The Vision of William concerning Piers the 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 ... In four parts |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
IRA. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
 | The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman |  |
IRA.
Now awaketh wratthe with two whyte eyen,
And nyuelynge with þe nose and his nekke hangynge.
And nyuelynge with þe nose and his nekke hangynge.
“I am wrath,” quod he “I was sum tyme a frere,
And þe couentes Gardyner for to graffe ympes;
On limitoures and listres lesynges I ymped,
Tyl þei bere leues of low speche lordes to plese,
And sithen þei blosmed obrode in boure to here shriftes.
And now is fallen þer-of a frute þat folke han wel leuere
Schewen her schriftes to hem þan shryue hem to her persones.
And þe couentes Gardyner for to graffe ympes;
On limitoures and listres lesynges I ymped,
Tyl þei bere leues of low speche lordes to plese,
And sithen þei blosmed obrode in boure to here shriftes.
And now is fallen þer-of a frute þat folke han wel leuere
Schewen her schriftes to hem þan shryue hem to her persones.
And now persones [han] parceyued þat Freres parte with hem,
Þise possessioneres preche and depraue freres,
And freres fyndeth hem in defaute as folke bereth witnes,
That whan þei preche þe poeple in many place aboute,
I, wrath, walke with hem and wisse hem of my bokes.
Þus þei speken of spiritualte þat eyther despiseth other,
Til þei be bothe beggers and by my spiritualte libben,
Or elles alle riche and riden aboute.
I, wrath, rest neuere þat I ne moste folwe
This wykked folke for suche is my grace.
Þise possessioneres preche and depraue freres,
And freres fyndeth hem in defaute as folke bereth witnes,
That whan þei preche þe poeple in many place aboute,
I, wrath, walke with hem and wisse hem of my bokes.
Þus þei speken of spiritualte þat eyther despiseth other,
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Or elles alle riche and riden aboute.
I, wrath, rest neuere þat I ne moste folwe
This wykked folke for suche is my grace.
I haue an aunte to nonne and an abbesse bothe,
Hir were leuere swowe or swelte þan [suffre] any peyne.
I haue be cook in hir kichyne and þe couent serued
Many monthes with hem and with monkes bothe.
I was þe priouresses potagere and other poure ladyes,
And made hem ioutes of iangelynge þat dame Iohanne was a bastard,
And dame Clarice a kniȝtes douȝter ac a kokewolde was hire syre,
And dame Peronelle a prestes file Priouresse worth she neuere,
For she had childe in chirityme al owre chapitere it wiste.
Hir were leuere swowe or swelte þan [suffre] any peyne.
I haue be cook in hir kichyne and þe couent serued
Many monthes with hem and with monkes bothe.
I was þe priouresses potagere and other poure ladyes,
And made hem ioutes of iangelynge þat dame Iohanne was a bastard,
And dame Clarice a kniȝtes douȝter ac a kokewolde was hire syre,
And dame Peronelle a prestes file Priouresse worth she neuere,
For she had childe in chirityme al owre chapitere it wiste.
Of wykked wordes I, wrath here wortes I-made,
Til ‘þow lixte’ and ‘þow lixte’ lopen oute at ones,
And eyther hitte other vnder þe cheke;
Hadde þei had knyues, bi cryst her eyther had killed other.
Til ‘þow lixte’ and ‘þow lixte’ lopen oute at ones,
And eyther hitte other vnder þe cheke;
Hadde þei had knyues, bi cryst her eyther had killed other.
Seynt Gregorie was a gode pope and had a gode forwit,
Þat no priouresse were prest for þat he ordeigned.
Þei had þanne ben infamis þe firste day þei can so yuel hele conseille.
Þat no priouresse were prest for þat he ordeigned.
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Amonge monkes I miȝte be ac many tyme I shonye;
For þere ben many felle frekis my feres to aspye,
Bothe Prioure an supprioure and owre pater abbas;
And if I telle any tales þei taken hem togyderes,
And do me faste frydayes to bred and to water,
And am chalanged in þe chapitelhous as I a childe were,
And baleised on þe bare ers and no breche bitwene;
For-þi haue I no lykyng with þo leodes to wonye.
I ete there vnthende fisshe and fieble ale drynke;
Ac other while, whan wyn cometh whan I drynke wyn at eue,
I haue a fluxe of a foule mouthe wel fyue dayes after.
Al þe wikkednesse þat I wote bi any of owre bretheren,
I couth it in owre cloistre þat al owre couent wote it.”
For þere ben many felle frekis my feres to aspye,
Bothe Prioure an supprioure and owre pater abbas;
And if I telle any tales þei taken hem togyderes,
And do me faste frydayes to bred and to water,
And am chalanged in þe chapitelhous as I a childe were,
And baleised on þe bare ers and no breche bitwene;
For-þi haue I no lykyng with þo leodes to wonye.
I ete there vnthende fisshe and fieble ale drynke;
Ac other while, whan wyn cometh whan I drynke wyn at eue,
I haue a fluxe of a foule mouthe wel fyue dayes after.
Al þe wikkednesse þat I wote bi any of owre bretheren,
I couth it in owre cloistre þat al owre couent wote it.”
“Now repent þe,” quod Repentaunce “and reherce þow neure
Conseille þat þow cnowest bi contenaunce ne bi riȝte;
And drynke nouȝte ouer delicatly ne to depe noyther,
Þat þi wille bi cause þer-of to wrath myȝte torne.
Esto sobrius,” he seyde and assoilled me after,
And bad me wilne to wepe my wikkednesse to amende.
Conseille þat þow cnowest bi contenaunce ne bi riȝte;
And drynke nouȝte ouer delicatly ne to depe noyther,
Þat þi wille bi cause þer-of to wrath myȝte torne.
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And bad me wilne to wepe my wikkednesse to amende.
| The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman | |