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Piers Plowman Electronic Archive

Cambridge MS B.15.17 (W)

Passus 7

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Passus .vijus. de visione vt supra

W7.1TReuþe herde telle her-of · and to Piers he sente
W7.2 To maken his teme · and tilien þe erþe
W7.3 And purchaced hym a pardoun · a pena & a culpa
W7.4 For hym and for hise heires · for euere-moore after
W7.5 And bad hym holde hym at home · and erien hise leyes
W7.6 And alle þat holpen hym to erye · to sette or to sowe
W7.7 Or any ooþer mestier · þat myȝte Piers auaille
W7.8 Pardon wiþ Piers Plowman · truþe haþ ygraunted

W7.9 Kynges and knyȝtes · þat kepen holy chirche
W7.10 And riȝtfully in Remes · rulen þe peple
W7.11 Han pardon þoruȝ purgatorie · to passen ful liȝtly
W7.12 Wiþ Patriarkes and prophetes · in paradis to be felawe

W7.13 Bysshopes yblessed · if þei ben as þei sholde
W7.14 Legistres of boþe lawes · þe lewed þer-wiþ to preche
W7.15 And in as muche as þei mowe · amenden alle synfulle
W7.16 Arn peres wiþ þe Apostles · þis pardon Piers sheweþ
W7.17 And at þe day of dome · at þe heiȝe deys sitte

W7.18 Marchauntz in þe margyne · hadde manye yeres
W7.19 Ac noon A pena & a culpa · þe pope nolde hem graunte
W7.20 For þei holde noȝt hir halidayes · as holy chirche techeþ
W7.21 And for þei swere by hir soule · and so god moste hem helpe
W7.22 Ayein clene Conscience · hir catel to selle

W7.23 Ac vnder his secret seel · truþe sente hem a lettre
W7.24 That þei sholde buggen boldely · þat hem best liked
W7.25 And siþenes selle it ayein · and saue þe wynnyng
W7.26 And amende Mesondieux þer-myd · and myseise folk helpe
W7.27 And wikkede weyes · wightly amende
W7.28 And do boote to brugges · þat tobroke were
W7.29 Marien maydenes · or maken hem Nonnes
W7.30 Pouere peple and prisons · fynden hem hir foode

W7.31 And sette Scolers to scole · or to som oþere craftes
W7.32 Releue Religion · and renten hem bettre
W7.33 And I shal sende yow my-selue · Seint Michel myn Archangel
W7.34 That no deuel shal yow dere · ne fere yow in youre deying
W7.35 And witen yow fro wanhope · if ye wol þus werche
W7.36 And sende youre soules in saufte · to my Seintes in Ioye

W7.37 Thanne were Marchauntz murie · manye wepten for ioye
W7.38 And preiseden Piers þe Plowman · þat purchaced þis bulle

W7.39 Men of lawe leest pardon hadde · þat pleteden for Mede
W7.40 For þe Sauter saueþ hem noȝt · swiche as take ȝiftes
W7.41 And nameliche of Innocentz · þat noon yuel ne konneþ

W7.42Super innocentem munera non accipies

W7.43 Pledours sholde peynen hem · to plede for swiche and helpe
W7.44 Princes and prelates · sholde paie for hire trauaille

W7.45A Regibus & principibus erit merces eorum

W7.46 Ac many a Iustice and Iurour · wolde for Iohan do moore
W7.47 Than pro dei pietate · leue þow noon ooþer

W7.48 Ac he þat spendeþ his speche · and spekeþ for þe pouere           230(n)
W7.49 That is Innocent and nedy · and no man apeireþ           231(n)
W7.50 Conforteþ hym in þat caas · wiþ-outen coueitise of ȝiftes           232(n)
W7.51 And sheweþ lawe for oure lordes loue · as he it haþ ylerned           233(n)
W7.52 Shal no deuel at his deeþ-day · deren hym a myte
W7.53 That he ne worþ saaf and his soule · þe Sauter bereþ witnesse

W7.54 Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo

W7.55 Ac to bugge water ne wynd · ne wit ne fir þe ferþe

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W7.56 Thise foure þe fader of heuene · made to þis foold in commune
W7.57 Thise ben truþes tresores · trewe folk to helpe
W7.58 That neuere shul wexe ne wanye · wiþ-outen god hym-selue
W7.59 Whan þei drawen on to deye · and Indulgences wolde haue
W7.60 Hir pardon is ful petit · at hir partyng hennes
W7.61 That any Mede of mene men · for hir motyng takeþ
W7.62 Ye legistres and lawieres · holdeþ þis for truþe
W7.63 That if þat I lye · Mathew is to blame
W7.64 For he bad me make yow þis · and þis prouerbe me tolde

W7.65Quodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines · facite eis           234(n)

W7.66 Alle libbynge laborers · þat lyuen wiþ hir hondes235(c)           236(n)
W7.67 That treweliche taken · and treweliche wynnen           237(n)
W7.68 And lyuen in loue and in lawe · for hir lowe hertes           238(n)
W7.69 Haueþ þe same absolucion · þat sent was to Piers           239(n)

W7.70 Beggeres ne bidderes · ne beþ noȝt in þe bulle
W7.71 But if þe suggestion be sooþ · þat shapeþ hem to begge
W7.72 For he þat beggeþ or bit · but if he haue nede           240(n)
W7.73 He is fals wiþ þe feend · and defraudeþ þe nedy           241(n)
W7.74 And also he bigileþ þe gyuere · ageynes his wille
W7.75 For if he wiste he were noȝt nedy · he wolde ȝyue þat anoþer
W7.76 That were moore nedy þan he · so þe nedieste sholde be holpe
W7.77 Caton kenneþ me þus · and þe clerc of stories
W7.78Cui des videto · is Catons techyng           242(n)

W7.79 And in þe stories he techeþ · to bistowe þyn almesse
W7.80Sit elemosina tua in manu tua donec studes cui des           243(n)

W7.81 Ac Gregory was a good man · and bad vs gyuen alle           244(n)
W7.82 That askeþ for his loue · þat vs al leneþ           245(n)
W7.83Non eligas cui miseriaris neforte pretereas illum qui meretur accipere246(c)

fol.42v

W7.84Quia incertum est pro quo deo magis placeas           247(n)
W7.85 For wite ye neuere who is worþi · ac god woot who haþ nede           248(n)
W7.86 In hym þat takeþ is þe trecherie · if any treson walke           249(n)
W7.87 For he þat yeueþ yeldeþ · and yarkeþ hym to reste
W7.88 And he þat biddeþ borweþ · and bryngeþ hym-self in dette
W7.89 For beggeres borwen euere-mo · and hir borgh is god almyȝty
W7.90 To yelden hem þat yeueþ hem · and yet vsure moore

W7.91 Quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam
vt ego veniam cum vsuris exigere

W7.92 For-þi biddeþ noȝt ye beggeres · but if ye haue gret nede
W7.93 For who-so haþ to buggen hym breed · þe book bereþ witnesse
W7.94 He haþ ynouȝ þat haþ breed ynouȝ · þouȝ he haue noȝt ellis

W7.95 Satis diues est qui non indiget pane           250(n)

W7.96 Lat vsage be youre solas · of seintes lyues redyng
W7.97 The book banneþ beggerie · and blameþ hem in þis manere

W7.98 Iunior fui etenim senui & non vidi iustum derelictum ne251 semen eius &c

W7.99 For ye lyue in no loue · ne no lawe holde
W7.100 Manye of yow ne wedde noȝt · þe womman þat ye wiþ deele
W7.101 But as wilde bestes with wehee · worþen vppe and werchen
W7.102 And bryngen forþ barnes · þat bastardes men calleþ
W7.103 Or þe bak or som boon · he brekeþ in his youþe
W7.104 And siþþe goon faiten with youre fauntes · for euere-moore after
W7.105 Ther is moore mysshapen peple · amonges þise beggeres           252(n)
W7.106 Than of alle manere men · þat on þis moolde walkeþ           253(n)
W7.107 And þei þat lyue þus hir lif · mowe loþe þe tyme           254(n)
W7.108 That euere þei were men wroȝt · whan þei shal hennes fare           255(n)

fol.43r

W7.109 Ac olde men and hore · þat helplees ben of strengþe
W7.110 And wommen wiþ childe · þat werche ne mowe
W7.111 Blynde and bedreden · and broken hire membres
W7.112 That taken þise myschiefs mekeliche · as Mesels and oþere
W7.113 Han as pleyn pardon · as þe Plowman hym-selue
W7.114 For loue of hir lowe hertes · oure lord haþ hem graunted
W7.115 Hir penaunce and hir Purgatorie · here on þis erþe
W7.116 Piers quod a preest þoo · þi pardon moste I rede
W7.117 For I wol construe ech clause · and kenne it þee on englissh

W7.118 And Piers at his preiere · þe pardon vnfoldeþ
W7.119 And I bihynde hem boþe · biheld al þe bulle
W7.120 And in two lynes it lay · and noȝt a leef moore
W7.121 And was writen riȝt þus · in witnesse of truþe

W7.122 Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam           256(n)
W7.123Qui vero mala in ignem eternum257(c)          258(n)

W7.124 Peter quod þe preest þoo · I kan no pardon fynde
W7.125 But dowel and haue wel · and god shal haue þi soule           259(n)
W7.126 And do yuel and haue yuel · hope þow noon ooþer           260(n)
W7.127 But after þi deeþ-day · þe deuel shal haue þi soule           261(n)

W7.128 And Piers for pure tene · pulled it atweyne
W7.129 And seide Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis           262(n)
non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es

W7.130 I shal cessen of my sowyng quod Piers · & swynke noȝt so harde
W7.131 Ne aboute my bely ioye · so bisy be namoore
W7.132 Of preieres and of penaunce · my plouȝ shal ben her-after
W7.133 And wepen whan I sholde slepe · þouȝ whete breed me faille

W7.134 The prophete his payn eet · in penaunce and in sorwe

fol.43v

W7.135 By þat þe Sauter seith · so dide othere manye
W7.136 That loueþ god lelly · his liflode is ful esy
W7.137 Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte           263(n)

W7.138 And but if luc lye · he lereþ vs by foweles
W7.139 We sholde noȝt be to bisy · aboute þe worldes blisse
W7.140Ne soliciti sitis  he seiþ in þe gospel
W7.141 And sheweþ vs by ensamples · vs-selue to wisse
W7.142 The foweles in þe feld · who fynt hem mete at wynter           264(n)
W7.143 Haue þei no gerner to go to · but god fynt hem alle           265(n)

W7.144 What quod þe preest to Perkyn · Peter as me þynkeþ
W7.145 Thow art lettred alitel · who lerned þee on boke

W7.146 Abstynence þe Abbesse quod Piers · myn /a/· b/· c ·/ me tauȝte
W7.147 And Conscience cam afterward · and kenned me muche moore

W7.148 Were þow a preest quod he · þou myȝtest preche where þou sholdest
W7.149 As diuinour in diuinite · wiþ Dixit insipiens to þi teme

W7.150 Lewed lorel quod Piers · litel lokestow on þe bible
W7.151 On Salomons sawes · selden þow biholdest
W7.152Ecce derisores & iurgia cum eis ne crescant &c

W7.153 The preest and Perkyn · opposeden eiþer ooþer
W7.154 And I þoruȝ hir wordes awook · and waited aboute
W7.155 And seiȝ þe sonne in þe South · sitte þat tyme
W7.156 Metelees and moneilees · on Maluerne hulles
W7.157 Musynge on þis metels · and my wey ich yede
W7.158MAny tyme þis metels · haþ maked me to studie
W7.159 Of þat I seiȝ slepynge · if it so be myȝte

fol.44r

W7.160And also for Piers þe Plowman · ful pencif in herte
W7.161 And which a pardon Piers hadde · al þe peple to conforte
W7.162 And how þe preest inpugned it · wiþ two propre wordes
W7.163 Ac I haue no sauour in Songewarie · for I se it ofte faille
W7.164 Caton and Canonistres · counseillen vs to leue
W7.165 To sette sadnesse in Songewarie · for sompnia ne cures
W7.166 Ac for þe book bible · bereþ witnesse
W7.167 How Daniel diuined · þe dreem of a kyng
W7.168 That was Nabugodonosor · nempned of clerkes

W7.169 Daniel · seide sire kyng · þi dremels bitokneþ
W7.170 That vnkouþe knyȝtes shul come · þi kyngdom to cleyme
W7.171 Amonges lower lordes · þi lond shal be departed
W7.172 And as Daniel diuined · in dede it fel after
W7.173 The kyng lees his lordshipe · and lower men it hadde

W7.174 And Ioseph mette merueillously · how þe moone and þe sonne
W7.175 And þe elleuene sterres · hailsed hym alle

W7.176 Thanne Iacob iugged · Iosephes sweuene
W7.177Beau fitz quod his fader · for defaute we shullen
W7.178 I my-self and my sones · seche þee for nede

W7.179 It bifel as his fader seide · in Pharaoes tyme
W7.180 That Ioseph was Iustice · Egipte to loke
W7.181 It bifel as his fader tolde · hise frendes þere hym souȝte
W7.182 And al þis makeþ me · on þis metels to þynke

W7.183 And how þe preest preued · no pardon to dowel
W7.184 And demed þat dowel · Indulgences passed
W7.185 Biennals and triennals · and Bisshopes lettres
W7.186 And how dowel at þe day of dome · is digneliche vnderfongen
W7.187 And passeþ al þe pardon · of Seint Petres cherche

W7.188 Now haþ þe pope power · pardon to graunte þe peple
W7.189 Wiþ-outen any penaunce · to passen in-to heuene
W7.190 This is oure bileue · as lettred men vs techeþ

W7.191 Quodcumque ligaueris super terram · erit ligatum & in celis &c

W7.192 And so I leue leelly · lordes forbode ellis
W7.193 That pardon and penaunce · and preieres doon saue
W7.194 Soules þat haue synned · seuen siþes dedly
W7.195 Ac to truste to þise triennals · trewely me þynkeþ
W7.196 Is noȝt so siker for þe soule · certes as is dowel

W7.197 For-þi I rede yow renkes · þat riche ben on þis erþe
W7.198 Vp-on trust of youre tresor · triennals to haue
W7.199 Be ye neuer þe bolder · to breke þe .x. hestes
W7.200 And namely ye maistres · Meires and Iugges
W7.201 That haue þe welþe of þis world · and for wise men ben holden
W7.202 To purchace yow pardon · and þe popes bulles
W7.203 At þe dredful dome · whan dede shulle rise
W7.204 And comen alle tofore crist · acountes to yelde
W7.205 How þow laddest þi lif here · and hise lawes keptest
W7.206 And how þow didest day by day · þe doom wole reherce
W7.207 A poke-ful of pardon þere · ne prouincials lettres
W7.208 Theiȝ ye be founde in þe fraternite · of alle þe foure ordres
W7.209 And haue Indulgences double-fold · but if dowel yow helpe
W7.210 I sette youre patentes and youre pardon · at one pies hele

W7.211 For-þi I counseille alle cristene · to crie god mercy ·
W7.212 And Marie his moder · be oure meene bitwene
W7.213 That god gyue vs grace here · er we go hennes
W7.214 Swiche werkes to werche · while we ben here
W7.215 That after oure deeþ-day · dowel reherce
W7.216 At þe day of dome · we dide as he hiȝte

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