The vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman, together with Vita de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest, secundum Wit et Resoun, by William Langland (about 1362-1393 A. D.)

                                
                                  This ordenaunce he made · in ease of his peple.
                                
                                  With that a Clerke kneled a-doun · & carped these wordes; [Cf. B. prol. 123, 124; C. 1. 147, 148.] 
                                
                                  "Liege lord, yif it you like · to listen a while,
                                
                                  Sum sawes of Salomon · y shall you shew sone, [Cf. B. 3. 93, 94; C. 4. 121, 122.] 
                                  Line 44 
                                
                                  Besechyng you of your souerainte · that y myght be suffred
                                
                                  To shewe you my sentence · in singuler noumbre;
                                
                                  To peynte it with pluralitee · my prose wolde faile,
                                
                                  To pike a thonke with plesaunce · my profit were but simple."
                                  Line 48 
                                
                                  Than the kyng of his curtesie · comaunded hym to ryse,
                                
                                  To stonde and sey what hym semed · and knele no lenger.
                                
                                  Than he seid, "sir crowned kyng · thou knowest well þy-self,
                                
                                  Thi-self hast lyfe, lyme · and lawes for to keep.
                                  Line 52 
                                
                                  Yif þou be chief Iustice · Iustifie the truthe, [Cf. B. 4. 136—142; C. 5. 133—139.] 
                                
                                  And rule the be resoun · and vp-right sitte;
                                
                                  For that is a poynt principall · preve it who so will,
                                
                                  To be dred for thy domes · and dowted for thy myght. [and dowted] written an dowte.] 
                                  Line 56 
                                
                                  For ther is neither lered ne lewed · þat lyveth vpon erthe,
                                
                                  That wyssheth after worshipe · his wit is full feble,
                                
                                  But yif he wite be his werkes · he hath well deserued,
                                
                                  And of his well doyng his dedes · to deme the same.
                                
                                  The loue of thi liegemen · that to thi lawe are bounde, [Cf. B. 4. 148; C. 5. 145. liegemen] written liegmen.] 
                                  Line 61 
                                
                                  Take hit for a tresour · of hem that are true,
                                
                                  That may the more availl · in a myle-wey

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Title: The vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman, together with Vita de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest, secundum Wit et Resoun, by William Langland (about 1362-1393 A. D.)
Author: Langland, William, 1330?-1400?
Canvas: Page 526
Publication: London,: Pub. for the Early English text society, by N. Trübner & co.,; 1867-85.

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ajt8124.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/ajt8124.0001.001/1364:15

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Full citation: "The vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman, together with Vita de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest, secundum Wit et Resoun, by William Langland (about 1362-1393 A. D.)." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ajt8124.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 8, 2025.

The vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman, together with Vita de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest, secundum Wit et Resoun, by William Langland (about 1362-1393 A. D.)

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