Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400. The Canterbury tales :
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
|
Table of Contents for this work | | All on-line databases | Etext Center Homepage |
The Tale of Melibee
967: A yong man called melibeus, myghty and
967: Riche, bigat upon his wyf, that called was prudence,
968: a doghter which that called was sophie./
968: Upon a day bifel that he for his desport is
969: Went into the feeldes hem to pleye./ His wyf
969: And eek his doghter hath he left inwith his hous,
970: Of which the dores weren faste yshette./ Thre
970: Of his olde foes han it espyed, and setten laddres
970: To the walles of his hous, and by wyndowes
971: been entred,/ and betten his wyf,
971: And wounded his doghter with fyve mortal
972: woundes in fyve sondry places, -- / this is to
972: Seyn, in hir feet, in hire handes, in hir erys, in
972: Hir nose, and in hire mouth, -- and leften hire
973: For deed, and wenten awey./
973: Whan melibeus retourned was in to his hous,
973: And saugh al this meschief, he, lyk a mad man,
974: Rentynge his clothes, gan to wepe and crie./
974: Prudence, his wyf, as ferforth as she dorste,
975: Bisoghte hym of his wepyng for to stynte;/ but
975: Nat forthy he gan to crie and wepen
975: Evere lenger the moore./
976: This noble wyf prudence remembred
976: Hire upon the sentence of ovide, in his book
976: That cleped is the remedie of love, where as
977: He seith/ he is a fool that destourbeth the
977: Mooder to wepen in the deeth of hire child,
978: Til she have wept hir fille as for a certein tyme;/
978: And thanne shal man doon his diligence with
978: Amyable wordes hire to reconforte, and preyen
-168-
979: Hire of hir wepyng for to stynte./ For which
979: Resoun this noble wyf prudence suffred hir
979: Housbonde for to wepe and crie as for a certein
980: Space;/ and whan she saugh hir tyme, she
980: Seyde hym in this wise: allas, my lord, quod
980: She, why make ye youreself for to be
981: Lyk a fool?/ for sothe it aperteneth nat
982: To a wys man to maken swich a sorwe./
982: Youre doghter, with the grace of god, shal
983: Warisshe and escape./ And, al were it so that
983: She right now were deed, ye ne oughte nat, as
984: For hir deeth, youreself to destroye./ Senek
984: Seith: the wise man shal nat take to greet disconfort
985: for the deeth of his children;/ but,
985: Certes, he sholde suffren it in pacience as wel
985: As he abideth the deeth of his owene
986: Propre persone. -- /
986: This melibeus answerde anon, and
986: Seyde, what man, quod he, sholde of his
986: Wepyng stente that hath so greet a cause for
987: To wepe?/ jhesu crist, oure lord, hymself
988: Wepte for the deeth of lazarus hys freend./
988: Prudence answerde: certes, wel I woot attempree
988: wepyng is no thyng deffended to hym
988: That sorweful is, amonges folk in sorwe, but it
989: Is rather graunted hym to wepe./ The apostle
989: Paul unto the romayns writeth, -- man shal rejoyse
989: with hem that maken joye, and wepen
990: With swich folk as wepen. -- / ut though attempree
990: wepyng be ygraunted, outrageous
991: wepyng certes is deffended./
991: Mesure of wepyng sholde be considered,
992: after the loore that techeth us senek:/
992: -- whan that thy frend is deed, -- quod he, -- lat
992: Nat thyne eyen to moyste been of teeris, ne
992: To muche drye; although the teeris come to
993: Thyne eyen, lat hem nat falle;/ and whan thou
993: Hast forgoon thy freend, do diligence to gete
993: Another freend; and this is moore wysdom than
993: For to wepe for thy freend which that thou has
994: Lorn, for therinne is no boote. -- / and therfore,
994: If ye governe yow by sapience, put awey sorwe
995: Out of youre herte./ Remembre yow that
995: Jhesus syrak seith, -- a man that is joyous and
995: Glad in herte, it hym conserveth florissynge
995: In his age; but soothly sorweful herte
996: Maketh his bones drye. -- / he seith eek
996: Thus, that sorwe in herte sleeth ful many
997: A man./ Salomon seith that right as motthes
997: In shepes flees anoyeth to the clothes, and
997: The smale wormes to the tree, right so anoyeth
998: Sorwe to the herte./ Wherfore us oghte, as wel
998: In the deeth of oure children as in the los of
999: Oure othere goodes temporels, have pacience./
999: Remembre yow upon the pacient job. Whan
999: He hadde lost his children and his temporeel
999: Substance, and in his body endured and receyved
999: ful many a grevous tribulacion, yet
1000: Seyde he thus:/ -- oure lord hath yeve it me;
1000: Oure lord hath biraft it me; right as oure lord
1000: Hath wold, right so it is doon; blessed
1001: Be the name of oure lord! -- /
1001: To thise forseide thynges answerde
1001: Melibeus unto his wyf prudence: alle thy
1001: Wordes, quod he, been sothe, and therto profitable;
1001: but trewely myn herte is troubled with
1001: This sorwe so grevously that I noot what to
1002: Doone./
1002: Lat calle, quod prudence, thy trewe
1002: Freendes alle, and thy lynage whiche that been
1002: Wise. Telleth youre cas, and herkneth what
1002: They seye in conseillyng, and yow governe after
1003: Hire sentence./ Salomon seith, -- werk alle thy
1003: Thynges by conseil, and thou shalt never repente.
1004: Thanne, by the conseil of his wyf prudence,
1004: This melibeus leet callen a greet congregacion
1005: Of folk;/ as surgiens, phisiciens, olde folk and
1005: Yonge, and somme of his olde enemys reconsiled
1005: as by hir semblaunt to his love and
1006: Into his grace;/ and therwithal ther
1006: Coomen somme of his neighebores that
1006: Diden hym reverence moore for drede than for
1007: Love, as it happeth ofte./ Ther coomen also
1007: Ful many subtille flatereres, and wise advocatz
1008: lerned in the lawe./
1008: And whan this folk togidre assembled weren,
1008: This melibeus in sorweful wise shewed hem his
1009: Cas./ And by the manere of his speche it
1009: Semed that in herte he baar a crueel ire, redy
1009: To doon vengeaunce upon his foes, and sodeynly
1010: desired that the werre sholde bigynne;/
1010: But nathelees, yet axed he hire conseil
1011: Upon this matiere./ A surgien, by licence
1011: and assent of swiche as weren
1011: Wise, up roos, and to melibeus seyde as ye may
1012: Heere:/
1012: Sire, quod he, as to us surgiens aperteneth
1012: that we do to every wight the beste that
1012: We kan, where as we been withholde, and to
1013: Oure pacientz that we do no damage;/ wherfore
1013: it happeth many tyme and ofte that whan
1013: Twey men han everich wounded oother, oon
1014: Same surgien heeleth hem bothe;/ wherfore
1014: Unto oure art it is nat pertinent to norice werre
1015: Ne parties to supporte./ But certes, as to the
1015: Warisshynge of youre doghter, al be it so that
1015: She perilously be wounded, we shullen do so
-169-
1015: Ententif bisynesse fro day to nyght that with
1015: The grace of God she shal be hool and
1016: Sound as soone as is possible./
1016: Almoost right in the same wise the
1016: Phisiciens answerden, save that they seyden a
1017: Fewe woordes moore:/ that right as maladies
1017: Been cured by hir contraries, right so shul men
1018: Warisshe werre by vengeaunce./
1018: His neighebores ful of envye, his feyned
1018: Freendes that semeden reconsiled, and his flatereres/
1019: maden semblant of wepyng, and empeireden
1019: and agreggeden muchel of this matiere
1019: in preisynge greetly melibee of myght, of
1019: Power, of richesse, and of freendes, despisynge
1020: The power of his adversaries,/ and seiden outrely
1020: that he anon sholde wreken hym on
1021: His foes, and bigynne werre./
1021: Up roos thanne an advocat that was
1021: Wys, by leve and by conseil of othere that were
1022: Wise, and seide:/ lordynges, the nede for
1022: Which we been assembled in this place is a ful
1023: Hevy thyng and an heigh matiere,/ by cause
1023: Of the wrong and of the wikkednesse that hath
1023: Be doon, and eek by resoun of the grete damages
1023: that in tyme comynge been possible to
1024: Fallen for this same cause,/ and eek by resoun
1024: Of the grete richesse and power of the parties
1025: Bothe;/ for the whiche resouns it were a
1026: Ful greet peril to erren in this matiere./
1026: Wherfore, melibeus, this is oure sentence:
1026: we conseille yow aboven alle thyng
1026: That right anon thou do thy diligence in
1026: Kepynge of thy propre persone in swich
1026: A wise that thou ne wante noon espie ne
1027: Wacche, thy persone for to save./ And after
1027: That, we conseille that in thyn hous thou sette
1027: Sufficeant garnisoun so that they may as wel
1028: Thy body as thyn hous defende./ But certes,
1028: For to moeve werre, ne sodeynly for to doon
1028: Vengeaunce, we may nat demen in so litel
1029: Tyme that it were profitable./ Wherfore we
1029: Axen leyser and espace to have deliberacion in
1030: This cas to deme./ For the commune proverbe
1030: Seith thus: -- he that soone deemeth,
1031: Soone shal repente. -- / and eek men seyn
1031: That thilke juge is wys that soone under-
1032: Stondeth a matiere and juggeth by leyser;/ for
1032: Al be it so that alle tariyng be anoyful, algates it
1032: Is nat to repreve in yevynge of juggement ne
1032: In vengeance takyng, whan it is sufficeant
1033: And resonable./ And that shewed oure lord
1033: Jhesu crist by ensample; for whan that the
1033: Womman that was taken in avowtrie was broght
1033: In his presence to knowen what sholde be doon
1033: With hire persone, al be it so that he wiste wel
1033: Hymself what that he wolde answere, yet ne
1033: Wolde he nat answere sodeynly, but he wolde
1033: Have deliberacion, and in the ground he wroot
1034: Twies./ And thise causes weaxen deliberacioun,
1034: and we shal thanne, by the grace of
1034: God, conseille thee thyng that shal be profitable./
1035: Up stirten thanne the yonge folk atones, and
1035: The mooste partie of that compaignye han
1035: Scorned this olde wise man, and bigonnen
1036: to make noyse, and seyden that/
1036: Right so as, whil that iren is hoot, men
1036: Sholden smyte, right so men sholde wreken hir
1036: Wronges whil that they been fresshe and newe;
1036: And with loud voys they criden werre!
1037: Werre!/
1037: Up roos tho oon of thise olde wise, and with
1037: His hand made contenaunce that men sholde
1038: Holden hem stille and yeven hym audience./
1038: Lordynges, quod he, ther is ful many a man
1038: That crieth -- werre! werre! -- that woot ful litel
1039: What werre amounteth./ Werre at his bigynnyng
1039: hath so greet an entryng and so large, that
1039: Every wight may entre whan hym liketh, and
1040: Lightly fynde werre;/ but certes what ende
1040: That shal therof bifalle, it is nat light to
1041: Knowe./ For soothly, whan that werre is
1041: Ones bigonne, ther is ful many a child
1041: Unborn of his mooder that shal sterve yong by
1041: Cause of thilke werre, or elles lyve in sorwe and
1042: Dye in wrecchednesse./ And therfore, er that
1042: Any werre bigynne, men moste have greet conseil
1043: and greet deliberacion./ And whan this
1043: Olde man wende to enforcen his tale by resons,
1043: Wel ny alle atones bigonne they to rise for to
1043: Breken his tale, and beden hym ful ofte his
1044: Wordes for to abregge./ For soothly, he that
1044: Precheth to hem that listen nat heeren his
1045: Wordes, his sermon hem anoieth./ For jhesus
1045: Syrak seith that musik in wepynge ia a noyous
1045: Thyng; this is to seyn: as muche availleth to
1045: Speken bifore folk to which his speche anoyeth,
1045: as it is to synge biforn hym that
1046: Wepeth./ And whan this wise man
1046: Saugh that hym wanted audience, al
1047: Shamefast he sette hym doun agayn./ For
1047: Salomon seith: ther as thou ne mayst have
1048: Noon audience, enforce thee nat to speke./
1048: I see wel, quod this wise man, that the commune
1048: proverbe is sooth, that -- good conseil
1049: Wanteth whan it is moost nede. -- /
1049: Yet hadde this melibeus in his conseil many
1049: Folk that prively in his eere conseilled hym
-170-
1049: Certeyn thyng, and conseilled hym the contrarie
1050: in general audience./
1050: Whan melibeus hadde herd that the gretteste
1050: partie of his conseil weren accorded that
1050: He sholde maken werre, anoon he consented to
1050: Hir conseillyng, and fully affermed hire
1051: Sentence./ Thanne dame prudence,
1051: Whan that she saugh how that hir
1051: Housbonde shoop hym for to wreken hym on
1051: His foes, and to bigynne werre, she in ful humble
1051: wise, whan she saugh hir tyme, seide to
1052: Hym thise wordes:/ my lord, quod she, I
1052: Yow biseche as hertely as I dar and kan, ne
1052: Haste yow nat to faste, and for alle gerdons, as
1053: Yeveth me audience./ For piers alfonce seith,
1053: -- whoso that dooth to thee oother good or harm,
1053: Haste thee nat to quiten it; for in this wise thy
1053: Freend wole abyde, and thyn anemy shal the
1054: Lenger lyve in drede. -- / the proverbe seith, -- he
1054: Hasteth wel that wisely kan abyde, -- and in
1055: Wikked haste is no profit./
1055: This melibee answerde unto his wyf prudence:
1055: I purpose nat, quod he, to werke by
1055: Thy conseil, for many causes and resouns.
1055: For certes, every wight wolde holde me
1056: Thanne a fool;/ this is to seyn, if I, for
1056: Thy conseillyng, wolde chaungen thynges
1056: That been ordeyned and affermed by so manye
1057: Wyse./ Secoundely, I seye that alle wommen
1057: Been wikke, and noon good of hem alle. For -- of
1057: A thousand men, -- seith salomon, -- I foond o
1057: Good man, but certes, of alle wommen, good
1058: Womman foond I nevere. -- / and also, certes,
1058: If I governed me by thy conseil, it sholde
1058: Seme that I hadde yeve to thee over me
1058: The maistrie; and God forbede that it so
1059: Weere!/ for jhesus syrak seith that -- if the
1059: Wyf have maistrie, she is contrarious to hir
1060: Housbonde./ -- and salomon seith: -- nevere in
1060: Thy lyf to thy wyf, ne to thy child, ne to
1060: Thy freend, ne yeve no power over thy-
1060: Self; for bettre it were that thy children aske
1060: Of thy persone thynges that hem nedeth, than
1060: Thou see thyself in the handes of thy
1061: Children. -- / and also if I wolde werke
1061: By thy conseillyng, certes, my conseil
1061: Moste som tyme be secree, til it were tyme
1061: That it moste be knowe, and this ne may noght
1062: Be./ (car il est escript, la genglerie des
1062: Femmes ne puet riens celler fors ce qu' elle ne
1063: Scet./ Apres, le philosophre dit, en mauvais
1063: Conseil les femmes vainquent les hommes: et
1063: Par ces raisons je ne dois point user de ton conseil.)/
1064: Whanne dame prudence, ful debonairly and
1064: With greet pacience, hadde herd al that hir
1064: Housbonde liked for to seye, thanne axed she
1064: Of hym licence for to speke, and seyde in this
1065: Wise:/ my lord, quod she, as to youre firste
1065: Resoun, certes it may lightly been answered.
1065: For I seye that it is no folie to chaunge conseil
1065: Whan the thyng is chaunged, or elles whan
1065: The thyng semeth ootherweyes than it
1066: Was biforn./ And mooreover, I seye
1066: That though ye han sworn and bihight
1066: To perfourne youre emprise, and nathelees ye
1066: Weyve to perfourne thilke same emprise by
1066: Juste cause, men sholde nat seyn therfore that
1067: Ye were a liere ne forsworn./ For the book
1067: Seith that -- the wise man maketh no lesyng
1068: Whan he turneth his corage to the bettre. -- /
1068: And al be it so that youre emprise be establissed
1068: and ordeyned by greet multitude of folk,
1068: Yet that ye nat accomplice thilke ordinaunce,
1069: But yow like./ For the trouthe of thynges and
1069: The profit been rather founden in fewe folk that
1069: Been wise and ful of resoun, than by greet multitude
1069: of folk ther every man crieth and clatereth
1069: what that hym liketh. Soothly swich multitude
1070: is nat hones./ And as to the seconde
1070: Resoun, where as ye seyn that alle wommen
1070: Been wikke; save youre grace, certes ye despisen
1070: alle wommen in this wyse, and -- he that
1070: Al despiseth, al displeseth, -- as seith the
1071: Book./ And senec seith that -- whose
1071: Wole have sapience shal no man dispreyse,
1071: but he shal gladly techen the science
1072: That he kan withouten presumpcion or pride,/
1072: And swiche thynges as he noght ne kan, he
1072: Shal nat been ashamed to lerne hem, and enquere
1073: of lasse folk than hymself. -- / and, sire,
1073: That ther hath been many a good womman,
1074: May lightly be preved./ For certes, sire, oure
1074: Lord jhesu crist wolde nevere have descended
1074: To be born of a womman, if alle wommen hadden
1075: been wikke./ And after that, for the grete
1075: Bountee that is in wommen, oure lord jhesu
1075: Crist, whan he was risen fro deeth to lyve,
1075: Appeered rather to a womman than to
1076: His apostles./ And though that salomon
1076: seith that he ne foond nevere womman
1076: good, it folweth nat therfore that alle wommen
1077: ben wikke./ For though that he ne foond
1077: No good womman, certes, many another man
1077: Hath founden many a womman ful good and
1078: Trewe./ Or elles, per aventure, the entente of
1078: Salomon was this, that, as in sovereyn bounte,
1079: He foond no womman;/ this is to seyn, that ther
-171-
1079: Is no wight that hath sovereyn bountee save
1079: God allone, as he hymself recordeth in hys
1080: Evaungelie./ For ther nys no creature so good
1080: That hym ne wanteth somwhat of the
1081: Perfeccioun of god, that is his makere./
1081: Youre thridde reson is this: ye seyn that
1081: If ye governe yow by my conseil, it sholde
1081: Seme that ye hadde yeve me the maistrie and
1082: The lordshipe over youre persone./ Sire, save
1082: Youre grace, it is nat so. For if it so were that
1082: No man sholde be conseilled but oonly of hem
1082: That hadden lordshipe and maistrie of his persone,
1083: men wolden nat be conseilled so ofte./
1083: For soothly thilke man that asketh conseil of
1083: A purpos, yet hath he free choys wheither he
1084: Wole werke by that conseil or noon./ And as
1084: To youre fourthe resoun, ther ye seyn that the
1084: Janglerie of wommen kan hyde thynges that
1084: They wot noght, as who seith that a womman
1085: Kan nat hyde that she woot;/ sire, thise wordes
1085: Been understonde of wommen that been
1086: Jangleresses and wikked;/ of whiche
1086: Wommen men seyn that thre thynges
1086: Dryven a man out of his hous, -- that is to seyn,
1087: Smoke, droppyng of reyn, and wikked wyves,/
1087: And of swiche wommen seith salomon that -- it
1087: Were bettre dwelle in desert than with a woman
1088: that is riotous. -- / and sire, by youre leve,
1089: That am nat I;/ for ye han ful ofte assayed my
1089: Grete silence and my grete pacience, and eek
1089: How wel that I kan hyde and hele thynges that
1090: Men oghte secreely to hyde./ And soothly, as
1090: To youre fifthe resoun, where as ye seyn that
1090: In wikked conseil wommen venquisshe men,
1090: God woot, thilke resoun stant heere in
1091: No stede./ For understoond now, ye
1092: Asken conseil to do wikkednesse;/ and if
1092: Ye wole werken wikkednesse, and youre wif
1092: Restreyneth thilke wikked purpos, and overcometh
1093: yow by reson and by good conseil,/
1093: Certes youre wyf oghte rather to be preised
1094: Than yblamed./ Thus sholde ye understonde
1094: The philosophre that seith, -- in wikked conseil
1095: Wommen venquisshen hir housbondes. -- / and
1095: Ther as ye blamen alle wommen and hir resouns,
1095: I shal shewe yow by manye ensamples
1095: That many a womman hath ben ful good, and
1095: Yet been, and hir conseils ful hoolsome
1096: And profitable./ Eek som men han seyd
1096: That the conseillynge of wommen is
1097: Outher to deere, or elles to litel of pris./ But al
1097: Be it so that ful many a womman is badde, and
1097: Hir conseil vile and noght worth, yet han men
1097: Founde ful many a good womman, and ful discret
1098: and wis in conseillynge./ Loo, jacob, by
1098: Good conseil of his mooder rebekka, wan the
1098: Benysoun of ysaak his fader, and the lordshipe
1099: Over alle his bretheren./ Judith, by hire good
1099: Conseil, delivered the citee of bethulie, in
1099: Which she dwelled, out of the handes of olofernus,
1099: that hadde it biseged and wolde have al
1100: Destroyed it./ Abygail delivered nabal hir
1100: Housbonde fro david the kyng, that wolde
1100: Have slayn hym, and apaysed the ire of the
1100: Kyng by hir wit and by hir good conseillyng./
1101: hester, by hir good conseil,
1101: Enhaunced greetly the peple of God in
1102: The regne of assuerus the kyng./ And the
1102: Same bountee in good conseillyng of many a
1103: Good womman may men telle./ And mooreover,
1103: Whan oure lord hadde creat adam, oure
1104: Forme fader, he seyde in this wise:/ -- it is nat
1104: Good to been a man alloone; make we to
1105: Hym an helpe semblable to hymself. -- / heere
1105: May ye se that if that wommen were nat
1105: Goode, and hir conseils goode and profitable,/
1106: oure lord God of hevene wolde
1106: Nevere han wroght hem, ne called hem
1107: Help of man, but rather confusioun of man./
1107: And ther seyde oones a clerk in two vers,
1107: -- What is bettre than gold? jaspre. What is
1108: Bettre than jaspre? wisedoom./ And what is
1108: Better than wisedoom? womman. And what is
1109: Bettre than a good womman? nothyng. -- / and,
1109: Sire, by manye of othre resons may ye seen
1109: That manye wommen been goode, and hir
1110: Conseils goode and profitable./ And therfore,
1110: sire, if ye wol triste to my conseil, I shal
1110: Restoore yow youre doghter hool and
1111: Sound./ And eek I wol do to yow so
1111: Muche that ye shul have honour in this
1112: Cause./
1112: Whan melibee hadde herd the wordes of his
1113: Wyf prudence, he seyde thus:/ I se wel that
1113: The word of salomon is sooth. He seith that
1113: -- Wordes that been spoken discreetly by ordinaunce
1113: been honycombes, for they yeven swetnesse
1113: to the soule and hoolsomnesse to the
1114: Body. -- / and, wyf, by cause of thy sweete
1114: Wordes, and eek for I have assayed and preved
1114: Thy grete sapience and thy grete trouthe, I wol
1115: Governe me by thy conseil in alle thyng./
1115: Now, sire, quod dame prudence, and syn
1115: Ye vouche sauf to been governed by my conseil,
1115: I wol enforme yow how ye shul governe
1115: Yourself in chesynge of youre conseillours./
1116: ye shul first in alle youre werkes
1116: Mekely biseken to the heighe God that
-172-
1117: He wol be youre conseillour;/ and shapeth yow
1117: To swich entente that he yeve yow conseil and
1118: Confort, as taughte thobie his sone:/ -- at alle
1118: Tymes thou shalt blesse god, and praye hym
1118: To dresse thy weyes, and looke that alle thy
1119: Conseils been in hym for everemoore. -- / seint
1119: Jame eek seith: -- if any of yow have nede of
1120: Sapience, axe it of god. -- / and afterward
1120: Thanne shul ye taken conseil in youreself, and
1120: Examyne wel youre thoghtes of swich thyng
1120: As yow thynketh that is bes for youre
1121: Profit./ And thanne shul ye dryve fro
1121: Youre herte thre thynges that been contrariouse
1122: to good conseil;/ that is to seyn, ire,
1123: Coveitise, and hastifnesse./
1123: First, he that axeth conseil of hymself, certes
1123: He moste been withouten ire, for manye
1124: Causes./ The firste is this: he that hath greet
1124: Ire and wratthe in hymself, he weneth alwey
1125: That he may do thyng that he may nat do./
1125: And secoundely, he that is irous and
1126: Wrooth, he ne may nat wel deme;/ and
1126: He that may nat wel deme, may nat wel
1127: Conseille./ The thridde is this, that he that is
1127: Irous and wrooth, as seith senec, ne may nat
1128: Speke but blameful thynges,/ and with his
1128: Viciouse wordes he stireth oother folk to angre
1129: And to ire./ And eek, sire, ye moste dryve
1130: Coveitise out of youre herte./ For the apostle
1130: seith that coveitise is roote of alle
1131: Harmes./ And trust wel that a coveitous
1131: Man ne kan noght deme ne thynke, but
1132: Oonly to fulfille the ende of his coveitise;/ and
1132: Certes, that ne may nevere been accompliced;
1132: For evere the moore habundaunce that he hath
1133: Of richesse, the moore he desireth./ And, sire,
1133: Ye moste also dryve out of youre herte hastifnesse;
1134: for certes,/ ye ne may nat deeme for
1134: The beste by a sodeyn thought that falleth in
1134: Youre herte, but ye moste avyse yow on it
1135: Ful ofte./ For, as ye herde her biforn, the
1135: Commune proverbe is this, that -- he that
1136: Soone deemeth, soone repenteth. -- / sire,
1137: Ye ne be nat alwey in lyk disposicioun;/
1137: For certes, somthyng that somtyme semeth to
1137: Yow that it is good for to do, another tyme it
1138: Semeth to yow the contrarie./
1138: Whan ye han taken conseil in youreself, and
1138: Han deemed by good deliberacion swich thyng
1139: As yow semeth bes,/ thanne rede I yow that
1140: Ye kepe it secree./ Biwrey nat youre conseil
1140: To no persone, but if so be that ye wenen
1140: Sikerly that thurgh youre biwreyyng youre
1140: Condicioun shal be to yow the moore profitable./
1141: for jhesus syrak seith, -- neither
1141: To thy foo, ne to thy frend, discovere nat
1142: Thy secree ne thy folie;/ for they wol yeve yow
1142: Audience and lookynge and supportacioun in
1142: Thy presence, and scorne thee in thyn absence.
1143: -- / another clerk seith that -- scarsly
1143: Shaltou fynden any persone that may kepe conseil
1144: secrely. -- / the book seith, -- whil that thou
1144: Kepest thy conseil in thyn herte, thou kepest
1145: It in thy prisoun;/ and whan thou biwreyest
1145: Thy conseil to any wight, he holdeth
1146: Thee in his snare. -- / and therfore yow
1146: Is bettre to hyde youre conseil in youre
1146: Herte than praye him to whom ye han biwreyed
1146: Youre conseil that he wole kepen it cloos and
1147: Stille./ For seneca seith: -- if so be that thou
1147: Ne mayst nat thyn owene conseil hyde, how
1147: Darstou prayen any oother wight thy conseil
1148: Secrely to kepe? -- / but nathelees, if thou wene
1148: Sikerly that the biwreiyng of thy conseil to a
1148: Persone wol make thy condicion to stonden in
1148: The bettre plyt, thanne shaltou tellen hym thy
1149: Conseil in this wise./ First thou shalt make no
1149: Semblant wheither thee were levere pees or
1149: Werre, or this or that, ne shewe hym nat thy
1150: Wille and thyn entente. / for trust wel that
1150: Comunli thise conseillours been flatereres,/
1151: namely the conseillours of grete
1152: Lordes;/ for they enforcen hem alwey
1152: Rather to speken plesante wordes, enclynynge
1152: To the lordes lust, than wordes that been trewe
1153: Or profitable./ And therfore men seyn that the
1153: Riche man hath seeld good conseil, but if he
1154: Have it of hymself./
1154: And after that thou shalt considere thy
1155: Freendes and thyne enemys./ And as touchynge
1155: thy freendes, thou shalt considere which
1155: Of hem been moost feithful and moost wise
1155: And eldest and most approved in conseillyng;/
1156: and of hem shalt thou aske
1157: Thy conseil, as the caas requireth./ I
1157: Seye that first ye shul clepe to youre conseil
1158: Youre freendes that been trewe./ For salomon
1158: Seith that -- right as the herte of a man deliteth in
1158: Savour that is soote, right so the conseil of trewe
1159: Freendes yeveth swetnesse to the soule -- / he
1159: Seith also, -- ther may no thyng be likned to the
1160: Trewe freend;/ for certes gold ne silver ben nat
1160: So muche worth as the goode wyl of a
1161: Trewe freend. -- / and eek he seith that
1161: -- A trewe freend is a strong deffense;
1161: Who so that it fyndeth, certes he fyndeth a
1162: Greet tresour. -- / thanne shul ye eek considere
1162: If that youre trewe freendes been discrete and
-173-
1162: Wise. For the book seith, -- axe alwey thy conseil
1163: of hem that been wise. -- / and by this same
1163: Resoun shul ye clepen to youre conseil of youre
1163: Freendes that been of age, swiche as han seyn
1163: And been expert in manye thynges and been
1164: Approved in conseillynges./ For the book seith
1164: That -- in olde men is the sapience, and in longe
1165: Tyme the prudence. -- / and tullius seith that
1165: -- Grete thynges ne been nat ay accompliced by
1165: Strengthe, ne by delivernesse of body, but by
1165: Good conseil, by auctoritee of persones, and by
1165: Science; the whiche thre thynges ne been nat
1165: Fieble by age, but certes they enforcen
1166: And encreescen day by day. -- / and
1166: Thanne shul ye kepe this for a general
1166: Reule: first shul ye clepen to youre conseil a
1167: Fewe of youre freendes that been especiale;/
1167: For salomon seith, -- manye freendes have thou,
1167: But among a thousand chese thee oon to be
1168: Thy conseillour. -- / for al be it so that thou first
1168: Ne telle thy conseil but to a fewe, thou mayst
1169: Afterward telle it to mo folk if it be nede./ But
1169: Looke alwey that thy conseillours have thilke
1169: Thre condiciouns that I have seyd bifore, that
1169: Is to seyn, that they be trewe, wise, and of
1170: Oold experience./ And werke nat alwey in
1170: Every nede by oon counseillour allone; for somtyme
1170: bihooveth it to been conseilled by
1171: Manye./ For salomon seith, -- salvacion
1171: Of thynges is where as ther been manye
1172: Conseillours. -- /
1172: Now, sith that I have toold yow of which
1172: Folk ye sholde been conseilled, now wol I
1173: Teche yow which conseil ye oghte to eschewe/.
1173: First, ye shul eschue the conseillyng of fooles;
1173: For salomon seith, -- taak no conseil of a fool,
1173: For he ne kan noght conseille but after his
1174: Owene lust and his affeccioun. -- / the book
1174: Seith that -- the propretee of a fool is this: he
1174: Troweth lightly harm of every wight, and lightly
1175: Troweth alle bountee in hymself. -- / thou shalt
1175: Eek eschue the conseillyng of alle flatereres,
1175: Swiche as enforcen hem rather to preise youre
1175: Persone by flaterye than for to telle yow
1176: The soothfastnesse of thynges./ Wherfore
1176: tullius seith, -- amonges alle the
1176: Pestilences that been in freendshipe the gretteste
1176: is flaterie. -- and therfore is it moore nede
1176: That thou eschue and drede flatereres than any
1177: Oother peple./ The book seith, -- thou shalt
1177: Rather drede and flee fro the sweete wordes of
1177: Flaterynge preiseres than fro the egre wordes
1178: Of thy freend that seith thee thy sothes. -- / salomon
1178: seith that -- the wordes of a flaterere is a
1179: Snare to cacche with innocentz. -- / he seith also
1179: That -- he that speketh to his freend wordes of
1179: Swetnesse and of plesaunce, setteth a net biforn
1180: his feet to cacche hym. -- / and therfore
1180: Seith tullius, -- enclyne nat thyne eres to flatereres,
1180: ne taak no conseil of the wordes
1181: Of flaterye. -- / and caton seith, -- avyse
1181: Thee wel, and eschue the wordes of swetnesse
1182: and of plesaunce. -- / and eek thou shalt
1182: Eschue the conseillyng of thyne olde enemys
1183: That been reconsiled./ The book seith that -- no
1183: Wight retourneth saufly into the grace of his
1184: Olde enemy. -- / and isope seith, -- ne trust nat
1184: To hem to whiche thou hast had som tyme
1184: Werre or enemytee, ne telle hem nat thy
1185: Conseil. -- / and seneca telleth the cause why:
1185: -- it may nat be. -- seith he, -- that where greet
1185: Fyr hath longe tyme endured, that ther
1185: Ne dwelleth som vapour of warmness.
1186: -- / and therfore seith salomon, -- in
1187: Thyn olde foo trust nevere. -- / for sikerly,
1187: Though thyn enemy be reconsiled, and maketh
1187: thee chiere of hymylitee, and lowteth to
1188: Thee with his heed, ne trust hym nevere./ For
1188: Certes he maketh thilke feyned humilitee moore
1188: For his profit than for any love of thy persone,
1188: By cause that he deemeth to have victorie over
1188: Thy persone by swich feyned contenance, the
1188: Which victorie he myghte nat have by strif or
1189: Werre./ And peter alfonce seith, -- make no
1189: Felawshipe with thyne olde enemys; for if thou
1189: Do hem bountee, they wol perverten it into
1190: Wikkednesse. -- / and eek thou most eschue
1190: The conseillyng of hem that been thy servantz
1190: and beren thee greet reverence, for
1190: Peraventure they seyn it moore for drede
1191: Than for love./ And therfore seith a philosophre
1191: in this wise: ther is no wight
1191: Parfitly trewe to hym that he to soore dredeth.
1192: -- / and tullius seith, ther nys no myght
1192: So greet of any emperour that longe may endure,
1192: but if he have moore love of the peple
1193: Than drede. -- / thou shalt also eschue the conseiling
1193: of folk that been dronkelewe, for they
1194: Ne kan no conseil hyde./ For salomon seith,
1194: -- ther is no privetee ther as regneth dronkenesse.
1195: -- / ye shul also han in suspect the conseillyng
1195: of swich folk as conseille yow o thyng
1195: Prively, and conseille yow the contrarie
1196: Openly./ For cassidorie seith that -- it
1196: Is a manere sleighte to hyndre, whan he
1196: Sheweth to doon o thyng openly and werketh
1197: Prively the contrarie. -- / thou shalt also have
1197: In suspect the conseillyng of wikked folk, for
-174-
1197: The book seith, -- the conseillyng of wikked folk
1198: Is alwey ful of fraude. -- / and david seith, -- blisful
1198: is that man that hath nat folwed the con --
1199: Seilyng of shrewes. -- / thou shalt also eschue
1199: The conseillyng of yong folk, for hir conseil is
1200: Nat rype./
1200: Now, sire, sith I have shewed yow of
1200: Which folk ye shul take youre conseil, and of
1200: Which folk ye shul folwe the conseil,/
1201: now wol I teche yow how ye shal
1201: Examyne youre conseil, after the doctrine
1202: of tullius./ In the examynynge thanne
1202: Of youre conseillour ye shul considere manye
1203: Thynges./ Alderfirst thou shalt considere that
1203: In thilke thyng that thou purposest, and upon
1203: What thyng thou wolt have conseil, that verray
1203: Trouthe be seyd and conserved; this is to seyn,
1204: Telle trewely thy tale./ For he that seith fals
1204: May nat wel be conseilled in that cas of which
1205: He lieth./ And after this thou shalt considere the
1205: Thynges that acorden to that thou purposest for
1205: To do by thy conseillours, if resoun accorde
1206: therto;/ and eek if thy myhgt may
1206: Atteine therto; and if the moore part and
1206: The bettre part of thy conseillours acorde therto,
1207: Or noon./ Thanne shaltou considere what
1207: Thyng shal folwe of that conseillyng, as hate,
1207: Pees, werre, grace, profit, or damage, and
1208: Manye othere thynges./ And in alle thise
1208: Thynges thou shalt chese the beste, and weyve
1209: Alle othere thynges./ Thanne shaltow considere
1209: of what roote is engendred the matiere of
1209: Thy conseil, and what fruyt it may conceyve
1210: And engendre./ Thou shalt eek considere
1210: Alle thise causes, fro whennes they been
1211: Sprongen./ And whan ye han examyned
1211: youre conseil, as I have seyd, and
1211: Which partie is the bettre and moore profitable,
1211: and han approved it by manye wise folk
1212: And olde,/ thanne shaltou considere if thou
1212: Mayst parfourne it and maken of it a good
1213: Ende./ For certes, resoun wol nat that any
1213: Man sholde bigynne a thyng, but if he myghte
1214: Parfourne it as hym oghte;/ ne no wight sholde
1214: Take upon hym so hevy a charge that he
1215: Myghte nat bere it./ For the proverbe seith,
1215: -- he that to muche embraceth, distreyneth
1216: litel. -- / and catoun seith, -- assay
1216: To do swich thyng as thou hast power to
1216: Doon, lest that the charge oppresse thee so
1216: Soore that thee bihoveth to weyve thyng that
1217: Thou hast bigonne. -- / and if so be that thou
1217: Be in doute wheither thou mayst parfourne a
1217: Thing or noon, chese rather to suffre than bigynne./
1218: and piers alphonce seith, -- if thou hast
1218: Myght to doon a thyng of which thou most
1219: Repente, it is bettre nay than ye. -- / this is
1219: To seyn, that thee is bettre holde thy tonge
1220: Stille than for to speke./ Thanne may ye understonde
1220: by strenger resons that if thou hast
1220: Power to parfourne a werk of which thou shalt
1220: Repente, thanne is it bettre that thou suffre
1221: than bigynne./ Wel seyn they that
1221: Defenden every wight to assaye a thyng
1221: Of which he is in doute wheither he may parfourne
1222: it or noon./ And after, whan ye han
1222: Examyned youre conseil, as I have seyd biforn,
1222: And knowen wel that ye may parfourne youre
1222: Emprise, conferme it thanne sadly til it be at
1223: And ende./
1223: Now is it resoun and tyme that I shewe yow
1223: Whanne and wherfore that ye may chaunge
1224: Youre conseillours withouten youre repreve./
1224: Soothly, a man may chaungen his purpos and
1224: His conseil if the cause cesseth, or whan a newe
1225: Caas bitydeth./ For the lawe seith that -- upon
1225: Thynges that newely bityden bihoveth
1226: Newe conseil. -- / and senec seith, -- if thy
1226: Conseil is comen to the eeris of thyn enemy,
1227: chaunge thy conseil. -- / thou matst also
1227: Chaunge thy conseil if so be that thou fynde
1227: That by errour, or by oother cause, harm or
1228: Damage may bityde./ Also if thy conseil be
1228: Dishonest, or ellis cometh of dishonest cause,
1229: Chaunge thy conseil./ For the lawes seyn that
1229: -- alle bihestes that been dishoneste been of no
1230: Value -- ;/ and eek if so be that it be inpossible,
1230: or may nat goodly be parfourned
1231: Or kept./
1231: And take this for a general reule, that
1231: Every conseil that is affermed so strongly that
1231: It may nat be chaunged for no condicioun that
1231: May bityde, I seye that thilke conseil is wikked./
1232: This melibeus, whanne he hadde herd the
1232: Doctrine of his wyf dame prudence, answerde
1233: In this wyse:/ dame, quod he, as yet into
1233: This tyme ye han wel and covenably taught me
1233: As in general, how I shal governe me in the
1233: Chesynge and in the withholdynge of my conseillours./
1234: but now wolde I fayn that ye wolde
1235: Condescende in especial,/ and telle me how liketh
1235: yow, or what semeth yow, by oure conseillours
1235: that we han chosen in oure present
1236: nede./
1236: My lord, quod she, I biseke yow in al
1236: Humblesse that ye wol nat wilfully replie agayn
1236: My resouns, ne distempre youre herte, thogh I
-175-
1237: Speke thyng that yow displese./ For God woot
1237: That, as in myn entente, I speke it for youre
1237: Beste, for youre honour, and for youre profite
1238: Eke./ And soothly, I hope that youre benyngnytee
1239: wol taken it in pacience./ Trusteth me
1239: Wel, quod she, that youre conseil as in this
1239: Caas ne sholde nat, as to speke properly, be
1239: Called a conseillyng, but a mocioun or a moevyng
1240: of folye,/ in which conseil ye han
1241: Erred in many a sondry wise./
1241: First and forward, ye han erred in
1242: Th' assemblynge of youre conseillours./ For ye
1242: Sholde first have cleped a fewe folk to youre
1242: Conseil, and after ye myghte han shewed it
1243: To mo folk, if it hadde been nede./ But certes,
1243: Ye han sodeynly cleped to youre conseil a greet
1243: Multitude of peple, ful chargeant and ful anoyous
1244: for to heere./ Also ye han erred, for theras
1244: Ye sholden oonly have cleped to youre conseil
1245: Youre trewe frendes olde and wise./ Ye han
1245: Ycleped straunge folk, yonge folk, false flatereres,
1245: And enemys reconsiled, and folk that
1246: Doon yow reverence withouten love./
1246: And ekk also ye have erred, for ye han
1246: Broght with yow to youre conseil ire, coveitise,
1247: And hastifnesse,/ the whiche thre thinges been
1247: Contrariouse to every conseil honest and profitable;/
1248: the whiche thre thinges ye han nat
1248: Anientissed or destroyed hem, neither in youreself,
1249: ne in youre conseillours, as yow oghte./
1249: Ye han erred also, for ye han shewed to youre
1249: Conseillours youre talent and youre affeccioun
1250: To make werre anon, and for to do vengeance./
1250: They han espied by youre wordes to
1251: What thyng ye been enclyned;/ and
1251: Therfore han they rather conseilled
1252: Yow to youre talent that to youre profit./
1252: Ye han erred also, for it semeth that yow
1252: Suffiseth to han been conseilled by thise
1253: Conseillours oonly, and with litel avys,/
1253: Whereas in so greet and so heigh a nede
1253: It hadde been necessarie mo conseillours
1253: And moore deliberacion to parfourne youre emprise./
1254: ye han erred also, for ye ne han nat
1254: Examyned youre conseil in the forseyde manere,
1255: ne in due manere, as the caas requireth./
1255: Ye han erred also, for ye han maked no division
1255: bitwixe youre conseillours; this is to
1255: Seyn, bitwixen youre trewe freendes and
1256: Youre feyned conseillours;/ ne ye han
1256: Nat knowe the wil of youre trewe
1257: Freendes olde and wise;/ but ye han cast alle
1257: Hire wordes in an hochepot, and enclyned
1257: Youre herte to the moore part and to the gretter
1258: Nombre, and there been ye condescended./
1258: And sith ye woot wel that men shal alwey
1258: Fynde a gretter nombre of fooles than of wise
1259: Men,/ and therfore the conseils that been at
1259: Congregaciouns and multitudes of folk, there as
1259: Men take moore reward to the nombre than to
1260: The sapience of persones,/ ye se wel that in
1260: Swiche conseillynges fooles han the maistrie./
1261: Melibeus answerde agayn, and seyde,
1262: I graunte wel that I have erred;/ but there
1262: As thou hast toold me heerbiforn that he nys
1262: Nat to blame that chaungeth his conseillours in
1263: Certein caas and for certeine juste causes,/ I am
1263: Al redy to chaunge my conseillours right as thow
1264: Wolt devyse./ The proverbe seith that -- for
1264: To do synne is mannyssh, but certes for to persevere
1265: longe in synne is werk of the devel. -- /
1265: To this sentence answered anon dame
1266: Prudence, and seyde:/ examineth,
1266: Quod she, youre conseil, and lat us see
1266: The whiche of hem han spoken most resonably
1267: And taught yow best conseil./ And for as
1267: Muche as that the examynacion is necessarie,
1267: Lat us bigynne at the surgiens and at the phisiciens,
1268: that first speeken in this matiere./ I sey
1268: Yow that the surgiens and phisiciens han
1268: Seyd yow in youre conseil discreetly, as hem
1269: Oughte;/ and in hir speche seyden ful wisely
1269: That to the office of hem aperteneth to doon to
1269: Every wight honour and profit, and no wight
1270: For to anoye;/ and after hir craft to doon greet
1270: Diligence unto the cure of hem which
1271: That they han in hir governaunce./
1271: And, sire, right as they han answered
1272: Wisely and discreetly,/ right so rede I that they
1272: Been heighly and sovereynly gerdoned for hir
1273: Noble speche;/ and eek for they sholde do the
1273: Moore ententif bisynesse in the curacion of
1274: Youre doghter deere./ For al be it so that they
1274: Been youre freendes, therfore shal ye nat suffren
1275: that they serve yow for noght,/ but ye
1275: Oghte the rather gerdone hem and shewe
1276: Hem youre largesse./ And as touchynge
1276: The proposicioun which that the phisiciens
1277: encreesceden in this caas, this is to seyn./
1277: That in maladies that oon contrarie is warisshed
1278: By another contrarie,/ I wolde fayn knowe hou
1278: Ye understonde thilke text, and what is youre
1279: Sentence./
1279: Certes, quod melibeus, I understonde
1280: It in this wise:/ that right as they han
1280: Doon me a contrarie, right so sholde I
1281: Doon hem another./ For right as they
-176-
1281: Han venged hem on me and doon me wrong,
1281: Right so shal I venge me upon hem and doon
1282: Hem wrong;/ and thanne have I cured oon contrarie
1283: by another./
1283: Lo, lo, quod dame prudence, how lightly
1283: Is every man enclined to his owene desir and
1284: To his owene plesaunce!/ certes, quod she,
1284: The wordes of the phisiciens ne sholde nat
1285: Han been understonden in thys wise./ For
1285: Certes, wikkednesse is nat contrarie to wikkednesse,
1285: ne vengeance to vengeaunce, ne
1285: Wrong to wrong, but they been semblable./
1286: and therfore o vengeaucne is
1286: Nat warisshed by another vengeaunce,
1287: Ne o wroong by another wroong,/ but everich
1288: Of hem encreesceth and aggreggeth oother./
1288: But certes, the wordes of the phisiciens sholde
1289: Been understonden in this wise:/ for dood and
1289: Wikkednesse been two contraries, and pees and
1289: Werre, vengeaunce and suffraunce, discord and
1290: Accord, and manye othere thynges./ But certes,
1290: Wikkednesse shal be warisshed by goodnesse,
1290: Discord by accord, werre by pees, and
1291: So forth of othere thynges./ And heerto
1291: Accordeth seint paul the apostle in
1292: Manye places./ He seith: -- ne yeldeth nat
1292: Harm for harm, ne wikked speche for wikked
1293: Speche;/ but do wel to hym that dooth thee
1294: Harm, and blesse hym that seith to thee harm./
1294: And in manye othere places he amonesteth pees
1295: And accord./ But now wol I speke to yow of
1295: The conseil which that was yeven to yow
1295: By the men of lawe and the wise
1296: Folk,/ that seyden alle by oon accord,
1297: As ye han herd bifore,/ that over alle
1297: Thynges ye shal doon youre diligence to kepen
1297: Youre persone and to warnestoore youre hous;
1297: And seyden also that in this caas yow oghten
1297: For to werken ful avysely and with greet deliberacioun./
1298: and, sire, as to the firste point, that
1299: Toucheth to the kepyng of youre persone,/ ye
1299: Shul understonde that he that hath werre
1299: Shal everemoore mekely and devoutly
1300: Preyen, biforn alle thynges,/ that jhesus
1300: Crist of his mercy wol han hym in his
1300: Proteccion and been his sovereyn helpyng at
1301: His nede./ For certes, in this world ther is no
1301: Wight that may be conseilled ne kept sufficeantly
1301: Withouten the kepyng of oure lord jhesu
1302: Crist./ To this sentence accordeth the prophete
1303: david, that seith,/ -- if God ne kepe the
1304: Citee, in ydel waketh he that it kepeth. -- /
1304: Now, sire, thanne shul ye committe the kepyng
1304: of youre persone to youre trewe freendes,
1305: That been approved and yknowe,/ and
1305: Of hem shul ye axen help youre persone
1305: For to kepe. For catoun seith: -- if thou hast
1306: Nede of help, axe it of thy freendes;/ for ther
1306: Nys noon so good a phisicien as thy trewe
1307: Freend. -- / and after this thanne shul ye kepe
1307: Yow fro alle straunge folk, and fro lyeres, and
1308: Have alwey in suspect hire compaignye./ For
1308: Piers alfonce seith, -- ne taak no compaignye by
1308: The weye of a straunge man, but if so be that
1309: Thou have knowe hym of a lenger tyme./ And
1309: If so be that he falle into thy compaignye
1310: Paraventure, withouten thyn assent,/ enquere
1310: thanne as subtilly as thou mayst of
1310: His conversacion, and of his lyf bifore, and feyne
1310: Thy wey; seye that thou wolt thider as thou
1311: Wolt nat go;/ and if he bereth a spere, hoold
1311: Thee on the right syde, and if he bere a swerd,
1312: Hoold thee on the lift syde. -- / and after this
1312: Thanne shul ye kepe yow wisely from all swich
1312: Manere peple as I have seyd bifore, and hem
1313: And hir conseil eschewe./ And after this
1314: Thanne shul ye kepe yow in swich manere/
1314: That, for any presumpcion of youre strengthe,
1314: That ye ne dispise nat, ne accompte nat the
1314: Myght of youre adversarie so litel, that ye lete
1314: The kepyng of youre persone for youre
1315: Presumpcioun;/ for every wys man
1316: Dredeth his enemy./ And salomon
1317: Seith: -- weleful is he that of alle hath drede;/
1317: For certes, he that thurgh the hardynesse of
1317: His herte, and thurgh the hardynesse of
1317: Hymself, hath to greet presumpcioun, hym shal
1318: Yvel bityde. -- / thanne shul ye everemoore contrewayte
1319: embusshementz and alle espiaille./
1319: For senec seith that -- the wise man that
1320: Dredeth harmes, eschueth harmes,/ ne
1320: He ne falleth into perils that perils eschueth.
1321: -- / and al be it so that it seme that
1321: Thou art in siker place, yet shaltow alwey do
1322: Thy diligence in kepynge of thy persone;/ this
1322: Is to seyn, ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone,
1322: nat oonly for thy gretteste enemys, but
1323: Fro thy leeste enemy./ Senek seith: -- a man
1323: That is well avysed, he dredeth his leste enemy.
1324: -- / ovyde seith that -- the litel wesele
1324: Wol slee the grete bole and the wilde
1325: Hert. -- / and the book seith, -- a litel
1325: Thorn may prikke a kyng ful soore, and
1326: An hound wol holde the wolde boor. -- / but
1326: Nathelees, I sey nat thou shalt be so coward
1327: That thou doute ther wher as is no drede./ The
1327: Book seith that -- somme folk han greet lust to
1327: Deceyve, but yet they dreden hem to be deceyved.
-177-
1328: -- / yet shaltou drede to been empoisoned,
1328: and kepe the from the compaignye of
1329: Scorneres./ For the book seith, -- with scorneres
1329: make no compaignye, but flee hire
1330: Wordes as venym. -- /
1330: Now, as to the seconde point, where
1330: As youre wise conseillours conseilled yow to
1331: Warnestoore youre hous with gret diligence,/
1331: I wolde fayn knowe how that ye understonde
1332: Thilke wordes and what is youre sentence./
1332: Melibeus answerde, and seyde, certes, I understande
1332: it in this wise: that I shal warne --
1332: Stoore myn hous with toures, swiche as han
1332: Castelles and othere manere edifices, and armure,
1333: and artelries;/ by whiche thynges I may
1333: My persone and myn hous so kepen and deffenden
1333: that myne enemys shul been in drede
1334: Myn hous for to approche./
1334: To this sentence answerde anon prudence:
1334: Warnestooryng, quod she, of heighe toures
1334: And of grete edifices apperteyneth somtyme
1335: to pryde./ And eek men make
1335: Heighe toures, and grete edifices with
1335: Grete costages and with greet travaille; and
1335: Whan that they been accompliced, yet be they
1335: Nat worth a stree, but if they be defended by
1336: Trewe freendes that been olde and wise./ And
1336: Understoond wel that the gretteste and strongeste
1336: garnysoun that a riche man may have, as
1337: Wel to kepen his persone as his goodes, is/
1337: That he be biloved with hys subgetz and with
1338: His neighebores./ For thus seith tullius, that
1338: -- ther is a manere garnysoun that no man may
1339: Vanquysse ne disconfite, and that is/ a lord to
1339: Be biloved of his citezeins and of his
1340: Peple. -- /
1340: Now, sire, as to the thridde point,
1340: Where as youre olde and wise conseillours
1340: Seyden that yow ne oghte nat sodeynly ne
1341: Hastily proceden in this nede,/ but that yow
1341: Oghte purveyen and apparaillen yow in this caas
1342: With greet diligence and greet deliberacioun;/
1342: Trewely, I trowe that they seyden right wisely
1343: And right sooth./ For tullius seith: -- in every
1343: Nede, er thou bigynne it, apparaille thee with
1344: Greet diligence. -- / thanne seye I that in vengeance-
1344: takyng, in were, in bataille, and
1345: In warnestooryng,/ er thow bigynne, I
1345: Rede that thou apparaille thee therto,
1346: And do it with greet deliberacion./ For tul
1346: Lius seith that -- longe apparaillyng biforn the
1347: Bataille maketh short victorie. -- / and cassidorus
1347: seith, -- the garnysoun is stronger, whan
1348: It is longe tyme avysed. -- /
1348: But now lat us speken of the conseil that
1348: Was accorded by youre neighebores, swiche
1349: As doon yow reverence withouten love,/
1349: Youre olde enemys reconsiled, youre flatereres,/
1350: that conseilled yow certeyne
1350: Thynges prively, and openly conseilleden
1351: Yow the contrarie;/ the yonge folk also, that
1351: Conseilleden yow to venge yow, and make
1352: Werre anon./ And certes, sire, as I have seyd
1352: Biforn, ye han greetly erred to han cleped
1353: Swich manere folk to youre conseil,/ which
1354: Conseillours been ynogh repreved by the re/
1355: Souns aforeseyd./ But nathelees, lat us now
1355: Descende to the special. Ye shuln first
1356: Procede after the doctrine of tullius./
1356: Certes, the trouthe of this matiere, or of
1357: This conseil, nedeth nat diligently enquere;/
1357: For it is wel wist whiche they been that han
1358: Doon to yow this trespas and vileynye,/ and
1358: How manye trespassours, and in what manere
1358: They han to yow doon al this wrong and al this
1359: Vileynye./ And after this, thanne shul ye examyne
1359: the seconde condicion which that the
1360: Same tullius addeth in this matiere./ For tullius
1360: put a thyng which that he clepeth
1361: -- consentynge -- ; this is to seyn,/ who been
1361: They, and which been they and how
1361: Manye, that consenten to thy conseil in thy
1362: Wilfulnesse to doon hastif vengeance./ And
1362: Lat us considere also who been they, and how
1362: Manye been they, and whiche been they, that
1363: Consenteden to youre adversaries./ And certes,
1363: As to the first poynt, it is wel knowen whiche
1363: Folk been they that consenteden to youre hastif
1364: Wilfulnesse;/ for trewely, alle tho that conseilleden
1364: yow to maken sodeyn were ne been nat
1365: Youre freendes./ Lat us now considere whiche
1365: Been they that ye holde so greetly youre
1366: Freendes as to youre persone./ For al
1366: Be it so that ye be myghty and riche,
1367: Certes ye ne been but allone,/ for certes ye ne
1368: Han no child but a doghter,/ ne ye ne han
1368: Brotheren, ne cosyns germayns, ne noon oother
1369: Neigh kynrede,/ wherfore that youre enemys
1369: For drede wholde stinte to plede with yow, or
1370: To destroye youre persone./ Ye knowen also
1370: That youre richesses mooten been dispended
1371: in diverse parties,/ and whan
1371: That every wight hath his part, they ne
1371: Wollen taken but litel reward to venge thy
1372: Deeth./ But thyne enemys been thre, and they
1372: Han manie children, bretheren, cosyns, and
1373: Oother ny kynrede./ And though so were that
1373: Thou haddest slayn of hem two or tree, yet
-178-
1373: Dwellen ther ynowe to wreken hir deeth and
1374: To sle thy persone./ And though so be that
1374: Youre kynrede be moore siker and stedefast
1375: Than the kyn of youre adversarie,/ yet nathelees
1375: youre kynrede nys but a fer kynrede;
1376: they been but litel syb to yow,/
1376: And the kyn of youre enemys been ny
1376: Syb to hem. And certes, as in that, hir condicioun
1377: is bet than youres./ Thanne lat us considere
1377: also if the conseillung of hem that conseilleden
1377: yow to taken sodeyn bengeaunce,
1378: Wheither it accorde to resoun./ And certes, ye
1379: Knowe wel -- nay. -- / for, as by right and resoun,
1379: Ther may no man taken vengeance on no wight
1380: But the juge that hath the jurisdiccioun of it,/
1380: Whan it is graunted hym to take thilke vengeance
1380: hastily or attemprely, as the lawe
1381: Requireth./ And yet mooreover of thilke
1381: Word that tullius clepeth -- consentynge,
1382: -- / thou shalt considere if thy myght and
1382: Thy power may consenten and suffise to thy
1383: Wilfulnesse and to thy conseillours./ And certes
1384: Thou mayst wel seyn that -- nay. -- / for sikerly,
1384: as for to speke proprely, we may do
1384: No thyng, but oonly swich thyng as we may
1385: Doon rightfully./ And certes rightfully ne mowe
1385: Ye take no vengeance, as of youre
1386: Propre auctoritee./ Thanne mowe ye
1386: Seen that youre power ne consenteth
1387: Nat, ne accordeth nat, with youre wilfulnesse./
1387: Lat us now examyne the thridde point, that
1388: Tullius clepeth -- consequent. -- / thou shal understonde
1388: that the vengeance that thou purposest
1389: for to take is the consequent;/ and
1389: Therof folweth another vengeaunce, peril, and
1389: Werre, and othere damages withoute nombre,
1390: Of whiche we be nat war, as at this tyme./
1390: And as touchynge the fourthe point,
1391: That tullius clepeth -- engendrynge, -- /
1391: Thou shalt considere that this wrong
1391: Which that is doon to thee is engendred of the
1392: Hate of thyne enemys,/ and of the vengeance-
1392: Takynge upon that wolde engendre another
1392: Vengeance, and muchel sorwe and wastynge
1393: Of richesses, as I seyde./
1393: Now, sire, as to the point that tullius clepeth
1394: -- causes, -- which that is the laste point,/ thou
1394: Shalt understonde that the worng that thou hast
1395: Receyved hath certeine causes,/ whiche that
1395: Clerkes clepen oriens and efficiens, and causa
1395: Longinqua and causa propinqua, this is
1396: To seyn, the fer cause and the ny cause./
1396: The fer cause is almyghty god, that is
1397: Cause of alle thynges./ The neer cause is thy
1399: Thre enemys.// the cause accidental was hate./
1399: The cause material been the fyve woundes of
1400: Thy doghter./ The cause formal is the manere
1400: Of hir werkynge that broghten laddres
1401: And cloumben in at thy wyndowes./
1401: The cause final was for to sle thy doghter.
1402: it letted nat in as muche as in hem was./
1402: But for to speken of the fer cause, as to what
1402: Ende they shul come, or what shal finally bityde
1402: Of hem in this caas, ne kan I nat deeme but
1403: By conjectynge and by supposynge./ For we
1403: Shul suppose that they shul come to a wikked
1404: Ende,/ by cause that the book of decrees seith,
1404: -- seelden, or with greet peyne, been causes
1404: Ybroght to good ende whanne they been baddely
1405: bigonne. -- /
1405: Now, sire, if men wolde axe me why that
1405: God suffred men to do yow this vileynye, certes,
1405: I kan nat wel answere, as for no soothfastnesse./
1406: for th' apostle seith that -- the
1406: Sciences and the juggementz of oure
1407: Lord God almyghty been ful depe;/ ther may
1407: No man comprehende ne serchen hem suffisantly.
1408: -- / nathelees, by certeyne presumpciouns
1409: and conjectynges, I holde and bileeve/
1409: That god, which that is ful of justice and of
1409: Rightwisnesse, hath suffred this bityde by juste
1410: Cause resonable./
1410: Thy name is melibee, this is to seyn,
1411: -- a man that drynketh hony. -- / thou hast
1411: Ydronke so muchel hony of sweete temporeel
1411: richesses, and delices and honours of
1412: This world,/ that thou art dronken, and hast
1413: Forgeten jhesu crist thy creatour./ Thou ne
1413: Hast nat doon to hym swich honour and reverence
1414: as thee oughte,/ ne thou ne hast nat
1414: Wel ytaken kep to the wordes of ovide, that
1415: Seith,/ -- under the hony of the goodes of
1415: The body is hyd the venym that sleeth
1416: The soule -- / and salomon seith, -- if thou
1416: Hast founden hony, ete of it that suffiseth;/
1417: for if thou ete of it out of mesure, thou
1418: Shalt spewe, -- and be nedy and povre./ And
1418: Peraventure crist hath thee in despit, and hath
1418: Turned awey fro thee his face and his eeris of
1419: Misericorde;/ and also he hath suffred that thou
1419: Hast been punysshed in the manere that thow
1420: Hast ytrespassed./ Thou hast doon
1421: Synne agayn oure lord crist;/ for certes,
1421: The three enemys of mankynde, that is to
1422: Seyn, the flessh, the feend, and the world,/
1422: Thou hast suffred hem entre in to thyn herte
1423: Wilfully by the wyndowes of thy body,/ and
1423: Hast nat defended thyself suffisantly agayns
-179-
1423: Hire assautes and hire temptaciouns, so that they
1424: Han wounded thy soule in fyve places;/ this is
1424: To seyn, the deedly synnes that been entred into
1425: Thyn herte by thy fyve wittes./ And in the
1425: Same manere oure lord crist hath woold and
1425: Suffred that thy three enemys been entred
1426: into thyn house by the wyndowes,/
1426: And han ywounded thy doghter in the
1427: Forseyde manere./
1427: Certes, quod melibee, I se wel that ye
1427: Enforce yow muchel by wordes to overcome
1427: Me in swich manere that I shal nat venge me
1428: Of myne enemys,/ shewynge me the perils and
1428: The yveles that myghten falle of this vengeance./
1429: but whoso wolde considere in alle
1429: Vengeances the perils and yveles that myghte
1430: Sewe of vengeance-takynge,/ a man wolde
1430: Nevere take vengeance, and that were
1431: Harm;/ for by the vengeance-takynge
1431: Been the wikked men dissevered fro the
1432: Goode men,/ and they that han wyl to do wikkednesse
1432: restreyne hir wikked purpos, whan
1432: They seen the punyssynge and chastisynge of
1433: The trespassours./
1433: (et a ce respont dame prudence, certes,
1433: Dist elle, je t' ottroye que de vengence vient
1434: Molt de maulx et de biens;/ mais vengence
1434: N' appartient pas a un chascun fors seulement
1434: Aux juges et a ceulx qui ont la juridicion sur
1435: Les malfaitteurs.)/ and yet seye I moore, that
1435: Right as singuler persone synneth in
1436: Takynge vengeance of another man,/
1436: Right so synneth the juge if he do no
1437: Vengeance of hem that it han disserved./ For
1437: Senec seith thus: -- that maister, -- he seith, -- is
1438: Good that proveth shrewes. -- / and as cassidore
1438: seith, -- a man dredeth to do outrages
1438: Whan he woot and knoweth that it despleseth
1439: To the juges and the sovereyns. -- / and another
1439: Seith, -- the juge that dredeth to do right, maketh
1440: men shrewes. -- / and seint paul the apostle
1440: seith in his epistle, whan he writeth unto
1440: The romayns, that -- the juges beren nat
1441: The spere withouten cause,/ but they
1441: Beren it to punysse the shrewes and mysdoers,
1442: and for to defende the goode men./ If ye
1442: Wol thanne take vengeance of youre enemys, ye
1442: Shul retourne or have youre recours to the juge
1443: That hath the jurisdiccion upon hem,/ and he
1443: Shal punysse hem as the lawe axeth and requireth./
1444: A! quod melibee, this vengeance liketh
1445: Me no thyng./ I bithenke me now and take
1445: Heede how fortune hath norissed me fro my
1445: Childhede, and hath holpen me to passe
1446: Many a stroong paas./ Now wol I assayen
1446: hire, trowynge, with goddes help,
1446: That she shal helpe me my shame for to
1447: Venge./
1447: Certes, quod prudence, if ye wol werke
1447: By conseil, ye shul nat assaye fortune by
1448: No wey,/ ne ye shul nat lene or bowe unto
1449: Hire, after the word of senec;/ for -- thynges that
1449: Been folily doon, and that been in hope of
1450: Fortune, shullen nevere come to good ende. -- /
1450: And, as the same senec seith, -- the moore cleer
1450: And the moore shynyng that fortune is, the
1450: Moore brotil and the sonner broken she
1451: Is -- ./ Trusteth nat in hire, for she nys
1452: Nat stidefast ne stable;/ for whan thow
1452: Trowest to be moost seur or siker of hire help,
1453: She wol faille thee and deceyve thee./ And
1453: Where as ye seyn that fortune hath norissed
1454: Yow fro youre childhede,/ I seye that in so
1454: Muchel shul ye the lasse truste in hire and in
1455: Hir wit./ For senec seith, -- what man that is
1455: Norissed by fortune, she maketh hym
1456: A greet fool. -- / now thanne, syn ye desire
1456: and axe vengeance, and the vengeance
1456: that is doon after the lawe and bifore
1457: The juge ne liketh yow nat,/ and the vengeance
1457: That is doon in hope of fortune is perilous and
1458: Uncertein,/ thanne have ye noon oother remedie
1458: but for to have youre recours unto the sovereyn
1458: juge that vengeth alle vileynyes and
1459: Wronges./ And he shal venge yow after that
1460: Hymself witnesseth, where as he seith,/ -- leveth
1460: the vengeance to me, and I shal
1461: Do it. -- /
1461: Melibee answerde, if I ne venge me
1462: Nat of the vileynye that men han doon to me,/
1462: I sompne or warne hem that han doon to me
1462: That vileynye, and alle othere, to do me another
1463: Vileynye./ For it is writen, -- if thou take no
1463: Vengeance of an oold vileynye, thou sompnest
1464: Thyne adversaries to do thee a newe vileynye. -- /
1464: And also for my suffrance men wolden do
1464: Me so muchel vileynye that I myghte neither
1465: Bere it ne susteene,/ and so sholde I
1466: Been put and holden overlowe./ For
1466: Men seyn, -- in muchel suffrynge shul
1466: Manye thynges falle unto thee whiche thou
1467: Shalt nat mowe suffre. -- /
1467: Certes, quod prudence, I graunte yow
1468: That over -- muchel suffraunce is nat good./ But
1468: Yet ne folweth it nat therof that every persone
1468: To whom men doon vileynye take of it vengeance;/
1469: for that aperteneth and longeth al
-180-
1469: Oonly to the juges, for they shul venge the
1470: Vileynyes and injuries./ And therfore tho two
1470: Auctoritees that ye han seyd above been
1471: Oonly understonden in the juges./ For
1471: Whan they suffren over-muchel the
1471: Wronges and the vileynyes to be doon withouten
1472: punysshynge,/ the sompne nat a man
1472: Al oonly for to do newe wronges, but they
1473: Comanden it./ Also a wys man seith that the
1473: Juge that correcteth nat the synnere comandeth
1474: and biddeth hym do synne. -- / and the juges
1474: And sovereyns myghten in hir land so muchel
1475: Suffre of the shrewes and mysdoeres/ that they
1475: Sholden, by swich suffrance, by proces of
1475: Tyme wexen of swich power and myght that
1475: They sholden putte out the juges and the
1476: Sovereyns from hir places,/ and atte laste
1477: Maken hem lesen hire lordshipes./
1477: But lat us now putte that ye have leve to
1478: Venge yow./ I seye ye been nat of myght and
1479: Power as now to venge yow;/ for if ye wole
1479: Maken comparisoun unto the myght of youre
1479: Adversaries, ye shul fynde in manye thynges
1479: That I have shewed yow er this that hire condicion
1480: is bettre than youres./ And therfore
1480: Seye I that it is good as now that ye suffre
1481: and be pacient./
1481: Forthermoore, ye knowen wel that
1481: After the comune sawe, -- it is a woodnesse a
1481: Man to stryve with a strenger or a moore
1482: Myghty man than he is hymself;/ and for to
1482: Stryve with a man of evene strengthe, that is
1482: To seyn, with as strong a man as he is, it is
1483: Peril;/ and for to stryve with a weyker man, it
1484: Is folie. -- / and therfore sholde a man flee stryvynge
1485: as muchel as he myghte./ For salomon
1485: Seith, -- it is a greet worshipe to a man to
1486: Kepen hym fro noyse and stryf. -- / and
1486: If it so bifalle or happe that a man of
1486: Gretter myght and strengthe than thou art do
1487: Thee grevaunce,/ studie and bisye thee rather
1487: To stille the same grevaunce than for to venge
1488: Thee./ For senec seith that -- he putteth hym in
1488: Greet peril that stryveth with a gretter man
1489: Than he is hymself. -- / and catoun seith, -- if a
1489: Man of hyer estaat or degree, or moore myghty
1489: Than thou, do thee anoy or grevaunce, suffre
1490: Hym;/ for he that oones hath greved thee,
1490: May another tyme releeve thee and
1491: Helpe. -- / yet sette I caas, ye have bothe
1492: Myght and licence for to venge yow,/ I
1492: Seye that ther be ful manye thynges that shul
1493: Restreyne yow of vengeance-takynge,/ and
1493: Make yow for to enclyne to suffre, and for to
1493: Han pacience in the wronges that han been
1494: Doon to yow./ First and foreward, if ye wole
1494: Considere the defautes that been in youre
1495: Owene persone,/ for whiche defautes God hath
1495: Suffred yow have this tribulacioun, as I
1496: Have seyd yow heer-biforn./ For the
1496: Poete seith that -- we oghte paciently
1496: Taken the tribulacions that comen to us, whan
1496: We thynken and consideren that we han disserved
1497: to have hem. -- / and seint gregorie
1497: Seith that -- whan a man considereth wel the
1498: Nombre of his defautes and of his synnes,/ the
1498: Peynes and the tribulaciouns that he suffreth
1499: Semen the lesse unto hym;/ and in as muche
1499: As hym thynketh his synnes moore hevy and
1500: Grevous,/ in so muche semeth his peyne
1501: The lighter and the esier unto hym. -- /
1501: Also ye owen to enclyne and bowe youre
1501: Herte to take the pacience of oure lord jhesu
1502: Crist, as seith seint peter in his epistles./
1502: Jhesu crist, -- he seith, -- hath suffred for us and
1502: Yeven ensample to every man to folwe and
1503: Sewe hym;/ for he dide nevere synne, ne nevere
1504: cam ther a vileyns word out of his mouth./
1504: Whan men cursed hym, he cursed hem noght;
1504: And whan men betten hym, he manaced hem
1505: Noght. -- / also the grete pacience which the
1505: Seintes that been in paradys han had in tribulaciouns
1505: that they han ysuffred, withouten
1506: Hir desert or gilt,/ oghte muchel stiren
1507: Yow to pacience./ Forthermoore ye
1508: Sholde enforce yow to have pacience,/ considerynge
1508: that the tribulaciouns of this world but
1508: Litel while endure, and soone passed been and
1509: Goon,/ and the joye that a man seketh to have
1509: By pacience in tribulaciouns is perdurable,
1510: After that the apostle seith in his epistle./ The
1510: Joye of god, he seith, is perdurable,
1511: That is to seyn, everelastynge./ Also
1511: Troweth and bileveth stedefastly that he
1511: Nys nat wel ynorissed, ne wel ytaught, that kan
1511: Nat have pacience, or wol nat receyve pacience./
1512: for salomon seith that -- the doctrine
1513: And the wit of a man is knowen by pacience. -- /
1513: And in another place he seith that -- he that is
1514: Pacient governeth hym by greet prudence. -- /
1514: And the same salomon seith, -- the angry and
1514: Wrathful man maketh noyses, and the pacient
1515: Man atempreth hem and stilleth. -- / he seith
1515: Also, -- it is moore worth to be pacient
1516: Than for to be right strong;/ and he
1516: That may have the lordshipe of his
1516: Owene herte is moore to preyse than he that
1517: By his force or strengthe taketh grete citees. -- /
-181-
1517: And therfore seith seint jame in his epistle that
1518: -- pacience is a greet vertu of perfeccioun. -- /
1518: Certes, quod melibee, I graunte yow,
1518: Dame prudence, that pacience is greet vertu
1519: Of perfeccioun;/ but every man may nat have
1520: The perfeccioun that ye seken;/ ne I nam
1521: Nat of the nombre of right parfite men,/
1521: For myn herte may nevere been in pees
1522: Unto the tyme it be venged./ And al be it so
1522: That it was greet peril to myne enemys to do
1523: Me a vileynye in takynge vengeance upon me,/
1523: Yet tooken they noon heede of the peril, but
1524: Fulfilleden hir wikked wyl and hir corage./
1524: And therfore me thynketh men oghten nat
1524: Repreve me, though I putte me in a litel peril
1525: For to venge me,/ and though I do a greet
1525: Excesse, that is to seyn, that I venge
1526: Oon outrage by another./
1526: A, quod dame prudence, ye seyn
1527: Youre wyl and as yow liketh,/ but in no caas
1527: Of the world a man sholde nat doon outrage
1528: Ne excesse for to vengen hym./ For cassidore
1528: Seith that -- as yvele dooth he that vengeth hym
1529: By outrage as he that dooth the outrage. -- / and
1529: Therfore ye shul venge yow after the ordre of
1529: Right, that is to seyn, by the lawe, and noght
1530: By excesse ne by outrage./ And also, if ye
1530: Wol venge yow of the outrage of youre adversaries
1530: in oother manere than right comandeth,
1531: ye synne./ And therfore seith senec
1531: That -- a man shal nevere vengen shrewednesse
1532: by shrewednesse. -- / and if ye seye that
1532: Right axeth a man to defenden violence by violence,
1533: and fightyng by fightyng,/ certes ye seye
1533: Sooth, whan the defense is doon anon withouten
1533: intervalle or withouten tariyng or delay,/
1534: for to deffenden hym and nat for to
1535: Vengen hym./ And it bihoveth that a man
1535: Putte swich attemperance in his deffense/
1536: that men have no cause ne matiere
1536: to repreven hym that deffendeth
1536: Hym of excesse and outrage, for ellis were it
1537: Agayn resoun./ Pardee, ye knowen wel that
1537: Ye maken no deffense as now for to deffende
1538: Yow, but for to venge yow;/ and so seweth
1538: It that ye han no wyl to do youre dede attemprely./
1539: and therfore me thynketh that pacience
1539: is good; for salomon seith that -- he that
1540: Is nat pacient shal have a greet harm. -- /
1540: Certes, quod melibee, I graunte yow that
1540: Whan a man is inpacient and wrooth, of that
1540: That toucheth hym noght and that aperteneth
1540: Nat unto hym, though it harme hym, it
1541: Is no wonder./ For the lawe seith that
1541: -- he is coupable that entremetteth hym or
1541: Medleth with swych thyng as aperteneth nat
1542: Unto hym. -- / and salomon seith that -- he that
1542: Entremetteth hym of the noyse or strif of another
1542: man is lyk to hym that taketh an hound
1543: By the eris. -- / for right as he that taketh a
1543: Straunge hound by the eris is outherwhile biten
1544: With the hound,/ right in the same wise is it
1544: Resoun that he have harm that by his inpacience
1544: medleth hym of the noyse of another
1545: Man, wheras it aperteneth nat unto hym./ But
1545: Ye knowen wel that this dede, that is to seyn,
1545: My grief and my disese, toucheth me
1546: Right ny./ And therfore, though I be
1547: Wrooth and inpacient, it is no merveille./
1547: And, savynge youre grace, I kan nat seen that it
1547: Myghte greetly harme me though I tooke vengeaunce./
1548: for I am richer and moore myghty
1549: Than myne enemys been;/ and wel knowen ye
1549: That by moneye and by havynge grete possessions
1549: been alle the thynges of this world governed./
1550: and salomon seith that -- alle
1551: Thynges abeyen to moneye. -- /
1551: Whan prudence hadde herd hir housbonde
1551: avanten hym of his richesse and of his
1551: Moneye, dispreisynge the power of his adversaries,
1552: she spak, and seyde in this wise:/
1552: Certes, deere sire, I graunte yow that ye been
1553: Riche and myghty,/ and that the richesses been
1553: Goode to hem that han wel ygeten hem and wel
1554: Konne usen hem./ For right as the body of a
1554: Man may nat lyven withoute the soule, namoore
1555: May it lyve withouten temporeel goodes./ And
1555: By richesses may a man gete hym grete
1556: Freendes./ And therfore seith pamphilles:
1556: -- if a net -- herdes doghter, -- seith
1556: He, -- be riche, she may chesen of a thousand
1557: Men which she wol take to hir housbonde;/
1557: For, of a thousand men, oon wol nat forsaken
1558: Hire ne refusen hire. -- / and this pamphilles
1558: Seith also: -- if thow be right happy -- that is to
1558: Seyn, if thou be right riche -- thou shalt fynde
1559: A greet nombre of felawes and freendes./ And
1559: If thy fortune change that thou wexe povre,
1560: Farewel freendshipe and felaweshipe;/ for thou
1560: Shalt be alloone withouten any compaignye,
1560: But if it be the compaignye of povre
1561: Folk. -- / and yet seith this pamphilles
1561: Moreover that -- they that been thralle and
1561: Bonde of lynage shullen been maad worthy and
1562: Noble by the richesses. -- / and right so as by
1562: Richesses ther comen manye goodes, right so
1562: By poverte come ther manye harmes and
1563: Yveles./ For greet poverte constreyneth a man
-182-
1564: To do manye yveles./ And therfore clepeth
1565: Cassidore poverte the mooder of ruyne,/ that
1565: Is to seyn, the mooder of overthrowynge
1566: Or fallynge doun./ And therfore seith
1566: Piers alfonce: -- oon of the gretteste adversitees
1567: of this world is/ whan a free man by
1567: Kynde or of burthe is constreyned by poverte
1568: To eten the almesse of his enemy, -- / and the
1568: Same seith innocent in oon of his bookes. He
1568: Seith that -- sorweful and myshappy is the condicioun
1569: of a povre beggere;/ for if he axe nat
1570: His mete, he dyeth for hunger;/ and if he axe,
1570: He dyeth for shame; and algates necessitee
1571: constreyneth hym to axe. -- / and
1571: Seith salomon that -- bet it is to dye than
1572: For to have swich poverte. -- / and as the same
1572: Salomon seith, -- bettre it is to dye of bitter deeth
1573: Than for to lyven in swich wise. -- / by thise
1573: Resons that I have seid unto yow, and by manye
1574: Othere resons that I koude seye,/ I graunte yow
1574: That richesses been goode to hem that geten
1574: Hem wel, and to hem that wel usen tho richesses./
1575: and therfore wol I shewe yow hou ye
1575: Shul have yow and how ye shul bere yow in
1575: Gaderynge of richesses, and in what
1576: Manere ye shul usen hem./
1576: First, ye shul geten hem withouten
1576: Greet desir, by good leyser, sokyngly and nat
1577: Over-hastily./ For a man that is to desirynge
1577: To gete richesses abaundoneth hym first to
1578: Thefte, and to alle othere yveles;/ and therfore
1578: seith salomon, -- he that hasteth hym to
1579: Bisily to wexe riche shal be noon innocent. -- /
1579: He seith also that -- the richesses that hastily cometh
1579: to a man, soone and lightly gooth and
1580: Passeth fro a man;/ but that richesse that
1580: Cometh litel and litel, wexeth alwey and
1581: Multiplieth. -- / and, sire
1581: Richesses by youre wit and by youre
1582: Travaille unto youre profit;/ and that withouten
1583: Wrong or hamr doynge to any oother persone./
1583: For tha lawe seith that -- ther maketh no man
1583: Himselven riche, if he do harm to another
1584: Wight. -- / this is to seyn, htat nature deffendeth
1584: and fordedeth by right that no man make
1584: Hymself riche unto the harm of another persone./
1585: and tulliur seith that -- no sorwe, ne no
1585: Drede of deeth, ne no thyng that may
1586: Falle unto a man,/ is so muchel agayns
1586: Nature as a man to encressen his owene
1587: Profit to the harm of another man./ And
1587: Though the grete man and the myghty men
1588: Geten richesses moore lightly than thou, / yet
1588: Shaltou nat been ydel ne slow to do thy profit,
1589: For thou shalt in alle wise flee ydelnesse. -- / for
1589: Salomon seith that -- ydelnesse techeth a man to
1590: Do manye yveles. -- / and the same salomon
1590: Seith that -- he that travailleth and bisieth
1591: Hym to tilien his land, shal eten breed;/
1591: But he that is ydel and casteth hym to
1591: No bisynesse ne occupacioun, shal falle into
1592: Poverte, and dye for hynger. -- / and he that is
1592: Ydel and slow kan nevere fynde covenable
1593: Tyme for to doon his profit./ For ther is a
1593: Versifiour seith that -- the ydel man excuseth hym
1593: In wynter by cause of the grete coold, and in
1594: Somer by enchesoun of the greete heete. -- / for
1594: Thise causes seith caton, -- waketh and enclyneth
1594: nat yow over -- muchel for to slepe, for overmuchel
1594: reste norisseth and causeth manye
1595: Vices. -- / and therfore seith seint jerome,
1595: -- dooth somme goode dedes that the devel,
1595: Which is oure enemy, ne fynde yow nat
1596: Unocupied. -- / for the devel ne taketh
1596: Nat lightly unto his werkynge swiche as
1597: He fyndeth occupied in goode werkes./
1597: Thanne thus, in getynge richesses, ye mosten
1598: Flee ydelnesse./ And afterward, ye shul use
1598: The richesses which ye have geten by youre wit
1599: And by youre travaille,/ in swich a manere that
1599: Men holde yow nat to scars, ne to sparynge, ne
1599: To fool-large, that is to seyen, over-large a
1600: Spendere./ For right as men blamen an avaricious
1600: man by cause of his scarsetee and
1601: Chyncherie,/ in the same wise is he to
1602: Blame that spendeth over-largely./ And
1602: Therfore seith caton: -- use, -- he seith, -- thy richesses
1603: that thou hast geten/ in swich a manere
1603: That men have no matiere ne cause to calle
1604: The neither wrecche ne chynche;/ for it is a
1604: Greet shame to a man to have a povere herte
1605: And a riche purs. -- / he seith also: -- the goodes
1605: That thou hast ygeten, use hem by mesure, --
1605: That is to seyn, spende hem mesurably;/
1606: for they that folily wasten and
1607: Despenden the goodes that they han,/
1607: What they han namoore propre of hir owene,
1607: They shapen hem to take the goodes of another
1608: Man./ I seye thanne that ye shul fleen avarice;/
1609: usynge youre richesses in swich manere
1609: That men seye nat that youre richesses been
1610: Yburyed,/ but that ye have hem in
1611: Youre myght and in youre weeldynge./
1611: For a wys man repreveth the avaricious
1612: Man, and seith thus in two vers:/ -- wherto and
1612: Why burieth a man his goodes by his grete
1612: Avarice, and knoweth wel that nedes moste
1613: He dye?/ for deeth is the ende of every man
-183-
1614: As in this present lyf. -- / and for what cause or
1614: Enchesoun joyneth he hym or knytteth he hym
1615: So faste unto his goodes/ that alle hise wittes
1615: Mowen nat disseveren hym or departen
1616: Hym from his goodes,/ and knoweth
1616: Wel, or oghte knowe, that whan he is
1616: Deed he shal no thyng bere with hym out of
1617: This world?/ and therfore seith seint austyn
1618: That -- the avaricious man is likned unto helle,/
1618: That the moore it swelweth. The moore desir it
1619: Hath to swelwe and devoure. -- / and as wel as
1619: Ye wolde eschewe to be called an avaricious
1620: Man or chynche,/ as wel sholde ye kepe yow
1620: And governe yow in swich a wise that
1621: Men calle yow nat fool-large./ Therfore
1621: seith tullius: -- the goodes, -- he seith,
1621: -- of thyn hous ne sholde nat been hyd ne kept
1621: So cloos, but that they myghte been opened
1622: By pitee and debonairetee; -- / that is to seyn, to
1623: Yeven part to hem that han greet nede;/ -- ne
1623: Thy goodes shullen nat been so opene to been
1624: Every mannes goodes. -- / afterward, in getynge
1624: Of youre richesses and in usynge hem, ye shul
1625: Alwey have thre thynges in youre herte,/ that
1625: Is to seyn, oure lord god, conscience,
1626: And good name./ First, ye shul have
1627: God in youre herte,/ and for no richesse
1627: Ye shullen do no thyng which may in any
1627: Manere displese god, that is youre creator
1628: And makere./ For after the word of salomon,
1628: -- it is bettre to have a litel good with the love
1629: Of god,/ than to have muchel good and tresour,
1630: and lese the love of his lord god./ And
1630: The prophete seith that -- bettre it is to been
1630: A good man and have litel good and
1631: Tresour,/ than to been holden a shrewe
1632: And have grete richesses. -- / and yet seye
1632: I ferthermoore, that ye sholde alwey doon youre
1633: Bisynesse to gete yow richesses,/ so that ye
1634: Gete hem with good conscience./ And th' apostle
1634: seith that -- ther nys thyng in this world
1634: Of which we sholden have so greet joye as
1634: Whan oure conscience bereth us good witnesse.
1635: -- / and the wise man seith, -- the substance
1635: of a man is ful good, whan synne
1636: Is nat in mannes conscience. -- / afterward,
1636: in getynge of youre richesses and
1637: In usynge of hem,/ yow moste have greet bisynesse
1637: and greet diligence that youre goode
1638: Name be alwey kept and conserved./ For salomon
1638: seith that -- bettre it is an moore it availleth
1638: a man to have a good name, than for
1639: To have grete richesses. -- / and therfore he
1639: Seith in another place, -- do greet diligence,
1639: Seith salomon, -- in kepyng of thy freend and
1640: Of thy goode name;/ for it shal lenger abide
1640: With thee than any tresour, be it never
1641: So precious. -- / and certes he sholde nat
1641: Be called a gentil man that after god
1641: And good conscience, alle thynges left, ne
1641: Dooth his diligence and bisynesse to kepen his
1642: Goode name./ And cassidore seith that -- it is
1642: Signe of a gentil herte, whan a man loveth and
1643: Desireth to han a good name. -- / and therfore
1643: Seith seint austyn that -- ther been two thynges
1644: That arn necessarie and nedefulle,/ and that
1645: Is good conscience and good loos;/ that is to
1645: Seyn, good conscience to thyn owene persone
1645: Inward, and good loos for thy neighebor
1646: Outward. -- / and he that trusteth hym so
1647: Muchel in his goode conscience/ that he
1647: Displeseth, and setteth at noght his goode
1647: Name or loos, and rekketh noght though he
1647: Kepe nat his goode neam, nys but a crueel
1648: Cherl./
1648: Sire, now have I shewed yow how ye shul
1648: Do in getynge richesses, and how ye shullen
1649: Usen hem,/ and I se wel that for the trust
1649: That ye han in youre richesses ye wole moeve
1650: Werre and bataille./ I conseille yow that ye
1650: Bigynne no were in trust of youre richesses,
1650: For thay ne suffisen noght werres to
1651: Mayntene./ And therfore seith a philosophre,
1651: hthat man that desireth and
1651: Wole algates han werre, shal nevere have suffisaunce;/
1652: for the richer that he is, the gretter
1652: Despenses moste he make, if he wole have worshipe
1653: and victorei. -- / and salomon seith that
1653: -- the gretter richesses that a man hath, the mo
1654: Despendours he hath. -- / and, deere sire, al be
1654: It so that for youre richesses ye mowe have
1655: Muchel folk,/ yet bihoveth it nat, ne it is nat
1655: Good, to bigynne werre, whereas ye mowe in
1655: Oother manere have pees unto youre
1656: Worshipe and profit./ For the victorie
1656: Of batailles that been in this world lyth
1656: Nat in greet nombre or multitude of the peple,
1657: Ne in the vertu of man,/ but it lith in the wyl
1658: And in the hand of oure lord God almyghty./
1658: And therfore judas machabeus, which was
1659: Goddes knyght,/ whan he sholde fighte agayn
1659: His adversarie that hadde a gretter nombre and
1659: A gretter multitude of folk and strenger than
1660: Was this peple of machabee,/ yet he reconforted
1660: his litel compaignye, and seyde
1661: Right in this wise:/ -- als lightly, -- quod
1661: He, -- may oure lord God almyghty yeve
1662: Victorie to a fewe folk as to many folk;/ for the
-184-
1662: Victorie of a bataile comth nat by the grete
1663: Nombre of peple,/ but it cometh from oure
1664: Lord God of hevene. -- / and, deere sire, for as
1664: Muchel is ther is no man certein if he be
1664: Worthy that God yeve hym victorie, (ne plus
1664: Que il est certain se il est digne de l' amour de
1665: Dieu), or naught, after that salomon seith,/
1665: Therfore every man sholde greetly drede
1666: Werres to bigynne./ And by cause that
1667: In batailles fallen manye perils,/ and
1667: Happeth outher while that as soone is the grete
1668: Man slayn as the litel man;/ and as it is writen
1668: In the seconde book of kynges, -- the dedes of
1668: Batailles been aventurouse and nothyng certeyne,/
1669: for as lightly is oon hurt with a spere
1670: As another; -- / and for ther is gret peril in
1670: Werre; therfore sholde a man flee and eschue
1670: Werre, in as muchel as a man may
1671: Goodly./ For salomon seith, -- he that
1672: Loveth peril shal falle in peril -- /
1672: After that dame prudence hadde spoken in
1673: This manere, melibee answerde, and seyde:/
1673: I see wel, dame prudence, that by youre faire
1673: Wordes, and by youre resouns that ye han
1673: Shewed me, that the werre liketh yow no
1674: Thyng;/ but I have nat yet herd youre conseil,
1675: How I shal do in this nede./
1675: Certes, quod she, I conseille yow that ye
1675: Accorde with youre adversaries and that
1676: Ye have pees with he./ For seint jame
1676: Seith in his epistles that -- by concord and
1677: Pees the smale richesses wexen grete,/ and by
1677: Debaat and discord the grete richesses fallen
1678: Doun. -- / and ye knowen wel that oon of the
1678: Gretteste and moost sovereyn thyng that is in
1679: This world is unytee and pees./ And therfore
1679: Seyde oure lord jhesu crist to his apostles in
1680: This wise:/ -- wel happy and blessed been they
1680: That loven and purchacen pees, for they
1681: Been called children of god. -- /
1681: A, quod melibee, now se I wel that
1682: Ye loven nat myn honour ne my worshipe./
1682: Ye knowen wel that myne adversaries han
1682: Bigonnen this debaat and bryge by hire outrage,/
1683: and ye se wel that they ne requeren ne
1683: Preyen me nat of pees, ne they asken nat to be
1684: Reconsiled./ Wol ye thanne that I go and meke
1684: Me and obeye me to hem, and crie hem
1685: Mercy?/ for sothe, that were nat my
1686: Worshipe./ For right as men seyn that
1686: -- over-greet hoomlynesse engendreth dispreisynge,
1686: -- so fareth it by to greet hymylitee
1687: Or mekenesse./
1687: Thanne bigan dame prudence to maken
1688: Semblant of wratthe, and seyde:/ certes, sire,
1688: Sauf youre grace, I love youre honour and youre
1688: Profit as I do myn owene, and evere have
1689: Doon;/ ne ye, ne noon oother, seyn nevere
1690: The contrarie./ And yit if I hadde seyd that
1690: Ye sholde han purchaced the pees and the
1690: Reconsilacioun, I ne hadde nat muchel
1691: Mystaken me, ne seyd amys./ For the
1691: Wise man seith, -- the dissensioun bigynneth
1691: by another man, and the reconsilyng bygynneth
1692: by thyself. -- / and the prophete seith,
1693: -- flee shrewednesse and do goodnesse;/ seke
1694: Pees and folwe it, as muchel as in thee is. -- /
1694: Yet seye I nat that ye shul rather pursue to
1694: Youre adversaries for pees than they shuln to
1695: Yow./ For I knowe wel that ye been so hard-
1695: Herted that ye wol do no thyng for
1696: Me./ And salomon seith, -- he that hath
1696: Over-hard an herte, atte laste he shal
1697: Myshappe and mystyde. -- /
1697: Whanne melibee hadde herd dame prudence
1697: Maken semblant of wratthe, he seyde in this
1698: Wise:/ dame, I prey yow that ye be nat displesed
1699: of thynges that I seye,/ for ye knowe
1699: Wel that I am angrey and wrooth, and that is
1700: No wonder;/ and they that been wrothe witen
1700: Nat wel what they don, ne what they
1701: Seyn./ Therfore the prophete seith that
1702: -- troubled eyen han no cleer sighte. -- / but
1702: Seyeth and conseileth me as yow liketh, for I
1703: Am redy to do right as ye wol desire;/ and if
1703: Ye repreve me of my folye, I am the moore
1704: Holden to love yow and to preyse yow./ For
1704: Salomon seith that -- he that repreveth hym
1705: That dooth folye,/ he shal fynde gretter grace
1705: Than he that deceyveth hym by sweete
1706: Wordes. -- /
1706: Thanne seide dame prudence, I
1706: Make no semblant of wratthe ne anger, but
1707: For youre grete profit./ For salomon seith,
1707: -- he is moore worth that repreveth or chideth
1707: A fool for his folye, shewynge hym semblant
1708: Of wratthe,/than he that supporteth hym and
1708: Preyseth hym in his mysdoynge, and laugheth
1709: At his folye. -- / and this same salomon seith
1709: Afterward that -- by the sorweful visage of a
1709: Man, -- that is to seyn by the sory and hevy contenaunce
1710: of a man,/ -- the fool correcteth
1711: And amendeth hymself. -- /
1711: Thanne seyde melibee, I shal nat
1711: Koone answere to so manye faire resouns as ye
1712: Putten to me and shewen./ Seyeth shorthly
1712: Youre wyl and youre conseil, and I am al redy
1713: To fulfille and parfourne it./
-185-
1713: Thanne dame prudence discovered al hir
1714: Wyl to hym, and seyde,/ I conseille yow,
1714: Quod she, aboven alle thynges, that ye make
1715: Pees bitwene God and yow;/ and beth
1716: Reconsiled unto hym and to his grace./
1716: For, as I have seyd yow heer biforn, god
1716: Hath suffred yow to have this tribulacioun and
1717: Disese for youre synnes./ And if ye do as I sey
1717: Yow, God wol sende youre adversaries unto
1718: Yow,/ and maken hem fallen at youre feet,
1718: Redy to do youre wyl and youre comande --
1719: Mentz./ For salomon seith, -- whan the condicioun
1720: of man is plesaunt and likynge to god,/
1720: He chaungeth the hertes of the mannes adversaries
1720: and constreyneth hem to biseken
1721: hym of pees and of grace. -- / and
1721: I prey yow lat me speke with youre adversaries
1722: in privee place;/ for they shul nat
1722: Knowe that it be of youre wyl or of youre adsent./
1723: and thanne, whan I knowe hir wil and
1723: Hire entente, I may conseille yow the moore
1724: Seurely./
1724: Dame, quod melibee, dooth youre wil and
1725: Youre likynge;/ for I putte me hoolly in
1726: Youre disposicioun and ordinaunce./
1726: Thanne dame prudence, whan she
1726: Saugh the goode wyl of hir housbonde, delibered
1727: and took avys in hirself,/ thinkinge how
1727: She myghte brynge this nede unto a good conclusioun
1728: and to a good ende./ And whan she
1728: Saugh hir tyme, she sente for thise adversaries
1729: To come unto hire into a pryvee place,/ and
1729: Shewed wisely unto hem the grete goodes that
1730: Comen of pees,/ and the grete harmes
1731: And perils that been in werre;/ and
1731: Seyde to hem in a goodly manere hou
1732: That hem oughten have greet repentaunce/ of
1732: The injurie and wrong that they hadden doon
1732: To melibee hir lord, and unto hire, and to hire
1733: Doghter./
1733: And whan they herden the goodliche wordes
1734: Of dame prudence,/ they weren so supprised
1734: And ravysshed, and hadden so greet joye of
1735: Hire that wonder was to telle./ A, lady, quod
1735: They, ye han shewed unto us the blessynge
1735: Of swetnesse, after the sawe of david the
1736: Prophete;/ for the reconsilynge which
1736: We been nat worthy to have in no manere,/
1737: but we oghte requeren it with greet contricioun
1738: and humylitee,/ ye of youre grete
1739: Goodnesse have presented unto us./ Now se
1739: We wel that the science and the konnynge
1740: Of salomon is ful trewe./ For he seith that
1740: -- sweete wordes multiplien and encreescen
1740: Freendes, and maken shrewes to be debonaire
1741: and meeke. -- /
1741: Certes, quod they, we putten oure
1741: Dede and al oure matere and cause al hooly in
1742: Youre goode wyl/ and been redy to obeye to
1742: The speche and comandement of my lord melibee./
1743: and therfore, deere and benygne lady,
1743: We preien yow and biseke yow as mekely as we
1744: Konne and mowen,/ that it lyke unto youre
1744: Grete goodnesse to fulfillen in dede youre goodliche
1745: wordes./ For we consideren and knowelichen
1745: that we han offended and greved
1746: My lord melibee out of mesure,/ so ferforth
1746: that we be nat of power to maken
1747: His amendes./ And therfore we oblige and
1747: Bynden us and oure freendes for to doon al
1748: His wyl and his comandementz./ But peraventure
1748: he hath swich hevynesse and swich wratthe
1749: To us -- ward, by cause of oure offense,/ that he
1749: Wole enjoyne us swich a peyne as we mowe
1750: Nat bere ne susteene./ And therfore, noble
1750: Lady, we biseke to youre wommanly
1751: Pitee/ to taken swich avysement in this
1751: Nede that we, ne oure freendes, be nat
1752: Desherited ne destroyed thurgh oure folye./
1752: Certes, quod prudence, it is an hard
1753: Thyng and right perilous/ that a man putte
1753: Hym al outrely in the arbitracioun and juggement,
1753: and in the myght and power of his enemys./
1754: for salomon seith, -- leeveth me, and
1754: Yeveth credence to that I shal seyn: I seye, --
1754: Quod he, -- ye peple, folk and governours of
1755: Hooly chirche,/ to thy sone, to thy wyf,
1756: To thy freend, ne to thy broother,/ ne
1756: Yeve thou nevere myght ne maistrie of
1757: Thy body whil thou lyvest. -- / now sithen he
1757: Deffendeth that man sholde nat yeven to his
1757: Broother ne to his freend the myght of his
1758: Body,/ by a strenger resoun he deffendeth and
1758: Forbedeth a man to yeven hymself to his enemy./
1759: and nathelees I conseille you that ye
1760: Mystruste nat my lord,/ for I woot wel and
1760: Knowe verraily that he is debonaire and
1761: Meeke, large, curteys,/ and nothyng desirous
1762: ne coveitous of good ne richesse./
1762: For ther nys nothyng in this world that he
1763: Desireth, save oonly worshipe and honour./
1763: Forthermoore I knowe wel and am right seur
1763: That he shal nothyng doon in this nede withouten
1764: my conseil;/ and I shal so werken in this
1764: Cause that, by the grace of oure lord god, ye
1765: Shul been reconsiled unto us./
1765: Thanne seyden they with o voys, worshipful
1765: lady, we putten us and oure goodes
-186-
1766: Al fully in youre wil and disposicioun,/
1766: And been redy to comen, what day that
1766: It like unto youre noblesse to lymyte us or assigne
1767: us,/ for to maken oure obligacioun and
1767: Boond as strong as it liketh unto youre goodnesse,/
1768: that we mowe fulfille the wille of yow
1769: And of my lord melibee./
1769: Whan dame prudence hadde herd the answeres
1769: of thise men, she bad hem goon agayn
1770: Prively;/ and she retourned to hir lord melibee,
1770: and tolde hym how she foond his
1771: Adversaries ful repentant,/ knowelechynge
1771: ful lowely hir synnes and trespas,
1772: And how they were redy to suffren al peyne,/
1772: Requirynge and preiynge hym of mercy and
1773: Pitee./
1773: Thanne seyde melibee: he is wel worthy
1773: To have pardoun and foryifnesse of his synne.
1774: That excuseth nat his synne,/ but knowelecheth
1775: It and repenteth hym, axinge indulgence./ For
1775: Senec seith, ther is the remissioun and
1776: Foryifnesse, where as the confessioun is -- ;/
1776: For confessioun is neighebor to innocence./
1777: and he seith in another place that -- he
1777: That hath shame of his synne and knowlecheth
1777: It, is worthy remissioun. -- and therfore I assente
1778: and conferme me to have pees;/ but it
1778: Is good that we do it nat withouten the assent
1779: And wyl of oure freendes./
1779: Thanne was prudence right glad and joyeful,
1780: and seyde:/ certes, sire, quod
1781: She, ye han wel and goodly answered;/
1781: For right as by the conseil, assent, and
1781: Help of youre freendes ye han been stired to
1782: Venge yow and maken werre,/ right so withouten
1782: hire conseil shul ye nat accorden yow
1783: Ne have pees with youre adversaries./ For the
1783: Lawe seith: -- ther nys no thyng so good by wey
1783: Of kynde as a thyng to be unbounde by hym
1784: That it was ybounde. -- /
1784: And thanne dame prudence, withouten delay
1784: or tariynge, sente anon hire messages for
1784: Hire kyn, and for hire olde freendes which
1785: That were trewe and wyse,/ and tolde hem
1785: By ordre in the presence of melibee al this mateere
1785: as it is aboven expressed and declared,/
1786: and preyden hem that they
1786: Wolde yeven hire avys and conseil what
1787: Best were to doon in this nede./ And whan
1787: Melibees freendes hadde taken hire avys and
1788: Deliberacioun of the forseide mateere,/ and
1788: Hadden examyned it by greet bisynesse and
1789: Greet diligence,/ they yave ful conseil for to
1790: Have pees and reste,/ and that melibee sholde
1790: Receyve with good herte his adversaries
1791: To foryifnesse and mercy./
1791: And whan dame prudence hadde herd
1791: The assent of hir lord melibee, and the conseil
1792: of his freendes/ accorde with hire wille
1793: And hire entencioun,/ she was wonderly glad
1794: In hire herte, and seyde:/ ther is an old
1794: Proverbe, quod she, seith that -- the goodnesse
1795: that thou mayst do this day, do it,/
1795: And abide nat ne delaye it nat til tomorwe.
1796: -- / and therfore I conseille that
1796: Ye sende youre messages, swiche as been
1797: Discrete and wise,/ unto youre adversaries,
1798: Tellynge hem on youre bihalve/ that if they
1799: Wole trete of pees and of accord,/ that they
1799: Shape hem withouten delay or tariyng to comen
1800: Unto us./ Which thyng parfourned was
1801: In dede./ And whanne thise trespassours
1801: and repentynge folk of hire folies,
1802: That is to seyn, the adversaries of melibee,/
1802: Hadden herd what thise messagers seyden unto
1803: Hem,/ they weren right glad and joyeful, and
1804: Answereden ful mekely and benignely,/ yeldynge
1804: graces and thankynges to hir lord melibee
1805: and to al his compaignye;/ and shopen
1805: Hem withouten delay to go with the messagers,
1805: And obeye to the comandement of hir
1806: Lord melibee./
1806: And right anon they tooken hire wey
1807: To the court of melibee,/ and tooken with hem
1807: Somme of hire trewe freendes to maken feith
1808: For hem and for to been hire borwes./ And
1808: Whan they were comen to the presence of
1809: Melibee, he seyde hem thise wordes:/ it standeth
1809: thus, quod melibee, and sooth it is, that
1810: Ye,/ causelees and withouten skile and
1811: Resoun,/ han doon grete injuries and
1811: Wronges to me and to my wyf prudence,
1812: And to my doghter also./ For ye han entred
1813: Into myn hous by violence,/ and have doon
1813: Swich outrage that alle men knowen wel that
1814: Ye have disserved the deeth./ And therfore
1815: Wol I knowe and wite of yow/ wheither ye
1815: Wol putte the punyssement and the chastisynge
1815: And the vengeance of this outrage in the wyl
1815: Of me and of my wyf prudence, or ye
1816: Wol nat?/
1816: Thanne the wiseste of hem thre answerde
1817: for hem alle, and seyde,/ sire, quod
1817: He, we knowen wel that we been unworthy
1817: To comen unto the court of so greet a lord and
1818: So worthy as ye been./ For we han so greetly
1818: Mystaken us, and han offended and agilt in
1819: Swich a wise agayn youre heigh lordshipe,/
-187-
1820: That trewely we han disserved the deeth./ But
1820: Yet, for the grete goodnesse and debonairetee
1820: That al the world witnesseth of youre
1821: Persone,/ we submytten us to the excellence
1821: and benignitee of youre gracious
1822: Lordshipe,/ and been redy to obeie to alle youre
1823: Comandementz;/ bisekynge yow that of youre
1823: Merciable pitee ye wol considere oure grete
1824: Repentaunce and lowe submyssioun,/ and
1824: Graunten us foryevenesse of oure outrageous
1825: Trespas and offense./ For wel we knowe that
1825: Youre liberal grace and mercy strecchen hem
1825: Ferther into goodnesse than doon oure outrageouse
1825: giltes and trespas into wikkednesse,/
1826: al be it that cursedly and
1826: Dampnablely we han agilt agayn youre
1827: Heigh lordshipe./
1827: Thanne melibee took hem up fro the ground
1828: Ful benignely,/ and receyved hire obligaciouns
1828: And hir boondes by hire othes upon hire plegges
1829: And borwes,/ and assigned hem a certeyn day
1830: To retourne unto his court,/ for to accepte and
1830: Receyve the sentence and juggement that
1830: Melibee wolde comande to be doon on
1831: Hem by the causes aforeseyd./ Whiche
1831: Thynges ordeyned, every man retourned
1832: To his hous./
1832: And whan that dame prudence saugh hir
1833: Tyme, she freyned and axed hir lord melibee/
1833: What vengeance he thoughte to taken of his
1834: Adversaries./
1834: To which melibee answerde, and seyde:
1834: Certes, quod he, I thynke and purpose me
1835: Fully / to desherite hem of al that evere they
1835: Han, and for to putte hem in exil for
1836: Evere./
1836: Certes, quod dame prudence, this
1836: Were a crueel sentence and muchel agayn resoun./
1837: for ye been riche ynough, and han
1838: No nede of oother mennes good;/ and ye
1838: Myghte lightly in this wise gete yow a coveitous
1839: name,/ which is a vicious thyng, and
1840: Oghte been eschued of every good man./ For
1840: After the sawe of the word of the apostle,
1841: -- coveitise is roote of alle harmes. -- /
1841: And therfore it were bettre for yow to
1841: Lese so muchel good of youre owene, than for
1842: To taken of hir good in this manere;/ for bettre
1842: it is to lesen good with worshipe, than it
1843: Is to wynne good with vileynye and shame./
1843: And everi man oghte to doon his diligence and
1844: His bisynesse to geten hym a good name./
1844: And yet shal he nat oonly bisie hym in kepynge
1845: of his good name,/ but he shal also enforcen
1845: hym alwey to do somthyng by
1846: Which he may renovelle his good name./
1846: For it is writen that -- the olde good loos
1846: Or good name of a man is soone goon and
1847: Passed, whan it is nat newed ne renovelled. -- /
1847: And as touchynge that ye seyn ye wole exile
1848: Youre adversaries,/ that thynketh me muchel
1849: Agayn resoun and out of mesure,/ considered
1849: The power that they han yeve yow upon hemself./
1850: and it is writen that -- he is worthy
1850: To lesen his privilege, that mysuseth the
1850: Myght and the power that is yeven
1851: Hym. -- / and I sette cas ye myghte enjoyne
1851: hem that peyne by right and by
1853: Lawe,// which I trowe ye mowe nat do,/ I seye
1853: Ye mighte nat putten it to execucioun peraventure,/
1854: and thanne were it likly to retourne
1855: To the werre as it was biforn./ And therfore,
1855: If ye wole that men do yow obeisance,
1856: Ye moste deemen moore curteisly;/ this
1856: Is to seyn, ye moste yeven moore esy sentences
1857: and juggementz./ For it is writen that
1857: -- he that moost curteisly comandeth, to hym
1858: Men moost obeyen. -- / and therfore I prey yow
1858: That in this necessitee and in this nede ye caste
1859: Yow to overcome youre herte./ For senec seith
1859: That -- he that overcometh his herte, overcometh
1860: Twies. -- / and tullius seith: -- ther is no
1861: Thyng so comendable in a greet lord/ as
1861: Whan he is debonaire and meeke, and
1862: Appeseth him lightly. -- / and I prey yow that ye
1863: Wole forbere now to do vengeance,/ in swich
1863: A manere that youre goode name may be kept
1864: And conserved,/ and that men mowe have
1864: Cause and mateere to preyse yow of pitee and
1865: Of mercy,/ and that ye have no cause to
1866: Repente yow of thyng that ye doon./
1866: For senec seith, -- he overcometh in an
1866: Yvel manere that repenteth hym of his victorie.
1867: -- / wherfore I pray yow, lat mercy been in
1868: Youre herte,/ to th' effect and entente that
1868: God almighty have mercy on yow in his laste
1869: Juggement./ For seint jame seith in his epistle:
1869: -- juggement withouten mercy shal be doon
1870: To hym that hath no mercy of another wight. -- /
1870: Whanne melibee hadde herd the grete skiles
1870: And resouns of dame prudence, and hire
1871: Wise informaciouns and techynges,/ his
1871: Herte gan enclyne to the wil of his wif,
1872: Considerynge hir trewe entente,/ and conformed
1872: hym anon, and assented fully to werken
1873: After hir conseil;/ and thonked god, of whom
1873: Procedeth al vertu and alle goodnesse, that
1874: Hym sente a wyf of so greet discrecioun./ And
-188-
1874: Whan the day cam that his adversaries sholde
1875: Appieren in his presence,/ he spak unto
1876: Hem ful goodly, and seyde in this wyse:/
1876: Al be it so that of youre pride and heigh
1876: Presumpcioun and folie, and of youre necligence
1877: and unkonnynge,/ ye have mysborn yow
1878: And trespassed unto me,/ yet for as muche as
1879: I see and biholde youre grete humylitee,/ and
1879: That ye been sory and repentant of youre
1880: Giltes,/ it constreyneth me to doon yow
1881: Grace and mercy./ Wherfore I receyve
1882: Yow to my grace,/ and foryeve yow outrely
1882: alle the offenses, injuries, and wronges that
1883: Ye have doon agayn me and myne,/ to this
1883: Effect and to this ende that God of his endelees
1884: mercy/ wole at the tyme of oure diynge
1884: Foryeven us oure giltes that we han trespassed
1885: To hym in this wrecched world./ For doutelees,
1885: if we be sory and repentant of the synnes
1885: And giltes which we han trespassed in
1886: The sighte of oure lord god,/ he is so
1887: Free and so merciable/ that he wole foryeven
1888: us oure giltes,/ and bryngen us to the
1888: Blisse that nevere hath ende. Amen.