William Langland.

12                                            Piers the Plowman

?1332-?1400

FOR trewthe telleth that loue · is triacle1 of hevene;
May no synne be on him sene · that useth that spise,
And alle his werkes he with loue as him liste;2
And lered3 it Moises for the levest4 thing · and moste like to
       heuene,

And also the plante of pees · moste precious of vertues.
    For hevene myghte noughte holden it · it was so hevy
        of hym-self,
Tyl it hadde of the erthe · yeten5 his fylle,
    And whan it haved of this folde · flesshe and blode taken,
Was neuere leef upon lynde6 · lighter ther-after,
And portatyf7 and persant · as the poynt of a nedle,
That myghte non armure it lette8 · ne none heigh walles.
    For-thi is love leder · of the lordes folke of hevene,
And a mene,9 as the maire is · bitwene the kyng and the comune;
Right so is love a ledere · and the lawe shapeth,
Upon man for his mysdedes · the merciment10 he taxeth.
And for to knowe it kyndely11 · it comseth bi myght,
And in the herte, there is the hevede · and the heigh welle.

  By PanEris using Melati.

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