To this replied Dame Prudence: "Surely," said she, "I grant that much good and much evil come of
vengeance; but vengeance-taking does not belong to everyone, but only to judges and such as have a proper
jurisdiction and authority over wrongdoers. And I say, further, that just as an individual sins in wreaking
vengeance upon another man, so sins the judge if he does not fully exact payment from those who have
deserved to be punished. For Seneca says: 'That is a good master who convicts criminals.' And as
Cassiodorus says: 'A man shrinks from crime when he understands and knows that it angers the judges and
the sovereigns.' And yet another says: 'The judge who fears to deal justly makes criminals of men.' And Saint
Paul the apostle says in his Epistle to the Romans that not without reason are the fasces borne before the
magistrates. For they are borne to punish criminals and miscreants, and for the security of good and just men.
If, then, you would have revenge upon your enemies, you should turn to and have recourse unto the judge
having a proper jurisdiction over them; and he will punish them as the law demands and requires."
"Ah!" exclaimed Melibeus. "This idea of vengeance is no longer to my liking. I remember, now, how Fortune
has nourished me from my childhood, helping me over many a difficult place. I give heed to this; and now
will I make trial of her again, believing that, with God's help, she will aid me to avenge my shame."
"Indeed," said Prudence, "if you will act according to my advice, you shall not make trial of Fortune in any
way; you shall not bow down before her. For, to quote Seneca: 'Things done foolishly and in the hope of
Fortune, shall never come to any good end.' And as the same Seneca says: 'The clearer and the more shining
Fortune appears, the more brittle she is and the more easily broken.' Trust not in her, for she is neither
steadfast nor stable; for when you believe yourself to be most secure and most certain of her help, she will
deceive and fail you. And whereas you say that Fortune has nourished you from your childhood, I say that by
so much the less should you trust now to her and to her ingenuity. For Seneca says: 'As for the man who is
nursed by Fortune, she will make of him a great fool.' Now then, since you desire and demand vengeance,
and since the sort of vengeance that is to be had according to law and before a judge is not to your taste, and
since the vengeance that is attempted in reliance upon Fortune is dangerous and uncertain, then remains to
you no other remedy than to have recourse unto the sovereign. Judge Who punishes all villainies and avenges
all wrongs. And He will avenge you, as He Himself promises, for 'Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.'"
Melibee answered: "If I do not revenge myself for the injury that men have done to me, I invite and advertise
to those who have injured me, and to all others, that they are free to do me another wrong. For it is written: 'If
thou take no revenge for an old injury, thou invitest thine enemies to do thee a new evil.' And also, what of
my sufferance, men would do to me so much of villainy that I could neither endure it nor sustain it; and I
should be held in contempt. For men say: 'In patient sufferance shall many things happen to one, the which
one may not grin and bear.'
"Certainly," said Prudence, "I grant you that too much of sufferance is not a good thing; but yet it follows not
therefrom that every person to whom men do a rascality may take vengeance for it; for that is the duty of and
belongs only to the proper judges. Wherefore the two authorities that you have quoted are only to be
understood as speaking to and of the judges; for when they suffer overmuch that wrong and crime remain
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unpunished, they not only invite new injury and wrong, but they command that they be done. Also a wise
man says: 'The judge who does not chasten the sinner, bids him to sin again.' And it is conceivable that the
judges and sovereigns of any realm might show so much leniency to criminals and evil-doers that, from such
sufferance, in process of time, they might so wax in power as to turn out the judges and the monarchs from
their places, and thus, at last, deprive them of the mastery.
"But now let us assume that you have a proper leave to avenge yourself. I say that you have not now the
power to avenge yourself. For if you will compare your own with the power and might of your adversaries,
you shall find, in many ways, as I have previously pointed out, that their condition is better than yours. And
therefore say I that it is well, as for this time, to suffer your injuries in patience.
"Furthermore, you know well the common saw: It is madness in a man to strive with one who is stronger than
himself; and to strive with a man of even strength is dangerous; but to strive with a weaker man is foolish.
And for this reason a man should avoid all strife, in so far as he may. For Solomon says that it is to a man's
honour if he withhold himself from noise and strife. And if it so happen that a man of greater power or
strength does you an injury, make it your business to study how to stop the pain of it, rather than how to
avenge it. For Seneca says: 'He puts himself into great peril who strives with a greater than himself.' And
Cato says: 'If a man of higher degree or estate, or one more mighty than thou do thee an annoyance or
grievance, tolerate him; for he that once has grieved thee, at another time he may relieve and help.' Yet I am
assuming that you have both the power and the license to avenge yourself. I say, nevertheless, that there are
very many things which ought to constrain you to withhold your punishment, and make you rather incline
toward sufferance and to have patience under whatever may have been done to you. First and foremost, if you
will, consider the faults in your own person, for which defects God has permitted that you have this
tribulation, as I said before. For the poet says that we ought patiently to endure the tribulations that come to
us when we think upon and well consider that we have deserved them. And Saint Gregory says: 'When a man
considers well the multitude of his faults and sins, the trials and tribulations that he suffers will seem but the
lighter to be borne; and just in so much as he holds his sins to be the more heavy and grievous, in so much
will seem his pains the lighter and the easier to be borne.' Also, you ought to incline and bow down your
heart to observe and learn the patience of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as Saint Peter says in his Epistle. 'Jesus
Christ,' he says, 'hath suffered for us, and hath given example to every man to follow Him and to pray unto
Him; for He did never sin, nor ever came there a vicious word out of His mouth; when men cursed Him, he
cursed them not, and when men belaboured Him with blows, He would not menace them.' Also, the great
patience which the saints in Paradise showed in bearing the tribulations of this world, and all without their
deserving or their guilt- this ought greatly to prompt you to patience. Furthermore, you should enforce
patience upon yourself when you consider that the tribulations of this world can but a little while endure,
being soon over and ended. But the happiness that a man looks to receive by bearing tribulations patiently is
perdurable, as the apostle says in his Epistle. 'The joy of God,' he says, 'is perdurable.' Which is to say, it is
everlasting. Also, hold and believe steadfastly that he is neither well bred nor well taught who cannot have
patience, or will not receive training in patience. For Solomon says that the belief and the knowledge of a
man are known by his patience. And in another place he says that he who is patient will govern himself
prudently. And this same Solomon says that the angry and wrathful man is noisy, while the patient man
moderates and quiets noise. He says, also, that it is better to be patient than to be very strong; and he that
governeth his own heart is more praiseworthy than he that taketh a city. And thereto says Saint James in his
Epistle: 'Let patience have her perfect work.'"
"Surely," said Melibeus, "I will grant you, Dame Prudence, that patience is a great virtue of perfection; but
every man may not attain to the perfection that you seek; nor am I of the number of perfect men, for my heart
will never find peace until I have revenged myself. And though it was dangerous to my enemies to do me an
injury in taking vengeance upon me, yet took they no heed of their own peril, but fulfilled their evil purpose.
And therefore it seems to me that men ought not to find fault with me if I incur a little peril in taking
vengeance, even though I go to great excess, that is to say, that I avenge one outrage with another."
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"Ah," said Dame Prudence, "you speak out of your purpose as you desire it to happen; but never in this world
should any man commit an outrage or go to excess to obtain his vengeance. For Cassiodorus says: 'As much
evil does he who avenges himself by outrage as did he who first committed outrage.' And therefore you must
avenge yourself in an orderly manner, and rightfully, that is to say, according to law, and not by excess nor
by outrage. For if you avenge yourself in any other way, you sin. And thereupon Seneca says: 'A man must
not avenge villainy with villainy.' If you say that right demands that a man defend himself violently against
violence, and fightingly against fighting, certainly you speak but the truth, when the fighting is done
immediately, without interval of tarrying or delay, and simply for defence and not for vengeance. And it
behooves a man that he conduct his defence with such moderation that men will have no cause to accuse him
of excess and outrage; for otherwise the thing were unreasonable. By God, you know well that you are not
now defending yourself, but are going to revenge yourself; and so it follows that you have no wish to do your
deed with moderation. That is why I hold that patience would be good for you. For Solomon says: 'He that is
not patient shall endure great evil.'
"Certainly," said Melibeus, "I grant you that when a man is impatient and wroth because of that which
touches him not, and in no way concerns him, if he be harmed thereby it is not to be wondered at. For the law
provides that he is culpable who interferes or meddles with what does not concern him. And Solomon says
that he who interferes in the strife of other men is like one who seizes a hound by the ears. For just as he who
takes a strange dog by the ears is likely to be bitten, just so is it reasonable to suppose that he may be injured
who, by his impatience, meddles in the strife of other men, when it does not concern him. But you know well
that this deed, that is to say, my grief and unrest, touches me closely. Therefore, if I am angry and impatient,
it is no marvel. And, saving your presence, I cannot see wherein it can greatly harm me if I wreak my
revenge: for I am richer and stronger than are my enemies. And well do you know that with money and great
possessions are governed all the matters of this world. Solomon says that all things obey great wealth."
When Prudence had heard her husband boast thus of his possessions and money, despising the power of his
enemies, she answered and said: "Surely, dear sir, I grant that you are mighty and rich, and that wealth is a
good thing for those who have acquired it honestly and know well how to use it. For just as the body of man
cannot live without the soul, neither can it exist without worldly goods. And by means of riches a man may
acquire powerful friends. Thereupon says Pamphilius: 'If a cowherd's daughter be rich, she may make choice
of a thousand men, which she will take for her husband; for, of a thousand, not one will forsake or refuse her.'
And this Pamphilius also says: 'If thou be very happy, that is to say, if thou be very rich, thou shalt find a
great many comrades and friends. And if thy fortune change, so that thou become poor, then farewell
fellowship and friendship; for thou shalt be left alone, without any company, save it be the company of the
poor.' And still further says Pamphilius: 'Those who are thralls and born of bondmen's blood shall be made
worthy and noble by wealth.' And just as from riches come many good things, so from poverty come many
ills and evils. For deep poverty forces a man into evil deeds. Therefore Cassiodorus calls poverty the 'mother
of ruin,' which is to say, the mother of overthrowing or of falling down. And thereupon says Petrus Alfonsus:
'One of the greatest adversities of this world is when a man free by kindred and birth is constrained by
poverty to eat of the alms of his enemy.' And the same thing is said by Innocent in one of his books, for he
says: 'Sorrowful and unhappy is the condition of the poor beggar; for if he beg not his food, he dies of
hunger; and if he beg it, he dies of shame; and yet necessity constrains him to beg.' And thereupon Solomon
says that it is better to die than to live in poverty. And this same Solomon says that it is better to die the bitter
death than to live in such wise. For these reasons that I have given, and for many others that I could adduce, I
grant you that riches are good for those who have well acquired them, and for those who use them well. And
therefore will I show you how you should bear yourself in acquiring wealth, and how you should use it.
"First, you should get it without any great desire, and leisurely, and gradually, and not over eagerly. For the
man who is too desirous of gathering riches abandons himself first to theft and to all other evils. And
thereupon says Solomon: 'A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong, and a huckster shall not
be freed from sin.' He says also: 'The wealth that cometh hastily unto a man goeth soon and passeth lightly
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away from him; but the wealth that cometh by a little and a little waxeth alway and multiplieth.' And, sir, you
shall acquire riches by your wisdom and by your labour to your own profit; and that without wronging or
doing harm to any other person. For the law provides that no man shall legally become rich who injures
another in the process; that is to say, that Nature forbids, and rightfully, that a man acquire wealth at another's
expense. And Tullius says: 'No sorrow, no fear of death, nay nothing that may befall a man, is so much
against Nature as for a man to increase and take his profit at the expense of another. And though the great
man and the mighty man acquire riches more easily than thou, yet be not idle nor slow in gaining thine own
profit; for thou must, in all things, avoid idleness.' For Solomon says that idleness teaches a man to do many
evil things. And the same Solomon says that he that labours and busies himself to till his land shall eat bread;
but he that is given over to idleness and has no business or occupation shall fall into poverty and die of
hunger. And he that is idle and slow can never find a convenient time wherein to transact his business. For
there is a versifier who says: 'The lazy man excuses himself in winter because of the great cold, and in
summer because of the great heat.' For these reasons Cato says: 'Wake, and be not overly inclined toward
sleep; for a superfluity of rest causes and nourishes many vices.' And thereupon says Saint Jerome: 'Do some
good deeds, that the Devil, our Enemy, find you not unoccupied. For the Devil takes not easily into his
service those whom he finds occupied in good deeds.'
"Thus, then, in getting riches, you must avoid idleness. And afterward you shall use the wealth, which you
have acquired by your knowledge and by your labour, in such manner that men will not hold you to be too
stingy, or too sparing, or too foolishly generous, that is to say, too great a spendthrift. For just as men blame
an avaricious man for his meanness and penuriousness, in the same wise is he to be blamed that spends too
freely. Thereupon says Cato: 'Use the wealth which thou hast acquired in such manner that men shall have no
reason to call thee either wretch or niggard; for it is shameful for a man to have a poor heart and a rich purse.'
He says also: 'Use the wealth, which thou hast measureably.' That is to say, spend it within measure; for those
who foolishly spend and waste what riches they have, when they have no longer any property of their own,
scheme then to take that of another man. I say, then, that you shall flee avarice; using your riches in such
manner that men shall not say that you have buried them, but that you hold them in your power and at your
wielding. For a wise man reproves an avaricious man thus, in two verses: 'Wherefore and why does a man
bury his wealth, of his great avarice, when he knows well that he must needs die; for death is the end of every
man in this present life? And for what cause or occasion does he join or knit himself so closely to his goods
that all his wit may not dissever or part him therefrom; when he knows, or ought to know, that when he is
dead he shall have borne with him nothing at all from this world? Thereupon says Saint Augustine: 'The
avaricious man is like unto Hell; for the more it swallows the more desire has it to swallow and devour.' And
just as you would hate to be called an avaricious man, or a stingy, just so should you govern yourself that
men will not call you a spendthrift. Therefore says Tullius: 'The riches of thy house should not be hid, nor
should they be kept so closely that they may not be opened by pity and good will.' That is to say, in order to
give a part to those in need. 'But yet thy wealth should not be so openly exposed as to become the goods of
every man.' Afterward, in getting your wealth and in using it, you should have always three things in mind,
that is to say, Our Lord God, conscience, and your own good name. First, you have God in your heart, and for
the sake of no riches at all should you do anything which may in any manner displease God, Who is your
Creator and Maker. For, after the word of Solomon: Better it is to have little and therewith the love of God,
than great riches and treasure and the loss of God's love thereby. And the prophet says that it is better to be
held for a good man and to have but little of the wealth and treasure of this world, than to be held for a villain
and have great riches. And yet say I still, that you should always do your business in the gathering of wealth
so that you gather it with a good conscience. And the apostle says that there is not anything in all this world
whereof a man should have so great a joy as when his conscience bears a good witness unto himself. And the
wise man says that the substance a man has is righteous when sin lies not upon the conscience of that man.
Afterward, in gathering your riches and in the using them, you must busy yourself and be diligent to observe
that your good name be kept and conserved. For Solomon says: 'A good name is rather to be chosen than
great riches.' And thereupon he says elsewhere: 'Do thy diligence in keeping of thy friend and of thine own
good name; for these shall abide longer than any treasure, be it never so precious.' And surely he should not
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be called a good man who, after God and his own conscience, in all things else is not diligent in the business
of maintaining his good name. Cassiodorus says: 'It is a sign of a good heart in a man when he loves and
desires to have and to keep an honoured name.' And thereupon says Saint Augustine: 'Two things there be
which are necessary and needful, and they are: good conscience and a good name; that is to say, a good
conscience for the sake of thy soul, and a good name for the sake of thy neighbour.' And he who will trust so
much in his own good conscience that he recks not of displeasing and setting at naught the value of his
neighbour's opinion of his good name, and cares nothing if he keep not his good name toward his neighbour-
he is but a boor.
"My lord, now have I showed you how you should act in acquiring riches, and how you should employ them;
and well I understand that, because of the faith you rest in your wealth you will move toward war and battle. I
counsel you that you begin no war upon faith in the continuance of your wealth; for your wealth is not
sufficient to maintain war. Wherefore says a philosopher: 'He who intrigues for and will always have war,
shall never have sufficient funds; for the richer he is, the more must his expenses be, always providing he
wants respect and victory.' And Solomon says that the greater a man's riches the more leeches hang upon him.
And, dear sir, though because of your wealth you may have many followers, yet it behooves you not, nor is it
a good thing, to initiate a war when you may have a peace, and that to your own honour and profit. For
victory in battle in this world lies not in a great multitude of people, neither lies it in the virtue of man; but it
lies alone within the will and in the hands of Our Lord God Almighty. And therefore Judas Maccabeus, God's
own knight, when called upon to fight against an adversary greatly superior in numbers and stronger than his
own people, comforted his little army, saying: 'As easily may Our Lord God Almighty give victory unto a
few as unto a multitude; for the fortune of war lieth not in numbers, but cometh solely from Our Lord God of
Heaven.' And, dear sir, for as much as there is no man certain whether he be worthy that God give him the
victory, any more than he can be certain whether he is worthy of the love of God, therefore Solomon says that
every man should greatly fear to begin a war. Also, in battle, many perils befall, and many chances of evil,
and therein is a great man as easily slain as a poor; and thereupon is it written in the Second Book of the
Kings that the issue of battle is all at chance and is not to be known beforehand; for as easily hurt with a spear
is one man as any other. And since there lies great peril in war, therefore should a man flee and eschew
warfare, in so far as he may with honour. For Solomon says: 'He that liveth by the sword shall perish by the
sword.'"
After Dame Prudence had spoken in this manner, Melibeus answered and said: "I see well, Dame Prudence,
that by your fair words and by the reasons you have adduced before me, you are not in favour of war; but I
have not yet heard you advise as to what course I ought to pursue in this extremity."
"Certainly," quoth she, "I counsel you that you accord with your adversaries, and that you have peace with
them. For Saint James says in his Epistle that by concord and peace little fortunes grow great, and by discord
and warfare are great fortunes brought low. And well you know that one of the greatest things there is in all
this world is unity and peace. Wherefore says Our Lord Jesus Christ in this wise to His disciples: 'Blessed are
the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.'"
"Ah," said Melibee, "now do I see well that you love neither my honour nor my reputation. You know well
that my adversaries have begun this quarrel and contention by their outrage; and you see well that they
neither require nor ask peace from me, nor even do they ask to be reconciled. Will you, then, that I go and
show myself meek and make myself humble before them, and cry mercy of them? Forsooth that were not to
my honour. For just as men say that too much familiarity breeds contempt, so fares it with overmuch humility
or meekness."
Then began Dame Prudence to make a show of wrath, and she said: "Certainly, sir, saving your grace, I love
your honour and your profit as I do my own, and so have I ever; nor have you or any other hitherto said
anything to the contrary. And yet, if I had said that you should have bought a peace and a reconciliation, I had
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not been much mistaken nor said very far amiss. For the wise man says that dissension begins with another,
but reconciliation with oneself. And the prophet says: 'Flee evil and do good; seek peace and follow it.' Yet
say I not that you shall rather sue to your enemies than they to you; for well I know that you are so
hard-hearted that you will do nothing for me. And Solomon says that he that is too hard of heart shall in the
end have evil fortune."
When Melibee had heard Dame Prudence show anger thus, he said: "Dame, I pray you that you be not
displeased at things I say, for you know well that I am in my angry mood, and that it is no wonder; and that
those who are angry cannot judge well of what they say or do. Wherefore the prophet says: 'The troubled eyes
have no clear sight.' But speak to and counsel me as you like; for I am ready to do as you wish; and if you
reprove me for my folly I am but bound the more to love you and praise you. For Solomon says that he that
reproves him who has done a folly shall have more grace than he that deceives him with sweet words."
Then said Dame Prudence: "I make no show of wrath or anger save for your great profit. For Solomon says
that more worth is he who reproves and chides a fool for his folly than is he that supports him and praises him
and laughs at his foolishness. And this same Solomon says that by the sorrowful visage of a man (that is to
say, by the sorry and heavy countenance of a man) the fool corrects and amends himself."
Then said Melibee: "I shall not know how to answer so many fair and good reasons as you show and lay
before me. Speak out briefly your counsel and your wish, for I am ready to fulfill and to perform it."
Then Dame Prudence showed him all her wish and desire, saying: "I counsel you, above all things, that you
make peace with God and become reconciled to Him and to His grace. For, as I have heretofore said, God has
suffered you to have this tribulation and unrest because of your sins. And if you do as I tell you to do, God
will send your adversaries unto you and make them fall at your feet, ready to do your will and to obey your
commands. For Solomon says that when the condition of a man is pleasant and to God's liking, He changes
the hearts of that man's enemies and constrains them to seek peace of him, and grace. And I pray you, let me
have private speech with your adversaries; for they shall not know that it is done with your consent. And
then, when I have learned their whole intent and will, I may the more surely counsel you."
"Dame," quoth Melibee, "do your whole will and whatsoever pleases you. For I put myself entirely at your
disposal and command."
Then Dame Prudence, when she saw the goodwill of her husband, deliberated and took advice of herself how
she might bring this whole matter to a good end. And when she saw her time, she sent for these adversaries to
come to her privately; and truly showed them the great good to be gained from peace and the great harms and
dangers that are in war, and told them in a gracious manner that they ought to be repentant for the injury and
wrong they had done to Melibee, her lord, and to herself, and to her daughter.
And when they heard the gracious words of Dame Prudence they were so taken by surprise and so ravished
with delight of her, that it was wonderful to tell. "Ah, lady," they said, "you have showed us the 'blessings of
sweetness' in the words of David the prophet; for the reconciliation we are in no way worthy of, though we
ought but in the greater contrition and humility to ask it- this, of your goodness, you have offered to us. Now
see we well that the wisdom and knowledge of Solomon are true indeed, for he says that sweet words
multiply and increase friends and cause villains to become courteous and humble.
"Certainly," said they, "we will put our actions and all our matter and cause wholly in your good keeping; and
we stand ready to obey the word and command of Lord Melibee. Therefore, dear and benign lady, we pray
and beseech you, as humbly as we can, that it shall please you, in your great goodness, to fulfill your goodly
words in deeds; for we consider and acknowledge that we have offended and grieved Lord Melibee beyond
measure; so far indeed that it lies not within our power to make him any amends. Therefore we obligate and
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bind ourselves and our friends to do whatsoever he commands. But perchance he has for us such a heaviness
of wrath, what of our offense, that he will impose upon us so great a pain of punishment that we shall not be
able to bear it. And therefore, noble lady, we beseech you of your womanly pity to take such advisement in
this need that we, and our friends, shall not be disinherited and destroyed because of our folly."
"Certainly," said Prudence, "it is a hard thing, and a dangerous, for a man to put himself utterly into the
arbitrament and judgment and into the might and power of his enemies. For Solomon says: 'Give not thy son
and wife, thy brother and friend, power over thee while thou livest, and give not thy goods to another: lest it
repent thee, and thou entreat for the same again. As long as thou livest and hast breath in thee, give not
thyself over to any.' Now, since he counsels that a man give not even to a brother or a friend the power. over
his body, by a stronger reason he forbids a 'man to give himself over to his enemy. Nevertheless, I counsel
you that you mistrust not my lord. For I know well and truly that he is kindly and meek, large-hearted,
courteous, and nothing desirous nor covetous of goods and riches. For there is nothing in all the world that he
desires, save only respect and honour. Furthermore, I know well and am right sure that he will do nothing in
this case without my counsel. And I shall so work therein that, by the grace of Our Lord God, you shall be
reconciled unto us."
Then said they with one voice: "Worshipful lady, we put ourselves and our property all fully at your
command and disposal; and we are ready to come, upon whatever day is agreeable to your goodness, to make
and give our obligation and bond, and that as strong as your goodness may desire: all that we may fulfill your
will and that of Lord Melibee."
When Dame Prudence had heard the answers of these men, she sent them away again, secretly. And she
returned to Lord Melibee and reported to him how she had found these adversaries ready to suffer pain and
punishment, praying him, however, for mercy and pity.
"Then," said Melibee, "he is well worthy of pardon and to have his sins forgiven who excuses not his crime
but acknowledges it and repents, asking indulgence. For Seneca says: 'There is the remission and the
forgiveness where confession is.' For confession is neighbour to innocence. And he says in another place: 'He
that is ashamed for his sin and acknowledges it, is worthy of remission.' Therefore I assent to peace; but it is
best that we do this with the advice and consent of our friends."
Then was Dame Prudence right glad and joyful, and she said: "Certainly, sir, you have well answered. For
just as by the counsel, assent, and help of your friends you have been stirred to avenge yourself and go to
war, just so you should not, without their consent, accord and make peace with your adversaries. For the law
says: "There is nothing so good in kind as that a thing shall be unbound by him by whom it was bound."
And then Dame Prudence, without delay or tarrying, sent messengers for their kindred and for their old
friends who were true and wise, and told them in detail and in order, in the presence of Melibee, all of this
matter, as it has been here expressed and declared; and she prayed them that they would advise and counsel
what best were to be done in this need. And when Melibee's friends had taken their advices in this said
matter, and had examined into it with diligence, they gave their counsel for peace and rest; and that Melibee
should receive, with good heart, the prayers of his adversaries for forgiveness and mercy.
And when Dame Prudence had heard the assent of her lord, Melibee, and the counsel of these friends, how
they accorded with her will and intention, she was wonderfully glad of heart; and she said: "There is an old
proverb which advises that the goodness you may do this day, do it; and delay it not until the morrow.
Therefore I counsel you that you send wise and discreet messengers to your adversaries, bidding them that, if
they are still minded to treat with you of peace and concord, they come hither to us without delay or
tarrying."
The Canterbury Tales 153
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The Canterbury Tales
Which thing was done. And when these trespassers and repentant folk, that is to say, the adversaries of
Melibeus, had heard the messengers' words, they were right glad and joyful, and they replied full meekly and
favourably, yielding grace and giving thanks to their Lord Melibee and to all his party; and they made ready,
without delay, to accompany the messengers in obedience to the command of Lord Melibee.
Soon, then, they took their way toward Melibee's court, and they took with them some of their true friends to

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