¶ The xij fable is of the balled man / and of the flye
F a lytyl euylle may wel come a
gretter / Wherof Eſope recyteth
ſuche a fable / Of a flye / whiche
pryked a man vpon his bald hede /
And whanne he wold have ſmyte
her / ſhe flewgh awey / And thus he ſmote hym
ſelf / wherof the fly beganne to lawhe / And the
bald man ſayd to her / Ha a euylle beeſt thow
demaundeſt wel thy dethe / yf I ſmote my ſelf
wherof thow lawheſt and mocqueſt me / But yf I
had hytte the / thow haddeſt be therof ſlayne /
And therfore men ſayen comynly that of the
euylle of other / men ought not to lawhe ne
ſcorne / But the Iniuryous mocquen and ſcornen
the world / and geteth many enemyes / For the
whiche cauſe oftyme it happeth that of a fewe
wordes euyll ſette / cometh a grete noyſe and
daunger
