Comparison of Geoffrey Chaucer Melibee's Tale to Geoffrey Chaucer

And doun he fil bakward up-on his wyf,

That wiste no-thing of this nyce stryf;

... hem and for to been hir borwes. And whan they were comen to the presence of Melibee, he seyde hem thise wordes: 'it standeth thus,' quod Melibee, 'and sooth it is, that ye, causeless, and with-outen skile and resoun, han doon grete iniuries and wronges to me and to my wyf Prudence, and to my doghter also. For ye han entred in-to myn hous by violence, and have doon swich outrage, that alle men knowen wel that ye have deserved the deeth; and therfore wol I knowe and wite of yow, whether ye wol putte the punissement and the chastysinge and the vengeance of this outrage ... [continues next]

Hir nose tretys; hir eyen greye as glas;

Hir mouth ful smal, and ther-to softe and reed;

He on a courser, sterting as the fyr,

Is riden in-to the feeldes, him to pleye,

Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye;

Of Aleyn and of Iohn, that bette him weel.

His wyf is swyved, and his doghter als;

He hadde a book that gladly, night and day,

For his desport he wolde rede alway.

Thurgh egging of his wyf, him for to pleye

In his gardin, and no wight but they tweye,

That he sholde come to Seint Denys to pleye

With him and with his wyf a day or tweye,

Upon a day bifel, that he for his desport is went in-to the feeldes him to pleye. His wyf and eek his doghter hath he left inwith his hous, of which the dores weren fast y-shette. Thre of his olde foos han it espyed, and setten laddres to the walles of his hous, and by the windowes been entred, and betten his wyf, and wounded his doghter with fyve mortal woundes in fyve sondry places; this is to seyn, in hir feet, in hir handes, in hir eres, in hir nose, and in hir mouth; and leften hir for deed, and wenten awey.

... clepen Oriens and Efficiens, and Causa longinqua and Causa propinqua; this is to seyn, the fer cause and the ny cause. The fer cause is almighty god, that is cause of alle thinges. The neer cause is thy three enemys. The cause accidental was hate. The cause material been the fyve woundes of thy doghter. The cause formal is the manere of hir werkinge, that broghten laddres and cloumben in at thy windowes. The cause final was for to slee thy doghter; it letted nat in as muche as in hem was. But for to speken of the fer cause, as to what ende they ...

... the three enemys of mankinde, that is to seyn, the flessh, the feend, and the world, thou hast suffred hem entre in-to thyn herte wilfully by the windowes of thy body, and hast nat defended thy-self suffisantly agayns hir assautes and hir temptaciouns, so that they han wounded thy soule in fyve places; this is to seyn, the deedly sinnes that been entred in-to thyn herte by thy fyve wittes. And in the same manere our lord Crist hath wold and suffred, that thy three enemys been entred in-to thyn hous by the windowes, and han y-wounded thy doghter in the fore-seyde manere.'

[continues previous] ... were comen to the presence of Melibee, he seyde hem thise wordes: 'it standeth thus,' quod Melibee, 'and sooth it is, that ye, causeless, and with-outen skile and resoun, han doon grete iniuries and wronges to me and to my wyf Prudence, and to my doghter also. For ye han entred in-to myn hous by violence, and have doon swich outrage, that alle men knowen wel that ye have deserved the deeth; and therfore wol I knowe and wite of yow, whether ye wol putte the punissement and the chastysinge and the vengeance of this outrage in the wil of me and of my wyf Prudence; or ...

Which that to ryden with yow is ful fayn,

For his desport; he loveth daliaunce.'

... they han misese of poverte; and this poverte shal been in foure thinges: in defaute of tresor, of which that David seith; 'the riche folk, that embraceden and oneden al hir herte to tresor of this world, shul slepe in the slepinge of deeth; and no-thing ne shul they finden in hir handes of al hir tresor.' And more-over, the miseise of helle shal been in defaute of mete and drinke. For god seith thus by Moyses; 'they shul been wasted with hunger, and the briddes of helle shul devouren hem with bitter deeth, and the galle of the dragon shal been hir drinke, and the venim of ...

... in the myre, on horse and eek on fote, as wel of man as of womman, that al thilke trailing is verraily as in effect wasted, consumed, thredbare, and roten with donge, rather than it is yeven to the povre; to greet damage of the forseyde povre folk. And that in sondry wyse: this is to seyn, that the more that clooth is wasted, the more it costeth to the peple for the scantnesse; and forther-over, if so be that they wolde yeven swich pounsoned and dagged clothing to the povre folk, it is nat convenient to were for hir estaat, ne suffisant to bete hir necessitee, ...

And wenten in-to counsel his londes for to dele; [continues next]

Unto hir heles doun they raughten:

Hir nose, hir mouth, and eye and cheke

In me fyve woundes dide he make,

And alle the dores were faste y-shette,

'What? whilk way is he geen?' he gan to crye. [continues next]

And yet remoeved they never out of the hous,

Whyl they saugh al this sighte merveillous,

... in the deeth of hir child, til she have wept hir fille, as for a certain tyme; and thanne shal man doon his diligence with amiable wordes hir to reconforte, and preyen hir of hir weping for to stinte.' For which resoun this noble wyf Prudence suffred hir housbond for to wepe and crye as for a certein space; and whan she saugh hir tyme, she seyde him in this wyse. 'Allas, my lord,' quod she,' why make ye your-self for to be lyk a fool? For sothe, it aperteneth nat to a wys man, to maken swiche a sorwe. Your doghter, with the ... [continues next]

... obligaciouns and hir bondes by hir othes up-on hir plegges and borwes, and assigned hem a certeyn day to retourne un-to his court, for to accepte and receyve the sentence and Iugement that Melibee wolde comande to be doon on hem by the causes afore-seyd; whiche thinges ordeyned, every man retourned to his hous.

And whan that dame Prudence saugh hir tyme, she freyned and axed hir lord Melibee, what vengeance he thoughte to taken of hise adversaries?

To here how men wolde wepe and crye; [continues next]

And slow his brother, and by his sister lay. [continues next]

... Luk, 15., where-as Crist seith that 'as wel shal ther be Ioye in hevene upon a sinful man that doth penitence, as up-on nynety and nyne rightful men that neden no penitence?' Loke forther, in the same gospel, the Ioye and the feste of the gode man that hadde lost his sone, whan his sone with repentaunce was retourned to his fader. Can they nat remembren hem eek, that, as seith seint Luk xxiiiº capitulo, how that the theef that was hanged bisyde Iesu Crist, seyde: 'Lord, remembre of me, whan thou comest in-to thy regne?' 'For sothe,' seyde Crist, 'I seye to thee, to-day shaltow been with me in Paradys.' ...

[continues previous] Tho leete they the knight lyen that was nought in hele,

[continues previous] And wenten in-to counsel his londes for to dele;

But in Pilates vois he gan to crye,

And swoor by armes and by blood and bones,

As he were wood, for wo he gan to crye —

[continues previous] 'What? whilk way is he geen?' he gan to crye.

[continues previous] The wyf cam leping inward with a ren,

This markis wondreth ever lenger the more [continues next]

'Out! help! allas! harrow!' he gan to crye,

The savour passeth ever lenger the more,

And she gan wepen ever lenger the more.

'Allas!' quod she, 'that ever was I born!

[continues previous] ... The Remedie of Love, wher-as he seith; 'he is a fool that destourbeth the moder to wepen in the deeth of hir child, til she have wept hir fille, as for a certain tyme; and thanne shal man doon his diligence with amiable wordes hir to reconforte, and preyen hir of hir weping for to stinte.' For which resoun this noble wyf Prudence suffred hir housbond for to wepe and crye as for a certein space; and whan she saugh hir tyme, she seyde him in this wyse. 'Allas, my lord,' quod she,' why make ye your-self for to be lyk a fool? For sothe, it aperteneth nat to a wys man, to maken swiche a sorwe. Your doghter, with the grace ... [continues next]

[continues previous] This Melibeus answerde anon and seyde, 'What man,' quod he, 'sholde of his weping stinte, that hath so greet a cause for to wepe? Iesu Crist, our lord, him-self wepte for the deeth of Lazarus his freend.' Prudence answerde, 'Certes, wel I woot, attempree weping is no-thing defended to him that sorweful is, amonges folk in sorwe, but it is rather graunted him to wepe. ... [continues next]

[continues previous] And slow his brother, and by his sister lay.

And with an hardy herte he gan to crye

Vengeaunce and Iustice of this felonye: —

And whan that he was come, he gan to crye,

A whyl, and than he gan to crye,

And with hem deled ever lenger the more,

Til that hir teres in the listes fille;

She seyde: 'I am ashamed, doutelees.'

Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye,

Whyl that hir housbond was at Oseneye,

A certein tyme, as fel to hir plesance.

And so bifel, that thexcellent renoun

That he ne sholde suffren in no wyse

And forth they ryde in Ioye and in gladnesse.

And whan she saugh hir fader in the strete,

She lighte doun, and falleth him to fete.

And after this thus spak she to the knight,

Whan that she saugh hir tyme, up-on a day:

As wel over hir housbond as hir love,

And for to been in maistrie him above;

Suspect the tyme in which he this bigan.

Allas! hir doghter that she lovede so

[continues previous] This markis wondreth ever lenger the more

Al were it so she were of smal degree;

But god wot what that May thoughte in hir herte,

Whan she him saugh up sittinge in his sherte,

And whan she saugh hir time, up-on a day,

It were right good that al swich thing were knowe.'

And whan he saugh his tyme, he seyde thus:

And whan he saugh his tyme, anon-right he,

That at Cartage birafte hir-self hir lyf?

For whan she saugh that Romayns wan the toun,

The Persone him answerde, 'benedicite! [continues next]

Whan Melibeus retourned was in-to his hous, and saugh al this meschief, he, lyk a mad man, rendinge his clothes, gan to wepe and crye. [continues next]

[continues previous] Prudence his wyf, as ferforth as she dorste, bisoghte him of his weping for to stinte; but nat for-thy he gan to crye and wepen ever lenger the more. [continues next]

[continues previous] This noble wyf Prudence remembered hir upon the sentence of Ovide, in his book that cleped is The Remedie of Love, wher-as he seith; 'he is a fool that destourbeth the moder to wepen in the deeth of hir child, til she have wept hir fille, as for a certain tyme; and thanne shal man doon his diligence with amiable wordes hir to reconforte, and preyen hir of hir weping for to stinte.' For which resoun this noble wyf Prudence suffred hir housbond for to wepe and crye as for a certein space; and whan she saugh hir tyme, she seyde him in this wyse. 'Allas, my lord,' quod she,' why make ye your-self for to be lyk a fool? For sothe, it aperteneth nat to a wys man, to maken swiche ... [continues next]

... wounded other, oon same surgien heleth hem bothe; wherefore un-to our art it is nat pertinent to norice werre, ne parties to supporte. But certes, as to the warisshinge of your doghter, al-be-it so that she perilously be wounded, we shullen do so ententif bisinesse fro day to night, that with the grace of god she shal be hool and sound as sone as is possible.' Almost right in the same wyse the phisiciens answerden, save that they seyden a fewe wordes more: 'That, right as maladyes been cured by hir contraries, right so shul men warisshe werre by vengeaunce.' His neighebores, ful of envye, his feyned ... [continues next]

... folk, that prively in his ere conseilled him certeyn thing, and conseilled him the contrarie in general audience. Whan Melibeus hadde herd that the gretteste partie of his conseil weren accorded that he sholde maken werre, anoon he consented to hir conseilling, and fully affermed hir sentence. Thanne dame Prudence, whan that she saugh how that hir housbonde shoop him for to wreken him on his foos, and to biginne werre, she in ful humble wyse, when she saugh hir tyme, seide him thise wordes: 'My lord,' quod she, 'I yow biseche as hertely as I dar and can, ne haste yow nat to faste, and for alle guerdons as yeveth me audience. For Piers Alfonce seith: "who-so that dooth to that other good or harm, haste thee nat to quyten it; for ... [continues next]

Whanne dame Prudence, ful debonairly and with greet pacience, hadde herd al that hir housbonde lyked for to seye, thanne axed she of him licence for to speke, and seyde in this wyse. 'My lord,' quod she, 'as to your firste resoun, certes it may lightly been answered. For I seye, that it is no folie to chaunge conseil whan the thing is chaunged; or elles whan the thing semeth otherweyes than it was biforn. And more-over I seye, that though ye han sworn and bihight to ... [continues next]

... which folk ye sholde been counseilled, now wol I teche yow which conseil ye oghte to eschewe. First ye shul eschewe the conseilling of foles; for Salomon seith: "taak no conseil of a fool, for he ne can noght conseille but after his owene lust and his affeccioun." The book seith: that "the propretee of a fool is this; he troweth lightly harm of every wight, and lightly troweth alle bountee in him-self." Thou shalt eek eschewe the conseilling of alle flatereres, swiche as enforcen hem rather to preise your persone by flaterye than for to telle yow the sothfastnesse of thinges. [continues next]

... that doon yow reverence withouten love. And eek also ye have erred, for ye han broght with yow to your conseil ire, covetise, and hastifnesse; the whiche three thinges been contrariouse to every conseil honeste and profitable; the whiche three thinges ye han nat anientissed or destroyed hem, neither in your-self ne in your conseillours, as yow oghte. Ye han erred also, for ye han shewed to your conseillours your talent, and your affeccioun to make werre anon and for to do vengeance; they han espyed by your wordes to what thing ye been enclyned. And therfore han they rather conseilled yow to your talent than to your profit. ... [continues next]

... wys man dredeth his enemy. And Salomon seith: "weleful is he that of alle hath drede; for certes, he that thurgh the hardinesse of his herte and thurgh the hardinesse of him-self hath to greet presumpcioun, him shal yvel bityde." Thanne shul ye evermore countrewayte embusshements and alle espiaille. For Senek seith: that "the wyse man that dredeth harmes escheweth harmes; ne he ne falleth in-to perils, that perils escheweth." And al-be-it so that it seme that thou art in siker place, yet shaltow alwey do thy diligence in kepinge of thy persone; this is to seyn, ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone, nat ... [continues next]

... she nis nat stidefast ne stable; for whan thow trowest to be most seur or siker of hir help, she wol faille thee and deceyve thee. And wher-as ye seyn that fortune hath norissed yow fro your childhede, I seye, that in so muchel shul ye the lasse truste in hir and in hir wit. For Senek seith: "what man that is norissed by fortune, she maketh him a greet fool." Now thanne, sin ye desyre and axe vengeance, and the vengeance that is doon after the lawe and bifore the Iuge ne lyketh yow nat, and the vengeance that is doon in hope of fortune is perilous ...

... the outrage." And therfore ye shul venge yow after the ordre of right, that is to seyn by the lawe, and noght by excesse ne by outrage. And also, if ye wol venge yow of the outrage of your adversaries in other maner than right comandeth, ye sinnen; and therfore seith Senek: that "a man shal never vengen shrewednesse by shrewednesse." And if ye seye, that right axeth a man to defenden violence by violence, and fighting by fighting, certes ye seye sooth, whan the defense is doon anon with-outen intervalle or with-outen tarying or delay, for to defenden him and nat for to vengen him. ...

... to him that taketh an hound by the eres." For right as he that taketh a straunge hound by the eres is outherwhyle biten with the hound, right in the same wyse is it resoun that he have harm, that by his inpacience medleth him of the noyse of another man, wher-as it aperteneth nat un-to him. But ye knowen wel that this dede, that is to seyn, my grief and my disese, toucheth me right ny. And therfore, though I be wroth and inpacient, it is no merveille. And savinge your grace, I can nat seen that it mighte greetly harme me though I ...

Whan Prudence hadde herd hir housbonde avanten him of his richesse and of his moneye, dispreisinge the power of hise adversaries, she spak, and seyde in this wyse: 'certes, dere sir, I graunte yow that ye been rich and mighty, and that the richesses been goode to hem that han wel y-geten hem and wel conne usen hem. For right as the body of a man may nat liven with-oute the soule, namore may it live with-outen temporel ... [continues next]

... and in the hand of our lord god almighty. And therfore Iudas Machabeus, which was goddes knight, whan he sholde fighte agayn his adversarie that hadde a greet nombre, and a gretter multitude of folk and strenger than was this peple of Machabee, yet he reconforted his litel companye, and seyde right in this wyse: "als lightly," quod he, "may our lord god almighty yeve victorie to a fewe folk as to many folk; for the victorie of bataile cometh nat by the grete nombre of peple, but it cometh from our lord god of hevene." And dere sir, for as muchel as there is no man certein, ... [continues next]

Thanne Dame Prudence, whan she saugh the gode wil of her housbonde, delibered and took avys in hir-self, thinkinge how she mighte bringe this nede un-to a good conclusioun and to a good ende. And whan she saugh hir tyme, she sente for thise adversaries to come un-to hir in-to a privee place, and shewed wysly un-to hem the grete goodes that comen of pees, and the grete harmes and perils that been in werre; and seyde to hem in a goodly manere, how that hem oughte have greet repentaunce of ... [continues next]

And whan that dame Prudence saugh hir tyme, she freyned and axed hir lord Melibee, what vengeance he thoughte to taken of hise adversaries? [continues next]

... "coveitise is rote of alle harmes." And therfore, it were bettre for yow to lese so muchel good of your owene, than for to taken of hir good in this manere. For bettre it is to lesen good with worshipe, than it is to winne good with vileinye and shame. And every man oghte to doon his diligence and his bisinesse to geten him a good name. And yet shal he nat only bisie him in kepinge of his good name, but he shal also enforcen him alwey to do som-thing by which he may renovelle his good name; for it is writen, that "the olde good loos or good ... [continues next]

Al were it so that she hem longe taried;

That every day he saugh, in tyme and space,

Or leest of reputacion wol she take,

In tyme whan hir lust to han a make.

This Persone him answerde, al at ones, [continues next]

... in outrageous labour in werkes. Wherfore I seye, that folk that maken hir servants to travaillen to grevously, or out of tyme, as on halydayes, soothly they do greet sinne. Heer-agayns suffred Crist ful paciently, and taughte us pacience, whan he bar up-on his blissed shulder the croys, up-on which he sholde suffren despitous deeth. Heer may men lerne to be pacient; for certes, noght only Cristen men been pacient for love of Iesu Crist, and for guerdoun of the blisful lyf that is perdurable; but certes, the olde payens, that nevere were Cristene, commendeden and useden the vertu of pacience. [continues next]

vigour and strengthe that it ne mighte nat ben empted; al were it

so that she was ful of so greet age, that men ne wolde nat trowen,

hir, she bigan to speke in this wyse): 'Yif I,' quod she, 'have

The poete of Trace, Orpheus, that whylom hadde right greet sorwe

for the deeth of his wyf, after that he hadde maked, by his weeply

And therfor in her lettre thus she seyde

First, whan she of his falsnesse him umbreyde,

But I wot why ye come nat,' quod she;

'For I was of my love to you so free.

A thousand tyme, whan I have tyme and space.

For she, that is my verray sorowes grounde,

Allas, allas! now may men wepe and crye!

For in our dayes nis but covetyse

And whan she herde him werne hir so,

She hadde in herte so gret wo,

That it were bet of hir aloon,

For to stinte my wo and moon,

With that word Resoun wente hir gate,

Whan she saugh for no sermoning

She might me fro my foly bring.

Ye wolde han slayn your-self anoon?' quod she.

'Ye, douteless;' and she answerde, 'allas!

But whan he saugh she nolde hir terme holde,

And I seyde, his opinioun was good.

What sholde he studie, and make him-selven wood,

This Palamon answerde hastily,

And seyde: 'sire, what nedeth wordes mo?

This worthy duk answerde anon agayn,

And seyde, 'This is a short conclusioun:

So greet a weping was ther noon, certayn,

For thus seith Salomon, that was ful trewe, [continues next]

Thou seyst, that right as wormes shende a tree,

Right so a wyf destroyeth hir housbonde;

Was al mankinde broght to wrecchednesse,

For which that Iesu Crist him-self was slayn,

This knight answerde, 'allas! and weylawey!

I woot right wel that swich was my biheste.

This Somnour him answerde, and seyde, 'nay;

Heer faste by,' quod he, 'is myn entente

That thou hast lorn non of thy children tweye.

Thus seith the king that knoweth your wikkednesse;

And Iesus filius Syrak, as I gesse,

[continues previous] The Persone him answerde, 'benedicite!

[continues previous] What eyleth the man, so sinfully to swere?'

This noble marchant gentilly anon

Answerde, and seyde, 'o cosin myn, daun Iohn,

And seyde thus, 'what man artow?' quod he;

[continues previous] Prudence his wyf, as ferforth as she dorste, bisoghte him of his weping for to stinte; but nat for-thy he gan to crye and wepen ever lenger the more.

[continues previous] This Melibeus answerde anon and seyde, 'What man,' quod he, 'sholde of his weping stinte, that hath so greet a cause for to wepe? Iesu Crist, our lord, him-self wepte for the deeth of Lazarus his freend.' Prudence answerde, 'Certes, wel I woot, attempree weping is no-thing defended to him that sorweful is, amonges folk in sorwe, but it is rather graunted him to wepe. The Apostle Paul un-to the Romayns wryteth, "man shal reioyse with hem that maken Ioye, and wepen with swich folk as wepen." But thogh attempree weping be y-graunted, outrageous weping certes is defended. Mesure of weping sholde be considered, after the lore that techeth us Senek. "Whan that thy freend is deed," quod he, "lat nat thyne eyen to moyste been of teres, ne to muche drye; althogh the teres come to thyne eyen, lat hem nat falle." And whan thou hast for-goon thy freend, do diligence to gete another freend; and this is more wysdom than for to wepe for thy freend which that thou hast lorn; for ther-inne is no bote. And therfore, if ye governe yow by sapience, put awey sorwe out of your ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... shal repente." And eek men seyn that thilke Iuge is wys, that sone understondeth a matere and Iuggeth by leyser. For al-be-it so that alle tarying be anoyful, algates it is nat to repreve in yevynge of Iugement, ne in vengeance-taking, whan it is suffisant and resonable. And that shewed our lord Iesu Crist by ensample; for whan that the womman that was taken in avoutrie was broght in his presence, to knowen what sholde be doon with hir persone, al-be-it so that he wiste wel him-self what that he wolde answere, yet ne wolde he nat answere sodeynly, but he wolde have deliberacioun, and in the ...

[continues previous] ... olde man wende to enforcen his tale by resons, wel ny alle at-ones bigonne they to ryse for to breken his tale, and beden him ful ofte his wordes for to abregge. For soothly, he that precheth to hem that listen nat heren his wordes, his sermon hem anoyeth. For Iesus Syrak seith: that "musik in wepinge is anoyous thing;" this is to seyn: as muche availleth to speken bifore folk to whiche his speche anoyeth, as dooth to singe biforn him that wepeth. And whan this wyse man saugh that him wanted audience, al shamefast he sette him doun agayn. For Salomon seith: "ther-as thou ne mayst ...

[continues previous] ... hem alle. For "of a thousand men," seith Salomon, "I fond a good man: but certes, of alle wommen, good womman fond I never." And also certes, if I governed me by thy conseil, it sholde seme that I hadde yeve to thee over me the maistrie; and god forbede that it so were. For Iesus Syrak seith; "that if the wyf have maistrie, she is contrarious to hir housbonde." And Salomon seith: "never in thy lyf, to thy wyf, ne to thy child, ne to thy freend, ne yeve no power over thy-self. For bettre it were that thy children aske of thy persone thinges that hem nedeth, ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... he shal gladly techen the science that he can, with-outen presumpcioun or pryde. And swiche thinges as he nought ne can, he shal nat been ashamed to lerne hem and enquere of lasse folk than him-self." And sir, that ther hath been many a good womman, may lightly be preved. For certes, sir, our lord Iesu Crist wolde never have descended to be born of a womman, if alle wommen hadden ben wikke. And after that, for the grete bountee that is in wommen, our lord Iesu Crist, whan he was risen fro deeth to lyve, appeered rather to a womman than to his apostles. And though that Salomon seith, that "he ne fond never womman good," it folweth nat therfore that alle wommen ben wikke. For though that he ne fond no good womman, certes, ful many another man hath founden many a womman ful good and trewe. Or elles per-aventure the entente of Salomon was this; that, as in sovereyn bountee, he fond no womman; this is to seyn, that ther is no wight that hath sovereyn bountee save god allone; as he him-self recordeth in his Evaungelie. For ther nis no creature so good that him ne wanteth somwhat of the perfeccioun of god, that is his maker. Your thridde resoun is this: ye seyn that "if ye governe yow by my conseil, it sholde seme that ye hadde yeve me the maistrie and the lordshipe over your persone." Sir, save your grace, it is nat so. For if it were so, that no man sholde be conseilled but only of hem that hadden lordshipe and maistrie of his persone, men ... [continues next]

... ye han taken conseil in your-self, and han demed by good deliberacion swich thing as you semeth best, thanne rede I yow, that ye kepe it secree. Biwrey nat your conseil to no persone, but-if so be that ye wenen sikerly that, thurgh your biwreying, your condicioun shal be to yow the more profitable. For Iesus Syrak seith: "neither to thy foo ne to thy freend discovere nat thy secree ne thy folie; for they wol yeve yow audience and loking and supportacioun in thy presence, and scorne thee in thyn absence." Another clerk seith, that "scarsly shaltou finden any persone that may kepe conseil secreely." The book ... [continues next]

[continues previous] I seye that first ye shul clepe to your conseil your freendes that been trewe. For Salomon seith: that "right as the herte of a man delyteth in savour that is sote, right so the conseil of trewe freendes yeveth swetenesse to the soule." He seith also: "ther may no-thing be lykned to the trewe freend." For certes, gold ne silver beth nat so muche worth as the gode wil of a trewe freend. And eek ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... men shal alwey finde a gretter nombre of foles than of wyse men, and therfore the conseils that been at congregaciouns and multitudes of folk, ther-as men take more reward to the nombre than to the sapience of persones, ye see wel that in swiche conseillinges foles han the maistrie.' Melibeus answerde agayn, and seyde: 'I graunte wel that I have erred; but ther-as thou hast told me heer-biforn, that he nis nat to blame that chaungeth hise conseillours in certein caas, and for certeine Iuste causes, I am al redy to chaunge my conseillours, right as thow wolt devyse. The proverbe seith: that "for ...

[continues previous] To this sentence answerde anon dame Prudence, and seyde: 'Examineth,' quod she, 'your conseil, and lat us see the whiche of hem han spoken most resonably, and taught yow best conseil. And for-as-muche as that the examinacioun is necessarie, lat us biginne at the surgiens and at the phisiciens, that first speken in this matere. I sey yow, that the surgiens ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... that hath werre shal evermore mekely and devoutly preyen biforn alle thinges, that Iesus Crist of his grete mercy wol han him in his proteccioun, and been his sovereyn helping at his nede. For certes, in this world ther is no wight that may be conseilled ne kept suffisantly withouten the keping of our lord Iesu Crist. To this sentence accordeth the prophete David, that seith: "if god ne kepe the citee, in ydel waketh he that it kepeth." Now sir, thanne shul ye committe the keping of your persone to your trewe freendes that been approved and y-knowe; and of hem shul ye axen help your persone for to kepe. For ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Now as to the seconde point, wher-as your wyse conseillours conseilled yow to warnestore your hous with gret diligence, I wolde fayn knowe, how that ye understonde thilke wordes, and what is your sentence.' [continues next]

Melibeus answerde and seyde, 'Certes I understande it in this wise; that I shal warnestore myn hous with toures, swiche as han castelles and othere manere edifices, and armure and artelleries, by whiche thinges I may my persone and myn hous so kepen and defenden, that myne enemys shul been in drede myn hous ... [continues next]

To this sentence answerde anon Prudence; 'warnestoring,' quod she, 'of heighe toures and of grete edifices apperteneth som-tyme to pryde; and eek men make heighe toures and grete edifices with grete costages and with greet travaille; and whan that they been accompliced, yet be they nat worth a stree, but-if they be defended by trewe freendes that been ... [continues next]

... lat us considere also if the conseilling of hem that conseilleden yow to taken sodeyn vengeaunce, whether it accorde to resoun? And certes, ye knowe wel "nay." For as by right and resoun, ther may no man taken vengeance on no wight, but the Iuge that hath the Iurisdiccioun of it, whan it is graunted him to take thilke vengeance, hastily or attemprely, as the lawe requireth. And yet more-over, of thilke word that Tullius clepeth "consentinge," thou shalt considere if thy might and thy power may consenten and suffyse to thy wilfulnesse and to thy conseillours. And certes, thou mayst wel seyn that "nay." For sikerly, ...

... dronken; and hast forgeten Iesu Crist thy creatour; thou ne hast nat doon to him swich honour and reverence as thee oughte. Ne thou ne hast nat wel y-taken kepe to the wordes of Ovide, that seith: "under the hony of the godes of the body is hid the venim that sleeth the soule." And Salomon seith, "if thou hast founden hony, ete of it that suffyseth; for if thou ete of it out of mesure, thou shalt spewe," and be nedy and povre. And peraventure Crist hath thee in despit, and hath turned awey fro thee his face and hise eres of misericorde; and also he ... [continues next]

... of vengeance-takinge, a man wolde never take vengeance, and that were harm; for by the vengeance-takinge been the wikked men dissevered fro the gode men. And they that han wil to do wikkednesse restreyne hir wikked purpos, whan they seen the punissinge and chastysinge of the trespassours.' [And to this answerde dame Prudence: 'Certes,' seyde she, 'I graunte wel that of vengeaunce cometh muchel yvel and muchel good; but vengeaunce-taking aperteneth nat unto everichoon, but only unto Iuges and unto hem that han Iurisdicctioun upon the trespassours.] And yet seye I more, that right as a singuler persone sinneth in takinge vengeance of another man, right so sinneth the Iuge if he do no vengeance of hem that it han deserved. For Senek seith thus: "that maister," he seith, "is good that proveth shrewes." And as Cassidore seith: "A man dredeth to do outrages, whan he woot and knoweth that it displeseth to the Iuges and sovereyns." And another seith: "the Iuge that dredeth to do right, maketh men shrewes." And Seint Paule the apostle seith in his epistle, whan he wryteth un-to the Romayns: that "the Iuges beren nat the spere with-outen cause;" but they beren it to punisse the shrewes and misdoeres, and for to defende the gode men. If ye wol thanne take vengeance of your enemys, ye shul retourne or have your recours to the Iuge that hath the Iurisdiccion up-on hem; and ... [continues next]

... hise defautes and of his sinnes, the peynes and the tribulaciouns that he suffreth semen the lesse un-to hym; and in-as-muche as him thinketh hise sinnes more hevy and grevous, in-so-muche semeth his peyne the lighter and the esier un-to him." Also ye owen to enclyne and bowe your herte to take the pacience of our lord Iesu Crist, as seith seint Peter in hise epistles: "Iesu Crist," he seith, "hath suffred for us, and yeven ensample to every man to folwe and sewe him; for he dide never sinne, ne never cam ther a vileinous word out of his mouth: whan men cursed him, he cursed hem noght; ...

[continues previous] ... nature, as a man to encressen his owene profit to the harm of another man. And though the grete men and the mighty men geten richesses more lightly than thou, yet shaltou nat been ydel ne slow to do thy profit; for thou shalt in alle wyse flee ydelnesse." For Salomon seith: that "ydelnesse techeth a man to do manye yveles." And the same Salomon seith: that "he that travailleth and bisieth him to tilien his land, shal eten breed; but he that is ydel and casteth him to no bisinesse ne occupacioun, shal falle in-to poverte, and dye for hunger." And he that is ydel and ...

[continues previous] ... trust of your richesses; for they ne suffysen noght werres to mayntene. And therfore seith a philosophre: "that man that desyreth and wole algates han werre, shal never have suffisaunce; for the richer that he is, the gretter despenses moste he make, if he wole have worship and victorie." And Salomon seith: that "the gretter richesses that a man hath, the mo despendours he hath." And dere sire, al-be-it so that for your richesses ye mowe have muchel folk, yet bihoveth it nat, ne it is nat good, to biginne werre, where-as ye mowe in other manere have pees, un-to your worship and profit. For the victories of batailles that been in this world, lyen nat in greet nombre or multitude of the peple ne in the vertu of man; but it lyth in the wil and in the hand of our lord god almighty. And therfore Iudas Machabeus, which was goddes knight, whan he sholde fighte agayn his adversarie that hadde a greet nombre, and a gretter multitude of folk and strenger than was this peple of Machabee, yet he reconforted his litel companye, and seyde right in this wyse: "als lightly," quod he, "may our lord god almighty yeve victorie to a fewe folk as to many folk; for the victorie of bataile cometh nat by the grete nombre of peple, but it cometh from our lord god of hevene." And dere sir, for as muchel as there is no man certein, if he be worthy that god yeve him victorie, [namore than he is certein whether he be worthy of the love of god] or naught, after that Salomon seith, therfore every man sholde greetly drede werres to biginne. And by-cause that in batailles fallen manye perils, and happeth outher-while, that as sone is the grete man sleyn as the litel man; and, as it is written in the seconde book of Kinges, "the dedes of batailles been aventurouse and nothing certeyne;" for as lightly is oon hurt with a spere as another. And for ther is gret peril in werre, therfore sholde a man flee and eschewe werre, in as muchel as a man may goodly. For Salomon seith: "he that loveth peril shal falle in peril."'

[continues previous] After that Dame Prudence hadde spoken in this manere, Melibee answerde and seyde, 'I see wel, dame Prudence, that by your faire wordes and by your resons that ye han shewed me, that the werre lyketh yow no-thing; but I have nat yet herd your conseil, how I shal do in this nede.'

... and do goodnesse; seke pees and folwe it, as muchel as in thee is." Yet seye I nat that ye shul rather pursue to your adversaries for pees than they shuln to yow; for I knowe wel that ye been so hard-herted, that ye wol do no-thing for me. And Salomon seith: "he that hath over-hard an herte, atte laste he shal mishappe and mistyde."'

[continues previous] ... after the sawe of David the prophete; for the reconsilinge which we been nat worthy to have in no manere, but we oghte requeren it with greet contricioun and humilitee, ye of your grete goodnesse have presented unto us. Now see we wel that the science and the conninge of Salomon is ful trewe; for he seith: that "swete wordes multiplyen and encresen freendes, and maken shrewes to be debonaire and meke."

Thanne the wyseste of hem three answerde for hem alle, and seyde: 'sire,' quod he, 'we knowen wel, that we been unworthy to comen un-to the court of so greet a lord and so worthy as ye been. For we han so greetly mistaken us, and han offended and agilt in swich a wyse agayn your heigh lordshipe, that trewely we han deserved the deeth. ...

[continues previous] To which Melibee answerde and seyde, 'certes,' quod he, 'I thinke and purpose me fully to desherite hem of al that ever they han, and for to putte hem in exil for ever.'

[continues previous] ... do yow obeisance, ye moste demen more curteisly; this is to seyn, ye moste yeven more esy sentences and Iugements. For it is writen, that "he that most curteisly comandeth, to him men most obeyen." And therfore, I prey yow that in this necessitee and in this nede, ye caste yow to overcome your herte. For Senek seith: that "he that overcometh his herte, overcometh twyes." And Tullius seith: "ther is nothing so comendable in a greet lord as whan he is debonaire and meke, and appeseth him lightly." And I prey yow that ye wole forbere now to do vengeance, in swich a manere, that your goode name ...

As his Rosarie maketh mencioun;

He seith right thus, with-outen any lye,

[continues previous] Tel us a tale anon, for cokkes bones!'

[continues previous] This Persone him answerde, al at ones,

... shul knowen hem.' Of this rote eek springeth a seed of grace, the which seed is moder of sikernesse, and this seed is egre and hoot. The grace of this seed springeth of god, thurgh remembrance of the day of dome and on the peynes of helle. Of this matere seith Salomon, that 'in the drede of god man forleteth his sinne.' The hete of this seed is the love of god, and the desiring of the Ioye perdurable. This hete draweth the herte of a man to god, and dooth him haten his sinne. For soothly, ther is no-thing that savoureth so wel to a child as the milk of his norice, ne no-thing is to him more abhominable than thilke milk whan it is medled with other mete. Right so the sinful man that loveth his sinne, him semeth that it is to him most swete of any-thing; but fro that tyme that he loveth sadly our lord Iesu Crist, and desireth the lif perdurable, ther nis to him no-thing more abhominable. For soothly, the lawe of god is the love of god; for which David the prophete seith: 'I have loved thy lawe and hated wikkednesse and hate'; he that loveth god kepeth his lawe and his word. This tree saugh the ... [continues next]

In this Penitence or Contricion man shal understonde foure thinges, that is to seyn, what is Contricion: and whiche been the causes that moeven a man to Contricion: and how he sholde be contrit: and what Contricion availleth to the soule. Thanne is it thus: that Contricion is the verray sorwe that a man receiveth in his herte for his sinnes, with sad purpos to shryve him, and to do penaunce, and nevermore to do sinne. And this sorwe shal been in this manere, as seith seint Bernard: 'it shal been hevy and grevous, and ful sharpe and poinant in herte.' First, for man hath agilt his lord ... [continues next]

... delivere hem fro peyne. And therfore seith Salomon: 'the wikked man dyeth; and whan he is deed, he shal have noon hope to escape fro peyne.' Who-so thanne wolde wel understande these peynes, and bithinke him weel that he hath deserved thilke peynes for his sinnes, certes, he sholde have more talent to syken and to wepe than for to singen and to pleye. For as that seith Salomon: 'who-so that hadde the science to knowe the peynes that been establissed and ordeyned for sinne, he wolde make sorwe.' 'Thilke science,' as seith seint Augustin, 'maketh a man to waymenten in his herte.'

The fifthe thing that oghte moeve a man to contricion, is remembrance of the passion that oure lord Iesu Crist suffred for our sinnes. For, as seith seint Bernard: 'whyl that I live, I shal have remembrance of the travailles that oure lord Crist suffred in preching; his werinesse in travailling, hise temptacions whan he fasted, hise longe wakinges whan he preyde, hise teres whan that he weep for pitee of good peple; the wo and the shame and the filthe that men seyden to him; of the foule spitting that men spitte in his face, of the buffettes that men yaven him, of the foule mowes, and of the repreves that men to him seyden; of the nayles with whiche he was nailed to the croys, and of al the remenant of his passion that he suffred for my sinnes, and no-thing for his gilt.' And ye shul understonde, that in mannes sinne is every manere of ordre or ordinance turned up-so-doun. For it is sooth, that god, and reson, and sensualitee, and the body of man been so ordeyned, that everich of thise foure thinges sholde have lordshipe over that other; as thus: god sholde have lordshipe over reson, and reson over sensualitee, and sensualitee over the body of man. But sothly, whan man sinneth, al this ordre or ordinance is turned up-so-doun. And therfore thanne, for-as-muche as the reson of man ne wol nat be subget ne obeisant to god, that is his lord by right, therfore leseth it the lordshipe that it sholde have over sensualitee, and eek over the body of man. And why? For sensualitee rebelleth thanne agayns reson; and by that wey leseth reson the lordshipe over sensualitee and over the body. For right as reson is rebel to god, right so is bothe sensualitee rebel to reson and the body also. And certes, this disordinance and this rebellion oure lord Iesu Crist aboghte up-on his precious body ful dere, and herkneth in which wyse. For-as-muche thanne as reson is rebel to god, therfore is man worthy to have sorwe and to be deed. This suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man, after that he hadde be bitraysed of his disciple, and distreyned and bounde, 'so that his blood brast out at every nail of hise handes,' as seith seint Augustin. And forther-over, for-as-muchel as reson of man ne wol nat daunte sensualitee whan it may, therfore is man worthy to have shame; and this suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man, whan they spetten in his visage. And forther-over, for-as-muchel thanne as the caitif body of man is rebel bothe to reson and to sensualitee, therfore is it worthy the deeth. And this suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man up-on the croys, where-as ther was no part of his body free, withouten greet peyne and bitter passion. And al this suffred Iesu Crist, that nevere forfeted. And therfore resonably may be seyd of Iesu in this manere: 'to muchel am I peyned for the thinges that I nevere deserved, and to muche defouled for shend-shipe that man is worthy to have.' And therfore may the sinful man wel seye, as seith seint Bernard: 'acursed be the bitternesse of my sinne, for which ther moste be suffred so muchel bitternesse.' For certes, after the diverse discordances of oure wikkednesses, was the passion of Iesu Crist ordeyned in diverse thinges, as thus. Certes, sinful mannes soule is bitraysed of the devel by coveitise of temporel prosperitee, and scorned by deceite whan he cheseth fleshly delyces; and yet is it tormented by inpacience of adversitee, and bispet by servage and subieccion of sinne; and atte laste it is slayn fynally. For this disordinaunce of sinful man was Iesu Crist first bitraysed, and after that was he bounde, that cam for to unbynden us of sinne and peyne. Thanne was he biscorned, that only sholde han been honoured in alle thinges and of alle thinges. Thanne was his visage, that oghte be desired to be seyn of al man-kinde, in which visage aungels desyren to looke, vileynsly bispet. Thanne was he scourged that no-thing hadde agilt; and fynally, thanne was he crucified and slayn. Thanne was acompliced the word of Isaye: 'he was wounded for oure misdedes, and defouled for oure felonies.' Now sith that Iesu Crist took up-on him-self the peyne of alle oure wikkednesses, muchel oghte sinful man wepen and biwayle, that for hise sinnes goddes sone of hevene sholde al this peyne endure.

... in which a man shal hope, that he that yeveth him remission of sinnes shal yeve him eek grace wel for to do. For in the flour is hope of fruit in tyme cominge; and in foryifnesse of sinnes hope of grace wel for to do. 'I was atte dore of thyn herte,' seith Iesus, 'and cleped for to entre; he that openeth to me shal have foryifnesse of sinne. I wol entre in-to him by my grace, and soupe with him,' by the goode werkes that he shal doon; whiche werkes been the foode of god; 'and he shal soupe with me,' by the ...

... I seye, that many men ne repenten hem nevere of swiche thoghtes and delytes, ne nevere shryven hem of it, but only of the dede of grete sinnes outward. Wherfore I seye, that swiche wikked delytes and wikked thoghtes been subtile bigyleres of hem that shullen be dampned. More-over, man oghte to sorwe for hise wikkede wordes as wel as for hise wikkede dedes; for certes, the repentance of a singuler sinne, and nat repente of alle hise othere sinnes, or elles repenten him of alle hise othere sinnes, and nat of a singuler sinne, may nat availle. For certes, god almighty is al good; and ther-fore he foryeveth ...

... enemy. And agayn the wikked dede of his enemy, he shal doon him bountee. For Crist seith, 'loveth youre enemys, and preyeth for hem that speke yow harm; and eek for hem that yow chacen and pursewen, and doth bountee to hem that yow haten.' Lo, thus comaundeth us oure lord Iesu Crist, to do to oure enemys. For soothly, nature dryveth us to loven oure freendes, and parfey, oure enemys han more nede to love than oure freendes; and they that more nede have, certes, to hem shal men doon goodnesse; and certes, in thilke dede have we remembrance of the love of Iesu Crist, that deyde for ...

... gospel. And tak kepe now, that he that repreveth his neighebor, outher he repreveth him by som harm of peyne that he hath on his body, as 'mesel,' 'croked harlot,' or by som sinne that he dooth. Now if he repreve him by harm of peyne, thanne turneth the repreve to Iesu Crist; for peyne is sent by the rightwys sonde of god, and by his suffrance, be it meselrie, or maheym, or maladye. And if he repreve him uncharitably of sinne, as, 'thou holour,' 'thou dronkelewe harlot,' and so forth; thanne aperteneth that to the reioysinge of the devel, that evere hath Ioye ...

Now comth the sinne of hem that sowen and maken discord amonges folk, which is a sinne that Crist hateth outrely; and no wonder is. For he deyde for to make concord. And more shame do they to Crist, than dide they that him crucifyede; for god loveth bettre, that frendshipe be amonges folk, than he dide his owene body, the which that ...

[continues previous] ... suffred Crist ful paciently in al his passioun. The fourthe grevance is in outrageous labour in werkes. Wherfore I seye, that folk that maken hir servants to travaillen to grevously, or out of tyme, as on halydayes, soothly they do greet sinne. Heer-agayns suffred Crist ful paciently, and taughte us pacience, whan he bar up-on his blissed shulder the croys, up-on which he sholde suffren despitous deeth. Heer may men lerne to be pacient; for certes, noght only Cristen men been pacient for love of Iesu Crist, and for guerdoun of the blisful lyf that is perdurable; but certes, the olde ... [continues next]

Now comth Slouthe, that wol nat suffre noon hardnesse ne no penaunce. For soothly, Slouthe is so tendre, and so delicat, as seith Salomon, that he wol nat suffre noon hardnesse ne penaunce, and therfore he shendeth al that he dooth. Agayns this roten-herted sinne of Accidie and Slouthe sholde men exercise hem-self to doon gode werkes, and manly and vertuously cacchen corage wel to doon; thinkinge that oure lord Iesu Crist quyteth every good ... [continues next]

... for to coveite swiche thinges as thou hast nat; and Avarice is for to withholde and kepe swiche thinges as thou hast, with-oute rightful nede. Soothly, this Avarice is a sinne that is ful dampnable; for al holy writ curseth it, and speketh agayns that vyce; for it dooth wrong to Iesu Crist. For it bireveth him the love that men to him owen, and turneth it bakward agayns alle resoun; and maketh that the avaricious man hath more hope in his catel than in Iesu Crist, and dooth more observance in kepinge of his tresor than he dooth to service of Iesu Crist. ...

... fore speke I first of misericorde. Thanne is misericorde, as seith the philosophre, a vertu, by which the corage of man is stired by the misese of him that is misesed. Up-on which misericorde folweth pitee, in parfourninge of charitable werkes of misericorde. And certes, thise thinges moeven a man to misericorde of Iesu Crist, that he yaf him-self for oure gilt, and suffred deeth for misericorde, and forgaf us oure originale sinnes; and therby relessed us fro the peynes of helle, and amenused the peynes of purgatorie by penitence, and yeveth grace wel to do, and atte laste the blisse of hevene. The speces of misericorde been, as for ...

... wedded, or elles bothe. Seint Iohn seith, that avoutiers shullen been in helle in a stank brenninge of fyr and of brimston; in fyr, for the lecherie; in brimston, for the stink of hir ordure. Certes, the brekinge of this sacrement is an horrible thing; it was maked of god him-self in paradys, and confermed by Iesu Crist, as witnesseth seint Mathew in the gospel: 'A man shal lete fader and moder, and taken him to his wyf, and they shullen be two in o flesh.' This sacrement bitokneth the knittinge togidre of Crist and of holy chirche. And nat only that god forbad avoutrie in dede, but ...

... Peter; for after that he hadde forsake Iesu Crist, he wente out and weep ful bitterly. The fourthe signe is, that he ne lette nat for shame to shewen his confessioun. Swich was the confessioun of the Magdelene, that ne spared, for no shame of hem that weren atte feste, for to go to oure lord Iesu Crist and biknowe to him hir sinnes. The fifthe signe is, that a man or a womman be obeisant to receyven the penaunce that him is enioyned for hise sinnes; for certes Iesu Crist, for the giltes of a man, was obedient to the deeth.

... thanne bigylestow thy-self and nat the preest; thou most tellen it pleynly, be it nevere so foul ne so horrible. Thou shalt eek shryve thee to a preest that is discreet to conseille thee, and eek thou shalt nat shryve thee for veyne glorie, ne for ypocrisye, ne for no cause, but only for the doute of Iesu Crist and the hele of thy soule. Thou shalt nat eek renne to the preest sodeynly, to tellen him lightly thy sinne, as who-so telleth a Iape or a tale, but avysely and with greet devocioun. And generally, shryve thee ofte. If thou ofte falle, ofte thou aryse by confessioun. And ...

... to remoeven harmes and to han thinges espirituel and durable, and somtyme temporel thinges; of whiche orisouns, certes, in the orisoun of the Pater-noster, hath Iesu Crist enclosed most thinges. Certes, it is privileged of three thinges in his dignitee, for which it is more digne than any other preyere; for that Iesu Crist him-self maked it; and it is short, for it sholde be coud the more lightly, and for to withholden it the more esily in herte, and helpen him-self the ofter with the orisoun; and for a man sholde be the lasse wery to seyen it, and for a man may nat ...

honours vanisshen awey, and that anon. But that is amonges

straunge folk, mayst thou seyn; but amonges hem ther they

more ententifly thyne eyen to loken the verray goodes. But

And I answerde, and seyde, 'Yis.'

'A ha!' quod he, 'lo, so I can,

Thogh hit be [but] for shrewednesse,

As gode folk han for goodnesse;

Whan such a freend thou hast assayed.

Frendship is more than is catel.

For freend in court ay better is

Troian, as it is knowen out of drede;

And if that yow remembre, I am Calkas,

That sëynt Peter hadde, whan that he wente

Up-on the see, til Iesu Crist him hente.

Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.'

And with that word we riden forth our weye;

As him is shape; and herkneth in what wyse;

Lo, heer your ende of that I shal devyse.

For love of God, and herkneth what I seye.

[continues previous] For thus seith Salomon, that was ful trewe, [continues next]

[continues previous] "Werk al by conseil, and thou shalt nat rewe." [continues next]

If thou be povre, thy brother hateth thee,

And alle thy freendes fleen fro thee, alas!

Quod she, 'that thou me take un-to thy wyf;

"Wirk alle thing by conseil," thus seyde he, [continues next]

"And thanne shaltow nat repente thee." [continues next]

Sin ye han seyd, and herkneth what I seye.

Un-to your wil; now herkneth what I seye.

I wol yow nat contrarien in no wyse

But trewely, myn owene mayster dere,

This is a pitous tale for to here.

[continues previous] Remembre yow up-on the pacient Iob, whan he hadde lost his children and his temporel substance, and in his body endured and receyved ful many a grevous tribulacioun; yet seyde he thus: "our lord hath yeven it me, our lord hath biraft it me; right as our lord hath wold, right so it is doon; blessed be the name of our lord."' To thise foreseide thinges answerde Melibeus un-to his wyf Prudence: 'Alle thy wordes,' quod he, 'been sothe, and ther-to profitable; but trewely myn herte is troubled with this sorwe so grevously, that I noot what to done.' 'Lat calle,' quod Prudence, 'thy trewe freendes alle, and thy linage whiche that been wyse; telleth your cas, and herkneth what they seye in conseiling, and yow governe after hir sentence. Salomon seith: "werk alle thy thinges by conseil, and thou shalt never repente."' [continues next]

Thanne, by the conseil of his wyf Prudence, this Melibeus leet callen a greet congregacioun of folk; as surgiens, phisiciens, olde folk and yonge, and somme of hise olde enemys reconsiled as by hir semblaunt to his love and in-to his grace; and ther-with-al ther comen somme of hise neighebores that diden him reverence more for drede than for love, ... [continues next]

[continues previous] This Melibee answerde un-to his wyf Prudence: 'I purpose nat,' quod he, 'to werke by thy conseil, for many causes and resouns. For certes every wight wolde holde me thanne a fool; this is to seyn, if I, for thy conseilling, wolde chaungen thinges that been ordeyned and affermed by so manye wyse. Secoundly I seye, that alle wommen been wikke and noon good of hem alle. For "of a thousand men," seith Salomon, "I fond a good man: but certes, of alle wommen, good womman fond I never." And also certes, if I governed me by thy conseil, it sholde seme that I hadde yeve to thee over me the maistrie; and god forbede that it so were. For Iesus Syrak seith; "that if the wyf have maistrie, she is contrarious to hir housbonde." And Salomon seith: "never in thy lyf, to thy wyf, ne to thy child, ne to thy freend, ne yeve no power over thy-self. For bettre it were that thy children aske of thy persone thinges that hem nedeth, than thou see thy-self in the handes of thy children." And also, if I wolde werke by ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Whan Melibee hadde herd the wordes of his wyf Prudence, he seyde thus: 'I se wel that the word of Salomon is sooth; he seith, that "wordes that been spoken discreetly by ordinaunce, been honycombes; for they yeven swetnesse to the soule, and hoolsomnesse to the body." And wyf, by-cause of thy swete wordes, and eek for I have assayed and preved thy grete sapience and thy grete trouthe, I wol governe me by thy conseil in alle thing.' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... thee were lever pees or werre, or this or that, ne shewe him nat thy wille and thyn entente; for trust wel, that comunly thise conseillours been flatereres, namely the conseillours of grete lordes; for they enforcen hem alwey rather to speken plesante wordes, enclyninge to the lordes lust, than wordes that been trewe or profitable. And therfore men seyn, that "the riche man hath seld good conseil but-if he have it of him-self." And after that, thou shalt considere thy freendes and thyne enemys. And as touchinge thy freendes, thou shalt considere whiche of hem been most feithful and most wyse, and eldest and most approved in conseilling. And of hem shalt thou aske thy conseil, as the caas requireth.

[continues previous] ... to the trewe freend." For certes, gold ne silver beth nat so muche worth as the gode wil of a trewe freend. And eek he seith, that "a trewe freend is a strong deffense; who-so that it findeth, certes he findeth a greet tresour." Thanne shul ye eek considere, if that your trewe freendes been discrete and wyse. For the book seith: "axe alwey thy conseil of hem that been wyse." And by this same resoun shul ye clepen to your conseil, of your freendes that been of age, swiche as han seyn and been expert in manye thinges, and been approved in conseillinges. For the book seith, that "in olde men is the sapience and in longe tyme the prudence." And Tullius seith: that "grete thinges ne been nat ay accompliced by strengthe, ne by delivernesse of body, but by good conseil, by auctoritee of persones, and by science; the whiche three thinges ne been nat feble by age, but certes they enforcen and encreesen day by day." And thanne shul ye kepe this for a general reule. First shul ye clepen to your conseil a fewe of your freendes that been especiale; for Salomon seith: "manye freendes have thou; but among a thousand chese thee oon to be thy conseillour." For al-be-it so that thou first ne telle thy conseil but to a fewe, thou mayst afterward telle it to mo folk, if it be nede. But loke alwey that thy conseillours have thilke three condiciouns that I have seyd bifore; that is to seyn, that they be trewe, wyse, and of old experience. And werke nat alwey in every nede by oon counseillour allone; for somtyme bihoveth it to been conseilled by manye. For Salomon seith: "salvacioun of thinges is wher-as ther been manye conseillours."

[continues previous] Now sith that I have told yow of which folk ye sholde been counseilled, now wol I teche yow which conseil ye oghte to eschewe. First ye shul eschewe the conseilling of foles; for Salomon seith: "taak no conseil of a fool, for he ne can noght conseille but after his owene lust and his affeccioun." The book seith: that "the propretee of a fool is this; he troweth lightly harm of every wight, and lightly troweth alle bountee in him-self." Thou shalt eek eschewe the conseilling of alle ... [continues next]

... trewe to him that he to sore dredeth." And Tullius seith: "ther nis no might so greet of any emperour, that longe may endure, but-if he have more love of the peple than drede." Thou shalt also eschewe the conseiling of folk that been dronkelewe; for they ne can no conseil hyde. For Salomon seith: "ther is no privetee ther-as regneth dronkenesse." Ye shul also han in suspect the conseilling of swich folk as conseille yow a thing prively, and conseille yow the contrarie openly. For Cassidorie seith: that "it is a maner sleighte to hindre, whan he sheweth to doon a thing openly and ... [continues next]

... to doon a thing of which thou most repente thee, it is bettre 'nay' than 'ye';" this is to seyn, that thee is bettre holde thy tonge stille, than for to speke. Thanne may ye understonde by strenger resons, that if thou hast power to parfourne a werk of which thou shalt repente, thanne is it bettre that thou suffre than biginne. Wel seyn they, that defenden every wight to assaye any thing of which he is in doute, whether he may parfourne it or no. And after, whan ye han examined your conseil as I have seyd biforn, and knowen wel that ye may parfourne youre emprise, conferme ... [continues next]

This Melibeus, whanne he hadde herd the doctrine of his wyf dame Prudence, answerde in this wyse. 'Dame,' quod he, 'as yet in-to this tyme ye han wel and covenably taught me as in general, how I shal governe me in the chesinge and in the withholdinge of my conseillours. But now wolde I fayn that ye wolde condescende in especial, and telle me ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... that may be conseilled ne kept suffisantly withouten the keping of our lord Iesu Crist. To this sentence accordeth the prophete David, that seith: "if god ne kepe the citee, in ydel waketh he that it kepeth." Now sir, thanne shul ye committe the keping of your persone to your trewe freendes that been approved and y-knowe; and of hem shul ye axen help your persone for to kepe. For Catoun seith: "if thou hast nede of help, axe it of thy freendes; for ther nis noon so good a phisicien as thy trewe freend." And after this, thanne shul ye kepe yow fro alle straunge ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Now as to the seconde point, wher-as your wyse conseillours conseilled yow to warnestore your hous with gret diligence, I wolde fayn knowe, how that ye understonde thilke wordes, and what is your sentence.'

[continues previous] Melibeus answerde and seyde, 'Certes I understande it in this wise; that I shal warnestore myn hous with toures, swiche as han castelles and othere manere edifices, and armure and artelleries, by whiche thinges I may my persone and myn hous so kepen and defenden, that myne enemys shul been in drede ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... anon Prudence; 'warnestoring,' quod she, 'of heighe toures and of grete edifices apperteneth som-tyme to pryde; and eek men make heighe toures and grete edifices with grete costages and with greet travaille; and whan that they been accompliced, yet be they nat worth a stree, but-if they be defended by trewe freendes that been olde and wyse. And understond wel, that the gretteste and strongeste garnison that a riche man may have, as wel to kepen his persone as hise goodes, is that he be biloved amonges his subgets and with hise neighebores. For thus seith Tullius: that "ther is a maner garnison that no man may ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... by the windowes of thy body, and hast nat defended thy-self suffisantly agayns hir assautes and hir temptaciouns, so that they han wounded thy soule in fyve places; this is to seyn, the deedly sinnes that been entred in-to thyn herte by thy fyve wittes. And in the same manere our lord Crist hath wold and suffred, that thy three enemys been entred in-to thyn hous by the windowes, and han y-wounded thy doghter in the fore-seyde manere.'

... merveille. And savinge your grace, I can nat seen that it mighte greetly harme me though I toke vengeaunce; for I am richer and more mighty than myne enemys been. And wel knowen ye, that by moneye and by havinge grete possessions been all the thinges of this world governed. And Salomon seith: that "alle thinges obeyen to moneye."'

And thanne dame Prudence, with-outen delay or taryinge, sente anon hir messages for hir kin, and for hir olde freendes whiche that were trewe and wyse, and tolde hem by ordre, in the presence of Melibee, al this matere as it is aboven expressed and declared; and preyden hem that they wolde yeven hir avys and conseil, what best were to doon in this nede. And whan Melibees freendes hadde taken hir avys and deliberacioun of the ...

As was this Melibeus wyf Prudence. [continues next]

Whan that hir housbond hadde lost his lyf,

And that the Romayns hadde brend Cartage;

But in this cas herkneth what I shal seye.

In London was a preest, an annueleer,

[continues previous] ... god kepeth his lawe and his word. This tree saugh the prophete Daniel in spirit, up-on the avision of the king Nabugodonosor, whan he conseiled him to do penitence. Penaunce is the tree of lyf to hem that it receiven, and he that holdeth him in verray penitence is blessed; after the sentence of Salomon.

[continues previous] In this Penitence or Contricion man shal understonde foure thinges, that is to seyn, what is Contricion: and whiche been the causes that moeven a man to Contricion: and how he sholde be contrit: and what Contricion availleth to the soule. Thanne is it thus: that Contricion is the verray sorwe ...

[continues previous] ... Crist ful paciently in al his passioun. The fourthe grevance is in outrageous labour in werkes. Wherfore I seye, that folk that maken hir servants to travaillen to grevously, or out of tyme, as on halydayes, soothly they do greet sinne. Heer-agayns suffred Crist ful paciently, and taughte us pacience, whan he bar up-on his blissed shulder the croys, up-on which he sholde suffren despitous deeth. Heer may men lerne to be pacient; for certes, noght only Cristen men been pacient for love of Iesu Crist, and for guerdoun of the blisful lyf that is perdurable; but certes, the olde payens, that nevere were Cristene, commendeden and useden ...

... alle goodnesse. Thanne is Accidie the anguissh of a trouble herte; and seint Augustin seith: 'it is anoy of goodnesse and Ioye of harm.' Certes, this is a dampnable sinne; for it doth wrong to Iesu Crist, in-as-muche as it binimeth the service that men oghte doon to Crist with alle diligence, as seith Salomon. But Accidie dooth no swich diligence; he dooth alle thing with anoy, and with wrawnesse, slaknesse, and excusacioun, and with ydelnesse and unlust; for which the book seith: 'acursed be he that doth the service of god necligently.' Thanne is Accidie enemy to everich estaat of man; for certes, the ...

[continues previous] ... of seint Luk, 15., where-as Crist seith that 'as wel shal ther be Ioye in hevene upon a sinful man that doth penitence, as up-on nynety and nyne rightful men that neden no penitence?' Loke forther, in the same gospel, the Ioye and the feste of the gode man that hadde lost his sone, whan his sone with repentaunce was retourned to his fader. Can they nat remembren hem eek, that, as seith seint Luk xxiiiº capitulo, how that the theef that was hanged bisyde Iesu Crist, seyde: 'Lord, remembre of me, whan thou comest in-to thy regne?' 'For sothe,' seyde Crist, 'I seye to thee, ...

and horrible Fortune hath discovered to thee the thoughtes of thy

trewe freendes? For-why this ilke Fortune hath departed and uncovered

alle thinges by ordre? For this sentence is verray and

Governeth he, right as him-self hath wold.

'Which a visage had she ther-to!

Allas! myn herte is wonder wo

How shal your tendre herte this sustene?

But herte myn, for-yet this sorwe and tene,

Dwel rather here, myn owene swete herte!

For trewely, myn owene lady dere,

Infinite been the sorwes and the teres

Of olde folk, and folk of tendre yeres,

[continues previous] "Werk al by conseil, and thou shalt nat rewe."

Of mariage manye ensamples olde.

Somme blamed it, somme preysed it, certeyn;

[continues previous] "Wirk alle thing by conseil," thus seyde he,

[continues previous] "And thanne shaltow nat repente thee."

For his honour, as ofte it happeth so,

[continues previous] ... in his body endured and receyved ful many a grevous tribulacioun; yet seyde he thus: "our lord hath yeven it me, our lord hath biraft it me; right as our lord hath wold, right so it is doon; blessed be the name of our lord."' To thise foreseide thinges answerde Melibeus un-to his wyf Prudence: 'Alle thy wordes,' quod he, 'been sothe, and ther-to profitable; but trewely myn herte is troubled with this sorwe so grevously, that I noot what to done.' 'Lat calle,' quod Prudence, 'thy trewe freendes alle, and thy linage whiche that been wyse; telleth your cas, and herkneth what they seye ...

'Sir,' quod he, 'as to us surgiens aperteneth, that we do to every wight the beste that we can, wher-as we been with-holde, and to our pacients that we do no damage; wherfore it happeth, many tyme and ofte, that whan twey men han everich wounded other, oon same surgien heleth hem bothe; wherefore un-to our art it is nat pertinent to norice werre, ne parties to supporte. But certes, as to the warisshinge of your doghter, al-be-it so that she perilously be wounded, we shullen do so ententif ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Yet hadde this Melibeus in his conseil many folk, that prively in his ere conseilled him certeyn thing, and conseilled him the contrarie in general audience. Whan Melibeus hadde herd that the gretteste partie of his conseil weren accorded that he sholde maken werre, anoon he consented to hir conseilling, and fully affermed hir sentence. Thanne dame ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Whan Melibee hadde herd the wordes of his wyf Prudence, he seyde thus: 'I se wel that the word of Salomon is sooth; he seith, that "wordes that been spoken discreetly by ordinaunce, been honycombes; for they yeven swetnesse to the soule, and hoolsomnesse to the body." And wyf, by-cause of thy swete wordes, and eek for I have assayed ...

[continues previous] ... plesaunce, setteth a net biforn his feet to cacche him." And therfore seith Tullius: "enclyne nat thyne eres to flatereres, ne taketh no conseil of wordes of flaterye." And Caton seith: "avyse thee wel, and eschewe the wordes of swetnesse and of plesaunce." And eek thou shalt eschewe the conseilling of thyne olde enemys that been reconsiled. The book seith: that "no wight retourneth saufly in-to the grace of his olde enemy." And Isope seith: "ne trust nat to hem to whiche thou hast had som-tyme werre or enmitee, ne telle hem nat thy conseil." And Seneca telleth the cause why. "It may nat be," seith he, "that, where greet fyr hath longe tyme endured, that ther ne dwelleth som vapour of warmnesse." And therfore seith Salomon: "in thyn olde foo trust never." For sikerly, though thyn enemy be reconsiled and maketh thee chere of humilitee, and louteth to thee with his heed, ne trust him never. For certes, he maketh thilke feyned humilitee more for his profit than for any love of thy persone; by-cause that he demeth to have victorie over thy persone by swich feyned contenance, the which victorie he mighte nat have by stryf or werre. And Peter Alfonce seith: "make no felawshipe with thyne olde enemys; for if thou do hem bountee, they wol perverten it in-to wikkednesse." And eek thou most eschewe the conseilling of hem that been thy servants, and beren thee greet reverence; for peraventure they seyn it more for drede than for love. And therfore seith a philosophre in this wyse: "ther is no wight parfitly trewe to him that he to sore dredeth." And Tullius seith: "ther nis no might so greet of any emperour, that longe may endure, but-if he have more love of the peple than drede." Thou shalt also ...

[continues previous] ... hast might to doon a thing of which thou most repente thee, it is bettre 'nay' than 'ye';" this is to seyn, that thee is bettre holde thy tonge stille, than for to speke. Thanne may ye understonde by strenger resons, that if thou hast power to parfourne a werk of which thou shalt repente, thanne is it bettre that thou suffre than biginne. Wel seyn they, that defenden every wight to assaye any thing of which he is in doute, whether he may parfourne it or no. And after, whan ye han examined your conseil as I have seyd biforn, and knowen wel that ye ...

[continues previous] This Melibeus, whanne he hadde herd the doctrine of his wyf dame Prudence, answerde in this wyse. 'Dame,' quod he, 'as yet in-to this tyme ye han wel and covenably taught me as in general, how I shal governe me in the chesinge and in the withholdinge of my conseillours. But now wolde I fayn that ye wolde condescende in especial, and telle me how lyketh ...

... han sodeynly cleped to your conseil a greet multitude of peple, ful chargeant and ful anoyous for to here. Also ye han erred, for there-as ye sholden only have cleped to your conseil your trewe freendes olde and wyse, ye han y-cleped straunge folk, and yong folk, false flatereres, and enemys reconsiled, and folk that doon yow reverence withouten love. And eek also ye have erred, for ye han broght with yow to your conseil ire, covetise, and hastifnesse; the whiche three thinges been contrariouse to every conseil honeste and profitable; the whiche three thinges ye han nat anientissed or destroyed hem, ... [continues next]

[continues previous] To this sentence answerde anon dame Prudence, and seyde: 'Examineth,' quod she, 'your conseil, and lat us see the whiche of hem han spoken most resonably, and taught yow best conseil. And for-as-muche as that the examinacioun is necessarie, lat us biginne at the surgiens and at the phisiciens, that first speken in this matere. I sey yow, that the surgiens and phisiciens han seyd yow in your conseil discreetly, as hem oughte; and in hir speche seyden ful wysly, that to the office of hem aperteneth to doon to every wight honour and profit, and no wight for to anoye; and, after hir craft, to doon greet diligence un-to the cure of ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... nat worth a stree, but-if they be defended by trewe freendes that been olde and wyse. And understond wel, that the gretteste and strongeste garnison that a riche man may have, as wel to kepen his persone as hise goodes, is that he be biloved amonges his subgets and with hise neighebores. For thus seith Tullius: that "ther is a maner garnison that no man may venquisse ne disconfite, and that is, a lord to be biloved of hise citezeins and of his peple."

But now lat us speken of the conseil that was accorded by your neighebores, swiche as doon yow reverence withouten love, your olde enemys reconsiled, your flatereres, that conseilled yow certeyne thinges prively, and openly conseilleden yow the contrarie; the yonge folk also, that conseilleden yow to venge yow and make werre anon. And certes, sir, as I have seyd biforn, ye han greetly erred to han cleped swich maner folk to your conseil; which ...

[continues previous] For she nis no-thing of swich pacience

[continues previous] As was this Melibeus wyf Prudence.

[continues previous] By goddes bones! whan I bete my knaves,

Is lost also, which we upon it leye.

Ther is also ful many another thing

And wite ye how? ful ofte it happeth so,

The more harm is; it happeth ofte so,

Of which ther cometh muchel harm and wo.

... Crist and of alle hise halwes. Is nat this a cursed vice? Yis, certes. Allas! it binimeth from man his wit and his resoun, and al his debonaire lyf espirituel that sholde kepen his soule. Certes, it binimeth eek goddes due lordshipe, and that is mannes soule, and the love of hise neighebores. It stryveth eek alday agayn trouthe. It reveth him the quiete of his herte, and subverteth his soule.

... the wolf that strangleth hem. And therfore shul they nevere han part of the pasture of lambes, that is, the blisse of hevene. Now comth hasardrye with hise apurtenaunces, as tables and rafles; of which comth deceite, false othes, chydinges, and alle ravines, blaspheminge and reneyinge of god, and hate of hise neighebores, wast of godes, misspendinge of tyme, and somtyme manslaughtre. Certes, hasardours ne mowe nat been with-outen greet sinne whyles they haunte that craft. Of avarice comen eek lesinges, thefte, fals witnesse, and false othes. And ye shul understonde that thise been grete sinnes, and expres agayn the comaundements of god, as I have seyd. Fals ...

... Confessioun, that is the seconde partie of Penitence. The thridde partie of Penitence is Satisfaccioun; and that stant most generally in almesse and in bodily peyne. Now been ther three manere of almesses; contricion of herte, where a man offreth himself to god; another is, to han pitee of defaute of hise neighebores; and the thridde is, in yevinge of good conseil goostly and bodily, where men han nede, and namely in sustenaunce of mannes fode. And tak keep, that a man hath need of thise thinges generally; he hath need of fode, he hath nede of clothing, and herberwe, he hath nede ...

reverence by semblaunt, hir eyen brenninge and cleer-seinge over

But which a congregacioun

Of folk, as I saugh rome aboute

Allas, Scogan! of olde folk ne yonge

Yet happeth me ful ofte in bokes rede

They neither love god, ne drede;

They kepe more than it is nede,

'Though I be nyce; it happeth ofte so,

Un-to Diane she spak, as ye may here.

No wight but god, that he bar in his herte.

Him semed that he felte his herte colde;

'Gladly,' quod she, and seyde as ye shal here. [continues next]

[continues previous] And whan this folk togidre assembled weren, this Melibeus in sorweful wyse shewed hem his cas; and by the manere of his speche it semed that in herte he bar a cruel ire, redy to doon vengeaunce up-on hise foos, and sodeynly desired that the werre sholde biginne; but nathelees yet axed he hir conseil upon this matere. A surgien, by licence and assent of swiche as weren wyse, up roos and un-to Melibeus seyde as ye may here. [continues next]

[continues previous] ... neighebores, ful of envye, his feyned freendes that semeden reconsiled, and his flatereres, maden semblant of weping, and empeireden and agreggeden muchel of this matere, in preising greetly Melibee of might, of power, of richesse, and of freendes, despysinge the power of his adversaries, and seiden outrely that he anon sholde wreken him on his foos and biginne werre. [continues next]

[continues previous] ... kepinge of thy propre persone, in swich a wyse that thou ne wante noon espye ne wacche, thy body for to save. And after that we conseille, that in thyn hous thou sette suffisant garnisoun, so that they may as wel thy body as thyn hous defende. But certes, for to moeve werre, or sodeynly for to doon vengeaunce, we may nat demen in so litel tyme that it were profitable. Wherfore we axen leyser and espace to have deliberacioun in this cas to deme. For the commune proverbe seith thus: "he that sone demeth, sone shal repente." And eek men seyn that thilke Iuge is wys, that sone ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... of that companye han scorned the olde wyse men, and bigonnen to make noyse, and seyden: that, right so as whyl that iren is hoot, men sholden smyte, right so, men sholde wreken hir wronges whyle that they been fresshe and newe; and with loud voys they cryden, 'werre! werre!' Up roos tho oon of thise olde wyse, and with his hand made contenaunce that men sholde holden hem stille and yeven him audience. 'Lordinges,' quod he, 'ther is ful many a man that cryeth "werre! werre!" that woot ful litel what werre amounteth. Werre at his biginning hath so greet an entree and so large, that every wight ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Yet hadde this Melibeus in his conseil many folk, that prively in his ere conseilled him certeyn thing, and conseilled him the contrarie in general audience. Whan Melibeus hadde herd that the gretteste partie of his conseil weren accorded that he sholde maken werre, anoon he consented to hir conseilling, and fully affermed hir sentence. Thanne dame Prudence, whan that she saugh how that hir housbonde shoop him for to wreken him on his foos, and to biginne werre, she in ful humble wyse, when she saugh hir tyme, seide him thise wordes: 'My lord,' quod she, 'I yow biseche as hertely as I dar and can, ne haste yow nat to faste, and for alle guerdons as yeveth me audience. For Piers Alfonce seith: "who-so that dooth to ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... hem and shewe hem your largesse. And as touchinge the proposicioun which that the phisiciens entreteden in this caas, this is to seyn, that, in maladyes, that oon contrarie is warisshed by another contrarie, I wolde fayn knowe how ye understonde thilke text, and what is your sentence.' 'Certes,' quod Melibeus, 'I understonde it in this wyse: that, right as they han doon me a contrarie, right so sholde I doon hem another. For right as they han venged hem on me and doon me wrong, right so shal I venge me upon hem and doon hem wrong; and thanne have I cured oon contrarie by another.' [continues next]

... wille and hir entencioun, she was wonderly glad in hir herte, and seyde: 'ther is an old proverbe,' quod she, 'seith: that "the goodnesse that thou mayst do this day, do it; and abyde nat ne delaye it nat til to-morwe." And therfore I conseille that ye sende your messages, swiche as been discrete and wyse, un-to your adversaries; tellinge hem, on your bihalve, that if they wole trete of pees and of accord, that they shape hem, with-outen delay or tarying, to comen un-to us.' Which thing parfourned was in dede. And whanne thise trespassours and repentinge folk of hir folies, that is to seyn, the ... [continues next]

And after that she seyde as ye may here: [continues next]

Is ther any coper her-inne?' seyde he. [continues next]

'Ye,' quod the preest, 'sir, I trowe wel ther be.' [continues next]

That he hath had swich peril and swich cas;

And, in her frendly speche, in this manere

Why al this folk assembled in this place;

And lat us of hir saluinges pace.

And, as his nece, obeyed as hir oughte.

But nathelees, yet gan she him biseche,

Com Pandare in, and seyde as ye may here. [continues next]

And thus to him she seyde, as ye may here: [continues next]

As she that hadde hir herte on Troilus [continues next]

He wroot right thus, and seyde as ye may here.

Wrot him ayein, and seyde as ye may here.

Fro day to night it changeth as the tyde.

Heigh fantasye and curious bisinesse

Fro day to day gan in the soule impresse

(For craft is al, who-so that do it can)

That every wight is fayn to speke him good;

For his honour, as ofte it happeth so,

That I made vertu of necessitee,

To helen with this hauk; fro day to night

She dooth hir bisinesse and al hir might.

And strong of freendes and of greet richesse.

And in Latyn I speke a wordes fewe,

That oon of hem spak thus un-to that other,

[continues previous] 'Gladly,' quod she, and seyde as ye shal here.

... and crye as for a certein space; and whan she saugh hir tyme, she seyde him in this wyse. 'Allas, my lord,' quod she,' why make ye your-self for to be lyk a fool? For sothe, it aperteneth nat to a wys man, to maken swiche a sorwe. Your doghter, with the grace of god, shal warisshe and escape. And al were it so that she right now were deed, ye ne oghte nat as for hir deeth your-self to destroye. Senek seith: "the wise man shal nat take to greet disconfort for the deeth of his children, but certes he sholde suffren it in pacience, ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... callen a greet congregacioun of folk; as surgiens, phisiciens, olde folk and yonge, and somme of hise olde enemys reconsiled as by hir semblaunt to his love and in-to his grace; and ther-with-al ther comen somme of hise neighebores that diden him reverence more for drede than for love, as it happeth ofte. Ther comen also ful many subtile flatereres, and wyse advocats lerned in the lawe. [continues next]

[continues previous] And whan this folk togidre assembled weren, this Melibeus in sorweful wyse shewed hem his cas; and by the manere of his speche it semed that in herte he bar a cruel ire, redy to doon vengeaunce up-on hise foos, and sodeynly desired that the werre sholde biginne; but nathelees yet axed he hir conseil upon this matere. A surgien, by licence and assent of swiche as weren wyse, up roos and un-to Melibeus seyde as ye may here. [continues next]

[continues previous] ... moste partie of that companye han scorned the olde wyse men, and bigonnen to make noyse, and seyden: that, right so as whyl that iren is hoot, men sholden smyte, right so, men sholde wreken hir wronges whyle that they been fresshe and newe; and with loud voys they cryden, 'werre! werre!' Up roos tho oon of thise olde wyse, and with his hand made contenaunce that men sholde holden hem stille and yeven him audience. 'Lordinges,' quod he, 'ther is ful many a man that cryeth "werre! werre!" that woot ful litel what werre amounteth. Werre at his biginning hath so ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... thing, and conseilled him the contrarie in general audience. Whan Melibeus hadde herd that the gretteste partie of his conseil weren accorded that he sholde maken werre, anoon he consented to hir conseilling, and fully affermed hir sentence. Thanne dame Prudence, whan that she saugh how that hir housbonde shoop him for to wreken him on his foos, and to biginne werre, she in ful humble wyse, when she saugh hir tyme, seide him thise wordes: 'My lord,' quod she, 'I yow biseche as hertely as I dar and can, ne haste yow nat to faste, and for alle guerdons as yeveth me audience. For Piers Alfonce seith: "who-so that dooth to ... [continues next]

... Iaspre? Wisdom. And what is bettre than wisdom? Womman. And what is bettre than a good womman? No-thing." And sir, by manye of othre resons may ye seen, that manye wommen been goode, and hir conseils goode and profitable. And therfore sir, if ye wol triste to my conseil, I shal restore yow your doghter hool and sound. And eek I wol do to yow so muche, that ye shul have honour in this cause.' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... hadde been nede. But certes, ye han sodeynly cleped to your conseil a greet multitude of peple, ful chargeant and ful anoyous for to here. Also ye han erred, for there-as ye sholden only have cleped to your conseil your trewe freendes olde and wyse, ye han y-cleped straunge folk, and yong folk, false flatereres, and enemys reconsiled, and folk that doon yow reverence withouten love. And eek also ye have erred, for ye han broght with yow to your conseil ire, covetise, and hastifnesse; the whiche three thinges been contrariouse to every conseil honeste and profitable; the whiche three thinges ye han nat anientissed or destroyed hem, neither in your-self ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... examinacioun is necessarie, lat us biginne at the surgiens and at the phisiciens, that first speken in this matere. I sey yow, that the surgiens and phisiciens han seyd yow in your conseil discreetly, as hem oughte; and in hir speche seyden ful wysly, that to the office of hem aperteneth to doon to every wight honour and profit, and no wight for to anoye; and, after hir craft, to doon greet diligence un-to the cure of hem whiche that they han in hir governaunce. And sir, right as they han answered wysly and discreetly, right so rede I that they been heighly and sovereynly guerdoned for hir noble speche; and eek for they sholde do the more ententif bisinesse in the curacioun of your doghter dere. For al-be-it so that they been your freendes, therfore shal ye nat suffren that they serve yow for noght; but ye oghte the rather guerdone hem and shewe hem your largesse. And as touchinge the proposicioun which that the phisiciens entreteden in this caas, this is to seyn, that, in maladyes, that oon contrarie is warisshed by ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... wrong to wrong; but they been semblable. And therfore, o vengeaunce is nat warisshed by another vengeaunce, ne o wrong by another wrong; but everich of hem encreesceth and aggreggeth other. But certes, the wordes of the phisiciens sholde been understonden in this wyse: for good and wikkednesse been two contraries, and pees and werre, vengeaunce and suffraunce, discord and accord, and manye othere thinges. But certes, wikkednesse shal be warisshed by goodnesse, discord by accord, werre by pees, and so forth of othere thinges. And heer-to accordeth Seint Paul the apostle in manye places. He seith: "ne yeldeth nat harm for harm, ne wikked speche ... [continues next]

But now lat us speken of the conseil that was accorded by your neighebores, swiche as doon yow reverence withouten love, your olde enemys reconsiled, your flatereres, that conseilled yow certeyne thinges prively, and openly conseilleden yow the contrarie; the yonge folk also, that conseilleden yow to venge yow and make werre anon. And certes, sir, as I have seyd biforn, ye han greetly erred to han cleped swich maner folk to your conseil; which conseillours been y-nogh ... [continues next]

... swich thyng as aperteneth nat un-to him." And Salomon seith: that "he that entremetteth him of the noyse or stryf of another man, is lyk to him that taketh an hound by the eres." For right as he that taketh a straunge hound by the eres is outherwhyle biten with the hound, right in the same wyse is it resoun that he have harm, that by his inpacience medleth him of the noyse of another man, wher-as it aperteneth nat un-to him. But ye knowen wel that this dede, that is to seyn, my grief and my disese, toucheth me right ny. And therfore, though I be wroth ...

... richer that he is, the gretter despenses moste he make, if he wole have worship and victorie." And Salomon seith: that "the gretter richesses that a man hath, the mo despendours he hath." And dere sire, al-be-it so that for your richesses ye mowe have muchel folk, yet bihoveth it nat, ne it is nat good, to biginne werre, where-as ye mowe in other manere have pees, un-to your worship and profit. For the victories of batailles that been in this world, lyen nat in greet nombre or multitude of the peple ne in the vertu of man; but it lyth in the wil and in the hand of ... [continues next]

Thanne was Prudence right glad and loyeful, and seyde, 'Certes, sir,' quod she, 'ye han wel and goodly answered. For right as by the conseil, assent, and help of your freendes, ye han been stired to venge yow and maken werre, right so with-outen hir conseil shul ye nat accorden yow, ne have pees with your adversaries. For the lawe seith: "ther nis no-thing so good by wey of kinde, as a thing to been unbounde by him that it was y-bounde."'

[continues previous] And thanne dame Prudence, with-outen delay or taryinge, sente anon hir messages for hir kin, and for hir olde freendes whiche that were trewe and wyse, and tolde hem by ordre, in the presence of Melibee, al this matere as it is aboven expressed and declared; and preyden hem that they wolde yeven hir avys and conseil, what best were to doon in this nede. And whan Melibees freendes hadde taken hir avys and deliberacioun of the forseide matere, and hadden examined it by greet bisinesse and greet diligence, ...

Fro day to night right thus she wol biginne; —

[continues previous] And after that she seyde as ye may here:

[continues previous] 'Lo, right so as the love of Crist,' quod she,

[continues previous] Is ther any coper her-inne?' seyde he.

[continues previous] 'Ye,' quod the preest, 'sir, I trowe wel ther be.'

... povre that hath goode freendes, but there is no freend; for neither god ne no creature shal been freend to hem, and everich of hem shal haten other with deedly hate. 'The sones and the doghtren shullen rebellen agayns fader and mooder, and kinrede agayns kinrede, and chyden and despysen everich of hem other,' bothe day and night, as god seith by the prophete Michias. And the lovinge children, that whylom loveden so fleshly everich other, wolden everich of hem eten other if they mighte. For how sholden they love hem togidre in the peyne of helle, whan they hated ech of hem other in ... [continues next]

with hir teeth, yit thilke same men seken to sleen everich of hem

other with swerd. Lo! for hir maneres ben dyverse and descordaunt,

ofte tyme thinges, the whiche thinges, whan they han don hem,

But throng now her, now ther, among hem bothe,

That everich other slough, so wer they wrothe.

Phisiciens and advocates

Gon right by the same yates;

'Though I be nyce; it happeth ofte so,

That oon that exces doth ful yvele fare,

And some han feyned ofte tyme, and tolde

How that they wake, whan they slepen softe;

Up roos, and on his beddes syde him sette, [continues next]

But feffe him with a fewe wordes whyte

Criseyde also, right in the same wyse,

[continues previous] Com Pandare in, and seyde as ye may here.

[continues previous] 'O mighty god,' quod Pandarus, 'in trone,

By alle right, and in a wordes fewe,

[continues previous] As she that hadde hir herte on Troilus

Encresen gan the wo fro day to night

Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his bone;

Wel wiste he why, and what ther-of he mente;

Our wil desireth folie ever in oon.

For whan we may nat doon, than wol we speke;

For who can teche and werchen as we conne?

And that is nat of litel tyme,' quod he;

For whom ful ofte in greet peril he was,

That wel he wiste he mighte hir never winne

And Iesu Crist, that is our soules leche,

Aboven alle wommen sikerly;

This swere I yow on my professioun.

[continues previous] This Melibeus answerde anon and seyde, 'What man,' quod he, 'sholde of his weping stinte, that hath so greet a cause for to wepe? Iesu Crist, our lord, him-self wepte for the deeth of Lazarus his freend.' Prudence answerde, 'Certes, wel I woot, attempree weping is no-thing defended to him that sorweful is, amonges folk in sorwe, but it is rather graunted him to wepe. The Apostle Paul un-to the Romayns wryteth, "man shal reioyse with hem that maken Ioye, and ... [continues next]

[continues previous] And whan this folk togidre assembled weren, this Melibeus in sorweful wyse shewed hem his cas; and by the manere of his speche it semed that in herte he bar a cruel ire, redy to doon vengeaunce up-on hise foos, and sodeynly desired that the werre sholde biginne; but nathelees yet axed he hir conseil upon this matere. A surgien, by licence and assent of swiche as weren wyse, up roos and un-to Melibeus seyde as ye may here. [continues next]

[continues previous] ... thanne an advocat that was wys, by leve and by conseil of othere that were wyse, and seyde: 'Lordinges, the nede for which we been assembled in this place is a ful hevy thing and an heigh matere, by-cause of the wrong and of the wikkednesse that hath be doon, and eek by resoun of the grete damages that in tyme cominge been possible to fallen for this same cause; and eek by resoun of the grete richesse and power of the parties bothe; for the whiche resouns it were a ful greet peril to erren in this matere. Wherfore, Melibeus, this is our sentence: we conseille yow aboven alle thing, that right anon thou do thy diligence in kepinge of thy propre persone, in swich a wyse that thou ne wante noon espye ne wacche, thy body for to save. And after that we conseille, that in thyn hous thou sette suffisant garnisoun, so that they may as wel thy body as thyn hous defende. But certes, for to moeve werre, or sodeynly for to doon vengeaunce, we may nat demen in so litel tyme that it were profitable. Wherfore we axen leyser and espace to have deliberacioun in this cas to deme. For the commune proverbe seith thus: "he that sone demeth, sone shal repente." And eek men seyn that thilke Iuge is wys, that sone understondeth a matere and Iuggeth by leyser. For al-be-it so that alle tarying be anoyful, algates it is nat to repreve in yevynge of Iugement, ne in vengeance-taking, whan it is suffisant and resonable. And that shewed our lord Iesu Crist by ensample; for whan that the womman that was taken in avoutrie was broght in his presence, to knowen what sholde be doon with hir persone, al-be-it so that he wiste wel him-self what that he wolde answere, yet ne wolde he nat answere sodeynly, but he wolde have deliberacioun, and in the ground he wroot twyes. And by thise causes we axen deliberacioun, and we shal thanne, by the grace of god, conseille thee thing that shal be profitable.' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... of that companye han scorned the olde wyse men, and bigonnen to make noyse, and seyden: that, right so as whyl that iren is hoot, men sholden smyte, right so, men sholde wreken hir wronges whyle that they been fresshe and newe; and with loud voys they cryden, 'werre! werre!' Up roos tho oon of thise olde wyse, and with his hand made contenaunce that men sholde holden hem stille and yeven him audience. 'Lordinges,' quod he, 'ther is ful many a man that cryeth "werre! werre!" that woot ful litel what werre amounteth. Werre at his biginning hath so greet an entree and so large, that every wight may entre whan him lyketh, and lightly finde werre. But, certes, what ende that shal ther-of bifalle, it is nat light to knowe. For sothly, whan that werre is ones bigonne, ther is ful many a child unborn of his moder, that shal sterve yong by-cause of that ilke werre, or elles live in sorwe and dye in wrecchednesse. And ther-fore, er that any werre biginne, men moste have greet conseil and greet deliberacioun.' And whan this olde man wende to enforcen his tale by resons, wel ny alle at-ones bigonne they to ryse for to breken his tale, and beden him ful ofte his wordes for to abregge. For soothly, he that precheth to hem that listen nat heren his wordes, his sermon hem anoyeth. For Iesus Syrak seith: that "musik in wepinge is anoyous thing;" this is to seyn: as muche availleth to speken bifore folk to whiche his speche anoyeth, as dooth to singe biforn him that wepeth. And whan this wyse man saugh that him wanted audience, al shamefast he sette him doun agayn. For Salomon seith: "ther-as thou ne mayst have noon audience, enforce thee nat to speke." 'I see wel,' quod this wyse man, 'that the commune proverbe is sooth; that "good conseil wanteth whan it is most nede."' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... ne haste yow nat to faste, and for alle guerdons as yeveth me audience. For Piers Alfonce seith: "who-so that dooth to that other good or harm, haste thee nat to quyten it; for in this wyse thy freend wol abyde, and thyn enemy shal the lenger live in drede." The proverbe seith: "he hasteth wel that wysely can abyde;" and in wikked haste is no profit.' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... he shal gladly techen the science that he can, with-outen presumpcioun or pryde. And swiche thinges as he nought ne can, he shal nat been ashamed to lerne hem and enquere of lasse folk than him-self." And sir, that ther hath been many a good womman, may lightly be preved. For certes, sir, our lord Iesu Crist wolde never have descended to be born of a womman, if alle wommen hadden ben wikke. And after that, for the grete bountee that is in wommen, our lord Iesu Crist, whan he was risen fro deeth to lyve, appeered rather to a womman than to his apostles. And though that Salomon seith, that "he ne fond never womman good," it folweth nat therfore that alle wommen ben wikke. For though that he ne fond no good womman, certes, ful many another ... [continues next]

... the more habundaunce that he hath of richesse, the more he desyreth. And sir, ye moste also dryve out of your herte hastifnesse; for certes, ye ne may nat deme for the beste a sodeyn thought that falleth in youre herte, but ye moste avyse yow on it ful ofte. For as ye herde biforn, the commune proverbe is this, that "he that sone demeth, sone repenteth." [continues next]

... the gode wil of a trewe freend. And eek he seith, that "a trewe freend is a strong deffense; who-so that it findeth, certes he findeth a greet tresour." Thanne shul ye eek considere, if that your trewe freendes been discrete and wyse. For the book seith: "axe alwey thy conseil of hem that been wyse." And by this same resoun shul ye clepen to your conseil, of your freendes that been of age, swiche as han seyn and been expert in manye thinges, and been approved in conseillinges. For the book seith, that "in olde men is the sapience and in longe tyme the prudence." And Tullius seith: that "grete ... [continues next]

... folk and olde; thanne shaltou considere, if thou mayst parfourne it and maken of it a good ende. For certes, resoun wol nat that any man sholde biginne a thing, but-if he mighte parfourne it as him oghte. Ne no wight sholde take up-on hym so hevy a charge that he mighte nat bere it. For the proverbe seith: "he that to muche embraceth, distreyneth litel." And Catoun seith: "assay to do swich thing as thou hast power to doon, lest that the charge oppresse thee so sore, that thee bihoveth to weyve thing that thou hast bigonne." And if so be that thou be in doute, whether thou mayst parfourne a ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... Melibeus answerde agayn, and seyde: 'I graunte wel that I have erred; but ther-as thou hast told me heer-biforn, that he nis nat to blame that chaungeth hise conseillours in certein caas, and for certeine Iuste causes, I am al redy to chaunge my conseillours, right as thow wolt devyse. The proverbe seith: that "for to do sinne is mannish, but certes for to persevere longe in sinne is werk of the devel."'

[continues previous] ... the rather guerdone hem and shewe hem your largesse. And as touchinge the proposicioun which that the phisiciens entreteden in this caas, this is to seyn, that, in maladyes, that oon contrarie is warisshed by another contrarie, I wolde fayn knowe how ye understonde thilke text, and what is your sentence.' 'Certes,' quod Melibeus, 'I understonde it in this wyse: that, right as they han doon me a contrarie, right so sholde I doon hem another. For right as they han venged hem on me and doon me wrong, right so shal I venge me upon hem and doon hem wrong; and thanne have I cured oon contrarie by ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... in manye othere places he amonesteth pees and accord. But now wol I speke to yow of the conseil which that was yeven to yow by the men of lawe and the wyse folk, that seyden alle by oon accord as ye han herd bifore; that, over alle thynges, ye sholde doon your diligence to kepen your persone and to warnestore your hous. And seyden also, that in this caas ye oghten for to werken ful avysely and with greet deliberacioun. And sir, as to the firste point, that toucheth to the keping of your persone; ye shul understonde that he that hath werre shal evermore mekely and devoutly preyen biforn alle thinges, that Iesus Crist of his grete mercy wol han him in his proteccioun, and been his sovereyn helping at his nede. For certes, in this world ther is no wight that may be conseilled ne kept suffisantly withouten the keping of our lord Iesu Crist. To this sentence accordeth the prophete David, that seith: "if god ne kepe the citee, in ydel waketh he that it kepeth." Now sir, thanne shul ye committe the keping of your persone to your trewe freendes that been approved and y-knowe; and of hem shul ye axen help your persone for to kepe. For Catoun seith: "if thou hast nede of help, axe it of thy freendes; for ther nis noon so good a phisicien as thy trewe freend." And after this, thanne shul ye kepe yow fro alle straunge folk, and fro lyeres, and have alwey in suspect hir companye. For Piers Alfonce seith: "ne tak no companye by the weye of a straunge man, but-if so be that thou have knowe him of a lenger tyme. And if so be that he falle in-to thy companye paraventure withouten thyn assent, enquere thanne, as subtilly as thou mayst, of his conversacioun and of his lyf bifore, and feyne thy wey; seye that thou goost thider as thou wolt nat go; and if he bereth a spere, hold thee on the right syde, and if he bere a swerd, hold thee on the lift syde." And after this, thanne shul ye kepe yow wysely from alle swich manere peple as I have seyd bifore, and hem and hir conseil eschewe. And after this, thanne shul ye kepe yow in swich manere, that for any presumpcioun of your strengthe, that ye ne dispyse nat ne acounte nat the might of your adversarie so litel, that ye lete the keping of your persone for your presumpcioun; for every wys man dredeth his enemy. And Salomon seith: "weleful is he that of alle hath drede; for certes, he that thurgh the hardinesse of his herte and thurgh the hardinesse of him-self hath to greet presumpcioun, him shal yvel bityde." Thanne shul ye evermore countrewayte embusshements and alle espiaille. For Senek seith: that "the wyse man that dredeth harmes escheweth harmes; ne he ne falleth in-to perils, that perils escheweth." And al-be-it so that it seme that thou art in siker place, yet shaltow alwey do thy diligence in kepinge of thy persone; this is to seyn, ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone, nat only fro thy gretteste enemys but fro thy leeste enemy. Senek seith: "a man that is wel avysed, he dredeth his leste enemy." Ovide seith: that "the litel wesele wol slee the grete bole and the wilde ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... the firste poynt, it is wel knowen whiche folk been they that consenteden to your hastif wilfulnesse; for trewely, alle tho that conseilleden yow to maken sodeyn werre ne been nat your freendes. Lat us now considere whiche been they, that ye holde so greetly your freendes as to your persone. For al-be-it so that ye be mighty and riche, certes ye ne been nat but allone. For certes, ye ne han no child but a doghter; ne ye ne han bretheren ne cosins germayns, ne noon other neigh kinrede, wherfore that your enemys, for drede, sholde stinte to plede with yow or to destroye your persone. ... [continues next]

... iniuries. And ther-fore tho two auctoritees that ye han seyd above, been only understonden in the Iuges; for whan they suffren over muchel the wronges and the vileinyes to be doon withouten punisshinge, they sompne nat a man al only for to do newe wronges, but they comanden it. Also a wys man seith: that "the Iuge that correcteth nat the sinnere comandeth and biddeth him do sinne." And the Iuges and sovereyns mighten in hir land so muchel suffre of the shrewes and misdoeres, that they sholden by swich suffrance, by proces of tyme, wexen of swich power and might, that they sholden putte out the Iuges ...

... sinnes, the peynes and the tribulaciouns that he suffreth semen the lesse un-to hym; and in-as-muche as him thinketh hise sinnes more hevy and grevous, in-so-muche semeth his peyne the lighter and the esier un-to him." Also ye owen to enclyne and bowe your herte to take the pacience of our lord Iesu Crist, as seith seint Peter in hise epistles: "Iesu Crist," he seith, "hath suffred for us, and yeven ensample to every man to folwe and sewe him; for he dide never sinne, ne never cam ther a vileinous word out of his mouth: whan men cursed him, he cursed hem noght; ...

[continues previous] ... ther-fore seith seint Augustin: that "the avaricious man is likned un-to helle; that the more it swelweth, the more desyr it hath to swelwe and devoure." And as wel as ye wolde eschewe to be called an avaricious man or chinche, as wel sholde ye kepe yow and governe yow in swich a wyse that men calle yow nat fool-large. Therfore seith Tullius: "the goodes," he seith, "of thyn hous ne sholde nat been hid, ne kept so cloos but that they mighte been opened by pitee and debonairetee;" that is to seyn, to yeven part to hem that han greet nede; "ne thy goodes ... [continues next]

... seith in hise epistles: that "by concord and pees the smale richesses wexen grete, and by debaat and discord the grete richesses fallen doun." And ye knowen wel that oon of the gretteste and most sovereyn thing, that is in this world, is unitee and pees. And therfore seyde oure lord Iesu Crist to hise apostles in this wyse: "wel happy and blessed been they that loven and purchacen pees; for they been called children of god."' 'A!' quod Melibee, 'now se I wel that ye loven nat myn honour ne my worshipe. Ye knowen wel that myne adversaries han bigonnen this debaat ...

Thanne dame Prudence discovered al hir wil to him, and seyde, 'I conseille yow,' quod she, 'aboven alle thinges, that ye make pees bitwene god and yow; and beth reconsiled un-to him and to his grace. For as I have seyd yow heer-biforn, god hath suffred yow to have this tribulacioun and disese for your sinnes. And if ye do as I sey yow, god wol sende your adversaries un-to ...

... court of Melibee, and token with hem somme of hir trewe freendes, to maken feith for hem and for to been hir borwes. And whan they were comen to the presence of Melibee, he seyde hem thise wordes: 'it standeth thus,' quod Melibee, 'and sooth it is, that ye, causeless, and with-outen skile and resoun, han doon grete iniuries and wronges to me and to my wyf Prudence, and to my doghter also. For ye han entred in-to myn hous by violence, and have doon swich outrage, that alle men knowen wel that ye have deserved the deeth; and therfore wol I knowe and wite of yow, whether ye wol ...

Tho wiste he wel he hadde him-self misgyed,

... in this wyse: 'stondeth upon the weyes, and seeth and axeth of olde pathes (that is to seyn, of olde sentences) which is the goode wey; and walketh in that wey, and ye shul finde refresshinge for your soules,' &c. Manye been the weyes espirituels that leden folk to oure Lord Iesu Crist, and to the regne of glorie. Of whiche weyes, ther is a ful noble wey and a ful covenable, which may nat faile to man ne to womman, that thurgh sinne hath misgoon fro the righte wey of Ierusalem celestial; and this wey is cleped Penitence, of which man sholde ...

... charged with the charge of yvel usage.' And therfore repentant folk, that stinte for to sinne, and forlete sinne er that sinne forlete hem, holy chirche holdeth hem siker of hir savacioun. And he that sinneth, and verraily repenteth him in his laste ende, holy chirche yet hopeth his savacioun, by the grete mercy of oure lord Iesu Crist, for his repentaunce; but tak the siker wey.

... Satisfaccioun. For which seith Seint Iohn Crisostom: 'Penitence destreyneth a man to accepte benignely every peyne that him is enioyned, with contricion of herte, and shrift of mouth, with satisfaccion; and in werkinge of alle maner humilitee.' And this is fruitful Penitence agayn three thinges in whiche we wratthe oure lord Iesu Crist: this is to seyn, by delyt in thinkinge, by recchelesnesse in spekinge, and by wikked sinful werkinge. And agayns thise wikkede giltes is Penitence, that may be lykned un-to a tree.

... of Confession, and fruit of Satisfaccion. For which Crist seith in his gospel: 'dooth digne fruit of Penitence'; for by this fruit may men knowe this tree, and nat by the rote that is hid in the herte of man, ne by the braunches ne by the leves of Confession. And therefore oure Lord Iesu Crist seith thus: 'by the fruit of hem ye shul knowen hem.' Of this rote eek springeth a seed of grace, the which seed is moder of sikernesse, and this seed is egre and hoot. The grace of this seed springeth of god, thurgh remembrance of the day of dome and on the peynes of helle. Of this matere seith Salomon, that 'in the drede of god man forleteth his sinne.' The hete of this seed is the love of god, and the desiring of the Ioye perdurable. This hete draweth the herte of a man to god, and dooth him haten his sinne. For soothly, ther is no-thing that savoureth so wel to a child as the milk of his norice, ne no-thing is to him more abhominable than thilke milk whan it is medled with other mete. Right so the sinful man that loveth his sinne, him semeth that it is to him most swete of any-thing; but fro that tyme that he loveth sadly our lord Iesu Crist, and desireth the lif perdurable, ther nis to him no-thing more abhominable. For soothly, the lawe of god is the love of god; for which David the prophete seith: 'I have loved thy lawe and hated wikkednesse and hate'; he that loveth god kepeth his lawe and his word. This tree ...

[continues previous] ... yeven hem wit, strengthe of body, hele, beautee, prosperitee, and boghte hem fro the deeth with his herte blood, that they so unkindely, agayns his gentilesse, quyten him so vileinsly, to slaughtre of hir owene soules. O gode god, ye wommen that been of so greet beautee, remembreth yow of the proverbe of Salomon, that seith: 'he lykneth a fair womman, that is a fool of hir body, lyk to a ring of gold that were in the groyn of a sowe.' For right as a sowe wroteth in everich ordure, so wroteth she hir beautee in the stinkinge ordure of sinne.

[continues previous] ... that I do, evere semeth me that the trompe sowneth in myn ere: riseth up, ye that been dede, and cometh to the Iugement.' O gode god, muchel oghte a man to drede swich a Iugement, 'ther-as we shullen been alle,' as seint Poul seith, 'biforn the sete of oure lord Iesu Crist'; wher-as he shal make a general congregacion, wher-as no man may been absent. For certes, there availleth noon essoyne ne excusacion. And nat only that oure defautes shullen be iuged, but eek that alle oure werkes shullen openly be knowe. And as seith Seint Bernard: 'ther ne shal no pledinge ...

[continues previous] ... to geten temporal richesse, or elles that god wole the rather enlumine and lightne the herte of the sinful man to have repentance; and eek they availlen for to usen a man to doon gode werkes, that the feend have the lasse power of his soule. And thus the curteis lord Iesu Crist wole that no good werk be lost; for in somwhat it shal availle. But for-as-muche as the gode werkes that men doon whyl they been in good lyf, been al mortified by sinne folwinge; and eek, sith that alle the gode werkes that men doon whyl they been in deedly synne, been ...

The fifthe thing that oghte moeve a man to contricion, is remembrance of the passion that oure lord Iesu Crist suffred for our sinnes. For, as seith seint Bernard: 'whyl that I live, I shal have remembrance of the travailles that oure lord Crist suffred in preching; his werinesse in travailling, hise temptacions whan he fasted, hise longe wakinges whan he preyde, hise teres whan that he weep for pitee of good peple; the wo and the shame and the filthe that men seyden to him; of the foule spitting that men spitte in his face, of the buffettes that men yaven him, of the foule mowes, and of the repreves that men to him seyden; of the nayles with whiche he was nailed to the croys, and of al the remenant of his passion that he suffred for my sinnes, and no-thing for his gilt.' And ye shul understonde, that in mannes sinne is every manere of ordre or ordinance turned up-so-doun. For it is sooth, that god, and reson, and sensualitee, and the body of man been so ordeyned, that everich of thise foure thinges sholde have lordshipe over that other; as thus: god sholde have lordshipe over reson, and reson over sensualitee, and sensualitee over the body of man. But sothly, whan man sinneth, al this ordre or ordinance is turned up-so-doun. And therfore thanne, for-as-muche as the reson of man ne wol nat be subget ne obeisant to god, that is his lord by right, therfore leseth it the lordshipe that it sholde have over sensualitee, and eek over the body of man. And why? For sensualitee rebelleth thanne agayns reson; and by that wey leseth reson the lordshipe over sensualitee and over the body. For right as reson is rebel to god, right so is bothe sensualitee rebel to reson and the body also. And certes, this disordinance and this rebellion oure lord Iesu Crist aboghte up-on his precious body ful dere, and herkneth in which wyse. For-as-muche thanne as reson is rebel to god, therfore is man worthy to have sorwe and to be deed. This suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man, after that he hadde be bitraysed of his disciple, and distreyned and bounde, 'so that his blood brast out at every nail of hise handes,' as seith seint Augustin. And forther-over, for-as-muchel as reson of man ne wol nat daunte sensualitee whan it may, therfore is man worthy to have shame; and this suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man, whan they spetten in his visage. And forther-over, for-as-muchel thanne as the caitif body of man is rebel bothe to reson and to sensualitee, therfore is it worthy the deeth. And this suffred oure lord Iesu Crist for man up-on the croys, where-as ther was no part of his body free, withouten greet peyne and bitter passion. And al this suffred Iesu Crist, that nevere forfeted. And therfore resonably may be seyd of Iesu in this manere: 'to muchel am I peyned for the thinges that I nevere ...

... that wolde sette his entente to thise thinges, he were ful wys; for soothly, he ne sholde nat thanne in al his lyf have corage to sinne, but yeven his body and al his herte to the service of Iesu Crist, and ther-of doon him hommage. For soothly, oure swete lord Iesu Crist hath spared us so debonairly in our folies, that if he ne hadde pitee of mannes soule, a sory song we mighten alle singe.

... he hath to Iesu Crist; and in this wise skippeth venial in-to deedly sinne. For certes, the more that a man chargeth his soule with venial sinnes, the more is he enclyned to fallen in-to deedly sinne. And therfore, lat us nat be necligent to deschargen us of venial sinnes. For the proverbe seith: that manye smale maken a greet. And herkne this ensample. A greet wawe of the see comth som-tyme with so greet a violence that it drencheth the ship. And the same harm doth som-tyme the smale dropes of water, that entren thurgh a litel crevace in-to the thurrok, and in-to the ...

... ther he ne woot of it no soothfastnesse. Thise thinges and mo with-oute nombre been sinnes, as seith seint Augustin. Now shal men understonde, that al-be-it so that noon erthely man may eschue alle venial sinnes, yet may he refreyne him by the brenninge love that he hath to oure lord Iesu Crist, and by preyeres and confession and othere gode werkes, so that it shal but litel greve. For, as seith seint Augustin: 'if a man love god in swiche manere, that al that evere he doth is in the love of god, and for the love of god verraily, for he brenneth in the love of god: loke, how muche that a drope of water that falleth in a fourneys ful of fyr anoyeth or greveth, so muche anoyeth a venial sinne un-to a man that is parfit in the love of Iesu Crist.' Men may also refreyne venial sinne by receyvinge worthily of the precious body of Iesu Crist; by receyving eek of holy water; by almesdede; by general confession of Confiteor at masse and at complin; and by blessinge of bisshopes and of preestes, and by othere gode werkes.

... castelled with papir, and semblable wast; so that it is abusion for to thinke. And eek in to greet preciousnesse of vessel and curiositee of minstralcie, by whiche a man is stired the more to delyces of luxurie, if so be that he sette his herte the lasse up-on oure lord Iesu Crist, certein it is a sinne; and certeinly the delyces mighte been so grete in this caas, that man mighte lightly falle by hem in-to deedly sinne. The especes that sourden of pryde, soothly whan they sourden of malice ymagined, avysed, and forncast, or elles of usage, been deedly synnes, it is no doute. And whan they sourden by freletee unavysed sodeinly, and sodeinly withdrawen ayein, al been they grevouse sinnes, I gesse that they ne been nat deedly. Now mighte men axe wher-of that Pryde sourdeth and springeth, and I seye: somtyme it springeth of the goodes of nature, and som-tyme of the goodes of fortune, and som-tyme of the goodes of grace. Certes, the goodes of nature stonden outher in goodes of body or in goodes of soule. Certes, goodes of body been hele of body, as strengthe, delivernesse, beautee, gentrye, franchise. Goodes of nature of the soule been good wit, sharp understondynge, subtil engin, vertu naturel, good memorie. Goodes of fortune been richesses, highe degrees of lordshipes, preisinges of the peple. Goodes of grace been science, power to suffre spirituel travaille, benignitee, vertuous contemplacion, withstondinge of temptacion, and semblable thinges. Of whiche forseyde goodes, certes it is a ful greet folye a man to pryden him in any of hem alle. Now as for to speken of goodes of nature, god woot that som-tyme we han hem in nature as muche to oure damage as to oure profit. As, for to speken of hele of body; certes it passeth ful ...

... gruccheth that shrewes han prosperitee, or elles for that goode men han adversitee. And alle thise thinges sholde men suffre paciently, for they comen by the rightful Iugement and ordinance of god. Som-tyme comth grucching of avarice; as Iudas grucched agayns the Magdaleyne, whan she enoynte the heved of oure lord Iesu Crist with hir precious oynement. This maner murmure is swich as whan man gruccheth of goodnesse that him-self dooth, or that other folk doon of hir owene catel. Som-tyme comth murmure of pryde; as whan Simon the Pharisee grucched agayn the Magdaleyne, whan she approched to Iesu Crist, and weep at ...

... neighebore as thyselve,' that is to seyn, to salvacion bothe of lyf and of soule. And more-over, thou shalt love him in word, and in benigne amonestinge, and chastysinge; and conforten him in hise anoyes, and preye for him with al thyn herte. And in dede thou shall love him in swich wyse, that thou shalt doon to him in charitee as thou woldest that it were doon to thyn owene persone. And therfore, thou ne shalt doon him no damage in wikked word, ne harm in his body, ne in his catel, ne in his soule, by entysing of wikked ensample. Thou shalt nat desyren his wyf, ne none of hise thinges. Understond eek, that in the name of neighebor is comprehended his enemy. Certes man shal loven his enemy by the comandement of god; and soothly thy frend shaltow love in God. I seye, thyn enemy shaltow love for goddes sake, by his comandement. For if it were reson that a man sholde haten his enemy, for sothe god nolde nat receiven us to his love that been hise enemys. Agayns three manere of wronges that his enemy dooth to hym, he shal doon three thinges, as thus. Agayns hate and rancour of herte, he shal love him in herte. Agayns chyding and wikkede wordes, he shal preye for his enemy. And agayn the wikked dede of his enemy, he shal doon him bountee. For Crist seith, 'loveth youre enemys, and preyeth for hem that speke yow harm; and eek for hem that yow chacen and pursewen, and doth bountee to hem that yow haten.' Lo, thus comaundeth us oure lord Iesu Crist, to do to oure enemys. For soothly, nature dryveth us to loven oure freendes, and parfey, oure enemys han more nede to love than oure freendes; and they that more nede have, certes, to hem shal men doon goodnesse; and certes, in thilke dede have we remembrance of the love ...

... his sinne, til that he mekely biknoweth his sinne. After this, thanne cometh swering, that is expres agayn the comandement of god; and this bifalleth ofte of anger and of Ire. God seith: 'thou shalt nat take the name of thy lord god in veyn or in ydel.' Also oure lord Iesu Crist seith by the word of seint Mathew: 'Nolite iurare omnino: ne wol ye nat swere in alle manere; neither by hevene, for it is goddes trone; ne by erthe, for it is the bench of his feet; ne by Ierusalem, for it is the citee of a greet king; ne by thyn heed, ...

... And tak kepe now, that he that repreveth his neighebor, outher he repreveth him by som harm of peyne that he hath on his body, as 'mesel,' 'croked harlot,' or by som sinne that he dooth. Now if he repreve him by harm of peyne, thanne turneth the repreve to Iesu Crist; for peyne is sent by the rightwys sonde of god, and by his suffrance, be it meselrie, or maheym, or maladye. And if he repreve him uncharitably of sinne, as, 'thou holour,' 'thou dronkelewe harlot,' and so forth; thanne aperteneth that to the reioysinge of the devel, that evere hath Ioye that men doon sinne. And ...

... tendre, and so delicat, as seith Salomon, that he wol nat suffre noon hardnesse ne penaunce, and therfore he shendeth al that he dooth. Agayns this roten-herted sinne of Accidie and Slouthe sholde men exercise hem-self to doon gode werkes, and manly and vertuously cacchen corage wel to doon; thinkinge that oure lord Iesu Crist quyteth every good dede, be it never so lyte. Usage of labour is a greet thing; for it maketh, as seith seint Bernard, the laborer to have stronge armes and harde sinwes; and Slouthe maketh hem feble and tendre. Thanne comth drede to biginne to werke any gode werkes; for ...

... forther, in the same gospel, the Ioye and the feste of the gode man that hadde lost his sone, whan his sone with repentaunce was retourned to his fader. Can they nat remembren hem eek, that, as seith seint Luk xxiiiº capitulo, how that the theef that was hanged bisyde Iesu Crist, seyde: 'Lord, remembre of me, whan thou comest in-to thy regne?' 'For sothe,' seyde Crist, 'I seye to thee, to-day shaltow been with me in Paradys.' Certes, ther is noon so horrible sinne of man, that it ne may, in his lyf, be destroyed by penitence, thurgh vertu of the passion and of the deeth of Crist. Allas! what nedeth man thanne to been despeired, sith that his mercy so redy is and large? Axe and have. Thanne cometh Sompnolence, that is, sluggy slombringe, which maketh a man be hevy and dul, in body and in soule; and this sinne comth of Slouthe. And certes, the tyme that, by wey of resoun, men sholde nat slepe, that is by the morwe; but-if ther were cause resonable. For soothly, the morwe-tyde is most covenable, a man to seye his preyeres, and for to thinken on god, and for to honoure god, and to yeven almesse to the povre, that first cometh in the ... [continues next]

... by resoun and by discrecioun. Thanne arn ther the vertues of feith, and hope in god and in hise seintes, to acheve and acomplice the gode werkes in the whiche he purposeth fermely to continue. Thanne comth seuretee or sikernesse; and that is, whan a man ne douteth no travaille in tyme cominge of the gode werkes that a man hath bigonne. Thanne comth Magnificence, that is to seyn, whan a man dooth and perfourneth grete werkes of goodnesse that he hath bigonne; and that is the ende why that men sholde do gode werkes; for in the acomplissinge of grete goode werkes lyth the grete guerdoun. Thanne ...

... Iohn seith, that avoutiers shullen been in helle in a stank brenninge of fyr and of brimston; in fyr, for the lecherie; in brimston, for the stink of hir ordure. Certes, the brekinge of this sacrement is an horrible thing; it was maked of god him-self in paradys, and confermed by Iesu Crist, as witnesseth seint Mathew in the gospel: 'A man shal lete fader and moder, and taken him to his wyf, and they shullen be two in o flesh.' This sacrement bitokneth the knittinge togidre of Crist and of holy chirche. And nat only that god forbad avoutrie in dede, but ... [continues next]

... is the gretteste thefte that may be; for it is thefte of body and of soule. And it is lyk to homicyde; for it kerveth a-two and breketh a-two hem that first were maked o flesh, and therfore, by the olde lawe of god, they sholde be slayn. But nathelees, by the lawe of Iesu Crist, that is lawe of pitee, whan he seyde to the womman that was founden in avoutrie, and sholde han been slayn with stones, after the wil of the Iewes, as was hir lawe: 'Go,' quod Iesu Crist, 'and have na-more wil to sinne'; or, 'wille na-more to do sinne.' Soothly, the vengeaunce of avoutrie is awarded to the peynes of helle, but-if so be that it ... [continues next]

Now comth, how that a man sholde bere him with his wyf; and namely, in two thinges, that is to seyn in suffraunce and reverence, as shewed Crist whan he made first womman. For he ne made hir nat of the heved of Adam, for she sholde nat clayme to greet lordshipe. For ther-as the womman hath the maistrie, she maketh to muche desray; ther neden none ensamples of this. The experience of day by day oghte suffyse. Also certes, god ne made nat ...

... been honoured the more biforn the peple. It is a greet folye, a womman to have a fair array outward and in hir-self be foul inward. A wyf sholde eek be mesurable in lokinge and in beringe and in laughinge, and discreet in alle hir wordes and hir dedes. And aboven alle worldly thing she sholde loven hir housbonde with al hir herte, and to him be trewe of hir body so sholde an housbonde eek be to his wyf. For sith that al the body is the housbondes, so sholde hir herte been, or elles ther is bitwixe hem two, as in that, ...

... in herte and clene of body; thanne is she spouse to Iesu Crist, and she is the lyf of angeles. She is the preisinge of this world, and she is as thise martirs in egalitee; she hath in hir that tonge may nat telle ne herte thinke. Virginitee baar oure lord Iesu Crist, and virgin was him-selve.

... hadde forsake Iesu Crist, he wente out and weep ful bitterly. The fourthe signe is, that he ne lette nat for shame to shewen his confessioun. Swich was the confessioun of the Magdelene, that ne spared, for no shame of hem that weren atte feste, for to go to oure lord Iesu Crist and biknowe to him hir sinnes. The fifthe signe is, that a man or a womman be obeisant to receyven the penaunce that him is enioyned for hise sinnes; for certes Iesu Crist, for the giltes of a man, was obedient to the deeth.

Now preye I to hem alle that herkne this litel tretis or rede, that if ther be any thing in it that lyketh hem, that ther-of they thanken oure lord Iesu Crist, of whom procedeth al wit and al goodnesse. And if ther be any thing that displese hem, I preye hem also that they arrette it to the defaute of myn unconninge, and nat to my wil, that wolde ful fayn have seyd bettre if I hadde had conninge. For oure boke seith, 'al that is writen is writen for oure doctrine'; and that is myn entente. Wherfore I biseke yow mekely for the mercy of god, that ye preye for me, that Crist have mercy on me and foryeve me my giltes: — and namely, of my translacions and endytinges of worldly vanitees, the whiche I revoke in my retracciouns: as is the book of Troilus; The book also of Fame; The book of the nynetene Ladies; The book of the Duchesse; The book of seint Valentynes day of the Parlement of Briddes; The tales of Caunterbury, thilke that sounen in-to sinne; The book of the Leoun; and many another book, if they were in my remembrance; and many a song and many a lecherous lay; that Crist for his grete mercy foryeve me the sinne. But of the translacion of Boece de Consolacione, and othere bokes of Legendes of seintes, and omelies, and moralitee, and devocioun, that thanke I oure lord Iesu Crist and his blisful moder, and alle the seintes of hevene; bisekinge hem that they from hennes-forth, un-to my lyves ende, sende me grace to biwayle my giltes, and to studie to the salvacioun of my soule: — and graunte me grace of verray penitence, confessioun and satisfaccioun to doon in this ...

I wold yeve ten pound by Iesu Crist! and more,

and confesse, and that right dignely, that god is right worthy

aboven alle thinges; and, yif so be that this good be in him

ne wiste it naught. But al-be-it so that I see now from a-fer

losten sone thilke unselinesse, that is to seyn, that shrewes weren

and bityden of free arbitre or of free wille, that, al-be-it so that

they bityden, yit algates ne lese they nat hir propre nature in

Whan that a man was broght in his presence,

And hath her sworn, he wolde nat soiorne,

But in a month he wolde again retorne.

For wel I wot, allas! that may nat be;

I am so litel worthy, and ye so good.

It may not fayle, he shal repente,

And eke abyde thilke day

... the assendent, to make of it special declaracioun. The assendent sothly, to take it at the largeste, is thilke degree that assendeth at any of thise forseide tymes upon the est orisonte; and there-for, yif that any planet assende at that same tyme in thilke for-seide degree of his longitude, men seyn that thilke planete is in horoscopo. But sothly, the hous of the assendent, that is to seyn, the firste hous or the est angle, is a thing more brood and large. For after the statutz of astrologiens, what celestial body that is 5 degres above thilk degree that assendeth, or with-in that noumbre, that ...

And conne it counseyl kepe in swich a wyse,

That no man shal the wyser of it be;

Yet of him-self no-thing ne wolde I recche,

Why al this folk assembled in this place;

Yet wiste I never wel what that he mente.'

[continues previous] Up roos, and on his beddes syde him sette,

To holden secree swich an heigh matere;

Than semeth it that Ioye is worth ful lyte.

Wherfore I wol deffyne in this matere,

I com my-self in my propre persone,

To teche in this how yow was best to done;

And bad him seye his verdit, as him leste.

'Lordinges,' quod he, 'now herkneth for the beste;

And whan this gode man saugh it was so,

And seen his lady wel ny day by day.

For al-day meteth men at unset stevene.

Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe,

But, for hir child so longe was unborn,

Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle,

Ful sooth is this proverbe, it is no lye,

And doun the carpenter by him he sette.

He seyde, 'Iohn, myn hoste lief and dere,

'Now hust, and thou shall laughen al thy fille.'

This Absolon doun sette him on his knees,

And therfore this proverbe is seyd ful sooth,

The wyse astrologien Dan Ptholome,

That seith this proverbe in his Almageste,

Of any man, and namely in a lord.

Ther is ful many an eye and many an ere

Now Thomas, help, for seinte charitee!'

And doun anon he sette him on his knee.

Wel ny alle othere cures leet he slyde,

He by the hond than took this olde man,

And seyde thus, whan he him hadde asyde,

Though they nat pleyn speke in myn audience.

I wolde live in pees, if that I mighte;

Thus seith the king that knoweth your wikkednesse;

And Iesus filius Syrak, as I gesse,

As wel in speche as in contenaunce,

That Gawain, with his olde curteisye,

Ther he is hurt: this is as muche to seyn,

And on his knowes bare he sette him doun,

Had lever dye in sorwe and in distresse

In Pathmos wroot, which seith that they that goon

Biforn this lamb, and singe a song al newe,

[continues previous] ... thou hast for-goon thy freend, do diligence to gete another freend; and this is more wysdom than for to wepe for thy freend which that thou hast lorn; for ther-inne is no bote. And therfore, if ye governe yow by sapience, put awey sorwe out of your herte. Remembre yow that Iesus Syrak seith: "a man that is Ioyous and glad in herte, it him conserveth florisshing in his age; but soothly sorweful herte maketh his bones drye." He seith eek thus: "that sorwe in herte sleeth ful many a man." Salomon seith: "that, right as motthes in the shepes flees anoyeth to the clothes, and the smale ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... shewed hem his cas; and by the manere of his speche it semed that in herte he bar a cruel ire, redy to doon vengeaunce up-on hise foos, and sodeynly desired that the werre sholde biginne; but nathelees yet axed he hir conseil upon this matere. A surgien, by licence and assent of swiche as weren wyse, up roos and un-to Melibeus seyde as ye may here. [continues next]

[continues previous] ... semeden reconsiled, and his flatereres, maden semblant of weping, and empeireden and agreggeden muchel of this matere, in preising greetly Melibee of might, of power, of richesse, and of freendes, despysinge the power of his adversaries, and seiden outrely that he anon sholde wreken him on his foos and biginne werre. [continues next]

[continues previous] Up roos thanne an advocat that was wys, by leve and by conseil of othere that were wyse, and seyde: 'Lordinges, the nede for which we been assembled in this place is a ful hevy thing and an heigh matere, by-cause of the wrong and of the wikkednesse that hath be doon, and eek by resoun of the grete damages that in tyme cominge been possible to fallen for this same cause; and eek by resoun of the grete richesse and power of the parties bothe; for the whiche resouns it were a ful greet peril to erren in this matere. Wherfore, Melibeus, this is our sentence: we conseille yow aboven alle thing, that right anon thou do thy diligence in kepinge of thy propre persone, in swich a wyse that thou ne wante noon espye ne wacche, thy body for to save. And after that we conseille, that in thyn hous thou sette suffisant garnisoun, so that they may as wel thy body as thyn hous defende. But certes, for to moeve werre, or sodeynly for to doon vengeaunce, we may nat demen in so litel tyme that it were profitable. Wherfore we axen leyser and espace to have deliberacioun in this cas to deme. For the commune proverbe seith thus: "he that sone demeth, sone shal repente." And eek men seyn that thilke Iuge is wys, that sone understondeth a matere and Iuggeth by leyser. For al-be-it so that alle tarying be anoyful, algates it is nat to repreve in yevynge of Iugement, ne in vengeance-taking, whan it is suffisant and resonable. ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... smyte, right so, men sholde wreken hir wronges whyle that they been fresshe and newe; and with loud voys they cryden, 'werre! werre!' Up roos tho oon of thise olde wyse, and with his hand made contenaunce that men sholde holden hem stille and yeven him audience. 'Lordinges,' quod he, 'ther is ful many a man that cryeth "werre! werre!" that woot ful litel what werre amounteth. Werre at his biginning hath so greet an entree and so large, that every wight may entre whan him lyketh, and lightly finde werre. But, certes, what ende that shal ther-of bifalle, it is nat light to knowe. For sothly, whan that werre is ones bigonne, ther is ful many a child unborn of his moder, that shal sterve yong by-cause of that ilke werre, or elles live in sorwe and dye in wrecchednesse. And ther-fore, er that any werre biginne, men moste have greet conseil and greet deliberacioun.' And whan this olde man wende to enforcen his tale by resons, ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... hem alle. For "of a thousand men," seith Salomon, "I fond a good man: but certes, of alle wommen, good womman fond I never." And also certes, if I governed me by thy conseil, it sholde seme that I hadde yeve to thee over me the maistrie; and god forbede that it so were. For Iesus Syrak seith; "that if the wyf have maistrie, she is contrarious to hir housbonde." And Salomon seith: "never in thy lyf, to thy wyf, ne to thy child, ne to thy freend, ne yeve no power over thy-self. For bettre it were that thy children aske of thy persone thinges that hem nedeth, ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Whanne dame Prudence, ful debonairly and with greet pacience, hadde herd al that hir housbonde lyked for to seye, thanne axed she of him licence for to speke, and seyde in this wyse. 'My lord,' quod she, 'as to your firste resoun, certes it may lightly been answered. For I seye, that it is no folie to chaunge conseil whan the thing is chaunged; or elles whan the thing semeth otherweyes than it was biforn. And more-over I seye, that though ye han sworn and bihight ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... hath of richesse, the more he desyreth. And sir, ye moste also dryve out of your herte hastifnesse; for certes, ye ne may nat deme for the beste a sodeyn thought that falleth in youre herte, but ye moste avyse yow on it ful ofte. For as ye herde biforn, the commune proverbe is this, that "he that sone demeth, sone repenteth."

[continues previous] ... in your-self, and han demed by good deliberacion swich thing as you semeth best, thanne rede I yow, that ye kepe it secree. Biwrey nat your conseil to no persone, but-if so be that ye wenen sikerly that, thurgh your biwreying, your condicioun shal be to yow the more profitable. For Iesus Syrak seith: "neither to thy foo ne to thy freend discovere nat thy secree ne thy folie; for they wol yeve yow audience and loking and supportacioun in thy presence, and scorne thee in thyn absence." Another clerk seith, that "scarsly shaltou finden any persone that may kepe conseil secreely." The book seith: "whyl that thou kepest thy conseil in thyn herte, thou kepest it in thy prisoun: and whan thou biwreyest thy conseil to any wight, he holdeth thee in his snare." And therefore yow is bettre to hyde your conseil in your herte, than praye him, to whom ye han biwreyed your conseil, that he wole kepen it cloos and stille. For Seneca seith: "if so be that thou ne mayst nat thyn owene conseil hyde, how darstou prayen any other wight thy conseil secreely to kepe?" But nathelees, if thou wene sikerly that the biwreying of thy conseil to a persone wol make thy condicioun to stonden in the bettre plyt, thanne shaltou tellen him thy conseil in this wyse. ...

[continues previous] ... auctoritee of persones, and by science; the whiche three thinges ne been nat feble by age, but certes they enforcen and encreesen day by day." And thanne shul ye kepe this for a general reule. First shul ye clepen to your conseil a fewe of your freendes that been especiale; for Salomon seith: "manye freendes have thou; but among a thousand chese thee oon to be thy conseillour." For al-be-it so that thou first ne telle thy conseil but to a fewe, thou mayst afterward telle it to mo folk, if it be nede. But loke alwey that thy conseillours have thilke three condiciouns that I have ...

[continues previous] ... him that he to sore dredeth." And Tullius seith: "ther nis no might so greet of any emperour, that longe may endure, but-if he have more love of the peple than drede." Thou shalt also eschewe the conseiling of folk that been dronkelewe; for they ne can no conseil hyde. For Salomon seith: "ther is no privetee ther-as regneth dronkenesse." Ye shul also han in suspect the conseilling of swich folk as conseille yow a thing prively, and conseille yow the contrarie openly. For Cassidorie seith: that "it is a maner sleighte to hindre, whan he sheweth to doon a thing openly and werketh prively the contrarie." Thou ... [continues next]

And take this for a general reule, that every conseil that is affermed so strongly that it may nat be chaunged, for no condicioun that may bityde, I seye that thilke conseil is wikked.' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... discord and accord, and manye othere thinges. But certes, wikkednesse shal be warisshed by goodnesse, discord by accord, werre by pees, and so forth of othere thinges. And heer-to accordeth Seint Paul the apostle in manye places. He seith: "ne yeldeth nat harm for harm, ne wikked speche for wikked speche; but do wel to him that dooth thee harm, and blesse him that seith to thee harm." And in manye othere places he amonesteth pees and accord. But now wol I speke to yow of the conseil which that was yeven to yow by the men of lawe and the wyse folk, that seyden alle by oon ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Now sir, as to the thridde point; wher-as your olde and wise conseillours seyden, that yow ne oghte nat sodeynly ne hastily proceden in this nede, but that yow oghte purveyen and apparaillen yow in this caas with greet diligence and greet deliberacioun; trewely, I trowe that they seyden right wysly and right sooth. For Tullius seith, "in every nede, er thou biginne it, apparaille thee with greet diligence." Thanne seye I, that in vengeance-taking, in werre, in bataille, and in warnestoring, er thow biginne, I rede that thou apparaille thee ther-to, and do it with greet deliberacioun. For Tullius seith: that "long apparailling biforn the bataille maketh short victorie." And Cassidorus seith: "the garnison is stronger whan it is longe tyme avysed." [continues next]

'Certes,' quod Melibee, 'I see wel that ye enforce yow muchel by wordes to overcome me in swich manere, that I shal nat venge me of myne enemys; shewinge me the perils and the yveles that mighten falle of this vengeance. But who-so wolde considere in alle vengeances the perils and yveles that mighte sewe of vengeance-takinge, a man ...

[continues previous] ... this world, of which we sholden have so greet Ioye as whan our conscience bereth us good witnesse." And the wyse man seith: "the substance of a man is ful good, whan sinne is nat in mannes conscience." Afterward, in getinge of your richesses, and in usinge of hem, yow moste have greet bisinesse and greet diligence, that your goode name be alwey kept and conserved. For Salomon seith: that "bettre it is and more it availleth a man to have a good name, than for to have grete richesses." And therfore he seith in another place: "do greet diligence," seith Salomon, "in keping of thy ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... that as sone is the grete man sleyn as the litel man; and, as it is written in the seconde book of Kinges, "the dedes of batailles been aventurouse and nothing certeyne;" for as lightly is oon hurt with a spere as another. And for ther is gret peril in werre, therfore sholde a man flee and eschewe werre, in as muchel as a man may goodly. For Salomon seith: "he that loveth peril shal falle in peril."' [continues next]

... Therfore the prophete seith: that "troubled eyen han no cleer sighte." But seyeth and conseileth me as yow lyketh; for I am redy to do right as ye wol desyre; and if ye repreve me of my folye, I am the more holden to love yow and to preyse yow. For Salomon seith: that "he that repreveth him that doth folye, he shal finde gretter grace than he that deceyveth him by swete wordes."' [continues next]

... kin, and for hir olde freendes whiche that were trewe and wyse, and tolde hem by ordre, in the presence of Melibee, al this matere as it is aboven expressed and declared; and preyden hem that they wolde yeven hir avys and conseil, what best were to doon in this nede. And whan Melibees freendes hadde taken hir avys and deliberacioun of the forseide matere, and hadden examined it by greet bisinesse and greet diligence, they yave ful conseil for to have pees and reste; and that Melibee sholde receyve with good herte hise adversaries to foryifnesse and mercy. [continues next]

This proverbe is ful sooth and ful commune.

And at the west gate of the toun,' quod he,

'A carte ful of donge ther shaltow see,

Er that he dye, sorwe have he and shame!

Ther is also ful many another thing

That is unto our craft apertening;

But it a feend be, as him-selven is.

Ful many a man hath he bigyled er this,

Stinketh, as witnessen thise olde wyse;

And that ful sone I wol it verifye

Which that this fox y-shapen hath to thee!

His wyly wrenches thou ne mayst nat flee.

... honour thereas hem oghte to doon, and waiten to be reverenced. Pertinacie, is whan man deffendeth his folye, and trusteth to muchel in his owene wit. Veyne glorie, is for to have pompe and delyt in his temporel hynesse, and glorifie him in this worldly estaat. Ianglinge, is whan men speken to muche biforn folk, and clappen as a mille, and taken no kepe what they seye.

[continues previous] ... And he that loveth god, he wol doon diligence to plese god by his werkes, and abaundone him-self, with al his might, wel for to doon. Thanne comth ydelnesse, that is the yate of alle harmes. An ydel man is lyk to a place that hath no walles; the develes may entre on every syde and sheten at him at discovert, by temptacion on every syde. This ydelnesse is the thurrok of alle wikked and vileyns thoghtes, and of alle Iangles, trufles, and of alle ordure. Certes, the hevene is yeven to hem that wol labouren, and nat to ydel folk. Eek David seith: that 'they ne been nat ...

[continues previous] ... on wommen, yet is it a fouler thing whan that, for swich ordure, wommen dispenden up-on men hir catel and substaunce. This sinne, as seith the prophete, bireveth man and womman hir gode fame, and al hir honour; and it is ful pleasaunt to the devel; for ther-by winneth he the moste partie of this world. And right as a marchant delyteth him most in chaffare that he hath most avantage of, right so delyteth the feend in this ordure.

but certes he shal lightly remembren him-self, yif so be that he

hir, she bigan to speke in this wyse): 'Yif I,' quod she, 'have

al other livinge beestes han of kinde to knowe nat hem-self;

but whan that men leten the knowinge of hemself, it cometh hem

the faire wordes of the fames of hem, it is nat yeven to knowe

'Thus see I wel,' quod I, 'either what blisfulnesse or elles

He took in pacience to live or dye;

And thus she brydeleth him in hir manere,

Which that he be, for hit is light to knowe.'

With sorwe they bothe dye and live,

For ever it was, and ever it shal bifalle,

That Love is he that alle thing may binde;

Felte iren hoot, and he bigan to smyte,

Revesten hem in grene, whan that May is,

Whan every lusty lyketh best to pleye:

God woot, they toke of that ful litel keep,

So wol I telle yow, whyl it is hoot.

So pitously and with so dede an hewe,

That every wight mighte on his sorwe rewe.

Welcomed him, and doun by hir him sette;

And he was ethe y-nough to maken dwelle.

Whan that our host hadde herd this sermoning,

In sight of every body in that place.

A vois was herd in general audience,

And whan she saugh hir fader in the strete,

She lighte doun, and falleth him to fete.

And after this thus spak she to the knight,

Whan that she saugh hir tyme, up-on a day:

To which this Somnour shoop him for to wende,

They saugh a cart, that charged was with hey,

'My lord,' quod she, 'I woot, and wiste alway

For sith it lyketh yow, my lord,' quod she,

'Grauntmercy, lord, that thanke I yow,' quod she,

Ful hertely I pray yow telle us part.'

'Gladly,' quod he, 'but of myn owene sore,

How that he wroghte, I dar nat to yow telle;

And whan she saugh hir time, up-on a day,

To take him for hir housbonde and hir lord,

That at Cartage birafte hir-self hir lyf?

For whan she saugh that Romayns wan the toun,

[continues previous] ... hir fille, as for a certain tyme; and thanne shal man doon his diligence with amiable wordes hir to reconforte, and preyen hir of hir weping for to stinte.' For which resoun this noble wyf Prudence suffred hir housbond for to wepe and crye as for a certein space; and whan she saugh hir tyme, she seyde him in this wyse. 'Allas, my lord,' quod she,' why make ye your-self for to be lyk a fool? For sothe, it aperteneth nat to a wys man, to maken swiche a sorwe. Your doghter, with the grace of god, shal warisshe and escape. And al were it so that she right now were ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Thanne, by the conseil of his wyf Prudence, this Melibeus leet callen a greet congregacioun of folk; as surgiens, phisiciens, olde folk and yonge, and somme of hise olde enemys reconsiled as by hir semblaunt to his love and in-to his grace; and ther-with-al ther comen somme of hise neighebores that diden him reverence more for drede than for love, ... [continues next]

[continues previous] And whan this folk togidre assembled weren, this Melibeus in sorweful wyse shewed hem his cas; and by the manere of his speche it semed that in herte he bar a cruel ire, redy to doon vengeaunce up-on hise foos, and sodeynly desired that the werre sholde biginne; but nathelees yet axed he hir conseil upon this matere. A surgien, by licence and assent of swiche as weren wyse, up roos and un-to Melibeus seyde as ye may here.

[continues previous] ... ful of envye, his feyned freendes that semeden reconsiled, and his flatereres, maden semblant of weping, and empeireden and agreggeden muchel of this matere, in preising greetly Melibee of might, of power, of richesse, and of freendes, despysinge the power of his adversaries, and seiden outrely that he anon sholde wreken him on his foos and biginne werre.

[continues previous] ... that they may as wel thy body as thyn hous defende. But certes, for to moeve werre, or sodeynly for to doon vengeaunce, we may nat demen in so litel tyme that it were profitable. Wherfore we axen leyser and espace to have deliberacioun in this cas to deme. For the commune proverbe seith thus: "he that sone demeth, sone shal repente." And eek men seyn that thilke Iuge is wys, that sone understondeth a matere and Iuggeth by leyser. For al-be-it so that alle tarying be anoyful, algates it is nat to repreve in yevynge of Iugement, ne in vengeance-taking, whan it is suffisant and resonable. ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... and by hir good conseilling. Hester by hir good conseil enhaunced greetly the peple of god in the regne of Assuerus the king. And the same bountee in good conseilling of many a good womman may men telle. And moreover, whan our lord hadde creat Adam our forme-fader, he seyde in this wyse: "it is nat good to been a man allone; make we to him an help semblable to himself." Here may ye se that, if that wommen were nat goode, and hir conseils goode and profitable, our lord god of hevene wolde never han wroght hem, ne called hem help of man, but rather confusioun of man. And ther seyde ones a clerk in two vers: "what is bettre than gold? Iaspre. What is bettre than Iaspre? Wisdom. And what is bettre than wisdom? Womman. And what is bettre than a good womman? No-thing." And sir, by manye of othre resons may ye seen, that manye wommen been goode, and hir conseils goode and profitable. And therfore sir, if ye wol triste to my conseil, I shal restore yow your doghter hool and sound. And eek I wol do to yow so muche, that ye shul have honour in this cause.' [continues next]

[continues previous] Whan Melibee hadde herd the wordes of his wyf Prudence, he seyde thus: 'I se wel that the word of Salomon is sooth; he seith, that "wordes that been spoken discreetly by ordinaunce, been honycombes; for they yeven swetnesse to the soule, and hoolsomnesse to the body." And wyf, by-cause of thy swete wordes, and ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... if thou mayst parfourne it and maken of it a good ende. For certes, resoun wol nat that any man sholde biginne a thing, but-if he mighte parfourne it as him oghte. Ne no wight sholde take up-on hym so hevy a charge that he mighte nat bere it. For the proverbe seith: "he that to muche embraceth, distreyneth litel." And Catoun seith: "assay to do swich thing as thou hast power to doon, lest that the charge oppresse thee so sore, that thee bihoveth to weyve thing that thou hast bigonne." And if so be that thou be in doute, whether thou mayst parfourne ... [continues next]

[continues previous] And take this for a general reule, that every conseil that is affermed so strongly that it may nat be chaunged, for no condicioun that may bityde, I seye that thilke conseil is wikked.' [continues next]

[continues previous] This Melibeus, whanne he hadde herd the doctrine of his wyf dame Prudence, answerde in this wyse. 'Dame,' quod he, 'as yet in-to this tyme ye han wel and covenably taught me as in general, how I shal governe me in the chesinge and in the withholdinge of my conseillours. But now wolde I fayn that ye wolde condescende in ... [continues next]

'My lord,' quod she, 'I biseke yow in al humblesse, that ye wol nat wilfully replye agayn my resouns, ne distempre your herte thogh I speke thing that yow displese. For god wot that, as in myn entente, I speke it for your beste, for your honour and for your profite eke. And soothly, I hope that ... [continues next]

[continues previous] To this sentence answerde anon dame Prudence, and seyde: 'Examineth,' quod she, 'your conseil, and lat us see the whiche of hem han spoken most resonably, and taught yow best conseil. And for-as-muche as that the examinacioun is necessarie, lat us biginne at the surgiens and at the phisiciens, that first speken in this matere. I sey yow, ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... manye othere thinges. But certes, wikkednesse shal be warisshed by goodnesse, discord by accord, werre by pees, and so forth of othere thinges. And heer-to accordeth Seint Paul the apostle in manye places. He seith: "ne yeldeth nat harm for harm, ne wikked speche for wikked speche; but do wel to him that dooth thee harm, and blesse him that seith to thee harm." And in manye othere places he amonesteth pees and accord. But now wol I speke to yow of the conseil which that was yeven to yow by the men of lawe and the wyse folk, that seyden alle by oon accord as ye han herd bifore; that, over alle thynges, ye sholde doon your diligence to kepen your persone and to warnestore your hous. And seyden also, that in this caas ye oghten for to werken ful avysely and with greet deliberacioun. And sir, as to the firste point, that toucheth to the keping of your persone; ye shul understonde that he that hath werre shal evermore mekely and devoutly preyen biforn alle thinges, that Iesus Crist of his grete mercy wol han him in his proteccioun, and been his sovereyn helping at his nede. For certes, in this world ther is no wight that may be conseilled ne kept suffisantly withouten the keping of our lord Iesu Crist. To this sentence accordeth the prophete David, that seith: "if god ne kepe the citee, in ydel waketh he that it kepeth." Now sir, thanne shul ye committe the keping of your persone to your trewe freendes that been approved and y-knowe; and of hem shul ye axen help your persone for to kepe. For Catoun seith: "if thou hast nede of help, axe it of thy freendes; for ther nis noon so good a phisicien as thy trewe freend." And after this, thanne shul ye kepe yow fro alle straunge folk, and fro lyeres, and have alwey in suspect hir companye. For Piers Alfonce seith: "ne tak no companye by the weye of a straunge man, but-if so be that thou have knowe him of a lenger tyme. And if so be that he falle in-to thy companye paraventure withouten thyn assent, enquere thanne, as subtilly as thou mayst, of his conversacioun and of his ... [continues next]

[continues previous] But now lat us speken of the conseil that was accorded by your neighebores, swiche as doon yow reverence withouten love, your olde enemys reconsiled, your flatereres, that conseilled yow certeyne thinges prively, and openly conseilleden yow the contrarie; the yonge folk also, that conseilleden yow to venge yow and make werre anon. And certes, sir, as I have seyd biforn, ...

Whan Prudence hadde herd hir housbonde avanten him of his richesse and of his moneye, dispreisinge the power of hise adversaries, she spak, and seyde in this wyse: 'certes, dere sir, I graunte yow that ye been rich and mighty, and that the richesses been goode to hem that han wel y-geten hem and wel conne usen hem. For right as the body of a man may nat liven with-oute the soule, namore may it live with-outen temporel goodes. And by richesses may a man gete him grete freendes. And therfore seith Pamphilles: "if a net-herdes doghter," seith he, "be riche, she may chesen of a thousand men which she wol take to hir housbonde; for, of a thousand men, oon wol nat forsaken hir ne refusen hir." And this Pamphilles seith also: "if thou be right happy, that is to seyn, if thou be right riche, thou shalt find a greet nombre of felawes and freendes. And if thy fortune change that thou wexe povre, farewel freendshipe and felaweshipe; for thou shalt be allone with-outen any companye, but-if it be the companye of povre folk." And yet seith this Pamphilles moreover: that "they that been thralle and bonde of linage shullen been maad worthy and noble by the richesses." And right so as by richesses ther comen manye goodes, right so by poverte come ther manye harmes and yveles. For greet poverte constreyneth a man to do manye yveles. And therfore clepeth Cassidore poverte "the moder of ruine," that is to seyn, the moder of overthrowinge or fallinge doun. And therfore seith Piers Alfonce: "oon of the gretteste adversitees of this world is whan a free man, by kinde or by burthe, is constreyned by poverte to eten the almesse of his enemy." And the same seith Innocent in oon of hise bokes; he seith: that "sorweful and mishappy is the condicioun of a ... [continues next]

[continues previous] First, ye shul geten hem with-outen greet desyr, by good leyser sokingly, and nat over hastily. For a man that is to desyringe to gete richesses abaundoneth him first to thefte and to alle other yveles. And therfore seith Salomon: "he that hasteth him to bisily to wexe riche shal be noon innocent." He seith also: that "the richesse that hastily cometh to a man, sone and lightly gooth and passeth fro a man; but that richesse that cometh litel and litel wexeth alwey and multiplyeth." And sir, ye shul geten richesses by ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... despenses moste he make, if he wole have worship and victorie." And Salomon seith: that "the gretter richesses that a man hath, the mo despendours he hath." And dere sire, al-be-it so that for your richesses ye mowe have muchel folk, yet bihoveth it nat, ne it is nat good, to biginne werre, where-as ye mowe in other manere have pees, un-to your worship and profit. For the victories of batailles that been in this world, lyen nat in greet nombre or multitude of the peple ne in the vertu of man; but it lyth in the wil and in the hand of ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Thanne bigan dame Prudence to maken semblant of wratthe, and seyde, 'certes, sir, sauf your grace, I love your honour and your profit as I do myn owene, and ever have doon; ne ye ne noon other syen never the contrarie. And yit, if I hadde seyd that ye sholde han purchaced the pees ...

[continues previous] Thanne seide dame Prudence, 'I make no semblant of wratthe ne anger but for your grete profit. For Salomon seith: "he is more worth, that repreveth or chydeth a fool for his folye, shewinge him semblant of wratthe, than he that supporteth him and preyseth him in his misdoinge, and laugheth at his folye." ...

Thanne seyde Melibee, 'I shal nat conne answere to so manye faire resouns as ye putten to me and shewen. Seyeth shortly your wil and your conseil, and I am al ready to fulfille and parfourne it.'

Thanne dame Prudence discovered al hir wil to him, and seyde, 'I conseille yow,' quod she, 'aboven alle thinges, that ye make pees bitwene god and yow; and beth reconsiled un-to him and to his grace. For as I have seyd yow heer-biforn, god hath suffred yow to have this tribulacioun and disese for your sinnes. ...

'Dame,' quod Melibee, 'dooth your wil and your lykinge, for I putte me hoolly in your disposicioun and ordinaunce.'

Thanne Dame Prudence, whan she saugh the gode wil of her housbonde, delibered and took avys in hir-self, thinkinge how she mighte bringe this nede un-to a good conclusioun and to a good ende. And whan she saugh hir tyme, she sente for thise adversaries to come un-to hir in-to a privee place, and shewed wysly un-to hem the grete goodes that comen of pees, and the grete harmes and perils that been in werre; and seyde to hem in a goodly manere, how that hem oughte have greet repentaunce of the iniurie and ...

... goodes al fully in your wil and disposicioun; and been redy to comen, what day that it lyke un-to your noblesse to limite us or assigne us, for to maken our obligacioun and bond as strong as it lyketh un-to your goodnesse; that we mowe fulfille the wille of yow and of my lord Melibee.' [continues next]

Whan dame Prudence hadde herd the answeres of thise men, she bad hem goon agayn prively; and she retourned to hir lord Melibee, and tolde him how she fond hise adversaries ful repentant, knowlechinge ful lowely hir sinnes and trespas, and how they were redy to suffren al peyne, requiringe and preyinge him ...

[continues previous] Thanne was Prudence right glad and loyeful, and seyde, 'Certes, sir,' quod she, 'ye han wel and goodly answered. For right as by the conseil, assent, and help of your freendes, ye han been stired to venge yow and maken werre, right so with-outen hir conseil shul ye nat accorden yow, ne have pees with your adversaries. For the lawe seith: "ther nis no-thing so good by wey of kinde, as a thing to been unbounde by him that it was y-bounde."'

[continues previous] And thanne dame Prudence, with-outen delay or taryinge, sente anon hir messages for hir kin, and for hir olde freendes whiche that were trewe and wyse, and tolde hem by ordre, in the presence of Melibee, al this matere as it is aboven expressed and declared; and preyden hem that they wolde yeven hir avys and conseil, what best were to doon in this nede. And whan Melibees freendes hadde taken hir avys and deliberacioun of the forseide matere, and hadden examined it by greet bisinesse and greet diligence, they yave ful conseil for to have pees and reste; and that Melibee sholde receyve with good herte hise adversaries to foryifnesse and mercy.

[continues previous] And whan dame Prudence hadde herd the assent of hir lord Melibee, and the conseil of hise freendes, accorde with hir wille and hir entencioun, she was wonderly glad in hir herte, and seyde: 'ther is an old proverbe,' quod she, 'seith: that "the goodnesse that thou mayst do this day, do it; and abyde nat ne delaye it nat ...

And whan that dame Prudence saugh hir tyme, she freyned and axed hir lord Melibee, what vengeance he thoughte to taken of hise adversaries?

'Certes,' quod dame Prudence, 'this were a cruel sentence, and muchel agayn resoun. For ye been riche y-nough, and han no nede of other mennes good; and ye mighte lightly in this wyse gete yow a coveitous name, which is a vicious thing, and oghte been eschewed of every good man. For after the sawe of the word of the ... [continues next]

Whanne Melibee hadde herd the grete skiles and resouns of dame Prudence, and hir wise informaciouns and techinges, his herte gan enclyne to the wil of his wyf, consideringe hir trewe entente; and conformed him anon, and assented fully to werken after hir conseil; and thonked god, of whom procedeth al vertu and alle goodnesse, that him sente a wyf of so greet discrecioun. ... [continues next]

And day was comen of hir mariage,

She, ful devout and humble in hir corage,

Him-self he weep, for pitee that he hadde.

Whan Maximus had herd the seintes lore,

... yeven hem wit, strengthe of body, hele, beautee, prosperitee, and boghte hem fro the deeth with his herte blood, that they so unkindely, agayns his gentilesse, quyten him so vileinsly, to slaughtre of hir owene soules. O gode god, ye wommen that been of so greet beautee, remembreth yow of the proverbe of Salomon, that seith: 'he lykneth a fair womman, that is a fool of hir body, lyk to a ring of gold that were in the groyn of a sowe.' For right as a sowe wroteth in everich ordure, so wroteth she hir beautee in the stinkinge ordure of sinne. [continues next]

... and whan he is deed, he shal have noon hope to escape fro peyne.' Who-so thanne wolde wel understande these peynes, and bithinke him weel that he hath deserved thilke peynes for his sinnes, certes, he sholde have more talent to syken and to wepe than for to singen and to pleye. For as that seith Salomon: 'who-so that hadde the science to knowe the peynes that been establissed and ordeyned for sinne, he wolde make sorwe.' 'Thilke science,' as seith seint Augustin, 'maketh a man to waymenten in his herte.' [continues next]

... as thus. Som man preiseth his neighebore by a wikke entente; for he maketh alwey a wikked knotte atte laste ende. Alwey he maketh a 'but' atte laste ende, that is digne of more blame, than worth is al the preisinge. The seconde spece is, that if a man be good and dooth or seith a thing to good entente, the bakbyter wol turne all thilke goodnesse up-so-doun to his shrewed entente. The thridde is, to amenuse the bountee of his neighebore. The fourthe spece of bakbyting is this; that if men speke goodnesse of a man, thanne wol the bakbyter seyn, 'parfey, swich a man is yet bet than he'; in dispreisinge of him that men preise. The fifte spece is this; for to consente gladly and herkne gladly to the harm that men speke of other folk. This sinne is ful greet, and ay encreseth after the wikked entente of the bakbyter. After bakbyting cometh grucching or murmuracion; and somtyme it springeth of inpacience agayns god, and somtyme agayns man. Agayns god it is, whan a man gruccheth agayn the peynes of helle, or agayns poverte, or los of catel, or agayn reyn or tempest; or elles gruccheth that shrewes han prosperitee, or elles for that goode men han adversitee. And alle thise thinges sholde men suffre paciently, for they comen by the rightful Iugement and ordinance of god. Som-tyme comth grucching of avarice; as Iudas grucched agayns the Magdaleyne, whan she enoynte the heved of oure lord Iesu Crist with hir precious oynement. This maner murmure is swich as whan man gruccheth of goodnesse that him-self dooth, or that other folk doon of hir owene catel. Som-tyme comth murmure of pryde; as whan Simon the Pharisee grucched agayn the Magdaleyne, whan she approched to Iesu Crist, and weep at his feet for hir sinnes. And somtyme grucching sourdeth of Envye; whan men discovereth a mannes harm that was privee, or ...

... his deeth. And for-as-muche as he ne hath nat in his lyf herkned Iesu Crist, whanne he hath spoken, he shal crye to Iesu Crist at his laste day, and scarsly wol he herkne him. And understond that this condicioun moste han foure thinges. Thy shrift moste be purveyed bifore and avysed; for wikked haste doth no profit; and that a man conne shryve him of hise sinnes be it of pryde, or of envye, and so forth of the speces and circumstances; and that he have comprehended in his minde the nombre and the greetnesse of hise sinnes, and how longe that he hath leyn in sinne; and ...

Thise wordes seide she, and with the lappe of hir garment, y-plyted

Yit wolde I, as I dar, with sorweful herte

Biseche un-to your meke womanhede

Made al myn herte in reverdye.

And whan that I hadde herd, I trowe,

With that word Resoun wente hir gate,

Whan she saugh for no sermoning

She might me fro my foly bring.

He hasteth wel that wysly can abyde;

Be diligent, and trewe, and ay wel hyde.

And in ful humble wyse, as in his speche,

And though I dar ne can un-to yow pleyne,

Y-wis, I suffre nought the lasse peyne.

Thise wordes seyd, she on hir armes two

To serven you as hertely as I can,

And ever shal, whyl I to live have space,

Whan that she saugh his wyde woundes blede;

But whan he saugh she nolde hir terme holde,

To child ne wyf, by him that harwed helle!'

I ne owe hem nat a word that it nis quit.

And whan that I hadde geten un-to me,

By maistrie, al the soveraynetee,

For if it so bifelle, as god forbede,

That thurgh your deeth your linage sholde slake,

Al that hir housbonde lust, hir lyketh weel; [continues next]

She seith not ones 'nay,' whan he seith 'ye.' [continues next]

And alderfirst he bad hem alle a bone,

That noon of hem none argumentes make

Ther is swich mirthe that it may nat be writen;

Thus preiseth he yet the bountee of man:

"Amonges a thousand men yet fond I oon,

But of wommen alle fond I noon."

Thus seith the king that knoweth your wikkednesse;

And Iesus filius Syrak, as I gesse,

Though that he seyde he fond no good womman, [continues next]

I prey yow take the sentence of the man; [continues next]

By thilke god that yaf me soule and lyf,

Ne shal I never been untrewe wyf

In word ne werk, as fer as I have wit:

Up to hir housbonde is this wyf y-gon,

And bad the meynee 'fare-wel, have good day!'

