William Langland's The vision of Piers Plowman

Passus 7

Treuthe herde telle herof, and to Piers sente Line 7.001 To taken his teme and tilien the erthe, Line 7.002 And purchaced hym a pardoun a pena et a culpa Line 7.003 For hym and for hyse heirs for ever oore after- Line 7.004

Line 7.004 And bad hym holde hym at home and erien hise Ieyes, Line 7.005 And alle that holpen hym to erye, to sette or to sowe, Line 7.006 or any [man]er mestier that myghte Piers availe-- Line 7.007 Pardon with Piers Plowman Truthe hath ygraunted. Line 7.008 Kynges and knyghtes that kepen Holy Chirche Line 7.009 And rightfully in remes rulen the peple, Line 7.010 Han pardon thorugh purgatorie to passen ful lightly, Line 7.011 With patriarkes and prophetes in paradis to be felawe. Line 7.012 Bysshopes yblessed, if thei ben as thei sholde Line 7.013 Legistres of bothe lawes, the lewed therwith to preche, Line 7.014 And in as muche as thei mowe amenden alle synfulle, Line 7.015 Arn peres with the Apostles--this pardon Piers sheweth-- Line 7.016 And at the day of dome at the heighe deys to sitte. Line 7.017 Marchaunts in the margyne hadde manye yeres, Line 7.018 Ac noon A pena et a culpa the Pope nolde hem graunte. Line 7.019 For thei holde noght hir halidayes as Holy Chirche techeth, Line 7.020 And for thei swere 'by hir soule' and -so God moste hem helpe' Line 7.021 Ayein clene Conseience, hir catel to selle. Line 7.022 Ac under his secret seel Truthe sente hem a lettre, Line 7.023 [And bad hem] buggen boldely what hem best liked Line 7.024 And sithenes selle it ayein and save the wynnyng, Line 7.025 And amende mesondieux thermyd and myseise folk helpe; Line 7.026 And wikkede weyes wightly amende, Line 7.027 And do boote to brugges that tobroke were; Line 7.028 Marien maydenes or maken hem nonnes; Line 7.029 Povere peple and prisons fynden hem hir foode, Line 7.030 And sette soolers to scole or to som othere craftes; Line 7.031 Releve Religion and renten hem bettre. Line 7.032 "And I shal sende yow myselve Seynt Michel myn angel, Line 7.033

Line 7.033 That no devel shal yow dere ne [in youre deying fere yow], Line 7.034 And witen yow fro wanhope, if ye wol thus werche, Line 7.035 And sende youre soules in saufte to my Seintes in joye.' Line 7.036 Thanne were marchaunts murie--manye wepten for joye- Line 7.037 And preiseden Piers the Plowman, that purchaced this bulle. Line 7.038 Men of lawe leest pardon hadde that pleteden for mede, Line 7.039 For the Sauter saveth hem noght, swiche as take yiftes, Line 7.040 And nameliche of innocents that noon yvel ne konneth: Line 7.041 Super innocentem munera non accipies. Line 7.041 Pledours sholde peynen hem to plede for swiche and helpe; Line 7.042 Princes and prelates sholde paie for hire travaille: Line 7.043 A regibus et principibus erit merces eorum. Line 7.043 Ac many a justice and jurour wolde for Johan do moore Line 7.044 Than pro Deipietate--leve thow noon oother! Line 7.045 Ac he that spendeth his speche and speketh for the povere Line 7.046 That is innocent and nedy and no man apeireth, Line 7.047 Conforteth hym in that caas, coveit[eth noght hise] yiftes, Line 7.048 And [for Oure Lordes love lawe for hym sheweth]-- Line 7.049 Shal no devel at his deeth day deren hym a myte Line 7.050 That he ne worth saaf and his soule, the Sauter bereth witnesse: Line 7.051 Domine, quis habitubit in tubernuculo tuo ? Line 7.051 Ac to bugge water, ne wynd, ne wit, ne fir the ferthe-- Line 7.052 Thise foure the Fader of Hevene made to this foold in commune: Line 7.053 Thise ben Truthes tresores trewe folk to helpe, Line 7.054

Line 7.054 That nevere shul wex ne wanye withouten God hymselve. Line 7.055 Whan thei drawen on to the deth, and indulgences wolde have, Line 7.056 His pardon is ful petit at his partyng hennes Line 7.057 That any mede of mene men for hir motyng taketh. Line 7.058 Ye legistres and lawieres, [if I lye witeth Mathew]: Line 7.059 Quodcumque vultis utfaciant vobis homines, fucite eis. Line 7.059 Alle libbynge laborers that lyven with hir hondes, Line 7.060 That treweliche taken and treweliche wynnen, Line 7.061 And lyven in love and in lawe, for hir lowe herte Line 7.062 Haveth the same absolucion that sent was to Piers. Line 7.063 Beggeres and bidderes beth noght in the bulle Line 7.064 But if the suggestion be sooth that shapeth hem to begge: Line 7.065 For he that beggeth or bit, but it he have nede, Line 7.066 He is fals with the feend and defraudeth the nedy, Line 7.067 And also gileth the gyvere ageynes his wille; Line 7.068 For if he wiste he were noght nedy he wolde [that yyve] Line 7.069 Another that were moore nedy than he--so the nedieste sholde be holpe. Line 7.070 Caton kenneth me thus, and the Clerc of the Stories: Line 7.071 Cui des, videto is Catons techyng; Line 7.072 And in the Stories he techeth to bistowe thyn almesse: Line 7.073 Sit elemosina tua in manu tua donec studes cui des. Line 7.073 Ac Gregory was a good man, and bad us gyven alle Line 7.074

