XXXVII.
Avyse the, or ony worde be shewede,
Off grete manisynges,[[303]] nyse or lewde,
Comyng forthe of thi mowth be to grete ire,
And looke well in Leomedom the fire.[[304]]
Leomedon was kyng of Troye and fader to Priant and, when Jason, Hercules and theire felawes went to Colcos for to gete the flese of gold and were arived and discendid at the porte of Troye ffor to refreysche theyme withowte ony hurte of the cuntre, Leomedon, not wele avised, sent bostus mesangers[[305]] to voyde theyme of the lond and to manyce theym gretly, if thei voyded not in hast. Than the barons of Grece were so wrooth for that wrongfull conveyng þat after that folowede the destruccion of the fryst Troye. Þerfor it is seide to þe good knyght that, stondyng the worde of manace is foule and velyens, it shulde be sadely passede[[306]] or that it were spokyne, for many grete hurtes oftyn |f. 34.| tymes folowyth theroff. To this purpose the poyete Omer seith, “He is wyse that can refreyne his mowth.”
How the worde of grete manase cometh of arrogaunce, and þat to breke þe Commawndment it is also an ouerhoope,[[307]] we may vndyrstonde by this that noon shulde breke the halyday, for þat is ayenst the Commawndment þat is seide, “Vmbethynke the to halowe the Sabat.” By the which Seynt Austyn seith it is commawndede vs to halowe the Sunday in the stede of the Jues Sabat, for than we shuld solemply allso take reste bodyly, cesyng solemply of all werkes of thralledom, and to be in rest of sowle in cesyng off all synne. And to this purpose Ysaye seyth, the profyte, [“Quiescite agere perverse, discite bene facere”].[[308]]