116
LIBER
¶ The xj fable is of the hawke and of other byrdes
He ypocrytes maken to god a berd
of ſtrawe / As recyteth to vs this
fable / Of a hawke / whiche ſomtyme
fayned / that he wold haue
celebrated and holden a natall or
a grete feſte / the whiche feſte ſhold be celebred
within a Temple / And to this feſte and ſolempnyte
he Inuyted and ſomoned alle the ſmal
byrdes / to the whiche they came / And Inkontynent
as they were all come in to the temple /
the hauk ſhette the gate and put them alle to
dethe / one after an other / ¶ And therfore this
fable ſheweth to vs / how we muſt kepe our ſelf
fro all them / whiche vnder fayre ſemynge haue
a fals herte / and that ben ypocytes[errata 1] and deceptours of god and of the world /