Part 14

I took good kepe, by Crist! And Conscience bothe, Of Haukyn the actif man, And how he was y-clothed. 8580 He hadde a cote of Cristendom, As holy kirke bileveth; Ac it was moled in many places With manye sondry plottes; {263} Of pride here a plot, And there a plot of unbuxome speche, Of scornyng and of scoffyng, And of unskilful berynge, As in apparaill and in porte Proud amonges the peple, 8590 Oother wise than he hym hath With herte or sighte shewynge, Hym willyng that alle men wende He were that he is noght. For-why he bosteth and braggeth With manye bolde othes, And inobedient to ben undernome Of any lif lyvynge; And noon so singuler by hymself, Ne so pomp holy, 8600 Y-habited as an heremyte, An ordre by hymselve, Religion saunz rule Or resonable obedience, Lakkynge lettrede men And lewed men bothe In likynge of lele lif, And a liere in soule, With inwit and with outwit Ymagynen and studie, 8610 As best for his body be To have a badde name, And entremetten hym over al Ther he hath noght to doone, Willynge that men wende His wit were the beste. And if he gyveth ought to povere gomes, Telle what he deleth, {264} Povere of possession in purs And in cofre bothe. 8620 And as a lyoun on to loke, And lordlich of speche, Boldest of beggeris, A bostere that noght hath, In towne and in tavernes Tales to telle, And segge thyng that he nevere seigh, And for sothe sweren it, Of dedes that he nevere dide Demen and bosten 8630 And of werkes that he wel dide Witnesse, and siggen-- "Lo! if ye leve me noght, Or that I lye wenen, Asketh at hym or at hym, And he yow kan telle What I suffrede and seigh And som tymes hadde, And what I kouthe and knew, And what kyn I com of." 8640 Al he wolde that men wiste Of werkes and of wordes Which myghte plese the peple, And preisen hymselve. _Si hominibus placerem, Christi servus non essem. Et alibi: Nemo potest duobus dominis servire._

"By Crist!" quod Conscience tho, "Thi beste cote, Haukyn, 8650 Hath manye moles and spottes, It moste ben y-wasshe." {265}

"Ye, who so toke hede," quod Haukyn, "Bihynde and bifore, What on bak and what on body half, And by the two sydes, Men sholde fynde manye frounces, And manye foule plottes."

And he torned hym as tyd, And thanne took I hede, 8660 It was fouler bi fele fold Than it first semed. It was bi-dropped with wrathe And wikkede wille, With envye and yvel speche, Entisynge to fighte, Liynge and laughynge, And leve tonge to chide, Al that he wiste wikked By any wight tellen it, 8670 And blame men bihynde hir bak, And bidden hem meschaunce, And that he wiste by Wille Tellen it Watte, And that Watte wiste Wille wiste it after, And make of frendes foes Thorugh a fals tonge, Or with myght or with mouth, Or thorugh mennes strengthe 8680 Avenge me fele tymes, Other frete myselve Withinne as a shepsteres shere, Y-sherewed man and cursed. _Cujus maledictione os plenum est et amaritudine, sub lingua ejus {266} labor et dolor. Et alibi: Filii hominum, dentes eorum arma et sagittæ, et lingua eorum gladius acutus._ 8690

"Ther is no lif that me loveth Lastynge any while; For tales that I telle, No man trusteth to me. And whan I may noght have the maistrie, Swich malencolie I take, That I cacche the crampe, And the cardiacle som tyme, Or an ague in swich an angre, And som tyme a fevere 8700 That taketh me al a twelve monthe, Til that I despise Lechecraft of oure Lord, And leve on a wicche, And seye that no clerc ne kan, Ne Crist, as I leve, To the soutere of Southwerk, Or of Shordyche dame Emme; And seye that no Goddes word Gaf me nevere boote, 8710 But thorugh a charme hadde I chaunce And my chief heele."

I waitede wisloker, And thanne was it soilled With likynge of lecherie, As by lokynge of his eighe. For ech a maide that he mette He made hire a signe Semynge to synne-warde, And some tyme he gan taste 8720 {267} Aboute the mouth, or bynethe Bigynneth to grope, Til eitheres wille wexeth kene, And to the werke yeden, As wel in fastyng dayes and Fridaies As forboden nyghtes, And as wel in Lente as out of Lente, Alle tymes y-liche. Swiche werkes with hem Were nevere out of seson, 8730 Til thei myghte na-moore; And thanne murye tales, And how that lecchours lovye Laughen and japen, And of hir harlotrye and horedom In hir elde tellen.

Thanne Pacience perceyved Of pointes of this cote, That were colomy thorugh coveitise And unkynde desiryng; 8740 Moore to good than to God The gome his love caste, And ymagynede how He it myghte have With false mesures and met, And with fals witnesse; Lened for love of the wed, And looth to do truthe; And awaited thorugh which Wey to bigile, 8750 And menged his marchaundise, And made a good moustre; "The worste withinne was, A greet wit I let it, {268} And if my neghebore hadde any hyne, Or any beest ellis, Moore profitable than myn, Manye sleightes I made How I myghte have it, Al my wit I caste. 8760 And but I it hadde by oother wey, At the laste I stale it; Or priveliche his purs shook, And unpikede hise lokes; Or by nyghte or by daye Aboute was ich evere, Thorugh gile to gaderen The good that ich have.

"If I yede to the plowgh, I pynched so narwe, 8770 That a foot lond or a forow Fecchen I wolde Of my nexte neghebore, And nymen of his erthe. And if I repe, over-reche, Of yaf hem reed that ropen To seise to me with hir sikel That I ne sew nevere.

"And who so borwed of me, A-boughte the tyme 8780 With presentes prively, Or paide som certeyn; So he wolde or noght wolde, Wynnen I wolde, And bothe to kith and to kyn Unkynde of that ich hadde.

"And who so cheped my chaffare, Chiden I wolde, {269} But he profrede to paie A peny or tweyne 8790 Moore than it was worth; And yet wolde I swere That it coste me muche moore, And swoor manye othes.

"On holy daies at holy chirche Whan ich herde masse, Hadde I nevere wille, woot God, Witterly to biseche Mercy for my mysdedes, That I ne moorned moore 8800 Nor losse of good, leve me, Than for my likames giltes. As if I hadde dedly synne doon, I dredde noght that so soore, As when I lened, and leved it lost, Or longe er it were paied. So if I kidde any kyndenesse Myn even cristen to helpe, Upon a cruwel coveitise Myn herte gan hange. 8810

"And if I sente over see My servauntz to Brugges, Or into Pruce-lond my prentis, My profit to waiten, To marchaunden with moneie, And maken hire eschaunges, Mighte nevere me conforte. In the mene while Neither masse ne matynes, No none maner sightes; 8820 Ne nevere penaunce perfournede, Ne pater-noster seide, {270} That my mynde ne was moore On my good in a doute, Than in the grace of God, And hise grete helpes. _Ubi thesaurus tuus, ibi et cor tuum._

"Whiche ben the braunches That bryngen a man to sleuthe? He that moorneth noght for hise mysdedes, 8830 Ne maketh no sorwe, And penaunce that the preest enjoyneth Perfourneth yvele, Dooth noon almesse, Dred hym of no synne, Lyveth ayein the bileve, And no lawe holdeth, Ech day is holy day with hym, Or an heigh ferye; And, if he aught wole here, 8840 It is an harlotes tonge. Whan men carpen of Crist, Or of clennesse of soules, He wexeth wroth and wol noght here But wordes of murthe; Penaunce of povere men, And the passion of seintes, He hateth to here therof, And alle that it telleth. Thise ben the braunches, beth war, 8850 That bryngen a man to wanhope.

"Ye lordes and ladies, And legates of holy chirche, That fedeth fooles sages, Flatereris and lieris, And han likynge to lithen hem {271} To do yow to laughe, _Væ vobis qui ridetis, etc._ And gyveth hem mete and mede, And povere men refuse; 8860 In youre deeth deyinge, I drede me ful soore Lest tho thre manner men To muche sorwe yow brynge. _Consentientes et agentes pari poena punientur._ =

"Patriarkes and prophetes, And prechours of Goddes wordes, Saven thorugh hir sermons Mannes soule fro helle. 8870 Right so flatereris and fooles Arn the fendes disciples To entice men thorugh hir tales To synne and to harlotrie. Ac clerkes, that knowen holy writ, Sholde kenne lordes What David seith of swiche men, As the Sauter telleth. _Non habitabit in medio domus meæ, qui facit superbiam, et qui 8880 loquitur iniqua._

"Sholde noon harlot have audience In halle nor in chambre, Ther wise men were, Witnesseth Goddes wordes, Ne no mys-proud man Amonges lordes ben allowed.

