¶ The tenthe fable is of the good man and of the ſerpente
E that ought not to be aſſewerd that
applyketh and ſetteth hym to doo
ſomme other eny euyll / wherof
eſope reherceth ſuche a fable / Of
a ſerpent / whiche wente & came
into the hows of a poure man / which ſerpent
lyued of that whiche felle fro the poure mans
table / For the whiche thynge happed a grete
fortune to this poure man and bycame moche
ryche / But on a daye this man was angry
ageynſte the ſerpent / and took a grete ſtaf / and
ſmote at hym / and gretely hurted him / wherfore
the ſerpente wente oute of his hous And therin
he came neuer ageyne / And within a lytyll
whyle after this / this man retourned and felle
ageyne in to grete pouerte / And thenne he
knewe that by the fortune of the Serpent he was
bycome ryche / and repented hym moche of that
he ſmote the ſerpent / And thenne this poure
man wente and hūbled hym before the ſerpent
ſayenge to hym / I praye the that thow wylt pardonne
me of thoffenſe that I have done to the /