knowelecheth & repentith hyō axinge indulgence
805
For Senek \saith/ theere is the remissioū & forȝeuenesse of
synne / wheere as the
the cōfescioū is / neighbore to in-
nocence ;
is confessioū / And therfore I assente / & cō-
ferme me to haue pees /
but it is good that we
doon not with outyn theassent & wil of oure frēdes ~
Thāne was prudence / ryȝt glad & Ioyeful
& seyde /
810
Certis sere quod sche / ȝe han
weel & goodly answeryd /
for rygh as by
the conseyl / assent & helpe of ȝoure frendis / ȝe hā
been stirid to venge ȝow / & make werre /
ryȝt so wt
outyn hire conseyl / schul ȝe nat acordȳ / ȝow / ne
haue pees wt ȝoure aduersarijs /
For the lawe seith
There ne is no thyng so good be woye of kynde
as a thyng to been onboūde / by hȳ that it was
I bonde //
And thāne Dame Prudence / with ou-
tyn delay or taryinge / sente a non hire messagis
for hire kyn & for hire olde frendis / whiche that we-
re trewe / & wyse
815
& tolde hē bi ordere in the persē-
ce of Melibee / al this matieere as it is a boue ex-
pressid / & declared /
and preyede hē that they wol-
de ȝeue hire a vis & conseyl / what best were to dō
in this neede //
And whāne Melibees frendis
haddyn takyn hire auys / & deliberacioū of the
forseyde matieere /
& hadde examynede it bi greet
auysement & besynesse & greet diligence /
they ȝe-
ve ful conseyl / for to haue pees & reste /
820
And that
Melibee schulde resseyue with good herte hise
aduersaryis / to forȝeuenesse & mercy
¶ And whā-
ne dame Prudence / hadde herd thassent of hire
lord / Melibee & the conseyl of hise frendis /
acord / wt
hire wil / & hyre entencioū
sche was wondirly
glad / in hire herte / & seyde /
there is an old prouer-
be / quod sche / that seyth That the goodnesse that
thow mayght don this day do it /
825
& abyde not ne
de laye it not til tomorwe /
& therfore I conseyle
that ȝe sende ȝoure massagis / sweche as been
discreete / & wyse .
vn to ȝoure aduersaryis / tellȳge
hem on ȝoure behalue /