The Tale of Melibeus Folio 169v 3 of 40 folios
that I
it him conserueth florisshing in his age
rowful herte maketh his bones drye
sorow in herte sleeth ful many a man /
right as moththes in the shepes flees / anoyeth to the clothes
and the smale wormes to the tree . Ryght so anoyeth sorwe to
the herte
dren as in the losse of our goodes temporels haue pacience
membre yow vpon the pacient Iob whan he had lost his children
and his temporel substance / and in his body endured and re
ceyued ful many a greuous tribulacioun / yit seide he thus .
lord hath biraft it me right so as our lord wolde. right so it is
ydoon I blessid be the name of our lord
answerd Melibeus vnto his wif prudence . Alle thi wordes quod
he ben sooth and therto
bled with this sorwe so greuously that I not what to done.
nage which that ben wise telleth your cas and herkeneth what
thei sey in conseilynge and yow gouerne after hir sentence .
lamon seith werk alle thi thinges bi counseil and thow shalt
neuer repente
this Melibeus leet callen a greet congregacioun of folk
giens Phisiciens olde folk and yonge and somme of his olde ene-
mys reconsiled as bi hir semblant to his loue and in to his grace
him reuerence moore for drede than for loue as it happeth ofte
lerned in the lawe
This Mellibeus in sorowful wise shewed hem his cas.
the Maner of his speche it semed that in herte he baar a cruel
Ire redy to doon vengeaunce vpon his foos and sodeynly desired
the werre sholde bygynne
vpon this mater
were wise vp roos and vn to Melibeus seide as ye may here
eu
and to our pacientz that we do no damage