<County: Warwickshire>
<Code: L4679>
<MS reference: London, BL Harley 875, Hand B>
<Text: Piers Plowman A>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 10r>þe lest barn of his blood a barouns per~
but soþely þou conscience þou conseildest hym þannes
to leue þat lordschip for a litel disese
þat is þe richest rowme þat reyn ouer houeþ
hit by-comeþ to a king þat kepiþ a rewme
to 3eue mede to to men þat menskly hym seruen
to aliens to alle men to onour~ hem wiþ 3eftis
mede makeþ him biloued & for a+man y-holde
dukis & erlis & alle maner lordis
þur3 3eftus han 3onge<?> men to renne & to ride
þe pope & his prelatus presentes vndirfongen
& meden greth men to meyntene her~ lawis
seruauntes for her seruice wite 3e forsoþ~
taken mede of her~ maisters as þei mowe acorde
beggers for her~ bedis bidden men mende
mynstrels for her~ murþe mede þei asken
þe king mediþ his men to make pees in londe
& þese kunnynge clerkis crauen vpon mede
prestis þat prechen þe puple to goode
asken mede & maspenyes & here mete eke
& alle manere craftis men crauen mede to her~ prentys
for mede & merchaundise most nede holde to-gedris
þer may no wi3t as J wene wiþ-oute mede lyue
¶ þo qd þe king to consciens by crist þat me made
mede is worþy myche maistry to haue
¶ nay qd consciens to þe king & knelid to þe grounde
þer beþ two manere of medis my lord by 3our~ leue
þat on god of his grace haþ grauntid in his blisse
to hem þat wel werchen while þei beþ her~
þe prophet it prechid & preued it in þe sauter
<lat></lat>
Take no mede my lord of men þat ben trewe
loue hem & leue hem for our~ lordis loue of heuen
godis mede & his mercy þer-wiþ mi3t þou wyn
but þere is a mede mesureles þat maistrie desireþ
to meynten mysdoers mede þei taken
& þat witnessiþ wel þe sauter of wicked men
<lat></lat>
þat here ri3t+hond so kepid ful of 3eftis
<fol. 10v>But he þat gripeþ siche 3eftis <?>o me god help
he shal abigge it bitterly or ellis þe boke lieþ
persouns & prestis þat pennyes desiren
to take mede & money for massis þat þei singen
þei hauen her~ mede on þis molde wiþ-outen eny more
þat laborers & lewid men taken of her~ maistris
hit nys no manere mede but mesurabel huyre
Jn merchaundise nys no mede y may it wel a-vowe
but a-pert permytacioun as a peny for anoþ<?>
Reddest þu neuer regum þat recreyed mede
how þat vegeauns fel on saul & his children
god sende hym to say by samuelis mowþe
þat agag of amalek & alle his puple after
shulde deie for a+dede þat don hadde his eldren
a3ens Jsrael & aaron & moises his+broþer
samuel seide to saul god sende þee to say
to be buxum & boun his bidding to werche
wende þou to amalek wiþ þine ost ; þe cuntr~ to quelle
children & cherlis dryue hem to deþe
loke þou kille þe king coueit not his goodis
for eny myliouns of money molde hem echone
burwes & bernes & bestis þou brenne
for he killed not þe king as crist hym self sende
but coueited þe catel & slow not her~ bestis
& brou3t wiþ hem her~ goodis as þe bible techiþ
god sende to sayþat saul shulde dey3
& all his seed for þat synne shendfulliche ende
suche a meschef mede made þe king to haue
þat god hatid hym for euer & alle his eires after
þe colour~ of þis kepe y not to shewe
þer samuel slowe agag & saul was y-blamyd
& dauid was diademyd & daunted hem alle
& on cristen king kept hem echone
J consciens knew þis for kynde witt me tau3t
þat resoun shal regne & rewmes gouerne
shal no more mede be maister vpon erþe
but loue & lownes & lewte togedris
lewte shal do hym lawe or lese his lyf ellis
shal no seriaunt for þat seruise . wer~ a selken howne
<fol. 11r>Ne no ray robe of riche pelur~
Mede wiþ her~ mysdedis makeþ hem so riche
þat lawe is lord waxen & lewte is pore
wickednes is comaunder & kyndenes is bansched
but kynde witt shal come 3it & consciens to-godris
& make of law a labrereer<? on patch in parchment> siche loue shal arise
<ill></ill>
SEsyth seyde the king ne mote 3e no more
3e schul sa3tene acorde forsoþe & serue me boþe
kisse hyr qd þe king conscience J bid þee
¶ Nay by crist J qd conscience coniuge<first minim added above line in what looks like orig. ink> me raþer
but resoun radde me þer-to leuer~ hadde y dey3e
¶ J comaunde þee quoþ þe king to conscience as swiþe
þat þou rape þee to ride resoun to fecche
& comaunde hym þat he come my counseil to hur~
for he shal reule my rewme & rede me for þe best
of mede & of oþer mo & what man shal hir~ haue
& a-counte wiþ þee consciens so me god help
how þou lernest my puple lerid & lewid
¶ J am fayn of þat foreward qd þe freke þen
& rideþ ri3t to resoun & rowneþ in his eer~
& sende as þe king bade & siþþe toke his leue
¶ J shal araie me to ride qd resoun rest þee a+while
he cliped catoun his knaue corteis of speche
set my sadel vpon suffr~ quod he ; til y se my tyme
& loke þou warrok hym wel wiþ swiþe fele gurþis
honge on hym þe heuy bridel to ber~ his heed lowe
3it wol he make many a wehe or he come þer~
¶ þen consciens on his capel caried forþ fast
& resoun wiþ hym rideþ & hastid hem swiþe
& in a wayn wysdome & witty his fer~
foleweden hem fast for þei hadde to done
in court & in chauncelrie to dischargen hem of þingis
& for resoun shulde reule hem & rede hem for þe best
& saue hem fram harme & fram shame also
conscience come erst to court by a myle
& romed forþ wiþ resoun & rau3t to þe kyng
Corteisly þe king welcomed resoun
& speken a gret while wisely to-gederis
<fol. 11v>þen come pes to þe perlement & put vp a bulle
how þt wrong a3ens his wille hadde his wyf taken
& how he rauaschid rose reygnaldis dou3ter
& molde of her~ maidenhod mawgr~ her~ chekis
boþe my gees & my grys his gadelingus fecchen
J durst not for drede of hem fi3te ne chyde
he borwid of me bayard & brou3t him neuer a-3eyne
ne no ferþing for hym for ou3t þat J cowde pleden .
he meinteneþ his men forto sle myn owen .
he forstalliþ my feires & fi3teþ in my chepynge
he brekiþ vp my berne dores & beriþ away my whete
& takiþ me þen a+taile of ten quarter ootis
& 3it he betiþ me þer-to & liþ by my maide
y nam not so hardy for hym vneþis to loke
þe king seide þis is soþ for conscience hit me tolde
wrong was a-ferd þo & wisdom he sou3t
to make his pes wiþ penyes & profrid forþ money
but pes wiþ his power~ pleyned on hym euere
wysdome wente þo & so dide hym witt
for þat wrong hadde ywrou3t so wicked a dede
& warned wrong þoo wiþ siche a wise tale
who-so werchiþ by wille makiþ wraþþe oft
we say it by þy-siluen þu shalt hit sone fynde
but yf mede make it þy meschef is vppe
for boþe þy lyf & þy lyme liþ in her~ grace
wrong þen vpon wisdom wepte to help
hym for his handidandy redeliche he paied
þen wisdom & witt wenten to-gedris
& toke mede wiþ hym mercy to wynne
pes put forþ his heed & his hode blody
wiþ-oute gult god wot hent J þis scaþe
þe king & conscience knewen þe soþe
& wisten wel þat wrong was a shrewe euere
but wisdom & witt weren aboute fast
to ouercome þe king wiþ mede 3if þei mi3te
þe king swore by crist & by his croun boþe
þat wrong for his werkis shulde woo þole


<Tranche 2>

<fol. 17v>take hem not in a-uenture þou maist hem not deserue
for þou shalt 3elde it a3en at one 3eris ende
in a wel perilous place þat purgatorie hatte
& mysbede not þy bonde-men þe better þou mi3t spede
& be trewe of þy tunge talis þou hate
but hit be wysdom & witt wicked men to chast
hold not wiþ harlotis hur~ not her~ tales
& nameliche at þe mete siche men exchewe
for it beþ þe deuels disours y do þee to vndirstonde
J assent by seint Jame seide þe kni3t þen
forto werche by þy wordis whil my lyf duriþ
& y shal aperail me qd perkyn in a palmerys wise
& wende wiþ þee on þe way til we fynde treuþe
he cast on his cloutid cloþis & his olde cokeris
& his coffis also for colde of his nailes
he heng his hoper on his rugge in stede of a scrip
a boyschel of bredcorn he brou3te þer-yn
for y wol sowe it my self quoþ he & siþþe wole y+wende
& who-so helpiþ me to erie or eny-þing to swink
he shal haue by our~ lord þe more hur~ in heruest
& make hym mery wiþ þe corn who-so hit bygrucchiþ
& alle manere craftis men þat kunne lyue in treuþe
J shal fynde hem foode feiþfully to lyuen
Saue Jacke þe iogeler~ & Jenot of þe styves
& Roberd þe ribauder~ for his rousty wordis
treuþe tolde me onys & bade me teche it ferþer
holi+churche is holde of hem no tiþe to aske
þei beþ ascaped good thrift god hem amende
<lat></lat>
Dame werche when time is peris wyf hatte
his dou3ter hat do ri3t so or þy dame wol þee bete
his sone hat suffre þy souereyns forto haue her~ wille
& deme hem not for 3if þou doist þou shalt it dere abigge
let god worþe wiþ al for so his word techiþ
for now J am old & y now haue of myn owen
to penaunce & pilgrimage y wol passe wiþ þese oþere
For-þy y wol or y wende write my testament
Jn þe name of god y make it my siluen
he shal haue my soule þat best haþ deserued
& defende it fram þe fend for so y bileue
til y come to his acountis as my crede techiþ
<fol. 18r>to haue a relese & a remissioun of þat rental for euer
þe churche shal haue my careyn & kepe þer my bonys
for of my catel & my corn he craueþ þe tiþe
J haue paied hym prestly for perel of my soule
he is holden y hope to to haue me in mynde
& mynwe me in his memorie among alle cristen
My wyf shal haue þat J wan wiþ treuþe & no more
& dele among my children & my frendis boþe
for þou3 y deied to-day my dettis beþ quyt
J bar~ home þat J borwed or J went to bedde
& wiþ þe recidewe & þe þe remelaunt by þe roode of chestr~
J wol worschipe þer-wiþ treuþe in my lyue
& be his pylgrym at þe plow for pore men sake
my plowbat shal be my pilgrimstaf to posse at þe rootis
& help my coltur to kerue & close þe forwis
Now is peris þe pilgryme to þe plow faren
to heren his half acr~ helpen hym many
Dichers & delueris di3ten vp þe bankis
þer-wiþ was perkyn a-payn<?> & preised hem ful 3erne
er werkmen þer weren þat wrou3ten ful+fast
Eche man in his manere made hym to done
& somme to plese perkyn piked vp þe wedis
An hast þen perkyn let þe plow3 stonde
to ouer-se hym self who þat best wrou3t
þei shulde be hurid þer-after when heruest tyme come
þen seten somme & songen at þe nale
& holpen hym to erie wiþ hay trolly lolly
Now by þe prince of paradise qd peris þo in wraþ
but 3e rise vp þe raþer & & rape 3ow to werche
shal no greyn þat growiþ glade 3ow at nede
& þou3 3e deie for þe defaut þe deuel haue þat recche
þen wer~ þer faitours fele þat feyned hem blynd
& somme leide þe leggis alery as suche losels kunne
& pleyned hem to peris wiþ suche pitous wordis
we haue no lymes to labore wiþ our~ lord we hit þonken
but we preie for þee peris & for þy plow boþe
for we may noþer swinke ne swete siche sikenes vs eyleþ
3if hit be soþe qd peris soone J shal aspie
<fol. 18v>3e beþ wastours J wot & treuþe woot þe soþe
J am his holde hyne & au3t hym to warne
Suche wastours in þe world his werkmen destroi3en
3e eten þat þei shulde ete þat erien for 3ow alle
But treuþe shal teche 3ow his teme for+to dryue
boþe to fette & to sowe & sauen his telþ
gast crowen fro þe corn & kepen his bestis
er 3e shult ete barly breed & of þe broke d<ill><rest of word></ill>
but 3e be blynde or bedrede or ellis broke shankid
þen shulle 3e haue as good as J so me god help
ancres & heremytes þat holdeþ hem in her~ cellis
Shul haue of myne almes while þat y lyue
J-nowe eche day at noon & no more til þe morwe
lest þe fend & her~ flesch folewen her~ soulis
onys at noon is y-now þat no werk ne vsiþ
he abideþ wel þe better þat ne bommeþ not to oft
þan by-gan wastour to-rise & wold haue yfou3te
To peris þe plowman one profrid his gloue
a britoner~ & bragger~ abostid hym also
& bade hym go pisse hym & his plow olde pilede shrewe
woltu neltu we wole haue y-now of þy flour~
& of þy flesch & þy fysch when þat vs likeþ
& make vs mery þer-wiþ mawgr~ þy chekis
þen peris þe plowman pleyned hym to þe kni3t
to kepe hym as couenaunt was fro þe corsed shrewis
fram wastours þat waiten wynners to shende
Cortesly þo þe kni3t as his kynde wolde
warned wastours & bade hem go werche
or þei shulde abigge by þe lawe by þe ordre þat he ber~
J was not woned to werche qd wastour 3it wole y not bygynne
& lete li3t of þe lawe & lasse of þe kni3t
& acountid peris at a pese & his plow boþe
& manasid hym & his men when þey next metten
Now by þe perel of my soule quoþ peris y shal apeir~ 3ou alle
& huntid after hunger þat herde hym at þe furst
wreke me on wastours qd peris þat þis world shenden
honger in hast hent wastour by þe mawe
& wrong hym so by þe wombe þat boþe his i3en watrid
<fol. 19r>& boffetid þe bretonere aboute boþe his chekis
þat he loked like a lanterne al his lyf after
he bete hem so boþe he barst ny3e her~ mawis
ne hadde peris wiþ a pese+lof y-preied hem to lyue
& wiþ a benne batt 3ede hem by-twene
& hitte honger þer wiþ amydde boþe his lippes
& made hym blede inward a bolle ful of gruel
Nadde þe ficisian <hole in parchment> furst defendid hym water
to a+bate þe ba<hole in parchment>ly bred & þe benys grounden
þei hadde be d<hole in parchment> by þis day & y-dolfe al warm
faitours for ferde þen flowe into bernes
& flappid on wiþ flailes fram morn to euen
þt hunger nas not so hardy on hem forto loke
for a potel of pesen þat peris let make
& an hepe of heremytes henten here<er expuncted?> spades
& doluen dritt & donge to ditte out honger
Blinde & bedraden wer~ botned a þousand
þat leien for blinde & for brokeleggid
vpon soft sonedaies by þe hi3e weie
honger hem heelid wiþ an oten cake
& lame mennys lymes wer~ liþed þat tyme
& by-comen knaues to kepe peris bestis
& preide for charite wiþ peris forto dwelle
al for couetise of his corn to caste a way honger
& peris was prout þerfore & put hem in offys
& 3af hem mete & money as þei mi3t deserue
þen hadde peris pite & preide honger to wende
into his owne erþe & holde hymm þer for euere
but y preie þee quoþ peris or þou passe forþer
of bedreden & beggeris what is best to done
J woot be þou went þei wol werche ful ille
þy self makiþ it iwis þei ben so meke nowþe
& for defaute of fode þus faste þei werchen
þei beþ myne breþeren of one blood for god made vs
treuþe tau3te me onys to loue hem echone
& help hem of alle þing after þat hem nediþ
now wolde J wite 3if þou wistist what wer~ þe <ill><1 word></ill>
how y my3t a-maistren hem & make hem to wer<ill><rest of word></ill>
her~ now quoþ honger & holde if for a wysdom
<fol. 19v>bolde bidders & beggers þat mowe here mete by swink
wiþ houndis+breed & hors+breed holde þow her~ mawes
a-baue hem wiþ bonys for bolnyng of her~ wombes
3if eny gromes grucche bidde hem go swink
& þei shuld sowpe þe swetter when þei haue deserued
& 3if þou fynde eny freek þat fortune haþ apeired
wiþ fur~ oþer wiþ fals men fonde siche forto knowe
confort hem wiþ þy catel for cristis loue of heuen
loue hem & lene hem for so lawe of <hole> kynde wole
& alle maner men þat þu mi3t aspie <hole>
þat ben nedy & naked & naue not to spende
wiþ mete oþer wiþ money lete hem fare þe better
er wiþ werk oþer wiþ wordis whils þou art here
<lat></lat>
make þee frendis þer-wiþ for so seiþ þe gospel
J wold not wraþþe god quoþ peris for al þe good on erþe
my3t y do synles as þou seist seide peris þen
3e y by+hote þee quoþ honger or ellis þe book lieþ
Jn sweting & swinking þou shalt þy mete tilie
& labore for þy lyuelode for so our~ lord biddiþ
so seiþ genosis þe gent gendrer of vs alle
<lat></lat>
þerfore he shal bigge & begge & no man bete his honger