Front matter (continued 3)

= "I shal cessen of my sowyng," quod Piers, "And swynke noght so harde, Ne aboute my bely joye So bisy be na-moore; Of preieres and of penaunce 4730 My plough shal ben herafter, And wepen whan I sholde slepe, Though whete-breed me faille.

"The prophete his payn eet In penaunce and in sorwe, By that the Sauter seith, So dide othere manye; That loveth God lelly, His liflode is ful esy. Fuerunt mihi lacrimæ meæ panes 4740 die ac nocte.

"And but if Luc lye, He lereth us by foweles, We sholde noght be to bisy Aboute the worldes blisse; Ne soliciti sitis, He seith in the Gospel, And sheweth us by ensamples Us selve to wisse. The foweles in the feld, 4750 Who fynt hem mete at wynter? Have thei no gerner to go to, But God fynt hem alle."

"What!" quod the preest to Perkyn, "Peter! as me thynketh, Thow art lettred a litel:— Who lerned thee on boke?"

"Abstynence the abbesse," quod Piers, "Myn a.b.c. me taughte; And Conscience cam afterward, 4760 And kenned me muche moore."

"Were thow a preest," quod he, "Thou myghtest preche where thou sholdest, As divinour in divinité, With Dixit insipiens to thi teme."

"Lewed lorel!" quod Piers, "Litel lokestow on the Bible; On Salomons sawes Selden thow biholdest: Ejice derisores et jurgia cum eis, ne 4770 crescant, etc."

The preest and Perkyn Opposeden either oother. And I thorugh hir wordes a-wook, And waited aboute, And seigh the sonne in the south Sitte that tyme, Mete-lees and monei-lees On Malverne hulles, Musynge on this metels, 4780 And my wey ich yede.

M ANY tyme this metels Hath maked me to studie Of that I seigh slepynge, If it so be myghte, And also for Piers the Plowman Ful pencif in herte, And which a pardon Piers hadde Al the peple to conforte, And how the preest impugned it 4790 With two propre wordes. Ac I have no savour in songewarie, For I se it ofte faille; Caton and canonistres Counseillen us to leve To sette sadnesse in songewarie, For sompnia ne cures.

Ac for the book Bible Bereth witnesse How Daniel divined 4800 The dreem of a kyng, That was Nabugodonosor Nempned of clerkes.

Daniel seide, "Sire kyng, Thi dremels bitokneth That unkouthe knyghtes shul come Thi kyngdom to cleyme; Amonges lower lordes Thi lond shal be departed." And as Daniel divined, 4810 In dede it fel after; The kyng lees his lordshipe, And lower men it hadde.

And Joseph mette merveillously How the moone and the sonne And the ellevene sterres Hailsed hym alle.

Thanne Jacob jugged Josephes swevene. "Beau fitz," quod his fader, 4820 "For defaute we shullen, I myself and my sones, Seche thee for nede."

It bifel as his fader seide, In Pharaoes tyme, That Joseph was justice Egipte to loke; It bifel as his fader tolde, Hise frendes there hym soughte, And al this maketh me 4830 On this metels to thynke. And how the preest preved No pardon to Do-wel, And demed that Do-wel Indulgences passed, Biennals and triennals, And bisshopes lettres; And how Do-wel at the day of dome Is digneliche underfongen, And passeth al the pardon 4840 Of seint Petres cherche.

Now hath the pope power Pardon to graunte the peple, Withouten any penaunce To passen into hevene; This is oure bileve, As lettred men us techeth: Quodcumque ligaveris super terram, = erit ligatum et in cœlis, etc.

4850 And so I leve leelly, Lordes forbode ellis! That pardon and penaunce And preieres doon save Soules that have synned Seven sithes dedly; Ac to truste to thise triennals, Trewely me thynketh, Is noght so siker for the soule, Certes, as is Do-wel.

4860 For-thi I rede yow, renkes, That riche ben on this erthe, Upon trust of youre tresor Triennals to have, Be ye never the bolder To breake the .x. hestes; And namely ye maistres, Meires and jugges, That have the welthe of this world And for wise men ben holden, 4870 To purchace yow pardon And the popes bulles. At the dredful dome, Whan dede shulle rise, And comen alle to-fore Crist Acountes to yelde, How thow laddest thi lif here, And hise lawes keptest, And how thow didest day by day, The doom wole reherce. 4880 A poke ful of pardon there, Ne provincials lettres, Theigh ye be founde in the fraternité Of alle the foure ordres, And have indulgences double-fold, But if Do-wel yow helpe, I sette youre patentes and youre pardon At one pies hele.

For-thi I counseille alle Cristene To crie God mercy, 4890 And Marie his moder Be oure meene bitwene, That God gyve us grace here, Er we go hennes, Swiche werkes to werche While we ben here, That after oure deeth-day Do-wel reherce At the day of dome, 4899 We dide as he highte.

Passus Octavus de Visione, et incipit Do-wel.

4900 HUS y-robed in russet I romed aboute Al a somer seson For to seke Do-wel; And frayned ful ofte Of folk that I mette, If any wight wiste Wher Do-wel was at inne; And what man he myghte be Of many man I asked.

4910 Was nevere wight, as I wente, That me wisse kouthe Where this leode lenged, Lasse ne moore; Til it bi-fel on a Friday Two freres I mette, Maistres of the menours, Men of grete witte. I hailsed hem hendely, As I hadde y-lerned, 4920 And preide hem par charité, Er thei passed ferther, If thei knewe any contree Or costes, as thei wente, "Where that Do-wel dwelleth Dooth me to witene." For thei be men of this moolde That moost wide walken, And knowen contrees and courtes, And many kynnes places, 4930 Bothe princes paleises And povere mennes cotes, And Do-wel and Do-yvele Wher thei dwelle bothe.

"Amonges us," quod the Menours, "That man is dwellynge, And evere hath, as I hope, And evere shal herafter."

"Contra," quod I as a clerc, And comsed to disputen, 4940 And seide hem soothly, "Septies in die cadit justus. Sevene sithes, seith the book, Synneth the rightfulle; And who so synneth," I seide, "Dooth yvele, as me thynketh; And Do-wel and Do-yvele Mowe noght dwelle togideres. Ergo he nys noght alwey Amonges yow freres; 4950 He is outher while ellis where To wisse the peple."

"I shal seye thee, my sone," Seide the frere thanne, "How seven sithes the sadde man On a day synneth; By a forbisne," quod the frere, "I shal thee faire shewe. Lat brynge a man in a boot Amydde the brode watre, 4960 The wynd and the water And the boot waggyng Maketh the man many a tyme To falle and to stonde; For stonde he never so stif, He stumbleth if he meve, Ac yet is he saaf and sound, And so hym bihoveth. For if he ne arise the rather, And raughte to the steere, 4970 The wynd wolde with the water The boot over throwe; And thanne were his lif lost, Through lachesse of hymselve.

"And thus it falleth," quod the frere, "By folk here on erthe; The water is likned to the world That wanyeth and wexeth; The goodes of this grounde arn lik To the grete wawes, 4980 That as wyndes and wedres Walketh aboute; The boot is likned to oure body That brotel is of kynde, That thorugh the fend and the flesshe And the frele worlde Synneth the sadde man A day seven sithes.

"Ac dedly synne doth he noght, For Do-wel hym kepeth; 4990 And that is charité the champion, Chief help ayein synne; For he strengheth men to stonde, And steereth mannes soule, And though the body bowe As boot dooth in the watre, Ay is thi soule saaf, But if thow wole thiselve Do a deedly synne, And drenche so thi soule, 5000 God wole suffre wel thi sleuthe, If thiself liketh. For he yaf thee a yeres-gyve, To yeme wel thiselve, And that is wit and free-wil, To every wight a porcion, To fleynge foweles, To fisshes and to beestes; Ac man hath moost therof, And moost is to blame, 5010 But if he werche wel therwith, As Do-wel hym teacheth."

"I have no kynde knowyng," quod I, "To conceyven alle youre wordes; Ac if I may lyve and loke, I shal go lerne bettre."

"I bikenne thee Crist," quod he, "That on cros deyde!" And I seide, "The same Save yow fro myschaunce, 5020 And gyve yow grace on this grounde Goode men to worthe!"

A ND thus I wente wide wher Walkyng myn one, By a wilde wildernesse, And by a wodes side; Blisse of the briddes Broughte me a-slepe, And under a lynde upon a launde Lened I a stounde, 5030 To lythe the layes Tho lovely foweles made. Murthe of hire mouthes Made me ther to sleple; The marveillouseste metels Mette me thanne That ever dremed wight In world, as I wene.

A muche man, as me thoughte, And lik to myselve, 5040 Cam and called me By my kynde name.

"What artow?" quod I tho, "That thow my name knowest."

"That thou woost wel," quod he, "And no wight bettre."

"Woot I what thow art?" "Thought," seide he thanne; "I have sued thee this seven yeer, Seye thow me no rather."

5050 "Artow Thought," quod I thoo, "Thow koudest me wisse, Where that Do-wel dwelleth, And do me that to knowe."

"Do-wel and Do-bet, And Do-best the thridde," quod he, "Arn thre fair vertues, And ben noght fer to fynde. Who so is trewe of his tunge, And of his two handes, 5060 And thorugh his labour, or thorugh his land, His liflode wynneth, And is trusty of his tailende, Taketh but his owene, And his noght dronklewe ne dedeynous, Do-wel hym folweth.

"Do-bet dooth right thus: Ac he dooth muche moore; He is as lowe as a lomb, And lovelich of speche, 5070 And helpeth alle men After that hem nedeth. The bagges and the bigirdles, He hath to-broke hem alle, That the erl Avarous Heeld and hise heires. And thus with Mammonaes moneie He hath maad hym frendes, And is ronne to religion, And hath rendred the Bible, 5080 And precheth to the peple Seint Poules wordes: Libenter suffertis insipientes, cum sitis ipsi sapientes.

"And suffreth the unwise With yow for to libbe; And with glad wille dooth hem good, For so God yow hoteth.

"Do-best is above bothe, And bereth a bisshopes crosse, 5090 Is hoked on that oon ende To halie men fro helle; A pik is on that potente, To putte a-down the wikked That waiten any wikkednesse Do-wel to tene. And Do-wel and Do-bet Amonges hem han ordeyned, To crowne oon to be kyng To rulen hem bothe; 5100 That if Do-wel or Do-bet Dide ayein Do-best, Thanne shal the kyng come And casten hem in irens, And but if Do-best bede for hem, Thei to be ther for evere.

"Thus Do-wel and Do-bet, And Do-best the thridde, Crouned oon to the kyng To kepen hem alle, 5110 And to rule the reme By hire thre wittes, And noon oother wise But as thei thre assented."

I thonked Thoght tho, That he me thus taughte. "Ac yet savoreth me noght thi seying; I coveite to lerne How Do-wel, Do-bet, and Do-best Doon among the peple."

5120 "But Wit konne wisse thee," quod Thoght, "Wher tho thre dwelle, Ellis woot I noon that kan That now is alyve."

Thoght and I thus Thre daies we yeden, Disputyng upon Do-wel Day after oother; And ere we were war, With Wit gonne we mete. 5130 He was long and lene, Lik to noon other; Was no pride on his apparaille, Ne poverte neither; Sad of his semblaunt, And of softe chere. I dorste meve no matere To maken hym to jangle, But as I bad Thoght thoo Be mene bitwene, 5140 And pute forth som purpos To preven hise wittes, What was Do-wel fro Do-bet, And Do-best from hem bothe.

Thanne Thoght in that tyme Seide thise wordes: "Where Do-wel, Do-bet, And Do-best ben in londe, Here is Wil wolde wite, If Wit koude teche hym; And wheither he be man or womman This man fayn wolde aspie, And werchen as thei thre wolde, 5153 Thus is his entente."

Passus Nonus de Visione, ut supra, et Primus de Do-wel

" 5154 IRE Do-wel dwelleth," quod Wit, "Noght a day hennes, In a castel that Kynde made Of four kynnes thynges; Of erthe and of eyr it is maad, Medled togideres, 5160 With wynd and with water Witterly enjoyned. Kynde hath closed therinne Craftily withalle A lemman that he loveth Lik to hymselve; Anima she hatte. Ac envye hir hateth, A proud prikere of Fraunce, Princeps hujus mundi, 5170 And wolde wynne hire awey With wiles, and he myghte.

"Ac Kynde knoweth this wel, And kepeth hire the bettre, And dooth hire with sire Do-wel, Is duc of thise marches.

"Do-bet is hire damyselle, Sire Do-weles doughter, To serven this lady leelly Bothe late and rathe.

5180 "Do-best is above bothe, A bisshopes peere; That he bit moot be do, He ruleth hem alle. Anima, that lady, Is lad by his leryng. Ac the constable of that castel, That kepeth al the wacche, Is a wis knyght withalle, Sire Inwit he hatte, 5190 And hathe fyve faire sones Bi his firste wyve; Sire Se-wel, and Sey-wel, And Here-wel the hende, Sire Werch-wel-with-thyn-hand, A wight man of strengthe, And sire Godefray Go-wel; Grete lordes, for sothe. Thise fyve ben set To kepe this lady Anima, 5200 Til Kynde come or sende To saven hire for evere."

"What kynnes thyng is Kynde?" quod I, "Kanstow me telle?"

"Kynde," quod Wit, "is a creatour Of alle kynnes thynges, Fader and formour Of al that evere was maked; And that is the grete God That gynnyng hadde nevere, 5210 Lord of lif and of light, Of lisse and of peyne. Aungeles and alle thyng Arn at his wille; Ac man is hym moost lik Of marc and of shafte; For thorugh the word that he spak Woxen forth beestes. Dixit et facta sunt.

"And made man likkest 5220 To hymself one, And Eve of his ryb-bon, Withouten any mene, For he was synguler hymself; And seide faciamus, As who seith moore moot herto Than my word oone, My myght moot helpe Forth with my speche. Right as a lord sholde make lettres, 5230 And hym lakked parchemyn, Though he koude write never so wel, If he hadde no penne, The lettre, for al the lordshipe, I leve were nevere y-maked.

"And so it semeth by hym, As the Bible telleth, There he seide Dixit et facta sunt, He moste werche with his word, And his wit shewe. 5240 And in this manere was man maad, Thorugh myght of God almighty, With his word and werkmanshipe, And with lif to laste. And thus God gaf hym a goost, Thorugh the godhede of hevene, And of his grete grace Graunted hym blisse, And that is lif that ay shal laste To al his lynage after. 5250 And that is the castel that Kynde made, Caro it hatte, And is as muche to mene As man with a soule; And that he wroghte with werk, And with word bothe, Thorgh myght of the magesté Man was y-maked.

"Inwit and alle wittes Closed ben therinne, 5260 For love of the lady Anima, That lif is y-nempned; Over al in mannes body He walketh and wandreth. And in the herte is hir hoom And hir mooste reste.

"Ac Inwit is in the heed, And to the herte he loketh; What Anima is leef or looth, He lat hire at his wille; 5270 For after the grace of God, The gretteste is Inwit.

"Muche wo worth that man That mys-ruleth his Inwit; And that ben glotons glubberes, Hir God is hire wombe. Quorum deus venter est.

"For thei serven Sathan, Hir soules shal he have. That lyven synful lif here, 5280 Hir soule is lich the devil; And alle that lyven good lif Are lik to God almyghty, = Qui manet in caritate, in Deo manet, etc.

"Alas! that drynke shal for-do That God deere boughte, And dooth God forsaken hem That he shoop to his liknesse. Amen dico vobis, nescio vos. Et alibi: 5290 Et dimisi eos secundum desideria eorum.

"Fools that fauten Inwit, I fynde that holy chirche Sholde fynden hem that hem fauted, And fader-lese children, And widewes that han noght wherwith To wynnen hem hir foode, Madde men, and maydenes That help-lese were, 5300 Alle thise lakken Inwit, And loore bihoveth.

"Of this matere I myghte Make a long tale, And fynde fele witnesses Among the foure doctours; And that I lye noght of that I lere thee, Luc bereth witnesse.

"God-fadres and god-modres, That seen hire god-children 5310 At mys-eise and at myschief, And mowe hem amende, Shul have penaunce in purgatorie But thei hem helpe. For moore bilongeth to the litel barn, Er he the lawe knowe, Than nempnynge of a name, And he never the wiser. Sholde no cristene creature Cryen at the yate, 5320 Ne faille payn ne potage, And prelates dide as thei sholden. A Jew wolde noght se a Jew Go janglyng for defaute, For alle the mebles on this moolde, And he amende it myghte.

"Alas! that a cristene creature Shal be unkynde til another; Syn Jewes, that we jugge Judas felawes, 5330 Eyther of hem helpeth oother Of that that hem nedeth. Whi nel we cristene Of Cristes good be as kynde As Jewes, that ben oure lores-men? Shame to us alle! The commune for hir unkyndenesse, I drede me, shul abye.

"Bisshopes shul be blamed For beggeres sake. 5340 He is wors than Judas, That gyveth a japer silver, And biddeth the beggere go, For his broke clothes. Proditor est prælatus cum Juda, qui patrimonium Christi mimis distribuit. Et alibi: Perniciosus dispensator est, qui res pauperum Christi inutiliter consumit.

5350 "He dooth noght wel that dooth thus, Ne drat noght God almyghty; He loveth noght Salomons sawes, That sapience taughte. Initium sapientiæ, timor Domini.

"That dredeth God, he dooth wel; That dredeth him for love, And noght for drede of vengeaunce, Dooth therfore the bettre.

"He dooth best that with-draweth hym 5360 By daye and by nyghte, To spille any speche Or any space of tyme. = Qui offendit in uno, in omnibus est reus.

"Lesynge of tyme, Truthe woot the sothe, Is moost y-hated upon erthe Of hem that ben in hevene; And siththe to spille speche, 5370 That spicerie is of grace, And Goddes gle-man, And a game of hevene. Wolde nevere the feithful fader This fithele were un-tempred, Ne his gle-man a gedelyng, A goere to tavernes.

"To alle trewe tidy men That travaille desiren, Oure Lord loveth hem and lent 5380 Loude outher stille Grace to go to hem, And of-gon hir liflode. Inquirentes autem Dominum non minuentur omni bono.

"Trewe wedded libbynge folk In this world is Do-wel, For thei mote werche and wynne, And the world sustene. For of hir kynde thei come 5390 That confessours ben nempned, Kynges and knyghtes, Kaysers and cherles, Maidenes and martires, Out of o man come. The wif was maad the weye For to helpe werche; And thus was wedlok y-wroght With a mene persone, First, by the fadres wille, 5400 And the frendes conseille; And sithenes by assent of hemself, As thei two myghte acorde. And thus was wedlok y-wroght, And God hymself it made In erthe and in hevene, Hymself bereth witnesse.

"Ac fals folk feyth-lees, Theves and lyeres, Wastours and wrecches, 5410 Out of wedlok, I trowe, Conceyved ben in yvel tyme, As Caym was on Eve; Of swiche synfulle sherewes The Sauter maketh mynde: = Concepit in dolore, et peperit iniquitatem, etc.

"And alle that come of that Caym, Come to yvel ende. And God sente to Seem, 5420 And seide by an aungel, 'Thyn issue in thyn issue I wol that thei be wedded, And noght thi kynde with Caymes Y-coupled nor y-spoused.'

"Yet some, ayein the sonde Of oure Saveour of hevene, Caymes kynde and his kynde Coupled togideres, Til God wrathed for hir werkes, 5430 And swich a word seide, 'That I makede man It me for-thynketh.' Pœnitet me fecisse hominem.

"And com to Noe anon, And bad hym noght lette: 'Swith go shape a ship Of shides and of bordes; Thyself and thi sones, And sithen youre wyves, 5440 Busketh yow to that boot, And bideth ye therinne, Til fourty daies be fulfild, That the flood have y-wasshen Clene awey the corsed blood That Caym hath y-maked.

"'Beestes that now ben Shul banne the tyme That evere that cursed Caym Coom on this erthe; 5450 Alle shul deye for hise dedes, By dales and by hulles, And the foweles that fleen Forth with othere beestes, Excepte oonliche Of ech kynde a couple, That in thi shyngled ship Shul ben y-saved.' Here a-boughte the barn The bel-sires giltes, 5460 And alle for hir fadres Thei ferden the werse; The Gospel is her ayein, In o degré, I fynde: Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris, et pater non portabit iniquitatem filii, etc.

"Ac I fynde if the fader Be fals and a sherewe, That som del the sone 5470 Shal have the sires tacches.

"Impe on an ellere, And if thyn appul be swete, Muchel merveille me thynketh; And moore of a sherewe That bryngeth forth any barn, But if he be the same, And have a savour after the sire; Selde sestow oother. Nunquam colligitur de spinis uva, 5480 nec de tribulis ficus.

"And thus thorugh cursed Caym Cam care upon erthe; And al for thei wroghte wedlokes Ayein Goddes wille. For-thi have thei maugré of hir mariages That marie so hir children. For some, as I se now, Sooth for to telle, For coveitise of catel 5490 Un-kyndely ben wedded; As careful concepcion Cometh of swiche mariages, As bi-fel of the folk That I bifore of tolde, Therfore goode sholde wedde goode, Though thei no good hadde; 'I am via et veritas,' seith Crist, 'I may avaunce yow alle.'

"It is an uncomly couple, 5500 By Crist! as me thynketh, To yeven a yong wenche To an old feble, Or wedden any wodewe For welthe of hir goodes, That nevere shal barn bere But if it be in hir armes. Many a peire, sithen the pestilence, Han plight hem togideres, The fruyt that brynge forth 5510 Arn foule wordes, In jelousie joye-lees, And janglynge on bedde, Have thei no children but cheeste, And clappyng hem bitwene. And though thei do hem to Dunmowe, But if the devel helpe, To folwen after the flicche, Fecche thei it nevere; And but thi bothe be for-swore, 5520 That bacon thei tyne.

"For-thei I counseille alle cristene Coveite noght be wedded For coveitise of catel, Ne of kyn-rede riche; Ac maidenes and maydenes Macche yow togideres, Wodewes and wideweres Wercheth the same; For no londes, but for love, 5530 Loke ye be wedded, And thanne gete ye the grace of God, And good y-nough to lyve with.

"And every maner seculer That may noght continue, Wisely goo wedde, And ware hym fro synne; For lecherie in likynge Is lyme-yerd of helle. Whiles thow art yong, 5540 And thi wepene kene, Wreke thee with wyvyng, If thow wolt ben excused. Dum sis vir fortis, Ne des tua robora scortis; Scribitur in portis, Meretrix est janua mortis.

"Whan ye han wyved, beth war And wercheth in tyme; Noght as Adam and Eve, 5550 Whan Caym was engendred. For in un-tyme, trewely, Bitwene man and womman, Ne sholde no bourde or bedde be; But if thei bothe were clene Bothe of lif and of soule, And in perfit charité, That ilke derne dede do No man ne sholde. And if thei leden thus hir lif, 5560 It liketh God almyghty; For he made wedlok first, And hymself it seide: Bonum est ut unusquisque uxorem suam habeat, propter fornicationem.

"And thei that other gates ben geten For gedelynges arn holden, As fals folk fondlynges, Faitours and lieres, 5570 Ungracious to gete good Or love of the peple, Wandren and wasten What thei cacche mowe, Ayeins Do-wel thei doon yvel, And the devel serve; And after hir deeth day Shul dwelle with the same, But God gyve hem grace here Hemself to amende.

5580 "Do-wel my frend is, To doon as lawe techeth; To love thi frend and thi foo, Leve me, that is Do-bet; To gyven and to yemen Bothe yonge and olde, To helen and to helpen, Is Do-best of alle.

"And Do-wel is to drede God, And Do-bet to suffre, 5590 And so cometh Do-best of bothe, And bryngeth adoun the mody, And that is wikked wille That many a werk shendeth, And dryveth awey Do-wel 5595 Thorugh dedliche synnes."

Passus Decimus de Visione, et Secundus de Do-wel.

5596 HANNE hadde Wit a wif, Was hote dame Studie, That lene was of lere, And of liche bothe; 5600 She was wonderly wroth That Wit me thus taughte; And al starynge dame Studie Sterneliche loked.

"Wel artow wis," quod she to Wit, "Any wisdomes to telle To flatereres or to fooles, That frenetike ben of wittes." And blamed hym and banned hym, And bad hym be stille, 5610 With swiche wise wordes To wissen any sottes. And seide, "Noli mittere, man, Margery perles Among hogges, that han Hawes at wille; Thei doon but dryvele theron, Draf were hem levere Than al the precious perree That in paradis wexeth. 5620 I seye it by swiche," quod she, "That sheweth by hir werkes, That hem were levere lond And lordshipe on erthe, Or richesse, or rentes, And reste at hir wille, Than alle the sooth sawes That Salomon seide evere.

"Wisdom and wit now Is noght worth a kerse, 5630 But if it be carded with coveitise, As clotheres kemben hir wolle. Who so can contreve deceites And conspire wronges, And lede forth a love-day To lette with truthe, He that swiche craftes can To counseil is cleped. Thei lede lordes with lesynges, And bi-lieth Truthe.

5640 "Job the gentile In his gestes witnesseth, That wikked men thei welden The welthe of this worlde; And that thei ben lordes of ech a lond That out of lawe libbeth. Quare impii vivunt, bene est omnibus qui prævaricantur et inique agunt.

"The Sauter seith the same 5650 By swiche that doon ille: Ecce ipsi peccatores abundantes in sæculo obtinuerunt divitias.

"Lo! seith holy lettrure, Whiche beth thise sherewes? Thilke that God gyveth moost, Leest good thei deleth; And moost un-kynde to the commune That moost catel weldeth. Quæ perfecisti destruxerunt, justus 5660 autem, etc.

"Harlotes for hir harlotrie May have of hir goodes, And japeris and jogelours, And jangleris of gestes.

"Ac he that hath holy writ Ay in his mouthe, And kan telle of Tobye, And of twelve apostles, Or prechen of the penaunce 5670 That Pilat wikkedly wroghte To Jhesu the gentile, That Jewes to-drowe; Litel is he loved That swich a lesson sheweth, Or daunted or drawe forth, I do it on God hymselve.

"But thoo that feynen hem foolis, And with faityng libbeth, Ayein the lawe of oure Lord, 5680 And lyen on hemselve, Spitten and spuen, And speke foule wordes, Drynken and drevelen, And do men fer to gape, Likne men, and lye on hem, That leneth hem no giftes; Thei konne na-moore mynstralcie Ne musik men to glade, Than Munde the millere 5690 Of Multa fecit Deus. Ne were hir vile harlotrye, Have God my trouthe! Sholde nevere kyng ne knyght, Ne chanon of seint Poules, Gyve hem to hir yeres-gyve The gifte of a grote.

"Ac murthe and mynstralcie Amonges men is nouthe Lecherie, losengerye, 5700 And losels tales, Glotonye and grete othes, This murthe thei lovyeth.

"Ac if thei carpen of Crist, Thise clerkes and thise lewed At mete in hir murthe, Whan mynstrals beth stille, Thanne telleth thei of the Trinité A tale outher tweye, And bryngen forth a balled reson, 5710 And taken Bernard to witnesse, And putten forth a presumpcion To preve the sothe. Thus thei dryvele at hir deys The Deitee to knowe, And gnawen God with the gorge, Whanne hir guttes fullen.

"Ac the carefulle may crie And carpen at the yate, Bothe a-fyngred and a-furst, 5720 And for chele quake; Is ther noon to nyme hym neer, His anoy to amende, But hunten hym as an hound, And hoten hym go thennes. Litel loveth he that Lord That lent hym al that blisse, That thus parteth with the povere A percell whan hym nedeth. Ne were mercy in meene men 5730 Moore than in riche, Mendinauntz mete-lees Myghte go to bedde. God is muche in the gorge Of thise grete maistres, Ac amonges meene men His mercy and hise werkes. And so seith the Sauter, I have seighen it ofte: Ecce audivimus eam in Effrata, invenimus 5740 eam in campis silvæ.

"Clerkes and othere kynnes men Carpen of God faste, And have hym muche in the mouth; Ac meene men in herte.

"Freres and faitours Han founde swiche questions, To plese with proude men, Syn the pestilence tyme; And prechen at seint Poules 5750 For pure envye of clerkes; That folk is noght fermed in the feith, Ne free of hire goodes, Ne sory for hire synnes; So is pride woxen, In religion and in al the reme, Amonges riche and povere, That preieres have no power The pestilence to lette. And yet the wrecches of this world 5760 Is noon y-war by oother; Ne for drede of the deeth With-drawe noght hir pride; Ne beth plentevouse to the povere, As pure charité wolde; But in gaynesse and in glotonye For-glutten hir good hemselve, And breketh noght to the beggere As the Book techeth: Frange esurienti panem tuum, etc. 5770 And the moore he wynneth and welt Welthes and richesse, And lordeth in londes, The lasse good he deleth.

"Tobye telleth yow noght so, Taketh hede, ye riche, How the book Bible Of hym bereth witnesse. Si tibi sit copia, abundanter tribue. Si autem exiguum, illud impertiri 5780 stude libenter.

"Who so hath muche, spende manliche, So seith Tobye; And who so litel weldeth, Rule hym therafter. For we have no lettre of oure lif, How longe it shal dure, Swiche lessons lordes sholde Lovye to here, And how he myghte moost meynee 5790 Manliche fynde.

"Nought to fare as a fithelere or a frere, For to seke festes Homliche at othere mennes houses, And hatien hir owene. Elenge is the halle Ech day in the wike, Ther the lord ne the lady Liketh noght to sitte. Now hath ech riche a rule 5800 To eten by hymselve In a pryvee parlour, For povere mennes sake, Or in a chambre with a chymenee, And leve the chief halle That was maad for meles, Men to eten inne, And al to spare to spende That spille shal another.

"I have y-herd heighe men, 5810 Etynge at the table, Carpen, as thei clerkes were, Of Crist, and of hise myghtes; And leyden fautes upon the fader That formede us alle, And carpen ayein clerkes Crabbede wordes, Why wolde oure Saveour suffre Swich a worm in his blisse, That bigiled the womman, 5820 And the man after, Thorugh whiche wiles and wordes Thei wente to helle, And al hir seed for hir synne The same deeth suffrede.

"Here lyeth youre lore, Thise lordes gynneth dispute, Of that the clerkes us kenneth Of Crist by the Gospel: Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris, 5830 etc.

"Why sholde we that now ben, For the werkes of Adam, Roten and to-rende? Reson wolde it nevere. Unusquisque portabit onus suum, etc.

"Swiche motyves thei mene, Thise maistres in hir glorie, And maken men in mys-bileve That muse muche on hire wordes, 5840 Ymaginatif herafterwarde Shal answere to hir purpos.

"Austyn to swiche argueres Telleth this teme: Non plus sapere quam oportet.

"Wilneth nevere to wite Why that God wolde Suffre Sathan His seed to bigile; Ac bileveth lelly 5850 In the loore of holy chirche, And preie hym of pardon And penaunce in thi lyve, And for his muche mercy To amende yow here. For alle that wilneth to wite The weyes of God almyghty, I wolde his eighe were in his ers, And his fynger after, That evere wilneth to wite 5860 Why that God wolde Suffre Sathan His seed to bigile, Or Judas to the Jewes Jhesu bitraye. Al was as thow woldest, Lord, y-worshiped be the! And al worth as thow wolt, What so we dispute.

"And tho that useth thise hanylons 5870 To blende mennes wittes, What is Do-wel fro Do-bet, That deef mote he worthe, Siththe he wilneth to wite Whiche thei ben bothe, But if he lyve in the lif That longeth to Do-wel. For I dar ben his bolde borgh, That do-bet wole he nevere, Theigh Do-best drawe on hym 5880 Day after oother."

And whan that Wit was y-war What dame Studie tolde, He bicom so confus, He kouthe noght loke, And as doumb as deeth, And drough hym arere; And for no carpyng I kouthe after, Ne knelyng to the grounde, I myghte gete no greyn 5890 Of his grete wittes. But al laughynge he louted, And loked upon Studie In signe that I sholde Bi-sechen hire of grace.

And whan I was war of his wille, To his wif gan I loute, And seide, "Mercy, madame, Youre man shal I worthe As longe as I lyve, 5900 Bothe late and rathe, For to werche youre wille The while my lif dureth, With that ye kenne me kyndely To knowe what is Do-wel."

"For thi mekenesse, man," quod she, "And for thi mylde speche, I shal kenne thee to my cosyn That Clergie is hoten. He hath wedded a wif 5910 Withinne thise sixe monthes, Is sib to seven artz, Scripture is hir name. They two, as I hope, After my techyng, Shullen wissen thee to Do-wel, I dar it undertake."

Thanne was I al so fayn, As fowel of fair morwe, And gladder than the gle-man 5920 That gold hath to gifte; And asked hire the heighe wey Where that Clergie dwelte, "And tel me som tokene," quod I, "For tyme is that I wende."

"Aske the heighe wey," quod she, "Hennes to Suffre- Both-wele-and-wo, If that thow wolt lerne, And ryd forth by Richesse, 5930 Ac rest thow noght therinne; For if thow couplest thee therwith, To Clergie comestow nevere.

"And also the likerouse launde That Lecherie hatte, Leve it on thi left half A large myle or moore, Til thow come to a court, Kepe-wel-thi-tunge- Fro-lesynges-and-lither-speche- 5940 And-likerouse-drynkes.

"Thanne shaltow se Sobretee, And Sympletee-of-speche, That ech wight be in wille His wit thee to shewe; And thus shaltow come to Clergie, That kan manye thynges.

"Seye hym this signe, I sette hym to scole, And that I grete wel his wif, 5950 For I wroot hire manye bokes, And sette hire to Sapience, And to the Sauter glose; Logyk I lerned hire, And manye othere lawes, And alle musons in musik I made hire to knowe.

"Plato the poete I putte first to boke, Aristotle and othere mo 5960 To argue I taughte.

"Grammer for girles I garte first to write, And bette hem with a baleys, But if thei wolde lerne,

"Of alle kynne craftes I contreved tooles, Of carpentrie, of kerveres, And compased masons, And lerned hem level and lyne, 5970 Though I loke dymme.

"Ac Theologie hath tened me Ten score tymes; The moore I muse therinne The mystier it seemeth, And the depper I devyne The derker me it thynketh. It is no science, for sothe, For to sotile inne; A ful lethi thyng it were, 5980 If that love nere; Ac for it leteth best bi-love, I love it the bettre. For there that love is ledere, Ther lakked nevere grace. Loke thow love lelly, If thee liketh Do-wel; For Do-bet and Do-best Ben of Loves kynne.

"In oother science it seith, 5990 I seigh it in Caton: Qui simulat verbis, nec corde est fidus amicus, Tu quoque fac simile, sic ars deluditur arte.

"Who so gloseth as gylours doon, Go me to the same; And so shaltow fals folk And feith-lees bigile. This is Catons kennyng To clerkes that he lereth.

"Ac Theologie techeth noght so, 6000 Who so taketh yeme; He kenneth us the contrarie, Ayein Catons wordes. For he biddeth us be as bretheren, And bidde for our enemys. And loven hem that lyen on us, And lene hem whan hem nedeth, And do good ayein yvel, God hymself it hoteth. Dum tempus habemus, operemur 6010 bonum ad omnes, maxime autem ad domesticos fidei. Poul preched the peple That perfitnesse lovede, To do good for Goddes love, And gyven men that asked, And namely to swiche As suwen oure bileve, And alle that lakketh us, or lyeth, Oure Lord techeth us to lovye. 6020 And noght to greven hem that greveth us, God hymself forbad it, Mihi vindictam, et ego retribuam.

"For-thi loke thow lovye, As longe as thow durest; For is no science under sonne So sovereyn for the soule.

"Ac astronomye is an hard thyng, And yvel for to knowe; Geometrie and geomesie, 6030 So gynful of speche, Who so thynketh werche with tho two Thryveth ful late, For sorcerie is the sovereyn book That to tho sciences bilongeth.

"Yet ar ther fibicches in forceres Of fele mennes makyng, Experimentz of alkenamye The peple to deceyve; If thow thynke to do-wel, 6040 Deel therwith nevere.

"Alle thise sciences I myself Sotilede and ordeynede, And founded hem formest Folk to deceyve. Tel Clergie this tokene, And Scripture after, To counseille thee kyndely To knowe what is Do-wel."

I seide, "Graunt mercy, madame," 6050 And mekely hir grette; And wente wightly awey Withoute moore lettyng, And til I com to Clergie I koude nevere stynte; And grette the goode man, As Studie me taughte, And afterwardes the wif, And worshiped hem bothe, And tolde hem the tokenes 6060 That me taught were. Was nevere gome upon this ground, Sith God made the worlde, Fairer under-fongen, Ne frendlier at ese, Than myself, soothly, Soone so he wiste Than I was of Wittes hous, And with his wif, dame Studie.

I seide to hem soothly 6070 That sent was I thider, Do-wel and Do-bet And Do-best to lerne.

"It is a commune lyf," quod Clergie, "On holy chirche to bileve, With alle the articles of the feith That falleth to be knowe; And that is to bileve lelly, Bothe lered and lewed, On the grete God 6080 That gynnyng hadde nevere, And on the soothfast Sone That saved mankynde Fro the dedly deeth And devel's power, Thorugh the help of the Holy Goost, The which goost is of bothe, Thre persones, ac noght In plurel nombre; For al is but oon God, 6090 And ech is God hymselve. = Deus pater, Deus filius, Deus spiritus sanctus. God the fader, God the sone, God holy goost of bothe, Makere of mankynde, And of beestes bothe.

"Austyn the olde Herof made bokes, And hymself ordeyned 6100 To sadde us in bileve. Who was his auctour? Alle the foure euvangelistes, And Crist cleped hymself so, The euvangelistes bereth witnesse.

"Alle the clerkes under Crist Ne koude this assoille; But thus it bi-longeth to bileve To lewed that willen do-wel. For hadde nevere freke fyn wit 6110 The feith to dispute, Ne man hadde no merite, Myghte it ben y-preved. Fides non habet meritum, ubi humana ratio præbet experimentum.

"Thanne is Do-bet to suffre For the soules helthe, Al that the book bit Bi holi cherches techyng; 6120 And that is, man, bi thy myght, For mercies sake. Loke thow werche it in werk, That thi word sheweth, Swich as thow semest in sighte Be in assay y-founde. = Appare quod es, vel esto quod appares.

"And lat no body be By thi beryng bigiled, 6130 But be swich in thi soule As thow semest withoute.

"Thanne is Do-best to be boold To blame the gilty, Sythenes thow seest thiself As in soule clene; Ac blame thow nevere body, And thow be blame worthy. Si culpare velis, Culpabilis esse cavebis; 6140 Dogma tuum sordet, Cum te tua culpa remordet.

"God in the Gospel Grevously repreveth Alle that lakketh any lif, And lakkes han hemselve. Qui consideras festucam in oculo = fratris tui, trabem in oculo tuo, etc.

"Why menestow thi mood for a mote 6150 In thi brotheres eighe, Sithen a beem in thyn owene A-blyndeth thiselve. = Ejice primo trabem in oculo tuo, etc. Which letteth thee to loke Lasse outher more.

"I rede ech a blynd bosarde Do boote to hymselve, For abbotes and for priours, 6160 And for alle manere prelates, As persons and parisshes preestes That preche sholde and teche Alle maner men to amenden Bi hire myghtes.

"This text was told yow, To ben y-war, er ye taughte, That ye were swiche as ye seye, So salve with othere; For Goddes word wolde noght be lost, 6170 For that wercheth evere; If it availled noght the commune, It myghte availle yowselve.

"Ac it semeth now soothly To the worldes sighte, That Goddes word wercheth noght On lered ne on lewed, But in swich a manere As Marc meneth in the gospel: Dum cæcus ducit cæcum, ambo in 6180 foveam cadunt.

"Lewed men may likne yow thus, That the beem lith in youre eighen; And the festu is fallen For youre defaute, In alle maner men, Thorugh mansede preestes. The Bible bereth witnesse That the folk of Israel Bittre a-boughte the giltes 6190 Of two badde preestes, Offyn and Fynes, For hir coveitise, Archa Dei mys-happed, And Ely brak his nekke.

"For-thi ye corectours claweth heron. And corecteth first yowselve And thanne mowe ye safly seye, As David made in the Sauter, Existimasti inique quod ero tui 6200 similis, arguam te, et statuam contra faciem tuam.

"And thanne shul burel clerkes ben abasshed To blame yow or to greve, And carpen noght as thei carpe now, Ne calle yow doumbe houndes. Canes non valentes latrare. And drede to wrathe yow in any word, Youre werkmanshipe to lette, And be prester at youre preiere, 6210 Than for a pound of nobles. And al for youre holynesse, Have ye this in herte.

"In scole there is scorn, But if a clerk wol lerne, And gret love and likyng, For ech of hem loveth oother.

"Ac now is Religion a rydere, A romere aboute, A ledere of love-dayes, 6220 And a lond-buggere, A prikere on a palfrey Fro manere to manere, An heepe of houndes at his ers As he a lord were. And but if his knave knele That shal his coppe brynge, He loureth on hym, and asketh hym Who taughte hym curteisie.

"Litel hadde lordes to doon, 6230 To gyve lond from hire heires To religiouse, that han no routhe, Though it reyne on hir auters.

"In many places ther thei ben persons, By hemself at ese Of the povere have thei no pité; And that is hir charité. Ac thei leten hem as lordes Hire londes lyen so brode.

"Ac ther shal come a kyng, 6240 And confesse yow religiouses, And bete yow as the Bible telleth For brekynge of youre rule; And amende monyals, Monkes and chanons, And puten to hir penaunce Ad pristinum statum ire; And barons with erles beten hem, Thorugh Beatus-virres techyng, That hir barnes claymen 6250 And blame yow foule. Hi in curribus et hi in equis ipsi obligati sunt, etc.

"And thanne freres in hir fraytour Shul fynden a keye Of Costantyns cofres, In which is the catel That Gregories god-children Han yvele despended.

= "And thanne shal the abbot of Abyngdone 6261 And al his issue for evere, Have a knok of a kyng, And incurable the wounde.

"That this worth sooth, seke ye That ofte over-se the Bible: Quomodo cessavit exactor, quievit tributum, contrivit Dominus baculum impiorum et virgam dominantium cædentium plaga 6270 insanabili.

"Ac er that kyng come, Caym shal awake. But Do-wel shal dyngen hym adoun, And destruye his myghte."

"Thanne is Do-wel and Do-bet," quod I, "Dominus and knyghthode."

"I nel noght scorne," quod Scripture, "But if scryveynes lye; Kynghod ne knyghthod, 6280 By noght I kan a-wayte, Helpeth noght to hevene-ward Oone heris ende; Ne richesse right noght, Ne reautee of lordes. Poul preveth it impossible Riche men to have hevene. Salomon seith also That silver is worst to lovye: Nihil iniquius quam amare 6290 pecuniam. And Caton kenneth us to coveiten it Naught but as nede techeth, = Dilige denarium, sed parce dilige formam. And patriarkes and prophetes, And poetes bothe, Writen to wissen us To wilne no richesse, And preiseden poverte with pacience; 6300 The apostles bereth witnesse That thei han eritage in hevene, And by trewe righte; Ther riche men no right may cleyme, But of ruthe and grace."

"Contra," quod I, "by Crist! That kan I repreve, And preven it by Peter, And by Poul bothe, That is baptized beth saaf, 6310 Be he riche or povere."

"That is in extremis," quod Scripture, "Amonges Sarzens and Jewes, They mowen be saved so, And that is oure bileve, That an un-cristene in that caas May cristen an hethen; And for his lele bileve, Whan he the lif tyneth, Have the heritage of hevene 6320 As any man cristene.

"Ac cristene men withoute moore Maye noght come to hevene; For that Crist for cristene men Deide and confermed the lawe, That who so wolde and wilneth With Crist to arise, Si cum Christo surexistis, etc. He sholde lovye and leve, And the lawe fulfille. 6330 That is, love thi lord God Levest aboven alle; And after, alle cristene creatures In commune, ech man oother; And thus bi-longeth to lovye, That leveth be saved. And but we do thus in dede, At the day of dome It shal bi-sitten us ful soure The silver that we kepen; 6340 And oure bakkes that mothe-eten be, And seen beggeris go naked; Or delit in wyn and wilde fowel, And wite any in defaute. For every cristene creature Sholde be kynde til oother, And sithen hethen to helpe, In hope of amendement.

"God hoteth heighe and lowe That no man hurte oother; 6350 And seith, 'Slee noght that semblable is To myn owene liknesse, But if I sende thee som tokene;' And seith 'Non mœchaberis. Is slee noght, but suffre, And al for the beste; For I shal punysshe hem in purgatorie Or in the put of helle, Ech man for hise mysdedes, But mercy it lette.'"

" T 6360 HIS is a long lesson," quod I, "And litel am I the wiser; Where Do-wel is or Do-bet, Derkliche ye shewen. Manye tales ye tellen That Theologie lerneth; And that I man maad was, And my name y-entred In the legende of lif Longe er I were, 6370 Or ellis un-writen for som wikkednesse, As Holy Writ witnesseth: Nemo ascendit ad cœlum, nisi qui de cœlo descendit.

"I leve it wel," quod I, "by oure Lord! And on no lettrure bettre. For Salomon the sage, That Sapience taughte, God gat hym grace of wit, And alle hise goodes after; 6380 He demed wel and wisely, As Holy Writ telleth. Aristotle and he, Who wissed men bettre? Maistres that of Goddes mercy Techen men and prechen, Of hir wordes thei wissen us For wisest as in hir tyme, And al holy chirche Holdeth hem bothe y-dampned.

6390 "And if I sholde werche by hir werkes To wynne me hevene, That for hir werkes and wit Now wonyeth in pyne, Thanne wroughe I un-wisly, What so evere ye preche.

"Ac of fele witty, in feith, Litel ferly I have, Though hir goost be un-gracious God for to plese. 6400 For many men on this moolde Moore setten hir hertes In good than in God; For-thi hem grace failleth At hir mooste meschief, Whan thei shal lif lete. As Salomon dide, and swiche othere That shewed grete wittes; Ac hir werkes, as holy writ seith, Were evere the contrarie. 6410 For-thi wise witted men, And wel y-lettrede clerkes, As thei seyen hemself, Selde doon therafter. Super cathedra Moysi, etc.

"Ac I wene it worth of manye, As was in Noes tyme, Tho he shoop that shipe Of shides and of bordes; = Was nevere wrighte saved that wroghte theron, 6421 Ne oothir werkman ellis, But briddes, and beestes, And the blissed Noe, And his wif with hise sones, And also hire wyves; Of wightes that it wroghte Was noon of hem y-saved.

"God leve it fare noght so bi folk That the feith techeth 6430 Of holi chirche, that herberwe is, And Goddes hous to save, And shilden us from shame therinne, As Noes ship dide beestes; And men that maden it A-mydde the flood a-dreynten. The culorum of this clause Curatours is to mene, That ben carpenters holy kirk to make For Cristes owene beestes: = Homines et jumenta salvabis, Domine, etc.

6442 "On Good Friday I fynde A felon was y-saved, That hadde lyved al his lif With lesynges and with thefte; And for he beknede to the cros, And to Crist shrof him, He was sonner y-saved Than seint Johan the Baptist; 6450 And or Adam or Ysaye, Or any of the prophetes, That hadde y-leyen with Lucifer Many longe yeres, A robbere was y-raunsoned Rather than thei alle, Withouten any penaunce of purgatorie, To perpetuel blisse.

"Than Marie Maudeleyne What womman dide werse? 6460 Or who worse than David, That Uries deeth conspired? Or Poul the apostle, That no pité hadde Muche cristene kynde To kille to dethe? And now ben thise as sovereyns With seintes in hevene, Tho that wroughte wikkedlokest In world tho thei were. 6470 And tho that wisely wordeden, And writen manye bokes Of wit and of wisedom, With dampned soules wonye. That Salomon seith, I trowe be sooth And certein of us alle: Sunt justi atque sapientes et opera eorum in manu Dei sunt, etc.

"Ther are witty and wel libbynge, Ac hire werkes ben y-hudde 6480 In the hondes of almyghty God, And he woot the sothe, Wherfore a man worth allowed there, And hise lele werkes, Or ellis for his yvel wille, And for envye of herte, And be allowed as he lyved so; For by the luthere men knoweth the goode.

"And wherby wiste men which were whit, If alle thyng blak were? 6490 And who were a good man, But if ther were som sherewe? For-thi lyve we forth with othere men, I leve fewe ben goode; For quant oportet vient en place, Il n'y ad que pati. And he that may al amende, Have mercy on us alle! For sothest word that ever God seide Was tho he seide Nemo bonus.

6500 "Clergie tho of Cristes mouth Comended was it litel; For he seide to seint Peter, And to swiche as he lovede, = Cum steteritis ante reges et præsides, etc. Though ye come bifore kynges And clerkes of the lawe, Beth noght abasshed, For I shal be in youre mouthes, 6510 And gyve yow wit and wille, And konnyng to conclude Hem alle that ayeins yow Of Cristendom disputen.

"David maketh mencion, He spak amonges kynges, And myghte no kyng over-comen hym As by konnynge of speche, But wit and wisedom Wan nevere the maistrie, 6520 Whan man was at meschief, Withoute the moore grace.

"The doughtieste doctour And devinour of the Trinitee Was Austyn the olde, And heighest of the foure, Seide thus in a sermon, I seigh it writen ones: Ecce ipsi idiotæ vi rapiunt cœlum, ubi nos sapientes in inferno 6530 mergimur.

"And is to mene to men, Moore ne lesse, Arn none rather y-ravysshed Fro the righte bileve, Than are thise konnynge clerkes That konne manye bokes.

"Ne none sonner saved, Ne sadder of bileve, Than plowmen and pastours, 6540 And othere commune laborers; Souteres and shepherdes, And othere lewed juttes, Percen with a pater-noster The paleys of hevene, And passen purgatorie penaunce-lees At her hennes partyng Into the blisse of paradis, For hir pure bileve, That imparfitly here knewe, 6550 And ek lyvede.

"Ye men knowe clerkes, That han corsed the tyme That evere thei kouthe or knewe moore Than Credo in Deum patrem; And principally hir pater-noster Many a persone hath wisshed.

"I se ensamples myself, And so may manye othere, That servauntz that serven lordes 6560 Selde fallen in arerage, And tho that kepen the lordes catel, Clerkes and reves.

"Right so lewed men, And of litel knowyng, Selden falle thei so foule And so fer in synne, As clerkes of holy chirche That kepen Cristes tresor, The which is mannes soule to save, As God seith in the Gospel: 6571 Ite vos in vineam meam."

Passus Undecimus.

6572 HANNE Scripture scorned me And a skile tolde, And lakked me in Latyn, And light by me she sette, And seide "Multi multa sciunt Et seipsos nesciunt."

Tho wepte I for wo And wrathe of hir speche; 6580 And in a wynkynge wrathe Weex I a-slepe. A merveillous metels Mette me thanne, That I was ravysshed right there, And Fortune me fette, And into the lond of longynge Allone she me broughte, And in a mirour that highte middel-erthe She made me to biholde. 6590 "Sone," she seide to me, "Here myghtow se wondres, And knowe that thow coveitest, And come therto, peraunter."

Thanne hadde Fortune folwynge hire Two faire damyseles; Concupiscentia-carnis Men called the elder mayde, And Coveitise-of-eighes Y-called was that oother. 6600 Pride-of-parfit-lyvynge Pursued hem bothe, And bad me for my contenaunce Acounten Clergie lighte.

Concupiscentia-carnis Colled me aboute the nekke, And seide, "Thow art yong and yeepe, And hast yeres y-nowe For to lyve longe, And ladies to lovye; 6610 And in this mirour thow myght se Myghtes ful manye, That leden thee wole to likynge Al thi lif tyme."

The secounde seide the same, "I shal sewe thi wille; Til thow be a lord and have lond, Leten thee I nelle, That I ne shal folwe thi felawshipe, If Fortune it like." 6620 "He shal fynde me his frend," Quod Fortune therafter; "The freke that folwede my wille Failled nevere blisse."

Thanne was ther oon that highte Elde, That hevy was of chere; "Man," quod he, "if I mete with thee, By Marie of hevene! Thow shalt fynde Fortune thee faille At thi mooste nede, 6630 And Concupiscentia-carnis Clene thee forsake. Bittrely shaltow banne thanne Bothe dayes and nyghtes Coveitise-of-eighe, That evere thow hir knewe, And Pride-of-parfit-lyvynge To muche peril thee brynge."

"Ye, recche thee nevere," quod Rechelesnesse, Stood forthe in raggede clothes, 6640 "Folwe forth that Fortune wole, Thow hast wel fer til Elde; A man may stoupe tyme y-nogh, Whan he shal tyne the crowne.

"Homo proponit quod a poete, And Plato he highte, And Deus disponit quod he, Lat God doon his wille. If Truthe wol witnesse it be wel do Fortune to folwe, 6650 Concupiscentia-carnis, Ne Coveitise-of-eighes, Ne shal noght greve thee gretly, Ne bigile, but if thow wolt thiselve."

"Ye, fare wel Phippe and Faunteltee," And forth gan me drawe, Til Concupiscentia-carnis Acorded alle my werkes.

"Alas! eighe," quod Elde And Holynesse bothe, 6660 "That wit shal torne to wrecchednesse, For wil to have his likyng."

Coveitise-of-eighes Conforted me anoon after, And folwed me fourty wynter And a fifte moore, That of Do-wel ne Do-bet Ne deyntee me thoughte. I hadde no likyng, leve me if thee list, Of hem ought to knowe. 6670 Coveitise-of-eighes Com ofter in mynde Than Do-wel or Do-bet, Among my dedes alle.

Coveitise-of-eighes Conforted me ofte, And seide, "Have no conscience How thow come to goode. Go confesse thee to som frere, And shewe hym thi synnes; 6680 For whiles Fortune is thi frend Freres wol thee lovye, And fecche thee to hir fraternitee, And for the biseke To hir priour provincial A pardon for to have, And preien for thee pol by pol, If thow be pecuniosus." Sed pœna pecuniaria non sufficit pro spiritualibus delictis.

6690 By wissynge of this wenche I wroughte, Hir wordes were so swete, Til I for-yat youthe, And yarn into elde.

And thanne was Fortune my foo, For al hir faire speche; And poverte pursued me, And putte me lowe.

And tho fond I the frere a-fered, And flittynge bothe 6700 Ayeins oure firste for-warde; For I seide I nolde Be buried at hire hous, But at my parisshe chirche. For I herde ones How Conscience it tolde, That there a man were cristned Be kynde he sholde be buryed; Or where he were parisshen, Right there he sholde be graven. 6710 And for I seide thus to freres, A fool thei me helden, And loved me the lasse For my lele speche.

Ac yet I cryde on my confessour, That heeld hymself so konnyng; "By my feith! frere," quod I, "Ye faren lik thise woweris That wedde none widwes But for to welden hir goodes. 6720 Right so, by the roode! Roughte ye nevere Where my body were buryed, By so ye hadde my silver.

"Ich have muche merveille of yow, And so hath many another, Whi youre covent coveiteth To confesse and to burye, Rather than to baptize barnes That ben catecumelynges. 6730 Baptizynge and buryinge Bothe beth ful nedefulle; Ac muche moore meritorie, Me thynketh it is to baptize. For a baptized man may, As thise maistres telleth, Thorugh contricion come To the heighe hevene. Sola contritio, etc. Ac barn withouten bapteme 6740 May noght so be saved. Nisi quis renatus fuerit. Loke ye, lettred men, Wheither I lye or do noght." And Lewté loked on me, And I loured after.

"Wherfore lourestow?" quod Lewtee, And loked on me harde.

"If I dorste," quod I, "amonges men This metels avowe!"

6750 "Yis, by Peter and by Poul!" quod he, And took hem bothe to witnesse. "Non oderis fratres secrete in corde tuo, sed publice argue illos."

"They wole aleggen also," quod I, "And by the Gospel preven: Nolite judicare quemquam."

"And wherof serveth lawe?" quod Lewtee, "If no lif undertoke it, Falsnesse ne faiterie, 6760 For som what the apostle seide, Non oderis fratrem. And in the Sauter also Seith David the prophete, = Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis, etc.

"It is licitum for lewed men To sigge the sothe, If hem liketh and lest, Ech a lawe it graunteth; 6770 Excepte persons and preestes, And prelates of holy chirche, It falleth noght for that folk No tales to telle, Though the tale be trewe, And it touche synne.

"Thyng that al the world woot, Wherfore sholdestow spare To reden it in retorik To a-rate dedly synne? 6780 Ac be nevere moore the firste Defaute to blame; Though thow se yvel, seye it noght first, Be sory it nere amended. No thyng that is pryvé, Publice thow it nevere; Neither for love preise it noght, Ne lakke it for envye. Parum lauda, vitupera parcius."

"He seith sooth," quod Scripture tho, 6790 And skipte an heigh, and preched. Ac the matere that she meved, If lewed men it knewe, The lasse, as I leve, Lovyen it thei wolde.

This was hir teme and hir text, I took ful good hede; Multi to a mangerie And to the mete were sompned; And whan the peple was plener comen, 6800 The porter unpynned the yate, And plukked in Pauci pryveliche, And leet the remenaunt go rome.

Al for tene of hir text Trembled myn herte; And in a weer gan I wexe, And with myself to dispute Wheither I were chosen or noght chosen. On holi chirche I thoughte, That under-fonged me atte font 6810 For oon of Goddes chosene. For Crist cleped us alle, Come if we wolde, Sarzens and scismatikes, And so he dide the Jewes. O vos omnes sitientes, venite, etc. And bad hem souke for synne Safly at his breste, And drynke boote for bale, Brouke it who so myghte.

= "Thanne may alle cristene come, quod I," 6822 "And cleyme there entree By the blood that he boughte us with And thorugh bapteme after. = Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, etc. For though a cristen man coveited His cristendom to reneye, Rightfully to reneye 6830 No reson it wolde.

"For may no cherl chartre make, Ne his catel selle, Withouten leve of his lord; No lawe wol it graunte. Ac he may renne in arerage, And rome so fro home, And as a reneyed caytif Recchelesly rennen aboute. And Reson shal rekene with hym, 6840 And casten hym in arerage, And putten hym after in a prison In purgatorie to brenne, For hise arerages rewarden hym there To the day of dome; But if Contricion wol come, And crye, by his lyve, Mercy for hise mysdedes, With mouthe and with herte,"

"That is sooth," seide Scripture; 6850 "May no synne lette Mercy al to amende, And mekenesse hir folwe. For thei beth, as oure bokes telleth, Above Goddes werkes." = Misericordia ejus super omnia opera ejus.

"Ye, baw for bokes," quod oon Was broken out of helle, Highte Trojanus, hadde ben a trewe knyght, 6860 Took witnesse at a pope, How he was ded and dampned To dwellen in pyne, For an uncristene creature; "Clerkes wite the sothe, That al the clergie under Crist Ne myghte me cracche fro helle, But oonliche love and leautee, And my laweful domes.

"Gregorie wiste this wel, 6870 And wilned to my soule Savacion for soothnesse That he seigh in my werkes; And after that he wepte, And wilned me were graunted Grace; withouten any bene biddyng His boone was under-fongen, And I saved, as ye see, Withouten syngynge of masses. By love and by lernyng 6880 Of my lyvynge, in truthe, Broughte me fro bitter peyne Ther no biddyng myghte."

Lo! ye lordes, what leautee dide By an emperour of Rome, That was an uncristene creature, As clerkes fyndeth in bokes. Nought thorugh preiere of a pope, But for his pure truthe, Was that Sarsen saved. 6890 As seint Gregorie bereth witnesse.

Wel oughte ye, lordes, that lawes kepe, This lesson to have in mynde, And on Trojanus truthe to thenke, And do truthe to the peple. "Lawe, withouten love," quod Trojanus, "Ley ther a bene, Or any science under sonne, The sevene artz and alle, But thei ben lerned for oure Lordes love, 6900 Lost is al the tyme;" For no cause to cacche silver therby, Ne to be called a maister, But al for love of oure Lord, And the bet to love the peple, For seint Johan seide it, And sothe arn hise wordes. Qui non diligit, manet in morte.

Who so loveth noght, leve me, He lyveth in deep deyinge; 6910 And that alle manere men, Enemyes and frendes, Love hir eyther oother, And leve hem, as hemselve, Who so leveth noght, he loveth noght, God woot the sothe! Crist comaundeth ech a creature To conformen hym to lovye, And sovereynly the povere peple, And hir enemyes after. 6920 For hem that haten us Is oure merite to lovye, And povere peple to plese, Hir preieres maye us helpe. And oure joye and oure heele Jhesu Crist of hevene In a povere mannes apparaille Pursued us evere; And loketh on us in hir liknesse, And that with lovely chere, 6930 To knowen us by oure kynde herte And castynge of oure eighen, Wheither we love the lordes here Bifore the Lord of blisse; And exciteth us by the Euvangelie That whan we maken festes, We sholde noght clepe oure kyn therto, Ne none kynnes riche. = Cum facitis convivia, nolite invitare amicos. 6940 "Ac calleth the carefulle therto, The croked and the povere. For youre frendes wol feden yow, And fonde yow to quyte Youre festynge and youre faire gifte; Ech frend quyteth so oother.

"Ac for the povere I shal paie, And pure wel quyte hir travaille, That gyveth hem mete or moneie, Or loveth hem for my sake." 6950 For the beste ben som riche, And some beggeres and povere. For alle are we Cristes creatures, And of his cofres riche, And bretheren as of oo blood, As wel beggeres as erles. For on Calvarie of Cristes blood Cristendom gan sprynge, And blody bretheren we bicomen there Of o body y-wonne, 6960 As quasi modo geniti, And gentil-men echone; No beggere ne boye amonges us, But if it synne made. Qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati.

"In the olde lawe, As holy lettre telleth, Mennes sones Men callen us echone, Of Adames issue and Eve, 6970 Ay til God man deide; And after his resurexcion Redemptor was his name, And we hise bretheren thorugh hym y-brought, Bothe riche and povere.

"For-thi love we as leve bretheren, And ech man laughe of oother; And of that ech man may forbere Amende there it nedeth; And every man helpe oother, 6980 For hennes shul we alle. Alter alterius onera portate.

= "And be we noght un-kynde of oure catel, Ne of oure konnyng neither. For woot no man how neigh it is To ben y-nome fro bothe. For-thi lakke no lif oother, Though he moore Latyn knowe; Ne under-nyme noght foule; 6990 For is noon withoute defaute. For what evere clerkes carpe Of cristendom or ellis, Crist to a commune womman seide, In commune at a feste, That fides sua sholde saven hire, And salven hire of synnes.

"Thanne is bileve a lele help, Above logyk or lawe. Of logyk or of lawe 7000 In Legenda Sanctorum Is litel alowaunce maad, But if bileve hem helpe. For it is over longe er logyk Any lesson assoille; And lawe is looth to lovye, But if he lacche silver. Bothe logyk and lawe, That loveth noght to lye, I conseille alle cristene 7010 Clyve noght theron to soore; For some wordes I fynde writen, That were of feithes techyng, That saved synful men, As seint Johan bereth witnesse. Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis, remetietur vobis.

"For-thi lerne we the lawe of love, As oure Lord taughte, And as seint Gregorie seide 7020 For mannes soule helthe: Melius est scrutari scelera nostra, quam naturas rerum.

"Why I meve this matere, Is moost for the povere; For in hir liknesse oure Lord Ofte hath ben y-knowe. Witnesse in the Pask wyke Whan he yede to Emaüs; Cleophas ne knew hym noght 7030 That he Crist were, For his povere apparaille, And pilgrymes wedes, Til he blessede and brak The breed that thei eten; So bi hise werkes thei wisten That he was Jhesus, Ac by clothyng thei knewe hym noght, Ne by carpynge of tunge. And al was in ensample 7040 To us synfulle here, That we sholde be lowe And loveliche of speche, And apparaille us noght over proudly, For pilgrymes are we alle.

"And in the apparaille of a povere man, And pilgrymes liknesse, Many tyme God hath ben met Among nedy peple, Ther nevere segge hym seigh 7050 In secte of the riche.

"Seint Johan and othere seintes Were seyen in poore clothyng, And as povere pilgrymes Preyed mennes goodes.

"Jhesu Crist on a Jewes doghter lighte, Gentil womman though she were, Was a pure povere maide, And to a povere man y-wedded.

"Martha on Marie Maudeleyne 7060 An huge pleynt made, And to oure Saveour self Seide thise wordes: Domine, non est tibi curæ quod soror mea reliquit me solam ministrare.

"And hastily God answerde, And eitheres wille folwed, Bothe Marthaes and Maries, As Mathew bereth witnesse; 7070 Ac poverte God putte bifore, And preised that the bettre. = Maria optimam partem elegit, quæ non, etc.

"And alle the wise that evere were, By aught I kan aspye, Preiseden poverte for best lif, If pacience it folwed, And bothe bettre and blesseder By many fold than richesse. 7080 For though it be sour to suffre, Therafter cometh swete; As on a walnote withoute Is a bitter barke, And after that bitter bark, Be the shelle aweye, Is a kernel of confort Kynde to restore.

"So is after poverte or penaunce Paciently y-take; 7090 For it maketh a man to have mynde In God, and a gret wille To wepe and to wel bidde, Wherof wexeth mercy, Of which Crist is a kernelle To conforte the soule. And wel sikerer he slepeth, The man that is povere, And lasse he dredeth deeth, And in derke to ben y-robbed, 7100 Than he that is right riche, Reson bereth witnesse. = Pauper ego ludo, dum tu dives meditaris.

"Al though Salomon seide, As folk seeth in the Bible, Divitias nec paupertates, etc. Wiser than Salomon was Bereth witnesse and taughte That parfit poverte was 7110 No possession to have, And lif moost likynge to God, As Luc bereth witnesse: Si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende.

"And is to mene to men That on this moolde lyven, Who so wole be pure parfit Moot possession forsake, Or selle it, as seith the Book, And the silver dele 7120 To beggeris that goon and begge And bidden good for Goddes love. For failed nevere man mete That myghtful God serveth, As David seith in the Sauter To swiche that ben in wille To serve God goodliche, Ne greveth hym no penaunce: Nihil inpossibile volenti. Ne lakketh nevere liflode, 7130 Lynnen ne wollen. Inquirentes autem Dominum non minuentur omni bono.

"If preestes weren parifite, Thei wolde ne silver take For masses ne for matyns, Noght hir mete of usureres, Ne neither kirtel ne cote, Theigh thei for cold sholde deye, And thei hir devoir dide, 7140 As David seith in the Sauter: = Judica me, Deus, et decerne causam meam.

"Spera-in-Deo speketh of preestes That have no spendyng silver, That if thei travaille truweliche And truste in God almyghty, Hem sholde lakke no liflode, Neyther lynnen ne wollen. And the title that ye take ordres by 7150 Telleth ye ben avaunced; Thanne nedeth yow noght to take silver For masses that ye syngen. For he that took yow youre title, Sholde take yow youre wages, Or the bisshop that blessed yow, If that ye ben worthi.

"For made nevere kyng no knyght, But he hadde catel to spende As bifel for a knyght, 7160 Or foond hym for his strengthe. It is a careful knyght, And of a caytif kynges makyng, That hath no lond ne lynage riche, Ne good loos of hise handes.

"The same I segge, for sothe, By alle swiche preestes That han neither konnynge ne kyn, But a crowne one, And a title, a tale of noght, 7170 To his liflode at his meschief. He hath moore bileve, as I leve, To lacche through his croune Cure, than for konnyng, Or knowen for clene berynge. I have wonder for why And wherefore the bisshope Maketh swiche preestes, That lewed men bitrayen.

"A chartre is chalangeable 7180 Bifore a chief justice; If fals Latyn be in the lettre, The lawe it impugneth, Or peynted parentrelynarie, Or percelles over-skipped; The gome that gloseth so chartres For a goky is holden.

"So is it a goky, by God! That in his gospel failleth, Or in masse or in matyns 7190 Maketh any defaut. = Qui offendit in uno, in omnibus est reus.

"And also in the Sauter Seith David to over-skipperis, Psallite Deo nostro, psallite, quoniam rex terræ Deus Israel, psallite sapienter.

"The bisshop shal be blamed Bifore God, as I leve, 7200 That crouneth swiche Goddes knyghtes That konneth noght sapienter Synge, ne psalmes rede, Ne seye a masse of the day. And never neither is blame-lees The bisshope ne the chapeleyn; For hir either is endited, And that is, ignorantia Non excusat episcopos Nec idiotes preestes.

7210 "This lokynge on lewed preestes Hath doon me lepe from poverte, The which I preise ther pacience is Moore perfit than richesse."

A C muche moore in metynge thus With me gan oon dispute; And slepynge I seigh al this. And sithen cam Kynde, And nempned me by my name, And bad me nymen hede, 7220 And thorugh the wondres of this world Wit for to take. And on a mountaigne that myddel-erthe Highte, as me thoughte, I was fet forth By ensamples to knowe Thorugh ech a creature and kynde My creatour to lovye.

I seigh the sonne and the see, And the sond after; 7230 And where that briddes and beestes By hir makes yeden; Wilde wormes in wodes, And wonderful foweles With fleckede fetheres And of fele colours.

Man and his make I myghte bothe biholde; Poverte and plentee; Bothe pees and werre; 7240 Blisse and bale bothe I seigh al at ones; And how men token mede, And mercy refused.

Reson I seigh soothly Sewen alle beestes, In etynge, in drynkynge, And in engendrynge of kynde; And after cours of concepcion, Noon took kepe of oother 7250 As whan thei hadde ryde in rotey tyme, Anoon right therafter Males drowen hem to males A-morwenynges by hemselve, And in evenynges also The males ben fro femelles. Ther ne was cow ne cow-kynde That conceyved hadde, That wolde belwe after boles, Ne boor after sowe; 7260 Bothe hors and houndes, And alle othere beestes, Medled noght with hir makes That with fole were.

Briddes I biheld That in buskes made nestes, Hadde nevere wye wit To werche the leeste. I hadde wonder at whom And wher the pye lerned 7270 To legge the stikkes In whiche she leyeth and bredeth. Ther nys wrighte, as I wene, Sholde werche hir nestes to paye; If any mason made a molde therto, Muche wonder it were.

Ac yet me merveilled moore, How many othere briddes Hidden and hileden Hir egges ful derne 7280 In mareys and moores, For men sholde hem noght fynde; And hidden hir egges, Whan thei therfro wente, For fere of othere foweles, And for wilde beestes.

And some troden hir makes, And on trees bredden, And broughten forth hir briddes so Al above the grounde; 7290 And some briddes at the bile Thorugh brethyng conceyved; And some caukede; and took kepe How pecokkes bredden. Muche merveilled me What maister hem made, And who taughte hem on trees To tymbre so heighe, Ther neither burn ne beest May hir briddes rechen.

7300 And sithen I loked upon the see, And so forth upon the sterres; Manye selkouthes I seigh, Ben noght to seye nouthe.

I seigh floures in the fryth, And hir faire colours; And how among the grene gras Growed so manye hewes, And some soure and some swete, Selkouth me thoughte; 7310 Of hir kynde and hir colour To carpe it were to longe.

Ac that moost meved me And my mood chaunged, That Reson rewarded And ruled alle beestes, Save man and his make; Many tyme and ofte No reson hem folwede. And thanne I rebukede 7320 Reson, and right Til hymselven I seyde: "I have wonder of thee," quod I, "That witty art holden, Why thow ne sewest man and his make, That no mysfeet hem folwe."

And Reson a-rated me, And seide, "Recche thee nevere; Why I suffre or noght suffre, Thiself hast noght to doone. 7330 Amende thow it, if thow myght, For my tyme is to abide. Suffraunce is a soverayn vertue, And a swift vengeance. Who suffrede moore than God?" quod he; "No gome, as I leeve. He myghte amende in a minute while Al that mys-standeth; Ac he suffreth for som mannes goode, And so it is oure bettre, 7340 The wise and the witty Wroot thus in the Bible: De re quæ te non molestat, noli certare.

= "For be a man fair or foul, It falleth noght for to lakke The shap ne the shaft That God shoop hymselve; For al that he dide was wel y-do, As holy writ witnesseth: 7350 Et vidit Deus cuncta quæ fecerat, et erant valde bona.

"And bad every creature In his kynde encreesse; Al to murthe with man, That moste wo tholie In fondynge of the flessh, And of the fend bothe. For man was maad of swich a matere, He may noght wel a-sterte 7360 That ne som tyme hym bitit To folwen his kynde. Caton a-cordeth therwith, Nemo sine crimine vivit."

Tho caughte I colour anoon, And comsed to ben ashamed, And awaked therwith. Wo was me thanne, That I in metels ne myghte Moore have y-knowen. 7370 And thanne seide I to myself, And chidde that tyme, "Now I woot what Do-wel is," quod I, "By deere God! as me thynketh."

And as I caste up myne eighen, Oon loked on me and asked Of me, what thynge it were: "Y-wis, sire," I seide, "To se muche and suffre moore, Certes," quod I, "is Do-wel."

7380 "Haddestow suffred," he seide, "Slepynge tho thow were, Thow sholdest have knowen that Clergie kan, And contreved moore thorugh reson. For Reson wolde have reherced thee Right as Clergie seide. Ac for thyn entre-metynge, Here artow forsake. Philosophus esses, si tacuisses.

"Adam, whiles he spak noght, 7390 Hadde paradis at wille; Ac whan he mamelede aboute mete, And entre-metede to knowe The wisedom and the wit of God, He was put fram blisse.

"And right so ferde Reson bi thee; Thow with thi rude speche Lakkedest and losedest thyng That longed the noght to doone. Tho hadde he no likyng 7400 For to lere the moore.

"Pryde now and presumpcion Peraventure wol thee appele, That Clergie thi compaignye Kepeth noght to suwe. Shal nevere chalangynge ne chidynge Chaste a man so soone, As shal shame, and shenden hym, And shape hym to amende. For lat a dronken daffe 7410 In a dyk falle, Lat hym ligge, loke noght on hym, Til hym liste aryse. For though Reson rebuked hym thanne, It were but pure synne. Ac whan nede nymeth hym up For doute lest he sterve, And shame shrapeth hise clothes, And hise shynes wassheth. Thanne woot the dronken daffe 7420 Wherfore he is to blame."

"Ye siggen sooth," quod I; "Ich have y-seyen it ofte, Ther smyt no thyng so smerte, Ne smelleth so soure, As shame, there he sheweth hym; For every man hym shonyeth. Why ye wisse me thus," quod I, "Was for I rebuked Reson."

"Certes," quod he, "that is sooth;" 7430 And shoop hym for to walken. And I aroos up right with that, And folwed hym after, And preyde hym of his curteisie 7434 To telle me his name.

Passus Duodecimus, etc.

" 7435 AM Ymaginatif," quod he, "Ydel was I nevere, Though I sitte by myself, In siknesse nor in helthe. I have folwed thee, in feith! 7440 Thise fyve and fourty wynter, And manye tymes have meved thee To thynke on thyn ende, And how fele fernyeres are faren, And so fewe to come; And of thi wilde wantownesse Tho thow yong were, To amende it in thi middel age, Lest myght the failled In thyn olde elde, 7450 That yvele kan suffre Poverte or penaunce, Or preyeres to bidde. = Si non in prima vigilia, nec in secunda, etc.

"Amende thee, while thow myght; Thow hast ben warned ofte With poustees of pestilences, With poverte and with angres; And with thise bittre baleises 7460 God beteth his deere children. Quem diligo, castigo.

"And David in the Sauter seith Of swiche that loveth Jhesus: = Virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolati sunt.

"Al though thow strike me with thi staf, With stikke or with yerde, It is but murthe as for me, To amende my soule. 7470 And thow medlest thee with makynges, And myghtest go seye thi Sauter, And bidde for hem that gyveth thee breed, For ther are bokes y-knowe To telle men what Do-wel is, Do-bet and Do-best bothe, And prechours to preven what it is Of many a peire freres."

I seigh wel he seide me sooth; And som what me to excuse, 7480 Seide Caton conforted me his sone, That clerk though he were, To solacen hym som tyme, As I do whan I make: Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis.

= "And of holy men I herde, quod I," "How thei outher while Pleyden the parfiter, To ben in manye places, 7490 Ac if ther were any wight That wolde me telle What were Do-wel and Do-bet And Do-best at the laste, Wolde I nevere do werk, But wende to holi chirche, And ther bidde my bedes, But whan ich ete or slepe."

"Poul in his pistle," quod he, "Preveth what is Do-wel: = Fides, spes, caritas, et major horum, etc. 7502 Feith, hope, and charité; And alle ben goode, And saven men sondry tymes; Ac noon so soone as charité. For he dooth wel withouten doute, That dooth as lewté techeth; That is, if thow be man maryed, Thi make thow lovye, 7510 And lyve forth as lawe wole, While ye lyven bothe.

"Right so if thow be religious, Ren thow nevere ferther To Rome ne to Rochemador, But as thi rule techeth; And hold thee under obedience, That heigh wey is to hevene.

"And if thow be maiden to marye, And myght wel continue, 7520 Seke thow nevere seint ferther For no soule helthe. For what made Lucifer To lese the heighe hevene? Or Salomon his sapience, Or Sampson his strengthe? Job the Jew his joye Ful deere a-boughte; Aristotle and othere mo, Ypocras and Virgile; 7530 Alisaundre, that al wan, Elengliche ended. Catel and kynde wit Was combraunce to hem alle.

"Felice hir fairnesse Fel hire al to sclaundre; And Rosamounde right so, Reufulliche to bileve, The beauté of hir body In baddenesse she despended. 7540 Of manye swiche I may rede, Of men and of wommen, That wise wordes wolde shewe, And werche the contrarie. = Sunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes.

"And riche renkes right so Gaderen and sparen, And tho men that thei moost haten Mynistren it at the laste. 7550 And for thei suffren and see So manye nedy folkes, And love hem noght as oure Lord bit, Thei lesen hir soules. Date et dabitur vobis.

"And richesse right so, But if the roote be trewe. Ac grace is a gras therof Tho grevaunces to abate. Ac grace ne groweth noght 7560 But amonges lowe; Pacience and poverte The place highte ther it groweth, And in lele lyvynge men, And in lif holy, And thorugh the gifte of the Holy Goost, As the Gospel telleth. Spiritus ubi vult spirat.

"Clergie and kynde wit Cometh of sighte and techyng; 7570 As the book bereth witnesse To burnes that kan rede. = Quod scimus loquimur, quod vidimus testamur.

"Of quod scimus cometh clergie And konnynge of hevene; And of quod vidimus cometh kynde wit, Of sighte of diverse peple. Ac grace is a gifte of God, And of greet love spryngeth; 7580 Knew nevere clerk how it cometh forth, Ne kynde wit the weyes. = Nescit aliquis unde venit, aut quo vadit, etc.

"Ac yet is clergie to comende, And kynde wit bothe; And namely clergie, for Cristes love That of clergie is roote. For Moyses witnesseth that God wroot For to wisse the peple 7590 In the olde lawe, as the lettre telleth, That was the lawe of Jewes, That what womman were in avoutrye taken, Were she riche or poore, With stones men sholde hir strike, And stone hire to dethe.

"A womman, as I fynde, Was gilty of that dede. Ac Crist of his curteisie Thorugh clergie hir saved; 7600 And thorugh caractes that Crist wroot, The Jewes knewe hemselve Giltier as a-fore God, And gretter in synne, Than the womman that there was, And wenten awey for shame.

"The clergie that there was, Conforted the womman. Holy kirke knoweth this, That Cristes writyng saved hire. 7610 So clergie is confort To creatures that repenten, And to mansede men Meschief at hire ende.

"For Goddes body myghte noght ben Of breed, withouten clergie; The which body is bothe Boote to the rightfulle, And deeth and dampnacion To hem that deyeth yvele, 7620 As Cristes caracte confortede, And bothe coupable shewed, The womman that the Jewes broughte, That Jhesus thoughte to save. Nolite judicare, et non judicabimini. Right so Goddes body, bretheren, But if it be worthili taken, Dampneth us at the day of dome, As the caractes dide the Jewes.

"For-thi I counseille thee, for Cristes sake, 7630 Clergie that thow lovye. For kynde wit is of his kyn, And neighe cosynes bothe To oure Lord, leve me; For-thi love hem, I rede. For bothe ben as mirours To amenden oure defautes, And lederes for lewed men And for lettred bothe.

"For-thi lakke thow nevere logik, 7640 Lawe ne hise custumes; Ne countreplede clerkes, I counseille thee for evere. For as a man may noght see, That mysseth hise eighen; Na-moore kan no clerk, But if he caughte it first thorugh bokes. Al though men made bokes, God was the maister, And seint spirit the samplarie, 7650 And seide what men sholde write.

"Right so ledeth lettrure Lewed men to reson; And as a blynd man in bataille Bereth wepne to fighte, And hath noon hap with his ax His enemy to hitte, Na-moore kan a kynde witted man, But clerkes hym teche, Come for al his kynde wit 7660 To cristendom, and be saved. Which is the cofre of Cristes tresor, And clerkes kepe the keyes To unloken it at hir likyng, And to the lewed peple Gyve mercy for hire mysdedes, If men it wolde aske Buxomliche and benigneliche, And bidden it of Grace.

"Archa Dei in the olde lawe 7670 Levytes it kepten; Hadde nevere lewed man leve To leggen hond on that cheste, But he were preest or preestes sone, Patriark or prophete. For clergie is kepere Under Crist of hevene. Was ther nevere no knyght, But clergie hym made. Ac kynde wit cometh 7680 Of alle kynnes syghtes, Of briddes and of beestes, Of tastes of truthe and of deceites.

"Lyveris to-forn us Useden to marke For selkouthes that thei seighen, Hir sones for to teche; And helden it an heigh science Hir wittes to knowe. Ac thorugh hir science soothly 7690 Was nevere no soule y-saved, Ne broght by hir bokes To blisse ne to joye; For alle hir kynde knowynges Come but of diverse sightes.

"Patriarkes and prophetes Repreveden hir science, And seiden hir wordes and hir wisdomes Nas but a folye; And to the clergie of Crist 7700 Counted it but a trufle. = Sapientia hujus mundi stultitia est apud Deum.

"For the heighe Holy Goost Hevene shal to-cleve, And love shall lepen out after Into the lowe erthe; And clennesse shal cacchen it, And clerkes shullen it fynde. Pastores loquebantur ad invicem.

7710 "He speketh there of riche men right noght, Ne of right witty, Ne of lordes that were lewed men, But of the hyeste lettred oute. Ibant magi ab oriente.

"If any frere were founde there, I gyve thee fyve shillynges; Ne in none burgeises cote Was that barn born; But in a burgeises place 7720 Of Bethlem the beste. Sed non erat ei locus in diversorio, et pauper non habet diversorium.

"To pastours and to poetes Appered the aungel, And bad hem go to Bethlem Goddes burthe to honoure; And songe a song of solas, Gloria in excelsis Deo!

"Clerkes knewen it wel, 7730 And comen with hir presentz, And diden homage honurably To hym that was almyghty.

"Why I have tolde al this, I took ful good hede How thow contrariedest Clergie With crabbede wordes, How that lewde men lightloker Than lettrede were saved, Than clerkes or kynde witted men 7740 Of cristene peple; And thow seidest sooth of somme, Ac se in what manere.

"Tak two stronge men, And in Themese cast hem, And bothe naked as a nedle, Her noon sikerer than oother; That oon hath konnynge and kan Swymmen and dyven; That oother is lewed of that labour, 7750 That lerned nevere swymme; Which trowestow of tho two That is in moost drede? He that nevere ne dyved, Ne noght kan of swymmyng? Or the swymmere that is saaf By so hymself like, Ther his felawe fleteth forth As the flood liketh, And is in drede to drenche, 7760 That nevere dide swymme?"

"That swymme kan noght," I seide, "It semeth to my wittes."

"Right so," quod the renk. "Reson it sheweth, That he that knoweth clergie Kan sonner arise Out of synne, and be saaf, Though he synne ofte, If hym liketh and lest, 7770 Than any lewed leelly. For if the clerk be konnynge, He knoweth what is synne, And how contricion withoute confession Conforteth the soule; As thow seest in the Sauter, In Salmes oon or tweyne, How contricion is comended, For it cacheth awey synne. Beati quorum remissæ sunt iniquitates, 7780 et quorum tecta sunt, etc.

"And this conforteth ech a clerk, And covereth hym fro wanhope. In which flood the fend Fondeth a man hardest. Ther the lewed lith stille, And loketh after lente, And hath no contricion er he come to shrifte, And thanne kan he litel telle, But as his lores-man lereth hym 7790 Bileveth and troweth; And that is after person or parissh preest, The whiche ben peraventure Unkonnynge to lere lewed men, As Luc bereth witnesse: Dum cæcus ducit cæcum, etc.

"Wo was hym marked That wade moot with the lewed! Wel may the barn blesse that man That hym to book sette, 7800 That lyvynge after lettrure Saveth hym lif and soule. Dominus pars hereditatis meæ, Is a murye verset, That hath take fro Tybourne Twenty stronge theves; Ther lewed theves ben lolled up, Loke how thei be saved.

"The thef that hadde grace of God On Good-friday, as thow spekest, 7810 Was for he yald hym creaunt to Crist on the cros, And knewliched hym gilty, And grace asked of God, That to graunten it is redy To hem that buxomliche biddeth it, And ben in wille to amenden. Ac though that theef hadde hevene, He hadde noon heigh blisse, As seint Johan and othere seintes That deserved hadde bettre.

7820 "Right as som man yeve me mete, And a-mydde the floor sette me, And hadde mete moore than y-nough, Ac noght so muche worshipe As tho that seten at the syde table, Or with the sovereynes of the halle; But sete as a beggere bord-lees By myself on the grounde. So it fareth by that felon That a Good-friday was saved. 7830 He sit neither with seint Johan, Symond ne Jude, Ne with maydenes ne with martires, Confessours ne wydewes; But by hymself as a soleyn, And served on erthe. For he that is ones a thef Is evere moore in daunger, And, as lawe liketh, To lyve or to deye. = De peccato propitiato, noli esse sine metu. 7842 And for to serven a seint And swich a thef togideres, It were neither reson ne right To rewarde hem bothe y-liche.

"And right as Trojanus the trewe knyght Dwelte noght depe in helle, That oure Lord ne hadde hym lightly out, So leve I the thef be in hevene. 7850 For he is in the loweste of hevene, If oure bileve be trewe; And wel loselly he lolleth there, By the lawe of holy chirche. = Qui reddit unicuique juxta opera sua, etc.

"And why that oon theef on the cros Creaunt hym yald Rather than that oother theef, Though thow woldest appose, 7860 Alle the clerkes under Crist Ne kouthe the skile assoille. Quare placuit, quia voluit.

"And so I seye by thee That sekest after the whyes, And a-resonedest Reson A rebukynge as it were; And of the floures in the fryth, And of hire faire hewes, Wherof thei cacche hir colours 7870 So clere and so brighte; And willest of briddes and of beestes, And of hir bredyng, to knowe, Why some be a-lough and some a-loft, Thi likyng it were; And of the stones and of the sterres Thow studiest, as I leve; How evere beest outher brid Hath so breme wittes.

"Clergie ne kynde wit 7880 Ne knew nevere the cause; Ac kynde knoweth the cause hymself, And no creature ellis. He is the pies patron, And putteth it in hir ere There the thorn is thikkest To buylden and brede. And kynde kenned the pecok To cauken in swich a kynde; And kenned Adam 7890 To knowe his pryvé membres, And taughte hym and Eve To helien hem with leves.

"Lewed men many tymes Maistres thei apposen, Why Adam ne hiled noght first His mouth that eet the appul, Rather than his likame a-logh; Lewed asken thus clerkes.

"Kynde knoweth whi he dide so, 7900 Ac no clerk ellis, Ac of briddes and of beestes Men by olde tyme Ensamples token and termes, As telleth the poetes; And that the faireste fowel Foulest engendreth, And feblest fowel of flight is That fleeth or swymmeth; And that the pecok and the pehen 7910 Proude riche men bitokneth; For the pecok, and men pursue hym, May noght flee heighe, For the trailynge of his tail Overtaken is he soone, And his flessh is foul flessh, And his feet bothe, And un-lovelich of ledene, And looth for to here.

"Right so the riche, 7920 If he his richesse kepe, And deleth it noght til his deeth-day, The tail of alle sorwe Right so as the pennes of the pecok Peyneth hym in his flight. So is possession peyne Of pens and of nobles, To alle hem that it holdeth, Til hir tail be plukked.

"And though the riche repente thanne 7930 And bi-rewe the tyme That evere he gadered so grete, And gaf therof so litel; Though he crye to Crist thanne With kene wil, I leve, His ledene be in oure Lordes ere Like a pies chiteryng. And whan his caroyne shal come In cave to be buryed, I leve it flawme ful foule 7940 The fold al aboute, And alle the othere ther it lith Envenymeth thorugh his attre.

"By the po feet is understande, As I have lerned in Avynet, Executours false frendes That fulfille noght his wille That was writen and thei witnesse To werche right as it wolde. Thus the poete preveth that the pecok 7950 For hise fetheres is reverenced, Right so is the riche By reson of hise goodes.

"The larke, that is a lasse fowel, Is moore lovelich of ledene, And wel a wey of wynge Swifter than the pecok, And of flessh by fele fold Fatter and swetter; To lowe libbynge men 7960 The larke is resembled.

"Aristotle the grete clerk Swiche tales he telleth. Thus he likneth in his logik The leeste fowel oute, And wheither he be saaf or noght saaf The sothe woot no clergie, Ne of Sortes ne of Salomon No scripture kan telle. Ac God is so good, I hope, 7970 That siththe he gaf hem wittes To wissen us weyes therwith That wissen us to be saved, And the bettre for hir bokes To bidden we ben holden, That God for his grace Gyve hir soules reste. For lettred men were lewed men yet, Ne were loore of hir bokes."

"Alle thise clerkes," quod I tho, 7980 "That in Crist leven, Seyen in hir sermons That neither Sarsens ne Jewes Ne no creature of Cristes liknesse Withouten cristendom worth saved."

"Contra," quod Ymaginatif thoo, And comsed for to loure; And seide "Salvabitur Vix justus in die judicii. Ergo salvabitur," quod he, 7990 And seide na-moore Latyn.

"Trojanus was a trewe knyght, And took nevere Cristendom, And he is saaf, so seith the book, And his soule in hevene. For ther is fullynge of font, And fullynge in blood shedyng, And thorugh fir is fullyng, And that is ferme bileve. Advenit ignis divinus non comburens, 8000 sed illuminans, etc.