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.)

PASSUS I.

Passus Primus de visione. [TITLE. So in LWC; Passus primus de visione petri plowman R; Primus Passus O.]

What this montaigne bymeneth · and þe merke dale, [A page 7] And þe felde ful of folke · I shal ȝow faire schewe. A loueli ladi of lere · in lynnen yclothed, [lere] leere W; lyre C.] Come down fram a castel · and called me faire, Line 4 And seide, "Sone, slepestow · sestow þis poeple, [sestow] sest þow R; seest þou O.] How bisi þei ben · abouten þe mase? [abouten] alle aboute W.] Þe moste partie of þis poeple · þat passeth on þis erthe, Haue þei worschip in þis worlde · þei wilne no better; Of other heuene þan here · holde þei no tale." [folio 4] Line 9 ¶ I was aferd of her face · þeiȝ she faire were, [aferd] a-fered CW; a-feerd O. she] scho C.] And seide, "mercy, Madame · what is þis to mene?" "Þe toure vp þe toft," quod she · "treuthe is þere-Inne, [toure] thour C. vp] on W.] And wolde þat ȝe wrouȝte · as his worde techeth; [techeth] thecheth C.] Line 13 For he is fader of feith · fourmed ȝow alle, [is] O om. fourmed] and formed W.] Bothe with fel and with face · and ȝaf ȝow fyue wittis Forto worschip hym þer-with · þe while þat ȝe ben here. [A page 8] [þe] W om. þat] O om.] And þerfore he hyȝte þe erthe · to help ȝow vchone Line 17 Of wollen, of lynnen · of lyflode at nede, [of lyflode] o lifode (sic) C.] In mesurable manere · to make ȝow at ese; ¶ And comaunded of his curteisye · in comune þree þinges; Line 20

Line 20 Arne none nedful but þo · and nempne hem I thinke, [and] O om.] And rekne hem bi resoun · reherce þow hem after. [þow] ȝe O.] That one is vesture · from chele þe to saue, [is] W om. vesture] clothinge C₂. chele] chelde C; cold W; colde C₂.] And mete atte mele · for myseise of þi-selue, [atte] at W; at þe R; atte the C.] Line 24 And drynke whan þow dryest · ac do nouȝt out of resoun; [ac] and CC₂.] That þow worth þe werse · whan þow worche shuldest. ¶ For loth in his lifdayes · for likyng of drynke, Dede bi his douȝtres · þat þe deuel lyked; [lyked] wolde C. But C omits the next line, which ends with wolde.] Line 28 Delited hym in drynke · as þe deuel wolde, And lecherye hym lauȝt · and lay bi hem boþe; And al he witt it wyn · þat wikked dede. [O omits. it] it þe WC.]

Inebriamus eum vino, dormiamus que cum eo, Vt seruare possimus de patre nostro semen.

Thorw wyn and þorw women · þere was loth acombred, And þere gat in glotonye · gerlis þat were cherlis. [gat] he gate O. gerlis] barnes C. cherlis] karles C.] Line 33 For-þi drede delitable drynke · and þow shalt do þe bettere; Mesure is medcyne · þouȝ þow moche ȝerne. [moche] myche O; muchel W; mikile C; muche R.] It is nauȝt al gode to þe goste · þat þe gutte axeþ, [to] for O. þe—axeþ] guttis askys C.] Line 36 Ne liflode to þi likam · [þat leef is to þi soule. [[þat leef—not þi likam] LWC wrongly omit this, owing to the repetition of likam; but we find—þat leef is þi soule Lef nauȝt þi licame R; þat leef is to þi soule Leeue þou not þi likham OC₂. Cf. Text A.] Leue not þi likam] · for a lyer him techeth, [[þat leef—not þi likam] LWC wrongly omit this, owing to the repetition of likam; but we find—þat leef is þi soule Lef nauȝt þi licame R; þat leef is to þi soule Leeue þou not þi likham OC₂. Cf. Text A.] That is þe wrecched worlde · wolde þe bitraye. [A page 9] [þe] a O.] For þe fende and þi flesch · folweth þe to-gidere, [þe] W om.] Line 40 This and þat [sueth] þi soule · and seith it in þin herte; [[sueth] so in R. The other readings hardly make sense; they are—seest L; seeþ WO; sees C; seiþ C₂. Cf. Text A. seith] setth C. it] O om.]

And for þow sholdest ben ywar · I wisse þe þe beste." [ywar] ware C. beste] bettre O.] ¶ "Madame, mercy," quod I · "me liketh wel ȝowre wordes, Line 43 Ac þe moneye of þis molde · þat men so faste holdeth, [Ac] And C. holdeth] kepeth R.] Telle me to whom, Madame · þat tresore appendeth?" [to—Madame] madame to whom R.] ¶ "Go to þe gospel," quod she · "þat god seide hym|seluen, Tho þe poeple hym apposed · wiþ a peny in þe temple, [Tho] When C; To O. hym] þat hym O.] Whether þei shulde þer-with · worschip þe kyng Sesar. [folio 4b] Line 48 And god axed of hem · of whome spake þe lettre, [axed] asked WCO. hem] hym W.] And þe ymage ilyke · þat þere-inne stondeth? [ilyke] was lik W.] 'Cesaris,' þei seide · 'we sen hym wel vchone.' [Cesaris] Cesares W; Cesar C. hym] it W.] ¶ 'Reddite cesari,' quod god · 'þat cesari bifalleth, [cesari (2)] cesar C.] Line 52 Et que sunt dei, deo · or elles ȝe done ille.' [ille] yuele O.] For riȝtful reson · shulde rewle ȝow alle, [riȝtful] riȝtfully W.] And kynde witte be wardeyne · ȝowre welthe to kepe, [welthe to kepe] wele to kype C.] And tutour of ȝoure tresore · and take it ȝow at nede; For housbonderye & hij · holden togideres." [For] And O. hij] þei O; heo R.] Line 57 Þanne I frained hir faire · for hym þat hir made, [hir (2)] me W.] "That dongeoun in þe dale · þat dredful is of siȝte, What may it be to mene · ma-dame, I ȝow biseche?" [A page 10] [biseche] be biseche C (an ob|vious error).] Line 60 ¶ "Þat is þe castel of care · who-so cometh þerinne [þe] a R. cometh] comþ W.] May banne þat he borne was · to body or to soule. [or] & O.] þerinne wonieth a wiȝte · þat wronge is yhote, Fader of falshed · and founded it hym-selue. Line 64 Adam and Eue · he egged to ille,

Conseilled caym · to kullen his brother; [kullen] killen WCO.] Iudas he iaped · with iuwen siluer, [iuwen] Iewes R; Iuwes C₂.] And sithen on an eller · honged hym after. [an] C om. hym after] hym|selue W; hym selue, corrected to hym after O.] Line 68 He is letter of loue · and lyeth hem alle, That trusten on his tresor · bitrayeth he sonnest." [he] he hem W. bitrayeth he] bytrayed aren R.] ¶ Thanne had I wonder in my witt · what womman it were [it] sche R.] Þat such wise wordes · of holy writ shewed; [shewed] me scheued C.] Line 72 And asked hir on þe hieȝe name · ar heo þennes ȝeode, [on] in CO. ar heo] er she W; ers scho C; er sche O; er heo R.] What she were witterli · þat wissed me so faire? ¶ "Holicherche I am," quod she · "þow ouȝtest me to knowe, I vnderfonge þe firste · and þe feyth tauȝte, [vnderfonge] vnderfeng W.] Line 76 And brouȝtest me borwes · my biddyng to fulfille, [And] And þou O.] And to loue me lelly · þe while þi lyf dureth." [me] C om. me lelly] lely me R.] ¶ Thanne I courbed on my knees · and cryed hir of grace, [courbed] coureed C.] And preyed hir pitousely · prey for my synnes, [prey] to preye R.] Line 80 And also [kenne] me kyndeli · on criste to bileue, [A page 11] [[kenne WCRO] L corruptly has kende.] That I miȝte worchen his wille · þat wrouȝte me to man; [R omits.] "Teche me to no tresore · but telle me þis ilke, How I may saue my soule · þat seynt art yholden?" Line 84 ¶ "Whan alle tresores aren tried," quod she · "trewthe is þe best; [aren tried] been I-tryed O. quod she] CO om.] I do it on deus caritas · to deme þe soþe; It is as derworth a drewery · as dere god hym-seluen. [folio 5] [It] þat it R. drewery] drury W.] ¶ Who-so is trewe of his tonge · & telleth none other, [Who-so] Who W; He R.]

And doth þe werkis þer-with · and wilneth no man ille, [doth] O om.] Line 89 He is a god bi þe gospel · agrounde and aloft, [agrounde] on ground O. aloft] on loft O; o lofte W.] And ylike to owre lorde · bi seynte lukes wordes. Þe clerkes þat knoweþ þis · shulde kenne it aboute, Line 92 For cristene and vncristne · clameþ it vchone. [clameþ] cleymeþ W; claymeth R.] ¶ Kynges & kniȝtes · shulde kepe it bi resoun, Riden and rappe down · in reumes aboute, [down] adoun O.] And taken trangressores · and tyen hem faste, [trangressores] marked as a Latin word in WC; transgressouris O.] Line 96 Til treuthe had ytermyned · her trespas to þe ende. And þat is þe professioun appertly · þat appendeth for knyȝtes, [þe] W om. for] to WO.] And nouȝt to fasten a fryday · in fyue score wynter; [a] o W.] Line 99 But holden wiþ him & with hir · þat wolden al treuthe, And neuer leue hem for loue · ne for lacchyng of syluer. [A page 12] [And] Ne R.] ¶ For Dauid in his dayes · dubbed kniȝtes, And did hem swere on here swerde · to serue trewthe euere; [swerde] swerde (printed swerdes) W; swerd CO; swerdes R.] And who-so passed þat poynte · was apostata in þe ordre. [þat] þe O. was] is O.] Line 104 ¶ But criste kingene kynge · kniȝted ten, [kingene] kyngen C.] Cherubyn and seraphin · suche seuene and an-othre, [an-othre] oþere W.] And ȝaf hem myȝte in his maieste · þe muryer hem þouȝte; [muryer] miswritten murger L; murgur R; murier W; muryer C.] And ouer his mene meyne · made hem archangeles, [meyne] meynge C.] Line 108 Tauȝte hem bi þe Trinitee · treuthe to knowe, To be buxome at his biddyng · he bad hem nouȝte elles. [To] And R.] ¶ Lucifer wiþ legiounes · lerned it in heuene, But for he brake buxumnesse · his blisse gan he tyne, [But for] Til R.]

And fel fro þat felawship · in a fendes liknes, Line 113 In-to a depe derke helle · to dwelle þere for eure; And mo þowsandes wiþ him · þan man couthe noumbre, [wiþ] myd W.] Lopen out wiþ Lucifer · in lothelich forme, Line 116 For þei leueden vpon hym · þat lyed in þis manere:

Ponam pedem in aquilone, et similis ero altis|simo.

[C omits. pedem] pedem meum O. et—altissimo] &c. R.] ¶ And alle þat hoped it miȝte be so · none heuene miȝte hem holde, [none] no C.] But fellen out in fendes liknesse · nyne dayes togideres, Til god of his goodnesse · gan stable and stynte, [stable] stablisse W.] Line 120 And garte þe heuene to stekye · and stonden in quiete. [stekye] stekie W; steke C.] ¶ Whan thise wikked went out · wonderwise þei fellen, [wonderwise] in wonder wise W.] Somme in eyre, somme in erthe · & somme in helle depe; [in erthe] in þe erthe C.] Ac lucifer lowest · lith of hem alle; [folio 5b] [lith] liþ yet W.] Line 124 For pryde þat he pult out · his peyne hath none ende; [pult] pelt R; putte W; put C; puttede O.] And alle þat worche with wronge · wenden hij shulle [þat] C om. (by mistake). hij] þei WRO.] After her deth day · and dwelle wiþ þat shrewe. [and] to R.] Ac þo þat worche wel · as holiwritt telleth, [Ac] And WRC.] Line 128 And enden as I ere seide · in treuthe, þat is þe best, [ere] erst O. þe] O om.] Mowe be siker þat her soule · shal wende to heuene, [A page 13] [soule] soules W.] Þer treuthe is in Trinitee · and troneth hem alle. [and troneth] for to saue R.] For-þi I sey as I seide ere · bi siȝte of þise textis, [þise textis] þis texte C. siȝte of] R om.] Line 132 Whan alle tresores arne ytried · treuthe is þe beste. [O omits. ytried] tried W.] Lereth it þis lewde men · for lettred men it knowen, [it] R om. þis] þise W; þiese O; this R. it knowen] ne knowen C.] Þat treuthe is tresore · þe triest on erþe."

¶ "Ȝet haue I no kynde knowing," quod I · "ȝet mote ȝe kenne me better, [ȝet mote ȝe] ye mote W. ȝe kenne me] I lerne R.] Line 136 By what craft in my corps · it comseth and where." [corps] cors W; coors O.] ¶ "Þow doted daffe," quod she · "dulle arne þi wittes; [Here MS. R. has lost two leaves. It begins again at P. ii. l. 40.] To litel latyn þow lernedest · lede, in þi ȝouthe;

Heu michi, [quod] sterilem duxi vitam iuueni|lem!

[lede] leode WO. ȝouthe] thougthe C. [quod] This reading must be right, as shewn by the scansion of the line. It occurs in MS. Camb. Ff. 5. 35. But LWC, and Crowley's text, have quia.] ¶ It is a kynde knowyng," quod he · "þat kenneth in þine herte [he] she W; sche O. See note.] Line 140 For to louye þi lorde · leuer þan þi-selue; No dedly synne to do · dey þouȝ þow sholdest: This I trowe be treuthe · who can teche þe better, ¶ Loke þow suffre hym to sey · and sithen lere it after. [lere] here C.] For thus witnesseth his worde · [worche] þow þere|after; [W omits. [worche COC₂] worcheth L (wrongly).] Line 145 For trewthe telleþ þat loue · is triacle of heuene; [of] in O.] May no synne be on him sene · þat vseth þat spise, And alle his werkes he wrouȝte · with loue as him liste; [his] this C. he] he (printed be) W.] And lered it Moises for þe leuest þing · and moste like to heuene, [lered] lernede O. þe] O om.] Line 149 And also þe plente of pees · moste precious of vertues. [þe] C om. plente] plentee WC. Cf. Text A.] ¶ For heuene myȝte nouȝte holden it · it was so heuy of hym-self, Tyl it hadde of þe erthe · yeten his fylle. [yeten] eten WO; heten C.] Line 152 ¶ And whan it haued of þis folde · flesshe & blode taken, [haued] hadde WO; had C. þis] þe O. taken] OC₂ om.] Was neuere leef vpon lynde · liȝter þer-after,

And portatyf and persant · as þe poynt of a nedle, Line 155 That myȝte non armure it lette · ne none heiȝ walles. ¶ For-þi is loue leder · of þe lordes folke of heuene, And a mene, as þe Maire is · bitwene þe kyng and þe comune; [bitwene] bitwixe O.] Riȝt so is loue a ledere · and þe lawe shapeth, Line 159 Vpon man for his mysdedes · þe merciment he taxeth. [man] a man C.] And for to knowe it kyndely · it comseth bi myght, [folio 6] [myght] nyght (!) C.] And in þe herte þere is þe heuede · and þe heiȝ welle; [heuede] heed W.] ¶ For in kynde knowynge in herte · þere a myȝte bigynneth. [A page 14] And þat falleth to þe fader · þat formed vs alle, Line 164 Loked on vs with loue · and lete his sone deye Mekely for owre mysdedes · to amende vs alle; [Mekely] Mekel C.] And ȝet wolde he hem no woo · þat wrouȝte hym þat peyne, But mekelich with mouthe · mercy he bisouȝte [with] bi O. he] W om.] Line 168 To haue pite of þat poeple · þat peyned hym to deth. ¶ Here myȝtow see ensamples · in hym-selue one, [Here] Here (printed There) W. myȝtow] myghtestow C. en|samples] ensample W; ensaumpyle C.] That he was miȝtful & meke · and mercy gan graunte To hem þat hongen him an heiȝ · and his herte þirled. [hongen] hengen W.] ¶ For-thi I rede ȝow riche · haueth reuthe of þe pouere; Thouȝ ȝe be myȝtful to mote · beth meke in ȝowre werkes. [Thouȝ] Thought C.] Line 174 ¶ For þe same mesures þat ȝe mete · amys other elles, Ȝe shullen ben weyen þer-wyth · whan ȝe wende hennes;

Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis, remecietur vobis.

¶ For þouȝ ȝe be trewe of ȝowre tonge · and trewliche wynne, And as chaste as a childe · þat in cherche wepeth, [cherche] kerke C]

But if ȝe louen lelliche · and lene þe poure, Such goed as god ȝow sent · godelich parteth, [A page 15] [goed] good WCO.] Line 180 Ȝe ne haue na more meryte · in masse ne in houres, [more] C om. ne] nor W.] Þan Malkyn of hire maydenhode · þat no man desireth. ¶ For Iames þe gentil · iugged in his bokes, That faith with-oute þe faite · is riȝte no þinge worthi, [faite] feet W; feite O; facte or faite C.] And as ded as a dore-tre · but ȝif þe dedes folwe;

Fides sine operibus mortua est, &c.

[C om. the second as. þe] thy C.] Line 185 ¶ For-thi chastite with-oute charite · worth cheyned in helle; It is as lewed as a laumpe · þat no liȝte is Inne. ¶ Many chapeleynes arne chaste · ac charite is awey; [ac] and C.] Aren no men auarousere þan hij · whan þei ben auaunced; [hij] þei O.] Line 189 Vnkynde to her kyn · and to alle cristene, Chewen here charite · and chiden after more. Such chastite wiþ-outen charite · worth cheyned in helle! Line 192 ¶ Many curatoures kepen hem · clene of here bodies, Thei ben acombred wiþ coueitise · þei konne nouȝt don it fram hem, So harde hath auarice · yhasped hem togideres. [folio 6b] And þat is no treuthe of þe trinite · but treccherye of helle, [no] in O (wrongly).] Line 196 And lernyng to lewde men · þe latter for to dele. ¶ For-þi þis wordes · ben wryten in þe gospel, [A page 16] Date & dabitur vobis · for I dele ȝow alle. And þat is þe lokke of loue · and lateth oute my grace, [lateth] leteþ WC.] To conforte þe careful · acombred wiþ synne. [conforte] counforte O; con|forten W; confort C.] Line 201 ¶ Loue is leche of lyf · and nexte owre lorde selue, [nexte] nexit C.] And also þe graith gate · þat goth in-to heuene;

For-þi I sey as I seide · ere by þe textis, [ere—textis] erst · bi þe trewe textis O.] Line 204 Whan alle tresores ben ytryed · treuthe is þe beste. [ytryed] tried W] Now haue I tolde þe what treuthe is · þat no tresore is bettere, I may no lenger lenge þe with · now loke þe owre lorde!" Line 207