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WILLIAM LANGLAND

PIERS THE PLOUGHMAN

PASSUS IV
Incipit Passus Qvartus.

♫ Ow is Meede þe Mayde / & no mo of alle.
I-browht by-fore þe kyng / with bedel & bayly
A-non þe kyng kallid a Clerk / y knowe not his name.
To take Meede þe Maide / & make hire a teseat ese.
But y wille hire first a-sayȝe / & sotilly hire apose.
What wyȝe of þis world / þat she were levest.
& if she wirche be my wit / & my wille folwe.                                             [9r]
I wil for-gyve hire þe gyltis / so me god helpe.
Þanne þe Clerk curteysly / dyde as þe kyng hym hyghte.
He took Meede by þe myddil / & mente hire to chambre.
& þe Clerk gan conforte hire / for gret conynge he hadde.
& fette furþ merthe with menstralcy / Meede with to plese.
Summe þat whonen at westmenstre / worchepe þey hire make.
Ful Ientylly with Ioyȝe / of þe Iustises manye.
Busked hem boldly to hire bour / þere þe beerde dwelliþ.
To conforte hire konyngly / by Clergyes leve.
Þey seide moorne not Meede / ne make þou no sorwe.
For we wille wisse þe kyng / & þy weyȝe shape.
To be weddid at þy wille / & wher þe levest lykeþ.
For al consyecysconsye[n]cys craft / or cast / as y trowe.
Þanne Myȝldely Meede / mercyed hem alle.
Of here grete goodnesse / & gaf to hem ecchone.
Cowpis / of klene gold / with cases of syluer.
Ryngis with rubyes / & rycchesse ful thykke.
For þe leeste of here men / hadde a motoun of goolde.
Þan lawhte þei here leve / þo Lordis at Meede.
& with þat kemen Clerkys / & confortid hire þe same.
& beedyn hire be blythe / For we ben þyn owene.
For to wirche þy wille / þe whyles þou may laste.
Þanne she dede hendely / & be-hyghte hem þe same.
To loven hem lelly / & Loordis hem to make.
For in þe constorie in þe court / I shal do cowþe ȝour name.
Shal no lewidnesse lettyn / þo clerkys þat y lovye.
Þat he worþ first a-vauncyd / for y am wel be-knowe.
Þere þat konynge clerkys / shulle knokkek[l]okke by-hyȝnde.
Þanne com þere a Confessoure / was coped as a Frere.
To Meede þat Mayde / & meelyde þese wordis.
& seyde ful softly / as in scryfte it where.
Þey leernede men / & lewede men / have leyn by þe boþe.
& þey Fals have defoulyd þe / þis fyftene wynter.
I shal a-soyle þe my-selue / for a seem of wheete.
& also ben þyn bedeman / & beere wel þyn name.
A-mongys Clerkys & knyghtys / here consyence to turne.
Þan Meede for hire mysdedis / to þat man turnede.
& shrof hire of hire shrewidnesse / shameles y trowe.
Whan she hadde told hire tale / she took hym a noble.
For to been hire bedeman / & hire brokour alse.
A-non he assoylyd hire soone / & sytthen he seyde.
We have a wyndowe wirchynge / wille sytte vs ful hyȝe                       [9v]
Wolde ȝe glase þat gable / & grave þere-In ȝoure name.
Sykirly sholde ȝoure soule / in-to hevene styȝe.
Ȝee wiste y þat quod Meede / þer is[n]is wyndowe ne awhter.
Þat yy [ne] wolde do mende it / or make it at þe fulle.
& do peynte me & myn name / a-pertly þere-Inne
Þat ech a segge sholde see / I am syster to ȝow alle.
But god / to goode folk / swich grauynge defendiþ.
& wrytynge in wyndowis / of here wel-dedys.
Ne awhter do peynte / for pompe of þe peple.
For crist knoweth þyn consyence / & þyn kende wille.
Boþe þe coost & þy coueytyse / & who þe catel awhte.
Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextera.
Leete nowht þyn lyft half / neyþir late ne rathe.
Weetyn what þou wyrchist / with þyn ryght syde.
For þus biddis þe gospel / good men dosdo[n] þerafter.
Meyȝres with here Macerys / þat meenys been be-twene.
Þe kyng / & þe Comounys / to kepen wel þe Lawys.
& punsshyn vpon pylory / & on pynygepyny[n]ge stolys.
Boþe websteres & bakesterys / & bocheres & Cookys.
