W.P – PPEA

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fol. 1r

N a somer seson . whan softe was þe sonne .

I shoop me in-to shroudes . as I a sheep weere .

In habite as an heremite . vnholy of werkes .

Wente wide in þis world . wondres to here .

Ac on a May morwenynge . on Maluerne hilles .

Me bifel a ferly . of Fairye me þoȝte .

I was wery for-wandred . and wente me to reste .

Vnder a brood bank . by a bournes syde .

And as I lay and lenede . and loked on þe watres .

I slombred in-to a slepyng . it sweyed so murye .

¶ Thanne gan I meten . a merueillous sweuene .

That I was in a wildernesse . wiste I neuere where .

And as I biheeld in-to þe Eest . anheiȝ / an heiȝ to þe sonne .

I seiȝ a tour on a toft . trieliche ymaked .

A deep dale byneþe . a dongeon þer-Inne .

Wiþ depe diches and derke . and dredfulle of siȝte .

A fair feeld ful of folk . fond I þer bitwene .

Of alle manere of men . þe meene and þe riche .

Werchynge and wandrynge . as þe world askeþ .C

¶ Some putten hem to þe plouȝ . pleiden ful selde .C

In settynge and sowynge . swonken ful harde .

And wonnen þat wastours . with glotonye destruyeþ .

¶ And somme putten hem to pride . apparailed hem þer-after .

In contenaunce of cloþynge . comenC degised .

¶ In preieres and penaunces . putten hem manye .

Al for þe loue of oure lord . lyueden ful streyte .

In hope to haue after . heuene-riche blisse .

fol. 1v

¶ As Ancres and heremites . þat holden hem in hire selles

And coueiten noȝt in contree . to carien aboute

For no likerous liflode . hire likame to plese

¶ And somme chosen chaffare . þei cheueden þe bettre

As it semeþ to oure siȝt . þat swiche men þryueþ

¶ And somme murþes to make . as Mynstralles konne

And geten gold with hire glee . synnelees I leeue

¶ Ac Iaperes and Iangeleres . Iudas children

Feynen hem fantasies . and fooles hem makeþ

And han hire wit at wille . to werken if þei wolde

That Poul precheþ of hem . I wolT nat preue it here

ButT . Qui loquitur turpiloquium . is luciferes hyne

¶ Bidderes and beggeres . faste aboute yede

Wiþ hire belies and hire bagges . of breed ful ycrammed

Faiteden for hire foode . fouȝten at þe ale

In glotonye god woot . go þei to bedde

And risen wiþ ribaudie . þo Roberdes knaues

Sleep and sory sleuþe . seweþ hem euere

¶ Pilgrymes and Palmeres . pliȝten hem togidere

For to seken Seint Iame . and Seintes at Rome

They wenten forþ in hire wey . wiþ many wise tales

And hadden leue to lyen . al hire lif after

¶ I seiȝ somme þat seiden . þei hadde ysouȝt Seintes

To ech a tale þat þei tolde . hire tonge was tempred to lye

Moore þan to seye sooþ . it semed bi hire speche

¶ Heremytes on an heep . with hoked staues .T

fol. 2r

¶ Wenten to walsyngham . and hire wenches after

Grete lobies and longe . þat loþe were to swynke

Cloþed hem in copes . to ben knowen from oþere

And shopen hem heremytes . hire ese to haue

¶ I fond þere Freres . alle þe foure ordres

Prechynge þe peple . for profit of hem-selue

Glosed þe gospel . as hem good liked

For coueitise of copes . construwed it as þei wolde

ManyeC of þise maistre freres . nowT cloþen hem at likyng

For hire moneie and hire marchaundize . marchen togideres

For siþ charite haþ ben chapman . and chief to shryue lordes

Manye ferlies han fallen . in a fewe yeres

But holy chirche and hij . holde bettre togidres

The mooste meschief on Molde . is mountynge wel faste

¶ Ther preched a pardoner . as he a preest were

Brouȝte forþ a bulle . wiþ many Bisshopes seles

And seide þat hym-self myȝte . assoillen hem alle

Of falshede of fastynge . of Auowes ybroken

¶ Lewed men leued itT wel . and liked hise wordes

Comen vp knelynge . to kissen hise bulles

He bonched hem with his breuet . and blered hire eiȝen

And rauȝte with his Rageman . rynges and broches

¶ Thus þei gyuen hire gold . glotons to kepe

And leneþT it swiche Losels . as leccherie haunten

¶ Were þe Bisshop yblessed . and worþ boþe hise eris

His seel sholde noȝt be sent . to deceyue þe peple

Ac it is noȝt by þe bisshop . þat þe boy precheþ

For þe parisshe preest and þe pardoner . parten þe siluer

That þe poraille of þe parisshe sholde haue . if þei ne were

fol. 2v

¶ Persons and parisshe preestes . pleyned hem to þe Bisshop

That hire parisshes weren pouere . siþ þe pestilence tyme

To haue a licence and leue . at London to dwelle

And syngen þer for symonie . for siluer is swete

¶ Bisshopes and Bachelers . boþe maistres and doctours

That han cure vnder crist . and crownynge in tokene

And signe þat þei sholden . shryuen hire parisshens

Prechen and praye for hem . and þe pouere fede

Liggen at Londoun . in Lenten and ellis

¶ Somme seruen þe kyng . and his siluer tellen

In Cheker and in Chauncelrie . chalangen hise dettes

Of wardes and of wardemotes . weyues and streyves

¶ And somme seruen as seruauntz . lordes and ladies

And in stede of Stywardes . sitten and demen

Hire messe & hire matyns . and many of hire houresC

Arn doon vndeuoutliche . drede is at þe laste

Lest crist in Consistorie . acorse ful manye

¶ I parceyued of þe power . þat Peter hadde to kepe

To bynden and vnbynden . as þe book telleþ

How he it lefte wiþ loue . as oure lord hiȝte

Amonges foure vertues . þe beste of alle vertues

That Cardinals ben called . and closynge yates

There is cristT in his kyngdom . to close and to shette

And to opene it to hem . and heuene blisse shewe

¶ Ac of þe Cardinals at court . þat kauȝte of þat name

And power presumed in hem . a pope to make

To han þat power þat Peter hadde . impugnen I nelle

For in loue and in lettrure . þe eleccion bilongeþ

For-þi I kan & kan nauȝt . of court speke moore

fol. 3r

¶ Thanne kam þer a kyng . knyȝthod hym ladde

Might of þe communes . made hym to regne

¶ And þanne cam kynde wit . and clerkes he made

For to counseillen þe kyng . and þe commune saue

¶ The kyng and knyȝthod . and clergie boþe

Casten þat þe commune . sholde hem-self fynde

¶ The commune contreued . of kynde wit craftes

And for profit of al þe peple . Plowmen ordeyned

To tilie and to trauaille . as trewe lif askeþ

¶ The kyng . and þe commune . and kynde wit þe þridde

Shopen lawe and leaute . ech man to knowe his owene

¶ Thanne loked vp a lunatik . a leene þyng wiþ-alle

And knelynge to þe kyng . clergially he seide

¶ Crist kepe þee sire kyng . and þi kyngryche

And lene þee lede þi lond . so leaute þee louye

And for þi riȝtful rulyng . be rewarded in heuene

¶ And siþen in þe Eyr anheiȝ / an heiȝ . an Aungel of heuene

Lowed to speke in latyn . for lewed men ne koude

Iangle ne Iugge . þat Iustifie hem sholde

But suffren and seruen . for-þi seide þe Aungel

¶ Sum Rex sum princeps . neutrum fortasse deinceps .

O qui iura regis . christi specialia regis .

Hoc quod agas melius . iustus es . esto pius .

