<County: Herefordshire>
<Code: L7320>
<MS reference: London, BL Harley 2376>
<Text: Piers Plowman C>


<fol. 12r><line 18>Now ys mede þe mayde+no mo of hem alle
þorow bedelys & baylyues brou3t byfor þe kyng~
þe+kyng~ Callede a klerke ; y knowe nou3t hys name
to take mede þt mayde ; & make hir~ att+ese
y schal a-say hire my-selfe ; & sotellyche apose
what man in þys world ; þt hyre ys leuyst haue
& yf he worche wysly ; by wyse men consayle
y wyl for-gyfe hir~ alle gultes ; so me god helpe
Curtesly þe klerk þan ; as þe kyng~ hym hete
toke mede by þe myddel ; & myldelyche hir~ brou3t
Into boure wiþ blysse ; & by hyre gan sitte
þere was mirþe & mynstrelcy ; mede forto plese
þo þt wendeþ to westmyster ; worshyppeþ hir~ many
gentellyche wt ioy3e ; þe iustyse many on
<fol. 12v>busked hem to þe bour ; þer þys mayde dwelled
Comfortyng~ hire as hy couþe . by þe clerkes leue
& sayde morne þu nou3t mede ; make þu no sorwe
For we wolle wysse þe kyng~ ; & þy wey schappe
Forto wende at wille ; were þu lef lykeþ
For alle concyens cast ; & crafte as y trowe
Myldely mede þo ; þankede hem alle <mrg>hem alle</mrg>
Of her~ grete goudnesse; & gaf hem echone
Coupes of clene gold ; & coppes of seluer
Rynges wt rubees ; & oþer ryche gyftes
þe lest of here meyne ; a moten of golde
whan hy had take ; here leue of þt lady mede
þan comen klerkes ; to confort þe same
& bede hyre be blyde for we beþe þyn owen
Forto werche þy wille ; þe whyle þt we may dur~
& mede hendelyche ; by hete ham þe same
to loue hem trulyche ; & lordes hem maken
& purchesse 3ow prouendres ; whyles 3oure pans lesten
& bigge 3ow benefis ; pluralyte to haue
& in þe contrey at curt ; do calle 3our~ names
Schal no lewdnesse ; lette þe clerke þt y loue
þt he ne worþ forst a-vanssed ; for y am by-knowe
þare connyng~ clerkes ; schul cleke by-hynde
þan come þer a confessour ; coped as a frer~
To mede þe mayd ; myldelyche he sayde
þaw lewed men & lered ; hadde lyen by þe boþe
& falshede yfounnde þe ; alle þys fourty winter~
y schal a-soyly þe my-self ; for a seme whete
& 3ut be þy bedman ; & bryng~ adoun concience
Among~ kynges & kny3tes ; & clerkes yf þe lykes
þan mede for hyre mysdedys ; to þys man kneled
<fol. 13r>& schrofe hyr of hyr myssededes schameles y leue
he tolde hym a tale ; & touke hym a noble
For to be hire bedman ; & bere wel hire erande
Among~ kny3tes & clerkes ; concyens te tourne
& he a-soyled hyre sone ; & seþe sayde we haue
A wyndow to worchyng~ ; wille stande vs wel hey3e
wolde 3e glase þe gable ; & graue þer 3our~ name
In masses & in matyns for mede we schal synge
Solemlyche & softelyche ; as for a suster of oure ordr~
louelyche þt lady law3yng~ ; sayde
y schal be 3our~ frende frere & fayle 3ow neuer
whyle 3e loueþ þes lordes þt lechery haunteþ
& lacheþ now þes ladyes ; þt loueþ þe same
yt ys bote fraylte of her flesche ; 3e findeþ wel bi bokes
& by course of kynde ; whar-of we comen alle
we my3t scape þe sclaunder ; scape my3t sone be amendid
hit ys a sunne of seuene ; non soner relesed
haue mercy quod mede on men ; þt hit haunteþ
& j schal couer~ 3oure chyrche ; & 3oure cloystr~ make
boþe wyndows & wowes ; y wile a-mende & glase
& do pente & portren ; & paye for þe makyng~
Þt euery sege may saye ; y am a suster of 3oure ordr~
Bote god to alle goud folke ; suche grauynge defend
to writen in wyndows ; of eny wel dedes
þt prute be pente þer ; pompe of þe worlde
For god knoweþ þy concience ; & þy kynde wille
þy coste & þy couetyse & who þe catel Au3te
For þy leue lordes loue ; lefe suche wrytyng
God in þe gospelle suche grauynge nou3t aloweþe
<lat></lat>
let nou3t þy lyfte honde ; our~ lorde techeþ
<fol. 13v>Wyte what þu dost ; wt þy ry3t syde
3it mede myldely ; þe mayr hyr~ by-sou3t
boþ scherefys & seriauntes ; & hem þt kepeþ lawes
Some punysscheþ op on pileryes ; & on pynyng stoles
as bakers & brewers ; bouchers & koukes
For þes men doþ most harm ; to þe comen peple
Rycheþ þorow regratrye ; & rentes hem bygges
wt þt þe powr~ peple ; scholde put in here wombe
For hy touke so vntruly ; hy tymbred nouþ so hye3e
Some bou3te burgages ; be 3e ful certayne
þo haueþ no pyte of þe peple ; þt parcel mele mote biggen
þan hy takeþ hem vn-tydy þyng ; hy hold it no tr~son
& þaw hy fylle nou3t ful ; þt for þe lawe ys seled
he grypeþ þerfore as grete ; as for þe ri3t truþe
Many manere sorwys ; in Cites falleþ ofte
boþe þorw fyre & floude ; & alle þorow fals peple
þt by-gyleþ goud men ; & greueþ þem wrongly
þe whyche cryeþ on her knees ; þt cryst hem a-venge
her on þys erþe ; oþer elles in helle
þt so by-gyleþ men of her goud ; þt god on hem sendes
Feuers oþer foule yuels ; or fire on her houses
Moreyne or oþer myschaunses ; & many tymes falleþ
þt in nocens it herd ; in heuene among~ sentes
þt for hem louteþ to oure lord ; & to our~ lady boþe
to graunte gylours on erþe ; grace for+to amende
& haue here penaunse her on erþe ; & no3t þe pyne of hel
þan falleþ here fire ; on fals men houses
& gode mennes for her gyltes ; glowes in fire after
Al þys haue we seyn ; þt som-tyme þorow a+brewer~
Many burgages ybrend ; bodyes þer-ynne
& þorow a candel clemyng~ ; in a cursed place
<fol. 14r>Fel adoun & forbrente forþ al þe rewe
For þy mayres þt makeþ fremen ; me þynkeþ þt hi au3t
Forto spirr~ & a-spye ; for eny speche of seluour
what maner~ of marchaundyse he vsede
Ar he were vnderfong~ fre ; oþer pult in her rolles
hit ys vn-semely for-souþ ; in cite or in borwtoun
þt vsoures & regratoures ; for any skyynnes 3eftes
be fraunchysed for freman ; & haue a fals name
Bote mede þe mayde ; þe mayre he by-sou3te
Of alle suche syllers ; seluer to take
or presentes wiþ-oute pans ; & oþer priue 3yftes
& haue reuþe on regratoures ; þt haueþ ryche hondes
<lat></lat>
loue hem for my loue ; quaþ þys lady mede
& suffre hem som tyme ; to selle a-3en þe lawe
Salamon þe sage ; a sermon he made
In a-mendement of mayrs ; & oþer stywardes
& witnesseþ what worþ of hem ; þt wol+take mede
<lat></lat>
A-mong þes lettred lordes ; þys latyn is to mene
þt fire schal falle & forbrenne ; alto plake askes
þe houses & þe homes of hem ; þt takeþ 3yftes
þe kyng~ fro consayl com ; & callede after mede
& sente to se hyr~ bote sey nou3t him þt hyr ladde
Fol curtesly þe kyng~ þo ; as ys kynde wolde
lakkede hyre a lytel whyle ; for þt he loued gyle
& wilnede to be wedded ; by þouten hys lyue
þo truþe had tolde hyr a tokne ; fro hym-selue
& sayd vnwittelyche womman ; wrou3t hast þu oft
y haue for-3yue þe my gilt ; & my grace grauntede
boþe to þe & to þyn ; in hope schalt a-mende
<fol. 14v>& ay þe lenger y lete þe go þe lasse truþe ys wyþþe
For wors wrou3test neuere ; þan wan þu fals toke
3yt y for-3yfe þe þys gilt ; gode Forbede eny more
þu tene me on truþe ; & þu may be take
In þe castel of corf ; y schal do þe close
þer as an Ancre ; oþer in a wel worse wone
& marye þe wt myschyf ; by seynt mari my lady
þt alle wikkede wymmen ; schal be war by þe one
& bitterlyche banne þe ; & alle þt bereþ þy name
& teche þe loue truþe ; & take consaile of reson
y haue a kny3t hat concience ; com late fro by-3onde
if he wile haue þe to+wyf ; wyl þu hym haue
3e lord quod þt lady ; lord it me forbede
bote y be holy at þyn hest ; let hong~ me elles
þan was concyence called ; to come & apere
by-fore þe kyng~ & hys consayl ; as clerkes & oþer
knelyng~ to þe kynge ; concyence loutede
to wite what hys wil were ; & what he do scholde
wylt þu wedde þys mayde ; yf y+wyl a-sente
For he ys fayne of þy felawschyp ; & for to be þi make
Quod concience to þe kyng~ ; crist it me forbede
Ar y weddy suche a wyfe ; wo me bytyde
For he ys brokel of hyre fay ; & fykel of hir speche
& makeþ men mysdo ; many score tymes
In tryst of her tresour ; he tenes ful many
wyues & wydewys ; wikkenesse he techeþ
& lereþ hem to lechery ; þt loueþ hyr 3yftes
3our~ fadere he felde ; fals & he to-gedres
he haþ apoysned popes ; he appayreþ holy cherche
ys nower a betr~ baude ; by hym þt me made
by-twyne erþe & helle ; alle erþe 3yf men sou3t
<fol. 15r>For he ys tykel of hyre tale ; tale wyse of tong~
as commenn as þe cartway ; to knaues & to oþer
to monkes to alle men ; to meseles in hegges
lyggeþ by hyr~ whan hem lyst ; þe lered & lewede
Sysours & somners ; suche men hyr~ preseþ
Schereffes of shyres ; were schent 3yf he nere
For he doþ men lese her londe & here lyues boþe
he lateþ passe prisons ; & payeþ for hem oft
& gyueþ þe gaylour gold ; & grotys to-gedres
to vn-feter þe fals ; fle where hym lykeþ
& take+þe+truwe by þe top ; & tyeþ hem fast
& hongeþ hem for hatered ; þt harmed neuere
to be cursed in constarye ; he counteþ nou3t a rysche
he copeþ þe commessarye ; & coteþ hys clerkes
he ys a-soyled þys sone ; as hyrselfe lykeþ
he may as moche do ; in a mounthe one
as 3oure secre seal ; in sex score dayes
he ys priue wt þe pope ; promyssours ht knoweþ
For symonye & hyr-selfe ; seleþ here bulles
he blesseþ þes bysschoppys ; be hy neuer so lewd
he prouendereþ persons ; & prestes he <ill><1-2 letters></ill>entayneþ
to hold lemmans & lotebyes ; alle here lyf dayes
& bryngeþ forþ chyldren ; a3ens <ill><1 word></ill> lawes
<lat></lat>
þer he ys welle wt any kyng~ ; <ill><1 word></ill> wo ys þe reame
For he ys fauorable to fals ; & þt defouleþ treuþe
by jesus wt iwelles ; þe justyse he schendes
he lyeþ a3ens þe lawe ; & lettes hem þe gates
þt fayþe may nou3t haue ys forþ ; h<ill><2-3 letters></ill> florines goþ so þikke
& ledeþ þe lawe as hyr lyste ; & louedayes makeþ
þorow suche louedayes ys lost ; þt leaute my3t wynne
<fol. 15v>þe mase for a mene man; 3yf he mote euere
lawe ys so lordlyche ; & loþe to make ende
wtouten presantes or pans ; it pleseþ ful+fewe .
trewe burgeys & bond ; to nou3t he bryngeþ ofte
& alle þe commune in care ; & in couetyse
Relygyous he al to reues ; & oute of reule hem brynges
þer nys cyte vnder sonne ; no so ryche reame
wtouten werre oþer wo ; oþer wikkede lawes
& customes of couetyse ; þe commune to destruy3e
vnsittyng~ suffraunse hyre syster & hyr-seluen
haueþ maked al moste ; bote marye þe helpe
þt no lond loue þe ; & 3yt lost þyn owen
For mede haþ kny3t clerkes ; & conciens togedres
þt alle þe wit of þys wordle ; ys waxen in-to gile
þus þys lady lereþ þy londe ; now lord 3yf hir~ sorw
For pour~ men der nou3t playne ; noþer playnt shew
Suche a mayster ys mede ; a-mong~ men of goude
Þan murnede mede ; menyng hir~ to þe kynge
to haue space to speke ; spede 3yf he my3t
þe kyng~ grantede hyr grace ; wt a goud wille
Exscuse þe 3yf þu canst ; y can no more seggen
For concyence consayleþ me ; to conge þe for euere
Nay lorde quod þt lady ; lyueþ hym þe werse
whan 3e wyteþ wyterly ; on wham þe wrong~ liggyþ
þere þt myschyf ys grete ; mede may helpe
& þt knoweþ concyens ; y com nou3t to chyde
Noþer to depraue þy persone ; wt a prout herte
wel þu wost witerly ; bote 3yf þu wylle gabbe
þu hast hangede on myn half ; enleuen tymes
& also grype of my gold ; gyff where þe lykede
why þu wraþest þe now ; wonder me þynkeþ
<fol. 16r>3it y may as y my3t ; quethe þe wt 3yftes
& mantayne þy manhode ; more þan þu knowest
bote þu hast famed me foule ; byfore þe kyng~ here
For gilte y neuer kyng~ ; no consailed so to done
Bote y haue y-saued my-self ; syxty þousande lyues
Boþe here & elles whar ; in alle+kunne londes
bote þu þy-self soþly ; who say hit derst
haues agast many hardy+man ; þt had wille to fy3te
to brenne & to berst ; to bete adon strengþes
Jn contreys þer þe kyng~ com ; concience hym lette
þt he my3t no3t afille hys foes ; þei fortune it wold
& as hys wardes were ordeyned ; by þe wil of our lord
kaytyfly þu concyence ; consayled þe kyng~ leten
Jn hys enemyes hondes ; hys eritage of frraunce
vn-connynge ys þt concience ; a kyngdom to selle
þt ys conquered þorow a commune help ; a kyngdom oþer a duche
May nou3t be sold souþly ; so many here parte askeþ
Of folke þt fau3te þerfore ; & folwede þe kyngis wille
þe lest lad þt longeþ to hym ; be þe londe ywonne
lokeþ after lordschype ; or oþer large mede
wharfore he may as a man; euer more lyfe aftre
& þt ys þe kynde of a kyng~ ; þt conqueres hys enemyes
to helpe heylyche hys men ; or elles to hem graunty
Al þt men may wynne ; to do þer-wt her best
For þt y consayle no kyng~ ; any consayl aske
at concience 3yf he couetyte ; to conquere a reame
For schal neuere conciens ; be my costable
were y a kyng~ y-crouned ; by mary quod mede
Ne be marchal ouer my men ; þer y moste fy3t
Bote hadde mede ben hys marchal ; ouer þe reme of fraunce
J durste haue y-leyde my lyf ; & no las wedde
<fol. 16v>he had be lord of þt londe ; on lengþe & in brede
& also kyng of þt y knowe ; hys kynne to+haue holpe
þe lest brol of hys blode ; a barons pere
vn connabelyche þu concience ; consaylest him þens
to lette go hys lordschyp ; for a lytel monye
hit be-comeþ for a kyng ; þt schal kepe a reame
To 3yuen men mede ; to mekely hym seruen
to alyens to alle men ; to onour~ hem wt 3yftes
Mede makeþ hym ; to be louede & for a+man yholden
Emperours & erles ; & alle manere lordes
þorow 3yftes haueþ 3emen ; to renne & to ryde
þe pope & al prelates ; presantes vnder-fongeþ
& 3yueþ mede to men ; to mentene here lawes
Seruantes for her seruyse ; med hy wille asken
& take mede of her maystres ; as hy may acorde
Beggers & bedmen ; craauen mede for her prayers
Mynstrales for her mynstrasye ; mede hy do asken
Maystres þt techeþ cherkes ; crauen for her mede
prestes þt precheþ & þe peple techeþ
Asken mede & masse pans ; & here mete boþe
Alle kynde craftes men ; crauen mede for her~ prentyse
Marchaundyse & mede ; mote nede go to-gedres
þer nys no lad þt lyueþ ; þt he ne loueþ mede
& glad forto gripe her ; grete lorde oþer pour~
Quod þe kyng~ to concyens ; by cryst at my knowyng~
Mede ys worþy me þynkeþ ; þe maystrye to haue
Nay quod concience to þe kyng~ ; clerkes wot þe souþe
þt mede ys mayntenour euer more of gyle
As þe sauter sheweþ ; by suche þt 3yuen mede
þt vnlawfullyche lyuen ; hauen large hondes
to <ill><1 word></ill> mede more oþer lasse
<fol. 17r>bote þer ys mede a-merced ; & boþe men demen
a deseyt for some men priue oþer elles
Mede many tymes men 3yuen ; byfore þe doyng~
& þt ys nou3t reson no ry3t ; noþer no remes lawe
<ill><1 word></ill> eny man mede touke ; bote he hit my3t deserue
& forto vndertake ; to trauayle for an-oþer
<ill><1 word></ill> wot neuere wyterly ; wher~ he lyue so longe
No haue happe to hys hele ; mede to deserue
J hold hym euer hardy ; or elles nou3t truwe
þt <lat></lat> ys payd ; or hys pay askes
harlotes & hores ; & al-so fals leches
þey asken her hyre ; or hy it haue deserued
& gyles gyuen byfore ; & gode men ate ende
whan þe dede ys done ; & þe day ended