O read me for I am of great antiquitie I plaine Piers which can not flatter, a plough man men me call, my speech is fowlle yet marke the matter now things may hap to fall, but now another Ile haue for mee, I thinke it is as fit say, if any my name doo craue, I am the gransier of Martin mareprelitte : compiled afore yeaster day, for the behoofe and ouerthrow of all parsons, vikars, and curats, who haue learned their cathechismes and can not yet vnderstand them, although they be past their grace.

O Reade me for I am the annoynted▪

I Piers plowman following plough on fielde my Beastes blowing for¦brake my bod••e requiring rest, gaping for the gaine my labours gan me yeeld, vppon y^e Plough beame, to sit me thought it best, [againe the haile I leaned, my face to H••auen I cast, to that great Lord a∣boue, my buckler and my shield, who al∣waies after labours, sendeth ease at the last, bicause I tell you plaine, without rest naught can endure, this Lord him selfe first the darke did frame and made: First of all prouiding the comfort of his Creature, before that thing earthlie his forme and shape did take, commaunding the night for euer all labours to abate, that wearie workemen all their bones might salue and cure, to serue t••••t li∣uing God without strife or hate: Then doth hee make the light for labours and buisie care, the Firmament hee framed betwixt the waters twaine, the Seas, the earth, the hearbs, the trees, the fruits bright and faire, the Sunne, the Moone, the Starres for our profit▪ and gaine: the fishes in the floods, the birds in the ayre flowing: all kinde of beasts, and man as Lord and ruler, then rayseth hee

eftsoones an Image to mans doo••ng, hee knew full well the labours to man more appoynted, though a whils of good & bad not knowing, m••n lead a carelesse life in innocencie then graunted, vnto the tyme vnto the time that Eue to the olde Ser∣pent assenting brought him into bondage vile labour and trauell, which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 night restrayneth the bodie sore tormen∣ted, vnlesse the womans seede be ••ote ••n∣to our bale. This Seede to Noha than shadowed, releefe to no manne can finde, with comforte of the grape, and ship that saued some euen those that him beleeued, and would not still be blinde, all other then were drenched not regarding Gods doome by bringing Bull to yoake, yee brought in mikell ease, happie therefore be ••e, a sainte he might be shryned, if euer poore ploughman of Pope might get the Keyes.

In the meane season it will be litle rea∣son, goods and life to daunger aye,

Let them keepe from our houses, & shape vs no hoodes & take this popishe playe.

It is no article of my beliefe, though the priest hang it on his sleeue & publish it in courte an assyse.

It maketh me oft 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I my selfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪

〈◊〉〈◊〉 would 〈…〉〈…〉 for my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈…〉〈…〉 that 〈…〉〈…〉

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But let it goe, God 〈…〉〈…〉 though new beleefes they 〈◊〉〈◊〉,

Which haue all wold, in blindnes hold, 〈…〉〈…〉,

Consider O Kings and Princes, deere for you we toyle and laboure, cōsider I say eftsoones, now your flocke ••ow that yee le••de you shall made answers, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all ••e∣••••es, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and ill honour, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 might yee ……n Christs side, who is our guide and head, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 els your 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••••et, & sharp to maintaine p……e 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and how l••t••ely a thing it is a christ•••••• Prince, to be Antichrists protectour:

We striue not for the name whom all men hate for shame, for his forged days,

The priests will him maintaine, so long as they haue possession,

Of them did he bring, to him will they bring, what so euer the hand can finde,

Rather then he should perished be, in his decrees and lawes cannon.

Therefore doo they put downe, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the cours•• of kinde

Which would doo them good, with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈…〉〈…〉, if they could take it so,

To tell them ••••t off that 〈…〉〈…〉, that h•••••• sinfull nation

To bring them to light y^t shineth bright, which the Scripture leadeth to.

I heard a tale of late, how a Captaine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to ma••e, & set a 〈…〉〈…〉,

With many 〈…〉〈…〉 him about, who his consent should ••tter out, an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈…〉〈…〉 pride,

His vncleane cage began to speake, ••••••∣……deth open his beake 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I am that.* 1.1

〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 knaues standing ••y, so and I, so am I, euerichone they crye.

T…… play y^e priests withouten doubt al y^t would throughout y^e Pope to coūterfaite,

Marke their life, m••••ke these learning, marke their order and euery thing,

And yonge, yonge Popes they ben liche, they lose, they binde,

They haue both sword and keyes, after the sa••e kinde that olde ••afe had of late.

I thanke my Lord God the liuing Lord for euer, that he hath giuen me grace to flea the Sodomi••e, I was long in her lo••e,

but I thanke my God the giuer, I haue escaped Sodome, and in God is my de∣light, I speake it of no rage, but as I will answere make, so their owne selues bee not Iudges, in their owne cause and mat∣ter, for then against y^e dreadfull day, with cleare heart I will it vndertake.

All this while mee thought I slept, but the boye can pricke his beest.

Againe I take the plough in hande fol∣lowing mine honest labour,

Till night commeth on, and sunne go∣i••g downe causeth me to cease.

In meane season, I tosse many thinges, as I were of porte and hauour,

When I came home, all that night long, I could not sleepe a winke,

A booke therefore I tooke in hande, my selfe something to ease.

Wherein I wrote of sundry ryte, as my heart dooth iudge and thinke.

Aboute three yeares past when I Piers scripture might reade,

And render and r••porte to my wyfe and to my barnes,

It seemed then a goodly life, a houshold then to keepe and feede,

Both with broth and bacon, and breade

of the Byble,

To tell forth Christes trade, and trade of our christening,

Before we were called christen, & knew of Christe nothing

Then was I sir, then was I father, then was I shepheard and all,

Then nothing fayled vnto my bidding, neither in boure nor hall,

My wyfe for my wisdome did counte me hee head, my childer their father,

My seruaunts their sire, then all did o∣bay me in the feare of the Lord,

More then for meade or hier, this plea∣sed the Lord.

I dare recorde against the popish pries, which clatter in the Kirke,

And cannot worke nothing that good is, which had despight in heart,

That wee to Christe did start, leauing their cumbred riddles,

And cried as their Fathers did before, out, out alas,

Therefore all the world followeth him, and his,

Seeing vs of the lewde fee, breake into heauen so violently,

Which they were sory for, but of y^e herds

they recked nothing,

Being occupied with other thinge, as gentlemen and other,

For the fleshly fathers coulde boast that none of the promises,

Nor the Pharisies were founde faulty herein, but onely the rascall sort,

That knew not the lawe, lined sinfull and cursed therefore sayd they plaine,

Wee will haue it in againe, from these poore knaues,

That are so wood, trowe these harlots pardy, that Christe wold with saue to die,

For such a prophane beggerly blood.

But comfort yee yee plough man, Fis∣shers, Tylers, and cobblers.

Christe our king was a poore man, as Zacharie before prophesied, and hee him selfe saith, that Foxes haue dennes, & birds of heauen neasts, and mans sonne hath not, where to lodge his head. And hee blessed the poore men, so they bee poore in spirite, saieng that theirs is all readie the Kingdome of high Heauen, and wo be vnto the riche, for they haue their com∣forte in this world. Christe saith againe in Marke, his words sowen in rich mens hearts bringeth forth no fruite, for the de∣ceiptfulnes

of riches, and the businesse of this worlde cloggeth it and marketh it fruitelesse, this knewe our Popish prel∣lates full well, when they finde that gen∣tleman, and busie occupied marchauntes are sober, discreete, and wise, they will not rayle, they will doo no skathe.

But I will tell you a newe tale, goe to all yee riche of heapes,

With all your horned prellates,

Weepe and howie for the misteries that shall come vpon you,

If there be no other thing to lay in your way,

This I am suer yee cannot denay,

That yee haue lyued in delight & plea∣sure, you haue fed at your hearts liking,

As against the day of slaughter,

Yee haue condempned & slaine the Iust, and hee hath not resisted you.

Remember that terrible example of the riche man, and poore Lazarus. And I say againe to you poore caitiffes, there is an other world beside this, and we can pati∣ently abide the Lords woorking, there is no seede can bring great gaine but he be deed, this wee see playne in our yearely sowing, beside this we patiently abide vii.

monethes long, tho wee suffer at home much hunger and wrong, our whete or wee can gather why should we not than, Gods woorking ken in sauing vs with them: yea heare me deere brethren hogge-herds, sheepeheads, and all your sorte de∣spised, hath not God chosen the poore of this world, to be riche in faith, and heires of the kingdome, which he promised to all them of whom he was loued, that how can your byshops hate then thus poore, and be the Apostles successors, for they did com∣fort the poore all with these & like words, as they can fall against y^e riche in towers, are they not the riche that exerciseth their tiranny vpon you, and they haile you to their iudgment seates, & the same are they that speake euill of that good name which is named vpon you. Paule calleth them Idolators only bicause they gape so much vpon goods. And Christ him selfe saith, no man can serue two maisters, both God & riches. And againe, it is hard for a riche man to enter into heauen, as a Camill to goe through a needells eye, yet dooth the priestes flatter them, & say that they onely may haue Gods word, which is called his kingdome, that they altogether may play

the part of cut my curre, that keepeth my Fother safe, which neither will eate any Haie himselfe, nor suffer any cattell that breaketh loose, to eate any thing thereat: thus doo they all conspire against y^e Lord, and his Christe.

The bishoppes giueth bribes, to holde Christe downe.

And vp start y^e knights of the sepulcar.

This sheweth that they haue the faith of Christe in vaine opinion,

Or els would they iudge Christes flocke a right, without regarde of person.

Alas, doo yee not see that Christe will not be kept in graue,

How longe doo you striue against the streame and spurne against the pricke,

What haue you woon this xxx. yeeres, by putting to silence

The word of God, and the maintayners thereof.

It springeth and spreadeth by persecu∣tion, like the Palme tree, that cannot bee ouercomne with burden, all though you treade it vnder your feete, and iudge it vn∣worthely, at length it shall beate downe you and condempne you, both great and small to endles dampnation, & lay vpon

your necke al the innocent blood, that hath ben spilt since Stephen the first Martyr, to this day, through your default, & all o∣ther that shall follow after to the worlds end. Moyses, by the mouth of God com∣maunded thus, that we take heede least y^t we loose our soule, forgetting the woonde∣rous works that he hath wrought in the daies heretofore, but y^t we shall publish thē forth still, to our children & posteritie for e∣uer. Againe he saith,* 1.2 the wordes y^t I doo cōmaunde this day, shalbe vpon thy heart, thou shalt reherse them vnto thy children, and speake of them when thou sittest in thy house, when thou walkest by y^e way, when thou goest to sleepe, when thou risest again then shalt thou binde them as a signe a∣bout thy hand, and they shalbe a remem∣brance betwixt thine eies, thou shalt write them vpon the poastes of thy house, and in thy gates, that thy GOD bee at no time forgotten, for all they which coun∣teth it not good to knowe God, be they priests, be they princes, God giueth them vp into a reprobate minde, to doo y^e things that are not comly, filled with all vnrigh∣tiousnes, fornication, craft, couetousnes, &c. But our priests are wiser than Moyses,

then Christe,* 1.3 or his Apostles, for they were glad when by any maner of meanes, y^e gos¦pell was published, were it by contention or other waies: saith Paule, Philip. and where as Iohn was carnall,* 1.4 marke, and saith, we haue found a man casting out di∣uells in thy name, but wee haue forbidden him bicause he followeth not vs, and of y^t groūd perchance forbid vs to name Christ in his worde, Christe him selfe answereth plaine: forbid him not, for no man y^t wor∣keth any thing in my name, can straight speake euill of me: but our prelats cleane contrarie, to hinder Gods woord will not sticke to die, bicause it vttereth their hypo∣crisie, and destroyeth their papistrie, & the Antichristian Idolatry: Heare yee there∣fore, O yee Princes, and vnderstand yee y^t iudge the earth, heare I saie & feare, for you being officers of his kingdome, haue not executed true iudgement now of late, you haue not kept the law of rightiousnes, nor called after y^e will of God: horrible, & that right soone therefore, shall he appeere vnto you, for an hard iudgement shall they haue that beare rule. Mercie is graun∣ted vnto the poore, but they that be in auc∣toritie, shalbe sore punished, wherefore set your

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Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉
• * 1.2

  Note Deutro. Chapt.
• * 1.3

  Note Phillip Chapt.
• * 1.4

  Note