And that is lyghtly forgeuen and forgetten both To man that mercy asketh and amend thynketh The raine that raigneth there we reste shoulde By sykenes and sorowes that we suffren oft As Poule the apostle to the people taught ii Cor. xii Virtus infirmitate perficitur And though that men make muche dole in her anger And beÌ„ impacieÌ„t in her penauÌ„ce pure reasoÌ„ knoweth That they haue cause to coÌ„trary bi kind of her siknes And lyghtly our Lord at her lyues end Hath merci on such men that so euil may suffer And the smolke the smolder that smyte in our eien That is couetise vnkindnes that queÌ„cheth gods mercy For vnkindnes is the contrary of al kinnes reason For there nis sicke ne sorye ne none so much wretch That he ne may loue if him like leue of his herte Good wyl and good word boeth wishen and willen Al maner of mercy and of forgiuenes And loue hem like him selfe and his life amend I may no lenger let quod he and lyard he pricked And went away as wynd therwyth I waked Passus xviii de visione WOlward wetshode went I forth after As a rechles reuke that of no wo retcheth And yede forth like a lorel al my lyfe tyme Til I waxt wery of the world willed efte to slepe And lened me to a lenten longe tyme I slepte And of christes passioÌ„ penaunce the people of taught Rest me ther and rut fast tyll Ramis palmarum Of gerles and of Gloria laus grealye me dreamed And howe Osanna by Organye olde folke songen One seÌ„blable to the Samaritan soÌ„deale to Piers the plowman Barefote on an asse backe boteles came prickynge Without spore or speare spackly he loked As is the kind of a knyght that coÌ„meth to be dubbed To get him gilt spores and galoches couped Than was fayth in a fenester and cried O fili Dauid As doth an heraud of armes whaÌ„ aueÌ„trous coÌ„meth to iustis Old Iewes of IerusaleÌ„ for ioy they soÌ„geÌ„ Benedictus qui venit in nomine demini Mat. xxi Than I frained at fayth what all that fare bymente Who should iuste in Ierusalem Iesus he sayde And fetch that the feÌ„d claimeth Pyerce frute the plowmaÌ„ Is Piers in this place quod I he preint on me This Iesus of his gentry wil iust in Pierces armes In his helme in his herbergeon Humana natura That Christ be not knowne here for consuÌ„matus deus In Pyerce paltock the plowmaÌ„ this pryker shal ride For no dinte shal him dere as in Deitate patris Who shall iuste with Iesus ê™ I Iewes or scribes Nay quod he the fould fende false dome death Death sayth he shall for do and adowne brynge All that lyueth or loketh in londe or in water Lyfe sayth that he liueth and layeth his lyfe to wed That for all that death can do within thre dayes To walke fetch froÌ„ the fend Pierce fruit the plowmaÌ„ And laye it there him liketh and Lucifer bind And for to beat and downe bring bale death for euer O Mors ero mors tua ThaÌ„ came Pilate with mich puple Sedens pro tribunali Ozce xiii To se how douty deth shold do deme her brothers right The Iews iustices agayne Iesu they were And all the court on him cried Crucifige sharpe Tho put him forth a pylour before Pylate and said This Iesus apon Iewes temple iaped dispised To for do it on one daye and in thre dayes after Edifie it eft newe here he standes that saide it And yet make it as muche in al maner of poyntes Both as longe and as large by loft and by grounde Crucifige quod a catch pole I warrant him a witche Iohn xix Tolle Tolle quod another and toke of kent thornes And began of kene thornes a garlande to make And set it sore on his head and sayde in enuy Aue Rabbi sayd that rybaude and threw redes at him Nailed him wyth thre nailes naked on the rode And poyson on a pole they put vp to his lyppes And bydde him drynke his dethes euil his daies wer done And if that thou sotle be helpe nowe they selfe If thou be Christ kinges sonne come downe of the rode ThaÌ„ shold we leue that life the loueth wol not let the dye ConsuÌ„matuÌ„ est ê™ Christe and comseth for to swonne Pitiously and pale as a prisoner doth that dieth The Lord of life of light tho laied his eies togither The day for dread wythdrew darck became the soÌ„ne The wall wagged and clefte all the world quaued Dead men for that dine came out of depe graues And told why that tempest so longe time endured For a bitter battel the dead body said Lyfe deth in this darknes here one fordoth the other Shal no wight wit witterly who shal haue maistry EresoÌ„ day about suÌ„ne rising sanke with that tyl earth Some saide that he was gods sonne the so fayre dyed Mar. xv Vere filius dei erat iste And some said he was a witch good is that we assaie Whether he be dead or not dead down er he be taken Two theues also tholed death that tyme Besides Christ apon a crosse so was the coÌ„mon lawe A catchpole came forth and cragged both the legges And the armes after of eyther of tho theues And was no boye so bolde gods body to touch For he was knight kings soÌ„ne kinde forgaue that time That no harlot were so hardy to lay hand apon him And there came forth a knight with a kene spere grouÌ„d Hight LoÌ„gis as the letter telth He citeth a lye out of the Legendauri â–ª loÌ„g had lost his sight Before Pilate and other puple in the place he houed Maugre hys manye teath he was made that tyme To take his speare in his hande iusten wyth Iesus For al thei wer vnhardy that houed on horse or stode To touche or to tast hym or taken downe of rode But this blinde bachyler bare him through the hert The blud spraÌ„g doune by the spere vnspared his eyen Then fel the knyght vpoÌ„ his knees cried him mercy Against my wyll it was Lorde to wound you so sore He syghed and sayde fore it me for thinketh For the dede that I haue done I do me in your grace Haue on me ruth rightful Iesu right with that he wept Than gan Fayeth fellye the false Iewes despise Called hem caytifes accursed for euer For thys foule villanye vengeaunce to you all To do the blind beat him bouÌ„d it was a boyes couÌ„sel Cursed Caytifes knyghthode was it neuer To misdo a deade bodye by daye nor by nyght The gre yet hath he gottenâ— for al his greate wounde For your champion câ—â—ualer chiefe knight of you all Yelde him recreant renning ryght at Iesus wyll For be this darcknes ido hys death worth auenged And ye lurdens haue lost for life shal haue the
mastry And your fraÌ„ches that fre was falleÌ„ is in thraldome And ye Cherles your childreÌ„ chiuen shall you neuer Ne haue Lordeshyppe in lande ne no lande tyll The lord accurseth vsurers But all bareyne be and vsurye vsen Whyche is lyfe that our Lorde in all lawes accurseth Now your good daies ar done as Dani. prophecied WhaÌ„ Christ come her kiÌ„gdome croune shuld cease Dani. ix Cum venerit sanctus sanctorum tunc cessabit vnctio vestra What for feare of the farlye and of the false Iewes I drowe me in that darkenes to Descendit ad inferna And there I sawe sothlye Secundum scripturas Out of the west cost a wenche as me thought Came walkynge in the waye to helward she loked Mercye hyght that mayde a meke thynge wythall A ful benyngne byrde and boxome of speach Hyr syster as it semed came worthelye walkynge Euen out of the east and westwarde she loked A full comelye creature Trueth she hyght For the vertue that her folowed afered was she neuer When these maydens mette mercye and trueth Eyther asked other of thys greate meruayle Of the dyn and of the darcknes how the day renned And what a syght and a leme laye before hell I haue farly of this fare in fayth sayd truth And am wendinge to wit what this woÌ„der meaneth Haue no meruayle quod mercy myrthe it betokeneth A mayde that hight Marye and mother wtout feling Of any kynnes creature conceiued through speach And grace of the holye gost weâ—t greate wyth chylde Without wembe into this world she brought hym And that my tale be true I take God to wytnes Syth this barne was borne be thyrty wynter paste Which died death tholed this day about myddaye And that is cause of this clipse the closed now the suÌ„ne In meaning that man shal from merkenes be draweÌ„ The which this light this leem shal Lucifer ablind For Patriarks Prophets haue preached it often That man shall man saue through a maydens helpe And that was tyne throughe tree tree shal it wynne And that death downe brought death shall releue That thou tellest quod truth is but a tale of waltrot For Adam and Eue Abraham and other Patriarkes and Prophetes that in payne lyggen Leue thou neuer that yon lyght hem may aloft bring Ne haue hem out of hell hold thy tonge mercy It is but a trifle that thou tellest I truth wote the soth For that is once in hell out commeth he neuer Iob the prophet patriarke repungneth thy sawes Quia in inferno nulla est redemptio Iob. vii Than mercy full mekelye mouthed these wordes Through experience ê™ she I hope I shall be saued For venine for doth venine that I proue by reason For of all venimes foulest is the Scorpion May no medicine helpe the place there he styngeth Tyll he be deade and do therto the euil he destroyeth The first venime moyst Poyson expelleth poyson through venime of him selfe So shall thys death for do I dare my lyfe lygge Al that death did fyrst throughe the deuils entisynge And as throughe gyle man was begiled So shall grace that began make a good sleyght Ars vt artem falleret Nowe suffer we sayde truth I se as me thynketh Out of the nyppe of the north not full farre hence Ryghtwisenes come rennynge reste we the whyle For he wotteth more then we he was ere we both That is soth sayd mercye and I se here by south Where peace cometh playinge in patience clothed Loue hath coueted hir longe leue I none other But he sent hir some letter what this light bemeneth That ouerhoueth hell thus she vs shall tell WhaÌ„ peace in patieÌ„ce clothed thus aproched nygh heÌ„ twain Rightfulnes hir reuereÌ„ced for hir rich clothiÌ„g And prayed peace to tel her to what place she would And in her gaye garment whom she grete thought The talke betwene Iustice c Peace My wyl is to wend ê™ she and to welcome hem all That many a day myght not se for merknes of synne Adam and Eue and other moe in hell Moses and many moe mercy shall haue And I shall daunce the reto do thou so syster For Iesus iusteth well ioye begynneth to dawe Psal xxx Ad vesperum demorabitur fletus et ad matutinuÌ„ leticia Loue that is my lemman suche letters me sent That mercy my syster and I mankynd shoulde saue And that god hath forgeueÌ„ grauÌ„ted me peace mercy To be mans meinpernour for euermore after Lo here the patent quod Peace In pace in idipsum And that this dede shall dure Dormiam et requiescam What rauest thou ê™ rightwisenes or the art right dronke Leuest thou that yon lyght vnlocke might hell And saue mans soule sister wene it neuer At the begynnynge God gaue the dome him selfe That Adam and Eue and all that hem sewed Shoulde dye downe ryght and dwell in payne after If that they touched a tree and the fruite eaten Adam afterwarde agaynste his defence Frete of that fruite and forsoke as it were The loue of our Lorde and his lore boeth And folowed that the fende taught hys felowes wyll Agaynst reasoÌ„ rightwisâ—es record thus with truth That their payne be perpetuall no prayer theÌ„ help Therfore let them cheue as they chose chide we not sisters For it is boteles bale the byt that they eaten And I shal proue ê™ peace theyr payne must haue end And we into weale must wende at last For had thei wyst of no wo weale had thei not know For no wight wotes what weale is CoÌ„trarâ—es are knowen bi tâ—â— coÌ„trarie that neuer wo suffred Ne what is whote huÌ„gre that neuer had defaut If no night nere no man as I leue Should wyte witerly what day is to meane Should neuer ryght rychman the liueth in rest and ease Wyte what wo is ne were the death of kinde So God that began all of his good wyll Became man of a mayd mankinde to saue And suffer to be sold to se the sorow of dyinge The which vnknytteth all care and comsing is of rest For tyl modicum met with hym I may it well avowe Wote no wight as I wene what is inough to mean Therfore God of his goodnes the first gome Adam Set him in solace and in souereine myrth And syth he suffred him sinne sorowe to fele To wyt what weale was kyndly to knowe it And after God aueÌ„tred him selfe toke Adams kynd To wyt what he had suffred in thre sundry places Both in heauen and in earth and to hel he thinketh To wyt what al wo is that wote of all ioye So it shal fare by thys folke their foly their synne Shal lerne hem what langor is lyfe wythout end Wote no wyght what warre is ther the peace reineth Ne what is witerly weale till welaweye hym teache Bokes be bolde Than was there a wight wyth two brode eyen Boke hyght that beaupier
beggar for my foule slouth Hon mihi quia sterilâ—m duxi vitam iuuenilem Repentist thou ê™ RepeÌ„tauÌ„ce right with he swoned Tyll Vigilate An admonition to beware of dispair in repentaunce the veile fet water at hys eyes And flapte it on hys face and faste on hym cryed And sayed ware the for wanhope wyl the batraye I am sorye for my synnes saye to thy selfe And beate thy selfe on the brest byd god of grace For is no gilte here so great but that his goodnes is more ThaÌ„ sate Slouth vp seyned hym Swyth And made a vowe tofore god for his foule Slouth Shal no soÌ„day be thys seuen yere but sikenes it let That I ne shal do me or day to the dere church And heare matteus and masse as I a monke were Shall no ale after meate holde me thence Tyll I haue euensong hearde I behote to the rode And yet woll I yelde agayne if I so much haue All that I wickedly wanne sithen I wytte had And thoughe my liuelode lacke letten I nell That eche man ne shall haue hys or I hence wende And with the residue and the remnaunte by the rode of Chester I shall seke Trueth erste or I see Rome Robert the robber on Reddite loked And for there was not wherof he wept swith sore And yet the sinfull shrewe sayde to hym selfe Christe that on Caluery vpon the crosse didest Tho Dismas my brother besought you of grace And haddest mercy on that man for Memento sake So rue on thys robber that Reddere ne haueth Ne neuer wene to wynne with craft that I knowe But for thy mikle mercye mitigation I besech Ne dampe me not at domisday for that I did yll What befell of this felowe I can not fayre shewe Well I wote he wept faste water wyth hys eyen And knowleged hys gilte to Christe yet eft sones That Penitentia hys pycke he shoulde polish newe And leape with him ouer lande all his life tyme For he had layne by Latro Lucifers aunte And than had RepeÌ„taunce ruth rad heÌ„ al to knele For I shall besech for al sinful our sauiour of grace To amend vs of our misdedes do mercy to vs al Now god ê™ he that of thy goodnes gaÌ„ the world make And of nought madest ought man most like thi lelf And sithen suffcedest for sinne a sickenes to vs al And al for the best as I leue what euer the boke telleth O felir culpa O necessarium peccatum Ade For through the synne thy soÌ„ne sent was to the earth And became man of a maide mankind to saue And makest thy selfe with thy soÌ„ne and vs sinful ilyche Genes i. i. Io. iiii Faciamus homineÌ„ ad imagineÌ„ et similitudinem nostraÌ„ Et alibi Qui manet in charitate in deo manet et deus in eo And syth with thy selfe sonne in our sute dyedest On good Friday for maÌ„s sake at ful tyme of the daye There thy selfe ne thy sonne no sorow in death feled But in our sect was the sorow thy sonne it ladde Captiuam duxit captiuitatem Ephe. iiii The sunne for sorow thereof lost light for a tyme At midday wheÌ„ most light is and mealtyme of saints Feddest with thy fresh blud our forfathers in darknes Populus qui ambulat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam And by the lyght that leaped out of the Lucifer was blent And blew all thy blessed into the blisse of Paradise The thyrde daye after thou yedesie into our sute A sinful Mary the sawe ere saint Mary thy dame And all to solace synful thou suffredest it soner Mat. ix Non veni vocare iustos sed peccatores ad penitentiam And al the Marke made Mathew Iohn Lucas Of thy doubty dedes were done in our armes Iohn i. Verbum caro factum est et habitauit in nobis And by so much me semeth the sikerer we maye Bydde and beseche if it be thy wyll That art our father our brother be mercifull to vs And haue ruth on these ribaudes that repent hem selues sore That euer they wrathed the in this world in worde thought and dede TheÌ„ heÌ„t Hope an horne of Deus tu coÌ„uersê° viuificabis nos And blew it with Beati quotuÌ„ remisse suÌ„t iniquitates That all Sayntes in heauen songen at once Homines et iumeÌ„ta saluabis quemadmodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam deus Psal 36. A thousande of men tho throngen togythers Criden vp warde to Christe and to his cleane mother To haue Grace to go with hem Truth to seken And there was none so wise the way thyther could But blustering forth as beastes ouer baÌ„ckes hils Tyll late was and longe ere they a leode mette Appareled as a paynime in pylgraimes wyse He bare a burden bounden wyth a brode lyfte In a wythe wandes wyse wounden aboute A bole and a bagge he bare by hys side An hundred amples on his hatte sette Signes of Sinai and shelles of Galice And mady a crouch on his cloke keyes of Rome And the vernicle before for men should knowe And se by hys signes whom he so sought hadde Thys folke trained hym fyrst from whence he came From Snai he seid and from our Lords sepulchre In Bethlem and in Babilon I haue bene in both In Ermonie and Alexander and many other placis Ye maye see by my signis that be set in my hatte That I haue walked full wyde in wette and in drye And sought many good Seints for my soulis helpe Knoweste thou not a crossent that men call truth Coudst thou not wish vs the way where the wight woÌ„nith Naye so me God helpe seyd that gome than I sawe neuer Palmer with poke nor with scrippe Aske after him ere tyll nowe in this place Peter quod a plowman and put forth his heade I knowe him as kyndly The plowman is Truthes seruaunt as clerke doeth his boke Conscience and kynd witte kenned me to his place And dyd me sweren sykerly to serue him for euer Both to sowe and to set the whyle I swinke myght I haue ben his folower al thys fifty wynter Boeth so wen his seed and sued hys beastes Wythin and wythoute I wayted his profite I dyke and delue and do that truth hoteth Sometyme I sowe and sometyme I thresh In Tailars and tinkers craft what truth can deuise I weue and I wynde and do what truth hoteth For though I sey it my self I serue hym to paye Iche haue myne hyre well and other whyles more He is prestiste payar that pore men knoweth Hene with halt none helk his hire that he ne hath it at euen He is as lowe as a lambe and louely of spech And if ye wyll wytt where he wonnith I shall wyshe you witterly the hye waye to his place Yea leue Piers ê™ these pilgrimes proferd him hyre For to wend with hem to Truethes dwellynge place Nay by my soule health ê™ Piers
of holy kyrke And praye hym of pardon and penaunce in thy lyfe And for hys muche mercy to amende you here For who the wylneth to wyt the waies of god almight I would hys eye were in his ars his finger after That euer wylneth to wytte why that god would Suffer Sathan hys sede to begyle Or Iudas to the Iewes Iesu betraye Al was as thou woudest lord worshyp be thou And al worth as thou wold what so we dispate And tho the vse these hanylowes to bliddeÌ„ meÌ„s witte What is do wel fro dobet nowe defe mote he worthe Sith he wylneth to wit which they be both But it he lyue in the life that longeth to dowel For I dare be his bold borow that dobet wil he neuer Though do best draw on hym day after other And whaÌ„ thou wytte was ware what dame studie told He became so confuse he cuÌ„neth not loke And as dome as death and drew him arere And for no carping I cold after ne kneling to therth I myght get no grayne of his great wyttis But al laughynge he louted and loked apon study In sygne that I shulde The maner of theÌ„ the be in office besechen hyr of grace And wheÌ„ I was ware of his wil to his wife I loutid And sayde mercie madame your maÌ„ shal I worth As longe as I liue both late and rathe For to worchen your wil the whyle mi life endureth With the that ye ken me kindly to know what is dowel For thi mekenes maÌ„ ê™ she for thi milde spech I shal ken the to my cosen that clergye is hoten He hath weddyd a wyfe wtin these syx moneths Is syb to the seued artes Scripture is hyr name They two as I hope after my teachinge Shal wishen the dowel I dare vnder take Than wes I as fayne as foule of fayr morow And glader then the gleman that golde hath to gyfte And asked hir the high way where that clergi dwelt And tel me some token ê™ I for tyme is that I wend Aske the hygh waye quod she hence to suffre Both wel and wee if that thou wyllt learne And ryde forthe by riches and rest thou not therin For if thou couplest the therwith to clergie coÌ„mest thou neuer And also the lycores lande that lechery hight Leaue it on thy left half a large mile and more Tyll thou come to a courte kepe well thy tonge FroÌ„ leasinges lyther speach licorus drinckes ThaÌ„ shalt thou se so brietie and simplicitie of speache That ech wight be in his wyll hys wytte to shewe And thus shalt thou come to cleargye that caÌ„ mani thinges Saye hym thys signe I sette him to schole And that I grete wel his wife Studye teacheth al things for I wrot her many bokes And set her to Sapience to the psalter glose Logike I learned her and manye other lawes And all the vnisons in musicke I made her to knowe Plato the poete I put him firste to boke Aristotle and other moe to argue I taught Grammer for gyrles I garde first to wryte And beat hem with a bales but if they would learne Of all kinnes craftes I contriued tooles Of carpenters of caruers and compassed Masons And lerned hem leuel and line though I loke dimme And Theologie hath tened me seuen score times The more I muse therin the mistier it semeth And the deper I deuyne the darker me it thynketh A full lethye thynge it were if that loue nere And for it leet beste by loue I loue it the better For there as loue is Leader ne lacketh neuer grace Loke thou loue lellie if the liketh Dowell For Dobet and Dobest bene of loues kynne In other science it sayth I sawe it in Caton Qui similat verbis Cato nec corde est fidus amicus tu quoque fac simile sic ars deluditur arte Who so gloseth as Gylours done go me to the same And so shalt thou false folcke and faiethles begyle Thys is Catons kenning to clerckes that he lernethe And Theologye teacheth not so who so taketh hede He kenneth the contrary agayne Catones wordes For he biddeth vs be as brethreÌ„ bid for our enmies And loue heÌ„ that lye on vs leÌ„de hem whan they nede And do good agayne euyl god him selfe hoteth Galat. vi â—um tempus habemur operemus bonum ad omnes O arime autem ad domesticos fidoi Pauie preached the people that perfitenes loued To do good for gods loue and gyue men that asken And namely to such that sueth out beleue And aly vs lacke or lye our Lord techeth vs to loue And not to greue heÌ„ the greue vs god him self forbade it Mihi vindictam et ego distribuam Therefore loke thou loue as long as thu durest For is no scieÌ„ce vnder the suÌ„ne so souerain for thy soule And astronomi is a harde thinge and euil for to know Geometrie and geomansye so gylfull of speache The vaniti of scieÌ„ce Who so thinkith worch with tho two thriueth but late For Sorcerie is the souerainst boke that to scieÌ„ce beloÌ„gith Ye ar ther febichers in forcers of fel mens makyng Experimentes of alkinamie the people to deceiuen Yf thou thynke to do wel dele therwyth neuer Al these sciences I me selfe soteled ordeined And founded him formest folke to disceyue Tel Clargy these tokens and scripture after To councel the kyndlye to knowen what is dowel I sayde graund mercy madame mekely her grate And went wightlie awaye wtoute more letinge And til I came to clergie I coulde neuer stinte And grate well the good man as study me taught And afterwarde the wyfe and worshypped heÌ„ both And tolde hem the tekeres that me taught were Was neuer gâ—m on this grouÌ„d sith god mad the world Fayrer vnderfongen ne frendlier at ease Than my selfe sothly sone so he wyste That I was of wittes house and with his wife dame Studye I sayd to heÌ„ sothly the sent was I thither Do well and Dobet and Dobest to learne It is coÌ„men life ê™ Cleargy on holy church to beleue With all the articles of the faith that falleth to be knowen And that is to beleue lelly both learned and leude On the greate God that gynnynge had neuer And on the sothfast Sonne that saued mankinde From the deadly death and from the deuyls power Through the helpe of the holy goste that which gost is of both Thre persons and not in plurell numbre For all is but one god and ech is god hym selfe Deus pater Deus filius Deus spiritus sanetus God the father god the sonne god the holy gost of both Maker of mankynde and of beastes bothe Austen the olde hereof made bokes And him selfe ordeined to saue vs in beleue Who was his auctour all the foure euangelistes And Christ cleped him selfe so the EuaÌ„gelists beareth witnes Al the clarks vnder Christ ne could this assoile But this beloÌ„gith to beleue to lewed the wold dowell For
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
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
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
there And cry we to kind that he come and defende vs Foles froÌ„ these feÌ„des lims for Piers loue the plowmaÌ„ And cry we to all the commune that they come to vnytie And ther abide and biker against Belials children Kynd CoÌ„science tho heard came out of the planets And sent forth his forriours feuers and fluxes Coughes and cardiacles crampes and toth aches Reumes and radgondes and raynous scalles Byles and botches and burnynge agues Freneses and foule euill foragers of kynde Hadden pricked and praied polles of the people That largely a legion losten their liues sone There was harow and helpe here commeth kinde A greate signe of infidelity Wyth death that is dreadeful to vndone vs all The lorde that lyueth after lust tho aloude cried After confort a knight to come and beare his banner A larme a larme quod the Lord ech lyfe kepe hys own And than met these men theyr minstrels myght pype And their heraudes of armes had descriued Lordes Age the hoore he was in the vawwarde And bare the baÌ„ner before death by right he it claimed Kynde came after with manye kene sores As pockes and pestilences and much puple shent So kinde through corruptions The maner of goddes visitation killed ful many Death came driuynge after and all to dust pashed Kynges and Kaysers knyghtes and Popes Learned ne lewed he ne let no man stande That he hitte euen he neuer stode after Many a louelye Ladye and lemmans of knightes Swoned and swelted for sorow of deathes dintes Conscience of hys curtesye to kynd he besought To cease and suffer and se wher they woulde Leaue pryde priuelye and be perfite christen And kynde ceased tho to se the people amende Fortune gan flatteren then The maner of meÌ„ when plages cease tho fewe that were a lyue And hight hem longe life and lechery she sent Amonge all maner of men wedded and vnwedded And gathered a greate hoste all against Conscience This Lecherye layed on with a laughing chere And with a priuye speach and painted wordes And armed him in idlenes and in highe bearynge He bare a bow in his haÌ„d many blouddy arrowes Were fethered with fair behest many a false truth Wyth hys vntidye tales he tened full often CoÌ„science his coÌ„pany of holy kyrke the teachers Than came Couetise and caste howe he might Ouercome Conscience and cardinall vertues And armed him in auaryce and hongrichly liued His wepen was all wiles to winnen and to hiden With glosinges with gabbinges he gyled the people Couetise and Simony make prelates Simony him seme to assayle Conscience And preached to the people and prelates they maden To hold with antichriste their temporalties to saue And came to kynges counsell as a kene baren And kneled to Conscience in court before hem all And garde good fayth flee and false to abide And boldly bare adowne with many a bryght noble Much of the wit and wisedome of Westminster hall He iusteled to a Iustice and iusted in his eare And ouertilt al his truth wel take this on ameÌ„dmeÌ„te And to the arches he yede anone after And turned ciuile into simony sith he toke thofficial For a mantil of miniuer he made lelly matrimonye Departed ere death came and deuorse shaped Alas ê™ Conscience tho would Christ of his grace That couetise were a christeÌ„ that is so kene a fyghter And bolde and abidinge while his bagge lasteth And then laught life and let dagge his clothes And armed him in haste in harlottes wordes And held holines a iape and hendnes a waster And lete leautye a cherle and lyer a freman Conscience and counsell he counted it folye Thus rayled lyfe for a lyttle fortune And pricked forth wyth pryde praysed he no vertue He careth not how kind slow shall come at last And kyl al earthely creatures saue conscyence onelye Life lept asyde and laught him a lemman Health and I ê™ he and heauynes of herte Shall do the no dreade neyther death ne Elde Lyfe and Fortune beget Slouth And to forget sorow and giue nought of sinne Thys liked lyfe and his lemman fortune And gat in their glory a gadlinge at the last One that much wo wrought slouth was hys name Slouth wexe wonder yerne and sone was of age And wedded one wanhope Slouthe marieth dispayre a wench of the stewes Hyr syre was a sysor that neuer swore trueth One Tomme two tong atteint of ech a quest This Slouth was ware of warre and a flyng made And threw dread of dispayre adozeÌ„ myles about For care conscience tho cried apon age And bad him fond to fight and afere wanhope And age hent good hope and hastely he shyfte him And wamed away wanhop wyth lyfe he fighteth And lyfe fleeth for feare to phisike after helpe And besought him of his succour of his salue had And gaue hym gold good wonne the gladded hys hert And they gaue him agayne a glasen howne Lyfe leued that lechecraft let shold Elde And dryue awaye death wyth dias and dragges And Elde auentred him on lyfe and at laste he hyt A phisician with a furred hode Age killeth boeth PhisiciaÌ„ Surgiâ— that he fel in the palsy And ther died that docter er thre dayes after Now I see said life that surgery ne phisike May not a myte auayle to medle agayne Elde And in hope of his heale good hert he hente And rode so to reuel a rych place and a mery The company of courte mâ—n cleped it sometyme And Elde anone after and ouer my head he yede And made me bald before and bare on my crowne So harde he yede ouer my head that it wil be sene euer Syr euel taught Elde ê™ I vnheende go wyth she Sith when was the way ouer mens heades Haddest thou bene hend ê™ I thou wold haue asked leue Yea leaue lurden ê™ he and layde on me with age And hit me vnder the eare vnneth may ich heare He buffeted me about the mouth and bet out mi teth And gyued me in goutes I may not go at large And of the wo that I was in my wyfe had ruth And wished full witterly that I were in heauen For the lyme that she loued me for leef was to feele On nights namely when we naked were I ne might in no maner make it at hyr wyl So Elde and she sothely had forbeaten it And as I satte in this sorow I se kinde passed And death drewe nere me for dread gan I quake And cryed to kinde out of care me brynge Lo Elde the hore hath me besette A wreke me if your wil be for I would be hence If thou wold be wroken wend into vnitye And hold the there euer tyll I sende for the And loke thou konne some craft ere thou come thence Nature wolde we shoulde learne to loue Counsell me kynd ê™ I what craft is best to learne Learne to loue ê™ kinde and leaue of al other