Laborers that have no land To lyve on but hire handes, Deyned noght to dyne a day Nyght-olde wortes; May no peny ale hem paye, Ne no pece of bacone, 4420 But if it be fresshe flessh outher fisshe, Fryed outher y-bake, And that _chaud_ and _plus chaud_, For chillynge of hir mawe; And but if he be heighliche hyred; {136} Ellis wole he chide, And that he was werkman wroght Waille the tyme, Ayeins Catons counseil Comseth he to jangle. 4430 _Paupertatis onus patienter ferre memento._ = He greveth hym ageyn God, And gruccheth ageyn Reson, And thanne corseth he the kyng, And al his counseil after, Swiche lawes to loke Laborers to greve. Ac whiles Hunger was hir maister, Ther wolde noon of hem chide, 4440 Ne stryven ayeins his statut, So sterneliche he loked. Ac I warne yow, werkmen, Wynneth whil ye mowe, For Hunger hiderward Hasteth hym faste. He shal a-wake with water Wastours to chaste; Er fyve be fulfilled, Swich famyn shal a-ryse, 4450 Thorugh flodes and thorugh foule wedres Fruytes shul faille, And so seide Saturne, And sente yow to warne. Whan ye se the sonne a-mys, And two monkes heddes, And a mayde have the maistrie, And multiplie by eighte, Thanne shal deeth with-drawe, {137} And derthe be justice, 4460 And Dawe the dykere Deye for hunger; But God of his goodnesse Graunte us a trewe. 4464 * * * * * {138} _Passus Septimus de Visione, ut supra._ Treuthe herde telle her 4465 And to Piers he sente, To maken his teme And tilien the erthe, And purchaced hym a pardone _A poena et a culpa_, 4470 For hym and for hise heires, For evere moore after, And bad hym holde hym at home, And erien hise leyes. And alle that holpen hym to erye, To sette or to sowe, Or any oother mestier That myghte Piers availle, Pardon with Piers Plowman Truthe hath y-graunted. 4480 Kynges and knyghtes, That kepen holy chirche, And rightfully in remes Rulen the peple, Han pardon thorugh purgatorie To passen ful lightly, With patriarkes and prophetes In paradis to be felawe. {139} Bysshopes y-blessed, If thei ben as thei sholde, 4490 Legistres of bothe lawes, The lewed therwith to preche, And in as muche as thei mowe Amenden alle synfulle, Arn peres with the Apostles, This pardon Piers sheweth, And at the day of dome At the heighe deys sitte.