*Thapostle James in this wise[1205] Seith, what man scholde do juise,[1206] 3150* And hath not pite forth with al, The doom of him which demeth al He may himself fulsore drede, That him schal lakke upon the nede To fynde pite, whan he wolde: For who that pite wol biholde,-- It is a poynt of Cristes lore. And for to loken overmore, It is bihovely, as we fynde, To resoun and to lawe of kynde. 3160* [Sidenote: Cassodorus. Vbi regnat pietas, consolidatur regnum.] Cassodre in his apprise telleth, ‘The regne is sauf, wher pite duelleth.’ [Sidenote: Tullius. Qui pietate vincitur scutum victorie merito gestabit.] And Tullius his tale avoweth,[1207] And seith, ‘What king to pite boweth And with pite stant overcome, He hath that schield of grace nome, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 192=] Which to the kinges yifth victoire.’ [Sidenote: Valerius narrat quod cum rex Alexander in ira sua quendam militem morti condempnasset, et ille appellauit, dixit rex, ‘In terra nullus maior me est: ad quem ergo appellas?’ Respondit miles, ‘Non a maiestate tua, set a sentencia ire tue tantum ad pietatem tuam appello.’ Et sic rex pietate motus ipsum in misericordiam benignissime suscepit.] Of Alisandre in his histoire I rede how he a worthi knight Of sodein wraththe and nought of right 3170* Forjugged hath, and he appeleth. And with that word the king quereleth, And seith, ‘Non is above me.’ ‘That wot I wel my lord,’ quoth he; ‘Fro thy lordschipe appele I nought, But fro thy wraththe in al my thought To thy pitee stant myn appeel. The king, which understod him wel, Of pure pite yaf him grace. And eek I rede in other place, 3180* Thus seide whilom etc. (_as_ 3137 ff.) * * * * *