The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. ?: Liverpool, University Library, MS F.4.8 (Ch) William LanglandEdited by Marilyn Gail Duggan and Hoyt N. DugganAssociate Editors: Patricia Riles BartTechnical Editor: Daniel Pitti Graduate Research Assistants Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Cynthia Girard.Society for Early English and Norse Texts (SEENET) ISBN: ???

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200 Liverpool, University Library, MS F.4.8 (Ch)

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Duggan Conversion to XML [none] wals: stourhouse In a somer seisoune when softe was the sonne I schope me In-to schregges as I a schepe were In abite of an ermite vn-holi of workes Went wide in þe worlde wondres to here Bot In a may mornyng vppon Maluarne hilles Me be-felle a ferly of feirey me þou I was wery of wandred and went me to Rest Vnder a brode banke by a bourne syde As I lay and lened and loked on þe water I slomerd in-to a sleping it swede so mery In dreming of meirv..lse And þenne gan I mete a meruiolouse swenen þat I was In wildernesse wist I neuer were Bot as I be-holde in-to the west and hie to the sonne I saw a toure on a toft trewly I-maked A depe dale be-neþe a doungeoun þer-Inne With depe dikes and derke and dredful of sit A faire feld ful of folke fande I þer be-twene Of alle maner of men þe mene and þe Riche Wirching and wandring as þe world askeþ Sum put hem to the plow pleied ful selde In settyng and sowing swonke ful harde Whom þat þes wastours with glotonye distroie And sum put hem to pride appareiled hem þer-after In countenaunce of cloþing comen disgised In preiers and penaunce put hem many Alle for loue of oure lorde leued ful streite In hope to haue after heuen-Riche blisse As ankers and Ermites þat holden hem in her selles Comen nout in contre to karien a-boute For no licorouse liflode her licam to plese And sum chosen to chaffare þei cheueden þe better As hit semeth to oure sit þat such men þriuen And sum merþes to make as Minstralles conne And gete gold with here gle giltles I trowe Bot Iapers and Iangelers Iudas childrin Fonden hem fantesies and foles hem maken And haue witte in wille to worche ef him liste þat poule precheþ of hem I dar nout preue hit here Qui loquitur turpiloquium is lucifer-is hyne Bidders and beggers fast aboute ede Til here bely and her bagge were bret-fulle filled Fliten þan for her fode and fiten at þe nale In glotony god wote gon þei to bedde And risen vp with rebaudy as Robertes knaues Slepe and sleuthe sewen hem euer Pilgrimes and palmers pliten hem to-gederes For to seke seint ame and seintes at Rome Went furthe in her way with many wise talis And had leue to lie al her lif after Ermites on an hepe with hoked staues Wenten to walsingham and her wenches after Gret lobies and long þat loþe were to swynk Cloþed hem In copes to be knowen from oþer Schope hem Ermites her ese to haue I founde þer freres alle the foure ordres Preching the peple for profite of the wombe Glosed the gospel as hem gode þout For couatise of copes constrewed hit as þei wold Many of thes maistres may clothe hem at liking For her mony and her marchaundise meten to-gederes Seþ charite hathe ben chapman and chef to schriue lordes Many ferlies han fallen in a few eres Bot holichirch and þei holden bet to-geder þe most mischef on molde is mountyng vp fast þer preched a pardoner as he apresta prest were Brout forthe a Bulle with Bischops seles And seide þat him-self mit assoile hem alle Off falsnesse of fasting and of a-vowes breking Lewde men leued hit wele and liked his speche Comen vp kneling to kissen his bulle pen trials And he buncheth hem with his breuet and blerith her eyeen And raut with his Ragman Ringis and broches þus þei euen her gode glotouns to helpe And lenen hit locels þat lecchorie haunten Bot were the bishop I-blessed and worth bothe his eres His sel schuld nat be so sent to sustein þe l peple Hit is nat al be þe bischop þat þe boy precheþ Bot þe parische prest and þe pardoner parten þe siluer þat þe pore Peple of þe parsch schuld haue if þei ne were Persones and parsch prestes pleined hem to þe bischop þat her parsch was pore seþ þe pestelence time To haue licens and leue at london to duelle To singe for symonye for siluer is swete þer houed an hundred in howes of silk Seriauntes it semed þat serued at barre Pleten for penies and pointen the lawe And nout for loue of oure lorde vn-close here lippes ones þow mitist better mete mist on Maluerne hilles þen gete a momme of her mouthe or mony be schewed I saw Bischops bolde and Bachelers of deuyne Be-come clerkes of countes þe king for to serue Archedekenes and denes þat dignites hauen To preche the peple and pore men to fede Ben I-lope to london be leue of her bischop And ben clerkes of þe king-is benche þe contrey to schende Barouns and Burgeis and bondage also I sawe þat in semble as e schul here after Bakers and Bochers and Brewsters many Wullen websterres and weuers of lynyn Tailours Tauerners and Tapsters Bothe Masounes Minours and many oþer craftes As dikers and deluers þat don er dede euel And driuen furthe þe long day with deu saue dame Emme Cokes and her knaues crien hote pies hote Gode ges and gris gowe dyne gowe Tauerners titly tolde hem þe same With wyn of Osay and wyn of Gascoyne Off the ryne of the Rochel the roste to defye Al þis I sawe sleping and seuen sithes more Primus passus de visione What the montayne meneþ and ek þe derke dale And ek the felde ful of folk I schal ȝou faire schew A louely lady of lire in lynnen I-cloþed Come doun fro þat kith and called me faire And seide sone slepes þou sest þou þis peple How besy þei ben a-boute the mase þe most party of þis peple þat passeth on þe erthe Haue þei welþe in þis world kepe þei no better Of heuen oþer þan here holde þei no tale I was a-ferd of her face þouȝ sche faire were And seide mercy madame what is þis to mene A toure þe tour of þe tofte quod sche trowth is þere-Inne And wold þat ȝe wrouȝt as his worde techeþ For he is fader of feith and formed ȝou alle Boþe with felle and with face and ȝaf ȝou fuie wittes For to worschep him þer-with wiles ȝe ben her And þer-fore he hiȝt þo erthe to helpe ȝou echon Of linen of wollen of liflode at nede In mesurabel maner to make ȝow at ese And comaunded of his curtasie in comune þre þinges Beþ none nedful but þo nempne hem I þink And reken hem in resoun reherse þow hem after þat on is cloþing fro chel þe to saue ? And drink whan þe drieþ but do hit nat out of resoun þat þow worche þe wors when þow worche schuldest For lote in his liue daies for liking of drink Ded be his douȝtern þat þe deuel likidde And with lecherie hem lauȝt and lay by hem bothe And alle he witted wyn þat wikked dede Drede delitable drink and þow schalt do þe better Mesure is medicyne þowȝ þow much ȝerne Alle is nouȝt gode to þe goste þat þe gut likeþ No liflode to þe licam þat lef to þe soule Leue nouȝt þi licam for a leþer him techeþ þat is þe wikked world the to be-tray For the fende and þi flesch folow to-geder For to schende þy soule set hit in þin hert to no hour one b...geth And for þow schuldest be ware I wisse the þe beste A a madame quod I mercy melikeþ we ȝoure wordes Bot the money in the molde þat men so faste holden Telle me to whom þat tresour appendit Go to þe gospel quod sche þat god seide him-self þo þe peple him apposed with a peny in þe temple ȝif þei schuld worschepe þer-with Cesar the king And he asked of hem of whom spak þe letter And þe Image is like þat þer-Inne stondes Cesar þei seide we se wel echon Reddite Cesari quod god þat Cesari befallet Et que sunt dei deo or elles ȝe don euel For riȝt-fullich resoun schuld rewle ȝow alle And kinde witte be wardein ȝoure witte to kepe And þe tutour of ȝoure tresour and take hit ȝow at nede For husbondry and he holden to-gidderes The þen I frayned her faire for him þat her made þe doungon in þe dale þat dredful is of siȝt What may hit mene madame I be-sethe þer is a castel of care ho-so comeþ þer-Inne May banne þat he bore was to bodi oure to soule þer-Inne woneth a wiȝt þat wrong is I-hote Fader of falshede he fondid hit him-selue Adam and Eue he egged hem to ..lle Conseiled caym .... Iudas he Iaped with Iewen silure And seþen In an Eldre hing him-selue þat trusten on his tresour be-traied ar sonnest þan had I wonder in my witte what woman hit were holy church þat such wise wordes of holi writ schewd And hailised here on þe hie name or sche þens ȝede What sche were witterli þat hailised me so feire Holi chirch I am quod sche þow ouȝtest me to know I vnderfong þe firste and the feith tauȝt þow brouȝtest me borowes my bdding to worche To loue me lely whiles þi lif dureth þan I kneled on my knees and cried here of grace to know the beleve And preied here petosly pray for my synnes And ken me kendely on crist to be-leue þat I miȝt worch his wille þt wrouȝt me to man Teche me to no tresour but telle me þis Ilke How I may saue my soule þat seint art I-hote Whan al tresoures arn tried trewþ is þe beste I do hit on deus caritas to deme þe sothe It is as derworth a drewey as dere as god him-selue For ho-so is trew of his tong telleth non oþer Bot dothe the workes þer-with and willeth no man Ille He is on god be þe gospel on ground and on lofte And ek like to oure lorde by seint lukis wordes Clerkes þat knoweth hit schuld ken hit a-boute For cristen and on-cristen claymeþ hit echon Kinges and kniȝtes schuld kepe hit be Resoun And ride and rape a-doun the remes a-boute And taken trespasours and teyen hem faste Tille treuþe had termyned here trespas to þe ende truthe For dauid in his daies he dubbed kniȝtes Made hem swere on his swerde to serue trouþe euer þat is þe profescion apertely þat apendit to kniȝtes And to fast a friday in fyue schore wynter Bot holden with him and with her þat askeþ þe treuþ No neuer lach him for loue ne laching of ȝiftes And who-so passeth þat point is apostata In his order And crist king of kinges knytide ten Cherubyn and seraphin such seuene and on oþer ȝaf hem myȝt in his maieste the merier hem þouȝt And ouer his meyne made hem archangeles Tauȝt hem þerouȝ the trinite the treuþe to knowe To be buxum at his bidding he bad nouȝt elles Lucifere with legiounes lered in heuen And was the louelokest to loken on after our lorde Til he brak buxumnesse þorow bost of him-selue þan fel he with his felawes and fendes be-come Out of heuen In-to helle hobled þei faste Sum In eire sum in erthe sum in helle depe But lucifer lowest lithe of hem alle For pride þat he put oute his peine hathe non ende And alle þat werchen with wrong wende þei sch After her deþ-day and duelle with þat schrewe But þei þat worchen þat worde þat holi writ techeth And enden as I are seide in parfite workes Mow be seker þat here soules schul wende in-to heuen þer trowþe is in trinite and crounen hem alle For-þy I sey as I seide are be siȝt of thes d tixtes Whan al tresoures arn tried trowþ is þe beste Lereth hit þus lewd men for lettred hit knoweþ þat treuþ is tresour triest on erthe ȝit haue I no kende knowing quod I ȝe mot me better ken Be what craft in my cors hit comset and were þow dotid daff quod sche dul arn þi wittis Hit is a kende knowing þat cometh in þin hert For to loue þi lord þan þi-selue No dedly syn for to do die þowȝ þow schuldest þis I trow be trewth ho can teche þe better Loke þow suffer him to sey and seþ lere hit also For þus askeþ witnesse his worde worche þow þer-after þat loue is þe leuest þing þat euer oure lorde askeþ And eke the plante of pes preche hit in þin harpe When þow art mery at mete ȝif me bidde þe ȝedde For in kende knowing in hert þer comsit a miȝt And þat falleth to þe fader þat fermed vs alle Loked on vs with loue and let his sone die Mekelych for oure misdedis to amende vs alle And ȝit wold hem no wo þat wrouȝt him þat peyne Bot mekely with mowthe mercy be-souȝt To haue pite on þat peple þat pyned him to deþe Here miȝt we se ensaumple in him-self on þat he was myȝtful and meke and mercy gan graunte To hem þat hyng hym by and his hert þerled For-þy I rede þe Riche haue Rewth on þe pore þow ȝe be myȝty to mote beþ meke of ȝoure werkes For þe same mesure ȝe mete amys oþer elles ȝe schul be wey þer-with when ȝe wende hennes For-thy beþ trewe of ȝoure tong and trewlich wynne And ek as chast as a child þat In chirch wepith Bot ȝf ȝe loue leely and lene þe pere Off such gode as god sent godlich parteþ ȝe ne haue no more merite matynes no masse þen malkyn of her maidenhode þat no man desireth For Iames the gentille ioyned In his bokes þat faithe with-out faitour is febler þan nouȝt And als dede as a dore nayle bot ȝef þe dede folowe Chastite with-out charite worth cheyned in helle It is as lewde as a lampe þat no lyȝt in Inne Mony chapelaynes ben chaste ac charite ys a-way Beþ non harder þen þey when þey ben a-vaunsed Vnkynde to her kynne and ek to alle cristen Chewen her charite and chiden after more Such chastite with-oute charite worth cheyned in helle ȝe curatours þat kepen ȝou clene of ȝoure bodies ȝe bene a-combred with couatise ȝe conne nouȝt out crepe So fast haþ auarice hesped ȝow to-gederes þer is no trewthe of trinite bot trechory of helle And a lernyng to the lewd men þe latter to dele For þes ben þe wordes writen in þe Euaungelie Date et dabitur vobis for I dele ȝow alle þat is þe boke of lif þat letiþ out my grace To comforte the careful a-combred with synne The way to heyvein Loue is þe leuyst þing þat oure lorde askith And eke the graythe gate þat goþ in-to heuen For I sey as I saide er by siȝt of þes tixtes When al tresours ben tryed trewþe is þe best Now haue I tolde the what trewþe is and no tresour is better I may no lenger leng now loke þe oure lorde Passus secundus de visione ȝit knelid I on my knees and cried her of grace And seide mercy madame be mary loue of heuen Thrologus siruus natus . þat bare the blisful barne þat bouȝt vs on þe Rode to know wher false dwelleth Ken me be sum craft to know þe fals Loke on þi left half and lo where he standeþ Boþe fals and fauel and his feres many I loked on þe left half and þat ladi me tauȝt And was ware of a woman wonderlich cloþed I-purfuled with pelour purest on erthe Decked & Richely arayed I-crowned with a crown þe king hat he no better Alle her fyue fyngres wer frette with Rynges Of þe purest perrey þat princes wered euer In red scarlet Robed Rebaned with golde þer is no quen quaynter þat quyk is on liue What is þis woman quod I þus worthly atired þat is mede þe maide hath noied me wel ofte how mary was mede the maid And lakked my lore to lordes a-boute In þe popes palaise sche is preue as my-self And so schuld sche nouȝt be for wrong was her siȝte Out of wrong sche wex to wroþerhele many I auȝt be hiȝer þan sche for I cam of better To-morn worth þe mariage made of mede and of falce The mariage of wrong & mede Fauel with ferre speche haþe ioyned hem to-gederes Gyle hathe be-gon her so sche graunteþ al his wille And al is it lieȝers ledyng þat þey lieȝen to-gederes To-morn worthe þe mariage made as I the telle þer myȝt þow wite ȝif þow wilt wiche þey ben alle þat longen to þat lordschep þe lesse and þe more Know hem þer ȝef þow canst and kepe þe from hem alle ȝif þow willest to wone with crist In his blisse I may no lenger lette our lorde I þe be-ken And be come a gode man for any couatise I rede Alle þe Riche Retenaunce þat regneþ with fals ...the maryag Weren bidde to the bridale on boþ þe two sides Sir symony is assent to asele the charteres þat fals and fauelle by any fyne halden And feffe mede þer-with In mariage for euer þer nas halle ne hows to harbarowe þe peple þat euery felde nas fulle of folke al a-boute In myddes a mounteyn at mydmorow tide Was piȝt vp a pauyloun proude for þe nones And ten þousand of tentis I-telded be syde Of kniȝtis of contres of comers a-bout For sisoures for somnours for sellers for beggers For lered for lewde for laborers of þropes Alle to witnesse wele what þe writ wold In what maner þat mede in Mariage was feffed To be festened with fals the fyne is a-rered þen fauel fetteþ her furþ and to fals takeþ In forward þat falshede schal fynde her for euer And be bound at his bode his bidding to fulfille At bed at borde buxsom and hende And as sire symony wil sey to sewen his wille Symony and Ciuyle stonden forthe bothe medes fefement And on-folden þe feffement þat fals hath I-maked þus be-gynneþ the gomes and greden wel hye Weteþ and witnesseþ þat wonen vp-on erthe þat I fauel feffe falsnesse to mede To be present in pride for pore oþer Riche With þe erldom of Enuy euer-more to last With al the lordschipe of lecchory in lengþe and brede With the kingdom of Couatise I Croune hem to-gederes And alle þe Ile of vsurie and auarice þe laste Glotonye and gret oþes I geue hem to-gederes With alle the delites of lust þe deuel for to serue In alle the seignourie of slewthe I seyse hem to-gederes þei to haue and to holde to her eiers after With alle the partenaunce of purgatorie in-to þe pyne of helle ȝelding for þis þing at on ȝeres ende Her soules to Sathanas to synken In pyne þer to wone with wrong while god is in heuen wyttynesseth In witnessyng of wich þing wrong was þe first And Pers þe pardoner poulynes doctour Bette the bedelle of Bokyngham schire Randor the Reue of Rutlond sokne Munde the myllere and many mo other In þe date of the deuel the dede was asseled In siȝt of sire symony and signes of Notories þan tened hym theologie whan he þis tale herd ...maryag And seide to Ciuyle sorow on þy bokes Such wedding to wirche to wreþen trewthe Or þis wedding be wrouȝt wo the be-tyde For mede is muliere of frendes en-gendred God graunt to geue mede to trewþe And þow hast ȝeue here to a gilour now god ȝeue þe sorow the tyxtest telleth nouȝt so trewþe wote the soþe Dignus est operarius mercede sua Worthy is þe work-man his mede to haue And þow hast fastened her with fals fy on þy lawes For alle be lesinges þow leuest and lecherous workes SynonyeSymonye and þy-self schenden holi chirch ȝe and Notaries noyȝen the pepelle ȝe schulle a-bygge bothe by god þat me made Wel ȝe wete wernardes bot ȝef ȝoure wit faile þat falsnesse is a faitour feynteles of workes And a bastard born of belsabukkes kynde And mede is a muliere of maidens engendered Sche myȝt kisse the kyng for cosyn ȝef sche wold Wirche be wisdam and be witte after Ledith her to london þer law is I-handeled ȝf any lewte wol loke þei liggen to-gederes And ȝef the Iustice Iugge her to be Ioyned with fals ȝit be war of weddyng for wytty Is trewþe For conscience is of his consceile and knoweth ȝow echon And ȝef he fynde ȝow with defaut and with fals holden Hit schal be-sette ȝoure soules wel sore at laste Her-to assenteþ Ciuyle bt symonye ne wolde Tille he had siluer for his seles and signes þan fette fauel forth floreyns I-now And bad gile go ȝeue gold aboute And namely to Notaries þat he non failed And feffe falsnesse with floreines I-now For he may mede and maistren and maken at my wille þo þis gold was ȝeuen gret was þe þanking To fals and to fauel for her faire ȝeftes And comen to comfort fro care the fals And seiden sertis ses schul we neuer Tyl mede be þy wedded wyf þorow witte of vs alle For we haue mede maistred with oure mery speche þan he graunted to go with a gode wille t To london to loke ȝef þe lawe wold Ioyne hem Ioyntely in Ioie for euer þan was fals fayn and fauel as bliue And let somnen þe segges a-bout In scheres And alle to be bown beggers and oþer To wende with hem to westmester to witnesse the dede þan cared þei for capuls to karien hem þeder þan fet fauel foles of þe beste Sette mede on a schreue schod al newe And fals satte on a sesoure þat sotely trotted And fauel vp-on faire speche sotely atired þer had notaries non a-newed þei were ...To Ryd.. the Law þat symonie and Ciuile schuld on her fet gon þan swore Ciuile and seide be þe rode þat somnours schuld be sadeled and serue hem echon And lete a-paireile þes professours in palfrey-is wise Sire symonye him-self schal sitte on her bakkes And alle þe denes and suddenes as destroiers hem diȝt For þei schul bere þes bischops and bring hem at her Rest Paulynes peple for pleintes In þe constorie Schul serue my-self þat Ciuile hatte And let kartsadele the commesarie our cart schal he draw And fetten oure vitailes from fornicatours And make of lier a large carte to lede al þis oþer As foles and faitours þat on her fet trotten Fals and fauel faren forth to-geder And mede In þe myddes and alle þe meyne after I haue no tong to telle þat taile þat hem folowed Of many maner of men þat on þis mold lybbeþ gyll the(m) gyd Bot gile was for-goer and gyed hem alle Southnes ..to the Court...told co(n)syens And sothenesse seyȝe hit wele And seide but alitellea litelle Bot preked forth on his palfray and passed hem alle And com to þe kingis court and conscience tolde And conscience til þe king carped hit after Be crist qod þe king and I miȝt cacche Fals oþer fauel or any of her feres I wold be wrokin of þes wrecches þat worchen so euel And do hem hong be þe hals and alle þat hem mayteniþ Schal neuer man on þis mound maynprise the leste Bot Riȝt as þe lawe loketh let falle on hem alle And comaunde a constabel to come at þe firste To atache þes tyrauntes for any tresour I hote Fettre fals fast for any kynnes ȝiftes And gederen of Gyles heued let hym go no firþer And bring mede to me maugry hem alle sir falshed...wrong... Symony and Cyuile I sent hem to warne þat holichirch for hem worþe armed for euer And ȝef ȝe lacche leyer let hym nouȝt scape Or he be put to þe pilorye for any preiere I hote Drede at þe dore stode and þat dome herde And wiȝtly went to warne þe fals And bad hym fle for fere and his feres alle þan falsnesse for fere flewȝ tille þe freres And gile doþe hym to go a-gast for to dyȝe Bot marchaundis mette with hym and made hym abide Be-schette hym In here schoppis to schewen her ware Appaireled him as a prentis þe peple to serue Liȝtlich lyȝer lepe a-way þennes Lurkyng þorow lanes to-lugged of mony He was nowere welcome for his many tales Bot ouer al I-hunted and I-hote trusse Tille pardoners had pite on him and putte him to house Weschen him and wipten him and wounden him In cloþes And sent him on sonedaies with seles to chirches And ȝaf pardones for penyes poundemele about þan lowred leches and letteres to him sent For to wony with hem wateres to loke Spicers spoke with him to a-spiȝe here ware For þei cowþe on her craft and knew many gynnes Mynstralles and messangers mette with him ones And with-helde him an half ȝere and alleuen daies Freres with faire speche fetten him þennes For knowing of comers coped him as a frere Bot he hath leue to lepe out als ofte as him liketh And is welcome whan he wol and woneþ with hem ofte Alle fledden for fere and flewen In-to hernis Saue mede þe maide no mo durst abide Bot trewly to telle sche trembled for fere And eke wepe and wrong when sche was atacched Passus tercius de visione Now is mede the maiden and no mo of hem alle With bedelles and baillies I-brouȝt to þe king þe king called a clerk I knowe nouȝt his name To take mede the maiden and make her at ese I wil assay her my-self and soþeli appose What man of þis world þat her war leuest And ȝef sche worche be wit and my wille folowe I wol for-ȝeue her þe gilt so me god help Curtaisly the clerk þan as the king hote Toke mede be the meddel and brouȝt her to chaumbre Bot þer was merthe and mynstralcy mede to plese þat wonen at westmester worschepen her alle Ientilich with ioie the Iustice-is sone Busked hem to þe boure þer þe berd duelled And seide morne þow nat mede no make no sorowe For we wol wisse þe king and þi way make For alle conscience cast o crafte as I trowe Mildelich mede þan mercied hem alle Of her gret godnesse and ȝaf hem echon Coupes of clene golde peces of siluer Ringes and Rubies and richesse many þe lest man of her mene a motoun of gold þan toke þei her leue þes lordes at mede With þat come clerkes to comfort her þe same And bidden her be blithe for we beþ þin owne For to wirche þy wille while þy lif lasteþ! Kendelich she þan be-hiȝt hem þe same To loue hem lelly and lordes hem make And In constorie at cort callei har names Schal no lewdnesse letten him þe lede þat I loue þat he ne worth first auaunsed for I am be-knowe þer connyng clerkes schul clokken be-hynde þan comeþ þer a confessour coped as a frere To mede þe maide mekely he lowted And seide ful softly in schrift as hit were þowȝ lered and lewd had leyȝen be þe echon And þowȝ falshed had folowed þe þis xvfiftene winter I schal assoile the my-self for a seme of whete And eke be þy Bawde and ber wel þin herand Among clerkes and knyȝtes conscience to felle þan mede for her misdedes to þat man kneled And schroue her of her schrewdnesse schamlese I trowe And told him a tale and toke hym a noble For to be her bede-man and her Bawde after þan he assoiled her sone and seþen he seide We haue a wyndow a-worching wol stond vs wel hiȝe Woldest þow glase the gabel and graue þer-In þin name Seker schuld þy soule be heuen to haue Wist I þat qod the woman þer nes no wyndowe no auter þat I ne schuld make or amende and my name write þat ech a segge schal se I am a suster of ȝour hows Bot god alle gode folke such grauyng defendeþ And seith Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextera Let nouȝt þy left hand late no Rathe Be war what þy RiȝthondRiȝt hond worcheþ or delith And so preualy parte hit þat pride be nouȝt seiȝe Neþer In siȝt no In soule for god hym-self knoweth Who is curtaise of kynde or couetouse or elles For-þi I lere ȝow lordes leue such writyng To write In wyndowes of ȝoure wel dedes Oþer grede after goddes men whan ȝe geuen doles An aunter ȝe haue ȝoure hire þer-of here For oure saueour it seide and hym-self preched Amen Amen reciperunt mercedem et cetera Maires and maistres hem þat ben mene Be-twen þe king and þe comouns to kepe þe lawes As to punesch on pilories or on pynnyng stoles Brewstres and Bakers Bochers and cokes For þes arn men of þis mounde þat most harm wircheþ To þe pore peple þat parecel-mele beggen For þei poisoun þe peple preualy wel ofte And Risen vp þorow Regalrye and Rentes hem biggen With þat þat þe pore peple schuld put In hir wombe For toke he on-trewly he tymbred nouȝt so hie Ne bouȝt no burgages be ȝe wel certeyn Ac mede the Maide the maire sche be-souȝt Of alle such sellers siluer to take Of presauntis with-out pans and peces of siluer Ring oþer Richesse þat Regatoures to mayntene For my loue quod the lady loue hem echon And suffre hem to selle somdel aȝens resoun Salamon þe sage a sermon he made For to amende men þat kepen þe lawes And toke hem þis teem þat I telle þink Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera Among þes lettered lordes þis latyn amountiþ þat fer schal falle and for-brenne at laste þe hous and the homes of hem þat desiren To haue ȝiftes for her seruice In ȝougthe or In elde þe king from conseile come and called after mede And assent her al so swithe seriauntes her fette And brouȝt here to boure with blisse and with ioye Connyngly the king comsit to telle To mede þe maide meles þes wordes On-witly I wis wrouȝt hast þow ofte Bot wers wrouȝtest þow neuer þen þo þow fals toke Bot I for-ȝeue the þy gilt and graunt þe grace Hennes to þy deþ-day do þow so no more I haue a kniȝt hatte conscience com late fro be-ȝende ȝif he wol þe to wyue wilt þow hym haue ȝa lorde quod þat lady þo god for-bede elles þan was conscience called to come and apperen Be-for þe king and his counsel clerkes and oþer Kneling conscience to þe king lowted What þat his wille were and what he do schuld Wilt þow wedde þis woman ȝif I wil assente For sche is fayn of þi felaschep for to be þi make Quod conscience to þe king crist it for-bede Or I wedde such a wif wo me be-tide Sche is frely of her faithe and fikel of her speche Sche makeþ men mysdone many score tymes what thynges is done By medes means In trist of her tresoure sche teneþ ful many Wif and wedow wantenes techeþ Lerneþ hem lechorye þat louen hir ȝiftes ȝoure fader sche filled þorouȝ fals be-hestes Appoi-sened popes appaired holichirche I not a better baude be him þat me made Be-twene heuen and helle and erthe þowȝ men souȝt Sche is tekel on her taile tale-wise of tonge Als comen as þe cart-way to knaue and to monke To mynstrals and messangers and messeles In hegges Sisoures and somnours such men her preiseþ Schreues of schyres wer schent ȝef sche ne were Sche dothe men lese her londe and her lif after And leteþ passe presoners and paieþ for hem oft And geueþ the gailer gold and grotes to-geder To vnfetter þe fals and fle wher hem likeþ Sche takeþ þe trewe be þe toppe and tiȝeth him faste And hongeth him for haterede þat harmed neuer To be cursed In constory sche counteþ nouȝt a Risch For sche copeth þe comesarie and cloþes his clerkes Sche is assoiled als sone as her-self likeþ Sche may niȝe als much done In amoneþa moneþ ones As ȝoure secret seal In seuen score daies Sche is preue with þe pope prouesoures hit knoweth Sir Symony and her-self seleþ þe bulles Sche blisseth þes bischopes ȝif þei be lewde Prouendours prestes and parsones sche maynteneþ to holde Lemmans and lotebies alle her lif-daies And bringen furth barnes a-ȝens for-bode lawes þer sche is wele with þe king wo is þe rewme For sche is fauerable to fals and fileþ trewþ ofte Barounes and Burgeis sche bringeth In sorowe Be Ihesu with her Iueles ȝoure Iustice sche schendeþ And lieȝth a-ȝen þe lawe and letteþ þe trewþe þat faith may nouȝt haue his furthe his florans go so þikke Sche ledith lawe as her list and lufdaies maketh not þe mase for a mene man þowȝ he mote euer lawe is so lordliche and lowþe to make ende With-out presauntes or pans sche pleseth ful fewe Clergie and couatise sche coupleþ to-geder þis is þe lif of þat lady our lorde ȝef her sorowe And alle þat maynten her men y myschaunce hem be-tide For pore mow haue no power to pleine ȝef hem smert Such a maister is mede among men of gode þan morned mede and mened her to þe king To haue space to speke spede ȝef sche myȝt þe king graunted her grace with a gode wille Ascuse þe ȝef þow canst I can no more sey For conscience acuseþ þe to conge þe for euer Nay lord qod þe lady leue hym þe wors When ȝe wete witterly wher þe wrong liggeth þer þat mischef is grete mede may helpe And þow knowest conscience I cam nouȝt for to chide Ne to depraue þy persone with a proude hert Wel þowȝ wost conscience but ȝef þow wilt lie þow hast honged on myn half elleuen tymes And eke gripen my gold and geuen hit þer þe liketh Whi þow wraþþest me now wonder me þinketh ȝit I may as I myȝt avaunce þe with ȝeftes And maynteyn þy man-hode more þan þow knowest And þow hast famed me falsly be-fore þe king here Miskaried I neuer no king ne counseile þer-after Ne ded I as þow demest I do hit on þe king In normandie was he nouȝt noied for my sake Bot þi-self soþely a-schamed hym ofte Crope in akabana kaban for colde of þyn nailes Wendest þat winter wold haue lasted euer And dreddest to be dede for on don cloude And hastedest þe hom-ward for hunger of þi wombe With-out pite pilour pore men þow Robbedest And bare her bras on þi bakke to Caleis to selle þer I left with my lorde his lif for to saue And made hym mery mornyng till leue And batered hym on þe bakke and bolded his hert Dede hym hoppe for hope to haue me at wille Had I be marchal ouer his men be marie of heuen I dorst haue leide my lif and no lesse wedde He schuld haue be lorde of þat londe In lengþe and In brede And eke king of þat kiþ his kin for to helpe þe lest brolle of his blode a barounes pere To leuen his lordschep for a litel siluer þat is þe Richest Reme þat reigneth ouer on Hit be-comeþ to a king þat kepeþ aremea reme To ȝeue his men mede þat mekely him serueþ And aliens and al men to honour hem with ȝeftes Mede makeþ hem be loued and for amana man holden Emperours and erles and alle maner lordes þorow ȝeftes haue ȝong men to renne and to Ride þe pope with his prelates presentes vnderfongeþ And medeþ men him-self to mainten her lawes Seruauntes for her seruise we se wel þe sothe Taken mede of her maisteres as þei mowe a-corde Beggers for her beggyng bidde of men mede Mynstralles for her mirthes mede þei asken þe king hathe mede of men to make pees in londes Men þat ben clerkes crauen after mede Prestes þat prechen the peple to gode Asken mede and messe penyes and her mete also Alle kinnes crafty men craue mede for her prentis Mede and marchaundise mote nedes to-gederes No wiȝt as I wene with-out mede myȝt lybbe Qod þe king to conscience be crist as me þinkeþ Mede is worþi þe maistrie to haue Nay quod conscience to þe king and kneled to þe erthe þer beþ to maner of medes my lord be ȝoure leue þat on is god of his grace ȝeueþ In his blisse To hem þat worchen wele while þei ben here þe prophet preched hit and put hit In þe sauter Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram Take no mede my lorde of hem þat ben trewe Loue hem adand lene hem for our lordes loue of heuen God-is mede and his mercy þer-with myȝt þow wynne þer is a mede mesureles þat maistries desiren To mayntene mysdoers mede þei taken And þer-of seiþ þe sauter In a salmes ende In quorm manibus iniquitates sunt dextera eorm repleta est muner[cropped] And he þat gripeth giftes so me god helpe Schal a-bie bitterly or þe boke lieȝth Prestes and parsones þat plesing desireth þat take mede for her money for messes þat þei sing Schal haue mede on þis mounde þat mathew hath graun[cropped] Amen Amen recipierunt mercedem suam þat laborers and lewd folk taken of her maistres Is no maner of mede bot a musarable here In marchaundise is no mede I may hit wel avowe It is a permytacioun pertly a penyapeny for a-noþer Bot redest þow neuer Regum þow recrayeȝed mede Why the vengaunce fel on saule and on his children God sent him to segge bi samuelis mowthe þat agas and amules and her peple after Schuld die for a dede þat don had hereldes Samuel seide to saule god sendeþ þe and hoteþ To be buxom and bone his bidding to fulfille Wende þeder with þin hoste wymmen to killen Children and clerkes choppe hem to deþ Loke þow kille þe king coueyte nouȝt his gode For any Millions of Monye murþer hem echon Barnes and bestes brenne hem to deþe And for he killed nouȝt þe king as crist bode sente Coueited her catelle killed nouȝt her bestes Bot brouȝt with him þe beestes as þe bibille tolde God seide to samuel þat Saul schuld die And al his sede for þat synne schamfully schuld ende Such a myschef mede made þe king to haue þat god hateþ þat king and al his eiȝers after The culorum of þis case kepe I nouȝt to schew And aunter hit me noiȝed an ende wol I make In conscience know I þis for kende hit me tauȝt þat resoun schal reine and remes gouerne And riȝt as agas hadde happe schal somme Samuel schal sleen him and Saul schal be blamed And dauyd schal be dyadem and daunten hem alle And on cristen king kepe vs echon Schal no more Mede be maister on erthe Bot loue and lowȝnesse and lewȝte to-gederes And who-so trespaseth trewly and takeþ to þe wrong His wikked lewte schal do him lawe or lese his lif elles Schal no seriaunt for þat seruice were silken howe Ne no Ray Robe of Riche pelure Mede of mysdoers makeþ hem to Riche þat lawe is lorde waxen ad lewte is pore Vnkendenesse is comaundour and kendenesse is bansched Bot kende wit schal come ȝit and consciense to-geder And make of lawe a laborer such loue schal arise Passus quartus de visione Seseþ seide þe king I suffer ȝow no lenger ȝe schul sawhte for soþe and erue me boþe Kysse her quod þe king conscience I hote Nay be god quod concience conge me rather Bot ȝef resoun rede me þer-to arst wol I die And I comande þe quod þe king to conscience þan Rape þe to Ride and resoun þow fecch Comaunde him þat he come my conseile to here For he schal reule my Reme and rede me þe beste Of mede and many oþer what man schal her wedde And counte with þe conscience so me crist helpe How þow lernest þe peple þe lered and þe lewde I am fayn of þat forward seide þe freke þan And ryȝt renneþ to Resoun and rowneþ In his ere Seide hym as þe king seide and seþ toke his leue I schal rape me to ride quod resoun rest þe a while And called catoun his knaue curtais of speche Set my sadel vp-on suffer til I se my tyme And let warrok him wel with riȝtful gerþes Hong on hym þe heuy bridelle to holde his hede lowȝe And ȝit wol he make many we-he or he come þeder þan conscience on his capal carieth forth faste And Resoun with him rideþ and rapeþ him ȝerne Bot on wary wisdom and witti his fere Folowed hem fast for þei had to done In chekere and In chauncerie to be discharged of þinges And riden fast for resoun schuld rede hem þe beste For to saue hem-self fro schame and fro harme And conscience come arst to court be a myle way And romed forthe with resoun riȝt to þe king Curtaisly þe king þan come on to resoun And be-twen him-self and his sone sette him on þe benche And wordeden gret while wel wisely to-geder þan come pece In-to parlement and put vp a bille How wrong a-ȝens his wille had his wif take And how he rauesched Rose Reynold-is loue And mergarete of her maidenhode maugre her chekes Boþe my gees and my gris þe gadlinges fetten I dar nouȝt for fere of him fiȝt no chide He borowed of me baiard and brouȝt him neuer aȝen No no ferþing þer-for for nouȝt þat I coude plete He maynteyneþ his men to murþur myn hinden For-stalleþ myn faires fiȝteþ In chepinges Brekeþ vp myn bern durres bereþ a-wey my