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Tale Of MelibeusPart III
Part III
Then Dame Prudence began to pretend anger, and said: "Indeed, sir,
saving your grace, I love your honor and profit as I do mine own, and always
have done so; nor have ye or any others seen ever the contrary. And yet, if I
had said that ye should promote peace and reconciliation, I had not been much
mistaken, or said amiss. For the wise man says: `Let another man begin
dissension, and begin reconciliation thyself.` And the prophet says: `Turn
from wickedness, and do good; seek peace and follow it as much as thou
canst.` Yet I do not say that ye should seek your adversaries for peace more
than that they should seek you; for I know well that ye are so hard-hearted ye
will do nothing for me. And Solomon says: `He that has a heart over hard
shall at last suffer mischance.`"
When Melibeus heard Dame Prudence make this appearance of anger, he spoke
in this manner: "Dame, I pray you that ye be not displeased at things that
I say; for ye know well that I am angry and wrathful, and that it is no
wonder, and they that are angry do not know well what they do or say.
Therefore spoke the prophet: `A troubled eye has no clear sight." But speak
and counsel me as ye please, for I am ready to do right according to your
desire. And if ye reprove me for my folly I am the more constrained to love
you and praise you. For Solomon says that `he that reproves another for
folly shall find better grace than he that deceiveth him with sweet words.`"
Then spoke Dame Prudence: "I make no appearance of wrath or anger except
for your profit. For Solomon says: `He is of more worth that reproves or
scolds a fool for his folly, making a pretense of anger, than he that supports
him and praises him in his wrong doing, and laughs at his folly.` And this
same Solomon says afterward that `by the sorrowful visage of a man,` that is
to say, by the sorry and sad countenance of a man, `the fool corrects and
improves himself.`"
Then said Melibeus: "I shall not be able to answer so many fair reasons
as ye have set before me. Tell me briefly your will and your advice, and I
am all ready to fulfill and perform them."
Then Dame Prudence showed him all her will, and said: "I advise you above
all things that ye make peace between God and you, and be reconciled to Him
and His grace. For as I have said to you before, God has permitted you to
have this trouble and affliction because of your sins. And if ye do as I tell
you, God will send your adversaries to you, and make them fall at your feet,
ready to do your will and your commandments. For Solomon says: `When the state
of a man is pleasing to God, He changes the hearts of the man`s adversaries,
and constrains them to ask peace and grace of him.` And I pray you, let
me speak with your adversaries in a private place; for they shall not know
that it is with your will and assent. And then, when I know their will and
purpose, I can advise you more surely."
"Dame," said Melibeus, "do your will and liking, for I put myself wholly
at your disposition and government."
Then Dame Prudence, when she saw the good will of her husband,
deliberated and took advice with herself, thinking how she could bring this
extremity to a good end. And when she saw her time, she sent for these
adversaries to come to her in a secret place, and showed wisely to them the
great goods that come of peace, and the great harms and perils that lie in
war; and said to them in a fair manner that they should greatly repent the
injury and wrong that they had done to Melibeus her lord, and to her, and to
her daughter.
And when they had heard the goodly words of Dame Prudence, they were
surprised and pleased, and had such great joy because of her that it was
wonder. "Ah lady!" cried they, "ye have shown to us `the blessings of
sweetness,` according to the proverb of David the prophet. For the
reconciliation which we are not in any manner worthy to have, unless we beg
it with great contrition and humility, ye in your great goodness have
presented to us. Now we see well that the wisdom and cunning of Solomon is
true; for he says that `sweet words multiply and increase friends, and make
evil persons gentle and meek.`
"Indeed," said they, "we put our action and all our affair and cause
wholly at your good will, and are ready to obey the speech and commands of the
lord Melibeus. And therefore, dear and benign lady, we pray you and beseech
you as meekly as we can, that it please your great goodness to fulfill in
deeds your good words. For we know that we have offended Lord Melibeus out of
all measure, so greatly, that we lack the power to make him amends. And
therefore we obligate and bind ourselves and our friends to do entirely his
will and commands. But perhaps he has such resentment and wrath toward us
because of our offense that he will lay such a penalty upon us as we are not
able to sustain. And therefore, noble lady, we beseech your womanly pity to
take such counsel in this extremity that we shall not be disinherited or
destroyed because of our folly."
"Surely," said Prudence, "it is a difficult and dangerous thing that a
man should put himself utterly under the arbitration and judgment, and in the
might and power of his enemies. For Solomon says: `Believe me, and trust
what I shall say; I declare,` said he, `ye people, folk, and governors of
Holy Church, that ye shall not give power over your bodies while ye live to
your sons, or wives, or friends, or brothers.` Now since he forbade that a
man give his brother or his friend power over his body, by a stronger reason
he forbids a man to give himself to his enemy. And none the less I advise you
that ye distrust not my lord. For I know well and truly that he is gentle and
meek, generous, courteous, and not covetous of goods or wealth. There is
nothing in this world that he desires except honor and reputation. In addition
I know well, and am sure, that he will do nothing in this emergency without
my advice. And I shall so work in this matter that by the grace of our Lord
God, ye shall be reconciled to us."
Then they said with one voice: "Worshipful lady, we put ourselves and
our goods fully at your will and disposition, and are ready to come on
whatever day it pleases your nobleness to assign to us, to make our obligation
and bond as strong as your goodness wishes, that we may fulfill the will of
you and the Lord Melibeus."
When Dame Prudence has heard the reply of these men, she told them to be
gone secretly, and she returned to her lord Melibeus, and told him how she
had found his adversaries very repentant, humbly acknowledging their sins and
their offense, and how they were ready to suffer all penalty, asking and
praying of him mercy and pity.
Then Melibeus said: "He is worthy to have pardon and forgiveness for his
sin that does not excuse it, but acknowledges it and repents, asking
indulgence. For Seneca says: `There is remission and forgiveness where there
is confession.` For confession is the neighbor of innocence. And he says in
another place: `He that has shame for his sin and acknowledges it, is worthy
to have it remitted.` And therefore I assent and agree to have peace, but it
is good that we should not do it without the assent and willingness of our
friends."
Then Dame Prudence was very glad and joyful, and said: "Surely, sir, ye
have answered well. For just as by the advice, assent, and help of your
friends, ye have been stirred to avenge yourself and make war, just so without
their advice ye ought not to be reconciled now, or make peace with your
adversaries. For the law says: `There is nothing so good by way of nature, as
for a thing to be undone by him who did it.`"
And then Dame Prudence, without delay or tarrying, at once sent messages
for their kin, and for their old friends who were true and wise, and told them
by command, in the presence of Melibeus, all this matter as above described,
and begged them that they would give their advice and counsel as to what was
best to do in this extremity. And when Melibeus` friends had advised and
deliberated upon the aforesaid matter, and had examined it with great
diligence and care, they gave unanimous advice to have peace and concord, and
that Melibeus should receive with a good heart his adversaries, and grant
them forgiveness and mercy.
And when Dame Prudence had heard the assent of her lord Melibeus, and the
advice of these friends, and saw that both accorded with her own will and
intention, she was wondrously glad in her heart, and said: "There is an old
proverb that `the goodness that thou canst do this day, do it; and wait not or
delay until the morrow.` And therefore I advise you that ye send your
messengers, such as are wise and discreet, to your adversaries, telling them,
on your behalf, that if they will discuss peace and accord, they prepare
themselves without delay to come to us." And this thing was done. And when
these offenders and repenters of their follies, that is, the adversaries of
Melibeus, heard what these messengers said to them, they were glad and joyful,
and answered meekly and benignly, giving courtesy and thanks to their Lord
Melibeus and all his company; and they prepared themselves without delay to go
with the messengers, and obey the command of their lord Melibeus.
And soon they took their way to the court of Melibeus, and took with them
some of their true friends, to swear faith for them and be their pledges. And
when they had come into the presence of Melibeus, he spoke these words to
them: "It stands thus, and is true that ye, without cause or reason, have done
great injuries and wrongs to me and my wife Prudence and my daughter as well.
For ye have entered my house by violence, and have done such an outrageous
deed, that all men know well that ye have deserved death. And therefore will I
know and require of you, whether ye will put the punishing and chastising and
vengeance for this outrage at the will of me and my wife Prudence, or whether
ye will not."
Then the wisest of the three answered for them all, and said: "Sire, we
know well that we are unworthy to come into the court of so great a lord and
so worthy as ye are. For we have erred so greatly, and have offended and been
guilty in such a way against your high lordship, that indeed we have deserved
death. But yet, because of the great goodness and gentleness to which all the
world testifies of you, we submit ourselves to the excellence and benignity of
your gracious lordship, and are ready to obey all your commands, beseeching
you that in your merciful pity ye will consider our great repentance and lowly
submission, and grant us forgiveness for this outrageous injury and offense.
For well we know that your liberal grace and mercy reach farther into goodness
than do our outrageous sins and offenses into wickedness, although most
cursedly and damnably we have sinned against your high lordship."
Then Melibeus lifted them up from the ground most gently, and received
their bonds and promises by their oaths and upon their pledges and sureties,
and assigned them a certain day to return to his court, to accept and receive
the sentence and judgment that Melibeus would command to be executed upon them
for the causes previously told. And these things done, every man returned to
his house.
And when Dame Prudence saw her time, she asked her lord Melibeus what
vengeance he thought to take on his adversaries.
To which Melibeus answered: "Truly, I think and have purpose fully to
disinherit them of all that they have, and put them in exile forever."
"Surely," said Dame Prudence, "this would be a cruel judgment, and much
against reason. For ye are rich enough, and have no need of other men`s
property; and ye might easily in this way get yourself a name for being
covetous, which is a vicious thing, and ought to be avoided by every good man.
For according to the proverb of the Apostle:" `Covetousness is the root of all
evils.` And therefore, it were better for you to lose as much property of
your own than to take from them in this manner. For it is better to lose with
honor, than it is to win property by wickedness and shame. And every man ought
to work diligently to get himself a good name. And yet he should not only busy
himself in keeping his good name, but he should strive always to do something
by which he may renew his good name. For it is written: "The former good
praise or good name of a man is soon passed and gone, when it is not freshly
renewed.` And with reference to what ye say of exiling your adversaries, that
again seems to me much against reason, and out of moderation, considering the
power over themselves that they have given to you. And it is written: "He is
worthy of losing his privilege that misuses the power that is given him.` And
I set the case that though ye might enforce that penalty by right and law,
which I believe ye cannot do, ye could not perhaps put it into execution, and
then the war would be likely to return as before. And therefore, if ye would
that men did you honor, ye must judge more courteously - that is, give easier
sentences. For it is written: "He that commands most courteously, him will men
most obey." And therefore, I pray you that in this need ye seek to overcome
your heart. For Seneca says: `He that overcomes his heart is twice a victor.`
And Tully says: "There is nothing so commendable in a great lord as when he
is gentle and meek, and easily appeased.` And I pray you that ye will forbear
to do vengeance, in such a way that your good name may be conserved, and that
men shall have cause to praise you for pity and mercy, and that ye shall have
no cause to repent of what ye have done. For Seneca says: `He is a poor victor
that repents of his victory.` Therefore I pray you, let mercy be in your mind
and heart, to the end and purpose that God Almighty have mercy on you in his
last Judgment. For Saint James says in his Epistle: `Judgment without mercy
shall be done him, that has no mercy on another.`"
When Melibeus had heard the great causes and reasons of Dame Prudence,
and her wise teachings, his heart began to incline to the will of his wife,
considering her true purpose, and soon made him conform, and agree fully to
act by her advice. And he thanked God, from whom all virtue and goodness
proceed, that he had sent him a wife of such discretion. And when the day came
on which these adversaries should appear, he spoke fairly to them, and said:
"Although in your pride and presumption and folly, and your thoughtlessness
and ignorance, ye have borne yourselves amiss and injured me, yet since I
behold your great humility, and see that ye are sorry and repent your
offenses, I am constrained to give you grace and mercy. Therefore I receive
you into my grace, and forgive you freely all the offenses, injuries, and
wrongs that ye have done against me and mine, to the end that God in His
endless mercy will at our deaths forgive us our wrongs to Him in this wretched
world. For doubtless, if we are sorry and repentant of our sins in the sight
of our Lord God, He is so generous and merciful, that He will forgive us our
sins, and bring us to His bliss that has no end. Amen"
Here Ends Chaucer`s Tale
Of Melibeus
And Dame Prudence;
And Next Follow The Merry Words
Of The Host To The Monk
When I had told my tale of Melibee,
And Prudence and her great benignity,
Our Host cried: "As I am a faithful man,
And by the precious corpus Madrian,
Rather than have a barrelful of ale,
I would my love and wife had heard that tale!
For she knows nothing of the patient life
That showed in Prudence, Melibeus` wife.
By God`s bones! When I give my lads a thrashing,
Out with the cudgels comes my dame a-dashing;
`Slay them!` she cries; `slay the dogs, every one!
Beat them until ye break them, back and bone!`
Or if perhaps some neighbor at the mass
Make not a reverence to her as he pass,
Or rashly should offend her in that place,
When she comes home she flyeth in my face
Crying: `False coward, go avenge thy wife!
By corpus bones! Here, I will take thy knife,
While at the distaff thou shalt set to spinning!`
From dawn to night she makes some such beginning:
`Alas!` she cries, `that I should not escape
This marriage with a milksop or an ape
That every wretch can shame! Thou dost not dare
Defend thy wife`s rights!` This is how I fare -
Unless I choose to fight, as she would make me.
And out of doors at once I have to take me
Or I am lost - unless, indeed, I fly on
These quarrels like some wild and crazy lion!
I know well she will some day work on me
To slay some neighbor for her, and then flee;
For I am dangerous with a knife in hand,
Though she is one I never dare withstand;
For, by my faith, she has a mighty arm,
As he shall find that dares to do her harm
Either by word or deed. But let it be.
"My lord Sir Monk, be merry now," said he,
"For ye shall tell a tale at my command.
Lo! Rochester is lying near at hand.
Ride up, my lord, and do not spoil our game!
But, by my truth, I do not know your name,
Whether, in hailing you, to call upon
Sir Thomas, or Sir Alban, or Sir John.
From what house come ye, by your father`s kin?
I vow to God, thou hast a fair-hued skin;
There is good pasture everywhere thou go`st;
Thou art not like a penitent or ghost!
Upon my faith, thou art some officer,
Some worthy sacristan, or cellarer;
Yea, by my father`s spirit, I would swear
When thou art home, thou art the master there;
No cloister-monk, no novice treading shyly,
But one that governs, ever wise and wily
A fine, up-standing figure, too - I own -
Well-fleshed, and good alike of brawn and bone.
May God confuse the wretched man, I say,
That brought thee to religion, anyway!
Thou wouldst have made a brave cock in thine hour!
Had thou had freedom, as thou hast the power,
And from thy lusty manhood procreated,
Full many a creature hadst thou generated!
Alas! Why dost thou wear so wide a cope?
God give me grief unless, were I a pope,
Not only thou, but all men strong and great,
Though they were shorn high up upon the pate,
Should have their wives. The world is lost, indeed!
Religion has the best of all the seed
From treading - lo! what shrimps we lay-folk be!
But feeble shoots come from a feeble tree.
This makes the heirs we bear so weak and slender
They lack the strength to properly engender!
This makes our wives eager to make assay
Of you religious men, that better pay
The debts of Venus than we can, alas!
God knows, no counterfeited coin ye pass!
But be not angry if I jest, my lord;
I have heard truth in many a sportive word."
This worthy Monk in patience heard him through.
"Now I will do the best that I can do,
So far as virtue may be served," said he,
"To tell a tale for you, or two, or three.
And if your pleasure be to give me ear,
Saint Edward`s life I will relate you here;
Or first, perhaps, some tragedies will tell,
Of which I have a hundred in my cell.
By tragedy I mean a kind of story,
Of him that lived at first in wealth and glory,
As ancient books remind us frequently,
And from his height falls into misery,
And comes upon a wretched end at last.
The verses of these tragedies are cast
In six feet, and are called hexameters.
And they are done in prose as well as verse,
And wrought in various kinds of meters, too.
Lo! this description should suffice for you.
"Now hear me, if indeed ye think it best.
But first in this I make you one request:
Though I set not the order of these things,
Whether of popes or emperors or kings,
All in their proper times, as ye may read,
But some too soon and some too late, indeed,
As I can best remember them, by chance;
I pray, excuse me for mine ignorance."
And Here Begins
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