William Langland: Piers Plowman: The Z Version Edited by A. G. Rigg and Charlotte Brewer |
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| 5. | Passus Quintus |
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 | William Langland: Piers Plowman: The Z Version |  |
77
Passus Quintus
Wareyn Wysdom ant Wytty ys fere
Cowthe nat warpen a word to wythsegge Resoun,
But stared for studiyng as a ston stylle.
The kyng acorded by Cryst to Resoun sawes
Ant seyde that Resoun ryghtfullyche haued schewed,
“Ac hit ys ful hard, by myn heued, herto to bryngen hit
Ant my lege ledus to lede thus euene.”
“By hym that rawȝte on the rode,” quad Resoun to the kyng,
“But Y rewle thus thy rewme, rend of my heres,
Yf ye bydde buxumesse be of myn assente.”
“Ant Y assente,” quad the kyng, “by seynt Mary my lady,
Be my consayl ycome of clerkus ant herles.
Ac redely, Resoun, thow schalt nat ryde hennes:
For as long as Y lyue, leue Y the nelle.”
“I am aredy,” quad Resoun, “to reste wyth yow euere,
So Conscyence be of oure consayl, kepe Y no bettre.”
“Ant Y graunte,” quad the kyng, “Godus forbode he fayle,
As longe as Y lyue, libbe togyderes.”
The kyng ant ys knytes to the kyrke wente
Tho here matynes ant masse ant to the mete aftur.
Thenne waked Y of my wynkyng ant wo was wyth alle
That Y ne haued slepe saddur ant yseyn more.
Ar Y haued fare a forlong, feyntyse me hent
That Y ne myȝte forthur a fot for slep that me folwed.
Y sat softely adow, sayd Y “by my leue,”
Ant so Y babled on my bedus, they browȝte me a slepe,
Ant say muche more then fore telle.
For Y saw the feld ful of folk that Y afore tolde,
Ant Conscience wyth a cros com for to preche
Ant preyde the peple haue pyte of hemsylue,
Ant priued the pestilence was for puyr synne
Ant sothewoste wynd a saturday at eue
Was pertlyche for pruyde ant for no poynt elles.
For word ys but wynd ant so my wyt telleth,
Ac wel Y wot that holy wryt wot muche bettre
Ant wytnesseth that Godus word ys worthyokest of alle.
Hit maketh the messe ant the masse that men vnderfongeth
For Godus body ant ys blod, buyrnes to saue;
Helle yatus hit tobarst ant hadde out Adam;
Wyth wynd of ys word al this world made.
Ant in ensaumple, segges, that ye schal do the bettre,
Bechus ant brod okes weren blowe to the erthe,
Al to warne vs weyes wat thys werd menes.
Peryes ant plomtres were poste to the erthe,
Assches ant helmes ant okes ful heye,
Turne vpward here tayl yn toknyg of drede
That dedly synne ar domus day fordo schal hem alle.
Of thys matere Y myȝte mamele ful longe,
Ac Y schal seye as Y say, so me God helpe,
How Conscyence wyth ys cros cumseth to preche.
A bad Wastor to wyrche wat a beste couthe,
To wynnen here wastyng wyth summe manere craft,
Ant preyd Pernele here porfyl to leue,
To kepe hit in here cofre Conscyence bysowte.
Thomme Stoue a tauȝte to take to staues
Ant fette hom Felice from wyuen pyne;
Warned Wat ys wyf was to blame,
That here heued was at alfmark ant ys hode at a grote.
A bad Bette to kytte a bow or tweye
Ant bete Beden theremyde but yf he wold wyrche;
Charged chapmen to chasten here chyldren,
Lat no wynnyng forwanyen hem wyle they ben yonge;
Preyed prelatus ant prestus yfere
That they prechyd the peple, preue hit in hemsylf,
Ant libben as they lere vs, we wyl leue hem th[e] bettre.
Ant senes a radde religioun here rewle to holde,
“Last the kyng ant his consayl youre comewnes apeyre
Ant be styward of youre stedes tyl ye be stywed bettre.
Ant ye that sekut seyn James ant seyntes of Rome,
Jerusalem ant Jeryco ant Jacobes welle,
Sekut seynt Trewthe for he may saue yow alle,
Qui cum patre et fili[o] that fayre hem byfalle
That doth as Y dome wyle here dayes lasten;
The sone wyth the seynt spiryt saue hem fro meschaunce
That seweth my sarmon ant thus secuth Trewthe.”
Cowthe nat warpen a word to wythsegge Resoun,
But stared for studiyng as a ston stylle.
The kyng acorded by Cryst to Resoun sawes
Ant seyde that Resoun ryghtfullyche haued schewed,
“Ac hit ys ful hard, by myn heued, herto to bryngen hit
Ant my lege ledus to lede thus euene.”
“By hym that rawȝte on the rode,” quad Resoun to the kyng,
“But Y rewle thus thy rewme, rend of my heres,
Yf ye bydde buxumesse be of myn assente.”
“Ant Y assente,” quad the kyng, “by seynt Mary my lady,
Be my consayl ycome of clerkus ant herles.
Ac redely, Resoun, thow schalt nat ryde hennes:
For as long as Y lyue, leue Y the nelle.”
78
So Conscyence be of oure consayl, kepe Y no bettre.”
“Ant Y graunte,” quad the kyng, “Godus forbode he fayle,
As longe as Y lyue, libbe togyderes.”
The kyng ant ys knytes to the kyrke wente
Tho here matynes ant masse ant to the mete aftur.
Thenne waked Y of my wynkyng ant wo was wyth alle
That Y ne haued slepe saddur ant yseyn more.
Ar Y haued fare a forlong, feyntyse me hent
That Y ne myȝte forthur a fot for slep that me folwed.
Y sat softely adow, sayd Y “by my leue,”
Ant so Y babled on my bedus, they browȝte me a slepe,
Ant say muche more then fore telle.
For Y saw the feld ful of folk that Y afore tolde,
Ant Conscience wyth a cros com for to preche
Ant preyde the peple haue pyte of hemsylue,
Ant priued the pestilence was for puyr synne
Ant sothewoste wynd a saturday at eue
Was pertlyche for pruyde ant for no poynt elles.
For word ys but wynd ant so my wyt telleth,
Ac wel Y wot that holy wryt wot muche bettre
79
Hit maketh the messe ant the masse that men vnderfongeth
For Godus body ant ys blod, buyrnes to saue;
Helle yatus hit tobarst ant hadde out Adam;
Wyth wynd of ys word al this world made.
Ant in ensaumple, segges, that ye schal do the bettre,
Bechus ant brod okes weren blowe to the erthe,
Al to warne vs weyes wat thys werd menes.
Peryes ant plomtres were poste to the erthe,
Assches ant helmes ant okes ful heye,
Turne vpward here tayl yn toknyg of drede
That dedly synne ar domus day fordo schal hem alle.
Of thys matere Y myȝte mamele ful longe,
Ac Y schal seye as Y say, so me God helpe,
How Conscyence wyth ys cros cumseth to preche.
A bad Wastor to wyrche wat a beste couthe,
To wynnen here wastyng wyth summe manere craft,
Ant preyd Pernele here porfyl to leue,
To kepe hit in here cofre Conscyence bysowte.
Thomme Stoue a tauȝte to take to staues
Ant fette hom Felice from wyuen pyne;
Warned Wat ys wyf was to blame,
That here heued was at alfmark ant ys hode at a grote.
80
Ant bete Beden theremyde but yf he wold wyrche;
Charged chapmen to chasten here chyldren,
Lat no wynnyng forwanyen hem wyle they ben yonge;
Preyed prelatus ant prestus yfere
That they prechyd the peple, preue hit in hemsylf,
Ant libben as they lere vs, we wyl leue hem th[e] bettre.
Ant senes a radde religioun here rewle to holde,
“Last the kyng ant his consayl youre comewnes apeyre
Ant be styward of youre stedes tyl ye be stywed bettre.
Ant ye that sekut seyn James ant seyntes of Rome,
Jerusalem ant Jeryco ant Jacobes welle,
Sekut seynt Trewthe for he may saue yow alle,
Qui cum patre et fili[o] that fayre hem byfalle
That doth as Y dome wyle here dayes lasten;
The sone wyth the seynt spiryt saue hem fro meschaunce
That seweth my sarmon ant thus secuth Trewthe.”
Thanne ran Repentaunce, rehersed ys teme,
Ant gerte Wylle to wepe watur wyth his eyes.
Pernele prowd-herte platte here to the erthe
Ant lay longe ar a locud ant “lord, mercy” cryed,
Ant byhyght to hym that vs alle made
A scholde vnsowen here serk ant sette there an haire,
For to afayten here flesch that fers was to synne:
“Schal nere heye herte me hente but holde [me] lowe
Ant suffre to be mys-seyd, ant so dide Y nere.
But now wyl Y meke me ant mercy byseche
Of alle hem that Y haue had enuye in myn herte.”
Lecherye seyde “alas” ant oure ledy cryed
To make mercy for ys mysdede bytwene God ant ys sowle,
Wyth a scholde the saturday seuen yer thereaftur
Drynke but myt the doke ant dyne bot ones.
Enuye ant yre ayther wep faste,
Preyude furst to Pouel ant tho Petur alse,
To geten grace for here gult of God that hem boughte,
That nere wyked wylle ne wrath hem ouerecome,
But sende hem grace to suffre ant synne to lete
Ant for to louye ant be byloued as Charite wolde.
Thenne com Couetyse, knoked ys brest;
A haued a Northfolk nose, Y noem ful god hede,
Ant swor by “so the yk” that synne scholde he lete
Ant nere wolle to wey ne worstedes make
Ne morgage manere wyth monye that he haued,
But “wenden to Walsingham ant my wyf alse
Ant bydde the rode of Bromholm brynge vs out of dette.”
Thenne gan Gloten to grete ant gret sorwe made
Al for ys luyther lyf that a lyued hadde;
Ant a voued faste for eny hungur or furste
“Schal nere fysch vpon the fryday defyen in my wombe
Ar Abstinence myn aunte haue yf me leue—
Ant yut hath he hated me al my lyf tyme.”
Slewthe for sorw ful down y swowe
Tyl Vigilate ant veyles fette watur at ys eyus;
Flatted hit on ys face ant faste on hym cryed
Ant seyde “War the fro wanhope wolde the to-traye:
“Ych am sory of my synnes” sey to thyselue,
Ant bete thysylf on thy brest, bydde hym of grace
For his no gult here so gret that his godnesse ne his more.”
Thenne sat Slewthe vp, seyned hym faste
Ant mad[e] a vow tofore God for ys foule synne;
“Schall no sonenday be thys seuen yer, but syknesse yt make,
That Y ne schal do me ar day to the dere chirche
To here masse ant matynes as Y a monek were.
Schal non ale aftur mete halde me thennes
Tyl Y haue hensong yherd, Y byhote, wyle Y lybbe,
Quod ye nan yelde ayeyn yf Y so myche haue,
Al that Y wykedely wan senes Y wyt haued.
Thowȝ me lyflode lake, leten Y nelle
Than vch man schal haue hys ar Y hennes wende,
Ant wyth the residue ant the remenaunt by the rode of Chestre
Seken seynt Trewth therewyth or Y se Rome
Or James or Jerusalem by Jesus of euene.”
Robert the robbere on reddite locut,
Ac for he haued nat werewyth a wep swythe sore
Ac yut the synful schrewe seyde to hymsylfe:
“Cryst that vpon Caluary vpon the cros deydest,
Tho Dismas my brother bysowȝthe [the] of grace,
Ant hauedest mercy for his mysdedes for memento ones,
So rewe on me, Robert, that reddere ne habbe
Ne nere wene to wynne wyth craft that Y knowe.
Thy wille worth vpon me, as Y wel disserued
To haue helle for euere, nere hope a that Y haue.
For youre muchyl mercy mytygacion Y byseche,
For fodere non valeo, so feble ar my bones:
Caucyon, ant Y couthe, caute wolde Y make,
That Y ne begged ne borwed ne in despeyr deyde.”
Ac wat byful of thys felown Y can nat fayre schewe;
Wel Y wot a wep faste water wyth ys eyes
Ant knowleched ys coupe yut eftsones to Cryst,
That penitencia ys pyk a wolde polsche newe
Ant lepe wyth hym oure lond al ys lyf days,
For that he lay by Latro, Luciferes aunte.
A thowsend of men to throngen togydyres,
Wepyng ant waylyng for here mysdedes,
Cryend vpward to Cryst an to ys clene modur
Grace to go to Trewthe—God leue that a mote!
Ant gerte Wylle to wepe watur wyth his eyes.
Pernele prowd-herte platte here to the erthe
Ant lay longe ar a locud ant “lord, mercy” cryed,
Ant byhyght to hym that vs alle made
A scholde vnsowen here serk ant sette there an haire,
For to afayten here flesch that fers was to synne:
“Schal nere heye herte me hente but holde [me] lowe
81
But now wyl Y meke me ant mercy byseche
Of alle hem that Y haue had enuye in myn herte.”
Lecherye seyde “alas” ant oure ledy cryed
To make mercy for ys mysdede bytwene God ant ys sowle,
Wyth a scholde the saturday seuen yer thereaftur
Drynke but myt the doke ant dyne bot ones.
Enuye ant yre ayther wep faste,
Preyude furst to Pouel ant tho Petur alse,
To geten grace for here gult of God that hem boughte,
That nere wyked wylle ne wrath hem ouerecome,
But sende hem grace to suffre ant synne to lete
Ant for to louye ant be byloued as Charite wolde.
Thenne com Couetyse, knoked ys brest;
A haued a Northfolk nose, Y noem ful god hede,
Ant swor by “so the yk” that synne scholde he lete
Ant nere wolle to wey ne worstedes make
Ne morgage manere wyth monye that he haued,
But “wenden to Walsingham ant my wyf alse
82
Thenne gan Gloten to grete ant gret sorwe made
Al for ys luyther lyf that a lyued hadde;
Ant a voued faste for eny hungur or furste
“Schal nere fysch vpon the fryday defyen in my wombe
Ar Abstinence myn aunte haue yf me leue—
Ant yut hath he hated me al my lyf tyme.”
Slewthe for sorw ful down y swowe
Tyl Vigilate ant veyles fette watur at ys eyus;
Flatted hit on ys face ant faste on hym cryed
Ant seyde “War the fro wanhope wolde the to-traye:
“Ych am sory of my synnes” sey to thyselue,
Ant bete thysylf on thy brest, bydde hym of grace
For his no gult here so gret that his godnesse ne his more.”
Thenne sat Slewthe vp, seyned hym faste
Ant mad[e] a vow tofore God for ys foule synne;
“Schall no sonenday be thys seuen yer, but syknesse yt make,
That Y ne schal do me ar day to the dere chirche
To here masse ant matynes as Y a monek were.
Schal non ale aftur mete halde me thennes
83
Quod ye nan yelde ayeyn yf Y so myche haue,
Al that Y wykedely wan senes Y wyt haued.
Thowȝ me lyflode lake, leten Y nelle
Than vch man schal haue hys ar Y hennes wende,
Ant wyth the residue ant the remenaunt by the rode of Chestre
Seken seynt Trewth therewyth or Y se Rome
Or James or Jerusalem by Jesus of euene.”
Robert the robbere on reddite locut,
Ac for he haued nat werewyth a wep swythe sore
Ac yut the synful schrewe seyde to hymsylfe:
“Cryst that vpon Caluary vpon the cros deydest,
Tho Dismas my brother bysowȝthe [the] of grace,
Ant hauedest mercy for his mysdedes for memento ones,
So rewe on me, Robert, that reddere ne habbe
Ne nere wene to wynne wyth craft that Y knowe.
84
To haue helle for euere, nere hope a that Y haue.
For youre muchyl mercy mytygacion Y byseche,
For fodere non valeo, so feble ar my bones:
Caucyon, ant Y couthe, caute wolde Y make,
That Y ne begged ne borwed ne in despeyr deyde.”
Ac wat byful of thys felown Y can nat fayre schewe;
Wel Y wot a wep faste water wyth ys eyes
Ant knowleched ys coupe yut eftsones to Cryst,
That penitencia ys pyk a wolde polsche newe
Ant lepe wyth hym oure lond al ys lyf days,
For that he lay by Latro, Luciferes aunte.
A thowsend of men to throngen togydyres,
Wepyng ant waylyng for here mysdedes,
Cryend vpward to Cryst an to ys clene modur
Grace to go to Trewthe—God leue that a mote!
Ac there was weye [none] so wys that the way thydur couthe,
But blostred forth as bestes ouer baches ant hilles,
Tyl late ant longe that they a lede mette,
Yparayled as a paynym in palmeres wyse.
A bar a bordoun ybounde wyth a brode lyste,
In a wethewyse ywowden aboute,
A bagge ant a bolle he bar by ys syde,
An hendret of haumpelles on ys hatte setun,
Sygnes of Syse ant schelles of Galis
Ant many a crowche on ys clok ant keyes of Rome,
Ant the vernycle afore, for men scholde yknowe
Ant se be ys signes wam a sowght adde.
But blostred forth as bestes ouer baches ant hilles,
Tyl late ant longe that they a lede mette,
Yparayled as a paynym in palmeres wyse.
85
In a wethewyse ywowden aboute,
A bagge ant a bolle he bar by ys syde,
An hendret of haumpelles on ys hatte setun,
Sygnes of Syse ant schelles of Galis
Ant many a crowche on ys clok ant keyes of Rome,
Ant the vernycle afore, for men scholde yknowe
Ant se be ys signes wam a sowght adde.
| William Langland: Piers Plowman: The Z Version | |