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 II.

[TITLE. So in LWC; Secundus Passus O.] Passus secundus de visione, vt supra.

Yet I courbed on my knees · and cryed hir of grace, [A page 17] [courbed] courred C.] And seide, "mercy, Madame · for Marie loue of heuene, That bar þat blisful barne · þat bouȝte vs on þe Rode, Kenne me bi somme crafte · to knowe þe fals." [to] for to O.] Line 4 ¶ "Loke vppon þi left half · and lo where he standeth, [he] sche O. standeth] stondeþ W.] Bothe fals and fauel · and here feres manye!" ¶ I loked on my left half · as þe lady me taughte, [taughte] thaughte C.] And was war of a womman · wortheli yclothed, [was] whas C. wortheli] worþi|liche W.] Line 8 Purfiled with pelure · þe finest vpon erthe, Y-crounede with a corone · þe kyng hath non better. [corone] croune C. hath] haes C.] Fetislich hir fyngres · were fretted with golde wyre, [fretted] fettred C; fetrid O. gold] gol C.] And þere-on red rubyes · as red as any glede, Line 12 And diamantz of derrest pris · and double manere saf|feres, [safferes] saphires W; saphyrs C; saphers O.] Orientales and ewages · enuenymes to destroye. ¶ Hire robe was ful riche · of red scarlet engreyned, [A page 18] With ribanes of red golde · and of riche stones; Line 16 Hire arraye me rauysshed · suche ricchesse saw I neuere; [saw] sauȝ W.]

I had wondre what she was · and whas wyf she were. [she] scho C. whas] whos WCO.] ¶ "What is þis womman," quod I · "so worthily a|tired?" ¶ "That is Mede þe Mayde," quod she · "hath noyed me ful oft, [hath] hathes C.] Line 20 And ylakked my lemman · þat lewte is hoten, [lewte] leautee W; leaut C.] And bilowen hire to lordes · þat lawes han to kepe. [han] hathes C.] In þe popis paleys · she is pryue as my-self, [folio 7] But sothenesse wolde nouȝt so · for she is a bastarde. Line 24 ¶ For fals was hire fader · þat hath a fykel tonge, And neuere sothe seide · sithen he come to erthe. [come] com WC.] ¶ And Mede is manered after hym · riȝte as kynde axeth;

Qualis pater, talis filius; [bona] arbor bonum fructum facit.

[axeth] askeþ WO; askes C. [bona] So in CC2; bonus LWO. fructum] fructum (printed fructrum) W.] I auȝte ben herre þan she · I cam of a better. [auȝte] ouȝte W. herre] hyere W; heyer O.] Line 28 ¶ Mi fader þe grete god is · and grounde of alle graces, [graces] grace C.] O god with-oute gynnynge · & I his gode douȝter, [O] Oo (printed So) W. his] C om.] And hath ȝoue me mercy · to marye with my-self; [ȝoue] yeuen W; geue C.] And what man be merciful · and lelly me loue, [loue] loueþ O.] Line 32 Schal be my lorde and I his leef · in þe heiȝe heuene. ¶ And what man taketh Mede · myne hed dar I legge, That he shal lese for hir loue · a lappe of caritatis. How construeth dauid þe kynge · of men þat taketh Mede, Line 36 And men of þis molde · þat meynteneth treuthe, And how ȝe shal saue ȝow-self · þe Sauter bereth wit|nesse,

Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo, &c.

[shal] shul W; schul O; sal C. ȝow-self] ȝow-seluen O; ȝour-self W; ȝowre-self C.]

¶ And now worth þis Mede ymaried · al to a mansed schrewe, [al to] vn-to W. mansed] mansed W (see Mr Wright's note); maysed C; in MS. O mansed is glossed by cursid. schrewe] sherewe W; O om.] To one fals fikel-tonge · a fendes biȝete; [Here MS. R begins again. fikel] fikel of R. a] and C.] Line 40 Fauel þorw his faire speche · hath þis folke enchaunted, [þorw] thourth C. his] hir C. hath] hayth C.] And al is lyeres ledyng · þat she is þus ywedded. ¶ To-morwe worth ymade · þe maydenes bruydale, [ymade] ymaked W; ymaad O. maydenes] maydesnesse (!) C. bruy|dale] bridale WC; brydale O.] And þere miȝte þow wite, if þow wolt · which þei ben alle [miȝte þow] myȝtow W; myȝtist þou O. wolt] wilt WRO.] Line 44 That longeth to þat lordeship · þe lasse and þe more. [longeth] longen WO.] Knowe hem þere if þow canst · and kepe þi tonge, [kepe] kepe þow W; kepe wel O; kepen R.] And lakke hem nouȝt, but lat hem worth · til lewte be iustice, [lewte] leaute W; leute O; leaut C.] And haue powere to punyschen hem · þanne put forth þi resoun. [A page 19] [þanne] þat C.] Line 48 ¶ Now I bikenne þe criste," quod she · "and his clene moder, And lat no conscience acombre þe · for coueitise of Mede." [lat] at R.] ¶ Thus left me þat lady · liggyng aslepe, And how Mede was ymaried · in meteles me þouȝte; Line 52 Þat alle þe riche retenauns · þat regneth with þe false [retenauns] retenaunce WO; retenauntȝ C; retenawans R.] Were boden to þe bridale · on bothe two sydes, [boden] bede R.] Of alle maner of men · þe mene and þe riche. To marie þis maydene · was many man assembled, [was] were W. man] men W.] Line 56 As of kniȝtes and of clerkis · and other comune poeple, As sysours and sompnours · Shireues and here clerkes, [folio 7b] [sompnours] somonours W; sumpnoures RO.] Bedelles and Bailliues · and brokoures of chaff[a]re, [chaffare WCO] chaffre L.]

Forgoeres and vitaillers · and vokates of þe arches; [vokates] aduokettes W.] Line 60 I can nouȝt rekene þe route · þat ran aboute mede. ¶ Ac Symonye and cyuile · and sisoures of courtes [Ac] And C.] Were moste pryue with Mede · of any men, me þouȝte. [me] R om.] Ac fauel was þe first · þat fette hire out of boure, [Ac] And C.] Line 64 And as a brokour brouȝte hir · to be with fals enioigned. [O omits.] Whan Symonye and cyuile · seiȝ here beire wille, [beire] so also C; boþer (printed bothe) W; boþer O; bethere R.] Thei assented for siluer · to sei as bothe wolde. [A page 20] [Thei] And R. sei] seggen R.] Thanne lepe lyer forth, and seide · "lo here! a chartre, [lepe] leep W; leup R.] That gyle with his gret othes · gaf hem togidere," Line 69 And preide cyuile to se · and symonye to rede it. Thanne Symonye and cyuile · stonden forth bothe, [stonden] stondeth R.] And vnfoldeth þe feffement · þat fals hath ymaked, [feffement] feffament C.] Line 72 And þus bigynneth þes gomes · to greden ful heiȝ:—

"Sciant presentes & futuri, &c.

[gomes] gromes C. to] at R.] ¶ Witeth and witnesseth · þat wonieth vpon þis erthe, Þat Mede is y-maried · more for here goodis, [y-maried] maried C.] Þan for ani vertue or fairenesse · or any free kynde. [vertue] vertus C. or (1)] of CO. or (2)] or for O. kynde] kyne C; kende R.] Line 76 Falsenesse is faine of hire · for he wote hire riche; And fauel with his fikel speche · feffeth bi þis chartre [speche] felaw O.] To be prynces in pryde · and pouerte to dispise, [prynces] princesse O.] To bakbite, and to bosten · and bere fals witnesse, Line 80 To scorne and to scolde · and sclaundere to make, Vnboxome and bolde · to breke þe ten hestes;— [R begins, Bold and vnbuxum.] ¶ And þe Erldome of enuye · and Wratthe togideres, With þe chastelet of chest · and chateryng-oute-of-resoun, [chastelet] chastilet WO. cheste] cleste C; gestes R. resoun] tyme R.] Þe counte of coueitise · and alle þe costes aboute, [counte] countee WCRO. costes] coostes O.] Line 85

Line 85 That is, vsure and auarice · alle I hem graunte, In bargaines and in brokages · with al þe [borghe] of theft;— [[borghe CR] burghe WO; L has borgthe.] ¶ And al þe lordeship of lecherye · in lenthe and in brede, Line 88 As in werkes and in wordes · and waitynges with eies, [waitynges] in waitynges W; wattynges C. eies] eiȝes W; yen O.] And in wedes and in wisshynges · and with ydel thouȝtes, [wedes] wedynges R. in (2)] O om.] There as wille wolde · and wer[k]manship failleth." [wolde] ne wolde LC; but ne must be omitted, as in WRO; see note. werkmanship] wermanship L (by mis|take; WCRO preserve the k)] Line 91 ¶ Glotonye he gaf hem eke · and grete othes togydere, And alday to drynke · at dyuerse tauernes, [in] with R. ar] er WCO.] And there to iangle and to iape · and iugge here euene cristene, And in fastyng-dayes to frete · ar ful tyme were. Line 95 And þanne to sitten and soupen · til slepe hem assaille, [soupen] to soupe O.] And [breden] as burgh-swyn · and bedden hem esily, [folio 8] [[breden WCO] bredun LR. as] as a R.] Tyl sleuth and slepe · slyken his sides; And þanne wanhope to awake hym so · with no wille to amende, [hym] hem W. to (2)] it C.] For he leueth be lost · þis is here last ende. [be lost] he be lost O; be yloste R. here] hir WC; his R.] Line 100 ¶ And þei to haue and to holde · and here eyres after, A dwellyng with þe deuel · and dampned be for eure, Wiþ al þe purtenaunces of purgatorie · in-to þe pyne of helle. [purtenaunces] purtenance CO; appurtinaunces W. of (2)] in O.] Ȝeldyng for þis þinge · at one ȝeres ende, [ȝeres ende] dayes tyme W.] Line 104 Here soules to Sathan · to suffre with hym peynes, [to (2)] and R.] And with him to wonye with wo · whil god is in heuene. [A page 21] [with] in CRO.]

¶ In witnesse of which þing · wronge was þe first, [which] whilch C; þis R. was] C om.] And Pieres þe pardonere · of paulynes doctrine, Line 108 Bette þe bedel · of Bokyngham-shire, Rainalde þe Reue · of Rotland sokene, [Rainalde] Reynald WCR; Reynold O. Rotland] Rutland W; Rutlande C; Rokelond R; Ruteland O.] Munde þe Mellere · and many moo other. [Munde] Maude WCRO. mellere] millere W; mylner O.] "In þe date of þe deuel · þis dede I assele, [In þe] In R. I assele] I en|sele W; is yseled C.] Line 112 Bi siȝte of Sire Symonye · and cyuyles leue." [and] at R.] ¶ þenne tened hym theologye · whan he þis tale herde, [tened] teneth R; torned C. herde] harde C; yherde R.] And seide to cyuile · "now sorwe mot þow haue, [to] vn-to W.] Line 115 Such [weddynges] to worche · to wratthe with treuthe; [[weddynges WRO] wend|ynges LC. Cf. Text A.] And ar þis weddyng be wrouȝte · wo þe bityde! [ar] er WCO.] ¶ For Mede is moylere · of amendes [engendred,] [moylere] muliere W; Moilere C; mulirie O. [engendred WO] en|gendreth LCR.] And god graunteth to gyf · Mede to treuthe, [graunteth] graunted CO.] Line 119 And þow hast gyuen hire to a gyloure · now god gyf þe sorwe! Thi tixt telleth þe nouȝt so · treuthe wote þe sothe, [Here MSS. Bodley 814, Cotton Calig. A. xi., and B. M. Addit. 10574 (which up to this point have followed the C-text), begin to agree with the B-text. See Note.] For dignus est operarius · his hyre to haue, And þow hast fest hire to fals · fy on þi lawe! [fest] fast R.] Line 123 For al by lesynges þow lyuest · and lecherouse werkes, [lecherouse] lechores R.] Symonye and þi-self · schenden holicherche, [schenden] scheden (by mis|take for schenden) C.] þe notaries and ȝee · noyeth þe peple, [A page 22] [noyeth] noyen WO; noythis C; nuyȝet R.] Ȝe shul abiggen it bothe · bi god þat me made! Wel ȝe witen, wernardes · but if ȝowre witte faille, Line 128 That fals is faithlees · and fikel in his werkes, [fikel] fals R.]

And was a bastarde y-bore · of belsabubbes kynne. [was] as R. y-bore] yborne C; Iborn O.] And Mede is moylere · a mayden of gode, [is] O om. moylere] muliere W; mulere O.] And myȝte kisse þe kynge · for cosyn, an she wolde. [an] and WCRO. she] he R.] ¶ For-þi worcheth bi wisdome · and bi witt also, [witt] witti O.] Line 133 And ledeth hire to londoun · þere lawe is yshewed, [lawe] it W.] If any lawe wil loke · þei ligge togederes. And þouȝ Iustices iugge hir · to be ioigned with fals, [with] to W.] Ȝet beth war of weddyng · for witty is truthe, [folio 8b] [beth] be W. weddyng] þe weddynge R.] Line 137 And conscience is of his conseille · and knoweth ȝow vchone; And if he fynde ȝow in defaute · and with þe fals holde, It shal bisitte ȝowre soules · ful soure atte laste!" [soure] so spelt in LWCRO. atte] at þe W; at C.] Line 140 ¶ Here-to assenteth cyuile · ac symonye ne wolde, [ac] and C.] Tyl he had siluer for his seruise · and also þe no|taries. [A page 23] [Tyl] Thil C. his] this R.] ¶ Thanne fette fauel forth · floreynes ynowe, And bad gyle to gyue · golde al aboute, Line 144 And namelich to þe notaries · þat hem none ne faille, [noon ne] non ne R; noone O.] And feffe false-witnes · with floreines ynowe; [witnes] witnesse CRO; wit|nesses W.] "For he may mede amaistrye · and maken at my wille." [he] þei WCO.] ¶ Tho þis golde was gyue · grete was þe þonkynge [gyue] y-gyue W; Igyue R.] Line 148 To fals and to fauel · for her faire ȝiftes, And comen to conforte · fram care þe fals, And seiden, "certis sire · cesse shal we neuere Til Mede be þi wedded wyf · þorw wittis of vs alle. [þi wedded] weddid þi O.] Line 152 For we haue Mede amaistried · with owre mery speche, [haue] han O. with] thorȝ R.]

That she graunteth to gon · with a gode wille, [she] sho C; heo R. to gon] goo R.] To Londoun to loke · ȝif þat þe lawe wolde [þat] W om. þe] R om.] Iugge ȝow ioyntly · in ioye for euere." Line 156 ¶ Thanne was falsenesse fayne · and fauel as blithe, And leten sompne alle segges · in schires aboute, [sompne] somone W. alle] alle þe R.] And bad hem alle be bown · beggeres and othere, [othere] otheres R.] To wenden wyth hem to Westmynstre · to witnesse þis dede. [hem] hym R. þis] þe R.] Line 160 ¶ Ac þanne cared þei for caplus · to kairen hem þider, [Ac] And C. kairen] carien W.C.] And fauel fette forth þanne · folus ynowe; [folus] foles W; foolis CO.] And sette Mede vpon a Schyreue · shodde al newe, [A page 24] [vpon] vpp R. shodde] shoed W; I-schoud R; schod O.] And fals sat on a sisoure · þat softlich trotted, Line 164 And fauel on a flat[er]ere · fetislich atired. [flaterere] So in WCRO; L has flatere.] ¶ Tho haued notaries none · annoyed þei were, [haued] hadde W; had C; hadden O.] For Symonye and cyuile · shulde on hire fete gange. ¶ Ac þanne swore Symonye · and cyuile bothe, [Ac] And C.] Line 168 That sompnoures shulde be sadled · and serue hem vchone, [sompnoures] somonours W. vchone] echone WC; ichoon O.] And lat apparaille þis prouisoures · in palfreis wyse;— [þis] þise W; þe R; þeise O.] "Sire Symonye hym-seluen · shal sitte vpon here bakkes. [hym-seluen] hym-self W · hym-selue R.] ¶ Denes and suddenes · drawe ȝow togideres, [suddenes] sudenes O; south. denes WR; subdeanes C.] Line 172 Erchdekenes and officiales · and alle ȝowre Regystreres, [officiales] deknes · officiales R. alle] C om.] Lat sadel hem with siluer · owre synne to suffre, As auoutrie and deuo[r]ses · and derne vsurye, [folio 9] [auoutrie] deuoutrie R. de|uorses] so in C; diuorces W; de|uorces O; but LR have deuoses. vsurye] vsure RO.]

To bere bischopes aboute · abrode in visytynge. Line 176 ¶ Paulynes pryues · for pleyntes in þe consistorie, [pryues] pryuees W; preues O. þe] WC om.] Shul serue my-self · þat cyuile is nempned; And cartesadel þe comissarie · owre carte shal he lede, [A page 25] [þe] oure O.] And fecchen vs vytailles · at fornicatores. Line 180 ¶ And maketh of lyer a longe carte · to lede alle þese othere, [maketh] make C. longe] lang W; lange R. þese] þise WC; þes R.] As Freres and faitours · þat on here fete rennen." [Freres] fobberes R. faitours] fautouris O.] And thus fals and fauel · fareth forth togideres, And Mede in þe myddes · and alle þise men after. [men] other CO.] Line 184 ¶ I haue no tome to telle · þe taille þat hem folweth, [tome] toom O. hem folweth] hire folwed W.] Of many maner man · þat on þis molde libbeth; [W omits.] Ac gyle was forgoer · and gyed hem alle. ¶ Sothenesse seiȝ hym wel · and seide but a litel, [hym] hem WR. a] W om.] Line 188 And priked his palfrey · and passed hem alle, And come to þe kynges courte · and conscience it tolde, [come] com WR.] And conscience to þe kynge · carped it after. ¶ "Now by cryst," quod þe kynge · "and I cacche myȝte Line 192 Fals or fauel · or any of his feres, [or] other R (in both places).] I wolde be wroke of þo wrecches · þat worcheth so ille, [þo] þe C.] And don hem hange by þe hals · and alle þat hem meynteneth! Shal neure man of molde · meynprise þe leste, [of] of þis W; on O. leste] leeste WO.] Line 196 But riȝte as þe lawe wil loke · late falle on hem alle." [wil] wol WC; wole O.] ¶ And comanded a constable · þat come atte furst, [come] com W. atte] atte þe R; at C.] To "attache þo tyrauntz · for eny thynge, I hote, And fettereth fast falsenesse · for enykynnes ȝiftes, [A page 26] [enykynnes] any kynnes WC; any kyns O.] Line 200

Line 200 And gurdeth of gyles hed · and lat hym go no furthere. And ȝif ȝe lacche lyer · late hym nouȝt ascapen [ȝe] thou C. lacche] laccheth R.] Er he be put on þe pilorye · for eny preyere, I hote; [þe] C om.] And bryngeth Mede to me · maugre hem alle." [bryngeth] brynght C. maugre] maugree W; maugrey O.] Line 204 ¶ Drede atte dore stode · and þe dome herde, [atte] at þe WCO.] And how þe kynge comaunded · constables and seriantz, [comaunded] demede R. ser|iantz] sergeauntz W; sergeantz C; sergeauntis O.] Falsenesse and his felawschip · to fettren an to bynden. [an] and WCRO.] Þanne drede went wiȝtliche · and warned þe fals, Line 208 And bad hym flee for fere · and his felawes alle. ¶ Falsenesse for fere þanne · fleiȝ to þe freres, [fleiȝ] fleiȝt R; fleis C.] And gyle doþ hym to go · agast for to dye. Line 211 Ac marchantz mette with hym · and made hym abide, [folio 9b] [Ac] And C.] And bishetten hym in here shope · to shewen here ware, [shope] shoppes W.] And apparailled hym as a prentice · þe poeple to serue. [And] W om. apparailed] apparayleden O. a prentice] Appren|tice W.] ¶ Liȝtliche lyer · lepe awey þanne, [lepe] leep W; leepe O.] Lorkynge thorw lanes · to-lugged of manye. [Lorkynge] Lurkynge W.] Line 216 He was nawhere welcome · for his manye tales, [nawhere] nowher W; nawere R; nouȝwher O; naught where C.] Ouer al yhowted · and yhote trusse; [yhowted] so in LC; I-howted RO; y-houted or y-honted (printed y-honted) W.] Tyl pardoneres haued pite · and pulled hym in-to house. [haued] hadde W; hadden O.] They wesshen hym and wyped hym · and wonden hym in cloutes, [A page 27] [wonden] wounden WCO. hym] C om.] Line 220 And sente hym with seles · on sondayes to cherches, [sente] senten W; sent R. cherches] kyrkees C; chirche O.] And gaf pardoun for pens · poundmel aboute. [gaf] yeuen W. pens] pans R.]

¶ Thanne loured leches · and lettres þei sent, Þat he sholde wonye with hem · wateres to loke. Line 224 Spiceres spoke with hym · to spien here ware, [spoke] spoken O; speken WR; spake C. with] to R.] For he couth of here craft · and knewe many gommes. [of here] on here R; of hir WC. gommes] gummes R.] ¶ Ac mynst[r]alles and messageres · mette with hym ones, [Ac] And WC.] And helden hym an half-ȝere · and elleuene dayes. [an half-ȝere] half a ȝere R.] Line 228 ¶ Freres with faire speche · fetten hym þennes, [with] with hir C. þennes] þennes (printed pennes) W; theynnes C.] And for knowyng of comeres · coped hym as a frere. Ac he hath leue to lepe out · as oft as hym liketh, [Ac] And C.] And is welcome whan he wil · and woneth wyth hem oft. Line 232 ¶ Alle fledden for fere · and flowen in-to hernes, Saue Mede þe Mayde · na mo durst abide. [na mo] nama C; no moo O; no man R.] Ac trewli to telle · she trembled for drede, [Ac] And C. she—drede] heo tremeled for fere R.] And ek wept and wronge · whan she was attached. [ek] al-so R. whan] R om. she] heo R.] Line 236