Chapter I: Front Matter (1)

Transcriber's note: A few obvious typographical errors have been corrected: they are listed at the end of the text.

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Project Gutenberg has the other volume of this work. Volume I: see https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43660

* * * * *

Library of Old Authors.

THE VISION AND CREED

OF

PIERS PLOUGHMAN.

EDITED,
FROM A CONTEMPORARY MANUSCRIPT,
WITH A HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION,
NOTES, AND A GLOSSARY,

BY THOMAS WRIGHT, M.A. F.S.A. &c.

Corresponding Member of the Imperial Institute of France,
Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

_SECOND AND REVISED EDITION._

LONDON:
REEVES AND TURNER, 196 STRAND.
1887.

* * * * *

{273}

_Passus Decimus Quartus, etc._

"Ihave but oon hool hater," quod Haukyn; 8900
"I am the lasse to blame,
Though it be soiled and selde clene:
I slepe therinne o nyghtes.
And also I have an houswif,
Hewen and children,--
_Uxorem duxi, et ideo non possum venire._--
That wollen by-molen it many tyme,
Maugree my chekes.
It hath be laved in Lente
And out of Lente bothe, 8910
With the sope of siknesse,
That seketh wonder depe,
And with the losse of catel,
Looth for to a-gulte
God of any good man,
By aught that I wiste;
And was shryven of the preest
That gaf me for my synnes
To penaunce pacience
And povere men to fede, 8920
Al for coveitise of my cristendom
In clennesse to kepen it.
{274}
And kouthe I nevere, by Crist!
Kepen it clene an houre,
That I ne soiled it with sighte
Or som ydel speche,
Or thorugh werk, or thorugh word,
Or wille of myn herte,
That I ne flobre it foule
Fro morwe til even." 8930

"And I shal kenne thee," quod Conscience,
"Of contricion to make
That shal clawe thi cote
Of alle kynnes filthe.
_Cordis contritio, etc._
Do-wel shal wasshen and wryngen it
Thorugh a wis confessour.
_Oris confessio, etc._
Do-bet shal beten it and bouken it
As bright as any scarlet, 8940
And engreyven it with good wille
And Goddes grace to amende the,
And sithen sende thee to satisfaccion
For to sowen it after.
_Satisfactio Do-best._

"Shal nevere cheeste by-molen it,
Ne mothe after biten it,
Ne fend ne fals man
Defoulen it in thi lyve.
Shal noon heraud ne harpour 8950
Have a fairer garnement
Than Haukyn the actif man,
And thow do by my techyng;
Ne no mynstrall be moore worth
Amonges povere and riche,
Than Haukyns wif the wafrer,
{275}
With his _activa vita_."

"And I shal purveie thee paast," quod Pacience,
"Though no plough erye,
And flour to fede folk with 8960
As best be for the soule,
Though nevere greyn growed,
Ne grape upon vyne.
To alle that lyveth and loketh
Liflode wolde I fynde,
And that y-nogh shal noon faille
Of thyng that hem nedeth,
We sholde noght be to bisy
Abouten oure liflode,"
_Ne solliciti sitis, etc. Volucres coeli 8970
Deus pascit, etc. Patientes
vincunt._

Thanne laughed Haukyn a litel,
And lightly gan swerye,
"Who so leveth yow, by oure Lord!
I leve noght he be blessed."

"No," quod Pacience paciently;
And out of his poke hente
Vitailles of grete vertues
For alle manere beestes, 8980
And seide, "Lo here liflode y-nogh!
If oure bileve be trewe.
For lent nevere was lif,
But liflode were shapen,
Wher-of or wher-fore
Or wher-by to libbe.

"First the wilde worm
Under weet erthe,
Fissh to lyve in the flood,
{276}
And in the fir the criket, 8990
The corlew by kynde of the eyr
Moost clennest flessh of briddes,
And bestes by gras and by greyn
And by grene rootes,
In menynge that alle men
Myghte the same
Lyve thorugh leel bileve
And love, as God witnesseth."
_Quodcunque petieritis a patre in
nomine meo, etc. Et alibi: 9000
Non in solo pane vivit homo,
sed in omni verbo quod procedit
de ore Dei._

But I lokede what liflode it was
That Pacience so preisede;
And thanne was it a pece of the pater-noster,
_Fiat voluntas tua._

"Have, Haukyn," quod Pacience,
"And et this whan the hungreth,
Or whan thow clomsest for cold, 9010
Or clyngest for drye;
Shul nevere gyves thee greve,
Ne gret lordes wrathe,
Prison ne peyne;
For _patientes vincunt_.
By so that thow be sobre
Of sighte and of tonge,
In etynge and in handlynge,
And in alle thi fyve wittes,
Darstow nevere care for corn, 9020
Ne lynnen cloth ne wollen,
Ne for drynke, ne deeth drede,
But deye as God liketh,
{277}
Or thorugh hunger or thorugh hete,
At his wille be it.
For if thow lyve after his loore,
The shorter lif the bettre.
_Si quis amat Christum,
Mundum non diliget istum._

"For thorugh his breeth beestes woxen 9030
And a-brood yeden.
_Dixit et facta sunt, etc._
_Ergo_ thorugh his breeth mowen
Men and beestes lyven,
As holy writ witnesseth,
Whan men seye hir graces.
_Aperis tu manum tuam, et imples
omne animal benedictione._

"It is founden that fourty wynter
Folk lyvede withouten tulying; 9040
And out of the flynt sprong the flood
That folk and beestes dronken;
And in Elyes tyme
Hevene was y-closed,
That no reyn ne roon;
Thus rede men in bokes 9046
That many wyntres men lyveden,
And no mete ne tulieden.

"Sevene slepe, as seith the book,
Sevene hundred wynter,
And lyveden withouten liflode,
And at the laste thei woken.
And if men lyvede as mesure wolde,
Sholde nevere moore be defaute
Amonges cristene creatures,
If Cristes wordes ben trewe.

"Ac unkyndenesse _caristiam_ maketh 9056
{278}
Amonges cristen peple;
And over plentee maketh pryde
Amonges poore and riche.
Therfore mesure is muche worth, 9060
It may noght be to deere;
For the meschief and the meschaunce
Amonges men of Sodome,
Weex thorugh plentee of payn,
And of pure sleuthe.
_Otiositas et abundantia panis peccatum
turpissimum nutrivit._
For thei mesured noght hemself
Of that thei ete and dronke,
Thei diden dedly synne 9070
That the devel liked,
So vengeaunce fil upon hem
For hir vile synnes;
Thei sonken into helle,
The citees echone.

"For-thi mesure we us wel,
And make oure feith oure sheltrom;
And thorugh feith cometh contricion,
Conscience woot wel,
Which dryveth awey dedly synne, 9080
And dooth it to be venial.
And though a man myghte noght speke,
Contricion myghte hym save,
And brynge his soule to blisse;
For so that feith bere witnesse,
That whiles he lyvede, he bilevede
In the loore of the holy chirche.
_Ergo_ contricion, feith, and conscience
Is kyndeliche Do-wel,
{279}
And surgiens for dedly synnes 9090
Whan shrift of mouthe failleth.
Ac shrift of mouth moore worthi is,
If man be y-liche contrit;
For shrift of mouthe sleeth synne,
Be it never so dedly.
_Per confessionem_ to a preest
_Peccata occiduntur._

"Ther contricion dooth but dryveth it down
Into a venial synne,
As David seith in the Sauter, 9100
_Et quorum tecta sunt peccata_;
Ac satisfaccion seketh out the roote,
And bothe sleeth and voideth,
An as it nevere hadde y-be
To noghte bryngeth dedly synne,
That it nevere eft is sene ne soor,
But semeth a wounde y-heeled."

"Where wonyeth Charité?" quod Haukyn,
"I wiste nevere in my lyve
Man that with hym spak, 9110
As wide as I have passed."

"Ther parfit truthe and poore herte is,
And pacience of tonge,
Ther is Charité the chief chaumbrere
For God hymselve."

"Wheither paciente poverte," quod Haukyn,
"Be moore plesaunt to our Drighte
Than richesse rightfulliche wonne,
And resonably despended?"

"Ye, _quis est ille_?" quod Pacience; 9120
"Quik _laudabimus eum_.
{280}
Though men rede of richesse
Right to the worldes ende,
I wiste nevere renk that riche was,
That whan he rekene sholde,
Whan he drogh to his deeth day,
That he ne dredde hym soore,
And that at the rekenyng in arrerage fel
Rather than out of dette.
Ther the poore dar plede, 9130
And preve by pure reson,
To have allowance of his lord,
By the lawe he it cleymeth;
Joye, that nevere joye hadde,
Of rightful jugge he asketh,
And seith 'Lo! briddes and beestes
That no blisse ne knoweth,
And wilde wormes in wodes,
Thorugh wyntres thow hem grevest;
And makest hem wel neigh meke, 9140
And mylde for defaute;
And after thow sendest hem somer,
That is hir sovereyn joye,
And blisse to alle that ben,
Bothe wilde and tame.'

"Thanne may beggeris as beestes
After boote waiten,
That al hir lif han lyved
In langour and in defaute,
But God sente hem som tyme 9150
Som manere joye
Outher here or ellis where,
Kynde wolde it nevere;
For to wrotherhele was he wroght
That nevere was joye shapen.
{281}
Aungeles that in helle now ben
Hadden joye som tyme;
And Dives in the deyntees lyvede,
And in _douce vie_.
Right so reson sheweth 9160
That the men that were riche,
And hir makes also,
Lyvede hir lif in murthe.

"Ac God is of wonder wille,
By that kynde wit sheweth,
To gyve many man his mede
Er he it have deserved.
Right so fareth God by some riche,
Ruthe me it thynketh;
For thei han hir hire heer, 9170
And hevene, as it were,
And greet likynge to lyve
Withouten labour of bodye:
And whan he dyeth, ben disalowed,
As David seith in the Sauter:
_Dormierunt, et nihil invenerunt._
And in another stede also:
_Velut somnium surgentium, Domine,
in civitate tua, et ad nihilum
rediges, etc._ 9180

"Allas! that richesse shal reve
And robbe mannes soule
From the love of oure Lord,
At his laste ende.

"Hewen, that han hir hire afore,
Arn evere moore nedy;
And selden deyeth he out of dette,
That dyneth er he deserve it,
And til he have doon his devoir
{282}
And his dayes journée. 9190
For whan a werkman hath wroght,
Than many men se the sothe
What he were worthi for his werk,
And what he hath deserved;
And noght to fonge bifore,
For drede of disalowyng.

"So I seye by yow riche,
It semeth noght that ye shulle
Have hevene in youre here dwellyng,
And hevene also therafter; 9200
Right so as a servaunt taketh his salarie bifore,
And siththe wolde clayme moore,
As he that noon hadde,
And hath hire at the laste.
It may noght be, ye riche men,
Or Mathew on God lyeth:
_Væ! deliciis ad delicias difficile est
transire._

"Ac if ye riche have ruthe,
And rewarde wel the poore, 9210
And lyven as lawe techeth,
And doon leauté to hem alle,
Crist of his curteisie
Shal conforte yow at the laste,
And rewarden alle double richesse
That rewful hertes habbeth.
And as an hyne that hadde
His hire er he bigonne,
And whan he hath doon his devoir wel
Men dooth hym oother bountee, 9220
Gyveth hym a cote above his covenaunt,
{283}
Right so Crist gyveth hevene
Bothe to riche and to noght riche
That rewfulliche libbeth;
And alle that doon hir devoir wel
Han double hire for hir travaille,
Here forgifnesse of hir synnes,
And hevene blisse after.

"Ac it is but selde y-seien,
As by holy seintes bokes, 9230
That God rewarded double reste
To any riche wye.
For muche murthe is amonges riche,
As in mete and clothyng;
And muche murthe in May is
Amonges wilde beestes,
And so forth while somer lasteth
Hir solace dureth.

"Ac beggeris aboute Midsomer
Bred-lees thei slepe.
And yet is wynter for hem worse,
For weet shoed thei gone,
A-furst soore and a-fyngred,
And foule y-rebuked, 9244
And a-rated of riche men
That ruthe is to here.
Now, Lord, sende hem somer,
And som maner joye,
Hevene after hir hennes goyng,
That here han swich defaute,
For alle myghtestow have maad
Noon mener than oother,
And y-liche witty and wise,
If thee wel hadde liked.
But, Lord, have ruthe on thise riche men, 9254
{284}
That rewarde noght thi prisoners.
Of the good that thow hem gyvest
_Ingrati_ ben manye;
Ac, God, of thi goodnesse
Gyve hem grace to amende.
For may no derthe be hem deere, 9260
Droghte ne weet hem greve,
Ne neither hete ne hayll;
Have thei hir heele,
Of that thei wilne and wolde
Wanteth hem noght here.

"Ac poore peple thi prisoners,
Lord, in the put of meschief,
Conforte tho creatures,
That muche care suffren
Thorugh derthe, thorugh droghte, 9270
Alle hir dayes here,
Wo in wynter tymes
For wantynge of clothes,
And in somer tyme selde
Soupen to the fulle.
Conforte thi carefulle,
Crist, in thi richesse;
For how thow confortest alle creatures,
Clerkes bereth witnesse:
_Convertimini ad me, et salvi eritis_. 9280

"Thus _in genere_ of gentries
Jhesu Crist seide,
To robberis and to reveris,
To riche and to poore,
Thou taughtest hem in the Trinité
To taken bapteme,
And to be clene through that cristnyng
Of alle kynnes synne;
{285}
And if us fille thorugh folie
To falle in synne after, 9290
Confession and knowlichynge
In cravynge thi mercy,
Shulde amenden us as manye sithes
As man wolde desire.
And if the pope wolde plede ayein,
And punysshe us in conscience,
He sholde take the acquitaunce as quyk,
And to the queed shewen it.
_Pateat, etc. per passionem Domini._
And putten of so the pouke, 9300
And preven us under borwe.
Ac the parchemyn of this patente
Of poverte be moste,
And of pure pacience,
And parfit bileve.

"Of pompe and of pride
The parchemym decourreth,
And principalliche of al the peple,
But thei be poore of herte;
Ellis is al on ydel, 9310
Al that evere writen
Pater-nostres and penaunce,
And pilgrymages to Rome;
But oure spences and spendynge
Sprynge of a trewe wille,
Ellis is al our labour lost,
Lo! how men writeth
In fenestres at the freres,
If fals be the foundement.
For-thi cristene sholde be in commune riche, 9320
Noon coveitous for hymselve.
{286}

"For sevene synnes ther ben,
That assaillen us evere;
The fend folweth hem alle,
And fondeth hem to helpe.
Ac with richesse that ribaud
He rathest men bigileth.
For ther that richesse regneth,
Reverence folweth;
And that is plesaunt to pride, 9330
In poore and in riche.
And the riche is reverenced
By reson of his richesse,
Ther the poore is put bihynde,
And peraventure kan moore
Of wit and of wisdom,
That fer awey is bettre
Than richesse or reautee,
And rather y-herd in hevene.
For the riche hath muche to rekene; 9340
And many tyme hym that walketh
The heighe wey to hevene-ward,
Richesse hym letteth,--
_Ita inpossibile diviti, etc._--
Ther the poore preesseth bifore the riche,
With a pak at his rugge,--
_Opera enim illorum sequuntur illos_.--
Batauntliche, as beggeris doon,
And boldeliche he craveth,
For his poverte and his pacience, 9350
A perpetuel blisse.
_Beati pauperes, quoniam ipsorum
est regnum cælorum._

"And pride in richesse regneth
Rather than in poverte;
{287}
Arst in the master than in the man
Som mansion he haveth.
Ac in poverte, ther pacience is,
Pride hath no myghte,
Ne none of the sevene synnes 9360
Sitten ne mowe ther longe,
Ne have power in poverte,
If pacience folwe.
For the poore is ay prest
To plese the riche,
And buxom at hise biddynges,
For his broke loves;
And boxomnesse and boost
Arn evere moore at werre,
And either hateth oother 9370
In alle maner werkes.

"If wrathe wrastle with the poore,
He hath the worse ende;
And if thei bothe pleyne,
The poore is but feble;
And if he chide or chatre,
Hym cheveth the worse.

"And if coveitise cacche the poore,
Thei may noght come togideres;
And by the nekke namely 9380
Hir noon may hente oother.
For men knowen wel that coveitise
Is of kene wille,
And hath hondes and armes
Of ful greet lengthe;
And poverte nys but a petit thyng,
Apereth noght to his navele;
And lovely layk was it nevere
Bitwene the longe and the shorte.
{288}

"And though avarice wolde angre the poore, 9390
He hath but litel myghte;
For poverte hath but pokes
To putten in hise goodes,
Ther avarice hath almaries,
And yren bounden cofres.
And wheither be lighter to breke,
And lasse boost maketh,
A beggeris bagge
Than an yren bounde cofre?

"Lecherie loveth hym noght, 9400
For he gyveth but litel silver,
Ne dooth hym noght dyne delicatly,
Ne drynke wyn ofte.
A straw for the stuwes!
Thei stoode noght, I trowe,
Hadde thei no thyng but of poore men,
Hir houses stoode untyled.

"And though sleuthe suwe poverte,
And serve noght God to paie,
Meschief is his maister, 9410
And maketh hym to thynke
That God is his grettest help,
And no gome ellis;
And he is servaunt, as he seith,
And of his sute bothe;
And wheither he be or be noght,
He bereth the signe of poverte,
And in that secte oure Saveour
Saved al mankynde.
For-thi every poore that pacient is, 9420
May cleymen and asken
After hir endynge here
{289}
Hevene riche blisse,

"Muche hardier may he asken,
That here myghte have his wille
In lond and in lordshipe,
And likynge of bodie,
And for Goddes love leveth al,
Any lyveth as a beggere;
And as a mayde for mannes love 9430
Hire moder forsaketh,
Hir fader and alle hire frendes,
And folweth hir make.
Muche moore is to love
Of hym that swich oon taketh,
Than is that maiden
That is maried thorugh brocage,
As by assent of sondry parties,
And silver to boote,
Moore for coveitise of good 9440
Than kynde love of bothe.
So it fareth by ech a persone
That possession forsaketh,
And put hym to be pacient.
And poverte weddeth,
The which is sib to God hymself,
And so to hise seintes."

"Have God my trouthe!" quod Haukyn,
"Ye preise faste poverte,
What is poverte with pacience," quod he; 9450
"Proprely to mene?"
"_Paupertas_," quod Pacience, "_est
odibile bonum, remotio curarum,
possessio sine calumnia,
donum Dei, sanitatis mater,
{290}
absque sollicitudine semita,
sapientiæ temperatrix, negotium
sine damno, incerta fortuna,
absque sollicitudine
felicitas._" 9460

"I kan noght construe al this," quod Haukyn,
"Ye moste kenne me this on Englissh."

"In Englissh," quod Pacience,
"It is wel hard wel to expounen;
Ac som deel I shal seyen it,
By so thow understonde:
Poverte is the firste point
That pride moost hateth;
Thanne is it good by good skile,
Al that agasteth pride. 9470
Right as contricion is confortable thyng,
Conscience woot wel,
And a sorwe of hymself,
And a solace to the soule,
So poverte propreliche,
Penaunce and joye,
Is to the body
Pure spiritual helthe.
_Ergo paupertas est odibile bonum._
And contricion confort, 9480
And _cura animarum_.

"Selde sit poverte,
The sothe to declare;
For as justice to jugge men,
Enjoyned is no poore,
Ne to be mair above men
Ne mynystre under kynges;
Selde is any poore y-put
{291}
To punysshen any peple.
_Remotio curarum._ 9490
_Ergo_ poverte and poore men
Perfournen the comaundement,
_Nolite judicare
Quemquam_ the thridde,"

"Selde is any poore riche,
But of rightful heritage;
Wynneth he noght with wightes false,
Ne with unseled mesures,
Ne borweth of hise neighebores,
But that he may wel paie. 9500
_Possessio sine calumnia._

"The ferthe is a fortune
That florissheth the soule,
With sobretee fram alle synne,
And also yit moore
It afaiteth the flessh
Fram folies ful manye,
A collateral confort,
Cristes owene gifte.
_Donum Dei._ 9510

"The fifte is moder of helthe,
A frend in alle fondynges,
And for the land evere a leche,
A lemman of alle clennesse.
_Sanitatis mater._

"The sixte is a path of pees,
Ye, thorugh the paas of Aultone
Poverte myghte passe
Withouten peril of robbyng.
For ther that poverte passeth, 9520
Pees folweth after;
And ever the lasse that he bereth,
{292}
The hardier he is of herte.
For-thi seith Seneca,
_Paupertas est absque sollicitudine semita_ =
And an hardy man of herte,
Among an heep of theves.
_Cantabit paupertas coram latrone
viatore._ 9530

"The seventhe is welle of wisedom,
And fewe wordes sheweth;
Therfore lordes alloweth hym litel,
Or listneth to his reson,
For he tempreth the tonge to trutheward,
And no tresor coveiteth
_Sapientiæ temperatrix._

"The eightethe is a lele labour,
And looth to take moore
Than he may wel deserve, 9540
In somer or in wynter.
And if he chaffareth, he chargeth no losse,
Mowe he charité wynne.
_Negotium sine damno._

"The nynthe is swete to the soule,
No sugre is swetter.
For pacience is payn
For poverte hymselve,
And sobretee swete drynke
And good leche in siknesse. 9550
Thus lered me a lettred man,
For oure Lordes love of hevene;
Seint Austyn a blessed lif
Withouten bisynesse ladde
For body and for soule,
_Absque sollicitudine felicitas_.
{293}
Now God, that alle good gyveth,
Graunte his soule reste
That this first wroot to wissen men
What poverte was to mene!" 9560

"Allas!" quod Haukyn the actif man tho,
"That after my cristendom
I ne hadde be deed and dolven
For Do-welis sake!
So hard it is," quod Haukyn,
"To lyve and to do no synne.
Synne seweth us evere," quod he,
And sory gan wexe,
And wepte water with hise eighen,
And weyled the tyme 9570
That he evere dide dede
That deere God displesed;
Swound and sobbed
And siked ful ofte,
That evere he hadde lond outher lordshipe,
Lasse other moore,
Or maistrie over any man
Mo than of hymselve.
"I were noght worthi, woot God!" quod Haukyn,
"To werien any clothes, 9580
Ne neither sherte ne shoon,
Save for shame one
To covere my careyne," quod he;
And cride mercy faste,
And wepte and wailede;
And therwith I awakede. 9586

* * * * *

{294}

_Passus Decimus Quintus, etc. finit Do-wel, et incipit Do-bet._

Ac after my wakynge, 9587
It was wonder longe
Er I koude kyndely
Knowe what was Do-wel.
And so my wit weex and wanyed,
Til I a fool weere;
And some lakkede my lif,
Allowed it fewe,
And lete me for a lorel,
And looth to reverencen
Lordes or ladies,
Or any lif ellis;
As persons in pelure,
With pendauntz of silver; 9600
To sergeauntz ne to swiche
Seide I noght ones,
"God loke yow, lordes!"
Ne loutede faire;
That folk helden me a fool,
And in that folie I raved.
Til reson hadde ruthe on me,
And rokked me a-slepe,
Til I seigh, as it sorcerie were,
A sotil thyng withalle; 9610
{295}
Oon withouten tonge and teeth
Tolde me whider I sholde,
And wherof I cam, and of what kynde;
I conjured hym at the laste,
If he were Cristes creature
Anoon me to tellen.

"I am Cristes creature," quod he,
"And cristene in many a place,
In Cristes court y-knowe wel,
And of his kyn a party. 9620
Is neither Peter the porter,
Nor Poul with his fauchon,
That wole defende me the dore,
Dynge I never so late;
At mydnyght, at mydday,
My vois so is knowe,
That ech a creature of his court
Welcometh me faire."

"What are ye called," quod I, "in that court,
Among Cristes peple?" 9630

"The whiles I quikne the cors," quod he,
"Called am I _Anima_;
And whan I wilne and wolde,
_Animus_ ich hatte;
And for that I kan knowe,
Called am I _Mens_;
And whan I make mone to God,
_Memoria_ is my name;
And whan I deme domes,
And do as truthe techeth, 9640
Thanne is _Ratio_ my righte name,
Reson on Englisshe;
{296}
And whan I feele that folk telleth,
My firste name is _Sensus_,
And that is wit and wisdom,
The welle of alle craftes.
And whan I chalange or chalange noght,
Chepe or refuse,
Thanne am I _Conscience_ y-called,
Goddes clerk and his notarie; 9650
And whan I love leelly
Oure Lord and alle othere,
Thanne is lele Love my name,
And in Latyn _Amor_;
And whan I flee fro the flesshe,
And forsake the careyne,
Thanne am I a spirit specheless,
_Spiritus_ thanne iche hatte.
Austyn and Ysodorus,
Either of hem bothe, 9660
Nempnede me thus to name,
And now thow myght chese
How thow coveitest to calle me,
For now thow knowest my names."
_Anima pro diversis actionibus diversa
nomina sortitur; dum
vivificat corpus, anima est;
dum vult, animus est; dum
scit, mens est; dum recolit,
memoria est; dum judicat, 9670
ratio est; dum sentit, sensus
est; dum amat, amor est;
dum negat vel consentit, conscientia
est; dum spirat, spiritus
est._
"Ye ben as a bisshope," quod I,
{297}
Al bourdynge that tyme;
"For bisshopes y-blessed,
Thei bereth manye names,
_Præsul_ and _pontifex_, 9680
And _metropolitanus_,
And othere names an heep,
_Episcopus_ and _pastor_."

"That is sooth," seide he;
"Now I se thi wille;
Thow woldest knowe and konne
The cause of alle my names,
And of me, if thow myghtest,
Me thynketh by thi speche."

"Ye, sire," I seide, 9690
"By so no man were greved,
Alle the sciences under sonne,
And alle the sotile craftes,
I wolde I knewe and kouthe
Kyndely in myn herte."

"Thanne artow inparfit," quod he,
"And oon of Prides knyghtes;
For swich a lust and likyng
Lucifer fel from hevene."
_Ponam pedem meum in aquilone, et 9700
similis ero altissimo._

"It were ayeins kynde," quod he,
"And alle kynnes reson,
That any creature sholde konne al,
Except Crist oone:
Ayein swiche Salomon speketh,
And despiseth hir wittes,
And seith, _Sicut qui mel comedit
multum, non est ei bonum; sic
qui scrutator est majestatis, 9710
opprimitur a gloria_.
{298}

"To Englisshe men this is to mene,
That mowen speke and here,
The man that muche hony eteth,
His mawe it engleymeth;
And the moore that a man
Of good matere hereth,
But he do therafter,
It dooth hym double scathe.
_Beatus est_, seith seint Bernard, 9720
_Qui scripturas legit,
Et verba vertit in opera_
Fulliche to his power.
Coveitise to konne
And to knowe sciences,
Putte out of Paradis
Adam and Eve.
_Scientiæ appetitus hominem inmortalitatis
gloria spoliavit._

"And right as hony is yvel to defie, 9730
And engleymeth the mawe;
Right so he that thorugh reson
Wolde the roote knowe
Of God and of hise grete myghtes,
Hise graces it letteth.
For in the likynge lith a pride,
And licames coveitise,
Ayein Cristes counseil
And alle clerkes techynge;
That is _Non plus sapere quam oportet sapere_ =

"Freres and fele othere maistres, 9742
That to lewed men prechen,
Ye moeven materes unmesurable
{299}
To tellen of the Trinité,
That ofte tymes the lewed peple
Of hir bileve doute.
Bettre it were to manye doctours
To leven swich techyng,
And tellen men of the ten comaundmentz, 9750
And touchen the sevene synnes,
And of the braunches that burjoneth of hem,
And bryngen men to helle,
And how that folk in folies
Misspenden hir fyve wittes,
As wel freres as oother folk
Foliliche spenden
In housynge, in haterynge,
And in to heigh clergie shewynge,
Moore for pompe than for pure charité, 9760
The peple woot the sothe,
That I lye noght, loo!
For lordes ye plesen,
And reverencen the riche
The rather for hir silver
_Confundantur omnes qui adorant
sculptilia. Et alibi: Ut quid
diligitis vanitatem, et quæritis
mendacium._

"Gooth to the glose of thise vers, 9770
Ye grete clerkes;
If I lye on yow to my lewed wit,
Ledeth me to brennyng.
For as it semeth, ye forsaketh
No mannes almesse
Of usurers, of hoores,
{300}
Of avarouse chapmen;
And louten to thise lordes
That mowen lene yow nobles,
Ayein youre rule and religion, 9780
I take record at Jhesus,
That seide to hise disciples,
_Ne sitis personarum acceptores_.
Of this matere I myghte
Make a long bible!
Ac of curatours of cristen peple,
As clerkes bereth witnesse,
I shal tellen it, for truthes sake,
Take hede who so liketh.

"As holynesse and honesté 9790
Out of holy chirche spredeth
Thorugh lele libbynge men
That Goddes lawe techen;
Right so out of holi chirche
Alle yveles spryngeth,
There inparfit preesthode is,
Prechours and techeris.
I se it by ensaunple
In somer tyme on trowes:
Ther some bowes ben leved, 9800
And some bereth none,
Ther is a meschief in the morre
Of swiche manere bowes.

"Rightso bi persons and preestes,
And prechours of holi chirche,
That aren roote of the right feith
To rule the peple.
And ther the roote is roten,
Reson woot the sothe,
Shal nevere flour ne fruyt 9810
{301}
Ne fair leef be greene.
For-thi wolde ye, lettrede, leve
The lecherie of clothyng;
And be kynde, as bifel for clerkes,
And curteise of Cristes goodes,
Trewe of youre tonge,
And of youre tail bothe,
And hatien to here harlotrie;
And noght to underfonge
Tithes, but of trewe thyng, 9820
Y-tilied or chaffared;
Lothe were lewed men,
But thei youre loore folwede,
And amendeden hem that mysdoon
Moore for youre ensaumples,
Than for to prechen and preven it noght,
Ypocrisie it semeth;
The which in Latyn
Is likned to a dongehill
That were bi-snewed with snow, 9830
And snakes withinne;
Or to a wal that were whit-lymed,
And were foul withinne;

"Right so manye preestes,
Prechours and prelates,
Ye aren enblaunched with _bele paroles_,
And with clothes also;
Ac youre werkes and youre wordes ther under,
Aren ful unloveliche.
Johannes Crisostomus 9840
Of clerkes speketh and preestes;
_Sicut de templo omne bonum progreditur,
sic de templo omne
malum procedit. Si sacerdotium
{302}
integrum fuerit, tota floret
ecclesia: si autem corruptum
fuerit, omnis fides marcida
est. Si sacerdotium fuerit
in peccatis, totus populus
convertitur ad peccandum. Sicut 9850
cum videris arborem pallidam
et marcidam, intelligis
quod vitium habet in radice.
Ita cum videris populum indisciplinatum
et irreligiosum, sine
dubio sacerdotium ejus non est
sanum._

"If lewed men wiste
What this Latyn meneth,
And who was myn auctour, 9860
Muche wonder me thinketh,
But if many a preest beere,
For hir baselardes and hir broches,
A peire of bedes in hir hand,
And a book under hir arme.
Sire Johan and sire Geffrey
Hath a girdel of silver.
A baselard or a ballok-knyf,
With botons over gilte;
Ac a porthors that sholde be his plow 9870
_Placebo_ to sigge,
Hadde he nevere service to save silver therto.
Seith it with ydel wille.

"Allas! ye lewed men,
Muche lese ye on preestes.
Ac thing that wikkedly is wonne,
And with false sleightes,
Wolde nevere the wit of witty God
{303}
But wikkede men it hadde,
The whiche arn preestes inparfite, 9880
And prechours after silver,
Executours and sodenes,
Somonours and hir lemmannes;
That that with gile was geten,
Ungraciousliche is despended;
So harlotes and hores
Arn holpe with swiche goodes,
And Goddes folk, for defaute therof,
For-faren and spillen.

"Curatours of holy kirke, 9890
As clerkes that ben avarouse,
Lightliche that thei leven,
Losels it habbeth,
Or deieth intestate,
And thanne the bisshope entreth
And maketh murthe thermyd,
And hise men bothe,
And seyen he was a nygard
That no good myghte aspare
To frend ne to fremmed, 9900
The fend have his soule!
For a wrecchede hous held he
Al his lif tyme;
And that he spared and bisperede,
Dispende we in murthe;
By lered, by lewed,
That looth is to despende.
Thus goon hire goodes.
Be the goost faren.
Ac for goode men, God woot! 9910
Greet doel men maken,
And bymeneth goode mete gyveres,
{304}
And in mynde haveth,
In preieres and in penaunces,
And in parfit charité."

"What is charité?" quod I tho.
"A childisshe thyng," he seide.
"_Nisi efficiamini parvuli, non intrabitis
in regnum cælorum._
Withouten fauntelté or folie, 9920
A fre liberal wille."

"Where sholde men fynde swich a frend,
With so fre an herte?"
"I have lyved in londe," quod he,
"My name is Longe-wille;
And fond I nevere ful charité
Byfore ne bihynde.
Men beth merciable
To mendinauntz and to poore,
And wollen lene ther thei leve 9930
Lelly to ben paied.
Ac charité that Poul preiseth best,
And moost plesaunt to oure Lord,
Is _Non inflatur, non est ambitiosa, non
quærit quæ sua sunt, etc_.

"I seigh nevere swich a man,
So me God helpe!
That he ne wolde aske after his,
And outher while coveite
Thyng that neded hym noght, 9940
And nyme it, if he myghte.

"Clerkes kenne me
That Crist is in alle places;
Ac I seigh hym nevere soothly,
But as myself in a mirour:
_In ænigmate tunc facie ad faciem._
{305}
And so I trowe trewely,
By that men telleth of charité,
It is noght chaumpions fight,
Ne chaffare, as I trowe, 9950

"Charité," quod he, "ne chaffareth noght,
Ne chalangeth, ne craveth;
As proud of a peny,
As of a pound of golde;
And is as glad of a gowne
Of a gray russet,
As of a tunycle of Tarse,
Or of trie scarlet.
He is glad with alle glade,
And good til alle wikkede, 9960
And leveth and loveth alle
That oure Lord made.
Corseth he no creature,
Ne he kan bere no wrathe,
Ne no likynge hath to lye,
Ne laughe men to scorne;
Al that men seyn, he leet it sooth,
And in solace taketh,
And alle manere meschiefs
In myldenesse he suffreth. 9970
Coveiteth he noon erthely good,
But hevene riche blisse,
Hath he anye rentes or richesse,
Or anye riche frendes.

"Of rentes nor of richesse
Ne rekketh he nevere;
For a frend that fyndeth hym,
Failed hym nevere at neede.
_Fiat voluntas tua_
Fynt hym evere moore; 9980
{306}
And if he soupeth, eteth but a sop
Of _spera in Deo_.
He kan portreye wel the paternoster,
And peynte it with aves;
And outher while he is woned
To wenden on pilgrymages,
Ther poore men and prisons liggeth,
Hir pardon to have.
Though he bere hem no breed,
He bereth hem swetter liflode, 9990
Loveth hem as oure Lord biddeth,
And loketh how thei fare.

"And whan he is wery of that werk,
Than wole he som tyme
Labouren in lavendrye
Wel the lengthe of a mile,
And yerne into youthe,
And yepeliche speke
Pride with al the appurtenaunces,
And pakken hem togideres, 10000
And bouken hem at his brest,
And beten hem clene,
And leggen on longe,
With _laboravi in gemitu meo_;
And with warm water at hise eighen
Wasshen hem after.
And thanne he syngeth whan he doth so,
And som tyme seith wepynge,
_Cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus,
non despicies_." 10010

"By Crist! I wolde that I knewe hym," quod I,
"No creature levere!"

"Withouten help of Piers Plowman," quod he,
{307}
"His persone sestow nevere."

"Wheither clerkes knowen hym," quod I,
"That kepen holi kirke?"

"Clerkes have no knowyng," quod he,
"But by werkes and by wordes.
Ac Piers the Plowman
Parceyveth moore depper 10020
What is the wille and wherfore
That many wight suffreth.
_Et vidit Deus cogitationes eorum._
For ther are ful proude herted men,
Pacient of tonge,
And buxome as of berynge
To burgeises and to lordes,
And to poore peple
Han pepir in the nose,
And as a lyoun he loketh, 10030
Ther men lakken hise werkes.

"For ther are beggeris and bidderis,
Bedemen as it were,
Loken as lambren,
And semen ful holy;
Ac it is moore to have hir mete
With swich an esy manere,
Than for penaunce and perfitnesse,
The poverte that swiche taketh.

"Therfore by colour ne by clergie 10040
Knowe shaltow nevere,
Neither thorugh wordes ne werkes,
But thorugh wil oone.
And that knoweth no clerk,
Ne creature on erthe,
But Piers the Plowman
{308}
_Petrus, i. Christus._
For he nys noght in lolleris,
Ne in lond leperis heremytes,
Ne at ancres there a box hangeth, 10050
Alle swiche thei faiten.
Fy on faitours,
And _in fautores suos_!
For charité is Goddes champion,
And as a good child hende,
And the murieste of mouth
At mete where he sitteth.
The love that lith in his herte
Maketh hym light of speche,
And is compaignable and confortatif, 10060
As Crist bit hymselve.
_Nolite fieri sicut hypocritæ tristes, etc._
For I have seyen hym in silk,
And som tyme in russet,
Bothe in grey and in grys,
And in gilt harneis;
And as gladliche he it gaf
To gomes that it neded.

"Edmond and Edward
Bothe were kynges, 10070
And seintes y-set,
For charité hem folwede.

"I have y-seyen charité also
Syngen and reden,
Riden and rennen
In raggede wedes;
Ac biddynge as beggeris
Biheld I hym nevere.
Ac in riche robes
Rathest he walketh, 10080
{309}
Y-called and y-crymyled,
And his crowne y-shave;
And in a freres frokke
He was y-founden ones,
Ac it is fern ago,
In seint Fraunceis tyme:
In that secte siththe
To selde hath he ben founde.

"Riche men he recomendeth,
And of hir robes taketh, 10090
That withouten wiles
Ledeth hir lyves.
_Beatus est dives qui, etc._

"In kynges court he cometh ofte,
Ther the counseil is trewe;
Ac if coveitise be of the counseil,
He wolnoght come therinne,

"In court amonges japeris
He cometh noght but selde,
For braulynge and bakbitynge, 10100
And berynge of fals witnesse.

"In the consistorie bifore the commissarie
He cometh noght but ofte;
For hir lawe dureth over longe,
But if thei lacchen silver,
And matrimoyne for moneie
Maken and unmaken;
And that conscience and Crist
Hath y-knyt faste,
Thei undoon it unworthily, 10110
Tho doctours of lawe.

"Ac I ne lakke no lif,
But, Lord, amende us alle,
{310}
And gyve us grace, good God,
Charité to folwe.
For who so myghte meete myd hym,
Swiche maneres hym eileth,
Neither he blameth ne banneth,
Bosteth ne preiseth,
Lakketh ne loseth, 10120
Ne loketh up sterne,
Craveth ne coveiteth,
Ne crieth after moore.
_In pace in idipsum dormiam, etc._

"The mooste liflode that he lyveth by,
Is love in Goddes passion;
Neither he biddeth ne beggeth,
Ne borweth to yelde,
Misdooth he no man,
Ne with his mouth greveth. 10130

"Amonges cristene men
This myldenesse sholde laste.
In alle manere angres
Have this at herte,
That theigh thei suffrede al this,
God suffrede for us moore,
In ensample we sholde do so,
And take no vengeaunce
Of oure foes that dooth us falsnesse,
That is oure fadres wille. 10140

"For wel may every man wite,
If God hadde wold hymselve,
Sholde nevere Judas ne Jew
Have Jhesu doon on roode,
Ne han martired Peter ne Poul,
Ne in prison holden.
Ac he suffrede in ensample
{311}
That we sholde suffren also,
And seide to swiche that suffre wolde,
That _patientes vincunt_. 10150

"_Verbi gratia_," quod he,
"And verray ensamples manye,
In _Legenda Sanctorum_,
The lif of holy seintes,
What penaunce and poverte
And passion thei suffrede,
In hunger, in hete,
In alle manere angres.

"Antony and Egidie,
And othere holy fadres, 10160
Woneden in wildernesse
Among wilde beestes;
Monkes and mendinauntz,
Men by hemselve,
In spekes and in spelonkes,
Selde speken togideres.

"Ac neither Antony ne Egidie,
Ne heremyte that tyme,
Of leons ne of leopardes
No liflode ne toke; 10170
But of foweles that fleeth,
Thus fyndeth men in bokes.
Except that Egidie
After an hynde cride,
And thorugh the mylk of that mylde beest
The man was sustened;
And day bi day hadde he hire noght
His hunger for to slake,
But selden and sondry tymes,
As seith the book and techeth. 10180

"Antony a dayes,
{312}
Aboute noon tyme,
Hadde a brid that broughte hym breed,
That he by lyvede;
And though the gome hadde a gest,
God fond hem bothe.

"Poul _primus heremita_
Hadde parroked hymselve,
That no man myghte hym se
For mosse and for leves; 10190
Foweles hym fedde
Fele wyntres withalle,
Til he foundede freres
Of Austynes ordre.
Poul, after his prechyng,
Paniers he made,
And wan with hise hondes
That his wombe neded.

"Peter fisshed for his foode,
And his felawe Andrew; 10200
Som thei solde and som thei soden,
And so thei lyved bothe.

"And also Marie Maudeleyne
By mores lyvede and dewes
Ac moost thorugh devocion
And mynde of God almyghty.
I sholde noght thise seven daies
Siggen hem alle,
That lyveden thus for oure Lordes love
Many longe yeres. 10210

"Ac ther ne was leon ne leopard
That on laundes wenten,
Neither bere ne boor,
Ne oother beest wilde,
That ne fil to hir feet,
{313}
And fawned with the taillies;
And if thei kouthe han y-carped,
By Crist! as I trowe,
Thei wolde have y-fed that folk
Bifore wild foweles. 10220
Ac God sente hem foode by foweles,
And by no fierse beestes,
In menynge that meke thyng
Mylde thyng sholde fede.

"Ac who seith religiouses
Rightfulle men sholde fede,
And lawefulle men to lif-holy men
Liflode sholde brynge;
And thanne wolde lordes and ladies
Be looth to agulte, 10230
And to taken of hir tenauntz
Moore than trouthe wolde,
Foulde thei that freres
Wolde forsake hir almesses,
And bidden hem bere it
There it was y-borwed.
For we ben Goddes foweles,
And abiden alwey
Til briddes brynge us
That we sholde lyve by. 10240
For hadde ye potage and payn y-nogh,
And peny ale to drynke,
And a mees thermyd
Of o maner kynde,
Ye hadde right y-nogh, ye religiouse,
And so youre rule me tolde.
_Nunquam, dicit Job, rugit onager
cum herbam habuerit, aut mugiet
bos cum ante plenum præsepe
{314}
steterit. Brutorum animalium 10250
natura te condemnat,
quia cum eis pabulum commune
sufficiat, ex adipe prodiit iniquitas tua._

"If lewed men knewe this Latyn,
Thei wolde loke whom thei yeve,
And avisen hem bifore
A fyve dayes or sixe,
Er thei amortisede to monkes
Or chanons hir rente.
Allas! lordes and ladies, 10260
Lewed counseil have ye,
To gyve from youre heires
That youre aiels yow lefte,
And gyveth it to bidde for yow
Fo swiche that ben riche,
And ben founded and feffed ek
To bidde for othere.

"Who perfourneth this prophecie
Of the peple that now libbeth?
_Dispersit, dedit pauperibus._ 10270

"If any peple perfourne that text,
It are thise poore freres;
For that thei beggen aboute,
In buyldynge thei spende it,
And on hemself som,
And swiche as ben hir laborers;
And of hem that habbeth thei taken,
And gyveth hem that habbeth.

"Ac clerkes and knyghtes,
And communers that ben riche, 10280
Fele of yow fareth
As if I a forest hadde
{315}
That were ful of faire trees,
And I fondede and caste
How I myghte mo therinne
Amonges hem sette.

"Right so, ye riche,
Ye robeth that ben riche,
And helpeth hem that helpeth yow,
And gyveth ther no nede is. 10290
As who so filled a toune
Of a fressh ryver,
And wente forth with that water
To woke with Temese;
Right so, ye riche,
Ye robeth and fedeth
Hem that han as ye han,
Hem ye make at ese.

"Ac religiouse that riche ben,
Sholde rather feeste beggeris 10300
Than burgeises that riche ben,
As the book techeth.
_Quia sacrilegium est res pauperum
non pauperibus dare. Item:
Peccatoribus dare, est dæmonibus
immolare. Item: Monache,
si indiges et accipis, potius
das quam accipis; si autem
non eges et accipis, rapis.
Porro non indiget monachus, si 10310
habeat quod naturæ sufficit._

"For-thi I counseille alle cristene
To conformen hem to charité,
For charité withouten chalangynge
Unchargeth the soule,
And many a prison fram purgatorie
{316}
Thorugh his preieres he delivereth.
Ac ther is a defaute in the folk
That the feith kepeth;
Wherfore folk is the febler, 10320
And noght ferm of bileve,
As in lussheburwes is a luther alay,
And yet loketh he lik a sterlyng;
The merk of that monee is good,
Ac the metal is feble.

"And so it fareth by som folk now,
Thei han a fair speche,
Crowne and cristendom,
The kynges mark of hevene;
Ac the metal, that is mannes soule, 10330
With synne is foule alayed.
Bothe lettred and lewed
Beth alayed now with synne,
That no lif loveth oother,
Ne oure Lord, as it semeth.
For thorugh werre and wikkede werkes,
And wederes unresonable,
Weder-wise shipmen,
And witty clerkes also,
Han no bileve to the lifte, 10340
Ne to the loore of philosofres.

"Astronomiens al day
In hir art faillen,
That whilom warned bifore
What sholde falle after.

"Shipmen and shepherdes,
That with ship and sheep wenten,
Wisten by the walkne
What sholde bitide,
As of wedres and wyndes 10350
{317}
Thei warned men ofte.

"Tilieris, that tiled the erthe,
Tolden hir maistres,
By the seed that thei sewe,
What thei selle myghte,
And what to lene, and what to lyve by,
The lond was so trewe.

"Now faileth the folk of the flood,
And of the lond bothe,
Shepherdes and shipmen, 10360
And so do thise tilieris,
Neither thei konneth ne knoweth
Oon cours bifore another.

"Astronomyens also
Aren at hir wittes ende,
Of that was calculed of the element
The contrarie thei fynde;
Grammer, the ground of al,
Bigileth now children,
For is noon of this newe clerkes, 10370
Who so nymeth hede,
Naught oon among an hundred
That an auctour kan construwe,
Ne rede a lettre in any langage
But in Latyn or in Englissh.

"Go now to any degree,
And but if gile be maister,
And flaterere his felawe
Under hym to fourmen,
Muche wonder me thynketh 10380
Amonges us alle,
Doctours of decrees
And of divinité maistres,
That sholde konne and knowe
{318}
Alle kynnes clergie,
And answere to argumentz,
And also to a _quodlibet_;
I dar noght siggen it for shame,
If swiche were apposed,
Thei sholde faillen of her philosophie, 10390
And in phisik bothe.

"Wherfore I am a-fered
Of folk of holy kirke,
Lest thei overhuppen, as oothere doon,
In office and in houres;
And if they overhuppe, as I hope noght,
Oure bileve suffiseth;
As clerkes in Corpus Christi feeste
Syngen and reden,
That _sola fides sufficit_ 10400
To save with lewed peple;
And so may Sarzens be saved,
Scribes, and Jewes.

"Allas, thanne! but our looresmen
Lyve as thei leren us,
And for hir lyvynge that lewed men
Be the lother God agulten.
For Sarzens han somwhat
Semynge to oure bileve;
For thei love and bileve 10410
In o persone almyghty,
And we, lered and lewed,
In oon God almyghty;
And oon Makometh, a man,
In mysbileve broughte
Sarzens of Surree,
And see in what manere.

"This Makometh was a cristene
{319}
And for he moste noght ben a pope
Into Surrie he soughte, 10420
And thorugh hise sotile wittes
He daunted a dowve,
And day and nyght hire fedde,
The corn that she croppede
He caste it in his ere;
And if he among the peple preched,
Or in places come,
Thanne wolde the colvere come
To the clerkes ere
Menynge as after mete,-- 10430
Thus Makometh hire enchauntede;
And dide folk thanne falle on knees,
For he swoor in his prechyng
That the colvere that com so,
Com from God of hevene,
As messager to Makometh,
Men for to teche.
And thus thorugh wiles of his wit,
And a whit dowve,
Makometh in mysbileve 10440
Men and wommen broughte;
That lyved tho there and lyve yit
Leeven on hise lawes.

"And siththe oure Saveour suffred,
The Sarzens so bigiled
Thorugh a cristene clerk,
Acorsed in his soule!
For drede of the deeth
I dare noght telle truthe,
How Englisshe clerkes a colvere fede 10450
That coveitise highte,
And ben manered after Makometh,
{320}
That no man useth trouthe.

"Ancres and heremytes,
And monkes and freres,
Peeren to the apostles
Thorugh hire parfit lyvynge;
Wolde nevere the feithful fader
That hise ministres sholde
Of tirauntz that teneth trewe men 10460
Taken any almesse,
But doon as Antony dide,
Dominyk and Fraunceys,
Beneit and Bernard
The whiche hem first taughte
To lyve by litel, and in lowe houses,
By lele mennes almesse.
Grace sholde growe and be grene
Thorugh hir goode lyvynge;
And folkes sholden fare, 10470
That ben in diverse siknesse,
The bettre for hir biddynges
In body and in soule.
Hir preieres and hir penaunces
To pees sholde brynge
Alle that ben at debaat,
And bedemen were trewe.
_Petite et accipietis, etc._
Salt saveth the catel,
Siggen thise wives. 10480
_Vos estis sal terræ, etc._
The hevedes of holy chirche,
And thei holy were,
Crist calleth hem salt
For cristene soules.
_Et si sal evanuerit in quo salietur, etc._
{321}

"For fressh flessh outher fissh,
Whan it salt failleth,
It is unsavory for sothe,
Y-soden or y-bake; 10490
So is mannes soule, soothly,
That seeth no goode ensamples
Of hem of holi chirche,
That the heighe wey sholde teche,
And be gide, and go bifore,
As a good banyer;
And hardie hem that bihynde ben,
And gyve hem good evidence.

"Ellevene holy men
Al the world tornede 10500
Into lele bileve;
The lightloker me thinketh
Sholde all maner men,
We han so manye maistres,
Preestes and prechours,
And a pope above,
That Goddes salt sholde be
To save mannes soule.

"Al was hethynesse som tyme
Engelond and Walis, 10510
Til Gregory garte clerkes
To go here and preche;
Austyn at Caunterbury
Cristnede the kyng,
And thorugh miracles, as men now rede,
Al that marche he tornede
To Crist and to cristendom,
And cros to honoure;
And follede folk faste,
And the feith taughte, 10520
{322}
Moore thorugh miracles
Than thorugh muche prechyng,
As wel thorugh hise werkes
As with hise holy wordes,
And seide hem what fullynge
And feith was to mene.

"Clooth that cometh fro the wevyng
Is noght comly to were,
Til it be fulled under foot
Or in fullyng stokkes, 10530
Wasshen wel with water,
And with taseles cracched,
Y-touked and y-teynted,
And under taillours hande;
Right so it fareth by a barn,
That born is of a wombe,
Til it be cristned in Cristes name,
And confermed of the bisshope,
It is hethene as to hevene-ward.
And help-lees to the soule. 10540
Hethen is to mene after heeth
And untiled erthe,
As in wilde wildernesse
Wexeth wilde beestes,
Rude and unresonable,
Rennynge withouten cropiers.

"Ye mynnen wel how Mathew seith,
How a man made a feste;
He fedde him with no venyson,
Ne fesauntz y-bake, 10550
But with foweles that fram hym nolde,
But folwede his whistlyng.
_Ecce altilia mea, et omnia parata sunt._ =
And with calves flessh he fedde
{323}
The folk that he lovede.

"The calf bitokneth clennesse
In hem that kepeth lawes.
For as the cow thorugh kynde mylk
The calf norisseth til an oxe; 10560
So love and leauté
Lele men susteneth,
And maidenes and mylde men
Mercy desiren,
Right as the cow calf
Coveiteth melk swete,
So doon rightfulle men
Mercy and truthe.

"Ac who beth that excuseth hem
That ben persons and preestes, 10570
That hevedes of holy chirche ben,
That han hir wil here
Withouten travaille the tithe deel
That trewe men biswynken;
Thei wol be wrooth for I write thus,
Ac to witnesse I take
Bothe Mathew and Marc,
And _Memento Domine David_.

"What pope or prelat now
Perfourneth that Crist highte. 10580
_Ite in universum mundum et prædicate, etc._ =

"Allas! that men so longe
On Makometh sholde bileve,
So manye prelates to preche
As the pope maketh,
Of Nazareth, of Nynyve,
Of Neptalym and Damaske,
That thei ne wente as Crist wisseth,
Sithen thei wille have name 10590
{324}
To be pastours and preche
To lyve and to dye.
_Bonus pastor animam suam ponit, etc._ =
And seide it in salvacion
Of Sarzens and othere,
For cristene and uncristene
Crist seide to prechours:
_Ite vos in vineam meam, etc._

"And sith that thise Sarzens, 10600
Scribes, and Jewes,
Han a lippe of our bileve,
The lightlier me thynketh
Thei sholde turne, who so travailed
To teche hem of the Trinité.
_Quærite et invenietis, etc._

"It is ruthe to rede
How rightwise men lyvede,
How thei defouled hir flessh,
Forsoke hir owene wille, 10610
Fer fro kyth and fro kyn
Yvele y-clothed yeden,
Baddely y-bedded,
No book but conscience,
Ne no richesse but the roode
To rejoisse hem inne.
_Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce
Domini nostri, etc._

"And tho was plentee and pees
Amonges poore and riche, 10620
And now is routhe to rede
How the rede noble
Is reverenced er the roode,
And receyved for worthier
Than Cristes cros, that overcam
{325}
Deeth and dedly synne.
And now is werre and wo;
And who so why asketh,
For coveitise after cros
The croune stant in golde. 10630
Bothe riche and religious
That roode thei honoure
That in grotes is y-grave
And in gold nobles.
For coveitise of that cros,
Men of holy kirke
Shul torne as templers dide,
The tyme approcheth faste.

"Wite ye noght, ye wise men,
How tho men honoured 10640
Moore tresor than trouthe,
I dar noght telle the sothe,
Reson and rightful doom
The religiouse demede.

"Right so, ye clerkes,
For youre coveitise, er longe,
Shal thei demen _dos ecclesiæ_,
And youre pride depose,
_Deposuit potentes de sede, etc._

"If knyghthod and kynde wit 10650
And the commune by conscience
Togideres love leelly,
Leveth it wel, ye bisshopes,
The lordshipe of youre londes
For evere shul ye lese,
And lyven as _levitici_,
As oure Lord techeth.
_Per primitias et decimas, etc._

"Whan Costantyn of curteisie
Holy kirke dowed 10660
{326}
With londes and ledes,
Lordshipes and rentes,
An aungel men herden
An heigh at Rome crye,
_Dos ecclesiæ_ this day
Hath y-dronke venym,
And tho that han Petres power
Arn apoisoned alle.

"A medicyne moot therto,
That may amende prelates, 10670
That sholden preie for the pees,
Possession hem letteth;
Taketh hire landes, ye lordes,
And leteth hem lyve by dymes.