That piers the plowman was paynted al blody

And come Inne with a cros · bifore the comune pepile

And right like in alle lymes to oure lorde Ihesu~

Thanne called I conscience ; to kenne me the sothe

Is this Ihesus the Iuster quod I · that Iewes dide to deth

Or it is piers the plowman · who peynted hym so rede

¶ Quod conscience and kneled þo · thise aren piers armes

Hise colours and his cote armure · and he þat comes so blodye

Is criste with his crosse · conquerour of cristene

¶ Why calle ye hym crist quod I · sith Iewes called hym Ihesus

patriarkes and prophetes · proficied bifore

That alkyn creatures sholde knelen and bowen

Anoon as men nepned ˜ the name of god Ihesu

Ergo is noo name to þe name Ihesus

Ne non so nedful to nempne ˜ by nyght ne by day

For alle derke deuels ˜ aren adrad to her it ~

And synful aren solaced · and saued by that name

And thay callen hym crist ; for what cause telles me

Is crist more of myghte · and more worthi name

Than Ihesu or Ihesus ˜ that al oure Ioie come of

¶ Thow knowest wel quod conscience · & þou konne resoun

That knyght kyng conquerour · may be o persone

To be called a knyght is faire ; for men shal knele to hym

To be called a kyng is fairer · for he may knyghtes make

And to be conquerour called ˜ that comes of special grace

And of hardiness of herte · and of hendenesse bothe

To make lordes of laddes · of londe þat he wynnes

And free men foule thralles · þat folowen nouȝt hise lawes

¶ The Iewes that were gentil men · Ihesu thay despised

Both hise lore and his lawe · now er thay lowe cherles

As wide as the world is · wonyeth ther noon

Bot vndir tribut and talliage as tikes and cherles

And tho that bicome cristyne · by conseil of the baptisme

Aren fraunkeleyns free men · thurgh fullyng þat thay toke

And gentil men with Ihesu · for Ihesus was yfulled

And vp-on caluarie on cros ˜ ycrowned kyng of Iewes

¶ It bicomes to a kyng to kepe and to defende

And a conquerour of conquest · his lawes and his large

And so dide Ihesus the Iewes ˜ he Iustified and taughte hem

The lawe of lif ˜ that last schal euere

And fend{o}ied fram foule yueles · fyueres and fluxes

And fro fendes þat in hem were · and fals bileue

Tho was he Ihesus of Iewes called gentil prophete

And kyng of hir kyngdome · and crowne bare of thornes

And tho conquered he on crosse ˜ as conquerour nobile

Might no deth hym for-do ˜ ne a-doun brynge

That he aros and regned · and rauisshed helle

And tho was he conquerour calle · of quyk and of dede

For he gaf Adam and Eue ˜ and other mo blisse

That lenge had leyne bifore ˜ as lucifers cherlesT

And sith he gaf largely ˜ alle his lele lieges

Places in paradise ˜ at hir partyng hennes

He may wel be called conquerour · and þat is crist to mene

And the cause þat comes thus · with cros of passioun

Is to wissen vs ther-with · þat whan þat we be tempted

Ther-with to fyghte and fende vs ˜ fra fallyng in-to

And se by his sorwe · that who loues Ioie

To penaunce and to pouerte · he most putte hym-selue

And muche wo in this world · willen and suffren

¶ As to carpe more of crist · and how he come to that

Faithly for to speke · his first nam was Ihesus

tho he was born in bedlem ˜ as the book telles

And come to take mankynde · kynges and aungels

Reuerenced hym faire · with richesse of erthe

Aungels out of heuene ˜ come knelyng and songe

¶ Gloria in excelsis deo & cetera

Kynges cam after kneled and offred

Mirre and mylkyle gold · with-outen mercy askyng

Or any kynnes catel bot knowlichyng hym souereigne

Bothe of sonde and of sonne and se · and sithen thay wente

In-to hir kyngenelich by counseil of a aungeles

And ther was that word fulfilled · the which thow of speke

Omnia celestia terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine Ihesu

For alle the aungels of heuene · at his byrthe kneled

And al the wit of þe world · was in tho thre kynges

Reson and rightfulnesse · and reuthe thay offired

Wher-fore and why · wise men that tyme

Maistres and lettred men · Magi hem called

¶ That o kyng cam with reson · couered vndir sense

The secunde kyng ek sothly offred

Rightwisnesse vndir red gold ˜ resones felawe

Gold is likned to leaute ˜ that laste shal euere

