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. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. | PASSUS IX. (DO-WEL I.) Passus nonus [de visione; et primus de dowel.] |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
 | The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman |  |
132
PASSUS IX. (DO-WEL I.) Passus nonus [de visione; et primus de dowel.]
“Sire dowel dwelleth,” quod witte “nouȝt a day hennes,
In a castel þat kynde made of foure kynnes þinges;
Of erthe and eyre is it made medled togideres,
With wynde and with water witterly enioyned.
Kynde hath closed þere-Inne craftily with-alle,
A lemman þat he loueth like to hym-selue,
Anima she hatte ac enuye hir hateth,
A proude pryker of Fraunce prynceps huius mundi,
And wolde winne hir awey with wyles, and he myȝte.
In a castel þat kynde made of foure kynnes þinges;
Of erthe and eyre is it made medled togideres,
With wynde and with water witterly enioyned.
Kynde hath closed þere-Inne craftily with-alle,
A lemman þat he loueth like to hym-selue,
Anima she hatte ac enuye hir hateth,
A proude pryker of Fraunce prynceps huius mundi,
And wolde winne hir awey with wyles, and he myȝte.
Ac kynde knoweth þis wel and kepeth hir þe bettere,
And hath do hir with sire dowel is duke of þis marches.
Dobet is hir damoisele sire doweles douȝter,
To serue þis lady lelly bothe late and rathe.
Dobest is aboue bothe a bisschopes pere;
Þat he bit, mote be do he reuleth hem alle;
Anima þat lady is ladde bi his lerynge.
And hath do hir with sire dowel is duke of þis marches.
Dobet is hir damoisele sire doweles douȝter,
To serue þis lady lelly bothe late and rathe.
Dobest is aboue bothe a bisschopes pere;
Þat he bit, mote be do he reuleth hem alle;
Anima þat lady is ladde bi his lerynge.
133
Ac þe constable of þat castel þat kepeth al þe wacche,
Is a wys kniȝte with-al sire Inwitte he hatte,
And hath fyue feyre sones bi his first wyf;
Sire sewel and saywel and herewel þe hende,
Sire worche-wel-wyth-þine-hande a wiȝte man of strengthe,
And sire godfrey gowel gret lordes for sothe.
Þise fyue ben sette to saue þis lady anima,
Tyl kynde come or sende to saue hir for euere.”
Is a wys kniȝte with-al sire Inwitte he hatte,
And hath fyue feyre sones bi his first wyf;
Sire sewel and saywel and herewel þe hende,
Sire worche-wel-wyth-þine-hande a wiȝte man of strengthe,
And sire godfrey gowel gret lordes for sothe.
Þise fyue ben sette to saue þis lady anima,
Tyl kynde come or sende to saue hir for euere.”
“What kynnes thyng is kynde,” quod I “canstow me telle?”
“Kynde,” quod witte, “is a creatour of alle kynnes þinges;
Fader and fourmour of al þat euere was maked;
And þat is þe gret god þat gynnynge had neuere,
Lorde of lyf and of lyȝte of lysse and of peyne.
Angeles and al þing aren at his wille.
Ac man is hym moste lyke of marke and of schafte;
For þorugh þe worde þat he spake wexen forth bestes,
Dixit, & facta sunt;
And made man likkest to hym-self one,
And Eue of his ribbe-bon with-outen eny mene.
For he was synguler hym-self and seyde faciamus,
As who seith, ‘more mote here-to þan my worde one;
My myȝte mote helpe now with my speche.’
Riȝte as a lorde sholde make lettres and hym lakked parchemyn,
Þough he couth write neuere so wel ȝif he had no penne,
Þe lettre[s] for al þe lordship I leue were neuere ymaked.
And Eue of his ribbe-bon with-outen eny mene.
For he was synguler hym-self and seyde faciamus,
As who seith, ‘more mote here-to þan my worde one;
My myȝte mote helpe now with my speche.’
Riȝte as a lorde sholde make lettres and hym lakked parchemyn,
134
Þe lettre[s] for al þe lordship I leue were neuere ymaked.
And so it semeth bi hym as þe bible telleth, Þere he seyde, dixit, & facta sunt;
He moste worche with his worde and his witte shewe.
And in þis manere was man made þorugh myȝte of god almiȝti,
With his worde and werkemanschip and with lyf to laste.
And þus god gaf hym a goost of þe godhed of heuene,
And of his grete grace graunted hym blisse,
And þat is lyf þat ay shal last to al [his] lynage after.
And þat is þe castel þat kynde made caro it hatte,
And is as moche to mene as man with a soule;
And þat he wrouȝt with werke and with worde bothe,
Þorugh myȝte of þe maieste man was ymaked.
He moste worche with his worde and his witte shewe.
And in þis manere was man made þorugh myȝte of god almiȝti,
With his worde and werkemanschip and with lyf to laste.
And þus god gaf hym a goost of þe godhed of heuene,
And of his grete grace graunted hym blisse,
And þat is lyf þat ay shal last to al [his] lynage after.
And þat is þe castel þat kynde made caro it hatte,
And is as moche to mene as man with a soule;
And þat he wrouȝt with werke and with worde bothe,
Þorugh myȝte of þe maieste man was ymaked.
Inwit and alle wittes closed ben þer-inne,
For loue of þe lady anima þat lyf is ynempned;
Ouer al in mannes body he walketh and wandreth,
Ac in þe herte is hir home and hir moste reste.
Ac Inwitte is in þe hed and to the herte he loketh,
What anima is lief or loth he lat hir at his wille;
For after þe grace of god þe grettest is Inwitte.
Moche wo worth þat man þat mys-reuleth his Inwitte,
For loue of þe lady anima þat lyf is ynempned;
Ouer al in mannes body he walketh and wandreth,
Ac in þe herte is hir home and hir moste reste.
Ac Inwitte is in þe hed and to the herte he loketh,
What anima is lief or loth he lat hir at his wille;
For after þe grace of god þe grettest is Inwitte.
And þat be glotouns globbares her god is her wombe;
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Quorum deus venter est.
For þei seruen sathan her soule shal he haue;Þat liueth synful lyf here her soule is liche þe deuel.
And alle þat lyuen good lyf aren like god almiȝti,
Qui manet in caritate, in deo manet, &c.
Allas! þat drynke shal for-do þat god dere bouȝte,And doth god forsaken hem þat he shope to his liknesse;
Amen dico vobis, nescio vos: & alibi: et dimisi eos secundum desideria eorum.
Foles þat fauten Inwitte I fynde þat holicherche
Shulde fynden hem þat hem [fauteth] and faderelees children;
And wydwes þat han nouȝte wher-with to wynnen hem her fode,
Madde men, and maydenes þat helplees were;
Alle þise lakken Inwitte and lore bihoueth.
Shulde fynden hem þat hem [fauteth] and faderelees children;
And wydwes þat han nouȝte wher-with to wynnen hem her fode,
Madde men, and maydenes þat helplees were;
Alle þise lakken Inwitte and lore bihoueth.
Of þis matere I myȝte make a longe tale,
And fynde fele witnesses amonges þe foure doctours,
And þat I lye nouȝt of þat I lere þe luke bereth witnesse.
And fynde fele witnesses amonges þe foure doctours,
And þat I lye nouȝt of þat I lere þe luke bereth witnesse.
Godfader and godmoder þat sen her godchildren
At myseise and at mischief and mowe hem amende,
Shal haue penaunce in purgatorie but ȝif þei hem helpe.
For more bilongeth to þe litel barne ar he þe lawe knowe,
Þan nempnyng of a name and he neuere þe wiser!
Shulde no crystene creature crien atte ȝate,
Ne faille payn ne potage and prelates did as þei shulden.
A Iuwe wolde nouȝte se a Iuwe go iangelyng for defaute,
For alle þe moebles on þis molde and he amende it miȝte.
At myseise and at mischief and mowe hem amende,
Shal haue penaunce in purgatorie but ȝif þei hem helpe.
For more bilongeth to þe litel barne ar he þe lawe knowe,
Þan nempnyng of a name and he neuere þe wiser!
Shulde no crystene creature crien atte ȝate,
136
A Iuwe wolde nouȝte se a Iuwe go iangelyng for defaute,
For alle þe moebles on þis molde and he amende it miȝte.
Allas! þat a cristene creature shal be vnkynde til an other,
Sitthen Iuwes þat we iugge Iudas felawes,
Ayther of hem helpeth other of þat þat hym nedeth.
Whi nel we cristene of cristes good be as kynde
As Iuwes, þat ben owre lores-men? shame to vs alle!
Þe comune for her vnkyndenesse I drede me, shul abye.
Bisschopes shul be blamed for beggeres sake;
Sitthen Iuwes þat we iugge Iudas felawes,
Ayther of hem helpeth other of þat þat hym nedeth.
Whi nel we cristene of cristes good be as kynde
As Iuwes, þat ben owre lores-men? shame to vs alle!
Þe comune for her vnkyndenesse I drede me, shul abye.
He is worse þan Iudas þat ȝiueth a iaper siluer,
And biddeth þe begger go for his broke clothes:
Proditor est prelatus cum Iuda, qui patrimonium christi minus distribuit: & alibi: Perniciosus dispensator est, qui res pauperum Christi inutiliter consumit.
He doth nouȝt wel þat doth þus ne drat nouȝt god almiȝty,Ne loueth nouȝt salamones sawes þat sapience tauȝte;
Inicium sapiencie, timor domini:
Þat dredeth god, he doth wel; þat dredeth hym for loue,137
He doth best, þat with-draweth hym by day and bi nyȝte
To spille any speche or any space of tyme;
Qui offendit in [vno], in omnibus est reus.
Lesyng of tyme treuthe wote þe sothe!
Is moste yhated vp erthe of hem þat beth in heuene,
And sitthe to spille speche þat spyre is of grace,
And goddes gleman and a game of heuene;
Wolde neuere þe faithful fader his fithel were vntempred,
Ne his gleman a gedelynge a goer to tauernes!
To alle trew tidy men þat trauaille desyren,
Is moste yhated vp erthe of hem þat beth in heuene,
And sitthe to spille speche þat spyre is of grace,
And goddes gleman and a game of heuene;
Wolde neuere þe faithful fader his fithel were vntempred,
Ne his gleman a gedelynge a goer to tauernes!
Owre lorde loueth hem and lent loude other stille,
Grace to go to hem and agon her lyflode;
Inquirentes autem dominum non minuentur omni bono.
Trewe wedded libbing folk in þis worlde is dowel;
For þei mote worche & wynne and þe worlde susteyne.
For of her kynde þei come þat confessoures ben nempned,
Kynges and kniȝtes kayseres and cherles,
Maydenes and martires out of o man come.
Þe wyf was made þe weye for to help worche,
And þus was wedloke ywrouȝt with a mene persone;
First bi þe faderes wille and þe frendes conseille,
And sytthenes bi assent of hem-self as þei two myȝte acorde.
And thus was wedloke ywrouȝte and god hym-self it made;
In erthe þe heuene is hym-self was þe witnesse.
Ac fals folke faithlees theues and lieres,
For þei mote worche & wynne and þe worlde susteyne.
For of her kynde þei come þat confessoures ben nempned,
Kynges and kniȝtes kayseres and cherles,
Maydenes and martires out of o man come.
Þe wyf was made þe weye for to help worche,
And þus was wedloke ywrouȝt with a mene persone;
First bi þe faderes wille and þe frendes conseille,
138
And thus was wedloke ywrouȝte and god hym-self it made;
In erthe þe heuene is hym-self was þe witnesse.
Wastoures and wrecches out of wedloke, I trowe,
Conceyued ben in yuel tyme as caym was on Eue.
Of such synful shrewes þe sauter maketh mynde,
Concepit in dolore, et peperit iniquitatem, &c.:
And alle þat come of þat caym come to yuel ende.For god sent to seem and seyde bi an angel,
Þyne issue in þyne issue I wil þat þei be wedded,
And nouȝt þi kynde with caymes ycoupled ne yspoused.
Ȝet some, aȝein þe sonde of owre saueoure of heuene,
Caymes kynde & his kynde coupled togideres,
Tyl god wratthed for her werkis and suche a worde seyde,
‘Þat I maked man now it me athynketh,
Penitet me fecisse hominem.’
And come to Noe anon and bad hym nouȝt lette:
‘Swithe go shape a shippe of shides and of bordes.
Þi self and þi sones three and sithen ȝowre wyues,
Buske ȝow to þat bote and bideth ȝe þer-inne,
Tyl fourty dayes be fulfilde þat [þe] flode haue ywasshen
Clene awey þe cursed blode þat caym hath ymaked.
‘Swithe go shape a shippe of shides and of bordes.
Þi self and þi sones three and sithen ȝowre wyues,
Buske ȝow to þat bote and bideth ȝe þer-inne,
Tyl fourty dayes be fulfilde þat [þe] flode haue ywasshen
Clene awey þe cursed blode þat caym hath ymaked.
139
Þat euere þat cursed caym come on þis erthe;
Alle shal deye for his dedes bi dales and bi hulles,
And þe foules þat fleeghen for[th] with other bestes,
Excepte oneliche of eche kynde a couple,
Þat in þi shyngled shippe shul ben ysaued.’
Here abouȝt[e] þe barne þe belsyres gultes,
And alle for her forfadres þei ferden þe worse.
Þe gospel is here-ageine in o degre, I fynde,
Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris, & pater non portabit iniquitatem filii, &c.
Ac I fynde, if þe fader be false and a shrewe,
Þat somdel þe sone shal haue þe sires tacches.
Impe on an ellerne and if þine apple be swete,
Þat somdel þe sone shal haue þe sires tacches.
Mochel merueile me þynketh & more of a schrewe,
Þat bryngeth forth any barne but if he be þe same,
And haue a sauoure after þe sire selde seestow other;
Numquam [colligimus] de spinis vuas, nec de tributis fycus.
And þus þourw cursed caym cam care vppon erthe;And al for þei wrouȝt wedlokes aȝein goddis wille.
For-þi haue þei maugre for here mariages þat marye so her childeren;
For some, as I se now soth for to telle,
For coueitise of catel vnkyndeliche ben wedded.
As careful concepcioun cometh of suche mariages,
140
For goode shulde wedde goode
þough hij no good hadde;
‘I am via & veritas,’ seith cryst ‘I may auaunce alle.’
‘I am via & veritas,’ seith cryst ‘I may auaunce alle.’
It is an oncomely couple bi cryst, as me þinketh,
To ȝyuen a ȝonge wenche to an olde feble,
Or wedden any widwe for welth of hir goodis,
Þat neuere shal barne bere but if it be in armes!
Many a peire sithen þe pestilence han pliȝt hem togideres;
Þe fruit þat þei brynge forth aren foule wordes,
In ialousye ioyeles and ianglyng on bedde.
Haue þei no children but cheste an choppyng hem bitwene.
To ȝyuen a ȝonge wenche to an olde feble,
Or wedden any widwe for welth of hir goodis,
Þat neuere shal barne bere but if it be in armes!
Many a peire sithen þe pestilence han pliȝt hem togideres;
Þe fruit þat þei brynge forth aren foule wordes,
In ialousye ioyeles and ianglyng on bedde.
Haue þei no children but cheste an choppyng hem bitwene.
And þough þei don hem to donmowe but if þe deuel help
To folwen after þe flicche fecche þei it neuere;
And but þei bothe be forsworne þat bacoun þei tyne.
To folwen after þe flicche fecche þei it neuere;
And but þei bothe be forsworne þat bacoun þei tyne.
For-þi I conseille alle crystene coueite nouȝt be wedded
For coueitise of catel ne of kynrede riche.
Ac maydenes and maydenes macche ȝow togideres,
Widwes and widwers worcheth þe same.
For no londes, but for loue loke ȝe be wedded,
And þanne gete ȝe þe grace of god and good ynogh to lyue with.
For coueitise of catel ne of kynrede riche.
Ac maydenes and maydenes macche ȝow togideres,
Widwes and widwers worcheth þe same.
141
And þanne gete ȝe þe grace of god and good ynogh to lyue with.
And euery maner seculer þat may nouȝt continue,
Wysly go wedde and war hym fro synne;
For leccherye in likyng is lymeȝerde of helle.
Whiles þow art ȝonge and þi wepne kene,
Wreke þe with wyuynge ȝif þow [wilt] ben excused.
Dum sis vir fortis ne des tua robora scortis,
Scribitur in portis meretrix est ianua mortis.
Whan ȝe haue wyued, bewar and worcheth in tyme;
Wysly go wedde and war hym fro synne;
For leccherye in likyng is lymeȝerde of helle.
Whiles þow art ȝonge and þi wepne kene,
Wreke þe with wyuynge ȝif þow [wilt] ben excused.
Dum sis vir fortis ne des tua robora scortis,
Scribitur in portis meretrix est ianua mortis.
Nouȝt as Adam & Eue whan caym was engendred.
For in vntyme, trewli bitwene man & womman,
Ne shulde no bourde on bedde be; but if þei bothe were clene
Bothe of lyf and of soule and in parfyte charitee,
Þat ilke derne dede do noman ne sholde.
And if þei leden þus her lyf it [likeþ] god almiȝti;
For he made wedloke firste and him-self it seide;
Bonum est vt vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat, propter fornicacionem.
And þei þat oþergatis ben geten for gedelynges ben holden,
As false folke fondelynges faitoures and lyars;
Vngracious to gete goode or loue of þe poeple,
Wandren and wasten what þei cacche mowe.
Aȝeines dowel þei don yuel and þe deuel serue,
And after her deth-day shulle dwelle with þe same,
But god gyue hem grace here hem-self to amende.
As false folke fondelynges faitoures and lyars;
Vngracious to gete goode or loue of þe poeple,
Wandren and wasten what þei cacche mowe.
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And after her deth-day shulle dwelle with þe same,
But god gyue hem grace here hem-self to amende.
Dowel, my frende, is to don as lawe techeth,
To loue þi frende and þi foo leue me, þat is dobet.
To ȝiuen and to ȝemen bothe ȝonge and olde,
To helen and to helpen is dobest of alle.
To loue þi frende and þi foo leue me, þat is dobet.
To ȝiuen and to ȝemen bothe ȝonge and olde,
To helen and to helpen is dobest of alle.
And dowel is to drede god and dobet to suffre,
And so cometh dobest of bothe and bryngeth adoun þe mody,
And þat is wikked wille þat many werke shendeth,
And dryueth away dowel þorugh dedliche synnes.”
And so cometh dobest of bothe and bryngeth adoun þe mody,
And þat is wikked wille þat many werke shendeth,
And dryueth away dowel þorugh dedliche synnes.”
| The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman | |