a bolde man of speach By gods body quod thys boke I wil bear witnes That tho this barne was borne there blased a starre That al the wisemeÌ„ of thys world in one wit accordeÌ„ That suche a barne was borne in Bethlems citye That mans soule shoulde saue and synne destroye And al the elemeÌ„tes saith the boke hereof bereth witnes That he was god the al wroght the welkeÌ„ first shewed Tho that were in heauen tooken Stella cometa And tinde den hir as a torche to reuerence hys byrth The light folowed the lorde into the lowe earth The water witnessed he was god for that he went on it Peter the apostle perceiued his gate And as he went on the water wel him knew and said Mat. xiiii Iube me venire ad te super aquas And lo how the sunne gan lacke her light in her selfe When she see him suffer that sunne and sea made The earth for heeuines that he would suffer Quaked as quycke thing and al to quassed the roch Lo hell myght not holde but opened tho God tholed And let out Simons sonnes to se him hang on rode And now shal Lucifer leue it though him loth thinke For Gygas the gyant with a gynne engined To brake and to beate downe that bene agayne Iesus And I boke wolbe brente but Iesus rise to lyue In al mightes of man and his mother glad And conforten al hys kynne out of care brynge And all the Iewes ioye vnioyne and vnloken And but if thei reuereÌ„ce his rode and his resurrectioÌ„ And bileue on a newe law be lost life and soule Suffer we sayd Truth I heare and I se both Howe a spirite speaked to hell byd vnspar the gates Attollite porta c. Ps xxiiii A voyce lowde in that light to Lucifer sayd Princes in this place vnpinneth and vnlocketh For here commeth with crowne that king is of glorye Than sighed Sathan and sayde to hem all Such a light agaynste our leaue Lazar out fette Care and combraunce is commen to vs all If this kinge come in mankind wil he fetch And lead it there him liketh and lightly me bind Patriarkes and prophetes haue parled hereof longe That suche a Lorde a light shoulde lead heÌ„ al hence Listeneth quod Lucifer for I this lorde knowe Both this Lorde this light is long ago I knew it May no death him deare ne no deuiles quentise And wher he wil is his wai warne him of the perels If he reue me of my ryght he robbeth me bi mastrye For by right and by reason the reukes that ben here Body and soule be mine both good and euill For him selfe saide Lucifer reasoneâ—â— the mateâ—â— that syre is of heauen If Adam eate the appel all shoulde dye And dwel wyth vs deuels this threatenyng he made And he that sothnes is said these wordes And sithen he seased seuen hundred wynter I leue that lawe nill not leaue him the least That is sothe quod Satan but I me sore dreade For thou gate hem with gile and his garden brake And in semblaunce of a serpent sate apoÌ„ the apple tre And eggedest hem to eate Eue by hyr name And toldst hir a tale of treason were thy wordes And so thou haddest hem oute and hider at the last It is not graithlye gayten there gyle is the rote For God wil not be begiled ê™ Gobelyn ne iaped We haue no true title to heÌ„ for bi tresoÌ„ wer thei daÌ„ned Certes I dread ê™ this deuill lest trueth wil heÌ„ fetch Out of our postye and leaden hem hence These .xxx. winter as I wene he hath gone preched I haue assayled him with sinne and sometime asked Wher he were god or gods son he gaue me short answer And thus he hath trolid forth this .xxxii. witer And when I see it was so sleapynge I went To warne Pilatus wife what done maÌ„ was Iesus For Iewes hated him and haue done him to death Pilates wyfe I wolde haue lengthed his life for I leued if he died That his soule should suffer no synne in his syght For the body while it on bones yede about was euer To saue man from synne if hym selfe woulde And now I se wher a soul cometh hitherward sailig With glory and with great light god it is I wote well I red we flee quod he faste all hence For vs were better not be than abide his syght For thy leasynges Lucifer loste is all our praye Fyrste throughe the we fell from heauen so hye For we beleued on thy lesings ilorne we haue Adam And all our Lordshyp I leue on land and on water Luke xii Nunc princeps huius mundi eiicietur foras Eft the lyght bade vnlocke and Lucifer answered What lorde art thou quod Lucifer Quis est iste Ker glorie the lyght soone sayde And lord of might and of mayne al maner vertues Dominus virtutum Dukes of this dimme place anone vndo these gates That Christ may come in the kynges sonne of heaueÌ„ And with that breath hell brake with belials barres For anye wye or warde wyde open the gates Patriarkes and prophetes Populus in tenebris Songen saynt Iohns songe Ecce agnus dei Lucifer loke ne might so lyght hym ablent And tho that our lorde loued into his light he laught And sayd to Satan lo here my soule to amendes For all sinfull soules to saue tho that ben worthy Mine they be and of me I mai the better hem claime Although reason recorde and myght of my selfe That if they ate the apple all shoulde dye I behyght them not here hell for euer For the dede that they dyd thy disceyte it made Wyth gyle thou hem gote agaynste all reason For in my palace Paradice in parson of an addre Falsely thou fettest there thynge that I loued Thus lyke a lysard wyth a Ladyes visage Thefely thou me robbeste the olde lawe graunteth That gilers be begyled and that is good reason Dentem pro dente et oculum pro oculo Deut. â— Soule for soul â–ª Ergo soule shal soule quite and synne to synne wende And all that man hath misdo I may well amend Membre for membre in the olde lawe was amends And life for life also and by that lawe I clayme it Adam and al his issue at my wyll hereafter And that death in hem fordid my death shall releue And both quickeÌ„ quite that queint was thorow sinne And that grace gile destroyeth good fayth it asketh So leue I not Lucifer againe the lawe I fetch hem But by ryght and by reason raunsome here my liges Non beni soluere legem sed adimplere Mat. â—â— Thou fettedste mine in my place against all reason Falsely and felonly good fayth me it taught To recouer hem by raunsome and by no reason els So that throughe gile thou gate throughe grace it is wonne Thou Lucifer in lykenes of a luther edder Gatiste by gyle tho that God
saye Non necaberis I slea not but suffer and all for the beste For I shall punyshe hem in purgatorye or in the pyt of hel Euerye man for his misdedes but if mercy it let Thys is alonge lesson ê™ I and litle I the wyser Where do well is or dobet darkely ye shewen Many tales ye tell that Theology lerneth And that I man made was and my name entred In the legend of lyfe longe ere I were Or els wrytten for some wyckednes as holye wryte manaceth Nemo asceÌ„dit ad celuÌ„ nisi qui de celo desceÌ„dit Ioh. iii I leue it wel bi our lord quod I and no letter better For Solomon the sage that Sapience taught God gaue hym grace of wyt and al his goods after He demed wel and wysely as holy wrytte telleth Aristotle and he who wyshed men better Masters that of gods mercy teachen meÌ„ preachen Of her words they wish vs for wissest as in her time And al holy kyrke holdeth hem both dampned And if I shold worke bi her works to wyn me heuen That for her workes and wyt wonneth in payne Than wrought I vnwysely what so euer ye preach And of felle wytty in fayth lytle farly I haue Though her gost be vngracious god for to please For many men on this molde more setten her hertes In good thaÌ„ in god therfore hem grace fayleth At hyr moste mischiefe whan they shall lyfe lette As SolemoÌ„ did such other the shewed greate wyts And her workes as holi wryte saith were euer the coÌ„trarye Therfore wyse witted meÌ„ wel lettred clarkes As they say hem selues selde done therafter Supra cathedram Moysi Math. 23. c. And I wene it worthes of manye as was in Noes tyme Thei that made Noe a shippe were vnsaued Tho he