Passus xviijus / duodevicesimus
As a reccheles renke · þat of no wo reccheth
And ȝede forth lyke a lorel · al my lyf-tyme
Tyl I w{..}ex wery of þe worlde · and wylned eft to slepe
And lened me to a lenten · and longe tyme I slepte
And of crystes passioun and penaunce · þe peple þat of-rauȝte
RestedT me þere and rutte faste · tyl ramis palmarum
Of gerlis & of gloria laus · gretly me dremed
And how osanna by orgonye · olde folke songen
¶ One semblable to þe samaritan · & some-del to Piers þe plowman
Barfote on an asse bakke · botelees cam pryke
Wyth-oute spores other spere · spakliche he loked
As is þe kynde of a knyȝte · þat cometh to be dubbed
To geten hemT gylte spores · or galoches ycouped
¶ Þanne was faith in a fenestre · and cryde a fili dauid
As doth an Heraude of armes · whan aunturos cometh to iustes
Olde iuwes of ierusalem · for ioye þei songen
Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini
¶ Þanne I frayned at faith · what al þat fare be-ment
And fecche þat þe fende claymeth · Piers fruit þe plowman
Is Piers in þis place quod I · & he preynte on me
Þis Ihesus of his gentrice · wole iuste in piers armes
In his helme & in his haberioun · humana natura
Þat cryst be nouȝt biknowe here · for consumatus deus
In Piers paltok þe plowman · þis priker shal ryde
For no dynte shal hym dere · as in deitate patris
Who shal iuste with Ihesus quod I iuwes or scribes
¶ Nay quod he þe foule fende · and fals dome & deth
Deth seith he shal fordo · and adown brynge
Al þat lyueth or loketh · in londe or in watere
Lyf seyth þat he liktheT · and leyth his lif to wedde
Þat for al þat deth can do · with-in þre dayes
To walke and fecche fro þe fende · piers fruite þe plowman
And legge it þere hym lyketh · and lucifer bynde
And forbete and adown brynge bale deth for euere
O mors ero mors tua
¶ Þanne cam pilatus with moche peple · sedens pro tribunali
To se how doughtilich deth sholde do · & deme her botheres riȝte
Þe iuwes and þe iustice · aȝeine Ihesu þei were
And al herT courte on hym cryde · crucifige sharpe
Tho put hym forth a piloure · bifor pilat & seyde
This ihesus of owre iewes temple · iaped & dispised
To fordone it on o day · and in thre dayes after
Edefye it eft newe · here he stant þat seyde it
And ȝit maken it as moche · in al manere poyntes
Bothe as longe and as large · bi loft & by grounde
¶ Crufige / Cru[ci]fige quod a cacchepolle · I warante hym a wicche
And bigan of kene thorne · a gerelande to make
And sette it sore on his hed · and seyde in envye
Aue rabby quod þat Ribaude · and þrew redes at hym
Nailled hym with þre nailles · naked on þe Rode
And poysoun on a pole · þei put vp to his lippes
And bede hym drynke his deth yuel · his dayes were ydone
And ȝif þat þow sotil be · help now þi-seluen
If þow be cryst & kynges sone · come downe of þe Rode
Þanne shul we leue þat lyf þe loueth · and wil nouȝt lete þe deye
¶ Consummatum est quod cryst · & comsed forto swowe
Pitousliche and pale · as a prisoun þat deyeth
Þe lorde of lyf & of liȝte · þo leyed his eyen togideres
Þe daye for drede with-drowe · and derke bicam þe sonne
Þe wal wagged and clef and al þe worlde quaued
Ded men for that dyne · come out of depe graues
And tolde whi þat tempest · so longe tyme dured
For a bitter bataille · þe ded bodye sayde
Lyf and deth in þis derknesse · her one fordoth her other
Shal no wiȝte wite witterly who shal haue þe maystrye
Er sondey aboute sonne rysynge · & sank with þat til erthe
Some seyde þat he was goddessone / goddes sone · þat so faire deyde
Vere filius dei erat iste · &c
And somme saide he was a wicche · good is þat we assaye
Where he be ded or nouȝte ded · doun er he be taken
¶ Two theues also · tholed deth þat tyme
Vppon a crosse bisydes cryst · so was þe comune lawe
A cacchepoleP cam forth · and craked bothe her legges
And her armes after · of eyther of þo theues
Ac was no boy so bolde · goddes body to touche
For he was knyȝte & kynges sone · kynde forȝaf þat tyme
Þat non harlot were so hardy · to leyne hande vppon hym
¶ Ac þere cam forth a knyȝte · with a kene spere ygrounde
Hiȝte longeus as þe lettre telleth · and longe had lore his siȝte
Bifor pilat & other peple · in þe place he houed
Maugre his many tethe · he was made þat tyme
To take þe spere in his honde · & iusten with ihesus
For alle þei were vnhardy · þat houed on hors or stode
To touche hym or to taste hym · or take hym down of Rode
But þis blynde bacheler þanne · bar hym þorugh þe herte
Þe blode spronge down by þe spere · & vnspered þe kniȝtes eyen
Þanne fel þe knyȝte vpon knees · and cryed hym mercy
Aȝeyne my wille it was lorde · to wownde ȝow so sore
He seighed & sayde · sore it me athynketh
For þe dede þat I haue done · I do me in ȝowre grace
Haue on me reuth riȝtful ihesu · & riȝt with þat he wept
¶ Thanne gan faith felly · þe fals iuwes dispise
Called hem caytyues · acursed for euere
For þis foule vyleynye · veniaunce to ȝow alle
To do þe blynde bete hym ybounde · it was a boyes conseille
Cursed caytyue · kniȝthod was it neuere
To mysdo a ded body · by day or by nyȝte
Þe gree ȝit hath he geten · for al his grete wounde
¶ For ȝowre champioun chiualer chief knyȝt of ȝow alle
Ȝelt hym recreauntP rennyng · riȝt at ihesus wille
For be þis derkenesse ydo · his deth worth avenged
And ȝe lordeynes han ylost · for lyf shal haue þe maistrye
And ȝowre Fraunchise þat fre was · fallen is in thraldome
And ȝe cherles & ȝowre children · chieue shal ȝe neure
Ne haue lordship in londe · ne no londe tylye
But al bareyne be · & vsurye vsen
Which is lyf þat owre lorde · in alle lawes acurseth
Now ȝowre good dayes ar done · as Danyel prophecyed
Cum veniat sanctus sanctorum cessabit vnxio vestra
¶ What for fere of þis ferly · & of þe fals iuwes
I drowe me in þat derkenesse · to decendit ad inferna
And þere I sawe sothely · secundum scripturas
Out of þe west coste · a wenche as me thouȝte
Cam walkynge in þe wey · to helle-ward she loked
Mercy hiȝt þat mayde · a meke þynge with-alle
A ful benygne buirde · and boxome of speche
¶ Her suster as it semed · cam softly walkyng
Euene out of þe est · and westward she loked
A ful comely creature · treuth she hiȝte
For þe vertue þat hir folwed · aferd was she neuere
¶ Whan þis maydenes mette · mercy and treuth
Eyther axed other · of þis grete wonder
Of þe dyne & of þe derknesse · and how þe daye rowed
And which a liȝte and a leme · lay befor helle
Ich haue ferly of þis fare · in feith seyde treuth
And am wendyng to wyte · what þis wonder meneth
¶ Haue no merueille quod mercy · myrthe it bytokneth
A mayden þat hatte marye · and moder with-out felyng
Of any kynnes creature · conceyued þorw speche
And grace of þe holygoste · wex grete with childe
With-outen wem · in-to þis worlde she brouȝt hym
And þat my tale be trewe · I take god to witnesse
Sith þis barn was bore · ben xxxti / thirti wynter passed
Which deyde & deth þoled · þis day aboute mydday
And þat is cause of þis clips · þat closeth now þe sonne
In menynge þat man shal · fro merkenesse be drawe
Þe while þis liȝte & þis leme · shal Lucyfer ablende
For patriarkes & prophetes · han preched her-of often
Þat man shal man saue · þorw a maydenes helpe
And þat was tynt þorw tre · tree shal it wynne
And þat deth doun brouȝte · deth shal releue
¶ Þat þow tellest quod treuth · is but a tale of waltrot
