Passus xiijus / terciodecimus &c
And I awaked þer-wiþ . witlees nerhande
And as a freke þat fre were . forþ gan I walke
In manere of a mendynaunt . many a yer after
And of þis metyng many tyme . muche þouȝt I hadde
¶ First how Fortune me failed . at my mooste nede
And how þat Elde manaced me . myȝte we euere mete
And how þat freres folwede . folk þat was riche
And folk þat was pouere . at litel pris þei sette
And no corps in hir kirkȝerd . nor in hir kirk was buryed
And how þis Coueitise ouer-com . clerkes and preestes
And how þat lewed men ben lad . but oure lord hem helpe
Thoruȝ vnkonnynge curatours . to incurable peynes
¶ And how þat ymaginatif . in dremels me tolde
Of kynde and of his konnynge . and how curteis he is to bestes
And how louynge he is to briddesT . on londe and on watre
Leneþ he no lif . lasse ne moore
The creatures þat crepen . of kynde ben engendred
And siþen how ymaginatif seide . vix saluabitur
And whan he hadde seid so . how sodeynliche he passed
¶ I lay doun longe in þis þoȝt . and at þe laste I slepte
And as crist wolde þer com Conscience . to conforte me þat tyme
And bad me come to his court . wiþ clergie sholde I dyne
And for Conscience of Clergie spak . I com wel þe raþer
And þere I seiȝ a maister . what man he was I nyste
That lowe louted . and loueliche to scripture
¶ Conscience knew hym wel . and welcomed hym faire
Thei wesshen and wipeden . and wenten to þe dyner
And Pacience in þe Paleis stood . in pilgrymes cloþes
And preyde mete par charite . for a pouere heremyte
¶ Conscience called hym In . and curteisliche seide
Wel-come wye go and wassh . þow shalt sitte soone
¶ This maister was maad sitte . as for þe mooste worþi
And þanne clergie and Conscience . and Pacience cam after
¶ Pacience and I . were put to be macches
And seten bi oure-selue . at þe side borde
¶ Conscience called after mete . and þanne cam Scripture
And serued hem þus soone . of sondry metes manye
Of Austyn of Ambrose . and of þe foure Euaungelistes
Edentes & bibentes que apud eos sunt
¶ Ac þis maister norT his man . no maner flessh eten
Ac þei eten mete of moore cost . mortrews and potages
Of þat men myswonne . þei made hem wel atese / at ese
Ac hir sauce was ouer-sour . and vnsauourly grounde
In a morter Post mortem . of many a bitter peyne
But if þei synge for þo soules . and wepe salte teris
¶ Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis nisi pro eis lacrimas & oraciones effun-
deritis . ea que in delicijs comeditis in tormentis euometis
¶ Conscience ful curteisly þo . comaunded Scripture
Bifore Pacience breed to brynge . and me þat was his macche
He sette a sour loof toforn vs . and seide Agite penitenciam
And siþþe he brouȝte vs drynke . Dia perseuerans
As longe quod I as I lyue . and lycame may dure
Here is propre seruice quod Pacience . þer fareþ no Prince bettre
¶ And þanne he brouȝte vs forþ . a mees of ooþer mete . of Miserere mei deus
And he brouȝte vs of Beati quorum . of Beatus virres makyng
Et quorum tecta sunt peccata . in a dissh
Of derne shrifte . Dixi & confitebor tibi
Bryng pacience som pitaunce . pryueliche quod Conscience
¶ And þanne hadde Pacience a pitaunce . Pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno
And Conscience conforted vs . and carped vs murye tales
Cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies
¶ Pacience was proud . of þat propre seruice
And made hym murþe wiþ his mete . ac I mornede euere
For þis doctour on þe heiȝe dees . drank wyn so faste
Ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum
¶ He eet manye sondry metes . mortrews and puddynges
Wombe cloutes and wilde brawen . and egges yfryed wiþ grece
¶ Thanne seide I to my-self so . pacience it herde
It is noȝt foure dayes þat þis freke . bifore þe deen of Poules
Preched of penaunces . þat Poul þe Apostle suffrede
In fame & frigore . and flappes of scourges
¶ Ter cesus sum & a iudeis quinquies quadragenas &c
¶ Ac o word þei ouerhuppen . at ech a tyme þat þei preche
That Poul in his Pistle . to al þe peple tolde
Periculum est in falsis fratribus
¶ Holi writ bit men be war . I wol noȝt write it here
In englissh on auenture . it sholde be reherced to ofte
¶ Vnusquisque a fratre se custodiat . quia vt dicitur periculum est in falsis fratribus
¶ Ac I wiste neuere freke þat as a frere yede . bifore men on englissh
Taken it for his teme . and telle it wiþ-outen glosyng
They prechen þat penaunce is . profitable to þe soule
And what meschief and male-ese . crist for man þolede
¶ Ac þis goddes gloton quod I . wiþ hise grete chekes
Haþ no pite on vs pouere . he parfourneþ yuele
That he precheþ he preueþ noȝt . to Pacience I tolde
And wisshed ful witterly . wiþ wille ful egre
That disshes and doublers . bifore þis ilke doctour
Were molten leed in his mawe . and Mahoun amyddes
I shal Iangle to þis Iurdan . wiþ his Iuste wombe
To telle me what penaunce is . of which he preched raþer
¶ Pacience parceyued what I þouȝte . and wynked on me to be stille
And seide þow shalt see þus soone . whan he may namoore
He shal haue a penaunce in his paunche . and puffe at ech aworde / a worde
And þanne shullen hise guttes goþele . and he shal galpen after
For now he haþ dronken so depe . he wole deuyne soone
And preuen it by hir Pocalips . and passion of Seint Auereys
That neiþer bacon ne braun . blancmanger ne mortrews
Is neiþer fissh nor flessh . but fode for a penaunt
And þanne shal he testifie of þe Trinite . and take his felawe to witnesse
What he fond in a frayel . after a freres lyuyng
And but he first lyue be lesyng . leue me neuere after
And þanne is tyme to take . and to appose þis doctour
Of dowel and dobet . and if dowelT be any penaunce
¶ And I sat stille as Pacience seide . and þus soone þis doctour
As rody as a Rose . rubbede hise chekes
Coughed and carped . and Conscience hym herde
And tolde hym of a Trinite . and toward vs he loked
¶ What is dowel sire doctour quod I . is itT any penaunce
¶ Dowel quod þis doctour . and took þe cuppe and drank
Is do noon yuel to þyn euencristen . nouȝt by þi power
¶ By þis day sire doctour quod I . þanne be ye noȝt in dowel
For ye han harmed vs two . in þat ye eten þe puddyng
Mortrews and ooþer mete . and we no morsel hadde
And if ye fare so in youre Fermerye . ferly me þynkeþ
But cheeste be þer charite sholde be . and yonge children dorste pleyne
I wolde permute my penaunce with youre . for I am in point to dowel
¶ Thanne Conscience curteisly . a contenaunce made
And preynte vp-on pacience . to preie me to be stille
And seide hym-self sire doctour . and it be youre wille
What is dowel and dobet . ye dyuynours knoweþ
¶ Dowel quod þis doctour . do as clerkes techeþ
And dobet is he þat techeþ . and trauailleþ to teche oþere
And dobest doþ hym-self so . as he seiþ and precheþ
Qui facit & docuerit magnus vocabitur in regno celorum
¶ Now þow Clergie quod Conscience . carpest what is dowel
I haue seuene sones he seide . seruen in a Castel
Ther þe lord of lif wonyeþ . to leren what is dowel
Til I se þo seuene . and my-self acorde
I am vnhardy quod he . to any wiȝt to preuen it
For oon Piers þe Plowman . haþ impugned vs alle
And set alle sciences at a sop . saue loue one
And no text ne takeþ . to mayntene his cause
But Dilige deum . and Domine quis habitabit
And seiþ þat dowel and dobet . arn two Infinites
Whiche Infinites wiþ a feiþ . fynden out dobest
Which shal saue mannes soule . þus seiþ Piers þe Plowman
¶ I kan noȝt her-on quod Conscience . ac I knowe wel Piers
He wol noȝt ayein holy writ speken . I dar wel vndertake
Thanne passe we ouer til Piers come . and preue þis in dede
Pacience haþ be in many place . and paraunter mouþed
That no clerk ne kan . as crist bereþ witnesse
Pacientes vincunt &c
¶ Ac youre preiere quod Pacience þo . so no man displese hym
Disce quod he doce . dilige inimicos
Disce and dowel . doce and dobet
Dilige and dobest . þus tauȝte me ones
A lemman þat I louede . loue was hir name
Wiþ wordes and wiþ werkes quod she . and wil of þyn herte
Thow loue leelly þi soule . al þi lif-tyme
And so þow lere þe to louye . for oureT lordes loue of heuene
Thyn enemy in alle wise . euene-forþ wiþ þi-selue
Cast coles on his heed . of alle kynde speche
Boþe wiþ werkes and with wordes . fonde his loue to wynne
And leye on hym þus with loue . til he lauȝe on þe
And but he bowe for þis betyng . blynd mote he worþe
¶ Ac for to fare þus wiþ þi frend . folie it were
For he þat loueþ þee leelly . litel of þyne coueiteþ
Kynde loue coueiteþ noȝt . no catel but speche
Wiþ half a laumpe lyne in latyn . Ex vi transicionis
I bere þer-Inne aboute . faste ybounde dowel
In a signe of þe Saterday . þat sette first þe kalender
And al þe wit of þe wodnesday . of þe nexte wike after
The myddel of þe Moone . as þe nyghtT of boþe
And her-with am I wel-come . þer I haue it wiþ me
¶ Vndo it . lat þis doctour deme . if dowel be þer-Inne
For by hym þat me made . myȝte neuere pouerte
Misese ne meschief . ne noT man wiþ his tonge
Coold ne care . ne compaignye of þeues
Ne neiþer hete ne hayl . ne noon helle pouke
NeT fuyr ne flood . ne feere of þyn enemy
Tene þee any tyme . and þow take it wiþ þe
Caritas nichil timet &c
¶ It is but a dido quod þis doctour . a disours tale
Al þe wit of þis world . and wiȝt mennes strengþe
Ne bitwene two cristene kynges . kan no wiȝt pees make
Profitable to eiþer peple . and putte þe table fro hym
And took Clergie and Conscience . to conseil as it were
That Pacience þow most passe . for pilgrymes konne wel lye
¶ Ac Conscience carped loude . and curteisliche seide
Frendes fareþ wel . and faire spak to clergie
For I wol go wiþ þis gome . if god wol yeue me grace
And be Pilgrym wiþ pacience . til I haue preued moore
¶ What quod Clergie to Conscience . ar ye coueitous nouþe
After yeresȝeues or ȝiftes . or yernen to rede redels
I shal brynge yow a bible . a book of þe olde lawe
And lere yow if yow like . þe leeste point to knowe
That Pacience þe pilgrym . parfitly knew neuere
¶ Nay by crist quod Conscience to Clergie . god þee foryelde
For al þat Pacience me profreþ . proud am I litel
Ac þe wil of þe wye . and þe wil of folk here
Haþ meued my mood . to moorne for my synnes
The goode wil of a wight . was neuere bouȝt to þe fulle
¶ Hadde noȝt Maudeleyne moore . for a box of salue
Than zacheus for he seide . dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus
And þe poore widewe . for a peire of mytes
Than alle þo þat offrede . in-to Gazophilacium
¶ Thus curteisliche Conscience . congeyed first þe frere
And siþen softeliche he seide . in clergies ere
Me were leuere by oure lord . and I lyue sholde
Haue pacience parfitliche . þan half þi pak of bokes
¶ Clergie of Conscience . no congie wolde take
But seide ful sobreliche . þow shalt se þe tyme
Whan þow art wery of-walkedT . wille me to counseille
¶ That is sooþ quod Conscience . so me god helpe
If Pacience be oure partyngfelawe / partyng felawe . and pryue with vs boþe
Ther nys wo in þis world . þat we ne sholde amende
And conformen kynges to pees . and alle kynnes londes
Sarsens and Surre . and so forþ alle þe Iewes
Turne in-to þe trewe feiþ . and in-til oon bileue
¶ That is sooþ quod Clergie . I se what þow menest
I shal dwelle as I do . my deuoir to shewe
And confermen fauntekyns . and ooþer folk ylered
Til Pacience haue preued þee . and parfit þee maked
¶ Conscience þo wiþ Pacience passed . pilgrymes as it were
Thanne hadde Pacience as pilgrymes han . in his poke vitailles
Sobretee and symple speche . and sooþfast bileue
To conforte hym and Conscience . if þei come in place
There vnkyndenesse and coueitise is . hungry contrees boþe
Thei mette wiþ a Mynstral . as me þo þouȝte
Pacience apposed hym first . and preyde he sholde hem telle
To Conscience what craft he kouþe . and to what contree he wolde
¶ I am a Mynstralle quod þat man . my name is Actiua vita
Al ydelnesse ich hatie . for of Actif is my name
A wafrer wol ye wite . and serue manye lordes
And fewe robes I fonge . or furrede gownes
Couþe I lye to do men lauȝe . þanne lacchen I sholde
Ouþer mantel or moneie . amonges lordes or Mynstrals
Ac for I kan neiþer taboure ne trompe . ne telle no gestes
Farten ne fiþelen . at festes ne harpen
Iape ne Iogele . ne gentilliche pipe
Ne neiþer saille ne saute . ne synge wiþ þe gyterne
I haue no goode giftes . of þise grete lordes
For no breed þat I brynge forþ . saue a benyson on þe sonday
Whan þe preest preieþ þe peple . hir Pater noster to bidde
For Piers þe Plowman . and þat hym profit waiten
And þat am I Actif . þat ydelnesse hatie
For alle trewe trauaillours . and tiliers of þe erþe
Fro Mighelmesse to Mighelmesse . I fynde hem wiþ my wafres
¶ Beggeris and bidderis . of my breed crauen
Faitours and freres . and folk wiþ brode crounes
I fynde payn for þe pope . and prouendre for his palfrey
And I hadde neuere of hym . haue god my trouþe
Neiþer prouendre ne personage . yet of popes ȝifte
Saue a pardon wiþ a peis of leed . and two polles amyddes
Hadde ich a clerc þat couþe write . I wolde caste hym a bille
That he sente me vnder his seel . a salue for þe pestilence
And þat his blessynge and hise bulles . bocches myȝte destruye
¶ In nomine meo demonia eicient & super egros manus imponent & bene habebunt
And þanne wolde I be prest to þe peple . paast for to make
And buxom and busy . aboute breed and drynke
For hym and for alle hise . founde I þat his pardoun
Miȝte lechen a man . as I bileue it sholde
For siþ he haþ þe power . þat Peter hym-self hadde
He haþ þe pot wiþ þe salue . sooþly as me þynkeþ
¶ Ac if myȝt of myracle hym faille . it is for men ben noȝt worþi
To haue þe grace of god . and no gilt ofT pope
For may no blessynge doon vs boote . but if we wile amende
Ne mannes masse make pees . among cristene peple
Til pride be pureliche for-do . and þoruȝ payn defaute
For er I haue breed of mele . ofte moot I swete
And er þe commune haue corn ynouȝ . many a cold morwenyng
So er my wafres be ywroȝt . muche wo I þolye
¶ Al Londoun I leue . likeþ wel my wafres
And louren whan þei lakken hem . it is noȝt longe ypassed
There was a careful commune . whan no cart com to towne
Wiþ breed fro Stratford . þo gonnen beggeris wepeC
In þe date of oure driȝte . in a drye Aprille
A thousand and þre hundred . twies twenty and tenC
My wafres þere were gesene . whan Chichestre was Maire
¶ I took good kepe by crist . and Conscience boþe
Of haukyn þe Actif man . and how he was ycloþed
He hadde a cote of cristendom . as holy kirke bileueþ
Ac it was moled in many places . wiþ manye sondry plottes
Of pride here a plot . and þere a plot of vnbuxom speche
Of scornyng and of scoffyng . and of vnskilful berynge
As in apparaille and in porte . proud amonges þe peple
Hym willyng þat alle men wende . he were þat he is noȝt
For-why he bosteþ and braggeþ . wiþ manye bolde oþes
And inobedient to ben vndernome . of any lif lyuynge
Yhabited as an heremyte . an ordre by hym-selue
Religion saunz rule . orT resonable obedience
Lakkynge lettrede men . and lewed men boþe
In likynge of lele lif . and a liere in soule
Wiþ Inwit and wiþ outwit . ymagynen and studie
As best for his body be . to haue a badde name
And entremetten hym ouerP al . þer he haþ noȝt to doone
Willynge þat men wende . his wit were þe beste
And if he gyueþ ouȝt to pouere gomes . telle what he deleþ
Pouere of possession in purs . and in cofre boþe
And as a lyoun on to loke . and lordlich of speche
Boldest of beggeris . a bostere þat noȝt haþ
In towne and in Tauernes . tales to telle
And segge þyng þat he neuere seiȝ . and for soþe sweren it
Of dedes þat he neuere dide . demen and bosten
And of werkes þat he wel dide . witnesse . and siggen
Lo if ye leue me noȝt . or þat I lye wenen
Askeþ at hym or at hym . and he yow kan telle
What I suffrede and seiȝ . and som-tymes hadde
And what I kouþe and knew . and what kyn I com of
Al he wolde þat men wiste . of werkes and of wordes
Which myȝte plese þe peple . and preisen hym-selue
¶ Si hominibus placerem . christi seruus non essem
Et alibi / Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire
¶ By crist quod Conscience þo . þi beste cote Haukyn
Haþ manye moles and spottes . it moste ben ywasshe
¶ Ye who-so toke hede quod haukyn . bihynde and bifore
What on bak and what on body half . and by þe two sides
Men sholde fynde manye frounces . and manye foule plottes
¶ And he torned hym as tyd . and þanne took I hede
It was fouler bi fele fold . þan it first semed
It was bidropped wiþ wraþe . and wikkede wille
Wiþ enuye and yuel speche . entisynge to fighte
Lyinge and laughynge . and leue tonge to chide
Al þat he wiste wikked . by any wight tellen it
And blame men bihynde hir bak . and bidden hem meschaunce
And þat he wiste by wille . tellen it watte
And þat watte wiste . wille wiste it after
And made of frendes foes . þoruȝ a fals tonge
Auenge me fele tymes . oþer frete my-selue
¶ Cuius malediccione os plenum est & amaritudine sub lingua eius labor & dol[or]T
Et alibi: Filij hominum dentes eorum arma & sagitte . et lingua eorum gladius a[cutus]T
¶ Ther is no lif þat me loueþ . lastynge any while
For tales þat I telle . no man trusteþ to me
And whan I may noȝt haue þe maistrie . swich malencolie I take
That I cacche þe crampe . and þe Cardiacle som-tyme
Or an Ague in swich an Angre . and som-tyme a Feuere
That takeþ me al a twelue-monþe . til þat I despise
Lechecraft of oure lord . and leue on a wicche
And seye þat no clerc ne kan . ne crist as I leue
To þe Soutere of Southwerk . or of Shordych dame Emme
And seye þat no goddes word . gaf me neuere boote
But þoruȝ a charme hadde I chaunce . and my chief heele
¶ I waitede wisloker . and þanne was it soilled
Wiþ likynge of lecherie . as by lokynge of his eiȝe
For ech a maide þat he mette . he made hire a signe
Semynge to synneward . and som-tyme he gan taste
Aboute þe mouþ or byneþe . bigynneþ to grope
Til eiþeres wille wexeþ kene . and to þe werke yeden
As wel in fastyng-dayes and Fridaies . asT forboden nyȝtes
And as wel in lente as out of lente . alle tymes yliche
Swiche werkes with hem . were neuere out of seson
Til þei myȝte namoore . and þanne murye tales
And how þat lecchours louye . laughen and Iapen
And of hir harlotrye and horedom . in hir elde tellen
¶ Thanne Pacience parceyued . of pointes of þis cote
That wereT colomy þoruȝ coueitise . and vnkynde desiryng
Moore to good þan to god . þe gome his loue caste
And ymagynede how . he it myȝte haue
Wiþ false mesures and met . and wiþ fals witnesse
Lened for loue of þe wed . and looþ to do truþe
And awaited . þoruȝ which wey to bigile
And menged his marchaundise . and made a good moustre
The worste with-Inne was . a greet wit I let it
