#  Piers Plowman, Passus I 

 



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WHAT this mountain meaneth · and the dark dale   
And the field full of folk · I fairly will show.  
A lady, lovely of looks · in linen clothed,   
Came down from a castle · and called me fairly   
And said: 'Son, sleepest thou? · Seest thou this people,   
How busy they be · about all the throng?   
The most part of this people · that passeth on earth,   
Have worship in this world · and wish for no better;   
Of other heaven than here · they hold no account.'  
I was feared of her face · though she were so fair,   
And said, 'Mercy, madam · what is this to mean?'   
'The tower on the toft,' quoth she 'Truth is therein   
And would have that ye do · as his word teacheth;   
For he is Father of Faith · formed you all   
Both with flesh and with face and gave you fine wits   
To worship him therewith · while that ye are here.   
Therefore he hath bade the earth to help you each one   
With woollen, with linen · with food at your need,   
In reasonable measure to make you at case.  
And commanded of his courtesy · three things in common.   
None are needful but those · and name them I will   
And reckon them rightly · rehearse thou them after.   
The first one is vesture · to save thee from chill;   
And meat for meals · to save thee misease   
And drink when thou art dry · but do naught out of reason   
Lest thy worth be wanting · when thou shouldest work.  
  
For Lot in his lifetime · for liking of drink   
Did with his daughters · what the Devil liked.   
He delighted in drink · as the Devil wished,   
And Lechery was gainer · and lay with them both,   
Putting blame on the wine · for that wicked deed:

*Inebriamus eum vino, dormiamusque cum eo,*   
*ut servare possimus de patre nostro semen.*

Through wine and through women · there was Lot overcome,  
Begetting in gluttony · boys that were blackguards.

Piers The Plowman, Passus I, p. 8

Therefore dread delicious drink · and thou shalt do the better;   
Measure is medicine · though thou yearn for much.   
All is not good for the spirit · that the guts asketh,   
Nor livelihood to thy body · that is life to the soul.   
Believe not thy body for · him a liar teacheth:   
That is, the wretched world · which would thee betray.   
For the fiend and thy flesh · follow thee together;   
This and that chaseth thy soul · and speak in thine heart;   
That thou shouldest be ware · I teach thee the best.'  
  
'Madam, mercy,' quoth I · 'I like well your words.   
But the money of this earth · that men hold to so fast,   
Tell me, madam, to whom that treasure belongeth?'

'Go to the Gospel,' quoth she · 'that God spoke himself,   
When the people posed him · with a penny in the Temple,   
Whether they should therewith · worship king Caesar.   
And God asked of them · of whom spake the writing   
And likewise the image · that stood thereon?   
"Caesaris," they said · "Each one sees him well."  
  
"*Reddite Caesari*," quoth God · "that *Caesari* belongeth  
*Et quae sunt Dei, Deo* · or else ye do ill."   
For rightful Reason · should rule you all,   
And Mother-Wit be warden · your wealth to keep,   
And tutor of your treasure · to give it you at need;   
For husbandry and they · hold well together.'   
Then I asked her plainly · by him that made her,   
'That dungeon in the dale · that dreadful is to see,   
What may it mean · *ma dame*, I beseech you?'  
  
'That is the castle of Care · whoso cometh therein   
May curse he was born · in body or in soul.   
Therein abideth a wight · that is called Wrong,   
Father of Falsehood · who built it himself.   
Adam and Eve · he egged on to ill;   
Counselled Cain · to kill his brother;   
Judas he jockeyed · with Jewish silver,   
And then on elder · hanged him after.   
He is the letter of love · and lieth to all;   
Those who trust in his treasure · betrayeth he soonest.'  
  
Then had I wonder in my wit · what woman it were   
That such wise words · of Holy Writ showed,   
And asked her in the high name · ere she thence went,   
Who indeed she was · that taught me so fairly?  
  
Piers The Plowman, Passus I, p. 9

'Holy Church I am,' quoth she · 'thou oughtest me to know.   
I received thee first · and taught thee the faith,   
And thou broughtest me sponsors · my bidding to fulfil   
And to love me loyally · while thy life lasteth.'  
  
Then I fell on my knees · and cried of her grace,   
And prayed her piteously · to pray for my sins,   
And to teach me kindly · on Christ to believe,   
That I might work his will · that made of me man.   
'Show me no treasure · but tell me this only --   
How may I save my soul · thou that holy art held?'  
  
'When all my treasures are tried,' quoth she · 'truth is the best;   
I appeal to *Deus caritas* · to tell thee truth;   
It is as dear a darling · as dear God himself.  
  
Whoso is true of his tongue · and telleth none other,   
And doth works therewith · and willeth no man ill:   
He is a god, says the Gospel · on earth and in heaven.   
And like to our Lord · by Saint Luke's own words.   
The clergy that know this · should tell it about,   
For Christian and heathen · alike claim the truth.  
  
Kings and their knights all · should care for it rightly;   
Ride to reach the oppressors · all round the realms,   
And take *transgressores* · tying them tightly,   
Till Truth had determined · the tale of their trespass.   
That the profession plainly · pertaineth to knights;   
Not to fast on one Friday · in five score winters,   
But hold with him and with her · that desireth all truth   
And never leave them for love · nor for seizing of silver.  
  
For David in his days · dubbed knights,   
And swore them on their swords · to serve Truth ever;   
And whoso passed that point · *apostate* was from the order.  
  
But Christ, king of all kings · ten orders knighted,   
Cherubim and Seraphim · seven such and one other,   
And gave them might of his majesty · the merrier they thought it;   
And over his common court · made them archangels,   
Taught them by the Trinity · the truth to know   
And to bow to his bidding · he bade them naught else.  
  
