259 Of an Oxe and a Bullock.
AN Oxe béeing well striken in age, dayly went to plow. It hapned that a yong Hey∣fer whiche neuer had laboured, fetched hys friskes in the pastures not farre off, and scorned the toyling of the elder, boasting muche of hys owne libertie, that he had tasted neyther yoke nor chayn, but the others necke was worn bare with laboure. The Oxe presently aunswered nothing: not long after he espyed this royster ledde to be sacrificed, then he saide thus to him: What end hath now thy easy life? Thy carelesse liuing at harts ease hath brought thée to ye axe, I think now thou wilt rather counsel me to labor than to tolenesse, which is the cause of thy death.
MOR. To leade an honest life there néedeth