"Ac flaterers and fooles Thorugh hir foule wordes Leden tho that loven hem 8890 {272} To Luciferis feste, With _Turpiloquio_, a lady of sorwe, And Luciferis fithele." Thus Haukyn the actif man Hadde y-soiled his cote, Til Conscience acouped hym therof In a curteis manere, Why he ne hadde whasshen it, Or wiped it with a brusshe. 8899

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PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON.

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Notes

[1] See the "Apocalypsis Goliæ" and other pieces in the poems of Walter Mapes; the Order of Fair Ease in the Political Songs, and the Poems of Rutebeuf; and, in English, the remarkable "Poem on the Evil Times of Edward II." in the appendix to the Political Songs. The Poem entitled the Order of Fair Ease bears some resemblance to the _Abbaye de Theleme_ of Rabelais.

[2] This sentiment was perpetuated in a numerous class of ballads, in which the monarch is represented as thrown incognito among the lower classes, as listening to their expressions of loyalty and to the tale of their sufferings. See the "Tale of King Edward and the Shepherd" in Hartshorne's _Ancient Metrical Tales_; "The King and the Barker," in Ritson's _Pieces of Ancient Popular Poetry_; "The King and the Miller," and "King Edward IV. and the Tanner of Tamworth," in _Percy's Reliques_; &c. The earliest known form of this tale is the story of "Henry II. and the Cistercian Abbot," printed from Giraldus Cambrensis in the _Reliquiæ Antiquiæ_, vol. ii. p. 147.

[3] It was at least a tradition early in the sixteenth century (for we have no means now of ascertaining whether there were any substantial grounds for the statement), that the author was named Robert Longlande (or Langlande), that he was born at Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire, and that (after receiving his education at Oxford) he became a monk of Malvern. I do not think, with Tyrwhitt and Price, that the name _Wil_, given in the poem to the dreamer, necessarily shows that the writer's name was _William_; and still less that the mention of "Kytte my wif" and "Calote my doghter" (p. 395 of the present volume), and of the dreamer's having resided at Cornhill, refer to the family and residence of the author of the poem. If he were a monk (as appears probable by his intimate acquaintance with the Scriptures and the Fathers), he would not be married. Sir Frederick Madden discovered a very important entry in a hand of the fifteenth century on the fly-leaf of a manuscript of Piers Ploughman in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, to the following effect--"Memorandum, quod Stacy de Rokayle, pater Willielmi de Langlond, qui Stacius fuit generosus, et morabatur in Schiptone under Whicwode, tenens domini Le Spenser in comitatu Oxon., _qui prædictus Willielmus fecit librum qui vocatur Perys Ploughman_."--It would perhaps be not impossible to trace the name and history of this Stacy de Rokayle; but till that be done, I do not think this memorandum ought to be considered as overthrowing the old tradition relating to Robert Longlande. It may be mentioned as a remarkable specimen of the patriotism of David Buchanan, that he lays claim to the author of Piers Ploughman as a Scotchman:--"Robertus Langland, natione Scotus, professione sacerdos, vir ex obscuris ortus parentibus, pius admodum et ingeniosus et zelo divinæ gloriæ plenus; inter monachos Benedictinos educatus in civitate Aberdonensi, vir æque erat in omni humaniore literatura insigniter doctus, et in medicina admodum clarus, pium opus sermone vulgare scripsit cui imposuit, || Visionem Petri Aratoris, lib. 1. || Pro conjugio sacerdotum. lib. 1. || Claruit anno Christi Redemptoria, 1369. Regnante Davide Secundo in Scotia."--Dav. Buchanan, _de Scriptoribus Scotis. MS. Bibl. Univ. Edin._

[4] We may mention another historical allusion in Piers Ploughman, which seems to involve a chronological difficulty; the dry April in the mayoralty of John Chichester, 1. 8567. It appears clear that this is an allusion to a remarkable drought in the year 1351, which answers precisely to a calculation of the date given in the text, in which all the manuscripts that I have consulted agree. But the only year in which Chichester is said to have been mayor was 1368-9 according to some, or 1369-70 according to others. Stowe (as quoted in the note on this passage) has altered the text of Piers Ploughman to suit the year in which Chichester is known to have been mayor: yet there can be little doubt (even from the allusion to the treaty of Bretigny) that the poem itself was composed before that date, and therefore the same or another Chichester had probably been mayor before.

[5] Political Songs, p. 240.

[6] This terrible calamity was said by the astrologers to have been brought about by an extraordinary conjunction of Saturn with the other planets, which happened scarcely once in a thousand years. An astrologer and physician, who witnessed its effects, Symon de Covino, has left a Latin poem on the subject under the title _De Judicio Solis in Conviviis Saturni_, in which he describes Saturn as indulging his malevolence towards the human race by obtaining a judgment against men for their sins. This opinion is alluded to in Piers Ploughman, l. 4453,

"And so seide Saturne, And sente yow to warne."

