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. | PASSUS VII. Passus vijus. de visione, vt supra. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
 | The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman |  |
111
PASSUS VII. Passus vijus. de visione, vt supra.
Treuthe herde telle her-of and to peres he sent,
To taken his teme and tulyen þe erthe,
And purchaced hym a pardoun a pena & a culpa
For hym, and for his heires for euermore after.
And bad hym holde hym at home and eryen his leyes,
And alle þat halpe hym to erie to sette or to sowe,
Or any other myster þat myȝte pieres auaille,
Pardoun with pieres plowman treuthe hath ygraunted.
To taken his teme and tulyen þe erthe,
And purchaced hym a pardoun a pena & a culpa
For hym, and for his heires for euermore after.
And bad hym holde hym at home and eryen his leyes,
And alle þat halpe hym to erie to sette or to sowe,
Or any other myster þat myȝte pieres auaille,
Pardoun with pieres plowman treuthe hath ygraunted.
Kynges and knyȝtes þat kepen holycherche,
And ryȝtfullych in reumes reulen þe peple,
Han pardoun thourgh purgatorie to passe ful lyȝtly,
With patriarkes and prophetes in paradise to be felawes.
And ryȝtfullych in reumes reulen þe peple,
Han pardoun thourgh purgatorie to passe ful lyȝtly,
With patriarkes and prophetes in paradise to be felawes.
Bisshopes yblessed ȝif þei ben as þei shulden,
Legistres of bothe þe lawes þe lewed þere-with to preche,
And in as moche as þei mowe amende alle synful,
Aren peres with þe apostles [þis] pardoun Piers sheweth,
And at þe day of dome atte heigh deyse to sytte.
Legistres of bothe þe lawes þe lewed þere-with to preche,
And in as moche as þei mowe amende alle synful,
112
And at þe day of dome atte heigh deyse to sytte.
Marchauntz in þe margyne hadden many ȝeres,
Ac none a pena & a culpa þe Pope nolde hem graunte,
For þei holde nouȝt her halidayes as holicherche techeth,
And for þei swere by her soule and ‘so god moste hem helpe,’
Aȝein clene conscience her catel to selle.
Ac none a pena & a culpa þe Pope nolde hem graunte,
For þei holde nouȝt her halidayes as holicherche techeth,
And for þei swere by her soule and ‘so god moste hem helpe,’
Aȝein clene conscience her catel to selle.
Ac vnder his secret seel treuthe sent hem a lettre,
That þey shulde bugge boldely þat hem best liked,
And sithenes selle it aȝein and saue þe wynny[n]ge,
And amende mesondieux þere-myde and myseyse folke helpe,
And wikked wayes wiȝtlich hem amende;
And do bote to brugges þat to-broke were,
Marien maydenes or maken hem nonnes;
Pore peple and prisounes fynden hem here fode,
And sette scoleres to scole or to somme other craftes;
Releue Religioun and renten hem bettere;—
“And I shal sende ȝow my-selue seynt Michel myn archangel,
Þat no deuel shal ȝow dere ne fere ȝow in ȝowre deyinge,
And witen ȝow fro wanhope if ȝe wil þus worche,
And sende ȝowre sowles in safte to my seyntes in ioye.”
That þey shulde bugge boldely þat hem best liked,
And sithenes selle it aȝein and saue þe wynny[n]ge,
And amende mesondieux þere-myde and myseyse folke helpe,
And wikked wayes wiȝtlich hem amende;
And do bote to brugges þat to-broke were,
Marien maydenes or maken hem nonnes;
Pore peple and prisounes fynden hem here fode,
And sette scoleres to scole or to somme other craftes;
Releue Religioun and renten hem bettere;—
“And I shal sende ȝow my-selue seynt Michel myn archangel,
Þat no deuel shal ȝow dere ne fere ȝow in ȝowre deyinge,
And witen ȝow fro wanhope if ȝe wil þus worche,
113
Þanne were Marchauntz mery many wepten for ioye,
And preyseden pieres þe plowman þat purchaced þis bulle.
Men of lawe lest pardoun hadde þat pleteden for Mede,
And preyseden pieres þe plowman þat purchaced þis bulle.
For þe sauter saueth hem nouȝte such as taketh ȝiftes,
And namelich of innocentz þat none yuel ne kunneth;
Super innocentem munera non accipies.
Pledoures shulde peynen hem to plede for such, an helpe,Prynces and prelates shulde paye for her trauaille;
A regibus & pryncipibus erit merces eorum.
Ac many a iustice an iuroure wolde for Iohan do more,Þan pro dei pietate leue þow none other!
Ac he þat spendeth his speche and spekeþ for þe pore
Þat is Innocent and nedy and no man appeireth,
Conforteth hym in þat cas with-oute coueytise of ȝiftes,
And scheweth lawe for owre lordes loue as he it hath lerned,
Shal no deuel at his ded-day deren hym a myȝte,
Þat he ne worth sauf and his sowle þe sauter bereth witnesse;
Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo, &c.
