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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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1

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THE VISION OF WILLIAM CONCERNING “PIERS THE PLOWMAN.”

Incipit liber de Petro Plowman.

[Prologus.]

In a somer seson whan soft was the sonne,
I shope me in shroudes as I a shepe were,
In habite as an heremite vnholy of workes,
Went wyde in þis world wondres to here.
Ac on a May mornynge on Maluerne hulles
Me byfel a ferly of fairy me thouȝte;
I was wery forwandred and went me to reste
Vnder a brode banke bi a bornes side,
And as I lay and lened and loked in þe wateres,
I slombred in a slepyng it sweyued so merye.
Thanne gan I to meten a merueilouse sweuene,
That I was in a wildernesse wist I neuer where,
As I bihelde in-to þe est an hiegh to þe sonne,
I seigh a toure on a toft trielich ymaked;
A depe dale binethe a dongeon þere-Inne,
With depe dyches & derke and dredful of sight.

2

A faire felde ful of folke fonde I there bytwene,
Of alle maner of men þe mene and þe riche,
Worchyng and wandryng as þe worlde asketh.
Some [putten] hem to þe plow pleyed ful selde,
In settyng and in sowyng swonken ful harde,
And wonnen that wastours with glotonye destruyeth.
And some putten hem to pruyde apparailed hem þere-after,
In contenaunce of clothyng comen disgised.
In prayers and in penance putten hem manye,
Al for loue of owre lorde lyueden ful streyte,
In hope forto haue heueneriche blisse;
As ancres and heremites that holden hem in here selles,
And coueiten nought in contre to kairen aboute,
For no likerous liflode her lykam to plese.
And somme chosen chaffare they cheuen the bettere,
As it semeth to owre syȝt that suche men thryueth;
And somme murthes to make as mynstralles conneth,
And geten gold with here glee synneles, I leue.
Ac iapers & iangelers Iudas chylderen,
Feynen hem fantasies and foles hem maketh,
And han here witte at wille to worche ȝif þei sholde.
That Poule precheth of hem I nel nought preue it here;

3

Qui turpiloquium loquitur [is luciferes hyne].
Bidders and beggeres fast aboute ȝede,
With her bely and her bagge[s] of bred ful ycrammed;
Fayteden for here fode fouȝten atte ale;
In glotonye, god it wote gon hij to bedde,
And risen with ribaudye tho roberdes knaues;
Slepe and sori sleuthe seweth hem eure.
Pilgrymes and palmers pliȝted hem togidere
To seke seynt Iames and seyntes in rome.
Thei went forth in here wey with many wise tales,
And hadden leue to lye al here lyf after.
I seigh somme that seiden þei had ysouȝt seyntes;
To eche a tale þat þei tolde here tonge was tempred to lye,
More þan to sey soth it semed bi here speche.
Heremites on an heep With hoked staues,
Wenten to Walsyngham and here wenches after;
Grete lobyes and longe that loth were to swynke,
Clotheden hem in copis to ben knowen fram othere;
And shopen hem heremites here ese to haue.
I fonde þere Freris alle þe foure ordres,
Preched þe peple for profit of hem-seluen,
Glosed þe gospel as hem good lyked,
For coueitise of copis construed it as þei wolde.
Many of þis maistres Freris mowe clothen hem at lykyng,

4

For here money and marchandise marchen togideres.
For sith charite haþ be chapman and chief to shryue lordes,
Many ferlis han fallen in a fewe ȝeris.
But holychirche and hij holde better togideres,
The moste my[s]chief on molde is mountyng wel faste.
Þere preched a Pardonere as he a prest were,
Brouȝte forth a bulle with bishopes seles,
And seide þat hym-self myȝte assoilen hem alle
Of falshed of fastyng of vowes ybroken.
Lewed men leued hym wel and lyked his wordes,
Comen vp knelyng to kissen his bulles;
He bonched hem with his breuet & blered here eyes,
And rauȝte with his ragman rynges and broches.
Thus þey geuen here golde glotones to kepe,
And leueth such loseles þat lecherye haunten.
Were þe bischop yblissed and worth bothe his eres,
His seel shulde nouȝt be sent to deceyue þe peple.
Ac it is nauȝt by þe bischop þat þe boy precheth,
For the parisch prest and þe pardonere parten þe siluer,
That þe poraille of þe parisch sholde haue ȝif þei nere.
Persones and parisch prestes pleyned hem to þe bischop,
Þat here parisshes were pore sith þe pestilence tyme,
To haue a lycence and a leue at London to dwelle,
And syngen þere for symonye for siluer is swete.
Bischopes and bachelers bothe maistres and doctours,

5

Þat han cure vnder criste and crounyng in tokne
And signe þat þei sholden shryuen here paroschienes,
Prechen and prey for hem and þe pore fede,
Liggen in London in lenten, an elles.
Somme seruen þe kyng and his siluer tellen,
In cheker and in chancerye chalengen his dettes
Of wardes and wardmotes weyues and streyues.
And some seruen as seruantz lordes and ladyes,
And in stede of stuwardes sytten and demen.
Here messe and here matynes and many of here oures
Arn don vndeuoutlych; drede is at þe laste
Lest crist in cons[is]torie acorse ful manye.
I parceyued of þe power þat Peter had to kepe,
To bynde and to vnbynde as þe boke telleth,
How he it left wiþ loue as owre lorde hight,
Amonges foure vertues þe best of alle vertues,
Þat cardinales ben called & closyng ȝatis,
Þere crist is in kyngdome to close and to shutte,
And to opne it to hem and heuene blisse shewe.
Ac of þe cardinales atte Courte þat cauȝt of þat name,
And power presumed in hem a Pope to make,
To han þat power þat peter hadde inpugnen I nelle;
For in loue and letterure þe eleccioun bilongeth,
For-þi I can and can nauȝte of courte speke more.
Þanne come þere a kyng knyȝthod hym ladde,
Miȝt of þe comunes made hym to regne,
And þanne cam kynde wytte and clerkes he made,

6

For to conseille þe kyng and þe comune saue.
The kyng and knyȝthode and clergye bothe
Casten þat þe comune shulde hem-self fynde.
Þe comune contreued of kynde witte craftes,
And for profit of alle þe poeple plowmen ordeygned,
To tilie and trauaile as trewe lyf askeþ.
Þe kynge and þe comune and kynde witte þe thridde
Shope lawe & lewte eche man to knowe his owne.
Þanne loked vp a lunatik a lene þing with-alle,
And knelyng to þe kyng clergealy he seyde;
“Crist kepe þe, sire kyng and þi kyngriche,
And leue þe lede þi londe so leute þe louye,
And for þi riȝtful rewlyng be rewarded in heuene!”
And sithen in þe eyre an hiegh An angel of heuene
Lowed to speke in latyn— for lewed men ne coude
Iangle ne iugge þat iustifie hem shulde,
But suffren & seruen— for-thi seyde þe angel,
“Sum Rex, sum Princeps neutrum fortasse deinceps;—
O qui iura regis Christi specialia regis,
Hoc quod agas melius iustus es, esto pius!
Nudum ius a te vestiri vult pietate;
Qualia vis metere talia grana sere.
Si ius nudatur nudo de iure metatur.
Si seritur pietas de pietate metas!”
Thanne greued hym a Goliardeys a glotoun of wordes,
And to þe angel an heiȝ [answered] after,
“Dum rex a regere dicatur nomen habere,
Nomen habet sine re nisi studet iura tenere.”

7

And þanne gan alle þe comune crye in vers of latin,
To þe kynges conseille construe ho-so wolde—
“Precepta Regis sunt nobis vincula legis.”
Wiþ þat ran þere a route of ratones at ones,
And smale mys with hem mo þen a þousande,
And comen to a conseille for here comune profit;
For a cat of a courte cam whan hym lyked,
And ouerlepe hem lyȝtlich and lauȝte hem at his wille,
And pleyde wiþ hem perilouslych and possed [hem] aboute.
“For doute of dyuerse dredes we dar nouȝte wel loke;
And ȝif we grucche of his gamen he wil greue vs alle,
Cracche vs, or clowe vs and in his cloches holde,
That vs lotheth þe lyf or he lete vs passe.
Myȝte we wiþ any witte his wille withstonde,
We myȝte be lordes aloft and lyuen at owre ese.”
A raton of renon most renable of tonge,
Seide for a souereygne help to hym-selue;—
“I haue ysein segges,” quod he “in þe cite of london
Beren biȝes ful briȝte abouten here nekkes,
And some colers of crafty werk; vncoupled þei wenden
Boþe in wareine & in waste where hem leue lyketh;
And otherwhile þei aren elles-where as I here telle.
Were þere a belle on here beiȝ bi Ihesu, as me thynketh,
Men myȝte wite where þei went and awei renne!
And riȝt so,” quod þat ratoun “reson me sheweth,

8

To bugge a belle of brasse or of briȝte syluer,
And knitten on a colere for owre comune profit,
And hangen it vp-on þe cattes hals þanne here we mowen
Where he ritt or rest or renneth to playe.
And ȝif him list for to laike þenne loke we mowen,
And peren in his presence þer while hym plaie liketh,
And ȝif him wrattheth, be ywar and his weye shonye.”
Alle þis route of ratones to þis reson þei assented.
Ac þo þe belle was ybouȝt and on þe beiȝe hanged,
Þere ne was ratoun in alle þe route for alle þe rewme of Fraunce,
Þat dorst haue ybounden þe belle aboute þe cattis nekke,
Ne hangen [it] aboute þe cattes hals al Engelonde to wynne;
And helden hem vnhardy and here conseille feble,
And leten here laboure lost & alle here longe studye.
A mous þat moche good couthe, as me thouȝte,
Stroke forth sternly and stode biforn hem alle,
And to þe route of ratones reherced þese wordes;
“Thouȝ we culled þe catte ȝut sholde þer come another,
To cracchy vs and al owre kynde þouȝ we croupe vnder benches.
For-þi I conseille alle þe comune to lat þe catte worthe,
And be we neuer so bolde þe belle hym to shewe;
For I herde my sire seyn is seuene ȝere ypassed,

9

Þere þe catte is a kitoun þe courte is ful elyng;
Þat witnisseth holiwrite who-so wil it rede,

Ve terre vbi puer rex est, &c.

For may no renke þere rest haue for ratones bi nyȝte;
Þe while he caccheþ conynges he coueiteth nouȝt owre caroyne,
But fet hym al with venesoun defame we hym neuere.
For better is a litel losse þan a longe sorwe,
Þe mase amonge vs alle þouȝ we mysse a schrewe.
For many mannus malt we mys wolde destruye,
And also ȝe route of ratones rende mennes clothes,
Nere þat cat of þat courte þat can ȝow ouerlepe;
For had ȝe rattes ȝowre wille ȝe couthe nouȝt reule ȝowre-selue.
I sey for me,” quod þe mous “I se so mykel after,
Shal neuer þe cat ne þe kitoun bi my conseille be greued,
Ne carpyng of þis coler þat costed me neure.
And þouȝ it had coste me catel biknowen it I nolde,
But suffre as hym-self wolde to do as hym liketh,
Coupled & vncoupled to cacche what thei mowe.
For-þi vche a wise wiȝte I warne wite wel his owne.”—
What þis meteles bemeneth ȝe men þat be merye,
Deuine ȝe, for I ne dar bi dere god in heuene!
Ȝit houed þere an hondreth in houues of selke,
Seriauntȝ it semed þat serueden atte barre,
Plededen for penyes and poundes þe lawe,

10

And nouȝt for loue of owre lorde vnlese here lippes onis.
Þow myȝtest better mete þe myste on maluerne hulles,
Þan gete a momme of here mouthe but money were shewed.
Barones an burgeis and bonde-men als
I seiȝ in þis assemble as ȝe shul here after.
Baxsteres & brewesteres and bocheres manye,
Wollewebsteres and weueres of lynnen,
Taillours and tynkeres & tolleres in marketes,
Masons and mynours and many other craftes.
Of alkin libbyng laboreres lopen forth somme,
As dykers & delueres þat doth here dedes ille,
And dryuen forth þe [longe] day with “Dieu vous saue, Dame Emme!”
Cokes and here knaues crieden, “hote pies, hote!
Gode gris a[nd] gees gowe dyne, gowe!”
Tauerners vn-til hem tolde þe same,
“White wyn of Oseye and red wyn of Gascoigne,
Of þe Ryne and of þe Rochel þe roste to defye.”—
Al þis seiȝ I slepyng and seuene sythes more.

11

PASSUS I. Passus Primus de visione.

What this montaigne bymeneth and þe merke dale,
And þe felde ful of folke I shal ȝow faire schewe.
A loueli ladi of lere in lynnen yclothed,
Come down fram a castel and called me faire,
And seide, “Sone, slepestow sestow þis poeple,
How bisi þei ben abouten þe mase?
Þe moste partie of þis poeple þat passeth on þis erthe,
Haue þei worschip in þis worlde þei wilne no better;
Of other heuene þan here holde þei no tale.”
I was aferd of her face þeiȝ she faire were,
And seide, “mercy, Madame what is þis to mene?”
“Þe toure vp þe toft,” quod she “treuthe is þere-Inne,
And wolde þat ȝe wrouȝte as his worde techeth;
For he is fader of feith fourmed ȝow alle,
Bothe with fel and with face and ȝaf ȝow fyue wittis
Forto worschip hym þer-with þe while þat ȝe ben here.
And þerfore he hyȝte þe erthe to help ȝow vchone
Of wollen, of lynnen of lyflode at nede,
In mesurable manere to make ȝow at ese;
And comaunded of his curteisye in comune þree þinges;

12

Arne none nedful but þo and nempne hem I thinke,
And rekne hem bi resoun reherce þow hem after.
That one is vesture from chele þe to saue,
And mete atte mele for myseise of þi-selue,
And drynke whan þow dryest ac do nouȝt out of resoun;
That þow worth þe werse whan þow worche shuldest.
For loth in his lifdayes for likyng of drynke,
Dede bi his douȝtres þat þe deuel lyked;
Delited hym in drynke as þe deuel wolde,
And lecherye hym lauȝt and lay bi hem boþe;
And al he witt it wyn þat wikked dede.

Inebriamus eum vino, dormiamus que cum eo, Vt seruare possimus de patre nostro semen.

Thorw wyn and þorw women þere was loth acombred,
And þere gat in glotonye gerlis þat were cherlis.
For-þi drede delitable drynke and þow shalt do þe bettere;
Mesure is medcyne þouȝ þow moche ȝerne.
It is nauȝt al gode to þe goste þat þe gutte axeþ,
Ne liflode to þi likam [þat leef is to þi soule.
Leue not þi likam] for a lyer him techeth,
That is þe wrecched worlde wolde þe bitraye.
For þe fende and þi flesch folweth þe to-gidere,
This and þat [sueth] þi soule and seith it in þin herte;

13

And for þow sholdest ben ywar I wisse þe þe beste.”
“Madame, mercy,” quod I “me liketh wel ȝowre wordes,
Ac þe moneye of þis molde þat men so faste holdeth,
Telle me to whom, Madame þat tresore appendeth?”
“Go to þe gospel,” quod she “þat god seide hymseluen,
Tho þe poeple hym apposed wiþ a peny in þe temple,
Whether þei shulde þer-with worschip þe kyng Sesar.
And god axed of hem of whome spake þe lettre,
And þe ymage ilyke þat þere-inne stondeth?
‘Cesaris,’ þei seide ‘we sen hym wel vchone.’
‘Reddite cesari,’ quod god ‘þat cesari bifalleth,
Et que sunt dei, deo or elles ȝe done ille.’
For riȝtful reson shulde rewle ȝow alle,
And kynde witte be wardeyne ȝowre welthe to kepe,
And tutour of ȝoure tresore and take it ȝow at nede;
For housbonderye & hij holden togideres.”
Þanne I frained hir faire for hym þat hir made,
“That dongeoun in þe dale þat dredful is of siȝte,
What may it be to mene ma-dame, I ȝow biseche?”
“Þat is þe castel of care who-so cometh þerinne
May banne þat he borne was to body or to soule.
þerinne wonieth a wiȝte þat wronge is yhote,
Fader of falshed and founded it hym-selue.
Adam and Eue he egged to ille,

14

Conseilled caym to kullen his brother;
Iudas he iaped with iuwen siluer,
And sithen on an eller honged hym after.
He is letter of loue and lyeth hem alle,
That trusten on his tresor bitrayeth he sonnest.”
Thanne had I wonder in my witt what womman it were
Þat such wise wordes of holy writ shewed;
And asked hir on þe hieȝe name ar heo þennes ȝeode,
What she were witterli þat wissed me so faire?
“Holicherche I am,” quod she “þow ouȝtest me to knowe,
I vnderfonge þe firste and þe feyth tauȝte,
And brouȝtest me borwes my biddyng to fulfille,
And to loue me lelly þe while þi lyf dureth.”
Thanne I courbed on my knees and cryed hir of grace,
And preyed hir pitousely prey for my synnes,
And also [kenne] me kyndeli on criste to bileue,
That I miȝte worchen his wille þat wrouȝte me to man;
“Teche me to no tresore but telle me þis ilke,
How I may saue my soule þat seynt art yholden?”
“Whan alle tresores aren tried,” quod she “trewthe is þe best;
I do it on deus caritas to deme þe soþe;
It is as derworth a drewery as dere god hym-seluen.
Who-so is trewe of his tonge & telleth none other,

15

And doth þe werkis þer-with and wilneth no man ille,
He is a god bi þe gospel agrounde and aloft,
And ylike to owre lorde bi seynte lukes wordes.
Þe clerkes þat knoweþ þis shulde kenne it aboute,
For cristene and vncristne clameþ it vchone.
Kynges & kniȝtes shulde kepe it bi resoun,
Riden and rappe down in reumes aboute,
And taken trangressores and tyen hem faste,
Til treuthe had ytermyned her trespas to þe ende.
And þat is þe professioun appertly þat appendeth for knyȝtes,
And nouȝt to fasten a fryday in fyue score wynter;
But holden wiþ him & with hir þat wolden at treuthe,
And neuer leue hem for loue ne for lacchyng of syluer.
For Dauid in his dayes dubbed kniȝtes,
And did hem swere on here swerde to serue trewthe euere;
And who-so passed þat poynte was apostata in þe ordre.
But criste kingene kynge kniȝted ten,
Cherubyn and seraphin suche seuene and an-othre,
And ȝaf hem myȝte in his maieste þe muryer hem þouȝte;
And ouer his mene meyne made hem archangeles,
Tauȝte hem bi þe Trinitee treuthe to knowe,
To be buxome at his biddyng he bad hem nouȝte elles.
Lucifer wiþ legiounes lerned it in heuene,
But for he brake buxumnesse his blisse gan he tyne,

16

And fel fro þat felawship in a fendes liknes,
In-to a depe derke helle to dwelle þere for eure;
And mo þowsandes wiþ him þan man couthe noumbre,
Lopen out wiþ Lucifer in lothelich forme,
For þei leueden vpon hym þat lyed in þis manere:

Ponam pedem in aquilone, et similis ero altissimo.

And alle þat hoped it miȝte be so none heuene miȝte hem holde,
But fellen out in fendes liknesse nyne dayes togideres,
Til god of his goodnesse gan stable and stynte,
And garte þe heuene to stekye and stonden in quiete.
Whan thise wikked went out wonderwise þei fellen,
Somme in eyre, somme in erthe & somme in helle depe;
Ac lucifer lowest lith of hem alle;
For pryde þat he pult out his peyne hath none ende;
And alle þat worche with wronge wenden hij shulle
After her deth day and dwelle wiþ þat shrewe.
Ac þo þat worche wel as holiwritt telleth,
And enden as I ere seide in treuthe, þat is þe best,
Mowe be siker þat her soule shal wende to heuene,
Þer treuthe is in Trinitee and troneth hem alle.
For-þi I sey as I seide ere bi siȝte of þise textis,
Whan alle tresores arne ytried treuthe is þe beste.
Lereth it þis lewde men for lettred men it knowen,
Þat treuthe is tresore þe triest on erþe.”

17

“Ȝet haue I no kynde knowing,” quod I “ȝet mote ȝe kenne me better,
By what craft in my corps it comseth and where.”
“Þow doted daffe,” quod she “dulle arne þi wittes;
To litel latyn þow lernedest lede, in þi ȝouthe;

Heu michi, [quod] sterilem duxi vitam iuuenilem!

It is a kynde knowyng,” quod he “þat kenneth in þine herte
For to louye þi lorde leuer þan þi-selue;
No dedly synne to do dey þouȝ þow sholdest:
This I trowe be treuthe who can teche þe better,
Loke þow suffre hym to sey and sithen lere it after.
For thus witnesseth his worde [worche] þow þere-after;
For trewthe telleþ þat loue is triacle of heuene;
May no synne be on him sene þat vseth þat spise,
And alle his werkes he wrouȝte with loue as him liste;
And lered it Moises for þe leuest þing and moste like to heuene,
And also þe plente of pees moste precious of vertues.
For heuene myȝte nouȝte holden it it was so heuy of hym-self,
Tyl it hadde of þe erthe yeten his fylle.
And whan it haued of þis folde flesshe & blode taken,
Was neuere leef vpon lynde liȝter þer-after,

18

And portatyf and persant as þe poynt of a nedle,
That myȝte non armure it lette ne none heiȝ walles.
For-þi is loue leder of þe lordes folke of heuene,
And a mene, as þe Maire is bitwene þe kyng and þe comune;
Riȝt so is loue a ledere and þe lawe shapeth,
Vpon man for his mysdedes þe merciment he taxeth.
And for to knowe it kyndely it comseth bi myght,
And in þe herte þere is þe heuede and þe heiȝ welle;
For in kynde knowynge in herte þere a myȝte bigynneth.
And þat falleth to þe fader þat formed vs alle,
Loked on vs with loue and lete his sone deye
Mekely for owre mysdedes to amende vs alle;
And ȝet wolde he hem no woo þat wrouȝte hym þat peyne,
But mekelich with mouthe mercy he bisouȝte
To haue pite of þat poeple þat peyned hym to deth.
Here myȝtow see ensamples in hym-selue one,
That he was miȝtful & meke and mercy gan graunte
To hem þat hongen him an heiȝ and his herte þirled.
For-thi I rede ȝow riche haueth reuthe of þe pouere;
Thouȝ ȝe be myȝtful to mote beth meke in ȝowre werkes.
For þe same mesures þat ȝe mete amys other elles,
Ȝe shullen ben weyen þer-wyth whan ȝe wende hennes;

Edem mensura qua mensi fueritis, remecietur vobis.

For þouȝ ȝe be trewe of ȝowre tonge and trewliche wynne,
And as chaste as a childe þat in cherche wepeth,

19

But if ȝe louen lelliche and lene þe poure,
Such goed as god ȝow sent godelich parteth,
Ȝe ne haue na more meryte in masse ne in houres,
Þan Malkyn of hire maydenhode þat no man desireth.
For Iames þe gentil iugged in his bokes,
That faith with-oute þe faite is riȝte no þinge worthi,
And as ded as a dore-tre but ȝif þe dedes folwe;

Fides sine operibus mortua est, &c.

For-thi chastite with-oute charite worth cheyned in helle;
It is as lewed as a laumpe þat no liȝte is Inne.
Many chapeleynes arne chaste ac charite is awey;
Aren no men auarousere þan hij whan þei ben auaunced;
Vnkynde to her kyn and to alle cristene,
Chewen here charite and chiden after more.
Such chastite wiþ-outen charite worth cheyned in helle!
Many curatoures kepen hem clene of here bodies,
Thei ben acombred wiþ coueitise þei konne nouȝt don it fram hem,
So harde hath auarice yhasped hem togideres.
And þat is no treuthe of þe trinite but treccherye of helle,
And lernyng to lewde men þe latter for to dele.
For-þi þis wordes ben wryten in þe gospel,
Date & dabitur vobis for I dele ȝow alle.
And þat is þe lokke of loue and lateth oute my grace,
To conforte þe careful acombred wiþ synne.
Loue is leche of lyf and nexte owre lorde selue,
And also þe graith gate þat goth in-to heuene;

20

For-þi I sey as I seide ere by þe textis,
Whan alle tresores ben ytryed treuthe is þe beste.
Now haue I tolde þe what treuthe is þat no tresore is bettere,
I may no lenger lenge þe with now loke þe owre lorde!”

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.”
“Loke vppon þi left half and lo where he standeth,
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.
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;

22

I had wondre what she was and whas wyf she were.
“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.
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;

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,
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-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.
Now I bikenne þe criste,” quod she “and his clene moder,
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,

24

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
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;—
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,

25

That is, vsure and auarice alle I hem graunte,
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.”
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 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.

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.”
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!
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,

27

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.
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!”
Here-to assenteth cyuile ac symonye ne wolde,
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.”
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,

28

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.”
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.
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.
Tho haued notaries none annoyed þei were,
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.
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,

29

To bere bischopes aboute abrode in visytynge.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.”
And comanded a constable þat come atte furst,
To “attache þo tyrauntz for eny thynge, I hote,
And fettereth fast falsenesse for enykynnes ȝiftes,

30

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.”
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.
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.
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.

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.
Ac mynst[r]alles and messageres mette with hym ones,
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.
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.

32

PASSUS III. Passus tertius.

Now is Mede þe Mayde and namo of hem alle
With bedellus & wiþ bayllyues brouȝt bifor þe kyng.
The kyng called a clerke can I nouȝt his name,
To take Mede þe mayde and make hire at ese.
“I shal assaye hir my-self and sothelich appose
What man of þis molde þat hire were leueste.
And if she worche bi my witte and my wille folwe,
I wil forgyue hir þis gilte so me god help!”
Curteysliche þe clerke þanne as þe Kyng hight,
Toke Mede bi þe Middel and brouȝte hir in-to chaumbre,
And þere was myrthe and mynstralcye Mede to plese.
They þat wonyeth in Westmynstre worschiped hir alle;
Gentelliche wiþ ioye þe Iustices somme
Busked hem to þe boure þere þe birde dwelled,

33

To conforte hire kyndely by clergise leue,
And seiden, “mourne nought, Mede ne make þow no sorwe,
For we [wil] wisse þe kynge and þi wey shape,
To be wedded at þi wille and where þe leue liketh,
For al conscience caste or craft, as I trowe!”
Mildeliche Mede þanne mercyed hem alle
Of þeire gret goodnesse and gaf hem vchone
Coupes of clene golde and coppis of siluer,
Rynges with rubies and ricchesses manye,
The leste man of here meyne a motoun of golde.
Thanne lauȝte þei leue þis lordes, at Mede.
With that comen clerkis to conforte hir þe same,
And beden hire be blithe “for we beth þine owne,
For to worche þi wille þe while þow myȝte laste.”
Hendeliche heo þanne bihight hem þe same,
To “loue ȝow lelli and lordes to make,
And in þe consistorie atte courte do calle ȝowre names;
Shal no lewdnesse lette þe leode þat I louye,
That he ne worth first auanced for I am biknowen
Þere konnyng clerkes shul clokke bihynde.”
Þanne come þere a confessoure coped as a Frere,
To Mede þe mayde he mellud þis wordes,
And seide ful softly in shrifte as it were,
“Theiȝ lewed men and lered men had leyne by þe bothe,
And falsenesse haued yfolwed þe al þis fyfty wyntre,

34

I shal assoille þe my-selue for a seme of whete,
And also be þi bedeman and bere wel þi message,
Amonges kniȝtes and clerkis conscience to torne.”
Thanne Mede for here mysdedes to þat man kneled,
And shroue hire of hire shrewednesse shamelees, I trowe,
Tolde hym a tale and toke hym a noble,
Forto ben hire bedeman and hire brokour als.
Thanne he assoilled hir sone and sithen he seyde,
“We han a wyndowe a wirchyng wil sitten vs [ful] heigh;
Woldestow glase þat gable and graue þere-inne þi name,
Siker sholde þi soule be heuene to haue.”
“Wist I that,” quod þat womman “I wolde nouȝt spare
For to be ȝowre frende, frere and faille ȝow neure
Whil ȝe loue lordes þat lechery haunteþ,
And lakkeþ nouȝt ladis þat loueþ wel þe same.
It is a frelete of flesche ȝe fynde it in bokes,
And a course of kynde wher-of we komen alle;
Who may scape þe sklaundre þe skaþe is sone amended;
It is synne of [þe] seuene sonnest relessed.
Haue mercy,” quod Mede “of men þat it haunte,
And I shal keure ȝowre kirke ȝowre cloystre do maken,
Wowes do whitten and wyndowes glasen,
Do peynten and purtraye and paye for þe makynge,

35

That eury segge shal seyn I am sustre of ȝowre hous.”
Ac god to alle good folke suche grauynge defendeth,
To writen in wyndowes of here wel dedes,
On auenture pruyde be peynted þere and pompe of þe worlde;
For crist knoweþ þi conscience and þi kynde wille,
And þi coste and þi coueitise and who þe catel ouȝte.
For-þi I lere ȝow, lordes leueþ suche werkes,
To writen in wyndowes of ȝowre wel dedes,
Or to greden after goddis men whan ȝe delen doles;
An auenture ȝe han ȝowre hire here and ȝoure heuene als;

Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra.

Lat nouȝte þi left half late [ne] rathe,
Wyte what þow worchest with þi riȝt syde;
For þus bit þe gospel gode men do here almesse.
Meires and maceres that menes ben bitwene
Þe kynge and þe comune to kepe þe lawes,
To punyschen on pillories and pynynge stoles
Brewesteres and bakesteres bocheres and cokes;
For þise aren men on þis molde þat moste harme worcheth
To þe pore peple þat parcel-mele buggen.
For they poysoun þe peple priueliche and oft,
Thei rychen þorw regraterye and rentes hem buggen
With þat þe pore people shulde put in here wombe;
For toke þei on trewly þei tymbred nouȝt so heiȝe,
Ne bouȝte non burgages be ȝe ful certeyne.

36

Ac Mede þe Mayde þe Maire hath bisouȝte,
Of alle suche sellers syluer to take,
Or presentz with-oute pens as peces of siluer,
Ringes or other ricchesse þe regrateres to maynetene.
“For my loue,” quod that lady “loue hem vchone,
And soffre hem to selle somdele aȝeins resoun.”
Salamon þe sage a sarmoun he made,
For to amende Maires and men þat kepen lawes,
And tolde hem þis teme þat I telle thynke;

Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera, &c.

Amonge þis lettered ledes þis latyn is to mene,
That fyre shal falle, and [brenne] al to blo askes
The houses and þe homes of hem [þat] desireth
Ȝiftes or ȝeresȝyues bi-cause of here offices.
The kynge fro conseille cam and called after Mede,
And ofsent hir alswythe with seriauntes manye,
That brouȝten hir to bowre with blisse and with ioye.
Curteisliche þe kynge þanne comsed to telle,
To Mede þe mayde melleth þise wordes:
“Vnwittily, womman! wrouȝte hastow oft,
Ac worse wrouȝtestow neure þan þo þow fals toke.
But I forgyue [þe] þat gilte and graunte þe my grace;
Hennes to þi deth day do so namore!
I haue a knyȝte, conscience cam late fro biȝunde;
Ȝif he wilneth þe to wyf wyltow hym haue?”

37

“Ȝe, lorde,” quod þat lady “lorde forbede elles!
But I be holely at ȝowre heste lat hange me sone!”
And þanne was conscience calde to come and appiere
Bifor þe Kynge and his conseille as clerkes and othere.
Knelynge conscience to þe kynge louted,
To wite what his wille were and what he do shulde.
“Woltow wedde þis womman,” quod þe kynge “ȝif I wil assente,
For she is fayne of þi felawship for to be þi make?”
Quod conscience to þe kynge “cryst it me forbede!
Ar I wedde suche a wyf wo me bityde!
For she is frele of hir feith fykel of here speche,
And maketh men mysdo many score tymes;
Truste of hire tresore treieth ful manye.
Wyues and widewes wantounes she techeth,
And lereth hem leccherye that loueth hire ȝiftes.
Ȝowre fadre she felled þorw fals biheste,
And hath apoysounde popis [&] peired holicherche;
Is nauȝt a better baude bi hym þat me made,
Bitwene heuene and helle in erthe þough men souȝte!
For she is tikil of hire taile talwis of hir tonge,
As comune as a cartwey to eche a knaue þat walketh,
To monkes, to mynst[r]alles to meseles in hegges.
Sisoures and sompnoures suche men hir preiseth;
Shireues of shires were shent ȝif she nere;
For she doþ men lese here londe and here lyf bothe.

38

She leteth passe prisoneres and payeth for hem ofte,
And gyueth þe gailers golde and grotes togideres,
To vnfettre þe fals fle where hym lyketh;
And takeþ þe trewe bi þe toppe and tieth hym faste,
And hangeth hym for hatred þat harme dede neure.
To be cursed in consistorie she counteth nouȝte a russhe;
For she copeth þe comissarie and coteth his clerkis;
She is assoilled as sone as hir-self liketh,
And may neiȝe as moche do in a moneth one[s],
As ȝowre secret seel in syx score dayes.
For she is priue with þe pope prouisoures it knoweth,
For sire symonye and hir-selue seleth hire bulles.
She blesseth þise bisshopes þeiȝe þey be lewed,
Prouendreth persones and prestes meynteneth,
To haue lemmannes and lotebies alle here lif dayes,
And bringen forth barnes aȝein forbode lawes.
There she is wel with þe kynge wo is þe rewme,
For she is fauorable to þe fals and fouleth trewthe ofte.
Bi ihesus, with here ieweles ȝowre iustices she shendeth,
And lith aȝein þe lawe and letteth hym þe gate,
That feith may nouȝte haue his forth here floreines go so þikke.
She ledeth þe lawe as hire list and louedayes maketh,
And doth men lese þorw hire loue þat lawe myȝte wynne,

39

Þe mase for a mene man þouȝ he mote hir eure.
Lawe is so lordeliche and loth to make ende,
With-oute presentz or pens she pleseth wel fewe.
Barounes and burgeys she bryngeth in sorwe,
And alle þe comune in kare þat coueyten lyue in trewthe;
For clergye and coueitise she coupleth togideres.
Þis is þe lyf of that lady now lorde ȝif hir sorwe!
And alle that meynteneth here men meschaunce hem bityde!
For pore men mowe haue no powere to pleyne hem þouȝ þei smerte;
Suche a maistre is Mede amonge men of gode.”
Thanne morned Mede and mened hire to the kynge,
To haue space to speke spede if she myȝte.
The kynge graunted hir grace with a gode wille;
“Excuse þe, ȝif þow canst I can namore seggen,
For conscience acuseth þe to congey þe for euere.”
“Nay, lorde,” quod þat lady “leueth hym þe worse,
Whan ȝe wyten witterly where þe wronge liggeth;
There þat myschief is grete Mede may helpe.
And þow knowest, conscience I cam nouȝt to chide,
Ne depraue þi persone with a proude herte.
Wel þow wost, wernard but ȝif þow wolt gabbe,
Þow hast hanged on myne half elleuene tymes,
And also griped my golde gyue it where þe liked;
And whi þow wratthest þe now wonder me thynketh.
Ȝit I may as I myȝte menske þe with ȝiftes,
And mayntene þi manhode more þan þow knoweste.
Ac þow hast famed me foule bifor þe Kynge here.

40

For kulled I neuere no kynge ne conseilled þer-after,
Ne dede as þow demest I do [it] on þe kynge!
In normandye was he nouȝte noyed for my sake;
Ac þow þi-self sothely shamedest hym ofte,
Crope in-to a kaban for colde of þi nailles,
Wendest þat wyntre wolde haue lasted euere,
And draddest to be ded for a dym cloude,
And hiedest homeward for hunger of þi wombe.
Wiþ-out pite, piloure pore men þow robbedest,
And bere here bras at þi bakke to caleys to selle.
There I lafte with my lorde his lyf for to saue,
I made his men meri and mornyng lette.
I batered hem on þe bakke and bolded here hertis,
And dede hem hoppe for hope to haue me at wille.
Had I ben Marschal of his men bi Marie of heuene!
I durst haue leyde my lyf and no lasse wedde,
He shulde haue be lorde of þat londe a lengthe and a brede,
And also Kyng of þat kitthe his kynne for to helpe,
Þe leste brolle of his blode a barounes pere!
Cowardliche þow, conscience conseiledest hym þennes,
To leuen his lordeship for a litel siluer,
That is þe richest rewme þat reyne ouer houeth!
It bicometh to a kynge þat kepeth a rewme,
To ȝiue Mede to men þat mekelich hym serueth,
To alienes and to alle men to honoure hem with ȝiftes;
Mede maketh hym biloued and for a man holden.

41

Emperoures and Erlis and al manere lordes
For ȝiftes han ȝonge men to renne and to ride.
The pope and alle prelatis presentz vnderfongen,
And medeth men hem-seluen to meyntene here lawes.
Seruauntz for her seruise we seth wel þe sothe,
Taken Mede of here maistre as þei mowe acorde.
Beggeres for here biddynge bidden men Mede;
Mynstralles for here murthe mede þei aske.
Þe kynge hath mede of his men to make pees in londe;
Men þat teche chyldren craue of hem mede.
Prestis þat precheth þe poeple to gode, asken mede,
And masse-pans and here mete at þe mele tymes.
Alkynnes crafty men crauen Mede for here prentis;
Marchauntz and Mede mote nede go togideres;
No wiȝte as I wene with-oute Mede may libbe.”
[Quod] þe kynge to conscience “bi criste! as me thynketh,
Mede is wel worthi þe maistrye to haue!”
“Nay,” quod conscience to þe Kynge and kneled to þe erthe,
“There aren two manere of Medes my lorde, with ȝowre leue.
Þat one, god of his grace graunteth in his blisse
To þo þat wel worchen whil þei ben here.
The prophete precheth þer-of and put it in þe sautere,

Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo?

‘Lorde, who shal wonye in þi wones and with þine holi seyntes,

42

Or resten on þi holy hilles?’ þis asketh dauid;
And dauyd assoileth it hym-self as þe sauter telleth,

Qui ingreditur sine macula, & operatur iusticiam,

Tho þat entren of o colour and of on wille,
And han wrouȝte werkis with riȝte and with reson;
And he þat ne vseth nauȝte þe lyf of vsurye,
And enfourmeth pore men and pursueth treuthe;

Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram, & munera super innocentem, &c.

And alle þat helpeth þe innocent and halt with þe riȝtful,
With-oute mede doth hem gode and þe trewthe helpeth—
Suche manere men, my lorde shal haue þis furst Mede
Of god at a grete nede whan þei gone hennes.
There is an-other Mede mesurelees þat maistres desireth;
To meyntene mysdoers Mede þei take;
And þere-of seith þe sauter in a salmes ende,

In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt, dextera eorum repleta est muneribus;

And he þat gripeth her golde so me god helpe!
Shal abie it bittere or þe boke lyeth!
Prestes and parsones þat plesynge desireth,
That taketh Mede and [moneie] for messes þat þei syngeth,
Taketh here mede here as Mathew vs techeth;

43

Amen, amen, [receperunt] mercedem suam.

That laboreres and lowe folke taketh of her maistres,
It is no manere Mede but a mesurable hire.
In marchandise is no mede I may it wel a-vowe
It is a permutacioun apertly a penyworth for an othre.
Ac reddestow neuere Regum þow recrayed Mede,
Whi þe veniaunce fel on Saul and on his children?
God sent to Saul bi Samuel þe prophete,
Þat agage of amaleke and al his peple aftre
Shulde deye for a dede þat done had here eldres.
‘For-þi,’ seid Samuel to Saul ‘god hym-self hoteth
The, be boxome at his biddynge his wille to fulfille:
Wende to amalec with þyn oste and what þow fyndest þere, slee it;
Biernes and bestes brenne hem to ded;
Wydwes and wyues wommen and children,
Moebles and vnmoebles and al þat þow myȝte fynde,
Brenne it, bere it nouȝte awey be it neuere so riche
For mede ne for [moneie]; loke þow destruye it,
Spille it and spare it nouȝte þow shalt spede þe bettere.’
And for he coueyted her catel and þe kynge spared,
Forbare hym and his bestes bothe as þe bible witnesseth,
Otherwyse þan he was warned of þe prophete,
God seide to Samuel þat Saul shulde deye,
And al his sede for þat synne shenfullich ende.
Such a myschief Mede made Saul þe kynge to haue,

44

That god hated hym for euere and alle his eyres after.
The culorum of þis cas kepe I nouȝte to shewe;
An auenture it noyed men none ende wil I make.
For so is þis worlde went wiþ hem þat han powere,
That who-so seyth hem sothes is sonnest yblamed.
I conscience knowe þis for kynde witt me it tauȝte,
Þat resoun shal regne and rewmes gouerne;
And riȝte as agag hadde happe shul somme.
Samuel shal sleen hym and Saul shal be blamed,
And dauid shal be diademed and daunten hem alle,
And one cristene kynge kepen hem alle.
Shal na more Mede be maistre, as she is nouthe,
Ac loue and lowenesse and lewte togederes,
Þise shul be maistres on molde treuthe to saue.
And who-so trespasseth ayein treuthe or taketh aȝein his wille,
Leute shal don hym lawe and no lyf elles.
Shal no seriaunt for here seruyse were a silke howue,
Ne no pelure in his cloke for pledyng atte barre.
Mede of mys-doeres maketh many lordes,
And ouer lordes lawes reuleth þe rewmes.
Ac kynde loue shal come ȝit and conscience togideres,
And make of lawe a laborere suche loue shal arise,
And such a pees amonge þe peple and a perfit trewthe,
Þat iewes shal wene in here witte and waxen wonder glade,
Þat Moises or Messie be come in-to þis erthe,
And haue wonder in here hertis þat men beth so trewe.

45

Alle þat bereth baslarde brode swerde or launce,
Axe [other] hachet or eny wepne ellis,
Shal be demed to þe deth but if he do it smythye
In-to sikul or to sithe to schare or to kulter;

Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres, &c.;

Eche man to pleye with a plow pykoys or spade,
Spynne, or sprede donge or spille hym-self with sleuthe.
Prestes and parsones with placebo to hunte,
And dyngen vpon dauid eche a day til eue.
Huntynge or haukynge if any of hem vse,
His boste of his benefys worth bynome hym after.
Shal neither kynge ne knyȝte constable ne Meire
Ouer-lede þe comune ne to þe courte sompne,
Ne put hem in panel to don hem pliȝte here treuthe,
But after þe dede þat is don one dome shal rewarde,
Mercy or no mercy as treuthe wil acorde.
Kynges courte and comune courte consistorie and chapitele,
Al shal be but one courte and one baroun be iustice;
Thanne worth trewe-tonge a tidy man þat tened me neuere.
Batailles shal non be ne no man bere wepne,
And what smyth þat ony smyt[h]eth be smyte þer-with to dethe,

Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium, &c.

And er þis fortune falle fynde men shal þe worste,
By syx sonnes and a schippe and half a shef of arwes;
And þe myddel of a mone shal make þe iewes to torne,

46

And saracenes for þat siȝte shulle synge gloria in excelsis, &c.,
For Makomet & Mede myshappe shal þat tyme;

For, melius est bonum nomen quam diuicie multe.”

Also wroth as þe wynde wex Mede in a while,
“I can no latyn,” quod she “clerkis wote þe sothe.
Se what Salamon seith in Sapience bokes,
That hij þat ȝiueth ȝiftes þe victorie wynneth,
& moche worschip had þer-with as holiwryt telleth,

Honorem adquiret qui dat munera, &c.”

“I leue wel, lady,” quod conscience “þat þi latyne be trewe;
Ac þow art like a lady þat redde a lessoun ones,
Was, omnia probate and þat plesed here herte,
For þat lyne was no lenger atte leues ende.
Had [she] loked þat other half and þe lef torned,
[She] shulde haue founden fele wordis folwyng þer-after,
Quod bonum est tenete treuthe þat texte made!
And so ferde ȝe, madame! ȝe couthe namore fynde,
Tho ȝe loked on sapience sittynge in ȝoure studie.
Þis tixte þat ȝe han tolde were gode for lordes,
Ac ȝow failled a cunnyng clerke þat couthe þe lef haue torned!
And if ȝe seche sapience eft fynde shal ȝe þat folweth,
A ful teneful tixte to hem þat taketh Mede,
And þat is, animam autem aufert accipientium, &c.:

47

And þat is þe taille of þe tixte of þat þat ȝe schewed,
Þat þeiȝe we wynne worschip and wiþ mede haue victorie,
Þe soule þat þe sonde taketh bi so moche is bounde.”

48

PASSUS IV. Passus quartus de visione, vt supra.

Cesseth,” seith þe kynge “I suffre ȝow no lengere.
Ȝe shal sauȝtne for sothe and serue me bothe.
Kisse hir,” quod þe kynge “conscience, I hote.”
“Nay, bi criste,” quod conscience “congeye me for euere!
But resoun rede me þer-to rather wil I deye!”
“And I comaunde þe,” quod þe Kynge to conscience þanne,
“Rape þe to ride and resoun þow fecche;
Comaunde hym þat he come my conseille to here.
For he shal reule my rewme and rede me þe beste,
And acounte with þe, conscience so me cryst helpe,
How þow lernest þe peple þe lered and þe lewede.”
“I am fayne of þat forwarde” seyde þe freke þanne,
And ritt riȝte to resoun and rowneth in his ere,
And seide as þe kynge badde and sithen toke his leue.
“I shal arraye me to ride, quod resoun “reste þe a while”—
And called catoun his knaue curteise of speche,
And also tomme trewe-tonge- telle-me-no-tales-
Ne-lesyng-to-lawȝe-of- for-I-loued-hem-neuere—

49

“And sette my sadel vppon suffre- til-I-se-my-tyme,
And lete warrok it wel with witty-wordes gerthes,
And hange on hym þe heuy brydel to holde his hed lowe,
For he wil make wehe tweye er he be there.”
Thanne conscience vppon his caple kaireth forth faste,
And resoun with hym ritte rownynge togideres,
Whiche maistries Mede maketh on þis erthe.
One waryn wisdom And witty his fere
Folwed hem faste [for þei] haued to done
In þe cheker and at þe chauncerie to be discharged of þinges;
And riden fast, for resoun shulde rede hem þe beste,
For to saue hem, for siluer fro shame and fram harmes.
And conscience knewe hem wel þei loued coueitise,
And bad resoun ride faste and recche of her noither,
“Þere aren wiles in here wordes and with Mede þei dwelleth;
There as wratthe and wranglyng is þere wynne þei siluer,
Ac þere is loue and lewte þei wil nouȝte come þere;

Contricio & infelicitas in vijs eorum, &c.

Þei ne gyueth nouȝte of god one gose wynge,

Non est timor dei ante oculos eorum.

For, wot god, þei wolde do more for a dozeine chickenes,
Or as many capones or for a seem of otes,

50

Þan for loue of owre lorde or alle hise leue seyntes.
For-þi, resoun, lete hem ride þo riche, bi hem-seluen,
For conscience knoweth hem nouȝte ne cryst, as I trowe.
And þanne resoun rode faste þe riȝte heiȝe gate,
As conscience hym kenned til þei come to þe kynge.
Curteisliche þe kynge þanne come aȝein resoun,
And bitwene hym-self and his sone sette hym on benche,
And wordeden wel wyseli a gret while togideres.
And þanne come pees in-to parlement and put forth a bille,
How wronge aȝeines his wille had his wyf taken,
And how he rauisshed Rose Reginoldes loue,
And Margarete of hir maydenhode maugre here chekis.
“Bothe my gees & my grys his gadelynges feccheth;
I dar nouȝte for fere of hym fyȝte ne chyde.
He borwed of me bayard he brouȝte hym home neure,
Ne no ferthynge þer-fore for nauȝte I couthe plede.
He meyneteneth his men to morther myne hewen,
Forstalleth my feyres and fiȝteth in my chepynge,
And breketh vp my bernes dore and bereth aweye my whete,
And taketh me but a taile for ten quarteres of otes,
And ȝet he bet me þer-to and lyth bi my Mayde,
I nam nouȝte hardy for hym vneth to loke.”
The kynge knewe he seide sothe for conscience hym tolde,

51

Þat wronge was a wikked luft and wrouȝte moche sorwe.
Wronge was afered þanne and wisdome he souȝte
To make pees with his pens and profered hym manye,
And seide, “had I loue of my lorde þe kynge litel wolde I recche,
Theiȝe pees and his powere pleyned hym eure!”
Þo wan wisdome and sire waryn þe witty,
For þat wronge had ywrouȝte so wikked a dede,
And warned wronge þo with such a wyse tale;
“Who-so worcheth bi wille wratthe maketh ofte;
I seye it bi þi-self þow shalt it wel fynde.
But if Mede it make þi myschief is vppe,
For bothe þi lyf and þi londe lyth in his grace.”
Thanne wowed wronge wisdome ful ȝerne,
To make his pees with his pens handi-dandi payed.
Wisdome and witte þanne wenten togideres,
And toke Mede myd hem mercy to winne.
Pees put forþ his hed and his panne blody;
“Wyth-outen gilte, god it wote gat I þis skaþe,
Conscience and þe comune knowen þe sothe.”
Ac wisdom and witt were about faste
To ouercome þe kyng with catel, ȝif þei myȝte.
Þe kynge swore, bi crist and bi his crowne bothe,
Þat wronge for his werkis sholde wo þolye,
And comaunded a constable to casten hym in yrens,
“And late hym nouȝte þis seuene ȝere seen his feet ones.”
“God wot,” quod wysdom “þat were nauȝte þe beste;

52

And he amendes mowe make late meynprise hym haue;
And be borwgh for his bale and biggen hym bote,
And so amende þat is mysdo and euermore þe bettere.”
Witt acorded þer-with and seide þe same:
“Bettere is þat bote bale adoun brynge,
Þan bale be ybette & bote neuere þe bettere.”
And þanne gan Mede to mengen here and mercy she bisought,
And profred pees a present al of pure golde:
“Haue þis, man, of me,” quod she “to amende þi skaþe,
For I wil wage for wronge he wil do so namore.”
Pitously pees þanne prayed to þe kynge
To haue mercy on þat man þat mys-did hym so ofte:
“For he hath waged me wel as wysdome hym tauȝte,
And I forgyue hym þat gilte with a goode wille;
So þat þe kynge assent I can seye no bettere;
For Mede hath made me amendes I may namore axe.”
“Nay,” quod þe Kynge þo “so me cryst helpe!
Wronge wendeth nouȝte so awaye arts wil I wite more;
For loupe he so liȝtly laughen he wolde,
And efte þe balder be to bete myne hewen;
But resoun haue reuthe on hym he shal rest in my stokkes,
And þat as longe as he lyueth but lowenesse hym borwe.”
Somme men redde Resoun þo to haue reuthe on þat schrewe,
And for to conseille þe kynge and conscience after,

53

That Mede moste be meynpernour resoun þei bisouȝte.
“Rede me nouȝte,” quod resoun “no reuthe to haue,
Til lordes and ladies louien alle treuthe,
And haten al harlotrye to heren it, or to mouthen it;
Tyl pernelles purfil be put in here hucche;
And childryn cherissyng be chastyng with ȝerdes;
And harlotes holynesse be holden for an hyne;
Til clerken coueitise be to clothe þe pore and to fede,
And religious romares recordare in here cloistres,
As seynt Benet hem bad Bernarde and Fraunceys;
And til prechoures prechyng be preued on hemseluen;
Tyl þe kynges conseille be þe comune profyte;
Tyl bisschopes baiardes ben beggeres chambres,
Here haukes and her houndes helpe to pore Religious;
And til seynt Iames be souþte þere I shal assigne,
That no man go to Galis but if he go for euere;
And alle Rome-renneres for robberes of [byȝonde]
Bere no siluer ouer see þat signe of kynge sheweþ,
Noyther graue ne vngraue golde noither siluer,
Vppon forfeture of þat fee who so fynt hym at Douere,
But if it be marchaunt or his man or messagere with letteres,
Prouysoure or prest or penaunt for his synnes.

54

And ȝet,” quod resoun, “bi þe Rode I shal no reuthe haue,
While Mede hath þe maistrye in þis moot-halle.
Ac I may shewe ensaumples as I se other-while,
I sey it by my-self,” quod he “and it so were
That I were kynge with crowne to kepen a Rewme,
Shulde neuere wronge in þis worlde þat I wite myȝte,
Ben vnpunisshed in my powere for peril of my soule!
Ne gete my grace for giftes so me god saue!
Ne for no Mede haue mercy but mekenesse it make.
For nullum malum þe man mette with inpunitum,
And badde nullum bonum be irremuneratum.
Late ȝowre confessoure, sire Kynge construe þis vnglosed;
And ȝif ȝe worken it in werke I wedde myne eres,
That lawe shal ben a laborere and lede a-felde donge,
And loue shal lede þi londe as þe lief lyketh!”
Clerkes þat were confessoures coupled hem togideres,
Alle to construe þis clause and for þe kynges profit,
Ac nouȝte for conforte of þe comune ne for þe kynges soule.
For I seiȝe mede in the moot-halle on men of lawe wynke,
And þei lawghyng lope to hire and lafte resoun manye.
Waryn wisdome wynked vppon Mede,
And seide, “Madame I am ȝowre man what so my mouth iangleth;
I falle in floreines,” quod þat freke “an faile speche ofte.”

55

Alle riȝtful recorded þat resoun treuthe tolde,
And witt acorded þer-with and comended his wordes,
And þe moste peple in þe halle and manye of þe grete,
And leten mekenesse a maistre and Mede a mansed schrewe.
Loue lete of hir liȝte and lewte ȝit lasse,
And seide it so heiȝe þat al þe halle it herde,
“Who-so wilneth hir to wyf for welth of her godis,
But he be knowe for a koke-wolde kut of my nose!”
Mede mourned þo and made heuy chere,
For þe moste comune of þat courte called hire an hore.
Ac a sysoure and a sompnoure sued hir faste,
And a schireues clerke byschrewed al þe route,
“For ofte haue I,” quod he “holpe ȝow atte barre,
And ȝit ȝeue ȝe me neuere þe worthe of a russhe.”
The kynge called conscience and afterwardes resoun,
And recorded þat resoun had riȝtfullich schewed,
And modilich vppon Mede with myȝte þe Kynge loked,
And gan wax wrothe with lawe for Mede almoste had shent it,
And seide, “þorw ȝowre lawe, as I leue I lese many chetes;
Mede ouer-maistrieth lawe and moche treuthe letteth.
Ac resoun shal rekene with ȝow ȝif I regne any while,
And deme ȝow bi þis day as ȝe han deserued.

56

Mede shal nouȝte meynprise ȝow bi þe Marie of heuene!
I wil haue leute in lawe and lete be al ȝowre ianglyng,
And as moste folke witnesseth wel wronge shal be demed.”
Quod conscience to þe kynge “but the comune wil assent,
It is ful hard, bi myn hed here-to to brynge it,
Alle ȝowre lige leodes to lede þus euene.”
“By hym þat rauȝte on þe rode” quod resoun to þe kynge,
“But if I reule þus ȝowre rewme rende out my guttes!
Ȝif ȝe bidden buxomnes be of myne assente.”
“And I assent,” seith þe kynge “by seynte Marie my lady,
Be my conseille comen of clerkis and of erlis.
Ac redili resoun þow shalt nouȝte ride fro me,
For as longe as I lyue lete þe I nelle.”
“I am aredy,” quod resoun “to reste with ȝow euere,
So conscience be of owre conseille I kepe no bettere.”
“And I graunt,” quod the kynge “goddes forbode it faile,
Als longe as owre lyf lasteth lyue we togideres.”

57

PASSUS V. Passus quintus de Visione.

The kyng and his knightes to the kirke wente
To here matynes of þe day and þe masse after.
Þanne waked I of my wynkynge and wo was with-alle,
Þat I ne hadde sleped sadder and yseiȝen more.
Ac er I hadde faren a fourlonge feyntise me hente,
That I ne myȝte ferther a-foot for defaute of slepynge;
And sat softly adown and seide my bileue,
And so I babeled on my bedes þei brouȝte me a-slepe.
And þanne saw I moche more þan I bifore tolde,
For I say þe felde ful of folke þat I bifore of seyde,
And how resoun gan arrayen hym alle þe reume to preche,
And with a crosse afor þe kynge comsed þus to techen.
He preued þat þise pestilences [were] for pure synne,
And þe southwest wynde on saterday at euene

58

Was pertliche for pure pryde and for no poynt elles.
Piries and plomtrees were puffed to þe erthe,
In ensample, ȝe segges ȝe shulden do þe bettere.
Beches and brode okes were blowen to þe grounde,
Torned vpward her tailles in tokenynge of drede,
Þat dedly synne at domesday shal fordon hem alle.
Of þis matere I myȝte mamely ful longe,
Ac I shal seye as I saw so me god helpe!
How pertly afor þe poeple resoun gan to preche.
He bad wastoure go worche what he best couthe,
And wynnen his wastyng with somme manere crafte.
And preyed peronelle her purfyle to lete,
And kepe it in hir cofre for catel at hire nede.
Thomme stowue he tauȝte to take two staues,
And fecche [felice] home fro þe wyuen pyne.
He warned watt his wyf was to blame,
Þat hire hed was worth halue a marke his hode nouȝte worth a grote.
And bad bette kut a bow other tweyne,
And bete betoun þer-with but if she wolde worche.
And þanne he charged chapmen to chasten her childeren;
Late no wynnynge hem forweny whil þei be ȝonge,

59

Ne for no pouste of pestilence plese hem nouȝte out of resoun.
“My syre seyde so to me and so did my dame,
Þat þe leuere childe þe more lore bihoueth,
And Salamon seide þe same þat Sapience made,

Qui parcit virge, odit filium.

Þe Englich of þis latyn is who-so wil it knowe,
Who-so spareth þe sprynge spilleth his children.”
And sithen he preyed prelatȝ and prestes to-gideres,
“Þat ȝe prechen to þe peple preue it on ȝowre-seluen,
And doth it in dede it shal drawe ȝow to good;
If ȝe lyuen as ȝe leren vs we shal leue ȝow þe bettere.”
And sithen he radde Religioun here reule to holde—
“Leste þe kynge and his conseille ȝowre comunes appayre,
And ben stuwardes of ȝowre stedes til ȝe be ruled bettre.”
And sithen he conseilled þe kynge þe comune to louye,
“It is þi tresore, if tresoun ne were and triacle at þi nede.”
And sithen he prayed þe pope haue pite on holicherche,
And er he gyue any grace gouerne firste hym-selue.
“And ȝe that han lawes to kepe late treuthe be ȝowre coueytise,
More þan golde or other gyftes if ȝe wil god plese;
For who-so contrarieth treuthe he telleth in þe gospel,

60

That god knoweth hym nouȝte ne no seynte of heuene, Amen dico vobis, nescio vos.
And ȝe þat seke seynte James and seintes of Rome,
Seketh seynt treuthe for he may saue ȝow alle;
Qui cum patre & filio þat feire hem bifalle
Þat suweth my sermon;” and þus seyde resoun.
Thanne ran repentance and reherced his teme,
And gert wille to wepe water with his eyen.

SUPERBIA.

Peronelle proude-herte platte hir to þe erthe,
And lay longe ar she loked and “lorde, mercy!” cryed,
And byhiȝte to hym þat vs alle made,
She shulde vnsowen hir serke and sette þere an heyre
To affaiten hire flesshe þat fierce was to synne:
“Shal neuere heiȝe herte me hente but holde me lowe,
And suffre to be myssayde— and so did I neuere.
But now wil I meke me and mercy biseche,
For al þis I haue hated in myne herte.”

LUXURIA.

Þanne lecchoure seyde “allas!” and on owre lady he cryed,
To make mercy for his mis-dedes bitwene god and his soule,

61

With þat he shulde þe saterday seuene ȝere þere-after,
Drynke but myd þe doke and dyne but ones.

INUIDIA.

Enuye with heuy herte asked after scrifte,
And carefullich mea culpa he comsed to shewe.
He was as pale as a pelet in þe palsye he semed,
And clothed in a caurimaury I couthe it nouȝte discreue;
In kirtel and kourteby and a knyf bi his syde,
Of a freres frokke were þe forsleues.
And as a leke hadde yleye longe in þe sonne,
So loked he with lene chekes lourynge foule.
His body was to-bolle for wratthe þat he bote his lippes,
And wryngynge he ȝede with þe fiste to wreke hymself he þouȝte
With werkes or with wordes whan he seighe his tyme.
Eche a worde þat he warpe was of an Addres tonge,
Of chydynge and of chalangynge was his chief lyflode,
With bakbitynge and bismer and beryng of fals witnesse;
Þis was al his curteisye where þat euere he shewed hym.
“I wolde ben yshryue,” quod þis schrewe “and I for shame durst;
I wolde be gladder, bi god þat gybbe had meschaunce,

62

Than þouȝe I had þis woke ywonne a weye of essex chese.
I haue a neighbore neyȝe me I haue ennuyed hym ofte,
And lowen on hym to lordes to don hym lese his siluer,
And made his frendes ben his foon thorw my false tonge;
His grace and his good happes greueth me ful sore.
Bitwene many and many I make debate ofte,
Þat bothe lyf and lyme is lost þorw my speche.
And whan I mete him in market þat I moste hate,
I hailse hym hendeliche as I his frende were;
For he is douȝtier þan I I dar do non other.
Ac hadde I maystrye and myȝte god wote my wille!
And whan I come to þe kirke and sholde knele to þe Rode,
And preye for þe pople as þe prest techeth,
For pilgrimes and for palmers for alle þe poeple after,
Þanne I crye on my knees þat cryste ȝif hem sorwe
Þat bar[en] awey my bolle and my broke schete.
Awey fro þe auter þanne turne I myn eyghen,
And biholde how Eleyne hath a newe cote;
I wisshe þanne it were myne and al þe webbe after.
And of mennes lesynge I laughe þat liketh myn herte;
And for her wynnynge I wepe and waille þe tyme,

63

And deme þat hij don ille þere I do wel worse;
Who-so vndernymeth me here-of I hate hym dedly after.
I wolde þat vche a wyght were my knaue,
For who-so hath more þan I þat angreth me sore.
And þus I lyue louelees lyke a luther dogge,
That al my body bolneth for bitter of my galle.
I myȝte nouȝte eet many ȝeres as a man ouȝte,
For enuye and yuel wille is yuel to defye;
May no sugre ne swete þinge asswage my swellynge,
Ne no diapenidion dryue it fro myne herte,
Ne noyther schrifte ne shame but ho-so schrape my mawe?”
“Ȝus, redili,” quod repentaunce and radde hym to þe beste,
“Sorwe of synnes is sauacioun of soules.”
“I am sori,” quod þat segge “I am but selde other,
And þat maketh me þus megre for I ne may me venge.
Amonges Burgeyses haue I be dwellynge At Londoun,
And gert bakbitinge be a brocoure to blame mennes ware.
Whan he solde and I nouȝte þanne was I redy
To lye and to loure on my neighbore and to lakke his chaffare.

64

I wil amende þis, ȝif I may þorw myȝte of god almyȝty.”

IRA.

Now awaketh wratthe with two whyte eyen,
And nyuelynge with þe nose and his nekke hangynge.
“I am wrath,” quod he “I was sum tyme a frere,
And þe couentes Gardyner for to graffe ympes;
On limitoures and listres lesynges I ymped,
Tyl þei bere leues of low speche lordes to plese,
And sithen þei blosmed obrode in boure to here shriftes.
And now is fallen þer-of a frute þat folke han wel leuere
Schewen her schriftes to hem þan shryue hem to her persones.
And now persones [han] parceyued þat Freres parte with hem,
Þise possessioneres preche and depraue freres,
And freres fyndeth hem in defaute as folke bereth witnes,
That whan þei preche þe poeple in many place aboute,
I, wrath, walke with hem and wisse hem of my bokes.
Þus þei speken of spiritualte þat eyther despiseth other,

65

Til þei be bothe beggers and by my spiritualte libben,
Or elles alle riche and riden aboute.
I, wrath, rest neuere þat I ne moste folwe
This wykked folke for suche is my grace.
I haue an aunte to nonne and an abbesse bothe,
Hir were leuere swowe or swelte þan [suffre] any peyne.
I haue be cook in hir kichyne and þe couent serued
Many monthes with hem and with monkes bothe.
I was þe priouresses potagere and other poure ladyes,
And made hem ioutes of iangelynge þat dame Iohanne was a bastard,
And dame Clarice a kniȝtes douȝter ac a kokewolde was hire syre,
And dame Peronelle a prestes file Priouresse worth she neuere,
For she had childe in chirityme al owre chapitere it wiste.
Of wykked wordes I, wrath here wortes I-made,
Til ‘þow lixte’ and ‘þow lixte’ lopen oute at ones,
And eyther hitte other vnder þe cheke;
Hadde þei had knyues, bi cryst her eyther had killed other.
Seynt Gregorie was a gode pope and had a gode forwit,
Þat no priouresse were prest for þat he ordeigned.

66

Þei had þanne ben infamis þe firste day þei can so yuel hele conseille.
Amonge monkes I miȝte be ac many tyme I shonye;
For þere ben many felle frekis my feres to aspye,
Bothe Prioure an supprioure and owre pater abbas;
And if I telle any tales þei taken hem togyderes,
And do me faste frydayes to bred and to water,
And am chalanged in þe chapitelhous as I a childe were,
And baleised on þe bare ers and no breche bitwene;
For-þi haue I no lykyng with þo leodes to wonye.
I ete there vnthende fisshe and fieble ale drynke;
Ac other while, whan wyn cometh whan I drynke wyn at eue,
I haue a fluxe of a foule mouthe wel fyue dayes after.
Al þe wikkednesse þat I wote bi any of owre bretheren,
I couth it in owre cloistre þat al owre couent wote it.”
“Now repent þe,” quod Repentaunce “and reherce þow neure
Conseille þat þow cnowest bi contenaunce ne bi riȝte;
And drynke nouȝte ouer delicatly ne to depe noyther,
Þat þi wille bi cause þer-of to wrath myȝte torne.

67

Esto sobrius,” he seyde and assoilled me after,
And bad me wilne to wepe my wikkednesse to amende.

AUARICIA.

And þanne cam coueytise can I hym nouȝte descryue,
So hungriliche and holwe sire [Heruy] hym loked.
He was bitelbrowed and baberlipped also,
With two blered eyghen as a blynde hagge;
And as a letheren purs lolled his chekes,
Wel sydder þan his chyn þei chiueled for elde;
And as a bondman of his bacoun his berde was bidraueled.
With an hode on his hed a lousi hatte aboue,
And in a tauny tabarde of twelue wynter age,
Al totorne and baudy and ful of lys crepynge;
But if þat a lous couthe haue lopen þe bettre,
She sholde nouȝte haue walked on þat welche so was it thredebare.
“I haue ben coueytouse,” quod þis caityue “I bi-knowe it here;
For some tyme I serued Symme atte Stile,
And was his prentis ypliȝte his profit to wayte.
First I lerned to lye a leef other tweyne,
Wikkedlich to weye was my furst lessoun.

68

To Wy and to Wynchestre I went to þe faire,
With many manere marchandise as my Maistre me hiȝte;
Ne had þe grace of gyle ygo amonge my ware,
It had be vnsolde þis seuene ȝere so me god helpe!
Thanne drowe I me amonges draperes my donet to lerne,
To drawe þe lyser alonge þe lenger it semed;
Amonge þe riche rayes I rendred a lessoun,
To broche hem with a [pak-]nedle and plaited hem togyderes,
And put hem in a presse and pyn[n]ed hem þerinne,
Tyl ten ȝerdes or twelue [hadde] tolled out threttene.
My wyf was a webbe and wollen cloth made;
She spak to spynnesteres to spynnen it oute.
Ac þe pounde þat she payed by poised a quarteroun more,
Than myne owne auncere who-so weyȝed treuthe.
I bouȝte hir barly malte she brewe it to selle,
Peny ale and podyng ale she poured togideres
For laboreres and for low folke; þat lay by hymselue.
The best ale lay in my boure or in my bedchambre,
And who-so bummed þer-of bouȝte it þer-after,

69

A galoun for a grote god wote, [no] lesse;
And ȝit it cam in cupmel þis crafte my wyf vsed.
Rose þe regratere was hir riȝte name;
She hath holden hokkerye al hire lyf tyme.
Ac I swere now, so the ik þat synne wil I lete,
And neuere wikkedliche weye ne wikke chaffare vse,
But wenden to Walsyngham and my wyf als,
And bidde þe Rode of bromeholme brynge me oute of dette.”
“Repente[de]stow þe euere,” quod repentance “ne restitucioun madest?”
“Ȝus, ones I was herberwed,” quod he “with an hep of chapmen,
I roos whan þei were arest and yrifled here males.”
“That was no restitucioun,” quod repentance “but a robberes thefte,
Þow haddest [be] better worthy be hanged þerfore
Þan for al þat þat þow hast here shewed.”
“I wende ryflynge were restitucioun,” quod he “for I lerned neuere rede on boke,
And I can no frenche in feith but of þe ferthest ende of norfolke.”
“Vsedestow euere vsurie,” quod repentaunce “in alle þi lyf tyme?”

70

“Nay, sothly,” he seyde “saue in my ȝouthe.
I lerned amonge lumbardes and iewes a lessoun,
To wey pens with a peys and pare þe heuyest,
And lene it for loue of þe crosse to legge a wedde and lese it;
Suche dedes I did wryte ȝif he his day breke.
I haue mo maneres þorw rerages þan þorw miseretur & comodat.
I haue lent lordes and ladyes my chaffare,
And ben her brocour after and bouȝte it my-self.
Eschaunges and cheuesances with suche chaffare I dele,
And lene folke þat lese wol a lyppe at euery noble.
And with lumbardes lettres I ladde golde to Rome,
And toke it by taille here and tolde hem þere lasse.”
“Len[t]estow euere lordes for loue of her mayntenaunce?”
“Ȝe, I haue lent lordes loued me neuere after,
And haue ymade many a knyȝte bothe mercere & drapere,
Þat payed neuere for his prentishode nouȝte a peire gloues.”
“Hastow pite on pore men þat mote nedes borwe?”
“I haue as moche pite of pore men as pedlere hath of cattes,
Þat wolde kille hem, yf he cacche hem myȝte for coueitise of here skynnes.”

71

“Artow manlyche amonge þi neiȝbores of þi mete and drynke?”
“I am holden,” quod he, “as hende as hounde is in kychyne,
Amonges my neighbores, namelich such a name ich haue.”
“Now god leue neure,” quod repentance “but þow repent þe rather,
Þe grace on þis grounde þi good wel to bisette,
Ne þine ysue after þe haue ioye of þat þow wynnest,
Ne þi executours wel bisett þe siluer þat þow hem leuest;
And þat was wonne with wronge with wikked men be despended.
For were I frere of þat hous þere gode faith and charite is,
I nolde cope vs with þi catel ne owre kyrke amende,
Ne haue a peny to my pitaunce of þyne, bi my soule hele,
For þe best boke in owre hous þeiȝe brent golde were þe leues,
And I wyst wytterly þow were suche as þow [tellest,]
[Or elles þat I kouþe knowe it by any kynnes wise.]
Seruus es alterius cum fercula pinguia queris,
Pane tuo pocius vescere, liber eris.
Thow art an vnkynde creature I can þe nouȝte assoille,

72

Til þow make restitucioun and rekne with hem alle,
And sithen þat resoun rolle it in þe regystre of heuene,
That þow hast made vche man good I may þe nouȝte assoille;

Non dimittitur peccatum donec restituatur ablatum, &c.

For alle þat [haue] of þi good haue god my trouthe!
[Ben] holden at þe heighe dome to helpe þe to restitue.
And who so leueth nouȝte þis be soth loke in þe sauter glose,
In miserere mei deus where I mene treuthe,

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti, &c.

Shal neuere werkman in þis worlde þryue wyth þat þow wynnest;
Cum sancto sanctus eris construe me þat on englische.”
Thanne wex þat shrewe in wanhope and walde haue hanged him-self,
Ne hadde repentaunce þe rather reconforted hym in þis manere,
“Haue mercye in þi mynde and with þi mouth biseche it,
For goddes mercye is more þan alle hise other werkes;

Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius, &c.

And al þe wikkednesse in þis worlde þat man myȝte worche or thynke,
Ne is no more to þe mercye of god þan in þe see a glede;

73

Omnis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam dei, est [quasi] sintilla in medio maris.

For-þi haue mercy in þi mynde and marchandise, leue it,
For þow hast no good grounde to gete þe with a wastel,
But if it were with thi tonge or ellis with þi two hondes.
For þe good þat þow hast geten bigan al with falsehede,
And as longe as þow lyuest þer-with þow ȝeldest nouȝte, but borwest.
And if þow wite neuere to whiche ne whom to restitue,
Bere it to þe bisschop and bidde hym of his grace,
Bisette it hym-selue as best is for þi soule.
For he shal answere for þe at þe heygh dome,
For þe and for many mo þat man shal ȝif a rekenynge.
What he lerned ȝow in lente leue þow none other,
And what he lent ȝow of owre lordes good to lette ȝow fro synne.”

GULA.

Now bigynneth glotoun for to go to schrifte,
And kaires hym to-kirke-ward his coupe to schewe.
Ac Beton þe brewestere bad hym good morwe,
And axed of hym with þat whiderward he wolde.
“To holi cherche,” quod he “forto here masse,

74

And sithen I wil be shryuen and synne namore.”
“I haue gode ale, gossib,” quod she “glotown, wiltow assaye?”
“Hastow auȝte in þi purs any hote spices?”
“I haue peper and piones,” quod [s]he “and a pounde of garlike,
A ferthyngworth of fenel-seed for fastyngdayes.”
Þanne goth glotoun in and grete othes after;
Cesse þe souteresse sat on þe benche,
Watte þe warner and his wyf bothe,
Tymme þe tynkere and tweyne of his prentis,
Hikke þe hakeneyman and hughe þe nedeler,
Clarice of cokkeslane and þe clerke of þe cherche,
Dawe þe dykere and a dozeine other;
Sire Piers of Pridie and Peronelle of Flaundres,
A ribibour, a ratonere a rakyer of chepe,
A ropere, a redyngkyng and Rose þe dissheres,
Godfrey of garlekehithe and gryfin þe walshe,
And vpholderes an hepe erly bi þe morwe
Geuen glotoun with glad chere good ale to hansel.
Clement þe cobelere cast of his cloke,
And atte new faire he nempned it to selle;
Hikke þe hakeneyman hitte his hood after,
And badde bette þe bochere ben on his side.
Þere were chapmen y-chose þis chaffare to preise;

75

Who-so haueth þe hood shuld haue amendes of þe cloke.
Two risen vp in rape and rouned togideres,
And preised þese penyworthes apart bi hem-selue;
Þei couth nouȝte bi her conscience acorden in treuthe,
Tyl Robyn þe ropere arose bi þe southe,
And nempned hym for a noumpere þat no debate nere,
[For to trye þis chaffare bitwixen hem þre.]
Hikke þe hostellere hadde þe cloke,
In couenaunte þat Clement shulde þe cuppe fille,
And haue Hikkes hode hostellere and holde hym yserued;
And who-so repented rathest shulde arise after,
And grete sire glotoun with a galoun ale.
Þere was laughyng and louryng and “let go þe cuppe,”
And seten so til euensonge and songen vmwhile,
Tyl glotoun had y-globbed a galoun an a Iille.
His guttis gunne to [gothely] as two gredy sowes;
He pissed a potel in a pater-noster while,
And blew his rounde ruwet at his rigge-bon ende,
That alle þat herde þat horne held her nose after,
And wissheden it had be wexed with a wispe of firses.

76

He myȝte neither steppe ne stonde er he his staffe hadde;
And þanne gan he go liche a glewmannes bicche,
Somme tyme aside and somme tyme arrere,
As who-so leyth lynes forto lacche foules.
And whan he drowgh to þe dore þanne dymmed his eighen,
He [stumbled] on þe thresshewolde an threwe to þe erthe.
Clement þe cobelere cauȝte hym bi þe myddel,
For to lifte hym alofte and leyde him on his knowes;
Ac glotoun was a gret cherle and a grym in þe liftynge,
And coughed vp a caudel in clementis lappe;
Is non so hungri hounde in Hertford schire
Durst lape of þe leuynges so vnlouely þei smauȝte.
With al þe wo of þis worlde his wyf and his wenche
Baren hym home to his bedde and brouȝte hym þerinne.
And after al þis excesse he had an accidie,
Þat he slepe saterday and sonday til sonne ȝede to reste.
Þanne waked he of his wynkyng and wiped his eyghen;
Þe fyrste worde þat he warpe was, “where is þe bolle?”

77

His [wif] gan edwite hym þo how wikkedlich he lyued,
And repentance riȝte so rebuked hym þat tyme:
“As þow with wordes and werkes hast wrouȝte yuel in þi lyue,
Shryue þe and be shamed þer-of and shewe it with þi mouth.”
“I, glotoun,” quod þe gome “gylti me ȝelde,
Þat I haue trespassed with my tonge I can nouȝte telle how ofte,
Sworen ‘goddes soule’ and ‘so god me help and halidom,’
Þere no nede ne was nyne hundreth tymes;
And ouer-seye me at my sopere and some tyme at nones,
Þat I glotoun girt it vp er I hadde gone a myle,
And y-spilte þat myȝte be spared and spended on somme hungrie;
Ouerdelicatly on fastyng dayes drunken and eten bothe,
And sat some tyme so longe þere þat I slepe and ete at ones.
For loue of tales in tauernes to drynke þe more, I dyned,
And hyed to þe mete er none whan fastyng dayes were.”

78

“This shewyng shrifte,” quod repentance “shal be meryte to þe.”
And þanne gan glotoun grete and gret doel to make
For his lither lyf þat he lyued hadde,
And avowed [to] fast— “for hunger or for thurst
Shal neuere fisshe on þe fryday defien in my wombe,
Tyl abstinence myn aunte haue ȝiue me leue;
And ȝit haue I hated hir al my lyf tyme.”

ACCIDIA.

Þanne come sleuthe al bislabered with two slymy eiȝen,
“I most sitte,” seyde þe segge “or elles shulde I nappe;
I may nouþte stonde ne stoupe ne with-oute a stole knele.
Were I brouȝte abedde but if my taille-ende it made,
Sholde no ryngynge do me ryse ar I were rype to dyne.”
He bygan benedicite with a bolke and his brest knocked,
And roxed and rored and rutte atte laste.
“What! awake, renke!” quod repentance “and rape þe to shrifte.”
“If I shulde deye bi þis day me liste nouȝte to loke;

79

I can nouȝte perfitly my pater-noster as þe prest it syngeth,
But I can rymes of Robyn hood and Randolf erle of Chestre,
Ac neither of owre lorde ne of owre lady þe leste þat euere was made.
I haue made vowes fourty and for-ȝete hem on þe morne;
I parfourned neure penaunce as þe prest me hiȝte,
Ne ryȝte sori for my synnes ȝet was I neuere.
And ȝif I bidde any bedes but if it be in wrath,
Þat I telle with my tonge is two myle fro myne herte.
I am occupied eche day haliday and other,
With ydel tales atte ale and otherwhile in cherches;
Goddes peyne and his passioun ful selde þynke I þere-on.
I visited neuere fieble men ne fettered folke in puttes,
I haue leuere here an harlotrie or a somer game of souteres,
Or lesynges to laughe at and belye my neighbore,
Þan al þat euere Marke made Mathew, John, & lucas.
And vigilies and fastyng dayes alle þise late I passe,
And ligge abedde in lenten an my lemman in myn armes,
Tyl matynes and masse be do and þanne go to þe freres;

80

Come I to ite, missa est I holde me yserued.
I nam nouȝte shryuen some tyme but if sekenesse it make,
Nouȝt tweies in two ȝere and þanne vp gesse I schryue me.
I haue be prest and parsoun passynge thretti wynter,
Ȝete can I neither solfe ne synge ne seyntes lyues rede,
But I can fynde in a felde or in a fourlonge an hare,
Better þan in beatus vir or in beati omnes
Construe oon clause wel and kenne it to my parochienes.
I can holde louedayes and here a Reues rekenynge,
Ac in canoun ne in þe decretales I can nouȝte rede a lyne.
Ȝif I bigge and borwe it but ȝif it be ytailled,
I forȝete it as ȝerne and ȝif men me it axe
Sixe sithes or seuene I forsake it with othes,
And þus tene I trewe men ten hundreth tymes.
And my seruauntz some tyme her salarye is bihynde,
Reuthe is to here [þe] rekenynge whan we shal rede acomptes;
So with wikked wille and wraththe my werkmen I paye.
Ȝif any man doth me a benfait or helpeth me at nede,

81

I am vnkynde aȝein his curteisye and can nouȝte vnderstonde it;
For I haue and haue hadde some dele haukes maneres,
I nam nouȝte lured with loue but þere ligge auȝte vnder þe thombe.
The kyndenesse þat myne euene-cristene kidde me [fernyere],
Sixty sythes I, sleuthe haue fo[r]ȝete it sith,
In speche and in sparynge of speche yspilte many a tyme
Bothe flesche & fissche and many other vitailles;
Bothe bred and ale butter, melke, and chese
Forsleuthed in my seruyse til it myȝte serue noman.
I ran aboute in ȝouthe and ȝaf me nouȝte to lerne,
And euere sith [haue] be beggere for my foule sleuthe;
Heu michi, [quod] sterilem vitam duxi Iuuenilem.
“Repentestow þe nauȝte?” quod repentance and riȝte with þat he swowned,
Til vigilate þe veille fette water at his eyȝen,
And flatte it on his face and faste on hym criede,
And seide, “ware þe fram wanhope wolde þe bitraye.
‘I am sori for my synnes’ sey so to þi-selue,
And bete þi-selue on þe breste and bidde hym of grace;

82

For is no gult here so grete þat his goodnesse nys more.”
Þanne sat sleuthe vp and seyned hym swithe,
And made avowe to-fore god for his foule sleuthe,
“Shal no sondaye be þis seuene ȝere but sykenesse it lette,
Þat I ne shal do me er day to þe dere cherche,
And heren matines and masse as I a monke were.
Shal none ale after mete holde me þennes,
Tyl I haue euensonge herde I behote to þe Rode.
And ȝete wil I ȝelde aȝein if I so monche haue,
Al þat I wikkedly wan sithen I wytte hadde.
And þough my liflode lakke leten I nelle,
Þat eche man ne shal haue his ar I hennes wende:
And with þe residue and þe remenaunt bi þe Rode of chestre!
I shal seke treuthe arst ar I se Rome!”
Robert þe robbere on reddite lokede,
And for þer was nouȝte wher-of he wepe swithe sore.
Ac ȝet þe synful shrewe seyde to hym-selue,
“Cryst, þat on caluarye vppon þe crosse deydest,
Tho dismas my brother bisouȝte ȝow of grace,
And haddest mercy on þat man for memento sake,
So rewe on þis robbere þat reddere no haue,
Ne neuere wene to wynne with crafte þat I owe.
[_]

debeo


But for þi mykel mercy mitigacioun I biseche;

83

Ne dampne me nouȝte at domesday for þat I did so ille.”
What bifel of þis feloun I can nouȝte faire schewe,
Wel I wote he wepte faste water with boþe his eyen,
And knowleched his gult to cryst ȝete eftsones,
Þat penitencia his pyke he shulde polsche newe,
And lepe with hym ouer londe al his lyf tyme,
For he had leyne bi latro luciferes aunte.
And þanne had repentaunce reuthe and redde hem alle to knele,
“For I shal biseche for al synful owre saueoure of grace,
To amende vs of owre mysdedes and do mercy to vs alle.
Now god,” quod he, “þat of þi goodnesse gonne þe worlde make,
And of nauȝte madest auȝte and man moste liche to þi-selue,
And sithen suffredest for to synne a sikenesse to vs alle,
And al for þe best, as I bileue what euere þe boke telleth,

O felix culpa! o necessarium peccatum ade! &c.

For þourgh þat synne þi sone sent was to þis erthe,
And bicam man of a mayde mankynde to saue,
And madest þi-self with þi sone and vs synful yliche,

Faciamus hominem ad ymaginem et similitudinem nostram;


84

Et alibi: qui manet in caritate, in deo manet, & deus in eo;

And sith with þi self sone in owre sute deydest
On godefryday for mannes sake at ful tyme of þe daye,
Þere þi-self ne þi sone no sorwe in deth feledest;
But in owre secte was þe sorwe and þi sone it ladde,

Captiuam duxit captiuitatem.

Þe sonne for sorwe þer-of les syȝte for a tyme
Aboute mydday whan most liȝte is and mele tyme of seintes;
Feddest with þi fresche blode owre forfadres in derknesse,

Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam;

And thorw þe liȝte þat lepe oute of þe lucifer was blent,
And blewe alle þi blissed in-to þe blisse of paradise.
Þe thrydde daye after þow ȝedest in owre sute,
A synful Marie þe seighe ar seynte Marie þi dame,
And al to solace synful þow suffredest it so were:

Non veni vocare iustos, set peccatores ad penitenciam.

And al þat Marke hath ymade mathew, Johan, and lucas,
Of þyne douȝtiest dedes were don in owre armes.

Verbum caro factum est, et habitauit in nobis.


85

And bi so moche, me semeth þe sikerere we mowe
Bydde and biseche if it be þi wille,
Þat art owre fader and owre brother be merciable to vs,
And haue reuthe on þise Ribaudes þat repente hem here sore,
Þat euere þei wratthed þe in þis worlde in worde, þouȝte, or dedes.”
Þanne hent hope an horne of deus, tu conuersus viuificabis [nos,]
And blew it with Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates,
Þat alle seyntes in heuene songen at ones,

Homines & iumenta saluabis, quemadmodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam, deus, &c.

A thousand of men þo thrungen togyderes;
Criede vpward to cryst and to his clene moder
To haue grace to go with hem treuthe to seke.
Ac þere was wyȝte non so wys þe wey þider couthe,
But blustreden forth as bestes ouer bankes and hilles,
Til late was and longe þat þei a lede mette,
Apparailled as a paynym in pylgrymes wyse.
He bare a burdoun ybounde with a brode liste,
In a withewyndes wise ywounden aboute.
A bolle and a bagge he bare by his syde;
An hundreth of ampulles on his hatt seten,
Signes of synay and shelles of galice;

86

And many a cruche on his cloke and keyes of Rome,
And þe vernicle bifore for men shulde knowe,
And se bi his signes whom he souȝte hadde.
Þis folke frayned hym firste fro whennes he come?
“Fram synay,” he seyde “and fram owre lordes sepulcre;
In bethleem and in babiloyne I haue ben in bothe,
In ermonye, in Alisaundre in many other places.
Ȝe may se bi my signes þat sitten on myn hatte,
Þat I haue walked ful wyde in wete and in drye,
And souȝte gode seyntes for my soules helth.”
“Knowestow ouȝte a corseint þat men calle treuthe?
Coudestow auȝte wissen vs þe weye where þat wy dwelleth?”
“Nay, so me god helpe!” seide þe gome þanne,
“I seygh neuere palmere with pike ne with scrippe
Axen after hym er til now in þis place.”
“Peter!” quod a plowman and put forth his hed,
“I knowe hym as kyndely as clerke doþ his bokes;
Conscience and kynde witte kenned me to his place,
And deden me suren hym sikerly to serue hym for euere,
Bothe to sowe and to sette þe while I swynke myghte.
I haue ben his folwar al þis [fifty] wyntre;
Bothe ysowen his sede and sued his bestes,

87

With-Inne and with-outen wayted his profyt.
I dyke and I delue I do þat treuthe hoteth;
Some tyme I sowe and some tyme I thresche,
In tailoures crafte and tynkares crafte what treuthe can deuyse,
I weue an I wynde and do what treuthe hoteth.
For þouȝe I seye it my-self I serue hym to paye;
Ich haue myn huire [of hym] wel and otherwhiles more;
He is þe prestest payer þat pore men knoweth;
He ne with-halt non hewe his hyre þat he ne hath it at euen.
He is as low as a lombe and loueliche of speche,
And ȝif ȝe wilneth to wite where þat he dwelleth,
I shal wisse ȝow witterly þe weye to his place.”
“Ȝe, leue Pieres,” quod þis pilgrymes and profered hym huire
For to wende with hem to treuthes dwellyng place.
“Nay, bi my soules helth,” quod pieres and gan forto swere,
“I nolde fange a ferthynge for seynt Thomas shryne!
Treuthe wolde loue me þe lasse a longe tyme þere-after!
Ac if ȝe wilneth to wende wel þis is þe weye thider,
[Þat I shal say to yow and sette you in þe soþe.]
Ȝe mote go þourgh mekenesse bothe men and wyues,
Tyl ȝe come in-to conscience þat cryst wite þe sothe,
Þat ȝe louen owre lorde god leuest of alle þinges,
And þanne ȝowre neighbores nexte in non wise apeyre

88

Otherwyse þan þow woldest he wrouȝte to þi-selue.
And so boweth forth bi a broke beth-buxum-of-speche,
Tyl ȝe fynden a forth ȝowre-fadres-honoureth,

Honora patrem & matrem, &c.:

Wadeþ in þat water and wascheth ȝow wel þere,
And ȝe shul lepe þe liȝtloker al ȝowre lyf tyme.
And so shaltow se swere-nouȝte- but-if-it-be-for-nede-
And-namelich-an-ydel- þe-name-of-god-almyȝti.
Þanne shaltow come by a crofte but come þow nouȝte þere-Inne;
That crofte hat coueyte-nouȝte- mennes-catel-ne-her-wyues-,
Ne-none-of-her-seruauntes- þat-noyen-hem-myȝte.
Loke ȝe breke no bowes þere but if it be ȝowre owne.
Two stokkes þere stondeth ac stynte ȝe nouȝte þere,
They [hatte] stele-nouȝte, ne-slee-nouȝte stryke forth by bothe;
And leue hem on þi left halfe and loke nouȝte þere-after;
And holde wel þyne haliday heighe til euen.
Thanne shaltow blenche at a berghe bere-no-false-witnesse,
He is frithed in with floreines and other [fees] many;
Loke þow plukke no plante þere for peril of þi soule.

89

Þanne shal ȝe se sey-soth- so-it-be-to-done-
In-no-manere-ellis-nauȝte- for-no-mannes-biddynge.
Þanne shaltow come to a courte as clere as þe sonne,
Þe mote is of mercy þe manere aboute,
And alle þe wallis ben of witte to holden wille oute;
And kerneled with crystendome man-kynde to saue,
Boterased with bileue-so- or-þow-beest-nouȝte-ysaued.
And alle þe houses ben hiled halles and chambres,
Wit[h] no lede, but with loue and lowe-speche-as-bretheren.
Þe brugge is of bidde-wel- þe-bette-may-þow-spede;
Eche piler is of penaunce of preyeres to seyntes,
Of almes dedes ar þe hokes þat þe gates hangen on.
Grace hatte þe gateward a gode man for sothe,
Hys man hatte amende-ȝow for many man him knoweth;
Telleth hym þis tokene þat treuthe wite þe sothe;
‘I parfourned þe penaunce þe preest me enioyned,
And am ful sori for my synnes and so I shal euere,
Whan I þinke þere-on þeighe I were a pope.’
Biddeth amende-ȝow meke him til his maistre ones,
To wayne vp þe wiket þat þe womman shette,
Tho Adam and Eue eten apples vnrosted;

Per euam cun[c]tis clausa est, & per mariam virginem [iterum] patefacta est;


90

For he hath þe keye and þe [cliket] þouȝ þe kynge slepe.
And if grace graunte þe to go in in þis wise,
Þow shalt see in þi-selue treuthe sitte in þine herte,
In a cheyne of charyte as þow a childe were,
To suffre hym and segge nouȝte aȝein þi sires wille.
Ac bewar þanne of wrath-þe þat is a wikked shrewe,
He hath enuye to hym þat in þine herte sitteth;
And pukketh forþ pruyde to prayse þi-seluen.
Þe boldnesse of þi bienfetes maketh þe blynde þanne,
And þanne worstow dryuen oute as dew and þe dore closed,
Kayed and [cliketed] to kepe þe with-outen;
Happily an hundreth wyntre ar þow eft entre.
Þus myght þow lesen his loue to late wel by þi-selue,
And neuere happiliche efte entre but grace þow haue.
Ac þere [aren] seuene sustren þat seruen treuthe euere,
And aren porteres of þe posternes that to þe place longeth.
Þat one hat abstenence and humilite an other,
Charite and chastite ben his chief maydenes,

91

Pacience and pees moche poeple þei helpeth,
Largenesse þe lady heo let in ful manye;
Heo hath hulpe a þousande oute of þe deueles pon-folde.
And who is sibbe to þis seuene so me god helpe!
He is wonderliche welcome and faire vnderfongen.
And but if ȝe be syb to summe of þise seuene,
It is ful harde bi myne heued,” quod Peres “for any of ȝow alle
To geten ingonge at any gate þere but grace be þe more.”
“Now, bi cryst,” quod a cutpurs “I haue no kynne þere!”
“Ne I,” quod an apewarde “bi auȝte þat I knowe!”
“Wite god,” quod a wafrestre “wist I þis for sothe,
Shulde I neuere ferthere a fote for no freres prechynge.”
“Ȝus,” quod Pieres þe plowman and pukked hem alle to gode,
“Mercy is a maydene þere hath myȝte ouer hem alle;
And she is syb to alle synful and her sone also;
And þoruȝe þe helpe of hem two (hope þow none other),
þow myȝte gete grace þere bi so þow go bityme.”
“By seynt Poule,” quod a pardonere “perauenture I be nouȝte knowe þere,

92

I wil go fecche my box with my breuettes and a bulle with bisshopes lettres!”
“By cryst,” quod a comune womman “þi companye wil I folwe,
Þow shalt sey I am þi sustre I ne wot where þei bicome.”

93

PASSUS VI. Passus Sextus.

This were a wikked way but who-so hadde a gyde
That wolde folwen vs eche a fote;” þus þis folke hem mened.
Quatȝ Perkyn þe plouman “bi seynt Peter of Rome,
I haue an half acre to erye bi þe heighe way;
Hadde I eried þis half acre and sowen it after,
I [wolde] wende with ȝow and þe way teche.”
“Þis were a longe lettynge” quod a lady in a sklayre,
“What sholde we wommen worche þere whiles?”
“Somme shal sowe [þe] sakke,” quod Piers “for shedyng of þe whete;
And ȝe, louely ladyes with ȝoure longe fyngres,
Þat ȝe han silke and sendal to sowe, whan tyme is,
Chesibles for chapelleynes cherches to honoure.
Wyues and wydwes wolle & flex spynneth,

94

Maketh cloth, I conseille ȝow and kenneth so ȝowre douȝtres;
Þe nedy and þe naked nymmeth hede how hij liggeth,
And casteth hem clothes for so comaundeth treuthe.
For I shal lene hem lyflode but ȝif þe londe faille,
Flesshe and bred bothe to riche and to pore,
As longe as I lyue for þe lordes loue of heuene.
And alle manere of men þat þorw mete and drynke lybbeth,
Helpith hym to worche wiȝtliche þat wynneth ȝowre fode.”
“Bi crist,” quod a knyȝte þo “he kenneth vs þe best;
Ac on þe teme trewly tauȝte was I neuere.
Ac kenne me,” quod þe knyȝte “and, bi cryst, I wil assaye!”
“Bi seynt Poule,” quod Perkyn “ȝe profre ȝow so faire,
Þat I shal swynke and swete and sowe for vs bothe,
And oþer laboures do for þi loue al my lyf tyme,
In couenaunt þat þow kepe holikirke and my-selue
Fro wastoures and fro wykked men þat þis worlde struyeth.
And go hunte hardiliche to hares and to foxes,
To bores and to brockes þat breketh adown myne hegges,

95

And go affaite þe faucones wilde foules to kille;
For suche cometh to my croft and croppeth my whete.”
Curteislich þe knyȝte þanne comsed þise wordes,
“By my power, Pieres,” quod he “I pliȝte þe my treuthe
To fulfille þis forward þowȝ I fiȝte sholde;
Als longe as I lyue I shal þe mayntene.”
“Ȝe, and ȝit a poynt,” quod Pieres “I preye ȝow of more;
Loke ȝe tene no tenaunt but treuthe wil assent.
And þowgh ȝe mowe amercy hem late mercy be taxoure,
And mekenesse þi mayster maugre medes chekes,
And þowgh pore men profre ȝow presentis and ȝiftis,
Nym it nauȝte, an auenture ȝe mowe it nauȝte deserue;
For þow shalt ȝelde it aȝein at one ȝeres ende,
In a ful perillous place purgatorie it hatte.
And mysbede nouȝte þi bonde-men þe better may þow spede;
Þowgh he be þyn vnderlynge here wel may happe in heuene,
Þat he worth worthier sette and with more blisse,
[Þan þow, bot þou do bette And lyue as þow shulde;]

Amice, ascende superius.

For in charnel atte chirche cherles ben yuel to knowe,
Or a kniȝte fram a knaue þere knowe þis in þin herte.

96

And þat þow be trewe of þi tonge and tales þat þow hatie,
But if þei ben of wisdome or of witte þi werkmen to chaste.
Holde with none harlotes ne here nouȝte her tales,
And nameliche atte mete suche men eschue;
For it ben þe deueles disoures I do þe to vnderstande.”
“I assente, bi seynt Iame” seyde þe kniȝte þanne,
“Forto worche bi þi wordes þe while my lyf dureth.”
“And I shal apparaille me,” quod Perkyn “in pilgrimes wise,
And wende with ȝow I wil til we fynde treuthe;
And cast on me my clothes yclouted and hole,
My cokeres and my coffes for colde of my nailles,
And hange myn hoper at myn hals in stede of a scrippe;
A busshel of bredcorne brynge me þer-inne;
For I wil sowe it my-self and sitthenes wil I wende
To pylgrymage as palmers don pardoun forto haue.
Ac who so helpeth me to erie or sowen here ar I wende,
Shal haue leue, bi owre lorde to lese here in heruest,
And make hem mery þere-mydde maugre who-so bigruccheth it.

97

And alkyn crafty men þat konne lyuen in treuthe,
I shal fynden hem fode þat feithfulliche libbeth.
Saue Iakke þe iogeloure and Ionet of þe stues,
And danyel þe dys-playere and denote þe baude,
And frere þe faytoure and folke of his ordre,
And Robyn þe Rybaudoure for his rusty wordes.
Treuthe tolde me ones and bad me tellen it after,
Deleantur de libro viuentium I shulde nouȝte dele with hem;
For holicherche is hote of hem no tythe to take,

Quia cum iustis non scribantur;

They ben ascaped good auenture now god hem amende!”
Dame worche-whan-tyme-is Pieres wyf hiȝte,
His douȝter hiȝte do-riȝte-so- or-þi-dame-shal-þe-bete,
His sone hiȝte suffre-þi-souereynes- to-hauen-her-wille-
Deme-hem-nouȝte-for-if-þow-doste- þow-shalt-it-dere-abugge.
“Late god yworth with al for so his worde techeth;
For now I am olde and hore and haue of myn owen,
To penaunce and to pilgrimage I wil passe with þise other.
For-þi I wil, or I wende do wryte my biqueste.
In dei nomine, amen I make it my-seluen.
He shal haue my soule þat best hath yserued it,
And fro þe fende it defende for so I bileue,
Til I come to his acountes as my credo me telleth,

98

To haue a relees and a remissioun on þat rental I leue.
Þe kirke shal haue my caroigne and kepe my bones;
For of my corne and catel he craued þe tythe.
I payed it hym prestly for peril of my soule,
For-thy is he holden, I hope to haue me in his masse,
And mengen in his memorye amonge alle crystene.
My wyf shal haue of þat I wan with treuthe and nomore,
And dele amonge my douȝtres and my dere children.
For þowghe I deye to-daye my dettes ar quitte,
I bare home þat I borwed ar I to bedde ȝede.
And with þe residue and þe remenaunte bi þe Rode of Lukes!
I wil worschip þer-with treuthe bi my lyue,
And ben his pilgryme atte plow for pore mennes sake.
My plow-fote shal be my pyk-staf and picche atwo þe rotes,
And helpe my culter to kerue and clense þe forwes.”
Now is perkyn and his pilgrymes to þe plowe faren;
To erie þis halue acre holpyn hym manye.
Dikeres & delueres digged vp þe balkes;
Þere-with was perkyn apayed and preysed hem faste.
Other werkemen þere were þat wrouȝten ful ȝerne,

99

Eche man in his manere made hym-self to done,
And some to plese perkyn piked vp þe wedes.
At heighe pryme peres lete þe plowe stonde,
To ouersen hem hym-self and who-so best wrouȝte,
He shulde be huyred þer-after whan heruest-tyme come.
And þanne seten somme and songen atte nale,
And hulpen erie his half acre with “how! trolli-lolli!”
“Now, bi þe peril of my soule!” quod Pieres al in pure tene,
“But ȝe arise þe rather and rape ȝow to worche,
Shal no greyne þat groweth glade ȝow at nede;
And þough ȝe deye for dole þe deuel haue þat reccheth!”
Tho were faitoures aferde and feyned hem blynde,
Somme leyde here legges aliri as suche loseles conneth,
And made her mone to pieres and preyde hym of grace:
“For we haue no lymes to laboure with lorde, y-graced be ȝe!
Ac we preye for ȝow pieres and for ȝowre plow bothe,
Þat god of his grace ȝowre grayne multiplye,
And ȝelde ȝow of ȝowre almesse þat ȝe ȝiue vs here;
For we may nouȝte swynke ne swete suche sikenesse vs eyleth.”

100

“If it be soth,” quod pieres, “þat ȝe seyne I shal it sone asspye!
Ȝe ben wastoures, I wote wel and treuthe wote þe sothe!
And I am his olde hyne and hiȝte hym to warne
Which þei were in þis worlde his werkemen appeyred.
Ȝe wasten þat men wynnen with trauaille and with tene,
Ac treuthe shal teche ȝow his teme to dryue,
Or ȝe shal ete barly bred and of þe broke drynke.
But if he be blynde [or] broke-legged or bolted with yrnes,
He shal ete whete bred and drynke with my-selue,
Tyl god of his goodnesse amendement hym sende.
Ac ȝe myȝte trauaille as treuthe wolde and take mete & huyre
To kepe kyne in þe felde þe corne fro þe bestes,
Diken or deluen or dyngen vppon sheues,
Or helpe make morter or bere mukke a-felde.
In lecherye and in losengerye ȝe lyuen, and in sleuthe,
And al is þorw suffrance þat veniaunce ȝow ne taketh.
Ac ancres and heremytes þat eten [noȝt] but at nones,
And namore er morwe myne almesse shul þei haue,
And of my catel to cope hem with þat han cloistres and cherches.
Ac robert renne-aboute shal nowȝte haue of myne,

101

Ne posteles, but þey preche conne and haue powere of þe bisschop;
They shal haue payne and potage and make hem-self at ese,
For it is an vnresonable Religioun þat hath riȝte nouȝte of certeyne.”
And þanne gan a wastoure to wrath hym and wolde haue yfouȝte,
And to Pieres þe plowman he profered his gloue;
A Brytonere, a braggere a-bosted pieres als,
And bad hym go pissen with his plow for-pyned schrewe!
“Wiltow or neltow we wil haue owre wille,
Of þi flowre and of þi flessche fecche whan vs liketh,
And make vs myrie þer-myde maugre þi chekes!”
Thanne Pieres þe plowman pleyned hym to þe knyȝte,
To kepe hym, as couenaunte was fram cursed shrewes,
And fro þis wastoures wolueskynnes þat maketh þe worlde dere:
“For þo waste and wynnen nouȝte and þat ilke while
Worth neuere plente amonge þe poeple þer-while my plow liggeth.”
Curteisly þe knyȝte þanne as his kynde wolde,
Warned wastoure and wissed hym bettere,
“Or þow shalt abugge by þe lawe by þe ordre þat I bere!”

102

“I was nouȝt wont to worche,” quod wastour “and now wil I nouȝt bigynne!”—
And lete liȝte of þe lawe and lasse of þe knyȝte,
And sette Pieres at a pees and his plow bothe,
And manaced pieres and his men ȝif þei mette eft sone.
“Now, by þe peril of my soule!” quod pieres “I shal apeyre ȝow alle!”
And houped after hunger þat herd hym atte firste:
“A-wreke me of þise wastoures,” quod he “þat þis worlde schendeth!”
Hunger in haste þo hent wastour bi þe mawe,
And wronge hym so bi þe wombe þat bothe his eyen wattered;
He buffeted þe Britoner aboute þe chekes,
Þat he loked like a lanterne al his lyf after.
He bette hem so bothe he barste nere here guttes;
Ne hadde Pieres with a pese-lof preyed hunger to cesse,
They hadde ben doluen bothe ne deme þow non other.
“Suffre hem lyue,” he seyde “and lete hem ete with hogges,
Or elles benes and bren ybaken togideres,
Or elles melke and mene ale” þus preyed pieres for hem.
Faitoures for fere her-of flowen in-to bernes,
And flapten on with flayles fram morwe til euen,

103

That hunger was nouȝt so hardy on hem for to loke,
For a potful of peses þat peres hadde ymaked.
An heep of heremites henten hem spades,
And ketten here copes and courtpies hem made,
And wenten as werkemen with spades and with schoueles,
And doluen and dykeden to dryue aweye hunger.
Blynde and bedreden were botened a þousande,
Þat seten to begge syluer sone were þei heled.
For þat was bake for bayarde was bote for many hungry,
And many a beggere for benes buxome was to swynke,
And eche a pore man wel apayed to haue pesen for his huyre,
And what pieres preyed hem to do as prest as a sperhauke.
And þere-of was peres proude and put hem to werke,
And ȝaf hem mete as he myȝte aforth and mesurable huyre.
Þanne hadde peres pite and preyed hunger to wende
Home in-to his owne erde and holden hym þere.
“For I am wel awroke now of wastoures, þorw þi myȝte.
Ac I preye þe, ar þow passe” quod Pieres to hunger,
“Of beggeres and of bidderes what best be [to] done?

104

For I wote wel, be þow went þei wil worche ful ille;
For myschief it maketh þei beth so meke nouthe,
And for defaute of her fode þis folke is at my wille.
Þey are my blody bretheren,” quod pieres “for god bouȝte vs alle;
Treuthe tauȝte me ones to louye hem vchone,
And to helpen hem of alle þinge ay as hem nedeth.
And now wolde I witen of þe what were þe best,
An[d] how I myȝte amaistrien hem and make hem to worche.”
“Here now,” quod hunger “and holde it for a wisdome:
Bolde beggeres and bigge þat mowe her bred biswynke,
With houndes bred and hors bred holde vp her hertis,
Abate hem with benes for bollyng of her wombe;
And ȝif þe gomes grucche bidde hem go swynke,
And he shal soupe swettere whan he it hath deseruid.
And if þow fynde any freke þat fortune hath appeyred,
Or any maner fals men fonde þow suche to cnowe;
Conforte [hem] with þi catel for crystes loue of heuene,
Loue hem and lene hem so lawe of god techeth:—

Alter alterius onera portate.

And alle maner of men þat þow myȝte asspye,
That nedy ben, and nauȝty helpe hem with þi godis,

105

Loue hem and lakke hem nouȝte late god take þe veniaunce;
Theigh þei done yuel late þow god [y-worþe]:—

Michi vindictam, & ego retribuam.

And if þow wil[t] be graciouse to god do as þe gospel techeth,
And [biloue] þe amonges low men so shaltow lacche grace,

Facite vobis amicos de mamona iniquitatis.”

“I wolde nouȝt greue god,” quod piers “for al þe good on grounde;
Miȝte I synnelees do as þow seist?” seyde pieres þanne.
“Ȝe, I bihote þe,” quod hunger “or ellis þe bible lieth;
Go to Genesis þe gyaunt þe engendroure of vs alle;
‘In sudore and swynke þow shalt þi mete tilye,
And laboure for þi lyflode’ and so owre lorde hyȝte.
And sapience seyth þe same I seigh it in þe bible;
‘Piger pro frigore no felde nolde tilye,
And þerfore he shal begge and bidde and no man bete his hunger.’
Mathew with mannes face mouthed þise wordes,
Þat seruus nequam had a nam
[_]

a besaunt

and for he wolde nouȝte chaffare,

He had maugre of his maistre for euermore after;
And binam [hym] his Mnam for he ne wolde worche,

106

And ȝaf þat Mnam to hym þat ten Mnames hadde,
And with þat he seyde þat holicherche it herde,
‘He þat hath shal haue and helpe þere it nedeth,
And he þat nouȝt hath, shal nouȝt haue and no man hym helpe;
And þat he weneth wel to haue I wil it hym bireue.’
Kynde witt wolde þat eche a wyght wrouȝte
Or in dykynge or in deluynge or trauaillynge in preyeres,
Contemplatyf lyf or actyf lyf cryst wolde men wrouȝte.
Þe sauter seyth in þe psalme of beati omnes,
Þe freke þat fedeth hym-self with his feythful laboure,
He is blessed by þe boke in body and in soule:

Labores manuum tuarum, &c.”

“Ȝet I prey ȝow,” quod pieres “par charite, and ȝe kunne
Eny leef of lechecraft lere it me, my dere.
For somme of my seruauntz and my-self bothe
Of al a wyke worche nouȝt so owre wombe aketh.”
“I wote wel,” quod hunger “what sykenesse ȝow eyleth,
Ȝe han maunged ouer-moche and þat maketh ȝow grone.
Ac I hote þe,” quod hunger “as þow þyne hele wilnest,
Þat þow drynke no day ar þow dyne somwhat.
Ete nouȝte, I hote þe ar hunger þe take,
And sende þe of his sauce to sauoure with þi lippes;
And kepe some tyl soper-tyme and sitte nouȝt to longe,

107

Arise vp ar appetit haue eten his fulle.
Lat nouȝt sire surfait sitten at þi borde;
Leue him nouȝt, for he is lecherous and likerous of tonge,
And after many manere metes his maw is afyngred.
And ȝif þow diete þe þus I dar legge myne eres,
Þat phisik shal his furred hodes for his fode selle,
And his cloke of calabre with alle þe knappes of golde,
And be fayne, bi my feith his phisik to lete,
And lerne to laboure with londe for lyflode is swete;
For morthereres aren mony leches lorde hem amende!
Þei do men deye þorw here drynkes ar destine it wolde.”
“By seynt Poule,” quod pieres “þise aren profitable wordis!
Wende now, hunger, whan þow wolt þat wel be þow euere!
For þis is a louely lessoun lorde it þe for-ȝelde!”
“By-hote god,” quod hunger “hennes ne wil I wende,
Til I haue dyned bi þis day and ydronke bothe.”
“I haue no peny,” quod peres “poletes forto bigge,
Ne neyther gees ne grys but two grene cheses,
A fewe cruddes and creem and an hauer cake,

108

And two loues of benes and bran y-bake for my fauntis.
And ȝet I sey, by my soule I haue no salt bacoun,
Ne no kokeney, bi cryst coloppes forto maken.
Ac I haue percil and porettes and many kole-plantes,
And eke a cow and a kalf and a cart-mare
To drawe a-felde my donge þe while þe drought lasteth.
And bi þis lyflode we mot lyue til lammasse tyme;
And bi þat, I hope to haue heruest in my croft;
And þanne may I diȝte þi dyner as me dere liketh.”
Alle þe pore peple þo pesecoddes fetten,
Benes and baken apples þei brouȝte in her lappes,
Chibolles and cheruelles and ripe chiries manye,
And profred peres þis present to plese with hunger.
Al hunger eet in hast and axed after more.
Þanne pore folke for fere fedde hunger ȝerne
With grene poret and pesen to poysoun hunger þei þouȝte.
By þat it neighed nere heruest newe corne cam to chepynge;
Þanne was folke fayne and fedde hunger with þe best,
With good ale, as glotoun tauȝte and gerte hunger go slepe.

109

And þo wolde wastour nouȝt werche but wandren aboute,
Ne no begger ete bred þat benes Inne were,
But of coket or clerematyn or elles of clene whete;
Ne none halpeny ale in none wise drynke,
But of þe best and of þe brounest þat in borghe is to selle.
Laboreres þat haue no lande to lyue on but her handes,
Deyned nouȝt to dyne a-day nyȝt-olde wortes.
May no peny ale hem paye ne no pece of bakoun,
But if it be fresch flesch other fische fryed other bake,
And þat chaude or plus chaud for chillyng of here mawe.
And but if he be heighlich huyred ellis wil he chyde,
And þat he was werkman wrouȝt waille þe tyme,
Aȝeines catones conseille comseth he to iangle:—

Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento.

He greueth hym aȝeines god and gruccheth aȝeines resoun,
And þanne curseth he þe kynge and al his conseille after,
Suche lawes to loke laboreres to greue.

110

Ac whiles hunger was her maister þere wolde none of hem chyde,
Ne stryue aȝeines his statut so sterneliche he loked.
Ac I warne ȝow, werkemen wynneth while ȝe mowe,
For hunger hide[r]ward hasteth hym faste,
He shal awake with water wastoures to chaste.
Ar fyue [ȝere] be fulfilled suche famyn shal aryse,
Thorwgh flodes and þourgh foule wederes frutes shul faille,
And so sayde saturne and sent ȝow to warne:
Whan ȝe se þe sonne amys and two monkes hedes,
And a Mayde haue þe maistrie and multiplie bi eight,
Þanne shal deth withdrawe and derthe be iustice,
And dawe þe dyker deye for hunger,
But if god of his goodnesse graunt vs a trewe.

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.
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.
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,

112

Aren peres with þe apostles [þis] pardoun Piers sheweth,
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 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,

113

And sende ȝowre sowles in safte to my seyntes in ioye.”
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,
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,
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,
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

Þat were more nedy þan he so þe nediest shuld be hulpe.
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 alle
Þat 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

He hath ynough þat hath bred ynough þough he haue nouȝt elles:

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.
Ac olde men & hore þat helplees ben of strengthe,
And women with childe þat worche ne mowe,
Blynde and bedered and broken here membres,

117

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.
“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,
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,

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,

118

And wepen whan I shulde slepe þough whete bred me faille.
Þe prophete his payn ete in penaunce and in sorwe,
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.”
“What!” quod þe prest to perkyn “peter! as me þinketh,
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.”
“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,
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.
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.
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.
And ioseph mette merueillously how þe mone and þe sonne,
And þe elleuene sterres hailsed hym alle.

120

Þanne Iacob iugged iosephes sweuene:
“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;
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
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,

121

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!
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.
[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.

125

PASSUS VIII. (INCIPIT DO-WEL.) Passus octauus de visione [Petri Plowman. Incipit Dowel, Dobet, & Dobest.]

Thus yrobed in russet I romed aboute
Al a somer sesoun for to seke dowel,
And frayned ful oft of folke þat I mette,
If ani wiȝte wiste where dowel was at Inne,
And what man he miȝte be of many man I axed.
Was neuere wiȝte, as I went þat me wisse couthe
Where þis lede lenged lasse ne more;
Tyl it bifel on a fryday two freres I mette,
Maistres of þe Menoures men of grete witte.
I hailsed hem hendely as I hadde lerned,
And preyed hem par charitee ar þei passed forther,
If þei knewe any contre or costes, as þei went,
Where þat dowel dwelleth doth me to wytene.

126

For þei ben men on þis molde þat moste wyde walken,
And knowen contrees, and courtes and many kynnes places,
Bothe prynces paleyses and pore mennes cotes,
And do-wel and do-yuel where þei dwelle bothe.
“Amonges vs,” quod þe Menours “þat man is dwellynge,
And euere hath, as I hope and euere shal here-after.”
“Contra,” quod I as a clerke and comsed to disputen,
And seide [hem] sothli, “ sepcies in die cadit iustus;
Seuene sythes, seith þe boke synneth þe riȝtful.
And who-so synneth,” I seyde “doth yuel, as me þinketh,
And dowel and do-yuel mow nouȝt dwelle togideres.
Ergo, he nys nauȝt alway amonge ȝow freres;
He is otherwhile ellis where to wisse þe peple.”
“I shal sey þe, my sone” seide þe frere þanne,
“How seuene sithes þe sadman on þe day synneth;
By a forbisene,” quod þe frere “I shal þe faire shewe.
Lat brynge a man in a bote amydde a brode water,
Þe wynde and þe water and þe bote waggynge
Maketh þe man many a tyme to falle and to stonde;
For stonde he neuere so styf he stombleth ȝif he moeue;

127

Ac ȝit is he sauf and sounde and so hym bihoueth,
For ȝif he ne arise þe rather and rauȝte to þe stiere;
Þe wynde wolde, wyth þe water þe bote ouerthrowe;
And þanne were his lyf loste þourgh lacchesse of hym-self.
And þus it falleth,” quod þe frere “bi folke here on erthe;
Þe water is likned to þe worlde þat wanyeth and wexeth,
Þe godis of þis grounde aren like to þe grete wawes,
Þat as wyndes and wederes walweth aboute.
Þe bote is likned to owre body þat brutel is of kynde,
Þat þorugh þe fende and [þe] flesshe and þe frele worlde
Synneth þe sadman a day, seuene sythes.
Ac dedly synne doth he nouȝt for dowel hym kepith,
And þat is charite þe champioun chief help aȝein synne;
For he strengtheth man to stonde and stereth mannes soule,
And þowgh þi body bow as bote doth in þe water,
Ay is þi soule sauf but [if] þi-self wole
Do a dedly synne and drenche so þi soule;
God wole suffre wel þi sleuthe ȝif þi-self lyketh.
For he ȝaf þe to ȝeresȝyue to ȝeme wel þi-selue,
And þat is witte a[nd] fre wille to euery wyȝte a porcioun,
To fleghyng foules to fissches & to bestes.
Ac man hath moste þerof and moste is to blame,

128

But if he worche wel þer-with as dowel hym techeth.”
“I haue no kynde knowyng,” quod I “to conceyue alle ȝowre wordes,
Ac if I may lyue and loke I shal go lerne bettere.”
“I bikenne þe cryst, [quod he] þat on þe crosse deyde.”
And I seyde, “þe same saue ȝow fro myschaunce,
And ȝiue ȝow grace on þis grounde good men to worthe.”
And þus I went wide-where walkyng myne one,
By a wilde wildernesse and bi a wode-syde.
Blisse of þo briddes [abyde me made,]
And vnder a lynde vppon a launde lened I a stounde,
To lythe þe layes þe louely foules made.
Murthe of her mouthes made me þere to slepe;
Þe merueillousest meteles mette me þanne
Þat euer dremed wyȝte in worlde, as I wene.
A moche man, as me þouȝte and lyke to my-selue
Come and called me by my kynde name.
“What artow,” quod I þo “þat þow my name knowest?”
“Þat þow wost wel,” quod he “and no wyȝte bettere.”
“Wote I what þow art?” “þought,” seyde he þanne,
“I haue suwed þe þis seuene ȝere sey þow me no rather?”
“Art þow thought?” quod I þo “þow couthest me wisse

129

Where þat dowel dwelleth and do me þat to knowe?”
“Dowel and dobet and dobest þe thridde,” quod he,
“Aren three faire vertues and beth nauȝte fer to fynde.
Who-so is trewe of his tonge and of his two handes,
And þorugh his laboure or þorugh his londe his lyflode wynneth,
And is trusti of his tailende taketh but his owne,
And is nouȝt dronkenlew ne dedeignous dowel hym folweth.
Dobet doth ryȝt þus ac he doth moche more;
He is as low as a lombe and loueliche of speche,
And helpeth alle men after þat hem nedeth;
Þe bagges and þe bigurdeles he hath to-broken hem alle,
Þat þe Erl auarous helde, and his heires;
And þus with Mammonaes [moneie] he hath made hym frendes,
And is ronne in-to Religioun and hath rendred þe bible,
And precheth to þe poeple seynt Poules wordes,

Libenter suffertis insipientes, cum sitis ipsi sapientes,

‘And suffreth þe vnwise with ȝow for to libbe,
And with gladde wille doth hem gode for so god ȝow hoteth.’

130

Dobest is aboue bothe and bereth a bisschopes crosse,
Is hoked on þat one ende to halie men fro helle.
A pyke is on þat potente to pulte adown þe wikked,
Þat wayten any wikkednesse dowel to tene.
And dowel and dobet amonges hem ordeigned
To croune one to be kynge to reule hem bothe;
Þat ȝif dowel or dobet did aȝein dobest,
Þanne shal þe kynge come and casten hem in yrens,
And but if dobest bede for hem þei to be þere for euere.
Thus dowel and dobet and dobest þe thridde,
Crouned one to be kynge to kepen hem alle,
And to reule þe Reume bi her thre wittes,
And none other-wise but as þei thre assented.’
I thonked thouȝt þo þat he me þus tauȝte;
“Ac ȝete sauoureth me nouȝt þi seggyng I coueite to lerne
How dowel, dobet, and dobest don amonges þe peple.”
“But witte conne wisse þe,” quod þouȝt “where þo thre dwelle;
Ellis wote I none þat can þat now is alyue.”
Þouȝte and I thus thre days we ȝeden,
Disputyng vppon dowel day after other,

131

And ar we were ywar with witte gan we mete.
He was longe and lene liche to none other,
Was no pruyde on his apparaille ne pouerte noyther,
Sadde of his semblaunt and of soft chiere.
I dorste meue no matere to make hym to iangle,
But as I bad þouȝt þo be mene bitwene,
And put forth somme purpos to prouen his wittes,
What was dowel fro dobet and dobest fram hem bothe.
Þanne þouȝt in þat tyme seide þise wordes,
“Where dowel, dobet and dobest ben in londe,
Here is wille wolde ywyte yif witte couthe teche hym,
And whether he be man or [no] man þis man fayne wolde aspye,
And worchen as þei thre wolde þis is his entente.”

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.
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.

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.”
“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
[_]

i. adam

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,

134

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 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.
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,
And þat be glotouns globbares her god is her wombe;

135

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.
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.
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,

136

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.
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;
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

And nouȝt for drede of veniaunce doth þer-fore þe bettere;
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,
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,

138

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,
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.

139

Bestes þat now ben shulle banne þe tyme,
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,
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

As bifel of þe folke þat I bifore of tolde.
For goode
[_]

i. boni

shulde wedde goode
[_]

i. bonas

þough hij no good hadde;

‘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.
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.
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.

141

For no londes, but for loue loke ȝe be wedded,
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;
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.

142

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.
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.
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.”

143

PASSUS X. (DO-WEL II.) Passus decimus de visione, & secundus [de] dowel.

Thanne hadde witte a wyf was hote dame studye,
Þat lene was of lere and of liche bothe.
She was wonderly wroth þat witte me þus tauȝte,
And al starynge dame studye sternelich seyde,
“Wel artow wyse,” quod she to witte “any wysdomes to telle
To flatereres or to folis þat frantyk ben of wittes!”
And blamed hym and banned hym and badde hym be stylle,
With suche wise wordes to wissen any sottes;
And seyde, “noli mittere, man margerye perlis
Amanges hogges, þat han hawes at wille.
Þei don but dryuele þer-on draffe were hem leuere
Þan al þe precious perre þat in paradys wexeth.
I sey it bi suche,” quod she “þat sheweth bi her werkes,
Þat hem were leuer londe and lordship on erthe,
Or ricchesse or rentis and reste at her wille,

144

Þan alle þe sothe sawes þat salamon seyde euere.
Wisdome and witte now is nouȝt worth a carse,
But if it be carded with coueytise as clotheres kemben here wolle.
Who-so can contreue deceytes an conspire wronges,
And lede forth a loue-day to latte with treuthe;
He þat suche craftes can to conseille is clepid;
Þei lede lordes with lesynges and bilyeth treuthe.
Iob þe gentel in his gestes witnesseth,
Þat wikked men, þei welden þe welthe of þis worlde,
And þat þei ben lordes of eche a londe þat oute of lawe libbeth;

Quare impij viuunt? bene est omnibus, qui preuaricantur & inique agunt?

Þe sauter seyth þe same bi suche þat don ille,

Ecce ipsi peccatores habundantes; in seculo optinuerunt diuicias.

‘Lo!’ seith holy letterrure ‘whiche lordes beth þis shrewes!’
Þilke þat god moste gyueth leste good þei deleth,
And moste vnkynde to þe comune þat moste catel weldeth;

Que perfecisti, destruxerunt; iustus autem [quid fecit?]

Harlotes for her harlotrye may haue of her godis,
And iaperes and iogeloures and iangelers of gestes.
Ac he þat hath holy writte ay in his mouth,
And can telle of Tobye and of þe twelue apostles,

145

Or prechen of þe penaunce þat pilat wrouȝt
To Ihesu þe gentil þat Iewes to-drowe:—
Litel is he loued þat suche a lessoun scheweth,
Or daunted or drawe forth I do it on god hym-self!
But þo þat feynen hem folis and with faityng libbeth,
Aȝein þe lawe of owre lorde and lyen on hem-selue,
Spitten and spewen and speke foule wordes,
Drynken and dryuelen and do men for to gape,
Lickne men and lye on hem þat leneth hem no ȝiftes,
Þei conne namore mynstralcye ne musyke, men to glade,
Than Munde þe mylnere of multa fecit deus!
Ne were here vyle harlotrye haue god my treuthe,
Shulde neuere Kyng ne kniȝt ne chanoun of seynt Poules
Ȝyue hem to her ȝeresȝiue þe ȝifte of a grote!
Ac murthe and mynstralcye amonges men is nouthe
Leccherye, losengerye and loseles tales;
Glotonye and grete othes þis murthe þei louieth.
Ac if þei carpen of cryst þis clerkis and þis lewed,
Atte mete in her murthes whan mynstralles ben stille,
Þanne telleth þei of þe trinite a tale other tweyne,
And bringen forth a balled resoun and taken Bernard to witnesse,
And putten forth a presumpsioun to preue þe sothe.

146

Þus þei dryuele at her deyse þe deite to knowe,
And gnawen god with þe gorge whan her gutte is fulle.
Ac þe careful may crye and carpen atte ȝate,
Bothe afyngred and a-thurst and for chele quake;
Is none to nymen hym nere his noye to amende,
But [hoen] on hym as an hounde and hoten hym go þennes.
Litel loueth he þat lorde þat lent hym al þat blisse,
Þat þus parteth with þe pore a parcel whan hym nedeth.
Ne were mercy in mene men more þan in riche,
Mendinantȝ meteles miȝte go to bedde.
God is moche in þe gorge of þise grete maystres,
Ac amonges mene men his mercy and his werkis;
And so seith þe sauter I haue yseye it ofte,

Ecce audiuimus eam in effrata, inuenimus eam in campis silue.

Clerkes and other kynnes men carpen of god faste,
And haue [hym] moche in þe mouthe ac mene men in herte.
Freres and faitoures han founde suche questiouns
To plese with proude men sithen þe pestilence tyme,
And prechen at seint poules for pure enuye of clerkis,
Þat folke is nouȝte fermed in þe feith ne fre of her goodes,

147

Ne sori for her synnes so is pryde waxen
In religioun and in alle þe rewme amonges riche & pore,
Þat preyeres haue no power þe pestilence to lette.
And ȝette þe wrecches of þis worlde is none ywar bi other,
Ne for drede of þe deth withdrawe nouȝt her pryde,
Ne beth plentyuous to þe pore as pure charite wolde,
But in gaynesse and in glotonye for-glotten her goode hem-selue,
And breken nouȝte to þe beggar as þe boke techeth,

Frange esurienti panem tuum, &c.

And þe more he wynneth and welt welthes & ricchesse,
And lordeth in londes þe lasse good he deleth.
Thobye telleth ȝow nouȝt so take hede, ȝe riche,
How þe boke bible of hym bereth witnesse:

Si tibi sit copia, habundanter tribue; si autem exiguum, illud impertiri stude libenter:—

Who-so hath moche, spene manliche so meneth Thobie,
And who-so litel weldeth reule him þer-after;
For we haue no lettre of owre lyf how longe it shal dure.
Suche lessounes lordes shulde louie to here,

148

And how he myȝte moste meyne manliche fynde.
Nouȝt to fare as a fitheler or a frere for to seke festes,
Homelich at other mennes house[s] and hatyen her owne.
Elyng is þe halle vche daye in þe wyke,
Þere þe lorde ne þe lady liketh nouȝte to sytte.
Now hath vche riche a reule to eten bi hym-selue
In a pryue pa[r]loure for pore mennes sake,
Or in a chambre with a chymneye and leue þe chief halle,
Þat was made for meles men to eten Inne;
And al to spare to spille þat spende shal an other.
I haue yherde hiegh men etyng atte table,
Carpen as þei clerkes were of cryste and of his miȝtes,
And leyden fautes vppon þe fader þat fourmed vs alle,
And carpen aȝeine clerkes crabbed wordes;—
‘Whi wolde owre saueoure suffre suche a worme in his blisse,
Þat bigyled þe womman and þe man after,
Þorw whiche wyles and wordes þei went[en] to helle,
And al her sede for here synne þe same deth suffred?
Here lyeth ȝowre lore’ þise lordes gynneth dispute,
‘Of þat ȝe clerkes vs kenneth of cryst by þe gospel;

Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris, &c.

Whi shulde we þat now ben for þe werkes of Adam
Roten and to-rende? resoun wolde it neuere;

149

Vnusquisque portabit onus suum, &c.’

Suche motyues þei moeue þis maistres in her glorie,
And maken men in mysbileue þat muse moche on her wordes;
Ymaginatyf her-afterward shal answere to ȝowre purpos.
Augustyne to suche argueres he telleth hem þis teme,

Non plus sapere quam oportet.

Wilneth neuere to wite whi þat god wolde
Suffre Sathan his sede to bigyle,
Ac bileue lelly in þe lore of holicherche,
And preye hym of pardoun and penaunce in þi lyue,
And for his moche mercye to amende ȝow here.
For alle þat wilneth to wyte þe weyes of god almiȝty,
I wolde his eye were in his ers and his fynger after,
Þat euere wilneth to wite whi þat god wolde
Suffre sathan his sede to bigile,
Or iudas to þe iuwes ihesu bytraye.
Al was as þow wolde lorde, yworschiped be þow,
And al worth as þow wolte what so we dispute!
And þo þat vseth þis hanelounes to blende mennes wittes,
What is dowel fro dobet now def mote he worthe,
(Sitthe he wilneth to wyte whiche þei ben bothe),
But if he lyue in þe lyf þat longeth to dowel;
For I dar ben his bolde borgh þat dobet wil he neuere,

150

Þeigh dobest drawe on hym day after other.”
And whan þat witte was ywar what dame studye tolde,
He bicome so confus he couth nouȝte loke,
And as doumbe a[s] deth and drowe hym arrere;
And for no carpyng I couth after ne knelyng to þe grounde,
I myȝte gete no greyne of his grete wittis,
But al laughyng he louted and loked vppon studye,
In signe þat I shulde biseche hir of grace.
And whan I was war of his wille to his wyf gan I loute,
And seyde, “mercy, madame ȝowre man shal I worthe,
As longe as I lyue bothe late & rathe,
Forto worche ȝowre wille þe while my lyf dureth,
With þat ȝe kenne me kyndely to knowe what is dowel.”
“For þi mekenesse, man,” quod she “and for þi mylde speche,
I shal kenne þe to my cosyn þat clergye is hoten.
He hath wedded a wyf with-Inne þis syx monethes,
Is sybbe to þe seuene artz scripture is hir name.
Þei two, as I hope after my techyng,
Shullen wissen þe to dowel I dar it vndertake.”
Þanne was I also fayne as foule of faire morwe,
And gladder þan þe gleman þat golde hath to ȝifte,
And axed hir þe heighe weye where þat clergye dwelte,

151

“And telle me some token,” quod I “for tyme is þat I wende.”
“Axe þe heighe waye,” quod she “hennes to suffre-
Bothe-wel-&-wo ȝif þat þow wolt lerne,
And ryde forth by ricchesse ac rest þow nauȝt þerinne,
For if þow couplest þe þer-with to clergye comestow neuere.
And also þe likerouse launde þat leccherye hatte,
Leue hym on þi left halue a large myle or more,
Tyl þow come to a courte kepe-wel-þi-tonge-
Fro-lesynges-and-lither-speche- and-likerouse-drynkes.
Þanne shaltow se sobrete and symplete-of-speche,
Þat eche wiȝte be in wille his witte þe to shewe,
And þus shaltow come to clergye þat can many þinges.
Saye hym þis signe I sette hym to scole,
And þat I [grete] wel his wyf for I wrote hir many bokes,
And sette hir to sapience and to þe sauter glose.
Logyke I lerned hir and many other lawes,
And alle þe musouns in mu[si]ke I made hir to knowe.
Plato þe poete I put hym fyrste to boke,
Aristotle and other moo to argue I tauȝte.
Grammer for gerles I garte first wryte,
And bette hem with a baleis but if þei wolde lerne.
Of alkinnes craftes I contreued toles,

152

Of carpentrie, of kerueres and compassed masouns,
And lerned hem leuel and lyne þough I loke dymme.
Ac theologie hath tened me ten score tymes,
The more I muse þere-Inne þe mistier it semeth,
And þe depper I deuyne þe derker me it þinketh;
It is no science for sothe forto sotyle Inne;
A ful lethy þinge it were ȝif þat loue nere.
Ac for it let best by loue I loue it þe bettre;
For þere þat loue is leder ne lacked neuere grace.
Loke þow loue lelly ȝif þe lyketh dowel;
For dobet and dobest ben of loues kynne.
In other science it seyth I [seigh] it in catoun,
Qui simulat verbis, [nec] corde est fidus amicus,
Tu quoque fac simile, sic ars deluditur arte.
Who-so gloseth as gylours don go me to þe same,
And so shaltow false folke and faythlees bigyle,
Þis is catounes kennyng to clerkes þat he lereth.
Ac theologye techeth nouȝt so who-so taketh ȝeme,
He kenneth vs þe contrarye aȝein catones wordes;
For he bit vs be as bretheren and bidde for owre enemys,
And louen hem þat lyen on vs and lene hem whan hem nedeth,
And do good aȝeines yuel god hym-self it hoteth,

153

Dum tempus habemus, operemur bonum ad omnes, maxime autem ad domesticos fidei.

Poule preched þe peple þat parfitnesse loued,
To do good for goddes loue and gyuen men þat asked,
And nameliche to suche þat sueth owre bileue.
And alle þat lakketh vs or lyeth vs owre lorde techeth vs to louye,
And nouȝt to greuen hem þat greueth vs god hym-self for-badde it,

Michi vindictam, & ego retribuam.

For-þi loke þow louye as longe as þow durest,
For is no science vnder sonne so souereyne for þe soule.
Ac astronomye is an harde þynge and yuel forto knowe,
Geometrie and geomesye is ginful of speche;
Who-so thenketh werche with þo two thryueth ful late.
For sorcerye is þe souereyne boke þat to þe science longeth.
Ȝet ar þere fybicches in forceres of fele mennes makynge,
Experimentz of alk[en]amye þe poeple to deceyue,
If þow þinke to dowel dele þer-with neuere.
Alle þise science[s] I my-self sotiled and ordeyned,
And founded hem formest folke to deceyue.
Telle clergye þise tokenes and scripture after,

154

To conseille þe kyndely to knowe what is dowel.”
I seide, “graunt mercy, madame” and mekeliche hir grette,
And went wiȝtlich awey with-oute more lettynge,
And til I come to clergye I couthe neuere stynte.
And gret[te] þe good man as studye me tauȝte,
And afterwardes þe wyf and worshiped hem bothe,
And tolde hem þe tokenes þat me tauȝte were.
Was neuere gome vppon þis grounde sith god made þe worlde,
Fairer vnder-fongen ne frendeloker at ese,
Þan my-self sothly sone so he wist
Þat I was of wittis hous and with his wyf dame studye.
I seyde to hem sothely þat sent was I þider,
Dowel and dobet and dobest to lerne.
“It is a comune lyf,” quod clergye “on holycherche to bileue,
With alle þe artikles of þe feithe þat falleth to be knowe.
And þat is to bileue lelly bothe lered and lewed,
On þe grete god þat gynnyng had neuere,
And on þe sothfaste sone þat saued mankynde
Fro þe dedly deth and þe deueles power,
Þorwgh þe helpe of þe holy goste þe whiche goste is of bothe;
Three [propre] persones ac nouȝt in plurel noumbre,
For al is but on god and eche is god hym-selue;

155

Deus pater, deus filius, deus spiritus sanctus;

God þe fader, god þe sone god holigoste of bothe,
Maker of mankynde and of bestes bothe.
Austyn þe olde here-of he made bokes,
And hym-self ordeyned to sadde vs in bileue.
Who was his autour? alle þe foure euangelistes;
And cryst clepid hym-self so þe ewangelistes bereth witnesse:—

Ego in patre & pater in me est; &, qui videt me, videt et patrem meum.

Alle þe clerkes vnder cryst ne couthe þis assoille,
But þus it bilongeth to bileue to lewed þat willen dowel.
For had neuere freke fyne wytte þe feyth to dispute,
Ne man had no merite myȝte it ben yproued:

Fides non habet meritum, vbi humana racio prebet experimentum.

Þanne is dobet to suffre for þi soules helth,
Al þat þe boke bit by holycherche techyng;
And þat is—‘man, bi þi miȝte for mercies sake,
Loke þow worche it in werke þat þi worde sheweth;
Suche as þow semest in syȝte be in assay y-founde;

Appare quod es, vel esto quod appares:

And lat no body be bi þi beryng bygyled,
But be suche in þi soule as þow semest with-oute.’
Þanne is dobest to be bolde to blame þe gylty,
Sithenes þow seest þi-self as in soule clene;

156

Ac blame þow neuere body and þow be blame-worthy:
Si culpare velis culpabilis esse cauebis,
Dogma tuum sordet cum te tua culpa remordet.
God in þe gospel grymly repreueth
Alle þat lakken any lyf and lakkes han hem-selue:

Quid consideras festucam in oculo fratris tui, trabem in oculo tuo [non vides?]

Why meuestow þi mode for a mote in þi brotheres eye,
Sithen a beem in þine owne ablyndeth þi-selue?

Eice primo trabem de oculo tuo, &c.,

Whiche letteth þe to loke lasse other more.
I rede eche a blynde bosarde do bote to hym-selue;
For abbotes and for prioures and for alle manere prelates,
As parsones and parisshe prestes þat preche shulde and teche,
Alle manere men to amenden by here myȝte;
This tixte was tolde ȝow to ben war, ar ȝe tauȝte,
Þat ȝe were suche as ȝe seyde to salue with othere.
For goddis worde wolde nouȝt be loste for þat worcheth euere,
If it auailled nouȝt þe comune it myȝte auaille ȝow-seluen.
Ac it semeth now sothly to þe worldes syght,
Þat goddes worde worcheth nauȝte on lered ne on lewede,

157

But in suche a manere as Marke meneth in þe gospel,

Dum cecus ducit cecum, ambo in foueam cadunt.

Lewed men may likne ȝow þus þat þe beem lithe in ȝowre eyghen,
And þe festu is fallen for ȝowre defaute,
In alle manere men þourgh mansed prestes.
Þe bible bereth witnesse þat alle þe folke of israel
Byttere abouȝte þe gultes of two badde prestes,
Offyn and Fynes; for her coueytise,
Archa dei myshapped and ely brake his nekke.
For-þi, ȝe corectoures, claweth her-on and corecteth fyrst ȝow-seluen,
And þanne mowe ȝe saufly seye as dauid made þe sauter:

Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis: arguam te, & statuam contra faciem tuam.

And þanne shal borel clerkes ben abasched to blame ȝow or to greue,
And carpen nouȝte as þei carpen now and calle ȝow doumbe houndes,

Canes non valentes latrare,

And drede to wratthe ȝow in any worde ȝowre werkemanship to lette,
And be prestiore at ȝowre prayere þan for a pounde of nobles;
And al for ȝowre holynesse haue ȝe þis in herte.

158

Amonges riȝtful religiouse þis reule schulde be holde;
Gregorie þe grete clerke and þe goed pope
Of religioun þe reule reherseth in his morales,
And seyth it in ensaumple for þei schulde do þere-after,
‘Whenne fissches failen þe flode or þe fresche water,
Þei deyen for drouthe whanne þei drie ligge;
Riȝt so, quod Gregorie religioun roileth,
Sterueth and stynketh and steleth lordes almesses,
Þat oute of couent and cloystre coueyten to libbe.’
For if heuene be on þis erthe and ese to any soule,
It is in cloistere or in scole be many skilles I fynde;
For in cloistre cometh [no] man to chide ne to fiȝte,
But alle is buxumnesse þere and bokes to rede and to lerne.]
In scole þere is scorne but if a clerke wil lerne,
And grete loue and lykynge for eche of hem loueth other.
Ac now is religioun a ryder a rowmer bi stretes,
A leder of louedayes and a londe-bugger,
A priker on a palfray fro manere to manere,
An heep of houndes at his ers as he a lorde were.
And but if his knaue knele þat shal his cuppe brynge,
He loureth on hym and axeth hym who tauȝte hym curteisye?
Litel had lordes to done to ȝyue londe fram her heires

159

To Religious, þat haue no reuthe þough it reyne on here auteres.
In many places þer hij persones ben be hem-self at ese,
Of þe pore haue þei no pite and þat is her charite;
Ac þei leten hem as lordes her londe lith so brode.
Ac þere shal come a kyng and confesse ȝow religiouses,
And bete ȝow as þe bible telleth for brekynge of ȝowre reule,
And amende monyales monkes and chanouns,
And putten hem to her penaunce ad pristinum statum ire,
And Barounes with Erles beten hem þorugh beatus virres techynge,
Þat here barnes claymen and blame ȝow foule:

Hij in curribus, [et] hij in equis; ipsi obligati sunt, &c.

And þanne Freres in here freitoure shal fynden a keye
Of costantynes coffres in which is þe catel
Þat Gregories god-children han yuel dispended.
And þanne shal þe abbot of Abyndoun and alle [his] issu for euere
Haue a knokke of a kynge and incurable þe wounde.
That þis worth soth, seke ȝe! þat oft ouer-se þe bible:

160

Quomodo cessauit exactor, quieuit tributum; contriuit dominus baculum impiorum, et virgam dominancium cedencium plaga insanabili, &c.

Ac ar þat kynge come cayme shal awake.
Ac dowel shal dyngen hym adoune and destruyen his myȝte.”
“Þanne is dowel and dobet,” quod I “dominus and kniȝthode.”
“I nel nouȝt scorne,” quod scripture “but if scryueynes lye;
Kynghod ne knyȝthod by nauȝt I can awayte,
Helpeth nouȝt to heueneward one heres ende,
Ne ricchesse riȝt nouȝt ne reaute of lordes.
Poule preueth it inpossible riche men [to] haue heuene,
Salamon seith also þat syluer is worst to louye:

Nichil iniquius quam amare peccuniam.

And caton kenneth vs to coueiten it nauȝt but as nede techeth,
Dilige denarium, set parce dilige formam.
And patriarkes and prophetes and poetes bothe
Wryten to wissen vs to wilne no ricchesse,
And preyseden pouerte with pacience; þe apostles bereth witnesse,
Þat þei han heritage in heuene and bi trewe riȝte,
Þere riche men no riȝte may clayme but of reuthe and grace.”
“Contra,” quod I, “bi cryste þat can I repreue,
And preue it bi Peter and bi poule bothe,

161

Þat is baptized beth sauf be he riche or pore.”
“Þat is in extremis,” quod scripture “amonges saracenes and iewes;
Þei mowen be saued so and þat is owre byleue,
Þat an vncristene in þat cas may crysten an hethen,
And for his lele byleue whan he þe lyf tyneth,
Haue þe heritage of heuene as any man crystene.
Ac crysten men with-oute more may nouȝt come to heuene,
For þat cryst for cristen men deyde and confermed þe lawe,
Þat who-so wolde and wylneth with cryste to aryse,

Si cum Christo surrexistis, &c.,

He shulde louye & leue and þe lawe fulfille.
Þat is—‘loue þi lorde god leuest aboue alle,
And after, alle crystene creatures in comune, eche man other,’
And þus bilongeth to louye þat leueth to be saued.
And but we do þus in dede ar þe daye of dome,
I[t] shal bisitten vs ful soure þe siluer þat we kepen,
And owre bakkes
[_]

i. panni.

þat moth-eten be and sen beggers go naked,

Or delyte in wyn and wylde foule and wote any in defaute.
For euery cristene creature shulde be kynde til other,
And sithen hethen to helpe in hope of amendement.
God hoteth bothe heigh and lowe þat no man hurte other,

162

And seith, ‘slee nouȝt þat semblable is to myne owen liknesse,
But if I sende þe sum tokne’; and seith, non mecaberis,
Is, slee nouȝt, but suffre and al for þe beste.

[For, Michi vindictam, & ego retribuam.]

‘For I shal punysshen hem in purgatorie or in þe putte of helle,
Vche man for his mysdedes but mercy it lette.’”
“Þis is a longe lessoun,” quod I “and litel am I þe wyser;
Where dowel is, or dobet derkelich ȝe shewen;
Many tales ȝe tellen þat theologye lerneth;
And þat I man made was and my name yentred
In þe legende of lyf longe er I were,
Or elles vnwriten for somme wikkednesse as holywrit wytnesseth,

Nemo ascendit ad celum, nisi qui de celo de[s]cendit.

I leue it wel,” quod I, “bi owre lorde and on no letterure bettere.
For Salamon þe sage þat sapience tauȝte,
God gaf hym grace of witte and alle his godes after,
[To reule þe reume and riche to make;]
He demed wel & wysely as holy writte telleth.
Aristotle & he who wissed men bettere?
Maistres þat of goddis mercy techen men and prechen,
Of here wordes þei wissen vs for wisest as in here tyme,

163

And al holicherche holdeth hem bothe ydampned!
And if I shulde worke bi here werkes to wynne me heuene,
Þat for her werkes and witte now wonyeth in pyne,
Þanne wrouȝte I vnwysely what-so euere ȝe preche.
Ac of fele witty in feith litel ferly I haue,
Þough her goste be vngraciouse god for to plese.
For many men on þis molde more sette here hertis
In good þan in god for-þi hem grace failleth,
At here moste myschief whan þei shal lyf lete.
As Salamon dede, and such other þat shewed gret wittes,
Ac her werkes, as holy wrytte seyth was euere þe contrarye.
For-þi wyse witted men and wel ylettred clerkes,
As þei seyen hem-self selden done þer-after,

Super cathedra[m] moysy, &c.

Ac I wene it worth of many as was in Noes tyme,
Þo he shope þat shippe of shides and bordes;
Was neuere wriȝte saued þat wrouȝt þer-on ne oþer werkman elles,
But briddes and bestes and þe blissed Noe,
And his wyf with his sones and also here wyues;
Of wriȝtes þat it wrouȝte was none of hem ysaued.
God leue it fare nouȝt so bi folke þat þe feith techen
Of holicherche, þat he[r]berwe is and goddes hous to saue,

164

And shelden vs fram shame þer-inne as noes shippe did bestes;
And men þat maden it amydde þe flode adreynten.
Þe culorum of þis clause curatoures is to mene,
Þat ben carpenteres holykirke to make for crystes owne bestes,

Homines & iumenta saluabis, domine, &c.

