple preest / And soo it happed that the mayster that was perte and quyck was anone promoted to a benefyce or tweyne / and after to prebendys / and for to be a Dene of a grete prynces chappel / supposynge and wenynge that his felaw the symple preest shold neuer haue be promoted but be alwey an Annuel / or at the most a parysshe preest / So after longe tyme that this worshipful man this dene came ry∣dynge in to a good paryssh with a x or xij horses / lyke a pre∣late / and came in to the chirche of the sayd parysshe / and fond

there this good symple man somtyme his felawe / whiche ca•••• and welcomed hym lowely / And that other badde hym good morowe mayster Iohan / and toke hym sleyghtly by the hand and axyd hym where he dwellyd / And the good man sayd / in this paryssh / how sayd he / are ye here a sowle preest or a pa∣ryssh preste / nay syr said he / for lack of a better though I be not able ne worthy I am parson and curate of this parysshe / and thenne that other aualed his bonet and said mayster parson I praye yow to be not displeasyd / I had supposed ye had not ••••e bene fyeed / But mayster sayd he / I pray yow what is this benefyce worth to yow a yere / Forsothe sayd the good symple man / I wote neuer / for I make neuer accomptes therof / how wel I haue had hit four or fyue yere / And knowe ye not sa id he what it is worth / it shold seme a good benefyce / No for∣sothe sayd he / but I wote wel what it shalle be worth to me / why sayd he / what shalle hit be worth / Forsothe sayd he / yf I doo my trewe dylygēce in the cure of my parysshēs in prechyng and techynge / and doo my parte longynge to my cure / I shalle haue heuen therfore / And yf theyre sowles ben lost or ony of them by my defawte / I shall be punysshed therfore / And herof am I sure / And with that word the ryche dene was abussded And thought he shold be the better / and take more hede to his ••••res and benefyces than he had done / This was a good an∣swere of a good preest and an honest /