Þat I ne hadde sleped sadder · and I-seiȝen more

And er I hadde faren a forlong · feyntise me hente

that I ne miȝte ferþer a foot · for defaute of slepynge

And sat softly adoun · and saide my bileue

And so I babeled on my bedes · þey brouȝte me a-slepe

¶ And þanne saue I mykile more · þanne I bifore tolde

For I sey þe felde ful of folk · þat I bifore of saide

And how reson gan arraien hym · al þe reame to preche

And with a cros bifore þe kyng comsed thus to techen

¶ He preued þat þise pestilence · was for pure synne

And þe Southwest wynde · on Satirday at eue

Was partiliche for pure pride · and for no poynt elles

Pyries and plumtrees · were puffed to þe erthe

In ensample ye segges · ye sholden do þe better

Bechys and brode okes · were blowen to þe grounde

Torned vpward hir tailles in toknyng of drede

that dedly synne er domesday · shal fordone hem alle

Of þis matere I myȝte · mamelye ful longe

And I shal say as I saw · so me god helpe

How pertly a-for þe pepyle · reson gand / gan to preche

¶ He bad wastour go worche · what he best kouþe

And wynnen his wastyng · wiþ som manere craft

And praide peronele · hir purfile to lete

And kepe it in coffre · for catel at hir nede

¶ Tomme stowue he tauȝte · to take twa staues

And fecche Felice hom · fro þe wyuen pyne

He warned whtteT his wif was to blame

Þat hir hed was worþ half a mark · his hed nouȝt worþ a grote

And bad bette kut a bowghe or twayne

And bete beton þer-wiþ · but she wolde worche

And þanne he charged chapmen · to chasten hir children

Late no wynnynge hem forweny · whil þey be yonge

Ne for no pouste of pestilence plese hem nouȝt out of reson

¶ My sire saide so to me · and so dide my dame

that þe leuere childe · þe more lore bihoues

And salamon saide þe same · þat sapience made

Qui parcit virge odit filium :

the englissh of þis latyn is · who-so wol it knoweN

Who-so spares þe sprynge · spilles hise children

¶ And sithen he prayed prelates · and prestes togidres

Þat ye prechen to þe pepyle preue it on youre-seluen

And do it in dede · it shal drawe yow to goode

If ye leuen as ye leren vs · we shal leue yow þe better

¶ And siþen he radde religioun · hir reule to holde

List þe kyng and his conseil · youre comunes appaire

And ben stiwardes of youre stedes · til ye be reulid better

¶ And siþen he conseilled þe kyng þe comune to louye

It is þy tresore if treson ne were · and triacle at þy nede

¶ And siþen he prayed þe pope · haue pite of holichirche

And er he gyue any grace · gouerne firste hym-seluen

¶ And ye þat han lawes to kepe · lat treuþe be youre coueitise

More þan gold or oþer gyftes · if ye wole god plese

For who-so contrarieth trouþe · he telles in the gospel

That god knowes hym nouȝt · ne no seint of heuen

amen amen dico vobis nescio vos N

¶ And ye þat sekes seynt · Iames and seyntes of Rome

Sekees saynt trouthe · for he may saue yow alle

Qui cum patre & filio þat faire hem bifalle

that suwes my sermon · and thus saide resone

¶ Thane ran repentaunce · and reherced his tyme

And gerte wille to wepe · water with hise eyen

¶ Peronelle proude herte · platte hir to þe erþe

And lay longe er she loked · and lord mercy cryed

And bisouȝte to hym · that vs alle made

Scho scholde vnsewen hir serk · and sette þer an heyre

To affaten hir flesshe · þat feerse was to synne

Shal neuere heiȝe herte me hente · but holde me lowe

And suffre to be mysseid · and so dide I neuere

But now wol I meke me · and mercy biseche

For al this I haue · hated in myn herte

¶ Thanne lecchour saide allas · an on oure lady he cried

To make mercy for hise mysdedes · bitwene god and his soule

With þat he sholde þe satirday · seuen yere after

drynk but with þe doke · and dyne bot ones

¶ Enuye with heuy herte · asked after shrifte

And carfulliche mea culpa he comsed to schewe

He was as pale as a pelet · in the palacye he semed

And clothed in a Caury maury · I kouþe it nauȝt discryue

In kirtel and courteby · and a knyf by his side

Of a freres frokke · were the forsleues

And as a leke hedde · yleyen longe in þe sonne

So loked he with lene chekes · louryng foule

¶ His body was to-bollen · for wrathe þat he bote hise lippes

And wryngyng he yede with þe fiste · to wreke hym-self he thouȝteC

With werkes or wiþ wordes · whan he seighe his tyme

Ech a word þat he warpe · was of an addres tonge

Of chidyng and of chalangyng was his chief liflode

With bakbityng and bismer · and beryng of fals witnesse

Þis was al his curteisie · where þat he shewed hym

I wolde ben I-shryue quod þis shrewe · And I for sham durst

I wolde be gladder by god · þat gibbe had meschaunce

thanne þouȝ I hadde þis woke ywonneC a wey of Essex chese

¶ I haue a neiȝ-bore neiȝ me · I haue enuyed hem ofteN

And lowen on hym to lordes · to don hym lese his siluere

And made hise frendes ben his foon thoruȝ my fals tonge

His grace and his good happes greues me ful sore

Bitwene many and many · I make debate ofte

that bothe lif and lyme is loste · thorugh my speche

¶ And whan I mete hym in market · þat I moste hate

I hailse hym hendeliche · as I is frende were

For he is douȝtyer þan I · ydar / y dar do non other

And hadde I maistre and miȝte · good woot my wille

¶ And whan I come to þe kirke · and shulde knele to þe rode

And pray for þe pepyl · as þe prest teches

For pilgrymes and for palmers · for al þe pepile after

than I crye on my knees · þat crist gyf hem sorwe

that bare awey my bolle and my broke shete

Away fro þe auter þanne torne I myn eighen

And biholde how Elyne · has a new cote

I wisshe þanne it were myn · and alle webbe after

¶ And of mennes lesyng I laughe · þat w{r}erkes myn herte

And for hir wynnyng I wepe · and waille þe tyme

And deme þat hij done ille · ther I do wel worse

Who-so vndernymes me her-of · I hate hym dedly after

I wolde þat Ilk a wight · were my knaue

For who-so has more þan I · þat angrees me sore

And þus I loue loueles · like a lyther dogge

Þat al my body bolnes · for bitter of my galle

¶ I myghte nouȝt ete many yeres · as a man ouȝte

For enuye and yuel wille · is yuel to diffye

May no sugure ne swete thyngN · asswage my swellyng

Ne no diapendioun · dryue it fro myn herte

Ne nouþer schrifte ne schame · but who-so schrape my mawe

¶ þis redily quod repentaunce has radde hym to þe beste

Sorwe of synnes · is saluacion of soules

¶ I am sory quod þat segge · I am but selde oþer

And þat makes me thus megre .N for I ne may me venge

Amonges burgeis haue I be · dwellyng at londoun

And grete bakbitynge be a brocour to blame mennes ware

Whan he so{?}lde an I nouȝt · þanne was I redy

To lee and to loure on my neghbour · and lakke his chaffare

I wolde amend þis if I may · by my of god almyghty

¶ Now awakes wrathe with two white eyen

And s{?}neuelyng with his nose and his nekke hyngyng

I am wrathe quod he I was some tyme a frere

And þe couentes gardyner · for to graffen Impes

On lymitours and listers · lesynges I Imped

Til þey bere leues of low speche · lordes to plese

And siþen þey blesmed abrode · in boure to hire schriftes

And now is fallen þer-of a fruyt · þat folk han leuere

Schewen hir schriftes to hem · þan shryuen to hir persons

¶ And now han parsones parceyued · þat freres parte with hem

thise possessioners preche · and dempne freres

And freres fynden hem in defaute · as folk berth witnesse

Þat whan þey preche þe pepyle · in many place aboute

I wratthe walkes / walke with hem · and wisse hem of my bokes

Thus thay speke of spiritualte · þat aiþer dispises other

Til þey be boþe beggers · and by my spiritualte libben

Or elles alle riche · and riden a-boute

I wratthe rest neuere · þat I ne most folowe

This wikked folk · for swich is my grace

¶ I haue an Aunte to Nonne and an Abbasse bothe

Hir were leuere swowen or swelte · þan suffre any peyne

I haue be cook in hir kichyne · and þe couent serued

Many monthes wiþ hem · and wiþ monkes bothe

I was þe prioresse potager · and oþer pouere ladyes

I made hir wortes with Iangelyng · þat dame Iohan was a bastard

An dame Clarice a knyȝtes douȝter · and a cokwold was hir sire

And dame Peronelle a prestes file · prioresse worþ she neuere

For she hadde childe in chirityme · al oure chapiter it wiste

¶ Of wikked wordes I wrathe hir wortes made

Til þow lixte and thow lixte · lopen oute atones / at onesN

And aither hit other · vnder þe cheke

HaN thay hadde knyues by crist · eiþer had kulled oþer

¶ Saynt Gregori was a good pope · and had a good forwit

Þat no prioresse were preste · for þat he ordeigned

Thay hadde þanne be infamis þe firste day · þei kan ille holde conseil

¶ Among Monkes I miȝte be · and many tyme I shonye

For þey bemany / be many felle frekes · my freres to aspye

Bothe Priour and suppriour and oure pater Abbas

And if I telle any tales · þey take hem togiders

And do me faste fridaies · to brede and to water

And am chalenged in þe chapiter hous as I a childe were

And baileised on þe bare ers · and no breche bitwene

For-thy {I}haue I no likyng · with þo leodes to wonye

¶ I ete þer vnthende fisshe · and fiebyle ale drynke

And oþer-while whan wyne come · and I drynke it at euene

I haue a fluxe of a ful mouþe · wel fyue daies after

Al þe wikkednesse þat I wote by any of oure brether

I kouþe it in oure cloistere · þat al þe Couent woot it

¶ Now repent þe quod repentance and reherce þow neuere

Conseil þat þou knoweste · by contenance ne by righte

And drynke nouȝt ouer delicatly · ne to depe nowþer

Þat þi wille be-cause þer-of · to wrathe miȝte torne

Esto sobrius he saide · and assoilled me after

And bad me wilne to wepe · my wikkednesse to amende

¶ And þanne cam Couettise kan I nouȝt hym discryue

So hungerly and holowe · sire henry hym loked

He was bitelbrowed · and baburlipped boþe

With two blered eighen · as a blynde hagge

And as a letheren purs · lolled hise chekes

Wel sidder þan his chynne · þei chiueled for elde

And as a bonde-man of his bacon · his berd was bidraueled

With an hood on his hed · a lousy hat abouen

And in a tawny taberd · of twelf wynter age

Al to-torne an baudy · and ful of lis crepyng

But if þat a louse couþe · haue lopen þe better

Scho shuld nouȝt haue walked there so was it thredebare

¶ I haue ben couettise quod þis caytif · I biknowe it here

For some tyme I serued synne atte stile

And was his prentice I-pliȝt · his prophete to wayte

First I lerned to lye · a leef outher tweyne

Wikkedliche to weye · was my first lessoun

To wye and to wynchestre · I wente to þe faire

With many manere marchandises · as my maister me hiȝte

Ne had þe grace of gile · go among my chaffare

It had ben vnsolde þis seuene yer · so me god helpe

¶ Than drowe I me among drapers my donet to lerne

To drawe þe liser a-long · þe lenger it semed

Among þe riche rayes · I rendered a lesson

To broche hem with a paknedel · and plyghted hem togiders

And putte hem in a presse · and pynned · hem þer-Inne

Til ten yerdes or twelue · had tolled out thrittene

¶ My wif was a webbe · and wollen clothe made

Sho spak to spynnesters · to spynnen it oute

And þe pounde she paied biweyed a quaterone more

than my owne aunser · who-so weyed trouþe

I bouȝt hir barly malt · scho brewe it to selle

Peny-ale and puddyng ale · she poured togiders

For laborers and lowe folk · þat lay by hem-selue

the beste ale lay in my bour · or in bedde{s} chambre

And who-so bommed þer-of · he bouȝt it þer-after

A galoun for a groot · god woot no lesse

And yet come in copmele þis craft my wif vsed

Rose þe regrater · was hir riȝt name

She has holden hokkerie · al hir lif-tyme

¶ And I swere now so thehiLX · þat synne wole I lete

And neuere wikkedlich wey · ne wikked chaffare vse

But wenden to walsyngham and my wif als

And bid þe rode of Bromholm brynge me out dette

¶ Repentestow euere quod repentaunce or restitucioun madest

yis ons I was herberd quod he · with an hep of chapmen

I ros whan þei were arest · and riflede hir males

¶ þat was no restitucioun quod repentaunce but a robbers thefte

Þow haddest be better worthy · be hanged þerfore

thanne for al þat thow haste · here now yshewed

¶ I wende riflyng were restitucioun quod he · I lerned neuere on book

And I kan no frensche in faythe · bot of ferrest ende of Northfolk

¶ Vsedestow euere vsurie quod repentaunce in al þy lif-tyme

¶ Nay sothely he saide · saue in my youthe

I lerned among lumbardes and Iewes a lesson

To wey pens wiþ a pays · and pare þe heuyeste

And lene it for loue of þe crosse · to legge a wedde and lese it

Swich dedes I d{e}ide write · if he his day breke

I haue mo maners þurȝ rerages · þan þurȝ Miseretur & comodat

¶ I haue lente lordes · and ladyes my chaffare

An ben hir brocour after · and bouȝt it my-selue

Eschaunges and chiuysances · with swich chaffare I dele

And lene folk þat lese wol a lippe · at euery noble

And with lumbardes lettres · I ladde gold to Rome

And took it by taille here · and tolde hem þer lasse

¶ Lendestow euere lordes · for loue of hir maintenaunce

¶ ye I haue lente lordes · loued me neuere after

And haue maad many knyȝt · boþe mercer and draper

Þat paied neuere for hir prentishode · nat a paire of gloues

¶ hastow pitee on p{?}ouere men · that moot nedes borwe

¶ I haue as mikile pitee of hem · as pedlere has of cattes

Þat wolde kylle hem if he miȝte · for to haue hir schynnes

¶ Artow manliche amang þy neiȝboures · of met and of drynke

¶ I am holden as heende quod he · as hounde is in kitchynne

Among my neiȝboures nameliche · swich a name I haue

¶ Now god lene quod repentaunce bot thow repente þe rather

The grace on this g{o?}rounde thy goode wel to bisetteN

Ne þyn heires after þe · haue Ioie of þat þow wynnest

Ne thyn executours bisette þe siluer · þat þou hem leueste

And þat was wonne with wronge · with wikked men beN dispended

For were I frere of þat hous · þer good faith an charite is

I nolde cope vs with thy catel · ne oure kirke amende

Ne haue a peny to my pitaunce · of thyn by my saule

For þe best book in {h}oure hous · þeiȝ brent gold were þe leues

And I wiste witerly thow were swich as þow tellest

Or elles þat I kouþe knowe it · by any kynnes wise

Seruus es alterius cum fercula pinguia queris.

¶ Pane tuo pocius vescere liber eris.

¶ Thow art an vnkynde creature · I can nouȝt þe assoille

Til þow make restitucion · and rekne wiþ hem alle

And sithen þat reson rolle þe · in þe Registre of heuene

Þat þow hast made ech man goode · I may þe nouȝt assoile

Non dimittitur peccatum donec restituatur oblatum & cetera 

For al þat haue of þy goode · haue god my trouþe

Ben holden at þe hiȝe dome · to helpe þe to restitue

And who-so leues this be nouȝt soþ · loke in þe sauter glose

In miserere mei deus . wheir I mene trouþe

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti & cetera.

¶ Shal neuere werkman in þis world · thryue with þat þou wynneste

Cum sancto sanctus eris & cetera

Thanne wex þat schrewe in wanhope · and wolde han hanged him-selfC

Ne hadde repentaunce þe rather · reconforted in þis manere

Haue mercy in þy mynde · and wiþ þy mouthe biseche it

For goddes mercy is mare · than alle his other werkes

And al þe wikkednesse in world · þat man miȝt do or thynke

Nis namore to þe mercy of god · than in þe see a glede

Omnis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam dei est quasi sin-

¶ For-thy haue mercy in þy mynde · and marchandise leue it

For thow hast no good ground · toget / to get þe with a wastellN

B{e}ot if it were with þy tonge · or elles with þy twa handes

For þe good þat þou hast geten · bigan al with falsede

And as long as þou lyuest þerwith · þou yeldest nouȝt bot borwest

And if þou wost neuere to wich · ne whom to restitue

Bere it to þe bisschop · and bid hym of his grace

Bisete it hym-self · as best is for þy soule

For he shal answere for þe · at þe heiȝ dome

For þe and many mo · that man shal gyue a reknynge

What he lerned yow in lenten · leue yow noon oþer

And what he lente yow of · his goode · to wite yow fro synne

For he sholde helpe yow · of oure lordes goode

¶ Now bigynnes · gloton for to go to shrift

And caires hym to kirkeward · his coupe to schewe

¶ An Beton þe brewester · bad hym goode morwe

And axed of hym with þat · whiderward he wolde

¶ To holy chirche quod he · to here masse

And siþen I wole be schryuen and synne namore

¶ I haue good ale gossib quod she · glotoun wiltow assaye

Hastow ouȝt in þy purs · any hote spices

¶ I haue peper and pionus quod he · and a pounde of garlek

A ferthyngworþ of fenel s{o}eed for fastyng-dayes

¶ thanne goth gloton Inne · and gret othes after

Cesse þe souteresse . satte on þe benche

Watte þe warner and is wif bothe

Symme þe tynker and tweyne of hise prentices

Hik þe hakenay man and hugh þe nedeler

Clarice of Cokkeslane and clerc of þe chirche

Dawe þe diker and a dozein oþer

Sire piers of pride and peronelle of flaundres

A Ribibour a Ratoner a Raker of chepe

A roper a Rydyngkyng and rose þe dissheres

Godfray of garlekhiþe and griffyn þe walsshe

And vpholders an hepe · erly by þe morwe

Gyuen gloton with good chere · good alN to hanselle

¶ Clement þe Cobler caste of his clooke

And at þe newe faire he nempned it to selle

Hikke þe hakenayman hitte his hoode after

And bad bette þe bocher ben on his syde

There were chapmen chosen · this chaffare to praise

Who-so haue þe hoode · shul haue amendes of thorn;e cloke

¶ Two risen vp in rape and rowned togideres

And praised þise peny-worthes · a-parte by hem-selueT

thay kouþe nat by hir conscience · acorden in trouthe

Til Robyn þe Roper aroos by þe souþe

And nempned hym for a nounpier · þat no debate nere

For to trie þis chaffare bitwixen hem thre

¶ Hikke þe hostiler hadde þe clook

In couenaunt þat Clement sholde þe cuppe fille

And haue hikkes hode hostiler · and holden hym serued

And who þat repentes rather · shul a-rise after

An grete wele glotoun wiþ a galon ale

Ther was laughynge and lourynge · and lat go þe cuppeT

And so setyn þey til euenesonge · and songen vmwhile

Til gloton hadde globed · a galon and a gille

Hise guttes bigonne to gothely · as two gredy sowes

He pissed a potel in a pater noster while

And blew his rounde rewett · at his rigges boun ende

Þat al þat herde þat horn · held hir nose after

And wisshedyn it had be waxed · with a wispe of firses

He miȝte neiþer steppe no stonde · er he his staf hadde

And þanne gan he go · lik a glew-mannesb{ic}yche / glew-mannes byche

Som-tyme a-side · and som-tyme arere

As who-so layeþ lynes for to lacches fowles

¶ And whan he drouȝ to þe dore · þan dymmed his eighen

He stombled on þe threswold · and throwe to þe erthe

Clement þe cobeler cauȝte hym by þe myddel

For to lifte a-loft and leide hym on hise kne{w}es

And gloton was a grete cherle · and a grymme in þe liftynge

And coughed vp a caudale in Clementes lappe

Is no{?}on so hongry hounde in hertford schire

durst lappe of þat leuynges so vnlouely þey smaughte

¶ Wiþ al þe wo of this world · his wif and his wenche

Bar hym hom to his bed · and brouȝt hym þer-Inne

And after al þis excesse · he had an Accidie

Þat he slepe Satirday and sonneday til sonne took reste

Þanne waked he of his wynkyng · and wiped hise eighen

First word þat he warpe · was wheir is þe bolle

His wit gan edwite hym þo · how wikkedliche he lyued

And repentance riȝt so rebuked hym þat tyme

As þou with wordis and werkes · hast wrouȝt ille in þy lyue

Schriue þe and be schamed þer-of · and shew it with mouthe

I gloton quod þe goome gilty me yelde

Þat I haue trespassed with my tonge · I kan nat telle how ofte

Sworen god soule and and so god me helpe an holy-dome

Þere no nede ne was nyne hundred tymes

¶ And ouerseye me atte soper · and som-tyme at nones

That I gloton girt vp er I hadde goon a myle

And spilt þat miȝt be spared · and spendid on som hungerye

Ouer-delicatly on fastyngdaies · dronken and eten bothe

And satte som-tyme so longe þer · þat I sleped and ete atones / at onesCN

For loue of tales in tauernes · to drynke þe more I dyned

And hied to þe mete er non · whan fastyng daies were

¶ This shewyng schrifte quod repentaunce shal be mercy to theC

And gan gloton grete · and gret dole to make

For his lither lif · þat he lyued hadde

And auowed to fast · for hungre or for thruste

Shal neuere fisshe on Friday · diffien in my wombe

Til abstinence myn Aunte · haue gyue me leue

And yet haue I hated hir · al my lif-tyme

¶ Thane cam sleuthe al bislabired · with two slymy eighen

I most sit saide þe segge · or elles · or elles sholde I nappe

I may nat stonde ne stoupe · ne with-oute a stole knele

Were I brouȝt a-bedde · but if my taillende it made

Sholde no ryngyng do me rise · er I were ripe to dyne

He bigan benedicite with a bolk · and isLX brest knokked

And roxed and rored · and ritte atte laste

¶ A-wake renke quod repentance and rape þe to shrifte

¶ If I shold dye be thys day · me list nouȝt to loke

I kan nouȝt perfitly my pater noster as þe preste syngeþ

But I kan rymes of robyn hoode · an randolf erle of cestre

And nouþer of oure lorde ne ourd / our lady · þe lest þat is made

¶ I haue made vowes fifty · and foryete hem al at morwe

I perfourned neuere penaunce · as þe prest me highte

Ne riȝt sory for my synne · yet was I neuere

And if I bedde any bedes · bot if it be in wratthe

Þat I telle with my tonge is two myle fro myn herte

I am occupied ech day · haliday anLX oþer

With ydel tales at þe ale · and oþer-while in cherches

Goddes peyne and his passioun ful selde thynke I on

I visited neuere fieble men · ne fettred folk in pittes

I haue leuere here an harlotrie or somer game of souters

or lesynges to laughe at · and bilye my neȝebores

than al þat euer marke made · matheu Iohan and lucas

And vigiles and fastyngdayes · al þise lat I passe

And ligge abedde in lenten · and my lemman in my armes

Til matyns an masse be do · þan go to þe freres

Come I to Ite missa est · I holde me serued

I nam nat shryuen som-tyme · but siknes it make

Nouȝt twies in two yer · and þanne vp gesse I schryue

¶ I haue ben preste and persone · passyng thritty yere

Yet kan I neiþer solfe ne synge · ne seyntes lyues rede

But I kan fynde in a fel or in a furlonge an hare

Beter þan in Beatus vir or in beati omnes

Construe on clause wel an kenne it to my parisshennes

I kan holde louedayes · an here a reues reknyngT

If I bygge an borw it but if it be tailled

I forgete it as yerne · and if men me it axe

Sixe sithes or seuene · I for-sake it with othes

And thus tene I trew men · ten hundreth tymes

¶ And my seruantz som-tyme · hir salarie is bihynde

Reuthe is to here þe reknyng · whan we schul rede acountes

So with wikked wille and wrathe · my werke-men I paye

If any man do me a bien fait · or helpe me at nede

I am vnkynde to his curteise · and kan nouȝt vnderstonde it

For I haue and haue had somdele haukes maners

I am nouȝt leired with loue · but auȝt be vnder þe þombe

¶ þe kyndenesse þat my euene cristen · kydde me fernyere

Sixti siþesI / siþes I sleuþe · haue foryet it sithe

In speche and in sparyng of speches · I-spilt many tymes

Boþe flesshe and fisshe · butter mylk an chesse

Boþe brede an ale and many other vitailles

Forsleuyed in my seruice · til it miȝt serue no man ·

I ran aboute in youþe · an gaf me nouȝt to lerne

And euere siþe haue be begger for my foule sleuþe

Heu michi quia sterilem vitam duxi Iuuenilem

¶ Repentestow nauȝt quod repentaunce & riȝt with þat he swowned

Til vigilate þe veille · fette water at his eighen

And flatte it on his face · and faste on hym cried

And sayde war þe fro wanhope · wolde þe bitraye

I am sory for my synnes · say to thy-selue

And bette þy-self on þi breste an bid hym of grace

For is no gilt here so grete · þat isLX goodnesse is more

¶ Thanne satte sleuþe vp and sayned hym swithe

And made awowe to-for god · for his foule sleuþe

Shal no sonday be þis seuene yer · but siknesse it lette

Þat I ne schal do me er day · to þe dere chirche

And here matyns and messe · as I a monke were

Shal noon ale after mete · holde me þennes

Til I haue euensonge herde · I behote to þe rode

And yet wol I yelde ayein · if I so muche haue

Alle þat I wikkidly wanne · syth I wit hadde

¶ And þouȝ my liflod lakke · leten I nelle

Þat eche man ne shal haue his · er I hennes wende

And with residue and þe remainant · by rode of chestre

I shal seke treuthe {eft} erst · er I se Rome

¶ Roberd þe robber on reddite looked

And for þer was nouȝt wher-of · he weped swithe sore

And yet þe synful shrewe · saide to hym-selue

Criste þat on Caluary vp-on þe croice deidest

Þo dismas my broþer bisouȝte yow of grace

And haddest merci of þat man for memento sake

So rew on this robber · þat reddere ne haue ·

Ne neuere wen to wynne · with craft þat I owe

But þy mykel mercy · mytigacioun I biseche

Ne dampne me nouȝt at domesday for þat I dide so ille

¶ What bifel of þis felon I kan nouȝt faire schewe

Wel I woot he wepte faste water · wiþ boþ hise eighen

And knowlichid his gilt to crist · yet eft sones

That penitencia his pik · he sholde polissh newe

And lep wiþ hym ouer londe · al his tyme

For he hadde leyn by latro lucifers aunte

¶ And þanne had repentaunce reuthe · and red hem alle to knele

For I shal biseche for al synful · oure saueour of grace

To amende vs of oure mysdedes · and do mercy to vs alle

Now god quod he of þy goodnesse · þat gonne þe worlde make

And of naught madest aught · and man most like to þy-selueC

And siþen suffrest for to synne · a sekenesse to vs alle

And al for þe best as I bileue · what euere þe book telle

¶ O felix culpa o necessarium peccatum ade & cetera

¶ For thorugh þat synne þy sone · sente was to þs / þ[i]s erþe

And bicam man of a maide · mankynde to saue

And madest þy-self wiþ þy sone · and vs synful ylicheT

But in oure secte was þe sorwe · and þy son it ladde

Captiuam duxi captiuitatem & cetera

¶ Þe sonne for sorwe þer-of · lese sight for a tyme

Aboute mydday whan most light is · and mele-tyme of sayntesC

Feddest with þy fresshe blode · oure forefaders in derkenesse

Populus qui ambulat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam

And thorwh þe light þat lepe out of þe · lucifer was blent

And blew al þy blissed · in-to þy blisse of paradis

the thyrde day after þow yedest in oure suyte

And synful marie þow seiȝ · er seinte Marie þy dame

Al to solace synful · þow suffredest it so were

Non veni vocare Iustos set peccatores ad penitenciam

¶ And al þat Marke hath ymade Mathew Iohan ad / a[n]d lucas

Of thyn douȝty dedes were doon in oure armes

verbum caro factum est & habitauit in nobis

And by so muche me semes · þe sikerer we mowe

Bidde an biseche it · if it be þy wille

Þat art our fader and our broþer · be merciable til vs

And haue rewth on þise ribaudes · þat repenten hem here sore

Þat euere þei wrathe þe in þis worlde · in word þouȝt or dede

¶ Than hent {?}hope an horn · of deus tu conuersus viuificabis

And blew it wiþ beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates

Til alle seyntes in heuene sogen / so[n]gen atones / at ones

Homines & Iumenta saluabis quem admodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam deus & ceteraC

¶ A thousand of men þo thrungen to-giders

Cried vpward to crist · and to his clene moder

To haue grace to go wiþ hem · treuþe to sekeT

But blustrenden for as bestes · ouer bankes and hilles

Til late was and longe til þey a leode mette

Apparailled as a paynym in pilgrymes wise

He bar a burdon ybounde with a brode liste

In a swithe wyndes wise · ywounden aboute

A bolle and a bagge he bar by his side

An hundreth of ampulles · on his hatte seten

Signes of synay · and shelles of galice

And many crouche on his cloke · and keyes of Rome

An þe vernycle bifore · for men shuld knowe

And se by hise signes · whom he souȝt hadde

¶ thys folk freyned hym firste · fro whennes he come

Fro Synay he saide · an fro oure lordes sepulcre

In bedlem and in babilon I haue ben in bothe

In Ermonye in Alisaundre in many oþer places

Ye may se by my signes · þat sitte on myn hatte

that I haue walked ful wide in wete an in drye

And soughte goode seyntes · for my soules helthe

¶ kno{?}westow ought a corseynt · þat men calle treuthe

koudestow wissen vs þe wey · wher þat he dwelles

¶ Nay so me god helpe saide þe gome þanne

I seiȝ neuere palmere with pike ne with scrippe

Axen after hym er now · in þis place

¶ Peter quod a plowman an putte forth his hede

I knowe hym as kyndely · as clerc doþ his booke

Conscience and kynde wit · kennede me to his place

And dide me swere sikerly · to serue hym for euere

Boþe to sowe and to sette · þe while I swynke myȝte

I haue ben his folower · al this fifty wynter

Boþe sowen his sede · and fedde hise bestes.

Wiþ-Inne and with-outen · waited his profit

I dike and delue · I do þat treuthe hotes

Some-tyme I sowe · an some-tyme I thresshe

In taillours craft and tynkers craft · what treuþe kan deuise

¶ I weue and I wynde · and I do what treuþe hotes

For þouȝ I sey it my-self · I serue hym to paie

Ich haue myn hire wel · and oþer-whiles more

He is þe prestest paier · þat poure men knoweþ

He with-halt no hew his hyir · þat he ne has it at eue

He as lowe as a lombe · and loueliche of speche

And if ye wilnes to wite · where þat he dwelles

I shal wisse yow witerly þe way to his place

¶ Ye leue piers quod þis pilgrymes · and profered hym hire

For to wende with hem · to treuthe dwellyng place

¶ Nay by my soule quod piers and gan for to swere

I nolde fange a ferþyng · for saynt Thomas shryne

Treuthe wolde loue me þe lesse · longe tyme after

And if ye wilneþ to weende wel · þis is þe way þider

Þat I shal say to yow · and sette yow in þe soþe

¶ Ye moot go þurgh mekenesse · boþe men and wyues

Til ye come to conscience · þat criste wite þe soþe

Þat ye louen oure lord · god leuest of alle thinges

And þan youre neiȝbores next · in noon wise appeire

Oþer-wise þan þou woldest · he wrouȝte to þy-selue

¶ And so bowe forþ by a brook · bees buxom of speche

Til ye fynden a forde · youre fadres honoureth

Honora patrem & matrem & cetera.

¶ Wades in þat water ; and wasshe yow wel there

And ye shal lepe lighter alle youre lif-tyme

And so shaltowe se · swere nouȝt but if it be for nede

And namliche an ydel · the name of god almighti

¶ thane shaltow come by a crofte · but com nat þer-Inne

Þat crofte hatte coueite nouȝt · men catel ne hir wyues

Ne non of hir seruantz · þat noyen hem mi{y or þ}ght

Loke ye breke no bowes þer · but if it be youre owne

¶ Two stokkes þer stonde · and stynt þe nouȝt þer

They hatte stele nouȝt ne slee nouȝt · strik forþ bifore

And leue hem on þy left half · and loke nouȝt þer-after

And holde wel þyn haliday · h{i}eighe til euene

than shaltow blenche at a bergh · bere no fals witnes

He is frithed inne with floreyns · and oþer fees manye

loke þow plukke no plaunte þer · for peril of þy soule

¶ Thane shul {þ}ye see say soth · so it be to doone

In no manere elles nouȝt · for no mannes biddyng

¶ Thane shaltow come to a court as clere as þe sonne

the moote is of mercy · the manere aboute

Alle þe walles ben of wit · to holden wille oute

And kirneled wiþ cristendome · mankynde to saue

Bitrased with bileue so · or þou best nouȝt saued

And alle þe houses be hiled · halles and chambere

Wit no leode but with loue · and lowe speche as brethren

¶ The brygge is of bid wel · þe better may þou spede

Ilke piler is of penuance / pen[a]unce · of pr{o}ayer to sayntes

Of alm{a?}esdedeT are þe hokes · þe ·gates hangen on

Grace hatte þe gateward · a good man for sothe

His man hatte amende yow · for many men hym knowes

Telles hym this taken · þat treuthe wite þe sothe

I perfourned þe penance · þe preste me enioyned

And am ful sory for my synnes · and so I shal euere

Whan I thynke þer-on · thouþ I were a pape

¶ Biddes amende yow mek hym til is maister ones

Tho wayue vp þe wiket · þat þe womman shette

Þo adam and eue eten appels vnrostes

Per euam cunctis clausa est & per mariam virginem patifacta est & ceteraC

For scho has þe key an þe cliket · þouȝ þe kyng slepe

And if grace graunte the · to go in this wise

thow shalt se in þy-selue · treuthe sitte in þyn herte

In a cheyne of charite · as þow a childe were

To suffre hym and saye nouȝt ayein thy eires wille

¶ And be war þan of wratthe þat is a wikked shrewe

He has enuye til hym · that in þyn herte sittes

And pukkes for pride · to preise þy-seluen

the boldnesse of thy bienfaittes · make þe blyne þanne

And þan worstow dryues out as a dew · and þe dore closed

Keyed and cliketed to kepe þe wiþ-outen

Haply an hundreth wynter · er þow eft entre

thus miȝt þow lesen his loue · to l{e}ate wel by þy-selue

And neuere hapiliche eft entre · but grace þou haue

¶ And þer be seuene systers · þat seruen treuthe euere

And be portes of þe posternes · that to place longes

Þat oon hat abstinence · and humilite an-oþer

Charite and chastite · ben hise chief maidenes

pacience and pees muche pepyle · þey helpe

Largenesse þe lady sho late in ful many

Sho has holpe a thousand out of þe deueles pounfolde

And who-so is sibbe to þise seuene · so me god helpe

He is wonderliche welcome · and faire vnderfongen

And bot if ye be sibbe · to somme of þis seuene

It is ful hard by myn hed quod piers · for any of yowe alleC

To geten Ingange at þe gate þer · but grace be þe m{o}are

¶ Now by criste quod a kutpurs I haue no kynne þer

Nor I quod an apward · by aught þat I knowe

¶ Wite god quod a wayfrester · wist I þis for soþe

shul I neuere ferþer a foot for no freres prechynge

¶ Yis quod Piers þe plowman and pute the alle to gode

Mercy is as maiden þer · has miȝt ouer alle

And she is sibbe to alle synful · and hire sone also

And þurȝ þe help of hem two hope þou non oþer

Thow miȝt gete grace þer-by · so þou go by-tyme

¶ By saynt paul quod a pardoner per-auenture I be nouȝt knowe þerC

I wol focche my box with my breuetz · & a bulle with bisshope lettres

¶ By crist quod a commune womman þy compaignye wol I folwe

thow shal say I am þy syster · I ne woot where þey bicome