Passus Octauus vt prius & . cetera
ych haue an halfacre to erie by þe hy-waye
hadde . I · eried þis halfaker · & ysowe hit after
y wolde wende with ȝou · & þe way teche
þat were along / a long lettyng quod alady / a lady yn a sclayre
what sholde we wymmen worche þe whiles
y pray ȝow for ȝour profit quod pers to þe ladies
and ȝe worthilyLX wymmen with ȝour long Fyngres
þat ȝe on selk & on sendel to sewT when tyme ys
Chesibles for chapeleyns · chirches to honoure
wyues & wedowes wolle & Flex spinneth
Conscience counseileth ȝou cloth forto make
For profit of þe pore and plesaunce of ȝour-seluen
For y shal lene hem liflode · but þe lond faile
as longe as y lyue for lordes loue of heuene
and alle manere men þat by þe molde ys susteyned
helpeth him worche wittilich · þat wynneth ȝour fode
By crist quod a knyght tho he kenneth vs þe beste
But on temeT truly taught was y neuere
y wolde y coude quod þe knyght by crist & his moder
y wolde assaie somtyme · for solas as hit were
¶ Sikerlich sire knyght saide pers þenne
y shal swynke & swete & sowe for vs bothe
and laboure for þo þou louest al my lif-tyme
yn couenaunt þat þou kepe · holy kirke & my-selue
Fro wastoures & fro wicked men · þat þis world struyen
and go hunte hardilich to hares & to foxes
To beres & to buckes · þat brekon adown myn hegges
and affaite thine Faucones to kille þe wilde foules
For þei cometh to my croft my corn to defoule
¶ Curteislich þe knyght þenne · comsed þise wordes
By my power pers y plighte þe my truthe
To defende þe yn faith fighte þogh y sholde
¶ and ȝut apoynt / a poynt quod pers y pray ȝou of more
Loke ȝe tene no tenaunt but truthe wole assente
and when ȝe amercien any man · lat mercy be taxour
and Mekenes þi maistur maugre mede chekes
and þough pore men profre ȝou presentes & ȝiftes
Nyme hit not an auntur þou mowe hit not deserue
For þou shalt ȝeldon hit so may be or sumdel abiggen hit
Misbede not þi bonde-men þe bet may þe spede
þough he be here þin vnderlyng yn heuen perauntur
he worth rathir resceyued · & reuerentleker sitte
CAmice ascende superius & cetera
¶ At churche yn þe charnelle · cherles arn euel to knowe
Or a knyght or a knaue · or a queen fram a quene
hit bycometh to þe knyght to be curteys & hende
Trewe of þi tonge & tales loth to here
Bot þey be of bounte of bounte of batailes or of truþe
holde not wiþ none harlotes ne here not here tales
For hit ben þe deueles dissoures · to drawe men to synne
Ne counturplede not conscience ne holichurch rightes
y assent by seynt Gile saide þe knyght þenne
Forto worche by þi wit & my wif bothe
and y shal apparaile me quod perkyn yn pilgrimes wedes
and wende with alle þo þat woldon lyue yn truthe
and caste on him his clothes of alle kynne craftes
his cokeres & his cuffes as kynde wit him taughte
and heng his hopur on his hals yn stide of a scrip
a busshel of bredcorn · brought was þerinne
For y wole sowen hit my-self · and sithe wol y wende
To pilgrimages as palmeres don pardoun to wynne
and helpe my cultur to kerue · & clanse þe forowes
and alle þat helpon me to ere · or elles to wede
shal haue leue by our lord · to go & glene after me
and maken him murie þerwith · maugre who bygroccheþ hit
and alle kynne crafty men · þat conne lyue in truthe
y shal fynde hem fode þat faiþfullich liuen
¶ Saue Iacke þe iogelour & Ionet of þe stuyues
and daniel þe dees pleyer · and denote þe baude
& frere faytour & folk of þat ordreC
þat loleres & losels lele men holdeth
and robyn þe ribauder for his rousty wordes
Truthe tolde me ones · & bad me telle hit forthere
For holy churche ys hote · of hem no tiþe to take
CEt cum iustis non scribantur
Dame worche when tyme ys · PersesT wif highte
his doughtur highte do right so · or þi dame shal þe bete
his sone hight soffre · þi souereynes haue her wille
deme hem not yf þow dest · þou shalt hit dere abigge
Counsaile not so þe comune þe kyng to displese
Ne hem þat han lawes to loke · lakke hem not y þe hoteT
Lat god worþe wiþal · as holywrit / holy writ techeth
CSuper Cathedram moisi Sedent & cetera .
Maistres as þe maires ben and grete men senatoures
what þei comaunde as by þe kyng counturplede hit neuere
al þat þey hoton y þe hoteT hilich þow soffre hem
Omnia que dicunt facite & seruate
ac after her doyng ne do þow not my dere sone quod pers
For now y am old & hoer and haue ȝofT myn owne
To penaunces & to pilgrimages y wol passe wiþ þis oþere
For-þi y wole ar y wende do write my byqueste
he shal haue my soule þat alle soules made
and defendon hit as fro þe feend & so ys my bileue
Til y come to hise acountes · as my crede telleth
To haue a remissioun & a relees · on þat rental y leue
þe churche shal haue my caroyne · & kepe my bones
For of my corn & my catelle · he craued my tithe
y paide hit prestly for perel of my soule
he ys holdynge y hope · to haue me yn his masse
and menge me in his memory amonges alle cristene
My wyf shal haue of þat y wan · of truthe & no more
and delen hit amonges my doughteres · & my dere childron
For þough y dye to-day · my dette y quyted
¶ y baer hoem þat y borowed · asT y to bedde ȝede
and with þe residue & þe remenant by þe rode of lukes
I wol worshipe þerwith truthe al my lyue
and ben a pilgrim at þe plough for profit to pore & riche
Now is perkyn & þis pilgrimes · to þe plough faren
To erien þis halfaker holpen him manye
Dykers & delueres diggedon vp þe balkes
þere-with was perkyn apayd · and paide hem wel her huyre
Othir werkmen þere wern þat wroughton ful ȝerne
and somme to plese perkyn · afelde · pykede wedes
and atT hi prime pers leet þe plough stande
and ouersay him-selue · who-so beste wroughte
he shulde be huyred þerafter · when heruest tyme come
¶ And þenne seton somme & songon at þe ale
and holpon to erie þis halfaker · with hey trolly lolly
þenne quodT pers þe ploughman al in puyr tene
but ȝe arise þe rathir & rape ȝou to worche
shal no grayn þat here groweth gladon ȝou at nede
and þough ȝe dye for deul þe deuel haue þat recche
þo wern faitoures aferd · & fayned hem blynde
and maden her mone to pers · how þey may not worche
and we praye for ȝou pers & for ȝour plough bothe
þat god for his grace ȝou / ȝour grayn multiplie
and ȝelde ȝou of ȝour almesse þat ȝe ȝiuen vs here
we may nothir swynke ne swete such siknes vs aileþ
Ne none lymes to laboure with · lord god we þonketh
ȝour preyeres quod pers & ȝe perfit wern
Mighte helpe as y hope · but hi truthe wolde
Þat no faitrie wer founde yn folk þat goth a-beggyng
ȝe ben wastoures y woet wel & waste & deuovron
þat lele landtilyngC men · leelly byswynken
andT truthe shal teche ȝou · his teme to driue
Or ȝe shal ete barly breed & of þe broek drinke
But yf he be blynd or brokelegged · or boltid wiþ yron
such pore quod pers shal parte with my godes
Both of my corn & of my cloþ to kepe hem fram defaut
and ankeres & heremites þat eton but at nones
and freres þat flateron not & pore folk sike
what y and myne wol fynde hem · þat hem nedeth
¶ Thenne gan wastour to wrath him · & wolde haue yfoughte
and to pers þe ploughman profred to fighte
a bretouner cam braggyng · he bostid pers also
wole þow nele þou quod he · we wolon haue our wille
and þi flour & þi flesh fecche when vs liketh
and maken vs mury þerwith maugre who bygroccheþ hit
¶ Pers þe ploughman þo pleyned him to þe knyght
To kepe him & his catel · as comenantLX was bytwixon hem
awreke me of þes wastoures þat maketh þis world dere
þey acounteþ not of curssynges ne holi church not dredith
For þere worth no plente quod pers · and þe plough ligge
Curteislich þe knyght þenne as his kynde wolde
warnede wastour & wissede him bettere
Or y shal bete þe by þe laweC & bringe þe yn stockes
y was not woned to worche quod wastour & now wol y not byginne
and leet light of þe lawe · & lasse of þe knyght
and sette pers at a pesC · to pleyne him where he wolde
¶ Now by crist quod pers þe ploughman · y shal apeyre ȝou alle
and houped aftir hungur · þat herde him at þe firste
y preye þe quod pers þo · pur charite sire hungur
awreke me of þis wastoures · for þe knyght wol not
hungur yn hast þo · hente wastour by þe mawe
and wrong him so by þe wombe · þat al watured his yes
he buffetid þe bretownere aboute þe chekes
þat he loked lik a lanterne · al his lyf after
Ne hadde pers with a pese laf preyd him byleueLX
haue mercy on hem hungur quod pers & lat me ȝiue hem benes
and þat was bake for bayard hit · may be here bote
¶ þo wern faitoures a-ferd & flowen yn-to pers bernes
and flappedon on wiþ flayles fro morwen til euon
þat hungur was not hardy on hem forto loke
For a potful of potage þat perses wif made
anheep / an heep of heremytes henton hem spades
Spitten & spradde donge yn despit of hungur
þey coruen here copes · and courtepies hem made
and wenton as werkmen to wedyng & to mowyng
al for drede of here deth such dyntes ȝaf hungur
Blynd & brokelegged he botenede a thowsande
and lame men he lechid · with longes of bestes
Prestes & othir peple toward pers þey drowe
and freres of alle þe fyue ordres · alle for feer of hungur
For þat was bake for bayard · was bote for many hungry
Drosenes & dregges · drinke for many beggeres
þere was no ladde þat lyuede · þat ne lowed him to pers
To be his holde hewe · þowgh he hadde no more
But liflode for his laboure & his loue at nones
¶ þo was pers proud & potte hem alle at werke
yn daubyng yn deluyng · yn donge afeld bering
yn þresshing in þeching · yn thwyting of pynnes
yn al kynne trewe craft þat man couthe deuyse
was no beggere so bold but yf he blynd were
þat durste with-sitte þat pers saide for feer of sire hungur
and ȝaf hem mete & mone as þei myghte deserue
¶ þo hadde pers pite vpon al pore peple
and badC hungur yn hast hie him out of cuntre
hoem ynto his owne ȝerd · & halde him þere euere
y am wel awroke of wastoures þorgh þi myght
and y preye þe quod pers hungur ar þow wende
Of beggeres & bidders · what best be to done
For y woet wel be hungur went worchon þei woln ful ille
Mischef hit maketh þei ben so meke nowthe
and for defaut þis folk foloweth myn hestes
hit is not for loue leue hit þey laboure þus faste
But for feer of famyn · in faith saide pers
þer is no filial loue with þis folk for al here fair speche
and hit arn my blody breþeren · for god bought vs alletruthe taught
Truthe taught me ones · to loue hem vchone
&T To helpe hem yn alle thing ay as hem nedeth
Now wolde y wyte ar þow wendest · what were þe beste
how y myghte amaister hem · to loue & to laboure
For here liflode lere me now sire hungur
¶ Now herkene quod hungur & holde hit for a wysdom
Bolde beggeres & bigge þat mown here bred byswynke
with houndes bred & horsbred · hele hem when þey hungren
abaue hem wiþ benes · for bollyng of here wombe
and yf þe gromes grocche · bidde hem go & swynke
and he shal soupe swetture when he hit hath deserued
and yf þow fynde any folk · þat false han apeyred
Counforte hem with þi catelle · for so comaundeþ truthe
Loue hem & leue hem · and so lawe of kynde wolde
Alter alterius onera portate & . cetera .
yn meschef or in male-ese & þou mowe hem helpe
Loke by thi lyue · lat hem not forfare
yf þow hast wonne ought wickedlich · wislich despende hit
Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis
Might y synneles do as þou saist saide pers þe ploughman
ȝe y byhote þe quod hungur · or elles þe bible lieth
Go to oure bygynnyng · þo god þe world madeC
C¶ as wise men han wreton & as witnessith Genesis
þat saith with swynk & with swoet & swetyng face
Bytulie & bytrauaile · truly our liflode
CIn sudore & labore vultus tui vesceris pane tuo
and salamon þe sage with þe same acordeth
þe slowe kaitif for colde he wolde no corn tulie
yn somer for his sleuthe he shal haue defaut
CPiger propter frigor noluit arare mendicabitur / mendicabit in hieme & non dabitur ei
Mathew maketh mencioun · of a man þat lente his suluer
To þre manere men & menyng þei sholdon
Chaffare & cheue þerwith · yn chele & yn hete
and he þat best laboureth · best ys alowed
and leders for her labouryng ouer al þe lordes godes
andT he þat was a wrecche & wolde not trauayle
þe lord for his lachesse & his lithir sleuthe
þat lelly hadde ylaboured & þenne þe lord saide
he þat hath shal haue & helpe þere him liketh
and he þat nought hath shal nought haue
and no man ȝut him helpe
and þat he weneth wel to haue y wole hit him byreue
and lo what þe sauter saith · to swynkers wiþ handes
y-blessid be alle tho þat here byleue byswynketh
þorgh any leel labour as þorgh lymmes & handes
CLabores manuum tuarum quia manducabis & . cetera .
þat her liflode be lene · & lyte worth her clothes
By crist quod pers þe ploughman · þis prouerbes wol y shewe
To beggeres and to boyes · þat loth ben to worche
ac ȝut y pray ȝou quod pers pur charite sire hungur
yf ȝe kan or knowe · eny kynne thinges of fisik
For somme of my seruauntes · & my-selue bothe
Of al a wouke worche not so oure wombe greueth
y woet wel quod hungur what siknes ȝou aileth
ȝe han maunged ouermyche þat makeþ ȝou to be sik
and sende þe of his saus to sauere with þi lippes
at noen ne at noenLX tyme · and namelich at þe soper
Lat not sire surfet sitton at þi borde
and loke þow drinke no day · ar þow dyne sumwhat
and þenke þat diues for his delicat lyf to þe deuel wente
¶ and lazar þe lene beggere þat longed aftir crommes
and ȝut hadde he ese · not for y hungur kilde himT
and sithen y say him sitte as he a sire were
yn al manere ese yn Abrahammes lappe
and yf þow haue powerT · pers y þe rede
alle þat grat in þi gate for godes loue after fode
Parte with hem of þi payn · of potage or of sowel
Leue hem sum of þi loef · þough þow þe lasse chewe
¶ And þough lyares & lach-draweres & lolleres knocke
Lat hem a-bide til þe borde be drawe · & bere hem none crommes
Til alle þin nedy neyghbores · haue noen ymaked
yf þow diete þe þus y dar legge myn eres
Cþat fisik shal his forred hodes · for his fode selle
and his cloke of calabre · for his comunes legge
and be fayn by my faith · his fisik to lete
and lerne to laboure with lond · last liflode hem faile
þere arn many lithir leches · but lele leches fewe
¶ By seint poul quod pers · þow poyntest ny þe sothe
and lellich saist as y leue · lord hit þe forȝelde
wende nowthe when þow wolt & wel þow be euere
For þou hast wel a-wroke me · & also wel ytaught me
y bihote þe hungurT þat hennes ne wole y wende
