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 |
 |
|
| [Prologus.] |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
 | The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman |  |
[Prologus.]
In a somer sesun whon softe was þe sonne,
I schop me in-to a schroud A scheep as I were;
In Habite of an Hermite vn-holy of werkes,
Wende I wydene in þis world wondres to here.
Bote in a Mayes Morwnynge on Maluerne hulles
Me bi-fel a ferly A Feyrie me þouhte;
I was weori of wandringe and wente me to reste
Vndur a brod banke bi a Bourne syde,
And as I lay and leonede and lokede on þe watres,
I slumberde in A slepyng hit sownede so murie.
I schop me in-to a schroud A scheep as I were;
In Habite of an Hermite vn-holy of werkes,
Wende I wydene in þis world wondres to here.
Bote in a Mayes Morwnynge on Maluerne hulles
Me bi-fel a ferly A Feyrie me þouhte;
I was weori of wandringe and wente me to reste
Vndur a brod banke bi a Bourne syde,
And as I lay and leonede and lokede on þe watres,
I slumberde in A slepyng hit sownede so murie.
Þenne gon I Meeten A Meruelous sweuene,
Þat I was in A Wildernesse wuste I neuer where,
And as I beo-heold in-to þe Est an-heiȝ to þe sonne,
I sauh a Tour on A Toft [triȝely] I-maket;
A Deop Dale bi-neoþe A dungun þer-Inne,
With deop dich and derk and dredful of siht.
Þat I was in A Wildernesse wuste I neuer where,
And as I beo-heold in-to þe Est an-heiȝ to þe sonne,
I sauh a Tour on A Toft [triȝely] I-maket;
A Deop Dale bi-neoþe A dungun þer-Inne,
With deop dich and derk and dredful of siht.
2
A Feir feld ful of folk fond I þer bi-twene,
Of alle maner of men þe mene and þe riche,
Worchinge and wondringe as þe world askeþ.
Of alle maner of men þe mene and þe riche,
Worchinge and wondringe as þe world askeþ.
Summe putten hem to þe plouȝ
and pleiden hem ful seldene,
In Eringe and in Sowynge swonken ful harde,
Þat monie of þeos wasturs In Glotonye distruen.
In Eringe and in Sowynge swonken ful harde,
Þat monie of þeos wasturs In Glotonye distruen.
And summe putten hem to pruide apparaylden hem þer-after,
In Cuntinaunce of cloþinge queinteliche de-Gyset;
To preyere and to penaunce putten heom monye,
For loue of vr lord liueden ful harde,
In Hope for to haue Heuene-riche blisse;
As Ancres and Hermytes þat holdeþ hem in heore Celles,
Coueyte not in Cuntre to carien a-boute,
For non likerous lyflode heore licam to plese.
In Cuntinaunce of cloþinge queinteliche de-Gyset;
To preyere and to penaunce putten heom monye,
For loue of vr lord liueden ful harde,
In Hope for to haue Heuene-riche blisse;
As Ancres and Hermytes þat holdeþ hem in heore Celles,
Coueyte not in Cuntre to carien a-boute,
For non likerous lyflode heore licam to plese.
And summe chosen Chaffare to cheeuen þe bettre,
As hit semeþ to vre siht þat suche men scholden;
And summe Murþhes to maken as Munstrals cunne,
[And gete gold wiþ here gle giltles, I trowe.]
As hit semeþ to vre siht þat suche men scholden;
And summe Murþhes to maken as Munstrals cunne,
[And gete gold wiþ here gle giltles, I trowe.]
Bote Iapers and Iangelers Iudas Children,
Founden hem Fantasyes and fooles hem maaden,
And habbeþ wit at heor wille to worchen ȝif hem luste.
Þat Poul precheþ of hem I dar not preouen heere;
Qui loquitur turpiloquium Hee is Luciferes hyne.
Founden hem Fantasyes and fooles hem maaden,
And habbeþ wit at heor wille to worchen ȝif hem luste.
3
Qui loquitur turpiloquium Hee is Luciferes hyne.
Bidders and Beggers faste a-boute eoden,
Til heor Bagges and heore Balies weren [bratful] I-crommet;
Feyneden hem for heore foode fouȝten atte alle;
In Glotonye, God wot gon heo to Bedde,
And ryseth vp wiþ ribaudye þis Roberdes knaues;
Sleep and Sleuȝþe suweþ hem euere.
Til heor Bagges and heore Balies weren [bratful] I-crommet;
Feyneden hem for heore foode fouȝten atte alle;
In Glotonye, God wot gon heo to Bedde,
And ryseth vp wiþ ribaudye þis Roberdes knaues;
Sleep and Sleuȝþe suweþ hem euere.
Pilgrimes and Palmers Plihten hem to-gederes
For to seche seint Ieme and seintes at Roome;
Wenten forþ in heore wey with mony wyse tales,
And hedden leue to lyȝen al heore lyf [aftir].
[Ermytes on an hep wiþ hokide staues,
Wenten to Walsyngham & here wenchis aftir;]
For to seche seint Ieme and seintes at Roome;
Wenten forþ in heore wey with mony wyse tales,
And hedden leue to lyȝen al heore lyf [aftir].
[Ermytes on an hep wiþ hokide staues,
Wenten to Walsyngham & here wenchis aftir;]
Grete lobres and longe þat loþ weore to swynke
Cloþeden hem in Copes to beo knowen for breþeren;
And summe schopen [hem] to hermytes heore ese to haue.
Cloþeden hem in Copes to beo knowen for breþeren;
And summe schopen [hem] to hermytes heore ese to haue.
I Font þere Freres all þe Foure Ordres,
Prechinge þe peple for profyt of heore wombes,
Glosynge þe Gospel as hem good likeþ,
For Couetyse of Copes Construeþ hit ille;
For monye of þis Maistres mowen cloþen hem at lyking,
For Moneye and heore Marchaundie meeten ofte to-gedere.
Seþþe charite haþ be chapmon [and] cheef to schriuen lordes,
Mony ferlyes han bi-falle in a fewe ȝeres.
But holychirche bi-ginne holde bet to-gedere,
Þe moste Mischeef on molde mounteþ vp faste.
Prechinge þe peple for profyt of heore wombes,
Glosynge þe Gospel as hem good likeþ,
4
For monye of þis Maistres mowen cloþen hem at lyking,
For Moneye and heore Marchaundie meeten ofte to-gedere.
Seþþe charite haþ be chapmon [and] cheef to schriuen lordes,
Mony ferlyes han bi-falle in a fewe ȝeres.
But holychirche bi-ginne holde bet to-gedere,
Þe moste Mischeef on molde mounteþ vp faste.
Þer prechede a pardoner as he a prest were,
And brouȝt vp a Bulle with Bisschopes seles,
And seide þat him-self mihte a-soylen hem alle
Of Falsnesse and Fastinge and of vouwes I-broken.
Þe lewede Men likede him wel and leeueþ his speche,
And comen vp knelynge and cusseden his Bulle;
He bonchede hem with his Breuet and blered heore eiȝen,
And rauhte with his Ragemon Ringes and Broches.
Þus ȝe ȝiueþ oure gold Glotonye to helpen,
And leueþ hit to losels þat lecherie haunten.
Weore þe Bisschop I-blesset and worþ boþe his Eres,
Heo scholde not beo so hardi to deceyue so þe peple.
Saue hit nis not bi þe Bisschop þat þe Boye precheþ;
Bote þe Parisch prest and he de-parte þe seluer,
Þat haue schulde þe pore parisschens ȝif þat heo ne weore.
And brouȝt vp a Bulle with Bisschopes seles,
And seide þat him-self mihte a-soylen hem alle
Of Falsnesse and Fastinge and of vouwes I-broken.
