Passus vndevicesimus & explicit dobet & incipit dobest
T Thus I awaked & wrote · what I had dremed
And diȝte me derely · & dede me to [kirke]T
To here holy þe masse · & to be houseled afterT
In myddes of þe masse · þo men ȝedeT to offrynge
I fel eftsones a-slepe · & sodeynly me metteT
That Pieres þe plowman · was paynted al blody
And come in with a crosse · bifor þe comune peple
And riȝte lyke in alle lymes · to owre lorde ihesu
AndT þanne called I conscience · to kenne me þe sothe
Is þis ihesus þe iuster quod I · þat iuwes did to deth
His coloures & his cotearmure · acT he þat cometh so blody
Is cryst with his crosse · conqueroure of crystene
¶ Why calle ȝe hym cryst quod I · sithenes iuwes calle[d]T hym ihesus
Patriarkes & prophetes · prophecyed bifore
Þat alkyn creatures · shulden knelen & bowen
Ergo is no name · to þe name of ihesus
Ne none so nedeful to nempne · by nyȝte ne by daye
For alle derke deuelles · aren adradde to heren it
And synful aren solaced · & saued bi þat name
And ȝe callen hym cryst · for what cause telleth me
Is cryst more of myȝte · & more worth[ier]T name
Þan ihesu or ihesus · þat al owre ioye come of
¶ Thow knowest wel quod conscience · and þow konne resoun
That knyȝte kynge conqueroure · may be o persone
To be called a kniȝte is faire · for men shal knele to hym
To be called a Kynge is fairer · for he may knyȝtes make
Ac to be conquerour called · þat cometh of special grace
And of hardynesse of herte · & of hendenesseT
To make lordes of laddesT · of londe þat he wynneth
And fre men foule thralles · þat folweth nouȝt his lawes
¶ The iuwes þat were gentil men · ihesu þei dispised
Bothe his lore & his lawe · now ar þei lowe cherlis
But vnder tribut & taillage · as tykes & cherles
And þo þat bicome crysten · by conseille of þe baptis[m]eT
Aren frankeleynes freT men · þorw fullyng þat þei toke
And gentel men with ihesu · for Ihesus was yfolled
And vppon caluarye on crosse · ycrouned kynge of iewes
¶ It bicometh to a Kynge · to kepe and to defende
And conquerour of conquest · his lawes & his largeT
And so ded Ihesus þe iewes · he iustified & tauȝte hem
Þe lawe of lyf · that last shal euere
And fro fendes þat in hem wasT [·] & fals bileue
Þo was he ihesus of iewes called · gentel prophete
And kynge of herT kyngdome · & croune bar of þornes
¶ And þo conquered he on crosse · as conquerour noble
Myȝt no deth hym fordo · ne adown brynge
That he ne arosT & regned · and rauysshed helle
And þo was he conquerour called · of quikke & of ded
For he ȝaf Adam & Eue · and other mo blisse
Þat longe hadde leyne bifore · as lucyferes cherles
And bonde [him] as [he is bounde]T · with bondes of yren
Who was hardier þanne he · hisT herte blode he shadde
To maken alle folke fre · þat folweth his laweT]
¶ And sith he [ȝiueth]T largely · alle his lele lyges
Places in paradys · at her partynge hennes
He may wel be called conquerour · & þat is cryst to mene
¶ Ac þe cause þat he cometh þus · with crosse of hisT passioun
Is to wissen vs þere-wyth · þat whan þatT we ben tempted
Þer-with to fyȝte & fendenT vs · fro fallyng in-to synne
And se bi his sorwe · þat who-so loueth ioye
To penaunce & to pouerte [·] he moste putten hym-seluen
And moche wo in þis worlde · willenT & suffren
¶ Ac to carpe more of cryst · and how he come to þat name
Faithly forto speke · his firste name was ihesus
Tho he was borne in bethleem [·] as þe boke telleth
And cam to take mankynde · kynges and aungeles
Angeles out of heuene · come knelyng & songe
Gloria in excelsis deo &c
¶ Kynges come after · kneled & offred
Mirre & moche golde · with-outen mercyT askynge
Or any kynnes catel · but knowlechyngT hym soeuereigne
Bothe of sondeT sonne & see · & sithenes þei went
In-to her kyngene kyth · by conseille of angelesT
And there was þat worde fulfilled · þe which þow ofT speke
Omnia celestia terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine Ihesu
For alle þe angeles of heuene · at his burth kneled
And al þe witte of þe worlde · was in þo þre kyngesT
Resoun & riȝtfulnesseT · & reuth þei offred
Wherfore & whi · wyse men þat tyme
Maistres & lettred men · Magy hem called
¶ That o kynge cam with resoun · keuered vnder sense
Þe secounde kynge sitthe · sothlicheT offred
Riȝtwisnesse vnder red golde [·] resouns felaweT
Golde is likned to leute · þat last shal euere
And resoun to riche goldeT · to riȝte & to treuthe
The þridde kynge þo cam · [and] knel[ed]T to ihesu
And presented hym with pitee · apierynge by myrre
For mirre is mercy to mene · & mylde speche of tonge
Þorw þre kynne kynges · knelynge to ihesu
¶ Ac for alle þise preciouse presentz [·] owre lorde prynce ihesus
Was neyther kynge ne conquerour · til he gan toT wexe
In þe manere of a man · & þat by moche sleight
As it bicometh a conquerour · to konneT many sleightes
And many wyles & witte · þat wil ben a leder
And so did ihesu in his dayes · who-so had tyme toT telle it
Sum-tyme he suffred · & sum-tyme he hydde hym
And sum-tyme he fauȝte faste · & fleigh otherwhile
And some-tyme he gaf good · & graunted hele bothe
Lyf & lyme · as hym lyste he wrought
As kynde is of a conquerour · so comsed ihesu
Tyl he had alle hem · þat he fore bledde
¶ In his iuuente þis ihesus · a[t]T iuwen feste
Water in-to wyn tournedT · as holy writ telleth
And þere bigan god · of his grace toT dowel
And lawe lakked þo · for men loued nouȝt her enemys
BotheT to lered & to lewed · to louye owre enemys
So atte festeT firste [·] as I bifore tolde
Bygan god of his grace [·] & goodnesse to dowel
And þo was he cleped & called [·] nouȝt holyT cryst but Ihesu
A faunt[k]ynT ful of witte · filius marie
Þat she furste & formest · ferme shuldeT bilieue
That he þorw grace was gete · & of no gome elles
He wrouȝt þat bi no witte · but þorw worde one
After þe kynde þat he come of · þere comsed he dowel
And whan he was woxen more · in his moder absence
He made lame to lepe · & ȝaue liȝte to blynde
And fedde with two fisshes · & with fyue loues
Sore afyngred folke · mo þan fyue thousande
Þus he conforted carfulT · & cauȝte a gretter name
Þe whiche was dobet · where þat he went
For defe þorw his doynges · & dombe speke [& herde]T
And alle he heled & halpe · þat hym of grace asked
And þo was he called in contre [·] of þe comune peple
For þe dedes þat he did · fili dauid ihesusT
For dauid was douȝtiestT · of dedes in his tyme
The berdes þoT songe · Saul interfecit mille · et dauid decem milia ·
For-þi þe contre þere ihesu cam · called hym fili dauid
And nempned hym of nazereth · & no man so worthi
To be kaisere or kynge · of þe kyngedome of iuda
Ne ouer iuwes iustice · as ihesus was hem þouȝte
AndT forto doun hym to deth · day & nyȝte þei casten
And sithen buryden his body · & beden þat men sholde
Kepen it fro niȝt-comeres · with knyȝtes yarmed
Þat þat blessed body · of burieles shulde riseT
And gone in-to galile · and gladen his apostles
And his moder Marie · þus men bifore demedT
Þat angeles & archangeles · ar þe day spronge
[Cristus resurgens · and he ros after]T
Verrey man bifor hem alle · & forth with hem ȝedeT
Telle þe comune þat þere cam · a compaignye of his aposteles
And bywicched hem as þei woke · & awey stolen it
¶ Ac Marie Magdeleyne · mette hym bi þe wey
Goynge toward galile · in godhed &T manhed
In eche a compaignye þere she cam · cristus resurgens
Þus cam it out þat cryst ouer-cam · rekeuered & lyued
Sic oportet cristum pati & intrare &c ·T
For þatT wommen witeth · may nouȝte wel be conseille
¶ Peter parceyued alT þis · & pursued after
Bothe iames & Iohan · Ihesu forT to seke
Tadde & ten mo · with Thomas of ynde
And as alle þise wise wyes · weren togideres
In an hous al bishette · & her dore ybarred
Cryst cam in & al closed · bothe dore & ȝates
To peter & to his aposteles · and seyde pax vobis
And toke Thomas by þe hande · and tauȝte hym to grope
And fele with his fyngres · his flesshelich herte
¶ Thomas touched it · & with his tonge seyde
Deus meus & dominus meusT
Thow art my lorde I bileue · god lorde ihesuT
Þow deydest & deth þoledest · and deme shalt vs alleT
And now art lyuynge & lokyngeT · & laste shalt euere
¶ Crist carped þanne · and curteislich seyde
Thomas for þow trowest þis · & trewliche bileuest it
Blessed mote þow be · & be shalt for euere
And blessed mote þeiT be · in body & in soule
That neuere shal se me in siȝte · as þow dosteT nouthe
And lellich bileuen al þis · I loue hem & blesse hem
Beati qui non viderunt [& crediderunt]T
¶ And whan þis dede was done · dobest he tauȝteT
And ȝaf Pieres power · and pardoun he graunted
To alle manereT men · mercy & forȝyfnes
In couenant þat þei come · & knewlecheT to paye
To pieres pardon þe plowman · redde quod debes
¶ Thus hath pieres powere · be his pardoun payed
And assoille men of alle synnes · saue of dette one
¶ Anone after an heigh · vp in-to heuene
He went & wonyeth þere · & wil come atte laste
AndT rewarde hym riȝte wel · þat reddit quod debet
Payeth parfitly [·] as pure trewthe wolde
And what persone payeth it nouȝt · punysshen he þinkethT
And demen hem at domes-daye · bothe quikke & dedT
Þe gode to þe godhede · & to grete ioye
And wikke[de]T to wonye · in wo with-outen ende
[¶]T Þus conscience of crist · & of þe crosse carped
And conseilled me to knele þer-to · & þanne come me þouȝte
One spiritus paraclitus · to Pieres & toT his felawes
In lyknesse of a liȝtnynge · heT lyȝte on hem alle
T And made hem konne & knowe · alkyn langages
[¶]T I wondred what þat was · & wagged conscience
And was afered ofT the lyȝte · for in fyres lyknesse
Spiritus paraclitus · ouer-spradde hem alle
¶ Quod conscience & kneled · þis is crystes messager
And cometh fro þe grete god · &T grace is his name
Knele now quod conscience · & if þow canst synge
Welcome hym & worshipe hym · with veni creator spiritus
And cryden with conscience · help vs god of grace
And þanneT bigan grace · to go with piers plowman
And conseilled hym & conscience · þe comune to sompne
Tresore to lyue by · to her lyues endeT
And wepne to fyȝte with · þat wil neure faille
For antecryst & his · al þe worlde shal greue
And acombre þe conscience · but if cryst þe helpe
¶ And fals prophetes fele · flatereres & glosers
Shullen come & be curatoures · ouer kynges & erlisT
Coueytyse & vnkyndenesse · cardinales hym to lede
For-þi quod grace er I go · I wil gyue ȝow tresore
And wepne to fiȝte with · whan antecryst ȝow assailleth
And gaf eche man a grace · to gyeT with hym-seluen
That ydelnesse encombre hym nouȝt · envyeT ne pryde
Diuisiones graciarum sunt &c ·
¶ SomeT he ȝaf wytte · with wordes to shewe
Witte to wynne her lyflode withT · as þe worlde asketh
As prechoures & prestes [·] & prentyce of lawe
Þei lelly to lyue · by laboure of tonge
And bi witte to wissen other · as grace hem wolde teche
¶ And some he kenned crafte · & kunnynge of syȝte
With sellyng & buggynge · her bylyfT to wynne
And some he lered to laboureT [· on londe and on water
And lyue by þat labour] · a lele lyf & aT trewe
And somme he tauȝte to tilie · to dyche & to theccheT
To wynne with her lyflode · by lore of his techyngeT
And some to dyuyne &T diuide · noumbres to kenne
And some to compas craftilyT · & coloures to make
And some to se & to saye · what shulde bifalle
Bothe of wel & of wo · telle it or it felleT
As Astronomyenes þorw astronomye · & philosophres wyse
TAnd fecchen it fro fals men · with foluyles lawes
In pouerte & in p[acie]nceT · to preye for alle crystene
And alle he lered to be lele · & eche a crafte loue other
And forbad hem alle debate · þat none were amonge hemT
Thowgh some be clenner þan somme · ȝe se wel quod grace
Þinketh alleT quod grace · þat grace cometh of my ȝifte
Loke þat none lakke other · but loueth alleT as bretheren
¶ And whoT þat moste maistries can · be myldest of berynge
And crouneth conscience kynge · & maketh crafte ȝowre stuward
And after craftes conseille · clotheth ȝow & fede
For I make Pieres þeT plowman · my procuratour & my reve
And Regystrere to receyue · redde quod debes
My proworT & my plowman · Piers shal ben on erthe
And for to tulye treuthe · a teme shal he haue
¶ Grace gaue Piers a teme · foureT gret oxen
Þat on was Luke a large beste · and a lowe-chered
And marke & mathew þe þrydde · myghty bestes bothe
And ioigned to hem one Iohan · most gentil of alle
Þe prys nete of Piers plow · passyng alle other
Al þat his oxen eryed · þey to harweT after
On hyȝte Austyne · & ambrose an other
Gregori þe grete clerke · & Ierome þe gode
Þise foure þe feithe to teche · folweth pieres teme
And harwed in an handwhile · al holy scripture
Wyth two [aithes]T þat þei hadde · an olde & a newe
Id est vetus testamentum & nouumT
TSpiritus prudencie · þe firste seed hyȝte
Ar he did any dede · deuyse wel þe ende
And lerned men a ladel bugge · with a longe stele
¶ The secounde seed hiȝteT [·] spiritus temperancie
He þat ete of þat seed · hadde suche a kynde
Shulde neuere mete ne [myschief]T · make hym to swelle
Ne sholde no scorner ne scoldeT · oute of skyl hym brynge
Ne wynnynge ne weltheT · of wordeliche ricchesse
Waste worde of ydelnesse · ne wykked speche meue
Shulde no curyous clothe · comen on hys rugge
Ne no mete in his mouth · þat maister Iohan spiced
¶ The thridde seed þat Pieres sewe · was spiritus fortitudinis
And who-so eet of þat seed [·] hardy wasT eure
To suffre al þat god sent · sykenesse & angres
Myȝte no lesynge[s] ne lyereT · ne losse of worldely catel
Maken hym for any mournynge · þat he nas merye in soule
And bolde & abydynge · bismeres to suffre
And pl[e]yethT al with pacyence · & parce michi domine
And coueredT hym vnder conseille · of catoun þe wyse
Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique
¶ The fierthe seed þat pieres sewe · was spiritus iusticie
And he þat eet of þat seed · shulde be euereT trewe
With god &T nouȝt agast · but of gyle one
For gyle goth so pryuely · þat good faith other-while
May nouȝte ben aspyed · forT spiritus iusticie
Hem þat ben gulty · & forto correcteT
Þe Kynge ȝif he falleT · in gylte or in trespasse
For counteth he no kynges wrattheT · whan he in courte sitteth
To demen as a domes-man · adradde was he neure
Noither of duke ne of deth · þat he ne dede þeT lawe
For present or for preyere · or any prynces lettres
He dede equite to alle · euene-forth his powereT
¶ Thise foure sedes pieres sewe · and sitthe he did hem harwe
Wyth oldeT lawe and newe lawe · þat loue myȝte wexe
Amonge þ[ise]T foure vertues · and vices destroye
¶T For comunelich in contrees · kammokes & wedes
Fouleth þe fruite in þe felde · þere þei growe togyderes
And so don vices · vertues worthyT
Quod Piers harweth alle þat kunneth kynde witte · bi conseille of þis doctours
And tulyeth after her techynge · þe cardinale vertues
¶ Aȝeines þi greynes quod grace · bigynneth for to ripe
Ordeigne þe an hous PiersT · to herberwe in þi cornes
¶ And grace gaue hym þe crosse · withT þe croune of þornes
That cryst vpon caluarye · for mankynde on pynedT
And of his baptesme & blode · þat he bledde on Rode
He made a maner morter · &T mercy it hiȝte
And þere-with grace bigan · to make a good foundement
And of al holywrit · he madeT a rofe after
And called þat hous vnite · holicherche on englisshe
And whan þis dede was done · grace deuised
A carte hyȝte cristendome · to carye [home] pieresT sheues
And gaf hym caples to his carte · contricioun & confessioun
And made presthode haywarde · þe while hym-self went
As wyde as þe worlde is · with pieres to tulye treuthe
[And þe [londe] of bileue · þe lawe of holychirche]T
¶ Now is Pieres to þe plow · &T pruyde it aspyde
And gadered hym a grete oest · to greuenT he þinketh
Conscience and al crystene · and cardinale vertues
Blowe hem doune & breke hem · & bite atwo þe moresT
And sent forth surquydou[re]sT · his seriaunt of armes
And his spye spille-loue · one speke yuel byhynde
Þise two come to conscience · and to crystene peple
And tolde hem tydynges · þat tyne þei shulde þe sedes
That Pieres þere hadde ysowen · þe cardynal vertuesT
And Pieres berne worth broke · & þei þat ben in vnite
Shulle come out &T conscience · & ȝowre two caples
Confessioun & contricioun · and ȝowre carte þeT byleue
Shal be coloured so queyntly · and keuered vnder owreT sophistrie
Þat consci[ence]T shal nouȝte · knowe by contricioun
Ne by confessioun · who is cristene or hethen
Ne no maner marchaunt · þat with moneye deleth
Where he wynne wyth riȝteT · with wronge or with vsure
¶ With suche coloures & queyntiseT · cometh pryde yarmed
With þe lorde þat lyueth after · þe luste of his body
Al þe worlde in a while · þorw owre witte quod pruyde
¶ Quod conscience to alle crystene þo · my conseille is toT wende
Hastiliche in-toT vnyte · & holde we vs þere
And preye we þat a pees were · in Piers berne þe plowman
For witterly I wote wel · we beth nouȝte of strengthe
T To gone agayne pryde · but grace were with vs
¶ And þanne cam kynde wytte · conscience to teche
And cryde & comaunded · al crystene peple
¶ Conscience comaunded þo · al crystene to delue
And make a muche mote · þat myȝte ben a strengthe
To helpe holycherche · & hem þat it kepeth
¶ Thanne alkyn crystene · saue comune wommen
Repenteden & refused synne · saue they one
And fals men flateresT · vsureres and theues
Lyeres and questmongeresT · þat were forsworen ofte
Wytynge and willefully · with þe false helden
And for syluer were forswore · sothely þei wist itT
¶ Þere nas no crystene creature · þat kynde witte hadde
Saue schrewes one · suche as I spak ofT
That he ne halpe a quantite · holynesse to wexe
And other pryue penaunceT · and some þorw penyes delynge
¶ And þanne welledT water · for wikked werkes
Egerlich ernynge · out of mennes eyen
Clennesse of þeT comune · & clerkes clene lyuynge
Made vnite holicherche · in holynesse to stondeT
[¶]T I care nouȝte quod conscience · þough pryde come nouthe
Þe lorde of luste shal be letted · al þis lente I hope
Comeþ quod conscience · ȝe cristene and dyneth
Þat han laboured lelly · al þis lente tyme
Here is bred yblessed · and goddes body þer-vnderT
Grace þorw goddes worde · gaue PieresT power
In helpe of her hele · onys in a moneth
Or as ofte as þey hadden nede · þo þat hadde ypayed
To pieres pardoun þe plowman · redde quod debes
¶ How quod al þe comune · þow conseillest vs to ȝelde
Al þat we owen any wyȝte · arT we go to housel
¶ That is my conseille quod conscience [·] & cardynale vertues
[Or]T vche man forȝyue other · and þat wyl þe pater noster
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra · &c ·
And so to ben assoilled · & sithen benT houseled
¶ Ȝe bawe quod a brewere · I wil nouȝt be reuled
