THE VISION AND CREED

OF

PIERS PLOUGHMAN.

EDITED,

FROM A CONTEMPORARY MANUSCRIPT,

WITH A HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION,

NOTES, AND A GLOSSARY,

BY THOMAS WRIGHT, M.A. F.S.A. &c.

Corresponding Member of the Imperial Institute of France,

Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

SECOND AND REVISED EDITION.

LONDON:
REEVES AND TURNER, 196 STRAND.
1887.

Passus Decimus Quartus, etc.

"

8900

HAVE but oon hool hater," quod Haukyn;

"I am the lasse to blame,

Though it be soiled and selde clene:

[I slepe therinne o nyghtes.]

And also I have an houswif,

Hewen and children,—

[Uxorem duxi, et ideo non possum venire.—]

That wollen by-molen it many tyme,

Maugree my chekes.

It hath be laved in Lente

8910

And out of Lente bothe,

With the sope of siknesse,

That seketh wonder depe,

And with the losse of catel,

Looth for to a-gulte

God of any good man,

By aught that I wiste;

And was shryven of the preest

That gaf me for my synnes

To penaunce pacience

8920

And povere men to fede,

Al for coveitise of my cristendom

In clennesse to kepen it.

And kouthe I nevere, by Crist!

Kepen it clene an houre,

That I ne soiled it with sighte

Or som ydel speche,

Or thorugh werk, or thorugh word,

Or wille of myn herte,

That I ne flobre it foule

8930

Fro morwe til even."

"And I shal kenne thee," quod Conscience,

"Of contricion to make

That shal clawe thi cote

Of alle kynnes filthe.

Cordis contritio, etc.

Do-wel shal wasshen and wryngen it

Thorugh a wis confessour.

Oris confessio, etc.

Do-bet shal beten it and bouken it

8940

As bright as any scarlet,

And engreyven it with good wille

And Goddes grace to amende the,

And sithen sende thee to satisfaccion

For to sowen it after.

Satisfactio Do-best.

"Shal nevere cheeste by-molen it,

Ne mothe after biten it,

Ne fend ne fals man

Defoulen it in thi lyve.

8950

[Shal noon heraud ne harpour]

Have a fairer garnement

Than Haukyn the actif man,

And thow do by my techyng;

Ne no mynstrall be moore worth

Amonges povere and riche,

Than Haukyns wif the wafrer,

With his activa vita."

"And I shal purveie thee paast," quod Pacience,

"Though no plough erye,

8960

And flour to fede folk with

As best be for the soule,

Though nevere greyn growed,

Ne grape upon vyne.

To alle that lyveth and loketh

Liflode wolde I fynde,

And that y-nogh shal noon faille

Of thyng that hem nedeth,

We sholde noght be to bisy

Abouten oure liflode,"

8970

[Ne solliciti sitis, etc. Volucres cœli]

[Deus pascit, etc. Patientes]

[vincunt.]

Thanne laughed Haukyn a litel,

And lightly gan swerye,

"Who so leveth yow, by oure Lord!

I leve noght he be blessed."

"No," quod Pacience paciently;

And out of his poke hente

Vitailles of grete vertues

8980

For alle manere beestes,

And seide, "Lo here liflode y-nogh!

If oure bileve be trewe.

For lent nevere was lif,

But liflode were shapen,

Wher-of or wher-fore

Or wher-by to libbe.

"First the wilde worm

Under weet erthe,

Fissh to lyve in the flood,

8990

And in the fir the criket,

The corlew by kynde of the eyr

Moost clennest flessh of briddes,

And bestes by gras and by greyn

And by grene rootes,

In menynge that alle men

Myghte the same

Lyve thorugh leel bileve

And love, as God witnesseth."

[Quodcunque petieritis a patre in]

9000

[nomine meo, etc. Et alibi:]

[Non in solo pane vivit homo,]

[sed in omni verbo quod procedit]

[de ore Dei.]

But I lokede what liflode it was

That Pacience so preisede;

And thanne was it a pece of the pater-noster,

Fiat voluntas tua.

"Have, Haukyn," quod Pacience,

"And et this whan the hungreth,

9010

Or whan thow clomsest for cold,

Or clyngest for drye;

Shul nevere gyves thee greve,

Ne gret lordes wrathe,

Prison ne peyne;

For patientes vincunt.

By so that thow be sobre

Of sighte and of tonge,

In etynge and in handlynge,

And in alle thi fyve wittes,

9020

Darstow nevere care for corn,

Ne lynnen cloth ne wollen,

Ne for drynke, ne deeth drede,

But deye as God liketh,

Or thorugh hunger or thorugh hete,

At his wille be it.

For if thow lyve after his loore,

The shorter lif the bettre.

Si quis amat Christum,

Mundum non diliget istum.

9030

"For thorugh his breeth beestes woxen

And a-brood yeden.

Dixit et facta sunt, etc.

Ergo thorugh his breeth mowen

Men and beestes lyven,

As holy writ witnesseth,

Whan men seye hir graces.

[Aperis tu manum tuam, et imples]

[omne animal benedictione.]

"It is founden that [fourty wynter]

9040

Folk lyvede withouten tulying;

And out of the flynt sprong the flood

That folk and beestes dronken;

And in Elyes tyme

Hevene was y-closed,

That no reyn ne roon;

9046

Thus rede men in bokes

That many wyntres men lyveden,

And no mete ne tulieden.

"[Sevene slepe], as seith the book,

Sevene hundred wynter,

And lyveden withouten liflode,

And at the laste thei woken.

And if men lyvede as mesure wolde,

Sholde nevere moore be defaute

Amonges cristene creatures,

If Cristes wordes ben trewe.

9056

"Ac unkyndenesse caristiam maketh

Amonges cristen peple;

And over plentee maketh pryde

Amonges poore and riche.

9060

Therfore mesure is muche worth,

It may noght be to deere;

For the meschief and the meschaunce

Amonges men of Sodome,

Weex thorugh plentee of payn,

And of pure sleuthe.

Otiositas et abundantia panis peccatum

turpissimum nutrivit.

For thei mesured noght hemself

Of that thei ete and dronke,

9070

Thei diden dedly synne

That the devel liked,

So vengeaunce fil upon hem

For hir vile synnes;

Thei sonken into helle,

The citees echone.

"For-thi mesure we us wel,

And make oure feith oure sheltrom;

And thorugh feith cometh contricion,

Conscience woot wel,

9080

Which dryveth awey dedly synne,

And dooth it to be venial.

And though a man myghte noght speke,

Contricion myghte hym save,

And brynge his soule to blisse;

For so that feith bere witnesse,

That whiles he lyvede, he bilevede

In the loore of the holy chirche.

Ergo contricion, feith, and conscience

Is kyndeliche Do-wel,

9090

And surgiens for dedly synnes

Whan shrift of mouthe failleth.

Ac shrift of mouth moore worthi is,

If man be y-liche contrit;

For shrift of mouthe sleeth synne,

Be it never so dedly.

Per confessionem to a preest

Peccata occiduntur.

"Ther contricion dooth but dryveth it down

Into a venial synne,

9100

As David seith in the Sauter,

[Et quorum tecta sunt peccata;]

Ac satisfaccion seketh out the roote,

And bothe sleeth and voideth,

An as it nevere hadde y-be

To noghte bryngeth dedly synne,

That it nevere eft is sene ne soor,

But semeth a wounde y-heeled."

"Where wonyeth Charité?" quod Haukyn,

"I wiste nevere in my lyve

9110

Man that with hym spak,

As wide as I have passed."

"Ther parfit truthe and poore herte is,

And pacience of tonge,

Ther is Charité the chief chaumbrere

For God hymselve."

"Wheither paciente poverte," quod Haukyn,

"Be moore plesaunt to our Drighte

Than richesse rightfulliche wonne,

And resonably despended?"

9120

"Ye, quis est ille?" quod Pacience;

"Quik laudabimus eum.

Though men rede of richesse

Right to the worldes ende,

I wiste nevere renk that riche was,

That whan he rekene sholde,

Whan he drogh to his deeth day,

That he ne dredde hym soore,

And that at the rekenyng in arrerage fel

Rather than out of dette.

