¶ The xviij fable is of the marchaunt and of the asse
any one ben trauaylled after theyr
dethe / wherfore men ought not
to deſyre the dethe / As reherceth
Eſope by this fable / Of a marchaunt
whiche ladde an aſſe laden
vnto the market / And for to be the ſooner at
the market / he bete his aſſe / and ſore prycked
hym / wherfore the poure aſſe wyſſhed & deſyred
his owne deth / wenyng to hym that after his
dethe he ſhold be in reſte / And after that he
had be wel bete and chaced he deyde / And
his mayſter made hym to be flayne / and of his
ſkynne he dyd doo make tumbours whiche ben
euer bete / And thus for what payne that men
may haue durynge his lyf / he ought not to
deſyre and whyſſhe his dethe / For many one
ben / whiche haue grete payne in this world
that ſhall haue a gretter in the other world /
For the man hath no reſte for the dethe but for
his merytes