ar y haue ydined by this day · & ydronke bothe
y haue no peny quod pers poletes forto bugge
Ne nothir goes ne gris · but two grene cheses
and fewe croddes & craym · & a kake of otes
and bred for my barnes · of benes & of peses
and ȝut y saide by my soule · y haue no salt bacoun
Ne no cokeney by crist · colopes to make62C
But y haue poret & plontesT persil & scalyounes
Chibolles and Chyriuille · & Cheries sam-rede
and a cow with a calf & a cart more
To drawe a-feld my donge þe while þe drouth lastith
and by þis liflode we mot lyue · til lowe-masse tyme
and by that y hope to haue heruest · yn my croftes
Thenne may dighteT þi dinere · as me dere liketh
al þe pore peple þo pese-coddes fette
Benes & Bakeapples / Bake apples · þey broughton yn herlappe / her lappe
and profred pers þis present to plese with hungur
¶ hungur eet al yn haest · and asked after more
pore folk for feer tho fedde hungur ȝerne
with craim & with croddes · with cresses & othir herbes
with þat hit neyghed ny heruest & new corn cam to cheping
and þenne wern folk Fayn · and fedde hungur deyntiflich
and thenne glotown with goed ale gart hungur slepe
and þo wolde wastour not worche but wandron aboute
Ne no beggere eton bred · þat benes ynne were
But of clermatyn and Coket & of clene whete
Ne noen halpeny ale · yn noen wise drinke
But of þe beste & of þe brounest · þat brewsteres sellon
Laborers þat han no land to lyue on · but here handes
May no penyale hem paye · ne no pece of bacoun
But hit be fresh flesh or fish · yfried or ybake
and ȝutT chaud & pluschaud for chillyng of his mawe
and but yf he be hilich y-huyred · elles wol he chide
and þat he was werkman ywrought · warion þe tyme
aȝenes catounes counsel comseth he to grocche
CPaupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento
¶ and thenne acorseþ he þe king · & alle þe kinges iustises
such lawes to lerne laborers to greue
and whiles hungur was her maister · þere wolde noen chide
Ne striue aȝenus his statut · he loked so sterne
andT y warne ȝou werkmen · wynneþ whiles ȝe mowe
he shal a-wake þorgh water wastoures to chaste
and ar fewe ȝeres be fulfilled · famyn shal arise
and so saith saturne · and sente vs to warne
þorgh flodes & þorgh foule wederes fruytus sholon faile
pruyde & pestilenses sholon myche peple fette
þre shipes & a shaef with an viii · folowyng
shal bringe bane & bataile · on bothe half þe mone
and þenne shal deth with-drawe · & derthe be Iustise
and dawe þe deluere deye for defaut
But god of his godnes graunte vs a trewe
meane
and gentill
women
liue by þe plowghe
and gentill
women
liue by þe plowghe
nota
nota
nota
Dyet
idelnes
causeth
Sicknes
mode
rat
labor
enimie
to phe
siscians
causeth
Sicknes
mode
rat
labor
enimie
to phe
siscians
A poore
dyeteC
dyeteC
nota bene propheci
nota
fryers & theire order
wiped out of gods
booke ·
wiped out of gods
booke ·
we must not do as they do but
as they saye
the clergie
teachethe
as they saye
the clergie
teachethe
England harboreth more
theues and beggers
then any countrie
theues and beggers
then any countrie
exemplatum vsque h[…]C
nota Brittaine shalbe / shal be bitten
with hungere when
the plouth shalbe / shal be
neclected by
inclosersC
with hungere when
the plouth shalbe / shal be
neclected by
inclosersC
hungers counsell
Almesse .
famyn through
floodes . /
floodes . /