Piers Plowman Electronic Archive

Piers Plowman Electronic Archive

Cambridge MS B.15.17 (W)

Passus 16

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Passus xvjus &c et primus de Dobet

W16.1NOw faire falle yow quod I þo · for youre faire shewyng
W16.2 For Haukyns loue þe Actif man · euere I shal yow louye
W16.3 Ac ȝit I am in aweer · what charite is to mene

W16.4It is a ful trie tree quod he · trewely to telle
W16.5 Mercy is þe more þer-of · þe myddul stok is ruþe
W16.6 The leues ben lele wordes · þe lawe of holy chirche
W16.7 The blosmes beþ buxom speche · and benigne lokynge
W16.8 Pacience hatte þe pure tree · and pure symple of herte
W16.9 And so þoruȝ god and þoruȝ goode men · groweþ þe fruyt Charite

W16.10 I wolde trauaille quod I þis tree to se · twenty hundred myle
And for to haue

W16.11 And for to haue my fulle of þat fruyt · forsake alle oþere saulees
W16.12 Lord quod I if any wight · wite whider-out it groweþ

W16.13 It groweþ in a gardyn quod he · þat god made hym-selue
W16.14 Amyddes mannes body · þe more is of þat stokke
W16.15 Herte highte þe herber · þat it Inne groweþ
W16.16 And liberum arbitrium · haþ þe871 lond þe ferme
W16.17 Vnder Piers þe Plowman · to piken it and to weden it

W16.18 Piers þe Plowman quod I þo · and al for pure Ioye
W16.19 That I herde nempne his name · anoon I swowned after
W16.20 And lay longe in a loue-dreem · and at þe laste me þouȝte
W16.21 That Piers þe Plowman · al þe place me shewed
W16.22 And bad me to toten on þe tree · on top and on roote
W16.23 Wiþ þre piles was it vnderpight · I parceyued it soone

W16.24 Piers quod I · I preie þee · whi stonde þise piles here

W16.25 For wyndes wiltow wite quod he · to witen it fro fallyng
W16.26Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur · quia dominus supponit manum suam872(c)
W16.27 And in blowyng tyme abite þe floures · but if þise piles helpe

W16.28 The world is a wikked wynd · to hem þat willen truþe
W16.29 Coueitise comþ of þat wynd · and crepeþ among þe leues
W16.30 And forfreteþ neiȝ þe fruyt · þoruȝ manye faire sightes
W16.31 Thanne with þe firste pil I palle hym doun · þat is potencia dei patris873(c)

W16.32 The flessh is a fel wynd · and in flouryng tyme
W16.33 Thoruȝ likynge and lustes · so loude he gynneþ blowe
W16.34 That it norisseþ nyce sightes · and som-tyme wordes
W16.35 And wikkede werkes þer-of · wormes of synne
W16.36 And forbiteþ þe blosmes · riȝt to þe bare leues

W16.37 Thanne sette I to þe secounde pil · Sapiencia dei patris

W16.38 That is þe passion and þe power · of oure prince Iesu
W16.39 Thoruȝ preieres and þoruȝ penaunces · and goddes passion in mynde
W16.40 I saue it til I se it ripen · and som-del yfruyted

W16.41 And þanne fondeþ þe fend · my fruyt to destruye
W16.42 Wiþ alle þe wiles þat he kan · and waggeþ þe roote
W16.43 And casteþ vp to þe crop · vnkynde Neighebores
W16.44 Bakbiteris breke þe cheste · brawleris and chideris
W16.45 And leiþ a laddre þer-to · of lesynges are þe ronges
W16.46 And feccheþ awey my floures som-tyme · afore boþe myne eighen
W16.47 Ac liberum arbitrium · letteþ hym som-tyme
W16.48 That is lieutenaunt to loken it wel · bi leue of my-selue

W16.49 Videatis qui peccat in spiritum sanctum numquam remittetur &c
W16.50Hoc est idem · qui peccat per liberum arbitrium non repugnat

