Langland, William, 1330?-1400?. The vision of Piers Plowman
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20.001: Thanne as I wente by the way, whan I was thus awaked,
20.002: Hevy chered I yede, and elenge in herte;
20.003: For I ne wiste wher to ete ne at what place,
20.004: And it neghed neigh the noon, and with Nede I mette,
20.005: That afrounted me foule and faitour me called.
20.006: "Coudestow noght excuse thee, as dide the kyng and othere --
20.007: That thow toke to thy bilyve, to clothes and to sustenaunce,
20.008: Was by techynge and by tellynge of Spiritus Temperancie,
20.009: And that thow nome na moore than nede thee taughte,
20.010: And nede ne hath no lawe, ne nevere shal falle in dette
20.011: For thre thynges he taketh his lif for to save? --
20.012: That is, mete whan men hym werneth, and he no moneye weldeth,
20.013: Ne wight noon wol ben his borugh, ne wed hath noon to legge;
20.014: And he ca[cch]e in that caas and come therto by sleighte,
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20.015: He synneth noght, soothliche, that so wynneth his foode.
20.016: And though he come so to a clooth, and kan no bettre chevyssaunce,
20.017: Nede anoon righte nymeth hym under maynprise.
20.018: And if hym list for to lape, the lawe of kynde wolde
20.019: That he dronke at ech dych, er he [deide for thurst].
20.020: So Nede, at gret nede, may nymen as for his owene,
20.021: Withouten conseil of Conscience or Cardynale Vertues --
20.022: So that he sewe and save Spiritus Temperancie.
20.023: "For is no vertue bi fer to Spiritus Temperancie --
20.024: Neither Spiritus Iusticie ne Spiritus Fortitudinis.
20.025: For Spiritus Fortitudinis forfeteth ful ofte:
20.026: He shal do moore than mesure many tyme and ofte,
20.027: And bete men over bittre, and som body to litel,
20.028: And greve men gretter than good feith it wolde.
20.029: "And Spiritus Iusticie shal juggen, wole he, nel he,
20.030: After the kynges counseil and the comune like.
20.031: And Spiritus Prudencie in many a point shal faille
20.032: Of that he weneth wolde falle if his wit ne weere.
20.033: Wenynge is no wysdom, ne wys ymaginacion:
20.033: Homo proponit et Deus disponit --
20.034: [God] governeth alle goode vertues;
20.035: And Nede is next hym, for anoon he meketh
20.036: And as lowe as a lomb, for lakkyng that hym nedeth;
20.037: For nede maketh nede fele nedes lowe-herted.
20.038: Philosophres forsoke welthe for thei wolde be nedy,
20.039: And woneden wel elengely and wolde noght be riche.
20.040: "And God al his grete joye goostliche he lefte,
20.041: And cam and took mankynde and bicam nedy."
20.042: So he was nedy, as seith the Book, in manye sondry places,
20.043: That he seide in his some on the selve roode,
20.044: "'the Fox and fowel may fle to hole and crepe,
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20.045: And the fissh hath fyn to flete with to reste,
20.046: Ther nede hath ynome me, that I moot nede abide
20.047: And suffre sorwes ful soure, that shal to joye torne.''
20.048: Forthi be noght abasshed to bide and to be nedy,
20.049: Sith he that wroghte al the world was wilfulliche nedy,
20.050: Ne nevere noon so nedy ne poverer deide.'
20.051: Whan Nede hadde undernome rne thus, anoon I fil aslepe,
20.052: And mette ful merveillously that in mannes forme
20.053: Antecrist cam thanne, and al the crop of truthe
20.054: Torned it [tid] up-so-doun, and overtilte the roote,
20.055: And made fals sprynge and sprede and spede mennes nedes.
20.056: In ech a contree ther he cam he kutte awey truthe.
20.057: And gerte gile growe there as he a god weere.
20.058: Freres folwede that fend, for he gaf hem copes,
20.059: And religiouse reverenced hym and rongen hir belles,
20.060: And al the covent cam to welcome that tyraunt,
20.061: And alle hise as wel as hym -- save oonly fooles;
20.062: Whiche fooles were wel gladdere to deye
20.063: Than to lyve lenger sith Leute was so rebuked,
20.064: And a fals fend Antecrist over alle folk regnede.
20.065: And that were rnylde men and holye, that no meschief dradden,
20.066: Defyed alle falsnesse and folk that it usede;
20.067: And what kyng that hem conforted, knowynge h[ir] gile,
20.068: They cursed, and hir conseil -- were it clerk or lewed.
20.069: Antecrist hadde thus soone hundredes at his baner,
20.070: And Pride bar it bare boldely aboute,
20.071: With a lord that lyveth after likyng of body,
20.072: That cam ayein Conscience, that kepere was and gyour
20.073: Over kynde Cristene and Cardynale Vertues.
20.074: "I conseille,' quod Conscience tho, "cometh with me, ye fooles,
20.075: Into Unite Holy Chirche, and holde we us there.
20.076: And crye we to Kynde that he come and defende us
20.077: Fooles fro thise fendes lymes, for Piers love the Plowman.
20.078: And crye we on al the comune that thei come to Unitee,
20.079: And there abide and bikere ayeins Beliales children.'
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20.080: Kynde Conscience tho herde, and cam out of the planetes,
20.081: And sente forth his forreyours -- feveres and fluxes,
20.082: Coughes and cardiacles, crampes and toothaches,
20.083: Rewmes and radegundes and roynouse scalles,
20.084: Biles and bocches and brennynge agues,
20.085: Frenesies and foule yveles -- forageres of Kynde
20.086: Hadde ypriked and prayed polles of peple;
20.087: Largeliche a legion lees hir lif soone.
20.088: There was " Harrow!' and " Help! Here cometh Kynde,
20.089: With Deeth that is dredful, to undo us alle!'
20.090: The lord that lyved after lust tho aloud cryde
20.091: After Confort, a knyght, to come and bere his baner.
20.092: "Alarme! Alarme!' quod that lord, "ech lif kepe his owene!'
20.093: Thanne mette thise men, er mynstrals myghte pipe,
20.094: And er heraudes of armes hadden discryved lordes,
20.095: Elde the hoore; he was in the vauntwarde,
20.096: And bar the baner bifore Deeth -- bi right he it cleymede.
20.097: Kynde cam after hym, with many kene soores,
20.098: As pokkes and pestilences -- and muche peple shente;
20.099: So Kynde thorugh corrupcions kilde ful manye,
20.100: Deeth cam dryvynge after and al to duste passhed
20.101: Kynges and knyghtes, kaysers and popes.
20.102: Lered ne lewed, he lefte no man stonde
20.103: That he hitte evene, that evere stired after.
20.104: Manye a lovely lady and [hir] lemmans knyghtes
20.105: Swowned and swelted for sorwe of Dethes dyntes.
20.106: Conscience of his curteisie to Kynde he bisoughte
20.107: To cesse and suffre, and see wher thei wolde
20.108: Leve Pride pryvely and be parfite Cristene.
20.109: And Kynde cessede tho, to se the peple amende.
20.110: Fortune gan flatere thanne tho fewe that were alyve,
20.111: And bihighte hem long lif -- and lecherie h
20.112: Amonges alle manere men, wedded and unwedded,
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20.113: And gaderede a greet hoost al agayn Conscience.
20.114: "This Lecherie leide on with laughynge chiere
20.115: And with pryvee speche and peyntede wordes,
20.116: And armede hym in ydelnesse and in heigh berynge.
20.117: He bar a bowe in his hand and manye brode arewes,
20.118: Weren fethered with fair biheste and many a fals truthe.
20.119: With untidy tales he tened ful ofte
20.120: Conscience and his compaignye, of Holy Kirke the techeris.
20.121: Thanne cam Coveitise and caste how he myghte
20.122: Overcome Conscience and Cardinale Vertues,
20.123: And armed hym in avarice and hungriliche lyvede.
20.124: His wepne was al wiles, to wynnen and to hiden;
20.125: With glosynges and with gabbynges he giled the peple.
20.126: Symonye hym s[ue]de to assaille Conscience,
20.127: And preched to the peple, and prelates thei hem maden
20.128: To holden with Antecrist, hir temporaltees to save;
20.129: And cam to the kynges counseille as a kene baroun,
20.130: And kneled to Conscience in Court afore hem alle,
20.131: And garte Good Feith flee and Fals to abide;
20.132: And boldeliche bar adoun with many a bright noble
20.133: Muche of the wit and wisdom of Westmynstre Halle.
20.134: He jogged til a justice and justed in his eere,
20.135: And overtilte al his truthe with "Tak this up amendement.'
20.136: And to the Arches in haste he yede anoon after,
20.137: And tornede Cyvyle into Symonye, and siththe he took the Official:
20.138: For a menever mantel he made lele matrymoyne
20.139: Departen er deeth cam, and a devors shapte.
20.140: "Allas!' quod Conscience, and cryde tho, "wolde Crist of his grace
20.141: That Coveitise were Cristene, that is so kene to fighte,
20.142: And boold and bidynge the while his bagge lasteth!'
20.143: And thanne lough Lyf, and leet daggen hise clothes,
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20.144: And armed hym in haste in harlotes wordes,
20.145: And heeld Holynesse a jape and Hendenesse a wastour,
20.146: And leet Leautee a cherl and Lyere a fre man;
20.147: Conscience and counseil, he counted it folye.
20.148: Thus relyede Lif for a litel fortune,
20.149: And priked forth with Pride -- preiseth he no vertue,
20.150: Ne careth noght how Kynde slow, and shal come at the laste
20.151: And kille alle erthely creature save Conscience oone.
20.152: Lyf lepte aside and laughte hym a lemman.
20.153: "Heele and I,' quod he, "and heighnesse of herte
20.154: Shal do thee noght drede neither deeth ne elde.
20.155: And to foryyte sorwe and yyve noght of synne."
20.156: This likede Lif and his lemman Fortune,
20.157: And geten in hir glorie a gadelyng at the laste,
20.158: Oon that muche wo wroughte, Sleuthe was his name.
20.159: Sleuthe wax wonder yerne and soone was of age,
20.160: And wedded oon Wanhope, a wenche of the stuwes.
20.161: Hir sire was a sysour that nevere swoor truthe -- -
20.162: Oon Tomme Two-tonge, atteynt at ech a queste.
20.163: This Sleuthe was war of werre, and a slynge made.
20.164: And threw drede of dispair a dozeyne myle aboute.
20.165: For care Conscience tho cryde upon Elde,
20.166: And bad hym fonde to fighte and afere Wanhope.
20.167: And Elde hente good hope, and hastiliche he shifte hym,
20.168: And wayved awey Wanhope and with Lif he fighteth.
20.169: And Lif fleigh for feere to Phisik after helpe,
20.170: And bisoughte hym of socour, and of his salve hadde,
20.171: And gaf hym gold good woon that gladede his herte --
20.172: And thei gyven hym ageyn a glazene howve.
20.173: Lyf leeved that lechecraft lette sholde Elde,
20.174: And dryven awey deeth with dyas and drogges.
20.175: And Elde auntred hym on Lyf -- and at the laste he hitte
20.176: A phisicien with a furred hood, that he fel in a palsie,
20.177: And there dyed that doctour er thre dayes after.
20.178: "Now I se,' seide Lif, "that surgerie ne phisik
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20.179: May noght a myte availle to medle ayein Elde.'
20.180: And in hope of his heele good herte he hente
20.181: And rood so to Revel, a riche place and a murye --
20.182: The compaignye of confort men cleped it som tyme --
20.183: And Elde anoon after hym, and over myn heed yede,
20.184: And made me balled bifore and bare on the croune:
20.185: So harde he yede over myn heed it wol be sene evere.
20.186: "Sire yvele ytaught Elde!' quod I, "unhende go with the!
20.187: Sith whanne was the wey over menne heddes?
20.188: Haddestow be hende,' quod I, "thow woldest have asked leeve!'
20.189: "Ye -- leve, lurdeyn?' quod he, and leyde on me with age,
20.190: And hitte me under the ere -- unnethe may ich here.
20.191: Helbuffetted me aboute the mouth and bette out my wangteeth,
20.192: And gyved me in goutes -- I may noght goon at large.
20.193: And of the wo that I was inne my wif hadde ruthe,
20.194: And wisshed wel witterly that I were in hevene.
20.195: For the lyme that she loved me fore, and leef was to feele --
20.196: On nyghtes, namely, whan we naked weere --
20.197: I ne myghte in no manere maken it at hir wille,
20.198: So Elde and he[o] hadden it forbeten.
20.199: And as I seet in this sorwe, I saugh how Kynde passede,
20.200: And deeth drogh neigh me -- for drede gan I quake,
20.201: And cryde to Kynde, "Out of care me brynge!
20.202: Lo! how Elde the hoore hath me biseye:
20.203: Awreke me if youre wille be, for I wolde ben hennes!
20.204: "If thow wolt be wroken, wend into Unitee,
20.205: And hold thee there evere, til I sende for thee;
20.206: And loke thow konne som craft er thow come thennes.'
20.207: "Counseille me, Kynde,' quod I, "what craft be best to lerne?'
20.208: "Lerne to love,' quod Kynde, "and leef alle othere.'
20.209: "How shal I come to catel so, toclothe me and to feede?'
20.210: "And thow love lelly, lakke shal thee nevere
20.211: Weede ne worldly mete, while thi lif lasteth.'
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20.212: And there by conseil of Kynde I comsed to rome
20.213: Thorugh Contricion and Confession til I cam to Unitee.
20.214: And there was Conscience conestable Cristene to save,
20.215: And bisegede soo[r]ly with sevene grete geaunts
20.216: That with Antecrist helden harde ayein Conscience.
20.217: Sleuthe with his slynge an hard saut he made.
20.218: Proude preestes coome with hym -- pange an hundred
20.219: In paltokes and pyked shoes and pisseris longe knyves
20.220: Coomen ayein Conscience -- with Coveitise thei helden.
20.221: "By the Marie!' quod a mansed preest, was of the march of Irlonde,
20.222: "I counte na moore Conscience, by so I cacche silver,
20.223: Than I do to drynke a draughte of good ale!'
20.224: And so seiden sixty of the same contree,
20.225: And shotten ayein with shot, many a sheef of othes,
20.226: And brode hoked arwes -- Goddes herte and hise nayles --
20.227: And hadden almoost Unitee and holynesse adown.
20.228: Conscience cryede, " Help, Clergie. or ellis I falle
20.229: Thorugh inparfite preestes and prelates of Holy Chirche!
20.230: Freres herden hym crye, and comen hym to helpe --
20.231: Ac for thei kouthe noght wel hir craft, Conscience forsook hem.
20.232: Nede neghede tho neer, and Conscience he tolde
20.233: That thei come for coveitise to have cure of soules.
20.234: "And for thei are povere, paraventure, for patrymoyne hem failleth,
20.235: Thei wol flatere, to fare wel, folk that ben riche.
20.236: And sithen thei chosen chele and cheitiftee, poverte --
20.237: Lat hem chewe as thei chose, and charge hem with no cure!
20.238: For lomere he lyeth, that liflode moot begge,
20.239: Than he that laboureth for liflode and leneth it beggeres.
20.240: And sithen freres forsoke the felicite of erthe,
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20.241: Lat hem be as beggeris, or lyve by aungeles foode!'
20.242: Conscience of this counseil tho comsede for to laughe,
20.243: And curteisliche conforted hem and called in alle freres,
20.244: And seide, Sires, soothly welcome be ye alle
20.245: To Unitee and Holy Chirche -- ac o thyng I yow preye:
20.246: Holdeth yow in unitee, and haveth noon envye
20.247: To lered ne to lewed, but lyveth after youre reule.
20.248: And I wol be youre borugh, ye shal have breed and clothes
20.249: And othere necessaries ynowe -- yow shal no thyng lakke,
20.250: With that ye leve logik and lerneth for to lovye.
20.251: For love lafte thei lordshipe, bothe lond and scole --
20.252: Frere Fraunceys and Domynyk -- for love to be holye.
20.253: "And if ye coveite cure, Kynde wol yow telle
20.254: That in mesure God made alle manere thynges,
20.255: And sette it at a certein and at a siker nombre,
20.256: And nempnede hem names newe, and noumbrede the sterres:
20.256: Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum et omnibus eis &c.
20.257: "Kynges and knyghtes, that kepen and defenden,
20.258: Han officers under hem, and ech of hem a certein.
20.259: And if thei wage men to werre, thei write hem in noumbre;
20.260: Wol no tresorere taken hem wages, travaille thei never so soore,
20.261: [But thei ben nempned in the noumbre of hem that ben ywaged].
20.262: Alle othere in bataille ben yholde brybours --
20.263: Pylours and pykeharneys, in ech a parisshe ycursed.
20.264: " Monkes and moniales and alle men of religion --
20.265: Hir ordre and hir reule wole to han a certein noumbre;
20.266: Of lewed and of lered the lawe wole and asketh
20.267: A certein for a certein -- save oonliche of freres!
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20.268: Forthi,' quod Conscience, "by Crist! kynde wit me telleth
20.269: It is wikked to wage yow -- ye wexen out of noumbre!
20.270: Hevene hath evene noumbre, and helle is withoute noumbre;
20.271: Forthi I wolde witterly that ye were in the registre
20.272: And youre noumbre under notarie sygne, and neither mo ne lasse!'
20.273: Envye herde this and heet freres go to scole
20.274: And lerne logyk and lawe -- and ek contemplacion --
20.275: And preche men of Plato, and preve it by Seneca
20.276: That alle thynges under hevene oughte to ben in cornune.
20.277: He lyeth, as I leve, that to the lewed so precheth:
20.278: For God made to men a lawe and Moyses it taughte --
20.279: Non concupisces rem proximi tui.
20.280: And yvele is this yholde in parisshes of Engelonde;
20.281: For persons and parissh preestes, that sholde the peple shryve,
20.282: Ben curatours called to knowe and to hele.
20.283: Alle that ben hir parisshens penaunces enjoigne,
20.284: And ben ashamed in hir shrift; ac shame maketh hem wende
20.285: And fleen to the freres -- -as fals folk to Westmynstre,
20.286: That borweth, and bereth it thider, and thanne biddeth frendes
20.287: Yerne of foryifnesse or lenger yeres leve.
20.288: Ac while he is in Westmynstre he wol be bifore
20.289: And maken hym murie with oother menne goodes.
20.290: And so it fareth with muche folk that to freres shryveth;
20.291: As sisours and executours -- thei shul yyve the freres
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20.292: A parcel to preye for hem, and [purchace] hem mur[th]e
20.293: With the remenaunt that othere [renkes] biswonke,
20.294: And suffre the dede in dette to the day of doome.
20.295: Envye herfore hatede Conscience,
20.296: And freres to philosophie he fond hem to scole,
20.297: The while Coveitise and Unkyndenesse Conscience assaillede.
20.298: In Unitee Holy Chirche Conscience held hym,
20.299: And made Pees porter to pynne the yates
20.300: Of alle taletelleris and titeleris in ydel.
20.301: Ypocrisie and h[ii] an hard saut thei made.
20.302: Ypocrisie at the yate harde gan fighte,
20.303: And woundede wel wikkedly many a wise techere
20.304: That with Conscience acordede and Cardynale Vertues.
20.305: Conscience called a leche, that coude wel shryve,
20.306: To go salve tho that sike were and thorugh synne ywounded.
20.307: Shrift shoop sharp salve, and made men do penaunce
20.308: For hire mysdedes that thei wroght hadde,
20.309: And that Piers [pardon] were ypayed, redde quod debes.
20.310: Some liked noght this leche, and lettres thei sente,
20.311: If any surgien were in the sege that softer koude plastre.
20.312: Sire Leef-to-lyve-in-lecherie lay there and gronede;
20.313: For fastynge of a Fryday he ferde as he wolde deye:
20.314: "Ther is a surgien in this sege that softe kan handle,
20.315: And moore of phisik bi fer, and fairer he plastreth --
20.316: Oon Frere Flaterere, is phisicien and surgien.'
20.317: Quod Contricion to Conscience, "Do hym come to Unitee;
20.318: For here is many a man hurt thorugh Ypocrisye.'
20.319: "We han no nede,' quod Conscience, "I woot no bettre leche
20.320: Than person or parissh preest, penitauncer or bisshop --
20.321: Save Piers the Plowman, that hath power over alle,
20.322: And indulgence may do, but if dette lette it.
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20.323: I may wel suffre,' seide Conscience, "syn ye desiren,
20.324: That Frere Flaterere be fet and phisike yow sike.'
20.325: The frere herof herde and hiede faste
20.326: To a lord for a lettre, leve to have to curen
20.327: As a curatour he were, and cam with his lettre
20.328: Boldely to the bisshop, and his brief hadde,
20.329: In contrees ther he coome, confessions to here --
20.330: And cam there Conseience was, and knokked at the yate.
20.331: Pees unpynned it, was porter of Unitee,
20.332: And in haste askede what his wille were.
20.333: "In faith,' quod this frere, "for profit and for helthe
20.334: Carpe I wolde with Contricion, and therfore cam I hider,'
20.335: "He is sik,' seide Pees, "and so are manye othere;
20.336: Ypocrisie hath hurt hem -- ful hard is if thei kevere.'
20.337: "I am a surgien,' seide the frere, "and salves can make.
20.338: Conscience knoweth me wel and what I kan do bothe.'
20.339: "I praye thee,' quod Pees tho, "er thow passe ferther,
20.340: What hattestow? I praye thee, hele noght thi name.'
20.341: "Certes,' seide his felawe, " Sire Penetrans-domos.'
20.342: "Ye? Go thi gate!' quod Pees, "by God, for al thi phisik,
20.343: But thow konne any craft, thow comest nought herinne!
20.344: I knew swich oon ones, noght eighte wynter passed,
20.345: Coom in thus ycoped at a court there I dwelde,
20.346: And was my lordes leche -- and my ladies bothe.
20.347: And at the laste this lymytour, tho my lord was oute,
20.348: He salvede so oure wommen til some were with childe.'
20.349: Hende-Speche heet Pees tho, " Opene the yates.
20.350: Lat in the frere and his felawe, and make hem fair cheere.
20.351: He may se and here here, so may bifalle,
20.352: That Lif thorugh his loore shal leve coveitise,
20.353: And be adrad of deeth and withdrawe hym fram pryde,
20.354: And acorde with Conseience and kisse hir either oother.'
20.355: Thus thorugh Hende-Speche entred the frere,
20.356: And cam in to Conseience and curteisly hym grette.
20.357: " Thow art welcome,' quod Conscience, "kanstow heele sike?
20.358: Here is Contricion,' quod Conscience, "my cosyn, ywounded.
20.359: Conforte hym,' quod Conscience, "and take kepe to hise soores.
20.360: The plastres of the person and poudres ben to soore,
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20.361: And lat hem ligge overlonge and looth is to chaunge hem;
20.362: Fro Lenten to Lenten he lat his plastres bite.'
20.363: "That is overlonge!' quod this lymytour, " I leve -- I shal amende it' --
20.364: And gooth, gropeth Contricion, and gaf hym a plastre
20.365: Of "A pryvee paiement, and I shal praye for yow,
20.366: And for al [hem] that ye ben holden to, al my lif tyme,
20.367: And make yow [and] my Lady in masse and in matyns
20.368: As freres of oure fraternytee for a litel silver.'
20.369: Thus he gooth and gadereth, and gloseth there he shryveth --
20.370: Til Contricion hadde clene foryeten to crye and to wepe,
20.371: And wake for hise wikked werkes as he was wont to doone.
20.372: For confort of his confessour contricion he lafte,
20.373: That is the soverayneste salve for alle[s]kynnes synnes.
20.374: Sleuth seigh that, and so dide Pryde,
20.375: And comen with a kene wille Conscience to assaille.
20.376: Conseience cryed eft [Clergie come] helpe hym,
20.377: And [bad] Contricion [come] to kepe the yate.
20.378: " He lith adreynt,' seide Pees, "and so do manye othere;
20.379: The frere with his phisyk this folk hath enchaunted,
20.380: And plastred hem so esily [that hii] drede no synne!'
20.381: "By Crist!' quod Conscience tho, " I wole bicome a pilgrym,
20.382: And walken as wide as the world lasteth,
20.383: To seken Piers the Plowman, that Pryde myghte destruye,
20.384: And that freres hadde a fyndyng, that for nede flateren
20.385: And countrepledeth me, Conscience. Now Kynde me avenge,
20.386: And sende me hap and heele, til I have Piers the Plowman!'
20.387: And siththe he gradde after Grace, til I gan awake.