and stumble and fall seven times a day, if his fall be within the boat he is safe and sound. Man has also free will and free wit to row out of sin." 'I cannot follow that," said Will. "We acknowledge Christ who died upon the cross," said the friar ; and Will said, "May he save you from mischance, and give me grace to die with a good end." Then he went farther in a wilderness by a woodside, and pleasure of the birds' songs caused him to lie under a tree and listen to their lays and lovely notes until he slept, and dreamt. In this his third dream came to him a man like to himself and called him by his name. "What art thou?' quoth I, 'that my name knowest?' "That wotst thou, Will,' quoth he, and no wight better." 'Wot I?' quoth I; 'Who art thou?' 'Thought,' said he then, 'I have thee sewed this seven year. Seih2 thou me no rather?' 'Art thou Thought?' quoth I then, thou couthest me wisse 3 Where that Dowel dwelleth, and do me to know.' Whoso is true of his tongue and of his two hands, Dobet doth all this, ac yet he doth more : He is low as a lamb and lovely of speech, Dobest taught; have crowned one to be king and rule all realms according to their teaching, but no otherwise than as those three assented.' The Dreamer thanked Thought for his teaching, but was not yet satisfied. He would go farther and learn more about Dowel, Dobet, and Dobest. Thought directed him to Wit (knowledge). None in the kingdom could tell him better than Wit where those three dwelt. So Thought and the Dreamer went together until they met with Wit. "He was long and lean, like to none other, Was no pride in his apparel, nor poverty neither, Sad of his semblant, with a soft speech." The Dreamer, afraid to address him, caused Thought to inquire for him where Dowel, Dobet, and Dobest dwell, what lives they live, what laws they use, and what they dread and fear. "Sir Dowel dwelleth,' quoth Wit, not a day hence A leman that he loveth well, like to himself, A proud pricker of France, Princeps hujus Mundi,” To serve that Lady leally both late and rathe.18 And by his lering 19 is led that ilk Lady Anima. Sir Seewell, Sir Saywell, Sir Hearwell the hende, strength, And Sir Goodfaith Gowell, great lords all. "And who is Kind?" asked Will. Wit then described him as the Creator of all things, Lord of Light and Life, who made man in His image, that sin hides from us as clouds obscure the sun. Inwit (Conscience) lives in the head; Anima lives in the heart. Wit added in new form the direct lessons of human love and duty, and dwelt on the relations between husband and wife that should be founded upon higher love than that of money, and have issue in peace, not in contention. But Wit himself had Study for his wife, and she contended with him for giving his wisdom to fools, The world, she said, loves land and lordship more than all the saints can teach. Through her the poet paints contempt of true learning in clerks who argue blindly of the Trinity and send the poor shivering and starving from their gates. Were not the poor more merciful to one another, many would go unfed. Pride is so much enhanced that men's prayers have no power to stay these pestilences. Men now want charity, are gay and gluttonous. Beware, Dame Study said to Wit her husband, beware of showing Holy Writ to swine. Wit laughed and bowed to his wife, and looked at the Dreamer as inviting him to win her grace. The Dreamer bowed, and very courteously prayed that she would teach him to know what Dowel is. For his meekness, she said, and his mild speech, she would introduce him to her cousin Clergy, who has Study's sister Scripture (written knowledge) for his wife. By their understanding and counsel he should come to know Dowel. Dreamer asked the way to Clergy's home, and was bidden to go by the highway to Suffer-both-weal-andmuch-woe, and then ride on through Riches without tarrying. "When you come to Clergy, say it was I who taught his wife. Many men," said Dame Study, "have been taught by me, but Theology has vexed me ten-score times. "The more I muse thereon the mistier it seemeth, And the deeper I dive the darker methinketh it. It is no science soothly, but a soothfast belief, The Ac for it lereth men to love, I believe thereon the better." When Clergy was found, he told the Dreamer that if he coveted Dowel he must keep the Ten Commandments and believe in Christ. If man's wit could not doubt evidence of the revealed mysteries of God, there would be no merit in Faith. Belief and Loyalty and Love make Dowel, Dobet, and Dobest. Then Clergy's wife, Scripture (written knowledge) scorned the questioner, and looked to Clergy to get rid of him; saying in Latin, "Many know many things, and not themselves." The Dreamer wept for woe and awoke, and slept again, and passed into another-the fourth-dream of the Vision. He dreamt that Fortune took him to the Land of Longing and Love, and bade him look into a Mirror of the World. "Here," she said, "thou may'st see wonders, and know that which thou covetest to know." Fortune had two fair maidens following her, named Lust-of-Flesh and Covetise-of-Eyes. Pride-ofPerfect-living also followed him fast, and bade him make light of Clergy's teaching. The two maidens offered him their comfort, but there was one named Eld (old age), heavy of cheer, who warned him that he should find Fortune fail him at his need, and that he would then be forsaken by her daughters. "Yea, never reck thee," said Recklessness, who stood forth in ragged clothes, "it is a far way yet to Eld." Sir Wanhope (Despair) was sib to Recklessness, 1 Ac for it lereth, but because it teacheth. and said, "Go I to hell or heaven, I shall not go alone. If all be true that Clergy and Scripture say, there's not a lord or lady on earth who shall see God in his bliss. The Church says that Solomon and Aristotle are in hell; that Mary Magdalene and the repentant thief are in heaven. A little of God's grace is better than much learning of Clergy and Scripture. Clerks who are most learned can forfeit the heaven that poor loyal labourers and tillers of the soil reach with a Pater Noster. God disposes." Then childish Recklessness drew the Dreamer towards the daughters of Fortune; he thought no more of Dowel and Dobet; he cared no more for Clergy and his counsel. "Alas!" said Eld and Holiness both, "that Wit should become wretchedness, when Wealth has all his will!" But Covetise-of-Eyes solaced the Dreamer, and said, "So thou be rich, have no conscience how thou come to good. Confess to a friar, and thou'rt soon absolved." He did so; but Fortune presently became his foe, and Poverty pursued him. Then he went to the friar, and could get no absolution without silver. "Why frown'st thou at this friar?" asked Loyalty. "Because he flattered me when I was rich, and will not look upon me now." Here Loyalty gave counsel, and Scripture enforced it with texts, setting forth the grace of God to those who faithfully bear poverty and trials upon earth. Poverty walks in peace, unrobbed among the plunderers. Poverty Jesus chose. The poor may be as having nothing, yet possessing all things. The poet dwells at length upon the consolations of the unencumbered poor. Recklessness argued against Clergy until Nature came to Clergy's help, and showed how the beasts follow Reason, while men alone ride away from Reason recklessly. The birds patiently build their nests, and hatch their young; the flowers yield their fit colour and perfume. The Dreamer asked of Reason why he did not rather govern man than beasts. "Ask not," said Reason, "what I suffer from those who sin against me. Who is more long-suffering than God? Be patient. Rule thy tongue. Praise God, and know that none lives with out crime." The Dreamer then awoke, and grieved that he had slept no more. "Sleeping," he said, "I might have found Dowel. Waking, I never shall." After this fourth dream of the Vision, while Will mourned, there came to him one who told him that if he had been patient, even though but in a dream, he would have heard Reason confirm the teaching of Clergy. For his pride and presumption of perfect living, Reason refused to stay with him. He had been brought to shame for reasoning against Reason. The new counsellor was Imaginative, who said he had followed him these forty years, and often taught him about Dowel; counselling that to beguile no man, neither to lie, nor to waste time, nor to hurt any true thing, to live humbly, and obey the Church is Dowel; but to love and to give, living a good life in faith, is called Caritas, Kind Love in English, that is Dobet. In different forms, in short, there is one lesson: Dowel is the life of truth and justice that should be natural to man; Dobet rises within himself above simple equity, to the grace of a true Christian charity and self-denial; Dobest multiplies in others these blessings, represses evil in the world, calls forth its good, is the human head of the Church when he fulfils his duty, and is, above all, the divine Head of the Church, who wipes out the sins of the people, and brings many to salvation. Imaginative tells the Dreamer of the grace of God, of the right use of learning, and of the attention due from the unlearned to those who bring them knowledge. It is well with the lowly who seek heaven. The peacock's tail hinders his flying, and he is harsh of voice. Many a man's riches are as the peacock's tail. The lark is a smaller bird, but he is sweeter of song, sweeter of savour, and swifter of wing: "To low living men the lark is resembled, And to leal and to life-holy that loven all truth." To heathen men who had loved all truth they knew or could discover, Langland makes Imaginative apply the saying of the lord to the steward in Christ's parable of the talents, "Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things." "And that is love and large hire, if the lord be true, And courtesy more than covenant was, what so clerks carpen. For all worth1 as God will-and therewith he vanished." The Dreamer awoke, and mused upon his dreaming till he slept again. In this, his sixth dream, Conscience and Clergy came to him and bade him rise and roam, for he should dine with Reason. To the allegorical dinner "Patience as a poor thing came and prayed meat for charity, Ylike to Piers Plowman." The Dreamer sat with Patience at a side table, served with the sour bread of Penitence and the drink of Long Perseverance. Will was grieved at the gluttony of a doctor at the high dais, whom he had heard preach three days ago at St. Paul's, of the penance through which Paul and all who sought heaven attained its joy. He wondered why the doctor never preached of "perils among false brethren." But (ac), he says, "Ac me is loth, though I Latin know, to lacky2 any sect, For all we ben brethren, though we be diversely clothed." Yet this doctor with the great cheeks hath no pity on the poor. Let him be asked, when he is full, said Patience, what penance is; and whether Dobet do any penance. Presently this doctor, ruddy as a rose, began to cough and converse. "What is Dowel, Sir Doctor!" quoth I. "Is Dobet any penance?" "Dowel?" quoth this Doctor, and he drank after, "Do thy neighbour no harm nor thyself neither, 1 All worth, all is, all becomes. Lacky, find fault with. then dost thou well and wisely." "Certes, sir," then said I, "in that ye divide not with the poor ye pass not do well, and do not live as our Lord would, who hath visited and redeemed his people." Then Conscience courteously asked the Doctor concerning Dowel and Dobet. "Do well," he replied, "is do as the doctors tell you; Dobet is travail to teach others; and he that doth as he teacheth I hold it for a Dobest." Then Conscience asked Clergy also, "What is Dowel?" "Have me excused," quoth Clergy; "for me that shall remain a question of the schools, for love of Piers the Plowman, who has rejected all kinds of learning and craft— "Save love and loyalty and lowness of heart, And no text taketh to prove this for true But Dilige Deum et proximum3 and Domine quis habitabit tabernaculo, &c.,4 And proveth by pure skill imperfect all things, Nemo bonus,5 But leal Love and Truth, that loth is to be yfound." Quoth Piers the Plowman, "Patientes vincunt."" Suddenly here breaks in the voice of Piers the Plowman, "Disce, doce, dilige. Learn, teach, and love God and thine enemy; help him with all thy might; heap coals of gentle words upon his head; give to him again and again in the day of his need; lay on him thus with love until he laughs, and if he do not yield him to this beating, blind he must be." And when he had said thus no man knew what was become of Piers the Plowman, so privily he went. Reason ran after and went with him, but no others except Conscience and Clergy. Then Patience said, when Piers had passed from them, "They who love loyally covet but little. I could win all France if I would, without any bloodshedding. Patientes vincunt. Neither poverty nor malice, heat nor hail, can hurt the man who has taken Patience to his bosom. Perfect love casteth out fear. Live as thou teachest, and the world is at thy feet." "This is all dido," Isaid the Doctor. 66 All the wit of this world and strength of the strong cannot make a Peace between the Pope and his enemies that shall be profitable to both parties." Will noticed that Conscience soon quitted this doctor and said to Clergy, "I would liever, if I should live, have patience perfectly than half thy pack of books. I will depart, therefore, with Patience to find Perfectness." their way, and, with great will, the Dreamer followed. They talked by the way of Dowel and met Hawkin the Active man, a baker of wafer-bread, who said be was prentice to Piers Plowman, for the comfort of all people. He was very poor, and wished the Pope might bear in his mouth mercy and amend us all; since he hath the power that Saint Peter had, why shall he not lay hands on the sick and they recover, why did he not give health to the sickly air, and stay the pestilence? Is it that men are no longer worthy of such grace? There would be less pride So they went 3 Love God and thy Neighbour. (Matthew xxii. 37, 39.) • Psalm xv. 5 "There is none good." (Mark x. 18.) • The patient conquer. "If we suffer we shall also reign with La (2 Timothy ii. 12). among men if there were bread for all. But Patience said that though there were no bread, plough, or pottage in existence, yet Pride would shoot forth. Hawkin's own coat was soiled with sins, and he was so busy that he had not time to clean it. But Conscience taught him, and Patience satisfied his hunger with a piece of the Paternoster called "Thy-Will-be Done." Then they met one who was named Free-Will, and well known to both Conscience and Clergy. He said he was Christ's creature, to whom neither Peter nor Paul would deny admission into heaven. He went about in man's body and had many names -Mens, Memoria, Ratio, Sensus, &c. You would like to know what they all mean?" "I should," said the Dreamer. "Then you are one of the knights of Pride. God alone can know everything. The priesthood should leave fallacies and insoluble problems that cause men to doubt their own belief, and show the way of holiness by walking in it as guides of the people. Unsound priests get with guile and spend ungraciously; but there is an ill end to those who live against holy love and the love of Charity." "Charity!" said the Dreamer. "I have often heard that praised, but never met with it. I have lived in London many long years and have never found, as the friars say, Charity that seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. I never found layman or clerk who would not ask after his own, and covet besides what he could do without, and get it if he could.” The reply pictures Charity as child-like in gladness with the glad and sadness with the sorry, childlike in faith that what a man declares for truth he holds for truth, and for reverence to God who is so good, unable to beguile or grieve another. Charity has no laugh of scorn, and takes all griefs of life as ministries from heaven. "And who," the Dreamer asked, "feeds Charity? What friends hath he, what rents or riches to relieve him at his need?" "For rents and riches," was the reply, "he never cares. He hath a friend that faileth never. He can find all in Thou-openest-thine-hand,' and ThyWill-be-Done feasteth him each day. He visits the prisoners; he tells men of the sufferings of Christ; he takes all the apparel of Pride into his laundry, and it is washed white with his tears." "Were I with him I would never leave him," said the Dreamer. "But they know him not, who keep the church." "Piers Plowman," it was answered, "knoweth him most perfectly. By clothing and talking thou shalt know him never, but by works thou mightest come into his way. He is pleasant of speech and companionable, as Christ himself teacheth, Be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance." I have seen him myself sometimes in russet and sometimes in gold. He was found once in a friar's frock, but that was long since in the far days of 1 "That thou givest them they gather; thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good." (Psalm civ. 28.) 2 Matthew vi 16. Francis.3 He seldom comes to court, because of the brawling and backbiting there, or to the consistory, for law there is too slow, except when silver is wanting. He would live with bishops for the sake of the poor, but Avarice keeps him outside their gates. Whoso coveteth to follow Charity must be of such kind as I told you not long ago. He holds it a shame to beg or borrow but of God only, Give us this day our daily bread.” At this point in the narrative the MSS. mark the close of the Vision as far as it concerns Dowel, and the beginning of Dobet. There is no man, says the Dreamer, who does not sometimes borrow or beg, and who is not at times wrathful without any sin. "Whoso is wroth and desires vengeance," he is told, "puts aside Charity, if Holy-Church be true. Charity suffers all things. Holy men have lived also without borrowing or begging. Paul, the first hermit, if Augustine be true, was fed by the birds; Paul the Apostle made baskets after his preaching, and earned what he needed with his hands; Peter and Andrew fished. To Mary of Egypt three little loaves sufficed for thirty years. But now no prayers bring us peace; the learned err so much that the unlearned lose belief. The sea and the earth fail, though sea and seed and sun and moon daily and nightly do their duty. If we did the same our peace would be perpetual. Weatherwise shipmen have now lost their faith in the air and in the lodestar. Clerks say that faith alone suffices. It would be better for us if they did their duty. Saracens might so be saved, if they believed in Holy-Church." "What is Holy-Church, friend?" asked the Dreamer. 66 'Charity," was the answer. "Life and love and loyalty in one belief and law, a love-knot of loyalty and leal belief. All kinds of Christians joined together by one will, without guile and gabbing give and sell and lend. Jews, Gentiles, and Saracens judge themselves that they believe loyally (that is, according to law), and yet their law differeth; and with good heart they honour one God, who is source of all. But our Lord loveth no love unless law be the cause. For dissolute men love against the law, and at the last are damned; thieves love against loyalty, and at the last are hanged; and leal men love as the law teacheth, and love thereof ariseth which is head of charity and health of man's soul. Love God, for he is good and ground of all truth. Love thine enemy entirely, God's hest to fulfil. Love thy friend that followeth thy will, that is thy fair soul." When Free Will had said much more upon this head, "Dear Free Will," quoth I, "I believe as I hope that thou couldst tell me the way to Charity." Then he smiled, and led me forth with tales till we came into a garden land, its name was Cor Hominis (the Heart of Man). In the midst was a tree called Imago Dei (the Image of God). This was the tree of True-Love, which shot forth blossoms named Benign Speech, and thereof cometh a good fruit which men call Works of Holiness, of Gentleness, of Help-him-that-needeth, the which is called