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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| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
 | The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman |  |
AUARICIA.
And þanne cam coueytise can I hym nouȝte descryue,
So hungriliche and holwe sire [Heruy] hym loked.
He was bitelbrowed and baberlipped also,
With two blered eyghen as a blynde hagge;
And as a letheren purs lolled his chekes,
Wel sydder þan his chyn þei chiueled for elde;
And as a bondman of his bacoun his berde was bidraueled.
With an hode on his hed a lousi hatte aboue,
And in a tauny tabarde of twelue wynter age,
Al totorne and baudy and ful of lys crepynge;
But if þat a lous couthe haue lopen þe bettre,
She sholde nouȝte haue walked on þat welche so was it thredebare.
So hungriliche and holwe sire [Heruy] hym loked.
He was bitelbrowed and baberlipped also,
With two blered eyghen as a blynde hagge;
And as a letheren purs lolled his chekes,
Wel sydder þan his chyn þei chiueled for elde;
And as a bondman of his bacoun his berde was bidraueled.
With an hode on his hed a lousi hatte aboue,
And in a tauny tabarde of twelue wynter age,
Al totorne and baudy and ful of lys crepynge;
But if þat a lous couthe haue lopen þe bettre,
She sholde nouȝte haue walked on þat welche so was it thredebare.
“I haue ben coueytouse,” quod þis caityue “I bi-knowe it here;
For some tyme I serued Symme atte Stile,
And was his prentis ypliȝte his profit to wayte.
First I lerned to lye a leef other tweyne,
Wikkedlich to weye was my furst lessoun.
To Wy and to Wynchestre I went to þe faire,
With many manere marchandise as my Maistre me hiȝte;
Ne had þe grace of gyle ygo amonge my ware,
It had be vnsolde þis seuene ȝere so me god helpe!
For some tyme I serued Symme atte Stile,
And was his prentis ypliȝte his profit to wayte.
First I lerned to lye a leef other tweyne,
Wikkedlich to weye was my furst lessoun.
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With many manere marchandise as my Maistre me hiȝte;
Ne had þe grace of gyle ygo amonge my ware,
It had be vnsolde þis seuene ȝere so me god helpe!
Thanne drowe I me amonges draperes my donet to lerne,
To drawe þe lyser alonge þe lenger it semed;
Amonge þe riche rayes I rendred a lessoun,
To broche hem with a [pak-]nedle and plaited hem togyderes,
And put hem in a presse and pyn[n]ed hem þerinne,
Tyl ten ȝerdes or twelue [hadde] tolled out threttene.
To drawe þe lyser alonge þe lenger it semed;
Amonge þe riche rayes I rendred a lessoun,
To broche hem with a [pak-]nedle and plaited hem togyderes,
And put hem in a presse and pyn[n]ed hem þerinne,
Tyl ten ȝerdes or twelue [hadde] tolled out threttene.
My wyf was a webbe and wollen cloth made;
She spak to spynnesteres to spynnen it oute.
Ac þe pounde þat she payed by poised a quarteroun more,
Than myne owne auncere who-so weyȝed treuthe.
She spak to spynnesteres to spynnen it oute.
Ac þe pounde þat she payed by poised a quarteroun more,
Than myne owne auncere who-so weyȝed treuthe.
I bouȝte hir barly malte she brewe it to selle,
Peny ale and podyng ale she poured togideres
For laboreres and for low folke; þat lay by hymselue.
Peny ale and podyng ale she poured togideres
For laboreres and for low folke; þat lay by hymselue.
The best ale lay in my boure or in my bedchambre,
And who-so bummed þer-of bouȝte it þer-after,
A galoun for a grote god wote, [no] lesse;
And ȝit it cam in cupmel þis crafte my wyf vsed.
Rose þe regratere was hir riȝte name;
She hath holden hokkerye al hire lyf tyme.
And who-so bummed þer-of bouȝte it þer-after,
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And ȝit it cam in cupmel þis crafte my wyf vsed.
Rose þe regratere was hir riȝte name;
She hath holden hokkerye al hire lyf tyme.
Ac I swere now, so the ik þat synne wil I lete,
And neuere wikkedliche weye ne wikke chaffare vse,
But wenden to Walsyngham and my wyf als,
And bidde þe Rode of bromeholme brynge me oute of dette.”
And neuere wikkedliche weye ne wikke chaffare vse,
But wenden to Walsyngham and my wyf als,
And bidde þe Rode of bromeholme brynge me oute of dette.”
“Repente[de]stow þe euere,” quod repentance “ne restitucioun madest?”
“Ȝus, ones I was herberwed,” quod he “with an hep of chapmen,
I roos whan þei were arest and yrifled here males.”
I roos whan þei were arest and yrifled here males.”
“That was no restitucioun,” quod repentance “but a robberes thefte,
Þow haddest [be] better worthy be hanged þerfore
Þan for al þat þat þow hast here shewed.”
Þow haddest [be] better worthy be hanged þerfore
Þan for al þat þat þow hast here shewed.”
“I wende ryflynge were restitucioun,” quod he “for I lerned neuere rede on boke,
And I can no frenche in feith but of þe ferthest ende of norfolke.”
And I can no frenche in feith but of þe ferthest ende of norfolke.”
“Vsedestow euere vsurie,” quod repentaunce “in alle þi lyf tyme?”
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“Nay, sothly,” he seyde “saue in my ȝouthe.
I lerned amonge lumbardes and iewes a lessoun,
To wey pens with a peys and pare þe heuyest,
And lene it for loue of þe crosse to legge a wedde and lese it;
Suche dedes I did wryte ȝif he his day breke.
I haue mo maneres þorw rerages þan þorw miseretur & comodat.
I lerned amonge lumbardes and iewes a lessoun,
To wey pens with a peys and pare þe heuyest,
And lene it for loue of þe crosse to legge a wedde and lese it;
Suche dedes I did wryte ȝif he his day breke.
I haue mo maneres þorw rerages þan þorw miseretur & comodat.
I haue lent lordes and ladyes my chaffare,
And ben her brocour after and bouȝte it my-self.
Eschaunges and cheuesances with suche chaffare I dele,
And lene folke þat lese wol a lyppe at euery noble.
And with lumbardes lettres I ladde golde to Rome,
And toke it by taille here and tolde hem þere lasse.”
“Len[t]estow euere lordes for loue of her mayntenaunce?”
And ben her brocour after and bouȝte it my-self.
Eschaunges and cheuesances with suche chaffare I dele,
And lene folke þat lese wol a lyppe at euery noble.
And with lumbardes lettres I ladde golde to Rome,
And toke it by taille here and tolde hem þere lasse.”
“Len[t]estow euere lordes for loue of her mayntenaunce?”
“Ȝe, I haue lent lordes loued me neuere after,
And haue ymade many a knyȝte bothe mercere & drapere,
Þat payed neuere for his prentishode nouȝte a peire gloues.”
And haue ymade many a knyȝte bothe mercere & drapere,
Þat payed neuere for his prentishode nouȝte a peire gloues.”
“Hastow pite on pore men þat mote nedes borwe?”
“I haue as moche pite of pore men as pedlere hath of cattes,
Þat wolde kille hem, yf he cacche hem myȝte for coueitise of here skynnes.”
Þat wolde kille hem, yf he cacche hem myȝte for coueitise of here skynnes.”
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“Artow manlyche amonge þi neiȝbores of þi mete and drynke?”
“I am holden,” quod he, “as hende as hounde is in kychyne,
Amonges my neighbores, namelich such a name ich haue.”
Amonges my neighbores, namelich such a name ich haue.”
“Now god leue neure,” quod repentance “but þow repent þe rather,
Þe grace on þis grounde þi good wel to bisette,
Ne þine ysue after þe haue ioye of þat þow wynnest,
Ne þi executours wel bisett þe siluer þat þow hem leuest;
And þat was wonne with wronge with wikked men be despended.
For were I frere of þat hous þere gode faith and charite is,
I nolde cope vs with þi catel ne owre kyrke amende,
Ne haue a peny to my pitaunce of þyne, bi my soule hele,
For þe best boke in owre hous þeiȝe brent golde were þe leues,
And I wyst wytterly þow were suche as þow [tellest,]
[Or elles þat I kouþe knowe it by any kynnes wise.]
Seruus es alterius cum fercula pinguia queris,
Pane tuo pocius vescere, liber eris.
Thow art an vnkynde creature I can þe nouȝte assoille,
Þe grace on þis grounde þi good wel to bisette,
Ne þine ysue after þe haue ioye of þat þow wynnest,
Ne þi executours wel bisett þe siluer þat þow hem leuest;
And þat was wonne with wronge with wikked men be despended.
For were I frere of þat hous þere gode faith and charite is,
I nolde cope vs with þi catel ne owre kyrke amende,
Ne haue a peny to my pitaunce of þyne, bi my soule hele,
For þe best boke in owre hous þeiȝe brent golde were þe leues,
And I wyst wytterly þow were suche as þow [tellest,]
[Or elles þat I kouþe knowe it by any kynnes wise.]
Seruus es alterius cum fercula pinguia queris,
Pane tuo pocius vescere, liber eris.
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And sithen þat resoun rolle it in þe regystre of heuene,
That þow hast made vche man good I may þe nouȝte assoille;
Non dimittitur peccatum donec restituatur ablatum, &c.
For alle þat [haue] of þi good haue god my trouthe![Ben] holden at þe heighe dome to helpe þe to restitue.
And who so leueth nouȝte þis be soth loke in þe sauter glose,
In miserere mei deus where I mene treuthe,
Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti, &c.
Shal neuere werkman in þis worlde þryue wyth þat þow wynnest;
Cum sancto sanctus eris construe me þat on englische.”
Thanne wex þat shrewe in wanhope and walde haue hanged him-self,
Cum sancto sanctus eris construe me þat on englische.”
Ne hadde repentaunce þe rather reconforted hym in þis manere,
“Haue mercye in þi mynde and with þi mouth biseche it,
For goddes mercye is more þan alle hise other werkes;
Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius, &c.
And al þe wikkednesse in þis worlde þat man myȝte worche or thynke,Ne is no more to þe mercye of god þan in þe see a glede;
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Omnis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam dei, est [quasi] sintilla in medio maris.
For-þi haue mercy in þi mynde and marchandise, leue it,
For þow hast no good grounde to gete þe with a wastel,
But if it were with thi tonge or ellis with þi two hondes.
For þe good þat þow hast geten bigan al with falsehede,
And as longe as þow lyuest þer-with þow ȝeldest nouȝte, but borwest.
For þow hast no good grounde to gete þe with a wastel,
But if it were with thi tonge or ellis with þi two hondes.
For þe good þat þow hast geten bigan al with falsehede,
And as longe as þow lyuest þer-with þow ȝeldest nouȝte, but borwest.
And if þow wite neuere to whiche ne whom to restitue,
Bere it to þe bisschop and bidde hym of his grace,
Bisette it hym-selue as best is for þi soule.
For he shal answere for þe at þe heygh dome,
For þe and for many mo þat man shal ȝif a rekenynge.
What he lerned ȝow in lente leue þow none other,
And what he lent ȝow of owre lordes good to lette ȝow fro synne.”
Bere it to þe bisschop and bidde hym of his grace,
Bisette it hym-selue as best is for þi soule.
For he shal answere for þe at þe heygh dome,
For þe and for many mo þat man shal ȝif a rekenynge.
What he lerned ȝow in lente leue þow none other,
And what he lent ȝow of owre lordes good to lette ȝow fro synne.”
| The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman | |