<County: Worcestershire>
<Code: L7780>
<MS reference: London University Library, Sterling V.17>
<Text: Piers Plowman C>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 1r>IN a somur sesoun whan softe was þe sonne
J schop me in-to schrobbes as y a schepherde were
Jn a-byte as as an Eremite vnto holy werkes
J wente forþ in þe worlde wondres to here .
And sau3 mony selles and selcowthe þynges
And on a May+morwnyns on maruer+hulles
Me by-fel forto slepe for werynesse of wandryng~
And in a launde as y lay lened y and slepte .
And merueylously y mette as J may 3ow telle .
Al þe welþe of þys worlde and the wo boþe .
walkyng~ as hit were wyterly y sau3 hit
Of truþe and of trycherye tresoun and gyle
Al y sau3 slepyng~ as y schal 3ow telle .
Estewarde y behul aftur the sounne
And sau3 a toure as y trowede truþe was þer-ynne .
Westeward y waytede in a whyle aftur .
And sau3 a depe dale deþ as y leone
woned in tho wones and wyckede spyrites
A fair feld ful of folke fond y þer by-twene
Al maner of men þe mene and þe ryche .
worchynge and waundryng~ as þe world askeþ .
Summe puttem hem to þe plou3 and pleyden ful selde
In settyng~ and sowynge swonken ful harde .
And wonnon þe wastorus wt gloteny destruyen .
Summe putten hem to pruyde and paraylden hem þer-aftur .
Jn contenaunce of cloþynge in mony maner wyse
Jn preyers and penaunces putten hem monye .
Al for þe loue of oure lord lyueden ful harde
Jn hope to haue good ende and heuen ryche blys .
As ancres and eremytes þat holdeþ hem in here celles .
Coueyten nat in contreys to caryen a-bowte .
For no lycorous lyfuelode here lycame to plese .
And som chesoun chaffare þey cheuesede þe betere .
As hit semeþ to oure sy3t þat suche men þryueþ .
And somme murþes to make as mynistrals conneþ
þat wyllen neyþer swynke ne suete but suere gret oþus .
<fol. 1v>And fynden vp foul feyntises and fooles hem maken
And hauen wyt and wylle to worche 3yf þey wolde
þat paule precheþ of hem pro-euen hit y my3t .
<lat><three words></lat> is lucyferes knaue
Bydderes and beggeres . faste a-bowte 3eeden .
Tyl here bagge and here bely was bredful J.crammed
Faytynge for her foode and fou3ten at þe ale
Jn glotony þe goomes goþ þey to bedde .
And ryseþ wt rybaudye þo Robberes knaues .
Slepe and synful sleuthe duelleþ suche euere
Pylgryms and palmers ply3ten hem to-gedere
To seche seynt Jame and seyntus of rome
wenten forþ in here wey wt mony vnwyse tales .
And hauen leeue to lye al here lyf tyme .
Eremytes on an hep wt hoked staues
wenten to walsyngham and here wenches after
Gret lobers and longe and loþ were to swynke
Cloþed hem in copes to be knowe fram oþer
And made hem-selue Eremytes her ese to haue
y fonde þere of freres al þe foure ordres
Prechynge þe pepul for profyte of þe wombe
And glosyng~ þe gospel as hem good lyckede
For couetyse of copes contraryede somme doctours
Mony of þes maystres of mentynauns frerus
here money and here marchandyse marchen to-gederes
Ac seþ charyte haþ be chapmon & chyef to schryue lordes
Mony ferlys han fallen in a fewe 3eerus
But holy+chirche chop adoun suche schryuers
þe most myschyf on molde mounteþ vp faste .
þer preched a pardoner as he a preste were
And brou3t forþ a bulle wt bysschopes seales
he seyde þat hym-self my3t assoylen hem alle
Of falnesse of fastynge of vowes to-broke
lewede men leuede hym wel and lyked his wordes
Comen and kneleden to kyssen his bulles
he blessede hem wt his bulles and blered here ye
And rau3t wt his ragemon rynges broches .
<fol. 2r>þus 3e 3euen 3owir gold glotenus to helpe .
And leneþ hit to lorelles þat lechery haunten .
were þe bysschop blessud or worþ boþe his eren
his seal schuld nat be sent in deseyt of þe peple
Ac hit is nat by þe bysschop þat þe boye precheþ .
þe parysseþ prest & þe pardoner parten þe seluer
þat poure pepul in parysshes schold haue 3yf þey ne were
Persones and paryssh+prestus pleyned to þe bysschop .
þat here parysshes ben poure seþ þe pestylens tyme .
To haue lycense and leeue in london to duelle .
And synge þer for symonye whil seluer is swete .
Bysshopes and bachilers boþe maystirs and doctours
þat han cure vnder criste and crownynge in tokene
beþ charged wt holy chirche charyte to tulye
þat is leel loue and lyf amonge lered and lewed .
þey lyen in londoun in lenton and elles .
Somme seruen þe kynge and his seluer tellen .
Jn þe cheker and chauncellerye chalenge his dettes .
Of wardes and wardemotes waynes and straynes .
Somme aren as seneschalles and seruen <ill><1 word></ill> lordes .
And ben in stede of stuwardes and sitton and demen<?> .
Conscience cam and acusede hem and þe co<ill><....></ill> herde hit
And seyde ydolatrie 3e soffren in sondry <ill><two words></ill>
And boxes ben set forþ bo<ill><..></ill>den with jren
To vndurtake þe tol of vntrewe sacrifise
In menynge of myracles <ill><four words></ill>
Al þe world wot wel <ill><rest of line></ill>
Ac for hit profyteþ <ill><rest of line></ill>
þat lewede men in <ill><rest of line></ill>
J leue wel by oure lord for loue <ill><two words></ill>
þat al þe world be þe wors as holy wryt telleþ
what cheste<?> and <ill><five? words></ill>
Ful <ill><5 words?></ill> þorow to false prestes
For þe <ill><1 word></ill> of Ophyn . and fynes his broþer
þey were <ill><2 words></ill> batail and loften archa dei .
And for <ill><4 words?></ill> and soffred hem <ill><two words></ill>
And not <ill><5 words?></ill> rebuke hem .
<fol. 2v>Anonn as hit was told hym þat þe children of israel
weren dyscomfyt in batayle and archa dei . y-lore
And his sones slayn anon he ful for sorwe
Fro his chayer þer he sat & brak his necke a-tweyne
And al was for veniaunce þat he beted not his children .
And for þey weren prestes and menne of holy chirche
God was wel þe wroþer and toke þe raþer veniaunce
For-þy J say 3e prestes and men of holy chirche
þat suffren men do sacryfice & worschypen mawmetes
And 3e shuld be here fadres and teche hem betre
God schal take veniaunce on alle suche prestus
wel hardur and gretture on suche schrewede fadres
þe euer he dede on Ophyn and Fynees or on here fader
for 3oure schrewede suffraunce and 3oure owne synne .
3oure masse & 3oure matyns & mony of 3oure owres
Aren donn vndeuoulyche drede is at þe laste
leste criste in his constory of 3ow a-corse monye
J parceyuede of þe power þat petur hadde to kepe .
To bynde and to vnbynde as þe book telluþ .
how he is loste wt loue as oure lord wolde .
Amonnges four vertues moste vertues of vertues .
þat cardynals ben ycalde and closynge 3atus
þer criste is in kyndam to close wt heuene .
Ac of þe cardynals at court þat cau3te han suche a+name
And power presumen in hem-self a pope to make
To haue þe powere þat petur hadde jngunen<?> y nelle
For in loue and lecture lyþe þe grete elecconn .
Conturplede hit nau3t quaþ Conscience for holy chirches sake
þen kam þer a kynge kny3thod hym ladde
þe meche my3t of þo men made hym to regne .
þan come kynde wyt and kny3thod to-gederes
Casten þat þe comune contreouede alle craftes
And for most profytable to poeple a plou3 þey gunne make .
with lel labour to lyue wel lef and lond lasteþ .
þenne kynde+wyt to þe kyng~ and to þe comune seyde
Criste kepe þe kynge and þy kynde ryche
And loue þe lede so þy londe þt leaute þe louye .
<fol. 3r>And for þy ry3tful rulynge be rewarded in heuene
Conscience to clergye and to þe kynge seyde
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
Consciencie and þe kynge in-to courte wenten .
wher houed an hundred in houes of selke
Sergauns hit semeden þat seruen atte barre
To plede for penyes and poundes þe lawe
And nou3t for oure lordes loue vnlose here lyp ones
þow my3test beter mete þe myst on maluerne hulles
þan gete a+mom of here mouþ tyl monye be schewed .
þenne ranne þer a rowe of ratones as hit were
and smale Muys wt hem mo þen ten þowsand
Comen to a counsayl for here comune profit .
For a Cat of a Cote cam whan hym lyket
And ouer-hopped hem ly3tliche & lau3t hem at wylle
And pleyde wt summe perylously & put hem þer hym liked
And 3if we grucche of his gamen he wol greue vs sarrur
To his cleos clawon vs and in his cloches holde
þat vs loþeþ þe lyf er he lete vs passe .
My3t we wt eny wit his wil to wt-sette
we my3t be lordes of loft and lyuen as vs lusten .
þo seyde a ratoun of renoun most resonable of tonge
y haue seye gret sires in cyteus and in townes
Bere byes of bry3t gold al a-boute here neckes
And colers of crafty werkes boþe kny3tes & squyers
were þere a belle on here by3e by ihesu me þynkeþ
Men my3t wyte were þey wente and here way rowme
Ry3t so quaþ þe ratoun resoun me þynkeþ
A belle to buggen of bras or of bry3t seluer
And knutte hit on a coler for oure comune profit
And hange a-bowte þe cattes necke þan here we mowe
And a-pere in his presence whil hym pleye lykeþ .
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 83r><line 33>Wel wery & wetschod went y forþ aftur
As recheles renk þt reccheþ nat of sorowe
A 3eede forþ like a lorel al my lyf tyme
Tyl y wexe wery of þis world and wilned efte slepe
Of gurles and of gloria laus gretliche me dremede .
<fol. 83v>And how osanna by orgen olde men songen
On was semblable to þe samaritan & somdel to pers plouhman .
Barfot on an asse bak botles cam prykynge
wt-oute spores oþur spere ac braglyche he lokede
As is þe kynde of a kny3t þat comeþ to beo dobet .
To getonn his gult spores and galeges y-coped
þenne was faith in a fenestre and cryde <lat>fili dauid</lat>
As doþ an heraud of armes when auntres comedþ to iouste .
Olde iewes of ierusalem . for ioye þey songen .
þan y frayned at faith what al þat fare by-mente
and ho scholde iousten in ierusalem ihesuc he seyde
And fecche þat þe feond cleymeþ peres fruyte þe ploulman .
Js peres in þis place qd y & he pryked vp-on me
<lat>liberum dei arbitrium</lat> qd he for loue haþ vndurtake
þat þes ihesuc of is gentrye schal iouste in peres armes
Jn his helm & in his hauberioun <lat>humana natura</lat>
þat criste be not y-knowe for <lat>consummatus deus . </lat>
Jn peres plates þe plouhman þeos prykyere schal ryde
For no dynt schal hym dere as in<lat><two words></lat>
ho schal iouste wt ihesus qd y iewes or scribes
Nay quaþ fayþ but þe feonde & fals dom to dye
Deþ seyþ he wol fordo and adoun brynge
Al þat lyueþ or lokeþ a lounde & in watere
Lyf seyþ he lyeþ and haþ leyd his lyf to wedde
þt for al þat deþ can do with-in þre dayes
To walke & fecche fro þe feond peres fruyt þe plouhman
And legge hit þer hym lykeþ and lucifer bynde
And for-byte adoun and brynge bale deþ for euere
þenne can pilatus with muche poeple
To seo heu dou3tyliche deþ schold do & deme her breþ ry3te
þe iewes & þe iustices a3eyns ihesuc þey were
And alle þe court cryede <lat>crucifige</lat> looude
þenne putte hym a pelour by-fore pilat and seyde
þes ihesuc of oure iewene temple iapede & despisede
To for-doun hit on a day & in þre dayes after
Edifyen hit eft newe her he stant þat seyde hit
And 3ut maken hit as muche in alle manere poyntes
<fol. 84r>Boþe as longe & as large a loft and a grounde
And as wyde as hit euer was þis we witnes alle
<lat>crucifige</lat> qd a kachepol he can of wicche-crafte
tolle tolle quaþ anoþer and tok of kene þornes
And bygan of grene þorne a garlaunde to make
And sette hit sore on his heued and seþ seyde in enuye .
Aue rabby qd þat rybaud & reodes schotte at his yen
And nayled hym wt yre nayles naked on þe roode
And wt a pole poyson putten to his lippes
And bede hym drynke his deþe to lette & his dayes lengþen
And seyde yf he soþfaste beo he wol hym-selue helpon
And now 3yf þow be criste criste godes sone
Com adoun of þis roode and þen wol we leue
þat lyf þe louyeþ and wol nat let þe dye
<lat>Consummatum est</lat> quaþ criste & comsed for to swouene
Pytousliche & pale as prysoun þat dyeþ
þe lord of lyf & of ly3t þo leyd is yen to-gederes
þe day for drede þerof withdrou3 & derke by-cam þe sonne
þe wal of þe temple to-clef euyn a tw peces
þe hard roche al to-ref & ritht deorke ny3t hit semed
þe erþe quok & quakede as hit quycke wore
And dede men for þat deone comen out of deop graues
And tolde why þat tempest so longe tyme durede
For a bittur batayle þe dede body sayde
Lyf & deeþ in þis derknesse here oun fordoþ þat oþer
Ac schal no why3te wite witturly ho shal haue þe maistrie
Or sonne-day a-boute þe sonne rysynge & sank wt þt til eorþe
Summe sayde he was godes sone þat so fayr deyde
Sum sayde he can of sorcerye good is þat we assaye
wher he beo ded or nat ded doun or he beo take
þo þeues þer were þoleden deþ þat tyme .
vpon croys by-sydes criste so was þe comune lawe
Quyclyche cam a kachepol & craked a two here legges
And here armes after of eueryche of þo þeues
Ac þer was no boy so bolde godes body to touche
For he was kny3t & kynges sone kynde for3at þt tyme
þat no boy hadde hardynesse hym touche in dyinge .
<fol. 84r>Ac þer cam forþ a blynt kny3t with kene spere y-grounde
Hy3t longius as þe lettre telluþ & lonnge had lore his sy3t
Byfore pilat & oþer poeple in þe place he houede
Maugrey his mony teþ he was mad þat tyme
To iouste with ihesuc þis blynde iewe longius .
For alle hy weren vnhardy þt houeden þer or stode
To touche hym or to tryne hym or to taken hym doun or graue hym .
But þis blynde bacheler þt bar hym þorow þe herte
þe blood sprand doun by þe spere & vnsperred þe kny3tes yen .
þo ful þe kny3t vpon kneos & cryede ihesu mercy
A3eyns my wil hit was quaþ he þat y 3ow wounde made
he sy3ed & seyde sore hit me for-þynkeþ
Of þe dede þat y haue donn y do me in 3owre grace
My lond & my lycame at 3oure lykynge takeþ hit
And haue mercy on me ry3tful ihesu ry3t wt þat he wepte
þenne gan fayþ foully þe false iewes to despysen
And calde hem caytyf acorsed for þis was a+vyle vylanye
veniaunce is to 3ow falle þat makede þe blynde
Beten hym þat was ded hit was a+boyes dede
Corsed caityf kny3thod was hit neuere
To bete a body bounde wt eny bry3t wepene
þe gree 3it haþ he getonn for alle his grete woundes
For 3oure chaumpyon chyualer chyef kny3t of 3ow alle
3elt hym recreaunt remynge ry3t at ihesu wil
For beo þis dernesse y-do deþ worþ y-venkysed
And 3ee lordynges han lost for lyf schal haue þe maistrie .
And 3owre fraunchyse þt freo was fallen is to þraldome
And al 3oure children cherles cheuen schul þey neuer
Ne haue lordschipe in londe noþur lond tulye
And as barayne bee by vsure lybbe
þe whiche is lyf þat our lorde in alle lawes defendeþ
Now beoþ 3oure good dayes donn as daniel
when criste with croys ouercam 3oure kyndom schal to-cleue
what for fere of þis ferly & of þis false iuwes
J drow in þat derkenesse to <lat>descendit ad inferna .</lat>
And þer y sayh soþly <lat></lat>
Out of þe west as hit were a wenche as me þouhte
<fol. 85r>Cam walkynge in þe way to helle ward he lokede
Mercy hihte þat mayde a mylde þynge with alle
And ful benygne burde and buxom of speche
Heore suster as hit semede cam softly walkynge
Euene out of þe est & westwarde he þouþte
A comely creature & clene trewþe scheo hyhte
For þe vertu þat heore folowede aferd was scheo neuer
when þis mayden metten mercy and treuþe
Ayþur axede of oþer of þis grete wondur
Of þe dene and derknesse & how þe day roued
And whiche a ly3t & leem lay by-fore helle
J haue ferly of þis fare in fayþ seyde treuþe
And y am wendynge to wyte what þis wonder meneþ
Haue no meruayle þer-of quaþ mercy murþe hit bytokneþ
A+mayde þat hatte marie & moder wt-oute velynge
Of eny kynde of creature conceyued þorow speche
And grace of þe holy gost wax gret with childe
wt-oute wommone wem in-to þis world brou3t hym
And þat my tale is trewe y take god to witnese
Syþen þis barn was y-bore beoþ þrytty wynter passed
Deyde & deþ þolede þis day a-boute mydday
þat is þe cause of þis eclipce þt ouerclose now þe sonne
Jn menynge þt man schal fro merkenesse beo drawe
þe while þis ly3t & þis leom schal lucifer ablynde
For patriarkes & prophetes han preched her-of ofte
þat þynge þat tynt was with treo . treo schal hit wynne
And þat þt deþ donn brou3te del schal releue
þat þt þow tellest quaþ treuþe is but a tale of walterot
For adam and eue and abraham with oþere
patriarkes & prophetes þat in þe peyne lyggen
Leef hit neuere þat 3eon liht hem alofte brynge
Ne haue hem out of helle hold þy tonge mercy
Jt is trufle þat þow tellest y treuþe wot þe soþe
þat þynge þat ones is in helle out comeþ hit neuere
for+iob þe parfit patriarke repreoueþ þy saweþ
<lat><one line></lat>
þen mercy ful myldeliche mouþede þeos wordes .