The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 2: Trinity College, Cambridge MS B.15.17 (W) – Passus 6and Color Facsimile of Richard Rolle's <title>Form of Living – Passus 6William LanglandEdited by Thorlac Turville-Petre and Hoyt N. DugganAssociate Editors: M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A. Farley Graduate Research Assistants Michael Blum, Stephen C. Martin, and John Ivor Carlson. Computer Consultants and ProgrammersOludotun Akinola, Karen Dietz, Susan Gants, Kirk V. Hastings, Susan Munson, Beth Nowviskie, Daniel Pitti, John Price-Wilkin, Thornton Staples, and John Unsworth.University of Michigan Press Ann Arbor, Mich. ISBN: 0-472-00275-9

Commercially available:

copyright 2000, by SEENET

2000 Trinity College, Cambridge, MS B.15.17

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Trinity College, Cambridge, MS B.15.17

Attribute Values brown ink anglicana bastarda italic Lombard Cap ornamented capital, N lines high rubricated touched in red textura underlined underlined in red green ink blue ink

LatinFrenchGerman2000 cataloger Jackie Shieh New header created Passus sextus de visione vt supra This were a wikkede wey . but who-so hadde a gyde That wolde folwen vs ech a foot . þus þis folk hem mened Quod Perkyn þe Plowman . by Seint Peter of Rome I haue an half acre to erie . by þe heiȝe weye Hadde I eryed þis half acre . and sowen it after I wolde wende wiþ yow . and þe wey teche This were a long lettyng . quod a lady in a Scleyre What sholde we wommen . werche þe while Somme shul sowe þe sak quod Piers . for shedyng of þe whete And ye louely ladies . wiþ youre longe fyngres That ye haue silk and Sandel . to sowe whan tyme is Chesibles for Chapeleyns . chirches to honoure Wyues and widewes . wolle and flex spynneþ Makeþ cloþ I counseille yow . and kenneþ so youre douȝtres The nedy and þe naked . nymeþ hede how þei liggeþ And casteþ hem cloþes . for so comaundeþ truþe For I shal lenen hem liflode . but if þe lond faille Flessh and breed boþe . to riche and to poore As longe as I lyue . for þe lordes loue of heuene And alle manere of men . þat þoruȝ mete and drynke libbeþ Helpeþ hym to werche wiȝtliche . þat wynneþ youre foode By crist quod a knyȝt þoo . he kenneþ vs þe beste Ac on þe teme trewely . tauȝt was I neuere But kenne me quod þe knyȝt . and by crist I wole assaye By Seint Poul quod Perkyn . ye profre yow so faire That I shal swynke and swete . and sowe for vs boþe And oþere labours do for þi loue . al my lif-tyme In couenaunt þat þow kepe . holy kirke and my-selue Fro wastours and fro wikked men . þat þis world destruyeþ And go hunte hardiliche . to hares and to foxes To bores and to brokkes . þat breken doun myne hegges And soW.6.32: W alone reads so. Other B manuscripts have go. affaite þi faucons . wilde foweles to kille For swiche comeþ to my croft . and croppeþ my whete Curteisly þe knyȝt þanne . comsed þise wordes By my power Piers quod he . I pliȝte þee my trouþe To fulfille þis forward . þouȝ I fiȝte sholde Als longe as I lyue . I shal þee mayntene Ye and yet a point quod Piers . I preye yow of moore Loke ye tene no tenaunt . but truþe wole assente And þouȝ ye mowe amercy hem . lat mercy be taxour And mekenesse þi maister . maugree Medes chekes And þouȝ pouere men profre yow . presentes and ȝiftes Nyme it noȝt an auenture . ye mowe it noȝt deserue For þow shalt yelde it ayein . at one yeres tymeW.6.44: W alone reads tyme. Other B manuscripts have ende. In a ful perilous place . Purgatorie it hatte And mysbede noȝt þi bonde-men . þe bettre may þow spede Thouȝ he be þyn vnderlyng here . wel may happe in heuene That he worþ worþier set . and wiþ moore blisse Amice ascende superius For in Charnel at chirche . cherles ben yuel to knowe Or a knyȝt from a knaue þere . knowe þis in þyn herte And þat þow be trewe of þi tonge . and tales þat þow hatie           W.6.52:nota But if þei ben of wisdom or of wit . þi werkmen to chaste Hold wiþ none harlotes . ne here noȝt hir tales           W.6.54:nota And namely at þe mete . swiche men eschuwe           W.6.55:nota For it ben þe deueles disours . I do þe to vnderstonde           W.6.56:nota I assente by Seint Iame . seide þe knyȝt þanne For to werche by þi wordes . þe while my lif dureþ And I shal apparaille me quod Perkyn . in pilgrymes wise And wende wiþ yow I wile . til we fynde truþe And caste on my cloþes . yclouted and hole My cokeres and my coffes . for cold of my nailes And hange myn hoper at myn hals . in stede of a Scryppe A busshel of bred-corn . brynge me þer-Inne For I wol sowe it my-self . and siþenes wol I wende To pilgrymage as palmeres doon . pardon for to haue And who-so helpeþ me to erie . and sowen here er I wende Shal haue leue by oure lord . to lese here in heruest And make hem murie þer-myd . maugree who-so bigruccheþ it And alle kynne crafty men . þat konne lyuen in truþe I shal fynden hem fode . þat feiþfulliche libbeþ Saue IaggeW.6.72: W alone reads Iagge. Other B manuscripts have Iakke. þe Iogelour . and Ionette of þe Stuwes And danyel þe dees pleyere . and Denote þe baude And frere þe faitour . and folk of hireW.6.74: W alone reads hire. Other B manuscripts have his. ordre And Robyn þe Ribaudour . for hise rusty wordes Truþe tolde me ones . and bad me telle it after Deleantur de libro viuencium . I sholde noȝt dele wiþ hem For holy chirche is hote of hem . no tiþe to take Quia cum iustis non scribantur They ben ascaped good auenture . god hem amende Dame werch whan tyme is . Piers wif hiȝte His douȝter hiȝte do riȝt so . or þi dame shal þee bete His sone hiȝte Suffre þi Souereyns . to hauen hir wille Deme hem noȝt for if þow doost . þow shalt it deere abugge Lat god yworþe wiþ al . for so his word techeþ For now I am old and hoor . and haue of myn owene To penaunce and to pilgrimage . I wol passe wiþ þise oþere For-þi I wole er I wende . do write my biqueste In dei nomine amen . I make it my-selue He shal haue my soule . þat best haþ deserued it And fro þe fend it defende . for so I bileue Til I come to hise acountes . as my Credo me telleþ To haue a relees and a remission . on þat rental I leue The kirke shal haue my caroyne . and kepe my bones For of my corn and catel . she craued þe tiþe I paide it fulW.6.96: W alone reads it ful. M has him ful, and most other B manuscripts have it hym. prestly . for peril of my soule For-þi is he holden I hope . to haue me in his masse And mengen in his memorie . amonges alle cristene My wif shal haue of þat I wan . wiþ truþe and namoore And dele among my douȝtres . and my deere children For þouȝ I deye to-day . my dettes are quyte I bar hom þat I borwed . er I to bedde yede And wiþ þe residue and þe remenaunt . by þe Rode of Lukes I wol worshipe þer-wiþ . truþe by my lyue And ben his pilgrym atte plow . for pouere mennes sake My plowfoot shal be my pikstaf . and picche atwo þe rotes And helpe my cultour to kerue . and clense þe furwes Now is Perkyn and hise pilgrimes . to þe plow faren To erie þis half acre . holpen hym manye Dikeres and Delueres . digged vp þe balkes Ther-wiþ was Perkyn apayed . and preised hem faste Oþere werkmen þer were . þat wroȝten ful yerne Ech man in his manere . made hym-self to doone And somme to plese Perkyn . piked vp þe wedes At heiȝ prime Piers . leet þe plowȝ stonde To ouersen hem hym-self . and who-so best wroȝte He sholde be hired þer-after . whan heruest tyme come And þanne seten somme . and songen atte Nale And holpen ere þisW.6.119: W alone reads þis. Other B manuscripts have his. half acre . wiþ how trolly lolly Now by þe peril of my soule quod Piers . al in pure tene But ye arise þe raþer . and rape yow to werche Shal no greyn þat groweþ . glade yow at nede And þouȝ ye deye for doel . þe deuel haue þat reccheþ Tho were faitours afered . and feyned hem blynde Somme leide hir legges aliry . as swiche losels konneþ And made hir mone to Piers . and preide hym of grace For we haue no lymes to laboure with . lord ygraced be þe Ac we preie for yow Piers . and for youre plowȝ boþe That god of his grace . youre greyn multiplie And yelde yow for youre Almesse . þat ye ȝyue vs here For we may noȝt swynke ne swete . swich siknesse vs eyleþ If it be sooþ quod Piers þat ye seyn . I shal it soone aspie Ye ben wastours I woot wel . and truþe woot þe soþe And I am his olde hyne . and hiȝte hym to warne Whiche þei were in þis world . hise werkmen apeired Ye wasten þat men wynnen . wiþ trauaille and wiþ tene Ac truþe shal teche yow . his teme to dryue Or ye shul eten barly breed . and of þe broke drynke But if he be blynd or brokelegged . or bolted wiþ Irens He shal ete whete breed . and drynke wiþ my-selue Til god of his goodnesse . amendement hym sende Ac ye myȝte trauaille as truþe wolde . and take mete and hyre To kepe kyen in þe feld . þe corn fro þe beestes Diken or deluen . or dyngen vp-on sheues Or helpe make morter . or bere Muk a-feld In lecherie and in losengerie  ye lyuen and in Sleuþe And al is þoruȝ suffraunce . þat vengeaunce yow ne takeþ Ac Ancres and heremites . þat eten noȝt but at Nones And namoore er þe morwe . myn almesse shul þei haue And of catel to kepe hem wiþ . þat han Cloistres and chirches Ac Robert Renaboute . shal noȝt haue of myne Ne Postles but þei preche konne . and haue power of þe bisshop Thei shul haue payn and potage . and make hem-self ateseat ese W.6.154: A much later hand has written nota in the left margin. For it is an vnresonable Religion . þat haþ riȝt noȝt of certein And þanne gan wastour to wraþen hym . and wolde haue yfouȝte And to Piers þe Plowman . he profrede his gloue A Bretoner a braggere . abosteda bostedW.6.157: a, "he." Piers als And bad hym go pissen with his plowȝ . forpynede sherewe Wiltow or neltow . we wol haue oure wille Of þi flour and of þi flessh . fecche whanne vs likeþ And maken vs murye þer-myde . maugree þi chekes Thanne Piers þe Plowman . pleyned hym to þe knyȝte To kepen hym as couenaunt was . fro cursede sherewes And fro þise wastours wolueskynnes . þat makeþ þe world deere For þo wasten and wynnen noȝt . and þat ilke while Worþ neuere plentee among þe peple . þe while my plowȝ liggeþ Curteisly þe knyȝt þanne . as his kynde wolde Warnede wastour . and wissed hym bettre Or þow shalt abigge by þe lawe . by þe ordre þat I bere I was noȝt wont to werche quod wastour . and now wol I noȝt bigynne And leet liȝt of þe lawe . and lasse of þe knyȝte And sette Piers at a pese . and his plowȝ boþe And manaced Piers and his men . if þei mette eftsoone Now by þe peril of my soule quod Piers . I shal apeire yow alle And houped after hunger . þat herde hym at þe firste Awreke me of þise wastours quod he . þat þis world shendeþ Hunger in haste þoo . hente wastour by þe wombeW.6.177: W alone reads wombe. Other B manuscripts have mawe. And wrong hym so by þe wombe . þat boþe hise eiȝen watrede He buffetted þe Bretoner . aboute þe chekes That he loked lik a lanterne . al his lif after He bette hem so boþe . he brast ner hire guttes Ne hadde Piers wiþ a pese loof . preyed hunger to cesse They hadde be doluen . ne deme þow noon ooþer Suffre hem lyue he seide . and lat hem ete wiþ hogges Or ellis benes orW.6.185: W alone reads or. Other B manuscripts have and. bren . ybaken togideres Or ellis melk and mene ale . þus preied Piers for hem Faitours for fere her-of . flowen in-to Bernes And flapten on wiþ flailes . fro morwe til euen That hunger was noȝt so hardy . on hem for to loke For a potful of peses . þat Piers hadde ymaked An heep of heremytes . henten hem spades And kitten hir copes . and courtepies hem maked And wente as werkmen . wiþ spades and wiþ shoueles And doluen and dikeden . to dryue awey hunger Blynde and bedreden . were bootned a þousand That seten to begge siluer . soone were þei heeled For þat was bake for bayard . was boote for many hungry And many a beggere for benes . buxum was to swynke And ech a pouere man wel apaied . to haue pesen for his hyre And what Piers preide hem to do . as prest as a Sperhauk And þer-of was Piers proud . and putte hem to werke And yaf hem mete as he myȝte aforþe . and mesurable hyre Thanne hadde Piers pite . and preide hunger to wende Hoom vn-to his owene yerd . and holden hym þere For I am wel awroke . of wastours þoruȝ þy myȝte Ac I preie þee er þow passe . quod Piers to hunger Of beggeris and of bidderis . what best be to doone For I woot wel be þow went . þei wol werche ful ille For meschief it makeþ . þei be so meke nouþe And for defaute of hire foode . þis folk is at my wille Thei are my blody breþeren quod Piers . for god bouȝte vs alle Truþe tauȝte me ones . to louen hem echone And to helpen hem of alle þyng . ay as hem nedeþ And now wolde I wite of þee . what were þe beste And how I myȝte amaistren hem . and make hem to werche Here now quod hunger . and hoold it for a wisdom . Bolde beggeris and bigge . þat mowe hir breed biswynke Wiþ houndes breed and horse-breed . hoold vp hir hertes Abate hem wiþ benes . for bollynge of hir wombes And if þe gomes grucche . bidde hem go swynke And he shal soupe swetter . whan he it haþ deserued And if þow fynde any freke . þat Fortune haþ apeired Or any manere false men . fonde þow swiche to knowe Conforte hym wiþ þi catel . for cristes loue of heuene Loue hem and lene hem . so lawe of god techeþ Alter alterius onera portate And alle manere of men . þat þow myȝt aspie That nedy ben and nouȝty . help hem wiþ þi goodes Loue hem and lakke hem noȝt . lat god take þe vengeaunce Theiȝ þei doon yuele . lat god yworþe Michi vindictam & ego retribuam And if þow wilt be gracious to god . do as þe gospel techeþ And biloue þee amonges lewed men . so shaltow lacche grace Facite vosW.6.234: W alone reads vos. Other B manuscripts have vobis. amicos de mammona iniquitatis I wolde noȝt greue god quod Piers . for al þe good on grounde Miȝte I synnelees do as þow seist . seide Piers þanne Ye I bihote þee quod hunger . or ellis þe bible lieþ Go to Genesis þe geaunt . þe engendrour of vs alle In sudore and swynk . þow shalt þi mete tilie And laboure for þi liflode . and so oure lord hiȝte And Sapience seiþ þe same . I seiȝ it in þe bible Piger pro frigore . no feeld nolde tilie And þer-fore he shal begge and bidde . and no man bete his hunger Mathew wiþ mannes face . mouþed þise wordes That seruus nequam hadde a MnamW.6.245: The gloss .id est. A besaunt is written above Mnam in a smaller script but by the main hand. The red box around Mnam was drawn subsequently and left incomplete at the top. A similar gloss appears in HmLM. C. David Benson and Lynne S. Blanchfield, The Manuscripts of Piers Plowman: the B-version (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1997), 162, mistakenly offer to correct Kane-Donaldson's Mnam to amam. . and for he wolde noȝt chaffare He hadde maugree of his maister . euere-moore after And bynam hym his Mnam . for he ne wolde werche And yaf þat Mnam to hym . þat ten Mnames hadde And wiþ þat he seide . þat holy chirche it herde He þat haþ shal haue . and helpe þere it nedeþ           W.6.250:nota And he þat noȝt haþ shal noȝt haue . and no man hym helpe           W.6.251:nota And þat he weneþ wel to haue . I wole it hym bireue Kynde wit wolde . þat ech a wiȝt wroȝte Or in dikynge or in deluynge . or trauaillynge in preieres Contemplatif lif or Actif lif . crist wolde þei wroȝte The Sauter seiþ in þe psalme . of Beati omnes The freke þat fedeþ hym-self . wiþ his feiþful labour He is blessed by þe book . in body and in soule Labores manuum tuarum &c Yet I preie yow quod Piers . par charite and ye konne Any leef of lechecraft . lere it me my deere For some of my seruauntz . and my-self boþe Of al a wike werche noȝt . so oure wombe akeþ I woot wel quod hunger . what siknesse yow eyleþ Ye han manged ouer-muche . and þat makeþ yow grone Ac I hote þee quod hunger . as þow þyn hele wilnest That þow drynke no day . er þow dyne som-whatW.6.267-275: These nine lines are marked in the right margin by marks where notae usually appear, but these marks do not even suggest an <n>.           W.6.267:nota Ete noȝt I hote þee . er hunger þee take           W.6.268:nota And sende þee of his Sauce . to sauore wiþ þi lippes           W.6.269:nota And keep som til soper tyme . and sitte noȝt to longe           W.6.270:nota And rys vp er Appetit . haue eten his fille           W.6.271:nota Lat noȝt sire Surfet . sitten at þi borde           W.6.272:nota Leue hym noȝt for he is lecherous . and likerous of tunge           W.6.273:nota And after many maner metes . his mawe is afyngred           W.6.274:nota W.6.275: A scribe has drawn a rough
pointing hand
 in the left margin. And if þow diete þee þus . I dar legge myne eris           W.6.275:nota That Phisik shal hise furred hodes . for his fode selle And his cloke of Calabre . wiþ alle þe knappes of golde And be fayn by my feiþ . his Phisik to lete And lerne to laboure wiþ lond . for liflode is swete           W.6.279:nota For murþereris are manye leches . lord hem amende They do men deye þoruȝ hir drynkes . er destynee it wolde By Seint Poul quod Piers . þise arn profitable wordes Wend now hunger whan þow wolt . þat wel be þow euere For þis is a louely lesson . lord it þee foryelde Bihote god quod hunger . hennes ne wole I wende Til I haue dyned bi þis day . and ydronke boþe I haue no peny quod Piers . pulettes to bugge Ne neiþer gees ne grys . but two grene cheses A fewe cruddes and creme . and an hauer cake And two loues of benes and bran . ybake for my fauntes And yet I seye by my soule . I haue no salt bacon Ne no cokeney by crist . coloppes for to maken Ac I haue percile and porettes . and manye cole plauntes And ek a cow and a calf . and a cart mare           W.6.294:nota To drawe a-feld my donge . þe while þe droȝte lasteþ And by þis liflode we mote lyue . til lammesse tyme And by þat I hope to haue . heruest in my crofte And þanne may I diȝte þi dyner . as me deere likeþ Al þe pouere peple þo . pescoddes fetten Benes and baken apples . þei broȝte in hir lappes Chibolles and Cheruelles . and ripe chiries manye And profrede Piers þis present . to plese wiþ hunger Al hunger eet in haste . and axed after moore Thanne pouere folk for fere . fedden hunger yerne Wiþ grene poret and pesen . to poisone hym þei þoȝte By þat it neȝed neer heruest . & newe corn cam to chepyng Thanne was folk fayn . and fedde hunger wiþ þe beste Wiþ good Ale as Gloton taȝte . and garte hunger go slepe And þo wolde wastour noȝt werche . but wandren aboute Ne no beggere ete breed . þat benes Inne were But of Coket and cler-matyn . or ellis of clene whete Ne noon halfpeny ale . in none wise drynke But of þe beste and of þe brunneste . þat in Burgh is to selle Laborers þat haue no land . to lyue on but hire handesW.6.314-321: All the lines in this line-group are marked in the right margin with nota in a darker ink of the same attenuated form that appears above in ll. 267-75.           W.6.314:nota Deyned noȝt to dyne a-day . nyȝt-olde wortes           W.6.315:nota May no peny-ale hem paie . ne no pece of bacoun           W.6.316:nota But if it be fressh flessh ouþer fissh : fryed ouþer ybake           W.6.317:nota And þat chaud and plus chaud . for chillynge of hir mawe           W.6.318:nota And but if he be heiȝliche hyred . ellis wole he chide           W.6.319:nota And þat he was werkman wroȝt . waille þe tyme           W.6.320:nota Ayeins Catons counseil . comseþ he to Iangle           W.6.321:nota Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento He greueþ hym ageyn god . and gruccheþ ageyn Reson And þanne corseþ he þe kyng . and al his counseil after Swiche lawes to loke . laborers to greue Ac whiles hunger was hir maister . þer wolde noon of hem chide Ne stryuen ayeins his statut . so sterneliche he loked Ac I warne yow werkmen . wynneþ whil ye mowe For hunger hiderward . hasteþ hym faste He shal awake wiþ water . wastours to chaste Er fyue be fulfilled . swich famyn shal aryse Thoruȝ flodes and þoruȝ foule wedres . fruytes shul faille And so seide Saturne . and sente yow to warne W.6.334: A scribe has drawn a rough
pointing hand
 in the left margin. Whan ye se þe sonne amys . and two monkes heddes And a mayde haue þe maistrie . and multiplie by eiȝte Thanne shal deeþ wiþ-drawe . and derþe be Iustice           W.6.336:nota And Dawe þe dykere . deye for hunger But god of his goodnesse . graunte vs a trewe           W.6.338:notaTruþe herde tellePassus .vijus.septimus de visione vt supra TReuþe herde telle her-of . and to Piers he sente To maken his teme . and tilien þe erþe And purchaced hym a pardoun . a pena & a culpa For hym and for hise heires . for euere-moore after And bad hym holde hym at home . and erien hise leyes And alle þat holpen hym to erye . to sette or to sowe Or any ooþer mestier . þat myȝte Piers auaille Pardon wiþ Piers Plowman . truþe haþ ygraunted Kynges and knyȝtes . þat kepen holy chirche And riȝtfully in Remes . rulen þe peple Han pardon þoruȝ purgatorie . to passen ful liȝtly Wiþ Patriarkes and prophetes . in paradis to be felawe Bysshopes yblessed . if þei ben as þei sholde Legistres of boþe lawes . þe lewed þer-wiþ to preche And in as muche as þei mowe . amenden alle synfulle Arn peres wiþ þe Apostles . þis pardon Piers sheweþ And at þe day of dome . at þe heiȝe deys sitte Marchauntz in þe margyne . hadde manye yeres Ac noon A pena & a culpa . þe pope nolde hem graunte For þei holde noȝt hir halidayes . as holy chirche techeþ And for þei swere by hir soule . and so god moste hem helpe Ayein clene Conscience . hir catel to selle Ac vnder his secret seel . truþe sente hem a lettre That þei sholde buggen boldely . þat hem best liked And siþenes selle it ayein . and saue þe wynnyng And amende Mesondieux þer-myd . and myseise folk helpe And wikkede weyes . wightly amende And do boote to brugges . þat tobroke were Marien maydenes . or maken hem Nonnes Pouere peple and prisons . fynden hem hir foode And sette Scolers to scole . or to som oþere craftes Releue Religion . and renten hem bettre And I shal sende yow my-selue . Seint Michel myn Archangel That no deuel shal yow dere . ne fere yow in youre deying And witen yow fro wanhope . if ye wol þus werche And sende youre soules in saufte . to my Seintes in Ioye Thanne were Marchauntz murie . manye wepten for ioye And preiseden Piers þe Plowman . þat purchaced þis bulle Men of lawe leest pardon hadde . þat pleteden for Mede For þe Sauter saueþ hem noȝt . swiche as take ȝiftes And nameliche of Innocentz . þat noon yuel ne konneþ Super innocentem munera non accipies Pledours sholde peynen hem . to plede for swiche and helpe Princes and prelates . sholde paie for hire trauaille A Regibus & principibus erit merces eorum Ac many a Iustice and Iurour . wolde for Iohan do moore Than pro dei pietate . leue þow noon ooþer Ac he þat spendeþ his speche . and spekeþ for þe pouere           W.7.48:nota That is Innocent and nedy . and no man apeireþ           W.7.49: nota Conforteþ hym in þat caas . wiþ-outen coueitise of ȝiftes           W.7.50: nota And sheweþ lawe for oure lordes loue . as he it haþ ylerned           W.7.51: nota Shal no deuel at his deeþ-day . deren hym a myte That he ne worþ saaf and his soule . þe Sauter bereþ witnesse Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo Ac to bugge water ne wynd . ne wit ne fir þe ferþe Thise foure þe fader of heuene . made to þis foold in commune Thise ben truþes tresores . trewe folk to helpe That neuere shul wexe ne wanye . wiþ-outen god hym-selue Whan þei drawen on to deye . and Indulgences wolde haue Hir pardon is ful petit . at hir partyng hennes That any Mede of mene men . for hir motyng takeþ Ye legistres and lawieres . holdeþ þis for truþe That if þat I lye . Mathew is to blame For he bad me make yow þis . and þis prouerbe me tolde Quodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines . facite eis           W.7.65:nota Alle libbynge laborers . þat lyuen wiþ hir hondesW.7.66-69: A vertical pen mark appears at the end of this line and the three following lines, which we take to represent nota.           W.7.66:nota That treweliche taken . and treweliche wynnen           W.7.67: nota And lyuen in loue and in lawe . for hir lowe hertes           W.7.68: nota Haueþ þe same absolucion . þat sent was to Piers           W.7.69: nota Beggeres ne bidderes . ne beþ noȝt in þe bulle But if þe suggestion be sooþ . þat shapeþ hem to begge For he þat beggeþ or bit . but if he haue nede           W.7.72:nota He is fals wiþ þe feend . and defraudeþ þe nedy           W.7.73:nota And also he bigileþ þe gyuere . ageynes his wille For if he wiste he were noȝt nedy . he wolde ȝyue þat anoþer That were moore nedy þan he . so þe nedieste sholde be holpe Caton kenneþ me þus . and þe clerc of stories Cui des videto . is Catons techyng           W.7.78:nota And in þe stories he techeþ . to bistowe þyn almesse Sit elemosina tua in manu tua donec studes cui des           W.7.80: The nota appears inside the box to the right of the line. Ac Gregory was a good man . and bad vs gyuen alle           W.7.81:nota That askeþ for his loue . þat vs al leneþ           W.7.82:nota Non eligas cui miseriaris nefortene forte pretereas illum qui meretur accipereW.7.83: The end of the box is cropped in the right margin, though no text appears to have been lost. Quia incertum est pro quo deo magis placeas           W.7.84:nota For wite ye neuere who is worþi . ac god woot who haþ nede           W.7.85:nota In hym þat takeþ is þe trecherie . if any treson walke           W.7.86:nota For he þat yeueþ yeldeþ . and yarkeþ hym to reste And he þat biddeþ borweþ . and bryngeþ hym-self in dette For beggeres borwen euere-mo . and hir borgh is god almyȝty To yelden hem þat yeueþ hem . and yet vsure moore Quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam vt ego veniam cum vsuris exigere For-þi biddeþ noȝt ye beggeres . but if ye haue gret nede For who-so haþ to buggen hym breed . þe book bereþ witnesse He haþ ynouȝ þat haþ breed ynouȝ . þouȝ he haue noȝt ellis Satis diues est qui non indiget pane           W.7.95:nota Lat vsage be youre solas . of seintes lyues redyng The book banneþ beggerie . and blameþ hem in þis manere Iunior fui etenim senui & non vidi iustum derelictum nene[c]W.7.98: W alone reads ne. Other B manuscripts have nec. semen eius &c For ye lyue in no loue . ne no lawe holde Manye of yow ne wedde noȝt . þe womman þat ye wiþ deele But as wilde bestes with wehee . worþen vppe and werchen And bryngen forþ barnes . þat bastardes men calleþ Or þe bak or som boon . he brekeþ in his youþe And siþþe goon faiten with youre fauntes . for euere-moore after Ther is moore mysshapen peple . amonges þise beggeres           W.7.105:nota Than of alle manere men . þat on þis moolde walkeþ           W.7.106: nota And þei þat lyue þus hir lif . mowe loþe þe tyme           W.7.107:nota That euere þei were men wroȝt . whan þei shal hennes fare           W.7.108: nota Ac olde men and hore . þat helplees ben of strengþe And wommen wiþ childe . þat werche ne mowe Blynde and bedreden . and broken hire membres That taken þise myschiefs mekeliche . as Mesels and oþere Han as pleyn pardon . as þe Plowman hym-selue For loue of hir lowe hertes . oure lord haþ hem graunted Hir penaunce and hir Purgatorie . here on þis erþe Piers quod a preest þoo . þi pardon moste I rede For I wol construe ech clause . and kenne it þee on englissh And Piers at his preiere . þe pardon vnfoldeþ And I bihynde hem boþe . biheld al þe bulle And in two lynes it lay . and noȝt a leef moore And was writen riȝt þus . in witnesse of truþe Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam           W.7.122:nota Qui vero mala in ignem eternumW.7.123: To the right of this line is a smudged scribble.          W.7.123:nota Peter quod þe preest þoo . I kan no pardon fynde But dowel and haue wel . and god shal haue þi soule           W.7.125:nota And do yuel and haue yuel . hope þow noon ooþer           W.7.126:nota But after þi deeþ-day . þe deuel shal haue þi soule           W.7.127:nota And Piers for pure tene . pulled it atweyne And seide Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis           W.7.129:nota non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es I shal cessen of my sowyng quod Piers . & swynke noȝt so harde Ne aboute my bely ioye . so bisy be namoore Of preieres and of penaunce . my plouȝ shal ben her-after And wepen whan I sholde slepe . þouȝ whete breed me faille The prophete his payn eet . in penaunce and in sorwe By þat þe Sauter seith . so dide othere manye That loueþ god lelly . his liflode is ful esy Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte           W.7.137:nota And but if luc lye . he lereþ vs by foweles We sholde noȝt be to bisy . aboute þe worldes blisse Ne soliciti sitis  he seiþ in þe gospel And sheweþ vs by ensamples . vs-selue to wisse The foweles in þe feld . who fynt hem mete at wynter           W.7.142:nota Haue þei no gerner to go to . but god fynt hem alle           W.7.143:nota What quod þe preest to Perkyn . Peter as me þynkeþ Thow art lettred alitela litel . who lerned þee on boke Abstynence þe Abbesse quod Piers . myn / a / . b / . c . / me tauȝte And Conscience cam afterward . and kenned me muche moore Were þow a preest quod he . þou myȝtest preche where þou sholdest As diuinour in diuinite . wiþ Dixit insipiens to þi teme Lewed lorel quod Piers . litel lokestow on þe bible On Salomons sawes . selden þow biholdest Ecce derisores & iurgia cum eis ne crescant &c The preest and Perkyn . opposeden eiþer ooþer And I þoruȝ hir wordes awook . and waited aboute And seiȝ þe sonne in þe South . sitte þat tyme Metelees and moneilees . on Maluerne hulles Musynge on þis metels . and my wey ich yede MAny tyme þis metels . haþ maked me to studie Of þat I seiȝ slepynge . if it so be myȝte And also for Piers þe Plowman . ful pencif in herte And which a pardon Piers hadde . al þe peple to conforte And how þe preest inpugned it . wiþ two propre wordes Ac I haue no sauour in Songewarie . for I se it ofte faille Caton and Canonistres . counseillen vs to leue To sette sadnesse in Songewarie . for sompnia ne cures Ac for þe book bible . bereþ witnesse How Daniel diuined . þe dreem of a kyng That was Nabugodonosor . nempned of clerkes Daniel . seide sire kyng . þi dremels bitokneþ That vnkouþe knyȝtes shul come . þi kyngdom to cleyme Amonges lower lordes . þi lond shal be departed And as Daniel diuined . in dede it fel after The kyng lees his lordshipe . and lower men it hadde And Ioseph mette merueillously . how þe moone and þe sonne And þe elleuene sterres . hailsed hym alle Thanne Iacob iugged . Iosephes sweuene Beau fitz quod his fader . for defaute we shullen I my-self and my sones . seche þee for nede It bifel as his fader seide . in Pharaoes tyme That Ioseph was Iustice . Egipte to loke It bifel as his fader tolde . hise frendes þere hym souȝte And al þis makeþ me . on þis metels to þynke And how þe preest preued . no pardon to dowel And demed þat dowel . Indulgences passed Biennals and triennals . and Bisshopes lettres And how dowel at þe day of dome . is digneliche vnderfongen And passeþ al þe pardon . of Seint Petres cherche Now haþ þe pope power . pardon to graunte þe peple Wiþ-outen any penaunce . to passen in-to heuene This is oure bileue . as lettred men vs techeþ Quodcumque ligaueris super terram . erit ligatum & in celis &c And so I leue leelly . lordes forbode ellis That pardon and penaunce . and preieres doon saue Soules þat haue synned . seuen siþes dedly Ac to truste to þise triennals . trewely me þynkeþ Is noȝt so siker for þe soule . certes as is dowel For-þi I rede yow renkes . þat riche ben on þis erþe Vp-on trust of youre tresor . triennals to haue Be ye neuer þe bolder . to breke þe .x.ten hestes And namely ye maistres . Meires and Iugges That haue þe welþe of þis world . and for wise men ben holden To purchace yow pardon . and þe popes bulles At þe dredful dome . whan dede shulle rise And comen alle tofore crist . acountes to yelde How þow laddest þi lif here . and hise lawes keptest And how þow didest day by day . þe doom wole reherce A poke-ful of pardon þere . ne prouincials lettres Theiȝ ye be founde in þe fraternite . of alle þe foure ordres And haue Indulgences double-fold . but if dowel yow helpe I sette youre patentes and youre pardon . at one pies hele For-þi I counseille alle cristene . to crie god mercy . And Marie his moder . be oure meene bitwene That god gyue vs grace here . er we go hennes Swiche werkes to werche . while we ben here That after oure deeþ-day . dowel reherce At þe day of dome . we dide as he hiȝtePassus viijusoctauus de visione & primus de Dowel Thus yrobed in russet . I romed aboute Al a somer seson . for to seke dowel And frayned ful ofte . of folk þat I mette If any wiȝt wiste . wher dowel was at Inne And what man he myȝte be . of many man I asked Was neuere wiȝt as I wente . þat me wisse kouþe Where þis leode lenged . lasse ne moore Til it bifel on a Friday . two freres I mette Maistres of þe Menours . men of grete witte I hailsed hem hendely . as I hadde y-lerned And preide hem par charite . er þei passed ferþer If þei knewe any contree . or costes as þei wente Where þat dowel dwelleþ . dooþ me to witene For þei be men of þis moolde . þat moost wide walken And knowen contrees and courtes . and many kynnes places Boþe princes paleises . and pouere mennes cotes And dowel and doyuele . wher þei dwelle boþe Amonges vs quod þe Menours . þat man is dwellynge And euere haþ as I hope . and euere shal her-after Contra quod I as a clerc . and comsed to disputen And seide hem sooþly . Sepcies in die cadit Iustus           W.8.21:nota Seuene siþes seiþ þe book . synneþ þe rightfulle And who-so synneþ I seide . dooþ yuele as me þynkeþ And dowel and doyuele . mowe noȝt dwelle togideres Ergo he nys noȝt alwey . amonges yow freres He is ouþerwhile ellis-where . to wisse þe peple I shal seye þee my sone . seide þe frere þanne How seuen siþes þe sadde man . on a day synneþ By a forbisne quod þe frere . I shal þee faire shewe Lat brynge a man in a boot . amydde þe brode watre           W.8.30:nota The wynd and þe water . and þe boot waggyng           W.8.31:nota Makeþ þe man many a tyme . to falle and to stonde           W.8.32:nota For stonde he neuer so stif . he stumbleþ if he meue           W.8.33:nota Ac yet is he saaf and sound . and so hym bihoueþ           W.8.34:nota For if he ne arise þe raþer . and rauȝte to þe steere           W.8.35:nota The wynd wolde wiþ þe water . þe boot ouer-þrowe           W.8.36:nota And þanne were his lif lost . þoruȝ lachesse of hym-selue           W.8.37:nota And þus it falleþ quod þe frere . by folk here on erþe           W.8.38:nota The water is likned to þe world . þat wanyeþ and wexeþ           W.8.39:nota The goodes of þis grounde arn lik . to þe grete wawes           W.8.40:nota That as wyndes and wedres . walkeþ aboute           W.8.41:nota The boot is likned to oure body . þat brotel is of kynde           W.8.42:nota That þoruȝ þe fend and þe flessh . and þe frele worlde           W.8.43:nota Synneþ þe sadde man . a day seuen siþes           W.8.44:nota Ac dedly synne doþ he noȝt . for dowel hym kepeþ And þat is charite þe champion . chief help ayein synne For he strengþeþ menW.8.47: W alone reads men; other B manuscripts have man. to stonde . and steereþ mannes soule And þouȝ þe body bowe . as boot dooþ in þe watre           W.8.48:nota Ay is þi soule saaf . but if þow wole þi-selueW.8.49:W alone reads þow wole þi-selue; most other B manuscripts read thiself woll, although CrS have thou wylt thyselfe and M has þou þiseluen wole.           W.8.49:nota Do a deedly synne . and drenche so þi soule God wole suffre wel þi sleuþe . if þi-self likeþ For he yaf þee a yeresȝyue . to yeme wel þi-selue           W.8.52:nota And þat is wit and free wil . to euery wiȝt a porcion           W.8.53:nota To fleynge foweles . to fisshes and to beestes           W.8.54:nota Ac man haþ moost þer-of . and moost is to blame           W.8.55:nota But if he werche wel þer-wiþ . as dowel hym techeþ           W.8.56:nota I haue no kynde knowyng quod I . to conceyuen alle youre wordes Ac if I may lyue and loke . I shal go lerne bettre I bikenne þee crist quod he . þat on cros deyde And I seide þe same . saue yow fro myschaunce And ȝyue yow grace on þis grounde . goode men to worþe ANd þus I wente wide-wher . walkyng myn one By a wilde wildernesse . and by a wodes side Blisse of þe briddes . brouȝte me aslepe           W.8.64:nota And vnder a lynde vp-on a launde . lened I a stounde To lyþe þe layes . þo louely foweles made Murþe of hire mouþes . made me þer to slepleslepe           W.8.67:nota The merueillouseste metels . mette me þanne That euer dremed wiȝt . in world as I wene A muche man as me þouȝte . and lik to my-selue Cam and called me . by my kynde name What artow quod I þo . þat þow my name knowest That þow woost wel quod he . and no wiȝt bettre Woot I what þow art . þouȝt seide he þanne I haue sued þee þis seuen yeer . seye þow me no raþer Artow þouȝt quod I þoo . þow koudest me wisse Where þat dowel dwelleþ . and do me þat to knowe Dowel and dobet . and dobest þe þridde quod he           W.8.78:nota Arn þre faire vertues . and ben noȝt fer to fynde           W.8.79:nota Who-so is trewe of his tunge . and of his two handes           W.8.80:nota And þoruȝ his labour . or þoruȝ his land . his liflode wynneþ           W.8.81:nota And is trusty of his tailende . takeþ but his owene           W.8.82:nota And is noȝt dronkelewe ne dedeynous . dowel hym folweþ           W.8.83:nota Dobet dooþ riȝt þus . ac he dooþ muche moore He is as lowe as a lomb . and louelich of speche           W.8.85:nota And helpeþ alle men . after þat hem nedeþ The bagges and þe bigirdles . he haþ to-broke hem alle That þe Erl Auarous . heeld and hise heires And þus wiþ Mammonaes moneie . he haþ maad hym frendes And is ronne to Religion . and haþ rendred þe bible And precheþ to þe peple . Seint Poules wordes Libenter suffertis insipientes . cum sitis ipsi sapientes And suffreþ þe vnwise . wiþ yow for to libbe           W.8.93:nota And wiþ glad wille dooþ hem good . for so god yow hoteþ Dobest is aboue boþe . and bereþ a bisshopes crosse Is hoked on þat oon ende . to halie men fro helle A pik is on þat potente . to putte adown þe wikked That waiten any wikkednesse . dowel to tene And dowel and dobet . amonges hem han ordeyned To crowne oon to be kyng . to rulen hem boþe That if dowel or dobet . dide ayein dobest Thanne shal þe kyng come . and casten hem in Irens And but if dobest bede for hem . þei to be þer for euere Thus dowel and dobet . and dobest þe þridde Crouned oon to be kyng . to kepen hem alle And to rule þe Reme . by hire þre wittes And noon ooþer wise . but as þei þre assented I þonked þoȝt þo . þat he me þus tauȝte Ac yet sauoreþ me noȝt þi seying . I coueite to lerne How dowel . dobet . and dobest . doon among þe peple But wit konne wisse þee quod þoȝt . where þo þre dwelle Ellis woot I noon þat kan . þat now is alyue Thoȝt and I þus . þre daies we yeden Disputyng vp-on dowel . day after ooþer And er we were war . wiþ wit gonne we mete He was long and lene . lik to noon ooþer Was no pride on his apparaille . ne pouerte neiþer           W.8.117:nota Sad of his semblaunt . and of softe chere           W.8.118:nota I dorste meue no matere . to maken hym to Iangle But as I bad þoȝt þoo . be mene bitwene And pute forþ som purpos . to preuen hise wittes What was Dowel fro dobet . and dobest from hem boþe Thanne þoȝt in þat tyme . seide þise wordes Where dowel . dobet . and dobest ben in londe Here is wil wolde wite . if wit koude teche hym And wheiþer he be man or womman . þis man fayn wolde aspie And werchen as þei þre wolde . thus is his entente