The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman together with Vita de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest, Secundum Wit et Resoun, By William Langland (About 1362-1380 A.D.): Edited from Numerous Manuscripts, with Prefaces, Notes and a Glossary, By the Rev. Walter W. Skeat |
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 | The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman |  |
What þis Mountein be-Meneþ and þis derke Dale,
And þis feire feld, ful of folk feire I schal ow schewe.
A louely ladi on leor In linnene I-cloþed,
Com a-doun from þe [clyf] and clepte me feire,
And seide, “sone! slepest þou? Sixt þou þis peple
Al hou bisy þei ben A-boute þe Mase?
Þe moste parti of þe peple þat passeþ nou on eorþe,
Hauen heo worschupe in þis world kepe þei no betere;
Of oþer heuene þen heer [holde] þei no tale.”
And þis feire feld, ful of folk feire I schal ow schewe.
A louely ladi on leor In linnene I-cloþed,
Com a-doun from þe [clyf] and clepte me feire,
And seide, “sone! slepest þou? Sixt þou þis peple
Al hou bisy þei ben A-boute þe Mase?
Þe moste parti of þe peple þat passeþ nou on eorþe,
Hauen heo worschupe in þis world kepe þei no betere;
Of oþer heuene þen heer [holde] þei no tale.”
Ich was a-ferd of hire Face þauh heo feir weore,
And seide, “Merci, Ma dame What is þis to mene?”
And seide, “Merci, Ma dame What is þis to mene?”
“Þis Tour and þis Toft,” quod heo “treuþe is þer-Inne,
And wolde þat ȝe wrouȝten as his word techeþ;
For he is Fader of Fei þat formed ow alle
Boþe with Fel and with Face and ȝaf ow fyue wittes,
Forte worschupen him [þerwith] while ȝe beoþ heere.
And for he hihte þe eorþe to seruen ow vchone
Of wollene, Of linnene To lyflode at neode,
In Mesurable Maner to maken ow at ese;
And Comaundet of his Cortesye In Comune þreo þinges;
Heore nomes beþ neodful and nempnen hem I þenke,
Bi Rule and bi Resun Rehersen hem her-aftur.
And wolde þat ȝe wrouȝten as his word techeþ;
For he is Fader of Fei þat formed ow alle
Boþe with Fel and with Face and ȝaf ow fyue wittes,
Forte worschupen him [þerwith] while ȝe beoþ heere.
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Of wollene, Of linnene To lyflode at neode,
In Mesurable Maner to maken ow at ese;
And Comaundet of his Cortesye In Comune þreo þinges;
Heore nomes beþ neodful and nempnen hem I þenke,
Bi Rule and bi Resun Rehersen hem her-aftur.
Þat on Clothing is from Chele ow to saue:
And þat oþur Mete at Meel for meseise of þiseluen:
And drink whon þou druiȝest but do hit not out of Resun,
Þat þou weor[þ]e þe worse whon þou worche scholdest.
And þat oþur Mete at Meel for meseise of þiseluen:
And drink whon þou druiȝest but do hit not out of Resun,
Þat þou weor[þ]e þe worse whon þou worche scholdest.
For Lot in his lyf-dayes for lyking of drinke,
Dude bi his douhtren þat þe deuel louede,
Dilytede him in drinke as þe deuel wolde,
And lecherie him lauhte and lay bi hem boþe;
And al he witede hit wyn þat wikkede dede.
Dreede dilitable drinke And þou schalt do þe bettre;
Mesure is Medicine þauh þou muche ȝeor[n]e.
Al nis not good to þe gost þat þe bodi lykeþ,
Ne lyflode to þe licam þat leof is to þe soule.
Dude bi his douhtren þat þe deuel louede,
Dilytede him in drinke as þe deuel wolde,
And lecherie him lauhte and lay bi hem boþe;
And al he witede hit wyn þat wikkede dede.
Dreede dilitable drinke And þou schalt do þe bettre;
Mesure is Medicine þauh þou muche ȝeor[n]e.
Al nis not good to þe gost þat þe bodi lykeþ,
Ne lyflode to þe licam þat leof is to þe soule.
Leef not þi licam for lyȝere him techeþ,
Þat is þe Wikkede word þe to bi-traye.
For þe Fend and þi Flesch folewen to-gedere,
And schendeþ þi soule seo hit in þin herte;
And for þou scholdest beo war I wisse þe þe bettre.
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For þe Fend and þi Flesch folewen to-gedere,
And schendeþ þi soule seo hit in þin herte;
And for þou scholdest beo war I wisse þe þe bettre.
| The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman | |