| |
|
A...................200
|
| Mel 967 A yong man called Melibeus, myghty and riche, bigat upon his wyf, that called was Prudence, | 0 |
| Mel 967A a doghter which that called was Sophie. | 2 |
| Mel 968 Upon a day bifel that he for his desport is went into the feeldes hym to pleye. | 2 |
| Mel 973A lyk a mad man rentynge his clothes, gan to wepe and crie. | 10 |
| Mel 977 " He is a fool that destourbeth the mooder to wepen in the deeth of hire child | 16 |
| Mel 977A til she have wept hir fille as for a certein tyme, | 16 |
| Mel 979A for to wepe and crie as for a certein space, | 20 |
| Mel 980A " Allas, my lord, " quod she, " why make ye youreself for to be lyk a fool? | 22 |
| Mel 981 For sothe it aperteneth nat to a wys man to maken swich a sorwe. | 24 |
| Mel 981 For sothe it aperteneth nat to a wys man to maken swich a sorwe. | 24 |
| Mel 986A that hath so greet a cause for to wepe? | 32 |
| Mel 996 He seith eek thus, that sorwe in herte sleeth ful many a man. | 48 |
| Mel 999A and in his body endured and receyved ful many a grevous tribulacion, yet seyde he thus: | 54 |
| Mel 1004 Thanne, by the conseil of his wyf Prudence, this Melibeus leet callen a greet congregacion of folk, | 62 |
| Mel 1009 And by the manere of his speche it semed that in herte he baar a crueel ire, | 70 |
| Mel 1011 A surgien, by licence and assent of swiche as weren wise, up roos | 72 |
| Mel 1016 Almoost right in the same wise the phisiciens answerden, save that they seyden a fewe woordes moore: | 82 |
| Mel 1022A is a ful hevy thyng and an heigh matiere, | 92 |
| Mel 1025 for the whiche resouns it were a ful greet peril to erren in this matiere. | 96 |
| Mel 1026A in kepynge of thy propre persone in swich a wise | 98 |
| Mel 1031 And eek men seyn that thilke juge is wys that soone understondeth a matiere and juggeth by leyser; | 106 |
| Mel 1038 " Lordynges, " quod he, " ther is ful many a man that crieth `Werre, werre!' | 124 |
| Mel 1041 For soothly, whan that werre is ones bigonne, ther is ful many a child unborn of his mooder | 128 |
| Mel 1045 For Jhesus Syrak seith that " musik in wepynge is a noyous thyng " ; this is to seyn: | 134 |
| Mel 1055A for many causes and resouns. For certes, every wight wolde holde me thanne a fool; | 154 |
| Mel 1057A For `of a thousand men,' seith Salomon, `I foond o good man, but certes, | 158 |
| Mel 1066A to perfourne thilke same emprise by juste cause, men sholde nat seyn therfore that ye were a liere ne forsworn. | 176 |
| Mel 1073 And, sire, that ther hath been many a good womman may lightly be preved. | 190 |
| Mel 1074 For certes, sire, oure Lord Jhesu Crist wolde nevere have descended to be born of a womman, | 190 |
| Mel 1075B appeered rather to a womman than to his Apostles. | 194 |
| Mel 1077A many another man hath founden many a womman ful good and trewe. | 198 |
| Mel 1083 For soothly thilke man that asketh conseil of a purpos, yet hath he free choys | 210 |
| Mel 1084A wot noght, as who seith that a womman kan nat hyde that she woot; | 212 |
| Mel 1086 of whiche wommen men seyn that thre thynges dryven a man out of his hous -- | 214 |
| Mel 1087A `it were bettre dwelle in desert than with a womman that is riotous.' | 218 |
| Mel 1095A many a womman hath ben ful good, and yet been, and hir conseils ful hoolsome and profitable. | 230 |
| Mel 1097 But al be it so that ful many a womman is badde and hir conseil vile and noght worth, | 232 |
| Mel 1097A yet han men founde ful many a good womman, and ful discret and wis in conseillynge. | 234 |
| Mel 1102 And the same bountee in good conseillyng of many a good womman may men telle. | 242 |
| Mel 1104 `It is nat good to been a man alloone; make we to hym an helpe semblable to hymself.' | 244 |
| Mel 1107 And ther seyde oones a clerk in two vers, `What is bettre than gold? Jaspre. | 248 |
| Mel 1108 And what is better than wisedoom? Womman. And what is bettre than a good womman? Nothyng.' | 250 |
| Mel 1131 And trust wel that a coveitous man ne kan noght deme ne thynke, | 282 |
| Mel 1134 ye ne may nat deeme for the beste by a sodeyn thought that falleth in youre herte, | 286 |
| Mel 1148 But nathelees, if thou wene sikerly that the biwreiyng of thy conseil to a persone wol make | 306 |
| Mel 1158 For Salomon seith that `right as the herte of a man deliteth in savour that is soote, | 320 |
| Mel 1160 for certes gold ne silver ben nat so muche worth as the goode wyl of a trewe freend.' | 322 |
| Mel 1161 And eek he seith that `a trewe freend is a strong deffense; who so that it fyndeth, | 324 |
| Mel 1161A certes he fyndeth a greet tresour.' | 324 |
| Mel 1166 And thanne shul ye kepe this for a general reule: First shul ye clepen to youre conseil | 334 |
| Mel 1166A a fewe of youre freendes that been especiale; | 334 |
| Mel 1167 for Salomon seith, `Manye freendes have thou, but among a thousand chese thee oon to be thy conseillour.' | 336 |
| Mel 1168 For al be it so that thou first ne telle thy conseil but to a fewe, | 336 |
| Mel 1173 First, ye shul eschue the conseillyng of fooles; for Salomon seith, `Taak no conseil of a fool, | 346 |
| Mel 1174 The book seith that `the propretee of a fool is this: he troweth lightly harm of every wight, | 348 |
| Mel 1178 Salomon seith that `the wordes of a flaterere is a snare to cacche with innocentz.' | 356 |
| Mel 1178 Salomon seith that `the wordes of a flaterere is a snare to cacche with innocentz.' | 356 |
| Mel 1179A setteth a net biforn his feet to cacche hym.' | 358 |
| Mel 1191 And therfore seith a philosophre in this wise: | 376 |
| Mel 1196 For Cassidorie seith that `it is a manere sleighte to hyndre, | 384 |
| Mel 1212 thanne shaltou considere if thou mayst parfourne it and maken of it a good ende. | 410 |
| Mel 1213 For certes resoun wol nat that any man sholde bigynne a thyng | 410 |
| Mel 1214 ne no wight sholde take upon hym so hevy a charge that he myghte nat bere it. | 412 |
| Mel 1217 And if so be that thou be in doute wheither thou mayst parfourne a thing or noon, | 418 |
| Mel 1218 And Piers Alphonce seith, `If thou hast myght to doon a thyng of which thou most repente, | 420 |
| Mel 1220 Thanne may ye understonde by strenger resons that if thou hast power to parfourne a werk | 422 |
| Mel 1221 Wel seyn they that defenden every wight to assaye a thyng of which he is in doute | 424 |
| Mel 1224 Soothly, a man may chaungen his purpos and his conseil if the cause cesseth, | 430 |
| Mel 1224A or whan a newe caas bitydeth. | 432 |
| Mel 1231 " And take this for a general reule, that every conseil that is affermed so strongly that it may nat | 440 |
| Mel 1239A be called a conseillyng, but a mocioun or a moevyng of folye, | 454 |
| Mel 1239A be called a conseillyng, but a mocioun or a moevyng of folye, | 454 |
| Mel 1239A be called a conseillyng, but a mocioun or a moevyng of folye, | 454 |
| Mel 1240 in which conseil ye han erred in many a sondry wise. | 454 |
| Mel 1242 For ye sholde first have cleped a fewe folk to youre conseil, and after ye myghte han shewed it | 456 |
| Mel 1243 But certes, ye han sodeynly cleped to youre conseil a greet multitude of peple, | 458 |
| Mel 1253 whereas in so greet and so heigh a nede it hadde been necessarie mo conseillours | 474 |
| Mel 1258 And sith ye woot wel that men shal alwey fynde a gretter nombre of fooles than of wise men, | 484 |
| Mel 1280 that right as they han doon me a contrarie, right so sholde I doon hem another. | 514 |
| Mel 1307 for ther nys noon so good a phisicien as thy trewe freend.' | 550 |
| Mel 1309 For Piers Alfonce seith, `Ne taak no compaignye by the weye of a straunge man, | 554 |
| Mel 1309A but if so be that thou have knowe hym of a lenger tyme. | 554 |
| Mel 1312 and if he bereth a spere, hoold thee on the right syde, | 558 |
| Mel 1312A and if he bere a swerd, hoold thee on the lift syde.' | 560 |
| Mel 1326 And the book seith, `A litel thorn may prikke a kyng ful soore, | 578 |
| Mel 1336A and whan that they been accompliced, yet be they nat worth a stree, | 594 |
| Mel 1337 And understoond wel that the gretteste and strongeste garnysoun that a riche man may have, | 596 |
| Mel 1339 For thus seith Tullius, that `ther is a manere garnysoun | 600 |
| Mel 1340 a lord to be biloved of his citezeins and of his peple.' | 602 |
| Mel 1360 For Tullius put a thyng which that he clepeth `consentynge'; this is to seyn, | 626 |
| Mel 1367 for certes ye ne han no child but a doghter, | 636 |
| Mel 1375 yet nathelees youre kynrede nys but a fer kynrede; they been but litel syb to yow, | 644 |
| Mel 1403 For we shul suppose that they shul come to a wikked ende, | 682 |
| Mel 1430 a man wolde nevere take vengeance, and that were harm; | 716 |
| Mel 1435 And yet seye I moore, that right as a singuler persone synneth in takynge vengeance of another man, | 720 |
| Mel 1444 " A, " quod Melibee, " this vengeance liketh me no thyng. | 732 |
| Mel 1445A and hath holpen me to passe many a stroong paas. | 734 |
| Mel 1455 For Senec seith, `What man that is norissed by Fortune, she maketh hym a greet fool.' | 746 |
| Mel 1463A thou sompnest thyne adversaries to do thee a newe vileynye.' | 758 |
| Mel 1472 they sompne nat a man al oonly for to do newe wronges, but they comanden it. | 768 |
| Mel 1473 Also a wys man seith that `the juge that correcteth nat the synnere comandeth and biddeth hym do synne.' | 770 |
| Mel 1481 " Forthermoore, ye knowen wel that after the comune sawe, `it is a woodnesse a man to stryve | 780 |
| Mel 1481 " Forthermoore, ye knowen wel that after the comune sawe, `it is a woodnesse a man to stryve | 780 |
| Mel 1481A with a strenger or a moore myghty man than he is hymself, | 780 |
| Mel 1481A with a strenger or a moore myghty man than he is hymself, | 780 |
| Mel 1482 and for to stryve with a man of evene strengthe -- that is to seyn, | 782 |
| Mel 1482A with as strong a man as he is -- it is peril, | 782 |
| Mel 1483 and for to stryve with a weyker man, it is folie.' | 784 |
| Mel 1484 And therfore sholde a man flee stryvynge as muchel as he myghte. | 784 |
| Mel 1485 For Salomon seith, `It is a greet worshipe to a man to kepen hym fro noyse and stryf.' | 786 |
| Mel 1485 For Salomon seith, `It is a greet worshipe to a man to kepen hym fro noyse and stryf.' | 786 |
| Mel 1486 And if it so bifalle or happe that a man of gretter myght and strengthe | 786 |
| Mel 1488A that stryveth with a gretter man than he is hymself.' | 790 |
| Mel 1489 And Catoun seith, `If a man of hyer estaat or degree, or moore myghty than thou, | 792 |
| Mel 1497 And Seint Gregorie seith that `whan a man considereth wel the nombre of his defautes and of his synnes, | 802 |
| Mel 1503 for he dide nevere synne, ne nevere cam ther a vileyns word out of his mouth. | 810 |
| Mel 1509 and the joye that a man seketh to have by pacience in tribulaciouns is perdurable, | 816 |
| Mel 1512 For Salomon seith that `the doctrine and the wit of a man is knowen by pacience.' | 822 |
| Mel 1517 And therfore seith Seint Jame in his Epistle that `pacience is a greet vertu of perfeccioun.' " | 828 |
| Mel 1518 " Certes, " quod Melibee, " I graunte yow, dame Prudence, that pacience is a greet vertu of perfeccioun; | 830 |
| Mel 1522A to do me a vileynye in takynge vengeance upon me, | 834 |
| Mel 1524A though I putte me in a litel peril for to venge me, | 838 |
| Mel 1525 and though I do a greet excesse; that is to seyn, that I venge oon outrage by another. " | 838 |
| Mel 1526 " A, " quod dame Prudence, " ye seyn youre wyl and as yow liketh, | 840 |
| Mel 1527 but in no caas of the world a man sholde nat doon outrage ne excesse for to vengen hym. | 840 |
| Mel 1532 And if ye seye that right axeth a man to defenden violence by violence and fightyng by fightyng, | 848 |
| Mel 1535 And it bihoveth that a man putte swich attemperance in his deffense | 850 |
| Mel 1540 " Certes, " quod Melibee, " I graunte yow that whan a man is inpacient and wrooth of that | 858 |
| Mel 1543 For right as he that taketh a straunge hound by the eris is outherwhile biten with the hound, | 864 |
| Mel 1554 For right as the body of a man may nat lyven withoute the soule, | 880 |
| Mel 1555 And by richesses may a man gete hym grete freendes. | 882 |
| Mel 1556 And therfore seith Pamphilles: `If a net-herdes doghter,' seith he, `be riche, | 884 |
| Mel 1556A she may chesen of a thousand men which she wol take to hir housbonde, | 884 |
| Mel 1557 for, of a thousand men, oon wol nat forsaken hire ne refusen hire.' | 886 |
| Mel 1558A if thou be right riche -- thou shalt fynde a greet nombre of felawes and freendes. | 888 |
| Mel 1563 for greet poverte constreyneth a man to do manye yveles. | 894 |
| Mel 1567 whan a free man by kynde or of burthe is constreyned by poverte | 898 |
| Mel 1568A `sorweful and myshappy is the condicioun of a povre beggere; | 902 |
| Mel 1577 For a man that is to desirynge to gete richesses abaundoneth hym | 914 |
| Mel 1579 He seith also that `the richesse that hastily cometh to a man soone | 916 |
| Mel 1579A and lightly gooth and passeth fro a man, | 918 |
| Mel 1585A that may falle unto a man, is so muchel agayns | 926 |
| Mel 1586 nature as a man to encressen his owene profit to the harm of another man. | 926 |
| Mel 1589 For Salomon seith that `ydelnesse techeth a man to do manye yveles.' | 930 |
| Mel 1593 For ther is a versifiour seith that `the ydel man excuseth hym in wynter by cause | 934 |
| Mel 1599 in swich a manere that men holde yow nat to scars, ne to sparynge, ne to fool-large | 944 |
| Mel 1599A -- that is to seyen, over-large a spendere. | 944 |
| Mel 1603 in swich a manere that men have no matiere ne cause to calle thee neither wrecche ne chynche, | 948 |
| Mel 1604 for it is a greet shame to a man to have a povere herte and a riche purs.' | 950 |
| Mel 1604 for it is a greet shame to a man to have a povere herte and a riche purs.' | 950 |
| Mel 1604 for it is a greet shame to a man to have a povere herte and a riche purs.' | 950 |
| Mel 1604 for it is a greet shame to a man to have a povere herte and a riche purs.' | 950 |
| Mel 1611 For a wys man repreveth the avaricious man, and seith thus in two vers: | 958 |
| Mel 1612 `Wherto and why burieth a man his goodes by his grete avarice, | 958 |
| Mel 1620 as wel sholde ye kepe yow and governe yow in swich a wise that men calle yow nat fool-large. | 968 |
| Mel 1628 For after the word of Salomon, `It is bettre to have a litel good with the love of God | 978 |
| Mel 1630 And the prophete seith that `bettre it is to been a good man and have litel good and tresour | 980 |
| Mel 1631 than to been holden a shrewe and have grete richesses.' | 982 |
| Mel 1635 And the wise man seith, `The substance of a man is ful good, | 986 |
| Mel 1638 For Salomon seith that `bettre it is and moore it availleth a man to have a good name | 990 |
| Mel 1638 For Salomon seith that `bettre it is and moore it availleth a man to have a good name | 990 |
| Mel 1641 And certes he sholde nat be called a gentil man that after God and good conscience, alle thynges left, | 996 |
| Mel 1642 And Cassidore seith that `it is signe of a gentil herte | 998 |
| Mel 1642A whan a man loveth and desireth to han a good name.' | 998 |
| Mel 1642A whan a man loveth and desireth to han a good name.' | 998 |
| Mel 1647A and rekketh noght though he kepe nat his goode name, nys but a crueel cherl. | 1004 |
| Mel 1651 And therfore seith a philosophre, `That man that desireth and wole algates han werre, shal nevere have suffisaunce, | 1010 |
| Mel 1653 And Salomon seith that `the gretter richesses that a man hath, the mo despendours he hath.' | 1012 |
| Mel 1659 whan he sholde fighte agayn his adversarie that hadde a gretter nombre | 1020 |
| Mel 1659A and a gretter multitude of folk and strenger than was this peple of Machabee, | 1022 |
| Mel 1661 `Als lightly,' quod he, `may oure Lord God Almyghty yeve victorie to a fewe folk as to many folk, | 1024 |
| Mel 1662 for the victorie of a bataile comth nat by the grete nombre of peple, | 1024 |
| Mel 1669 for as lightly is oon hurt with a spere as another'; | 1034 |
| Mel 1670 and for ther is gret peril in werre, therfore sholde a man flee and eschue werre, | 1034 |
| Mel 1670A in as muchel as a man may goodly. | 1036 |
| Mel 1681 " A, " quod Melibee, " now se I wel that ye loven nat myn honour ne my worshipe. | 1048 |
| Mel 1707 For Salomon seith, `He is moore worth that repreveth or chideth a fool for his folye, | 1078 |
| Mel 1709A `by the sorweful visage of a man' | 1082 |
| Mel 1709B (that is to seyn by the sory and hevy contenaunce of a man) | 1084 |
| Mel 1727 thinkinge how she myghte brynge this nede unto a good conclusioun and to a good ende. | 1104 |
| Mel 1727 thinkinge how she myghte brynge this nede unto a good conclusioun and to a good ende. | 1104 |
| Mel 1728 And whan she saugh hir tyme, she sente for thise adversaries to come unto hire into a pryvee place | 1104 |
| Mel 1731 and seyde to hem in a goodly manere hou that hem oughten have greet repentaunce | 1108 |
| Mel 1735 " A, lady, " quod they, " ye han shewed unto us the blessynge of swetnesse, | 1112 |
| Mel 1749 that he wole enjoyne us swich a peyne as we mowe nat bere ne susteene. | 1128 |
| Mel 1753 that a man putte hym al outrely in the arbitracioun and juggement, | 1132 |
| Mel 1758 by a strenger resoun he deffendeth and forbedeth a man to yeven hymself to his enemy. | 1140 |
| Mel 1758 by a strenger resoun he deffendeth and forbedeth a man to yeven hymself to his enemy. | 1140 |
| Mel 1783 For the lawe seith, `Ther nys no thyng so good by wey of kynde as a thyng | 1170 |
| Mel 1817A of so greet a lord and so worthy as ye been. | 1212 |
| Mel 1818A and agilt in swich a wise agayn youre heigh lordshipe | 1214 |
| Mel 1829 and assigned hem a certeyn day to retourne unto his court | 1226 |
| Mel 1836 " Certes, " quod dame Prudence, " this were a crueel sentence and muchel agayn resoun. | 1234 |
| Mel 1838 and ye myghte lightly in this wise gete yow a coveitous name, | 1236 |
| Mel 1839 which is a vicious thyng, and oghte been eschued of every good man. | 1236 |
| Mel 1843 And everi man oghte to doon his diligence and his bisynesse to geten hym a good name. | 1242 |
| Mel 1846 For it is writen that `the olde good loos or good name of a man is soone goon | 1244 |
| Mel 1860 And Tullius seith, `Ther is no thyng so comendable in a greet lord | 1262 |
| Mel 1863 in swich a manere that youre goode name may be kept and conserved, | 1264 |
| Mel 1873A that hym sente a wyf of so greet discrecioun. | 1276 |