Passus Sextus Decimus & primus de dobet


Now faire falle ȝow quod I þo · for ȝowre faire shewynge
For haukynnes loue þe actyf man euere I shal ȝow louye
Ac ȝet I am in a were · what charite is to mene

notadeclaracionem caritatisM.16.4: Hand 3, fol. 77v, left margin. ¶ It is a ful trye tree quod he · trewly to telle ·
XF.16.5: Corrector, fol. 68r, right margin, drypoint.A discrip=|tion of cha|ritie .Cr2.16.5: Fol. Y.2v, left margin. A discrip=|tion of cha|ritie .Cr3.16.5: Fol. 86v, left margin. Mercy is þe more þer-of · þe myddel stokke is reuthe
charitasL.16.6: Hand X1 (16th C), fol. 69r, right margin. Þe leues ben lele wordes · þe lawe of holycherche
Þe blosmes beth boxome speche · and benygne lokynge
Pacience hatte þe pure tre · and pore symple of herte
And so þorw god and þorw good men · groweth þe frute charite

Agite penitenciamR.16.10: Hand X7 (15th-c), fol. 81r, right margin. (Note: BB attribute this to a 16th-century hand, which is possible.) ¶ I wolde trauaille quod I þis tree to se · twenty hundreth myle
id est eduliumL.16.11: Hand 1, fol. 69r, right margin, gloss on "saulee." · Nota ·C.16.11: Hand 1, fol. 23r, right margin. And forto haue my fylle of þat frute · forsake al other saulee
Lorde quod I if any wiȝte wyte · whider oute it groweth

nota beneM.16.13: Hand X, fol. 77v, left margin. ¶ It groweth in gardyne quod he · þat god made hym-seluen
Amyddes mannes body · þe more is of þat stokke
Herte hatte þe erber · þat it in groweth
And liberum arbitrium · hath þe londe to ferme
Vnder Piers þe plowman · to pyken it · and to weden it
Piers þe plowman quod I þo · and al for pure ioye
Þat I herde nempne his name · anone I swouned after
And laye longe in a loue-dreme · and atte laste me þouȝte
Þat Pieres þe plowman · al þe place me shewed
And bad me toten on þe tree · on toppe and on rote
nota thre pylis off | ChariteM.16.23: Hand 3, fol. 77v, left margin With þre pyles was it vnder-piȝte · I perceyued it sone
Pieres quod I · I preye þe · whi stonde þise piles here

¶ For wyndes wiltow wyte quod he · to witen it fram fallyng
Psal .37.Cr2.16.25α: Fol. Y.3r, right margin.Psal .37.Cr3.16.25α: Fol. 87r, right margin. Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur · quia dominus supponit manum suam
And in blowyng tyme abite þe floures · but if þis piles helpe
XF.16.27: Hand X, fol. 68r, right margin. Indicates knowledge of another manuscript, as F combines KD.16.27 and 28 and loses some text. Þe worlde is a wykked wynde · to hem þat wolden treuthe
Coueityse cometh of þat wynde · and crepeth amonge þe leues
And forfret neigh þe frute · þorw many faire siȝtes
XF.16.30: Hand X, fol. 68r, right margin. Þanne with þe firste pyle · I palle hym down · þat is potencia dei patris
Þe flesshe is a fel wynde · and in flourynge tyme
Þorw lykyng and lustes · so loude he gynneth blowe
Þat it norissheth nice siȝtes · and some-tyme wordes
XF.16.34: Hand X, fol. 68r, right margin, not drypoint. And wikked werkes þer-of · wormes of synne
And forbiteth þe blosmes · riȝt to þe bare leues

¶ Þanne sette I to þe secounde pile · sapiencia dei patris
Þat is þe passioun and þe power · of owre prynce Ihesu
Þorw preyeres and þorw penaunces · and goddes passioun in mynde
I saue it til I se it rypen · & somdel yfruited
And þanne fondeth þe fende · my fruit to destruye
With alle þe wyles þat he can · and waggeth þe rote
And casteth vp to þe croppe · vnkynde neighbores
Bakbiteres breke-cheste · brawleres and chideres
And leith a laddre þere-to · of lesynges aren þe ronges
And feccheth away my floures sumtyme · afor bothe myn eyhen
Ac liberum arbitrium · letteth hym some-tyme
Þat is lieutenant to loken it wel · by leue of my-selue
Math .xii.Cr2.16.47α: Fol. Y.2r, right margin.Mat .xii.Cr3.16.47α: Fol. 87r, right margin. Videatis qui peccat in spiritum sanctum numquam remittetur &c
Hoc est idem qui peccat per liberum arbitrium non repugnat ·
Ac whan þe fende and þe flesshe · forth with þe worlde
Pierces | defenceCr2.16.49: Fol. Y.3v, left margin.Pierces | defenceCr3.16.49: Fol. 87v, left margin. Manasen byhynde me · my fruit for to fecche
Þanne liberum arbitrium laccheth þe thridde plante
- C.16.51: Hand X, fol. 23v, left margin. And palleth adown þe pouke · purelich þorw grace
And helpe of þe holy goste · and þus haue I þe maystrie

¶ Now faire falle ȝow Pieres quod I · so faire ȝe discryuen
Þe powere of þis postes · and her propre myȝte
- C.16.55: Hand X, fol. 23v, left margin. Ac I haue þouȝtes a threve · of þis þre piles
In what wode þei woxen · and where þat þei growed
For alle ar þei aliche longe · none lasse þan other
And to my mynde as me þinketh · on o More þei growed
And of o gretnesse · and grene of greyne þei semen

¶ Þat is soth seide Pieres so it may bifalle
I shal telle þe as tite · what þis tree hatte
Þe grounde þere it groweth · goodnesse it hiȝte
The tre & | the frutes | thereofCr2.16.63: Fol. Y.3v, left margin.The tre & | the frutes | thereof .Cr3.16.63: Fol. 87v, left margin. And I haue tolde þe what hiȝte þe tree · þe trinite it meneth
And egrelich he loked on me · & þer-fore I spared
To asken hym any more ther-of · and badde hym ful fayre
To discreue þe fruit ; þat so faire hangeth

¶ Here now bineth quod he þo · if I nede hadde
Matrymonye I may nyme · a moiste fruit with-alle
Þanne contenence is nerre þe croppe · as calwey bastarde
Þanne bereth þe croppe kynde fruite · and clenneste of alle
Maydenhode angeles peres · and rathest wole be ripe
And swete with-oute swellyng · soure worth it neuere

xjF.16.73: Hand X, fol. 69r, right margin, lighter brown ink. ¶ I prayed pieres to pulle adown · an apple and he wolde
And suffre me to assaye · what sauoure it hadde

¶ And pieres caste to þe croppe · and þanne comsed it to crye
And wagged wydwehode · and it wepte after
And whan it meued Matrimoigne · it made a foule noyse
Þat I had reuth whan Piers rogged · it gradde so reufulliche
For euere as þei dropped adown · þe deuel was redy
And gadred hem alle togideres · bothe grete and smale
Adam & abraham · and ysay þe prophete
Nota notabileM.16.82: Hand 3, fol. 78v, left margin. Sampson and samuel · and seynt Iohan þe baptiste
Bar hem forth boldely · no-body hym letted
And made of holy men his horde · in lymbo inferni
There is derkenesse and drede · and þe deuel Maister

¶ And Pieres for pure tene · þat o pile he lauȝte
And hitte after hym · happe how it myȝte
Filius bi þe fader wille · and frenesse of spiritus sancti
To go robbe þat raggeman · and reue þe fruit fro hym

¶ And þanne spakke spiritus sanctus · in Gabrieles mouthe
To a mayde þat hiȝte Marye · a meke þinge with-alle
- C.16.92: Hand X, fol. 23v, left margin. Þat one Ihesus a iustice sone · moste iouke in her chambre
Tyl plenitudo temporis · fully comen were
Þat Pieres fruit floured · and fel to be ripe
And þanne shulde Ihesus iuste þere-fore · bi iuggement of armes
Whether shulde fonde þe fruit · þe fende or hym-selue

¶ Þe mayde myldeliche þo · þe messager graunted
And seyde hendelich to hym · lo me his hande-mayden
For to worchen his wille · with-outen any synne
Luke .i.Cr2.16.99α: Fol. Y.4r, right margin.Luke .i.Cr3.16.99α: Fol. 88r, right margin. Ecce ancilla domini fiat michi &c
And in þe wombe of þat wenche · was he fourty wokes
Tyl he wex a faunt þorw her flessh · and of fiȝtyng couthe
To haue yfouȝte with þe fende · ar ful tyme come
And Pieres þe plowman · parceyued plenere tyme
And lered hym lechecrafte · his lyf for to saue
Þat þowgh he were wounded · with his enemye ; to warisshe hym-self
And did hym assaye his surgerye · on hem þat syke were
Til he was parfit practisoure · of any peril fulle
And souȝte oute þe syke · and synful bothe
And salued syke and synful · bothe blynde & crokede
And comune wommen conuerted · and to good torned
Mark .ii.Cr2.16.110α: Fol. Y.4r, right margin.Mark .ii.Cr3.16.110α: Fol. 88r, right margin. Non est sanis opus medicus set in &c
Bothe meseles & mute · and in þe menysoun blody
Ofte he heled suche · he ne helde for no maistrye
Saue þo he leched lazar þat hadde yleye in graue
notaResurreccionem lazarisM.16.114: Hand 3, fol. 79r, right margin.Iohn .xi.Cr2.16.114: Fol. Y.4v, right margin.Iohn .xi.Cr3.16.114: Fol. 88v, left margin. Quatriduanus quelt · quykke did hym walke
Ac as he made þe maistrye · mestus cepit esse
And wepte water with his eyghen · þere seyen it manye
Some þat þe siȝte seyne · saide þat tyme
Þat he was leche of lyf · and lorde of heigh heuene
Iewes iangeled þere-aȝeyne · and iugged lawes
And seide he wrouȝte þorw wicchecrafte · & with þe deueles miȝte
Ioh .viii.Cr2.16.120α: Fol. Y.4v, left margin.Ioh .viiiCr3.16.120α: Fol. 88v, left margin. Demonium habes &c

¶ Þanne ar ȝe cherles quod ich · and ȝowre children bothe
And sathan ȝowre saueoure · ȝow-selue now ȝe witnessen
For I haue saued ȝow-self seith cryst · and ȝowre sones after
Ȝowre bodyes ȝowre bestes · and blynde men holpen
And fedde ȝow with fisshes · and with fyue loues
And left baskettes ful of broke mete · bere awey who-so wolde
And mysseide þe iewes manliche and manaced hem to bete
notaFugacionem Iudeorum | de TemploM.16.128: Hand 3, fol. 79r, right margin. And knokked on hem with a corde · and caste adown her stalles
Þat in cherche chaffareden · or chaungeden any moneye
And seyde it in siȝte of hem alle · so þat alle herden
I shal ouertourne þis temple · and adown throwe
And in thre dayes after · edifye it newe
And make it as moche other more · in alle manere poyntes
As euere it was and as wyde · wher-fore I hote ȝow
Of preyeres and of parfitnesse · þis place þat ȝe callen
Mat .xxiCr2.16.135α: Fol. Y.4v, left margin.Mat .xxi.Cr3.16.135α: Fol. 88v, left margin. Domus mea domus oracionis vocabitur
Enuye and yuel wille · was in þe iewes
Thei casten & contreueden · to kulle hym whan þei miȝte
Vche daye after other · þeire tyme þei awaited
Til it bifel on a fryday · a litel bifor Paske
Þe þorsday byfore þere he made his maundee
Sittyng atte sopere · he seide þise wordes
· nota · C.16.142: Hand 1, fol. 23v, right margin. I am solde þorw one of ȝow · he shal þe tyme rewe
Þat euere he his saueoure solde · for syluer or elles

¶ Iudas iangeled þere-aȝein · ac Ihesus hym tolde
It was hym[self] sothely · and seide tu dicis
The ma=|ner of Iu|das betra|yng is | vsed .Cr2.16.146: Fol. Z.1r, right margin.The ma=|ner of | Iudas be|trayng is | vsedCr3.16.146: Fol. 89r, right margin. Þanne went forth þat wikked man · and with þe iewes mette
And tolde hem a tokne how to knowe with ihesus
And which tokne to þis day · to moche is yvsed
Þat is kissyng and faire contenaunce · & vnkynde wille
And so was with iudas þo · þat Ihesus bytrayed
Aue raby quod þat ribaude · and riȝt to hym he ȝede
notaquomodo Iudas | tradidit CristumM.16.152: Hand 3, fol. 79v, left margin. And kiste hym to be cauȝt þere-by · and kulled of þe iewes

¶ Þanne Ihesus to Iudas · and to þe iewes seyde
Falsenesse I fynde · in þi faire speche
And gyle in þi gladde chere · and galle is in þi lawghyng
Þow shalt be myroure to manye men to deceyue
Ac þe wors and þi wikkednesse · shal worth vpon þi-selue
Math .18.Cr2.16.157α: Fol. Z.1r, right margin.Mat .18.Cr3.16.157α: Fol. 89r, right margin. Necesse est vt veniant scandala · ve homini illi per quem scandalum venit
Þow I bi tresoun be ytake · at ȝowre owne wille
Suffreth my postles in pays · & in pees gange
On a thoresday in thesternesse · þus was he taken
Þorw iudas and iewes · ihesus was his name
Þat on þe fryday folwynge · for mankynde sake
Iusted in ierusalem · a ioye to vs alle
On crosse vpon caluarye · cryst toke þe bataille
Aȝeines deth and þe deuel · destruyed her botheres myȝtes
Deyde and deth fordid · and daye of nyȝte made

¶ And I awaked þere-with · & wyped myne eyghen
And after piers þe plowman · pryed and stared
Estwarde and westwarde · I awayted after faste
And ȝede forth as an ydiote · in contre to aspye
After Pieres þe plowman · many a place I souȝte
[scroll-like pattern]G.16.172: Hand X, fol. 76r, right margin, extends down approximately 7 lines. And þanne mette I with a man · a mydlenten sondaye
As hore as an hawethorne · and Abraham he hiȝte
I frayned hym first · fram whennes he come
[John Sympson]R.16.175: Hand X (16th-c), fol. 83v, left margin. Between KD.16.175-176, mostly erased. And of whennes he were · and whider þat he þouȝte

¶ I am feith quod þat freke · it falleth nouȝte to lye
notade FideM.16.177: Hand 3, fol. 79v, left margin. And of Abrahames hous · an heraud of armes
I seke after a segge · þat I seigh ones
A ful bolde bacheler · I knewe hym by his blasen

What bereth þat buirn quod I þo · so blisse þe bityde

de fide | de trinitateM.16.181: Hand X, fol. 80r, right margin. ¶ Þre leodes in o lith · non lenger þan other
A discrip=|tion of the | trinitiei .Cr2.16.182: Fol. Z.1v, left margin.A discrip=|tion of the | trinitiei .Cr3.16.182: Fol. 89v, left margin. Of one mochel & myȝte · in mesure and in lengthe
Þat one doth alle doth · & eche doth by his one
Þe firste hath miȝte and maiestee · maker of alle þinges
Pater is his propre name · a persone by hym-selue
Þe secounde of þat sire is · sothfastnesse filius
Wardeyne of þat witte hath · was euere with-oute gynnyng
Þe þridde hatte þe holygoost · a persone by hym-selue
Þe liȝte of alle þat lyf hath · a londe & a watre
Confortoure of creatures · of hym cometh al blisse
So þre bilongeth for a lorde · þat lordeship claymeth
Myȝte and a mene · to knowe his owne myȝte
Of hym & of his seruaunt · and what þei suffre bothe
- C.16.194: Hand X, fol. 24r, left margin. So god þat gynnyng hadde neure · but þo hym good þouȝte
Sent forth his sone as for seruaunt þat tyme
- C.16.196: Hand X, fol. 24r, left margin. To occupien hym here · til issue were spronge
Þat is children of charite · & holicherche þe moder
Patriarkes & prophetes · and aposteles were þe chyldren
And cryst and crystenedome · and crystene holycherche
In menynge þat man moste · on o god bileue
And þere hym lyked & loued · in þre persones hym shewed
And þat it may be so & soth · manhode it sheweth
Wedloke and widwehode · with virgynyte ynempned
In toknynge of þe Trinite · was taken oute of o man
Adam owre aller fader · Eue was of hym-selue
S [o]ppR.16.206: Hand X (secretary), fol. 83v, bottom right, pen trials. And þe issue þat þei hadde · it was of hem bothe
John Sympson Smithe John John Sympson | William JohR.16.207: Hand X (secretary), fol. 84r, top center margin.Jhon | SympsonR.16.207: Hand X, fol. 84r, top right. All the pen trials appear to be in the same hand, done at various times. And either is otheres ioye · in thre sondry persones
And in heuene & here · one syngulere name
+L.16.209: Corrector, fol. 71v, left margin. And þis is mankynde or manhede · of matrimoigne yspronge
And bitokneth þe Trinite · and trewe bileue

¶ Miȝte is matrimoigne · þat multiplieth þe erthe
NotaM.16.212: Hand X4, fol. 80r, right margin. And bitokneth trewly · telle if I dorste
He þat firste fourmed al · þe fader of heuene
Þe sone if I it durst seye · resembleth wel þe wydwe
Psal .xxiiCr2.16.214α: Fol. Z.2r, right margin.Psal .xxiiCr3.16.214α: Fol. 90r, right margin. Deus meus deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me
Þat is creatour wex creature · to knowe what was bothe
XL.16.216: Hand X, fol. 71v, left margin. · Nota · C.16.216: Hand 1, fol. 24r, left margin.Nota ER.16.216: Hand X (15th-c), fol. 84r, right margin. As widwe with-oute wedloke · was neure ȝete yseye
Na-more myȝte god be man · but if he moder hadde
So wydwe with-oute wedloke · may nouȝte wel stande
Ne matrimoigne withoute moillerye · is nouȝt moche to preyse
Maledictus homo qui non reliquit semen in israel &c
Þus in þre persones · is perfitliche manhede
Þat is man & his make · & moillere her children
And is nouȝt but gendre of o generacioun · bifor Ihesu cryst in heuene
So is þe fader forth with þe sone · and fre wille of bothe
Spiritus procedens a patre & filio
AbrahamM.16.224: Hand 5, fol. 80v, left margin. Which is þe holygoste of alle · and alle is but o god
Þus in a somer I hym seigh · as I satte in my porche
I ros vp and reuerenced hym · & riȝt faire hym grette
knakR.16.227: Hand X (15th-c), fol. 84r, right margin. Thre men to my syȝte · I made wel at ese
Wesche her feet & wyped hem · and afterward þei eten
Calues flesshe & cakebrede · and knewe what I thouȝte
Ful trewe tokenes bitwene vs is · to telle whan me lyketh
Firste he fonded me · if I loued bettere
Hym or ysaak myn ayre · þe which he hiȝte me kulle
He wiste my wille by hym · he wil me it allowe
I am ful syker in soule þer-of · and my sone bothe
Wyll NDR.16.235: Hand X (secretary), fol. 84r, right margin.Abrahum | is circum|cised .Cr2.16.235: Fol. Z.2v, left margin.Abraham | is circum|cised .Cr3.16.235: Fol. 90v, left margin. I circumcised my sone · sitthen for his sake
My-self and my meyne · and alle þat male were
Bledden blode for þat lordes loue · and hope to blisse þe tyme
Myn affiaunce & my faith · is ferme in þis bilieue
For hym-self bihiȝte to me · and to myne issue bothe
Londe and lordship · and lyf with-outen ende
To me and to myn issue · more ȝete he me graunted .
Mercy for owre mysdedes · as many tyme as we asken
Quam olim abrahe promisisti & semini eius
And sith he sent me to seye · I sholde do sacrifise
And done hym worshipe with bred · and with wyn bothe
And called me þe fote of his faith · his folke forto saue
And defende hem fro þe fende · folke þat on me leneden
Þus haue I ben his heraude · here and in helle
And conforted many a careful · þat after his comynge wayten
+L.16.249: Corrector, fol. 72r, left margin. And þus I seke hym he seide · for I [herde] seyne late
Of a barne þat baptised hym · Iohan Baptiste was his name
Þat to patriarkes and to prophetes · and to other peple in derknesse
Seyde þat he seigh here · þat sholde saue vs alle
Iohn .i.Cr2.16.252α: Fol. Z.2v, left margin.Iohn .i,Cr3.16.252α: Fol. 90v, left margin. Ecce agnus dei &c ·

¶ I hadde wonder of his wordes · and of his wyde clothes
For in his bosome he bar a thyng · þat he blissed euere
And I loked on his lappe · a lazar lay þere-Inne
Amonges patriarkes and profetes · pleyande togyderes
What awaytestow quod he · and what woldestow haue
I wolde wyte quod I þo what is in ȝowre lappe

¶ Loo quod he and lete me se · lorde mercy I seide
Þis is present of moche prys · what Prynce shal it haue

It is a preciouse present quod he · ac þe pouke it hath attached
And me þere-myde quod þat man · may no wedde vs quite
Ne no buyrn be owre borwgh · ne bryng vs fram his daungere
Oute of þe poukes pondfolde · no meynprise may vs fecche
Tyl he come þat I carpe of · cryst is his name
Þat shal delyure vs some daye · out of þe deueles powere
And bettere wedde for vs legge · þan we ben alle worthy
Þat is lyf for lyf · or ligge þus euere
Lollynge in my lappe · tyl such a lorde vs fecche

¶ Allas I seyde þat synne · so longe shal lette
Þe myȝte of goddes mercy · þat myȝt vs alle amende
I wepte for his wordes · with þat sawe I an other
Rapelich renne forth · þe riȝte waye he went
I affrayned hym fyrste · fram whennes he come
And what he hiȝte & whider he wolde · and wightlich he tolde

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