9130

Ther the poore dar plede,

And preve by pure reson,

To have allowance of his lord,

By the lawe he it cleymeth;

Joye, that nevere joye hadde,

Of rightful jugge he asketh,

And seith 'Lo! briddes and beestes

That no blisse ne knoweth,

And wilde wormes in wodes,

Thorugh wyntres thow hem grevest;

9140

And makest hem wel neigh meke,

And mylde for defaute;

And after thow sendest hem somer,

That is hir sovereyn joye,

And blisse to alle that ben,

Bothe wilde and tame.'

"Thanne may beggeris as beestes

After boote waiten,

That al hir lif han lyved

In langour and in defaute,

9150

But God sente hem som tyme

Som manere joye

Outher here or ellis where,

Kynde wolde it nevere;

For to wrotherhele was he wroght

That nevere was joye shapen.

Aungeles that in helle now ben

Hadden joye som tyme;

And Dives in the deyntees lyvede,

And in douce vie.

9160

Right so reson sheweth

That the men that were riche,

And hir makes also,

Lyvede hir lif in murthe.

"Ac God is of wonder wille,

By that kynde wit sheweth,

To gyve many man his mede

Er he it have deserved.

Right so fareth God by some riche,

Ruthe me it thynketh;

9170

For thei han hir hire heer,

And hevene, as it were,

And greet likynge to lyve

Withouten labour of bodye:

And whan he dyeth, ben disalowed,

As David seith in the Sauter:

[Dormierunt, et nihil invenerunt.]

And in another stede also:

[Velut somnium surgentium, Domine,]

[in civitate tua, et ad nihilum]

9180

[rediges, etc.]

"Allas! that richesse shal reve

And robbe mannes soule

From the love of oure Lord,

At his laste ende.

"Hewen, that han hir hire afore,

Arn evere moore nedy;

And selden deyeth he out of dette,

That dyneth er he deserve it,

And til he have doon his devoir

9190

And his dayes journée.

For whan a werkman hath wroght,

Than many men se the sothe

What he were worthi for his werk,

And what he hath deserved;

And noght to fonge bifore,

For drede of disalowyng.

"So I seye by yow riche,

It semeth noght that ye shulle

Have hevene in youre here dwellyng,

9200

And hevene also therafter;

Right so as a servaunt taketh his salarie bifore,

And siththe wolde clayme moore,

As he that noon hadde,

And hath hire at the laste.

It may noght be, ye riche men,

Or Mathew on God lyeth:

Væ! deliciis ad delicias difficile est

transire.

"Ac if ye riche have ruthe,

9210

And rewarde wel the poore,

And lyven as lawe techeth,

And doon leauté to hem alle,

Crist of his curteisie

Shal conforte yow at the laste,

And rewarden alle double richesse

That rewful hertes habbeth.

And as an hyne that hadde

His hire er he bigonne,

And whan he hath doon his devoir wel

9220

Men dooth hym oother bountee,

Gyveth hym a cote above his covenaunt,

Right so Crist gyveth hevene

Bothe to riche and to noght riche

That rewfulliche libbeth;

And alle that doon hir devoir wel

Han double hire for hir travaille,

Here forgifnesse of hir synnes,

And hevene blisse after.

"Ac it is but selde y-seien,

9230

As by holy seintes bokes,

That God rewarded double reste

To any riche wye.

For muche murthe is amonges riche,

As in mete and clothyng;

And muche murthe in May is

Amonges wilde beestes,

And so forth while somer lasteth

Hir solace dureth.

"Ac beggeris aboute Midsomer

Bred-lees thei slepe.

And yet is wynter for hem worse,

For weet shoed thei gone,

A-furst soore and a-fyngred,

9244

And foule y-rebuked,

And a-rated of riche men

That ruthe is to here.

Now, Lord, sende hem somer,

And som maner joye,

Hevene after hir hennes goyng,

That here han swich defaute,

For alle myghtestow have maad

Noon mener than oother,

And y-liche witty and wise,

If thee wel hadde liked.

9254

But, Lord, have ruthe on thise riche men,

That rewarde noght thi prisoners.

Of the good that thow hem gyvest

Ingrati ben manye;

Ac, God, of thi goodnesse

Gyve hem grace to amende.

9260

For may no derthe be hem deere,

Droghte ne weet hem greve,

Ne neither hete ne hayll;

Have thei hir heele,

Of that thei wilne and wolde

Wanteth hem noght here.

"Ac poore peple thi prisoners,

Lord, in the put of meschief,

Conforte tho creatures,

That muche care suffren

9270

Thorugh derthe, thorugh droghte,

Alle hir dayes here,

Wo in wynter tymes

For wantynge of clothes,

And in somer tyme selde

Soupen to the fulle.

Conforte thi carefulle,

Crist, in thi richesse;

For how thow confortest alle creatures,

Clerkes bereth witnesse:

9280

Convertimini ad me, et salvi eritis.

"Thus in genere of gentries

Jhesu Crist seide,

To robberis and to reveris,

To riche and to poore,

Thou taughtest hem in the Trinité

To taken bapteme,

And to be clene through that cristnyng

Of alle kynnes synne;

And if us fille thorugh folie

9290

To falle in synne after,

Confession and knowlichynge

In cravynge thi mercy,

Shulde amenden us as manye sithes

As man wolde desire.

And if the pope wolde plede ayein,

And punysshe us in conscience,

He sholde take the acquitaunce as quyk,

And to the queed shewen it.

Pateat, etc. per passionem Domini.

9300

And putten of so the pouke,

And preven us under borwe.

Ac the parchemyn of this patente

Of poverte be moste,

And of pure pacience,

And parfit bileve.

"Of pompe and of pride

The parchemym decourreth,

And principalliche of al the peple,

But thei be poore of herte;

9310

Ellis is al on ydel,

Al that evere writen

Pater-nostres and penaunce,

And pilgrymages to Rome;

But oure spences and spendynge

Sprynge of a trewe wille,

Ellis is al our labour lost,

[Lo! how men writeth]

In fenestres at the freres,

If fals be the foundement.

9320

For-thi cristene sholde be in commune riche,

Noon coveitous for hymselve.

"For sevene synnes ther ben,

That assaillen us evere;

The fend folweth hem alle,

And fondeth hem to helpe.

Ac with richesse that ribaud

He rathest men bigileth.

For ther that richesse regneth,

Reverence folweth;

9330

And that is plesaunt to pride,

In poore and in riche.

And the riche is reverenced

By reson of his richesse,

Ther the poore is put bihynde,

And peraventure kan moore

Of wit and of wisdom,

That fer awey is bettre

Than richesse or reautee,

And rather y-herd in hevene.

9340

For the riche hath muche to rekene;

And many tyme hym that walketh

The heighe wey to hevene-ward,

Richesse hym letteth,—

[Ita inpossibile diviti, etc.—]

Ther the poore preesseth bifore the riche,

With a pak at his rugge,—

[Opera enim illorum sequuntur illos.—]

Batauntliche, as beggeris doon,

And boldeliche he craveth,

9350

For his poverte and his pacience,

A perpetuel blisse.

[Beati pauperes, quoniam ipsorum]

[est regnum cælorum.]

"And pride in richesse regneth

Rather than in poverte;

Arst in the master than in the man

Som mansion he haveth.

Ac in poverte, ther pacience is,

Pride hath no myghte,

9360

Ne none of the sevene synnes

Sitten ne mowe ther longe,

Ne have power in poverte,

If pacience folwe.

For the poore is ay prest

To plese the riche,

And buxom at hise biddynges,

For his broke loves;

And boxomnesse and boost

Arn evere moore at werre,

9370

And either hateth oother

In alle maner werkes.

"If wrathe wrastle with the poore,

He hath the worse ende;

And if thei bothe pleyne,

The poore is but feble;

And if he chide or chatre,

Hym cheveth the worse.

"And if coveitise cacche the poore,

Thei may noght come togideres;

9380

And by the nekke namely

Hir noon may hente oother.

For men knowen wel that coveitise

Is of kene wille,

And hath hondes and armes

Of ful greet lengthe;

And poverte nys but a petit thyng,

Apereth noght to his navele;

And lovely layk was it nevere

Bitwene the longe and the shorte.

