¶ Here foloweth the prohemye of the second book of fables of esope / man wyse subtyle and Ingenyous
le maner of fables ben found for to
ſhewe al maner of folk / what
maner of thyng they ought to
enſyewe and folowe / ¶ And alſo
what maner of thyng they muſt
and ought to leue and flee / for fable is as
moche to ſeye in poeterye / as wordes in theologye
/ ¶ And therfor I ſhalle wryten fables
for to ſhewe the good condycions of the good
men / for the lawe hath be gyuen for the treſpacers
or myſdoers / And by cauſe the good ond
Juſte be not ſubget to the lawe as we fynde and
rede of alle the Athenyens / the whiche lyued
after the lawe of Kynde / And alſo they lyued
at theyr lyberte / but by theyre wylle wold haue
demaunded a kynge for to punyſſhe alle the
euyll / but by cauſe they were not cuſtomed to
be refourmed ne chaſtyſed / whan ony of them
was corrected / and punyſſhed / they were gretely
troubled / whan theyr newe kynge made Juſtyce /
For by cauſe that before that tyme they had
