<County: Shropshire>
<Code: L4218a>
<MS reference: London, BL Add. 34779>
<Text: Piers Plowman C>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 8r><lat></lat>
and dauid vndoþ him-selff as þe dombe sheweþ
<lat></lat>
To-morwe worþ mede iweddet to a+manset wreche
To on fauel faiþles off þe deuels kynne
Fauel þru3 his flatering speche haþ mede foul enchaunted
And al is liars leding þat þis ladi is þus iweddet
Soffre and þou schalt see suche as ben apaide
Þat mede is þus imaried to-morue þou schalt aspie
Knowe hem wel iff þou canst and kepe þe fro hem alle
Þat loueþ her lordschip lasse oþur more
Lakke hem nou3t but lat hem wor+þe / til lewte be iustice
And haue power to punisch hem þan put forþ þi resoun
For i+bi-kenne þe crist quod sheo and his clene modur
And acombre neuer þi conciens to couetis off mede
Þus lafft me þat ladi ligging aslepe
And sai3 how mede was maried meting as hit wer
Alle þe riche retenans þat roteeþ hem off fals liuing
Weren beden to þe bridale off boþe half þe contree
Off mani maner men þat off mede kin wer~
Off kni3tes and clerkes and off comin peple
As sisours somnores shire-reues and her clerkes
Bedels and bailliffs and brokers off chaffar~
Fore-goers off vitaillers and voketes off þe arches
y can nou3t rikne þe rowte þat ran abowt mede
Ac ciuile and simonie ˆ <mrg>and</mrg> cisours off contrees and <and in diff hand?>
Weren most priue wiþ mede off any men me þou3t
Ac fauel was þe furst þat fette hure out off chambr~
And a+brokour brou3t hur~ forþ to ioingne hur~ to fals
When simoni and ciuile isai3 þer boþe wille
Þei assenteden hit wer so at seluers praier
Þan leop liar forþ and said hier a+chartre
Þat gile haþ 3euen to falshed . and graunted also to mede
And preieþ ciuile to see hit / and symony to red hit
Þenne symony and ciuile standeþ forþ boþe
And vnfeldet þe fefment þat fals had made
Þen said symony þat ciuile hit herd
Al þat loueþ and bileueþ up liking off mede
Leueþ hit trewly þis worþ her last mede
Þat folweþ falsnes fauel and liar
Mede and suche men þat afftur mede waiten
<lat></lat>
Witen and witnessen þat woneþ on erþe
<fol. 8v>Þat mede is maried more for her riches
Þan for holines oþur hendnes oþur for eni kinnd
Falsnes is fain off hure for he wot hure riche
And fauel þat haþ a+fals speche feffed hem bi+þis letre <add>letter</add>
To be prince in pruide and pouert to despise
To bakbite and bost and bere fals witnes
To scorne and to scolde and sclaundre to make
Vnboxum and bold to breke þe ten hestes
Þe eorldam off Enuye and Ire he hem graunteþ
Wiþ þe castel off chest and chatering out off resoun
Þe counte off couetis concenteþ to hem boþe
Wiþ vsur~ and auaris and oþur fals slei3þes
Jn bargains and brokages wiþ þe borwe off þeofft
Wiþ al þe lordschip off lecherie in lengþe and in brede
As in waiting and in worching & waiting off 3eres
Jn woldes and in wosching and wiþ idel þou3tes
Þer þat wille wold and werkmanschip wold
Glotonye eggeþ hem and gret oþes to-gederes
Al dai to drink at diuers tauernes
And þer to iangle and to iape and iugge þin euencristen
And fasting daies to frete bi-for~ non and drink wiþ spices
Jdelnes and vain speche speke þen afftur
And sowe forþ suche felawschip til þei fallen in slewþe
And awake wiþ wanhope and no wille to amend
For he leueþ be lost when he is liff leteþ
Þis liff to folwe falsnes and folk þat on hem leueþ
Afftur her deþ duellen day wiþ-outene end
Jn lordschip wiþ lucifer as þis letre scheweþ
Wiþ al þe appurtinaunce off purgatory and þe peine off helle
Jn witnes off þis þing wrang was þe furst
And piers þe perdoner off palmes+quest & þe budel off banbery sokne
Reignald þe reue and reding kinges many
Mund þe muller and many mo oþur
Jn þe date off þe deuel þis dede was enselled
Bisi3t off sir symony and ciuils leue
Þen tened him theologie when he tales þus herd
And said to symony now sorwe mot þou haue
Suche a+wedding to worche þat wraþþe my3t trewþe
<fol. 9r>And ar þis wedding be wrou3t wo to alle 3our counsail
For mede is mulier amendes was hur~ dame
Alþau3 fals wer her fadur and fikel tong her belsir~
Amendes was hur~ modur bi trewe mans counsail
And wiþ-out hur modur amendes . mede mai nou3t be weddet
For trewþ pliht hur~ trewþe to wed on off her dou3tres
And god graunt hit wer so so þer wer no gile
And þau3 hast 3aff hur~ as gile <add>þ</add>ou3t <change by other hand> god 3eue him sorwe
For siuile and þi-selue sield fulfillest
Þat god wold wer ido wiþ-out any disceit
Þ theoˆ[lo]gie <h seems to be added on top of another, illegible, letter> þe trewe tixt knowe iff trewe dom witnes
Þat laurans þe leuite þat lai on þe gred iren
Loked up to our lord and aloud saide
God off þi grace heuen gates open
For y man þru3 þi merci mede haue discerned
Hit semeþ soþli ri3t so on erþe
Þat mede may be weddet to no+man but to trewþe
& þou hast feffed hure wiþ fals fi+on suche lawe
For bi lesinges 3e lachen largeliche mede
Þat 3e nemeþ and notares to nou3t ginneþ bring
Holi+church and charite 3e cheweþ and deuoureþ
3e shuln abuggen hit boþe but 3e amend þe souner
For wel 3e weteþ wirnardes as heli writ telleþ
Þat fals is faiþles þe fend is his sir~
And as a+bastard ibore bi3ete nas he neu~
And mede is mulier and maiden off gode
Sheo mi3t kusse þe king as for his kins-womman
Forþi worcheþ bi wisdom and bi wit als
And ledeþ hur~ to london þer lawe may declar~
Wher matrimony may be off mede and off falshed
And þau3 iustices en-ioigneþ hem þru3 iurores oþes
3et beþ war off þe wedding for witti is trewþe
And conciens is off his councel and knoweþ 3ow alle
And iff he find 3ow in+defaut and wiþ þo fals hald
Hit shal sitte 3owr~ soules ful sore at þe last
Hier-to assenteþ siuile ac symony ne wold
Til he had seluer for þeo seal and signes off notarie
Þo fette fauel forþ florenis ynowe
For he may mede amaistrer wiþ his meri speche
Þo þis gold was 3eue gret was þe þonking
<fol. 9v>Þat fauel and fals hadde for her fair 3iftes
And comen ful curtesly to comfort þe fals
And saiden sooþly sese shuln we neuer
Til mede be þi weddet wiff nul we nou3t stunt
We wol mede amaistr~ þru3 our meri tong
Þat he graunteþ to go wiþ a+good wille
To londoun and to loke iff lawe wol iuge
To be maried for money mede haþ assented
Þenne was fauel fain and falsnes bliþe
And let somnen al his segge <?> on vche side aboute
And bad hem alle be boun beggers and oþur
To+wend wiþ him to westminster his wedding to honour~
Ac hakenais had þei none but hakeneis to hure
Þen gan gile go borwe hors at many gret lordes
And ordeint þat a+schire reue shuld bere mede
Soffte in chambre fram sise to sise
And fals and fauel fache forþ sisours
And ride on hem & on reues ri3t fast bi mede
Symony and ciuile saiden and swor
Þat prestes and prouisours shuld prelates serue

<Tranche 2>

<fol. 41r>Þe goodes off þis ground ben likned to gret wawes
Þat as windes and wedres þat walkeþ al about
Þe bot is likned our bodi þat bretel is off kynd
Þat þru3 fond and our flesch and þe britek<sic> kind
Sun-geþ seue siþes þe saddest man on erþe
An liff holiest off liff þat liueþ vndur sonne
Ac fre wille and fre wit folweþ man euer
To repente and to rise and to rome out off synne
And contrission and confessione til he come to his ende
For raþer haue we no rest til þat we restitute
Our liff to our lord god for our licams gultes
Y haue no kind knowlache to knowe al þis speche
Ac iff i+may liue lurne i+shal better / ibiken þe crist þat on þe cros dei3ed
And y say þe same saue 3ow fro mishappe
And 3eue ous grace on þis ground a good end to make
J went forþ wide wher walking min one
Til i+met wiþ a+man þou3t was his name
Y asked him ful fair what was dowel fro dobet & dobest fro hem boþe
Sir wit quod þou3t hier can telle þe ful wel
And saide sir dowel and wit dwelleþ nou3t a+daies Journe hens
Jn a+castel þat kynd made off iiij . maner þinges
Off erþe and eir hit is mad medlet to-gederes
Wiþ wind and wiþ water witturly en-ioigned
Kind haþ closed þe þer kindly wiþ alle
A lemman þat he loueþ ilik to him-selff
Anima sheo hatte to hure haþ enuie
A prowd priker off fraunce princeps huius mundi
A wold wynne hure away wiþ wiles and he my3t
And kinnd knoweþ þis wel and kepeþ hure þe better
And haþ don hure wiþ sir dowel duc off þis marches
Dobet is hure damisel sir dowels dou3ter
To serue þat ladi trewly boþe late and raþe
Dobest is aboue boþe a+bischopes pier~
And bi his lurning is lad his ladi anima
Ac þe constable off þat castel þat kepeþ hem alle
Ys a+wis kni3t . wiþ al sir in-wit he hatte
And haþ fiff fair sones bi his furst wyue
Syr worche we wiþ þin hand a+my3ty man off streinþe
And sir good faiþ dowel gret lordes alle
<fol. 41v>Þese Fiff ben set to saue anima
Til kind come and send and saue anima to kepe him-selue
What maner þing is kind quod y canst þou me telle
Kind is creature quod off many maner þinges
Fadur and formour off al þat forþ groweþ
Þe which is god grettest biginning had he neuer
Lord off liff and off li3t off lisse and paine
Aungles and al þinges ben at his wille
Man is him most lik off membre and off face
And sembable to god in soule but sinne hit make
And as þou ne sist þe sonne somtyme for clowdes
May nou3t shine ne shewe on shalkes on erþe
So latteþ lecherie and oþur luþer synnes
Þat god showeþ nou3t suche sinful and suffreþ hem misfar~
And som hangeþ hem-selff and oþur-whil adrencheþ
God nul nou3t of hem wite but let hem iworþe
As þe sauter saiþ bi sinful shrewes
<lat></lat>
And suche men luþer liuing lome ben riche
d off gold and oþur good ac good grace hem lakeþ
And þei loueþ and bileueþ al her liff time
On catel more þen on kind þat al þing wrou3t
Þe whiche is loue and liff þat last wiþout end
Ynwit and alle wittes closed ben þer-ynne
Bi loue and bi+lewte þer bilyueþ anima
And liff liueþ bi inwit and liuing bi kind
Jnwit is þe hed and anima þe hert /
And meche wo worþ him þat inwit mispeneþ
For þat is goddes owne good his grace & his tresour
Þat many man leseþ þru3 likerous drink
As loot dede and noe and herowdes daffe
3aff his dou3ter for a+dauncing seint ions hed
Off þat blessed baptisst bifore al his gestes
Eueri man þat haþ inwit and his hele boþe
Haþ tresour inou3 off trewþe him-selff to helpe
Ac fautins and foles þat faut inwit
Frendes shuln find hem and out off foli kepe
And holi+churche help so to & þen shuld no+man begge
Ne spille speche ne tyme ne myspend neiþer
Meble ne vnmeble mete ne drink
<fol. 42r>Ac þen dede we wel and wel bet þen to louye / our enmys entierly & helpe
And 3et wer best to bring to hepe al landes to vnitee in on lawe
Bischopes shuld ben about þis [to] bring to hepe
Þat alle landes liued and so her liff þer-fore to lete
Þe catel þat crist had þreo cloþes hit wer~ / & off hem was he robbet
And afftur losst his liff for lawe shuld loue waxe
Prelates and prestes and princes off holi churche
Shuld nou3t dowte no+deeþ ne no dere 3eres to wend as wide as þe world
to tily þe erþe wiþ tonge & teche men to lyue
For who-so loueþ leue me god nullot hm leue in mischieff ne defaut
<lat></lat>
Who-so leueþ in lawe and in loue deþ wel
Ac þis weddet men þat þis world susteineþ
For off her kind þei cam boþe confessours and martirs
Profetes and patriarkes confessours & martirs
For god saiþ him-selff shal neuer good appul
Þru3 no sotil sciens on sour stok growe
And nis no more to mene but men þat ben bigeten
Out off matrymony nou3t mulier mowe nowt haue grace
Þat trewe legittym bi+þe lawe may clayme
And þat my sawe is sooþ þe sauter bereþ witnes
<lat></lat>
Caim þe cursed creatur~ conceiued was yn synne
Afftur þat adam and eue hadde ysynget
Wiþ-out repentauns off her rebelnes a+ribawd þei en-gedret /
As an huwe þat crieþ auntreþ him to sowe
On a+leie-land a3enis his lordes wille
So was caim conceiued and so ben cursed wreches
Þat licam han a3enis þe lawe þat our lord ordeint
And for þe synne off caiyms blod said god to Noe
<lat></lat>
And bad go schape a+schip off shides and bordes
Þi-selff and þi sones þre & her wiues als to dwell þerynne
Til xl be fulfild and flood haue ywaschen
Clene away þe cursed blod þat off caim sprang
bestes þt now ben shuln banne þe tyme & fouls als
And alle shuluden dei3e for his dedes bi dales & downes
Except only off uche a+kynd a+peir~
Þat in þy shynglet ship shal be wiþ þe saued
hier abou3t þe . child þe belsires gultes
<fol. 42v>And al for her fore-fadres þei ferden þe worse
Þe gospel is her a3eins as men now rede
<lat></lat>
holi writ witnesseþ þat for no wiked dede
Þat þe sir~ bi him-selff dede þe sone shuld nou3t be þe worse
Ac westminster lawe worcheþ þe contrari for þou3 þe franklayn be hanget
Þe heritage off þe eir is at þe kinges wille
Ac þe gospel is as þe glose þer and hindeþ þe verray trewþe
For god said ensample off suche maner issue
Þat kynd folweþ kynd þat contrarieþ neuer
Ac whi þe world was adreint holi writ telleþ
Was for mariages making / þat men mad somtyme
Afftur þat caym þat cursed had ikuld abel
Seþ adam sone seeþ was engendrit
And god sent to seeþ so sone he was off age
Þat for no maner catel ne for no by hest
Suffren his sied seden wiþ caym his broþer
And seþþe for he suffred hit god said me forþenkeþ
Þat y man made oþir matrymony suffr~
For good shold wedde þe goode þau3 þei no good hadde
For y am <lat>via & veritas</lat> & may auuanse alle
Fond fewe folk þis folwe now / for þei 3eue her childr~
For couetis off catel & konnyng chapmen
Off kyn ne off kynrede ne counteþ þei but luitul
And þau3 he be louelichen to loke on & louessen abedde
A maid & wel ymaried & off good men isprunges
But iff heo haue oþer good haue hur~ no+man nulle
Ac let hem ben vnlouely & vn-lossom abedde
A bastard a bond a+begeneld dou3ter
Þat no curtesie ne can but let hur~ be knowe
For riches oþer for rent þau3 she ryulle for eld
Þer nis squier ne kny3t ne in contre abowte
Þat he nul bowe to þat bond & bid hur~ an husband
And wedden hur~ for her welþe & wischen on þe morwe
Þat his wiff wer waxeþ a+walet off nobles /
Jn gelosie gelous & gangeling / abedde
Many a+pair~ seþ pestilens han pli3t trewþe to loue