For Adam & Eue · & abraham with other
Patriarkes & prophetes · þat in peyne liggen
Leue þow neuere þat ȝone liȝte · hem alofte brynge
Ne haue hem out of helle · heldeT þi tonge mercy
It is but a trufle þat þow tellest · I treuth wote þe sothe
For þat is ones in helle · out cometh it neuere
Iob þe prophete patriarke · reproueth þi sawes
Quia in inferno nulla est redempcio
¶ Þanne mercy ful myldly · mouthed þise wordes
Thorw experience quod she · I hope þei shal be saued
For venym fordoth venym · & þat I proue by resoun
For of alle venymes · foulest is þe scorpioun
May no medcyne helpe · þe place þere he styngeth
Tyl he be ded & do þer-to · þe yuel he destroyeth
Þe fyrst venymouste · þorw venym of hym-self
So shal þis deth fordo · I dar my lyf legge
Al þat deth dyd furste · þorw þe deuelles entysynge
And riȝt as þorw gyle · man was bigyled
So shal grace þat bigan · make a good sleighte
Ars vt artem falleret
¶ Now suffre we seyde treuth · I se as me þinketh
Out of þe nippe of þe north · nouȝt ful fer hennes
Riȝtwisnesse come rennynge · reste we þe while
¶ That is soth seyde mercy · and I se here bi southe
Where pees cometh playinge · in pacience yclothed
Loue hath coueyted hir longe · leue I none other
But he sent hir some lettre what þis liȝte bymeneth
¶ Whan pees in pacience yclothed · approched nere hem tweyne
Riȝtwisnesse hir reuerenced · for her riche clothyng
And preyed pees to telle hir · to what place she wolde
And in her gay garnementz · whom she grete þouȝte
¶ My wille is to wende quod she · and welcome hem alle
Þat many day myȝte I nouȝte se · for merkenesse of synne
Adam & Eue & other moo in helle ·
Moyses & many mo · mercy shal haue
And I shal daunce þer-to · do þow so sustre
For ihesus iusted wel · ioye bygynneth dawe
Ad vesperum demorabitur fletus · & ad matutinum leticia ·
Loue þat is my lemman · suche lettres me sente
That mercy my sustre & I · mankynde shulde saue
And þat god hath forgyuen · & graunted me pees & mercy
To be mannes meynpernoure · for euere-more after
Lo here þe patent quod pees · in pace in idipsum
And þat þis dede shal dure · dormiam & requiescam
¶ What rauestow quod riȝtwisnesse or þow art riȝt dronke
Leuestow þat ȝonde liȝte · vnlouke myȝte helle
And saue mannes soule · sustre wene it neure
At þe bygynnynge god · gaf þe dome hym-selue
Þat Adam & Eue · and alle þat hem suwed
Shulde deye doune-riȝte · and dwelle in pyne after
If þat þei touched a tre · and þe fruite eten
Adam afterward · aȝeines his defence
Frette of þat fruit · & forsoke as it were
Þe loue of owre lorde · and his lore bothe
And folwed þat þe fende tauȝte · & his felawes wille
Aȝeines resoun IT riȝtwisnesse · recorde þus with treuth
Þat her peyne be perpetuel · & no preyere hem helpe
For-þi late hem chewe as þei chose · & chyde we nouȝt sustres
For it is botelees bale · þe bite þat þei eten
And wo in-to wel · mowe wende atte laste
For had þei wist of no wo · wel had þei nouȝte knowen
For no wiȝte wote what wel is · þat neuere wo suffred
Ne what is hote hunger · þat had neuere defaute
If no nyȝte ne were · no man as I leue
Shulde wite witterly · what day is to mene
C ¶ Shulde neuere riȝte riche man · þat lyueth · in reste & ese
Wyte what wo is · ne were þe deth of kynde
So god þat bygan al · of his good wille
Bycam man of a mayde · mankynde to saue
And suffred to be solde · to see þe sorwe of deyinge
The which vnknitteth al kare · & comsynge is of reste
For til modicum mete with vs · I may it wel avowe
Wote no wiȝte as I wene · what is ynough to mene
¶ For-þi god of his goodnesse · þe fyrste gome Adam
Sette hym in solace · & in souereigne myrthe
And sith he suffred hym synne · sorwe to fele
