Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/331

   o moch his other wyf that he deyde therof / And I am ory therof / that yf ye hold falle in lyke caas / to whome the wydowe anwerd and ayd / Forothe I wold be dede / For ther is but orowe and care in this world / This was a curteys excue of a wydowe

Ow thenne I wylle fynyhe alle thee fables wyth this tale that foloweth whiche a worhipful preet and a parone told me late / he ayd / that there were duellynge in Oxenford two pretes bothe maytres of arte / of whome that one was quyck and coude putte hym elf forth / And that other was a good ymple preet / And oo it happed that the mayter 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 / uppoynge and wenynge that his felaw the ymple preet hold neuer haue be promoted but be alwaye an Annuel / or at the mot a paryhe preet / So after longe tyme that this worhipful man this dene came rydynge in to a good paryh with a x or xij hores / lyke a prelate / and came in to the chirche of the ayd paryhe / and fond there this good ymple man