English Satires

Excerpt

I. PILGRIMAGE IN SEARCH OF DO-WELL.

This opening satire constitutes the whole of the Eighth Passus of Piers Plowman's Vision and the First of Do-Wel. The "Dreamer" here sets off on a new pilgrimage in search of a person who has not appeared in the poem before—Do-Well. The following is the argument of the Passus.—"All Piers Plowman's inquiries after Do-Well are fruitless. Even the friars to whom he addresses himself give but a confused account; and weary with wandering about, the dreamer is again overtaken by slumber. Thought now appears to him, and recommends him to Wit, who describes to him the residence of Do-Well, Do-Bet, Do-Best, and enumerates their companions and attendants."

Thus y-robed in russet · romed I abouteAl in a somer seson · for to seke Do-wel;And fraynedfull ofte · of folk that I metteIf any wight wiste · wher Do-wel was at inne;And what man he myghte be · of many man I asked.Was nevere wight, as I wente · that me wisse koutheWhere this leode lenged,· lasse ne moore.Til it bifel on a Friday · two freres I metteMaisters of the Menours· men of grete witte.I hailsed them hendely,· as I hadde y-lerned.And preède them par charité, · er thei passed ferther,If thei knew any contree · or costes as thei wente,"Where that Do-wel dwelleth · dooth me to witene".For thei be men of this moolde · that moost wide walken,And knowen contrees and courtes, · and many kynnes places,Bothe princes paleises · and povere mennes cotes,And Do-wel and Do-yvele · where thei dwelle bothe."Amonges us" quod the Menours, · "that man is dwellynge,And evere hath as I hope, · and evere shal herafter.""Contra", quod I as a clerc, · and comsed to disputen,And seide hem soothly, · "Septies in die cadit justus"."Sevene sithes,seeth the book · synneth the rightfulle;And who so synneth," I seide, · "dooth yvele, as me thynketh;And Do-wel and Do-yvele · mowe noght dwelle togideres.Ergo he nis noght alway · among you freres:He is outher while ellis where · to wisse the peple.""I shal seye thee, my sone" · seide the frere thanne,"How seven sithes the sadde man, · on a day synneth;By a forbisne"quod the frere, · "I shal thee faire showe.Lat brynge a man in a boot, · amydde the brode watre;The wynd and the water · and the boot waggyng,Maketh the man many a tyme · to falle and to stonde;For stonde he never so stif, · he stumbleth if he meve,Ac yet is he saaf and sound, · and so hym bihoveth;For if he ne arise the rather, · and raughte to the steere,The wynd wolde with the water · the boot over throwe;And thanne were his lif lost, · thorough lackesse of hymselve.And thus it falleth," quod the frere, · "by folk here on erthe;The water is likned to the world · that wanyeth and wexeth;The goodes of this grounde arn like · to the grete wawes,That as wyndes and wedres · walketh aboute;The boot is likned to oure body · that brotelis of kynde,That thorough the fend and the flesshe · and the frele worldeSynneth the sadde man · a day seven sithes....