whete And takeþ me but a taile for ten quartour otes And ȝet he beteþ me þer-to and liþe be my maide I am nouȝt hardy on-neþe on him for to loke þo knew þe king he saide soþe for conscience him tolde Wrong was aferde þo and wisdom he souȝt To make his pees with his pans and proferd him mony And seide had I loue of my lorde þe king litel wold I recch þowȝ pees and his power pleined hym euer Wisdom went to þo and so dede witte bothe For þat wrong had wrouȝt so wikked a dede And warned wrong þo with such a wise tale Who-so worcheþ be wille wreþþe he makeþ I sey it be my-self þow schalt hit sone fynde Bot ȝef mede hit made mischef is vp For boþe þy lif and þi lande liþ In his grace Wrong þan on wisdom weped him to helpe And of his pans he prroferd handydandy to paie þan wisdom and witte wenten to-geder And toke mede with hem mercy to wynne Pees put forth his heued and his pan blody With-out gilt god wote gat I þis scaþe Conscience and þe king knew wel þe soþe And wisten wel þat wrong was a schrew euer Bot wisdom and witte wer about Faste To ouer-come þe king with catel ȝef þei myȝt þe king swore be crist and by his croun boþe He schuld nouȝt þese seuen ȝere se his foot ones God wote quod wisdom þat were nouȝt þe beste And he mow amendes make let maynprise him haue And be borow for his bale and bring him to bote Amende þat he misdede and euer-more þe better witt & mede spak for wrong Witte a-corded þer-with and seide þe same Better is þat bote bale a-doun bring þan be-gan mede to meke her and mercy be-souȝt And proferd pees a presaunt al of pure gold Haue þis of me man quod she to amende þy scaþe For I wol wage for wrong he schal so do na more Pees þan petusly preied to þe king To haue mercy of þat man þat mysdede hym ofte For he hath wached me wel as wisdom him tauȝt I for-geue him þe gilt with a gode wille So ȝe assent þer-to I can seyȝe na more For mede hath made me my mendis I may no more asken Nay quod þe king þo so god ȝeue me blisse Wrong wendeþ nouȝt so a-way or I wete more Leep he so liȝtly a-way lawȝen he wold And oft þe bolder be to bete myn hynden Bot resoun haue reuþe on hym he schal rest In þe stokkes As long as I leue bot þe more loue hit make Sum men Redde resoun to haue reuthe on þat schrewe And to consceile þe king and conscience boþe þat mede most be maynpernour resoun þei be-souȝt Rede me nouȝt quod resoun no reuthe to haue Tille lordis and ladies louen alle trewþe And pernel-is purful be put In her hucche Tille children chersynges be chastised with ȝerdes And harlottes holinesse be holden for an heþyng Tille clerkes and knyȝtes ben curtaise of her mowþes And haten her harlottrie to mowþen hit with tong Tille prestes her preching preue hit hem-selue And don hit in dede to bring vs to gode Tille seint Iame be I-souȝt þer I schal a-fyng a syne þat no man go to Galis bot hit be to euer And alle þe Rome-Renners for Robbers be-ȝonde Bere no seluer ouer see þat signe of þe king schewed Neþer grotes ne gold I-grauen with kingis Coyne Vp forfeture of þat fee who fynte hym do euer Bot hit be marchaunt or his man or messanger with lettres Oþer prouesour or prest þat þe pope auaunseþ And ȝit quod Resoun be þe Rode I schal no rewþe haue While mede haþ þe maistrie to many In þis halle Bot I may schew ensaumple as I se for soþe haue reason wold order wrong For ȝef I sey hit my-self and It so were þat I were king with croun to kepe a Reme Schuld neuer wrong In þis world þat I wete myȝt Be on-ponesched at my power for perile of my soule Ne gete my grace þorow geftes so me god helpe Ne for no mede haue mercy bot mekenesse it made For nullum malum he may mete with impunitum And bad nullum bonum irremuneratum Lat þy confessour sire king constrew þe hit on englesch And ȝef þow wirche þes workes I wedde myn eres þat law schal be alaborera laborer and lede afelde donge And loue schal lede þy londe as þe leue likeþ Clerkes þat were confessours cowpled hem to-geder For to constrew þis clause declynand fast Bot resoun among þes Renkes rehersed þes wordes þer nas no man In þe mote-halle more no lesse þat ne helde resoun Maister and Mede a much wrecch Loue let of her liȝt and lowȝe her to scorne And seide hit so lowde þat soþenesse hit herde Who-so wilneþ her to wif for welþe of her godes Bot he be cokold I-called kitte of myn nose Wary wisdam þo and witte his fere Coude nouȝt carpen o worde to with-segge Resoun Bot staring and stoding stonden as bestes þe king acorded by crist to Resoun-is Sawes And rehersed þat Resoun riȝtfullich schewed Bot hit is wel harde be myn hede here to bring hit And alle my lege ledes to lede hem þus euen Be hym þat died on Rode quod Resoun to þe king Bot ȝef I reule þus þy Reme rente out my Rybbes ȝif hit be þat buxomnesse be at myn assent And I assent quod þe kyng be seynt marie my lady Be my conseile I come of clerkes and Erles Bot redely Resoun þow schalt nouȝt raike hennes For as long as I leue loue þe I wol I am Redy quod Resoun to Rest with ȝow euer So conscience be of ȝoure consceile kepe I no better I graunt quod þe king god-is forbode I faile As long as I leue libbe we to-gederes Passus quintus de visione The king and his kniȝtes to the chirche went To here matyns and messe and gon to mete after þan waked I of my wynkkyng and wo was with-alle þat I ne had sleped hard and Isey more Or I had faren a furlong feyntise me kauȝt þat I ne myiȝt ofoteo fote ferþer for defauȝte of sleping I satte softly a-doun and seide my beleue And so I babeled on my bedes þei brouȝt me on slepe Conciens preched þan saw I moche more þen I be-fore tolde And conscience with a cros come for to preche And preied þe peple haue pite on hem-selue And proued þat þes pesilences wer for pure synne And þe sowþ-westren wynde on seterday at euen Was appertely for pride and for no poynt elles Piries and plauntes wer put to þe erthe In ensaumple sent god þat we schuld do þe better Beches brode okes weren bowed to þe ground And turned vp-ward her taile In tokenyg of drede þat dedly synne or domesday schal for don hem alle Of þis mater I myȝt mamel long Bot I schal say as I sawe so me god helpe How conscience with acrosa cros comsed to preche He bad wastour go wirch what he best couþe And wynne þat he wasted with som maner of crafte And preied pernelle her purfelle to leue And kepe hit In her cofer for catelle at nede Thomas he tauȝt to take two staues And fecch home felice fro þe syuen pyne He warned watte his wif was to blame þat her hede was worþe a marke and his hode nauȝt a grote He charged chapmen to chastise her children Lat no wynnyng for-wany hem whiles þei be ȝong He preched prelates and pristes to-geder þat þei prechen þe peple and preue hit hem-selue And libbe as ȝe lerne vs we wol leue ȝow þe better And seþþe he redde Religioun her rewles to holde Lest þe king and his counseil her countenaunse appeiren ...seking of halowþs also trewthe And be steward of ȝoure stede tille ȝe be stiwed better And ȝe þat seken seint Iame and seintes at Rome Sekeþ at home seint Trewthe for he may saue ȝow alle Qui cum patre et filio feire mot ȝow be-falle þan repentaunce rehersed his tem And made wille to wepe water with his eyȝen Pernelle proude hert plat her to erþe And lay long ar sche loked vp and lorde mercy cried And be-hiȝt to him þat vs alle made Sche schuld on-sewe her serke and sette þer an hayre For to endaunten her flesch þat fers was to synne Schal neuer hie hert me hent bot holde me lowe And suffer to be misseyd and so dede I neuer Bot now wol I meke me and mercy be-seke Of alle þat I haue had enuy In myn hert þe lechour seide allas and to oure lorde criȝed To make meracy for his mysdede be-twen god and hym With þat he on saterday seuen ȝere ȝer-after Schuld drink with þe doke and dyne but ones Enuy with heuy hert asked after schreft And carfally his synnes be-gynneþ for to schewe He was as pale as apalettea palette and on þe palsey semed He was cloþed In cawremawre I can nouȝt discreie the Dis? of the envious man A kirtelle and a courteby a knif be his syde Off a freres frokke wer þe fore-sleues As a leke þat had layne long In þe sonne So loked he with lene chekes lowrand foule His body was bolned for wreþþe and he bote his lippe And wroþelich he wroþ hisse fiste to wreke him be þouȝt With werkes and wordes when he sawȝ his tyme Vermyn or veriuse or venagre I trowe Walweþ In my wombe and waxeþ as I wene I myȝt nouȝt many day don as a man myȝt Such wynde In my wombe wexeth or I dyne I haue a neyȝborow nye me I haue noyȝed hym ofte And blamed hym be-hynde his bak to bring hym In fame To appaire hym be my powere I pursewed ful ofte And be-lowen hynm to lordes to don hym lese siluer And don his frendes be his fon þorow my fals tonge His grace and his gode happe geued me wel sore Be-twen him and his meyne I haue made wraþþe Boþe his lym and his lif was lost þorow my tong When I mette hym In a market þat I most hated I halsed hym als hendely as I his frende were He is douȝtier þan I I dar no harme do hym Bot had I maistry and myȝt I wolde murþer hym for euer When I come to þe kirke and knele to þe Rode To preȝe for þe peple as þe prest techeþ þenne I crie on my knees þat criste geue hym sorowe þat bare a-way my bolle and my broken schete Fro þe auter my eyȝe I turne and be-holde How herry hathe a new cote I wissed hit were myn owne And of his lesyng I lawȝe þer-of in myn herte But of his wynnyng I wepe and wailed þe tyme I deme men þer þei do Ille and ȝit do I wel wors I wold þat ech a wiȝt wer my knaue And who-so hathe more þan I þan angreþ myn hert þus I leue loueles as a leþer dogge And alle my brest bolneþ for bitter of my galle May no suger no swete þing swage hit an Inche Ne no diapendion driue hit fro myn hert And ȝef þat schrift schold hit scope a gret wonder ȝis redely quod Repentaunce and redde hym to gode Sorowe for synne saueþ wel many I am sory quod enuy I am bot seld oþer And þat makeþ . me so madde for I may me venge Discripion of Covytous þan come couatise I can him nouȝt discriue So hungerly and holow sire heuy he loked He was betilbrowed and babirlipped boþe With two blered eyȝen as a leþeren purs lolled his chekes In a torne tabard of twelue winter age Bot ȝef a lows coude lepe I may hit nouȝt leue He ne schuld wander on þat walsch scarlet so was hit þred[] I haue loued conscience quod he al my lif tyme I know her for som tyme I serued syth at noke And was his prentis I-pliȝt his profite to loke First I lerned to liȝe alesinga lesingor twey Wikkedly to weie was my first lessoun To wynchelsey and wynchester I was sent to þe faire With many maner of Marchaundise as my maister me touȝt Ne hadde grace of gile gon among my ware Hit hadde be on-solde þis seuene ȝere so me god helpe þat drow I me among drapers my donet to lere To draw þe list along þe lenger hit semed Among þe Riche Rayes I lerned a lessoun Broched hem with a paknedel and plite hem to-geder Put hem In a pressour and pynned hem þer-Inne Tille ten ȝerdes or twelue tolled oute þreitene My-self was a weuester and wullen cloþe made And spak to þe spinster to spynne hit softe þe pounde þat I weyȝed by peysed a quarter more þan þe auncel dede and I wey trowþe I bouȝt her barly sche brew It to selle Peny-ale and pele-waye sche powred to-geder For laborers and low folk þat liþe be hym-selue þe best In my bedchambre þat laye be þe wowe And who-so bummed þer-of bouȝt hit þer-after A galoun for a grote god wote no lesse Whan hit come In cuppe-mele þat craft my wif vsed Rose the regratour was her Riȝt name Sche hathe holde hukstrie þis elleuen winter I swere now soþely synne schal I neuer Ne neuer wikkedly wey no wiked chaffer make But wende to walsingham and my wif also And bidde þe rode of bromholm bring me out of dette []ton Now be-gynneþ glotown for to go to schreft And karieþ him to kirke-ward his synnes to schewe And beton þe brewster bad him gode morowe And sche axed hym wheder-ward he wold To holichirch quod he for to here masse And seþþen I wille be schreuen and synne no more I haue gode ale gosseb quod sche god wot wel hote I haue pepir and pyany and apounda pound of garlek And aferþinga ferþing-worþe of fenelle-sedes for fastyng daies þan goþ Inne glotoun and grete oþes after Sisse þe sewster sat on þe benche Watte þe waferere and his wif boþe Tymkyn þe Tynker and two of his knaues Hikke þe hakeney-man and hogge þe miller Clares of cokeslane and þe clerke of þe chirche Dawe þe diker and a dosein oþer A Ribiboure a Ratoner and a baker of chepe A Roper a Redan king and Rose the discher Of vpholsters an hepe erlich be þe morowe ȝeuen glotoun with gode wille gode ale to hancelle Clement þe cobuler cast of his cloke And at þe new faire nempned it to selle Hikke þe osteler caste his hode after And bad bette þe bocher be on his syde þer wer chapmen chosen the chaffare to preise Who-so had þe hode schuld haue mendes of þe cloke þo Risen þei vp on rape and rouned to-gederes And preised þe penworþes pertely be-twen hem-selue þer wer oþes an hepe bot þen þei ne kouþe By her conscience acorden to-geder To Robyn þe Roper was redde to arise And nempned hym for an ymper þat no debate ner Hikke þe ostalere þan had þe cloke In couenaunt þat clement þe cobbeler schuld fille þe cuppe And haue hikkes hode þe ostaler and holde him I-serued And who-so repenteþ Raþest schuld arise after And grete sire glotoun with agalouna galoun ale þer was lawȝing and lowryng and let go þe cuppe Bargaines and beuarages be-gonne to arise And setten so til euesong and songen som while Tille glotoun had I-gulped a galoun and a gille He pissed a potelle In a pater noster while And blewe þe Round reuette at þe Rigge bones ende And alle þat herde þat horn helde her nose after And wisheden hit had be waxed with a wips of fersen He hadde no strengthe to stande or he his staf hadde And þan gan he go somtyme a-syde and som-tyme arere As he leide lynes to kache with larkes When he drow to þe dore þenne dymmed his eyȝen He stumles on þe þreschfold and fel to þe erþe And with alle þe wo of þis world his wif and þe wenche Bare him to his bedde and brouȝt him þer-Inne And after his surfet an axes he hadde þat he sleped saterday and sonday tille sonne ȝede to Reste þan waked he of wynkyng and wypidde his eyȝen þe first word þat he spak was wher is þe bolle Hi wif blamed hym þan of wikkednesse and synne þan was þe schrew a-schamed and scharped his eres And gan grete grymly and gret dele make For his leþer lif þat he leued hadde And a-vowed to faste for any hunger or þrest Schal neuer fisch on þe friday defye In my wombe Or abstinense myn aunte haue geue me leue And ȝit haue I hated her al my lif tyme Sleuthe Slewþe for sorowe fel a-doun In a swouȝe Tille vigilate þer wol fette water of his eyȝen And flatted on his face and faste on hym cried I am sory for my synne sey to þi-self And bete þy-self on the brest and bidde hym of grace For is no gilt here so grete þan godnesse is more þen sat slewth vp and sayned him-self faste And made a vow to for god for his foule slewth Schal no sonday þis seuene ȝer bot sekenes hit make þat I ne schal do me to þe dere chirche And her masse and matyns as I a monk wer Schal non Ale holde me fro þennes Tille I haue euesong herde I hote to þe Rode And ȝit wol I ȝelde aȝen ȝif I so much haue Alle þat I wikkedly wan sen I witte hadde þowȝ my liflode lak letten I nelle þat ech man schal haue his or I hennes wende And why the residue and þe remenaunt by þe Rode of chester I wol seke trewþe or I seke Rome Robert þe Robbour on Reddite loked Bot for þer was nouȝt where-of with he weped sore And the synful schrewe seide tille him-self Crist þat on Caluarie oppon the rode dedest þo Dismas my broþer be-souȝt þe of grace And þow hast mercy on þat man for Memento-is sake þi wille worch vppon me as I haue wel de-serued To haue helle for euer ȝif þat hope ner To rewe on þis Robert þat reed none ne haueþ Ne neuer weneþ to wynne with craft þat he knoweþ Bot for þy much mercy metygacioun I be-seche Dampne me nouȝt at domesday for þat I ded so Ille Bot what be-felle of þis feloun I can nouȝt faire schewe Wel I wote he wepe water with his eiȝen And knowleched his gilt to crist ȝit eftsones þat penitencia his pike he schuld polsche newe And lepe with him ouer londe al his lif tyme For he had lay be latro luciferes hyne And a þousand of men þo wrongen to-gederes Weping and wailing for her wikked dedes I Criȝed vp-ward to crist and to his moder dere To haue grace to seke trewþe god leue þat þei moten Passus sextus de visione Bot þer wer few men so wise þat walked on fote Bot blustred furþe as bestes ouer valeis and hilles Tille late and long þat þei aledea lede mette Appareiled as a paynym In pilgrim-is wise He bare a bourdoun I-bounde with a brode liste In a weyward wyse I-wounden a-boute A bagge and a bolle he bare be his syde An hundreþ of hanpolles on his hatte seten Signes of synay and schelles of Gales And many a crowche on his cloke and keies of Rome And þe vernycle aforn for men schuld know And se be his signes wher he souȝt hadde þes folk freined him faire whennes þat he come Fro synay he seide and fro þe sepulcre At bedlem at babiloyn I haue be In boþe In armony In alisaundre and many oþer places ȝe may se be my signes þat sitten on myn hatte þat I haue walked wel wide In wete and drie And souȝt gode seintes for my soule hele []nquiring the way to trewth Knowest þow ouȝt a corseint quod þei þat men callen trewþe Constow wisse vs þe way wher þat wy duelleth Nay so god mote me helpe seide þe man þan I sawe neuer palmer with pike no with scrippe Axen after hym or now In þis place Peter quod a plowman and put furthe his heued I know hym als kendely as a clerk doþe his bokes Clene conscience and witte kende me to his place And ded me to sure hym to serue him for euer For to sowe his sede while I swinke myȝt I haue ben his folower al þis fourtywynter Boþe to sowe hs sede and sewed his bestes And keped his corn and caried to house Diken and deluen and do what heme hiȝt With-Inne and with-oute waited his profite þer is no laborer In his lordschep þat he loueþ better For þowȝ I sey hit my-self I serued hym to paie And haue myn here of him and oþer-while more He is þe prestist paiere þat pore men knowen He ne holte noon hine his hi-re þat he ne haþe hit at euen And ȝef ȝe wol wete wher þat wy duelleþ I schal wisse ȝow welle þe riȝt wey to his place ȝa leue piers quod þe pilgrym and proferd him hire Nay be þe pereille of my soule quod piers and gan to sere the waye to truthes hous I nold fonge a ferþing for seint Thomas schrine For trewþe wold loue me þe wers a long tyme after Bot ȝe þat willeþ to wende þis is þe way þeder ȝe mote gon þorow mekenesse boþe men and wyues Tille ȝe come to conscience þat crist wite þe soþe And ȝe loue hym leuer þen þe lif In ȝoure hertes And þan ȝoure neiȝborowes next In non wise appeireth Oþer þan þow woldest men wrouȝt to þy-seluen And so bowes forthe by a banke be buxsom of speche For to ȝe fynde a forde ȝoure faderes honoured Wadeþ In þe water and wasch ȝow wel þere And ȝe schal lepe þe liȝter al ȝoure lif tyme So schalt þow swere nouȝt bot It be for nede And namelich an Idille þe name of god al myȝty þan schalt þow come by a crofte but come þow nouȝt þer-Inne þat croft hat couette nouȝt men-is catel no her wyues Ne none of her seriauntes þat noiȝen hem myȝt Loke þow breke no bowes but þei be þyn owen Two stokkes þer stonde bot stynte þow nouȝt þer þei hat stele nouȝt no sle nouȝt bot strike furþe by boþe Leue hem on þy left half and loke þow nat þer-after And holde wele þyn haliday heiȝe tille euen þan schalt þow blenche at abornea borne bere no fals witnesse He is fretted In with floreins and many oþer floures And loke þow pluk no plante þer for perile of þi soule And þan schalt þow sey soþe so hit be to done Loke þat þow liȝe nouȝt for no mannes biddyng The court þan schalt þow come to acourta court clere as þe sonne þe mote is of mercy þe maner alle aboute And alle þe walles ben of witte to holde wille þer-oute þe kernelle ben of cristalle þat kinde to saue And boterace with beleue or þow best nouȝt saued Alle þe howses ben heled halles and chaumbres With no led but with loue and lowȝnesse of hert þe tour þer trewþe is hym-self is vp to þe sonne He may do with þe daiesterre what him dere likeþ Deþ dar nouȝt do þing þat he defendeþ Grace hat þe porter a gode man for soþe His man hat amende ȝow for many man he knoweth Telle hym þis token trewþe wot þe soþe I parformed the penaunce þe prest me enIuned And am sory for my synnes and so schal I euer When I þenk þer-on þouȝ I were a pope Loke ȝe men þat ȝe amende ȝow þat . he meke him to his maister Ones to wayue out þe wikette þat he with schette Tho Adam and Eue eten her bane For he hathe þe keyes and þe clekette þow þe king slepe And ȝef grace graunte þe go Inne þis wise þow schalt se trewþe þy-self wele sytte In þin herte And lerne þe for to louen and his lawes holden Bot be ware þanne of wraþþe þat wikked schrewe For he hathe enuy to hym þat In þin hert sitteþ And poukiþ the for pride to preise þy-selue þe boldnesse of þy benefait makiþ the blinde þanne So worstow dryuen out as dewe and þe dore closed I-kayȝed and I-cleketed to kepe þe þer-oute vijseuen sistres porters off the postern Hapley an hundred wynter or þow efte entre þus myȝt þow lese his loue to lete wel be þy-selue And geten hit aȝen þorow grace and þorow no gift elles But þer arn seuen sustren þat trewþe loueþ euer And beþ porters of þe posternes þat to þe place longeþ þat on hatte abstinence and mekenesse þat oþer Charite and chastite ben her chef maidens Pacience and pees muche folk þei helpen Largenes þe lauedy latyþ Inne wel many And who-so is sybbe to þes sustres so me god helpe He is wonderlich welcome and faire vnderfonge Bot ȝef ȝe be sibbe to sum of þes seuene Hit is wel harde be myn hede any of ȝow alle To gete any In-gange at any ȝate bot grace be þe more Be crist qud a cutpurs I haue no kynne þere No I qud an ape-ward be auȝt þat I knowe Wete god quod a waferer wist I þat for-soþe Schuld I neuer a fote ferþer for no freres preching ȝis qod piers þe plowman and pouked him to god Mercy is a maiden haþe miȝt ouer hem alle And sche is sibbe to alle sinful and her sone also And þorow þe help of hem hope now non oþer þow myȝt geten grace so þow go be tyme Passus septimus de visione vt prius This were a wikked way but ho-so had a gide þat myȝt folowȝe vs euery fote til were þere Quod perkyn þe plouȝman be seint poul þe postel I haue an half aker of erþe be þe hiȝe way Had I eried þat half aker so me god helpe I wold wende with ȝow tille ȝe were þere þis were a long lettyng quod a lauedy In her chare ?? What schul wymmen worche þe while Sum schul sewȝe the sakke for schedyng of þe whete And wyues þat haþe wollen worcheþ hit fast Spynneþ hit spedly and spare nouȝt ȝoure fyngres But hit be holiday or holi eue Lokeþ for-þe ȝoure lynnen and laboreþ þer-on fast þe þe nedy and þ naked takeþ hede how þei liggen Caste hem cloþes for colde for so wol trowþe For I schal lene hem liflode but þe londe faile As long as I leue for þe lordes loue of heuen And ȝe louelich ladies with ȝoure louely fingers þat hathe silk and sendelle seweþ hit whan tyme is Chesiples for chapleynes chirche for to honour And alle maner of men þat be þe mete libbeþ Help hem wirche wiȝtly þat wynneþ ȝoure fode Be crist qquod a knyȝt þo þow techest vs þe beste Bot on þe teem trewly tauȝt was I neuer [t]he knight ofred [t]o holp Kenne me quod pers þo knyȝt and I wol lerne to erien Be seint poul quod Perkyn for þow þe proferst so lowe I schal swynk and swete and sowȝe for vs boþe And eke labour for þi loue alle my lyf tyme In couenaunt þat þow kepe holichirche And my-self fro wastour þat wold me distroie And go hunte hardely þe hare and þe fox And þe bore and þe bole þat breken men hegges And fecche þe home faucouns þe fowles to kille For þei come to my croft and creppen myn wete Curtaisly þe kniȝt conseiueþ þes wordes Be my power piers I pliȝt þe my trewþe To fulfille þe for-warde while I may stonde ȝa and ȝit a point quod perkyn I pray þe more [c]ounsell to the knyght Loke þow tene no tenaunt bot trewþe wol assent And ȝef pore men profer þe presauntes or ȝiftes Nym hem nouȝt an aunter þow mow hem nauȝt deserue For þow schalt hit ȝelde a-ȝen at on ȝeres ende In a wel perlouse place þat purcatorie hoteþ And mysbede nouȝt þy bonde-men þe better schalt þow spede And þat þow be trewe of þy tonge tales to hate But hit be of wisdom or of witte of þy werk-men Holde with non harlottes no here nouȝt her tales And namelich at mete for such men eschewen For hit arn þe deuel-is dissours I do þe to vnder-stonde I a-sent be seint Iame seide þe kniȝt þanne For to worche be þi worde whil my lif dureþ And I schal appereile me quod perkyn In pilgrim wise And wende with ȝow þe way tille I fynde trewþe He cast on his cloke clowted and hole His kokeres and his kuffes for colde of his nailes And hong his hoper at his hals In stede of a scrippe A buschel of brede corn brouȝt he þer-Inne For I wol sowȝe hit myself and seþþe wold I wende And who-so helpeþ me to erien or any þing swink Schal haue be oure lorde the more here In heruest And make hym mery with þe corne ho-so hit be-grucheþ And alle kynne crafty men þat cun leue be trewe I schal fynde hem fode þat feithfully lybben Saue Iak þe Iogelour and Ionet of þe strewes And Robyn þe Rebaudour for his lusty wordes Trewþe tolde me ones and bad me telle hit forþe Deleantur de libro vite I ne schuld dele with hom For hoichirch is holde of hem no tiþes to axen Et cum iustis non scribantur þei arn a-scaped gode aunter god hem amende peris wifes many ...doughtres & Dame worche whan tyme is piers-is wif hatte His douȝter hatte do Riȝt or þy dame schal þe bete His sone hatte suffer þy souereines to haue her wille And deme hym nouȝt for-ȝeue þow dost þow schalt dere abie Let god worþe þer-with-alle for so his word techeþ For I am olde and hore and haue of myn owne To penaunce and to pilgrimmage wel I pase with oþer For-þi I wol ar I wende do write myn be-quest In dei nomine Amen I make hit my-selue Peirces testament For he schal haue my soule þat best haþe deserued And defende hit fro þe fende for so I be-leue Tille I come to his countes as þe crede techeþ To haue Reles of remissioun on þat trentale I leue þe kirk schal haue my kareyn and kepe my bones For of my corn and my catelle he craued þe tiþes And I paied hym prestely for perile of my soule He is holden I hope to haue men In mynde And mynne me In his memories among alle cristen My wif schal haue of þat I wan with trowþe and no more And dele among my frendes and my children For þowȝ I dyȝe to-day my dettes ben quitte I bare home þat I borowȝed or I to bedde ȝede And with þe residue and þe reminaunt be þe Rode of chester I wol worschep þer-with trewþe In my lyue And ben his pilgrym at the plowe for pore men-is sake My plow-pote schal be my pike and putte at þe Rotes And helpe my culter to kerue and close þe forowes Now is piers and þe pilgrimes to þe plowȝe faren To erien þis half acre and helpen him many Dikers and deluers dikeþ vp þe bankes þer-with was perkyn paied and preised hem ȝerne Oþer wirkemen þer wer and wrouȝt ful faste Ech man on his maner made him-self to done And come to plese perkyn piked vp þe wedes At hiȝe prime piers let þe plow stonde stille To ouer-sene hem him-self who-so best wrouȝt Schuld be hered þer-after whan heruest tyme come þan setten sum and songen at þe nale And holpen to erie þe half acre with hey trolly lolly ...spied... Be þe prince of paradis þo quod piers al In wraþþe Bot ȝef ȝe Risen þe Raþer and Rape ȝow to worche Schal no greyn þat here groweþ glade ȝow at nede And þowȝ ȝe diȝe for dool þe deuel haue þat Recche þan wer faitours a-ferd and fained hem blinde Som leide her leg a-lerie as such lorelles conne And pleyned hem to piers with such petows wordes We haue no handes to harowȝe with lorde I-graced be ȝe Bot we praie for ȝow piers and ȝowre plowȝe boþe þat god of his grace ȝoure greyn multiplie And ȝelde ȝow of ȝoure almesse þat ȝe ȝeuen vs here For we mow nat swete no swynke such sekenesse vs aileþ ȝef hit be soþe qod piers þat ȝe seyn I schal it sone aspie ȝe ben wastours I wot wele and trewþe wote þe soþe And I am his olde hyne and auȝt hym to warne Such wastours In þis world his werkemen distroieþ ȝe eten þat þei schuld eten þat erien for vs alle Bot trewþe schal teche ȝow his teem for to driue Boþe to setten and to sowȝen and sauen his telþe Chase gees fro his corn and kepe his beestes Or ȝe schul eten barly brede and of þe broke drinken Bot he be blynde or brokeschanked or bedrede ligge þei schul ete as gode as I so me god helpe Tille god of his grace ger hem arise Ankres and ermites þat holden hem In her selles Schullen haue of myn almes al þe while I libbe Inowȝe ech day at none bot no more tille on þe morne Lest his flesch and þe fende fowled his soule Ones at none is I-nowȝe þat no werke vseþ He abideþ wel þe better þat bummeþ nouȝt to ofte þan gan þe wastour arise and wold haue I-fouȝte To piers þe plouȝman he proferd his gloue A bretoner a bragger he bosted hym also He badde hym go pisse hym with his plowȝe pilled schrewe Wiltow nelle-þow we wol haue oure wille of þis floure And þi flesch fette a-way whan vs likeþ And make vs mery þer-with maugry þy chekes ??? þan piers þe plouȝman pleined hym to þe knyȝt To kepe hym a couenaunt was fro cursed schrewes Fro wastours þat waite wynners to schende Curtaislich þe kniȝt þan as his kende wolde Warned þe wastour and wissed hym better Of þow schalt a-bigge be þe lawȝe be þe order þat I bere I was nouȝt wonte to worche quod wastour now wol I not be And lete liȝt of þe lawȝe and lasse of þe kniȝt And counted piers at a pese and his plowȝ boþe ought And manassed him and his me whan þei next metten Now be þe perile of my soule quod piers I schal a-paire ȝow alle And hawnted after hunger þat herde him at þe firste And wreke me on wastour quod piers þat þis world apaireiþ Hunger In haste þan hente wastour be þe mawe And wrong him so be þe wombe þata al watered his eiȝen And buffeted þe Bragger a-boute þe chekes þat he loked like a lanterne al his lif after He bette hem so boþe þat he brast ner her mawȝe Ne had piers but a pese lofe þei preied hym bi-leue And with a bene batte he had be-twen his handes He hitte hunger þer-with a-myddes his lippes þat he bledde In-to þe bodywarde a bolle fulle of grewelle Ne had a fecissian first defended hym water To abate þe barly brede and þe benes I-ground He hadde be dede by þis day and doluen al warme Faitours for fer flowen In-to hernes And flatte on with flailes fro morowe til euen þat hunger was nouȝt hardy on hem for to loke For a potelle of pesoun þat piers had I-made In helpe þenne Ermites henten hem spades And doluen dritte and dung to driuen out hungur Blinde and bedrede wer botened a þowsand Hunger hem heled with an hote cake And lame men-is lymes wer liþed þat tyme And be-come knaues to kepe piers-is bestes And praied pur charite with piers for to duelle Alle for couatise of his corn to chase a-way hungur And piers was proude þer-of and put hem In office And ȝaf hem mete and money lik as þei myȝt serue þan had piers pite and preide hunger to wende Hom In-to his oune erþe and holde him þer euer Bot ȝit I prey þe quod piers or þow passe forþer Off beggers and bidders what best is to done For I wote wel be þow went þei wille worche Ille Mischef hit makeþ þei ben so meke nowþe And for defaute of foode þus faste þei worche And It ben my blody breþern for god bouȝt vs alle Treuþe touȝt me ones to loue hem echon And helpe hem of alle þing þat hem of neded I wold wete ȝif þow wistist what wer þe beste And how I myȝt amaystry hem and make hem to wirche Here now quod hungur and holde it for a wisdom Bolde beggers and bigge þat may her brede swinken With houndes brede and hors brede hold vp here hertes And batten hem with bones for bolling of her wombes And ȝef þe gromes gruch bid hem go and work And he schal sope suetter whan he hit hath deserued And ȝef þow fynde any freke þat fortune haþe appaired With fire or with fals men fonde such to knowe Comfort hem with þi catel for cristes loue of heuen Loue hem and lene hem and so the lawe of kende wolde And alle maner of men þat þow myȝt a-spien þat nedy ben or naked and nauȝt han to spende with mete or with money make hem at ese And make þe frendes þer-with for so mathew vs techeþ Facite vobis amicos & cetera I wold nouȝt greue god Quod piers for alle þe gode þat groweth on þis ground Myȝt I synneles do as þow dost seide piers þanne ȝa I hote þe quod hunger or elles þe bible lieth Go to Genesis þe geaunt engendrour of vs alle In sudore et cetera and swynk þow schalt þy mete Telien and laboren for þy liflode and so oure lorde hiȝt Piger propter frigus In felde wolde telye He schal go bidde and begge and no man betehis hunger Mathew with þe mannes face nempned þes wordes Seuus nequam had a nam and for he nold hit vsen ?? He hadde maugre of his maister euer-more after And be-nome hym his nam for he nold worche And ȝaf but hym In haste þat had ten be-fore And seþen he seide his seruaunt hit hadde He þat haþe schal haue and helpe þer nede is And þat nauȝt hathe schal nouȝt haue no no man h And þat he wenyþ wel to haue I wol hit hym be-reuen Kynde witte wolde þat ech man wrouȝt Eyþer with teching or telieng or trauaeling of handes Actif lif or contemplatif lif crist wold it also þe sauter seiþe hit In þe Spalme of Beati omnes labores manuum tuarm quia manducabis et cetera He þat geteþ his fode here with trauaile of his hondes God ȝeueþ his blessing þat her liflode her so wynneþ ȝit I pray þe quod piers pur charite ȝif þow kenne ?? Any lif of lech-craft lerne hit me my dere For sum of my seruauntes ben seke oþer-while Off alle þe weke wor-cheþ nouȝt so her wombe akeþ I wote wel quod hunger what sekenesse hem eilen þei han manged ouer moche þat makeþ hem grone ofte But I hote þe qod hunger as þow þyn hele woldest þat þow drink no day or þow dyne somwhatte And ete nouȝt I hote þe or honger þe take And sende þe of his sause to sauer þi lippes and kepe sum to soper tyme and sitte nouȝt to longe Arise vp or appetite haue eten his fille Let not sire surfete sitte at þi borde Loue hym nouȝt for he is a lecchour and lecorous of tonge And after many maner metis his mawe is a-longed And ȝef þow ech day do þus I dar ley myn hede þat fesik schal his furred hode for his food selle And eke his cloke with callabre and þe knoppes of golde And be fayn be my fay his fesik to leten And lerne to laboren with londe lest liflode him faile þer be mo liȝers þan leches god hem amende þei do men diȝe þorow her drinkes or destanye hit wold Be seint poul quod piers þes ben profitable wordes þis is a louelich lessoun oure lorde þe hit for-ȝelde Wende now wher þi wille is þat wel be þow euer And I hote þe quod hunger hennes nel I nauȝt wende Or I haue I-dyned be þis day and I-dronk boþe I haue no peny quod piers polettes to bigge Neiþer gos no grys but two grene cheses And a few kurdis and crem I can non oþer take A lofe of benes and of brenne I-bake for my childrin I sey be my soule I haue no salt Bakyn No cokenay be crist coleps to make But I haue parcely and porettis and many colde plantis And eke a kow and a calf and a cart and amarea mare To draw on filde my dong while my drowȝt lasteþ Be þis liflode I miȝt leue tille lammas tyme Be þat I hope to haue heruest to my croft And þan may I diȝt þin dyner as þe dere likeþ Alle þe pore pepel pescodes fetten Bedes bake apples þei brouȝt In her lappe Chibolles and cheruelles and Ripe cheries many And proferd a preseent to plese þer-with hunger And hunger hent þis In haste and asked after more þan þis folk for fer fetten him mony when hongur was gone & hrvest teme wasters began to wax wilfull Be þat hit neyȝed nyȝe heruest new corn come to cheping þan were folk feyn and fedde hunger with þe beste With gode ale and glotonye þei gert him to slepe And þo wold wastour nouȝt worche but wandred a-boute Ne no begger ete brede þat benes In come Bot cokette or clere-matyn or of clene whete Ne no halpeny ale In none wise drink Bot of þe best and þe brownest þat brewsterres sellen Laborers þat haue no londe but leue be her handes Deyned nouȝt to dyne on day nyȝt olde wortis May no peny-ale hem paie no none pece of bakoun But hit be fresch flesch or fisch I-friȝed And chawt and plus chawt for chilling of her maw And but he be hiȝe-lich I-hered elles wol he chide þat he was workeman wrouȝt and weriȝe the tyme And þan curseþ þe king and alle þe conseil after Such lawes to loke laborers to chastice But while hunger was her maister wold þer none chide Ne steren aȝen his state so sternely he loked I warne ȝow workmen wynneþ while ȝe mowe For hunger heder-ward hasteþ hym faste He schal a-wake þes weþer wastours to chastice Or fyue ȝere ben ful-filled famen schul arise þorow flodes or foule wederes froite schal falle And so seiþ saturne and sente ȝow to warne Passus octauus de visione vt primusTreuthes ... Trewth herd telle here-of and to piers sente To take his teem and his erþe telien And purchaise him a pardoun a pena et a culpa For him and his eiȝers euer-more after And bad him hold him at home and erien his leyȝes And þo þat helpen to erien or to sowȝen Or any maner of mister þat miȝt piers helpen In þe pardoun þe pope hath him graunted Kynges and kniȝtis þat kepe holichirche And riȝtfullich In reme rewleþ þe pepille Han par-doun þorow purcatorie to passe wel sone With