Incipit primus passus de dobest //
Then as I went by þe way / when I was th{u}vs awaked
hey{u}vy chered I yede / and elenge yn herte
I ne wyst where to eyte / ne yn what place
& yt nyghed nere þe none / & wythe nede I mette
that afro{u}vnted / me fo{u}vle / and sayto{u}vr / [f]aytour me called
kansthowe not exc{u}vse þe / as dyd þe kyng & other
that þou tooke to thye bylee{u}ve / to clothes & to sustenance
& by teachyng & tellyng / off spiritus temperancie//
and þou nome no more / then nede the taght
and nede ne hathe no lawe / & neuer shall fall yn dett
for thre thynges he takethe / hys lyffe for to sa{u}ve
that ys meyte when men yt warnethe / & he no money weldethe
ne no wyght wylbe / wyl be hys borowe / ne wedde hathe non to lygge
& he be kaght yn þat ca{as}ce / & come therto by sleyght
he synnethe not sothelyche / þat so wynnethe hys foode
& thoghe he come to a cloothe / & cane no better che{u}vysance
nede anon ryght / nymmethe hym vndre maynprysse
& yff hym lyst to lappe P the lawe off kynd wolde
that he dranke att eche dyche / or he for thr{u}vst dyed
so nede att greate nede / may nymmen as for hys owne
wythowte co{u}vnseale off conscyence / and cardynall wert{u}ves
so þat he sewe & sa{u}ve spiritus temperantie
for ys no wert{u}ve by farre to spiritus temperantie
nether spiritus fortitudinis ne spiritus Iustitie
for spiritus fortitudinis sufferethe full ofte
& beyte men ouer bytterly / & some off theym to lytle
and gree{u}ve men greater / then good faythe wolde
and spiritus iustitie shall I{u}vgge wyll or nyll he
after þe kynges co{u}vnseale / & þe com{u}vne lyke
and spiritus prudentie In manye a poynte shall fayle
off þat he wenethe wolde fayle / yff hys wytt ne were
wenyng ys no wyssdome / ne wyse ymagynatyon
homo proponit & deus disponit & gouernethe all good wert{u}ves
& as low as a lambe / for lacke off þat hym nedethe
wysse men forsoke wealthe for they wold be nedye
& woneden In wyldernes / & wold not be ryche
& god all thes greate Ioyes / goostlye he lafte
& came & toke mankynd / and bycame nedye
so nedy he was as seyethe the booke / yn manye sondr{e}ye places
that he seyede yn hys sorowe / on þe sel{u}ve roode .
bothe fox & fowle / may fle / & go
to hole & creepe
there nede hathe ynome me / þat I mot nede abyde
and suffer sorowes full sore / þat shall to Ioy torne
forthy be not abasshed / to byddeLX & to be nedye
sythe he þat wroght all the worlde / ys wylfullyche nedy
when nede had vndrenome me th{u}vs / anon I fell on slepe
& mette meruyo{u}vslyche / meruy[ll]ouslyche / þat yn mannes fo{u}vrme
C antecryst came then / & all the croppe off trewthe
torned vp so downe / & ouer-tylde the roote
yn eche contrey þer he came & cut a-way trewthe
& gerte gyle growe there / as he a god were
freres folowed þat fende / for he gave þem coopes
& relygyo{u}vse reuerenced hym / & rong þer belles
& all the co{u}vent forthe came / to welcome þat tyrant
& all thes as well as thes / sa{u}ve onelyche fooles
wyche fooles were le{u}vere / to dye then to ly{u}ve
lenger sythe lenten / was so sore rebuked
& a fal{s}ce frend antecryste ouer all folke reagned
defyed all falsne{s}ce / & folke þat ytt vsed
& what kyng þat þem conforted / knowyng þem any whyle
they c{u}vrsed all theyr co{u}vnseale / were yt clerk or lewde
antecryste had þus sone / h{u}vndrethes att hys banere
& pryde ytt bare / boldlye a-bovte
wyth a lorde þat ly{u}vethe after lykyng off hys b{.}odye
ouer kynd crysten / & cardynall wert{u}ves
In-to vnyte holy churche / and hold we vs there
& crye we to kynd / þat he come to defend vs
fooles fro þe feendes lymes / for pyers lo{u}ve þe plowman
& crye we to all þe communes / þat theye come to vnyte
and there abyde & byker / ageynst baylyalles chyldren
kynd conscyence tho harde / & came owte off þe planettes
& send forthe hys forr{u}vnners / fe{u}vers & fl{u}yxes
coghes & cardyacles crampes & tothehaches
byles & bocches / and brennyng ag{u}ves
fe{u}vers & fo{u}vle y{u}velles / forgoers off kynd
had yprycked & preyed / polles off the poeple
that largely a legyon / losten þeir ly{u}ve sone
ther was harrowe & helpe / here comethe kynde
wyth deathe þat ys dredfull / to vndone vs all
the lord þat ly{u}ved after l{u}vst / tho alowde cryed
after conforte a knyght / to come & beyre hys banere
alarum alarum quod þat lorde / eche man kepe hys owne
& þen mett þes men / er mynstrelles myght pype
as pockes & pestylence / & moche poeple shente
so kynd thrugh corr{u}vptyons / kylled full many
deathe came dry{u}vyng after / & all to d{u}vst passhed
kynges & knyghtes / kaysers & popes
lered ne lewde / he lett no man stande
many a lo{u}vely ladye / & lemmans off knygtes
swoned & swelted for / sorowe off deathes dyntes
conscyence off hys co{u}vrtysye / to kynd he besoght
to cesse & suffer / & se where they wolde
lea{u}ve pryde pry{u}vylye & be perfytt crystyen
& kynd ceassed tho / to see the poeple amend
fort{u}vne gan flateren / then / tho fewe þat were aly{u}ve
& byhyght theym long / ly{u}ve / & lechery he sent
amonges all maner / men wedded & vnwedded
and geydered a greate host / all agaynst conscyence
as wyth pry{u}vye speche / & paynted wordes
& armed hym yn Id{u}vlnes / & yn hyghe beyryng
he bare a bowe In hys hande / & many blodye arrowes
fethered wyth fayre speche / & many a fal{s}ce tre{u}vthe
wyth hys vntydye tales / he tened me full ofte
conscyence & hys company / off holy cherche þe teachers
then came co{u}vetyse & cast howe he myght
ouercome conscyence / & cardynall wert{u}ves
& armed hym yn a{u}varyse / and hongerlyche ly{u}ved
hys weypen was all wyles / to wynnen & hyden
wyth glosynges & gabbynges / he gyled the poeple
symony hym sent / to assayle conscyence
& preached to þe poeple / & prelates þei þem made
to holden wyth antecryste / theyr temperalytyes to sa{u}ve
& came to þe kynges co{u}vnseale / as a kene baron
& kneled to conscyence In co{u}vrte byfore þem all
& gert good faythe flee / and fal{s}ce to abyde
& boldlyche bare a-downe / wyth many a bryght noble
moche off þe wytt & wysdome / off westmynstre halle
& ouertylt all tre{u}vthe / wyth take þis to amendement
& to þe arches yn hast / he yede a-non after
& tourned cy{u}vyle to symonye / & sethe toke þe offycyall
for a mantell off myny{u}vere / he made leele matrymoynge
deperten ere deathe came / and dyuorse shapen
alas quod conscyence & cryed / tho wold god off hys grace
that co{u}vetyse were crysten / þat ys so kene fyghter
and bold & byddyngLX / whyle hys bagge lastethe
& then loghe lyfe / & lett dagge hys clothes
and armed hym In hast / {h}yn herlottes wordes
& held holynes a Iape / & hendenes a wasto{u}vre
& lett loyalte a cherle / & lyer a fre man
conscyence & co{u}vnseale / he co{u}vnted ytt folye
th{u}vs reyled lyfe / for a lytle fort{u}vne
& prycked forthe wyth pryde / preysed he no wert{u}ve
he carethe not how kynd slowe / & shall come at þe laste
& kyll all yerthely creato{u}vrs / sa{u}ve conscyence alone
lyfe leepe a-syde / & laght hym a leymman
heale & I quod he / & hyghnes off herte
shall do þe noght drede / nether deathe ne elde
& to forgett sorowe / & gyve noght off synne
& gattenP yn theyre glorye / a gadelyng at þe last
on þat moche wo wroght / slewghe was hys name
sleughP wexe wondre yerne / & soone was off age
and wedded on whanhoope / a wenche off the stewes
hyr syre was a sysor / that neuer sware trewthe
oon thom two tonged / atteynte att eche a q{u}vest
& threw drede off dyspayre / a dowsen myle abowte
for care conscyence tho / cryed vp-on elde
and bad hym fonde to fyght / & afere whanhoope
& eld hent good hoope / & hastylyche he shyffte hym
& wayued a-way wanhoope / & wyth lyfe he fyghted
& lyffe fleethe for feere / to physyke after helpe
& bysoght hym off soco{u}vr / & off hys sal{u}ve hadde
& gave hym golde good wone / þat gladed hys herte
& they gy{u}ven hym ageyne / a glasen howue
lyfe lee{u}ved þat lechecrafte / lett shold elde
and eld a{u}vntred hym on lyfe / & att þe last he hytt
a physysyon wyth a f{u}vrred hoode / þat he fyll yn a palsey
and ther dyed þe docto{u}vr / ere thre dayes after
now I see sayed lyffe / þat s{u}vrgyens ne physycke
and yn hoope off hys heale / good herte he hent
& rode so to re{u}vell to a ryche place & a myrrye
& elde anon after me / & o{u}ver myne heyde yede
and made me balde byfore / & bare on the crowne
so herde he yede ouer myne heyde / yt wole be seene e{u}ver
syr y{u}vell taght elde quod I / vnhende go wyth the
sythe when was thy way / o{u}ver mennes heyddes
haddesthow been hend quod I / þou woldest haue asked lea{u}ve
ye lea{u}ve lordayne quod he / & layed on me wyth age
& hytt me vndre þe eyere / vnnethe may I here
he buffeted me aboute þe mo{u}vthe / & bett me on þe tethe
& g{u}vyded me yn gowtes / I may not goone att large
& off þe wo þat I was ynne / my wyfe had re{u}vthe
and wysshed full wytterly / þat I were yn hey{u}ven
for þe lymme þat she lo{u}ved me for / & leefe was to feele
off nyghtes namely / when we naked were
I ne myght In no maner / make ytt att hyr wyll
so elde & she sothely / hadden ytt for{byden}beyten
& as I satt yn þis sorowe / I sawe how kynd passed
& deathe drewe nyghe me / for dreede gan y q{u}vake
& cryed to kynd owte off / care /P me bryng
lo {h} elde þe hoore / hathe me byseged
wreke me yff thye wylbe / wyl be / for I wold beene hence
yff þou wylte been y-wroke / wende In-to vnyte
& hold þe there e{u}ver / tyll I send for the
& looke þou konne some crafte / or þou come thence
co{u}vnseale me kynd quod y what crafte ys best to lere
lerne to l{y}o{u}ve quod kynd / & lee{u}ve off all other
how shall I come to catell so / to clothe me &T fede
and þov lo{u}ve leally quod he / lacke shall þe ne{u}ver
meate ne worldly wede / whyle thy lyfe lastethe
thrugh contrycyon and confessyon / to I came to vnyte
& þer was conscyence constable / crysten to sa{u}ve
& byseged sothely / wyth sey{u}ven / greate gyantes
that wyth antecryste helden / herde ageyne conscyence
sl{eu}ovthe wyth hys slyng / an hard assa{u}vte made
pro{u}vde preestes came wyth hym / mo then a thowsand
In paltockes & pyked shewes / and gypsers long kny{u}ves
comen ageynst conscyence / wyth co{u}vetyse they helden
by marye quod a mansed preest / off þe marche off yreland
then I do to drynke / a draught off good ale
and so sayde syxtye / off the seyd contrey
and shoten ageyn wyth shotte / wyth many sheaffe off othes
& brod hoked arues / wyth goddes herte & hys nayles
& hadden almost vnite / and holynes vndone
conscyence cryed helpe claregy / or elles I fall
freres herden hym crye / & comen hym to helpe
& for þei co{u}vld not well theyre crafte / conscyence forsooke theym
nede nyghed þo nere / & conscyence he tolde
that they came for co{u}vetyse to ha{u}ve c{u}vre off so{u}vles
& for þei are po{u}vre pera{u}vent{u}vre / for patrymones þem faylethe
& seyen þei chosen chylle / & chaytyffe po{u}verte
they þem chewe as þei ha{u}ve chosen / & charge þem wyth no c{u}vre
then he þat laborethe for ly{u}veloode / & lenethe ytt beggers
lett them be as beggars / & ly{u}ve by angeles foode
conscyence off thys co{u}vnseale tho comsed to laghe
and co{u}vrtyslyche conforted þem / & called yn all freres
& sayed syrs sothelyche / welcome be ye all
to vnyte & holy cherche / but on thyng y you praye
holdethe you yn vnyte / & ha{u}vethe non en{u}vye
to lered ne to lewde / but ly{u}vethe after your r{u}vle
& I wylbe / wyl be your brogh / ye shall ha{u}ve bred & clothes
& other necessaryes ynowe / you shall no thyng fayle
wyth þat ye lea{u}ve logyck / & lernethe for to lo{u}ve
for lo{u}ve þei lafte lordshyppe / bothe land & scole
frere franceys & domynyk / for lo{u}ve to been holye
& yff ye co{u}veteythe c{u}vre / kynd wytt wyll you teache
that yn measure god made / all maner thynges
and sett ytt yn a certeyne / & yn syker nombre
and neue{n}ved / neue[n]ed names newe / & nombered þe preestes
qui numerat multitudinem stellarum & omnibus eis & cetera
kynges & knyghtes / that kepen & defenden
haue offycers vnder theym / & eche off þem certeyne
and yff þei wage men warre / þei wryte þem yn nombre
wole no treysorer þem pay / tra{u}veyle þei neuer so long
pylo{u}vrs & pyke-hernes / In eche place acorsed
monkes & monyales / & all men off relygyon
off lewde & off lered / þe lawe wole & askethe
a certayne for a c{a}erteyne / sa{u}ve onlyche off freres
forthy quod conscyence by cryste / kynd wytt me tellethe
ytt ys wycked to wage you / youLX wax oute off nombre
hey{u}ven hathe e{u}ven nombre / & hell ys wyth-owte nombre
forthy I wold wytterly / þat ye were yn þe regestre
& your nombre vndre notarye sygne / nother mo ne lasse
en{u}vy herd þis / & hyght freres goo to scole
& lerned logyck & lawe / & eke contemplatyon
and preyche men off plato & pro{u}ve ytt by seneca
& yet he lyethe as I lee{u}ve / þat to þe lewde so preachethe
for god made to men a lawe & moses ytt taght
non concupisces rem proximi tui & cetera //
& y{u}vell ys þis to hold / yn perysshys en england
for persones & perysshe preestes / þat sholde þe poeple shry{u}ve
beene c{u}vrato{u}vrs called / to knowe & to heale
all þat been þeir perysshens / pennance to enIoynge
& shold be shamed yn þer shryfte / but shame makethe þem wende
& fleen to the freres / as fal{s}ce folke to westmynster
that borowen & beyre thydre / & then bydden freendes
yeres off forgy{u}venes / or lengere yeres loone
but whyle he ys yn westmynster / he wylbe / wyl be byfore
and maken the{m}r merye / wyth other mennes gooddes
and so farethe wyth moche folke / þat to þe freres shry{u}ven
as syrovrs / sy[s]ovrs & exec{u}vtours / they wyll gy{u}ve the freres
a percell to prey for þem / and make þem-sel{u}ve merye
wyth þe resydewe & the remnant / þat other men byswonke
& suffer þe dead yn dett / byfore the day off dome
en{u}vy therfore / hated conscyence
& freres to phylosophye / he fo{u}vnde þem to scole
the whyles co{u}vetyse & vnkyndnes / conscyence assayled
In vnyte holye cherche / conscyence held hym
& made pea{s}ce porter / to vnpynne the gates
off all tale tellers / and tycyrers to Idle
ypocrysy & he / hard assa{u}vte they made
ypocrysy att þe gate / hard gan fyght
& wo{u}vnded full wyckedly / many wysse teachers
that wyth conscyence acorded / and cardynall wert{u}ves
conscyence called a leche / þat well co{u}vlde shryve
go sal{u}ve þou þat syk beene / thrugh synne y-wo{u}vnded
shryft shoope sharpe sal{u}ve / & made men do pennance
for theyre myssdedes / þat þei wroght hadde
& that pyers were payed redde quod debes
some lyked not thys leche / & letters they sent
yff any surgeon were þe segge / þat fofter / [s]ofter co{u}vlde plaster
for fastyng off a fryday he fared as he wolde dye
and more off physyk by farre / & fayrer he plasterethe
on frere flaterer / ys physycyon & surgyen
quod contrycyon to confessyon / do hym come to vnyte
for here ys many man / hurte / thrugh ypocrysye
we haue no nede quod conscyence / I woote no better leche
then persone or perysshe preeste / penytanser or bysshope
& ynd{u}vlgence may do but yff dette lett ytt
I may well suffer sayed conscyence / sythen ye desyren
that frere flaterer be fette / & physyke you seke
the frere theroff herd / & hyed faste
to a lorde for a lettere / lea{u}ve to ha{u}ve c{u}vres
and as a c{u}vratour he were / & came wyth hys letters
boldely to the bysshope / & hys bre{u}ves hadde
In contreys þer he came ynne / confessyons to here
& came þer conscyence was & knocked att þe gate
pea{s}ce vnpynned ytt / þat was porter off vnyte
& yn hast asked / what hys wyll were
In faythe quod þis frere / for profytte & for healthe
carpe I wyll wyth contrycyon / & þerfore came I hydder
he ys seeke sayde pea{s}ce / & so are many other
ypocrysye hathe hym / full herd ys yff þei co{u}ver
I am a surgyen sayde þe segge / & sal{u}ves can make
conscyence knowethe me well / & what I can do bothe
I praye þe quod pea{s}ce þo / are thow pas fortherer
ye go þi gate quod pea{s}ce / by god for all thye physyke
but þou konne some crafte / þou comest not hereynne
came ynne þus y-coped / att a co{u}vrte þer I dwelte
& was my ladyes leeche / & my lordes bothe
& at þe last thys lymytoure / tho my lorde was owte
he sal{u}ved so our women / tyll some were wyth chylde
lett yn þe frere & hys felowe / & make þem fayre chere
he may se & here / so ytt may befall
þat lyffe thrughe hys loore / shall lea{u}ve co{u}vetyse
& be adradde off deathe / & wythdrawe hym from pryde
& acorde wyth conscyence / & kysse ether other
th{u}vs thrughe hend speche / entered the frere
& came yn to conscyence / & co{u}vrteyslyche hym grette
þou arte welcome quod conscyence / cansthowe heale þe sycke
here ys contrycyon quod conscyence / my cos{u}vne y-wo{u}vnded
conforte hym quod conscyence / & take kepe off hys soores
he lett þem lygge o{u}ver-long / & lothe ys to change theyme
fro lenten to lenten / he lett hys plasters byte
that ys ouer-long quod þis lymytour / I lee{u}ve I shall amend ytt
& goethe & gropethe contrycyon / & gy{u}vethe hym a plastere
off a pry{u}vye payment / & I shall prey for you
& for all þat ye been hold to / all my lyve tyme
and make you my ladye / yn masse & yn maten{s}ce
as freres off our fraternyte / for a lytle syl{u}ver
th{u}vs he goethe & gedderethe / & glosethe þer he shry{u}vethe
tyll contrycyon had forgetten / to crye & to wepe
& wake for hys wycked workes / as he was wo{u}vnte to done
for comforte off hys confessoure / contrycyon he leffte
that ys þe so{u}veregnest sal{u}ve / for alkynnes synnes
sl{e}owthe seethe
þat / & so dyd pryde
& came wyth a kene wyll / conscyence to assayle
conscyence cryed efte / & bad claregye helpe
& also contrycyon / for to kepe the gate
he lyethe & dreamethe sayde pea{s}ce / & so do many other
the frere wyth hys physyke / folke hathe encha{u}vnted
& plastered þem so easely / they drede no synne
by cryst quod conscyence tho / I wyll bycome a pylgrymme
& walken as wyde / as all þe worlde lastethe
to seeke pyers þe plowman / þat pryde may destroye
& þat freres had a fyndyng / that for nede flateren
& co{n}vterpleydethe / co[n]terpleydethe me conscyence / nowe kynd me awenge
& send me happe & heale / tyll I ha{u}ve pyers þe plowman
& sythe he gradde after grace / tyll I gan awake
explicit hic diolagus petri plowman
Nota howe
fallshedd
fyrst krept
In by the pope
and his flock
spiritus
I
ipsa papaC
ipsa papaC