The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Liber Secundus/Fable 11
¶ The xi fable is of the herte / of the sheep & of the wulf
He thynge which is promysed by
force & for decde is not to be
hold / wherof esope reherceth suche
a fable of a hert which in the
presence of a wulf demūaded of
a sheep that she shold paye a busshel of corn /
And the wulf commaūded to the Ihcep 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
conuenaunces[errata 1]
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 thou neuer lenest to me / And
therfor thow shalt haue ryght nought of me /
wherfore somtyme it is good to make promisse
of some thynge for to eschewe gretter dommage
or losse / For the thyngs whiche are done by
force haue none fydelyte