his clawes hold That we loth the lyfe or he let vs passe Myght we wyth any wyt hys wyll wythstand We might be lordes aloft and lyue at ease A rotton of renowne most renable of tonge Sayd for a souerayne helpe to hym selfe I haue sene segges quod he in the City of London Beare byghes full bryght aboute theyr neckes And some colers of crafty werke vncoupted thei weÌ„t Both in waren and in wast where hem leue lyketh And other while they are els where as I here tell Were ther a bel on her bight bi Iesu as me thinketh Men might wyt where they went and away runne And right so ê™ that ratton reason me sheweth To bugge a vel of brasse or of bright siluer And knyt on his coller for our commen profit And hangen it aboute the cattes halfe then here wee Whether he rit or rest or runne to pleye And if him list for to lake than loke we might moune And pere in his presens the while him play lyketh And if he wrath beware and his way shonne Al this rout of rattons to this reason they assented And tho the bel was bought on the byght hanged There ne was ratteÌ„ in al the rowte for al the realme of FrauÌ„ce That durst bind the bel about the caâ—s nek Ne hang it about the cats halfe all England to wyn And held hem vnhardy and her cowncell feble And let her labour lost and al her long study A mouse that much good coud as me thought Stroke furth sternly and stode before him al And to the rowte of rattons rehersed these wordes Though we kil this cat yet shuld ther come an other To catch vs al our kind though we crepe vnder â—eÌ„ches And be we neuer so bold the bel him to shewe For I heard my sier say seuen yere passed Wher the Cat is a kitling the court is full clenâ—e That witnesseth holy writing who so will it read * Omnium doctisumorum suffragio dicuntur Hec de lassiuis fatuis aut ineptis principibus non de etate tenellis Quasi dicat vbi rex puerilis est Ve terre vbi puet rex est For may no reuke there rest haue for rattons bi night The whil he catcheth comes he couetith not our carien But fedeth him with venisoÌ„ defame we him neuer Eccles x. For better is a little losse than a longe sorowe The maze amonge vs all though we mysse a shrewe For many mens mait we myse woulde destroye And also ye route of cattons rend mens clothes Ner the catte of that courte that can vs ouerleape For had you rats your wyll you could not rule yourselfe I saye for me ê™ the mouse I se so mekel after Shal nether the cat ne the kitling bi mi couÌ„cel be greuid Ne carpyng of thys coler that costed me neuer And though it had cost me catel be knowne it I nold But suffer as him selfe woulde to done as him liketh Coupled and vncoupled to catch what they may Forthy ech a wise wyght I warne wit wel hys own What thys metels by meaneth ye men that be merye Diuine ye for I dare not by deare God of heauen Yet houed there an hundred in hownes of sylke Sergeantes it besemed that seruen at the barre Pieten for penies and poundes the lawe SergiaÌ„ts of the lawe And not for the loue of our lord vncloseÌ„ her lips once Thou mightest better mete the mist on maluerne hils ThaÌ„ get a muÌ„me of her mouth til money be shewed I sawe Bishops bolde Byshops and Bachilers of diuine Become clarckes of accountes the kyng for to serue Arche deakens and deanes that dignities haue To preache to the people and pore men to fede Ben lope to London by leaue of her bishop And ben clarkes of the kinges benche the contrey to shend Barons and burgesis and bonde men also I see in thys assemble as ye shall heare after Bakesters and bruesters and bouchers many Wollen websters and weuers of lynnen Taylers and tinkers and tollers in markets Masons and minors and many other crafts Of all kinne lybbing laborers lopen forth some As dikers and deluers that done their dedes yl And driue forth the loÌ„g day with dieu vous saue dame Eme Cokes and her knaues criden hote pyes hote Good geese and gris goo we dine goo we Tauerners vntil them told the same Whyt wine of Osay and red wyne of Gascoyone Of the renne and of the rochel the roste to defye Thys sawe I sleping and seuen sythes more ¶ Passus primus de visione WHat this mouÌ„tein bemeineth the merk dale And the feld full of folk I shal you faire shew A louely lady of lere in linnen iclothed Came downe from a castel called me fair And said sonne slepest thou seest thou this people How busy they be al about the mase The tour The most part of this puple the passeth on this earth Haue they worship in this worlde they wil no better Of other heauen then here hold they no tale I was afrayde of her face though she fayre were And sayd mercy madame what is this to meane The toure vpon the toft trueth is therein And woulde that ye wrought as his word teacheth For he is father of fayth and former of you al Both with fel and with face and gaue you fyue wyttis For to worship him ther with the while you bene here Of wollen of lynnen and of liuelode at nede In mesurable maner to make you at ease And coÌ„ma uÌ„ded of his curtesy in coÌ„men thre thynges Arne none nedful but tho and nempeÌ„ hem I think And reken hem by reason reherse ye hem after That one is vesture from cheyle to saue And meate at meale for disease of thy selfe And drinke whaÌ„ thou driest do nought out of reasoÌ„ That thou worth the worse whaÌ„ thou worke shouldest For Loth in his dayes for liking of drinke Did with his doughters Loth that the Deuill lyketh Delited in drinke as the deuell wolde And lechery him laught and lay by hem both And al he wite the wine that wicked dede Inebriamus eum vino dormiamusque cum eo Gen. xix vt seruare possimus de patre nostro semen Through wiue womeÌ„ ther was Loth accombred And ther gat in glotony girles that were cherels Forthy dred delectable drinke thou shalt do the better Measure is medicine though you michel yerne It is not al for the goste that the gutte asketh Leue not thy likam for a lyer him teacheth That is the wretched worlde wold the betray For the fende and the flesh foloweth the togithers This that seyth thy soule and seeth it in thine herte And for thou shouldest beware I wish the the best Madame mercy ê™ I me lyketh wel your wordes And the mony of this moulde that men so fast holdeth Tel me to whom madame that treasure appendeth Go to the gospel ê™ she that god sayd him selfe
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
othes togyther And all day to drinke at diuers tabernes And there to iangle to iape iudge her eueÌ„ christen And in fastynge dayes to frete ere full tyme were And than to sytte and soupe tyll slepe hem assayle And brede forth as borough swyne beddeÌ„ heÌ„ easely Tyll Slouthe and slepe slyken her sydes And thaÌ„ Manhope to awaken hem so with no wil to amend For they liuen by luste that is her last end And they to haue and to hold and hir heyres after A dwellynge with the deuill and damned be for euer With al the appertinauÌ„cis of purgatory into the pain of hell Yeldynge for thys thynge at one yeres ende Theyr soules to Sathan to suffer with him paynes And with hym to woÌ„ne in wo whyle god is in heauen In wytnes of whyche thyng Wronge was the first And Pierce the pardoner of Paulinus doctrine Bette the bedle of Buckyngham shyre Raynolde the reue of Rutlande soken Munde the mylner with manye mo other In the date of the deuyll thys dede I enseale By syght of syr Simony and Ciuils leaue The true preacher ThaÌ„ tened hym Theology whan he this tale heard And sayd to Ciuill nowe sorow myght you haue Such weddynges to worch to wrath wyth Truthe And ere thys weddinge be wrought wo the betyde For Mede is mulier of amendes engendred And God grauntethe to gyue Mede to Truthe And thou hast giueÌ„ hir to a gilor now god gyue the sorow Thy teâ—te telleth the not so Trueth woote the sothe For Dignus est opetatius Luke x. Who it is that shameth holy church hys hyre to haue And thou haste fastned hir to False fye on thy lawe For all by leasynge thou lyuest lecherous works Simonye and thy selfe shenden holye church The notaries and ye no ye the people Ye shal abye it both by God that made me Well ye wit wernardes but if your wyt fayle That False is faythles and fykil in his werkes And was a bastard borne of Belsabu vs kynne And Mede is a mulier a mayden of good And might kisse the kynge for cosin if shewold Therfore worke by wysdome and by my wyt also And leade hir to London there it is shewed If any lawe wil loke they liggen togither And though iustices iudge hir to be ioyned to False Yet beware of wedding for wytty is truth And coÌ„scieÌ„ce is of his couÌ„sel knoweth you echone And if he find you in default and with false hold It shal be set your soules ful sore at the last Here to assented Cyull and Simony ne wolde Til he had siluer for his seruice also the notaries Than fet Fauell forth florences inowe And bade gyle go gyue Brybes golde about And namely to the Notaries that hem none fayle And feffe False wytnes with florences inowe For they may Mede amaistry and maken at my wil. Tho this gold was geuen great was the thankyng To False and to Fauell for her great giftes And come to conforten fro care the False And sithen saide certes syr ceasen shall we neuer Til mede be weddid thy wife through wits of vs all For we haue Mede amastrid with our mery speach That she grauÌ„ted to gone with a good wyl To London to loke if the lawe wolde Iudge you ioyntlye in ioye for euer Than was Falsenes fayne and Fauell as blyth And letten sommon al seges in shyers about And bad hem al to be bowne beggers and other To weÌ„d with him to westminster to witnes this dede What horses thei ytâ—ed wyth mede had And thaÌ„ caried they forth caples to cary hem thither And Fauel setforth then foles in owe And set mede vpon a Shireue shode al newe And False sate on a Sisour that softlych troted And Fauell on a slatterrer feetly attired Tho had Notaries none anoied they were For Simony and Ciuil should on their fete gange And than swore Simony and Ciuyll both That somners should be sadled serue hem echone And let apparel these prouisors in palfreis wise Sir Simony him selfe shal syt on their backes Deanes and subdeanes draw you togither Archedecons and officials and al your regesters Let saddle hem with siluer our sinne to suffer As aduoutry and diuorces and derne vsury To beare bishops about abrode in visiting Paulinus primus for pleyntis in consistory Shal serue my selfe that Ciuill is inempned And cartsaddle the comisary our carte shall he leade And fetche vs vitayles at fornicatores And maketh of Lier a long cart to lede al these other As friers and faytours that on their fete runnen And thus False and Fauel faren forth together And Mede in the mides and al these men after I haue no tyme to tel the taile that here foloweth Of many maner men that on thys mould lybbeth Trueth maketh haste to the kynge And gyle was foregoer and guided hem all Sothenes seeth hem well and sayth but litle And pricked his palfrey and passed hem all And came to the kinges court Consciente it tolde And Conscience to the king carped it after Now by Christ ê™ the king and I catch might Fals or Fauell or any of their feeris I wold be worken of tho wreches that worken this yll And done heÌ„ hang by the hals al that hem meinteyneth Shal neuer man on this mold mainprise the leaste But right as the law wol loke let fall on hem all And coÌ„maunded a constable that can at the first To attache tho tyrauntes for any thynge I hote And fetter fast Falsenes for any kinnes giftes And girde of Gyles head and let him go no ferther And if ye latche Lyer let hym not escapte Or he be put on the pillery for any prayers I hote And bring mede to me in maugre them all Drede at the dore stode and the dome harde How the king coÌ„mauÌ„ded Drede maketh the gilty flee Constables Sergeantes Falsenes and his feloshyp to fetter and to binden Than drede went wightely and warned the Fals And bad him fle for feare and his fellowes al. Falsenes for feare then fledde to the friers And Gyle dothe him to go agast for to dye And marchauntis meten with him made hym to byde And shytte him in her shoppes to shewen her ware Appareled him as a prentise the people to serue Lyghtlye Lyer leaped and away ranne Lurkynge through lanes tolugged of many He was no where welcome fore his many tales Ouer all thonted False can lack no maister and I hote trusse Tyl Pardoners had pety and pulled him into house They wash him wipe him woundeÌ„ him in clouts And sent hym with seales on sondayes to churches And gaue him pardon for pence pound meale aboute Than loured leches and letters they sent That he should wonne with hem waters to loke Spicers speken with him to spye their ware For he coud of ther craft knew many gommes And minstrels and messengers met with him once And held him
gan for to swere I nolde fang a ferthinge for saynt Thomas shryne Truth wold loue me the lesse loÌ„gtime therfore after And if ye wil to wend wel this is the way thyther Ye must go thorow mekenes both men and wiues Til ye come into coÌ„science the Christ wit the soth That ye louen our lord God How Piers teacheth the waye to trueth leuest of all thynges And that your neighbours next in no wyse appeire Other wyse thaÌ„ thou woldist he wrought to thy selfe And so bowith forth bi a broke beeth buxoÌ„ of speach Tyll you finden a forde your fathers ye honoureth Honora patrem et matrem c. Exod. xx Wade in that water and washe you wel there And you shall leape the lighter all your lyfe after And so shalt thou se swere not but if it be for nede And namely