This were a wicked wey ; but who-so had a guyde

þat wolde ffolwe us Iche a ffoot ; þus þese ffolk hem mened

Quod perkyn þe plouman P ; bi seint petir of rome

I haue an half acrie ; to erie ; bi þe hie wey

Had I eried þis half acre ; and sowe it after

I wolde wende with ȝou ; and þe weie teche

This where a long lettinge ; quod a lady in a sleyre

what shulden we wommen ; werche þe whilis

Summe shulle sowe þe sakke quod peers ; ffor scheddinge of þe whete

And ȝe louely ladies ; with ȝoure long ffyngris

That ȝe haue silke and sendell ; to Sewe whan tyme is

Chesiplis ffor Chapeleyns ; Chirchis to honore

wyues and wedowes ; wolle and fflex spynneþ

Makeþ cloþe I conceill ȝou ; and kenne so ȝoure douȝtrez

The nedi and þe nakid ; take hede how þei liggen

and casteþ hem cloþis ; ffor so biddiþ truþe

For I shall lene hem lijflode ; but if þe lond ffaile

Fleisshe and bred boþe ; to riche and to poreC

as longe as I leue ; ffor oure lordis loue of heuene

and alle maner of men ; þat þoruȝ mete and drink P leuen

helpeþ him to werk wiȝtliche ; þat wynneþ ȝoure ffode

By crist quod a knyȝt þoo ; he kenneþ us þe beste

and on þe teem truely ; tauȝte was I neuer

and kenne me quod þe knyȝth ; and wolle asaie

By seynt poul perkyn ; ȝe propherin ȝou so fairin

þat I shall swynke and swete ; and sow ffor vs boþe

And oþer labouris do ffor þi loue ; all my lijf-tyme

In couenaunteP þat þou kepe ; holi kirke and my-selue

Fro wastouris and wicked men ; þat þis world stroyen

and go hunte hardili ; to hares and to ffoxis

To boris and to brokkis ; þat brekyn adoun myn heggis

And goo affayte þi ffauconys ; wilde bestis to kylle

For swiche comen to my crofte ; and croppyn my whete

Curteisliche þe kynȝte þan ; comside his wordis

Be my power peers quod he ; I pliȝte þe my truþe

To ffulfille þis fforward ; þouȝ I ffyȝte shulde

As long as I leue ; I shall þe menteyne

Ȝhe & ȝit a poynt quod peers ; I prey ȝou of more

loke ȝe tene no tenaunte P ; but truþe wulle asente

and þouȝ ȝe mowe amercy hem ; late mercy be taxoure

and mekenesse þi maister ; mawgry medis schekis

and þouȝ pore men propheren ȝou ; presentis and ȝiftis

Nyme it nouȝt in auenture ; ȝe mowe it nouȝt deserue

For þou shalte ȝelde it a-ȝeyne ; at on ȝeris ende

In a ffull perlous place ; purgatorie it hatte

Misbede not þi bonnde-men ; þe better may þou spede

þouȝ he be þin vndirlinge here ; well may happe in heuene

þat he worþiere sitte ; and with more blisse

Amice ascende superius

þan þou but þou do better ; and leue as þou shuldist

For in Charnell and in Chirche ; Cherlis ben euell to knowe

Or a knyȝt ffrom a knaue ; know þis in þin herte

And be true of thy tunge ; and loke þou talis hateC

But if it be of wisdam or witte ; thi werkmen to schastice

Holde with non harlottis ; ne here not here talys

And nameliche at mete ; swich men eschewe

For it ben þe deuyll disouris ; I do þe to vndirstond

I assente be Seyn Iames ; þe kynȝt said þanne

For to werche bi þi wordis ; þe while my lijf duriþ

I shall aparaile me quod perkyn ; in pilgrimes wyse

and wende ȝou with I wolle ; Tyll we ffynde truþe

and caste on my cloþis ; yclouted and hole

My cokers and my coffus ; ffor cold of my nailis

And hange myn hoper ; at myn hals ; in stede of a scrippe

a busshell of bred-corn ; bringe me þer-inne

For I wolle sowe it myn self ; and sithen woll I wende

To pilgrimage as palmers don ; pardon to haue

And who-so helpeþ me to erie ; or sowe er I wende

shall haue leue be oure lord ; to lacche hire in heruest

And make mery þer-myd ; mawgry who-so grucchiþ

And all-kyn crafti men ; þat kunne leue in trouþe

I shall ffynde hem ffode ; þat ffeiþeffulliche leuen

Saffe Iakke þe Iogeloure ; and Ienett of þe stues

And danyell þe dyse-pleeyere ; and Emot þe bawde

And þe ffrere ffaytoure ; and ffolk of his ordre

And Robyn þe rybaudoure ; ffor his rusti wordis

Truþe tolde me ones ; and bad me telle it after

Deleantur de libro viuencium ; I shuld not dele with hem

For holi Chirche is hoton ; of hem no tyþe to take

Quia cum iustis non scribantur

Thei ben ascaped good auenture ; but god hem amende

dame worche whan tyme is ; peers wijf hiȝte

His douȝter hiȝte do riȝt so ; or þi dame shall þe bette

His sonne hyȝte suffre ; þi souereynes haue her wille

Deme hem not ffor if thou do ; þou schalte fful dere abieC

late god worþe with all ; ffor his worde techiþ

For now I am olde & hore ; & haue of myn owen

To penaunce P & pilgrimage ; I wolle passe with þese oþer

For I wolle or I wende ; do writte my biqueste

In dei nomine amen ; I make it my-selue

he shall haue myn soule ; þat beste haþe deserued it

And ffro þe ffende it deffende ; ffor so I beleue

Tyll I come to his acountis ; as my credeP me telliþ

To haue a reles & remission ; on þat rentall I leue

The kyrke shall haue my Careyn ; and kepe my bonys

For of my corn & catell ; he crauede þe tyþe

I paid it him prestely ; ffor perell of my soule

For-þi is he be-holdyn I hope ; to haue me in his messe

and megyn in his memorie ; Amonge alle cristen

My wijff schal haue of þat I wan ; with truþe & no more

and dele amonge my douȝtres ; and my dere childrin

For þouȝ I die to-day ; my dettis ar quyte

I bare home þat I borwed ; er I to bedde ȝede

and with þe residue & þe remenaunte ; bi þe rode of lukes

I wolle wurschepe þerwith ; truþe be my lyue

and be his pilgrime at þe plow ; ffor pore mennys

My plowffoot schall be my pikestaff ; and picche atwo þe rotus

and helpe my culter to kerue ; & clense þe fforwis

Now is perkyn & his pilgrymes ; to þe plow ffaren

To erie þis half acre ; holpyn him many

Dikers and deluers ; diggeden vp þe balkis

Ther-with was perkyn apaid ; & preised hem ffaste

Oþer werkemen þer weren ; þat wrouȝten ffull ȝerne

Iche man in his maner ; made him-self to done

and summe to plese perkyn ; pikide vp þe wedis

at hie prime peers ; lete þe plow stande

To ouere-seen hem him-self ; & who-so beste wrouȝte

he shulde be hired þer-after ; whan heruest-tyme come

And than setten summe ; & Sungen at the aleC

And holpen erie his half acre ; with hey trolly llolly

Now be þe perel of my soule quod peers ; all in pure tene

but ȝe arise þe raþer ; and rape ȝou to werche

schall no greyn þat groweþ ; glade ȝou at nede

And þouȝ ȝe die ffor doel ; þe deuel haue þat reccheþ

þo werin ffaytouris afferde ; & ffeyned hem blynde

Summe leyden her legges aliry ; as swiche losellis kunne

and mane her mone to peers ; and preied him of grace

For we haue no lymmes to laboure with ; lord ygracied be ȝe

and we preied ffor ȝou peers ; & ȝoure plow boþe

That god of his grace ; ȝoure greyne multiplie

And ȝelde ȝou of almes ; þat ȝe ȝeuen us here

For we mowe not swynke ne swete ; swiche sekenesse us eyliþ

If þis be soþe quod peers ; I schall it sone aspie

ȝe ben wastouris I wotte well ; & truþe woot þe soþe

and I am his olde hyne ; & hiȝte him to warne

whiche þei weren in þis werld ; his werkmen appayred

ȝe wasten þat men wynnen ; with traueile and tene

And truþe shall teche ȝou ; his tem to dryue

or ȝe shulle ete barli brede ; and of þe broke drink P

But if he be blynde or broken-leeggid P ; or bolted with Irnes

he shalte ete swete bred ; and drinkP with my-self

Till god of his goodnesse ; amendment him sende

and ȝe myȝte trauaile as truþe wolde ; & take mete and hire

To kepe kyne in þe ffeelde ; þe corn ffro þe bestis

Dyken or deluen ; or dyngen vppon scheues

Or helpe make morter ; or bere muke affelde

In leccherie and losengerie ; ȝe leuen & in sleuþe

and all is þoruȝ sufferaunce ; þat veniaunce P ȝou ne take

Of ancres & hermytes ; þat eten not but at ones

And no more er morwe ; myn almesse shulle þe haue

And catell to cope hem with ; þat han cloistris and chirchis

And Robert renne abouȝte ; shalle no haue of mynC

Ne postelus but if þei preche kunne ; and haue power of þe bishope

They shall haue payn & potage ; and make hem at ese

For it is an vnresounable religion ; þat haþe no þing in certeyn

þan gan a wastoure to wraþe him ; and wolde haue I-ffouȝten

And to peers plowman ; profered his gloue

a bretoner a bragger ; abostede peers als

and bade him go pisse him with his plow ; ffor-pyned schrew

wilte þou or nylt þou ; we wolle haue oure wille

Off þi ffloure and of þi fflesshe ; ffecche whan vs likiþ

And make us merie þer-with ; maugry þi chekis

þan peers plowman ; pleynede him to þe knyȝt

To kepe him as couenaunt was ; ffro cursid schrewis

and ffro þese wastours wolf-skynnes ; þat makeþ þe world dere

For þo wasten & wynnen noȝt ; þat ilke while

worþe neuer plente amonge þe peple ; þe while my plow liggeþ

Curteisliche þe knyȝt þanne ; as his kynde wolde

warnede wastoure ; and wissed him þe better

Or þou shallt abigge be þe lawe ; bi þe ordre þat I bere

I nas not wonte to werche quod wastoure ; & now I nyl bigynne

and lete lyȝt of þe lawe and lesse of þe knyȝt .

and sette peers at a pese ; and his plow boþe

and manacede peers & his men ; if þei mette eft-sones

Now be þe perell of my soule quod peers ; I shall appeire ȝou alle

And houpyde after hunger ; þat herde him at þe ffrist

Awreke me of þese wastouris quod he ; þat þis world schenden

hunger in haste þoo ; hente wastoure bi þe mawe

and wronge him so bi þe wombe ; þat boþe his yen wattred

He buffe{...}teddin þe britoner ; abouȝte þe schekis

þat he lokede lyke a lanterne ; all his lijf after

he bette hem so boþe ; he brast nere her guttus

Ne had peers with a peise loffe ; preid hunger to sesse

þei haden ben doluen boþe ; ne deme þou non oþer

suffre hem leue he sayde ; and late hem ete with hoggysC

Or ellis benes and bren ; & bakon to-gedris

Or ellis mylk & meny ale ; þus preied peers ffor hem

Faytouris ffor ffer þer-of ; fflowen in-to bernes

and fflappyd on with ffleyles ; fro morwyn tyll euen

That hunger was not so hardy ; on hem ffor to loke

For a potffull of pesen ; þat peers had ymakyd

an heepe of hermytis ; hentyn hem spades

and kyttyn here copis ; and curtbies hem made

And wenten as werkmen ; with spades & schouelis

and doluyn and dykenden ; to dryue away hunger

blynde and bedrede ; where botened a þouusand

That sytten to begge siluer ; sone where þei helid

For þat was bakon ffor bayard ; was bote ffor many hungry

and many begger ffor benes ; buxum was to swynk

and iche a pore man wel payd ; to haue pesyn ffor her hire

And what peers preyed hem to do ; as prest as a sperark

And þer-of was peers proude ; and put hem to werk

And ȝaff hem mete as he myȝth afforþe ; and resonable hire

Than had peers pete ; & preied hunger to wende

Home in-to his owen erthe ; and holdyn him þere

For I am well awrokyn now ; of wastouris þoruȝ þi myȝt

And I preye þe or þou passe ; quod peers to hunger

Of beggers of bidders ; what best be to don

For I woot well be þou went ; þei wull do fful ille

For myscheff it makiþ ; þei be so meke now

and for deffauȝte of her ffode ; þese ffolk is at my wille

and ȝit þey arn my blody brereren quod peers ; ffor god bouȝte vs alle

Truþe tauȝte me ones ; to loue hem ichon

and to helpe hem of alle þing ; ay as hem nediþ

And now wolde I witte of þe ; what were þe beste

And how I myȝte amaister hem ; and make hem to werche

Here now quod hunger ; and holde it ffor a wisdam

Bolde beggers and bigge ; þat mowe her bred be-swynke

with houndis brede and hors bred ; holde vp her hertisC

abate hem with benes ; ffor bolnynge of he wombe

and if þei grucche þanne ; bydde hem to swynke

and he shall soupe swetter ; whanne he it haþe deserued

And if þou ffynde ony ffreik ; þat ffortune haþe appeyrid

o{f}r ony manere ffawti man ; ffonde þou swiche to knowe

Comfforte hem with þi catell ; ffor cristis loue of heuene

loue hem and lene hem ; ffor so þe lawe techeþ

Alter alterius onera portate et cetera .

And alle manere of men ; þou myȝtist aspie

That nedi ben and nouȝti ; helpe hem with þi goodes

loue hem and lacke hem not ; late god take þe veniaunce

þouȝ þei don yuell ; late god worthe

Michi vindictam et ego retribuam

And if þou wilte be gracious to go ; do as þe gospell techeþ

And biloue þe amongis lowmen ; so schalte þou lacche grace

Facite vobis Amicos de mammona iniquitatis

I wolde not greue god quod peers ; ffor all þe good on grounde

Miȝte I Synneles do as þou seist ; seid peers þanne

ȝhe I behote þe quod hunger ; or ellis þe bible lieþe

Go to genesis þe geaunt ; þe engendroure of vs all

In sudore and in swynk ; þou shalt þi mete tillie

and laboure ffor þi lijflode ; and so oure lord hiȝte

and sapience seiþ þe same ; I seiȝ it in þe bible

Piger pro frigore ; no ffeeld nolde tilie

And þer-ffore shall he begge & bide ; and no man bete his hunger

Mathu with mannys fface ; mouþed þese wordis

þat seruus nequam had a nam ; & ffor he nolde not schaffare

he had maugry of his maister ; ffor euere-more after

and be-nam him his nam ; ffor he ne wolde worche

and ȝaff þat nam to him ; þat ten nammes hadde

and with þat he said ; þat holi chirche it herde

he þat haþe shall haue ; & helpe þer it nedeþ

And he þat nouȝt haþe . shall not haue ; and man hym helpe

And that he weneth well to haue I wolle it him berenC

kynde witt wolde þat iche a wiȝte wrouȝte

Or in dykinge or in deluynge P ; or traueilinge in prayeris

Contemplatijf lijf or actijf ; crist wolde þei wrouten C

The sauȝter seiþ in þe salme ; of beati omnes

The ffreek þat ffediþ him-self ; with his ffeiþffull laboure

labores manuum tuarum et cetera .

he is blessid be þe book ; in bodi and in souleT

Ȝit I praie ȝou quod peers ; pur charite & ȝe kunne

ony leef of leche-crafte ; lere it me my dere

For summe of my seruantes & my-self ; ben seke oþer-whyle

Of alle þe weke worchen not ; so oure wombe akeþ

I woot well quod hunger ; what seeknesse ȝou eiliþ

Ȝe han manged to moche ; & þat makiþ ȝou to grone

And I hote þe quod hunger ; as þou þin hele wilneste

þat þou drinke P no day ; er þou dyne sum-what

Ete not I hote þe ; er hunger þe take C

and sende þe of his sauce ; to sauere with þi lipis

and kepe sum to soper tyme ; and sitte not to longe

and rise vp er appetijt ; haue eten his ffille

late not Sir Surffayt ; Sitten at þi borde

leue him not ffor he is leccherus ; and lekerous of his tunge

And after many maner metis ; his mawe is afygred

And if þou diete þe þus ; I dar ley myn eres

þat phesik shall his ffurrid hood ; ffor his ffode selle

and his cloke of calabre ; with alle þe knoppis of golde

And be ffayne P be my ffeiþ ; his phesik to lete

And lere to laboure with lond ; ffor lijfelode is swete

For murþerers ar many leches ; lord hem amende

They don men dye þoruȝ her drynkis ; er his tyme wolde C

By Seynt poul quod peers ; þese arn prophetable wordis

wende now hunger whan þou wylte ; þat well be þe euere

For this is a louely lessoun ; lord it the ffor-ȝeldeC

Bihote god quod hunger ; henns wulle I not wende

Tyll I haue dyned bi þis day ; and I-drunke P boþe

I haue no peny quod peers ; polettis ffor to bigge

Ne neiþer goos ne gryis ; but two grene {s}chesis

A ffewe cruddis and crem ; an hauer cake

and two loues of benes & bran ; y-baken ffor my ffauntis

And ȝit I sey be my soule ; I haue no salt bakon

Ne no cokeneye by crist ; coloppis to make

And I haue percelly & porettis ; & many cole plantis

And eke a cow & a calf ; and a carte mare

To drawe affelde my dunge ; þe while þe wedir is drie

And bi þis lijflode we motten leuen ; till heruest-tyme come

And bi þat I hope to haue ; herueste in my crofte

And þanne may I dyȝte þi dyner ; as me dere likeþ

Al þe pore peple ; þo pesscoddis ffetchyn

benes and bakon apples ; þei brouȝten in her lappis

Chibollis and cheruellis ; & ripe cheries many

To make peers a present ; to plese with his hunger

Al hunger eete in haste ; and askede after more

Thanne pore ffolk ffor ffeere ; ffeddyn hunger ȝerne

with grene porettis & pesyn ; to poysyn hunger þei þouȝten

Bi þat neyȝhede it herueste ; new corn come to chepinge

Thanne was ffolk ffayne P ; and ffedde hem of þe beste

with good ale as glotton tauȝte ; and gerte hunger to slepe

and þo wolde wastoure not werche ; but wandrid abouȝte

Ne no begger ete brede ; þat benes in werren

But of coket or clere-matyn ; or ellis of clene whete

Ne non halpeny ale ; in no wyse drink P

But of þe beste & þe brouneste ; þat in boruȝ is to selle

laboreres þat had no londe ; but leue with her handis

wolden ete no nyȝth-olde wortis ; ne drynke no peny-AleC

But ffresche fflesshe oþer ffisshe ; ffried oþer bakon

And þat chaude or plus chaud ; ffor chillinge of her mawe

And but he be hie hiride ; ellis wolle he chide

aȝeins catonsP conceyll ; comseþ he to Iangle

Paupertatis onus ; pacientur fferre memento

he greueþ him aȝein god ; and grucchiþ aȝeyn {.....}reson

and he cursiþ þe kyng ; and alle his conceill after

Swyche lawe to loke ; laboreris to greue

And whilis hunger was her maister ; wolde þei not chide

Ne stryue aȝens his statute ; so sterliche he lokede

And I warne ȝou we{e}rkemen ; wynneþ while ȝe mowen

For hunger hidirward ; hastiþ him ffaste

he shall awake with water ; wastouris to chastice

Er ffyue ȝere be ffulffild ; swyche ffamyn shall arise

þoruȝ fflodez & ffoule werdis ; ffructus schall ffaile

And so sayde Saturne ; and sente ȝou to warne

whanne ȝe seen þe sunne amys ; & two monkes heedis

And a mayde haue þe maistrie ; & multiplie be eyȝte

þanne shall deþe with-drawe ; & derthe be iustice

And dawe þe dyker ; deye ffor hunger

But if god of his goodenesse ; granȝte vs a trwe