it is writen . he þat most curteysly comaundeth to him men
most obeyen .
and þerfore I pay ȝow þat in þis necessite and
in þis neede ȝe caste ȝow to ouercome ȝoure herte
¶ For Se-
nek saiþ . he þat ouercomeþ his herte ouercomeþ twyes
890
¶ And
thullius saith . þer is no þing so comendale in a gret lord
as whan he is debonaire and meeke and appesith him liȝt-
ly
And I pray ȝow þat ȝe wol forbere now to do vengeaūce
in such a manere þat ȝoure goode name may be kept /& con-
serued .
and þat men mowe haue cause / and matiere to pay-
se ȝow of pite and of mercy
895
and þat ȝe haue noon cause to
repente ȝow of þing þat ȝe doon
¶ For senec saith ¶ he ouer-
comeþ in an euel manere þat repenteþ him of his victorie
¶ Wherfore I pray ȝow let mercy be in ȝoure herte
to theffect
and thentent þat god almighty haue mercy and pite vpon
ȝow in his laste iuggemēt
¶ For seint Iame saith in his E-
pistil ; Iuggement wiþoute mercy schal be doon to him þt
haþ no mecy vpon another wigħt
900
¶ whan Melibe had
herd þe grete skiles and resoūs of dame prudens and
wys informacioū and techynge ;
his herte gan enclyne
to þe wille of his wyf consideryng hir trewe entent ;
con-
~fermed him anoon and consented fully to werke after hir
reed and counseil
¶ And þankid god of whom procedeth
al goodnes þat him sente a wif of so gret discrescioun
¶ And whan þe day cam þat his aduersaries schulden appere
in his persence ;
905
he spak ful goodly and sayde in þis wise .
¶ Al be it so þat of ȝoure pryde and heigh persumpcioū and
folye and of ȝoure negligence / and vnconnynge
ȝe haue
mys bore ȝow and trespassed vnto me ;
ȝit for as moche
as I se and biholde ȝoure humilite
þat ȝe ben sory and
repentaūt of ȝoure giltes ;
910
hit constreigneþ me to do ȝow
grace . and mercy .
wherfore I receyue ȝow to my grace
and
forȝeue ȝow outerly alle þe offenses iniuries and wronges
þat ȝe haue don to me and agayns me and myne /
this
is þeffect & to þis ende þt god of his endeles mercy
wole at
þe tyme of oure deyinge forȝiue vs oure giltes þt we haue
trespased to hī ī þis wrecched world .
915
for douteles & we ben
sory & repentaūt of þe sȳnes & giltes whiche we haue tres-
passed Inne ī þe sight of oure lord god ;