'Lady,' quod I, 'somtyme yet, if a man be in disese, th'estimacion of the envyous people ne loketh nothing to desertes of men, ne to the merytes of their doinges, but only to the aventure of fortune; and therafter they yeven their sentence. And some 20 loken the voluntary wil in his herte, and therafter telleth his jugement; not taking hede to reson ne to the qualitè of the doing; as thus. If a man be riche and fulfild with worldly welfulnesse, some commenden it, and sayn it is so lent by juste cause; and he that hath adversitè, they sayn he is weked; and 25 hath deserved thilke anoy. The contrarye of these thinges some men holden also; and sayn that to the riche prosperitè is purvayed in-to his confusion; and upon this mater many autoritès of many and greet-witted clerkes they alegen. And some men sayn, though al good estimacion forsake folk that han adversitè, 30 yet is it meryte and encrees of his blisse; so that these purposes am so wonderful in understanding, that trewly, for myn adversitè now, I not how the sentence of the indifferent people wil jugen my fame.' 'Therfore,' quod she, 'if any wight shulde yeve a trewe sentence 35 on suche maters, the cause of the disese maist thou see wel. Understand ther-upon after what ende it draweth, that is to sayne, good or badde; so ought it to have his fame +by goodnesse or enfame by badnesse. For [of] every resonable person, and namely of a wyse man, his wit ought not, without reson to-forn 40 herd, sodainly in a mater to juge. After the sawes of the wyse, "thou shalt not juge ne deme toforn thou knowe."'