[6-text p 230] [2624] Mais faire vengance nappartient pas a vn chascun fors aux iuges / Et a ceulz qui ont les iuridicions sur les malfauteurs [MS Reg. 19 C xi folio 59b:2] ] [2625] And ȝit seye I moore / that ryȝt as a senguler persone synnyth in takynge vengeaunce / of a-nothir man; [2626] righ so synnyth the Iuge ȝif he do no vengeaunce / of hem that it han deseruyd / [2627] for Senek seyth / that maystir is good that preuyth schrewis / [2628] And as Cassiodere seyth / A man dredith to doon outrages / whan he wot & knowith that it displeseth to the Iugis / & to the souereynys / [2629] And a-nother seyth / The Iuge that dredith to doon ryȝt; makyth men schrewis // [2630] And seynt poule thapostelle seyth in his epistelle / whan he wrythith vnto the romaynys / that the Iuges berith not the spere / with-outyn cause; [2631] but they beryn it to ponysche þe schrewis & mysdoerys / & for to defendyn the Goode men [2632] Ȝif ȝe wele than [folio 340a] ne take vengeaunce of ȝoure enemyis / ȝe schul returne or haue ȝoure recours / to the Iuge that hath the Iurisdiccioun / vp-on hem / [2633] & he schal punyschyn hem as the lawe axit & requirith [2634]
Aquod Melibee this vengeaunce likyth me nothyng / [2635] I bethynke me now & take heed how fortune hath norichid me / from myn chyldeheede / & hath holpyn me to passyn manye a strong paas / [2636] now wele I assayen hire trowynge with godis helpe / that sche schal helpyn me myn schame for to venge [2637]
CErtis quod Prudence / If ȝe wele werke by myn con|seyl / ȝe schul not assaye fortune by no way / [2638] ne ȝe schul not lene / or bowe / on to here aftyr the word of senek / [2639] for thyngis that been folyly doon / & that been doon in hope of fortune / schuln neuere been brouȝt to good ende / [2640] And as the same Senek seyth / the moore cleer & the more schynynge that fortune is; the moore bretil & the sunnere brokyn sche is / [2641] truste nat in here for sche nys nat stedefast ne stable / [2642] ffor whan thow trowist to been most sekyr or sewir of hire
