The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman together with Vita de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest, Secundum Wit et Resoun, By William Langland (About 1362-1380 A.D.): Edited from Numerous Manuscripts, with Prefaces, Notes and a Glossary, By the Rev. Walter W. Skeat |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. | PASSUS VI.
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| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
 | The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman |  |
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PASSUS VI.
[Passus Sextus de visione, vt prius.]
[Now riden þis folk & walken on foteto seche þat seint in selcouþe londis].
Bote þer were fewe men so wys þat couþe þe wei þider,
BOte bustelyng forþ as bestes ouer valeyes and hulles,
[for while þei wente here owen wille þei wente alle amys].
Til [hit] was late and longe þat þei a Leod metten,
Apparayled as a Palmere In pilgrimes wedes.
He bar a bordun I-bounde wiþ a brod lyste,
In A weþe-bondes wyse I-wriþen aboute.
A Bagge and a Bolle he bar bi his syde;
An hundred of ampolles on his hat seeten,
Signes of Synay and Schelles of Galys;
Moni Cros on his cloke and keiȝes of Rome,
And þe vernicle bi-fore for men schulde him knowe,
And seo be his signes whom he souht hedde.
BOte bustelyng forþ as bestes ouer valeyes and hulles,
[for while þei wente here owen wille þei wente alle amys].
Til [hit] was late and longe þat þei a Leod metten,
Apparayled as a Palmere In pilgrimes wedes.
He bar a bordun I-bounde wiþ a brod lyste,
In A weþe-bondes wyse I-wriþen aboute.
A Bagge and a Bolle he bar bi his syde;
An hundred of ampolles on his hat seeten,
Signes of Synay and Schelles of Galys;
Moni Cros on his cloke and keiȝes of Rome,
And þe vernicle bi-fore for men schulde him knowe,
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Þis Folk fraynede him feire from whenne þat he coome?
“From Synay,” he seide, “and from the Sepulcre;
From Bethleem and Babiloyne I haue ben in boþe,
In Ynde and in Assye and in mony oþer places.
Ȝe mouwe seo be my Signes þat sitteþ on myn hat,
Þat I haue walked ful wyde In weete and in druye,
And souht goode seyntes for my soule hele.”
“From Synay,” he seide, “and from the Sepulcre;
From Bethleem and Babiloyne I haue ben in boþe,
In Ynde and in Assye and in mony oþer places.
Ȝe mouwe seo be my Signes þat sitteþ on myn hat,
Þat I haue walked ful wyde In weete and in druye,
And souht goode seyntes for my soule hele.”
“Knowest þou ouht A Corseynt Men calleþ Seynt Treuþe?
Const þou wissen vs þe wey wher þat he dwelleþ?”
Const þou wissen vs þe wey wher þat he dwelleþ?”
“Nay, so God glade me!” seide þe gome þenne,
“Sauh I neuere Palmere with pyk ne with schrippe
Such a seint seche bote now in þis place.”
“Peter!” quod a Plouȝ-Mon and putte forþ his hed,
“I knowe him as kuyndeliche as Clerk doþ his bokes;
Clene Concience and wit [kende] me to his place,
And dude enseure me seþþe to serue him for euere.
“Sauh I neuere Palmere with pyk ne with schrippe
Such a seint seche bote now in þis place.”
“Peter!” quod a Plouȝ-Mon and putte forþ his hed,
“I knowe him as kuyndeliche as Clerk doþ his bokes;
Clene Concience and wit [kende] me to his place,
And dude enseure me seþþe to serue him for euere.
Boþe to sowen and to setten while I swynke mihte,
I haue ben his felawe þis fiftene wynter;
Boþe I-sowed his seed and suwed his beestes,
And eke I-kept his Corn I-caried hit to house,
I-dyket and I-doluen I-don what he hihte,
With-Innen and withouten I-wayted his profyt;
Þer nis no laborer in þis leod þat he loueþ more,
For þauh I Sigge hit my-self I serue him to paye.
I haue ben his felawe þis fiftene wynter;
Boþe I-sowed his seed and suwed his beestes,
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I-dyket and I-doluen I-don what he hihte,
With-Innen and withouten I-wayted his profyt;
Þer nis no laborer in þis leod þat he loueþ more,
For þauh I Sigge hit my-self I serue him to paye.
I haue myn hure of him wel and oþerwhile more;
He is þe presteste payere þat pore men habbeþ;
He with-halt non hyne his huire þat he hit naþ at euen.
He is as louh as A lomb louelich of speche,
And ȝif ȝe wolleþ I-wite wher þat he dwelleþ,
I wol wissen ow þe wey hom to his place.”
He is þe presteste payere þat pore men habbeþ;
He with-halt non hyne his huire þat he hit naþ at euen.
He is as louh as A lomb louelich of speche,
And ȝif ȝe wolleþ I-wite wher þat he dwelleþ,
I wol wissen ow þe wey hom to his place.”
“Ye, leue pers,” quod þis palmers
and profreden him huire.
“Nai, bi þe peril of my soule,” quod pers and bigon to swere,
“I nolde fonge a ferþing for seynt Thomas schrine!
Treuþe wolde loue me þe lasse a gret while after!
“Nai, bi þe peril of my soule,” quod pers and bigon to swere,
“I nolde fonge a ferþing for seynt Thomas schrine!
Treuþe wolde loue me þe lasse a gret while after!
Bote ȝe þat wendeþ to him þis is þe wei þider:
Ȝe mote go þorw mekenesse boþe Mon and wyf,
Til ȝe come in-to Concience þat crist knowe þe soþe
Þat ȝe loueþ him leuere þen þe lyf in oure hertes,
And þenne oure neihebors next In none wyse apeire
Oþerweys þen þou woldest men wrouȝten to þi-seluen.
Ȝe mote go þorw mekenesse boþe Mon and wyf,
Til ȝe come in-to Concience þat crist knowe þe soþe
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And þenne oure neihebors next In none wyse apeire
Oþerweys þen þou woldest men wrouȝten to þi-seluen.
So Bouweþ forþ bi a brok beo-boxum-of-speche,
[Forþ til ȝe fynde a forde ȝour-fadres-honoureth];
Wadeþ in þat water wasscheþ ow wel þere,
And ȝe schul lepe þe lihtloker al oure lyf tyme.
[Forþ til ȝe fynde a forde ȝour-fadres-honoureth];
Wadeþ in þat water wasscheþ ow wel þere,
And ȝe schul lepe þe lihtloker al oure lyf tyme.
Sone schaltou þenne I-seo swere-not-but-þou-haue neode-
And-nomeliche-In-Idel- þe-nome-of-God-Almihti.
And-nomeliche-In-Idel- þe-nome-of-God-Almihti.
Þenne schul ȝe come bi a Croft but cum ȝe not þer-Inne;
Þe Croft hette coueyte-not- Mennes-catel-ne-heore-wyues-
Ne-non-of-heore-seruauns- þat-nuyȝen-hem-mihte;
Loke þou breke no Bouȝ þere but ȝif hit beo þin owne.
Þe Croft hette coueyte-not- Mennes-catel-ne-heore-wyues-
Ne-non-of-heore-seruauns- þat-nuyȝen-hem-mihte;
Loke þou breke no Bouȝ þere but ȝif hit beo þin owne.
Twei stokkes þer stondeþ but stunt þou not þere,
Þei hetten, Sle-not, ne-stel-not stryk forþ bi hem boþe;
Lef hem on þi luft half loke hem not aftur,
And hold wel þin haly-day euere til euen.
Þei hetten, Sle-not, ne-stel-not stryk forþ bi hem boþe;
Lef hem on þi luft half loke hem not aftur,
And hold wel þin haly-day euere til euen.
Þenne schalton Blenchen at a brok ber-no-fals-witnesse,
He is frettet with-Innen with Floreyns and oþes wel monye;
Loke þou plokke no plonte þer for peril of þi soule.
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Loke þou plokke no plonte þer for peril of þi soule.
Þenne schaltou [se] sei-soþ- so-hit-beo-to-done-
And-loke-þat-þou-lyȝe-not- for-no-monnes-bidyng.
And-loke-þat-þou-lyȝe-not- for-no-monnes-bidyng.
Þenne schaltou come to a Court Cleer as þe Sonne,
Þe Mot is of Merci þe maner al abouten,
And alle þe walles beþ of wit to holde wil þeroute;
Þe Carnels beþ of Cristendam þe kuynde to saue,
Brutaget with þe bileeue wher-þorw we moten beo sauet.
Alle þe houses beoþ I-hulet Halles and Chaumbres,
Wiþ no led bote with loue- as-Breþeren-of-o-wombe.
Þe Mot is of Merci þe maner al abouten,
And alle þe walles beþ of wit to holde wil þeroute;
Þe Carnels beþ of Cristendam þe kuynde to saue,
Brutaget with þe bileeue wher-þorw we moten beo sauet.
Alle þe houses beoþ I-hulet Halles and Chaumbres,
Wiþ no led bote with loue- as-Breþeren-of-o-wombe.
Þe Tour þer treuþe is Inne I-set Is aboue þe sonne,
He may do with þe day-sterre what him deore lykeþ;
Deth dar not do þing þat he defendeþ.
