Ich wolde wende wit ȝow · and þe wey teche

That were a long lettynge · quaþ a lady in askleire / a skleire

Wat sholde we wommen · worche þe whiles

Ich praye ȝow for ȝoure profit · quaþ peers to þe ladyes

Þat somme sewe þe sak · for shedynge of þe wete

And ȝe worþly wommen · wit ȝoure longe fyngres

Þat ȝe on selke and sendel · to sewen wenne tyme ys

Chesybles for chapelayns churches to honure

Wyues and widewes · wolle and flax spynneþ

Conscience consaileþ ȝow · cloþ for to make

For profit of þe poure · and plesaunce of ȝow-selue

For ich shal lene hem lyflode · bote yf þe lond faile

As longe as ich leue · for oure lordes loue in heuene

And alle manere men · þat by þis molde buþ suste{n}yned

Helpeþ hem to worche whyghtly · þat wynneþ ȝoure fode

By cryst quaþ a knyitȝLG þo · he kenneþ ous þe beste

¶C Ac on þe teeme trywely · tauht was ich neuere

Ich wolde ich couthe quaþ þe knyȝt · by cryst and hus moder

Ich wolde a-saye som tyme · for solas as hit were

Sykerliche syre knyiȝt · seide peers þenne

Ich shal swynke and swete · and sowe for hus boþe

An{.}d laboure for þe while þou leuest · al þy lyf-tyme

In couenaunt þat þou kepe · holy churche and me-selue

For wastours and wyckede men · þat þus worlde struen

And go honte hardileche · to hares and to foxes

To bores and to bockes · þat brekeþ a-doune menne hegges

And faite þy faucones · to culle wylde foules

For þei comen to my croft · my corn to defoule

Corteysliche þe knyitȝ þen · comsede þes wordes

By my power peers ich plyghte þe my treuthe

To defende þe in faith · fyghte þauh ich sholde

And ȝut on poynt quaþ Peers ich praye ȝow ouere-more

Loke ȝe tuene no tenaunt · bote yf treuth wolle assente

Wenne ȝe a mercyn eny man · let mercy be taxour

And meknesse þy maister · maugre mede chekes

Þauh poure men profre ȝou · presantes and ȝeftes

Nym hit nat an aunter · thow mowe hit nat deserue

For þow shalt ȝulde so may be · and somdel a bygge

Mys-beede nouht þy boundemen · þe bet may þe spede

Þauh he be here þyn vnderling* · in heuene paraunter

He worth raþer receyued · and reuerentloker sette amice ascende superius .

At churche in þe charnel · cheorles aren vuel to knowe

Oþer a knyght fro a knaue · oþer a queyne fro a queene

Hit by-comeþ to a knyght · to be curteys and hende

Trewe of hys tonge · tales loth to huyre

Bote þei be of bounte · of batailes and of treuthe

Hald nat of harlotes · huyre nat here tales

/NNameliche atte mete · suche men eschywe

Hit ben þe deueles disours · to drawe men to synne

Contreplede nat conscience ne holy churche ryghtes

Ich assente by seynt Gyle · seyde þe knyght þenne

For to worche by þy witt · and my wyf boþe

Ich shal aparaile me quaþ perkyn in pylgrymes wyse

And wende wit alle þo · þat wolle lyue in treuthe .

He caste on hym hus cloþes · of alle kynne craftes

Hus cokeres and hus cuffes · as kynde witt hym tauhte

And heng hus hoper on hus hals · in stede of a scrippe

A boussel of bred corn · brouht was þerynne

For ich wolle sowe hit my-self · and suthe wol ywende / y wende

To pylgrimages as pilgrymes don · pardon to wynne

My plouh-fot shal be my pyk-staf · and puche a-two þe rotes

And help my culter to kerue · and clause þe forwes

And alle þat helpen me to erye · oþer elles to weden

Shal haue leue by oure lorde · to go and glene after

And make hym murye þer-myd · in angre / [m]augre ho by-grucche

And alle kynne crafty men · þat conne lyue in treuthe .