Nudum ius a te . vestiri vult pietate

Qualia vis metere . talia grana sere

Si ius nudatur . nudo de iure metatur

fol. 3v

S[i]T seritur pietas . de pietate metas

¶ Thanne greued hym a Goliardeis . a gloton of wordes

And to þe Aungel anheiȝ / an heiȝ . answerde afterC

Dum rex a regere . dicatur nomen habere

Nomen habet sine re . nisi studet iura tenere

¶ Thanne gan al þe commune . crye in vers of latyn

To þe kynges counseil . construe who-so wolde

Precepta Regis . sunt nobis vincula legis

¶ Wiþ þat ran þer a route . of Ratons atones / at ones

And smale mees mydT hem . mo þan a þousand

And comen to a counseil . for þe commune profit

For a cat of a contree . cam whan hym liked

And ouerleep hem liȝtliche . and lauȝte hem at his wille

And pleide wiþ hem perillousli . and possed aboute

For doute of diuerse dredes . we dar noȝt wel loke

And if we grucche of his gamen . he wol greuen vs alle

Cracchen vs or clawen vs . and in hise clouches holde

That vs loþeþ þe lif . er he late vs passe

Miȝte we wiþ any wit . his wille wiþ-stonde

We myȝte be lordes o-lofte . and lyuen at oure ese

¶ A Raton of renoun . moost renable of tonge

Seide for a souereyn . help to hym-selue

¶ I haue yseyen segges quod he . in þe Cite of Londoun

Beren beiȝes ful briȝte . abouten hire nekkes

And somme colers of crafty werk . vncoupled þei wenten

Boþe in wareyne and in waast . where hem-self liked

And ouþer while þei arn ellis-where . as I here telle

Were þer a belle on hire beiȝe . by Iesu as me þynkeþ

Men myȝte witen wher þei wente . and awey renne

fol. 4r

¶ And riȝt so quod þat Raton . Reson me sheweþP

To bugge a belle of bras . or of briȝt siluer

And knytten it on a coler . for oure commune profitT

Wher he ryt or rest . or renneþ to pleye

And if hym list for to laike . þanne loke we mowen

And peeren in his presence . þe while hym pleye likeþ

And if hym wraþeþ be war . and his wey shonye

¶ Al þis route of Ratons . to þis reson þei assented

Ac þo þe belle was ybrouȝt . and on þe beiȝe hanged

Ther ne was Raton in al þe route . for al þe Reaume of Fraunce

That dorste haue bounden þe belle . aboute þe cattes nekke

Ne hangen it aboute þe cattes hals . al Engelond to wynne

AlleT helden hem vnhardy . and hir counseil feble

And leten hire labour lost . and al hire longe studie

¶ A Mous þat muche good . kouþe as me þouȝte

Strook forþ sternely . and stood bifore hem alle

And to þe route of Ratons . reherced þise wordes

¶ Thouȝ we killen þe cat . yet sholde þer come anoþer

To cacchen vs & al oure kynde . þouȝ we cropen vnder benches

For-þi I counseille al þe commune . to late þe cat worþe

And be we neuere boldeT . þe belle hym to shewe

For I herde my sire seyn . is seuen yeer y-passed

Ther þe cat is a kitoun . þe court is ful elenge

That witnesseþ holy writ . who-so wole it rede

Ve terre vbi puer Rex est &c

For may no renk þer reste haue . for Ratons by nyȝte

The while he caccheþ conynges . he coueiteþ noȝt youreT caroyne

But fedeþ hym al wiþ venyson . defame we hym neuere

For bettre is a litel los . þan a long sorweC

The maze among vs alle . þeiȝ we mysse a sherewe

For many mennes malt . we mees wolde destruyeC

fol. 4v

And also ye route of Ratons . rende mennes cloþes

Nere þe cat of þat court . þat kan yow ouer-lepe

For hadde ye rattes youre wille . ye kouþe noȝt rule yow-selue

¶ I seye for me quod þe Mous . I se so muchel after

Shal neuere þe cat ne þe kiton . by my counseil be greued

ThoruȝT carpynge of þis coler . þat costed me neuere

And þouȝ it hadde costned me catel . biknowen it I nolde

But suffren as hym-self wolde . to doon as hym likeþ

Coupled and vncoupled . to cacche what þei mowe

For-þi ech a wis wiȝt I warne . wite wel his owene

hat þis metels bymeneþ . ye men þat ben murye

Deuyne ye . for I ne dar . by deere god in heuene

¶ Yet houed þer an hundred . in howues of selk

Sergeantz it bisemed . þat serueden at þe barre

Pleteden for penyes . and poundes þe lawe

And noȝt for loue of oure lord . vnlose hire lippes ones

Thow myȝtest bettre meete myst . on Maluerne hilles

Than gete a mom of hire mouþ . til moneie be shewed

¶ Barons and Burgeises . and bonde-men als

I seiȝ in þis assemblee . as ye shul here after

Baksteres and Brewesteres . and Bochiers manye

Wollen webbesters . and weueres of lynnen

Taillours and Tynkers . and Tollers in Markettes

Masons and Mynours . and many oþere craftes

Of alle kynne lybbynge laborers . lopen forþ somme

As dykeres and delueres . þat doon hire dedes ille

And dryueþ forþ þe longe day . with Dieu saue dame Emme

¶ Cokes and hire knaues . cryden hote pies hote

Goode gees and grys . gowe / go we dyne gowe / go we

fol. 5r

¶ Tauerners vntil hem . trewelyT tolden þe same

Whit wyn of Oseye . and reed wyn of Gascoigne

Of þe Ryn and of þe Rochel . þe roost to defieT

W.P.19: In the right margin running into the dark stain on the right-hand edge, a later fifteenth-century scribe has written names which are partly legible. They appear to read Ry
vont vont
John rich
Rychard. Kane and Donaldson report bond John Rychard.↩

W.P.20-27: Staining and rubbing on the left edge make the first half-dozen letters very faint, but the readings are secure.↩

W.P.24: The scribe has supplied in a darker ink pride in the space under comen.↩

W.P.38: W alone reads wol; FGH have wyll, and the remaining B witnesses have nel or nyl.↩

W.P.39: W alone has But. All other B manuscripts omit it.↩

W.P.53: Words at the foot of the page in a different hand appear to read And heppyd stanys, prompted by the last words on the page and perhaps misreading staues as stanes.↩

W.P.62: The last two letters are covered by a stain, but they are legible.↩

W.P.62: W alone reads now. GYC2CLM read mowe.↩

W.P.72: W alone reads it. Other beta witnesses have hym.↩

W.P.77: The reading could as well be leueþ.↩

W.P.97: A smudge, possibly a punctus, appears at the end of the line.↩

W.P.105: W alone reads is crist. Other beta witnesses have crist is.↩

W.P.138: The reading is obviously Si, but a crease in the manuscript makes the <i> illegible.↩

W.P.140: The apparent punctus at the end of the line is probably the final stroke of <r>.↩

W.P.147: W alone reads myd. Other B witnesses have with.↩

W.P.167: The scribe wrote his usual form of <þ> but put a dot above it as though it were a <y>.↩

W.P.169: Following this line all B manuscripts except WHmCr1G read: And hangen it vp on þe cattes hals . thanne here we mowen (as in L).↩

W.P.179: W alone reads Alle. Other B manuscripts have And.↩

W.P.187: W alone reads bolde. Other beta witnesses have so bolde.↩

W.P.193: W alone reads youre. Other B manuscripts have oure.↩

W.P.195: The phrase a feyrse, perhaps meaning "a verse, proverb," is written in the right margin in a later hand as again at W.1.38 and W.1.86. It presumably draws attention to the proverbial nature of the line.↩

W.P.197: A crease runs down the center of the leaf, obscuring some characters in the facsimile which are legible in the manuscript.↩

W.P.203: W alone reads Thoruȝ. Other B manuscripts have Ne.↩

W.P.227: W alone reads trewely. Other B manuscripts omit it.↩

W.P.229: Following this line all B manuscripts except WYF read: Al þis seiȝ I slepyng . and seuene sythes more (as in L).↩