William Langland's The vision of Piers Plowman

Prologue

In a somer seson, whan softe was the sonne, Line P.1 I shoop me into shroudes as I a sheep were, Line P.2 In habite as an heremite unholy of werkes, Line P.3 Wente wide in this world wondres to here. Line P.4 Ac on a May morwenynge on Malverne hilles Line P.5 Me bifel a ferly, of Fairye me thoghte. Line P.6 I was wery forwandred and wente me to reste Line P.7 Under a brood bank by a bourne syde; Line P.8 And as I lay and lenede and loked on the watres, Line P.9 I slombred into a slepyng, it sweyed so murye. Line P.10 Thanne gan I meten a merveillous swevene-- Line P.11 That I was in a wildernesse, wiste I nevere where. Line P.12 A[c] as I biheeld into the eest an heigh to the sonne, Line P.13 I seigh a tour on a toft trieliche ymaked, Line P.14 A deep dale bynethe, a dongeon therinne, Line P.15 With depe diches and derke and dredfulle of sighte. Line P.16 A fair feeld ful of folk fond I ther bitwene-- Line P.17 Of alle manere of men, the meene and the riche, Line P.18 Werchynge and wandrynge as the world asketh. Line P.19 Somme putten hem to the plough, pleiden ful selde, Line P.20 In settynge and sowynge swonken ful harde, Line P.21 And wonnen that thise wastours with glotonye destruyeth Line P.22

Line P.22 And somme putten hem to pride, apparailed hem therafter, Line P.23 In contenaunce of clothynge comen disgised- Line P.24 In preieres and penaunce putten hem manye, Line P.25 Al for the love of Oure Lord lyveden ful streyte Line P.26 In hope to have heveneriche blisse-- Line P.27 As ancres and heremites that holden hem in hire selles, Line P.28 Coveiten noght in contree to cairen aboute Line P.29 For no likerous liflode hire likame to plese. Line P.30 And somme chosen chaffare; they cheveden the bettre-- Line P.31 As it semeth to oure sight that swiche men thryveth; Line P.32 And somme murthes to make as mynstralles konne, Line P.33 And geten gold with hire glee-- [gilt]lees, I leeve- Line P.34 Ac japeres and jangeleres, Judas children, Line P.35 Feynen hem fantasies, and fooles hem maketh-- Line P.36 And han wit at wille to werken if they wolde. Line P.37 That Poul precheth of hem I wol nat preve it here: Line P.38 Qui loquitur turpiloquium is Luciferes hyne- Line P.39 Bidderes and beggeres faste aboute yede Line P.40 [Til] hire bely and hire bagge [were] bredful ycrammed, Line P.41 Faiteden for hire foode, foughten at the ale. Line P.42 In glotonye, God woot, go thei to bedde, Line P.43 And risen with ribaudie, tho Roberdes knaves; Line P.44 Sleep and sory sleuthe seweth hem evere. Line P.45 Pilgrymes and palmeres plighten hem togidere Line P.46 For to seken Seint Jame and seintes at Rome; Line P.47

Line P.47 Wenten forth in hire wey with many wise tales, Line P.48 And hadden leve to lyen al hire lif after. Line P.49 I seigh somme that seiden thei hadde ysought seintes: Line P.50 To ech a tale that thei tolde hire tonge was tempred to lye Line P.51 Moore than to seye sooth, it semed bi hire speche. Line P.52 Heremytes on an heep with hoked staves , Line P.53 Wenten to Walsyngham--and hire wenches after: Line P.54 Grete lobies and longe that lothe were to swynke Line P.55 Clothed hem in copes to ben knowen from othere, Line P.56 And shopen hem heremytes hire ese to have. Line P.57 I fond there freres, alle the foure ordres, Line P.58 Prechynge the peple for profit of [the wombe]: Line P.59 Glosed the gospel as hem good liked; Line P.60 For coveitise of copes construwed it as thei wolde. Line P.61 Manye of thise maistres mowe clothen hem at likyng Line P.62 For hire moneie and hire marchaundise marchen togideres. Line P.63 Sith charite hath ben chapman and chief to shryve lordes Line P.64 Manye ferlies han fallen in a fewe yeres. Line P.65 But Holy Chirche and hii holde bettre togidres Line P.66 The mooste meschief on molde is mountynge up faste. Line P.67 Ther preched a pardoner as he a preest were: Line P.68 Broughte forth a bulle with bisshopes seles, Line P.69 And seide that hymself myghte assoillen hem alle Line P.70 Of falshede of fastynge, of avowes ybroken. - Line P.71 Lewed men leved hym wel and liked hise wordes, Line P.72 Comen up knelynge to kissen his bulle. Line P.73 He bonched hem with his brevet and blered hire eighen, Line P.74 And raughte with his rageman rynges and broches. Line P.75

