L.P.1KD.P.1 In
L.P.1: The twelve-line ornamental capital is written in blue on an elaborately flourished red ground with oak leaves. The flourishes
run all the way down the left side of the page forming a demivinet. a somer seson whan soft was the sonne
L.P.1: The old Laudian shelf mark E.64 is written in the right margin. This front leaf is badly rubbed, and we have had in some instances to corroborate our guesses about the reading with Skeat's
transcription. For instance, at the top of the leaf, on the very edge of the cropped leaf, Skeat found the following words
in red ink: Incipit liber de Petro Plowman. Skeat records that the rubrication was readable in strong sunlight when he worked with the manuscript. However, it is no
longer legible, even under ultra-violet light. We can make out Pe... Plow.an. Beneath that is written in a late sixteenth-century hand .... Robart Langeland borne by malbovrne (or perhaps malbourne?)
. . lles.The first ten lines are boxed with a fine red line.
L.P.2KD.P.2 I shope me in shroudes as i a shepe were
L.P.3KD.P.3 In habite as an heremite vnholy of workes
L.P.4KD.P.4 Went wyde in þis world wondres to here
L.P.3-4: Some penmarks in a brown ink are written over these lines. The <v> of vnholy is partially obscured, and there appears to be no punctus elevatus on line 4.
L.P.5KD.P.5 Ac on a May mornyng on Maluerne hulles
L.P.6KD.P.6 Me byfel a ferly of fairy me thouȝte
L.P.7KD.P.7 I was wery forwandred · and went me to reste
L.P.8KD.P.8 Vnder a brode banke bi a bornes side
L.P.9KD.P.9 And as I lay and lened and loked in þe wateres
L.P.10KD.P.10 I slombred in a slepyng it sweyued so merye
L.P.11KD.P.11 Thanne gan I to meten a merueilouse sweuene
L.P.12KD.P.12 That I was in a wildernesse wist I neuer where
L.P.13KD.P.13 As I bihelde in-to þe est an hiegh to þe sonne
L.P.14KD.P.14 I seigh a toure on a toft trielich ymaked
L.P.15KD.P.15 A depe dale binethe a dongeon þere-Inne
L.P.16KD.P.16 With depe dyches & derke and dredful of sight
L.P.17KD.P.17 A faire felde ful of folke fonde I there bytwene
L.P.18KD.P.18 Of alle maner of men þe mene and þe riche
L.P.19KD.P.19 Worchyng and wandryng as þe worlde asketh
L.P.20KD.P.20 Some put hem to þe plow pleyed ful selde
L.P.21KD.P.21 In settyng and in sowyng swonken ful harde
L.P.22KD.P.22 And wonnen that wastours with glotonye destruyeth
L.P.25KD.P.25 In prayers and in penance putten hem manye
L.P.26KD.P.26 Al for loue of owre lorde · lyueden ful streyte
L.P.27KD.P.27 In hope forto haue · heueneriche blisse
L.P.28KD.P.28 As ancres and heremites · that holden hem in here selles
L.P.28: An illegible erasure appears in the right margin.
L.P.29KD.P.29 And coueiten nought in contre to kairen aboute
L.P.30KD.P.30 For no likerous liflode · her lykam to plese
L.P.31KD.P.31 And somme chosen chaffare · they cheuen the bettere
L.P.32KD.P.32 As it semeth to owre syȝt · that suche men thryueth
L.P.33KD.P.33 And somme murthes to make · as mynstralles conneth
L.P.34KD.P.34 And geten gold with here glee · synneles I leue
L.P.35KD.P.35 Ac iapers & iangelers · Iudas chylderen
L.P.36KD.P.36 Feynen hem fantasies · and foles hem maketh
L.P.37KD.P.37 And han here witte at wille · to worche ȝif þei sholde
L.P.38KD.P.38 That Poule precheth of hem · I nel nought preue it here
L.P.39KD.P.39 Qui turpiloquium loquitur · &cL.P.39: LCCr1HM omit the b-verse, which reads is luciferes hyne.
