¶ The vj fable is of the labourer and of the nyghtyngale
Omtyme there was a labourer /
whiche had a gardeyn wel playſaunt
and moche delycious / in to
the whiche he ofte wente for to
take his deſporte and playſure /
And on a day at euen when he was wery and
had trauaylled ſore / for to take his recreacion he
entryd in to his gardyn and ſette himſelf doune
vnder a tree/ where as he herd the ſonge of a
nyghtyngale / And for the grete pleſyre and Joye
whiche he took therof / he ſought and at the laſt
fond the meanes for to take the nyghtyngale / to
thende / that yet gretter joye and playſaunce he
myght haue of hit / And whan the nyghtyngale
was take / he demaunded of the labourer /
wherfore haſt thow take ſo grete payne for to
take me / For wel thow knoweſt that of me
thow mayſt not haue grete prouffyte / And the
vylayne anſuerd thus to the nyghtyngale / For to
here the ſonge of the I haue taken the / And the
nyghtyngale anſuerd Certaynly in vayne thou
haſt payned and laboured / For / for no good I