Ich shal fynde hem fode · þat feythfullech lybben

Saf Iack Iogelour · and Ionette of þe styues

And danyel þe dees pleyere · and denete þe baude

And also frere faytour · and folke of þe ordre

Þat lollers and loseles · for leel men halden

And Robyn þe rybaudour · for hus rusty wordes

For treuthe tolde me ones · and bade telle forthere

Deleantur de libro uiuencium & cum iustis non scribantur .

Ich sholde nat dele wit hem · for holyche churche hoteþ

Of hem to aske no tythe quia cum iustis non scribantur .

Thei ben ascaped good aunter · now god hem amende

Dame worche wen tyme hisLX peers wyf hyhte

Hus douhter heithe do ryght so · oþer þy damme shal þe bete

Hus sone hihte suffre · þy souereynes haue here wil

Deme hem nouht for yf þow do · thow shalt dere abigge

Consaile nat þe comune · þe kyng to displese

Ne hem þat han lawes to loke · lacke hem nat ich hote

Let god worthe with al · as holy writ techeþ

Super cathedram moysi sedent et cetera .

Maistres as þe meyres ben · and grete men senatours

What þei comaunde as by þe kyng · contrepleide hit neuere

Al þat þe hoten ich hote heyliche · thow suffre hem

By here warnyng and worchyng* · worch þow þer-after

Omnia que dicunt facite & seruate .