And if my Neghebore hadde any hyne . or any beest ellis
¶ Moore profitable þan myn . manye sleiȝtes I made
How I myȝte haue it . al my wit I caste
And but I it hadde by ooþer wey . at þe laste I stale it
Or pryueliche his purs shook . andT vnpikede hise lokes
Or by nyȝte or by daye . aboute was ich euere
Thoruȝ gile to gaderen . þe good þat ich haue
¶ If I yede to þe Plowȝ . I pynched so narwe
That a foot lond or a forow . fecchen I wolde
Of my nexte Neghebore . andT nymen of his erþe
And if I repe ouer-reche . or yaf hem reed þat ropen
To seise to me wiþ hir sikel . þat I ne sew neuere
¶ And who-so borwed of me . abouȝte þe tyme
Wiþ presentes pryuely . or paide som certeyn
So he woldeT or noȝt wolde . wynnen I wolde
And boþe to kiþ and to kyn . vnkynde of þat ich hadde
¶ And who-so cheped my chaffare . chiden I wolde
But he profrede to paie . a peny or tweyne
Moore þan it was worþ . and yet wolde I swere
That it coste me muche moore . and soT swoor manye oþes
¶ On haly-daies at holy chirche . whan ich herde masse
Hadde I neuere wille woot god . witterly to biseche
Mercy for my mysdedes . þat I ne moorned moore
For losse of good leue me . þan for my likames giltes
As if I hadde dedly synne doon . I dredde noȝt þat so soore
As whan I lened and leued it lost . or longe er it were paied
So if I kidde any kyndenesse . myn euencristen to helpe
Vp-on a cruwel coueitise . myn herte gan hange
¶ And if I sente ouer see . my seruauntz to Brugges
Or in-to Pruce-lond my Prentis . my profit to waiten
¶ To marchaunden wiþ moneie . and maken hire eschaunges
Miȝte neuere me conforte . in þe mene while
Neiþer masse ne matynes . ne none maner siȝtes
Ne neuere penaunce parfournede . ne Pater noster seide
That my mynde ne was moore . on my good in a doute
Than in þe grace of god . and hise grete helpes
Vbi thesaurus tuus ibi & cor tuum
¶ Whiche ben þe braunches . þat bryngen a man to sleuþe
He þat moorneþ noȝt for hise mysdedes . ne makeþ no sorwe
And penaunce þat þe preest enioyneþ . parfourneþ yuele
Dooþ noon almesseT . dred hym of no synne
Lyueþ ayein þe bileue . and no lawe holdeþ
Ech day is haly-day with hym . or an heiȝ ferye
And if he auȝt wole here . it is an harlotes tonge
Whan men carpen of crist . or of clennesse of soules
He wexeþ wroþ and wol noȝt here . but wordes of murþe
Penaunce of pouere men . and þe passion of Seintes
He hateþ to here þer-of . and alle þat it telleþ
Thise ben þe braunches beþ war . þat bryngen a man to wanhope
¶ Ye lordes and ladies . and legates of holy chirche
That fedeþ fooles sages . flatereris and lieris
And han likynge to liþen hem . to do yow to lauȝe
Ve vobis qui ridetis &c
And ȝyueþ hem mete and mede . and pouere men refuse
In youre deeþ-deyinge . I drede me ful soore
Lest þo þre maner men . to muche sorwe yow brynge
Consencientes & agentes pari pena punientur
¶ Patriarkes and prophetes . and prechours of goddes wordes
Sauen þoruȝ hir sermons . mannes soule fro helle
Riȝt so flatereris and fooles . arn þe fendes disciples
To entice men þoruȝ hir tales . to synne and to harlotrie
Ac clerkes þat knowen holy writ . sholde kenne lordes
What Dauid seiþ of swiche men . as þe Sauter telleþ
¶ Non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit superbiam & qui loquitur iniquaT
¶ Sholde noon harlot haue audience . in halle norT in Chambre
Ther wise men were . witnesseþ goddes wordes
Ne no mysproud man . amonges lordes ben allowed
¶ Ac flateres and fooles . þoruȝ hir foule wordes
Leden þo þat louen hem . to Luciferis feste
Thus haukyn þe Actif man . hadde ysoiled his cote
Til conscience acouped hym þer-of . in a curteis manere
Why he ne hadde whasshenT it . or wiped it wiþ a brusshe
leneþ he no lif