'Now, y-wis, madame,' quod I, 'al these thinges I knowe wel my-selfe, and that thyn excellence passeth the understanding of us beestes; and that no mannes wit erthely may comprehende thy vertues.' 'Wel than,' quod she, 'for I see thee in disese and sorowe, 120 I wot wel thou art oon of my nories; I may not suffre thee so to make sorowe, thyn owne selfe to shende. But I my-selfe come to be thy fere, thyn hevy charge to make to seme the lesse. For wo is him that is alone; and to the sorye, to ben moned by a sorouful wight, it is greet gladnesse. Right so, with my sicke frendes I am 125 sicke; and with sorie I can not els but sorowe make, til whan I have hem releved in suche wyse, that gladnesse, in a maner of counterpaysing, shal restore as mokil in joye as the passed hevinesse biforn did in tene. And also,' quod she, 'whan any of my servauntes ben alone in solitary place, I have yet ever besied me 130 to be with hem, in comfort of their hertes, and taught hem to make songes of playnte and of blisse, and to endyten letters of rethorike in queynt understondinges, and to bethinke hem in what wyse they might best their ladies in good service plese; and also to lerne maner in countenaunce, in wordes, and in bering, 135 and to ben meke and lowly to every wight, his name and fame to encrese; and to yeve gret yeftes and large, that his renomè may springen. But thee therof have I excused; for thy losse and thy grete costages, wherthrough thou art nedy, arn nothing to me unknowen; but I hope to god somtyme it shal ben amended, as 140 thus I sayd. In norture have I taught al myne; and in curtesye made hem expert, their ladies hertes to winne; and if any wolde [b]en deynous or proude, or be envious or of wrecches acqueyntaunce, hasteliche have I suche voyded out of my scole. For al vyces trewly I hate; vertues and worthinesse in al my power 145 I avaunce.'