And reson to riche gold · to right and to treuthe

¶ The thridde kyng cam knelyng to Ihesu

And presente hym with pite ˜ apieryng to Mirre

For mire is mercye to mene ˜ and mylde speche of tonge

Thre yliche honeste thynges ˜ knelyng to Ihesu

¶ And for alle thise preciouse presentz ˜ oure lord prince Ihesus

Was nouther kyng ne conquerour · til he gan to wexe

In the maner of a man · and that by muche sleighte

As it bicomees a conquerour · to kinne many sleightes

And many wiles and wit ˜ that wil ben a leder

And sa did Ihesu in hise dayes · who-so hadde tym to telle it

Som tym he suffred ˜ and som tyme he hidde hym

And som tyme he fauȝte faste · and fledd other while

And som tyme he gaf god and graunted hele bothe

Lif and lyme as hym liste · he wroughte

As kynde is of a conquerour · so comsed Ihesu

Til he badde al hem · þat he fore blede

¶ In his Innocence þis Ihesus · at Iewne feste

Water in-to wyne torned · as holy write telles

And ther bygan god of his grace dowel

For wyne is likned to lawe · and lif of holynesse

And lawe lakked þo · for men loued nouȝt hir enemys

And crist counselde vs and comaunde bothe

Bathe to lered and to lewed to louee oure enymys

So at þe feste firste as I bifore tolde

Bi-gan god of his grace · and goodnesse to do wel

And þo was he cleped and called nouȝt holy chirche bot Ihesu

A faunt fyn ful of wit Filius marie

For bifore his moder marie · made he þat wondire

That sche first and formest {and formest} ˜ ferme scholde bileue

That he thorugh grace was gete · and ne gome elles

He wrouȝt þat by no wit · but thorugh word oon

After thy kynde þat he come of · ther bygan he do wel

And whan he was waxen more in his modor absence

He made lame to lepe · and gaf light to blynde

And fedde with twa fisshes · and with fyue loues

Sore ahungerd folk ma than a thousand

Thus he conforted carful · and caught a gretter name

The wich was do bet · where þat he wente

For deef thurgh hise doynges to here · and dombe speke made

And alle he heled and halpe · that hym of grace asked

And tho was he called in contree of þe commune pepile

For the dedes þat he dide · Ihesu fili dauid

For dauid was doughtiest · of dedes in his tyme

The byrdes that songe · Sal interfecit mille & dauid decem milia

For-thy þe contre þer Ihesu come ˜ called hym fili dauid

And nempned hym of nazareth · and no man so worthy

To be caiser or kyng · of þe kyngdom of Iude

Ne ouer Iewes Iustices · as Ihesus was hem thoughte

¶ Wher-of Caiphas had enuye · and other of þe Iewes

And for to doon hym to deth · day and nyght þei casten

kylled hym on crosse wise ˜ at Caluarie on friday

And sithen byried his body · and beden þat men sholde

kepen it fro nyght comers · with knyghtes yarmed

For no frendes sholde hym fecche · for prophetes hem tolde

That þat blisful body of byryeles sholde rise

And goon in-to galilee · and gladen hise apostels

And his moder Marie · thus men bifore demed

¶ The knyghtes þat kepten hym · biknewe it hym-selue

That angels and archangels · er the day sprange

Com knelyng to þe corees ; and sangen christus resurgens

verray man bifore hem alle · and forth with hem he ȝede

¶ The Iewes preyed hem pees · and bisoughte þe knyghtes

Telle the comune that þer cam ˜ a compaygnye of his apostles

And biwicched hem as thay woke · and away stalen it

¶ And marie madgaleyne mette hym by the way

Goyng toward Galile in godhed and manhede

And lymes and lokyng and so a-loude criede

In elke a compaignye ther she com · and so a-loude criede

In ech a compaignye ther she com · christus resurgens

Thus com it out þat crist ouercam · recouered and lyuede

Sic oportet christum & in-trare & cetera

For that þat wommen witethes may nouȝt wel be counseil

¶ Petur parceyues al this and pursued after

Bothe Iames and Iohan Ihesu for to seeke

Tadde and ten mo · with thomas of Inde

And as alle thise wise wyes · weren to-gidideres

In an hous alle biset · and hir dore ysperrede

Crist{i} cam Inne alle closed · bathe dore and ȝates

To petir · and to hise apostels · and saide pax vobis

And took Thomas by the hande · and taughte hym to grappe

And fele withe his fyngers · his flesshlich herte

Thomas touched it · and with his tonge saide

Deus meus & dominus meus .

