[6-text p 251] trowe ȝe ne may not do / [3043] I seye ȝe myght nat putte it to execucioun parauenture [3044] & thanne weere it likly to returne to the werre as it was by-forn [3045] & therfore ȝif ȝe wele that men doon ȝow obeys|aunce / ȝe muste deeme moore curteysly [3046] this is to seye ȝe muste ȝeue moore esy sentenceȝ & Iugementis / [3047] ffor it is wrete / that he that most curteysli comaundyth / to hym; meen muste obeye / [3048] & there|fore I preye ȝow / that in this necescite / & this neede ȝe caste ȝow to ouercome ȝoure herte // [3049] ffor senek seyth that he that [ones] ouyrcomyth [folio 350a] [is cut out] [Harl. 1758 folio 181b] [his/herte ouercomeþ twies/ [3050] And Tullius/ seith. þer is/ no þing/ so [¶ Tullius/.] comendable in a gret lorde. [3051] as/ when he is/ debon|eire & meke. & appesiþ hym mekeli. [3052] And I praie you · þat ye woll/ forbere now to do vengeaunce [3053] in suche a maner þat your good name maie be kept & conserued. [3054] & þat men maie haue cause & mater/ to preise you in pite & mercy. [3055] & þat ye haue no cause to repent you of þing/ þat ye done. [3056] ffor Senek seith. he ouercomeþ in euyll/ [¶ Seneca.] maner þat repentiþ hym of his/ victorie. [3057] Wher|fore I praie you lat/ mercy ben in your herte [3058] to þe effecte & þe entente þat god almyȝti haue mercy vp-on you in his/ last iugement [3059] 3¶ ffor seynt/ Iame seith in his/ epistell/. Iugement3 [[3_3 in margin]] with [¶ Iacobus/.] out mercy schall/ be do to. hym. þat haþ no mercy of anoþer wight.
[3060] When Me [Harl. 1758 folio 182a] libe had herd þe grete skiles/ & resons/ of dame Prudence & of/ her/ wise informacions/ & techinges/. [3061] his herte gan enclyne to þe wille of his/ wif. considering/ to her trewe entent/. [3062] con|formed hym anon & assentid fulli to wirchen aftir/ hir/ counceile. [3063] & þankid god of/ whom procediþ all/ goodnes/ þat hym sent a wif/ of so gret discrecion. [3064] And when þe daie come þat his/ aduer|saries/ schulden appere in his presence. [3065] he spak/
