A certain Bishop had invited a number of guests to dine with him. During the meal, one of them began to speak of the faults of a person who was not present.

When the Bishop heard what was being said, he called one of the servants, and said to him in a loud voice:

“Go and ask that gentleman they are talking about to come here.”

The guest who had just been speaking suddenly stopped, and looked towards the Bishop. With a stern glance, the Bishop said:

“I have sent for the gentleman whose faults you are talking about, so that he can defend himself; for it is unjust to speak badly of another person without giving him a chance to defend himself.”

From then on, no one ever spoke of the faults of his neighbor in the presence of that good Bishop.