Þe lewede Men likede him wel and leeueþ his speche,
And comen vp knelynge and cusseden his Bulle;
He bonchede hem with his Breuet and blered heore eiȝen,
And rauhte with his Ragemon Ringes and Broches.
Þus ȝe ȝiueþ oure gold Glotonye to helpen,
And leueþ hit to losels þat lecherie haunten.
Weore þe Bisschop I-blesset and worþ boþe his Eres,
Heo scholde not beo so hardi to deceyue so þe peple.
Saue hit nis not bi þe Bisschop þat þe Boye precheþ;
5
Þat haue schulde þe pore parisschens ȝif þat heo ne weore.
Persones and parisch prestes playneþ to heore Bisschops,
Þat heore Parisch haþ ben pore seþþe þe Pestilence [tyme],
And askeþ leue and lycence at londun to dwelle,
To singe þer for Simonye for seluer is swete.
Þat heore Parisch haþ ben pore seþþe þe Pestilence [tyme],
And askeþ leue and lycence at londun to dwelle,
To singe þer for Simonye for seluer is swete.
Þer houeþ an Hundret In Houues of selk,
Seriauns hit semeþ to seruen atte Barre;
Pleden for pons and poundes þe lawe,
Not for loue of vr lord vn-loseþ heore lippes ones.
Þow mihtest beter meten þe Myst on Maluerne hulles,
Þen geten a Mom of heore Mouþ til moneye weore schewed.
Seriauns hit semeþ to seruen atte Barre;
Pleden for pons and poundes þe lawe,
Not for loue of vr lord vn-loseþ heore lippes ones.
Þow mihtest beter meten þe Myst on Maluerne hulles,
Þen geten a Mom of heore Mouþ til moneye weore schewed.
I sauh þer Bisschops Bolde and Bachilers of diuyn
Bi-coome Clerkes of A-Counte þe kyng for to seruen;
Erchedekenes and Deknes þat Dignite hauen,
To preche þe peple and pore men to feede,
Beon lopen to londun bi leue of heore Bisschopes,
To ben Clerkes of þe kynges Benche þe Cuntre to schende.
Bi-coome Clerkes of A-Counte þe kyng for to seruen;
Erchedekenes and Deknes þat Dignite hauen,
To preche þe peple and pore men to feede,
Beon lopen to londun bi leue of heore Bisschopes,
To ben Clerkes of þe kynges Benche þe Cuntre to schende.
6
Barouns and Burgeis and Bonde-men also
I sauȝ in þat Semble as ȝe schul heren her-aftur.
I sauȝ in þat Semble as ȝe schul heren her-aftur.
Bakers, Bochers and Breusters monye,
[Wollene websteris and weueris of lynen,
Taillours, tanneris & tokkeris boþe,]
Masons, Minours and mony oþer craftes,
Dykers, and Deluers þat don heore dedes ille,
And driueþ forþ þe longe day with “deu vous saue, dam Emme!”
[Wollene websteris and weueris of lynen,
Taillours, tanneris & tokkeris boþe,]
Masons, Minours and mony oþer craftes,
Dykers, and Deluers þat don heore dedes ille,
And driueþ forþ þe longe day with “deu vous saue, dam Emme!”
Cookes and heore knaues Cryen “hote pies, hote!
Goode gees and grys Gowe dyne, [Gowe]!”
Tauerners to hem tolde þe same tale
Wiþ good wyn of Gaskoyne And wyn of Oseye,
Of Ruyn a[n]d of Rochel þe Rost to defye.
[Al þis I sauȝ slepynge & seue siþes more.]
Goode gees and grys Gowe dyne, [Gowe]!”
Tauerners to hem tolde þe same tale
Wiþ good wyn of Gaskoyne And wyn of Oseye,
Of Ruyn a[n]d of Rochel þe Rost to defye.
[Al þis I sauȝ slepynge & seue siþes more.]
| The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman | |