[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 /
