But in my conscience I set
him far above sixpence, and therefore I dare not meddle with him.
Now, then, yonder live horse is in all likelihood worth a great
deal of money. For horses are dear in this country--especially
such soft amblers, for I see by his pace he trotteth not, nor can
scant shift a foot. And therefore I may not meddle with him, for
he very far passeth my sixpence. But cows this country hath
enough, while money have they very little. And therefore,
considering the plenty of the cows and the scarcity of the money,
yonder foolish cow seemeth unto me, in my conscience, worth not
past a groat, if she be worth so much. Now then, her calf is not
so much as she, by half. And therefore, since the cow is in my
conscience worth but fourpence, my conscience cannot serve me, for
sin of my soul, to appraise her calf above twopence. And so pass
they not sixpence between them both. And therefore may I well eat
them twain at this one meal and break not my penance at all." And
so thereupon he did, without any scruple of conscience.
If such beasts could speak now, as Mother Maud said they could
then, some of them would, I daresay, tell a tale almost as wise as
this! Save for the diminishing of old Mother Maud's tale, a
shorter sermon would have served. But yet, as childish as the
parable is, in this it serveth for our purpose: that the night's
fear of a somewhat scrupulous conscience, though it be painful and
troublous to him who hath it, as this poor ass had here, is yet
less harm than a conscience that is over-large.
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