The influence of this planet was represented by astrologers as being peculiarly noxious, as is expressed in the following old distich:--

"Jupiter atque Venus boni, Saturnusque malignus, Sol et Mercurius cum Luna sunt mediocres."

[7]

"Qui male pastus erat fragili virtute ciborum, Labitur exiguo percussus flamine cladis: Indeque Saturni vulgus, pauperrima turba, Grata morte cadunt, quia vivere talibus est mors. Post quos lunares pereunt et mercuriales. Et sic debilior succumbit in ordine primo: Post alii tandem pestem secuntur eamdem. Sed dea principibus et nobilibus, generosis, Militibus, seu judicibus fera Parca pepercit. Raro cadunt tales, quia talibus est data vita Dulcis in hoc mundo, quam gloria laudat inanis." _Symon de Covino_, in the _Bibliothèque de l'Ecole des Chartes_, tom. ii. p 236.

[8] We have a very remarkable proof of the popularity of Piers Ploughman with the lower orders (among whom probably parts of it were repeated by memory), and of its influence on the insurrections of the peasantry in the reign of Richard II., in the seditious letter of John Ball to the commons of Essex, preserved by Thomas Walsingham (_Hist. Angl._ p. 275). I am not sure if "John _Schep_" may not contain an allusion to the opening of the poem; but the second passage, here printed in Italics, refers evidently to Passus VI. and VII., and the third is an allusion to the characters of Do-well and Do-best.

"John _Schep_ sometime Seint Mary priest of Yorke, and now of Colchester, graeteth well John Namelesse, and John the Miller, and John Carter, and biddeth them that they beware of guyle in borough, and stand together in Gods name, and biddeth _Piers Plowman goe to his werke_, and chastise well Hob the robber, and take with you John Trewman, and all his fellows, and no moe. John the Miller hath y-ground, smal, small, small. The kings sonne of heaven shal pay for all. Beware or ye be woe, know your frende fro your foe. Have ynough, and say hoe: _And do well and better_, and flee sinne, and seeke peace and holde you therin, and so biddeth John Trewman and all his fellowes."

[9] The mention of Wycliffe and of Walter Brute and other circumstances, fix the date of Piers Ploughman's Creed with tolerable certainty in the latter years of the reign of Richard II. It was probably written very soon after the year 1393, the date of the persecution of Walter Brute at Hereford; and from the particular allusion to that person we may perhaps suppose that like the Vision it was written on the Borders of Wales.

[10] Different circumstances connected with this poem (which also appears to have been proscribed, for we have no early manuscript of it) lead me to suppose that it was written in the reign of Henry IV., when the _burning_ of heretics came into fashion, which is alluded to in the following stanza:--

"Were Christ on earth here, eftsoone These would damne him to die: All his hestes they han for-done, And saine his sawes ben heresie: And ayenst his commaundements they crie, And _damne all his to be brende_; For it liketh not hem such losengerie, God almighty hem amend!"

In another passage, the writer of this poem alludes to the Creed of Piers Ploughman as though he were the author of it, and as a piece then known to everybody.

"And all such other counterfaitours, Chanons, canons, and such disguised, Been Gods enemies and traitours, His true religion han foule despised. Of _freres_ I have told before, In a _making of a Crede_; And yet I could tell worse and more, But men would werien it to rede."

Perhaps, however, the writer only claims the authorship of the Creed in his allegorical character, as the representative of that class of satirical writers who were then attacking the monastic orders.

[11] We may enumerate the following as specimens of such works published in the sixteenth century. Several similar publications appeared in the century following.

"Pyers Plowmans Exortation vnto the lordes, knights, and burgoysses of the parlyament house." 8vo. printed by Anthony Scholoker, in the reign of Edward VI.

"Newes from the North, Otherwise called the Conference between Simon Certain, and Pierce Plowman, faithfully collected and gathered by T. F. Student." 4to. London, John Allde, 1579.

"The Plowmans complaint of sundry wicked livers, and especially of the bad bringing vp of children; written in verse by R. B. printed for Hugh Corne, 1580." 8vo.

"A goodlye Dialogue and dysputacion between Pyers Ploweman and a Popish Preest, c[=o]cernynge the Supper of the Lorde." 8vo, without date.

[12] Printed in the _Reliquiæ Antiquæ_, vol i. pp. 170-188. On the date of this poem, see the _Biographia Britannica Literaria_ (by the editor of the present work), Anglo-Saxon period, pp. 395, 396.

[13] Printed in the _Altdeutsche Blätter_ von Moriz Haupt und Heinrich Hoffmann, vol. ii. pp. 99-120, and in the _Reliquiæ Antiquæ_, vol. i. pp. 208-227.

[14] Discovered in a MS. at Worcester by Sir Thomas Phillipps, who published a small edition of it, in folio.

[15] Edited by Sir Frederick Madden, for the Society of Antiquaries.

[16] Many instances of this will be found in my _Specimens of Lyric Poetry_, composed in England in the reign of Edward the First (Percy Society Publication).

[17] Such as _William and the Werwolf_, edited by Sir Frederick Madden; the _Romance of Jerusalem_; that of _Alexander_; &c.

[18] MS. Harl. 2253. In this manuscript, and in several others which I have seen the rhyming poems in short lines, whether in English, Latin, or French, are arranged in this manner; and I have met with instances in which part of a poem has been arranged in this way, and other parts of the same poem have been arranged in short lines, to suit the scribe's convenience. I have a strong impression of having met with an early English manuscript in which a fragment of alliterative verse was written in short couplets.

[19] _Text I._ is from the edition now offered to the public: _Text II._ from that edited by Dr. Whitaker.

[20] The title of the second impression is, "The Vision of Pierce Ploughman, nowe the seconde time imprinted by Roberte Crowley, dwellynge in Elye rentes in Holburne. Whereunto are added certayne notes and cotations in the mergyne gevynge light to the Reader, &c. Imprinted at London by Roberte Crowley, dwellyng in Elye rentes in Holburne. The yere of our Lord M.D.L. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum." 4to, 125 leaves.

[21] The title consists merely of the words "Pierce the Ploughman's Crede," upon a tablet in the midst of a wood-cut which had evidently been brought from the continent. A fac-simile of the most important part of the cut is given in Mr. Payne Collier's Bibliographical Catalogue of the Library of Lord Francis Egerton, p. 235. The colophon, on a separate leaf, is "Imprinted at London. By Reynold Wolfe. Anno Domini M.D.L.III." It consists of 16 leaves in 4to.

[22] The title of this edition is, "The Vision of Pierce Plowman, newlye imprynted after the authours olde copy, with a brefe summary of the principall matters set before every part called Passus. Wherevnto is also annexed the Crede of Pierce Plowman, neuer imprinted with the booke before. ¶ Imprynted at London, by Owen Rogers, dwellyng neare vnto great Saint Bartelmewes gate, at the sygne of the spred Egle. ¶ The yere of our Lord God, a thousand, fyve hundred, thre score and one. The xxi. daye of the Moneth of Februarye. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum." 4to. This edition is not foliated, or paged; and it is remarkable that it is as frequently found without the Creed, as with it. This edition of the Creed is also sometimes found separate.

[23] Whitaker's edition bears the following title,--"Visio Willielmi de Petro Plouhman, Item Visiones ejusdem de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest. Or, The Vision of William concerning Piers Plouhman, and The Visions of the same concerning the Origin, Progress, and Perfection of Christian Life, &c. By Thomas Dunham Whitaker, LL.D., &c." 4to. London. Murray, 1813.

[24] This manuscript was bought at Heber's sale for the British Museum, where it is classed as Additional MS. No. 10,574.

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Corrections made to printed text

Page xxxiii, Text II: "Al the welthe of this worlde" corrected from "... wordle".

Page xxxix, foot: "undertake" corrected from "untertake".

Line 935: "fructum" corrected from "fructrum".

Line 3740: "myghtestow" corrected from "mgyhtestow".

Headings: Passus VIII "incipit Do-wel" corrected from "Primus de Do-wel". Passus VIII "Primus de Do-wel" corrected from "Primus de Do-bet". Passus VIII clearly concerns Do-wel (see the Introduction); Passus XVI is the true "Primus de Do-bet".

Line 5058: "Who" corrected from "Whe".

Line 5384: "minuentur" corrected from "minuenter" (Ps. 33:11).

Line 6186: "mansede" corrected from "mausede" (noted as erratum in Volume II).

Line 6528: "vi rapiunt" corrected from "irapiunt" (noted as erratum in Volume II).

Line 7624: "Nolite judicare, et non judicabimini" corrected from "Polite judicare, et not judicabimini" (Luke 6:37).