To wite what wel was · kyndelich to knowe it
And after god auntred hym-self · and toke Adames kynde
To wyte what he hath suffred · in þre sondri places
Bothe in heuene & in erthe · & now til helle he þynketh
To wite what al wo is · þat wote of al ioye
¶ So it shal fare bi þis folke · her foly & her synne
Shal lere hem what langour is · & lisse with-outen ende
Wote no wighte what werre is · þere þat pees regneth
Ne what is witterly wel · til weyllowey hym teche
¶ Thanne was þere a wiȝte · with two brode eyen
Boke hiȝte þat beupere · a bolde man of speche
By godesbody / godes body quod þis boke · I wil bere witnesse
Þat þo þis barne was ybore · þere blased a sterre
That alle þe wyse of þis worlde · in o witte acordedenT
That such a barne was borne · in bethleem Citee
Þat mannes soule sholde saue · & synne destroye
And alle þe elementz quod þe boke · her-of bereth witnesse
Þat he was god þat al wrouȝte · þe walkene firste shewed
Þo that weren in heuene · token stella comata
And tendeden hir as a torche · to reuerence his birthe
Þe lyȝte folwed þe lorde · in-to þe lowe erthe
Þat water witnessed þat he was god · for he went on it
Peter þe apostel · parceyued his gate
And as he went on þe water · wel hym knewe & seyde
Iube me venire ad te super aquas
And lo how þe sonne gan louke · her liȝte in her-self
Whan she seye hym suffre · þat sonne & seC made
The erthe for heuynesse · that he wolde suffre
Quaked as quykke þinge · and al biquasht þe roche
Lo helle miȝte nouȝte holde · but opened þo god þoled
And lete oute symondes sones · to seen hym hange on Rode
And now shal lucifer leue it thowgh hym loth þinke
For gygas þe geaunt · with a gynne engyned
To breke & to bete dounn · þat ben aȝeines ihesus
And I boke wil be brent · but ihesus rise to lyue
In alle myȝtes of man · & his moder gladye
And conforte al his kynne · & out of care brynge
And al þe iuwen ioye · vnioignen & vnlouken
And but þei reuerencen his Rode · & his resurexioun
And bileue on a newe lawe · be lost lyf & soule
¶ Suffre we seide treuth · I here & se bothe
How a spirit speketh to helle · & bit vnspere þe ȝatis
Attollite portas &c
A voice loude in þat liȝte to lucifer cryeth
Prynces of þis place · vnpynneth & vnlouketh
For here cometh with croune · þat kynge is of glorie
Thanne syked sathan · & seyde to hem alle
Suche a lyȝte aȝeines owre leue · Lazar it fette
Care & combraunce · is comen to vs alle
If þis kynge come in · mankynde wil he fecche
And lede it þer hym lyketh · & lyȝtlych me bynde
Þat such a lorde & a lyȝte · shulde lede hem alle hennes
¶ Lysteneth quod Lucifer · for I þis lorde knowe
Bothe þis lorde & þis liȝte · is longe ago I knewe hym
May no deth hym dere · ne no deueles queyntise
And where he wil is his waye · ac war hym of þe periles
If he reue me my riȝte · he robbeth me by maistrye
For by riȝt & bi resoun · þo renkes þat ben here
Bodye & soule ben myne · bothe gode & ille
For hym-self seyde þat sire is of heuene
Ȝif Adam ete þe apple · alle shulde deye
And dwelle with vs deueles · þis þretynge he made
And he þat sothenesse is seyde þise wordes
And sitthen I seised · seuene hundreth wyntre
I leue þat lawe nil nauȝte · lete hym þe leest
¶ That is sothe seyde Sathan · but I me sore drede
For þow gete hem with gyle · & his gardyne breke
And in semblaunce of a serpent · sat on þe appeltre
And eggedest hem to ete · Eue by hir-selue
And toldest hir a tale · of tresoun were þe wordes
And so þow haddest hem oute & hider atte laste
It is nouȝte graythely geten · þere gyle is þe Rote
For god {...?...}wil nouȝt be bigiled · quod Gobelyn ne bi-iaped
We haue no trewe title to hem · for þorwgh tresoun were þei dampned
Certes I drede me quod þe deuel · leste treuth wil hem fecche
¶ Þis þretty wynter as I wene · hath he gone & preched
I haue assailled hym with synne · & some-tyme yasked
Where he were god or goddes sone · he gaf me shorte answere
And þus hath he trolled forth · þis two & thretty wynter
And whan I seighe it was so · slepyng I went
To warne pilates wyf · what dones man was ihesus
For iuwes hateden hym · and han done hym to deth
I wolde haue lengthed his lyf · for I leued ȝif he deyede
That his soule wolde suffre · no synne in his syȝte
For þe body whil it on bones ȝede · aboute was euere
To saue men fram synne · ȝif hem-self wolde
And now I se where a soule · cometh hiderward · seyllynge
With glorie & with grete liȝte · god it is I wote wel
I rede we flee quod he · faste alle hennes
For vs were better nouȝte be · þan biden his syȝte
For þi lesynges Lucifer · loste is al owre praye
Firste þorw þe we fellen · fro heuene so heigh
For we leued þi lesynges · ylore we haue Adam
And al owre lordeship I leue · alonde & a water
Nunc princeps huius mundi eicietur foras
¶ Efte þe liȝte bad vnlouke · & Lucifer answered
What lorde artow quod lucifer · quis est iste
Rex glorie · þe liȝte sone seide
And lorde of myȝte & of mayne · & al manere vertues · dominus virtutum
Dukes of þis dym place · anon vndo þis ȝates
That cryst may come in · þe kynges sone of heuene
And with þat breth helle brake · with Beliales barres
For any wye or warde · wide opene þe ȝatis
¶ Patriarkes & prophetes · populus in tenebris
Songen seynt Iohanes songe · ecce agnus dei
Lucyfer loke ne myȝte · so lyȝte hym ableynte
And seyde to sathan · lo here m{o}y soule to amendes
For alle synneful soules · to saue þo þat ben worthy
Myne þei be & of me · I may þe bette hem clayme
Al-þough resoun recorde & riȝt of my-self
That if þei ete þe apple · alle shulde deye
I bihyȝte hem nouȝt here · helle for euere
For þe dede þat þei dede · þi deceyte it made
With gyle þow hem gete · agayne al resoun
For in my paleys paradys · in persone of an addre
Falseliche þow fettest þere · þynge þat I loued
¶ Thus ylyke a lusarde · with a lady visage
Theuelich þow me robbedest · þe olde lawe graunteth
Þat gylours be bigiled · & þat is gode resoun
Dentem pro dente & oculum pro oculo
Ergo soule shal soule quyte · & synne to synne wende
And al þat man hath mysdo · I man wyl amende
Membre for membre · bi þe {g}olde lawe was amendes
And lyf for lyf also · & by þat lawe I clayme it
Adam & al his issue · at my wille her-after
And þat deth in hem fordid · my deth shal releue
And bothe quykke & quyte · þat queynte was þorw synne
And þat grace gyle destruye · good feith it asketh
So leue itT nouȝte lucifer aȝeine þe lawe I fecche hem
But bi riȝt & by resoun · raunceoun here my lyges
Non veni soluere legem · sed adimplere
Þow fettest myne in my place · aȝeines al resoun
Falseliche & felounelich · gode faith me it tauȝte
To recoure hem thorw raunceoun & bi no resoun elles
So þat with gyle þow gete · þorw grace it is ywone
Þow Lucyfer in lyknesse · of a luther addere
Getest by gyle · þo that god loued
¶ And I in lyknesse of a leode · þat lorde am of heuene
And as Adam & alle · þorw a tre deyden
Adam & alle þorwe a tree · shal torne aȝeine to lyue
And gyle is bigyled · & in his gyle fallen
Et cecidit in foueam quam fecit
Now bygynneth þi gyle · ageyne þe to tourne
And my grace to growe · ay gretter & wyder
Þe bitternesse þat þow hast browe · brouke it þi-seluen
Þat art doctour of deth · drynke þat þow madest
¶ For I þat am lorde of lyf · loue is my drynke
And for þat drynke to-day · I deyde vpon erthe
I fauȝte so me þrestes ȝet · for mannes soule sake
May no drynke me moiste · ne my thruste slake
Tyl þe vendage falle · in þe vale of iosephath
Þat I drynke riȝte ripe must · resureccio mortuorum
And þanne shal I come as a kynge · crouned with angeles
And han out of helle · alle mennes soules ·
¶ Fendes and fendekynes · bifore me shulle stande
And be at my biddynge · where-so-eure me lyketh
And to be merciable to man · þanne my kynde it asketh
For we beth bretheren of blode · but nouȝte in baptesme alle
Ac alle þat beth myne hole bretheren · in blode & in baptesme
Shal nouȝte be dampned to þe deth · þat is with-outen ende
Tibi soli peccaui &c ·
It is nouȝt vsed in erthe · to hangen a feloun
Ofter þan ones · þough he were a tretour
And ȝif þe Kynge of þat kyngedome · come in þat tyme
There þe feloun thole sholde · deth or otherwyse
Lawe wolde he ȝeue hym lyf · if he loked on hym
¶ And I þat am kynge of kynges · shal come suche a tyme
There dome to þe deth · dampneth al wikked
And ȝif lawe wil I loke on hem · it lithe in my grace
Whether þei deye or deye nouȝte · for þat þei deden ille
Be it any þinge abouȝte · þe boldenesse of her synnes
I mayT do mercy þorw riȝtwisnesse · & alle my wordes trewe
And þough holiwrit wil þat I be wroke · of hem þat deden ille
Nullum malum inpunitum &c
Thei shul be clensed clereliche · & wasshen of her synnes
In my prisoun purgatorie · til parce it hote
And my mercy shal be shewed · to manye of my bretheren
For blode may suffre blode · bothe hungry & akale
CAc blode may nouȝt se blode · blede but hym rewe
Audiui archana verba que non licet homini loqui
Ac my riȝtwisnesse & riȝt shal reulen al helle
And mercy al mankynde · bifor me in heuene
For I were an vnkynde Kynge · but I my kynde holpe
And namelich at such a nede · þer nedes helpe bihoueth
Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo
Þus bi lawe quod owre lorde · lede I wil fro hennes
Þo þat me loued · & leued in my comynge
And for þi lesynge lucifer · þat þow lowe til Eue
Thow shalt abye it bittre · & bonde hym with cheynes
Astaroth and al þe route · hidden hem in hernes
They dorste nouȝte loke on owre lorde · þe boldest of hem alle
But leten hym lede forth what hym lyked · and lete what hym liste
¶ Many hundreth of angeles · harpeden & songen
Culpat caro purgat caro · regnat deus dei caro
¶ Thanne piped pees · of poysye a note
Clarior est solito post maxima nebula phebus · post inimicitias &c ·
After sharpe shoures quod pees · moste shene is þe sonne
Is no weder warmer · þan after watery cloudes
Ne no loue leuere · ne leuer frendes
Þan after werre & wo · whan loue & pees be maistres
Was neuere werre in þis worlde · ne wykkednesse so kene
Þat ne loue & hym luste to laughynge ne brouȝte
And pees þorw pacience · alle perilles stopped
Trewes quod treuth · þow tellest vs soth bi ihesus
Clippe we in couenaunt & vch of vs cusse other
And lete no peple quod pees · perceyue þat we chydde
For inpossible is no þyng · to hym þat is almyȝty
Pees & pees here · per secula seculorum
Misericordia & veritas obuiauerunt sibi iusticia & pax osculate sunt
Treuth tromped þo & songe · te deum laudamus
And thanne luted loue · in a loude note
Ecce quam bonum & quam iocundum · &c
¶ Tyl þe daye dawed · þis damaiseles daunced
That men rongen to þe resurexioun · & riȝt with þat I waked
And called kitte my wyf · and kalote my douȝter
Ariseth & reuerenceth · goddes ressurrexioun
And crepeth to þe the / þe crosse on knees · & kisseth it for a iuwel
For goddes blissed body · it bar for owre bote
And it afereth þe fende · for suche is þe myȝte
May no grysly gost · glyde þere it shadweth
passus xviijus
& tercius de dobet
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