¶ xiiij fable is of the man and of the wood
e that gyueth ayde and help to his
enemy is cauſe of his dethe / as
recyteth this fable of a man
whiche made an axe / And after
that he had made his axe / he
aſked of the trees / and ſayd / ye trees gyue yow
to me a handle / and the trees were content /
¶ And whanne he had maade faſt his handle to
the axe / he began to cutte and throwe doune to
the ground alle the trees / wherfore the oke and
the aſſhe ſayd / yf we be cutte / hit is wel ryght
and reaſon / For to oure owne ſelf we ben cut
and thrawen doune / ¶ And thus hit is not
good to put hym ſelf in to the daunger and ſubiection
of his enemye / ne to helpe hym for to
be adōmaged / as thou maiſt ſee by this preſente
fable / For men ought not to gyue the ſtaf by
whiche they may be beten with
