Now if we examine the versification of Pierce Plowman's Visions, we shall find it constructed exactly by these rules; and therefore each line, as printed, is in reality a distich of two verses, and will, I believe, be found distinguished as such, by some mark or other in all the ancient MSS. viz.:
"In a Somer Season, | when 'hot'[887] was the Sunne,
I Shope me into Shroubs, | as I a Shepe were;
In Habite as an Harmet | unHoly of werkes,
Went Wyde in thys world | Wonders to heare, &c."
So that the author of this poem will not be found to have invented any new mode of versification, as some have supposed, but only to have retained that of the old Saxon and Gothic poets; which was probably never wholly laid aside, but occasionally used at different intervals: though the ravages of time will not suffer us now to produce a regular series of poems entirely written in it.
There are some readers whom it may gratify to mention, that these Visions of Pierce (i.e. Peter) the Plowman, are attributed to Robert Langland, a secular priest, born at Mortimer's Cleobury in Shropshire, and fellow of Oriel College in Oxford, who flourished in the reigns of Edward III. and Richard II., and published his poem a few years after 1350. It consists of xx. passus or breaks[888], exhibiting a series of visions which, he pretends, happened to him on Malvern hills in Worcestershire. The author excells in strong allegoric painting, and has with great humour, spirit, and fancy, censured most of the vices incident to the several professions of life; but he particularly inveighs against the corruptions of the clergy, and the absurdities of superstition. Of this work I have now before me four different editions in black-letter quarto. Three of them are printed in 1550, "by Robert Crowley, dwelling in Elye Rentes in Holburne." It is remarkable that two of these are mentioned in the title-page as both of the second impression, though they contain evident variations in every page[889]. The other is said to be "newlye imprynted after the authors olde copy ... by Owen Rogers," Feb. 21, 1561.
As Langland was not the first, so neither was he the last that used this alliterative species of versification. To Rogers's edition of the Visions is subjoined a poem, which was probably writ in imitation of them, intitled Pierce the Ploughman's Crede. It begins thus:
"Cros, and Curteis Christ, this beginning spede
For the Faders Frendshipe, that Fourmed heaven,
And through the Special Spirit, that Sprong of hem tweyne,
And al in one godhed endles dwelleth."
The author feigns himself ignorant of his Creed, to be instructed in which he applies to the four religious orders, viz., the gray friers of St. Francis, the black friers of St. Dominic, the Carmelites or white friers, and the Augustines. This affords him occasion to describe in very lively colours the sloth, ignorance, and immorality of those reverend drones. At length he meets with Pierce, a poor ploughman, who resolves his doubts, and instructs him in the principles of true religion. The author was evidently a follower of Wiccliff, whom he mentions (with honour) as no longer living[890]. Now that reformer died in 1384. How long after his death this poem was written, does not appear.
In the Cotton library is a volume of ancient English poems[891], two of which are written in this alliterative metre, and have the division of the lines into distichs distinctly marked by a point, as is usual in old poetical MSS. That which stands first of the two (though perhaps the latest written) is entitled The Sege of I'erlam, (i.e. Jerusalem), being an old fabulous legend composed by some monk, and stuffed with marvellous figments concerning the destruction of the holy city and temple. It begins thus: