Part 7

"Hastow pité on povere men, That mote nedes borwe?"

"I have as muche pité of povere men, As pedlere hath of cattes, That wolde kille hem, if he cacche hem myghte, For coveitise of hir skynnes." 2990

"Artow manlich among thi neghebores Of thi mete and drynke?"

"I am holden," quod he, "as hende As hound is in kichene, Amonges my neghebores, namely, Swiche a name ich have."

"Now God lene thee nevere," quod Repentaunce, "But thow repente the rather, The grace on this grounde {93} Thi good wel to bi-sette, 3000 Ne thyne heires after thee Have joie of that thow wynnest, Ne thyne executours wel bi-sette The silver that thow hem levest; And that was wonne with wrong With wikked men be despended. For were I frere of that hous Ther good feith and charité is, I nolde cope us with thi catel, Ne oure kirk amende, 3010 Ne have a peny to my pitaunce, So God my soule save! For the beste book in oure hous, Theigh brent gold were the leves, And I wiste witterly Thow were swich as thow tellest. _Servus es alterius, Dum fercula pinguia quæris; Pane tuo potius Vescere, liber eris._ 3020

"Thow art an unkynde creature, I kan thee noght assoille, Til thow make restitucion And rekene with hem alle; And sithen that Reson rolle it In the registre of hevene, That thow hast maad ech man good, I may thee noght assoile. _Non dimittitur peccatum, donec restituatur oblatum._ 3030

"For alle that han of thi good, Have God my trouthe! Ben holden at the heighe doom {94} To helpe thee to restitue; And who so leveth noght this be sooth, Loke in the Sauter glose, In _Miserere mei, Deus_, Wher I mene truthe; _Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti, etc._ Shal nevere werkman in this world 3040 Thryve with that thow wynnest. _Cum sancto sanctus eris;_ Construwe me this on Englisshe."

Thanne weex that sherewe in wanhope, And wolde han hanged hym; Ne hadde Repentaunce the rather Reconforted hym in this manere.

"Have mercy in thi mynde, And with thi mouth biseche it; For Goddes mercy is moore 3050 Than alle hise othere werkes. And al the wikkednesse in this world That man myghte werche or thynke, Nis na-moore to the mercy of God, Than in the see a gleede. _Omnis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam Dei, est quasi scintilla in medio maris._

"For-thi have mercy in thy mynde, And marchaundise leve it; 3060 For thow hast no good ground To gete thee with a wastel, But if it were with thi tonge, Or ellis with thi two hondes. For the good that thow hast geten Bigan al with falshede, And as longe as thow lyvest therwith, {95} Thow yeldest noght, but borwest.

"And if thow wite nevere to whiche, Ne whom to restitue, 3070 Ber it to the bisshope, And bid hym of his grace Bi-sette it hymself, As best is for thi soule; For he shal answere for thee At the heighe dome, For thee and for many mo That man shal yeve a rekenyng, What he lerned yow in Lente, Leve thow noon oother, 3080 And what he lente yow of oure Lordes good To lette yow fro synne."

Now bi-gynneth Gloton For to go to shrifte, And karieth hym to kirke-warde His coupe to shewe; And Beton the brewestere Bad hym good morwe, And asked at hym with that, Whider-ward he wolde. 3090

"To holy chirche," quod he, "For to here masse, And sithen I wole be shryven, And synne na-moore."

"I have good ale, gossib," quod she, "Gloton, woltow assaye?"

"Hastow ought in thi purs?" quod he, "Any hote spices?"

"I have pepir and piones," quod she, "And a pound of garleek, 3100 And a ferthyng-worth of fenel-seed {96} For fastynge dayes."

Thanne goth Glotin in, And grete othes after. Cesse the souteresse Sat on the benche; Watte the warner, And his wif bothe; Tymme the tynkere, And tweyne of his prentices; 3110 Hikke the hakeney-man, And Hughe the nedlere; Clarice of Cokkeslane, And the clerk of the chirche; Dawe the dykere, And a dozeyne othere.