Ac after here doynge do þow nat · my dere sone quaþ peers

For now ich am old and hor · and haue of myn owene

To penaunces and to pilgrimages · ich wol passe with oþere

For-thi ich wolle er ich wende · do wryten my by-quyste

Testamentum petri plouhman . T

In dei nomine ame / ame[n]C Ich make hit my-self* ·

He shal haue my soule · þat alle soules made

And defende hit fro þe feende · and so is my by-leyueT

The churche shal haue my caroyne · and kepe my bones

For of my corn and catel · he crauede my tythe

Ich payed hit prestliche · for peril of my soule

He his holdinge ich hope · to haue me in hus masse

And menge me in hus memorie · among alle cristine

My wyf shal haue of þat ich wan · with treuthe and no more

And dele hit among my douhtres · and my dere children

For þauh ich deyde þys day · my dettes ben quyted

Ich bar hom þat ich borwede er ich to bedde ȝeode

With þe resydue and remenaunt · by þe rode of lukes

Ich wolle worshupe þer-with · treuthe al my lyf

And be apulgrym / a pulgrym atte plouh · for profyt of poure and ryche

Now Perkyn with þe pilgrimes · to þe plouh is faren

To eryen hus half-aker · holpen hym menye

Dykers and deluers · diggeden vp þe balkes

Ther-with was perkyn apayed · and paied wel here hyre

Oþer werkmen þer were · þat wrouhten ful ȝurne

Eche man in hus manere · made hym-self to done

And somme to plese perkyn pykede aweye þe wedes

Atte hye pryme peers let þe plouh stonde

And ouer-seyh hem hym-self · ho-so best wrouhte

He sholde be hyred þer-after · wen heruest-tyme come

Þenne seten some and songen atten ale

And holpen to erie · þis half-acre · with hoy troly lolly

Quath peers plouhman al in pure tenne

Bote ȝe ryse þe raþere · and rape ȝow to worche

Shal no greyn þat here groweþ · gladen ȝow at neede

And þauh ȝe deye for deul · þe deuel haue þe recche

Tho were faitours aferede · and feynede hem blynde

And leyden here legges a-lyry · as suche lorelles conneþ

And maden here mone to peers how þei mowe nat worche

Ac we prayeþ for ȝow peers and fore ȝoure plouh boþe

Þat god for hus grace · ȝoure grayn multeplie

And ȝulde ȝow of ȝoure almesse · þat ȝe ȝeuene hus here

We may nayþer swynke ne swete · suche syknesse ous ayleþ

We haue none lymes to laborie with · lord god we þonkeþ

Ȝoure praiers quath peers and ȝe parfit were

Myght help as ich hope · ac hye treuthe wolde

Þat no faiterye were founde · in folk þat gon a-begged

Ȝe ben wastours ich wot wel · þat wasten and deuouren

Þat leel land tylynge men · leelleche byswynken

Ac treuthe shal teche ȝow · hus teeme for to dryue

Oþer ȝe shulle ete barliche brede · and of þe broke drynke

Bote ȝe be blynde oþer brokelegged · oþer bolted wit yren

Suche poure quaþ peers shullen partye wit my goodes

Boþe of my corn and of my cloþ · to kepe hem fro defaute

Ancres and heremites · þat eten bote at nones

And freres þat flateren nat · and poure folke syke

What ich and myne · wolleþ fynde hem þat hem needeþ

Thenne gan wastour to wratth · and wolde haue fouhten

And to peers plouhman proferede to fighte

And bad hym go pisse with hus plouh · peyuesshe shrewe

A brytonere com braggynge · a-bosted peers also

Wolle þow ne wolle þow · we wolleþ habbe oure wil

Boþe þy flour and þy flessh* · fecchen wen ous lykeþ

And make ous myr{.}ye þermyd · maugre ho by-gruccheþ

Peers þe plouhman þo pleynede to þe knyght

To kepe hym and hus catel · as couenaunt was by-twyne hem

Awreke me of þes wastours · þat maken þys worde dere

Thei counte nat of cursyng · ne holy churche dreden

Ther worth no ple{n}ynte quaþ peers and þe plouh ligge

Curtesliche þe knyght þen · as hus kynde wolde

Warned wastour · and wissede hym betere

Oþer ich shal bete þe by þe lawe · and brynge þe in stockes

Ich was nat won{t}d wirche quaþ wastour · and ich wolle nat now bygynne

And let lyght of þe lawe · and lasse of þe knyght

And sette peers at a pese · pleyne hym wer he wolde

Now by crist quaþ peers y shal apeyre ȝow alle

And hopede after hunger þat herde at þe ferste

Ich praye þe quath peers þo purcharite / pur charite sire honger

Awreke me of þeese wastours · for þe knyght wol nat

Honger hente in haste · wastour by þe mawe

And wrang hym by þe wombe · þat al waterede hus eyen

He buffated þe brutener · a-boute þe chekes

Þat he loked lyk a lanterne · al hus lyf after

He bet hem so boþe · he barst neih hure guttes

Ne hadde peers witLX a peese lof · prayede hym by-leue

Honger haue mercy of hem quath peers and let me ȝeue hem benes

And þat was bake for bayerde · may be here bote

Tho were faitours a-fered · and flowen to peersses bernes

And flapten on whitLX flailes · fro morwe til euene

Þat honger was nat hardy · on hem for to loke

For a potful of potage · þat peersses wyf made

An hep of eremites · henten hem spades

Spitten and spradde donge · in despit of hunger

Thei coruen here coppes · and courtepies hem made

And wenten as workmen · to weden and mowen

Al for drede of here deþ · suche dyntes ȝaf

Blynde and brokeleggede · he botnede a þousand

And lame men he lechede · wit longen of bestes

Preestes and oþer pepleP · to peers þei drowen

And freres and alle fyue ordres · al for fere of hunger

For þat þat was bake {d} · for bayarde · was bote for menye hungry

Drosenes and dregges · drenke for menye beggeres

Þer was lad þat lyuede · þat ne lowede hym to peers

To be hus hole hywe þauh he hadde no more

Bute lyf-lode for hus labour · and hus loue at nones

Tho was peers ful prou{t}de · and putte hem alle to werke

In daubyng and in deluyng* · in donge a-feld berynge

In þresshynge in þecchynge · in thwytynge of pynnes

And alle kynne trewe craft · þat man couthe deuyse

Was no beggere so bolde · bote yf he blynde were

Þat dorst wit-sitteLX þat peeres seyde · for fere of syre hunger

And peers was proud þerof · and putte hem alle to swynge

And ȝaf hem mete and monye · as þey myght deseruen

Tho hadde peers pite · of alle poure puple

And bad hunger on haste · hyhe out of contre

Home in to his owen erthe · and halde hym þer euere

For ich am wel awreke of wastours þorw þy myghte

Ac ich praye þe quaþ peers . hunger er þow wende

Of beggers and of bydders · what best be to done

For ich wot wel be þou went · worche þei wolle ful ylle ·

Meschief hit makeþ · thei ben so meke nouthe

And for defaute þis folke · folwen my hestes

Hit is no þyng* for loue · thei labour þus faste

Bote for fere of famyn · in faith seide peers

Ys no final loue wit þis folke · for al here faire speche

And hit aren my blody broþren · for god bouhte vs alle

Treuthe tauhte me ones · to louye hem echone

And helpen hem of alle þyng · ay as hem nedeþ

Now wolde ich white or þow wentest · wat were þe beste

How ich myghte a-maistren hem · to louye and laboure

For here lyflode · lere me syre hunger

Now herkne quaþ hunger and hold hit for awysdome / a wysdome

And bolde beggeres and bygge · þat mowe here bred by-swynke

With houndes bred and hors bred · hele hem when þei hungren

And a-baue hem with benes · for bollynge of here wombe

And yf þe gromes grucche · bid hem go swynke

And he shal soupe þe swettere · wen he hath deserued

And yf þow fynde eny folke · wam false men han apaired

Comforte hem with þy catel · for so comaundeþ treuthe

Loue hem and lene hem · so lawe of kynde wolde

Alter alterius onera portate .

And alle manere men · þat þow myght aspye

In meschief oþer in mal-ese · and þow mowe hem helpe

Loke by þy lyf · let hem nouht for fare

Yf þow hast wonne ouht · wickeliche wisliche dispende hit

Facite uobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis

Ich wolde nat greuye god quaþ peers for al þe good on erthe

Myghte ich synneles do as þou seist · seide peers plouhman

Ȝe ich by-hote þe quaþ hunger oþer elles þe byble lyeþ

Go to oure by-gynnynge · þo god þe worlde made

As wise men han y-wryte · and as wittnesseþ genesis

That seith with swynke · and with swot · and swetynge face

By tulye and by trauaile · treuly oure lyf-lode

In labore & sudore uultus tui uesceris pane tuo .

And salamon þe sage · with þe same acordeþ

The slowe caytyf for colde · wolde no corn tulye

In somere for hus slewthe · he shal haue defaute

And gon abrybeþ and beggen · and no man bete hus hunger

Piger propter frigus noluit arare mendicabit in hyeme & non dabitur ei .

Matheu makeþ mencion of a man þat lente

Hus seluer to þre manere men · and menynge þat þei sholde

Chaffare and cheeue þer-with · in chele and in hete

And he þat best laborede · best was alowede

And leders for here laborynge · ouere al þe lordes goodes

Ac he þat was awrecche / a wrecche · and wolde nat trauayle

The lord for hus lacchesse · and hus luþer sleuthe

By-nom hym al þat he hadde · and ȝaf hit to hus felawe

That leely hadde labored · and þenne þe lord seide

He þat hath shal haue · and helpe þer hym lykeþ

And he þat nauht haueþ · he shal nauht haue

And no man ȝut helpe hym · and þat he weneþ haue

Ich wolle hit hym by-reue · for hus rechelesnesse

Lo what þe sauter seiþ · to swynkers with handes

Yblessed be alle þo · þat he by-lyue swynken

Þorw eny leel labour · as þorgh lymes and handes

Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis . & cetera .

