The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. ?: Oxford, University College, MS 45 (U) William LanglandEdited by Pamela TroyerTechnical Editor: Daniel Pitti Graduate Research AssistantsSupply names if any. Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Cynthia Girard.Society for Early English and Norse Texts (SEENET) ISBN: ???

copyright 200?>, by SEENET

200? Oxford, University College, MS 45 (U)

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LatinFrenchGerman 26 June 2008 cataloger Hoyt N. Duggan New header created In a somer seson as y south wente I schoop me in a schrowde as y a scheep were In habite as an ermyte vn-holy werkes I wente wide in þis world wondres to here But on a may mornynge on maluerne hilles Me by-fel a ferly of fayrie me þoughte I was wery for-wandryd y wente me to reste vndir a-brood banke by a bornes side And as y-lay and lened me and lokide on þe watres I slombride on a slepynge I sweuenyd so myrie þan gan y to mete a merueylous sweuene þat y was in wildernesse y wyste neuere where [pen strokes] But as y by-heeld in þe eest vp to þe sonne I a saw a tour in a toft triely a-tired a deep dale by-nethe a dungeoun þer-ynne wiþ depe diches and derke dredful of sight a fair feeld ful of folk fond I by-twene Of alle manere of men þe mene and þe riche wurchynge and wandrynge as þe world askith Some putten hem to þe plow pleiden ful seelde In seed tyme and sowynge þei swonken ful harde And wonnen þat þese wastours wiþ glotenye destroien Some putten hem to pride or apparayled hem þer-aftir In cuntenaunce of clothynge þei comen dysgysed To preyeres and to penaunce putten hem manye For þe loue of our lord lyueden ful streyte In hope for to haue heuen-riche blisse as Ankres and ermytes þat holden hem in here selles And coueyte noght in þe cuntre to carien aboute For no lykerous lyflode here lykames to plese and some chosen hem to chaffare þei cheuyde þe betere As it es seen in our sight þat siche men thryuen And some myrthes to-make as mynstralis cunne Gete gold wiþ here gle synneles I trowe Ac iaperis and iangleres Iudases children Son fynden hem fantasyes and foles hem maken & han wit at-here wille to wurche what hem liketh þat þat poul prechith of hem y wol noght prouen here Qui loquitur turpiloquium . is Luciferes hyne Beggeris and bydderes faste a-boute edyn Til here belyes and here bagges were bredful crammyd Þei fliten for here fode and foughten at þe nale In glotenye god wot go þei to bedde And risen vp with ribaudrie as Roberdes knaues Sleep and slouthe sueth hem euere Pilgrimes and palmeres plighten hem to-gidre For to seke seint Iame and seyntes in Rome wenten forth in here weye with many wise tales And hadden leue to lye alle here lyues aftir Ermytes on an heep with hokide stauys Wenten to walsyngham and here wenchis aftir Grete lobyes and longe loth for to swynke Clothide hem in copes to ben knowe from oþere Y fond þere freris alle þe foure ordres Prechynge þe peple for profit of here wombes Glosid þe gospell as hem good lykide For couetyse of copes construed it as þei wolde Manye of þese maistres mow clothen hem at lykynge For here moneye and here marchandise metyn to-gidre Sithen charite haþ ben chapman & cheef to schryue lordes Many ferlyes han fallen in a fewe eris But holy chirche and he holde to-gidre Þe moste meschief on þis molde mountith vp faste Þere prechide a pardoner a prest as he were And broughte forth a bulle with bysschopes selys And seide hym selue myghte assoile hem alle Of falsnesse of fastynge of a-vowes broken Þe lewid men lyueden hym and likide wel his speche and comen knelyng vp to kussen his bulle He blessid hem wiþ his breuet and blerid here eyen Raughte hym with his ragge-man broches and rynges Þus e euen our gold glotonus to helpe and lenyn it to loselis þat lechery haunten But were þe bisschop y-blessid and worth boþe his eres his seal schulde noght be sent to desceyue þe peple y trowe it is noght for þe bisschop þat þe boye precheth . But þe pariche preest and þe pardoner parten þe siluer Þat þe pore peple schuld haue if þat þei ne were Parsones and parsche prestis pleynen hem to here bysschop Þat here paryschenes ben pore sithen þe pestilence tyme To haue a licence and a leue at londoun to duelle To syngen for symonye for siluer is swete Þere houyd an hundrid in howues of selk Seriantz þei semeden pletiden at þe barre Þei pletide for pens and poundide þe lawe Ac non for þe loue of our lord openyd his lippes Þou myghtest betere mete myst on maluerne hilles Þan gete a mom of here mouth til mone be schewed I Saw per erche-bisschopes bolde and bacheleris of deuyn By-come clerkes of a-counte þe kyng for to serue Y saw þere erchedeknes and denes þat dignite hauen To prechen þe peplen and pore men to fede Þei ben lopen to londone þurwe leue of here bisschop and ben clerkes of þe kynges bench þe contre to schende Barouns burgeys and bondages also I Saw in þat semble as e schul heren aftir Bakeris and bocheres and breusteres boþe wullen websteres weueres of lynnene Taillours toucheris and tolleris boþe Masouns mynours and many oþer craftis And dikeres and delueres þat don here werk ille Þat dryuen forþ þe longe day with deu sa dam emme Cokes and here knaues criden hote pyes hote Gode gees and grys gowe dyne gowe Tauerneris tollid hem and tolde hem þe same wiþ white wyn of oseye and gascoyne Of þe ryn and of þe rochil þe rost to dyffye Þis saw I my-selue slepynge & seuen sithes more Passus primis de visione 4 what þis monteyne may mene & þe derke dale and eek þe feld ful of folk faire y schal ow schewe A louely lady of lere in lynnene was clothid Com doun fro þe clyf and callide me faire And seide sone slepist ow seest þou þis peple How bysy þei ben a-boute þe mase Þe moste partie of þe peple þat passith vppon erthe Haue þei worschepe of þe world kepe þei no betere Of oþer heuene þan here holde þei no tale I was a-ferid of here face þoghe sche fayr were And seide merci madame what may þis by-mene Þe tour in þe toft quod sche treuthe is þer-ynne Þat wolde þat e wroghten as his word techith For he is fadir of feyth þat fourmyde ow alle Bothe wiþ fel and wiþ face and af ow fyue wyttes For-to wurschipen hym þerwith whiles e ben here & þerfore he bad ow eche on helpen oþer Of wollene and lynnene to lyflode at nede In mesurable manere to make ow at ese And comandide of his curtesye in comoun þre þinges Arn non nedful but þei to nempne hem y thenke And rekne hem ow by resoun reherce e hem aftir Þe ton is vesture verailiche fro cold ow to saue Þe toþer is mete at our meel for myschief of ow-selue drynk whan ow drieth but do it noght out of resoun So þat e wurche þe werse whan e swynke scholde For loth in lyf dayes for lykynge of drynke Dide by his doughtere þat þe deuyl likyde Delyted hym in drynke as þe deuel wolde And lechorye hym laughte & lay by hem bothe and al he witede wyn þat wikkide dede Dreed delitable drynk and þou schalt do þe betere But hold with hym and with hire þat asken þe treuthe & neither leef hem for loue ne for lakkynge of siluer & who so passith þis poynt is apostata in his ordre And kyng kyngene kyng knyhtide tene Cherubyn and seraphyn and siche mo oþere And af hem myghte in his maieste þe myriere hem þoughte And ouer al his meyne made hem archaungelis And taute hem þurw þe trinite þe treuthe to knowe And be buxum at his heste he bad hem noght elles , Lucifer with legiones lernyd it in heuene Þat was þe louelyst of sight aftir our lord Til he brak buxumnesse þurw bost of him-selue Þan fel he with his felawes and feendes by-come Out of heuene in-to helle hoblide þei faste Some in eyr some in erthe some in helle depe Ac lucifer lowest light of hem alle For þe pride he putte out his peyne hath non ende And alle þat worken with wrong wende þei schulle Aftir here deth day and duelle with þat schrewe Ac þo þat wurchen þe word þat holy writ techith . And enden as y er seide in profitible werkes Mowe ben siker here soules schul wende to heuene Þer treuthe is in trynite tre tryeste of alle Þer-fore y seye as y seide er by sighte of þese textes Whan alle tresours arn tried treuthe is þe beste lerith it lewid men for lettride it knowen Þat treuthe is tresour þe trieste on erthe it haue y no kynde knowynge e mot me betere kenne By what kyne craft in my cors it comseth & whare Þou dotyd daffe quod sche dulle ben þi wyttys It is a kynde knowynge þat comseth in þin herte For to loue þi lord betere þan þi-selue No dedly synne to do þoghe þou deye schuldest Þis y trowe be treuthe who can teche þe betere Loke þou suffre hym to seye and sithe lerne it aftir For þus witnessith his word wurche þou þer-aftir Þat loue is þe leueste thyng þat our lord askith . & also plante of pees put it in þin herte Þere þou art myrye at þe mete whan men bydde þer edden For by kynde knowynge þer comseth it right And þat fallith to þe fadir þat formyde vs alle Þat lokide on vs wiþ loue and leet his sone deye Mekeliche for our mysdedes to amende vs alle And it wolde he hym no þat wroughte hym þat pyne But mekeliche be mouthe merci by-soughte To haue pite on þe peple þat pyned hym to dethe Here myght se ensamples in hym-selue one Þat he was myghtful and meke & merci gan grauntyn To hem þat hyngen hym by & his herte thirlide Þer-fore y rede þe riche to haue reuthe on þe pore Þoghe e ben myghti to mote beþ meke of our werkes For þe same mesure e metyn here amys oþer elles e schullen be weyen þer-with whan þat e gon hennys For þeighe e be trewe of our tunge & trewliche wynne And eek as a child þat in cherche wepith But e loue lely and lene þe pore Of swiche good as god haþ sent goodliche parteth e ne haue na-more meryt in matynus ne in oures Þan malkyn of here maydenhed þat no man desired For Iames þe geiral Iuggid in his book Þat feith wiþouten werk is feblere þan noght And deed as a dorenayl but þe if þe dede folwe Chastite wiþouten charite wurþ schryned in helle Þat is as lewed as a lampe þat no light is ynne Now many chapeleyns arn chaste but charite is a-weie Arn none hardere þan þei whan þei ben auaunced Vnkynde to here kyn and eek to alle cristene Chiwen here charite & chiden aftir more Swich chastite wiþouten charite wurþ schryned in helle e curatours þat kepen ow clene of our body e ben encombrid wiþ couetise e cunne noght out crepyn So harde haþ auarice haspid ow to-gidres Þat is no treuthe of þe trinite but a trecherie of helle And a lernynge to lewed men þe lattere to dele For þese arn wordes y-writen in þe euaungelie Date & dabitur vobis for y may dele ou alle Þat is þe lok of loue þat letith out my grace Loue is þe leuyste thyng þat our lord askith And eek þe greytheste gate þat goth in-to heuene Þer-fore y seie as y seide er by sighte of þese textes Whan alle tresours arn triede treuthe is þe beste Now haue y told þe what treuthe is þat no tresour is betere I may no lengere duellen now loke þe our lord Passus secundus de visione it y knelid on my knees and cride hire of grace And seide merci ma-dame for mary loue of heuene Þat bar þe blisful barn þat boughte on þe rode Kenne me by som craft to knowe þe false Loke on þe left quod sche & see whare þei stonde Bothe fals and fauel and his feres manye y lokid on my left half as þe lady me taughte And I was war of a womman wundirly atired Purfiled with pelure þe pureste on erthe Corowned wiþ a coroune þe kyng haþ no betere Of þe purest perre þat prince weride euere In reed scarlet robyd rybanyd with golde Þere is no quene queyntere þat quyk is on lyue What is þis womman quod y so wondirliche atired Þat is mede þe maiden haþ noyed me ful ofte And lakkid my lore to lordis a-boute In þe popes paleys sche is priue as my-selue And so schuld sche noght for wrong was here sire I aughte to ben heyere þan sche for y cam of betere To-morwe wurthe þe mariage mad of mede & of false Fauel wiþ fair speche haþ forged hem to-gydre Dame wurche whan tyme is piers wyf hatte His doughter hatte do right so or þi dame schal þe bete His sone hatte suffre þi soueraynes to hauen here wille And deme hem noght for if þou dost þou schalt it sore abie Lat god wurche wiþ alle for so his word techith For now I am old and hoor and haue of myn owen To penaunce and to pilgrimage I wol passe with oþere For y wol er y wende do writen my byquestes In dei nomine amen I make it my-selue For he schal haue my soule þat best haþ deserued And defende it fro þe feend for so is my byleue Til y come to his acountes as my crede me techith To haue reles and remissioun on þat rental y byleue Þe cherche schal haue my careyne and kepe my bonys For of mi corn and my catell{barred} he crauyth þe tithes It payd it prestly for perill{barred} of my soule He is holden y hope to haue me in his mynde And menewe me in his memorie among alle cristene My wif schal haue þat y wan trewliche & namore And dele among my frendes and my dere children For þoghe y deye to-day my dettes ben y-quytte I bar hom þat I borwide er I to bedde ede And wiþ residue and þe remenant by þe rode of chestre I wol worschipe þer-wiþ treuthe be my lyue And be his pilgrym at his plow for pore mennys sake My plow schal be my pykstaf and picche vp þe rotis and helpe my cultour to kerue and close þe furwes Now is piers and þe pilgrimes to þe plow faren To eryen þe halue acre helpen hym manye ' Dykeris and delueres dyggen vp þe balkes Þerwith was perkyn y-paied and preysed hem erne Oþere werke-men þer were þat wroughten ful faste M Euery man on his manere made hym to done And some to plese perkyn pykyd out þe wedys At hye prime of þe day piers leet þe plow stande To ouerseen hem hym-selue who-so best wroughte Schuld ben hyred þeraftir whan heruest tyme come Þan seten some and sungen at þe nale & hulpen to erye þe halue acre with dieu sa dame emme By þe prince of paradys quod piers þo in wratthe But e rise þe raþer and rape ow to wyrche Schal no greyn þat here growith glade ou at nede And if e deye for dool þe deuel hange þat recche Þanne were faytours aferid and feyned hem blynde Some leyde þe leg a-lyry as swiche loseles cunne And pleyneden to perus wiþ swiche pytous wordes We haue no lymmes to laboure with lord y graced be þe Ac we preie for ow piers and for our plow boþe Þat god of his grace our greyn multiplie And elde ow of our almes þat e yuen vs here For we mowe neyther swete ne swinke siche feblesse vs eyleþ if it be so quod piers I schal it sone aspie e ben wastours y wot wel and treuthe wot þe soþe And I am his olde hyne I aughte hym to warne Whiche wastours in þis world his werkmen destroien e eten þat þei schulde ete þat erien for vs alle Ac treuthe schal teche ow his teem for to dryue Boþe setten & sowe and sauen his tilthe Chase gees fro þe corn and kepen his bestis Or e schul ete barly breed and of þe brook drynken But he be blynd or brokeschankyd or bedrede ligge e schul eten as I seie so me god helpe Ancres & hermytes þat holden hem in here selles Schulle haue of myn almesse al þe whyle I libbe Inow eche day at none ac namore er morwe Lest þe feend and his flesche folowed to-gidres Ones at non is ynow þat no werk vseþ He abideþ wel þe betere þat no w bummeth noght to ofte Þan gan wastour arise & wolde haue y-foughte To piers þe plowman he profride his gloue A brytoner a braggere bostide hym al-so And bad hym go pisse wiþ his plow pylede schrewe Wil þou nyl þou we wol haue of þi floure Þi flesche fetten a-wey whan so vs liketh And make vs merye þerwiþ maugre þi chekes Þan piers þe plowman pleyned hym to þe knyght To kepe hym as couenant was from cursede schrewes From wastours þat wayten wynneres to schende Curteisly þe knyght þanne as his kynde wolde Warnyde wastour and wisside hym betere Or þou schalt abye by þe lawe by þe lord þat I welde I was noght wont to wurche quoþ wastour now wil y not be-gynne And leet lyght of þe lawe and lesse of þe knyght And bad piers go pisse and his plow boþe And manaced hym and his men whan þei nexte mette Now by þe peryl of my soule quod peirs y schal a-peire ow alle And howpide aftir . hungir þat herde hym at þe firste Wreke me on þese wastours quod piers þat þe world schendith. & hungir in haste hente wastour by þe mawe þat al watred his eyen And buffetide þe brytoner aboute þe chekys Þat he lokide lyk a lanterne al his lyue aftir and beet hym boþe and brak nere here mawes Ne hadde perus with a pese loof prayed hym by-lyue And wiþ a beny batte he hadde bytwene And hytte hungir amydde þe lippes And bledde in-to þe body-ward a bolle ful of growel Ne hadde þe fyisien defende hym water To abate þe barly breed and þe benys grounde Þei hadde be deed by þis day and doluen al warme Faytours for fere flowen in-to beernys And flappe on with fleyles fro morne til euen Þat hungir was noght so hardy ones on hem to loke For a potel of pesyn þat piers hadde y-makyd An heep of ermytes henten hem spades And duluen drit and dung to dryuen hungir out Blynd and blere-eyed weren aboute a thousend Þat leyen for blynd and brokelegged by þe hye weie Hungir hem helide wiþ an ote kake And lame mennys lymes were lythed þat tyme And by-come knaues to kepe piers bestes And preiden hym for charite with hym for to duelle Al for couetise of his corn to chase a-wey hungir And piers was proud þerof and put hem in offyse And af hem mete and mone as þei myghte asserue Þanne hadde piers pite and preyde hungir to wende Hom in-to his owne erde and hold hym þer euere And it y preie þe quod perus er þou passe ferþere Of beggeres and of bydderis what is best to done For y wot wel by e went þei wol wurchen ille Meschief it makith þei ben so meke nouthe And for defaute of fode þus faste þei wurchen And it ben my blody breþeren for god bought vs alle Treuthe taughte me onys to louen hem echone And helpe hem of alle thing what þat hem nedith Now wold y wite if þou wistest what were þe beste & how y myghte amaystrie hem & maken hem to wurche Here now quod hungir and hoold it for a wisdom Bolde beggeres & bygge þat mowen here mete swynke With houndes & horse breed hold vp here hertis & baue hem with benys for swellynge of here wombes And if þe gromes grucche byd hem go swynke & þei schul soupe þe betere whan þei it han deseruyd Ac if þou fynde ony freek þat fortune haþ a-peyred With fyre or with false men fond siche men to knowe Comforte hem wiþ þe catel for cristis loue of heuene Loue hem & lene hem for so þe lawe of kynde wolde And þo þou myght aspie þat nedy ben or nakyd And han noght to spenden wiþ mete ne wiþ mone Lat make þi frendes þer-myde & so matheu vs techith a cross Facite uobis amicos wolde noght greue god. For-þi y seie as y seide by sighte of þese textis Whan alle tresoures arn tried treuthe is þe beste Now haue tolde þe quod treuthe is no tresour betere I mai no lengere duelle now loke þe our lord Passus secundus de visione it I knelyd on my knees and praide hire of grace And seide merci ma-dame for mary loue of heuene Þat ar þe blisside barn þat bought vs on þe rode Ken me by som craft to knowe þe false Look on þi left half and see where he standes Boþe fals and fauel and his feres . manye I lokide on þe lefte half as þe lady me taute And was war of a womman wondirly clothid I-purfiled wiþ pelure þe pureste on erþe I-corowned wiþ a coroune þe kyng haþ no betere Of þe pureste perreye þat prince wered euere In reed scarlet robyd and rybanyd wiþ golde Þer is no quene queyntere þat quyk is on lyue What is þis womman quod I so wondirliche a-tired Þat is mede þe maide haþ noyed me wel ofte & lakkid my lore to lordes a-boute In þe popes palays sche is priue as my-selue & so schulde sche noght be for wrong was her sire Out of wrong wente sche wrotherelwrotherhele manye I aughte be heyere þan sche for y com of betere To-morwe wurthe þe mariage y-mad of mede & of false Favel wiþ fair speche haþ forgid hem to-gidrers To-morne wurþe þe mariage maad as y þe telle Þer myght þou wite if þou wilt whiche þei ben alle Þat longith to þat lordschipe þe lasse and þe more know hem þere if þou canst and kepe þe fro hem alle if þou wilnest to wone with treuthe in his blisse y may no lengere lette lord y þe by-kenne & by-com a good man for ony couetise y rede Al þe riche retenance þat with false reigneth Were y-boden to þe bridale on boþe two sides Þat fals oþer fauel by ony fyn holden & feffe mede þer-myde in mariage for euere Þer nas halle ne hous to herberwe þe peple Þat ech feld ne was ful of folk al a-boute In myddes a mountayne at mydmorwe tide Was pight vp a pauyloun prow for þe nones And ten thousend of tentes tight þer by-side Of knyghtes of cuntre of comeres aboute For sysours for somenours for selleres for biggeres For lerid for lewide for laboreris of þrepis Al to witnesse wel what þe brig writ wolde In what manere þat mede in mariage was feffed To be feffed with false þe fyn is arerid Þan fauel fette hire forþ and to false takith In forward þat false schal fynde hire for euere & be buxum at his bode his biddynge to fulfille At bedde & at borde buxum & hende & at syre symonyes wille to suyen his heste Symonie and cuile standith vp boþe And vnfoldith þe feffement þat fals haþ y-makid Þus bygynneþ þe goom and gredith wel hye Witen and witnesse þat wonen vppon erthe Þat y fauel haue falsnesse to mede To be present in pride for pouere or for riche Wiþ þe erldom of enuye euere to laste Wiþ al þe worschipe of lecherye in lengthe & in brede Wiþ þe kyngdom of couetyse y coroune ow to-gidres Wiþ all þe vices of vsures and auarice þe faste Glotenye and grete othes y gyue ow to-gidres Wiþ alle þe delites of lust þe deuel for to serue In al þe seignourie of slouthe y sese hem to-gidres Þei to haue & to holde and here heires aftir Wiþ al þe purtenaunce of purgatorie in-to þe pyne of hel eldynge for þis þing at one eris ende Here soules to sathanas and synke in-to pyne In witnesse of whiche þing wrong was þe firste Perus þe pardoner paulynes doctour And Bette þe bedyl of bokyngham schire Randolf þe reue of Rokelandes sokne And munde þe myluere of malwiche strete In þe date of þe deuel þis dede I assele By sighte of sire symonie and signes of notaries Þan tenyd hym theologie whan he þis tale herde & seide to syuyle sorwe on þi bokes siche a weddynge to wurche to wraþþe with treuthe & er þis weddynge be wrought wo þe be-tide For mede is muliere of frendis of frendis engendrid God graunteþ to-gyue mede to treuthe And þou hast gyuen here to a gylour now god yue þe sorwe Þe texte tellith noght so treuthe wot þe soþe Dignus est operarius mercede sua ... Wurþi is þe werkman his mede to Haue And þou hast festnyd here wiþ false fy on þi lawes For al by lesynges þou lyuest & lecherous werkes Symonie and þi-selue schenden holy chirche e and e notaries noien þe peple e schul abigge boþe by god þat me made Wel e wite wernardes but our witte faile Þat fals is a faitour and feythles of werkes And as a bastard y borne of belsabubbes kynne And mede is moliere a maiden of gode Sche myghte kysse þe kyng for cosyn if sche wolde Wurcheþ by wisdom and by wit aftir Ledith here to londene þere lawe is y-handlyd If ony lewte wil loke þei ligge to-gidres And iustise iuggen here to be ioyned for euere it be-war of þat weddynge for witty is treuthe For conscience is of his conseil & knowith ou echone & if he fynde ow in defaute & wiþ þe false holdeþ It schal be-set on our soules wol sore at þe laste. Here-to assenteþ ciuile ac symonie nolde Til he hadde siluer for selis & signes And þanne fecchide fauel forþ florynes y-nowe And bad gyle go yue gold al aboute & namliche to þe notaries þat hem non failede And feffe fals witnesse wiþ floryns y-nowe For he may mede a-maistrie & make here at our wille Þo þis gold was y-gyue gret was þe þankynge To fals & to fauel for here faire iftes And comen to conforte from care þe false And seide certes cese schul we neuere Til mede be þi weddid wyf þurw wyt of vs alle For we han mede a-maistried with our faire speche Þat sche grauntith to go wiþ a good wille To londoun to loke if þat þe lawe wolde Ioyne ou ioyntlyche in lawe for euere Þan was fals fayn & fauel as blithe And leet somowne þe segges in schires aboute Þat alle be boune beggeris and oþere To wende with hem to westmynstre to witnesse þis dede Þan cared þei for caples to caryen hem þider Þanne fette fauel forþ foles of þe beste Sette mede on a shereue schod al newe And fals on a sysour þat softly trottyde And fauel vppon a fair speche fetisliche atired Þo hadde notaries none anoyed þei were Þat symonie and ciuile schulde on here feet gange Þanne seide cyuile and swor by þe rode Þat somenours schulde be sadled & beren hem echone And leet apparaile þe prouysours on palfreyne wyse Sire symonie hym-selue schal sitten on here bakkes And alle þe denes and sudenes as destreres hem dyghte For þei schul bere þese bisschopis and bringe hem to reste Paulynes peple for pleyntes in constorie Schullen serue my-selue þat ciuile hatte And let sadele our commissarie our cart schal he drawe And fecchen our vitailes of fornicatours And makiþ of lyere a long cart to leden alle þese oþere As foles and faytours þat on here feet rennes Fals & fauel goþ forþ to-gidres And mede in þe myddes & al þe meyne aftir I haue no tunge to telle þe tail þat hem folwyd Of alle manere of men þat on þis molde libbes Ac gile was forgoere and gyede hem alle Sothnesse seye hym wel & seide but a litil But prikede forth on his palfray & passide hem alle And com to þe kyngis court and conscience tolde And conscience to þe kyng carpide it aftir Now by crist quod þe kyng if I mowe cacche Fals or fauel or ony of his feres I wolde ben wreken on þo þat wroughten so ille & don hem hange by þe hals & alle þat hem meynteneþ Schal neuere on þis molde memprise þe beste But right as þe lawe lokith lat falle on hem alle & comandide a constable . he com at þe firste To take þese tirauntes for ony tresour y hote Fetereth falsnesse faste for ony kynne iftes And gadereth of gyles heued . lat hym go no ferþere And bryngeth mede forth maugre hem alle Symonie and cyuile y sende hem to warne Þat holy chirche for hem wurþ harmed for euere And if e lacche lyere let hym not ascape Til he be set on þe pillory for ony tresour y hote Drede at þe dore stant and þe dome herde And wightly wente to warne þe false And bad hem fle for fere and here feres alle nota þo falsnesse for fere fley to þe freris And gile doþ hym a-wey a-gast for to deye Ac marchauntz mette wiþ hym & made hym to abide By-schytten hym in here schoppes to sellen here ware Apparailed hym as apprentyse þe peple to seruen Lyghtliche lyere leep a-wey þennes Lurkynge þurw lanes to-luggide of manye He was no-where wolcome for his many tales Oueralle y-hunted and y-hote go trusse Til pardoners hadde pite and pullid hym to house Waschid hym & wyped hym and wond hym in cloþes & sent hym on sondayes wiþ selys to chirche & gaf pardoun for pens poundme aboute Þan louryd leches and letres he sente For to wone wiþ hym watres to loke Spisours speken wiþ hym to aspien here ware For he couthe on here craft and knewe many gummes Mynstralis and messageres mette wiþ hym ones And of-heeld hym half er and elleuene dayes Wiþ faire speche freres fetten hym þennes For knowynge of comeres copide hym as a frere Ac he haþ leue to lepyn out as ofte as hym lykeþ And is welcome whan he cometh and woneþ wiþ hem ofte Alle fledden for fere and flowen in-to hyrnes Saue mede þei maide na-mo durst abide Ac treuly to telle sche tremblide for drede And eek weep and wrang whan sche was atachid Passus tercius de visione . Now is mede þe maide name of hem alle And with bedeles & baillys brought to þe kyng Þe kyng callide a clerk y can noght his name To take mede þe maide and maken here at ese I wolde assaie hire my-slue and sothly appose What man of þis moolde þat here were leuest & if sche wurche be my wit & my wille folwe I wol for-gyue here þe gilt so me god helpe Curteisly þe clerke þanne as þe kyng highte Took mede by þe myddile and brought hire to chambre Ac þer was mirthe & mynstracie mede to ple Þat wonyen at westmynstre worschipen hire alle Gentyly wiþ Ioie þe Iustise to sowpen Buskide hym to þe bour þer þe byrde duellth Curteisly confortide mede by clergies leue And seide murne noght mede ne make þou no sorwe For we wil wisse þe kyng and þei wey make For all consciences cast or craft as y trowe Mildely mede mercied hem alle Of here goodnesse and af hem echone Coupes of clene gold and pecis of siluer Ryngis and rubies and richesses manye Þe leste man of here meyne a motoun of golde Þanne laute þei leue þese lordis at mede With þat comen clerkis to conforte hire þe same & bad here be blithe for we ben þin owen For to wurche þi wil whil our lyf dureþ Hendeliche þanne sche highte hem þe same To loue ow lely and lordes ow make & in constorie at þe court calle our names Þer schal no lewednesse hem lette þe lede þat y louye Þat he ne wurth first auaunced for I am be-knowe Þer cunnynge clerkes schul clokke by-hynde Þan com þer a confessour copyd as a frere To mede þe maide mykeliche he loutide And seide wol softly in schryft as it were Þeyhe lerid and lewyd hadde ley by þe alle And þeigh falsnesse hadde folwid þe þis four score wynter I schal assoile þe my-self for a seem whete & eek be þi baud ekyn & bere wel þin arende Among clerkes and knyghtes conscience to felle Þan mede for here mysdede to þat man lowtide & schrof here here synne schamelees y trowe Told hym a tokne and took hym a noble For to be here bedeman and here baude aftir Þan he assoile here sone and sithen to here seyde We han a wyndow in wirchyng wol stonden vs wol hie Woldest þou glase þe gable & graue þer þin name Siker schulde þi soule be heuene to haue Wyst y þat quod þe womman þer nys wyndow ne autor Þat y ne sculde graue and mende & my name writen Þat eche segge schulde wite y were soster of our house Ac god & god & alle good folk swich grauynge defendith & seiþ Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextera . cetera Lat noght þi left halfe late ne rathe Wite what þi right half wurchith ne delith And so priueliche parte it þat pride be noght seyn Neyther in sight ne in soule for god hym-selue knowiþ Who is curteys or kynde coueytous or elles For-þi y rede ow lordes to leue swiche writynge To writen n wyndowes of our wel dedys Or to greden after godis men whan e yuen doles An aunter e haue here our mede for our gode For our saueour it seide & hym-selue prechide Amen amen dico vobis receperunt mercedem suam & cetera Meires & macerys þei þat ben mene Bytwene þe kyng & his comowns to kepe þe lawes As to punysche on pylorie and pynynge stoles Breworis and bakeres bocheris and cokes For þese arn men in þis world þat most harm wurchen To þe pore peple þat parcel-mele biggen For þei poyseneþe peple priueyly wol ofte And richen þurw regratrie & rentes hem biggen Of þat þe pore peple schuld putten in here wombes For ne toke þei so wrongwisly þei tymbrid not so hie Ne boute none bargaynes be þou wol certayn Ac mede þe maide þe meire sche by-soughte Of alle selleris siluer to take Oþer present oþer pens or pecis of siluer Rynges or richesses þese regratours to moyntene And suffre hem to selle somedel aens resoun Salomon þe sage a sarmoun he made To amenden meires & men þat kepyn þe lawes And tok hym þis teme þat y telle thenke Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt mumeramu[n]era munera Among þese lettride men þis latyn amounteþ Þat fer schal falle and for-brenne right at þe laste Þe hous & þe homes of hem þat desiren To haue mede for here seruyse in youthe or in elde Þe king & his conseil com & callide aftir mede & of-sente here swithe wiþ seriauntes here Fette and broghte here to boure wiþ blisse & with ioye Curteisly þe king comseth to telle To mede þe maide moueþ þese wordes Vnwittily wrought hast þou wol ofte Ac were wroughtest þou neuere þan whan þou fals toke Ac y for-gyue þe gilt and graunte þe grace Hennes to þi deth-day doþ þou so namore I haue a knyt . conscience com late fro by-onde if he wilneþ þe to wyue wolt þou hym haue a lord quod þat lady lord it forbede elles But y be holy at our heste hange me elles Þan was conscience ycallid to comyn & a-peren Byfore þe king and his conseil clerkes and oþere Knelynge conscience to þe king loutide What his wille were & what he don schulde Wolt þou wedde þis womman if y wol assente For sche is fayn of þi felaschipe for to be þi make Quod conscience to þe king crist it me for-bede Er y wedde siche a wif wo me betide For sche is freel of here feith fykil of here speche Sche makith men mysdo many score tymes In trust of her tresour sche troyteth wol manye Wyues and wydowes wantounesse teches Lerid hem lecherye þat louedyn here yftes our fadir sche fellide þurw false byhestes ; aposowned popes apeired al holi cherche Is noght a betere baude by hym þat me made By-twene helle and heuene & erthe þoghe men soghte Sche is tykel of here tayl talwys of here tunge As comoun as a cartwey to knaue and to monke To mynstrales & messagiers many tyme in hegges Sysours & schereues siche men here preysen Sche doþ men lese here lyf and here lond aftir And let passe þe prisoneres & paieþ for hem ofte And gyueþ þe gayleris gold and grotes to-gidres To vnfetere þe false fle wher hym lyketh Sche takiþ treuthe by þe top and teieþ hym vp faste And hangith hym for hatrede þat harmyde neuere To be cursed in constorie sche yueþ noght arysschea ryssche For she copeþ þe commissarie and clothith his clerkes Sche is assoiled as sone as here-selue likith Sche may ny as moche do in a monthe ones As þe secrete seal in vijseuene score dayes Sche is priue wiþ þe pope prouysours it knowen Sire symonye and here-self selen þe bulles Sche blessith þese bysschopes þogh þat þei ben lewed Prouendrours per-sones prestes sche meynteneþ to holde Lemmanys and lutebyes alle here lyf dayes And bryngen forth barons aens forbode lawes Þere sche is wiþ þe kyng wh wo is þe reme For sche is fauorable to false and fouleth treuþe ofte Barouns & burgeys sche bryngith to sorwe By ihesu wiþ here Ieweles our Iustise sche schendith Sche leyth aen þe lawe and letteþ treuthe ofte Þat feith may not haue his forþ here floryns go so þikke Sche ledith lawe as here lyst & louedays makith Þe mase for a pore man þoghe he mote euere Law is so lordliche and loþ to maken ende Wiþouten present or pens sche plesith ful fewe Clergie and couetise sche coupleth to-gidres Þis is þe lif of þat lady our lord yue here sorwe And alle þat meintene here men myschaunce hem betyde For pore men han no power to pleyne hem þeie þei smerte Swiche a maister is mede among men of gode þanne murnyde mede and pleynede here to þe kyng To haue space to speke spede if sche myghte Þe king grauntide here grace wiþ a good wille Excuse þe if þou canst y can namore sigge For conscience accusith þe to cunge þe for euere Nay lord quod þat lady leef hym þe werse Whan e wite witterly where þe wrong duellith Þer þat myschief is gret mede mai helpe And þou knowest conscience y com noght to chide Ne to dispise þi per-sone wiþ a proud herte Wel þou wost conscience but if þou wolt lye Þou hast hangen on myn half enleuen tymes & ek gripen my gold and yuen where þe likid Whi þou wratthest þe þou now wondir me thinkeþ it y mai as I myghte mylde þe wiþ iftes & meyntene þi manhood more þan þou knowes And þou hast famed me foule byfore þe kyng here For kille y neuere no kyng ne conseilede þer-aftir Ne dide as þou demest y do it on þe kyng In normandie was he not noied for me Ac þou-self sikerly conseiledest hym þennes Creep in-to a caban for cold of þin nailes Wendest þat wynter wolde laste euere & draddest þe to be deed for a dym clowde & hastidest þe homward for hungir of þi wombe Wiþoute pite þou pilour pore men þou robbedist & bar her bras on þi bak to caleys to selle Þere y lefte wiþ my lord his lyf for to saue And made hym mirthes fro morwe til eue I batride hym on þe bak bod boldide his herte & dide hym hoppe for hope to han at his wille Hadde y marchal ouere his men be mary loue of heuene I durste haue leyd myn heed and no lesse wedde He schuld haue ben lord of þat lond in lenthe & in brede And eek kyng of þat kytthe his kyn for to helpe Þe leste brol of his blood a barouns pere Cowardliche conscience þou conseiledist hym þennes To leuen his lordshipe for a litil siluer Þat is þe ricchest of rewmes þat reyn ouer-houes It by-cometh a kyng þat kepith a rewme To yuen his men mede þat mekeliche hym seruen And alinenes & alle men to honoure wiþ iftis Mede makith to be louyd and for a man holden Emperours erles and alle maner lordis Thurw iftis han onge men to rennen & to ryde Þe pope with his prelatis presentes vndirfongith And medith hem hym-selue to meynten his lawes Seruantis for here seruise we sen wel þe sothe Taken mede of here maistres as þei mowen accorde Mynstralis for here myrthe mede þei axen Þe king haþ mede of his men to make pees in londe Men þat ben clerkis crauen of him mede Prestes þat prechen þe peple to gode Asken mede & messe pens & here mete also Alle kynne crafty men crauen cra mede for here prentys Mede and marchandise mot nede mete to-gidres No wight as I wene wiþoute mede myght libbe Quod þe king to conscience by crist as me þinkith Mede is wurþi þe maistrie to haue Nay quod conscience to þe kyng & knelide to þe erthe Þere arn two manere of medes lord by our leue Þe ton god of his grace gyueth in his blisse To hem þat wurchen wel whiles þei ben here Þe prophete prechide it and put it in þe sauter Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram & cetera Tak no mede my lord of men þat ben trewe Loue hem & lene hem for þe lordis loue of heuene Godis mede & his merci þer-wiþ myghtow wynne Þere is a mede mesureles þat maistres desyren To meyntene mysdoeris mede þei taken & þer-of seith þe sauter in a psalmes ende In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt dextra eorum repleta est muneribus And he þat gripeth here gold so me god helpe Schal abye ful bitere or þe book lyes Prestis and persones þat plesynges desiren Schal take mede and mone for messis þat þei syngen Schul haue þe mede of þis molde þat matheu haþ y-grantid Amen dico vobis recipiebant mercedem suam . Þat laboureris and lond folk taken of here maistres It is no maner mede but a mesurable hire In marchandise is no mede y mai it wel a-vowe It is apertly a permutacioun a peny-worth for an oþer Ac reddist þou neuere regum þou recreiede mede Why þe vengeaunce fel on saul and on his children God sente him to seye by samuelis mouthe Þat achaz & amalech & al his peple aftir Schulde deye for a dede þat don hadde his eldres Samuel seide to saul god sendith þe and hotl hotith To be buxum & bold his biddynge to fulfille Wende þider wiþ þin ost wommen to kille Children and cherles choppe hem to dethe And for he kilde noght þe kyng as crist hym-selue bad But coueyted here catel and kylde noght here bestis But broghte wiþ hem þe bestes as þe bible tellith God seide to samuel þat saul schulde deye And al seed for þat synne schendfulliche ende Swich a mysdede mede made þe king to haue Þat god hatide þe kyng for euere and alle his eires aftir Þe culorum of þis kepe I noght to schewe An aunter if it noiede me an ende wil y make In conscience knowe y þis for resoun . it me taughte Þat resoun schal reigne and rewmes gouerne And right as agas hadde hap men schul se som tyme Samuel schal slen him & saul schal be blamyd . And dauid schal be dyademyd & daunten hem alle And & one cristene kyng to kepen vs echone Schal namore mede ben maister on erthe But loue and lownesse and leute to-gidres And who trespaseth treuliche and takith aens right His wikkide leute schal don hym lawe & lese his lif elles Schal no seruant for his seruise were no selk gowne Ne no vay robe wiþ riche pelure Mede of mysdoeres makith hem so riche Þat lawe is a lord waxen and leute is pore Wykkidnesse is comandour & kyndenesse is banyschid Ac kynde wit schal come it and conscience to-gidre And make of lawe a laborer swich loue schal a-rise . Passus quartus de visione Seseth seide þe kyng I suffre ow no lengere e schul saghtlyn for soþe and serue me bothe Kusse hire quod þe king conscience y hote Nay by god quod conscience cunge me rather But resoun rede me þerto first wol y deie And y comande þe quod þe king to conscience þenne Rape þe to ride and resoun þou me fecche ; Comaunde hym þat he come my conseil to here For he schal reule my rewme and rede me þe beste Of mede and of mo oþere what man schal here wedde And counte wiþ conscience so me god helpe How þou rewliste þe peple lerid and lewed I am fayn of þat forward seith þe freek þanne And right rennes to resoun & rownes in his ere Seide as þe king him sente and sitthe took his leue I schal araie me to ride quod resoun reste þe a while And calde conscience his knaue curteys of speche Set my sadil vppon suffre til y se my tyme And let warrok hym wel wiþ rightfulle girthes Hang on hym an heuy bridel & hoold his heued lowe & it schal he make many wehe er we come þere Þanne conscience on his capil carieþ forþ faste & resoun wiþ him right & rapide hym faste Ac on were wysdom & wytty his fere Folwide faste forþ for þei hadde to done In þe chekir and in þe chancerye to ben deschargid of þingis And riden faste for resoun schulde rede hem þe beste For to saue hem-self from schame & from harmes Ac conscience com first to þe court be a myle weye And rowned forþ wiþ resoun right to þe kyng Curteisly þe king þanne com in to resoun By-twene hym & his sone sette him on benche And wordiden a gret while wol wisly to-gidre Þanne pees com in to þe parlement & put forth a bille How wrong aens his wille hadde his wif taken And how he rauyschide rose reynoldes love And margrete of here maydenhod maugre hire chekis Bothe my gees and my gris his gadelynges fecchen I dar noght for him fighte ne chide He borwide of me bayard he brought hym neuere ageyn Ne no ferthyngworth þer-fore for ought I coude mote plete He meyntenith his men to murdre myn hyne Forstalles my feirs fightes in my chepynge Brekith vp my berne dores and bereth a-wey my whete And takith me but a tayle for ten quarters otes And it he betith me þerto and lyth be my maiden And I am noght so hardy ones on hym to loke Þo knewe þe kyng he seide soth for conscience hym tolde Wrong was a-ferid þo and wisdom by-soughte To make pees with his pens and profride manye And seide hadde I loue of my lord þe kyng Litil wold y recche if pes and his power pleyned hym euer[e] Wisdom wan þo & so dide wyt also For þat wrong hadde don so wikkide a dede And warnyd wrong with swiche a wys tale Who-so wurchith by wille wratthe makiþ ofte I seye it by my-selue þou schalt it sone fynde But mede þi pees make þi meschief is vppe boþe For boþe þi lif and þi lond ben in his grace Wrong þanne on wisdom wepte to helpe hym at nede For right þer-of is handy dandy payd X Þanne wisdom & wit wenten to-gidres And token mede with hem merci to wynne nota Pes put forþ his heued & his blody panne Wiþoute gilt god wot gat y þis scathe And wysten wel þat wrong was a schrewe euere And wisdom & wyt were aboute faste To ouercome þe king wiþ catell{barred} if þei myghte Þe king swor be crist & be his coroune boþe to casten hym in yrens he schal þis vijseuene er sen his fet ony[s} God wot quod wysdom þat were noght þe beste & he amendes mow make let meinprise hym haue & be borw for his bale & biggen hym bote Amende þat mysdede & euere-more do þe betere Wit acordith þer-to & seide þe same Betere is bote bale a-doun brynge Þan bale be bote and bote neuere þe betere Þan gan mede to meke here & merci by-soughte & profred pees a present al of pure golde Haue þis of me man quod sche to amende þi scathe For I wol wage for wrong he schal do so namore Pees þan pitously preyde to þe king To haue merci on þat man þat mysdide him ofte For he haþ wagid me wel as wysdom him taughte I forgyue hym þat gilt wiþ a good wille So e assente þer-to I can sey namore For he haþ mad me amendes y mai namore axen Nay quod þe kyng so crist yue me blisse Wrong wendith not so a-wey er y wite more Lope he so lightli laghen he wolde & oftere þe baldere be to bete myn hynen But resoun haue reuthe on hym he schal resten in stokkis As longe as y lyue but more loue it make Þanne redde resoun to haue reuthe on þat schrewe & þo conseilede þe kyng and conscience boþe Þat mede most be meinpernour resoun þei by-soughte Rede me not quod resoun no reuthe to haue Til lordis and ladyes louen alle treuthe And pirnelis purfil be put in here hucche Til childrenes cherischyng be chastid with erdes And harlotes harlotrie be holden for an hyne Til clerkes and knyghtis be curteys of here mouths & hate to here harlotrye or mouthe it hem-selue & don it in dede to drawen vs to gode Til seint Iame be y-sought þer y schal assigne Þat no man go to galys but he go for euere And alle Rome-rennerys for robberis of byonde Bere no siluer ouer see þat coyn of kyng schewith Neiþer grotes ne gold I-graue with kynges coyne Vp forfeture of þat fee who fynt hym diuerse But it be marchant or his man or messager with letres Oþer prouysour oþer prest þat þe pope auaunceþ And it quod resoun by þe rode y wol no reuthe haue Whil mede haþ þe maistrie to moten in þis halle Ac y mai schewe ow ensamples y seie be my-selue & it were so y were a kyng wiþ coroune to kepen a rewme Schulde neuere in þis world þat y wite myghte Be vn-punysched be my power for perel of my soule Ne gete my grace with iftes so me god helpe Ne for no mede haue merci but mekenesse it made For nullum malum inpunitum þe may mete with And bad nullum bonum irremuneratum Let þi confessour sire kyng construe it þe in englissche & if þou worche it in werk y wedde boþe my heres ere[s] Þat lawe schal be a laborer & lede to feld donge And loue schal lede þi lond as þe best liketh . Clerkis þat ben confessours couple hem to-gidres For to construe þe clause & declyne it aftir Ac whan resoun among þe renges had reherced þe worde Þer nas man in þe mote-halle more ne lesse Þat he ne heeld resoun a maister & mede a moche wrecche Loue leet of hire light and lowhe hire to scorne And gredde it so loude þat sothnesse it herde For who-so wylnith here to wyue for welthe of here godis But he be cokewold y-cald cut of myn nose Vnwar was wisdom & ynwit his fere But starende & studiande stode forþ as bestes Þe kyng a-cordide be crist to resouns sawes & reherside þat resoun had rightfulliche schewid Ac it is wol hard be myn heued it þer-to to brynge Alle my lige ledes to leden hem þus euene By hym þat raughte on þe rode quod resoun to þe king But y reule þus þi rewme rend of my ribbes if it be so þt buxumnesse be of myn assent And y assente quod þe king by seinte marie my lady Be my conseil y-comen of clerkes & of erles Ac redily resoun þou schalt not riden henne For as longe as y lyue loue þe y wille I am redi quod resoun to reste wiþ ou euere So conscience be of our conseil kepe y no betere I graunte quod þe king goddis forbode he failed . As longe as y lyue libbe we to-gidres Passus quintus de visione Þe king and his knyghtis to þe cherche wenten To here matyns & messe and sithe to mete aftir Þan wakid y of my wynkynge & wo was wiþ-alle Þat I ne hadde slepe saddere and y-seie more Er I hadde faren a furlong swiche fantesie me hente Þat y ne myghte ferþere a fote for defaute of slepynge I sat softly a-doun & seide my byleue And so I bablide on my bedes þei broughten me a-slepe Þan saw y moche more þan y by-fore tolde I saw þe feld full* of folk þat y byfore nempnyd And conscience wiþ a cros com for to preche He prechide þe peple to haue pite on hem-selue And proued þat þis pestilence was for pure synne And þe south-west wynd on saterday at euen Was apertly for synne and for nothyng elles / Pyries and plumtres were putte to þe erþe In ensaumple seith god e schulde do þe betere Beches & brode okes weren blowen to þe grounde And turnyd vp þe tayl in toknynge of drede Þat deth er domes day schal for-don hem alle Of þis matere myght y mamle wol longe Ac y schal seie as y seide so me god helpe How conscience with a cros com for to preche He bad wastour go wirche what he best coude And wynne þat he wastide wiþ som kynne crafte He prechid pyrnel here purfil to leue And kepe it in here cofre for catel at nede Thomas he taute to take two staues And fecche hom felice from heuene wyuene pyne He warnyd watte his wif was to blame Þat here heued was wurþ a mark & his hood not a grote He chargide chapmen to chastise here children Let no welthe for-wany hem whiles þat þei ben onge He prechide prelatis and prestes to-gidres Þat þei preche þe peple and proue it hem-selue And libben as e lerne vs for we wol loue ou þe betere And sithen he radde religious here rewle to kepe Laste þe king and his conseil our comunes apeire And be stiward in ore stede so þat e cheue þe betere And e þat seken seint Iame and seintes in rome Sekith seint treuþe for he mai saue ou alle Qui cum patre & filio þat faire ow mote byfalle Þan repentaunce rehercede his teme And made wille to wepe watir wiþ his eien Pirnel proudherte plat here to þe erthe And lay longe er sche lokide & lord merci cride And byhighte to him þat vs alle made Sche schulde vnsowe here serke & sette þer an heyre To affayten here flesche þat fresch was to synne Schal neuere hye herte me hende but holde me lowe And suffre to be mysseyd and so dide y neuere But now wil y meke me and merci by-seche Of al þat y haue had enuye in my herte Lechour seide allas & on our lady cride to make amendes for his mysdede bsy-twene god & hym wiþ þat he schulde saterdayes vijseuene er þeraftir Drynk but wiþ þe goos goos and dyne but onys Enuye wiþ heuy herte askid aftir schrifte And carfulli his coupe he gynneþ to schewe He was as pale as a pelat & palatik semyde He was clothid in a caury-mawry I couthe hym not descrie A kirtil & a courtepy a knyf be his side Of a freris frogge were þe forme sleues As a leek þat hadde y-leye longe in þe sonne So lokide he wiþ lene chekis lourynge foule His body was bolnyd for wroþ þat he boot his lippe And wrothliche he wroþ his fyst to wreken hym he þoute Wiþ werk or wiþ word whan he sey his tyme Venym or vergeous or vynegre y trowe Walweþ in my wombe and waxeþ as I wene I myght not many day do as a man myghte siche wynd in my wombe wexith er y dyne . I haue a neybour ney me I haue noyed hym wol ofte & blamyd hym behynd his bak to bryngen hym in fame to apeiren hym with my power y pursuyed ofte and y ley on hym to lordes to don hym lese siluer And don his frendis ben his fon þurw his false tunge His grace and his gode happis greuyd me sore Bytwene hym & his meyne I haue mad ofte wratthe Boþe his lyme and his lif was lost þurw my tunge Whan y mette hym in market þat y most hatide I hailsed hym as hendely as I his frend were He is doutier þan I I dar non harm don hym Ac hadde I maistry oþer myght I wolde murthre hym for euere Whan y come to þe chirche and knele a-fore þe rode To preie for þe peple as þe prest me techith Aftir þat I pray on my knees our lady yue hym sorwe Þat bar a-wey my bolle and my brode schete Fro þe auter y turne myn eie and byholde How hayne haþ a newe cote y wysthe it were myn owen And al þe wele þat he haþ greueth me wol sore Of his lesynge y smyle and þerof lawheþ myn herte As of his wynnynge I wepe and waile þe tyme I deme men þere y do ille and t I do werse Y wolde þat ech wight were my knaue And who-so haþ more þan y þat angrith myn herte I wolde þat ech wight were my knaue Þus y lyue loueles like a lither dogge Þat al bolnyth my breste for biter of my galle May no sucre ne swete þing swagen it an vnche Ne no diapenydion driue it fro myn herte Yf þat schrifte schulde it were a gret wondir ys redily quod repentaunce and radde hym to gode Sorwe for synne saueþ wol manye I am sory quod enuye y am but seldom oþer Þat makith me so mad for I ne mai me venge þan cam couetise y can noght descrye So hungry and so holwe sir heruy him lokide He was babirlippid and eek biter-browed Wiþ two blerid eyen as a lethern purse In a tore tabard of xijtwelue wynter age But a lows coude lepe y mai it not trowe Þat he ne schulde slideren þeron so was þred-bare I haue louyd couetise al my lf tyme I knowe it here by-fore crist & his clene modir In for som tyme sorued I symme at þe noke And was his prentis aplight his profit to loke First lernyde y to lye a leef oþere tweye Wikkidly to wynne was my firste lessoun To winchestre and to wy y wente to þe feire wiþ many maner marchandise as my maister me taute Ne hadde þe grace of god gile gon among my ware It had ben vnsold þis vijseuene er so me god helpe Þan drow y me to draperis my donet to lere To drawe þe lysour a-long þe lengere it semyth Among þe riche raies y rendrid a lessoun Prochid hem wiþ a pak nedle ypleyted hem to-gidre Putte hem in a pressour and pynned hem þerynne my wif was a breustere & wollen clothe made and spak to þe spynstere to spynnen it softe Þe pound þat sche weyed by was a quarter more Þan ony almes-dede whan sche weyede treuthe I boughte here barly sche brew it to selle Penyale and pilewhew sche pouride to-gidres For laboures for loþ folk þat lyuen by hem-selue Þe beste in my bedchambre lith by þe wowes And who so bummed þerof he bot it Þeraftir A galon for a grote god wot no lesse Whan it cometh yn cuppemale þat craft my wif vsed Rose þe regrater is here right name Sche haþ holden osterye þis xjeleuene wynter . Ac y swere now soþly þat synne schal y lete Ne neuere wynne wykkidly ne no chaffare make But wende to walsingham and my wif also And bidde þe rode of bromholm to brynge vs out of dette Now begynneth glotoun for to go to schrifte And caried him to chircheward his synne for to schewe And betoun þe breustere þere bad him gode morwe And sche askid of him whiderward he wolde To holi chirche quod he for to here messe And sithen y wol be schryuen and synne namore I haue good ale quoþ sche glotoun wilt þou assaie Hastow ought quod he ony hote spices a glotoun gossib a god woot wel hote I haue pepir and piany and a pound of garlyk And a ferthyngworþ of fenkil seed for fastynge dayes Þanne gooþ glotoun In and grete othes aftir Cesse