Passus tertius de visione
NOwe is Mede the maide & no mo of hem all
with Bedels & bailifs brought before þe kyng
The king called a clark can I not his name
To take Mede the mayde & make her atease / at ease
I shall assaye hir mi-selfe and southelyche appose
What man of this molde that her were leuest
And if she worke by wyt , and my wyl followe
I wol forgeue her thys gylte so me God helpe
Curteslie the clarke than as the Kynge hyght
Toke mede bie the middle & brought her into chambre
And there was mirth and minstrelsi , Mede to please
They that wounne In westminster worshippid her al
Gentlie with Ioye , The Iustices some
Busked hem to the bower there the bride dwelled
To comforthe her kindlye by clergies leaue
And sayde morne not Mede ne make ye no sorowe
For we will wishe the Kinge and the shape
To be weddyd at thy will , and where the leefe liketh
For al conscience cast and crafte as I trowe .
Mildlie Mede than , mercide them all
Of her grete goodnes and gaue hem echone
Copes of clene golde and Copes of siluer
Rynges wyth Rubies and Ryches manie
The lest man of ther menie , a moton of golde .
Than lafte they leue , these lordis at Mede .
Wyth that comon Clarks to comfort her sone
And bydden her be blyth for we be thine owne
For to worke thy wyll the while we moune laste
Hendiliche she than bihyght them the same
To louen hem lellie and lordis to make
To begge hem benifices , pluralities to haue
And in consistorie at courte do calle her names
Shal no lewdnes lette the clerke that I loue
That he ne worthe fyrst auaunced for I am biknowen
Ther cunning clarkis sholen cloke behynde
Than came there a confessor copid as a Frere
To Mede the mayde he mellud thes wordes
And sayde full softlie in shrifte as it were
Though lewd men & lerned men had lien by thee both
And falsenes had I-folowed the all thys forti winter
I shall assoyle the my-selfe for a seme of whete
And also be thy bedman and bere wel thy message
Amoungest knyghtis & Clarkes conscience to turne
Than Mede for her misdedis to that man kneled
And shroue her of her shroudenes shamles I trowe
Tolde hym a tale and toke hym a noble
For to be her bedman and brokar also
Than he assoyled her sone and sithen he sayde
We haue a wyndowe in workinge , wol set vs high
Woldest thou glase þat gable , & graue therein thi name
Seker shuld thy soule be , heuen to haue .
Wyst I that quod the woman , I wold not spare
For to be your frende Freer , and fayle you neuer
Whyle you loue lordes that lecherie haunten
And lake not Ladies that loue wel the same
It is frailenes of the fleshe , ye fynde it in bokes
And a course of kynde , wherof we comen all
Who-so may escape þe slaunder þe scath is sone amended
It is synne of the seuen souest / so[n]est relessed .
Haue mercy quod mede of men that it haunten
And I shal couer your kyrke , your cloysture do maken
Walles do whyten and wyndowes glasen
Do peynten and portraye and paye for the makyng
That euery segge shall say I am syster of your house
And God to al good folke such grauinge defend
To wryte in wyndowes of her well deades
On auenture Pryd be painted there , & pomp of þe worlde
For Christ knoweth thi consience & thi kind wil
And thy cost and thy couetis , & who thy cattel ought
Therefore I lerne you lordes , leaue such workes
To writen in wyndowe of your wel dedes
Or to gredden after goddesmen whan thei delen doles
On auenture you haue your hier here , & your heuen also
Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextera .
Lette not thy lefte halfe late ne rathe
Wyt what thou workest with thy right side
For thus beddith þe gospel , good men done her almes .
Maires and Maceris that meanes be betwene
The Kynge and the comon to kepe the lawes
To punnyshen on pyleries and pynning stoles
Brusterrs and bakesters , bochers and cokes
For these ar men on this mold þat most harme worketh
To the pore people that percel-mele byghe
For they poyson the people priuilie and ofte
They richen thrughe Regratrie & rentis hem bighen
With þat the pore people should put in here wombes
For toke they all trulie they tymbred not so high
Ne bought no burgages be they full certen
And Mede þe mayde the Mayre hath besought
Of al suche Sellers siluer to take
Or presentes wythoute pence as peces of syluer
Ryngis or other riches the Regrators to mainteine
For my loue quod that Ladie loue hem echeone
And suffer hem to sell some-deale agaynst reason
Salomon the sage a Sermon he made
For amende Mayres and men that kepe lawes
And tolde hem this teme that I tell thinke
Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera
Among these lettred leodes this laten is to mene
That fyre shal fal and brenne , al to blo ashes
The houses and homes of hem that desireth
Gyftes or yeres-gyues bicause of her offices
The King from the councel came & called after mede
And sent for her a / a[s] swith with sargeantes manie
That brought her to boure with blis and with ioye
Curteslie the Kynge than comsed to tell
To mede the mayde melleth these wordis
Unwittelie woman wrought hast thou ofte
And wurse wroughteste þou neuer than tho þou fals toke
But I forgeue the that gylte & graunt the my grace
Hence to thie deth daye do so no more .
I haue knyght Conscience came late from beyond
If he willeth the to wyfe wilt thou hym haue ?
Yea lorde quod that ladie God forbyd els ,
But I be wholie at your heste let hange me sone .
And than was conscience called to come and appere
Before the Kynge and hys councell as clarks & other
Knelynge Conscience to the kinge louted
To wit what hys wyl were and what he do should .
Wylt þou wed this woman quod þe King if I wil assente
For she is fayne of thy felloship for to be thy make .
Quod conscience to the kyng Christe it me forbydde
Or I wede suche a wife woo me betide
For she is fraile of her fayth fykel of her speche
And maketh misdo many score tymes
Trust of her treasure betrayeth full manie
Wyues and wdydowes / wydowes wantones she teacheth
And lerneth hem lecherie that loue hyr gyftes
Your father she felled throughe false byhest
And hath poysoned Popes and peyred holie churche
Is not a better baude by hym that me made
Betwene heauen and hel in erth thoughe men sought
For she is Tikel of her tayle , talewyse of her tonge
As commen as a cartwaye to eche a knaue that walketh
To monkes & to minstrels to mesels in hedges
Sisours and somnours such men her praiseth
Shyreues of shires ware shent if she were not
For she doth men lese her lond and her life bothe .
She letteth passe prisoners , and prayeth for them oft
And geuith the Gailors golde and grotes togethers
To vnfettren the false fle where hym lyketh
And taketh the true by the top and tieth him fast
And hangeth hem for hatred that harme dyd neuer
To be cursed in Consistorie she counteth not a beane
For she copith the Commissarie and coteth hys clarkes
She is a-soyled as sone as her-selfe liketh
And may nighe as moch do in a monthe one
As maye youre secret Seale in syxscore / syx score dayes .
For she is priuie wyth the pope prouisors it knoweth
For sir simonie and her-selfe sealeth the bulles .
She blysseth these bushops though they be lewde
Prouendreth persons and preistes meynteineth
To haue lemmans and lottebies al her liue-dayes
And bringeth furth barnes agayne forbode lawes
There she is wel with the Kyng woo is the Realme
For she is fauorable to false and fouleth truth oft
Bi Iesus with her Iwels your Iusticis she shendith
And lieth ageyne the lawe and letteth hym the gate
That fayth mai not be of force her florens fli so thick
She leadeth the law as her list & louedaies maketh
And doth men lese through hyr loue þat law might win
The maze for a meane man though he mote her euer
Lawe is so lordleche , and lothe to make ende
Wythouten presents or pence she pleaseth ful fewe
Barons and Burgesies she bringeth in sorowe
And al the common in care that coueteth liue in truethe
For Clargie and couetis she coupleth togyther
This is the life of that lady now lord giue hir sorow
And al that meyntineth hyr men meschance hem betide
For pore men mai haue no powr to plain hem when they smarte
Suche a master is mede among men of God
Than morned Mede and meued her to the Kinge
To haue spase to speke spede if she myght
The Kynge graunted her grace with a good wyll
Excuse the if thou canst I can no more sayne
For conscience accuseth the to congayne the for euer .
Nay lorde quod that ladie leue hym the wurse
Whan ye witten witterlie where the wronge lieth
There that mischefe is great , mede maye healpe
And thou knowest conscience I came notN to chide
Ne depraue thie person with a proude herte
Wel thou woteste warnarde but if thou wyll gabbe
Thou hast hanged on me halfe a-leuen tymes
And also griped my golde , giue it where the liked
And why thou wrathest the now , wonder me thinkith
Yet I maie as I might menske the wyth gifts
And mainteine thie manhod more than thou knowest
And thou hast famed me foule before the kynge here
For kylled I neuer no kinge ne councelled therafter
Ne did as thou demest I do it on the Kynge
In Normandie was he not noyed for my sake
And thou thy-selfe southlie shamedst him ofte
Crope in-to a Chabane for colde of thie nailes
Wendest that wynter wolde haue lasted euer
And dredest to be deade for a dym cloude
And hydest vpward for hounger of thy wombe
Wyth-oute pittie Pilor pore men thou robbedest
And bare hyr brasse at thy backe to Calleis to selle
There I laste wyth my lorde hys life for to saue
I made his men merie and mourning let
I battred hem on here backe and boldid here hertes
I did hem hoppe for hope to haue me at wyll
Had I bene marshall of his men by Marie of heuen
I durst haue leyde my lyfe and no lasse wede
He should haue be lorde of þat land in lenghth & bredth
And also Kynge of that kyth his kyne for to helpe
The lest broll of hys bloude , a barons Pere
Cowardlie thou conscience counceledst hym thens
To leuen his lordshipe for a little syluer
That is the richest realme that raygneth ouer heigh .
It becometh to a kyng that kepeth a realme
To gyue Mede to men that mekely hym serueth
To alientes and to all men to honerne hem with giftes
Mede maketh him beloued , and for a man holden
Emperours and Erles , and all maner Lordes
For gyftes haue yong men to runne and to ryde
The Pope & al the prelates presentes vnderfoggen
And medeth men hem-selues to maintaine her lawes
Sergeauntes for their seruice , we se wel the south
Taken Mede for her maistris as they may accorde .
Beggers for their bydding bydden me mede
Mynstrels for hyr myrth mede they aske
The king hath mede of hys men , to make peace in land ,
Men that teachen children crauen after mede
Priestes that preachen the people to good asken mede
And masse pence and her meate at the meale tymes .
All kynne craftes men crauen mede for her prentises
Marchauntes and mede muste nedes go togyther
No wyght as I wene withouten mede may lyue .
Quod the king to conscience by Christ as me thinketh
Mede is wel worthy the maistry to haue
Nay quod Conscience to þe king , & kneled on the earth
Ther are .ii. maner of Medes my lord with your leaue ,
That one God of hys grace graunteth in hys blysse
To hem that wyll worke whyle they be here
The prophete preacheth therof , & put it in the psalter
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo . & cetera .
Lord who shal wonne in thy wonnes , and with thy holy saintes
Or resten in thy holy hils this asketh Dauid
And Dauid assoileth it him-selfe as the psalter telleth
Qui ingreditur sine macula et operatur iustitiam .
They that entren of one coloure and of one wyll
And haue wrought workes , with right & wyth reason
And he that vseth not the lyfe of vsurye
And enfourmeth pore men and preserueth truth .
Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram
Et munera super Innocentem non accipit .
And al þat helpe the innocent , & holden with the rightfull ,
Without Mede doth them good , & the truth helpeth
Such maner men my Lord , shal haue this first mede
Of God at her great nede , when they gone hence .
Ther is an other mede mesureles , þat masters desireth
To meynteyne misdoers mede they take .
And thereof sayth the psalter in a psalmes ende
In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt
Dextera eorum repleta est muneribus .
And he that gripeth her golde so me god helpe
Shall abye it bytter , or the boke lyeth
Priestes and persons that pleasinges desiereth
That taken Mede & money for masses that they synge
Taken her mede here , as Mathew vs teacheth .
Amen amen , recipiebant mercedem suam .N
That labourers and lowe folke taken of her masters
It is no maner mede , but a measurable hyre
In marchaundise , is no mede , I may it well auowe
It is a permutation apertly , a peniworth for an other
And reddest þou neuer Regum thou recraed mede
When the vengeaunce fel on Saule , & on hys chyldren
God sent to Saule by Samuel the prophete
That Agag , and Amelec , and al hys people after
Should dye for a dede that done had her elders
Therfore said Samuel to Saul god him-self hoteth
The be buxome at his biddynge hys wyll to fulfyll ,
Wend to Amalec with thine host , & what þou findeste there slea it
Burnes and Beastes brene hem to death
Wydowes , and wyues , women and children
Mouable , & vnmouable , & al þat thou might fynd
Brenne it , beare not away , be it neuer so ryche
For mede , nor for money , loke thou destroy it
Spyll it , and spare it not , thou shalt the better
And for he coueted her cattell , and the king spared ,
Forbare him & his beastes both , as þe bible witnesses
Otherwyse then he was warned of the prophete
God sayd to Samuel that Saule shoulde dye
And all hys sede for that synne shamefully ende
Suche a mischiefe mede made Saule þe king to haue
That God hated him for euer , & all hys heyres after
The colour of thys case , ne kepe I not to tell
On auenture it noyed men , no ende will I make
For so is thys world wont with hem that haue power
That who-so sayeth sothe , is sonest yblamed
I Conscience knowe this for kind wyt it me taught
That reason shal raigne , and realmes gouerne
And ryght as Agag had , happe shal come
Samuel shal slea hem , and Saule shal be blamed
And Dauid shalbe / shal be diademed , & daunten hem all
And one christen kyng kepe hem eche one
Shall no more mede be maistry , as she is nowe
And loue and lownes , and leauty togyther
These shall be maisters on molde truthe to saue
And who-so trespaceth against truth , or taketh again his wil
Leauty shal done him lawe , & no life els
Shal no sergeant for his seruice , weare no silke hode
Ne no Pelure in his cloke , for pledyng at the barre
Mede of misdoers maketh many Lordes ,
And ouer Lordes lawes , ruleth the realmes
And kinde loue shal come yet , and conscience togyther
And make of lawe a labourer , such loue shal arise
And such a peace amonge the people , & a perfit truth
That Iewes shal wene in their wit , & waxe wonders glad
That Moses & Messia be come into this erth
And haue wonder in her hertes that men be so true ,
All that beareth baslarde brodeswerde or launce
Axe , or yet hachet , or any weapon els
Shal be demed to death , but if he do it smythy .
Into sycle or into sythe , to share or to culter .
Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres .
Euery man to play with a plowe , pykeaxe , or spade ,
Spynne or spread donge , or spil him-selfe with sloughe ,
Priestes or persons with Placebo to hunte
And dynge apon Dauid euery day til euen
Huntynge or haukynge , if any of hem vse
Hys boast of benifice worth by-nome him after
Shal neither kinge ne knyght constable nor mayre
Ouerleade the common , ne to the courte sommone
Ne put hem panel , to done hem plight her truth
But after þe dede is done one dome shal reward
Mercy , or no mercy , as truth wyll accorde .
Kinges court , common court , consistorie , and chapter
All shall be but one courte , and one Baron by iustice
Than wel worth true tong , a tidy man þat tened me neuer
Battels shall none be , ne no man beare weapon
Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium . & cetera .
And or thys fortune fall , fynde men shall þe werste ,
By six sones and a shippe and halfe a shefe of arowes
And þe mydle of a mone shal make þe Iewes to turne
And Sarasines of that syght shall synge .
Gloria in excelsis deo . & cetera .
For Makometh and Mede mishap shal that time
For Melius est bonum nomen quam diuitie multe
As wrothe as the wynde waxe Mede in a whyle
I can no latin , quod she , clerkes wote the sothe
Se what Salomon sayth , in Sapientie bokes
That they þat gyue gyftes , the victory wynneth
And most worship haue therwith as holy write telleth .
Honorem acquiret , qui dat munera .
I leue wel lady quod conscience that the latin be true
And thou art like a lady that radde a lesson once
Was Omnia probate , and that pleased her well
For that was no longer at the leaues ende
Had she loked that ouer halfe and the lefe turned
She shuld haue sound / [f]ound fel words folowyng therafter
Quod bonum est tenete . Truth that texte made
And so fared ye Madame , ye could no more finde
Tho ye loked on Sapience sytttynge / syttynge in your studye
Thys texte that ye haue tolde were good for lordes ,
And you failed a good clerk þat could þe lefe haue turned
And if ye seke Sapience oft , finde ye shal þat foloweth
A full tenefull text to hem that taketh mede
And that is Animam autem aufert accipientium . & cetera .
And þat is the tale of the text of that that she shewed
That thoughe wee wyn worshyp & with mede haue victory
The soule that the sonde / so[u]de taketh by , So muche is bounde
Esai ii.N
Esa.ii.
For
Fol.xii.
Confessors
Woldest
for
Fol.xiii.
Iob.xv
Ye
She
Fol.xiiii.
Whan
That
Fol.xv.
Psal.xv.
They
Wende
Fol.xvi
And
And
Fol.xvii.
The vision of
Pierce Ploughman .
The vision of
D.i.
The vision of
Pierce Ploughman ,
D.ii.
Pierce Ploughman .
The vision of
D.iii.
The vision of
Pierce Ploughman .
Pierce Ploughman .
Pierce Ploughman ,