TR3.1310 Ŏf híre dĕlít ŏr jóiĕs óon thĕ léestĕ
TR3.1311 Wĕre ímpŏssíblĕ tó my̆ wít tŏ séyĕ;
TR3.1312 Bŭt júggĕth yé thăt hán bĕn át thĕ féstĕ
TR3.1313 Ŏf swích glădnésse, ĭf thát hĕm lístĕ pléyĕ!
TR3.1314 Ĭ kán nămóre, bŭt thús thĭse ílkĕ twéyĕ
TR3.1315 Thăt nýght, bĭtwíxĕn dréde ănd síkĕrnéssĕ,
TR3.1316 Féltĕn ĭn lóve thĕ grétĕ wórthy̆néssĕ.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translations (Windeatt: 1998): To express the very least of their delight or joys would be beyond my understanding. But you who have been at such a feast of happiness, you judge whether they wanted to enjoy themselves! I can say no more, but thus these same two that night—between anxiety and assurance—experienced the great excellence of love.
• Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 彼らのほんの極めて少ない喜びや歓喜についてさえ、述べることは私の才能では不可能だろう。しかし彼らが心から打ち興じたかどうか、そのような喜びの饗宴に出席した貴方がたが判断してください。ただ言えることは、この二人はその夜、不安と安心との間にあって恋の素晴らしさを味わったということです。
• Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 我这有限的头脑说不出他俩所享受的最低愉快；但你若尝过此种的甜味，自可估量得他俩的欢爱！我没有什么可说的了，惟有总括一句，那一夜他俩在安乐之中虽不免有时颤栗，却感受了爱的最大功能。

Word Information

• Etymology: OE
• Addresser: Narrator
• Addressee: N/A
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): 3.32–3
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: goodness and badness (worthynesse: excellence)
• Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: Not quoted

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 177): Felten in love the grete worthynesse: Experienced the supreme excellence of love
• Fisher (1989): N/A
• Benson (1987): N/A
• Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
• Donaldson (1975): N/A
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

considerable in degree; supreme, great

Comments from the Editor

One of the reasons why the narrator cannot express the very least of the lovers’ delight or joys may be that he is not favored by love (see 1.14–20) and therefore knows nothing about the happiness.

In a similar stanza, Criseida removes her underwear and quickly falls into Troiolo’s arm.(see 3.32). Chaucer, however, omits this description.