In manere of a mendynaunt  many ȝeer after

And of þis metyng many tyme  myche þouȝt Ich hadde

First how fortune me faylede  at my moost nede

And how þat eelde manacede me  we myȝten neuereT mete

And how þat freris foleweden  folk þat weren riche

And folk þat weren pore  at litil price þei setten

And no coors in her kirk-ȝerd  ne in her kirke was biried

But quyk he bequeþe hem ouȝt  or schulde helpe quyte her dettis

And how coueytise ouercome  clerkis & preestes

And how þat lewed men been lad  but oure lord hem helpe

ÞoruȝC vnkunnynge curatouris  to incurable peynes

And how þat ymagynatyf  in dremeles me tolde

Of kynde & of kunnyng  & how curteys he is to beestis

And how louynge he is to beestis  on loond & on water

Leneþ he no lijf  lasse ne more

Þe creatures þat crepen  of kynde been engendrid

And how ymagynatyf seyde  vix saluabitur iustusC

And whanne he hadde seyd so  how sodeynlich he passede

I lay doun longe in þis þouȝt  and at þe last I slepte

And as crist wolde þer come conscience  to counforte me þat tyme

And badeT come to his court  wiþ clergie schulde I dyne

And for concience of clergie spake  I come wel þe raþer

And þere I seyȝ a mayster  what man he was I nyste 

Þat lowe loutede and  louelich to scripture

Concience knewe hym wel  & welcomede hym fayre

Þei wasscheden & wypeden  & wente to dyner

Ac pacience in þe paleys  stode in pilgrimes cloþis

And preyede mete parT charite  for a pore heremyte

Concience callede hym In  & curteyslich seyde

Welcome wye . go & wasche  þou schalt sitte soone

Þis mayster was maad sitte  & for þe moost worþi

Þanne clergie & concience  & pacience cam after

Pacience and I  weren put to be macches

And sitteT bi oure-selue  at a syde-boord

Concience callede after mete  & þanne cam scripture

And seruede hem þus soone  of sundry metes many

Of austyn of ambrose  of alle þe foure euangelistes

Ac þis mayster ne his man  no manere flesch eeten

Ac þei eeten mete of more cost  mortrewes & potages

Of þat men myswonnen  þei maden hem wel at ese

Ac her sauce was euere soure  & vnsaueryT ygroundenT

In a morter post mortem  of many bitter peynes

But if þei synge for þe soulis  & wepe salte teres

Concience curteyslich þoo  comaunded scripture 

Bifore pacience breed to brynge  & me . þat was his make

He sette a soure loof to-fore vs . & seyde  agite penitenciam

And siþen he drowe vs drynk  diu perseuerans

As longe quod heT as I lyue  & likham may dure

Heer is propre seruyse quod pacience  þer fareþ no prynce better

And þanne he brouȝte forþ oþer mete  of miserere mei deus

And of beati quorum  of beatus vir makyng

Et quorum tecta sunt  peccata . in a dische

Of derne schrifte dixi  and confitebor tibi

Brynge pacience sum pitaunceT  quod concience

And þanne come to pacience  a pitaunce ybrouȝt

Of pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus  in tempore oportuno

And concience counfortede vs  & carpede vs myry wordisT

Pacience was proud  of þat propre seruyse

And made hym myrþe wiþ his mete  ac I mornede euere

For þis doctour on þe hye deys  dranke wiyn so faste

He eete many sundry metes  mortrewes & puddynges

Wombe cloutis & wylde brawn  & egges fryed wiþ grece

Þanne seyde I to my-self  so pacience it herde

It is not foure dayes þat þis freek  bifore þe deen of poulis

Prechede of penaunces  þat poule þe apostle suffrede

In fame & frigore  & flappes of scourges

Ac oo word þei ouerhippen  at iche tyme þat þei prechen

Þat poule in his epistleT  toT þe peple tolde

Holy writ bit men . be war  I wole not write it heer 

On englich . an aunter it schulde  be reherced to ofte

And greue þer-wiþ þat good been  ac gramariens schul rede

Ac I wiste neuere freek . þat as a frere ȝede  bifore men . on englisch 

Take it for her teme  & telle it wiþ-oute glosyng

Þei prechen þat penaunce is  profitable to þe soule

And what mescheef or malese  crist for man þolede

Ac þis goddis glotoun quod I  wiþ hise grete chekis

Haþ no pite on vs pore men  he parforneþ yuele 

Þat he precheþ . he preueþ not  to pacience I tolde

And wisschede wittirli  wiþ wille ful egre

Þat dissches & doubleris  bifore þis ilke doctour 

Were molten leed in his mawe  & mahoun amyddis

I schal iangle to þis iurdan  wiþ his {Iutte}Ius[te]T wombe

To telle menT what penaunce is  of whych he prechede raþer

Pacience parceyuede what I þouȝte  & wynkede on me to be stille

And seyde . þou schalt see þus soone  whanne he may no more

He schal haue a penaunce in his paunche  & puffe at iche a word

And þanne schal hise guttes groþeleT  & he schal galpen after

For now he haþ drunken so depe  he wole dyuyne soone

And preue it bi her pocalips  & passioun of seynt auereys

CÞat neiþer bakoun ne brawn  blankmanger ne mortrewes

Is neiþer fisch ne flesch  but fode for a penaunce

And þanne schal he testifie of a trinyte  & take hise felawes to witnesse

What he fonde in a frayel  after freris lyuyng

And but if þe first leefT be leesyng  leue me neuere after

And þanne is tyme to talkeT  & appose þis doctour

Of do-wel & do-bette  & if do-best  be any penaunce

And I sete stille as pacience seyde  & þus soone þis doctour 

As rody as a rose  rubbede hise chekes

Cowȝhede & carpede  & concience hym herde

And tolde hym of a trinyte  & toward vs he lokede

What is do-wel sire doctour quod I  is do-wel any penaunce

Do-wel quod þis doctour  & toke þe cuppe & dranke

Do noon yuel to þin euene-cristen  not bi þi power

Bi þisT sire doctour quod I þanne  be ȝe not in do-wel

For ȝeT harmed vs two  in þat ȝe eete þe puddyng

Mortrewis & oþer mete  & we no mussel haddenT

And if ȝe faren so in ȝoure fermorie  ferli me þinkeþ 

But chesteT þere charite schulde . be  & children durstenT pleyne

I wolde permute my penaunce wiþ ȝoure  for I am in poynt to do wel

Þanne concience curteyslich  a countenaunce made

And preynte vp-on pacience  to preye me be stille

And seide hym-self . sire doctour  & it be ȝoure wille

What is do-wel & do-bette  ȝe dyuynouris knowen

Do-wel quod þis doctour  do as clerkis techen

And do-bette is he þat techeþ  & trauayliþ to teche oþere

And do-best dooþ hym-self so  as he seiþ & precheþ

Now þou clergie quod concience  carpest what is do-wel

I haue seuene sones he seyde  seruen at a castel

Þere þe lord of lijf woneþ  to lerne what is do-wel

Til I se . þo seuene  & myself acorden

I am vnhardy quod he  to any whyȝt to preuen it

For oon peers þe plowman  haþ impugned vs alle

And sette alle scienceT at a soppe  saue loue oone

And no texte ne takiþ  to mayntene his cause

But dilige deum  & domine quis habitabit . & cetera

And seiþT do-wel & do-bette  arn two infinites

Whiche infynytes wiþ a feiþ  fynden out do-best

Which schal saue mannys soule  þus seiþ peersC plowman

I can not her-onne quod concience  ac I knowe peers

He wole not aȝeyn holi writ speke  I dar vndirtake

Þanne passe we ouer til peers come  & preue þis in dede

Pacience haþ been in many places  & parauenture knoweþ 

Þat . no clerkT knoweþT  as crist bereþ witnesse

At ȝoure preyer quod paciens þoo  so no man displese hym

Disce quod he &Tdoce  & dilige inimicos

Disce and do-wel  doce and do-betteT

TA lemman þat I louede  loue was hir name

Wiþ wordis & werkis quod sche  & wille of þin herte

Þou loue lelly þi soule  al þi lijf-tyme

And so þou lere þee to louye  for þe lordis loue of heuene 

Þin enemy . in al wyse  euene-forþ wiþ þi-selue

Caste coles on his hed  & al kynde speche

Boþe wiþ werk & word  fonde his loue to wynne

And leye on hym þus wiþ loue  til he lawȝhe on þee

And but he bowe for þis betyng  blynde mote he worþe

Ac for to fare þus wiþ þi freend  folye it were

For he þat loueþ þee lelly  litil of þin coueytiþ

Kynde loue coueytiþ not  no catel . but speche

Wiþ half a laumpe-lyne  in latyn ex vi transgressionisT

I bere þer-Inne a bewteT  fast ybounde . do-wel

In a signe of þe saterday  þat sette first þe kalender

InT al þe witt of þe wednesday  of þe nexte woke after

Þe myddel of þe mone  is þe myȝt of boþe

And her-wiþ am I welcome  þer I haue it wiþ me

Vndo it . latte þis doctour deme  if do-wel be þer-inne

For bi hym þat me made  myȝte neuere pouertee

Misese ne mescheef  ne man wiþ his tunge

Colde ne care  ne cumpanye of þeues

Ne neiþer hete ne hayl  ne noon helle pouke

Ne neiþer fijr ne flood  ne feer of þin enemyesT 

Tene þe any tyme  & þou take it wiþ þee

It is but a dido quod þis doctour  a disouris tale

Al þe witt of þis world  & wiþT mennes strengþe

Can not conformen a pees  bitwene þe pope & hise enemyes

Ne bitwene two cristen kyngys  kan no wyȝt pees make 

Profitable to eiþer peple  & putte þe table fro hym

And toke clergie & concience  to counceyl as it were

Þat pacience þoo muste passe  for pilgrymes kun wel lye

Ac concience carpede loude  & curteyslich seyde

Frendis fareþ wel  & fayre spake to clergye

For I wole goo wiþ þis goom  if god wole gyue me grace

And be pilgryme wiþ pacience  til I haue proued more

What quod clergie to concience  ar ȝe coueytous nouþe

After ȝeresȝeues & ȝiftes  or ȝernen to rede ridels

I schal brynge ȝow a bible  a book of þe olde lawe

And lere ȝow if ȝow like  þe best poynt to knowe

Þat pacience þe pilgryme  parfiȝtly knewe neuere

Nay bi crist quod concience {}to clergie god þee forȝelde

For al þat pacience me profereþ  proude am I fulT litil

Ac þe wille of þe wye  & ȝe wolenT of folk here 

Haþ moued my mood  to morne for my synnes

Þe good wille of a wyȝt . was  neuere bouȝt to þe fulle

For þer is no tresore þerto  to a trewe wille

THadde not magdaleyn more  for a boxe of salue

Þan zacheus for he seyde  dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus

And þe pore wydowe  for a peyre of mytes

Þan alle þoo þat offreden  in-to gazophilacium

Þus curteysliche concience  congeyede þe frere

And siþen softlich he seyde  in clergyes ere

Me were leuere bi oure lord  & I lyue schulde

Haue pacience parfiȝtli  þan half þi bakkeT of bookis

Clergie to concience  no cungeye wolde take

But seyde ful sobrelich  þou schalt se þe tyme

Whanne þou art wery for-walked  wylne me to counceyl

Þat is soþ quod concience  so me god helpe

If pacience be oure partynge felawe  & priuey wiþ vs boþe

Þer is no woo in þis world  þat we ne schulde amende

And confourmen kyngys to pees  and al kyns londis

Sarasens & surry  & so forþ alle þe Iues

Turne in-to þe trewe feiþ  & in-til oon beleue

Þat is soþ quod clergie  I see what þou menest

I schal dwelle as I do  my deuoyr to schewen

And confermen fauntkyns  & oþere folk ylered

Til pacience haue seruedT þee  & parfiȝt{lich} þee make[de]T

Concience þoo wiþ pacience passede  pilgrymes as it were

Þanne hadde pacience as pilgrimes han  in his poke vitaylis

Sobrete & symple speche  & soþfast beleue

To counforte hym & concience  if þei come in place

Þere vnkyndenesse & coueytise is  hungry cuntrees boþe

And as þei wenten bi þe weye  of do-wel þei carpeden

Þei metten wiþ a mynystral  as me þoo þouȝte

Pacience apposede hym þooT  & preyede . he schulde hem telle 

To concience . what craft he couþe  & to what cuntre he wolde

I am a mynystral quod þat man  my name is actiua vita

AndT alle ydel ich hate  forT actijf is my name

A waferer . wole ȝe wite  & serue many lordis

And fewe robes I fonge  or furred gounes

Kouþe I lye to do men lawȝhe  þanne lacchen I schulde 

Ouþer mantel or money  amongys lordis mynystralis

Ac for I can neiþer taboure ne trompe  ne telle noon geestis

Farten ne fiþelen  at feestis ne harpen

Iape ne iogele  ne ienteliche pipe

Ne neiþer sayle ne saute  ne synge wiþ þe gyterne

I haue no goode gyftes  of þeise grete lordis

For no breed þat I brynge forþ  saue a benysoun on þe sunday

Whanne þe preest preyeþ þe peple  her pater-noster to bidde

For peris þe plowman  & þat hym profiȝt wayten

And þat I am actijf  þat ydelnesse hatye

For alle trewe trauaylouris  & tilyers of erþe

Fro myȝhel-messe to myȝhel-messe  I fynde hemT wafres

Beggers & bidders  of my breed crauen

Faytouris & freris  & folk wiþ brode crownes

I fynde payn for þe pope  & prouendre for his palfreyC

And I hadde neuere of hym  haue god my truþe

Neiþer prouendre ne personage  ȝit . of þe popis ȝifte

Saue a pardoun wiþ a peys of leed  & two polles a-myddis 

Hadde iche / ichT a clerk þat couþe write  I wolde caste hym a bille

Þat he sente me vndir his sceel  a salue for þe pestilence

And þat his blessyng & hise bulles  myȝte bocchesT distroye

And þanne wolde I be prest to þe peple  paast for to make

And buxum & bisy  aboute breed & drynke

For hym & for alle hise  fonde I . þat his pardoun 

TMyȝte lechen a man  as I beleueT schulde

For siþ he haþ þe power  þat petir hym-self hadde

He haþ þe potte wiþ þe salue  soþeli as me þinkeþ

Ac if myȝt of myracle hym fayle  it is for men been not worþi 

To haue þe grace of god  & no gylt of þe pope

For may no blessyng don vs bote  but if we wolen amende

Ne mannes masse make pees  amongys cristen peple

Til pride be pureliche fordo  & þat þoruȝ payn defaute

For er I haue breed of meele  erst mote I swete

And er þe comune haue corn ynow  many colde mornyng

So er my wafres be wrouȝt  myche woo I þolye

Al london I leue  likeþ wel my wafres

And louren whanne þei lakkenT it  is not longe passed

Þer was a careful comune  whanne no cart come to toune

Wiþ breed fro stratford  þoo gonnen beggers wepe

And werkmen weren agast a litil  þis wole be þouȝt longe

In þe date of oure dryȝte  in a drye april

A þousande & þre hundrid  twyes twenti & ten

