Passus · ijus / secundus · & vltimus de do-best ·
Thanne as y wente by the weye · whan y was þus awaked
heuy-cherid y ȝede . and elenge yn herte ·
y ne wyste where to ete · ne at what place ·
and it neiȝed ner þe noon · and wyþ nede y mette
þat affrountyd me fowle · and faytour me callyd
¶ Canst thu nougth excuse þe · as dude þe kyng and oþere ·
þat thu took to þy bileeue · to cloþes and to sustynaunce
and by techynge and by telle / tell[yng]e . of spiritus temperancie
and thu nome nomore · þan nede þe taugthe
and nede ne haþ no lawe · ne neuer schall falle yn dette
¶ for þre þynges he takeþ · his lyf forto saue ·
that is mete whan men hym werneþ · and he no money weldeþ
ne wygth non{e} woll ben his borwh · ne wed ha{.}þ none to legge
and he caugth yn þat ca{..}as · and com þerto by sleyhte ·
he synneþ nougth soiþlyche · that so wynneþ his foed ·
and þowh he come so to a cloiþ · and can no better cheuysaunce
nede anon rygth · nymeþ hym vnder maynpryse ·
that {..}he dronke at eche dy{..}ch · ar he for þurst deyede ·
¶ so nede at gret nede · ma{y}y n{y}ymen as for his owen
wyþ-owte counseyll of conscyence · or cardynal vertues
so þat he s{.}uwe and saue spiritus temperancie
for is no vertu byfer / by fer · to spiritus temperancie
neyþer spiritus iusticie · ne spiritus fortitudinis ·
¶ for spiritus fortitudinis · forfeteþ full ofte
he schall do more þan mesure · ofte and many tyme
and bete men ouer bytterly · and summe of hem to lytell
and greue men gretly · more þan good feiþ wolde ·
¶ And spiritus iusticie · schall iugen woll h{y}e nylle he ·
after þe kynges counseyl · and þe comune lyke ·
¶ And spiritus prudencie · yn manye a poynt schal fa{.}yle
of þat he weneþ wolde falle · ȝif his wytt ne were ·
wenynge is no wysdom · ne wys ymagynacyoun ·
homo proponit & deus disponit · and gouerneþ alle gode vertues
ac nede is next hym · for anoon he mekeþ
and is as lowȝ as a lombe · for lackyng of þat hym nedeþ
wyse men forsook wele · for þey wolde be nedy
and wonedyn yn wyldernesse · and woldyn nougth be ryche
¶ And god al his grete ioyȝe · gostly he lefte ·
and cam and took mankynde . and bycam nedy
so nedy he was as seyþ þe book · yn many sondry places
þat he seyde yn his sorwe · on þe selue rode ·
boþe fox and fowl · may flee to hole and crepe
and þe fysch haþ fyn · to flete wyþ to reste
þere nede haþ y-nome me · þat y moot nede abyde
and suffre sorwes full sore · þat schal to ioyȝe turne
¶ forþy be nougth abaschid · to byde and to be nedy ·
syþ he that wrougth all þe world · was wylfully nedy
ne neuer non so nedy · ne {..}so {...?...}pore deyde ·
¶ Whan nede hadde vndernome me thus · anon y fel a-slepe
and mette full merueylously · yn a mannys forme ·
antecryst cam thanne · and all þe crop of trewþe
turnyd it vp-sodoun · and ouertylt the rote
and fals sprynge and sprede · and spede mennys nedys
yn eche contre þere he cam · he cutte awey trewþe ·
and gart gyle growe · þere · as he a god wereC
¶ Freres folwyd þat fend for he gaf hem copes
and alle þe couent forþ cam to welcome that tyraunt
and alle hise as well as hym · saue only foles
whiche foles weren wel leuer · to deye þan to lyue
and a fals fend antycryst · ouer alle folk regnyd ·
and þat were mylde men and holy · þat no myscheef dredde
deffyedyn alle falsnesse and folk that it vsed
and what kyng þat hem conforted · knowyng hem eny while ·
þey cursid and her counseyl · were it to clerk or lewyd ·
¶ Antecryst hadde þus sone · hundredes at his baner
and pryde it bar vp ful hiȝe . boldly abowte
wyþ a lord þat lyueþ · after lykynge of body ·
þat cam aȝen conscience · þat keper was and gyour
ouer kynde crystene and cardynal vertues
¶ I counseyle quod conscience þoo · comeþ wyþ me ȝe foles
ynto vnyte holycherche · and holde we vs there ·
and crye we to kynde · þat he come and deffende vs
foles fro þe fendes lymes · for peris loue þe ploughman
and crye we to alle þe comune · þat þey come to vnyte
