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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| IX. | PASSUS IX.
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 | The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman |  |
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PASSUS IX.
Incipit hic Dowel, Dobet, and Dobest.
[Þ]us I-Robed in Russet Romed I a-boute
Al a somer sesoun For to seche Dowel,
And [fraynide] ful ofte of [folk] þat I mette
[Ȝif any wiȝt wiste where do-wel was at Inne,
And what man he miȝte be of many man I askide].
Was neuer wiht as I wente þat me wisse couþe
Wher þis ladde loggede Lasse ne more;
Al a somer sesoun For to seche Dowel,
And [fraynide] ful ofte of [folk] þat I mette
[Ȝif any wiȝt wiste where do-wel was at Inne,
And what man he miȝte be of many man I askide].
Was neuer wiht as I wente þat me wisse couþe
Wher þis ladde loggede Lasse ne more;
Til hit fel on a Friday twei Freres I mette,
Maistres of þe Menours Men of grete wittes.
Ich heilede hem hendeli as Ich hedde I-leorned,
And preiede hem, par Charite er þei [passede furre,]
“Ȝif þei [knewen any] Cuntre or Coostes a-boute
Wher þat Dowel dwelleþ do me to wisse.”
Maistres of þe Menours Men of grete wittes.
Ich heilede hem hendeli as Ich hedde I-leorned,
And preiede hem, par Charite er þei [passede furre,]
“Ȝif þei [knewen any] Cuntre or Coostes a-boute
Wher þat Dowel dwelleþ do me to wisse.”
“Mari,” quod [þe] Menour “A-mong vs he dwelleþ,
And euer haþ, as Ich hope and euer schal her-after.”
“Contra,” quod I as a Clerk and comsede to dispuite,
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[“Sepcies in die cadit iustus;]
Seue siþes a day, seiþ þe Bok sungeþ þe rihtful mon;And hose sungeþ,” I seide “certes, as me þinkeþ,
Þat Dowel and do vuele mowe not dwelle togedere.
Ergo, he nis not alwey [at hom] among ow Freres,
He is or while elles-wher to wisse þe peple.”
“I schal seie þe, my sone” seide þe Frere þenne,
“Hou seuen siþes þe sadde mon sungeþ in a day;
Bi [a forebisene],” seide þe frere “I schal þe feire schewe.
“Hou seuen siþes þe sadde mon sungeþ in a day;
Bi [a forebisene],” seide þe frere “I schal þe feire schewe.
Let bringe a Mon In A bot A-midde a Brod water,
And þe wint and þe watur and þe waggyng of þe Bot
Makeþ þe Mon Mony tyme to stomble and to falle;
(For stonde he neuere so stif he stumbleþ in þe waggyng);
And ȝit he is saaf and sound and so him bi-houeþ;
For ȝif he ne rise þe raþer and rauhte to þe steorne,
Þe wynt wolde with þe water þe Bot ouer-þrowe;
Þer weore þe Monnes lyf I-lost þorw [lachesse] of himselue.
Riht þus hit fareþ,” quod þe Frere “bi folk her on eorþe;
And þe wint and þe watur and þe waggyng of þe Bot
Makeþ þe Mon Mony tyme to stomble and to falle;
(For stonde he neuere so stif he stumbleþ in þe waggyng);
And ȝit he is saaf and sound and so him bi-houeþ;
For ȝif he ne rise þe raþer and rauhte to þe steorne,
Þe wynt wolde with þe water þe Bot ouer-þrowe;
Þer weore þe Monnes lyf I-lost þorw [lachesse] of himselue.
Riht þus hit fareþ,” quod þe Frere “bi folk her on eorþe;
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Þe watur is liknet to þe world þat wonieþ and waxeþ;
Þe goodes in þis world ben lyk þis grete wawes,
Riht as wyndes and watres waleweþ aboute.
Þe goodes in þis world ben lyk þis grete wawes,
Riht as wyndes and watres waleweþ aboute.
Þe Bot is liknet to þe Bodi þat Brutel is of kuynde;
And þorw þe fend and his Flesch and þe False world
Sungeþ þe sadde Mon seuen siþes in þe day.
And þorw þe fend and his Flesch and þe False world
Sungeþ þe sadde Mon seuen siþes in þe day.
But dedly sunne doþ he not for Dowel him helpeþ,
Þat is charite þe Champion cheef help aȝeyn sunne;
For he strengþeþ þe to stonde he stureþ þi soule,
Þat þauȝ þi bodi Bouwe as a Bot in þe Water,
Euer is þi soule saaf Bote ȝif þi-self wolle.
Þat is charite þe Champion cheef help aȝeyn sunne;
For he strengþeþ þe to stonde he stureþ þi soule,
Þat þauȝ þi bodi Bouwe as a Bot in þe Water,
Euer is þi soule saaf Bote ȝif þi-self wolle.
Folewe þi Flessches wil and þe fendes aftur,
And do dedlich sunne and drenche þi-seluen,
God wol soffre þe dye so for [þi-self hast þe maistrie].”
And do dedlich sunne and drenche þi-seluen,
God wol soffre þe dye so for [þi-self hast þe maistrie].”
“I haue no kynde knowyng,” quod I “to conceyue þi wordes,
But ȝif I may liuen and loken I schal go lerne betere.
I beo-take ȝou to crist þat on [þe] Crois diȝede.”
And þei seiden þe same “God saue þe from mischaunce,
And ȝiue þe grace vppon grounde In good lyf to ende.”
But ȝif I may liuen and loken I schal go lerne betere.
I beo-take ȝou to crist þat on [þe] Crois diȝede.”
And þei seiden þe same “God saue þe from mischaunce,
And ȝiue þe grace vppon grounde In good lyf to ende.”
