THanne as I wente by þe wey . whan I was þus awaked
Heuy chered I {ȝ}yede . and elenge in herte
I ne wiste where to ete . ne at what place
And it neiȝed neiȝe þe noon . and with nede I mette .
That afrounted me foule . and faitour me called
Kanstow nouȝt excuse the . as dede þe kyng{e} and oþere
As by techinge and by tellynge . of spiritus temperancie .
And þow nome nomore / no more . þan{ne} — nede þe tauȝte
And nede haþ no lawe . ne neuere shal falle in dette
For þre þinges he takeþ . his lif for to saue
That is mete whanne men hym werneth . and he no moneye weldeþ .
Ne wight noon wol ben his borwe . ne wed{de} — haþ non to legge
And he cauȝte in þat cas . and come þerto by sleightesT
He synneþ nouȝt sothely . þat so wynneþ his fode
Nede a-noon riȝt . nymeþ him vnder maymprise
And if hym lust for to lape . þe lawe of kynde wolde
So nede at grete nede . may nymen as for his owene
So þat he suwe and saue . Spiritus temperancie
For is no vertue by fer . to Spiritus temperancie
Neyther Spiritus iusticie . ne Spiritus fortitudinis
For Spiritus fortitudinis . forfeteþ ful ofte
He shal do more þan mesure . many tyme and ofte
And bete men ouer bittre . and somme of hem to lytul
And greueth men gretter . þan{ne} — go{.}od faith it wolde
And Spiritus iusticie . shal iuggen wol he nel he .
After þe kynges conseille . and þe Comune like
And Spiritus prudencie . in many a point shal faille
Of þat he weneþ wolde falle . if his wit ne were
Wenynge is no wysdome . ne wy{se}s ymagynacioun
Homo proponit deus disponit . and gouerneþ alle goode vertues
And as lowe as a lomb{e} . for lakkyng of þat hym nedeþ
Wise men forsooke wele . for þei wolde be nedy .
And woneden in wildernesse . and wolden not be ryche
And god al his grete ioye . goostly he lefte
And cam and took mankynde . and bycom{e} nedy
So nedy he was as seith þe book . in many sondry places .
That he saide in his sorwe . on þe selue Roode
And þe Fissh haþ fynne . to flete with to reste
There nede haþ ynome me . þat I moot nede abide
And suffre sorwes ful soure . þat shul to ioy tourne
For-þi be nouȝt abasshed . to byde and to be nedy
Sith he þat wrouȝte al þe world . was willefulliche nedy .
Ne neuere noon so nedy . ne porere deyde .
Antecrist{e} cam þanne . and al þe crop of treuþe .
Turned it vpso-doun . and ouer-tilte þe Roote
And fals springe and sprede . and spede mennus nedes
And gerte gile growe þere . as he a god were
And religiouse reuerenced hym . and rongen hire belles
And al þe couent forþ cam . to welcome þat tyraunt
And alle hise as wel as hym . saue onelyche fooles
W{..}hiche foles were wel leuere . to deye þan{ne} — to lyue
Lengere . sith lenton . was so rebuked
And a fals feend antecrist . ouer alle folk regned .
And þat were mylde men and holy . þat no meschief dredden .
Deffieden alle falsnesse . and folk{e} þat it vsed .
And what kyng þat hem conforted . knowynge hem any while
Thei cursed and hire counseille . were it clerk or lewede
Antecrist hadde þus soone . hundredes at his baner
And pride it bar . boldely aboute .
With a lord þat lyueth after . þeT likynge of his body
That cam aȝein conscience . þat keper was and gyour
Ouer kynde Cristene . and cardynale vertues
In-to vnite hol{ly}y churche . and holde we vs þere
And crye we to kynde . þat he come and defende vs
Fooles from þise feendes lymes . for Piers loue þe plowman
And crye we to al þe comune . þat þei come to vnite
And þere abyde and bykere a{.}yein . Beliales children
Kynde conscience þo herde . and com out of þe planetes
And sente forth his Forreours . feueres and fluxes
Koughes and cardiacles . crampes and tothaches
Rewmes and radegoundes . and roynouse scalles
Biles and bocches . and bren{.}nynge agues
Frensyes and foule {.}yueles . foragers of kynde
Hadde y-prikked and prayed . polles of þe p{.}eple
There was harrow and help{e} . here comeþ kynde
With deth þat is dredful . to vndoon vs alle
The lord þat lyued aftur lust . tho aloud cryde
After confort a kniȝt . to come and bere his baner
Alarme alarme quod þat lord . {.}ech{e} lif kepe his owne
Elde þe hore he was . in þe vauntwarde
And bar þe baner bifore deþ . by riȝt he it cleymed .
Kynde cam after . with many kene soores
As pokkes and pestilences . and muche p{.}eple shente
So kynde þoruȝ corupciouns . kulled ful manye .
Deth cam dryuynge after . and al to dust passhed
Kynges and kaysers . knyghtesT . and popes
That he hit euene . þat euere stoodT aftur
Many a louely lady . and lemmans of knyghtes
Swoneden and sweltenT . for sorwe of deþes dyntes
Conscience of his curtesye . to kynde he bisouȝte
To cesse and suffre . and se where þei wolde
Leue pride priuely . and be parfite cristene
And kynde cessed þo . to se þe p{.}eple amende
Fortune gan flateren þanne . þo fewe þat weren alyue
And by-highte hem long{e} lif . and leccherye he sente
Amonges alle manere men . wedded and vnwedded
{.} & gadred a gret{e} hoost : al again conscience
This leccherye leide on . with a laughynge chiere
And with aT pryue speche . and peintede wordus
And armed hym in ydelnesse . and in heighe berynge
He bar a bowe in his hand . and many blody ar{r}wes
Weren fetherd{e} wiþ faire biheste . and many a fals treuþe
Wiþ his vntydy tales . he tened ful ofte
Conscience and his compaignye . of holy churche þe techers
Thanne com{e} coueitise . and caste how he miȝte
Ouercome conscience . and cardynale vertues
And armede hym in auarice . and hungriliche lyuede .
His wep{..}ene was al wyles . to wynnen and to hiden
With glosynges and with gabbynges . he giled þe p{.}eple .
Symonye him sente . to assaille conscience
To holden with antecrist . hire temperaltees to sauen
And com{e} to þe kynges conseill . as a kene baroun
And kneled to conscience . in court afore hem alle
And garte good{e} feith{e} flee . and fals to abide
And boldliche bar adoun . with many a bright noble
Muche of þe wit and wisdom{e} . of westm{u}ynstre halle
He iugged til a Iustice . and iusted in his ere
And to þe arches in haste . he {ȝ}yede anoon aft{.}er
And turned cyuyle in-to symonye . and sith he took þe official{e}
For a man{.y}tel of Menyuer . he made lele matrimoigne
Departen er deth cam . and diuorse shapte
Allas quod conscience þoT . wolde crist of his grace
And bold{e} and bidynge . while his bagge lasteþ .
And þanne lough{e} lif . and leet dagge hise cloþes .
And armed hym in haste . in harlotes wordes
And h{.}eld holynesse a iape . and heendnesse a wastour
And leet leautee a cherle . and lyer a freman
Conscience and counseill{e} . he counted it a foly
Thus relyed lyf . for a litel fortune
And priked forth with pride . praised he no vertue
He careþ nouȝt how kynde slow{e} . and shal come at þe laste
And kulle alle erþely creaturesT . saue conscience oone .
Hele and I quod he . and heynesse of herte
Shal do þe nouȝt drede . neyther deþ ne elde
This liked lif . and his lemman fortune
And geten in hire glorie . a gadlynge at þe {..}laste
Oon þat muche wo wrouȝte . slewþe was his name
And wedded on wanhope . a wenche of þe stewes .
Hire sire was a Sisour / þat neuere swor treuþe
This sleuþe was war of werre . and a slynge made
And þrew{e} drede of despair . a dozeyne myle a-boute
For care conscience þo . cryed vpon elde
And bad{e} hym fonde to fiȝte . and afere wanhope .
And {....}elde hente gode hope . and hastliche he shifte hym .
And wayued a-way wan{ne}—hope . and with lif he fiȝteth
And lif fleigh{e} for feere . to phisyk{e} aftur helpe
And bysouȝte hym of his socour . and of his salue hadde .
And gaf hym gold good woon . þat gladed his herte
And þei geuen hym agayn . a glasen howue
Lyf leued þat lechecraft{e} . lette sh{u}olde elde
And dryuen awey deth . with Dyas and dragges
And elde auntered hym on lyf . and at þe laste he h{u}ytte
A phisicien with a furred hood . þat he fel in þeT pallesye
And þere deied þat doctour . er three daies after
Now I see saide lif . þat surgienrye ne phisik{e}
May nouȝt a myte auaille . to medle a{ȝ}yein elde
And in hope of his hele . good herte he hente
And rood so to Reuel . a ryche place and a murye
The compaignye of confort . men cleped it s{u}om-tyme
And elde {an}anoon after me . and ouer myn hed {ȝ}yede
And made me balled by-fore . and bare on þe cro{u}vne
So harde he ȝede ouer myn hed . it wol be seene euere
Sire {.}yuele y-tauȝt Elde quod I . vnhiende go wiþ þe
Siþ whanne was þe wey{e} . ouer menn{.}es hedes
Haddest þow ben hende quod I . þow woldest haue asked leue
{Ȝe}Ye leue lordeyn quod he . and layde on me with age
And h{u}ytte me vnder þe {.}eere . vnnethe may ich heere
He buffeted me a-boute þe mouth{e} . and beet out my {....e}teth
And gyued me in goutes . I may not goo at large
And of þe wo þat I was ynne . {.}my wyf hadde reuthe
And whisshede ful w{it}yt{.}erly . þat I were in heuene
For þe lyme þat she loued me fore . and leef was to feele
On nyȝtes namely . whan we naked were
I ne myȝte in no manere . maken it at hire wille
And as I sat in þis sorwe . I seigh{e} kynde passed
And deþ drouȝ{e} neer{e} me . for drede gan I quake
And cryde to k{.}ynde . out of care me brynge
Loo Elde þe hoore . haþ me by-se{iȝ}ye .
A-wreke me if {ȝ}yowre wille be . for I wolde ben henn{..}es
If þow wolt{e} been y-wroken . weende in-to vnitee
And holde þe þere euere / til I seende for þe
And loke þow konne som{me} craft{e} . er þow come þennes .
Counseille me kynde quod I . what craft{e} is best{e} to lerne
Lerne to loue quod kynde . and leue of alle oþur
And þow loue lelly quod he . lakke shal þe neuere
Mete ne worldly wede . whil þi lif lasteth .
And þere by conseill{e} of kynde . I comsed to rome
Thoruȝ contricioun and confessioun . til I com{e} to vnite .
And þere was conscience Conestable . cristene to saue
And biseged soþly with seuen grete gyauntes
That with Antecrist helden . harde a{ȝ}yein conscience
Proude preestes come with hym . mo þan a þousand
In paltokes and piked shoes . and pissers longe knyues
Comen a{ȝ}yein conscience . with coueityse þei h{.}elden
By marie quod a mansed preest . of þe marche of Irlond
I counte namore conscience . by so I cacche siluer
Than{ne} — I do to drynke . a draughte of gode ale .
And so saiden sixty . of þe same countre
And shoten a{ȝ}yein with sho{..e}t . many a shef of othes
And broode hoked arwes . godes herte and his nailes
And hadden{e} almoost vnyte . and holynesse a-downe
Conscience cryed help{e} clergye . orelles / or elles I falle
Thoruȝ inparfite preestes . and prelates of holy churche
Freres herden hym crye . and comen hym to helpen
Ac for þei koude nouȝt wel hire craft{e} . conscience forsook hem .
Nede neighed þo neer . and conscience he toolde
That þey come for coueityse . to haue cure of soules
TheiT flatere to fare wel . folk þat ben riche
And sithe þei chosen chele . and cheitif pouerte .
Lat hem chewe as þei chosen . and charge hem with no cure .
For lomer he lyeþ . þat liflode moot begge
Than{ne} — he þat laboureþ for liflode . and leueþ it beggers
Lat hem be as beggers . or lyue by angeles foode .
Conscience of þis conseille þo . comsed to laughe
And curteislich conforted hem . and called in alle Freres .
And saide sires soþly . welcome be {ȝ}ye alle
To vnite and holychurche . ac oþing{e} / o þing{e} I {ȝ}yow praie
Holdeþ {ȝ}yow in vnite . and haueþ noon enuye
To lered ne to lewed . but lyueth aftur {ȝ}youre rule
And I wol be {ȝ}yowre borwe . {ȝ}ye shul haue breed {..} & clothes
And oþere necessaries y-nowe . {ȝ}yow shal no þing{e} faille
For loue lafteT þei lordshipe . boþe lond and scole
Frere Fraunceys . and Domynyk . for loue to ben holy
And if {ȝ}ye coueiteþ cure . kynde wil {ȝ}yow teche
That in mesure god made . alle manere þinges
And sette it at a certein . and at a siker nombre
And nempned names newe . and nombred þe sterres
Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum . & omnibus eis & cetera .
Kynges and knyghtes . þat kepen and defenden
And if þei wage men to werre . þei wryte hem in nombre
Alle oþur in bataille . ben holden bribours
Pilours and pikehernois . in ech{e} a place a-cursed
Monkes and monyales . and alle men of Religioun
Hire ordre and hire rule woldeT . to han a certein nombre
Of lered and of lewed . þe lawe wol and axeth .
A certein for a certein . saue oonly of freres .
For-þi quod conscience by crist . kynde wit me telleþ .
It is wikked to wage {ȝ}yow . {ȝ}ye wexe out of nombre
Heuene haþ euene nombre . and helle is with-oute nombre
And {ȝ}yowre nombre vndur notaries signe . and neither mo ne lasse
Enuye herde þis and badT . Freres go to scole
And l{.}erne logyk{e} and lawe . and ek{e} contemplacioun
And preche men of plato . and proue it by Seneca
That alle þinges vndur heuene . ouȝten to ben in comune
And {ȝ}yet he lieþ as I leue . þat to þe lewed so precheþ .
For god made menT / a lawe / . and Moyses it tauȝte
Non concupisces rem proximi tui .
And {.}yuele is þis y-holde . in parisshes of Inglond{e}
For persones and parissh preestes . þat shulde þe p{.}eple shriue
Ben curatours called . to knowe and to hele
Alle þat ben hire parisshenes . penaunce to enioigne
And sholden ben ashamed in hire shrifte . ac shame makeþ hem wende
And fleen to þe Freres . as fals folk to westm{u}ynstre
Þat borweþ and bereþ þider . and þanne biddeþ freendes
{Ȝ}Yerne of for{ȝ}yeuenesse . or lenger {ȝ}yeres loone
Ac whil he is in westm{u}ynstre . he wol be bifore
And maken hym merie . with oþur menn{u}es goodes
And so it fareþ with muche folk{e} . þat to þe Freres shryueþ
As sisours and Executours . þei wol {ȝ}yeue þe Freres
A parcel to pray for hem . and make hem-selue murye
With þe residue and þe rem{.}enaunt . þat oþer men byswonke
And suffre þe dede in dette . to þe day of dome .
Enuye herfore . hated conscience .
And Freres to philosophye . he fond{e} hem to scole
The while coueitise and vnkyndnesse . conscience assailled
In vnite holy churche . conscience held{e} hym
And made pees porter . to pynne þe {ȝ}yates
Of alle tale-tellers . and titerers in ydel
Ypocrysye and he . an hard assaut þei made
{.}Ypocrisye at þe {ȝ}yate . harde gan to fighte
And wounded wel wikkedly . many wise techeres
That with conscience acorded . and cardynale vertues
Conscience called a leche . þat koude wel shryue
Shrifte shoop sharpe salue . and made men do penaunce
For hire misdedes . þat þei wrouȝt{e} hadden
And þat Piers were paied . Redde quod debes
Somme liked nouȝt þis leche . and lettres þei senten
If any surgyen w{h..}ere þe segge . þat softer coude plastre
Sire l{i}ef to lyue in leccherie . lay þere and groned
For fastynge of a Fryday . he ferde as he wolde deye
And more of phisik he canT . & fairer he plastereþ
Oon Frere flaterer . is phisicien and surgien
Quod contricion to conscience . do hym come to vnite
For here is many a man . hurt{e} þoruȝ ypocrisie .
We haue no nede quod conscience . I woot no bettre leche
Than{ne} person or parissh preest . penitauncer or bisshop
Saue Piers þe plowman . þat haþ power ouer hem alle
And indulgence {.......}may do . but if dette lette it
I may wel suffre saide conscience . syn {ȝ}ye desiren
That Frere flaterere be fet . and phisike {ȝ}yow syke
The Frere hereof herde . and hiede ful faste
To a lord for a lettre . leue to haue to curen
As a curatour he were . and cam with hise lettres .
Baldly to þe Bisshop . and his brief hadde
And cam þere conscience was . and knokked at þe {ȝ}yate
Pees vnpynned it . was porter of vnite
And in haste asked . what is wille were
I faith quod þis Frere . for profit and for helthe
He is seek saide pees . and so is many a-noþerT
Ipocrysie haþ hurt{e} hym . ful harde is if he coeuere
I am a surgien seyde þe segge . and salues can make
Conscience knoweþ me wel . and what I kan do boþe
I pray þe quod pees þo . er þow passe ferther
Cert{..}es seide his felawe . sire Penetrans domos
{Ȝe}Ye go þi gate quod pees . by god for al þi phisik
But þow konne som{me} craft{e} . þow comest not here-inne
I knewe such oon ones . nouȝt eighte wynt{re}er passed
Com{e} in þus ycoped . at a court{e} where I dwelled
And was my lordes leche . and my ladyes boþe
And at þe laste þis lymitour . þo my lord was oute
He salued so oure wymmen . til some weren with childe
Heende speche heet pees . opene þe {ȝ}yates
Lat in þe frere and his felawe . and make hem fair{e} chere
He may see and here . so it may bifalle
That lif þoruȝ his loore . shal leue coueityse
And be {...?...}adrad of deth . and withdrawe hym from pride
And acorde with conscience . and kisse hire either other
Thus þoruȝ heende speche . entred þe frere .
And com{e} in to conscience . and curtey{...?... him gret}sely hym grete
Thow art welcome quod conscience . kanstthow / kanst thow hele þe seke
Here is contricioun quod conscience . my cosyn y-wounded
Conforte hym quod conscience . and take keep to his soores
The plastres of þe person . and poudres biten to soore .
He let hem ligge ouer-longe . and loth is to chaungen hem .
That is ouer-longe quod þis lymytour . I leue I shal amenden it
And gooth and gropeþ contricioun . and gaf hym a plastre
Of a pryuie paiement . and I shal praye for {ȝ}yow
For alle þat {ȝ}ye ben holden to . al{le} — my lif-tyme
As freres of oure fraternite . for a litel siluer
Thus he gooth and gadereþ . and gloseþ þere he shryueþ
Til contricioun hadde clene for{ȝ}yeten . to crye and to wepe
And wake for hise werkesT . as he was wont to doone
For confort{e} of his confessour . contricioun he loste
That is þe souereigneste salue . for alle kynne synnes
Sleuwthe seigh{e} þat . and so d{.}ide pryde
And come with a kene wille . conscience to assaille
Conscience cryed{e} eft{e} . and bad clergye helpe hym
And also contricioun . for to kepe þe ȝate .
He lyth and dremeþ . saide pees and so do many oþere
The Frere with his phisik . þis folk haþ en-chaunted
And plastred hem so esely . þei drede no synne .
By crist quod conscience þo . I wol bycome a pilgrym{e}
And walken as wide . as al þe world lasteth
To seke piers þe plowman . þat p{...}ryde may destruye
And þat freres hade a fyndynge . þat for nede flateren
And contrepledeth me conscience . now kynde me auenge
And sende me hap and hele til I haue piers þe plowman
And sith he gradde after grace . til I gan a-wake
Explicit hic dialogus petri plowman T
Penna precor siste quoniam liber explicit iste T
Explicit iste liber . qui obsecro transeat liberT
{passus xxus et primus de dobeste}
# the mantell off Mynever
# Tom twotonge
# the prest off Irlond
bene vales consciencia
#
nota
passus xxus
passus xxus
cor
mordonC
passus xxus
# contra phisicos
X
passus xxus
#
#
X
passus xxus
# syr leff to live in lecherye
.id est. papa
passus xxus