The Hengwrt ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 201]

¶ Here bigynneth chaucers tale of Melibeus.

[There are no line-numbers or breaks betweem the paragraphs in the MS. Tyrwhitt's breaks are kept here to prevent slight differences in the Six Texts throwing out many lines. ‖ stands for a triangular pause-mark in the MS.]

[Hengwrt MS, on leaf 216.]

[2157] A yong man whilom / called Melibeus myghty and riche / bigat vp on his wif / þat called was Prudence / a doghter / which þat called was Sophie ‖

[2158] vp on a day bifel / þat he for his desport is went in to the feeldes / hym to pleye / [2159] his wif & eek his doghter / hath he laft inwith his hous / of which the dores weren faste yshette / [2160] thre of his olde foos / han it espied / & setten laddres / to the walles of his hous / and by wyndowes ben entred / [2161] & betten his wif / & wounded his doghter / with fyue mortal woundes in fyue sondry places / [2162] this is to seyn / in hir feet/ in hir handes / in hir erys / in hir nose / and in hir mouth / and leften hire for deed & wenten awey

[2163] Whan Melibeus retourned was in to his hous / & seigh al this meschief / he lyk a mad man rentynge his clothes / gan to wepe / and crye

[2164] Prudence his wyf / as ferforth as she dorste / bisoughte hym / of his wepyng for to stynte / [2165] but nat for-thy / he gan to crye & wepen euere lenger the moore

[2166] ¶ This noble wif Prudence remembred hire / vp-on the sentence of Ouyde / in his book þat cleped is / the [¶ Ouidius de remedio amoris] remedie of loue / wher as he seith / [2167] he is a fool / that destourbeth the moder / to wepe / in the deth of hir child / til she haue wept hir fille / as for a certeyn tyme / [2168] and thanne shal man doon his diligence with amyable wordes / hire to reconforte / and preye hire / of

[6-text p 202] hir wepyng for to stynte / [2169] for which reson / this noble wyf Prudence / suffred hir housbonde / for to wepe & crye / as for a certeyn space / [2170] and whan she say hir tyme / she seyde hym in this wise ¶ Allas my lord quod she / why make ye your self for to be lyk a fool / [2171] for sothe / it aperteneth nat to a wys man / to maken swich a sorwe / [2172] yowre doghter / with the grace of god / shal warisshe and escape [2173] [folio 216b] And al were it so / þat she right now were deed / ye ne oghte nat as for hir deth / youre self destroye [2174] ¶ Senec [[S] neca] seith / the wise man shal nat take to greet disconfort for the deth of his children / [2175] but certes / he sholde suffren it in pacience / as wel / as he abideth the deth / of his owene propre persone

[2176] ¶ This Melibeus / answerde anon & seyde ¶ What man quod he / sholde of his wepyng stynte / that hath so gret a cause for to wepe ‖ [2177] Ihesu crist/ [[¶] qualiter Ihesus christus fleuit propter mortem lazari.] oure lord hym self / wepte / for the deth / of lazarus his freend [2178] ¶ Prudence answerde ¶ Certes wel I woot attempree wepynge / is no thyng defended / to hym þat sorweful is / amonges folk in sorwe / but it is rather / graunt|ed [¶ Apostolus ad Romanos.] hym to wepe [2179] ¶ The Apostle Poul / vn to the Romayns writeth ‖ Man shal reioysse with hem þat maken ioye / and wepen / with swich folk as wepen ‖ [2180] but thogh attempree wepyng be graunted / outrageous wepyng certes is defended ‖ [2181] Mesure of wepyng sholde be considered / after the loore þat techeth vs Senec [2182] ¶ Whan þat thy freend is deed quod he / lat nat thyne eyen / to moyste ben of terys / ne to muche drye / al thogh the teerys come to thyne eyen / lat hem nat falle / [2183] And whan thou hast forgoon thy freend / do dili|gence / to geten another freend / and this is moore wysdom / than for to wepe for thy freend / which þat thou hast lorn / for ther-Inne / is no boote / [2184] And ther-fore / if ye gouerne yow by sapience / put awey sorwe / out of youre herte / [2185] ¶ Remembre yow / þat Ihesus Syrak seith ‖

[6-text p 203] A man þat is ioyous and glad in herte /. it hym con|serueth florisshynge in his age / but soothly / sorweful herte / maketh his bones drye ‖ [2186] He seith eek thus /. þat sorwe in herte / sleeth ful many a man ‖ [2187] Sa|lomon seith / that right as Moththes in the Shepes flees / anoyeþ to the clothes / and the smale wormes to the tree /. right so anoyeth sorwe to the herte / [2188] wher-fore / vs oghte as wel in the deth of oure children / as in the losse of oure goodes temporels / haue pacience ‖

[2189] Remembre yow / vp on the pacient Iob / whan he hadde lost his children / and his temporel sub|stance and in his body endured & receyued ful many a greuous tribulacion / yet seide he thus ‖ [2190] Oure lord / hath [sente it me / oure lord hath] biraft it me / right so as oure lord hath wold / right so it is doon / yblessed be / the name of oure lord [2191] ¶ To thise forseyde thynges / answerde Melibeus / vn to his wif Prudence ‖ Alle thy wordes quod he been sothe / & ther to pro|fitable / but trewely / myn herte is troubled with this sorwe / so greuosly þat I noot what to doon [2192] ¶ lat calle quod Prudence / thy trewe freendes alle / & thy lynage / whiche þat [folio 217a] ben wise / telleth youre cas / & herkneth what they seye in conseylynge / & yow gouerne / after hir sentence [2193] ¶ Salomon seith / Werk alle thy thynges by conseil / & thow shalt neuere repente //

[2194] Thanne by the conseil of his wyf Prudence / this Melibeus leet callen a greet congregacion of folk / [2195] as Sirurgiens / Phisiciens / olde folk and yonge / & somme of hise olde enemys reconsiled / as by hir semblant to his loue / & in to his grace / [2196] And ther-with-al / þer coomen somme of hise neghebores / þat diden hym reuerence / moore for drede than for loue / as it happeth ofte ‖ [2197] ¶ Ther coomen also / ful manye subtile flaterers / and wise Aduocatz lerned in the lawe /

[2198] And whan this folk / togydre assembled weren / this Melibeus in sorweful wise / shewed hem his cas /

[6-text p 204] [2199] and by the manere of his speche / it semed þat in herte / he baar a cruel Ire / redy to doon venge|ance vp on his foos / and sodeynly desired / þat the werre sholde bigynne / [2200] but nathelees / yet axed he hir conseil vp on this matere ‖ [2201] A Sirurgien / by licence and assent of swiche as were wise / vp roos / & vn to Melibeus / seyde as ye may heere

[2202] ¶ Sire quod he / as to vs Sirurgiens aperteneth that we do to euery wight/ the beste þat we kan / where as we be withholden / and to oure pacientz / þat we do no damage / [2203] wher fore / it happeth many tyme & ofte / þat whan twey men han euerich wounded oother / o same Sirurgien heeleth hem bothe / [2204] wher-fore vn to oure Art it is nat pertinent to norice werre / ne parties to supporte / [2205] but certes / as to the warisshynge of youre doghter / al be it so / þat she perilously be wounded / we shullen do so ententif bisynesse fro day to nyght þat with the grace of god / she shal be hool & sound / as soone as is possible [2206] ¶ Almoost right in the same wise / the Phisiciens answerden / saue þat they seyden / a fewe wordes moore ‖ [2207] that right as maladyes ben cured by hir contraries / right so shal man warisshe werre by vengeance [2208] ¶ hise neghe|bores ful of enuye / hise feyned freendes / þat semeden reconsiled / hise flaterers [2209] maden semblant of wepyng. and empeyred / & agregged muchel of this matere / in preisynge gretly Melibe / of myght of power / of richesse / & of freendes / despisynge / the power of hise Aduersaries / [2210] and seyden outrely / þat he anon / sholde wreke hym on hise foos / and bigynne werre

[2211] ¶ Vp roos thanne an Aduocat þat was wys / by leue & by conseil / of othere þat weren wise / and seyde ‖ [2212] Lordynges / the nede. for the which we ben assembled in this place / is ful heuy thyng and an [folio 217b] heigh matere / [2213] by cause of the wrong & of the wikkednesse / that hath be doon / and eek by reson of the grete damages / þat

[6-text p 205] in tyme comynge been possible to fallen / for the same cause / [2214] And ek by reson / of the grete richesse & power of the parties bothe / [2215] for the whiche resons / it were a ful greet peril to erren in this matere [2216] ¶ wherfore Melibeus / this is oure sentence ‖ we conseile yow abouen alle thyng. þat right anon thow do diligence in kepynge of thy propre persone / in swich a wise / þat thow ne wante noon espye / ne wacche / thy body for to saue [2217] ¶ And after þat we conseille / þat in thyn hous / thow sette suffisant garnyson / so þat they may as wel / thy body / as thyn hous defende [2218] ¶ But certes / for to moeue werre / ne sodeynly for to doon vengeance / we may nat deme in so litel tyme / þat it were profit|able / [2219] Wherfore / we axen leyser & espace / to haue deliberacion in this cas to deme / [2220] for the commune prouerbe seyth this / he þat soone demeth / soone shal repente [2221] ¶ And eek men seyn / þat thilke Iuge is wys / þat soone vnderstondeth a matere / & Iuggeth by leyser / [2222] for al be it so þat al taryyng be anoyful / algates it is nat to repreue / in yeuyng of Iuggement / ne in vengeance takyng. whan it is suffisant and resonable / [2223] and that shewed oure lord Ihesu crist by en|sample / for whan þat the womman þat was taken in auoutrye / was broght in his presence / to knowen / what sholde be doon with hir persone / al be it þat he wiste wel hym self / what þat he wolde answere / yet ne wolde he / nat answere sodeynly / but he wolde haue deliberacion / and in the ground / he wroot twies / [2224] and by thise causes / we axen deliberacion / and we shul thanne / by the grace of god conseille thee / thyng that shal be profitable /

[2225] ¶ Vp stirten thanne / the yonge folk atones / and the mooste partie of that compaignye / han scorned / this olde wise man / and bigonnen to make noyse / & seyden / that [2226] right so / as whil þat Iren is hoot men sholde smyte? right so sholde men / wreken hir wronges / whil

[6-text p 206] þat they been / fresshe & newe / and with loud voys / they criden. Werre. werre ‖

[2227] Vp roos tho. oon of thise olde wise / & with his hand made contenance / þat men sholde holden hem stille / and yeuen hym audience [2228] ¶ Lordynges quod he / ther is ful many a man þat crieth werre. werre. þat woot ful litel / what werre amounteth ‖ [2229] Werre at his bigynnyng hath so greet an entree & so large [folio 218a] þat euery wight may entre whan hym liketh / & lightly fynde werre ‖ [2230] But certes what ende / þat ther-of shal falle / it is noght light to knowe ‖ [2231] for soothly / whan þat werre is ones bigonne / ther is ful many a child / vnborn of his moder / þat shal sterue yong by cause of thilke werre / or ellis lyue in sorwe / & dye in wrecchednesse / [2232] and ther fore / er þat any werre be bigonne / men moste haue gret conseil / & gret deliberacion [2233] ¶ And whan this olde man / wende to enforcen his tale by resons / wel neigh alle atones / bigonne they to rise / for to breken his tale / and beden hym ful ofte / hise wordes for to abregge / [2234] for sothly / he þat precheth to hem / þat listen nat heren hise wordes / hys sarmon / hem anoyeth ‖ [2235] ffor Ihesus Syrak seith /. That Musyk in wepynge / is a-noyous thyng This is to seyn / As muche auaileth / to speken biforn folk to whiche his speche anoyeth / as it is / to synge biforn hym þat wepeth ‖ [2236] And whan this wise man say þat hym wanted audience / al shamefast he sette hym doun agayn ‖ [2237] ffor Salomon seith / ther as thow / ne mayst haue non audience / enforce thee nat to speke [2238] ¶ I se wel quod this wise man / þat the comune prouerbe is sooth ‖ that good conseil wanteth / whan it is moost nede //

[2239] Yet hadde this Melibeus / in his conseil many folk / þat priuely in his ere / conseiled hym certeyn thyng. and conseiled hym the contrarie / in general audience

[2240] ¶ Whan Melibeus hadde herd / þat the gretteste

[6-text p 207] party of his conseil / were acorded / þat he sholde make werre / anon he consented / to hir conseilyng & fully affermed hir sentence / [2241] ¶ Thanne dame Prudence / whan þat she say / how þat hyr housbonde / shoope hym / for to wreke hym on his foos / & to bigynne werre / she in ful humble wise / whan she say hir tyme / seyde hym thise wordes [2242] ¶ My lord quod she / I you biseche / as hertely as I dar & kan / ne haste yow nat to faste / and for alle gerdons / as yif me audience ‖ [2243] ffor Piers Alfonce seith /. who so þat dooth to thee / outher good / or harm / haste thee nat to quiten it / for in this wise / thy freend wol abyde / and thyn enemy / shal the lenger lyue in drede ‖ [2244] The prouerbe seith / he hasteth wel / þat wysly kan abide / and in wikked haste / is no profit

[2245] ¶ This Melibe / answerde vn to his wyf Prudence ‖ I purpose nat quod he / to werken by thy conseil / for many causes and resons / ffor certes euery wight wolde holde me thanne a fool / [2246] this is to seyn / If I for thy conseilyng wolde chaunge [folio 218b] thynges þat ben ordeyned / & affermed / by so manye wise [2247] ¶ Sec|oundly I seye / þat alle wommen ben wikke / and noon good of hem alle / for of a thousand men / seith Salomon / I foond o good man / but certes of alle wommen / good womman foond I neuere [2248] ¶ And also certes / if I gouerned me by thy conseil / it sholde seme / þat I hadde yeue to thee ouer me the maistrie / and goddes forbode / þat it so were / [2249] ffor Ihesus Syrak seith / that if the wyf haue maistrie / she is contrarious / to hir housbonde [2250] ¶ And Salomon seith / Neuere in thy lyf / to thy wyf / ne to thy child / ne to thy freend / ne yif no power ouer thy self / ffor bettre it were / þat thy children axen of thy persone thynges þat hem nedeth / than thow see thy self in the handes of thy children [2251] ¶ And also / if I wolde werke by thy conseilyng certes my conseil / moste som tyme be secree / til it were tyme / þat it moste be

[6-text p 208] knowe / and this ne may nat be [2252. Car il est escript: la jenglerie des femmes ne puet riens céler fors ce qu'elle ne scet. [2253] Après, le philosophe dit: en mauvais conseil les femmes vainquent les hommes. Pour ces raisons je ne doy point user de ton conseil. MS of the first half of the 15th century in 'Le Ménagier de Paris,' i. 193, ed. 1846.]

[2254] ¶ Whan dame Prudence ful debonairly & with gret pacience hadde herd / al that hir housbonde liked for to seye / thanne axed she of hym / licence for to speke / and seyde in this wise [2255] ¶ My lord quod she / as to youre firste reson / certes it may lightly been answered / for I seye þat it is no folie to chaunge conseil / whan the thyng is chaunged / or ellis / whan the thyng semeth oother weys / than it was biforn [2256] ¶ And moore ouer I seye / þat thogh þat ye han sworn & bihight to parfourne youre emprise / & nathelees ye weyue to parfourne thilke same emprise by iuste cause / men sholde nat seyn therfore þat ye were a lyere / ne forsworn / [2257] for the book seith / þat the wise man / maketh no lesynge whan he turneth his corage to the bettre / [2258] And al be it so / þat youre emprise be establissed & ordeyned / by gret multitude of folk / yet thar ye nat accomplice thilke same ordinance / but yow like / [2259] for the trouthe of thynges & the profit ben rather founde in fewe folk / þat ben wise & ful of reson / than by gret multitude of folk ‖ ther euery man crieth & clatereth what þat hym liketh / soothly swich multitude / is nat honeste [2260] ¶ And to the seconde reson / where as ye seyn / þat alle wommen ben wikke / saue youre grace / certes ye despise alle wommen in this wyse / and he þat al despiseth / al displeseth / as seith the book. [2261] and Senec seith / that who so wole haue Sapi|ence / shal no man dispreise / but he shal gladly teche / the science þat he kan / withoute presumpcion or pride / [2262] and swiche thynges / as he noght ne kan / he shal nat ben ashamed to lerne hem & enquere [folio 219a] of lasse

[6-text p 209] folk than hym self [2263] ¶ And sire / þat ther hath be ful many a good womman / may lightly be preued / [2264] for certes sire / oure lord Ihesu crist wolde neuere han descended / to be born of a womman / if alle wommen hadde be wikke / [2265] And after that for the grete bountee þat is in wommen / oure lord Ihesu crist whan he was risen fro deth to lyf / appered rather to a womman / than to his apostles / [2266] And though þat Salomon seith / þat he ne foond neuere womman good / it folweth nat therfore / þat alle wommen ben wikke / [2267] for thogh þat he ne foond no good womman / certes many another man / hath founde many a womman ful good and trewe ‖ [2268] Or ellis per auenture / the entente of Salomon / was this / þat as in souereyn bountee / he foond no womman / [2269] this is to seyn / þat ther is no wight þat hath souereyn bountee / saue god allone / as he hym self recordeth / in his Euaun|gelie / [2270] for ther nys no creature so good / þat hym ne wanteth som what of the perfeccion of god / þat is his makere [2271] ¶ Youre thridde reson is this / ye seyn / þat if ye gouerne yow by my conseil / it sholde seme / þat ye hadde yeue me the maistrie and the lordshipe / ouer youre persone [2272] Sire sauf youre grace / it is nat so / for if so were / þat no man sholde be conseiled / but oonly of hem / þat hadde lordshipe & maistrie of his persone / men wolde nat ben conseiled so ofte / [2273] for soothly thilke man þat axeþ conseil of a purpos / yet hath he free choys / wheither he wole werke by that conseil / or noon [2274] ¶ And as to youre ferþe reson / ther ye seyn þat the Ianglerye of wommen / kan hide thynges that they woot nat / as who seith / þat a womman kan nat hide that þat she woot. [2275] Sire thise wordes been vnderstonde of wommen þat ben Iangleresses & wikked / [2276] of whiche wommen men seyn / þat thre thynges / dryuen a man out of his hous / that is to seyn / Smoke / droppyng of reyn / & wikked wyues / [2277] and

[6-text p 210] of swiche wommen seith Salomon / þat it were bettre dwellen in desert than with a womman þat is riotous / [2278] and sire by youre leue / þat am nat .I. / [2279] for ye han ful ofte assayed / my grete silence & my grete pacience / and eek how wel þat I kan hiden & hele thynges / þat men oghten secrely to hyde [2280] ¶ And soothly / as to youre fifthe reson / wher as ye seyn / þat in wikked con|seil / wommen venquysse men / god woot thilke reson / stant heere in no stede ‖ [2281] ffor vnderstond now /. ye axen conseil / to do wikkednesse / [2282] and if ye wol werke wikkednesse / and youre wyf restreyneþ þilke wikked [folio 219b] purpos / & ouercometh yow by reson and by good conseil / [2283] certes youre wyf oghte rather be preysed / than yblamed ‖ [2284] Thus sholde ye vnder|stonde the Philosophre / þat seith / In wikked conseil / wommen venquyssen hir housbondes [2285] ¶ And ther as ye blamen alle wommen / & hir resons / I shal shewe by manye ensamples / þat many a womman hath be ful good / and yet ben / & hir conseils holsom & profitable [2286] ¶ Eke som men han seyd / þat the conseilyng of wommen / is outher to deere / or ellis to litel of prys ‖ [2287] but al be it so / þat ful many a womman is badde / & hir conseil vile & noght worth; yet han men founde / ful many a good womman & ful discrete & wys in conseilynge [2288] ¶ Lo Iacob / by conseil of his moder Rebekka / wan the beneyson of Ysaak his fader / and the lordshipe ouer alle his bretheren [2289] ¶ Iudith by hir good conseil; deliuered the Citee of Bethulye in which she dwelled / out of þe handes of Olofernus þat hadde it biseged / & wolde it al destroye [2290] ¶ Abigail / deliuered Nabal hir housbonde / fro Dauid the kyng þat wolde han slayn hym / & apaised the Ire of the kyng by hir wit & by hir good conseil|yng [2291] ¶ Hester by hir good conseil / enhaunced gretly the peple of god in the regne of Assuerus the kyng. [2292] And the same bountee in good conseilyng of

[6-text p 211] many a good womman / may men telle [2293] ¶ And moore ouer / whan þat oure lord / hadde creat Adam oure forme fader / he seyde in this wise / [2294] It is nat goode to be / a man allone / make we to hym an help / semblable to hym self / [2295] ¶ Heere may ye se / þat if þat wommen were nat goode / & hir conseil / good & profitable / [2296] oure lord god of heuene / wolde neither han wroght hem / ne called hem help of man / but rather / confusion of man ‖ [2297] And ther seyde ones a clerk in two vers [[Note at bottom of leaf 219:— Auro quid melius./ iaspis; quid iaspis. sensus. Sensu quid./ Mulier; quid Muliere./ nichil;] ¶ What is bettre than gold / Iaspre / What is bettre than Iaspre / wisdom ‖ [2298] And what is bettre than wisdom / Womman / and what is bettre than good Womman / no thyng [2299] ¶ And sire / by manye of othere resons may ye seen / þat manye wommen ben goode / & hir conseil good & profitable; [2300] And ther fore sire / if ye wol truste to my conseil / I shal restore yow youre doghter / hool & sound / [2301] and eek / I wol doon to yow so muche / þat ye shul haue honour in this cause;

[2302] ¶ Whan Melibe hadde herd the wordes / of his wyf Prudence / he seyde thus [2303] ¶ I se wel / þat the word of Salomon / is sooth ‖. he seith / þat wordes þat ben spoken discretly by ordinance / beth honycombes / for they yeue swetnesse to the soule / & holsomnesse to the body ‖ [2304] And wyf / by cause of the swete [folio 220a] wordes / and eek for I haue assayed & preued / thy grete sapience & thy grete trouthe / I wol gouerne me by thy conseil / in alle thyng

[2305] ¶ Now sire / quod dame Prudence / and syn ye vouche sauf/ to been gouerned by my conseil / I wol enforme yow / how ye shal gouerne yow self/ in chesynge of youre conseilours [2306] ¶ Ye shal first in alle youre werkes / mekely biseken to the heighe god / þat he wol be youre conseillour / [2307] & shapeth yow to swich entente / þat he yeue yow conseil / & confort as taughte Thobie his sone ‖ [2308] At alle tymes / thow shalt blesse

[6-text p 212] god & praye hym to dresse thy weyes / and looke þat alle thy conseils ben in hym for euere moore [2309] ¶ Seint Iame eek seith ‖ If any of yow / haue nede of Sapience / axe it of god / [2310] and afterward thanne shal ye take conseil in your self / & examyne wel youre thoghtes / of swiche thynges as yow thynketh / þat is best for youre profit [2311] and thanne shal ye dryue fro youre herte / thre thynges / that been contrariouse to good conseil / [2312] that is to seyn / Ire / Coueitise / & hastynesse

[2313] ¶ ffirst he þat axeth conseil of hym self / certes he moste be with-outen Ire / for many causes [2314] ¶ The firste is this ‖ he þat hath greet Ire & wrathe in hym self / he weneth alwey þat he may do thyng þat he may nat do ‖ [2315] And secoundly / he þat is Irous & wroþ / he ne may nat wel deme / [2316] and he þat may nat wel deme / may nat wel conseille ‖ [2317] The thridde is this / that he þat is Irous & wroþ as seith Senek ne may nat speke / but blameful thynges / [2318] and with hise viciouse wordes / he stireth oother folk to angre / & to Ire // [2319] And eek sire / ye moste dryue coueitise / out of youre herte / [2320] ffor the Apostle seith / þat Coueitise / is the roote of alle harmes / [2321] and trust wel / þat a coueitous man ne kan nat deme / ne thenke / but oonly to fulfille the ende of his coueitise / [2322] & certes / that ne may neuere been acompliced / for euere the moore habundance þat he hath of richesse / the moore he desireth [2323] ¶ And sire / ye moste also / dryue out of youre herte / hastifnesse / for certes [2324] ye may nat deme for þe beste / a sodeyn thoght þat falleth in youre herte / but ye moste auyse yow on it ful ofte [2325] for as ye herde her biforn / the comune prouerbe is this / that he / þat soone demeth / soone repenteth

[2326] Sire ye ne ben nat alwey / in lyke disposicion / [2327] for certes / som thyng þat som tyme semeth to yow / þat it is good for to do / another tyme / it semeth to yow the contrarie /

[6-text p 213]

[2328] whan ye han taken conseil in your self / and han demed by good deliberacion/ swich thyng/ as yow semeth best [2329] ¶ Thanne rede I yow / þat ye kepe it secree / [2330] biwrey nat youre conseil / to no persone / but if so be þat ye wenen [folio 220b] sikerly / þat thurgh yowre bywreyyng youre condicion shal ben to yow moore profitable ‖ [2331] ffor Ihesus Syrak seith ‖ Neither to thy foo ne to thy freend / discouere nat thy secree / ne thy folie / [2332] for they wol yeue yow audience / & lokyng & supportacion in thy presence / & scorne thee in thyn absence [2333] ¶ Another clerk seith / þat scarsly shaltow fynden any persone / þat may kepe conseil secrely [2334] ¶ The book seith / whil þat thow kepest thy conseil in thyn herte / thow kepest it in thy prison / [2335] And whan thow biwreyest thy conseil to any wight he holdeth thee in his snare / [2336] And therfore yow is bettre to hide youre conseil in youre herte / than preyen hym / to whom ye haue biwreyed youre conseil / þat he wol kepen it cloos & stille [2337] ¶ ffor Seneca seith / If so be / þat thou ne mayst nat thyn owene conseil hyde / how dorstow preyen any oother wight thy conseil secrely to kepe ‖ [2338] But nathelees / if thow wene sikerly / þat thy biwreyyng of thy conseil to a persone / wol maken thy condicion / to stonden in the bettre plyt thanne shaltow telle hym thy conseil / in this wise [2339] ¶ ffirst thow shalt make no semblant/ wheither thee were leuere / pees or werre / or this / or that / ne shewe hym nat thy wyl & thyn entente / [2340] for trust wel þat comunely / thise conseillours ben flaterers / [2341] namely / the conseillours of grete lordes / [2342] for they enforcen hem alwey / rather to speke plesante wordes / enclynynge to the lordes lust than wordes þat ben trewe / or profitable / [2343] And therfore men seyn / þat the riche man hath selde good con|seil / but if he haue it of hym self / [2344] And after that thow shalt considere thy freendes / & thyne enemys / [2345] And as touchynge thy freendes / thow shalt con|sidere

[6-text p 214] / whiche of hem þat been moost feithfulle / & moost wise / & eldest & moost approued in conseillyng [2346] and of hem / shaltow axe thy conseil / as the cas requyreth

[2347] ¶ I seye / þat first ye shul clepe to youre con|seyl / youre freendes / þat ben trewe ‖ [2348] ffor Salomon seith / þat right as the herte of a man / deliteth in sauour þat is soote; right so the conseil of trewe freendes / yeueth swetnesse to the soule / [2349] ¶ He seith also / ther may no thyng be likned to the trewe freend / [2350] for certes / gold ne siluer / ben noght so muche worth / as the goode wyl / of a trewe freend ‖ [2351] And eek he seith / þat a trewe freend is a strong defense / who so þat it fyndeth / certes he fyndeth a gret tresor [2352] ¶ Thanne shul ye eek considere / if þat youre trewe freendes been discrete & wise / for the book seith ‖ Axe alwey thy conseil / of hem þat been wise / [2353] And by this same [folio 221a] reson / shul ye clepen to youre conseil / of yowre freendes / þat ben of age / swiche as han seighen / & ben expert of manye thynges / & ben approued in conseilynges / [2354] ffor the book seiþ / þat in olde men is the sapience / and in longe tyme the prudence [2355] ¶ And Tullius seith / þat grete thynges / ne ben nat ay acompliced by strengthe / ne by delyuernesse of body / but by good conseil / by Auctoritee of persones / & by Science / the whiche thre thynges / ne been nat fieble by age / but certes they enforcen / and en|cressen day by day [2356] And thanne shal ye kepe this / for a general rule ‖ ffirst shal ye clepe to youre conseil / a fewe of youre freendes / þat ben especiale ‖ [2357] ffor Salomon seith / manye freendes / haue thow / but among a thousand / chees thee oon / to be thy conseil|lour / [2358] for al be it so / þat thow first ne telle thy conseil / but to a fewe / thow mayst afterward telle it to mo folk if it be nede / [2359] but looke alwey þat thy conseillours haue thilke thre condicions / þat I haue seyd

[6-text p 215] bifore / that is to seye / þat they be trewe / wise / and of old experience / [2360] And werk nat alwey in euery nede / by o conseillour allone / for som tyme bihoueth it to be conseiled by manye / [2361] for Salomon seith / Saluacion of thynges / is wher as ther ben manye conseilours

[2362] ¶ Now sith þat I haue told yow / of which folk ye sholde be conseilled / now wol I teche yow / which conseil ye oghte eschue [2363] ¶ ffirst ye shul eschue / the conseillyng of fooles / for Salomon seith / take no con|seil of a fool / for he ne kan nat conseille / but after his owene lust and his affeccion / [2364] ¶ The book seith / that the propretee of a fool is this ‖ he troweþ lightly / harm of euery wight & lightly troweth alle bountee in hym self // [2365] Tow shalt eek eschue / the conseillyng of alle flaterers / swiche as enforcen hem rather to preise youre persone by flaterye / than for to telle yow the sooth|fastnesse of thynges

[2366] ¶ Wherfore Tullius seith / Among alle the pestilences þat been in frendshipe / the gretteste is fiaterye / And therfore is it moore nede / þat thow eschue & drede flaterers / than any oother peple ‖ [2367] The book seith / thow shalt rather drede & flee fro the swete wordes / of flaterynge preiseres / than fro the egre wordes of thy freend / that seith thee thy sothes [2368] ¶ Salomon seith / that the wordes of a flaterere / is a Snare to cacchen Innocentz ‖ [2369] He seith also / þat he þat speketh to his freend / wordes of swetnesse / and of [folio 221b] plesance / setteth a Net biforn his feet to cacchen hym ‖ [2370] And therfore / seith Tullius ‖ Enclyne nat thyne erys to flatereres / ne tak no conseil / of wordes of flaterye [2371] ¶ And Caton seith ‖ Auyse thee wel / & eschue wordes of swetnesse & of plesance [2372] ¶ And eek thow shalt eschue / the conseillyng of thynne olde enemys þat ben reconsiled ‖ [2373] The book seith / that no wight retourneth saufly in to the

[6-text p 216] grace of his olde enemy ‖ [2374] And Ysope seith / Ne trust nat to hem / to whiche / thow hast had som tyme werre / or enemytee / ne telle hem nat thy conseil ‖ [2375] And Seneca / telleth the cause why ‖ It may nat be seith he / that where as greet fyr / hath longe tyme endured / þat ther ne dwelleth som vapour of warmnesse ‖ [2376] And ther fore seith Salomon ‖ In thyn olde foo / trust neuere / [2377] for sikerly / thogh thyn enemy be reconsiled / & maketh thee / cheere of humylitee / & louteth to thee with his heed / ne trust hym neuere / [2378] for certes / he maketh thilke feyned humylitee / moore for his profit than for any loue of thy persone / by cause þat he dem|eth / to haue victorie ouer thy persone / by swich feyned continance / the which victorie / he myghte nat haue / by strif or werre [2379] ¶ And Peter Alfonce seith ‖ Make no felaweshipe / with thyne olde enemys / for if thow do hem bountee / they wol peruerten it in to wikkednesse [2380] ¶ And eek thou most eschue / the conseillyng of hem þat ben thy seruantz / & beren thee gret reuerence / for perauenture / they seyn it moore / for drede than for loue / [2381] & therfore / seith a Philosophre / in this wise ‖ Ther is no wight perfitly trewe / to hym / þat he to soore dredeth ‖ [2382] And Tullius seith / Ther nys no myght so gret / of any Emperour / þat longe may endure / but if he haue moore loue of the peple than drede [2383] ¶ Thou shalt also eschue the conseillyng of folk þat ben dronkelewe ‖ for they ne kan no conseil hyde ‖ [2384] ffor Salomon seith / Ther is no priuetee / ther as regneth dronkenesse [2385] ¶ Ye shal also han in suspect the conseilyng of swich folk as conseile yow a thyng priuely / & conseille yow / the contrarie openly ‖ [2386] ffor Cassiodorie seith / That it is a manere sleighte to hyndre / whan he sheweth to doon a thyng openly / and werketh pryuely the contrarie [2387] ¶ Thow shalt also haue in suspect the conseilyng of wikked folk ‖ ffor the book seith / The conseilyng of wikked folk is alwey ful

[6-text p 217] of fraude ‖ [2388] And Dauid seith ‖ Blisful is that man / þat hath nat folwed the conseilyng of sherewes [2389] ¶ Thow shalt also eschue [folio 222a] the conseilyng of yong folk / for hir conseil is nat rype

[2390] ¶ Now sire / sith I haue shewed yow / of which folk ye shul take youre conseil / and of which folk ye schul folwe the conseil ‖. [2391] now wol I teche yow / how ye shul examyne youre conseil / after the doctrine of Tullius [2392] ¶ In the examynynge thanne of youre conseillour / ye shul considere many thynges // [2393] Alderfirst / thou shalt considere / þat in thilke thyng þat thow purposest / & vp on what thyng thow wolt haue conseil / þat verray trouthe / be seyd & conserued / this is to seyn / telle trewely thy tale / [2394] for he þat seith fals / may nat wel be conseiled / in that cas / of which he lyeth [2395] ¶ And after this / thow shalt considere / the thynges þat acorden / to that thow purposest for to do / by thy conseil|lours / if reson acorde ther to / [2396] and eek if thy myght may atteyne ther to / and if the moore part & the bettre part of thy conseillours / acorde ther to / or no [2397] ¶ Thanne shaltow considere / what thyng shal folwe of that conseilyng as hate / pees / werre / grace / profit or damage / & many othere thynges / [2398] And in alle thise thynges / thow shalt chese the beste / and weyue alle othere thynges [2399] ¶ Thanne shaltow considere / of what roote is engendred the matere of thy conseil / and what fruyt it may conceyue & engendre [2400] ¶ Thow shalt eek considere alle thise causes / from whennes they ben sprongen ‖ [2401] And whan ye haue examyned youre conseil / as I haue seyd / & which partie is the bettre & moore profitable / & han approued it / by manye wise folk & olde; [2402] thanne shaltow considere / if thou mayst parforme it / & maken of it a good ende [2403] ¶ ffor reson wol nat þat any man sholde bigynne a thyng. but if he myghte parforme it / as hym oghte ‖ [2404] Ne no wight sholde

[6-text p 218] take vp on hym so heuy charge / þat he myghte nat beren it ‖ [2405] ffor the prouerbe seith /. he þat to muche embraceth / destreyneth litel ‖ [2406] And Caton seith / Assay to do swich thyng as thow hast power to doon / lest þat the charge / oppresse thee so soore / þat thee bihoueth / to weyue thyng þat thow hast bigonne ‖ [2407] And if so be / þat thow be in doute / wheither thow mayst parfourne a thyng / or noon; chees rather to suffre / than bigynne / [2408] ‖ And Peter Alfonce seith ¶ If thow hast myght to doon a thyng of which thow most repente / it is bettre / nay / than ye / [2409] this is to seyn / þat thee is bettre / to holde thy tonge stille / than for to speke [2410] ¶ Thanne may ye vnderstonde by strenger resons / þat if thow hast power / to [folio 222b] parforme a werk of which thow shalt repente / thanne is it bettre þat thow suffre / than bigynne ‖ [2411] wel seyn they / þat defenden euery wight to assaye / a thyng of which he is in doute / wheither he may parforme it or no [2412] ¶ And after / whan ye haue examyned youre conseil / as I haue seyd biforn / & knowen wel þat ye may par|forme youre emprise / conferme it thanne sadly / til it be at an ende

[2413] ¶ Now it is reson and tyme / þat I shewe yow / whanne & wherfore / þat ye may chaunge youre conseil|lours / with oute youre reproue ‖ [2414] Soothly / man may chaungen his purpos / and his conseil / if the cause cesseth / or whan a newe cas bitideth ‖ [2415] for the lawe seith / þat vp on thynges / þat newely bitideth / bihoueth newe conseil [2416] ¶ And Seneca seith ‖ If thy conseil is come / to the erys of thyn enemy / chaunge thy conseil [2417] ¶ Thow mayst also chaunge thy conseil / if so be þat thou fynde þat by errour / or by oother cause / harm / or damage / may bityde [2418] ¶ Also / if thy conseil be deshoneste / or ellis cometh of deshoneste cause / chaunge thy conseil ‖ [2419] for the lawes seyn / that alle bihestes / þat ben deshoneste / ben of no value /

[6-text p 219] [2420] And eek if it so be / þat it be inpossible / or may nat goodly be performed / or kept ‖

[2421] And take this / for a general rule ‖ That euery conseil / þat is affermed so strongly / þat it may nat be chaunged / for no condicion / þat may bityde / .I seye that thilke conseil is wikked

[2422] ¶ This Melibeus / whan he hadde herd / the doc|trine of his wyf/ Dame Prudence / answerde in this wise [2423] ¶ Dame quod he / as yet in to this tyme / ye han wel & couenably taught me / as in general / how I shal gouerne me / in chesynge / & in the withholdyng of my conseillours ‖ [2424] But now wolde I fayn / þat ye wolde condescenden in especial / [2425] & telle me how liketh yow / or what semeth yow / by oure conseillours / þat we han chosen in oure present nede

[2426] My lord quod she / I biseke yow / in al hum|blesse / þat ye wol nat wilfully / replye ayein my resons / ne distempre youre herte / thogh I speke thyng þat yow displese / [2427] for god woot þat as in myn entente / I speke it for youre beste / for youre honour / & for youre profit eke / [2428] And soothly I hope / þat youre be|nygnytee / wol taken it in pacience [2429] ¶ Trusteth me wel quod she / þat youre conseil / as in this cas / ne sholde nat as to speke proprely / be called a conseilyng but a mocion or a moeuyng of folie / [2430] in which conseil / ye han erred / in many a sondry wise

[2431] ¶ ffirst & forward / ye han erred / in the assem|blyng of youre conseillours / [2432] for ye sholde first han clepid a [folio 223a] fewe folk/ to youre conseil / and after / ye myghte han shewed it to mo folk if it hadde be nede [2433] ¶ But certes / ye han sodeynly clepid to youre con|seil / a gret multitude of peple / ful chargeant/ & ful anoyous for to heere [2434] ¶ Also ye han erred / for ther as ye sholde oonly / han clepid to youre conseil / youre trewe freendes / olde / & wise / [2435] ye han yclepid straunge folk. yong folk / false flatereres / & enemys

[6-text p 220] reconsiled / & folk/ þat doon yow reuerence withouten loue [2436] ¶ And eek also / ye han erred / for ye han broght with yow / to youre conseil./ Ire / Coueitise / & hastifnesse /. [2437] the whiche thre thynges / ben contra|riouse / to euery conseil honeste / & profitable /. [2438] the whiche thre thynges / ye han nat anientissed / or destroyed hem / neither in youre self ne in youre conseillours / as ye oghte / ‖ [2439] ¶ Ye han erred also / for ye han shewed to youre conseillours / youre talent & youre affeccion / to make werre anon / & for to do vengeance / [2440] they han espied by youre wordes / to what thyng ye ben enclyned ‖ [2441] And ther-fore / han they conseilled yow / rather / to youre talent than to youre profit [2442] ¶ Ye han erred also / for it semeth / þat yow suffiseth / to han ben con|seilled / by thise conseilours oonly / & with litel auys / [2443] wher as in so gret & so heigh a nede / it hadde ben necessarie / mo conseilours / & moore deliberacion / to performe youre emprise [2444] ¶ Ye han erred also / for ye ne han nat examyned youre conseil in the forseyde manere / ne in due manere / as the cas requyreth [2445] ¶ Ye han erred also / for ye han maked no diuision bitwixe youre conseilours / this is to seyn / bytwixe youre trewe freendes / & youre feyned conseilours / [2446] ne ye ne haue nat knowe thewyl / of youre trewe freendes / olde / and wise / [2447] but ye han cast alle hir wordes / in an hochepot & enclyned youre herte / to the moore part & to the gretter nombre / & ther be ye condescended ‖ [2448] And sith ye woot wel / þat men shal alwey fynde / a gretter nombre of foolis / than of wise men / [2449] and therfore / the conseils þat ben at congregacions / and mul|titudes of folk/ ther as men take moore reward / to the nombre / than to the sapience of persones / [2450] ye se wel / þat in swyche conseillynges / foolis han the maistrie [2451] ¶ Melibeus answerde agayn / and seyde / I graunte wel þat I haue erred / [2452] but ther as thow hast toold me her biforn / þat he ne is nat to blame / þat chaungeth his con|seillours

[6-text p 221] / in certeyn cas / & for certeyne Iuste causes / [2453] I am al redy / to chaunge my conseilours / right as thow wolt deuyse ‖ [2454] The prouerbe seith / that for to do synne / is mannyssh [humanum] / but certes / for to perseuere longe in synne [folio 223b] is werk of the deuel

[2455] ¶ To this sentence / answerde anon dame Pru|dence / & seyde ‖ [2456] Examyneth quod she youre con|seil / & lat vs se / the whiche of hem / han spoken moost resonably / & taught yow best conseil / [2457] And for as muche / as þat the examinacion is necessarie / lat vs bigynne / at the Sirurgiens / and at the Phisiciens / þat first speeken in this matere ‖ [2458] I sey yow þat the Sirurgiens & Phisiciens / han seyd yow in youre con|seil / discretly / as hem oghte / [2459] And in hir speche / seyden ful wysly / that to the office of hem / aperteneth / to doon to euery wight honour & profit. and no wight to anoye / [2460] and after hir craft to doon gret diligence vn-to the cure of hem / whiche þat they han in hir gouern|ance [2461] ¶ And sire / right as they han answered wysly & discretly / [2462] right so rede .I. / þat they be heighly & souereynly gerdoned / for hir noble speche / [2463] and eek for they shullen / do the moore ententif bisynesse / in the curacion of thy doghter deere ‖ [2464] ffor al be it so / that they ben youre freendes / therfore shal ye nat suffren / þat they serue you for noght. [2465] but ye oghte / the rather gerdone hem / & shewen hem youre largesse ‖ [2466] And as touchynge the proposicion / which þat the Physiciens / encresceden in this cas / this is to seyn / [2467] that in maladies / that a contrarie / is warisshed / by another contrarie [2468] I wolde fayn knowe / how ye vnderstande thilke text & what is youre sentence [2469] ¶ Certes quod Melibeus / I vnderstonde it in this wise ‖ [2470] that right as they han doon me a contrarie / right so / sholde I / doon hem another / [2471] for right as they han venged hem on me / & doon me wrong right so / shal I venge me vp-on hem /

[6-text p 222] & doon hem wrong [2472] & thanne haue I cured / a contrarie by another

[2473] ¶ Lo / lo / quod dame Prudence / how lightly is euery man enclyned / to his owene desir / and to his owene plesance ‖ [2474] Certes quod she / the wordes of the Phisiciens / ne sholde nat han ben vnderstonden / in that wise ‖ [2475] for certes wikkednesse / is nat contrarie to wikkednesse / ne vengeance / to vengeance / ne wrong to wrong but they ben semblable ‖ [2476] And ther|fore / .o. vengeance is nat warisshed / by another venge|ance / ne .o. wrong by another wrong [2477] but euerich of hem encresceth / & aggreggeth oother [2478] ¶ But certes / the wordes of thise Phisiciens / sholde ben vnderstonde / in this wise ‖ [2479] ffor good & wikked|nesse / ben two contraries / and pees & werre / venge|ance & suffrance / discord & acord / and many othere thynges ‖ [2480] But certes / wikked / shal be warisshed by goodnesse / discord. by acord / werre. by pees / and so forth of othere thynges ‖ [2481] And her to / acordeth Seynt [folio 224a] Poul the Apostle / in many places / [2482] he seith / Ne yeldeth noght harm for harm / ne wikked speche / for wikked speche / [2483] but do wel / to hym þat dooth to thee harm / & blesse hym / þat seith to thee harm / [2484] And in manye othere places / he amonesteth pees & acord [2485] ¶ But now wol I speke to yow / of the con|seil / which þat was yeuen to yow / by the men of lawe / & the wise folk [2486] þat seyden alle by oon acord / as ye han herd bifore ‖ [2487] That ouer alle thynges / ye shal do youre diligence to kepe youre persone / & to warnestore youre hous / [2488] & seyden also / þat in this cas ye oghten for to werke / ful auysely / & with greet deliberacion [2489] ¶ And sire / as to the firste point that toucheth / to the kepyng of youre persone / [2490] ye shul vnderstonde / that he þat hath werre / shal euere moore deuoutly & mekely / preyen / byforn alle thynges / [2491] þat Ihesus crist of his mercy / wol

[6-text p 223] han hym in his proteccion / & ben his souereyn helpyng at his nede [2492] ¶ for certes in this world / ther is no wight þat may be conseilled ne kept suffisantly / with oute the kepyng of oure lord Ihesu Crist [2493] ¶ To this sentence / acordeth the prophete Dauid / that seith / [2494] If god ne kepe Citee / in ydel / waketh he þat it kepeth [2495] ¶ Now syre / thanne shul ye / committe the kepyng of youre persone / to youre trewe freendes / þat been approued and yknowe / [2496] & of hem / shul ye axen help / youre persone for to kepe ‖ ffor Caton seith / If thou hast nede of helpe / axe it of thy freendes / [2497] for ther nys noon so good a Phisicien / as thy trewe freend [2498] ¶ And after this / thanne shul ye kepe yow / fro alle straunge folk & fro lyeres / & haue alwey / in suspect hir compaignye [2499] ¶ ffor Piers Alfonce seith / Ne taak no compaignye / by the wey / of a straunge man / but if so be / þat thow haue knowe hym / of a lenger tyme / [2500] And if so be / þat he falle in-to thy compaignye / par|auenture / with-outen thyn assent. [2501] enquere thanne / as subtilly as thow mayst of his conuersacion / & of his lyf bifore / And feyne thy wey / Sey þat thow wolt go thider / as thow wolt nat go / [2502] And if he bereth a spere / hoold thee on the right syde / And if he bere a swerd / hoold thee on the left syde [2503] ¶ And after this / thanne shal ye kepe yow wysly / from al swich manere peple / as I haue seyd bifore / & hem & hir conseil eschewe [2504] ¶ And after this / thanne shal ye kepe yow in swich manere / [2505] that for any presumpcion of youre strengthe / þat ye ne despise nat ne attempte nat the myght of youre Aduersarie / so lite / þat ye lete / the kepyng of youre persone / for youre presumpcion / [2506] for euery wys man / dredeth his enemy [2507] And Salomon seyth [folio 224b] ¶ Weleful is he / þat of alle hath drede ‖ [2508] ffor certes he þat thurgh the hardynesse of his herte / & thurgh the hardynesse of hym self hath to gret presumpcion / hym shal yuel bityde [2509] ¶ Thanne

[6-text p 224] shal ye euere mo countrewayte emboyssementz & al espiaille [2510] ¶ ffor Senek seith / þat the wise man þat dredeth harmes / escheweth harmes / [2511] ne he ne falleth in-to perils / þat perils escheweth / [2512] And al be so / þat it seme / þat thow art in siker place; yet shaltow alwey do thy diligence / in kepyng of thy persone / [2513] this is to seyn / ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone / nat oonly fro thy grettest enemys / but fro thy leeste enemy [2514] ¶ Senek seith ‖ A man þat is wel auysed / he dredeth his leste enemy ‖ [2515] Ouyde seith ‖ that the litel wesele / wol slee the grete Bole / & the wilde hert [2516] ¶ And the book seith / a litel thorn may prikke a kyng ful soore / And an hound / wol holde the wilde boor ‖ [2517] But nathelees / I sey nat/ thow shalt be so coward / þat thow doute / ther / wher as is no drede ‖ [2518] The book seith / that som folk haue gret lust to deceyue / but yet they dreden hem / to be de|ceyued / [2519] yet shaltow drede / to been empoysoned / & kepe thee / from the compaignye of scorneres / [2520] ¶ ffor the book seith / with Scorneres / make no compaignye / but flee hire wordes / as venym

[2521] ¶ Now as to the seconde point where as youre wise conseilours / conseiled yow / to warnestore youre hous with gret diligence;/ [2522] I wolde fayn knowe / how þat ye vnderstonde thilke wordes / & what is youre sentence

[2523] ¶ Melibeus answerde & seyde ‖ Certes / I vnder|stonde it in this wise / that I shal warnestore myn hous / with toures / swiche as han Castelles / & othere manere edifices / & armure / & Artelries / [2524] by whiche thynges / I may my persone & myn hous / so kepen & defenden / þat myne enemys shul been in drede / myn hous for to approche

[2525] ¶ To thys sentence / answerde anon Prudence ‖ Warnestoryng quod she of heighe toures / & of grete edifices / [appartiennent aucune foiz a orgeul [2526] Aprez len fait les tours et les edifices ( [MS Reg. 19 C xi folio 58a:2] )]

[6-text p 225] with grete costages / & with gret trauaille / and whan þat they been accompliced / yet be they nat worth a stree / but if they been defended / by trewe freendes / that been oolde / and wise [2527] ¶ And vnderstonde wel / þat the gretteste / and the strengeste garnyson / þat ryche man may haue / as wel / to kepen his persone / as his goodes; is [2528] þat he be biloued with his subgetz and with his neighebores [2529] ¶ ffor thus seith Tullius / that ther is a manere garneson / þat no man may venquyse ne discomfite / and þat [folio 225a] is / [2530] a lord / to be biloued / of his Citezeins / and of his peple

[2531] ¶ Now sire / as to the .iij.^e poynt wher as youre olde and wise conseilours / seiden / þat yow ne oghte nat sodeynly / ne hastily / proceden in this nede / [2532] but þat yow oghte purueien and apparailen yow in this cas / with greet diligence and greet deliberacion; [2533] trewely / I trowe þat they seyden right wisely / and right sooth [2534] ¶ ffor Tullius seith ‖ In euery nede / er thow bigynne it apparayle thee / with greet diligence ‖ [2535] thanne seye I / þat in vengeance takynge / in werre / in bataile / and in warnestorynge / [2536] er thow bigynne / I rede þat thow apparaile thee ther-to / and do it with greet deliberacion [2537] ¶ ffor Tullius seith / that long apparailynge biforn the bataile / maketh short victorie ‖ [2538] And Cassidorus seith / the garneson is strenger / whan it is long tyme auysed

[2539] ¶ But now lat vs speke of the conseil þat was acorded by youre neighebores swiche as doon yow reuerence / with-outen loue / [2540] youre olde enemys recon|siled / youre flaterers / [2541] þat conseileden yow cer|teyne thynges pryuely / and openly conseileden yow the contrarie ‖ [2542] The yonge folk also / þat conseileden yow / to venge yow / and make werre anoon; [2543] And certes sire / as I haue seyd biforn ‖ ye han greetly erred / to han clepid swich maner folk/ to youre conseil / [2544] whiche conseilours been ynow repreued bi the resons foreseyd / [2545] but nathelees / lat vs now descende to

[6-text p 226] the special ¶ Ye shuln first proceden after the doctryne of Tullius ‖ [2546] Certes / the trouthe of this matere / or of this conseil / nedeth nat/ diligently enquere / [2547] for it is wel wist whiche they been / that han doon to yow / this trespas and vileynye / [2548] and how manye trespasours / and in what manere / they han to yow doon al this wrong and al this vileynye [2549] ¶ And after this / thanne shulle ye examyne the .ij.^e condicion / which þat the same Tullius addeth in this matere / [2550] for Tullius put a thyng/ which þat he clepeth consentynge / this is to seyn / [2551] who been they and whiche been they / and how manye þat consenten to thy conseil in thy wilfulnesse / to do hastif vengeance / [2552] And lat vs considere also / who been they and how manye been they / and whiche been they / þat consenteden / to youre Aduersaries [2553] ¶ And certes / as to the firste poynt it is wel knowen whiche folk been they / þat consenteden / to youre hastif wilful|nesse / [2554] for trewely alle tho / þat conseileden yow to maken sodeyn werre / ne been nat youre freendes ‖ [2555] Lat vs now considere whiche been they þat ye holde so greetly youre freendes / as to youre persone / [2556] for al be it so / þat ye be myghty and ryche; certes / ye ne been / but [folio 225b] allone / [2557] for certes / ye ne han no child but a doghter / [2558] ne ye ne han bretheren / ne cosyns germayns / ne noon oother ney kynrede / [2559] wherfore / þat youre enemys / for drede sholden stynte / to plede with yow / or destroye youre persone [2560] ¶ Ye knowe also / þat youre richesses / moten be despended in diuerse parties / [2561] and whan þat euery wight hath his part they ne wollen take but litel reward / to venge thy deeth ‖ [2562] but thyne enemys / been .iij.^e and they han manye children /bretheren / cosyns / and oother ney kynrede / [2563] and thogh so were / thow haddest slayn of hem .ij.^o or .iij.^e yet dwellen ther ynowe / to wreken hir deeth / and to sle thy persone ‖ [2564] and thogh so be / þat youre kynrede be moore syker and stedefast than

[6-text p 227] the kyn of youre aduersarie; / [2565] yet nathelees / youre kynrede / nys but a fer kynrede / they been / but litel syb to yow / [2566] and the kyn of youre enemys / been ney syb to hem / and certes as in that hir condicion / is bet than youres [2567] ¶ Thanne / lat vs considere also / if the conseilynge / of hem þat conseileden yow to taken sodeyn vengeance / wheither it acorde to reson; [2568] And certes / ye knowe wel nay; [2569] for as by right and reson / ther may no man take vengeance on no wight but the Iuge þat hath the Iurisdiccion of it [2570] whan it is ygraunted hym to take thilke vengeance hastily / or at|temprely / as the lawe requereth [2571] ¶ And yet more ouer / of thilke word / that Tullius clepith / consentynge; [2572] thow shalt considere / if thy myght and thy power may consente and suffise / to thy wilfulnesse and to thy conseilours / [2573] And certes / thow mayst wel seyn / that nay / [2574] for sikerly as for to speke proprely / we may do no thyng but oonly swich thyng as we may do rightfully / [2575] and certes / rightfully ne mowe ye take no vengeance / as of youre propre auctoritee / [2576] thanne mowe ye seen / that youre power ne consenteth nat/ ne acordeth nat with youre wilfulnesse [2577] ¶ Lat vs now examyne the .iij.^e poynt that Tullius clepith Consequent ‖ [2578] Thow shalt vnderstande / that the vengeance þat thow purposest for to taken / is the conse|quent [2579] and ther-of folweth another vengeance / peril / and werre / and othere damages with-oute nombre / of whiche / we been nat waar / as at this tyme [2580] ¶ And as touchynge the .iiij.^e poynt that Tullius clepith en|gendrynge / [2581] thow shalt considere / that this wrong which that is doon to thee / is engendred / of the hate of thyne enemys / [2582] and of the vengeance takynge vp-on that wolde engendre another vengeance / and muchil sorwe / and wastynge of richesses / [folio 226a] as I seyde

[2583] ¶ Now sire / as touchynge to the poynt that Tul|lius clepith causes / which þat is the laste poynt; [2584] thow

[6-text p 228] shalt vnderstonde / þat the wrong þat thow hast receyued / hath certeyne causes / [2585] whiche þat clerkes clepen Oriens and Efficiens / and Causa longinqua / and causa propinqua / this is to seyn; the fer cause / and the ny cause / [2586] the fer cause / is almyghty god that is cause of alle thynges ‖ [2587] the neer cause / is thy thre enemys / [2588] the cause accidental / was hate / [2589] the cause material / been the .v. woundes of thy doghter / [2590] the cause formal / is the manere of hir werkynge / that broghten laddres and clomben In at thy wyndowes / [2591] the cause final / was for to sle thy doghter / it lettyd nat / in as muche as was in hem was ‖ [2592] but for to speke of the fer cause; as to what ende they shul come /; or what shal finally bityde of hem in this cas; ne kan I nat deme / but by coniectynge and by supposynge / [2593] for we shuln suppose / that they shul come to a wikked ende / [2594] by cause / þat the book of decrees seith ¶ Selden / or with greet peyne been causes ybroght to good ende / whan they been baddely bigonne

[2595] ¶ Now sire / if men wolden axe me / why þat god suffrede men to do yow this vileynye; certes I kan nat wel answere / as for no soothfastnesse ‖ [2596] for the Apostle seith / that the sciences and the Iugementz of oure lord god almyghty / been ful depe / [2597] ther may no man comprehende ne serchen hem suffisantly [2598] ¶ Nathelees / by certeyne presumpcions and coniectynges / I holde & bileue / [2599] that god / which þat is ful of Iustice and of rightwisnesse / hath suffred this bityde / by Iuste cause resonable

[2600] ¶ Thy name is Melibe / this is to seyn / a man that drynketh hony / [2601] thow hast y-dronke so muchil hony / of swete temporel richesses and delices and hon|ours of this world / [2602] that thow art dronken / and hast forgeten Ihesu crist thy creatour / [2603] thow ne hast nat doon to hym / swich honour and reuerence as thee oghte; [2604] ne thow ne hast nat wel taken kepe / to

[6-text p 229] the wordes of Ouyde ‖ that seith / [2605] vnder the hony of the goodes of thy body; is hyd the venym / that sleth the soule [2606] ¶ And Salomon seith ‖ If thow hast founden hony / ete of it that suffiseth / [2607] for if thow ete of it out of mesure; thow shalt spewe / and be nedy and poore / [2608] and perauenture / Crist hath thee in despit and hath torned awey fro thee his face / and his erys of misericorde / [2609] and also he hath suffred / þat thow [folio 226b] hast been punysshed in the manere þat thow hast ytrespased; [2610] ¶ Thow hast doon synne agayn oure lord Crist ‖ [2611] for certes / the .iij.^e enemys of man|kynde / that is to seyn / the flessh / the feend / and the world / [2612] thow hast suffred hem / entre in to thyn herte wilfully / by the wyndowes of thy body / [2613] and hast nat defendid thy self / suffisantly agayns hir assautes & hir temptacions / so þat they han woundid thy soule. in .v. places ‖ [2614] this is to seyn / the dedly synnes / þat been entred in to thyn herte by thy .v. wittes ‖ [2615] And in the same manere / oure lord Crist hath wold & suffred / þat thy .iij.^e enemys been entred in to thyn hous by the wyndowes / [2616] and han ywoundid thy doghter in the forseyde manere

[2617] ¶ Certes quod Melibe / I se wel / þat ye en|force yow muchil by wordes to ouercome me in swich a manere / þat I shal nat venge me of myne enemys / [2618] shewynge me the perils & the yueles / þat myghten falle of this vengeance ‖ [2619] But who so wolde considere in alle vengeances / the perils and yueles þat myghten sewe of vengeance takynge; [2620] a man wolde neuere take vengeance / and that were harm / [2621] for by the venge|ance takynge / been the wikked men disseuered / fro the goode men / [2622] and they þat han wil to do wikked|nesse / restreyne hir wikked purpos / whan they seen the punysshynge & chastisynge of trespassours ‖

[2623] [A ce respond dame Prudence: certes, dist-elle, je vous octroie que de vengence vient moult de biens;

[6-text p 230] [2624] mais faire vengence n'appartient pas à un chascun, fors seulement aux juges et à ceulx qui ont la jurisdiction sur les malfaiteurs. (Le Ménagier de Paris, i. 214, ed. 1846.)] [2625] And yet seye I moore / that right as a singuler persone synneth / in takynge vengeance of another man; [2626] right so synneth the Iuge / if he do no vengeance of hem that it han disserued ‖ [2627] ffor Senek seith thus ‖ That maister he seith is good / þat preueth shrewes ‖ [2628] And as Cassidore seith ‖ A man dredeth to do outrages / whan he woot & knoweth / þat it displeseth / to the Iuges and the souereyns ‖ [2629] And another seith ‖ The Iuge þat dredeth to do right maketh men shrewes ‖ [2630] And Seint Poul thapostle seith in his epistle whan he writeth vn-to the Romayns / That the Iuges beren nat the spere / with-outen cause / [2631] but they beren it to punysshe the shrewes & mysdoers / & for to defende the goode men [2632] ¶ If ye wol thanne take vengeance of youre enemys; ye shul retourne / or haue youre recours to the Iuge þat hath the Iurisdiccion vp-on hem / [2633] & he shal punysshe hem / as the lawe axeth & requereth

[2634] ¶ A quod Melibe / this vengeance liketh me no thyng [2635] I bithenke me now & take hede / how fortune hath norisshed me / fro [folio 227a] my childhode / & hath holpen me / to passe many a strong paas; [2636] Now wol I assayen hire / trowynge with goddes helpe þat she shal helpe me / my shame for to venge /

[2637] ¶ Certes quod Prudence / if ye wol werke by my conseil; ye shul nat assayen fortune / by no wey / [2638] ne ye shul nat lene / or bowe vn-to hire / after the word of Senek ‖ [2639] for thynges þat been folily doon / & þat been in hope of fortune; shullen neuere / come to good ende / [2640] And as the same Senek seith ‖ The moore cleer & the moore shynynge þat fortune is /; the moore brotil & the sonner broke she is / [2641] trusteth nat in hire / for she nys nat stedefast ne stable / [2642] for whan thow trowest to be moost seur or syker of hir

[6-text p 231] helpe / she wol faile thee & deceyue thee [2643] ¶ And where as ye seyn / that fortune hath norisshed yow fro youre childhode; [2644] I seye / þat in so muchil / shul ye the lasse truste in hire & in hir wit ‖ [2645] ffor Senek seith ‖ What man þat is norisshed by fortune; she maketh hym to greet a fool / [2646] ¶ Now thanne syn ye desire / & axe vengeance / & the vengeance / þat is doon after the lawe / & bifore the Iuge / ne liketh yow nat/ [2647] & the vengeance / þat is doon in hope of fortune / is peril|ous & vncerteyn; [2648] thanne haue ye noon oother remedie / but for to haue youre recours / vn-to the souereyn Iuge / þat vengeth / alle vileynyes & wronges / [2649] and he shal venge yow / after that hym self witnesseth / where as he seith ‖ [2650] leueth the vengeance to me / and I shal do it

[2651] ¶ Melibe answerde ‖ If I ne venge me nat of the vileynye / þat men han doon to me; [2652] I. somne / or warne hem / þat han doon to me that vileynye / & alle othere / to do me another vileynye / [2653] for it is writen / If thow take no vengeance of an old vileynye; thou som|nest thyne Aduersaries / to do thee a newe vileynye ‖ [2654] And also / for my suffrance / men wolden do me so muchil vileynye / þat I myghte neither bere it ne sus|tene / [2655] and so sholde I been put & holden ouer lowe ‖ [2656] ffor men seyn / I muchil suffrynge / shul manye thynges falle vn-to thee / whiche yow shalt nat mowe suffre

[2657] ¶ Certes quod Prudence / I graunte yow / þat ouer muchil suffrance / is nat good / [2658] but yet ne folweth it nat ther of / þat euery persone / to whom men don vileynye / take of it vengeance / [2659] for that aper|teneth & longeth al oonly to the Iuges / for they shul venge the vileynyes & iniuries / [2660] and therfore / tho two auctoritees / þat ye han seyd aboue / been oonly / vnderstonden in the Iuges; [2661] [folio 227b] for whan they suffren ouer muchil / the wronges & vileynyes to be doon

[6-text p 232] with-outen punysshynge; [2662] they somne nat a man al oonly / for to do newe wronges / but they comanden it [2663] ¶ Also / a wys man seith / That the Iuge / þat cor|recteth nat the Synnere; comandeth & biddeth hym do synne ‖ [2664] And the Iuges & souereyns / myghten in hir land so muchil suffre of the shrewes & mysdoerys / [2665] þat they sholden by swich suffrance by proces of tyme / wexen of swich power & myght þat they sholden putte out the Iuges & the souereyns / from hir places / [2666] & at the laste / maken hem lese hir lordshipes

[2667] ¶ But lat vs now putte / þat ye haue leue to venge yow / [2668] I seye / ye be nat of myght & power / as now to venge yow / [2669] for if ye wol maken comparison / vn-to the myght of youre Aduersaries; ye shul fynde in manye thynges þat I haue shewid yow er this; þat hir condicion / is bettre than youres / [2670] and therfore seye I / þat it is good as now / þat ye suffre & be pacient

[2671] ¶ fforther-moore / ye knowen wel / that after the comune sawe; it is a woodnesse / a man to stryue with a strenger / or a moore myghty man / than he is hym self / [2672] & for to stryue / with a man / of euene strengthe / that is to seyn / with as strong a man as he is; it is peril / [2673] and for to stryue with a wayker man / it is folye ‖ [2674] and therfore / sholde a man fle stryuynge / as muchil as he myghte ‖ [2675] ffor Salomon seith ‖ It is a greet worshipe to a man / to kepen hym fro noyse & stryf ‖ [2676] And if it so bifalle / or happe / þat a man of gretter myght & strengthe / than thow art do thee greuance; [2677] Studie & bisie thee rather / to stille the same greuance / than for to venge thee ‖ [2678] ffor Senek seith / That he putteth hym in greet peril / þat stryueth with a gretter man / than he is hym self ‖ [2679] And Caton seith ‖ If a man / of hyer estaat or degree / or moore myghty than thow / do thee anoy / or greuance; suffre hym / [2680] for he þat ones hath greued thee /

