The Vision and Creed of Piers Ploughman, Volume 1 (part 2)

Save man and his make;

Many tyme and ofte

No reson hem folwede.

And thanne I rebukede

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Reson, and right

Til hymselven I seyde:

"I have wonder of thee," quod I,

"That witty art holden,

Why thow ne sewest man and his make,

That no mysfeet hem folwe."

And Reson a-rated me,

And seide, "Recche thee nevere;

Why I suffre or noght suffre,

Thiself hast noght to doone.

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Amende thow it, if thow myght,

For my tyme is to abide.

Suffraunce is a soverayn vertue,

And a swift vengeance.

Who suffrede moore than God?" quod he;

"No gome, as I leeve.

He myghte amende in a minute while

Al that mys-standeth;

Ac he suffreth for som mannes goode,

And so it is oure bettre,

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The wise and the witty

Wroot thus in the Bible:

De re quæ te non molestat, noli certare.

"For be a man fair or foul,

It falleth noght for to lakke

The shap ne the shaft

That God shoop hymselve;

For al that he dide was wel y-do,

As holy writ witnesseth:

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Et vidit Deus cuncta quæ fecerat, et

erant valde bona.

"And bad every creature

In his kynde encreesse;

Al to murthe with man,

That moste wo tholie

In fondynge of the flessh,

And of the fend bothe.

For man was maad of swich a matere,

He may noght wel a-sterte

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That ne som tyme hym bitit

To folwen his kynde.

Caton a-cordeth therwith,

Nemo sine crimine vivit."

Tho caughte I colour anoon,

And comsed to ben ashamed,

And awaked therwith.

Wo was me thanne,

That I in metels ne myghte

Moore have y-knowen.

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And thanne seide I to myself,

And chidde that tyme,

"Now I woot what Do-wel is," quod I,

"By deere God! as me thynketh."

And as I caste up myne eighen,

Oon loked on me and asked

Of me, what thynge it were:

"Y-wis, sire," I seide,

"To se muche and suffre moore,

Certes," quod I, "is Do-wel."

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"Haddestow suffred," he seide,

"Slepynge tho thow were,

Thow sholdest have knowen that Clergie kan,

And contreved moore thorugh reson.

For Reson wolde have reherced thee

Right as Clergie seide.

Ac for thyn entre-metynge,

Here artow forsake.

Philosophus esses, si tacuisses.

"Adam, whiles he spak noght,

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Hadde paradis at wille;

Ac whan he mamelede aboute mete,

And entre-metede to knowe

The wisedom and the wit of God,

He was put fram blisse.

"And right so ferde Reson bi thee;

Thow with thi rude speche

Lakkedest and losedest thyng

That longed the noght to doone.

Tho hadde he no likyng

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For to lere the moore.

"Pryde now and presumpcion

Peraventure wol thee appele,

That Clergie thi compaignye

Kepeth noght to suwe.

Shal nevere chalangynge ne chidynge

Chaste a man so soone,

As shal shame, and shenden hym,

And shape hym to amende.

For lat a dronken daffe

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In a dyk falle,

Lat hym ligge, loke noght on hym,

Til hym liste aryse.

For though Reson rebuked hym thanne,

It were but pure synne.

Ac whan nede nymeth hym up

For doute lest he sterve,

And shame shrapeth hise clothes,

And hise shynes wassheth.

Thanne woot the dronken daffe

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Wherfore he is to blame."

"Ye siggen sooth," quod I;

"Ich have y-seyen it ofte,

Ther smyt no thyng so smerte,

Ne smelleth so soure,

As shame, there he sheweth hym;

For every man hym shonyeth.

Why ye wisse me thus," quod I,

"Was for I rebuked Reson."

"Certes," quod he, "that is sooth;"

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And shoop hym for to walken.

And I aroos up right with that,

And folwed hym after,

And preyde hym of his curteisie

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To telle me his name.

Passus Duodecimus, etc.

I

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AM Ymaginatif," quod he,

"Ydel was I nevere,

Though I sitte by myself,

In siknesse nor in helthe.

I have folwed thee, in feith!

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Thise fyve and fourty wynter,

And manye tymes have meved thee

To thynke on thyn ende,

And how fele fernyeres are faren,

And so fewe to come;

And of thi wilde wantownesse

Tho thow yong were,

To amende it in thi middel age,

Lest myght the failled

In thyn olde elde,

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That yvele kan suffre

Poverte or penaunce,

Or preyeres to bidde.

Si non in prima vigilia, nec in secunda, etc.

"Amende thee, while thow myght;

Thow hast ben warned ofte

With poustees of pestilences,

With poverte and with angres;

And with thise bittre baleises

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God beteth his deere children.

Quem diligo, castigo.

"And David in the Sauter seith

Of swiche that loveth Jhesus:

Virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolati sunt.

"Al though thow strike me with thi staf,

With stikke or with yerde,

It is but murthe as for me,

To amende my soule.

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And thow medlest thee with makynges,

And myghtest go seye thi Sauter,

And bidde for hem that gyveth thee breed,

For ther are bokes y-knowe

To telle men what Do-wel is,

Do-bet and Do-best bothe,

And prechours to preven what it is

Of many a peire freres."

I seigh wel he seide me sooth;

And som what me to excuse,

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Seide Caton conforted me his sone,

That clerk though he were,

To solacen hym som tyme,

As I do whan I make:

Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis.

"And of holy men I herde, quod I,"

"How thei outher while

Pleyden the parfiter,

To ben in manye places,

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Ac if ther were any wight

That wolde me telle

What were Do-wel and Do-bet

And Do-best at the laste,

Wolde I nevere do werk,

But wende to holi chirche,

And ther bidde my bedes,

But whan ich ete or slepe."

"Poul in his pistle," quod he,

"Preveth what is Do-wel:

Fides, spes, caritas, et major horum, etc.

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Feith, hope, and charité;

And alle ben goode,

And saven men sondry tymes;

Ac noon so soone as charité.

For he dooth wel withouten doute,

That dooth as lewté techeth;

That is, if thow be man maryed,

Thi make thow lovye,

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And lyve forth as lawe wole,

While ye lyven bothe.

"Right so if thow be religious,

Ren thow nevere ferther

To Rome ne to Rochemador,

But as thi rule techeth;

And hold thee under obedience,

That heigh wey is to hevene.

"And if thow be maiden to marye,

And myght wel continue,

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Seke thow nevere seint ferther

For no soule helthe.

For what made Lucifer

To lese the heighe hevene?

Or Salomon his sapience,

Or Sampson his strengthe?

Job the Jew his joye

Ful deere a-boughte;

Aristotle and othere mo,

Ypocras and Virgile;

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Alisaundre, that al wan,

Elengliche ended.

Catel and kynde wit

Was combraunce to hem alle.

"Felice hir fairnesse

Fel hire al to sclaundre;

And Rosamounde right so,

Reufulliche to bileve,

The beauté of hir body

In baddenesse she despended.

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Of manye swiche I may rede,

Of men and of wommen,

That wise wordes wolde shewe,

And werche the contrarie.

Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes.

"And riche renkes right so

Gaderen and sparen,

And tho men that thei moost haten

Mynistren it at the laste.

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And for thei suffren and see

So manye nedy folkes,

And love hem noght as oure Lord bit,

Thei lesen hir soules.

Date et dabitur vobis.

"And richesse right so,

But if the roote be trewe.

Ac grace is a gras therof

Tho grevaunces to abate.

Ac grace ne groweth noght

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But amonges lowe;

Pacience and poverte

The place highte ther it groweth,

And in lele lyvynge men,

And in lif holy,

And thorugh the gifte of the Holy Goost,

As the Gospel telleth.

Spiritus ubi vult spirat.

"Clergie and kynde wit

Cometh of sighte and techyng;

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As the book bereth witnesse

To burnes that kan rede.

Quod scimus loquimur, quod vidimus testamur.

"Of quod scimus cometh clergie

And konnynge of hevene;

And of quod vidimus cometh kynde wit,

Of sighte of diverse peple.

Ac grace is a gifte of God,

And of greet love spryngeth;

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Knew nevere clerk how it cometh forth,

Ne kynde wit the weyes.

Nescit aliquis unde venit, aut quo vadit, etc.

"Ac yet is clergie to comende,

And kynde wit bothe;

And namely clergie, for Cristes love

That of clergie is roote.

For Moyses witnesseth that God wroot

For to wisse the peple

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In the olde lawe, as the lettre telleth,

That was the lawe of Jewes,

That what womman were in avoutrye taken,

Were she riche or poore,

With stones men sholde hir strike,

And stone hire to dethe.

"A womman, as I fynde,

Was gilty of that dede.

Ac Crist of his curteisie

Thorugh clergie hir saved;

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And thorugh caractes that Crist wroot,

The Jewes knewe hemselve

Giltier as a-fore God,

And gretter in synne,

Than the womman that there was,

And wenten awey for shame.

"The clergie that there was,

Conforted the womman.

Holy kirke knoweth this,

That Cristes writyng saved hire.

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So clergie is confort

To creatures that repenten,

And to mansede men

Meschief at hire ende.

"For Goddes body myghte noght ben

Of breed, withouten clergie;

The which body is bothe

Boote to the rightfulle,

And deeth and dampnacion

To hem that deyeth yvele,

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As Cristes caracte confortede,

And bothe coupable shewed,

The womman that the Jewes broughte,

That Jhesus thoughte to save.

Nolite judicare, et non judicabimini.

Right so Goddes body, bretheren,

But if it be worthili taken,

Dampneth us at the day of dome,

As the caractes dide the Jewes.

"For-thi I counseille thee, for Cristes sake,

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Clergie that thow lovye.

For kynde wit is of his kyn,

And neighe cosynes bothe

To oure Lord, leve me;

For-thi love hem, I rede.

For bothe ben as mirours

To amenden oure defautes,

And lederes for lewed men

And for lettred bothe.

"For-thi lakke thow nevere logik,

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Lawe ne hise custumes;

Ne countreplede clerkes,

I counseille thee for evere.

For as a man may noght see,

That mysseth hise eighen;

Na-moore kan no clerk,

But if he caughte it first thorugh bokes.

Al though men made bokes,

God was the maister,

And seint spirit the samplarie,

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And seide what men sholde write.

"Right so ledeth lettrure

Lewed men to reson;

And as a blynd man in bataille

Bereth wepne to fighte,

And hath noon hap with his ax

His enemy to hitte,

Na-moore kan a kynde witted man,

But clerkes hym teche,

Come for al his kynde wit

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To cristendom, and be saved.

Which is the cofre of Cristes tresor,

And clerkes kepe the keyes

To unloken it at hir likyng,

And to the lewed peple

Gyve mercy for hire mysdedes,

If men it wolde aske

Buxomliche and benigneliche,

And bidden it of Grace.

"Archa Dei in the olde lawe

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Levytes it kepten;

Hadde nevere lewed man leve

To leggen hond on that cheste,

But he were preest or preestes sone,

Patriark or prophete.

For clergie is kepere

Under Crist of hevene.

Was ther nevere no knyght,

But clergie hym made.

Ac kynde wit cometh

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Of alle kynnes syghtes,

Of briddes and of beestes,

Of tastes of truthe and of deceites.

"Lyveris to-forn us

Useden to marke

For selkouthes that thei seighen,

Hir sones for to teche;

And helden it an heigh science

Hir wittes to knowe.

Ac thorugh hir science soothly

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Was nevere no soule y-saved,

Ne broght by hir bokes

To blisse ne to joye;

For alle hir kynde knowynges

Come but of diverse sightes.

"Patriarkes and prophetes

Repreveden hir science,

And seiden hir wordes and hir wisdomes

Nas but a folye;

And to the clergie of Crist

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Counted it but a trufle.

Sapientia hujus mundi stultitia est apud Deum.

"For the heighe Holy Goost

Hevene shal to-cleve,

And love shall lepen out after

Into the lowe erthe;

And clennesse shal cacchen it,

And clerkes shullen it fynde.

Pastores loquebantur ad invicem.

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"He speketh there of riche men right noght,

Ne of right witty,

Ne of lordes that were lewed men,

But of the hyeste lettred oute.

Ibant magi ab oriente.

"If any frere were founde there,

I gyve thee fyve shillynges;

Ne in none burgeises cote

Was that barn born;

But in a burgeises place

7720

Of Bethlem the beste.

Sed non erat ei locus in diversorio, et

pauper non habet diversorium.

"To pastours and to poetes

Appered the aungel,

And bad hem go to Bethlem

Goddes burthe to honoure;

And songe a song of solas,

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

"Clerkes knewen it wel,

7730

And comen with hir presentz,

And diden homage honurably

To hym that was almyghty.

"Why I have tolde al this,

I took ful good hede

How thow contrariedest Clergie

With crabbede wordes,

How that lewde men lightloker

Than lettrede were saved,

Than clerkes or kynde witted men

7740

Of cristene peple;

And thow seidest sooth of somme,

Ac se in what manere.

"Tak two stronge men,

And in Themese cast hem,

And bothe naked as a nedle,

Her noon sikerer than oother;

That oon hath konnynge and kan

Swymmen and dyven;

That oother is lewed of that labour,

7750

That lerned nevere swymme;

Which trowestow of tho two

That is in moost drede?

He that nevere ne dyved,

Ne noght kan of swymmyng?

Or the swymmere that is saaf

By so hymself like,

Ther his felawe fleteth forth

As the flood liketh,

And is in drede to drenche,

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That nevere dide swymme?"

"That swymme kan noght," I seide,

"It semeth to my wittes."

"Right so," quod the renk.

"Reson it sheweth,

That he that knoweth clergie

Kan sonner arise

Out of synne, and be saaf,

Though he synne ofte,

If hym liketh and lest,

7770

Than any lewed leelly.

For if the clerk be konnynge,

He knoweth what is synne,

And how contricion withoute confession

Conforteth the soule;

As thow seest in the Sauter,

In Salmes oon or tweyne,

How contricion is comended,

For it cacheth awey synne.

Beati quorum remissæ sunt iniquitates,

7780

et quorum tecta sunt, etc.

"And this conforteth ech a clerk,

And covereth hym fro wanhope.

In which flood the fend

Fondeth a man hardest.

Ther the lewed lith stille,

And loketh after lente,

And hath no contricion er he come to shrifte,

And thanne kan he litel telle,

But as his lores-man lereth hym

7790

Bileveth and troweth;

And that is after person or parissh preest,

The whiche ben peraventure

Unkonnynge to lere lewed men,

As Luc bereth witnesse:

Dum cæcus ducit cæcum, etc.

"Wo was hym marked

That wade moot with the lewed!

Wel may the barn blesse that man

That hym to book sette,

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That lyvynge after lettrure

Saveth hym lif and soule.

Dominus pars hereditatis meæ,

Is a murye verset,

That hath take fro Tybourne

Twenty stronge theves;

Ther lewed theves ben lolled up,

Loke how thei be saved.

"The thef that hadde grace of God

On Good-friday, as thow spekest,

7810

Was for he yald hym creaunt to Crist on the cros,

And knewliched hym gilty,

And grace asked of God,

That to graunten it is redy

To hem that buxomliche biddeth it,

And ben in wille to amenden.

Ac though that theef hadde hevene,

He hadde noon heigh blisse,

As seint Johan and othere seintes

That deserved hadde bettre.

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"Right as som man yeve me mete,

And a-mydde the floor sette me,

And hadde mete moore than y-nough,

Ac noght so muche worshipe

As tho that seten at the syde table,

Or with the sovereynes of the halle;

But sete as a beggere bord-lees

By myself on the grounde.

So it fareth by that felon

That a Good-friday was saved.

7830

He sit neither with seint Johan,

Symond ne Jude,

Ne with maydenes ne with martires,

Confessours ne wydewes;

But by hymself as a soleyn,

And served on erthe.

For he that is ones a thef

Is evere moore in daunger,

And, as lawe liketh,

To lyve or to deye.

De peccato propitiato, noli esse sine metu.

7842

And for to serven a seint

And swich a thef togideres,

It were neither reson ne right

To rewarde hem bothe y-liche.

"And right as Trojanus the trewe knyght

Dwelte noght depe in helle,

That oure Lord ne hadde hym lightly out,

So leve I the thef be in hevene.

7850

For he is in the loweste of hevene,

If oure bileve be trewe;

And wel loselly he lolleth there,

By the lawe of holy chirche.

Qui reddit unicuique juxta opera sua, etc.

"And why that oon theef on the cros

Creaunt hym yald

Rather than that oother theef,

Though thow woldest appose,

7860

Alle the clerkes under Crist

Ne kouthe the skile assoille.

Quare placuit, quia voluit.

"And so I seye by thee

That sekest after the whyes,

And a-resonedest Reson

A rebukynge as it were;

And of the floures in the fryth,

And of hire faire hewes,

Wherof thei cacche hir colours

7870

So clere and so brighte;

And willest of briddes and of beestes,

And of hir bredyng, to knowe,

Why some be a-lough and some a-loft,

Thi likyng it were;

And of the stones and of the sterres

Thow studiest, as I leve;

How evere beest outher brid

Hath so breme wittes.

"Clergie ne kynde wit

7880

Ne knew nevere the cause;

Ac kynde knoweth the cause hymself,

And no creature ellis.

He is the pies patron,

And putteth it in hir ere

There the thorn is thikkest

To buylden and brede.

And kynde kenned the pecok

To cauken in swich a kynde;

And kenned Adam

7890

To knowe his pryvé membres,

And taughte hym and Eve

To helien hem with leves.

"Lewed men many tymes

Maistres thei apposen,

Why Adam ne hiled noght first

His mouth that eet the appul,

Rather than his likame a-logh;

Lewed asken thus clerkes.

"Kynde knoweth whi he dide so,

7900

Ac no clerk ellis,

Ac of briddes and of beestes

Men by olde tyme

Ensamples token and termes,

As telleth the poetes;

And that the faireste fowel

Foulest engendreth,

And feblest fowel of flight is

That fleeth or swymmeth;

And that the pecok and the pehen

7910

Proude riche men bitokneth;

For the pecok, and men pursue hym,

May noght flee heighe,

For the trailynge of his tail

Overtaken is he soone,

And his flessh is foul flessh,

And his feet bothe,

And un-lovelich of ledene,

And looth for to here.

"Right so the riche,

7920

If he his richesse kepe,

And deleth it noght til his deeth-day,

The tail of alle sorwe

Right so as the pennes of the pecok

Peyneth hym in his flight.

So is possession peyne

Of pens and of nobles,

To alle hem that it holdeth,

Til hir tail be plukked.

"And though the riche repente thanne

7930

And bi-rewe the tyme

That evere he gadered so grete,

And gaf therof so litel;

Though he crye to Crist thanne

With kene wil, I leve,

His ledene be in oure Lordes ere

Like a pies chiteryng.

And whan his caroyne shal come

In cave to be buryed,

I leve it flawme ful foule

7940

The fold al aboute,

And alle the othere ther it lith

Envenymeth thorugh his attre.

"By the po feet is understande,

As I have lerned in Avynet,

Executours false frendes

That fulfille noght his wille

That was writen and thei witnesse

To werche right as it wolde.

Thus the poete preveth that the pecok

7950

For hise fetheres is reverenced,

Right so is the riche

By reson of hise goodes.

"The larke, that is a lasse fowel,

Is moore lovelich of ledene,

And wel a wey of wynge

Swifter than the pecok,

And of flessh by fele fold

Fatter and swetter;

To lowe libbynge men

7960

The larke is resembled.

"Aristotle the grete clerk

Swiche tales he telleth.

Thus he likneth in his logik

The leeste fowel oute,

And wheither he be saaf or noght saaf

The sothe woot no clergie,

Ne of Sortes ne of Salomon

No scripture kan telle.

Ac God is so good, I hope,

7970

That siththe he gaf hem wittes

To wissen us weyes therwith

That wissen us to be saved,

And the bettre for hir bokes

To bidden we ben holden,

That God for his grace

Gyve hir soules reste.

For lettred men were lewed men yet,

Ne were loore of hir bokes."

"Alle thise clerkes," quod I tho,

7980

"That in Crist leven,

Seyen in hir sermons

That neither Sarsens ne Jewes

Ne no creature of Cristes liknesse

Withouten cristendom worth saved."

"Contra," quod Ymaginatif thoo,

And comsed for to loure;

And seide "Salvabitur

Vix justus in die judicii.

Ergo salvabitur," quod he,

7990

And seide na-moore Latyn.

"Trojanus was a trewe knyght,

And took nevere Cristendom,

And he is saaf, so seith the book,

And his soule in hevene.

For ther is fullynge of font,

And fullynge in blood shedyng,

And thorugh fir is fullyng,

And that is ferme bileve.

Advenit ignis divinus non comburens,

8000

sed illuminans, etc.

"Ac Truthe that trespased nevere,

Ne traversed ayeins his lawe,

But lyveth as his lawe techeth,

And leveth ther be no bettre;

And if ther were, he wolde amende,

And in swich wille deieth,

Ne wolde nevere trewe god,

But truthe were allowed,

And wheither it be worth or noght worth,

8010

The bileve is gret of truthe,

And an hope hangynge therinne

To have a mede for his truthe.

For Deus dicitur quasi dans vitam

æternam suis, hoc est fidelibus.

Et alibi: Si ambulavero in

medio umbræ mortis.

"The glose graunteth upon that vers

A greet mede to Truthe,

And wit and wisdom," quod that wye,

8020

"Was som tyme tresor

To kepe with a commune,

No catel was holde bettre,

And muche murthe and manhod;"

8024

And right with that he vanysshed.

Passus Decimus Tertius, etc.

A

8025

ND I awaked therwith

Wit-lees ner-hande,

And as a freke that fre were

Forth gan I walke

In manere of a mendinaunt

8030

Many a yer after,

And of this metyng many tyme

Muche thought I hadde.

First how Fortune me failed

At my mooste nede;

And how that Elde manaced me,

Myghte we evere mete;

And how that freres folwede

Folk that was riche,

And folk that was povere

8040

At litel pris thei sette;

And no corps in hir kirk-yerde

Nor in his kirk was buryed,

But quik he biquethe aught

To quyte with hir dettes;

And how this Coveitise over-com

Clerkes and preestes;

And how that lewed men ben lad,

But oure Lord hem helpe,

Thorugh un-konnynge curatours,

8050

To incurable peynes.

And how that Ymaginatif

In dremels me tolde

Of Kynde and of his konnynge,

And how curteis he is to bestes,

And how lovynge he is to briddes

On londe and on watre.

Leneth he no lif

Lasse ne moore.

The creatures that crepen

8060

Of kynde ben engendred.

And sithen how Ymaginatif seide,

Vix salvabitur;

And whan he hadde seid so,

How sodeynliche he passed.

I lay doun longe in this thoght,

And at the laste I slepte.

And as Crist wolde, ther com Conscience

To conforte me that tyme,

And bad me come to his court,

8070

With Clergie sholde I dyne;

And for Conscience of Clergie spak,

I com wel the rather.

And there I seigh a maister,

What man he was I nyste,

That lowe louted

And loveliche to Scripture.

Conscience knew hym wel,

And welcomed hym faire.

Thei wesshen and wipeden,

8080

And wenten to the dyner.

And Pacience in the paleis stood

In pilgrymes clothes,

And preyde mete par charité

For a povere heremyte.

Conscience called hym in,

And curteisliche seide,

"Welcome! wye; go and wasshe;

Thow shalt sitte soone."

This maister was maad sitte,

8090

As for the mooste worthi.

And thanne Clergie and Conscience

And Pacience cam after.

Pacience and I

Were put to be macches,

And seten bi oureselve

At the side borde.

Conscience called after mete;

And thanne cam Scripture,

And served hem thus soone

8100

Of sondry metes manye,

Of Austyn, of Ambrose,

And of the foure Euvangelistes,

Edentis et bibentis quæ apud eos sunt.

Ac this maister nor his man

No maner flesshe eten;

Ac thei eten mete of moore cost,

Mortrews and potages

Of that men mys-wonne

8110

Thei made hem wel at ese.

Ac hir sauce was over sour,

And unsavourly grounde

In a morter post mortem

Of many a bitter peyne,

But if thei synge for tho soules,

And wepe salte teris.

Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis,

nisi pro eis lacrimas et orationes

effunderitis, ea quæ in

8120

deliciis comeditis, in tormentis

evometis.

Conscience ful curteisly tho

Comaunded Scripture

Bifore Pacience breed to brynge

And me that was his macche.

He sette a sour loof to-forn us,

And seide, "agite pænitentiam."

"As longe," quod I, "as I lyve,

And lycame may dure."

8130

"Here is propre service," quod Pacience,

"Ther fareth no prince bettre,"

And thanne he broughte us forth a mees of oother mete,

Of Miserere mei, Deus,

And he broughte us of Beati quorum,

Of Beatus-virres makyng.

Et quorum tecta sunt peccata in a disshe,

Of derne shrifte Dixi et confitebor tibi.

"Bryng Pacience som pitaunce,"

Pryveliche quod Conscience.

8140

And thanne hadde Pacience a pitaunce.

Pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus

in tempore oportuno.

And Conscience conforted us,

And carped us murye tales.

Cor contritum et humiliatum Deus non despicies.

Pacience was proud

Of that propre service,

And made hym murthe with his mete;

8150

Ac I mornede evere,

For this doctour on the heighe dees

Drank wyn so faste.

Væ vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum!

He eet manye sondry metes,

Mortrews and puddynges,

Wombe-cloutes and wilde brawen,

And egges y-fryed with grece.

Thanne seide I to myself so

8160

Pacience it herde,

"It is noght foure dayes that this freke

Bifore the deen of Poules

Preched of penaunces

That Poul the apostle suffrede,

In fame et frigore

And flappes of scourges."

Ter cæsus sum, et a Judeis quinquies

quadragenas, etc.

Ac o word thei over-huppen

8170

At ech a tyme that thei preche,

That Poul in his Pistle

To al the peple tolde:

Periculum est in falsis fratribus.

Holi writ bit men be war,

I wol noght write it here

In Englisshe, on aventure

It sholde be reherced to ofte,

And greve therwith goode men,

Ac gramariens shul redde.

8180

Unusquisque a fratre se custodiat,

quia, ut dicitur, periculum est

in falsis fratribus.

Ac I wiste nevere freke that as a frere yede

Bifore men on Englisshe

Taken it for his teme,

And telle it withouten glosyng.

They prechen that penaunce is

Profitable to the soule,

And what meschief and male ese

8190

Crist for man tholede.

"Ac this Goddes gloton," quod I,

"With hise grete chekes,

Hath no pité on us povere,

He perfourneth yvele;

That he precheth he preveth noght,"

To Pacience I tolde,

And wisshed ful witterly,

With wille ful egre,

That disshes and doublers

8200

Bifore this ilke doctour

Were molten leed in his mawe,

And Mahoun amyddes.

"I shal jangle to this jurdan

With his juste wombe,

To telle me what penaunce is,

Of which he preched rather."

Pacience perceyved what I thoughte,

And wynked on me to be stille,

And seide, "Thow shalt see thus soone,

8210

Whan he may na-moore,

He shal have a penaunce in his paunche,

And puffe at ech a worde;

And thanne shullen his guttes gothele,

And he shal galpen after.

For now he hath dronken so depe,

He wole devyne soone,

And preven it by hir Pocalips

And passion of seint Avereys,

That neither bacon ne braun,

8220

Blancmanger ne mortrews,

Is neither fissh nor flesshe,

But fode for a penaunt

And thanne shal he testifie of the Trinité,

And take his felawe to witnesse,

What he fond in a frayel,

After a freres lyvyng;

And but he first lyve be lesyng,

Leve me nevere after.

And thanne is tyme to take,

8230

And to appose this doctour

Of Do-wel and Do-bet,

And if Do-wel be any penaunce."

And I sat stille, as Pacience seide,

And thus soone this doctour,

As rody as a rose,

Rubbede hise chekes,

Coughed and carped;

And Conscience hym herde,

And tolde hym of a Trinité,

8240

And toward us he loked.

"What is Do-wel, sire doctour?" quod I,

"Is it any penaunce?"

"Do-wel," quod this doctour,

And took the cuppe and drank,

"Is do noon yvel to thyn even-cristen

Nought by thi power."

"By this day! sire doctour," quod I,

"Thanne be ye noght in Do-wel;

For ye han harmed us two,

8250

In that ye eten the puddyng,

Mortrews and oother mete,

And we no morsel hadde.

And if ye fare so in youre fermerye,

Ferly me thynketh,

But cheeste be ther charité sholde be.

And yonge children dorste pleyne,

I wolde permute my penaunce with youre,

For I am in point to Do-wel."

Thanne Conscience curteisly

8260

A contenaunce made,

And preynte upon Pacience

To preie me to be stille;

And seide hymself, "Sire doctour,

And it be youre wille,

What is Do-wel and Do-bet,

Ye dyvynours knoweth."

"Do-wel," quod this doctour,

"Do as clerkes techeth;

And Do-bet is he that techeth,

8270

And travailleth to teche othere;

And Do-best doth hymself so,

As he seith and precheth."

Qui facit et docuerit, magnus vocabitur

in regno cœlorum.

"Now thow, Clergie," quod Conscience,

"Carpest what is Do-wel.

I have sevene sones," he seide,

"Serven in a castel,

Ther the lord of lif wonyeth,

8280

To leren what is Do-wel;

Til I se tho sevene

And myself acorde,

I am un-hardy," quod he,

"To any wight to preven it.

For oon Piers the Plowman

Hath impugned us alle,

And set alle sciences at a sope,

Save love one;

And no text ne taketh

8290

To mayntene his cause,

But Dilige Deum,

And Domine quis habitabit.

And seith that Do-wel and Do-bet

Arn two infinités,

Whiche infinités, with a feith!

Fynden out Do-best,

Which shal save mannes soule;

Thus seith Piers the Plowman."

"I kan noght heron," quod Conscience,

8300

"Ac I knowe wel Piers;

He wol noght ayein holy writ speken,

I dar wel undertake.

Thanne passe we over til Piers come,

And preve this in dede.

Pacience hath be in many place,

And peraunter mouthed

That no clerk ne kan,

As Crist bereth witnesse:

Patientes vincunt, etc."

8310

"Ac youre preiere," quod Pacience tho,

"So no man displese hym.

Disce," quo he, "Doce,

Dilige inimicos.

Disce, and Do-wel;

Doce, and Do-bet;

Dilige, and Do-best;

Thus taughte me ones

A lemman that I lovede,

Love was hir name:

8320

"With wordes and with werkes," quod she,

"And wil of thyn herte,

Thow love leelly thi soule

Al thi lif tyme,

And so thow lere the to lovye,

For oure Lordes love of hevene,

Thyn enemy in alle wise

Evene forth with thiselve.

Cast coles on his heed

Of alle kynde speche,

8330

Bothe with werkes and with wordes

Fonde his love to wynne;

And leye on him thus with love,

Til he laughe on the.

And but he bowe for this betyng,

Blynd mote he worthe.

"Ac for to fare thus with thi frend,

Folie it were.

For he that loveth thee leelly,

Litel of thyne coveiteth.

8340

Kynde love coveiteth noght

No catel but speche.

With halfe a laumpe lyne,

In Latyn, Ex vi transitionis,

I bere therinne aboute

Faste y-bounde Do-wel,

In a signe of the Saterday

That sette first the kalender,

And al the wit of the Wodnesday

Of the nexte wike after,

8350

The myddel of the moone,

As the nyght of bothe,

And herwith am I welcome

Ther I have it with me,

"Undo it, lat this doctour deme

If Do-wel be therinne.

For, by hym that me made!

Myghte nevere poverte

Misese ne meschief,

Ne no man with his tonge,

8360

Coold ne care,

Ne compaignye of theves,

Ne neither hete ne hayl,

Ne noon helle pouke,

Ne fuyr ne flood,

Ne feere of thyn enemy,

Tene thee any tyme,

And thow take it with the.

Caritas nihil timet, etc."

"It is but a dido," quod this doctour,

8370

"A disours tale;

Al the wit of this world,

And wight mennes strengthe,

Kan noght conformen a pees

Bitwene and hise enemys,

Ne bitwene two cristene kynges

Kan no wight pees make

Profitable to either peple;"

And putte the table fro hym,

And took Clergie and Conscience

8380

To conseil, as it were,

That Pacience thow most passe,

For pilgrymes konne wel lye.

Ac Conscience carped loude,

And curteisliche seide,

"Frendes, fareth wel;"

And faire spak to Clergie,

"For I wol go with this gome,

If God wol yeve me grace,

And be pilgrym with Pacience,

8390

Til I have preved moore."

"What!" quod Clergie to Conscience,

"Ar ye coveitous nouthe

After yeres-geves, or giftes,

Or yernen to rede redels?

I shal brynge yow a Bible,

A book of the olde lawe,

And lere yow, if yow like,

The leeste point to knowe,

That Pacience the pilgrym

8400

Parfitly knew nevere."

"Nay, by Crist!" quod Conscience

To Clergie, "God thee for-yelde;

For al that Pacience me profreth

Proud am I litel.

Ac the wil of the wye,

And the wil of folk here,

Hath meved my mood

To moorne for my synnes.

The goode wil of a wight

8410

Was nevere bought to the fulle.

For ther nys no tresour, for sothe,

To a trewe wille.

"Hadde noght Maudeleyne moore

For a box of salve,

Than Zacheus for he seide

Dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus?

And the poore widewe

For a peire of mytes,

8420

Than alle tho that offrede

Into gazophilacium?"

Thus curteisliche Conscience

Congeyed first the frere,

And sithen softeliche he seide

In Clergies ere,

"Me were levere, by oure Lord!

And I lyve sholde,

Have pacience perfitliche,

Than half thi pak of bokes."

8430

Clergie of Conscience

No congie wolde take,

But seide ful sobreliche,

"Thow shalt se the tyme

Whan thow art wery of-walked,

Wille me to counseille."

"That is sooth," quod Conscience,

"So me God helpe!

If Pacience be oure partyng felawe,

And pryvé with us bothe,

8440

Ther nys wo in this world

That we ne sholde amende,

And conformen kynges to pees,

And alle kynnes londes;

Sarsens and Surré,

And so forth alle the Jewes,

Turne into the trewe feith,

And intil oon bileve."

"That is sooth," quod Clergie,

"I se what thow menest;

8450

I shal dwelle as I do,

My devoir to shewe,

And confermen fauntekyns,

And oother folk y-lered,

Til Pacience have preved thee,

And parfit thee maked."

Conscience tho with Pacience passed,

Pilgrymes as it were.

Thanne hadde Pacience, as pilgrymes han,

In his poke vitailles,

8460

Sobretee and symple speche,

And soothfast bileve,

To conforte hym and Conscience,

If thei come in place

There un-kyndenesse and coveitise is,

Hungry contrees bothe.

And as the wente by the weye,

Of Do-wel thei carped;

Thei mette with a mynstral,

As me tho thoughte.

8470

Pacience apposed hym first.

And preyde he sholde hem telle

To Conscience what craft he kouthe,

And to what contree he wolde.

"I am a mynstrall," quod that man,

"My name is Activa-vita;

Al ydelnesse ich hatie,

For of actif is my name;

A wafrer, wol ye wite,

And serve manye lordes,

8480

And fewe robes I fonge,

Or furrede gownes.

Couthe I lye to do men laughe,

Thanne lacchen I sholde

Outher mantel or moneie

Amonges lordes or mynstrals.

Ac for I kan neither taboure ne trompe,

Ne telle no gestes,

Farten ne fithelen

At festes, ne harpen,

8490

Jape ne jogele,

Ne gentilliche pipe,

Ne neither saille ne saute,

Ne synge with the gyterne,

I have no goode giftes

Of thise grete lordes.

For no breed that I brynge forth,

Save a benyson on the Sonday

Whan the preest preieth the peple

Hir pater-noster to bidde

8500

For Piers the Plowman,

And that hym profit waiten;

And that am I actif,

That ydelnesse hatie;

For alle trewe travaillours

And tiliers of the erthe,

Fro Mighelmesse to Mighelmesse

I fynde hem with my wafres.

"Beggeris and bidderis

Of my breed craven,

8510

Faitours and freres,

And folk with brode crounes.

I fynde payn for the pope,

And provendre for his palfrey;

And I hadde nevere of hym,

Have God my trouthe!

Neither provendre ne personage

Yet of popes gifte,

Save a pardon with a peis of leed

And two polles amyddes.

8520

Hadde ich a clerc that couthe write,

I wolde caste hym a bille,

That he sente me under his seel

A salve for the pestilence,

And that his blessynge and hise bulles

Bocches myghte destruye.

In nomine meo dæmonia ejicient, et

super ægros manus imponent, et

bene habebunt.

"And thanne wolde I be prest to the peple

8530

Paast for to make,

And buxom and busy

Aboute breed and drynke

For hym and for alle hise,

Founde I that his pardon

Mighte lechen a man,

As I bileve it sholde.

For sith he hath the power

That Peter hymself hadde,

He hath the pot with the salve,

8540

Soothly as me thynketh.

Argentum et aurum non est mihi;

quod autem habeo tibi do: in

nomine Domini surge et

ambula.

"Ac if myght of myracle hym faille,

It is for men ben noght worthi

To have the grace of God,

And no gilt of pope.

For may no blessynge doon us boote,

8550

But if we wile amende,

Ne mannes masse make pees

Among cristene peple,

Til pride be pureliche for-do,

And thorugh payn defaute.

For er I have breed of mele,

Oft moot I swete;

And er the commune have corn y-nough,

Many a cold morwenyng.

So er my wafres be y-wroght,

8560

Muche wo I tholye.

"At Londone, I leve,

Liketh wel my wafres;

And louren whan thei lakken hem.

It is noght long y-passed,

There was a careful commune,

Whan no cart com to towne

With breed fro Stratforde;

Tho gonnen beggeris wepe,

And werkmen were agast a lite;

8570

This wole be thought longe.

In the date of oure Drighte,

In a drye Aprille,

A thousand and thre hundred

Twies twenty and ten,

My wafres there were gesene

Whan Chichestre was maire."

I took good kepe, by Crist!

And Conscience bothe,

Of Haukyn the actif man,

8580

And how he was y-clothed.

He hadde a cote of Cristendom,

As holy kirke bileveth;

Ac it was moled in many places

With manye sondry plottes;

Of pride here a plot,

And there a plot of unbuxome speche,

Of scornyng and of scoffyng,

And of unskilful berynge,

As in apparaill and in porte

8590

Proud amonges the peple,

Oother wise than he hym hath

With herte or sighte shewynge,

Hym willyng that alle men wende

He were that he is noght.

For-why he bosteth and braggeth

With manye bolde othes,

And inobedient to ben undernome

Of any lif lyvynge;

And noon so singuler by hymself,

8600

Ne so pomp holy,

Y-habited as an heremyte,

An ordre by hymselve,

Religion saunz rule

Or resonable obedience,

Lakkynge lettrede men

And lewed men bothe

In likynge of lele lif,

And a liere in soule,

With inwit and with outwit

8610

Ymagynen and studie,

As best for his body be

To have a badde name,

And entremetten hym over al

Ther he hath noght to doone,

Willynge that men wende

His wit were the beste.

And if he gyveth ought to povere gomes,

Telle what he deleth,

Povere of possession in purs

8620

And in cofre bothe.

And as a lyoun on to loke,

And lordlich of speche,

Boldest of beggeris,

A bostere that noght hath,

In towne and in tavernes

Tales to telle,

And segge thyng that he nevere seigh,

And for sothe sweren it,

Of dedes that he nevere dide

8630

Demen and bosten

And of werkes that he wel dide

Witnesse, and siggen—

"Lo! if ye leve me noght,

Or that I lye wenen,

Asketh at hym or at hym,

And he yow kan telle

What I suffrede and seigh

And som tymes hadde,

And what I kouthe and knew,

8640

And what kyn I com of."

Al he wolde that men wiste

Of werkes and of wordes

Which myghte plese the peple,

And preisen hymselve.

Si hominibus placerem, Christi

servus non essem. Et alibi:

Nemo potest duobus dominis

servire.

"By Crist!" quod Conscience tho,

8650

"Thi beste cote, Haukyn,

Hath manye moles and spottes,

It moste ben y-wasshe."

"Ye, who so toke hede," quod Haukyn,

"Bihynde and bifore,

What on bak and what on body half,

And by the two sydes,

Men sholde fynde manye frounces,

And manye foule plottes."

And he torned hym as tyd,

8660

And thanne took I hede,

It was fouler bi fele fold

Than it first semed.

It was bi-dropped with wrathe

And wikkede wille,

With envye and yvel speche,

Entisynge to fighte,

Liynge and laughynge,

And leve tonge to chide,

Al that he wiste wikked

8670

By any wight tellen it,

And blame men bihynde hir bak,

And bidden hem meschaunce,

And that he wiste by Wille

Tellen it Watte,

And that Watte wiste

Wille wiste it after,

And make of frendes foes

Thorugh a fals tonge,

Or with myght or with mouth,

8680

Or thorugh mennes strengthe

Avenge me fele tymes,

Other frete myselve

Withinne as a shepsteres shere,

Y-sherewed man and cursed.

Cujus maledictione os plenum est

et amaritudine, sub lingua ejus

labor et dolor. Et alibi: Filii

hominum, dentes eorum arma

et sagittæ, et lingua eorum

8690

gladius acutus.

"Ther is no lif that me loveth

Lastynge any while;

For tales that I telle,

No man trusteth to me.

And whan I may noght have the maistrie,

Swich malencolie I take,

That I cacche the crampe,

And the cardiacle som tyme,

Or an ague in swich an angre,

8700

And som tyme a fevere

That taketh me al a twelve monthe,

Til that I despise

Lechecraft of oure Lord,

And leve on a wicche,

And seye that no clerc ne kan,

Ne Crist, as I leve,

To the soutere of Southwerk,

Or of Shordyche dame Emme;

And seye that no Goddes word

8710

Gaf me nevere boote,

But thorugh a charme hadde I chaunce

And my chief heele."

I waitede wisloker,

And thanne was it soilled

With likynge of lecherie,

As by lokynge of his eighe.

For ech a maide that he mette

He made hire a signe

Semynge to synne-warde,

8720

And some tyme he gan taste

Aboute the mouth, or bynethe

Bigynneth to grope,

Til eitheres wille wexeth kene,

And to the werke yeden,

As wel in fastyng dayes and Fridaies

As forboden nyghtes,

And as wel in Lente as out of Lente,

Alle tymes y-liche.

Swiche werkes with hem

8730

Were nevere out of seson,

Til thei myghte na-moore;

And thanne murye tales,

And how that lecchours lovye

Laughen and japen,

And of hir harlotrye and horedom

In hir elde tellen.

Thanne Pacience perceyved

Of pointes of this cote,

That were colomy thorugh coveitise

8740

And unkynde desiryng;

Moore to good than to God

The gome his love caste,

And ymagynede how

He it myghte have

With false mesures and met,

And with fals witnesse;

Lened for love of the wed,

And looth to do truthe;

And awaited thorugh which

8750

Wey to bigile,

And menged his marchaundise,

And made a good moustre;

"The worste withinne was,

A greet wit I let it,

And if my neghebore hadde any hyne,

Or any beest ellis,

Moore profitable than myn,

Manye sleightes I made

How I myghte have it,

8760

Al my wit I caste.

And but I it hadde by oother wey,

At the laste I stale it;

Or priveliche his purs shook,

And unpikede hise lokes;

Or by nyghte or by daye

Aboute was ich evere,

Thorugh gile to gaderen

The good that ich have.

"If I yede to the plowgh,

8770

I pynched so narwe,

That a foot lond or a forow

Fecchen I wolde

Of my nexte neghebore,

And nymen of his erthe.

And if I repe, over-reche,

Of yaf hem reed that ropen

To seise to me with hir sikel

That I ne sew nevere.

"And who so borwed of me,

8780

A-boughte the tyme

With presentes prively,

Or paide som certeyn;

So he wolde or noght wolde,

Wynnen I wolde,

And bothe to kith and to kyn

Unkynde of that ich hadde.

"And who so cheped my chaffare,

Chiden I wolde,

But he profrede to paie

8790

A peny or tweyne

Moore than it was worth;

And yet wolde I swere

That it coste me muche moore,

And swoor manye othes.

"On holy daies at holy chirche

Whan ich herde masse,

Hadde I nevere wille, woot God,

Witterly to biseche

Mercy for my mysdedes,

8800

That I ne moorned moore

Nor losse of good, leve me,

Than for my likames giltes.

As if I hadde dedly synne doon,

I dredde noght that so soore,

As when I lened, and leved it lost,

Or longe er it were paied.

So if I kidde any kyndenesse

Myn even cristen to helpe,

Upon a cruwel coveitise

8810

Myn herte gan hange.

"And if I sente over see

My servauntz to Brugges,

Or into Pruce-lond my prentis,

My profit to waiten,

To marchaunden with moneie,

And maken hire eschaunges,

Mighte nevere me conforte.

In the mene while

Neither masse ne matynes,

8820

No none maner sightes;

Ne nevere penaunce perfournede,

Ne pater-noster seide,

That my mynde ne was moore

On my good in a doute,

Than in the grace of God,

And hise grete helpes.

Ubi thesaurus tuus, ibi et cor tuum.

"Whiche ben the braunches

That bryngen a man to sleuthe?

8830

He that moorneth noght for hise mysdedes,

Ne maketh no sorwe,

And penaunce that the preest enjoyneth

Perfourneth yvele,

Dooth noon almesse,

Dred hym of no synne,

Lyveth ayein the bileve,

And no lawe holdeth,

Ech day is holy day with hym,

Or an heigh ferye;

8840

And, if he aught wole here,

It is an harlotes tonge.

Whan men carpen of Crist,

Or of clennesse of soules,

He wexeth wroth and wol noght here

But wordes of murthe;

Penaunce of povere men,

And the passion of seintes,

He hateth to here therof,

And alle that it telleth.

8850

Thise ben the braunches, beth war,

That bryngen a man to wanhope.

"Ye lordes and ladies,

And legates of holy chirche,

That fedeth fooles sages,

Flatereris and lieris,

And han likynge to lithen hem

To do yow to laughe,

Væ vobis qui ridetis, etc.

And gyveth hem mete and mede,

8860

And povere men refuse;

In youre deeth deyinge,

I drede me ful soore

Lest tho thre manner men

To muche sorwe yow brynge.

Consentientes et agentes pari pœna punientur.

"Patriarkes and prophetes,

And prechours of Goddes wordes,

Saven thorugh hir sermons

8870

Mannes soule fro helle.

Right so flatereris and fooles

Arn the fendes disciples

To entice men thorugh hir tales

To synne and to harlotrie.

Ac clerkes, that knowen holy writ,

Sholde kenne lordes

What David seith of swiche men,

As the Sauter telleth.

Non habitabit in medio domus meæ,

8880

qui facit superbiam, et qui

loquitur iniqua.

"Sholde noon harlot have audience

In halle nor in chambre,

Ther wise men were,

Witnesseth Goddes wordes,

Ne no mys-proud man

Amonges lordes ben allowed.

"Ac flaterers and fooles

Thorugh hir foule wordes

8890

Leden tho that loven hem

To Luciferis feste,

With Turpiloquio, a lady of sorwe,

And Luciferis fithele."

Thus Haukyn the actif man

Hadde y-soiled his cote,

Til Conscience acouped hym therof

In a curteis manere,

Why he ne hadde whasshen it,

8899

Or wiped it with a brusshe.

PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO.
EDINBURGH AND LONDON.

Notes

See the "Apocalypsis Goliæ" and other pieces in the poems of Walter Mapes; the Order of Fair Ease in the Political Songs, and the Poems of Rutebeuf; and, in English, the remarkable "Poem on the Evil Times of Edward II." in the appendix to the Political Songs. The Poem entitled the Order of Fair Ease bears some resemblance to the Abbaye de Theleme of Rabelais.

This sentiment was perpetuated in a numerous class of ballads, in which the monarch is represented as thrown incognito among the lower classes, as listening to their expressions of loyalty and to the tale of their sufferings. See the "Tale of King Edward and the Shepherd" in Hartshorne's Ancient Metrical Tales; "The King and the Barker," in Ritson's Pieces of Ancient Popular Poetry; "The King and the Miller," and "King Edward IV. and the Tanner of Tamworth," in Percy's Reliques; &c. The earliest known form of this tale is the story of "Henry II. and the Cistercian Abbot," printed from Giraldus Cambrensis in the Reliquiæ Antiquiæ, vol. ii. p. 147.

It was at least a tradition early in the sixteenth century (for we have no means now of ascertaining whether there were any substantial grounds for the statement), that the author was named Robert Longlande (or Langlande), that he was born at Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire, and that (after receiving his education at Oxford) he became a monk of Malvern. I do not think, with Tyrwhitt and Price, that the name Wil, given in the poem to the dreamer, necessarily shows that the writer's name was William; and still less that the mention of "Kytte my wif" and "Calote my doghter" (p. 395 of the present volume), and of the dreamer's having resided at Cornhill, refer to the family and residence of the author of the poem. If he were a monk (as appears probable by his intimate acquaintance with the Scriptures and the Fathers), he would not be married. Sir Frederick Madden discovered a very important entry in a hand of the fifteenth century on the fly-leaf of a manuscript of Piers Ploughman in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, to the following effect—"Memorandum, quod Stacy de Rokayle, pater Willielmi de Langlond, qui Stacius fuit generosus, et morabatur in Schiptone under Whicwode, tenens domini Le Spenser in comitatu Oxon., qui prædictus Willielmus fecit librum qui vocatur Perys Ploughman."—It would perhaps be not impossible to trace the name and history of this Stacy de Rokayle; but till that be done, I do not think this memorandum ought to be considered as overthrowing the old tradition relating to Robert Longlande. It may be mentioned as a remarkable specimen of the patriotism of David Buchanan, that he lays claim to the author of Piers Ploughman as a Scotchman:—"Robertus Langland, natione Scotus, professione sacerdos, vir ex obscuris ortus parentibus, pius admodum et ingeniosus et zelo divinæ gloriæ plenus; inter monachos Benedictinos educatus in civitate Aberdonensi, vir æque erat in omni humaniore literatura insigniter doctus, et in medicina admodum clarus, pium opus sermone vulgare scripsit cui imposuit, || Visionem Petri Aratoris, lib. 1. || Pro conjugio sacerdotum. lib. 1. || Claruit anno Christi Redemptoria, 1369. Regnante Davide Secundo in Scotia."—Dav. Buchanan, de Scriptoribus Scotis. MS. Bibl. Univ. Edin.

We may mention another historical allusion in Piers Ploughman, which seems to involve a chronological difficulty; the dry April in the mayoralty of John Chichester, 1. 8567. It appears clear that this is an allusion to a remarkable drought in the year 1351, which answers precisely to a calculation of the date given in the text, in which all the manuscripts that I have consulted agree. But the only year in which Chichester is said to have been mayor was 1368-9 according to some, or 1369-70 according to others. Stowe (as quoted in the note on this passage) has altered the text of Piers Ploughman to suit the year in which Chichester is known to have been mayor: yet there can be little doubt (even from the allusion to the treaty of Bretigny) that the poem itself was composed before that date, and therefore the same or another Chichester had probably been mayor before.

Political Songs, p. 240.

This terrible calamity was said by the astrologers to have been brought about by an extraordinary conjunction of Saturn with the other planets, which happened scarcely once in a thousand years. An astrologer and physician, who witnessed its effects, Symon de Covino, has left a Latin poem on the subject under the title De Judicio Solis in Conviviis Saturni, in which he describes Saturn as indulging his malevolence towards the human race by obtaining a judgment against men for their sins. This opinion is alluded to in Piers Ploughman, l. 4453,

"And so seide Saturne,

And sente yow to warne."

The influence of this planet was represented by astrologers as being peculiarly noxious, as is expressed in the following old distich:—

"Jupiter atque Venus boni, Saturnusque malignus,

Sol et Mercurius cum Luna sunt mediocres."

"Qui male pastus erat fragili virtute ciborum,

Labitur exiguo percussus flamine cladis:

Indeque Saturni vulgus, pauperrima turba,

Grata morte cadunt, quia vivere talibus est mors.

Post quos lunares pereunt et mercuriales.

Et sic debilior succumbit in ordine primo:

Post alii tandem pestem secuntur eamdem.

Sed dea principibus et nobilibus, generosis,

Militibus, seu judicibus fera Parca pepercit.

Raro cadunt tales, quia talibus est data vita

Dulcis in hoc mundo, quam gloria laudat inanis."

Symon de Covino, in the Bibliothèque de l'Ecole des

Chartes, tom. ii. p 236.

We have a very remarkable proof of the popularity of Piers Ploughman with the lower orders (among whom probably parts of it were repeated by memory), and of its influence on the insurrections of the peasantry in the reign of Richard II., in the seditious letter of John Ball to the commons of Essex, preserved by Thomas Walsingham (Hist. Angl. p. 275). I am not sure if "John Schep" may not contain an allusion to the opening of the poem; but the second passage, here printed in Italics, refers evidently to Passus VI. and VII., and the third is an allusion to the characters of Do-well and Do-best.

"John Schep sometime Seint Mary priest of Yorke, and now of Colchester, graeteth well John Namelesse, and John the Miller, and John Carter, and biddeth them that they beware of guyle in borough, and stand together in Gods name, and biddeth Piers Plowman goe to his werke, and chastise well Hob the robber, and take with you John Trewman, and all his fellows, and no moe. John the Miller hath y-ground, smal, small, small. The kings sonne of heaven shal pay for all. Beware or ye be woe, know your frende fro your foe. Have ynough, and say hoe: And do well and better, and flee sinne, and seeke peace and holde you therin, and so biddeth John Trewman and all his fellowes."

The mention of Wycliffe and of Walter Brute and other circumstances, fix the date of Piers Ploughman's Creed with tolerable certainty in the latter years of the reign of Richard II. It was probably written very soon after the year 1393, the date of the persecution of Walter Brute at Hereford; and from the particular allusion to that person we may perhaps suppose that like the Vision it was written on the Borders of Wales.

Different circumstances connected with this poem (which also appears to have been proscribed, for we have no early manuscript of it) lead me to suppose that it was written in the reign of Henry IV., when the burning of heretics came into fashion, which is alluded to in the following stanza:—

"Were Christ on earth here, eftsoone

These would damne him to die:

All his hestes they han for-done,

And saine his sawes ben heresie:

And ayenst his commaundements they crie,

And damne all his to be brende;

For it liketh not hem such losengerie,

God almighty hem amend!"

In another passage, the writer of this poem alludes to the Creed of Piers Ploughman as though he were the author of it, and as a piece then known to everybody.

"And all such other counterfaitours,

Chanons, canons, and such disguised,

Been Gods enemies and traitours,

His true religion han foule despised.

Of freres I have told before,

In a making of a Crede;

And yet I could tell worse and more,

But men would werien it to rede."

Perhaps, however, the writer only claims the authorship of the Creed in his allegorical character, as the representative of that class of satirical writers who were then attacking the monastic orders.

We may enumerate the following as specimens of such works published in the sixteenth century. Several similar publications appeared in the century following.

"Pyers Plowmans Exortation vnto the lordes, knights, and burgoysses of the parlyament house." 8vo. printed by Anthony Scholoker, in the reign of Edward VI.

"Newes from the North, Otherwise called the Conference between Simon Certain, and Pierce Plowman, faithfully collected and gathered by T. F. Student." 4to. London, John Allde, 1579.

"The Plowmans complaint of sundry wicked livers, and especially of the bad bringing vp of children; written in verse by R. B. printed for Hugh Corne, 1580." 8vo.

"A goodlye Dialogue and dysputacion between Pyers Ploweman and a Popish Preest, cōcernynge the Supper of the Lorde." 8vo, without date.

Printed in the Reliquiæ Antiquæ, vol i. pp. 170-188. On the date of this poem, see the Biographia Britannica Literaria (by the editor of the present work), Anglo-Saxon period, pp. 395, 396.

Printed in the Altdeutsche Blätter von Moriz Haupt und Heinrich Hoffmann, vol. ii. pp. 99-120, and in the Reliquiæ Antiquæ, vol. i. pp. 208-227.

Discovered in a MS. at Worcester by Sir Thomas Phillipps, who published a small edition of it, in folio.

Edited by Sir Frederick Madden, for the Society of Antiquaries.

Many instances of this will be found in my Specimens of Lyric Poetry, composed in England in the reign of Edward the First (Percy Society Publication).

Such as William and the Werwolf, edited by Sir Frederick Madden; the Romance of Jerusalem; that of Alexander; &c.

MS. Harl. 2253. In this manuscript, and in several others which I have seen the rhyming poems in short lines, whether in English, Latin, or French, are arranged in this manner; and I have met with instances in which part of a poem has been arranged in this way, and other parts of the same poem have been arranged in short lines, to suit the scribe's convenience. I have a strong impression of having met with an early English manuscript in which a fragment of alliterative verse was written in short couplets.

Text I. is from the edition now offered to the public: Text II. from that edited by Dr. Whitaker.

The title of the second impression is, "The Vision of Pierce Ploughman, nowe the seconde time imprinted by Roberte Crowley, dwellynge in Elye rentes in Holburne. Whereunto are added certayne notes and cotations in the mergyne gevynge light to the Reader, &c. Imprinted at London by Roberte Crowley, dwellyng in Elye rentes in Holburne. The yere of our Lord M.D.L. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum." 4to, 125 leaves.

The title consists merely of the words "Pierce the Ploughman's Crede," upon a tablet in the midst of a wood-cut which had evidently been brought from the continent. A fac-simile of the most important part of the cut is given in Mr. Payne Collier's Bibliographical Catalogue of the Library of Lord Francis Egerton, p. 235. The colophon, on a separate leaf, is "Imprinted at London. By Reynold Wolfe. Anno Domini M.D.L.III." It consists of 16 leaves in 4to.

The title of this edition is, "The Vision of Pierce Plowman, newlye imprynted after the authours olde copy, with a brefe summary of the principall matters set before every part called Passus. Wherevnto is also annexed the Crede of Pierce Plowman, neuer imprinted with the booke before. ¶ Imprynted at London, by Owen Rogers, dwellyng neare vnto great Saint Bartelmewes gate, at the sygne of the spred Egle. ¶ The yere of our Lord God, a thousand, fyve hundred, thre score and one. The xxi. daye of the Moneth of Februarye. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum." 4to. This edition is not foliated, or paged; and it is remarkable that it is as frequently found without the Creed, as with it. This edition of the Creed is also sometimes found separate.

Whitaker's edition bears the following title,—"Visio Willielmi de Petro Plouhman, Item Visiones ejusdem de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest. Or, The Vision of William concerning Piers Plouhman, and The Visions of the same concerning the Origin, Progress, and Perfection of Christian Life, &c. By Thomas Dunham Whitaker, LL.D., &c." 4to. London. Murray, 1813.

This manuscript was bought at Heber's sale for the British Museum, where it is classed as Additional MS. No. 10,574.