W16.51 Ac whan þe fend and þe flessh · forþ wiþ þe world
W16.52 Manacen bihynde me · my fruyt for to fecche
W16.53 Thanne liberum arbitrium · laccheþ þe firste plante
W16.54 And palleþ adoun þe pouke · pureliche þoruȝ grace
W16.55 And help of þe holy goost · and þus haue I þe maistrie

W16.56 Now faire falle yow Piers quod I · so faire ye discryuen
W16.57 The power of þise postes · and hire propre myȝtes
W16.58 Ac I haue þouȝtes a þreve · of þise þre piles
W16.59 In what wode þei woxen · and where þat þei growed
W16.60 For alle are þei aliche longe · noon lasse þan ooþer
W16.61 And to my mynde as me þinkeþ · on o more þei growed
W16.62 And of o greetnesse · and grene of greyn þei semen

W16.63 That is sooþ quod Piers · so it may bifalle
W16.64 I shal telle þee as tid · what þis tree highte
W16.65 The ground þere it groweþ · goodnesse it hatte
W16.66 And I haue told þee what hiȝte þe tree · þe Trinite it meneþ

W16.67 And egreliche he loked on me · and þerfore I spared
W16.68 To asken hym any moore þer-of · and bad hym ful faire
W16.69 To discryue þe fruyt · þat so faire hangeþ

W16.70 Heer now byneþe quod he þo · if I nede hadde
W16.71 Matrimoyne I may nyme · a moiste fruyt wiþ-alle
W16.72 Thanne Continence is neer þe crop · as kaylewey bastard
W16.73 Thanne bereþ þe crop kynde fruyt · and clennest of alle
W16.74 Maidenhode Aungeles peeris · and raþest wole be ripe
W16.75 And swete wiþ-outen swellyng · sour worþ it neuere

W16.76 I preide Piers þo874 to pulle adoun · an Appul and he wolde
W16.77 And suffre me to assaien · what sauour it hadde

W16.78 And Piers caste to þe crop · and þanne comsed it to crye
W16.79 And waggede widwehode · and it wepte after
W16.80 And whan it meued matrimoyne · it made a foul noise
W16.81 And I hadde ruþe whan Piers rogged · it gradde so rufulliche
W16.82 For euere as þei dropped adoun · þe deuel was redy
W16.83 And gadrede hem alle togideres · boþe grete and smale
W16.84 Adam and Abraham · and Ysaye þe prophete
W16.85 Sampson and Samuel · and Seint Iohan þe Baptist
W16.86 Bar hem forþ bodily · no body hym letted
W16.87 And made of holy men his hoord · In limbo Inferni
W16.88 There is derknesse and drede · and þe deuel maister

W16.89 And Piers for pure tene · of þat a pil he rauȝte875
W16.90 He hitte after hym · hitte how it myȝte
W16.91Filius by þe fader wille · and frenesse of spiritus sancti
W16.92 To go robbe þat Rageman · and reue þe fruyt fro hym

W16.93 And þanne spak spiritus sanctus · in Gabrielis mouþe
W16.94 To a maide þat hiȝte Marie · a meke þyng wiþ-alle
W16.95 That oon Iesus a Iustices sone · moste Iouke in hir chambre

W16.96 Til plenitudo temporis · fully comen were
W16.97 That Piers fruyt floured · and felle to be rype
W16.98 And þanne sholde Iesus Iuste þer-fore · bi Iuggement of armes
W16.99 Wheiþer sholde fonge þe fruyt · þe fend or hym-selue

W16.100 The maide myldeliche þo · þe messager graunted
W16.101 And seide hendeliche to hym · lo me his hand-maiden
W16.102 For to werchen his wille · wiþ-outen any synne
W16.103Ecce ancilla domini fiat michi &c

W16.104 And in þe wombe of þat wenche · was he fourty woukes
W16.105 Til he weex a faunt þoruȝ hir flessh · and of fightyng kouþe
W16.106 To haue yfouȝte wiþ þe fend · er ful tyme come
W16.107 And Piers þe Plowman · parceyued plener tyme
W16.108 And lered hym lechecraft · his lif for to saue
W16.109 That þouȝ he were wounded with his enemy · to warisshen hym-selue
W16.110 And dide hym assaie his surgenrie876 · on hem þat sike were
W16.111 Til he was parfit praktisour · if any peril fille
W16.112 And souȝte out þe sike · and synfulle boþe
W16.113 And saluede sike and synfulle · boþe blynde and crokede
W16.114 And commune wommen conuertede · and to goode turnede
W16.115Non est sanis opus medicus · set in &c

W16.116 Boþe meseles and mute · and in þe menyson blody
W16.117 Ofte877 heeled swiche · he ne held it for no maistrie
W16.118 Saue þo he leched lazar · þat hadde yleye in graue
W16.119Quatriduanus quelt · quyk dide hym walke
W16.120 Ac as he made þe maistrie · mestus cepit esse
W16.121 And wepte water with hise eiȝen · þer seiȝen it manye
W16.122 Some þat þe sighte seiȝen · seiden þat tyme
W16.123 That he was leche of lif · and lord of heigh heuene
W16.124 Iewes iangled þer-ayein · and Iuggede lawes
W16.125 And seide he wroȝte þoruȝ wichecraft · & with þe deueles myȝte
W16.126Demonium habet878 &c

W16.127 Thanne are ye cherles quod ich · and youre children boþe
W16.128 And Sathan youre Saueour · ye-self879 now ye witnessen
W16.129 For I haue saued yow-self seiþ crist · and youre sones after
W16.130 Youre bodies · youre beestes · and blynde men holpen
W16.131 And fed yow wiþ two fisshes · and wiþ fyue loues
W16.132 And lefte baskettes ful of broke mete · bere awey who-so wolde
W16.133 And mysseide þe Iewes manliche · and manaced hem to bete
W16.134 And knokked on hem wiþ a corde · and caste adoun hir stalles
W16.135 That in chirche chaffareden · or chaungeden any moneie
W16.136 And seide it in sighte of hem alle · so þat alle herden

W16.137 I shal ouer-turne þis temple · and adoun þrowe it880
W16.138 And in þre daies after · edifie it newe
W16.139 And maken it as muche ouþer moore · in alle manere poyntes
W16.140 As euere it was and as wid · wher-fore I hote yow
W16.141 Of preieres and of parfitnesse · þis place þat ye callen
W16.142Domus mea domus oracionis vocabitur

W16.143 Enuye and yuel wil · was in þe Iewes
W16.144 Thei casten and contreueden · to kulle hym whan þei myȝte
W16.145 Eche day after ooþer · hir tyme þei awaiteden
W16.146 Til it bifel on a friday · a litel bifore Pasqe
W16.147 The þursday bifore · þere he made his maundee
W16.148 Sittynge at þe soper · he seide þise wordes
W16.149 I am sold þoruȝ oon of yow · he shal þe tyme rewe
W16.150 That euere he his Saueour solde · for siluer or ellis

W16.151 Iudas iangled þer-ayein · ac Iesus hym tolde
W16.152 It was hym-self sooþly · and seide tu dicis

W16.153 Thanne wente forþ þat wikked man · and wiþ þe Iewes mette
W16.154 And tolde hem a tokne · how to knowe wiþ Iesus
W16.155 And which tokne to þis day · to muche is yvsed
W16.156 That is kissynge and fair contenaunce · and vnkynde wille

W16.157 And so was wiþ Iudas þo · þat Iesus bitrayed
W16.158Aue raby quod þat Ribaud · and riȝt to hym he yede
W16.159 And kiste hym to be caught þer-by · and kulled of þe Iewes

W16.160 Thanne Iesus to Iudas · and to þe Iewes seide
W16.161 Falsnesse I fynde · in þi faire speche
W16.162 And gile in þi glad chere · and galle is in þi laughyng
W16.163 Thow shalt be myrour · to many men to deceyue
W16.164 Ac þe worse and þi wikkednesse · shal worþe vp-on þi-selue
W16.165Necesse est vt veniant scandala · ve homini illi per quem scandalum venit

W16.166 Thouȝ I bi treson be take · at youre owene wille
W16.167 Suffreþ myne Apostles in pees · and in pays gange
W16.168 On a þursday in þesternesse · þus was he taken
W16.169 Thoruȝ Iudas and Iewes · Iesus was his name
W16.170 That on þe friday folwynge · for mankyndes sake
W16.171 Iusted in Iherusalem · a ioye to vs alle
W16.172 On cros vp-on Caluarie · crist took þe bataille
W16.173 Ayeins deeþ and þe deuel · destruyed hir boþeres myȝtes
W16.174 Deide and deed881 for-dide · and day of nyȝt made

W16.175 And I awaked þer-wiþ · and wiped myne eiȝen
W16.176 And after Piers þe Plowman · pried and stared
W16.177 Estward and westward · I waited after faste
W16.178 And yede forþ as an ydiot · in contree to aspie
W16.179 After Piers þe Plowman · many a place I souȝte
W16.180 And þanne mette I wiþ a man · a mydlenten sonday
W16.181 As hoor as an haweþorn · and Abraham he highte
W16.182 I frayned hym first · fram whennes he come
W16.183 And of whennes he were · and whider þat he souȝte882
W16.184I am feiþ quod þat freke · it falleþ noȝt to lye
W16.185 And of Abrahames hous · an heraud of armes

W16.186 And883 seke after a segge · þat I seiȝ ones
W16.187 A ful bold bacheler · I knew hym by his blasen

W16.188 What berþ þat buyrn quod I þo · so blisse þee bitide

W16.189 Thre leodes in oon lyth · noon lenger þan ooþer
W16.190 Of oon muchel and myght · in mesure and in lengþe
W16.191 That oon dooþ alle dooþ · and ech dooþ bi his one

W16.192 The firste haþ myȝt and maiestee · makere of alle þynges
W16.193Pater is his propre name · a persone by hym-selue

W16.194 The secounde of þa884 sire is · Sothfastnesse filius
W16.195 Wardeyn of þat wit haþ · was euere wiþ-outen gynnyng

W16.196 The þridde highte þe holi goost · a persone by hym-selue
W16.197 The light of al þat lif haþ · alonde and a-watre
W16.198 Confortour of creatures · of hym comeþ alle blisse

W16.199 So þre bilongeþ for a lord · þat lordshipe cleymeþ
W16.200 Might and mene · to knowe his owene myȝte
W16.201 Of hym and of his seruaunt · and what þei suffre boþe

W16.202 So god þat gynnyng hadde neuere · but þo hym good þouȝte
W16.203 Sente forþ his sone · as for seruaunt þat tyme
W16.204 To ocupie hym here · til issue were spronge
W16.205 That is children of charite · and holi chirche þe moder
W16.206 Patriarkes and prophetes · and Apostles were þe children
W16.207 And Crist and cristendom · and cristene holy chirche
W16.208 In menynge þat man moste · on o god bileue
W16.209 And þere hym likede and louede · in þre persones hym shewede
W16.210 And þat it may be so and sooþ · manhode it sheweþ
W16.211 Wedlok and widwehode · wiþ virginite ynempned
W16.212 In tokenynge of þe Trinite · was out of man taken

W16.213 Adam was oure aller fader · and Eue was of hym-selue
W16.214 And þe issue þat þei hadde · it was of hem boþe
W16.215 And eiþer is oþeres ioye · in þre sondry persones
W16.216 And in heuene and here · oon singuler name
W16.217 And þus is mankynde and manhede · of matrimoyne yspronge
W16.218 And bitokneþ þe Trinite · and trewe bileue

W16.219 Mighty is matrimoyne · þat multiplieþ þe erþe
W16.220 And bitokneþ trewely · telle if I dorste
W16.221 Hym þat first formed al · þe fader of heuene

W16.222 The sone if I it dorste seye · resembleþ wel þe widewe
W16.223Deus meus Deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me

W16.224 That is creatour weex creature · to knowe what was boþe
W16.225 As widewe wiþ-outen wedlok · was neuere ȝit yseyȝe
W16.226 Namoore myȝte god be man · but if he moder hadde
W16.227 So widewe with-outen wedlok · may noȝt wel stande
W16.228 Ne matrimoyne with-outen Muliere · is noȝt muche to preise
W16.229Maledictus homo qui non reliquit semen in Israel &c

W16.230 Thus in þre persones · is parfitliche manhede
W16.231 That is man and his make · and mulliere children
W16.232 And is noȝt but gendre of a generacion · bifore Iesu crist in heuene
W16.233 So is þe fader forþ with þe sone · and fre wille of boþe
W16.234Spiritus procedens a patre & filio &c
W16.235 Which is þe holy goost of alle · and alle is but o god

W16.236 Thus in a somer I hym seiȝ · as I sat in my porche
W16.237 I roos vp and reuerenced hym · and riȝt faire hym grette
W16.238 Thre men to my siȝte · I made wel atese
W16.239 Wessh hir feet and wiped hem · and afterward þei eten
W16.240 Calues flessh and Cakebreed · and knewe what I þouȝte
W16.241 Ful trewe toknes bitwene vs is · to telle whan me likeþ

W16.242 First he fonded me · if I louede bettre
W16.243 Hym or ysaak myn heir · þe which he hiȝte me kulle
W16.244 He wiste my wille bi hym · he wol me it allowe
W16.245 I am ful siker in soule þer-of · and my sone boþe
W16.246 I circumscised my sone · siþen for his sake
W16.247 My-self and my meynee · and alle þat male weere
W16.248 Bledden blood for þat lordes loue · and hope to blisse þe tyme
W16.249 Myn affiaunce and my feiþ · is ferme in þis bileue
W16.250 For hym-self bihiȝte to me · and to myn issue boþe
W16.251 Lond and lordshipe · and lif wiþ-outen ende
W16.252 To me and to myn issue · moore yet he grauntede885
W16.253 Mercy for oure mysdedes · as many tyme as we asken
W16.254Quam olim Abrahe promisisti & semini eius

W16.255 And siþþe he sente me to seye · I sholde do sacrifise
W16.256 And doon hym worship with breed · and wiþ wyn boþe
W16.257 And called me þe foot of his feiþ · his folk for to saue
W16.258 And defende hem fro þe fend · folk þat on me leueden886

W16.259 Thus haue I ben his heraud · here and in helle
W16.260 And conforted many a careful · þat after his comynge waiteden
W16.261 And þus I seke hym he seide · for I herde seyn late
W16.262 Of a barn þat baptised hym · Iohan Baptist was his name
W16.263 That to patriarkes & to prophetes · and to ooþer peple in derknesse
W16.264 Seide þat he seiȝ here · þat sholde saue vs alle
W16.265Ecce agnus dei &c

W16.266 I hadde wonder of hise wordes · and of hise wide cloþes
W16.267 For in his bosom he bar a þyng · þat he blissed euere
W16.268 And I loked in his lappe · a lazar lay þer-Inne
W16.269 Amonges patriarkes and prophetes · pleyinge togideres

W16.270 What awaitestow quod he · and what woldestow haue

W16.271 I wolde wite quod I þo · what is in youre lappe

W16.272 Loo quod he and leet me see · lord mercy I seide
W16.273 This is a present of muche pris · what prynce shal it haue

W16.274 It is a precious present quod he · ac þe pouke it haþ attached
W16.275 And me þer-myde quod þat man · may no wed vs quyte
W16.276 Ne no buyrn be oure borgh · ne brynge vs fram his daunger
W16.277 Out of þe poukes pondfold · no maynprise may vs fecche
W16.278 Til he come þat I carpe of · crist is his name
W16.279 That shal deliuere vs som day · out of þe deueles power
W16.280 And bettre wed for vs legge · þan we ben alle worþi
W16.281 That is lif for lif · or ligge þus euere
W16.282 Lollynge in my lappe · til swich a lord vs fecche

W16.283 Allas I seide þat synne · so longe shal lette
W16.284 The myght of goddes mercy · þat myȝte vs alle amende
W16.285 I wepte for hise wordes · wiþ þat sauȝ I anoþer
W16.286 Rapeliche renne forþ · þe riȝte wey he wente
W16.287 I affrayned hym first · fram whennes he come
W16.288 And what he highte & whider he wolde · and wightly he tolde

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