[6-text p 249] the presence / of Melibee / he seyde hem these wordys / [2999] It standith thus quod Melibee / & soth it is that [3000] causeles & with-outyn skille / & resoun ȝe [3001] han doon greete Iniurijs & wrongis / to me & to myn wif Prudence And to myn doughtyr also / [3002] for ȝe han entred in-to myn hous by violence / [3003] & han doon swich outrage that alle men knowyn wel / that ȝe han deseruyd the deth / [3004] And therfore wele I knowe & wete of ȝow [3005] whethir ȝe wele putte the ponyschynge and the chastisynge in-to vengeaunce / of this outrage in the wil of me / & of myn wyf; or ȝe wele nat [3006]
1THanne the wyseste of hem thre / answerede for hem alle & seyde / [3007] Sire we knowe wel that we been onworthy to come to the court of so gret a lord & so worthy as ȝe been [3008] ffor we han so greetly mystakyn vs / & han offendit & agilt in swich a wise ageyn ȝoure hye lordschepe / [3009] that trewely we han deseruyd the deth / [3010] But ȝit for the greete goodnesse & debonaierete / that al the world witnessith of ȝoure persoone / [3011] we submyttyn vs to the excellence & the benygnete of ȝoure graciouse lordschepe [3012] And been redy to obeye [folio 349a] to alle ȝoure comandementis/ [3013] besekynge ȝow that of ȝoure Merciable pete / ȝe wolde considere oure geeete repentaunce & lowe submissioun [3014] & graunte vs forȝeuenesse of oure outrageous trespacis and offence [3015] for weel we knowyn / that ȝoure liberal grace / & mercy / strechyn hem ferthere / in-to good|nesse; than don oure outrageous giltis & trespacis in-to wekedenesse [3016] Albe-it that cursedely & damp|nably we han gilt agen ȝoure highe lordschepe.1 [[1_1 All this paragraph is repeated in the MS, begin|ning Whanne instead of Thanne.]] [3017]
THanne Melibee tok hem vp from the ground ful benygnely / [3018] & resseyuede here oblygacyounys & here bondis / by here othis vpon here plegges / & borewis / [3019] and assignede hem a certeyn day to retourne vn-to hise courtt [3020] forto resceyue & accepte the sentence/