patriarkes In paradis to play þer-after Bischopes þat blessin and boþe þe lawes kennen Loke on þat o lawe lere men þat oþer And bere hem boþe on her bak And her baner scheweth And preche her persones þe perile of synne How þat schabbed schepe scul her wolle saue And haue p(ar)doun with þe apposteles whan þei passe hennes the m(er)chant(es)..but halshth And at þe day of dom at her deis to sitten Marachauntis In Margyn had many ȝeres Bot none a pena et aculpa þe pope wold hem graunt For þei helden nouȝt her halidaies as holichirch techeþ And for þei swere be her soule and so god mote hem helpe Aȝens clene conscience her catelle to selle But vnder his secret seel trewþe sent him a lett(er) And bad him bye boldely what þat him liked And seþþe selle hit aȝen and saue þe wynnyng And make þer-with mesondeux meseles to helpe And wikked weiȝes wiȝtly for to amende And bynde brigges aboute þat to-broke were Marien maidens also and make hem nonnes Wedowȝes þat wol nouȝt be wyues helpe hem þ(er)-after Fynde such her foode for oure lordes loue of heuen Setteþ scolers to scole oþer sum kynnes craftis Releue Religiouns and Renten hem better I schal sende hem my-self seint Michel myn angelle þat no deuel schal ȝow dere diȝe whan ȝe deiȝe þat I ne schal sende ȝoure soules saue In to heuen Be-fore þe face of my fader forme ȝoure setes Vsur and auarise and oþes I defende þat no gile go with ȝow but þe greiþ trewþe And þan were marchaundise mery and many wep for io And ȝaf wille for his writing wollen cloþes For he copied þus her clause þei ȝaf him gret mede Counsell.. the lawyour Men of lawe had lest for lewd þei be alle For so seiȝt þe sauter and sapience boþe Super innocentem munera non accipiens a regibus et a principibus Of princes and prelatis her pencioun schuld arise And of no pore pepel no peny to take Bot he þat spendeþ his speche and spekeþ for þe pore þat is Innocent and nedy and no man appeireþ Comforteþ hym In þat cas coueiteþ nouȝt his godes Bot for our lordes loue lawe for hym scheweth Schal no deuel at his deþ derie hym a myte þat he ne worth saf sekerly and so seiȝth þe saut(er) may not Bot to bigge water no wynde ne witte is þe þridde Ne wold neuer holi writte god wot þe soþe þes þre for þralles ben þrow amongs vs alle To waxen and wanyen wher þat god likeþ His p(ar)doun in purcatorie ful litel is I trowe þat ay mede of mene men for motyng receyueþ ȝe legistrers and lawȝeres witen ȝef I liȝe Alle leuyng laborers þat leuen be oure handes þat trewly taken and trewly wynen And leuen In loue and lawȝe for her lowþe hert ...full begg(ers) hath not ..p(ar)don Hadde þe same absolucioun þat sent was to piers Beggers and bidders beþ nouȝt In þe bulle But ȝef þe suggestioun be soþe þat þei for begge For he þat beggeþ or biddeþ bot he haue nede He is fals with þe fende þat gileþ þe nedy He gileþ þe geuer aȝens his wille þei leue nouȝt In loue ne no lawe holde þey ne wedde no womman þat þei with delyn But as wilde bestes with wouh worþe vp to-geder And bringeth forthe barnes þat boyes ben holde Oþer his bak or his bon þei breken In þe ȝougþe And gon and faiten with her faunt euer-more after þer ben mo mischape a-mong hem who-so takeþ hede þan of alle maner of men þat on þis molde wandren þei þat leuen þus her lif may loþe þe tyme þat heuer he was wy wrouȝt whan he schal hennes fare Bot olde men and hore þat help-les beþ of strengþe Blynde and bedrede and broken her membres And women with children þat worche ne mowen þat take her myschef mekely as meseles and oþer Han as playn p(ar)doun as þe plouȝman hym-selue not(a) For loue of her lowe hert oure lorde haþe hem graunted Her penaunce and her purcatorie vp-on þis pure erþe Pers q(uo)d a prest þi p(ar)doun most I Rede For I schal constrew euerich a clause and ken hit þe on engl[] And piers at his praier þe p(ar)doun he on-folded And be-hinde hem boþe be-helde al þe bille In two lynes hit lay and nat a letter more And was writen Riȝt þus In witnesse of trewþe Qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam Qui vero mala in ignum eternum Peter q(uo)d he to piers þo I can no p(ar)doun fynde Bot dowelle and haue wel and god schal haue þi soule And do euel and haue euel and hope þow none oþer þat after þi deþ-day to hel Sne schalt þow wende And piers for tene pulled hit a-sonder and sayde Si ambulauero medio vmbre mortis non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es I schal sese of my sowyng q(uo)d piers and swynk nouȝt so h[] Ne about my liflode so besy me no more Of praiers and penaunce my plowȝe mot be her-after And be-lowre þat I lowȝe ere þowȝ liflode me faile And p(ar)fit In praiers In penaunce and In weping Be þat þe sauter vs seiȝt and so ded many oþer þat loueþ god leely his liflode is þe more Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte And but luk liȝed he lereþ vs anoþer þat we schuld nat be to besy about bely Ioye Ne soliciti sitis he seiȝt hit In his gospel And schew it to vs be ensaumple oure-selue to wisse þe foules In þe firmament he fynt hem a winter Whan the frost freseth fode hem be-houeth Haue þei no gerner þer-to but god fynt hem alle What q(uo)d þe prest to p(er)kyn peter as me þinkeþ þow art lerned a litel who lerned þe on boke Abstinence þe Abbes myn .A.B.C. me tauȝt And conscience kenned me better wer þow a prest piers q(uo)d he þow myȝt p(re)che wher þe likeþ Quoniam litteraturam non cognoui þat myȝt be thy teeme Lewde lorelle q(uo)d piers litel lokest þow on þe bible On Salemon-is sawes litel þow be-holdes Ecce derisores et iurgia cum eis ne crescant And þe prest and p(er)kyn apposed eiþer oþer And þorow her wordes I woke and waited a-boute And sawe þe Sonne euen sowþe sitte þat tyme Mynnyng on þe mervailes on maluern hilles Musing on þat metels a myle wey I ȝede Many tymes þes metels han made me to stodie And for piers loue þe plouȝman wel pensef In hert For þat I sawe sleping ȝef hit be so myȝt Bot constreweþ Caton hit and Canonystris boþe Sompnia ne cures et cet(era) the expocioun of Bot for þe byel bereþ witnesse how Daniel deuyned þe dreme of a kyng þat nabugodonosor nempne þes clerkes Daniel seide sire kyng þy sweuen is to mene þat an on-kynde king schal come þi kingdom to clayme Among lewde lordes þi lond schal be departed As daniel demed In dede hit be-felle after þe king lese his lordschepe and lesse men hadde And Iosep mette mervaillesly how þe mone and þe sonne And þe elleuen sterres hailsed hym alle Beau fitz q(uo)d his fader for defaute we schulle I my-self and my sones seke þe for nede It be-fel as his fader seide In pharaos tyme þat Iosep was Iustice egept to kepe Al þis makeþ me no metels to þink dowell passeth Indolgences Many tymes at mydniȝt whan men schuld slepe And piers þe plowȝman such a p(ar)doun he haueþ And how þe preste Inpugned it al be-fore Resoun And he leued þat dowel Indulgens passeþ Byannalis and triannalis and Bischops letters Dowel at þe daie adomea dome Is dignelich vnderfong He passeþ al þe p(ar)doun at seint peter-is chirche Now hathe þe pope power A pena et a culpa þis is þe lif of oure be-leue as lettered men vs scheweþ Quodcumq(ue) ligaueris super terram et c(etera) And also I loue leelly god for-bede elles þat p(ar)doun and penaunce oft tymes doþe saue Soules þat haþe synned In seuen synnes dedly And to trust on his triannalis soþely me þinkeþ It is nouȝt so seker for þe soule sertes as dowel For-þy I rede ȝow Renkes þat Riche ben on erþe Vp-on trust of ȝoure tresour triannalis to haue Be ȝe neuer þe bolder to breke þe ten hestes And namely ȝe maistres as maires and Iuges þat han þe world at wille and wise men be holde At þe dredful domesday whan dede schul arise And come be-fore crist countes to ȝelde How þow leddest þy lif here and his lawe keptest What þow dedist day be day þe dome wol Reherse A poke-ful of pardoun þer ne þe prouincial letters þei þow be found In þe fraternite among þe foure orders And haue Indulgense dubbel-folde ot dowel þe helpe I nold ȝeue for þi patente on piȝe hele For-þi I conseile al cristein crye god mercy And marie his moder to be mene be-twene þat god ȝeue vs grace or we go hennes Such workes to wirche while we be here þat after oure deþ-day dowel Reherse þat at þe day of dome we ded as he hiȝt Explicit Eciam incipit vita de dowel dobet et dobest secundum witte and Resoun Thus I-Robed In Russette I Romed aboute Seking for dowel Alle a somer sesoun for to seke dowel And frayned ful ofte at folk þat I mette ȝif any wiȝt wist wher dowel was at Inne And what man he myȝt be of many men I asked Was neuer wiȝt as I wene þat me wisse cowþe he met w(i)t(h) a frer Wher þis lede lenged þe lesse and þe more Tille hit be-fel on a friday twey freres I mette Maistres of þe menoures men of gret witte I halsed hem hendely as I had lerned And praied hem pur charite or þei passed forþer ȝef þei knew any contrey or costes a-boute Wher þat dowel dwelled do me to wisse Marie q(uo)d þe maistres amongs vs he duelleþ And euer haþ I hope and euer schal her-after Contra q(uo)d I as a clerk and comsid to dispute Sepcies In die cadit Iustus Seuen siþes seiþ þe boke falleþ þe Riȝtwisse Bot who-so synneþ I saie sertis me þinkeþ Dowel and doeuel may nouȝt duelle to-geder Ergo he is nouȝt al-way at home among ȝow freres He is oþer-while elles-where to wisse the peple I schal sey þe my sone seide þe frere þan How seuen siþes þe sadmansad man synned on þe day By a forbesen q(uo)d þe frere I schal þe faire schewen Lat bring a man In a bote on a brode water þe wynde and þe water and þe wagging of þe bote Makeþ þe man many tymes to falle and to stonde For stonde he neuer so stif he stumbleþ In þe waggyng And ȝit is he saf and sounde and so hym be-houeþ For ȝef he ne Ros þe raþer and riȝt stired þe wynde wold with þe water þe bote ouer-þrowȝe þer wer þe mannes lif lost for lachesse of hym-selue Riȝt þus fareþ hit q(uo)d þe frere be folk her on erþe þe water is lekened to þe world and waineþ and waxeþ þe godes on þe ground ben like to gret wawes þat as wynde and water wawen a-boute þe bote is leked til þe body þat bretel is of kynde þat þorow !þe fende and his flesch and þe fals world Synneþ þe sadde man seuen siþes In þe day Bot dedly synne doþ nat he for dowel hym helpeþ And þat is charite þe champioun chef help a-ȝen synn[] Folow þi flesches wille and þe fendes after And do dedly synne and drench þi-self God wol suffer þe to die so for þi-self hast þe maist[] I haue no kend knowing q(uo)d I to conseiue þi wordes But ȝef I may leue and loken I schal go lern better I be-kenne ȝow crist þat on þe crosse died And I saide þe same saue ȝow fro meschaunse And ȝef þe grace on þis erþe In gode lif to ende þus I went wide-wher dowel to seke As I went be a wode walking a-lone Blisse of þe birdes made me abide And under a linde vp-on a launde lened I me a stound To lerne laies þat louely birdes maden Blisse of þe birdes brouȝt me a slepe þe meruelest metyng met me þan þat euer dremed driȝt In dout as I wene A much man me þouȝt like to my-selue Come and called me be my riȝt name What art þow q(uo)d I þo þat my name knowest þat þow wost wel q(uo)d he and no wiȝt better Wot I q(uo)d I ho art þow þouȝt seide he þanne I haue sewed þe seuen ȝere se þow me no Raþer Ert þow þouȝt q(uo)d I þow hit cowþest me telle dowell dobet & dobest Wher dowel duelleth and do me to wisse Dowel q(uo)d he and dobet and dobest þe þridde Arn þre faire vertues and ben nauȝt fer to fynde Who-so is meke of his mowþe and milde of his speche Trewe of his tong and of his two handes And þorouȝ þe labour of his honde his liflode wynneþ Tristy of his taile-ende and takeþ but his owne And nouȝt dronklewe no deynouse dowel hym foloweþ Dobette þus doþe ac he doþe much more He is as lowe as a lombe and louelich of speche Whiles he haþe ouȝt of his owne helpeth þer nede is þe Bagges and þe Bigirdelis he haþe broke hem alle þat þe erle auerous hadde or his eiȝers And with mamoynes money he haþe made hym frendes And his Ronne to Religioun and haþe Rendred þe bible And precheþ þe peple seint poules wordes libenter sufferte þe wise suffreþ þe on-wise with ȝow to libbe And with glad wille do hem gode for so god biddiþ hym Dobest is a-bouen hem boþe and Beriþ a bischops crois ?? Is hoked at þe on ende to holde men to gode lif A pike is In þat potent to punge adoun þe wikked þat wayten ay wikkedly dowel to tene And as dowel and dobet ded hym to vnderstonde ?? þei han crowned on kyng to kepen hem alle And ȝef dowel and dobette dedyn a-ȝen dobest And weren on-buxsom at his biddyng and bold to don Ille þat þan schuld þe kyng come and cast hem In presoun And put hem þer In penaunce with-out pite or grace But dobest bid for hem þei abide þer for euer þus dowel and dobette and dobest þe þredde Crouned on to be kyng and be his conseile wirchen And rewled þe reme by rede of em alle And oþer-wise and elles nouȝt but as þei þre assented I þanked þouȝt þo þat me so tauȝt Bot ȝet sauereþ me nouȝt þy seggyng so me god helpe More kynde knowyng I coueyte to lere How dowel and dobet and dobest don on þis erþe witte or nog.. elles But wit can wisse q(uo)d þouȝt wher þes þre duellyn Elles wot no man þat now is a luye þouȝt and I þus þre daies we ȝeden Bot or we ware were with witte gan we mete He was long and lene lik to non oþer Was no pride In his appareile and of softe speche I ne durst meue no mater to make hym to Iangle Bot as I bad þouȝt þo be mene be-twene To put forþe sum purpose to prouen his wittes þan þouȝt In þat tyme seide þes wordes Wher þat dowel ad dobette and dobest be londe Her his wille wold wete ȝef witte cowþe hym teche Passus primus de Dowelle Sir dowel duellith q(uo)d witte nouȝt on day hennes In a castel þat kende made of foure kynnes þinges Of erþe and of eire It is made medled to-gederes With wynde and with water witlich enIoined Kende haþe closed þer-Inne craftly with-alle A lemman þat he loueþ lik to hym-selue þat hiȝt anima he haþe to her enuy a proude preker of fraunce sire pride he hatte And wold wynne her away with wiles ȝef he myȝt And kende knoweþ hym wel and kepeþ her þe better And hath don her to sir dowel duk of þes marches Dobette is her damesel dowel-is suster And serueþ þis lady lelly boþe late and Raþe þus dowel and dobette and dobest þe þredde The constabel(es) vfyue sonnes Beþ maistres of þis maner þis maide to kepe But þe constable of þis castel þat kepeþ hem alle Is a wise knyȝt with-alle sir þouȝt he hatteþ And haþ fyue feire sones be his first wif Sire se-wel and sir sey-wel and here-wel þe hende Sir worch wel with þyn hond a wiȝt man of strengþe And sire Godfray go-wel gret lordes alle þes fyue beþ I-sette to saue þe castelle To kepe þis womman þes wise men be charged Disc(ri)pciou(n) of kynd & sere dowell To kende come or sende to kepe her hym-selue What calle ȝe þat castel q(uo)d I þat kende hath I-maked Kende q(uo)d he is a creatour of alle kennes bestes Fader and formour þe first of alle þing And þat is þe gret god þat gynnyng had neuer þe lord of lif and of liþ of lisse and of peyne Aungels and alle þing arn at is wille But man is hym most like of merke and of schappe For þorow þe word þat he warp wex forþe beestes And alle at his wille was wrouȝt with on speche Dixit et facta sunt dowell makth dred of Saue man þat he made Image to hym-selue The castell ... ȝaf hym gost and godhede and graunted hym blisse Lif þat ay schal laste and al his lynage after þat is þe castel þat kynde made caro hit hatte As moche to mene as man with his soule þat he wrouȝt wiþ werkes and wordes boþe þorow miȝt of þe maieste man was I-maked Faciamus hominem ad imagynem nostram In-witte and alle wittes enclosed beþ þer-Inne For loue of þat lady þat lif is Inempned þat is anima þat ouer alle In þe body wandreþ Bot In þe hert is her home hiȝest of alle the soules dissyers Sche is lif and leder a lemman of heuen In-witte is þe halle þat anima desireþ After grace of god Inwitte is þe grettest In-witte In þe hed is and an help to þe soule For þorouȝ his connyng is keped Caro and anima In Rewle and In Resoun but Recheles þe make He eggeþ ȝe syȝt and hering to gode Of gode speche and connyng he is þe be-gynner In man-is brayn is he moste and myȝtiest to knowe þer is brayn bremest but ȝef blode hit make For whan blode is bremer þan brayn þan is In-wit bo[] And ek wantown and wilde with-out any Resoun In ȝong fauntes and foles with hem faileþ In-witte And ek In sottes þow myȝt se þat sitten at þe nale þei held al In her hede tille In-witte be drenched And ben braynwod as beestes so her blode waxeþ þan haþe þe powke power sir Princep huius mundi Ouer such maner of men myȝt In her soules But In fauntes and In foles þe deuel haþ no myȝt For no worke þat þei werch wikked oþer elles Bot þe fader and þe frendes for fauntes schul be bla[] Bot þei witen hem fro wantownnesse while þei be ȝong And ȝef þei be pore and catelles to kepe hem fro Ille þan is holichirch holde to helpe hem and saue Fro foles and fynde hem tille þei be wise Ech wiȝt In þis world haþ wis vnderstonding Is chef souereigne of hym-self his soule to ȝeme And cheuiseþ hym for any charge when he childhode passeþ Saue hym-self fro synne for so hym be-houeþ For to wirche wel or wrong þe wyte is his owen þan is dowel a duke þat distroieþ vises and saueþ þe soule þat synne haue no myȝt To rowten ne to Resten ne Roren In þin hert And þat is drede of god dowel hit makeþ the begineing of wisdam is the dred of god It is be-gynnyng of godnesse god for to dowten Salemon it seyde for a soþe tale Inicium sapiencie timor donini For dowte men doþ þe bette drede is such amaistera maister þat he makeþ men meke and milde of her speche And alle kynde scolers In scole to lerne þan is dobette to be I-ware for betyng of þe ȝerde And þer-of seiþ þe sauȝter In a salme þow myȝt Rede Virga tua et baculus tuus ip(s)a me consolata sunnsunt Bot ȝef clene conscience acorde þat þy-self dost wel Wille þow neuer In þis world why for to do better For Intencio Indicat hominem not(a) Be conseile of concience a-cordyng holichirche Loke þow wisse þy witte and þy workes after For ȝef þow comest a-ȝen conscience þow combrest þy-seluen And so witnesseþ goddis worde and holi writ boþe Qui agit contra conscienciam And ȝef þow worchest be god-is worde I warne þe þe beste Catoun conseileþ take kepe of his techyng Cum recte viuas ne cures verba malorum But suffer and sitte stille and seke þow not ferþer his ...thy.... And be glad of þe grace þat god hath I-sente þe For whan þow comsist to clymbe and coueitist hier þan myȝtist þow lese þi lownesse for a litel pride I haue herd how lewd men han lerned her children þat selde men se þe marbelle þat men ofte treden Be ouer-molded with mosse men to be-holde Riȝt so by þe Romers þat renneþ a-boute From Religioun to Religioun regeles ben euer þrift oþer þedom wiþ þo is selde iseyȝe Qui circuit et cetera Poul þe apostel in his pistel wrot hit In ensaumple of such schuld no man renne a-boute And for wisdom hit is write and witnessed in chirches In eadem vocacione qua vocati estis state ȝif þow be man maried monke oþer chanou(n) ? Holde þe stabel and stedfast and strengþe þi-seluen To be blissed for þi bering þe bigger þowȝ þow were Loke þow grucch nouȝt on god þouȝ he geue þe litel Be paide of þi porcioun pore oþer Riche þus in drede liþe dowel Dobet to suffre For þorouȝ suffraunce se þow myȝt how soueraignes arise Qui se humiliat exaltabitur et cetera And þus of drede and his dede Dobest ariseþ Wich is þe floure and þe froite forstered of hem boþe Riȝt as arosea rose riseth out of a ragged rote And on a brere springeþ and spredeþ þat spicerie desireth Or as whete out of wede waxeþ out of þe erthe So dobest out of dobet and do-wel gynneþ spring Among men of þis molde þat meke ben and kende For loue of her lowȝnesse oure lorde ȝef hem grace Such werk to worche as he is with paide And formast and first to folk þat ben wedded For loue of her lownesse oure lord ȝaf hem grace Such werke to wirche as he is with paide And formist and first to folk þat ben wedded And leuen as her lawe wol it likeþ god al-myȝty þat þorow wedlok þe world stant who-so wol hit knowe þei ben Richest of Remes and þe Rote of dowel For of her kynde þei come þat confessours ben nempned Boþe maydens and Mynchons Mones and ancres Kynges and kniȝtes and alle kynde clerkes The Barouns and burgeis and bonde-men of towns Bot fals folk and faiþlese as þeues and liers Ben conseiued in cursed tyme as kaym was on Eue After þat Adam and sche eten þe appelle A-ȝen þe hest of hym þat hem of nouȝt made An au(n)gel hiȝt hem in anger to wende In-to þe wreched world to wonen and to libben In tene and In trauaile to her lyues ende þat cursed constellacion þei knew to-gederes And brouȝt furþe a barne þat much bale wrouȝt Caym þei hym called In cursed tyme engendred And so seiþ þe sauter se hit whan þe likeþ Concepit dolorem et pep(er)it iniquitatem Alle come of caym crist hated after And many Millions mo of men and of women þat of seþ and his suster siþen forþ come For þei maried hem with cursed men of caymes kynne For alle þat comen of Caym cursed þei were And alle þat coupled hem with þat kynne crist hated after For-þi he sent hym to sey and seide by an aungel To kepe his kynrede fro Caymes þei coupled nouȝt to-gederes And seþen seþ and his suster wer spoused to Caymes A-ȝens go-is heste gerles þei geten þat god was wroþe with her wirkes and seide such wordes Penitet me fecisse hominem And is als much to mene among vs alle note þat I man maked now it me for-þinkeþ And come to Noee a-none and bad hym nouȝt lete Swiþe schape a schippe of schides and bordes Hym-self and his sones þre and seþyen her wiues Busked to þat bote and biden þer-Inne Tille fourty daies ben fulfilled þat flode haue I-wasch Clene a-way þe cursed blode þat Caym haþ I-maked Beestes þat now ben schal banne þe tyme þat euer cursed caym come on erþe Alle schul deye for his dedes by dounes and hilles Boþe fisches and foules furþe with oþer bestes Outake þe viijeiȝt soules and of ech beest a couple Putte In þe same schippe þat I schal ben saued Elles schal al dyen and to helle wenden þorouȝ cursed Caym þus come care vp-on alle And al for seth and his soster children spoused eþer oþer Aȝen þe leue of our lorde ley hem to-gederes And maried at mischef as men do now her children For som as I se now for soþe for to telle For couatise of catelle vnkendlich ben maried A carful concepciou(n) comeþ of such mariage As be-fel of þe folk as I be-fore schewed maryng Hit is an on-comelich couple by crist as I wene To ȝeue a ȝou(n)g wenche to an olde feble Or to wedde any wedowe for any welþe of godes þat neuer schal bere child bot hit be in her armes In iolosie ioyles and gangeling on bedde Many paire seþ this pestelence han pliȝt hem to-gederes þe froite þat þei bring forthe er many foule wordes Haue þei no childrin bot chiding and choppes to-geder þow þei done hem to Donmowe bot ȝef þe deuel helpe To folow after þe flich fecch þei hit neuer Bot ȝef þei boþe be for-sworn þat bacoun þey tyne For-þi I conceile alle cristen coueite nouȝt to be wedded For couetice of catelle or of kyn Riche Bot maidens and maidens mach ȝow to-geder Widowes and widowes wircheþ Riȝt so And þan glade ȝe god þat al good sendeþ For In my tyme trewly be-twen men and wommen Schuld no bedde bourde be but ȝef þei were boþe clene Of lif and of loue and of lawe also þat dede derne do no man schulde As be-twene sengel and sengel seþ lawe hathe I-grau(n)ted þat ech man haue a make in maner of wedlok And do þat werk on his wif and on no woman elles þat oþer wise ben goten gadlinges ben holden And þat beþ fals folk and fals eiȝers as fondelinges and fooles Vngraciouce to gete loue or any gode elles Bot wandreþ and wasteþ what þat þei mowe A-ȝens dowel þey done euel and þe deuel plese And after her deþ-day schul duelle with þat same Bot god geue hem grace here to amende þan is dowel to dreden and dobette to suffren And so comeþ dobeste a-boute and bringeþ down modey And þat is wikked wille þat many worke schendeþ Passus secundus de DowelleXI Study wytt[] wyfes Thanie had witte a wif þat hiȝt Dame stodie þat lene was of liche and of loþely chere Sche was wonderlich wroþe þat witte so tauȝt And sterenly staryng dame stodie saide Wele art þow wise witte quod sche any wisdomes to telle To flaterers or to foles þat frentik be of wittes And blamed him bitterly and bad hym be stille With such wise wordes to wisse any fooles And seide Nolite mittere margarit-as the perles Among hogges þat hauen hawen at wille þei do but dreuel þer-on draf were hym leuer þan alle þe preciouse perry þat in paradise wexeþ I sey be þoos quod sche þat schewen be her werkes þat hem were leuer londe and lordschep on erþe Or richesse or Rentes and Rest at her wille þan alle the soþe sawes þat salemon seide euer Wisdom and witte now is nouȝt worthe arischea rische Bot hit be carded with couetice as cloþers doþ her wolle þat can constrewe þe disseitis and conppire wronges And lede forth a loueday to lette þe trewþe þat such craftes cunne ben cleped to conceile And I-serued as sires þat seruen þe deuel Iob þe gentille In his gestes seide hit Quare via impiorum preperatur ve omnibus qui praue agunt et inique not they that ...thes nouth And he þat holi writte haþe ay in his mowþe And can telle of Toby and of þe twelf appostels Or preche of þe penaunce þat pilatus wrouȝt To Ihesu þe gentil þat Iewes to-drawe On croice on caluarie as clerkes vs techeþ Or daunteþ or draweþ forthe þes disours wite ȝe for soþe For ȝef harlottry ne halpe hym better haue god my trowþ More þan Musik or makyng of god almyȝty Wolde neuer kyng no knyȝt no chanoun of seint Poules ȝef hem to her ȝersȝeue þe valewe of a grote Mynstralcy and merþe among men is nouȝt But lechorie and losengrie and losels tales Glotonye and gret oþes þes arn her games now-a-dayes Bot ȝef þei carpyn of crist þes clerkes and þes lewd At mete and at myrþe whan mynstralles ben stille þan telle þey of þe trinite how two slew þe þridde note And bringeþ forþe a balled Resoun and takeþ Bernard to wittenesse And putteþ forþe presumpcioun to preue þe soþe þus þei dreuelyn at her des þe deite to knowe And gnawen god In her þrotes when her guttes fillen Bot þe carful may crien and carpen at þe ȝate Boþe for hunger and for þirst and for chele quakeþ Is non to neme hym Inne no his anguisch to mende but Bot hunsen hym as an hound and hoten hem go þennes Liteþ loueþ he þat lorde þat leneþ hym al þat blisse þat þus parteþ with þe pore aparsellea parselle whan hym nedeþ Nere mercy in Mene men more þan In Riche Many men meteles myȝt go to bedde God is much In þe gorge with þes grete maistres Bot among mene men his mercy and his werkes And so seiþ þe sauter se it In Memento Ecce audiuimus eum in effrata inuenimus eum in campis silue Clerkes and kydde men carpen of god faste And haue hym much in her mowþe ot mene men in her Freres and faitowrs han founde vp such questiouns To plesen with poure men seþ þe pestelence tyme þat defoulen our faiþe at festes þer þei sitten For now is eny boy bolde and he be Riche To tellen of þe trinite and to be holden a sire And fyndeþ forthe fantasies our faiþe to apaire And defameþ þe fader þat formed vs alle And carpen aȝens clergie crabbed wordes Why wold oure saueour suffer such a worme In his blisse þat be-giled þe woman and þe why after þorouȝ wich work and wille þei wenten to helle And alle her seede for her synne þe same wo suffred Such motifs þey meuen þes maistirs In her glorie And maken men to mysbeleue and musen on her wordes Bot austyn þe olde for alle such preched Non plus sapere quam oportet sapere & cetera Sek not the Secrettes of gode þat is to sey me willeþ neuer for to wete why þat god wold suffer Sathan his seed to be-gile Bot beleue leelly of lore of holichirche And prey hym of pardoun and penaunce be þi lyue For his much mercy to mende vs here For alle þat wilneþ to wete þe werkes of god almyȝty I wold his eiȝen were in his ars and his hele after þat euer wilneþ eft to wete whi god wold Suffer Sathan his seed to be-gile Or Iudas the Iewe ihesu be-traye Al was as þow woldest lord I-worscheped be þow And now comeþ a congoun and wold wete of my wittes What dowel is fro dobest now def mote he worþe Seþ he willeþ to wete what þei beþ alle Bot he leue In þe leste degre þat longeþ to dowel I wol be his bolde borowe dobette wol he neuer þey dobest drawen hym day after oþer And whan þat witte was ware how his wif tolde He be-come so Coy he couþe nouȝt mele As dome as a dornaile drowȝ hym a-side Bot for no carping I couþe no kneling to þe ground I myȝt gete no graunte of his grete wittes Study taght the way to doowell Bot alle lawhyng he louted and loked vp-on stodye In syngne þat I schuld be-seke her of grace Whan I was ware of his wille to his wif gan I knele And seide mercy madame ȝoure man schal I worþe For to wirch ȝoure wille while my lif dureþ Kenne me kendely to knowe what is dowel She sent hem to clergy For þy mekenesse man quod sche and for þy melde speche I schal kenne þe to my cosyn þat clergie is hote He haþe wedded a wyf wiþ-In þes wokes sex Is sybbe to þe seuen artes þat scripture is nempned þei two I hope after my beseching The way to fyand Clergye Schul wisse þe to dowel I dar wel vndertake þan was I fayn as foule on faire morowen Gladder þan gleman þat gold haþe to ȝeft And asked her þe hiȝe way wher clergie woned And telle me som tokyn to hym for tyme is þat I wende Ask þe hiȝe wey quod sche fro hennes to suffer Boþe wel and wo ȝef þow wolt lerne And ride forth be Richesse bot trust þou nouȝt þer-In For ȝef þow coplest þe with hym to clergie comest þou neuer And ek þe long launde þat lechorie hatte Leue hym on þi left side a large myle and more Tille þow come to acourta court kepe wel þi tonge Fro lesinges and liȝers speches and lecerous drinkes þan schalt þow se soberte and sympel of speche þat ech wyȝt be In wille his witte for to schewen So schalt þow come to clergie þat can many wittes Sey hym þis signe I sette hym to scole And grete wel his wif for I wrot her þe bibille And sette her to sapience to her sauter I-glosed Logek I lerned her and alle þe lawe after And alle þe Musouns of mesik I made her knowe also Plato and poyet I put hem first to boke Aristotil and oþer mo to Argeu I tauȝt Gramer for gerles I gert first write And bette hem with a Baleis but ȝef þei wold lerne And alle kynnes craftes I contrewed here Carpenters and keruers and kenned first masouns And lerned hem leuelle and lyne þow I loke dymme Bot Theology haþe tened me ten score tymes For the more I muse þer-on the mystloker hit semeþ It is no science for-sothe for to sotile þer-Inne Ne were þe loue þat liþ þer-In awela wel lewd þing hit were Bet for hit lat best be loue I loue hit þe better For þer þat loue is lorde lakked neuer grace Leue leelly þer-on ȝef þow þink dowel For dobet and dobest ben drawen of loues skille In oþer science hit seiþe I sawȝ hit In Catoun Qui simulat verbis nec corde est fidis amicus Bot theolegy techeþ it nouȝt so who-so takeþ hede He kenneþ vs þe contrarie a-ȝens catouns wordes doo good a-genst eyll And bidded vs ben as breþren and blissen oure enmyes And loue hem þan liȝen on vs and lene hem at her nede And so gode a-geins euel god hym-self hoteþ And seide hit hym-self In ensaumple for þe beste Necesce est vt veniunt scandala Astronemye is hard þing and euel for to knowe Geometrye and geomesie is synful of speche þat þinkeþ with þo þre þriueþ wel late For sorsorie is þe souereyne boke þat to þat science longeþ ȝit arn þer fybecythis of forelle of mony man-is wittes Expmientis and alkenamy of albertis makyng Nigromancy and pernirancy þe pouke to areise Alle þes Sciences seker I my-self founded And founden hem formest folk to disseiue found out clergy I be-kenne þe crist quod sche I can tech þe no better I saide gramercy madame and mekely her grette And went whithly my way with-oute more lettyng And fonde as sche foretolde and forth gan I wende And or I com to clergie cowþe I neuer stynte I gret þe gode man as þe goode wif me tauȝt And after-ward his wif I worscheped boþe And tolde hem þe tokenys þat me tauȝt were Was neuer gome on ground seþ god made þe world Fairer vnderfonge or frendloker made at ese þan hym-self soþely so sone he hit wist þat I was In wittes hows and with his wif Dame stodye Curtaisly clergie colled me and kiste And asked how witte ferde and his wif stodie And I seide soþely þey sente me hider To lerne at ȝow Dowel and Dobette þer-after And seþen after-ward to se sumwhat of Dobest Hit is a leel loue quod he among þe lewd peple Actif hit is hote lewde men hit vsen Trewe teliers on erthe Tailours and Sowters And alle kynnescrafty men þat can her fode wynne the workes of mercy With any trew trauaile toyle for her food Diken and deluen dowel hit hoteþ And breke beggers brede and bakken hem with cloþes Comfort þe careful þat In castel ben fettred And sechen out þe seke and sende hem þat hem nedith Obedient as breþren and Sustren to oþer þus bad dobette so bereþ witnesse þe sauter Ecce quam bonum et quam iocundum habitare fratres in unum Sike with þe sorie sing with þe glade Flere cum flentibus gaudere cum gaudentibus God wote þis is dobette sir dobest haþe benefice to truthe & doe as doo-Best So is he beste worthi be þat god in þe gospel graunteþ and [] Qui facit et docuerit magnus vocabitur in regno cel[] For þus is dobest a Bishops pere Prince ouer alle god-is peple to preche oþer to chastice Dobet doþe ful wel and dewed is also And haþe poscesciouns and pluraltees for pore men-is s[] For mendevauntis at mischef þes men wer dueed And þat is Riȝful Religioun no Renners A-boute Ne no lepers ouer lande ladies to schriue Gregory þe gret clerk a good pope In his tyme Of religioun þe rewþe he rehersed In his morale note relegyon And seide hit In ensaumple þat þei schuld do þe better Whan fisches failen þe flode of þe fresch water þei deyȝe for þe drowȝt whan þei drie long Riȝt so be Religioun hit Roileþ and streueþ þat out of Couent and cloister coueiten to libbe Bot now is Religioun aridera rider and a arennera renner a-boute And a leder of louedaies and a lowde begger Poperith on a palfray fro parkes to townes A bedowe or a Baslard he bereþ e his Syde God-is flesch and his fete and his fyue woundes Arn more In his mende þan þe memorie of his founders þis is þe lif of þes lordes þat leuen schuld with dobette And dowel a-wey were and I schuld telle alle I wende þat kynghode and kniȝthode and caysers with erles Weren dowel and Dobet and Dobest of alle For I haue seyn hit my-selue and seþþen Redde hit after How crist conseileth the comunes and kenneþ hem þis tale Super cathedram moysi sederunt principes For-þy I wende þat þis wyes weren dobest of alle I wol nat scorne quod sciptoure but scryueynes lyȝen Kynghode and kniȝthode for ouȝt I can a-spie Helpeþ nouȝt to heuen at on ȝeres ende No Riches no Remes no Rialte of lordes Poul preueþ hit on-possible Riche men In heuen Bot for pore men In pacience and penaunce to-geder Hauen eritage In heuen but Riche men none Contra quod I be crist þat can I þe wisse And preue hit be þe pistel þat peter is nempned Qui crediderit et Baptizatus fuerit saluus erit þat is In extremis quod scripture as sarezines and Iewes Mowe be saued so and so is oure beleue þat an vncristen In þat cas may cristen at heþen And for his leel beleue whan he his lif tyneþ Haue eritage in heuen as an hie cristen Bot cristen men god wote come nouȝt so to heuen For cristen men haue on degre and is on comune speche Dilige deuum & cetera et proximum tuum sicut te-ipsum God-is worde witnesseþ we schul ȝeue and dele our enemyes And alle men þat ar nedy as pore men and such Dum tempus est operemur bonum ad omnes Maxime autem ad domesticos fidei Alle kynnes creatures þat on crist beleueþ We ben holden leely to herie and honoure And ȝeue hem of oure godes as gode as oure-self S.. the xtoun And souereinely to such men þat sewen oure eleue þat is euerich cristen man be kynde to oþer And seþþen hym to helpe In hope hym to Amende To harme hem no sle hem good hit is neuer For he saiþ hit hym-self in his ten hestes Non mecaberis ne sle nouȝt is þe kende englisch For michi vindictam et ego retribuam I schal ponesch in purcatorie or In þe pitte of helle Ech man for his mysdede but mercy hit make ȝit am I neuer þe ner for nouȝt þat I haue walked To wete what is dowel witterly in hert For how-so I worche In þis world or elles I was merked with mercy and my name entred In þe legende of lif long or I were Or elles writen for wikked as witnesseþ þe gospel Nemo ascendet ad celum nisi que de celo discendit And I leue on oure lorde and on no lettereur better For salemon þe sage þat sapience made God ȝaf hym grace and Richesse to-geder For to Rewle his Reme Riȝt as his wille Dede he nouȝt wel and wisely as holiwrit techeth Boþe In werk and In word In world and In tyme Aristotil and he ho wrouȝt better And alle holichirche holden hem In helle And was þer neuer in þis world two wiser of witte For alle connyng clerkes seþ crist ȝede on erthe Taken enaumple of her sawes In sermones þat þei make And by her werkes and wordes wissen vs to dowel And ȝef I schuld wirch be her werkes to wyn me heuen And for her werkes and her witte þei went to helle þan wrouȝt I vnwisely with al þe witte þat I lere A good friday I fynde a feloune was saued þat hadleued al his lyue with lesinges and þeftes the theef And for he knew on þe cros and to crist shroue hym Sonner had he saluacioun þan seint Iohan þe Baptiste Or adam or ysaye or any of the prophetes þat had leyn with lucifer many long ȝeres A robber had remissioun Raþer þan þei alle With-out penaunce of purcatorie to haue paradise for euer þan marie the Mawdelene who myȝt do wors Or who ded wors þan Dauyd þat vrry distroied Or poule the appostel þat no pite hadde Cristen kende to killen to deþe And ar now for-soþe souereines In heuen And þes þat wrouȝt wikkedly In world whan þei were And ȝit haue I for-gete of fyue wittes teching þat clergie of crist-is mowþe comended was hit euer For he seide hit hym-self to som of his disciplis Dum steteritis ante presides nolite cogitare & cetera And is as much to mene to men þat ben lewde Wheþer be ȝe apposed of princes or of prestes of þe lawe For to answere hem haue ȝe no doute For I schal graunt ȝow grace of god þat ȝe serue þe help of the holi gost to Answere hem at wille þe douȝtiest doctour or deuynour of þe trinite As austen þe olde and þe hiest of þe foure Seide þis for a sermon so me god helpe Ecce ipsi idioti rapuerunt celum vbi nos sapientes ininfernum mergemur And is to mene In our mouþe more no lesse Arn non Raþer I-Rauesched fro the Riȝt beleue þan arn þes gret clerkes þat conne many bokes Ne non sonner I-saued ne sadder of conscience þan pore peple as plow-men and pastours of Beestes Sowters and Sowers and such lewde Iottes Percyn with her pater noster the paleis of heuen With-out penaunce at her partyng In-to þe hie blisse Breuis oracio penitrat celum Passus tercius de Dowel Selde falleþ the seuaunt depe In a-Rerage As doþe the Reue and the count-Roller þat reken [] Of alle þat þeihaue had of hym þaat is here maister Bot lewde laborers of litel nderstonding Selde fallen so foule and so depe In synne As clerkes of holichirch þat kepe schuld and saue Lewd In god beleue and lene hem at her wille Homo preponit quod a poet þo and Plato he hiȝt Et deus disponit quod he lat god do his wille Alle þat trew techyn testefien for god þowȝ þei folowen þat fortune no folie I it holde Ne concupiscencia carnis et cetera Ne schal nat greue þe gretly ne be-gile þe but þow wolle Farewel fyppe quod afauntlotea fauntlote and forþ gan me drawe Tille concupiscencia carnis a-corded to my wille Of Dowel and Dobet no deynte me þouȝt Ne clergie ne his conceile I counte hit ful litel Allas quod elde and holinese boþe þat witte schal turne to wrechednesse for wille hath his wille Couatice and ese comforted me after And seide rechelnesse recch þe neuer so þow be Riche Haue no conscience how þou comest to gode confesse þe to sum frere He schal assoile þe sone how-so þou euer wynne hit For while fortune is þi frende freres wol þe loue And faste for the In her fraternite and for þe beseche To her priour prouincial his pardoun to haue And prey for the polle be polle ȝef þow be pecuniosus Pena pecuniaria non Sufficit et cetera Be wissing of þis wenche I ded her wordes wer so suete Til I for-ȝate ȝougþe and ȝede In-to elde And þan was fortune my foo for al his faire be-heste And pouert pursewed me and put me to þe lowe And fletted I fonde the frere þat me confessed And seide he myȝt nouȝt me assoile bot he sluer hadde To restitute resonabiliche for alle on-Resonable wynnyngs Owe quod I to hym and my heued wagged Be my faiþe frere quod I þow farest like a wower þat wilneþ nouȝt þe widowe bot for to welde her godes Riȝt so be þe Rode quod I rouȝte þe neuer Where my body beried be so þow haue my goodes And þan lowȝe leute for I loured on þe frere Whi lowrest þow so quod leute leue sir I seide For þis frere flatered me while he fande me Riche And now I am pore and penyles and at litel price he sette2 me I wold hit wer no syn he sayde þat such men vsen þe sauter seiþ hit is no synne for such men be trewe To seg as þei seen saue only prestes ExtimastiExistimasti inique quod ero tui similis arguam te et ero contra faciem tuam þei wol alegge also and be þe gospel preue hit Nolite iudicare quemquam et cetera And wher-of serueþ lawe quod leute and no lif vndertoke Falsnese no faitoure for som-what þe appostel seide Non odieris fratrem tuum secrete in corde tuo þing þat alle the world wot wher-fore schuld þou spare For to Reherse hit be Retorik to Rehet dedly synne Bot be neuer þe first þe defaute to blame þow þou se sey nouȝt sum-tyme þat is treuþe þing þat wold be preueþ puplische þow hit neuer Neiþer for loue loue hit nouȝt ne lak hit for envie Parum lauda vitupera parcius And sey þe soþe quod Scripture and skipped on hie and preched Bot þe mater þat sche meued lewd men hit knewe þe lasse as I leue louen þei wolde þe Beleue of oure lorde þat lettred men techeþ Of her teem and of her tales I toke ful gode hede Sche seide in her sermon selkowþe wordes Multi toamangerya mangery to mete wer somned And whan þe peple wer plener þe porter opened þe ȝates And pliȝten pauci preuely and let þe remuaunt go Al for tene of her text tremled myn hert And In a were gan I wex with my-self to dispute Weþer I were chose or nouȝt chose on holichirch I þo[] þat vnderfong me at fonte on of god-is chosen For crist cleped vs alle come ȝef we wold zynes and sismatikes and so he ded Iewes bad hem sowke for wynne saue at her breste And drink bote for Bale Broke hit wo-so myȝt O vos omnes scicientes venite ad aquas þan may al cristen come and clayme þer to entre By þat blode þat he bouȝt with and Baptym as he tauȝt Qui crediderit et bapizatus fuerit & cetera For ȝef a cristen man coueited his cristendome to Renaye Riȝt-fullych to Renaye no Resoun hit wold For may no cherl no chartour make ne his catel selle With-outen leue of þe lorde no lawe wold hit graunt Bot he may Renne In arerage and Rome fro home As a Rechles kaytyf or Renayed as hit semeþ Bot resoun schal reken hym with and rebuke hym at laste And conscience acounte with hym and cast hym In arerage And put hym after In presoun In purcatorie to brenne And for his Rechelnesse reward hym þere til þe daye of dome Bot ȝef contriscioun and confescioun he cach In his lyue Mercy for his mysdedis with mowþe and with hert þat is soþe seide scripture may no synne lette Mercy quod sche may al amende and mekenesse folowe þey ben as oure bokes tellen aboue god-is werkes Et misericordia eius super omnia opera eius ȝe baw for bokes quod on was broke out of helle Troyanus a trew knyȝt I take witnesse of a pope How he was deed and dampned to dwelle in helle For an vncristen creature seint gregory wot þe soþe Bot only loue and leute he loued In his lawes demyng Gregory wist þis wel and wilned to his soule Saluacioun for þe soþenesse he sawȝe In his werkes And for he wilned weping þat he worþ I-saued God of his godenesse hit sawe and his gret wille And withouten mo bedes biddyng his soule was vnderfong And I-saued as ȝe may se with-out syngeng of mo masses Loue with-out leel beleue and my lawe Riȝtful Saued me sarezyne soule and body boþe Lo lordes what leute dede and leel dome vsed Wele auȝt þat lawe loken þis lessoun haue In mynde And on troyanus trewþe to þink al tymes of ȝoure lyue And loue for our lordes loue and do lewte euer-more For lawe with-owte lewte ley þer a bene Or any science vnder sonne þe seuen artes and alle Bot loue and lewte hem lede I-lost is al þe tyme Of hym þat trauaileþ þer-on bot trewþ be his leuyng So loue and lewte ben our lordes lokye And cristes owen clergie he come fro heuen to teche hit And seint Iohan seþþen seide hit of his teching Qui non diligit manet in morte And namelich pore peple her praier may vs helpe For god as þe gospel saiþe goþe as þe pore And as þe ewngelist witnesseþ it when we make festes We schul nouȝt clepe knyȝtes þer-to ne no kyn Riche Cum facitis conuiuia nolite vocare amicos Bot calleþ þe careful þerto þe croked and þe pore For euery frende fedeþ oþer and fondeþ hym to quite Meles and manschepes ech man oþer And for þe pore may nouȝt pay I wil paie my-seluen þat loueþ and leneþ hem largely here quyte At Caluarie of crist-is blode cristendom gan spring And blody breþren we ben come o body þer of I-wonne As quasi modi geniti and gentil men echon No begger no boye among vs bot ȝef it synne make Qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati In þe olde lawe þe letter mannes sones cald vs Off adam-is issue and Eue ay til god man dyed And after his resurexioun Redemptor was his name And we his blody breþren als wel beggers as lordes For-þy loue we as leue children and leneþ hem þat nedeþ And euery man help oþer for hennes schul we alle To haue as we haue deserued as holichirch witnesseþ Et qui bona egerunt et cetera For-þy lerne we þe lawe of loue as oure lorde tauȝt hem Not as the poure And pore peple faile we nouȝt while any peny vs lasteþ For in her likenesse oure lorde whilom haþe be knowe Witnesse in þe paske woke whan he went to Romaynes Cleophas ne knewe hym nouȝt þat he crist were For his pore paraile and pilgrimes cloþes Til þat he blissed her brede and brak hit hem be-twene So by his werkes þei wisten þat he was ihesu In example off meknes ..to a-nother Bot be knowing þei knew hym nouȝt so catyfly he ȝede And al was In ensaumpel soþely to vs synful here þat we schuld be lowȝe and louelich and leel ech man to oþer And pacient as pilgrimes for pilgrimes arn we alle In þe apparaile of a pilgrim and In pore likenesse Holy seintes hem seiþ but neuer sette Inliche And marie god-is moder as Mathew bereþ witnesse Was a pure pore maide and to aporea pore man I-wedded Martha on Marie Magdalene an hwge playnt made Vn-to oure saueour hym-self seide þes wordes Domine non est tibi cure quod soror me reliquit me sola ministrare And her eyþers wille hastly god assoiled god alowyth pouerte byforn Riches And eiþers werk and wille Riȝt wel alowed Bot pouert god putteþ be-fore and proueþ for þe better Maria optiman partem elegit que non auferetur ab ea & specially if pacience folow yt And alle þe wyes þat euer were be ouȝt I can spiȝe Preised pouert for best ȝef pacience hit folowed And boþe better and blisseder be many-fold þan Riches example of the walnot And þowȝ hit be sowre to suffer þer comeþ a swete after As on a walnote with-oute is a beter barke And after þat biter barke be þe schale a-wey Is a kernel of cumfort kynde to Restore So after penaunce and pouert paciently be take Make men haue mende of god and his mercy to craue þe wich is kernel of comfort for al cristen soules And wel sekerer he slepeþ þe segge þat is pore And lesse dredeþ in daie or In derke to be Robbed þan he þat is riȝt Riche Resoun bereþ wittenesse he that refuseth reches for goodes sak shall...fold Pauper ego ludo dum tu diues meditaris Holi chirche witnesseþ who-so for-sakeþ His fader or his moder frende oþer sybbe Or any welþe In þis world his wif or his children For þe loue of oure lorde loweþ hym to be pore He schal haue an hundredfolde of heuenRiche blisse And lif lasting for euer before oure lorde In heuen Quicumque relinquerit patrem et matrem & cetera Crist acordeþ oft here-with clerkes woteþ þe soþe What god seide hym-self to a segge þat he loued ȝef þow likest for to leue quod god lif þat is parfite Alle þat þow hast here hastly go selle hit ȝef þe pore peple þe pans þer-of purse þow none Bot ȝef hit forthe to þe pore folk þat for my loue it askeþ For-sake al and sew me for so is þe beste Si uis perfectus esse vade et vende omnia 3it conceileþ crist In comune vs alle Wþho-so coueiteþ to come In my king-riche He mote for-sake hym-self his suster and his broþer And al þe world þus welde and my wil folowe Nisi renunciauerit omnia qui possidet Mo prouerbis I myȝt haue of many holi seintis To testifie trewþe þe tale þat I schewe And poetis to preue hit porferie and plato Aristotil ennedie eleuen hundred pacient pouerte is prince of all vertus ...I cannat tel her names Preueþ ...pouert prince of alle vertues And boþe ...groweþ god vs alle techeþ Mischefes on Molde mekely to suffer Nisi granum frumenti cadens in terram mortuum fuerit & cetera Bot ȝef þe sede þat sowen is In þe slowh sterue Schal neuer spike spring vp ne spire on straw kerne example of ..of sedes & .. Schuld neuer whete wax bot whete first died And oþer sedes also In þe same wise þat ben leide in lowe erthe I-lore as þei were And þorow grace of god gromeþ on erþe At laste boucheþ vp wher-by we leuen alle Bot sedes þat beþ sowe and mowe suffer winters Arn more tidier to man-is be-houe þan sedes þat sowȝe ben and mow nat with frostes þe wyndes no weders as In wynter tymes As lek-sede and lyn-sede lenten-sede als Ar nouȝt so worþi as whete ne so wel mowe In þe felde with þe froste and hit frese longe Riȝt so soþely þat suffer may penaunce Worþ a-lowed of oure lorde at her laste ende And for pacience be I-preised as for pure martir Or for a confessour I-kidde þat counted nouȝt a risch Fer no famen no fals men-is tonges Bot as hosbonde hopeþ after an hard winter ȝef god ȝeue hym þe lif to haue agodea gode heruest So preue þes prophetis þat paciently suffren Mischeues and mys-happes and many tribulatiouns for pay..& for w.. Betokeneþ trewly In tyme comyng after Mirþe for his mornyng and þat much plente For crist saide to his seruauntis þat for his sake þoleden Pouert and penaunce and persecucioun of body þan aungels In her anger In þis wise hem grette Tristicia vestra vertetur in gaudium ȝoure sorow In-to solace schal turne at þe laste And out of wo In-to wele ȝour wordes schal chonge And who-so redeþ of þe Riche þe reuerce may fynde to e Riche How god in his gospel telleþ ȝefeth hem fool to name And þat his gost schal go and his gode beleue And asked hym hertly who schal hit haue þe catel þat he kepeþ so In cofers and In bernes And art so loþe to lete þat lete þow schalt nedes O stulte ista nocte anima mea egrediebatur tesaurizat et ignorat et cetera An on-redy reue þy resedw schal spende þat many man was maiser Inne In a Mynment-while Vp-holders on þe hille schal haue hit to selle Lo louely lordes lo and ladies takeþ hede Hit lasteþ nouȝt long þat is licour swete As pescodes pere-ionittes plowmes and cheries þat liȝtlich launceþ vp and litel while dureþ Soon Ripe soon roten And þat Raþest ripeþ Rote2 most sonnest On fatte londe and foule donge foulest wedes groweth Riȝt so soþely Beþe such vnder þes Bischops Officialis and Denys and oþer Riche clerkes þat chaffaren as chapmen and chide but þei wynne And haue þe world at her wille oþer-wise to leue good and In ground form..th fursth weddes & plenty norischeth pride & pouerte Distrowith yt Riȝt as wedes wexen In wose and In donge So on Richesse vp-on Richesse ariste al vices Lo londe ouer-leide with marle and with dung Whete þat þer-on waxeþ worþ ligge our hit Ripe Riȝt so soþely for to sey trewþe Ouer-plente pride norscheþ þer pouert hit distroieþ And how hit euer be wonne but hit be wel dispended Worldely wele is wikked þing to hym þat hit kepeþ And so is many man murþerd for his money and his godes ryches is daungours to them that kepeth And þo þat dieþ þat dede be dampned þerfor after And he for his hard holding In helle pyne paraunter So couatise of catel was combraunce to hem alle Lo how penyes purchasen feire places and drede And Rote is of Robrie þe Richesse with-Inne [headless] Bot wele is þe pouert for he may walk on-Robbed ...Coyst though pouerti be-forn Riches Among pelours In pes ȝef paciens hym foloweþ Oure prince Ihesu pouert ches and his apposteles alle Ay þe lenger þei leued þe lasse gode þei hadde Tanquam nichil habentes ȝit men þat abraham and Iob were wonder Riche And oute of nomber þo men many mebeles hadde Abraham for his auȝt had moche tene For In gret pouert he was put aprincea prince as hit were Be-nome his hosewif and Abraham nouȝt so hardy to lette Ne for briȝtnesse of his bewte her spoushode to be-knowe And for he sufferd and seide nouȝt oure lorde sent hym tok[] þat kende comly kyng cried hym mercy And deliuered hym his wif with much welþe after Iob þe ientil what Ioie had he on erþe And how bitterly he hit bouȝt as þe boke telleþ And for he sufferd so mekely his sorowe ouer ȝede Si bona accipimus a domino & cetera Derworþe dere god do we so mala throught Al his sorow to solace þorow þat song turned And Iob be-come a goly man and al his ioie newe Lo how paciens and pouert þes patriarkes releued And brouȝt hem alle a-boue þat In bale Roted And greyn þat liþe In ground þorow grace at laste Springeþ and speedeþ so spred þe fader abraham And þe gentil iop her ioie had non ende Bot leueþ nouȝt lewde men þat I-lakke Richesse þowȝ I plese pouert þus and preue hit be enaumple Worþier as be holi writte and wise philosopheres þan þe Richesse þat reigneþ with Renkes now on erthe And leueþ þt oure lorde loueþ alargea largewey til heuen Bot þe pore pacient purcatorie passeþ Raþer þan þe Riche þowȝ þei Renne at ones For ȝef a Marchaunde and a messangere mette to-geder And schuld wende on wey where boþe most Reste And rekken before Resoun a resonabel a-counte What on what oþer what þei had boþe Therich merchand & the mesengur þe marchaunt mote nede be lette longer þan þe messanger For þe parcel of his papire and oþer preue dettes Wol lette hym as I leue þe lengþe of a myle þer þe messanger doþe na more bot with his mouthe telleþ His erand and his letter scheweþ and is a-non deliuered And þouȝ þei wende be þe way þo two to-gederes þowȝ þe messanger make is way among þe feire whete Wil no wise man be wroþe ne his wedde take Necessitas non habet legem et cetera Ne non haiward hiȝen hym for to hente Bot ȝef þe marchaunt make his way ouer mennes corn And þe hayward happe with hym for to mete Oþer his hatte oþer his hode or elles his gloues þe marchaunt mote for go-or money In his purs And be lette as I leue as þe lawe askeþ Marchaundis for her Marchaundise In many places to tollen And ȝit þowȝ þei wende a-way to winchester faire þe marchaunt with his marchaundise may nouȝt go so swithe As þe messanger may ne with so much ese For þat on bereþ bot a boxe a breuet þer-Inne þer þe marchaunt let a male with many kynne þinges And dredeþ to be ded þer-fore and he In derk mette With Robbers and reuers þat Riche men dispoilen And þe messanger is ay mery and his mouþe ful of songes And leueþ for his letters þat no lede wol hym greue Bot ȝit myȝt þe marchaunt þorow his money and his ȝiftes Haue hors and hardy men þouȝ he mette þeues Wold non such asseile hym for such þat hym folowen And as sauely as þe messanger and as sone at his ostelle ȝe wete wel ȝe wise men what is þis to mene þe marchaunt is no more to mene bot men þat ben Riche Arn countabel to crist and to þe kyng of heuen þat holde mote þe hiȝ way euen þe ten hestes Boþe loue and lene leel and vn-leel And haue reuþe and releue radly with his Richesse By his power alle maner of men þat in Mischef fallen Fynde Beggers brede and Bakkes for colde And tiþe her gode trewly and tolle as hit semeþ þat our lorde lokeþ after on euerych a side of men þat wynnen With-out whiles or wronges or wommen at stewes And ȝit more to make pees and quite mennes dettes And spele and spare to spende on þe nedy As crist hym-self comaundeþ al cristen peple Alter alterius onera portate þe messanger arn þes mendenauntis þat leuen be menis almes Ben nouȝt bounden as ben Riche to boþe two loues To lene ne to lerne ne in lenten to faste Ne oþer preue penaunce þe wiche þe preste wote wel And þe lawe wote wel such men ben excused Ne non tiþes to tiþe ne cloþe þe naked Ne in no quest to come contuimax þei he worþe Holy day or holy eue his mete to disserue For he loueþ and leneþ as þe lawe techeþ Qui crediderit et Baptizatus fuerit Telleþ þe lorde a tale as a trewe messanger And scheweþ þe seal and seþ þe letter with what lorde he Knowlich hym cristen and of holi chirch beleue þer is no lawe as I leue wil let hym þe gate þer god is gateward hym-self and ech a gom knoweth So þe pore of pure rewþe may parformeþe lawȝe In þat þei wilneþ and wold ech why as hem-selue For þe wille is als much worþe of wrech begger As al þat þe Riche may Rayne and Ri3tfullich dele And als much mede for a myte þer he offereþ As þe riche man for al his money and pore be þe gospel Amen amen dico vobis quia hec vidua paupercula So pore pacient profetist lif is of alle Ech aparfitea parfite preste to pouert schuld drawe For spera in deo spekeþ of prestes þat haue no spending siluer prestes wanting lyvlod And ȝef þei trauaile trewly and trist In god al-myȝty Hem schuld neuer lakke liflode ne lynnen no wollen þe title ȝe take ȝoure ordres by telleþ ȝe ben auaunsed And nedeþ nouȝt to nym siluer for messes þat ȝe syngeþ For he þat toke ȝow atitela titel schuld take ȝow wages Or þe bischop þat bischoped ȝow and en-bawmend ȝoure fyngers For made neuer no kyng no knyȝt bot he had catel to spende As be-fel be a knyȝt or fonde hym for his strengþe For hit is acarefula careful kniȝt and of acarefula careful kynges makyng þat haþe neþer londe no lenage Riche ne gode lose of his hondes þe same I sey for soþe be prestes þat ben such þat hath neþer connyngbne kiþ bot a croun oon And atitela titel a tale of nouȝt to his liflode as hit were Euel be þei sufferd such as schende þe masse þorow her leþer leuyng and lewde vnderstondyng A charter is chalengabel a-fore a Iustice ȝif fals latyn be In þe letter þe lawe hit enpungneþ Or pointed parenterlynare parcelles ouer-skipped þe gom þat gloseþ þe charter for a Goky is holden So hit is a Goky by god at in þe gospel faileþ Oþer In masse or In matyns makeþ any defaute Qui In vno offendit in omnibus et reus For ouer-skippers also In þe sauter seide Dauyþ Psallite deo nostro spallite quam rex terre deus psallite To croune suche for goddes knyȝtes þat conne nouȝt rede ne Bot neuer neþer is blameles þe Bischop no þe chapleyn For ignorancia non excusat as I haue herd In Bokes þus rechelnesse in a Rage a resoned clergie And scripture scorned hit and many skilles schewed Til þat kynde come clergie to helpe And In myrrour of Middille erthe made hym ofte loke To knowe be ech a creature kynde to loue And bowed my body and be-held a-boute And sey þe sonne and þe se and þe sonde after And wher þe briddes and beestes by her make þei ȝeden Wilde wormes In wodes and wonderful fowles With flekked feþers and of feire colours Man and his make I myȝt se boþe Pouert and plente boþe pes and werre Blisse and bale boþe I sey at ones and how þat men mede toke and blisse refused property of byrdes Resoun I se so2ely sewe alle Bestes In etyng and drynking and engendring of kynde After knowing of conpcecioun noon toke kepe of oþer And whan þei had I-Rotied anon þei Rest after Males drowȝ hem to males amorowenyng by hem-selue And females to females ferdide and drowh þer ne was kow ne kow-kende þat conseiued had þat wold bere after a bole ne sowȝe after bore þer ne was no kynnes kynde þat conseiued had þat no lese likeng of lust of flesch as hit were Saue man and his make and þer-of me wondreþ For oute of resoun þer Rode and Rechellislich þei token And In erne dedes boWe in drink and elles Briddes as I behelde In Busches made nestes Had neuer wy witte to wirche þe leest I had wonder of whom and wher þat þe pie Lerned to ley stikkes þat lyne In her nestes þer nys no wiȝt as I wene schuld werche her nest to paie ȝif any masoun made a molde þer-to much wonder me þinkeþ And me meruailed more many of þe Briddes Hidden and heleden her egges dernly For no fowle schuld hem fynde bot her fere and her-seluen And som treden I toke kepe and on trees bredden And brouȝten furþe her briddes al a-boue þe grounde In marreises and in Mores In Mires and In waters Dowping dyued som dere god I seide Wher had þes wilde such witte and at what scole And how þe pecok cauked þer-of I toke kepe How vncurtaislych þe cokke his kende furth stremed And ferlidde of his fairnesse and of is foule lenyed And seþ I loked on þe see and so furþe on þe sterres Many selcowþes I sey arn non to sey nowe Ne what of floures on felde ne of her faire colours And how out of ground and grace growe so many froites Som soure and som swete selcowþe me þouȝt Of her kynde and of her colour carpe hit were to long Bot þis most meued me and my witte chonged Whan I saw Resoun sewe al beestes Saue man and Man-kynde Many tymes me þouȝt Resoun Rewled hym nouȝt neiþer Riche no pore þan I aresouned resoun and Riȝt to hym seide I haue wonder In my witte so wise as þou ert holden Wher-for and whi als wide as þow Reignest þat þow ne rewlest raþer Renkes þan oþer beestes I se none so ofte surfeten soþeli as man-kynde In mete oute of mesure and many tymes In drink In wymmen in wedes and In wordes boþe þei ouer-don hit day and niȝt and so doþe nat oþer beestes þei Rewle hem alle Be Resoun bot Renkes ful fewe And þer-for meruaileþ me for man is most worthi Boþe of witte and of werke and most like to oure lorde Whi he ne loueþ þi lore and leueþ as þow techest And Resoun a-resoned me and seide Recch þe neuer Whi I suffer or nouȝt suffer certis he saide Ech a segge for hym-self salamon vs techeþ De re que non molestat nolite certare Who suffreþ more quod he þan god no gom as I trowe He myȝt a-mende In a mynt-while al þat amys stondeþ Bot he suffreþ in ensaumple þat we schuld suffer alle Is no vertu so feire ne of valew ne of prophite so is suffraunce souereinlich so it be In god-is loue And so witneseþ wel wise and wisseþ the fransche Bele vertu suffraunce male dire est petit vengeaunce Biendire e bien suffrer fait luy suffrable & bien venir For-þi quod Resoun I rede þe rewle þi tong euer And ar þow lakke any lif loke who is to praise For is no creature vnder crist þat can hym-self make And ȝef cristen creaturis cowþe make hem-seluen Ech lede wold be lakles leue þow non oþer Man is made of such a mater he may nouȝt wel astert þat som tyme ne hym be-tide to folowen his kende Catoun acordeþ2 kyndely þer-with Nemo sine crimine viuit þo cauȝt I comfort anone and comsed to be schamed And a-waked þer-with wo was me þanne þat I ne had mette more so meri as I sleped And seide a-non to my-self sleping had I grace To wete wel what Dowel is ȝef wakenyng were to se much & suffer all And þa þer was a why wht he was I nyst What is dowel quod I to þe wy I wis sire he seide To se much and suffer alle certis is Dowel Haddist þow sufferd he seide sleping þo þou were þow schuldest know þat clergie can and conseiue more þorouȝ Resoun For Resoun wold haue Rehersed þe Riȝt as clergie seide For þin entremetyng here art þow for-sake Philosopus esses si tacuisses & cetera ȝt alibi locutum me aliquando penituit tacuisse nunquam And whan he mameled a-bout mete he myssed to knowe Adam þe whiles he spak nouȝt had paradise at wille þe wisdam and þe witte of god he was put out of blisse Riȝt so Resoun fareþ with Rebawdours and Iangulours for pryd & presumtion Rason forsowk the And for þow woldest wete why Resoun is preuete Pride of presumpcioun of þi parfite leuyng Resoun Refused þe and wold nouȝt rst with þe Ne clergie of his connyng kepeþ þe nouȝt to schewe For schal neuer or schame come a schrewe wel chaste For let a dronken daffe In þe diche fallen Let hym ligge and loke nouȝt on hym til hym list arise For-þi Resoun Rebuke hym þan reccheþ hym neuer Ne of clergie ne of kynde witte countiþ he nouȝt a Risch To blame hym or to bete hym þanne I ne holde it bot synne Bot whan nede nymmeþ hym vp a-none he is schamed And þan wot I why and wher-fore he is to blame ȝe sey soþe be my soule quod I I haue sene hit ofte þer smitte no þing so smert ne smelleþ so fowle pen trials As schame þer he scheweþ hym euery man schoneþ his companye Whi he worded to me þus was for I resoned Resoun ȝa certis quod he þat is soþe and schope hym to walke And I Rose vp Riȝt with þat and reuerensed hy hym faire And ȝef his wille were he wold his name telle Passus quartus de Dowelnota benefacees I am Imaginatif quod he Idel was I neuer þowȝ I sitte be my-selue such is my grace I haue folowd þe In faiþe more þan fourty winter And wissed þe we ofte what Dowel was to mene And conseiled þe for cristis sake no creature to be-gile Neiþer to liȝe no to lakke ne lerne þat is defended Ne to spille no speche as for to speke on I-delle Ne no tyne ne trewe þing tene Lowe þe and leue furþe In þe lawe of holichirch And þan dost þow wel with-outen drede who can do better Clerkes þat connen al I hope þei schal do better But hit suffiseþ to be saued and be such as I tauȝt Bot for to loue and lene and leue wel & beleue Is cald caritas kende loue on englisch And þat is dobette ȝif any man schuld be blissed man þat þat pees be and pacience and pore out of defaute ...to haue much Beacius est dare quam petere Bot catelle and kende witte acombreþ wel mony Who is hym þat hem weldeþ bot he hem wele disp Scienti et non facienti varijs flagellis vapulab Bot comunly connyng and vn-kynde Richesse As lorelles to be lordes and lewd men techers And holichirch her help with auarise and couatise dryes away doo ... Dryueþ a-wey dowel and distroieþ Dobet Bot grace ne groweþ nouȝt til god wol ȝeue Reyn And woke þorowȝ good werkes þise wikked hertis Bot or such a wille waxeþ .... And sendeth fourþe seint sppirit to do... Spiritus vbi vult spirat So grace with-oute grace of god and of gode werkes May nouȝt be so seker þowȝ we bidde euer Bot clergie come bot of a siȝt and kende witte of sterres As to be bore or to be gete In such constellacioun þat witte waxeþ þer-of and oþer wordes boþe Vultus hiuis seculi sunt subiecti vultibus selestibus So grace is a ȝeft of god and kynde witte a chaunce And clergie a connyng of kynde wittes teching And ȝit is clergie to to comende for cristes loue more þan any connyng of kende witte for clergie hit reule2 For Moises wittenesseþ þat god wrot and crist with his fynger Lawe of loue our lorde wrot long or crist were And crist come and confermed and holichirch made making off holi church And In þe sonde a signe wrot and seide til þe Iewes þat seiþ hym-self synneles sese nouȝt I hote To strike with ston or with staff þat strompette to deþe Quis vestrum sine peccato est & cetera For-þi I conceile euery creatour clergie to honour For a man may nouȝt se þat misseþ his eyȝen No more can a clerk bot ȝef hit come of Bokes al-þouȝ men made Bokes god was þe maister And seint Spirit þe saumplerie and seide what men schuld write And Riȝt as siȝt serueþ a man to se þe hiȝe strete Riȝt so lereþ lettrure lewde men to Resoun And as a blinde man In a bataile bereþ wepen to fiȝt And hath non happe with his ax his enemyes to hitte No more kan a kende witted man bot clerkes hym teche Come þorouȝ al his kynde witte þorouȝ cristendom to be sa Wich is þe cofer of crist-is tresour and clerkes haue þe keiȝes To louke hit at her liking þe lewde and þe lerned to helpe And ȝeue mercy for mysdedes ȝif men hit wol aske Boxsomlich and benynglich and bidden hit of grace Archa dei In þe olde lawe gret clerkes hit cleped Had neuer lewde man leue to ley hand on þe cheste Bot hit were prest or preest-is sone patriark or prophet Saul for he sacrifised sorouȝ hym be-tidde And his sones for his synnes sorow hem be-cawȝt And al lewde þat leide hond þer-on lorn her lif after Dispute not clerge For-þi I conceile alle creaturis no clerk to dispute þei sette schort be her sciens and so þei do be hem-selue Take we her wordes at worthe for her wittes beþ trewe And medel we nouȝt to much with hem to meue any wr Lest cheest chawsen vs In wo and choppe euery man oþer And do we as Dauyd techeþ for Dowte of god-is vengaunce Nolite tangere cristes meos For clergie is cristis victorie to comforte and to cure Boþe lewde and lered were loste ȝif clergie ne were Kynde witted men han a clergie be her-seluen Of clowdes and of customes þei contrued many þinges And merked it in her maner and mused þer-on to knowe And of þe selkowþes þat þey seyȝen her sones þer-of þei For þei helde an hiȝe science her sotelnesse to knowe Bot þorouȝ her science soþely was neuer soule saued For alle her kynde knowing come but of diuerse siȝtis Of briddes no of Beestes of blisse and of sorowe Patriarkes and prophetis repreued her science And seide her wordes and her wisdomes were but foly As to clergie of crist þei counted but trifulle Sapiencia hiuis mundi stulticia est apud deum For þe hiȝe holigost heuen schal to-cleue And loue schal lepe out in-to þis lawe erthe And kinges schal cacche hit and clerkes schal hit fynd Patores loquebantur ad invicem It spekeþ þer of Riche men Riȝt nouȝt ne of lordes noþer Bot of kinges and clerkes and kepers of Beestes Ibunt magi ad orientem ȝef any frere were founde þer I ȝeue þe fyue schelinges Ne in no cote ne kaytef-is hous crist was I bore The byrth of Cryste Bot in a burgaise hous þe best of þe toun Two pastores and two poietis appered to þe aungel And bad hem go to Bedlem god-is berþe to honour And song a song of Solace Gloria in excelsis deo Riche men rowted þo and In reste were þo it schone to þe schepardis a schewer of blisse Kinges knewe þe comþe and come with her presentes And deden her omage honourabely to hym þat was al-myȝti Whi I haue tolde ȝow al þis I toke ful gode hede How þow contraridist clergie with crabbed wordes þat is how lewde men and leþer liȝthloker was saued þan connyng clerkes of kinde vnderstonding And þow seidest of som bot I se in what maner Take two strong men and In temse caste hem And boþe naked as a nedel and neiþer howger þan oþer þat on hath connyng and can dyuen and swym þat oþer is lewde of þat labour and lerned neuer to swym no dyue Wich trowistow of þes two In temse ; is most in drede He þat can nauȝt swym I seide ; It semeþ be al wittes Riȝt so quod þat Renk ; Resoun hit scheweþ þat he þat knoweth clergie ; can sonner arise Out of synne and he safe þouȝ he synne ofte To chas away sinn ȝif hym likeþ and list þan any lewde soþely For ȝef þe clerk be connyng and knoweþ what is synne And how contriscioun with-oute confessioun comforteþ þe As we sen In þe sauter in psalmes on or twey How contriscion is comended for hit caccheþ a-way synne Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates And þat comforteþ euery a clerk and keuereþ fro wanhope In wiche flode þe fende fondiþ man hardist þer þe lewde liþ stille and lokeþ after lewte And haþe no contriscioun or þei come to schreft And þan can he litel telle bot as his loresman lereþ hym And þat is after per-soun or parisch preste and paraunter boþe lewd To lerne lewde men as luke Bereþ witnesse Dum secus ducit secum ambo in foueam cadunt For much wo was hym merked þat wade schal with þe lewd Wel may þe barn blisse þat hym to boke sette þat leuyng after lettrure saued hym lif and soule Dominus pars hereditatis mee is a mery vers For hit haþe take fro Tiborn twenty strong þeues þe lewde þeues ben lolled vp loke how þei ben saued þe þef þat had grace of god on gode friday as þou toldest Was for he ȝeld hym creaunt to crist and his grace asked And god is ay graciouse to alle þat gredeþ to hym And wol no wikked man be loste bot ȝef he wol hym-selue Nolo mortem peccatoris et cetera Bot þouȝ þat þef had heuen he had no hiȝe blisse As seint Iohan and oþer seintis þat had deserued better Bot as som man ȝeueþ me mete and setteþ me amyd þe I haue mete more þan I-now bot now with much worsch As þo þat sitten at þe side table or with þe souereignes Bot as a begger bordles be my-self on þe grounde For he þat is ones a þef is euer-more In daungere And as þe lawe lokeþ to libbe or to deyȝe De peccato propiccato noli esse sine metu For to serue a seint and such a þef to-gederes It were no resoun no Riȝt to Rewarde boþe i-liche And Riȝt as Troianus þe trewe knyȝt tolde nouȝt depe In helle þat oure lord had hym out liȝtly so leueþ þat þef In heuen For he is in lowest of heuen ȝif our lorde be trewe Souls places in heven And wel louelich lolleþ þere as be lawe of holichurche Et reddet vnicuique iuxta opera sua Bot whi þat on þef on þe cros creaunt hym ȝalde Raþer þan þat oþer þowȝ þow woldest appose Alle þe clerkes vnder crist no couþe þis assoile Quare placuit quia voluit And so I sey be þi-self þat sekest after þe weies How creatures had kynde witte and how clerkes come to bokes Was neuer creature vnder crist þat knewe wele þe gynnyng Bot kynde þat contrued hit first of his kynde wille He tauȝt þe turtil to trede þe pecok to cauke And Adam and Eue and alle oþer beestes A cantel of kynde witte her witte to saue Of gode and of wikke kynde was þe first Sey hit and suffre hit and seid hit be schuld Dixit et facta sunt et cetera Bot whi he wold þat wik were I wene and I leue Was neuer man vp-on molde þat miȝt hit aspiȝe Bot long leuyng men likken mennes leuyng To briddes and to beestes as here bokes telleþ þat þe ferrest foule foulest engendreþ And is þe feblist of fliȝt þat fley or swymmeþ þat is þe pecok and þe popeniaye with her proude fethers pecok samyued to the Rich man þat be-tokeneþ Riȝt Riche men þat Reigneþ on erþe For pursew a pecok or a pehenne to cachhe And haue hem In hast at þin owne wille For þei may nouȝt fle fer ne ful hie neiþer For her feþers þat feire bene to fle fer hem ne likeþ His leden is vnlouelich and loþelich his careyn For his peynted pennes þe pecok is honoured More þan for his feire flesch or for his faire note .. lark to the pore man Riȝt so men Reuerenseþ þe Riche more for his meble þan for any kyn he com of or of his kynde wittes þus þe Poetes preiseþ þe Pecok for his feþers And þe Riche man for his Rente or for Richesse In his schoppe þe larke þat is a lasse foule is loueloker of ledon And swetter of sauour and swifter of wyng To lowe leuyng men þe larke is resembled And to leue and to loue holi þat loueþ al trewþ þus prophirie and plato and Poetes many Likeneþ In her logek þe leest foule oute And weþer he be saue of nouȝt