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.)

                                
                                  And ye like to lere · & listen a while, [lere] a better spelling than leer, as in the MS.; see l. 113.] 
                                
                                  As y may in my mynde · this metyng reherce,
                                
                                  Sekerly and shortly · þe soth y shall you shewe
                                
                                  Of this dredefull dreme · deme as you likes!
                                  Line 16 
                                
                                  Ones y me ordeyned · as y haue ofte doon,
                                
                                  With frendes and felawes · fremde men and other, [fremde men] written frende men; but fremde must be meant.] 
                                
                                  And caught me in a company · on Corpus Christi even,
                                
                                  Six other vij myle · oute of Suthampton,
                                  Line 20 
                                
                                  To take melodye and mirthes · among my makes,
                                
                                  With redyng of romaunces · and reuelyng among.
                                
                                  The dym of the derkenesse · drowe into the west,
                                
                                  And began for to spryng · in the grey day;
                                  Line 24 
                                
                                  Than lift y vp my lyddes · & loked in the sky,
                                
                                  And knewe by the kende cours · hit clered in þe Est.
                                
                                  Blyve y busked me doun · And to bed went,
                                
                                  For to comfort my kynde · And cacche a slepe.
                                  Line 28 
                                
                                  Swythe y swyed in a sweem · þat y swet after,
                                
                                  So my spirit in a spaas · so sore was y-set.
                                
                                  Me thought that y houed · an high on an hill [an] the second stroke of the n is missing.] 
                                
                                  And loked doun on a dale · deppest of othre;
                                  Line 32 
                                
                                  Ther y sawe in my sight · a selcouthe peple,
                                
                                  The multitude was so moche · it myght not be noum|bred. [31—34. Cf. B. prol. 13—18; C. 1. 14—20.]  [noumbred] written noumbrerd.] 
                                
                                  Me thought y herd a crowned kyng · of his comunes axe [Cf. B. prol. 112; C. 1. 139.] 
                                
                                  A soleyn subsidie · to susteyne his werres, [folio 4b] 
                                  Line 36 
                                
                                  To be rered in the reaume · as reson requyred
                                
                                  Of suche as were seemly · to suffre the charge;
                                
                                  That they that rekened were riche · be reson and skyle
                                
                                  Shuld pay a parcell · for here pouere neighbowres;

                                  Line 40

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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 525
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
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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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