The Tale of Melibeus Folio 170v 5 of 40 folios
that thilke Iuge is wise that sone vnderstandeth a mater and
Iuggeth it bi leyser
algates it is nat to reproue in yeuyng of Iuggement ne in venge-
aunce takyng what it is sufficiant and resonable
wed our lord I
womman that was taken in Auoutrye was brought in his pre
sence to knowen what shold be doon of hir
he wist wel him self what that he wold answer yit ne wold
he nat answere sodeynly but he wolde haue deliberacioun and
in the ground he wroot twyes
beracioun
thee thing that shal be
folk attones and te most partye of that compaignye han scorned
this old wise man and bigonnen to make noyse and seiden that
so men shulde wreken hir wronges whil that thei ben fressh and
new and with loude vois thei criden werre / werre
tho oon of thise olde wise and with his hond made contenance
that men sholde holde hem stille and yeuen him audience
dynges quod he ther is ful many a man that crieth werre
that woot ful litel what werre amounteth
gynnyng hath so gret an entre and so large that eu
tre whan him liketh and lightly fynde werre
ende ther of shal falle
whan that werre is ones bygonne ther is ful many a childe
vnborne of his moder that shal sterue yong be cause of thilk
werre or elles lyue in sorwe and die in wrecchednesse
therfore or that eny werre be bigonne men most haue gret conseil
and gret deliberacioun
to enforcen his tale bi resons welnygh alle at ones bygonne thei
to rise for to breken his tale and beden him ful ofte his wordes
to abregge
his wordes his sarmon hem anoyeth
that musik in wepyng is anoyous thing .This is to seyn as
moche avayleth to speke bifore folk to which his speche anoyeth
as it is to synge biforn him that wepeth