Langland

Langland, or Langley, William, the supposed author of The Vision of Piers Plowman, lived some time in the 14th century. Almost all that is known about him is in the notes to the MSS. of that work. Bale, a 16th-century writer, says he was a priest who was born at Cleobury Mortimer, hi Shropshire, that he was one of the first followers of Wyciif, and that his work was finished in 1369. Stow calls him John of Malvern, and there are references to the Malvern Hills in his work. We know from himself that he made his living by singing psalms and canticles, and that he spent most of his life in London, which he seems to have known well. Forty-five MSS. of Piers Plowman are in existence.