Line P.75 --Thus ye gyven youre gold glotons to helpe, Line P.76 And leneth it losels that leccherie haunten" Line P.77 Were the bisshop yblessed and worth bothe his eris, Line P.78 His seel sholde noght be sent to deceyve the peple. Line P.79 Ac it is noght by the bisshop that the boy precheth-- Line P.80 For the parisshe preest and the pardoner parten the silver Line P.81 That the povere [peple] of the parissche sholde have if they ne were. Line P.82 Persons and parisshe preestes pleyned hem to the bisshop Line P.83 That hire parisshes weren povere sith the pestilence tyme, Line P.84 To have a licence and leve at London to dwelle, Line P.85 And syngen ther for symonie, for silver is swete. Line P.86 Bisshopes and bachelers, bothe maistres and doctours-- Line P.87 That han cure under Crist, and crownynge in tokene Line P.88 And signe that thei sholden shryven hire parisshens, Line P.89 Prechen and praye for hem, and the povere fede-- Line P.90 Liggen at Londoun in Lenten and ellis. Line P.91 Somme serven the King and his silver tellen, Line P.92 In Cheker and in Chauncelrie chalangen his dettes Line P.93 Of wardes and of wardemotes, weyves and streyves. Line P.94 And somme serven as servaunts lordes and ladies, Line P.95 And in stede of stywardes sitten and demen. Line P.96 Hire messe and hire matyns and many of hire houres Line P.97 Arn doone undevoutliche; drede is at the laste Line P.98 Lest Crist in Consistorie acorse ful manye" Line P.99 I parceyved of the power that Peter hadde to kepe-- Line P.100 To bynden and unbynden, as the Book telleth-- Line P.101 How he it lefte with love as Oure Lord highte Line P.102 Amonges foure vertues, most vertuous of al1e vertues, Line P.103

Line P.103 That cardinals ben called and closynge yates Line P.104 There Crist is in kyngdom, to close and to shette, Line P.105 And to opene it to hem and hevene blisse shewe. Line P.106 Ac of the Cardinals at court that kaughte of that name Line P.107 And power presumed in hem a Pope to make Line P.108 To han the power that Peter hadde. impugnen I nelle-- Line P.109 For in love and in lettrure the eleccion bilongeth; Line P.110 Forthi I kan and kan naught of court speke moore. Line P.111 Thanne kam ther a Kyng: Knyghthod hym ladde; Line P.112 Might of the communes made hym to regne. Line P.113 And thanne cam Kynde Wit and clerkes he made, Line P.114 For to counseillen the Kyng and the Commune save. Line P.115 The Kyng and Knyghthod and Clergie bothe Line P.116 Casten that the Commune sholde hem [communes] fynde. Line P.117 The Commune contreved of Kynde Wit craftes, Line P.118 And for profit of al the peple plowmen ordeyned Line P.119 To tilie and to travaille as trewe lif asketh. Line P.120 The Kyng and the Commune and Kynde Wit the thridde Line P.121 Shopen lawe and leaute--eeh lif to knowe his owene. Line P.122 Thanne loked up a lunatik, a leene thyng withalle, Line P.123 And knelynge to the Kyng clergially he seide, Line P.124 "Crist kepe thee, sire Kyng, and thi kyngryche, Line P.125 And lene thee lede thi lond so leaute thee lovye, Line P.126 And for thi rightful rulyng be rewarded in hevene"' Line P.127 And sithen in the eyr on heigh an aungel of hevene Line P.128 Lowed to speke in Latyn--for lewed men ne koude Line P.129 Jangle ne jugge that justifie hem sholde, Line P.130 But suffren and serven--forthi seide the aungel: Line P.131

Line P.131 " Sum Rex, sum Princeps",- neutrum fortasse deinceps " Line P.132 O qui iura regis Christi specialia regis, Line P.132 Hoc qiiod agas nielius--iustus es, esto pius " Line P.132 Nudum ius a te vestiri vult pietate. Line P.135 Qualia vis nietere, talia grana sere: Line P.135 Si ius nudatur, nudo de iure metatur; Line P.135 Si seritur pietas, de pietate metas'. Line P.135 Thanne greved hym a goliardeis, a gloton of wordes, Line P.136 And to the aungel an heigh answerde after: Line P.140 " Dum " rex" a " regere " dicatur nomen habere, Line P.141 Nomen habet sine re nisi studet iura tenere'. Line P.141 Thanne [c]an al the commune crye in vers of Latyn Line P.142 To the Kynges counseil--construe whoso wolde-- Line P.143 "Precepta Regis sunt nobis vincula legis"' Line P.143 With that ran ther a route of ratons at ones Line P.144 And smale mees myd hem: mo than a thousand Line P.145 Comen to a counseil for the commune profit; Line P.146 For a cat of a court cam whan hym liked Line P.147 And overleep hem lightliche and laughte hem at his wille, Line P.150 And pleide with hem perillousli and possed aboute. Line P.151 "For doute of diverse dredes we dar noght wel loke" Line P.152 And if we grucche of his gamen he wol greven us alle-- Line P.153 Cracchen us or clawen us and in hise clouches holde. Line P.154 That us lotheth the lif er he late us passe. Line P.155 Mighte we with any wit his wille withstonde, Line P.156 We myghte be lordes olofte and lyven at oure ese'. Line P.157 A raton of renoun, moost renable of tonge, Line P.158 Seide for a sovereyn [salve] to hem alle, Line P.159

