395
†Him deyneth nat to wreke him on a flye,
†As doth a curre or elles another beste.
†In noble corage oghte been [areste],
†And weyen every thing by equitee,
†And ever han [reward] to his owen degree.
400
†For, sir, hit is no [maystrie] for a lord
To dampne a man with-oute answere of word;
†And, for a lord, that is ful foul to use.