[6-text p 243] Aduersaries / han bigonnen this debaat and bryge / by hire outrage / [2873] and ye se wel that they ne requeren ne preyen me nat of pees / ne they asken nat to be reconsiled [2874] ¶ wol ye thanne / that I go and meke me and obeye me to hem and crie hem mercy?/. [2875] ffor sothe / that were nat my worshipe [2876] ffor right as men seyn / that ouer greet hoomlynesse / engendreth dispreisynge /· so fareth it by to greet humylitee or mekenesse
[2877] Thanne bigan dame Prudence / to maken sem|blant [¶ Prudence] of wratthe / and seyde [2878] ¶ Certes sire / sauf youre grace / I loue youre honour and youre profit as I do myn owene / and euere haue doon / [2879] ne ye ne noon oother / syen neuere the contrarie [2880] ¶ And yit if I hadde seyd / that ye sholde han purchaced the pees / and the reconsiliacion /. I ne hadde nat muchel mystaken me / ne seyd amys /. [2881] ffor the wise man seiþ ¶ The dis|sension [¶ Sapiens] / bigynneth by another man / and the reconsilyng by [folio 169b] gynneth by thy self [2882] ¶ And the prophete seith ‖. [¶ propheta] fflee shrewednesse and do goodnesse / [2883] seke pees and folwe it as muchel as in thee is [2884] ¶ Yet seye I nat that ye shul rather pursue to youre Aduersaries for pees than they shuln to yow ‖. [2885] for I knowe wel / that ye been so hard-herted / that ye wol do no thyng for me [2886] ¶ And Salomon seith ‖. he that hath ouer hard an [¶ Salomon] herte / atte laste / he shal myshappe and mystyde
[2887] Whanne Melibee hadde herd dame Prudence [¶ Melibee] maken semblant of wratthe / he seyde in this wise [2888] ¶ Dame I prey yow that ye be nat displesed / of thynges that I seye [2889] for ye knowe wel that I am angry and wrooth / and that is no wonder / [2890] and they that been wrothe / witen nat wel / what they don ne what they seyn [2891] ¶ Therfore / the prophete seith ¶ That [¶ propheta] troubled eyen / han no cleer sighte [2892] ¶ but seyeth and conseileth me as yow liketh / for I am redy to do right as ye wol desire / [2893] and if ye repreue me of my folye / I am the moore holden / to loue yow and preyse