Lucifer with his legions · learned it in Heaven,   
But because he obeyed not · his bliss he did lose,   
And fell from that fellowship · in a fiend's likeness   
Into a deep dark hell · to dwell there for ever;   
And more thousands with him · than man could number  
  
Piers The Plowman, Passus I, p. 10

Leapt out with Lucifer · in loathly form:   
For they believed in him · that lied in this manner --

*Ponam pedem in alquilone, et similis ero altissimo*.

And all that hoped it might be so · no Heaven might hold them;   
They fell out in fiend's likeness · nine days together,   
Till God of his goodness · steadied and stayed   
Made the heavens to be shut · and stand so in quiet.  
When these wicked went out · wonderwise they fell;  
Some in air, some in earth · and some in deep hell;  
But Lucifer lowest · lieth of them all.   
For the pride he put on · his pain hath no end;   
And all that work wrong · wander they shall   
After their death day · and dwell with that wretch.   
But those that work well · as holy writ telleth,   
And end, as I have said · in truth, that is best,   
May be sure that their soul · shall wend to Heaven,   
Where Truth is in Trinity · and enthroneth them all.   
Therefore I say, as I said · in sight of these texts,   
When all treasures are tried · Truth is the best.   
Learn these unlearned · for lettered men know it,   
That Truth is treasure · the best tried on earth.'  
  
'Yet have I no natural knowing,' quoth I · 'ye must teach me better,   
By what craft of my body · begins it, and where.'  
  
'Thou doting duffer,' quoth she · 'dull are thy wits;   
Too little Latin thou learnest · man, in thy youth;

*Heu mihi, quod sterilem duxi vitam juvenilem!*

It is natural knowing,' quoth she · 'that teacheth thine heart  
For to love thy good Lord · liefer than thyself;   
No deadly sin to do · die though thou shouldest:   
This I trow to be Truth · who can teach thee better,   
See you suffer him to say · and then teach it after.   
For thus witnesseth his words · work thou thereafter;   
For Truth telleth that Love · is the remedy of Heaven;   
No sin may be seen in him · that useth that sort,   
And all his works he wrought · with Love as he listed;   
And taught it Moses for the best thing · and most like to Heaven  
With the plant of peace · most precious of virtues.  
For Heaven might not hold it · so heavy of itself,   
Till it had of the earth · eaten its fill.   
And when it had of this fold · flesh and blood taken,  
  
Piers The Plowman, Passus I, p. 11

Never was leaf upon linden · lighter thereafter,   
And pricking and piercing · as the point of a needle,   
That no armour might stay it · nor any high walls.  
  
Therefore is Love leader · of the Lord's folk of Heaven,   
And a mean, as the mayor is · between king and commons;   
Right so is Love a leader · and the law shapeth,   
Upon man for his misdeeds · he fixeth the fine.   
And for to know it by nature · it springeth in might,   
In the heart is its head · and there its well-spring.  
  
For in natural knowing · there might beginneth   
That comes from the Father · that formed us all,   
Looked on us with love and · let his Son die   
Meekly for our misdeeds · to amend us all;   
And yet would he them no woe · that wrought him that pain,   
But meekly with his mouth · mercy he besought   
To have pity of that people · that pained him to death.   
Here might thou see examples · in himself alone,   
That he was mightful and meek · and mercy did grant   
To them that hanged him on high · and pierced his heart.  
  
Therefore I rede you rich · to have pity on the poor;   
Though ye be mighty at law be · meek in your works.  
  
For the same measures that ye mete · amiss or aright,   
Ye shall be weighed therewith · when ye wend hence;

*Eadem mensura qua mensifueritis, remetietur vobis.*

For though ye be true of your tongue · and honestly earn,   
And as chaste as a child · that weepeth in church,   
Unless ye love loyally · and give to the poor,   
Such goods as God sends you · to them gladly giving,   
Ye have no more merit · in mass or in hours   
Than Malkin of her maidenhood · that no man desireth.  
For James the gentle · judged in his books   
That faith without fact · is right nothing worth   
And as dead as a door-post · unless the deeds follow;

*Fides sine operibus mortua est, etc.*

Therefore chastity without charity · shall be chained in hell;   
It is lacking as a lamp · that no light is in.   
Many churchmen are chaste · but their charity is away;   
Are no men more avaricious · when they be advanced:   
Unkind to their kin · and to all Christian folk,   
They chew up their charity · and abide after more.   
Such chastity without charity · shall be chained in hell.

Piers The Plowman, Passus I, p. 12

Many pastors keep themselves · clean in their bodies   
But are cumbered with covetousness · they can not drive it from them   
So hardly hath avarice · hasped them together.   
And that is no truth of the Trinity · but treachery of hell,  
Lessoning the unlearned · to withhold their alms.  
  
Therefore these words · are written in the Gospel,   
*Date et dabitur vobis* · for I give to you all.   
And that is the lock of Love · that letteth out my grace   
To comfort the care full · encumbered with sin.  
  
Love is leech of life · and next our Lord's self,  
And also the right road · that runneth unto Heaven;   
Therefore I say as I said · before by the texts,   
When all treasures be tried · Truth is the best.   
Now have I told thee what Truth is · that no treasure is better;   
I may linger no longer thee with · now look on thee our Lord!'   
   
  
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\[This text is from William Langland, *The Book Concerning Piers the Plowman*, tr. Donald and Rachel Attwater, ed. Rachel Attwater. London and New York. 1957; printed with the permission of the publisher.\]