For þo are men vpon moolde / þat mest harm wirche.
To þe poore peple / þat parcel-meel byggyn.
& poysene þe peple / pryvyly & softe.
ey rychen þoru regratrye / & rentys hem byggyn
With þat þe pore peple / sholde pytte in here wombe.
For tooke þey on trewly / þey tyȝmbred not so hyȝe.
Ne bowhte no bargayn / be þe fulle serteyn.
But now þe Maide meede / þe Mayr haþ she prayed.
Of alle swiche selleres / syluer to taken.
Or presentys with-outyn pens / as pecys of syluer.
Or rynges or rycchesse / þe regratoures to meynghtemeyn[ten]e.
For my Lord / quod þat Lady / loveþ hem ecchone.
& suffreþ hem to selle / sumdel a-geyn resoun
Kyng Salomon þe sage / a sermoun he made.
To a-Mende Meyȝhrys / & men þat kepe þe Lawis
& þus he tolde his teeme / þat y shal telle ȝou after.
Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter
A-mong lettryd leedis / þis latyn ys to meene.
Þat feer shal falle & brenne / al to bloo askys.
Þe howses / & þe homes / of hem þat dysyren.
Gyftys / or ȝeris-gyftys / be-cause of here offyȝs.
Þanne þe kyng fram conseyl cam / & callyd after Meede.
& sente after hire swyþe / with sergauntys manye.
Þat browhtyn [hire] to bowre / wiþ blysse & with Ioyȝe.               [10r]
A-non þe kyng curteysly / comsed for to telle.
& to Meede þe Maide / he melede þese wordis.
Þou womman vn-wittyly / wrought hast þou ofte.
But worse wroughtist þou neuere / þan whan þou fals tooke.
But y forgyve þe þat gylt / & graunte þe myn grace.
Fram hens to þyn deþ-day / yf þou do so no moore.
But y have a knyght hatte consyence / kam late fram by-ȝounde.
If he wilne þe to wyve / wilt þou with hym holde.
Ȝee Lord quod þe Lady / oure Lord for-beede ellys.
But y be holly at ȝour heste / hyȝe hangehange [me] soone.
& þan was Consyence clepd / to comen & a-peren.
By-fore þe kyng & his cunseyl / as Clerkys & oþere.
Þanne Consience knelynge / vnto þe kyng lowhtede.
To wete what his wille were / & what he do sholde.
Wilt þou weddyn þis womman quod þe kyng / if she wille a-sente.
For she is of fair shap / for to ben þyn make.
Quod Consience to þe kyng / crist it me for-beede.
& er y wedde swich a wyf / woo me by-tyȝde.
For she is fykel of feyþ / & fals of hire speche.
& makþ men mys-doon / manye skore tyȝmes.
& þo þat tristne on trewþe / she treyȝeþ hem ofte.
Boþe wyvis & wedewis / & wantowne wenchis.
& lerneþ hem Leccherye / þat loveþ hire loore.
Ȝowre fader she felde / þorhȝ hire fayre heste.
& she haþ y-poysoned popis / & a-peyred holy chirche
Þer is nawht a bettre bawde / by hym þat me maade.
By-twexe hevene & helle / þey men al erthe sowhte.
For she is tykyl of hire tayl / & talewyȝs of tunge.
& as comoune as cartewey / to ech knave of towhne.
She takþ Masonys & Menstralys / & Meselys in heggys.
Boþe Sysoures & Sumnowres / swiche shulle hire preyse.
But Sherevis of Shyres / wheryn shent if she neere.
For she doþ men leesen here lond / & here lyf boþe.
& she leetyþ passe prisonerys / & payeþ for hem ofte.
& gyfþ þe gailer gold / & grootys to-gydre.
To vnfetere þe false / & flee where hym lykeþ.
& trewþe ys take be þe top / & teyȝed fyȝn faste.
& he hangyd for hatterede / þat harm dyde neuere.
To don curse in constorye / she a-counteþ not a resshe.
For she copeþ þe Comyssarie / & klokiþ alle hise clerkys.
& she ys a-soyled soone / as hire-selue lykyþ.
She may neeyh doon as myche / in a Moneþ ones.                        [10v]
As ȝowre secret seel / sire kyng / in sixe skore dayes.
For she is prive with þe pope / alle provisoures it knoweþ.
For Maister Symony & hire-selue / a-seelyn þe billys
& she blessiþ bisshopis / & beggerys she hateþ.
