Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/332

 

ſomtyme his felawe / whiche cam and welcomed hym lowely / And that other badde hym good morowe mayſter Johan / and toke hym ſleyghtly by the hand / and axyd hym where he dwellyd / And the good man ſayd in this paryſſh / how ſayd he / are ye here a ſowle preeſt or a paryſſh preſte / nay ſyr ſaid he / for lack of a better though I be not able ne worthy I am parſon and curate of this paryſſhe / and thenne that other aualed his bonet and ſaid mayſter parſon I praye yow to be not deſpleaſyd / I had ſuppoſed ye had not be benefyced / But mayſter ſayd he / I pray yow what is this benſyce worth to yow a yere / Forſothe ſayd the good ſymple man / I wote neuer / for I make neuer accomptes thereof / how wel I haue had hit four or fyue yere / And knowe ye not ſaid he what it is worth / it ſhold ſeme a good benefyce / no Forſothe ſayd he / But I wote wel what it ſhalle be worth to me / Why ſayd he / what ſhalle hit be worth / Forſothe ſayd he / yf I doo my trewe dylygece in the cure of my paryſſhēs in prechyng and techynge / and doo my parte longynge to my cure / I ſhalle haue heuen therfore / And yf theyre ſowles ben loſt or ony of them by my defawte / I ſhall be punyſſhed therfore / And herof am I ſure / And with that word the ryche dene was abaſſhed And thought he ſhold be the