The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 2: Trinity College, Cambridge MS B.15.17 (W) – Passus 4and Color Facsimile of Richard Rolle's Form of Living – Passus 4William LanglandEdited by Thorlac Turville-Petre and Hoyt N. DugganAssociate Editors: M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A. FarleyGraduate Research Assistants Michael Blum, Stephen C. Martin, and John Ivor Carlson.Computer Consultants and ProgrammersOludotun Akinola, Karen Dietz, Susan Gants, Kirk V. Hastings, Susan Munson, Beth Nowviskie, Daniel Pitti, John Price-Wilkin, Thornton Staples, and John
Unsworth.University of Michigan Press
Ann Arbor, Mich.
ISBN: 0-472-00275-9
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copyright 2000, by SEENET
2000 Trinity College, Cambridge, MS B.15.17
late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Trinity College, Cambridge, MS B.15.17
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Passus quartus de visione vt supraCEsseþ seiþ þe kyng . I suffre yow no lenger Ye shul sauȝtne for-soþe . and serue me boþe Kis hire quod þe kyng . Conscience I hoteNay by crist quod Conscience . congeye me er for euereW.4.4: W alone reads er for euere. Other B manuscripts have for euere or raþer. But Reson rede me þer-to . raþer wol I deye¶ And I comaunde þee quod þe kyng . to Conscience þanne Rape þee to ryde . and Reson þow fecche Comaunde hym þat he come . my counseil to here For he shal rule my Reaume . and rede me þe beste And acounte wiþ þee Conscience . so me crist helpe How þow lernest þe peple . þe lered and þe lewed¶ I am fayn of þat foreward . seide þe freke þanne And ryt riȝt to Reson . and rouneþ in his ere And seide as þe kyng bad . and siþen took his leue¶ I shal arraye me to ryde quod Reson . reste þee awhilea while And called Caton his knaue . curteis of speche And also Tomme trewe tonge . tel me no tales Ne lesynge to lauȝen of . for I loued hem neuere And set my Sadel vp-on suffre . til I se my tyme And lat warroke hym wel . wiþ witty wordes gerþes And hange on hym þe heuy brydel . to holde his heed lowe For he wol make wehee . twies er he be þere¶ Thanne Conscience vp-on his capul . carieþ forþ faste And Reson wiþ hym ryt . rownynge togideres Whiche Maistries Mede . makeþ on þis erþe¶ Oon waryn wisdom . and witty his feere Folwed hym faste . for þei hadde to doone In thescheker and in þe Chauncerye . to ben descharged of þynges And riden faste for Reson sholde . rede hem þe beste For to saue hem for siluer . from shame and from harmes And Conscience knew hem wel . þei loued coueitise And bad Reson ryde faste . and recche of hir neiþer Ther are wiles in hire wordes . and with Mede þei dwelleþ Ther-as wraþe and wranglynge is . þer wynne þei siluer W.4.34:nota Ac where is loue and leautee . þei wol noȝt come þere W.4.35:notaContricio & infelicitas in viis eorum &c¶ Thei ne yeueþ noȝt of god . one goose wyngeNon est timor dei ante oculos eorum &c¶ For woot god þei wolde do moore . for a dozeyne chiknes W.4.39:nota Or as manye capons . or for a Seem of Otes Than for þe loue of oure lord . or alle hise leeue Seintes For-þi Reson lat hem ride . þo riche by hem-selue For Conscience knoweþ hem noȝt . ne crist as I trowe And þanne Reson rood faste . þe riȝte heiȝe gate As Conscience hym kenned . til þei come to þe kynge¶ Curteisly þe kyng þanne . com ayeins Reson And bitwene hym-self and his sone . sette hym on benche And wordeden wel wisely . a gret while togideres¶ And þanne com pees in-to parlement . and putte forþ a bille How wrong ayeins his wille . hadde his wif taken And how he rauysshede Rose . Reignaldes looue And Margrete of hir maydenhede . maugree hire chekes Boþe my gees and my grys . hise gadelynges feccheþ I dar noȝt for fere of hem . fiȝte ne chide He borwed of me bayard . he brouȝte hym hom neuere Ne no ferþyng þer-fore . for ouȝt I koude plede He maynteneþ hise men . to murþere myne hewen Forstalleþ my feires . and fiȝteþ in my Chepyng And brekeþ vp my bernes dore . and bereþ awey my whete And takeþ me but a taille . for ten quarters of Otes And yet he beteþ me þer-to . and lyþ by my mayde I am noȝt hardy for hym . vnneþe to loke¶ The kyng knew he seide sooþ . for Conscience hym tolde That wrong was a wikked luft . and wroȝte muche sorwe¶ Wrong was afered þanne . and wisdom he souȝte To maken pees with hise pens . and profred hym manye And seideW.4.67: A mark of punctuation looking like the top part of a punctus elevatus appears here. hadde I loue of my lord þe kyng . litel wolde I recche Theiȝ pees and his power . pleyned hym euere¶ Tho wente Wisdom . and sire waryn þe witty For þat wrong hadde ywroȝt . so wikked a dede And warnede wrong þo . with swich a wis tale Who-so wercheþ by wille . wraþe makeþ ofte W.4.72:nota I seye it by my-self . þow shalt it wel fynde But if Mede it make . þi meschief is vppe For boþe þi lif and þi lond . lyþ in his grace¶ Thanne wowede wrong . wisdom ful yerne To maken pees wiþ his pens . handy-dandy payed¶ Wisdom and wit þanne . wenten togidres And token Mede myd hem . mercy to wynne¶ Pees putte forþ his heed . and his panne blody Wiþ-outen gilt god it woot . gat I þis scaþe Conscience and þe commune . knowen þe soþe¶ Ac wisdom and wit . were aboute faste To ouercomen þe kyng . wiþ catel if þei myȝte¶ The kyng swor by crist . and by his crowne boþe That wrong for hise werkes . sholde wo þolie And comaundede a Constable . to casten hym in Irens And lete hym noȝt þise seuen yer . seen his feet ones¶ God woot quod wisdom . þat were noȝt þe beste And he amendes mowe make . lat maynprise hym haue And be borȝ for his bale . and buggen hym boote And so amenden þat is mysdo . and euere-moore þe bettre W.4.92:nota¶ Wit acorded þer-wiþ . and seide þe same Bettre is þat boote . bale adoun brynge Than bale be ybet . and boote neuer þe bettre¶ And þanne gan Mede to mengen hire . and mercy she bisouȝte And profrede Pees a present . al of pure golde Haue þis man of me quod she . to amenden þi scaþe For I wol wage for wrong . he wol do so namoore¶ Pitously Pees þanne . preyde to þe kynge To haue mercy on þat man . þat mysdide hym so ofte For he haþ waged me wel . as wisdom hym tauȝte And I forgyue hym þat gilt . wiþ a good wille So þat þe kyng assente . I kan seye no bettre For Mede haþ me amendes maad . I may namoore axe W.4.105:nota¶ Nay quod þe kyng þo . so me crist helpe Wrong wendeþ noȝt so awey . erst wole I wite moore W.4.107: The nota appears to the left of the line. For lope he so liȝtly . lauȝen he wolde And eft þe boldere be . to bete myne hewen But Reson haue ruþe on hym . he shal reste in my stokkes And þat as longe as he lyueþ . but lowenesse hym borwe¶ Som men radde Reson þo . to haue ruþe on þat shrewe And for to counseille þe kyng . and Conscience after That Mede moste be maynpernour . Reson þei bisouȝte¶ Reed me noȝt quod Reson . no ruþe to haue W.4.115:nota Til lordes and ladies . louen alle truþe And haten alle harlotrie . to heren or to mouþen it¶ Til pernelles purfille . be put in hire hucche And childrene cherissynge . be chastynge wiþ yerdes And harlottes holynesse . be holden for an hyne¶ Til clerkene coueitise be . to cloþe þe pouere and fede And Religiouse Romeris . Recordare in hir cloistres As Seynt Beneyt hem bad . Bernard and Fraunceis And til prechours prechynge . be preued on hem-selue¶ Til þe kynges counseil . be þe commune profit Til Bisshopes Bayardes . ben beggeris Chaumbres Hire haukes and hire houndes . help to pouere Religious¶ And til Seint Iames be souȝt . þere I shal assigneW.4.128-129: The bottom part of the leaf is discolored and there is some bleedthrough, especially over these last two lines. That no man go to Galis . but if he go for euereAnd alle Rome renneres . for Robberes biyonde Bere no siluer ouer see . þat signe of kyng sheweþ Neiþer graue ne vngraue . gold neiþer siluer Vp-on forfeture of þat fee . who-so fynt it at Douere But if it be Marchaunt or his man . or Messager wiþ lettres Prouysour or preest . or penaunt for hise synnes¶ And yet quod Reson by þe Rode . I shal no ruþe haue While Mede haþ þe maistrie . in þis moot halle Ac I may shewe ensamples . as I se ouþer-while I seye it by my-self quod he . and it so were That I were kyng with coroune . to kepen a Reaume Sholde neuere wrong in þis world . þat I wite myȝte Ben vnpunysshed in my power . for peril of my soule Ne gete my grace for giftes . so me god saue Ne for no Mede haue mercy . but mekenesse it make For Nullum malum . þe man . mette wiþ inpunitumW.4.145: The nota appears to the left of the line. And bad Nullum bonum . be irremuneratumW.4.146: The nota appears to the left of the line.¶ Lat youre Confessour sire kyng . construe þis vnglosed And if ye werchen it in werk . I wedde myne erisW.4.148: A scribe has drawn a in the right margin. That lawe shal ben a laborer . and lede afeld donge And loue shal lede þi lond . as þe leef likeþ¶ Clerkes þat were Confessours . coupled hem togideres Al to construe þis clause . and for þe kynges profit Ac noȝt for confort of þe commune . ne for þe kynges soule For I seiȝ Mede in þe moot halle . on men of lawe wynke And þei lauȝynge lope to hire . and lefte Reson manye Waryn wisdom . wynked vp-on Mede And seide madame I am youre man . what so my mouþ Iangle I falle in floryns quod þat freke . and faile speche ofteW.4.158-159: The bottom two lines are affected by bleedthrough.¶ Alle riȝtfulle recordede . þat Reson truþe tolde And wit acorded þer-wiþ . and comendede hise wordes And þe mooste peple in þe halle . and manye of þe grete And leten Mekenesse a maister . and Mede a mansed sherewe¶ Loue leet of hire liȝt . and leaute yet lasse And seiden it so heiȝe . þat al þe halle it herde Who-so wilneþ hire to wif . for welþe of hire goodes W.4.165: The nota appears to the left of the line. But he be knowe for a Cokewold . kut of my nose W.4.166: The nota appears to the left of the line.¶ Mede mornede þo . and made heuy chere For þe mooste commune of þat court . called hire an hore Ac a Sisour and a Somonour . sued hire faste And a Sherreues clerk . bisherewed al þe route For ofte haue I quod he . holpen yow at þe barre And yet yeue ye me neuere . þe worþ of a risshe¶ The kyng callede Conscience . and afterward Reson And recordede þat Reson . hadde riȝtfully shewed And modiliche vp-on Mede . wiþ myȝt þe kyng loked And gan wexe wroþ with lawe . for Mede almoost hadde shent it And seide þoruȝ lawe as I leue . I lese manye eschetes Mede ouer-maistreþ lawe . and muche truþe letteþ W.4.178:nota Ac Reson shal rekene wiþ yow . if I regne any while And deme yow bi þis day . as ye han deserued Mede shal noȝt maynprise yow . by þe marie of heuene I wole haue leaute in lawe . and lete be al youre ianglyng And as moost folk witnesseþ wel . wrong shal be demed¶ Quod Conscience to þe kyng . but þe commune wole assente It is ful hard by myn heed . her-too . to brynge it Alle youre lige leodes . to lede þus euene¶ By hym þat rauȝte on þe Rode . quod Reson to þe kynge But if I rule þus youre Reaume . rende out my guttes If ye bidden buxomnesse . be of myn assent¶ And I assente seiþ þe kyng . by Seinte Marie my lady By my counseil commune . of clerkes and of Erles Ac redily Reson . þow shalt noȝt ride fro me For as longe as I lyue . lete þee I nelle¶ I am al redy quod Reson . to reste wiþ yow euere So Conscience be of oure counseil . I kepe no