¶ The v fable is of the nyghtyngale and of the ſperehawke
E that oppreſſeth the Innocents
ſhalle haue an euyl ende / wherof
Eſope reherceth to vs ſuche a
fable / Of a ſperehawk / whiche
dyd put hym within the neſt of
a nyghtyngale / where he fond the lytyl and
yonge byrdes / the nyghtyngale came and perceyued
hym / wherfore ſhe praed the ſperehawke / ſayeng/ I requyre and praye the as
moche as I may / that thow haue pyte on
my ſmal byrdes / And the ſperehawke anſuerd
and ſayd / yf thow wylt that I graunte the
thy requeſt / thow muſt ſynge ſwetely after my
wylle and gree And thenne the nyghtyngale
beganne to ſynge ſwetely / not with the herte /
but with the throte onely / For he was ſo fulled
with ſorowe that otherwyſe he myght not doo /
The ſperehawk ſayd thenne to the nyghtyngale /
This ſonge playſeth me not / And toke one of the
yonge byrdes and deuoured hit / And as the ſayd
ſperehawke would haue deuoured and eten the
other came there a hunter whiche dyd caſte a