Þus I wente wyden wher Dowel to seche;
And as I wente bi a wode walkyng myn one,
Blisse of þe Briddes made me to Abyde,
And vnder A Lynde, vppon A launde leonede I a stounde,
For to leorne þe layes þat louely foules maden.
Blisse of þe Briddes Brouȝten me a slepe;
Þe Meruiloste Meetynge Mette I me þenne
Þat euere dremede driht In drecchynge, I wene.
And as I wente bi a wode walkyng myn one,
Blisse of þe Briddes made me to Abyde,
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For to leorne þe layes þat louely foules maden.
Blisse of þe Briddes Brouȝten me a slepe;
Þe Meruiloste Meetynge Mette I me þenne
Þat euere dremede driht In drecchynge, I wene.
A Muche Mon, me þouhte lyk to my-seluen,
Com and clepede me be my kuynde nome.
Com and clepede me be my kuynde nome.
“What art þou,” quod I “þat my nome knowest?”
“Þat þow wost wel,” quod he “and no [wiȝt] betere.”
“Wot I,” quod I, “ho art þou?” [“thought,” seide he] þenne,
“I haue suwed þe þis seuen ȝer seȝe [þou] me no raþere?”
“Þat þow wost wel,” quod he “and no [wiȝt] betere.”
“Wot I,” quod I, “ho art þou?” [“thought,” seide he] þenne,
“I haue suwed þe þis seuen ȝer seȝe [þou] me no raþere?”
“Art þou þouȝt?” quod I þo “const þou me telle,
Wher þat dowel dwelleþ do me to wisse?”
Wher þat dowel dwelleþ do me to wisse?”
“Dowel,” quod he, “and Dobet and Dobest þe þridde
Beoþ þreo faire vertues and beoþ not fer to fynde.
H[o] is Meke of his Mouþ Mylde of his speche,
Beoþ þreo faire vertues and beoþ not fer to fynde.
Trewe of his tonge and of his two hondes,
And bi his labur or bi his lond his lyflode wynneþ,
And trusti of his taylende takeþ bote his owne,
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Dobet doþ þus bote he doþ muche more;
He is as louh as a lomb louelich of speche;
While he haþ ouȝt of his owne he helpeþ þer neod is,
Þe Bagges and þe Bi-gurdeles he haþ broken hem alle
Þat þe Auerous hedde or eny of his heires;
And wiþ Mammonas moneye haþ maked him frendes,
And is Ronnen in-to Religiun And haþ Rendret þe Bible,
And precheþ þe peple seint poules wordes,
Libenter sufferte.
‘Ȝe wyse, soffreþ þe vn-wyse’ wiþ ow for to libbe,
And with glad wille doþ hem good for so god himself hiȝte.
Dobest is a-boue boþe And Bereþ A Busschopes cros,
And with glad wille doþ hem good for so god himself hiȝte.
Is hoket atte ende to holden [hem] in good lyf.
A pyk is in þe [potent] to punge a-doun þe wikkede,
Þat wayten eny wikkednesse Dowel to teone.
And as Dowel and Dobet duden hem to vnderstonde,
Þei han I-Corouned A kyng to kepen hem Alle,
Þat ȝif Dowel or Dobet dude aȝeyn Dobest,
[And were vnbuxum at his biddinge and bold to don ille],
Þen schulde þe kyng comen And casten hem in prison,
And puiten [hem] þer In penaunce with-outen pite or grace,
Bote ȝif Dobest beede for [hem] a-byde þer for euere!
[And were vnbuxum at his biddinge and bold to don ille],
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And puiten [hem] þer In penaunce with-outen pite or grace,
Bote ȝif Dobest beede for [hem] a-byde þer for euere!
Þus Dowel and Dobet And Dobest þe þridde
Crounede on to beo kyng And bi heor counseil worche,
And Rule þe Reame bi Red of hem Alle,
And oþerwyse elles not bute as þei þreo assenten.”
Crounede on to beo kyng And bi heor counseil worche,
And Rule þe Reame bi Red of hem Alle,
And oþerwyse elles not bute as þei þreo assenten.”
I þonkede [þouȝt þo þat] he me so tauȝte,
“But ȝit sauereþ not me þi siggynge so me God helpe,
More kuynde knowynge I coueyte to here,
Hou Dowel and Dobet and dobest beþ on eorþe.”
“But ȝit sauereþ not me þi siggynge so me God helpe,
More kuynde knowynge I coueyte to here,
Hou Dowel and Dobet and dobest beþ on eorþe.”
“But wit con wisse þe,” quod þouȝt “wher þeos þre dwelleþ,
Elles not no Mon þat nou is alyue.”
Elles not no Mon þat nou is alyue.”
Þus þouȝt and I also þroly we eoden
Disputyng on Dowel day aftur oþer,
And er we weoren war with Wit conne we meeten.
Disputyng on Dowel day aftur oþer,
And er we weoren war with Wit conne we meeten.
He was long and lene to loken on ful symple,
[Was no pride on his apparail ne no pouert noþer],
Sad of his semblaunt and of softe speche.
I durste meue no mateere to make him to Iangle,
Bote as [I bad þouȝt] þo to beo mene bi-twene,
To putte forþ sum purpos to preuen his wittes.
[Was no pride on his apparail ne no pouert noþer],
Sad of his semblaunt and of softe speche.
I durste meue no mateere to make him to Iangle,
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To putte forþ sum purpos to preuen his wittes.
Þenne þouȝt þat tyme seide þeose wordes,
“Wher Dowel and Dobet and Dobest beoþ in londe,
Oure wille wolde I-witen ȝif wit couþe [hym] techen.”
“Wher Dowel and Dobet and Dobest beoþ in londe,
Oure wille wolde I-witen ȝif wit couþe [hym] techen.”
| The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman | |