he had diffamed her, and that it shold not be left so. And she reassayled hym to fore them alle, in suche wyse that he said yet more fowle and shameful wordes to the dishonoure of hyr that she shall neuer recouer for socoure that she can make. And thus was she shamed by the haultesse of her herte. And ther fore this a good ensample, how no woman ought to chyde ne stryue ageynst a foole, ne with peple that haue haultayn courage, but they ought teschewe them, for whan they see that they wil speke grossely and hyghe, they sholde lete them alone, and holde them al styll, and saye to them, "Fayr frende, I see wel that ye speke hyhe and wylle ryotte. Now wylle I leue yow," and so departe and goo fro hym, lyke as a knyght dyd to a lady that i knowe, whiche had an euylle heede and saide many oultrages to the knyght to fore all the peple. To whome the knyght said, "Madame, yf it plesyth yow, saye ye as many merueyles as ye wylle, and yf I here yow, I doo yow no wrong. I see well ye be maryed, whereof I am sory." But now for al that she wolde not be stylle, but chode more than to fore. And when the knyght sawe that she wolde not leue ne be stylle for no thyng, he took a lytell wyspe of strawe that he fond, and set it to fore her, and saide to her, "Madame, yf ye chyde more, so chyde to this wyspe of strawe, for I leue it here for me," and wente his way, and lefte hyr there, and it was reputed for wel done of the knyght that soo lefte her. And she was holden for more foole than to fore, for when she fonde not to whome she myght chyde, she restreyned her yf she wolde. And thus ought hit to be done, for hit is not honest ne good folke to stryue with fooles, ne to chydars, ne to suche as haue euylle heedes and ben hasty and hoote, but teschewe them lyke as the knyght dyd this lady, of whome ye haue herd.