Sire Piers of Pridie, And Pernele of Flaundres; A ribibour, a ratoner, A rakiere of Chepe, 3120 A ropere, a redyng-kyng, And Rose the dyssheres; Godefray of Garlekhithe, And Griffyn the Walshe; And upholderes an heep, Erly by the morwe, Geve Gloton with glad chere Good ale to hanselle.

Clement the Cobelere Caste of his cloke, 3130 And at the newe feire He nempned it to selle,

Hikke the hakeney-man Hitte his hood after, And bad Bette the bocher {97} Ben on his syde.

Ther were chapmen y-chose This chaffare to preise, That who so hadde the hood Sholde han amendes of the cloke. 3140

Two risen up in rape, And rouned togideres, And preised thise peny-worthes A-part by hemselve; Thei kouthe noght by hir conscience Acorden in truthe, Til Robyn the ropere Aroos by the southe, And nempned hym for a nounpere, That no debat nere. 3150

Hikke the hostiler Hadde the cloke, In covenaunt that Clement Sholde the cuppe fille, And have Hikkes hood hostiler, And holden hym y-served. And who so repented rathest Sholde aryse after, And greten sire Gloton With a galon ale. 3160

There was laughynge and lourynge, And "lat go the cuppe;" And seten so till even-song, And songen umwhile, Til Gloton hadde y-glubbed A galon and a gille. Hise guttes bigonne to gothelen As two gredy sowes; He pissed a potel {98} In a pater-noster while, 3170 And blew his rounde ruwet At his rugge-bones ende, That alle that herde that horn Held hir noses after, And wisshed it hadde been wexed With a wispe of firses.

He myghte neither steppe ne stonde, Er he his staf hadde; And thanne gan he to go Like a gle-mannes bicche, 3180 Som tyme aside, And som tyme arere, As who so leith lynes For to lacche foweles.

And whan he drough to the dore, Thanne dymmed his eighen; He stumbled on the thresshfold, And threw to the erthe. Clement the cobelere Kaughte hym by the myddel, 3190 For to liften hym o-lofte; And leyde hym on his knowes. Ac Gloton was a gret cherl, And a grym in the liftyng, And koughed up a cawdel In Clementes lappe; Is noon so hungry hound In Hertford shire Dorste lape of that levynges, So un-lovely thei smaughte. 3200

With al the wo of this world, His wif and his wenche Baren hym hom to his bed, {99} And broughte hym therinne; And after al this excesse He hadde an accidie, That he sleep Saterday and Sonday, Til sonne yede to reste.

Thanne waked he of his wynkyng, And wiped hise eighen; 3210 The firste word that he warpe Was "where is the bolle?" His wif gan edwyte hym tho, How wikkedly he lyvede; And Repentaunce right so Rebuked hym that tyme, "As thow with wordes and werkes Has wroght yvele in thi lyve, Shryve thee, and be shamed therof, And shewe it with thi mouthe." 3220

"I Gloton," quod the grom, "Gilty me yelde, That I have trespased with my tonge, I kan noght telle how ofte; Sworen Goddes soule, And so me God helpe! There no nede was, Nyne hundred tymes.

"And over-seyen me at my soper, And som tyme at nones, 3230 That I Gloton girte it up Er I hadde gon a myle, An y-spilt that myghte be spared And spended on som hungry; Over delicatly on fastyng-dayes Dronken and eten bothe, And sat som tyme so longe there, {100} That I sleep and eet at ones. For love of tales in tavernes And for drynke, the moore I dyned; 3240 And hyed to the mete er noon, Whan fastyng-days were."

"This shewynge shrift," quod Repentaunce, "Shal be meryt to the."

And thanne gan Gloton greete, And gret doel to make, For his luther lif That he lyved hadde; And avowed to faste, "For hunger or for thurste, 3250 Shal nevere fyssh on Fryday Defyen in my wombe, Til abstinence myn aunte Have gyve me leeve; And yet have I hated hire Al my lif tyme."