Line P.159 "I have yseyen segges', quod he, "in the Cite of Londoun Line P.160 Beren beighes ful brighte abouten hire nekkes, Line P.161 And somme colers of crafty work; uncoupled they wenden Line P.162 Bothe in wareyne and in waast where hem leve liketh, Line P.163 And outher while thei arn elliswhere, as I here telle. Line P.164 Were ther a belle on hire beighe, by Jesus, as me thynketh, Line P.165 Men myghte witen wher thei wente and awey renne. Line P.166 And right so', quod that raton, "reson me sheweth Line P.167 To bugge a belle of bras or of bright silver Line P.168 And knytten it on a coler for oure commune profit Line P.169 And hangen it upon the cattes hals--thanne here we mowen Line P.170 Wher he ryt or rest or rometh to pleye; Line P.171 And if hym list for to laike, thanne loke we mowen Line P.172 And peeren in his presence the while hym pleye liketh, Line P.173 And if hym wratheth, be war and his wey shonye'. Line P.174 Al the route of ratons to this reson assented; Line P.175 Ac tho the belle was ybrought and on the beighe hanged Line P.176 Ther ne was raton in al the route, for al the reaume of France, Line P.177 That dorste have bounden the belle aboute the cattes nekke, Line P.178 Ne hangen it aboute his hals al Engelond to wynne, Line P.179 [Ac] helden hem unhardy and hir counseil feble, Line P.180 And leten hire laboure lost and al hire longe studie. Line P.181 A mous that muche good kouthe, as me tho thoughte, Line P.182 Strook forth sternely and stood bifore hem alle, Line P.183 And to the route of ratons reherced thise wordes: Line P.184 "Though we hadde ykilled the cat, yet sholde ther come another Line P.185 To cracchen us and al oure kynde, though we cropen under benches. Line P.186 Forthi I counseille al the commune to late the cat worthe, Line P.187 And be we nevere so bolde the belle hym to shewe. Line P.188 The Vision of Piers Plowman Line P.188

Line P.188 The while he caccheth conynges he coveiteth noght oure caroyne, Line P.189 But fedeth hym al with venyson; defame we hym nevere. Line P.190 For bettre is a litel los than a long sorwe: Line P.191 The maze among us alle, theigh we mysse a sherewe! Line P.192 For I herde my sire seyn, is seven yeer ypassed, Line P.193 ""Ther the cat is a kitoun, the court is ful elenge''. Line P.194 That witnesseth Holy Writ, whoso wole it rede-- Line P.195 Ve terre ubi puer rex est, &c. Line P.196 For may no renk ther reste have for ratons by nyghte. Line P.197 For many mennes malt we mees wolde destruye, Line P.198 And also ye route of ratons rende mennes clothes, Line P.199 Nere the cat of the court that kan you overlepe; Line P.200 For hadde ye rattes youre [raik] ye kouthe noght rule yowselve. Line P.201 "I seye for me', quod the mous, " I se so muchel after, Line P.202 Shal nevere the cat ne the kiton by my counseil be greved, Line P.203 Ne carpynge of this coler that costed me nevere. Line P.204 And though it costned me catel, biknowen it I nolde, Line P.205 But suffren as hymself wolde [s]o doon as hym liketh-- Line P.206 Coupled and uncoupled to cacche what thei mowe. Line P.207 Forthi ech a wis wight I warne--wite wel his owene!' Line P.208 (What this metels bymeneth, ye men that ben murye, Line P.209 Devyne ye--for I ne dar, by deere God in hevene)! Line P.210 Yet hoved ther an hundred in howves of selk-- Line P.211 Sergeants, it semed, that serveden at the Barre, Line P.212 Pleteden for penyes and pounded the lawe, Line P.213 And noght for love of Oure Lord unlose hire lippes ones. Line P.214 Thow myghtest bettre meete myst on Malverne Hilles Line P.215 Than get a "mom' of hire mouth til moneie be shewed! Line P.216 Barins and burgeises and bondemen als Line P.217

Line P.217 I seigh in this assemblee, as ye shul here after; Line P.218 Baksteres and brewesteres and bochiers manye, Line P.219 Wollen webbesters and weveres of lynnen, Line P.220 Taillours and tynkers and tollers in markettes, Line P.221 Masons and mynours and many othere craftes: Line P.222 Of alle kynne lybbynge laborers lopen forth somme- Line P.223 As dykeres and delveres that doon hire dedes ille Line P.224 And dryveth forth the longe day with "Dieu save Dame Emme!' Line P.225 Cokes and hire knaves cryden, " Hote pies, hote! Line P.226 Goode gees and grys! Go we dyne, go we!' Line P.227 Taverners until hem tolden the same: Line P.228 "Whit wyn of Oseye and wyn of Gascoigne, Line P.229 Of the Ryn and of the Rochel, the roost to defie!' Line P.230 --Al this I seigh slepyng, and sevene sythes more. Line P.231