'O,' quod she, 'this is no newe thing to me, to sene you men desyren after mater, whiche your-selfe caused to voyde.' 'Ah, good lady,' quod I, 'in whom victorie of strength is proved above al other thing, after the jugement of Esdram, whos lordship al lignes: who is, that right as emperour hem commaundeth, 10 whether thilke ben not women, in whos lyknesse to me ye aperen? For right as man halt the principaltè of al thing under his beinge, in the masculyne gender; and no mo genders ben there but masculyn and femenyne; al the remenaunt ben no gendres but of grace, in facultee of grammer: right so, in the femenyne, the 15 women holden the upperest degree of al thinges under thilke gendre conteyned. Who bringeth forth kinges, whiche that ben lordes of see and of erthe; and al peoples of women ben born. They norisshe hem that graffen vynes; they maken men comfort in their gladde cheres. Her sorowe is deth to mannes herte. 20 Without women, the being of men were impossible. They conne with their swetnesse the crewel herte ravisshe, and make it meke, buxom, and benigne, without violence mevinge. In beautee of their eyen, or els of other maner fetures, is al mens desyres; ye, more than in golde, precious stones, either any richesse. 25 And in this degree, lady, your-selfe many hertes of men have so bounden, that parfit blisse in womankynde to ben men wenen, and in nothinge els. Also, lady, the goodnesse, the vertue of women, by propertè of discrecion, is so wel knowen, by litelnesse of malice, that desyre to a good asker by no waye conne they 30 warne. And ye thanne, that wol not passe the kynde werchinge of your sectes by general discrecion, I wot wel, ye wol so enclyne to my prayere, that grace of my requeste shal fully ben graunted.'