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. | PASSUS II. Passus secundus de visione, vt supra. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
 | The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman |  |
21
PASSUS II. Passus secundus de visione, vt supra.
Yet I courbed on my knees and cryed hir of grace,
And seide, “mercy, Madame for Marie loue of heuene,
That bar þat blisful barne þat bouȝte vs on þe Rode,
Kenne me bi somme crafte to knowe þe fals.”
And seide, “mercy, Madame for Marie loue of heuene,
That bar þat blisful barne þat bouȝte vs on þe Rode,
Kenne me bi somme crafte to knowe þe fals.”
“Loke vppon þi left half and lo where he standeth,
Bothe fals and fauel and here feres manye!”
Bothe fals and fauel and here feres manye!”
I loked on my left half as þe lady me taughte,
And was war of a womman wortheli yclothed,
Purfiled with pelure þe finest vpon erthe,
Y-crounede with a corone þe kyng hath non better.
Fetislich hir fyngres were fretted with golde wyre,
And þere-on red rubyes as red as any glede,
And diamantz of derrest pris and double manere safferes,
Orientales and ewages enuenymes to destroye.
And was war of a womman wortheli yclothed,
Purfiled with pelure þe finest vpon erthe,
Y-crounede with a corone þe kyng hath non better.
Fetislich hir fyngres were fretted with golde wyre,
And þere-on red rubyes as red as any glede,
And diamantz of derrest pris and double manere safferes,
Orientales and ewages enuenymes to destroye.
Hire robe was ful riche of red scarlet engreyned,
With ribanes of red golde and of riche stones;
Hire arraye me rauysshed suche ricchesse saw I neuere;
I had wondre what she was and whas wyf she were.
With ribanes of red golde and of riche stones;
Hire arraye me rauysshed suche ricchesse saw I neuere;
22
“What is þis womman,” quod I “so worthily atired?”
“That is Mede þe Mayde,” quod she “hath noyed me ful oft,
And ylakked my lemman þat lewte is hoten,
And bilowen hire to lordes þat lawes han to kepe.
In þe popis paleys she is pryue as my-self,
But sothenesse wolde nouȝt so for she is a bastarde.
And ylakked my lemman þat lewte is hoten,
And bilowen hire to lordes þat lawes han to kepe.
In þe popis paleys she is pryue as my-self,
But sothenesse wolde nouȝt so for she is a bastarde.
For fals was hire fader þat hath a fykel tonge,
And neuere sothe seide sithen he come to erthe.
And Mede is manered after hym riȝte as kynde axeth;
And neuere sothe seide sithen he come to erthe.
Qualis pater, talis filius; [bona] arbor bonum fructum facit.
I auȝte ben herre þan she I cam of a better.
Mi fader þe grete god is and grounde of alle graces,
O god with-oute gynnynge & I his gode douȝter,
And hath ȝoue me mercy to marye with my-self;
And what man be merciful and lelly me loue,
Schal be my lorde and I his leef in þe heiȝe heuene.
And what man taketh Mede myne hed dar I legge,
O god with-oute gynnynge & I his gode douȝter,
And hath ȝoue me mercy to marye with my-self;
And what man be merciful and lelly me loue,
Schal be my lorde and I his leef in þe heiȝe heuene.
That he shal lese for hir loue a lappe of caritatis.
How construeth dauid þe kynge of men þat taketh Mede,
And men of þis molde þat meynteneth treuthe,
And how ȝe shal saue ȝow-self þe Sauter bereth witnesse,
Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo, &c.
23
And now worth þis Mede ymaried al to a mansed schrewe,
To one fals fikel-tonge a fendes biȝete;
Fauel þorw his faire speche hath þis folke enchaunted,
And al is lyeres ledyng þat she is þus ywedded.
To one fals fikel-tonge a fendes biȝete;
Fauel þorw his faire speche hath þis folke enchaunted,
And al is lyeres ledyng þat she is þus ywedded.
To-morwe worth ymade þe maydenes bruydale,
And þere miȝte þow wite, if þow wolt which þei ben alle
That longeth to þat lordeship þe lasse and þe more.
Knowe hem þere if þow canst and kepe þi tonge,
And lakke hem nouȝt, but lat hem worth til lewte be iustice,
And haue powere to punyschen hem þanne put forth þi resoun.
And þere miȝte þow wite, if þow wolt which þei ben alle
That longeth to þat lordeship þe lasse and þe more.
Knowe hem þere if þow canst and kepe þi tonge,
And lakke hem nouȝt, but lat hem worth til lewte be iustice,
And haue powere to punyschen hem þanne put forth þi resoun.
Now I bikenne þe criste,” quod she “and his clene moder,
And lat no conscience acombre þe for coueitise of Mede.”
And lat no conscience acombre þe for coueitise of Mede.”
Thus left me þat lady liggyng aslepe,
And how Mede was ymaried in meteles me þouȝte;
Þat alle þe riche retenauns þat regneth with þe false
Were boden to þe bridale on bothe two sydes,
Of alle maner of men þe mene and þe riche.
To marie þis maydene was many man assembled,
As of kniȝtes and of clerkis and other comune poeple,
As sysours and sompnours Shireues and here clerkes,
Bedelles and Bailliues and brokoures of chaff[a]re,
Forgoeres and vitaillers and vokates of þe arches;
I can nouȝt rekene þe route þat ran aboute mede.
Ac Symonye and cyuile and sisoures of courtes
And how Mede was ymaried in meteles me þouȝte;
Þat alle þe riche retenauns þat regneth with þe false
Were boden to þe bridale on bothe two sydes,
Of alle maner of men þe mene and þe riche.
To marie þis maydene was many man assembled,
As of kniȝtes and of clerkis and other comune poeple,
As sysours and sompnours Shireues and here clerkes,
Bedelles and Bailliues and brokoures of chaff[a]re,
24
I can nouȝt rekene þe route þat ran aboute mede.
Were moste pryue with Mede of any men, me þouȝte.
Ac fauel was þe first þat fette hire out of boure,
And as a brokour brouȝte hir to be with fals enioigned.
Whan Symonye and cyuile seiȝ here beire wille,
Thei assented for siluer to sei as bothe wolde.
Thanne lepe lyer forth, and seide “lo here! a chartre,
That gyle with his gret othes gaf hem togidere,”
And preide cyuile to se and symonye to rede it.
Thanne Symonye and cyuile stonden forth bothe,
And vnfoldeth þe feffement þat fals hath ymaked,
And þus bigynneth þes gomes to greden ful heiȝ:—
“Sciant presentes & futuri, &c.
Witeth and witnesseth þat wonieth vpon þis erthe,
Þat Mede is y-maried more for here goodis,
Þan for ani vertue or fairenesse or any free kynde.
Falsenesse is faine of hire for he wote hire riche;
And fauel with his fikel speche feffeth bi þis chartre
To be prynces in pryde and pouerte to dispise,
To bakbite, and to bosten and bere fals witnesse,
To scorne and to scolde and sclaundere to make,
Vnboxome and bolde to breke þe ten hestes;—
Þat Mede is y-maried more for here goodis,
Þan for ani vertue or fairenesse or any free kynde.
Falsenesse is faine of hire for he wote hire riche;
And fauel with his fikel speche feffeth bi þis chartre
To be prynces in pryde and pouerte to dispise,
To bakbite, and to bosten and bere fals witnesse,
To scorne and to scolde and sclaundere to make,
Vnboxome and bolde to breke þe ten hestes;—
And þe Erldome of enuye and Wratthe togideres,
With þe chastelet of chest and chateryng-oute-of-resoun,
Þe counte of coueitise and alle þe costes aboute,
That is, vsure and auarice alle I hem graunte,
In bargaines and in brokages with al þe [borghe] of theft;—
With þe chastelet of chest and chateryng-oute-of-resoun,
Þe counte of coueitise and alle þe costes aboute,
25
In bargaines and in brokages with al þe [borghe] of theft;—
And al þe lordeship of lecherye in lenthe and in brede,
As in werkes and in wordes and waitynges with eies,
And in wedes and in wisshynges and with ydel thouȝtes,
There as wille wolde and wer[k]manship failleth.”
As in werkes and in wordes and waitynges with eies,
And in wedes and in wisshynges and with ydel thouȝtes,
There as wille wolde and wer[k]manship failleth.”
Glotonye he gaf hem eke and grete othes togydere,
And alday to drynke at dyuerse tauernes,
And there to iangle and to iape and iugge here euene cristene,
And in fastyng-dayes to frete ar ful tyme were.
And þanne to sitten and soupen til slepe hem assaille,
And [breden] as burgh-swyn and bedden hem esily,
Tyl sleuth and slepe slyken his sides;
And þanne wanhope to awake hym so with no wille to amende,
For he leueth be lost þis is here last ende.
And alday to drynke at dyuerse tauernes,
And there to iangle and to iape and iugge here euene cristene,
And in fastyng-dayes to frete ar ful tyme were.
And þanne to sitten and soupen til slepe hem assaille,
And [breden] as burgh-swyn and bedden hem esily,
Tyl sleuth and slepe slyken his sides;
And þanne wanhope to awake hym so with no wille to amende,
For he leueth be lost þis is here last ende.
And þei to haue and to holde and here eyres after,
A dwellyng with þe deuel and dampned be for eure,
Wiþ al þe purtenaunces of purgatorie in-to þe pyne of helle.
Ȝeldyng for þis þinge at one ȝeres ende,
Here soules to Sathan to suffre with hym peynes,
And with him to wonye with wo whil god is in heuene.
A dwellyng with þe deuel and dampned be for eure,
Wiþ al þe purtenaunces of purgatorie in-to þe pyne of helle.
Ȝeldyng for þis þinge at one ȝeres ende,
Here soules to Sathan to suffre with hym peynes,
And with him to wonye with wo whil god is in heuene.
26
In witnesse of which þing wronge was þe first,
And Pieres þe pardonere of paulynes doctrine,
Bette þe bedel of Bokyngham-shire,
Rainalde þe Reue of Rotland sokene,
Munde þe Mellere and many moo other.
“In þe date of þe deuel þis dede I assele,
Bi siȝte of Sire Symonye and cyuyles leue.”
And Pieres þe pardonere of paulynes doctrine,
Bette þe bedel of Bokyngham-shire,
Rainalde þe Reue of Rotland sokene,
Munde þe Mellere and many moo other.
“In þe date of þe deuel þis dede I assele,
Bi siȝte of Sire Symonye and cyuyles leue.”
þenne tened hym theologye whan he þis tale herde,
And seide to cyuile “now sorwe mot þow haue,
Such [weddynges] to worche to wratthe with treuthe;
And ar þis weddyng be wrouȝte wo þe bityde!
And seide to cyuile “now sorwe mot þow haue,
Such [weddynges] to worche to wratthe with treuthe;
And ar þis weddyng be wrouȝte wo þe bityde!
For Mede is moylere of amendes [engendred,]
And god graunteth to gyf Mede to treuthe,
And þow hast gyuen hire to a gyloure now god gyf þe sorwe!
Thi tixt telleth þe nouȝt so treuthe wote þe sothe,
For dignus est operarius his hyre to haue,
And þow hast fest hire to fals fy on þi lawe!
For al by lesynges þow lyuest and lecherouse werkes,
Symonye and þi-self schenden holicherche,
Þe notaries and ȝee noyeth þe peple,
Ȝe shul abiggen it bothe bi god þat me made!
Wel ȝe witen, wernardes but if ȝowre witte faille,
That fals is faithlees and fikel in his werkes,
And was a bastarde y-bore of belsabubbes kynne.
And Mede is moylere a mayden of gode,
And myȝte kisse þe kynge for cosyn, an she wolde.
And god graunteth to gyf Mede to treuthe,
And þow hast gyuen hire to a gyloure now god gyf þe sorwe!
Thi tixt telleth þe nouȝt so treuthe wote þe sothe,
For dignus est operarius his hyre to haue,
And þow hast fest hire to fals fy on þi lawe!
For al by lesynges þow lyuest and lecherouse werkes,
Symonye and þi-self schenden holicherche,
Þe notaries and ȝee noyeth þe peple,
Ȝe shul abiggen it bothe bi god þat me made!
Wel ȝe witen, wernardes but if ȝowre witte faille,
That fals is faithlees and fikel in his werkes,
27
And Mede is moylere a mayden of gode,
And myȝte kisse þe kynge for cosyn, an she wolde.
For-þi worcheth bi wisdome and bi witt also,
And ledeth hire to londoun þere lawe is yshewed,
If any lawe wil loke þei ligge togederes.
And þouȝ Iustices iugge hir to be ioigned with fals,
Ȝet beth war of weddyng for witty is truthe,
And conscience is of his conseille and knoweth ȝow vchone;
And if he fynde ȝow in defaute and with þe fals holde,
It shal bisitte ȝowre soules ful soure atte laste!”
And ledeth hire to londoun þere lawe is yshewed,
If any lawe wil loke þei ligge togederes.
And þouȝ Iustices iugge hir to be ioigned with fals,
Ȝet beth war of weddyng for witty is truthe,
And conscience is of his conseille and knoweth ȝow vchone;
And if he fynde ȝow in defaute and with þe fals holde,
It shal bisitte ȝowre soules ful soure atte laste!”
Here-to assenteth cyuile ac symonye ne wolde,
Tyl he had siluer for his seruise and also þe notaries.
Tyl he had siluer for his seruise and also þe notaries.
Thanne fette fauel forth floreynes ynowe,
And bad gyle to gyue golde al aboute,
And namelich to þe notaries þat hem none ne faille,
And feffe false-witnes with floreines ynowe;
“For he may mede amaistrye and maken at my wille.”
And bad gyle to gyue golde al aboute,
And namelich to þe notaries þat hem none ne faille,
And feffe false-witnes with floreines ynowe;
“For he may mede amaistrye and maken at my wille.”
Tho þis golde was gyue grete was þe þonkynge
To fals and to fauel for her faire ȝiftes,
And comen to conforte fram care þe fals,
And seiden, “certis sire cesse shal we neuere
Til Mede be þi wedded wyf þorw wittis of vs alle.
For we haue Mede amaistried with owre mery speche,
That she graunteth to gon with a gode wille,
To Londoun to loke ȝif þat þe lawe wolde
Iugge ȝow ioyntly in ioye for euere.”
To fals and to fauel for her faire ȝiftes,
And comen to conforte fram care þe fals,
And seiden, “certis sire cesse shal we neuere
Til Mede be þi wedded wyf þorw wittis of vs alle.
For we haue Mede amaistried with owre mery speche,
28
To Londoun to loke ȝif þat þe lawe wolde
Iugge ȝow ioyntly in ioye for euere.”
Thanne was falsenesse fayne and fauel as blithe,
And leten sompne alle segges in schires aboute,
And bad hem alle be bown beggeres and othere,
To wenden wyth hem to Westmynstre to witnesse þis dede.
And leten sompne alle segges in schires aboute,
And bad hem alle be bown beggeres and othere,
To wenden wyth hem to Westmynstre to witnesse þis dede.
Ac þanne cared þei for caplus to kairen hem þider,
And fauel fette forth þanne folus ynowe;
And sette Mede vpon a Schyreue shodde al newe,
And fals sat on a sisoure þat softlich trotted,
And fauel on a flat[er]ere fetislich atired.
And fauel fette forth þanne folus ynowe;
And sette Mede vpon a Schyreue shodde al newe,
And fals sat on a sisoure þat softlich trotted,
And fauel on a flat[er]ere fetislich atired.
Tho haued notaries none annoyed þei were,
For Symonye and cyuile shulde on hire fete gange.
For Symonye and cyuile shulde on hire fete gange.
Ac þanne swore Symonye and cyuile bothe,
That sompnoures shulde be sadled and serue hem vchone,
And lat apparaille þis prouisoures in palfreis wyse;—
“Sire Symonye hym-seluen shal sitte vpon here bakkes.
That sompnoures shulde be sadled and serue hem vchone,
And lat apparaille þis prouisoures in palfreis wyse;—
“Sire Symonye hym-seluen shal sitte vpon here bakkes.
Denes and suddenes drawe ȝow togideres,
Erchdekenes and officiales and alle ȝowre Regystreres,
Lat sadel hem with siluer owre synne to suffre,
As auoutrie and deuo[r]ses and derne vsurye,
To bere bischopes aboute abrode in visytynge.
Erchdekenes and officiales and alle ȝowre Regystreres,
Lat sadel hem with siluer owre synne to suffre,
As auoutrie and deuo[r]ses and derne vsurye,
29
Paulynes pryues for pleyntes in þe consistorie,
Shul serue my-self þat cyuile is nempned;
And cartesadel þe comissarie owre carte shal he lede,
And fecchen vs vytailles at fornicatores.
Shul serue my-self þat cyuile is nempned;
And cartesadel þe comissarie owre carte shal he lede,
And fecchen vs vytailles at fornicatores.
And maketh of lyer a longe carte to lede alle þese othere,
As Freres and faitours þat on here fete rennen.”
And thus fals and fauel fareth forth togideres,
And Mede in þe myddes and alle þise men after.
As Freres and faitours þat on here fete rennen.”
And thus fals and fauel fareth forth togideres,
And Mede in þe myddes and alle þise men after.
I haue no tome to telle þe taille þat hem folweth,
Of many maner man þat on þis molde libbeth;
Ac gyle was forgoer and gyed hem alle.
Of many maner man þat on þis molde libbeth;
Ac gyle was forgoer and gyed hem alle.
Sothenesse seiȝ hym wel and seide but a litel,
And priked his palfrey and passed hem alle,
And come to þe kynges courte and conscience it tolde,
And conscience to þe kynge carped it after.
And priked his palfrey and passed hem alle,
And come to þe kynges courte and conscience it tolde,
And conscience to þe kynge carped it after.
“Now by cryst,” quod þe kynge “and I cacche myȝte
Fals or fauel or any of his feres,
I wolde be wroke of þo wrecches þat worcheth so ille,
And don hem hange by þe hals and alle þat hem meynteneth!
Shal neure man of molde meynprise þe leste,
But riȝte as þe lawe wil loke late falle on hem alle.”
Fals or fauel or any of his feres,
I wolde be wroke of þo wrecches þat worcheth so ille,
And don hem hange by þe hals and alle þat hem meynteneth!
Shal neure man of molde meynprise þe leste,
But riȝte as þe lawe wil loke late falle on hem alle.”
And comanded a constable þat come atte furst,
To “attache þo tyrauntz for eny thynge, I hote,
And fettereth fast falsenesse for enykynnes ȝiftes,
And gurdeth of gyles hed and lat hym go no furthere.
And ȝif ȝe lacche lyer late hym nouȝt ascapen
Er he be put on þe pilorye for eny preyere, I hote;
And bryngeth Mede to me maugre hem alle.”
To “attache þo tyrauntz for eny thynge, I hote,
And fettereth fast falsenesse for enykynnes ȝiftes,
30
And ȝif ȝe lacche lyer late hym nouȝt ascapen
Er he be put on þe pilorye for eny preyere, I hote;
And bryngeth Mede to me maugre hem alle.”
Drede atte dore stode and þe dome herde,
And how þe kynge comaunded constables and seriantz,
Falsenesse and his felawschip to fettren an to bynden.
Þanne drede went wiȝtliche and warned þe fals,
And bad hym flee for fere and his felawes alle.
And how þe kynge comaunded constables and seriantz,
Falsenesse and his felawschip to fettren an to bynden.
Þanne drede went wiȝtliche and warned þe fals,
And bad hym flee for fere and his felawes alle.
Falsenesse for fere þanne fleiȝ to þe freres,
And gyle doþ hym to go agast for to dye.
Ac marchantz mette with hym and made hym abide,
And bishetten hym in here shope to shewen here ware,
And apparailled hym as a prentice þe poeple to serue.
And gyle doþ hym to go agast for to dye.
Ac marchantz mette with hym and made hym abide,
And bishetten hym in here shope to shewen here ware,
And apparailled hym as a prentice þe poeple to serue.
Liȝtliche lyer lepe awey þanne,
Lorkynge thorw lanes to-lugged of manye.
He was nawhere welcome for his manye tales,
Ouer al yhowted and yhote trusse;
Tyl pardoneres haued pite and pulled hym in-to house.
They wesshen hym and wyped hym and wonden hym in cloutes,
And sente hym with seles on sondayes to cherches,
And gaf pardoun for pens poundmel aboute.
Lorkynge thorw lanes to-lugged of manye.
He was nawhere welcome for his manye tales,
Ouer al yhowted and yhote trusse;
Tyl pardoneres haued pite and pulled hym in-to house.
They wesshen hym and wyped hym and wonden hym in cloutes,
And sente hym with seles on sondayes to cherches,
And gaf pardoun for pens poundmel aboute.
31
Thanne loured leches and lettres þei sent,
Þat he sholde wonye with hem wateres to loke.
Spiceres spoke with hym to spien here ware,
For he couth of here craft and knewe many gommes.
Þat he sholde wonye with hem wateres to loke.
Spiceres spoke with hym to spien here ware,
For he couth of here craft and knewe many gommes.
Ac mynst[r]alles and messageres mette with hym ones,
And helden hym an half-ȝere and elleuene dayes.
And helden hym an half-ȝere and elleuene dayes.
Freres with faire speche fetten hym þennes,
And for knowyng of comeres coped hym as a frere.
Ac he hath leue to lepe out as oft as hym liketh,
And is welcome whan he wil and woneth wyth hem oft.
And for knowyng of comeres coped hym as a frere.
Ac he hath leue to lepe out as oft as hym liketh,
And is welcome whan he wil and woneth wyth hem oft.
Alle fledden for fere and flowen in-to hernes,
Saue Mede þe Mayde na mo durst abide.
Ac trewli to telle she trembled for drede,
And ek wept and wronge whan she was attached.
Saue Mede þe Mayde na mo durst abide.
Ac trewli to telle she trembled for drede,
And ek wept and wronge whan she was attached.
| The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman | |