Were ich brouhte in my bed · bote my taylende hit made

Sholde no ryngynge do me ryse · tyl ich were rype to dyne

Benedicite he by-gan wit a bolke · and hus brest knokede

Rascled and remed · and routte at þe laste

Wat a-wake renk quaþ repentaunce . rape the to shryfte

Sholde ich deye quath he by þis daye . ich drede me so sore

Ich can nouht parfytliche my pater noster as þe prest hit seggeþ

Ich can rymes of robynhode · and of Randolf erl of chestre

Ac of oure lord ne of oure lady · þe lest þat euere was maked

Ich haue a-vowed vowes fourty · and for-ȝut hem a-morwe

Ich {.}parfourned neuere penaunce · þat þe preest me hihte

Ne ryȝt sory for my synnes · ich sey neuere þe tyme

And ich bidde eny bedis · bote hit be in wratthe

That ich telle with my tunge · ys ten myle fro my herte

Ich am ocupied eche day · haly-day and oþer

With ydel tales atte nale / ale · and oþer-wyle in churches

Godes pyne and hus passion · hisLX pure seilde in my thouhte

Ich viseted neuere feble man · ne feterid man in prisone

Ich hadde leuere huyre of harletrye · oþer of a lesyng to lauhen of

Oþer lacke men and lykne hem · in vnlykynge manere

Þan al þat euere marc made matheu . Iohan other lucas .

Vigilies · and fastyngdayes · ich can for-ȝute hem alle

Ich ligge a-bedde in lente · myiT lemen in myn armesT

Tyl matyns and messe be don · þen haue ich a memorie atte Freres

Ich am nouht shryuen som tyme · bote syknesse {it}hit make

Nouht twyes in ten ȝer · ȝut tel ich nauht þe haluendele

Ich haue be prest and person · passyng þerty wintere

Ȝut can ich noþer solfye ne synge · ne a seyntes lyf rede

Ac ich can fynde in a felde · and in a forlang an hare

And holden a knyȝtes court · and a-counte with þe reyue

Ac ich can nouht constrye canon · ne clergialliche reden

Yf ich bygge and borwe ouht · bote hit be y-tayled

Ich for-ȝute as ȝerne · and yf eny man hit askeþ

Sixe siche oþer seuene · ich for-sake hit with oþes

Thus haue ich tuned trewe men · ten hondred tymes

And som tyme my seruauns · here salerye hisLX by-hynde

Reuthe ys to huyre þe rekenyng . wenne we shulleþ rede a-countes

Þat with so wicked wil · my werkman ich paye

If eny man doþ me a byn-fet · oþer helpeþ me at nude

Ich am vnkynde aȝeyns courtesye · ich can nat vnderstounde hit

For ich haue and haue had · somdel haukes maneres

Ich am nat lured with loue · bote ouht lygge vnder þombe

Þe kyndenesse þat myn emcristene · kydde me fern-ȝere

Syxty sithe ich sleuthe · haue for-ȝute hit sitthe

In speche and in sparyng of speche · yspilt myn tymes

Boþe flesh* and eke Fish* · and vitaile ich kepte so longe

Til eche alyf / a lyf hit loþede · to lokye þer-on oþer smylle hit

Boþe bred and ale · botere melke an chese

For-sleuthe in my seruice · sette hous a-fuyre

And ȝede a-bowte in my ȝouthe · and ȝaf me to no þedam

And sitthe a beggere haue y be · for my foule sleuthe

Heu michi quod sterilem duxi uitam iuuenilem .

Repente þe quaþ repentaunce · ryȝt with þat he souned

Til vigilate þe veille · vette water at hus eyen

And flatte on hus face · and fast on hym criede

And seide war fro wanhope · þat wol þe by-traye

Ich am sory for my synnes · seye to þy-selue

And bet þy-selue on þe brest · and bidde god of grace

For þer nys non so gret synne · þat hus goodnesse ne ys more

Þanne sat sleuthe vp · and seynede hym ofte

And made a vowe by-for good · for hus foule sleuthe

Shal no soneday þis seuene ȝer be · bote sycknesse hit make

Þat ich ne shal do me or daye · to þe dere churche

And huyre matyns and masse · as ich a monke were

Shal no ale after mete . holde me þennes

Til ich haue hurd euesong** · ich by-hote to þe rode

Ac whiche be þe braunches · þat bryngeþ me to sleuthe

Ys wanne a man mourneþ nat . for hus mysdedes

Þe penaunce þat þe prest enioyneþ · parfourneþ vuele

Doþ non almys-dedes · and drat nat of synne

Lyueþ aȝens þe by-leyue · and no lawe kepeþ

And haþ no lykynge to lerne · ne of houre lord hure

Bote harlotrie oþer horedom · oþer elles of som wynnyng**

Wan men carpen of cryst · oþer of clennesse of soule

He wext wroþ and wol nat huyre · bote wordes of murthe

Penaunce and poure men · þe passion of seyntes

He hateþ to huyre þer-of · and alle þat þer-of carpen

Thuse beþ þe braunches be war · þat bryngeþ man to wanhope

Ȝe lordes and ladyes · and legates of holy churche

Þat feden fool sages · flaterers and lyers

And han lykynge to lyþen hem · in hope to do ȝow lawe

Ve uobis qui ridetis . et cetera .

And ȝeueþ suche mede and mete · and poure men refusen

In ȝoure deþ-deynge · ich drede me sore

Lest þo manere men · to moche sorwe ȝow brynge ·

Consencientes & agentes pari pena punientur .

Patriarkes and prophetes · prechours of godes wordes

Sauen þorgh here sermons · mannes soule fro helle

Ryȝt so flaterers and foles · aren þe fendes procuratores

Entysen men þorgh here tales · to synne and to harlo{.}trie

Clerkus þat knowen þis · sholde kenne lordes

What dauid seide of suche men · as þe sauter telleþ .

Non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit superbiam . qui loquitur iniqua .

Sholde non harlot haue audience · in halle ne in chaumbre

Þer þat wysmen were · whitnesse ofT godes wordes

Noþer a mys-prout man · among lordes a-louwed

Clerkus and knyȝtes · wolcomeþ kynges mynstrales

For loue of here lordes · lithen hem at festes

Muche more me þenkeþ · riche men auhte

Haue beggers by-fore hem · whiche beþ godes mynstrales

As he seith hym-self seynt Iohan bereth whittnesse

Qui uos spernit me eciam spernit .

Ther-for ich rede ȝow riche · reueles when ȝe maken

For to solace ȝoure soules · suche mynstrales to haue

Þe poure for a foul sage · syttynge at þy table

WhithLX a lered man to lere þe . what oure lord suffrede

For to sauy þy saule · fram satan þyn enemye

And fitayleLX the with-oute flateryng · of goode fryday þe feste

And a blynde man for a bordiour · oþer a bedreden womman ·

To crye a largesse by-fore oure lorde · ȝoure goode loos to shewe

Thuse þre manere mynstrales · maken a man to lauhe

In hus deþ deynge · thei don hym gret comfort

Þat by hus lyue loueþ hem · and loueþ hem to huyre

Thuse solaceþ þe soule · til hym-self be falle

In a wele good hope for he wroghte so · a-mong worthy seyntes

Ther flaterers and foles · whithLX here foule wordes

Leden tho þat lithen hem · to luciferes feste .

With turpiloquio alay / a lay of sorwe · and lucifers fitele

To perpetuel peyne · oþer purgatorye as wykke

For he litheþ and loueþ · þat godes lawe despiceþ

Qui histrionibus dat  demonibus sacrificat .

Tho was repentaunce redy · and radde hem alle to knele

Ich shal by-seche for alle synfulle . oure sauyour of grace

To a-menden ous of oure mysdedes · do mercy to ous alle

God of þy goodnesse · þow gonne þe worlde make

And of nouht madest ouht · and man lyke þe-selue

Sitthe soffredest hym do synne · asyknesse / a syknesse to ous alle

And for oure best as ich by-leyue · what euere þe book telle

O felix culpa . o necessarium peccatum ade .

For þorw synne þy sone · sent was tyl erthe

And by-cam man of mayde · mankynde to a-mende

And madest þe-selue with þy sone · oure soule and body lyche

Ego patre & pater in me est  & qui uidet me . patrem meum uidet .

And sitthe in oure secke · as hit semed þow deydest

On a fryday in forme of man · feledest oure sorwe

Captiuam duxit captiuitatem .

The sonne for sorwe · þer-of lees lyght for a tyme

A-bowte midday wanne lyght ys · and meel-tyme of seyntes

Feddest þo with thi fresshe blod · oure for-fadres in helle

Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris lucem magnam uidit .

The lyght þat lemed out of þe lucifer hit blente

And broughte þyne blessede fro þennes · in-to þe blysse of heuene

The þridde day þer-after · thow ȝedest in oure secte

A synful marye þe seyh · er seynt marie þy moder

And al to solace synful · þow soffredest hit so were

Non ueni uocare iustos  sed peccatores ad penitenciam

And al þat marc hath ymad matheu Iohan and lucas .

Of þyne douht{r}ieste dedes · was don on oure secte

Uerbum caro factum est .

And by so moche hit semeþ · þe sykerloker we mowe

Bydde and by-seche þe · yf hit be þy wilN

Þat ert ferst oure fader · and of flessh* oure broþer

And sitthen oure saueour · and seidest with þy tonge

That what tyme we synful men . wolden be sory

For dedes þat we han don ille · dampned sholde we be neuere

Yff we knewelechid and cryde · crist þer-of mercy

Quandocumque ingemuerit peccator omnes iniquitates eius non recordabor am-

And for þat mechel mercy · and marie loue þy moder

Haue reuthe of alle þuse rybaudes · þat repenten hem sore

Þat euere þei gulte aȝens þe god · in gost oþer in dede

Thenne hente hope an horn . of deus tu conuersus uiuificabis nos .

And blew hit wit beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates & cetera .

Þat alle seyntes wit synful men · syngen with dauid

Homines & iumenta saluabis domine quem multiplicasti misericordiam tuam deus .

A þousend of men þo · þrongen to-gederes

Cryyng** vpward to crist** · and to hus clene moder

To haue grace to go to treuthe god leyue þat þei mote

Ac þer was weye non so wys · þat þe way þider couthe

Bote blostrede forth as bestes · ouer baches and hulles

Til late was and longe · þat þei alede / a lede mette

Aparaild as apaynym / a paynym · in pylgrymes wise

He bar a bordon ybounde · with a brod lyste

In aweythwynde / a weythwynde wyse · ywryþe al aboute

A bolle and a bagge · he bar by hus syde

And an hondred hanypeles · on hus hatte seten

Signes of syse · and shilles of galys

And meny crouche on hus cloke · and keyes of rome

And þe fernycle by-fore · for men sholde knowe

As by hus sygnes · wham he souht hadde

Thys folke frayned hym furst · fro wennes he come

Fro sinay he sayde · and fro þe sepulcre .

In bethleem in babilonie ich haue ybe bothe

In ermanie in alisaundre and in damascle .

Ȝe may see by my sygnes · þat sitten on my cappe

Ich haue ysouht goode seyntes · for my soules helthe

And walked ful wide · in wete and in drye

Knowst þow a core-seynt quaþ ich · þat men clepeþ · treuthe .

Couthest þow wissen ous þe way · woder-out treuthe wonyeþ

Nay so god me helpe · seyde þe gome þenne

Ich seyh neuere palmere · whithLX pyk ne with shrippe

Asken after hym er now · in þys ilke place

Hic primo comparet petrus plouhman .T

Peter quaþ a plouhman · and putte forth hus hefd

Iich knowe hym as kyndeliche · as clerkus don hure bokes

Conscience and kyndewit · kende me to hus place

And maked me sykeren hym sitthen · to seren / ser[u]en hym for euere

Boþe to sowe and to setten · þe wyle ich swynke myghteT

With-ynne and with-oute · to wayten hus profyt

Ich haue yben his folwer · al þes fourty wynter

And serued treuthe sothlyche somdel to paye

In alle kynne craftes þat he couthe deuyse

Prophitable to þe plouh · he putte me to lerne

And þauh ich seye hit my-self · ich seruede hym to paye

Ich haue myn hyre of hym wel · and oþer-wyle more

He ys most prest paiere · þat eny poure man knoweth

He with-halt non hywe · hus hyre ouere euen

He ys louh as a lombe · and leel of hus tonge

And ho-so wilneþ to wyte · wer þat treuthe wonyeþ

Ich wol wissen ȝow wel · ryght to hus place

Ȝe leue peers quaþ þo pylgrymes · and profrede peers mede

Nay by þe pereil of my soule peers gan swere

Ich nolde fonge a ferthing** · for seynt Thomas shryne

Were it told to treuthe þat ich toke mede

He wolde louye me þe lasse · a longe tyme after

Alta uia ad fidelitatem est obseruatio decem preceptorrum . ut dicit petrus plouhman .T

Ac who-so wol wende . þer as treuthe dwelleþ

This ys þe heye weye þyderwarde · wyteþ wel þe soþe

Ȝe most gon þorwe meknesse · alle men and wommen

Tyl ȝe come to conscience knowen of god selue

That ȝe loue hym as lord · leelliche a-bouen alle

That ys to seye sothliche · ȝe sholde raþer deye

Than eny dedliche synne do · for drede oþer for preyere

And þenne ȝoure neghebores next · in none wyse a-peyre

And oþer-wyse þan ȝe wolde · thei wroughte ȝou alle tymes

And so goþ forth by þe bok · a brygge as hit were

Tyl ȝe fynde a forde · ȝoure fadres honourieþ

Wadeþ wel in þe water · and wasche ȝow wel þere

And ȝe shulle lepe þe lyghtloker · al ȝoure lyf-tyme

Honora patrem & matrem & eris longemis super terram .

Þanne shalt þow swery nat · bot yt be for nude

Nameliche an ydel · þe name of god al-myghty

Þanne shalt þow come by a croft · ac com nat þer-ynne

Þe croft hatte coueyte nat · mennes catel ne here wyues

Ne non of here seruans · þat nuyen hem myghte

Loke þou bere nat þere a-weye · bote yt be þyn owe

Two stockes þer stonden · ac stunt þow nouht þere

Thei hatte stel nat and slee nat · stryk forth by hem bothe

And leue hem in þy lift hand · and loke nouht þer-after

And hold wel þyn halyday · heye tyl euen

Thenne shalt þou blenche at a bergh* · ber no fals wyttnesse

He ys freþed yn wit floreynes · and oþer fees menye

Loke þow plocke þer no plaunte · for peryl of þy soule

Þanne shalt þow seye soþe · so hit be to done

In no manere elles nat · for no mannes preyere

So shalt þow come to a court · as cleer so þe sonne

The mot ys of mercy · in myddes þe manere

Al þe wallynge hys of witt · for wil ne sholde hit wynne

The kernels beþ of crystendome · þat kynde to saue

And boteraced wit by-leyue so · oþer þow worsthest / worthest nat saued

Alle þe houses beþ heled · halles and chambres

With no lede bote with loue · and with leel speche

The barres aren of buxumnesse · as breþres of on wombe

Thre / The bregge hatte bid wel · The bet myght þow spede

Eche pyler ys of penaunce and preyers to seyntes

The hokes aren almys dede · þat þe ȝates hongen on

Grace hatte þe gate-warde · a good man for-soþe

Hus man hatte amende ȝow · meny man hym knoweþ

Tel hym þys ilke tokne · treuthe wot þe southe

Ich am sory for my synnes · and so shal ich euere

And parfourne þe penaunce · þat þe preest me highte

Rydeþ to a-mende ȝow · meek ȝow to hus mayster grace

To openen and vndo · þe hye ȝates of heuene

That adam and eue · aȝens ous alle shutte

Per euam ianua celi cunctis clausa est .

Et per mariam uirginem iterum patefacta est .

A ful bel lady · vn-lyke hure of grace

Hue haþ akeye / a keye and a clykett · thauh þe kynge slepe

And may lede yn wham hue loueþ · as here luf lykeþ

And yf grace graunte þe · to go yn in þys wise

Þow shalt se treuthe sytte · in þy-selue herte

And solace þy soule · and saue þe fro pyne

Al-so charge charyte · a churche to make

In þyn hole herte · to herberghwen alle treuthe

And fynde alle manere folke · foude to hure saules

Yf loue and leaute · and owre lawe be trywe

Quodcumque pecieritis in nomine meo dabitur enim uobis .

Be war þenne of wratthe · þat wickede shrewe

For he haþ enuye to hym · þat in þyn herte sytteþ

And pokeþ forth pruyde · to preysy thi-selue ·

The boldnesse of þy bynfet · makeþ þe blynde þenne

So worth þow dryuen out as deuh · and þe dore closed

Y-keyed and yclykeded · to close þe wit-oute

Hapliche an hondred wynter · ar þow eft entrie

Þus myght þou lese hus loue · to lete wel by þe-selue

And geten a-geyn þorw grace · ac þorgh no gyse elles

Ther ben seuene sustres · that seruen treuthe euere

And aren porters at posternes · þat to þe place longen

Þat on hatte abstinence and humilite anoþer

Charite and chastite ben hus chef maydones

Pacience and pees . muche puple helpen

Largenesse þat lady · lat yn ful menye

Non of hem alle · helpe may yn betere

For hue paieþ for prisons · in places and in peynes

And ho is sybbe to þuse seueneT · sothly to telle

Hit is ful hard by myn heued · eny of ȝou alle

To geten engang** at eny gate · bote grace be þe more

By cryst quath a kute-pors · ich haue no kyn þere

Ne ich quath an apewarde · by ouht þat ich knowe

Wytegod / Wyte god quaþ awafrestre / a wafrestre · wist ich þe soþe

Ich wolde ne forþer afot / a fot · for no freres preching{.}e

Ȝus quaþ peers plouhman · and pukede hem alle to goode

Mercy is mayde þere · hath myght ouer hem alle

And hue is sybbe to alle synful · and hure sone boþe

And þorwe þe help of hem to · hope þow non oþer

Thow myght gete grace ther · so þow go by-tyme

Ȝe villam emi quaþ on · and now most ich þudere

To loke how me lykeþ hit · and tok hus leue at peers

Anoþer anon ryght · nude seyde he hadde

To folwen fif ȝokes · for-thy me by-houeþ

To gon wit a good wil · and grettliche hem dryue

For-þy ich praye ȝow peers paraunter yf ȝe meteþ

Treuthe telleþ to hym · þat ich be excused

Thenne was þer on heihte actif an hosebonde he semed

Ich haue ywedded a wyf quaþ he · wel wantowen of maners

Where ich seuenyght fro hure syghtt · seggen he wolde

And loure on me and lyghtliche chide · and seye ich loue anoþere

For-þy peers plouhman · ich praye þe telle hit treuthe

Ich may nat come for a kytte · so hue clyueþ on me

Vxorem duxi et ideo non possum uenire .

Quaþ contemplacion by crist . thauh ich care suffre

Famyn and defaute · folwen ich wolle peers

Ac þe wey ys so wyckede · bote ho hadde a gyde

Þat myght folwen ous ech fot for drede of mys-tornynge