Thanne cam Sleuthe al bi-slabered, With two slymy eighen; "I moste sitte," seide the segge, "Or ellis sholde I nappe. 3260 I may noght stonde ne stoupe, Ne withoute a stool knele; Were I brought a-bedde, But if my tail-ende it made, Sholde no ryngynge do me ryse Er I were ripe to dyne." He bigan Benedicite with a bolk, And his brest knokked, And raxed and rored, And rutte at the laste. 3270 {101}

"What, awake, renk!" quod Repentaunce, "And rape thee to shryfte."

"If I sholde deye bi this day, Me list nought to loke; I kan noght parfitly my pater-noster, As the preest it syngeth; But I kan rymes of Robyn Hood, And Randolf erl of Chestre; Ac neither of oure Lord ne of oure Lady The leeste that evere was maked. 3280

"I have maad avowes fourty, And foryete hem on the morwe; I perfournede nevere penaunce As the preest me highte; Ne right sory for my synnes Yet was I nevere. And if I bidde any bedes, But if it be in wrathe, That I telle with my tonge Is two myle fro myn herte. 3290 I am ocupied eche day, Haly-day and oother, With ydel tales at the ale, And outher while at chirche; Goddes peyne and his passion Ful selde thenke I on it.

"I visited nevere feble men, Ne fettred folk in puttes; I have levere here an harlotrye, Or a somer game of souters, 3300 Or lesynge to laughen at And bi-lye my neghebores, Than al that evere Marc made, {102} Mathew, Johan, and Lucas. And vigilies and fastyng-dayes, Alle thise late I passe; And ligge a-bedde in Lenten, And my lemman in myne armes, Til matyns and masse be do, And thanne go to the freres. 3310 Come I to _Ite, missa est_, I holde me y-served; I nam noght shryven som tyme, But if siknesse it make, Nought twyes in two yer, And thanne up gesse I shryve me.

"I have be preest and parson Passynge thritty wynter, And yet can I neyther solne ne synge, Ne seintes lyves rede; 3320 But I kan fynden in a feld, Or in a furlang, an hare, Bettre than in _Beatus vir, Or in Beati omnes_, Construe oon clause wel And kenne it to my parisshens. I kan holde love-dayes, And here a reves rekenyng; Ac in canon nor in decretals I kan noght rede a lyne. 3330

"If I bigge and borwe aught, But if it be y-tailed, I foryete it as yerne; And if men me it axe Sixe sithes or sevene, I forsake it with othes; And thus tene I trewe men {103} Ten hundred tymes.

"And my servauntz som tyme Hir salarie is bi-hynde; 3340 Ruthe it is to here the rekenyng, Whan we shul rede acountes. So with wikked wil and wrathe, My werkmen I paye.

"If any man dooth me a bienfait, Or helpeth me at nede, I am unkynde ayeins curteisie, And kan nought understounden it; For I have and have had Som del haukes maneres, 3350 I am noght lured with love, But ther ligge aught under the thombe.

"The kyndenesse that myn even cristene Kidde me fernyere, Sixty sithes I Sleuthe Have foryete it siththe. In speche and in sparynge of speche Y-spilt many a tyme Bothe flessh and fissh, And manye othere vitailles, 3360 Both bred and ale, Buttre, melk, and chese, For-sleuthed in my service Til it myghte serve no man.

"I ran aboute in youthe, And yaf me naught to lerne, And evere siththe have I be beggere For my foule sleuthe. _Heu michi! quia sterilem vitam duxi juvenilem._" 3370

"Repentedestow noght?" quod Repentaunce; {104} And right with that he swowned, Til _Vigilate_ the veille Fette water at hise eighen, And flatte it on his face, And faste on hym cryde, And seide, "Ware thee, for Wanhope Wolde thee bi-traye, 'I am sory for my synnes' Seye to thiselve, 3380 And beet thiself on the brest, And bidde hym of grace; For is ne gilt here so gret That his goodnesse nys moore."

