The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 2: Trinity College, Cambridge MS B.15.17 (W) – Passus 16and Color Facsimile of Richard Rolle's <title>Form of Living – Passus 16William LanglandEdited by Thorlac Turville-Petre and Hoyt N. DugganAssociate Editors: M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A. Farley Graduate 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

Attribute Values brown ink anglicana bastarda italic Lombard Cap ornamented capital, N lines high rubricated touched in red textura underlined underlined in red green ink blue ink

LatinFrenchGerman2000 cataloger Jackie Shieh New header created Passus .vijus.septimus de visione vt supra TReuþe 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 konneþ Super innocentem munera non accipies Pledours sholde peynen hem . to plede for swiche and helpe Princes and prelates . sholde paie for hire trauaille A 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 tolde Quodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines . facite eis           W.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 stories Cui des videto . is Catons techyng           W.7.78:nota And in þe stories he techeþ . to bistowe þyn almesse Sit elemosina tua in manu tua donec studes cui des           W.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:nota Non 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 placeas           W.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 mensam vt 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 pane           W.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 derelictum nene[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 eternam           W.7.122:nota Qui 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 mortis           W.7.129:nota non 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 nocte           W.7.137:nota And but if luc lye . he lereþ vs by foweles We sholde noȝt be to bisy . aboute þe worldes blisse Ne 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 biholdest Ecce 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 yede MAny tyme þis metels . haþ maked me to studie Of þat I seiȝ slepynge . if it so be myȝte And 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 sweuene Beau 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 hiȝtePassus viijusoctauus de visione & primus de Dowel Thus 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 Iustus           W.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 togideres Ergo 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 deyde And I seide þe same . saue yow fro myschaunce And ȝyue yow grace on þis grounde . goode men to worþe ANd 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 slepleslepe           W.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 ententePassus xvjussextus decimus &c et primus de Dobet NOw faire falle yow quod I þo . for youre faire shewyng For Haukyns loue þe Actif man . euere I shal yow louye Ac ȝit I am in aweera weer . what charite is to mene It is a ful trie tree quod he . trewely to telle Mercy is þe more þer-of . þe myddul stok is ruþe The leues ben lele wordes . þe lawe of holy chirche The blosmes beþ buxom speche . and benigne lokynge Pacience hatte þe pure tree . and pure symple of herte And so þoruȝ god and þoruȝ goode men . groweþ þe fruyt Charite I wolde trauaille quod I þis tree to se . twenty hundred myleAnd for to haue And for to haue my fulle of þat fruyt . forsake alle oþere saulees Lord quod I if any wight . wite whider-out it groweþ It groweþ in a gardyn quod he . þat god made hym-selue Amyddes mannes body . þe more is of þat stokke Herte highte þe herber . þat it Inne groweþ And liberum arbitrium . haþ þeW.16.16: W alone reads þe; all other B manuscripts have to. lond þe ferme Vnder Piers þe Plowman . to piken it and to weden it Piers þe Plowman quod I þo . and al for pure Ioye That I herde nempne his name . anoon I swowned after And lay longe in a loue-dreem . and at þe laste me þouȝte That Piers þe Plowman . al þe place me shewed And bad me to toten on þe tree . on top and on roote Wiþ þre piles was it vnderpight . I parceyued it soone Piers quod I . I preie þee . whi stonde þise piles here For wyndes wiltow wite quod he . to witen it fro fallyng Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur . quia dominus supponit manum suamW.16.26: The page is cropped after ma; other B manuscripts have manum suam. And in blowyng tyme abite þe floures . but if þise piles helpe The world is a wikked wynd . to hem þat willen truþe Coueitise comþ of þat wynd . and crepeþ among þe leues And forfreteþ neiȝ þe fruyt . þoruȝ manye faire sightes Thanne with þe firste pil I palle hym doun . þat is potencia dei patrisW.16.31: The page is cropped after de; other B manuscripts have dei patris. The flessh is a fel wynd . and in flouryng tyme Thoruȝ likynge and lustes . so loude he gynneþ blowe That it norisseþ nyce sightes . and som-tyme wordes And wikkede werkes þer-of . wormes of synne And forbiteþ þe blosmes . riȝt to þe bare leues Thanne sette I to þe secounde pil . Sapiencia dei patris That is þe passion and þe power . of oure prince Iesu Thoruȝ preieres and þoruȝ penaunces . and goddes passion in mynde I saue it til I se it ripen . and som-del yfruyted And þanne fondeþ þe fend . my fruyt to destruye Wiþ alle þe wiles þat he kan . and waggeþ þe roote And casteþ vp to þe crop . vnkynde Neighebores Bakbiteris breke þe cheste . brawleris and chideris And leiþ a laddre þer-to . of lesynges are þe ronges And feccheþ awey my floures som-tyme . afore boþe myne eighen Ac liberum arbitrium . letteþ hym som-tyme That is lieutenaunt to loken it wel . bi leue of my-selue Videatis qui peccat in spiritum sanctum numquam remittetur &c Hoc est idem . qui peccat per liberum arbitrium non repugnat Ac whan þe fend and þe flessh . forþ wiþ þe world Manacen bihynde me . my fruyt for to fecche Thanne liberum arbitrium . laccheþ þe firste plante And palleþ adoun þe pouke . pureliche þoruȝ grace And help of þe holy goost . and þus haue I þe maistrie Now faire falle yow Piers quod I . so faire ye discryuen The power of þise postes . and hire propre myȝtes Ac I haue þouȝtes a þreve . of þise þre piles In what wode þei woxen . and where þat þei growed For alle are þei aliche longe . noon lasse þan ooþer And to my mynde as me þinkeþ . on o more þei growed And of o greetnesse . and grene of greyn þei semen That is sooþ quod Piers . so it may bifalle I shal telle þee as tid . what þis tree highte The ground þere it groweþ . goodnesse it hatte And I haue told þee what hiȝte þe tree . þe Trinite it meneþ And egreliche he loked on me . and þerfore I spared To asken hym any moore þer-of . and bad hym ful faire To discryue þe fruyt . þat so faire hangeþ Heer now byneþe quod he þo . if I nede hadde Matrimoyne I may nyme . a moiste fruyt wiþ-alle Thanne Continence is neer þe crop . as kaylewey bastard Thanne bereþ þe crop kynde fruyt . and clennest of alle Maidenhode Aungeles peeris . and raþest wole be ripe And swete wiþ-outen swellyng . sour worþ it neuere I preide Piers þoW.16.76: W alone reads þo; all other B manuscripts omit it. to pulle adoun . an Appul and he wolde And suffre me to assaien . what sauour it hadde And Piers caste to þe crop . and þanne comsed it to crye And waggede widwehode . and it wepte after And whan it meued matrimoyne . it made a foul noise And I hadde ruþe whan Piers rogged . it gradde so rufulliche For euere as þei dropped adoun . þe deuel was redy And gadrede hem alle togideres . boþe grete and smale Adam and Abraham . and Ysaye þe prophete Sampson and Samuel . and Seint Iohan þe Baptist Bar hem forþ bodily . no body hym letted And made of holy men his hoord . In limbo Inferni There is derknesse and drede . and þe deuel maister And Piers for pure tene . of þat a pil he rauȝteW.16.89: W alone reads rauȝte; other B manuscripts have lauȝte except Cr which has caught. He hitte after hym . hitte how it myȝte Filius by þe fader wille . and frenesse of spiritus sancti To go robbe þat Rageman . and reue þe fruyt fro hym And þanne spak spiritus sanctus . in Gabrielis mouþe To a maide þat hiȝte Marie . a meke þyng wiþ-alle That oon Iesus a Iustices sone . moste Iouke in hir chambre Til plenitudo temporis . fully comen were That Piers fruyt floured . and felle to be rype And þanne sholde Iesus Iuste þer-fore . bi Iuggement of armes Wheiþer sholde fonge þe fruyt . þe fend or hym-selue The maide myldeliche þo . þe messager graunted And seide hendeliche to hym . lo me his hand-maiden For to werchen his wille . wiþ-outen any synne Ecce ancilla domini fiat michi &c And in þe wombe of þat wenche . was he fourty woukes Til he weex a faunt þoruȝ hir flessh . and of fightyng kouþe To haue yfouȝte wiþ þe fend . er ful tyme come And Piers þe Plowman . parceyued plener tyme And lered hym lechecraft . his lif for to saue That þouȝ he were wounded with his enemy . to warisshen hym-selue And dide hym assaie his surgenrieW.16.110: surgenrie: MED surgeonri n. The etymon is OF cirurgiennerie. All other B manuscripts read surgery (MED cirurgie n.). . on hem þat sike were Til he was parfit praktisour . if any peril fille And souȝte out þe sike . and synfulle boþe And saluede sike and synfulle . boþe blynde and crokede And commune wommen conuertede . and to goode turnede Non est sanis opus medicus . set in &c Boþe meseles and mute . and in þe menyson blody OfteW.16.117: W alone omits he after Ofte. heeled swiche . he ne held it for no maistrie Saue þo he leched lazar . þat hadde yleye in graue Quatriduanus quelt . quyk dide hym walke Ac as he made þe maistrie . mestus cepit esse And wepte water with hise eiȝen . þer seiȝen it manye Some þat þe sighte seiȝen . seiden þat tyme That he was leche of lif . and lord of heigh heuene Iewes iangled þer-ayein . and Iuggede lawes And seide he wroȝte þoruȝ wichecraft . & with þe deueles myȝte Demonium habetW.16.126: W alone reads habet; all other B manuscripts have habes. &c Thanne are ye cherles quod ich . and youre children boþe And Sathan youre Saueour . ye-selfW.16.128: W alone among B witnesses has ye-self. Other B witnesses read yow-self or youre-selfe. now ye witnessen For I haue saued yow-self seiþ crist . and youre sones after Youre bodies . youre beestes . and blynde men holpen And fed yow wiþ two fisshes . and wiþ fyue loues And lefte baskettes ful of broke mete . bere awey who-so wolde And mysseide þe Iewes manliche . and manaced hem to bete And knokked on hem wiþ a corde . and caste adoun hir stalles That in chirche chaffareden . or chaungeden any moneie And seide it in sighte of hem alle . so þat alle herden I shal ouer-turne þis temple . and adoun þrowe itW.16.137: W alone reads þrowe it; other B manuscripts have þrowe, while F has it þrowe. And in þre daies after . edifie it newe And maken it as muche ouþer moore . in alle manere poyntes As euere it was and as wid . wher-fore I hote yow Of preieres and of parfitnesse . þis place þat ye callen Domus mea domus oracionis vocabitur Enuye and yuel wil . was in þe Iewes Thei casten and contreueden . to kulle hym whan þei myȝte Eche day after ooþer . hir tyme þei awaiteden Til it bifel on a friday . a litel bifore Pasqe The þursday bifore . þere he made his maundee Sittynge at þe soper . he seide þise wordes I am sold þoruȝ oon of yow . he shal þe tyme rewe That euere he his Saueour solde . for siluer or ellis Iudas iangled þer-ayein . ac Iesus hym tolde It was hym-self sooþly . and seide tu dicis Thanne wente forþ þat wikked man . and wiþ þe Iewes mette And tolde hem a tokne . how to knowe wiþ Iesus And which tokne to þis day . to muche is yvsed That is kissynge and fair contenaunce . and vnkynde wille And so was wiþ Iudas þo . þat Iesus bitrayed Aue raby quod þat Ribaud . and riȝt to hym he yede And kiste hym to be caught þer-by . and kulled of þe Iewes Thanne Iesus to Iudas . and to þe Iewes seide Falsnesse I fynde . in þi faire speche And gile in þi glad chere . and galle is in þi laughyng Thow shalt be myrour . to many men to deceyue Ac þe worse and þi wikkednesse . shal worþe vp-on þi-selue Necesse est vt veniant scandala . ve homini illi per quem scandalum venit Thouȝ I bi treson be take . at youre owene wille Suffreþ myne Apostles in pees . and in pays gange On a þursday in þesternesse . þus was he taken Thoruȝ Iudas and Iewes . Iesus was his name That on þe friday folwynge . for mankyndes sake Iusted in Iherusalem . a ioye to vs alle On cros vp-on Caluarie . crist took þe bataille Ayeins deeþ and þe deuel . destruyed hir boþeres myȝtes Deide and deedW.16.174: W alone reads deed; all other B manuscripts have deeþ. for-dide . and day of nyȝt made And I awaked þer-wiþ . and wiped myne eiȝen And after Piers þe Plowman . pried and stared Estward and westward . I waited after faste And yede forþ as an ydiot . in contree to aspie After Piers þe Plowman . many a place I souȝte And þanne mette I wiþ a man . a mydlenten sonday As hoor as an haweþorn . and Abraham he highte I frayned hym first . fram whennes he come And of whennes he were . and whider þat he souȝteW.16.183: W alone reads souȝte; all other B manuscripts have þouȝte. I am feiþ quod þat freke . it falleþ noȝt to lye And of Abrahames hous . an heraud of armes AndW.16.186: W alone reads And; all other B manuscripts have I. seke after a segge . þat I seiȝ ones A ful bold bacheler . I knew hym by his blasen What berþ þat buyrn quod I þo . so blisse þee bitide Thre leodes in oon lyth . noon lenger þan ooþer Of oon muchel and myght . in mesure and in lengþe That oon dooþ alle dooþ . and ech dooþ bi his one The firste haþ myȝt and maiestee . makere of alle þynges Pater is his propre name . a persone by hym-selue The secounde of þaþa[t]W.16.194: W alone reads þa; all other B manuscripts have þat. sire is . Sothfastnesse filius Wardeyn of þat wit haþ . was euere wiþ-outen gynnyng The þridde highte þe holi goost . a persone by hym-selue The light of al þat lif haþ . alonde and a-watre Confortour of creatures . of hym comeþ alle blisse So þre bilongeþ for a lord . þat lordshipe cleymeþ Might and mene . to knowe his owene myȝte Of hym and of his seruaunt . and what þei suffre boþe So god þat gynnyng hadde neuere . but þo hym good þouȝte Sente forþ his sone . as for seruaunt þat tyme To ocupie hym here . til issue were spronge That is children of charite . and holi chirche þe moder Patriarkes and prophetes . and Apostles were þe children And Crist and cristendom . and cristene holy chirche In menynge þat man moste . on o god bileue And þere hym likede and louede . in þre persones hym shewede And þat it may be so and sooþ . manhode it sheweþ Wedlok and widwehode . wiþ virginite ynempned In tokenynge of þe Trinite . was out of man taken Adam was oure aller fader . and Eue was of hym-selue And þe issue þat þei hadde . it was of hem boþe And eiþer is oþeres ioye . in þre sondry persones And in heuene and here . oon singuler name And þus is mankynde and manhede . of matrimoyne yspronge And bitokneþ þe Trinite . and trewe bileue Mighty is matrimoyne . þat multiplieþ þe erþe And bitokneþ trewely . telle if I dorste Hym þat first formed al . þe fader of heuene The sone if I it dorste seye . resembleþ wel þe widewe Deus meus Deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me That is creatour weex creature . to knowe what was boþe As widewe wiþ-outen wedlok . was neuere ȝit yseyȝe Namoore myȝte god be man . but if he moder hadde So widewe with-outen wedlok . may noȝt wel stande Ne matrimoyne with-outen Muliere . is noȝt muche to preise Maledictus homo qui non reliquit semen in Israel &c Thus in þre persones . is parfitliche manhede That is man and his make . and mulliere children And is noȝt but gendre of a generacion . bifore Iesu crist in heuene So is þe fader forþ with þe sone . and fre wille of boþe Spiritus procedens a patre & filio &c Which is þe holy goost of alle . and alle is but o god Thus in a somer I hym seiȝ . as I sat in my porche I roos vp and reuerenced hym . and riȝt faire hym grette Thre men to my siȝte . I made wel ateseat ese Wessh hir feet and wiped hem . and afterward þei eten Calues flessh and Cakebreed . and knewe what I þouȝte Ful trewe toknes bitwene vs is . to telle whan me likeþ First he fonded me . if I louede bettre Hym or ysaak myn heir . þe which he hiȝte me kulle He wiste my wille bi hym . he wol me it allowe I am ful siker in soule þer-of . and my sone boþe I circumscised my sone . siþen for his sake My-self and my meynee . and alle þat male weere Bledden blood for þat lordes loue . and hope to blisse þe tyme Myn affiaunce and my feiþ . is ferme in þis bileue For hym-self bihiȝte to me . and to myn issue boþe Lond and lordshipe . and lif wiþ-outen ende To me and to myn issue . moore yet he grauntedeW.16.252: W alone omits me before grauntede. Mercy for oure mysdedes . as many tyme as we asken Quam olim Abrahe promisisti & semini eius And siþþe he sente me to seye . I sholde do sacrifise And doon hym worship with breed . and wiþ wyn boþe And called me þe foot of his feiþ . his folk for to saue And defende hem fro þe fend . folk þat on me leuedenW.16.258: Though <n> and <u> are not always clearly distinguishable, the reading appears to be leueden, and not leneden as reported by KD. The Crowley prints unambiguously read leueden and leued; F has beleveþ. Thus haue I ben his heraud . here and in helle And conforted many a careful . þat after his comynge waiteden And þus I seke hym he seide . for I herde seyn late Of a barn þat baptised hym . Iohan Baptist was his name That to patriarkes & to prophetes . and to ooþer peple in derknesse Seide þat he seiȝ here . þat sholde saue vs alle Ecce agnus dei &c I hadde wonder of hise wordes . and of hise wide cloþes For in his bosom he bar a þyng . þat he blissed euere And I loked in his lappe . a lazar lay þer-Inne Amonges patriarkes and prophetes . pleyinge togideres What awaitestow quod he . and what woldestow haue I wolde wite quod I þo . what is in youre lappe Loo quod he and leet me see . lord mercy I seide This is a present of muche pris . what prynce shal it haue It is a precious present quod he . ac þe pouke it haþ attached And me þer-myde quod þat man . may no wed vs quyte Ne no buyrn be oure borgh . ne brynge vs fram his daunger Out of þe poukes pondfold . no maynprise may vs fecche Til he come þat I carpe of . crist is his name That shal deliuere vs som day . out of þe deueles power And bettre wed for vs legge . þan we ben alle worþi That is lif for lif . or ligge þus euere Lollynge in my lappe . til swich a lord vs fecche Allas I seide þat synne . so longe shal lette The myght of goddes mercy . þat myȝte vs alle amende I wepte for hise wordes . wiþ þat sauȝ I anoþer Rapeliche renne forþ . þe riȝte wey he wente I affrayned hym first . fram whennes he come And what he highte & whider he wolde . and wightly he tolde