foloweth, a shrewe to ben praysed and knit; and a good to be

forsake and unknit.'

'Ah,' quod I tho, 'have ye, lady, ben here abouten; yet wolde

I see, by grace of our argumentes better declared, how good and

bad do acorden by lacking and praysing; me thinketh it ayenst

40

kynde.'

'Nay,' quod she, 'and that shalt thou see as yerne; these

elementes han contrarious qualitees in kynde, by whiche they

mowe not acorde no more than good and badde; and in [some]