Thanne sat Sleuthe up, And seyned hym swithe, And made a vow to-fore God For his foule sleuthe. "Shal no Sonday be this seven yer, But siknesse it lette, 3390 That I ne shal do me er day To the deere chirche; And here matyns and masse, As I a monk were, Shal noon ale after mete Holde me thennes, Til I have even-song herd, I bi-hote to the roode! And yet wole I yelde ayein, If I so much have, 3400 Al that I wikkedly wan Sithen I wit hadde.

"And though my liflode lakke, Leten I nelle, That ech man ne shal have his, {105} Er I hennes wende; And with the residue and the remenaunt, Bi the Rode of Chestre! I shal seken Truthe erst Er I se Rome." 3410

Roberd the robbere On _Reddite_ loked, And for ther was noght wherof, He wepte swithe soore; Ac yet the synfulle sherewe Seide to hymselve, "Crist, that on Calvarie Upon the cros deidest, Tho Dysmas my brother Bi-soughte yow of grace, 3420 And haddest mercy on that man For _memento_ sake, So rewe on this robbere That _reddere_ ne have, Ne nevere wene to wynne With craft that I owe; But for thi muchel mercy Mitigacion I bi-seche, Ne dampne me noght at domes-day For that I dide so ille." 3430

What bi-fel of this feloun I kan noght faire shewe; Wel I woot he wepte faste Water with bothe hise eighen, And knoweliched his gilt To Crist yet eft soones, That _Poenetentia_ his pik He sholde polshe newe, And lepe with hym over lond {106} Al his lif tyme, 3440 For he hadde leyen by _Latro_ Luciferis aunte.

And thanne hadde Repentaunce ruthe, And redde hem alle to knele; "For I shal bi-seche for alle synfulle Our Saveour of grace, To amenden us of oure mysdedes, And do mercy to us alle."

"Now God," quod he, "that of thi goodnesse Bi-gonne the world to make, 3450 And of naught madest aught, and man Moost lik to thiselve, And sithen suffredest for to synne, A siknesse to us alle, And al for the beste, as I bi-leve, What evere the book telleth. _O felix culpa! O necessarium peccatum Adæ! etc._ =

"For thorugh that synne thi sone Sent was to this erthe, 3460 And bicam man of a maide, Mankynde to save: And madest thiself with thi sone And us synfulle y-liche _Faciamus hominem ad imaginem nostram. Et alibi. Qui manet in caritate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo._

"And siththe with thi selve sone In oure secte deidest, 3470 On Good-Fryday, for mannes sake, At ful tyme of the daye, {107} Ther thiself ne thi sone No sorwe in deeth feledest, But in oure secte was the sorwe, And thi sone it ladde. _Captivam duxit captivitatem._

"The sonne for sorwe therof Lees light of a tyme, Aboute mydday whan moost light is, 3480 And meel-tyme of seintes, Feddest with thi fresshe blood Oure fore-fadres in derknesse. _Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam._

"And thorugh the light that lepe out of thee Lucifer was blent. And blewe alle thi blessed Into the blisse of paradys.

"The thridde day after 3490 Thow yedest in oure sute, A synful Marie the seigh, Er seynte Marie thi dame; And al to solace synfulle Thow suffredest it so were. _Non veni vocare justos sed peccatores ad poenitentiam._

"And al that Marc hath y-maad, Mathew, Johan, and Lucas, Of thyne doughty dedes 3500 Was doon in oure armes. _Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis._ =

"And by so muche me semeth The sikerer we mowe Bidde and bi-seche, {108} If it be thi wille, That art oure fader and oure brother, Be merciable to us, And have ruthe on thise ribaudes 3510 That repenten hem here soore, That evere thei wrathed thee in this world, In word, thought, or dedes."

Thanne hent Hope an horn Of _Deus, tu conversus vivificabis_, And blew it with _Beati quorum Remissæ sunt iniquitates_, That alle seintes in hevene Songen at ones. _Homines et jumenta salvabis, quemadmodum 3520 multiplicasti misericordiam tuam._ =

A thousand of men tho Thrungen togideres, Cride upward to Crist, And to his clene moder, To have grace to go with hem Truthe to seke.

Ac there was wight noon so wys The wey thider kouthe, 3530 But blustreden forth as beestes Over bankes and hilles; Til late was and longe That thei a leode mette, Apparailled as a paynym In pilgrymes wise. He bar a burdoun y-bounde With a brood liste, In a withwynde wise Y-wounden aboute; 3540 {109} A bolle and a bagge He bar by his syde, And hundred of ampulles On his hat seten, Signes of Synay, And shelles of Galice, And many a crouche on his cloke, And keyes of Rome, And the vernycle bi-fore, For men sholde knowe 3550 And se bi hise signes Whom he sought hadde.

This folk frayned hym first, Fro whennes he come.

"Fram Syny," he seide, "And fram oure Lordes sepulcre; In Bethlem and in Babiloyne, I have ben in bothe; In Armonye and Alisaundre, In manye othere places. 3560 Ye may se by my signes, That sitten on myn hatte, That I have walked ful wide In weet and in drye, And sought goode seintes For my soules helthe."

"Knowestow aught a corsaint, That men calle Truthe? Koudestow aught wissen us the wey, Wher that wye dwelleth?" 3570

"Nay, so me God helpe!" Seide the gome thanne, "I seigh nevere palmere, With pyk ne with scrippe, {110} Asken after hym er Til now in this place."

"Peter!" quod a plowman, And putte forth his hed, "I knowe hym as kyndely As clerk doth hise bokes; 3580 Conscience and kynde wit Kenned me to his place, And diden me suren hym sikerly To serven hym for evere, Bothe to sowe and to sette, The while I swynke myghte. I have ben his folwere Al this fifty wynter, Bothe y-sowen his seed, And suwed hise beestes, 3590 Withinne and withouten Waited his profit. I dyke and I delve, I do that Truthe hoteth; Som tyme I sowe, And som tyme I thresshe; In taillours craft and tynkeris craft, What Truthe kan devyse, I weve and I wynde, And do what Truthe hoteth, 3600 For though I seye it myselfe, I serve hym to paye; I have myn hire wel, And outher whiles moore. He is the presteste paiere That povere men knoweth; He ne withhalt noon hewe his hire, That he ne hath it at even; {111} He is as lowe as a lomb, And lovelich of speche; 3610 And if ye wilneth to wite Where that he dwelleth, I shal wisse you witterly The wey to his place."

"Ye, leve Piers," quod thise pilgrimes, And profred hym huyre, For to wende with hem To Truthes dwellyng-place.

"Nay, by my soules helpe!" quod Piers, And gan for to swere, 3620 "I nolde fange a ferthyng. For seint Thomas shryne; Truthe wolde love me the lasse A long tyme therafter; Ac if yow wilneth to wende wel, This is the wey thider.

"Ye moten go thorugh Mekenesse, Both men and wyves, Til ye come into Conscience, That Crist wite the sothe 3630 That ye loven oure Lord God Levest of alle thynges, And thanne youre neghebores next In none wise apeire, Other wise than thow woldest He wroughte to thiselve.

"And so boweth forth by a brook, Beth-buxom-of-speche, Til he fynden a ford, Youre-fadres-honoureth, 3640 _Honora patrem et matrem, etc._ Wadeth in that water, {112} And wasshe yow wel therinne, And ye shul lepe the lightloker Al youre lif tyme; And so shaltow se Swere-noght,- But-if-it-be-for-nede,- And-nameliche-on-ydel- The-name-of-God-almyghty.

"Thanne shaltow come by a croft, 3650 But come thow noght therinne; That croft hatte Coveite-noght- Mennes-catel-ne-hire-wyves,- Ne-noon-of-hire-servauntz- That-noyen-hem-myghte; Loke ye breke no bowes there, But if it be youre owene.