on idle the name of god almyghty ThaÌ„ shalt thou come bi a croft but come thou not therin That croft hight couet not meÌ„s cattel nor her wines Ne none of her seruantes that noyen hem might Loke ye breke no bows ther but if thei be your own Two stockes ther standen and flynte you not there They hight stele not ne sle not stricke forth by both And leaue hem on the left hand loke not therafter And holde well thy holy daye heighe till euen ThaÌ„ shalt thou bleÌ„sh at a berch bear no false witnes He is frithed in wyth Florens and other foes many Loke thou pluck no plant ther for perals of thi soule Than shal ye se Saysoth so it be to done In no maner els not for no mans biddynge ThaÌ„ shalt thou come to a court as clere as the sunne The mote is of mercie that maner abowte And al the walles bene of wyt to holden wil oute And kerneled wyth christendome mankinde to saue Botrased with beleue so or thou beest not saued And al the houses bene hiled hales and chambres With no lead but with loue low spech as brethern The brydge is of bidewel the better may thou spede Euery piller is of pennaunce of praiers of saynts Of almes deds are the hokes that the gates hangeÌ„ on Grace hyght the Gatewarde Truthâ— Portar a good man forsoth His maÌ„ hight AmeÌ„d you for many meÌ„ him knoweth Telleth hym this token that truth wyt the soth I performed the penauÌ„ce that the priest me enioined And am full sort for my sinnes so shal I euer When I thinke theron though I were a pope Beddeth amende you mekeÌ„ hym tyl his master once To wayne vp the wyket that the woman shute Tho Adam and Eue eaten apples vnrosted Paradisi porta per Euam cutictis clausa est et per vitginem Mariam patefacta est For he hath the key the clicket though the King slept And if grace graunt to the to come in this wyse Thou shalt see in thie selfe Truth sit in thyne herte In a cheyre of charitie as thou a chylde were To suffer hym and sey not agaynst thy Siers wyl And beware than of Wrath that is a weked shrewe He hath Euuye to him that in thy hert sitteth And paketh forth pride to praise thy selfe The boldnes of the benefites maketh the blinde than And thaÌ„ wast thou dryueÌ„ out as dewe the dore closed Keyed and clyketted to kepe the with oute Happilye an hundred winter er thou eft entre Thus mightest thou lesen his loue to let well by the selfe And neuer happely eft enter but grace if thou haue And there are seuen sisterne that seruen Trueth euer And are porters to the posterus Truthes maidens that to the place belong That one of hem hight AbstineÌ„ce Humilitie an other Chartie and Chastitie bene the chiefe maidens there Pacience and Peace do muche people helpe Largenes the Ladye letteth in full manye She hath holpeÌ„ an hundred out of the deuils pinfold And who is sibbe to these seuen so me god helpe He is wondersly welcome and faire vnderfoggen And but ye be sibbe to some of these sisters seuen It is ful hard bi my head ê™ Piers for any of you al To get in gong at any gate ther but grace be the more Now by Christ ê™ a cutpurse theÌ„ I haue no kin there Nor I ê™ an apeward by ought that I can knowe Wyt God quod a wafrester wist I this for soth Shuld I neuer furder a fote for any friers preachiÌ„g Yis quod Piers the plow maÌ„ poked hem all to good Mercy is a mayden there hath might ouer hem all And she is syb be to al synfull and her sonne also And through the helpe of hem two hope ye none other Thou might get grace therby so thou go bytyme Bi. s Paul ê™ a pardoner on aueÌ„ture I be not knoweÌ„ there I wil go fetch my boxke with my breuets al And also a bull wyth a Byshops letters By Christ ê™ a coÌ„moÌ„ womaÌ„ thy coÌ„pany wyl I folow Thou shalt saye I am thy sister I ne wotte whether they be gonne Passus sextus de visione THis were a wicked way but if we had a gide That wold weÌ„d with vs ech a fote the way tell Quod perkin the plowmaÌ„ vi s Peter of rome I haue an halfe acre to erie by the highe waye Had I eryed thys halfe acre and sowen it after I woulde wende wyth you How Peers assigneth women to worke and the waye teache This were a longe lettynge ê™ a lady in a Skleire What should we women worke in the meane while Some shal sowe the sacke ê™ Piers for shedyng of the wheate And ye se louely ladies with your long fingers That ye haue silke and sandell to sowe whan tyme is Chesibles for chaplaynes churches to honour Wyues and wyddowes wole and flaxe spinneth Make cloth I counsell you ken so your doughters The nedy and the naked nimith hede howe they liggeÌ„ And caste hem clothes for so commaundeth truth For I shall lene hem liuelode but if the lande fayle Fleshe and breade boeth to ryche and to pore As longe as I liue for the lordes loue of heauen And al maner of meÌ„ that throgh meate dringe libbeth Help him to worke wightlye that winneth your fode By Christ quod a knight tho he kenneth vs the beste And on the teme truely taught was I neuer And keÌ„ me quod the knyght by Christ I wyll assaye By saint Paule quod Perken ye profer me fayre That I shall swynke and swete Pierce prayeth a knight to helpe to kepe holy church sowe for vs boeth And other labours do for thy loue all my lyfe tyme In couenaunt that thou kepe holy kirke and my selfe FroÌ„ wastours froÌ„ wicked meÌ„ that this world destroyeth And go hunt hardely to hares and to Foxes To dores to brocks the breken adowne my hedges And go affayte the Fawcons wylde fowles to kyll For such cometh to my croft and cropeth mi whetâ— Curtessy the knyght then comsed
these wordes By my power Pers quod he I plyght the my trouth To fulfill thys forwarde though I fyght should As longe as I lyue I shal the mayntayne Pierce couÌ„celleth the knyghte wisely Yea and yet a poynt quod Piers I pray you of more Loke ye tene no tenaunt but truthe wol assent And though ye mai amarcye hem let merci be taxour And mekenes thie master manger Medes chekes And though pore meÌ„ proffre you presentes and gyfts Nym it not on a venture ye maye it not deserue For ye shal yelden it agayne at one yers ende In a ful parilous place Purgatory it high And misved not thi bond meÌ„ the better might thou spede Though he be thi vnderling here wel it may happen That he were worthelier set with more blis in heuen Than thou but thou do bet and liue as thou shoulde Amice asccude superius Luke xiiii For in charnel in churche cherls be ful euel to know Or a knight from a knaue there know this in thi hert And that thou be true of thy tonge tales that thou hate But if thei be of wisdoÌ„ or wit thy workmeÌ„ to chasteÌ„ Holde wyth no harlots ne here not her tales And namelie at thy meate suche meneschew For it be the deuills dyssours I do the to vnderstoÌ„de I assent be sainte Iame the knyght said than For to work bi thy wordes the while my lyfe endureth And I shal aparel me quod ParkeÌ„ in pilgremes wise And wend wyth you I wyl tyl we finde truthe And cast on my clothes clouted and hole Micokers and mi cuffes for colde on my nailes And hang mi hoper at mi hals in slede of a scripe A bushel of bread corne bring me therein For I wil sowe it my selfe and sith will I wend To pilgrimages as palmers do pardoÌ„ for to haue And whoso helpeth me to erye and sower I wende Shal haue leaue by our lord to glene here in heruest And makeÌ„ heÌ„ mery thermid mangre who so grudge it And all kinne crafty men that can liue in truth I shall fynde hem fode that faythfully lybbeth Saue Iake the iudgeler and Ienet of the stewes And Daniel the displeyer and Benot the baude And Fryer faytoure and folke of hys order And Robin the ribauder for hys rustye wordes Trueth tolde me it once and bade me tel it after DeleaÌ„tur de libro viueÌ„tium I should not deale with hem For holye church is hote Psal 69. of hem no tythes to take Quia cum tustis non scribantur They be escaped good auenture Pierces wife God hem amend Dame werche whan tyme is Pierce wife hyght His daughtir high do right so or thi dame shal the bete His soÌ„ne hight Suffer thy souerains to haue her wil Deme hem not for if thou doest thou shalt it dere abye Let God worcke withall for so his word teacheth For now I am old and hore and haue of mene owne To penauÌ„ce to pilgrimage I wil pas with thes other Therfore I wil er I wend do write my bequest How Piers maketh hys testameÌ„t In dei nomine amen I make it my selfe He shall haue my soule that best hath deserued it And from the fende it defend for so I beleue Tyll I come to my countes as my Crede me telleth To haue a release and a remission on that reÌ„tal I leue The kyrke shal haue my carren and kepe my bones For of my corne and cattell she craued my tythes I payed it him prestly for the perell of my soule Therfore is he holdeÌ„ I hope to mind me in his mas And mengen in hys memori among all christen My wife shal haue of that I wan with Truth no more And deale among my doughters and mi dear childreÌ„ For though I bye to day my dettes are quite I bare home that I borrowed or I to bedde yede And with the residue the reÌ„naunt by the rode of Lukes I will worshyp therwith Truthe by my life And beÌ„ hys Pilgraime at the plowe for pore meÌ„s sake Mi plow fote shal be mi pikstaf pitch ato the tootes And helpe my culter to kerne and clense the forowes Nowe is Perkin hys pilgraymes to the plow faren To erie this halfe acre helpen him many Dikers and deluers dygged vp the balkes Therwith was Perkin apaied praysed hem faste Other workemen ther were that wrought ful yerne Euery man in his maner made hym selfe to done And some to please Perkin picked vp the wedes At high prime Pierce let the plow stonde To ouer se hem him selfe and who so best wroughte He shoulde be hyred therafter whaÌ„ heruest time came And than satten some and songe at the nale Iolye workmen And holpen erie his halfe acre with hey trolly lolly Now by the peril of mi soule ê™ Pierce all in pure tene But ye arise the rather and rape you to werke Shal no graine that groweth glad you atende And though ye dye for dole the deuyll haue that retche Tho were faytors aferd and feyned hem blind Some layde her legges a lyrye as such losels can And made her mone to Pierce prayed him of grace For we haue no lims to labour with lord graced be ye And we pray for you Pierce for your plowe both That god of his grace your grayne multiply And yelde you for your almes that you geue vs here For we caÌ„ nether swink ne swet such siknes vs ailith If it be soth ê™ Pierce that ye sayne Lerne to answere counterfaite beggers I shall it sone espye Ye be wasters I wote well and trueth wot the sothe And I am his old hine and hight him to warne Which thei wer in this world his workmeÌ„ apeared Ye wast the men winnen with trauayle and wyth tene And truth shall teach you his teme to dryue Or ye shall eat barly bread and of the broke drinke but if ye be blind or brokeÌ„ leggid or bolted with iroÌ„s Ye shall eate wheat bread and drinke wyth my selfe Tyl God of his goodnes amendement you sende And ye myght trauel as trueth wold take meate hyre To kepe kine in the field the corne froÌ„ the beasts Dyken or deluen or dingine vpon sheues Or helpe make morter or beare mucke a fielde In licherie and in losengery ye lyue and in slouth And al is through sufferauÌ„ce that vengeaunce you ne taketh And Ankers and hermits the eate but at nones And no more or morow my almes shal not they haue And catell to kepe hem with that haue cloysters and churches And Robert runabout shal not haue of myne Ne apostles but thei prech caÌ„ haue bishopes power They shal haue pane potage make her self at ease No reasonable religion hath right nought of certen And thaÌ„ gan a wastoure to wrath him wolde haue fought And to Piers the plomaÌ„ he proferd his gloue A britoner a bragger The wastour
super iustos et iniustos attonce And sent the sonne to saue a cursed mans tylth As bryght as to the best man or the best woman Ryght so Pierce the plowman peyneth him to tyll As wel for a wastor and wenches of the stewes As for him selfe his seruauÌ„ts saue he is fyrst serued And traueileth and tilleth for a traytour also sore As for the true tidye men all tymes ylyke And worshiped be he the wrought al both good yll And suffreth the sinfull be tyll sometyme that they repent Of the Pope And God amend the pope that pylleth holy kyrke And claymeth before the kinge to be kept of christen And couÌ„teth not though christen be killed robbed And fynde folke to fyght and christen folke to spill Agayne thold law new law as Paule therof witnesseth Hebru x. Non occides mihi vindictam c. It semeth by so him selfe hadde his wyll That he ne retcheth ryght nought of all the reÌ„naunte And Christ of his curtesy mend the cardinals frame And turne her wyt to wisedome weale of her soule For the coÌ„mune ê™ this curatour counten full lyttle The counsell of Conscience or cardinall vertues But if they se as by syght somewhat to wynning Of gyle ne of gabynge gyue thou neuer tale For Spiritus prudentie amonge the puple is gyle And all the foule vices as vertues they semen Eche man sutteleth a slyght synne for to hyde And colereth it with cunning and a cleane liuynge Then laught there a Lorde Of land-lordeâ— and by the lyght sayde I holde it ryght and reason of my reeue to take All that myne auditours or els my stewarde CouÌ„celeth me by their account by clarkes writing Wyth Spiritus intellectus they seke the reues roles And with Spiritus fortitudinis fetchen it I wyll And than came ther a kyng and by his crowne sayd I am a kinge with crowne Of kings the commune to rule And holy kyrke and cleargy froÌ„ cursed men to defeÌ„de And if me lacketh to liue by the law wil I take it Ther I mai most hastly it haue for I am head of law For ye be but membres and I aboue all And sith I am your allerhed I am your allerhele And holy kyrkes chefe helpe chefest am of the coÌ„mon And what I take of you two I take it of the techinge Of Spiritus iusticie for I iudge you all So may I boldly be houseled for I borow neuer Ne craue of my commune but as my kynd asketh In condition quod conscience that thou can defend And rule thy realme by reason as ryght wyll truth Take thou might in reason as the lawe asketh Omnia tua sunt ad defendendum sed non ad depredandum The vycar had farre home and fayre toke his leaue And I awaked therwith and wrought as me met Passus xx et primus de dobest THaÌ„ I weÌ„t by the way whaÌ„ I was thus awaked Heauy chered I yede and eleng in hert I ne wist wher to eate ne at what place And it nighed nie the none and with nede I mee That afrowned me foule and faytour me called Canst thou not excuse the as dyd the kynge and other That thou toke to thy beleue to clothes to sustinauÌ„ce As by teaching and by telling of spiritus temperancie And thou nome no more then nede the taught And nede hath no lawe ne neuer shall fall in dette For three thynges he taketh his life for to saue That is meat wheÌ„ meÌ„ hiÌ„ warn he no moni weldeth Ne wight that wil be his borow hath no wed to ligg What liberti nede geueth And he caught in that case came therto by sleights He synneth not sothlye that so winneth his fode And though he caÌ„ so to a cloth caÌ„ no beter cheuisaÌ„ce Nede anone right winneth him vnder maynprice And if him list for to lape the lawe of kinde would That he dronke at eche ditche ere he for thyrst died So nede at great nede may nimen as for his owne Without couÌ„sell of Conscience or cardinall vertues So that he sewe and serue Spiritus temperancie For is no vertue by fer to Spiritus temperancie Neither spiritus iusticie ne spiritus fortitudinis Temperaunce is the chiefe vertue For spiritus fortitudinis forfeteth full ofte He shall do more then measure many a time and oft And beate men ouer bitter and some of hem to lyttle And greue men greater then good fayth it would And Spiritus iusticie shal iudge wyl he nyll he After the kynges counsel and the commen lyke And spiritus prudencie in many points shal fayle Of that he weneth wold faile if his witte ne were Wening is no wisdome ne wyse ymaginacyon Homo proponit deus disponet gouerneth al good vertues And nede is next him for anon he maketh him And as low as a lambe for lacking of that hym endeth Wise men forsoke weale for they wold be nedye And weneden in wyldernes and would not be riche And God al his great ioye gostly he left And came and toke mankind and became nedy So nedy he was as sayth the boke in many sondry places That he sayd in his sorow on the selfe rode Both foxe and foule mayste and to hole crepe And the fyshe hath fyn to flete with to rest There nede hath innomed me the I muste nedes abide And suffre sorowes ful soure that shall to ioye turne Therfore be nought a bashed to bide and to be nedy Syth he the wrought all the world was wilfully nedy Ne neuer none so nedy ne pore died Whan nede had vndone me thus anon I fell a slepe And met full maruelously in a mans forme Antichrist came than and al the croppe of trueth Turned vpsidoune and ouer tilt the rote And false sprange and spred and sped mens nedes In ech a contrey ther he came he cut away trueth And gart gile growe there as he a God were Friers folowed that fende Who receyued Antichriste fyrste â–ª for he gaue hem copes And religious reuerenced him and range theyr belles And al the couent furth came to welcome that tyrant And all his as well as him saue onely fooles Whiche foles were wel leuer to dye than to liue Lenger then Leten to be so rebuked And a false fende Antechriste ouer all folke raygned How Antichriste doth seduce many good men And that were myld meÌ„ holy meÌ„ that no myschyefe dred Defieden all falsenes and folcke that it vsed And what kyng that heÌ„ coÌ„forted knowyng heÌ„ any while They cursed her couÌ„sell were it clarkes or lewde Antichrist had thus sone hundredes at his banner And prid it bare boldly about where he yede With a Lord that liueth after the likinge of his body That came agayne CoÌ„science the keper was gydour Ouer kynde christen and cardinall vertues I counsell quod Conscience come with mefoles Into vnytye holy church and holde we vs