saue þe soþe wot no cherg Ne of sortes ne of salamon no scipture can telle Weþer þei be In helle or In heuen oþer aristotil þe wise Bot god is so gode I hope þat seþ he ȝaf hem wittes To wissen weies þer-with to vs þat weneþ to be saued And þe better for her bokes to bidde we ben holden þat god for his grace ȝef her soules Rest For lettred men were as lewde ȝit ner þe lore of her bokes Alle þe clerkes quod I þo þat on god leuen Seyn In her sermounes þat neiþer sarezyns no Iewes With-out Bapteem as be her bokes ne be nouȝt saued Contra quod ymagenetif þo and comsed to loure And seide vix saluabitur iustus in die iudicij Ergo saluabitur quod he and seide no more latyn Troianus was a trew kniȝt and toke neuer cristendom And he is saue seiþ þe boke and his soule In heuen But þer is a fulling of fonte and fulling of blode scheding And þorouȝ fire þe fulling and alle ferme bileue Adenit ignis diuinus non conburens set illuiminans Bot trewþ þat trespaseþ neuer ne trauersed a-ȝens þe lawe Bot leued as þe lawe tauȝt and leuiþ þer be no better And ȝef þer wer he wold leue and In such a wille he deiȝeþ Ne wold neuer trewe god bot trewe trewþe were a-lowed And were hit worth were hit nouȝt worthe þe beleue is gret of trewþe And hope hangeþ ay þer-on to haue þat trewþ deserueþ Quia super pauca fuisti fidelis supra multa te constituam And þat is loue and large hire ȝef þe lorde be trewe And curtaisly more þan couenaunt was what so clerkes carpe For alle worþe as god wole and þer-with he vanessched Passus quintus de Dowel vt supra And as I waked þer-with witles nye hande And as a freke þat feinte were furth gan I walke In maner of a mendevaunt many ȝeres þer after And many tymes of þis metels moche þouȝt I hadde First how fortune me failed at my first nede And how Elde manassed me so myȝt happe he hadde Covatous And vanesched alle my vertues and my feire lates And how þat freres folowed fast folk þat were Riche And pepil þat wer pore at litel peis þei setten Ae no cors of no pore comune In her chirch ȝerde most ligge Bot quik he be-quaþ hem ofte to helpe to quite her dettes And how couetice ouer-com alle kyn sectis As wele lered as lewde and lorde as þow bonde And how þe lewde men ben ladde bot our lord hem helpe þorouȝ on-connyng curatours to In-curabel paynes And how þat Imaginatif In dremels me tolde Of kinde and of connyng and what connyng he ȝaf beestes And how louyng he is to euery lif on londe and on water And alle he wascheþ and ȝeueþ witte þat walkeþ or crieþ þat vix iustus be-fore Ihesu be saf in die iudicij Non saluabitur quod he but ȝef þat vix helpe And whan he hadde seide so sodeynly he vanesched And so I mused In þis mater þat me list to slepe Concience bade Imaginative to Dyn ... and þan come conscience and clergie þer-after And bed me Rise and Renne for the wich Resoun we schuld dyne And I a-Ros and Romed forþe and with Resoun we mette We Reuerensed Resoun and Romed forþe softly And mette with a maister aana man like a frere Conscience knew hym wel and welcomed hym faire þei wischen and wiped and went to þe dyner And þer come pacience and pore þinges and praide mete for cl Ilik pers plowȝman as he a palmer were Craued and cried for crist-is loue of heuen A meles mete for aporea pore man or money ȝef þei hadde Conscience knew hym wel and welcomed hem alle Wischen and wepiden and wenten to sitten þe maister was made sitte as for þe moste worthi plasyng them as the such Resoun stode and stiȝtild as for steward of halle Pacience and I prestly wer put to be mettis And seten be oure-selue at a syde tabel Clergie called after mete and þan come scripture And serued hym þus sone of sondry metis many Austin and Ambrose and alle þe foure Euangelises Edentes et bibentes que hapud eos sunt Bot of þis mete þat maister myȝt nouȝt wel chewe For-þy he ete mete of more list mortrus and potechis Of þat men mys-wonne þei made hem at ese the meat was not delycat Bot her sauȝs was ouer-soure and on-sauourly ground In a morter þat mortem hatte of many bitter paynes Bot ȝef þei syng for þe soules and wepe salt teres Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis nisi pro eis lacrime eorum eff ea que in delicij comedit in cor euo þan as Resoun Rad a-non Riȝt after þat conscience comaunde schald to do come scripture And bring brede for pacience bitande apartie And to come þat was his mete2 and oþer mete boþe He sette a soure loue and seide agite penitenciam the ...ed was to muche ... And seþ he drouȝ vs drink diaperseuerans As long quod he as I may leue and licam dure þis is a semely seruise seid pacience þan come contriscion þat hadde Coked for hem alle The Couk And brouȝt furþe apetauncea petaunce was pro hac orabit Omnis sanctis in tempore opertuno þan conscience comfortid boþe clergie and scripture And seide cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies a comforth Pacience was wel paied of þis proper seruise And made mery wth þis mete bot I morned euer For a doctour þat at þe hiȝe des satte and drank wyn fast Ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum And sette many sundry metes mortrewes and puddinges Braune and blode of gees Bacoun and colopes þan seide I to my-self so sapience hit herde It is nouȝt þre daies gon þis doctour þat he ne preched At poulis be-fore þe peple what penaunce þei sufferd Alle þat coueited to come to any kynne Ioie And how þat poul þe apostel what penaunce he þoled paules penaunce> For our lordis loue as holi writ telleþ In fame et Frigore et cetera Bot me wondreþ In my witte whi þat þei ne prechen As poul þe apostil preched ofte to þe peple Periculum est in falsis fratribus paul preched concell of the holy scripture Holi writ bit men be ware and wisely kepe hem þat no fals frere þorouȝ flatering hem be-gile Bot me þinkeþ loþe þouȝ I latyn knowe to lakken any fote For alle we ben breþren þouȝ we be diuerse cloþed Bot I wist neuer freek þat frere is called of þe fyue menden þat toke þis to her teem and told hit with-out glose þei preched þat penaunce is profitabel to þe soule And what mischef and male-ese þat crist for man 2oled preche & doo not Bot þis doctour and dyuynour quod I þat is discret In canoun Is a gredy glotoun with two gret chekes And haþe no pite on vs pore he parformeþ euel þat he precheþ he preueþ hit nouȝt to pacience I tolde And wisched witterly with wil for eger þat In þe mawe of þe maister al þe metes were Boþe the disches ad þe dublers with alle þe deyntes after I schal Iangle to þis lordein with his iusty wombe apposyng And appose hym what peanunce is and purcatory on erþe And whi he leueþ nouȝt as he lereþ lat be quod pacience And seide þow schalt se now sone when he may no more He schal haue a penaunce In his paunche and puffe at euery And þan schal guldlen his guttes and gyn for to gappe For now hathe he drunken so depe and wil deuine sone And prouen hit by his pocalips and þe passioun of seint Aueroy þat neiþer Bacoun no Brawne Balwmanger no Mortrewes Is neiþer fisch no flesch bot a food for peanunces And to testifie his tale he takeþ his felaw to witnesse What he fonde In a forel of a freres leuyng And bot þe first lef be lesinges leue me neuer after And þan is tyme to take and to appose þis doctour Of Dowel and Dobet and ȝif dobet do any penaunce I sat stille as sapience wold and þus sone þis doctour Als rody as a Rose Rodied his chekes Comsed and carped conscience hym herde And tolde hym of þe trinite and toward me loked What is Dowel sire doctour quod I and dobet is hit any penaunce Dowel quod þis doctour and he drank after discripcion of doo-well Do þi neiȝborouȝ non harme ne þi-self neiþer And þan dost þow wel and wisely I dar hit wel a-vowe Certis sire þan seide I it semeþ nouȝt here In þat ȝe parte nouȝt with þe pore þat ȝe passe dowel Ne leneþ nouȝt as ȝe lerneþ as oure lorde wolde Et visitauit et fecit Redempcionem And ȝef ȝe fareþ þus with ȝoure-self freres ferly me þinkeþ Bot dowel endite ȝow it in die Iudicij þan conscience ful curtasly a countenaunce made And prente vppon pacience to preie me be stille And seide hym-self sire doctour so hit be ȝoure wille What is Dowel and dobet dyuynours knoweþ þat haue I seide seide þe segge I can sey no better Bot do as doctours techeþ for dowel I hit holde þat trauaileþ to teche oþer I holde hit for dobet And he þat doþe as he techeþ I hold hit for þe best tech & doo the aftur Qui facit et docuerit magnus vocabitur Now þow quod conscience carpe what is dowel Haue me excused quod clergie be crist bot In scole Schal no such motif be meued for me but for piers þe plouȝman ȝit þat piers plouȝman can al kyn connynges pacience plening And al kyn craftes and loue and lewte and lownesse of hert And no tixt takeþ to proue þis for trewe Bot dilige deum et proximum tuum Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo And preueþ he pure skille parfite alle þinges Nemo bonus Bot leel loue and trewþe þat loþe is to e bound quod piers þe plouȝman Pacientes omnia vincunt the p.. of doo well Be-fore perpetuel pees I schal preue þat I seide And a-wowe hit a-fore god and for-sake hit neuer þat disce doce dilige deum And þin enemye help hym for þi miȝt Caste hote coles on his hede of alle kende speche Fonde with witte and worde his loue for to wynne And ȝeue hym eft and eft euer at his nede Comfort hym with þi catel ad þi kende speche And ley on hym þus with loue til he ley on þe And bot he lawȝh on þe for þis leyȝing blinde mote he wo[] And whan he had worded þus wist no man after Wher piers þe plouȝman by come so preualy he went And Resoun Ran after and Riȝt with hym ȝede Saue conscience and clergie I couþe no mo aspiȝe Saf pacience properly spak when piers was þus past þat loueþ leely quod he and litil þing coueiteþ I wold and I wil had won al fraunce With-out brytnyng of berne or any blode scheding I take witnesse quod þe wy on holi writ apertly nota Pacientes vincunt & cetera For be hym þat me made miȝt neuer pouert Misese ne myschef no man with his tong Tene þe at any tyme and þou toke pacience And bere hit In þi bosom a-bout wher þou wendist And tyne hit for no tresour þat tidiest is holden ... for no treasur Schal neuer berne be basched þat haþ þis a-bout hym Neiþer fier no flode no be ferde of enemye Caritas expellit omnem timorem Ne þer nys wy In þis world þat wold þe lette To haue al londes at þi liking and þe her lorde make And maister of al her meble and of her money after þe king and þe comoun and þe clergie to þe lowte As for her lorde and her leder and leue as þou techist þis is dido quod þis doctour adisoursa disours tale Al þe witte of þis world and wiȝt men-is strengþe Can nouȝt parforme as pees of þe pore and of his enemyes Profitabel for boþe parties and put þe borde fro hym And toke clergie and conscience to conceile as hit were Bot conscience Itoke kepe conged sone þis doctour And seþþe he seide to clergie so þat I hit herde By crist quod conscience clergie wil nouȝt liȝe Me wer leuer be oure lorde and I leue schuld Haue pacience parfitly þan alle þe pakke of bokes Lettrure and long stodie lettiþ ful many þat þei know nat quod conscience what is kynde pacience Conciance sough parfitnes For-þy quod conscience crist I þe be-teche With pacience wil I passe parfitnesse to fynde And wenten furþe In her way with gret wil I folowed þan had Pacience as pilgrimes han In his poke vitailes ... was Soberte and sympel speche and soþefaste bileue To comforte hym and conscience ȝef þei come In place diuers ca.. talk of dowell þer vnkendnesse and couatice ben hungri contreis boþe And as þei wente be the way of Dowel þei gon carpe þei mette with a mynstral as me þo þouȝt Pacience apposed hym and preied he schuld telle What craft þat he cowþe and curtaisly he seide I am a mynstral quod þis man my name is actiua vita nota Piers prentis þe plouȝman alle peple to comfort What maner Minstralcy my dere frende quod conscience Hast þow vsed and haunted al þi lif tyme Mynstralcy can I nouȝt much bot make men merie As awaferera waferer with wafers and welcome god-is gestes Of my laboure þei lawh þe lesse and þe more þe pore and the Riche I plese and payn fynde And few Robes I fynde or furred gounes Wold I liȝe and do men lawhe lach I schuld Oþer mantil or money among oþer Minstrals I can nouȝt tabour no trompe ne telle feire gestes Farten no feþelen at feestes no harpen Iapen and Iangelen ne gentillich pipen No neiþer sotellen no sautrien no sing with þe giterne I haue no gode giftes of þes gret lordes Ne were hit for þe parisch preieþ for me on sonedaies I am sory þat I sette or sowȝe bot for my-self on Bot þe preest and oþer peple prey for piers plouȝman And for my name is actif þat Idolnesse hateþ Lordes and lorelles leþer and gode Fro mischelmesse to mischelmesse I fynde mete and drink I fynde payne for þe pope and prey hym I wold þat peestelence to pees and parfit loue meuen For fonde I þat his blissing and his bulle myȝt Leche þes leþer and seþþe þe seke also As the boke bereþ witnesse þat he bere myȝt In his mowþe mercy and amende vs alle Super egros manus ponebant & bene habebant And þan wold I be besy and buxsom to helpe Ich a kende creature þat on crist liueþ For seþ he haþe þe powere þat peter had & hath þe pot with þe s[] Argentum et aurum non est michi quod autem habeo tibi do Bot ȝif mirthe of myracle faile it is for men be nouȝt To haue grace of god and gold of þe peple For may no blissing do vs bote bot we wol a-mende No mannes preiere make pees bot among cristen peple Til pride be purely for-done and þat þorow payn defaute Ex habundancia panis & vin turpissimum peccatum ad-uenit Plente of payn the peple of sodomor And Rest and Riche metes Rebawdes hem made Pees quod pacience I prey ȝow sire Actif For þouȝ neuer payn no plowȝe no potage were Pride wold put hym-self froþe þouȝ no plowþ eried It am I þat fynde alle folk and from hunger saue þorouȝ help of hym þat me hider sente And seide lo here liflode I-now ȝef oure beleue be trewe al thyng bay...provyded for For lent neuer was þer lif bot liflode were schape Wher-of and wher-fore and wher-with to leuen þe worme þat woneþ vnder erþe and In þe water fisches þe cryket be kynde of þe fire the curlew be þe wynde Beestes be greyn of þe gras and be grene Rotes In menyng þat alle men myȝt be saued And leue þorouȝ leel be-leue as oure lorde witnesseþ Quodcumque pecieritis in nomine meo a patri dabit ipse vobis ȝt alibi Non in solo pane viuit homo set ab omni verbo quod procedit ab ore dei Hast þow quod actif any such mete with þe ȝa quod pacience and out of his poke hente pacience hade this meat A pece of þe pater noster and proferd it to vs alle And I listened and loked what liflode hit were And þan was hit fiat voluntas tua þat schuld fynde vs alle Haue actif quod pacience and ete þis whan þe hungreþ Or when þow clomsest for colde or cleuyst for any drouȝt And schal neuer gromes greue þe no gret lordes wraþþe Presoun no oþer payne for pacientes vincunt Be so þat þou be sober of siȝt and of tung In etyng and In handeling and alle þi fyue wittes Comforth in aduercyte .. Dar þe nouȝt care for no corn for cloþe no for drink No deþ drede no deuel to die as god likeþ Weþer for hunger or hete at his wille be hit For ȝeue þou leuist after his lore þo schorter lif þe better si quis amat christum mundum non diligit astertum þorow his breþ beestes wex and a-boute ȝeden Dixit et facta sunt Ergo þorouȝ his breþ beestes wex bothe men and fisches As witnesseþ holi writ whan we seyen oure graces Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne animal & cetera It is founden þat fourty wynter folke leued & telied nou[] And out of þe flynt sprong þe flode þat folke beestes drink And In Elies tyme heuen was I-closed þat no Reyn no Reyned þus tratte men In bokes þat many wynters men leued and no mete ne telyd Seuen slept seiþ þe boke mo þan sexty wynter And leued with-out liflode and at laste a-waked ...mesurly...no want And ȝef men leued as mesure wold schuld neuer Among cristen creautres ȝef cristes wordes be trewe Dabo tibi secundum peticionem tuam With his parfite penaunce quod Actiua vita Mekenes and milde speche and men of on wille Loue Leadyth to heven þe wich wil loue lede to oure lordes place And þat is charite champioun chef of alle vertues And þat is pore pacience al pereles to suffer Weþer pouert and pacience plese more god al-myȝty þen Riȝtfullich Richesse and Resonable to dispende ȝa quis est ille quod pacience Et laudabimus eum þouȝ men Rede of Riche men to þe worldis ende þat whan he draweþ to þe dred þat he ne drede hym so[] þan any pacient and þat preue I be resoun It arn but few folke In þis Riche þat þei fallen In a-Reage þer þe pore dar plete and preue hit be pure Resoun To haue a-lowance of his lorde be pure lawe he cleyme[] Ioie þat neuer-more hadde of Riȝtful Iugge askeþ And seide lo birdes and beestes þat no blis no knoweth And wilde wormes In wodes þorouȝ wynters þow hem greuest And makest hem ful meke and mylde for defaute And after þow sendest hem somer þat is her souereigne Ioie And blis to alle þat ben boþe wilde and tame þan may beggers and beestes after a blisse aske þat al her lif haþe leued In langour and defauȝte Bot god sente hym som-tyme som Maner of Ioie aftur a delict of sowrow .. S Oþer here or elles-where elles hit were Rewþe For to wroþerhele was he wrouȝt þat neuer was In ioye For diues in his deyntes leued and In doute And now bieþ hit bitterly he is a begger In helle Many men haue her ioye here for her wel dedes And lordes and ladies ben called for londes þat þei hauen And slepen as hem-self likeþ and somer euer hem foloweþ Bot whan deþ a-wakeþ hem of her wele þat were are so Riche þan are hit pure pore þinges In purcatory oþer In helle Dauyþ In þe sauter of such makeþ mende And carpe Dormierunt et nichil in-venerunt et alibi velud sompnum surgencium & cetera Passus sexus de Dowelle Allas þat Richesse schal Reue and Robbe mannes soule Fro þe loue of oure lord atte þe laste ende Hewen þat haue her here be-fore arn euer-more pore And selde dieþ out of dette þat dyneþ or he deserue hit Whan his deuer is done and his daies Iorney þan men may wete what he is worþe and what he haþe deserued Bot nouȝt to fonde to-forn for drede of disseiuyng So I sey be ȝow Riche þat semeþ nouȝt þat ȝe schul Haue two heuenes for ȝoure here leuyng Much mirthe is In may among þe wilde beestes And so forþe while somer lasteþ her solas dureþ And much merþe among Riche men is þat haue mebel Inow & Bot Beggers about Midsomer breedles þei soupe And ȝit is winter wel wors for wete-schod þei gon Afrist a-fingred and foule Rebuked Of þes worldlich men þat Reuþe is to here Now lorde sende hem somer som-tyme to solase and ioie þat al her lif leden In lowȝnesse and pouert discripson of dowell dobet & dobest For alle myȝtest þow haue made men of much welþe And I-lich witty and wis and leue with-out nede For þe best as I hope arn som pore and som Riche Riȝt so haue Reuþe of þy Renkes alle And amende vs of þy mercy and make vs meke echon Low and leele and louyng and of hert pore And sende vs contriscion to clense oure soules And confescion to kille alkynne synnes And satisfaccioun þat suffiseþ þe fader wel of heuen And þes beþ Dowel and Dobet and Dobest of alle Contriscio cordis comeþ of sorow hert And oris confescio þat comeþ of schreft of mouþ Satisfaccio for soulis paieþ and alle soules quiteþ Cordis contriscio oris confescio operis satisfaccio þes þre with-out doute þoleþ alle pouert And serueþ lered and lewde hiȝe and lowe to knowe Who doþe wel or bette or best a-boue alle Holichirch and charite here-of a charter made And bot þes þre þat I spak of at domesday vs defende Elles is alle an ydel doing al oure leuyng here Oure preiers and oure penaunces and oure pilgrimage to Bot oure spence and oure spending spring a trewe Elles is al oure laboure loste lo how men writeþ In fenestres at freres is fals be þe fundement For cristen schuld be In comoun Riche ne coueitouse be hym-selue For seuen sinnes þat þer ben þat assaile vs euer þe fende foloweþ hem alle and fondeþ hem for to helpe Bot with Richesse þe Rebawdes raþest men be-gile For þer Richesse reigneþ reuerense foloweþ And þat In plesaunt to pride in pore and In Riche And þe Riche is reueraunsed be cause of his Richesse And þe pore is put be-hynde and peraunter can more Off witte and of wisdom þat ferre wey is better þan Richesse of Rialte and Raþer herde In heuen For þe Riche haþe much to Rekenne and riȝt soft walkeþ þe hiȝe wey to heuen-warde and holt nauȝt ful euen þer þe pore preseþ be-fore with a pakke at hsRigge Opera eorum secuntur illos Betauntlich as beggers doþe and boldelich he craueþ For his pouert and his penaunce parpetuel ioye And pride and Richesse Reigneþ Raþer þan pouert pryde & Riches Or In þe maister or In þe man som mension he haueþ But In pouert þer is pacience pride haþe no myȝt pacient pouerte Ne non of þe seuen synnes sitte may þer longe Ne haue power In pouert ȝef paciens folow For þe pore is ay prest to plese þe Riche And buxsom at his biddyng for his bred and his drink And buxsomnesse and boste ar euer-more at werre And eiþer hateþ hoþer and may nouȝt wonne to-geders ȝef wraþ wrastel with þe pore he haþe þe wors ende And ȝef þei oþe pleyn þe pore is bot feble And ȝef he chide or chater hym titeþ þe wors For louelich he lokeþ and lowȝ is of speche þat mete for money of strong men mot bigge ȝef glotonye greue pouert he geteþ þe lesse For his Rentes wol nouȝt Reche Riche metes to bigge And þowȝ his glotenye be of gode ale he goþe to þe cold beddyng And his hede on-heled on-eselich I-wried For whan he streineþ hym to strech þe straw is his schetis So for glotonye and his gret synne he hath a greuows penauns þat is wel-a-wey whan he wakeþ he wepeþ for colde So is he neuer-more ful mery so myschef hym foloweþ And þow coueitice wold with þe pore wrastel þei may nouȝt And Be þe nek namely non may hent oþer For men knowe þat coueitice is of a kynde wille And haþe hondes and armes of a long lengþe And pouertis bot pite þing a-pereþ nouȝt to his nauell{barred} A louely laike was hitte neuer be-twen a long and a schort And þowȝ auarice wold anger pouert he haþ but litel miȝt For pouert haþ but bagges to put In his bokes And auarice haþ almaries and Iron-bound cofers And weþer is better to breke lesse bost hit makeþ To breke a beggers bagge or an Iron-bound cofer And lechorie loueþ no pore for he haþ but litel siluer Ne doþe men dyne delitabely no drink wyn ofte A straw for þe stewes had þei no haunt bot of pore And þouȝ slewþ sende pouert and serue nouȝt god to paye Mischef is a mene and makeþ hym to þink þat god is grettest help and no gome elles And he is seruaunt al-wey he seiþ and of his sute boþe And wheþer he be or nouȝt be he haþ þe signe of pouert pacient pouerte may cle...heuen Blesse And In þat sette our saueour saued alle men-kynde After her endyng here heuen-Riche blisse much bettur much her that setteh me..love ..by lordshepe Much hardier may he aske þat here myȝt haue his wille In londe and In lordschep In lekyng of body And for god-is loue leueþ alle and leueþ as a begger As a mayde for a man-is loue her moder for-sakeþ Her fader and alle her frendes and goþe with her par-amour Much is such a maide to loue of man þat sche oon takeþ More þan þat maiden is þat is maried be brokage As be a-sent of sondry persones and seluer to bote More for couetice of catel þan kende loue of Mariage So it fareþ be euery apersonea persone þat possessioun for-sakeþ And putteþ hym to be pacient and pouert weddeþ þ whiles is sybbe to crist hym-self ensemblabel to boþe Quod actif þo alle angerlich and argueng as hit were What is pouert pacience quod he I pray þe þat þow tel hit Paupertas quod pacience est odibile bonum remocio curarum possescio sine calumpnia donum dei sanitatis mater absque Solicitudine semita sapiencie temporatus negocium sine dampno merita fortuna absque solitudine felicitas I can nouȝt constrew alle þis quod Actiua vita Parfitly quod pacience properly to tel hit Al þis In englisch is ful hard bot som-what I schal telle þe Pouert is þe first poynt þat pride most hateþ þan is pouert gode be gode skille þouȝ hit greue a litel Alle þat may putte of pride In any place þer he Reineþ Remocio curarum schuld sette pouert þe soþe to declar : Or as a Iustice to Iuge men ne mynister vnder þe kyng Selde is any pore Iputte to ponesch any peple Ergo pouert and pore men parforme þe comaundement Nolite iudicare quemquam Possessio sine calumpnia Selde is þe pore Riȝt Riche bot of his Riȝtful eritage Wynneþ he nouȝt with weyȝtis fals ne with on-seled messours No boroweþ nouȝt of Neyȝborous but þat he may wel paie þe fourþe is fortune þat norscheþ þe soule With soberte from alle synnes and also ȝit more Hit defendeþ þe flesch fro folies many A colletral comfort crist-is owne sonde Seneca pauper est absque solitudine Semita It semeþ hit is awela wel of wisdom and few wordes scheweþ For lordes aloweþ hym litel or lerȝeþ ere to his Resoun He tempreþ his tung to trewþe-ward þat no tresour co[] þe viijeyȝte is a leel laborer and loþe to take more þan he may soþely deserue In somer or In wynter And þouȝ he chaffare he chargeþ no losse may he charite wy[] Negocium sine dampno þe ixnythe is swete to soules no suger swetter For pacience is panter and pouert payn he fyndeþ Soberte ȝeueþ her swete drinkes and solaseþ her In al an[] þes lered In alerneda lerned man for our lordes loue seint Austyn þat pouert and pacience was a lowȝe leuyng on erþe Ablesseda blessed lif with-out besinesse bot only for þe soule Solitudine felicitas Now god þat al ȝeueþ graunt his soule Reste discripcioun of ...well þat wrot þus to wise men what pouert was to mene þan Actif aledera leder þat hiȝt liberum arbitrium He knew conscience ful wel and clergie boþe He þat haþe londe and lordschep quod he at þe last ende Schal be porest of power at his parting hennes þan had I wonder what he was þat liberum arbitrium And preied pacience þat I appose hym Miȝt And he sufferd me and seide assay his oþer name Leue liberum arbitrium quod I of what londe are ȝe And ȝeue þow be cristis creature for cristis loue tel me I am crist-is creature quod he and cristen In many places And In crist-is courte I-knowe wele and of his kynne apartya party Is neiþer Peter þe porter ne poule with þe faucoun þat wol defende me heuen dore dyne I neuer so late At mydniȝt at mydday my voice is so I-knowe þat euery creature þat loueþ crist welcomeþ me faire Wher-of serue ȝe I seide sir liberum arbitrium Of som tyme to fiȝt quod he falsnesse to distroie And som tyme to suffer boþe sorowe and tene Layke oþer leue at my likyng chese To do wele oþer wikke I wil with Resoun And may nouȝt be without a body to bere me wher hym likeþ þan is þat body better þan þou nay quod he no better Bot as a wode wer In fere þan worch þei boþe anima And eiþer is oþer-is hete and also of wille And so is man þat haþe his myȝt liberum Arbitrium And whiles I am quikke In þe cors I am cald Anima And whan I wilne and wolde animus I hatte And for I can knowe Icalde i am Mannes þouȝt And whan I make mone to god memoria I hatte And whan I deme domes and do as trewþe telleþ þan is my riȝt name Reson In englesch And whan I fele þat folk telleþ my first name is sensus And þat is wisdom and witte þe welle of alle craftes And whan I chalenge or nauȝt chalange clepe or Refse þan am I conscience called god-is clerk and his notorie And whan I wol do or nouȝt do good dede or Ille þan am I liberum Arbitrium as letterd men me calleþ And whan I loue leely our lorde and Alle oþer þenne is leel loue my name In latyn amor And I fle fro the body and leue þe careyn þan am I spiritus specheles and spiritus þan I hote Autyn and Isedro eiþer of hem boþe Nempned me þus be name now miȝtest þou chese How þow coueitest to calle me now þou knowest al my names Anima pro diuersis accionibus diuersa nomina sortitur Dum viuificat corpus anima est Dum vult animus est Dum recolit memoria est Dum iudicat racio est Dum declinat de malo ad bonum liberum ar bitrium est Dum negat vel consentit consciencia est Dum spirat Spiritus est ȝe beþ as Bischops quod I al louring þat tyme For Bischops blessen þat bere many names Presul et pontifex et metripolitanus And oþer names an hepe Episcopus et Pastor þat is soþe he seide now I se þi wille þow woldest know and conne þe cause of alle her names And of Myn ȝef þow miȝtest me þinkeþ be þi speche ȝa sir I seide be so no man wer agreued Alle þe sciences vnder sonne and alle þe sotelle craftes I wold I knew and cowþe kindelich In myn hert Ert þow Inparfit quod he and on of pride-is kniȝtis For such a lust and a likyng lucifer fel fro heuen Ponam pedem in aquilone It were a-ȝens kende quod he and al kynnnes Resoun þat any creatue schuld connenable excepte crist oon A-ȝens wich salamon spekeþ and dispiseþ her wittes And saiþ sicut qui mel comedit multum non est bonum Sic qui Scrutator est maiestatis opprimatur a gloria On englisch þis is to mene to men þat mowe speke and he[] þat man þat much hony eteþ his mawȝe is engleymed þat wittier þan any is bot ȝef he wirche þer-after þe bitterer he schal abigge bot ȝef he wol wirche Beatus seiþ seint Bernard qui scripturas legit Et verba conuertit in opera after his power Science appetitus hominem in-mortalitatis gloria spoliauit Couatice to conne science put out of paradis Adam and Eue And Riȝt as honye is euel to defie Riȝt so to much science swelleþ mannes soule And doþe hym to be deynouse and deyn þat beþ nouȝt lered Non plus sapere seide þe wise Quam oportet sapere lest synne of pride wex Freres selle tymes to þe folk þei prechen Meuen Motiues many insolibles and In fallaes þat boþe lered and lewde her beleue doten To ten comaundementes ten siþe were better And how þat folely her fyue wittes misppenden als wel freres as oþer folke follilich spendyng In her howsyng and hiȝe clergie schewyng More for pompe and pride as þe pepel wot wel þat I liȝe nouȝt loo for lordes ȝe plese And reuerence þe Riche þe Raþer for her seluer Aȝens þe consceile of crist as holi writ witnesseþ Ne sitis acceptatus persona Lo how holi writ witnesseþ of wikked techers As holinesse and honeste out of holichirch Springeþ and spredeþ and enspireþ þe peple þorouȝ presthode and prelates of holichirche Riȝt so out of holi chirch al euel spredeþ In presthode arn prechers and techers And se hit be ensaumpel In somer tyme on trees þer som bowes beren leues and som bere none Bowes þat bereþ nouȝt and be nouȝt grene leued þer is a myschef In þe Rote of such maner stokkes Riȝt so persones and parisch preestes & prechours of holichirch Is þe Rote of Riȝt faiþe to Rewle þe peple Bot þer þe Rote is Roten Resoun wot þe soþe Schal neuer flour ne froite wexe no faire lef be grene For wold ȝe letterd leue leccherie and cloþing And be curtaise and kende of holichirch godes Parte with þe pore and ȝoure pride leue And þer-to trew of ȝoure tung and of ȝoure taile also And haten harlottrie and nouȝt vnderfong þe tiþes Of vsurie of hores and of euel wynnynges Loþe were þe lewde bot þei ȝoure lore folowed And a-mended of her Misdedes more for ȝoure ensaumple þan for to preche and preue hit nouȝt ypocrisy it semeþ Ipocrisy is a braunche of pride and most a-mong clerkes And is likened In latyn to a loþely dung hepe þat wer be-snowed al with snowe and snakes with-Inne Or to a walle wiȝt-lymed and wer blak with-Inne Riȝt so many preestes and prelates þat ben enbawmed with bele paroles and with bele cloþes And as lambes þei loken and leue as wolues Iohanes Crisostomis carpeþ þus of clergie Sicut de templo omne . bonum progreditur sic de templo omne malum procedit si sacerdocium integrum fuerit tota floret ecclesia si autem corupta fuerit omnis fides matida est si sacerdes fuerit in peccato totus populus conuertitur ad peccandum vt cum videris arborem pallidam et macram in-teligis quod habet vicium in Radice Ia cum videris populum indisci-plinatum et irriligiosum sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanum Allas lewd men much lese ȝe þat fynde Onkunnyng curatours to keper of ȝour soules Bot þing þat wikkedly is wonnen and with fals sleiȝtis Wold neuer oþer-wise god bot wikked men hit hadde As inparfite preestes prechours After seluer Secatours and souþdenys sompnours and her lemmans And þat with gile was gete vngraciously mys-spended Curatours of holi kirk and clerkes þat ben Auerouse Liȝtliche þat þei leuen loselles hit deuouren Leueþ hit lordes boþe lewde and lered þat þus gon her godes at þe laste ende þat leuen a-ȝen holi lore and þe loue of charite Charite quod I þo þat is þing for soþe Charitas þat maisters comende much wher may hit be founde I haue leued In london Many long ȝeres And fande I neuer In faiþ as freres precheth hit Charite he chargeþ nouȝt ne to chide þouȝ men greue hym As poul In his pistel of hym bereþ wittenesse Non in-flatur non est ambiciosa I knew neuer be crist clerk neiþer lewde þat he ne asked after his and oþerwhiles coueited þing þat neded hym nouȝt nym it ȝef he myȝt For þouȝ men souȝt þe sectis of sistren and breþern þei fynde hem bot furatif a ferly me þinkeþ Hic in enagmato tunc facie ad faciem And so I trowȝe trewly be þat men tellen of charite Charite is a childisch þing as holiwrit witnesseþ Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli & cetera Als proude of apenya peny as of a pounde of Gold Als gladde of a gowne of a gray Russette As of a cote of camaca or of clene scarlette He is glad with alle gladde as girles þat lawȝen alle And sory whan he seþ men sory as þou seest children Lawȝ þer men lawȝen and loure þer men louren And whan a man swereþ forsoþe he it troweþ Weniþ þat no wye wold liȝe and swere No þat any gom þat wold gile oþer greue For drede of god þat gode is and þus-gates vs techeþ Quodcumque vuultus vt faciant vobis homines facite eis Haþe no liking to liȝe ne to lawȝe men to scorne Alle sekenesse and sorowȝe for solace he it takeþ And alle maner of myschef to Mynstralcy of heuen Of deþ ne of derþe dred was he neuer No mysliked þouȝ he lore and lened þat Ilke þat neuer paiȝed peny a-ȝen In places þer he borowed Who fynt hym his food quod I or what frendes haþe he Rents or Richesse to Releue hym at nede Off Rentes no Richesse Reccheþ he neuer Aperis tu manum tuam e cetera al þing hym fyndeþ fiat voluntas tua feesteþ hym euery day And also he can clergie Credo in deum patrem He preieþ wel þe Pater noster and peinteþ hit wth Aues þer pore men and presonnes bene and pay for her fode Cloþeþ hem comforteþ hem and of crist precheþ hem What sorowes he sufferde In ensaumple of vs alle þat pouert and pacience paciently taken þer worþ much merite to þat man þat it may sffer And whan he haþe þus viseited fettred folke & pore peanuntes þan ȝerneþ he In-to ȝougthe and ȝeplich he secheþ Pride with al þe partenaunce pakkeþ hem to-gederes And laueþ hem In þe laundry laboraui In gemitu meo Bowkeþ hem at his brest and betiþ hit ofte And with warme water of his eyȝen wascheþ hym til he w[] Lauabis me super niuem deawabor And þan syngeþ he whan he do so and som tyme wepeþ Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies Wer I with hym be crist quod I wolde I neuer fro hym þouȝ I my breed schuld begge about at men haches Wheþer clerkes know hym ouȝt quod I þat kepen holichirch Piers þe plouȝman most parfitlich hym knoweth Et vidit deus cogitaciones eorum By cloþing no be carping know schalt þow neuer But þorouȝ werkes þow myȝt wete wher forþe he walkeþ Operibus credite He is þe meriest of mowþe at mete þer he sitteþ And compenabel In companye as crist hymself techeþ Nolite tristes fieri sicut ypocrisy I haue seyn hym my-self som tyme In Russette Bothe In greey and In gris and In gilt harneis And also gladly he ȝaf to gomes þat hit neded Edmond and Edward eiþer wer seyntis And ches charite with hem and chaste alle her lyue I haue seyn charite also syng and Rede Ride and Renne In Ragged cloþes Bot biddyng as a begger be-helde I hym neuer Bot In þe Richest Robes Raþest e walkeþ Called and cremeled and his croun schaue And In a faire frok hewas founde ones But hit is fer and fele ȝeres In fraunces tyme In þat Cite seþ to selde haþe be founde Riche men he recomendeþ and of her Robes takeþ Of þo þat leely leuen and louen and beleuen Beatus est diues sine macula In kynges court he comeþ ȝef his counseil be trewe Among þe comouns In contre he comeþ but selde For brauglyng and bagbityng and beryng of fals witnesse In constarie be-fore þe comissarie he come2 nouȝt ful ofte For ouerlong is her lawe bot ȝef þei lache seluer With Bischopes he wil bande for Beggers sake Bot Auarice oþer-whiles halt hym with-out þe gate Kynges and cardenales knewe hem som tyme Bot þorouȝ coueitice and his conseile conged is he ofte And who-so coueiteþ to knowe hym such a kynde him foloweþ As I tolde þe with tong a litel tyme passed For neiþer he biddeþ no beggeþ no boroweþ to ȝelde He holt it for AuiceA uiceand for a foule schame To begge and to borowe but of god oon Panem nostrum cotidianum & cetera Passus septimus de Dowel et explicit Incipit D[] THer is non such þat som tyme ne boroweþ Oþer beggeþ oþer biddeþ be he Riche or pore And ȝit oþer-while wroþe with-out any synne Who is wroþ and wold be a-wreke quod holi writ proueþ He passeþ chef charite ȝef holichirch be trewe Caritas omnia suffert Holi writ witnesseþ þer wer such ermytes Solitari be hem-self in her celles lyued With-out borowyng or beggyng bot of god oon Except quod Egide a hynde oþer-while To his selle selde come and suffred be milked Elles foules fedde hym In friþ þer þei woned Boþe Antony and Arsony and oþer wel many Poul Primus ermita had plokked hym-self þat no man myȝt se hym for mosse and for leues Foules hym fedde ȝef freres Austyns be trewe For he ordeined þat order or elles þe gabbe Pul after his preching panyers he made And wan with his hondes al þat hym nedeþ Peter fisched for his food and his fere Andrewe Som þei sode some þei solde and so þei leued boþe Marie Mawdeleyn leued be mere-is Milk and Ewes Loue and leel beleue held lif and soule to-geders Maria egipciaca ete In þritti wynter Bot þre litel loues and lef was her soule I can nouȝt Reken hem Riȝt nowe no Reherse her names þat leued þus for oure lordes loue Many long ȝeres Without borowyng or biddyng or þe boke lieth And woneþ In wildernesse among wilde beestes Bot durst no best bite hem be day no be niȝt Bot myldely whan þei metten maden lowȝe chere And feire be-fore þe men fawned with her tailes Bot beestes brouȝt hem no mete bot oonly þe foules In tokenyng þat trewe man al tyme schuld Fynde honest men and holi and oþer Riȝtful peple For wold neuer faiþful god þat freres and monkes token Liflode of leþer wynnynges In al her lif tyme As witnesseþ holi writte what Tobie seide to his wif Whan he was blinde and be drede and herde a lombe lete Wif be war quod he what haue we her-Inne Lord leue quod þat lede þat no stole þing leue here vide ne furtum sit et alibi Melius est mori quam male viuere þis is no more to mene bot men of holichirch Schuld Reseiue Riȝt nouȝt bot þat Riȝt wold all prelattes And refuse reuerenses and Raueynes offerrynges þan wold lordes and ladies be loþe to agilt And to take of her tenauntes more þan trewþe wold And Marchaundis wold be Merciabel and Men of lawe boþe þenne wold Religiouns refuse Rauenours offerynges þan grace schuld growe ȝit and gret loue wexen And charite þat chelde-is is nowe schuld chaufe of hym [] And comfote al cristen wold holi chirch amende Iob þe parfite patriarke þis prouerbe wrote and tauȝt To make men loue mesure þat monkes ben and freres Numquam dicit Iob ruget onager cum habuerit herbam aut muget bos cum ante plenum precipe steterit brutorun animalium natura te condempnat quia cum pabulum comune sufficiat ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua ȝef lewde men knew þis latyn a litel þei wold a-vise hem Or þei Mortused any more for monk or for chanoun Allas lordes and ladies lewde conseile haue ȝe To feffe such and fede þat found beþ to þe fulle Bot þat ȝour barnes and ȝour blode be gode lawe may [] For god bad his blessed children as þe boke techeþ Honora patrem et matrem & cetera To helpe þi fader formest be-for freres or Monkes Or preestes or pardoners or any pepel elles Help þi kyn crist bitte for þer be-gynneþ charite Lo lauence for his largenes as holi lawe telleþ þat his mede and his Manhode for euer-more schal laste Iusticia eius manet in eternum He ȝaf god-is men god-is godes and nouȝt to gret lordes And fedde þat fyngred were and In defaute leued I dar nouȝt carpe of clerkes now þat cristes tresour þat pore peple be pure Riȝt her part mot aske Of þat holichirch of þe olde lawȝe cleymeþ Preestes on aparaile on parnel now spenden Men May now liken letterd men to luschboroues or And to a bad peny with a gode prente Of much money þat is made þe Metalle is nouȝt And ȝit þe prente is pure trewe and profitable I-graue And so hit fareþ be fals cristen her fullyng is trewe Cristendom of holi chirch þe kynges mark of heuen Bot þe metalle þat is mannes soule of many of þes techers Is alaied with lechorie and oþer lustes of synne Bot god coueiteþ nouȝt þe Coyne þat crist hym-self prented And for þe synne of þe soule for-sakeþ his own Coyne þus arn þe leþer lekened to luschborn sterlinges þat feire be-fore folk prechen and techen And wircheþ nouȝt as þei fynde I write and wisse þe peple For what þorouȝ werre and wrake and wikked heuedes May no prechour pees make In no place as hit semeþ Lewd men haue non beleue so letterd men erren Neiþer se no sonde no þe sede ȝeldeþ Nouȝt In god þat he nis gode and þe ground boþe And þe see and þe seed to sonne and to mone Don her deuer nyȝt and day ded we so als þer schuld be plente and pees parpetuel euer Wonder-wise schipmen now and oþer witty pepel Haue no beleue to þe lif no to þe lode sterre Astronymyes al day In her art failen þat whilom warned folk be-fore what schuld falle after Schipmen and schepardis be þe schene sterres Wisten wel and tolde when It schuld Reyne Teliers þat telied þe erþe tolde her Maistres Be þe seed þat þei sewe what þei selle myȝt And what lyue by and leue þe londe was so trewe Now faile þes folke boþe foulers and schipmen Neiþer þei know ne conne o course be a-noþer Astronemyes also arn at her wittes ende Of þat was cakeled In þe contre þe contrarie þei fynde Gramere þe ground of alle be-gileþ now þe children For þer nys none who-so nymmeþ hede can vercifie feir or f[] Ne þat con constrew kyndely þat poetes made Go we now to any degre bot gile he holde amaistera maister And flaterer for his vscher aferlya ferly me þinkeþ Doctours of degre and of diuinite maisters þat schuld þe seuen artes conne and assoile a quodliet Bot þei faile In þe philosophie þat philosopheres leueden Lorde leue þat þes preestes leelly seiþ her masse þat þei ouer-hippe nouȝt for hast as I hope þei do nouȝt þouȝ hit suffise to oure saluacioun soþefast beleue As clerkes in corpus christi first syngen an Reden þat sola fides sufficit to saue with lewde peple Bot ȝef preestesbdoþe her deuer wel we schul do þe better For sarezines may be saued so ȝef þei so beleue In þe letyng of her lif to leue on holichirche What is holy chirch quod I dere frende he seide Leue and loue lewte In o beleue of lawe A luf-knotte of lewte and of leel beleue Alkynne cristen cleuyng on o wille With-out gile and gabbyng geue and selle lene and loue Lawe with-out lewte alowable was hit neuer God lereþ no lif to loue with-oute leel cause Iewes and Ientil sarezines iuggen hem-seluen þat leellych þei beleuen and ȝit her law diuerseþ And o god þat alle be-gan with gode hert þei honouren And eiþer loueþ and beleueþ on o god almyȝty Bot our lorde loueþ no lif bot lawe be þe cause For lechours leuen a-ȝen þe lawe and at þe laste be dampned And þeues louen and lewte haten and atte laste be honged And leel men lawe techen and lawe þer-of a-Riseþ þe wich is þe heued of charite and hele of mannes soule dilige deum propter deum et propter veritatem et ini-micium tuum propter mandatum id est propter legem et amicum propter amorem id est propter caritatem Loue god for he is good and ground of alle trowþe Loue þin enemye enterly gois hest to fulfille Loue þi frende þat foloweþ þi wille þat is þi faire soule For whan alle frendes failen and fleen a-way In doyng þe seweþ þi soule to sorow or to Ioie And ay hopeþ for to be with her body at laste In mirþe and In mornyng and neuer eft departe And þat is charite leue childe to be chere ouer þi-selue Contrarie her nouȝt as In conscience ȝef þou wolt come In heuen Wheþer sarezines I seide se nouȝt waht is charite It may be so þat sarezines han such amanera maner of charite Louen as be lawe of kynde our lord god al-myȝty It is kendely þing euery creature his creatoure honour For þer nys man þat mende haþe þat ne mekeþ hym and be-secheþ To þat lorde þat hym lif lente and liflode hym sent Bot many maner of men þer beþ as sarezines and Iewes Leueþ nouȝt on our lord ariȝt as be þe legend sanctorum And leuen out of leel beleue for þei leuen on A mene As a man þat hiȝt Machomet for messie þei hym holde And after his lernyng þei leue and be lawe of kynde And whan kende haþe his cours and contrarie fyndeþ þanne is lawe I-loste and lewte on-knowe Beaute saunz bounte blissed was hit euer No kynde saunz curteisie In no contre is preised Men fynt þat Machomet was a man Icristened And a cardenale of court a gret clerk withalle And pursewed to haue ben pope prince of holichirche But for he was like a luschborn I leue our lorde hym lefte For-þi he souȝt In surrey and sotelled how he myȝt Be maister ouer al þes men and In þis maner he wrouȝt He endawnted hym a dowu and day and nyȝt her fedde In eiþer of his eres preualich he hadde Corn þat þe coluer ete whan he come In places and In what place he preched and þe pepel tauȝt þan schuld þe coluer come to þe clerkes ere Menyng as after mete þus Machomet her enchaunted And whan þe culuer come þus þan kneled þe peple For Machomet to men sware hit was amessengera messenger of heuen And soþelich god hym-self In such a culuer likenesse Tolde hym and tauȝt hym how to teche þe peple þus Machomet In mysbeleue man and woman brouȝt And on his lore þei leue ȝit as wel lered as lewde And seþ oure saueour sufferde such a falsbcristene Disseiue so þe sarezines soþely me þinkeþ Holy men as I hope þorouȝ help of þe holigost Schuld conuerte hem to cristen and cristendom to take Allas þat men so long on Machomet beleueþ So many prelates to preche as þe pope makeþ Of Nazareth and of Niniue of Neptalym and Damask þat þei ne went In-to þe world as holi writ bitte Ite invniuersum mundum & cetera Seþen ȝe wilneþ þe name of prelates and preche þe passioun of And as hym-self seide so leue and dye Bonus pastor ponit animam suam pro ouibus suis It is Rewþe to Rede how Riȝt holi men leued How þei for-soke her flesch and folowed her own wille Fer fro kiþ and fro kynne euel cloþed þei ȝede Badlich I-bedded no boke but her conscience Ne no Richesse bot þe Rode to Reioyse hem Inne Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri ihesu christi And þo was pees and plente among pore and Riche a pointing hand And now is Rewþe to Rede how þe Reed nobel Is receiued be-fore þe Rode and Reuerensed for þe worþier To amende and to make as men of holichirche þan crist-is cros þat ouer-come deþ and deedly synne And now is werre and wo and who-so whi askeþ For couatise after a cros þe croun stondeþ In gold Boþe Riche and Religiouns þat Rood þei honouren þat In grotes is graue and In gold nobels For couatice of þat cros clerkes of holichirche Schul ouerturne as þe templers ded þe tyme approcheþ faste Mynne ȝe nouȝt ȝe letterd men how þat men honoured More tresoure þan trewþe I dar nouȝt tel þe soþe How þe cursed cristen catelle and Richesse worscheped Resoun and riȝtful dome þe religiouns dampned Riȝt so clerkes þorouȝ couetice or come ouȝt long Schal condempne dos ecclesie and depose ȝow fro ȝour pride Deposuit potentes de sede & cetera ȝif kniȝthode and kynde witte and þe comoun and conscience to-geder Loueden leelich leueþ hit wel Bischopes þe lordschep of londes lese ȝe schal for euer And leuen as leuitici ded and as our lorde techeþ Per prouincias et decimas & cetera Whan constantine of his curtasie holichirche dewed With londes and ledes lordschipes and Rentes An aungel men herde an hiȝe at Rome crie Dos ecclesie þis day haþe dronk venym And þat haue Petrus Power arn poisoned alle AmedecyneA medecyne must þer-to þat myȝt amende þe prelates þat schuld preie for þe pees and possessioun hem leteþ Take her londes ȝe lordes and let hem leue be dymes ȝef þe kinges coueite in cristes pees to leue For ȝef possessioun be poyson and inparfite hem make þe heuedes of holichirche and þo þat beth vnder hym It were charite to discharge hem for holichirch sake And purge of þe olde poisoun or more perile falle For wer presthode more parfite þat is þe pope formast þat with money mainteneþ men to werre vp-on cristen A-ȝens þe lore of oure lorde as seint luc witnesseþ Michi vindictam & cetera His preiers with his pacience to pees schuld bring Alle londes In-to loue and þat In litel while þe pope with alle preestes Pax vobis schuld make And take hede how makemet þorow a Mild dowue Hadde alle surre as hym-self wold and sarezines In quiete Nouȝt þorouȝ mannes slauȝter & mannes strengthe Machomet [] Bot þorouȝ pacience and preue gile he was prince ouer hem al[] In such maner me þinkeþ most þe pope Boþe þe prelates and þe preestes preie and be-seche Deuoutelich day and nyȝt with-drawe hem fro synne And crie to crist he wold his coluer sende þe wich is þe hiȝe holigost and out of heuen discendeþ To make parpetuel pees be-twene þe prince of heuen And alle maner of men þat on þis molde libbeþ ȝef preest-hode wer parfit and preied þus þe peple schuld amende þat contrarien þus crist-is lawes and cristendom dispisen For seþþe þat pes sarezines Scribes and þes Iewes Haue happe of oure beleue liȝtloker me þinkeþ þei schuld who-so trauaile wold and of þe trinite teche hem For alle paynemes preiere parfitlich beleuen In þe gret god of heuen and his grace asken Bot þei make her mone to Machomet her message to schewen þus In faiþe leueþ þat folke and In a fals mene And aperilea perile for þe prelates þat þe pope makeþ þat bereþ þe name of Niniue and of Damask For when þe hiȝe kyng of heuen sent his sone to erþe Many Miracles he wrouȝt man for to turne In ensaumple þat men schuld se be a sadde Resoun þat men myȝt nouȝt be saued bot þorouȝ mercy and grace And þorouȝ penaunce and passioun and parfite beleue And become amana man of amaidea maide and Metripollitanus And baptized and Bischoped with þe blode of his hert Alle þat wilineþ and wold wiþ In-witte beleue Many seint seþþe sufferd deþ also For to enforme þe faiþe ful wid-wher diede In Inde In alisaunder In Ermony and spayne And fro þe Misbeleue many men turned In sauacioun of many soules seint Thomas of Caunterbery Among on-kynde cristen In holichirch was slawe And alle holichirch honoured þorouȝ his deying He is aforbesena forbesen for Bischops and a Briȝt Mirrour And souereinglich of such þat of surre bereþ þe name And nouȝt In Inglond to hoppe aboute and halowe mennes Auters And crepe In among curatours and confessen aȝen þe lawe Nolite mittere falcem in messem alienam & cetera Many men for crist-is loue wer martired among Romaynes Or cristendome wer knowe þere or kyndely honoured Euery bischop be þe lawe schuld Buxsomlich walke And pacientlich þorouȝ his province and to þe pepel hytt schewe Feden hem and fillen hem and fere hem fro synne In baculi forma sit presul hec tibi norma Fortrahe punge gregem seruando per omnia legem And enchaunten hem to charite on holichirch to beleue For as þe kynde is of a kniȝt or of a kyng to be take And amonges her enemyes In mortaile batailes To be killed or ouer-comen þe comoun to defende So is þe kende of curatours be crist-is loue to preche And die for her dere children to distroie dedly synne Bonus Pastor & cetera And namelich þer þat lewde leuen and no lawe ne knowen Bot we cristen come to lawe and han of our tonge Bischopes and Bokes þe beleue to techen Iues leuen In þe lawe þat oure lord tauȝt Moises þe maister þer-of til þe messie come And on þat lawe þei leuen and leten it for þe best And ȝit knowȝe þei crist þat cristendom tauȝt For aparfita parfit prophet þat muche peple saued And of selcouþe sores saued men ful ofte By þe myracles þat he made messie he semed þo he lift vp lazar þat leide was In graue Quadriduanus colde deed quikke did hym walke Iewes seid þat seth with sorsorie he wrouȝt And stodied how to distroie hym and stroied hem-selue And her power þorouȝ pacience to pure nouȝt brouȝt And ȝit þei seiȝen soþely and so don þe sarezines þat ihesu was bot a ioglour a iaper a-mong þe comoun And a sophistre of sorsorie a pseudo propheta And þat is lore was lesinges and lakken hit alle And hope þat he be come þat schal hem releue Moyses or Machomet her maistries devineþ And han a supposissioun to be saue boþe sarezines and Iewes þorouȝ Moises and Machomet & myȝt of god þat mad hem And seþþe þat þes sarezines and also þes Iewes Counteþ þe first clause of oure be-leue Credo in deum patrem Prelates and preestes schuld preched hit ȝef þei myȝt Lerne hem litelum and litelum Et in ihesum christum filium eius Til þei cowde speke and spelle Et in spiritum sanctum Recorded hit and Rendren hit with Remissionem peccatorum Passus primus de Dobet Leue liberum Arbitrium quod I I leue as I hope þan coudest tel me and teche me to charite as I wene þan lowȝe liberum Arbitrium and led me forþe with tales þan come we to acontrea contre Cor hominis hit hiȝt Erber of preuates and of holinesse Euen In myddes an ympe as hit were þat hiȝt ymago dei graciouslich hit growed þan gan I ask what it hiȝt and he me sone tolde þat tre hat trew loue quod he þe trinite hit sette tre trew Loue the Blossom & the fruit þorouȝ louely likyng it semeþ and launseþ vp blosmes þe wich blossomes birnes benigne speche hit callen And þer-of comeþ a gode froite þe wich men callen werkes Of holinesse of hendnesse of helpe hym þat nedeþ þe wich is Caritas y-cald crist-is own fode And solace to alle soules sorowful In purcatorie Now sertis i seide and siked for ioie I þank ȝow a þowsand siþes þat ȝe me hider kenned And seþþen ȝe fouch-saue to sey me as I hote And he þanked me þo bot þan toke I hede Hit had schoriers to schyue hit vp þre schides of on lengþe And of on kennes colour and kende as me þouȝt Alle þre elech long and elich large Much mervailed me on what more þei growed And asked hym of what wode þei were þes þre schoriers quod he þat beren vp þis plante Be-tokeneþ trewly the trinite of heuen þre persones In-departable parpetuel wer euer Of on wille and on witte and her-with I kepe þe frute of þis feire tre fro þre wikked wyndes And fro fallyng þe stokke it faileþ nouȝt of his myȝt þe world is a wikked wynde to hem þat wol trewþe Couatise comeþ of þat kynde and caritas it abateþ And with þe first plante I falle hym doun Potencia dei patris þan is þe flesch a felle wynde and In a flowing tyme þorouȝ lechorie lustus so lowde he gynneþ blowe þat hit norscheþ nice Siȝtis and som-tyme wordes Many wikked wormes workes of synne And alle for-hit Caritas Riȝt to þe hard Sstalk þan fette I forþe þe seounde plante sapiencia dei patris þe wich is þe passioun and þe penaunce and parfitnesse þer-with I ward hit oþer-while til hit wex Ripe And þan fondeþ þe fende my frut to distroie And leiþ a ladder þer-to of lesinges be þe Rynges And with al þe wiles þat he can waggeþ þe Rotes þorouȝ Bagbiters and Brawlers and þorouȝ bolde chiders And schaked it ȝeue hit ner vnder-schored hit schuld nouȝt So lurken þes lordeins þer-to þat alle þe leues fallen And fech a-way þe frute som tyme be-for boþe myn eyȝen And þan fel I doun þe pouke with þe þred shorer þe wich is spiritus sanctus and soþe-fast beleue And þat is þe holigost and þus kepe I þe maistrie I toted vp-on þe tre þo and þan toke I hede Wher þe frute wer feire or foule to loke on And þe frute was feire non fairer be myȝt But In þre degrees hit grew gret ferly me þouȝt And asked eft þo wer it were alle of on kynde ȝe sertis he seide and soþelich leue hit Hit is al of on kynde and þat schal I preue Bot som wer suetter þan som and sonner wol Roten Men may se on an appel tre many tymes and ofte Of on kynde appels ne arn I-lech grete No sewing smale ne of swettenes swete þo þat sitten on þe sonne side sonner arn Ripe Swetter and sauerier and also more grete þan þo þat selde haue þe sonne and sitte In þe Northalf So fareþ hit soþeli sone be oure kynde Adam was þe trie and we arn þe appeles Som of vs soþefast and som variabel Som litel and som large lek appeles of kynde As wedded men and wedowes and Riȝt worthi maidens þe wich þe seint spirit scheweþ þe sone of al heuen Comforteþ her contenaunce þat leueþ In contemplacioun As monkes and Monialis Men of holichirch þes haue þe hete of þe holi gost as haþe þe croppe of þe tre sonne Widowes and widowers þat her owne wille for-sake And chaste leden her lif is lif of contemplacioun And more liking to oure lorde þan lif of kinde askeþ To folowe þat þe flesch wold and froite furþe bring þat actif lif letterd men In her langage callen ȝa sir I sayde seþ þer arn but twey lyues þat our lord alloweþ as lered men vs techeþ Actiua vita et contemplatiua vita Whi groweþ þe frut In þre degrees a good skylle he seide Her be-neþe I may neme ȝef I nede hadde Matrimonie of moist froite þat multeplieþ þe pepil And þan aboue is better froite bot boþe two be gode Wydowhode more worþliker is þan wedlok as I wene þan virginite is most vertuouse and feirest in heuen For it is euen with aungels and aungels pere It was þe first froite þat þe fader of heuen blissed And bad it be in abala bal of erþe In amana man and In amaidea maide In menyng þat þe feirest þing þe first þing schuld honour And þe clennest creatour þe first creatour knowe In kynges court and kniȝtis þe clennest and þe feirest Schul serue for þe lord hym-self and so fareþ god almiȝty Maidens and Marters mynistren hym here on erþe And þei In heuen arn hiȝest and next hym by Resoun And þe feirest froite be-fore hym as for of erþe And swete with-oute swelling soure worþe hit neuer þis apropera proper plante quod I and preuelich it bowiþ And bringeþ furþ froite ful of al nacioun Boþe parfit and In-parfit pure fayn I wolde Assay what sauour it hadde and seide þat tyme Leue liberum arbitrium lat som lif hit schake And a-non he hiȝt Elde an hiȝe for to clymbe And schake it scharpely þe ripe schuld falle And Elde clambe to þe croppe-ward and þan comsed I to He wagged wedowhode and it wepte after He meued matromonye it made a fould noise For euer as Elde had any doun þ deuel was ful redy And gedered hem alle to-gederes boþe gret and smale Adam and Abraham and Isaye þe prophete Sampson and samuel and seint Iohan þe Baptist And bare hem furþe boldely no body hem lette And made of holi men his horde in lymbo inferni þer as derkenesse is and drede and þe deuel maister þan meued hym mode In maiestate dei þat libera voluntas dei lauȝ þe medil schorier And hitte after þe fende happe how hit myȝt Filius with þe fader wille fle with spiritus sanctus ¶ To go Rensake þat Ragman and Reue hym of his apples þat þorouȝ fals be-hest and froyte þe first man disceiued þan spak spiritus sanctus in Gabriel-is mouþe To amaidea maide þat hiȝt marie a meke þing with-alle þat on ihesu Iustice sone most iouke in her chaumber Til Plenitudo temporis tyme Icome were And elde felde eft þe froite or it fel to be Ripe þat ihesu schuld iuste þer-fore and be In Iuggement of armes ¶ Who schuld fette þe froite þe fende or ihesu-seluen þe maide mildelich þe messanger graunted And seide hendely to hym lo me here his hand-maide For to wirken his wille with-out any synne Ecce ancilla domini & cetera In þe wombe of þat wenche was he fourty wokes And be-come a man of þat maide mankynde to saue Bigge and biddyng and bold In his childhode To haue fouȝt with þe fende or fulle tyme come Bot liberum arbitrum lehcraft hym tauȝt ¶ Til Plenituo temporis hie tyme approched þat such a surgeyn siþen Iseye was neuer Ne non so feiþful fecissian for alle þat be-souȝt hym He leched hem of her langour boþe lazers and blinde Claudi ambulant leprosi mundantur And comoun wommen conuerted and leched hem of synne And lift vp lazar þat lay In his toumbe Quadriduanus colde dede quik ded hym gon Bot or he made þe Miracle mestus cepit ipse And wept water with his eiȝen we weten þe soþe ¶ Bot þei þat seiȝen þat selcouþe seiden þat tyme þat he was god or god-is sone for þat gret wonder And som Iewes seide with sorsorie he wrouȝt And þorouȝ þe miȝt of Mahoun and þorow misbeleue Demonium habeus þat is sathan ȝour saueour quod ihesu And haþ saued ȝow ofte Bot I saued ȝow sondry tymes and also I fedde ȝow With fyue fisches and loues fyue þowsand at ones And I left Baskettes of broke mete bere a-way who-so wolde Vnkynde and vnkunnyng quod crist and with a Rope smot hem And ouer-turned þe temple her tables and her stalles ¶ And droue hem out alle þat þer bouȝt or solde And seide þis is an hous of orisounes and holinesse And whan þat my wille is I wil it ouer-þrowe And or þe þre daies after edified newe þe iewes tolde þe Iustice how þat ihesu seide Bot þe ouerturnyng of þe temple betokened his Resurc[] Enuy and euel wille ȝorne In þe Iewes And pursewed hym preualy and for penyes hym bouȝten Ne forte tu-multus fieren in populo Of Iwdas þe iewe ihesu owen disciple þis be-fel on a friday a litel be-for paske þat Iudas and Iewes ihesu þei metten Aue Rabi quod þe Rebaude and Riȝt to hym he ȝede And kissed ihesu to be knowe þer-by and kauȝt of þe Iewes þanne ihesu til Iudas and to þe Iewes seide Falsnesse I fynde In þi feire speche And kene care In kissing and combraunce to þi-seluen ¶ þow schalt be mirrour to many man to disceiue Wo to þat þi willes vsen to þe world-is ende Ve homini illi per quem scandalum venit Seþe I be tresoun am take to ȝoure wille Iewes Suffreþ my postels In pais and In pees gan þus Iewes to þe Iustice ihesu þei ledde ¶ With much noyse be nyȝt nere frentik I awaked þin-witte and In alle wittes after liberum arbitrium I waked witterly bot wheder he went I ne wist And þan met I with a man amyd lenten soneday As hore as an hawþorn and Abraham he hiȝt Off whennes art þow quod I and hendelich hym grette I am with faiþ quod þe freek it vaileþ nouȝt me to liȝe And heraude of Armes or Any lawe were What is his conysaunce quod I In his cote Armour ¶ þre persones In on pencel quod he departabel from oþer And speche and spirit springeþ out of alle And of on wille þei were ne neuer a-twynne Asundred to se vppon solus deus he hoteþ Siþþe þei ben surlepes quod I þei han sundry names þat is soþe seide he þan þe sire hatte Pater noster And þe seconde is a sone of þe sire filius þe þridde is þat halt a þing by hym-self Holigost is his name and he is In alle þis is a Mirke mater quod I for me and many oþer ¶ How alordea lorde myȝt leue on þre I leue it nouȝt I seide Muse nouȝt to Much þer-on quod faiþ til þow more knowe Bot leue it leelly al þi lif tyme þre belongen to a lorde þat lege-aunce cleymeþ Miȝt and Mene to se his owȝn myȝt Of hym-self and of his seruaunt and what suffiseþ hem boþe God þat gynnyng had neuer bot þo hym gode þouȝt Sent furþe his sone as for seruaunt þat tyme Til occupie hym here til Issewe wer sprong þe wich arn children of charite and holichirch þe moder ¶ Patriarkes and prophetes and postilles wer þe children And crist and cristendom and alle cristen holichirche Be-tokeneþ þe trinite and trewe beleue ¶ On god almyȝty þat man made and wrouȝt Sem-blable to hym-self or any synne were As þre is þer he is and þer bereþ witnesse þe werkes þat hym-self wrouȝt and þe world boþe Celi enarrant gloriam dei þ cetera þat he is þre persones departable I preue hit be mankynde And on god almyȝty ȝif alle men ben of Adam Eue out of Adam for-soþe was Idrawe And Abel of hem boþe and alle þre on kynde ¶ And þes þre þat I carpe of Adam and Eue And Abel her Isssue arn bot on in Manhode Matrimonye with-out Muliere is nouȝt much to preise As þe bibel bereþ witnesse a boke of þe olde lawe þat acursed alle couples þat no kynde furþe brouȝt Maledictus homo qui non reliquid semen In israel And man with-out make myȝt nouȝt wel of kende Multiplie no more-ouer with-out a make louye Ne with-out a sawere be such seed þis we weten alle ¶ Now go we to þe godhede In god fader of heuen Was þe sone In hym-self In a similtude as Eue Was when god wold out of þe wey drawen As abel of Adam and of his wif Eue Sprong furþe and spak a spire of hem tweyn So out of þe sire and þe sone þe sent spirit of hem boþe Is and ay was world with-out ende And as þre persones palpable is preualich but of on Mankynde þe wich is man and his make and mulier-is Issue ¶ So is god god-is sone þre persones In þe trinite In Matrimonye arn þre and of on man come alle þre And to godhede gon thre and god is alle þre Lo trois en-countre trois quod he In godhede and manhede Hast þow sey þis I seid alle þre and on god In a somour as I hym sey quod he I satte in my porche Wher god come going a þre Riȝt be my gate Tres vidit et vnum adorauit I Roos vp and reuerensed god and Riȝt feire hym gret Wesch her fete and wiped hem and afterward þei eten And what I þouȝt and what my wyf þouȝt he gan vs telle He be-hiȝt vs Issue and eire In oure olde age Bot trewe tokyn is be-twen vs whan tyme comeþ þat I mete hym How he fonded me first with my faire sone Isaak To make sacrifice with hym he hette me hym to honoure ¶ I withstod nat his heste I hope and I be-leue Wher I walk In þis world he wil me alowȝe I circumside my sone also for his sake My-self and my meyne alle þat male were Bledde blode for þat lordis loue I hope to blisse þat tyme Myn affiaunce and my faiþe is ferme In his beleue For hym-self seide I schuld haue and myn Issue boþe Lond and lordschep I-nouȝ and lif with-outen ende To me and myn Issue more he me be-hiȝt ¶ Mercy for oure misdedes als many tymes As we wilne and wld with mouþe and hert aske And seþ he sent me to seyn and seide þat I schold Worschep hym with wyn and with brede boþe not Bot ones on an auter In worschep of þe trynite And make Cacrifice sone what hit be to-kenyþ I leue þat Ilke lord þink a newe lawe to make Fiet vnum ouile et vnus Pastor ¶ þus haue I ben his heraude her and In helle And comforted many a carful þer þat after his comyng loken For-þi I seke hym he seide for seint Iohan þe Baptist Seide þat he sawȝ hym þat schuld saue vs alle Exi˜ agnus dei & cetera þan had I wonder of his wordes and of his wide cloþes For In his bosom he bare þing and þat he blissed ofte I loked In his lappe a lazar lay þer-Inne With Patriarkes and prophetes pleiden to-gederes What waitist þou quod faiþe and what wilt þou haue I wold wete quod I þo what is In þi lappe Lo quod he and lette me se lord mercy I seide þis is a presaunt of much pris what prince schal hit haue ¶ It is a precious presaunt quod he bot þe pouke haþ hit tached And me þer-with quod þat wy may no wedde vs quite Ne no birne be our borowȝe no bring vs out of daunger Fro þe pouke-is pynfolde no maynprise may vs fecche Til he come þat I carpe of Crist is his name þat schal deliuer vs somday out of þe deuels power And better wedde for vs wex þan we beþ alle worþi And þat is lif for lif or ligge þus euer Lolling my lappe þus to such alordea lorde vs fecche ¶ Allas I seide þat synne so long schal lette þe myȝt of goddis mercy þat myȝt vs alle amende And I weped for his wordes with þat sawȝe I a-noþer And apertlich þan þe Riȝt wey we went And frained hym first fro whennes he come What he hiȝt and wheder he wold and wiȝtly he tolde vs Passus secundus de Dobette I am spes a spie quod he and spere After a knyȝt þat toke me amaundementa maundement vp-on þe mount of Synay To rewle alle Remes þerwith In Riȝt and In Resoun Lo her þe letter quod he on latyn and on ebrwe þat I sey is soþe se who-so likeþ hit It is asseled I seide may men se þe lettres Nay he saide I seke hym þt haþe þe seel to kepe þe wich is crist and cristendom and cros þer-on to honge Wer it þer-with aseled I wot wel þe soþe þat lucifer lordschipe lawȝe schuld ligge Lat se þi letters quod I we myȝt þe lawe knowe He pliȝt furþ apatenta patent apecea pece of an harde Roche Wher-on was writen two wordes and on þis wise glosed Dilige deum et proximum tuum þis was þe tixst trewly I toke ful gode ȝeme þe glose was gloriouslich writen with a gilt penne In hijs duobus pendit totat lex Arn her al þe lordes lettres quod I ȝa leue me he seide And who-so worcheþ after þis writ I wol hit vndertake Schal neuer deuel hym dere no deþ his soule greue For þouȝ I sey hit my-self I haue founde hit trewe ¶ Lo her In my lappe quod faiþ þat leued vp-on þe letter Boþe Iosue and Iudith and Iudas Machabeus And sex þousand mo quod faiþ I can nouȝt sey her names ȝoure wordes arn ful wonderful quod I wher any of ȝou be trewe And leel to beleue on for lif and for soule Abraham seiþ þat he sawȝe holly þe trinite þre persones parcelmele departable from oþer And alle þre bot o god þus Abraham bereþ witnesse ¶ And haþe saued þat beleue so and sory for her synnes He can no certayn sowme telle and som arn In his lappe What neded hit þan a newe lawe to bring Siþþen þe first suffised so bileue and be saued And now comeþ þis spes and haþ aspied þe lawe þat of no trinite telleþ ne takeþ no persones To godhede bot god and on god almyȝty ¶ þe wich alle men arn holde ouer alle þing to honour ¶ And seþ for to loue and lene for þat lordis sake Alle maner of men als much als oure-seluen And for to loue and to leue In o god almyȝty It is liȝt for lewde and for lered boþe Bot for to beleue In on lorde þat leueþ In þre persones And leuiþ þat we loue schuld as wel liȝers as leel Go þi gate quod I to Spes so me god help þo þat lerne þi lawe ful litel while hit vsen And as we went In þe way þus wordyng of þis mater ¶ þanne seiwe asamaritanea samaritane come sittyngon AMuleA Mule Ridand furþe Rapely þe Riȝt way we ȝeden Comyng from a contre þat men callen Ierico To Iuste at Ierusalem he iased a-wey ful faste Boþe Abraham and spes þei mette at ones In a wide wildernesse wher þeues had Ibounde AmanA man for his money and to much care I-brouȝt For he ne myȝt steppe no stonde ne stere of þe stede ¶ No help hym-self soþely for semyuif he semed And als naked as anedela nedel and no helpe about hym Faiþ first had on hym siȝt bot he flew a-side And nold nouȝt neiȝ hym be nyne londes lengþe Hope come hipping after þat had so I-bosted How he with Moises maundement had many man holpe Bot whan he had siȝt of þis seke a-side he gan hym drawȝ And dredfullich with-drouȝ hym þo and durst go no ner h[] Bot so sone þe samaritane had siȝt of þis carful He liȝt amon of liȝarde and led hym In his hondes ¶ And to þe wy he went his woundes to be-holde And parseyued be his puffes he was In poynt to diȝe And he had recouerere raþer þan Rise schuld he neuer And on-bokeled his botelles and boþe he gan atame ¶ With wyn and with oyle his wounde he gan liþe Enbawmed hym and bound hym hede and on baiȝard hym sette And ledde hym furþe to lauacrum lex dei a graunge Is sex myle or seuen be-side þe New Market And lefte hym þere alechynga lechyng to leue ȝif he myȝt And toke two pens to þe ostelere to take kepe to hym And þat more goþe for his medicyne I make þe gode aȝenward For I may nat lette quod þe lede and liȝard he be-strideþ ¶ And Raped hym to Ride þe Riȝt wey to Ierusalem Boþe faiþe and his felaw Spes folowed fast After Bot I sewed þe samaritan and seide how þei boþe Weren a-ferde and flowe from þe man wounded Haue hem excused quod þe samaritan her helpe may nouȝt a-Vaile Ne no man vnder molde þe man to hele bring Neiþer faiþ no fyne hope so festred arn his wondes With-out þe blood of a barne hij beþ nouȝt Isaued þe wich barn most nedes be born of amaidena maiden ¶ And with þe blode of þat barne enbawmed and baptized And þouȝ he stonde and steppe Riȝt strong worþ he neuer Til he haue eten al þat barne and his blode dronkyn And ȝit be baptized with pacience when fondinges hym prikked For went neuer man þis way þat he nas her Rifled Saf my-self soþely and such as I loued And but þei leue leelly vppon þat litel babe þat his likam schal leche atte laste vs alle .A.A. sire I seide schal we nouȝt beleue ¶ And and his felaw spes formed me boþe In þre persones aparcelle departable from oþer And alle þre bot on god þus Abraham me tauȝt And hope after-warde of god more me tolde ¶ And lerned me for his loue to loue al man-kynde And hym abouen alle and oþer as my-seluen Noiþer lakke ne lesse no leue þat þer were Any wikkeder In world þan I wer my-self And most parfit of alle persones and pacientlich suffer Alle maner of men þouȝ I myȝt me venge I schuld þole and þanke hem þat me evel wold He seide soþe quod þe samaritan and so I rede þe also And as Abraham þe olde of god þe tauȝt Loke þow loue and beleue as þi lif-tyme ¶ And ȝef kynde witte carpe her-agayne or any kene þouȝtes Or heretikes with argumentis þine hond þat þou hem schewe For god þat alle be-gan and gynnyng of þe world Ferde first as a fist and ȝit is as I leue Mundum pugillo continens As þe fist with þe fynger Ifolde togeder Til hym liked and list to vnlose þat fynger And proferd hit furþe with a pawme to what place hit schuld þe pawme is þe piþ of an hande and proferþ forþe þe fynger ¶ To mustre and to make þat myȝt of hand knoweþ And be-tokeneþ trewly telle who-so likeþ þe holi gost of heuen he is as þe pawme þe fyngres þat fre ben to folde and to clech Be-tokeneþ soþely þe sone þat sent was to erþe Towched and teched at þe tastyng of þe pawme Seint Marie a maide and man-kynde lauȝt Natus ex maria virgine þe fader is þan as þe fist with fynger and with pawme To hide and to holde as holi writte techeþ Omnia traham ad me ipsum And þat þe fynger gripeþ he gripeþ bot ȝef het grue þe pawme ¶ þus arn þei alle but on as hit on hand were þe fist with a fynger and a ful pawme And as þe fist is afula ful hand I-folde to-geder So is þe fader afula ful god þe first of hem alle And as þe fist is ferst or any fynger schewe So is he fader and formour þe first of alle þinges Tu saluator omnium ¶ And alle þe myȝt wth hym is and was and worþe euer þe fyngres arn a ful hand for failed þei her þombe Portrey no paynte parfitlich I leue Schuld no wiȝt worche wer þei awey Riȝt so failed þe sone þe sire be he ne myȝt Ne holde ne helpe ne hent þat he loued Dextre dei tu digitis ¶ þe pawme is pure-lich þe hand and haþ powere be hym-selue Oþer-wise þan þei wriþen fist or workemanschip of fyngres For þe pawme haþ power to put out þe Ioiuntes And to on-folde þe fist for hym hit be-longeþ And receiue þat þe fynger rechiþ and refuse ȝif hym likeþ Alle þat þe fynger or þe fist feliþ or towcheþ Bot ȝef he be greued with þe gripe þe holigost let falle And þus is þe holigost god neiþer gretter no lasser þan is þe sire or þe sone and þe same myȝt ¶ And alle þei but on god as my honde and my fyngres Vnfolden or folden as fist-wise or elles Al is bot for on hand how-so I turne hit Bot who is hurt In þe hand euen amyddes He may receyue Riȝt nouȝt Resoun hit scheweþ For þe fyngres þat folde schuld and þe fist make For þe peyne of þe pawme power hem falleþ ¶ To clech or to clowe to clyppe or to holde ¶ Were þe meddelle of myn honde with-out Maleise In many kyn manere I myȝt my-self helpe Boþe meue and amende þouȝ alle my fyngres Ake Be þis silmlitude he seide I se an euydence þat who-so synneþ In þe seint Spirit assoiled worþe he euer Neiþer here no elles-were as I herde telle Qui peccat in spiritum sancto & cetera For he pekkeþ god as In þe pawme þat peccat in spiritum sancto For god þe fader is as þe fist þe sone is as þe fynger ¶ þe holigost of heuen he is as þe pawme Who þat synneþ In þe seint spirit it semeþ þat he greueþ God þer he gripeþ and wold his grace quenche For to a toche or to a taper þe trinite is likened As wax and weke wer twined to-geders And for-stren forþe a flawme and a faire leyȝe þat serueþ þes swynkers to se by anyȝtis So doþ þe sire and þe sone and þe seint spirit to-geders Forstren forþe among folk fyne loue and beleue ¶ þat alle kynne cristen clensen of synnes And as þow seist som-tyme sodanlich of a torche þe blase ben blowen out ȝit brenneþ þe wike Without lowe or liȝt be fire In þe mache So is þe holigost god and grace without mercy To alle vnkynde creatours þat coueiten to distroie þe leel likam and lif þat oure lord schope And as glowand gledes gladen nouȝt þes werkemen þat wirchen and waken In winters nyȝtes ¶ As doþe a kix or acandellea candelle þat cauȝt haþe fire and blaseþ No more doþ þe sire ne þe sone soþely to say Graunten any grace ne for-ȝeuenesse of synne ¶ Til þat þe holigost be-gynneþ to blowe and blase So þat þe holigost gloweþ bot as gledes Til þat þe loue and þe leue leellich to hym blowe And þan flawmeþ he as fire on fader and on filius And meltiþ miȝt In-to mercy as we may se a wynter Isikelis In euesynges þorouȝ hete of þe sonne Melten In a myntwhile to myst and to water So grace of þe holi gost þe gret myȝt of þe trynite Meltiþ al to mercy to merciable and to non oþer ¶ And as wex with-out more vppon warme gledes Wille brenne and blase be þei to-geder And solace þat mow nat se sittyng In þe derknesse So wol þe fader for-ȝeue folk of myld hertes þat rewfullich repenten and Restetucion maken And as much as þei mow amende and paie And ȝef it suffise nouȝt for a seþ þat In such a wille deieþ Mercy for his mekenesse wil make gode þe remenaunt And þe wex and warm fire wil make a feire flame ¶ For to myrþe men þer-wiþ þat In Mirk sytten So wol crist of his curtesie and men crie hym mercy Boþe for-ȝeue and for-ȝete and eke bid for vs To þe fader of heuen for-ȝeuenes to haue But hewe fire at a flynt foure hundred wynter But þow haue tasch to take hit with tynder of broches Alle þi labour is loste and þi log trauaile For hit may no feire flame make faile hit is kynde So is þe holi gost of god and grace with-out mercy ¶ To alle on-kynde creatures as crist hym-self witnesseþ Amen dico vobis nescio vos & cetera Be on-kynde to þyn eueyn-cristen and alle þat þou canst bidde ¶ Dele and do penaunce day and nyȝt euer And purchace alle þe pardoun of pampiloun and Rome And In-dulgences I-nowe and be ingenitus to þ kynde þe holi gost hereþ þe nouȝt ne helpe þe be þou certeyn For vnkyndenesse quencheþ hym þat he can nouȝt schyne Ne brenne ne blase clere for bowing of on-kyndnesse Poul þe apostil preuiþ weþer I liȝe Si linguis hominum loquor & cetera For-þi beþ war ȝe wise men þat with þe world deliþ þat Riche ben and Resoune knoweþ rewle wel ȝoure soule Be nouȝt vnkynde I conceile ȝow to ȝoure euen-cristen For many of ȝow Riche men be my soule I liȝe nouȝt ȝe brenneþ bot ȝe blase nouȝt and þat is a blynde beken Non omnis qui dicit domine domine intrabit in regno celorum Mynne ȝe nouȝt ȝe Riche men to wich a meschaunce þat diues dieȝd and dampned was for his vn-kyndenesse ¶ Of his mete and of his money to men þat it nedide ȝit wan he nouȝt with wrong ne with quaynte sleiȝtes Bot Riȝtfullich as men Ratte al his Richesse come hym And on hym-self saiþ þe boke sotelled how he myȝt Most lordschipe leue and eke on his licam were Cloþes of most cost as clerkes bereþ witnesse Epulebatur splendide et induebatur bisso ¶ And for he was a negarde and a nythyng to þe nedful For godis traitour he was tolde for alle his trewe catelle And dampned and duelleþ with þe deuel In helle And siþen he with-out wiles wan and wele myȝt ateme Lordlich for to leue and likynglich be cloþed And is In helle for alle þat how wil Riche men nowþe Excuse hem þat ben vnkynde and ȝit her catelle wa[] ¶ And with leþer weyȝtes and ȝit wol nat a-teme To go semely ne sytte seþ holi writte techeþ þat wikkedlich is won to wast hit and make frendes Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis Euery arichea riche I rede rewarde her-of take And ȝeue ȝoure good to þat god þat grace of Ariseþ For þo þat ben on-kynde to his hope ȝe noon oþer Bot þat þei duelle þer diues is day with-out ende þus is vn-kendnesse kydde and quencheþ as hit were þe grace of þe holi gost goddis owne kynde For þat kynde doþ vnkynde for-doþe And þes cursed þeues vnkynde cristen men for couatise and enuy ¶ Sley amana man for his money with mouþ and eke with handes For þat þe holigost haþe to kepe þe harlottes destroieþ þe wich is lif and loue þe liȝt of mannes body For euery maner good man may be likened to a torche Or elles to atapera taper to reuerense with þe trinite And who-so murþereþ a good man me þinkeþ be Inwitte He vndoþe þe liȝt þat oure lorde lokiþ to haue worschep of And ȝit In mo maners man offendeþ þe holi gost Bot þis is þe worst-wise þat any wiȝt myȝt ¶ Synnen aȝeyn þe seint spirit assenten to distroie For couatise of any kynne þing þat crist dere bouȝt How myȝt he ask mercy or any mercy hym defende þat wikkedly and wilfully wold mercy anyente Innocence is next god and nyȝt and day he crieþ Vengeaunce vengeaunce for-ȝeue be hit neuer þat schent vs and sched our blood forschaped vs as hit semed vindica sanginuem iustorum þus vengeaunce vengeaunce verrey charite askeþ And seiþ charite þat holichirch is chargeþ þis so sore ¶ Leue I neuer þat oure lorde at þe laste ende Wil loue þat lif þat loue and leel charite distroieþ ¶ I suppose I had synned so quod I and schuld nauȝt deiȝe And now am I sory þat I so þe seint spirit a-gilt Confesse me and crie his grace god þat alle made And myldlich his mercy ask myȝt I nouȝt be saued ȝis seide þe samaritan so þow miȝtest Repente þat riȝt-wisnesse þorouȝ repentaunce to reuþ myȝt turne Bot it is bot selde seyn þer soþenesse bereþ witnesse Any creature be coupable be-fore a kynges Iustice ¶ Be raunsoned for his repentaunce þer as Resoun hym d[] þer þe partie purseweþ þe apele is so howge þat may no kyng mercy graunt til boþe þe men acorde And euery partie haue a quytte as holi writ witnesseþ Numquam dimittitur peccatum & cetera þus it fareþ be such folk þat foloweþ her owne wille þat euel leuen and lette nouȝt til hem for-sake synne Drede of disperacioun þan driueþ grace ¶ þat mercy In her Mende may nouȝt þan falle For good hope þat helpeþ now to wanhope þer turneþ þat þei trust nouȝt In god þat he is ful of myȝt To amende al þat is mys and his mercy gretter þan alle oure wikked werkes as holi writ telleþ Et misericordia eius super omnia opera eius Bot or his riȝtwisnesse to reuþe turne restitucioun it m[] As sorow of hert Is satisfaccioun to such as may nouȝt ¶ Bot þre þinges þer en þat don a man stert Out of his own hous as holi writ scheweþ þat is a wikked wif þat wol nouȝt be chasticed Her fere fleþ her fro for fer of her tong And ȝef his hous be on-heled and reyne on his bedde He sekeþ and sekeþ til he slepe drie ¶ Bot whan smoke and smulþer smyt In his eiȝen ¶ Hit doþe hym wors þan his wif or wete for to slepe þorow smoke and smurþer smerteþ his siȝt Til he be bleried or blinde and þe burre In his þrote Couriþ and curseþ þat crist ȝeue hym sorowe þat schuld bring Inne better wode or blowe it til it brent þes þre þat I telle of þus ben to vnderstonde þe wif is oure wikked flesch wil nouȝt be chastised For kynde cleuiþ on her euer to conquere þe soule And þei he falle he fynt skilles þat freelte it made ¶ And þat is liȝtly for-ȝeuen and for-ȝete boþe To man þat mercy askeþ and amende þinkeþ þe Rayn þat Rayneþ þer we rest schuld Ben sekenesse oþer sorowes þat we suffer ofte As poul þe apostil In his pistilles techeþ Virtus in in-firmitate perficitur And þow men make much ado In her anger And be In pacience and penaunce pure Resoun knoweþ þat þei haue cause to contrarie be cause of her sekenesse and liȝt-lich oure lorde at her liues ende ¶ Haþ mercy on such men þat euel may suffer Bot þe smoke and þe smorþour þat smyten in our eyen þat is couatice and vnkyndenesse wich quenche godis mercy For vnkyndnesse is þe contrarie of alkyn Resoun For þer nys seke no sory ne non so much wrech þat he ne may loue and hym like and lene of his hert Good wille good worde boþe wisch and wilne Alle maner of men mercy and for-ȝeuenesse And loue hem like hem-selue and his lif amende I may no lenger lette quod he and liȝard he priked ¶ And went a-way as þe wynde and þer-with I awaked Passus tercius de dobette Wolward and wete-schodde went I furþe after As arechelesa recheles renk þat reccheþ nouȝt of sorowe And ȝed furþe like a lorelle al my lif-tyme Til I wex wery of þe world and wel nedy to slepe And lened me to lentyn and long tyme I sleped Of girles and of gloria laus gretly me dremed And how Osanna by orgoyne olde folk songen ¶ Semlable to þe samaritan and somdel to piers þe plow[] Barfot on an assebakke bootles come prikke With-out spere or spores spak-lich he loked As is þe kynde of a kniȝt þat comeþ to be dubbed To geten þe gilte spores and galoches I-couped þan was faiþ In a fenestre and ful fast cried As doþ an herawde of armes whenauntres come to I[] Olde Iewes of Ierusalem for ioye þei songe Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini ¶ þan I frayned at feiþ what alle þat fare by-ment And who schuld Iuste In Ierusalem ihesu he seide And fette þat þe fende cleymed piers froite þe plouȝm[] Is piers In þis place quod I and he preynt on me Liberum arbirium for his loue haþ vnder-take þat is ihesu of his gentry schal Iuste In Piers armes In his helme and In his habergoun humana natura ¶ þat crist be nouȝt know consummatum deus In piers-is plates þe plowȝman þis priker schal Ride For no dynt schal hym dere as in dei patris Who schal Iuste with ihesu Iewes or scribes Nay quod faiþ bot þe fende and falsdam to deye Deþ saiþ he wol for-do and a-doun bryng Alle þat leueþ or lokeþ on londe or on water ¶ Lif saiþ þat he liȝeþ and haþ leide his lif to wedde þat for alle þat deþ can do with-Inne þre daies to walke ¶ And fette fro þe fende piers-is froite þe plouȝman And legge hit þer hym likeþ and lucifer bynde And for-bitte bite a-doun and bring bote of bale for euer O mors tua ero morsus þan come Pilat with Much peple sedens pro tribunali To se how douȝtelich deþ schuld do and deme her boþes Riȝt þe Iewes and þe Iustice aȝen ihesu þei were And alle þe court cried crucefuge alowde þan putte hym furþe apeloura pelour be-fore Pilat and seide ¶ þat Ihesu of oure Iewen temple iaped and dispised þat he myȝt cast hit adown and edifie hit newe And ȝit maken hit als much In alle maner pointes Boþe as long and as large on lofte and on ground And as wide as hit were þis we witnesse alle Crucifige quod a cacchpol he can of wichcraft Tolle tolle quod a-noþer and toke of kene þornes And be-gan of grene þorn a gerlaunde to make And sette hit sore on his hede and seþ seide with enuy Aue Rabi quod a Rebaude and a reed schotte In his nose And nailed hym with þre nailes naked on þe Rode And with a pole poisoune putte to his lippes And beden hym drinke his deþ to lette and his daies lengþe And seide ȝef he sotel be hym-self now he wol helpe And craftly ȝef þou be crist and crist goddis sone Come a-doun of þe cros and þan schul we leue þat lif þe loueþ and wil nouȝt lette þe dye Consummatum est quod crist and comsed for to swoune ¶ Petouslich and pale as a presoun þat deieþ þe lord of lif and of liȝt þo leiȝed his eiȝen to-gederes þe day for drede þer-of with-drouȝ and derke be-gan þe sonne ¶ þe walle of þe temple cloue euen a-two peces þe harde Roche al to-Rofe and Riȝt derke nyȝt it semed þe erþe to-quauȝt and to-quoke as hit quik were And ded men for þat dyn come out of deþ graues And told why þat tempest so long tyme dured For abittera bitter bataile þe deed bodies seide Lif and deþ In þis derknesse þat on fordoþe þat oþer ¶ Bot schal no wy wete witterly who schal haue þe maistr[] Or soneday about þe sonne Rising and sanke with þat to er[] Som seide þat he was goddis sone þat so feire deyȝed Vere filius dei erat iste And som seide he can sorsorie good is þat we assay Weþer he be dede or nouȝt dede doun or he be take Two þeues þo þoled deþ þat tyme Vp-on cros beside crist so was þe comon lawe AcachpolA cachpol come and craked a-two her legges And her armes after of euerich of þe þeues Bot was no boy so bolde goddis body to towchen For he was kyng and kyngis sone kynde for-ȝaf þat [] þat had no harlot hardinesse hym to towche no But þer come furþe a blynde knyȝt with a kene spere Hiȝt longeus as þe letter telleþ and long had lorn his Be-fore Pilat and oþer peple In þe place he houed ¶ Maugre his many teþ he was made þat tyme For to Iust with ihesu þe blynde kniȝt longeus For alle wer þei vn-hardy þat houed oþer stode To towchen hym or to trien hym or to take hym doun Bot þe blynde bachalere þat bare hym þorouȝ þe he þe blod sprang doun be þe spere & onspered þe kniȝtis þo fel þe kniȝt vp-on his knees and cried I ihesu ¶ And siked and seide sore hit me for-þinkeþ ¶ Aȝen my wille quod he hit was þat I þe wounde made Off þe dede I haue done I do me In þi grace Boþe my londe and my licam at þi liking take hit And haue mercy on me Riȝt-ful ihesu and Riȝt with þat he wepte Calde hem kaytefs cursed for euer For þis was a foul velany vengeaunce to ȝow alle þat made þe bolde blynde for to bete þe dede ¶ þat ȝe dede was aboya boy-is dede cursed catefs Kniȝthod was hit neuer to bete body I-bounde Or to bringen hit In bale with any briȝt wepen þe gre ȝit haþe he geten for alle his gret woundes For ȝour chappioun cheualer chef of ȝou alle ȝeld hym recreaunt rennyng riȝt at ihesu wille For be þis derkenesse I-do deþ worþe I-vencused And þe lordeins haue lost for lif schal haue þe maistrie And ȝoure fraunchise þat fre was fallen hit is In þraldam ¶ And alle ȝoure children cherles chef schal þei neuer Ne haue lordschep In lond ne no lond selle And as bareyn be and be vsure libbe þe wich is lif þat our lord In alle lawes defendeþ Now ben ȝour good daies done as daniel of ȝow telleþ Whan crist þorouȝ cros ouer-come ȝoure kyngdom schuld to-cleue Dum veniat sanctus sanctorum cessabit vnccio vestra What fel of þis ferly and of þes fals Iewes I drouȝ me I þat derkenesse to descendit ad in- ferna And þer I sawe soþely secundum scriptur-as ¶ Out of þe west as me þouȝt a wenche as hit were Come walkyng In þe way to helle-ward sche loked Mercy hiȝt þat maide amyldea mylde þing with-alle And a ful hende berne and buxsom of speche Her suster as hit semed come softly after walking ¶ Euen out of þe est and west-ward sche þouȝt And for þe vertu þat her folowed a-ferd was sche neuer Whan þes meydens mette mercy and trewþe Eiþer asked oþer of þis gret wonder And of þe dyn and þe derkenesse how þe daie Rowed And with aliȝta liȝt and a leem lay be-fore helle I haue ferly of þis fare In faiþ seide trewþe And am wendyng to wete what þis wonder meneþ I haue meruaile of þis quod mercy merþe hit be-tokeneþ discripcion of maryAmaideA maide þat hat marie and moder with-out velanie Of any kende creature conseiued þorou speche And þorouȝ grace of þe holi gost wex gret I þe telle With-out woman-is wem Into þis world brouȝt hym And þat my tale be trew I take god to witnesse Seþ þis barn was born ben þretti wynter passed Diȝed and deþ þoled þis day a-bout Midday And þat is þe cause of þis cleps þat ouer-closeþ now þ In þe menyng þat men schul fro merkenesse be drawe ¶ þe while þis liȝt and þis lowe schal lucifer blende For patriarkes and prophetes han preched her-of þat was tynt þorouȝ tre tre schal hit wynne And þat deþ doun brouȝt deþ schal releue þat þow tellest quod trowþe is but a tale of waltrotte For Adam and eue and Abraham with oþer Patriarkes and prophetes þat In peyne liggen Leue hit wele no lede may hem of lofte bryng Ne haue hem out of helle holde þi tong mercy ¶ þe þing þat ones is In helle out comeþ hit neuer Iob þe parfit patriark repreueþ þi sawes Quia inferno ; ; nulla est redempcio þan merse ful myldely mouþe þis word þorouȝ experience quod sche I trow þei schuld be saued For venym for-doþe venym þer fecch I euedence þat adam and eue schul haue bote For of alle þe feruentest venym þe vilest is a scorpioun May no Medecyn amende þe place þer he styngeþ Til he be dede I-do þer-to and þan he distroieþ ¶ þe first venym þorouȝ vertu of hym-seluen And so schal þis deþ for-do I dar my lif ligge Al þe deþ þat þe deuel ded formest til Eue And riȝt as a gilour þorouȝ gile be-gileþ man formest So schal grace þat be-gan alle make a gode ende And be-gile þe gilour þat is a good sleiȝt Ars vt artem falleret Now suffer we seide trewþe I se as me þinkeþ ¶ Out of þe nempe of þe norþe nouȝt ful fer hennes Riȝtwisnesse come rennyng rest we þer for a while For sche wot more þan we sche was or we boþe þat is soþ seide mercy and se her be sowþ Wer comeþ pees playand In pacience I-cloþed Loue haþe coueited her long leue I non oþer Bot loue haþ sente her som letter what þis liȝt be-meneþ ¶ þat ouer-houiþ helle þus sche vs schal telle Whan pees In pacience cloþed approche þer eiþer-oþer Riȝtwisnesse reuerensed pees In her Riche cloþing And preied pees to telle her-to what place sche wold And In her gay garmentis whom sche glade þouȝt My wil is to wende quod pees and welcome hem alle þatMany day myȝt nouȝt se for merkenesse of synne Adam and eue and oþer mo In helle Moises and many mo mery schal synge And I schal daunce þer-to do þou so suster ¶ For ihesu iusted wele ioye be-gynneþ to dawe Ad vesperum demorabitur fletus et ad matutunum leticia Loue þat is my lemman such lettres me sent þat mercy my sister and I mankynde schal saue And þat god haþ for-geuen and graunted to al man-kynde Mercy my sister and me to maynprise hem alle And crist haþ couerted þe kynde of þe riȝtwissnesse In-to pees and pite of his pure grace ¶ Lo her þe patent quod pees In pace in id-ipsum And þat þis dede schal dure dormiam et requiescam Rauest þow quod Riȝtwisnesse or þou ert Riȝt dronken Wenest þow þat ȝene liȝt vnloke myȝt helle And saue mannes soule sister wene hit neuer At þe be-gynnyng of þe world god ȝaue þe dome hym-selue þat adam and eue and alle his Issue Schuld die doun-Riȝt and duelle In peyne euer ȝif þat þei towched þat tre and of þat foite eten ¶ Adam afterward aȝeins his defence Frette of þat froite and for-soke as hit were þe loue of oure lorde and his lore boþe And folowed þat þe fende tauȝt and his flesches wille Aȝeyn resoun and riȝt-wisnesse recorde þis with trewþe þat her peyn is perpetuel no praier may hem helpe For-þi lette chewe as þei chosen and chide we nouȝt sister For hit is botelles bale þe bite þat þei eten And schal prey quod pees her peyn mot haue ende ¶ And þat her wo In-to wele mote wende at laste For had þei wist of no wo wele had þei nouȝt knowen For no wiȝt wot what wele is þat neuer no wo sufferd And what is hote hunger þat had neuer defaute Who couþe kyndely with colour discryue ȝef alle þe world wer white as swan with alle þinges ȝif nyȝt ne were no man I leue Schuld wete witterly what daie were to mene Ne had god I-sufferde of som oþer þan hym-selue Had he nouȝt wist witterly weþer is soure or swete For schuld neuer Riȝt Riche man þat leueþ In rest and hele ¶ I-wite what wo is ne were deþ of kynde So god þat be-gan alle of his gode wille Be-come man of amaidea maide mankynde to saue And sufferd to be solde to se þe sorowe of dying þe wich vnknitteþ al care and comsith his rest For til moreyne mette wiþ vs I may hit wel avowe Ne wot no wiȝt as I wene what is Inouȝ to mene Sette hym In solace first and In souereigne merþe ¶ And seþþe he sufferde hym to synne sorowes to fele To wete what wele was þorouȝ kynde for to knowe And after god aunterd hym-self and toke Adam-is kynde To wete what he haþe sufferd In þre sundry places Boþe In heuen and In erþe and now In helle he þinkeþ To wete what wo is þat wote al of ioye Omnia probate quod bonum est tenete ¶ So it schal fare be þes folk her foly and her synne Schal lerne hem what loue is and lisse with-out ende For wot no wiȝt what werre is þer as pees reigneþ Ne what is witterly wele til welawey hym teche þan was þer a wiȝt with two brode eyȝen Book hiȝt þat bewpere a bolde man of speche By goddis body quod þis book I wil ber witnesse ¶ þo þis barn was born þer blased a sterre ¶ þat alle þe wyes In þe world In o witte acorded þat such a barne was borne In bedleem þe cite þat mannes soule schuld saue and synne distroie And alle þe elementis quod Boke her-of bereþ witnesse þat he was god þat alle wrouȝt þe walken first schewed þo þat weren In heuen token stella comata And tyned It as a torche to reuerence his berþe þe liȝt folowed þe lorde In-to lowe erþe ¶ þe water witnesseþ þat he was god for he went on hit driȝ Peter þe appostel parseiued his gate And as he went on þe water wele hym knewe and seide Domine iube me venire ad te And loke how þe sonne gan louke his liȝt In hym-self When he se hym suffer þat see and sonne made Lo þe erþe for heuynesse þat he wold suffer Quaked as a quyk þing and al to-quasched þe Roches Lo helle myȝt nouȝt holde bot opened þo god þoled And lette out symonys sone to seen hym hong on Rode Non visurum se mortem And now schal lucifer leue hit þouȝ hym loþe þink For ihesu as a geaunt with a gynne come schulde To bete and to bryng adoun alle þat ben aȝens hym And to haue out of helle alle þo hym likeþ And ȝit I boke wol be brent bot he arise to liue And comforte alle his kynne and alle out of care bring And alle þe Iewen Ioie on-Ioinen and vnloken And bot þei reuerence þis resureccioun and þe rode honour And beleue on a newe lawe be I lost lif and soule ¶ Suffer he seide treuþe I here and se boþe A spirit spekeþ to helle and bitte vnspere þe ȝates Attollite portas & cetera A voice In þat liȝt loude to lucifer seide ¶ Princes of þes places prest vn-do þe ȝates For her he comeþ with croun þe kyng of alle glorie þan siked sathan and seide to helle Such a liȝt a-ȝns oure leue lazar hit fette Care and cumbraunse is comen to vs alle ȝif þis kyng come Inne mankynde wil he fecche And lede hit þer lazar is and liȝtlich me bynde ¶ Patriarkes and prophetes haue parled her-of long þat such a lord and aliȝta liȝt schuld lede hem alle hennes Bot rise vp Ragemoffyn and reche me alle þe barres þat belial þi beal-sire bette with þi damme And I schal lette þis lorde and his liȝt stoppe Or we þorouȝ briȝtnesse be brent go barre þe ȝates Cheke we and cheyne we and ech achyna chyn stoppe þat no liȝt lepe Inne at louer no at loupe ¶ Astrot hot out and haue out our knaues Coltyng and alle his kynne þe care to saue Brymston brennand boyland out cast it Alle hote on her heuedes þat entren nyȝe þe walles Bende bowes of brake and brasen gunnes And schette out schotte I-nouȝ his schiltroun to blende Sette Mahoun atte magnelle þat mylle-stones þroweþ And crokes and caltrappes and cloþe we hem echon ¶ Listeneþ quod lucifer for I þis lorde knowe Boþe þis lorde and þis liȝt is longe go I knewe hym May no deþ þis lorde dere ne no deuels quayntise ȝef he reuiþ me of my riȝt he robbeþ me of his maistry For be þe riȝt and by resoun þe Renkes þat beþ here Body and soule ben myn boþe good and Ille For hym-self seid hit þat sire is of heuen ¶ þat adam and Eue and alle his Issue ¶ Schuld dye with dool and here duelle euer ȝif þei towched þat tre and toke of þe appulles þus þis lorde of liȝt such a lawe made And seþ he is so leel a lorde I leue þat he wol nouȝt Reuen vs of our Riȝt siþþe Resoun hym dampned And seþþe we haue ben seised seuen þousand winter And neuer was þer-agayn and now wold be-gynne þan wer he vnstedfast of his worde þat witnesse is of trewþe þat is soþe seide sathan bot I me sore doute For þow gate hem with gile and his gardeyn breke ¶ A-ȝen his loue and his leue on his londe ȝedest Nouȝt In forme of a fende bot In forme of aneddera nedder And entised Eue to ete be her one Ve soli And be-hiȝtest her and hym after to knowe As two goddis be god boþe good and euel þus with tresoun and trechorie þow troilest hem boþe And dedist hem breke her buxsomnesse þorouȝ fals be-hest And so haddist hem out and heder at laste It is nouȝt graþely Igete gile is þe Rote ¶ For god wol nouȝt be giled quod Gobelyn ne be-traied We haue no trew titille to hem for tresoun hit makeþ For-þi I drede me quod þe deuel lest treuþe wil hem fecche And as þow gilist goddis Image In goyng of an Adder So haþe god be-giled vs alle In going of on way For god haþe go by gobelyn In agomesa gomes likenesse þis þritty wynter as I wene and went a-bout and preched I haue assailed hym with synne and som-tyme I asked Wheþer he wer goddis sone he ȝaue me schort answere þus haþ he troiled furþe as a tidy man þise xxxijþritty-two wynter And whan I sawe hit was so I sotelled how I myȝt ¶ Lette hem þat loued hym nouȝt lest þei wold hym martire I wold haue lengþed his lif for I leued ȝef he dieȝed ¶ þat ȝeue his soule hider come he schuld schend vs alle For þe body whiles it on bones ȝede about was it euer To lerne to be leel and euerich man to loue oþer þe wich lif and lawe he it long vsed It schal vn-do vs deueles and doun bryng vs alle And now I se where his soule comeþ seilyng hidderward With glorie and with gret liȝt god it is I wote welle I rede we fle quod þe fende fast alle hennes For vs were better nouȝt be þen a-bide In his siȝt ¶ For þi lesinges lucifer we lost first oure ioye And out of heuen hidder þi pride made vs falle For we leued on þi lesinges þer loste we our lisse And now for a latter lesing þow low tille Eue We haue loste oure lordschep on lond and In helle Nunc princeps huius mundi He seþ þat sathan misseide þus foule Lucifere for his lesinges leue I non oþer Bot oure lorde at þe laste liȝers here rebukeþ And wited hem alle fro wikkednesse þat wrouȝt is her on erþe Be war ȝe wise clerkes þat weteþ þe lawe ¶ þat ȝe be-liȝe nouȝt þese lewde men for atte last dauyd Witnesseþ In his writyng what is liȝers mede Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem Et perdes omnes qui loquntur mendacium A litel þat is ouer-lepe for lesinges sake þat I sigge nouȝt þat I sawȝ sewyng my teeme For ofte þat liȝt bad vnloke and lucifere answered What lorde ertow quod lucifere a voice a-lowde seide A lorde of myȝt and of mayn þat made alle þinges Dukes of þis dym place anon vndoþe þe ȝates ¶ þat crist may come Inne þe kyngis sone of heuen And with þat breþ helle brast with alle Reballes barres ¶ For any wy or warde wide opened þe ȝates Patriarkes and prophetes populus in tenebris Songen with seint IohanEcce agnus dei Lucifer loke he ne myȝt so liȝt hym ablente And þo þat oure lord loued with þat liȝt folowed Lo me here quod oure lorde lif and soule boþe For alle synful soules to saue oure boþes Riȝt Myne þei were and of me I may þe better hem cleyme ¶ Al ȝef resoun recorde and riȝt of my-selue þat ȝef þei ete of þe appelle alle schuld þei deye And I be-hiȝt hem nouȝt here helle for euer For þe dedly synne þat þei dede þi disceite hit made With gile þow hem gatte agayn al resoun For In palayse myn paradis in persone of aneddera nedder Falsly fettest þere þat me be-fel to loke ¶ Be-glosedist hem begiledist hem and my gardyn breke A-ȝens my loue and my leue þe olde lawe techeþ þat gilours be-giled be and In her gile falle And who-so hitteþ out amannesa mannes eiȝe or elles his for-toþe þer any maner membre mayme or hurt þe same sore schal he haue þat any so smyteþ Dentem pro dente occulum pro ocluo So lif schal lif lete þer lif haþ lif anientid ¶ so þat lif quite lif þe olde law it askeþ Ergo saule schal saule quite and syn to syn wende And alle þat man mysdede I man to Amende It And þat deþ fordede my deþ for to releue And boþe quykkyþ and quiteþ þat queynt was þorouȝ syn[] And gile be giled þorouȝ grace at laste Ars vt artem falleret ¶ So leue hit nouȝt lucifer aȝens þe lawe I fecche Here any synful soule souereinly be maistry Bot þorouȝ riȝt and Resoun raunsome her my lege Non veni so-luere legem set ad-implere So þat þorouȝ gile was gete þorouȝ grace is now I-wonne And as adam and alle þorouȝ a tre deiȝed Adam and alle his þorouȝ atrea tre schul turne to lyue And now be-gynneþ þe gile agayn on þe to turne And my grace to growe ay wydder and widder And bitter bale þat þow hast brewe now brouke hit þi selue þat art doctour of deþ drink þat þow madest ¶ For I þat am lord of lif lif is my drink And for þat drink to-day I died as hit semed Bot I wol drink of no disch of no depe clergie Bot of comoun cuppes alle cristen soules Bot þi drink wroþe deþ and depe helle þi bolle I fauȝt so me þristeþ ȝit for mannes soules sake Scicio May no pyment poynand ne preciouse drinkes Moiste me til þe fulle ne my þrist slekke ¶ Til þe ventage falle In þe vale of Iosaphat And drynk riȝt Ripe must Resureccio mortuorum And þan schal I come as kyng with croun and with aungels And haue out of helle alle mennes soules Fendes and fende-kynnes be-fore me schal stonde And be at my biddyng at blisse or at pyne Bot to be merciable to man þat my kynde askeþ For we be breþren of blode bot nouȝt In baptem alle Bot alle þo þat ben my breþren In blode or Baptem Schal neuer In helle eft come be he ones out Tibi soli peccaui et malum coram te feci ¶ It is nouȝt wroþi In erþe hongen any felounes Ofter þan ones þouȝ þei were traitoures ¶ and ȝef kyng of þe kyngdome come In þe tyme þer aþef a þef þole schuld deþ or oþer Iewes Lawe wold he ȝaue hym lif and he loked on hym And I þat am kyng of kynges schal come such a tyme þer þat dome to þe deþ dampneþ alle wiked And ȝef lawe wil I loke on hem it liþ In my grace Weþer þei deyȝe or diȝe nouȝt ded þei neuer so Ille Be it any þing a-bouȝt þe boldnesse of her synne ¶ I may do mercy of my riȝtwisnesse and alle my wordes trewe For holi writte wil þat I be wroke of hem þat wrouȝt euel Nullum malum impuitum & nullum bonum irremumerat[] And so of alle wikked I wille here take vengaunce Bot ȝit my kynde in my kene ire schal constreyne my will{bar} Domine in furore tuo arguas me To be merciable to many of myn half-breþren For blode may se blood boþe afirsta first and a-cale Bot blode may nouȝt se blode blede bot hym rewe Audiui archana verbat que non licet homini loqui Bot my riȝtwisnesse and Riȝt schal reignen In helle And mercy and mankynde be-fore me In heuen For I were an on-kynde kyng bot I my kynne holpe And namelich at such a nede þat nedes helpe askeþ Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo þus be lawe quod oure lorde lede I wol from hennes þe ledes þat I loue and leued In my comyng Bot for þe lesing þat þou lowȝe lucifer til Eue ¶ þþow schalt a-bie bitterly quod god and bound hym with chein[] Astrot and alle oþer hidden hem In hernes þei durst nouȝt loke on oure lorde þe lest of hem alle Bot let hym lede forþe wich hym list & leue wich hym li[] Many hundred of aungels harped þo and song Culpat caro purgat caro þat piped pees of poetes anotea note Clarior est solito post inimicicias clarior est et amor After scharpest schoures quod pees most schene is þe sonne Is no weder warmer þan after watery cloudes Ne no loue leuer no leuer frendes þan after werre and wrake whan loue and pees be maistres Was neuer werre In þis world no wikked enuye þat loue and hym list to lawyng it ne brouȝt And pees þorow pacience al pereiles stoppeþ ¶ Trewse quod trewþe þow tellest vs soþe be ihesu Clippe we In couenaunt and ech of vs kisse oþer And lette no pepel quod pees parseiue þat we chide For In-possible is no þing to hym þat is al-myȝty þow seist soþe quod riȝt-wisnesse and reuerentlich her kissed Pees and pees her Per omnia secula seculoru Misericordia et veritas obuiauerunt sibi Iusticia pax osculate sunt Treuþe tromped vp þo and song te deum laudamus And þan lewted loue In a lowde toyne Ecce quam bonum et quam iocundum Tille þe daie dawed þes damesels carold þat men Ronge to þe resurexcioun and Riȝt with þat I waked And called kitte my wif and calette my douȝter Arise and go reuerence goddis resurexcioun And crepe to þe crosse on knees and kisse hit for a Iewel And þe riȝtfullest relik non richer on erþe For god-is blessed body it bare for oure bote And hit fereþ þe fende for such is þe myȝt ¶ May no grisly goste glide þer hit schadeweþ Explicit dobet Et incipit de Dobest See previous page and ending of previous passus. Thus I waked and wrot whan I had dremed And diȝt me derly and ded me to chirche To here holy þe messe and to be hosoled after In Myddys of þe masse þo men ȝede to offering I fel eft-sones a-slepe and sodeynly me mette þat piers þe plowman was paynted al blody And com In with a cros before þe comoun pepel And riȝt like In al lemes to oure lord ihesu And þan called I concience to kenne me þe soþe ¶ Is þis ihesu þe Iuster quod I þat Iewes ded to deþ Or hit is piers þe plouȝman who painted hym so re[] Quod conscience þo and kneled þes arn cristis armes His colours and his cote armour bot he þat comeþ so[] Is crist with his cros conquerour of cristen Whi callen ȝe hym crist seþen Iewes called hym ihesu Patriarkes and prophetes profesied a-fore ¶ þat alle kyn creature schuld knelen and knowen Anon as men nempned þe name of ihesu Ergo Is no name to þe name ihesu Ne non so nedful to nempne be niȝt no by day For alle derk deueles arn drad for to here And synful ben solaced and saued be þat name And ȝe calleþ hym crist what cause telle ȝe me Is crist more of myȝt and more worþi name ¶ þan ihesu or ihesu þat alle oure Ioie come of þow knowest wel quod conscience and þou conne Resoun þat kniȝt kyng and conquerour may be on persone To be called a kniȝt is feire for men schuld knele to To be called a kyng is feirere for he may kniȝtes make Bot to be conquerour called þat comeþ of special grace And of hardinesse of herte and of hendnesse boþe ¶ To make lordes of laddes of londes þat he wynneþ And fre men foule þralles þat foloweþ nouȝt his lawes þe Iewes þat were gentil men ihesu þei dispiced Boþe his lore and his lawe now arn þei low cherles Als wide as þe world is now woneþ þer none Bot vnder tribette and tallage as tikes and cherles And þo þat be-come cristen þorouȝ conseile of þe Baptist Arn frankeleyns and fre men þorouȝ fullyng þat þei toke And gentil men with ihesu for ihesu was I-fulled And vp-on caluarie on crosse crouned kyng of Iewes ¶ It be-comeþ to a kyng to kepe and to defende And conquerour of his conquest his lawes and his largesse So dede ihesu to Iewes he Iustified and tauȝt hem þe lawe of lif þat last schal euer And fende hem fro foule eueles feueres and flixes And fro fendes þat In hem were and fals beleue þo was he ihesu of Iewes calde ientil prophete And kyng of her kyngdome and croune bare of þornes And þo conquered he on croas as conquerour noble ¶ Miȝt no deþ hym for-do ne a-doun bring þat he ne Ros and Reigned and Rauesched helle And þo was he conquerour called of quik and of dede For he ȝaf adam and eue and oþer mo blisse þat long had leued be-fore as lucifers cherles And toke lucifer þo loþelich þat lord was of helle And bounde hym as he is bound with bondes of Iren Who was hardier þan he his hert blode he sched To make alle folke fre þat folowen his lawe And such he ȝeueþ largelich as is leel lege ¶ Places In paradis at her parting hennes He may wel be called conquerour þat is crist to mene ¶ Bot þe cause þat he comeþ þus with his cros and his Is to wissen vs þer-with þat whan we be tempted þer-with to fiȝt and fende vs fro fallyng In-to synne And se be his sorow þat who-so loueþ Ioie To penaunce and to pouert he mot put hym-self And much wo In þis world wilnen and suffren Bot for to carpe more of crist and how he comeþ to þat name Faiþly for to speke his riȝt name was ihesu ¶ þo he was bore In Bedlem as þe Boke telleþ And come to take man-kynde kynges and aungels Reuerensed hym feire with Riches on erthe Aungels out of heuen come knelyng and songen Gloria in excelcis deo Kynges come after kneled and offerd Mirre and Much gold Ensence as merciful king Ouer-alle kynnes catelle knowlached hym souereigne Boþe of sonde sonne and see and siþþen þei wente ¶ In-to her kyngen kiþ be counseil of þe aungel And þer was þe word fulfilled þe wich þou of spak Omnia celestia terrestria flectantur In hoc nomine ihesu For alle þe aungels of heuen at his birþe kneled Resoun and Riȝtwisnesse and rewþe þei offred Wher-fore and why wis men þat tyme Maistres and lettred men magi hem called þat on king come with Resoun couerde vnder sense þe secounde king seþþe soþely offred Riȝtwisnesse vnder Rede gold Resounes felawe Gold is likened to lewte þat last schal euer ¶ And Resoun to Riche sense to Riȝt and to trewþe þe þredde kyng come kneland to ihesu And presented hym with pite pering þe mirre For myrre is