Explicit dobet & incipit dobest
and dighte me derely & dide me to kirke
To here holly þe masse & to be hoseled after
yn myddes of þe masse þo men ȝede to offring
y fel eft-sones a-slepe & sodeinlich me mette
þat pers þe ploughman was peyntid al blody
and cam yn with a cros bifore þe comune peple
and right lik in alle lymes to oure lord Iesu
and thenne cald y conscience to kenne me þe sothe
ys this Iesus þe ioustere quod y þat iewes didon to dethe
or hit is pers þe ploughman who peintid him rede
his coloures & his cote armure · bot he þat comeþ so blody
ys crist with his cros conquerour of cristene
whi calle ȝe him crist sithon iewes caldon him Iesus
Patriarkes & prophetes prophecied bifore
þat alle kynne creatures sholdon knele & bowen
Ne noen so nedful to nempnie by nyght ne by day
For alle derk deueles arn drad forto heron hit
And synful ben solased & saued by þat name
And ȝe callon him crist for what cause telleth me
ys crist more of myght & more wortheore name
þen Iesu or Iesus þat al oure ioye cam of
þow knowest wel quod conscience & þou conne resoun
þat knyght kyng conquerour may be oen persone
To be cald aknyght / a knyght is fair for men shal knele to him
To be cald akyng / a kyng is fairore · for he may knyghtes make
But to be conquerour cald þat cometh of special grace
And of hardinesse of herte & of hendenesse
To make lordes of laddes · of lond þat he wynneth
And fre men foule thralles þat foloweth not his lawes
þe iewes þat were gentil men Iesu þei dispised
CBothe his lore & his lawe now ar thei lowe churles
as wide as þe world ys wonyeth þere none
But vnder tribut & taillage · as tikes & churles
and þo þat bicome cristene bicounsel / bi counsel of þe baptist
arn frankeleynes & fre men · þorgh folling þat þei toek
and gentil men wiþ Iesu · for Iesu was yfolled
and vpon caluarie on cros ycrowned kyng of iewes
and conquerour of his conquest his layes & his large
and so dide Iesus þoT iewes he iustified & taughte hem
þe lawe of lif þat laste shal euere
and fendid hem from foule eueles feueres & fluxes
and fro fendes þat in hem was & fals byleue
Tho was he Iesu of iewes cald gentil prophete
and kyng of here kyngdom & croune baer of thornes
and þo conquered he on cros as conquerour noble
Might no deth him fordo ne adown bringeC
Þat he ne aroes & regnede & rauyshed helle
And þo was he conquerour cald of quyke & of dede
For he ȝaf Adam & Eue & othir mo blisse
þat longe haddon leye bifore as luciferes churles
and toek lucifer þe lothlich þat lord was of helle
and bond him as he boundeT with bondes of yron
who was hardiore þen he his herte blod he shedde
To make alle folk fre þat foloweth his lawe
and sithe he ȝiueth largly al his leel lege
places in paradys · at her parting hennes
he may be wel cald conquerour & þat is crist to mene
But þe cause þat he cometh þus with his cros & his passioun
ys to wisson vs þerwith þat when we ben ytemptid
þere-with to fighte & fende vs fro falling in-to synne
Cand see by his sorowe þat who-so loueth ioye
To penaunce & to pouerte he mot putte him selue
and mich wo in this world wilnon & soffron
But to carpe more of crist & how he cam to þat name
Faithly forto speke his furst name was Iesus
Þo he was bore in bedleem as þe boek tellith
and cam to take mankynde kynges & angels
Reuerensed him right faire with richesses of erthe
Angels out of heuene come kneled & songe
Gloria in excelsis deo
kynges cam after kneled & offredT
Mirre & mich gold with-outon mercy askyng
Or any kynne catelle bot knowlechid him souerayn
Bothe of sand sonne & see · & sithen þei wente
yn-to her kyngene kuth by counsel of angels
and þere was þat word fulfild þe which þou of speke
COmnia celestia terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine Iesu
For alle þe angels of heuene at his birthe kneled
and al þe wit of þe world was in tho thre thinges
Resoun & Rightfulnes & ruthe þei offred
wherfore & whi wise men þat tyme
þat oen kyng cam with resoun y-keuered vnder sense
The seconde kyng sithe sothlich offred
Rightwisnesse vnder rede gold resounes felawe
Gold is likned to lewte þat laste shal euere
