2 - Piers the Plowman and the Materiality of Allegory's ‘Other’

Summary

Iohon Schep, som tyme Seynte Marie prest of York, and now of Colchestre, greteth wel Iohan Nameles, and Iohan the Mullere, and Iohon Cartere, and biddeth hem that thei bee war of gyl in borugh and stondeth togidre in Godes name, and bideth Peres Ploughman go to his werk, and chastise wel Hobbe the Robbere, and taketh with yow Iohan Trewman, and all hiis felawes, and no mor, and loke schappe you to on heued, and no mo.

Iohan the Mullere hath ygrounde smal, smal, smal;

The Kynges sone of heuene schal paye for al.

Be war or ye be wo;

Knoweth your freend from your foo;

Haueth ynow, and seith ‘Hoo’;

And do wel and bettre, and fleth synne,

And seketh pees and hold you therinne;

And so biddeth Iohan Trewman and alle his felawes.

(John Ball 's letter to the Essex Commons)

som tyme: at one time; biddeth hem: commands them; gyl: trickery: loke schappe you to on heued: see that you come together as one head; war: wary; or: before; ynow: enough; fleth: flee, pees: peace

Jakke Carter prayes yowe alle that ye make a gode ende of that ye haue begunnen, and doth wele and ay bettur and bettur, for at the euen men heryeth the day. For if the end be wel, than is alle wele. Late Peres the Plowman my brother duelle at home and dyght us corne, and I will go with yowe and helpe that y may to dyghte your mete and youre dryke, that ye none fayle; lokke that Hobbe robbyoure be wele chastysed for lesyng of youre grace for ye have gret nede to take God with yowe in alle youre dedes. For now is tyme to be war. (Jack Carter's speech)

euen: evening; dyght: prepare; lesyng: loss

In the summer of 1381 England was thrown into crisis by a rural revolt in the southern and eastern counties. By the time the revolt was over, the rebels had seized and burnt hundreds of official documents, executed the chancellor and treasurer, burnt John of Gaunt's London palace and exacted from the king a charter abolishing serfdom. Modern historians have reconstructed the revolt's happenings through various kinds of documentary evidence, including court records and charters, chronicles and poems.