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 |  |
Þenne Clement þe Cobelere caste of his cloke,
And atte newe Feire he leyde hire to sulle;
And Hikke þe Ostiler hutte his hod aftur,
And bad bette þe Bocher ben on his bi-syde.
Þer weore chapmen I-chose þe chaffare to preise;
Hose hedde þe hod schulde haue Amendes.
Þei Risen vp Raply and Rouneden to-gedere,
And preiseden be peniworþus and parteden bi hemseluen;
Þer weoren oþes an hep hose þat hit herde.
Þei couþe not bi heore concience a-corde to-gedere,
Til Robyn þe Ropere weore Rad forte a-ryse,
And nempned for a noumpere þat no de-bat neore,
[for he schulde preise þe penyworþes as hym good þouȝt].
And atte newe Feire he leyde hire to sulle;
And Hikke þe Ostiler hutte his hod aftur,
And bad bette þe Bocher ben on his bi-syde.
Þer weore chapmen I-chose þe chaffare to preise;
Hose hedde þe hod schulde haue Amendes.
Þei Risen vp Raply and Rouneden to-gedere,
And preiseden be peniworþus and parteden bi hemseluen;
Þer weoren oþes an hep hose þat hit herde.
Þei couþe not bi heore concience a-corde to-gedere,
Til Robyn þe Ropere weore Rad forte a-ryse,
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[for he schulde preise þe penyworþes as hym good þouȝt].
Þenne Hikke þe Ostiler hedde þe cloke,
In Couenaunt þat Clement schulde þe Cuppe fulle,
And habbe hikkes hod þe ostiler and hold him wel I-seruet;
And he þat repenteþ Raþest schulde arysen aftur,
And greten Sir gloten with a galun of ale.
In Couenaunt þat Clement schulde þe Cuppe fulle,
And habbe hikkes hod þe ostiler and hold him wel I-seruet;
And he þat repenteþ Raþest schulde arysen aftur,
And greten Sir gloten with a galun of ale.
Þer was lauȝwhing and lotering and “let go þe cuppe;”
Bargeyns and Beuerages bi-gonne to aryse,
And seeten so til Euensong And songen sum while,
Til Gloten hedde I-gloupet A Galoun and a gille.
He pissede a potel In a pater-noster while,
And Bleuh þe Ronde Ruwet atte Rugge-bones ende,
Þat alle þat herde þe horn heolden heore neose after,
And weschte þat hit weore I-wipet with a wesp of Firsen.
Bargeyns and Beuerages bi-gonne to aryse,
And seeten so til Euensong And songen sum while,
Til Gloten hedde I-gloupet A Galoun and a gille.
He pissede a potel In a pater-noster while,
And Bleuh þe Ronde Ruwet atte Rugge-bones ende,
Þat alle þat herde þe horn heolden heore neose after,
And weschte þat hit weore I-wipet with a wesp of Firsen.
He hedde no strengþe to stonde til he his staf hedde;
Þenne gon he for to go lyk A gleo-monnes bicche,
Sum tyme asyde and sum tyme arere,
As hose leiþ lynes to [lacche] wiþ Foules.
Þenne gon he for to go lyk A gleo-monnes bicche,
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As hose leiþ lynes to [lacche] wiþ Foules.
Whon he drouh to þe dore þen dimmede his eiȝen,
He þrompelde atte þrexwolde and þreuh to þe grounde.
[Clement þe coblere cauȝte glotoun by þe mydle,
And for to lyfte hym aloft leide hym on his knees;
And glotoun was a gret cherl and grym in þe lyftynge,
And cowhede vp a cawdel in clementis lappe,
Þat þe hungriest hound of hertforde schire
Ne durst lape of þat laueyne so vnloveli it smakith].
Þat with al þe wo of þis world his wyf and his wenche
Beeren him hom to his bed and brouhten him þer-Inne.
And after al þis surfet an Accesse he hedde,
Þat he slepte Seturday and Sonenday til sonne wente to reste.
He þrompelde atte þrexwolde and þreuh to þe grounde.
[Clement þe coblere cauȝte glotoun by þe mydle,
And for to lyfte hym aloft leide hym on his knees;
And glotoun was a gret cherl and grym in þe lyftynge,
And cowhede vp a cawdel in clementis lappe,
Þat þe hungriest hound of hertforde schire
Ne durst lape of þat laueyne so vnloveli it smakith].
Þat with al þe wo of þis world his wyf and his wenche
Beeren him hom to his bed and brouhten him þer-Inne.
And after al þis surfet an Accesse he hedde,
Þat he slepte Seturday and Sonenday til sonne wente to reste.
Þenne he wakede of his wynk
and wypede his eiȝen;
Þe furste word þat he spac [was] “wher is þe Cuppe?”
His wyf warnede him þo of wikkednesse and of sinne.
Þenne was he a-schomed, þat schrewe and schraped his eren,
And gon to grede grimliche and gret deol to make
For his wikkede lyf þat he I-liued hedde.
Þe furste word þat he spac [was] “wher is þe Cuppe?”
His wyf warnede him þo of wikkednesse and of sinne.
Þenne was he a-schomed, þat schrewe and schraped his eren,
And gon to grede grimliche and gret deol to make
For his wikkede lyf þat he I-liued hedde.
| The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman | |