be reson of þe grete richesse & power of þe parties boþe .
For whiche re-
souns it were a grete perile for to erren in þis matiere
60
¶ Where fore
Milebeus þis is oure sentence ; we counsel ȝowe aboue al þinges þat
riht anone þou do þi diligence in kepeinge of þi propre persone in suche
þat þou ne wante none aspie . ne to wache þine bodie for to saue
¶ And
after þt we counseile þat þou setten ī þine hous sufficeant garnysoū so
þat þei maie so þat þei maie þi body also wele as þine hous defende .
¶ Botte certes for to meve werre ne sodanly to done vengeance we maie
nouht deme in so litel time þat it were profitable .
wherefore we Axen
leyser & space to haue deliberacion in þis caas to deme
¶ For þe comune
prouerbe seiþ þus ¶ He þat sone demeþ sone schal repent
65
¶ And eke men
seine þus ¶ That ilke Iugge is wise þat sone vnderstondeþ a matiere
& Iugeþe b leyser
¶ For al be it so þat a tariinge be a noyeful . Algates
it is not to reproue in ȝeueinge of Iuggement ne in vengeance takeinge ;
whan it is suffisant & resonable
¶ And þat schwde oure lorde ihū ciste
be ensample . For whan þat wōman was taken in aduoutre & was bro-
whte in his persence to knowe whal schal be done wiþ hir persone ¶ Al be
it so þat he wist wele him selfe what þat he wold onsewere ; ȝete ne
wolde he ansewere sodanly bot he wold haue deliberacione . And ī þe
grounde he wrote twyes .
And be þis cause we axen deliberacione . And
we schal þan by þe grace of god counseile þe þo þinges þat schallen be
profitable
¶ vp stert þan þe ȝonge folke att ones And þe most partie
of þat cōpaignie haþe scorned þis olde wise man . & be gonnen to ma-
ken noyce & seiden
70
riht so ¶ Al þe while þt . Iren is hote men schold smyte .
Riht so men scholde wreken here wronges whiles þat þei bue frische
& newe ¶ And wiþ loude voice þei criden werre werre
¶ Vprose one
of þe olde wise . & wiþ his honde he maade a countenance þt þei schold
holde hem stil ; and ȝeuen hem audience
¶ Lordeinge qd he þer is ful
mony aman þat crieþ werr . werr . þat woote ful lytel what þat werr
amounteþ ;
werre att his beginynge haþ so grete an entringe & so
Bot certes to whatt ende þat schal þer of be fal ; it is note lyhtly to
knowe
75
¶ Whan þat werre is ones begonne . þer is ful mony a childe
vnborne of his moder þat schal sterue ȝonge be cause of þilke werre .
Oþere elles leue in sorwe & deye in wrechednesse
¶ And þere fore or
þat any werre be ginne men most haue grete conseile & goode delibera-
cion
¶ And whan þis olde man wende to enforcen his tale be resoun
welnyhe al att ones bygonne for to rise to breken his tale . & biden him
ful oft of his wordes to abrigge ;
For soþely he þat percheþ to hē þat lust
For ihc̃ Sirak seipe .
That Musike in wepeinge is anoyus þinge . Thus muche it is to seine
As muche anoyeþ to spek to forne folke to whiche his speche annoyeþ as
As it is for to singen be forne him þat wepeþ