¶ The viij fable maketh mencion of Juno / of Venus / and of the other wymmen
Efore the goddes and the goddeſſes
men muſte euer preyſe chaſtyte /
for it is a worſhipful & an honeſt
thyng to a woman to hold hyr
contente with a man alone / but
Venus for her deſporte & for to dryue aweye the
tyme / wold Interprete the ſayenge of the hennes /
wherfore ſhe demaunded a henne whiche was
in her hows / but at this tyme I ſhal kepe my
tongue / and no ferther I ſhalle ſpeke therof /
For many wyſe men whiche haue ſene and
redde alle this book vnderſtanden wel alle the
nature of hit / and by cauſe it is lycyte & honeſt /
And that we alle ben bounden to kepe the ladyes
in theyre worſhip and honour / alſo that in euery
place where hit ſhalle be poſſible to vs we ought
to preyſe them / We ſhalle now ceſſe to enquere
ferther of this matere / and hiſtoryye / whiche
we ſhall leue in latyn for the grete clerkes / & in
eſpecial for them that wylle occupye theyr tyme
to judge and rede the gloſe of the ſayd Eſope
