[6-text p 243] aduersaries han bygonne þis debaat and brigge by here outrage [2873] ¶ And ȝe seen wel þat þey neuer queren ne preyen me nought of pees Ne þey asken me nouȝt to be recon|silede [2874] ¶ Wole ȝe þanne þat I go meke me and obeye me to hem . and crye hem mercy; [2875] ffor soþe þat were not my worschipe [2876] ¶ ffor right as men sayn þat ouer gret homlynesse [[corrected]] engendreþ despysyng So fareþ it by to gret humilite and mekenesse
[2877] ¶ Then bygan dame prudence to make sem|blaunt of wraþþe and sayde [2878] ¶ Certez sire saue ȝour grace ¶ I loue ȝour honour and ȝour profyt as I do myn owne and euer haue doon [2879] ne ȝe ne noon oþer ne saugh neuer þe contrarye [2880] ¶ And ȝet if I hadde sayd ȝe schulde haue purchaced þe pees and þe reconsiliacion; I nad nought mochel mystaken me ne y-sayde amys [2881] ¶ ffor þe wise man saith. þe dis|sencion bygynneþ by anoþer man and þe reconsilynge begynneþ by þinself [2882] ¶ And þe prophete saiþ ¶ fflee schrewednesse and do goodnesse [2883] ¶ Seche pees and folwe it as mechil as in þe is / [2884] ¶ ȝet saiþ he nought ¶ ȝet schuln ȝe raþer pursewe to ȝour aduersaryes for pees þan þey schuln to ȝou [2885] ¶ ffor I knowe wel þat ȝe ben so harde y-herted þat ȝe wolen don no þing for me [2886] ¶ And Salamon saiþ ¶ þat he þat haþ euer an hard herte; atte laste he schal myshappe and mystryde
[2887] ¶ Whan Mellibe hadde herde dame Prudence make semblant of wraþþe ¶ he sayde in þis wyse [2888] ¶ Dame I pray ȝou þat ȝe ben nouȝt displesed of þinges þat I say ȝou [2889] ffor ȝe knowe wel þat I am angry and wroþ and þat is no wonder [2890] ¶ and þo þat ben wroþ witen not wel what þey doon ne what þay sayn [2891] ¶ Wherfore þe prophete saiþ þat / troubled eyen han no cleer sight [2892] ¶ But sitteþ and counseileþ me right as ȝow liste. ffor I am redy to doon right as ȝe woln desire [2893] ¶ And if ȝe reproeuen me of my folye ¶ I am þe more halden to loue ȝow and to preysen
