Thus Conscience of Crist And of the cros carpede, And counseiled me to knele therto. And thanne cam, me thoughte, Oon _spiritus paraclitus_ {408} To Piers and to hise felawes In liknesse of a lightnynge He lighte on hem alle, And made hem konne and knowe 13360 Alle kynne langages. I wondred what that was, And waggede Conscience, And was a-fered of the light, For in fires lightnesse _Spiritus paraclitus_ Over-spradde hem alle. Quod Conscience, and knelede, "This is Cristes messager, And cometh fro the grete God, 13370 And Grace is his name. Knele now," quod Conscience, "And if thow kanst synge, Welcome hym and worshipe hym With _Veni creator spiritus_." Thanne song I that song, So dide manye hundred, And cride with Conscience, "Help us, God of Grace!" And thanne bigan Grace 13380 To go with Piers Plowman, And counseillede hym and Conscience The comune to sompne; "For I wole dele to-day And gyve divine grace To alle kynne creatures That han hir fyve wittes, Tresour to lyve by To hir lyves ende, And wepne to fighte with 13390 {409} That wole nevere faille. For Antecrist and hise Al the world shul greve, And acombre thee, Conscience, But if Crist thee helpe. "And false prophetes fele, Flatereris and gloseris, Shullen come and be curatours Over kynges and erles, And Pride shal be pope, 13400 Prynce of holy chirche, Coveitise and unkyndenesse Cardinals hym to lede; For-thi," quod Grace, "er I go, I wol gyve yow tresor, And wepne to fighte with Whan Antecrist yow assaileth." And gaf ech man a grace To gide with hymselven, That ydelnesse encombre hym noght, 13410 Envye ne pride. _Divisiones gratiarum sunt, etc._ Some he yaf wit With wordes to shewe, Wit to wynne hir liflode with, As the world asketh, As prechours and preestes, And prentices of lawe, They lelly to lyve By labour of tonge, 13420 And by wit to wissen othere As grace hem wolde teche. And some he kennede craft And konnynge of sighte, {410} With sellynge and buggynge Hir bilyve to wynne. And some he lered to laboure, A lele lif and a trewe; And some he taughte to tilie, To dyche and to thecche, 13430 To wynne with her liflode Bi loore of his techynge. And some to devyne and divide, Noumbres to kenne; And some to compace craftily, And colours to make; And some to se and to seye What sholde bi-falle, Bothe of wele and of wo, Telle it er it felle, 13440 As astronomyens thorugh astronomye, And philosofres wise.