My wafres weren gesen  whanne chichestre was meyrC

I toke good keep bi crist  & concience boþe

Of haukyn þe actijf man  & how he was cloþid

He hadde a cote of cristendam  as holi chirche beleueþ

Ac it was moled in many places  wiþ many sundry plottes

Of pride heer a plot & þere a plot  of vnbuxum speche

Of scornyng & of scoffyng  & of vnskilful beryng

As in apparayle and in poort  proud amongys þe peple

Oþer-wise þan he haþ wiþ herte  or ye schewynge

Hym willynge þat alle men wendenT  he were þat he is not

For-why he bosteþ & braggeþ  wiþ many bolde oþes

And inobedient to be vndirnome  of any lijf lyuynge

And so synguler bi hym-self  ne noon so poppe-holy

In habyte as an heremyte  an ordre bi hym-self

Religioun saunz rule  & resounable obedience

Lakkynge lettred men  & lewede men boþe

In liknyngT of lele lijf  & a lyer in soule

Wiþ inwit & wiþ outwit  ymagynen & studien

As best for his body be  to haue a badde name

And entermete hym ouer al  þere he haþ not to done

Wilnynge þat men wende  his witt were þe best

And if he gyue ouȝt to pore gomes  telleþ what he deleþ

Pore of possessioun in purs  & in cofres boþe

And as a lyoun on to loke  & lordlich of speche

Baldest of beggers  a boster þat nouȝt haþ

In toune & in tauernes  tales to telle

And segge þing þat he neuere seyȝ  & for soþe sweren it

Of dedes þat he neuere dide  demen & bosten

And of werkis þat he wel dide  witnesse & seggeT

Loo if þou leue me not  or þat I lye weneT

Axeþ at hym or at hym  & he ȝow can telle

What I suffrede & seyȝ  & sum-tymes hadde

And what I kouþe & knewe  & what kyn I come of

Al he wolde þat men wistenT  of werkis & of wordis

Whiche myȝte plese þe peple  & preysen hem-seluenT

Bi crist quod concience þoo  þi best cote haukyn

Haþ many moles & spottes  it muste been ywasschid

Ȝhe . who-so toke heed quod haukyn  bihynde & bifore

What on bakke & on body  & bi þe twey sydes

Men schulden fynde many frounces  & many foule plottes

And he turnede hym as tijt  & þanne toke I heed

It was fouler bi fele foold  þan it first semede

It was bidroppid wiþ wraþþe  & wikkide wille

Wiþ enuye & {wicked}. yuel .T speche  entycynge to fiȝte

Liynge & lawȝhynge  & leef tunge to chyde

Al þat he wiste wickid  bi any wiȝt tellen it

And blame men bihynde her bak  & bidde hem meschaunce

And þat he wiste bi wille  telle it to watte

And þat watte wiste  wille wiste it after

And made of frendis foos  þoruȝ a fals tunge

Or wiþ myȝt of mouþe  or þoruȝ mannes strengþe

Auenge me fele tymes  ouþer frete my-selue

Wiþ-Inne as a schepsters schere  yschrewede men & cursede

Þer is no lijf þat I louye  lastynge any whyle

For tales þat I telle  no man tristeþ to me

And whanne I may not haue þe maystrie  wiþ malencolie I take 

Þat I cacche þe crampe  þe cardiacle sum-tyme

Or an ague in swich an angre  & sum-tyme a feuere

ÞatC takiþ me al a twelue-moneþ  til þat I dispise 

Lechecraft of oure lord  & leue on a wicche

And seggeþT þat no clerk ne can  ne crist as I leue

To þe souter of souþwerk  &T of sordichT dame emme

And seggeþT þat no goddis word  gaf me neuere bote

But þoruȝ a charme hadde I chaunce  & my cheef hele

I waytede bisiloker  & þanne was it suylid

Wiþ likyng of lecherie  & bi lokyng of his ye

For iche a maydenT þat he mette  he made hir a syngne

Semynge to synne-ward  & sum-tyme he gan taste 

Aboute þe mouþe or bi-neþe  bigynneþ to grope

Til eyþer wille waxeþ kene  & to þe werk ȝeden

As wel in fastynge-dayes as fridayes  & forboden nyȝtis

And as wel in lente as out of lente  alle tymes yliche

Swiche werkis wiþ hem  werenT neuere out of sesoun

Til þei myȝten no more  & þanne hadden myry tales

And how þat lecchouris louyen  lawȝhen & iapen

And of her harlotrie & horedam  in her elde . tellen

Þanne pacience parceyuede  of poyntis of his cote

Was culmy þoruȝ coueytise  & vnkynde desyryng

More to good þan to god  þe goom hys loue caste

And ymagynede how  he it myȝte haue

Wiþ false mesureT & met  & wiþ fals witnesse

Lenede itT for loue of þe wed  & loþ to do truþe

And IT awaytede þoruȝ . which . weye to bigyle

And mengede his marchaundise  & mad a good moustre

Þe worsT wiþ-Inne wasT  greet witt I lete it

And my neiȝbore hadde any hyne  or any beeste ellis

More profitabel þan myn  many sleyȝtis I made

How I myȝte haue it  al my witt I caste

And but I hadde bi oþer weye  at þe laste I stale it

Or pryuyliche his purs schoke  vn-pikede hise lokkis

Or bi nyȝt or bi day  aboute was Ich euere

Þoruȝ gyle to gaderen  þe good þat I haue

If I ȝede to þe plow  I pynchede so narwe

Þat a foote loond or a foruȝ  fecchen I wolde

Of my next neyȝbore  nymen of his erþe

And if I repe . ouer-reche  &T ȝaue hem reed þat ropeT

And seyse to me wiþ my sykil  þat I sewe neuere

And who-so borweþ of me  abouȝte þe tyme

Wiþ presentis priueylich  or payede sum certeyn

So wolde he or he nolde  wynnen I wolde

And boþe to kiþ & to kyn  vnkynde of þat ich hadde

And who-so chepede my chaffare  chiden I wolde

But he proferede me to paye  a peny or tweyne

More þan it was worþ  & ȝit wolde I swere

Þat it coste me myche more  & swore many oþes

In halidayes in holi chirche  whanne ich hereT messe

Hadde I neuere wille woot god  witterli to beseche 

Mercy for my mysdedis  þat I ne mornede more 

For losse of good . leue me  þan for my likhams gyltes

As if I hadde dedli synne doon  I drede not þat so sore

As whanne I lenedeT . levede it lost  or longe . er it were payed

So if I kidde any kyndenesse  myn euene-cristene to helpe

Vp-onT cruel coueytise  myn herte gan hange

AndT I sente ouer sehe  my seruantis to brugges

Or in-to pruselond my prentice  my profiȝt to wayten

To marchaunden wiþ money  & make her eschaunges

Myȝte neuere me counforte  in þe mene tyme

Neiþer messe ne mateyns  ne no manere siȝtis

Ne neuere penaunce parfornede  ne pater-noster seyde

Þat my mynde ne was more  on my good inT doute

Þan in þe grace of god  & hise grete helpes

Whyche been þe braunches  þat bryngen a man to sleuþ 

Is whanne a manT morneþ not for hise dedisT  ne makeþ no sorwe

Ac penaunce þat þe preest enioyneþ  parforneþ yuele

Dooþ noon almes-dede  drediþ hym of no synne

Lyueþ aȝeyn þe beleue  & no lawe holdeþ

Iche day is an holy-dayT  &T an hyȝ ferie

And if he ouȝt wole here  it is an harlottis tunge

AndT whanne men carpen of crist  or clennesse of soule

He waxeþ wroþ & wole not here  but wordis of myrþe

Penaunce & pore men &T passioun of seyntis

He hateþ to here þerof  & alle þat it telliþ

Þeise been þe braunches . be war  þat bryngen a man to wanhope

Ȝe lordis & ladies  & legates of holy chirche

Þat fedenT foles sageT  flaterers & lyeris

And han likyng to liþen hem  to do ȝow to lawȝhe

And ȝyuen hem mete & mede  & pore men refusenT

In ȝoure deþ-deiynge  I drede me ful sore

Lest þe þre manere men  to myche sorwe ȝow brynge

Patriarkes & prophetis  & prechouris of goddis wordis

Sauen þoruȝ her sermoun  mannes soule from helle

Riȝt so flaterers & foles  & þe feendis disciplis

To entice men þoruȝ her tales  to synne & harlotrie

AsT clerkis þat knowen holy writ  schulden kenne lordis

What dauid seiþ of swiche men  as þe sauter telliþ

Schulde noon harlot haue audience  in halle ne in chaumbres

Þere wise men weren  witnesse goddis wordis

Ne no mysproude man . amongys  lordis . be alowed

Ac flaterers & foles  þoruȝ her foule wordis

Leden þoo þat louen hem  to luciferes feeste

Wiþ turpiloquio a lay of sorwe  & lucifers fiþele

Þus haukyn þe actijf man  hadde ysuyled his cote

Til concience acoupede hym þerof  in a curteys manere

Why he ne hadde wasschen it  or wipedT wiþ a brusche