Caritas, 2 Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order. See page 53. ✦ "Dever" ("devoir") is the word here representing duty. Christ's own food. The tree is shored up with three props against the wind of Covetise, that shakes the tree and nips its fruit. The first prop is the Might of God the Father; the second is the Wisdom of the Father in the passion and penance and perfectness of the Son. The Devil comes with a ladder, of which the rungs are lies, to shake the tree; but Free Will then brings down the evil spirit with the third shorer, which is Spiritus Sanctus, and that firm belief which is grace of the Holy Ghost. The Dreamer gazed intently on the fruit, and saw that it was wondrous fair, and asked if it were all of the same kind. Yes, he was told, but, as in an apple-tree, some are sounder and some sweeter than others. Then the tree was Adam; the fruit in different positions on the tree, some getting more light to ripen the love in them, were men in different positions of life. The contemplative life has more light than the active. Widowhood is above matrimony, maidenhood above them both. The Dreamer, wishing to taste this fair fruit, asked that the tree might be shaken. Eld (Old Age) shook it, but as the fruit fell, the Devil picked it up. Then Free Will of God struck at the fiend with the middle prop, and the Son, with the Father's will, flew with the Holy Spirit to recover the fruit from that accuser.1 Then spake the Holy Ghost, through Gabriel's mouth, to a meek maid named Mary. Here the narrative proceeds from the Annunciation to the Birth and Life of Christ, and to the betraying kiss of Judas, and the noise of the carrying of Christ by the Jews to judgment. With that William awoke from his sixth dream. He awoke and knew not whither Free Will was gone, but waited for him till, on Mid-Lent Sunday, he met a man hoar as a hawthorn, and Abraham he hight. "Whence came you?" the poet asked. "I am with Faith," he said, “who was a herald before there was any law." "What is his cognisance?" "Three persons in one pennon ;" and the allegory goes on to set forth a Triune God as the mark of faith. Abraham bare in his bosom a thing that he often blessed. It was a leper. The fiend claimed Abraham and the leper too. Christ only could ransom them by giving life for life. The poet wept at hearing, but presently there came one who ran swiftly. This was the text truly I took full good gome, During the talk that arose from the words of Faith (for whom Abraham spoke) and Hope, a Samaritan, travelling their own way, came by them quickly on a mule. He was on his way from Jericho to joustings at Jerusalem. Abraham, Hope, and He came together in a wild wilderness where thieves had fast bound a man who was naked, and who seemed to be half dead. Faith and Hope saw and passed him at a distance; the Samaritan at once drew near, dismounted and led his mule, poured wine and oil into the stranger's wounds, bandaged them, set him on Bayard, and led him to a grange called Lex Dei (the law of God), where he left him to be healed, giving two pence to the hosteler, and saying that he would make good to him what more was spent on medicine; for I may not stay, he said, and re-mounted and sped on towards Jerusalem. Then the Dreamer hurried after that Samaritan, and was taught by him, of the Trinity upon which Faith (Abraham) had dwelt; and of Love, the theme of Hope. Every man can love his neighbour if he will," said the Samaritan, and hasted on. 66 Here ended the seventh dream of the Vision, but the poet slept again and dreamt much of Palm Sunday, of the Palm Sunday hymn, the Gloria, laus (sung as the procession halts before re-entering the church), and of Hosanna sung by old folk to the organ. One who was like the Samaritan, and some part like Piers Plowman, came barefoot on an ass's back, without spurs or spear, as a knight on his way to be dubbed. Then was Faith in a window, and cried, "O Son of David!" as a herald cries when adventurers come to the jousts. Old Jews of Jerusalem sang for joy, "Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord!" Then the Dreamer asked of Faith what this meant. "And who should jousten at Jerusalem ?'-' Jesus,' he said; 'And fetch that the fiend claimeth, Piers' fruit, the Plowman.' 'Is Piers in this place?' quoth I." Then he was told that Free Will of God had undertaken for love that Jesus should joust in the arms of Piers the Plowman; in his helm and habergeon of human nature. He asked who should joust with Jesus, Jews or scribes? None, he was told, but the Fiend, and the false doom of Death. Death claims and threatens all, but Life hath laid his life to pledge that within three days he will recover from the Fiend the fruit of Piers the Plowman. Then came Pilate to the judgment-seat, and Jesus was condemned and suffered on the cross, and said, "It is finished." And the day became dark, and the dead rose, and one of the dead told of the battle in darkness between Life and Death. The side of the Saviour was pierced by Longeus, who, in doing so |