Bi ihesu for al ȝowre ianglynge · withT spiritus iusticie
Ne after conscience by cryste · whil I canT selle
Bothe dregges & draffe · and drawe itT at on hole
Þikke ale and þinne ale · forT þat is my kynde
And nouȝte hakke after holynesse · holde þi tonge conscience
Of spiritus iusticie · þow spekest moche an ydelT
¶ Caytyue quod conscience · cursed wrecche
Vnblessed artow brewere · but if þe godT helpe
But þow lyue by loreT · of spiritus iusticie
Þe chief seed þat Pieres sewe · ysaued worstow neure
But conscience þe comune fedeT · and cardynale vertues
¶ Thanne is manyT man ylost [·] quod a lewed vycory
I am a curatour of holykyrke · and come neure in my tyme
Man to me þat me couthT telle · of cardinale vertues
I knewe neure cardynal · þat he ne cam fro þe pope
And we clerkes whan þey come · for her comunes payeth
For her pelure andT her palfreyes mete · & piloures þat hem folweth
Þe comune clamat cotidie · eche a man toT other
Þe contre is þe curseder · þatT cardynales come Inne
And þere they ligge and lenge mosteT · lecherye þere regneth
TFor-þi quod þis vicori · be verrey god I wolde
That no cardynal come · amonge þe comune peple
But in her holynesse · holdenT hem stille
At Auynoun amonge iuwesT · cum sancto sanctus eris &c
Or in Rome as here rule wole · þe reliques to kepe
And þow conscience in kynges courte · & shuldest neure come þennes
And grace þat þow gredest so of · gyourT of alle clerkes
Emperour of al þe worlde · þat alle men were cristene
¶ Inparfyt is þat pope · þat al pepleT shulde helpe
And sendeth hem þat sleeth suche · as he shulde saue
And wel worth piers þe plowman · þat [pur]suethT god in doyng
Qui pluit super iustos · & iniustos at ones
And sent þe sonne to saue · a cursed mannes tilthe
As bryȝte as to þe best man · &T to þe beste woman
Riȝte so Pieres þe plowman · peyneth hym to tulye
As for hym-self & his seruauntz · saue he is firste yserued
[So blessed be Pieres þe plowman · þat peyneth hym to tulye]T
And trauailleth & tulyeth · for a tretour also sore
As for a trewe tydy man · al tymes ylyke
And worshiped be he þat wrouȝte al · bothe good & wykke
And suffreth þat synful be · til some-tyme þat þei repente
And god amende þe pope · þat pileth holykirke
And cleymeth bifor þe kynge · to be keper ouer crystene
And counteth nouȝt þough crystene ben · culled & robbed
And fynt folke to fyȝte · and cristene blode to spille
Non occides michi vindictam &cT
And cryst of his curteisye · þe cardinales saue
For þe comune quod þis curatour [·] counten ful litel
Þe conseille of conscience · or cardinale vertues
But if þei sow[n]eT as by syȝte · somwhat to wynnynge
Of gyle ne of gabbynge · gyue þei neuere tale
For spiritus prudencie · amonge þe peple is gyle
And alle þo faire vertues · as vyces þei semeth
And coloureth it for a kunnynge · and a clene lyuynge
¶ Thanne loughe þere a lorde · & by þis liȝte sayde
I halde it ryȝte & resoun · of my reue to take
Al þat myne auditour [·] or elles my stuwarde
Conseilleth me by her acounte · & my clerkes wrytynge
And with spiritus fortitudinis · fecche [it] I woleT
¶ And þanne come þere a kynge · & bi his croune seyde
I am Kynge with croune · þe comune to reule
And holykirke & clergye · fro cursed men to defendeT
And if me lakketh to lyue by · þe lawe wil I take it
Þere I may hastlokest it haueT · for I am hed of lawe
ForT ȝe ben but membres · & I aboue alle
And sith I am ȝowre aller hed · I am ȝowre aller hele
And holycherche chief help · & chiftaigne of þe comune
And what I take of ȝow two · I take it atteT techynge
Of spiritus iusticie [·]T for I iugge ȝow alle
So I mayT baldely be houseled · for I borwe neuere
Ne craue of my comune · but as my kynde asketh