Thow art my lord I bileue · god lord Ihesu

Thow deydest and deth tholedest · and deme schalt vs alle

And now art lyuyng and lokyng · and last schalt euere

¶ Crist carped thanne · and curteliche saide

Thomas for thow trowest this · and trewelich bileuest it

Blissed mote thow be ˜ and be schalt for euere

And blissed mote thay alle be · in body and in soule

That neuere shul se me in sight · as thow doost nowe

And lelich bileue al this · I loue hem and blisse hem

Beati qui non viderunt & crediderunt & cetera

¶ And whan this ded was doon · do best he taughte

And gaf Piers power and pardon he graunted

To alle manere of men mercie and forgyuenesse

Hym myghte men to assoille of alle maner synnes

In couenaunt that thay come · and knowliche to paye

To piers pardon the plowman · Redde quod debes

¶ Thus hase piers power · be hise pardon paied

To bynde and vnbynde · bothe here and elles where

And soilled men of synnes · saue of dette oone

Anon after an heigh · vp to the heuene

He wente and wonyes ther · and wil com at laste

And rewarde hym right wel · that reddit quod debet

Payeth parfitly ˜ as pure treuthe walde

And what persone paies it nouȝt · punisshem he thyngkes

And demen hym a domesday both quike and dede

The good to þe godhede ˜ and to grette Ioye

And wikked to wonye in wo · with-outen ende

¶ Thus conscience of crist · and of the crosse carped

And counseiled me to knele ther to ˜ and thanne com me thouȝte

Oon spiritus paraclitus to piers and to hise felawes

In liknesse of a lightnynge · he light on hem alle

And madde hem konne and knowe · alkynne langages

¶ I wondred what that was · and wagged conscience

And was a-fered of þat light · for in fires liknesse

Spiritus paraclitus ouer-sprade hem alle

¶ Quod consciencie and kneled this is cristes messager

And comes fro þe grete god · and grace {h}is his name

knele now quod conscience · And if thow kanst synge

Welcom hym and worship hym · with veni creator spiritus

¶ Thane songe I that songe ˜ and so dide many hundreth

And criden with conscience helpe vs god of grace

And than bigan grace to go with Piers plowman

And conseilled hym and conscience ˜ the comune to sompne

For I wile dele to-day ˜ and diuide grace~

To alkynne creatures that haue hir fyue wittes alle{***CHECK MS}

Tresore to lyue by · to hir lyues ende

And wepen to fiȝte with · whan any cristyne yow assailleesT

And gaf ech man a grace · to go with hym-selue

That ydelnesse encombyre hym nouȝt enuye ne pride

Diuisiones graciarum sunt & cetera

¶ Som he gaf wit with wordes to shewe

Wit to wynne hir liflode with · as the worlde askes

As prechours and prestes · and prentices of lawe

They lely to leue by labour of tonge

And by wit to wissen other ˜ as grace hem wolde teche

And som he kenned craftes · and konnyng of sighte

With sellynge and byggynge · hir bilyue to wynne

And some he lered to labour a lele lif and trewe

And some he taughte to tilye · to diche and to hegge

To wynne with hir liflod · by lore of his techynge

And som to diuine and diuide · membres to kenne

And som to compas craftly · and colours to make

And som to se and som to saye · what sholde bifalle

Bothe of wel and of wo · telle it er it felle

As astronomyens thurȝ astronomye · and philosophres wise

And som to ride and som to recouere · þat vnrightfully was wonne

He wissed hem wynne it ayein · thurȝ witnesse of handes

And fecchen it fro fals men · with foluiles lawes

And som he lered to lyue · in longynge to ben hennes

In pouerte and in penaunce · to praye fol cristyne

And alle he lered to be lelle · and ech a craft loue other

And forbadde hem alle debat ˜ þat non were among hem

Thouȝ som be clenner þan som · ye se wel quod grace

That he þat vseth þe fairest craft to þe foulest I kouthe haue putte hym

Loke that non lakke other · bot loue alle as brethren

¶ And who þat moost maistries konne · be myldest of beryng

And crowned conscience kyng · and maked craft youre stiwardT

For I make piers the plowman · my procuratour and my reue

And registerer to receyue Redde quod debes

Mi plowght and my plowman · Piers shal be on erthe

And for to tilie trouþe · a teme schal he haue

Grace gaf Piers a teme ˜ foure grette oxen.

That oon was luk a large beste · and a lowe chered

And Marke and Mathew the thridde · myȝty bestes bothe

And Ioyned to hem oon Iohan the most gentille of alle

The pris neet of piers plough ˜ passyng alle other

¶ And grace gaf Piers of his goodenesse · foure grete stottes

Alle þat his oxen eried · thay to harowe after

Oon hight Austyn and Ambrose an other

Gregory the grete clerc · and Ierome þe goode

Thise foure þe faith to teche · folowes Piers t{y}eme

And harowed in a handwihile al holy scripture

With two harwes þat thay hadde · and olde and a newe

¶ vetus testamentum & nouum

¶ And grace gaf greynes · the cardinales vertues

And swee it in mannes soule · and sithen tolde hir names

Spiritus prudencie the first sede highte

And who-so ete þat · ymagyne he scholde

Er he dide any dede · deuise wel the ende

And lerned men a ladel bygge · with a long stelle

That caste for to kepe a crokke · to saue the fatte abouen

¶ The seconde sede highte Spiritus temperancie

He that ete of þat sede · hadde swich a kynde

Schulde neuere mete ne muchel drynke · make hym to swelle

Ne schulde no scorner ne scolde · out of skile hym bryngeT

Wast word of ydelnesse · ne no wikked speche moeue

Schulde no curious cloth · comen on his rygge

Ne no mete in his mouthe · þat maister Iohan spiced

¶ The thridde seed þat piers sewe · was spiritus fortitudinis

And who-so ete of þat seed · hardy was euere

To suffre al þat god sente · siknesse and angres

Might no lesynges no ber · ne losse of wordly catel

Maken hym for any mornynge · þat he nas myrie in saule

And bolde and abidyng · bismeres to suffyre

And pleyeth alle with pacience · and parce michi domine

And coueren hym vndir counseil of caton the wisse

Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique

¶ The fierthe seed that piers sewe · was spiritus Iusticie

And he þat ete of þat seed · sholde be euere trewe

With god and nouȝt agast · bot of gile oon

For gyle goos so pryuely þat good faith other while

May nouȝ ben aspied for spiritus Iusticie

Spiritus Iusticie ˜ sparees nouȝt to spille

Hem þat ben gilti and for to correct

The kyng if he falle in gilt or in trespas

For counteth he no kynges wratthe · whan he in court sittes

To demen as a domes man · adrad was he neuere

Neither of duc ne of deth · þat he ne dide lawe

For present or for prayer · or any princes lettres

He dide equite to alle · euene forth his power

¶ This foure seedes piers sewe · and sith he dide hem harwe

With olde lawe and new lawe · þat loue myȝt waxe

Among the foure vertues · and vices distroie

For comuneliche in contrees · cam-mokes and wedes

Fouleth þe fruyt in þe felde · ther thay growe togiders

And so doon vices · vertues worthy

¶ Quod piers harweth al þat konne kyndly wit · by conseil of þis doctours

And telles after his techyng · the cardinal vertues

¶ Ayeins thy greynes quod grace · to Piers by-gynnes for to ripe

Ordeyne ye an hous · to herberwe Inne þy corne

¶ Bi god      grace quod piers · ye most geue tymbir

And ordeyne þat hous · er ye hennes wende

¶ And grace gaf hym the crosse · with þe crowne of thornes

That crist vp-on caluarie · for man-kynde on pyned

And of his baptisme and blood · þat he bledde on rode

He made a manere morter · and mercy it highte

And ther-wit grace bigan · to make a good fundement

And watled it and walled it · with hise paynes and his passion

And of al holy writ · he made a rof after

And called þat hous vnite · holy chirche on Englissh

¶ And whan this dide was doon · grace diuised

A carte highte cristendom · to carie piers sheues

And gaf hym caples to his carte · contricoun and confessioun

And made presthod hayward · the while hym-selue wente

As wide as the worlde is · with piers to tilye treutheT

¶ Now is piers to the plough · and pride it aspied

And gadered hym a gret oost ˜ to greuen he thyngkesT

Blew hem doun · and breke hem · and bite atwo the mores

And sent forth surquidous his sergeaunt of armes

And his spye spille loue · oon spek yuel bihynde

This two come to conscience · and to cristen pypile

And tolde hym tiynges · þat tyne þey shulde the seedes

That piers ther had ysowen ˜ the cardinal vertues

And piers berne with brake · and thay þat ben in vnite

Schul come oute and conscience · and youre two capiles

Confession and contricion and youre carte the bileue

Shal be colourd so queyntly and couered vndir oure sophistrie

That conscience shal nouȝt knowe by contricion

Ne by confession · who is cristne or hethen

Ne no manere Marchaunt · þat with monoie deleth

Where he wynne with right with wronge or with vsure

¶ With swiche colours {of} and queyntise comes pride armed

With the lord þat lyues after · the luste of his bodye

To wasten on welfare · and on wikked kepyng

Al the world in a while thurȝ oure wit quod pride

¶ Quod conscience to alle cristen tho · my conseil is to wende

Hastilich in-to vnite · and holde we vs there

And praye we that pees were · in piers berne þe plowman

For witterly I woot wel · we ben nouȝt of strengthe

To goon a-gayn pride · bot grace were with vs

Than come kynde wit · conscience to teche

And cried and comaunded · alle cristen pepile

For to deluen and diche · depe aboute vnite

That holy chirche stode in vnite · as it a pile were

¶ Conscience comaunded tho · al cristen to delue

And make a muche moote · that myȝte ben a strengthe

To helpe holy chirche ˜ and he þat it kepes

¶ Thanne alkynne cristne · saue comune wommen

Repenteden and refuseden synne · saue thay oon

And fals men flaterers · vsurers and theues

Lyers and questmangers ˜ þat were forswore ofte

Wittyng and wilfully · with þe fals helden

And for siluer were forswore · sothly thay wist it

¶ Ther nas no cristyne creature · þat kynde wit had

Saue schrewes oon · swich as I spake of

That he ne halpe a quantite holynesse to wexe

Som thurgh bedes byddynge · and som thurgh pilgrimage

And other preue penaunce · and som thurgh penys delyng

¶ And than welled water · with wikked werkes

Egrelich ernyng · out of mennes eighen~

Clennesse of the comune · and clerkes clene lyuynge

Made vnite holy chirche · in holynesse to stoonde

I care nouȝt quod conscience · though pride come nouthe

The lord of lust shal be letted · al this lente I hoppe

Comes quod conscience · ye cristene and dyneth

That han laboured lely · al this lente tyme

hiree is breed yblessed · and goddes body ther vndir

Grace thorugh goddes word · gaf piers power

Mighte to maken it · and men to ete it after

In helpe of hir hele · ones in a monethe

Or as ofte as thay had nede ˜ þo þat had ypaied

To piers pardon the plowman · Redde quod debes

¶ How quod al the comune · thow conseillest vs to yelde

Al þat we owen any wight · er we go to housel

¶ That is my counseil ˜ and cardinale vertues

That Ilce man forgyue other · and þat wol the pater noster

Et dimitte nobis debita nostra & cetera

And so to ben assoilled · and sithen to ben houselde

¶ ye how quod a bruere · I wol nouȝt be reuled

By Ihesu for youre Ianglyng · with spiritus Iusticie

Ne after conscience by crist · whille I kan selle

Both dregges and draf · and draw it at hole

Thilke ale and thynne ale · for þat is my kynde

And nouȝt hakke after holynesse · holde thy tonge conscience

Of spiritus Iusticie · thow spekest an ydel

¶ Caytif quod conscience cursed wrecche

vnblessed artow brewer · bot if þe god helpe

But thow lyue by lore ˜ of spiritus Iusticie

The chife seed þat piers sewe ˜ ysaued worstow neuere

But conscience the comune fede · and cardinale vertues

leue it wel thay be lost ˜ both lif and soule

¶ Than is many a man lost · quod a lewed viccorie

I am a curatour of holy kirke · and cam neuere in my tyme

Man to me þat me kouþe telle · of cardinale vertues

Or þat counted conscience · at a cokkes fether or an hennes

I knewe neuere cardinale · þat he ne cam fro þe pope

And we clerkes whan {h} thay come · for hir comunes payed

For hir peleure and hir palfreys mete · and pilours þat hem folowed

The comune clamat cotidie eche a man to other

The contree is the curseder · that cardinals come Inne

And ther thay ligge and lenge · most leccerie ther regnes

¶ For-thy quod the viccorie · by verray god I wolde

That no cardinale come a-monge the comune pepile

Bot in hire holynesse · helden hem st{e}ille

At avion among the Iewes cum sancto sanctus eris & cetera

Or in Rome as hir reule wol the relikes to kepe

And þou conscience in kynges court · and scholdest neuere com thennes

And grace that thow gredest so of guyour of alle clerkes

And piers with is newe plough · and als with his olde

Emperour of al þe world · that alle men were cristyne

¶ Inparfit is þe pope · þat al þe pepile scholde helpe

And sendeth hem that sleeth swich · as he schulde saue

And wel worth piers the plowman · þat pursuyeth god in doynge

Qui pluit super Iustos & in-iustos atones / at ones

And sent the sonne to saue · acorsed mannes tilthe

As bright as to þe best man · and to þe best womman

Right so piers þe plowman · peynes hym to tilie

As wel for a wastour · and wenches of the stewes

As for hym-seluen and his seruantz · saue he first seruedeT

And trauailles and tulies · for a traitour also sore

As for a trewe lyuengman · alle tymes ylike

And worsheped be he þat wrouȝt al · bothe goode and wikked

And suffres þat synful be · til som tyme þat thay repente

And god amende þe pope þat pilies haly chirche

And cleymes bifore þe kyng · to be keper our cristene

And countes nouȝt thouȝ cristyne · be kylled and robbed

And fyndes folk to fight · and cristyne blood to spille

Ayein þe olde lawe & new lawe · as luk þer-of witnesse

Non occides michi vindictam & cetera

¶ It semes by so · hym {fe} seluen had his wille

That he ne recches right nouȝt · of al þe remenaunt

And crist of his curteisie the cardinales saue

And torne hir wit to wisdome · and to wel of soule

For the comen quod þis curatour · counten ful litel

The counseil of conscience · or cardinal vertues

But if thay seigh as by sight · som what to wynnynge

Of gile ne of gabbyng · gif thay neuer tale

For spiritus prudencie · amonge the pepile is gile

And ale the faire vertues · as vices thay semed

Iche mane suttelde a sleight · synne for to hud

And colourd it with a konnyng · and clene lyuyng

¶ Than lough ther a lord · and by light saide

I holde it right and reson · of my reue to take

Al þat myn auditour or elles my stiward

Counseilleth me by hir acounte ˜ and my clerkes writyng

With spiritus intellectus · to seke the reues rolles

And with spiritus fortitudinis fecche it I wole

¶ And than cam ther a kyng and by is crowne saide

I am kynge with crowne · the comune to reule

And holy chirche and clergie · fro cursed men to defende

And if me lakkes to lyue by · the lawe wol I take it

Ther I may hastlyest it haue · for I am hede of lawe

For ye ben bot membres · and I aboue alle

And sith I am youre aller hed · I am youre aller hele

And holy chirche chife helpe · and chiftayn of þe comune

And what I take of yow two · I take it at the techynge

Of spiritus Iusticie for I Iugge yow alle

So I may boldely be houseled for I borow neuere

Ne craue of my comen · but as my kynde askes

In condicion quod conscience · þat thow konne defende

And reule thy reeme and reson · riȝt wel and in treuþe

Take þow may in reson · as thy lawe askes

Omnia tua sunt ad defendendum · set non ad deprecandum

¶ The viker had fer hom · and faire tok is leue

And I awakned ther-with · and wroot as me mette