þe soustere sat on þe benche Watte þe waffrer and his wyf boþe Thomme þe tynkere and two of his knaues Hikke þe hakeneman and hobbe þe mylner Clares of cokkeslane & þe clerk of þe cherche Dawe þe dykere and a doseyne oþere A ribibour a ratoner a rakere of chepe A ropere a redyngkyng and rose þe disschere And vpholderes erly by þe morwe Gaf glotoun wiþ glad chere good ale to drynke Clement þe coblere cast of his cloke And at þe newe feire nempnyde it to selle Hykke þe osteler hitte his hood aftir And bette þe bocher to be on his side Þer were chapman y-chose þe chaffare to preise Þat who-so hadde þe hood schulde haue amendes of þe cloke Þei risen vp in rape and rownede to-gidres And preisede þe penyworthes apertly by hem-selue Þer were oþes on an heep þei couthe not it iugge Ne by here clene conscience accorden to-gidres Til robyn þe ropere was rad vp to rise And nempnyd for a nounpiere þat no debate were Hikke þe osteler þan hadde þe cloke In couenant þat clement þe cuppe schulde fille And han hikkes hood þe osteler & holde hym y-seruid And who-so repentist raþere schulde ryse a-fore And grete sire glotoun wiþ a galoun of ale Þer was lawhynge & lurkynge & let go þe cuppe Bargaynes and beuereches bygonne to rise And seten so til euensong and sungen som while Til glotoun hadde y-golped a galounand a gille He pissed a potel in a pater noster while And blewe þe rounde ryuet at þe rigge bonys ende Þat alle þat herden þat horn heeld here nose aftir And wysschide it hadde waxid wiþ a wyspe of fyre He ne hadde no strengthe to stande til he his staf hadde & þan gan he go lik a glewmannys bicche Som tyme a-side and som tyme a-rere As who leide lynes to lacche wilde foules Whan he drow to þe dore þan dymnede his eien He stumblide on þe throschfold and stey to þe erþe Clement þe coblere cast of his cloke caute glotoun by þe mydle And for to lyfte hym a-loft leide hym on his knees And glotoun was a gret cherl and grym in þe lyftynge And cowhede vp a cawdel in clementis lappe Þat þe hungriest hound of hertforde schire Ne durste lape of þat laueyne so vnloueli it smakith Wiþ al þe wo of þis world his wif & his wenche Beren hym to his bed and broghten hym þerynne And aftir al þis surfet an accidie he hadde Þat he sleep satirday and sonday til sonne ede to reste Þan wakid he of ofof of his wynkynge & wypide his eien Þe first word þat he spak what whare is þe bolle His wif blamyde hym þanne of wikkidenesse & synne Þan was þe schrewe a-schamed & schrapid his eres And gan to grete grymly and gret dool made For þe lither lyf þat he lyued hadde And a-vowed to faste for hungir or for þriste Schal neuere fissche on þe friday defien in my mawe Er abstinence myn aunte haue yuen me leue And it haue y hatide here al my lif tyme Slowthe for sorwe fel doun a-swoune Til vigilate wol fecche water to his eien & plat on here face & faste on hym cride & seide war þe fro wanhope he wil þe bytraye & beet þi-self on þe breest and bid hym of grace Þan sat slouthe vp and saynede hym faste & made a vowe to verrey god for his saule slouthe Schal no sonday be þis vijseuene but seknesse it make Þat y ne schal do me er day to þe parische chirche And here matyns and messe as I a monk were Schal non ale after mete holde me þennes Til y haue euensong y-herd y byhote þe rode And yit I wol elde aen if y so mochil haue Þat y wikkidliche wan sithen y wit hadde And þoie lyflode me faile letten y ne wolle Þat euery man schal haue his er y hennes wende And wiþ þe residue and þe remenant by þe rode of chestre I wol seke treuthe er y see rome Roberd þe robbere on reddite lokide And for þer was noght wherwiþ he weep switthe sore And it þat synful schrewe seide to hym-selue Crist þat on caluary on þe croys deide Þo dismas my broþer by-soughte hym of grace And þou haddest merci on þat man for memento sake Þi wille wurche vppon me as y haue deseruyd To haue helle for euere if þat hope ne were So rewe on þis Roberd þat reed non haueþ Ne neuere weneþ to wynne wiþ craft þat he knowith But for þi grete merci mitigacioun y be-seche Dampne me noght at domesday for þat I dide so ille But what by-fel of þis feloun y can noght faire schewe Wel y wot he wepte faste water wiþ his eien And knowlichid his gilt it eftsones Þat penitencia . his pyke schulde pulsche newe And leep wiþ him ouer lond al his lyf tyme For he hadde ley by latro luciferys aunte A þousend men & mo . þo thrungen to-gidres Wepynge & weylynge for here wickide dedys Cryden vpward to crist and to his clene modir To haue grace to seke treuthe so god leue þat þei mote And who-so bummed þer-of he bout it þeraftir Passus sextus de visione Ac þer were fewe so wise þe wey þider coude But blustren forþ as bestis ouer valeys or hilles Til late & longe þat þei a lede mette Parayled as a panynym in pilgrymes wise He bar a bourdon y-bounde wiþ a brood lyste A bagge and a bolle he bar be his side An hundred of ampoles on his hat seten Signes of synay and schelles of gales And many acrosa cros on his cloke and keyes of rome And þe vernycle hym by-forn for men schulde hym knowe And seen by his signes whom he soughte hadde Þis folk þis frayneth him faire for hym þat hym made Fro whennes þat he come & whiderward he schulde Fro synay an he seide and fro þe sepulcre At bethlem at babyloyne I haue ben in boþe In ermenye in alisaundre in many oþer places e mow seen be my signes þat sitten on myn hatte Þat y haue walkid wide in weet and in drie And sought gode seyntes for my soule hele Knowest þou aught a corseynt quod þei þat men callen treuthe Canst þou wisse vs þe wey where þat he duellith Nay so me god helpe seis þe gome þenne Saw y neuere palmere wiþ pike ne wiþ scrippe Axen aftir hym eer þan now in þis place nota Petir quod a plowman and putte for his heued y knowe hym as kyndely as clerk doþ his bokes Clene conscience & wyt kende me to his place And diden me to sure hym to serue hym for euere Bothe now and sithe whil y swynke myghte I haue ben his falwere al þis fourty wynter Bothe sowen his seed and kepid his bestis And eek kepid his corn and caryed it to house Dyken and doluen and do what he highte Wiþe-ynne and wiþoute to wayten his profit Þer nys no labourer in his lordschipe þat hym likeþ betere For þoghe y seie it my-selue y serue him to plese I haue myn hire of hym weel and oþerwhile more He is þe prestiste paiere þat pore men knowen He ne halt none hyne his hire þat he ne haþ it at eue He is as low as a lomb and louely of speche And if þat e wille wite whare þat he duellith I schal wisse ow þe wey right to his place a leue pers quod þe pilgrimes and profride hym hire Nay by þe perel of my soule quod perus & gan for to swere I nolde fonge a ferthing for seint thomas schryne Ac e þat wilneþ to wende þis is þe wey þider For treuthe wolde loue me þe wers a long tyme aftir e mote go þurw meknesse boþe men and wyues Til e come to conscience þat crist wite þe sothe Þat e loue hym leuere þan þe lif in our hertes & þanne our neybour next in none wise to a-peire oþerwise þan e wolde men wroghte to ou-selue And so beweþ forþ by a brook beþ buxum of speche Forþ til e fynde a forde our fadres honoureth Wades in þat water & wassche ou þer-ynne & e schul lepe þe lightlokere al our lyf tyme So schul e se swer not but it be for nede & namly on þe ydel name of god almyghte Þan schul e come by acrofta croft cometh noght þerynne Þe croft hatte couette not mennys catel ne here wyues Ne none of here seruantz þat hem noye myghte Loke þou breke none bowes þere for peryl of þi soule but þei be our owene Two stokkis þer stonden but stynte e noght þer Þei hoten stel noght ne sle not but strike forþ by boþe leue hem on þe left half and loke noght þeraftir Þan schalt þou see blenche abaka bakbere no fals witnes He is frethid yn wiþ floryns and oþere feez manye Loke þou plukke no plantes þere for perel of þi soule Þan schalt þou se sey soth so it be to done And loke þat þou lye noght for nome mannys biddynge Þan schalt þou come to a court as clere as þe sonne Þe moot is of merci þe maner al aboute And alle þe walles ben of wit to holde wel þeroute Þe kirnelis ben of cristendom þe kynde to saue And briteschid wiþ by-leue or elles þou best noght saued Alle houses ben helid halle and chambres Wiþ no leed but al wiþ loue as breþeren of one wombe Þe tour þer treuthe him-selue is ; is vp to þe sunne He mai do wiþ þe day sterre what hym good likith Deeth dar not do þing þat he defendith . Grace hatte þe gateward a good man for-sothe His man hatte amende ow for many man hym knowith Tel hym þis tokne treuthe woot þe sothe I par-forned þe penaunce þat þe prest me enioynede And y am sory for my synnes and so schal y euere Whan I þeron þenke þowe y were a pope Biddith amende ou meke hym to his maister Ones to wynne vp þe wyket þat þe wight schetteþ Þo adam and eue eten here bane For he haþ þe keies and þe cliket þeghe þe king slepe And if grace grante þe to gon in on þis wise Þou schalt se treuthe him-selue sitten in þin herte And lerne þe for to loue and his lawes holde Ac be war of wretthe noght þat wickide schrewe For he haþ enuye to him þat in þin herte sitteth And lokith for pride to preyse þi-selue Þe boldnesse of þat benfeet makith þe blynd þenne And so wurst þou dryuen out as dew and þe dore closid Y-keied and y-cliketid to holde þe þer-oute Happily an hundrid wynter er þou eft entre Þus myghte þou lese his loue to lete wel be þi-selue And gete it ageyn þurw grace and þurw no þing elles Ac þer arn Vijseuene doutres þat seruen treuthe euere And ben porters at þe posterne þat to þe place longith Þe ton hatte abstinence humilite an-oþer Chastite and charite ben here cheef largice þat lady letith yn wol manye Ac sche is sib to þe sistres so me god helpe He is wondirly vn-wolcome and vnfair vndirfongen But if he be sib to some of þese seuene It is wol hard be myn heued ony of ow alle Gete ingate at eny but grace be þe more By crist quod a cuttepurs y haue no kyn þere Ne y quod an apeward by aught þat y knowe Wite god quod a waffrer wiste y þat þe sothe Schulde y neuere forþere a fote for no freris prechinge is quod pers plowman and pokid hym to gode Merci hadde a maiden þere þat myghte ouer hem alle And sche is sib to alle synful and here sone also And þurw þe helpe of hem two hope þou non oþer Þou myghte gete grace so þou go be-tymes Passus septima visione Þis were a wikkide weie but who so hadde a gide Þat myghte folwe ech foot alwe were þere Þe perkyn þe plowman by seynt poul þe apostil y haue an half acre to erie by þe hy weie hadde eryed myn halue acre I schal brynge ou thorn;ere Þis were a longe lettynge qoud a lady in a scleyre What schul we wommen wurche þer while Some schul sowe þe sak for schedynge of þe whete and wyues þat haueth wolle wurche it e schulle Spynneth it spedily spareþ noght our fyngres But it be haly day or elles haly euen Lokiþ forþ our lynnens & laboureþ thorn;eron faste Þer nedy ben and naked nym hede how þei lyen Caste hem clothis for cold for so wol treuþe For y schal leue hem liflode but if þe lond faile As longe as y lyue for our lordis of heuene And e louely ladys wiþ our louely fyngres Þat hauen selk and sendil sowith it whan tyme is Chesibles for chapelis and cherches to honoure And alle maner of men þat by þe mete libben help hem wurche wightly þat wynneth I our fode By crist quod a knyghte þou kennest vs þe beste Ac on þe tein treuly taught was y neuere ac ken me quod þe knyght and y wol lere to erye By seint poul quod perkyn for þou profrist þe so lowe y schal swete and swynke and sowe for vs bothe and labouren for þi loue al my lif tyme In couenant þat þou kepe wel holi cherche righte and me fro watris and wickide men þat wolde me destrois and go hunte hardely þe hare and þe foxe and to brokkys and to bukkes þat breken myn heggis and fecche þe hom fauconis foules to kille for þese comyn in to my crost and croppen my whete curteisly þe knyght conseyuede his wordes Be my power piers y plighte þe my treuthe To fulfille þat forward whiles þat y mai stonde and a poynt quod perkyn y preie þe more loke þou tene no tenant but treuthe wil accorde and þeie pore men profre þe presentes oþer iftes Nyme hem not an auntir þou mowe hem noght deseris For þou schalt elde it aen at one eris ende In a wol perilous place þat purgatory hatte and mysbeed noght þi bonde men þe betere þou myght spede and þat þou be trewe of þi tunge and tales þou hate But it be of wisdom or of wit þi werkmen to chaste hoold wiþ none harlotes ne here noght here tales and nameliche at þe mete swiche men þou eschewe For it arn þe deuelis dysoure y doþe to vndirstonde y assente by seint iame seith þe knyghte þanne For to wurche be þi word whil my lif dureth and y schal apperaile quod perkyn in pilgrimes wise and with ow þe weie til e fynde treuthe he caste on his clothis cloutyde and hole his cokres and his cuffes for cold of his nayles he hieng his hoper on his bak in stede of his scrippe a busschel of breed corn bryng me þerynne For y wol sowe it my selue and sithen wol y wende and who so helpith to erye or any þing swynken Schal haue be our lord þe more mede at heruyst & make hym merye þerwith who so it by grucche and alle kynne crafty men þat cunnne lyue in treuthe y schal fynden hem fode þat skifulliche libben Saue iakke þe iogelour and ionetat þe stywes and robyn þe rybaudour for his rusty wordys Treuthe tolde me þus onys and bad me telle it ferthere deleantur de libro viuencium y schulde noght deli with hem For holy chirche is holden of hem no tithe to axen Et cum iustis non scribantur Þei ben ascapid good auntour god hem amende may y symieles don as þou seist seide piers þenne e y hote god quod hungir or elles þe bible lyes Go to genesis þe geaunt engendroure of vs alle In sudore uultus tui swynke þou schalt þi mete Tylien and laboren for þi liflode & so our lord biddeth and sapience seith þe same y seie it in þe bible piger propter prigus no feld wolde tilye he schal go begge and bidde and no man bete his hungir mathew þe mannys face mouthith vs þe same Þat seruus nuquam hadde a man & for he nold it vse he hadde mangre of his maister euere more þeraftir and by nom hym þat nam for he nolde wirche and sithen he seide his seruauntes hit herdyn he þat hath schal haue to helpe þer nede ys and he þat haþ not schal not haue ne no man hym helpen and þat he wenyth wel to haue y wol it be hym bereuyd kynde wit wolde þat euery man for his fode wroghte actif lyf or contemplatif crist wolde it were so Þe sauter seith it in a psalme of beati omnes labores manuum tuarum manducabis beatus es & bene tibi erit he þat getith his fode here wiþ trauaile of his handes God yneth hym his blessynge þat his liflode so wynneþ it y piers quod piers for charite if þou cunne Ony leef of lechecraft teche it me my dere For some of my seruantis ben sike som tyme of al þei wowke þe wurchen noght so here wombe akith y wot wel quod hungir what siknesse hem eyleth Þei haue mangid ouer mykil þat makith grone ofte But y bidde þe quod hungir as þou þin hele desirest Þat þou drinke no day til þou dyne somwhat and noght y bidde þe er hungir þe take and sende of his sawse to sauoure wiþ þi lippes and kepe som what til soper tyme syt noght longe arise er appetyt haue eteyn his fille Let noght sire surfeet sitten at þi bord leue hym noght for he is a lechour and lykerous of tunge & aftir many maner metys his mawe is alongyd. and if þou diete þe thus y dar leyn myn eres Þat fysyk his furhed hood schal for his fode selle and eke þe clokis of calabre and þe knoppys of golde and lerne to laboure with hondes lest lyflode hym faile Þere ben mo lyeres þan leches god hem amende Þei do men deye with here drynke er destenye it wolde By seynt poul quod perkyn þese arn profitable wordis Þis is a louely lessoun crist it þe for elde wende now whan þi wille is þat wel be þe euere I hote þe quod hungir hennys uyl y wende Er y haue dyned by þis day and y drunken bothe I haue no penyes quod piers pultys with to bigge Nouther gees ne grys but two grene cheses and a fewe cruddes & creem and an hauir cake and a loof of benys & bran y bake for my children and it y seie þe be my soule y haue no salt bacoun Ne no cokeney be crist colopes with to make ac y haue persil porrette and many col plantys and eek a cow and a calf and a cart mare To drawe on felde dunge while þe drowhte lastith al þe pore peple pesecoddes þei fetten Benys and baken apples þei broughten in here lappes Chybolys and cheruelys and ripe cherys manye and profrid piers þis present to plese þerwith hungir hungir ete al þis in haste and axide afor more Þanne þis folk for fere fetten hym manye Grene porret and pesen to poysen him þei þoute By þenne it neyhed ner heruest þat new corn cam to towne Þanne was folk fayn and fedde hungir wiþ þe beste wiþ good ale and gloteny þei dyden hym to slepe and þo wolde no wastours wurche but wandride aboute Ne no lengere ete no breed þat benys comen ynne But coket or clere matyn or of clene whete Ne none halpeny ale in none wise drynken But of þe beste and of browneste þat breusteres sellen Laborers þat hadde no lond to lyue by but here handes deygned noght to dynen wiþ nyght olde wortys may no penyale hem paye ne no pece of bacoun. But it be rostid flesche or elles fysche yfried and chaud and plus chaud for chillynge of here chekys But he be lyliche hired elles wol he chide and stryue aens þe statutes and sternely loken y warne ow werke men wynneth whil e mowen. for hungir hiderward hyeth hym faste and he schal a-wake our wele his wastours to chasten Or fyue er be fulfild swiche famine schal arise Þurw tempestes and fowle wederis flodis schul fallen and so seith saturne & sendith ow to warne Passus octauus de visione Treuthe herde telle here-of and to piers sente For to taken his teem and tilyen þe erþe And purchasen hym pardoun a pena & a culpa For hym and his eyres eueremore þeraftir And bad hym holden hym at hom and erien his lawes layes & alle þat holpen him to erye or to sowe Or ony many myster þat piers myghte helpen Part in þat pardoun þe pope haþ hem grauntyd Kyngis and knyhtys þat helpen holy chirche And rightfulliche in here rewme rewlen here peple Han pardoun þurw purgatorie to passe wel sone Wiþ patriarkes in paradys to pleyen hem þeraftir Bysschopis þat blessen and boþe lawes kennen Loken on þe to lawe and lerne men þe tothir & beren hem boþe on here bak as here baner schewith And prechen here paryschens þe perel of synne How þat scabbide scheep schul here wulle saue Han pardon with þe apostles whan þe passen hennys On þe daye of dome at here deys to sitte Marchantz in þe margyn hadde many eris But non a pena & culpa þe pope wolde granten For þei holde noght þe haly day as holi cherche techiþ And for þei swere by here soule so god muste hem helpe Aens clene conscience here ware to sellen But vndir his secre seel treuthe sente a lettre And bad hem bigge boldely what hem best likith . And þe mesoun dieu þat þer-with þe myseyse to helpen Wightliche wikkide weyes for to don amende Marien maydens or makyn hem wyues Þat pore wydewes wol ben and none wyues aftir Fynde swiche here fode for our lordis loue of heuene & sette scoleris to scole or to somme kynne crafte Reule wel religious and rede hem þe beste And y schal sende ow-selue seint michel mynangil Þat no deuyl schal ow deren deie whan e deie Þat he ne schal sende our soules saf into heuene And byfore my fadir face forme our settys . Vsure and auarice and othis y defende Þat no gile go wiþ ow but þe grete treuthe Þanne weren marchantes merie and wepyn for ioye And euyn wille for his writinge wollene clothis For he copied þus here clause cowde hym gret mede And men of lawe þei haddyn lest for lettrid þei ben alle And so seith þe sautere and sapience boþe Super innocentem munera non accipies a regibus & principibius erit Of princes and of prelatis here pensioun schal arise & of no pore peple no penyworth to take For he þat spendith his speche and spekiþ for þe pore peple Þat innocentis ben and nedy þat no man hem apeire Conforte hem in þat caas and coueyte noght here godys But for our lordes loue lawe for hem schewith Schal no deuel at his deþ-day deren hym a myte Þat he ne wurþ sikerly sauf and so seith þe sauter Ac to bigge water wynd or wit is ydel y rede Ne wolde neuere holi cherche god wot þe sothe Þese þre for thralles ben throwen among vs alle To waxen and wanyn where þat god liketh His pardoun in purgatorie wol litil is y trowe Þat ony mede of mone mene for motynge resceyue e legistres and lawyeres e witen if e y lye Sithen e seen it is þus sueth to þe beste Alle lyuynge laboreris þat lyuen by here hondys Þat trewly takyn and trewly wynnen And lyuen in loue and in lawe for here lowe herte Hadden þe same absolucioun þat was sent to pers plowman Beggeres ne bidderes ben not in þat bulle But if here destenye be so þat schapen hem to begge For he þat biggith or byt but he haue nede He is fals as þe feend and defraudith þe nedy And eke gileth þe kende ageyn godis wille Þei lyue not in loue ne no lawe haldyn Þei wedde none wyues þat þei with delyn But as wilde bestes þat wiþ wo wurthen vp to-gidre And bryngen forth children þat bastardes ben holden Or his bak or his bon he brekith in his youthe And faiteth wiþ here fauntys euere-more aftir Þer ben mo myschapyn among hem who-so takith ende hede Þan oþer maner of men þat in þis world wandryn Þo þat lyuen þus here lyf mowen curse þe tyme Þat euere he was man wrought whan he schal hennys fare Ac olde men trewly þat helples ben of strengthe And wymmen wiþ childe þat werke ne mowen Blynde men and blereyed and broken þe membris Þat taken meschief mekliche as myselis & siche oþere Han as pleyn pardoun as þe plowman him-selue For loue of here lowe herte þat god haþ hem grantid Here penance and here purgatorie vppon þis pure erthe Piers quod a preest þo ; þi pardoun y moste rede For y wol construen it euery clause & ken it þe in englische And piers at his preiere þe pardoun vnfoldith And be-hynde hem boþe he hylde al þe bulle In two lynes it lay and noght a lettre more And was writen right þus in witnesse of treuthe Qui bona egerunt ibunt in uitam eternam Qui vero malam ignem eternum . Petir quod þe preest y can no pardoun fynde But do wel and haue wel and god schal haue þi soule And do yuel and haue yuel hope þou non oþere Þat aftir þi dethday to helle þou schalt wende & piers for pure tene pullid it on sondir & seide Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis non timebo mala &cetera I schal cese of my sowynge & swynke not so harde Ne aboute my lyflode so besy be namore Of preieres and of penaunce my plow schal ben her-aftir & lowren þat y er by-lowhe þeie liflode me faile Þe prophete his payn eet in penance and in wepynge By þat þe sauter vs techith so dide manye oþere Þat louith god wel his liflode is wel mochil . a cross Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte And but if luke lye he lernyth vs an oþer . By fowles he vs techith þat we schulde besy ben For to make wombe ioye in þis wonynge here Ne soliciti sitis he soliciti seith in his gospelle And schewith vs by ensamples vs-selue to wisse Þe foules in þe firmament who fynt hem in wynter Whan þe frost fresith fode hem byhouith Þei haue I no berne to go to but god fynt hem alle What quod þe preest to perkyn petir as me thinkith Þou art lettrid a litill* whorwh[o] lernyde þe on boke Abstinence þe abbesse þe .a. b myn .a.b.c. me taute And conscience com aftirward and kennyd me moche more Were þou a prest piers quod he þou myghtist preche whan þe likide Quoniam literaturam non cognoui þat mighte be þi teme Lewed lorell* quod he litil lokist þou on þe bible On salomons sawes seldom þou byholdest Ecce derisores & iurga cum eis ne crescant Þus þe prest and perkyn eiþer apposid oþer And þurw here wordes I awook and waited abouten And say þe sonne euene south sytten þat tyme Metelees and moneyles on maluerne hilles Musynge on þis matere a myle weies y ede Many tyme þis metels haþ mad me to studie And for piers lyf plowman pitously in herte For þat y seye saw slepynge if þat it so be myghte And catoun construed it nay & canonistre . boþe And by hem-selue Sompnia ne cures .. And for þe bible bereth witnesse how daniel þe prophete Deuyned þe dremys of a kyng onys Þat nabugodonosor nempne þese clerkes Daniel seide sire kyng þi sweuene is to mene Þat vncouthe kynges schul come þi kyngdom to cleyme Among lowere lordes þi londes schul be departid As daniel dyuyned in dede it by-fel aftir Þe lord loste his lordschipe & false men it hadden & Ioseph mette merueilousliche how þe mone & þe sonne & seuene sterres hailsede hym al abowtyn Beu fiz quod his fadir for defaute we schulle I my-selue and my sones seke þe for nede It by-fel as his fadir seide in Pharaoes tyme Þat Iosep was iustise al egipte to kepe Many tyme at mydnyght whan y scholde slepe Al þis makith me mochil on metelys to þenken On piers þe plowman & whiche a pardoun he hadde And how þe prest enpugned it al be pure resoun And dyuyned þat dowel indulgence passide Byonalis and trionalis and bisschopis lettres Dowel at þe day of dome is ferforþliche vndirfongen He passith al þe pardoun of seint petres chirche at rome Quodcumque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum & in celis Now haþ þe pope power pardoun to graunten Þe peple wiþouten penance to passen to ioie Þis is a leef of our by-leue as lettrid men vs techiþ And y byleue it wel lord it forbede elles Þat pardoun and penance and preyeris to-gidres Mown saue sowles þat han synned seuen sithes dedly Ac to trast on þese trionales certes me thinkith Is not so siker for þe soule trewly as is dowel . Þer-fore y rede þat lordes þat riche ben ei in erþe Vppon trust of our tresour trionales to haue Be þou neuere þe baldere to breke þe ten hestis And namely e maistres . þat men þat Iugge holden Þei to haue welthe of þis world wise men ben holde For to purchase pardoun and þe popes bulles At þe dredful day of dome whan dede schuln arise & comyn alle byfore crist a-countes to elden . Explicit hic visio willim de petro plowman Et hic incipit dowel dobet & dobest secundum wit & resoun Þus y-robid in russet y a romyd al aboute Al a somer sesoun for to seke dowel And y frayned wel ofte of folk þat y mette if eny wight wiste where dowel was at ynne And what man it mighte be of many man y frayned Was neuere wight as I wene þat me wisse coude Where þis lede lengith lesse ne more Til it byfel on a friday two freris y mette Maistres of þe menours men of grete witte And y hailsed hem hendyly as y hadde lernyd And preyed hem for charite er þei passide ferþere if þei knewe ony cuntre oþer costes aboute Where dowel duellith do me to wisse Marie quod þese maistres at hom wiþ vs he duellith . And euere haþ as y hope and euere schal here-aftir contrra quod I as a clerk & comsyde to disputen Sepcies in die cadit iustus cetera Seuen sithes on þe day seiþ þe boke fallith þe rightful & who-so synneþ he seiþ certes me þinkith Þat dowel and doyuele mowe not duelle to-gidres Ergo he is not alwey among ou freris He is som tyme elles-whare to wisse þe peple I schal seye þe my saw seiþ þe frere þenne How seuen sithes on þe day þe sadde man synnes By a fore-bysne quod þe frere y schal þe faire schewe Let brynge amana man in a boot amyddes a brood watir Þe wynd and þe water and þe waggynge of þe boot Makis many tyme þe man to falle and to stande For stonde he neuere so styf he stumblith in þe waggynge And it is he sauf and so hym byhoueth . And if he ne arise þe raþere and raughte þe stere Þe wynde wolde wiþ þe water þe boot ouerthrowe Þanne were þe mannys lif lost for lachesse of him-selue Right þus it fareth quod þe frere by folk here in erthe Þe water is lyk to þe world þat waxeth and wanyeth Þe godis of þis grounde arn lyk to þe wawes And as wyndes and watres wawes aboute Þe boot is lyk to þe body þat britel is of kynde Þat þurw þe fend and þe flesche and þe false worlde Synneþ þe sadde man seuen sithes on þe day Ac dedly synne doth he noght for dowel hym helpeth Þat is charite þe champioun cheef help of alle Aens synne for to synne he foreth þe soule Þat þeie þe body bowe as a boot doþ in þe water Ay is þi soule sauf but þi-selue wolt Folwe þi fleschis wille and þe feend aftir And do dedly synne and drenche þi soule God wol suffre þe to-dey for þou hast þe maistry Y haue no kynde knowynge to conceyue þi wordes But if y may lyue and loke y wol go lerne betere I be-kenne þe crist þat on þe croys deide And þei seide þe same saue þe fro myschaunce And yue þe grace on þis erþe in good lyf to ende Þus y wente wide whare dowel to sechen & as I wente by a wode walkynge me alone Blisse of þe bridees made me a-byde & vndir lynde vppon a launde y lened me a-stonde Þ to lithen þe layes þe louely briddes maden Blisse of þe briddes broughten me on slepe Þe merueileste metynge mette me þenne Þat euere dright in doute drempte as I wene A mykil man me þoughte like to my-selue Com and callede me be my righte dame What art þou quod I þat my name knowest Þat wost þou wel quod he and no wight betere Woot I quod I who art þou thought seide he þenne I haue swyed þe þis vijseuene er seye þou me no raþer Art þou þought þo quod he coudest þou me telle Where dowel duellith do me to wisse Dowel quod he and dobet and dobest þe þridde Ben þre faire vertues and ben noght fer to fynde Who-so is meke of his mouth mylde of his speche Trewe of his tunge and of his two handes And þurw þe laboure of his handes his liflode wynneþ And is noght drunkelewe ne deignous of speche While he haþ of his owen he delith þere moste nede is Þe bagges and þe bygirdles he haþ broken hem alle Þat þe Erl auerous hadde and his eyres & wiþ mammones mone haþ mad hym frendes And is ronne in-to religioun and haþ rendrid þe bible And prechiþþe peple seint poules wordis e wise suffreþ þe vnwise wiþ ou for to libbe & wiþ good wille do hem good for so our lord highte Dobest is a-boue hem boþe and bereþ a bisschopis crose I-hokid at þe ton ende to holden hem in good lif A pyke is in þe potente to pynche a-doun þe wikkide Þat haunteþ ony wikkidnesse dowel to tene And as dowel and dobet doþ him to vndirstonde Þei haue corouned a kyng to kepen hem alle And if dowel and dobet dide aen dobest And were vnbuxum at his biddynge & bold to don ille Þanne þe kyng schulde come and casten hem in prisone & putte hem in prisone wiþoute pite or grace & but if dobest bede for hem abide þere for euere Þus dowel and dobet and dobest þe þridde Corouned on to be kyng and by his conseil wurche And reule þe rewme for reed of hem alle And oþer wise and elles not but as þese þre assente I þankid þoute so þat he me so taute And it sauoureþ me not þi siggynge so me god helpe More kynde knowynge y couette to lerne How dowel and dobet don on þis erþe But wit kunne wisse þe þought whare þo þre duellen Elles woot no man þat now is on lyue Þout and I þus þre daies we ede Disputynge of dowel day aftir oþer And er we were war wit gunne we mete He was long and lhene lik to non oþer Sad of his semblant & of a sad speche I durste moue no matiere to make him to iangle But as y bad þought þo to be me by-twene To putte forþ som purpos to prouen his wittes Þanne þought in þat tyme seide þese wordes Where þt dowel and dobet & dobest were in londe Here his wille wolde y-wite if wit coude hym teche Primus passus de dowel. Sire dowel quod wit noght a day hennes In a castell þat kynde made of foure kynne þinge Of erþe & of eyr it is mad ymedled to-gidres Wiþ wynd and wiþ water wittyly enioyned kynde haþ closid þerynne craftily wiþ alle a lemmman þat he loueþ like to him selue anima sche hatte to hire haþ enuye a proude prikere of frauce princeps huius mundi and wolde wynne hire awey wiþ wiles if he mighte ac kynde knoweþ þis wel and kepith here þe betere and doþ hire to sire dowel duke of þese marches dobet is hire damysele sire dowelis doughter and serueþ þis lady lely boþe late and rathe Þus dowel and dobet and dobest þe þridde Ben maistris of þe manere þe maide to kepe ac þe constable of þe castell þat kepith hem alle Is a wys knyght wiþ alle sire yn wit he hatte he haþ fyue faire sones by his firste wyue Sire see wel sire sey wel sire here wel þe hende Sire wurche wel wiþ þin hand and wight man of strengthe Sire god frey go wel grete lordes alle Þese vij ben y sette to saue þe castelle To kepe þis womman wife men ben chargid Til kynder come or sende and kepe hire hym selue What calle e þis castel qoud I þat kynde haþ y makid Of what kynne thinge cunne e me telle kynde qoud he is creatoure of alle kynne bestis Fadir and fourmour firste of alle þinge and þat he is grete god þ gynnynge hadde neuere Þe lord of lyf and of light of blisse and of pyne aungelis and alle þingis arn at his wille ac man is hym most liche of mark & of schappe For þurw þe word þat he warp wexen forþ bestis and al at his wille was wrought wiþ a speche Faciamus hominem ad ymaginem & similitudinem nostram Saue man þat he made ymage to him selue af him goost of his godhede and grauntide hym blisse lyf þat ay schal laste and his lynage aftir Þis is þe castell þat kynde made caro it hatte Is as moche to me ne as man wiþ þe soule Þurw myghte of þe maieste whan was y makid Inwyt and alle wittes ben closed þerynne For loue of þat lady þat lyf is y-nempned þat is anima þat ouer al þe body wandrith Ac in þe herte is here hem heyest of all He is lif and ledere and lemman of heuene Inwit is þe help þat anima desireþ aftir þe grace of god ynwit es þe gretteste Inwit in þe heued is an help to þe soule For þurw his kunnynge is kept caro & anima In reule and in resoun but rechelees it make he eggide eye to sighte and herynge to gode Of speche & of goynge he is þe byginnere In mannys brayn is he most and myghtiest to knowe þer is his bour bremest but hoot blood it make For whan blood is brent in brayn þanis þe wit bounden and eek wantoune & wilde wiþouten ony resoun In fauntis and in folys in hem faileþ ynwit and eke in sottes þou might see þat sicten sitten at þe nale þei heeld ale in here hened til ynwit be drenchid and ben brayned as bestis so here blood waxeþ þan haþ þe pouke powere fire Ouer siche maner men myghtis in here soule ac in fauntis and folis þe feend haþ no wit For to werke þat þei wurchen wikked or elles ac þe fadir and þfrendis for fauntes schul be blamed But þei wone hem fro wauntonnesse whiles þei ben onge ac if þei ben pore and cateles and kepen hem fro ille þanne is holi churche awynge to helpe hem and saue and for to fynde hem forþ til þei ben wisere & eche wight in þe world þat haþ wyse undirstondynge Is chief souereyn ouer hym self his soule to eme & cheuysschiþ hym for ony charge whan he childhod passiþ to saue hym selue fro synne for so hym byhouith for wurche he wel or wrong þe wyte is his owene þanne is dowel a duke and destroieth vices Ne route ne to reste ne to roten in þine herte and þat is dreed of god dowel it makith and is þe begynnynge god for to doute Salomon it seide for a sooþ tale Inicium sapiencie timor domini For doute men don þe bette drede is siche a maister and þat makith men meke and mylde of here speche and alle kynne scoleres in scole to lere þanne is dowel to drede for betynge of þe erde and þere seith þe sauter þe psalme þou mtghte rede Virga tua & baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt Ac if þi clene conscience acorde þat þi self dowel Wille þou neuer in þis world why for to do betere For intencio indicat hominem Wiþ conseil of conscience accordynge wiþ holi churche Loke þou wisse þi wit and þi werkes aftir For if þou comest aens conscience þou cumbrest þi seluen and so witnessiþ godis word and holi churche aftir Qui agit contra conscientiam edificat ad iehennam ac if þou worchest be godis word y warne þe for þe beste what so men seyn of þe wratthe þe neuer Catoun conseileþ þe to take kepe on þis þinge Cum recte viuas ne cures verba malorum But suffre and sitte stille seke þou no ferþere & be glad of þe grace þat god haþ þe sent For if þou comsyst to clymbe & coueytest to ben heiere þou myght lese þi lownesse for a litil pride I haue herd how lewed men han lerid here children þat seelde men seen þe marbil mose þat men ofte mouen and righte so by renneres þat rennen aboute Fro religioun to religioun recheles þei ben euere and men þat cunne alle craftis and clergie boþ þrift oþer thedom wiþ þo is seldom seie Qui circuit omne genus nullius est generis poul þe apostill in his pistil wroot it In ensaumple þat siche schulde not renne aboute In ea vocacione qua vocati estis in eadem permaneatis if þou bei man maried monke oþer chanoun heeld þe stable and stedefaste and strengthe þi soule to be blissed for þi berynge if þou a beggere were loke þou gruche noght on god þeie he iue þe litil Be payd wiþ þi porcioun be it pore or riche þus in drede liþ dowel and dobet to suffre For þus þurw suffraunce se þoue myt how soueraynes arisen and þus of drede and of our dede dobest ariseþ Whiche is þe flour and þe fruyt fostrid on bothe Right as a rose þat reed is & swete out of a raggid rote & as a rowlie brere þat springeþ & spredith þeat spiceres desiren Or as whete out of weed waxith out of þe erthe So dobest out of dobet & dowel gynneth sprynge Among men of þis molde þat meke ben & kynde For loue of here lownesse our lord iueþ hem grace siche werkis to wurche þat he be wiþ payd Formest and first f to folk þat ben weddid and lyueþ as here lawe wil þat likith god almyghte and þurw wedlok þe word stant who so wil it knowe þei ben þe riccheste of rewmes and þe rote of dowel For of here kyn þei comyn þat confessours ben nempnyd Boþe maydones and nunnes monkes and ankres kyngis and knyghtes and alle kynne clerkes Barouns & burgeys and bonde men of towne ac fals folk and feithes as thevys and lyerie Ben conceyued in cursed tyme as caym was and eue aftir þat adam & eue eten þe appil an aungil in haste highte hem to wende In to þe wrecchide world to wone and to libbe In tene & in trauaile to here lyues ende In þat cursede constellacioun þat þei knewe to-gidres and broughte forþ a barn þat moche bale wroughte þei Caym þei hym callide in curside tyme engendrid and so seiþ þe sauter see it whan þe likiþ Quare via impiorum prosperatur bene est omnibus qui peruerse & inique agunt alle þat comen of þat caym crist hatide hem aftir & many myliones mo of men and of wommen and of seeth & of his sister sitthe þei forþ come For þei maried hem wiþ þe curside men of caymes kynne For alle þat comyn of þat caym crist hattide hem euere For þi y sente hem to seye and seide him by aungil to kepe his kynrede fro caym þat þei couple not to-gidre and siþþe seep and his sister were spoused wiþ caymes kynne aene godis heste girles þei geten and god was wroþ wiþ here werkis & seide þese wordis Penitet me fecisse hominem þat is as moche to mene among vs alle þat y man made sore it me for þinkith and com to nowel anon and bad hym not letten swiþe to schapen him a schip of sides and of bordes him selue and his soues þis and sithen alle here wyues buskide hem to þe boot to abide þerynne Til fourty be felfild þe flood haue y waschide Clene a-wey þe curs curside blod þat caym haþ y makidn Bestis þat now ben schulle banne þe time þat euere þe curside kaym com to þis erþe alle schulle deie for his dedys by downes & lawes Boþe fisches and foules euenforþ wiþ þe bestis Out take þe souen sowles þat of ech best a couple þat in þe sengle schyppe þat tyme schal be saued Elees schulde alle deie and to helle wende þ þurw curside caym com care vppon alle and al for seeth and his sister spousid here eiþer othir aens þe lawe of our lord leyen to-gidre and were maried at meschief as men don now here children þat for couetise of catel vnkyndely ben maried a carful concepcioun cometh of swiche weddynge as felle of þis folk þat ybyfore schewede It is an uncomly couple by crist as as y wene To yue aong wenche to an olde feble Or wedde ony wydewe for ony wele of godis þat neuere schal bere child but it be in armes In Ielusie ioieles and ianglynge abedde Many peire sith þe pestilence han plight hem to-gidrees þe fruyt þat þei bringe forþ arn but foule wordes haue þei no children but cheste and choppes by-twene þei hiden hem to donmowe but þe deuel helpe To folwe aftir þe flicche fette þei it neuere but þei boþe be for-sworn þat bacoun þei tyne For þi y conseile alle cristens coueitte noght to be wedde For couetise of catel or for kyndrede riche But maydenes and maydenes ou to same take wydeweres and widewes wurche e alle þanne glade yogh;e gode þat alle godis