Mercy to mene and milde speche of tong ¶ Erþelich honeste þes were offred þus at ones þorouȝ þe kene kynges kneling þus to ihesu Bot for alle þes preciouse presentes oure lorde prince ihesu Was neuer king no conquerour til he comsed to wex In þe maner of amana man and þat be much sleiȝt And it be-comeþ for a conquerour to conne many seȝtes And many wiles and witte þat wol be aledera leder And so ded ihesu In his daies who-so durst telle Itte Som tyme he sufferd and som tyme he hidde hym ¶ And somtyme he fauȝt faste and flewe oþer-while And somtyme he ȝaf gode and graunted helþe boþe Lif and lym as hym list he wrouȝt As kynde is of a conquerour so comsed þan ihesu Til he had al hem þat he for bledde In his Iuuente þis ihesu Iewes fast turned And water In-to wyn as holi writ telleþ And þer be-gan god of his grace to Dowel For wyn is likened to lawe and lyues holinesse And lawe lakked þo for men loued nouȝt her enemyes ¶ And crist counseileþ vs and comaundeþ vs boþe To lered and to lewde to loue oure enemyes So at þat feest first as I be-fore tolde Be-gan god of is grace and godnesse to dowel þo was he cleped and calde nouȝt only crist bot ihesu A fauntekyn ful of witte filius marie For before his moder Marie made he þat wonder For sche fist and formest schuld ferme beleue þat he þorouȝ grace was gete and of no gom elles He wrouȝt þat by no witte bot þorow worde on ¶ After þe kynde þat he come of þer comside he Dowel And whan he was waxen more In his moder absence ¶ He made lame to lepe and ȝaue liȝt to blinde And fedde with two fisches and with fyue loues Sore a-fyngred folke mo þan fyue þousand þus he comforteþ carful and cauȝt a grete name þe wich was dobette wher þat he went For def þorouȝ his doinges and doumbe spak and herde And alle heled and helped þat hym of grace asked And þo was I-called In þe contre of þe comoun pepel For þe dedes þat he ded Ihesu filius Dauid For dauid was þe douȝtiest of dedis In his tyme ¶ þe birdes þan songe saul interfecit Mille & dauid decem-Mille For-þi þe contre þer ihesu come called hym Fili dauid And nempned hym of nazareth and no man so worþi To be kaycer or kyng In þe kyngdom of Iuda Ne ouer þe Iewes Iustice as ihesu was hem þouȝt Her-of had Cayphas enuy and also oþer Iewes And for to do hym to deþ day and nyȝt þei casten And killeden hym on cros-wise on caluarie on friday And seþen beriden his body and bede þat men schuld Kepen hit fro niȝt-comers with kniȝtis I-armed ¶ For no frende schuld hym fette for prophetes hem tolde þat þat blissed body of berieles schuld Rise And gon In-to galilee and gladen his appostilles And his moder Marie þus men before deuined þe kniȝtis þat kepten hit be-knowen hem-seluen þat aungels and archaungels or þe day sprong Come kneling on knees and to þe cors songen Christus resurgens and it arose after Verrey man be-for hem alle and furþe-with hem ȝede þe Iewes pursued for pees and preide þe kniȝtes ¶ Telle þe comoun þat þer come a company of his appostels ¶ And be-wiched hem as þei woken and a-way stolen it Bot marie þe Magdalene mette hym e þe way Goand to galilee In godhede and man-hede Lyuande and locande and a-lowde sche cried In ech company þer sche come christus resurgens þus come it out þat crist ouer-come and recouerd and leued Sic oportet christum pati et intrare & cetera For þat wommen weteþ may nouȝt wele be counseil Peter parceyued alle þis and pursewed after Boþe Iames and Iohan ihesu to seke ¶ Taddee and ten mo with Thomas of Inde And alle þes wise wyes weren to-gedders In an hous alle be-schette and þe dorre I-barred Crist come Inne and alle closed boþe dore and ȝates To petir and to his appostilles and seide Pax vobis And toke Thomas be þe hande and tauȝt hym to grope And fele with his fyngres his flesch hert Thomas touched It and with his tong seide Dominus meus et deus meus ¶ þow art my lorde I beleue god lorde ihesu Diedest and deþ þoledest and deme schal vs alle And now art þow leuyng and lokyng and last schal euer Crist carped þan and curtaisly seide I-blessed mot þow be and be schalt for euer And blessed mot þei be In body and In soule þat neuer schal se me In siȝt as þow seist nouþe And leelich leuen al þis I loue hem and blisse hem Beati qui non viderunt et crediderunt Whan þis dede was done dobest he þouȝt ¶ And ȝaf piers powere and pardoun he graunted Xvij To alle maner of men mercy and for-ȝeuenesse ¶ He myȝt men assoile of alle maner synnes In couenaunt þat þei come and knowleched to pay To piers pardoun þe plowman Redde quod debes þus haþ piers power be his pardoun paide To bynde and vnbynde boþe her and elles And assoile men of alle synnes saf of dette on Anon after an hiȝ vp in-to heuen He went and woneþ þer and wil come atte laste And reward hym Riȝtwelle and Redde quod debes Pay parfitly as pure trewþe wold And what persone paieþ hit nouȝt ponisch hym he þinkeþ ¶ And demen hem at domesday þe quik and dede boþe þe gode to godhede and to gret Ioie þe wikked to wony In wo with-out ende þus conscience of crist and of þe cros carped And counseiled me to knele þerto and þan com me 2ouȝt Oon spiritus paraclitus to piers and to his felawes appered In liknesse of liȝtnyng and liȝted on hem alle And made hem conne and knowe alkynne langages I wondred what þis was and wagged on conscience And was a-ferde of þe liȝt for in fire-is likenesse Spiritus paraclitus ouer-spred hem alle Quod conscience and kneled þis is cristis messanger And comeþ for gret gode grace is his name Knele þow quod conscience and ȝif þow canst synge Welcome hym and worschep hym wiþ Veni creator spiritus And I song þat song and so ded many hundred And I cried with conscience helpe vs god of grace And þan be-gan grace to go with piers þe plouȝman And conseiled hym and conscience þe comoun to sompne ¶ For I wol dele to-day and deuide graces ¶ To alle kynne creatures þat can her fyue wittes Tresoure to leue by to her lyues ende And wepon to fiȝt with þat wol neuer faile For antecrist and alle his al þe world schal greue And a-combre þe conscience bot crist þe helpe And fals prophetes fele flaterers and glosers Schal come and be curatours ouer kynges and erles And þan schal pride be pope and prince of holichirch Couatice and vnkyndenesse Cardinales hym to lede For-þi quod grace or I go I wil ȝeue ȝou tresoure ¶ And wepon to fiȝt with whan antecrist ȝou assaileþ And ȝaf euery gom grace by hym-seluen þat Idolnesse encomre hym nouȝt enuy no Pride Diuisiones graciarum sunt Som he ȝaf witte with wordes to schewe To wynne with treuþe as þe world askeþ As prechours and prestes and prentis of þe lawe They leelly to leue be labour of tong And by witte to wissen oþer as grace hem Iwolde teche And som he kenned craft of connyng of siȝt ¶ With sellyng and biggyng her liflode to wynne And som he lerned to labour on lond and on water And leue be þat labour a leel lif and a trewe And som he tauȝt to telie to þecche and to coke As her witte wold whan þe tyme come And som to deuine and to deuide noumbre To keruen and to compasen and colours to maken And som to se and to sey what schuld betide Boþe of wele and of wo and be I-ware be fore As astornemyers þorouȝ astronemy and philosophers wise ¶ And som to Ride and recure þat vnrȝitfullich was wonne ¶ He wissed men wynne a-gayn þorouȝ wiȝtnesse of hondes And fecch it fro fals men with felownes lawes And som he lerned to leue in longing to be hennes In pouert and penaunce to preye for alle cristen And alle he lerned to be leel and ech a craft to loue oþer No boste ne no debate be amonges hem alle þow som be clenner þan som ȝe se wele quod grace þat alle craftes and connynges come of my ȝifte Loke non lakke oþer bot loueþ as breþren And he þat most maistries can be myldest of bering ¶ And crowneþ conscience kyng and make craft ȝoure stiward And after craftes consceile cloþes ȝow and fede For I make piers þe plouȝman my proctour and my Reue And registroure to Receyue Redde quod debes oxen iiijfoure evengelest My purueour and my plouȝman Piersschal be on erþe For to telie trewþe atemea teme schal he haue Grace ȝaf Piers a teme foure gret oxen þat on was luke a large beest and a low-chered Marke and Mathew þe þredde myȝty beestes boþe And Ioyned to hem Iohan most gentil of alle stottes iiijfoure doctures of holy chirch ¶ þe prise nete of piers plowȝ passyng alle oþer And seþþe grace of his godenesse ȝaf piers foure stottes Alle þat þes oxen eried þes foure harowed after Oon hiȝt austyn and Ambrose anoþer Gregory þe gret clerk and Geromye þe gode þes foure þe faiþe to teche folowed piers-is teme And harowed In an handwhile al holi scripture With two harowes þat þei hadde an olde and anewe ijtwo harowz Id est vetus testamentum et nouum ¶ And grace ȝaf piers greynes Cardinale vertues And sewȝe hem In mannes soule and seþ tolde her names Spiritus prudencie þe first seede hiȝt ¶ And who-so ete of þat seede Imagen he schuld Or he dede any dede deuise wel þe ende And lerne men a ladil bigge with a long stele þat cast for to kele cole and kepe þe fatte aboue þe seconde seed hiȝt spiritus temperancie He þat ete of þat sede had such a kende Schuld neuer mete no mischef make hynm to swelle Ne schuld no scuroure out of skille hym bryng No neuer wynnyng no welþe of worldly Richesse ¶ Wast worde on ydilnesse ne wikked speche meue Schuld no coriouse cloþe come on his Rigge Ne no mete In his mouþe þat maister Iohan spised þe þredde seed þat piers sewe was spiritus fortitudinis And who-so ete of þat seed hardy was euer To suffer alle þat god sent sekenesse and aungres Miȝt no liȝers with lesinges ne lost of worldis catelle Makyn hym for any mornyng þat he nas mery In soule And bolde to a-bidyng bismares ro suffer ¶ And platide alle wit pacience and parce michi domine And couerde hym vnder counseile of catoun þe wise Estote fortis animo cum sis dampnatus inique þe firþe seed þat piers sewe was spiritus Iusticie And he þat ete of þat seed schuld be euen trewe With god and nat agast bot of gile on For gile goþe so preualy þat gode faiþe oþer-while May nouȝt be a-spiȝed with spiritus iusticie Spiritus iusticie spareþ nouȝt to spille Hem þat ben gilty ne for to corecte ¶ Boþe kaiser and kyng kniȝtes and oþer For counteþ he nouȝt kingis wreþ whan he In court sitteþ To deme as domesday a-dredde was he neuer ¶ Neiþer of duke neiþer of deþ þat he ne ded þe lawe For present or for preier or any princes lettres He dide equite til alle euen-furþe his knowyng þes foure seedes piers sewe and seþþe he ded hem h[] With olde lawe and newe lawe þat loue myȝt waxe Among þes foure vertues and vices distroie For comonlich In contres cammok and wede Fouleþ þe froite In þe felde þer þei growe to-gidders And so doþ vices and vertues furþ-with quod piers Haroweþ al þat conne kynde witte by conseile of þes doctours ¶ And telieþ hit after her teching þe cardenale vertues A-ȝens þi greynes quod grace be-gynneþ for to Ripe Ordein þe an hous piers to herbarow þi cornes Be godis grace quod piers ȝe most ȝeue me tymber And ordeyn an hous or ȝe hennes wende And grace ȝaue hym þe cros with þe croun of þornes þat crist vp-on caluarie for mankynde on pyned And of his Baptem and blode þat he bledde on Rode He made amanera maner of morter and mercy hit hiȝt And þer-with grace be-gan a good fundament ¶ And watled hit and walled hit wiþ his peyne & his passi[] And of holi writte he made a Rofe after And called þat hous vnite holichirch on englisch And whan þis ded was don grace deuised AcarteA carte þat hiȝt cristendom to carie home piers-is sche[] And ȝaf hym capelles to his carte contriscioun and confes[] He made presthode haiward þe whiles hym-self wente As wide as þe world is with piers to telie trewþe And þe londe of beleue þan lawe of holichirche Now is piers to þe plouȝ pride hit a-spyȝeth ¶ And gedered hym a gret oost greue hym he þinkeþ ¶ Conscience and alle cristen and cardynale vertues Blowe hem downe and breke hem and bite Intwo þe mores And sente furþe sir quydours his seriauntes of armes And his spiȝe spille loue speke euel be-hynde þes two comen to conscience and to cristen peple And tolde hem tiþinges þat tyme schuld he distroie þe seedes þat piers sewe to cardinale vertues And piers berne worþe broke and þo þat ben In vnite Schal come out and conscience and his two cappulis Confescioun and contriscioun and ȝoure cart beleue ¶ Schal be coloured so quayntly and couerde vnder sophistrie þat conscience schal nouȝt knowe be contriscioun Ne be confescioun who is cristen no heþen Ne no maner of Marchaunt þat with money deliþ Weþer he wynne hit with Riȝt with wrong or with vsur With such colour and queyntice come pride þer-wiþ With þe lorde þat leueþ after þe loste of þe body To wasten on wel-fair and on wikkid keping Al þe world In a while þorouȝ oure wytt quod pride ¶ Quod conscience to alle cristen þo my counsceile is we wende Hastely In-to vnite and holde we vs þere And prey we þat pees were In per[] berne þe plouȝman For witterly I wote wele we ben nouȝt In strengþe To go agayn pride bot grace with vs were And þan come kynde witte conscience to teche And cried and comaunded alle cristen peple Delue and dike depe about vnite þat holichirch stode In holinesse as it were apilerea pilere Conscience comaunded þo al cristen to delue And make a much mote þat myȝt be astrengþea strengþe ¶ To helpe holichirch and hem þat hit kepen ¶ þan alle kynne cristen men saue comoun women Repented and refused synne saue þei oon And a sisour and a somenour þat wer for-swore ofte Wetyng and wilfully with þe fals þei helde And for siluer wer for-sworn soþely þei wist hit þer ne was cristen creature þat kynde wit had þat he ne halpe aquantitea quantite holinesse to wex Som be bedes biddyng and som be pilgrimage And oþer preue penaunce and som be peines deling ¶ And þan walked water for wikked werkes Egerlich ernyng out of men-is eyȝen Clennes of þe comoun and clerkes clene leuyng Made vnite In holichirche In holinesse stonde I care nouȝt quod conscience ȝeue pride come nouþe þe lorde of liȝt schal be lete al þis lente I hope Comþe quod conscience ȝe cristen and dyneþ þat haue laboured leelly alle þis lenten tyme Her is brede I-blessed and goddis body þer-vnder Grace þorouȝ gode worde ȝaf piers þe plouȝman power ¶ Miȝt to maken hit and men for to eten hit In helpe of her hele ones In a monþe Or as ofte as þei hadde nede þo þat had paide To piers þe plouȝman Redde quod debes How so quod þe comoun do þow conseilest vs ȝelde Alle þat we owen any wiȝt or þat we go to hosole þat is my conseile quod conscience and cardenale vertues þat euery man for-ȝeue oþer and þat wol þe Pater noster Dimitte nobis debita nostra ¶ So to be assoiled and seþþen I-hosoled ȝe baw quod a Brewer I wol nat be Rewled Be Ihesu for alle ȝoure Iangelyng after spiritus Iuisticie ¶ Ne after conscience be crist while I can selle Boþe dragges and draff and drawȝe hit at one hole þikaleþik ale and þynne and þat is my kynde And nouȝt to hakke after holinesse hold þi pees conscience Of spiritus iusticie þow spekest much of Idelle Kaitef quod conscience cursed wrecche On-blessed art þow brewer bot ȝif god helpe Bot þow loue lore of spiritus iusticie þe chef seed þat piers sewe I-saued worþistow neuer Bot conscience be comoun fode and cardinale vertues ¶ Leue it we ben loste boþe body and soule þan is many a man lost quod alewdea lewde vicory I am acuratoura curatour of holikirch and come neuer In my tyme Man to me þat me couþe telle of cardynale vertues Or þat counted conscience to a cokkis feþer I knew neuer cardinale þat he ne come fro þe pope And clerkes whan þei comen for her comouns paiȝen For her pelour and her palfrey mete and pilours þat hem foloweþ þe comoun clamat cotidie euery man to oþer ¶ þe court is þe curseder þat cardinale comeþ Inne And þer þei ligge and reigne most lecchory þer reigneþ For-þi quod þis vicory be verrey god I wold þat no cardinale come among þe comoun peple Bot In her holinesse at home holde hem stille At Auyoun among Iewes cum sancto sanctis eris Or In Rome as her Rewle wolde her relikes to kepe And þou conscience In kyngis court and schuldest neuer come þennes And grace þat þou greddist so of gyer of alle clerkes And piers wiþ his new plouȝ and also with his olde ¶ Emperour of alle þe world þat alle men wer cristen ¶ In parfit is þat pope þat alle peple schuld helpe And sendeþ hem þat sleþ such as he schuld saue Bot wel worþe piers plouȝman þat purseweþ god In doyng Qui pluit super iustos et in-iustos atonesat ones And sente þe sone to saue acurseda cursed tilþe As briȝt as to þe beste man or to þe best woman Riȝt so piers þe plouȝman peyneþ hym to telþe And trauaileþ and telieþ for a traitour also sore As fore a trew tide man alle tymes Iliche Worscheped be he þat wrouȝt alle boþe good and wikke ¶ And suffreþ þat synful be to tyme þat þei Repente And god amende þe pope þat peliþ þe chirche And cleymeþ be-fore þe kyng to be keper ouer cristen And counteþ nouȝt þouȝ cristen be killed and Robbed And fynt folk to fiȝten and cristen blode to spille Aȝens þe olde lawe and newe as bereþ witnesse Non occides michi vindictam et ego retribuam It semeþ be so hym-self had his wille He rekkeþ riȝt nouȝt of þe remnaunt And crist of his curtaisie þe cardenales saue ¶ And turne her witte and wisdom to Riȝtwisnesse and Reuþe For þe comoun quod piers doctours counte ful litel þe conseil of conscience and cardinale vertues Bot ȝef þei sowȝen as by siȝt som-what to wynnynges Of gile ne of gabbyng geue þei no tale For spiritus prudencie among þe peple is gile And alle þe feire vertues as vices þei semen Euery man sotelleþ a sleiȝt synne to hide And coloureþ hit for a connyng and a clene leuyng ¶ þan lowȝe þer alordea lorde and be þis liȝt seide I holde hit riȝt and Resoun of my Reue to take Alle þat myn auditour and my stiþe steward Counseileþ me be her acount þat my clerkes writen ¶ With spiritus intellectus þei toke þe Reuys Rolles And with spiritus fortitudinis fecche hit wil he nelle he And þan come þer a kyng and be his croun seide I am king with croun þe comoun to Rewle And holichirch and clergie from cursed men to defende And ȝef me lakke to leue by þe lawe wil I take It þer I may hastelokest it haue for I am hede of lawe And ȝe ben but membres and I abouen ȝow alle ¶ And seþþen I am ȝoure alþer heued I am ȝour alþer hele And holichirch chef helpe and chefteyn of þe comoun And what I take of ȝow two I take hit of teching Of spiritus iusticie for I iugge ȝow alle So I may boldely be hosoled for I borouȝ neuer Ne craue of my comoun bot as my kynde askeþ In condiscioun of quod conscience þat þow conne defende And rewle þi Reme In Resoun riȝt wel and In treweþ Trewþe wil þat þow haue þat þe lawe askeþ Omnia sunt tua ad defendendum set non ad deprehendendum þe vicory he went from hem and feire toke his leue And I awaked þer-withand wrot as me mette Passus secundus de Dobest And as I wente be þe way whan I was þus a-waked Heuy-chered I wente and elenge In hert For I ne wist wher to ete ne at what place And hit neyȝed nye none and with nede I mette þat frunt me foule and faitour me called Cowdestow nouȝt excuse þe as dide þe kyng and oþer þat þow toke to leue by to cloþes and to sustinaunce Was be teching and tellyng of spiritus temperancie And þat þow nymmest no more þan nede þe tauȝt ¶ And nede ne haþe no lawe ne neuer schal falle In dette ¶ For þre þinges he takeþ his lif for to saue þat is mete when men hym werne and he no money wildeþ Ne wot none to be his borow ne haþe no wedde to legge And ȝef he cach In þat cas and come þer-to be sleiȝt He synneþ nouȝt soþely þat so wyneþ his gode And ȝef he come to a cuppe and can no better cheuesuance Nede a-non nemeþ hym vnder his grace And ȝef hym list for to lape þe lawe of kynde wolde þat he drank at ech dische or þan he died for þrist ¶ So nede at grete nede may nym for his owne With-out conseile of conscience or Cardinale vertues So þat he sewe and saue spiritus temperancie For no vertu be fer to spiritus temperancie Neiþer spiritus iusticie ne spiritus fortitudinis For spiritus fortitudinis forfetiþ ful ofte He schal do more þan mesure many score tymes And bete hem ouer bitterly and som body to litil And greue me ofter þan gode faiþ wolde And spiritus iusticie schal Iugge wil he nel he ¶ After þe Kyngis consceile and as þe comoun likeþ And spiritus prudencie In many poyntis schal faile Of þat he wenyþ wold faile ȝif þat witte ne were Wenyng is no wisdam ne wise ymaginacioun Homo proponit et deus disponit god gouerneþ hem alle Good vertues and nede is next hym for none he makeþ And as lowȝe as alombea lombe for lakkyng þat hym nedeþ For nede makeþ nede fele nedes lowȝ hert Philosophers for-soke welþe for þei wolde be nedy And woned wel elengely and wold nouȝt be Riche ¶ And god al his gret Ioie gostely he left And come and toke man-kynde and be-come nedy ¶ So he was nedy saiþ þe boke In many sondry places þat he seide In his sorowe on þe self Rode Boþe fox and foule may fle to hole and crepe And þe fisch haþ fynne to flete with to Reste And nede haþe I-nome me I mote nede abide And suffer sorowe wel sowre þat schal to ioye turne For-þi be nouȝt abasched to bidde and be nedy Seþ he þat wrouȝt al þe world was wilfully nedy Ne neuer noon so nedy no porer dyed Whan nede had vndernome me þus anon I felle a-slepe ¶ And mette ful meruaisly þat In amannesa mannes forme Antecrist come þan and alle the croppe of trewþe Turned tite vp-so-doun and ouertilt þe Rote And made fals spring and sprede and spede mannes nedes In euery contre wher he come he cauȝt awey trewþe And gert gile grow þer as he a god were Freres folowed þat fende for he ȝaf hem copes And religiouse reuerensed hym and Rongen her belles And alle þe couent come to welcome þat tiraunt And alle his also wele as hym saf only foles ¶ þe wich folles wer gladder to dye þan to leue Long seþ lewte was so Rebuked And a fals fende antecrist ouer alle folke Reigned And þat wer mylde men and holy þat no myschef dredden Defied alle falsnesse and folk þat hit vsed And what kyng þat þat hem comforted knowing her gile þei cursed and alle her counseile wer it clerk or lewde And antecrist had þus sone an hundred at his baner And pride hit bare boldely a-boute With a lorde þat leueþ after likyng of body ¶ And a-ȝens conscience come þat keper was and gier Ouer kynde cristen and cardinale vertues ¶ I counseile quod conscience come with me ȝe foles In-to vnite of holichirch and holde we vs þere And crie we to kynde þat he come and defende vs Fooles fro þe fendes lymes for piers loue þe plouȝman And crie we alle þe comoun þat þei come to vnite And þer abiden and bekeyen aȝens beliales children Kynde conscience þo herde and come out of þe planetis And sente furþe his ferours feueres and flixes Crompes and cardinales couȝes and toþe aches ¶ Remes and Radegundes and rennouse scabbes Biles and bocches and brennyng anguisches Frewsies and foule eueles foragers of kynde Had priked and preued polles of þe pepele Largelich a legioun lese her lif sone þer was harowe and helpe how comeþ kynde With deþ þat is dredful to vndo vs alle þe lord þat leued after lust þo he loude cried After come forþ akniȝta kniȝt to come and bere our baner ¶ A-larme alarme quod þe lorde Ich lif kepe his owne þan mette þes men her Mynstralles with pipe And her herawdes of armes had discried lordes Ilde þe hore he was In þe vawarde And bare þe baner be-fore deþ by riȝt he it cleymed Kynde come after hym with many kyn sores As pokkes and pestilence þat many pepel schent So kynde þorouȝ corupcioun killed ful many Deþ come driuande after and al to dust passhed Kynges and knyȝtes caysers and popes ¶ Lered and lewde lefte no man stonde þat he hitte euen neuer stired after ¶ Many a louely lady and her lemmans knyȝtes Swowned and swelt for sorowful dyntes Conscience of his curtasie þo kynde be-souȝt To sese and to suffer and se wher þei wold Leue pride preualiche and be parfit cristene Pryd And pride preked þo to se þe peple amende Fortune gan flateren þo þe fewe þat were on lyue And be-hiȝt hem long lif and lecchory be sente Among alle maner of men wedded and vnwedded And gedered a gret ooste a-ȝens conscience ¶ þis lecchory leid on with lawing chere With preue speche and peynted wordes lechore And armed hym In Idelnesse and In hiȝe bering He bare a bowe In his honde and many brode arowes Wer feþered with feire be-hest and many fals trowþes With vntide tales he tened ful ofte Conscience and his company of holichirch techers Covatis þan come couatise and cast how he myȝt Ouercome conscience and Cardinale vertues And armed hym In Auarice and hungerlich leued ¶ His witte was as wiles to wynnen and to hiden With glosing and gabbyng giled þe pepel Symony hym sewed to assaile conscience And presed on þe pope and presauntes made To holde with antecrist þe temperalte to saue And come to þe kinges conseile as a kene baroun And knokked conscience In þe court before hem alle And gert gode faiþe to fle and fals to a-bide And boldelich bare adoun with many abriȝta briȝt noble ¶ Much of þe witte and of þe wisdom of westmester halle He iugged with þe Iustice and Iusted In his ere ¶ And ouertilt al his trewþe with take þis on mendemente And to þe arches on haste he went a-non after And turned Ciuile in-to symony and siþþe toke þe oficiale And for ameneuera meneuer Mantel made leel motrimonye Departen or deþ come and a devoce scheften Allas quod conscience þo and cried wold crist of his grace þat couetise wer cristen þat so kene fiȝteþ And bolde and biding whiles þe bagge lasteþ þan lowȝ lif and lete dag his cloþes And armed hym In hast In harlottes wordes ¶ And held holinesse a iape and hendenesse a wastour And let lewte acherla cherl and liȝer afrea fre man Conscience and conscel he counted hit foly þus relied lif for a litel fortune And preched forþe with pride and preiseþ he no vertu He careþ nouȝt how kynde schal come at laste And kille alle erþely creatures saue conscience one Lif lepe on side and lauȝt hym a lemman Hele and I quod he and hiȝnesse of herte Schal do þe drede no dome ne deþ no Elde ¶ And for to for-ȝete þouȝt and ȝeue nouȝt of synne þis liked lif and his lemman fortune And geten In her glorie a gadlyng at laste On þat much wo wrouȝt slewþe was his name þo slewþe wex wonder ȝerne and sone was of age And weddyd on wanhope a wenche of þe stiwes Her sire was a sisour þat neuer swore trewþe On tom Two tungis a-teynte In euery aquest þis slewþ was sliȝe of werre and a sleng made And þrew drede of dispaire a dosein Mile a-bout ¶ For care conscience þo cried vp-on Elde ¶ And bad hym fonde to fiȝt and afere wanhope And allde hent a gode hope and hastely schroue hym And wayueþ a-way wanhope and with lif he fiȝteþ And lif flewe for fere to fesik after helpe And be-souȝt hym of socour and of his salue hadde And ȝaf hym gold gode wone and gladed his hert And þei geuen hym a-geyn aglasena glasen howe Lif leued þat leche-craft lette schuld Elde And dryue a-wey deþ with dietis and drageis ¶ And Elde auntred hym on lif and at laste hitte A ficissian In a furred hode þat he fel In apalseya palsey And þer died þe doctour or þre daies after Now I se seide lif þat surgery no fesik May nouȝt a Mite a-vaile to medel a-ȝens Elde And In hope of his helpe gode hert he hent And Rode to þe Reuel a Riche place and mery þe company of comfort men cleped hit somtyme And Elde after hym and ouer myn hed ȝede And made me balled be-fore and bare on þe roun ¶ So harde he ȝede ouer myn heued It wil be sene euer Sir Elde euel tauȝt quod I vnhende go with þe Seþ whan was þe way er Mennes heuedes Haddistow be hende þow woldest haue asked leue ȝa leue lurdeyn quod he and leide on me with age And hitte me vnder þe ere vnneþ may I here And buffeted me a-bout þe mouþ and bette on my wong-teþe And gyued In my guttes I may nouȝt go at large And of þe wo þat I was In my wif had Reuþe And wished wel witterly þat I wer In heuen ¶ For þe lym þat sche loued me fore leþy was to fele ¶ And aniȝtis namely whan he naked wer I ne myȝt hit In no maner make hit at her wille So Elde and sche it had for-hitte And as I satte In þis sorowe I sawȝ how kynde passed And deþ drouȝ fast to me for drede gan I quake And cried to kende out of care me bring And how Elde þe hore haþ me be-sey A-wreke me ȝef ȝoure wille be for I wold be henne ȝef þow wilt be a-wreke wende In-to vnite ¶ And holde þe þer euer til I sende for þe And loke þow conne som craft or þou wende þennes Counseileþ me kynde quod I what craft be best to lere Lerne þe to loue quod kynde and leue al oþer How schal I come to catel so to cloþe me and fede And þow loue leelly lakke schal þe neuer Wede no worþi mete while þi lif lasteþ And be conseil of kynde comsid to Rome þorouȝ contriscioun and confescioun til I come to vnite And þer was conscience constable cristen to saue ¶ And be-seged soþely with seuen grete geauntes þat with antecrist helden harde a-ȝens conscience Slewþe with his slyng and harde sauȝt he made Proude prestes come with hym passing an hundred In paltokes and piked schone and pisseres long knyues Come aȝens conscience with couatise þei helden By mary quod a Mansed prest of þe marche of Irlond I counte no more conscience so I cacch seluer þan I do to drynk a drauȝt of gode ale And so seide sexty of þe same contrey ¶ A schoten a-ȝens hym with schotte many schef oþes And brode hoked arowes goddis hert and his nailes ¶ And had al-most vnite and holichirch distroied Conscience cried helpe clergie or I deye þorouȝ In-parfit prestes men of holichirch Freres herden his crie and comen hym to helpe Nede neiȝed þo ner and conscience he tolde þat þei come for couatice to haue cure of soules And for þei ar pore paraunter for patrimoyne hem faileþ þei wol flater to fare wel folke þat ben Riche And seþþen þei chosen chele and cheitif pouert Lat hem chew as þei chosen and charge hem with no cure ¶ For he liȝeþ and liflod mete beggeþ þer he þat laboureþ for liflod and leniþ hit beggers Is more trewer tolde be ten score tyme And seþ freres for-soke þe felicite of erþe Lat hem be as beggers and leue be aungels fode Conscience of þis consceil þo comsed to lawȝ And curteisly comforted hym and called In alle freres And seide sires soþely welcome be ȝe alle To vnite and to holichirch ac oþingo þing I ȝow pray Holdeþ ȝow In vnite and haueþ non enuy ¶ To lered ne to lewde bot leue after ȝour Rewle And I wol be ȝoure borowe ȝe schul haue brede and cloþes And oþer necessaries I-nowe ȝow schal noþing lakke With þat ȝe leue logik and lerneþ to loue For loue lefte þe lordschep boþe lowde and stille Frere fraunces and domenik for loue to be holi And ȝef ȝe coueite cure kynde wol ȝow telle þat In mesure god made alle maner of þinges And sente hit In ceteyn and at a seker noumbre ¶ And nempned hem anmes and noumbred þe sterres Qui numurat multitudinem stellarum ¶ Kynges and kniȝtis þat kepen and defenden Haue officers vnder hem and ech of hem acerteina certein And ȝef þei wage men to werre þei writen hem In noumbre Wil no tresorer take hem wages trauaile þei neuer so sore Bot ȝef he can Reken a-Riȝt her names In his Rolles Alle oþer In bataile beþ holde ribours Pilour and pike-harneise In euery parsch a-cursed Monkes and Monyales and alle men of religioun ¶ Her ordre and her Reule wil to haue a certeyn noumbre Of lered and lewde þe law wil and askeþ A Certein for a certein saf only of freres For-þi quod conscience be crist kynde witte me telleþ It is wikked to wage ȝow ȝe wex out of noumbre For-þi I wold witterly þat ȝe weren In þe registre And ȝour noumbre vnder notorie signes & noþer mo ne lesse ȝef ȝe wol be nempned In þe noumbre of hem þat ben waged Enuy herd þis and hette freres go to scole ¶ And lerne logik and lawe and eke contemplacioun And preche men of plato and preue hit be senica þat alle þing vnder heuen auȝt to be In comoun He liȝeþ as I leue þat to þe lewde so precheþ For god made to men law and Moises it tauȝt Non concupisces rem proximi tui And euel is þis holde In parischesse In Inglond And parsones and parsch preestes þat schuld þe peple schine þei ben curatours calde to knowe and to holde Alle þat ben her parischones penuance enioynen And þei schenden hem In her schrift þat schame makeþ hem ¶ And fle to þe freres and fals folk to westmester þat borowen and beren hit þider and þan bidden frendes ¶ ȝerne of forȝeuenes or longer ȝeres leue Bot while he is In westmenester he wil be for-bore And makiþ hym mery with oþer mennes godes And so hit fareþ be much folk þat to freres schriuen As Sisous and executours þei schul ȝeue þe freres A parcelle to prey for hem and make hem mery With þe remenaunt þat oþer men be-swonken And Suffer þe deed In dette til þe day of dome Enuy herfore hateþ conscience ¶ And Freres to philosophie he fyndeþ to scole þe wich couaitise and vnkindenesse conscience assoileden In vnite holichirch conscience helde hym And made pees porter to pynne þe ȝates For alle tale-tellers and totelers on Idelle Ypocrisie at þe ȝate fast gan fiȝt And wounded wel wikkedly many wise techers þat with conscience acorded and cardinale vertues Conscience called alechea leche þat couþe wel schriue To saue þo þat seke were and with synne wounded ¶ Schrifte schope scharpe salue and made men do penaunce For her mysdedes þat þei hadde wrouȝt And þat piers pardoun wer paide Redde quod debes Som liked nouȝt þis leche and lettres þei sente ȝef any surgeyn wer In þe sege þat softe cowþe plaster Sir lif to leue In lecherie þat lay þer and groned For fastyng of a friday ferde as he wold deiȝe þer is a surgeyn In þe sege þat softe can handelle And more of fesike be fer and feirer plastrie ¶ On frere flater is fisician{otiose tilde} and surgyn Quod contriscioun to conscience do hym come to vnite For her is many a man hurt þorouȝ ypocrisie ¶ We haue no nede quod conscience I wot no better leche þan parsoun or parisch preest penitauncere or Bischoppe Saue piers þe plouȝman þat haþ power of alle And Indulgense may do bot ȝef dette lette hit I may wel sufer seide conscience seþ ȝe desiren þat frere flaterer be fette and fesike ȝow seke þe frere her-of herde and hiȝed hym faste To a lorde for a letter leue to haue cure As a curatour he were he come with his letter ¶ Boldely to þe bischop and his bref hadde In contres þer he come confescioun to here And come þer conscience was and knokked at þe ȝate Pees opened hit was porter of vnite And In hast hiȝt what his wille were In faiþe quod þis frere for prophet and for helþe Carpe wold I with contriscioun and þer-for come I heder He is seke quod pees and so arn many oþer Ypocrisie haþ hurt hem ful hard is ȝeue þe couer I am a surgeyn seide þe frere and salues can I make ¶ Conscience knoweþ me wel and what I can do I prey þe quod pees or þow passe forþer What hastow I preie þe hele nat þi name Certis seide he felawe sir Penetrans domos ȝa go þi gate quod pees be god for alle þi fesike But þow conne any crafte þow comest nouȝt her-Inne I knew such oon ones nouȝt eiȝt winter passed Come In þus I-coped In court þer I duelled And was my lordis leche and my ladies boþe Atte þe laste þis lemetour þo my lorde was oute ¶ He salued so our wommen þat som wer with childe Hende speche þo hit pees open þe ȝates ¶ And lette Inne þe frere and his felowe and make hem feire chere He may meue such maters so may be-tyde þat lif þorow his lore schal leue couatise And be adrad of deþ and with-drawe hym fro pride And acorde with conscience and kisse eiþer oþer þo þorow his hende speche entred þe frere And come to conscience and curtaisly hym grette þow art welcome quod conscience canst þow hele sike Her is contriscioun my cosyn carful liþ wounded Comforte hym quod conscience and take kepe of his sores ¶ þe plasters of þe parsoun pynen hym ful sore He lat hym ligge ouerlong and loþe is to chonge From lenten to lenten he let his plastres bite þat is long quod þis lemytour I leue I schal amende hit And goþ and gropiþ contriscioun and gaf hym a plaster Off apreuea preue paiement and I schal prey for ȝow And for hem þat ȝe ar helden to al my lif tyme And mynne ȝow In my masse and my matyns boþe As freres of fraternite for alitela litel siluer ¶ þus he goþ and gadereþ and gloseþ þer he schriueþ Til contriscioun had clene for-ȝete to crie and to wepe And wake for his wikked workes as he was woned before For comfort of þis curatour contriscioun he left þat is þe souereyne salue of al maner synne Slewþ sey þat and so ded pride And come with kene wille conscience to assaile Conscience cried eft clergie come helpe And bad contriscioun come to helpe kepe þe ȝate ¶ He liþ and dreueliþ quod pees and so do many oþer þe frere with his fesike þes folke haþe enchaunted ¶ And doþe men drink dwale til þei for-ȝete synne By crist quod conscience þo I wil be-come a pilgrim And wende as wide as þe world reigneþ To seke piers þe plouȝman þat pride myȝt distroie And þat freres had a fyndyng þat for no nede flateren And counterplete me conscience now kynde me a-venge And sende me happe and hele to haue piers þe plouȝman And seþþe he gradde grace til I gan a-wake Explicit liber willelmi de petro le plowȝmanJohn Stow in his Annals says Orial College in Oxford was founded, Anno domi 1323 i anno 15 Rig..2. And aftir, as An. 16. ed .3: This yeer John Maluern fellow of Orial Collige in Oxford, finished his visions of Peires Plowman . i 19 yeirs aftir . 1342.B.. calls the authour Robert Lanland. & knows not whithir he studied as either ... but says he ended this worke Anno Domini 1369. That is an: 43 of edw..Vid. Bala.. C.6. .37. pag. 474.