9390

"And though avarice wolde angre the poore,

He hath but litel myghte;

For poverte hath but pokes

To putten in hise goodes,

Ther avarice hath almaries,

And yren bounden cofres.

And wheither be lighter to breke,

And lasse boost maketh,

A beggeris bagge

Than an yren bounde cofre?

9400

"Lecherie loveth hym noght,

For he gyveth but litel silver,

Ne dooth hym noght dyne delicatly,

Ne drynke wyn ofte.

A straw for the stuwes!

Thei stoode noght, I trowe,

Hadde thei no thyng but of poore men,

Hir houses stoode untyled.

"And though sleuthe suwe poverte,

And serve noght God to paie,

9410

Meschief is his maister,

And maketh hym to thynke

That God is his grettest help,

And no gome ellis;

And he is servaunt, as he seith,

And of his sute bothe;

And wheither he be or be noght,

He bereth the signe of poverte,

And in that secte oure Saveour

Saved al mankynde.

9420

For-thi every poore that pacient is,

May cleymen and asken

After hir endynge here

Hevene riche blisse,

"Muche hardier may he asken,

That here myghte have his wille

In lond and in lordshipe,

And likynge of bodie,

And for Goddes love leveth al,

Any lyveth as a beggere;

9430

And as a mayde for mannes love

Hire moder forsaketh,

Hir fader and alle hire frendes,

And folweth hir make.

Muche moore is to love

Of hym that swich oon taketh,

Than is that maiden

That is maried thorugh brocage,

As by assent of sondry parties,

And silver to boote,

9440

Moore for coveitise of good

Than kynde love of bothe.

So it fareth by ech a persone

That possession forsaketh,

And put hym to be pacient.

And poverte weddeth,

The which is sib to God hymself,

And so to hise seintes."

"Have God my trouthe!" quod Haukyn,

"Ye preise faste poverte,

9450

What is poverte with pacience," quod he;

"Proprely to mene?"

["Paupertas," quod Pacience, "est]

[odibile bonum, remotio curarum,]

[possessio sine calumnia,]

[donum Dei, sanitatis mater,]

[absque sollicitudine semita,]

[sapientiæ temperatrix, negotium]

[sine damno, incerta fortuna,]

[absque sollicitudine]

9460

[felicitas."]

"I kan noght construe al this," quod Haukyn,

"Ye moste kenne me this on Englissh."

"In Englissh," quod Pacience,

"It is wel hard wel to expounen;

Ac som deel I shal seyen it,

By so thow understonde:

Poverte is the firste point

That pride moost hateth;

Thanne is it good by good skile,

9470

Al that agasteth pride.

Right as contricion is confortable thyng,

Conscience woot wel,

And a sorwe of hymself,

And a solace to the soule,

So poverte propreliche,

Penaunce and joye,

Is to the body

Pure spiritual helthe.

Ergo paupertas est odibile bonum.

9480

And contricion confort,

And cura animarum.

"Selde sit poverte,

The sothe to declare;

For as justice to jugge men,

Enjoyned is no poore,

Ne to be mair above men

Ne mynystre under kynges;

Selde is any poore y-put

To punysshen any peple.

9490

Remotio curarum.

Ergo poverte and poore men

Perfournen the comaundement,

Nolite judicare

Quemquam the thridde,"

"Selde is any poore riche,

But of rightful heritage;

Wynneth he noght with wightes false,

Ne with unseled mesures,

Ne borweth of hise neighebores,

9500

But that he may wel paie.

Possessio sine calumnia.

"The ferthe is a fortune

That florissheth the soule,

With sobretee fram alle synne,

And also yit moore

It afaiteth the flessh

Fram folies ful manye,

A collateral confort,

Cristes owene gifte.

9510

Donum Dei.

"The fifte is moder of helthe,

A frend in alle fondynges,

And for the land evere a leche,

A lemman of alle clennesse.

Sanitatis mater.

"The sixte is a path of pees,

Ye, thorugh [the paas of Aultone]

Poverte myghte passe

Withouten peril of robbyng.

9520

For ther that poverte passeth,

Pees folweth after;

And ever the lasse that he bereth,

The hardier he is of herte.

For-thi seith Seneca,

=

Paupertas est absque sollicitudine semita

And an hardy man of herte,

Among an heep of theves.

[Cantabit paupertas coram latrone]

9530

[viatore.]

"The seventhe is welle of wisedom,

And fewe wordes sheweth;

Therfore lordes alloweth hym litel,

Or listneth to his reson,

For he tempreth the tonge to trutheward,

And no tresor coveiteth

Sapientiæ temperatrix.

"The eightethe is a lele labour,

And looth to take moore

9540

Than he may wel deserve,

In somer or in wynter.

And if he chaffareth, he chargeth no losse,

Mowe he charité wynne.

Negotium sine damno.

"The nynthe is swete to the soule,

No sugre is swetter.

For pacience is payn

For poverte hymselve,

And sobretee swete drynke

9550

And good leche in siknesse.

Thus lered me a lettred man,

For oure Lordes love of hevene;

Seint Austyn a blessed lif

Withouten bisynesse ladde

For body and for soule,

Absque sollicitudine felicitas.

Now God, that alle good gyveth,

Graunte his soule reste

That this first wroot to wissen men

9560

What poverte was to mene!"

"Allas!" quod Haukyn the actif man tho,

"That after my cristendom

I ne hadde be deed and dolven

For Do-welis sake!

So hard it is," quod Haukyn,

"To lyve and to do no synne.

Synne seweth us evere," quod he,

And sory gan wexe,

And wepte water with hise eighen,

9570

And weyled the tyme

That he evere dide dede

That deere God displesed;

Swound and sobbed

And siked ful ofte,

That evere he hadde lond outher lordshipe,

Lasse other moore,

Or maistrie over any man

Mo than of hymselve.

"I were noght worthi, woot God!" quod Haukyn,

9580

"To werien any clothes,

Ne neither sherte ne shoon,

Save for shame one

To covere my careyne," quod he;

And cride mercy faste,

And wepte and wailede;

9586

And therwith I awakede.

Passus Decimus Quintus, etc. finit Do-wel, et incipit Do-bet.

9587

C after my wakynge,

It was wonder longe

Er I koude kyndely

Knowe what was Do-wel.

And so my wit weex and wanyed,

Til I a fool weere;

And some lakkede my lif,

Allowed it fewe,

And lete me for a lorel,

And looth to reverencen

Lordes or ladies,

Or any lif ellis;

As persons in pelure,

9600

With pendauntz of silver;

To sergeauntz ne to swiche

Seide I noght ones,

"God loke yow, lordes!"

Ne loutede faire;

That folk helden me a fool,

And in that folie I raved.

Til reson hadde ruthe on me,

And rokked me a-slepe,

Til I seigh, as it sorcerie were,

9610

A sotil thyng withalle;

Oon withouten tonge and teeth

Tolde me whider I sholde,

And wherof I cam, and of what kynde;

I conjured hym at the laste,

If he were Cristes creature

Anoon me to tellen.

"I am Cristes creature," quod he,

"And cristene in many a place,

In Cristes court y-knowe wel,

9620

And of his kyn a party.

Is neither Peter the porter,

Nor Poul with his fauchon,

That wole defende me the dore,

Dynge I never so late;

At mydnyght, at mydday,

My vois so is knowe,

That ech a creature of his court

Welcometh me faire."

"What are ye called," quod I, "in that court,

9630

Among Cristes peple?"

"The whiles I quikne the cors," quod he,

"Called am I Anima;

And whan I wilne and wolde,

Animus ich hatte;

And for that I kan knowe,

Called am I Mens;

And whan I make mone to God,

Memoria is my name;

And whan I deme domes,

9640

And do as truthe techeth,

Thanne is Ratio my righte name,

Reson on Englisshe;

And whan I feele that folk telleth,

My firste name is Sensus,

And that is wit and wisdom,

The welle of alle craftes.

And whan I chalange or chalange noght,

Chepe or refuse,

Thanne am I Conscience y-called,

9650

Goddes clerk and his notarie;

And whan I love leelly

Oure Lord and alle othere,

Thanne is lele Love my name,

And in Latyn Amor;

And whan I flee fro the flesshe,

And forsake the careyne,

Thanne am I a spirit specheless,

Spiritus thanne iche hatte.

Austyn and Ysodorus,

9660

Either of hem bothe,

Nempnede me thus to name,

And now thow myght chese

How thow coveitest to calle me,

For now thow knowest my names."

[Anima pro diversis actionibus diversa]

[nomina sortitur; dum]

[vivificat corpus, anima est;]

[dum vult, animus est; dum]

[scit, mens est; dum recolit,]

9670

[memoria est; dum judicat,]

[ratio est; dum sentit, sensus]

[est; dum amat, amor est;]

[dum negat vel consentit, conscientia]

[est; dum spirat, spiritus]

[est.]

"Ye ben as a bisshope," quod I,

Al bourdynge that tyme;

"For bisshopes y-blessed,

Thei bereth manye names,

9680

Præsul and pontifex,

And metropolitanus,

And othere names an heep,

Episcopus and pastor."

"That is sooth," seide he;

"Now I se thi wille;

Thow woldest knowe and konne

The cause of alle my names,

And of me, if thow myghtest,

Me thynketh by thi speche."

9690

"Ye, sire," I seide,

"By so no man were greved,

Alle the sciences under sonne,

And alle the sotile craftes,

I wolde I knewe and kouthe

Kyndely in myn herte."

"Thanne artow inparfit," quod he,

"And oon of Prides knyghtes;

For swich a lust and likyng

Lucifer fel from hevene."

9700

Ponam pedem meum in aquilone, et

similis ero altissimo.

"It were ayeins kynde," quod he,

"And alle kynnes reson,

That any creature sholde konne al,

Except Crist oone:

Ayein swiche Salomon speketh,

And despiseth hir wittes,

And seith, [Sicut qui mel comedit]

[multum, non est ei bonum; sic]

9710

[qui scrutator est majestatis,]

[opprimitur a gloria].

"To Englisshe men this is to mene,

That mowen speke and here,

The man that muche hony eteth,

His mawe it engleymeth;

And the moore that a man

Of good matere hereth,

But he do therafter,

It dooth hym double scathe.

9720

Beatus est, seith seint Bernard,

Qui scripturas legit,

Et verba vertit in opera

Fulliche to his power.

Coveitise to konne

And to knowe sciences,

Putte out of Paradis

Adam and Eve.

Scientiæ appetitus hominem inmortalitatis

gloria spoliavit.

9730

"And right as hony is yvel to defie,

And engleymeth the mawe;

Right so he that thorugh reson

Wolde the roote knowe

Of God and of hise grete myghtes,

Hise graces it letteth.

For in the likynge lith a pride,

And licames coveitise,

Ayein Cristes counseil

And alle clerkes techynge;

=

That is [Non plus sapere quam oportet sapere]

9742

"Freres and fele othere maistres,

That to lewed men prechen,

Ye moeven materes unmesurable

To tellen of the Trinité,

That ofte tymes the lewed peple

Of hir bileve doute.

Bettre it were to manye doctours

To leven swich techyng,

9750

And tellen men of the ten comaundmentz,

And touchen [the sevene synnes,]

And of the braunches that burjoneth of hem,

And bryngen men to helle,

And how that folk in folies

Misspenden hir fyve wittes,

As wel freres as oother folk

Foliliche spenden

In housynge, in haterynge,

And in to heigh clergie shewynge,

9760

Moore for pompe than for pure charité,

The peple woot the sothe,

That I lye noght, loo!

For lordes ye plesen,

And reverencen the riche

The rather for hir silver

[Confundantur omnes qui adorant]

[sculptilia. Et alibi: Ut quid]

[diligitis vanitatem, et quæritis]

[mendacium.]

9770

"Gooth to the glose of thise vers,

Ye grete clerkes;

If I lye on yow to my lewed wit,

Ledeth me to brennyng.

For as it semeth, ye forsaketh

No mannes almesse

Of usurers, of hoores,