and resoun to riche gold to right & to trutheT
þe thridde kyng cam & kneled to Iesu
and presentid him with pite appering by myrre
For myrre is mercy to mene & mylde spech of tonge
Erthely honest thinges was offred þus at ones
þorgh þre kynne kynges kneling to Iesu
But for al þis precious presentes our lord prince Iesus
was noþer kyng ne conquerour til he comsed wexe
yn þe manere of a man & þat by myche sleithe
as hit bicomeþ for a conquerour to conne many sleythus
and many wiles & wit þat wol be a ledere
and so dide Iesus in his dayes who-so durste tellon hit
som tyme he soffred & som tyme he hidde him
and som tyme he faught faste & fley othir-while
and som tyme he gaf goed · & grauntid hele bothe
lif & lyme as him luste he wroughte
as kynde is of a conquerour so comsed Iesu
Til he hadde alle hem þat he fore bledde
In his Iuuentee þis Iesus at iewene feste
Turned watur in-to wyn as holy writ tellith
and þere bigan god of his grace to do welle
For wyn ys lyknedC to lawe & lif-holinesse
and lawe lackid tho for men loued not her enemyes
and crist counseleth þus & comandith bothe
To lered & lewedT to loue here enemyes
So at þe feste first as y bifore tolde
Bigan god of his grace & godnesse to do welle
and þo was he cleped & cald not only crist but Iesu
a fauntekyn ful of wit filius marie
for bifore his moder marie made he þat wonder
þat þeT first & formest sholde ferme bileue
þat he þorgh grace was gete & of no gome elles
he wroughte þat by no wit bot þorgh word one
After þe kynde þat he cam of þere comsed he do welle
and when he was woxon more in his moder absence
he made lame to lepe & ȝaf sight to blynde
and fedde with two fisshes & fyue loues
sore afyngred folk mo þen fyue thousand
þus he counfortid carfole & caughte a grettere name
þe which was dobet where þat he wente
and alle he helid & halpe þat him of grace askid
and þo was he cald yn contray of þe comune peple
For þe dedes þat he dide fili dauid Iesus
For dauid was þe doughtiest of dedes in his tyme
þe buyrdes tho songe saul interfecit mille & dauid decem milia
for-þi þe contre þere Iesu cam calde him fili dauid
and nempnid him of nazareth & no man so worthi
To be kaiser or king of þe kingdom of iuda
Ne ouer iewes iustise · as Iesus was hem thoughte
her-of hadde cayphas enuye & oþer iewes
and for to do him to deth day & nyght þei caston
and kildon him on cros wise at caluarie on a friday
and sithon buriodon his body & bedon þat men sholde
kepon hit from nyght comeres with knyghtes armed
for no frend sholde hit fecche for prophetes hem tolde
þat · þat blessid body of buriels sholde arise
and gon in-to galilee & gldon / gl[a]don his apostles
and his moder marie thus men afore deuyned
þe knyghtes þat kepton hit biknewon hem seluon
þat angels & archaungels or þe day spronge
comon kneling to þat cors and songon
CChristus resurgens & hit aroes after
verray man bifore hem alle & forth with hem ȝede
þe iewes preyed hem of pees & preyde þe knyghtes
telle þe comune þat þer cam acompany / a company of his apostles
and bywicched hem as þey woke & a-way stelon hit
But marie maudeleyn mette him by þe weye
Goynge toward galile in god-heed & in manheed
a-lyue & lokyng & a-loud cried
yn vch a company þere she cam Christus resurgens
þus cam hit out þat crist ouercam rekeuered & lyuede
For þat a womman woet hit may not wel be counselle
Petur perceyued al this & pursued aftir
Bothe Iames & Iohan Iesu to seke
Tadee & ten mo with thomas of ynde
and as alle þes wise wies wern to-gidres
yn an hous al by-shut · and her dore barred
Crist kam yn & al closed bothe dore & ȝates
To petur & hise Apostles & saide pax vobis
and toek Thomas by þe hond & taught him to grope
and fele with his fyngres his flesshlich herte
Thomas towchid hit & with his tonge saide
Cdominus meus & deus meus
þow art my lord y bileue god lord Iesu
dyedest & deth tholedest and deme shalt vs alle
and now art lyuynge & lokynge & laste shalt euere
Crist Carped þenne & Corteislich saide
Thomas for þow trowest this & trulich bileuest hit
yblessed mote þow be & be shalt for euere
and yblessed mote þey be in body & in soule
þat neuere shal see me yn sight as þow seest nouthe
and lellich bileuen al this · y loue hem & blesse hem
CBeati qui non viderunt & crediderunt
¶ and when this dede was doen dobest he þowghte
and ȝaf pers power & pardoun he grauntid
To alle manere men mercy & forȝifnes
yn couenaunt þat þei come & knowlechid to paie
To pers pardoun þe ploughman Redde quod debes
þus haþ pers power be his pardown paid
To bynde & vnbynde · bothe here & elles
and assoile men of alle synnes saue of dette one
he wente & woneth þere · & wol come at þe laste
Paieth perfitly as puyr truthe wolde
and what persone paieth hit not punyshon he thenketh
and demen hem at domes-day bothe quyke & de / de[de]
the gode to godhede & to gret ioye
and wicked to wonye yLX woo with-owton ende
Thus conscience of crist & of þe cros carped
and counseled me to knele þerto & þenne cam me þought
Oen spiritus paraclitus to pers & to his felawes
yn liknes of alightþing / a light þing · a-lighte on hem alle
and made hem conne & knowe alle kynne langages
ywondred / y wondred what þat was & waggid conscience
and was a-ferd for þe light for in fuyres liknes
CSpiritus paraclitus ouersprad hem alle
Quod conscience & knelid þis is cristes messangere
and cometh fro þe grete god grace ys his name
knele now quod conscience & yf þou canst synge
welcome him & worship him with veni creator spiritus
and y sang þat song & so dide many hondred
and criedon with conscience helpe vs god of grace
and thenne bigan grace to go with pers þe ploughman
and counseiled him & conscience þe comune to sompne
For y wol dele to-day & dyuyde grace
to alle kuneLX creatures þat can his fyue wittes
Tresour to lyue by to her lyues ende
and wepene to fighte with þat wol neuere faile
For antecrist & hise al þe world shal greue
and a-combre þe conscience bot yf crist þe helpe
shal come & be curatoures ouer kynges & erles
and þenne shal pruyde be pope & prince of holichurch
Coueytise & vnkyndenes cardinals him to lede
For-thi quod grace ar y go y wol gyue ȝou tresour
and wepene to fighte with when antecrist ȝou assaillith
and gaf vch man a grace to gye with him seluon
þat ydolnes encombre hem not ne nuye ne pruydeT
diuisiones graciarum sunt
som men he ȝaf wit with wordes to sheweC
To wynne with truthe þat þe world asketh
as prechoures & prestes & prentises of lawe
þey lelly to lyue by labour of tonge
and by wit to wisson othir as grace hem wolde teche
and somme he kenned hem craft & connyng of sight
with sullyng & buggyng her byleue to wynne
and somme he lerid to laboure · on lond & on watur
and lyue by þat labour aleel / a leel lif & a trewe
and somme he taughte to tulie to teche & to coke
as her wit wolde when þe time come
and somme to deuyne & diuyde · nombres to kenne
and to compace & coloures to make
and somme to see & to saie what shold bifalle
bothe of wele & of wo and be ywar bifore
as astromyens þorgh astronomye & philosophres wise
and somme to ride · & som to rekeuere þat vnrightfullich was wonne
he wissed men wynne hit aȝen þorgh whitnesLX of handes
and fecchon hit fro fals men with foleuyle lawes
and somme he lerid to lyue in longyng to be hennes
yn pouerte & in pacience to preye for alle cristene
and alle he lerid to be lele & vch a craft loue othir
Ne noen bost ne debate be among hem alle
þough somme be clennere þen somme ȝe sen wel quod grace
þat alle craft & connyng cam of my ȝifte
loke þat noen lacke othir bot louyethC as breþeren
and þat most maistries can be myldiste of beryng
and crouneth concience king & makith craft ȝour stiward
and after craftes counsel clothith ȝou & fedith
For y make pers þe ploughman my procuratour & my reue
Cand registrer to resceyuon redde quod debes
My prowor & my ploughman pers shal be on erthe
and forto tulie truthe ateme / a teme shal he haue
grace pers a temeT foure grete oxon
þat on was luk alarge / a large best & a low cherid
& mark & mathew þe thridde myghti bestes bothe
and ioyned to hem oen Iohan most gentille of alle
þe pris neet of pers plough passing alle other
and sithe grace of his godnesse gaf pers foure stottes
al þat his oxes erede þey harowed after
Oen hette austyn & ambrose anothir
Gregory þe grete clerk & Ierom þe gode
þise foure þe faith to teche folowed pers teme
and harwed in an hand-while al holy scripture
with two aithes þat þei hadde an old & a newe
Cid est vetus testamentum & nouum
and grace gaf pers graynes cardinals vertues
and sowe hit in mannes soule & sithe he tolde her names
þat who so eet þat ymagine he sholde
ar he dide any dede · deuyse wel þe ende
Cand lered men a ladel · bugge with a long stale
þat caste for to kele a crocke · & saue þe fatte aboue
þe seconde setheT highte spiritus temperancie
he þat eet of þat seed hadde such a kynde
sholde neuere mete ne myschef maken him to swelle
CNe sholde no scornere out of skile him bringe
wastenT word of ydelnes ne wicked speche meue
sholde no curious cloth comon on his rugge
Ne no mete in his mouth · þat maister iohan spised
and who-so eet of þat seed hardy was euere
CTo soffre al þat god sente siknes & angres
Mighte no liare with lesinges · ne los of wordlyLX catelle
maken for eny mornyng þat he ne was murye in soule
bold & a-biding bismeres to soffre
and pledidT al with pacience · and parce michi domine
and keuered him vnder counsel of catoun þe wise
CEsto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique
¶ The ferthe seed þat pers sew was spiritus iusticicie / iusticie
and he þat eet of þat seed sholde be euene trewe
with god & not a-gast bot of gile one
For gile goth so priueily þat good faith oþerwhile
May not be aspied þorgh spiritus iusticie
Spiritus iusticie sparith not to spilleC
hem þat ben gulty · & forto corecte
þe kyng & þe kyng falle yn any a-gultT
To demon as a domesman adrad was he neuere
Noþer of duk ne of deth · þat he ne dide þe lawe
For present or for preyere or any prinses lettres
he dide equite to alle euenforth his knowyng
þes four sedes pers sew & sethon he dide hem harowe
with olde lawe & new lawe þat loue myght wex
among þes foure vertues · & vices destroyeC
For comunlich in contrayes cammokes & wedes
Fouleth þe fruyt in þe feld þere þey growe to-gidres
and so doth vices vertues for-thi quod pers
haroweth alle þat conneth kynde wit by counsel of þis doctoures
aȝenes þi graynes quod grace byginneth forto ripe
Ordeyne þe an hous pers to herborow ynne þi cornes
By god grace quod pers ȝe mot ȝiue tymbor
and ordeynon þat hous ar ȝe hennes wende
and grace gaf him þe cros with þe croune of þornes
þat crist vpon caluarie for mankynde on peyned
and of his baptem & blod þat he bledde on rode
he made amanere / a manere mortere & mercy hit highte
Cand wateled hit & walled hit with his peynes & his passioun
and of al holy writ he made arof / a rof after
and calde þat hous vnite holichurch on english
and when þis dede was don grace deuysed
acarte / a carte highte cristondom to carie hom pers sheues
and gaf him caples to his cart contricioun & confessioun
and made presthod hayward þe while him self wente
as wide as þe world ys with pers to tulie truthe
and þe lond of bileue · þen laweT of holichurche
Now ys pers þe ploughmanT · pruyde hit aspied
and gaderid him agret / a gret ost greue he thenketh
Conscience & alle cristene & cardinal vertues
Blowe hem down & breke hem · & bite atwo þe mores
and his spie spilleloue / spille loue oen speke euel bihinde
þise two cam to conscience & to cristene peple
and tolde hem tithinges · þat tyne þei sholde þe sedes
þat sire pers sew þe cardinal vertuesT
and pers berne worth broke & þei þat ben in vnite
shal come out & conscience & ȝour two caples
Confessioun & contricioun & ȝour cart þe bileue
þat conscience shal not knowe by contricioun
Ne by confessioun who is cristene or hethonT
Ne no manere marchant þat with money delith
wher he wynne with right with wrong or with vsur
with such coloures & queyntises cometh pruyde armed
with þe lord þat liueth after þe lust of his body
To waston on welfare · and in wicked kepyng
al þe world in a while · þorgh our wit quod pruyde
¶ Quod conscience to alle cristene þo · my counsel ys we wende
hastilich to vnite · & holde we vs þere
preie we þat pes were in pers berne þe ploughman
For weturly ywot / y wot wel we be not of strengthe
To gon agayn pruyde · bot grace were with vs
and þenne cam kynde wit concience to teche
and cried & comaundide alle criston peple
To deluon a dich depe a-boute vnite
þat holichurch stod in holinesse as hit were a poleT
Conscience comaundid þo alle cristen to delue
and make a myche mote þat myghte be a strengthe
To helpe holichurch & hem þat hit kepith
þenne alle kynne cristone saue comune wymmen
and a sisour & a sompnour þat wern forsworn ofte
wetinge & wilfully with þe fals þei heldon
and for suluer wern forswore sothly þei wyston hit
þere ne was cristene creature þat kynde wit hadde
þat he ne halp a quantite holines to wexe
somme þorgh bedes bidding · & by pilgrimages
or othir priue penaunses & somme þorgh pens deling
and þenne welled watur for wicked werkes
Egorlich ernyng out at mennes yes
Clannes of þe comune & clerkes clene lyuyng
Made vnite holichurche in holines stonde
y care not now quod conscience þogh pruyde come nouthe
þe lord of lust shal be ylet · al þis lente yhope / y hope
Cometh quod conscience ȝe criston & dyneth
þat han laboured lelly · al þis lenton tyme
here ys bred yblessed & godes body þere-vndor
Grace þorgh godes word gaf pers þe ploughman
power & myght to maken hit & men forto eton hit
yn help of her hele ones in a monthe
Or as often as þei haddon nede þo þat haddon payd
To pers pardoun þe ploughman · Redde quod debes
how quod al þe comune thow counseilest vs to ȝelde
al þat we owon any wyght ar þat we go to hosele
þat is my counsel quod conscience & cardinal vertues
Or vch man forȝiue othir & þat wol þe paternoster
CEt dimitte nobis debita nostra & cetera
and so to ben assoiled & sithon to ben hoseled
ȝe baw quod a breware ywol / y wol not be ruled
By Iesu for al ȝour ianglyng · after spiritus iusticie
Ne after conscience by crist y couthe selleT
Bothe dregges & draf & drawe at on hole
Thicke ale & thinne & þat is myn kynde
and not to hacke after holines hold þi tonge conscience
Of spiritus iusticie þow spekest myche yn ydel
Caitif quod conscience corsid wrecche
vnblessed art þow brewere · bot yf þe god helpe
Bot yf þow lyue by lore of spiritus iusticie
Bot conscience þi comune fodeT & cardinal vertues
Leue hit we ben lost boþe lif & soule
þenne ys manT lost quod a lewed vicary
I am a curatour of holichurch & kam neuere in my tyme
Man to me þat me couthe telle of cardinal vertues
or þat acountid conscience acockes / a cockes fethere or henes
I knew neuere cardinal þat he ne cam from þe pope
and we clerkes when þei come for her comunes paieth
For her pelure & palfrayes mete & peloures þat hem foloweth
þe comune clamat cotidie vch aman / a man to othir
Cþe contrey is þe corsedore þat cardinals cometh ynne
and þere þei liggeth & lenge most · leccherie þere regneth
For-þi quod þis vicary · by veray god ywolde / y wolde
þat no cardinal come among þe comune peple
Bot in her holines holdon hem stille
at auynovn among iewes cum sancto sanctus eris
or in Rome as her rule wolde · þe relikes to kepe
and þow conscience in kynges court & sholde neuere come þennes
and pers with his new plough & also his olde
Emperour of al þe world þat alle men wer cristene
and sowdith hem þat sleeth such as he sholde saue
But wel worth pers þe ploughman · þat pursueth god in doynges
CQui pluit super iustos & iniustos at ones
as bright as to þe beste man or to þe best womman
Right so pers þe ploughman payneth him to tulie
as wel for a wastour & forT a wenche of þe stues
as for him self & his seruantz saue he is furst yserued
so y-blessid be pers þe ploughman þat peyneth him to tulie
and trauaileth & tulieth for a traitour al-so sore
as for a trewe tidy man alle tymes y-lik
and worshepedC be he þat wroughte al bothe goed & wicke
and soffreþ þat synfol be til som tyme þat þei repente
and god amende þe pope þat pileth holichurcheC
and claymeth byfore þe kyng to be kepere ouer cristene
and countith not þggh / þ[o]gh cristene be kild & y-robbed
and fynde folk to fighte & cristene blod to spille
aȝen þe olde lawe & þe newe as luk berith witnes
CNon occides michi vindictam & cetera .
