This were a wikk{.}ede way but whoso hadde a gyde
Qu{..}od perkin þe {....}Plowman b{e}i seint petur of Rome
I haue an halue-acre to erien by þe heie w{...}eye
Hadde I eried{e} þis halue-acre and y-sowen it aftur
I wolde wende with {ȝ}yow . and þe we{ie}y teche .
Þis were a long{e} lettynge quod a lady in a sklayre
What {w}shulden we wymmen worchen þere-whilus
And {ȝ}ye louely ladies with {ȝ}yowre longe fingres
Þat {ȝ}ye han silk{e} and {...?...}sandel to sowen whanne tyme is
Chesibles for chapleines ch{u}yrchus to . honoure
Wyues and widowes wolle and flex{e} spinneth
Maketh cloth{e} I conseille {ȝ}yow and kenneth so {ȝ}yowre douȝt{...}res
Þe nedy and þe nakud nymeth hiede how hij liggeth .
And casteþ hem clothus . for so comandeth treuthe
For I shal lenen hem liflode . but {ȝ}if þe lond{e} faille
Flessh and bred bothe to riche and to pore .
As longe as I liue for oure lordus loue of heuene
And alle manere of men . þat þorwȝ mete and drinke libbeth
Helpeth hym to worche witȝly . þat wynneth {.}yowre fode
By Crist quod a knyȝt{e} þo he kenneth vs þe beste
Ac on þe teme truly tauȝt{e} was I neuere
Ac kenne me quod þe kniȝt{e} and by crist I wil assaie
By seint Poule quod perkin {ȝ}ye profre {ȝ}yow so faire
Þat I shal swinke and swete and sowe for vs bothe
And oþur labours do for þi loue . al my lif-tyme .
In couenaunt þat þow kepe . holikirke and my-seluen
From wastours and wikkyde men . þat þis wo{...?...}rld struyeth
And go hunte harddiliche . to hares and to foxes
To bores and to brokkus þat breketh a-doun myn hegges
And go affaite þi faucounes . wilde foules to kulle
For suche cometh to my croft{e} . and croppuþ myn whete
Curteiselich þe kniȝt{e} þanne . com{...}sed{e} þis wordus
{..}By my powere piers quod he I pliȝte þe my truthe
To fulfulle þis forwarde þouȝ I fiȝte shulde
Als longe as I liue . I shal þe mainteine .
{Ȝ}Ye and {ȝ}yet a point quod Piers {.}I praie {ȝ}yow of more
Loke {ȝ}ye tene no tenaunt but trwþe wil assente
And {......}þogh ye mowe amercie hem . lat mercy be taxour{e}
And mekenesse þi Maist{..}er Maugre medes chekus
And þowȝ pore men profre {ȝ}yow presentus and {ȝ}yiftus
For þow shalt {ȝ}yelde it aȝein at on {ȝ}yeres ende
In a ful perillous place purgatorie it hiȝte
And mysbede nouȝt{e} þi bonde-men þe bett{..}re may þow spede
Þat he wortheþ worthier{e} y-s{....}ett and with more blisse
Amice ascende superius
Or a kniȝt{e} from a knaue þere knowe þis in þin herte .
And þat þow be trwe of þ{..}y tonge and tales þat þow hate
But {ȝ}if þei ben of wisdom or of wit{..} þi werkemen to chaste
Hold with none harlotus ne here nouȝt{e} h{ie}yre tales .
And nameliche atte mete . suche men eschuwe
For it ben þe deueles disours I do þe to vndurstonde
I assente by seint{e} Iame . saide þe kniȝt{e} þanne
For to worche by þ{in}y wordus . þe while my lif dureth
And I shal apparaille me quod PiersT . in pilgrimes wise
And wende with {ȝ}yow I wil til we fynde truþe
And cast on my clothus y-clowted and hole
My cokurs and my Cuffus . for colde of my nailles
And hange myn hopur at myn hals in stede of a scrippe
For I wil sowe it my-selue . and sithenes wil I wende
To pilgrimages as palmeres doon pardoun forto haue
Ac whoso helpuþ me to erien . or sowen here ar I wende
HeT shal haue leue by oure lorde . to lese here in heruest{e}
And alle kin crafty men . þat k{u}onne lyuen in truthe
I shal finden hem fode . þat faithfulliche libbetth
Saue Iak þe iogulour . and Ionete of þe stuwes
And danyel þe dys plaiere and Denot þe bawde
And Frere þe faitour . and folk{e} of his ordre
And Robin þe Ribaudour . for his rusty wordus
Truthe tolde me ones . and bad me telle it aftur
Deleantur de libro viuencium . I shulde nouȝt{e} dele with hem
For holichurche is hote . of hem no tythe to take .
Quia cum iustis non scribantur
Thei ben ascapud{e} good{e} auenture . now god hem amende
Dame worche whan tyme is . piers wif hiȝte
His douȝt{..}er hiȝte do riȝt{e} so / or þi dame shal þe bete
His sone hiȝte suffre þi souerains . to hauen hire wille
Deme hem nouȝt{e} for {ȝ}if þow doost þou shalt it dere abigge
Lat{e} god y-worthe with-al for so his word{e} techeþ
For now I am old{e} and hore . and haue of myn owene
To penaunce and to pilgrimage . I wil{..} passe with othere
For-þi I wil er I wende . do write my biqueste
In dei nomine amen . I make it my-selue{ne}
And fro þe fende it defende . andT so I bileue
Til I come to his acomptus as my Credo me telleþ
To haue a relees and a remissioun . on þat rental I leue
The kirke shal haue my caroigne . and kepe my bones
For of my corn{e} and catel . he crauede þe tithe
I paiede him fulT prestly . for peril of my soule
For-þi is he holden I hope . to haue me in his masse
An mengen in his memorie . amonges alle cristene
My wif shal haue of þat I {..}wan . with truthe and namore
And delen among{e} my{n} douȝteres . and my dere children
For þowȝ{gh} — I deie to-day my dettus arn quitte
I bare hom þat I borwede er I to bedde {ȝ}yede .
And with the resydue and þe rem{.}enaunt{e} . by þe Rode of lukes
I wil worshipe þere-with . truthe by my lyue
And ben{e} his pilgrim{e} atte plowgh . for pore menn{.}es sake
My plowgh foot shal be my pike-staf . and p{.}ycche atwo þe Rotus
And helpe my Cultre to kerue . and clense þe forwes
Now is perkin and his pilgrimes . to þe plowgh faren
To erie þis halue-acre holpen him manye
Dykers and deluers . diggeden vp þe balkes
Þere-with was perkyn appaied{e} . and praised hem faste
Eche man in his maner{e} . made hym-selue to doone
And s{u}omme to plese perkyn . pikede vp þe wedus
Atte heiȝe prime pers . let þe plow{e} stonde
To ouer{e}-seen hem him-selue . and whoso best{e} wrouȝte
He shulde ben h{u}yred þere-aftur . whanne heruest{e}-tyme come .
And þanne seten summe . and songen at þe nale
And holpen erien his halue-acre . with how trolly-lolly
Now b{.}y þe peril of my soule . quod Piers . al in pure tene
But {ȝ}ye arise þe rathur . and rape yow to worche
And þo{.}wgh {ȝ}ye deiȝe for do{..}el . þe deuel haue þat reccheth
Tho were faitours a-fierde . and feinede hem blinde
Summe leide here legges a-leri . as suche losels conneth
And made here mone to pier{..}s . and praide hym of grace
For we haue no limes to labore with . lord{e} y-graced be {ȝ}ye
Ac we praie for {ȝ}yow piers . and for {ȝ}yowre plow bothe
Þat god of his grace . {ȝ}yowre gra{ine}yn multiplie
And {ȝ}yelde {ȝ}yow of {ȝ}yowre almes . þat {ȝ}ye {ȝ}yeueþ vs here
For we may nouȝt{e} swynke ne swete . such{e} sekenesse vs ailleth
{.}Ye ben wastours I wot well . and truthe wot þe sothe
And I am his olde hyne . and hiȝte him to warne .
Whiche þei were in þis world . his werkemen appaire{.}d
{Ȝ}Ye wasten þat men wynnen . with trauaille and with tene
Ac treuthe shal teche {ȝ}yow . his teme to driue
Or {ȝ}ye {.}shal ete barly bred{e} . and of þe broke drinke
He shal ete whete breed{e} . and drinke with my-selue
Til god of his godnesse . amendement hym seende
Ac {ȝ}ye miȝte trauaille as truthe wolde . & take mete & huyre
To kepe kyne in þe field{e} . þe corn{e} fro þe bestes
Diken or deluen or dingen vppon sheues
Or helpe make morter . or bere mukke afield{e} .
And al is þorw suffraunce . þat veniaunce {ȝ}yow ne taketh
Ac ancres and herm{.}ytes . þat eten but at nones
And namore er morwe . myne almesse shul þei haue
And of my catel to cope hem with . þat han cloistres and churches
Ac Robert{e} renne aboute . shal nouȝt{e} haue of myne
Ne posteles but þei preche conne . and haue power{e} of þe bisshop
Þay shal haue payn{e} and potage . and make hem-selue at ese
For it is an vnresonable Religioun . þat haþ riȝt nouȝt{e} of certeyn{e}
And þanne gan a wastour to wrathe hym . and wolde haue y-fouȝte
A Bretoner a braggere . abostede Piers als
And bad hym go pisse with his plowe . for-pynede shrewe .
Wiltow or niltow {not} . we wil haue oure wille
Of þi flour{e} and þy{.} flessh . fecche whann{....}e vs liketh
And make vs merie þere-with . maugre þine chekus
Þanne Piers þe Plowman plained{e} hym to þe kniȝte
To kepe hym as couenaunt{e} was . fram curs{...}ede {.}shrewes
And from þis wastours woluesskynnes . þat makeþ þe world deere
For þei waste and wynnnen / wynnen nouȝt{e} . and þat ilke while
Worth neuere plente among{e} þe {.....}peple . þere while my plow liggeth
Curteisly þe kniȝt{e} þanne . as his kynde wolde
Warnede wastour . and wissud hym bett{..}re
Or þow shalt{e} abbigge by þe lawe . by þordre þat I bere
I was nouȝt{e} I-won{...}t to worche quod wastour . and now wole {..} — I not bigynne
And lete liȝt{e} of þe lawe . and lasse of þe knyȝte
And sette piers at a pese . and his plow bothe
And manaced{e} piers and his men . {ȝ}if þei mette eft{e}-sone
Now bi þe perill of my soule quod piers I shal appaire {ȝ}yow alle
And houpud aftur hongur . þat herde him atte furste
Hon{...}ger in haste þo hente wastour by þe mawe
And wrong{e} hym so bi þe wombe þat bothe his eiȝhen wat{....}rede
He buff{.....}etted þe bretoner{e} . aboute þe chekes .
Þat he lokud lik a lanterne . al his lif aftur
He bette hem so bothe . he barste nere here guttus
Nadde Piers with a pese lof preid{e} hungur to cesse
Þei hadden ben doluen bothe deme þou non othur
Suffre hem liue he saide and late hem eten with hogges
O{.}r ellus benes and bren . baken to-gedres
Faitours for fere hereof . flowen in-to bernes
And flapten on with flailes . fram morwe til euene
That hungur was nouȝt so hardy . on hem for to loke
An hepe of hermitus . henten hem spadus
And kuten {hire} — hire copes and court{...}pis hem maden
And wenten as werkemen . with spadus and with shoueles
And doluen and dikeden . to driue awey hungur
Blynde and bedredene . were bo{.....}otned a þousand{.}
That seten to begge silu{..}er . sone were þei hel{..}ed
For þat was baken for baiard{.} . was bote for many hungri
And many a begger for benes . fulT buxom{.} was to swynke
And eche pore man wel paied . to haue pesen for his huyre
And what Piers praide hem to done as prest{e} as a sparhauk{e}
And þere-of was Piers proud{e} . and putte hem to werke
AndT þanne hadde Piers pite . and praide hungre to wende
For I am wel awroke now . of wastours þorwȝ þi miȝte
Ac I pray þe er thow passe . quod Piers to hungur
Of beggers and bidders . what best be to done
For meschief it makeþ . þei be so meke nowthe
And for defaute of hire fode . þis folk is atte my wille
Treuthe tauȝte me ones . to louen hem echone
And to helpen hem of alle þing{.} . ay as hem nedeth
And now wolde I witen of þe . what were þe beste
And how I miȝte amaistren hem . and make hem to worche
Here now quod hungur . and holde it for a wisdome
Bolde beggers and bigge . þat mowe here bred swynke
With houndus bred . and horsbred holde vp hire hertus
Abate hem with benes . for bollinge of hire wombe
And he shal soupe swett{...}er . whanne he it haþ deserued{e}
And {ȝ}if þow fynde any freke . þat fortune hath appaired{e}
Or any manere fals men . fonde þow suche to knowe
Conforte hem with þi catel . for cristus loue of heuene
Loue hem and lene hem . so lawe of god techeþ .
Alter alterius onera portate .
And alle manere of men . þat þow miȝt{.} aspien
Þat nedy ben and nauȝty . help{e} hem with þ{in}y god{.}es .
Loue hem and lakke hem nouȝt{e} . and lateT god take þe veniaunce
The{..}ygh þei done {.}yuele lat god aworthe
Michi vindictam & ego retribuam
And {ȝ}if þow wilt{e} be graciou{.}s to god . do as þe gospul techeþ
And bilowe þe amonges lowe men . so shalt þow lacche grace
Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis
I wolde nouȝt greue god quod Piers . for al þe good on grounde
{Ȝ}Ye I bihote þe quod hung{..}er {..}or ellus þe bible lieth
Go to Genesis þe gyaunt . þe engendrour{e} of vs alle
And laboure for þ{ine}y ly{.}flode . and so oure lord{e} hi{....}ghte
And sapience saith þe same I seie it in þe bible
And þerfore he shal begge and bidde & no man bete {...}his{his} hongur
Mathew with mann{.}es face mouthed þis wordus .
Þat seruus nequam had a nam . and for he wolde not chaff{...}are
He hadde maugre of his maistur . for euermore aftur
And with þat he saide . þat holichurche it herde
He þat hath shal haue . and helpe þerewith þatT nedeth
And he þat nouȝt hath . shal nouȝt haue . and no man him helpe
And þat he weneth wel to haue . I wil it him reueT .
{.....}Kynde w{...}it wolde . þat eche a wiȝght wrouȝte
Or in dikinge or in deluynge . or trauaillinge in praiers
Contemplatif lif or actif lif . Crist wolde men wrouȝte
The sauter saieth in þe salme of Beati omnes
Þe fre{e}ke þat feduth him-selue . with his faithful labour{e}
He is blessud by þe boke in body and in soule
Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis & ceteraT
{Ȝ}Yet I praie {I} {ȝ}yow quod Piers . par charitee and {ȝ}ye k{u}onne
Eny leef of lechecraft{e} . lere it meT dere
For s{u}omme of my seruauntz . and my-selue bothe
I wot wel quod hungur . what sekenesse {ȝ}yow ailleth
{Ȝ}Ye han manged{e} ouer-muche . and þat maketh {ȝ}yow grone .
Ac I hote þe quod hungur . as þow þin{e} hele wilnest{e}
Ete nouȝt{e} I hote þe . er hungur þe take
And sende þe of his sauce . to sauoure þy{.}T lippus
And kepe som{e} til soperT . and sitte nouȝt to longe
Ar{..}ys vp {.}er appetit . haue eten his fulle
Lat{e} nouȝt{e} sire surfait{e} . sitten atte þ{in}y borde
Loue him nouȝt . for he is leccherous . and likerous of tonge
And aftur many manersT of mete . his mawe is afingred{e}
That Phisik shal his furred hodes . for his fode selle
And be fain{e} by my faith . his phisik to lete .
And l{.}erne to laboure with lond{e} . for l{...}yflode is swete
For mortherers arn{.} many leches . lord{e} hem amende .
Þei doo men deien þorwgh hire drinkes . ar destine it wolde .
By seint Poule quod Piers . þi{..}se arn{e} profitable wordus
Wende now hon{..}ger whanne þow wolt{e} . þat wel be þow euere
For þis is a louely lessoun . lord{e} it þe forȝelde
By-hote god quod hungur . hennes ne wille I w{.}ende
Til I haue dined by þis day . and y-dronke bothe
I haue no peny quod Piers poletes to bigge
Ne neithur gees ne gris . but two grene cheses
A fewe Cruddes and Creme and a hauer kake .
And two loues of benes and bran y-bake for my faunttis
Ne no cokeney by crist{e} colopus for to maken
Ac I haue percile and porettus . and many ko{..}ol plauntus
And ek a cow . and a calf and a carte-mare .
To drawe a-felde my donge . þe while þe drouȝ{..}te lasteth
And by þis liflode we moten liue . til lammes tyme
And by þat I hope to haue . heruest{e} in my crofte
And þanne may I diȝte þi dyner . as me dere liketh .
Alle þe pore {...?...?...}peple tho . Pesecoddes fetten
Benes and baken apples . þei brouȝten in hire lapp{.}es .
Al hungur eet in haste and ax{..}ed aftur more
Þanne pore folk for fere fedde hungur {ȝ}yerne
With grene porete and pesen to poisun hungur þei þouȝte
Þanne was folk{e} fa{ine}yn . and fedde hung{..}er with þe beste
With gode ale as glotoun tauȝte . and gerte hungre goo slepe
And þo wolde wastour not worche . but wandren a-boute{n}
Ne no begger eten breed{e} . þat benes inne were .
But of coket or clermatin . or ellus of clene whete
Ne non{.} halpeny ale in none wise drinke
But of þe beste and þe brunneste þat in bur{ȝ}gh is to selle
Laborers þat haue no land{e} to lyuen on but hire hondus
Deined nouȝt to dyneT . niȝt olde wortus
May no penyale hem paie . ne no{ne} — pece of bacoun
And þat chaud or {.}plus chaud{e} . for chillinge of hire mawe .
A{...?...?...}nd but {but} he be hyliche yhyred . elles wil he chide
Aȝeins Catones conseill{e} . comsuth he to iangle
Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento .
He greueth h{.}im aȝeins god . and gruccheþ aȝeins resoun .
And þanne curs{...}eth he þe king{e} . and al his conseill aftur
Suche lawes to loke . laborers to greue .
Ac whiles hunger was hire maist{..}er . þere wolde non{e} of hem chide
Ne striue aȝeins his statut so sternelich he lok{..}ed
For hungur hiderward{e} . hasteþ h{.}im faste
He shal awake with watur . wastours to chaste
Ar fyue be fulfullude . such famyn shal riseT .
And so saide saturne . & sente {ȝ}yow to warne
Whanne {ȝ}ye se þe s{u}onne amys . & {...?...?...}two Monkes heddes
Þanne shal deþ with-drawe . & derthe be Iustice
And dawe þe dikere . deie for hunger .
But {ȝ}if god of his goodnesse . graunte vs a t{....}rewe
# quomodo miles optulit seipsum ad aratrum
# the Covenaunt by-twene the knyght & the plowman
# quia bene dicit
# the knyghtis Bondman
nota
#
x
the testament of Piers
¶
#
heresi
#
# quomodo queritur piers ad militem
XC
# the hopyng after hunger
# quod Fames venit ad puniendum vastum
Nota
vjus passus
# the devils dysowrs
{maugre}
# quia oblaciones non debent recepi de hijs quorum nomina deleantur & cetera
vjus passus
# the devill haue þat Reccheth
# quomodo truffatores Fingunt se Fere mitulati / m[uti]lati & Ceci
# Contra wasters
qui parcit virgam perdit filium
contra fratres
vjus passus
# that was baken For {I} bayerd
# concilium Famis contra audaces mendicantes
{/ no felde wolde /}C
vjus passus
# contra manging to moch
contra medicos
{ripe +}C
cor
iiijus
cor
besaunteT
besauntT