[6-text p 233] may another tyme / releue thee & helpe; [2681] ¶ Yet sette I cas / ye haue bothe myght & licence for to venge yow; [2682] I seye / þat ther be ful manye thynges / þat shul restreyne yow / of vengeance takynge / [2683] & make yow / for to enclyne to suffre & for to han pacience / in the wronges / þat han been doon to yow [2684] ¶ ffirst & foreward / If ye wol considere the defautes / þat been in youre owene persone; [2685] for whiche defautes / god hath suffred yow haue this tribulacion / as I haue seyd yow / her biforn ‖ [2686] ffor the Poete seith / That we oghten paciently taken / the tribu|lacions þat comen to vs / whan þat we thynken & consideren / þat we han disserued to haue hem ‖ [2687] And [folio 228a] Seint Gregorie seith / That whan a man / considereth wel / the nombre of his defautes and of his synnes; [2688] the peynes & the tribulacions þat he suffreth / semen the lesse vn-to hym / [2689] And in as muche as hym thynk|eth / his synnes / moore heuy & greuous; [2690] in so muche / semeth his peyne the lighter and the esier vn; to hym [2691] ¶ Also / ye owen / to enclyne & bowe youre herte / to take the pacience / of oure lord Ihesu crist. as seith Seint Peter / in hise Epistles ‖ [2692] Ihesu crist he seith / hath suffred for vs / & yeuen ensample to euery man / to folwe & sewe hym / [2693] for he dide neuere synne / ne neuere cam ther a vileynous word / out of his mouth / [2694] Whan men cursed hym / he cursed hem noght And whan men betten hym / he manaced hem noght [2695] ¶ Also / the grete pacience / which Seintes / þat been in Paradys / han had / in tribulacions þat they han y-suffred / with-outen hir desert or gilt [2696] oghte muchil stire yow to pacience [2697] ¶ fforther moore / ye sholde enforce yow to haue pacience / [2698] considerynge / þat the tribulacions of this world / but litel while endure / & soone passed been & goon / [2699] And the ioye þat a man seketh to haue by pacience in tribulacions; is perdurable / after that the

[6-text p 234] Apostle seith / in his Epistle / [2700] The ioye of god he seith / is perdurable / that is to seyn / euere lastynge [2701] ¶ Also / troweth & bileueth stedefastly / þat he nys noght wel ynorisshed ne wel ytaught þat kan nat haue pacience / or wol nat receyue pacience ‖ [2702] ffor Salomon seith ‖ That the doctrine & the wit of a man / is knowen by pacience ‖ [2703] And in another place he seith / That he þat is pacient gouerneth hym by greet prudence ‖ [2704] And the same Salomon seith ‖ The angry & wrathful man / maketh noyses / And the pacient man / attempreth hem & stilleth ‖ [2705] he seith also ‖ It is moore worth to be pacient than for to be right strong [2706] And he þat may haue the lordshipe of his owene herte; is moore to preyse / than he þat by his force / or strengthe / taketh grete Citees ‖ [2707] And ther-fore / seith Seint Iame in his Epistle / That pacience / is a greet vertu of perfeccion

[2708] ¶ Certes quod Melibe / I graunte yow / Dame Prudence / þat Pacience / is a greet vertu of perfeccion / [2709] but euery man / may nat haue the perfeccion / þat ye seken / [2710] ne I nam nat of the nombre / of right par|fite men / [2711] for myn herte / may neuere be in pees / vn-to the tyme / it be vengid ‖ [2712] And al be it so / þat it was greet peril to myne enemys / to do me a vileynye / in takynge vengeance vp-on me; [2713] [folio 228b] yet token they noon hede of the peril / but fulfilden / hir wikked wyl & hir corage ‖ [2714] And therfore me thynketh / men oghten nat repreue me / thogh I putte me in a litel peril / for to venge me / [2715] & thogh I do a greet excesse / that is to seyn / þat I venge / oon outrage by another //

[2716] A. quod dame Prudence / ye seyn youre wil & as yow liketh ‖ [2717] But in no caas of the world / a man sholde nat do outrage ne excesse / for to vengen hym ‖ [2718] ffor Cassidore seith ‖ That as yuele / dooth he þat vengeth hym by outrage / as he / þat dooth the

[6-text p 235] outrage ‖ [2719] And ther-fore / ye shul venge yow / after the ordre of right ‖ that is to seyn / by the lawe / and nat by excesse / ne by outrage ‖ [2720] And also / if ye wol venge yow / of the outrage of youre Aduersaries in oother manere than right comandeth; ye synnen ‖ [2721] And therfore seith Senek‖ That a man shal neuere venge / shrewednesse / by shrewednesse / [2722] And if ye seye / þat right axeth a man / to defende violence by violence / and fightynge by fightynge; [2723] Certes / ye seye sooth / whan the defense / is doon anon / with-outen interualle / or with-outen taryynge / or delay / [2724] for to defenden hym / & nat for to vengen hym ‖ [2725] And it bihoueth / þat a man putte swich attemperance in his defense / [2726] þat men / haue no cause / ne matere / to repreuen hym þat defendeth hym / of excesse & outrage ‖ [Car autrement ce seroit contre droit et contre Raison. (Reg. 19 C 7)] [2727] Pardee ye knowe wel / þat ye maken no defense as now / for to defende yow / but for to venge yow / [2728] and so seweth it þat ye han no wyl / to do youre dede attemprely / [2729] and therfore / me thynketh / that pacience is good ‖ ffor Salomon seith ‖ That he / þat is nat pacient shal haue greet harm /

[2730] ¶ Certes quod Melibe / .I. graunte yow / þat whan a man / is inpacient & wrooth / of that þat toucheth hym nat and þat aperteneth nat vn-to hym / thogh it harme hym / it is no wonder ‖ [2731] ffor the lawe seith / That he is coupable / þat entremetteth hym / or medleth / with swich thyng as apertenet nat vn-to hym [2732] ¶ And Salamon seith That he þat entremeteth of the noyse / or stryf / of another man; is lyk to hym / þat taketh an hound by the erys / [2733] for right as he / that taketh a straunge hound by the erys / is outher while / biten with the hound; [2734] right in the same wise is it reson / þat he haue harm þat by hys inpacience medleth hym / of the noyse / of another man / where / as it aperteneth nat vn-to hym ‖ [2735] But ye knowe wel þat this dede / that

[6-text p 236] is to seyn / my grief and my desese [folio 229a] toucheth me right ny / [2736] And therfore / thogh I be wrooth / and in|pacient it is no meruaille / [2737] and sauynge youre grace / I kan nat se / þat it myghte greetly harme me / thogh I tooke vengeance / [2738] for I am richere & moore myghty / than myne enemys been / [2739] and wel knowen ye / þat by moneye & by hauynge grete posses|sions / been alle the thynges of this world gouerned ‖ [2740] And Salomon seith ‖ That alle thynges obeyen to moneye

[2741] ¶ Whanne Prudence / hadde herd hir housbonde auanten hym / of his richesse & of his moneye; dispreis|ynge / the power of his Aduersaries; she spak & seyde in this wise ‖ [2742] Certes deere sire / I graunte yow / þat ye been / riche & myghty / [2743] & þat the richesses been goode / to hem / þat han wel ygeten hem / & þat wel konne vsen hem ‖ [2744] ffor right as the body of a man / may nat lyue with-oute the soule; namoore may it lyue / with-oute the temporel goodes / [2745] and by rich|esses / may a man gete hym grete [frendes] ‖ [2746] ¶ And therfore / seith Pamphilles ‖ If Anetherdes doghter / he seith / be riche; she may chese / of a thousand men / which she wol take to hir housbonde ‖ [2747] for of a thousand men; oon wol nat forsaken hire / ne refusen hire ‖ [2748] And this Pamphilles seith also ‖ If thow be right happy / that is to seyn / If thow be right riche; thow shalt fynde / a greet nombre of felawes & freendes / [2749] and if thy fortune chaunge / that thow wexe poore; far|wel freendshipe & felaweshipe / [2750] for thow shalt been / al allone / with-outen any compaignye / but if it be / the compaignye of poore folk [2751] ¶ And yet seith this Pamphilles moore ouer ‖ That they þat been / thralle & bonde of lynage / shuln be maad / worthy and noble by the richesses / [2752] and right so as by richesses / ther comen manye goodes; right so by pouerte / come ther manye harmes & yueles ‖ [2753] for greet pouerte / con|streyneth

[6-text p 237] a man / to do manye yueles ‖ [2754] And ther|fore clepeth Cassidore / pouerte / the moder of Ruyne / [2755] that is to seyn / the moder of ouerthrowynge / or fallynge down [2756] ¶ And therfore / seiþ Piers Alfonce ‖ Oon of the gretteste Aduersitees of this world / is / [2757] whan a free man by kynde / or of burthe / is constreyned by pouerte / to eten / the almesse of his enemy ‖ [2758] And the same seith Innocent in oon of his bookes ‖ he seith / That sorweful & myshappy / is the condicion of a poore beggere / [2759] for if he axe nat his mete; he dyeth for hungir / [2760] [folio 229b] And if he axe / he dyeth for shame / and algates necessitee constreyneþ hym to axe ‖ [2761] And therfore seith Salomon ‖ That bettre is to dye / than for to haue swich pouerte ‖ [2762] And as the same Salo|mon seith / Bettre it is / to dye of bitter deeth / than for to lyuen in swich wise [2763] ¶ By thise resons / þat I haue seyd vn-to yow / and by manye othere resons / þat I koude seye / [2764] I graunte yow / þat richesses been goode / to hem þat geten hem wel / and to hem / þat wel vsen tho richesses ‖ [2765] And ther-fore wol I shewe yow / how ye shul haue yow / and how ye shul bere yow in gaderynge of richesses / and in what manere ye shul vsen hem

[2766] ¶ ffirst ye shul geten hem / with-outen greet desir by good leiser sekyngly and nat ouer hastily; [2767] ffor a man þat is to desirynge to geten richesses / abandoneth hym first to thefte / & to alle othere yueles ‖ [2768] And therfore seith Salomon ‖ he þat hasteth hym to bisily to wexe riche / shal be noon Innocent ‖ [2769] He seith also / that the richesse / þat hastily cometh to a man; soone & lightly gooth and passeth from a man ‖ [2770] But that richesse þat cometh litel & litel / wexeth alwey & multiplieth ‖ [2771] And sire / ye shullen gete richesses by youre wit & by youre trauaille vn-to youre profit / [2772] and that with-outen wrong or harm doynge / to any oother persone ‖ [2773] ffor the lawe

[6-text p 238] seith ‖ that ther maketh no man hym self riche; if he do harm / to another wight ‖ [2774] this is to seyn / that nature defendeth & forbedeth by right þat no man make hym self riche / vn-to the harm of another persone [2775] ¶ And Tullius seith / that no sorwe / ne no drede of deeth / ne no thyng þat may falle vn-to a man / [2776] is so muchel ageyns nature / as a man / to encresse his owene profit to the harm of another man; [2777] And thogh the grete men and the myghty men geten richesses. moore lightly than thow; [2778] yet shaltow nat be ydel ne slow / to do thy profit for thow shalt in alle wise / fle ydel|nesse ‖ [2779] ffor Salomon seith ‖ that ydelnesse techeth a man to do manye yueles ‖ [2780] And the same Salomon seith / that he þat trauaileth & bisieþ hym / to tilien his lond; shal ete breed / [2781] but [he] þat is ydel and casteth hym to no bisynesse ne ocupacion / shal falle in-to pouerte and dye for hunger / [2782] And he þat is ydel & slow; kan neuere fynde couenable tyme / for to do his profit ‖ [2783] ffor ther is a versifiour seith ‖ that the ydel man excuseth hym in wynter / by cause of the grete coold / and in somer / by encheson of the hete ‖ [2784] ffor thise causes seith Caton ‖ waketh / and enclineth yow nat ouer mychel / for to slepe ‖ for ouer mychel [folio 230a] reste / norissheth and causeth manye vices ‖ [2785] And therfore / seith Seint Ierome ¶ Dooth somme goode dedes / þat the deuel / which is oure enemy / ne fynde yow nat vnocupied / [2786] for the deuel / ne takeþ nat lightly / vn-to his werk|ynge / swiche as he fyndeth ocupied in goode werkes

[2787] ¶ Thanne thus / In getynge richesses / ye mosten fle ydelnesse / [2788] and afterward ye shul vse the richesses whiche ye haue geten / by youre wit and by youre trauaille / [2789] in swich a manere / þat men holde yow nat to scars / ne to sparynge / ne to fool large / that is to seyn / ouer large a Spendere ‖ [2790] ffor right as men blamen an Auarous man / by cause of his scarsitee & chyncherie; [2791] in the same wise is he to blame /

[6-text p 239] þat spendeth ouer largely / [2792] and therfore seith Catoun ‖ Vse he seith thy richesses / þat thow hast ygeten / [2793] in swich a manere / þat men haue no matere ne cause / to calle thee / neither wrecche ne chynche / [2794] for it is greet shame to a man / to haue a poore herte and a riche purs ‖ [2795] He seith also / the goodes þat thow hast ygeten / vse hem by mesure / that is to seyn / spende mesurably / [2796] for they / þat folily wasten and despenden / the goodes þat they han; [2797] whan they han namoore propre of hir owene; they shapen hem / to take the goodes of another man ‖ [2798] I seye thanne / that ye shal fle Auarice / [2799] vsynge youre richesses in swich manere / þat men seye nat/ þat youre richesses been ybiryed / [2800] but þat ye haue hem in youre myght and in youre weldynge ‖ [2801] ffor a wys man / repreueth the Auaricious man & seith thus / in two vers ‖ [2802] Wher-to and why / biryeth a man his goodes by his grete Auarice / and knoweth wel / þat nedes moste he dye; [2803] for deeth / is the ende of euery man / as in this present lyf / [2804] And for what cause / or encheson ioyneth he hym / or knytteth he hym / so faste vn-to his goodes / [2805] þat alle hise wittes / mowen nat disseueren hym / or departen hym fro hise goodes / [2806] and knoweth wel / or oghte knowe / þat whan he is deed / he shal no thyng bere with hym out of this world ‖ [2807] And ther-fore / seith Seint Austyn ‖ That the Auaricious man / is likned vn-to helle / [2808] þat the moore it swolweth / the moore desir it hath to swolwe & deuoure / [2809] And as wel / as ye wolde eschewe to be called an Auaricious man or chynche; [2810] as wel sholde ye kepe yow & gouerne yow in swich a wise / þat men calle yow nat fool large ‖ [2811] Ther-fore seith Tullius ‖ The goodes he seith of thyn hous / sholde nat been hidde ne kept so cloos; but þat they myghte been opned by pitee & debonairetee / [2812] that is to seyn; [folio 230b] to yeue hem part þat han greet nede / [2813]

[6-text p 240] ne thy goodes sholden nat be so open / to be euery mannes goodes [2814] ¶ Afterward / in getyng of youre richesses / and in vsynge hem; ye shul alwey / haue thre thynges in youre herte ‖ [2815] that is to seyn / oure lord god / Conscience / and good name [2816] ¶ ffirst ye shul haue god in youre herte / [2817] and for no richesse / ye shullen do no thyng which may in any manere displese god / that is youre Creatour & makere ‖ [2818] ffor after the word of Salomon / It is bettre to haue a litel good / with the loue of god /; [2819] than to haue mychel good & tresor / and lese the loue of his lord god ‖ [2820] And the prophete seith; That bettre it is to been a good man / & haue a litel good / and tresor /; [2821] than to be holden a shrewe / & haue grete richesses ‖ [2822] And yet seye I ferther moore / that ye sholden alwey doon youre bisynesse / to gete yow richesses / [2823] so þat ye gete hem / with good conscience ‖ [2824] And thapostle seith / that ther nys thyng in this world / of which / we sholden haue so greet ioye / as whan oure conscience / bereth vs good witnesse ‖ [2825] And the wise man seith ‖ The substance of a man / is ful good / whan synne is nat in mannes conscience [2826] ¶ Afterward / in getynge of youre richesses / & in vsynge of hem; [2827] yow moste haue greet bisynesse & greet diligence / þat youre goode name / be alwey kept & conserued ‖ [2828] ffor Salo|mon seith ‖ that bettre it is & moore it auaileth a man / to haue good name / than for to haue grete richesses / [2829] And therfore / he seith in another place ‖ do greet diligence seith Salomon in kepynge of thy freend / and of thy goode name / [2830] for it shal lenger abyde with thee / than any tresor / be it neuer so precious ‖ [2831] And certes / he sholde nat be called a gentil man / that after god & good conscience / alle thynges left ne dooth his diligence & bisynesse / to kepen his goode name ‖ [2832] And Cassidore seith / that it is signe of a gentil herte / whan a man / loueth & desireth / to haue a good name ‖

[6-text p 241] [2833] And therfore seith seint Austyn ‖ that ther been two thynges / þat arn necessarie & nedefulle / [2834] and that is good conscience / & good loos ‖ [2835] that is to seyn / good conscience / to thyn owene persone inward / and good loos for thy neighebore outward ‖ [2836] And he / þat trusteth hym so muchil in his goode conscience / [2837] þat he displeseth / and setteth at noght his goode name or loos / and rekketh noght thogh he kepe nat hys goode name; nys but a cruwel cherl

[2838] ¶ Sire / now haue I shewed yow / how ye shul do / in getynge richesses / & how [folio 231a] ye shullen vsen hem / [2839] And I se wel / þat for the trust þat ye han in youre richesses / ye wol moeue werre & bataille /· [2840] I conseile yow / þat ye bigynne no werre / in trust of youre richesses for they ne suffisen noght werres to mayn|tene / [2841] And therfore seith a Philosophre / That man þat desireth / and wole algates han werre; shal neuere haue suffisance / [2842] for the richer þat he is; the gretter despenses moste he make / if he wol haue wor|shipe & victorie ‖ [2843] And Salomon seith / That the gretter richesses þat a man hath / the mo despendours he hath ‖ [2844] And deere sire / al be it so / þat for youre richesses / ye mowe haue muchel folk; [2845] yet bihoueth it nat ne it is nat good / to bigynne werre / where as ye mowe / in oother manere haue pees vn-to youre worshipe & profit ‖ [2846] for the victorie of batailles þat been in this world / lyth nat in greet nombre / or multitude of peple / ne in the vertu of man / [2847] but it lyth in the wyl / & in the hand / of oure lord god almyghty / [2848] and ther-fore Iudas Machabeus / which was goddes knyght [2849] whan he sholde fighte ageyn his Aduersarie / þat hadde a gretter nombre & a gretter mul|titude of folk/ and strenger than was the peple/ of this Macha|be; [2850] yet he reconforted his litel compaignye / and seyde / right in this wise ‖ [2851] Als lightly quod he / may oure lord god almyghty / yeue victorie to fewe folk

[6-text p 242] as to manye folk/ [2852] for the victorie of a bataile cometh nat by the grete nombre of peple / [2853] but it come / fro oure lord god of heuene ‖ [2854] And deere sire / for as muchel as ther is no man certeyn / if it be worthy / þat god yeue hym victorie / [ne plus quil scet se il est dines de lamour de dieu ( [MS Reg. 19 C vii folio 142b] )] or naght after that Salomon seith; [2855] therfore euery man / sholde greetly drede / werres to bigynne ‖ [2856] And by cause þat in batailles / fallen manye perils / [2857] & happeth outher while / þat as soone is the grete man slayn / as the litel man / [2858] And as it is ywriten / in the seconde book of kynges ‖ The dedes of batailles / been Auenturouse & no thyng certeyne / [2859] for as lightly / is oon hurt with a spere / as another [2860] ¶ And for ther is greet peril in werre; therfore sholde a man / fle & eschewe werre / in as muchel / as a man may goodly ‖ [2861] ffor Salomon seith / he þat loueth peril / shal falle in peril

[2862] ¶ After þat dame Prudence / hadde spoken in this manere / Melibe answerde & seyde [2863] ¶ I se wel dame Prudence that by youre faire wordes & by youre resons / þat ye han shewed me; þat the werre / liketh yow no [folio 231b] thyng [2864] but I haue nat yet herd youre con|seil / how I shal do in this nede

[2865] ¶ Certes quod she / I conseile yow / þat ye acorde with youre Aduersaries / & þat ye / haue pees with hem ‖ [2866] ffor Seint Iame seith / in hise epistles / That by concord & pees / the smale richesses / wexen grete / [2867] & by debaat and discord / the grete richesses fallen doun / [2868] And ye knowen wel / þat oon of the gretteste & moost souereyn thyng þat is in this world / is vnitee & pees / [2869] And therfore seyde oure lord Ihesu crist to hise Apostles / in this wise ‖ [2870] Wel happy & blessed been they / þat louen / & purchacen pees / for they been called children of god [2871] ¶ A quod Melibe now se I wel / þat ye louen nat myn honur ne my worshipe ‖ [2872] Ye knowen wel / þat myne

[6-text p 243] Aduersaries han bigonnen this debaat and brige by hire outrage / [2873] & ye se wel / þat they ne requeren ne preyen me nat of pees / ne they asken nat to be reconsiled; [2874] wol ye thanne / þat I go meke me & obeye me to hem & crye hem mercy; [2875] for sothe / that were nat my worshipe ‖ [2876] ffor right as men seyn / þat ouer greet homlynesse / engendreth despisynge; so fareth it by to greet humylitee / or mekenesse /

[2877] ¶ Thanne bigan dame Prudence / to maken sem|blant of wrathe & seyde ‖ [2878] Certes sire / sauf youre grace / I loue youre honur & youre profit/ as I do myn owene / & euere haue doon / [2879] ne ye / ne noon oother / syen neuere the contrarie ‖ [2880] And yet if I hadde seyd / þat ye sholde han purchaced the pees & the reconsiliacion; I ne hadde nat muchel mystake me / ne seyd amys ‖ [2881] ffor the wise man seith ‖ The dis|sension / bigynneth by another man / & the reconsilyng bigynneth by thy self ‖ [2882] And the prophete seiþ / fflee shrewednesse / & do goodnesse / [2883] seke pees & folwe it as muchel as in thee is ‖ [2884] yet seye I nat þat ye shul rather pursue to youre Aduersaries for pees / than they shuln to yow; / [2885] for .I. knowe wel / þat ye been so hard herted / þat ye wol do / no thyng for me ‖ [2886] And Salomon seith / That he þat hath ouer hard an herte / atte laste / he shal myshappe & mystyde

[2887] ¶ Whanne Melibe hadde herd dame Prudence / make semblant of wrathe / he seyde in this wise ‖ [2888] Dame / I pray yow / þat ye be nat displesed / of thynges þat I seye / [2889] for ye knowe wel / þat I am angry & wrooth / & that is no wonder / [2890] and they þat been wrothe / witen nat wel what they doon / ne what they seyn ‖ [2891] Therfore / the prophete seith / That troubled eyen / han no cleer sighte / [2892] but seieth & conseileth me / as yow liketh / for I am redy / to do / right as ye wol desire / [2893] & if ye repreue me of my folie; I am the moore holden [folio 232a] to loue yow / & to preise

[6-text p 244] yow ‖ [2894] ffor Salomon seith ‖ That he þat repreueth hym þat dooth folie; [2895] he shal fynde gretter grace / than he þat deceyueth hym by swete wordes

[2896] ¶ Thanne seyde dame Prudence / I make no semblant of wrathe ne of angir / but for youre grete profit ‖ [2897] ffor Salomon seith ‖ he is moore worth / þat re|preueth / or chideth a fool / for his folie / shewynge hym semblant of wrathe; [2898] than he þat supporteth hym & preiseth hym / in his mysdoynge / & laugheth at his folie ‖ [2899] And this same Salomon seith afterward ‖ That by the sorweful visage of a man / that is to seyn / by the sory & heuy contenance of a man; [2900] the fool correcteþ & amendeth hym self

[2901] ¶ Thanne seyde Melibe / I shal nat konne an|swere / vn-to so manye resons / as ye putten to me & shewen / [2902] seieth shortly / youre wil & youre con|seil / & I am al redy / to fulfille & perfourne it

[2903] ¶ Thanne / dame Prudence / discouered al hir wyl vn-to hym / & seyde ‖ [2904] I conseile yow quod she / abouen alle thynges / þat ye make pees bitwene god & yow / [2905] & beth reconsiled vn-to hym & to his grace / [2906] for as I haue seyd yow heer biforn; god hath suffred yow / to haue this tribulacion & disese / for youre synnes / [2907] and if ye do / as I seye yow / god wol sende youre Aduersaries vn-to yow / [2908] & maken hem falle at youre feet redy to do youre wyl & youre com|andementz ‖ [2909] ffor Salomon seith / whan the con|dicion of man / is plesant & likynge to god; [2910] he changeth the hertes of the mannes Aduersaries / & con|streyneth hem / to biseken hym of pees & of grace / [2911] and I pray yow / lat me speken with youre Aduer|saries / in pryuee place / [2912] for they shal nat knowe / þat it be of youre wyl / or youre assent. [2913] and thanne / whan I knowe hir wyl & hir entente; I may conseille yow / the moore seurly

[2914] ¶ Dame quod Melibe / dooth youre wyl / &

[6-text p 245] youre likynge / [2915] for I putte me hoolly / in youre disposicion & ordinance

[2916] ¶ Thanne dame Prudence / whan she say the goode wyl of hir housbonde; she delyueride / & took auys in hir self / [2917] thynkynge / how she myghte brynge this nede / vn-to a good conclusion & to a good ende; [2918] And whan she saugh hir tyme / she sente for thise Aduersaries to come vn-to hire / in to a priuee place / [2919] & shewed wysly vn-to hem / the grete goodes / þat comen of pees / [2920] & the grete harmes & perils / þat been in werre / [2921] & seyde to hem / in a goodly manere; / how þat hem oghten haue greet re|pentance / [2922] of the Iniurie & wrong þat they hadden doon / to Melibe hir lord / & vn-to hire / & to hir doghter //

[2923] And whan they herden / the goodliche wordes / of dame Prudence; [2924] they weren so supprised & rauysshed / & hadden so [folio 232b] greet ioye of hire / þat wonder was to telle ‖ [2925] A lady quod they / ye han shewid vn-to us / the blessynge of swetnesse / after the sawe of Dauid the prophete ‖ [2926] ffor the reconsilynge / which we ne been nat worthy to haue in no manere / [2927] but we oghten requeren it with greet contricion & humylitee; [2928] ye of youre grete goodnesse / haue presented vn-to vs ‖ [2929] Now se we wel / þat the science / & the konnynge of Salomon / is ful trewe / [2930] for he seith / That swete wordes / multiplien & encressen freendes / & maken shrewes / to be debonaire & meke

[2931] Certes quod they / we putten oure dede & al oure matere / & cause / al hoolly / in youre goode wyl / [2932] & been redy to obeye vn-to the speche & comande|ment of my lord Melibe ‖ [2933] And therfore deere & benygne lady / we preyen yow / & biseken yow / as mekely / as we konne & mowen / [2934] þat it like / vn-to youre grete goodnesse / to ful-fille in dede / youre good|liche wordes / [2935] for we consideren & knowelichen /

[6-text p 246] þat we han offendid & greued / my lord Melibe / out of mesure / [2936] so ferforth / þat we been nat of power / to maken his amendes ‖ [2937] & ther-fore / we oblige & bynde vs & oure freendes / for to do al his wyl & his comandementz ‖ [2938] but perauenture / he hath swich heuynesse & swich wrathe to vsward / by cause of oure offense / [2939] þat he wole enioyne vs / swich peyne / as we mowe nat bere / ne sustene ‖ [2940] And ther-fore noble lady / we biseken to youre wommanly pitee / [2941] to taken swich auisement in this nede / þat we ne oure freendes / be nat desherited & destroyed / thurgh oure folie

[2942] ¶ Certes quod Prudence / it is an hard thyng & right perilous / [2943] þat a man putte hym al outrely in the arbitracion & Iuggement/ and in the myght & power of hise enemys ‖ [2944] ffor Salomon seith; leeueth me / & yeueth credence / to that þat I shal seyn ¶ I seye quod he / ye peple / & gouernours / & gouernours of holy chirche / [2945] to thy sone / to thy wyf / to thy freend / ne to thy brother / [2946] ne yeue thow neuere myght ne maistrie of thy body / whil yow lyuest ‖ [2947] Now / sithen he defendeth / þat man sholde nat yeue to his brother / ne to his freend / the myght of his body; [2948] by a strenger reson / he defendeth & forbedeth a man / to yeue hym self to his enemy / [2949] And nathe|lees I conseille yow / þat ye mystruste nat my lord / [2950] for I woot wel & knowe verraily / þat he is debonaire & meke / large / curteys / [2951] & no thyng desirous / ne coueitous / of good / ne richesse / [2952] for ther nys no thyng in this world þat he desireth / saue oonly / worshipe & honour [2953] ¶ fforther moore I knowe wel & am right seur / þat he shal no thyng do in this nede / with-outen my conseil / [2954] and I shal so werken in this [folio 233a] cause / þat by the grace of oure lord god / ye shul be reconsiled vn-to vs

[2955] ¶ Thanne seyden they with o voys ‖ Worshipful

[6-text p 247] lady / we putten vs & oure goodes al fully / in youre wyl & disposicion / [2956] & been redy to come / what day þat it like vn-to youre noblesse / to lymyte vs / or assigne vs / [2957] for to maken / oure obligacion & boond / as strong as it liketh vn-to youre goodnesse / [2958] þat we mowe fulfille / the wyl of yow / & of my lord Melibe

[2959] ¶ Whanne Dame Prudence / hadde herd the an|sweres of thise men; she bad hem go agayn priuely / [2960] & she retourned / to hir lord Melibe / & tolde hym / how she fand hise Aduersaries ful repentant [2961] knowelichynge ful lowely / hir synnes & trespas / & how they weren redy / to suffren al peyne / [2962] requerynge & prayynge hym / of mercy & pitee

[2963] ¶ Thanne seyde Melibe ‖ he is wel worthy / to haue pardon & foryifnesse of his synne / þat excuseth nat his synne / [2964] but knowelicheth & repenteth hym / axinge Indulgence ‖ [2965] ffor Senek seith ‖ There is the remission & foryifnesse / where as the confession is / [2966] for confession / is neighebore to Innocence ‖ [2967] And he seith / in another place [[a blank in the MS.] . .] that hath shame of his synne & knowelicheth it ‖ And ther-fore / I assente & conferme me to haue pees; [2968] but it is good / þat we do it nat with-outen thassent & wil of oure freendes

[2969] ¶ Thanne was Prudence / right glad & ioyeful / & seyde ‖ [2970] Certes sire quod she / ye han wel & goodly answerd / [2971] for right as by the conseil / assent/ & help / of youre frendes / ye han ben stired / to venge yow / & make werre; [2972] right so / with|outen hire conseil / shul ye nat acorde yow / ne haue pees with youre Aduersaries ‖ [2973] ffor the lawe seith ‖ Ther nys no thyng so good / by wey of kynde / as a thyng to been vnbounde / by hym þat it was ybounde ‖

[2974] And thanne Dame Prudence / with-outen delay / or taryynge / sente anon messages / for hir kyn / & for hire olde freendes / whiche þat were trewe & wise / [2975]

[6-text p 248] and tolde hem by ordre / in the presence of Melibe / al this matere / as it is aboue expressed & declared / [2976] & preyde hem / þat they wolde yeuen hire auys & con|seil / what best were to do / in this nede ‖ [2977] And whan Melibees freendes / hadde taken hire auys & deliber|acion of the forseyde matere / [2978] & hadden examyned it by greet bisynesse & greet diligence; [2979] they yaue ful conseil / for to haue pees & reste / [2980] & þat Melibe / sholde receyue with good herte / hise Aduersaries / to foryifnesse & mercy ‖

[2981] And whanne Dame Prudence / hadde herd the assent of hir [folio 233b] lord Melibe / & the conseil of his freendes / [2982] acorde with hire wyl and hire entencion; [2983] she was wonderly glad in herte / & seyde ‖ [2984] Ther is an old prouerbe quod she / seith ‖ that the goodnesse þat thow maist do this day / do it [2985] & abide nat ne delye it nat til tomorwe / [2986] And therfore I conseille / þat ye sende youre messages / swiche as been discrete & wise [2987] vn-to youre Aduersaries / tellynge hem on youre bihalue / [2988] þat if they wol trete of pees & of acord / [2989] þat they shape hem / with-outen delay or taryynge / to come vn-to vs / [2990] which thyng parfourned was in dede / [2991] and whanne thise trespassours & repentynge folk of hir folies / that is to seyn / the Aduersaries of Melibe / [2992] hadden herd / what thise messagers seyden vn-to hem; [2993] they weren right glad & ioyeful / & answereden ful mekely & benygnely / [2994] yeldynge graces & thankynges / to hire lord Melibe & to al his compaignye / [2995] & shopen hem with-oute delay to go with the messagers / & obeye to the comandement of hire lord Melibe /

[2996] And right anon they tooken hire wey / to the court of Melibe / [2997] & tooke with hem somme of hir trewe freendes / to make feith for hem / & for to been hire borwes ‖ [2998] And whan they were come / to

[6-text p 249] the presence of Melibe; he seyde hem thise wordes [2999] ¶ It standeth thus quod Melibe & sooth it is / þat ye [3000] causelees & with-outen skile & reson / [3001] han doon grete Iniuries & wronges to me / & to my wyf Prudence / & to my doghter also / [3002] for ye han entred in-to myn hous by violence / [3003] & haue doon swich outrage / þat alle men knowen wel / þat ye han deserued the deeth ‖ [3004] And therfore wol I knowe & wite of yow / [3005] wheither ye wol putte the punysshynge & chastisynge / & the vengeance of this outrage / in the wil of me / & of my wyf or ye wol nat

[3006] ¶ Thanne the wiseste of hem thre / answerde for hem alle / & seyde ‖ [3007] Sire quod he / we knowen wel / þat we been vnworthy / to comen vn-to the court of so greet a lord & so worthy / as ye been / [3008] for we han so gretly mystaken vs / & han offendid & gilt in swich a wise / ageyn youre hey lordshipe / [3009] þat trewely / we han deserued the deeth / [3010] but yet for the grete goodnesse & debonairetee / þat al the world / witnesseth of youre persone /; [3011] we submitten vs / to the excellence & benygnytee of youre gracious lordshipe / [3012] & ben redy tobeye / to alle youre comandementz / [3013] bisekynge yow / þat of youre merciable pitee / ye wol considere oure grete repentance & lowe submission / [3014] & graunten vs foryeuenesse / of oure outrageous trespas & offense / [3015] for wel we knowen / þat youre liberal grace & mercy / strecchen ferther / in-to good|nesse / than [folio 234a] doon oure outrageouse giltes & trespas in-to wikkednesse / [3016] al be it þat cursedly & damp|nablely / we han agilt ageyn youre hey lordshipe

[3017] ¶ Thanne Melibe / took hem vp fro the ground ful benygnely / [3018] & receyued hir obligacions & hir bondes by hir othes / vp-on hir plegges & borwes / [3019] & assigned hem a certeyn day / to retourne vn-to his court [3020] for to accepte & receyue / the sentence &

[6-text p 250] Iugement þat Melibe wolde comande / to be doon on hem / by the causes aforeseyd ‖ [3021] whiche thynges ordeyned; euery man retourned to his hous ‖

[3022] And whanne þat dame Prudence saugh hir tyme / she f[r]eyned / & axed hir lord Melibe / [3023] what vengeance he thoghte to taken of hise Aduersaries;

[3024] ¶ To which / Melibe answerde & seyde ‖ Certes quod he .I. thynke & purpose me fully / [3025] to dis|herite hem / of al þat euere they han / and for to putte hem in exil / for euere

[3026] ¶ Certes quod Dame Prudence / this were a cruel sentence / & muchel ageyn reson / [3027] for ye been riche ynow & han no nede of oother mennes good / [3028] & ye myghten lightly in this wise / geten yow a coueitous name / [3029] which is a vicious thyng & oghte been eschewid of euery man / [3030] for after the sawe of the word of thapostle ‖ Coueitise / is roote of alle harmes / [3031] And therfore / it were bettre for yow / to lese so mychel good of youre owene / than for to take of hire good / in this manere / [3032] for bettre it is / to lese good with wor|shipe / than it is / to wynne good with vileynye & shame / [3033] And euery man / oghte do his diligence & his bisy|nesse / to geten hym a good name / [3034] and yet shal he nat oonly bisien hym in kepynge his goode name; [3035] but he shal also / enforcen hym alwey / to do som thyng by which he may renouelle his goode name ‖ [3036] ffor it is writen / That the olde goode loos / or good name of a man / is soone goon & passed / whanne it is nat newed / ne re|noueled ‖ [3037] & as touchynge þat ye seyn / ye wol exile youre Aduersaries; [3038] that thynketh me / muchel agayn reson / & out of mesure / [3039] con|sidered the power / þat they han yeuen yow vp-on hem self ‖ [3040] And it is writen / that he is worthy to lesen his priuilege / þat mysvseth / the mygh[t] & the power þat is yeuen him / [3041] And I sette cas / ye myghte enioyne hem that peyne / by right & by lawe / [3042] which I

[6-text p 251] trowe ye mowe nat do / [3043] I seye / ye myghte nat putte it to execucion per auenture / [3044] & thanne were it likly / to retorne to the werre / as it was biforn / [3045] And ther-fore / if ye wole / þat men do yow obeis|ance; yow [folio 234b] moste deme moore curteisly / [3046] this is to seyn / ye moste yeue / moore esy sentences & Iugementz ‖ [3047] ffor it is writen / that he / þat moost curteisly commandeth / to hym / men moste obeyen / [3048] & ther|fore .I. pray yow / þat in this necessitee / & in this nede / ye caste yow to ouercome youre herte ‖ [3049] ffor Senek seith ‖ that he þat ouercomeþ his herte; ouercomeþ twies ‖ [3050] And Tullius seith ‖ ther is no thyng so commendable in a greet lord / [3051] as whan he is debon|aire & meke / & apeiseth hym lightly ‖ [3052] And I pray yow / þat ye wol forbere now to do vengeance [3053] in swich a manere / þat youre good name / may be kept & conserued / [3054] & þat men mowe / haue cause & matere / to preise yow / of pitee & of mercy / [3055] & þat ye haue no cause / to repente yow of thyng þat ye doon ‖ [3056] ffor Senek seith ‖ He ouercometh / in an yuel manere þat repenteth hym / of his victorie ‖ [3057] Wher|fore / I prey yow / lat mercy be in youre herte / [3058] to theffect & entente / þat god almyghty haue merci on yow in his laste Iugement ‖ [3059] ffor Seint Iame seith / in his epistle ‖ Iugement with|oute mercy / shal be doon to hym / þat hath no mercy / of another wight

[3060] ¶ Whanne Melibe hadde herd / the grete skiles & resons of dame Prudence / & hir wise Informacions & techynges / [3061] his herte gan enclyne to the wyl of his wyf/ considerynge hir trewe entente / [3062] con|formed hym anon & assented fully / to werken after hir conseil / [3063] & thonked god / of whom procedeth al vertu / & al goodnesse / þat hym sente a wyf of so greet discrecion ‖ [3064] And whanne the day cam / þat hise Ad|uersaries / sholde appieren / in his presence; [3065] he spak

[6-text p 252] to hem ful goodly / & seyde in this wise ‖ [3066] Al be it so / þat of youre pride & by presumpcion & folie / & of youre necligence & vnkonnynge / [3067] ye haue mysborn yow / & trespased vn-to me; [3068] yet for as muchel / as I se & biholde youre grete humylitee / [3069] & þat ye been sory & repentant of youre giltes; [3070] it constreyneth me / to do yow grace & mercy / [3071] Wherfore I receyue yow to my grace / [3072] & foryeue yow outrely alle the offenses / Iniuries & wronges / þat ye haue doon / ageyns me & myne / [3073] to this effect & to this ende / þat god/ of his endelees mercy / [3074] wole atte tyme of oure dyynge / foryeuen vs oure giltes þat we han trespassed to hym / in this wrecched world / [3075] for doutelees / if we be sory & repentant of the synnes & giltes / whiche we han trespased / in the sighte of oure lord god; [3076] he is so free & so merci|able [3077] þat he wole foryeuen vs oure giltes / [3078] & bryngen vs to the blisse / that neuere hath ende. [6-text p 589]

¶ Here is endid / Chaucers tale / of Melibe.