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 |
 |
|
[Prologus.]
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
 | The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman |  |
[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.
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.
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.
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
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 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.
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;
Qui turpiloquium loquitur [is luciferes hyne].
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
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
5
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.
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,
For to conseille þe kyng and þe comune saue.
Miȝt of þe comunes made hym to regne,
And þanne cam kynde wytte and clerkes he made,
6
The kyng and knyȝthode and clergye bothe
Casten þat þe comune shulde hem-self fynde.
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.
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 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!”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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,
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.”
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
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,
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.
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
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!
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,
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.
Seriauntȝ it semed þat serueden atte barre,
Plededen for penyes and poundes þe lawe,
10
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!”
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.
“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.
| The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman | |