The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Auian/Fable 2
¶ The second fable is of the tortose and of the other byrdes
E that enhaunceth hym self more
than he oughte to do To hym
oughte not to come noo good /
As hit appiereth by this present
fable / Of a tortose / whiche said
to the byrdes / yf ye lyft me vp wel hyghe fro
the ground to the ayer I shalle sewe to yow
grete plente of precius stones / And the Egle toke
her and bare her so hyghe / that she myghte not
see the erthe / And the Egle sayd to her shewe
me now these precius stones that thow promyset
to shewe to me / And by cause that the tortose
myght not see in the erthe / and that the Egle
knewe wel that he was deceyued / thrested his
clowes in to the tortoses bely / and kylled hit /
For he that wylle haue and gete worship and
glorye may not haue hit withoute grete laboure /
Therfore hit is better and more sure / to kepe
hym lowely than to enhaunce hym self on hyghe /
and after to deye shamefully and myserably /
¶ For men sayn comynly / who so mounteth
hyher / than he shold / he falleth lower than he
wold