|
He seide, "Arveragus of gentillesse |
| Hadde levere dye in sorwe and in distresse |
| Than that his wyf were of hir trouthe fals;" |
| 890 | The sorwe of Dorigen he tolde hym als, |
| How looth hir was to been a wikked wyf, |
| And that she levere had lost that day hir lyf, |
| And that hir trouthe she swoor, thurgh innocence, |
| She nevere erst hadde herd speke of apparence. |
| 895 | "That made me han of hir so greet pitee; |
| And right as frely as he sente hir me, |
| As frely sente I hir to hym ageyn. |
| This al and som, ther is namoore to seyn." |
| This philosophre answerde, "Leeve brother, |
| 900 | Everich of yow dide gentilly til oother. |
| Thou art a squier, and he is a knyght; |
| But God forbede, for his blisful myght, |
| But if a clerk koude doon a gentil dede |
| As wel as any of yow, it is no drede. |
| 905 | Sire, I releesse thee thy thousand pound, |
| As thou right now were cropen out of the ground, |
| Ne nevere er now ne haddest knowen me; |
| For, sire, I wol nat taken a peny of thee |
| For al my craft, ne noght for my travaille. |
| 910 | Thou hast ypayed wel for my vitaille, |
| It is ynogh, and farewel, have good day." |
| And took his hors, and forth he goth his way. |
| Lordynges, this questioun wolde I aske now, |
| Which was the mooste fre, as thynketh yow? |
| 915 | Now telleth me, er that ye ferther wende, |
| I kan namoore, my tale is at an ende. |
|
|
He said: "Arviragus, of nobleness, |
| Had rather die in sorrow and distress |
| Than that his wife were to her promise false." |
| 890 | He told of Dorigen's grief, too, and how else |
| She had been loath to live a wicked wife |
| And rather would that day have lost her life, |
| And that her troth she swore through ignorance: |
| "She'd ne'er before heard of such simulance; |
| 895 | Which made me have for her such great pity. |
| And just as freely as he sent her me, |
| As freely sent I her to him again. |
| This is the sum, there's no more to explain." |
| Then answered this philosopher: "Dear brother, |
| 900 | Each one of you has nobly dealt with other. |
| You are a squire, true, and he is a knight, |
| But God forbid, what of his blessed might, |
| A clerk should never do a gentle deed |
| As well as any of you. Of this take heed! |
| 905 | Sir, I release to you your thousand pound, |
| As if, right now, you'd crept out of the ground |
| And never, before now, had known of me. |
| For, sir, I'll take of you not one penny |
| For all my art and all my long travail. |
| 910 | You have paid well for all my meat and ale; |
| It is enough, so farewell, have good day!" |
| And took his horse and went forth on his way. |
| Masters, this question would I ask you now: |
| Which was most generous, do you think, and how. |
| 915 | Pray tell me this before you farther wend. |
| I can no more, my tale is at an end. |
|
