3.Then thirdlie place the morall, whiche is the interpreta-
cion annexed to the Fable, for the fable was inuented for the
moralles sake.
4.Then orderlie in the fowerth place, declare the nature of
thynges, conteined in the Fable, either of man, fishe, foule,
beaste, plante, trées, stones, or whatsoeuer it be. There is no
man of witte so dulle, or of so grosse capacitée, but either by
his naturall witte, or by reading, or sences, he is hable to saie
somwhat in the nature of any thyng.
5.In the fifte place, sette forthe the thynges, reasonyng one
with an other, as the Ant with the Greshopper, or the Cocke
with the precious stone.
6.Thē in the vj. place, make a similitude of the like matter.
7.Then in the seuenth place, induce an exāple for thesame
matter to bée proued by.
8.Laste of all make the Epilogus, whiche is called the con-
clusion, and herein marke the notes folowyng, how to make
an Oracion thereby.
¶ An Oracion made vpon the fable of the
Shepeherdes and the wolues.
¶ The fable.
He Wolues on a tyme perswaded the Shepeher-
des, that thei would ioyne amitée, and make a
league of concord and vnitee: the demaunde plea-
sed the Shepeherdes, foorthwith the Wolues re-
quested to haue custodie of the bande Dogges, because els
thei would be as thei are alwaies, an occasion to breake their
league and peace, the Dogges beyng giuen ouer, thei were
one by one murthered, and then the Shepe were wearied.
¶ The praise of the aucthour.