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 |  |
[Þ]us I-Robed in Russet Romed I a-boute
Al a somer sesoun For to seche Dowel,
And [fraynide] ful ofte of [folk] þat I mette
[Ȝif any wiȝt wiste where do-wel was at Inne,
And what man he miȝte be of many man I askide].
Was neuer wiht as I wente þat me wisse couþe
Wher þis ladde loggede Lasse ne more;
Al a somer sesoun For to seche Dowel,
And [fraynide] ful ofte of [folk] þat I mette
[Ȝif any wiȝt wiste where do-wel was at Inne,
And what man he miȝte be of many man I askide].
Was neuer wiht as I wente þat me wisse couþe
Wher þis ladde loggede Lasse ne more;
Til hit fel on a Friday twei Freres I mette,
Maistres of þe Menours Men of grete wittes.
Ich heilede hem hendeli as Ich hedde I-leorned,
And preiede hem, par Charite er þei [passede furre,]
“Ȝif þei [knewen any] Cuntre or Coostes a-boute
Wher þat Dowel dwelleþ do me to wisse.”
Maistres of þe Menours Men of grete wittes.
Ich heilede hem hendeli as Ich hedde I-leorned,
And preiede hem, par Charite er þei [passede furre,]
“Ȝif þei [knewen any] Cuntre or Coostes a-boute
Wher þat Dowel dwelleþ do me to wisse.”
“Mari,” quod [þe] Menour “A-mong vs he dwelleþ,
And euer haþ, as Ich hope and euer schal her-after.”
“Contra,” quod I as a Clerk and comsede to dispuite,
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[“Sepcies in die cadit iustus;]
Seue siþes a day, seiþ þe Bok sungeþ þe rihtful mon;And hose sungeþ,” I seide “certes, as me þinkeþ,
Þat Dowel and do vuele mowe not dwelle togedere.
Ergo, he nis not alwey [at hom] among ow Freres,
He is or while elles-wher to wisse þe peple.”
“I schal seie þe, my sone” seide þe Frere þenne,
“Hou seuen siþes þe sadde mon sungeþ in a day;
Bi [a forebisene],” seide þe frere “I schal þe feire schewe.
“Hou seuen siþes þe sadde mon sungeþ in a day;
Bi [a forebisene],” seide þe frere “I schal þe feire schewe.
Let bringe a Mon In A bot A-midde a Brod water,
And þe wint and þe watur and þe waggyng of þe Bot
Makeþ þe Mon Mony tyme to stomble and to falle;
(For stonde he neuere so stif he stumbleþ in þe waggyng);
And ȝit he is saaf and sound and so him bi-houeþ;
For ȝif he ne rise þe raþer and rauhte to þe steorne,
Þe wynt wolde with þe water þe Bot ouer-þrowe;
Þer weore þe Monnes lyf I-lost þorw [lachesse] of himselue.
Riht þus hit fareþ,” quod þe Frere “bi folk her on eorþe;
And þe wint and þe watur and þe waggyng of þe Bot
Makeþ þe Mon Mony tyme to stomble and to falle;
(For stonde he neuere so stif he stumbleþ in þe waggyng);
And ȝit he is saaf and sound and so him bi-houeþ;
For ȝif he ne rise þe raþer and rauhte to þe steorne,
Þe wynt wolde with þe water þe Bot ouer-þrowe;
Þer weore þe Monnes lyf I-lost þorw [lachesse] of himselue.
Riht þus hit fareþ,” quod þe Frere “bi folk her on eorþe;
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Þe watur is liknet to þe world þat wonieþ and waxeþ;
Þe goodes in þis world ben lyk þis grete wawes,
Riht as wyndes and watres waleweþ aboute.
Þe goodes in þis world ben lyk þis grete wawes,
Riht as wyndes and watres waleweþ aboute.
Þe Bot is liknet to þe Bodi þat Brutel is of kuynde;
And þorw þe fend and his Flesch and þe False world
Sungeþ þe sadde Mon seuen siþes in þe day.
And þorw þe fend and his Flesch and þe False world
Sungeþ þe sadde Mon seuen siþes in þe day.
But dedly sunne doþ he not for Dowel him helpeþ,
Þat is charite þe Champion cheef help aȝeyn sunne;
For he strengþeþ þe to stonde he stureþ þi soule,
Þat þauȝ þi bodi Bouwe as a Bot in þe Water,
Euer is þi soule saaf Bote ȝif þi-self wolle.
Þat is charite þe Champion cheef help aȝeyn sunne;
For he strengþeþ þe to stonde he stureþ þi soule,
Þat þauȝ þi bodi Bouwe as a Bot in þe Water,
Euer is þi soule saaf Bote ȝif þi-self wolle.
Folewe þi Flessches wil and þe fendes aftur,
And do dedlich sunne and drenche þi-seluen,
God wol soffre þe dye so for [þi-self hast þe maistrie].”
And do dedlich sunne and drenche þi-seluen,
God wol soffre þe dye so for [þi-self hast þe maistrie].”
“I haue no kynde knowyng,” quod I “to conceyue þi wordes,
But ȝif I may liuen and loken I schal go lerne betere.
I beo-take ȝou to crist þat on [þe] Crois diȝede.”
And þei seiden þe same “God saue þe from mischaunce,
And ȝiue þe grace vppon grounde In good lyf to ende.”
But ȝif I may liuen and loken I schal go lerne betere.
I beo-take ȝou to crist þat on [þe] Crois diȝede.”
And þei seiden þe same “God saue þe from mischaunce,
And ȝiue þe grace vppon grounde In good lyf to ende.”
| The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman | |