[There are no line-numbers or breaks between the paragraphs in the MS. Tyrwhitt's breaks are kept here to prevent slight differences in the Six Texts throwing out many lines.]
[Corpus MS, on leaf 217, back.]
[2157] A Ȝong man whilom called Melibe mighty & riche bigate vpon his wyf þat called was Prudence. a doughter which þat cleped was Sapience
[2158] ¶ vpon a day felle þat he for his disporte is went in to þe feeldes him to pleye [2159] his wyf and eek his doughter haþ he lefte wiþinne his hous of which þe dores weren faste schette. [2160] ffoure of his olde foos han it aspyed. and setten ladderes to þe walles of his hous and by þe wyndowes ben y-entred [2161] ¶ and beeten his wyf and wounded his doughter with fyue mortaille woundes in .v. sondry places. [2162] þis is to say in hire feet in hire hand. in hire eeres in hire nose in hire mouþ ¶ and laften hire for deed and wenten here wey
[2163] ¶ When Melibeus retourned was aȝein in-til his hous and sawe al þis meschief ¶ he y-like a mad man rendyng his cloþes gan to weepe and crye
[2164] ¶ Prudence his wyf as ferforþ as sche dorste bysought him of his weepyng for to stynte [2165] ¶ but nouȝt for-þy he gan to wepe and crye euer lenger þe more
[2166] ¶ This noble wyf prudence remembred hire on þe sentence of Ovide in his bok þat cleped is þe remedy of loue where he saiþ [2167] he is a fool þat distourbeþ þe mooder for to wepe in þe deþ of hire childe til sche haue wepte hire fille as for a certein tyme [2168] Then schal man don his diligence with amyable wordes hire to comforte and to preye hire of