Line 7.074 That asketh for His love that us al leneth: Line 7.075 Non eligas cui miserearis, ne forte pretereaf ittum qui meretur Line 7.075 accipere; quia incerum est pro quo Deo magis placeas. Line 7.075 For wite ye nevere who is worthi - ac God woot who hath nede. Line 7.076 In hym that taketh is the trecherie, if any treson walke - Line 7.077 For he that yeveth, yeldeth, and yarketh hym to reste, Line 7.078 And he that biddeth, borweth, and bryngeth hymself in dette. Line 7.079 For beggeres borwen everemo, and hir borgh is God Almyghty- Line 7.080 To yelden hem that yeveth hem, and yet usure moore: Line 7.081 Quare noon dedisti pecuniam mean ad mensam, ut Line 7.081 ego enioens cum usuris exegissem utique illam? Line 7.081 Forthi biddeth noght, ye beggeres, but if ye have gret nede. Line 7.082 For whoso hath to buggen hym breed - the Book bereth witnesse- Line 7.083 He hath ynough that hath breed ynough, though he have noght ellis: Line 7.084 Satis dives est qui non indiget pane. Line 7.084 Lat usage be your solas of seintes lyves redyng; Line 7.085 The Book banneth beggerie, and blameth hem in this manere: Line 7.086 Iuniou fui etenim senui, et non vidi iustum derelictum nec Line 7.086 semen eius querens panem. Line 7.086 For [thei] lyve in no love, ne no lawe holde: Line 7.087 [Thei] ne wedde no womman that [thei] with deele, Line 7.088 But as wilde bestes with "wehee" worthen uppe and werchen, Line 7.090 And bryngen forth barnes that bastardes men calleth. Line 7.091 Or the bak or som soon their breketh in his youthe, Line 7.092

Line 7.092 And goon [and] faiten with hire fauntes for everemoore after. Line 7.093 Ther is moore mysshapen amonges thise beggeres Line 7.094 Than of alle [othere] manere men that on this moolde walketh. Line 7.095 Tho that lyve thus hir lif mowe lothe the tyme Line 7.096 That evere he was man wroght, whan he shal hennes fare. Line 7.097 Ac olde men and hore that helplees ben of strengthe, Line 7.098 And wommen with childe that werche ne mowe, Line 7.099 Blynde and bedreden and broken hire membres, Line 7.100 That taken this myschief mekeliche, as mesels and othere, Line 7.101 Han as pleyn pardon as the Plowman hymselve. Line 7.102 For Iove of hir lowe hertes Oure Lord hath hem graunted Line 7.103 Hir penaunce and hir Purgatorie upon this [pure] erthe. Line 7.104 " Piers,' quod a preest thoo, " thi pardon moste I rede; Line 7.105 For I shal construe ech clause and kenne it thee on Englissh.' Line 7.106 And Piers at his preiere the pardon unfoldeth-- Line 7.107 And I bihynde hem bothe biheld al the bull Line 7.108 In two lynes it lay, and noght a le[ttre] moore, Line 7.109 And was writen right thus in witnesse of truthe: Line 7.110 Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam. Line 7.110 Qui vero mala, in ignem eternum. Line 7.110 " Peter! ' quod the preest thoo, " I kan no pardon fynde Line 7.111 But "-Do wel and have wel. and God shal have thi soule,' Line 7.112 And " Do yvel and have yvel, and hope thow noon oother Line 7.113 That after thi deeth day the devel shal have thi soule!' Line 7.114 And Piers for pure tene pulled it atweyne Line 7.115 And seide, - Si ambulavero in medio umbre mortis Line 7.116 Non timebo mala, quoniam tu mecum es. Line 7.117

Line 7.117 "I shal cessen of my sowyng,' quod Piers, "and swynke noght so harde, Line 7.118 Ne aboute my bely joye so bisy be na moore; Line 7.119 Of preieres and of penaunce my plough shal ben herafter, Line 7.120 And wepen whan I sholde slepe, though whete breed me faille. Line 7.121 "The prophete his payn eet in penaunce and in sorwe, Line 7.122 By that the Sauter seith--so dide othere manye. Line 7.123 That loveth God lelly, his lifiode is ful esy: Line 7.124 Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte. Line 7.124 "And but if Luc lye, he lereth us by foweles Line 7.125 We sholde noght be to bisy aboute the worldes blisse: Line 7.126 Ne soliciti sitis, he seith in the Gospel Line 7.127 And sheweth us by ensamples us selve to wisse. Line 7.128 The foweles in the feld, who fynt hem mete at wynter? Line 7.129 Have thei no gerner to go to, but God fynt hem alle.' Line 7.130 "What!' quod the preest to Perkyn, "Peter! as me thynketh, Line 7.131 Thow art lettred a litel--who lerned thee on boke?' Line 7.132 "Abstynence the Abbesse,' quod Piers, -myn a.b.c. me taughte, Line 7.133 And Conscience cam afterward and kenned me muche moore.' Line 7.134 " Were thow a preest, Piers,' quod he, " thow myghtest preche where thow sh Line 7.135 As divinour in divinite, with Dixit insipiens to thi teme.' Line 7.136 " Lewed lorel!' quod Piers, "litel lokestow on the Bible; Line 7.137 On Salomons sawes selden thow biholdest-- Line 7.138 Eice derisores et iurgia cum eis ne crescant &c.' Line 7.138 The preest and Perkyn apposeden either oother-- Line 7.139 And I thorugh hir wordes awook, and waited aboute, Line 7.140 And seigh the sonne in the south sitte that tyme. Line 7.141 Metelees and moneilees on Malverne hulles, Line 7.142 Musynge on this metels a my[le] wey ich yede. Line 7.143 Many tyme this metels hath maked me to studie Line 7.144 Of that I seigh slepynge--if it so be myghte; Line 7.145 And for Piers the Plowman ful pencif in herte, Line 7.146

Line 7.146 And which a pardon Piers hadde, al the peple to conforte, Line 7.147 And how the preest inpugned it with two propre wordes. Line 7.148 Ac I have no savour in songewarie, for I se it ofte faille; Line 7.149 Caton and canonistres counseillen us to leve Line 7.150 To sette sadnesse in songewarie--for sompnia ne cures. Line 7.151 Ac for the book Bible bereth witnesse Line 7.152 How Daniel divined the dremes of a kyng Line 7.153 That was Nabugodonosor nempned of clerkes . . . Line 7.154 Daniel seide, "Sire Kyng, thi dremels bitokneth Line 7.155 That unkouthe knyghtes shul come thi kyngdom to cleyme; Line 7.156 Amonges lower lordes thi lond shal be departed.' Line 7.157 And as Daniel divined, in dede it fel after: Line 7.158 The kyng lees his lordshipe, and lower men it hadde. Line 7.159 And Joseph mette merveillously how the moone and the sonne Line 7.160 And the ellevene sterres hailsed hym alle. Line 7.161 Thanne Jacob jugged Josephes swevene : Line 7.162 " Beau fiz,' quod his fader, " for defaute we shullen-- Line 7.163 I myself and my sones--seche thee for nede.' Line 7.164 It bifel as his fader seide, in Pharaoes tyme, Line 7.165 That Joseph was Justice Egipte to loke: Line 7.166 It bifel as his fader tolde--hise frendes there hym soughte. Line 7.167 Al this maketh me on metels to thynke-- Line 7.168 And how the preest preved no pardon to Dowel, Line 7.169 And demed that Dowel indulgences passed, Line 7.170 Biennals and triennals and bisshopes lettres, Line 7.171 And how Dowel at the Day of Dome is digneliche underfongen, Line 7.172 And passeth al the pardon of Seint Petres cherche. Line 7.173 Now hath the Pope power pardon to graunte Line 7.174 The peple, withouten penaunce to ja into [joye]; Line 7.175 This is [a leef of] oure bileve, as lettred men us techeth: Line 7.176 Quodcumque ligaveris super terram erit ligatum et in celis &c. Line 7.176

Line 7.176 And so I leve leelly (Lord forbede ellis!) Line 7.177 That pardon and penaunce and preieres doon save Line 7.178 Soules that have synned seven sithes dedly. Line 7.179 Ac to trust on thise triennals--trewely, me thynketh, Line 7.180 It is noght so siker for the soule, certes, as is Dowel. Line 7.181 Forthi I rede yow renkes that riche ben on this erthe, Line 7.182 Upon trust of youre tresor triennals to have, Line 7.183 Be ye never the bolder to breke the ten hestes; Line 7.184 And namely ye maistres, meires and jugges, Line 7.185 That have the welthe of this world and wise men ben holden, Line 7.186 To purchace yow pardon and the Popes bulles. Line 7.187 At the dredful dome, whan dede shulle arise Line 7.188 And comen alle bifore Crist acountes to yelde-- Line 7.189 How thow laddest thi lif here and hise lawes keptest, Line 7.190 And how thow didest day by day the doom wole reherce. Line 7.191 A pokeful of pardon there, ne provincials lettres, Line 7.192 Theigh ye be founde in the fraternite of alle the foure ordres Line 7.193 And have indulgences doublefold--but Dowel yow helpe, Line 7.194 I sette youre patentes and youre pardon at one pies hele! Line 7.195 Forthi I counseille alle Cristene to crie God mercy, Line 7.196 And Marie his moder be oure meene bitwene, Line 7.197 That God gyve us grace here, er we go hennes, Line 7.198 Swiche werkes to werche, while we ben here, Line 7.199 That after oure deth day, Dowel reherce Line 7.200 At the day of dome, we dide as he highte. Line 7.201