Where now is that man who, fattened on so much reading, used to teach others about morals? Had you been willing to discuss this matter with our sister, surely nothing of this kind could have befallen you, for she would neither have allowed her brother to be wronged nor have suffered her husband to be found involved in such affairs. And therefore, greeting you with becoming honour through our envoys so-and-so and so-and-so, we ask that your deliberation may give thorough consideration to this injustice, lest the minds of our kinsmen, roused by these manifest causes, should think of attempting something that might seem to shatter the peace. For an injury that has befallen unexpectedly grieves grievously, and the more so if deceit should come from that very quarter whence help was looked for.
Certain matters, indeed, we have entrusted to the bearers of these letters to convey to you by word of mouth, so that, weighing all things, your providence may determine what ought to be done in so great a cause; for it is no light thing that prudent men should sin against the established terms of peace. You have shown, most prudent of kings, that after the occurrence of an error wise counsel can come to the rescue, and that you do not cherish the vice of obstinacy, which seems to befall brutish men. You have laid my mind under obligation by changing yourselves for the better with such speed. For when a king makes amends, he dissolves whatever was harsh, since humility is as glorious in princes as boastfulness can be hateful in men of lower rank. Lately we charged you with the departure of the late King Gesalec, contrived by deceitful scheming:
but you, mindful of your nobility and of your honour, declared the conduct of the matter to us according to truth. Whence it was not so blameworthy that a man had given place to wicked suspicions, as it is glorious that one in dominion could so very swiftly clear himself. For he who could the less be compelled did not suffer the secrets of his soul to be violated. To which praise, rendering in return such requital as is in our power, we received your sincere clearing with a pure mind. But the gifts of the gold transmitted we do not retain, so that you yourselves may also understand that the case was set in motion by justice, which no venality could bring to an end. We have both acted royally: thus we have overcome a tyrannical greed, just as it is established that you too have conquered error.
Let the gifts return to your chamber, whose mere offering seems to be so very pleasing. Let the gold be disregarded, where the reward of conscience has been chosen: let that suffer a rebuff for once which always held sway over greedy kings. Let it now go forth among the nations as a deed that a dear kinsman did not excuse his fault, and that the souls he had wronged spurned the money. Thus what was wont to be sought through wars was declared, by the zeal of love, to have been capable of being despised. Let kinsmen understand that those men were such that they could not, through zeal for avarice, stir up causes for themselves. For affection overcame all things: then the petition began the more to cease, when, having been pressed, it did not suffer the objects offered to be refused. Receive, then, the gifts, taken up by the mind, not by the hands.
It was sweeter to us to return these things than to have received things much greater. Be now cautious for the like, careful for what is to come: since the mind is rendered well-instructed for the future, when it is admonished by the examples of things past. Wherefore, your envoys so-and-so and so-and-so returning, we render in fullest measure the affection of our greeting, desiring that the divine powers may grant your welfare, to which we know our own minds to be most strongly joined.