[At domes-day þe [diluuye] worth of deth and [fyr] at ones;
For-þi I conseil ȝow clerkes of holy cherche þe wriȝtes,
Wercheth ȝe werkes as ȝe seen I-write lest ȝe worth nauȝt þer-inne.]
On gode fridaye I fynde a feloun was ysaued,
Þat had lyued al his lyf with lesynges and with thefte;
And for he biknewe on þe crosse and to cryste sc[h]rof hym,
He was sonnere saued þan seynt Iohan [þe] Baptiste,
And or Adam or ysaye or eny of þe prophetes,
Þat hadde yleine with Lucyfer many longe ȝeres.
A robbere was yraunceouned rather þan þei alle,
With-outen any penaunce of purgatorie to perpetuel blisse.
Þanne Marye Magdaleyne what womman dede worse?
Or who worse þan dauid þat vries deth conspired?
Or Poule þe apostle þat no pitee hadde,
Moche crystene kynde to kylle to deth?

165

And [now] ben þise as souereynes wyth seyntes in heuene,
Þo þat wrouȝte wikkedlokest in worlde þo þei were.
And þo þat wisely wordeden and wryten many bokes
Of witte and of wisdome with dampned soules wonye.
Þat salamon seith, I trowe be soth and certeyne of vs alle,

[Sunt] iusti atque sapientes & opera eorum in manu dei sunt, &c.;

Þere aren witty and wel libbynge ac her werkes ben yhudde
In þe hondes of almiȝty god and he wote þe sothe
Wher for loue a man worth allowed þere and his lele werkes,
Or elles for his yuel wille & enuye of herte,
And be allowed as he lyued so; for bi lyther, men knoweth þe gode;
And wherby wote men whiche is whyte if alle þinge blake were,
And who were a gode man but if þere were some shrewe?
For-þi lyue we forth with lither men I leue fewe ben gode.
For qant OPORTET vyent en place yl ny ad que PATI,
And he þat may al amende haue mercy on vs alle;

166

For sothest worde þat euere god seyde was þo he seyde, nemo bonus.
Clergye þo of crystes mouth commended was it litel,
For he seyde to seynt Peter and to suche as he loued,

Dum steteritis ante Reges et presides, &c.;

Þough ȝe come bifor kynges and clerkes of þe lawe,
Beth nouȝte abasched for I shal be in ȝoure mouthes,
And ȝyue ȝow witte at wille and kunnynge to conclude
Hem alle þat aȝeines ȝow of crystenedome disputen.
Dauyd maketh mencioun he spake amonges kynges,
And miȝte no kynge ouercome hym as bi kunnyng of speche.
But witte ne wisdome wan neuere þe maystrye,
Whan man was at myschief with-oute þe more grace.
Þe doughtiest doctour and deuynoure of þe trinitee,
Was Augustyn þe olde and heighest of þe foure,
Sayde þus in a sarmoun I seigh it writen ones,

Ecce ipsi idioti rapiunt celum, vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur:

And is to mene to englisshe men more ne lasse,
Aren none rather yrauysshed fro þe riȝte byleue
Þan ar þis cunnynge clerkes þat conne many bokes;
Ne none sonner saued ne sadder of bileue,
Þan plowmen and pastoures & pore comune laboreres.
Souteres and shep[h]erdes suche lewed iottes

167

Percen with a pater-noster þe paleys of heuene,
And passen purgatorie penaunceles at her hennes partynge,
In-to þe blisse of paradys for her pure byleue,
Þat inparfitly here knewe and eke lyued.
Ȝee men knowe clerkes þat han cursed þe tyme,
Þat euere þei couth or knewe more þan credo in deum patrem;
And pryncipaly her pater-noster many a persone hath wisshed.
I se ensamples my-self and so may many an other,
Þat seruauntes þat seruen lordes selden falle in arrerage,
But þo þat kepen þe lordes catel clerkes and reues.
Riȝt so lewed men & of litel knowynge,
Selden falle þei so foule and so fer in synne,
As clerkes of holikirke þat kepen crystes tresore,
Þe which is mannes soule to saue as god seith in þe gospel:

Ite vos in vineam meam.”


168

PASSUS XI. (DO-WEL III.) Passus xjus.

Thanne scripture scorned me and a skile tolde,
And lakked me in latyne and liȝte by me she sette,

And seyde, “multi multa sciunt, & seipsos nesciunt.”

Þo wepte I for wo and wratth of her speche,
And in a wynkyng wratth wex I aslepe.
A merueillouse meteles mette me þanne,
Þat I was rauisshed riȝt þere and fortune me fette,
And in-to þe londe of longynge allone she me brouȝte,
And in a myroure þat hiȝt mydlerd she mad me to biholde.
Sitthen she sayde to me “here myȝtow se wondres,
And knowe þat þow coueytest and come þer-to, par aunter.”

169

Þanne hadde fortune folwyng hir two faire damoyseles,
Concupiscencia-carnis men called þe elder mayde,
And coueytise-of-eyes ycalled was þat oþer,
Pryde-of-parfyte-lyuynge pursued hem bothe,
And badde me, for my contenaunce acounte clergye liȝte.
Concupiscencia-carnis colled me aboute þe nekke,
And seyde, “þow art ȝonge and ȝepe and hast ȝeres ynowe,
Forto lyue longe and ladyes to louye;
And in þis myroure þow myȝte se myrthes ful manye,
Þat leden þe wil to lykynge al þi lyf tyme.”
Þe secounde seide þe same “I shal suwe þi wille;
Til þow be a lorde and haue londe leten þe I nelle,
Þat I ne shal folwe þi felawship if fortune it lyke.”
“He shal fynde me his frende” quod fortune þer-after;
“Þe freke þat folwed my wille failled neuere blisse.”
Thanne was þere one þat hiȝte elde þat heuy was of chere,
“Man,” quod he, “if I mete with þe bi Marie of heuene,
Þow shalt fynde fortune þe faille at þi moste nede,
And concupiscencia-carnis clene þe forsake.
Bitterliche shaltow banne þanne bothe dayes and niȝtes
Coueytise-of-eyghe þat euere þow hir knewe,
And pryde-of-parfyt-lyuynge to moche peril þe brynge.”
“Ȝee, recche þe neuere,” quod recchelesnes stode forth in ragged clothes,
“Folwe forth þat fortune wole þow hast wel fer til elde;

170

A man may stoupe tymes ynow whan he shal tyne þe croune.
‘Homo proponit,’ quod a poete and plato he hyght,
‘And deus disponit,’ quod he lat god done his wille.
If trewthe wil witnesse it be wel do fortune to folwe,
Concupiscencia-carnis ne coueityse-of-eyes
Ne shal nouȝt greue þe gretly ne bigyle þe, but þow wolt.”
“Ȝee, farewel phippe!” quod fauntelte and forth gan me drawe,
Til concupiscencia-carnis acorded alle my werkes.
“Allas, eye!” quod elde and holynesse bothe,
“Þat witte shal torne to wrecchednesse for wille to haue his lykynge!”
Coueityse-of-eyghes conforted me anon after,
And folwed me fourty wynter and a fyfte more,
Þat of dowel ne dobet no deyntee me ne þouȝte;
I had no lykynge, leue me if þe leste of hem auȝte to knowe.
Coueytyse-of-eyes cam ofter in mynde
Þan dowel or dobet amonge my dedes alle.
Coueytise-of-eyes conforted me ofte,
And seyde, “haue no conscience how þow come to gode;
Go confesse [þe] to sum frere and shewe hym þi synnes.
For whiles fortune is þi frende Freres wil þe louye,

171

And fecche þe to her fraternite and for þe biseke,
To her priour prouyncial a pardoun forto haue,
And preyen for þe, pol bi pol ȝif þow be pecuniosus.”

Set pena pecuniaria non sufficit pro spiritualibus delictis.

By wissynge of þis wenche I wrouȝte here wordes were so swete,
Tyl I forȝat ȝouthe and ȝarn in-to elde.
And þanne was fortune my foo for al hir faire biheste,
And pouerte pursued me and put me lowe,
And þo fonde I þe Frere aferde and flyttynge bothe,
Aȝeines owre firste forward for I seyde I nolde
Be buryed at her hous but at my parisshe cherche.
For I herde onys how conscience it tolde,
Þat þere a man were crystened by kynde he shulde be buryed,
Or where he were parisshene riȝt þere he shulde be grauen.
And for I seyde þus to freres a fool þei me helden,
And loued me þe lasse for my lele speche.
Ac ȝet I cryed on my confessoure þat helde hym-self so kunnynge,
“By my feith, frere,” quod I “ȝe faren lyke þise woweres,
Þat wedde none wydwes but forto welde here godis;
Riȝte so, by þe Rode rouȝte ȝe neuere
Where my body were buryed bi so ȝe hadde my siluer.
Ich haue moche merueille of ȝow and so hath many an other,

172

Why ȝowre couent coueyteth to confesse and to burye,
Rather þan to baptise barnes þat ben catekumelynges.
Baptizyng and burying bothe ben ful nedeful,
Ac moche more merytorie me þynke[þ] it is to baptize.
For a baptized man may as maistres telleth,
Þorugh contricioun come to þe heigh heuene;

Sola contricio [delet peccatum.]

Ac a barne with-oute bapteme may nouȝt so be saued;

Nisi quis renatus fuerit [ex aqua, &c.;]

Loke, ȝe lettred men whether I lye or do nouȝte.”
And lewte loked on me and I loured after.
“Wherfore lourestow?” quod lewte and loked on me harde,
“Ȝif I durste,” quod I, “amonges men þis meteles auowe!”
“Ȝe, bi peter and bi poule,” quod he “and take hem bothe to witnesse,

Non oderis fratres secrete in corde tuo, set publice argue illos.”

“Þei wol alleggen also,” quod I “and by þe gospel preuen,

Nolite iudicare quemquam.”

“And wher-of serueth lawe,” quod lewte “if no lyf vndertoke it,
Falsenesse ne faytrye; for sumwhat þe apostle seyde,

Non oderis fratrem.


173

And in þe sauter also seithe dauid þe prophete,

Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis, &c.

It is licitum for lewed men to segge þe sothe,
If hem lyketh and leste eche a lawe it graunteth,
Excepte persones and prestes and prelates of holy cherche,
It falleth nouȝte for þat folke no tales to telle,
Þough þe tale were trewe and it touched synne.
Þinge þat al þe worlde wote wherfore shuldestow spare
[To] reden it in Retoryke to arate dedly synne?
Ac be neuere more þe fyrste þe defaute to blame;
Þouȝe þow se yuel, sey it nouȝte fyrste be sorye it nere amended.
No þinge þat is pryue publice þow it neuere,
Neyther for loue laude it nouȝt ne lakke it for enuye;

Parum lauda, vitupera parcius.”

“He seith sothe,” quod scripture þo and skipte an heigh, & preched;
Ac þe matere þat she meued if lewed men it knewe,
Þe lasse, as I leue louyen it þei wolde.
This was her teme and her tyxte I toke ful gode hede;
‘Multi to a maungerye and to þe mete were sompned,
And whan þe peple was plenere comen þe porter vnpynned þe ȝate,

174

And plukked in pauci priueliche and lete þe remenaunt go rowme!’
Al for tene of her tyxte trembled myn herte,
And in a were gan I waxe and with my-self to dispute,
Whether I were chosen or nouȝt chosen; on holicherche I þouȝte,
Þat vnderfonge me atte fonte for one of goddis chosen;
For cryste cleped vs alle come if we wolde,
Sarasenes and scismatikes and so he dyd þe iewes,

O vos omnes scicientes, venite, &c.;

And badde hem souke for synne saufly at his breste,
And drynke bote for bale brouke it who so myȝte.
“Þanne may alle crystene come,” quod I “and cleyme þere entre,
By þe blode þat he bouȝte vs with and þorugh baptesme after,

Qui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit, &c.

For þough a crystene man coueyted his crystenedome to reneye,
Riȝtfulliche to renye no resoun it wolde.
For may no cherle chartre make ne his catel selle,
With-outen leue of his lorde no lawe wil it graunte.
Ac he may renne in arrerage and rowme so fro home,
And as a reneyed caityf recchelesly gon aboute,
Ac Resoun shal rekne with hym [and rebuken hym at þe laste,

175

And conscience a-counte with hym] and casten hym in arrerage,
And putten [hym] after in a prisone in purgatorie to brenne,
For his arrerages rewarden hym þere to þe daye of dome,
But if contricioun [wol] come and crye, bi his lyue,
Mercy for his mysdedes with mouth or with herte.”
“Þat is soth,” seyde scripture “may no synne lette
Mercy alle to amende and mekenesse hir folwe,
For þey beth as owre bokes telleth aboue goddes werkes,

Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius.”

“Ȝee! baw for bokes!” quod one was broken oute of helle,
Hiȝte troianus, had ben a trewe knyȝte toke witnesse at a pope,
How he was ded and dampned to dwellen in pyne,
For an vncristene creature; —“clerkis wyten þe sothe,
Þat al þe clergye vnder cryste [ne] miȝte me cracche fro helle,
But onliche loue and leaute and my lawful domes.
Gregorie wist þis wel and wilned to my soule
Sauacioun, for sothenesse þat he seigh in my werkes.
And, after þat he wepte and wilned me were graunted

176

Grace, wyth-outen any bede byddynge his bone was vnderfongen,
And I saued, as ȝe may se with-oute syngyng of masses;
By loue, and by lernynge of my lyuyng in treuthe,
Brouȝte me fro bitter peyne þere no biddyng myȝte.”
“Lo, ȝe lordes, what leute did by an Emperoure of Rome,
Þat was an vncrystene creature as clerkes fyndeth in bokes.
Nouȝt þorw preyere of a pope but for his pure treuthe
Was þat sarasene saued as seynt Gregorie bereth witnesse.
Wel ouȝte ȝe lordes, þat lawes kepe þis lessoun to haue in mynde,
And on troianus treuth to thenke and do treuthe to þe peple.
[Þis matir is merke for mani of ȝow ac, men of holy cherche,
Þe legende sanctorum ȝow lereth more larger þan I ȝow telle!
Ac þus lele loue and lyuynge in treuthe
Pulte oute of pyne a paynym of rome.
I-blessed be treuthe þat so brak helle ȝates,
And saued þe Sarasyn fram Sathanas and his power,
Þere no clergie ne couthe ne kunnynge of lawes.
Loue and leute is a lele science;
For þat is þe boke blessed of blisse and of ioye:—
God wrouȝt it and wrot hit with his on fynger,
And toke it moyses vpon þe mount alle men to lere.]
‘Lawe with-outen loue,’ quod troianus ‘leye þere a bene,

177

Or any science vnder sonne þe seuene artz and alle,
But if þei ben lerned for owre lordes loue loste is alle þe tyme:’—
For no cause to cacche siluer þere-by ne to be called a mayster,
But al for loue of owre lorde and þe bet to loue þe peple.
For seynte Iohan seyde it and soth aren his wordes,

‘Qui non diligit, manet in morte—

Who so loueth nouȝte, leue me he lyueth in dethdeyinge’—
And þat alle manere men enemys and frendes,
Louen her eyther other and lene hem as her-selue.
Who so leneth nouȝte, he loueth nouȝte god wote þe sothe,
And comaundeth eche creature to confourme hym to louye,
And souereynelyche pore poeple and here ennemys after.
For hem þat hateth vs is owre meryte to louye,
And pore peple to plese; here prayeres may vs helpe.
For owre ioye and owre hele Ihesu cryst of heuene,
In a pore mannes apparaille pursueth vs euere,
And loketh on vs in her liknesse and þat with louely chere,
To knowen vs by owre kynde herte and castyng of owre eyen,

178

Wheþer we loue þe lordes here byfor owre lorde of blisse;
And exciteth vs bi þe euangelye þat, when we maken festes,
We shulde nouȝte clepe owre kynne þer-to ne none kynnes riche;

‘Cum facitis conuiuia, nolite inuitare amicos;

Ac calleth þe careful þer-to þe croked and þe pore,
For ȝowre frendes wil feden ȝow and fonde ȝow to quite
Ȝowre festynge and ȝowre faire ȝifte; vche frende quyteth so other.
Ac for þe pore I shal paye and pure wel quyte her trauaille,
Þat ȝiueth hem mete or moneye and loueth hem for my sake.’
For þe best ben somme riche and somme beggers and pore.
For alle are we crystes creatures and of his coffres riche,
And bretheren as of o blode as wel beggares as erles.
For on caluarye of crystes blode crystenedome gan sprynge,
And blody bretheren we bycome þere of o body ywonne,
As quasi modo geniti and gentil men vche one,
No beggere ne boye amonges vs but if it synne made;

Qui facit peccatum, seruus est peccati, &c.

In þe olde lawe as holy lettre telleth,

179

Mennes sones men called vs vchone,
Of adames issue and Eue ay til god-man deyde;
And after his resurreccioun Redemptor was his name,
And we his bretheren, þourgh hym ybouȝt bothe riche and pore.
For-þi loue we as leue bretheren shal and vche man laughe vp other,
And of þat eche man may forbere amende þere it nedeth,
And euery man helpe other for hennes shal we alle;

Alter alterius onera portate.

And be we nouȝte vnkynde of owre catel ne of owre kunnynge neyther,
For noet no man how neighe it is to be ynome fro bothe.
For-þi lakke no lyf other þough he more latyne knowe,
Ne vnder-nym nouȝte foule for is none with-oute faute.
For what euere clerkis carpe of crystenedome or elles,
Cryst to a comune woman seyde in comune at a feste,
Þat fides sua shulde sauen hir and saluen hir of alle synnes.
Þanne is byleue a lele helpe aboue logyke or lawe;
Of logyke ne of lawe in legenda sanctorum
Is litel allowaunce made but if bileue hem helpe.
For it is ouerlonge ar logyke any lessoun assoille,

180

And lawe is loth to louye but if he lacche syluer.
Bothe logyke and lawe þat loueth nouȝte to lye,
I conseille alle crystene cleue nouȝte þer-on to sore.
For sum wordes I fynde ywryten were of faithes techynge,
Þat saued synful men as seynt Iohan bereth wytnesse;

Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis, remecietur vobis.

For-þi lerne we þe lawe of loue as owre lorde tauȝte,
And as seynte Gregory seide for mannes soule helthe,

Melius est scrutari scelera nostra, quam naturas rerum.

Why I moue þis matere is moste for þe pore,
For in her lyknesse owre lorde ofte hath ben y-knowe.
Witnesse in þe Paske wyke whan he ȝede to Emaus;
Cleophas ne knewe hym nauȝte þat he cryste were,
For his pore paraille and pylgrymes wedes;
Tyl he blessed and brak þe bred þat þei eten,
So bi his werkes þei wisten þat he was Ihesus;
Ac by clothyng þei knewe hym nouȝte ne bi carpynge of tonge.
And al was in ensample to vs synful here,
Þat we shulde be low and loueliche of speche,
And apparaille vs nouȝte ouer proudly for pylgrymes ar we alle;

181

And in þe apparaille of a pore man and pilgrymes lyknesse
Many tyme god hath ben mette amonge nedy peple,
Þere neuere segge hym seigh in secte of þe riche.
Seynt Iohan and other seyntes were seyne in pore clothynge,
And as pore pilgrymes preyed mennes godis.
Ihesu cryste on a iewes douȝter alyȝte gentil woman þough she were,
Was a pure pore mayde and to a pore man wedded.
Martha on Marye magdeleyne an huge pleynte she made,
And to owre saueour self seyde þise wordes,

Domine, non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquit me sola[m] ministrare, &c.?

And hastiliche god answered and eytheres wille folwed,
Bothe Marthaes and Maries as Mathew bereth witnesse,
Ac pouerte god put bifore and preysed it þe bettre;

Maria optimam partem elegit que non [auferetur ab ea.]

And alle þe wyse þat euere were by auȝte I can aspye,
Preysen pouerte for best lyf if pacience it folwe,
And bothe bettere and blisseder by many folde þan ricchesse.

182

Al though it be soure to suffre þere cometh swete after;
As on a walnot with-oute is a bitter barke,
And after þat bitter barke (be þe shelle aweye),
Is a kirnelle of conforte kynde to restore;
So is, after, pouerte or penaunce pacientlyche ytake.
For it maketh a man to haue mynde in gode and a grete wille
To wepe and to wel bydde wher-of wexeth mercy,
Of which cryst is a kirnelle to conforte þe soule.
And wel sykerer he slepyth þe [segge] þat is pore,
And lasse he dredeth deth and in derke to be robbed,
Þan he þat is riȝte ryche resoun bereth wytnesse;
Pauper ego ludo, dum tu diues meditaris.
Al þough salamon seide as folke seeth in þe bible,

Diuicias nec paupertates, &c.,

Wyser þan salamon was bereth witnesse and tauȝte,
Þat parfyte pouert was no possessioun to haue,
And lyf moste lykynge to god as luke bereth witnesse,

Si vis perfectus esse, vade & vende, &c.;

And is to mene to men þat on þis molde lyuen,
Who so wil be pure parfyt mote possessioun forsake,
Or selle it, as seith þe boke and þe syluer dele
To beggeres þat gone and begge and bidden good for goddes loue.
For failled neuere man mete þat myȝtful god serued;

[Non vidi iustum derelictum, nec semen eius querens panem;]

As dauid seith in þe sauter to suche þat ben in wille

183

To serue god godeliche ne greueth hym no penaunce,

Nichil inpossibile volenti,

Ne lakketh neuere lyflode lynnen ne wollen,

Inquirentes autem dominum non minuentur omni bono.

If prestes weren parfyt þei wolde no syluer take
For masses ne for matynes nouȝte her mete of vsureres,
Ne neither kirtel ne cote þeigh þey for colde shulde deye,
And þei her deuo[i]r dede as dauid seith in þe sauter,

Iudica me, deus, & discerne causam meam.

Spera in deo speketh of prestes þat haue no spendyng syluer,
Þat ȝif þei trauaille trewlich and trusten in god almiȝti,
Hem shulde lakke no lyflode noyther wollen ne lynnen.
And þe title þat [ye] take ordres by telleth ȝe ben auaunced;
Þanne nedeth nouȝte ȝow to take syluer for masses þat ȝe syngen.
For he þat toke ȝow ȝowre tytle shulde take ȝow ȝowre wages,
Or þe bisshop þat blesseth ȝow if þat ȝe ben worthy.
For made neuere kynge no knyȝte but he hadde catel to spende,

184

As bifel for a kniȝte or fonde hym for his strengthe;
It is a careful knyȝte and of a caytyue kynges makynge,
Þat hath no londe ne lynage riche ne good loos of his handes.
Þe same I segge for sothe by alle suche prestes,
Þat han noyther kunnynge ne kynne but a croune one,
And a tytle, a tale of nouȝte to his lyflode at myschiefe,
He hath more bileue, as I leue to lacche þorw his croune
Cure, þan for konnyng or—‘knowen for clene of berynge.’
I haue wonder [for] why and wher-fore þe bisshop
Maketh suche prestes þat lewed men bytrayen.
A chartre is chalengeable byfor a chief iustice;
If false latyne be in þe lettre þe lawe it inpugneth,
Or peynted parenterlinarie [or] parceles ouer-skipped;
Þe gome þat gloseth so chartres for a goky is holden.
So is it a goky, by god þat in his gospel failleth,
Or in masse or in matynes maketh any defaute,

Qui offendit in vno, in omnibus est reus, &c.

And also in þe sauter seyth dauyd to ouerskippers,

Psallite deo nostro, psallite; quoniam rex terre deus israel; psallite sapienter.

Þe bisshop shal be blamed bifor god, as I leue,
Þat crouneth suche goddes kniȝtes þat conneth nouȝt sapienter

185

Synge ne psalmes rede ne segge a messe of þe day.
Ac neuer neyther is blamelees þe bisshop ne þe chapleyne,
For her eyther is endited and þat of ‘ignorancia
Non excusat episcopos nec idiotes prestes.’
Þis lokynge on lewed prestes haþ don me lepe fram pouerte,
Þe whiche I preyse þere pacyence is more parfyt þan ricchesse.”
Ac moche more in metynge þus with me gan one dispute,
And slepynge I seigh al þis and sithen cam kynde,
And nempned me by my name and bad me nymen hede,
And þorw þe wondres of þis worlde wytte for to take.
And on a mountaigne þat mydelerd hyȝte as me þo þouȝte,
I was fette forth by ensaumples to knowe,
Þorugh eche a creature and kynde my creatoure to louye.
I seigh þe sonne and þe see and þe sonde after,
And where þat bryddes and bestes by here make[s] þei ȝeden,
Wylde wormes in wodes and wonderful foules,
With flekked fetheres and of fele coloures.
Man and his make I myȝte bothe byholde;

186

Pouerte and plente bothe pees and werre,
Blisse and bale bothe I seigh at ones,
And how men token Mede and mercy refused.
Resoune I seighe sothly suen alle bestes
In etynge, in drynkynge and in engendrynge of kynde;
And after course of concepcioun none toke kepe of other,
As whan þei hadde ryde in rotey tyme; anon riȝte þer-after,
Males drowen hem to males a mornynges bi hem-self,
And in euenynges also ȝe[de] males fro femeles.
Þere ne was cow ne cowkynde þat conceyued hadde,
Þat wolde belwe after boles ne bore after sowe;
Bothe horse and houndes and alle other bestes
Medled nouȝte wyth here makes þat with fole were.
Briddes I bihelde þat in buskes made nestes;
Hadde neuere wye witte to worche þe leest.
I hadde wonder at whom and where þe pye lerned
To legge þe stykkes in whiche she [leyeþ] and bredeth;
Þere nys wriȝte as I wene shulde worche hir neste to paye;
If any masoun made a molde þer-to moche wonder it were.
And ȝet me merueilled more how many other briddes
Hudden and hileden her egges ful derne

187

In mareys and mores for men sholde hem nouȝt fynde,
And hudden here egges whan þei þere-fro wente,
For fere of other foules and for wylde bestis.
And some troden her makes and on trees bredden,
And brouȝten forth her bryddes so al aboue þe grounde;
And some bryddes at þe bille þorwgh brethynge conceyued;
And some kauked, I toke kepe how pekokes bredden.
Moche merueilled me what maister þei hadde,
And who tauȝte hem on trees to tymbre so heighe,
Þere noither buirn ne beste may her briddes rechen.
And sythen I loked vpon þe see and so forth vpon þe sterres,
Many selcouthes I seygh ben nought to seye nouthe.
I seigh floures in þe fritthe and her faire coloures,
And how amonge þe grene grasse grewe so many hewes,
And somme soure and some swete selcouthe me þouȝte;
Of her kynde and her coloure to carpe it were to longe.
Ac þat moste moeued me and my mode chaunged,
Þat resoun rewarded and reuled alle bestes,
Saue man and his make; many tyme and ofte
No resoun hem folwed and þanne I rebuked
Resoun, and riȝte til hym-seluen I seyde,
“I haue wonder of þe,” quod I “þat witty art holden,
Why þow ne suwest man and his make þat no mysfait hem folwe?”

188

And resoun arated me and seyde, “recche þe neuere,
Whi I suffre or nouȝt suffre þi-self hast nouȝt to done;
Amende þow it, if þow myȝte for my tyme is to abyde.
Suffraunce is a souereygne vertue and a swyfte veniaunce.
Who suffreth more þan god?” quod he “no gome, as I leue!
He miȝte amende in a Minute while al þat mys standeth,
Ac he suffreth for somme mannes good and so is owre bettre.
[Holy writt,” quod þat weye “wisseth men to suffre;

Propter deum subiecti estote omni creature.

Frenche men and fre men affeyteth þus her childerne,
Bele vertue est soffrance mal dire est pety[t] veniance,
Bien dire et bien soffrir fait lui soffrant a bien venir.
For-þi I rede,” quod reson “rewle þi tonge bettere,
And ar þow lakke [eny] lyf loke if þow be to preyse!
For is no creature vnder criste can formen hym-seluen;
And if a man miȝte make hym-self goed to þe poeple,
Vch a lif wold be lakles leue þow non other.
Ne þow schalt fynde but fewe fayne for to here
Of here defautes foule by-for hem rehersed.]
Þe wyse and þe witty wrote þus in þe bible,

De re que te non molestat, [noli] certare.

For be a man faire or foule it falleth nouȝte for to lakke

189

Þe shappe ne þe shafte þat god shope hym-selue;
For al þat he did was wel ydo as holywrit witnesseth,

Et vidit deus cun[c]ta que fecerat, et erant valde bona;

And badde euery creature in his kynde encrees,
Al to murthe with man þat most woo tholye
In fondynge of þe flesshe and of þe fende bothe.
For man was made of suche a matere he may nouȝt wel astert
Þat ne some tymes hym bitit to folwen his kynde;
Catoun acordeth þere-with nemo sine crimine viuit.”
Tho cauȝte I coloure anon and comsed to ben aschamed,
And awaked þer-with; wo was me þanne
Þat I in meteles ne myȝte more haue yknowen.
And þanne seyde I to my-self and chidde þat tyme;
“Now I wote what dowel is,” quod I “by dere god, as me þinketh!”
And as I caste vp myn eyghen one loked on me, and axed
Of me, what þinge it were? “ywisse, sire,” I seide,
“To se moche and suffre more certes,” quod I, “is dowel!”
“Haddestow suffred,” he seyde “slepyng þo þow were,
Þow sholdest haue knowen þat clergye can and conceiued more þorugh resoun;

190

For resoun wolde haue reherced þe riȝte as clergye saide.
Ac for þine entermetyng here artow forsake;

Philosophus esses, si tacuisses.

Adam, whiles he spak nouȝt had paradys at wille,
Ac whan he mameled aboute mete and entermeted to knowe
Þe wisdom and þe witte of god he was put fram blisse;
And riȝt so ferde resoun bi the; þow with rude speche
Lakkedest, and losedest þinge þat longed nouȝt to be done;
Þo hadde he no lykynge forto lere þe more.
Pruide now and presumpcioun per auenture, wole þe appele,
That clergye þi compaignye ne kepeth nouȝt to sue.
Shal neuere chalangynge ne chydynge chaste a man so sone
As shal shame, and shenden hym and shape hym to amende.
For lat a dronken daffe in a dyke falle,
Late hym ligge, loke nouȝte on hym til hym lest to ryse;
For þough resoun rebuked hym þanne [reccheth [he] neuere,
Of clergie ne of his conseil he counteth nouȝt a rusche;

191

[To blame] or for to bete hym þanne] it were but pure synne.
Ac whan nede nymeth hym vp for doute lest he sterue,
And shame shrapeth his clothes & his shynes wassheth,
Þanne wote þe dronken daffe wherfore he is to blame.”
“Ȝe seggen soth,” quod I “ich haue yseyne it ofte,
Þere [smit] no þinge so smerte ne smelleth so soure,
As shame, þere he sheweth him for euery man hym shonyeth;
Why ȝe wisse me þus,” quod I “was for I rebuked resoun.”
“Certes,” quod he, “þat is soth” and shope hym for to walken;
And I aros vp riȝt with þat and folwed hym after,
And preyed hym of his curteisye to telle me his name.

192

PASSUS XII (DO-WEL IV). Passus duodecimus.

I am ymagynatyf,” quod he “Idel was I neuere,
Þouȝe I sitte bi my-self in sikenesse ne in helthe.
I haue folwed þe in feithe þis fyue and fourty wyntre,
And many tymes haue moeued þe to þinke on þine ende,
And how fele fernȝeres are faren and so fewe to come,
And of þi wylde wantounesse þo þow ȝonge were,
To amende it in þi myddel age lest miȝte þe faylled
In þyne olde elde þat yuel can suffre
Pouerte or penaunce or preyeres bidde;

Si non in prima vigilia, nec in secunda, &c.

Amende þe while þow myȝte þow hast ben warned ofte
With poustees of pestilences with pouerte and with angres;
And with þise bitter baleyses god beteth his dere childeren,

Quem diligo, castigo.


193

And dauid in þe sauter seith of suche þat loueth Ihesus,

‘Virga tua & baculus tuus, ipsa me consolata sunt, &c.

Al-þough þow stryke me with þi staffe with stikke or with ȝerde,
It is but murth as for me to amende my soule.’
And þow medlest þe with makynges and myȝtest go sey þi sauter,
And bidde for hem þat ȝiueth þe bred; for þere ar bokes ynowe
To telle men what dowel is dobet, and dobest bothe,
And prechoures to preue what it is of many a peyre freres.”
I seigh wel he sayde me soth and, somwhat me to excuse,
Seid[e], “catoun conforted his sone þat, clerke þough he were,
To solacen hym sum tyme as I do whan I make;
Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis, &c.
And of holy men I herde,” quod I “how þei otherwhile
Pleyden, þe parfiter to be in many places.
Ac if þere were any wight þat wolde me telle
What were dowel and dobet and dobest atte laste,
Wolde I neuere do werke but wende to holicherche,
And þere bydde my bedes but whan ich eet or slepe.”

194

“Poule in his pistle,” quod he “preueth what is dowel;

Fides, spes, caritas; & maior horum, &c.

Feith, hope, and charitee and alle ben good,
And sauen men sundry tymes ac none so sone as charite.
For he doth wel with-oute doute þat doth as lewte techeth;
Þat is, if þow be man maried þi make þow louye,
And lyue forth as lawe wole while ȝe lyuen bothe.
Riȝt so if þow be Religious renne þow neuere ferther
To Rome ne to Rochemadore but as þi reule techeth,
And holde þe vnder obedyence þat heigh wey is to heuene.
And if þow be mayden to marye and miȝte wel contynue,
Seke þow neuere seynt forther for no soule helthe.
For what made Lucyfer to lese þe heigh heuene,
Or salamon his sapience or sampson his strengthe?
Iob þe Iewe his ioye dere he it abouȝte,
Arestotle and other mo ypocras, & virgyle;
Alisaundre þat al wan elengelich ended.
Catel and kynde witte was combraunce to hem alle.
Felyce hir fayrnesse fel hir al to sklaundre;
And Rosamounde riȝt so reufully bysette,

195

Þe bewte of hir body in badnesse she dispended.
Of many suche I may rede of men and of wommen,
Þat wyse wordes wolde shewe and worche þe contrarye,
Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes.
And riche renkes riȝt so gaderen and sparen,
And þo men þat þei moste haten mynistren it atte laste;
And, for þei suffren & se so many nedy folkes,
And loue hem nouȝt as owre lorde byt lesen her soules;

Date & dabitur vobis, &c.

[So catel and kende wit acombreth ful many;
Wo is hym þat hem weldeth but if he hem [wel] despende;

Scientes et non facientes varijs flagellis vapulabunt;

Sapience, seith þe boke swelleth a mannes soule,

Sapiencia inflat, &c.;]

And ricchesse riȝt so but if þe Rote be trewe;
Ac grace is a grasse þer-of þo greuaunces to abate.
Ac grace ne groweth nouȝte but amonges lowe;
Pacience and pouerte þe place is þere it groweth,
And in lele lyuynge men and in lyf holy,
And þorugh þe gyfte of þe holygoste as þe gospel telleth,

196

Spiritus vbi vult spirat, &c.

Clergye and kynde witte comth of siȝte and techynge,
As þe boke bereth witnesse to buirnes þat can rede,

Quod scimus, loquimur; quod vidimus, testamur.

Of quod scimus cometh clergye and connynge of heuene,
And of quod vidimus cometh kynde witte of siȝte of dyue[r]se peple.
Ac grace is a gyfte of god and of gret loue spryngeth;
Knewe neuere clerke how it cometh forth ne kynde witte þe weyes,

Nescit aliquis vnde venit, aut quo vadit, &c.

Ac ȝit is clergye to comende and kynde witte bothe,
And namely clergye, for crystes loue þat of clergye is rote.
For Moyses witnesseth þat god wrote for to wisse þe peple,
In þe olde lawe, as þe lettre telleth þat was þe lawe of iewes,
Þat what woman were in auoutrie taken were she riche or pore,
With stones men shulde hir stryke and stone hir to deth.
A womman, as we fynden was gulty of þat dede,
Ac cryste of his curteisye þorw clergye hir saued;

197

For þorw carectus þat cryst wrot þe iewes knewe hemseluen
Gultier as afor god and gretter in synne
Þan þe woman þat þere was and wenten awey for schame.
Þe clergye þat þere was conforted þe womman.
Holykirke knoweth þis þat crystes writyng saued;
So clergye is conforte to creatures þat repenten,
And to mansed men myschief at her ende
For goddes body myȝte nouȝte be of bred, with-outen clergye,
Þe which body is bothe bote to þe riȝtful,
And deth and dampnacioun to hem þat dyeth yuel.
As crystes carecte conforted and bothe coupable shewed
Þe womman þat þe iewes brouȝte þat Ihesus þouȝte to saue;

Nolite iudicare, et non iudicabimini, &c.

Riȝt so goddes body, bretheren but it be worthily taken,
Dampneth vs atte daye of dome as þe carectes dede þe iewes.
For-þi I conseille þe for cristes sake clergye þat þow louye,
For kynde witte is of his kyn and neighe cosynes bothe
To owre lorde, leue me; for-þi loue hem, I rede;

198

For bothe ben as miroures to amenden owre defautes,
And lederes for lewed men and for lettred bothe.
For-þi lakke þow neuere logyke lawe, ne his custumes,
Ne countreplede clerkes I conseille þe for eure.
For as a man may nouȝt se þat mysseth his eyghen,
Namore can no klerke but if he cauȝt it first þorugh bokes.
Al-þough men made bokes god was þe maistre,
And seynt spirit þe saumplarye and seide what men sholde write.
And riȝt as syȝte serueth a man to se þe heighe strete,
Riȝt so ledeth letterure lewed men to resoun.
And as a blynde man in bataille bereth wepne to fiȝte,
And hath none happ with his axe his enemye to hitte,
Namore kan a kynde witted man but clerkes hym teche,
Come for al his kynde witte to crystendome and be saued;
Whiche is þe coffre of crystes tresore and clerkes kepe þe keyes,
To vnlouken it at her lykynge and to þe lewed peple
Ȝyue mercy for her mysdedes if men it wole aske
Buxomelich & benygneliche and bidden it of grace.
Archa dei in þe olde lawe leuites it kepten;
Hadde neuere lewed man leue to leggen honde on þat chest,

199

But he were preste or prestes sone patriarke or prophete.
[Saul, for he sacrifised sorwe hym be-tydde,
And his sones al-so for þat synne myscheued,
And many mo other men þat were on leuites,
Þat with archa dei ȝeden in reuerence and in worchippe,
And leyden honde þer-on to liften it vp and loren hir lif after.
For-þi I conseil alle creatures no clergie to dispise,
Ne sette schort be here science what so þei don hemselue.
Take we her wordes at worthe for here witnesse be trewe,
And medle we nauȝt muche with hem to meuen any wrathe,
Lest cheste chafen vs to choppe vche man other;

Nolite tangere christos meos, &c.]

For clergye is kepere vnder cryst of heuene;
Was þere neuere no knyȝte but clergye hym made.
Ac kynde witte cometh of alkynnes siȝtes,
Of bryddes and of bestes of tastes of treuthe, and of deceytes.
Lyueres to-forn vs vseden to marke
Þe selkouthes þat þei seighen her sones for to teche,
And helden it an heighe science her wittes to knowe
Ac þorugh her science sothely was neuere no soule ysaued,

200

Ne brouȝte by her bokes to blisse ne to ioye;
For alle her kynde knowynges come but of dyuerse sightes.
Patriarkes and prophetes repreued her science,
And seiden, her wordes ne her wisdomes [was] but a folye;
As to þe clergye of cryst counted it but a trufle;

Sapiencia huius mundi, stulticia [est] apud deum.

For þe heihe holigoste heuene shal to-cleue,
And loue shal lepe out after in-to þis lowe erthe,
And clennesse shal cacchen it and clerkes shullen it fynde;

Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem.

He speketh þere of riche men riȝt nouȝt ne of riȝt witty,
Ne of lordes þat were lewed men but of þe hexte lettred oute,

Ibant magi ab oriente, &c.

If any frere were founde þere Ich ȝif þe fyue shillynges;
Ne in none beggares cote was þat barne borne,
But in a burgeys place of bethlem þe best;

Set non erat locus [eis] in diuersorio; & pauper non habet diuersorium.

To pastours and to poetes appiered þat aungel,
And bad hem go to bethlem goddis burth to honoure,

201

And songe a songe of solas gloria in excelsis deo!
[Riche men rutte þo and in here reste were,
Þo it schon to [þe] schepherdes a schewer of blisse.]
Clerkes knewe it wel and comen with here presentz,
And deden her homage honourablely to hym þat was almyȝty.
Why I haue tolde [þe] al þis— I toke ful gode hede
How þow contraryedest clergye with crabbed wordes,
‘How þat lewed men liȝtloker þan lettred were saued,
Þan clerkes or kynde witted men of crystene peple.’
And þow seidest soth of somme ac se in what manere:—
Take two stronge men and in themese caste hem,
And bothe naked as a nedle her none syker[er] þan other,
Þat one hath connynge and can swymmen and dyuen,
Þat other is lewed of þat laboure lerned neuere swymme;
Which trowestow of þo two in themese is in moste drede?
He þat neuere ne dyued ne nouȝt can of swymmynge,
Or þe swymmere þat is sauf bi so hym-self lyke,
Þere his felaw flet forth as þe flode lyketh,
And is in drede to drenche þat neuere dede swymme?”

202

“Þat swymme can nouȝt,” I seide “it semeth to my wittes.”
“Riȝt so,” quod þe Renke “resoun it sheweth,
Þat he þat knoweth clergye can sonner aryse
Out of synne and be sauf þough he synne ofte,
If hym lyketh and lest þan any lewed lelly.
For if þe clerke be konnynge he knoweth what is synne,
And how contricioun with-oute confessioun conforteth þe soule,
As þow seest in þe sauter in psalme one or tweyne,
How contricioun is commended for it caccheth awey synne;

Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates, & quorum tecta sunt [peccata,] &c.

And þis conforteth vch a clerke and keuereth hym fram wanhope,
In which flode þe fende fondeth a man hardest;
Þere þe lewed lith stille and loketh after lente,
And hath no contricioun ar he come to shryfte & þanne can he litel telle,
And as his lores-man leres hym bileueth & troweth;
And þat is after person or parisch prest and, parauenture, [bothe]
Vnconnynge to lere lewed men as luk bereth witnesse,

203

Dum cecus ducit cecum, [ambo in foueam cadunt.]

Wo was hym marked þat wade mote with þe lewed!
Wel may þe barne blisse þat hym to boke sette;
Þat lyuynge after letterure saued hym lyf and soule!
Dominus pars hereditatis mee is a meri verset,
Þat has take fro tybourne twenti stronge þeues;
Þere lewed theues ben lolled vp loke how þei be saued!
Þe thef þat had grace of god on gode fryday as þow speke,
Was, for he ȝelte hym creaunt to cryst on þe crosse & knewleched hym gulty,
And grace axed of god [þat to graunten it is] redy
[To hem] þat boxomeliche biddeth it and ben in wille to amenden hem.
Ac þough þat þef had heuene he hadde none heigh blisse,
As seynt Iohan and other seyntes þat asserued hadde bettere.
Riȝt as sum man ȝeue me mete and sette me amydde þe flore,
Ich haue mete more þan ynough ac nouȝt so moche worship
As þo þat seten atte syde table or with þe souereignes of þe halle,

204

But sitte as a begger bordelees bi my-self on þe grounde.
So it fareth bi þat feloun þat a gode fryday was saued;
He sit neither with seynt Iohan Symonde, ne Iude,
Ne wyth maydenes ne with martires confessoures ne wydwes,
But by hym-self as a soleyne and serued on þe erthe.
For he þat is ones a thef is euermore in daungere,
And as lawe lyketh to lyue or to deye;

De peccato propiciato, noli esse sine metu.

And forto seruen a seynt and such a thef togyderes,
It were noyther resoun ne riȝt to rewarde hem bothe aliche.
And riȝt as troianus þe trewe knyȝt tilde nouȝt depe in helle,
Þat owre lorde ne had hym liȝtlich oute so leue I þe thef be in heuene.
For he is in þe lowest of heuene if owre bileue be trewe,
And wel loselyche he lolleth þere by þe lawe of holycherche,

Quia reddit vnicuique iuxta opera sua, &c.

And why þat one thef on þe crosse creaunt hym ȝelt
Rather þan þat other thef þough þow wolde appose,
Alle þe clerkes vnder cryst ne couthe þe skil assoille;

Quare placuit, quia voluit.


205

And so I sey by þe þat sekest after þe whyes,
And aresonedest resoun a rebukyng as it were,
And of þe floures in þe fryth and of her feire hewes,
Where-of þei cacche her coloures so clere and so briȝte,
And willest of briddes and of bestes and of hire bredyng to knowe,
Why somme be alowe and somme alofte þi lykyng it were,
And of þe stones and of þe sterres þow studyest, as I leue,
How euere beste or brydde hath so breme wittes:
Clergye ne kynde witte ne knewe neuere þe cause,
Ac kynde knoweth þe cause hym-selue [and] no creature elles.
He is þe pyes patroun and putteth it in hire ere,
Þat þere þe þorne is thikkest to buylden and brede;
And kynde kenned þe pecok to cauken in swich a kynde,
And kenned Adam to knowe his pryue membres,
And tauȝte hym and Eue to hylien hem with leues.
Lewed men many tymes maistres þei apposen,
Why Adam ne hiled nouȝt firste his mouth þat eet þe apple,
Rather þan his lykam a-low lewed axen þus clerkes;
Kynde knoweth whi he dede so ac no clerke elles.

206

Ac of briddes and of bestes men by olde tyme
Ensamples token and termes as telleth þis poetes,
And þat þe fairest foule foulest engendreth,
And feblest foule of flyght is þat fleegheth or swymmeth;
And þat is þe pekok & þe pohenne proude riche men þei bitokneth,
For þe pekok, and men pursue hym may nouȝte fleighe heighe;
For þe traillyng of his taille ouertaken is he sone,
And his flesshe is foule flesshe and his feet bothe,
And vnlouelich of ledene and laith for to here.
Riȝt so þe riche if he his ricchesse kepe,
And deleth it nouȝt tyl his deth day þe taille of al sorwe.
Riȝt as þe pennes of þe pecok [peyneth] hym in his fliȝte,
So is possessioun payne of pens and of nobles
To alle hem þat it holdeth til her taille be plukked.
And þough þe riche repente þanne and birewe þe tyme,
Þat euere he gadered so grete and gaf þere-of so litel,
Þough he crye to cryst þanne with kene wille, I leue
His ledne be in owre lordes ere lyke a pyes [chiteryng].
And whan his caroigne shal come in caue to be buryed,
I leue it flaumbe ful foule þe folde al aboute,

207

And alle þe oþer þer it lyth [enuenymeþ] þorgh his attere.
By þe [po feet] is vnderstonde as I haue lerned in auynete,
Excecutoures, fals frendes þat fulfille nouȝt his wille
Þat was writen, and þei witnesse to worche riȝt as it wolde.
Þus þe poete preues þat þe pecok for his fetheres is reuerenced,
Riȝt so is þe riche bi resoun of his godis.
Þe larke, þat is a lasse foule is more louelich of ledne,
And wel awey of wenge swifter þan þe pecok,
And of flesch, by fele folde fatter and swetter.
To lowe lybbyng men þe larke is resembled;
Arestotle þe grete clerke suche tales he telleth;
Thus he lykneth in his logyk þe leste foule oute.
And where he be sauf or nouȝt sauf þe sothe wote no clergye,
Ne of sortes ne of salamon no scripture can telle.
Ac god is so good, I hope þat sitth he gaf hem wittis
To wissen vs weyes þere-with (þat wissen vs to be saued,
And þe better for her bokes) to bidden we ben holden,
Þat god for his grace gyue her soules reste;
For lettred men were lewed men ȝut ne were lore of her bokes.”

208

“Alle þise clerkes,” quod I þo “þat on cryst leuen,
Seggen in her sarmones þat noyther sarasenes ne iewes,
Ne no creature of cristes lyknesse with-outen crystendome worth saued.”
“Contra,” quod ymagynatyf þo and comsed for to loure,

And seyde, “saluabitur vix iustus in die iudicij.

Ergo saluabitur,” quod he and seyde namore latyne.
“Troianus was a trewe knyȝte and toke neuere cristendome,
And he is sauf, so seith þe boke and his soule in heuene.
For þere is fullyng of fonte and fullyng in blode shedynge,
And þorugh fuire is fullyng and þat is ferme bileue;

Aduenit ignis diuinus, non comburens, sed illuminans, &c.

Ac trewth þat trespassed neuere ne transuersed aȝeines his lawe,
But lyueth as his lawe techeth and leueth þere be no bettere,
And if þere were, he wolde amende and in suche wille deyeth,
Ne wolde neuere trewe god but treuth were allowed;
And where it worth or worth nouȝt þe bileue is grete of treuth,

209

And an hope hangyng þer-inne to haue a Mede for his treuthe.

For, Deus dicitur quasi dans vitam eternam suis, hoc est, fidelibus; et alibi: si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis, [&c.]

Þe glose graunteth vpon þat vers a gret mede to treuthe,
And witt and wisdome,” quod þat wye “was somme tyme tresore,
To kepe with a comune no katel was holde bettere,
And moche murth and manhod:”—and riȝt with þat he vanesched.

210

PASSUS XIII (DO-WEL V). Passus terciodecimus.

And I awaked þere-with witles nerehande,
And as a freke þat fre were forth gan I walke
In manere of a mendynaunt many a ȝere after,
And of þis metyng many tyme moche þouȝt I hadde.
First, how fortune me failled at my moste nede,
And how þat elde manaced me myȝt we euere meten;
And how þat freris folwed folke þat was riche,
And folke þat was pore at litel prys þei sette,
And no corps in her kirkeȝerde ne in her kyrke was buryed,
But quikke he biquethe hem auȝte or shulde helpe quyte her dettes.
And how þis coueitise ouercome clerkes and prestes,
And how þat lewed men ben ladde but owre lorde hem helpe,
Þorugh vnkonnynge curatoures to incurable peynes.

211

And how þat ymagynatyf in dremeles me tolde,
Of kynde and of his connynge and how curteise he is to bestes,
And how louynge he is to bestes on londe and on water;
Leueth he no lyf lasse ne more;
Þe creatures þat crepen of kynde ben engendred.
And sitthen how ymagynatif seyde vix iustus saluabitur,
And whan he had seyde so how sodeynelich he passed.
I lay down longe in þis þouȝte and atte laste I slepte,
And, as cryste wolde, þere come conscience to conforte me þat tyme,
And bad me come to his courte with clergye sholde I dyne.
And for conscience of clergye spake I come wel þe rather,
And þere I say a maistre what man he was I neste,
Þat lowe louted and loueliche to scripture.
Conscience knewe hym wel and welcomed hym faire;
Þei wesshen and wypeden and wenten to þe dyner.
Ac pacience in þe paleis stode in pilgrymes clothes,
And preyde mete for charite for a pore heremyte.
Conscience called hym in and curteisliche seide,

212

“Welcome, [wye!] go and wasshe þow shalt sitte sone.”
Þis maister was made sitte as for þe moste worthy,
And þanne clergye and conscience and pacience cam after.
Pacience and I were put to be macches,
And seten by owre selue at a syde-borde.
Conscience called after mete and þanne cam scripture,
And serued hem þus sone of sondry metes manye,
Of austyn, of ambrose of alle þe foure euangelistes;

Edentes & bibentes que apud eos sunt.

Ac þis maister ne his man no manere flesshe eten,
Ac þei ete mete of more coste mortrewes and potages;
Of þat men mys-wonne þei made hem wel at ese.
Ac her sauce was ouer soure & vnsauourely grounde,
In a morter, post-mortem of many bitter peyne,
But if þei synge for þo soules and wepe salt teres:

Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis, nisi pro eis lacrimas & orationes effunderitis, ea que in delicijs comeditis, in tormentis euometis.

Conscience ful curteisly þo comaunded scripture
Bifor pacience bred to brynge and me þat was his macche.
He sette a soure lof to-for vs and seyde, “agite penitenciam,”

213

And sith he drough vs drynke [diu]-perseuerans.
“As longe,” quod I, “as I lyue and lycame may dure!”
“Here is propre seruice,” quod pacience “þer fareth no prynce bettere;”
And þanne he brouȝt vs forth a mees of other mete of Miserere-mei-deus;
And he brouȝte vs of Beati-quorum of beatus-virres makynge,
Et-quorum-tecta-sunt- peccata in a disshe
Of derne shrifte, dixi and confitebor tibi!
“Brynge pacience some pitaunce” pryueliche quod conscience;
And þanne had pacience a pitaunce pro-hac-orabitad-te-omnis-sanctus-in-tempore-oportuno;
And conscience conforted vs and carped vs mery tales,

Cor contritum & humiliatum, deus, non despicies.

Pacience was proude of þat propre seruice,
And made hym muirth with his mete ac I morned euere,
For þis doctoure on þe heigh dese dranke wyn so faste;

Ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum!

He eet many sondry metes mortrewes and puddynges,
Wombe-cloutes and wylde braune & egges yfrved with grece.

214

Þanne seide I to my-self so pacience it herde,
“It is nouȝt foure dayes þat þis freke bifor þe den of poules,
Preched of penaunces þat poule þe apostle suffred,
In fame & frigore and flappes of scourges;

Ter cesus sum, & a iudeis quinquies quadragenas, &c.

Ac o worde þei ouerhuppen at ech a tyme þat þei preche,
Þat poule in his pistel to al þe peple tolde;

Periculum est in falsis fratribus.

Holywrit bit men be war I wil nouȝt write it here
On englisch, an auenture it sholde be reherced to ofte,
And greue þere-with þat good men ben ac gramarienes shul rede;

Vnusquisque a fratre se custodiat, quia, vt dicitur, periculum est in falsis fratribus.

Ac I wist neuere freke þat as a frere ȝede bifor men on englisshe
Taken it for her teme and telle it with-outen glosynge.
Þei prechen þat penaunce is profitable to þe soule,
And what myschief and malese cryst for man tholed,
Ac þis goddes gloton,” quod I “with his gret chekes,
Hath no pyte on vs pore he perforneth yuel;
Þat he precheth he preueth nouȝt” to pacience I tolde,

215

And wisshed witterly with wille ful egre,
Þat disshes a[nd] dobleres bifor þis ilke doctour,
Were [molten] led in his maw and Mahoun amyddes!
“I shal iangle to þis Iurdan with his iust wombe,
To telle me what penaunce is of which he preched rather.”—
Pacience perceyued what I thouȝt and wynked on me to be stille,
And seyde, “þow shalt se þus sone whan he may no more,
He shal haue a penaunce in his paunche and puffe at ech a worde,
And þanne shullen his guttis godele and he shal galpen after;
For now he hath dronken so depe he wil deuyne sone,
And preuen it by her pocalips and passioun of seynt Auereys,
Þat neither bacoun ne braune blan[c]mangere ne mortrewes
Is noither fisshe [ne] flesshe but fode for a penaunte.
And þanne shal he testifye of a trinitee and take his felawe to witnesse,
What he fonde in a freyel after a freres lyuynge,

216

And but if þe fyrst lyne be lesyng leue me neuere after!
And þanne is tyme to take and to appose þis doctoure
Of dowel and of dobet and if dobest be any penaunce.”—
And I sete stille, as pacience seyde and þus sone þis doctour,
As rody as a rose rubbed his chekes,
Coughed and carped and conscience hym herde,
And tolde hym of a trinite and toward vs he loked.
“What is dowel? sire doctour,” quod I “is dowel any penaunce?”
“Dowel?” quod þis doctour— and toke þe cuppe and dranke—
“Do non yuel to þine euenecrystene nouȝt by þi powere.”
“By þis day, sire doctour,” quod I “þanne be ȝe nouȝt in dowel;
For ȝe han harmed vs two in þat ȝe eten þe puddyng,
Mortrewes, and other mete and we no [morsel] hade!
And if ȝe fare so in ȝowre fermorie ferly me þinketh,
But chest be þere charite shulde be & ȝonge childern dorste pleyne!
I wolde permute my penaunce with ȝowre for I am in poynte to dowel!”

217

Þanne conscience curteisliche a contenaunce he made,
And preynte vpon pacience to preie me to be stille,
And seyde hym-self, “sire doctour and it be ȝowre wille,
What is dowel and dobet? ȝe deuynours knoweth.”
“Dowel,” quod þis doctour “do as clerkes techeth,
And dobet is he þat techeth and trauailleth to teche other,
And dobest doth hym-self so as he seith & precheth:—

Qui facit et docuerit, magnus vocabitur in regno celorum.”

“Now þow, clergye,” quod conscience “carpest what is dowel.”
“I haue seuene sones,” he seyde “seruen in a castel,
Þere þe lorde of lyf wonyeth to leren hym what is dowel;
Til I se þo seuene and my-self acorden,
I am vnhardy,” quod he “to any wyȝt to preue it.
For one pieres þe ploughman hath inpugned vs alle,
And sette alle sciences at a soppe saue loue one,
And no tixte ne taketh to meyntene his cause,
But dilige deum and domine, quis habitabit, &c.
And seith þat dowel and dobet aren two infinites,
Whiche infinites, with a feith fynden oute dobest,
Which shal saue mannes soule þus seith piers þe ploughman.”
“I can nouȝt her-on,” quod conscience “ac I knowe wel pieres;

218

He wil nouȝt aȝein holy writ speken I dar wel vndertake;
Þanne passe we ouer til piers come and preue þis in dede.
Pacience hath be in many place and perauntre cnoweth
Þat no clerke ne can as cryst bereth witnesse;

Pacientes vincunt, &c.”

“At ȝowre preyere,” quod pacyence þo “so no man displese hym;
Disce,” quod he, “doce dilige inimicos.
Disce, and dowel doce, & dobet;
Dilige, and dobest þus tauȝte me ones
A lemman þat I loued loue was hir name.
‘With wordes and with werkes,’ quod she ‘and wille of þyne herte,
Þow loue lelly þi soule al þi lyf tyme;
And so þow lere þe to louye for þe lordes loue of heuene,
Þine enemye in al wyse euene forth with þi-selue.
Cast coles on his hed and al kynde speche,
Bothe with werkes and with wordes fonde his loue to wynne;
And lay on hym þus with loue til he la[u]ghe on þe;
And but he bowe for þis betyng blynde mote he worthe!
Ac for to fare þus with þi frende foly it were,

219

For he þat loueth þe lelly lyte of þyne coueiteth.
Kynde loue coueiteth nouȝte no catel but speche,
With half a laumpe lyne in latyne ex vi transicionis.’
I bere þere-inne aboute fast ybounde dowel,
In a signe of þe saterday þat sette firste þe kalendare,
And al þe witte of þe wednesday of þe nexte wyke after;
Þe myddel of þe mone is þe miȝte of bothe.
And here-with am I welcome þere I haue it with me.”
“Vndo it, late þis doctour deme if dowel be þer-inne;
For, bi hym þat me made miȝte neuere pouerte,
Miseise, ne myschief ne man with his tonge,
Colde, ne care ne compaignye of theues,
Ne noither hete, ne haille ne non helle pouke,
Ne noither fuire ne flode ne fere of þine enemy
Tene þe eny tyme and þow take it with þe;

Caritas nichil timet.

[And eek, haue god my soule! and þow wilt it craue,
Þere nys neyther emperour ne emperesse erl, kynge, ne baroun,
Pope, ne patriarch þat puyre reson ne schal make
Þe meyster of alle þo men þoruȝ miȝt of þis redeles;
Nouȝt thoruȝ wicche-crafte, but thoruȝ wit (& þow wilt þi-selue)
Do kynge and quene and alle þe comune after
Ȝyue þe alle þat þei may ȝiue as [for þe] best ȝemere,

220

And, as þou demest, wil þei do alle here dayes after;

Pacientes vincunt, &c.”]

It is but a dido,” quod þis doctour “a dysoures tale.
Al þe witt of þis worlde and wiȝte mennes strengthe
Can nouȝt confourmen a pees bytwene þe pope and his enemys,
Ne bitwene two cristene kynges can no wiȝte pees make,
Profitable to ayther peple” and put þe table fro hym,
And toke clergye and conscience to conseille, as it were,
Þat pacience þo moste passe for pilgrimes kunne wel lye.
Ac conscience carped loude and curteislich seide,
“Frendes, fareth wel” and faire spake to clergye,
“For I wil go with þis gome if god wil ȝiue me grace,
And be pilgryme with pacience til I haue proued more.”
“What?” quod clergye to conscience “ar ȝe coueitouse nouthe
After ȝeresȝyues or ȝiftes or ȝernen to rede redeles?
I shal brynge ȝow a bible a boke of þe olde lawe,
And lere ȝow, if ȝow lyke þe leest poynte to knowe,
Þat pacience þe pilgryme perfitly knewe neuere.”
“Nay, bi cryste,” quod conscience to clergye “god þe forȝelde,
For al þat pacience me profreth proude am I litel.
Ac þe wille of þe wye and þe wille [of] folke here
Hath moeued my mode to mourne for my synnes.

221

Þe good wille of a wiȝte was neure bouȝte to þe fulle;
For þere nys no tresore þerto to a trewe wille.
Haued nouȝt Magdeleigne more for a boxe of salue,
Þan zacheus for he seide dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus?
And þe pore widwe for a peire of mytes,
Þan alle þo that offreden in-to gazafilacium?”
Þus curteislich conscience congeyde fyrst þe Frere,
And sithen softliche he seyde in clergyes ere,
“Me were leuer, by owre lorde and I lyue shulde,
Haue pacience perfitlich þan half þi pakke of bokes!”
Clergye to conscience no congeye wolde take,
But seide ful sobreliche “þow shalt se þe tyme,
Whan þow art wery for-walked wilne me to consaille.”
“Þat is soth,” seyde conscience “so me god helpe!
If pacience be owre partyng felawe and pryue with vs bothe,
There nys wo in þis worlde þat we ne shulde amende,
And confourmen Kynges to pees and al kynnes londes,
Sarasenes and surre and so forth alle þe iewes
Turne in-to þe trewe feithe and in-til one byleue.”
“Þat is soth,” quod clergye “I se what þow menest,
I shal dwelle as I do my deuore to shewen,
And conformen fauntekynes and other folke ylered,
Tyl pacience haue preued þe and parfite þe maked.”

222

Conscience þo with pacience passed pilgrymes as it were.
Þanne had pacience, as pylgrymes han in his poke vittailles,
Sobrete, and symple speche and sothfaste byleue,
To conforte hym and conscience if þey come in place
Þere vnkyndenesse and coueytise is hungrye contrees bothe.
And as þei went by þe weye of dowel þei carped;
Þei mette with a mynstral as me þo þouȝte.
Pacience apposed hym fyrste and preyed hym he sholde hem telle
To conscience, what crafte he couthe an to what contree he wolde.
“I am a mynstral,” quod þat man “my name is actiua vita:
Alle ydel ich hatye for of actyf is my name.
A wafrere, wil ȝe wite and serue many lordes,
And fewe robes I fonge or furred gounes.
Couthe I lye to do men laughe þanne lacchen I shulde
Other mantel or money amonges lordes mynstralles.
Ac for I can noither tabre ne trompe ne telle none gestes,
Farten, ne fythelen at festes, ne harpen,
Iape ne iogly ne gentlych pype,
Ne noyther sailly ne saute ne synge with þe gyterne,
I haue none gode gyftes of þise grete lordes,

223

For no bred þat I brynge forth saue a beneson on þe sonday,
Whan þe prest preyeth þe peple her pater-noster to bidde
For peres þe plowman and þat hym profite wayten.
And þat am I, actyf þat ydelnesse hatye,
For alle trewe trauaillours and tilieres of þe erthe;
Fro mychelmesse to mychelmesse I fynde hem with wafres.
Beggeres and bidderes of my bred crauen,
Faitoures and freres and folke with brode crounes.
I fynde payne for þe pope and prouendre for his palfrey,
And I hadde neuere of hym haue god my treuthe,
Noither prouendre ne parsonage ȝut of þe popis ȝifte,
Saue a pardoun with a peys of led and two pollis amydde!
Hadde iche a clerke þat couthe write I wolde caste hym a bille,
Þat he sent me vnder his seel a salue for þe pestilence,
And þat his blessyng & his bulles bocches miȝte destroye:

In nomine meo demonia [eicient], & super egros manus imponent, & bene habebunt.

And þanne wolde I be prest to [þe] peple paste for to make,
And buxome and busy aboute bred and drynke

224

For hym and for alle his fonde I þat his pardoun
Miȝte lechen a man as I bileue it shulde.
For sith he hath þe powere þat peter hym-self hadde,
He hath þe potte with þe salue sothly, as me þinketh:

Argentum & aurum non est mihi; quod autem habeo, [hoc] tibi do; in nomine domini, surge & ambula.

Ac if miȝte of miracle hym faille it is for men ben nouȝt worthy
To haue þe grace of god & no gylte of þe pope.
For may no blyssyng done vs bote but if we wil amende,
Ne mannes masse make pees amonges cristene peple,
Tyl pruyde be purelich fordo and þat þourgh payn defaute.
For ar I haue bred of mele ofte mote I swete,
And ar þe comune haue corne ynough many a colde mornynge;
So, ar my wafres ben ywrouȝt moche wo I tholye.
Alle Londoun I leue liketh wel my wafres,
And lowren whan þei lakken [hem]— it is nouȝt longe ypassed,
Þere was a carful comune whan no carte come to toune
With [bake] bred fro stretforth þo gan beggeres wepe,
And werkmen were agaste a litel þis wil be þouȝte longe.

225

In þe date of owre dryȝte in a drye apprile,
A þousande and thre hondreth tweis thretty & ten,
My wafres þere were gesen whan chichestre was Maire.”
I toke gode kepe, by cryst and conscience bothe,
Of haukyn þe actyf man and how he was y-clothed.
He hadde a cote of crystendome as holykirke bileueth,
Ac it was moled in many places with many sondri plottes,
Of pruyde here a plotte, and þere a plotte of vnboxome speche,
Of scornyng and of scoffyng and of vnskilful berynge,
As in aparaille and in porte proude amonges þe peple,
Otherwyse þan he hath with herte or syȝte shewynge;
Hym willynge þat alle men wende he were þat he is nouȝte.
For-why he bosteth and braggeth with many bolde othes,
And in-obedient to ben vndernome of any lyf lyuynge,
And so syngulere by hym-self as to syȝte of þe poeple,
Was none suche as hym-self ne none so [pope]-holy,
Y-habited as an hermyte an ordre by hym-selue,
Religioun sanz reule and resonable obedience;
Lakkyng lettred men and lewed men bothe,

226

In lykyng of lele lyf and a lyer in soule;
With Inwit and with outwitt ymagenen and studye,
As best for his body be to haue a badde name,
And entermeten hym ouer-al þer he hath nouȝt to done,
Wilnyng þat men wende his witte were þe best,
[Or for his crafty kunnynge or of clerkes þe wisest,
Or strengest on stede or styuest vnder gurdel,
And louelokest to loken on and lelest of werkes,
And non so holy as he ne of lif clennere,
Or feyrest of feytures of fourme and of schafte,
And most sotyl of songe other sleyest of hondes,
And large to lene losse þere-by to cacche;]
And if he gyueth ouȝte pore gomes telle what he deleth;
Pore of possessioun in purse and in coffre,
And as a lyon on to loke and lordeliche of speche.
Baldest of beggeres a bostour þat nouȝt hath,
In towne and in tauernes tales to telle,
And segge þinge þat he neuere seigh and for soth sweren it;
Of dedes þat he neuere dyd demen and bosten,
And of werkes þat he wel dyd witnesse and seggen—
“Lo! if ȝe leue me nouȝt or þat I lye wenen,
Axeth at hym or at hym and he ȝow can telle,
What I suffred and seighe and some tymes hadde,
And what I couth and knewe and what kynne I come of.”

227

Al he wolde þat men wiste of werkes and of wordes,
Which myȝte plese þe peple and praysen hym-seluen:

Si hominibus placerem, Christi seruus non essem; Et alibi: nemo potest duobus dominis seruire.

“Bi criste,” quod conscience þo “þi best cote, haukyn,
Hath many moles and spottes it moste ben ywasshe.”
“Ȝe, who so toke hede,” quod haukyn “byhynde and bifore,
What on bakke and what on bodyhalf & by þe two sydes,
Men sholde fynde many frounces and many foule plottes.”
And he torned hym as tyte and þanne toke I hede,
It was fouler by felefolde þan it firste semed.
It was bidropped with wratthe and wikked wille,
With enuye and yuel speche entysyng to fyȝte,
Lyinge and laughynge and leue tonge to chyde;
Al þat he wist wykked by any wiȝte, tellen it,
And blame men bihynde her bakke and bydden hem meschaunce;
And þat he wist bi wille tellen it watte,
And þat watte wiste wille wiste it after,
And made of frendes foes þorugh a false tonge,
“Or with myȝte of mouthe or þorugh mannes strengthe
Auenge me fele tymes other frete my-selue

228

Wyth-inne, as a shepster shere;”— I-shrewed men & cursed!

Cuius malediccione os plenum est, & amaritudine; sub lingua eius labor & dolor: & alibi: filij hominum, dentes eorum arma & sagitte, & lingua eorum gladius acutus:—

“Þere is no lyf þat I louye lastyng any while,
For tales þat I telle no man trusteth to me,
And whan I may nouȝt haue þe maistrye with malencolye I take,
Þat I cacche þe crompe þe cardiacle some tyme,
Or an ague in suche an angre and some tyme a feure,
Þat taketh me al a twelf-moneth tyl þat I dispyse
Lechecrafte [of] owre lorde and leue on a wicche,
And segge, þat no clerke ne can ne cryste, as I leue,
To þe souter of southwerke or of shordyche dame emme!
And segge, þat no goddes worde gaf me neuere bote,
But þorw a charme had I chaunce & my chief hele!”
I wayted wisloker and þanne was it soiled
With lykyng of lecherye as by lokyng of his eye.
For vche a mayde þat he mette he made hir a signe
Semynge to-synne-ward and some tyme he gan taste
Aboute þe mouth, or bynethe bygynneth to grope,
Tyl eytheres wille waxeth kene and to þe werke ȝeden,

229

As wel in fastyng-days & frydayes and forboden nyȝtes;
And as wel in lente as oute of lente alle tymes ylyche,
Suche werkes with hem [were] neuere oute of sesoun;
Tyl þei myȝte namore and þanne had merye tales,
And how þat lechoures louyen lauȝen an iapen,
And of her harlotrye and horedome in her elde tellen.
Thanne pacience parceyued of poyntes [of] his cote,
Was colmy þorw coueityse and v[n]kynde desyrynge;
More to good þan to god þe gome his loue caste,
And ymagyned how he it myȝte haue
With false mesures and mette and with false witnesse;
Lened for loue of þe wedde and loth to do treuthe,
And awaited þorwgh which wey to bigile,
And menged his marchaundyse and made a gode moustre;—
“Þe worste with-in was a gret witte I lete hit,
And if my neighbore had any hyne or any beste elles,
More profitable þan myne many sleightes I made,
How I myȝte haue it al my witte I caste,
And but I it had by other waye atte laste I stale it,
Or pryuiliche his purse shoke vnpiked his lokkes,
Or by nyȝt or by day aboute was ich euere,
Þorwgh gyle to gadren þe good þat ich haue.

230

Ȝif I ȝede to þe plow I pynched so narwe,
Þat a fote londe or a forwe fecchen I wolde,
Of my nexte neighbore nymen of his erthe;
And if [I] rope, ouer-reche or ȝaf hem red þat ropen,
To seise to me with her sykel þat I ne sewe neure.
And who so [borwed] of me abou[ȝ]te þe tyme,
With presentes priueliche or payed somme certeyne.
So, walde he or nouȝt wolde he wynnen I wolde;
And bothe to kyth and to kyn vnkynde of þat ich hadde.
And who so cheped my chaffare chiden I wolde,
But he profred to paye a peny or tweyne
More þan it was worth and ȝet wolde I swere,
Þat it coste me moche more swore manye othes.
In halydayes at holicherche whan ich herde masse,
Hadde [I] neuere wille, wot god witterly to biseche
Mercye for my mysdedes þat I ne morned more
For losse of gode, leue me þan for my lykames giltes
As if I had dedly synne done; I dred nouȝt þat so sore,
As when I lened and leued it lost or longe ar it were payed.
So if I kydde any kyndenesse myn euen-cristene to helpe,

231

Vpon a cruel coueityse myn herte gan hange.
And if I sent ouer see my seruauntz to Bruges,
Or in-to Pruslonde my prentys my profit to wayten,
To marchaunden with monoye and maken her eschaunges,
Miȝte neuere me conforte in þe mene tyme,
Noither messe ne matynes ne none manere siȝtes,
Ne neuere penaunce perfourned ne pater-noster seyde,
Þat my mynde ne was more on my gode, in a doute,
Þan in þe grace of god and his grete helpes:

Vbi thesaurus tuus, ibi & cor tuum.”

[Ȝet [þe] glotoun with grete othes his [garnement] hadde soyled,
And foule be-flobered it as with fals speche;
Þere no nede ne was [tok] godes name an Idel,
Swore þere-by swithe ofte and al by-swatte his cote.
And more mete ete and dronke þen kende miȝt defie—
“And kauȝte seknesse sum-tyme for my sorfetes ofte;
And þanne I dradde to deye in dedlich synne”—
Þat in-to wanhope he [worthe] and wende nauȝt to be saued,
Þe whiche is sleuthe so slow þat may no slithes helpe it,

232

Ne no mercy amenden þe man þat so deyeth.]
Which ben þe braunches þat bryngeth a man to sleuth?
[Is whanne a man] morneth nouȝte for his mysdedes ne maketh no sorwe,
Ac penaunce þat þe prest enioigneth perfourneth yuel,
Doth none almes-dede dret hym of no synne,
Lyueth aȝein þe bileue and no lawe holdeth;
Vch day is haliday with hym or an heigh ferye;
And if he auȝte wole here it is an harlotes tonge.
Whan men carpeth of cryst or of clennesse of soule,
He wexeth wroth & wil nouȝte here but wordes of myrthe.
Penaunce and pore men and þe passioun of seyntes
He hateth to here þere-of and alle þat it telleth.
Þise ben þe braunches, beth war þat bryngeth a man to wanhope!
Ȝe lordes and ladyes and legates of holicherche,
Þat fedeth foles sages flatereres and lyeres,
And han likynge to lythen hem to do ȝow to lawghe;

Ve vobis qui ridetis, &c.:

And ȝiueth hem mete and Mede and pore men refuse,
In ȝowre deth-deyinge I drede me ful sore,

233

Lest þo thre maner men to moche sorwe ȝow brynge:

Consencientes & agentes pari pena punientur.

Patriarkes & prophetes and prechoures of goddes wordes
Sauen þorw her sarmoun mannes soule fram helle;
Riȝt so flater[er]es and foles aren þe fendes disciples,
To entice men þorw her tales to synne and harlotrye.
Ac clerkes þat knowen holywryt shulde kenne lordes,
What dauid seith of suche men as þe sauter telleth:

Non habitabit in medio domus mee, qui facit superbiam & qui loquitur iniqua:

Shulde none harlote haue audience in halle ne in chambres,
Þere wise men were witnesseth goddes wordes;
Ne no mysproude man amonges lordes ben allowed.
Clerkes and kniȝtes welcometh kynges ministrales,
And for loue of þe lorde litheth hem at festes;
Muche more, me thenketh riche men schulde
Haue beggeres byfore hem þe whiche ben goddes ministrales,
As he seyth hym-self seynt Iohan bereth witnesse:

Qui vos spernit, me spernit.

For-thi I rede ȝow riche reueles whan ȝe maketh
For to solace ȝoure soules suche ministrales to haue;
Þe pore, for a fol sage syttynge at þe heyȝ table,
And a lered man, to lere þe what oure lorde suffred,
For to saue þi soule fram Sathan þin enemy,

234

And fithel þe, with-out flaterynge of gode friday þe storye;
And a blynd man for a bourdeoure or a bedrede womman,
To crie a largesse by-for oure lorde ȝoure gode loos to schewe!
Þise thre maner ministrales maketh a man to lawhe,
And, in his deth-deyinge þei don him grete conforte,
Þat bi his lyue lythed hem and loued hem to here.
Þise solaseth þe soule til hym-selue be-falle
In a wel [gode] hope, [for he wrouȝte so] amonges worthi seyntes.]
Ac flat[er]eres and foles þorw her foule wordes,
Leden þo þat louen hem to luciferes feste,
With turpiloquio, a lay of sorwe and luciferes fithele.
Thus haukyn þe actyf man hadde ysoiled his cote,
Til conscience acouped hym þere-of in a curteise manere,
Whi he ne hadde wasshen it or wyped it with a brusshe.

235

PASSUS XIV (DO-WEL VI). Passus xiiijus.

I haue but one [hool] hatere,” quod haukyn “I am þe lasse to blame
Þough it be soiled and selde clene I slepe þere-inne on niȝtes;
And also I haue an houswyf hewen and children—

Vxorem duxy, & ideo non possum venire—

Þat wolen bymolen it many tyme maugre my chekes!
It hath ben laued in lente and oute of lente bothe,
With þe sope of sykenesse þat seketh wonder depe,
And with þe losse of catel loth forto agulte
God or any gode man bi auȝte þat I wiste;
And was shryuen of þe preste þat gaue me, for my synnes,
To penaunce, pacyence and pore men to fede,
Al for coueitise of my crystenedome in clennesse to kepen it.

236

And couthe I neuere, by cryste kepen it clene an houre,
Þat I ne soiled it with syȝte or sum ydel speche,
Or þorugh werke or þorugh worde or wille of myn herte,
Þat I ne flober it foule fro morwe tyl eue.”
“And I shal kenne þe,” quod conscience “of contricioun to make,
Þat shal clawe þi cote of alkynnes filthe,

Cordis contricio, &c.:—

Dowel [shal] wasshen it and wryngen it þorw a wys confessour,

Oris confessio, &c.:—

Dobet shal beten it and bouken it as briȝte as any scarlet,
And engreynen it with good wille and goddes grace to amende þe,
And sithen sende þe to satisfaccioun for to sowen it after,

Satisfaccio dobest.

Shal neuere myste bimolen it ne moth after biten it,
Ne fende ne false man defoulen it in þi lyue;
Shal none heraude ne harpoure haue a fairere garnement
Þan haukyn þe actyf man and þow do by my techyng;
Ne no mynstral be more worth amonges pore & riche,

237

Þan Haukynnes wyf þe wafrere with his actiua vita.”
“And I shal purueye þe paste,” quod pacyence “þough no plow erie,
And floure to fede folke with as best be for þe soule,
Þough neuere greyne growed ne grape vppon vyne.
Alle þat lyueth and loketh lyflode wolde I fynde,
And þat ynough shal none faille of þinge þat hem nedeth.
We shulde nouȝt be to busy a-bouten owre lyflode,

Ne solliciti sitis, &c.: volucres celi deus pascit, &c.: pacientes vincunt, &c.”

Þanne laughed haukyn a litel and liȝtly gan swerye,
“Who so leueth ȝow, by owre lorde I leue nouȝte he be blissed!”
“No,” quod pacyence paciently and out of his poke hente
Vitailles of grete vertues for al manere bestes,
And seyde, “lo! here lyflode ynough if owre byleue be trewe!
For lente neuere was lyf but lyflode were shapen,
Wher-of or wherfore or where-by to lybbe.
Firste þe wylde worme vnder weet erthe,
Fissch to lyue in þe flode and in þe fyre þe crykat,
Þe corlue by kynde of þe eyre moste clennest flesch of bryddes,
And bestes by grasse and by greyne and by grene rotis,

238

In menynge þat alle men myȝte þe same
Lyue þorw lele byleue and loue, as god witnesseth;

Quodcumque pecieritis a patre in nomine meo, &c.: & alibi, Non in solo pane viuit homo, set in omni verbo, quod procedit de ore dei.”

But I loked what lyflode it was þat pacience so preysed,
And þanne was it a pece of þe pater-noster fiat voluntas tua.
“Haue, haukyn!” quod pacyence “and ete þis whan þe hungreth,
Or whan þow clomsest for colde or clyngest for drye.
Shal neuere gyues þe greue ne grete lordes wrath,
Prisone ne peyne for—pacientes vincunt.
Bi so þat þow be sobre of syȝte and of tonge,
In etynge and in handlynge and in alle þi fyue wittis,
Darstow neuere care for corne ne lynnen cloth ne wollen,
Ne for drynke, ne deth drede but deye as god lyketh,
Or þorw honger or þorw hete at his wille be it;
For if þow lyuest after his lore þe [shorter] lyf þe better:
Si quis amat cristum, mundum non diligit istum.
For þorw his breth bestes wexen and abrode ȝeden,

Dixit & facta sunt, &c.:

Ergo þorw his breth mowen men & bestes lyuen,

239

As holywrit witnesseth whan men segge her graces,

Aperis tu manum tuam, & imples omne animal benediccione.

It is founden þat fourty wynter folke lyued withouten tulyinge,
And oute of þe flynte spronge þe flode þat folke & bestes dronke,
And in Elyes tyme heuene was yclosed,
Þat no reyne ne rone; þus rede men in bokes,
Þat many wyntres men lyueden and no mete ne tulyeden.
Seuene slepe, as seith þe boke seuene hundreth wynter,
And lyueden with-oute lyflode and atte laste þei woken,
And if men lyued as mesure wolde shulde neuere more be defaute
Amonges cristene creatures if crystes wordes ben trewe.
Ac vnkyndnesse [caristia] maketh amonges crystene peple,
And ouer-plente maketh pruyde amonges pore & riche;
Ac mesure is so moche worth it may nouȝte be to dere,
For þe meschief and þe meschaunce amonges men of sodome,
Wex þorw plente of payn & of pure sleuthe;

Ociositas & habundancia panis peccatum turpissimum nutriuit.


240

For þei mesured nouȝt hem-self of þat þei ete and dronke,
Diden dedly synne þat þe deuel lyked,
So vengeaunce fel vpon hem for her vyle synnes;
Þei sonken in-to helle þo citees vchone.
For-þi mesure we vs wel and make owre faithe owre scheltroun,
And þorw faith cometh contricioun conscience wote wel,
Whiche dryueth awey dedly synne and doth it to be venial.
And þough a man myȝte nouȝte speke contricioun myȝte hym saue,
And brynge his soule to blisse by so þat feith bere witnesse,
Þat, whiles he lyued, he bileued in þe lore of holycherche;
Ergo contricioun, feith, and conscience is kyndelich dowel,
And surgienes for dedly synnes whan shrifte of mouth failleth.
Ac shrifte of mouth more worthy is if man be i[n]liche contrit;
For shrifte of mouth sleeth synne be it neuere so dedly;
Per confessionem to a prest peccata occiduntur,
Þere contricioun doth but dryueth it doun in-to a venial synne,
As dauid seith in þe sauter et quorum tecta sunt peccata.

241

Ac satisfaccioun seketh oute þe rote and bothe sleeth and voideth,
And, as it neuere had ybe to nouȝt bryngeth dedly synne,
Þat it neuere eft is seen, ne sore but semeth a wounde yheled.”
“Where woneth charite?” quod haukyn “I wiste neuere in my lyue
Man þat with hym spake as wyde as I haue passed!”
“Þere parfit treuthe and pouere herte is and pacience of tonge,
Þere is charitee, þe chief chaumbrere for god hymselue!”
“Whether paciente pouerte,” quod haukyn “be more plesaunte to owre driȝte
Þan ricchesse riȝtfulliche ywonne and resonablelich yspended?”
“Ȝe, quis est ille?” quod pacience “quik laudabimus eum.
Þough men rede of richchesse riȝt to þe worldes ende,
I wist neuere renke þat riche was þat whan he rekne sholde,
Whan it drow to his deth-day þat he ne dred hym sore,
And þat atte rekenyng in arrerage fel rather þan oute of dette.

242

There þe pore dar plede and preue by pure resoun,
To haue allowaunce of his lorde by þe lawe he it cleymeth,
Ioye þat neuere ioye hadde of riȝtful iugge he axeth,
And seith, ‘lo! briddes and bestes þat no blisse ne knoweth,
And wilde wormes in wodes þorw wyntres þow hem greues,
And makest hem welnyegh meke and mylde for defaute,
And after þow sendest hem somer þat is her souereigne Ioye,
And blisse to alle þat ben bothe wilde and tame.
Þanne may beggeres, as bestes after bote waiten,
Þat al her lyf han lyued in langour and in defaute.
But god sent hem some tyme some manere ioye,
Other here or elles where kynde wolde it neuere;
For to wrotherhele was he wrouȝte þat neuere was ioye shaped.
Angeles þat in helle now ben hadden ioye some tyme,
And diues in deyntees lyued and in douce vye;
Riȝte so resoun sheweth þat þo men þat were riche,
And her makes also lyued her lyf in murthe.
Ac god is of a wonder wille by þat kynde witte sheweth,
To ȝiue many men his mercymonye ar he it haue deserued.
Riȝt so fareth god by some riche reuthe me it þinketh,

243

For þei han her hyre here an heuene as it were,
And is gret lykyng to lyue with-oute laboure of body;
And whan he deyeth, ben disalowed as dauid seith in þe sauter,

Dormierunt, & nichil inuenerunt;

And in an other stede also velud sompnum surgencium, domine, in ciuitate tua, & ad nichilum rediges.
Allas! þat ricchesse shal reue and robbe mannes soule
Fram þe loue of owre lorde at his laste ende!
Hewen þat han her hyre afore aren euermore nedy,
And selden deieth he out of dette þat dyneth ar he deserue it,
And til he haue done his deuor and his dayes iourne.
For whan a werkman hath wrouȝte þanne may men se þe sothe,
What he were worthi for his werke and what he hath deserued;
And nouȝt to fonge bifore for drede of disalowynge.
So I segge by ȝow riche it semeth nouȝt þat ȝe shulle
Haue heuene in ȝowre here-beyng and heuene her-after;
Riȝt as a seruaunt taketh his salarye bifore & sitth wolde clayme more,
As he þat none hadde and hath huyre atte laste.
It may nouȝt be, ȝe riche men or matheu on god lyeth;

De delicijs ad delicias, [difficile] est transire.

Ac if [ye] riche haue reuthe and rewarde wel þe pore,

244

And lyuen as lawe techeth done leute to alle,
Criste of his curteysie shal conforte ȝow atte laste,
And rewarde alle dowble ricchesse þat reuful hertes habbeth.
And as an hyne þat hadde his hyre ar he bygonne,
And whan he hath done his deuor wel men doth hym other bounte,
Ȝyueth hym a cote aboue his couenaunte riȝte so cryst ȝiueth heuene
Bothe to riche and to nouȝte riche þat rewfullich lybbeth;
And alle þat done her deuor wel han dowble hyre for her trauaille,
Here forȝyuenesse of her synnes and heuene blisse after.
Ac it nys but selde yseyn as by holy seyntes bokes,
Þat god rewarded double reste to any riche wye.
For moche murthe is amonges riche as in mete and clothynge,
And moche murthe in Maye is amonges wilde bestes,
And so forth whil somer lasteth her solace dureth.
Ac beggeres aboute Midsomer bredlees þei soupe,
And ȝit is wynter for hem worse for wete-shodde þei gange,
A-fyrst sore and afyngred and foule yrebuked,
And arated of riche men þat reuthe is to here.

245

Now, lorde, sende hem somer and some manere ioye,
Heuene after her hennes goynge þat here han suche defaute!
For alle myȝtest þow haue made none mener þan other,
And yliche witty & wyse if þe wel hadde lyked.
And haue reuthe on þise riche men þat rewarde nouȝte þi prisoneres;
Of þe good þat þow hem gyuest ingrati ben manye;
Ac, god, of þi goodnesse gyue hem grace to amende.
For may no derth ben hem dere drouth, ne weet,
Ne noyther hete ne haille haue þei here hele,
Of þat þei wilne and wolde wanteth hem nouȝt here.
Ac pore peple, þi prisoneres lorde, in þe put of myschief,
Conforte þo creatures þat moche care suffren
Þorw derth, þorw drouth alle her dayes here,
Wo in wynter tymes for wantyng of clothes,
And in somer tyme selde soupen to þe fulle;
Conforte þi careful cryst, in þi ryche,
For how þow confortest alle creatures clerkes bereth witnesse,

Conuertimini ad me, & salui eritis:

Þus, in genere of his [gentrice] Ihesu cryst seyde,
To robberes and to reueres to riche and to pore.
Þow tauȝtest hem in þe Trinitee to take baptesme,
And be clene þorw þat crystennynge of alle kynnes [synnes];

246

And [if] vs fel þorw folye to falle in synne after,
Confessioun, and [knowlechyng] & crauyng þi mercy
Shulde amende vs as many sithes as man wolde desire.
Ac if þe [pouke] wolde plede here-aȝeine and punyssh vs in conscience,
He shulde take þe acquitance as quik and to þe qued schewe it,

Pateat, &c., per passionem domini,

And putten of so þe pouke and preuen vs vnder borwe.
Ac þe perchemyn of þis patent of pouerte be moste,
And of pure pacience and parfit bileue.
Of pompe and of pruyde þe parchemyn decorreth,
And principaliche of alle peple but þei be pore of herte.
Ellis is al an ydel al þat euere we writen,
Pater-nostres and penaunce and pilgrimage to Rome.
But owre spences and spendynge sprynge of a trewe [wille],
Elles is al owre laboure loste; lo! how men writeth
In fenestres atte freres if fals be þe foundement;
For-þi crystene sholde ben in comune riche none coueitouse for hym-selue.
For seuene synnes þat þere ben assaillen vs euere,
Þe fende folweth hem alle and fondeth hem to helpe,
Ac wiþ ricchesse þat Ribaude rathest men bigyleth.

247

For þere þat richesse regneth reuerence folweth,
And þat is plesaunte to pryde in pore and in riche.
And þe riche is reuerenced by resoun of his richchesse,
Þere þe pore is put bihynde and par auenture can more
Of witte and of wysdom þat fer awey is better
Þan ricchesse or reaute and rather yherde in heuene.
For þe riche hath moche to rekene and riȝte softe walketh,
Þe heigh waye to-heuene-ward oft ricchesse letteth,

Ita [in]possibile diuiti, &c.,

Þere þe pore preseth bifor þe riche with a pakke at his rugge,

Opera enim illorum sequ[u]ntur illos.

Batauntliche as beggeres done and baldeliche he craueth,
For his pouerte and his pacience a perpetuel blisse;

Beati pauperes, quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum.

And pryde in ricchesse regneth rather þan in pouerte,
Arst in þe Maister þan in þe man some mansioun he hath.
Ac in pouerte þere pacyence is pryde hath no myȝte,
Ne none of þe seuene synnes sitten ne mowe þere longe,
Ne haue powere in pouerte if pacyence it folwe.
For þe pore is ay prest to plese þe riche,
And buxome at his byddyng for his broke loues;

248

And buxomenesse and boste aren euer-more at werre,
And ayther hateth other in alle manere werkes.
If wratthe wrastel with þe pore he hath þe worse ende;
For if þey bothe pleyne þe pore is but fieble,
And if he chyde or chatre hym chieueth þe worse;
[For loulich he loketh and loueliche is his speche,
Þat mete or mone of other men mote asken.
And if glotonie greue pouerte he gadereth þe lasse,
For his rentes ne wol nauȝte reche no riche metes to bugge;
And þouȝ his glotonye be to gode ale he goth to cold beddynge,
And his heued vn-heled vn-esiliche I-wrye;
For whan he streyneth hym to streche þe strawe is his schetes;
So for his glotonie and his grete scleuthe he hath a greuous penaunce,
Þat is welawo whan he waketh and wepeth for colde,
And sum tyme for his synnes so he is neuere murie,
Withoute mornynge amonge and mischief to bote.]
And if coueitise wolde cacche þe pore þei may nouȝt come togideres,
And by þe nekke namely her none may hente other.
For men knoweth wel þat coueitise is of a kene wille,
And hath hondes and armes of a longe lengthe,
And pouerte nis but a petit þinge appereth nouȝt to his naule,
And louely layke was it neuere bitwene þe longe and þe shorte.

249

And þough auarice wolde angre þe pore he hath but litel myȝte,
For pouerte hath but pokes to putten in his godis,
Þere auarice hath almaries and yren-bounde coffres;
And whether be liȝter to breke? lasse boste it maketh,
A beggeres bagge þan an yren-bounde coffre!
Lecherye loueth hym nouȝt for he ȝeueth but lytel syluer,
Ne doth hym nouȝte dyne delycatly ne drynke wyn oft.
A strawe for þe stuwes! it stode nouȝt, I trowe,
Had þei [no þyng] but of pore men her houses were vntyled!
And þough sleuthe suwe pouerte and serue nouȝt god to paye,
Mischief is his maister and maketh hym to thynke,
Þat god is his grettest helpe and no gome elles,
And his seruaunt, as he seith and of his sute bothe.
And where he be or be nouȝte he bereth þe signe of pouerte,
And in þat secte owre saueoure saued al mankynde.
For-thi al pore þat paciente is may claymen and asken
After her endynge here heuene-riche blisse.
Moche hardier may he axen þat here myȝte haue his wille
In londe and in lordship and likynge of bodye,
And for goddis loue leueth al an lyueth as a beggere;

250

And as a mayde for mannes loue her moder forsaketh,
Hir fader and alle her frendes and folweth hir make,
Moche is suche a mayde to louie of hym þat such one taketh,
More þan a mayden is þat is maried þorw brokage,
As bi assent of sondry partyes and syluer to bote,
More for coueitise of good þan kynde loue of bothe;—
So it fareth bi eche a persone þat possessioun forsaketh,
And put hym to be pacient and pouerte weddeth,
Þe which is sybbe to god hym-self and so to his seyntes.”
“Haue god my trouthe,” quod Haukyn “ȝe preyse faste pouerte;
What is pouerte with pacience,” quod he “proprely to mene?”
“Paupertas,” quod pacience “est odibile bonum,

Remocio curarum, possessio sine calumpnia, donum dei, sanitatis mater; Absque solicitudine semita, sapiencie temperatrix, negocium sine dampno; Incerta fortuna, absque solicitudine felicitas.”

“I can nouȝt construe al þis,” quod Haukyn “ȝe moste kenne [me] þis on englisch.”
“In englisch,” quod pacyence, “it is wel harde wel to expounen;
Ac somdel I shal seyne it by so þow vnderstonde.

251

Pouerte is þe first poynte þat pryde moste hateth,
Thanne is it good by good skil al þat agasteth pryde.
Riȝte as contricioun is confortable þinge conscience wote wel,
And a sorwe of hym-self and a solace to þe sowle,
So pouerte propreliche penaunce, and ioye,
Is to þe body pure spiritual helthe,

Ergo paupertas est odibile bonum,

And contricioun confort & cura animarum.
Selde [sit] pouerte þe sothe to declare,
Or as iustyce to iugge men enioigned is no pore,
Ne to be a Maire aboue men ne mynystre vnder kynges;
Selden is any pore yput to punysshen any peple;

Remocio curarum.

Ergo pouerte and pore men perfornen þe comaundement,

Nolite iudicare quemquam. Þe þridde:—

Selde is any pore riche but of riȝtful heritage;
Wynneth he nauȝt with weghtes fals ne with vnseled mesures,
Ne borweth of his neghbores but þat he may wel paye,

Possessio sine calumpnia.

Þe fierthe is a fortune þat florissheth þe soule
Wyth sobrete fram al synne and also ȝit more;
It affaiteth þe flesshe fram folyes ful manye,
A collateral conforte crystes owne ȝifte,

252

Donum dei.

Þe fyfte is moder of helthe a frende in alle fondynges,
And for þe land euere a leche a lemman of al clennesse,

Sanitatis mater.

Þe sexte is a path of pees ȝe, þorw þe pas of altoun
Pouerte myȝte passe with-oute peril of robbynge,
For þere þat pouerte passeth pees folweth after,
And euere þe lasse þat he bereth þe hardyer he is of herte;
For-þi seith seneca paupertas est absque solicitudine semita,
And an hardy man of herte amonge an hepe of þeues;

Cantabit [pauper] coram latrone viator.

Þe seueneth is welle of wisdome and fewe wordes sheweth,
For lordes alloweth hym litel or lysteneth to his reson,
He tempreth þe tonge to-treuthe-ward and no tresore coueiteth;

Sapiencie temperatrix.

The eigteth is a lele laborere and loth to take more
Þan he may wel deserue in somer or in wynter,
And if [he] chaffareth, he chargeth no losse mowe he charite wynne;

Negocium sine dampno.

The nyneth is swete to þe soule no sugre is swettere;
For pacyence is payn for pouerte hym-selue,
And sobrete swete drynke and good leche in sykenesse,

253

Þus lered me a lettred man for owre lordes loue,
Seynt austyn, a blissed lyf with-outen bysynesse,
For body and for soule absque solicitudine felicitas.
Now god, þat al good gyueth graunt his soule reste,
Þat þus fyrst wrote to wyssen men what pouerte was to mene!”
“Allas!” quod haukyn þe actyf man þo “þat, after my crystendome,
I ne hadde ben ded and doluen for doweles sake!
So harde it is,” quod haukyn “to lyue and to do synne.
Synne suweth vs euere,” quod he and sori gan wexe,
And wepte water with his eyghen and weyled þe tyme,
Þat euere he dede dede þat dere god displesed;
Swowed and sobbed and syked ful ofte,
Þat euere he hadde londe or lordship lasse other more,
Or maystrye ouer any man mo þan of hym-self.
“I were nouȝt worthy, wote god,” quod haukyn “to were any clothes,
Ne noyther sherte ne shone saue for shame one,
To keure my caroigne,” quod he and cryde mercye faste,
And wepte and weyled and þere-with I awaked.