114
Ac to bugge water, ne wynde ne witte, ne fyre þe fierthe,
Þise foure þe fader of heuene made to þis folde in comune;
Þise ben treuthes tresores trewe folke to helpe,
Þat neuere shal wax ne wanye with-oute god hymselue.
Whan þei drawen on to deye and Indulgences wolde haue,
Þise foure þe fader of heuene made to þis folde in comune;
Þise ben treuthes tresores trewe folke to helpe,
Þat neuere shal wax ne wanye with-oute god hymselue.
Her pardoun is ful petit at her partyng hennes,
Þat any Mede of mene men for her motyng taketh.
Ȝe legistres and lawyeres holdeth þis for treuthe,
Þat, ȝif þat I lye Mathew is to blame,
For he bad me make ȝow þis and þis prouerbe me tolde,
Quodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines, facite eis.
Alle lybbyng laboreres þat lyuen with her hondes,
Þat trewlich taken and trewlich wynnen,
And lyuen in loue and in lawe for her lowe hertis,
Haueth þe same absolucioun þat sent was to peres.
Beggeres ne bidderes ne beth nouȝte in þe bulle,
Þat trewlich taken and trewlich wynnen,
And lyuen in loue and in lawe for her lowe hertis,
Haueth þe same absolucioun þat sent was to peres.
But if þe suggestioun be soth þat shapeth hem to begge.
For he þat beggeth or bit but if he haue nede,
He is fals with þe fende and defraudeth þe nedy,
And also he bigileth þe gyuere ageines his wil.
For if he wist he were nouȝte nedy he wolde ȝiue þat an other,
115
Catoun kenneth men þus and þe clerke of þe stories,
Cui des, videto is catounes techynge,
And in þe stories he techeth to bistowe þyn almes;
Sit elemosina [tua] in manu tua, donec studes cui des.
Ac Gregori was a gode man and bad vs gyuen alleÞat asketh, for his loue þat vs alle leneth:—
Non eligas cui miserearis, ne forte pretereas illum qui meretur accipere. Quia incertum est pro quo [Deo] magis placeas.
For wite ȝe neuere who is worthi ac god wote who hath nede,In hym þat taketh is þe treccherye if any tresoun wawe;
For he þat ȝiueth, ȝeldeth and ȝarketh hym to reste,
And he þat biddeth, borweth and bryngeth hym-self in dette.
For beggeres borwen euermo and her borghe is god almyȝti,
To ȝelden hem þat ȝiueth hem and ȝet vsure more:
Quare non dedisti peccuniam meam ad mensam, vt ego veniens cum vsuris [exegissem illam?]
For-þi biddeth nouȝt, ȝe beggeres but if ȝe haue gret nede;For who-so hath to buggen hym bred þe boke bereth witnesse,
116
Satis diues est, qui non indiget pane.
Late vsage be ȝowre solace of seyntes lyues redynge,Þe boke banneth beggarie and blameth hem in þis manere:
Iunior fui, etenim senui; et non vidi iustum derelictum, nec semen eius [querens panem.]
For ȝe lyue in no loue ne no lawe holde;
Many of ȝow ne wedde nouȝt þe wommen þat ȝe with delen,
But as wilde bestis with wehe worthen vppe and worchen,
And bryngeth forth barnes þat bastardes men calleth.
Or þe bakke or some bone he breketh in his ȝouthe,
A[nd] sitthe gon faiten with ȝoure fauntes for euermore after.
Þere is moo mysshape peple amonge þise beggeres,
Þan of alle maner men þat on þis molde walketh;
And þei þat lyue þus here lyf mowe lothe þe tyme,
Þat euere he was man wrouȝt whan he shal hennes fare.
Many of ȝow ne wedde nouȝt þe wommen þat ȝe with delen,
But as wilde bestis with wehe worthen vppe and worchen,
And bryngeth forth barnes þat bastardes men calleth.
Or þe bakke or some bone he breketh in his ȝouthe,
A[nd] sitthe gon faiten with ȝoure fauntes for euermore after.
Þere is moo mysshape peple amonge þise beggeres,
Þan of alle maner men þat on þis molde walketh;
And þei þat lyue þus here lyf mowe lothe þe tyme,
Þat euere he was man wrouȝt whan he shal hennes fare.
Ac olde men & hore þat helplees ben of strengthe,
And women with childe þat worche ne mowe,
Blynde and bedered and broken here membres,
Þat taketh þis myschief mekelych as meseles and othere,
Han as pleyne pardoun as þe plowman hym-self;
For loue of her lowe hertis owre lorde hath hem graunted
Here penaunce and her purgatorie here on þis erthe.
And women with childe þat worche ne mowe,
Blynde and bedered and broken here membres,
117
Han as pleyne pardoun as þe plowman hym-self;
For loue of her lowe hertis owre lorde hath hem graunted
Here penaunce and her purgatorie here on þis erthe.
“Pieres,” quod a prest þo “þi pardoun most I rede,
For I wil construe eche clause and kenne it þe on engliche.”
And pieres at his preyere þe pardoun vnfoldeth,
For I wil construe eche clause and kenne it þe on engliche.”
And I bihynde hem bothe bihelde al þe bulle.
Al in two lynes it lay and nouȝt a leef more,
And was writen riȝt þus in witnesse of treuthe:
Et qui bona egerunt, ibunt in vitam eternam; Qui vero mala, in ignem eternum.
“Peter!” quod þe prest þo “I can no pardoun fynde,
But ‘dowel, and haue wel and god shal haue þi sowle,
And do yuel, and haue yuel hope þow non other
[But] after þi ded-day þe deuel shal haue þi sowle!’”
And pieres for pure tene pulled it atweyne,
But ‘dowel, and haue wel and god shal haue þi sowle,
And do yuel, and haue yuel hope þow non other
[But] after þi ded-day þe deuel shal haue þi sowle!’”
And seyde, “si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis, non timebo mala; quoniam tu mecum es.
I shal cessen of my sowyng,” quod pieres “and swynk nouȝt so harde,
Ne about my bely ioye so bisi be namore!
Of preyers and of penaunce my plow shal ben her-after,
And wepen whan I shulde slepe þough whete bred me faille.
Þe prophete his payn ete in penaunce and in sorwe,
Ne about my bely ioye so bisi be namore!
Of preyers and of penaunce my plow shal ben her-after,
118
By þat þe sauter seith so dede other manye;
Þat loueth god lelly his lyflode is ful esy:
Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte.
And, but if Luke lye he lereth vs bi foules,
We shulde nouȝt be to bisy aboute þe worldes blisse;
Ne solliciti sitis he seyth in þe gospel,
And sheweth vs bi ensamples vs selue to wisse.
Þe foules on þe felde who fynt hem mete at wynter?
Haue þei no gernere to go to but god fynt hem alle.”
We shulde nouȝt be to bisy aboute þe worldes blisse;
Ne solliciti sitis he seyth in þe gospel,
And sheweth vs bi ensamples vs selue to wisse.
Þe foules on þe felde who fynt hem mete at wynter?
Haue þei no gernere to go to but god fynt hem alle.”
“What!” quod þe prest to perkyn “peter! as me þinketh,
Þow art lettred a litel who lerned þe on boke?”
Þow art lettred a litel who lerned þe on boke?”
“Abstinence þe abbesse,” quod pieres “myne a.b.c. me tauȝte,
And conscience come afterward and kenned me moche more.”
And conscience come afterward and kenned me moche more.”
“Were þow a prest, pieres,” quod he “þow miȝte preche where þow sholdest,
As deuynour in deuynyte with dixit insipiens to þi teme.”
“Lewed lorel!” quod Pieres “litel lokestow on þe bible,
As deuynour in deuynyte with dixit insipiens to þi teme.”
On salomones sawes selden þow biholdest,
[Eice] derisores et iurgia cum eis, ne crescant, &c.”
119
Þe prest and perkyn apposeden eyther other,
And I þorw here wordes a-woke and waited aboute,
And seighe þe sonne in þe south sitte þat tyme,
Metelees and monelees on Maluerne hulles,
Musyng on þis meteles; and my waye ich ȝede.
And I þorw here wordes a-woke and waited aboute,
And seighe þe sonne in þe south sitte þat tyme,
Metelees and monelees on Maluerne hulles,
Musyng on þis meteles; and my waye ich ȝede.
Many tyme þis meteles hath maked me to studye
Of þat I seigh slepyng if it so be myȝte,
And also for peres þe plowman ful pensyf in herte,
And which a pardoun peres hadde alle þe peple to conforte,
And how þe prest impugned it with two propre wordes.
Ac I haue no sauoure in songewarie for I se it ofte faille;
Catoun and canonistres conseilleth vs to leue
To sette sadnesse in songewarie for, sompnia ne cures.
Of þat I seigh slepyng if it so be myȝte,
And also for peres þe plowman ful pensyf in herte,
And which a pardoun peres hadde alle þe peple to conforte,
And how þe prest impugned it with two propre wordes.
Ac I haue no sauoure in songewarie for I se it ofte faille;
Catoun and canonistres conseilleth vs to leue
To sette sadnesse in songewarie for, sompnia ne cures.
Ac for þe boke bible bereth witnesse,
How danyel deuyned þe dremes of a kynge,
Þat was nabugodonosor nempned of clerkis.
Daniel seyde, “sire Kynge þi dremeles bitokneth,
Þat vnkouth knyȝtes shul come þi kyngdom to cleue;
Amonges lowere lordes þi londe shal be departed.”
And as danyel deuyned in dede it felle after,
Þe kynge lese his lordship and lower men it hadde.
How danyel deuyned þe dremes of a kynge,
Þat was nabugodonosor nempned of clerkis.
Daniel seyde, “sire Kynge þi dremeles bitokneth,
Þat vnkouth knyȝtes shul come þi kyngdom to cleue;
Amonges lowere lordes þi londe shal be departed.”
And as danyel deuyned in dede it felle after,
Þe kynge lese his lordship and lower men it hadde.
And ioseph mette merueillously how þe mone and þe sonne,
And þe elleuene sterres hailsed hym alle.
Þanne Iacob iugged iosephes sweuene:
“Beau filtz,” quod his fader “for defaute we shullen,
I my-self and my sones seche þe for nede.”
And þe elleuene sterres hailsed hym alle.
120
“Beau filtz,” quod his fader “for defaute we shullen,
I my-self and my sones seche þe for nede.”
It bifel as his fader seyde in pharaoes tyme,
Þat ioseph was iustice egipte to loken,
It bifel as his fader tolde his frendes þere hym souȝte.
And al þis maketh me on þis meteles to þynke;
Þat ioseph was iustice egipte to loken,
It bifel as his fader tolde his frendes þere hym souȝte.
And al þis maketh me on þis meteles to þynke;
And how þe prest preued no pardoun to dowel,
And demed þat dowel indulgences passed,
Biennales and triennales and bisschopes lettres,
And how dowel at þe day of dome is dignelich vnder-fongen,
And passeth al þe pardoun of seynt petres cherche.
Now hath þe pope powere pardoun to graunte þe peple
And demed þat dowel indulgences passed,
Biennales and triennales and bisschopes lettres,
And how dowel at þe day of dome is dignelich vnder-fongen,
And passeth al þe pardoun of seynt petres cherche.
With-outen eny penaunce to passen in-to heuene;
Þis is owre bileue as lettered men vs techeth,
Quodcumque ligaueris super terram, erit ligatum et in celis, &c.
And so I leue lelly (lordes forbode ellis!)Þat pardoun and penaunce and preyeres don saue
Soules þat haue synned seuene sithes dedly.
Ac to trust to þise triennales trewly me þinketh,
Is nouȝt so syker for þe soule certis, as is dowel.
For-þi I rede ȝow, renkes þat riche ben on þis erthe,
Vppon trust of ȝowre tresoure triennales to haue,
Be ȝe neuere þe balder to breke þe [ten] hestes;
And namelich, ȝe maistres mayres and iugges,
Þat han þe welthe of þis worlde and for wyse men ben holden,
To purchace ȝow pardoun and þe popis bulles.
At þe dredeful dome whan ded[e] shullen rise,
And comen alle bifor cryst acountis to ȝelde,
How þow laddest þi lyf here and his lawes keptest,
And how þow dedest day bi day þe dome wil reherce;
A poke ful of pardoun þere ne prouinciales lettres,
Theigh ȝe be founde in þe fraternete of alle þe foure ordres,
And haue indulgences double-folde but if dowel ȝow help,
I sette ȝowre patentes and ȝowre pardounz at one pies hele!
Vppon trust of ȝowre tresoure triennales to haue,
Be ȝe neuere þe balder to breke þe [ten] hestes;
And namelich, ȝe maistres mayres and iugges,
121
To purchace ȝow pardoun and þe popis bulles.
At þe dredeful dome whan ded[e] shullen rise,
And comen alle bifor cryst acountis to ȝelde,
How þow laddest þi lyf here and his lawes keptest,
And how þow dedest day bi day þe dome wil reherce;
A poke ful of pardoun þere ne prouinciales lettres,
Theigh ȝe be founde in þe fraternete of alle þe foure ordres,
And haue indulgences double-folde but if dowel ȝow help,
I sette ȝowre patentes and ȝowre pardounz at one pies hele!
For-þi I conseille alle cristene to crye god mercy,
And Marie his moder be owre mene bitwene,
Þat god gyue vs grace here ar we gone hennes,
Suche werkes to werche while we ben here,
Þat after owre deth-day dowel reherce,
At þe day of dome we dede as he hiȝte.
And Marie his moder be owre mene bitwene,
Þat god gyue vs grace here ar we gone hennes,
Suche werkes to werche while we ben here,
Þat after owre deth-day dowel reherce,
At þe day of dome we dede as he hiȝte.
[Explicit visio willelmi de petro plowman. Et sequitur vita de dowell, Dobett, et Do-beste, secundum wytt & reson.]
123
Visio ejusdem de Do-wel, Do-bet, et Do-best, secundum Wit et Resoun.
| The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman | |