Also, to saye tr[o]uthe rightfulliche (but in jugement) otherwhile is forboden, by that al sothes be nat to sayne. Therfore in jugement, in tr[o]uthe, and rightwisenesse, is every creature bounden, up payne of perjury, ful knowing to make, tho[ugh] it were of his owne persone, for drede of sinne; after that worde, 60 "better is it to dey than live false." And, al wolde perverted people fals report make in unkyndnesse, in that entent thy [en]fame to reyse, whan light of tr[o]uthe in these maters is forth sprongen and openly publisshed among commens, than shal nat suche derke enfame dare appere, for pure shame of his falsnesse. As some 65 men ther ben that their owne enfame can none otherwyse voide or els excuse, but +by hindringe of other mennes fame; which that by non other cause clepen other men false, but for [that] with their owne falsnesse mowen they nat ben avaunsed; or els by false sklaund[r]inge wordes other men shenden, their owne 70 trewe sklaunder to make seme the lasse. For if such men wolden their eyen of their conscience revolven, [they] shulden seen the same sentence they legen on other springe out of their sydes, with so many braunches, it were impossible to nombre. To whiche therefore may it be sayd in that thinge, "this man thou demest, 75 therein thy-selfe thou condempnest." But (quod she) understand nat by these wordes, that thou wene me saye thee to be worthy sclaunder, for any mater tofore written; truely I wolde witnesse the contrary; but I saye that the bemes of sclaundring wordes may not be don awaye til the 80 daye of dome. For how shulde it nat yet, amonges so greet plentee of people, ben many shrewes, sithen whan no mo but eight persons in Noes shippe were closed, yet oon was a shrewe and skorned his father? These thinges (quod she) I trowe, shewen that fals fame is nat to drede, ne of wyse persons to accepte, and 85 namely nat of thy Margarite, whose wysdom here-after I thinke to declare; wherfore I wot wel suche thing shal nat her asterte; than of unkyndnesse thyn ooth hath thee excused at the fulle. But now, if thou woldest nat greve, me list a fewe thinges to shewe.' 90 'Say on,' quod I, 'what ye wol; I trowe ye mene but trouthe and my profit in tyme cominge.'