"I am a mynstrall," quod that man, "My name is _Activa-vita_; Al ydelnesse ich hatie, For of actif is my name; A wafrer, wol ye wite, And serve manye lordes, And fewe robes I fonge, 8480 Or furrede gownes. Couthe I lye to do men laughe, {260} Thanne lacchen I sholde Outher mantel or moneie Amonges lordes or mynstrals. Ac for I kan neither taboure ne trompe, Ne telle no gestes, Farten ne fithelen At festes, ne harpen, Jape ne jogele, 8490 Ne gentilliche pipe, Ne neither saille ne saute, Ne synge with the gyterne, I have no goode giftes Of thise grete lordes. For no breed that I brynge forth, Save a benyson on the Sonday Whan the preest preieth the peple Hir pater-noster to bidde For Piers the Plowman, 8500 And that hym profit waiten; And that am I actif, That ydelnesse hatie; For alle trewe travaillours And tiliers of the erthe, Fro Mighelmesse to Mighelmesse I fynde hem with my wafres. "Beggeris and bidderis Of my breed craven, Faitours and freres, 8510 And folk with brode crounes. I fynde payn for the pope, And provendre for his palfrey; And I hadde nevere of hym, Have God my trouthe! Neither provendre ne personage {261} Yet of popes gifte, Save a pardon with a peis of leed And two polles amyddes. Hadde ich a clerc that couthe write, 8520 I wolde caste hym a bille, That he sente me under his seel A salve for the pestilence, And that his blessynge and hise bulles Bocches myghte destruye. _In nomine meo dæmonia ejicient, et super ægros manus imponent, et bene habebunt._ "And thanne wolde I be prest to the peple Paast for to make, 8530 And buxom and busy Aboute breed and drynke For hym and for alle hise, Founde I that his pardon Mighte lechen a man, As I bileve it sholde. For sith he hath the power That Peter hymself hadde, He hath the pot with the salve, Soothly as me thynketh. 8540 _Argentum et aurum non est mihi; quod autem habeo tibi do: in nomine Domini surge et ambula._ "Ac if myght of myracle hym faille, It is for men ben noght worthi To have the grace of God, And no gilt of pope. For may no blessynge doon us boote, But if we wile amende, 8550 {262} Ne mannes masse make pees Among cristene peple, Til pride be pureliche for-do, And thorugh payn defaute. For er I have breed of mele, Oft moot I swete; And er the commune have corn y-nough, Many a cold morwenyng. So er my wafres be y-wroght, Muche wo I tholye. 8560