Theese aren euydences quath hunger for hem þat wolle nat swynken

That here lyflode be-leue · and lytel worth here cloþes

By cryst quaþ peers plouhman þo · þeese prouerbes wolle ich shewe

To beggers and to boyes · þat loth ben to worche

Ac ȝut ich praye ȝow quath peers purcharite / pur charite syre hunger

Ȝyf ȝe can oþer knowe · eny kynne þynge of fysyk*

For some of my seruauns · and my-selue boþe

Of alle awoke / a woke worchen nat · so oure wombe groneþ

Ich wot wel quath hunger what syknesse ȝow aileþ

Ȝe haue manged ouere muche · þat makeþ ȝow be syke

Ac eet nat ich hote · or hunger þe take

And sende of hus sauce · to sauerie with thi lippes

And kep som til soper-tyme · and sitte nauht to longe

Let nat syre sorfait · sitten at þy borde

And loke þow drynke no day · er þou dyne som-what

Þenk þat diues for hus delicat lyf · to þe deuel wente

And lazar þe lene beggere · þat longed after cromes

And ȝut had he hem nat · for ich hunger culde hym

And sitthe ich sauh hym sitte · as he a syre were

At alle amnere ese · in abrahammes lappe

And yf þow be of power peers ich þe rede

Alle þat greden at þy gate · for godesloue / godes loue after fode

Parte witLX hem of þy payn · of potage oþer of souel

Lene hem som of þy loof · þauh þou þe lasse chewe

And þauh lyers and lacchedrawers · and lolleres knocke

Let hem abyde tyl þe bord be drawe · ac bere hem none cromes

Til alle þyn nedy neihebores · haue none ymaked

And yf þow dyght þe þus · ich dar legge myn eres

Þat fysyk shal hus forrede hodes · for hus fode sulle

And hus cloke of calabre · for hus comunes legge ·

And be fayn by my faith · his fysyk to lete

And lerne labore with londe · leste lyflod hym faile

Ther aren meny luþere leches · and leele leches fewe

Thei don men deye þorgh here drynkes · er destyne hit wolde

By seynt paul quath peers þo · thou poyntest neih þe treuthe

And leelly seist as ich leue · lord þe for-ȝelde

Wend now wenneþou / wenne þou wolt · and wel be þow euere

For þow hast wel ywroke me · and also wel ytauht me

Ich by-hote þe quaþ hunger þat hennes nel ich wende

Er ich haue y-dyned by þys day · and y-dronke boþe

Ich haue no peny quath peers polettes for to bigge

Noþer goos noþer grys · bote two grene cheses

Afewe / A fewe croddes and creyme · and acake / a cake of otes

And bred for my barnes · of benes and of peses

And ȝut ich sey by my saule · ich haue no salt bacon

Nouht a cokeney by cryst · colhoppes to make

Ac ich haue porett plontes · parselye and scalones

Chiboles and chirueylles · and chiries sam-rede

And a cow with a calf · and a cart mare

To drawe a-feld my donge · þe wyle drouth lasteþ

By þis lyflode we mote lyue · tyl lammasse tyme

And by þat ich hope · to haue heruest in my crofte

Thenne may I · dyghte þy dyner as me dere lykeþ

Alle þe poure puple þo · peescoddes fetten

Benes and baken apples · thei brouhte in here lappes

And profrede peers this present · to plese þerwith hunger

Hunger eet al in haste · and askede after more

Poure folke for fere þo · fedde hunger ȝerne

With creym and with croddes · with carses and oþer herbes

By that yt neihed heruest · and newe corn com to chipynge

Thenne was þis folke feyn · and fedde hunger deynteuosliche

And gloton þowith / þo with good ale · gerte hunger to slepe

Tho wolde wastour nat worche · bote wandrede aboute

Noþer beggere eete bred · þat benes were ynne

Bote clerematyn and soket · and of clene whete

Thei wolde non halpeny ale · in none wyse drynke

Bote of þe best and Brounest · þat brewesters sellen

Laboreres þat han no londe · to lyuen on bote here handes

Deyned to dyne a day · nyght olde wortes

May no peny ale hem paye · ne a pece of bacon

Bote hit be freesch* fleesch* oþer fysch* · fried oþer ybake

And þat chaud and pluschaud · {...?...}for chillyng* of here mawe

Bote he be heyliche yhyred · elles wol he chide ·

That he was a {...?...?...}werkman ywroght war{.}yen þe tyme

Corteis Catones consail · comseth he by-grucche

Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento .

And þenne he corseþ þe kyng · and alle þe kynges Iustices

Suche lawes to lere · laborers to greue

Ac wile hunger was here mayster · wolde non chide

Ne stryue a-ȝens þe statute · he lokede so sturne

Ac ich warne ȝow werkmen · wynne wyle ȝe mowe

For hunger hyderwardes · hyeþ hym faste

He shal awake þorw wa{...}ter · wasters to chaste

Ar fewe ȝeres be fulfilled · famyne shal aryse

AnLX so seith saturnus and sent ȝow to warne

Þorwe flodes and foule wederes · frutes shullen faile

Pruyde and pestelences · shal muche puple fecche

Thre shupes and a shaft · with an viii · folwyng

Shal brynge bane and bataile · on bothe half þe mone

And þanne shal deþ with-drawe · and derthe be Iustice

And dawe þe deluere · deye for defaute

Bote god of hus goodnesse · graunte ous a trewe