hit semeth by so him self hadde his wille
him recketh right nought {nought} of þe remenant
and crist of his cortesie þe cardinals saue
and torne her wit to wisdomC & to wel for þe soule
For þe comune quod þis curatour counton fol lytol
þe counsel of conscience or cardinal vertues
Bot yf þey soune as by sight somwhat to wynnyng
Of gile ne of gabbynges gyueth þei neuere tale
For spiritus prudencie among þe peple ys gile
and alle þo faire vertues as vises þei semeth
For vch man sotileth aP sleithe synne to huyde
and coloureth hit for a connyng & a clene lyuyng
¶ þenne lough þere alord / a lord & by þis light saide
I halde TRight & resoun of my reue to take
al þat myn auditour or elles my stiward
Counseleth me by her acounte & my clerkes writing
and with spiritus fortitudinis fecche hit wol he nyl he
and þenne cam þere akyng / a kyng & by his corone saide
y am kyng with corone þe comune to rule
and holy churche & clergie forT corsed men to defendon
and if me lackith to lyue by þe lawe wol þat y take hit
Cþere y may hastilokest hit haue for y am hed of lawe
and ȝe ben bot membres & y aboue alle
and sithe y am ȝouraller / ȝour aller heed · yam / y am ȝour aller hele
and holichurche chef help & cheueteyn of þe comune
and what ytake / y take of ȝou to ytake / y take hit at þe teching
so y may baldely be hoseled · for I bowe neuere
Ne craue of my comune bot as my kynde asketh
yn condicioun quod conscience þat þow þe commne / com[u]ne defende
and rule þi reme in resoun right wel & in truthe
þat þou haue al thin askyng as þi lawe asketh
þe vicary hadde fer hom & fair toek his leue
and y awakned þerwith & wrot as me mette
Iewes vnder tribute
nota
nota
þe Madens
or biriydes
or biriydes
nota
nota ·
nota
false prophetes ·
Antichrist þe
pope .
Covetyse .
nota
The Evangelistes ·
The Doctors .
prudence .
Temporance
fortytude .
vnytie
pryde
nota
nota
A baudy
Bruer ·
Bruer ·
A vile
vicare
vicare
Lecherye regneth
wher Cardynals
dwell . /
wher Cardynals
dwell . /
the Kinge is
above his Lawe .
above his Lawe .
yet ounder
þe rigore
of þe lawe
by reprihension
as Nathan
rebucked
Dauid .
þe rigore
of þe lawe
by reprihension
as Nathan
rebucked
Dauid .
Christ betokneth
conqueror · C
conqueror · C
without the cros
no Crowne .
no Crowne .
Ihesus A
Sauioure
Sauioure
nota
peter
preachers prestes
and lawyers lyve by
labor of tonge
and lawyers lyve by
labor of tonge
The ploughman
the worlds
Stuarde
the worlds
Stuarde
nota peers the deuins p[…]C
Iustyce .
nota ·
the pope shold
save .
save .
the popes vyces .
Iesus