shoope that ship of shides of bordes No wight the wroght theron was salfe ne ani workmaÌ„ els But birdes and beasses and the blessed Noe And hys wyfe wyth his sonnes also her wyues Of wights that it wrought was none of hem saued God leue it fare not so by folke that the fayth teacheth Of holy kirke the hat borowe is gods house to saue And shilden vs from shame therin as Noes ship did beasts And meÌ„ that made it amyd that stood he drowned The Culor of thys clause curate is to meane That ben carpeÌ„ters holy kirke to make for Christes owne beasts Psalm 36 Homines et iumenta saluabis domine On good Fryday I finde a felon was saued That had liued all hys life with leasinge with thefte And for he beknew on the crosse to Christ shroue him He was souer saued The theâ— was saued before any of the prophets than saint Iohn the Baptiste And or Adam or Isai or any of the prophetis That had lyen wyth Lucifer many longe yeres A robber was raunsomed rather than they all WithouteÌ„ any penaunce of purgatory to perpetual blisse ThaÌ„ Mari MagdeleÌ„ what womaÌ„ did worse Or who worse thaÌ„ Dauid that Vrias death conspired Or Paul the Apostle that no pity had Muche christen kynde to put to death And now be these as souereins sayntes in heauen Tho the wrought wickedlest in worlde tho they were And tho that wisely wordeÌ„ and written many bokes Of wit of wysedome with dampted soules woÌ„neth That SolomoÌ„ saith I trow be soth Eccles ix certeÌ„ of vs al Sunt iusti atque sapientes et opera eorum in manu dei sunt There are witty wellearned her workes ben hid In the handes of almighty god and he wot the sothe Wherfore a maÌ„ worth alowed ther his lelie works Or else for his yll wil and for enuy of herte And be alowed as he liued for by yl meÌ„ know god For how wist meÌ„ what is white if al thig blak were And who wer a goodmaÌ„ but if ther wer some shrew Therfore lyue we forth with other meÌ„ I leue few ben good For Qant oportet vient emplace il nyad que pati And he that may all amend haue mercy on vs all For thou sothist word that euer god said was Nemo bonus Cleargye tho of christes mouthe coÌ„meÌ„ded was litle For he sayd to saint Peter and to such as he loued Cum steteritis ante reges et precides c. Mat. vi Though ye come before kinges clarke of the lawe Be not abashed for I shall be in your mouthes And giue you wit wil and cuÌ„ning to conclude Hem al that agaynst you of christendome disputen Dauid maketh mention he spake amongest kinges And might no king ouercome him as bicuÌ„ning spech But wyt and wisedome wan neuer the maistrye Whan man was at mischiefe wtout the more grace The douties doctour and diumour of diuinitie Was Austen the old and heighest of the foure Sayd thus in a sermon I se it written once Ecce ipsi idiote rapiunt celum vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur And is to meane to Englishe men to more and to lesse Are none rather rauished from the right beleue Than are these cuÌ„ning clarkes that can many bokes Ne none souer saued ne sadder of beleue Than plowmen and pastors pore coÌ„men laborers Sowters and shepeherds such lewed Iuties Percen wyth a Pater noster the palaice of heauen And passeÌ„ Purgatori penauÌ„celes at her heÌ„ce parting Into the blisse of Paradice for her pure beleue That vnperfitelye here knew and eke liued Yea men knowe clarkes that cursed the tyme That euer they could or knew more theÌ„ Credo in deum And priÌ„cipalli her Pater noster mani a persoÌ„ hath wyshed I se exaÌ„ples my selfe so maye many other That seruauÌ„tes the seruen lordes seldoÌ„ fal in artrages But tho that kepe the lordes catell clarkes reues Ryght so lewde men and of lytle knowynge Selde fall they so foule and so ferre in synne As clarkes of holy church the kepe Christes treasure The which is maÌ„s soule to saue as god saith in the go spell Math. xx Ite vos in vineam meam Passus vndecimus de visione THan Scripture scorned me askile loked And lacked me in latine light by me she set And sayd Multi multa sciunt et seipsos nesciuÌ„t Tho wept I for wo wrath of hir speache And in a wynkinge wrath wexed I aslepe And marueylous metals mette me than That I was rauished right there fortune me set And into the land of Longing alone she me brought In a mirrour hight Midle earth she made me to loke SitheÌ„ she said to me here mightest thou se wonders And know that thou couetist come therto peradueÌ„ture Than had Fortune folowing her two fair damosels Concupiscentia carnis The dâ—â—â—sels of 〈◊〉 Fortunâ— men called the elder mayde And Couetis of eyes called was the tother Pryde of perfite liuynge pursued hem both And bade me for my couÌ„tenauÌ„ce accouÌ„t cleargy light Concupiscentia carnis colled me
Tho the people him apposed with a peny in the temple Whether they shuld therw t worship the kinge Cesar And god asketh hem of whom speaketh the letter And the ymage i like that therin standeth Cesars they sayd we sene here wel echone Redde Cessari quod god that Cesary belongeth Et que sunt dei deo or els ye done yll For rightful reason Luke xx should rule you all And kind wit be warden your wealth to kepe And tutor of your treasure and take you at nede For husbandry and he holden togither Than I frayned her fayre for him that me made Dungion That dungeon in the dale that dredeful is of syght What may it bemeane madame I you byseche That is the castell of care who so commeth therin May banne that be borne was to body or to soule Therin wonneth a wight that wrong is I hote Cayne Father of falsehead and founded it him selfe Adam and Eue he egged to yll Iudas Councelled Cayne to kil his brother Iudas he iaped with Iewes siluer And sithen on an elder hanged him after He is lettar of loue and lyeth hem all That trust in his treasure betraieth he soneste Than had I wonder in my wit what womaÌ„ it were That suche wise wordes of holy write shewed And I asked her on the height name or she thence yede What she were wisely that wished me so fayre Holy church I am ê™ she thou oughtest me to know I vnderfenge the fyrst and the fayth taught Thou broughtest me borowes my byddings to fulfyl And to loue me lelly that while the lyfe dureth Than I courbed on my knees and cried her of grace And prayed her pituosly pray for my sinnes And also kenne me kindly on Christ to beleue That I might worke his wil that wrought me to man Truth is the beste treasure Teach me to no treasure but tell me this ilke How I may saue my soule that saynt art holden When all treasures are tried ê™ she truth is the beste I do it on Deus Charitas to deme the sothe It is as dere worth a drury as dere God hym selfe Who is true of his tonge and telleth no other And doth the worckes therw t and willeth no maÌ„ yll He is a god by the gospel a grounde and a lofte And lyke to our Lord by saynt Lukes wordes The clarkes that knowe thys should kenne it about For christen and vnchristen claymeth it echone Kynges and knyghtes should kepe it by reason Ryden and rapen downe Knygtes office in realmes aboute And taken traungressours and tye hem fast Tyll trueth termined her trespate to the ende And that is the profession a partly the appeÌ„deth to knights And not to faste one Friday in fiue score wynter But hold with him with hir that wolden all truth And neuer leue hem for loue ne for lakyng of syluer For Dauid in his dayes dubbed knightes And did hem swere on her swerde Dauid to serue truth euer And who so passed the poynt was apostata in the order But Christe kyng of kynges made knyghtes ten Cherubyn and Seraphyn suche seuen and another And gaue heÌ„ myght in his maiestie the mirier heÌ„ thought And ouer hys meane meiny made heÌ„ archaÌ„gels Taught by the trinitie Trueth to knowe To be buxume at his bidding he bade heÌ„ noughtels Lucifer with legions learned it in heauen But for he brake buxumnes his blysse can he tine And fell from that felowshyp in a fendes lykenes Into a depe darcke hell to dwell there for euer And moo thousaÌ„des with hym thaÌ„ man could numbre Loppen out with Lucifer in lothlyche forme For these leueden vpon him that lyed on thys maner Ponam pedem in aquilone et similis ero altissimo Esai xiiii And al the hoped it might be so no heueÌ„ might heÌ„ hold But fel out in findes likenes nine dayes togither Tyl god of his goodnes gan stable and stint And garde the heuen to sticke and stonde in quiet When the wicked went out in wonder wyse they fel Some in ayre some in earth and some in hell depe And Lucifer lowest lieth yet of hem al For pride that he pult out his payne had no end And al that worke with wrong wend they shal After their death day and dwell with that shrewe And tho that work wel as holy write telleth And ende as I ere sayd in trueh that is the beaste May be siker that their soules shal wende to heauen There truth is in trinitie and troweth hem al Forthy I say as I sayd ere by syght of these textes Whan all treasures are tried Truth is the greatest treasure truth is the best Lerne on this lewde men for letterd men it knoweth That truth is treasure the triedest on earth I haue no kind knowing ê™ I ye mote me ken better By what craft in my crops it comseth where Thou dotest daffe quod she dul are thy wittis To tel latin thou learnedst leode in thy youth Heu mihi qui a ste rilem duxi vitam iuuenilem It is a kind knowing ê™ he that knoweth in thy herte For to loue the lord leuer then thy selfe No deadly sinne to do dye though thou shouldest This I trowe be trueth who can teach the better Loke thou suffer him to say and sith lerne it after For trueth telleth that loue is triacle for synne May no sinne be on him sene that vseth that spice And al his works he wrought with loue as him list And lerned it Moses for the leuiest thing of al And also the plant of peace most precious of vertues For heauen might not hold it it was so heuy of hym selfe Till it had of the earth yoten it selue And whan it had of this fold flesh and bloud taken Was neuer leafe vpon linde lighter thereafter And portatiue persante as the poynt of a nedle That might none armour it let ne none heigh walles Forthy loue is the leader of the lords loue of heauen And a meane as the maire is betwene the king the coÌ„mons Right so is loue a leader the law shapeth Vpon man for his misdedes the mercemeÌ„t he taxeth And for to know it kindly it comith by might And in the hert there is the head and the hight wyl For of kind knowing in hert ther a might beginneth And that falleth to the father that formid you al He lokid on vs with loue and let his sone dye Mekely for our misdeds to amend vs all And yet wold he heÌ„ no woo that wrought him the payne But mekely with mouth mercy he besought To haue pitie on that people that pained him to deth Here might you se in example in selfe one That he was mightful and meke the mercy can graunt To hem that hanged on height him his hert thirled Forthie I red you Rich haue ruth on the pore Though ye be mighty to mote be meke in your workes For the same mesure that ye
golde And be fayne by my fayth his phisike to let And learne to labour with hond for lyuelode is swete For murtherers are many leches lorde hem amende They do men dye by their drinks yer destinie it wold By. S. Paule ê™ Pierce these are profetable wordes Wend now hunger when thou wylt the wel be thou euer For this is a louely lesson the lord it the foryelde By hote god quod honger hence ne wil I wend Til I haue dined by this day and dronken both I haue no peny ê™ Pierce polettes for to bye Ne neither gose ne grys but two grene chesis A fewe curdes and creame and an hauer cake And two loues of beanes dran bake for my folke And yet I say by my soule I haue no salt bacon Ne no cokeny by Christ colopes for to make And I haue percely and porets many cole plaÌ„tes And eke a cowe and a calfe and a cart mare To draw a field my dung the while the draught lasteth And by this lyuelod I must lyue to Lammas tyme By that I hope to haue haruest in my crofte And then I maye dight thy dinner as me dere liketh And al the pore people tho pescoddes fetten Beanes and bakeÌ„ apples they brought in her lappis Pore folk fede hunger Chiboles and chernell and rype cheries many And proferd Piers the present to please wyth hys huÌ„ger All hunger eate in hast and asked after more Than pore folke for feare fedde hunger yerne With grene poret pesen to poysen him thei thought By that it neghed to haruest new corne came to cheping Than was folke fayne and fedde hunger with the beste With good ale as GlotoÌ„ taught gart huÌ„ger to slepe And tho wold waster no work but wandreÌ„ aboute Ne no begger eate bread that beanes in were But of Coket and Clermatine or els of cleane wheat Ne no halpeny ale in no wyse drinke But of best of that brownest that in borough is to sell Laborers that haue no laÌ„d to liue on but her handes Deyned to dyne a daye wyth nyght old wortes May no penyale hem paye ne no pece of bacon But if it be fresh flesh other fysh fryed other bakte And that chaÌ„ud or plus chaud for chilling of her maw Prouender pricketh them And but if he be highly hiered els will he chyde And that he was workeman wrought waile the tyme Agaynst Cafons counsel comseth he to iangle Paupertatis onus patienter ferre memento He greuâ—â—h him against god Cato grutcheth agayn reson And than curseth he the king and all hys counsel after Such lawes to loke labourers to greue While huÌ„ger gafe hem hier not one of heÌ„ wold chide Ne striuen against his statute so sternely he loked And I warne you workemen win while ye may For hunger hither ward hasteth him selfe He shall awake with water wastours to chast Ere fiue yere be fulfilled such famine shall arise Through floudes and foule weder This is no prophecy but a pronostication fruite shal fayle And so sayd Saturne and sent you to warne And wheÌ„ ye se the sunne amisse two moÌ„kes heades And a maid haue the maistry and multiply by hight Than shal death withdraw and derth be iustyce And Dauie the dyker shall dye for hunger But if God of his goodnes graunt vs a treue Passus septimus de visione TRuth hearde tell herof and to Pierce sente To taken his teme and tilen the earth And purchased a pardone A pena et a culpa For hym for his heyres Piercis Paxdon for euermore after And bade him hold him at home and erye his laies And all that helpe him to erye to sette and to sowe Or any other mistery that might Pierce auayle Pardon with Pierce plowman Truth hath graunted Knightes and kinges that kepeth holy kyrke And rightfully in realmes ruleth the people Haue pardon through purgatorie to passe ful lightli Wyth patriarks prophets in Paradice to be felow Byshops iblessed if they bene as they should Legisters of both lawes the lewd therw t to preach And in asmuch as they may amend al synful Are peers with thapostles such pardon Pierce sheweth And at the day of dome at the high deyse to syt Marchauntes in the mergen had many yeres And none Apena et culpa the Pope wyl hem graunt For they hold not her holidaies as holy kirk teacheth And for they swere by her soul so god must heÌ„ help Agayn cleane conscience her cattell to sell What merchauÌ„tes shuld do And vnder his secret seale truth sent hem a letter That they shuld bugge boldely that them best lyked And sythen sell it agayne and saue the winning And amend mesoÌ„diux ther mede misease folk help And wycked waies wightely amende And do boote to bridges that to broke were Marien maydens or maken hem Nunnes Pore people and prisonars finden hem her fode And set scholers to schole or to some other craftes Releue religion and renten hem better And I shall send you my selfe s Mihel mine afchaÌ„hel That no deuel shal you dere ne fere you in your doing And witten you from wanhope if ye wil this worke And send your soules in safety to my saynts in Ioye