¶ The eyght fable is of the catte and of the rat
E whiche is wyſe / and that ones
hath ben begyled / ought not to
truſte more hym that hath begyled
hym As reherceth this Fable of a
catte whiche wente in to a hows /
where as many rats were / the whiche he dyd
ete eche one after other / ¶ And whanne the
rats perceyued the grete fyerſnes and crudelyte
of the catte / held a counceylle to gyder where
as they determyned of one comyn wylle / that
they ſhold no more hold them ne come nor goo
on the lowe floore . wherfore one of them mooſt
auncyent profered and ſayd to al the other ſuche
wordes / ¶ My bretheren and my frendes / ye
knowe wel / that we haue a grete enemye / whiche
is a grete perſecutour ouer vs alle / to whome we
may not reſyſte / wherfor of nede we muſt hold
our ſelf vpon the hyghe balkes / to thende that
he may not take vs / Of the whiche propoſycion
or wordes the other rats were wel content and
apayd / and byleuyd this counceylle / And whanne
the kat knewe the counceylle of the rats / he
hynge hym ſelf by his two feet behynd at a pynne