"Two stokkes ther stondeth, Ac stynte ye noght there, Thei highte Stele-noght and Sle-noght, 3660 Strik forth by bothe, And leve hem on thi lift half, And loke noght therafter, And hold wel thyn hali-day Heighe til even.

"Thanne shaltow blenche at a bergh, Bere-no-fals-witnesse, He is frythed in with floryns And othere fees manye; Loke thow plukke no plaunte there, 3670 For peril of thi soule; Thanne shul ye see Seye-sooth,- So-it-be-to-doone,- In-good-manere,-ellis-noght- For-no-mannes-biddyng.

"Thanne shaltow come to a court {113} As cler as the sonne; The moot is of Mercy The manoir aboute, And alle the walles ben of Wit, 3680 To holden Wil oute, And kerneled wit Cristendom, Mankynde to save, Botrased with Bileef-so,- Or-thow-beest-noght-saved.

"And alle the houses ben hiled, Halles and chambres, With no leed but with love, And lowe speche as bretheren; The brugg is of Bidde-wel,- 3690 The-bet-may-thow-spede; Ech piler is of penaunce, Of preieres to seyntes; Of almes-dedes are the hokes That the gates hangen on.

"Grace hatte the gatewarde, A good man for sothe; His man hatte Amende-yow, For many men hym knoweth; Telleth hym this tokene, 3700 That Truthe wite the sothe; 'I perfourned the penaunce That the preest me enjoyned, And am ful sory for my synnes, And so I shal evere, Whan I thynke theron, Theigh I were a pope.'

"Biddeth Amende-yow meke hym Til his maister ones, To wayven up the wiket 3710 {114} That the womman shette, Tho Adam and Eve Eten apples un-rosted. _Per Evam cunctis clausa est, et per Mariam virginem patefacta est._

"For he hath the keye and the cliket, Though the kyng slepe. And if grace graunte thee To go in this wise, Thow shalt see in thiselve 3720 Truthe in thyn herte, In a cheyne of charité As thow a child were, To suffren hym and segge noght Ayein thi sires wille.

"And be war thanne of Wrathe-thee, That is a wikked sherewe; He hath envye to hym That in thyn herte sitteth, And poketh forth pride 3730 To preise thiselven. The boldnesse of thi bienfetes Maketh thee blynd thanne; And thanne worstow dryven out as dew, And the dore closed, Keyed and cliketted, To kepe thee withouten; Happily an hundred wynter Er thow eft entre. Thus myghtestow lesen his love, 3740 To lete wel by thiselve, And nevere happily eft entre, But grace thow have.

"And ther are seven sustren {115} That serven Truthe evere, And arn porters of the posternes That to the place longeth.

"That oon hatte Abstinence, And Humilité another; Charité and Chastité 3750 Ben hise chief maydenes; Pacience and Pees Muche peple thei helpeth; Largenesse the lady, She let in ful manye, Heo hath holpe a thousand out Of the develes punfolde; And who is sib to thise sevene, So me God helpe! He is wonderly welcome, 3760 And faire underfongen. And but if ye be sibbe To some of thise sevene, It is ful hard, by myn heed!" quod Piers, "For any of yow alle To geten in-going at any gate there, But grace be the moore."

"Now by Crist!" quod a kutte-purs "I have no kyn there." "Nor I," quod an ape-ward, 3770 "By aught that I kan knowe." "Wite God!" quod a wafrestere, "Wiste I this for sothe, Sholde I nevere ferther a foot, For no freres prechyng."

"Yis," quod Piers the Plowman, And poked hem alle to goode, "Mercy is a maiden there {116} Hath myght over alle; And she is sib to alle synfulle, 3780 And hire sone also, And thorugh the help of hem two Hope thow noon oother, Thow myght gete grace there, So thow go bi-tyme."

"Bi seint Poul!" quod a pardoner, "Peraventure I be noght knowe there; I wol go fecche my box with my brevettes, And a bulle with bisshopes lettres."