Piers Plowman: Passus XVI Summary & Analysis

Still dreaming, Will thanks Anima for his teachings but admits that he still is confused about Charity. Anima responds with an explanation of a tree called Patience. Its roots are made of mercy, its leaves are the laws of the Church, the flowers are “…obedient speech and benevolent looks,” and the fruit, grown by “God and good men,” is Charity. Will says he would travel hundreds of miles to see this tree and taste its fruit. Anima says the tree can be found in a garden “that God made himself”—the heart of the human body. Anima mentions that Piers Plowman oversees the garden. At the sound of Piers Plowman’s name, Will “swoon[s]” with “pure joy,” and falls into another dream.

Piers Plowman appears to Will and shows him the tree called Patience. Will notices the tree is propped up by three wooden poles, which Piers says is to keep the tree from falling over when the winds come. Piers explains that he uses the first pole to protect the tree from Covetousness. The second pole protects against the flesh, which introduces “worms of sin” to the tree. Sometimes, the Devil also tries to attack the tree. He uses a ladder made of lies, and often has help from flesh. When this happens, Free Will uses the third pole—with help from Holy Ghost—to “dash down the Devil directly through grace.”

Will asks Piers Plowman about the three wooden poles, noting that they all seem to have come from the same tree. Piers explains that the poles “betoken the Trinity,” and also explains the three types of fruit on the tree: Matrimony, Maidenhood, and Widowhood. Will notices the Devil positioned at the bottom of the tree, waiting to snatch any fallen fruit. When fruit does fall and the Devil tries to collect it, Piers beats him with one of the poles.

A woman named Mary appears and explains that “Jesus should joust for it [the fallen fruit] by judgement of arms / Which one should fetch the fruit, the Fiend or himself.” Will suddenly sees visions of Jesus healing the sick. Although some people recognize Jesus to be “lord of high heaven,” some people think his healing abilities come from witchcraft or the Devil.

Sitting at dinner on a Thursday evening, Jesus tells his followers that one of them will betray him for money. Although Judas objects to this, he later meets with the Jews and establishes with them the signal of a kiss. Later, Judas walks up to Jesus and greets him with a kiss, and Jesus is captured and crucified.

Will suddenly wakes up from his dream—but is still in the midst of another. He can no longer find Piers Plowman, so he wanders through the country looking for him. One day, he meets a man named Abraham, who initially introduces himself as Faith. Faith tells Will that he’s looking for a man whose shield has “Three beings in one body, none bigger than the others” on it—one is called Pater, one is Filius, and the third is Holy Ghost. He explains to Will that the nature of God is threefold, comprised of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, “…and all are but one God.”

Faith tells the story of the time when God told him to kill his son, Isaac, as a test to find out if Faith loved his son or God more. Will notices that Faith has a multitude of souls under his coat. As Faith talks about how he is now seeking Jesus, Will sees another man running down the road. Will asks the man who he is, where he is coming from, and where he is going.