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.)

                                
                                  Now, ffor to telle trouthe · þus þan me thynketh,
                                
                                  That no manere meyntenour · shulde merkis bere,
                                
                                  Ne haue lordis leuere · þe lawe to apeire,
                                
                                  Neiþer bragger ne boster · ffor no bremme wordis, [Cf.—braggynge · abosted, &c.; C. 9. 152.] 
                                  Line 80 
                                
                                  But ho so had kunnynge · and conscience bothe,
                                
                                  To stonde vnstombled · and stronge in his wittis, [folio 111b]  [Cf. to stomble, yf he stande; C. 11. 35.] 
                                
                                  Lele in his leuynge · leuyd be his owen,
                                
                                  Þat no manere mede · shulde make him wrye,
                                  Line 84 
                                
                                  ffor to trien a trouthe · be-twynne two sidis,
                                
                                  And lette ffor no lordschep · þe lawe to susteyne,
                                
                                  Whane þe pore pleyned · that put were to wrongis.
                                
                                  And I were of conceill · by crist þat me bouȝte,
                                  Line 88 
                                
                                  He shuld haue a signe · and sum-what be ȝere,
                                
                                  ffor to kepe his contre · in quiete and in reste.
                                
                                  This were a good grounde · so me god helpe!
                                
                                  And a trewe tente · to take and to ȝeue,
                                  Line 92 
                                
                                  And ony lord of this londe · þat leuerez vsith. [And; read To or For?] 
                                
                                  But how the gayes han y-gon · god wotte þe sothe [A d is written over g in gayes, as if to alter it to dayes; but the alliteration requires gayes; see Note.] 
                                
                                  Amonge myȝtfull men · alle these many ȝeris;
                                
                                  And, whedir þe grounde of ȝifte · were good oþer ille, [ȝifte; printed ȝiste by Mr Wright.] 
                                  Line 96 
                                
                                  Trouthe haþe determyned · þe tente to þe ende, [Cf. Til trewþe hadde ytermenyd · here trespas to þe ende; C. 2. 93.] 
                                
                                  And reson hath rehersid · þe resceyte of all.
                                
                                  Ȝit, I trowe, ȝoure entente · at þe ffrist tyme,
                                
                                  Was, as I wene, ȝif I well thenke · in multitude of peple,
                                  Line 100 
                                
                                  That ȝe were þe more myȝtier · ffor the many signes
                                
                                  Þat ȝe and ȝoure seruauntis · aboute so thikke sowid; [aboute; badly spelt abouȝte in the MS. sowid; glossed by shewed in the MS.; wrongly.] 
                                
                                  And þat þey were more tristi · and trewer þan oþer,
                                
                                  To loue ȝou ffor þe leuere · þat legeaunce stroied;

                                  Line 104

Pages

Index

About this Item

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 481
Publication: London,: Pub. for the Early English text society, by N. Trübner & co.,; 1867-85.

Technical Details

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/ajt8124.0001.001/1319:13

Rights and Permissions

The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials are in the public domain. If you have questions about the collection, please contact [email protected]. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact [email protected].

DPLA Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States

IIIF

Manifest: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/api/manifest/cme:ajt8124.0001.001

Cite this Item

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 21, 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.)

Annotations Tools

Actions

About this Item

Technical Details

Rights and Permissions

Related Links

IIIF

Cite this Item