The phrase "wert the service of" is an archaic expression that means "worth the service of". In IPA phonetic transcription, the pronunciation of "wert" is /wərt/ with the stress on the first syllable /wərt/. The spelling of "wert" reflects the Middle English pronunciation of "worth" that includes the "-th" ending common in Old English. Today, the word "worth" is more commonly used, but "wert" can still be found in historical texts and literature.