254

PASSUS XV (PROLOGUE TO DO-BET). Passus xvus: finit dowel, & incipit dobet.

Ac after my wakyng it was wonder longe,
Ar I couth kyndely knowe what was dowel.
And so my witte wex and wanyed til I a fole were,
And somme lakked my lyf allowed it fewe,
And leten [me] for a lorel and loth to reuerencen
Lordes or ladyes or any lyf elles,
As persones in pellure with pendauntes of syluer;
To seriauntz ne to suche seyde nouȝte ones,
‘God loke ȝow, lordes!’ ne louted faire;
Þat folke helden me a fole and in þat folye I raued,
Tyl resoun hadde reuthe on me and rokked me aslepe,
Tyl I seigh, as it sorcerye were a sotyl þinge with-al,
One with-outen tonge and teeth tolde me whyder I shulde,
And wher-of I cam and of what kynde; I conjured hym atte laste,

255

If he were crystes creature for crystes loue me to tellen.
“I am crystes creature,” quod he “and crystene in many a place,
In crystes courte I-knowe wel and of his kynne a partye.
Is noyther peter þe porter ne poule with his fauchoune,
Þa[t] wil defende me þe dore dynge ich neure so late.
At mydnyȝt, at mydday my voice so is yknowe,
Þat eche a creature of his courte welcometh me fayre.”
“What ar ȝe called,” quod I, “in þat courte amonges crystes peple?”
“Þe whiles I quykke þe corps,” quod he “called am I anima;
And whan I wilne and wolde animus ich hatte;
And for þat I can and knowe called am I mens;
And whan I make mone to god memoria is my name;
And whan I deme domes and do as treuthe techeth,
Þanne is racio my riȝt name resoun an englisshe;
And whan I fele þat folke telleth my firste name is sensus,
And þat is wytte and wisdome þe welle of alle craftes;
And whan I chalange or chalange nouȝte chepe or refuse,
Þanne am I conscience ycalde goddis clerke and his notarie;

256

And whan I loue lelly owre lorde and alle other,
Þanne is lele loue my name and in latyn amor;
And whan I flye fro þe flesshe and forsake þe caroigne,
Þanne am I spirit specheles and spiritus þanne ich hatte.
Austyn and ysodorus ayther of hem bothe
Nempned me þus to name; now þow myȝte chese,
How þow coueitest to calle me now þow knowest alle my names.

Anima pro diuersis actionibus diuersa nomina sortitur: dum viuificat corpus, anima est; dum vult, animus est; dum scit, mens est; dum recolit, memoria est. Dum iudicat, racio est; dum sentit, sensus est; dum amat, amor est; dum negat vel consentit, consciencia est; dum spirat, spiritus est.”

“Ȝe ben as a bisshop,” quod I al bourdynge þat tyme,
“For bisshopes yblessed þei bereth many names,
Presul and pontifex and metropolitanus,
And other names an hepe episcopus & pastor.”
“Þat is soth,” seyde he “now I se þi wille!
Þow woldest knowe and kunne þe cause of alle her names,
And of myne, if þow myȝtest me þinketh by þi speche!”
“Ȝe, syre,” I seyde “by so no man were greued.
Alle þe sciences vnder sonne and alle þe sotyle craftes

257

I wolde I knewe and couth kyndely in myne herte!”
“Þanne artow inparfit,” quod he “and one of prydes knyȝtes;
For such a luste and lykynge lucifer fel fram heuene:

Ponam pedem meum in aquilone, & similis ero altissimo.

It were aȝeynes kynde,” quod he “and alkynnes resoun,
Þat any creature shulde kunne al excepte cryste one.
Aȝein such salomon speketh and dispiseth her wittes,
And seith, sicut qui mel comedit multum, non est ei bonum: Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis, opprimitur a gloria.
To englisch men þis is to mene þat mowen speke & here,
Þe man þat moche hony eteth his mawe it engleymeth;
And þe more þat a man of good mater hereth,
But he do þer-after it doth hym double scathe:
Beatus est, seith seynt Bernard qui scripturas legit,
Et verba vertit in opera fullich to his powere.
Coueytise to kunne and to knowe science
Pulte out of paradys Adam and Eue,

Sciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis [gloria] spoliauit.

And riȝte as hony is yuel to defye and engleymeth þe mawe,
Riȝt so þat þorw resoun wolde þe rote knowe

258

Of god and of his grete myȝtes his graces it letteth.
For in þe lykyng lith a pryde and a lycames coueitise,
Aȝein crystes conseille and alle clerkes techyng,

That is, non plus sapere quam oportet sapere.

Freres and fele other maistres þat to þe lewed men prechen,
Ȝe moeuen materes inmesurables to tellen of þe Trinite,
Þat ofte tymes þe lewed peple of hir bileue douten.
Bettere byleue were mony doctoures such techyng,
And tellen men of þe ten comaundementz and touchen þe seuene synnes,
And of þe braunches þat burgeouneth of hem and bryngeth men to helle,
And how þat folke in folyes myspenden her fyue wittes,
As wel freres as other folke folilich spenen
In housyng, in haterynge and in-to hiegh clergye shewynge,
More for pompe þan for pure charite þe poeple wote þe sothe
Þat I lye nouȝt, loo! for lordes ȝe plesen,
And reuerencen þe riche þe rather for her syluer;

Confundantur omnes qui adorant scul[p]tilia; & alibi:


259

Vt quid diligitis vanitatem, & queritis mendacium?

Go to þe glose of þe verse ȝe grete clerkes;
If I lye on ȝow to my lewed witte ledeth me to brennynge!
For as it semeth, ȝe forsaketh no mannes almesse,
Of vsureres, of hores of auarous chapmen,
And louten to þis lordes þat mowen lene ȝow nobles,
Aȝeine ȝowre reule and Religioun I take recorde at Ihesus,
Þat seide to his disciples ne sitis personarum acceptores.
Of þis matere I myȝte make a longe bible,
Ac of curatoures of crystene peple as clerkes bereth witnesse,
I shal tellen it for treuth sake take hede who so lyketh!
As holynesse and [honeste] oute of holicherche spredeth
Þorw lele libbyng men þat goddes lawe techen,
Riȝt so out of holicherche alle yueles spredeth,
There inparfyt presthod is prechoures and techeres.
And se it by ensample in somer tyme on trowes,
Þere somme bowes ben leued and somme bereth none;
Þere is a myschief in þe more of suche manere bowes.
Riȝt so persones and prestes and prechoures of holy cherche,
Þat aren rote of þe riȝte faith to reule þe peple;
Ac þere þe rote is roten reson wote þe sothe,

260

Shal neure floure ne frute ne faire leef be grene.
For-þi, wolde ȝe lettred leue þe leccherye of clothynge,
And be kynde, as bifel for clerkes and curteise of crystes goodes,
Trewe of ȝowre tonge and of ȝowre taille bothe,
And hatien to here harlotrye and nouȝt to vnderfonge
Tythes of vntrewe þinge ytilied or chaffared,
Lothe were lewed men but þei ȝowre lore folwed,
And amenden hem þat mysdon more for ȝowre ensamples,
Þan forto prechen & preue it nouȝt ypocrysie it semeth.
For ypocrysie in latyn is lykned to a dongehul,
Þat were bysnewed with snowe and snakes wyth-inne;
Or to a wal þat were whitlymed and were foule wyth-inne.
Riȝt so many prestes prechoures and prelates,
Ȝe aren enblaunched with bele paroles and with clothes also,
Ac ȝowre werkes and ȝowre wordes þere-vnder aren ful vnlouelich.
Iohannes crysostomus of clerkes speketh and prestes,

Sicut de templo omne bonum progreditur, sic de templo omne malum procedit.


261

Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit, tota floret ecclesia; si autem coruptum fuerit, omnium fides marcida est. Si sacerdocium fuerit in peccatis, totus populus co[n]uertitur ad peccandum. Sicut cum videris arborem pallidam & marcidam, inteligis quod vicium habet in radice, Ita cum videris populum indisciplinatum & irreligiosum, sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanum.

If lewed men wist what þis latyn meneth,
And who was myn auctor moche wonder me þinketh,
But if many a prest bere for here baselardes and here broches,
A peyre bedes in her hande and a boke vnder her arme.
Sire Iohan & sire Geffray hath a gerdel of syluer,
A basellarde, or a ballokknyf with botones ouergylte.
Ac a portous þat shulde be his plow placebo to segge,
Hadde he neure seruyse to saue syluer þer-to seith it with yvel wille!
Allas! ȝe lewed men moche lese ȝe on prestes,
Ac þinge þat wykkedlich is wonne and with false sleigthes,
Wolde neuere witte of witty god but wikked men it hadde;

262

Þe which aren prestes inparfit and prechoures after syluer,
Sectoures and sudenes somnoures and her lemmannes.
Þis þat with gyle was geten vngraciouslich is spended;
So harlotes and hores ar hulpen with such goodis,
And goddes folke for defaute þer-of forfaren and spillen.
Curatoures of holykirke as clerkes þat ben auerouse,
Liȝtlich þat þey leuen loselles it habbeth,
Or dyeth intestate and þanne þe bisshop entreth,
And maketh murthe þere-with and his men bothe,
And seggen, ‘he was a nygarde þat no good myȝte [aspare]
To frende ne to fremmed þe fende haue his soule!
For a wrecched hous he helde al his lyf tyme;
And þat he spared and bispered spene we in murthe.’
By lered, by lewed þat loth is to spende,
Þus gone her godes be þe goste faren.
Ac for good men, god wote gret dole men maken,
And bymeneth good mete-ȝyueres and in mynde haueth,
In prayers and in penaunces and in parfyt charite.”
“What is charite?” quod I þo “a childissh þinge,” he seide;

263

“Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli, non intrabitis in regnum celorum;

With-outen fauntelte or foly a fre liberal wille.”
“Where shulde men fynde such a frende with so fre an herte?
I haue lyued in londe,” quod I “my name is longe wille,
And fonde I neuere ful charite bifore ne bihynde!
Men beth mercyable to mendynantz & to pore,
And wolen lene þere þei leue lelly to ben payed.
Ac charite þat poule preyseth best and most plesaunte to owre saueoure,

As non [inflatur,] non [est] ambiciosa, non querit que sua sunt,

I seigh neuere such a man so me god helpe,
That he ne wolde aske after his and otherwhile coueyte
Þinge þat neded hym nouȝt and nyme it if he myȝte!
Clerkis kenne me þat cryst is in alle places;
Ac I seygh hym neuere sothly but as my-self in a miroure,

It[a] in enigmate, tunc facie ad faciem.

And so I trowe trewly by þat men telleth of charite,
It is nouȝt championes fyȝte ne chaffare, as I trowe.”
“Charite,” quod he, “ne chaffareth nouȝte ne chalengeth, ne craueth.
As proude of a peny as of a pounde of golde,

264

And is as gladde of a goune of a graye russet
As of a tunicle of tarse or of trye scarlet.
He is gladde with alle gladde and good ty[l] alle wykked,
And leueth and loueth alle þat owre lorde made.
Curseth he no creature ne he can bere no wratthe,
Ne no lykynge hath to lye ne laughe men to scorne.
Al þat men seith, he let it soth and in solace taketh,
And alle manere meschiefs in myldenesse he suffreth;
Coueiteth he none erthly good but heuene-riche blisse.”
“Hath he any rentes or ricchesse or any riche frendes?”
“Of rentes ne of ricchesse ne reccheth he neuere.
For a frende þat fyndeth hym failled hym neuere at nede;
Fiat-voluntas-tua fynt hym euer more.
And if he soupeth, ette but a soppe of spera-in-deo.
He can purtreye wel þe pater-noster and peynte it with aues,
And other-while is his wone to wende in pilgrymage,
Þere pore men and prisones liggeth her pardoun to haue.
Þough he bere hem no bred he bereth hem swetter lyflode,
Loueth hem as owre lorde biddeth and loketh how þei fare.

265

And whan he is wery of þat werke þanne wil he some tyme
Labory in a lauendrye wel þe lengthe of a myle,
And ȝerne in-to ȝouthe and ȝepliche speke
Pryde with al þe appurtenaunce and pakken hem togyderes,
And bouken hem at his brest and beten hem clene,
And leggen on longe with laboraui in gemitu meo,
And with warme water at his eyghen wasshen hem after.
And þanne he syngeth whan he doth so & some tyme seith wepyng,

Cor contritum & humiliatum, deus, non despicies.”

“By cryst, I wolde þat I knewe hym,” quod I “no creature leuere!”
“With-outen helpe of Piers plowman,” quod he “his persone seestow neuere.”
“Where clerkes knowen hym,” quod I “þat kepen holykirke?”
“Clerkes haue no knowyng,” quod he “but by werkes and bi wordes.
Ac piers þe plowman parceyueth more depper
What is þe wille and wherfore þat many wyȝte suffreth,

Et vidit deus cogitaciones eorum.

For þere ar ful proude-herted men paciente of tonge,

266

And boxome as of berynge to burgeys and to lordes,
And to pore peple han peper in þe nose,
And as a lyoun he loketh þere men lakketh his werkes.
For þere ar beggeres and bidderes bed[e]men as it were,
Loketh as lambren and semen lyf-holy,
Ac it is more to haue her mete with such an esy manere,
Þan for penaunce and parfitnesse þe pouerte þat such taketh.
Þere-fore by coloure ne by clergye knowe shaltow hym neuere,
Noyther þorw wordes ne werkes but þorw wille one.
And þat knoweth no clerke ne creature in erthe,
But piers þe plowman petrus, id est, christus.
For he ne is nouȝte in lolleres ne in lande-leperes hermytes,
Ne at ancres, þere a box hangeth alle suche þei faiten.
Fy on faitoures and in fautores suos!
For charyte is goddis champioun and as A good chylde hende,
And þe meryest of mouth at mete where he sitteth.
Þe loue þat lith in his herte maketh hym lyȝte of speche,
And is [companable] and confortatyf as cryst bit hymselue,

267

Nolite fieri sicut ypocrite, tristes, &c.

For I haue seyn hym in sylke and somme tyme in russet,
Bothe in grey and in grys and in gulte herneys,
And as gladlich he it gaf to gomes þat it neded.
Edmonde and Edwarde eyther were kynges,
And seyntes ysette tyl charite hem folwed.
I haue seyne charite also syngen and reden,
Ryden and rennen in ragged wedes,
Ac biddyng as beggeres bihelde I hym neuere.
Ac in riche robes rathest he walketh,
Ycalled and ycrimiled and his crowne shaue,
[And clenlich ycloþed in cipres & in tartaryne.]
And in a freres frokke he was yfounde ones,
Ac it is ferre agoo in seynt Fraunceys tyme;
In þat secte sitthe to selde hath he be knowen.
Riche men he recomendeth and of her robes taketh,
Þat with-outen wyles leden her lyues,

Beatus est diues, qui, &c.

In kynges courte he cometh ofte þere þe conseille is trewe,
Ac if coueityse be of þe conseille he wil nouȝt come þer-inne.
In courte amonge iaperes he cometh but selde,

268

For braulyng and bakbytyng and beryng of fals witnesse.
In þe constorie bifor þe comissarie he cometh nouȝt ful ofte,
For her lawe dureth ouer-longe but if þei lacchen syluer;
And matrimoigne for monye maken & vnmaken,
And þat conscience and cryst hath yknitte faste,
Þei vndon it vnworthily þo doctours of lawe.
Amonges erchebischopes and oþer bischopes And prelates of holy cherche,
For to wonye with hem his wone was sum tyme,
And cristes patrimonye to þe pore parcel-mel dele.
Ac auerice hath þe keyes now and kepeth for his kynnesmen,
And for his seketoures & his seruants & somme for here children.]
Ac I ne lakke no lyf but lorde, amende vs alle,
And gyue vs grace, good god charite to folwe!
For who so myȝte mete with hym such maneres hym eyleth,
Noyther he blameth ne banneth bosteth, ne prayseth,
Lakketh, ne loseth ne loketh vp sterne;
Craueth, ne coueiteth ne crieth after more,

In pace in id-ipsum dormiam, &c.

Þe moste lyflode þat he lyueth by is loue in goddis passioun,
Noyther he biddeth, ne beggeth ne borweth to ȝelde;

269

Misdoth he no man ne with his mouth greueth.
Amonges cristene men þis myldnesse shulde laste;
In alle manere angres haue þis at herte—
Þat þough þei suffred al þis god suffred for vs more,
In ensample we shulde do so and take no veniaunce
Of owre foes þat doth vs falsenesse þat is owre fadres wille.
For wel may euery man wite if god hadde wolde hymselue,
Sholde neuere Iudas ne iuwe haue Ihesu don on Rode,
Ne han martired peter ne Poule ne in prisoun holden.
Ac he suffred in ensample þat we shulde suffre also,
And seide to suche þat suffre wolde þat pacientes vincunt.
Verbi gratia,” quod he “and verrey ensamples manye,
In legenda sanctorum þe lyf of holy seyntes,
What penaunce and pouerte and passioun þei suffred,
In hunger, in hete in al manere angres.
Antony and Egidie and other holi fadres
Woneden in wildernesse amonge wilde bestes;
Monkes and mendynauntz men bi hem-selue,
In spekes an in spelonkes selden speken togideres.
Ac noyther antony ne Egidy ne hermite þat tyme
Of liouns ne of leoperdes no lyflode ne toke,
But of foules þat fleeth þus fynt men in bokes.
Excepte þat Egydie after an hynde cryede,

270

And þorw þe mylke of þat mylde best þe man was susteyned;
And day by day had he hir nouȝt his hunger forto slake,
But selden and sondrie tymes as seith þe boke and techeth.
Antony a dayes aboute none tyme,
Had a bridde þat brouȝte hym bred þat he by lyued;
And þough þe gome hadde a geste god fonde hem bothe.
Poule primus heremita had parroked hym-selue,
Þat no man miȝte hym se for mosse and for leues;
Foules hym fedde fele wynteres with alle,
Til he founded freres of austines ordre.
Poule, after his prechyng panyers he made,
And wan with his hondes þat his wombe neded.
Peter fisched for his fode and his felawe andrewe;
Some þei solde and some þei sothe and so þei lyued bothe.
And also Marie Magdeleyne by mores lyued and dewes,
Ac moste þorw deuocioun and mynde of god almiȝty.
I shulde nouȝt þis seuene dayes seggen hem alle,
Þat lyueden þus for owre lordes loue manye longe ȝeres.

271

Ac þere ne was lyoun ne leopart þat on laundes wenten,
Noyther bere, ne bor ne other best wilde,
Þat ne fel to her feet and fauned with þe tailles.
And if þei couth han ycarped by cryst, as I trowe,
Þei wolde haue felde þat folke bifor wilde foules.
[For alle þe curteisie þat bestes kunne þei kidde þat folke ofte
In likkyng and in lowynge þere þei on laundes ȝede.]
Ac god sent hem fode bi foules and by no fierse bestes,
In menynge þat meke þinge mylde þinge shulde fede;
As who seith, religious ryȝtful men shulde fynde,
And lawful men to lyf-holy men lyflode brynge.
And þanne wolde lordes and ladyes be loth to agulte,
And to take of her tenauntz more þan treuth wolde,
Fonde þei þat Freres wolde forsake her almesses,
And bidden hem bere it þere it was yborwed.
For we ben goddes foules and abiden alwey,
Tyl briddes brynge vs þat we shulde lyue by.
For had ȝe potage and payn ynough and peny-ale to drynke,
And a messe þere-mydde of o manere kynde,
Ȝe had riȝt ynough, ȝe Religious and so ȝowre reule me tolde:

272

Nunquam, dicit Iob, rugi[e]t [onager] cum herbam habuerit? aut mugiet bos cum ante plenum presepe steterit? brutorum animalium natura te condempnat, quia cum eis pabulum commune sufficiat; ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua.

If lewed men knewe þis latyn þei wolde loke whom þei ȝeue,
And auyse hem bifore a fyue dayes or sexe,
Or þei amortesed to monkes or chanouns her rentes.
Allas! lordes and ladyes lewed conseille haue ȝe
To ȝyue fram ȝowre eyres þat ȝowre ayeles ȝow lefte,
And ȝiueth to bidde for ȝow to such þat ben riche,
And ben founded and feffed eke to bidde for other.
Who perfourneth þis prophecye of the peple þat now lybbeth,

Dispersit, dedit pauperibus, &c.?

If any peple perfourme þat texte it ar þis pore freres!
For þat þei beggen abouten in buildynge þei spene,
And on hem-self sum and such as ben her laboreres,
And of hem þat habbeth þei taken and ȝyue hem þat ne habbeth!
Ac clerkes & knyȝtes and comuneres þat ben riche,
Fele of ȝow fareth as if I a forest hadde,
Þat were ful of faire trees and I fonded and caste

273

How I myȝte mo þer-inne amonges hem sette.
Riȝt so, ȝe riche ȝe robeth þat ben riche,
And helpeth hem þat helpeth ȝow and ȝiueth þere no nede is.
As who so filled a tonne of a fresshe ryuer,
And went forth with þat water to woke with themese,
Riȝt so, ȝe riche ȝe robeth and fedeth
Hem þat han as ȝe han; hem ȝe make at ese.
Ac Religious þat riche ben shulde rather feste beggeres
Þan burgeys þat riche ben as þe boke techeth;

Quia sacrilegium est res pauperum non pauperibus dare. Item, peccatoribus dare, est demonibus immolare. Item, monache, si indiges et accipis, pocius das quam accipis. Si autem non eges, & accipis, rapis. Porro, non indiget Monachus, si habeat quod nature sufficit.

For-þi I conseille alle cristene to confourmen hem to charite;
For charite with-oute chalengynge vnchargeth þe soule,
And many a prisone fram purgatorie þorw his preyeres he delyu[e]reth.
Ac þere is a defaute in þe folke þat þe faith kepeth;
Wherfore folke is þe feblere and nouȝt ferme of bilieue.

274

As in lussheborwes is a lyther alay and ȝet loketh he lyke a sterlynge,
Þe merke of þat mone is good ac þe metal is fieble;
And so it fareth by some folke now þei han a faire speche,
Croune and crystendome þe kynges merke of heuene,
Ac þe metal, þat is mannes soule with synne is foule alayed;
Bothe lettred and lewede beth allayed now with synne,
That no lyf loueth other ne owre lorde, as it semeth.
For þorw werre and wykked werkes and wederes vnresonable
Wederwise shipmen and witti clerkes also
Han no bilieue to þe lifte ne to þe lore of philosofres.
Astrymyanes alday in her arte faillen,
Þat whilum warned bifore what shulde falle after.
Shipmen and shep[h]erdes þat with shipp & shepe wenten,
Wisten by þe walkene what shulde bityde;
As of wederes and wyndes þei warned men ofte.
Tilieres þat tiled þe erthe tolden her maistres,
By þe sede þat þei sewe what þei selle miȝte,
And what to lene and [what] to lyue by þe londe was so trewe.
Now failleth þe folke of þe flode and of þe londe bothe,

275

Shep[h]erdes and shipmen and so do þis tilieres;
Noither þei kunneth ne knoweth one cours bi-for another.
Astrymyanes also aren at her wittes ende;
Of þat was calculed of þe element þe contrarie þei fynde.
Gramer, þe grounde of al bigyleth now children;
For is none of þis newe clerkes who so nymeth hede,
Þat can versifye faire ne formalich enditen;
Ne nouȝt on amonge an hundreth þat an auctour can construe,
Ne rede a lettre in any langage but in latyn or in englissh.
Go now to any degre and but if gyle be mayster,
And flaterere his felawe vnder hym to fourmen,
Moche wonder me thynketh amonges vs alle.
Doctoures of decres and of diuinite Maistres,
Þat shulde konne and knowe alkynnes clergye,
And answere to argumentz and also to a quodlibet,
(I dar nouȝt seggen it for shame) if suche weren apposed,
Þei shulde faillen in her philosofye and in phisyk bothe.
Wher-fore I am afered of folke of holikirke,
Lest þei ouerhuppen as other don in offices & in houres.

276

Ac if þei ouerhuppe, as I hope nouȝte owre byleue suffiseth;
As clerkes in corpus-christi feste singen & reden,
Þat sola fides sufficit to saue with lewed peple.
And so may sarasenes be saued scribes and iewes;
Allas þanne! but owre loresmen lyuen as þei leren vs,
And, for her lyuynge, þat lewed men be þe lother god agulten.
For sarasenes han somwhat semynge to owre bileue,
For þei loue and bileue in o persone almiȝty;
And we, lered and lewede in on god bileueth.
Ac one Makometh, a man in mysbileue
Brouȝte sarasenes of Surre and se in what manere.
Þis Makometh was a crystene man and for he moste nouȝte be a pope,
In-to Surre he souȝte and þorw his sotil wittes
Daunted a dowue and day and nyȝte hir fedde;
Þe corne þat she cropped he caste it in his ere.
And if he amonge þe poeple preched or in places come,
Þanne wolde þe coluer come to þe clerkes ere,
Menynge as after meet þus Makometh hir enchaunted,
A[nd] dide folke þanne falle on knees for he swore in his prechynge,
Þat þe coluer þat come so come fram god of heuene

277

As messager to Makometh men forto teche.
And þus þorw wyles of his witte and a whyte dowue,
Makometh in mysbileue men and wommen brouȝte,
Þat lered þere and lewed ȝit lyuen on his lawes.
And sitth owre saueoure suffred þe sarasenes so bigiled,
Þorw a crystene clerke acursed in his soule;
Ac for drede of þe deth I dar nouȝt telle treuthe,
How englissh clerkes a coluer feden þat coueityse hatte,
And ben manered after Makometh þat no man vseth treuth.
Ancres and hermytes and monkes and freres
Peren to apostles þorw her parfit lyuynge.
Wolde neuere þe faithful fader þat his min[i]stres sholde
Of tyrauntz þat teneth trewe men taken any almesse,
But done as Antony did Dominik and Fraunceys,
Benet & Bernarde þe which hem firste tauȝte
To lyue bi litel & in lowe houses by lele mennes almesse.
Grace sholde growe & be grene þorw her good lyuynge,
And folkes sholde fynde þat ben in dyuerse sykenesse,
Þe better for her byddynges in body and in soule.
Her preyeres and her penaunces to pees shulde brynge
Alle þat ben at debate and bedemen were trewe;

278

Petite & accipietis, &c.

Salt saueth catel seggen þis wyues;

Vos estis sal terre, &c.

Þe heuedes of holicherche and þei holy were,
Cryst calleth hem salt for crystene soules;

Et si sal euanuerit, in quo salietur.

Ac fresshe flesshe other fisshe whan it salt failleth,
It is vnsauory, for soth ysothe or ybake.
So is mannes soule sothly þat seeth no good ensaumple
Of hem of holycherche þat þe heigh weye shulde teche,
And be gyde, and go bifore as a good baneoure,
And hardy hem þat bihynde ben and ȝiue hem good euydence.
Elleuene holy men al þe worlde torned
In-to lele byleue; þe liȝtloker, me thynketh,
Shulde al maner men we han so manye Maistres,
Prestes and prechoures and a pope aboue,
Þat goddes salt shulde be to saue mannes soule.
Al was hethenesse some tyme Ingelond and Wales,
Til Gregory gerte clerkes to go here and preche.
Austyn at Caunterbury crystened þe kynge,
And þorw myracles, as men may rede al þat marche he torned
To cryst and to crystendome and crosse to honoure,
And fulled folke faste and þe faith tauȝte
More þorw miracles þan þorw moche prechynge,

279

As wel þorw his werkes as with his holy wordes,
And seyde hem what fullynge and faith was to mene.
Cloth þat cometh fro þe weuyng is nouȝt comly to were,
Tyl it is fulled vnder fote or in fullyng stokkes,
Wasshen wel with water and with taseles cracched,
Ytouked, and ytented & vnder tailloures hande.
And so it fareth by a barne þat borne is of wombe,
Til it be crystened in crystes name and confermed of þe bisshop,
It is hethene as to heueneward and helpelees to þe soule.
Hethene is to mene after heth and vntiled erthe;
As in wilde wildernesse wexeth wilde bestes,
Rude and vnresonable rennenge with-out [croperes].
Ȝe [mynnen] wel how matheu seith how a man made a feste;
He fedde hem with no venysoun ne fesauntes ybake,
But with foules þat fram hym nolde but folwed his whistellynge;

Ecce altilia mea & omnia parata sunt, &c.;

And wyth calues flesshe he fedde þe folke þat he loued.
Þe calfe bytokeneth clennesse in hem þat kepeth lawes.
For as þe cow þorw kynde mylke þe calf norissheth til an oxe,
So loue and lewte lele men susteyneth,

280

And maydenes and mylde men mercy desiren;
Riȝt as þe cow-calf coueyteth swete mylke,
So don riȝtful men mercy & treuthe.
[And by þe hande-fedde foules his folk vnderstonde,
Þat loth ben to louye with-outen lernynge of ensaumples.
Riȝt as capones in a court cometh to mennes whistlynge,
In menynge after mete folweth men þat whistlen,
Riȝt so rude men þat litel reson cunneth,
Louen and by-leuen by lettred mennes doynges,
And by here wordes and werkes wenen and trowen.
And, as tho foules to fynde fode after whistlynge,
So hope þei to haue heuene þoruȝ her whistlynge.
And by þe man þat made þe feste þe mageste bymeneth;
Þat is, god of his grace gyueth al men blisse;
With wederes and with wondres he warneth vs with a whistlere,
Where þat his wille is to worschipen vs alle,
And feden vs and festen vs for euere-more at ones.]
Ac who beth þat excuseth hem þat aren persounes and prestes,
Þat heuedes of holycherche ben þat han her wille here,
With-oute trauaille, þe tithe del þat trewemen biswynkyn,
Þei wil be wroth for I write þus ac to witnesse I take
Bothe Mathew and Marke and Memento-domine-dauid;

[Ecce audiuimus eam in effrata, &c.]

What Pope or prelate now perfourneth þat cryst hiȝte,

281

Ite in vniversum mundum & predicate, &c.?

Allas! þat men so longe on Makometh shulde byleue,
So many prelates to preche as þe Pope maketh,
Of Nazareth, of Nynyue of Neptalim, and damaske,
Þat þei ne went as cryst wisseth sithen þei wil[ne] a name,
To be pastours and preche þe passioun of Ihesus,
And as hym-self seyde so to lyue and deye;

Bonus pastor animam suam ponit, &c.;

And seyde it in sauacioun of sarasenes & other.
For crystene & vncristene cryst seide to prechoures,

Ite vos in vineam meam

And sith þat þis sarasenes scribes, & Iuwes
Han a lippe of owre byleue þe liȝtloker, me thynketh,
Þei shulde torne, who so trauaille wolde to teche hem of þe Trinite,

Querite & inuenietis, &c.

It is reuth to rede how riȝtwis men lyued,
How þei defouled her flessh forsoke her owne wille,
Fer fro kitth and fro kynne yuel yclothed ȝeden,
Badly ybedded no boke but conscience,
Ne no richchesse but þe Rode to reioyse hem Inne;

Absit nobis gloriari, nisi in cruce domininostri, &c.

And þo was plente & pees amonges pore & riche;
And now is routhe to rede how þe red noble
Is reuerenced or þe Rode receyued for þe worthier

282

Þan crystes crosse, þat ouer-cam deþ and dedly synne.
And now is werre and wo and who so why axeth,
For coueityse after crosse þe croune stant in golde.
Bothe riche and religious þat Rode þei honoure,
Þat in grotes is ygraue and in golde nobles.
For coueityse of þat crosse men of holykirke
Shul tourne as templeres did þe tyme approcheth faste.
Wyte ȝe nouȝt, wyse men how þo men honoured
More tresore þan treuthe? I dar nouȝt telle þe sothe;
Resoun & riȝtful dome þo Religious demed.
Riȝt so, ȝe clerkes for ȝowre coueityse, ar longe,
Shal þei demen dos ecclesie and ȝowre pryde depose,

Deposuit potentes de sede, &c.

Ȝif knyȝthod & kynde wytte and comune conscience
Togideres loue lelly leueth it wel, ȝe bisshopes,
Þe lordeship of londes for euere shal ȝe lese,
And lyuen as leuitici as owre lorde ȝow techeth,

Per primicias & decimas.

Whan costantyn of curteysye holykirke dowed
With londes and ledes lordeshipes and rentes,
And Angel men herde an heigh at Rome crye,
‘Dos ecclesie þis day hath ydronke venym,
And þo þat han petres powere arn apoysoned alle.’
A medecyne mote þer-to þat may amende prelates,
Þat sholden preye for þe pees; possessioun hem letteth,
Take her landes, ȝe lordes and let hem lyue by dymes.

283

If possessioun be poysoun & inparfit hem make,
Good were to dischargen hem for holicherche sake,
And purgen hem of poysoun or more perile falle.
Ȝif presthod were parfit þe peple s[h]olde amende,
Þat contrarien crystes lawe and crystendome dispise.
For al paynym[es] prayeth and parfitly bileueth
In þe holy grete god and his grace þei asken,
And make her mone to makometh her message to shewe.
Þus in a faith lyueth þat folke and in a false mene,
And þat is routhe for riȝtful men þat in þe Rewme wonyen,
And a peril to þe pope and prelatis þat he maketh,
Þat bere bisshopes names of Bedleem & babiloigne;
Whan þe heye kynge of heuene sent his sone to erthe,
Many miracles he wrouȝte man for to turne;
In ensaumple þat men shulde se þat by sadde resoun
Men miȝt nouȝt be saued but þoruȝ mercy and grace,
And thoruȝ penaunce and passion and parfit byle[f];
And by-cam man of a mayde and metropolitanus,
And baptised and [bishoped] with þe blode of his herte
Alle þat wilned, and [wolde] with inne-wit by-leue it.

284

Many a seint sytthen hath soffred to deye,
Al for to enforme þe faith in fele contreyes deyeden,
In ynde and in alisaundre in ermonye and in Spayne,
In delfol deth deyeden for there faith sake;
In sauacion of þe fayth seynt thomas was ymartired,
Amonges vn-kende cristene for cristes loue he deyede,
And for þe riȝt of al þis reume and al reumes cristene.
Holy cherche is honoured heyȝliche þoruȝ his deynge,
He is a forbysene to alle bishopes and a briȝt myroure,
And souereyneliche to suche þat of surrye bereth þe name,]
Þat hippe aboute in Engelonde to halwe mennes auteres,
And crepe amonges curatoures [and] confessen ageyne þe lawe,

Nolite mittere fulcem in messem alienam, &c.

Many man for crystes loue was martired in Romanye,
Er any crystendome was knowe þere or any crosse honoured.
Euery bisshop þat bereth crosse by þat he is holden,
Thorw his prouynce to passe and to his peple to shewe hym,
Tellen hem and techen hem on þe Trinite to bileue,
And feden hem with gostly fode [and nedy folke to fynden.
Ac ysaie of ȝow speketh and osyas bothe,
Þat no man schuld be bischope but if he hadde bothe,

285

Bodily fode and gostly fode] and gyue þere it nedeth;

In domo mea non est panis neque vestimentum, et ideo nolite constituere me regem.

Ozias seith for such þat syke ben and fieble,

Inferte omnes decimas in oreum meum, vt [sit] cibus in domo mea.

Ac we crystene creatures þat on þe crosse byleuen,
Aren ferme as in þe faith goddes forbode elles!
And han clerkes to kepen vs þer-Inne and hem þat shal come after vs.
And iewes lyuen in lele lawe owre lorde wrote it hym-selue,
In stone, for it stydfast was and stonde sholde eure—
Dilige deum & proximum is parfit iewen lawe—
And toke it moyses to teche men til Messye come;
And on þat lawe þei [lyuen] ȝit and leten it þe beste.
And ȝit knewe þei cryst þat crystendome tauȝte,
For a parfit prophete þat moche peple saued
Of selcouth sores þei [seyen] it ofte,
Bothe of myracles & meruailles and how he men fested
With two fisshes an fyve loues fyue thousande peple;
And bi þat maungerye men miȝte wel se þat Messye he semed.
And whan he luft vp lazar þat layde was in graue,

286

And vnder stone ded & stanke with styf voys hym called,

Lazare, veni foras,

Dede hym rise and rowme riȝt bifor þe iuwes.
Ac þei seiden and sworen with sorcerye he wrouȝte,
And studyeden to stroyen hym and stroyden hem-self;
And þorw his pacyence her powere to pure nouȝt he brouȝte,

Pacientes vincunt.

Danyel of her vndoynge deuyned and seyde,

Cum sanctus sanctorum veniat, cessabit vnxio vestra.

And ȝet wenen þo wrecches þat he were pseudo-propheta,
And þat his lore be lesynges and lakken it alle,
And hopen þat he be to come þat shal hem releue,
Moyses eft, or Messye here maisteres ȝet deuyneth.
Ac pharesewes and sarasenes Scribes & Grekis
Aren folke of on faith þe fader god þei honouren;
And sitthen þat þe sarasenes and also þe iewes
Konne þe firste clause of owre bileue credo in deum patrem omnipotentem,
Prelates of crystene prouynces shulde preue, if þei myȝte,
Lere hem litlum & lytlum & in ihesum christum filium,

287

Tyl þei couthe speke and spelle et in spiritum sanctum,
And rendren it & recorden it with remissionem peccatorum,

Carnis resurreccionem, et vitam eternam; amen.”


288

PASSUS XVI. (DO-BET I.) Passus xvjus, & primus de dobet.

Now faire falle ȝow!” quod I þo “for ȝowre faire shewynge,
For haukynnes loue þe actyf man euere I shal ȝow louye;
Ac ȝet I am in a were what charite is to mene.”
“It is a ful trye tree,” quod he “trewly to telle.
Mercy is þe more þer-of þe myddel stokke is reuthe,
Þe leues ben lele wordes þe lawe of holycherche,
Þe blosmes beth boxome speche and benygne lokynge;
Pacience hatte þe pure tre and pore symple of herte,
And so, þorw god and þorw good men groweth þe frute charite.”
“I wolde trauaille,” quod I, “þis tree to se twenty hundreth myle,
And forto haue my fylle of þat frute forsake al other saulee.
[_]

edulium.


Lorde,” quod I, “if any wiȝte wyte whider-oute it groweth?”

289

“It groweth in [a] gardyne,” quod he “þat god made hym-seluen,
Amyddes mannes body þe more is of þat stokke;
Herte hatte þe [h]erber þat it in groweth,
And liberum arbitrium hath þe londe to ferme,
Vnder Piers þe plowman to pyken it and to weden it.”
“Piers þe plowman!” quod I þo and al for pure ioye
Þat I herde nempne his name anone I swouned after,
And laye longe in a lone dreme and atte laste me þouȝte,
Þat Pieres þe plowman al þe place me shewed,
And bad me toten on þe tree on toppe and on rote.
With þre pyles was it vnder-piȝte I perceyued it sone.
“Pieres,” quod I, “I preye þe whi stonde þise piles here?”
“For wyndes, wiltow wyte,” quod he to witen it fram fallynge;

Cum ceciderit iustus, non collidetur; quia dominus supponit manum suam;

And, in blowyng-tyme, abite þe floures but if þis piles helpe.
Þe worlde is a wykked wynde to hem þat wolden treuthe,
Coueityse cometh of þat wynde and crepeth amonge þe leues,
And forfret neigh þe frute þorw many faire siȝtes.
Þanne with þe firste pyle I palle hym down þat is, potencia dei patris.

290

Þe flesshe is a fel wynde and in flourynge-tyme
Þorw lykyng and lustes so loude he gynneth blowe,
Þat it norissheth nice siȝtes and some tyme wordes,
And wikked werkes þer-of wormes of synne,
And forbiteth þe blosmes riȝt to þe bare leues.
Þanne sette I to þe secounde pile sapiencia dei patris,
Þat is, þe passioun and þe power of owre prynce Ihesu.
Þorw preyeres and þorw penaunces and goddes passioun in mynde,
I saue it til I se it rypen & somdel y-fruited.
And þanne fondeth þe fende my fruit to destruye,
With alle þe wyles þat he can and waggeth þe rote,
And casteth vp to þe croppe vnkynde neighbores,
Bakbiteres breke-cheste brawleres and chideres,
And leith a laddre þere-to of lesynges aren þe ronges,
And feccheth away my floures sumtyme afor bothe myn eyhen.
Ac liberum arbitrium letteth hym some tyme,
Þat is lieutenant to loken it wel by leue of my-selue;

Videatis qui peccat in spiritum sanctum, nunquam remittetur, &c.; Hoc est idem, qui peccat per liberum arbitrium non repugnat.

Ac whan þe fende and þe flesshe forth with þe worlde
Manasen byhynde me my fruit for to fecche,
Þanne liberum arbitrium laccheth þe thridde plante,

291

And palleth adown þe pouke purelich þorw grace
And helpe of þe holy goste and þus haue I þe maystrie.”
“Now faire falle ȝow, Pieres,” quod I “so faire ȝe discryuen
Þe powere of þis postes and her propre myȝte.
Ac I have þouȝtes a threve of þis þre piles,
In what wode thei woxen and where þat þei growed;
For alle ar þei aliche longe none lasse þan other,
And to my mynde, as me þinketh on o More þei growed,
And of o gretnesse and grene of greyne þei semen.”
“Þat is soth,” seide Pieres “so it may bifalle;
I shal telle þe as tite what þis tree hatte.
Þe grounde þere it groweth goodnesse it hiȝte,
And I haue tolde þe what hiȝte þe tree þe trinite it meneth”—
And egrelich he loked on me & þer-fore I spared
To asken hym any more ther-of and badde hym ful fayre
To discreue þe fruit þat so faire hangeth.
“Here now bineth,” quod he þo “if I nede hadde,
Matrymonye I may nyme a moiste fruit with-alle.
Þanne contenence is nerre þe croppe as cal[e]wey bastarde,
Þanne bereth þe croppe kynde fruite and clenneste of alle,

292

Maydenhode, angeles peres and rathest wole be ripe,
And swete with-oute swellyng soure worth it neuere.”
I prayed pieres to pulle adown an apple, and he wolde,
And suffre me to assaye what sauoure it hadde.
And pieres caste to þe croppe and þanne comsed it to crye,
And wagged wydwehode and it wepte after.
And whan it meued Matrimoigne it made a foule noyse,
Þat I had reuth whan Piers rogged it gradde so reufulliche.
For euere as þei dropped adown þe deuel was redy,
And gadred hem alle togideres bothe grete and smale,
Adam & abraham and ysay þe prophete,
Sampson and samuel and seynt Iohan þe baptiste;
Bar hem forth boldely no body hym letted,
And made of holy men his horde in lymbo inferni,
There is derkenesse and drede and þe deuel Maister.
And Pieres for pure tene þat o pile he lauȝte,
And hitte after hym happe how it myȝte,
Filius, bi þe fader wille and frenesse of spiritus sancti,
To go robbe þat raggeman and reue þe fruit fro hym.
And þanne spakke spiritus sanctus in Gabrieles mouthe,
To a mayde þat hiȝte Marye a meke þinge with-alle,

293

“Þat one Ihesus, a iustice sone moste iouke in her chambre,
Tyl plenitudo temporis fully comen were,
Þat Pieres fruit floured and fel to be ripe.
And þanne shulde Ihesus iuste þere-fore bi iuggement of armes,
Whether shulde [fonge] þe fruit þe fende or hymselue.”
Þe mayde myldeliche þo þe messager graunted,
And seyde hendelich to hym “lo me, his handemayden,
For to worchen his wille with-outen any synne;”

Ecce ancilla domini; fiat michi [secundum verbum tuum], &c.

And in þe wombe of þat wenche was he fourty wokes,
Tyl he wex a faunt þorw her flesshe and of fiȝtyng couthe,
To haue y-fouȝte with þe fende ar ful tyme come.
And Pieres þe plowman parceyued plenere tyme,
And lered hym lechecrafte his lyf for to saue,
Þat þowgh he were wounded with his enemye to warisshe hym-self;
And did him assaye his surgerye on hem þat syke were,
Til he was parfit practisoure [if] any peril [felle],
And souȝte oute þe syke and synful bothe,

294

And salued syke and synful bothe blynde & crokede,
And comune wommen conuerted and to good torned;

Non est sanis opus medicus, set [infirmis], &c.

Bothe meseles & mute and in þe menysoun blody,
Ofte he heled suche he ne helde [it] for no maistrye,
Saue þo he leched lazar þat hadde yleye in graue,
Quatriduanus quelt; quykke did hym walke.
Ac as he made þe maistrye mestus cepit esse,
And wepte water with his eyghen þere seyen it manye.
Some þat þe siȝte [seyen] saide þat tyme,
Þat he was leche of lyf and lorde of heigh heuene.
Iewes iangeled þere-aȝeyne and iugged lawes,
And seide he wrouȝte þorw wicchecrafte & with þe deueles miȝte,

Demonium habes, &c.

“Þanne ar ȝe cherles,” quod [ihesus] “and ȝowre children bothe,
And sathan ȝowre saueoure ȝow-selue now ȝe witnessen.
For I haue saued ȝow-self,” seith cryst “and ȝowre sones after,
Ȝowre bodyes, ȝowre bestes and blynde men holpen,
And fedde ȝow with fisshes and with fyue loues,

295

And left baskettes ful of broke mete bere awey who so wolde;—”
And mysseide þe iewes manliche and manaced hem to bete,
And knokked on hem with a corde and caste adown her stalles,
Þat in cherche chaffareden or chaungeden any moneye,
And seyde it in siȝte of hem alle so þat alle herden,
“I shal ouertourne þis temple and adown throwe,
And in thre dayes after edifye it newe,
And make it as moche other more in alle manere poyntes,
As euere it was, and as wyde wher-fore I hote ȝow,
Of preyeres and of parfitnesse þis place þat ȝe callen;

Domus mea domus oracionis vocabitur.”

Enuye and yuel wille was in þe iewes;
Thei casten & contreueden to kulle hym whan þei miȝte,
Vche daye after other þeire tyme þei awaited.
Til it bifel on a fryday a litel bifor Paske,
Þe þorsday byfore þere he made his maundee,
Sittyng atte sopere he seide þise wordes—
“I am solde þorw one of ȝow he shal þe tyme rewe
Þat euere he his saueoure solde for syluer or elles.”
Iudas iangeled þere-aȝein ac Ihesus hym tolde,
It was hym[-self] sothely and seide, “tu dicis.”

296

Þanne went forth þat wikked man and with þe iewes mette,
And tolde hem a tokne how to knowe with ihesus,
And which tokne to þis day to moche is y-vsed,
Þat is, kissyng and faire contenaunce & vnkynde wille;
And so was with iudas þo þat Ihesus bytrayed.
“Aue raby,” quod þat ribaude and riȝt to hym be ȝede,
And kiste hym, to be cauȝt þere-by and kulled of þe iewes.
Þanne Ihesus to Iudas and to þe iewes seyde,
“Falsenesse I fynde in þi faire speche,
And gyle in þi gladde chere and galle is in þi lawghynge.
Þow shalt be myroure to manye men to deceyue,
Ac þe wors and þi wikkednesse shal worth vpon þi-selue;

Necesse est vt veniant scandala; ve homini illi per quem scandalum venit!

Þow I bi tresoun be ytake at ȝowre owne wille,
Suffreth my postles in pays & in pees gange.”
On a thoresday in thesternesse þus was he taken
Þorw iudas and iewes ihesus was his name;
Þat on þe fryday folwynge for mankynde sake
Iusted in ierusalem a ioye to vs alle.

297

On crosse vpon caluarye cryst toke þe bataille,
Aȝeines deth and þe deuel destruyed her botheres myȝtes,
Deyde, and deth fordid and daye of nyȝte made.
And I awaked þere-with & wyped myne eyghen,
And after piers þe plowman pryed and stared.
Estwarde and westwarde I awayted after faste,
And ȝede forth as an ydiote in contre to aspye
After Pieres þe plowman; many a place I souȝte.
And þanne mette I with a man a mydlenten sondaye,
As hore as an hawethorne and Abraham he hiȝte.
I frayned hym first fram whennes he come,
And of whennes he were and whider þat he þouȝte.
“I am feith,” quod þat freke “it falleth nouȝte to lye,
And of Abrahames hous an heraud of armes.
I seke after a segge þat I seigh ones,
A ful bolde bacheler I knewe hym by his blasen.”
“What bereth þat buirn?” quod I þo “so blisse þe bityde!”
“Þre leodes in o lith non lenger þan other,
Of one mochel & myȝte in mesure and in lengthe;
Þat one doth, alle doth & eche doth by his one.
Þe firste hath miȝte and maiestee maker of alle þinges;

298

Pater is his propre name a persone by hym-selue.
Þe secounde of þat sire is sothfastnesse, filius,
Wardeyne of þat witte hath was euere with-oute gynnynge.
Þe þridde hatte þe holygoost a persone by hym-selue,
Þe liȝte of alle þat lyf hath a londe & a watre,
Confortoure of creatures of hym cometh al blisse.
So þre bilongeth for a lorde þat lordeship claymeth,
Myȝte, and a mene to knowe his owne myȝte,
Of hym & of his seruaunt and what þei suffre bothe.
So god þat gynnyng hadde neure but þo hym good þouȝte,
Sent forth his sone as for seruaunt þat tyme,
To occupien hym here til issue were spronge,
Þat is, children of charite & holicherche þe moder.
Patriarkes & prophetes and aposteles were þe chyldren,
And cryst and crystenedome and crystene holycherche.
In menynge þat man moste on o god bileue,
And þere hym lyked & loued in þre persones hym shewed.
And þat it may be so & soth manhode it sheweth,
Wedloke and widwehode with virgynyte ynempned,
In toknynge of þe Trinite was taken oute of o man.
Adam owre aller fader Eue was of hym-selue,
And þe issue þat þei hadde it was of hem bothe,
And either is otheres ioye in thre sondry persones,

299

And in heuene & here one syngulere name;
And [þus] is mankynde or manhede of matrimoigne yspronge,
And bitokneth þe Trinite and trewe bileue.
Miȝte is matrimoigne þat multiplieth þe erthe,
And bitokneth trewly telle if I dorste,
[Hym] þat firste fourmed al þe fader of heuene.
Þe sone, if I it durst seye resembleth wel þe wydwe,

Deus meus, deus meus, vt quid dereliquisti me?

Þat is, creatour wex creature to knowe what was bothe;
As widwe with-oute wedloke was neure ȝete yseye,
Na more myȝte god be man but if he moder hadde;
So wydwe with-oute wedloke may nouȝte wel stande,
Ne matrimoigne with-oute moillerye is nouȝt moche to preyse;

Maledictus homo qui non reliquit semen in israel, &c.

Þus in þre persones is perfitliche manhede,
Þat is, man & his make & moillere her children,
And is nouȝt but gendre of o generacioun bifor Ihesu cryst in heuene,
So is þe fader forth with þe sone and fre wille of bothe;

Spiritus procedens a patre & filio;

Which is þe holygoste of alle and alle is but o god.
Þus in a somer I hym seigh as I satte in my porche;

300

I ros vp and reuerenced hym & riȝt faire hym grette;
Thre men to my syȝte I made wel et ese,
Wesche her feet & wyped hem and afterward þei eten
Calues flesshe & cakebrede and knewe what I thouȝte;
Ful trewe tokenes bitwene vs is to telle whan me lyketh.
Firste he fonded me if I loued bettere
Hym, or ysaak myn ayre þe which he hiȝte me kulle.
He wiste my wille by hym he wil me it allowe,
I am ful syker in soule þer-of and my sone bothe.
I circumcised my sone sitthen for his sake;
My-self and my meyne and alle þat male were
Bledden blode for þat lordes loue and hope to blisse þe tyme.
Myn affiaunce & my faith is ferme in þis bilieue;
For hym-self bihiȝte to me and to myne issue bothe
Londe and lordship And lyf with-outen ende;
To me and to myn issue more ȝete he me graunted,
Mercy for owre mysdedes as many tyme as we asken;

Quam olim abrahe promisisti, & semini eius.

And sith he sent me to seye I sholde do sacrifise,
And done hym worshipe with bred and with wyn bothe,
And called me þe fote of his faith his folke forto saue,
And defende hem fro þe fende folke þat on me leueden.
Þus haue I ben his heraude here and in helle,
And conforted many a careful þat after his comynge wayten.

301

And þus I seke hym,” he seide “for I [herde] seyne late
Of a barne þat baptised hym Iohan Baptiste was his name,
Þat to patriarkes and to prophetes and to other peple in derknesse
Seyde þat he seigh here þat sholde saue vs alle;

Ecce agnus dei, &c.”

I hadde wonder of his wordes and of his wyde clothes;
For in his bosome he bar a thyng þat he blissed euere.
And I loked on his lappe a lazar lay þere-Inne
Amonges patriarkes and profetes pleyande togyderes.
“What awaytestow?” quod he “and what woldestow haue?”
“I wolde wyte,” quod I þo “what is in ȝowre lappe?”
“Loo!” quod he, and lete me se “lorde, mercy!” I seide,
“Þis is [a] present of moche prys what Prynce shal it haue?”
“It is a preciouse present,” quod he “ac þe pouke it hath attached,
And me þere-myde,” quod þat man “may no wedde vs quite,
Ne no buyrn be owre borwgh ne bryng vs fram his daungere;
Oute of þe poukes pondfolde no meynprise may vs fecche,

302

Tyl he come þat I carpe of cryst is his name,
Þat shal delyure vs some daye out of þe deueles powere,
And bettere wedde for vs legge þan we ben alle worthy,
Þat is, lyf for lyf or ligge þus euere
Lollynge in my lappe tyl such a lorde vs fecche.”
“Allas!” I seyde, “þat synne so longe shal lette
Þe myȝte of goddes mercy þat myȝt vs alle amende!”
I wepte for his wordes with þat sawe I an other
Rapelich renne forth; þe riȝte waye he went.
I affrayned hym fyrste fram whennes he come,
And what he hiȝte & whider he wolde and wightlich he tolde.

303

PASSUS XVII. (DO-BET II.) Passus xvijus, et secundus de do-bet.

I am spes,” quod he, “a spye and spire after a knyȝte,
That toke me a maundement vpon þe mounte of synay,
To reule alle rewmes with; I bere þe writte here.”
“Is it asseled?” I seyde “may men se þi lettres?”
“Nay,” he sayde, “I seke hym þat hath þe sele to kepe;
And þat is, crosse and crystenedome And cryst þere-on to hange.
And whan it is asseled so I wote wel þe sothe,
Þat Lucyferes lordeship laste shal no lenger.”
“Late se þi lettres,” quod I “we miȝte þe lawe knowe.”
Þanne plokked he forth a patent a pece of an harde roche,
Wher-on [were] writen two wordes on þis wyse y-glosed,

304

Dilige deum & proximum tuum, &c.

Þis was þe tixte trewly I toke ful gode ȝeme;
Þe glose was gloriousely writen with a gilte penne,

In hijs duobus mandatis tota lex pendet & prophetia.

“[Ben] here alle þi lordes lawes?” quod I “ȝe, leue me wel,” he seyde,
“And who so worcheth after þis writte I wil vndertaken,
Shal neuere deuel hym dere ne deth in soule greue.
For þough I seye it my-self I haue saued with þis charme
Of men & of wommen many score þousandes.”
“He seith soth,” seyde þis heraud “I haue yfounde it ofte;
Lo here in my lappe þat leued on þat charme,
Iosue and Iudith and Iudas Macabeus,
Ȝe, and sexty þousande bisyde forth þat ben nouȝt seyen here.”
“Ȝowre wordes aren wonderful,” quod I tho “which of ȝow is trewest,
And lelest to leue on for lyf and for soule?
Abraham seith þat he seigh holy þe Trinite,
Thre persones in parcelles departable fro other,
And alle þre but o god þus Abraham me tauȝte,
And hath saued þat bileued so and sory for her synnes,

305

He can nouȝte segge þe somme and some aren in his lappe.
What neded it þanne a newe lawe to bigynne,
Sith þe fyrst sufficeth to sauacioun & to blisse?
And now cometh spes, and speketh þat hath aspied þe lawe,
And telleth nouȝte of þe Trinitee þat toke hym his lettres,
‘To byleue and louye in o lorde almyȝty,
And sitthe riȝt as my-self so louye alle peple.’
Þe gome þat goth with o staf he semeth in gretter hele
Þan he þat goth with two staues to syȝte of vs alle.
And riȝte so, by þe Rode! resoun me sheweth,
It is lyȝter to lewed men a lessoun to knowe,
Þan for to techen hem two and to harde to lerne þe leest!
It is ful harde for any man on abraham byleue,
And welawey worse ȝit for to loue a shrewe!
It is liȝter to leue in þre louely persones
Þan for to louye and leue as wel lorelles as lele.
Go þi gate,” quod I to spes “so me god helpe!
Þo þat lerneth þi lawe wil litel while vsen it!”
And as we wenten þus in þe weye wordyng togyderes,
Þanne seye we a samaritan sittende on a mule,
Rydynge ful rapely þe riȝt weye we ȝeden,

306

Comynge fro a cuntre þat men called Ierico;
To a iustes in iherusalem he chaced awey faste.
Bothe þe heraud and hope and he mette at ones
Where a man was wounded and with þeues taken.
He myȝte neither steppe ne stonde ne stere fote ne handes,
Ne helpe hym-self sothely for semiuyf he semed,
And as naked as a nedle and none helpe aboute hym.
Feith had first siȝte of hym ac he flegh on syde,
And nolde nouȝt neighen hym by nyne londes lengthe.
Hope cam hippyng after þat hadde so ybosted,
How he with Moyses maundement hadde many men y-holpe;
Ac whan he hadde siȝte of þat segge a-syde he gan hym drawe,
Dredfully, by þis day! as duk doth fram þe faucoun.
Ac so sone so þe samaritan hadde siȝte of þis lede,
He liȝte adown of lyard and ladde hym in his hande,
And to þe wye he went his woundes to biholde,
And parceyued bi his pous he was in peril to deye,
And but if he hadde recourere þe rather þat rise shulde he neure;
[And breyde to his boteles and bothe he atamede;]
Wyth wyn & with oyle his woundes he wasshed,
Enbawmed hym and bonde his hed & in his lappe hym layde,

307

And ladde hym so forth on lyard to lex christi, a graunge,
Wel six myle or seuene biside þe newe market;
Herberwed hym at an hostrye and to þe hostellere called,
And sayde, “haue, kepe þis man til I come fro þe iustes,
And lo here syluer,” he seyde “for salue to his woundes.”
And he toke hym two pans to lyflode as it were,
And seide, “what he speneth more I make þe good here-after;
For I may nouȝt lette,” quod þat leode & lyarde he bistrydeth,
And raped hym to-iherusalem-ward þe riȝte waye to ryde.
Faith folweth after faste and fonded to mete hym,
And spes spaklich hym spedde spede if he myȝte,
To ouertake hym and talke to hym ar þei to toun come.
And whan I seyȝ þis, I soiourned nouȝte but shope me to renne,
And suwed þat samaritan þat was so ful of pite,
And graunted hym to ben his grome “gramercy,” he seyde,
“Ac þi frende and þi felawe,” quod he “þow fyndest me at nede.”
And I thanked hym þo and sith I hym tolde,

308

How þat feith fleigh awey and spes his felaw bothe,
For siȝte of þe sorweful man þat robbed was with þeues.
“Haue hem excused,” quod he “her help may litel auaille;
May no medcyn on molde þe man to hele brynge,
Neither feith ne fyn hope so festred ben his woundis,
With-out þe blode of a barn borne of a mayde.
And be he bathed in þat blode baptised, as it were,
And þanne plastred with penaunce and passioun of þat babi,
He shulde stonde and steppe; ac stalworth worth he neure,
Tyl he haue eten al þe barn and his blode ydronke.
For went neuere wy in þis worlde þorw þat wildernesse,
Þat he ne was robbed or rifled rode he þere or ȝede,
Saue faith, & his felaw spes, and my-selue,
And þi-self now, and such as suwen owre werkis.
For outlawes in þe wode and vnder banke lotyeth,
And may vch man se and gode merke take,
Who is bihynde and who bifore and who ben on hors,
For he halt hym hardyer on horse þan he þat is a fote.
For he seigh me, þat am samaritan suwen feith & his felaw
On my caple þat hatte caro (of mankynde I toke it),

309

He was vnhardy, þat harlot and hudde hym in inferno.
Ac ar þis day þre dayes I dar vndertaken,
Þat he worth fettred, þat feloune fast with cheynes,
And neure eft greue grome þat goth þis ilke gate;

[O mors, ero mors tua, &c.]

And þanne shal feith be forester here and in þis fritth walke,
And kennen out comune men þat knoweth nouȝte þe contre,
Which is þe weye þat ich went and wherforth to iherusalem.
And hope þe hostelleres man shal be þere þe man lith an helynge;
And alle þat fieble and faynt be þat faith may nouȝt teche,
Hope shal lede hem forth with loue as his lettre telleth,
And hostel hem and hele þorw holicherche bileue,
Tyl I haue salue for alle syke and þanne shal I retourne,
And come aȝein bi þis contree and confort alle syke
Þat craueth it or coueiteth it and cryeth þere-after.
For þe barne was born in bethleem þat with his blode shal saue

310

Alle þat lyueth in faith and folweth his felawes techynge.”
“A! swete syre!” I seyde þo “wher [shal I] byleue,
As feith and his felawe enfourmed me bothe?
In þre persones departable þat perpetuel were euere,
And alle þre but o god þus abraham me tauȝte;—
And hope afterwarde he bad me to louye
O god wyth al my good and alle gomes after,
Louye hem lyke my-selue ac owre lorde aboue alle.”
“After abraham,” quod he “þat heraud of armes,
Sette faste þi faith and ferme bileue.
And, as hope hiȝte þe I hote þat þow louye
Thyn euene-crystene euermore euene forth with þi-self.
And if conscience carpe þere-aȝein or kynde witte oyther,
Or heretykes with argumentz þin honde þow [hem] shewe;
For god is after an hande yhere now and knowe it.
Þe fader was fyrst, as a fyst with o fynger foldynge,
Tyl hym loued and lest to vnlosen his fynger,
And profre it forth as with a paume to what place it sholde.
Þe paume is purely þe hande and profreth forth þe fyngres
To mynystre and to make þat myȝte of hande knoweth,

311

And bitokneth trewly telle who so liketh,
Þe holygost of heuene he is as þe paume.
Þe fyngres þat fre ben to folde and to serue,
Bitokneth sothly þe sone þat sent was til erthe,
Þat toched and tasted atte techynge of þe paume
Seynt Marie a Mayde and mankynde lauȝte;

Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto, [natus,] &c.

Þe fader is þanne as a fust with fynger to touche,

Quia omnia traham ad me ipsum, &c.,

Al þat þe paume parceyueth profitable to fele.
Thus ar þei alle but one as it an hande were,
And þre sondry siȝtes in one shewynge.
Þe paume, for he putteth forth fyngres and þe fust bothe,
Riȝt so redily reson it sheweth,
How he þat is holygoste sire & sone preueth.
And as þe hande halt harde and al þynge faste
Þorw foure fyngres and a thombe forth with þe paume,
Riȝte so þe fader and þe sone & seynt spirit þe þridde
Halt al þe wyde worlde with-in hem thre,
Bothe welkne and þe wynde water and erthe,
Heuene & helle and al þat þere is Inne.
Þus it is, nedeth no man to trowe non other,
That thre þinges bilongeth in owre lorde of heuene,
And aren [serelepes] by hem-self asondry were neure,

312

Namore þan myn hande may meue with-outen fyngeres.
And as my fust is ful honde yfolde togideres,
So is þe fader a ful god formeour and shepper,

Tu fabricator omnium, &c.,

And al þe myȝte myd hym is in makyng of þynges.
The fyngres fourmen a ful hande to purtreye or peynten
Keruynge and compassynge as crafte of þe fyngres;
Riȝt so is þe sone þe science of þe fader,
And ful god, as is þe fader no febler ne no better.
Þe paume is purelich þe hande hath power bi hymselue,
Otherwyse þan þe wrythen fuste or werkmanschip of fyngres;
For þe paume hath powere to put oute alle þe ioyntes,
And to vnfolde þe folden fuste [for hym it bilongeth;
And receyue þat þe fyngres recheth and refuse bothe,
Whan he feleth þe fust and] þe fyngres wille.
So is þe holygoste god nother gretter ne lasse
Þan is þe sire and þe sone & in þe same myȝte,
And alle ar þei but o god as is myn hande & my fyngres,
Vnfolden or folden my fuste & myn paume,
Al is but an hande how so I torne it.

313

Ac who is herte in þe hande euene in þe myddes,
He may receyue riȝt nouȝte resoun it sheweth;
For þe fyngres, þat folde shulde and þe fuste make,
For peyne of þe paume powere hem failleth
To [clucche] or to clawe to clyppe or to holde.
Were þe myddel of myn honde ymaymed or ypersshed,
I shulde receyue riȝte nouȝte of þat I reche myȝte.
Ac þough my thombe & my fyngres bothe were to-shullen,
And þe myddel of myn hande with-oute male ese,
In many kynnes maneres I myȝte my-self helpe,
Bothe meue and amende þough alle my fyngres oke.
Bi þis skil, me þynke[th] I se an euydence,
Þat who so synneth in þe seynt spirit assoilled worth he neure,
Noither here ne elles-where as I herde telle,

Qui peccat in [spiritum sanctum, nunquam,] &c.,

For he prikketh god as in þe paume þat peccat in [spiritum sanctum].
For god þe fader is as a fuste þe sone is as a fynger,
The holy goste of heuene is, as it were, þe pawme.
So who so synneth in seynt spirit it semeth þat he greueth

314

God, þat he grypeth with and wolde his grace quenche.
And to a torche or a tapre þe trinitee is lykned;
As wex and a weke were twyned togideres,
And þanne a fyre flaumende forth oute of bothe;
And as wex and weyke and hote fyre togyderes
Fostren forth a flaumbe and a feyre leye,
So doth þe sire & þe sone & also spiritus sanctus
Fostren forth amonges folke loue & bileue,
Þat alkyn crystene clenseth of synnes.
And as þow seest some tyme sodeynliche a torche,
The blase þere-of yblowe out ȝet brenneth þe weyke,
With-oute leye or liȝte þat þe macche brenneth,
So is þe holygost god & grace with-oute mercy
To alle vnkynde creatures þat coueite to destruye
Lele loue other lyf þat owre lorde shapte.
And as glowande gledes gladieth nouȝte þis werkmen,
Þat worchen & waken in wyntres niȝtes,
As doth a kex or a candel þat cauȝte hath fyre & blaseth,
Namore doth sire ne sone ne seynt spirit togyderes,
Graunteth no grace ne forȝifnesse of synnes,
Til þe holi goste gynne to glowe and to blase.
So þat þe holygoste gloweth but as a glede,
Tyl þat lele loue ligge on hym & blowe,
And þanne flaumbeth he as fyre on fader & on filius,

315

And melteth her myȝte in-to mercy as men may se in wyntre
Ysekeles in eueses þorw hete of þe sonne,
Melteth in a mynut while to myst & to watre;
So grace of þe holygoste þe grete myȝte of þe trinite
Melteth in-to mercy to mercyable, & to non other.
And as wex with-outen more on a warme glede
Wil brennen & blasen be þei to-gyderes,
And solacen hem þat may se þat sitten in derkenesse,
So wole þe fader forȝif folke of mylde hertes
Þat reufulliche repenten & restitucioun make,
In as moche as þei mowen amenden & payen.
And if it suffice nouȝte for assetz þat in suche a wille deyeth,
Mercy for his mekenesse wil make good þe remenaunte.
And as þe weyke and fyre wil make a warme flaumbe
For to myrthe men with þat in merke sitten,
So wil cryst of his curteisye and men crye hym mercy,
Bothe forȝiue & forȝete & ȝet bidde for vs
To þe fader of heuene forȝyuenesse to haue.
Ac hew fyre at a flynte fowre hundreth wyntre,
Bot þow haue towe to take it with tondre or broches,
Al þi laboure is loste and al þi longe trauaille;
For may no fyre flaumbe make faille it his kynde.
So is þe holy gost god & grace with-outen mercy
To alle vnkynde creatures cryst hym-self witnesseth,

Amen dico vobis, nescio vos, &c.


316

Be vnkynde to þin euene-cristene and al þat þow canst bidden,
Delen & do penaunce day & nyȝte euere,
And purchace al þe pardoun of Pampiloun & Rome,
And indulgences ynowe & be ingratus to þi kynde,
Þe holy goste hereth þe nouȝt ne helpe may þe by resoun;
For vnkyndenesse quencheth hym þat he can nouȝte shyne,
Ne brenne ne blase clere for blowynge of vnkyndenesse.
Poule þe apostle preueth wher I lye,

Si linguis hominum loquar, &c.

For-thy beth war, ȝe wyse men þat with þe wo[r]lde deleth,
That riche ben & resoun knoweth reuleth wel ȝowre soule.
Beth nouȝte vnkynde, I conseille ȝow to ȝowre euenecrystene.
For many of ȝow riche men bi my soule, men telleth,
Ȝe brenne, but ȝe blaseth nouȝte þat is a blynde bekene;

Non omnis qui dicit domine, domine, intrabit, &c.

Diues deyed dampned for his vnkyndenesse
Of his mete & his moneye to men that it neded.
Vch a riche I rede rewarde at hym take,
And gyueth ȝowre good to þat god þat grace of ariseth.

317

For [þei] þat ben vnkynde to his hope I none other,
But þei dwelle þere diues is dayes with-outen ende.
Þus is vnkyndenesse þe contrarie þat quencheth, as it were,
Þe grace of þe holy gooste goddes owne kynde.
For þat kynde dothe, vnkynde fordoth as þese cursed theues,
Vnkynde cristene men for coueityse & enuye,
Sleeth a man for his moebles wyth mouth or wyth handes.
For þat þe holygoste hath to kepe þo harlotes destroyeth,
Þe which is lyf & loue þe leye of mannes bodye.
For euery manere good man may be likned to a torche,
Or elles to a tapre to reuerence þe Trinitee;
And who morthereth a good man me thynketh, by myn Inwyt,
He fordoth þe leuest lyȝte þat owre lorde loueth.
Ac ȝut in many mo maneres men offenden þe holygoste,
Ac þis is þe worste wyse þat any wiȝte myȝte
Synnen aȝein þe seynt spirit assenten to destruye,
For coueityse of any kynnes þinge þat cryst dere bouȝte.
How myȝte he axe mercy or any mercy hym helpe,
Þat wykkedlich & willefullich wolde mercy anynte?
Innocence is nexte god & nyȝte and day it crieth,
‘Veniaunce, veniaunce forȝiue be it neuere,

318

That shent vs & shadde owre blode forshapte vs, as it were;

Vindica sanguinem iustorum!’

Thus ‘veniaunce, veniaunce’ verrey charite asketh;
And sith holicherche & charite chargeth þis so sore,
Leue I neure that owre lorde wil loue þat charite lakketh,
Ne haue pite for any preyere þere þat he pleyneth.”
“I pose I hadde synned so and shulde now deye,
And now am sory, þat so þe seint spirit agulte,
Confesse me, & crye his grace god, þat al made,
And myldliche his mercy axe myȝte I nouȝte be saued?”
“Ȝus,” seide þe Samaritan “so wel þow myȝte repente,
Þat riȝtwisnesse þorw repentance to reuthe myȝte torne.
Ac it is but selden yseye þere sothenesse bereth witnesse,
Any creature þat is coupable afor a kynges iustice,
Be raunsoned for his repentaunce þere alle resoun hym dampneth.
For þere þat partye pursueth þe pele is so huge,
Þat þe kynge may do no mercy til bothe men acorde,
And eyther haue equite as holy writ telleth;

319

Numquam dimittitur peccatum, [donec restituatur ablatum.]

Þus it fareth bi suche folke þat falsely al her lyues
Euel lyuen & leten nouȝte til lyf hem forsake;
[Drede of desperacion dryueth a-weye þanne grace,
Þat mercy in her mynde may nauȝt þanne falle;]
Good hope, þat helpe shulde to wanhope torneth—
Nouȝt of þe nounpowere of god þat he ne is myȝtful
To amende al þat amys is and his mercy grettere
Þan alle owre wykked werkes as holiwrit telleth,

Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius—

Ac, ar his riȝtwisnesse to reuthe tourne some restitucioun bihoueth;
His sorwe is satisfaccioun for hym þat may nouȝte paye.
Thre þinges þere ben þat doth a man by strengthe
Forto fleen his owne hous as holywryt sheweth.
Þat one is a wikked wyf þat wil nouȝt be chasted,
Her fiere fleeth fro hyr for fere of her tonge.
And if his hous be vnhiled and reyne on his bedde,
He seketh and seketh til he slepe drye.
And whan smoke & smolder smyt in his syȝte,
It doth hym worse þan his wyf or wete to slepe.
For smoke & smolder smyteth [in] his eyen,
Til he be blere-nyed or blynde and hors in þe throte,

320

Cougheth, and curseth þat cryst gyf hem sorwe
Þat sholde brynge in better wode or blowe it til it brende.
Þise thre þat I telle of ben þus to vnderstonde.
The wyf is owre wikked flesshe þat wil nouȝt be chasted,
For kynde cleueth on hym euere to contrarie þe soule.
And þowgh it falle, it fynt skiles [þat] frelete it made,
And þat is liȝtly forȝeuen and forȝeten bothe,
To man þat mercy asketh and amende þenketh.
The reyne þat reyneth þere we reste sholde,
Ben sikenesses & sorwes þat we suffren oft,
As Powle þe Apostle to þe peple tauȝte,

Virtus in infirmitate perficitur, &c.

And þowgh þat men make moche deol in her angre,
And [ben] inpacient in here penaunce pure resoun knoweth,
Þat þei han cause to contrarie by kynde of her sykenesse.
And liȝtlich owre lorde at her lyues ende,
Hath mercy on suche men þat so yuel may suffre.
Ac þe smoke and þe smolder þat smyt in owre eyghen,
Þat is coueityse and vnkyndenesse þat quencheth goddes mercy.

321

For vnkyndenesse is þe contrarie of alkynnes resoun;
For þere nys syke ne sori ne non so moche wrecche,
Þat he ne may louye, & hym lyke and lene of his herte
Goed wille & good worde bothe wisshen and willen
Alle manere men mercy & forȝifnesse,
And louye hem liche hym-self and his lyf amende.—
I may no lenger lette,” quod he and lyarde he pryked,
And went away as wynde and þere-with I awaked.

322

PASSUS XVIII (DO-BET III). Passus xviijus, et tercius de dobet.

Wolleward and wete-shoed went I forth after,
As a reccheles renke þat of no wo reccheth,
And ȝede forth lyke a lorel al my lyf tyme,
Tyl I wex wery of þe worlde and wylned eft to slepe,
And lened me to a lenten and longe tyme I slepte;
And of crystes passioun and penaunce þe peple þat of-rauȝte,
[Reste] me þere, and rutte faste tyl ramis palmarum;
Of gerlis & of gloria laus gretly me dremed,
And how osanna by orgonye olde folke songen.
One semblable to þe samaritan & some del to Piers þe plowman,
Barfote on an asse bakke botelees cam pryk[y]e,
Wyth-oute spores other spere spakliche he loked,

323

As is þe kynde of a knyȝte þat cometh to be dubbed,
To geten hem gylte spores or galoches ycouped.
Þanne was faith in a fenestre and cryde “a! fili dauid!”
As doth an Heraude of armes whan [auntrous] cometh to iustes.
Olde iuwes of ierusalem for ioye þei songen,

Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini.

Þanne I frayned at faith what al þat fare be-ment[e],
And who sholde iouste in Iherusalem “Ihesus,” he seyde,
“And fecche þat þe fende claymeth Piers fruit þe plowman.”
“Is Piers in þis place?” quod I & he preynte on me,
“Þis ihesus of his gentrice wole iuste in piers armes,
In his helme & in his haberioun humana natura.
Þat cryst be nouȝt biknowe here for consu[m]matus deus,
In Piers paltok þe plowman þis priker shal ryde;
For no dynte shal hym dere as in deitate patris.”
“Who shal iuste with ihesus?” quod I “iuwes or scribes?”
“Nay,” quod he, “þe foule fende and fals dome & deth.
Deth seith he shal fordo and adown brynge
Al þat lyueth or loketh in londe or in watere.

324

Lyf seyth þat he likth and leyth his lif to wedde,
Þat for al þat deth can do with-in þre dayes,
To walke and fecche fro þe fende piers fruite þe plowman,
And legge it þere hym lyketh and lucifer bynde,
And forbete and adown brynge bale [&] deth for euere:

O mors, ero mors tua!

Þanne cam pilatus with moche peple sedens pro tribunali,
To se how doughtilich deth sholde do & deme her botheres riȝte.
Þe iuwes and þe iustice aȝeine ihesu þei were,
And al her courte on hym cryde crucifige sharpe.
Tho put hym forth a piloure bifor pilat, & seyde,
“This ihesus of owre iewes temple iaped & dispised,
To fordone it on o day and in thre dayes after
Edefye it eft newe (here he stant þat seyde it)
And ȝit maken it as moche in al manere poyntes,
Bothe as longe and as large bi loft & by grounde.”
“Cru[ci]fige,” quod a cacchepolle “I warante hym a wicche!”
“Tolle, tolle!” quod an other and toke o[f] kene þornes,
And bigan of kene thorne a gerelande to make,

325

And sette it sore on his hed and seyde in envye,
“Aue rabby!” quod þat Ribaude and þrew redes at hym,
Nailled hym with þre nailles naked on þe Rode,
And poysoun on a pole þei put vp to his lippes,
And bede hym drynke his deth-yuel his dayes were ydone.
“And ȝif þat þow sotil be help now þi-seluen,
If þow be cryst, & kynges sone come downe of þe Rode;
Þanne shul we leue þat lyf þe loueth and wil nouȝt lete þe deye!”
“Consummatum est,” quod cryst & comsed forto swowe,
Pitousliche and pale as a prisoun þat deyeth;
Þe lorde of lyf & of liȝte þo leyed his eyen togideres.
Þe daye for drede with-drowe and derke bicam þe sonne,
Þe wal wagged and clef and al þe worlde quaued.
Ded men for that dyne come out of depe graues,
And tolde whi þat tempest so longe tyme dured.
“For a bitter bataille” þe ded bodye sayde;
“Lyf and deth in þis derknesse her one fordoth her other;
Shal no wiȝte wite witterly who shal haue þe maystrye,
Er sondey aboute sonne rysynge” & sank with þat til erthe.

326

Some seyde þat he was goddes sone þat so faire deyde,

Vere filius dei erat iste, &c.

And somme saide he was a wicche “good is þat we assaye,
Where he be ded or nouȝte ded doun er he be taken.”
Two theues also tholed deth þat tyme,
Vppon a crosse bisydes cryst so was þe comune lawe.
A cacchepole cam forth and craked bothe her legges,
And her armes after of eyther of þo theues.
Ac was no boy so bolde goddes body to touche;
For he was knyȝte & kynges sone kynde forȝaf þat tyme,
Þat non harlot were so hardy to leyne hande vppon hym.
Ac þere cam forth a knyȝte with a kene spere ygrounde,
Hiȝte longeus, as þe lettre telleth and longe had lore his siȝte.
Bifor pilat & other peple in þe place he houed;
Maugre his many tethe he was made þat tyme
To take þe spere in his honde & iusten with ihesus;
For alle þei were vnhardy þat houed on hors or stode,
To touche hym or to taste hym or take hym down of Rode.
But þis blynde bacheler þanne bar hym þorugh þe herte;
Þe blode spronge down by þe spere & vnspered þe kniȝtes eyen.

327

Þanne fel þe knyȝte vpon knees and cryed hym mercy—
“Aȝeyne my wille it was, lorde to wownde ȝow so sore!”
He seighed & sayde “sore it me athynketh;
For þe dede þat I haue done I do me in ȝowre grace;
Haue on me reuth, riȝtful ihesu!” & riȝt with þat he wept.
Thanne gan faith felly þe fals iuwes dispise,
Called hem caytyues acursed for euere,
For þis foule vyleynye “veniaunce to ȝow alle,
To do þe blynde bete hym ybounde it was a boyes conseille.
Cursed caytyue! kniȝthod was it neuere
To mysdo a ded body by day or by nyȝte.
Þe gree ȝit hath he geten for al his grete wounde.
For ȝowre champioun chiualer chief knyȝt of ȝow alle,
Ȝelt hym recreaunt rennyng riȝt at ihesus wille.
For be þis derkenesse ydo his deth worth avenged,
And ȝe, lordeynes, han ylost for lyf shal haue þe maistrye,
And ȝowre Fraunchise, þat fre was fallen is in thraldome,
And ȝe, cherles, & ȝowre children chieue shal ȝe neure,
Ne haue lordship in londe ne no londe tylye,
But al bareyne be & vsurye vsen,

328

Which is lyf þat owre lorde in alle lawes acurseth.
Now ȝowre good dayes ar done as Danyel prophecyed,
Whan cryst cam, [of] her kyngdom þe croune shulde [cesse];

Cum veniat sanctus sanctorum, cessabit vnxio vestra.”

What for fere of þis ferly & of þe fals iuwes,
I drowe me in þat derkenesse to decendit ad inferna.
And þere I sawe sothely secundum scripturas,
Out of þe west coste a wenche, as me thouȝte,
Cam walkynge in þe wey to-helle-ward she loked.
Mercy hiȝt þat mayde a meke þynge with-alle,
A ful benygne buirde and boxome of speche.
Her suster, as it semed cam softly walkynge,
Euene out of þe est and westward she loked.
A ful comely creature treuth she hiȝte,
For þe vertue þat hir folwed aferd was she neuere.
Whan þis maydenes mette mercy and treuth,
Eyther axed other of þis grete wonder,
Of þe dyne & of þe derknesse and how þe daye rowed,
And which a liȝte and a leme lay befor helle.
“Ich haue ferly of þis fare in feith,” seyde treuth,
“And am wendyng to wyte what þis wonder meneth.”
“Haue no merueille,” quod mercy “myrthe it bytokneth.
A mayden þat hatte marye and moder with-out felyng

329

Of any kynnes creature conceyued þorw speche
And grace of þe holygoste; wex grete with childe;
With-outen wem in-to þis worlde she brouȝt hym;
And þat my tale be trewe I take god to witnesse.
Sith þis barn was bore ben xxxti wynter passed;
Which deyde & deth þoled þis day aboute mydday.
And þat is cause of þis clips þat closeth now þe sonne,
In menynge þat man shal fro merkenesse be drawe,
Þe while þis liȝte & þis leme shal Lucyfer ablende.
For patriarkes & prophetes han preched her-of often,
Þat man shal man saue þorw a maydenes helpe,
And þat was tynt þorw tre tree shal it wynne,
And þat deth doun brouȝte deth shal releue.”
“Þat þow tellest,” quod treuth “is but a tale of waltrot;
For Adam & Eue & abraham with other
Patriarkes & prophetes þat in peyne liggen,
Leue þow neuere þat ȝone liȝte hem alofte brynge,
Ne haue hem out of helle holde þi tonge, mercy!
It is but a trufle þat þow tellest I, treuth, wote þe sothe.
For þat is ones in helle out cometh it neuere;
Iob þe prophete, patriarke reproueth þi sawes,

Quia in inferno nulla est redempcio.”

Þanne mercy ful myldly mouthed þise wordes,

330

“Thorw experience,” quod she “I hope þei shal be saued.
For venym for-doth venym & þat I proue by resoun.
For of alle venymes foulest is þe scorpioun,
May no medcyne helpe þe place þere he styngeth,
Tyl he be ded & do þer-to þe yuel he destroyeth,
Þe fyrst venymouste þorw venym of hym-self.
So shal þis deth for-do I dar my lyf legge,
Al þat deth [for]dyd furste þorw þe deuelles entysynge;
And riȝt as þorw gyle man was bigyled,
So shal grace þat bigan make a good sleighte;

Ars vt artem falleret.”

“Now suffre we,” seyde treuth “I se, as me þinketh,
Out of þe nippe of þe north nouȝt ful fer hennes,
Riȝtwisnesse come rennynge reste we þe while;
For he wote more þan we he was er we bothe.”
“That is soth,” seyde mercy “And I se here bi southe,
Where pees cometh playinge in pacience yclothed;
Loue hath coueyted hir longe leue I none other
But he sent hir some lettre what þis liȝte bymeneth,
Þat ouer-houeth helle þus; she vs shal telle.”
Whan pees, in pacience yclothed approched nere hem tweyne,
Riȝtwisnesse hir reuerenced for her riche clothyng,
And preyed pees to telle hir to what place she wolde,

331

And in her gay garnementz whom she grete þouȝte.
“My wille is to wende,” quod she “and welcome hem alle,
Þat many day myȝte I nouȝte se for merkenesse of synne,
Adam & Eue & other moo in helle.
Moyses & many mo mercy shal haue,
And I shal daunce þer-to do þow so, sustre!
For ihesus iusted wel ioye bygynneth dawe;

Ad vesperum demorabitur fletus, & ad matutinum leticia.

Loue, þat is my lemman suche lettres me sente,
That mercy, my sustre, & I mankynde shulde saue,
And þat god hath forgyuen & graunted me pees & mercy,
To be mannes meynpernoure for euere-more after.
Lo! here þe patent!” quod pees “in pace in idipsum—
And þat þis dede shal dure— dormiam & requiescam.”
“What, rauestow?” quod riȝtwisnesse “or þow art riȝt dronke!
Leuestow þat ȝonde liȝte vnlouke myȝte helle,
And saue mannes soule? sustre, wene it neure!
At þe bygynnynge, god gaf þe dome hym-selue,
Þat Adam & Eue and alle þat hem suwed,
Shulde deye doune riȝte and dwelle in pyne after,
If þat þei touched a tre and þe fruite eten.
Adam afterward aȝeines his defence,
Frette of þat fruit & forsoke, as it were,

332

Þe loue of owre lorde and his lore bothe,
And folwed þat þe fende tauȝte & his felawes wille,
Aȝeines resoun, I, riȝtwisnesse recorde þus with treuth,
Þat her peyne be perpetuel & no preyere hem helpe.
For-þi late hem chewe as þei chose & chyde we nouȝt, sustres,
For it is botelees bale þe bite þat þei eten.”
“And [I] shal preue,” quod pees “her peyne mote haue ende,
And wo in-to wel mowe wende atte laste;
For had þei wist of no wo wel had þei nouȝte knowen.
For no wiȝte wote what wel is þat neuere wo suffred,
Ne what is hote hunger þat had neuere defaute.
If no nyȝte ne were no man, as I leue,
Shulde wite witterly what day is to mene;
Shulde neuere riȝte riche man þat lyueth in reste & ese
Wyte what wo is ne were þe deth of kynde.
So god þat bygan al of his good wille
Bycam man of a mayde mankynde to saue,
And suffred to be solde to see þe sorwe of deyinge,
The which vnknitteth al kare & comsynge is of reste.
For til modicum mete with vs I may it wel avowe,
Wote no wiȝte, as I wene what is ynough to mene.
For-þi god of his goodnesse þe fyrste gome Adam,
Sette hym in solace & in souereigne myrthe;
And sith he suffred hym synne sorwe to fele,

333

To wite what wel was kyndelich to knowe it.
And after god auntred hym-self and toke Adames kynde,
To wyte what he hath suffred in þre sondri places,
Bothe in heuene, & in erthe & now til helle he þynketh,
To wite what al wo is þat wote of al ioye.
So it shal fare bi þis folke; her foly & her synne
Shall lere hem what langour is & lisse with-outen ende.
Wote no wighte what werre is þere þat pees regneth,
Ne what is witterly wel til weyllowey hym teche.”
Thanne was þere a wiȝte with two brode eyen,
Boke hiȝte þat beupere a bolde man of speche.
“By godes body,” quod þis boke “I wil bere witnesse,
Þat þo þis barne was ybore þere blased a sterre,
That alle þe wyse of þis worlde in o witte acordeden,
That such a barne was borne in bethleem Citee,
Þat mannes soule sholde saue & synne destroye.
And alle þe elementz,” quod þe boke “her-of bereth witnesse.
Þat he was god þat al wrouȝte þe walkene firste shewed;
Þo þat weren in heuene token stella comata,
And tendeden hir as a torche to reuerence his birthe;
Þe lyȝte folwed þe lorde in-to þe lowe erthe.
[Þe] water witnessed þat he was god for he went on it;

334

Peter þe apostel parceyued his gate,
And as he went on þe water wel hym knewe, & seyde,

Iube me venire ad te super aquas.

And lo! how þe sonne gan louke her liȝte in her-self,
Whan she seye hym suffre þat sonne & se
[_]

i. mare

made.

The erthe for heuynesse that he wolde suffre,
Quaked as quykke þinge and al biquasht[e] þe roche.
Lo! helle miȝte nouȝte holde but opened þo god þoled,
And lete oute symondes sones to seen hym hange on Rode.
And now shal lucifer leue it thowgh hym loth þinke;
For gygas þe geaunt with a gynne engyned
To breke & to bete doune þat ben aȝeines ihesus.
“And I, boke, wil be brent but ihesus rise to lyue,
In alle myȝtes of man & his moder gladye,
And conforte al his kynne & out of care brynge,
And al þe iuwen ioye vnioignen & vnlouken;
And but þei reuerencen his Rode & his resurexioun,
And bileue on a newe lawe be lost lyf & soule.”
“Suffre we,” seide treuth “I here & se bothe,
How a spirit speketh to helle & bit vnspere þe ȝatis,

Attollite portas, &c.”

A voice loude in þat liȝte to lucifer cryeth,
“Prynces of þis place vnpynneth & vnlouketh!
For here cometh with croune þat kynge is of glorie.”
Thanne syked sathan & seyde to hem alle,

335

“Suche a lyȝte, aȝeines owre leue Lazar it fette;
Care & combraunce is comen to vs alle.
If þis kynge come in mankynde wil he fecche,
And lede it þer hym lyketh & lyȝtlych me bynde.
Patriarkes & prophetes han parled her-of longe,
Þat such a lorde & a lyȝte shulde lede hem alle hennes.”
“Lysteneth,” quod Lucifer “for I þis lorde knowe,
Bothe þis lorde & þis liȝte; is longe ago I knewe hym.
May no deth hym dere ne no deueles queyntise,
And where he wil, is his waye ac war hym of þe periles;
If he reue me my riȝte he robbeth me by maistrye.
For by riȝt & bi resoun þo renkes þat ben here,
Bodye & soule ben myne bothe gode & ille.
For hym-self seyde þat sire is of heuene,
Ȝif Adam ete þe apple alle shulde deye,
And dwelle with vs deueles þis þretynge he made;
And he þat sothenesse is seyde þise wordes;
And sitthen I seised seuene hundreth wyntre,
I leue þat lawe nil nauȝte lete hym þe leest.”
“That is sothe,” seyde Sathan “but I me sore drede,
For þow gete hem with gyle & his gardyne breke,

336

And in semblaunce of a serpent sat on þe appeltre,
And eggedest hem to ete Eue by hir-selue,
And toldest hir a tale of tresoun were þe wordes;
And so þow haddest hem oute & hider atte laste.
It is nouȝte graythely geten þere gyle is þe Rote.”
“For god wil nouȝt be bigiled” quod Gobelyn, “ne bi-iaped;
We haue no trewe title to hem for þorwgh tresoun were þei dampned.”
“Certes, I drede me,” quod þe deuel “leste treuth wil hem fecche.
Þis þretty wynter, as I wene hath he gone & preched;
I haue assailled hym with synne & some tyme yasked
Where he were god or goddes sone? he gaf me shorte answere.
And þus hath he trolled forth þis two & thretty wynter,
And whan I seighe it was so slepyng, I went,
To warne pilates wyf what dones man was ihesus;
For iuwes hateden hym and han done hym to deth.
I wolde haue lengthed his lyf for I leued, ȝif he deyede,
That his soule wolde suffre no synne in his syȝte.
For þe body, whil it on bones ȝede aboute was euere,
To saue men fram synne ȝif hem-self wolde.

337

And now I se where a soule cometh hiderward seyllynge,
With glorie & with grete liȝte god it is, I wote wel.
I rede we flee,” quod he “faste alle hennes.
For vs were better nouȝte be þan biden his syȝte.
For þi lesynges, Lucifer loste is al owre praye.
Firste þorw þe we fellen fro heuene so heighe;
For we leued þi lesynges [we loupen oute alle with þe;
And now for thi last lesynge ] ylore we haue Adam,
And al owre lordeship, I leue a londe & a water;

Nunc princeps huius mundi eicietur foras.”

Efte þe liȝte bad vnlouke & Lucifer answered,
“What lorde artow?” quod lucifer “quis est iste?”
“Rex glorie” þe liȝte sone seide,
“And lorde of myȝte & of mayne & al manere vertues; dominus virtutum;
Dukes of þis dym place anon vndo þis ȝates,
That cryst may come in þe kynges sone of heuene.”
And with þat breth helle brake with Beliales barres;
For any wye or warde wide opene þe ȝatis.
Patriarkes & prophetes populus in tenebris,
Songen seynt Iohanes songe ecce agnus dei.
Lucyfer loke ne myȝte so lyȝte hym ableynte.
And þo þat owre [lorde] loued in-to his liȝte he lauȝte,
And seyde to Sathan, “lo! here my soule to amendes
For alle synneful soules to saue þo þat ben worthy.

338

Myne þei be & of me I may þe bette hem clayme.
Al-þough resoun recorde & riȝt of my-self,
That if þei ete þe apple alle shulde deye,
I bihyȝte hem nouȝt here helle for euere.
For þe dede þat þei dede þi deceyte it made;
With gyle þow hem gete agayne al resoun.
For in my paleys, paradys in persone of an addre,
Falseliche þow fettest þere þynge þat I loued.
Thus ylyke a lusarde with a lady visage,
Theuelich þow me robbedest; þe olde lawe graunteth,
Þat gylours be bigiled & þat is gode resoun;

Dentem pro dente, & oculum pro oculo.

Ergo, soule shal soule quyte & synne to synne wende,
And al þat man hath mysdo I, man, wyl amende.
Membre for membre bi þe olde lawe was amendes,
And lyf for lyf also & by þat lawe I clayme it,
Adam & al his issue at my wille her-after.
And þat deth in hem fordid my deth shal releue,
And bothe quykke & quyte þat queynte was þorw synne;
And þat grace gyle destruye good feith it asketh.
So leue it nouȝte, lucifer aȝeine þe lawe I fecche hem,
But bi riȝt & by resoun raunceoun here my lyges:

Non veni soluere legem, sed adimplere.

Þow fettest myne in my place aȝeines al resoun,

339

Falseliche & felounelich; gode faith me it tauȝte,
To recoure hem thorw raunceoun & bi no resoun elles,
So þat with gyle þow gete þorw grace it is ywone.
Þow, Lucyfer, in lyknesse of a luther addere,
Getest by gyle þo that god loued;
And I, in lyknesse of a leode þat lorde am of heuene,
Graciousliche þi gyle haue quytte go gyle aȝeine gyle!
And as Adam & alle þorw a tre deyden,
Adam & alle þorwe a tree shal torne aȝeine to lyue;
And gyle is bigyled & in his gyle fallen:

Et cecidit in foueam quam fecit.

Now bygynneth þi gyle ageyne þe to tourne,
And my grace to growe ay gretter & wyder.
Þe bitternesse þat þow hast browe brouke it þi-seluen,
Þat art doctour of deth drynke þat þow madest!
For I, þat am lorde of lyf loue is my drynke,
And for þat drynke to-day I deyde vpon erthe.
I fauȝte so, me þrestes ȝet for mannes soule sake;
May no drynke me moiste ne my thruste slake,
Tyl þe vendage falle in þe vale of iosephath,
Þat I drynke riȝte ripe must resureccio mortuorum,
And þanne shal I come as a kynge crouned with angeles,
And han out of helle alle mennes soules.
Fendes and fendekynes bifor me shulle stande,

340

And be at my biddynge where so eure me lyketh.
And to be merciable to man þanne my kynde it asketh,
For we beth bretheren of blode but nouȝte in baptesme alle.
Ac alle þat beth myne hole bretheren in blode & in baptesme,
Shal nouȝte be dampned to þe deth þat is with-outen ende;

Tibi soli peccaui, &c.

It is nouȝt vsed in erthe to hangen a feloun
Ofter þan ones þough he were a tretour.
And ȝif þe Kynge of þat kyngedome come in þat tyme,
There þe feloun thole sholde deth or otherwyse,
Lawe wolde, he ȝeue hym lyf if he loked on hym.
And I, þat am kynge of kynges shal come suche a tyme,
There dome to þe deth dampneth al wikked;
And ȝif lawe wil I loke on hem it lithe in my grace,
Whether þei deye or deye nouȝte for þat þei deden ille.
Be it any þinge abouȝte þe boldenesse of her synnes,
I may do mercy þorw riȝtwisnesse & alle my wordes trewe.
And þough holiwrit wil þat I be wroke of hem þat deden ille,

Nullum malum inpunitum, &c.,

Thei shul be clensed clereliche & wasshen of her synnes

341

In my prisoun purgatorie til parce it hote,
And my mercy shal be shewed to manye of my bretheren.
For blode may suffre blode bothe hungry & akale,
Ac blode may nouȝt se blode blede, but hym rewe.”—

Audiui archana verba, que non licet homini loqui.—

“Ac my riȝtwisnesse & riȝt shal reulen al helle,
And mercy al mankynde bifor me in heuene.
For I were an vnkynde Kynge but I my kynde holpe,
And namelich at such a nede þer nedes helpe bihoueth;

Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo, [domine.]

Þus bi lawe,” quod owre lorde “lede I wil fro hennes
Þo þat me loued & leued in my comynge.
And for þi lesynge, lucifer þat þow lowe til Eue,
Thow shalt abye it bittre”— & bonde hym with cheynes.
Astaroth and al þe route hidden hem in hernes,
They dorste nouȝte loke on owre lorde þe boldest of hem alle,
But leten hym lede forth what hym lyked and lete what hym liste.
Many hundreth of angeles harpeden & songen,

Culpat caro, purgat caro; regnat deus dei caro.

Thanne piped pees of poysye a note,
“Clarior est solito post maxima nebula phebus,

342

Post inimicitias [clarior est et amor].
After sharpe shoures,” quod pees “moste shene is þe sonne;
Is no weder warmer þan after watery cloudes.
Ne no loue leuere ne leuer frendes,
Þan after werre & wo whan loue & pees be maistres.
Was neuere werre in þis worlde ne wykkednesse so kene,
Þat ne loue, & hym luste to laughynge ne brouȝte,
And pees þorw pacience alle perilles stopped.”
“Trewes,” quod treuth “þow tellest vs soth, bi ihesus!
Clippe we in couenaunt & vch of vs cusse other.”
“And lete no peple,” quod pees “perceyue þat we chydde,
For inpossible is no þyng to hym þat is almyȝty.”
“Thow seist soth,” seyde ryȝtwisnesse & reuerentlich hir kyste,
“Pees & pees here! per secula seculorum.”

Misericordia & veritas obuiauerunt sibi, iusticia & pax osculate sunt.

Treuth tromped þo, & songe te deum laudamus;
And þanne luted loue in a loude note,

Ecce quam bonum, & quam iocundum, &c.

Tyl þe daye dawed þis damaiseles daunced,
That men rongen to þe resurexioun & riȝt with þat I waked,
And called kitte my wyf and kalote my douȝter—
“Ariseth & reuerenceth goddes resurrexioun,

343

And crepeth to þe crosse on knees & kisseth it for a iuwel!
For goddes blissed body it bar for owre bote,
And it afereth þe fende for suche is þe myȝte,
May no grysly gost glyde þere it shadweth!”

344

PASSUS XIX (PROLOGUE TO DOBEST). Passus xixus; & explicit dobet, & incipit dobest.

Thus I awaked & wrote what I had dremed,
And diȝte me derely & dede me to cherche,
To here holy þe masse & to be houseled after.
In myddes of þe masse þo men ȝede to offrynge,
I fel eftsones a-slepe & sodeynly me mette,
That Pieres þe plowman was paynted al blody,
And come in with a crosse bifor þe comune peple,
And riȝte lyke in alle lymes to owre lorde ihesu;
And þanne called I conscience to kenne me þe sothe.
“Is þis ihesus þe iuster?” quod I “þat iuwes did to deth?
Or it is Pieres þe plowman! who paynted hym so rede?”
Quod conscience, & kneled þo “þise aren Pieres armes,
His coloures & his cote-armure ac he þat cometh so blody
Is cryst with his crosse conqueroure of crystene.”

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“Why calle ȝe hym cryst?” quod I “sithenes iuwes calle hym ihesus?
Patriarkes & prophetes prophecyed bifore,
Þat alkyn creatures shulden knelen & bowen,
Anon as men nempned þe name of god Ihesu.
Ergo is no name to þe name of ihesus,
Ne none so nedeful to nempne by nyȝte ne by daye.
For alle derke deuelles aren adradde to heren it,
And synful aren solaced & saued bi þat name.
And ȝe callen hym cryst for what cause, telleth me?
Is cryst more of myȝte & more worthy name
Þan ihesu or ihesus þat al owre ioye come of?”
“Thow knowest wel,” quod conscience “and þow konne resoun,
That knyȝte, kynge, conqueroure may be o persone.
To be called a kniȝte is faire for men shal knele to hym;
To be called a Kynge is fairer for he may knyȝtes make;
Ac to be conquerour called þat cometh of special grace,
And of hardynesse of herte & of hendenesse [bothe],
To make lordes of laddes of londe þat he wynneth,
And fre men foule thralles þat folweth nouȝt his lawes.
The iuwes, þat were gentil men ihesu þei dispised,
Bothe his lore & his lawe now ar þei lowe cherlis.
As wyde as þe worlde is wonyeth þere none
But vnder tribut & taillage as tykes & cherles.
And þo þat bicome crysten by conseille of þe baptiste,

346

Aren frankeleynes, fre men þorw fullyng þat þei toke,
And gentel men with ihesu for Ihesus was [yfulled],
And vppon caluarye on crosse ycrouned kynge of iewes.
It bicometh to a Kynge to kepe and to defende,
And conquerour of conquest his lawes & his large.
And so [dide] Ihesus þe iewes he iustified & tauȝte hem
Þe lawe of lyf that last shal euere;
And fended fram foule yueles feueres & fluxes,
And fro fendes þat in hem [were] & fals bileue.
Þo was he ihesus of iewes called gentel prophete,
And kynge of her kyngdome & croune bar of þornes.
And þo conquered he on crosse as conquerour noble;
Myȝt no deth hym fordo ne adown brynge,
That he ne aros & regned and rauysshed helle.
And þo was he conquerour called of quikke & of ded,
For he ȝaf Adam & Eue and other mo blisse,
Þat longe hadde leyne bifore as lucyferes cherles.
And sith he ȝaf largely alle his lele lyges
Places in paradys at her partynge hennes,
He may wel be called conquerour & þat is cryst to mene.
Ac þe cause þat he cometh þus with crosse of his passioun,
Is to wissen vs þere-wyth þat whan þat we ben tempted,

347

Þer-with to fyȝte & fenden vs fro fallyng in-to synne,
And se bi his sorwe þat who so loueth ioye,
To penaunce & to pouerte he moste putten hymseluen,
And moche wo in þis worlde willen & suffren.
Ac to carpe more of cryst And how he come to þat name,
Faithly forto speke his firste name was ihesus.
Tho he was borne in bethleem as þe boke telleth,
And cam to take mankynde kynges and aungeles
Reuerenced hym faire with richesse of erthe.
Angeles out of heuene come knelyng & songe,

Gloria in excelsis deo, &c.

Kynges come after kneled, & offred
Mirre & moche golde with-outen mercy askynge,
Or any kynnes catel but knowlechyng hym soeuereigne
Bothe of sonde, sonne, & see & sithenes þei went
In-to her kyngene kyth by conseille of angeles.
And there was þat worde fulfilled þe which þow of speke,

Omnia celestia, terrestria, flectantur in hoc nomine Ihesu.

For alle þe angeles of heuene at his burth kneled,
And al þe witte of þe worlde was in þo þre kynges;
Resoun & [riȝtwisnesse] & reuth þei offred,
Wherfore & whi wyse men þat tyme,
Maistres & lettred men Magy hem called.

348

That o kynge cam with resoun keuered vnder sense.
Þe secounde kynge sitthe sothliche offred
Riȝtwisnesse vnder red golde resouns felawe.
Golde is likned to leute þat last shal euere,
And resoun to riche golde to riȝte & to treuthe.
The þridde kynge þo cam knelyng to ihesu,
And presented hym with pitee apierynge by myrre;
For mirre is mercy to mene & mylde speche of tonge.
Thre yliche honest þinges [were] offred þus at ones,
Þorw þre kynne kynges knelynge to ihesu.
Ac for alle þise preciouse presentz owre lorde prynce ihesus
Was neyther kynge ne conquerour til he gan to wexe
In þe manere of a man & þat by moche sleight;
As it bicometh a conquerour to konne many sleightes,
And many wyles & witte þat wil ben a leder;
And so did ihesu in his dayes who so had tyme to telle it.
Sum tyme he suffred & sum tyme he hydde hym;
And sum tyme he fauȝte faste & fleigh otherwhile.
And some tyme he gaf good & graunted hele bothe,
Lyf & lyme as hym lyste, he wrought.
As kynde is of a conquerour so comsed ihesu,
Tyl he had alle hem þat he fore bledde.
In his iuuente þis ihesus atte iuwen feste,

349

Water in-to wyn tourned as holy writ telleth,
And þere bigan god of his grace to dowel.
For wyn is lykned to lawe & lyf of holynesse;
And lawe lakked þo for men loued nouȝt her enemys.
And cryst conseilleth þus & comaundeth bothe,
Bothe to lered & to lewed to louye owre enemys.
So atte feste firste as I bifore tolde,
Bygan god, of his grace & goodnesse, to dowel:
And þo was he cleped & called nouȝt holy cryst, but Ihesu,
A faunt fyn, ful of witte filius marie.
For bifor his moder marie made he þat wonder,
Þat she furste & formest ferme shulde bilieue,
That he þorw grace was gete & of no gome elles.
He wrouȝt þat bi no witte but þorw worde one,
After þe kynde þat he come of þere comsed he dowel.
And whan he was woxen more in his moder absence,
He made lame to lepe & ȝaue liȝte to blynde,
And fedde with two fisshes & with fyue loues
Sore afyngred folke mo þan fyue thousande.
Þus he conforted carful & cauȝte a gretter name,
Þe whiche was dobet where þat he went.
For defe þorw his doynges to here & dombe speke he made,
And alle he heled & halpe þat hym of grace asked.
And þo was he called in contre of þe comune peple,

350

For þe dedes þat he did fili dauid, ihesus!
For dauid was douȝtiest of dedes in his tyme,
The berdes þo songe Saul interfecit mille, et dauid decem milia;
For-þi þe contre þere ihesu cam called hym fili dauid,
And nempned hym of nazereth & no man so worthi
To be kaisere or kynge of þe kyngedome of iuda,
Ne ouer iuwes iustice as ihesus was, hem þouȝte.
Where-of caiphas hadde enuye & other of þe iewes,
And forto done hym to deth day & nyȝte þei casten;
Kulleden hym on-crosse-wyse at caluarie on fryday,
And sithen buryden his body & beden þat men sholde
Kepen it fro niȝt-comeres with knyȝtes y-armed,
For no frendes shulde hym fecche for prophetes hem tolde,
Þat þat blessed body of burieles shulde rise,
And gone in-to galile and gladen his apostles,
And his moder Marie þus men bifore demed.
The knyȝtes þat kepten it biknewe it hem-seluen,
Þat angeles & archangeles ar þe day spronge,
Come knelynge to þe corps & songen, christus resurgens
Verrey man bifor hem alle & forth with hem he ȝede.
The iewes preyed hem pees & bisouȝte þe knyȝtes

351

Telle þe comune þat þere cam a compaignye of his aposteles,
And bywicched hem as þei woke & awey stolen it.
Ac Marie Magdeleyne mette hym bi þe wey,
Goynge toward galile in godhed & manhed,
And lyues & lokynge & she aloude cryde,
In eche a compaignye þere she cam christus resurgens!
Þus cam it out þat cryst ouer-cam rekeuered & lyued;

Sic oportet christum pati, & intrare, &c.;

For [þat] þat wommen witeth may nouȝte wel be conseille!
Peter perceyued al þis & pursued after,
Bothe iames & Iohan Ihesu for to seke,
Tadde & ten mo with Thomas of ynde.
And as alle þise wise wyes weren togideres,
In an hous al bishette & her dore ybarred,
Cryst cam in, & al closed bothe dore & ȝates,
To peter & to his aposteles and seyde pax vobis!
And toke Thomas by þe hande and tauȝte hym to grope,
And fele with his fyngres his flesshelich herte.
Thomas touched it & with his tonge seyde,

‘Deus meus & dominus meus.

Thow art my lorde, I bileue god, lorde ihesu!
Þow deydest & deth þoledest and deme shalt vs alle!
And now art lyuynge & lokynge & laste shalt euere!’

352

Crist carped þanne and curteislich seyde,
‘Thomas, for þow trowest þis & trewliche bileuest it,
Blessed mote þow be & be shalt for euere.
And blessed mote þei alle be in body & in soule,
That neuere shal se me in siȝte as þow doste nouthe,
And lellich bileuen al þis I loue hem & blesse hem;

Beati qui non viderunt, [et crediderunt,] &c.’

And whan þis dede was done dobest he tauȝte,
And ȝaf Pieres power and pardoun he graunted
To alle manere men mercy & forȝyfnes,
Hym myȝte men to assoille of alle manere synnes,
In couenant þat þei come & knowleche to paye,
To pieres pardon þe plowman redde quod debes.
Thus hath pieres powere be his pardoun payed,
To bynde & to vnbynde bothe here & elles-[where],
And assoile men of alle synnes saue of dette one.
Anone after an heigh vp in-to heuene
He went, & wonyeth þere & wil come atte laste,
And rewarde hym riȝte wel þat reddit quod debet—
Payeth parfitly as pure trewthe wolde.
And what persone payeth it nouȝt punysshen he þinketh,
And demen hem at domes daye bothe quikke & ded,
Þe gode to þe godhede & to grete ioye,
And wikke to wonye in wo with-outen ende.”

353

Þus conscience of crist & of þe crosse carped,
And conseilled me to knele þer-to & þanne come, me þouȝte,
One spiritus paraclitus to pieres & to his felawes;
In lyknesse of a liȝtnynge he lyȝte on hem alle,
And made hem konne & knowe alkyn langages.
I wondred what þat was & wagged conscience,
And was afered of the lyȝte for in fyres lyknesse
Spiritus paraclitus ouer-spradde hem alle.
Quod conscience, & kneled “þis is crystes messager,
And cometh fro þe grete god & grace is his name.
Knele now,” quod conscience “& if þow canst synge,
Welcome hym & worshipe hym with veni, creator spiritus.”
Thanne songe I þat songe and so did many hundreth,
And cryden with conscience “help vs, god of grace!”
And þanne bigan grace to go with piers plowman,
And conseilled hym & conscience þe comune to sompne,
“For I wil dele to-daye & dyuyde grace,
To alkynnes creatures þat [han] her fyue wittes,
Tresore to lyue by to her lyues ende,
And wepne to fyȝte with þat wil neure faille.
For antecryst & his al þe worlde shal greue,
And acombre þe, conscience but if cryst þe helpe.
And fals prophetes fele flatereres & glosers
Shullen come & be curatoures ouer kynges & erlis,
And pryde shal be pope prynce of holycherche,
Coueytyse & vnkyndenesse cardinales hym to lede.

354

For-þi,” quod grace, “er I go I wil gyue ȝow tresore,
And wepne to fiȝte with whan antecryst ȝow assailleth.”
And gaf eche man a grace to gye with hym-seluen,
That ydelnesse encombre hym nouȝt envye ne pryde,

Diuisiones graciarum sunt, &c.

Some he ȝaf wytte with wordes to shewe,
Witte to wynne her lyflode with as þe worlde asketh,
As prechoures & prestes & prentyce[s] of lawe,
Þei lelly to lyue by laboure of tonge,
And bi witte to wissen other as grace hem wolde teche.
And some he kenned crafte & kunnynge of syȝte,
With sellyng & buggynge her bylyf to wynne,
And some he lered to laboure a lele lyf & a trewe,
And somme he tauȝte to tilie to dyche & to thecche,
To wynne with her lyflode by lore of his techynge.
And some to dyuyne & diuide noumbres to kenne;
And some to compas craftily & coloures to make;
And some to se & to saye what shulde bifalle,
Bothe of wel & of wo telle it or it felle,
As Astronomyenes þorw astronomye & philosophres wyse.
And some to ryde & to recoeure þat vnriȝtfully was wonne;
He wissed hem wynne it aȝeyne þorw wightnesse of handes,

355

And fecchen it fro fals men with foluyles lawes.
And some he lered to lyue in longynge to ben hennes,
In pouerte & in penaunce to preye for alle crystene.
And alle he lered to be lele & eche a crafte loue other,
And forbad hem alle debate þat none were amonge hem.
“Thowgh some be clenner þan somme ȝe se wel,” quod grace,
“Þat he þat vseth þe fairest crafte to þe foulest I couth haue put hym,
Þinketh alle,” quod grace “þat grace cometh of my ȝifte;
Loke þat none lakke other but loueth alle as bretheren.
And who þat moste maistries can be myldest of berynge,
And crouneth conscience kynge & maketh crafte ȝowre stuward,
And after craftes conseille clotheth ȝow & fede.
For I make pieres þe plowman my procuratour & my reve,
And Regystrere to receyue redde quod debes.
My prowor & my plowman Piers shal ben on erthe,
And for to tulye treuthe a teme shal he haue.”
Grace gaue Piers a teme foure gret oxen;
Þat on was Luke, a large beste and a lowe-chered,

356

And marke, & mathew þe þrydde myghty bestes bothe,
And ioigned to hem one Iohan most gentil of alle,
Þe prys nete of Piers plow passyng alle other.
And grace gaue pieres of his goodnesse, foure stottis,
Al þat his oxen eryed þey to harwe after.
On hyȝte Austyne & ambrose an-other,
Gregori þe grete clerke & Ierome þe gode;
Þise foure, þe feithe to teche folweth pieres teme,
And harwed in an handwhile al holy scripture,
Wyth two harwes þat þei hadde an olde & a newe,

Id est, vetus testamentum & nouum.

And grace gaue greynes þe cardynales vertues,
And sewe [hem] in mannes soule & sithen he tolde her names.
Spiritus prudencie þe firste seed hyȝte,
And who so eet þat ymagyne he shulde,
Ar he did any dede deuyse wel þe ende;
And lerned men a ladel bugge with a longe stele,
Þat cast for to kepe a crokke to saue þe fatte abouen.
The secounde seed hiȝte spiritus temperancie.
He þat ete of þat seed hadde suche a kynde,
Shulde neuere mete ne mochel drynke make hym to swelle,
Ne sholde no scorner ne scolde oute of skyl hym brynge,

357

Ne wynnynge ne welthe of wor[l]deliche ricchesse
Waste worde of ydelnesse ne wykked speche meue;
Shulde no curyous clothe comen on hys rugge,
Ne no mete in his mouth þat maister Iohan spiced.
The thridde seed þat Pieres sewe was spiritus fortitudinis.
And who so eet of þat seed hardy was eure.
To suffre al þat god sent sykenesse & angres;
Myȝte no lesynge ne lyere ne losse of worldely catel
Maken hym for any mournynge þat he nas merye in soule,
And bolde & abydynge bismeres to suffre,
And playeth al with pacyence & parce michi, domine,
And couered hym vnder conseille of catoun þe wyse;
Esto forti animo, cum sis dampnatus inique.
The fierthe seed þat pieres sewe was spiritus iusticie,
And he þat eet of þat seed shulde be euere trewe
With god, & nouȝt agast but of gyle one.
For gyle goth so pryuely þat good faith other-while
May nouȝte ben aspyed for spiritus iusticie.
Spiritus iusticie spareth nouȝte to spille
Hem þat ben gulty & forto correcte
Þe Kynge, ȝif he falle in gylte or in trespasse.
For counteth he no kynges wratthe whan he in courte sitteth
To demen as a domes man; adradde was he neure,
Noither of duke ne of deth þat he ne dede þe lawe,
For present or for preyere or any prynces lettres;

358

He dede equite to alle euene forth his powere.
Thise foure sedes pieres sewe and sitthe he did hem harwe
Wyth olde lawe and newe lawe þat loue myȝte wexe
Amonge þe foure vertues and vices destroye.
For comunelich in contrees kammokes & wedes
Fouleth þe fruite in þe felde þere þei growe togyderes;
And so don vices vertues worthy.
Quod Piers, “harweth alle þat kunneth kynde witte bi conseille of þis doctours,
And tulyeth after her techynge þe cardinale vertues.”
“Aȝeines þi greynes,” quod grace “bigynneth for to ripe,
Ordeigne þe an hous, Piers to herberwe in þi cornes.”
“By god! grace,” quod Piers “ȝe moten gyue tymbre,
And ordeyne þat hous ar ȝe hennes wende.”
And grace gaue hym þe crosse with þe croune of þornes,
That cryst vpon caluarye for mankynde on pyned,
And of his baptesme & blode þat he bledde on Rode
He made a maner morter & mercy it hiȝte.
And þere-with grace bigan to make a good foundement,
And watteled it and walled it with his peynes & his passioun,
And of al holywrit he made a rofe after,
And called þat hous vnite holicherche on englisshe.

359

And whan þis dede was done grace deuised
A carte, hyȝte cristendome to carye pieres sheues;
And gaf hym caples to his carte contricioun & confessioun,
And made presthode haywarde þe while hym-self went
As wyde as þe worlde is with pieres to tulye treuthe.
Now is Pieres to þe plow & pruyde it aspyde,
And gadered hym a grete oest to greuen he þinketh
Conscience and al crystene and cardinale vertues,
Blowe hem doune & breke hem & bite atwo þe mores;
And sente forth surquydous his seriaunt of armes,
And his spye spille-loue one speke-yuel-byhynde.
Þise two come to conscience and to crystene peple,
And tolde hem tydynges “þat tyne þei shulde þe sedes,
That Pieres þere hadde ysowen þe cardynal vertues;
And Pieres berne worth broke & þei þat ben in vnite
Shulle come out, & conscience & ȝowre two caples,
Confessioun & contricioun and ȝowre carte þe byleue
Shal be coloured so queyntly and keuered vnder owre sophistrie,
Þat [conscience] shal nouȝte knowe by contricioun,
Ne by confessioun who is cristene or hethen,
Ne no maner marchaunt þat with moneye deleth,
Where he wynne wyth riȝte with wronge, or with vsure.

360

With suche coloures & queyntise cometh pryde y-armed,
With þe lorde þat lyueth after þe luste of his body,
To wasten, on welfare and on wykked kepynge,
Al þe worlde in a while þorw owre witte,” quod pruyde.
Quod conscience to alle crystene þo “my conseille is to wende
Hastiliche in-to vnyte & holde we vs þere,
And preye we þat a pees were in Piers berne þe plow-man.
For witterly I wote wel we beth nouȝte of strengthe
To gone agayne pryde but grace were with vs.”
And þanne cam kynde wytte conscience to teche,
And cryde & comaunded al crystene peple,
For to deluen a dyche depe a-boute vnite,
That holy-cherche stode in vnite as it a pyle [were].
Conscience comaunded þo al crystene to delue,
And make a muche mote þat myȝte ben a strengthe,
To helpe holycherche & hem þat it kepeth,
Thanne alkyn crystene saue comune wommen,
Repenteden & refused synne saue they one;
And fals men, flat[er]eres vsureres and theues,
Lyeres and questmongeres þat were forsworen ofte,
Wytynge and willefully with þe false helden,
And for syluer were forswore sothely þei wist it.
Þere nas no crystene creature þat kynde witte hadde,

361

Saue schrewes one suche as I spak of,
That he ne halpe a quantite holynesse to wexe.
Somme þorw bedes-byddynge and somme þorw pylgrymage,
And other pryue penaunce and some þorw penyes delynge.
And þanne welled water for wikked werkes,
Egerlich ernynge out of mennes eyen.
Clennesse of þe comune & clerkes clene lyuynge
Made vnite holicherche in holynesse to stonde.
“I care nouȝte,” quod conscience “þough pryde come nouthe,
Þe lorde of luste shal be letted al þis lente, I hope.
Comeþ,” quod conscience “ȝe cristene, and dyneth,
Þat han laboured lelly al þis lente tyme.
Here is bred yblessed and goddes body þer-vnder.
Grace þorw goddes worde gaue Pieres power,
[And] myȝtes to maken it & men to ete it after,
In helpe of her hele onys in a moneth,
Or as ofte as þey hadden nede þo þat hadde ypayed
To pieres pardoun þe plowman redde quod debes.”
“How?” quod al þe comune “þow conseillest vs to ȝelde
Al þat we owen any wyȝte ar we go to housel?”
“That is my conseille,” quod conscience “& cardynale vertues,
Þat vche man forȝyue other and þat wyl þe paternoster,

362

Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, &c.,

And so to ben assoilled & sithen ben houseled.”
“Ȝe, bawe!” quod a brewere “I wil nouȝt be reuled,
Bi ihesu! for al ȝowre ianglynge with spiritus iustice,
Ne after conscience, by cryste whil I can selle
Bothe dregges & draffe and drawe it at on hole,
Þikke ale and þinne ale for þat is my kynde,
And nouȝte hakke after holynesse; holde þi tonge, conscience!
Of spiritus iusticie þow spekest moche an ydel!”
“Caytyue,” quod conscience “cursed wrecche!
Vnblessed artow, brewere but if þe god helpe;
But þow lyue by lore of spiritus iusticie,
Þe chief seed þat Pieres sewe ysaued worstow neure.
But conscience þe comune fede and cardynale vertues,
Leue it wel þei ben loste bothe lyf & soule.”
“Thanne is many man ylost” quod a lewed vycory,
“I am a curatour of holykyrke and come neure in my tyme
Man to me þat me couth telle of cardinale vertues,
Or þat acounted conscience at a cokkes fether or an hennes!
I knewe neure cardynal þat he ne cam fro þe pope,
And we clerkes, whan þey come for her comunes payeth,
For her pelure and her palfreyes mete & piloures þat hem folweth.

363

Þe comune clamat cotidie eche a man to other,
‘Þe contre is þe curseder þat cardynales come Inne;
And þere they ligge and lenge moste lecherye þere regneth:’—
For-þi,” quod þis vicori “be verrey god, I wolde
That no cardynal come amonge þe comune peple,
But in her holynesse holden hem stille
At Auynoun, amonge þe iuwes cum sancto sanctus eris, &c.,
Or in Rome, as here rule wole þe reliques to kepe;
And þow, conscience, in kynges courte & shuldest neure come þennes,
And grace þat þow gredest so of gyour of alle clerkes,
And Pieres with his newe plow & eke with his olde,
Emperour of al þe worlde þat alle men were cristene.
Inparfyt is þat pope þat al peple shulde helpe,
And sendeth hem þat sleeth suche as he shulde saue;
And wel worth piers þe plowman þat [pur]sueth god in doynge,
Qui pluit super iustos & iniustos at ones,
And sent þe sonne to saue a cursed mannes tilthe,
As bryȝte as to þe best man & to þe beste woman.
Riȝte so Pieres þe plowman peyneth hym to tulye
As wel for a wastour & wenches of þe stuwes,
As for hym-self & his seruauntz saue he is firste yserued;

364

And trauailleth & tulyeth for a tretour also sore
As for a trewe tydy man al tymes ylyke.
And worshiped be he þat wrouȝte al bothe good & wykke,
And suffreth þat synful be til some tyme þat þei repente.
And god amende þe pope þat pileth holykirke,
And cleymeth bifor þe kynge to be keper ouer crystene,
And counteth nouȝt þough crystene ben culled & robbed,
And fynt folke to fyȝte and cristene blode to spille,
Aȝeyne þe olde lawe & newe lawe as Luke þer-of witnesseth,

Non occides: michi vindictam, &c.

It semeth, by so hym-self hadd[e] his wille,
That he ne reccheth riȝte nouȝte of al þe remenaunte.
And cryst of his curteisye þe cardinales saue,
And tourne her witte to wisdome & to wele of soule!
For þe comune,” quod þis curatour “counten ful litel
Þe conseille of conscience or cardinale vertues,
But if þei [seiȝe] as by syȝte somwhat to wynnynge;
Of gyle ne of gabbynge gyue þei neuere tale.
For spiritus prudencie amonge þe peple, is gyle,

365

And alle þo faire vertues as vyces þei semeth;
Eche man sotileth a sleight synne forto hyde,
And coloureth it for a kunnynge and a clene lyuynge.”
Thanne loughe þere a lorde & “by þis liȝte,” sayde,
“I halde it ryȝte & resoun of my reue to take
Al þat myne auditour or elles my stuwarde
Conseilleth me by her acounte & my clerkes wrytynge.
With spiritus intellectus they seke þe reues rolles,
And with spiritus fortitudinis fecche [it] I wole.”
And þanne come þere a kynge & bi his croune seyde,
“I am Kynge with croune þe comune to reule,
And holykirke & clergye fro cursed men to defende.
And if me lakketh to lyue by þe lawe wil I take it,
Þere I may hastlokest it haue for I am hed of lawe;
For ȝe ben but membres & I aboue alle.
And sith I am ȝowre aller hed I am ȝowre aller hele,
And holycherche chief help & chiftaigne of þe comune.
And what I take of ȝow two I take it atte techynge
Of spiritus iusticie for I iugge ȝow alle;
So I may baldely be houseled for I borwe neuere,
Ne craue of my comune but as my kynde asketh.”

366

“In condicioun,” quod conscience “þat þow konne defende
And rule þi rewme in resoun riȝt wel, & in treuth,
Take þow may in resoun as þi lawe asketh;

Omnia tua sunt ad defendendum, set non ad depredandum!”

Þe vyker hadde fer home & faire toke his leue,
And I awakned þere-with & wrote as me mette.

367

PASSUS XX (DO-BEST I). Passus xxus de visione, & primus de dobest.

Thanne as I went by þe way whan I was þus awaked,
Heuy-chered I ȝede and elynge in herte;
I ne wiste where to ete ne at what place.
And it neighed nyeghe þe none & with nede I mette,
That afronted me foule and faitour me called.
“Coudestow nouȝte excuse þe as dede þe Kynge & other,
Þat þow toke to þi bylyf to clothes and to sustenance,
As by techynge & by tellynge of spiritus temperancie,
And þow nome namore þan nede þe tauȝte,
And nede ne hath no lawe ne neure shal falle in dette?
For þre thynges he taketh his lyf forto saue,
That is mete, whan men hym werneth & he no moneye weldeth,
Ne wyght none wil ben his borwe ne wedde hath none to legge.

368

And he cauȝte in þat cas & come þere-to by sleighte,
He synneth nouȝte sothelich þat so wynneth his fode.
And þough he come so to a clothe and can no better cheuysaunce,
Nede anon riȝte nymeth hym vnder meynpryse.
And if hym lyst for to lape þe lawe of kynde wolde
That he dronke at eche diche ar he for thurste deyde.
So nede, at grete nede may nymen as for his owne,
Wyth-oute conseille of conscience or cardynale vertues,
So þat he suwe & saue spiritus temperancie.
For is no vertue by fer to spiritus temperancie,
Neither spiritus iusticie ne spiritus fortitudinis;
For spiritus fortitudinis forfaiteth ful oft,
He shal do more þan mesure many tyme & ofte,
And bete men ouer bitter and somme of hem to litel,
And greue men gretter þan goode faith it wolde.
And spiritus iusticie shal iuggen, wolhe, nolhe,
After þe kynges conseille & þe comune lyke.
And spiritus prudencie in many a poynte shal faille.
Of þat he weneth wolde falle if his wytte ne were.
Wenynge is no wysdome ne wyse ymagynacioun,
Homo proponit & deus disponit & gouerneth alle good vertues.
Ac nede is next hym for anon he meketh,
And as low as a lombe for lakkyng of þat hym nedeth.

369

Wyse men forsoke wele for þey wolde be nedy,
And woneden in wildernesse & wolde nouȝte be riche.
And god al his grete ioye gostliche he left,
And cam & toke mankynde and bycam nedy.
So nedy he was, as seyth þe boke in many sondry places,
Þat he seyde in his sorwe on þe selue Rode,
‘Bothe fox & foule may fleighe to hole & crepe,
And þe fisshe hath fyn to flete with to reste,
Þere nede hath ynome me þat I mote nede abyde,
And suffre sorwes ful sowre þat shal to ioye tourne.’
For-þi be nouȝte abasshed to byd[d]e and to be nedy;
Syth he þat wrouȝte al þe worlde was wilfullich nedy,
Ne neuer none so nedy ne pouerere deyde.”
Whan nede had vndernome me þus Anon I felle aslepe,
And mette ful merueillously þat, in mannes forme,
Antecryst cam þanne and al þe croppe of treuthe
Torned it vp so doune and ouertilte þe rote,
And [made] fals sprynge & sprede & spede mennes nedes;
In eche a contre þere he cam he cutte awey treuthe,
And gert gyle growe þere as he a god were.

370

Freres folwed þat fende for he ȝaf hem copes,
And religiouse reuerenced hym and rongen here belles,
And al þe couent forth cam to welcome þat tyraunt,
And alle hise, as wel as hym saue onlich folis;
Which folis were wel leuer to deye þan to lyue
[Lenger], sith [leute] was so rebuked,
And a fals fende antecriste ouer alle folke regned;
And þat were mylde men & holy þat no myschief dredden,
Defyed al falsenesse and folke þat it vsed,
And what Kynge þat hem conforted knowynge hem any while,
They cursed, and her conseille were it clerke or lewed.
Antecriste hadde thus sone hundredes at his banere,
And Pryde it bare boldely aboute,
With a lorde þat lyueth after lykynge of body,
That cam aȝein conscience þat kepere was & gyoure
Ouer kynde crystene and cardynale vertues.
“I conseille,” quod conscience þo “cometh with me, ȝe foles,
In-to vnyte holy-cherche and holde we vs there,
And crye we to kynde þat he come & defende vs,
Foles, fro þis fendes lymes for Piers loue þe plowman.
And crye we to alle þe comune þat þei come to vnite,
And þere abide and bikere aȝein beliales children.”
Kynd conscience þo herde and cam out of þe planetes,

371

And sent forth his foreioures feures & fluxes,
Coughes, and cardiacles crampes, and tothaches,
Rewmes, & radegoundes and roynouse scalles,
Byles, and bocches and brennyng agues;
Frenesyes, & foule yueles forageres of kynde,
Hadde yprykked and prayed polles of peple,
Þat largelich a legioun lese her lyf sone.
There was—“harrow and help! here cometh kynde,
With deth þat is dredful to vndone vs alle!”
The lorde that lyued after lust tho alowde cryde
After conforte, a knyghte to come and bere his banere.
“Al-arme! alarme!” quod þat lorde “eche lyf kepe his owne.”
And þanne mette þis men ar mynstralles myȝte pipe,
And ar heraudes of armes hadden descreued lordes.
Elde þe hore he was in þe vauntwarde,
And bare þe banere bifor deth by riȝte he it claymed.
Kynde come after with many kene sores,
As pokkes and pestilences and moche poeple shente;
So kynde þorw corupciouns kulled ful manye.
Deth cam dryuende after and al to doust passhed
Kynges & knyȝtes kayseres and popes;
Lered ne lewed he let no man stonde,
That he hitte euene þat euere stired after.

372

Many a louely lady and lemmanes of knyghtes
Swouned and swelted for sorwe of dethes dyntes.
Conscience of his curteisye to kynde he bisouȝte,
To cesse & suffre and see where þei wolde
Leue pryde pryuely and be parfite cristene.
And kynde cessed tho to se þe peple amende.
Fortune gan flateren thenne þo fewe þat were alyue,
And byhight hem longe lyf and lecherye he sent,
Amonges al manere men wedded & vnwedded,
And gadered a gret hoste al agayne conscience.
This lecherye leyde on with a laughyng chiere,
And with pryue speche and peynted wordes,
And armed hym in ydelnesse and in hiegh berynge.
He bare a bowe in his hande and manye blody arwes,
Weren fethered with faire biheste and many a false truthe.
Wit[h] his vntydy tales he tened ful ofte
Conscience and his compaignye of holicherche þe techeres.
Thanne cam coueityse and caste how he myȝte
Ouercome conscience and cardynal vertues,
And armed hym in auaryce and hungriliche lyued.
His wepne was al wiles to wynnen & to hyden;
With glosynges and with gabbynges he gyled þe peple.
Symonye hym sent[e] to assaille conscience,
And preched to þe peple and prelates þei hem maden,
To holden with antecryste her temperaltes to saue;

373

And come to þe kynges conseille as a kene baroun,
And kneled to conscience in courte afor hem alle,
And gart gode feith flee and fals to abide,
And boldeliche bar adown with many a briȝte noble
Moche of þe witte and wisdome of westmynster halle.
He iugged til a iustice and iusted in his ere,
And ouertilte al his treuthe with “take þis vp amendement.”
And to þe arches in haste he ȝede anone after,
And torned Ciuile in-to Symonye and sitthe he toke þe official;
For a [mantel] of menyuere he made lele matrimonye
Departen ar deth cam & deuo[r]s shupte.
“Allas!” quod conscience, & cried þo “wolde criste, of his grace,
That coueityse were cristene þat is so kene a fiȝter,
And bolde and bidyng while his bagge lasteth.”
And þanne lowgh lyf and leet dagge his clothes,
And armed hym in haste in harlotes wordes,
And helde holynesse a iape and hendenesse a wastour,
And lete leute a cherle and lyer a fre man;
Conscience and conseille he counted it a folye.
Thus relyed lyf for a litel fortune,

374

And pryked forth with pryde preyseth he no vertue,
[Ne] careth nouȝte how kynde slow and shal come atte laste,
And culle alle erthely creature[s] saue conscience one.
Lyf leep asyde and lauȝte hym a lemman,
“Heel & I,” quod he “and hieghnesse of herte
Shal do þe nouȝte drede noyther deth ne elde,
And to forȝete sorwe and ȝyue nouȝte of synne.”
This lyked lyf and his lemman fortune,
And geten in her glorie a gadelyng atte laste,
One þat moche wo wrouȝte sleuthe was his name.
Sleuthe wex wonder ȝerne and sone was of age,
And wedded one wanhope a wenche of þe stuwes.
Her syre was a sysour þat neure swore treuthe,
One Thomme two-tonge ateynte at veh a queste.
This sleuthe was war of werre and a slynge made,
And threwe drede of dyspayre a dozein myle aboute.
For care conscience þo cryed vpon elde,
And bad hym fonde to fyȝte and afere wanhope.
And elde hent good hope and hastilich he shifte hym,
And wayued awey wanhope and with lyf he fyȝteth,
And lyf fleigh for fere to fysyke after helpe,
And bisouȝte hym of socoure and of his salue hadde,
And gaf hym golde, good woon þat gladded his herte,
And þei gyuen hym agayne a glasen houve.

375

Lyf leued þat lechecrafte lette shulde elde,
And dryuen awey deth with dyas and dragges.
And elde auntred hym on lyf and atte laste he hitte
A Fisicien with a forred hood þat he fel in a palsye,
And þere deyed þat doctour ar thre dayes after.
“Now I see,” seyde lyf “þat surgerye ne Fisyke
May nouȝte a myte auaille to medle aȝein elde;”
And in hope of his hele gode herte he hente,
And rode so to reuel a ryche place and a merye,
The companye of conforte men cleped it sumtyme.
And elde anone after me and ouer myne heed ȝede,
And made me balled bifore and bare on þe croune,
So harde he ȝede ouer myn hed it wil be seen eure.
“Sire euel-ytauȝte elde,” quod I “vnhende go with the!
Sith whanne was þe way ouer [mennes] hedes?
Haddestow be hende,” quod I “þow woldest haue asked leue!”
“Ȝe! leue lordeyne,” quod he and leyde on me with age,
And hitte me vnder þe ere vnethe may ich here;
He buffeted me aboute þe mouthe & bett[e] out my tethe,
And gyued me in goutes I may nouȝte go at large.
And of þe wo þat I was in my wyf had reuthe,
And wisshed ful witterly þat I were in heuene.

376

For þe lyme þat she loued me fore and leef was to fele,
On nyȝtes namely whan we naked were,
I ne myght in no manere maken it at hir wille,
So elde and she sothly hadden it forbeten.
And as I seet in þis sorwe I say how kynde passed,
And deth drowgh niegh me for drede gan I quake,
And cried to kynde out of care me brynge.
“Loo! elde þe hoore hath me biseye,
Awreke me, if ȝowre wille be for I wolde ben hennes.”
“Ȝif þow wilt ben ywroken wende in-to vnite,
And holde þe þere eure tyl I sende for þe,
And loke þow conne somme crafte ar þow come þennes.”
“Conseille me, kynde,” quod I “what crafte is best to lerne?”
“Lerne to loue,” quod kynde “& leue of alle othre.”
“How shal I come to catel so to clothe me and to fede?”
“And þow loue lelly,” quod he “lakke shal þe neure
Mete ne wor[l]dly wede whil þi lyf lasteth.”
And þere, by conseille of kynde I comsed to rowme
Thorw contricioun & confessioun tyl I cam to vnite;
And þere was conscience constable cristene to saue,
And biseged sothly with seuene grete gyauntz,
Þat with Antecrist helden hard aȝein conscience.

377

Sleuth with his slynge an hard saut he made,
Proude prestes come with hym moo þan a thousand,
In paltokes & pyked shoes & pisseres longe knyues,
Comen aȝein conscience; with coueityse þei helden.
“By Marie,” quod a mansed preste of þe marche of yrlonde,
“I counte namore conscience bi so I cacche syluer,
Than I do to drynke a drauȝte of good ale!”
And so seide sexty of þe same contreye,
And shoten aȝein with shotte many a shef of othes,
And brode hoked arwes goddes herte, & his nayles,
And hadden almost vnyte and holynesse adowne.
Conscience cryed, “helpe clergye, or ellis I falle
Thorw inparfit prestes and prelates of holicherche.”
Freres herden hym crye and comen hym to helpe,
Ac for þei couth nouȝte wel her craft conscience forsoke hem.
Nede neghed tho nere and conscience he tolde
That þei come for coueityse to haue cure of soules—
“And for þei arn poure, par auenture for patrimoigne hem failleth,
Thei wil flatre, to fare wel folke þat ben riche;
And sithen þei chosen chele and [cheytif] pouerte,
Lat hem chewe as þei chese and charge hem with no cure!

378

For lomer
[_]

i. sepius

he lyeth þat lyflode mote begge,

Þan he þat laboureth for lyflode & leneth it beggeres.
And sithen Freres forsoke þe felicite of erthe,
Lat hem be as beggeres or lyue by angeles fode!”
Conscience of þis conseille þo comsed forto laughe,
And curtei[s]lich conforted hem and called in alle freres,
And seide, “sires, sothly welcome be ȝe alle
To vnite and holicherche ac on thyng I ȝow preye,
Holdeth ȝow in vnyte and haueth none envye
To lered ne to lewed but lyueth after ȝowre rewle.
And I wil be ȝowre borghe ȝe shal haue bred and clothes,
And other necessaries [I-nowe] ȝow shal no thyng faille,
With þat ȝe leue logyk and lerneth for to louye.
For loue laft þei lordship bothe londe and scole,
Frere Fraunceys and Dominyk for loue to ben holy.
And if ȝe coueyteth cure kynde wil ȝow teche,
That in mesure god made alle manere thynges,
And sette [hem] at a certeyne and at a syker noumbre,
And nempned names newe and noumbred þe sterres;

Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum, & omnibus eis [nomina vocat], &c.

Kynges & knyghtes þat kepen and defenden,
Han officers vnder hem and vch of hem certeyne;

379

And if þei wage men to werre þei write hem in noumbre,
[Or] wil no tresorere hem paye trauaille þei neure so sore.
Alle other in bataille ben yholde bribours,
Pilours and pykehernois in eche a place ycursed.
Monkes and monyals and alle men of Religioun
Her ordre and her reule wil to han a certeyne noumbre.
Of lewed and of lered þe lawe wol and axeth
A certeyn for a certeyne saue onelich of freres.
For-þi,” quod conscience, “by cryst kynde witte me telleth,
It is wikked to wage ȝow ȝe wexeth out of noumbre!
Heuene hath euene noumbre and helle is with-out noumbre;
For-þi I wolde witterly þat ȝe were in þe Registre,
And ȝowre noumbre vndre notarie[s] sygne & noyther mo ne lasse!”
Enuye herd þis and heet freres to go to scole,
And lerne logyk and lawe and eke contemplacioun,
And preche men of plato and preue it by Seneca,
Þat alle þinges vnder heuene ouȝte to ben in comune.
And ȝit he lyeth, as I leue þat to þe lewed so precheth,

380

For god made to men a lawe and Moyses it tauȝte,

Non concupisces rem proximi tui.

And euele is þis yholde in parisches of engelonde,
For persones and parishprestes þat shulde þe peple shryue,
Ben curatoures called to knowe and to hele,
Alle þat ben her parisshiens penaunce to enioigne,
And shulden be ashamed in her shrifte; ac shame maketh hem wende,
And fleen to þe freres as fals folke to westmynstre,
That borweth and bereth it þider and þanne biddeth frendes
Ȝerne of forȝifnesse or lenger ȝeres [lone];
Ac whil he is in westmynstre he wil be bifore,
And make hym merye with other mennes goodis.
And so it fareth with moche folke þat to þe freres shryueth,
As sysours and excecutours þei wil [ȝyue þe] freres
A parcel to preye for hem & make hem-self myrye
With þe residue and þe remenaunt þat other men biswonke,
And suffre þe ded in dette to þe day of dome.
Enuye herfore hated conscience,
And freres to philosofye he fonde hem to scole,

381

The while coueytise and vnkyndenesse conscience assailled.
In vnite holycherche conscience helde hym,
And made pees porter to pynne þe ȝates
Of alle taletellers and tyterers in ydel.
Ypocrisye and he an hard saut þei made.
Ypocrysie atte ȝate hard gan fiȝte,
And wounded wel wykkedly many [a] wise techer,
Þat with conscience acorded and cardinale vertues.
Conscience called a leche þat coude wel shryue,
“Go salue þo þat syke ben [and] þorw synne ywounded.”
Shrifte shope sharpe salue and made men do penaunce
For her mysdedes þat þei wrouȝte hadden,
And þat piers were payed redde quod debes.
Somme lyked nouȝte þis leche and lettres þei sent,
Ȝif any surgien were [in] þe sege þat softer couth plastre.
Sire lief-to-lyue-in-leccherye lay þere and groned;
For fastyng of a fryday he ferde as he wolde deye.
“Ther is a surgiene in þis sege þat soft[e] can handle,
And more of phisyke bi fer and fairer he plastreth,
One frere flaterere is phisiciene and surgiene.”
Quod contricioun to conscience “do hym come to vnyte,

382

For here is many a man herte þorw ypocrisie.”
“We han no nede,” quod conscience “I wote no better leche
Than persoun or parissh prest penytancere or bisshop,
Saue Piers þe plowman þat hath powere ouer hem alle,
And indulgence may do but if dette lette it.
I may wel suffre,” seyde conscience “syn ȝe desiren,
That frere flaterer be fette and phisike ȝow syke.”
The Frere her-of herde and hyed faste
To a lorde for a lettre leue to haue to curen,
As a curatour he were and cam with his lettres
Baldly to þe bisshop & his brief hadde,
In contrees þere he come in confessiouns to here,
And cam þere conscience was and knokked atte ȝate.
Pees vnpynned it was porter of vnyte,
And in haste asked “what his wille were?”
“In faith,” quod þis frere “for profit and for helthe
Carpe I wolde with contricioun & þerfore come I hider.”
“He is sike,” seide pees “and so ar many other,
Ypocrisie hath herte hem ful harde is if þei keure.”
“I am a surgien,” seide þe segge “and salues can make;
Conscience knoweth me wel and what I can do bothe.”
“I preye þe,” quod pees þo “ar þow passe ferther,
What hattestow, I preye þe? hele nouȝte þi name.”
“Certes,” seyde his felow “sire penetrans-domos.”

383

“Ȝe, go þi gate,” quod pees “bi god, for al þi phisyk,
But þow conne somme crafte þow comest nouȝt her-Inne!
I knewe such one ones nouȝte eighte wynter passed,
Come in þus ycoped at a courte þere I dwelt,
And was my lordes leche & my ladyes bothe.
And at þe last þis limitour þo my lorde was out,
He salued so owre wommen til somme were with childe!”
Hende-speche het pees opene þe ȝates—
“Late in þe frere and his felawe and make hem faire chere.
He may se and here so it may bifalle,
That lyf þorw his lore shal leue coueityse,
And be adradde of deth and with-drawe hym fram pryde,
And acorde with conscience and kisse her either other.”
Thus thorw hende-speche entred þe frere,
And cam in-to conscience and curteisly hym grette,
“Þow art welcome,” quod conscience “canstow hele þe syke?
Here is contricioun,” quod conscience “my cosyn, ywounded,
Conforte hym,” quod conscience “and take kepe to his sores;
The plastres of þe persoun and poudres biten to sore,

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He lat hem ligge ouerlonge and loth is to chaunge hem;
Fro lenten to lenten he lat his plastres bite.”
“That is ouerlonge,” quod this limitour “I leue I shal amende it;”—
And goth and gropeth contricioun and gaf hym a plastre
Of “a pryue payement and I shal praye for ȝow,
For alle þat ȝe ben holde to al my lyf tyme,
And make ȝow, my lady in masse and in matynes,
As freres of owre fraternite for a litel syluer.”
Thus he goth and gadereth and gloseth þere he shryueth,
Tyl contricioun hadde clene forȝeten to crye & to wepe,
And wake for his wykked werkes as he was wont to done.
For confort of his confessour contricioun he lafte,
Þat is þe souereynest salue for alkyn synnes.
Sleuth seigh þat and so did pryde,
And come with a kene wille conscience to assaille.
Conscience cryde eft and bad clergye help hym,
And also contricioun forto kepe þe ȝate.
“He lith and dremeth,” seyde pees “and so do many other;
The Frere with his phisik þis folke hath enchaunted,
And plastred hem so esyly þei drede no synne.”
“Bi cryste,” quod conscience þo “I wil bicome a pilgryme,

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And walken as wyde as al þe [worlde] lasteth,
To seke Piers þe plowman þat pryde may destruye,
And þat freres hadde a fyndyng þat for nede flateren,
And contrepleteth me, conscience; now kynde me auenge,
And sende me happe and hele til I haue piers þe plowman!”
And sitthe he gradde after grace til I gan awake.
Explicit hic dialogus petri plowman.