"That
made me han of hire so greet pitee;
And right as frely as he sente
hire me,
As frely sente I hire to
hym ageyn.
This al and som; ther is
namoore to seyn."
This philosophre answerde,
"Leeve brother,
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!
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.
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 question, thanne, wol I aske
now,
Which was the mooste fre,
as thynketh yow?
Now telleth me, er that
ye ferther wende.
I kan namoore;
my tale is at an ende.