Collected English Verse — William Langland. b. ?1332, d. ?1400

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.