L.P.40KD.P.40 Bidders and beggeres · fast aboute ȝede
L.P.40: The Laud librarian has added in the bottom margin the following inscription: Liber Guilielmi Laud Archiepiscopi Cantuarij
: et Cancellarij Vniuersitatis Oxoniensis
1633.
L.P.41KD.P.41 With her bely and her bagge · of bred ful ycrammed
L.P.42KD.P.42 Fayteden for here fode · fouȝten atte ale
L.P.43KD.P.43 In glotonye god it wote · gon hij to bedde
L.P.44KD.P.44 And risen with ribaudye · tho roberdes knaues
L.P.45KD.P.45 Slepe and sori sleuthe · seweth hem eure
L.P.46KD.P.46 ¶ Pilgrymes and palmers · pliȝted hem togidere
L.P.47KD.P.47 To seke seynt Iames · and seyntes in rome
L.P.48KD.P.48 Thei went forth in here wey · with many wise tales
L.P.49KD.P.49 And hadden leue to lye · al here lyf after
L.P.50KD.P.50 I seigh somme that seiden · þei had ysouȝt seyntes
L.P.51KD.P.51 To eche a tale þat þei tolde · here tonge was tempred to lye
L.P.52KD.P.52 More þan to sey soth · it semed bi here speche
L.P.53KD.P.53 ¶ Heremites on an heep · with hoked staues
L.P.54KD.P.54 Wenten to walsyngham · and here wenches after
L.P.55KD.P.55 Grete lobyes and longe · that loth were to swynke
L.P.56KD.P.56 Clotheden hem in copis · to ben knowen fram othere
L.P.57KD.P.57 And shopen hem heremites · here ese to haue
L.P.58KD.P.58 ¶ I fonde þere Freris alle þe foure ordres
L.P.59KD.P.59 Preched þe peple · for profit of hem-seluen
L.P.60KD.P.60 Glosed þe gospel · as hem good lyked
L.P.61KD.P.61 For coueitise of copis · construed it as þei wolde
L.P.62KD.P.62 Many of þis maistres Freris mowe clothen hem at lykyng
L.P.63KD.P.63 For here money and marchandise · marchen togideres
L.P.64KD.P.64 For sith charite haþ be chapman · and chief to shryue lordes
L.P.65KD.P.65 Many ferlis han fallen · in a fewe ȝeris
L.P.66KD.P.66 But holychirche and hij · holde better togideres
L.P.67KD.P.67 The moste
mychiefmy[s]chiefL.P.67: A <+> appears in the left margin at the head of this line, marking erroneous mychief. The correction was not made. The scribe also wrote mychief at L.3.178, but he corrected it there. on molde · is mountyng wel faste
L.P.72KD.P.72 ¶ Lewed men leued hym wel · and lyked his wordes
L.P.73KD.P.73 Comen vp knelyng · to kissen his bulles
L.P.74KD.P.74 He bonched hem with his breuet · & blered here eyes
L.P.75KD.P.75 And rauȝte with his ragman · rynges and broches
L.P.76KD.P.76 Thus þey geuen here golde · glotones to kepe
L.P.77KD.P.77 And leneth
L.P.77: The reading could as well be leueth. such loseles · þat lecherye haunten
L.P.78KD.P.78 Were þe bischop yblissed · and worth bothe his eres
L.P.79KD.P.79 His seel shulde nouȝt be sent · to deceyue þe peple
L.P.80KD.P.80 Ac it is nauȝt by þe bischop · þat þe boy precheth
L.P.81KD.P.81 For the parisch prest and þe pardonere · parten þe siluer
L.P.82KD.P.82 That þe poraille of þe parisch · sholde haue ȝif þei nere
L.P.83KD.P.83 ¶ Persones and parisch prestes · pleyned hem to þe bischop ·
L.P.84KD.P.84 Þat here parisshes were pore · sith þe pestilence tyme
L.P.85KD.P.85 To haue a lycence and a leue · at London to dwelle
L.P.86KD.P.86 And syngen þere for symonye · for siluer is swete
L.P.87KD.P.87 ¶ Bischopes and bachelers · bothe maistres and doctours
L.P.88KD.P.88 Þat han cure vnder criste · and crounyng in tokne
L.P.89KD.P.89 And signe þat þei sholden · shryuen here paroschienes
L.P.90KD.P.90 Prechen and prey for hem · and þe pore fede
L.P.91KD.P.91 Liggen in London · in lenten an elles
L.P.92KD.P.92 Somme seruen þe kyng · and his siluer tellen
L.P.93KD.P.93 In cheker and in chancerye · chalengen his dettes
L.P.94KD.P.94 Of wardes and wardmotes · weyues and streyues
L.P.95KD.P.95 ¶ And some seruen as seruantz · lordes and ladyes
L.P.96KD.P.96 And in stede of stuwardes · sytten and demen
L.P.97KD.P.97 Here messe and here matynes · and many of here oures
L.P.98KD.P.98 Arn don vndeuoutlych · drede is at þe laste
L.P.99KD.P.99 Lest crist in constorie · acorse ful manye
L.P.100KD.P.100 I parceyued of þe power · þat Peter had to kepe
L.P.101KD.P.101 To bynde and to vnbynde · as þe boke telleth
L.P.102KD.P.102 How he it left wiþ loue · as owre lorde hight
L.P.103KD.P.103 Amonges foure vertues · þe best of alle vertues
L.P.104KD.P.104 Þat cardinales ben called · & closyng ȝatis
L.P.105KD.P.105 Þere crist is in kyngdome · to close and to shutte
L.P.106KD.P.106 And to opne it to hem · and heuene blisse shewe
L.P.107KD.P.107 Ac of þe cardinales atte Courte · þat cauȝt of þat name
L.P.108KD.P.108 And power presumed in hem · a Pope to make
L.P.109KD.P.109 To han þat power þat peter hadde · inpugnen I nelle
L.P.110KD.P.110 For in loue and letterure · þe eleccioun bilongeth
L.P.111KD.P.111 For-þi I can and can nauȝte · of courte speke more
L.P.118KD.P.118 ¶ Þe comune contreued · of kynde witte craftes
L.P.119KD.P.119 And for profit of alle þe poeple · plowmen ordeygned
L.P.120KD.P.120 To tilie and trauaile · as trewe lyf askeþ
L.P.121KD.P.121 Þe kynge and þe comune · and kynde witte þe thridde
L.P.122KD.P.122 Shope lawe & lewte · eche man to knowe his owne
L.P.123KD.P.123 ¶ Þanne loked vp a lunatik · a lene þing with-alle
L.P.124KD.P.124 And knelyng to þe kyng · clergealy he seyde
L.P.125KD.P.125 Crist kepe þe sire kyng · and þi kyngriche
L.P.126KD.P.126 And lene þe lede þi londe · so leute þe louye
L.P.127KD.P.127 And for þi riȝtful rewlyng · be rewarded in heuene
L.P.128KD.P.128 ¶ And sithen in þe eyre an hiegh · an angel of heuene
L.P.129KD.P.129 Lowed to speke in latyn · for lewed men ne coude .
L.P.130KD.P.130 Iangle ne iugge · þat iustifie hem shulde
L.P.131KD.P.131 But suffren & seruen · for-thi seyde þe angel
L.P.132KD.P.132 Sum Rex sum Princeps · neutrum fortasse deinceps
L.P.133KD.P.133 O qui iura regis · cristi specialia regis
L.P.134KD.P.134 Hoc quod agas melius · iustus es esto pius
L.P.135KD.P.135 Nudum ius a te · vestiri vult pietate
L.P.136KD.P.136 Qualia vis metere · talia grana sere
L.P.137KD.P.137 Si ius nudatur · nudo de iure metatur ·
L.P.138KD.P.138 Si seritur pietas · de pietate metas ·
L.P.146KD.P.146 ¶ Wiþ þat ran þere a route of ratones at ones
L.P.147KD.P.147 And smale mys with hem mo þen a þousande
L.P.148KD.P.148 And comen to a conseille · for here comune profit
L.P.149KD.P.149 For a cat of a courte · cam whan hym lyked
L.P.150KD.P.150 And ouerlepe hem lyȝtlich · and lauȝte hem at his wille
L.P.151KD.P.151 And pleyde wiþ hem perilouslych · and possed aboute
L.P.152KD.P.152 For doute of dyuerse dredes · we dar nouȝte wel loke
L.P.153KD.P.153 And ȝif we grucche of his gamen · he wil greue vs alle
L.P.154KD.P.154 Cracche vs or clowe vs · and in his cloches holde
L.P.155KD.P.155 That vs lotheth þe lyf · or he lete vs passe
L.P.156KD.P.156 Myȝte we wiþ any witte · his wille withstonde
L.P.157KD.P.157 We myȝte be lordes aloft · and lyuen at owre ese
L.P.158KD.P.158 ¶ A raton of renon most renable of tonge
L.P.159KD.P.159 ¶ Seide for a souereygne · help to hym-selue
L.P.160KD.P.160 I haue ysein segges quod he · in þe cite of london
L.P.161KD.P.161 Beren biȝes ful briȝte · abouten here nekkes
L.P.162KD.P.162 And
someL.P.162: The correction here--the supralinear addition of some--is probably entered by the original scribe. colers of crafty werk vncoupled þei wenden
L.P.163KD.P.163 L.P.163: The corrector's <+> appears in the left margin, probably intended to note the error in the preceding line. Boþe in wareine & in waste · where hem leue lyketh
L.P.164KD.P.164 And otherwhile þei aren elles-where · as I here telle
L.P.165KD.P.165 Were þere a belle on here beiȝ · bi Ihesu as me thynketh
L.P.166KD.P.166 Men myȝte wite where þei went · and awei renne
L.P.167KD.P.167 L.P.167: An illegible mark appears in the left margin. And riȝt so q
uod þat ratou
n · reson me sheweth
L.P.168KD.P.168 To bugge a belle of brasse · or of briȝte syluer
L.P.169KD.P.169 And knitten on a colere · for owre comune profit
L.P.170KD.P.170 And hangen it vp-on þe cattes hals · þanne here we mowen
L.P.171KD.P.171 Where he ritt or rest · or renneth to playe
L.P.172KD.P.172 And ȝif him list for to laike · þenne loke we mowen
L.P.173KD.P.173 And peren in his presence · þer-while hym plaie liketh
L.P.174KD.P.174 And ȝif him wrattheth be ywar · and his weye shonye
L.P.175KD.P.175 ¶ Alle þis route of ratones · to þis reson þei assented
L.P.176KD.P.176 Ac þo þe belle was ybouȝt · and on þe beiȝe hanged
L.P.177KD.P.177 Þere ne was ratoun in alle þe route · for alle þe rewme of Fraunce
L.P.178KD.P.178 Þat dorst haue ybounden þe belle · aboute þe cattis nekke
L.P.179KD.P.179 Ne hangen aboute þe cattes hals · al Engelonde to wynne
L.P.180KD.P.180 And helden hem vnhardy · and here conseille feble
L.P.181KD.P.181 And leten here laboure lost · & alle here longe studye
L.P.182KD.P.182 ¶ A mous þat moche good · couthe as me thouȝte
L.P.183KD.P.183 Stroke forth sternly · and stode biforn hem alle
L.P.184KD.P.184 And to þe route of ratones · reherced þese wordes
L.P.185KD.P.185 Thouȝ we culled þe catte · ȝut sholde þer come an-other
L.P.186KD.P.186 To cracchy vs and al owre kynde · þouȝ we croupe
L.P.186: LMR alone read cro(u)pe; most other B manuscripts have cropen or crepe. vnder benches
L.P.187KD.P.187 For-þi I conseille alle þe comune · to lat þe catte worthe
L.P.188KD.P.188 And be we neuer so bolde · þe belle hym to shewe
L.P.189KD.P.193 For I herde my sire seyn · is seuene ȝere ypassed
L.P.190KD.P.194 Þere þe catte is a kitoun · þe courte is ful elyng
L.P.191KD.P.195 Þat witnisseth holiwrite · who-so wil it rede
L.P.192KD.P.196 Ve terre vbi puer rex est &cL.P.192: A scribe has written a pointing hand in the left margin and drawn a line over and under the Latin text.
L.P.193KD.P.197 For may no renke þere rest haue · for ratones bi nyȝte
L.P.194KD.P.189 Þe while he caccheþ conynges · he coueiteth nouȝt owre caroyne
L.P.195KD.P.190 But fet hym al with venesoun · defame we hym neuere
L.P.196KD.P.191 For better is a litel losse · þan a longe sorwe
L.P.197KD.P.192 Þe mase amonge vs alle · þouȝ we mysse a schrewe
L.P.198KD.P.198 For many mann
usL.P.198: This abbreviation occurs only once in the manuscript as a marker for the genitive singular. See III.3.2.2 in the Linguistic Description above. malt · we mys wolde destruye
L.P.199KD.P.199 And also ȝe route of ratones · rende mennes clothes
L.P.200KD.P.200 Nere þat cat of þat courte · þat can ȝow ouerlepe
L.P.201KD.P.201 For had ȝe rattes ȝowre wille · ȝe couthe nouȝt reule ȝowre-selue
L.P.202KD.P.202 I sey for me quod þe mous · I se so mykel after
L.P.203KD.P.203 Shal neuer þe cat ne þe kitoun · bi my conseille be greued
L.P.204KD.P.204 Ne carpyng of þis coler · þat costed me neure
L.P.205KD.P.205 And þouȝ it had coste me catel · biknowen it I nolde
L.P.206KD.P.206 But suffre as hym-self wolde · to do as hym liketh
L.P.207KD.P.207 Coupled & vncoupled · to cacche what thei mowe
L.P.208KD.P.208 For-þi vche a wise wiȝte I warne · wite wel his owne
L.P.211KD.P.211 ¶ Ȝit houed þere an hondreth · in houues of selke
L.P.212KD.P.212 Seriauntz it semed · þat serueden atte barre
L.P.213KD.P.213 Plededen for penyes · and poundes þe lawe
L.P.214KD.P.214 And nouȝt for loue of owre lorde · vnlese
L.P.214: LR alone read vnlese; most other B manuscripts have vnlose. here lippes onis
L.P.215KD.P.215 Þow myȝtest better mete þe myste · on maluerne hulles
L.P.216KD.P.216 Þan gete a momme of here mouthe · but monoy were shewed
L.P.217KD.P.217 ¶ Barones an burgeis · and bonde-men als
L.P.218KD.P.218 I seiȝ in þis assemble · as ȝe shul here after
L.P.219KD.P.219 Baxsteres & brewesteres · and bocheres manye
L.P.220KD.P.220 Wollewebsteres
L.P.220: L alone reads wollewebsteres as one word, though alpha has wolle websteres. All other B manuscripts have wollen webbesters. · and weueres of lynnen
L.P.221KD.P.221 Taillours and tynkeres · & tolleres in marketes
L.P.222KD.P.222 Masons and mynours · and many other craftes
L.P.223KD.P.223 Of alkin libbyng laboreres · lopen forth somme
L.P.224KD.P.224 As dykers & delueres · þat doth here dedes ille
L.P.225KD.P.225 And dryuen forth þe dere
L.P.225: L alone among B witnesses reads dere. Most other manuscripts read longe. day · with
dieu vous saue dame Emme ·
L.P.226KD.P.226 Cokes and here knaues · crieden hote pies hote
L.P.227KD.P.227 Gode gris a
L.P.227: a, "and." L alone reads a. All other manuscripts of B have and. gees ·
gowego we dyne
gowego we
