OF THEM THAT BEN CHYDARS OR SCOLDES.
AYRE doughters, see that ye begynne no strif to no foole, ne to them that ben hasty and hoote, for it is grete perill, whereof I shal shewe to you an Ensample, whiche I sawe happen in a Castel wherin many ladyes & damoysels duelleden. And ther was a damoysell, douster of a right gentyl knyst, and she waxe angry in playeng atte tables with a gentylman whiche was hoote and hasty and moost Ryotous, and was not right wyse. And the debate was of a dyes, whiche she saide was not truly made. And soo moche it encreaced that wordes were enbaunced, and that she saide he was a coward and a foole. And so they lefte theyr playe by chydynge and strif. Thenne said i to the damoyselle, "My fayre Cosyn, Angre you with no thyng that he saith, for ye knowe wel he is of hautayn wordes and of folissh answers, wherfor I praye yow for your honour that ye take no debate ageynst hym," & i told her & couceiled feithfully, as j wold have said to my suster. But she wold not bileue me, but yet did chide more after this than to fore. And she sayd to hym that he was nought worth, and many other wordes. And he answerd to her, that he was better for a man than she was for a woman, & she said that he said not trouth; and soo the wordes aroos, that he said yf she had ben wyse and good, she shold not come by nyght in to the mennes chambres and kysse them and embrace them without Candell. And she supposed well to haue auenged her, and sayd to hym that he lyed. And he said he dyde not, and that suche one & suche one had sene it. And there was moche peple that herd hit, whiche knewe no thyng therof to fore, and many of them sayd that a good stylle, and not so to have chyden, had ben better for her, & that she was beten with her owne staf, that is to saye, by her tonge and by hir hasty spekyng. And after these wordes she wepte, and said that