Than were marchaunts mery many wept for Ioy And praised pierce the plowmaÌ„ that purchased the bul Men of law lest pardon had that pleden for mede For the psalter saueth hem not suche as taken gyftes Psal xv Men of law shold take nought but their fee. And namely of Innocentes that no euil ne caÌ„neth Super innocentem munera non accipies Pleders shuld peine hem to plead for such in health Princes and prelates should pay for her trauell A regibus et principibus erit merces corum And mani a Iustice and Iurour would for Iohn do more Than for Dei pietate Lawâ—ars shold take no money leue you no other And he that spendeth his speche speaketh for the pore That is innocent nedy and no man appeyreth Conforteth him in that case wtout couetise of giftes And spekith law for our lords loue as he hath lerned Shal no deuil at his deathes daye dearn hym a mite That he ne worth false his soule the psalter beareth witnes Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo Psal xv And to bug water ne wind ne wit ne fire the fourth These four the father of heueÌ„ made to this fold in coÌ„men These be Truthes treasures truefolk to help That neuer shall wexe ne wane wtout God him selfe WhaÌ„ they drawen on to die indulgeÌ„ce wold haue Their pardon is full petit at their partyng hence That any mede of meane men for their mooting take Ye Legisters and lawyers hold thys for Truthe That if I lye â–ª Mathewe is to blame For he bade me tell you this this prouerbe me told Quod cumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines facite eis Al lyuynge laborers Luke vi that
libben wyth her handes That truly taken and truly wynnen And liuen in loue and in law for their lowe hertes Haueth the same absolution that sent was to Pierce Beggers bidders Of giuiÌ„g of almes ne be not in the bulle But if the suggestion be south that shapeth heÌ„ to begge For he that beggeth one byt but if he haue nede He is false wyth the fende and defraudeth the nedy And also he begileth the gyuer agaynst his wyll For if he were not nedy he would giue that to an other That were more nedy thaÌ„ he so the nedest shuld be holpen Caton kenneth me thus the clerke of Stories Cui des dideto is Catons teachinge And in the stories he teacheth to bestow your almes Sit elimosina tua in manu tua donec studes cui des And Gregory was a good man Gregorie bade vs geuen all That asketh for his loue that vs al leneth Non eligas cui miserearis ne forte pretereas illuÌ„ qui meretur accipere Quia incertum est pro quo deo magis placeas For ye wyt not who is worthy god wot the nedie In him that taketh is the trechery if any treson walke For he that geueth yeldeth and yarketh him to rest And he the biddeth boroweth brigeth him selfe in det For beggers boroweÌ„ euer their borow is god almighty To yeld heÌ„ that geueth heÌ„ yet vsurie more Quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam vt ego venieÌ„s meum cum vsuris exigerem Luke xix Therfore bid not ye begers but if ye haue great nede For he that hath to bug hi bread the bow bereth wytnes He hath inough that hath bred though he haue nought els Satis diues est qui non indiget pane Let vsage be your solace of saintes lyues readynge The boke baÌ„neth begeri blameth heÌ„ in this maner Iunior fui et iam senui et non vidi iustum derelictum nec semen eius querens panem Psal 37 For ye lyue in no loue ne no lawe holde Mani of you ye wed not the women that ye wyth deale But as wild beasts wyth wehe wortheÌ„ vp worcheÌ„ And bringen forth barnes that bastardes men callen Or the backe or some bone he breaketh in his youth And sithe gone faiten with your fauÌ„tes for euer after There is more mishappe puple amoÌ„g these beggers Than of al maner of meÌ„ that on thys molde walketh And they that lyue thus her lyfe may loth the tyme That euer they were meÌ„ wrought whaÌ„ thei shal heÌ„ce fare And olde meÌ„ hore that helples be of strength And women wyth chylde Patiente pouertie that worke ne may Blynde and bedriden and broke their membres That taken the mischeues mekely as mesels other Haue as plaine pardon as the plowman hym selfe For loue of her low hertes our lorde hath heÌ„ grauÌ„ted Their penaunce their purgatory here on this earth Pierce quod a priest tho thy pardon must I reade For I wyl construe ech a clause ken it the in englishe And Pierce at his prayer his pardon vnfolded And I behinden hem both beheld all the bulle All in two lines it laye and not a leefe more And was wrytten ryght thus in witnes of Truthe Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam etexnam Qui vero mala in ignem eternam Mat. xxv Peter quoth the prieste tho I can no pardon fynde But dowel and haue wel god shall haue thy soule And do Ill and haue Ill hope thou none other But after thy deathes day the deuil shal haue thi soule And Pierce for pure tene pulled it in twayne And sayde Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis Non timebo malum quoniam tu mecum es Psal xxiii I shal cease of my sowyng quod Pierce swinke not so harde Ne about my bealy ioy so busy be no more Of prayers of penauÌ„ce my plowe shall be hereafter And wepe wheÌ„ I shold slepe though whete bread me faile The prophet his paine ate in penauÌ„ce sorow By that the psalter sayeth so dyd other manye That loueth god lelly his liuelode is full easy Fuerunt mihi sachrime mee panes die ac nocte And but if Luke lye Psal lii he learneth vs by fowles We shoulde not be busye aboute the worldes blysse Math. vi Ne soliciti sitis he sayth in the gospell And sheweth in examples our selues to wishe The foules in the field who findeth heÌ„ meate in winter Haue they no garner to go to but god fedes hem all What ê™ the priest to Parkin Peter as me thinketh Thou art lettered a litle who learned the on boke AbstineÌ„ce the Abbes ê™ Pierce mine a.b.c. me taught And coÌ„scieÌ„ce came afterward keÌ„ned me much more Were thou a priest ê™ he A blynd priestes taunt thou might preach wher that should As diuinor in diuinitie with Dirit insipiens to thy teme Lewd Lorel ê™ Pierce litle lokest thou on the bible On Salomons sawes seldome thou beholdest Ecce derisiones et iurgia cum eis ne crescant The priest and Perkin Pro. xxii apposed either other And I through her wordes awoke wayted about And sawe the sunne in the south sit that time Meatelesse and moneilesse on Maluerne hylles Musinge on these metales and my waye ich yede Many tymes these metals hath made me study Of that I se slepynge if that so be myght And also for Pierce the plowman full pensife in herte And what a pardon Pierce had al the people to coÌ„forte And howe the priest impuÌ„gned it with .ii. propre wordes And I haue no sauery in soÌ„gwary for I seit oft faile Caton and canonisters counsell vs to leaue To set sadnes in songwary for Somnia ne cures And for the byble boke beareth wytnes Howe Daniell demed How Daniel demed the dreames of Nabuchodonosor the dreames of a kinge That was Nabugodonosor named of clarkes Daniel sayde sir kynge thy dreames betoken That vnkought knights shall come thi kingdome to clayme Amongest lower Lordes thy land shall be departed And as Daniel demed in dede it fell after The kyng lost his lordship and lower men it had And Ioseph met marueilously Of the dreames of Ioseph howe the mone and the sunne And the. xi starres halsed him all Than Iacob iudged Iosephes swyuen Beau fitz quod hys father for defante we shall I my selfe and my sonnes seche the for nede It befell as hys father sayde in Pharaos tyme That Ioseph was iustice Egypte to loken It befel as his father tolde his freÌ„ds ther him sought And all this maketh me on this metals to thinke And howe the prieste preued no pardon to do wel And demed that dowel in dulgence passed Biennales and triennales and byshops letters And how dowel at the day of dome is dignely vnderfoÌ„gen And passed al the pardoÌ„ Note howe hescorneth the auctority of Popes Math. vi
with mony make her exchauÌ„ges Myght neuer me conforten in the meane whyle Neyther masse ne mattens ne no maner syghtes Ne neither penaunce performed ne Pater nost sayde That my minde ne was more on mi good in a doubt Than in the grace of god and in hys greate helpe Math. vi Vbi the saurus tuus ibi et cor tuum Whych ben the brauÌ„ches that brynge a maÌ„ to slouth He the mournith not for his misse ne maketh no sorow And penauÌ„ce that the prest inioyneth perfourmeth ill Doth no almesdedes dreade hym of no synne Lyueth agayne the beleue and no lawe holdeth Eche day is holy daye with hym or an hyghe fery And if he ought wyll heare it is an harlots tonge When men carpen of Christ or of clennes of soules He waxeth wroth wil not here but words of mirth Penaunce and pore men and the passion of sayntes He hateth to heare therof and all that he telleth These beÌ„ brauÌ„ches beware that bringeth a maÌ„ to waÌ„ hope The lords thou ladies and legates of holy kirk That feden foles sages flatterers and lyers And haue liking to lithen hem to do you to laugh Ve vobis qui ridetis c. Luke vi And giue hem meat mede and pore men to refuse In your death diynge I feare me full sore Lest tho thre maner of meÌ„ to much sorow you bring Consentientes et agentes pari pena punientur Patriarkes prophetes and prechers of gods word Sauen throughe her sermons mans soule froÌ„ hell Right so flatterers foles arne the fendes disciples To entise men through hir tales to sinne harlotrye And clarkes that knowen holy write shold ken lords What Dauid said of such men as the psalter telleth Non habitabit in medio domus mee Psal Câ— qui facit superbiam et qui loquitur iniqua Should no harlot haue audience in hall ne in chaÌ„bre There wysemen were witnessen gods wordes Ne no misproud man among lordes be alowed And flatterers and foles through her lewde wordes Leden tho that loue hem to Lucifers feaste Wyth Turpiloquio a laye of sorowe Lucifers fidle Thus Hankyn the actiue man had soyled hys cote Til CoÌ„science acouped him therof in a curteis maner Why he had ne washed it or wyped it wyth a brushe Passus .xiiii. de visione I Haue but one hole hattir quod HaÌ„kin I am the lesse to blame Thoughe it be soyled and felde cleane I slepe therin on nightes And also I haue an huswife hewen and chyldren Luk. xiiii Vxoxem duxi et ideo non possum venire That wollen bymollen it manye tymes maugry my chekes Hankins cote wyll not be cleane It hath bene laued in lente and out of lent bothe With the soupe of sickenes that seketh woÌ„ders depe And with the losse of cattell lothe for to agyle God or anye good man by ought that I wyste And was shryuen of a priest that gafe me for my sins To penaunce Patience and pore men to fede Al for couetise of mi christeÌ„dome in clennes to kepe it And could I neuer by Christ kepe it cleane an houre That I ne soyled it with sight or with some idle speach Or through worke or word or wil of my herte That I ne slober it foule from morrowe till euen And I shall ken the quod Conscience of contricion to make That shal claw thy cote of al kindes of filth Cordis contricio c. Dowel shall washe it and wringe it throughe a wyse confessoure Oris confessio Dobet shal beat it boÌ„ke it as bryght as any scarlet And engraueÌ„ it with good wil gods grace to ameÌ„de the And sithen seÌ„d the to satisfaction for to sowne it after Satisfactio dobesse Shal neuer chest bymollen it ne mought after bite it Ne fende ne false man defoulen it in thy lyfe Shall no heraulde ne harper haue a fayrer garment Than HaÌ„kin the actiue maÌ„ thou do bi my teaching Ne no minstrell be more worth among pore ryche ThaÌ„ Hankins wife shew â—â—ereâ— with his actiua vita And I shal puruey the paast patieÌ„ce though no plow And floure to fede folke withal as best be for the soule Though neuer greue growed ne grape apon vyne All that liued and loked liuelode would I fynd And that inough shal none faile of thiÌ„g that hem nedeth We should not be to busye about our liuelode Ne soliciti sitis c. Volucres celi deus pascit Mat. vi c. patientes vincunt Than laughed Hankin a litle and lightly gan swere Who so leueth you by our lord I leue not he be bleste No ê™ Conscience patiently God geueth not lyfe but he prouideth fode and out of his poke hent Vytayles of greate vertues for all maner beastes And said lo here liuelode inough if our beliefe be true For lent neuer was life but lyuelode were shapen Whereof or wherfore or wherby to lyue Fyrste the wylde worme vnder wete earth Fishe to liue in the floude and in the fire the creket The kurlew bi kind of hem are clenest flesh of birdes And beastes by grase by grene and by grene rotes In meaninge that all men might the same do Liue through lelly beleue loue as god wytnesseth QuodcuÌ„que petieritis a patre in nomine meo c Et alibi Non solo pane viuit homo sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei And I loked what liuelod it was that patieÌ„ce so praised And it was a piece of the Pater nost Fiat voluntas tua Haue HaÌ„kin ê™ PatieÌ„ce eat this whaÌ„ thou huÌ„grest Or whan thou clumsest for colde or clyngest for drye Shall neuer giues the greue ne great lordes wrath Prison ne paine for Patientes vincunt By so that thou be sober of sight and of tonge In eating and in handelyng and in all thy fiue wyts Darst thou neuer care for corne nelineÌ„ cloth ne woleÌ„ Ne for drinke ne deaths dread but dye as god liketh Or through honger or through heat at his wil be it For if thou liue after hys lore the shorter life the better Si quis amat Christum mundum non diligit istum For through his breath beasts waxed abrode yedeÌ„ Dixit et facta sunt Ergo through hys breath may men beastes liuen As holy wryte witnesseth whan men se in her graces Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne animal benedictione It is found that forti winter folk liued wtout tilling Forty yeres without tyllage And out of the flint sproÌ„ge the floud that folk and beastes dronke And in Helies tyme heauen was closed That no raine ne ronne thus reade men in bokes That many wynter men lyued no meate ne tiliden Seuen slept as sayth the boke seuen huÌ„dred wynter And lyued wtout lyuelode and at the last they woken If meÌ„ liuid as mesure wold shold no more be defaut Lacke of measure
to myne issue both Londe and lordeshyppe and life wythout ende To me and to myne issue more yet he me graunted Mercy of our mysdedes many tymes as we aske Quam olim Abrahe promisisti et semini eius And syth he sent me to sey I sholde do sacrifice And done him worship with breade wyth wine boeth And called me fote of hys faith his folke for to saue And defeÌ„d hem from the fende folke that on me leued Thus haue I ben his Heraude here and in hell And coÌ„forted many a careful that after his coÌ„ming waiten And thus I seke him he said for I heare say late Of a barn that bapsid hym I. Baptyst was hys name That to patriarkes to prophetes to other people in darknes Said that he se here that should saue vs al. Iohn i. Ecce agnus dei c. I had woÌ„der of his words and of his wyde clothes For in his bosome he bare a thing that he blessed euer And I loked in hys lappe a Lazare lay therin Among patriarkes and prophetes pleyinge togiders What awaitest thou ê™ he what wouldest thou haue I would wit ê™ I tho what is in your lappe Lo quod he and let me se lord mercy I said This is a preseÌ„t of mich price what price shal it haue It is a precyous preseÌ„t ê™ he the pouk hath it atachid And me thermid ê™ that man there may no wed me quite Ne no barne be our borow ne bring vs froÌ„ his daÌ„ger Out of the powkes pinfold no mainprice mai vs fetch Tyl he come that I carpe of Christ is hys name That shal deliuer vs some day out of the deuyls powr And better wed for vs ligge thaÌ„ we be all worthy That is life for life or lygge thus euer Lollinge in my lappe til such a lorde vs fetche Alas I said that sinne so long shall lette The myght of gods mercy that might vs wel ameÌ„d I wept for his wordes with that I saw an other Rapelich renne forth the ryght way he went I frained hym firste from whence he came And what he hight whether he wold wightly he tolde Passus xvii de visione I Am Spes ê™ he and spye after a knyght That toke me a maÌ„demeÌ„t vpoÌ„ that moÌ„t Synai To rule al realmes with I beare the wryte here It is ensealed I said maye meÌ„ se the letters Nay he sayd I seke him that hath the seale to kepe And that is crosse christendome Christ theron to haÌ„g And when it is ensealed so I wot wel the soth Than Lucifers Lordeshyp shall last no lenger Let vs se the letters ê™ I we myght the lawe knowe Than pulled he forth a pyece of a hard roche Wherin were written these words on this wyse iglosed Dilige deum et proximum c. Mat. xxii This the text truly I toke full good yeme The glose was glorious written with a gylt penne In hiis duobus mandatis tota lex peudet et prophete Be here al the Lordes lawes ê™ I yea leue me he said And who so worcheth after this write I wyl vndertake Shall neuer deuil him dere ne death in soule greue For thoughe I saye it my selfe I haue saued with thys charme Of men women mani score thousandes He saith sothe said this heraude I haue it found oft Lo here in my lappe that leued on that charme Iosue and Iudith and Iudas Machabeus Yea and .vi. thousand beside forth that ben not sene here Your wordes are woÌ„derful ê™ I tho which of you is truest And lelest to leue on for life and for soule Abraham sayth that he se wholy the trinitie Abraham saw thre distincte persons in trinity Thre persons in percels ech departable from other And all thre but one god thus Abraham me taught And hath saued that beleued so sory for her sinnes I can not suggest â—â—nme and some are in mi lappe What neded it than a newe law to beginne Sith the first sufficeth to a saluasion and blysse And now coÌ„meth Spes speaketh that hath espied the law And telleth not of the triniti that toke him his letters To beleue and loue in our Lorde almyghty And sith right as my selfe so loue al the people The gome the goth with a staffe he semeth in greater heal Than he that goth with two slaues to syght of vs al And ryght so by the rode reason me sheweth It is lighter to lewd men one lesson to knowe Than for to teach heÌ„ two to hard to learne the leste It is full harde for any man on Abraham beleue And well awaye worse yet for to loue a shrewe It is lighter to leue in thre louely persons Than for to loue and leue as wel lorels as lelly Go thy gate quod I to Spes for so me god helpe Tho that learne thy lawe wel litle while vsen it And as we weÌ„ten in the way thus wording togithers Than sewe a Samaritan syttynge on a mule Rydynge well rapelye the ryght waye we yeden Cumming from a contrye men call Iericho To a Iustis at Ierusalem he chaseth away fast Both the heraude and hope The man wounded of theues and he met at once Where a man was wounded and wyth theues takeÌ„ He myght neither steppe ne stand ne stirre fote ne haÌ„d Ne helpe him self sothly for Semiuife he semed And as naked as a nedle no helpe about him Fayth had first syght of him and he fle a syde And would not nyghen him by nine landes length Hope came hipping after that had so bosted Howe he with Moses mauÌ„dement had many meÌ„ holpeÌ„ And whaÌ„ he hadde sight of the segge a side he gan hym draw Dredfully by this day as duck doth froÌ„ faucoÌ„ And so sone this Samaritan had sight of this leode He light downe of liard ladde him in his hand And to the wye he went his woundes to beholde And perceiued by his pulse he was in perill to dye And but he had recouer the rather that rise should he neuer With wine with oyle hys wouÌ„des he washed Enbaumid him bouÌ„d his hed in his lap him laid And lad him so forth on liard to Ler Christi a grauÌ„ge Well syxe myles or seuen besyde the newe market Herberde hym at an hostrye and to the hostler called And said haue kepe this man til I come froÌ„ the iustis And lo here siluer he sayd for salue for hys woundes And he toke him two pence for liuelode as it were And said who so speÌ„d more I make it good heraftir For I may not let ê™ that leode liarde he bestrideth And raped hym to Ierusalem the right way to ryde Fayth folowed after fast and fonded to meten hym And Spes spaklich hym sped spede if he myght To ouertake him talke to him er he to towne come And whaÌ„ I se this I soiorned not but shope me to reÌ„ And sewed that Samaritan that was so
loued And in lykenes of a leode that Lorde am of heauen Graciously thy gyle haue quite go gile agaynst gyle And as Adam and all throughe a tree dyed Adam althrough a tree should turne againe to life And gile is gyled and in hys gyle fallen Psal vii Et cecidit in foueam quam fecit Nowe begynneth thy gile agayne the to turne And my grace to growe aye greater and wyder The bitternes that thou hast brued broke it thy selfe Thou art doctor of death drynke that thou madeste For I that am Lord of life loue is my drynke And for that drynke to daye I dyed apon earth If ought so me thristeth yet for mans soules sake May no drynke me moyst ne my thryste stake Tyll the vendage fall in the vale of Iosaphat That I drinke right ripe must Resurrectio mortuoruns And then shal I come as a kynge crowned with angels And haue out of hell all mens soules Fendes and fende kynnes before me shall stande And bene at my biddynge whersoeuer me lyketh And to be merciable to man that my kynd it asketh For we ben brethren of bloud but not of baptisme al And al that beÌ„ my hole brethren in bloude baptisme Shal not be damned to death that is wythout ende Psai li. Tibi soli peccaui c. It is not vsed in earth to hangen a felon Ofter than once though he were a traytoure And if the kyng of that kingdome come in that tyme There the felon thole should death other else The law would haue geue him life if he loked on him And I that am king of kinges shall on such a tyme come There dome to the death daÌ„neth all wycked And if lawe wyll I looke on hem it lyeth in my grace Whether they dye or dye not for that they dyd yll Be it any thynge about the boldnes of their synnes I do mercy through rightwiâ—nes al mi words true And though holy write will that I be wroke of heÌ„ thai did euyl Nullum malum impunitum c. They shold be clensed clearly washen of her sinnes In my pryson Purgatory tyll Parce it hote And mi mercy shal be shewed to many of my brethreÌ„ For bloud may suffer bloude both honger and colde And bloud may not se bloud blede but him rewe Audiui arcana verba qui non licet homini loqui ii Cor. â—â—â— And my rightuousnes and right shall rule al hell And mercye all mankynde before me in heauen For I were an vnkinde kynge but I my kynde helpe And namely at such a nede ther nedes helpe behoueth Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo Psal â—â—â— Thus by law ê™ this Lord leade I wyll from hence Tho that me loued and leued in my comminge And for thy leasing Lucifer that thou liedst to Eue Thou shalt a bye it better bouÌ„d hym wyth chaynes Astaroth and all the route hidde hem in hernes They durst not loken on our lord the boldest of heÌ„ al But letteÌ„ him lead forth what hiÌ„ liked let what him lyste Many hundred of angels harpen sange Culpat caro purgat caro regnat deus dei caro Than pyped Peace of poesye a note Clarior est solito post marima nebula phebê° post inimicitlas After sharpe shoures ê™ peace moste sheene is the sunne Is no weader warmer than after watery cloudes Ne no loue leuer no better frendes ThaÌ„ after warre wo whaÌ„ loue peace be masters Was neuer war in this world ne wickednes so kene That ne loue and him luste to laughyng ne brought And Peace throughe patience all peryl stopped Truse quod Trueth thou tellest vs soth by Iesus Clype we in couenaunt and ech of vs kisse other And let no people quod Peace perceiue that we chid For impossible is nothynge to hym that is almighty Thou saist soth ê™ rightuousnes reuereÌ„tly hiÌ„ kissed Peace and peace here Per omnia secula seculorum Psai 85. Misericordia et veritas obuiauerunt sibi Iusticia et par osculate sunt Truth trumped tho and song Te deum laudamus And than luted Loue in a loude note Psal 133. Ecce quam bonum et quam iocundum c. Tyll the day dawed these damsels daunced That meÌ„ raÌ„g to the resurrection right with the I waked And called Kit my wyfe and Colet my daughter Aryse and reuerence Gods resurrection And crepe to the crosse on knees kisse it for a Iewell For Gods blessed bodye it bare for oure bote And it afereth the fende for suche is the might Maye no gryslye goste glyde there it shadoweth Passus .xix. de visione THus I waked wrote what I had dremed And dight me dearly and dyd me to kyrke To here holy the masse to be housled after In mids of the masse men went to offeringe I fell efte sones a slepe and sodaynely me mette That Pierce the plowman was painted all bloudye And came in with a crosse before the commen people And ryght lyke in all lymmes to our lorde Iesus Than called I Conscience to kenne me the soth Is this Iesu the iuster ê™ I that Iewes did to death Or is it Pierce PlowmaÌ„ who paynted him so red Quod CoÌ„science kneled tho Pierâ—â— cote armour these are Piers armes His colour cote armour he that cometh so blouddye Is Christ with his crosse conqueroure of christendome Why cal ye him Christ ê™ I sith Iewes cal hiÌ„ Iesus Patriarkes and prophetes prophecied before That all kinnes creatures shoulde knele and bowe Anone as men named thys hyghe name of Iesus Ergo is no name to the name of Iesus Ne none so nedeful to name by nyght nor by day For all the darcke deuils are a dreade to heare it And synfull are solaced and saued by that name And ye call hym Christ for what cause tell me Is Christ more of myght and more worthy name Than Iesu or Iesus that all our ioye came of Thou knowest well quod conscience and thou can reasoÌ„ That knyght kynge conquerour may be one person To be called a knight is fair for meÌ„ shal knele to him To be called king is fayrer for he mai knights make And to be conqueror called that cometh of special grace And of hardines of hert and of hendines both To make Lordes or ladies of lande that he wynneth And fre men foule thrales that folowe not his lawes The Iewes that were geÌ„tilmen Iesu they despised Both his lore his law now are they low cherles As wide as the world is wonneth none therin But vnder tribute or tallage as tikes and cherles And tho that became christen by couÌ„sell of the baptisme Christe crowned kynge Are frankelens fremen through fullynge that they toke And gentilmen wyth Iesu for Iesus was ifulled And apoÌ„ Caluery on crosse crowned king of Iewes It becommeth to a king to kepe and to defende As conqueroure of conqueste his lawes hys large And so did
Iesus the Iewes he iustified taught heÌ„ The lawe of life that laste shall euer And defende from foule euiles feuers and fluxes And from fendes that in them were false beleue Tho was he Iesus of Iewes called geÌ„tle prophete And king of her kingdome crowne bare of thorns And tho conquered he on crosse as coÌ„querour noble Might no death him fordo ne adowne bryng That he naroos and raygned and rauished hell And tho was he conquerour called of quick of dead For he gaue Adam and Eue and othermoe blyssed That longe had layne before as Lucifers cherles And sythen he gaue largelye all hys lelly lieges Places in paradice at her partinge hence He may wel be called coÌ„queror that is Christ to mene And the cause that he cometh thus with crosse of passion Is to wishen vs therw t that wheÌ„ that we be teÌ„pted Therw t to fight fend vs froÌ„ fallyng into sinne And se by hys sorowe that who so loueth ioye To penaunce and to pouerty he must put him selfe And much wo in thys world willen and suffren And for to carpe more of Christ how he came to the name Faithly to speake his first name was Iesus Tho he was borne in Bethlem as the boke telleth And came to take mankinde kynges and angels Reuerenced him faire wyth ryches of this earth Angels out of heauen came knelinge and songe Gloria in excelsis deo The gyftes that the iii. kyngâ— offered Kynges commen after knelinge and offred Myrre and much golde wythout mede askinge Or ani kins catel but knowledging him soueraigne Both of sonde sunne and sea sithen they wenten Into their kingdome kyth by counsel of angels And ther was the word fulfilled the which thou of spake Omnia celestia terrestria flectaÌ„tur in hec nomine Iesu Phili. ii For al the angels of heauen at hys byrth kneled And all the wyt of the worlde was in tho thre kinges Reason rightuousnes and â—uthe they offered Wherfore and why wyse men that tyme Maisters and lettred men Magi hem called That one kinge came with reason couered vndersence The second kynge sothly sithens he offered Ryghtuousnes vnder redde golde reasons felowe Golde is likened to leauty that last shall euer And reason to ryche golde to ryght and to truth The thyrd kynge tho came knelyng to Iesu And presented hym wyth pitye apperynge to mirre For myrre is mercy to meane mild speach of tong Thre in like honest things were offred thus at once Throughe thre kinne kinges knelinge to Iesus And for al these precious preseÌ„ts our lord priÌ„ce Iesus Was nether king ne coÌ„queror til he gaÌ„ to wâ—xe In the maner of a man and that by much sleght As becoÌ„meth a conquerour to konne many slightes And many willes and wytte that woll be a leader And so did Iesus in those daies who so had time to tell it Somtime he suffred somtyme he hid him And somtime he fought fast and fle other while And somtime he gaue good graunted heale both Lyfe and lyme as he lyste he wrought As kinde is of a conquerour so comsed Iesu Tyll he hadde all them that he for bledde In his inuente this Iesus at the Iewen feast Christ worketh miracles Water into wyne turned as holy wryte telleth And there began God of his grace to dowel For wine is likened to lawe and life of holines And law lacked tho for meÌ„ loued not her enmies And Christ couÌ„celeth thus commauÌ„deth also Both to lerned to lewde to loue our enemies So at the feaste fiâ—ste as I before sayde Began god of his grace of his goodnes to dowell And tho was he cleped called not only Christ but Iesu A faunt fine ful of wytte Filius Marie Before his mother Mary made he that wonder That she firste and formoste ferme should beleue That he through grace was get no gome els He wrought that by no wit but by word onely After the kynd that he came of there coÌ„sed he to dowell And wheÌ„ he was wexeÌ„ more in his mothers absence He made lame to leape and gaue light to blynd And fedde with two fyshes and wyth fyue loues Sore afingered folke mo than fyue thousande Thus he coÌ„forted the carefull and caught a greate name The which was dober wher that we went For defe through his doiÌ„gs to hear doÌ„b to speake he made And al he heled helpt that hiÌ„ of grace asked And tho was he called in coÌ„try of the coÌ„mon people For the dedes that he did Fili Dauid Iesus For Dauid was doutiest of dedes in hys time The birds tho soÌ„g Saul interfecit mille â— Keâ— 1â— Dauid x. mi. Therfore the coÌ„try ther Iesu came called hiÌ„ fili Dauid And named him of Nazareth no man so worthy To be Cayser or kynge of the kyngdome of Iuda Ne ouer Iewes iustice as Iesu was hem thought Wherof Cayphas had enuy other of the Iewes And for to do hym to death day nyght they casten Kylled hym on crossewyse at caluery on a Frydaye And sithen buried his body beden that meÌ„ should Kepe it from night commers with knyght armed For no frendes shold him fetch for prophets heÌ„ tolde That that blessed bodye of buriels should aryse And gone into Galile and gladden his apostles And his mother marye thus men before demed The knightes that kept it beknewe it hem selues That angels and archangels ere the day spronge Came kneling to the corps song Christus resurgens Verye man before hem all forth with hem he yede The Iewes praydeÌ„ peace besoughte the knyghtes Tel the coÌ„men that ther came a coÌ„panye of his apostles And bewiched hem as they wokeÌ„ away stolleÌ„ him And Marye Magdalen met hym by the waye Goynge toward Galile in godhead and manhead A lyue and lokynge and she a lowde cryed In eche a company there she came Christus resurgens Thus came it out the Christ ouercame recouered and lyued Sic oportet Christum pati et intrare Luke 24 Why Christ appeared fyrste to a woman For that women wytteth may not well be counsell Peter perceyued this and pursued after Both Iames and Iohn Iesu for to seke Thade and ten moe wyth Thomas of Inde And as these wise wyes weren togythers In an house al be shette and the dores barred Christe came in and all closed both dores and gates To Peter and to his apostles saide Pax vobis And toke Thomas bi the hand taught him to grope And fele wyth his fingers his fleshye herte Thomas Didimus Iohn xx Thomas touched it and with his tonge sayde Dominus mâ—us et deus meus Thou art my Lord I beleue god lorde Iesu Thou diedst and death tholedst and deme shall vs all And now art liuing and lokynge last shalt euer Christe carped than and curteslye sayde Thomas for thou trowest it and trulye beleuest it Blessed might
thou be and be shalt for euer And blessed might they all be in body and in soule That neuer shall se me in syght as thou dost nowe And lelly beleue all this I loue hem and blesse hem Iohn xx Beati qui non viderunt c. And when this dede was done Dobest he taught And gaue Pierce power and pardon he graunted To all maner of men mercye and forgiuenes Hym might to assoyle men of all maner of synnes In couenaunt that they come and knowledge to paye Pierces pardon is pay that yuâ—weste To Pierces pardon the plowman Redde quod debes Thus hath Pierce power be his pardon payed To binde and vnbind both here and els where And assoylen men of all synnes saue of dette onelye Anone after an hyghe into heauen He went and wonneth there and wil come at laste And reward him right well that Reddit quod debet And payeth perfitelye as pure trueth woulde And what person payeth it not punyshe he thynketh And demen hem at domes day both quicke deade The good to the Godheade and to greate ioye The wicked to wonne in wo without ende Thus CoÌ„science of Christ and of the crosse carped And couÌ„celed me to knele thaÌ„ came as me thought One Spiritus paracletus The holy Goste to Pierce and to his felowes In lykenes of a lyghteninge he lyght vpon hem all And made hem kon and knowe all kynne languages I woÌ„dered what that was and wagged Conscience And was aferde of the lyght for in fyers lykenes Spiritus paracletus ouer sprede hem all Quod CoÌ„science kneled this is Christes messenger And cometh froÌ„ the great god and grace is hys name Knele now quod Conscience and if thou can synge Welcome him worship him with Veni creator spiri Than sange I that songe and so did many hundred And cried with Conscience helpe vs god of grace Than began grace to go with Pierce plowman And couÌ„seled him CoÌ„science the coÌ„mune to suÌ„mon For I wyll deale to daye and deuide grace To all kinne creatures that han her fyne wyttes Treasure to lyue by to her lyues ende And weapen to fyght wyth that shal neuer fayle For Antichriste and his all the world shall greue And accumbre the coÌ„science but if Christe helpe And false prophetes fell flatterers and glosers Shal come be curatours ouer kynges Erles And pryde shal be Pope and prince of holy kyrke Couetise and vnkyndenes cardinalles hem to leade Therfore ê™ grace ere I go I wil geue you treasure And wepoÌ„ to fight with whaÌ„ Antichrist you assayleth And giue eche man grace to guide with hym selfe That idlenes encumbre him not enuye nor pryde Diuisiones graciarum sunt To some he gaue witte with wordes to shew The gyftes of the holy gost Wyt to wyn her liuelode with as the world asketh As preachers and priestes and prentises of lawe They lellye to lyue by laboure of tonge And by wit to wishen other as grace hem wold teach And some he kenned craftie and cunnynge of syght With selling and bigging their liuelodes to wynne And learned some to labour a lelly lyfe and a true And some he taught to tilly dytch and to hedge To wyn with their liue lode by lore of his teachinge Some to diuine and deuide numbres to kenne And some to se and to saye what shoulde befall Astronomers Boeth of well and of woe tyll it or it fell As astronomers by astronomie philosophers wise And some to ride recouer the vnrightfully was wâ—n He wished heÌ„ wiâ— it againe through wightnes of haÌ„d And fetch it from false men with soule euyll lawes And some he learned to liue in longynge to be hence In pouerty and in penaunce to praye for all christen And al he learned to be â—elly and ech a craft loue other And forbade hem al debate that none were amoÌ„ge hem Though some be cleaner then some ye se wel ê™ grace That meÌ„ of the fayrest craft to the foulist I coulde haue put Thinke al ê™ grace that grace cometh of my gift Loke that none lacke other but loue all as brethren And who the most masteries can the mildest of beryng And crown coÌ„scieÌ„ce king make craft your steward And after craftes counsell cloth you and fede Pierces offices For I make Pierce plowman my procuratour my reue And register to receiue Redde quod debes My prouisor my plowman Pierce shal be on earth And for to tell trueth a teme shall he haue Grace gaue Pierce a tâ—me foure greate oxen That one was Luke Pierce Plowemannes ore 1. a large beast a low chered And Mark Mathew the third mighty blasts both And ioyned to hem one Iohn most gentle of al The price net of Pierces plow and passing al other And grace gaue pierce of hys goodnes four stottes Al that his oxen cried they to harrowe it after One hyght Austen and Ambrose an other Gregory the greate clarke and Ierome the good These four the faith to teach foloweth Pierces teme And harowed in an hande while all holy scripture With two harowes that they had an old a newe Id est vetus testamentum et nouum And Grace gaue graines the cardinall vertues And sew it in mans soule sitheÌ„ told her names Spiritus prudencie the firste sede hyght And who so eateth that The sede the Pierce soweth ymagen he shoulde Ere he did anye dede deuise well the ende And learned men a ladie bugge wyth a longe stele That caste for to kepe a croke to saue the fat aboue The seconde sede hyght Spiritus temperantie He that eate of that sede had suche a kynd Shuld neuer meat ne much drink make him to swell Ne shoulde no scorner ne skolde oute of skyll hym bringe Ne wynning ne wealth of worldly riches Waste worde of ydlenes ne wicked speach moue Should no curious cloth come on hys rygge Ne no meate in his mouth the master Iohn spiced The third sede the piers sew was Spiritê° fortitudinis And who so eate of that sede hardye was euer To suffer all that God sente sickenes or angers Myght no leasinges ne lier ne losse of worldly cattel Make him for any mourning that he has mery in soule And bolde and abidinge bismeres to suffer And playeth al with patience and Parce mihi domine And couereth him vnder counsel of Caton the wyse Esto forti animo cum sis damnatus inique The fourth sede the Pierce sâ—w was spiritus iusticie And he that eateth of that sede shal be euer true With god and not agaiste but of gile one For Gile goth so priuelie the good fayth other while May not be espied fro spiritus iusticie Spiritus iusticie spareth not to spil Iustyce leaueth no sinne vnpunished Them that beÌ„ gyltye and for to correct The kynge if he fall in gylte or in trespace For couÌ„teth he no kings wrath wheÌ„ he