I fell eftsones a-slepe , and sodainly me mette

That Pierce the Plowman was paynted al bloudye

And came in with a crosse before the commune people

And ryght lyke in all lymmes to our lorde Iesus

Than called I conscience , to kenne me the soth

Is this Iesus þe iuster quod I , that Iewes did to death

Or it / it [is] Pierce the Plowman , who painted him so red ?

Quod Conscience & kneled tho , these are Piers armes

His colour & his cote armour , & he þat cometh so blody

Is Christe with his crosse , conquerour of christendome

Why cal ye him Christ quod I , syth Iewes call him Iesus

Patriarkes and prophetes prophecied before

That all kynnes creatures shoulde knele and bowe

Anon as men named this highe name of Iesus

Ergo is no name to the name of IesusN

Ne none so neadfull to name by nyght nor by daye

For all the darke deuels are a-drade to here it

And synfull are solaced and saued by that name

And ye call hym Christe , for what cause tel me

Is Christe more of myght , and more worthy name

Than Iesu or Iesus , that all our ioye came of

Thou knowest wel quod conscience , & þou can reason

That knyght kynge conquerour may be one person

To be called a knyght is fair , for men shal knele to him

To be called kyng is fairer , for he mai knights make

And to be conquerour called , þat cometh of special grace

And of hardines of hert , and of hendines

To make Lordes or ladyes , of land that he winneth

And fre men foule thrales , that folow not his lawes

The Iewes that were gentilmen , Iesu they despised

Both his lore and his law , now are they low cherles

As wide as the worlde is , wonneth none therin

But vnder tribute and tallage , as tykes and cherles

And tho that became christen , by counsel of the baptime

Are frankelens fremen , through fullynge þat they toke

And gentilmen wyth Iesu , for Iesus was fulled

And apon Caluery on crosse , crowned king of Iewes

It becommeth to a king to kepe and to defende

As conquerour of conqueste , his lawes & his large

And so did Iesus þe Iewes , he iustified & taught hem

The lawe of life that laste shal euer

And defende from foule euiles feuers and fluxes

And from fendes that in them were , & false beleue

Tho was he Iesus of Iewes called gentle prophete

And kinge of kingdome , and crowne bare of thornes

And tho conquered he on crosse , as conquerour noble

Might no death him fordo , ne adowne brynge

That he naroos and raygned and rauished hell

And tho was he conquerour called of quick & of dead

For he gaue Adam and Eue , and othermoe blysse

That longe had layne before , as Lucifers cherles

And syth he gaue largely , all hys lelly lieges

Places in Paradice , at her partynge hence

He may wel be caled conquerour , & þat is Christ to mene

And the cause þat he cometh thus with crosse of þe passion

Is to wishen vs therwith , that when þat wee be tempted

Therwith to fight and fend vs , from falling into sinne

And se by hys sorowe , that who-so loueth ioye

To penaunce and to pouerty , he must put him-selfe

And much wo in thys worlde willen and suffren

And for to carpe more of Christe , & how he came to þat name

Faithly for to speke , his first name was Iesus

Tho he was borne in Bethlem as the boke telleth

And came to take mankind , kynges and angels

Reuerenced him fayre with riches of thys earth

Angels out of heauen came , knelinge and songe

Gloria in excelsis deo .

Kynges commen after , kneled and offred ,

Myrre and much golde without mede askinge

Or any kinnes cattel , but knowledge him soueraigne

Both of londe sunne and sea , & sithen they wenten

Into their kingdome kyth , by counsel of angels

And ther was that word fulfilled þe which þou of spake

Omnia celestia terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine Iesu .

For all the angels of heauen at his byrth kneled

And all the wyt of the worlde was in tho thre kinges

Reason and rightuousnes , and Truthe they offered

Wherfore and why , wyse men that tyme

Maisters and lettred men , Magi hem called .

That one king came with reason , couered vnder sence

The second kynge sothly , sithens he offered

Ryghtuousnes vnder redde golde , reasons felowe

Golde is likened to leauty , that last shall euer

And reason to ryche golde , to ryght and to truth

The thyrde kynge tho came knelynge to Iesu

And presented him with pity , apperynge to mirre

For myrre is mercy to meane , & mild speach of tonge

Thre in like honest thinges , were offred thus at once

Throughe thre kinne kinges , knelinge to Iesus

And for al these presious presents , our lord prince Iesus

Was nether king ne conqueror , til he gan to wepe

In the maner of a man , and that by much sleight

As becommeth a conquerour to konne many sleightes

And many wylles and wytte , that woll be a leder

And so did Iesus in those dayes , who-so had time to tell it

Somtime he suffred , & somtime he hyd him

And sometime he fought faste , and fle other while

And somtime he gaue good , and graunted heale both

Lyfe and lyme , as he liste he wroghte

As kinde is of a conqueroure , so comsed Iesu

Tyll he hadde all them that he for bledde

In his inuente , this Iesus at Iewen feast

Water into wyne turned , as holy write telleth

And there began god of his grace to do well

For wyne is lykened to lawe , and life of holines

And lawe lacked tho , for men loued not hir enemies

And Christe councelleth thus , and commaundeth also

Both to learned and to lewde , to loue our enemies

So at the feaste firste , as I before sayde

Began god of hys grace and his goodnes to dowell / do well

And tho was he cleped & called not onely Christe but Iesu

A faunt fine ful of witte , Filius Marie ,

Before his mother Mary , made he that wonder

That she firste and formoste , ferme shoulde beleue

That he through grace was get , & of no gome els

He wrought that by no wyt , but by worde onely

After þe kind that he came of , ther comsed he to dowel / do wel

And whan he was wexen more , in his mothers absence

He made lame to leape , and gaue light to blynde

And fedde wyth two fyshes , and with fiue loes / lo[u]es

Sore afingred folke , moe than fiue thousande

Thus he conforted the carefull , & caught a great name

The whiche was dobet , wher that he went

For deffe through his doyngs to here , & dombe to spek he made

And al he heled & helpt þat him of grace asked

And tho was he called in contrye of the common people

For the dedes that he dyd , Fili Dauid Iesus ,

For Dauid was doutiest of dedes in his time

The birds tho song , Saul interfecit mille & Dauid .x. / decem milia

Therfore þe contri ther Iesus came , callid him fili Dauid

And named him of Nazareth , and no man so worthy

To be kayser or kinge , of the kingedome of Iuda

Ne ouer Iewes iustice , as Iesus was hem thought

Wherof Cayphas had enuy , and other of the Iewes

And for to do him to death , day & night they casten

Killed him on crosse wise , at Caluery on a fryday

And sithen buried his body , & beden that men should

Kepe it from night commers wyth knightes armed

For no frends shold him fetch , for prophets him told

That , that blessed body , of buriels shoulde arise

And gone into Galile , and gladden his apostles

And his mother Mary , thus men before demed

The knyghtes that kepe it , beknew it hem-selues

That angels and archangels ere the day spronge

Commen kneling to the corps & songen Christus resurgens ,

Uery man before hem all , & furth with hem he yede

The Iewes praiden peace , and besought the knightes

Tel þe commen that ther came a companie of his apostles

And bewiched hem as thei woken , & away stollen him

And Mary Magdalen met him by the way ,

Goynge to-warde Galile in godhead and manhead

A-lyue and lokinge , and she a-lowde cried ,

In ech a company there she came Christus resurgens

Thus came it out þat Christ ouer came , recouered & liued

Sic oportet Christum pati et intrare .

For that women witteth , may not well be counsel

Peter perceyued thys , and pursued after

Both Iames and Iohn , Iesu for to seke

Thade and ten moe , with Thomas of Inde

And as these wise wyes weren togythers

In an house all be shette and the dores barred

Christe came in and all closed both dore & gates

To Peter and to his Apostles sayd paxe / paxN vobis ,

And toke Thomas by the hand & taught him to grope

And fele wyth his fingers his fleshy herte ,

Thomas touched it and with his tonge sayde

Dominus meus et deus meus .

Thou art my lorde I beleue God lord Ihesu ,

Thou diest & deth tholest , and deme shall vs all

And now art liuing and loking and last shall euer ,

Christ carped than and curtesly sayde

Thomas for thou trowest it , and truly beleuest it

Blessed might thou be , and be shalte for euer ,

And blessed might they all be in body and in soule ,

That neuer shall se me , in sight as thou hast now

And lellye beleue all this I loue them & blesse them

Beati qui non viderunt . &cetera .

And when this dede was done , Dobest he taught ,

And gaue piers power and perdon he graunted

To all maner of men mercy and forgeuenes ,

Him might to assoile of all maner of sinnes ,

In couenant þat they come and knowledge to paye ,

To Piers pardon the plouman , Redde quod debes ,

Thus hath piers power be his pardon payde ,

To binde and vnbinde both here and els-where

And assoylen men of all synnes saue of dette onelye

Anone after an high vp into heuen

He went and wonneth there , and wyl come at last

And rewarde him right well that Reddit quod debet .

Payeth perfitely as pure Trneth / Tr[u]ethN would

And what person payeth it , not punish he thinketh

And demen him at domesday bothe quicke and deade

The good to the Godhead and to good ioye ,

The wicked to wone in wo without ende ,

Thus conscience of Christ and of the crosse carped ,

And counceled me to knele hereto , & than came me thoght

One Spiritus paracletus to Piers and to his felowes

In likenes of a lightening he light vpon hem all

And made hem kon and knowe all kinne languages ,

I wondred what that was and wagged conscience ,

And was aferd of the light for in fyres lykenes ,

Spiritus paracletus , ouerspred them all

Quod conscience and knelid , this is Christs messager

And commeth from þe great God & grace is his name ,

Knelenow / Knele now quod conscience and if thou canst sing

Welcome him and worship him , Ueni creator spiritus

Than sange I that song and so did many hundred ,

And cryed with conscience helpe vs God of grace ,

Than began grace to go with Piers plowman

And councelled him & conscience þe comune to somen

For I wyll deale to day and deuid grace

To all kinne creatures that haue their fyue wittes

Treasure to lyue by to their lyues ende

And weapon to fight with that will neuer faile

For Antichryst and his , all the world shall greue ,

And acombre the conscience but if Christ helpe

And false Prophetes fell flatterers and glosers

Shall come and be curatours , ouer kinges & Erles ,

And pryde shalbe pope , Prince of holy kyrke

Couetyse and vnkindenes Cardinals hem to leade ,

Therfore quod grace er I go I will gyue you treasure ,

And wepon to fyght with when antichrist you assayleth ,

And giue eche man a grace to guyde with hym-selfe ,

That ydlenes encombre him not , enuy ne pryde

Diuisiones graciarum sunt ,

To some he gaue wyt with wordes to shewe

Wyt to win their lyuelod with , as the world asketh

As preachers and priestes and prentises of lawe

They lelly to lyue by labour of tong

And by wit to wissen other as grace them wolde teache

And some he kenned craft , and conning of sight