He may do with þe day-sterre what him deore lykeþ;
Deth dar not do þing þat he defendeþ.
Grace hette þe ȝate-ward A good mon forsoþe,
His Mon hette a-Mende-þou for mony men him knoweþ;
Tel him þis tokene for treuþe wot þe soþe:
‘I performede þe penaunce þat þe prest me en-Ioynede;
His Mon hette a-Mende-þou for mony men him knoweþ;
Tel him þis tokene for treuþe wot þe soþe:
‘I performede þe penaunce þat þe prest me en-Ioynede;
I am sori for my sunnes and so schal I euere
Whon I þenke þer-on þauȝ I weore a pope.’
Bidde a-Mende [-þou] Meken him to his Mayster ones,
To wynne vp þe wiket-ȝat þat þe wey schutte,
Þo þat Adam and Eue eeten heore bone;
For he haþ þe keye of þe cliket þauȝ þe kyng slepe.
Whon I þenke þer-on þauȝ I weore a pope.’
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To wynne vp þe wiket-ȝat þat þe wey schutte,
Þo þat Adam and Eue eeten heore bone;
For he haþ þe keye of þe cliket þauȝ þe kyng slepe.
And ȝif grace þe graunte to gon in in þis wyse,
Þou schalt seo treuþe him-self sitten in þin herte.
Þou schalt seo treuþe him-self sitten in þin herte.
Þenne loke þat þou loue him wel and his lawe holde;
Bote beo wel I-war of wraþþe [þat wykkide] Schrewe,
For he haþ Envye to him þat [in þyn herte sitteþ;]
And puiteþ forþ pruide to preisen þi-seluen.
Bote beo wel I-war of wraþþe [þat wykkide] Schrewe,
For he haþ Envye to him þat [in þyn herte sitteþ;]
And puiteþ forþ pruide to preisen þi-seluen.
Þe boldnesse of þi benfes blendeþ þin eiȝen,
And so worþestou I-driuen out and þe dore I-closet,
I-keiȝet and I-kliketed to [kepe] þe þer-oute;
Hapliche, an Hundred ȝer er þou eft entre.
And so worþestou I-driuen out and þe dore I-closet,
I-keiȝet and I-kliketed to [kepe] þe þer-oute;
Hapliche, an Hundred ȝer er þou eft entre.
Þus maihtou leosen his loue to leten wel bi þi-seluen,
Bote gete hit aȝeyn bi grace and bi no ȝift elles.
Bote gete hit aȝeyn bi grace and bi no ȝift elles.
Ak þer beoþ seuen sustren þat seruen treuþe euere,
And ben porters at posternes þat to þe place longen.
Þat on hette Abstinence And Humilitie a-noþer,
Charite And Chastite beoþ tweyne ful Choyse Maidenes,
Pacience and Pees Muche peple helpen,
Largesse þe ladi ledeþ in ful monye.
And ben porters at posternes þat to þe place longen.
Þat on hette Abstinence And Humilitie a-noþer,
Charite And Chastite beoþ tweyne ful Choyse Maidenes,
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Largesse þe ladi ledeþ in ful monye.
Bote hose is sib to þis sustren so me god helpe!
Is wonderliche wel-comen and feire vnderfonge.
And bote ȝe ben sibbe to summe of þeos seuene,
Hit is ful hard, bi myn hed! eny of ow alle
To gete in-goynge at þat ȝat bote grace beo þe more.”
Is wonderliche wel-comen and feire vnderfonge.
And bote ȝe ben sibbe to summe of þeos seuene,
Hit is ful hard, bi myn hed! eny of ow alle
To gete in-goynge at þat ȝat bote grace beo þe more.”
“Bi Crist,” quaþ a Cutte-pors “I haue no kun þere!”
“No,” quaþ an Apeward “for nout þat I knowe!”
“I-wis,” quaþ a waferer “wust I þis for soþe,
Schulde I neuere forþere a fote for no freres prechinge.”
“No,” quaþ an Apeward “for nout þat I knowe!”
“I-wis,” quaþ a waferer “wust I þis for soþe,
Schulde I neuere forþere a fote for no freres prechinge.”
“Ȝus,” quaþ pers þe plouȝ-mon
and prechede hire to goode,
“Merci is a Mayden þer and haþ miht ouer hem alle;
Heo is sib to alle synful men an hire sone alse;
And þorw þe help of hem two (hope þou non oþer),
Þou maiȝt gete grace þer so þat þou [go] bi-tyme.”
“Merci is a Mayden þer and haþ miht ouer hem alle;
Heo is sib to alle synful men an hire sone alse;
And þorw þe help of hem two (hope þou non oþer),
Þou maiȝt gete grace þer so þat þou [go] bi-tyme.”
| The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman | |