fol. 1rI
IN a somer seson . whan softe was þe sonne .
I shoop me in-to shroudes . as I a sheep weere .
In habite as an heremite . vnholy of werkes .
W.P.4KD.P.4
Wente wide in þis world . wondres to here .

Ac on a May morwenynge . on Maluerne hilles .
Me bifel a ferly . of Fairye me þoȝte .
I was wery for-wandred . and wente me to reste .
W.P.8KD.P.8
Vnder a brood bank . by a bournes syde .

And as I lay and lenede . and loked on þe watres .
I slombred in-to a slepyng . it sweyed so murye .

Thanne gan I meten . a merueillous sweuene .
W.P.12KD.P.12
That I was in a wildernesse . wiste I neuere where .
And as I biheeld in-to þe Eest . anheiȝan heiȝ to þe sonne .
I seiȝ a tour on a toft . trieliche ymaked .
A deep dale byneþe . a dongeon þer-Inne .
W.P.16KD.P.16
Wiþ depe diches and derke . and dredfulle of siȝte .
A fair feeld ful of folk . fond I þer bitwene .
Of alle manere of men . þe meene and þe riche .
Werchynge and wandrynge . as þe world askeþ .W.P.19: In the right margin running into the dark stain on the right-hand edge, a later fifteenth-century scribe has written names which are partly legible. They appear to read Ry
vont vont
John rich
Rychard. Kane and Donaldson report bond John Rychard.

W.P.20KD.P.20
Some putten hem to þe plouȝ . pleiden ful selde .W.P.20-27: Staining and rubbing on the left edge make the first half-dozen letters very faint, but the readings are secure.
In settynge and sowynge . swonken ful harde .
And wonnen þat wastours . with glotonye destruyeþ .

And somme putten hem to pride . apparailed hem þer-after .
W.P.24KD.P.24
In contenaunce of cloþynge . comenW.P.24: The scribe has supplied in a darker ink pride in the space under comen. degised .

In preieres and penaunces . putten hem manye .
Al for þe loue of oure lord . lyueden ful streyte .
In hope to haue after . heuene-riche blisse .
fol. 1vI
W.P.28KD.P.28
As Ancres and heremites . þat holden hem in hire selles
And coueiten noȝt in contree . to carien aboute
For no likerous liflode . hire likame to plese

And somme chosen chaffare . þei cheueden þe bettre
W.P.32KD.P.32
As it semeþ to oure siȝt . þat swiche men þryueþ

And somme murþes to make . as Mynstralles konne
And geten gold with hire glee . synnelees I leeue

Ac Iaperes and Iangeleres . Iudas children
W.P.36KD.P.36
Feynen hem fantasies . and fooles hem makeþ
And han hire wit at wille . to werken if þei wolde
That Poul precheþ of hem . I wolW.P.38: W alone reads wol; FGH have wyll, and the remaining B witnesses have nel or nyl. nat preue it here
ButW.P.39: W alone has But. All other B manuscripts omit it. . Qui loquitur turpiloquium . is luciferes hyne

W.P.40KD.P.40
Bidderes and beggeres . faste aboute yede
Wiþ hire belies and hire bagges . of breed ful ycrammed
Faiteden for hire foode . fouȝten at þe ale
In glotonye god woot . go þei to bedde
W.P.44KD.P.44
And risen wiþ ribaudie . þo Roberdes knaues
Sleep and sory sleuþe . seweþ hem euere

Pilgrymes and Palmeres . pliȝten hem togidere
For to seken Seint Iame . and Seintes at Rome
W.P.48KD.P.48
They wenten forþ in hire wey . wiþ many wise tales
And hadden leue to lyen . al hire lif after

I seiȝ somme þat seiden . þei hadde ysouȝt Seintes
To ech a tale þat þei tolde . hire tonge was tempred to lye
W.P.52KD.P.52
Moore þan to seye sooþ . it semed bi hire speche

Heremytes on an heep . with hoked staues .W.P.53: Words at the foot of the page in a different hand appear to read And heppyd stanys, prompted by the last words on the page and perhaps misreading staues as stanes.
fol. 2rI
Wenten to walsyngham . and hire wenches after
Grete lobies and longe . þat loþe were to swynke
W.P.56KD.P.56
Cloþed hem in copes . to ben knowen from oþere
And shopen hem heremytes . hire ese to haue

I fond þere Freres . alle þe foure ordres
Prechynge þe peple . for profit of hem-selue
W.P.60KD.P.60
Glosed þe gospel . as hem good liked
For coueitise of copes . construwed it as þei wolde
ManyeW.P.62: The last two letters are covered by a stain, but they are legible. of þise maistre freres . nowW.P.62: W alone reads now. GYC2CLM read mowe. cloþen hem at likyng
For hire moneie and hire marchaundize . marchen togideres
W.P.64KD.P.64
For siþ charite haþ ben chapman . and chief to shryue lordes
Manye ferlies han fallen . in a fewe yeres
But holy chirche and hij . holde bettre togidres
The mooste meschief on Molde . is mountynge wel faste

W.P.68KD.P.68
Ther preched a pardoner . as he a preest were
Brouȝte forþ a bulle . wiþ many Bisshopes seles
And seide þat hym-self myȝte . assoillen hem alle
Of falshede of fastynge . of Auowes ybroken

W.P.72KD.P.72
Lewed men leued itW.P.72: W alone reads it. Other beta witnesses have hym. wel . and liked hise wordes
Comen vp knelynge . to kissen hise bulles
He bonched hem with his breuet . and blered hire eiȝen
And rauȝte with his Rageman . rynges and broches

W.P.76KD.P.76
Thus þei gyuen hire gold . glotons to kepe
And leneþW.P.77: The reading could as well be leueþ. it swiche Losels . as leccherie haunten

Were þe Bisshop yblessed . and worþ boþe hise eris
His seel sholde noȝt be sent . to deceyue þe peple
W.P.80KD.P.80
Ac it is noȝt by þe bisshop . þat þe boy precheþ
For þe parisshe preest and þe pardoner . parten þe siluer
That þe poraille of þe parisshe sholde haue . if þei ne were
fol. 2vI
Persons and parisshe preestes . pleyned hem to þe Bisshop
W.P.84KD.P.84
That hire parisshes weren pouere . siþ þe pestilence tyme
To haue a licence and leue . at London to dwelle
And syngen þer for symonie . for siluer is swete

Bisshopes and Bachelers . boþe maistres and doctours
W.P.88KD.P.88
That han cure vnder crist . and crownynge in tokene
And signe þat þei sholden . shryuen hire parisshens
Prechen and praye for hem . and þe pouere fede
Liggen at Londoun . in Lenten and ellis

W.P.92KD.P.92
Somme seruen þe kyng . and his siluer tellen
In Cheker and in Chauncelrie . chalangen hise dettes
Of wardes and of wardemotes . weyues and streyves

And somme seruen as seruauntz . lordes and ladies
W.P.96KD.P.96
And in stede of Stywardes . sitten and demen
Hire messe & hire matyns . and many of hire houresW.P.97: A smudge, possibly a punctus, appears at the end of the line.
Arn doon vndeuoutliche . drede is at þe laste
Lest crist in Consistorie . acorse ful manye

W.P.100KD.P.100
I parceyued of þe power . þat Peter hadde to kepe
To bynden and vnbynden . as þe book telleþ
How he it lefte wiþ loue . as oure lord hiȝte
Amonges foure vertues . þe beste of alle vertues
W.P.104KD.P.104
That Cardinals ben called . and closynge yates
There is cristW.P.105: W alone reads is crist. Other beta witnesses have crist is. in his kyngdom . to close and to shette
And to opene it to hem . and heuene blisse shewe

Ac of þe Cardinals at court . þat kauȝte of þat name
W.P.108KD.P.108
And power presumed in hem . a pope to make
To han þat power þat Peter hadde . impugnen I nelle
For in loue and in lettrure . þe eleccion bilongeþ
For-þi I kan & kan nauȝt . of court speke moore
fol. 3rI
W.P.112KD.P.112
Thanne kam þer a kyng . knyȝthod hym ladde
Might of þe communes . made hym to regne

And þanne cam kynde wit . and clerkes he made
For to counseillen þe kyng . and þe commune saue

W.P.116KD.P.116
The kyng and knyȝthod . and clergie boþe
Casten þat þe commune . sholde hem-self fynde

The commune contreued . of kynde wit craftes
And for profit of al þe peple . Plowmen ordeyned
W.P.120KD.P.120
To tilie and to trauaille . as trewe lif askeþ

The kyng . and þe commune . and kynde wit þe þridde
Shopen lawe and leaute . ech man to knowe his owene

Thanne loked vp a lunatik . a leene þyng wiþ-alle
W.P.124KD.P.124
And knelynge to þe kyng . clergially he seide

Crist kepe þee sire kyng . and þi kyngryche
And lene þee lede þi lond . so leaute þee louye
And for þi riȝtful rulyng . be rewarded in heuene

W.P.128KD.P.128
And siþen in þe Eyr anheiȝan heiȝ . an Aungel of heuene
Lowed to speke in latyn . for lewed men ne koude
Iangle ne Iugge . þat Iustifie hem sholde
But suffren and seruen . for-þi seide þe Aungel

W.P.132KD.P.132
Sum Rex sum princeps . neutrum fortasse deinceps .
O qui iura regis . christi specialia regis .
Hoc quod agas melius . iustus es . esto pius .
Nudum ius a te . vestiri vult pietate
W.P.136KD.P.136
Qualia vis metere . talia grana sere
Si ius nudatur . nudo de iure metatur
fol. 3vI
SiW.P.138: The reading is obviously Si, but a crease in the manuscript makes the <i> illegible. seritur pietas . de pietate metas

Thanne greued hym a Goliardeis . a gloton of wordes
W.P.140KD.P.140
And to þe Aungel anheiȝan heiȝ . answerde afterW.P.140: The apparent punctus at the end of the line is probably the final stroke of <r>.
Dum rex a regere . dicatur nomen habere
Nomen habet sine re . nisi studet iura tenere

Thanne gan al þe commune . crye in vers of latyn
W.P.144KD.P.144
To þe kynges counseil . construe who-so wolde
Precepta Regis . sunt nobis vincula legis

Wiþ þat ran þer a route . of Ratons atonesat ones
And smale mees mydW.P.147: W alone reads myd. Other B witnesses have with. hem . mo þan a þousand
W.P.148KD.P.148
And comen to a counseil . for þe commune profit
For a cat of a contree . cam whan hym liked
And ouerleep hem liȝtliche . and lauȝte hem at his wille
And pleide wiþ hem perillousli . and possed aboute
W.P.152KD.P.152
For doute of diuerse dredes . we dar noȝt wel loke
And if we grucche of his gamen . he wol greuen vs alle
Cracchen vs or clawen vs . and in hise clouches holde
That vs loþeþ þe lif . er he late vs passe
W.P.156KD.P.156
Miȝte we wiþ any wit . his wille wiþ-stonde
We myȝte be lordes o-lofte . and lyuen at oure ese

A Raton of renoun . moost renable of tonge
Seide for a souereyn . help to hym-selue

W.P.160KD.P.160
I haue yseyen segges quod he . in þe Cite of Londoun
Beren beiȝes ful briȝte . abouten hire nekkes
And somme colers of crafty werk . vncoupled þei wenten
Boþe in wareyne and in waast . where hem-self liked
W.P.164KD.P.164
And ouþer while þei arn ellis-where . as I here telle
Were þer a belle on hire beiȝe . by Iesu as me þynkeþ
Men myȝte witen wher þei wente . and awey renne
fol. 4rI
And riȝt so quod þat Raton . Reson me sheweþW.P.167: The scribe wrote his usual form of <þ> but put a dot above it as though it were a <y>.
W.P.168KD.P.168
To bugge a belle of bras . or of briȝt siluer
And knytten it on a coler . for oure commune profitW.P.169: Following this line all B manuscripts except WHmCr1G read: And hangen it vp on þe cattes hals . thanne here we mowen (as in L).
Wher he ryt or rest . or renneþ to pleye
And if hym list for to laike . þanne loke we mowen
W.P.172KD.P.173
And peeren in his presence . þe while hym pleye likeþ
And if hym wraþeþ be war . and his wey shonye

Al þis route of Ratons . to þis reson þei assented
Ac þo þe belle was ybrouȝt . and on þe beiȝe hanged
W.P.176KD.P.177
Ther ne was Raton in al þe route . for al þe Reaume of Fraunce
That dorste haue bounden þe belle . aboute þe cattes nekke
Ne hangen it aboute þe cattes hals . al Engelond to wynne
AlleW.P.179: W alone reads Alle. Other B manuscripts have And. helden hem vnhardy . and hir counseil feble
W.P.180KD.P.181
And leten hire labour lost . and al hire longe studie

A Mous þat muche good . kouþe as me þouȝte
Strook forþ sternely . and stood bifore hem alle
And to þe route of Ratons . reherced þise wordes

W.P.184KD.P.185
Thouȝ we killen þe cat . yet sholde þer come anoþer
To cacchen vs & al oure kynde . þouȝ we cropen vnder benches
For-þi I counseille al þe commune . to late þe cat worþe
And be we neuere boldeW.P.187: W alone reads bolde. Other beta witnesses have so bolde. . þe belle hym to shewe
W.P.188KD.P.193
For I herde my sire seyn . is seuen yeer y-passed
Ther þe cat is a kitoun . þe court is ful elenge
That witnesseþ holy writ . who-so wole it rede
Ve terre vbi puer Rex est &c
W.P.192KD.P.197
For may no renk þer reste haue . for Ratons by nyȝte
The while he caccheþ conynges . he coueiteþ noȝt youreW.P.193: W alone reads youre. Other B manuscripts have oure. caroyne
But fedeþ hym al wiþ venyson . defame we hym neuere
For bettre is a litel los . þan a long sorweW.P.195: The phrase a feyrse, perhaps meaning "a verse, proverb," is written in the right margin in a later hand as again at W.1.38 and W.1.86. It presumably draws attention to the proverbial nature of the line.
W.P.196KD.P.192
The maze among vs alle . þeiȝ we mysse a sherewe
For many mennes malt . we mees wolde destruyeW.P.197: A crease runs down the center of the leaf, obscuring some characters in the facsimile which are legible in the manuscript.
fol. 4vI
And also ye route of Ratons . rende mennes cloþes
Nere þe cat of þat court . þat kan yow ouer-lepe
W.P.200KD.P.201
For hadde ye rattes youre wille . ye kouþe noȝt rule yow-selue

I seye for me quod þe Mous . I se so muchel after
Shal neuere þe cat ne þe kiton . by my counseil be greued
ThoruȝW.P.203: W alone reads Thoruȝ. Other B manuscripts have Ne. carpynge of þis coler . þat costed me neuere
W.P.204KD.P.205
And þouȝ it hadde costned me catel . biknowen it I nolde
But suffren as hym-self wolde . to doon as hym likeþ
Coupled and vncoupled . to cacche what þei mowe
For-þi ech a wis wiȝt I warne . wite wel his owene

W.P.208KD.P.209
What þis metels bymeneþ . ye men þat ben murye
Deuyne ye . for I ne dar . by deere god in heuene

Yet houed þer an hundred . in howues of selk
Sergeantz it bisemed . þat serueden at þe barre
W.P.212KD.P.213
Pleteden for penyes . and poundes þe lawe
And noȝt for loue of oure lord . vnlose hire lippes ones
Thow myȝtest bettre meete myst . on Maluerne hilles
Than gete a mom of hire mouþ . til moneie be shewed

W.P.216KD.P.217
Barons and Burgeises . and bonde-men als
I seiȝ in þis assemblee . as ye shul here after
Baksteres and Brewesteres . and Bochiers manye
Wollen webbesters . and weueres of lynnen
W.P.220KD.P.221
Taillours and Tynkers . and Tollers in Markettes
Masons and Mynours . and many oþere craftes
Of alle kynne lybbynge laborers . lopen forþ somme
As dykeres and delueres . þat doon hire dedes ille
W.P.224KD.P.225
And dryueþ forþ þe longe day . with Dieu saue dame Emme

Cokes and hire knaues . cryden hote pies hote
Goode gees and grys . gowego we dyne gowego we
fol. 5rI
Tauerners vntil hem . trewelyW.P.227: W alone reads trewely. Other B manuscripts omit it. tolden þe same
W.P.228KD.P.229
Whit wyn of Oseye . and reed wyn of Gascoigne
Of þe Ryn and of þe Rochel . þe roost to defieW.P.229: Following this line all B manuscripts except WYF read: Al þis seiȝ I slepyng . and seuene sythes more (as in L).
MED