With selling and bigging , theyr lyuelod to wynne

And lerned to labour a lelly lyfe and a true ,

And some he taught to tyll , to diche and to thetche

To wyn with their lyuelod by lore of hys teachinge ,

Some to diuine and deuide nombres to kenne

And some to se and to say what shuld befall

Both of well and of woe , tell it or it fell ,

As astronomers by astronomi , & philosophers wise

And some to ride & to recouer þat vnrightfully was won

He wished them win it agayn thrugh wightnes of hand

And fetche it from false men with foule iuels lawes

And some he lerned to liue , in longinge to be hence

In pouertie and in penaunce to pray for all chrysten

And all he lerned to be lelli , and ech a craft loue other

And forbad them all debate þat none were among them

Though some be clener then some , ye se wel quod grace

That men of þe fairest craft to þe foulist I could haue put

Think al quod grace þat grace cometh of my gyfte ,

Loke that none lacke other , but loue all as brethern

And who þat moost masteries can , þe mildest of bering

And crowne conscience king , & make craft your steward

And after craftes counsell clothe you and fede ,

For I make pyers þe plowman my procuratour & my reue

And register to receyue Redde quod debes ,

My power and my plowman pyers shalbe on earth ,

And for to tell truth a teme shall he haue ,

Grace gaue Pyers a temeT fowre great oxen ,N

That one was Luce a large beast & a low chered ,

And Marke & Mathie the thyrd mighty beasts both

And ioyned to them one Iohn , most gentle of all

The price nete of Pyers plow and passing al other ,

And grace gaue piers of his goodnes foure stottes ,

All that his oxen eried they to harow it after

One hight Austen , and Ambrose an other

Gregory the great Clarke , and Ierome the good

These fowre the fayth to teach foloweth peers teme

And harowed it in an handwhile all holy scripture ,

With two harowes that they had , an old and a newe

Id est vetus testamentum et nouum ,

And grace gaue greynes the Cardinalle vertues ,

And sewe it in mans soule , & sithen he told her names

Spiritus prudencie the firste sede hight ,

And who-so eateth that , ymagen he shoulde

Er he did any dede , deuise well thende ,

And lerned men ladel be with longe stele ,

That cast for to kepe a crocke , to saue the fat aboue

The secondsede / second sede hight , Spiritus temperancie ,

He that eate of that sede had such a kynd

Shuld neuer meate ne much drinke make him to swel

Ne should no scorner ne scold , out of skill him bring

Ne winning ne welth of worldly riches ,

Wast worde of ydlenes , ne wicked speche moue

Shuld no curious cloth come on his rigge

Ne no meate in hys mouth , þat mayster Iohan spiced

The third sede þat piers sewe was Spiritus fortitudinis ,

And who-so eate of that sede hardy was euer

To suffre all that God sent sekenes or angres

Might no lesinges ne lyer , ne losse of worldly cattell ,

Make him for any mourning þat he nas merie in soule

And bolde and abidinge bismeres to suffer

And playeth all with patience , and Parce mihi domine ,

And couereth him vnder counsel , of Caton the wyse

Esto forti animo cum sis damnatus inique .

The fourth sede that Pierce sewe was spiritus iusticie

And he that eateth of that sede , shalbe euer true

With god and not agaste , but of gyle one

For Gile goth so priuely , that god sayth other while

May not be espied fro spiritus iusticie ,

Spiritus iusticie , spareth not to spill ,

Them that be gyltye , and for to correcte

The kynge if he fall in gylte or in trespace

For counteth he no kinges wrath , when he court sitteth

To demen as a domes man , adrad was he neuer

Neither of Duke ne of death , that he ne dyd lawe

For presentes ne for prayers , or any princes letters

He did equitie for all , euen forth his power

These four sedes Piers sewe , & sith he did hem harow

With olde lawe and newe that loue might wexe

Amonge the foure vertues and vices to destroy

For communely in contries , came monkesN & wedes

Fouleth the frute in the feld , ther they grow togiders

And so done vices vertues worthy ,

Quod Piers harroweth al that konneth kind wytte ,

And tilleth after her teachinge the cardinall vertues ,

Againe the graines quod grace , gynneth for to ripe

Ordeine the an house quod Pierce to harber in þe corne

By god Grace , quod Piers , ye might giuetimbre / giue timbre

And ordeyne that house or ye hence wende

And Grace gaue him þe crosse with þe crowne of thornes

That Christe apon caluery for mankinde on pined

And of this baptisme and bloud that he bled on rode

He made a maner mortare , and mercy it hight

And therwith grace began , to make a good fundament

And walled it & watled it with his paines & his passion

And of all holy wryte he made a roufe after

And called that house vnitie , holy churche in englysh

And whan this dede was done , grace deuised

A carte hight christendome , to cary Pierces theues

And gaue him caples to his carte , contrition & confession

And made priesthode hayward , while hym-selfe went

As wide as the worlde is , with Pierce to tilly truth

Nowe is Pierce to the plowe , & pride it spied

And gadered him a greate host , to greue him he thinketh

Conscience & all christen , and cardinale vertues

Blow hem downe & breake hem , & bite atwo þe mores

And sent forth Sarquidons , his sargeant of armes

And his spye spill loue , one speake euil behynd

These two comen to conscience , and to christen people

And told hem tidinges , that tine they sholde the sedes

That Pierce there had sowne , the cardinal vertues

And Pierce barne were broken , & they þat be in vnitie

Should come out , & conscience and your two caples

Confession and contrition , and your cart the beleue

Shalbe colored so queintly , & couered vnder your sophistry

That conscience shal not know by contrition

Ne by confession who is christen ne heathen

Ne no maner marchant that with mony dealeth

Whether he wyn with right or with wronge , or with vsurye

With such colour and couetise , commeth pryd armed

Wyth the lorde that liueth after the luste of his bodye

To wasten on welfare , and on wicked kepynge

All the worlde in a while through our wit quod Pryde

Quod conscience to al christen tho , my counsel is to wend

Hastely into vnitie , and holde we vs there

And prai we þat a peace wer in Pierces barne þe plowman

For witterly I wot wel , þat we be not of strength

To gone agayne pryde , but grace were with vs

And than came kinde wytte , conscience to teache

And cried and commaunded to all christen people

For to delue and digge , depe aboute vnitie

That holy kyrke stode in vnitie , as it a pyle were

Conscience commaunded tho , all christen to delue

And maken a much mote , that might be a strength

To helpe holy kyrke , and hem that it kepeth

Than all kynne christen saue commen women

Repented and refused sinne , saue they onely

And false men flatterers , vsurers and theues

Lyers and questmongers that were forsworne oft

Wyttingely and wilfully with the false holden

And for syluer were forswore , sothly they wyst it

There nas no christen creature , that kind wit had

Saue shrewes onely , suche as I spake of

That he ne halpe a quantitie , holines to waxe

Some by bedes bidding , & some by pilgrimage .

And other priui paines , & some through paines deling

And than welled water for wicked workes

Egrely ernynge out of mens eyen ,

Clennes of the commune , and clarkes cleane liuinge

Made vnitie holy kirke , in holynes to stande

I care not quod Conscience , though pride come now

The lorde of lust shal be letted al this lent I hope

Come quod Conscience , ye christen and dyne

That haue laboured lelly , all thys lente tyme

Here is breade blessed , and gods body therunder

Grace throughe gods worde , gaue Pierce power

And might to make it , and men to eate it after

In helpe of their heale , once in a monthe

Or as oft as they had nede , tho that had payde

To Pierces pardon the plowman , Redde quod debes

Howe , quod all the common , þou councelest vs to yelde

All that we owe any wight , er we go to housell

That is my counsell quod conscience , & cardial / cardi[n]al vertues

That eche man forgiue other , & that will the Pater noster

Et dimitte nobis debita nostra &cetera .

And so to be assoyled and sythen houseled ,

Yea bawe quod a bruer , I wyll not be ruled

By Iesus for your iangelynge , with Spiritus iusticie

Ne after Conscience , by Christe while I can sell

Both dragges and draffe , and drawe it at an hole

Thycke ale and thine ale , for that is my kinde

And not hacke after holines , hold thy tong Conscience

Of Spiritus iusticie , thou speakest much on idle .

Caytife quod Conscience cursed wretche

Unblessed art thou bruer , but if the god helpe

But if thou liue by lore , of Spiriius / Spiri[t]us iusticie ,

The chiefe sede þat Pierce sewe , saued worstow neuer

But Conscience the commune fedde , & cardinal vertues

Leue well they be loste , both life and soule

Than is many a man loste , quod a lewde vycory

That am a curatour of holi kyrke , & came neuer in mi tyme

Men to me coulde tell , of cardinal vertues

Or that counted Conscience at a cocks fether or an hens

I ne knew neuer Cardinall , þat he ne came fro the pope

And we clarks whan they come , for their commens paien

For their pelures & palfreis meat , & pilors þat hem folowe

The commune Clamat quotidie , ech a man to other

The contrey is the cursseder that Cardinals commen in

And there thei lig & lenge , most lechery there regneth

Therfore quod this vicory by bery / [v]ery God I wold

That no Cardinall comme amonge the commen people

But in their holynes helden them styll

At Anyon among the Iewes Cum sancto sanctus erit / eri[s]

Or in Rome as they rule well , the relikes to kepe

And thou Conscience in kings courte ,

And grace that thou gredest so of , gidar of al clerks ,

And Pyers with his newe plow & eke with his olde ,

Emperoure of all þe worlde þat all men were chrysten ,

Imperfit is that Pope þat all the worlde shulde helpe ,

And sendith hem that sleeth such as he shuld saue ,

And well worth pyers þe plowman þat persueth God in doynge

Qui pluit super iustos et iniustos , attonce ,

And sent the sonne to saue a cursed mans tilthe

As bright as to the best man or to the best woman

Right so Pyers the Plowman peyneth him to tyl

As well for a wastor and wenches of the stewes

As for him-selfe & his seruaunts saue he is first serued

And traueileth and tilleth for a traytor also sore ,

As for the true tidie men all tymes ylyke ,

And worshipid be he þat wroght al both good & wikid

And suffreth þat sinfull be till some tyme þat they repent ,

And God amend the Pope that pylleth holy kyrke

And claymeth before the kinge to be kepe of chrysten

And countethnot / counteth not though christen be killed and robbed

And find folke to fight and christen folke to spyll ,

Agayn thold law & new lawe as Luke therof witnesseth

Non occides mihi vindiciam / vindic[t]am , et cetera ,

It semeth by so him-selfe had hys wyll

That he ne retche right nought of all the remnant

And Christ of his curtesy the Cardinals frame ,

And turne their wit to wisdome , & weale of her soule

For the comune quod this Curatoure counten full lytle ,

The counsell of Consciene / Conscien[c]e or Cardinall vertues ,

But if they see as by sight somwhat to winning

Of gyle ne of gabing giue thou neuer tale ,

For , Spiritus prudentie among the people is gyle

And all the foule vices as vertues they semed

Eche man suttelleth a slight synne for to hide

And coloureth it for a cunning and a cleane liuing

Than laught there a lord , and by the light sayde

I holde it right and reason , of my reue to take

All that mine auditour or els my stewarde ,

Councelleth me by their account & by clerkes writinge

With Spiritus intellectus , they seke the reues rollers

And with Spiritus fortitudinis , fetchen it whole ,

And than came ther a kyng and by his crowne sayde ,

I am a king with crowne , þe commune to rule

And holy kirke and clergy from cursed men to defend

And if me lacketh to lyue by the law will I take it

There I may moost hastely it haue for I am head of lawe

For ye be but membres and I aboue all

And syth I am your allerhede / aller hede , I am your allerhele / aller hele ,

And holy church chiefe helpe & chefest am of þe common .

And what I take of you two I take it of þe teaching ,

Of Spiritus iusticie , for I iudge you all .

So may I boldly be houseled , for I borowe neuer ,

Ne craue of my commune but as my kinde asketh ,

In condicion quod conscience that thou can defende ,

And rule thy realme by reason as right wyll & truth ,

Take thou might in reason , as the / thi law asketh

Omnia tua sunt ad defendendum sed non ad depredandum / depre[hen]d[e]ndum ,

The vicar had far home and faire he toke hys leue ,

And I awaked therwith and wrote as me met ,