& prestys she meynteneþ / with mennes wifes to deele.
& to have lemannys / alle here lyf-dayes.
& so ben browht forþ barnes / a-geyn for-boode Lawis.
& þere she is weel with þe kyng / woo ys / to þat Rewhme.
For she is fauerable / to Fals / & defouleþ trewþe ofte.
By Iesus with hire Iewelis / þe Iustises she shendiþ.
& lyȝeþ a-geyn þe Lawhe / & lettyþ so þe gate.
Þat feyþ may not have his furþ / for Floreynys goo so þykke.
She leediþ þe lawe as she lyst / & swiche love-dayes makeþ.
Þat men leese be hire love / þat lawe wolde þey wonne.
Ȝee þe Mase for a meene man / þeyhȝ he moote euere.
For þe Lawe is so lordly / & looþ to make an ende.
With-outyn presentys or pens / it plesiþ but fewe.
Boþe Baronys & burgeisis / she bryngiþ in sorwe.
& alle þe comonis in care / þat coueyten truthe.
For Clergye & Coueytyse / she cowpleþ to-gydre.
Þis is þe Lyf of þat Lady / oure Lord gyve hire sorwe.
& allealle [þat] hire meyntene & hire men / myschawnce hem by-tyȝde.
For poore men have no powher / to pleyne þeyhȝ þey smerte.
THanne mornede Meede / & made mychil sorwe.
& prayede þe kyng to speke / speede if she myghte.
Þe kyng grauntyd hire grace / with a glad wille.
Excuse þe if þou canst / I can no moore . þis tyme.
For Consience haþ accused þe to kunge þe for euere.
Nay Lord quod þat Lady / now leve hym þe worse
Whan ȝee wetyn wyttyrly / where þe wrong lyggiþ.
For þere þat Mischeef ys gret / Meede may it helpe.
& þat þou knowist Consience / y can not with þe chyde.
Ne deprave þy persone / with a prowd herte.
But wel þou woost wernard / but if þou wylle gabbe.
Þou hast hangid on myn half / eleuene tymes.
& also y-gripe my gold / & gyve yt where þe lyked.
But why þou wratthest þe now / wondir me þynkyþ.
For ȝit y may as y myghte / menske þe with gyftys.
& meyntene þyn manhod / moore þan þou knowyst.
But þou hast defameddefamed [me] foule / by-fore þe kyng heere.
For truly y kyllyde neuere knyght / ne contrivede þat dede.
Ne dyde as þou demest me / y doo it on þe dede.
For in Normondyȝ þe kyng was nout / noyhed for my sake
But þou þy-selve sothly / þou shamedist hym ofte.                                  [11r]
For cropeCrope in a Caban / for cold of þyn naylys.
& wendist þat wynter / wolde have lasted euere.
& also þou dreddist to dyȝe / for a dym clowhde.
& hyȝedist homwarde / for hungir of þy wombe.
& with-outyn pyte þou pylour / pore men þou robbedist.
& bere here bras at þy bak / In Caleys to selle.
Þere y lefte with my Lord / his lyf for to save.
I made hise men meryȝe / & here Murnynge y lette.
I batered hem on þe bak / & bolded here hertys.
& dide hem hoppyn on hope / to have me at wille.
Hadde y be Marchal of hise men / be Marie of hevene.
I durste haue leyd my lyf / & no lesse gage.
He shulde havehave [be] lord of þat lond / in lengþe & in brede.
& also kyng of þat kyþ / al his keen to helpe.
Þe leeste brolle of þis lond / a baronys peere.
& þou Consience / cowardly / þou conseyledist hym þenne.
To levyn so his Lordshepe / for a lytyl syluer.
Þat ys þe ryccheste regne / þat reyȝn ouere-hoveþ.
It be-comeþ wel a kyng / þat kepiþ a rewhme.
To ȝyve Meede to men / þat menskly hym serue.
& alyenys & oþire men / to honoure hem with gyftys.
For Meede makþ hym by-loved / & a man y-holde.
Emperoures / & Erlys / & alle erthely Lordis.
Þorghȝ ȝiftys have ȝoomen / to ȝeerne & to ryȝde.
Þe Pope also / of prelatys / presentys he vndir-fongyþ.
& þey Meede men hem-selue / to meyntene þe lawis.
& seruauntys for here seruyse / who can seyȝ þe sothe.
Take Meede of here Mayster / as þey moun a-corde.
& beggerys for here beggyng / byddyn for men meede.
& Menstralis for here merthe / meede / men hem profre.
Þe kyng haþ Meede of hise men / to make pees in londe.
& men þat techen chyldryn / craven of hem meede.
Preestis þat preche þe peple / of god þey aske meede.
& messe-pens & here meel / at here mete tyȝme.
Alle manere of crafty men / crave meede for here prentyȝs.
& Marchauntys & meede / muste nedys goon to-gydre.
No wyȝht as y wene / withoutyn meede may lybbe.
Than seyde þe kyng to consience / by crist as me þynkiþ.
Now ys Meede worthy / þe Maystrie to have.
Nay quod consience to þe kyng / & kneled on þe erþe.
Þere ben two manere of meedis / my lord be ȝour leve.
Þe firste is þat god of his grace / grauntyþ to his blysse.             [11v]
To þo þat wel wirche / whilis þey ben on erthe.
Þe prophete prechiþ þer-of / & is pyt in þe Sawter.
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo
 atque quis requiescet in monte sancto eius . imocensi[nn]ocens manibus & mundo corde.
He seyþ Lord who shal wone in þyn wones / with þyn holy seyntis.
Er restyn on þyn holy hillis / þus askede dauyd.
& dauyd asoyled it / hym-selue / as þe sawhter tellyþ.
Qui ingreditur sine macula & operatur iusticiam.
Þo þat entryn of o colour he seiþ / & also of o wille.
& haven wroght werkis / with ryght & with resoun.
& he wil nowht vse / þe lyf of vseryȝe.
But en-formeþ pore men / to pursue trewþe.
& þo þat helpe þe Innocent / & holde with þe ryghtful.
& with-outyn Meede doon hem good / & trew men helpe.
Swiche manere of men my lord / shulle have þe for-seyd mede.
Of god / at his grete neede / whan þey goon hennys.
Þe seconde Meede ys Mesourles / þat Maystris dysyren
To Meyntene mysdoerys / Meede þey taken.
& of hem seyþ þe sawhter / in a Spalmes ende.
In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt dextra eorum repleta est muneribus.
He þat grypeþ so gold / so me god helpe.
He shal a-byȝe it bytterly / if þe book be trewe.
Boþe prestys & parsones / þat preysynge dysyreþ.
Þey take Meede & Mone / for Masses to synge.
& þerfore is here Meede / as Seynt Mattheu vs tellyt
Amen dico vobis . receperunt mercedem suam.
But þat Laboris & lewid men / taken of here Maystris.
It is no manere Meede / but a mesurable hyȝre.
Ne in Marchantdyse / is no meede / y may it wel a-vowe.
It is Permvtacioun apertly / a peny-worþ / for a-noþir.
But reddist þou neuere regum / þou recreyȝede Meede.
Why þe vengaunce fel on / Saul & hise childryn.
God sente to Saul / be Samuel the prophete.
Þat Agag & Amalek / & al here peple after.
Shulden dyȝe for þe dede / þat doon hadde here eldres.
Þus seyde Samuel to Saul / god hym-selue þe hoteþ.
Þou be buxum at my byddyngge / his wille to fulfylle.
Wende to Amelek with þyn oost / & what þou fynst sle it.
& beernes & beestis / brenne hem to dethe.
Boþe wyvis & wydewis / & wommen with chylde.
Mevable & vn-mevable / al þou may þere fyȝnde.
Brenne yt / bere it nowht a-way / be it neuere so ryche.
For Meede ne for mone / mak no þynþyn[g] on lyve.                           [12r]
But spille it / & spare it nowht / & þou shalt spede þe bettre.
& for he coueytyd here catel / & þe kyng he sparede.
& for-bar hym / & hise beestis / as þe book telliþ.
Othir-wyse þan he was / warned of þe prophete.
Þan seyde god / to Samewel / þat savl sholde dyȝe.
& al his seed / for þat synne / synfully þan endede.
Swich a Myschef / Meede made / kyng saul to have.
Þat god hatyd hym for euere / & alle hyse eyȝres after.
Þe construyng of þis caas / kepe y nowht expowne.
For hap if it noyede men / non ende wil y make.
For so is þis world went / with hem þat have powher.
Þat who-so seyþ hem here soþis / he ys sunnest blamed.
I knowe it wel quod consience / for wit me it tawhte.
Þat resoun shal reygne / & rewhmes gouerne.
& ryght as Agag hadde no harm / so happe shulle summe.
For Samvel shal fle[s]le hym / & saul shal be blamed.
& dauid shal be dyademed / & adawntyn hem alle.
& .o. cristene kyng / shal kepen al þe frape.
Shal no moore meede be mayster / so mychil as he is nowþe.
But boþe love & lowenesse / & lewte to-gydre.
Þese shulle be Maystris on Moolde / trewþe to save.
& who trespaseþ a-geyn trewþe / or takþ a-geyn his wille.
Lewte shal doon hym lawe / & no lyf ellys.
Shal no sergaunt for no seruyse / were a sylk howe.
Ne no pelewre in his cloke / for pletynge at þe barre.
But ofte Misdoeris þoru Meede / ys meyntened be lordis.
& þoru þe Lordys be Lawes / for to rewle þe rewhme.
But kyȝnde love shal come ȝit / & consyence to-gydre.
& make of Lawe a laborer / swich love shal a-ryse.
& swich pees a-mong þe peple / & parfyȝt trewþe.
Þat Iewis shulle wene in here wit / & waxe wondir glade.
Þat Moyses or Messye / be comen in-to erthe.
& have wondir in hertis / þat men be here so trewe.
& alle þat beryn baselarde / or brod-swerd or lawnce.
Er ex or hachet / or ony wepene ellis.
Shulle be dampned to þe deþ / but he do it smythie.
In-to sykil or in-to sythe / to shar er to cultyr.
Et conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres.                            [12v]
Ech man shal pleyȝe with þe plowh /. or pykoyse or spade.
Or spynne or sprede dunk / or lese hym-selue with slewþe.
Prestis & parsonys / with Placebo shulle hunte.
& dynggyn vpon dauid / euery day til eve
Huntynge or hawkynge / if ony of hem it vse.
For his boost / his benefyȝs / worþ by-nome hym after.
Shal neyþir kyng ne knyght / ne Meyȝr ne constable.
Ouer leede þe comoune / ne to here court hem somowne.
Ne pitte hem in panel / to do plyghte here trewþe.
But after þe dede / þat is doon / o doom shal rewarde.
Er with Mercy / or with no Mercy / as trewthe wylle a-sente.
Boþe kyngis court / & comoun cowrt / Constorye & chapetle.
Alle shulle be but .o. court / & .o. baroun be Iustise
Þan worþ trewe tunge / a tydy man / þat tenede men ofte.
Ne þanne shulle no batailes be / ne no man shal bere wepne
& what smeþ þat ony smythie / he shal be smyte þer-wiþ.
Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium.
& er þis Fortune falle / men shulle fyȝnde þe werse.
For þer shul be sixe sunnes & a ship / & half a shef of arwis.
& þe Myddil of a Moone / shal make þe Iewis turne.
& þe sarsynes for þe syghte þerof / shulle syngyn Gloria in excelsis.
Þorghȝ Machamet & Meede / mys-shapen shulle þey þat tyme.
For melius est bonum nomen habere  quam diuicie multe
Þo as wrothȝ as þe wyȝnd / wex Meede in a qwhyle.
Quod she y can lytyl latyn / clerkys knowe þe sothe.
Now see ȝee what salomon seyþ / In sapience bokys.
Of hem þat gyveþ gyftys / þe victorie wynneþ.
& myche worchepe haue þerfore / as holy wryt telliþ.
Honorem adquiret . qui dat munera.
I leve wel Lady quod consience / þat þyn Latyn be trewe.
But þou art lyk a Nunne Lady / þat a lessoun redde ones.
It was þus omnia autem probate / & þat plesede here herte.
For þat Lyȝne was no lengere / þan þe levis ende.
Hadde she lokyd on þe oþir half / & þe leef y-turned.
She sholde have fownde fele wordis / folwynge after.
Þat seyde quod bonum est tenete / Trewthe þat tyxt made.
& so feerde ȝee Madame / no moore cowhde ȝee fyȝnde.
Of þat ȝee seyȝe in Sapience / syttynge in ȝoure stodye.
But þis tyxt þat ȝee have told / ȝee takyn nout þe ende.
But ȝee faile a konynge clerk / þat can þe leef wel turne.
& yf ȝee seke in Sapience eft / fyȝnde shal ȝee þat folweth.
A ful teeneful tyxt of þat tale / þat ȝee to me pitte.                      [13r]
& þeyȝ ȝe wynne worchepe / & of me have þe victorye.
Ȝit þe sowle / þat þe syluer takþ / be so myche ys bownde.
NOw sesiþ seyde þe kyng þo / y suffre ȝow no lengere.
Ȝee shul sawhtle for-soþe / & seruyn me boþe.
Kysse hire now quod þe kyng / þou consience y hoote.
Nay be crist quod Consyense / honge me rather sone.
But if Resoun rede me þerto / rathere y wille dyȝe.
Þanne y comawnde þe quod þe kyng / Consyence he seyde.
Rape þe to ryde a-non / & Resoun þat þou fecche.
& comawnde hym þat he come to me / myn conseil to here.
For he shal rewle my rewhme / & reede me to þe beste.
& a-Cowntre with þe Consience / so me crist helpe.
How þou leernyst þe peple / boþe lerede & þe lewede.
I am fayn of þis forward / seyde þat freke þanne.
& to resoun he rood ryght / & rownede in his ere.
& tolde hym as þe kyng seide / & sytthe he took his leve.
I wille go a-rayȝe me quod Resoun / go reste þe þerwhile.
A-non he klepede Catoun his knave / ful curteyȝs of speche.
& also Tomme trewe tunge / þat tolde fewe talys.
Ne lesyngis to Lawhe of / for he lovede hem neuere.
He bad / go sette a sadil vpon suffre / tyl y se my tyme.
& let warroke hym with gyrtys / þat is with witty wordis.
& hange on hym þe hevi brydil / to holde his heed lowe.
For he wil makyn . we he to trewþe er he be þere.
Þan Consience vpon his capil / cayreþ forþ faste.
& Resoun with hym rydis / rownynge to-gydre.
Whiche Maystryes on erthe / Meede þe Maide makeþ.
A-non waryȝn wyȝsdom / & watte witty his feere.
Folwed hem faste / for þey haddyn to doone.
In þe Chekkeryȝe / & Chawncerye / to be dischargid þere.
Faste þey ryden for resoun / þat he wolde rede hem for þe beste.
For to saven here syluer / & hem fram shame & harmes.
& Consyence knew hem wel / þat koueytyse þey loveden.
& he bad resoun ryde faste / & recche of þem neythir.
For þere are whilis / in here woordis / & with Meede þey dwelle.
& þere as wratthe / & wranglynge is / þere wynne þey siluer.
& where þat love & lewte ys / þey leete nowht come þere.
For þey gyve nowht god / nowht .o. goos feedre.
Contricio & infelicitas in uijs eorum.
 Non est timor dei ante occuloso[c]ulos eorum.
For god wot þey wille doon / moore / for a doseydosey[n] chykes.   [13v]
Or for as manye Caponys / or for a seem of ootes.
Þan for þe love of oure lord / or for hise leve seyntys.
Þerfore lete hem ryde / þo ryche men by hem-selue.
For Conciense knowe þey nowht / ne crist as y trowe.
Þanne reson rood faste / þe ryght hyȝe gate.
As Consience hym kennede / til þey to þe kyng keme.
Þan Curteysly þe kyng anon / kam a-geyn resoun.
& by-twene hym & his sone / he sette hym on þe deyȝse.
& wordeden wol wyȝsly / a long while to-gydres.
& þanne cam pees to þat parlement / & pitte furþ a bylle.
How Wrong a-geyn his wille / hadde his wif y-taken.
& he ravysshid Rose / Reygnoldis leve dowhter.
& be-revede Margrete hire Maydenhed / mawgre hire wille.
& also myn gees & myn gryȝs / hise gadelyngys fecchen.
& y dar nowht for feere / fyghtyn ne chyden.
He borwid of me Bayard / & browhte hym a-geyn neuere.
Ne no ferthyng þerfore / for nowht y cowhde pleete.
Also he meynteneþ hise men / to moþerem[u]rþere myn heuuys.
& to& for-staleþ myn feyrys / & fyghteþ in þe chepyng.
He brakiþ vp my beerne dore / & beryþ a-wey my whete.
& takþ me but a tayle / for teen qwarteris otes.
& ȝit he thretiþ me þerto / & lyggeþ by my Mayde.
I am nowht hardy for hym / vnneþe for to looke.
Þe kyng knew wel he seyde soþ / for Conciense so hym tolde.
Þat wrong was a wykkid wyght / & wroghte myche sorwe.
Þanne wex wrong a-ferd / & wysdom he sowhte.
To make pees with hise pens / he proferede manye.
& seyde / haddehadde [y] love of þe kyng / lytil wolde y recche.
Þeyhȝ / pees with his powher / pleygned hym ofte.
I seyȝ it to þyn-selue / þou shalt it wel fyȝnde.
For but yf Meede / it make / þy Mischeef is vppe.
For boþe þyn lyȝf & þyn londe / lyȝþ in his grace.
Þanne whowede wrong / wyȝsdom ful ȝeerne.
To make his pees with pens / y-payed handy dandy
Þanne wit & wisdom a-non / wentyn to-gydres.
& token Meede myd hem / Mercy to wynne.
Pees pitte forþ his heed / & his pate al blody.
With-outyn gylte god it whot / gat y þis skathe.
Boþe Concyense & þe comones / knowe wel þe soþe.
& þerwhilis wit & wisdom / wentyn a-bowtyn faste.
To ouer-come þe kyng / with catel if þey myghten.
Þe kyng swor by Cryst / & be his Crowne boþe.                            [14r]
Þat wrong for hise werkys / woo sholde þolye.
A-non he comaundid a Cunstable / to caste hym in stokkis.
& nowht after þis sevene ȝeer / he se hise feet ones.
A god whot quod Wisdom þo / þat were not þe beste.
But he a-mendis mowe now make / let Meinprise hym holde.
& if he have borghȝ of his bale / þey mowe bygge hym boote.
& so a-mende / þat is mys-do / & he shal do euere þe bettre.
A-non wit a-cordit þerwith / & seyde þe same resoun
Þat bettre it were / þat boote / sholde bale doun brynge.
Þan bale be y-beete / & boote neuere þe bettre.
& þanne gan Meede to Meke hire / & mercy by-sowhte.
& proferede pees a present / al of pure syluer
Have þis man of me quod she / to a-menden þy skaþe.
For y wille wage me for wrong / he wil do so no more.
Þanne Pees pytously / prayede to þe kyng þere.
He wolde have mercy on þat man / þat mysdede so ofte.
For he haþ waged me wel / as wyȝsdom hym tawhte.
& y for-gyve hym my gilt / with a good wille.
So þe kyng a-sente þerto / y can seyȝ no bettre.
For Meede haþ maad myn a-mendis ./ y may no more aske.
Nay quod þe kyng þo / so me god helpe.
Wrong wendiþ not so aweyȝ y wille first wete more.
For lowpe he so lyghtly a-wey / lawhen he myghte.
& eft þe boldere to be / to beetyn myne hewen.
But resoun have rewþe on hym / he shal reste in stokkys.
& þat as longe as he lyviþ / but lowhnesse hym borwe.
Fele radde resoun þo / to have rewþe on þat shrewe.
Þat he myghte conseile þe kyng / & consience seyde after.
Þat Meede myghte be his paramour / resoun þey be-sowte.
Now rede me nowht / quod Resoun / ony rewthe to graunte.
Til Lordis & Ladijs / loven lovely trewþe.
& haten al harlotriȝe / to heren it / of Mowthis.
& til Peronellis pelure / be pit in hyre chiste.
& Chydene ChyrsyngeChy[l]d[r]ene Chyr[y]synge / be chastysed with ȝerdes
& harlotis holynesse / be holde for vanyte.
& Clerkene coueytyse / cloþe wel þe PoPo[re & fede]
& religyous rome renneris / recorde in here cloystre.
As seynt Benyght hem bad / & Bernard & Fraunces.
& til prechores prechynge / be previd on hem-selue.
& tyl þe kyngys conseyl / be þe comoune profyȝht.                                   [14v]
& tyl þe Bisshopis barganoures / be beggerys in chambres.
& here hawkys & howndis / helpe relygyouse howsys.
& tyl Seynt Iemys be sowht / þere y shal a-sygne
Þat no man goo to Galys / but he goo for euere.
& also / Rome rennerys / for robberis be-ȝounde.
Bere no syluer ouer þe see / þat sygne of kyng sheweth.
Neyþir graue / ne vngraue / gold neyþir syluer.
Vpon forfeture of fee / who fynt hym at douere.
But he be Marchaunt . er his man / er Messager with lettris.
Er provysour or preest / er penaunt for hise synnys.
& ȝit quod Reeson be þe roode / y shal rewþe[no] rewþe have.
While Meede haþ þe Maystrie / in þe moot halle.
For y shal shewe ensample / as y see oþirwhyle.
I seyȝ it be myn-selue / quod he / if it so now were.
Þat y were kyng with crowne / to kepen þe rewme.
Sholde neuere wrong in þis world / þat y wete myghte.
Ben vnpunshid / in my powher / for pereyl of my sowle.
Ne getyn my grace þoru gyftys / so me god save.
Ne for no Meede have Mercy / but Meeknesse it made.
For nullum malum þe man / mette with inpunitum.
& bad nullum bonum / ben irremuneratum.
Leete ȝoure confessour sire kyng / construe þis clause vnglosid /
& if hewerkehe werke it in werk / y wedde þanne myne erys.
Þat Lawe shal be a laborer / & leede dunk to feelde.
& Love shal leede þyn Lond / as þe leevest lykyþ.
Anon Clerkis & confessoures / cowpled hem to-gydre.
To construe wel clawse[þis] clawse / al for þe kyngis profyȝt.
But not for confort of þe comoun / ne for þe kyngis sowle.
For y seyȝ Meede in þe Moot halle / on men of lawe wynke.
& þey lawhenge lope to hire / & leftyn aloone resoun.
Sire Waryȝn Wyȝsdom / wynkede vp-on Meede.
& seide Madame y am ȝoure man / what-so my mowþ Iangle.
I stumble at floreynes quod þe freeke / þat y faile speche ofte.
& anon Ryghtful recordid / þat resoun trewþe tolde.
& wit a-cordyd þerwith / & comendyd wel hise wordis.
A-non alle þe peple / in þe halle / & manye of þe greete.
Þey helden Meeknesse for a Mayster / & meede a manshid shrewe.
Þanne Love leet of hire lyght / & Lewhte wel lasse.
& cryeden so hyȝe / þat al þe halle hem herde.
Who þat wylneþ Meede to wyve / For welthe of wordly goodis.                               [15r]
But he be knowe for a kokewold / kytte of boþe oure erys.
Þanne Meede Murnede faste / & made hevy cheere.
For alle þe comonys of þe cowrt / callide hire asa[n] hoore.
Boþe a Sysour & a sumnour / þanne sewid hire faste.
& also a sherevis clerk / y shrewe alle þe rowhte.
A ofte have y quod she / holpe ȝow / at þe barre.
& ȝit neuere ȝeve ȝee me / þe worþ of a rysshe.
Þanne clepede þe kyng Concyense / & so he dede resoun.
& recordid þat Resoun / hadde Ryghtfully shewid.
Þanne Moodely vp-on Lawe / myghte þe kyng looke.
& wex wroothȝ with Lawe / for Meede made hym a-shamed.
& seyde þorghȝ ȝoure Lawe / as y leve / y lese fele cheetys.
For Meede ouer-Maystriþ so Lawe / & Michil trewþe lettyþ.
But resoun shal rekne with ȝow / yf y reyghne a stounde.
& deme ȝow be þis day / as ȝee have disseruyd.
MeeMee[de] shal not menprise ȝow / be Marie qween of glorie.
I wille have lewte for Lawe / & leeve al ȝour Ianglynge.
& as alle wyȝes witnesse / wrong shal be demed.
Sire  quod Concyense to þe kyng / but þe comonys assente.
It ys ful hard by myn heed / her-to / to brynge it
Alle ȝoure londys leedys / to leede hem alle evene.
By hym þat was reed on roode / quod Resoun to þe kyng
But if y rewle þus ȝoure rewme / reerde out my guttis.
If ȝee wille bydde Buxumnesse / to be assocyed tometo me.
Þerto y assente quod þe kyng / by seynte Marie my Lady.
To myn conseyle þat ȝee kome / a-mongys Clerkis & Lordis.
But redely resoun / þou ryde shalt not fromefro me.
For as longe as y lyve / leeve þe y nylle.
I am al redy quod Resoun / to reste with ȝow euere.
& y graunte quod þe kyng / god for-bede þou fayle.
As longe / as oure lyvis laste / leeve we to-gydre.
Thanne þe kyng with hise knyghtis / to þe kyrke wentyn.
To heryn Matinys of þe day / & a Messe after.

Explicit Passus Quartus.

GO TO PASSUS V

Much of this research is based on my 1974 Berkeley doctoral dissertation, which went into three editions as a published book, The Pilgrim and the Book: A Study of Dante, Langland and Chaucer, https://isbnsearch.org/isbn/0820420905, Bern:Peter Lang, 1992; its Dante sections also published in an Italian edition in De strata francigena XX/1, 2012.

 

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