Whi nel we cristene

Of Cristes good be as kynde

As Jewes, that ben oure lores-men 1

Shame to us alle !

The commune for hir unkyndenesse,

I drede me, shul abye.
" Bisshopes shul be blamed

For beggeres sake.
He is wors than Judas,

That gyveth a japer silver,

And biddeth the beggere go,

For his broke clothes.
Proditor est proelatua cum Juda,
qui patrimonium Christi mtmis
distribuit Et cUihi: Pemi-
C108U8 disjpensator esty qui res



PIERS PLOUGHMAN. 165

pauperum Ghristi inutiliter
consumit,

" He dooth noght wel that dooth
thus,
Ne drat noght God almyghty ;
He loveth noght Salomons sawes,
That sapience taughte.
Initium sapientice, timor Domini,

"That dredeth God, he dooth wel;
That dredeth him for love,
And noght for drede of vengeaunce,
Dooth therfore the bettre.
* * He dooth best that with-draweth
Ey daye and by nyghte, [hym

To spille any speche
Or any space of tyme.
Qui offendit in uno, in omnibits est
reus.
" Lesynge of tyme,
Truthe woot the sothe.
Is moost y-hated upon erthe
Of hem that ben in hevene ;
And siththe to spille speche, 5369
That spicerie is of grace,
And Goddes gle-man.
And a game of hevene.
Wolde nevere the feithful fader
This fithele were un-tempred,
'Ne his gle-man a gedelyng,
A goere to tavernes.
" To alle trewe tidy men
That travaille desiren,
Oure Lord loveth hem and lent
Loude outher stillo ^^^

VOL. I. O



166 THE VISION OF

Grace to go to hem, 5381

And of-gon hir liflode.
Inquirentes autem Dominum non
minuenter omni bono,

" Trewe wedded libbynge folk
In this world is Do-wel,
For thei mote werche and wynne,
And the world sustene.