and þere abyde and bykere . aȝenst belyals childryn ·
¶ kynde conscience þo herde · and cam owt of þe planetes
and sent forþ his forreyoures · feueres and fluxes
kouȝghes and cardyacles . crampes and tooþ ache
remes and redgoundes · and roynous scalles
byles and bocches · and brennyng agues
frensyes and fowle eueles · forageres of kynde
hadde y-prayed and y-pryked · polles of peple ·
þat largelyche a legioun · losten her lyf sone ·
¶ There was harrow and help · here comeþ kynde ·
wyþ deþ þat is dredful · to vndon vs alle
¶ The lord þat lyued after lust · to / t[h]o a-loud cryed
after confort a knygth · to come and bere his baner
Alarme alarme · quod that lord · eche a lyf kepe his owen ·
¶ And þanne mette þese men · er menstrals myghten pype
and {..}ar heraudys of armes · hadden descryued lordes ·
¶ Elde þe hore · he was yn the vaumwarde
and bar þe baner byfore deþ · by rygth {...?...}he it cleymed
¶ kynde cam after · wyþ many kene sores
as pokkes and pestylences · and moche peple schente
so kynde þurgh corrupciouns · kylled ful manye
¶ Deþ cam dryuynge after · and all to dust paisched ·
kynges and knyghtes · kayseres and popes ·
lered ne lewyd · he leet noman stande ·
that he h{....}itte euene · {...?...?...}sturidde neuer after ·
manye a louely lady · and lemmanes of knyghtes ·
swowned and swelted · for sorowe of deþes dyntys ·
¶ Conscyence of his curtasye · to kynde he besougthe
to cese and suffre · and se whe{r}þerT they wolde
leue pryde pryuely · and be parfyt crystene ·
¶ And kynde cesid thoo · to see þe peple amende
fortune gan flatre þanne · þoo fewe þat weren on lyue
and b{...?...}yhiȝte hem long lyf · and lecchery he sente ·
amonges alle maner men · wedded and vnweddyd
and gadred a gret ost · all a-geyn conscyence
¶ This lecchery leyde on · wyþ a Ianglyng chere
and wyþ pryue speche · and peyntid woordes
and armyd hem yn ydelnesse · and yn hie berynge
he bar a bowe yn his hand · and many brode arwes
weren feþered wyþ fayr beheste · and manye a fals trewþe
wyþ his vntydy tales · he tenyd full ofte ·
conscyence and his companye · of holy cherche þe techer
¶ Thanne cam coueytise · and caste how he myghte
ouercome conscience · and cardynal vertues
and armed hym yn auaryce · and hongrylych lyuede
his wepne was all of w{....}yles · to wynnyn and to hidyn
wyþ glosynges and wyþ gabbynges · he bigiled þe peple
¶ Symony hym soughte · to assayle conscyence
and preched to þe peple · and prelates þey hem madyn ·
to holden wyþ antecryst · her temperaltees to saue ·
and comen to þe kynges counseyl · as a kene baroun
and kneled to conscyence · in court aforen hem alle
and gart good feyþ flee · and fals to abyde ·
and boldlyche bar adoun · wyþ manye a brygth noble ·
moche of þe wytt and wysdom · of westmynster halle ·
he iuged to a Iustice · and iusted in his ere ·
and ouertylt al his trewþe · wyþ tak þis vp amendement
and ynto þe arches yn haste · he ȝede anon after ·
and turnyd cyuyle ynto symonye · and siþ took þe official ·
for a mantell of menyuer · he made lele matrymoigne
be departid or deþ cam · and deuors schapte
¶ Alas quod conscyence and cryed þo · wold cryst of his grace ·
that coueytise were crystene · that is so kene a fyhtere ·
and bold and abidynge · while his bagge lasteþ
¶ Thanne lough lyf · and leet dagge his cloþes
and armyd hym yn haste yn harlottes woordys ·
and held holynesse a iape · and hendenesse a wastour
and leet lenten a cherl · and lyȝer a freman ·
conscience and counseyl · he accountyd it a folye ·
¶ Thus relyȝed lyf · for a lytel fortune ·
and pryked foorþ wyþ pryde · preyseþ he no vertu ·
and careþ nougth how kynde slowh · and schall come at þe laste
and kylle alle erþly creatures · saue conscyence one ·
lyf leep assyde · and laugth hym a lemman ·
hele and y quod he · and hiȝnesse of herte
schall do þe nougth drede · neyther deþ ne elde ·
and to forȝete sorowe · and ȝyue nouȝt of synne
¶ This lyked lyf · and his lemman fortune ·
and getyn in her glorye · a gadelyng at þe laste ·
on that moche wo wroughte · slewþe was his name ·
slewþe wax wonder ȝerne · and swyþe was of age
and wedded on wanhope · a wenche of þe stewes
her syre was a sysour · that neuer swoor twrowþe / trowþe
on thomme two tounge · a-teynt at eche a queste ·
¶ This slewþe was war of werre · and a slynge made ·
and threw drede of dyspeyr · a dozeyn myle abowte
¶ For care conscyence tho · cryed vppon elde ·
and bad hym fonde to fyghte · and affere wanhope ·
¶ And elde hente goodhope · and hastylyche he schifte hym ·
and weyued awey wanhope · and wyþ lyf he faught
and lyf fleyȝ for fere to physyk · after help ·
and bisougth hym of socour · and of his salue hadde ·
and gaf hym gold good won · that gladed his herte
and þey geuyn hym · ageyn · a glasene howue ·
lyf leeuyd þat lechecraft · lette schulde elde ·
and dryuen awey deþ · wyþ dyas and dragesLX ·
¶ And elde auntred hym on lyf · and at þe laste he hytte
a fysissien wyþ a furred hood · þat he fel yn a palsye
and þere dyed þat doctor · er thre dayes after
¶ Now y se seyde lyf · that surgenry ne fesyk
and in hope of his hele · good herte he {hi} hente
and rod{e} so to reuel · a ryche place and a merye
{...}the companye of confort · men clepid it sumtyme
¶ and elde anon after me · and ouer myn hed ȝede ·
and made me balled bifore · and bare on þe crowne
so harde he ȝede ouer myn hed · it woll be sene euere
¶ Sire euel ytaugth elde quod y · vnhende go wyþ þe
syþ whanne was þe wey · ouer mennys hedys ·
haddest thu ben hende quod y · thu woldest askyd / [haue] askyd leue ·
¶ ȝe leue lurdeyn quod · he and leyde on me wyþ age ·
and hitte me vnder þe ere · vnneþe may y here
he buffeted me abowt þe mowþ · and my teeþ owt beet
and gyued me yn gowtes · y may nougth go at large
and of þe wo þat y was ynne · my wyf hadde rewþe ·
and wuschid ful wytterly · þat y were yn heuene ·
for þe leme þat sche louyd me fore · and l{...}eef was to fele
on nyghtes namly · whan we naked were
y ne mygth yn no manere · maken it at her wylle ·
so elde and sche soþly · haddyn it forbetyn ·
¶ And as y sat in þis sorowe · y sawh how kynde passed
and deþ drowȝ nyȝ me · for drede gan y quake
and cryed to kynde · owt of care thu me brynge
loo elde þe hore · hath me beseye
awreke me ȝif ȝowr wylle be · for y wolde ben hennys
¶ ȝif thu wolt be wroken · wende ynto vnyte
and hold the þere euere · tyll y sende for þe
and loke thu konne sum craft · er thu come þennys
¶ Conseyle me kynde quod y · what craft is best to lerne
¶ How schall y come to catel so · to cloþe me and fede
¶ And thu loue lely quod he · lacke schall the neuere ·
mete ne worldly mede · while þy lyf lasteþ ·
¶ And þere by counseyl of kynde · y comsid to rome ·
þurgh contricioun and confessioun · tyl i come to vnyte ·
and þere was conscyence constable · crystne to saue
and beseged soiþly · wyþ seuene grete gyauntes
þat wyþ anticryst heldyn · harde aȝen conscience ·
¶ Slewþe wyþ his slynge · an hard sawt he made ·
prowd preestes comen wyþ hym · mo than a thowsand ·
yn paltokes and pyked schoes · and pissers longe knyuesC
comen aȝenst conscience · wyþ coueytyse þey heldyn
y counte nomore conscience · by so y cacche syluer
than y do to drynke · a draugth of good ale
and so seydyn sixty · of the same contre ·
and schottyn aȝen wyþ schot · many schef of oþes
and brode hoked arwes · goddys herte and his nayles
and haddyn almost vnyte · and holynesse adoun ·
¶ Conscyence cryed help clergye · or elles y falle
þurgh inparfit preestes · and prelates of holycherche
¶ Freres herdyn hym crye · and comen hym to helpe
ac for þey cowde nougth well her crafte · conscyence forsoke hem ·
¶ Nede neiȝghed tho ner · and conscyence he tolde ·
that þey come for coueytyse · to haue cure of sowlys
and for þey arn pouere · paraduenture for patrimoigne þey fayle ·
they wollen flatere and fare wel · folk that ben ryche
and siþen þey chosen chele · {...}and chaytyf pouerte ·
late hem chewe as þey chose · and charge hem wyþ no cure
for lymer / l[o]merLX he lyeþ · þat lyflode moot begge
þan he þat labowreþ for lyflode · and leneþ it beggeres
and syþen freris forsoke · þe felicite of erþe
¶ Conscyence of þis counseyl þo · comsid forto lauhe
and curteysly conforted hym · and callyd alle freres
and seyde syres soiþly · welcome be ȝe alle ·
to vnyte and holycherche · ac on þyng y ȝow praye ·
holdeþ ȝow yn vnyte · and haueþ none enuye ·
to lered ne to lewyd · but lyueþ after ȝowr rewle ·
and y woll be ȝowr borwe · ȝe schull haue bred and cloþes ·
and oþer necessarijs ynowe · {..}ȝow schal{t} no þynge fayle
wyþ that ȝe leue logyk · and lerneþ forto louye
for loue lafte þey lordschipe · boþe lond and scole
frere fraunces and dominik · forloue / for loue to be holy ·
¶ And ȝif ȝe coueyten cure · kynde woll ȝow teche ·
þat yn mesure god made · alle maner thynges
and sette it at a certeyn · and at a syker noumbre ·
and nempnyd names newe · and noumbred þe sterrys
Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum & omnibus eis · & cetera
¶ kynges and knyȝtes · that kepyn and deffendyn ·
han offyceres vnder hem · and eche of hem a certeyn
and ȝif þey wage men to werre · þey wryten hem yn noumbre
alle oþer in batayle · ben y-holde brybours
pylowres and pykeharneyses · yn eche a place y-cursid ·
wol no tresorer hem paye · trauayle þey neuere so soreT ·
¶ Monkes and monyals · and alle men of relygioun
her ordre and her reule wole · to han a certeyn noumbre ·
of lewyd and of lered · þe lawe it woll and axeþ
a certeyn for a certayn · saue only of freres ·
forþy quod conscience by cryst · kynde wytt me telleþ
yt is wyckyd to wage ȝow · ȝe wexen owt of noumbre
heuene haþ euene noumbre · and helle is wyþ-owt noumbre ·
forþy y wolde wytterly · þat ȝe were yn þe registre ·
and ȝowr noumbre vnder notarye sygne · & neiþer mo ne lasse ·
¶ Enuye herde þis · and heet freres go to scole ·
and lerne logyk and lawe · and eke contemplacioun
and preche men of plato · and preuyn it by seneca ·
that alle þynges vnder heuene · auȝten to be in comune ·
¶ And ȝit he lyeþ as y leeue · þat to þe lewyd so precheþ
for god made to men a lawe and moyses it tauȝte ·
Non concupisces rem proximi tui · & cetera
¶ And euyl is þis yholde · yn parisches of englond
for persouns and parisch prestes · þat schulde þe peple schryue
ben curatours callyd · to knowe and to hele
alle that ben her parischenys · penaunce to enIoyne ·
and schuldyn be a-schamyd · in her schryft · ac schame makeþ hem wende ·
and fleen to þe freres · as fals folk to westmynster
þat borweþ and bereþ it þyder · and thanne byddeþ frendys
ȝerne of forȝyuenesse · or lenger ȝeres lone
¶ Ac while he is in westmynstre · he woll be bifore
and make hym merye · wyþ oþer mennys goodes
and so it fareþ by moche folk · þat to þe freres schryueþ
as sysours and executours · they woll ȝyue þe freres
a parcel to praye for hem · and make hem-sylf merye ·
wyþ þe residue and þe remenaunt · þat oþer men byswonge
and suffren þe dede in dette · to þe day of dome
¶ Enuye herfore · hated conscyence ·
and freres to philosophie · he fond hem to scole
þe while coueytise and vnkyndenesse · conscyence assaylid
in vnyte holycherche · conscience held hym
and made pes porter · to pynne þe ȝates ·
of alle tale tellers · and tyterers yn ydel ·
ypocrisie and he · an hard sawt þey maden ·
ypocrisie at þe ȝate · harde gan fyghte ·
and wounded wel wyckydly · manye wyse techers
þat wyþ conscyence accorded · and cardynal vertues
¶ Conscience callyd a leche · that cowde wel schryue
go salue þo that syke ben · and þurgh synne y-wounded
¶ Schrift schoop scharp salue · and made hem do penaunce
for her mysdedes · þat they wrougth haddyn ·
and þat peris were payed · redde quod debes
¶ Somme lykeden nougth þis leche · and lettres þey sente ·
ȝif eny surgyen were þe segge · þat softer cowd plastre
sire lyf to lyue in lecchery · lay there and gronyd ·
for fastyng of a fryday · he ferde as he wold deye
¶ Ther is a surgien in þis segge · þat softe can handle
and more of fysyk by fer · and fayrer he plastreþ ·
on frere flaterer · ys fysissien and surgyen ·
¶ Quod contricioun to conscyence · do hym to come to vnyte
¶ We han non nede quod conscyence · y wot no better leche
þan parsoun or parisch preest · pentauncer or buschop ·
saue peris þe ploughman · þat haþ power ouer hem alle ·
and yndulgence may do · but ȝif dette l{o}ette it ·
y may wel suffre quod conscience · siþ ȝe desyryn
þat frere flaterer be fet · and fysyk ȝow s{y}eke
¶ The frere her-of herde · and hiȝed faste
as a curatour he were · and cam wyþ his lettres
baldly to þe buschop · and his brief hadde
in contrees {.......}þer he cam ynne · confessiouns to here
and cam þere conscyence was · and knokkyd at þe ȝate
¶ Pes vnpynnyd it · was porter of vnyte
and in haste askede · what his wylle were ·
¶ In feiþ quod þis frere · for profit and for helþe ·
carpe y wolde wyþ contricioun · and þerfore cam y hider
¶ He is syk seyde pes · and so arn many othere ·
ypocrisye haþ hurt hem · full hard it is ȝif þey keuere
¶ I am a surgien quod the segge · and salues can make ·
conscience knoweþ me wel · and what y can do boþe
¶ I praye þe quod pes þo · er thu passe ferþer
what h{......}attest thu y prayȝe þe · hele nougth þy name
¶ Certes seyde his felawe · sire pen{.}etrans domos ·
¶ Ȝee go þy gate quod pes · by god for al þy fysyk ·
but thu konne sum craft · thu comest nougth her-ynne ·
y knew such on ones · nougth · viij · / eiȝht wynter passed ·
com yn þus y-coped · at a court · þere y dwelte
and was my lordes leche · and my ladyes boþe ·
and at þe laste þis lymytour · þo my lord was owte
he salued so owr wommen · tyl summe weren wyþ childe ·
¶ Hende speche heet pes · opne the ȝates
lat in þe frere and his felawe · and make hem fayr chere
he may see and here · so it may by-falle ·
þat lyf þurgh his lore · schall leue coueytise ·
and be a-drad of deþ · and wyþ-drawe hym fro pryde ·
and accorde wyþ conscience · and kesse her eiþer oþer ·
¶ Thus þurgh hende speche · entryd þe frereC
and cam ynto conscience · and curteysly hym grette ·
¶ Thu art welcome quod conscyence · canst þu hele þe syke ·
{....}here is contricioun quod conscyence · my cosyn y-woundyd
confort hym quod conscience · and tak kep to his sores
he lat hem lygge ouerlonge · and loiþ is to chaung hem ·
fro lenten to lenten · he lat his plastres byte ·
¶ That is to longe quod þis lymytour · y leeue y schal amende it ·
and goiþ and gropeþ contricioun · and gaf hym a plastre
of a priuey payment · and y schal praye for ȝow ·
for alle þat ȝe ben holdyn to · all my lyf-tyme ·
and make ȝow my lady · yn masse and yn matynes
as frere of owr fraternyte · for a lytel syluer
¶ Thus he goþ and gadreþ · and gloseþ þere he schryueþ
tyl contricioun hadde clene forȝetyn · to crye and wepe
and wake for his wycked werkes · as he was wont to done
for confort of his confessour · conscyence he lafte
that is þe souereynest salue · for alkyn synnys
¶ Slewþe sawh that · and so dede pryde ·
and comen wyþ a kene wyl · conscyence to assayle ·
¶ Conscience cryed eft · and bad clergye helpe hym
and also contricioun · forto kepe the ȝate ·
¶ He l{y}y{.}þ and dremeþ seyde pes · and so don manye oþere
þe frere wyþ his fysyk · this folk haþ enchaunted ·
and plastred hem so esyly · they drede no synne ·
¶ By cryst quod conscyence þo · y woll bycome a pylgrym ·
and walkyn also wyde · as all þe world lasteþ
to seke peris the ploughman · that pryde may dystroye ·
and þat freres hadden a fyndyng · þat for nede flatren ·
and count{...?...}erpletyn me conscyence · now kynde me avenge ·
and sende me hap and hele · tyl y haue peris þe ploughman
and siþ he gradde after grace · tyl y gan a-wake ·
¶ Explicit visio Petri ploughman ·
· c ·
id est sepius