bettre¶ And I graunte quod þe kyng . goddes forbode ellisW.4.196: W alone reads ellis. Other B witnesses read it faile. Als longe as oure lyf lasteþ . lyue we togideresPassus .vijus.septimus de visione vt supraTReuþe herde telle her-of . and to Piers he sente To maken his teme . and tilien þe erþe And purchaced hym a pardoun . a pena & a culpa For hym and for hise heires . for euere-moore after And bad hym holde hym at home . and erien hise leyes And alle þat holpen hym to erye . to sette or to sowe Or any ooþer mestier . þat myȝte Piers auaille Pardon wiþ Piers Plowman . truþe haþ ygraunted¶ Kynges and knyȝtes . þat kepen holy chirche And riȝtfully in Remes . rulen þe peple Han pardon þoruȝ purgatorie . to passen ful liȝtly Wiþ Patriarkes and prophetes . in paradis to be felawe¶ Bysshopes yblessed . if þei ben as þei sholde Legistres of boþe lawes . þe lewed þer-wiþ to preche And in as muche as þei mowe . amenden alle synfulle Arn peres wiþ þe Apostles . þis pardon Piers sheweþ And at þe day of dome . at þe heiȝe deys sitte¶Marchauntz in þe margyne . hadde manye yeres Ac noon A pena & a culpa . þe pope nolde hem graunte For þei holde noȝt hir halidayes . as holy chirche techeþ And for þei swere by hir soule . and so god moste hem helpe Ayein clene Conscience . hir catel to selle¶ Ac vnder his secret seel . truþe sente hem a lettre That þei sholde buggen boldely . þat hem best liked And siþenes selle it ayein . and saue þe wynnyng And amende Mesondieux þer-myd . and myseise folk helpe And wikkede weyes . wightly amende And do boote to brugges . þat tobroke were Marien maydenes . or maken hem Nonnes Pouere peple and prisons . fynden hem hir foode¶ And sette Scolers to scole . or to som oþere craftes Releue Religion . and renten hem bettre And I shal sende yow my-selue . Seint Michel myn Archangel That no deuel shal yow dere . ne fere yow in youre deying And witen yow fro wanhope . if ye wol þus werche And sende youre soules in saufte . to my Seintes in Ioye¶ Thanne were Marchauntz murie . manye wepten for ioye And preiseden Piers þe Plowman . þat purchaced þis bulle¶ Men of lawe leest pardon hadde . þat pleteden for Mede For þe Sauter saueþ hem noȝt . swiche as take ȝiftes And nameliche of Innocentz . þat noon yuel ne konneþSuper innocentem munera non accipies¶ Pledours sholde peynen hem . to plede for swiche and helpe Princes and prelates . sholde paie for hire trauailleA Regibus & principibus erit merces eorum¶ Ac many a Iustice and Iurour . wolde for Iohan do moore Than pro dei pietate . leue þow noon ooþer¶ Ac he þat spendeþ his speche . and spekeþ for þe pouere W.7.48:nota That is Innocent and nedy . and no man apeireþ W.7.49:nota Conforteþ hym in þat caas . wiþ-outen coueitise of ȝiftes W.7.50:nota And sheweþ lawe for oure lordes loue . as he it haþ ylerned W.7.51:nota Shal no deuel at his deeþ-day . deren hym a myte That he ne worþ saaf and his soule . þe Sauter bereþ witnesse¶Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo¶ Ac to bugge water ne wynd . ne wit ne fir þe ferþe Thise foure þe fader of heuene . made to þis foold in commune Thise ben truþes tresores . trewe folk to helpe That neuere shul wexe ne wanye . wiþ-outen god hym-selue¶ Whan þei drawen on to deye . and Indulgences wolde haue Hir pardon is ful petit . at hir partyng hennes That any Mede of mene men . for hir motyng takeþ Ye legistres and lawieres . holdeþ þis for truþe That if þat I lye . Mathew is to blame For he bad me make yow þis . and þis prouerbe me toldeQuodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines . facite eisW.7.65:nota¶ Alle libbynge laborers . þat lyuen wiþ hir hondesW.7.66-69: A vertical pen mark appears at the end of this line and the three following lines, which we take to represent nota.W.7.66:nota That treweliche taken . and treweliche wynnen W.7.67:nota And lyuen in loue and in lawe . for hir lowe hertes W.7.68:nota Haueþ þe same absolucion . þat sent was to Piers W.7.69:nota¶ Beggeres ne bidderes . ne beþ noȝt in þe bulle But if þe suggestion be sooþ . þat shapeþ hem to begge For he þat beggeþ or bit . but if he haue nede W.7.72:nota He is fals wiþ þe feend . and defraudeþ þe nedy W.7.73:nota And also he bigileþ þe gyuere . ageynes his wille For if he wiste he were noȝt nedy . he wolde ȝyue þat anoþer That were moore nedy þan he . so þe nedieste sholde be holpe Caton kenneþ me þus . and þe clerc of storiesCui des videto . is Catons techyng W.7.78:nota¶ And in þe stories he techeþ . to bistowe þyn almesseSit elemosina tua in manu tua donec studes cui desW.7.80: The nota appears inside the box to the right of the line.¶ Ac Gregory was a good man . and bad vs gyuen alle W.7.81:nota That askeþ for his loue . þat vs al leneþ W.7.82:notaNon eligas cui miseriaris nefortene forte pretereas illum qui meretur accipereW.7.83: The end of the box is cropped in the right margin, though no text appears to have been lost.Quia incertum est pro quo deo magis placeasW.7.84:nota¶ For wite ye neuere who is worþi . ac god woot who haþ nede W.7.85:nota In hym þat takeþ is þe trecherie . if any treson walke W.7.86:nota For he þat yeueþ yeldeþ . and yarkeþ hym to reste And he þat biddeþ borweþ . and bryngeþ hym-self in dette For beggeres borwen euere-mo . and hir borgh is god almyȝty To yelden hem þat yeueþ hem . and yet vsure moore¶Quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensamvt ego veniam cum vsuris exigere¶ For-þi biddeþ noȝt ye beggeres . but if ye haue gret nede For who-so haþ to buggen hym breed . þe book bereþ witnesse He haþ ynouȝ þat haþ breed ynouȝ . þouȝ he haue noȝt ellis¶Satis diues est qui non indiget paneW.7.95:nota¶ Lat vsage be youre solas . of seintes lyues redyng The book banneþ beggerie . and blameþ hem in þis manere¶Iunior fui etenim senui & non vidi iustum derelictumnene[c]W.7.98: W alone reads ne. Other B manuscripts have nec. semen eius &c¶ For ye lyue in no loue . ne no lawe holde Manye of yow ne wedde noȝt . þe womman þat ye wiþ deele But as wilde bestes with wehee . worþen vppe and werchen And bryngen forþ barnes . þat bastardes men calleþ Or þe bak or som boon . he brekeþ in his youþe And siþþe goon faiten with youre fauntes . for euere-moore after Ther is moore mysshapen peple . amonges þise beggeres W.7.105:nota Than of alle manere men . þat on þis moolde walkeþ W.7.106:nota And þei þat lyue þus hir lif . mowe loþe þe tyme W.7.107:nota That euere þei were men wroȝt . whan þei shal hennes fare W.7.108:nota Ac olde men and hore . þat helplees ben of strengþe And wommen wiþ childe . þat werche ne mowe Blynde and bedreden . and broken hire membres That taken þise myschiefs mekeliche . as Mesels and oþere Han as pleyn pardon . as þe Plowman hym-selue For loue of hir lowe hertes . oure lord haþ hem graunted Hir penaunce and hir Purgatorie . here on þis erþe¶ Piers quod a preest þoo . þi pardon moste I rede For I wol construe ech clause . and kenne it þee on englissh¶ And Piers at his preiere . þe pardon vnfoldeþ And I bihynde hem boþe . biheld al þe bulle And in two lynes it lay . and noȝt a leef moore And was writen riȝt þus . in witnesse of truþe¶Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternamW.7.122:notaQui vero mala in ignem eternumW.7.123: To the right of this line is a smudged scribble.W.7.123:nota¶ Peter quod þe preest þoo . I kan no pardon fynde But dowel and haue wel . and god shal haue þi soule W.7.125:nota And do yuel and haue yuel . hope þow noon ooþer W.7.126:nota But after þi deeþ-day . þe deuel shal haue þi soule W.7.127:nota¶ And Piers for pure tene . pulled it atweyne And seide Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortisW.7.129:notanon timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es¶ I shal cessen of my sowyng quod Piers . & swynke noȝt so harde Ne aboute my bely ioye . so bisy be namoore Of preieres and of penaunce . my plouȝ shal ben her-after And wepen whan I sholde slepe . þouȝ whete breed me faille¶ The prophete his payn eet . in penaunce and in sorwe¶ By þat þe Sauter seith . so dide othere manye That loueþ god lelly . his liflode is ful esy¶Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocteW.7.137:nota¶ And but if luc lye . he lereþ vs by foweles We sholde noȝt be to bisy . aboute þe worldes blisseNe soliciti sitis he seiþ in þe gospel And sheweþ vs by ensamples . vs-selue to wisse The foweles in þe feld . who fynt hem mete at wynter W.7.142:nota Haue þei no gerner to go to . but god fynt hem alle W.7.143:nota¶ What quod þe preest to Perkyn . Peter as me þynkeþ Thow art lettred alitela litel . who lerned þee on boke¶ Abstynence þe Abbesse quod Piers . myn /a/. b/. c ./ me tauȝte And Conscience cam afterward . and kenned me muche moore¶ Were þow a preest quod he . þou myȝtest preche where þou sholdest As diuinour in diuinite . wiþ Dixit insipiens to þi teme¶ Lewed lorel quod Piers . litel lokestow on þe bible On Salomons sawes . selden þow biholdestEcce derisores & iurgia cum eis ne crescant &c¶ The preest and Perkyn . opposeden eiþer ooþer And I þoruȝ hir wordes awook . and waited aboute And seiȝ þe sonne in þe South . sitte þat tyme Metelees and moneilees . on Maluerne hulles Musynge on þis metels . and my wey ich yedeMAny tyme þis metels . haþ maked me to studie Of þat I seiȝ slepynge . if it so be myȝteAnd also for Piers þe Plowman . ful pencif in herte And which a pardon Piers hadde . al þe peple to conforte And how þe preest inpugned it . wiþ two propre wordes Ac I haue no sauour in Songewarie . for I se it ofte faille Caton and Canonistres . counseillen vs to leue To sette sadnesse in Songewarie . for sompnia ne cures¶ Ac for þe book bible . bereþ witnesse How Daniel diuined . þe dreem of a kyng That was Nabugodonosor . nempned of clerkes¶Daniel . seide sire kyng . þi dremels bitokneþ That vnkouþe knyȝtes shul come . þi kyngdom to cleyme Amonges lower lordes . þi lond shal be departed And as Daniel diuined . in dede it fel after The kyng lees his lordshipe . and lower men it hadde¶ And Ioseph mette merueillously . how þe moone and þe sonne And þe elleuene sterres . hailsed hym alle¶ Thanne Iacob iugged . Iosephes sweueneBeau fitz quod his fader . for defaute we shullen I my-self and my sones . seche þee for nede¶ It bifel as his fader seide . in Pharaoes tyme That Ioseph was Iustice . Egipte to loke It bifel as his fader tolde . hise frendes þere hym souȝte And al þis makeþ me . on þis metels to þynke¶ And how þe preest preued . no pardon to dowel And demed þat dowel . Indulgences passed Biennals and triennals . and Bisshopes lettres And how dowel at þe day of dome . is digneliche vnderfongen And passeþ al þe pardon . of Seint Petres cherche¶Now haþ þe pope power . pardon to graunte þe peple Wiþ-outen any penaunce . to passen in-to heuene This is oure bileue . as lettred men vs techeþ¶Quodcumque ligaueris super terram . erit ligatum & in celis &c¶ And so I leue leelly . lordes forbode ellis That pardon and penaunce . and preieres doon saue Soules þat haue synned . seuen siþes dedly Ac to truste to þise triennals . trewely me þynkeþ Is noȝt so siker for þe soule . certes as is dowel¶ For-þi I rede yow renkes . þat riche ben on þis erþe Vp-on trust of youre tresor . triennals to haue Be ye neuer þe bolder . to breke þe .x.ten hestes And namely ye maistres . Meires and Iugges That haue þe welþe of þis world . and for wise men ben holden To purchace yow pardon . and þe popes bulles At þe dredful dome . whan dede shulle rise And comen alle tofore crist . acountes to yelde How þow laddest þi lif here . and hise lawes keptest And how þow didest day by day . þe doom wole reherce A poke-ful of pardon þere . ne prouincials lettres Theiȝ ye be founde in þe fraternite . of alle þe foure ordres And haue Indulgences double-fold . but if dowel yow helpe I sette youre patentes and youre pardon . at one pies hele¶ For-þi I counseille alle cristene . to crie god mercy . And Marie his moder . be oure meene bitwene That god gyue vs grace here . er we go hennes Swiche werkes to werche . while we ben here That after oure deeþ-day . dowel reherce At þe day of dome . we dide as he hiȝtePassusviijusoctauus de visione & primus deDowelThus yrobed in russet . I romed aboute Al a somer seson . for to seke dowel And frayned ful ofte . of folk þat I mette If any wiȝt wiste . wher dowel was at Inne And what man he myȝte be . of many man I asked¶ Was neuere wiȝt as I wente . þat me wisse kouþe Where þis leode lenged . lasse ne moore Til it bifel on a Friday . two freres I mette Maistres of þe Menours . men of grete witte I hailsed hem hendely . as I hadde y-lerned And preide hem par charite . er þei passed ferþer If þei knewe any contree . or costes as þei wente Where þat dowel dwelleþ . dooþ me to witene For þei be men of þis moolde . þat moost wide walken And knowen contrees and courtes . and many kynnes places Boþe princes paleises . and pouere mennes cotes And dowel and doyuele . wher þei dwelle boþe¶ Amonges vs quod þe Menours . þat man is dwellynge And euere haþ as I hope . and euere shal her-after¶Contra quod I as a clerc . and comsed to disputen And seide hem sooþly . Sepcies in die cadit IustusW.8.21:nota¶ Seuene siþes seiþ þe book . synneþ þe rightfulle And who-so synneþ I seide . dooþ yuele as me þynkeþ And dowel and doyuele . mowe noȝt dwelle togideresErgo he nys noȝt alwey . amonges yow freres He is ouþerwhile ellis-where . to wisse þe peple¶ I shal seye þee my sone . seide þe frere þanne How seuen siþes þe sadde man . on a day synneþ By a forbisne quod þe frere . I shal þee faire shewe Lat brynge a man in a boot . amydde þe brode watre W.8.30:nota The wynd and þe water . and þe boot waggyng W.8.31:nota Makeþ þe man many a tyme . to falle and to stonde W.8.32:nota For stonde he neuer so stif . he stumbleþ if he meue W.8.33:nota Ac yet is he saaf and sound . and so hym bihoueþ W.8.34:nota For if he ne arise þe raþer . and rauȝte to þe steere W.8.35:nota The wynd wolde wiþ þe water . þe boot ouer-þrowe W.8.36:nota And þanne were his lif lost . þoruȝ lachesse of hym-selue W.8.37:nota¶ And þus it falleþ quod þe frere . by folk here on erþe W.8.38:nota The water is likned to þe world . þat wanyeþ and wexeþ W.8.39:nota The goodes of þis grounde arn lik . to þe grete wawes W.8.40:nota That as wyndes and wedres . walkeþ aboute W.8.41:nota The boot is likned to oure body . þat brotel is of kynde W.8.42:nota That þoruȝ þe fend and þe flessh . and þe frele worlde W.8.43:nota Synneþ þe sadde man . a day seuen siþes W.8.44:nota¶ Ac dedly synne doþ he noȝt . for dowel hym kepeþ And þat is charite þe champion . chief help ayein synne For he strengþeþ menW.8.47: W alone reads men; other B manuscripts have man. to stonde . and steereþ mannes soule And þouȝ þe body bowe . as boot dooþ in þe watre W.8.48:nota Ay is þi soule saaf . but if þow wole þi-selueW.8.49:W alone reads þow wole þi-selue; most other B manuscripts read thiself woll, although CrS have thou wylt thyselfe and M has þou þiseluen wole.W.8.49:nota Do a deedly synne . and drenche so þi soule God wole suffre wel þi sleuþe . if þi-self likeþ For he yaf þee a yeresȝyue . to yeme wel þi-selue W.8.52:nota And þat is wit and free wil . to euery wiȝt a porcion W.8.53:nota To fleynge foweles . to fisshes and to beestes W.8.54:nota Ac man haþ moost þer-of . and moost is to blame W.8.55:nota But if he werche wel þer-wiþ . as dowel hym techeþ W.8.56:nota¶ I haue no kynde knowyng quod I . to conceyuen alle youre wordes Ac if I may lyue and loke . I shal go lerne bettre¶ I bikenne þee crist quod he . þat on cros deydeAnd I seide þe same . saue yow fro myschaunce And ȝyue yow grace on þis grounde . goode men to worþeANd þus I wente wide-wher . walkyng myn one By a wilde wildernesse . and by a wodes side Blisse of þe briddes . brouȝte me aslepe W.8.64:nota And vnder a lynde vp-on a launde . lened I a stounde To lyþe þe layes . þo louely foweles made Murþe of hire mouþes . made me þer to slepleslepeW.8.67:nota The merueillouseste metels . mette me þanne That euer dremed wiȝt . in world as I wene¶ A muche man as me þouȝte . and lik to my-selue Cam and called me . by my kynde name¶ What artow quod I þo . þat þow my name knowest¶ That þow woost wel quod he . and no wiȝt bettre¶ Woot I what þow art . þouȝt seide he þanne I haue sued þee þis seuen yeer . seye þow me no raþer¶ Artow þouȝt quod I þoo . þow koudest me wisse Where þat dowel dwelleþ . and do me þat to knowe¶ Dowel and dobet . and dobest þe þridde quod he W.8.78:nota Arn þre faire vertues . and ben noȝt fer to fynde W.8.79:nota Who-so is trewe of his tunge . and of his two handes W.8.80:nota And þoruȝ his labour . or þoruȝ his land . his liflode wynneþ W.8.81:nota And is trusty of his tailende . takeþ but his owene W.8.82:nota And is noȝt dronkelewe ne dedeynous . dowel hym folweþ W.8.83:nota¶ Dobet dooþ riȝt þus . ac he dooþ muche moore He is as lowe as a lomb . and louelich of speche W.8.85:nota¶ And helpeþ alle men . after þat hem nedeþ The bagges and þe bigirdles . he haþ to-broke hem alle That þe Erl Auarous . heeld and hise heires And þus wiþ Mammonaes moneie . he haþ maad hym frendes And is ronne to Religion . and haþ rendred þe bible And precheþ to þe peple . Seint Poules wordes¶Libenter suffertis insipientes . cum sitis ipsi sapientes¶ And suffreþ þe vnwise . wiþ yow for to libbe W.8.93:nota And wiþ glad wille dooþ hem good . for so god yow hoteþ¶ Dobest is aboue boþe . and bereþ a bisshopes crosse Is hoked on þat oon ende . to halie men fro helle A pik is on þat potente . to putte adown þe wikked That waiten any wikkednesse . dowel to tene And dowel and dobet . amonges hem han ordeyned To crowne oon to be kyng . to rulen hem boþe That if dowel or dobet . dide ayein dobest Thanne shal þe kyng come . and casten hem in Irens And but if dobest bede for hem . þei to be þer for euere¶ Thus dowel and dobet . and dobest þe þridde Crouned oon to be kyng . to kepen hem alle And to rule þe Reme . by hire þre wittes And noon ooþer wise . but as þei þre assented¶ I þonked þoȝt þo . þat he me þus tauȝte Ac yet sauoreþ me noȝt þi seying . I coueite to lerne How dowel . dobet . and dobest . doon among þe peple¶ But wit konne wisse þee quod þoȝt . where þo þre dwelle Ellis woot I noon þat kan . þat now is alyue¶ Thoȝt and I þus . þre daies we yeden Disputyng vp-on dowel . day after ooþer And er we were war . wiþ wit gonne we mete He was long and lene . lik to noon ooþer Was no pride on his apparaille . ne pouerte neiþer W.8.117:nota Sad of his semblaunt . and of softe chere W.8.118:nota I dorste meue no matere . to maken hym to Iangle But as I bad þoȝt þoo . be mene bitwene And pute forþ som purpos . to preuen hise wittes What was Dowel fro dobet . and dobest from hem boþe¶ Thanne þoȝt in þat tyme . seide þise wordes Where dowel . dobet . and dobest ben in londe Here is wil wolde wite . if wit koude teche hym And wheiþer he be man or womman . þis man fayn wolde aspie And werchen as þei þre wolde . thus is his entente