sendith For my tyme trewly by-twene man and womman Schulde no bedborde be but þei were boþe clene Of lif and of loue and of lawe also þat derne dede do no man schulde ac by-twene sengle and sengle siþþe lawe haþ y graunted þat every man haue a make in mariage of wedlok and wurche on his wyf and no womman elles For þat oþer gatis ben y geten for gadelyngis ben holden þat ben false folke and false heires also. But honysche hym as an hound & hote hym go þennes Lytil loueþ he þat lord þat leneþ y hym þat blysse þat þus partyth{barred} with þe pore aparcela parcel whan hym nedeþ Ne were mercy in menemenmene men more þan in ryche Manye mendenawtes meteles myte go to bedde God his mechel in his gorge of þese grete maystres And so seyth{barred} þe sauter seek it in mento memento Ecce audiuimus in eufrata inuenimus eam in campis silue Clerkys and keddemen carpen of god faste And han mochel in here mowþ ac mene men in herte Fryres & faytoures han fonden vp swych questiones To plese wyþ proude men siþ þe pestilense tyme þat defoulen oure feyth{barred} at festis þer þei sitten For now is iche boy bold and he be ryche To telle of þe trynite to be holde a syre And fyde forþ fantasies our feyth{barred} for to apeyre & to defame þe fader þat vs alle makyde And carpen of clergye crabbyde wordys Why wolde oure saueour suffre swych{barred} werm in his blysse þat be-gyles þe womman & þe man after þour swyche a werk & wille þei wente to helle And al þat sed here sed for þat synne þe same wo suffrede Swich{barred} motes þei moue þese maystres in here glorie And make men mysbeleue þat mousen on here wordys Ac Austyn þe oolde for alle siche prechet And for siche tale telleres siche a teme schewiþ Nolite plus sapere quam oportet sapere þat is to seie ne wilnehþ neuere to wete why þat god wolde suffre satan his seed to be-gyle And be-leef lely on þe lord of holy chyrche And pray hym of his pardounn & penance be þi lyue & for his meche mercy to amende vs here For alle þat wilneþ to wite þe weyis of god almyte I wolde his Eye were in his hars & his hele after þat euere wilneþ for to wete qwy þat god wolde suffre satan his seed to be-gyle Or Iudas þe Iew ihesu ben be-trayen Al was as he wolde lord I-wyrchepid þou be And worþ as þou wilt what-so we telle And noun comyth{barred} comoun and wolde cache of my wittes What is dowel fro dobet def mote he wurþe Siþþe he willeþ to wite whiche þei ben alle but if he lyue lely in þe last day þat longeþ to dowel For I dar be his bolde borwe dobet wilhewil he neuere þeie dobest draw on hym day after day And whan þat wit whas war how his wyf tolde He come so confuse he couþe nowt mele and also dombe as a dore drow hym asyde And for no carpyng þat i couude ne knelyng to þe grounde He I myte gete no greyn of his grete wittes But al louryng he loutydde & lokyd vp-on studye In signe þat hI schulde be-seche here of grace And whan I was war of his wille to his wyf i knelyd And seide mercy madame yure man schal I worthe For to wyrche ure wil wil my lif dureþ To kenne me kendely to knowe what is dowel . For þi meknesse man quod sche & for þi mylde speche I schal kenne þe to my cosyn þat clergie hoteþ He hayth weddyd a wyf wyþ-inne þis wikes sexe þat is sibbe to þe sefnesevene ars þat scripture is I-nempnyd þei to I hope after my be-sekynge Schul wisse þe to dowel I dar wel vndyrtake þan was I as fayn as fowl of fayre morwe Gladdere þan þe gleman þat gold hayt to ifte And axide here þe heye weye where clergie wende & tel me som tokne to hym for tyme is þat i wende Axe þe heye weye quod sche fro hennes to s suffre Bothe wel and wo if þat þou willt lerne And ryde forth{barred} be richesse reste þou nowt þer-inne For þow compleco[u]ple þe with hym to clergie comyst þou neuere And eek þe longe launde of þat lecherye hatte Laue hym on þe left half a large myle & more Foor til þou come to a court kep wel þi tonge Fro lesynggis and lyeres & lekerous drynkes þan schalt se soberte of symplesse of speche þat eche wyt be in wille his wit þe to schewe So schalt þou come to clergie þat can many thenges And sey hym sygne i sette hym to scole And sette here to sapience & to Þe sauter glosyd . Logyke i leryd here and al þe lawe after And alle þe musonys of musyk I made here to knowe Plato & poete I put hem ferst to boke Aristotle and oþer mo I tawte ferst to argue Gramer for gyrles I garte ferst whryte And beet hem with abaleysa baleys but if þei wolde lerne And alle kynne craftis I construed hure ferst to lere Tolis of Carpenters and kerue I tauþte ferst masouns And lerned hem lyne & leuel þoue i lokyd dymme Ac theologie hayt tened me ten score tymes for þe more i mouse þeron þe mystlokir it semyth{barred} And þe deppere I dyuyned þe deppere I þowte It is no sciense for-sothe to sutyle þer-inne Ac for it last best by loue I loue it þe betere For þer þat loue is lord lakkeþ neuere grace lef lely þeron if þow thenke dowel For dobet & dobest ben drawe of loue scole In other sciense it seþ I saw it Catoun Qui simulat verbis nec corde est fidus amicus Ac theologie techeþ vs nowt so who-so take hede He kennes þe contrarye aen Catons wordys And bit vs be as breþeren & blysse oure enemyes & loue þat lyen on vs and lene hem at here nede And do good aens yuel god hym-selue hotes And seided hym-selue in ensaunple of þe beste Dilige dominum deum tuum ex toto corde tuo & cetera Ac astronomye is hard þing & yuel for to knowe Geometrie and gemessie is gryfful of speche þat þenkeþ to werche with þo re þriueþ wollatewol late Sorcerie is þe souereyn book þat to þe sciense longeþ it arn þer fibeches of forelis of albertis makyng Nigromancie and perymancie þe powke to Reise if þou þinke dowel del þer-with neuere Alle þese scienses sykerly I my-selue foundide þurw hem formest folk to deceyuen I be-kenne þe cryst quod sche I kan teche þe no betere And I seyde gramerci madame & meche here grette And wente with in my weye with-oute more lettynge And fond as sche fayre tolde and forþ gan I wende & eer I come to clergie coude I neuere stynte And grette þe godman as þe godwyf me tawte & aftyrward his wyf & wyrschepid hem bothe And tolde here toknes þat me I-tawte were Was neuere grom vp-on þis ground syþx syth{barred} god made hefne Fayrere vndirfonge ne frendlekere mad at ese . þan my-selue tsothly as sone as sche it weste þat I was of wit hous & his wyff dame studye Curteysly clergie . calde me & custe And asked me how wit and his studye And I seyde hem soþly þei sente me þeder To lere at ow to dowel & dobet þer-after And sythe aftir to se som-what of dobest It is awola wol lely lyf quod sche among þe lewyd peple Actyf it is I-hoten housbondes it vseþ Trew telieres on herþe as taliouurs and oþere sowteres And alle kenne crafty men þat kunne with here craft wynne With ony trewe traualye tilie for here fode diken or deluen douel it hyte To brekere beggere bred and bachem with clothes Comfort þe carful þat in þe castel is fetered And seken out þe seke & sende hem what hem nedyth{barred} Obedyent as breþeren and sistres to oþere þese ben þat dobet þus beryth witnesse þe sauter Gaudete cum gaudentibus & flere cum flentibus Syke with sori synge wiþ þe glade Ecce quam bonum & quam iocundum habitare fratres in vnum God wot þis is dobest sire dobest haiþ benefices For þis dobest is a bysschopis pere Prynce of godis peple to prechen & to techyn Dobet doiþ ful wel and dowel he is also & haiþ posessiones pluralites for pore menys sake for mendinantis at messchef þo men were I-dued And þat is rythful religioun none renneres a-boute Ne no leperes ouer lond ladiis to schriue Gregori þe grete clerk a good pope in is tyme Of religioun þe reule he rehersit in his moralis & seiþ hym in ensaumple þat men schulde do þe betere Whan fissches fays fayleþ þe flod or þe fressch{barred} water þei deye for þe drowte whan it dryheþ longe Ryth{barred} so be religioun þat roxleþ and sterueþ þat out of couent & cloystre coueytiþ to libbe And now is religioun a ridere & a rennere be stretis a ledere of lufdayes and alonda lond beggere buggh{barred}ere Popreþ on a palfrey fro toune to toune A bidowe or a baselard he bereþ be his side Godis fleesch{barred} and his feet & his fyue wondis Arn more in his mende þan memorie of his foundour þis is þe lyf of þese lordis þat leue schulde with dobet And wel-a-wey werse and I schulde al telle I wende kyngis & knythis and kayseres and Erles Were dowel and dobet & dobest ouer hem alle for i haue it sen my-selue and suþþe i-rad after how crist conseylede þe Comounne & kennes hem þese lawes For-þi I wende þo weyhes were dobest of alle I wele nowth{barred} scorne quad scripture but scryueyns lye kyngh{barred}ode & knythode for aut i kan a-spie helpith nout to hefneward at one eris ende Ne rychesse ne rente ne royalte of lordys Powl proueþ inpossible þe Riche to comen in by hefne Ac pore men in pacience and pacience to-gederes Han here herytage in hefne and Riche men none contra . quad I bi crist i kan þe with-seye And prouen it be apostil þat petir is nempnyd Qui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit þat in extremis . quad scripture among sarsynes & Iewes Mowe be saued so and þat oure be-leue þat oon cristen in cas may cristen an hethen & For his leel lyf be-leue whan he his lyf tyneþ Haue an eritage in hefne as anhe anheiean heie cristene Ac cristene men god wot comeþ nowt so to hefne for cristene han a dirigedegre & our comune speche Nemo ascendit in celum nisi qui & cetera Godis word wittnesseþ þat we schal þeue[y]eue & dele oure enemys And alle men þat arn nedy as pore men & siche Operemur bonum ad omnes maxime autem ad domesticos fidei Alle kynde creatours þat crist ben y-lyche þe ben I-holde heyliche to herye & honoure And euen hem of oure good as good as our-selue And souereynlyche to syche as suen our beleue þat eche cristen man be kende to other And syþþe hem to helpe in hope hem to amende To harme hem or to sle hem god hite vs neuere He seiþ t it hym-selue in his ten hestes Non mechaberis . ne sle nout is þe kende englische For michi vindictam & ego retribuam I schal pyne inpurgatoriein purgatorie or in þe pyt of helle Euery man for his misdede but mercy it make it i am neuere þe ner for nowth þat i haue walkyd to wyte what is dowel witterly in herte for how so i werche wrong or ellis I was markid with mercy . and myn name entred In þe legende of lyf long er I ded ware Or elles vnwrite for wiled þus seiþ þe gospel Nemo asscendit in celum nisi qui de celo descendit And i leue on oure lord and on no lettere betere For salomon þe sage þat sapyence made God af hym grace and ryches to-gyderers for to reule his reume rit at is wille dide he nowt wel and wisly as holy cherche teches bothe in werk and in word in wordle in his tyme Arystotle and he who wroute betere And holy cherche holdiþ hem in helle & was neuere in þis wordle no wisere of werkis for alle kunnynge clerkis syþ crist ede in herthe Take exsanple of here sawes in sermounes þat ei[þ]ei þei make And be here werkes and here wordes wissen vs to dowel & if i schal wurche bi here werk to wynne me hefne And I for here werkis wende to pyne þan wrouttywroutt y vn-wittily wiþ al þe wit þat ilerei lere a godfridaygod Friday i fynde a felon was i-saued for he knelyd to þe cros and to crist schrof hym Sonnere hadde sauacioun þan seynt Iohan þe baptise or Adam or ysaie or ony of þese prophetis þat hadde leyn be lucifer many long eres A robbere hade remyssioun raþe þan ei alle With-outen penans in purgatorie to han paradys for euere þan marie maudeleyn who s myte do werse Or dide wurse þan dauyd þat vry destruyed Or poul þe apostel þat no pyte hadde Cristenekende to kille to deþe Arn none s for sothe so fer in hefne As þese þat wroute wykkydly in world whan þei were Cum steteritis ante reges & presides nolite cogitare quid loquamini It is as meche to mene to men þat ben lewed Whan e ben apposid of princes or prestes of þe lawe for to answere hem haue e no dowte . For I schal grante ow grace of god þat e seruen þe helpe of þe holi gost to answere hem alle þe doutieste doctour dempnour of þe lawe þat was austyn þe oolde & þe heist of þe foure And seide þus for a sarmoun so me god helpe . Ecce ipsi ydiote celum rapiunt & nos cum doctrinis nostris . demergemur in infernum And is to mene in oure mouthe more ne lesse Arn noon raþir rauyschid fro þe rith be-leue þan þese grete clerkis þat kunne manye bokis Ne non sunnere sauyd ne saddere of conscience þan pore peple as ploumen and paustores of bestes Souteres an seweres and swiche lewid Iuttis Pasen with a pater noster þe paleys of hefne With-outen penans at here partyng in-to þe heye blisse Passus tercius de dowel & cetera Cryst wot quod clergie knowitknow it yif þe likeþ I haue don my deuer ye dowel to teche And who-so coueite to don betere þan þe bok telleþ He pasith apostlis lif and put hem in-to angelis But y se now as i seie as me soþ þynkeþ þou woldist kunne þat i can and carpyn it after Presumptuously par-auenture appose so manye þat it myte turne me to tene & theologie boþe if i wiste witterly þou woldist don þer-after al þat þou askest assoilen I wolde Scornfulliche þo scripture set vp here browes And on clergie cryede on godis holy name þat he schewit ne schulde but if it stryf were Of þe cardynal wit & cristenyd in a fount And seide it so loude þat schame me it þoute þat it were scathe & slaundre to holy cherche Scihoþ theologie þat trewe is tellen it deffendeþ Dauyd godis derlyng deffendeþ it also Vidi preuaricantes & thabescebam