Euyll counsayle is worst to the counsaylour. Counsayle is a cer∣tayn holy thinge. And as it ought gladly to be taken, whan occasion requyreth: so it ought aduysedly, Page  v purely, and wythout fraude to be gyuen when one nedeth it. Other∣wyse wythout doubt Godes hāde woll appere to take punyshmente of hym that wyth falshod & gyle hathe foyled a thynge bothe holy and diuine. To thys agreeth Ec∣clesiasticus.* Who so euer (sayeth he) gyueth a leude counsayle: it shall turne vpon hym selfe, and he shall not knowe from whens it cō¦meth. Here I thynke it not amysse to make report of a certayne plea¦saunt fable wrytten in Greke, not much dyssentynge from thys pur¦pose, whych is thys.

The Lion for weakenes of age beynge sycke and kepynge hym selfe hys denne,* all the other beastes accordynge to theyr due∣tye and allegeaunce come to loke howe theyr kynge dothe.

Page  [unnumbered]Only the foxe absenteth her selfe. Wherfore the wolfe now espyeng a good occasion, accuseth y^t Foxe of treason vnto the Liōs maiesty, as one that dyspyseth the kynge and gouernour of all beastes and whych of frowardnes and trayto∣rous harte woll not wyth other beastes vysite maiestye, as theyr allegiaunce requyred.

Whyle the Wolfe was thus accu¦synge the Foxe, the Foxe preuelye cūmeth in and heareth the ende of the Wolfes complaynte. Nowe whan the Lion loked vp & espyed y^e Foxe, forthwith he gnassheth w^t hys teeth agaynst her. But she, af∣ter she hadde obteyned a space to pourge her selfe, thus begynneth to make her defence. I besech you syr kynge, {quod} she, what one beaste of all that be here assembled to vi∣site Page  vi your maiestye, is so carefull, & busye to do you good, and to helpe you, as I am, whyche haue runne aboute euer sythens ye sykened, to seke counsayle for your maladye, & nowe at last I haue serched out a souerayngne medicyne of the phi¦siciens. The Lion hearynge thys, streyght charged her to tell the met dicine. Truly, {quod} y^e Foxe, yf ye woll flee the wolfe and wrap your selfe in hys skynne, ye shall fynde (saye they) ease of your payne, The Li∣on lyght of credite, fortwith rāne vpon the Wolfe and slewe hym, who thus kylled, the crafty Foxe laughed that the sklaunderous & euyll counsayle of the Wolfe lygh¦ted vpon hys owne pate. Let all counsaylours beare thys exemple wel in mynde, Yf they be nothing moued wyth fables: Let them at☞ Page  [unnumbered] lest be admonyshed wyth the histo¦ry of Aman in the boke of Hester, whych is in the Byble.