[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
