He must not pardon a labourer who went home at a busy time because his father had died – sorry as he might be for the man – part of his pay had to be deducted for the precious months during which he had been absent; but he could not neglect giving a monthly allowance to old domestic serfs who were of no use at all to him.
Non si poteva perdonare un lavoratore che al tempo del lavoro se ne andasse a casa perché gli era morto il padre e, per quanta pena suscitasse, bisognava pagarlo di meno per i mesi in cui era stato assente; ma non si poteva non dare la mensilità anche ai vecchi servi che non facevano nulla.