Langland, William, 1330?-1400?. The vision of Piers Plowman
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4.001: " Cesseth!' seide the Kyng, " I suffre yow no lenger.
4.002: Ye shul saughtne, forsothe, and serve me bothe.
4.003: Kis hire,' quod the Kyng, "Conscience, I hote!'
4.004: " Nay, by Crist!' quod Conscience, " congeye me rather!
4.005: But Reson rede me therto, rather wol I deye.'
4.006: "And I comaunde thee,' quod the Kyng to Conseience thanne,
4.007: "Rape thee to ryde, and Reson that thow fecche.
4.008: Comaunde hym that he come my counseil to here,
4.009: For he shal rule my reaume and rede me the beste
4.010: Mede and of mo othere, what man shal hire wedde,
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4.011: And acounte with thee, Conscience, so me Crist helpe,
4.012: How thow lernest the peple, the lered and the lewed!'
4.013: "I am fayn of that foreward,' seide the freke thanne,
4.014: And ryt right to Reson and rouneth in his ere,
4.015: And seide hym as the Kyng seide, and sithen took his leve.
4.016: "I shal arraye me to ryde,' quod Reson,-reste thee a while,'
4.017: And called Caton his knave, curteis of speche,
4.018: And also Tomme Trewe-tonge-tel-me-no-tales
4.019: Ne lesynge-to-laughen-of-for-I-loved-hem-nevere.
4.020: " Set my sadel upon Suffre-til-I-se-my-tyme,
4.021: And lat warroke hym wel with witty-wordes gerthes.
4.022: Hange on hym the hevy brydel to holde his heed lowe,
4.023: For he wol make ""wehee'' twies er he be there.'
4.024: Thanne Conscience on his capul caireth forth faste,
4.025: And Reson with hym ryt, rownynge togideres
4.026: Whiche maistries Mede maketh on this erthe.
4.027: Oon Waryn Wisdom and Witty his fere
4.028: Folwed hem faste, for thei hadde to doone
4.029: In th'Eseheker and in the Chauncerye, to ben descharged of thynges,
4.030: And riden faste for Reson sholde rede hem the beste
4.031: For to save hem for silver from shame and from harmes.
4.032: A[c] Conscience knew hem wel, thei loved coveitise,
4.033: And bad Reson ryde faste and recche of hir neither:
4.034: "Ther are wiles in hire wordes, and with Mede thei dweneth --
4.035: Ther as wrathe and wranglynge is, ther wynne thei silver;
4.036: Ac there is love and leautee, thei wol noght come there:
4.036: Contricio et infelicitas in viis eorum &c.
4.037: Thei ne gyveth noght of God one goose wynge:
4.037: Non est timor Dei ante oculos eorum &c.
4.038: For thei wolde do moore for a dozeyne chiknes
4.039: Than for the love of Oure Lorde or alle hise leeve seintes!
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4.040: Forthi, Reson, lat hem ride, tho riche by hemselve --
4.041: For Conscience knoweth hem noght, ne Crist, as I trowe.'
4.042: And thanne Reson rood faste the righte heighe gate,
4.043: As Conscience hym kenned, til thei come to the Kynge.
4.044: Curteisly the Kyng thanne com ayeins Reson,
4.045: And bitwene hymsel and his sone sette hym on benche,
4.046: And wordeden wel wisely a gret while togideres.
4.047: And thame com Pees into parliment and putte up a bill-
4.048: How Wrong ayeins his wille hadde his wif taken,
4.049: And how he ravysshede Rose, Reignaldes loove,
4.050: And Margrete of hir maydenhede maugree hire chekes.
4.051: " Bothe my gees and my grys hise gadelynges feccheth;
4.052: I dar noght for fere of hem fighte ne chide.
4.053: He borwed of me bayard and broughte hym hom nevere
4.054: Ne no ferthyng therfore, for nought I koude plede.
4.055: He maynteneth hise men to murthere myne hewen,
4.056: Forstalleth my feires and fighteth in my chepyng,
4.057: And breketh up my berne dores and bereth awey my whete,
4.058: And taketh me but a taille for ten quarters otes.
4.059: And yet he beteth me therto and lyth by my mayde;
4.060: I am noght hardy for hym unnethe to loke!'
4.061: The Kyng knew he seide sooth. for Conscience hym tolde
4.062: That Wrong was a wikked luft and wroghte muche sorwe.
4.063: Wrong was afered thanne, and Wisdom he soughte
4.064: To maken pees with hise pens, and profred hym manye,
4.065: And seide, "Hadde I love of my lord the Kyng, litel wolde I recche
4.066: Theigh Pees and his power pleyned hym evere!'
4.067: Tho wan Wisdom and Sire Waryn the Witty,
4.068: For that Wrong hadde ywroght so wikked a dede,
4.069: And warnede Wrong tho with swich a wis tale --
4.070: "Whoso wereheth by wille, writhe maketh ofte.
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4.071: I seye it by myself -- thow shalt it wel fynde:
4.072: But if Mede it make, thi meschief is uppe;
4.073: For bothe thi lif and thi lond lyth in his grace.'
4.074: Thanne wowede Wrong Wisdom ful yerne
4.075: To maken his pees with his pens, handy dandy payed.
4.076: Wisdom and Wit thanne wenten togidres,
4.077: And token Mede myd hem mercy to wynne.
4.078: Pees putte forth his heed and his panne blody:
4.079: "Withouten gilt, God woot, gat I this seathe.'
4.080: Conseicnce and the commune knowen wel the sothe,
4.081: Ac Wisdom and Wit were aboute faste
4.082: To overcomen the Kyng with catel, if thei myghte.
4.083: The Kyng swor by Crist and by his crowne bothe
4.084: That Wrong for hise werkes sholde wo tholie,
4.085: And combundede a eonstable to casten hym in irens,
4.086: "And lete hym noght this seven yer seen his feet ones.
4.087: "God woot,' quod Wisdom, "that were noght the beste!
4.088: And he amendes mowe make, Iat Maynprise hym have
4.089: And be borgh for his bale, and buggen hym boote,
4.090: And so amenden that is mysdo, and everemoore the bettre.'
4.091: Wit acorded therwith, and seide the same,
4.092: "Bettre is that boote bale adoun brynge
4.093: Than bale be ybet, and boote nevere the bettre!'
4.094: Thanne gan Mede to meken hire, and mercy bisoughte,
4.095: And profrede Pees a present al of pure golde.
4.096: "Have this, man, of me,' quod she, "to amenden thi scathe,
4.097: For I wol wage for Wrong, he wol do so na moore.'
4.098: Pitously Pees thanne preyde to the Kynge
4.099: To have mercy on that man that mysdide hym so ofte.
4.100: "For he hath waged me wel, as Wisdom hym taughte,
4.101: And I forgyve hym that gilt with a good wille.
4.102: So that the Kyng assente, I kan seye no bettre,
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4.103: For Mede hath maad myne amendes -- I may na moore axe.'
4.104: "Nay', quod the Kyng tho, "so me Crist helpe!
4.105: Wrong wendeth noghtawey er I wite more.
4.106: Lope he so lightly, laughen he wolde,
4.107: And eft the boldere be to bete myne hewen.
4.108: But Reson have ruthe on hym, he shal reste in my stokkes
4.109: As longe as [I] lyve, but lowenesse hym borwe.'
4.110: Somme radde Reson tho to have ruthe on that shrewe,
4.111: And for to counseille the Kyng and Conscience after
4.112: That Mede moste be maynpernour, Reson thei bisoughte.
4.113: " Reed me noght,' quod Reson, "no ruthe to have
4.114: Til lordes and ladies loven alle truthe
4.115: And haten alle harlotrie, to heren or to mouthen it;
4.116: Til Pernelles purfill be put in hire hucche
4.117: And childrene cherissynge be chastised with yerdes,
4.118: And harlottes holynesse be holden for an hyne;
4.119: Til clerkene coveitise be to clothe the povere and fede,
4.120: And religiouse romeris Recordare in hir cloistres
4.121: As Seynt Beneyt hem bad, Bernard and Fraunceis;
4.122: And til prechours prechynge be preved on hemselve;
4.123: Til the Kynges counseil be the commune profit;
4.124: Til bisshopes bayardes ben beggeris chaumbres,
4.125: Hire haukes and hire houndes help to povere religious;
4.126: And til Seint James be sought there I shal assigne --
4.127: That no man go to Galis but if he go for evere;
4.128: And alle Rome renneres for robberes of biyonde
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4.129: Bere no silver over see that signe of kyng sheweth --
4.130: Neither grave ne ungrave, gold neither silver --
4.131: Upon forfeture of that fee, who fynt hym at Dovere,
4.132: But if it be marchaunt or his man, or messager with lettres,
4.133: Provysour or preest, or penaunt for hise synnes.
4.134: "And yet,' quod Reson, "by the Rode! I shal no ruthe have
4.135: Whiff Mede hath the maistrie in this moot-halle.
4.136: Ac I may shewe ensamples as I se outher.
4.137: I seye it by myself,' quod he, "and it so were
4.138: That I were kyng with coroune to kepen a reaume,
4.139: Sholde nevere Wrong in this world that I wite myghte
4.140: Ben unpunysshed in my power, for peril of my soule,
4.141: Ne gete my grace thorugh giftes, so me God save!
4.142: Ne for no mede have mercy, but mekenesse it made;
4.143: For ""Nullum molum the man mette with inpunitum
4.144: And bad Nullum bonum be irremuneratum.''
4.145: Lat thi confessour, sire Kyng, construe this [E]ngl[ys]sed,
4.146: And if ye werchen it in werk, I wedde myne eris
4.147: That Lawe shal ben a laborer and lede afeld donge
4.148: And Love shal lede thi lond as the leef liketh.'
4.149: Clerkes that were confessours coupled hem togideres
4.150: Al to construe this clause, and for the Kynges profit,
4.151: Ac noght for confort of the cornmune, ne for the Kynges soule,
4.152: For I seigh Mede in the moot-halle on men of lawe wynke,
4.153: And thei laughynge lope to hire and lefte Reson manye.
4.154: Waryn Wisdom wynked upon Mede
4.155: And seide, " Madame, I am youre man, what so my mouth jangle;
4.156: I falle in floryns,' quod that freke, "and faile speche ofte.'
4.157: Alle rightfulle recorded that Reson truthe tolde.
4.158: [Kynde] Wit acorded therwith and comendede hise wordes,
4.159: And the mooste peple in the halle and manye of the grete,
4.160: And leten Mekenesse a maister and Mede a mansed sherewe.
4.161: Love leet of hire light, and Leaute yet lasse,
4.162: And seide it so heighc that all the halle it herde:
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4.163: "Whoso wilneth hire to wyve, For welthe of hire goodes --
4.164: But he be knowe for a cokewold, kut of my nose!'
4.165: Mede mornede tho, and made hevy chere,
4.166: For the mooste commune of that court called hire an hore.
4.167: Ac a sisour and a somonour sued hire faste,
4.168: And a sherreves clerk bisherewed al the route:
4.169: " For ofte have I,' quod he, 'holpen yow at the barre,
4.170: And yet yeve ye me nevere the worth of a risshe!'
4.171: The Kyng callede Conseience and afterward Reson,
4.172: And recordede that Reson hadde rightfully shewed ;
4.173: And modiliche upon Mede with myght the Kyng loked,
4.174: And gan wexe wroth with Lawe, for Mede almoost hadde shent it,
4.175: And seide,-Thorugh youre lawe, as I leve, I lese manye chetes;
4.176: Mede overmaistreth Lawe and muche truthe letteth.
4.177: Ac Reson shal rekene with yow, if I regne any while, -
4.178: And deme yow, bi this day, as ye han deserved.
4.179: Mede shal noght maynprise yow, by the Marie of hevene!
4.180: I wole have leaute in lawe, and lete be al youre jangling,
4.181: And as moost folk witnesseth wel, Wrong shal be demed.'
4.182: Quod Conscience to the Kyng, 'But the commune wole assente,-
4.183: It is ful hard, by myn heed, herto to brynge it,
4.184: [And] alle youre lige leodes to lede thus evene.'
4.185: "By Hym that raughte on the Rood!' quod Reson to the Kynge,
4.186: But if I rule thus youre reaume, rende out my guttes --
4.187: If ye bidden buxomnesse be of myn assent.'
4.188: "And I assente,' seith the Kyng, " by Seinte Marie my lady,
4.189: Be my Counseil comen of clerkes and of erles.
4.190: Ac redily, Reson, thow shalt noght ride hennes;
4.191: For as longe as I lyve, lete thee I nelle.'
4.192: 'I am al redy.' quod Reson, "to reste with yow evere;
4.193: So Conscience be of oure counceil, I kepe no bettre.'
4.194: "And I graunte,' quod the Kyng, "Goddes forbode he faile!
4.195: Als longe as oure lyf lasteth, lyve we togideres!'
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