TR5.1625 “Yĕt préye ĭch yów, ŏn ývĕl yé nĕ tákĕ
TR5.1626 Thăt ít ĭs shórt whĭch thát Ĭ tó yŏw wrítĕ;
TR5.1627 Ĭ dár năt, thér Ĭ ám, wĕl, léttrĕs mákĕ,
TR5.1628 Nĕ néverĕ yét nĕ kóude Ĭ wél ĕndítĕ.
TR5.1629 Ĕk grét ĕffećt mĕn wríte ĭn plácĕ lítĕ;
TR5.1630 Th’ĕnténte ĭs ál, ănd nát thĕ léttrĕs spácĕ,
TR5.1631 Ănd fáreth nŏw wél. Gŏd háve yŏw ín hĭs grácĕ! La vostre C.”

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translations (Windeatt: 1998): Yet I beg you not to take it amiss that what I have written to you is brief. I dare not write letters where I am, and I have never been good at putting things in writing. And things of great consequence are written in few words—the intention is everything, and not the length of the letter. And now farewell, and may God keep you in his grace! Your C.’
• Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): でもお願いします、貴方に宛てて認めておりますことが短すぎますが、悪くお取りにならないでくださいませ。今居ります所では手紙を思い切って書くことができません。そしてわたしは手紙の書き方が決して上手でありませんから。また人は大変重要な問題を短く認めるものでございます。内容がすべてありまして、手紙の長さではありません。では失礼いたします、神様からお恵みを賜りますように！貴方のCより」
• Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 无疑的，我活一天必一天做你的朋友。还求你勿因我写得简短而不乐意；我在此不敢多写，也决不能写得好。简略的篇幅中往往可含深意宏旨；贵信贵质不贵量。再会，上帝眷顾你！你的克

Word Information

• Etymology: OE
• Addresser: Criseyde
• Addressee: Troilus
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: place (place to write)
• Attributive/ Predicative: predicative 

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: 2. (b) of size, area, mass: little, small; of a path or opening: narrow, constricted; ~ wei, a short distance (s.v. līt(e, adj.(1))

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 337): Ek gret effect men write in place lite: Also, people write matters of great consequence in little space
• Fisher (1989: 529): place lite: small space
• Benson (1987): N/A
• Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
• Donaldson (1975: 990): lite: small
• Baugh (1963: 207): Ek gret effect men write in place lite: also, people write matters of great consequence in little space

Possible Definitions

of size, area: little, small, not spacious

Comments from the Editor

As to this letter, see my comment of ‘god’ (adj., Tr5.1622).