4
LIBER
¶ The first fable is of the cock and of the precious ſtone /
s a Cok ones ſought his paſture in
the donghylle / he fond a precious
ſtone / to whome the Cok ſayd /
Ha a fayre ſtone and precious
thow arte here in the fylth And
yf he that deſyreth the had found the / as I
haue he wold haue take the vp / and ſette the
ageyne in thy fyrſt eſtate / but in vayne I haue
found the / For no thynge I haue to do with
the / ne no good I may doo to the ne thou
to me / And thys fable ſayde Eſope to them
that rede this book / For by the cok is to
vnderſtond the fool which retcheth not of
ſapyence ne of wyſedome / as the cok retcheth
and ſetteth not by the precious ſtone / And by
the ſtone is to vnderſtond this fayre and playſaunt
book