For noon of hem, ne no wight in the toun,

[continues previous] ... thou hast for-goon thy freend, do diligence to gete another freend; and this is more wysdom than for to wepe for thy freend which that thou hast lorn; for ther-inne is no bote. And therfore, if ye governe yow by sapience, put awey sorwe out of your herte. Remembre yow that Iesus Syrak seith: "a man that is Ioyous and glad in herte, it him conserveth florisshing in his age; but soothly sorweful herte maketh his bones drye." He seith eek thus: "that sorwe in herte sleeth ful many a man." Salomon seith: "that, right as motthes in the shepes flees anoyeth to the clothes, and the ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... and in his body endured and receyved ful many a grevous tribulacioun; yet seyde he thus: "our lord hath yeven it me, our lord hath biraft it me; right as our lord hath wold, right so it is doon; blessed be the name of our lord."' To thise foreseide thinges answerde Melibeus un-to his wyf Prudence: 'Alle thy wordes,' quod he, 'been sothe, and ther-to profitable; but trewely myn herte is troubled with this sorwe so grevously, that I noot what to done.' 'Lat calle,' quod Prudence, 'thy trewe freendes alle, and thy linage whiche that been wyse; telleth your cas, and herkneth what they seye in conseiling, and yow governe after hir sentence. Salomon seith: "werk alle thy thinges by conseil, and thou shalt never repente."' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... this olde man wende to enforcen his tale by resons, wel ny alle at-ones bigonne they to ryse for to breken his tale, and beden him ful ofte his wordes for to abregge. For soothly, he that precheth to hem that listen nat heren his wordes, his sermon hem anoyeth. For Iesus Syrak seith: that "musik in wepinge is anoyous thing;" this is to seyn: as muche availleth to speken bifore folk to whiche his speche anoyeth, as dooth to singe biforn him that wepeth. And whan this wyse man saugh that him wanted audience, al shamefast he sette him doun agayn. For Salomon seith: ... [continues next]

[continues previous] This Melibee answerde un-to his wyf Prudence: 'I purpose nat,' quod he, 'to werke by thy conseil, for many causes and resouns. For certes every wight wolde holde me thanne a fool; this is to seyn, if I, for thy conseilling, wolde chaungen thinges that been ordeyned and affermed by so manye wyse. Secoundly I seye, that alle wommen been wikke and noon good of hem alle. For "of a thousand men," seith Salomon, "I fond a good man: but certes, of alle wommen, good womman fond I never." And also certes, if I governed me by thy conseil, it sholde seme that I hadde yeve to thee over me the maistrie; and god forbede that it so were. For Iesus Syrak seith; "that if the wyf have maistrie, she is contrarious to hir housbonde." And Salomon seith: "never in thy lyf, to thy wyf, ne to thy child, ne to thy freend, ne yeve no power over thy-self. For bettre it were that thy children aske of thy persone thinges that hem nedeth, than thou see thy-self in the handes of thy children." And also, if I wolde werke by thy conseilling, certes my conseilling moste som tyme be secree, til it were tyme that it moste be knowe; and this ne may noght be. [For it is writen, that "the Ianglerie of wommen can hyden thinges that they witen noght." Furthermore, the philosophre seith, "in wikked conseil wommen venquisshe men;" and for thise resouns ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... the trouthe of thinges and the profit been rather founden in fewe folk that been wyse and ful of resoun, than by greet multitude of folk, ther every man cryeth and clatereth what that him lyketh. Soothly swich multitude is nat honeste. As to the seconde resoun, where-as ye seyn that "alle wommen been wikke," save your grace, certes ye despysen alle wommen in this wyse; and "he that alle despyseth alle displeseth," as seith the book. And Senek seith that "who-so wole have sapience, shal no man dispreise; but he shal gladly techen the science that he can, with-outen presumpcioun or pryde. And swiche thinges as he nought ne can, he shal nat been ashamed to lerne hem and enquere of lasse folk than him-self." And sir, that ther hath been many a good womman, may lightly be preved. For certes, sir, our lord Iesu Crist wolde never have descended to be born of a womman, if alle wommen hadden ben wikke. And after that, for the grete bountee that is in wommen, our lord Iesu Crist, whan he was risen fro deeth to lyve, appeered rather to a womman than to his apostles. And though that Salomon seith, that "he ne fond never womman good," it folweth nat therfore that alle wommen ben wikke. For though that he ne fond no good womman, certes, ful many another man hath founden many a womman ful good and trewe. Or elles per-aventure the entente of Salomon was this; that, as in sovereyn bountee, he fond no womman; this is to seyn, that ther is no wight that hath sovereyn bountee save god allone; as he him-self recordeth in his Evaungelie. For ther nis no creature so good that him ne wanteth somwhat of the perfeccioun of god, that is his maker. Your thridde resoun is this: ye seyn that "if ye governe yow by my conseil, it sholde seme that ye hadde yeve me the maistrie and the lordshipe over your persone." Sir, save your grace, it is nat so. For if it were so, that no man sholde be conseilled but only of hem that hadden lordshipe and maistrie of his persone, men wolden nat be conseilled so ofte. For soothly, thilke man that asketh conseil of a purpos, yet hath he free chois, wheither he wole werke by that conseil or noon. And as to your fourthe resoun, ther ye seyn that "the Ianglerie of wommen hath hid thinges that they woot noght," as who seith, that "a womman can nat hyde that she woot;" sir, thise wordes been understonde of wommen that been Iangleresses and wikked; of whiche wommen, men seyn that "three thinges dryven a man out of his hous; that is to seyn, smoke, dropping of reyn, and wikked wyves;" and of swiche wommen seith Salomon, that "it were bettre dwelle in desert, than with a womman that is riotous." And sir, by your leve, that am nat I; for ye han ful ofte assayed my grete silence and my gret pacience; and eek how wel that I can hyde and hele thinges that men oghte secreely to hyde. And soothly, as to your fifthe resoun, wher-as ye seyn, that "in wikked conseil wommen venquisshe men;" god woot, thilke resoun stant here in no stede. For understand now, ye asken conseil to do wikkednesse; and if ye wole werken wikkednesse, and your wyf restreyneth thilke wikked purpos, and overcometh yow by resoun and by good conseil; certes, your wyf oghte rather to be preised than y-blamed. Thus sholde ye understonde the philosophre that seith, "in wikked conseil wommen venquisshen hir housbondes." And ther-as ye blamen alle wommen and hir resouns, I shal shewe yow by manye ensamples that many a womman hath ben ful good, and yet been; and hir conseils ful hoolsome and profitable. Eek som men han seyd, that "the conseillinge of wommen is outher to dere, or elles to ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Whan Melibee hadde herd the wordes of his wyf Prudence, he seyde thus: 'I se wel that the word of Salomon is sooth; he seith, that "wordes that been spoken discreetly by ordinaunce, been honycombes; for they yeven swetnesse to the soule, and hoolsomnesse to the body." And wyf, by-cause of thy swete wordes, and eek for I have assayed and preved thy grete sapience and thy grete trouthe, I wol governe me by thy conseil in alle thing.' [continues next]

[continues previous] 'Now sir,' quod dame Prudence, 'and sin ye vouche-sauf to been governed by my conseil, I wol enforme yow how ye shul governe your-self in chesinge of your conseillours. Ye shul first, in alle your werkes, mekely biseken to the heighe god that he wol be your conseillour; and shapeth yow to swich entente, that he yeve yow conseil and confort, as taughte Thobie his sone. ... [continues next]

... han taken conseil in your-self, and han demed by good deliberacion swich thing as you semeth best, thanne rede I yow, that ye kepe it secree. Biwrey nat your conseil to no persone, but-if so be that ye wenen sikerly that, thurgh your biwreying, your condicioun shal be to yow the more profitable. For Iesus Syrak seith: "neither to thy foo ne to thy freend discovere nat thy secree ne thy folie; for they wol yeve yow audience and loking and supportacioun in thy presence, and scorne thee in thyn absence." Another clerk seith, that "scarsly shaltou finden any persone that may kepe conseil secreely." The book seith: "whyl that thou kepest thy conseil in thyn herte, thou kepest it ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... swetnesse and of plesaunce." And eek thou shalt eschewe the conseilling of thyne olde enemys that been reconsiled. The book seith: that "no wight retourneth saufly in-to the grace of his olde enemy." And Isope seith: "ne trust nat to hem to whiche thou hast had som-tyme werre or enmitee, ne telle hem nat thy conseil." And Seneca telleth the cause why. "It may nat be," seith he, "that, where greet fyr hath longe tyme endured, that ther ne dwelleth som vapour of warmnesse." And therfore seith Salomon: "in thyn olde foo trust never." For sikerly, though thyn enemy be reconsiled and maketh thee chere of humilitee, and louteth to thee with his heed, ne trust him never. For certes, he maketh thilke feyned humilitee more for his profit than for any love of thy persone; by-cause that he demeth to have victorie over ... [continues next]

[continues previous] This Melibeus, whanne he hadde herd the doctrine of his wyf dame Prudence, answerde in this wyse. 'Dame,' quod he, 'as yet in-to this tyme ye han wel and covenably taught me as in general, how I shal governe me in the chesinge and in the withholdinge of my conseillours. But now wolde I fayn that ye wolde condescende in especial, and telle me how lyketh ...

[continues previous] To this sentence answerde anon dame Prudence, and seyde: 'Examineth,' quod she, 'your conseil, and lat us see the whiche of hem han spoken most resonably, and taught yow best conseil. And for-as-muche as that the examinacioun is necessarie, lat us biginne at the surgiens and at the phisiciens, that first speken in this matere. I sey yow, that the surgiens and phisiciens han ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... this, thanne shul ye kepe yow in swich manere, that for any presumpcioun of your strengthe, that ye ne dispyse nat ne acounte nat the might of your adversarie so litel, that ye lete the keping of your persone for your presumpcioun; for every wys man dredeth his enemy. And Salomon seith: "weleful is he that of alle hath drede; for certes, he that thurgh the hardinesse of his herte and thurgh the hardinesse of him-self hath to greet presumpcioun, him shal yvel bityde." Thanne shul ye evermore countrewayte embusshements and alle espiaille. For Senek seith: that "the wyse man that dredeth harmes escheweth harmes; ne he ne ... [continues next]

'A!' quod Melibee, 'this vengeance lyketh me no-thing. I bithenke me now and take hede, how fortune hath norissed me fro my childhede, and hath holpen me to passe many a strong pas. Now wol I assayen hir, trowinge, with goddes help, that she shal helpe me my shame for to venge.' [continues next]

'Certes,' quod Prudence, 'if ye wol werke by my conseil, ye shul nat assaye fortune by no wey; ne ye shul nat lene or bowe unto hir, after the word of Senek: for "thinges that been folily doon, and that been in hope of fortune, shullen never come to good ende." And as the same Senek seith: "the more cleer and the more ... [continues next]

Melibee answerde, 'if I ne venge me nat of the vileinye that men han doon to me, I sompne or warne hem that han doon to me that vileinye and alle othere, to do me another vileinye. For it is writen: "if thou take no vengeance of an old vileinye, thou sompnest thyne adversaries to do thee a newe vileinye." And also, for my suffrance, men wolden do to me so muchel vileinye, that I mighte neither here it ne sustene; and so sholde I been put and holden over lowe. For men seyn: "in muchel suffringe shul manye thinges falle un-to thee whiche thou shalt nat mowe suffre."' [continues next]

'Certes,' quod Prudence, 'I graunte yow that over muchel suffraunce nis nat good; but yet ne folweth it nat ther-of, that every persone to whom men doon vileinye take of it vengeance; for that aperteneth and longeth al only to the Iuges, for they shul venge the vileinyes and iniuries. And ther-fore tho two ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... him to axe." And therfore seith Salomon: that "bet it is to dye than for to have swich poverte." And as the same Salomon seith: "bettre it is to dye of bitter deeth than for to liven in swich wyse." By thise resons that I have seid un-to yow, and by manye othere resons that I coude seye, I graunte yow that richesses been goode to hem that geten hem wel, and to hem that wel usen tho richesses. And therfore wol I shewe yow how ye shul have yow, and how ye shul here yow in gaderinge of richesses, and in what manere ye shul usen hem. [continues next]

[continues previous] ... man is so muchel agayns nature, as a man to encressen his owene profit to the harm of another man. And though the grete men and the mighty men geten richesses more lightly than thou, yet shaltou nat been ydel ne slow to do thy profit; for thou shalt in alle wyse flee ydelnesse." For Salomon seith: that "ydelnesse techeth a man to do manye yveles." And the same Salomon seith: that "he that travailleth and bisieth him to tilien his land, shal eten breed; but he that is ydel and casteth him to no bisinesse ne occupacioun, shal falle in-to poverte, and dye for hunger." And ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... moste have greet bisinesse and greet diligence, that your goode name be alwey kept and conserved. For Salomon seith: that "bettre it is and more it availleth a man to have a good name, than for to have grete richesses." And therfore he seith in another place: "do greet diligence," seith Salomon, "in keping of thy freend and of thy gode name; for it shal lenger abide with thee than any tresour, be it never so precious." And certes he sholde nat be called a gentil man, that after god and good conscience, alle thinges left, ne dooth his diligence and bisinesse to kepen his good name. And ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... how ye shul do in getinge richesses, and how ye shullen usen hem; and I se wel, that for the trust that ye han in youre richesses, ye wole moeve werre and bataille. I conseille yow, that ye biginne no werre in trust of your richesses; for they ne suffysen noght werres to mayntene. And therfore seith a philosophre: "that man that desyreth and wole algates han werre, shal never have suffisaunce; for the richer that he is, the gretter despenses moste he make, if he wole have worship and victorie." And Salomon seith: that "the gretter richesses that a man hath, the mo despendours he hath." And dere ... [continues next]

[continues previous] After that Dame Prudence hadde spoken in this manere, Melibee answerde and seyde, 'I see wel, dame Prudence, that by your faire wordes and by your resons that ye han shewed me, that the werre lyketh yow no-thing; but I have nat yet herd your conseil, how I shal do in this nede.' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... thing and right perilous, that a man putte him al outrely in the arbitracioun and Iuggement, and in the might and power of hise enemys. For Salomon seith: "leveth me, and yeveth credence to that I shal seyn; I seye," quod he, "ye peple, folk, and governours of holy chirche, to thy sone, to thy wyf, to thy freend, ne to thy brother ne yeve thou never might ne maistrie of thy body, whyl thou livest." Now sithen he defendeth, that man shal nat yeven to his brother ne to his freend the might of his body, by a strenger resoun he defendeth and forbedeth a man to yeven him-self to his enemy. And nathelees I conseille you, that ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... shame. And every man oghte to doon his diligence and his bisinesse to geten him a good name. And yet shal he nat only bisie him in kepinge of his good name, but he shal also enforcen him alwey to do som-thing by which he may renovelle his good name; for it is writen, that "the olde good loos or good name of a man is sone goon and passed, whan it is nat newed ne renovelled." And as touchinge that ye seyn, ye wole exile your adversaries, that thinketh me muchel agayn resoun and out of mesure, considered the power that they han yeve yow up-on hem-self. And it is writen, that "he is worthy to lesen his privilege that misuseth the might and the power that is yeven him." And I sette cas ye mighte enioyne hem that peyne by right and by lawe, which I trowe ye mowe nat do, I seye, ye mighte nat putten it to execucioun per-aventure, and thanne were it lykly to retourne to the werre as it was biforn. And therfore, if ye wole that men do yow obeisance, ye moste demen more curteisly; this is to seyn, ye moste yeven more esy sentences and Iugements. For it is writen, that "he that most curteisly comandeth, to him men most obeyen." And therfore, I prey yow that in this necessitee and in this nede, ye caste yow to overcome your herte. For Senek seith: that "he that overcometh his herte, overcometh twyes." And Tullius seith: "ther is nothing so comendable in ... [continues next]

Ne never in al thy lyf ne shaltou speke.

[continues previous] ... folwe deeth, and they shul nat finde him; and they shul desyren to dye, and deeth shal flee fro hem.' And eek Iob seith: that 'in helle is noon ordre of rule.' And al-be-it so that god hath creat alle thinges in right ordre, and no-thing with-outen ordre, but alle thinges been ordeyned and nombred; yet nathelees they that been dampned been no-thing in ordre, ne holden noon ordre. For the erthe ne shal bere hem no fruit. For, as the prophete David seith: 'god shal destroie the fruit of the erthe as fro hem;' ne water ne shal yeve hem no moisture; ne the eyr no refresshing, ne fyr no light. For as seith seint Basilie: 'the brenninge of the fyr of this world shal god yeven in helle to hem that been dampned; but the light and the cleernesse shal be yeven in hevene to hise children'; right as the gode man yeveth flesh to hise children, and bones to his houndes. And for they shullen have noon hope to escape, seith seint Iob atte laste: that 'ther shal horrour and grisly drede dwellen with-outen ende.' Horrour is alwey drede of harm that is to come, and this drede shal evere dwelle in the hertes of hem that been dampned. And therefore han they lorn al hir hope, for sevene causes. First, for god that is hir Iuge shal be with-outen mercy to hem; ne they may nat plese him, ne noon of hise halwes; ne they ne may yeve no-thing for hir raunson; ne they have no vois to speke to him; ne they may nat flee fro peyne; ne they have no goodnesse in hem, that they mowe shewe to delivere hem fro peyne. And therfore seith Salomon: 'the wikked man dyeth; and whan he is deed, he shal have noon hope to escape fro peyne.' Who-so thanne wolde wel understande these peynes, and bithinke him weel that he hath deserved thilke peynes for his sinnes, certes, he sholde have more talent to syken and to wepe than for to singen and to pleye. For as that seith Salomon: 'who-so that hadde the science to knowe the peynes that been establissed and ordeyned for sinne, he wolde make sorwe.' 'Thilke science,' as seith seint Augustin, 'maketh a man to waymenten in his herte.' [continues next]

... of al the remenant of his passion that he suffred for my sinnes, and no-thing for his gilt.' And ye shul understonde, that in mannes sinne is every manere of ordre or ordinance turned up-so-doun. For it is sooth, that god, and reson, and sensualitee, and the body of man been so ordeyned, that everich of thise foure thinges sholde have lordshipe over that other; as thus: god sholde have lordshipe over reson, and reson over sensualitee, and sensualitee over the body of man. But sothly, whan man sinneth, al this ordre or ordinance is turned up-so-doun. And therfore thanne, for-as-muche as the reson of man ne wol nat ... [continues next]

... venial synne is it, if man love Iesu Crist lasse than him oghte. For sothe, the dede of this venial sinne is ful perilous; for it amenuseth the love that men sholde han to god more and more. And therfore, if a man charge him-self with manye swiche venial sinnes, certes, but-if so be that he som tyme descharge him of hem by shrifte, they mowe ful lightly amenuse in him al the love that he hath to Iesu Crist; and in this wise skippeth venial in-to deedly sinne. For certes, the more that a man chargeth his soule with venial sinnes, the more is he enclyned to ... [continues next]

... and hise freendes observede to shewen in hir lyve. Now as of the outrageous array of wommen, god woot, that though the visages of somme of hem seme ful chaast and debonaire, yet notifie they in hir array of atyr likerousnesse and pryde. I sey nat that honestetee in clothinge of man or womman is uncovenable, but certes the superfluitee or disordinat scantitee of clothinge is reprevable. Also the sinne of aornement or of apparaille is in thinges that apertenen to rydinge, as in to manye delicat horses that been holden for delyt, that been so faire, fatte, and costlewe; and also to many a vicious knave that ... [continues next]

Speke we now of wikked conseil; for he that wikked conseil yeveth is a traytour. For he deceyveth him that trusteth in him, ut Achitofel ad Absolonem. But natheless, yet is his wikked conseil first agayn him-self. For, as seith the wyse man, every fals livinge hath this propertee in him-self, that he that wole anoye another man, he anoyeth first him-self. And men shul understonde, that man shal nat taken his conseil of fals folk, ne of angry folk, or grevous folk, ne of folk that loven specially to ... [continues next]

... espirituels un-to hir servants, it moot been understonde that the service moot been honeste, and elles nat; and eek that it be with-outen bargayninge, and that the persone be able. For, as seith Seint Damasie, 'alle the sinnes of the world, at regard of this sinne, am as thing of noght'; for it is the gretteste sinne that may be, after the sinne of Lucifer and Antecrist. For, by this sinne, god forleseth the chirche, and the soule that he boghte with his precious blood, by hem that yeven chirches to hem that been nat digne. For they putten in theves, that stelen the soules of Iesu Christ and ...

... or by wrytinge, or in ensample. Also in weringe of heyres or of stamin, or of haubergeons on hir naked flesh, for Cristes sake, and swiche manere penances. But war thee wel that swiche manere penances on thy flesh ne make nat thyn herte bitter or angry or anoyed of thy-self; for bettre is to caste awey thyn heyre, than for to caste away the sikernesse of Iesu Crist. And therfore seith seint Paul: 'Clothe yow, as they that been chosen of god, in herte of misericorde, debonairetee, suffraunce, and swich manere of clothinge'; of whiche Iesu Crist is more apayed than of ...

that of manye thinges han they nede that manye thinges han; and

ayeinward, of litel nedeth hem that mesuren hir fille after the nede

'Certes,' quod I, 'I ne may nat denye ne withstonde the

resouns purposed; and I see wel that it folweth by strengthe

'Thanne ben they none membres,' quod she; 'for elles it [continues next]

sholde seme that blisfulnesse were conioigned al of on membre [continues next]

sholden doute that this world nis governed by god.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'ne yit ne doute I it naught, ne I nel never

nis no-thing. And thise thinges ne shewedest thou nat with none

resouns y-taken fro with-oute, but by proeves in cercles and hoomlich

whan men wene that they ne be nat punisshed.'

'Whan I consider thy resouns,' quod I, 'I ne trowe nat that

studies of men, who is he to whom it sholde seme that he ne [continues next]

sholde nat only leven thise thinges, but eek gladly herkne [continues next]

it sholde seme thanne, that thilke thing is alderworst, which that [continues next]

Boece. 'What is this to seyn thanne,' quod I, 'that thinges ne

Than thou knowest, that been good wommen alle [continues next]

And trewe of love, for aught that may befalle; [continues next]

... lyne ther-as is writen anni collecti et expansi. And loke where the same planet is writen in the hede of thy table, and than loke what thou findest in directe of the same yere of oure lord whiche is passid, be hit 8, or 9, or 10, or what nombre that evere it be, til the tyme that thou come to 20, or 40, or 60. And that thou findest in directe wryte in thy slate under thy rote, and adde hit to-geder, and that is thy mene mote, for the laste meridian of the December, for the same yere whiche that thou hast purposed. And if hit ...

That I ne may it never-more deserve,

This knowe I wel, al mighte I now for thee

And thenketh wel, that som tyme it is wit

To spende a tyme, a tyme for to winne;